KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - MAY 18: Willson Contreras #40 of the Boston Red Sox hits a two-run home run against the Kansas City Royals in the sixth inning at Kauffman Stadium on May 18, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Here’s something I’ve tweeted in recent days, but it’s also a good conversation to have here.
The collapse of batting average across MLB is astounding! As of yesterday, there are more qualified hitters batting under .200 (17) than there are guys batting .300 or better (15). These are not the scrubs pinch hitting a couple times a week; these are the everyday players!
Compare this to 30 years ago (1996) and there were 48 guys batting .300 or better. Meanwhile, the guy with the lowest qualified batting average in the entire sport in 1996? Delino DeShields, and he hit .224, a full nine points worse than the next guy.
Batting average has correctly been minimized in importance over the last couple of decades, but Dear Lord has the pendulum swung too far in the other direction (and this is coming from a full blown nerd!). So what do you think OTM? With more guys hitting under .200 than over .300, does MLB need to make rule changes in the next CBA to incentivize contact?
Talk about this and whatever else you’d like in this thread, and as always, be good to one another!
May 20, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) looks on during the fourth quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder during game two of the western conference finals for the 2026 NBA playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Honestly, the fact that San Antonio lost ranks fourth or fifth on my list of most troubling facts about last night’s game. By far the most serious issue is Dylan Harper’s injury, as he has been absolutely essential in this playoff run and clearly the second-best Spur in the series so far. The second most vexing problem has been San Antonio’s proclivity for turnovers, especially since many of them were unforced and they unequivocally cost the Spurs the game. In any case, one silver lining is that last night’s box score is unusual and interesting in several ways, so let’s dive in:
Note: Now that we’ve moved into the postseason, the reference period used for grading changes from the set of regular season games since 2012-2013 to the set of postseason games since 2012-2013. Unless otherwise noted below, this set DOES include play-in games. As of the end of May 20, 2026, this group include 1,193 games.
Factors that decided the game
For as complicated and messy as the game appeared to be at times, the key issues deciding the game are actually quite clear.
First, San Antonio’s shooting efficiency surpassed OKC’s (albeit by tiny-to-modest margins) from everywhere; in fact, in recent NBA history it has been quite rare for a team to win a playoff game with the FG%, 3P%, and FT% margins that the Thunder had (more on that below).
Furthermore, OKC didn’t enjoy any notable advantage in rebounding; they did record one more offensive board, but San Antonio won the defensive glass by five (largely because the Thunder took more shots).
Quite simply, the Spurs’ turnovers were devastating. Because OKC had 11 fewer giveaways, they had more opportunities to score, both from the field and at the free throw line. Most importantly, the Thunder enjoyed a FGA margin of +10, which allowed them to make four more shots despite having a lower FG%.
On top of their advantage from the field, OKC had a FTA margin of +7, partly because of a terrible rash of fouls by the Spurs in the fourth quarter. This allowed the Thunder to extend their lead by four points from the charity stripe despite having a lower FT%.
Rare Box Score Stats
Let’s start with team stats from the graded box score. Everything mentioned in this section captures the frequency of different statistical combinations in the 1,193 postseason games played since 2012-2013 (i.e., the “reference period”):
This is the 30th game in which the winning team had a turnover margin of -11 or better.
Given such a favorable turnover margin, it’s actually a bit shocking that OKC didn’t win in a blowout. In fact, they became just the eighth winner with a turnover margin of -11 or better and a point differential no greater than +9.
San Antonio became just the eighth loser to log FG%, 3P%, and FT% values at least as good as 48.81%, 40%, and 88.24%, respectively.
There were A LOT of offensive rebounds in this game, with 16 for the Spurs and 17 for OKC. In fact, this is just the 22nd contest in the reference period in which at least 33 offensive boards were recovered (that’s about 1.76% of the 1,193 postseason games played in this period, or roughly 1-in-54).
The offensive rebounding numbers are especially surprising when you consider that both teams logged a pretty good FG%, so there weren’t a huge amount of rebounds to be had. In fact, there is just ONE other contest in the reference period in which 33+ offensive boards were recorded with both teams shooting at least 47.87% from the field. That other game was another OKC win, this time over Minnesota in Game 4 of the 2025 Western Conference Finals.
The Thunder became just the 11th winner in the reference period to log FG%, 3P%, and FT% differentials as bad or worse as -0.94, -3.89, and -9.07 percentage points, respectively.
Now let’s turn to stats for individual Spurs, which includes some good news and bad news:
Wemby recorded just the 15th instance since the 1996-1997 postseason in which a player pulled down 41+ rebounds over two consecutive playoff games (this is excluding play-in games). Available data do not capture how many times a player has done this with Isaiah Hartenstein BLATANTLY HOLDING his off arm at all times, but I assume that this number is much lower.
Sadly, Stephon Castle has become the first player across all true playoff games since 1996-1997 to run up a total of 20 turnovers over tow consecutive games. The previous high was 17, a former record shared by LeBron James and Cade Cunningham.
What are Team Graded Box Scores?
Very briefly, these box scores grade winner-loser differentials for basic box score statistics, with the grade being based on the winning team’s differential relative to other NBA winners during a defined reference period. Think of it like a report card for understanding how a given winner performed relative to other winners. The reference period used runs from the start of the 2012-2013 season to the latest date of play, including only games in the same season category (i.e., regular season and playoff games are not compared to each other).
Data Source: The underlying data used to create these box scores was collected from Basketball Reference. In all cases, the data are collected the morning after the game is played. Although rare, postgame statistical revisions after data collection do occur and may affect the results after the fact.
PITTSBURGH, PA - MARCH 31: Erik Karlsson #65 of the Pittsburgh Penguins in action during the game against the Detroit Red Wings at PPG PAINTS Arena on March 31, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
While most of the focus for the offseason is going to be on the Pittsburgh Penguins pending unrestricted free agents (like, say, Evgeni Malkin) and what they do with their available salary cap space, there’s another group of players that should get some attention. It is the eight players entering the final year of their current contracts and eligible for new contracts on July 1.
Let’s take a quick look at that group and try to determine if the Penguins should try to keep them, shop them or simply let them move on.
Sidney Crosby: Extend
I’m not sure there is much more analysis needed here.
He’s still playing at a high level. He should continue to do so for at least another couple of years. As long as he wants to keep playing it’s probably a safe assumption he is here. Whether that’s a longer-term deal, year-to-year, shorter-term deals … whatever. He is here. He will be here. That is what the Penguins probably want. It is what he probably wants. Easy call.
Erik Karlsson: Shop, but consider an extension
I wouldn’t trade Karlsson just for the sake of trading him because you think that’s what you need to do in a rebuild. But I also wouldn’t completely take him off the table. You’re not doing your job if you’re not at least listening, keeping an open mind and seeing what is out there.
Especially given the lack of defensemen on the free agent market and the fact you might be able to get a really solid return for him. His value has to be sky-high right now, or at least higher than it’s been, and there will no doubt be at least some interested teams.
