The Montreal Canadiens picked up a 2-1 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 7. With this, the Canadiens have moved on to the second round and will be facing off against the surging Buffalo Sabres.
Game 7 was certainly far from a perfect win for the Canadiens, as the Habs finished the contest with only nine shots. Yet, despite not generating many chances, the Canadiens still pulled away with the victory.
The Canadiens can thank Jakub Dobes for that.
Dobes was excellent for the Canadiens in Game 7, as he stopped 28 out of 29 Lightning shots he faced. With this, Dobes finished Game 7 with a .966 save percentage.
Dobes' heroics ended up making him the recipient of a funny prank by fellow Canadiens goaltender Samuel Montembeault.
Following an interview on TNT, Dobes received a shaving cream pie to the face from Montembeault. TNT was able to capture the aftermath of the prank, which was great.
Jakub Dobeš talked to the panel after his AMAZING Game 7 performance 👏🔥
"I feel like every game I played this year was kind of like a Game 7... I was playing for my life" 😤
Montembeault has not played this postseason, but he has been a great teammate. For example, during Game 6, Montembeault was seen waving his towel like the Habs fans.
Sam Montembeault with the towel wave while watching the Habs playoff game
Now, Dobes will be looking to lead the Canadiens past the Sabres in the second round. If he does, Montembeault may have no choice but to prank him again.
May 3, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Philadelphia Phillies hats and gloves sit on the bench against the Miami Marlins during the sixth inning at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Rhona Wise-Imagn Images | Rhona Wise-Imagn Images
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 28: A detailed view of the "Cobra" patch honoring the late former Pirate Dave Parker worn on the jersey of Oneil Cruz #15 of the Pittsburgh Pirates against the San Francisco Giants in the top of the ninth inning of a major league baseball game at Oracle Park on July 28, 2025 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Lovullo is an idiot.
“Why don’t the diamondbacks dfa lovulululu. He’s an idiot.”
Such a thoughtful phrase might have come from a nowadays philosopher. Something like Kant, but reflectioning on baseball instead of economics. But, no, it was Zekedos2 on mlbtraderumors.com, commenting on the article that Aramis García was DFAd by the Diamondbacks after reinstating Gabriel Moreno.
The Diamondbacks are gifted with a terrific bullpen, one of the best in the league. Their 19th ranked 0.3 fWAR does not do right to the potential, nor does their .263 BABIP. This bullpen is World Series level.
The 0.4 fWAR of the rotation is not a true reflection of how great the starting pitching actually is. Their 30th ranked position is a fluke. These starting pitchers are way better than you might think. The .311 BABIP says so.
The offence isn’t mediocre like their 3.5 fWAR might indicate. This is an elite hitting squad. We only need our first basemen to get back from their injuries to reach our full potential and hit our way to the play-offs.
Unbelievable that we got swept by the Cubs. This team is so much better than their 16-17 record indicates. What? We were 16-14 before getting our butt kicked in Wrigleyville? I laugh at your 16-14. The White Sox beat us. The Dodgers swept us. We lost a game against every NL East opponent. We should have been at 22-11 now, leading the league comfortably.
Unfortunately Zekedos2 hides his geniality behind a nick, but just like with Banksy, all geniuses will eventually get revealed.
Who is not a genius? Lovullo. Handed a terrific roster, Lovullo is a complete idiot.
Pirates are no idiots.
Jack Sparrow looked like an idiot and certainly behaved like one, but wasn’t a idiot, though the rum might disagree with that statement. The Pittsburgh Pirates are a bit like the Pirates of the Caribbean. After watching the second installment of the series, you have seen them all: the entire Pirates of the Caribbean franchise becomes a drag. That’s how a Pittsburgh Pirates’ fan must feel: since 2017 the Pirates of the NL Central end 4 or 5 in each season, no matter how their season (movie went). Maybe this year is their best movie of the entire franchise since 2017, but the result is still the same: they are last in their division.
The crew, though, looks better than in previous seasons, because the directors actually tried to make work this off-season of putting some decent acting on the set.
Padre Ryan O’Hearn signed a two-year $29MM contract as free agent.
Slugger Marcell Ozuna joined the team on a one year $12MM contract.
Reliever Gregory Soto signed for $7.75MM and one season.
Brandon Lowe was acquired in a 3-team trade from the Tampa Bay Rays, with one year left on his contract.
