This playoff run has been a series of firsts for the San Antonio Spurs.
Thursday, May 28 presented yet another: this is the first time this young Spurs core is facing elimination in the postseason.
The Spurs are hosting the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 6 of the Western Conference finals in a must-win situation, as San Antonio is looking to knot the series up a three games apiece to force a Game 7.
Here are live takeaways from Game 6 of the Western Conference finals between the Spurs and Thunder:
This Victor Wembanyama makes the Spurs close to unbeatable
It became clear in the first few minutes of Game 6 that Wembanyama was correcting his mistakes from Game 5.
After playing too passively two nights ago, Wembanyama set the tone early, going 4-of-6 from the floor in the first quarter and 9-of-16 in the first half to take 22 points into intermission.
The rest of the Spurs are feeding off Wembanyama, whose effort on defense and rebounding have also lifted San Antonio. Through the first half, Wembanyama has also hauled in 5 rebounds — which is just one fewer than his total from Game 5.
That said, Wembanyama did launch 8 attempts from 3-point range. And while he made three of his first four, he cannot be settling too much for perimeter shots; the Spurs are at their best when Wembanyama is attacking the rim.
The Thunder need another scorer to emerge
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 10 points in the first half, but only got to the line twice. Cason Wallace dropped 11 on a perfect 4-of-4 half (including three drained triples). The next closest Thunder scorer was Alex Caruso with 7 points.
Oklahoma City, however, needs one of its secondary stars — Chet Holmgren (6 points) or Jared McCain (5) are top of mind — to get going with more consistency.
Jalen Williams is playing, though he’s on a minutes restriction with his hamstring injury, and can’t be counted on to be a reliable scoring threat.
Dylan Harper is providing a crucial spark off the bench
The dynamic rookie has struggled over the last three games, combining to score just 18 points on 5-of-16 shooting over that span.
In the first half Thursday night, Harper was aggressive and in a rhythm, scoring 12 points on 5-of-6 shooting, including 2-of-3 from beyond the arc.
It couldn’t have come at a better time, as starting point guard De’Aaron Fox missed all five of his shot attempts and didn’t record a single point. Fox does have 4 rebounds and 4 assists, but San Antonio will need scoring from the point guard position, and Harper’s energy off the bench has been massive, especially because he’s not afraid to get out in transition.
KANSAS CITY, MO - MAY 26: Bailey Falter #36 of the Kansas City Royals throws a pitch in the second inning of an MLB game between the New York Yankees and Kansas City Royals on May 26, 2026 at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, MO. (Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
With just a few days left in May, the Colorado Rockies find themselves in a bit of a conundrum. With a record of 6-19 for the month and a run differential of -70, the Rockies are looking much more like the bad and rebuilding team we expected them to be compared to a relatively successful April.
With that being said, the team might need some reinforcements from outside the organization to help find their footing. Here are some options that might be worth considering:
Andrew McCutchen
They say Father Time is undefeated, and the beginning of Andrew McCutchen’s age 39 season hasn’t been a great one. After playing fairly well with his Pittsburgh Pirates last season, McCutchen was allowed to walk as the Pirates aimed to get younger. McCutchen signed on with the Texas Rangers and made their Opening Day Roster, but has struggled in limited playing time. In 83 plate appearances he has hit just .192/.277/.260 with one home run and a 62 OPS+ before being designated for assignment earlier this week.
McCutchen is by no means a permanent or long-term solution, but if the storied veteran has any gas left in the tank, he could be a low-risk move for a right-handed designated hitter on a team that has been struggling to score runs.
Bailey Falter
No matter how you feel about Kyle Freeland, I think everyone can agree that something isn’t right with the veteran lefty since he returned from the injured list. Since being activated from the 15-day IL with a sore left shoulder, Freeland has struggled immensely in 26.2 innings of work. He has an ERA of 11.48, a FIP of 7.73—which indicates that although his ERA is inflated during that time, he is still pitching poorly.
