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Konnor Griffin joins record books in Bucs win over Cardinals

May 20, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Konnor Griffin (6) slides in safely at home against the St. Louis Cardinals during the sixth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

The Pittsburgh Pirates got a much-need 7-0 win last night over the St.Louis Cardinals. Carmen Mlodzinski pitched a stellar five innings, the bullpen got it done for a change, and Konnor Griffin went 4-for-5 at the plate with 3 runs scored on the evening. That stat line made Griffin the second-youngest player to have 4 hits an 3 runs in a game in the last 85 years. The only player younger to do it was Juan Soto. Pretty dang good company for Konnor.

In addition, Griffin raised his average on the year to .278, which is a far cry from the slow start he had, when some of us were questioning if he really should have been brought up from the Minors. I think he’s proving that is was the right decision.

In addition, Griffin has 3 homers on the year, 20 RBIs, and 10 stolen bases, as well as a .405 slugging percentage and a .738 OPS. Those aren’t earth-shattering numbers, but I think it’s pretty clear that not only does Konnor belong, he’s got every ounce of potential that we had hoped for.

Griffin wasn’t the only Buc blasting at the plate last night. Nick Gonzales went 2-for-4 to lift his average to .318 on the season. Spencer Horwitz hit his 4th homer of the year. And Endy Rodriguez went 2-for-3 at the plate and is now hitting .333 over limited action. Even Jhostynxon Garcia got in on the act, going 2-for-3 on the night. The Pirates showed off their improved batting order up and down the lineup, finishing with 15 team hits on the evening, but it was Griffin who stole the show, adding his name to the record books already as a 20-year-old rookie.

It’s been a long time since we’ve had optimism for the future like the Bucs do now, but with Paul Skenes and now Konnor Griffin leading the youth brigade for the Bucs, the future finally appears bright.

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‘Everyone wants to see the champions lose’: Elliot Minchella on Hull KR’s drive to stay on top

Minchella on life as a treble winner, his club’s rivalry with Wigan and why playing at Wembley brings it all back

By No Helmets Required

Hull Kingston Rovers and Wigan play each other twice in the next 10 days in two games that will fully test their depth and resilience. After a slow start in Super League, the treble winners are climbing up the table and could go second if they beat Wigan at Craven Park on Thursday night. Their second meeting is at Wembley in the Challenge Cup ​final next Saturday. Rovers seem to be peaking at the right time. They have been punching out peak performances in recent weeks, the latest a tough win at Leigh.

This is a golden era for the club. After reaching the Challenge Cup ​final and Super League semi-finals in 2023, they played in their first Grand Final in 2024, finally won the title last year and were crowned world club champions in February. Willie Peters’ squad are entering their fourth year together. He will leave in October to take over new NRL franchise PNG Chiefs and, even though most of the club’s important players will stay, it feels like their time is now.

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Pacheco and Peck go yard in Erie win, Ben Jacobs deals for Whitecaps

Toledo Mud Hens 3, Indianapolis Indians 2 (F/7)(box)(Gm1)

Sawyer Gipson-Long put together his best outing since coming off the injured list, and the bullpen did a nice job holding down Indy in Game 1 on Wednesday.

The right-hander tossed 3 2/3 innings of one-hit ball with two walks against six strikeouts. Still no sign of steady 94 mph velo though.

The Hens opened the scoring in the bottom of the fourth when Jace Jung and Max Anderson started the inning with singles. With one out, Tyler Gentry reached on an error and a sac fly from Cal Stevenson made it 1-0.

Nick Sandlin allowed Indianapolis to tie it up in the fifth, and then Beau Brieske allowed a solo shot in the sixth. In the bottom half, Corey Julks answered back with a solo shot to tie the game 2-2.

Brenan Hanifee and Woo-Suk Go locked down the Indians the rest of the way while we got a look at former Tigers’ pitcher and 2015 Beau Burrows in the seventh. Go kept the runner on second from scoring in the top of the eighth, and a Tyler Gentry single walked this one off.

Malgeri: 2-4, 2B, 2 K

Jung: 1-3, 2 R, BB, K

Gipson-Long: 3.2 IP, 0 R, H, 2 BB, 6 K

Indianapolis Indians 3, Toledo Mud Hens 2 (F/7)(box)(Gm2)

On a bullpen day for Game 2, Konnor Pilkington started things off but allowed three runs in the first two innings, and that’s all it took.

The Hens got on the board in the bottom of the third when Max Burt led off with a double. He was advanced to third and scored with two outs on a wild pitch from José Urquidy.