Though Marcell Ozuna still has not found his groove yet in Steel City, the influx of hitting talent into that batting lineup has done the Pirates well. Last year the Pittsburgh offence was 28th in the league, according to their fWAR, with their 117 homeruns being the lowest total in the entire league, 31 less than division rival St. Louis Cardinals. Now? That same fWAR and WRC+ puts them in the top 10 of the MLB. Except for the catching (Henry Davis / Joey Bart) and designated hitter (Marcell Ozuna), the entire Pittsburgh lineup has a 100+ OPS+, with Brandon Lowe (141 OPS+), Bryan Reynolds (136 OPS+), Ryan O’Hearn (141 OPS+) and Oneil Cruz (126 OPS+) posing the biggest threads. Nick Gonzales and Konnor Griffin have been on a hot streak the past two weeks.
The Pittsburgh hitters are coming off an especially successful weekend bashing of the Reds: 27 runs in 3 games. That halted a 5-game losing streak, despite scoring 18 runs over those.
Pitching wise, their 5 saves are almost league lowest, leaving only the Angels and the Mets behind them. A team that scores many, does not need to save many. That is true, but closer Dennis Santana is not the trustworthy sailor he was last year, with way more walks and less strikeouts, when compared to 2025. The two blown saves are the proof of that, though the latest one, giving up 4 runs against Cardinals on April 27, was just the second time he gave up a run or more this season.
Their starting pitching is top of the league: xERA, xFIP, FIP and fWAR all puts the Pirates in the top 5 of the MLB. Obviously, ace Paul Skenes is a big reason for that, but the Pirates are also enjoying great starts from Brandon Ashcraft and Mitch Keller as well. Carmen Mlodzinski and Bubba Chandler round out a starting rotation with all ERAs below 5.00.
Last year the Diamondbacks lost their season series against Pirates (4-2), the year before was the other way around. Arizona has an all-time 104-77 record against Pittsburgh.
Matchups.
Game #1 Tue 05/05 6:40 PM MST, Eduardo Rodríguez (ARI) vs Bubba Chandler (PIT).
If there is one matchup that provides the Diamondbacks the biggest chance to win a game in this series, it is the one on the first night.
It were 3 games of fun with E-Rod, until the WBC magic was over and E-Rod turned into E-Rotten again. Baltimore might have been a fluke, but the struggles continued against the White Sox and Brewers. With the Pirates, the Venezuelan certainly won’t face an easier lineup than those of recent weeks.
Bubba Chandler is the weakest link in the Pirates’ rotation at the moment, strugging heavily with his command. He has huge troubles getting the batters out and has been walking them at a 6.2 BB/9 rate. It’s a tough blow for one of the biggest Pirates prospects after a good start of his career last year. Especially left-handed batting has been feasting on his pitching, which sounds like a great opportunity for the Diamondbacks to win this first game.
Both starting pitchers have never faced their opponent for their (current) team.
Game #2 Wed 05/06 6:40 PM MST, Michael Soroka (ARI) vs Paul Skenes (PIT).
If Soroka wants to bounce back after a horrible performance against Milwaukee, he will have to return to his former best of the beginning of the season if he wishes to beat Paul Skenes.
Skenes was terrible in his opening day start, getting just two batters out against the Mets, giving up 5 runs. After that he looked pretty much like the ace he is until he encountered a bump in the road against St. Louis in his most recent pitching performance, where he gave up 5 runs in 5 innings, though he struck out 9.
Last season Skenes pitched twice against the Diamondbacks and, obviously, won both matchups. 20 snakes have been killed by this Pirate in 18 innings of work. Ouch!
Game #3 Thu 05/07 12:40 PM MST, Zac Gallen (ARI) vs Mitch Keller (PIT).
After a tiny scare against the Padres, Zac Gallen returned to the mound against the Chicago Cubs and…well, he returned to the mound. Maybe he is able to regain a bit of his former himself against the Pirates. Gallen faced the Pirates twice last season and, like you might expect, he lost both games, giving up 10 runs over 11 innings.
2026 is Keller’s 8th season as a Pirate. He has a been a very reliable and durable pitcher for the Pirates since the 2022 season, a bit like Merrill Kelly, but with less spectacular results. However, this season he has been performing like an ace for the Pirates. BABIP says he will regress, most likely to the low 4.00 ERA pitching we are used of him, so why won’t we start with that regression to the mean this Thursday. Keller didn’t face the Diamondbacks last season and has 4 no-decisions in the 5 times he pitched against Arizona. The sole win was at Chase Field in 2022 and the other two times he took the ball in Arizona he completed 7 innings in both games, allowing 0 and 2 runs. We better be warned.
This is certainly not the worst-case scenario. Yet, it's a reality that Tarik Skubal – and the Detroit Tigers – always had to be prepared to accept.