Freeland is struggling to get velocity in his four-seam fastball and struggling to place his other offerings. While he does have 26 strikeouts since returning, he also has ten walks and has given up 11 home runs. Before his injury he had a 2.30 ERA and had given up just one home run.
I would argue Freeland needs to return to the injured list, and with José Quintana out of commission with an elbow injury, the Rockies suddenly find themselves lacking for left-handed starting pitchers.
Falter, a lefty, started last season strong with a 3.73 ERA over 22 starts with the Pittsburgh Pirates before being traded to the Royals. Since landing in Kansas City he has struggled as the Royals have used him both as a starter and reliever. In nine appearances with the Royals since last season he has a 12.46 ERA over 21.2 innings.
While certainly a reclamation project for Alon Leichman and the Rockies coaching staff, Falter fits into a similar mold as Freeland. A deceptive left-handed pitcher with a low 90s four-seam fastball and a handful of breaking pitches. If the Rockies could help Falter find his form from Pittsburgh, he could be a valuable piece of depth.
Final Thoughts
Who, if anyone, do you think the Rockies should pursue as reinforcement options from outside the organization? Let us know in the comments!
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 02: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors talks to Donovan Mitchell #45 and James Harden #1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers after their game at Chase Center on April 02, 2026 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) | Getty Images
I’m back from my Memorial Day vacation and I’ve been waiting to get this one off about Cleveland’s demise. There was a point during Game 4 when the camera panned across Rocket Arena and you could see Knicks fans celebrating while Cavaliers fans sat frozen in their seats trying to process what had just happened.
And for Golden State Warriors fans who enjoyed a bitter rivalry with The Land, this was pretty amusing not just because Cleveland lost. I mean, the Warriors and Cavaliers haven’t really been rivals in years. LeBron left and the Dubs are figuring out who they are at this juncture of their dynasty. But there is still something deeply funny about watching the Cavaliers spend years trying to convince themselves they had rebuilt a contender only for the whole thing to collapse under the bright white lights of the Eastern Conference Finals.
“Analytically… we’ve won 2/3 games on the expected (score),- Cavs HC Kenny Atkinson.
The Knicks didn’t just beat Cleveland. They swept them with aggression, finishing it all off by walking into Rocket Arena and winning by 37 points for good measure, 130-93. They turned what should have been Cleveland’s biggest game in years into a three-hour public humiliation. By halftime the arena already sounded nervous. By the fourth quarter it sounded like Manhattan had annexed Ohio.
Going to be a really weird Cavs offseason. Mitchell’s eligible for an extension nobody is going to feel 100% great about and you have to trade him if he doesn’t sign it. Gotta either re-sign Harden or lose him for nothing. Mobley and Allen will both be in trade rumors. Probably a…
And honestly? Warriors fans already knew where this was headed.
The Cavaliers spent the first two rounds of the playoffs leaking oil everywhere. Seven games against Toronto. Seven games against Detroit. Then they blew a 22-point fourth-quarter lead in Game 1 against New York and spiritually never recovered from it. Even when the score stayed close later in the series, the energy didn’t. The Knicks looked like a team discovering itself. Cleveland looked like a team slowly realizing it had miscalculated something important.
“Genuinely, I do feel like we are the better team,” – James Harden after the Cavs were swept by the Knicks 🫨🫨🫨 pic.twitter.com/JtDk8A7D2F
The Cavaliers had talent all over the floor this season. Mitchell is phenomenal. Evan Mobley remains terrifying defensively. Harden can still manipulate a defense when he has space to breathe. But the deeper this series went, the more Cleveland looked like a team relying on individual rescue attempts while New York looked like five people operating the same machine. That is what real contenders look like. This was the Knicks kicking the door off the hinges and spending four games revealing how fragile Cleveland actually was.
And from a Warriors perspective, there was something nostalgic about it.