So it was a 3-1 deficit, and the Hens missed a few minor opportunities until the sixth when Max Clark singled up the middle and Julks singled him to third. A Jung groundout scored Clark, but the hit they needed never arrived.

Tyler Mattison struck out two in a 1-2-3 seventh inning that saw Indians’ hitting coach Eric Munson ejected for yelling at home plate umpire Jacob Metz, but that was the last notable event. Burt and Andrew Navigato drew one-out walks in the bottom of the seventh, but Malgeri took a called strike three and Clark lifted a routine fly to right field to end it.

Julks: 2-3

Clark: 1-4, R, K

Pilkington (L, 1-3): 2.0 IP, 3 ER, 2 H, 4 BB, 3 K

Coming Up Next: It’s a 6:35 p.m. ET start at Fifth Third Park on Thursday.

Erie SeaWolves 10, Altoona Curve 6 (box)

The SeaWolves flexed enough power to overcome a bullpen implosion on Wednesday.

Veteran lefty Joe Miller gave the SeaWolves four scoreless innings, and Dariel Fregio tossed a scoreless fifth.

A nice pick from John Peck at shortstop helped Miller’s cause in the third.

The offense wasn’t exactly clicking, but in top of the fourth they got loose. Peyton Graham, who has been a nice sparkplug all season long for Erie, drew a leadoff walk and then stole his 24th base. John Peck struck out, but Thayron Liranzo and Justice Bigbie drew walks to load the bases. Chris Meyers smoked a sharp single to right to score Graham and keep the bases juiced for Izaac Pacheco, who unleashed a massive blast to right center field for a grand slam. 5-0 Erie.

The two most interesting position players after Liranzo are Brett Callahan and John Peck, and they combined to add on in the fifth. Callahan led off with a double to center field, and after Graham grounded out, Peck blasted home run number 8 on the year to make it 7-0.

Lael Lockhart Jr. took over in the sixth, and he allowed an unearned run on a Graham error at second base. In the seventh, the lefty gave up three more runs and Tyler Owens took over.

Justice Bigbie led off the eighth with a double and scored on a double down the right field line from Pacheco to make it 9-4. An Andrew Jenkins single moved Pacheco to third where he scored on a Bennett Lee sacrifice fly. 10-4.

Owens allowed a solo shot in the eighth and Yosber Sanchez gave up one in the ninth but the game was well in hand.

Pacheco: 2-4, 2 R, 5 RBI, 2B, HR, K

Lirnazo: 2-3, R, 2 BB

Callahan: 1-4, 2 R, 2B, BB, 2 K, SB

Peck: 1-5, R, 2 RBI, HR, 3 K

Miller: 4.0 IP, 0 R, 3 H, 2 BB, 5 K

Coming Up Next: It’s a 6:00 p.m. ET start with the series tied at a game apiece.

South Bend Cubs 3, West Michigan Whitecaps 1 (box)

The quest to win back-to-back games for the first time since mid-April failed on Wednesday.

Ben Jacobs continued his outstanding first pro season with four no-hit innings with four strikeouts to give his team a chance to build a lead. The best they could do was one run, as Andrew Sojka doubled, stole third, and scored on a Luke Shliger single in the fourth.

Duque Hebbert followed Jacobs with two scoreless frames, but Logan Berrier gave up two runs in the eighth to lose the lead, and the Cubs added one in the top of the ninth off of Luke Stofel.

Sojka: 2-4, R, 2B, K

Jacobs: 4.0 IP, 0 R, 0 H, BB, 4 K

Coming Up Next: It’s a 6:35 p.m. ET start on Thursday with the series knotted 1-1.

Lakeland Flying Tigers 4, Bradenton Marauders 1 (box)

The Flying Tigers pitching staff was pretty dominant in this one, and they got a pair of home runs to help the cause as they made it two straight over the Marauders.

Cash Kuiper has been pretty up and down in his pro debut, but he was really good on Wednesday. The right-hander allowed a solo shot, but that was all as he struck out seven over his 3 1/3 innings of work. His slider and control did most of the lifting.

In the bottom of the third, down 1-0, Carson Rucker led off with a single and rode home on a two-run shot from Anibal Salas. Edian Espinal, who played infield in college before starting to convert to catching, a move the Tigers have solidified, launched a solo shot in the fourth to make it 3-1.

The Flying Tigers took advantage of quality bullpen work by tacking on a run in the sixth. Espinal walked with one out, took second on a back pick attempt gone wrong, and scored on a wild pitch.