Skubal and the Tigers entered into an uneasy limbo this season, Skubal knowing he'd be just six months from a payday approaching $500 million by not entertaining long-term extension talks – and the Tigers potentially left holding the bag if they didn't trade him.
Both sides assumed risk, and each will take a hit. Skubal's recovery will determine how big that will be.
For the Tigers? This significantly dents their chances in this all-in year, the last season they'll employ the back-to-back American League Cy Young Award winner before he plays the rich and desperate against each other this winter and wins Major League Baseball's equivalent of Powerball.
For Skubal? Well, this is not Tommy John surgery heading into a walk year, nor a concerning shoulder or rotator cuff malady and certainly not something career-threatening such as certain strains of thoracic outlet syndrome.
Yet, he will be sidelined into the second half, his dreams of a third consecutive Cy Young Award dashed. He will take into his walk year not a major league-leading strikeout total but rather a concerning number like 15 or 17 in the "Games Started" column.
Not exactly what suitors want to see when doling out the largest contract in history to a free agent starting pitcher.
Suddenly, Skubal and the Tigers will have to imagine life without him on the mound until, say, Aug. 1. That would leave him roughly 10 to 12 starts down the stretch to both reestablish his market – and push the Tigers back into the playoffs.
That latter part has been more complicated than Detroit imagined.
The Tigers are 18-17, in large part because they've lost 14 of 20 away from Comerica Park, and also because they've lost a fair amount of pitching to the IL already. From All-Star Casey Mize to serviceable Reese Olson to ancient Justin Verlander, the infirmary is bursting with starters already.
That said, almost any team can conjure an injury sob story. Despite the startling contributions from rookie Kevin McGonigle – on his way to Rookie of the Year honors and an All-Star nod with his .315 average and .884 OPS – the Tigers have played unevenly thus far.
And find themselves in a surprisingly thick AL Central race.
All five teams are within three games of each other – even the 15-20 Minnesota Twins, who are aiming to contest a 162-game season minus a bullpen. Nearing the end of the first quarter, it's a division where separation seems elusive.
In that vein, the Tigers should consider themselves fortunate that owner Christopher Illitch loosened the purse strings and OK'd a $115 million investment in Framber Valdez, who has been his typically steady self, aveaging nearly six innings a start with a 3.35 ERA.
Nope, not Skubal numbers. But enough to keep Detroit afloat.
And as Skubal joins Cincinnati Reds ace Hunter Greene and Los Angeles Dodgers closer Edwin Diaz on the recovery road from surgery to remove loose bodies, that's as good as Detroit can hope for right now. Nor can they rely on significant help from within (the top starters in their minor league system are at least a year away) or the trade market (not when roughly 25 teams are loosely contending in this year of parity).
So it's Framber and Jack, and Tarik, please hurry back.
Mize should eventually rejoin the fray, though adductor strains can be testy. Keider Montero will have to continue throwing the ball well, though his track record suggests he be additive value from a sixth starter role than a guy you're relying on.
And who are we kidding? None of them are Skubal, who in his first seven starts saw dips in his strikeouts per nine innings (from 11.1 to 9.3) and adjusted ERA (187 to 161). It's likely his elbow's been barking for a minute, before it became publicly known after he left his most recent start.
And now it's surgery, rehab, build back up, get back on the mound - and see exactly where the Tigers are in the standings. Shoot, if the bottom falls out, Skubal himself could be on the trade market, though dealing for him by the Aug. 3 deadline may purely be a buyer beware situation if he hasn't returned yet.
What a bummer, for all involved.
Skubal and the Tigers both knew this was a potential outcome. You also can't fault them for going all-in, in their own ways.
Now, a pitcher's pot of gold and a city's championship hopes must be put on hold, dampening what was to be a glorious summer in the D.
Openers Rohit Sharma and Ryan Rickelton took apart the Lucknow Super Giants attack as Mumbai Indians powered to a six-wicket win to keep their slim playoff hopes alive in the IPL on Monday.
DETROIT, MI - MAY 3: Cade Cunningham #2 of the Detroit Pistons drives to the basket during the game against the Orlando Magic during Round One Game Seven of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 3, 2026 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. 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 Chris Schwegler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The NBA Playoffs are a fickle beast, and that remains especially true for the Eastern Conference Playoffs. Three of the four first round series went the distance, which saw the pre-playoff favorite Boston Celtics be eliminated after blowing a 3-1 lead to the Sixers. The number one seed Detroit Pistons staged a 3-1 comeback of their own, highlighted by a 24-point comeback win in game six in Orlando. The Cavaliers toppled the Raptors in seven games, which saw the home team win all seven contests. And last, but certainly not least, the Knicks closed out the Hawks in game six, which was an all-time beat down.
