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AL MVP looks like Aaron Judge vs. Yordan Alvarez, but these players still have a chance

CLEVELAND, OH - APRIL 22: Yordan Alvarez #44 of the Houston Astros celebrates with teammates in the dugout after hitting a two-run home run in the first inning during the game between the Houston Astros and the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on Wednesday, April 22, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Grace Hoppel/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

The battle for American League MVP features plenty of star power and familiar names only a month into the 2026 MLB season. In the latest FanDuel Sportsbook American League MVP 2026 market, there are plenty of viable candidates trying to dethrone reigning back-to-back MVP Aaron Judge.

Unlike the NL MVP race — which has turned into Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani running away from most of the field — the AL MVP race still has eight players under 30/1 odds. 

On a quest to capture his fourth MVP award overall, Judge (+170), the New York Yankees outfielder, remains the frontrunner. The Yankees are off to a strong start and Judge is top-10 in home runs and OPS. 

While Judge’s wasn’t particularly strong out of the gate, his consistency and history with the award lends him considerable credibility at this stage in the season. All it takes is one big power surge for Judge to grab a big lead in the race. After home runs in back-to-back games, Judge could be settling in for another big summer. 

Keeping pace with Judge is Houston Astros left fielder Yordan Alvarez (+270). Leading all of MLB in batting average, OPS and hits while tied for second in home runs, Alvarez is back in form after injuries derailed his 2025 season. Alvarez is on pace for his best season, but matching Judge’s power could prove difficult for a player who has never hit more than 37 home runs in a season.  

It’s been a power outage for Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. (+1100) so far this season. With only one home run, Witt needs to start slugging more frequently to stay with Judge and Alvarez in the MVP race. 

Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson (+1500) was off to a hot start after his offensive production dipped last season. Already at nine home runs on the season after hitting only 17 in 2025, Henderson’s returning power and 11 stolen bases are worth tracking. But Baltimore’s young star is also struggling to get on base with only a .280 on-base percentage. 

Similar to Judge, Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout (+1500) is also pursuing his fourth AL MVP award. After winning three MVPs last decade, Trout hasn’t been able to stay healthy. Off to a promising start in 2026 with nine home runs, Trout is hoping for a resurgent season.

Cleveland Guardians star Jose Ramirez (+2000), Athletics slugger Nick Kurtz and Yankees first basemen Ben Rice (both +2500) are three more secondary MVP contenders worth tracking. Rice and Judge made history on Monday as the first Yankees teammates to hit 10 or more home runs in the team’s first 29 games since Yogi Berra and Mickey Mantle in 1956. 

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Canucks: When And Where To Watch The 2026 NHL Draft Lottery

The Vancouver Canucks are officially less than a week out from what could become one of the most impactful days in franchise history. The NHL Draft Lottery will take place on Tuesday, May 5, with the confirmed start time revealed to be 4:00 pm PT. 

Vancouver heads into this year's draft lottery with the highest odds to select first-overall with 18.5%. After them are the Chicago Blackhawks (13.5%), New York Rangers (11.5%), and Calgary Flames (9.5%). Only 11 teams will get the chance to potentially select first-overall, as teams can only move up a maximum of 10 spots from their seeding position. 

If the Canucks successfully win the lottery and claim the first-overall selection, it will be the first time in franchise history they'll do-so. Vancouver has selected within the top-three eight different times, but have yet to claim a first-overall pick. Their PWHL counterpart, the Vancouver Goldeneyes, were awarded the first-overall pick on Saturday due to the league's Gold Play policy. 

As it stands, there are no Stanley Cup Playoff games officially scheduled for May 5, though this could change in the coming days. Three games could potentially be played a couple of days before, however, as the Buffalo Sabres and Boston Bruins, Montréal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning, and Utah Mammoth and Vegas Golden Knights will all have their Game 7s scheduled for Sunday, May 3. The second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs will likely begin shortly after that. 

The 2026 NHL Draft Lottery can be viewed on Sportsnet. 

Photo Credit: @Canucks - X
Photo Credit: @Canucks - X

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Penguins' Letang Elevating Game In Playoffs

There have been a lot of factors that have contributed to the Pittsburgh Penguins finding themselves back in their first-round series against the Philadelphia Flyers.

After going down 3-0 to start the series, the Penguins won-back-to-back in Games 4 and 5 to force a Game 6. Goaltender Artūrs Šilovs has been a big part of that, as he has stopped 46 of 50 shots across the two wins to amount to a .920 save percentage. Sidney Crosby has also been a big part of it, as he leads the team with five points in five games - including four in the last two - and his line has found another gear.

