PITTSBURGH, PA - JULY 21: Cory Sullivan of the Colorado Rockies looks on from the dugout before a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on July 21, 2005 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Pirates defeated the Rockies 8-1. (Photo by George Gojkovich/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Last week, I offered up the discussion about who the best color commentator in Colorado sports is. When it comes to the Colorado Rockies broadcasts, Ryan Spilborghs garnered plenty of support. It’s understandable since Spilly is a humorous individual, but what I’ve always enjoyed is the perspective he brings as a former player and fan of the game. Spilly has consistently adapted to the modern game and has done a good job of breaking down plays and helping viewers understand the game. There is a reason that former players can make such great color commentators.
Personally, as much as I like Cory Sullivan and Jeff Huson, they grow tiresome for me during games. There is a lot of resistance to how the current game is played (see Sully’s crusade to not acknowledge the sweeper) and a lot of “back in my day” reminiscing. I do acknowledge that some of the exhaustion is due to listening to the two of them on broadcasts for a good number of years now.
This got me thinking about what former players, particularly former Rockies, I’d pick to join the team as color commentators.
There are a few former Rockies currently working as analysts across the league. Justin Morneau has been in the Minnesota booth for eight years now. Adam Ottavino and Dexter Fowler are working with NBC Sports this season, with the former as an in-game analyst and the latter as a pre-game analyst. There are likely some others sprinkled around, but these are some notable ones.
If I had the choice of any former Rockie to join as a broadcaster, I think Michael Cuddyer would be a fun one. Yes, he would probably fit in better with Minnesota, but I recall a time during his Rockies stint that, while injured, he joined the pre- and post-game crew (remember when we had both on a daily basis?) because he wanted something to do. Cuddy was insightful, humorous, and may have done a magic trick or two. He was one of my favorite players and had a fantastic career, and I think he’d bring a great dynamic to a broadcast, especially with his experience working with the 18U Team USA squad.
So that’s tonight’s discussion topic: What former Rockie(s) do you think would be a good color commentator for the broadcasts?
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 13: Kyle Tucker #23 of the Los Angeles Dodgers doubles during the second inning against the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium on May 13, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) | Getty Images
May 14, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber (12) runs out the bases after hitting a two run home run against the Boston Red Sox during the eighth inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images
You don’t really appreciate what you have until it’s gone. I used to get to recap Ranger Suárez starts all the time. Now I get to do that once a season at most. Unless I defect to Over the Monster, which is unlikely, on account of me growing up in a Yankees fan family, and still retaining some lingering fondness for the pinstriped rich kids. Anyway.
The Phillies wasted no time in trying to make their old friend sweat , with Trea Turner grounding to the hot corner, then seemingly beating out a great spinning throw from Caleb Durbin. But the call was overturned on review. Suarez, too, showed no mercy, striking Kyle Schwarber out with a low curveball, and inducing a lineout from Bryce Harper. And then he got the next six out too, half of them coming on strikeouts. He made J.T. Realmuto look foolish by inducing a swing on a low curve for strike three ; Realmuto realized it wasn’t his pitch and tried to hold off, but broke the plane. Baseball is a cruel thing, pitting former batterymates against each other.
Ranger’s counterpart in today’s proceedings, Jesús Luzardo, blinked first. He allowed a double to Carlos Narváez in the bottom third on a softly hit ball that dropped in front of a sliding Felix Reyes, then scooted behind him as he missed it. A sacrifice bunt advanced Narváez to second. But the next two Bosox bowed before the Lizard King, and the score remained tied.
The Phillies finally got a baserunner against Ranger when Harper worked a walk on seven pitches, but couldn’t advance him. The Boston nine did a little more at the plate, but remained similarly stymied in the scoring section. Wilyer Abreu singled in the bottom fourth, but was picked off— which proved costly for the Beantowners when Willson Contreras doubled in the next at-bat.
The Phillies got themselves their first hit at the hands of Alec Bohm in the fifth, who smacked a cutter into the left-side gap. Realmuto joined him with a single to the right side. Reyes imitated Realmuto, and the Phillies had the bases loaded. But Suarez, characteristically, was not particularly fazed. He made Edmundo Sosa whiff for a forwards K, then got Turner to pass on a cutter at the bottom of the zone for a backwards one. The fifth inning came to naught for the visitors.
The same was true for the Sox, who put a pair on via HPB and walk, but couldn’t bring either of them as far as third. The game thus entered the sixth at an even score, brought about by evenly-matched pitcher and evenly-frustrated batters.
But frustration can come for pitchers, too. Bryce Harper hit a seeing-eye single that slipped perfectly past a pair of diving Sox, and Suarez was sent to the showers, despite his overall strong performance. With two righties up next, right-handed reliever Justin Slaten was his replacement. Adolis García struck out, but Bohm singled to put runners on the corners. That brought up Brandon Marsh, who hit a liner to center that looked to all the world like it might drop— all the world, that is, except for Ceddanne Rafaela, who chased it down and sent the frame to bed.
The Red Sox threatened again in the bottom of the sixth when Reyes misplayed a ball from Andruw Monasterio off the Green Monster, trying to grab it with his free hand, then bobbling it. Monasterio ended up on second with none away. But the Phillies would once again mirror their Junior Circuit counterpart, with Luzardo inducing a trio of ground balls to keep the Sox scoreless.