The old Cavaliers used to walk into Finals games with LeBron James carrying the emotional weight of an entire franchise on his back like a demigod. You always felt pressure radiating off those teams even when Golden State was better. This version felt different. Talented? Absolutely. But watching this series, there was never a moment where they felt inevitable. So now the Knicks head to the NBA Finals for the first time in over 25 years while Cleveland heads into an offseason full of uncomfortable questions about roster construction, identity, and whether this core is actually built for deep playoff basketball. Judging by the brooms falling from the sky all over Ohio this week, the East takeover might need to wait. I feel overall glad that former Warriors assistant coach Kenny Atkinson got to take his team so far, but it’s sad to see him chained to Cleveland’s curse.
The lights came on and the Cavaliers blinked. And somewhere deep in the soul of Dub Nation, a lot of people probably smiled watching it happen.
May 27, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles designated hitter Taylor Ward (3) slides into third base safely past Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Kazuma Okamoto (7) during the first inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images | Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images
Blue Jays 2 Orioles 1
I guess we scored some runs yesterday, so it was too much to ask for us to get more than two today.
We scored:
One in the third: Andrés Giménez homered.
And one in the eighth: George Springer doubled. Nathan Lukes bunted him to third. I hate bunts when the runner is already in scoring position. And Nathan had already had a hit tonight. Oh well. Then the Orioles intentionally walked Vladimir Guerrero. Daulton Varsho also walked, loading the bases. Kazuma Okamoto struck out, he chased strike three, but the other pitches were strikes. Yohendrick Piñango, pinch-hitting for Myles Straw, took a walk to drive in the run. A couple of the pinches were close, but Yohendrick showed a good eye. Unfortunately, Ernie Clement struck out, swinging at a pitch well off the plate. Ernie’s going to Ernie.
We had 6 hits and 5 walks, so you would have hoped for more runs. But such is life. No one had two hits. Okamoto was the only one in the starting lineup not to reach base.
Patrict Corbin threw an excellent five innings, with four hits, one earned (a Coby Mayo home run. I’ve never liked Mayo, it’s white stuff that tastes like white stuff.), He’s been nice in what I would have called a fifth starter role, if we had four other starters.
And the bullpen did well:
Braydon Fisher had a clean sixth, with a strikeout.
Jeff Hoffman allowed a hit, but had two strikeouts. He got the win.
Tyler Rogers had a tough time, giving up a couple of hits, with a strikeout and came out with two on.
Louis Varland got out of the inning, though he had little to do with it, Brandon Valenzuela made a great throw to first, to pick off the runner. Vlad played well off the line but ran to first on the pitch, and made a nice tag. He did give up a ground ball single in the ninth, but got out of the inning.
Jays of the Day: Varland (0.31 WPA, but some of that is owed to Valenzuela and Vlad), Piñango (0.24 WPA, all for the RBI walk), Fisher (0.12), Corbin (0.09) and Hoffman (0.09)
The Other Award: Okamoto (-.017, for his 0 for 3).
Tomorrow, is a 7:00 start. I thought today’s would be at 7, so I was a little late with the GameThread. Someone will start for the Jays. Connor Seabold? Someone from Buffalo? You? Me? Trevor Rogers (2-6, 6.96 ERA).
The Jays are 28-29. It would be nice to get back to .500 tomorrow.
If there’s one thing this postseason run has shown, it’s that the San Antonio Spurs can compete with the very best in the NBA when star phenom Victor Wembanyama is at his best.
And after Wembanyama struggled to assert himself in a Game 5 loss that put San Antonio in an elimination situation, Wembanyama came out with urgency and intent Thursday, May 28 in Game 6 of the Western Conference finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
San Antonio is facing a 3-2 series deficit and must win Game 6 to avoid elimination.
Here’s a look at Victor Wembanyama’s stats Thursday night in Game 6 of the Western Conference finals:
Redshirt junior third baseman Mikey Bell is leaving the Gonzaga Bulldogs program after two seasons and will enter the NCAA transfer portal, per D1Baseball’s Kendall Rogers.