But another huge factor in the last two games has been 20-year veteran blueliner Kris Letang.

Letang, 39, has had a long, successful career across two decades with the Penguins, registering 178 goals and 806 points in 1,235 career regular season games and 25 goals and 92 points in 152 playoff games. Unfortunately, he struggled to find consistency for much of the regular season, and the carousel of defense partners didn't help.

First, he was paired with Ryan Shea on the second pairing, which didn't go over very well for Letang. Then, he played about two months alongside defenseman Brett Kulak, who was acquired from the Edmonton Oilers, along with Stuart Skinner, for netminder Tristan Jarry in mid-December. He and Kulak paired well together, as Kulak's shutdown style tandemed with Letang's offensive prowess and ability in transition.

Then came Sam Girard, who was part of a swap with the Colorado Avalanche that involved Kulak going the other way. Girard, 27, is a lot like Letang in many ways, as they are generally smaller blueliners who like to carry the puck on their stick and use their skating to their advantage.

It didn't start off well for the two, as both were getting used to each other and trying to play a similar style, which often resulted in odd-man breaks against, turnovers, and lapses in defensive coverage. It was like that for the first part of their regular season together - starting in February after the Olympic break - and that's how things went in the first three games of the series against Philadelphia, too.

But just like they were able to reach another level nearing the end of the regular season, they have turned it up several notches in the last two playoff games. 

Penguins' Goaltender Artūrs Šilovs Showing Big-Game Prowess In Series Against FlyersPenguins' Goaltender Artūrs Šilovs Showing Big-Game Prowess In Series Against FlyersAfter going down 3-0 in their first-round series against the Philadelphia Flyers, the Pittsburgh Penguins turned to rookie goaltender Artūrs Šilovs, who has some big-game experience under his belt - and he has delivered.

According to Natural Stat Trick, among the 40 defense pairings in the playoffs that have seen at least 30 minutes on the ice together, Girard and Letang have the second-highest on-ice shot attempts-for share (CF%) at 67.52, second only to Montreal Canadiens pairing Jayden Struble and Arber Xhekaj (70.69). The Penguins have had 79 chances for and 38 against with them on the ice. 

And the next-closest Penguins' pairing? Parker Wotherspoon and Erik Karlsson at a 51.97 chances for share with 66 chances for and 61 against. 

The pairing also ranks 12th out of 40 in expected goals share (GF%) at 56.26.

These numbers account for the entirety of the playoffs, too, not just the last two games, where their numbers were elevated a bit from the first three. The fact of the matter is that the Girard-Letang pair is beginning to step up again, as they did in the final few weeks of the regular season, and the Penguins are a much better team for it. 

Of course, credit goes to both guys as individuals and as a pairing. Girard has been a monster in transition and in the offensive zone, which has helped the Penguins' attack a whole lot. But Letang has managed to lock in and play, arguably, his best hockey of the year in the last two games - and that has been in all facets.

Not only did he score back-to-back game-winning goals for the Penguins in Games 4 and 5, he was also able to get back to the best version of himself in all zones: A player who defends well one-on-one, can get back in plays on the backcheck, has elite puck possession and protection skills, and is strong on the breakout and - like Girard - in transition.

3 Takeaways: Behind Strong Defensive Effort, Penguins Take Game 5 Against Flyers And Climb Back Into Series3 Takeaways: Behind Strong Defensive Effort, Penguins Take Game 5 Against Flyers And Climb Back Into SeriesThe Pittsburgh Penguins have climbed back into their best-of-seven first-round series against the Philadelphia Flyers after a huge Game 5 win.

Like Crosby and the other veterans in the room, Letang has been in this league for a long time, and he has a ton of playoff experience under his belt that includes three Stanley Cup Championships. So, his ability to elevate his game when the stakes have been the highest in the playoffs is nothing new - and it's helping the Penguins stay alive in this grueling series. 

"Obviously, this is a guy who's been doing it for a long time and at a high level," head coach Dan Muse said Tuesday. "He's been in a lot of these big moments. I think he's got the experience of understanding, too, when it's time to elevate and how to get to another level. I think we've seen that, not just in terms of the goal-scoring, but just overall play, and I think you've seen that from a lot of our group and, definitely, a lot of our veterans leading the way. I think the experience they've had of being in these big moments, being in a lot of different situations in the playoffs, that could factor in.