Brad Keller took over for Luzardo in the bottom seventh, with Bryson Stott (who had pinch-hit for Reyes in the top, popping out), taking over at second base. For the second straight inning, the Sox put a man on second with a double, then failed to bring him home. This time, though, the double came with two outs, making the subsequent fizzling of the opportunity significantly less painful.
In the end, it wasn’t a former Phillie-turned-Red Sock that decided this game. It was a former Red Sock-turned-Phillie. Trea Turner singled to lead off the eighth, and Kyle Schwarber then smacked a pitch over the bullpen in Fenway’s right field to score the game’s first runs. That bullpen belongs to the visitors, and the gopher ball was visibly appreciated by the Phillies relief crew, necks craned upwards as if they were watching a meteor shower. The Red Sox got the next two Phillies out, but put the next three on via single, error, and HBP. That brought up Bryson Stott, who grounded to third. Durbin moved to throw to second, but the base was sockless. He instead threw to first, where Stott was called out; the Phillies challenged. The review proved that Stott had made it to base safely, and the Phillies had a 3-0 lead. Justin Crawford was called in to pinch hit for Edmundo Sosa, grounded out, and the frame was concluded, with the game taking a decidedly Philadelphian tilt.
José Alvarado took the eighth. The Sox hitters, awoken from their slumber by the reverberations of the Schwarber homer, plated their first of the game thanks to a double from Monasterio and a single from Abreu. Alvarado hit Rafaela, putting two on with two away, but made Trevor Story whiff to end the inning.
The Phillies went quietly in the ninth, then asked Jhoan Duran to ensure the Red Sox did the same. He struck out Mickey Gasper, walked Masataka Yoshida (pinch-hitting for Durbin), struck out Marcelo Mayer, then struck out Jarren Duran. The Phillies won, and old friend Ranger pitched well. Everyone goes home happy.
Well, not Red Sox fans. But everyone else.
The Phillies are 21-23. They return to action tomorrow night for a cross-state clash in Pittsburgh.
ATLANTA, GA - MAY 14: Chris Sale #51 of the Atlanta Braves takes the field before the game against the Chicago Cubs at Truist Park on May 14, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Jack Casey/Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In the preview for tonight’s game, I mentioned that this game might come down to who could find the big hits in the latter stages of the game. The Braves have made a good living when it comes to either turning games around or finishing things off during the money innings (seventh, eighth and ninth), and it appeared that that was likely what this game was going to come down to.
Unfortunately for us Braves fans, it was the Cubs who managed to get the timely hitting — or any real hitting at all, as they ended up keeping Atlanta completely quiet with a 2-0 shutout win to avoid getting swept.
Chris Sale did end up going six innings in this one and while he did get into some trouble during the first five frames, he was able to deftly dance around those problems like he usually does and kept the Cubs quiet for the most part. Sale eventually finished the night with eight strikeouts, which is just about what you’d expect from the veteran hurler even at this stage of his career.
The only real issue came in the sixth inning, which is when Sale walked Ian Happ to lead off the inning. It sure seemed like the next batter was going to hit a ground ball that could’ve been a double play. Instead, the Braves got none as Ha-Seong Kim’s flip to second was a poor one that went into the outfield for an error. The Cubs cashed in runners at the corners with a productive ground ball out from Matt Shaw that broke the 0-0 deadlock and gave Chicago the lead.
While this was going on, the Cubs were already having to dip into their bullpen — though it wasn’t because of lack of success on Ben Brown’s part. He was on a strict pitch count limit and he was certainly effective during the 65 pitches that he did throw. The Braves were only able to muster one hit and one walk off of Brown while he was out there and they didn’t look particularly close to pushing across a run during that stint.
It also didn’t help matters that Chicago’s bullpen kept the pedal to the metal once Brown left the game. Hoby Milner pitched two clean innings and then Phil Maton got a measure of redemption with his scoreless outing as well, which meant that the Cubs were holding on to a precious one-run lead once the game got into the latter stages.
That ended up being two runs once the eighth inning rolled around, as Ian Happ sent one to the Chop House at the expense of Reynaldo López for a solo shot that made it 2-0 Cubs. Old friend Jacob Webb pitched a scoreless eighth inning in order to keep it a two-run deficit, ensuring that it would take a dramatic rally from the Braves in the ninth inning to potentially turn things around.
Credit has to be given to Aaron Bummer to making sure that the Braves only had a two-run deficit to attempt to overcome in the ninth inning. Unfortunately, this night was all about Chicago’s pitching staff, as Daniel Palencia was absolutely electric to close this one out and doom the Braves to their second shutout loss of the season so far.
Instead of picking up a series win and a sweep against two of the best teams in the National League so far, the Braves will have to “settle” for just the two series wins — still a very positive result for this run of six games. Atlanta will now try to bounce back tomorrow night at 7:15 p.m. ET against their traditional Interleague rivals, the Boston Red Sox. If you’re going to the game, wear your red since it’s a red-out, and all.
BOSTON, MA - MAY 12: Kyle Schwarber #12 of the Philadelphia Phillies celebrates with third-base coach Anthony Contreras after hitting a solo home run in the first inning during the game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on Tuesday, May 12, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Paul Rutherford/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Red Sox had another installment of regularly-scheduled programming: the pitching staff gives them a chance to win and the offense offers another lifeless performance. Boston scored just one run in the eighth inning and could not match Philadelphia in the 3-1 loss.
Kyle Schwarber changed the game with one swing to move Philadelphia to 12-4 under interim manager Don Mattingly.
