Samuel Ersson had a very rough 2025-26 season. Due to this, it would not necessarily be surprising if the Flyers looked to bring in another goalie this off-season to form a tandem with starter Dan Vladar.
Due to this, let's look at four goalies who the Flyers could consider targeting during the off-season.
Joseph Woll, Toronto Maple Leafs
If the Maple Leafs make Joseph Woll available for trade due to their surplus of NHL-caliber goalies, the Flyers would be wise to target him. The 27-year-old would have the potential to form a strong tandem with Vladar if acquired. In 117 career NHL games, he hasa 63-43-9 record, a .906 save percentage, and a 3.34 goals-against average.
Stuart Skinner, Pittsburgh Penguins
If the Flyers want to go the free agency route, Stuart Skinner stands out as a potential target. The 27-year-old has a ton of playoff experience and has shown in the past that he can make an impact when playing at his best. In 224 career NHL games, the former All-Star has a .902 save percentage and a 2.77 goals-against average.
Connor Ingram, Edmonton Oilers
If the Edmonton Oilers do not re-sign Connor Ingram, he could be an interesting backup option for the Flyers. The 29-year-old goalie had a solid bounce-back year with the Oilers this campaign, posting a 16-10-3 record and an .899 save percentage in 32 games. He also had a .907 save percentage in both 2022-23 and 2023-24, which adds to his appeal.
Sergei Bobrovsky, Florida Panthers
Could the Flyers look to make up for a big past mistake and try to bring back Sergei Bobrovsky? The 37-year-old had an ugly 2025-26 season but also led the Florida Panthers to back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 2024 and 2025. The two-time Vezina Trophy winner is a star when playing at his best and would have the potential to be an excellent short-term addition for Philly in a tandem with Vladar.
MONTGOMERY, AL - MARCH 31: Austin Overn #6 of the Montgomery Biscuits poses for a photo during the Montgomery Biscuits photo day at Montgomery Riverwalk Stadium on Tuesday, March 31, 2026 in Montgomery, Alabama. (Photo by Ethan Lowe/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
This was the 6th week of full minor league play (stats are entering play on Monday, May 18th).
According to FanGraphs (which factors in age and proximity to the big leagues), 19-year old Caden Bodine has regained his spot as the top hitter spot in the Rays system. The backstop was recently added to Baseball America’s top 100 prospect rankings and is up to 4th in the Rays system.
Meanwhile, Aidan Cremarosa is still the team’s top minor league pitcher and among the top performers in all of minor league baseball and is also now ranked 27th in the Rays system by Baseball America. The 22-year old was taken by the Rays in the 8th round of the 2025 draft out of Fresno State. Thus far over seven starts in Single-A, Cremarosa has a 2.54 ERA | 2.33 FIP with a 37.7 K% & 4.1 BB% over 39 IP.
RUMBLINGS
Baseball America has updated their top 30 prospect rankings, I will feature the statlines of the updated top 10 going forward.
OF Brailer Gurrero has been placed on the Injured List
1B Tre’ Morgan began a rehab assignment
TEAM LEADERS
Must currently be assigned to that team
Baseball America’s top ten prospects are featured below each team they’re currently assigned to.
(minimum of 70 TBF & PA)
Tampa Bay Rays
Top 10 Prospects
None currently on active roster
Durham Bulls
Team Offensive Leaders: AVG: .323, Victor Mesa Jr (hasn’t played since 4/15) OBP: .417, Victor Mesa Jr (hasn’t played since 4/15) SLG: .565, Victor Mesa Jr (hasn’t played since 4/15) HR: 6,Blake Sabol wRC+: 152, Victor Mesa Jr (hasn’t played since 4/15) SB: 17, Jacob Melton (Placed on the IL on 4/23)
Team Pitching Leaders: ERA: 2.37, Evan Reifert FIP: 2.99, Trevor Martin (promoted to MLB on 5/15) K%: 34.6%, Joe Rock BB%: 6.4%, Jonathan Heasley WHIP: 1.21, Evan Reifert AVG: .164, Evan Reifert WHIFF%: 14.4%, Jonny Cuevas
4/23: Suffered sprained ankle. Expected to miss 4-6 weeks.
