TODAY’S GAME: The Houston Astros (18-28) will continue their seven-game homestand today as they look to win the second of a three game series against the rival Texas Rangers (21-23).
Astros starter RHP Kai-Wei Teng (1-3, 3.12 ERA), who tossed his fifth straight quality start his last time out, will oppose RHP Jacob deGrom(3-2, 2.62 ERA) and the Rangers in the second game of the series .
ABOUT TENG: RHP Kai-Wei Teng is still making the transition to the rotation. He threw three clean innings last time out before losing steam in the fourth inning. According to Joe Espada, they are hoping he can get to 75 pitches in tonight’s game.
ABOUT DEGROM: Jacob deGrom has an 99-67 career record with a 2.57 ERA in 1584.1. career innings. He holds a 1-2 record against the Astros with a 3.70 ERA in 24.1 innings.
VS. TEXAS: The Astros and Rangers are playing their first series of 2026. Today’s game marks the second game of the annual Silver Boot Series with the Silver Boot going to the team with the most victories. Tonight’s contest will be the 301th game between these two teams as the series is deadlocked at a perfect 150-150. The Astros retained the Silver Boot last season by winning seven games in 13 tries.
HOT SPAGHETTI: Last night’s Astros starter RHP Spencer Arrighetti made his season debut on April 15 and has since gone 5-1 with a 1.50 ERA (6ER/36IP) and a .176 opponent average in six starts…among all AL pitchers with at least 35.0 innings, Arrighetti ranks second in ERA (1.88) and third in opponent average (.176), and despite making his first three starts at the Triple A level, Arrighetti ranks tied for third in the AL in wins (5).
ARMED FORCES DAY: Today in honor of Armed Forces Appreciation Weekend, a ceremonial first pitch, made possible by Houston Area Chevy Dealers, will be thrown out by former U.S. Navy Petty Officer Mark Tyson…Tyson completed two Western Pacific deployments to the Persian Gulf in 2000 and 2002, and supported major operations including Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Southern Watch. For his dedicated service and sacrifice, he was awarded numerous military honors.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Saturday, May 16, 6:10 p.m. CT
Location: Daikin Park, Houston, TX
TV: Space City Home Network
Streaming: SCHN+
Radio: KBME 790 AM & 94.5 FM HD2; TUDN 102.9 FM HD2 (Spanish)
Reinforcements are on the way for an Astros roster ravaged by injuries through the first 46 games of the season.
Jeremy Peña, Jake Meyers, and Nate Pearson could rejoin the Astros next week while Josh Hader and Hunter Brown continue to progress in their rehabs, Astros manager Joe Espada said before Saturday’s game against the Texas Rangers.
Peña and Meyers were in the starting lineup for Double-A Corpus Christi against Amarillo on Saturday, and Pearson is scheduled to pitch for Triple-A Sugar Land on Sunday in Tacoma.
If all goes well, Espada said all three could be available at some point during the Astros three-game series in Minneapolis, which starts on Monday night.
Peña, on the IL since April 12 with a grade one hamstring strain, went 0 for 5 on Friday night in the second game of his rehab assignment. He did not play on Wednesday or Thursday after leaving Tuesday’s game following a collision at second base.
Meyers, who landed on the IL with a right oblique strain on April 9, has gone hitless in his first two rehab games.
Pearson has appeared in six minor league games in his recovery from elbow surgery. His velocity got up to 101.3 MPH on Tuesday.
While their returns are not imminent, Josh Hader and Hunter Brown continue to progress in their rehabs.
Hader won’t be ready to come off the IL when he’s eligible on May 24, but Espada said he’ll only need five more rehab outings as he continues what is essentially his spring training ramp-up.
The Astros lefty struck out two in a scoreless inning for Corpus Christi on Friday. Hader was off for two days between his last two rehab appearances, and the final step will be pitching on back-to-back days.
Brown, who isn’t eligible to return until June 1, will throw a live BP on Tuesday. He will start a rehab assignment shortly after, if all goes well.
The Astros entered Saturday’s game with 14 players on the injured list.
The Dodgers will count on Roki Sasaki (11) even more now with key injuries affecting the starting rotation. AP
Early this year, he couldn’t command his pitches. He wasn’t getting deep into starts. And though he had managed to avoid many disasters, his place on the club seemed tenuous at best.