Here’s three takeaways from Thursday’s series finale.
RANGER IS ROLLING
He may have missed time with hamstring issues, but Ranger Suarez is pitching like the guy the Red Sox paid for this month. He’s tallied 9 ⅓ scoreless frames to start the month of May.
Against his former club, Suarez struck out eight Phillies through 5 ⅓ innings Thursday night. In fact, the left-hander hasn’t allowed a run since April 22 against the Yankees. Since then? He’s posted 17 ⅓ innings of shutout ball across his last three starts.
KYLE SCHWARBER IS INEVITABLE
The Phillies slugger offered another sour reminder of the shortcomings of Boston’s lineup. Home runs change games and the Red Sox just don’t hit enough of them.
Schwarber launched his 18th home run of the year, his seventh in seven games, off of Tyler Samaniego in the eighth inning to break the scoreless tie. Boston deployed a left-on-left matchup. Just not one good enough to hold Schwarber in the yard on Thursday night.
One of the sport’s greatest home run threats is fully in powerful form by mid-May.
FENWAY FAILS
The Red Sox have just one series win at Fenway Park to their names through the opening six weeks of the season. That came in early April when Boston took two of three games from the Milwaukee Brewers.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 09: Landen Roupp #65 of the San Francisco Giants pitches against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the top of the third inning of a major league baseball game at Oracle Park on May 09, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Francisco Giants wrap up this four-game road series against the Los Angeles Dodgers tonight.
Taking the mound for the Giants will be right-hander Landen Roupp, who enters tonight’s game with a 3.09 ERA, 2.51 FIP, with 51 strikeouts to 19 walks in 43.2 innings pitched. His last start was in the Giants’ 13-3 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday, in which he allowed one run on three hits with eight strikeouts and three walks in four innings.
He’ll be facing off against Dodgers right-hander Emmet Sheehan, who enters tonight’s game with a 4.79 ERA, 3.81 FIP, with 43 strikeouts to 10 walks in 35.2 innings pitched. His last start was in the Dodgers’ 3-1 win over the Atlanta Braves on Friday, in which he allowed one run on six hits with seven strikeouts and a walk in four and two thirds innings.
A former Chicago Blackhawks first-round pick will officially be staying with the Boston Bruins.
Former Blackhawks forward Lukas Reichel has signed a one-year, two-way contract extension with the Bruins for the 2026-27 season. At the NHL level, Reichel will have a $950,000 cap hit.
This new deal is a pay decrease for Reichel, as he had a $1.2 million cap hit over each of the last two seasons. While this is the case, Reichel will now be looking to take that next step and cement himself as a key part of the Bruins' forward group after landing this new one-year deal.
Reichel had an eventful 2025-26 season. He was first traded by the Blackhawks at the beginning stages of the campaign to the Vancouver Canucks. He then was dealt to the Bruins by Vancouver at the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline. With this, he played on three NHL teams in one season. He also made appearances at the AHL level with both the Abbotsford Canucks and Providence Bruins this season.
Now, Reichel will be looking for more stability next season with Boston. The young forward has had trouble breaking out in the NHL, but the 23-year-old will be aiming to change that with the Black and Gold after landing this new deal.
Reichel was selected by the Blackhawks with the 17th overall pick of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft and was once one of their top prospects. In 174 games over five seasons with Chicago, he had 22 goals, 36 assists, and 58 points.
There will be a plethora of Florida Panthers participating in the IIHF World Championships this month.
As players are making their way to Switzerland for the annual hockey tournament, several members of the Panthers, to include five players and five staff members, will be representing their respective countries.
Florida captain Sasha Barkov and fellow centerman Anton Lundell will be suiting up for Team Finland.
For Barkov, the tournament will be some of the first true game action he’s seen since last year’s Stanley Cup Final.
Barkov suffered a serious knee injury during training camp in September and missed the entire 2025-26 NHL season while recovering from surgery.
Representing the United States will be Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk.
Tkachuk will be seeking to become the first American hockey player to join the Triple Gold Club.
The three ‘golds’ are an Olympic gold medal, a Stanley Cup win and an IIHF World Championship gold medal.
Earlier this year, Tkachuk helped the United States win their first Olympic gold since 1980. In the two Junes before that, he won a pair of Stanley Cup titles with the Panthers.
Now we’ll see if he can help Team USA win their second straight World Championship gold.
If they do, Tkachuk will also become the first player in NHL history to win all three legs of the Triple Gold Club in a 12-month span.
Joining Tkachuk with Team USA are Panthers Assistant General Manager Brett Peterson, who is the GM for the US at the tournament, along with Florida Head Equipment Manager Teddy Richards and Head Athletic Trainer Dave DiNapoli.
Panthers GM Bill Zito is serving on the team’s advisory group.
Representing Latvia at Worlds will be 22-year-old Panthers forward Sandis Vilmanis.
Coming off an impressive 19-game NHL debut this season, Vilmanis will suit up for his country for the second time this year, also playing for Team Latvia during the 2026 Winter Olympics.
He earned three goals and five points during those 19 games in the NHL while racking up 17 goals and 38 points in 48 games for AHL Charlotte.
Another Panthers prospect who made his NHL debut this season and is also heading to the World Championship is Marek Alscher.
The 22-year-old will be representing Czechia after playing his first four games in the NHL earlier this season, dishing out three assists for the Panthers during his time with the club.