"I think it's also... he's just a big-time competitor, and what you don't see behind the scenes, just the way he prepares, the way he takes care of himself, his day-to-day, gets you this time of year. And it comes as no surprise that he's put himself in a position to elevate his game."

If Letang can produce repeat performances of Games 4 and 5 - or, even, manage to turn it up a notch more - that will be very good news for the Penguins in Game 6.

Pittsburgh Penguins At Philadelphia Flyers Game 6 Preview: Penguins Will Try To Force Game 7 On SaturdayPittsburgh Penguins At Philadelphia Flyers Game 6 Preview: Penguins Will Try To Force Game 7 On SaturdayThe Pittsburgh Penguins will try to stave off elimination again on Wednesday.

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Celtics vs 76ers Same-Game Parlay for Thursday's NBA Playoffs Game 6

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The Boston Celtics head back to the City of Brotherly Love with a chance to shut the door on the Philadelphia 76ers.

After letting a series-clinching win slip at home, Boston won’t be taking any chances in Game 6 on Thursday. 

The Celtics have long been one of the NBA’s best “bounce-back” teams, but they’ll likely need a lift from super-sub Payton Pritchard if they’re going to close things out and move on to Round 2.

Here are my best Celtics vs. 76ers predictions and NBA picks for April 30.

Our best Celtics vs 76ers SGP for Game 6

SGP leg #1: Celtics -5.5

The Boston Celtics’ flash freeze in the second half saw them blow a 13-point lead in Game 5, sending the series back to Philly. The Celtics seem to do their best work on the road and boast one of the most impressive records when coming off a loss.

This season, Boston is 21-6 SU and 18-9 ATS off a loss and 60-13 SU and 51-22 ATS (70%) in those spots over the past three years.

SGP leg #2: Payton Pritchard Over 13.5 points

Payton Pritchard continues to produce off the pine for Boston, be it points, assists, or rebounds. He had a monster 32-point performance in his last trip to Philadelphia and scored 2.5 more points per game as a visitor on the season.

The Celtics guard is shooting 51% over the last three outings, and player projections call for 15+ points from Pritchard on Thursday night.

SGP leg #3: Tyrese Maxey Over 2.5 threes

Tyrese Maxey has been an inside-out threat for the Philadelphia 76ers all season.

Maxey connected for 17 total 3-pointers over the last five games, and with Philadelphia’s game script having the Sixers fighting from behind, he’ll be extra active from outside if the Celtics start to pull away.

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Get Jason Logan's full breakdown of this game, including his best bet, plus the latest NBA odds, injuries, and betting trends, in his Celtics vs 76ers predictions for Game 6.

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Injured Hurricanes Defenseman Returns To Practice

Alexander Nikishin looks to be ahead of schedule in terms of a potential return to game action.

After suffering a concussion on Saturday in Game 4 of the Hurricanes' first round series, the Russian blueliner was back on the ice for practice on Wednesday. 

Nikishin was sporting a yellow, non-contact jersey, but according to Carolina coach Rod Brind'Amour, the rookie defenseman seems to be doing well.

"They said right away that he didn't really have a lot of symptoms, so I think he's feeling good," Brind'Amour said. "Whatever he's gotta do, it's going along in the right direction."

The Hurricanes have had plenty of time off since their series sweep of the Senators and they might just continue enjoying this extended recovery time with the way the first round has been going.

While some worry about the rust factor, the benefit for injured players like Nikishin certainly outweighs those fears.

"Scary moment, but thank God he's fine," said teammate Andrei Svechnikov. "He's skating with us now and I think he's gonna be good."

And while the team has depth that they can rely on, having all of their main guys available is obviously preferred. 

Nikishin has been a steady presence on Carolina's blueline this year, as the rookie finished the year not only third in defensive scoring, but also set a team record for points by a first-year defenseman.

His game has come a long way throughout the course of the season, and he's developed pretty well overall into being a consistent and trusted part of the defensive corps too.

"His game has been progressing all year," Brind'Amour said. "Playoff hockey, the only thing that changes is the intensity and the physicality, and that's something that he should be able to adapt too really well. His game is good, but I still think there's another level and I think he knows that too. But a lot of positives too with where he's come and where we think he can get to."

"He had a really good second half of the year," Svechnikov said. "I think first half, he was trying to figure out and get used to the NHL speed and physicality and all that stuff. He's been really good. It's exciting to see him and I think he's only gonna get better from this point."