Montgomery Biscuits
Team Offensive Leaders: AVG: .341, Cooper Kinney (promoted to AAA on 5/5) OBP: .432, Cooper Kinney (promoted to AAA on 5/5) SLG: .612, Xavier Isaac HR: 11, Xavier Isaac wRC+: 168, Cooper Kinney (promoted to AAA on 5/5) SB: 27, Austin Overn
Team Pitching Leaders: ERA: 1.67, Michael Forret FIP: 2.70, Alexander Alberto K%: 33.3%, Alexander Alberto BB%: 1.4%, Gary Gill Hill WHIP 0.93, Michael Forret AVG: .156, Michael Forret WHIFF%: 15.6%, Michael Forret
Team Offensive Leaders: AVG: .327, Theo Gillen OBP: .454, Tony Santa Maria SLG: .645, Theo Gillen HR: 9, Connor Hujsak wRC+: 168, Theo Gillen SB: 15, Tony Santa Maria
Team Pitching Leaders: ERA: 3.49, Anderson Brito FIP: 4.42, Anderson Brito K%: 30.2%, Jacob Kmatz BB%: 6.4%, Garrett Gainey WHIP: 1.33, Garrett Gainey AVG: .217, Trevor Harrison WHIFF%: 13.6%, Anderson Brito
Victor Wembanyama is fast becoming the biggest international star in the NBA — if he's not already the biggest draw outside the USA, he's close.
Which is why the NBA is sending the French star Wembanyama and the Spurs for two games in Europe, including one in Paris, reports Marc Stein at The Stein Line.
The NBA schedule for next season will not come out until August, but it will include two international games in January for the Spurs, one in Paris and the other in Manchester, England (a city that is expected to be part of NBA Europe when it launches, planned for the fall of 2027). The Spurs will face Zion Williamson and the Pelicans (unless Zion gets traded this offseason).
The Spurs played two games in Paris in January of 2025, splitting the games against the Pacers.
Those will not be the only two international games next season; the NBA is expected to return to Mexico City for a game, as it traditionally does. In the preseason, the Dallas Mavericks and the Houston Rockets are scheduled to play in the NBA China Games 2026, scheduled for Oct. 9 and 1, at The Venetian Arena in Macao.
There is a 14-game slate across MLB tonight, and that means lots of opportunities for baseballs to leave the yard.
Shohei Ohtani will start seeing better results for his efforts as he steps in against San Diego Padres starter Michael King. He joins Corbin Carroll and Drake Baldwin to round out our MLB home run predictions.
Corbin Carroll has been red-hot lately. He's batting .421 over the last seven days, and he just smoked two home runs in the series finale against the Colorado Rockies on Sunday. While Carroll only has seven bombs overall this season, he's clubbed three this month, and tonight's matchup is an intriguing one for the outfielder.
The San Francisco Giants send Robbie Ray to the hill, who is HR-prone at times. He's already given up 10 long balls in 2026. Although he only has one homer versus southpaws, Carroll is batting .414 vs left-handed hurlers.
Time: 9:40 p.m. ET
Where to watch: NBCSBA, DBACKS.TV
Home run pick: Drake Baldwin (+434)
Drake Baldwin is emerging as one of the top power-hitting catchers in the big leagues. The 25-year-old is hitting .301 with 13 home runs, which ranks eighth overall across the Majors. Baldwin has smacked three bombs across his previous five games, and he also has four hits in his last three appearances.
The Atlanta Braves are on the road tonight to take on the Miami Marlins, and Baldwin has cracked seven HRs away from home. He's just 1-for-5 lifetime against Max Meyer, but the righty just gave up two long balls in his last outing.
Time: 6:40 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Braves.Vision, Marlins.TV
Home run pick: Shohei Ohtani (+304)
Shohei Ohtani is off to a bit of a slow start at the plate, hitting only .258 with seven home runs. But there are signs of him heating up. Ohtani has five hits and seven RBI across his last two games, finishing 3-for-5 on Sunday, and 2-for-4 on Saturday with a double and a triple. He's jumping on everything at the moment.
Ohtani will be licking his chops ahead of tonight's matchup. The Los Angeles Dodgers take on the San Diego Padres, who hand Michael King the ball. That's a welcome sight for Ohtani, who is 6-for-14 lifetime against him with three bombs.
And in spite of the underwhelming results (for him), Ohtani ranks in the 90th percentile or better in barrel rate, average exit velocity, and expected slugging.
Time: 9:40 p.m. ET
Where to watch: SportsNet LA, PadresTV
Quinn Allen's 2026 Transparency Record
HR picks: 6-36, -5.08 units
Today’s HR parlay
Corbin Carroll
Bet Now +15432
Drake Baldwin
Shohei Ohtani
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.
