(Original Caption) Tom Zachary of the Yankees. (Photo by George Rinhart/Corbis via Getty Images) | Corbis via Getty Images
A two-time World Series champion, “Old Tom” Zachary spent parts of three seasons in New York. In addition to playing for the Yankees, Zachary is tied to Yankees lore as the pitcher who gave up No. 60 to George Herman Ruth back in 1927.
Being tied to the Babe is usually enough to keep you relevant for generations. However, in Zachary’s case, in addition to that moment, he was able to make a 19-year run in the pros, appearing for seven organizations. That run resulted in 3,126.1 innings pitched, 185 complete games, and an ERA of 3.73.
Jonathan Thompson Walton Zachary Born: May 7, 1896 (Graham, NC) Died: January 24, 1969 (Burlington, NC) Yankees Tenures: 1928-30
Zachary was born into a family of Scotch-Irish Quakers in 1896 near Graham, North Carolina. Both of his parents were from families deeply rooted in the area. After graduating high school, Zachary went to Guilford College, where he played baseball from 1916 through 1918. As a lanky left-handed pitcher, Zachary was not known for overpowering any batters, but excelled with excellent control and a deliberately slow delivery.
In 1918, Zachary used the alias Zach Walton to attempt to play pro ball and not lose his college eligibility. Zach Walton impressed Connie Mack of the Philadelphia Athletics and made two starts for the team, going 2-0, albeit with a 5.63 ERA. After the season, he signed up with the Red Cross for service during the war.
Zachary saw service in France before being released in June of 1919. Philadelphia had not placed him on their reserve list or ever officially signed him, making him free to sign with any team. That freedom led to him being signed by Clark Griffith and the Washington Senators. He debuted, under his real name, Jonathan Thompson Walton Zachary, with an inning of scoreless relief in Chicago on July 18, 1919.
That would start a seven-year run with the club that included making the 1924 and 1925 World Series, the former of which the Senators won in a seven-game classic over the New York Giants. Zachary played a key role for Washington, winning Game 2 with 8.2 innings of work, and then forcing a Game 7 with a one-run, complete-game effoty against John McGraw’s club. In the February after Washington’s ’25 World Series loss to Pittsburgh,, the Senators traded Zachary and Win Ballou to the St. Louis Browns for Bullet Joe Bush and Jack Tobin.
Zachary spent the 1926 season and part of the 1927 season in St. Louis before he was traded again, this time midseason. This trade sent him back to the Senators for Alvin “General” Crowder. The timing of this trade would later allow for history to be made at Zachary’s expense.
In the eighth inning on September 30th, Ruth would connect with a low fastball from Zachary for his 60th home run of the season, sailing into the right field bleachers. In total, Ruth hit nine home runs off Zachary in his career, but that one, the last, would be the most memorable.
After spending most of the 1928 season in Washington, Zachary was placed on waivers in August. The Yankees would claim him and start his three-season run with the club. The Yankees needed Zachary, as Herb Pennock was injured and the club was in the middle of a pennant run. Zachary rose to the occasion, tossing three complete-game victories in six starts.
The Yankees would meet the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series. Zachary drew the nod for Game 3. After a rocky first inning, Zachary settled in and delivered seven strikeouts in a complete-game 7-3 victory. The Yankees swept the series 4-0.
The 1929 season found Zachary still in pinstripes, and he posted one of his best seasons as a professional. That year, he appeared in 26 games, making 11 starts. Zachary posted a 12-0 record with a 2.48 ERA. That 12-0 mark still stands as the best record for a season without a loss.
The record was threatened in 1941 by Howie Krist, who finished 10-0, in 1985 by Dennis Lamp, who finished 11-0, and by Yankee cult hero Aaron Small in 2005, who also went 10-0 from July 20th until the end of the season. Zachary would start the 1930 season with the Yankees but would be placed on waivers in early May. Zachary’s career as a Yankee saw him post a 16-4 record with a 3.21 ERA, his second World Series ring, and a spot in the record books.
The Boston Braves would scoop him up off waivers in 1930, and that would start a five-season run there. In Boston, Zachary appeared mostly as a starting pitcher. He made 98 starts and went 42-42 overall. The Braves tenure came to an end after he was placed on waivers on May 28, 1934.
Zachary would go unclaimed but signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers on June 7th. He would spend the rest of that season, all of 1935, and part of the 1936 season in Brooklyn before he was placed on waivers again. This time, Zachary was claimed by the Philadelphia Phillies.
In case you lost count, this was his seventh and final team. He would appear in seven games but was released at 40 years old after posting a 7.79 ERA. So, in 1936, after 19 seasons that started at age 22, Tom Zachary was done playing professional baseball. He settled into life as a farmer, though he did notably return to the Bronx in June 1948, when an ailing Ruth’s No. 3 was retired. Zachary was one of several former teammates on hand for the event, and he of course had his own special tie to Ruth from that 1927 season. The Great Bambino passed away two months later; it was would be another two decades before Zachary joined Ruth in the great ballpark in the sky, passing away from a stroke in 1969.
Happy birthday, Old Tom!
See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.
Mike Trout has 11 home runs and 23 RBIs so far this season, but the Angels enter Thursday with one of the worst records in the majors. (Luke Hales / Getty Images)
I walked around a street fair in Irvine over the weekend, checking out the crowd while waiting for my daughter’s dance team to perform. We were a few short miles from Angel Stadium, but you wouldn’t have known it: lots of people wearing Dodgers caps, someone wearing a Shohei Ohtani cap, someone else wearing an Ohtani jersey, someone else wearing a Clayton Kershaw jersey, a dog wearing a Dodgers bandana, and people repping the Padres, Giants, Athletics and Yankees.
After 25 minutes, someone walked by in an Angels cap.
If the passion wanes, apathy can set in. I wondered if that is where the Angels might find themselves now, with a slice of their fan base finding a more enjoyable way to spend its summers than watching one losing season after another, and with the shadow of baseball’s best team extending ever more securely into Orange County.
Something else happened over the weekend that made me wonder. On the heels of a winless road trip, and on the day before the Angels would claim the worst record in the major leagues, Angels general manager Perry Minasian said this to reporters: “Our best baseball is in front of us. There’s no doubt about that.”
No doubt?
Angels general manager Perry Minasian declined to predict in the team would make the playoffs this season. (Elsa Garrison / Getty Images)
On the Angels’ broadcast the previous night, reporter Erica Weston presented play-by-play announcer Wayne Randazzo with a birthday gift: a figurine of Grogu, a character in the Star Wars family. Randazzo said he would keep Grogu in the broadcast booth, as a good luck charm for the Angels.
“We certainly could use one,” Randazzo said.
Minasian, the sixth-year general manager, has yet to deliver a team that finished better than 17 games out of first place. On Wednesday, I asked him to explain why he was so confident in saying he had “no doubt” the team’s best days were ahead.
“We’ve been very competitive,” Minasian said. “Our wins and losses aren’t where we want them to be, but we have lost a lot of one-run games, a lot of tough games.”
The Angels have lost six one-run games. So have the Yankees, the team with the best record in the American League.
The Angels’ run differential is minus-14. They are four games behind in the AL West, where the first-place Athletics have a .500 record and a minus-21 run differential. You never know.
So far, however, the Angels’ offense is all about the three true outcomes: They strike out the most of any major league team and rank among the top six in walks and home runs, but they do not rank among the top 10 in runs. Only five teams have given up more runs.
“Going to the bullpen has been a harbinger of danger for the Angels,” Randazzo told viewers. The Angels’ bullpen entered Wednesday with a 5.35 earned-run average, the highest in the AL.
Owner Arte Moreno cut payroll this year, amid the implosion of the FanDuel regional sports networks. Edwin Díaz was not walking through the bullpen door.
Angels owner Arte Moreno. (Ashley Landis / Associated Press)
But the Dodgers find solid bullpen arms in ways beyond buying them: Evan Phillips was cast off by the Baltimore Orioles during a 110-loss season; Alex Vesia was acquired from the Miami Marlins after putting up an 18.69 ERA in his first five major league games.
“We’ve had guys like that,” Minasian said.