In recent weeks, however, circumstances have changed.
The Dodgers lost Tyler Glasnow (back spasms) and Blake Snell (loose bodies in his elbow) to the injured list. They went from having a looming rotation crunch (in which either Sasaki or Emmet Sheehan seemed likely to be demoted) to a sudden lack of big-league rotation depth.
Against that backdrop, Sasaki has also shown some encouraging signs. In each of his last three outings, he has pitched into the sixth inning. And while his ERA remains close to 6.00, he has been able to better attack the strike zone and cut down on his walks.
Early this year, he couldn’t command his pitches. AP
Because of that, manager Dave Roberts has praised the progress he believes the supposed phenom is making. Sasaki said his last couple games are as good as he has felt all season.
Alas, the 24-year-old right-hander is still nowhere near where he wants to be.
Such is the duality facing Sasaki ahead of his next outing on Sunday against the Angels and entering what figures to be a critical stretch of the season for himself and the team.
Sasaki is scheduled to make his next start Sunday against the Angels in Anaheim. AP
He has proved he can at least survive at the MLB level. He remains better than any currently available rotation alternative the Dodgers could turn to.
But becoming the Cy Young-caliber talent that he was billed as when he first arrived from Japan? That remains a long-term, and still uncertain, work in progress.
“To me, it feels as if I’ve already taken a lot of time,” Sasaki said last week. “The situation has been painful … All I can do is aim for that and build toward it.”
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The absence of Glasnow (who will be out for at least a couple more weeks) and Snell (who will likely be sidelined for the next 2-3 months) means greater responsibility is set to fall to him; to pitch deeper into games, to do better at preventing runs, and to be more than someone simply trying to cling to a roster spot.
“Whether it comes right away or gradually is something I don’t even know,” Sasaki said. “I imagine what I want to be and work my way backward from that. If I stop that process, then it’s over. As long as I have a chance, I have to continue to progress.”
But becoming the Cy Young-caliber talent that he was billed as when he first arrived from Japan? That remains a long-term, and still uncertain, work in progress. Getty Images
The good news is that ingredients for such success have begun to show themselves. Sasaki has made significant strides with his fastball command over the last month, going from nearly seven walks per nine innings in his first three outings to just six total free passes in his last 20 ⅔ frames. The addition of a new, harder splitter to complement his trademark, but difficult-to-control, forkball has also been seen by club officials as a positive.
“Roki’s certainly doing his part,” Roberts said last week.
Sasaki’s next challenge will be limiting hard contact (he has the fourth-highest home run rate among any pitcher with at least 30 innings this year) and maintaining his stuff deeper into starts (in two of his last three outings, he pushed into the sixth inning but was removed before recording another out).
If he does that, it could help alleviate the Dodgers’ sudden injury problems and lessen the strain it figures to place on their bullpen.
If he can’t, then his admittedly “painful” growth process will continue, at precisely the time the Dodgers need more out of him.
Jaylen Brown controls the ball against Tyrese Maxey. | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
As heartbreaking as it is to watch a team with legitimate championship aspirations fall in the first round to a rival, there is a silver lining for grieving Celtics fans.
With the extra few weeks, the Celtics can allocate even more time to an area that separates them from the bulk of other NBA teams: player development. OK, maybe it doesn’t remove the pain of the loss entirely, but hey, it’s something.
As they turn the page – with the caveat that some of these players may head elsewhere – here’s one area of improvement for each member of the Celtics this offseason.
Jayson Tatum: full strength
I still find it truly remarkable how fluid, strong and polished Tatum looked given all that transpired. You really felt for the guy when he missed Game 7 and can’t help but wonder what would have happened if he had been out there.
Tatum should use this offseason to ensure he’s 100 percent good to go, feels like himself and is fully comfortable heading into next season. Give him all the credit in the world for responding the way he did, but that chapter of his career is in the past now, and it’s time to fortify the future.