May 17, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers Chayce McDermott (62) delivers during the ninth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Liang-Imagn Images | William Liang-Imagn Images
In the last eight days, three different pitchers made their Dodgers debut.
Twenty-three pitchers is a lot through 47 games, but it’s part of a trend in baseball in recent years, with roster churn at an all-time high. Five major league teams have used more than the Dodgers this year, for instance.
The Dodgers in 2021 set a franchise record with 39 different pitchers used, then matched it two years later. They got to 40 pitchers in 2024, and used exactly 40 pitchers in 2025 as well. Here’s how many pitchers those teams used through 47 games:
A slice of pizza from Joe’s, a bagel from Zabar’s, a dirty water dog — only in New York. Getting gouged $100,000 for a ticket to a basketball game — also, only in New York. Knicks fans who are dying to see their team return to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999 are facing some of the most astonishing prices imaginable on the secondary market. Prices for the first home game of the finals at Madison Square Garden have gone through the stratosphere, and even nosebleed seats are selling for an eye-watering price.
Tickets for the Eastern Conference Finals are going for upwards of $500 in the upper deck against the Cavaliers, but <a href="https://www.stubhub.com/new-york-knicks-new-york-tickets-6-3-2026/event/160286427/?backUrl=%2Fnew-york-knicks-tickets%2Fperformer%2F2742that’s chump change compared to a prospective NBA Finals game.
The sickening prices are a product of the secondary market gone mad, which has become all too common for, well, everything. Sites that once existed as a way for fans to re-sell tickets to games they could attend have become the breeding ground for grifters, working as part of large computer farms to buy up tickets as soon as they go on sale to everything and then re-list at a higher price. It’s all well and good to enjoy the schadenfreude when a game’s value collapses and they have to eat a loss, but unfortunately, this is the exception and not the rule.
The volume with which resellers operate at means that in the long run, they come out ahead, especially when it comes to the courtside seat example, which would have sold at approximately $7,000 when first listed, ridiculous in its own right, but who cares when someone is willing to re-buy at $100K due to FOMO.
It’s just nice to know that amidst rampant inflation, food insecurity, soaring housing prices, and families struggling to afford childcare, there are people who can spend $100,000 on a ticket to a basketball game. It’s truly the glorious future the founding fathers envisioned for us.
The Detroit Tigers look for just their third win in 13 games when they host the Cleveland Guardians on Monday night.
Cleveland leads the AL Central thanks to picking up five wins in a six-game span. However, my Guardians vs. Tigers predictions and MLB picks are fading the visitors withSlade Cecconi taking the bump.
Who will win Guardians vs Tigers today: Tigers moneyline (-145)
Slade Cecconi is getting pummeled by opposing hitters. His 5.60 ERA and 5.05 FIP rank among the worst in the majors for pitchers with at least 40 innings pitched.
Opponents have posted a .595 xSLG vs. Cecconi's fastball this year. He’s also performed far worse on the road, with a 6.60 ERA vs. a 3.60 home ERA.
Framber Valdez has put up quality numbers in seven of nine starts. He’s facing a Cleveland Guardians lineup ranked 21st in hard-hit rate and eighth in ground-ball rate vs. RHP over the past two weeks.
COVERS INTEL: Slade Ceconi has posted an astronomical 19.96 ERA against hitters facing him a third time this season.
Guardians vs Tigers Over/Under pick: Under 8.5 (-128)
Once the starters give way to the bullpens, scoring will get much more difficult.
Over the past two weeks, the Detroit Tigers rank 29th in hard-hit rate, and dead last in HR/FB rate and wRC+. Cleveland’s pen ranks second in K-rate in that span.
Detroit’s pen has forced a league-high 55.2% GB rate during that timeframe. That’ll come in handy, seeing as the Guardians have posted the fourth-highest GB/FB rate while ranking 25th in BABIP.
Cleveland punished the poor-pitching Reds this weekend, but will regress to the mean today for another Under.
Jason Ence's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 6-10, -4.67 units
Over/Under bets: 11-5, +5.74 units
Guardians vs Tigers odds
Moneyline: Guardians +138 | Tigers -144
Run line: Guardians +1.5 (-156) | Tigers -1.5 (+150)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 (+117) | Under 8.5 (-122)
Guardians vs Tigers trend
The Tigers have cashed the Under in seven of their last 10 games for +3.70 units and a 34% ROI. Find more MLB betting trends for Guardians vs. Tigers.