But … Kyle Dubas has not totally ruled out the idea of an extension, and even though he is in his mid-30s it could make sense. Defensive depth is thin, Karlsson is still a top-pairing defender and he should still have a few high-level years remaining.
Listen to offers. See what’s out there. But keep an extension on the table.
Tommy Novak: Shop/Trade
Novak is by no means a bad player. He has a role on an NHL team, and it can be a very fluid role given his versatility to play up and down the lineup, on the wing, at center, and pretty much anywhere he is needed. But like I said in his year-in-review entry, he can also be a little frustrating. He’s good, but he also lulls you into wanting a little more given his talent. His playoff showings have also left something to be desired. Plus, when his next contract begins he will be 30 years old.
I am okay paying superstars into their 30s, because even if they decline and regress they are starting from a significantly higher point and can still remain productive.
But when you start talking about second-and third-tier players, that is where contracts into their 30s start to become problematic.
Shop him and see what’s out there.
Justin Brazeau: Shop/move on
Brazeau was part of the Penguins’ highly successful 2025 offseason and exceeded everybody’s expectations by scoring 17 goals with 34 total points. He’s big. He brings some physicality. He is extremely talented for his size and always seems to be a late-bloomer at every level.
But like Novak you are talking about a non-star player in his late 20s when his next contract kicks, and it will almost certainly be a contract that goes into his 30s. This is a situation where you found some lightning in a bottle, ride it out for as long as you can, and then try to find the next Justin Brazeau. If you slip out of the playoff race by the trade deadline he would be ideal trade fodder given his cheap salary.
Samuel Girard: Shop, but consider an extension
I am going to stay bullish on this, but I am not writing off Sam Girard.
I just think there’s more to his game than what we saw after the trade this past season, and I want to see what he does with a fresh start at the beginning of the season. There’s talent there. He’s been a good NHL player before. And as I said with Karlsson, the defensive depth in the organization isn’t great at the moment when it comes to short-term or medium-term options. Owen Pickering isn’t that guy. Harrison Brunicke might be that guy, but there is only one of him. You are going to need people here.
I am not extending him right now now.
I wouldn’t turn down reasonable trades for him.
But I’m keeping an open mind toward an extension, especially if he comes back strong next season. There were some rocky moments at the end of the season and in the playoffs, but there were also some really good moments.
Parker Wotherspoon: Move on
Wotherspoon was another offseason surprise that made a bigger-than-expected impact. He went from an expected depth piece to a top-pairing defenseman alongside Karlsson for pretty much the entire season, and it was one of the most effective defense pairings in the NHL. That’s great. But I wouldn’t push my luck on it, especially when Karlsson’s future in Pittsburgh is in some question given HIS contract situation.
The problem with Wotherspoon is that while he was very effective alongside Karlsson, his impact took a significant hit when he was away from Karlsson.
There was a pretty notable and significant Karlsson boost happening here. You got a great value for a couple of years. Be happy with that.
Caleb Jones: Move on
We only saw him for seven games before he was injured and then suspended. Over the past three years he has played 48 games in the NHL. He will be 30 when his next contract begins. Organizational depth at best. There are 25 Caleb Jones-type players available every offseason.
Jack St. Ivany: Move on, but consider keeping
I would be a little more open to keeping him as organizational depth than Jones just based on age alone. St. Ivany is still only 26 (well, 27 next season) and at least played a few more games in the NHL this season and was, at times, pretty solid. I wouldn’t want him playing a regular shift, but as a seventh defenseman or organizational depth he is fine.
Who will win Pirates vs Cardinals today: Pirates moneyline (-122)
The Pittsburgh Pirates shut down the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday, winning 7-0 behind a four-hit game from rookie Konnor Griffin. The Bucs' pitching staff allowed just five hits, containing a Cards offense that has struggled with consistency. Braxton Ashcraft takes the mound today for the visitors, and he's been impressive.
The right-hander owns a 3.09 ERA, and that lowers to 2.16 on the road across four outings. Coincidentally enough, all six earned runs he's allowed away from PNC Park were to the Cards last month in a tough start. But Ashcraft has improved immensely since that outing, compiling a 2.11 ERA across three May appearances. His last road start was a seven-inning, one-run outing against the San Francisco Giants.
As for the Cards, they hand Dustin May the ball. He owns a 4.50 ERA at home this season, and Pittsburgh's lineup has hit him around. They're batting .400 across 40 at-bats, and the Pirates are one of the top offensive ball clubs in the big leagues, averaging 4.9 runs per game. The visitors will keep it rolling here.
COVERS INTEL: May owns a BABIP of .338 so far this season, compared to .298 in 2025.
Pirates vs Cardinals Over/Under pick: Over 7.5 runs (-108)
Four of the last five meetings between the Pirates and Cardinals have cashed the Over, and Wednesday's matchup finished just below today's total. While I do expect Ashcraft to have a solid outing, the Cards have hit him around before, and they could do some damage.
As for May, he's had minimal luck against Pittsburgh's lineup, with several key players swinging it well against him. The right-hander also has a career-worst 52% hard-hit rate, and the Bucs have scored 13 runs across their last two contests.
The St. Louis bullpen has also been poor, compiling a 4.53 ERA, and it surrendered four earned runs on Wednesday.
Quinn Allen's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 14-11, +3.90 units
Over/Under bets: 14-11, +1.16 units
Pirates vs Cardinals odds
Moneyline: Pirates -122 | Cardinals +117
Run line: Pirates -1.5 (+138) | Cardinals +1.5 (-144)
Over/Under: Over 7.5 (-108) | Under 7.5 (+104)
Pirates vs Cardinals trend
The Pittsburgh Pirates have covered the Run Line in 28 of their last 45 away games (+8.20 Units / 13% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Pirates vs. Cardinals.
How to watch Pirates vs Cardinals and game info
Location
Busch Stadium, St. Louis, MO
Date
Thursday, May 21, 2026
First pitch
1:15 p.m. ET
TV
SportsNet Pittsburgh, Cardinals.TV
Pirates starting pitcher
Braxton Ashcraft (2-2, 3.09 ERA)
Cardinals starting pitcher
Dustin May (3-4, 4.81 ERA)
Pirates vs Cardinals latest injuries
Pirates vs Cardinals weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MAY 07: Starting pitcher Jake Bennett #64 of the Boston Red Sox throws in the second inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park on May 07, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jaiden Tripi/Getty Images) | Getty Images
This game fell apart in extras, namely the eleventh, and to be honest, the WooSox should have had it won earlier than that. The pitching was solid throughout the night, starting with Jake Bennett striking out eleven Red Wings (Nationals AAA) and allowing one run. Bennett’s pitch count was only at 73 so he could have conceivably gone longer, but the bullpen was fine throughout the night and recorded 8 more Ks.