3 YEARS AGO TODAY Jayson Tatum scored the most points ever in a Game 7: 51!
Tatum's Career Highs ▪️ Regular Season (60) ▪️ Playoffs (51) ▪️ All-Star Game (55) ▪️ Play-In Tournament (50) pic.twitter.com/YSxHpu13W8
Brown improved in almost every area, both with the eye test and statistically, and proved he’s more than capable of being “the guy.”
This is nitpicking, because he was so outstanding, but he needs to improve his decision making slightly for the Celtics to take the next step. Sometimes it felt like Brown made up his mind that he was going to shoot and would miss open teammates in the corner.
He averaged 3.6 turnovers per game, which was the fifth most in the NBA. When you account for the fact that Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic and Cade Cunningham are right above him, it doesn’t look so bad, but it’s still an area worth monitoring. Yes, he has the ball a lot, and yes, turnovers are going to happen, but he can still cut down on them slightly.
Derrick White: consistent shooting
White is one of the most likable Celtics ever, and he still contributes in so many ways when his shot is off, but it’s fair to say his shooting hurt the Celtics last season.
He shot a career-low 39.4 percent from the field and saw his 3-point percentage plummet from 38.4 in 2024-25 to 32.7 last year. One interesting note: Those numbers increased to 47.8 and 42.4 in April. With Tatum back in the mix, White’s scoring numbers went down and his efficiency went up.
While aggressiveness is important, sometimes less is more for White. The most important part is to not overthink it and just play the game. Easier said than done. He’s unquestionably the biggest X-factor on the team with the way the roster is currently constructed.
Payton Pritchard: defensive versatility
The guy really needs to get better at end-of-quarter shooting. He missed one against the Sixers. Inexcusable. But seriously, Pritchard had an excellent season all around. While he has many admirable traits, for me, No. 1 is that he truly makes concrete improvements to his game every year.
You want every player to do that, but the reality is that some do and some don’t. Pritchard legitimately gets better every year. This offseason, the point of emphasis should be defensive versatility. Pritchard is a solid defender, and he plays extremely hard, yet it still feels like teams pick on him in the paint sometimes.
Part of that is just the fact that he’s 6’1, and it is what it is, but there are ways to counteract it: avoid switching in the first place, beat your defender to the spot, gamble at the right moments to get steals. He’s not a liability on that end, however there is still room to grow.
The top 5 guards in Luck Adjusted Offensive RAPM (advanced plus/minus)
1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 1.7 2. Cade Cunningham 1.5 3. Sam Merrill 1.3 4. Payton Pritchard 1.3 5. Luka Doncic 1.2
Imagine it. Queta sets a screen at the top of the key, both defenders swarm toward ball-handler Tatum or Brown and the big rotates to clog the paint. Queta simply stops near the free-throw line, catches the over-the-shoulder pass and sticks a mid-range jumper.
He can do it. He really can. No one is asking him to attempt five 3-pointers a game – not yet, anyway – but establishing himself as a legitimate threat to shoot would give the Celtics yet another option and make defenses scramble even more. The fact that Queta has improved so much in the past couple years means he’s capable of adding another trick to his steadily growing repertoire.
Sam Hauser: minimize cold spells
Give Hauser a lot of credit. The Celtics asked him to improve his defense and he did. They asked him to add playmaking to complement his shooting and he did. They asked him to shoot without a conscience and he did.
The next step is to ensure he doesn’t have cold spells throughout the season. It’s easier said than done (trust me, I know all too well), but Hauser is capable. For instance, he shot 27.5 percent from 3 in November, 45.1 percent in January, then 33 percent in March.
Shooting in the high-30s to low-40s consistently, rather than in spurts, goes a long way.
Baylor Scheierman: continue to play with confidence
As a big-time Scheierman believer since his college days, it was very cool to see him come out of his shell and establish himself as a consistent NBA role player.
You could see something shift with him, where he started to realize he truly belonged just played, rather than thinking about how he was playing. The goal now is to do that for an entire season. He deserves to be out there, logging heavy minutes on a talented team, and he needs to continue to believe in himself and his abilities.
Everything we thought we knew about Vucevic was true. Great teammate, great spacer, great veteran … not a great defender.
That’s OK. Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. That’s life, and I’m sure he’s worked incredibly hard behind the scenes to become less of a liability on that end. But, the unfortunate reality for both Vucevic and the Celtics is that he truly is a liability on that end. So, how do you compensate for that? With all-out hustle and intensity. That’s not to say he’s not hustling, because he is, but I think becoming a bit more of a maniac on that end would benefit him.