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Giants add RHP Gregory Santos, option Blade Tidwell

SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 19: Pitcher Gregory Santos #47 of the San Francisco Giants poses for a portrait during photo day at Scottsdale Stadium on February 19, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The last vestiges of the Eduardo Nunez trade from 2017 exist in the form of reliever Gregory Santos, whom the Boston Red Sox signed as an amateur free agent allllll the way back in 2015. It wouldn’t be until 2021 that he’d make his major league debut with the San Francisco Giants and after 5.2 innings across 2021 & 2022, the Giants traded him away for pitcher Kade McClure, who did not pan out. Such is the mystery of Baseball. He’s now back with the Giants and will be on the major league roster for them tonight, taking the place of Blade Tidwell.

The 26-year old flamethrowing righty had a great 2023 season for the Chicago White Sox. He was a 1.5-fWAR reliever in 66.1 IP with a 52.5% groundball rate and a 3.39 ERA, but also a 2.65 FIP. He pitched just 14.1 innings over the past two seasons for Seattle, and were bumpy to say the least (5.02 ERA / 4.41 FIP). He’s allowed just 3 runs (all earned) in 11 innings (2.45 ERA) for Sacramento so far with just 6 strikeouts. So, it’s weak contact when things are going well. Sort of a “best case scenario” Joel Peguero, perhaps. He’s the Giants’ ideal form of reliever, stretching back for at least the past decade: high velocity sinker (in this case, 97+) and 2,500+ rpm slider.

That’ll be an interesting change from Blade Tidwell from a stuff perspective. He has a six-pitch mix and gets a bit more swing and miss. On the other hand, the Giants might still see him as a starter, and with Adrian Houser pitching closer to his career averages and Tyler Mahle likely to hit the IL at some point, having a quality starter ready to go will be a necessity here very soon. But he looked great as a reliever.

For now, the Giants will hope that Santos can regain some of that 2023 magic and slide right into that bailout in the 5th inning or start the 6th clean role to make the 7th and beyond a fun game of Keaton Winn/Ryan Walker/Caleb Kilian/Erik Miller.

To clear a spot for him on the 40-man roster, outfielder Jared Oliva was transferred to the 60-day IL while he recovers from hamate surgery. Welcome back to the Giants and the big leagues, Gregory!

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Mets OF Tommy Pham elects free agency after clearing waivers

Veteran outfielder Tommy Pham's tenure with the Mets is officially done.

Pham cleared waivers on Wednesday and the team outrighted him to Triple-A Syracuse, but he declined the assignment and elected free agency instead, according to MLB.com's Anthony DiComo.

New York designated the 38-year-old for assignment earlier in the week on April 26 after a rough stretch at the plate.

The OF had gone 0-for-13 with a walk over nine games this season.

It was Pham's second stint with the Mets, having played 79 games with the team in 2023. He had a solid year with New York, slashing .268/.348/.472 with 10 home runs and 36 RBI before getting traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks at the deadline.

For his career, Pham has played for 10 teams across 13 seasons, owning a .256 average and .765 OPS with 149 home runs, 200 doubles, and 522 RBI.

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Celtics vs 76ers Prediction, Picks & Odds for NBA Playoffs Game 6

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Throughout an erratic opening round of the NBA Playoffs, Payton Pritchard remains the Boston Celtics’ north star.

The reserve guard is giving Boston its most consistent efforts versus the Philadelphia 76ers, which says something when you have stars like Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown on your roster. 

Pritchard is producing in various ways through the first five games of this postseason set, averaging 15 points, four rebounds, and five assists. Our Celtics vs. 76ers predictions like the sensational sixth man to keep setting the tone Thursday.

My NBA picks take Pritchard to put up points in Game 6.

Celtics vs 76ers prediction

Celtics vs 76ers best bet: Payton Pritchard Over 13.5 points (-112)

It seemed no member of the Boston Celtics was immune to whatever ailment impacted the team’s shooting in the second half of Game 6. The Celtics were outscored 63-40 by the Philadelphia 76ers in the final 24 minutes on Tuesday.

Payton Pritchard struggled in the second half, but his stat line was glowing compared to some of the Celtics’ other standouts. He finished the game with 12 points on 5-for-10 shooting in just 26 minutes off the bench, including 1-for-5 from beyond the arc.

When asked about his team’s struggles at home, Pritchard told the media, “I can’t really put my finger on it, but honestly, it feels like we've been better on the road.”

That’s true, at least for Pritchard. This season, he averaged 18.3 points per game as a visitor compared to 15.8 ppg at TD Garden, while shooting identical field-goal rates. His best effort in this series was a 32-point explosion at Philadelphia in Game 5.