Team Canada tapped Panthers AGM Gregory Campbell to assist team executives with evaluating players and constructing their roster.
The tournament begins on Friday and runs through May 31.
Photo caption: Feb 12, 2026; Milan, Italy; Matthew Tkachuk of United States in action with Renars Krastenbergs of Latvia in men's ice hockey group C play during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena. (Geoff Burke-Imagn Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JANUARY 5: Bob Myers and Josh Harris of the Philadelphia 76ers look on against the Denver Nuggets at Xfinity Mobile Arena on January 5, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Nuggets defeated the 76ers 125-124 in overtime. 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 Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s been a tumultuous few days for the Sixers’ organization.
Then again, those days all ended in “y.”
Two days after the ownership group made the decision to part ways with Daryl Morey after six seasons, managing partner Josh Harris and HBSE president of sports and former Golden State Warriors executive Bob Myers spoke to reporters.
The pair spoke about what the franchise is looking for in its next lead executive, what Myers’ role looks like moving forward and the fallout of the Jared McCain trade. Here are five takeaways from the availability.
Where do they go from here?
If you were hoping for answers as far as the direction the team is going, you didn’t get much. Several questions were asked about the futures of Joel Embiid and Paul George, and how those older veterans mesh with the young backcourt of Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe.
Myers didn’t divulge much, basically insinuating the new executive the team hires will have major input. He acknowledged how early it is in the process and how there’s still much fact-finding to be done and people within the organization to speak to about what went wrong this season.
Harris was asked specifically about Embiid and his future. Take his answer how you will.
“I think that he’s an important player on our roster,” Harris said, “and he’s a warrior. … some of the things that you said are also true [about his injury history]. So, I think we’re looking forward to welcoming him back on our team.”
If you were looking for a ringing endorsement for Embiid, it wasn’t provided. Nor was there any clear indication of how the team views the plausibility of its current dual timeline.
But Myers’ answer to Derek Bodner’s question about the viability of the three-star model in today’s CBA was interesting.
“Well, we didn’t get it done this year with three guys, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be done. … I think it’s a smart question in that, ‘what’s the modern roster supposed to look like with the second apron, really? Which oftentimes operates as kind of a hard cap. The truth is, depth may be more important than it’s ever been. Maybe that’s the pace of play. Maybe that’s what we require of our players more. Not to say that this model doesn’t work, but we have to look at what happened this year and be honest about it. We got to be honest about can this model work, right? And that’s really the question, and also understanding the depth is key, and you only have certain amount of resources to spend. So that’s all part of the questions. It’s all part of what we need to figure out going forward.”
For what it’s worth, it didn’t seem like Myers was being evasive in the availability. Morey was just let go on Tuesday and Myers’ search hasn’t even really begun. Perhaps when the draft comes around, those answers will start to materialize.
This answer from Myers was another interesting one, though:
“It was fascinating to hear from the current staff that I saw yesterday in Chicago, what was said at the exit interviews. I find that very impactful. I’m not going to tell you [what was said] — that’s not fair. All of it matters, all these conversations, all the things you learn about an organization when the game is over and you go in the locker room and you talk to the players, you talk to the coach, talk to the training staff, what happened this season, and until we get all of that, I’m not going to say we’ve got the answers to that question, but I do know this: we have to get better.”
Myers’ role moving forward
When Morey was let go, folks wondered if Myers would simply take on the role of president of basketball operations. That does not appear to be the case.
However, some eyebrows were raised when ESPN’s Shams Charania said Myers would “partner” with the team’s next lead executive. Given Myers’ success as an NBA exec, it’s fair to wonder if he’ll have a bit more say with the Sixers than, say, the New Jersey Devils or Washington Commanders, HBSE’s other franchises.
While the person the team hires will be in charge of day-to-day operations, it certainly sounds like Myers will weigh in on the franchise’s bigger decisions.
“They’ll have a lot of authority here, which they should,” Myers said. “What they’re going to get, and our fans are going to get, is them, plus me. I won’t be on a day-to-day level, but on the high-level decision-making, which is being here at the draft, being here leading up to the trade deadline, being available for free-agency discussions, free-agency meetings, things like that. I’m going to be involved at that level, and I can tell you that I imagine — and I’m not saying this lightly — I’ll be communicating with that person daily, if not five out of seven days a week.”
Could Myers one day go full Pat Riley mode and take things over? Who knows?
A comfort to Sixers fans concerned about the draft is that Myers is hoping to have someone in place by then and is allowing a front office group that’s drafted quite well to do its thing.
“… the goal would be to have someone in place for the draft to get acclimated with the new group. But by the way, the group is working now, and whoever we hire, not sure who that will be, will likely, possibly already be evaluating the draft, where they’re coming from. So that’s a benefit, in some ways, but, yeah, I’d like to, and I hope to, but it’ll be as much time as required to get the best person. Because again, sure, have someone by the draft, but the goal would be to have someone that’s the right person for a long amount of time after.”
On his draft philosophy:
“This group’s done a pretty good job drafting, to be honest. I don’t want to come in and run over anybody in this existing group, including Daryl. He’s drafted some good players — Maxey, VJ, good examples of very successful players that were picked. So I’m not an expert in that. I’ll give my opinion. I want to meet with the group, hear what they say. Each year is a little bit different as to what you’re looking for, see who might be available at that pick and partner with new leadership and see what their philosophies are on the whole thing.”
The Jared McCain trade
There was no way this one wasn’t coming up.