In the seventh, Alistair Tanner allowed a double and then a walk. A single to left field followed, but last night’s walkoff hero, Jesus Pinto, fired a perfect strike home to cut down the lead runner, and Tanner worked out of the inning unscathed. The Marauders never threatened again as Eliseo Mota closed them out for his second save.

Salas: 1-3, R, 2 RBI, HR, K

Espinal: 1-3, 2 R, RBI, HR, BB

Yost: 2-3, BB

Kuiper: 3.1 IP, ER, 4 H, BB, 7 K

Coming Up Next: The Flying Tigers will try to make it three straight at home over Bradenton on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. ET.

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YouTube Gold: “He Wanted To Go Guard Him On The Bench”

Former Bulls GM Jerry Krause has never fully gotten the credit he deserved for building the Chicago Bulls into the second-greatest dynasty in basketball, behind only the Boston Celtics of the Bill Russell era, and it’s partly his own fault.

He was indeed a brilliant GM, but he was also an insecure man who wanted to make sure he got credit for his work. Champions, he insisted, were built by the front office, not the players. There’s truth to that, but it offended his players, notably Jordan, who derisively called Krause Crumbs, because he saw a bit of breakfast on Krause’s shirt one day.

But while Krause got very lucky when he got Jordan, since Houston and Portland both took big men in the 1984 draft, he built around his immense talent brilliantly.

Perhaps the greatest example of this was when Chicago traded for Scottie Pippen in the 1987 Draft, giving up Olden Polynice and some future draft picks.

Pippen, if you didn’t know, came out of Central Arkansas, and while he was the #5 pick, he was the furthest thing from a sure bet. How could you know? How could you be sure that a guy who spent four years off the radar at a minor NAIA school would turn out, that he could play at the NBA level and do so brilliantly?

Krause knew, and he moved decisively to get him. And in so doing, he created one of the most devastating pairs of defenders in the history of basketball.

Jordan was obviously the better player, but Pippen’s athleticism was not far behind, and when they decided that something wasn’t happening, well, it just didn’t happen.

This video starts with what they did to Toni Kukoc in the Barcelona Olympics, and goes on to show that these guys were nearly impossible to attack when they were fully engaged. And that was the vast majority of the time.

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How should the Yankees’ lineup look if Trent Grisham needs to go on the IL?

May 20, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone (17) talks with center fielder Trent Grisham (12) while walking off the field after the bottom of the second inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

It’s a tough time to be a Yankees outfielder, or in the case of Giancarlo Stanton, outfield-adjacent. The big guy has been out for almost a month now with a right calf strain that he’s (unsurprisingly) been slow to recover to from, and he hasn’t been cleared for the next step yet. Granted an opportunity to fill in, Jasson Domínguez looked good at the plate, but a nasty collision with the left-field scoreboard at Yankee Stadium has him on the shelf with a shoulder sprain. Rookie Spencer Jones has not hit much at all in the Martian’s absence, but he now might have to keep filling in because of what happened to Trent Grisham during last night’s loss.

Grisham grabbed at his leg as he reached second base while hustling on a pop-fly double that the Blue Jays couldn’t handle. He stayed in the game, but a couple innings later, Jones replaced him in center field. The Yankees announced an initial diagnosis of “left knee discomfort,” and he will undergoing imaging today to get a better read on the situation.

Grisham was hobbled by leg problems that affected his defense last year, and it certainly wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Yankees play it safe by keeping him out for at least a short IL stint (though the potential severity of the knee problem could absolutely make it a longer stay). The question then becomes what the Yankees’ offense will look like with Grisham out of the picture.

Although it’s possible that the Yankees could try some other roster move, the most likely outcome at the moment would seem to be having Grisham and José Caballero swap places on the IL tomorrow. That’s when Caballero is due to return from his finger fracture, and Anthony Volpe has seemingly earned a chance to stick around. The Yankees probably won’t make a roster move for Grisham going to the IL prior to today’s game because it would likely be a one-game substitution. Jones might need more seasoning, but if Grisham’s going on the IL, then there’s an additional need for his glove in center.

So how would you gameplan the Yankees’ lineup with Grisham out? Acknowledging that there might be platoons in some form or another—Ryan McMahona and Amed Rosario will still get time, as well J.C. Escarra with Austin Wells mired in a slump—and multiple iterations of the starting nine to grant playing time to more players, here is one that could be the most common one we see for the next little while. It’s not necesarily one that I would have 100-percent confidence in, but the one that I at least somewhat expect. (Keep in mind that I am doing this off the cuff and am a little sleep-deprived because my son hasn’t been sleeping well.)