He cited Brock Burke, a waiver claim who gave the Angels two solid seasons in middle relief. Minasian traded him last winter for outfielder Josh Lowe, and any general manager would trade a middle reliever for a middle-of-the-order bat. To this point, Lowe has a .198 on-base percentage and a .287 slugging percentage.
Lowe is but a data point in illustrating this primary point: Minasian’s margin for error is smaller than it otherwise would have been if Moreno had not withdrawn from the market for top-tier free agents or had approved trading Ohtani for elite prospects that would have accelerated rebuilding. Smaller, but other teams do more with less.
“We’ve got to be able to develop our own players,” Minasian said.
On the day Minasian said he had “no doubt” better days were ahead for his team, the Angels, their triple-A affiliate and their double-A affiliate all were in last place.
Analysts perennially rank the Angels’ farm system among baseball’s worst. Minasian said he’ll put his faith in four homegrown starters: José Soriano, Reid Detmers, Jack Kochanowicz and Walbert Ureña. Their combined ERA so far: 2.99.
“When you look at good teams and sustainable winners, they build rotations, whether that’s through trades or free agency or your own,” Minasian said. “We’re doing it with our own. You can’t microwave that overnight.”
You can’t make fans wait forever for October either. Angels fans have heard enough about building a competitive team and needing patience.
They have not seen their team in a playoff game in 12 years. When are they going to see that?
Angels pitcher Walbert Ureña delivers against the New York Mets at Angel Stadium on May 1. (Luke Hales / Getty Images)
“I’m not in the prediction business,” said Minasian, whose contract expires after this season. “They’re going to see a team that plays hard every day. They’re going to see young, talented players day in and day out.”
That’s fine, but when are they going to see a winning team?
“The proof will be in the pudding,” he said. “It doesn’t matter what I say. I could say all these things. At the end of the day, we’re going to go play 162 games. We’ll see where we end up and who’s done what, and we’ll go from there.”
On Wednesday, the Angels won a series for the first time since April 13. They’re 3-2 with Grogu in the broadcast booth.
The schedule gets more challenging: a trip to Toronto and Cleveland, then back to the Big A to play the Dodgers. The same distant Angel Stadium seat available on the resale market for Wednesday's game for $5 (fees included) is available for $103 for the opener of the Dodgers series.
Orange County loves a winner. There was a long line at that Irvine street fair to collect souvenirs from one booth — the one for the Anaheim Ducks.
Both Parker and Sabathia are worthy inductees for the Brewers Wall of Honor despite having only short stints in Milwaukee. Parker played one season in Milwaukee in 1990, where he was named to the All-Star team, earned MVP votes, and won the Silver Slugger award. The 1990 season was a fairly forgettable one in Brewers history, but how can you not have a Hall of Famer who was an All-Star for you in your Wall of Honor?
Sabathia had even less than a full season with Milwaukee, just three months, but it was arguably the greatest three-month stretch for any pitcher we have ever seen. Sabathia lifted the Brewers on his back and carried them into the playoffs, ending the franchise’s 26-year postseason drought. No one had more of an impact on this team and this city in such a short amount of time. Of his 17 starts, seven of them were complete games. Despite being in a contract year, Sabathia selflessly put his body on the line to get this franchise to the playoffs, and this city is forever grateful to him for that.
That offseason after 2008, Sabathia left and signed a massive contract with the New York Yankees.
He will be inducted on Friday night before the Brewers play against…the New York Yankees.
It is the absolute perfect night for the Brewers to bring Sabathia back to Milwaukee and honor him. The Yankees and their fans will have to watch one of their favorite players, one of their Hall of Famers, don Brewers gear, throw out a ceremonial first pitch, be inducted into the Brewers Wall of Honor, and be cheered and adored by Brewers fans, not Yankees fans.
It works out great for Sabathia as well to see two of his old clubs at the same time, but it’ll be on the Brewers home turf.
Sabathia’s contributions were so critical to Brewers culture, one could even argue he’d be worthy of induction into the Walk of Fame as well. Generally, the criteria for the Walk of Fame is a higher bar to clear, and since he didn’t have multiple years in Milwaukee, it would be difficult in the eyes of some voters to get there. But in terms of impact, no one did more for this franchise in a shorter amount of time.
May 6, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies right fielder Adolis García (53) celebrates his home run with second baseman Edmundo Sosa (33) against the Athletics during the sixth inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
Edmundo Sosa is such a fascinating ballplayer. He was in swing at everything mode in the eighth inning, but he managed to foul off enough pitches well outside of the zone until he got one to hit and delivered the go ahead, two-run single. And because of it, the Phillies are now 1-10 in games started by a left handed starting pitcher.
A massive blow was dealt to the Astros yesterday, as they lost shortstop Carlos Correa for the rest of the season due to a torn tendon in his ankle that requires surgery.
PORT ST. LUCIE, FLORIDA - MARCH 19, 2026: Jack Wenninger #92 of the New York Mets throws a pitch during the third inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Clover Park on March 19, 2026 in Port St. Lucie, Florida. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
A rather ho-hum win, the Mets scored a run in each of the first three innings to put them out in front quickly. Ryan Clifford hit a monster of a solo home run in the first, registering at 112.6 mph and 404 ft., Hayden Senger doubled a run home in the second, and Christian Arroyo singled their third and final run home in the third inning.
On the other side, Jack Wenninger threw another gem, going six scoreless, surrendering just two hits. He did not strike out many (five), and walked a few (three), but overall he was great. The bullpen surrendered a single run, but held firm after that.
RF A.J. Ewing: 0-3, BB
CF Nick Morabito: 1-4, R, K
1B Ryan Clifford: 2-4, R, HR (6), RBI
2B Christian Arroyo: 1-4, RBI, SB (4)
DH Ji Hwan Bae: 0-3, BB, 2 K, SB (7)
LF Cristian Pache: 0-4, 3 K
3B Yonny Hernández: 1-3, R
C Hayden Senger: 1-2, 2B, RBI, BB, K
SS Jackson Cluff: 0-2, BB, K
RHP Jack Wenninger: 6.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 5 K, 1 WP, 1 HBP, W (3-1)
RHP Dan Hammer: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, 1 WP, 1 HBP, H (2)
RHP Alex Carrillo: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, H (2)
LHP Anderson Severino: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, S (4)
Chris Suero’s fifth home run of the year came in the first inning, giving the Ponies 1-0 lead. That lead did not hold long, as two Hartford runs in the second and one in the fifth put Binghamton down 3-1 going into the latter half of the game.
Binghamton would inch their way back, starting with a Wyatt Young RBI single in the seventh, and a Jose Ramos solo home run in the eighth, which tied the game. Binghamton would go home happy, with Eli Serrano walking the Yard Goats off with a sacrifice fly in the tenth.
Joel Díaz put the Cyclones behind the eight ball, giving up six runs in the first three innings of the game. The Cyclones. to their credit, battled back and made it a game, as they scored four in the first four innings, including tying the game at three apiece on a John Bay single. However, Hoss Brewer would surrender two in the eighth, which put the nail in the coffin for Brooklyn.
SS Antonio Jimenez: 0-3, R, BB, K
2B Yonatan Henriquez: 1-5, 2B
1B Ronald Hernandez: 2-4, R, K
DH Corey Collins: 0-3, 2 K
C Daiverson Gutierrez: 0-4, K
CF John Bay: 1-3, R, 2 RBI, BB, K
3B Colin Houck: 1-4, 2 K
LF Vincent Perozo: 1-4, R, HR (1), RBI
RF Yohairo Cuevas: 0-4, 3 K
RHP Joel Díaz: 5.0 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, L (0-5)
LHP Gregori Louis: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
RHP Parker Carlson: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
RHP Hoss Brewer: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
Lakeland got off to a fast start in this one, scoring in the first inning on an error by starting pitcher Joel Lara. They added three more in the third, one on a triple and one on a two run home run, putting the Mets behind 4-0.
They battled back to tie it, first breaking the shutout on a wild pitch. Randy Guzman hit his seventh home run of the year, a two run home run, to make it 4-3, all in the sixth inning. Branny De Oleo singled in the seventh to tie the game. However, the comeback would not be seen to the end, as a sacrifice fly in the seventh made it 5-4 Lakeland, the eventual final score.