Myers was asked about it first. His answer was diplomatic, praising Morey in general, while saying the true analysis of trades for the organization doesn’t happen until we see all the results.
Harris confirmed the ownership group — including Myers — gave the OK on the deal.
“So, the way these things work generally with something like that is the front office makes a recommendation,” Harris said, “and then ownership, which included Bob at that point, and we OK’d it. So, I think we were involved in it. It was part of a bigger plan. … As Bob said, we don’t know the outcome of that trade right now. We are sitting here with the 22nd pick, but I understand what you’re saying, and I understand the question, and …obviously, I understand the view of it here.”
Well, here’s hoping they nail pick No. 22.
What are they looking for?
Myers was asked right off the bat what he’s looking for in an executive.
“I’m a big believer in character and leadership, and I’m looking for a person that embodies those things. But there’s many characteristics under that that I believe kind of qualify in making a modern GM a success. There’s front-facing responsibilities, there’s responsibilities of managing star players, there’s responsibilities of managing up to ownership, there’s contract negotiations, there’s draft process, there’s evaluating analytics, there’s medical staff.
“You go down the line, and these jobs have an enormity to them, so I’m looking to find someone that can check as many of those boxes as possible, but also raise their hand and say, ‘You know what? I’m actually not good in this space. I’m going to need some support.’ Because the misnomer about these jobs is … I had some success in my previous job, but it wasn’t me by myself. There are teams of people that make a team and organization successful, so making sure we have the right person to lead them, but also the right people underneath them, which is important.”
Harris faces tough questions
It goes without saying the Sixers fan base isn’t pleased with Harris and the organization. A decent example of that is how New York Knicks fans were able to take over Xfinity Mobile Arena last week. There is also a growing contingent of the fanbase who’d like Harris to sell the team, noting how his other teams are direct competitors with Philadelphia franchises.
Despite being asked a question about him not addressing “off-court things,” Harris kept his answers strictly to basketball and the Sixers.
“I think I’m very focused on setting up the team and the club to push through the second round and go to the NBA championship, achieve our goals,” Harris said. “I care deeply for the team. No one’s more frustrated than I am. I understand people’s frustration. And … going out and getting someone as talented as Bob to kind of help Philly achieve its goals — this is the next step and our evolution.”
Interesting nugget to add: Harris was asked directly if the front office is under a directive to stay below the luxury tax. Harris said no, and that the ownership group is investing in a new arena, which will cost much more than any tax penalties, and has signed multiple max players, at times going over the tax in the past.
Jun 22, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Trevor Megill (29) celebrates the win with catcher William Contreras (24) against the Minnesota Twins after the game at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images | Brad Rempel-Imagn Images
The Milwaukee Brewers are back on the road, and this time, they won’t have to travel too far. Beginning this weekend, the Brewers are on a two-series trip through the Twin Cities and Chicago, as they’ll take on a pair of rivals in the Twins and Cubs. First up is Minnesota, as the Brewers will face the Twins for three games beginning Friday night.
The Crew is coming off a 5-1 homestand that featured a three-game sweep of the Yankees and a 2-1 series against the Padres — the only loss of the series came on a go-ahead three-run homer in the ninth inning of a 3-1 Padre win. Milwaukee is now 24-17 on the season, tied with the Cardinals for second in the NL Central.
On the opposite side, the Twins are 20-24 on the year, right in the middle of what has been a weak AL Central thus far. They took two of three from the Marlins this week, giving them four wins in their last five games after taking the final two games in Cleveland over the weekend.
In terms of injuries, the Brewers currently have a few players shelved and a few who are considered day-to-day. The day-to-day group includes Christian Yelich and Jacob Misiorowski. Yelich has been held out of the lineup for the last two games as he deals with minor back tightness, a lingering issue that has affected him for the last few years, while Misiorowski exited his start on Wednesday night after only the seventh inning as he once again dealt with cramps. He’s reportedly set to make his next start on schedule. Outfielders Brandon Lockridge and Akil Baddoo are both out with leg injuries, with Baddoo scheduled to begin a rehab assignment this weekend and Lockridge expected to be out until at least mid-June. On the pitching side, Rob Zastryzny (late May), Brandon Woodruff (late May), Jared Koenig (late May/early June), Quinn Priester (early June), and Angel Zerpa (out for the season) are all on the IL.
The Twins IL several key players, so I’ll give the quick-ish rundown. The list includes starting pitcher Pablo López, who is out for the season with a torn UCL, as well as Garrett Acton, Cody Laweryson, David Festa, Mick Abel, Cole Sands, and Taj Bradley. Outfielder Byron Buxton is day-to-day with hip soreness, while Wisconsin-native Alan Roden is on the IL with Triple-A St. Paul. Top prospects Walker Jenkins (team No. 1, MLB No. 12), Emmanuel Rodriguez (team No. 4, MLB No. 54), and Charlee Soto (team No. 9) are all on the IL in the minors.
Offensively, the Brewers are led by Brice Turang, who seemingly gets better every game. He’s hitting .298/.422/.511 with six homers, 10 doubles, 27 RBIs, 33 runs, and eight steals this season. Jake Bauers adds six homers, and Gary Sánchez has five. Other key contributors include William Contreras, Andrew Vaughn, Jackson Chourio, and Yelich (when healthy). Rounding out the position player group, those guys are joined by Sal Frelick, Garrett Mitchell, Joey Ortiz, David Hamilton, Luis Rengifo, and Blake Perkins. As a team, the Brewers are hitting .245/.336/.359 (.695 OPS ranks 19th), with 27 homers (last), 209 runs (eighth), and 43 steals (fifth).