Worcester lacked an extra base hit besides Matt Lloyd’s solo shot and also went hitless in eight chances with runners in scoring position. But they played with their food for too long and, by virtue of Wyatt Olds allowing five runs (four earned) in the eleventh, the food got all over them. Bennett is suffering from being a young minor league option… or should I say young with options (ba dum tiss) behind one of the best rotations in baseball. It’s good to know he’s mowing them down consistently in Triple-A.
Catastrophic news as Franklin Arias’ OPS is about to dip under 1.000 with another hitless night (he did, though get on base with a walk). The horror! To be honest, though, behind the rest of the lineup and a good five innings out of Hayden Mullins, a guy who’s becoming the dependable workhorse of Portland’s rotation, the Sea Dogs didn’t need Arias to put away the Fightin Phils’ (Phillies AA). Johanfran Garcia got his sixth home run of the season in the fifth inning and Nelly Taylor had two doubles. This was a feel good win where everyone contributed: even though every single batter struck out at least once on the night, everyone aside from the nine-hole hitter got on base once, as well. The result was a 7-0 lead after two and a game that the Sea Dogs could coast through.
After losing most of the month, the Drive won two consecutive games for the first time since late April Sunday and Tuesday. That did not continue on Wednesday against Frederick (Orioles High-A). This was more like a defensive death by a thousand cuts, as the Keys got the Drive for 17 hits but just six runs, and the Drive couldn’t match that output by a long shot, gathering just five. Yoelin Cespedes got the game within striking distance with a two-run shot, his eighth of the year, in the ninth inning, but it was too little, too late.
After getting taken for sixteen runs by the Howlers (Guardians A) on Tuesday, the RidgeYaks came back and allowed just three hits, and just one extra-base hit. Salem had another productive lineup as eight of their nine hitters got a knock and even the one that didn’t got a walk. They also got a home run to clinch the game (albeit all the way back in the fourth inning) out of Andrews Opata. Opata also swiped his twentieth bag of the season. This game was really never within losing distance for Salem.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 19: Camilo Doval #75 of the New York Yankees celebrates after pitching during the ninth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium on May 19, 2026 in the Bronx borough of New York City. The New York Yankees won 5-4. (Photo by Ishika Samant/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The last three games have been an adventure with the Yankees bullpen, and not a particularly fun one either. Yes, they secured the win in two out of three, but boy have David Bednar and Camilo Doval put Yankees fans through the wringer in the ninth inning against the Mets and the first two against Toronto. Doval’s final out to secure the save against on Tuesday night is the moment we’ll look at this time on Sequence of the Week.
We join Doval with two outs in the ninth. The back of the Yankees bullpen is short following Bednar and Fernando Cruz’s exertions in the previous two games, leaving Doval as the lone remaining option to close out this game. It’s been far from smooth sailing for the flame throwing righty, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. cutting the Yankees’ lead to one with a sac fly after Doval gave up an Andrés Giménez walk and Ernie Clement single to open the frame. After the Vlad Jr. sac fly, Daulton Varsho reached on an infield single when Doval forgot to cover first base on the grounder to the right side, putting runners on the corners and bringing the Blue Jays’ team leader in home runs Kazuma Okamoto to the plate.
Renowned during his San Francisco days for his triple digits cutter, Doval instead starts Okamoto off with a sinker — a pitch he has been working on behind the scenes with Matt Blake and the rest of the Yankees pitching coaches.
This is pretty close to a perfect pitch — a 100-mph sinker right on the bottom shelf of the strike zone. It’s a called strike if Okamoto doesn’t swing, but commanded to a location where it’s almost impossible to do damage. It’s honestly impressive that Okamoto recognizes it as a strike — given it started off the plate away before tailing back into the zone — and is able to catch a piece and tap it foul.
Following the excellent execution of the first pitch sinker, Doval tries to keep the muscle memory of that release point by targeting the same location with the same pitch.
He manages to achieve the same lateral release point, but this sinker is elevated relative to the previous one. This makes it a more hittable pitch, but it appears that Okamoto is in fight-off mode, perhaps hunting a pitch inside, and he fires a late, off-balance swing and fouls it off to the right.
Doval is now just one strike away from locking down the save. Just one more decent execution of a pitch away from sending all those of a Yankees persuasion home happy. After showing Okamoto a pair of in-breaking sinkers, Doval looks to put him away with a cutter that moves away from the hitter, Austin Wells setting a target low and away.
The key to throwing a good cutter is staying behind and through the ball, something which Doval fails to do here. He almost slings this pitch rather than finishing out in front, causing the pitch to sail wildly inside as it backs up rather than cuts, and Okamoto has to spin out of the way to avoid getting hit.
After mis-executing that cutter so poorly, Doval immediately scraps the pitch and goes back to the sinker. He still has the feeling of having executed two good ones to open the AB, he just has to find that release point again and it should be game over.
Instead, Doval makes a mistake releasing this pitch a hair too early, and it ends up middle-middle. Fortunately for him and his teammates, Okamoto has never quite figured out the correct swing path to match up against Doval’s sinker, and though he is right on time and clubs this ball at 103 mph, he impacts the top of the baseball sending a routine grounder to Anthony Volpe for the game-ending ground out. That is the margin of error that being able to throw over 100 mph affords the pitcher, allowing Doval to get a ground out on a mistake pitch.
There is a lot to like from this sequence from Doval. For starters, he managed to find the zone with all three of the sinkers he threw — no small feat considering how much walks have tended to hurt him in his career. They surprisingly haven’t been as big of an issue this year, but his general wildness this campaign has seen him fall behind in counts and then cough up a home run as he is forced into the middle of the zone. I was also impressed by Doval’s ability to immediately flush the previous play when he forgot to cover first. It would be easy to let that moment linger and impact his concentration against Okamoto, but he turned the page quickly and focused fully on this AB.
Finally, I am intrigued by Doval’s progress with this new sinker — a pitch that went from a 12.2-percent usage rate in 2025 to his most used pitch so far in 2026 at a 41.7-percent usage rate. Doval is perennially among the league leaders in ground ball rate and this gives him another weapon to maintain those levels. It’s a pitch I’m excited to analyze more deeply in my new series about the Yankees bringing the sinker back into vogue, so stay tuned! While I’m certainly not ready to say that I trust Doval in spots as high leverage at this, it’s a positive first step toward re-earning the trust to pitch in late-game situations.
May 20, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Nationals second baseman Nasim Nuñez (26) steals second base as New York Mets second baseman Marcus Semien (10) attempts to catch a throw during the second inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
Meet the Mets
Zach Thornton’s major league debut didn’t go as well as hoped when he put the Mets in a hole early. The team did attempt to come back, led by two Juan Soto home runs, but the bullpen put the game out of reach and the Mets dropped their second straight to Washington.
Clippers general manager Trent Redden has “emerged as a candidate.”
Lloyd is “expected to interview” and “has the backing of a few key members of the Sixers’ organization.”
The Hawks denied Myers’ request to interview Atlanta GM Onsi Saleh last week.