How to watch Guardians vs Tigers and game info
Location
Comerica Park, Detroit, MI
Date
Monday, May 18, 2026
First pitch
6:40 p.m. ET
TV
FS1
Guardians starting pitcher
Slade Cecconi (2-4, 5.60 ERA)
Tigers starting pitcher
Framber Valdez (2-2, 4.32 ERA)
Guardians vs Tigers latest injuries
Guardians vs Tigers 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.
HOUSTON, TX - MAY 1: Amen Thompson #1 of the Houston Rockets dribbles the ball during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers during Round One Game Six of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 1, 2026 at the Toyota Center in Houston, 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 (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Houston Rockets phenom Amen Thompson is eligible for a contract extension this offseason for up to five years at $251 million.
That’s the most the Rockets can offer, but there’s reason to believe Houston would not want to give him that much money, given how much they have to spend elsewhere. Houston Chronicle reporter Varun Shankar believes the Rockets won’t offer a full max contract to Thompson this offseason.
“Do not expect Amen Thompson to get a max contract extension. Such a contract would pay him a quarter of the salary cap over the next few seasons, but the impressive guard/forward still faces enough questions about his shot and eventual offensive profile. That, combined with the Rockets’ precedent of getting relatively team-friendly extensions, should keep him in the ballpark of 20-23% of the salary cap,” Shankar wrote.
Thompson and his camp have a right to push for a max extension, scoring 15 points in all six games of the playoff series against the Los Angeles Lakers, including 26 points in Game 3.
During the season, Thompson averaged a career-high 18.3 points per game while also establishing himself as one of the best defenders in the league. He is only 23 years old, so the sky is truly the limit for him and what he can achieve as he continues to grow in the NBA.
The Rockets value him highly and should look to pay him a max contract, or very close to it.
TDS community, should Thompson get the max this offseason? Chime off in the comments section below.
Gambling Commission set to rubber-stamp new regulations that could inflict irreparable damage on the racing industry
James Noyes, one of the initial proponents of affordability checks for gamblers, has issued an urgent call for a pause in their implementation. Stuart Andrew MP, the gambling minister in the last government and also a former supporter of checks, agrees with him. The British Horseracing Authority has suggested that implementation could cost the industry £250m annually in revenue as punters refuse to supply personal financial information to gambling operators and shift to the unregulated black market instead.
At a board meeting scheduled for Thursday, the Gambling Commission is expected to ignore the rising tide of concern and rubber-stamp the formal introduction financial risk assessments, as the Commission calls them. Tens of thousands, conceivably hundreds of thousands, of punters with licensed UK firms could soon be required to provide documentation on salary or assets before they can continue to gamble, despite initial promises – from Andrew, among others – that the process would be frictionless for all but a minority.
The Pittsburgh Penguins should be looking to add to their forward group this off-season. It is clear that they could use another skilled winger in their top nine, and this will only be more of the case if Anthony Mantha signs elsewhere this off-season.
When looking at trade candidates around the NHL, Vancouver Canucks winger Jake DeBrusk stands out as a very interesting potential target for the Penguins to consider.
With the Canucks being in a rebuild, DeBrusk's name has been in the rumor mill since leading up to the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline. If he is made available by the Canucks this off-season, the Penguins would be wise to kick tires on him.
If the Penguins landed DeBrusk, he would have the potential to slot nicely in their top six. He would also give them another skilled forward on their power play.
DeBrusk would be more than a rental for the Penguins if acquired, too, as he has a $5.5 million cap hit until the end of the 2030-31 season.
In 81 games this season with the Canucks, DeBrusk scored a team-best 23 goals and recorded 42 points. This is after he scored a career-high 28 goals and posted 48 points in 82 games for Vancouver in 2024-25. With numbers like these, he would be a nice pickup for a Penguins club looking to continue to head into the right direction.
In a matchup that felt inevitable, the top two seeds will clash in the Western Conference Final, and Game 1 tips off tonight.
The MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, and their runners-up will all be on the floor tonight as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder host Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs at Paycom Center.
Our Spurs vs. Thunder props break down some of the night’s most favorable values, giving you my best NBA picks for Monday, May 18.
Stephon Castle has found the ball in his hands a lot this postseason, and he ranks second on the San Antonio Spurs in usage rate and first in assists.
Among players with at least 10 games played, Castle’s 6.1 assists per game are tied with Jalen Brunson for fifth-most, and his 28.9% assist percentage is 10th among players with 30+ minutes per game.