The back-to-back West Coast Conference Player of the Year right away becomes one of the most coveted bats available across college baseball when the portal officially opens on June 1. It will be open for a 30-day window and close on June 30.
PORTAL NEWS: 2-time @WCCsports Player of the Year, @ZagBaseball 3B Mikey Bell is entering the Transfer Portal, I'm told. Bell, 6-2, 200, hit .379 this past season with 24 doubles, nine homers and 47 RBIs + 1.063 OPS. Should be a hot commodity.
The 6-2, 200-pound infielder hit .369 with 24 doubles, 20 home runs, 92 runs batted in, and 51 walks during his time in Spokane, Washington. Bell finished with a .448 on-base percentage, .610 slugging percentage, and 1.057 on-base plus slugging percentage across 107 games.
The Fresno, California, native started his college career on the junior college level with Cuesta College in San Luis Obispo, California. The Slipper Still Fits spoke with the 22-year-old before the start of the 2026 season, and what a treat it was. Best of luck to Bell in his future endeavors.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MAY 28: Fans erupt in cheers after Ronald Acuña Jr. #13 of the Atlanta Braves (not pictured) hit a grand slam in the sixth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on May 28, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jaiden Tripi/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After a rare disappointing series (against the Washington Nationals, no less), the Atlanta Braves had no choice but to lick their wounds and keep it pushing against their traditional (league-mandated) interleague rivals in the form of the Boston Red Sox. Considering that the top of the rotation was going to be in action, there was at least some hope that this meant that the pitching could at least keep Boston quiet over the course of the three games at Fenway Park.
The big question was whether or not the Braves could get over the funk that their lineup was in. It’s one thing to only score one run over two games — both losses. It’s another to do so against a Nationals pitching staff that had performed very poorly up until that date. It was now time to see if that was just an inevitable blip that all teams will have to deal with over the course of a long baseball season or if the Braves had what it took to bust out and get back to smacking the ball all over the place. In the end, we got a mixture of results but one that ended up being an ultimately successful one for the Braves. Let’s get into it, y’all.
This one started very inauspiciously in the first inning for the Braves as they went down in order very quickly against Ranger Suárez while Spencer Strider gave up back-to-back homers to start things off. Atlanta would be forced to come from behind yet again and while it took a while for things to get really interesting as far as the Braves were concerned, the road team appeared to be up for the task of making it happen.
Suárez was seemingly cruising until the fifth inning, which is when he was suddenly jarred out of that false sense of security by Matt Olson hitting a lightning bolt of a two-run homer that tied things up. The Braves went on to run Suárez out of the game in the next frame, as an Austin Riley triple off of the Monster and an RBI ground rule double from Michael Harris II gave the Braves the lead and Suárez the hook. They made sure that it was a bad day for him after a productive out from Dominic Smith and an RBI single from Ronald Acuña Jr. gave the Braves some breathing room and put all five runs on Suárez’s line for the night.
The sixth inning was also the end of the line for Strider, as he eventually ended up with five innings pitched and three runs allowed after his leadoff walk in the sixth eventually made it home while he was in the dugout. From that point forward, things got topsy turvy to the point where the Braves were in clear survival mode once this game ended. Isiah Kiner-Falefa hit a solo shot in the seventh inning to cut the deficit but Michael Harris II’s fourth hit of the night was a two-run dinger in the eighth that gave the Braves some vital insurance runs. They ended up needing those insurance runs because Raisel Iglesias had a rare rough outing where he got dinged for two runs while trying to close out the game. He eventually did so and the Braves escaped with a series-opening victory.
All due respect to the lovely TV production that BravesVision brings to us fans for nearly every game but also, you know it’s bad when C.J. Nitkowski catching a foul ball was the highlight of the night for the Braves.