Nelson starred at Chester High School and St. Joseph’s before his 14-year NBA career. Sixers GM Elton Brand hired him in 2020 as a scout and an assistant general manager for the G League’s Delaware Blue Coats.
“Obviously you try to use data,” he told NBC Sports Philadelphia in an April 2024 phone interview. “I’m not a huge analytics guy, but you have to use them to help back up some things that you see. And you can make the best decision in terms of the upside and all that stuff when it comes to young guys.
“But it’s also when you see a guy, you have to know who this guy is as a person. At the beginning of it, they’re people. … In the G League, we’ve been successful with just saying, ‘This is how we see you becoming successful.’ Some guys fight it, some guys don’t, but we have a good track record of identifying talent and also putting them in positions to be successful for themselves and for the team. … So it’s identifying what a guy has and how we can help them get better at their skills and some of their weaknesses.”
Lloyd was widely reported to have been a finalist for the Bulls’ executive vice president of basketball operations job that ultimately went to Bryson Graham. At the moment, Lloyd is the No. 2 in Minnesota’s front office under president of basketball operations Tim Connelly.
“He’s one of the most well-respected guys in our profession,” Connelly told The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski in 2024. “He’s got the acumen and the work ethic and he’s got a wonderful emotional IQ. Someone really smart is going to hire him as their president.”
“A lot of executives have backgrounds in strategy or evaluation. Trent brings expertise and agility in both,” Frank said in the Clippers’ press release on Redden’s promotion to GM. “Since he joined us, Trent has scoured the globe in search of amateur and pro talent while serving as an integral advisor on every major decision and acquisition we’ve made.”
Frank called Redden “a respected leader with strong relationships throughout the league.”
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 19: Tommy Edman of the Los Angeles Dodgers looks on before the game against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on May 19, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Dodgers utility man Tommy Edman is a step closer to being a step closer to returning from the injured list after offseason ankle surgery, thanks to a few more steps closer to full speed in the last week.
Manager Dave Roberts told reporters Wednesday at Petco Park in San Diego that Edman could face hitters at Camelback Ranch in Arizona in the next week, then potentially start a minor league rehab assignment after that.
Next steps for Tommy Edman, who has been running arcs at what looks like close to max effort this week: First, he'll go to Arizona to take live at-bats. After that, Dave Roberts said he could begin a rehab assignment, potentially next week.
After the surgery, Edman’s offseason work was limited, with his right leg in a walking boot up until mid January. He was slow-played during spring training, gradually working up, and explained the methodology at Dodgers Fan Fest during the offseason.
“I’m really hopeful I’ll be able to put the ankle injuries of the last couple of years behind me. It’s something I kind of dealt with throughout ’24 and ’25, and I feel like it affected the way to play the game I normally would be able to,” Edman said in January. “The timetable is more of as I progress, so it’s kind of hard to say when I’ll be able to hop back into a major league game again. … I want to make sure I’m a full go, and don’t have to worry about [the ankle] again the rest of the year.”
At the beginning of the regular season, Roberts guestimated Edman would return some time in late May, though that has since been pushed back. Edman has been working out off and on at Dodger Stadium at various times this season, but hadn’t really progressed much until recently. He was moved to the 60-day injured list on May 9, though that does not affect Edman’s timeline at all, as those 60 days will have already expired by the time he is ready to return.
For a comparison of how long Edman’s rehab assignment might take, look no further than Kiké Hernández, who is in his third week of games with Triple-A Oklahoma City and is eligible to be activated off the injured list as early as this Sunday. Hernández is coming off left elbow surgery in November and was initially thought to be out until around midseason but made strides in April to essentially leapfrog Edman in the return timeline pecking order.
When Chayka was named GM of the Maple Leafs, many were surprised and shocked by the hire, for several different reasons.
With the surprise hire for the GM position, what if Toronto go a similar route when selecting the 42nd head coach in franchise history?
Here are three surprising head coach candidates for the Maple Leafs.
Todd Nelson
Maybe it wouldn't surprise some if the Maple Leafs considered hiring Todd Nelson as the team's next head coach. Nonetheless, he'd be a great candidate to be a head coach in the NHL, let alone for Toronto, and many may not have Nelson at the top of their lists.
Nelson is currently an assistant coach with the Pittsburgh Penguins, coming off his first season with the team. He previously spent three years as the head coach of the AHL's Hershey Bears, winning a pair of Calder Cups in that stint. Nelson has won a total of four Calder Cups in his coaching career.
Despite his excellence in the American League, Nelson has never had a true tenure as an NHL head coach. In 2014-15, Nelson led the Edmonton Oilers behind the bench as an interim head coach for the final 51 games of that regular season.
Even if the Maple Leafs don't snatch him up, Nelson should be getting an offer to be a head coach in the NHL eventually.
Dallas Eakins has been out of the league for a few years now, with his last season as an NHL head coach coming in 2022-23. Since then, he's been the head coach of the DEL's Mannheim in Germany.
In the NHL, Eakins coached the Oilers for two seasons and was actually replaced by Nelson in 2014-15. He also had a four-year stint with the Anaheim Ducks from 2019-20 to 2022-23. In between those gigs, he was the head coach of Anaheim's AHL affiliate, the San Diego Gulls.
It's worth noting that Eakins has ties to the Maple Leafs, serving as an assistant coach in 2006-07 and 2007-08, as well as the director of player development in 2008-09. Also, he was the bench boss of the Toronto Marlies from 2009-10 to 2012-13.
Like Eakins, it's been a few years since Bruce Boudreau has been a head coach in the NHL. His last stint ended in 2022-23 when he was fired by the Vancouver Canucks in the midst of his second campaign with the team.
Boudreau, a Toronto native, has had some successful campaigns as an NHL head coach.
In his first year as an NHL bench boss, he won the Jack Adams Trophy with the Washington Capitals. In 2009-10, he led Washington to a stellar 54-15-13 record, which turned out to be the best season in Capitals history.
He had some more great years with the Ducks, marking a 54-20-8 record in the 2013-14 season, which was also the best campaign in Anaheim's franchise history.
Boudreau certainly knows how to make a team successful in the regular season, winning eight divisional titles in his NHL coaching career.
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SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 26: Jaden Bradley #0 of the Arizona Wildcats dribbles the ball against the Arkansas Razorbacks during the second half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Since my last article on second round prospects, we’ve seen the ping-pong ball gods reward the Wizards, and the draft combine gives us a better understanding of the physical tools of the players the Suns might select at 47.
In another case of “I hate being right”, most of the players I identified as possibilities back in April have seen their draft stock steadily rise. As a result, players that intrigued me the most (Jefferson, Okorie, Ejiofor, Veesaar, and Chinyelu in particular) now appear to be late first or early second round picks, and likely to go about 12-15 spots too high unless the Suns trade up. Another player (JT Toppin) has elected to go back to college after an injury shortened his senior year. Flory Bidunga seems likely to follow.