SS Elian Peña: 1-5, R, 2 K, SB (11)
CF Edward Lantigua: 0-4, 2 K
1B Randy Guzman: 1-2, R, HR (7), 2 RBI, 2 BB, K
DH AJ Salgado: 0-3, BB, 2 K, SB (5)
LF JT Benson: 0-4, 3 K
C Chase Meggers: 0-3, BB, K
RF Simon Juan: 1-4, R, SB (3)
2B Sam Robertson: 1-4, K
3B Branny De Oleo: 2-3, R, RBI, BB, SB (3)
RHP Joel Lara: 3.0 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, E (1)
RHP Miguel Mejias: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
LHP Conner Ware: 4.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, L (1-4)
MIAMI, FLORIDA - MAY 06: Rico Garcia #50 and Adley Rutschman #35 of the Baltimore Orioles celebrate after defeating the Miami Marlins at loanDepot park on May 06, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Hello, friends.
Here’s a hot take: It’s a lot more fun when the Orioles win than when they lose. We thankfully got another reminder of the fun of winning last night as the team kept piling on runs against the Marlins, eventually winning 7-4 to guarantee a win in the three-game set. Check out Alex Church’s recap of the game for more of the lovely totals. The team has a chance to sweep as the series concludes at 6:40 tonight. No getaway day afternoon game? Weird.
The Orioles wins against the Marlins in these first two games is a reminder of the occasionally-invoked baseball saying that you’re never as good as you look when you’re winning and you’re never as bad as you look when you’re losing. In fairness to anyone who was primed to believe that the O’s are as bad as they looked against the Yankees, we experienced several consecutive years of Orioles baseball from 2018-2021 where the team was, in fact, as bad as they looked.
We may still hope these Orioles were not as bad as they have recently looked. There’s no question that there’s stuff that’s going to need to go better. A lot of ifs are involved in the story of durable 2026 Orioles improvement. If Rogers, Bradish, and Baz can be the 1-2-3 that Mike Elias apparently thought they were going to be. If the defense can stabilize at merely mediocre rather than outright bad. If Coby Mayo and/or Colton Cowser start playing better or are sent to the minors to give someone else a chance.
None of these lingering uncertainties are things that can be answered in a day or a week. They are just going to have to start going better until one day you wake up and something that “everyone” was complaining about and you were worrying about is going better. Some players have already managed this. Samuel Basallo had a rough first three weeks. His batting numbers look fine now. Pete Alonso is on the path towards being the guy the Orioles wanted him to be when they signed him. Yennier Cano, who probably no one was counting on for good things this year, has re-emerged as a possible back-end bullpen stalwart.
Can the Orioles pull off a sweep and keep people feeling good? Sure, maybe. They have the potential to be good enough to do it. It’s just that a lot of the time so far this season, they haven’t met that potential, so here we are. Cade Povich and Max Meyer are the scheduled starting pitchers for this series finale.
Orioles path to success is possible, but it won’t be easy (Baltimore Baseball) The season isn’t over! It only felt like it was on the path to being over after getting thoroughly outclassed in that Yankees series. If the Orioles can keep making good things happen as they finish with the Marlins and move on to the Athletics, that will help people feel better.
Five Orioles prospects who may be promoted soon (Orioles On The Verge) Subscription required for the full article. The photo being Joseph Dzierwa is a strong clue about one of the five prospects on the list.
Birthdays and Orioles anniversaries
In their 37th game one year ago, the Orioles beat the Angels, 4-1, to raise their season record to 14-23. Tomoyuki Sugano pitched 7.1 innings with just one run allowed and Gunnar Henderson drove in two runs with a triple and a home run. This year’s Orioles have three wins more than that team.
There are a few former Orioles who were born on this day. They are: 2019 outfielder Keon Broxton, 1994-96 outfielder Mark Smith, 2000-03 catcher Brook Fordyce, and 1956-58/61-62 utility man Dick Williams. Williams, who passed away in 2011 at age 82, is in the Hall of Fame as a manager.
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday to you! Your birthday buddies for today include: philosopher David Hume (1711), poet Robert Browning (1812), composer Johannes Brahms (1833), composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840), Baltimore Colts legend Johnny Unitas (1933), and YouTuber MrBeast (1998).
On this day in history…
In 1664, the Palace of Versailles was inaugurated. The opulent royal residence constructed by France’s Louis XIV stayed in the family until the 1789 French Revolution, and has been a public museum area since 1837.
In 1718, the city of New Orleans was founded. Its founder, Montreal-born Frenchman Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne, served multiple stints as the colonial governor of France’s North American claims.
In 1824, Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony had its premiere performance in Vienna. Due to Beethoven’s loss of hearing, a different conductor, Michael Umlauf, directed the orchestra, though Beethoven did supervise the process.
In 1915, the RMS Lusitania was torpedoed and sunk by a German U-boat, killing 1,199 people. Among the dead were 128 Americans. This is one of the developments credited with turning sentiment in the US against the German side of what we now call World War I.
In 1992, the state of Michigan ratified a constitutional amendment that had been in limbo for 203 years, putting the 27th amendment into effect. The amendment prevents any mid-term increases to Congressional pay. Maryland was the first state to ratify this amendment, approving it on December 19, 1789.
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And that’s the way it is in Birdland on May 7. Have a safe Thursday. Go O’s!
PITTSBURGH, PA - APRIL 04: Sergei Bobrovsky #72 of the Florida Panthers makes a save in front of Tommy Novak #18 of the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG PAINTS Arena on April 4, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Before the season started, I wrote about five players I was most curious to see. Now that the dust has settled, let’s check in on how that all went.
Owen Pickering
It was nice to see Pickering earn some NHL time (to the tune of 25 games) in his rookie season, but his NHL stint ended in January getting some tough love in a hard practice from Sidney Crosby working him over and then struggling in his last handful of games. That was in January, now nine months and ago Pickering hasn’t been seen since on this level. How much has the 21-year old used that to grow and improve? The vaunted leap from Year 1 to Year 2 is a big deal and it will be critical for Pickering to show some development based off of where he was previously. And, besides, the Penguins need someone to play on the left side of their defense. It would be a great development if Pickering can raise his level.
Pickering only played four NHL games early in the season from October 28th through November 3rd. It didn’t go well, especially towards the end and he’s been back in Wilkes-Barre for the rest of the season with the team choosing to use other options to fill out their defense, most notably picking up Ilya Solovyov in a trade with Colorado for depth.
By all accounts, Pickering has settled into being a quality AHL player. He scored a key power play goal in Game 1 of the playoffs against Hershey and set AHL-highs in goals, assists and points. While only being 22-years old, Pickering has completed four seasons since his draft and is far from established in the NHL. The list of mid-round first round picks to not have made an NHL impact by draft+4 is not a good indicator for the future. By this point, you know if you have a K’Andre Miller/Jakub Chychrun/Travis Sanheim or a prospect trending towards P.O. Joseph/Tobias Bjornfot/Jacob Bernard-Docker, Who knows what that might hold, but at this point it’s getting late in the development curve for a first round pick. Pickering is under contract for 2026-27, but at this point there won’t be too much curiosity around him unless he takes a big step forward.
Arturs Silovs
Silovs’ last work was being great in the AHL playoffs, helping Abbotsford win the Calder Cup and being named the AHL’s playoff MVP. The AHL isn’t the NHL, but that’s a pretty good launching point for the future. Silovs needs waivers to be sent to the AHL, the whole reason Vancouver went in the direction to trade him for a draft pick to get something out of him, therefore we can probably expect him to make Pittsburgh’s NHL team out of camp as the backup goalie. It hasn’t been smooth sailing in the NHL level for Silovs, so we might not really want to see him for that long if it doesn’t go well, but right off the bat he will be a very interesting character to track.
It was an up and down season for Silovs, who played well at times and struggled for other stretches. One such tough stretch in March may have had something to do with a knee injury suffered at that point and revealed during breakdown day. Silovs led the Penguins in starts (40) this season and was excellent in the playoffs. His personal stats aren’t a lot to write home about (19-12-8 record, 3.02 GAA, .888 save%) but he weathered the storm and gained a lot of experience to put together his first full season as an NHL netminder.