Castle has hit 6+ assists in six of 11 games overall and three of five road games, and with De'Aaron Fox banged up, the second-year man could see an uptick in playmaking responsibilities.
Game 1 Prop #2: Devin Vassell Over 2.5 made threes
+150 at bet365
Devin Vassell is only shooting 32.3% from beyond the arc this postseason, but his career 37.2% mark from deep means that there is room for positive regression in the Western Conference Final.
Vassell can enjoy improved efficiency against a Thunder team that’s allowed the seventh-most efficient 3-point shooting (36%) and fifth-most made 3-pointers (12).
The volume is there for Vassell, whose 65 triples are the 10th-most in the playoffs. If he can improve his shooting percentage in this favorable matchup, Vassell can reach three triples and cash this plus-money prop.
Game 1 Prop #3: Isaiah Hartenstein Over 18.5 points + rebounds + assists
-120 at bet365
The Spurs, and Victor Wembanyama in particular, limited Chet Holmgren in the regular season. Holmgren’s 16.5 Usage Rate and 10.5 points per game against the Spurs were his lowest marks against any team.
Conversely, Isaiah Hartenstein’s 19.7 Usage Rate against the Spurs was his fourth-best mark.
Wembanyama’s defensive attention will likely remain focused on his rival, Holmgren, who can stretch the floor. Hartenstein, as a result, should see less of Wemby, allowing him to stay productive in the paint.
Hartenstein has gone for 19+ PRA in five straight games and six of his last seven.
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The San Jose Sharks' American Hockey League affiliate, the San Jose Barracuda concluded their team award announcements earlier this week when they revealed their Rookies of the Year, Igor Chernyshov and Quentin Musty.
Chernyshov, the Sharks' second round pick during the 2024 NHL Draft, had some previous professional experience, as he spent some time playing in the Russian Kontinental Hockey League with Dynamo Moskva.
Chernyshov split his time between the Sharks and the Barracuda during the 2025-26 season, appearing in 41 games for the Barracuda. During that time, he scored 13 goals and 33 points. Despite having limited time in the AHL, he still finished ninth on the team in points.
Chernyshov also 28 NHL games, where he was just as impressive. He scored nine goals and 19 points.
Musty, on the other hand, was a true first year professional having previously played with the Sudbury Wolves of the Ontario Hockey League. The Sharks' 26th overall selection in the 2023 NHL Draft, Musty also had an impressive first season at the AHL level. In 61 games, he scored 21 goals and 45 points. He was tied for the third-most goals on the team and had the fourth-most points on the Barracuda.
Of the two, Musty is the most likely to return to the Barracuda for the 2026-27 season as we'll likely see Chernyshov make the jump to the NHL on a full-time basis next season. Regardless, they both made a major impact for the Barracuda during their rookie seasons.
Mar 16, 2026; Miami, FL, United States; Venezuela second baseman Andrés Giménez (0) scores in the seventh inning against Venezuela during a semifinal game of the 2026 World Baseball Classic at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
At the start of the 1929 season, the New York Yankees and Cleveland Indians innovated baseball, starting the season with numbers on the back of their players jerseys for easy identification. While numbers had been experimented with prior to the season, they were mostly smaller and located on the arms, meant primarily for umpires and the official scorers. The numbers on the back of the jersey were for fans in the stands to clearly tell who each player was, a move that scorecard salesmen had been pushing for years.
Some current baseball traditions remain from that era. The Yankees famously assigned numbers based on the lineup, with the backup catchers taking 9-10 respectively. Pitchers and bench players wore higher numbers, which is why pitchers generally don’t take single digit numbers. Blake Snell (no.4) became the first pitcher to play in the All-Star game and win a Cy Young award while wearing a single digit number in MLB history in 2018. Higher numbers were long assigned to fringe invitees to Spring Training or marginal players, although that tradition has declined sharply over the last twenty years.
0 and 00 is the least assigned player number below 50 in the history of the MLB. To date, no team has ever retired 0 or 00. The reasons are relatively simple. Youth baseball is loathe to give out 0 or 00 because it is easy to apply a derogatory connotation to it, and many MLB players chose their number based on earlier team numbers from their youth. However, that seems to be changing recently. In 2026, 10 players wore 0 or 00 at the major league level, down from 13 in 2025. In fact, more players have worn 0 or 00 since 2020 than in other 91 seasons combined.