The draft combine measurements were kind to Baba Miller, Rueben Chinyelu, and Zuby Ejiofor. The latter may sneak into the late first round as a result. Josh Jefferson and Milan Momcilovic did not do themselves any favors, however. Momcilovic may well slip all the way back to 47 now. Bruce Thornton also fared poorly and may fall out of the draft altogether.
After all this movement, four players have been popping up in mock drafts for the Suns that look both interesting and potentially available at 47. While I loved Ejiofor, Veesaar, Okorie, and Chinyelu, they’re very unlikely to be available when the Suns pick. I think Ejiofor, in particular, could contribute right away. I’m much less excited about these next four: they mostly seem like two-way players who might develop into useful reserves.
So, in order of best first, here are four more players that would make sense for the Suns, and that I’ve seen go to them in one or more mock drafts. The analysis of draft positions is based on 16 recent mock drafts and big boards from various well-known sources.
Trevon Brazile (Arkansas, Senior, PF)
Trevon Brazile is a highly athletic, 6’10”, 226-pound power forward with an elite 7’4” wingspan and notable bounce, profiling as a modern stretch-four and vertical spacer. He brings immense physical upside and defensive versatility but is often evaluated as a developmental project due to inconsistent offensive aggression and fluctuating half-court feel.
Elite Physical Profile: Possesses NBA-level size and length, highlighted by a massive wingspan and a 41.5″ vertical, allowing him to play well above the rim.
Vertical Spacing: A dynamic lob threat and explosive rim runner who thrives in the dunker spot, on pick-and-rolls, and in transition.
Shooting Upside: Capable of stretching the floor as a stretch-big, showing the ability to knock down catch-and-shoot threes and project as a floor-spacer.
Defensive Versatility: Uses his length and impressive foot speed to switch onto smaller guards on the perimeter, while offering strong weakside shot-blocking and transition defense.
Weaknesses
Offensive Creation: Lacks a highly creative handle and struggles to generate his own offense in isolation, relying mostly on set plays or put-backs.
Inconsistent Motor & Feel: Can drift in games and sometimes lacks aggressiveness off the ball, leading to quiet stretches where he isn’t heavily involved in the offense.
Defensive Discipline: Has shown tendencies to be foul-prone, which has at times mitigated his overall impact as a rim protector, though this has improved over his college career
Injury History: Dealt with a significant ACL tear in his sophomore season, but recovered well enough to dominate the draft combine
Age: 23.45 years at the time of the draft; his remaining upside is an open question, given his lack of feel for the game.
Draft Range
Between 36 and 57 in the 13 mock drafts he appeared in.
Why the Suns Should Take a Look
Trevon Brazile absolutely annihilated the combine as perhaps the best athlete there, tying for the top overall score at Tawny Park Metrics. Standing reach equal to Rasheer Fleming, big wingspan, leaps out of the gym, agility and acceleration better than most point guards, 8 inches shorter and 30 pounds lighter than him. Oh, in addition to being a long, athletic, mobile big man who can switch on all five positions, he shoots threes at a respectable percentage, and his mechanics are smooth with high release, good arc, and good back spin. He shoots 43% from three when left unguarded. He doesn’t turn the ball over, has his foul rate under control, and posts a respectable Box Plus Minus.
The reason he’s not a lottery pick is that he’s more of an athlete than a basketball player. He lacks killer instinct, his attention waxes and wanes, and his fundamentals are “meh”. He has the physical tools to be a number one pick, but his issues are all between the ears. He’s a 5th-year senior, and it’s debatable if he will ever “get it”. However, of all the players in this article, he has by far the most upside. If it ever does “click” for him, he could be a surprise all-star or all-defensive team player.
NBA Comparison
Amir Johnson most likely, but Aaron Gordon if it all comes together for him.
Jaden Bradley (Arizona, Senior, PG)
Jaden Bradley is a highly experienced, 6’3″ pass-first point guard who established himself as a premier floor general and the Big 12 Player of the Year at the University of Arizona. Known for his physical downhill play, elite free-throw rate, and on-ball defensive tenacity, he projects as a reliable, high-IQ backup guard in the NBA.
Yes, the Suns will have a pre-draft workout with Arizona PG Jaden Bradley. https://t.co/7uEYYvnccj
Rim Pressure & Free Throw Drawing: At around 205 pounds, Bradley possesses excellent size and strength for his position. He uses a quick first step, body control, and clever footwork to get downhill and initiate contact. He is elite at drawing fouls and consistently gets to the charity stripe.
Playmaking & Pace: He operates as a traditional, pass-first floor general. He avoids over-dribbling, plays at a steady, controlled tempo, and excels at running the pick-and-roll.
Defensive Tenacity: Bradley plays with a high motor and gets after it on the defensive end. His strength and 6’6″ wingspan allow him to pressure the ball full-court and guard multiple positions.
Winner’s Mentality: He brings significant championship DNA, having played meaningful roles for title-winning and contending teams at Alabama, Arizona, and throughout his final season
Weaknesses
Perimeter Shooting Consistency: While he has shown flashes of improvement, outside shooting remains a primary concern. Teams may sag off him and dare him to shoot from beyond the arc.
Playstyle Limitations: He thrives with the ball in his hands and in college-style systems. It remains to be seen how smoothly he will transition to an off-ball, floor-spacing role in the NBA.
Half-Court Scoring Versatility: He prefers driving right and can be reliant on mid-range pull-ups when the lane is clogged, making him somewhat predictable against set NBA defenses.
Draft Range
The highest draft position in 13 mock drafts was 41. He went undrafted in three of the 16.
Why the Suns Should Take a Look
Jaden Bradley is one of those generally unexciting players who made it this far based on his discipline and basketball IQ more than raw physical talent or supernatural situational awareness. He graded out at the combine as slightly above average athletically as a point guard. Defensively, he’s aces with a great feel for the game at both ends. The most common criticism of him was his shooting, but in 2025-26 he raised his three-point percentage to more than respectable 39.4%.
The biggest problem with Bradley is that it is tough to look at him and find anything he’s elite at. His profile kind of screams perennial third-string point guard. That’s not the worst thing in the world, but his upside seems very limited, but with a solid floor. Given how well Booker did in the past next to a defensively solid, pick-and-roll point guard, Bradley might be a good fit culturally.
NBA Comparisons
Aaron Holiday, Derrick White
Izaiyah Nelson (South Florida, Senior, PF/C)
Izaiyah Nelson is a 6’9”, 219-pound center/forward high-motor defensive specialist and rim-runner. After transferring from Arkansas State, Nelson dominated the American Athletic Conference during his senior year, taking home AAC Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, and Newcomer of the Year honors. He recently reinforced his draft stock at the NBA Draft Combine, showcasing a rare mix of elite length and functional lateral quickness that projects well into a modern NBA energy-big role.
Elite Physical Tools & Motor: Nelson optimizes every inch of his length, utilizing a 7’3″ wingspan and a massive standing reach to heavily impact the game on the borders. He plays with an incredibly high, relentless motor, making him a constant double-double threat.