What could the semifinals bring? Our brightest betting minds here at Mavs Moneyball have some disagreement about what the future might hold.
(Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Series moneyline: Detroit -120, Cavs +102
David’s pick: Cavaliers over Pistons 4-2
I do not think either of these teams are real. Detroit looked really bad after going down 3-1 to a Magic team that had no identity. But the Pistons won 60 games for a reason and ultimately did not fall victim to the same fate the Mavericks did 19 years ago. Donovan Mitchell has been a career loser in the playoffs and James Harden’s choking is well documented. Fortunately for them, experience will win out here and the Pistons’ dream season will fall short of their ultimate goal.
Series props:
Cavaliers to win (+105)
Series to go 6 games (+200)
Detroit to win game one/Cleveland to win series (+320)
The Cavaliers will bring Donovan Mitchell to the conference finals for the first time. James Harden will have a chance to go back to the NBA Finals. They will finish it in six games after Detroit runs out of shooting. I think the Pistons will come out and keep their momentum alive in game one, but will not win another game until game 5.
Tyler’s pick: Pistons over Cavs 4-1
The Pistons were just down 3-1 to the Orlando Magic, so you might be wondering why exactly I think they lay the hammer here. It’s simple for me: Detroit is going to physically beat Cleveland into submission. Jalen Duren was pretty brutal against Orlando, but in game seven he finally found some form. Instead of the physical front line of Orlando, he and his Pistons will face off with Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, who are not exactly known for their power game. Detroit is going to get the series they want here. It’ll be ugly, physical basketball with final scores rarely exceeding 100. If that is indeed the case, this will be over quickly.
Series props:
Pistons -1.5 series spread (+155)
Detroit to be leading 3-0 after game three (+490)
Jalen Duren to lead series in rebounds (-115)
There’s not much to be added here, I really like the Pistons to get the job done early. And as noted above, I don’t think Jalen Duren’s struggles against a very physical Orlando front line will carry over against the Cavs, who are a different team that plays a different brand of basketball. I would venture to guess that Duren has a great series here on the glass.
(3) Knicks vs (7) Sixers
(Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Series moneyline: Knicks -270, Sixers +220
David’s pick: Sixers over Knicks 4-3
This is going to be a fantastic series if Joel Embiid plays all of it. Even if he misses a game or two, there will be fireworks. Both teams will struggle to defend the other, and the bad blood runs through the veins of every player. It is not hyperbole to say that this is a legacy-defining series for Embiid. He just defeated his Celtics demons and now faces the easiest path to the NBA Finals that he has had in his career. On the flip side, Jalen Brunson is still looking to get over the hump as the number one guy. Every guy in this series has something to prove. The deciding factor will be who has the better player, and that honor goes to Joel Embiid and the Sixers. Philadelphia wins game seven in a close game.
Series props:
Sixers to come back from a 2 game deficit (+1000)
Sixers to win (+220)
Over 5.5 games (-150)
I think the Knicks hold serve at home and go up 2-0. After the extended rest, the Sixers get right and ultimately win four out of five. The over on 5.5 seems free, this has seven game classic written all over it.
Tyler’s pick: Knicks over Sixers 4-3
I’ve gone back and forth on this a couple of times. The Knicks are the kings of engaging in nonsense, while the Sixers are not immune to that themselves. This series will feature small guards everywhere, the rekindling of a feud between Joel Embiid and Karl-Anthony Towns. The coaching angle here is interesting as well, as I give a pretty strong edge to the Sixers staff.
So with that, why exactly am I taking the Knicks? I think the role players for New York are going to do circles around what Philly has outside of Maxey and Embiid. The Knicks have great main role players in Hart, Bridges and Robinson, and even then the fringe guys like Shamet, McBride and Alvarado can all do something well. When you look at the other side, Philly will basically run six or seven guys, with Quentin Grimes and Andre Drummond being the only real guys who get minutes. Because the Knicks will run a couple guys deeper, they should have a massive advantage on rest and having their legs.
Series props:
Sixers +1.5 series spread (-120)
Knicks game one + series win (-105)
Josh Hart to lead series in rebounds (+500)
There are tons of trends about teams who just won a game seven facing a team who didn’t play seven games in a game one. Spoiler alert: the rested team does really well! I expect a resounding Knicks game one win, but that will not change my opinion on the series. As far as Hart goes, I wonder if Towns and Embiid cancel each other out in this series on the glass. They could be too busy fighting amongst themselves, which in turn would get KAT into foul trouble. Enter Josh Hart, who averaged over 10 rebounds per game against the Sixers last postseason.