Pritchard is picking up the slack, not just left by stars like Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum but also the rest of the Celtics’ support staff. Derrick White is broken, and Sam Hauser is ineffective, leaving key minutes to fall to Pritchard.

He’s a collective 22-for-43 from the field the past three games (51%), and with Game 6 expected to be the tightest of the series (Boston -5.5), game script says he’ll log his standard of 32+ minutes.

Player projections are positive for Pritchard as well, with models ranging from 14.9 to 15.3 points in a crucial contest for the Celtics.

Celtics vs 76ers same-game parlay

The Celtics’ struggles aren’t deep rooted. They simply live by the three and die by the three. Boston was in command but got passive, and that led to cold shooting in the home stretch of Game 5. I expect the C’s to come out swinging and make good on a 70% ATS win rate off a loss over the past three seasons.

Tyrese Maxey won’t roll over for Boston at home. And with the game script calling for the Sixers to fight from behind, he’ll try to play catch-up from outside the arc. He’s made three or more triples in each of the past four games in this series.

Celtics vs 76ers SGP

  • Celtics -5.5
  • Payton Pritchard Over 13.5 points
  • Tyrese Maxey Over 2.5 threes

Celtics vs 76ers betting trend to know

The Boston Celtics are 60-13 SU and 51-22 ATS (70%) off a loss over the past three seasons. Find more NBA betting trends for Celtics vs. 76ers.

How to watch Celtics vs 76ers Game 6

LocationXfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, PA
DateThursday, April 30, 2026
Tip-off8:00 p.m. ET
TVNBCSN/Peacock

Celtics vs 76ers latest injuries

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Reds place Graham Ashcraft on bereavement list, add Luis Mey

Cincinnati Reds v Washington Nationals
Cincinnati Reds v Colorado Rockies

The Cincinnati Reds needed to shuffle their bullpen on Wednesday prior to the second game of the series against the Colorado Rockies, as right-hander Graham Ashcraft was placed on the bereavement list. They opted to recall right-hander Luis Mey to fill the spot on the roster, as they announced on Twitter.

Ashcraft has been brilliant so far in 2026, his second season as a full-time reliever. in 15 games, he’s pitched 15.0 IP and allowed just 3 runs (2 earned) for a tidy 1.20 ERA and 2.73 FIP. He’s rightfully earned a high-leverage role alongside Tony Santillan in front of closer Emilio Pagan, and simply replacing him with Mey won’t be a one for one.

Someone’s going to need to slide into a higher-leverage role for a minimum of three games (and a max of seven).

Mey’s 2026 work down at AAA Louisville has hardly been as good. He’s allowed 9 runs (6 earned) in 11.0 IP, though the walk issue he’s dealt with throughout his pro career has been much better so far (14/3 K/BB). He’s hardly been the most effective reliever for the Bats so far this year – veterans Andrew Chafin, Tejay Antone, and even Lyon Richardson have been much better – but Mey is the lone one of that group currently on the 40-man roster to make this move more seamless long-term.

It is notable, though, that Kyle Nicolas was not recalled. He was only optioned on April 25th but could have been brought back early given the nature of Ashcraft’s move to the bereavement list, though he did pitch an inning for the Bats last night. Mey, however, hasn’t pitched since the 25th when he also threw an inning.

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Game 29: Chicago Cubs at San Diego Padres

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 28: Bryce Johnson #29 of the San Diego Padres looks on after flying out during the ninth inning of a game against the Chicago Cubs at Petco Park on April 28, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Chicago Cubs (18-12) at San Diego Padres (19-10), April 29, 2026, 1:10 p.m. PST

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Goaltender Scott Wedgewood rises from career backup to the Avalanche’s playoff rock

Scott Wedgewood

Apr 21, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Avalanche goaltender Scott Wedgewood (41) in the first period against the Los Angeles Kings in game two of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Isaiah J. Downing/Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

DENVER — Scott Wedgewood tends to notice just about everything happening around him, no matter the task.

That traffic pattern five lights ahead while driving? He’s already planned for it. The people passing by while he’s walking in the airport or the mall with his family? He’s logged each detail.

He may just be that locked in. Or perhaps it’s an occupational hazard of being an NHL goaltender.

“My mind,” Wedgewood said, “is always on.”

He certainly has been peace of mind for the Colorado Avalanche this season, with the career backup turning into a stabilizing force in net. He led all NHL goaltenders in both goals-against average (2.02) and save percentage (.921).