Pick-and-Roll Defensive Versatility: Unlike many traditional low-major bigs, Nelson boasts exceptionally smooth footwork and excellent lateral speed. He tracks smaller guards tightly on switches, possesses the baseline recovery time to execute clean drop blocks, and can confidently defend out to the three-point line in five-out schemes.
Offensive Glass Mastery: Nelson is an absolute menace on the offensive boards, hunting out-of-area rebounds and easily converting physical putback dunks over heavy traffic.
Pro-Ready Screening: Out of handoffs and high pick-and-rolls, he acts as a hard “wall-setter”. He absorbs defensive contact rather than slipping early, creating direct separation advantages for his ball handlers before rolling aggressively to catch lobs.
Weaknesses
Lack of Perimeter Modernization: Nelson’s offensive utility is strictly confined to the paint. He shot an abysmal 14.3% from beyond the arc on low volume as a senior, signaling that he offers virtually zero floor-spacing threat out of the gate.
Self-Creation Limitations: He cannot reliably generate his own look off the bounce and relies almost entirely on drop-offs, cuts, lobs, and second-chance opportunities to score.
Lack of Ideal Center Bulk: Weighing 219 pounds, he can still give up deep post positioning against heavier, physical NBA interior bigs and occasionally struggles to finish inside if he cannot exploit his initial vertical pop. He projects as more of a 4 in the NBA.
Draft Range
His highest position was 44th in one of the 10 mocks he was picked in. Went undrafted in six out of 16 mocks.
Why the Suns Should Take a Look
The Suns desperately needed rebounding, length, and defense from a power forward this year. Nelson is extremely raw offensively, but he’s an exceptional offensive rebounder and great at generating steals.
Defensively, he fits the Suns’ switching defensive scheme, and his aggressive, high-energy style is seemingly “aligned” with Ott’s philosophy. The plus-minus statistics suggest he’s great at setting screens and slipping them for amazing dunks. Izaiyah Nelson also had a very good showing at the draft combine (though not as good as Trevon Brazile), both in terms of vertical leap and agility.
The downside is that he doesn’t space the floor at all, and it’s hard to see how he would mesh with Ighodaro or Williams. However, he might be an intriguing fit next to Maluach if Man-Man keeps developing his three-pointer. All in all, Nelson projects as a potential two-way player upgrade over Isaiah Livers.
NBA Comparisons
Nic Claxton, Onyeka Okongwu
Jeremy Fears, Jr. (Michigan State, Sophomore, PG)
Jeremiah (Jeremy) Fears, Jr.is an undersized (6’0” barefoot, 196 pounds), gritty point guard with elite playmaking vision, a high motor, and advanced ball-handling skills. He excels at generating paint touches, slashing to the rim, and drawing fouls, but he struggles with outside shooting consistency and can be prone to turnovers with a high offensive usage rate. Note: it is widely expected that Fears will return to MSU.
Dynamic Slashing & P&R: Exceptional at navigating ball screens and using creative change-of-pace dribbles to get to the basket. He scores efficiently at the rim for his size.
Elite Free Throw Creation: He draws contact at a very high rate and converts efficiently at the free-throw line (historically shooting around 85%).
Playmaking Vision: Possesses great court vision, frequently executing drive-and-kick passes, wraparounds, and no-look feeds.
Weaknesses
Shooting Limitations: His three-point shooting remains a work in progress. Defenses are known to sag off him, which can clog the half-court spacing when he operates off the ball.
Physical Profile: Measured at around 6’2″ barefoot with average length, he is slightly undersized for a modern NBA lead guard. He isn’t the most explosive athlete, making it occasionally tough for him to finish over length in the paint without relying on floaters or drawing contact.
On-Court Discipline: His intense competitive nature has occasionally boiled over into visual frustration or controversial physical plays, including multiple highly scrutinized technical fouls during rivalry games.
Draft Range
His highest position was 47th in two of the three mocks he was picked in. Went undrafted in 13 out of 16 mocks, though he showed up in the low 60s in three other mock drafts.
Why the Suns Should Take a Look
Former GM James Jones and others have observed in the past that prospects need to have at least one elite skill to survive in the NBA, and Fears’ skill is playmaking. He might have been the best pure point guard in college basketball last year, leading the nation at 9.4 APG. However, assists and assist-to-turnover ratios historically have been mediocre predictors of success in the NBA. For every Ja Morant or Trae Young, there are two Yuri Collinses or Jalen Moore’s. Fears’ mediocre three-point shooting, below-average height, wingspan, and reach are all red flags in the modern NBA for a point guard.
However, I noticed something looking at historical data. Players who lead NCAA Division 1 schools in APG fall into one of two categories: guys who went to major schools and go on to really good NBA careers (Morant, Young, Ball), and guys who went to smaller schools and never panned out (Moore, Collins). While APG isn’t a great indicator of success by itself, APG and school size together are. Fears led the NCAA in APG, and he went to a big school and faced top-level competition, which bodes well for his future.
That said, I think there’s a significant chance the Suns take him at 47 if he doesn’t withdraw from the draft and return to MSU for several reasons.
First, there’s the Michigan State connection with Owner Matt Ishbia. He loves his Michigan State guys, and there’s a zero percent chance he hasn’t been watching Fears. If Fears unexpectedly decides to stay in the draft, I would take it as a huge sign that Ishbia has made Fears a promise of a guaranteed NBA contract, especially given his feisty, tough, intense play style is aligned with the Phoenix team concept.
Fears’ weaknesses also aren’t as they appear at first glance. His super-high free throw percentage and relatively young age strongly suggest that his three-point percentage will improve over time. He’s still 6’1 or 6’2 in shoes, and the advanced metrics say he isn’t a liability on defense due to his excellent agility, strength, and vertical leap, which all graded well at the combine. His defensive box plus minus was a stronger positive than his (slightly) negative defensive rating, per Tankathon.
NBA Comparisons
Jaden Ivey, Markelle Fultz, Tyus Jones
Final Verdict
Most of the players I was really stoked about when I started looking at the draft have either returned to college or risen out of range of the Suns’ pick. All of the players here project as two-way players, except perhaps Fears, if Ishbia has decided that he’s willing to make promises of guaranteed, multi-year money for an MSU alumnus. (Seriously, I wouldn’t put it past him: if Fears doesn’t drop out of the draft, I’d drop a wad of money on the Suns picking him, it’s the only reason he wouldn’t).
Multiple mocks have shown the Suns picking each of these new players, and which one the Suns select says a lot about what the Suns are looking for. Brazile is a swing for the fences, take a flyer on a guy kind of move, and he’s the only one I could see developing into a high-quality starter. Izaiyah Nelson is a safe pick if you’re looking for the next Lou Amundson, high-energy, low-skill power forward to provide a spark from the deep bench and keep practice competitive. Jaden Bradley is a low-risk, low-reward sort of deep bench, third-string point guard who you can trust to not do anything incredibly dumb in limited minutes. Jeremy Fears has a higher ceiling than Nelson or Bradley if he figures out his three-point mechanics. Given his free-throw percentage, I believe he will.