Dive for a loose ball, foul someone with conviction, pound your chest. See what happens.
Jordan Walsh: develop your bag and look to drive
I’ve written about this before, but Walsh has come a long way. He used to think “Should I shoot it? Should I shoot it?” Now, he just shoots it, and it’s been fun to watch his growth.
The next step is to become more of a playmaker. Walsh is long, athletic, versatile and rangy. He’s capable of beating guys off the dribble. It would be fun to see him throw an upfake, accelerate to the rim, spin to his left hand and finish in traffic at the rim, for instance. He can do it.
Luka Garza: defend without fouling
I’m not sure there’s a player on the roster who maximizes each ounce of athleticism in his body more than Garza. Not to say he’s not athletic (he is), but relatively speaking, he’s someone who makes the most of each window he has. That’s an admirable trait.
With that in mind, anything here is trivial, but I would say defending without fouling would help Garza moving forward. He averaged 2.3 fouls per game in 16.2 minutes, which equals out to more than fouling out per 48. Slicing that number to, say, 1.5, would help significantly.
Barring a surprising twist, González isn’t going anywhere and is a key part of the equation in the years to come. He’s already a menace defensively, and improving his offensive crispness would go a long way. He’s still a baby, so it will take some time, but that’s the next step.
Ron Harper Jr.: make yourself indispensable
Harper Jr. is better than I thought he was. That kid is legit. Use the fuel you have of constantly hearing that about how great your brother and dad are and continue to prove you belong. Make it so the Celtics can’t put you in a trade package, and if they keep you, make it so they can’t take you off the floor.
Dalano Banton: showcase your versatility
Banton is a pretty unique player. Not many guys are that tall and find themselves playing point guard when they enter the game. Beat guys off the dribble, back them down, make the extra pass, block shots, get steals and run. Prove you can do it all.
Amari Williams: fine-tune your post moves
Williams is long and athletic and he can disrupt bigs and get them out of a rhythm. I personally would have tried him against Joel Embiid for a few minutes to see what happened (no one else could guard him, so they had nothing to lose). He likely would have roasted him, but it would have been an interesting experiment. Williams is a promising player who should work on his post moves to earn a spot on the floor.
Max Shulga: 3-point shooting
In order to last in the league, Shulga has to prove he can consistently hit the 3-ball. While he’s a solid passer, and a smart player, shooting efficiently is imperative.
May 15, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Abner Uribe (45) celebrates after the third Minnesota Twins out in the top of the eighth inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn Images | Matt Blewett-Imagn Images
First Pitch: 6:10 pm CDT TV: Twins.TV Radio: TIBN / WCCO 830 / The Wolf 102.9 FM / Audacy
The Twins aren’t actually THAT far below .500, but when a Friday night home game feels like a road trip, “core” players are being optioned to Triple-A, and the Chicago White Sox are above you in the standings, it’s hard not to feel a little pessimistic. Minnesota’s third-place position is emblematic of the American League Central’s reputation, as well as the general stature of a 2026 American League which features four teams with winning records.
Still, the Twins are coming off consecutive series wins, and still have a chance to win their Rivalry Weekend matchup with the Milwaukee Brewers. On top of that, they’ll be able to see if Connor Prielipp can sustain his early-career success; he enters his fifth major-league start having allowed only 12 hits in 19 innings, including a one-hit performance against the Seattle Mariners and a three-hit outing against the Toronto Blue Jays.
The Brew Crew will send out righty Logan Henderson, in his second big-league season after a cup of coffee with the Brewers in 2025. Henderson rocks a four-seamer on the slow side, as well as a changeup with decent early returns and a cutter/slider combo to round things out.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - MAY 15: Stephon Castle #5 of the San Antonio Spurs drives to the basket during the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves during Round Two Game Six of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 15, 2026 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 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 David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The San Antonio Spurs are 2-0 in elimination games this postseason. The Silver and Black smacked the Minnesota Timberwolves 139-109 in Game 6 to secure a spot in the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2017. In a series that felt incredibly close through all six games, the Spurs won three games by 29 points or more. Now they’ll get a chance to play the Oklahoma City Thunder with an NBA Finals appearance on the line.