Not sure I’d say the future is extremely bright, but there is some sort of future there. It says something that Silovs has been at his best in the most important moments (playing for Team Latvia, the AHL playoffs last year, the NHL playoffs this year), he has that admirable quality to perform when it matters.
Tommy Novak
Many have mostly forgotten about Novak, and there’s not much fault in that considering he only played two games with the Penguins last season before getting injured. Novak will draw attention once he gets back out there, though. He can do things like this:
And he’s also a very busy player with a great analytical profile. Novak sets up teammates for chances with frequency, he is great at forechecking.
Yet, Novak’s former GM had a less than glowing review about Novak’s recent play:
“When (Novak) was a fourth-line, league-minimum guy and scoring while getting some sheltered minutes, that fit him just fine. When you move up the lineup, it’s harder to find your space and be productive. If you want to move up the lineup, and get paid more, there’s more responsibility.”
“There’s a reason that guys get the higher salaries, because most nights, they’re getting the harder matchups and they’re expected to produce,” Trotz explained.
Trotz, of course, hasn’t been the most savvy manager but his words can’t be totally dismissed. Novak still has to prove himself and bring an added level of consistency. It’ll be interesting to see how that goes in Pittsburgh, is he playing on the second line with Evgeni Malkin? Centering a third line of his own, perhaps with good friend and longtime teammate Phil Tomasino?
Novak was indeed a curious case. There were times where he was invisible, starting the season with no goals and one assist in six games then going through a zero goal, two assists stretch over the last 13 games of March. There were teams when he turned hot, like an 11 point in 14 game effort in December. He found a niche with Malkin and Egor Chinakhov in a high-flying line that was generating rush chances like no other in the second half of the season.
Below the point line, Novak was one of the team’s best players in terms of zone entries, puck carries and neutral zone efficiency. He has enough skill to be a perfect player in a complimentary role to support skilled linemates. Useful player and a nice season.
Ville Koivunen
Koivunen was great in Finland in 2023-24, scoring 56 points in 59 games. He followed that up with his first full season in North America by putting up 56 points in 63 games in the AHL and then getting a little taste of the NHL at the end of the season, which also went well with seven points in eight games.
It’s one thing to play out the string at the end of a season, it’s another thing to go through the full grind. By this time about six months from now, we’ll know a lot more about Koivunen and how big a piece of the puzzle he could be moving forward. His vision and passing ability are legit, it’s already apparent this is a special player in terms of how he sees the game and thinks the game. The curiosity will come in how he handles long stretches of play, can he get to the net? Can he keep up with his feet? Will he be effective and fit in longterm? So far there’s a lot to feel confident about and be impressed with, but Koivunen might not be a top-6 player for the next 5-10 years for the Penguins, there’s still a lot to prove and see out of him.
Koivunen’s seven points in the last eight games of the season looks now to be the product of teams not playing extremely hard against a non-playoff Penguin team and Koivunen getting an 18 minute per night role to put up points down the stretch. As mentioned in the writeup, the grind of the full season proved to be deeper water than the young player could swim, only generating 0.40 points per 60 minute – a figure that ranked just 464th out of 468 forwards across the league that played 200+ minutes this season.
Optimism for Koivunen has turned for concern, his skating stats and speed bursts are among the lowest in the league. Though listed at 184 pounds, he was easily knocked off pucks constantly in battles. Koivunen has mastered the AHL level (41 points in 34 games this season in Wilkes) but was rendered completely ineffective in the show. It’ll be interesting to see if he’s able to add any tangible gains to his skating and strength this summer, the clock is going to start ticking loudly on his future for anything beyond AHL/Europe quality player.
Avery Hayes / Tristan Broz
I’m going to stick these two together, because very strangely enough both of these players were born on the exact same day — October 10, 2002. What are the odds of that? (Also in states that border each other, though their listed hometowns of Westland, MI [Hayes] and River Falls, WI [Broz]) are about 650 miles away via automobile). Despite that common bday, they’ve taken very different paths to get here: Broz was heralded as a top player in his age range and made a second round pick in 2021, Hayes went undrafted and had to earn an NHL contract the hard way. They have some similarities too, Hayes won two OHL championships (in 2022 with Hamilton, in 2023 with Peterborough), Broz was a national champion at the University of Denver. Both are on the upswing and have a sort of knack for coming through and winning observers over.
So it’s only fitting to combine them as they look to make their NHL debuts in the same season. This might be better subtitled “players I’m curious to see in training camp” because that is more applicable or accurate for the time being. Still, it will be interesting to see what kind of opportunities players like Broz and Hayes get this season. Do the Pens continue to call-up players from Wilkes that are only warm body space fillers (Boko Imama, Joona Koppanen, Valtteri Puustinen, Emil Bemstrom, etc). Bemstrom is out of the organization now, but it would be nice to see players in the Broz/Hayes mold push up the organizational rankings beyond the type of vanilla and exceedingly limited type of forwards that tend to get recalled that aren’t going to provide a lot of contribution to the NHL on their best day. Of course, the Broz/Hayes level guys have to hold up their end of the bargain by impressing and performing well themselves, which will be another area to watch.
Both players had excellent camps and made run at NHL roster spots, only to have the suddenly flush forward depth chart bump them back to the AHL. Broz continued to have some rotten injury luck, being unavailable at points where he would have gotten called up. Hayes made the most of his NHL debut by scoring two goals in the first period of his first game against Buffalo on February 5th. He played a total of 16 NHL games and scored five goals, setting himself up nicely for what could be a full-time graduation to the NHL as soon as next training camp.
Broz’s path forward appears much less certain. He is under contract next season but the Pens signed Blake Lizotte to a contract extension. Broz has been working mostly as a center, the number of center spots that Pittsburgh will have available for an AHL player look extremely limited.
—
In the end, the Penguins had no shortage of players to be curious about this year. Midseason pickups that we didn’t even know about at the time like Chinakhov, Elmer Soderblom, Brett Kulak, Sam Girard and Stuart Skinner provided no shortage of intriguing players to watch over the course of the year as they came (and sometimes went almost as quickly). You always have to stay on your toes when it comes to this team.
BOSTON, MA - MARCH 24: Anthony Stolarz #41 of the Toronto Maple Leafs makes a save on the penalty kill during a game between the Boston Bruins and the Toronto Maple Leafs on March 24, 2024, at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Welcome to Thursday/Friday, folks!
As we move into the offseason, we’ll try to cover any relevant news and put up new threads every couple of days for open discussion, then eventually start with the player reviews, recaps, and all that fun stuff.
For now, we’re still in the immediate aftermath of the Bruins’ playoff elimination, but there’s plenty going on around the team.
The mysterious Toronto draft pick
The most intriguing point of conversation right now is the fate of the first-round pick the Bruins received from Toronto in the Brandon Carlo trade, which was thrown into chaos when Toronto won the draft lottery on Tuesday.
Top 5 protected, slides to 2027. The 2027 pick goes to Philadelphia (as part of Laughton trade) if it is outside the top 10, which converts this pick to Boston to a 2028 unprotected 1st Round Pick. If this Pick slides to 2027 and is in the top 10, TOR can either transfer it to BOS to satisfy this trade and then give PHI the 2028 unprotected, or transfer it to PHI and give BOS the 2028 unprotected 1st Round Pick.
However, Chris Johnston had an article in The Athletic on Wednesday that made things appear considerably more murky, saying that the league still hasn’t settled on a formal interpretation of the trade.
He suggests that the league may allow next season to play out before determining the fate of the pick, which seems pretty unfair to both the Bruins and the Flyers — if you’re considering moving that asset this summer for more immediate help, you’re not going to get top dollar if the year of the pick is just listed as “TBD.”
Johnston eventually settles on there being thought around the league that the Flyers will get the 2027 pick, even if it falls in the top ten, with the Bruins getting an unprotected 2028 pick.
Then there’s this caveat around the “Toronto picks who gets the 2027 pick,” which seems completely ridiculous:
That would create a potentially fascinating dynamic next offseason, if Toronto was left with the choice of determining whether Boston or Philadelphia ended up with a prized pick. In theory, the Leafs might be able to use that power as a way to coax a favorable return in a subsequent trade from one of those teams.
I have no idea how the league would allow Toronto to extract capital from a team with whom they’ve already completed a trade just to get them a more favorable outcome, but nothing with the NHL shocks me at this point.