For the second time in four games (and the third time in about a week-and-a-half), the Braves got shut out. A six-run fourth inning for the Red Sox (aided by two costly errors from Matt Olson and Chadwick Tromp) ended up being the turning point since Atlanta had little to offer against Connelly Early and Ryan Watson on the mound for the Red Sox. Boston added two more runs late and this ended up being a pretty lame one after the Braves went down in extremely short order following the big fourth inning for the Red Sox.
The pitching matchup between Chris Sale and Payton Tolle promised to be a good one and as it turned out, both pitchers kept their promise. While both pitchers “only” made it into the fifth inning in this one, Chris Sale got the slight edge as he ended up actually completing five innings while Tolle got pulled following 4.2 innings of work.
It came down to which team would be able to put in the work after the starting pitchers exited the game and boy, oh boy, the Braves certainly put in the work once Tolle was gone. The game turned Atlanta’s way in the sixth inning, which is when the Braves took the lead on a bases-loaded walk from Mike Yastrzemski and then broke the game wide open after Ronald Acuña Jr. hit his first dinger since April 24 (!!!) in grand fashion. Acuña’s grand slam put Atlanta up by five runs and thanks to the bullpen clamping down from that point forward, the Braves ended up cruising for the rest of the way.
Michael Harris II added another home run for good measure in the seventh inning to put a cap on a lovely series for Money Mike and then Ozzie Alies bopped one out in the ninth inning for two runs that pushed the Braves into double digits on the day. I’d say that avenging an eight-run loss with an eight-run win is a pretty solid way to clinch a series, right? Their 15th series win in 57 games, no less. Pretty good, huh!
For this to be a series win, there wasn’t really a ton of time where it felt comfortable for the Braves — or a least that’s how I felt watching this series. The only times I really felt completely relaxed while watching this series was after Raisel Iglesias got the final out of the first game and after Acuña’s grand slam in the series finale. Outside of that, Boston was tough to deal with and it’s hard to believe that they have such a poor record at Fenway Park.
Still, it speaks to the resiliency of this Atlanta squad that they were able to turn this into a series win. It got really hairy in that first game and the second game was tight for a bit as well but ultimately the Braves did themselves a lot of credit by proving themselves as the better team and taking the series.
Seeing Michael Harris II rake over the course of this three-game series was certainly encouraging and it was truly a sight for sore eyes to see Acuña send one flying over the Green Monster in order to put Atlanta well ahead in the rubber match. While it’s obvious that this lineup is missing Drake Baldwin a little bit, it sure would be nice to see the current face of the franchise start to get hot at the plate, himself. Hopefully this’ll be the start of seeing Acuña get on a heater, which is something that pretty much everybody across Braves Country would love to see. Jorge Mateo even did some serious work when he was called upon, so that was lovely to see in what ended up being a pretty positive series for the Braves.
Now, the focus turns to Cincinnati where the Braves will hopefully be able to keep things going in Cincinnati against the Reds. It’s always a bit concerning going into that ballpark with the bottom part of the rotation set to take on all the challenges that come along with playing against the Reds in that stadium. At the same time, the Reds have struggled against teams who are over .500 and the Braves lineup will also get to hopefully benefit from those dimensions as well. Hopefully we’ll continue to see the version of Atlanta’s lineup that did some serious work in the two wins in this series at Fenway Park rather than the one that has been intermittently showing up and getting shut out. We’ll see what happens.
Mets starting pitcher Kodai Senga made his first start for the organization's Triple-A ballclub, the Syracuse Mets, on Thursday night.
Senga took the mound against the Rochester Red Wings, the Triple-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals. Senga's workload saw a massive boost tonight, though his effectiveness and efficiency left a lot on the table.
He came out of the gates firing, beginning his start against the top of the Red Wings order by striking out the side, all swinging.
However, he ran into some trouble during the rest of his start, losing control of the strike zone on multiple occasions.
He threw 80 pitches through 3.2 innings, allowing three runs on four hits and two walks.