Colorado coach Jared Bednar started Wedgewood throughout the first round of the playoffs in lieu of a platoon situation with Mackenzie Blackwood. The 33-year-old Wedgewood, making his first NHL playoff starts, allowed five goals in a sweep of the Los Angeles Kings. They await the winner of the Minnesota-Dallas series, which the Wild lead 3-2.

“A career backup ... here he is starting in the playoffs,” Bednar said. “I’m happy for him.”

Net gains

As kids, his two older brothers turned him into a goaltender so they had someone to shoot on in their basement in Ontario. One particular time, he ran upstairs after suffering a cut next to his eye that required stitches.

“My parents were like, ‘You guys weren’t even supposed to be playing!’” Wedgewood said.

A defenseman back then, Wedgewood started to become enamored with goalie life. When he was asked to step in while the team’s regular goaltender went on vacation, he accepted. He recounted how at a 3-on-3 youth game the score with him in net was something like 26-20.

He left with the biggest smile.

“My dad’s like, ‘I thought you were going to hate it for how many goals were scored,’” said Wedgewood, whose family expanded in January when his wife, Brittany, had their second daughter. “But it was amazing.”

The backup plan

Wedgewood has been trying to carve out his own path since he was picked by the New Jersey Devils in the third round of the 2010 draft. Everywhere he went, though, it seemed like he was option No. 2.

His fellow goaltender while in the Devils organization was Blackwood. They were friendly but competitive and nothing like today.

Today, they’re competitive, supportive and good friends.

Colorado is coming off a regular season in which the team allowed the fewest goals-against. For that, Wedgewood and Blackwood shared the William M. Jennings Trophy, which is presented to the goaltender(s) who’ve played a minimum of 25 games for the team with the fewest goals scored against.

Wedgewood went 31-6-6 in 45 games played, while Blackwood finished 23-10-2 in 39 games. Splitting playoff games may still be a plan going forward, but Wedgewood’s taken his game to another level.

Inside Ball Arena, each save by Wedgewood is greeted by chants of “Wedg-ie, Wedg-ie, Wedg-ie.” His teammates appreciate his sprawling saves, too.

“I don’t know anything about goaltending but he’s stopping the puck,” forward Nathan MacKinnon said. “He’s got a great attitude every day. Really cool story. Obviously bounced around a little bit, found a home here and the fans love him. ... We have two really good goalies.”

The relationship between Wedgewood and Blackwood has gone through stages. Early on in New Jersey, it was difficult because, “a little bit of the feeling that they were turning the page on me,” Wedgewood said.

A different feeling, though, when he rejoined the Devils a few years later after bouncing around.

“I had experiences and a little bit more maturity,” Wedgewood said. “He had proven that he was a great goalie and getting his chance. We were like, ‘Hey, I want you to do well.’”

A full-circle moment arrived when they were paired again in Colorado. Wedgewood was acquired by Colorado on Nov. 30, 2024, from Nashville in a swap of backup goaltenders. Nine days later, the Avalanche picked up the 29-year-old Blackwood from San Jose for starter Alexandar Georgiev.

“It was like, ‘You’re the guy, and I understand my role, and I want to help you and support you in any way,’” said Wedgewood, who backed up Blackwood in the playoffs last season. “It just becomes a friendship.”

Blackwood was hurt to start the season. It opened the door for Wedgewood, who posted a 5-0-2 mark in his first seven appearances. He’s been a dependable wall — his Instagram handle is “Wedgewall” — ever since. The Avs feel good about their Lumberyard.

“We feel confident in both of these guys,” Bednar said.

Turning the page

Wedgwood is an avid reader and recently took part in a book event with fans in which he swapped goalie sticks for copies of Matt Dinniman’s science fantasy series “Dungeon Crawler Carl.” The author was in attendance at the game.

This is no science fiction: Wedgewood once wanted to be an NHL defenseman.

“That’d be one of my my genie wishes,” he said, “to see what would have happened.”

Could he have been on the level of Cale Makar?

“No, no, no, no,” Wedgewood said.

He grinned and added, “But I’d have to say I was pretty good.”

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Red Sox put Garrett Crochet on 15-day IL with shoulder inflammation and recall Nate Eaton

TORONTO — The Boston Red Sox put left-hander Garrett Crochet on the 15-day injured list because of left shoulder inflammation and recalled utilityman Nate Eaton from Triple-A Worcester.

Last year’s AL Cy Young Award runner-up, when he went 18-5 with a 2.59 ERA, Crochet has a 6.30 ERA through six starts in 2026.