The Detroit Tigers will be without ace Tarik Skubal for the foreseeable future, as the two-time AL Cy Young award winner is set to undergo surgery to remove loose bodies in his throwing elbow.
Before the injury designation, the left-hander was the presumptive favorite to win a third straight American League Cy Young.
With Boston Red Sox ace Garrett Crochet already on the shelf, Skubal's lengthy absence sends the AL Cy Young odds into chaos.
With Detroit Tigers left-hander Tarik Skubal likely on the shelf for the next couple of months, the AL Cy Young race is suddenly wide open and very interesting. Tigers fans may not find much solace in that, though.
New York Yankees duo Cam Schlittler and Max Fried have immediately leapt to the front of the line at +250 and +350, respectively. Schlittler has been borderline untouchable in his first full MLB season, going 4-1 with a 1.51 ERA, 0.74 WHIP, and 31.4% strikeout rate compared to a 3.8% walk rate. The 25-year-old has earned his status as the favorite, perhaps even had Skubal not been sidelined.
Fried has been quite effective, though in a much different way, with a 2.39 ERA and a 21.4% strikeout rate, relying more on inducing soft contact than blowing hitters away.
Fourteen pitchers are drawing odds shorter than 50/1, showing how crowded the field is with Skubal and Garrett Crochet hurt, and someone like Kansas City Royals left-hander Cole Ragans (+6000) struggling.
AL Cy Young pick to make now
Pick: Dylan Cease (+500 at FanDuel)
I don't love the landscape right now. Schlittler is probably a good option, but he's also at least somewhat unproven as a sophomore starter, and +220 is too short relative to the risk involved.
Similarly, Fried's tendency to pitch to contact will inflate his numbers at some point.
You may lean more toward Soriano at slightly longer odds, but he's vastly outpitching his career norms and his peripherals. I fear regression is coming for him.
So, I'm settling on Cease. He pitches for a team that should be in the mix for a playoff spot with World Series odds of +2500, has more strikeouts than any other pitcher in MLB since 2021, has consistently logged a ton of innings, and is finally pitching in front of a top-tier defense that will help keep his ERA down. I'd like the line to be a bit higher, but none of the long shots inspire much confidence at the moment.
What this means for Skubal
Only a few short months ago, Skubal won his arbitration case against the Tigers to earn a record $32-million salary in 2026. He hasn't agreed to an extension and is slated to hit free agency at season's end.
A third straight Cy Young award would have resulted in an unfathomably huge contract, and while he will almost certainly get paid an absurd amount of money to the layman, this injury puts the ceiling of a potential deal in at least some doubt.
Whether that means a short-term pillow deal with opt-out clauses and a high annual salary or a deep-pocketed (*cough* Dodgers *cough*) team saying "screw it" and giving him the deal he desired in the first place, remains to be seen. That it's not Tommy John surgery should at least curb some concern, especially if he finishes strong and healthy down the stretch.
One other wrinkle is what happens if the Tigers fall out of the race? At 18-17, Detroit is tied for the AL Central lead, but is also only three games ahead of the last-place Minnesota Twins. Skubal, injured or not, would definitely be the most sought-after player at the trade deadline if he were to become available.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Juan Soto – LF Bo Bichette – SS MJ Melendez – RF Mark Vientos – 1B Brett Baty – 3B Marcus Semien – 2B Carson Benge – CF Francisco Alvarez – DH Luis Torrens – C
SP: Huascar Brazobán – RHP
Rockies lineup
Mickey Moniak – LF Tyler Freeman – DH TJ Rumfield – 1B Hunter Goodman – C Willi Castro – 2B Jordan Beck – RF Kyle Karros – 3B Ezequiel Tovar – SS Brenton Doyle – CF
SP: Tomoyuki Sugano – RHP
Broadcast info
First pitch: 5:40 PM EDT TV: SNY Radio: Audacy Mets Radio WHSQ 880AM, Audacy App, 92.3 HD2
CINCINNATI, OHIO - APRIL 29: Tomoyuki Sugano #11 of the Colorado Rockies reacts during the second inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on April 29, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With a spring storm approaching Denver, the Rockies have moved their series-opening game against the Mets up three hours to 3:40 p.m. today. The weather could throw a curveball for the entire three-game series with rain, thunderstorms and/or snow forecasted for Tuesday through Thursday.
With warmer temperatures reaching the 70s by early afternoon, thunderstorms and hail are possible later Monday. The Rockies and Mets could be in a race against the weather.
🌦️ An afternoon cold front will bring a few showers and rumbles of thunder, higher coverage north of Denver. Low severe/hail risk. Early high near 70° before the front.