Who is the most successful player to wear 0 or 00 as a member of the Toronto Blue Jays?
WWIB: Andrés Giménez 2025-2026 (1.3 bWAR)
Giménez was a former Mets top prospect who was traded to Cleveland as part of a package for Francisco Lindor and Carlos Carrasco in 2021. He had a breakout season in 2022, hitting .297/.371/.466 while earning a Gold Glove at second. It prompted the Guardians to sign him to a backloaded 7 yr/$106.5M contract in the offseason. He won two more Gold Gloves, but his offense significantly declined. The Jays acquired him and Nick Sandlin in December 2024 for Spencer Horwitz and Nick Mitchell. The move was highly questioned at the time, especially considering that the main issue the 2024 last place Jays suffered from was a lack of offense. Giménez’ offensive woes continued in 2025 but his defense was as good as advertised. When Bo Bichette was injured following a collision at home plate against the Yankees on Sept 6, Giménez became the primary shortstop for the remainder of the regular season and the post-season. Many Jays commentators saw the Giménez trade as a harbinger that the club was ready to move on from Bichette, and with the emergence of Ernie Clement as an elite defender and everyday starter, the Jays were able to deploy elite defense up the middle. Giménez has three more years and a club option remaining on his contract.
Other notable Jays to wear 0 or 00 were Taijuan Walker in 2020 (1.0 bWAR), Al Oliver in 1985 (-0.6 bWAR) and Cliff Johnson also in 1985 (-0.1 bWAR).
WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 16: CJ Abrams #5 and Nasim Nuñez #26 of the Washington Nationals celebrate after defeating the Baltimore Orioles at Nationals Park on Saturday, May 16, 2026 in Washington, District of Columbia. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
After winning the first 2 games of the series against the Orioles, the Nationals squandered their opportunity to push above the .500 mark in a 7-3 loss in the series finale. They now have another chance to accomplish that, as they’re set to square off against the New York Mets in a 4-game series.
The Nats took the last 2 games of their 3-game series against New York to end April, and will now look to replicate that result this week. Facing a Mets team that still sits 6 games below .500, Washington undoubtedly enters as the premier squad. The Mets have, however, won 5 of their last 6 games, and there’s more than enough talent on their roster to make for an intriguing mid-week matchup in the Nation’s capital.
Game 1 – Monday 6:45 PM EST
WSH: RHP Jake Irvin (1-4, 5.91 ERA)
NYM: RHP Christian Scott (0-0, 3.45 ERA)
Irvin’s subpar month of May continued in his last start, surrendering 5 earned runs over 3.0 innings against the Cincinnati Reds. His ERA has crept back up close to 6.00, and well-timed offensive explosions have been the only thing keeping him from having a worse record than 1-4. It’s odd to call this a “get-right game” when looking at the Mets’ lineup on paper, but their struggles could give him a chance to get him going in a good direction.
The young Scott hasn’t worked deep into games, with just one start eclipsing 5.0 innings so far in 2026. Run prevention has been a strength so far, however, with the most runs he’s allowed in a start being just 2 against the Tigers and Angels. He’s found a solid blend of missing bats and working around hitters’ sweet spot, with his 93rd percentile Barrel% and 84th percentile K% two pillars the Nats will have to overcome.
Game 2 – Tuesday 6:45 PM EST
WSH: LHP Foster Griffin (4-2, 3.53 ERA)
NYM: RHP Nolan McLean (2-2, 2.92 ERA)
Griffin now faces the first bounce-back chance of his MLB return after getting shelled by the Reds, in his first outing where he failed to reach 5.0 innings and gave up 9 runs. The advanced metrics certainly don’t support the southpaw, but the results have been there outside of his last start. Overall inconsistency with the Washington rotation makes his return to form even more important, making this a must-see appearance for the 30-year-old.
One of MLB’s top prospects has lived up to the hype and then some, replicating the success he showed after his call-up in late 2025. He’s racked up strikeouts, has only allowed 3 runs 3 times, and maintains an ERA below the 3.00 mark. He’s emerged as one of the best starters in baseball with a disgustingly good arsenal, and the Nats’ lineup will need to get to him early if they want a legitimate chance of winning.
Game 3 – Wednesday 6:45 PM EST
WSH: RHP Zack Littell (2-4, 6.10 ERA)
NYM: TBD
Littell was stellar against Baltimore, delivering a much-needed scoreless outing for the first time in his 2026 campaign. He let just 4 batters reach base, cruising to 5.0 shutout innings en route to his second win of May. He’s now coming off 3 consecutive starts where he’s been at least serviceable, and extending that streak to 4 would be a phenomenal sign for the rotation.