Crochet (3-3) struck out seven over six shutout innings in a 17-1 win at Baltimore, looking every bit the ace Boston traded for in December 2024 and signed to a six-year, $170 million contract in March 2025.

The Red Sox fired manager Alex Cora and five coaches following Saturday’s game.

Crochet’s win over the Orioles came two starts after the ugliest outing of his Red Sox career — an 11-run debacle over 1 2/3 innings at Minnesota on April 13.

Crochet has been an AL All-Star each of the past two seasons.

Eaton was batting .292 with three homers and 12 RBIs in 27 games at Triple-A. He played for Kansas City in 2022 and 2023, and appeared in 41 games for Boston last season.

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Draymond Green praises Jonathan Kuminga’s defensive impact in Hawks-Knicks series

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 23: Mikal Bridges #25 of the New York Knicks drives against Jonathan Kuminga #0 of the Atlanta Hawks during the first quarter of game three of the Eastern Conference first round playoffs at State Farm Arena on April 23, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. 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 Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) | Getty Images

In today’s Dub Hub:

Draymond Green has always taken pride in his defensive mastery with the Golden State Warriors, down to the smallest details. His impact on that end has been generational—and it’s clearly rubbed off on others, including former teammate Jonathan Kuminga.

Now with the Atlanta Hawks, Kuminga made a heads-up defensive play in Game 2 of the team’s First Round Playoff series against the New York Knicks and gave Green a shoutout afterward.

Green returned the love during Monday’s episode of The Draymond Green Show, praising Kuminga’s growth and impact in Atlanta.

Via The Draymond Green Show:

“I love [Jonathan Kuminga] to death. That’s my young fella and to see him out there doing what he’s doing defensively, playing his role on the offensive end, it’s a beautiful sight to see. I know what he’s capable of, and he’s capable of giving you more on the offensive end, but he’s playing his role. I think as the series goes on, he’s going to give you more on the offensive end. But even watching that last play in Game 3, where he guarded the guy, switched, stopped it, chased the guy over, knocked the ball away, ran it, like what can you do when a guy is doing that?”

Kuminga has flashed two-way impact throughout the first-round series against the Knicks. In Atlanta’s two wins, he totaled 40 points on 16-of-26 shooting from the field, three steals, and two blocks to showcase how effective he can be when everything clicks.

However, consistency—much like during his time with the Warriors—hasn’t always been there. He’s struggled from deep in the Hawks’ last two losses, shooting a combined 1-of-11 from three in Games 5 and 6 while scoring 10 and 13 points, respectively.

Still, Green doesn’t seem too concerned as the Hawks now face a 3-2 series deficit. He believes Kuminga will eventually bounce back—if not now, then next season with a full training camp under his belt.

“He’s been in Atlanta for three months, so the offensive role will grow. When you get a training camp under your belt, the offensive role will grow. But he’s doing what he has to do to stay on the floor, and I love to see it.”

For more on this and other news around the NBA, here is our latest news round-up for Wednesday, April 29th:

Warriors News:

Those hoping Steve Kerr leaves Warriors should be careful what they wish for | NBC Sports Bay Area

Kerr did some of his best work when the Warriors were most compromised by injury. His overall record is impressive in ways both overt and subtle. latent. More on that later.

Group 2, which seems smaller in number but is particularly vocal in the disaffected chamber of social media, has decided Kerr – who presided over teams that reached the NBA Finals in each of his first five seasons – has lost his touch or, worse, forgotten how to coach. Therefore, it is time for CEO Joe Lacob and general manager Mike Dunleavy to recruit a replacement for Golden State. Someone they believe is more evolved in the ways of the NBA.

Kawhi Leonard trade: Four offers that could start a Clippers rebuild | ESPN

Golden State Warriors get:

Kawhi Leonard

LA Clippers get:

Jimmy Butler III
2027 first-round pick (lottery-protected)
2032 first-round pick

The Warriors have been connected more to Leonard than any other team in recent months, and for good reason. After Butler tore his ACL in January, the Warriors need a Plan B if they want to try to reopen their competitive window while 38-year-old Stephen Curry is still playing at an All-Star level.

Leonard would be a strong fit as a Butler replacement, with even higher upside after the best regular season of his career. The salaries of the two stars match well enough that no other player would need to be included in this deal.

Steph Curry’s sneaker free agency auction raises $1.7 million for Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation 

NBA News:

4 takeaways: Jalen Brunson stars, Hawks struggle shooting from 3 | NBA

The Hawks were a slightly better-than-average offensive team in the regular season, but they have scored an efficient 119.6 points per 100 possessions (sixth best) as they won 19 of their final 24 games.