Just two of those runs were earned, as in the fourth inning, the baserunner who eventually scored (Robert Hassell III) reached base on a fielding error by highly touted first base prospect Ryan Clifford.
Senga was removed from the game, having recorded five strikeouts with Syracuse leading 6-3. His signature forkball was his best pitch all night, especially when it came to generating whiffs.
While the Mets are clearly ramping up Senga's workload at a rapid pace, it remains unclear as to what role he will have on the team's pitching staff, as well as when he will return to the big league roster.
Before the offseason ever achieved liftoff, the Philadelphia Flyers are already about to be down one superstar forward they could have considered signing to an offer sheet this summer.
While he is not a center, Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson was, by far and away, the top RFA of the 2026 free agent class.
The 26-year-old scored 109 points in the 2022-23 season and racked up another 96 this season, scoring 40 goals for the third time in his NHL career.
Robertson also averaged a career-high 20:15 of ice time this season as he emerges as one of the NHL's premier two-way forwards to go with his goal-scoring exploits.
The problem, though, is that the Flyers probably won't even be able to take a crack at signing him now.
According to NHL insider Emily Kaplan's latest report for ESPN, "The Jason Robertson saga will finally see some clarity and all signs point to an extension in Dallas, rather than a trade."
Speaking of the offer sheet, Kaplan added that, "for one to actually happen, everything has to line up: cap space, draft-pick compensation, player buy-in and a team willing to push the risk. That's why the noise almost always outweighs the action."
There are not many legitimate offer sheet candidates on the free agent market this year for the Flyers anyway, or at least ones that move the needle like Robertson or a skilled young center would.
Pipe dreams like Adam Fantilli, Leo Carlsson, and Connor Bedard are almost assuredly not going to happen barring an unforeseen warp in time-space.
It isn't like the Flyers necessarily needed to add another winger, anyway, but any time you can add a player of Robertson's ilk to your roster, you have to do it.
That would have been an ambitious move for a Flyers team that just made the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time since the pandemic, but ultimately, it doesn't seem like it's meant to be.
Plus, signing Robertson to the cap hit needed to choke the Stars out of his price range would have required the Flyers to fork over their first-round pick in each of the next four drafts, starting with 2027, which would severely inhibit their ability to add to the roster in other ways and build a sustainable team flush with young talent to complement the older players.
Going forward, though, the Flyers would be wise to consider other, more low-key offer sheet candidates.
Before the offseason ever achieved liftoff, the Philadelphia Flyers are already about to be down one superstar forward they could have considered signing to an offer sheet this summer.
While he is not a center, Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson was, by far and away, the top RFA of the 2026 free agent class.
The 26-year-old scored 109 points in the 2022-23 season and racked up another 96 this season, scoring 40 goals for the third time in his NHL career.
Robertson also averaged a career-high 20:15 of ice time this season as he emerges as one of the NHL's premier two-way forwards to go with his goal-scoring exploits.
The problem, though, is that the Flyers probably won't even be able to take a crack at signing him now.
According to NHL insider Emily Kaplan's latest report for ESPN, "The Jason Robertson saga will finally see some clarity and all signs point to an extension in Dallas, rather than a trade."
Speaking of the offer sheet, Kaplan added that, "for one to actually happen, everything has to line up: cap space, draft-pick compensation, player buy-in and a team willing to push the risk. That's why the noise almost always outweighs the action."
There are not many legitimate offer sheet candidates on the free agent market this year for the Flyers anyway, or at least ones that move the needle like Robertson or a skilled young center would.
Pipe dreams like Adam Fantilli, Leo Carlsson, and Connor Bedard are almost assuredly not going to happen barring an unforeseen warp in time-space.
It isn't like the Flyers necessarily needed to add another winger, anyway, but any time you can add a player of Robertson's ilk to your roster, you have to do it.