DH Ben Rice
RF Aaron Judge
LF Cody Bellinger
2B Jazz Chisholm Jr.
3B José Caballero
1B Paul Goldschmidt
SS Anthony Volpe
C Austin Wells
CF Spencer Jones

What’s your preferred lineup right now?

Today on the site, Peter will break down his Sequence of the Week, Madison will tackle the Rivalry Roundup, and Jeff will salute a savvy Yankees signing from last decade on the occasion of his 41st birthday. John will also open the history books and discusses the time when—as he puts it—“a home run wasn’t a home run.” Andrés and Sam will close us out, as the former explores the resurgent Paul Goldschmidt’s hot start and the latter raises a warning flag on Ryan McMahon that has made his struggles at the plate even more pronounced.

Today’s Matchup

New York Yankees vs. Toronto Blue Jays

Time: 7:05 p.m. EST

Video: YES Network, Sportsnet One, MLB Network

Venue: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY

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Is Rafael Stone expecting too much from Reed Sheppard?

HOUSTON, TEXAS - MAY 01: Reed Sheppard #15 of the Houston Rockets drives to the basket against LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the second quarter in Game Six of the First Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Toyota Center on May 01, 2026 in Houston, Texas. 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 Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The next Steph Curry. The next Steve Nash.

The next Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf…the next Brent Price.

The first Reed Sheppard – existentially speaking. He is not a Kevin O’Connor comparison – He is a solitary unit.

But what is he?

It seems like Rafael Stone has some lofty expectations. Rumors suggest that he sees Sheppard as a Nash-level talent. Stone publicly stated that this year, Sheppard made the Rockets’ offense better “whenever he was on the floor”.

Did he, though?

Rockets’ Reed Sheppard needs to grow

CleaningTheGlass says otherwise. The Rockets were -0.1 points per 100 possessions (PPP) worse when Sheppard was on the floor.

That’s nothing to worry about. Sheppard was a sophomore, and he got precious few reps as a rookie. Still, there’s no reason for me (and every reason for Rafael Stone) to exaggerate.

As a pick-and-roll ball-handler, Sheppard was fine, generating 0.90 PPP in those sets (62.1st percentile).

(Side note: Writing about this team is getting depressing. It feels like whenever I find a playtype stat, the Rocket in question is in the 60-something-ith percentile. Victor Wembanyama is probably in the 90th percentile in most defensive metrics before he gets out of bed. Le sigh).

Anyway, that’s a competent mark for a sophomore. For context, Tyrese Haliburton was in just the 51.4th percentile in pick-and-roll PPP as a sophomore.

That felt good to type. Of course, Tyrese Maxey was in the 85.1st. Oh God, the demons in my head! Sorry. Realistically, player development is too varied to expect much linearity. The lesson here is that Sheppard still has a lot of developmental paths he can take.

That makes assuming the best just about as irrational as assuming the worst. If we were to assume the median (which is either more rational or equally irrational, it’s a hard call), Sheppard is likely Abdul-Rauf-ish, or Payton Pritchard, or someone in that general tier. That’s fine, but the cornerstone Stone seems to see.

How does Sheppard hit that level?

Sheppard must be an all-time shooter

As a rookie, Sheppard hit 33.8% of his 2.7 triples per night. As a sophomore, he connected on 39.8% of his 7.0. That’s a massive leap:

He needs to make another one.

There’s ample room for Sheppard to generally improve. He needs to tighten up his handle as well. Yet, almost paradoxically, we’re looking at a shooting specialist whose swing skill is his shooting.

Sheppard is dangerous, but he needs to be lethal. Defenses respect his shot, but they need to fear it. It needs to consume their thoughts like the Telltale Heart. It needs to be understood that a Sheppard three that’s anything less than tightly contested is a worst-case scenario for any defense.

If that were the case, Sheppard’s handle suddenly matters less. A simple pump fake should be enough to free him up. He’s also a smart enough passer to run point if – and only if – his shot is that type of nuclear-level event.

Put differently: Sheppard has sufficient point guard chops to exploit an overly aggressive defense. He doesn’t (at least, currently) have enough in his bag to break down defenses that are responding to him relatively normally. We’ll never see another Steph Curry, but Sheppard’s shooting gravity needs to have a similar geometry-warping impact on the game.

Defensively? This may be who he is. Sheppard is small, and he’s not getting much bigger. He gets the steals and the blocks, and he also gets picked on. It makes him a questionable fit with Alperen Sengun, but that’s another article. Nobody should rule out any developments at this juncture, but the Rockets should be preparing for a world where he’s a long-term defensive liability.