The Spurs got a full-team effort in the victory. All but one player who logged a minute got a bucket, and six players scored double digits. They were led by Stephon Castle, who had his best game of the playoffs so far. They’ll need similar performances in the next round, where they will be underdogs for the first time this postseason. The Thunder are -260 favorites to win the Western Conference on FanDuel.
Since the Spurs won an elimination game, these player grades will be on a curve. As a quick reminder, player grades are based on each player’s on-court performance, going beyond just the stat sheet. A “B” grade represents the average performance for an individual. If a player logs fewer than 5 minutes or plays only in garbage time, their grade will be incomplete.
Wembanyama didn’t need to carry the weight offensively thanks to the all-around performance of his teammates. Still, he was super efficient, mainly taking shots inside the paint, scoring over the top of the Wolves on lobs or put-backs. He had a good whistle on Friday, as he got to the line 9 times, converting 7 free throws.
Defensively, it was the same story as it has been all series. He took away a lot of looks in the paint, and almost every floater or mid-range jumper outside of it. Minnesota never found any answers for Wemby in this series, and that’s a big part of why the Spurs won it.
This was Fox’s best game of the series. He was in total control from tip-off. He got to his spots with ease and scored at will in the paint. His three-point jumper was finally working. Maybe it was because he was left wide open by the Wolves on most of his three attempts. Got to his spots and hit shots. He continued to be a strong point defensively, funneling Minnesota’s ball-handlers into Wembanyama. This is two straight elimination games where Fox has played well, which is a good sign for San Antonio’s next series.
This might have been the best game of Castle’s playoff career. He set the tone early, scoring 14 first-quarter points. The Wolves came out guarding Castle with Gobert in an effort to get him roaming for blocks on defense. It did not work. Castle still got into the paint when he wanted, and he made Gobert pay for sagging off of him, making 5-for-7 of his three-pointers.
Castle has kind of been the enforcer for the Spurs throughout the playoffs. It’s fitting that he closed it out by enforcing his will on the Wolves.
Champagnie was an eye-popping +35 in this game. His defense off the ball was fantastic, as he got into the passing lanes for steals. He hit devastating shots from three (including one right in front of Alex Rodriguez) and got to the rim for a sweet finish in traffic. Champagnie has been doing exactly what contenders need from their role players – hit shots and defend well.
Vassell hit timely shots as the Spurs were making their large runs in the second and third quarters. It’s great to see some of his threes start to fall after going so cold from deep for most of the playoffs. He should be commended for his efforts guarding Anthony Edwards in this series. That was a very difficult matchup, and he rose to the test. It bodes well for the Spurs, who will likely need him to spend some time guarding Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the WCF.
Harper continues to thrive as a defender. He’s so strong and athletic, and his motor is much higher than a lot of guards his age. Guarding at the point of attack and grabbing contested rebounds were some of the most impactful things he did in this series. On the other end, he is developing into one of the league’s most promising young scorers. He can just finish in the rim in a variety of ways – through contact, over the top of shot blockers, or putting English on the ball to get it around the defense. Harper was fantastic on Friday and is going to be a very special player moving forward.
It wasn’t Johnson’s best night. He was benched after some poor on- and off-ball defense in the second quarter. Teams with athleticism and length are a tough matchup for him. We’ll see if he can turn things around against OKC.
Kornet was excellent at protecting the rim on Friday. He was in the right places positionally and got his hands on enough balls to stop the Wolves from scoring at the basket. He becomes a very important player for the WCF. The Thunder have big, physical centers like Isaiah Hartenstein, who Kornet will need to contend with inside.
Barnes played some fun minutes in the fourth quarter. He knocked down a corner 3 and was active on the glass. He’s largely been out of the rotation in the playoffs. We’ll see if he has a role in the next round against OKC.
Bryant’s energy was incredible off the bench. He was a big part of the second-quarter run that built a big lead. His defensive effort on Edwards was great. He’s so physical, fast, and long that he can really pester opposing guards. He still needs to work on being better positionally, and he can overplay on the ball, but the effort and athleticism make up for those mistakes. He’s going to be a quality player when he puts it all together.