That would have been an ambitious move for a Flyers team that just made the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time since the pandemic, but ultimately, it doesn't seem like it's meant to be.
Plus, signing Robertson to the cap hit needed to choke the Stars out of his price range would have required the Flyers to fork over their first-round pick in each of the next four drafts, starting with 2027, which would severely inhibit their ability to add to the roster in other ways and build a sustainable team flush with young talent to complement the older players.
Going forward, though, the Flyers would be wise to consider other, more low-key offer sheet candidates.
After making his MLB debut with the Angels in 2018, Ohtani has done plenty of incredible things. He’s the first player to collect more than 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a season, he’s a four-time MVP, five-time All-Star, four-time Silver Slugger and two-time World Series champion.
But it seems the best is yet to come.
After returning to the mound last season and collecting 62 strikeouts with a 2.87 ERA, Ohtani is the front-runner to be the NL Cy Young Award winner this year.
Through nine starts, he’s nearly replicated last season’s strikeout production by collecting 61, has a 0.82 ERA and has pitched five or more innings in each start.
Shohei Ohtani is the front-runner for NL MVP and NL Cy Young. AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill
When May began, Ohtani’s bat went cold, and his average dropped to .233. Through his last 15 games, Ohtani started to heat up, hitting .321 with three home runs and 14 RBIs.
Votto, who earned the NL MVP Award in 2010 with the Reds, believes the Dodgers superstar is on his way to winning his fifth MVP and is putting himself in the conversation as the greatest baseball player of all time.
“It’s gonna be five in six years if he wins it. It’s gonna be unanimous if he wins it,” Votto said. “We’re talking about one of the great athletes of the 21st century.”
NHL legend Patrick Roy joined the hockey world in paying respects to Claude Lemieux, who died Thursday at 60 years old after a reported suicide attempt.
The former Islanders head coach, who was teammates with Lemieux in Montreal and Colorado during his playing career, said in a statement that he was “deeply saddened” upon learning of the four-time Stanley Cup winner’s sudden death.
“I am deeply saddened to learn of Claude Lemieux’s passing,” Roy said in French in a statement to reporter Renaud Lavoie. “Claude was an exceptional teammate, a fierce competitor, a key element in several of our greatest achievements, and a player who left his mark on our sport. His intensity and determination made him a player respected by his teammates and feared by his opponents.
Former Islanders head coach Patrick Roy looks on during a game last season. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
“We shared unforgettable moments, memorable victories, and a shared passion for hockey. My thoughts are with his family and loved ones during this ordeal.”
The Hall of Fame goalie was teammates twice with Lemieux, with the two playing together on the Canadiens from 1984-90 and reuniting on the Avalanche from 1996-2000.
Roy and Lemieux won two Stanley Cups together, once in Montreal in the 1985-86 season and again in Colorado a decade later, taking home the championship in 1995-96.
Lemieux spent 21 seasons in the NHL, playing for the Canadiens, Devils, Avalanche, Coyotes, Stars and Sharks throughout his career.
Claude Lemieux raises his hand after scoring his second goal of the game during a Devils-Rangers game on Dec. 1, 1999. New York Post
The forward racked up a total of 379 goals and 407 assists in 1,215 regular season games, along with 158 points through 234 postseason matches.
The Athletic reported that deputies from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office responded to a suicide attempt at the store, and the business was secured to conduct an investigation.
Claude Lemieux carries the torch in the opening ceremony of Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs between the Canadiens and the Hurricanes at the Bell Centre on May 25, 2026 in Montreal. NHLI via Getty Images
The Palm Beach County Medical Examiner’s Office did not release records to the outlet because of a Florida statue that exempts suicide cases from being viewed by the public.
“The New Jersey Devils organization is deeply saddened by the news of the passing of former Devil Claude Lemieux,” the Devils, with whom Lemieux spent parts of six seasons, said in a statement. “A clutch player on the ice and greatly appreciated by Devils’ fans off it, Claude’s impact in bringing the first-ever Stanley Cup to New Jersey will forever be remembered as one of the paramount performances in team history.