Anyways, it’s best for all of our sanity if the league issues some kind of edict on this soon, as it will end the speculation and let each team know what kind of asset they have on their hands.
Providence is on the brink
After a historic regular season the AHL Bruins are on the verge of crashing out of the playoffs in the first round.
The P-Bruins trail their best-of-five series with Springfield two games to one, with Game 4 in Springfield on Thursday night.
The AHL said it was “taking responsibility” for that gaffe after the game, which…does absolutely nothing for Providence, so here we are.
It reminds me of the Billy Madison scene with “well sorry doesn’t put the delicious Triscuit crackers in my stomach, now does it, Carl?”
If the P-Bruins win Thursday night and extend the series to a deciding Game 5, that will be in Providence on Saturday night.
Money talks
The NHL confirmed the salary cap for the 2026-2027 season on Wednesday, with an upper limit set at $104 million.
Per BruinsCapSpace, the B’s will head into the offseason with a little more than $16 million in space, which isn’t a bad spot to be in when you consider there are no glaringly obvious “re-sign him right now” UFAs to deal with.
(They have decisions to make on guys like Viktor Arvidsson and Andrew Peeke, but I guess my point is it’s not like they have a million empty roster spots to fill with that space.)
We heard about the desire to add talent and speed at yesterday’s leadership press conference, so we’ll see how that goes.
Among the teams still playing, Buffalo won its series-opener against Montreal on Wednesday night, while the Ducks evened their series against the Golden Knights.
Thursday night will feature Game 3 of Hurricanes-Flyers, followed by Games 2 and 3 of Buffalo-Montreal and Anaheim-Vegas, respectively, on Friday night.
Gage Workman’s eighth inning single walked Game 1 off for the Mud Hens as the first of a doubleheader after Tuesday night’s rainout.
Right-hander Dylan File was knocked around a bit, but hung in there to toss 5 1/3 innings of three-run ball while striking out six on the day.
A pair of singles in the top of the first were cashed in when File allowed a two-run double. New acquisition Paul DeJong doubled in the bottom half for his first Mud Hens at-bat, but was stranded. File gave up another run in the top of the third, but the Mud Hens kicked it into gear at that point.
Max Clark singled in Andrew Navigato in the third, and Eduardo Valencia cracked a solo shot in the fourth to make it a 3-2 Memphis lead. In the sixth, Corey Julks singled and Workman doubled him to third, where he eventually scored on a Navigato ground out. That was all they’d get, but it made it a 3-3 game while Drew Sommers took over from File successfully.
Tanner Rainey spun a scoreless eighth, an extra inning as this was scheduled for seven. DeJong started on second for the Hens, and was wild pitched to third. Workman stepped in and banged a ground ball through the right side for a walkoff single.
🚨Mud Hens Walk-Off Win🚨
Gage Workman singles through the drawn-in infield and Toledo wins game one of today’s doubleheader 4-3. pic.twitter.com/qJAwDpciT9
The Redbirds fought back in a low scoring Game 2. Lefty Carlos Peña, up from Erie to help out, gave up a run in two innings of work. Konnor Pilkington took over, allowing a two-run third inning. Scott Effross and Jack Little kept Memphis in check the rest of the way, but no comeback was forthcoming.
Luke Ritter tripled with one out in the bottom of the third, but was cut down at home on a Ben Malgeri ground ball. Finally in the sixth, Corey Julks led off with a walk, eventually scoring on a Tomás Nido double. Max Clark drew a two out walk in the bottom of the seventh, and Julks followed with a walk, but Workman’s magic was already used up on thsi day, and he grounded out to end it.
Nido: 1-2, RBI, 2B, BB
Clark: 1-3, BB
Julks: 1-3, R, BB
Pena: 2.0 IP, ER, H, 2 BB, 3 K
Coming Up Next: The series is even at a game apiece headed into a 6:35 p.m. ET start on Thursday.
The SeaWolves banged out 12 hits and drew six walks to overcome a shaky start from Lael Lockhart Jr. on Wednesday.
Lockhart allowed a pair of runs in the bottom of the first, but in the third the SeaWolves came back. Bennett Lee led off the third with a walk, and scored on a Peyton Graham triple to center field. John Peck reached on a soft single to third base, and Justice Bigbie doubled in Graham. An Andrew Jenkins sacrifice fly scored Peck and made it 3-2 SeaWolves.
Unfortunately, Lockhart allowed a run in the bottom half, and then another in the fifth before departing, leaving the game with it 4-3 Senators.
In the seventh the comeback arrived courtesy of RBI knocks from Peck and Bigbie to make it 6-4 SeaWolves. Dariel Fregio gave a run back in the bottom half, but in the eighth, Aaron Antonini led off with a walk, and Peyton Graham singled with one out. Peck pulled a ball to shortstop but Seaver King threw it away, scoring Antonini. Bigbie singled in Graham, and a Jenkins grounder to third allowed Peck to score ahead of the throw. Two walks followed, forcing in a run to make it 10-5.
Tanner Kohlhepp allowed a run in relief, but the SeaWolves weren’t done scoring yet either.
Graham was hit by a pitch in the top of the ninth, and Peck reached on another error. He and Graham pulled off a double steal, but it wasn’t required as Bigbie struck out, and then Jenkins blasted a three run homer, his fifth of the year, to cap the scoring.
Andrew Jenkins smashes a 3-run homer to left that puts Erie up 13-5 in the 9th. It’s his 5th home run of the year. pic.twitter.com/nwIiO5xwuo
The Whitecaps losing streak hit 10 games on Wednesday, and once again, they lost it in the ninth inning. It’s no consolation that this one was at home and so not a walkoff.
Left-hander Ben Jacobs, at least, continued to pitch very well in his second Midwest League outing. He punched out seven over four innings of work, allowing just a solo shot to Kien Vu in the first inning.
In the bottom of the first, Jackson Strong drew a leadoff walk, but was cut down trying to steal second. Ricardo Hurtado and Garrett Pennington followed with singles, and Bryce Rainer lined a single to left to score Hurtado. Pennington was cut down trying to go first to third, so that was all they’d get.
In the third, Strong tried again, walking and successfully stealing second. Pennington singled him home, and Rainer walked, but Samuel Gil and Cristian Santana struck out.
CJ Weins and then Thomas Bruss got the ‘Caps through the eighth still holding a 2-1 lead, and then Rainer rifled a line drive home run to left field for his first with the Whitecaps.
Bryce Rainer shoots a line drive home run over the left field wall. It’s his 1st at Hi-A, and his 2nd this year. Left his bat at 103 MPH and went 364 feet. @ThatDanHasty calls it. pic.twitter.com/sRoTaC7oFd
Things looked good, and after Logan Berrier closed out the eighth, he was back for the ninth. Unfortunately, he allowed a one out walk, a single, and then made an error on a comebacker. An error from Junior Tilien in left contributed as the Dragons scored three unearned runs to take the lead. The Whitecaps went 1-2-3 in the bottom half.
Rainer: 2-3, R, 2 RBI, HR, BB
Pennington: 2-5, RBI
Jacobs: 4.0 IP, ER, 3 H, BB, 7 K
Coming Up Next: It’s an 11:00 a.m. ET start on Thursday.
Rookie Cash Kuiper put together his best outing so far this year, and the Flying Tigers used a mix of power and speed on the bases to win on Wednesday.
Kuiper no-hit the Mets for 3 2/3 innings in this one. He walked two, and struck out six, giving his team every chance to build a lead.
They got started quickly, as Jesus Pinto led off the bottom of the first with a walk and quickly stole second base. Max Anderson grounded out to move him to third, but a comebacker from Jordan Yost was thrown away the Mets’ Joel Lara and Pinto scored.
They started to break it open in the third when Yost singled up the middle and Zach MacDonald hammered a triple to the wall in center field. Yost scored, and MacDonald rode home on Beau Ankeney’s second home run of the year. 4-0 Lakeland.
Beau Ankeney with a 2-run rocket to left center that puts the Flying Tigers up 4-0. This one left his bat at 110 MPH and traveled 414 feet. @AaronArnstein on the call. pic.twitter.com/v28i4I9eOC
Unfortunately, that wouldn’t be enough as a rehabbing Preston Howey got into trouble in the sixth and allowed a run and then a two-run shot that made it a 4-3 game.