So…Nick Van Exel? Mark Price? Chauncy Billups? Am I just practicing the ancient masculine arts of naming old athletes? Perhaps.

The point is there: There’s a large margin between Steve Nash and Payton Pritchard. Where Sheppard lands within that (arbitrarily defined) binary will determine whether he’s a star or a role player. If he falls into the latter camp, he’s simply not a cornerstone player.

No matter what Rafael Stone thinks.

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Avalanche Let Game 1 Slip Away In Execution Breakdown Against Vegas

DENVER — The Colorado Avalanche didn’t lose Game 1 of the Western Conference Final because they were outplayed—they lost it because they failed to execute in the moments that decided it.

Yes, a few calls didn’t go their way. One sequence in particular stood out—where Rasmus Andersson put on what, from the Avalanche bench, probably looked like an early audition for an Academy Award. The whistle came, the penalty followed, and Vegas capitalized shortly after. It wasn’t the only turning point in the game, but it didn’t help settle things down either. Still, that can’t be the first explanation when a game slips away at home.

Gabe Landeskog post-game remarks following Game 1 loss.

Because this one came down to execution.

“I think tonight was a matter of them capitalizing on some of their chances,” captain Gabe Landeskog said. “First one's an odd-man rush, second one's a power play, third one's a 2-on-1 right out of the box. Odd-man rushes, we got to clean that up.”

Landeskog Emphasizes Details And Rush Defense

Landeskog also pointed to how Vegas managed to take away one of Colorado’s core strengths—pace through transition.

“They did a good job,” he explained to The Hockey News. “They didn't give us a whole lot off the rush, which I feel like we haven't gotten a whole lot off the rush the whole playoffs. It's not really that time of year to expect any of that, but thought we still did a decent enough job creating scoring chances, creating some screens, and rebounds around (Carter) Hart, but definitely areas that we can be better at, and they're a good hockey team.”

Colorado had chances. Plenty of them. At times, it felt like every scoring opportunity could’ve been bottled and turned into a full meal for the entire building. The looks were there, the lanes opened up, the puck even cooperated for stretches. It just didn’t finish.

The opening period reflected exactly what this matchup promised—tight structure, disciplined spacing, and two elite teams refusing to give ground. Colorado handled that environment well early, trading structure for structure and refusing to be pulled out of shape.

Second Period Slippage Tilts Momentum

The second period, however, shifted the tone.

Puck management began to unravel. Possession became harder to sustain. Breakouts that normally exit cleanly stalled in neutral ice. Passes that usually connect with rhythm arrived just off timing, just off angle—enough to break momentum entirely. At moments, Colorado appeared to press for something decisive rather than allowing the play to develop organically.

Late in the period, with the Avalanche trailing 2–0, Brock Nelson stepped into a prime one-timer look that could have rewritten the game’s trajectory on contact alone. The lane was open, the goaltender compromised, the net essentially exposed—but the shot sailed high and wide.

Moments later, Ross Colton drove a puck through the crease with no finishing touch at the back post. Chances like that don’t linger in playoff series—they vanish.

Golden Knights Punish Every Missed Opportunity

And Vegas made them pay without hesitation.

Brett Howden arrived at the front of the net with purpose and finished through traffic to extend the lead to 3–0—a goal that perfectly encapsulated the night. Simple. Direct. Uncompromising. A depth player operating with conviction while Colorado searched for structure in its own crease.

He’s been more than just a depth piece this postseason. With nine goals and two assists in the playoffs, Howden has become one of those unexpected secondary drivers who tilt games without needing top-line minutes. And once again, he found space precisely where the Avalanche failed to eliminate it. Whether it was body positioning, stick engagement, or urgency, Colorado was a half-step late in clearing danger areas.

Nathan MacKinnon offered no cushioning in his assessment of the performance.

“We just weren't sharp,” he said plainly. “Execution was poor from everybody. Just got to be sharper than that. We had chances.”

Vegas Clogs The Middle Lanes

To their credit, Vegas has built its identity on exactly that kind of detail. Under head coach John Tortorella, the Golden Knights have evolved into a team that compresses the ice, collapses the middle lanes, and forces opponents to live on the perimeter. It’s not designed for aesthetic approval—it’s designed for suffocation.

It’s the kind of system that doesn’t care about style points. It’s about surviving the night, winning ugly, and not caring about what others think about your victory. A win's aa win. 

The structure is deliberate: slow entries, shrink time and space, and punish mistakes in transition. Colorado’s speed never fully materialized because the neutral zone rarely opened cleanly, and when it did, passing lanes were already under siege.