Buxton leads Minnesota’s offense with 15 homers this year, and he’s hitting .260/.319/.580 over 40 games. Ryan Jeffers has added six homers, while Brooks Lee ranks third with five. Austin Martin has quietly been one of the better hitters for the Twins, hitting .333/.454/.429 over 38 games, and Luke Keaschall leads the team with 10 steals this year. Victor Caratini, Kody Clemens, Royce Lewis, Tristan Gray, Josh Bell, Ryan Keidler, Trevor Larnach, and James Outman round out the Minnesota offense. As a team, the Twins are hitting .236/.325/.385 (.710 OPS ranks 13th), with 49 homers (tied for 12th), 211 runs (seventh), and 40 steals (tied for sixth).
The Brewers bullpen is anchored by the fireman duo of Aaron Ashby and DL Hall, as Ashby leads the majors with a perfect 7-0 record across 20 appearances, with a 2.00 ERA and 43 strikeouts across 27 innings. Hall has a 1.80 ERA with 22 strikeouts over 20 innings. Grant Anderson hasn’t appeared as often recently, though he still ranks second on the team with 19 appearances. Abner Uribe has now blown two saves with a 4.96 ERA, though he’s still one of the best pitchers on the team when he’s playing well. Trevor Megill has bounced back after an ice-cold start, allowing just two earned runs over his last 10 innings (1.80 ERA). Jake Woodford, Shane Drohan, and Brian Fitzpatrick round things out. As a staff, the Brewers have a 3.35 team ERA (third), including a 3.27 starter ERA (fourth) and a 3.44 bullpen ERA (seventh). They’ve struck out 402 batters (fourth) over 365 1/3 innings.
As you’ll see with the team stats below, the Twins’ bullpen hasn’t been great this season. Former Brewer Justin Topa leads the team with 21 appearances, and Anthony Banda is right behind him with 20 appearances, though both have ERAs over 7.00. Kody Funderburk (who is now at Triple-A, thanks to some control issues) was probably the best pitcher, at least statistically, with a 2.81 ERA over 16 innings. The current group of Eric Orze (4.26 ERA), Taylor Rogers (4.41 ERA), Andrew Morris (4.67 ERA), and Luis García (10.57 ERA) has all had their share of troubles this season. The newest bullpen edition, Kendry Rojas, has been solid through three appearances, with a 2.45 ERA over 7 1/3 innings. As a staff, the Twins have a 4.49 team ERA (23rd), including a 3.88 starter ERA (ninth) and a 5.38 bullpen ERA (29th). They’ve struck out 332 batters (26th) over 387 innings.
Probable Pitchers
Friday, May 15 @ 6:10 p.m.: TBD vs. RHP Joe Ryan (2-3, 3.43 ERA, 3.04 FIP)
The Brewers have not yet announced a starter for game 1 or game 3 of this series. Friday night’s starter would be lined up as Chad Patrick, but the Brewers have used him in a bit more of a bullpen role lately, as he went three innings in relief against the Yankees on Saturday before tossing a perfect inning against the Padres on Tuesday. I’d expect that whether or not he’s the starter, we’ll see him at some point in this one, and likely for multiple innings. The 27-year-old righty has a 3.06 ERA, 3.81 FIP, and 26 strikeouts over 35 1/3 innings this season. Patrick made a start against the Twins last May, taking the loss as he allowed three runs on eight hits and a walk with two strikeouts over six frames.
Ryan, 30 in June, is in his sixth MLB season, all with the Twins. An All-Star last season, Ryan has a similar stat line so far in 2026, with a 3.43 ERA, a 3.04 FIP, and 45 strikeouts over 44 2/3 innings. The former seventh-round pick went six innings against the Guardians in his last appearance, allowing one run on two hits and three walks while striking out five in a no-decision. Ryan has made four appearances against Milwaukee in his career, with a 1-1 record, 3.18 ERA, and 25 strikeouts over 22 2/3 innings. He went 1-1 against Milwaukee last season, with the win coming in the same game that Patrick lost.
The only officially announced starter for Milwaukee, this will mark Henderson’s fourth start of 2026. He’s allowed exactly two runs in all three of his starts this year, including two runs over five innings against the Yankees on Mother’s Day, striking out five and taking the no-decision as Brice Turang ultimately played hero. One thing of note: each of Henderson’s last two starts ended before the 80-pitch mark (76 on May 3 against the Nationals, 74 on Sunday). This marks Henderson’s first career appearance against Minnesota.
Prielipp, 25, was born and raised in Tomah, Wisconsin. A second-round pick out of the University of Alabama in 2022, he made his MLB debut just a few weeks ago, as this will mark his fifth career start. Ranked as Minnesota’s No. 5 team prospect by MLB Pipeline, he has a 3.32 ERA, 4.37 FIP, and 21 strikeouts over 19 innings this year. He went five innings against the Guardians in his last appearance, allowing four runs (just one earned) on four hits and two walks, striking out six in his first loss. This marks Prielipp’s first career appearance against Milwaukee.