Luke Hoskins gave up a run in the seventh that tied it up. In the bottom of the seventh, Javier Osorio drew a walk and stole second base. Pinto walked and Osorio stole third as well. A Max Anderson sacrifice fly was enough to score the go ahead run. Pinto then stole second, but a rocket from Yost to right was caught, and MacDonald struck out.
So it was up to Yendy Gomez to lock this one down. He started poorly in the eighth, walking the leadoff hitter, but Gomez has good stuff, up to 98 mph with his sinker, and he bounced back. A strikeout and a pop-up followed, and then Gomez picked off the runner at first to end it. Gomez got in a little trouble in the ninth as well, but was able to wriggle out of a jam to collect the save.
Ankeney: 1-3, R, 2 RBI, HR, 2 K
MacDonald: 1-4, R, RBI, 3B, 3 K
Kuiper: 3.2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 2 BB, 6 K
Coming Up Next: It’s a 6:30 p.m. ET start in Lakeland on Thursday with the series tied up 1-1.
With the Rugby Football League’s next round of talks with the NRL due on 15 May, the decision whether Super League will remain at 14 clubs or expand again to add London Broncos is imminent. The club could squeeze into a 14-team league via the IMG gradings but that would send any club ranked beneath them down to the Championship, potentially putting newly promoted York or Toulouse in grave and unnecessary danger. That would be foolish given the unique markets those clubs represent.
The three teams promoted to the expanded Super League this season have defied expectations. They have won three games each, beating champions Hull KR, Hull FC, Catalans and Wakefield along the way. They also gave Wigan, Leigh and St Helens major scares. And none of them occupy the bottom two places after 10 rounds of games.
The Mets did not let the absurdly cold conditions impede them tonight during their 10-5 win against the Rockies. Freddy Peralta and Michael Lorenzen faced off for the second time in two weeks but, unlike their first meeting, this time the Mets’ bats were wide awake.
Juan Soto started things off quickly with his first career leadoff home run. After a Bo Bichette ground out, MJ Melendez tripled on a line drive to right field. The first inning ended with no more runs scored, but the tone was set for the evening.
In the fourth, Brett Baty drew a leadoff walk, followed by a double by Marcus Semien, sending Baty to third. Carson Benge continued his offensive hot streak by hitting a line drive into right field for a two-RBI single. Francisco Alvarez kept the inning going with a single that sent Benge to third and, after Luis Torrens grounded out, Alvarez’s good base running confused the Rockies’ infielders enough that he was able to avoid the tag, returning to first base safely, and allowing Benge to score, putting the Mets up 4-0.
Peralta was able to keep things quiet on the Rockies’ side through five innings, though his pitch count remained inefficient, throwing 91 pitches over five innings. The Rockies threatened on a couple occasions, putting two men on in the second, third, and fourth innings, but Peralta left the Rockies 0-6 with runners in scoring position.
In the top of the sixth inning, the Mets’ lineup let loose again, starting with a single from Semien on a ground ball to right field. Benge hit a double to send Semien to third base, followed an RBI single by Alvarez, driving in Benge and moving Semien to third.
That would be it for Lorenzen, who was relieved by Zach Agnos. Agnos promptly hit Torrens with a pitch, and the inning unfolded from there. Soto hit a sacrifice fly to score Benge and Bichette hit an RBI single to score Alvarez. Tyrone Taylor (who pinch ran for MJ Melendez in the fifth) grounded into what should’ve been a double play, but a throwing error by Edouard Julien, allowed him to move to second base and Torrens to score. The Mets were up 8-0 when Tobias Myers replaced Peralta in the bottom of the sixth.
In two thirds of an inning, Myers gave up a home run to TJ Rumfield, doubles to Tyler Freeman and Troy Johnston, a home run to Jake McCarthy, and a single to Julien, good for four runs, and the Mets’ lead was cut in half. Brooks Raley and Luke Weaver calmed things down and combined for two and a third scoreless after Myers, but things got dicey again in the ninth.
Thankfully, the Mets got some insurance in the top of the ninth, when Semien hit a line-drive home run, scoring Benge and putting the Mets up 10-4.
Sean Manaea took the ball in the ninth, and it was not good. Manaea allowed three singles in a row to Mickey Moniak, Hunter Goodman, and Rumfield before hitting Freeman and forcing in a run. In what should not have been a save situation, Devin Williams had to come in. He looked strong, striking out the final two batters and ensuring the Mets’ win.
The final game in the series will be played tomorrow at 3:10 PM EDT, after weather delays postponed yesterday’s game and pushed back today’s game. With any luck, the temperature will be warmer, as promised, and the Mets can maintain some momentum when Christian Scott takes on old friend Jose Quintana.
The St. Louis Cardinals (21-15) travel to Petco Park for a three-game set versus the Padres (22-14) in San Diego. St. Louis is one of the hottest teams in the league at 7-2 over the past nine games, while San Diego is 3-1 in the last four after suffering a four-game losing streak.
St. Louis ranks ninth in batting average (.261) over the last week, while the pitching staff is 14th in ERA (3.50). The Cardinals are an impressive 11-5 on the road this season, but haven't posted the most spectacle numbers. St. Louis' team ERA drops to 4.72 (20th) and the offense dips too with a .233 batting average (20th).
San Diego has won the last two games and three of the past four to break their cold streak. The Padres offense is hitting .223 over the last six games (24th), but has 15 runs scored in the last two contests off 20 combined hits. The Padres are 1-4 in the last five at home and scored four or fewer runs in all five. We will see what offense we get from San Diego tonight.
Let’s dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game details & how to watch Cardinals at Padres
Date: Thursday, May 7, 2026
Time: 10:00 PM EST
Site: Petco Park
City: San Diego, CA
Network/Streaming: ESPN
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Cardinals at the Padres
The latest odds as of Thursday:
Moneyline: San Diego Padres (-175), St. Louis Cardinals (+144)
Spread: Cardinals +1.5 (-143), Padres -1.5 (+119)
Total: 8.0
Probable starting pitchers for Cardinals at Padres
Thursday's pitching matchup (May 7): Michael King vs. Matthew Liberatore
The Cardinals’ Jordan Walker is hitting .303 with 40 hits and 76 total bases over 132 at-bats
The Cardinals’ Nolan Gorman is hitting .227 with 27 hits and 37 strikeouts over 119 at-bats
The Padres’ Xander Bogaerts is hitting .276 with 35 hits and 58 total bases over 127 at-bats
The Padres’ Jake Croneworth is hitting .144 with 14 hits and 23 strikeouts over 97 at-bats
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Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Cardinals at Padres
The Cardinals are 22-14 ATS this season
The Padres are 21-15 ATS this season
The Cardinals are 19-15-2 to the Over this season
The Padres are 16-19-1 to the Over this season
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Cardinals and the Padres
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Thursday's game two between the Cardinals and the Padres:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Padres on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Padres at -1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Under on the Game Total of 8.0
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Golden State Warriors Draymond Green drives past Houston Rockets Austin Rivers in the first quarter during game 5 of the Western Conference Semifinals between the Golden State Warriors and the Houston Rockets at Oracle Arena on Wednesday, May 8, 2019 in Oakland, Calif. (Photo by Carlos Avila Gonzalez/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)
Every so often, pro sports seems like something straight out of junior high. Last week, there was the beef between former Duke star Wendell Carter and Detroit Pistons Jalen Duren. Carter is dating Angel Reese, who used to go out with Duren.
This week, we have the entertaining Austin Rivers-Draymond Green beef.
Those guys were in the same high school class, and recently, Green mocked Rivers on his podcast, saying that he peaked in high school, and that playing for his father Doc Rivers got him the biggest bailout in history.
Admittedly, that’s a funny line, but Rivers clearly didn’t appreciate it.
And then Rivers came back with this. He called Green the luckiest player in the world for playing alongside Steph Curry and Klay Thompson, aka the Splash Brothers, and later, also Kevin Durant.
We’ll give Green this: he’s carved out a remarkable career, and it’s largely due to his intelligent approach to the game. When he was drafted, we thought a lot of teams underestimated him, and time has proven that right. A 6-6 guy has thrived in the post in this era? Only a basketball genius could have done that.