It isn’t a style built for highlight reels, but it doesn’t need to be. It only needs results. And they got it in Game 1. 

There were still moments where the Avalanche threatened to tilt the ice back in their favor, but the margins were unforgiving. Even late-game disorder—when a potential icing wasn’t handled cleanly under a minute remaining—turned into another Vegas opportunity and ultimately an empty-net finish. Small details, decisive outcomes.

Landeskog did at least provide a late spark on the power play, converting with 2:21 remaining. And structurally, there is some positive data: Colorado’s power play has operated at roughly 26% this postseason according to StatMuse. But isolated success won’t be enough at this stage.

What must carry over is the urgency of the third period—except it cannot wait until the third period to arrive.

Because that is what Game 1 ultimately revealed: not a team lacking chances, but one that gave away too many of them through its own decisions—at times trying to do too much instead of simplifying the game, and at others not doing enough to finish the looks it created.

The series is far from settled, but the message from opening night was clear. At this level, control doesn’t vanish in sweeping waves—it slips away one detail at a time.

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Yankees news: Caballero eyes Friday return, Volpe’s spot?

NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 23: Anthony Volpe #11 and José Caballero #72 of the New York Yankees after winning the game against the Chicago White Sox at Yankee Stadium on September 23, 2025 in New York, New York. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images

MLB.com | Mike Petriello: Aaron Judge, the greatest right-handed hitter of all time, has a chance to make history once more this year. Though his production thus far in 2026 hasn’t quite matched his play from the last few seasons, he’s on pace for 54 home runs, which would make the first hitter ever to hit 50 or more homers in five different seasons (he accomplished the feat in 2017, 2022, 2024, and 2025). If we’re fortunate, a year from now we’ll be discussing Judge’s chances of becoming the first hitter to mash 50 homers six times.

New York Daily News | Gary Phillips: José Caballero is aiming to return from a finger injury on Friday. In what role will he return? That remains to be seen, as Aaron Boone is keeping his cards close to the vest, stating “He’ll be in there. Look, we still got a couple days to go between that even being an option, so we’ll see.” Caballero played well as the starter filling in for a rehabbing Anthony Volpe, but now, Volpe is the one playing well in place of Caballero. Could Volpe get sent back to Triple-A? Could Caballero go back to being a utilityman, perhaps cutting into Ryan McMahon’s playing time at third? All options appear to be on the table — though Boone did make it clear that he thinks Caballero should be an everyday player.

MLB.com | Max Ralph: You may have noticed that Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s pants have gotten baggier in the last week, and that’s because they’re not his. Chisholm started wearing teammate Giancarlo Stanton’s pants as a tactic to try and break out of a season-long slump, and so far, the returns are positive, the infielder posting a 1.302 OPS in his first five games since donning the roomy trousers. Stanton supported the decision, telling reporters “I think it’s great… they’ve got homers in them.”

The Athletic | Chris Kirschner: ($) The Yankees came into this series with the Blue Jays feeling they had something to prove, looking to redeem themselves after their division rivals had their number throughout last season. “We owe you something,” Jazz Chisholm said of Toronto, who went 11-6 against the Yankees last year in the regular season and postseason combined. Although they’ve been far from dominant, the Yankees have fared better against the Blue Jays this week, taking the first two games of the series in dramatic fashion before taking it on the chin last night.

MLB.com | Bryan Hoch: Jasson Domínguez is making progress on his recovery from a scary injury a couple of weeks ago, but he’s still some time from taking the field. Domínguez recently received a cortisone injection and hit balls off a tee yesterday but has no timetable for return. The Yankees are feeling the squeeze a bit from an outfielder perspective, and Trent Grisham’s own unclear knee injury from yesterday is an extra complication. (He’s undergoing imaging today to see what the left knee discomfort is all about.)

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Golden Knights take 1-0 series lead into game 2 against the Avalanche

Vegas Golden Knights (39-26-17, in the Pacific Division) vs. Colorado Avalanche (55-16-11, in the Central Division)

Denver; Friday, 8 p.m. EDT

LINE: Avalanche -188, Golden Knights +156; over/under is 6

STANLEY CUP SEMIFINALS: Golden Knights lead series 1-0

BOTTOM LINE: The Vegas Golden Knights visit the Colorado Avalanche in the third round of the NHL Playoffs with a 1-0 lead in the series. The teams meet Wednesday for the fifth time this season. The Golden Knights won 4-2 in the last matchup.