BOSTON, MA - MAY 10: Trevor Story #10 and Andruw Monasterio #32 of the Boston Red Sox interact during the game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on Sunday, May 10, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Chad Tracy hasn’t exactly shaken things up since taking charge of the Red Sox. But, my god, this man does love him some Mickey Gasper.
Gasper and his ‘stache will once again bat second tonight, and this time he’ll do so as the catcher instead of the DH. That’s not the craziest call in the world when you consider that he’s had plenty of experience with tonight’s starter, Payton Tolle.
If you were wondering whether Marcelo Mayer would claim the shortstop spot in Trevor Story’s absence, keep wondering. He’s back at second tonight with Andruw Monasterio slotting in at short. And check it out: a Masataka Yoshida sighting. They’ll take on Bryce Harper Dallas Howard Elder, who, oh yeah, leads baseball in ERA this year. Let’s see if the Red Sox can outscore the New England Revolution.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - MAY 13: Fernando Tatis Jr. #23 of the San Diego Padres hits a single against the Milwaukee Brewers during the third inning at American Family Field on May 13, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images
San Diego Padres (26-18) at Seattle Mariners (22-24), May 16, 2026, 4:15 p.m. PST
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Jul 7, 2014; Arlington, TX, USA; The Silver Boot trophy is on display on the concourse for the Lone Star series with the Texas Rangers playinng against the Houston Astros at Global Life Park in Arlington. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-Imagn Images
LAVAL, Quebec (AP) — Maggie Flaherty scored 14:12 into overtime to give the Montreal Victoire a 2-1 win over the Ottawa Charge in Game 2 of the Professional Women’s Hockey League 's Walter Cup final on Saturday.
Flaherty one-timed Marie-Philip Poulin's pass in the slot and fired the puck past goaltender Gwyneth Philips for her second goal of the playoffs.
The win gave Montreal a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series, with the Victoire winning the opener 3-2 in overtime on Thursday night.
Ottawa will host Game 3 on Monday as the Charge face elimination for the first time in this postseason.
Kati Tabin had the other Montreal goal. Sarah Wozniewicz scored for the Charge.
Ottawa was held without a shot for the first eight minutes of the game, but opened the scoring on its first opportunity.
After a shot hit the post behind Montreal goaltender Ann-Renee Desbiens, Wozniewicz found the puck in the crease and tucked it in the net.
Montreal outshot the Charge 11-5 in the opening period, despite killing the period’s only penalty.
The Victoire tied the game 32 seconds into the second period.
Off the faceoff, Tabin picked up a loose puck and roofed a backhand on Philips. It was the defender’s first goal of the playoffs.
It was the only goal of a physical middle period, with Ottawa outshooting Montreal 6-4. The best chance was Montreal’s Laura Stacey's breakaway attempt when her wrist shot hit the crossbar.
The Colorado Avalanche skated back onto the ice Saturday following a brief break, though the roster still wasn’t fully whole.
Absent from the on-ice session were defensemen Cale Makar and Brent Burns, along with forward Artturi Lehkonen. Defenseman Josh Manson briefly skated before returning to the locker room, while fellow blueliner Sam Malinski took part in a red non-contact jersey.
“They’re all dealing with stuff in their day-to-day,” Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar explained.
Expected to be back at practice soon?
“Yeah,” Bednar responded. “I think some of them will practice in the time we have.”
Lehkonen and Malinski both missed the final two games of the Minnesota series due to upper-body injuries, while Manson has also been managing an upper-body issue. Makar, a Norris Trophy finalist, exited after a collision late in Game 5 before returning to help Colorado secure a 4-3 overtime win. Burns, 41, hasn't missed a game in over 13 years.
Vegas Presents A Completely Different Challenge
Colorado leaned heavily on its stars throughout the second round, especially with injuries forcing constant adjustments on the back end. Cale Makar and Devon Toews logged massive minutes, while Nathan MacKinnon continued carrying a huge offensive workload during the Avalanche’s five-game series win over Minnesota.
Now the challenge gets even tougher.