But Rivers is right when he ridicules Green for saying Steve Kerr damaged his career. Kerr was a brilliant coach for Green, and found ways to make him incredibly effective. He has never been an offensive focus, though.
Anyway, it’s not exactly Bird vs. Magic, but it is an entertaining beef, and neither guy seems ready to back down, so it’ll probably go on for a while. So pass the popcorn!
Austin Rivers flexed in a Duke Brotherhood tee while absolutely putting Draymond Green in his place. I agree with every point that Austin made. In my opinion Rivers has the basketball knowledge and IQ to be a great head coach if he ever decided to pursue that route pic.twitter.com/gYq3ILYDZb
Apr 30, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Boston Celtics center Neemias Queta (88) looks on in front of Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) during the third quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Well, we’re now several days removed from the end of the Boston Celtics season, and I think I’m finally ready to talk about it.
First thoughts: It definitely still stings. I wish I was still watching my guys play basketball.
If we are solely looking at the result of Boston’s series against the Philadelphia 76ers, it’s hard to look at it as anything but a disappointment. Dropping three straight games, including two at home? On top of that, the Celtics have lost to three of their biggest rivals in all three of their playoff exits over the past four years – the Miami Heat in 2023, the New York Knicks in 2025, and Philly here in 2026.
The 2024 championship is doing a lot of heavy lifting for my mental health right about now. Without that ring, these pills would be a lot tougher to swallow. It’s not all bad, though. Let me take you on a journey through my mind, a ride on a rollercoaster of emotions that was the Celtics first round series against the Sixers.
The ride starts before Boston even played their first regular season. (Don’t worry, it speeds up pretty quickly from here.)
Payton Pritchard, Derrick White, Jaylen Brown, Sam Hauser, Neemias Queta, Anfernee Simons, Chris Boucher, Josh Minott, Jordan Walsh, Baylor Scheierman, Hugo Gonzalez, Luka Garza, Xavier Tillman, Ron Harper Jr., Amari Williams, and Max Shulga. This was the Celtics active roster coming into the season, along with Jayson Tatum, who we weren’t entirely sure would return this year from his Achilles injury.
Looking at that roster, I expected Boston’s ceiling to be a Play-In tournament berth at best. The first six players on that list were certainly experienced, but I did not see the assembly of talent as one that could compete with the other playoff-caliber teams in the East, let alone across the league. Beneath them was three rookies, five players who never held a meaningful role on an NBA roster, and Xavier Tillman, who seemed to be falling behind after knee issues flared up over his last two seasons in the NBA.
Never could I have imagined that this roster would finish with 56 wins and the second-best record in the East. The sheer amount of fight and passion that these guys showed for 82 games was such a pleasure to watch. Walsh, Hugo, Baylor, Luka, Neemi, Ron – heck, even Anfernee and Minott – these guys made me fall in love with Celtics basketball all over again this year.
ORLANDO, FLORIDA – NOVEMBER 09: Jordan Walsh #27 of the Boston Celtics celebrates scoring a three-point-basket with Luka Garza #52 and Hugo Gonzalez #28 in the second half against the Orlando Magic at Kia Center on November 09, 2025 in Orlando, Florida. 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 Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images
There were so many moments of pure joy, thinking a scrappy win against a top team was the best win of the season, only to be topped by another one just a couple nights later. Even through his down shooting year, Derrick was making incredible game-winning plays left and right. Pritchard gave us several amazing performances himself, along with a bunch more buzzer beaters. And of course, Jaylen put up an MVP-caliber season through so many career-highs, and silenced so many of the narratives surrounding him.
Now, when you fast forward to the last game of the regular season, everyone is healthy. Jayson Tatum is back to playing high-level basketball, and already looks like an All-Star again. The Celtics bench unit goes up against the healthy Orlando Magic who are fighting for seeding, and they squeak out a gutsy win on a heroic game-winning shot from Luka Garza.
What a high that was. Boston felt unbeatable at that time. I could not have been happier with their regular season, and I was preparing for a deep playoff run from them as well.
Given how I was looking at the team before the season, you would think that I couldn’t be disappointed with any result from here on out. Any playoff success could easily have just been a cherry on top. Well, as much as I shouldn’t be, unfortunately, I am disappointed.
Game 1 was a dream. The Celtics won by 32 points on their home floor, and they looked every bit as dominant as I’d hoped they’d be. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown played like the superstars we know they are. Pritchard had a great game off of the bench too. Tatum and Walsh did a fantastic job containing Tyrese Maxey, which was probably my biggest concern coming into the series. It seemed like smooth sailing from there.
Boston, MA – April 19: Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum celebrates a dunk in the first quarter. The Celtics played the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 1 of the first round of the NBA Playoffs on April 19, 2026. (Photo by Barry Chin/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
Game 2 rolls around, and Boston got off to another fantastic start. With three minutes left in the first quarter, the Celtics were up by 13. I was getting way too ahead of myself in the CelticsBlog group chat talking about “mercy rules” and “dominating Philly.” Oh, how naive I was.
Philly took a timeout at that point, and when they came back from the break, they immediately went on a 10-0 run to flip the game on its head. Boston was still leading, but they were playing on their heels, and I knew I had spoken too soon. It was a tight back-and-forth battle for the rest of the quarter, but the Sixers closed strong, taking an 8-point lead into the half. The game was still well within reach, but I didn’t have a great feeling about it.
The Celtics ended up losing by 14 points at home. Now, Philly had taken home-court advantage in this series. My first disappointment.
But, not entirely unexpected. In 2024, the Celtics dropped the second home game of their first-round series with the Heat and the second round with the Cavs. In 2025, they dropped two home games against the Knicks. It seems that in recent years, home-court advantage hasn’t felt the same for Boston anyways.
I was definitely concerned. Heading into Philly for game 3, I didn’t want to see Boston drop another game; Then I really would have been panicking. I had confidence that the Celtics would bounce back, but the nerves started creeping in.
But then, Boston took care of business on the road, and that too with Embiid returning in game 4. An 8-point victory in game 3 and a 32-point victory in game 4 sent my nerves packing. Little did I know that they booked round-trip tickets.
PHILADELPHIA, PA – APRIL 26: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics celebrates after the made three point basket against the Philadelphia 76ers during Round One Game Four of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 26, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
I was feeling good at the time. The Celtics had a chance to close things out at home now, and they had dominant victories both with Embiid on and off the court. Again, I got cocky. I was talking about how the Celtics have dominated the Sixers since “The Process” began, and how this year would be no different. I even sent the Embiid “they always kick our ***” quote graphic to my basketball group chat with my friends. I think Boston may have fallen into the same false sense of security that I did.
From the tip of game 5, it felt like the Sixers were simply outworking the Celtics. They were playing great defense, and were having a much easier time creating open looks for themselves. The game was close for a while, and the Celtics even held a 13-point lead early in the third quarter, but things just never felt comfortable. And, like in game 1, Philly managed to turn the tides. After Boston took their 13-point lead, the Sixers responded with a 15-3 run to make it a 1-point game.
The Celtics pushed their lead back up to 8 with around two and a half minutes left in the third, but they allowed another 12-5 run to end the quarter, once again cutting it to a 1-point lead heading into the fourth. At that point I had little faith the Celtics to close the game out. They were not nearly as engaged as they needed to be, and they seemed to be lacking a sense of urgency. On top of that, they just weren’t consistently getting high-quality shots, and weren’t converting enough of the ones that they did manage to generate.
Boston only scored 11 points in the fourth quarter. Philly scored 28. A 13-point third quarter lead turned into a 16-point loss. It was devastating.
The Celtics have done this many times over the past several years. They get comfortable, and when they build up leads, it feels like the focus is on protecting it rather than building on it. They stop going on the attack, and start going on the defensive. It makes for a very frustrating watch, and it allows teams that have their backs on the ropes to get back into a game, or even a series.
The Sixers certainly took advantage. Game 6 was one of the most frustrating games I’ve ever watched as a Celtics fan. I was squirming in my seat on the couch, yelling at the TV, and even debating turning it off altogether, all things which rarely happen when I watch sports. I usually pride myself on being more-or-less composed, if not just a little extra chatty. Game 6 took a lot out of me.