Sunday, May 17 @ 1:10 p.m.: TBD vs. RHP Bailey Ober (4-2, 3.46 ERA, 3.84 FIP)
Rookie right-hander Brandon Sproat would be lined up to take the ball in the series finale if the last turn through the rotation holds. Sproat is coming off a decent start on Tuesday night against the Padres, earning his first MLB win in appearance No. 12 as he went 5 1/3 innings with three runs allowed on six hits and two walks, striking out six. For the season, he has a 5.75 ERA, 5.74 FIP, and 36 strikeouts over 36 innings. This would mark Sproat’s first career appearance against Minnesota.
Like Ryan, Ober, 30, is in his sixth MLB season, all with Minnesota. The former 12th-round pick has turned in a few solid seasons during his career, but he’s coming off his worst season to date, as he had a 5.10 ERA and 4.90 FIP over 146 1/3 innings in 2025. He’s looked better thus far in 2026, though, with a 3.46 ERA, 3.84 FIP, and 39 strikeouts over 52 innings. He’s coming off a complete game shutout performance against the Marlins, in which he threw just 89 pitches and allowed just two hits (no walks) with seven strikeouts in a 3-0 win. This marks Ober’s third career start against the Brewers. Both of his previous starts came in 2023, when he totaled 11 innings with four runs allowed (3.27 ERA) and 10 strikeouts, picking up a win and a no-decision.
How to Watch & Listen
Friday, May 8: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Saturday, May 9: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Sunday, May 10: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Prediction
Despite entering the season predicted to finish at the bottom of the AL Central (and possibly the entire AL or even MLB), the Twins have held their own thus far, as they’re just a few games under .500. Still, the Brewers seem to be playing some of their best baseball right now, which makes me confident they can take two of three here.
PHOENIX, AZ - APRIL 27: Collin Gillespie #12 of the Phoenix Suns shoots a free throw during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder during Round One Game Four on April 27, 2026 at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Arizona. 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 Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Phoenix Suns have numerous decisions ahead of them this upcoming offseason, including multiple restricted free agents, unrestricted free agents, and players with trade value. The following series will examine those decisions as our writing team presents both a point and a counterpoint for each.
Ever since his arrival, Collin Gillespie has taken the Valley by storm and shown he’s a piece of this future. Last year, when he took off on his two-way venture, many did not know his name, but he sure changed that sentiment real fast. After the Suns had seen some injuries (per usual), he was thrust into the rotation and made a name for himself.
That small sample size gave the Suns’ front office confidence to bring him back on a one-year deal. One that Gillespie wanted, as he knew his role would increase, and he could earn a hefty payday. This was deemed the right decision, as the guard exploded onto the scene and fans around the league started to realize he had some potential.
The guard had an electric year, not only showing up on the stat sheet but also breaking a franchise record in his first full year with the team. Gillespie doubled his minutes, now seeing almost 29 per game, and posted 12.7 points, 4.1 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.2 blocks while shooting 42/40/87 on the season. He also broke the Suns’ three-point record for most in a season, breaking Quentin Richardson’s record. Gillespie finished the year with 232 makes, which was an incredible feat to witness.
Add this to his great playmaking and recognition to run an offense, and it was beneficial for the team. Whether it was the starting unit with Jalen Green out or the bench unit when everyone was healthy, he was one of the true initiators on this team. He also grew a nice connection with big man Oso Ighodaro, one that seemed to flourish when they were together.
All of this discussion surrounding him and how he found this path on the Suns should prompt the Suns to re-sign the guard. The question, though, remains: how much would it cost?
Even if he did run into a shooting slump late in the year, I think the best version of Gillespie on a healthy team will resemble his start of the year. In a role where he can come off the bench and be that true six-man and even close out games if he is hot offensively, is where he will thrive.
With the Suns having early-bird rights on his contract, they can go over the salary cap to bring him back. This will be a big factor in the ability to keep him, as opposing franchises could outprice the Suns if they want to sign him.
Finding a contract that reflects his play and his value to the franchise can be hard, but a happy medium of around 11-13M annually seems like a good price to meet. On a three-to four-year extension that would resemble some other solid backup point guard contracts.
With him making just over 2M this season, this will be a huge payday for the guard, who I believe would be more than happy to continue his journey here in Phoenix. This is the team that allowed him to get into the spotlight, and they should not let that talent walk out the door.
The Suns want to stay competitive and keep building on this successful season. Re-signing Gillespie lets you do that while keeping the fans happy. That being said, I think the Suns should bring him back at any cost.
It's the offseason for most teams around the NBA and squads are meeting with draft prospects at the combine in Chicago.
While some teams are weighing their options, others are considering whether they will use their pick and select a draftee or trade the pick for other assets.
The Warriors are going after those guys, or players of their caliber. Golden State wants to bring in another star ... but not at the expense of their No. 11 pick. The team has no plans to part ways with their draft pick, according to ESPN's Marc J. Spears.
"The Warriors have that 11th pick and people wondering can they get in the Giannis mix. From what I'm being told today from several people, the Warriors like to keep that pick," Spears said during a May 14 appearance on ESPN's "NBA Today."
The Warriors are expected to keep the 11th pick of the draft, per @MarcJSpears
"The Warriors have that 11th pick and people wondering can they get in the Giannis mix. From what I'm being told today from several people the Warriors like to keep that pick" pic.twitter.com/xAYydFiRL8
The NBA league office declared that officials were right to withold their whistles in the waning seconds of the fourth quarter of Wednesday night’s Cavaliers-Pistons Game 5 in Detroit, won by Cleveland, 117-113, in OT .