If you made me rank these four players in terms of my own personal preference, I’d say Brazile, Fears, Nelson, and Bradley from most to least.
It’s been almost a week since the Minnesota Timberwolves season came to a flaming end. Though the final on the court memory of the Wolves was them getting smacked with eight minutes of garbage time left, there were still plenty of good parts to the journey. Let’s not lose sight of all that.
So let’s walk through Canis Pulsus Vol. 50 – Memories Edition together!
SAN ANTONIO, TX – MAY 4: The Minnesota Timberwolves huddle before the game against the San Antonio Spurs during Round Two Game One of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 4, 2026 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. 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 (Photos by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Welcome to Canis Pulsus Vol. 50!
For those of you who have been ignoring this series since the 2021 season — Canis Pulsus is designed to give our Canis Hoopus community a published voice.
A pulse, if you will.
We all know that if CH occupied all seats of the Minnesota Timberwolves front office, we would be celebrating our 36th consecutive championship this year. But for now, it’s time for us to exercise our right vote. How would you grade the performance of our pups?
It’s a simple concept, really. Just submit your vote as honestly or sarcastically as you would like. All individual submissions will remain anonymous so no one will know if you were the one voter who enjoyed Spurs-Wolves game 6. The results as a whole will be published on Canis Hoopus and (in theory) be texted to all the Wolves staffers and players.
When Donnie Nelson was fired in 2021, and Rick Carlisle stepped down shortly after, no one argued whether or not this was the correct decision. Nelson had failed to put together a functional roster, and Carlisle’s relationship with Luka Doncic grew sour. The question revolved around who they hired to replace them. And, as history will now tell us, the skepticism was rooted in some amount of truth.
Jason Kidd and Nico Harrison were hired as a coach/general manager packaged deal before the 2021-22 season. At the time, there was a lot of caution exhibited when trying to project the tenures for both hirings. Kidd was a Hall-of-Fame point guard, but his head coaching resume to that point was far from stellar and included a lot of crucifying anecdotes from his time in Milwaukee. Harrison had no prior experience working in basketball and was the poster boy for Nike’s botched shoe deal pitch to Steph Curry. Needless to say, the Mavericks had a lot of hope in their young superstar in the summer of 2021, but the support from the coaching staff and organization remained to be defined.
It was always a “wait-and-see” with those two. There was no clear-cut floor, and the ceiling was like one of those drawings of a tunnel on a wall. This time around, however, there is both a concrete expectation and an endless possibility of hopeful outcomes. Masai Ujiri is an accomplished basketball professional. He has the respect of a lot of players and personnel league-wide, and the way he has spoken to the Dallas media in two short press conferences is already leaps and bounds above the slop that Harrison produced.
Ujiri has won a championship, something that most general managers around the league cannot say. With the coaching search now underway following his dismissal of Jason Kidd, it feels different than it did in 2021. There is an adult in the room now, something that was not true of the past five years, which was made very clear in retrospect. Ujiri’s first hire, Mike Schmidtz, is a widely celebrated, draft-centric savant who adds a level of care for scouting and an emphasis on building through the draft. When looked at in conjunction with Ujiri’s comment about making decisions based on the future and not winning now, it paints a picture that the foundation of the organization is far more stable than the one they put in place the last go around.
After 15 months of chaos, anger, and uncertainty, it seems like the Mavericks have rebounded incredibly from an unprecedented situation. There is a hierarchy in place that has voiced a commitment to time. Letting time build, connect, and improve the organization and the city of Dallas. The old regime made no such pledge. They promised a quick win and could not deliver. This time, the Mavericks are doing it right. And they’re doing it in a way that lends itself to a long run of success.
JUPITER, FLORIDA - MARCH 19, 2026: Tanner Franklin #43 of the St. Louis Cardinals throws a pitch during the fourth inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the Washington Nationals at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium on March 19, 2026 in Jupiter, Florida. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
On Monday, I looked at how the pitchers in the upper minors were doing and honestly from a statistical standpoint, it wasn’t great. Mind you, it’s early in the season, and we know pitchers work on things at the expense of the best way they currently know how to get hitters out, and the run environments are pretty rough at both levels. Also, AAA has a different ball than the rest of the minor leagues. These are all reasons the stats are going look worse without being a problem. Lower minors however have good pitching environments, so I expect more pleasing-to-the-eye stats.
Peoria
Brandon Clarke, LHP – 23 (VEB’s #9 prospect)
Clarke was diagnosed with an aneurysm in his left arm and had surgery around the beginning of spring training and it has caused him to be out until at least June. I haven’t heard an update since.
Franklin is working on two things simultaneously. He is working on developing pitches to add to his fastball and slider while also working on a starting pitcher’s workload. He usually faces between 15 and 18 batters in a start, which even in today’s age, is short of how many outs a starter needs to get regularly. But he was facing between three and nine batters in college, and you don’t want to skip a step.
I am feeling very good about placing Fajardo 9th on my list. He has been unbelievable this season. That is an absurd K/BB ratio. He has 47 strikeouts and 6 walks in 32.2 IP. Just purely scouting the stat line + age, I feel like Fajardo should be a much bigger prospect than he appears to be.
I don’t know what to do with this line. His strikeouts are way up from last year, his walks are about the same, and he’s still getting groundballs. But when hitters make contact, they appear to be going for hits most of the time. Tough to say if that’s unlucky or not in this kind of sample. He has allowed 10 homers already, and he’s only allowed 28 flyballs all year. If you’re wondering, a normal amount of luck and that’s three homers allowed. He’s probably pitching worse than someone who would allow three homers, but 10 certainly feels unlucky.
Nate Dohm, RHP – 23 (acquired in the Ryan Helsley trade)
Well Dohm is for sure pitching poorly, but wow another case of a wildly disproportionate ERA in comparison to advanced stats. Now this is a significantly smaller sample size and can happen when you get blown up in three of your six starts, which unfortunately appear to be his three most recent starts.
Blake Aita, RHP – 23 (acquired in the Willson Contreras trade – with Fajardo)
The return for Sonny Gray has resulted in a completely missing season and one where they haven’t debuted yet, but the early returns for the Contreras trade have been fantastic. Dobbins, the MLB ready piece, looks like an ideal sixth starter, Fajardo has probably catapulted himself into a top 10 team prospect, and Aita – well he’s been fine. Clearly they’re making an effort to get him more strikeouts, which has the side effect of more as well so far. The next step is keep the strikeouts, lower the walks.
Oh yeah there was a third part of the Gray trade, which is Galle. He was quite literally unhittable in Low A, throwing 5.2 hitless innings down there. Just three of the 23 hitters he faced even made contact. No wonder they promoted him to High A after just five appearances. But it’s clear Galle doesn’t have a lot of control and High A hitters – well they’re still barely getting hits despite much more contact.