🌧️ Cold with a rain/snow mix tomorrow, with steadier snow after dark tomorrow and Wednesday morning.#COwxpic.twitter.com/bfBY1Pc0MH
A winter storm watch alert has been issued beginning on Tuesday at 8 p.m. It is calling for three to nine inches of snow in some parts of the Denver Metro area.
🎲Probability of Winter Storm Impacts❄️
Graphic shows probability of at least minor winter storm impacts. Nearly certain across mountains, Front Range Foothills, and I-25 Corridor. Full probabilistic impact dataset at https://t.co/FHqnq2RUCF#COwxpic.twitter.com/tIDYdL1SlQ
The Rockies (14-21) are coming off being swept by the Braves and are still looking their first win of the homestand. It could come against the MLB-worst Mets (12-22), who Colorado swept in New York in April.
It would be a good day to not have a traditional, high-scoring, long Coors Field game. If the forecasts are correct, then Colorado is sending the right man to the mound. Tomoyuki Sugano is 3-1 in six starts this season with a 2.84 ERA in 31.2 innings with 21 strikeouts and nine walks. Sugano has surrendered only one run in 11 innings in his last two starts, recording wins over the Padres and Reds.
In order to try to shake things up and help a rotation that’s struggled thus far this season, the Mets will be deploying RHP Huascar Brazobán as an opener today. In 14 appearances in relief, Brazobán is 2-0 with a 1.15 ERA in 15.2 innings with 13 strikeouts and three walks.
LHP David Peterson is expected to eat up the middle innings for the Mets. Peterson (0-4, 6.53 ERA) started the season in the bullpen and was so ineffective that he was moved to the bullpen. He’s made five starts in seven appearances. He returned to the rotation on April 29, but was hit hard by the Nationals, who put up seven runs on five hits with three walks (and five strikeouts) before being pulled after 3.2 innings.
May the 4th be with you to all who celebrate!
First Pitch: 3:40 p.m. MDT
TV: Rockies.TV
Radio: 850 AM/94.1 FM KOA Rockies Radio Network; KNRV 1150 AM (Spanish)
WEST PALM BEACH, FL - MARCH 09: Zach Cole (16) of the Houston Astros bats during a spring training game against the St. Louis Cardinals on March 09, 2026 at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Astros have recalled OF Zach Cole and designated OF Daniel Johnson for assignment.
The club has reinstated OF Zach Dezenzo from the Injured List and optioned him to Triple A Sugar Land.
Cole, 25, was a 2022 10th round pick by the Astros who burst on the scene last year after a swing adjustment.
Cole began last season at Double-A Corpus Christi, where he batted .267 with a .363 OBP and an .868 OPS in 307 AB. He smashed 14 HR and 19 doubles, with 6 triples and 15 stolen bases before being promoted to Triple-A Sugar Land.
Cole continued to excel with the Space Cowboys, batting .353 with a .459 OBP and 1.204 OPS over 15 games with 5 HR and 16 RBI. That performance earned him a call up to Houston.
With the Astros last season, Cole hit .255 with a .327 OBP and an .880 OPS, hitting 4 HR and 2 doubles in 47 AB. His strong showing late in the season last year had him in line to compete for a starting job with the Astros this season, one in which he clearly had an inside track.
However a poor spring training landed him in Triple-A to start the season, and a broken toe suffered on a hit-by-pitch 3 days onto the season kept him out of the lineup for a month.
Since returning to the Space Cowboys 4/23, Cole is 5×20 with a homer, double, triple, 5 walks, 4 runs and 3 RBI.
CANADA - MAY 31: Rick Leach (Photo by Jeff Goode/Toronto Star via Getty Images) | Toronto Star via Getty Images
Rick Leach turns 69 today.
In 1979, the Tigers picked him 13th overall. Leach reached the majors in the 1981 strike season, hitting .193/.320/.289 in 83 at-bats, mainly pinch-hitting with some first and right field. He played three seasons for Detroit without much success at the plate before his release.
After leaving Detroit, the Blue Jays signed him before the 1984 season. He spent five seasons with the Jays, playing DH, first base, right field, left field, and occasionally center field. He even pitched an inning in 1984, though it went poorly: two walks, two hits, a home run. He hit fairly well. In 1986, he posted a .308/.335/.435 line; in 1987, .282/.371/.405. Still, he lacked the power and speed expected of a corner outfielder, but as a fourth outfielder, he was solid.
His time in Toronto had challenges as well. In 1986, Leach tested positive for a recreational drug, resulting in a 60-day suspension and mandatory treatment.