In this series, they’ve scored just 106.9 per 100, the second worst mark for any team not involved in the Detroit-Orlando car crash. In four of the five games, the Hawks have scored well below league-average efficiency.

Some of that is some poor shooting from open 3-point shooters. The Knicks haven’t been perfect defensively.

But they’ve been very good. The Hawks had some success attacking Brunson down the stretch of Game 2, but Towns has passed the test. In fact, he had two terrific defensive plays against the Hawks’ two biggest offensive threats on Tuesday.

ESPN’s Shams Charania breaks down NBA’s proposed anti-tanking lottery changes

In case you missed it at Golden State of Mind:

NBA shares newest draft lottery proposal with general managers

Instead, the proposal would expand the lottery to include 16 teams, comprising the 10 teams that miss the Play-In Tournament, the two losers of each conference’s 7-8 play-in matchup, and the four 9-10 seeds. Rather than giving the most lottery balls to the worst teams, the system would instead most heavily favor teams with the 4th through 10th worst records in the league.

Follow @unstoppablebaby on X for all the latest news on the Golden State Warriors.

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Wednesday’s game between the Giants and Phillies pushed up 30 minutes

A groundskeeper pulls a tarp on Citizens Bank Park, with the logo in the background.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - MAY 12: A member of the Philadelphia Phillies ground crew helps roll out the tarp to cover the field due to an incoming storm before the start of a game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the New York Mets at Citizens Bank Park on May 12, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The San Francisco Giants are facing the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday, in the second game of their three-game series. The hope is that the second game will go better than the first one did. We’ll have to wait to see if that’s the case, but one thing’s for certain: the game is coming a little earlier than expected.

With bad weather making its way through the east coast, the teams announced on Wednesday, about four hours before game time, that the contest would be moved up by 30 minutes. Instead of the originally-scheduled start at 3:40 p.m. PT (6:40 p.m. local time), first pitch will now come at 3:10 p.m. PT.

Rain is expected to fall in Philly in the evening, and the hope is that by starting the game earlier, the teams can avoid most of the poor weather. Mother nature often has other plans, though, so we’ll see how that goes.

For Giants fans on the road, the gate times at Citizens Bank Park aren’t changing, despite the new start time. Third base and left field gates will open at 1:40 p.m. PT, with all other gates opening at 2:10.

We’ll let you know if there are any more updates on the weather or the schedule.

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LeBron James says he hasn’t been the same since injury from Solomon Hill

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 20: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts to an apparent injury during the second period of a game against the Atlanta Hawks at Staples Center on March 20, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Back in 2021, the Lakers were deep into their title defense when LeBron James suffered an injury that changed the trajectory of not just that season, but the career of their superstar.

Los Angeles was hosting Atlanta when Solomon Hill dove headfirst at LeBron’s legs. Every Lakers fan likely remembers what happened next as LeBron crumpled to the ground and missed the next 21 games. By the time he returned, the Lakers had gone from contenders to a play-in team before ultimately losing to the Suns in the opening round of the playoffs.

That play involving Hill will haunt Lakers fans for decades to come, especially after LeBron admitted to Dave McMenamin of ESPN that he has never truly physically recovered.

“My foot and my ankle ain’t been the same since. Ever since that injury, I’ve been fighting uphill to get it back to normal. But it’s been a little blah ever since. What could have been, for sure. I was playing some of the best basketball of my career up until that point and leading this franchise in the right direction and then something like that happens, a high ankle sprain, and there’s nothing you can do about that.”

Even at the time, the dive Hill took was considered reckless by many. Lakers players Dennis Schröder and Montrezl Harrell both said it was postgame, and Hill had to defend himself.

Dirty or not, the impact has been significant, as it’s been years later and LeBron still doesn’t feel the same. Since then, LeBron has sustained additional injuries, making it impossible to be fully healthy.

In 2023, he tore a tendon in his right foot and went to “the LeBron James of feet” to get it fixed. He did come back, but his burst was clearly missing and LeBron hinted that perhaps only offseason surgery could fix it.

LeBron avoiding that injury from Hill’s dive is one of the “what ifs” of his career. Perhaps had that not happened, he would’ve kept a bit more of his burst and subsequent injuries to his right foot might have been avoided.

Luckily, it hasn’t stopped James from having a long and successful career, but it’s still frustrating to hear that such a reckless dive continues to impact his game to this day.

You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.