Colorado is 55-16-11 overall and 31-10-6 at home. The Avalanche are first in NHL play with 298 total goals (averaging 3.6 per game).

Vegas has a 24-16-8 record in road games and a 39-26-17 record overall. The Golden Knights have a +22 scoring differential, with 264 total goals scored and 242 given up.

TOP PERFORMERS: Cale Makar has 20 goals and 59 assists for the Avalanche. Nathan MacKinnon has seven goals and seven assists over the last 10 games.

Pavel Dorofeyev has 37 goals and 27 assists for the Golden Knights. Brett Howden has nine goals and two assists over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Avalanche: 8-2-0, averaging 3.9 goals, 6.1 assists, 3.8 penalties and 7.8 penalty minutes while giving up 2.5 goals per game.

Golden Knights: 8-2-0, averaging four goals, 6.4 assists, 3.8 penalties and 9.1 penalty minutes while giving up 2.3 goals per game.

INJURIES: Avalanche: Cale Makar: day to day (undisclosed).

Golden Knights: Jeremy Lauzon: out (upper-body), Mark Stone: day to day (lower-body).

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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Fight Like a Girl: how boxing helped Clarck Ntambwe rebuild a broken life

Matthew Leutwyler’s film shows how the DRC fighter was inspired by trainer Kibomango after the death of her father

“Clarck Ntambwe originally turned to boxing and went to the gym to learn how to fight so she could kill the guys that murdered her dad,” Matthew Leutwyler says of the young woman whose life story provided the basis for the powerful and moving feature film he wrote and directed against the backdrop of tragic conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Fight Like a Girl is also inspired by the memory of Leutwyler’s close friend Balezi “Kibomango” Bagunda, a former child soldier turned boxing champion who trained women to fight in the ring.

Ntambwe became one of Kibomango’s star fighters at the women’s boxing club he founded in Goma – the city where the trainer was gunned down soon after the movie was completed. Kibomango was killed by M23 rebels while he was helping Leutwyler evacuate 41 children from a village under attack in eastern Congo.

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Gilgeous-Alexander stars as Thunder overcome Spurs

Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the 14th NBA player to win back-to-back MVP awards [Getty Images]

Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored a game-high 30 points to inspire his side to a 122-113 victory against the San Antonio Spurs as the reigning NBA champions levelled the Western Conference final at 1-1.

Gilgeous-Alexander - who has won the NBA's Most Valuable Player award for a second year in a row - also provided nine assists in their second home game of the best-of-seven series.

Spurs star Victor Wembanyama scored 41 points in the opening game but was limited to 21 in the second match.

"The guys brought it tonight, knowing what it would have meant if we lost this one," said Gilgeous-Alexander.

"We brought the energy from the jump."

The game was level at 31 apiece after the first quarter before Thunder moved into an 11-point lead at half-time.

The Spurs did level the match midway through the third and got to within two points of their rivals in the fourth quarter but Thunder pulled away each time on the way to victory.

"We got a W, it's all you can ask for. Now we got to go on the road against a really good team and go get one," said Gilgeous-Alexander.

Games three and four will take place in San Antonio on Friday and Sunday.

The New York Knicks lead the Cleveland Cavaliers 1-0 in the Eastern Conference final with game two in New York on Thursday.

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Fantasy Baseball Closer Report: Cade Smith leading MLB in saves, Grant Taylor on the rise in Chicago

In this week's Closer Report, Cade Smith is proving himself as one of the top closers in baseball in his first full season in the role. Grant Taylor may be giving the White Sox something to think about in the ninth inning. And consistency continues to elude David Bednar. All that and more as we break down the last week in saves.

⚾️ Baseball is back! MLB returns to NBC and Peacock in 2026! In addition to becoming the exclusive home of Sunday Night Baseball, NBC Sports will broadcast MLB Sunday Leadoff, “Opening Day” and Labor Day primetime games, the first round of the MLB Draft, the entire Wild Card round of the postseason, and much more.

Check out this week’s Stolen Base Report!

2026 Fantasy Baseball Closer Rankings

▶ Tier 1

Mason Miller - San Diego Padres
Cade Smith - Cleveland Guardians
Jhoan Duran - Philadelphia Phillies
Aroldis Chapman - Boston Red Sox
Andrés Muñoz - Seattle Mariners
Raisel Iglesias - Atlanta Braves

Miller has worked through some traffic in each of his last several outings. He stranded two runners while converting a four-out save against the Mariners on Friday, recording all four outs via strikeout. He then worked around a pair of walks on Monday against the Dodgers to convert his 15th save. Miller then gave up an unearned run to break a tie in the top of the ninth on Tuesday and took his first loss as a Padre. Still, he's a perfect 15-for-15 in save chances with a 0.79 ERA, 0.84 WHIP, and 45 strikeouts over 22 2/3 innings.