“Widely respected throughout the NHL, both as a trusted agent and a valued colleague, Claude leaves behind a lasting legacy within our game that he gave so much to. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends during this time.”
If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts or are experiencing a mental health crisis, you can call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org for free and confidential crisis counseling.
NHL legend Patrick Roy joined the hockey world in paying respects to Claude Lemieux, who died Thursday at 60 years old after a reported suicide attempt.
The former Islanders head coach, who was teammates with Lemieux in Montreal and Colorado during his playing career, said in a statement that he was “deeply saddened” upon learning of the four-time Stanley Cup winner’s sudden death.
“I am deeply saddened to learn of Claude Lemieux’s passing,” Roy said in French in a statement to reporter Renaud Lavoie. “Claude was an exceptional teammate, a fierce competitor, a key element in several of our greatest achievements, and a player who left his mark on our sport. His intensity and determination made him a player respected by his teammates and feared by his opponents.
Former Islanders head coach Patrick Roy looks on during a game last season. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
“We shared unforgettable moments, memorable victories, and a shared passion for hockey. My thoughts are with his family and loved ones during this ordeal.”
The Hall of Fame goalie was teammates twice with Lemieux, with the two playing together on the Canadiens from 1984-90 and reuniting on the Avalanche from 1996-2000.
Roy and Lemieux won two Stanley Cups together, once in Montreal in the 1985-86 season and again in Colorado a decade later, taking home the championship in 1995-96.
Lemieux spent 21 seasons in the NHL, playing for the Canadiens, Devils, Avalanche, Coyotes, Stars and Sharks throughout his career.
Claude Lemieux raises his hand after scoring his second goal of the game during a Devils-Rangers game on Dec. 1, 1999. New York Post
The forward racked up a total of 379 goals and 407 assists in 1,215 regular season games, along with 158 points through 234 postseason matches.
The Athletic reported that deputies from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office responded to a suicide attempt at the store, and the business was secured to conduct an investigation.
Claude Lemieux carries the torch in the opening ceremony of Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs between the Canadiens and the Hurricanes at the Bell Centre on May 25, 2026 in Montreal. NHLI via Getty Images
The Palm Beach County Medical Examiner’s Office did not release records to the outlet because of a Florida statue that exempts suicide cases from being viewed by the public.
“The New Jersey Devils organization is deeply saddened by the news of the passing of former Devil Claude Lemieux,” the Devils, with whom Lemieux spent parts of six seasons, said in a statement. “A clutch player on the ice and greatly appreciated by Devils’ fans off it, Claude’s impact in bringing the first-ever Stanley Cup to New Jersey will forever be remembered as one of the paramount performances in team history.
“Widely respected throughout the NHL, both as a trusted agent and a valued colleague, Claude leaves behind a lasting legacy within our game that he gave so much to. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends during this time.”
If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts or are experiencing a mental health crisis, you can call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org for free and confidential crisis counseling.
Mets right-hander Clay Holmes has seemingly avoided a worst-case scenario.
The Post's Jon Heyman reports that the Mets starter will not need surgery on his fractured fibula. It remained unclear what Holmes would need to recover from the injury, but even the right-hander believed he would avoid surgery when asked, although he could not rule it out. If Heyman's report is correct, then it's good news for Holmes and the Mets.
However, Heyman points out that the latest guess for Holmes' return is early August.
If the Mets can right the ship, getting Holmes back for the home stretch would be a bonus. When he went on the IL, Holmes was arguably the Mets' best pitcher.
In nine starts, Holmes pitched to a 2.39 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP while consistently going deep into games.
His shortest outing was the May 15 game against the Yankees when he pitched 4.1 innings. That was the same night he fractured his fibula.
Holmes suffered the injury when he took a 111.1 mph liner from Yankees prospectSpencer Jones.