Vegas enters the Western Conference Final with depth throughout the lineup, an aggressive forecheck, and the kind of postseason experience that has repeatedly overwhelmed opponents this time of year. That makes Colorado’s health situation impossible to ignore heading into Game 1.
The Avalanche have spent most of the playoffs proving they can withstand injuries.
Whether they can continue doing it against the Golden Knights may ultimately decide how far this postseason run goes.
How do you guys think the Avalanche will fair against Vegas this time around? Let us know in the comments.
Apr 16, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres starting pitcher Walker Buehler (10) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Seattle Mariners at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: David Frerker-Imagn Images | David Frerker-Imagn Images
The Seattle Mariners saw their four-year run of Vedder Cup dominance end last night, as the San Diego Padres blanked them 2-0 in a disappointing display that resembled many Friar victories this season: get a lead, then hand things to the bullpen and crush the final squirms of resistance.
Today is a new opportunity, however, as Seattle can still salvage this weekend’s series and attempt to end Sunday back at .500. To do so, they’ll be hoping to get to San Diego’s starter. Randy Vásquez stifled Seattle’s offense last night, but veteran Walker Buehler has not had quite as much success this year. He’ll mirror Logan Gilbert, fresh off Walter’s best outing of 2026.
Cal Raleigh remains sidelined, but Kate took some time with the Big Dumper to discuss the difficulties of accepting “unavailability” when his career and success has been defined both internally and externally in large part by uncommonly impressive durability.
Lineups:
While originally scheduled to play, both Brendan Donovan and Mitch Garver have been scratched from the lineup. The updated lineup has moved J.P. Crawford up to the leadoff spot, with Leo Rivas taking over at third base and Jhonny Pereda taking his second straight day behind the dish.
Updated lineup:
SS Crawford CF Rodríguez 1B Naylor LF Arozarena RF Raley 2B Young DH Canzone C Pereda 3B Rivas
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - MAY 15: Jackson Chourio #11 of the Milwaukee Brewers celebrates in the dugout after scoring in the first inning of a game against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field on May 15, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Ellen Schmidt/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Milwaukee Brewers will go for their fifth-straight series win this evening (not counting the 1-1 series split with St. Louis), as they’ll take on the Minnesota Twins following a come-from-behind victory last night. The Twins have lost six of their last eight series going back to mid-April.
Young pitching will continue to be the centerpoint in game two, as Logan Henderson will make his fourth start of the season. Henderson has been consistent over his first four starts on the season, allowing at least two runs in each appearance, while also keeping the walks to a minimum, with at least one walk in two of those three outings.
On the flip side for the Twins, they’ll send out their 25-year-old rookie left-hander Connor Prielipp, who has been off to a great start in 2026. Through four games with the Twins, he has posted a 3.32 ERA through 19 innings pitched with 21 strikeouts. His last was a frustrating one as the Cleveland Guardians scored four runs on him.
Even though pitching hasn’t been much of a weak link for the Crew this season, they’re beginning to get healthier as the season moves onward. Though there hasn’t been an official announcement yet, Robert Gasser has a locker in the Twin Cities today and is back with the team for the first time this season. Gasser had a couple of setbacks last year after spending a couple of stints on the 60-day injured list.
Robert Gasser is in the Brewers clubhouse in Minnesota.
After another stellar outing last night, Coleman Crow was optioned back to Triple-A while Peter Strezlecki was selected from there. Strezlecki rejoined the Brewers back in February after spending all of 2025 with the Durham Bulls, the Triple-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays. Strezlecki had about as good a rookie season as one could ask for back in 2022 with the Brewers, appearing in 30 games and posting a 2.83 ERA.
Taking a look at the lineups tonight, Christian Yelich is out of the lineup for the fourth straight game. With the southpaw on the mound, Brice Turang and Sal Frelick are the lone lefties in the batting order tonight.
First pitch is set for 6:10 p.m. on the Brewers Radio Network and Brewers.TV.
CLEVELAND, OH - MAY 15: Cleveland Guardians first baseman Kyle Manzardo (9) is congratulated by Cleveland Guardians center fielder Steven Kwan (38) after scoring a run during the eighth inning of the Major League Baseball interleague game between the Cincinnati Reds and Cleveland Guardians on May 15, 2026, at Progressive Field in Cleveland, OH. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