In a tie game with about a second left in regulation, Cleveland’s Jarrett Allen appeared to step on and trip Detroit’s Ausar Thompson as the latter went for the loose ball.
Rather than call a foul and send Thompson to the line, the referees let play go on, sending the game to overtime.
“[Jarrett Allen] fouled Ausar,” Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff said during the postgame press conference. “It’s clear. He trips him when he’s going for a loose ball. End of game situation, that’s tough.”
“That’s a foul,” the Pistons’ Cade Cunningham said. “It’s been a foul the whole game — wasn’t a foul at that time.”
“We, the Pistons, we know it was a foul,” Detroit’s Daniss Jenkins added. “But we don’t expect that.”
Jarrett Allen appears to step on Ausar Thompson’s leg during a loose ball. The Pistons weren’t happy with this no-call during the final seconds of regulation in their Game 5 loss to the Cavaliers. @bkoz02/X
“Allen and Thompson legally step to the same spot while pursuing the loose ball [before either player has possession], and both lose their balance from the marginal contact,” the report read.
The league’s ruling echoes what crew chief Tony Brothers told a pool reporter after the game.
“During live play, both players were going for the ball and there was incidental contact with the legs with no player having possession of the ball,” Brothers said.
With the win, the Cavaliers will have a chance to close out the series in Cleveland on Friday, with the Knicks waiting in the Eastern Conference finals.
During a dreadful month of April, it felt like whenever the Mets fell into an early deficit, the game was over.
Of late though, they’ve started to show more fight.
We saw it as they battled to take the series opener in extras last weekend in Arizona, and then in all three games of the homestand-opening set with the Detroit Tigers.
For just the third time in franchise history, New York came back from multiple runs down in each of the matchups as they locked of their first series sweep of the season.
“It’s great to see,” manager Carlos Mendoza said following Thursday's victory.
New York fell behind 2-0 in the top of the second on Tuesday night before they rattled off 10 unanswered runs, sparked by a spectacular big-league debut from top prospect A.J. Ewing.
They came from behind again on Wednesday night after Detroit was spotted a pair of runs in the first, eventually winning it in the bottom of the 10th on Carson Benge’s first career walk-off hit.
And then on Thursday afternoon the offense homered five times and Nolan McLean put forward his gutsiest outing thus far, battling through seven innings of work despite not having his best stuff.
Overall, it was one of the Mets’ most complete showings to this point in the season.
"During that tough stretch it felt like every time we got down a couple of runs the game was over," Mendoza said. "Now we’re down three runs in the first inning and you still feel good out there -- you can just sense it in the dugout.
"The pitching is going to keep us in games, they’ve done it all year -- it’s good to see the guys fight back -- they’re resilient. They aren’t going to give up, they aren’t going to put their heads down, they are just going to keep going."
Even with the majority of their regulars in the starting lineup sidelined to injuries, the Mets have now won three of their last four series and eight of their first 12 games to open the month of May.
They’ll look to keep rolling this weekend against the suddenly struggling Yankees in the Subway Series.
“We just have to do it one day at a time,” Mendoza emphasized. “We can’t get too far ahead of ourselves -- you enjoy today, but then you have to come back tomorrow, understanding you have a really good team coming to town.
“It’s going to take a consistent, good brand baseball, executing and just playing our best at the highest level -- I’m confident with the personnel that we have in there that we’re going to be able to do that.”
Paul Boutilier, a defenseman who played five seasons with the 1980s Islanders and helped the team win a Stanley Cup, has died, the NHL Alumni Association confirmed Thursday.
Boutilier was 63 years old. No cause of death was announced.
“We send our deepest condolences to Paul’s family, friends, and former teammates during this incredibly difficult time,” the NHL Alumni Association said in a statement.
Islanders defenseman Paul Boutilier with the puck during a March 1984 game. Getty Images
Boutilier’s career in the NHL spanned parts of nine seasons, playing for the Islanders organization from 1981-86. He would make stops with the Bruins, North Stars, Rangers and Jets.
He played a small role with the Islanders during their final championship of the dynasty era, appearing in 29 regular-season games in the 1982-83 season and playing in two postseason contests, which earned him the right to have his name engraved on the Stanley Cup.
Boutilier played junior hockey in the QMJHL with the Sherbrooke Castors in 1980 and was taken by the Islanders in the first round of the 1981 NHL Draft.
He made his NHL debut on Halloween 1981 and scored his first NHL a little more than a year later on Nov. 18, 1982, at Nassau Coliseum against the Bruins.
Boutilier split time between the QMJHL and the NHL during the 1982-83 season and then played for the Islanders and the CHL’s Indianapolis Checkers during the 1983-84 campaign.
He played 213 regular-season games with the Islanders during his career, along with another 36 appearances in the playoffs for the Isles.
Islanders defenseman Paul Boutilier (right) defends the Rangers’ Ron Greschner (center) who tries to sneak the puck past goalie Kelly Hrudey during a November 1985 game. Getty Images
During the 1986-87 season, Boutilier played for the Bruins, North Stars and the Rangers, lacing up his skates in four games with the Blueshirts.
Boutilier represented Canada on a number of occasions and won gold during the 1982 World Junior Championship.
After he finished his playing career, Boutilier moved into coaching, where he served as an assistant coach for Saint Mary’s University in Canada.
He served in the role from 1991-93 and then was promoted to head coach, remaining in that position until 1997.