The lead tracker gives a glimpse into the devastation.
A pathetic performance after getting embarrassed on your home court. To make matters worse, Jayson Tatum was in clear discomfort starting in the third quarter, grabbing at his calf in the leg which he did not have surgery on. He was stretching it out, hopping on the bike, trying to play through it, but ultimately never got over it.
After Philly took a 23-point lead early in the fourth, Joe pulled the plug on all the starters. Pritchard and the “Stay Ready” group took the floor, and managed to make two big dents in the Sixers lead. They played the Celtics basketball we had seen all regular season long, and they even got some great looks which they weren’t able to convert, but could otherwise have really made the game competitive again.
Those last 10 minutes were the only time I could find any joy or relief in the game, even though we couldn’t pull out a win. I just love watching guys like Jordan Walsh, Hugo Gonzalez, Ron Harper Jr., and Luka Garza work their tails off as if they’re fighting for their lives. How could you not?
Still, while they subdued the sour taste in my mouth for a bit, I couldn’t help but come away from the game defeated. I had lost my faith in the Celtics to win the series, another extremely rare feeling for me. I didn’t even feel that way after JT went down in the Knicks series last year.
It just felt like Boston wasn’t ready for the challenge. Our big men could not keep up with Embiid, Derrick was having an abysmal offensive series, and with Mazzulla limiting the bench players’ playing time, it felt like we rarely had guys on the court who were willing to out-fight the Sixers.
The days leading up to game 7 were solemn. I was truly dejected, dreading all of the slander the Celtics would get, the trash that our rivals would be able to talk about us, finally letting Embiid get a win over the Jays, and most of all, the impending early end to an otherwise magical season. I hated all of it.
I can’t entirely explain why, but with maybe an hour left before tip-off something changed for me.
Maybe it had to do with our vets at CelticsBlog, Mike Dynon and Shirley Coshatt. Earlier in the series, Shirley reminded me that the 2008 Celtics went 7 games in the first round as well. We all know how that year went for Boston. Mike also came into the CB group chat talking about “when” the Celtics win, not “if.”
For the first time in the last 48 hours, I no longer had a feeling of dread. Instead, I had a feeling of hope, and excitement. The nerves turned to adrenaline. The Celtics were going to win the game. I let my friends know about my revelation.
Two minutes later, Tatum is ruled out from the game.
And you know what? I doubled down. I will admit that my confidence was shaken, and those feelings of dread peeked their head again, but I stood tall, and I re-committed. The Celtics were going to win the game.
BOSTON, UNITED STATES – MAY 02: Players of the Boston Celtics come together before the match start during the first quarter of a game against the Philadelphia 76ers in Game Seven of the First Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts, on May 02, 2026 (Photo by Joseph Prezioso/Anadolu via Getty Images) | Anadolu via Getty Images
Joe was almost forced to re-insert guys like Hugo, Baylor, and Garza back into the lineup after benching them for much of the series. I felt like we’d finally have some urgency and fight back on the floor. It was a bit of a rock fight to start the game, but the fight was certainly there. Even after falling back 17-6 in the first six minutes, the Celtics stayed in the game.
Jaylen Brown and Derrick White seemed like they were finally ready to take over again. White re-discovered his shot, a sight that could have brought tears to my eyes. JB stumbled a bit, but steadied himself and settled into the game. Even Queta was finally able to stay on the floor for longer than usual, and made a real impact too. The bench guys were hustling up and down the floor, and winning more of the loose balls that fell to the Sixers in previous games.
The score didn’t favor Boston, but my hopes were still well and alive. Every made basket felt electric. The Celtics were finally giving the TD Garden crowd something to cheer about, and were riding their energy too. We were chipping, and chipping, and chipping away at Philly’s will with small plays that had a big impact.
We arrive at the final four minutes of the game. The Sixers hold a 99-98 lead, Boston carrying the momentum. Five straight missed shots between both teams. Several open looks for Boston, and a huge block by JB as well. Two minutes go by, and they weren’t able to break the seal. Maxey decided to take over the game, and gets himself two easy layups to put the Sixers up 5 with just over a minute remaining in the game.
My hopes are on their last legs. It won’t be easy, but a couple of the right plays and Boston can still win this.
Three more missed shots by the Celtics and an intentional foul. Philly goes up 7 with twenty seconds left.
My hopes are dead. Once again, I am devastated.
The dread fills in. Why did we have to lose to Philly? Why couldn’t we take care of business when we were the better team all season long? Why did Tatum have to get hurt and miss game 7? Why didn’t Joe trust the young guys more in the previous 6 games? Why wasn’t Derrick able to get his shot going until the last game? What am I supposed to do with no more Celtics basketball?
My friends rushed to the group chat to throw my words in my face. They almost all hate the Celtics, and were happy to pile on, even when their teams were already eliminated. At least my friends were thinking about me, right?
I think of myself as a pretty positive guy, and I had to try to find it again in that moment. But it was hard. I was happy to see the team go out fighting. I hated seeing the team go out at all. I was happy that we got an amazing regular season. I hated that it didn’t amount to much in the playoffs. I was happy that Tatum returned at all, let alone to a star level. I hated that he couldn’t be out there in the final game.
Even as I’m writing about this today, almost a week removed from the loss, I have so many conflicting feelings in my head and my heart. Maybe some of it is what NBA Twitter would call “cope.” Maybe some of it is having too much free time on my hands while being a chronic over-thinker. Probably a big part of it is seeing all of the rumors, narratives, etc. that fans and sports media alike have rushed to fill my timeline with.
It’s incredibly frustrating when people start to tear apart a team you love like a member of your family, watch over 82 games of, and spend over 200 hours with each season. Outside of the people in my life, I don’t think I have a greater love than basketball. I bleed green. I am a Boston Celtics fan until the day I die.
At this point, I’ve managed to forgive them for the disappointing end, and love them for all the exciting steps along the way. Now I just have to power through an offseason of hot takes, trade ideas, and probably a whole lot of online negativity.
But I’m excited for the future. I still love this roster. As much as I understand that we can’t just run it back and expect to win next year, it’s gonna hurt me to see any of these guys not with us anymore (except for maybe one or two of the late additions.)
There’s going to be a lot of blame going on, and I’m sure Brad Stevens will find ways to hold the team accountable, but as a fan, I’d like to just go back to appreciating all the good moments we had with the team rather than dwelling on the bad ones. Take a deep breath with me, fellow Celtics fans. It will all work out. Tomorrow will be a better day.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - MAY 05: Bryan Reynolds #10 of the Pittsburgh Pirates gets ready in the batters box against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on May 05, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks last night 1-0 in a Paul Skenes gem, but it was Pirates outfielder Bryan Reynolds that made the history.
Reynolds went-2-for-4 in the game, giving him 1,000 hits for his career. It also makes him just the fifth Bucco to go for 1,000 hits, 200 doubles and 140 homers, joining Andrew McCutchen, Willie Stargell, Dave Parker and Roberto Clemente. Elite company indeed.
It also bumped Reynolds up to a .260 average on the season. He also has 4 homers and and 22 RBIS, as well as an .OBP on the year of .402, which is good for 11th in all of Major League Baseball. 30 walks in 37 games will do that to you. He’s also slugging .420 and has an .OPS of .822, which is third best on the team behind Brandon Lowe and Ryan O’Hearn.
The other news from last night is that the Pirates are finally out of the basement of the NL Central. The Bucs are tied with the Cincinnati Reds with a 20-17 record, but the Bucs are techincally above the Reds due to owning the season series thus far. The Milwaukee Brewers are an identical 5 games back as well, but they have slightly higher winning percentage than the Bucs and Reds, so they are techincally in third place. The St. Louis Cardinals are in second, 3.5 games back of the division leading Chicago Cubs. It is still very much anyone’s division.
And lastly, I think we need Jamain calling for more Paul Skenes innings more often. Just a couple days after he asked for more Skenes, we got an eight-inning gem out of the Pirates’ ace. Skenes also dropped his ERA to a more Skenes-like 2.36 and now stands with a 5-2 record on the season. Nicely done.
The Bucs are back in action this afternoon with another one versus the D’Backs.