An unfortunate injury to starter Clay Holmes has the Mets’ standard rotation fully off-schedule, and they currently have no projected starter for either of the last 2 games of this series. Whether they call someone up, utilize an opener, or go to a full-on bullpen game remains to be seen, but it will be a patchwork solution for New York no matter how they approach it.
Game 4 – Thursday 4:05 PM EST
WSH: RHP Cade Cavalli (2-2, 4.05 ERA)
NYM: TBD
Cavalli’s frustrating season continued with a mixed bag against Baltimore, where he continued to flash swing-and-miss stuff but dealt with some ill-timed hits that saw his line finish with 3 earned runs in 6.0 innings. Searching for consistency has been the theme of his season, and it’s not something he has found on a regular basis. Finding results no matter how he goes about it should be the goal for Cavalli and the Nats’ coaching staff, and Thursday will be another test of his mettle.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - MAY 16: Munetaka Murakami #5 of the Chicago White Sox reacts in a game against the Chicago Chicago Cubs at Rate Field on May 16, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Matt Dirksen/Chicago Cubs/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Great news: Gavin Sheets is not (any longer) on the White Sox. He can’t hurt you anymore.
Bad news: If you’re reading this, you’re probably going to be watching some more Mariners baseball.
If you told me in January that the Mariners would be one game out of the Wild Card and just two games back of the division in mid-May, I would have been a little disappointed but still feeling pretty decent. It has, instead, been a remarkable case of horrific process and exceptionally weird results. There has been very little pleasure in this season and the most consistent thing they have to offer is their baffling inconsistency. Fresh off a truly brutal sweep at the hands of their most fearsome rivals, Seattle welcomes the plucky White Sox into T-Mobile Park. The chance to rise to .500 will have to wait, but as we’ve learned over these past 50 years, there is always the possibility of new horrors.
These are not your 2025 White Sox. Nor your 2024 White Sox. Nor your 2023 White Sox. Would you call them “good”? Well, that’s entirely up to you. But they do have higher upside and much more interest than they have for the vast majority of this decade. You saw that when they wriggled their way into a series win against the M’s barely a week and a half ago. They’re coming off of a walk-off win against the Cubs to secure the Windy Winsome Cup or whatever they pitched the Chicago rivalry to be called (it’s the Crosstown Classic), are one game back in their division and would be leading in the West. Something, something, no religion.
Player
Position
Bats
PA
K%
BB%
ISO
wRC+
Sam Antonacci
LF
L
109
12.8%
6.4%
0.132
130
Munetaka Murakami
1B
L
199
33.2%
18.1%
0.327
155
Miguel Vargas
3B
R
198
16.2%
15.2%
0.259
146
Colson Montgomery
SS
L
188
28.7%
9.0%
0.287
136
Chase Meidroth
2B
R
189
23.3%
10.1%
0.110
101
Andrew Benintendi
DH
L
146
28.8%
7.5%
0.153
92
Jarred Kelenic
RF
L
44
27.3%
11.4%
0.103
88
Tristan Peters
CF
L
118
22.0%
7.6%
0.086
90
Drew Romo
C
S
47
21.3%
17.0%
0.368
147
There’s Munetaka Murakami, of course. Transcendent Surf’s Up penguin that he is. Their 2021 first rounder, Colson Montgomery has been playing like how you’d hope a first rounder would. Miguel Vargas has found his stride and may be the platonic ideal of the White Sox aesthetic. Sam Antonacci is running with that Team Italy energy and is on base constantamente. Tristan Peters is having a career year (it’s all relative), Andrew Benintendi is there for a millennial jump scare, and I will not address Chase Meidroth, because it’s important to have a for-no-good-reason nemesis.
As you’ll see below, it’s the offense that continues to be a primary driver, and drive they will. I’m just hoping they don’t run over Seattle’s bedraggled pitching corps.
Noah Schultz entered the season as the White Sox top pitching prospect. The organization had handled him pretty carefully after drafting him out of high school in the first round of the 2022 draft. He’s also dealt with shoulder, forearm, and knee injuries over the last few years that have stunted his development a bit. The scouting report is impressive, however. He throws from a low slot and gets a ton of horizontal movement on all of his pitches. That doesn’t help his fastball, which grades out merely average, but his sweeper has flashed plus plus potential. All those injuries have taken a toll on his ability to command his repertoire, but the raw stuff looks promising and he’s got a very high ceiling if he can put everything together.