In 5 years with the Jays, Rick hit .283/.34/.391 with 8 home runs and 95 RBI in 763 at-bats. After Toronto, Leach played a season with the Giants and Rangers before leaving baseball at 33. He was a likable, fan-favourite fourth outfielder, but with Bell, Barfield and Moseby in the outfield, he had no chance at a full-time role. Still, he was a useful lefty off the bench.
He was a favourite of mine partly because, back in the day, I played Statis Pro Baseball and Strat-O-Matic Baseball. Rick had good numbers in 1986 and 1987, which gave him a valuable card in those games.
Leach was also a solid college football quarterback and was a fifth-round Broncos pick in 1979.
Wishing Rick a happy 69th birthday.
Also having birthdays:
Miguel Cairo turns 52. Signed by the Dodgers as an undrafted free agent, he played 17 MLB seasons. His debut was with the Jays, who acquired him and Bill Risley for Edwin Hurtado and Paul Menhart. After 9 games (.222/.300/.296), he was traded to the Cubs for Jason Stevenson, who never made the majors. Cairo played 1,490 MLB games, hitting .264/.314/.361 with a 7.7 bWAR.
Max Castillo turns 27. An international free agent signed by the Jays in 2015, he pitched in 9 games (2 starts) for them in 2022. In August, he and Samad Taylor were traded to the Royals for Whit Merrifield. He pitched 12 games for the Royals in 2022 and 2023 and is now in the Phillies farm system.
Butch Alberts turns 76. He played 6 games for the Jays in 1978, hitting .278/.278/.333. Butch and Pat Kelly were traded to the Angels for Ron Fairly in 1977.
What are loose bodies? About the Tarik Skubal injury
Loose bodies are fragments of bone, cartilage or both that have broken off and float freely inside a joint. In a pitcher’s elbow, they are typically caused by the extreme stress of throwing. The violent snapping motion of releasing a pitch, repeated thousands of times over a career, causes bone and cartilage to chip away. It usually comes from the back of the elbow. Those fragments can move around the joint, causing locking, catching, pain and loss of range of motion.
It’s not an uncommon injury for pitchers. Skubal himself has had significant elbow problems before, including Tommy John surgery in 2017 and flexor tendon surgery in 2022. This procedure is generally considered less serious than either of those.
How serious is Tarik Skubal's upcoming surgery?
Arthroscopic surgery is minimally invasive. Surgeons insert a small camera and instruments into the joint through tiny incisions to locate and remove the fragments. Recovery varies widely by each pitcher. Atlanta’s Spencer Schwellenbach and Hurston Waldrep both had loose body surgery this spring within days of each other. Schwellenbach was placed on the 60-day IL and still had not thrown two months later. Waldrep was throwing bullpen sessions within weeks. Los Angeles Dodgers closer Edwin Diaz had the surgery in April and is expected to miss about four months.
Skubal’s situation will be clearer once he consults with doctors and schedules the procedure.
Bottom line: Tarik Skubal injury will cost Tigers ace time in contract year
There were warning signs. In his last start, Skubal shook his left arm mid-inning, grabbed his forearm and called catcher Dillon Dingler to the mound. He stayed in and finished seven innings and told reporters on May 3 he felt fine going through his between-starts routine. Later that day, however, Skubal told manager A.J. Hinch something had flared up. He underwent imaging where the loose bodies were identified.
It’s obviously a blow for the Tigers, but also one for Skubal. He is in the final year of his contract and expected to command one of the largest pitching deals in baseball history this offseason. The injury adds uncertainty to that picture heading into what should have been a showcase season.
Send in your questions now for this week’s episode of The Pindown: A Detroit Pistons Podcast to discuss everything Pistons. Submit your question to the comments section here or on X/Twitter to @TheRealWesD3 and/or @blakesilverman.
Join us live on Saturday afternoon for the show where we’ll recap the Pistons’ incredible 3–1 comeback to eliminate the Magic in the first round and preview the second-round series against the Cavaliers. How are you feeling heading into round two? How far can this Pistons team go? And how surreal is it to watch a playoff series win for the first time since 2008?
Plus, The Pindown has a phone line where you can leave a message and hear your voice on the show. Call (313) 355-2717 and leave us a voicemail with your question. Please try to keep the message around 45 seconds or less so we can fit everyone into the show.
The podcast will be uploaded to all audio platforms the following morning.
The Giants (13-21) and Padres (20-13) meet for the fourth time to open their second series versus one another this season. San Francisco won two out of three in San Diego earlier, but these aren't the same teams as a month ago.