Frank Ellisalt, RHP – 24 (acquired in the Ryan Helsley trade)
Ellisalt suffered some kind of hip injury in February, and I’m not exactly sure how long he’s expected to be out, but he was put on the minor league 60-day injured list, so he certainly won’t pitch the rest of this month at least.
Van Dyke has already been promoted to Peoria and he had… a not very good first start there. He threw 3.2 IP, walked three, struck out two, and allowed three runs. Nevermind that though, it was his first start and we have a 10th rounder who the Cardinals promoted him to High A after just 12 starts at that level. I’d call that a success.
Well, I like the strikeouts. The walks and lack of groundballs aren’t great. A good example of his season is his last two starts. In his most recent start, Crossland threw 5 innings, struck out 7, walked two and allowed 2 ER. The start before, Crossland walked six, struck out six, allowed no hits and yet gave up a run. Every other start seems to involve a lot of walks. It has only really burned him in one start, when he gave up seven runs.
Jack Martinez, RHP – 23 (acquired in Nolan Arenado trade)
These stats kind of scream reliever to me. He misses plenty of basses but can’t find the zone a lot and almost nothing is on the ground. I don’t know, it’s a tough profile to make work. But these are his first 8 career pro starts, despite his age, because he was in college last season. Too early to make any declarations.
Oh hey a genuine breakout. Odle has been a strikeout machine and a groundball machine, which is a pitching coach’s dream. Very tough for an offense to get runs if the pitcher does both of those things. His walks are a little high, but really not that bad and especially not bad with that K rate.
Despite just one game started, Shelagowski appears to currently be a starting pitching prospect, average over 3 innings per game. And he was a starter in his most recent game, so he may have officially moved into the rotation. While his walks haven’t been bad, he has somehow hit seven batters already this season.
Well it’s obviously early in the season, but Batista may be seeing a promotion before the year is up, because 13 strikeouts to one walk is quite the K/BB ratio. He was kind of being treated like a starting pitching prospect a year ago, but his stats weren’t very good, so he seems to be in more of a relief role this year. And it has made a difference. Last year, his K% was just 16.4% and he walked 10.9%. The Cardinals made the right decision.
Young hasn’t quite pitched as bad as his ERA. It just so happens when you walk your fair share of batters and your BABIP is .400, you’re going to allow a lot of runs. It’s too early to judge if that BABIP is comically unlucky, or a sign that Young is pretty hittable. Striking out 26% of batters would seem to suggest the BABIP is probably, at least somewhat, unlucky.
Holiday is in the beginning stages of his rehab from his Tommy John surgery last year, which caused him to miss the entire season. He was the 3rd round pick of the 2024 draft, and he didn’t get a chance to pitch in the pros, getting hurt before he ever threw a pitch. These are exactly the stats I’d expect of college righty rehabbing in rookie leagues.
Graham is also pitching in the pros for the first time after having had Tommy John surgery last season. In Graham’s case though, he had it before he got drafted, and I was actually under the impression that Graham would debut much later. He’s carving up these teenagers like Michael Myers, so I actually expect to see him in Palm Beach pretty soon.
And that’s pretty much it. I wasn’t going to list any rookie league players, because the season just started, but both Holiday and Graham are arguably Low A pitchers at least who are simply pitching for the first time after Tommy John surgery. Graham was healthy and ready to pitch earlier than Holiday, because Graham faced 11 batters and threw 3 innings in his first outing, Holiday only pitched an inning. So just not the order I would have expected there.
KANSAS CITY, KS - MAY 06: Savannah Banana Malachi Mitchell (2) flips in the air as the team cheers before the start of a banana ball game against the Kansas City Monarchs at Legends Field on Friday, May 6, 2022 in Kansas City, KS. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Good morning, baseball fans!
It’s an off day for the San Francisco Giants today, so I wanted to touch on a topic that I’ve been thinking about for a while.
At this point, I can only assume that most people familiar with baseball are also at least somewhat familiar with the Savannah Bananas, and the league that was created around them called Banana Ball. If not, it’s a fast-paced version of baseball with an emphasis on entertainment value and fan engagement.
The rules are a bit different, but not so much that a fan of traditional baseball cannot follow the game. There’s an emphasis on trick plays and entertaining the crowds (both at the parks and those watching online). But that doesn’t take away from the on-field product at all, it just adds to it.
I recently had the chance to have a brief conversation with the founder of Banana Ball, Jesse Cole. You may know Cole as the dude that’s always in the yellow tux and top hat, featured in a lot of promotional materials for the league.
During the conversation, I told Cole that I think MLB should absolutely be taking notes from Banana Ball in terms of growing the game. What they are doing to engage new audiences is some of the best work I’ve seen from any league.
What works about it, in my opinion, is that it’s not intended to be gatekept. And what I mean by that is something that I think a lot of women who are sports fans can relate to. You have to prove you belong there, you don’t just get to be a fan because you like the team. I’ve had many experiences where I tell a male acquaintance that I was a Giants fan and I would get presented with a pop quiz to prove it.
And I feel like MLB in general kind of leans into that gatekeeping, whether they realize/intend it or not. Women are grudgingly allowed in the fandom, but not really catered to as a legitimate part of the audience.
Meanwhile, Banana Ball is not only catering to their female fans, they’re making the league as accessible and inviting as possible. And the game play is electric, there is never a dull moment for fans. If you go to a Banana Ball game, you know with absolute certainty that you’re going to have a great time, regardless of how the game plays out.
The same cannot necessarily be said for MLB games. Before the game I went to last month, the last five games I had attended in person were complete shut out losses by the Giants. And I had to pay about $300-400 and travel several hours for the pleasure of sitting through those games with dull, lifeless eyes watching a dull, lifeless team.
The Giants’ past offensive woes aside, with the cost of everything skyrocketing these days, entertainment value is assuredly going to become much more of a factor in terms of people planning to spend money on sports outings.
And listen, I’m not here to say that MLB should have dancing umpires and outfielders doing backflips. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with traditional baseball existing as it is, and having the more exhibition style league exist as a separate thing.
But MLB would be doing themselves a massive disservice to not take notes from how Banana Ball markets to all audiences, and focuses on appealing to a wide demographic of people by creating a fun environment for everyone. It’s a massively successful league that is only growing in popularity and talent.
Just this week, former MLB player Jackie Bradley, Jr. announced that he would be joining the Indianapolis Clowns, a team in the Banana Ball league. They also have the biggest stars of the upcoming Women’s Professional Baseball League, a former Broadway actor, and are so popular that they will have a player on the upcoming season of Dancing with the Stars.
The kind of astronomical growth that Banana Ball has seen over the last few years should absolutely be studied by MLB. They’d be silly not to. Given the game’s decline in popularity, sticking to the traditional route of “playing the game the right way” and policing anything that could remotely be considered fun or an individual’s personality is not going to cut it.
COVERS INTEL: May owns a 