Pitcher
IP
K%
BB%
HR/FB%
GB%
ERA
FIP
Anthony Kay
41
15.3%
10.0%
12.5%
41.4%
4.61
5.49
Luis Castillo
44
21.3%
7.9%
12.3%
34.1%
6.34
4.57
Pitch
Usage vRHB
Usage vLHB
Velocity
Stuff+
Whiff+
BIP+
xwOBA
Four-seam
35.3%
29.4%
95.7
91
64
87
0.467
Sinker
14.9%
47.9%
95.0
112
137
142
0.377
Cutter
23.7%
21.0%
91.0
99
77
142
0.425
Changeup
23.7%
0.0%
85.8
111
85
104
0.248
Slider
2.4%
1.7%
84.4
109
Sweeper
19.8%
52.1%
82.6
109
84
86
0.330
From a previous series preview:
After a few years of riding the Triple-A shuttle for the Blue Jays, Anthony Kay signed a two-year deal with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars of NBP. He excelled in Japan and returned to the US this offseason, signing a two-year deal with Chicago. He developed a sinker and a sweeper overseas, giving him a much deeper repertoire to keep batters off balance. Unfortunately, that revamped arsenal hasn’t helped him find much success against batters this year. The stuff models really like his sinker and a few of his secondary pitches, but he’s throwing a thoroughly mediocre four-seam fastball 30% of the time right now. That pitch is getting absolutely crushed. He simply isn’t working deep enough into counts to properly utilize his secondary pitches, his strike out rate has cratered to just 14.0%, and his ERA and FIP are both approaching six.
The Mariners haven’t officially announced their starter for Tuesday’s game, but it’s expected that Luis Castillo and Bryce Miller will combine to pitch the majority of the game in piggyback fashion. I suspect Castillo will be given the “start” and work through the lineup once before handing things off to Miller.
Pitcher
IP
K%
BB%
HR/FB%
GB%
ERA
FIP
Sean Burke
48.1
20.3%
5.4%
8.3%
36.8%
4.10
3.61
Emerson Hancock
53.2
27.1%
4.8%
14.5%
44.6%
3.02
3.62
Pitch
Usage vRHB
Usage vLHB
Velocity
Stuff+
Whiff+
BIP+
xwOBA
Four-seam
29.9%
43.1%
94.2
112
83
101
0.322
Sinker
21.6%
9.3%
94.3
89
48
170
0.315
Cutter
2.1%
6.9%
90.0
86
Changeup
0.3%
5.8%
85.8
87
Curveball
14.9%
29.4%
79.4
87
67
108
0.298
Slider
31.1%
5.4%
86.8
90
96
105
0.299
From a previous series preview:
Sean Burke showed some flashes of promise in his first full season in the big leagues last year. His 4.22 ERA was perfectly acceptable for a rebuilding Chicago club, though his 4.92 FIP wasn’t nearly as encouraging. Still, there was a stretch in May and June where he ran a 3.33 ERA and a 4.06 FIP across nine starts. Things are looking up for Burke this year. He’s dramatically improved his command and cut his walk rate by more than half, down to 5.1%. He doesn’t strike out that many guys, but simply reducing the amount of traffic on the bases has helped him dramatically improve his topline results.
The Big Picture:
Team
W-L
W%
Games Behind
Run Diff
Recent Form
Athletics
23-23
0.500
—
-13
W-L-W-L-L
Rangers
22-24
0.478
1.0
+3
W-W-L-L-W
Mariners
22-26
0.458
2.0
+6
L-W-L-L-L
Astros
19-29
0.396
5.0
-51
W-L-W-W-L
Angels
16-31
0.340
7.5
-60
L-L-L-L-L
The Mariners didn’t fall too far behind the A’s and the Rangers because those two teams lost their rivalry weekend series too. Nothing really changed in the AL West standings beyond Texas gaining a single game to jump over the Mariners into second place. The Athletics will head to Anaheim to face the miserable Angels this week while the Rangers head to Colorado to face the Rockies. The Astros will look to build off their series win against their cross-state rival in a series against the Twins in Minnesota this week.
Corbin Carroll
Drake Baldwin
Shohei Ohtani
COVERS INTEL: Slade 
Stephon Castle
Isaiah Hartentstein