San Francisco has lost six straight games and eight of the past 10 as they enter the series. The Giants have been outscored 27-9 over that six game stretch and scored more than two runs only once. San Francisco is hitting .208 over the last week, which ranks 28th with zero home runs (last).
San Diego has dropped four of the past five games, but are coming off a 4-3 win over the White Sox. The Padres have been outscored 28-12 in that five-game stretch. In the past seven days, the Padres are hitting an MLB-worst .192 with the fewest hits (30) in five games.
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.
Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.
Game details & how to watch Giants at Padres
Date: Monday, May 4, 2026
Time: 9:45 PM EST
Site: Oracle Park
City: San Francisco, CA
Network/Streaming: ESPN / MLB TV
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 Padres at the Giants
The latest odds as of Monday:
Moneyline: San Diego Padres (-136), San Francisco Giants (+113)
Spread: Giants +1.5 (-143), Padres -1.5 (+119)
Total: 8.0
Probable starting pitchers for Padres at Giants
Monday's pitching matchup (May 4): Randy Vasquez vs. Trevor McDonald
The Giants’ Luis Arraez is hitting .308 with 40 hits and 49 total bases over 130 at-bats
The Giants’ Patrick Bailey is hitting .152 with 12 hits and 20 strikeouts over 79 at-bats
The Padres’ Xander Bogaerts is hitting .269 with 32 hits and 49 total bases over 119 at-bats
The Padres’ Jake Croneworth is hitting .147 with 14 hits and 23 strikeouts over 95 at-bats
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Padres at Giants
The Giants are 14-20 ATS this season
The Padres are 19-14 ATS this season
The Giants are 14-17-3 to the Over this season
The Padres are 15-17-1 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 Padres and the Giants
Rotoworld Bet Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
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 Monday's game two between the Giants and the Padres:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Giants on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Giants at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Over on the Game Total of 8.0
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
Could LeBron James’s time with the Los Angeles Lakers end not with a bang, but with a whimper? This series against the Oklahoma City Thunder should certainly force that question.
MyLakers vs. Thunderpredictionsand NBA picks have no faith in L.A., not even in Game 1, on Tuesday, May 5.
They met four times this season. The Thunder covered the spread in each game by an average of 19 points compared to bookmakers’ expectations.
The Lakers fell short of their team total in three of the four meetings by an average of 11.6 points even when including the sole Team Total Over, which came by two points.
Without Luka, expect OKC to collapse on LeBron James at every moment.
Los Angeles played on Friday, and while that did become a rout, it was a rather tense moment heading into that game. Meanwhile, Oklahoma City has had a full week off after its easy sweep of Phoenix.
Every advantage lines up for a Thunder blowout to open this series, and once the game is out of hand, Lakers head coach JJ Redick likely will sit Austin Reaves to spare his oblique any added stress. Reaves played just 34 and 31 minutes in his two games back against the Rockets. There will be no logic to pushing him while trailing by two dozen.
Lakers vs Thunder SGP
Thunder First Half -9.5
Thunder -15.5
Austin Reaves Under 21.5 Points
Our "from downtown" SGP: Not Yet, LeBron
LeBron James may continue to get away with it, but there is no logic to pushing him in a lopsided Game 1. Every ounce of reason expects Los Angeles to lose this game handily. Chalk it up to rest, chalk it up to home court, chalk it up to anything you want. Just expect it.
Redick will be smart to preserve any massive game from James for when it is within reach.
Look at Game 4 of last round: The Lakers lost by 19 and trailed by more than that. Related: James played just 33 minutes and scored only 10 points.
Lakers vs Thunder SGP
Thunder -15.5
LeBron James Under 20.5 Points
LeBron James Under 7.5 Rebounds
LeBron James Under 7.5 Assists
Lakers vs Thunder odds for Game 1
Spread: Lakers +16 | Thunder -16
Moneyline: Lakers +700 | Thunder -1100
Over/Under: Over 213.5 | Under 213.5
Lakers vs Thunder betting trend to know
In four meetings against the Lakers this year, the Thunder covered the full-game spread in just the first half in three of them. In the exception, they exactly matched the full-game spread of 18 points. Find more NBA betting trends for Lakers vs. Thunder.
How to watch Lakers vs Thunder Game 1
Location
Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
Date
Tuesday, May 5, 2026
Tip-off
8:30 p.m. ET
TV
NBC/Peacock
Lakers vs Thunder latest injuries
Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Cam Schlittler 
Dylan Cease 
Jose Soriano 
Jacob deGrom 
Gavin Williams
Bryan Woo 
Drew Rasmussen
Framber Valdez
Taj Bradley
COVERS INTEL: Los Angeles had far fewer worries against Houston’s offense,