There's no closer pitching better than Smith right now. He made three more scoreless appearances this week, picking up his ninth save in May and 16th on the year to lead baseball. After struggling a bit over the first week, he's got his ERA down to 2.66 with a 1.14 WHIP and 35 strikeouts over 23 2/3 innings.

Duran also worked two scoreless outings for a pair of saves. He's up to eight with just two runs allowed and a 21/5 K/BB ratio over 12 2/3 innings. The 28-year-old right-hander has struck out 42% of the batters he's faced, the highest mark in any 13-game stretch of his career.

Chapman made four scoreless appearances this week, picking up three saves against the Braves and Royals. The 38-year-old left-hander continues to get things done, with a 0.51 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, and 23 strikeouts over 17 2/3 innings. Should the Red Sox fall out of contention over the next two months, Chapman should have plenty of suitors vying for his services at the trade deadline.

Muñoz pitched a clean inning against the White Sox on Monday, then was put in a tough spot on Tuesday. Luis Castillo was left out for the top of the ninth with a one-run lead to get his third inning of work, following Bryce Miller. Though he's no closer. Castillo left two runners in scoring position with one out for Muñoz, who gave up a pair of infield hits to blow the lead. The 27-year-old right-hander has been incredibly unlucky so far, but the underlying numbers still say he's one of the best. Meanwhile, Iglesias didn't get a save chance this week, but did toss two scoreless innings. He still has a spotless ERA, with no runs allowed over 14 2/3 innings.

▶ Tier 2

Riley O'Brien - St. Louis Cardinals
Bryan Baker - Tampa Bay Rays
Devin Williams - New York Mets
Daniel Palencia - Chicago Cubs
Tanner Scott - Los Angeles Dodgers
Louis Varland - Toronto Blue Jays

O'Brien picked up his 13th save against the Athletics last Thursday, then surrendered two runs against the Pirates to suffer his fourth blown save on Tuesday. His May hasn't been quite as good as his first month, with two runs allowed in three of his eight appearances.

Baker scuffled a bit, giving up a run in back-to-back outings, then recovered with two scoreless appearances for a pair of saves. The Rays have fully trusted him with the closer role. He's come through for the team with 13 saves, a 2.66 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, and 24 strikeouts over 20 1/3 innings.

Williams worked two scoreless appearances, extending his scoreless streak to nine outings as he continues to turn his season around after a rough start. He converted his sixth save on Saturday against the Yankees, then earned a win on Sunday.

In Chicago, Palencia struck out two for just his third save of the season last Thursday against the Braves. He followed with a scoreless outing against the White Sox on Sunday.

Scott struck out two in a clean inning against the Giants last Thursday, then recorded the final out in the seventh and pitched a scoreless eighth against the heart of the Padres order on Tuesday. Will Klein was used in the ninth for his first save. Scott is up to four saves with a 1.37 ERA, 0.61 WHIP, and 20 strikeouts over 19 2/3 innings.

Varland has been lights out in any situation for the Blue Jays this season. He pitched two scoreless innings against the Tigers on Saturday to fall in line for a win, then struck out two to record his sixth save on Wednesday against the Yankees. The 28-year-old right-hander has posted a 0.70 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, and 37 strikeouts over 25 2/3 innings.

▶ Tier 3

Paul Sewald - Arizona Diamondbacks
Kenley Jansen - Detroit Tigers
Pete Fairbanks - Miami Marlins
David Bednar - New York Yankees
Seranthony Domínguez - Chicago White Sox
Trevor Megill/Abner Uribe - Milwaukee Brewers
Jacob Latz - Texas Rangers

Sewald worked a scoreless inning in Colorado on Sunday to pick up a save against the Rockies, then worked a clean frame for his 11th save on Tuesday against the Giants. He's had three blowup outings that have led to a 4.15 ERA, but has otherwise been effective in the closer role for the Diamondbacks.

Jansen has made five straight perfect appearances, picking up a win this week against the Blue Jays. The 38-year-old veteran right-hander has converted seven saves with a 3.38 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, and 19 strikeouts over 13 1/3 innings. Despite concerns that the Tigers would be utilizing a committee, Jansen has converted seven of the team's nine saves.

Fairbanks made his first appearance off the injured list on Saturday, giving up one unearned run to blow the save before falling in line for a win against the Rays.

Bednar has had a rough go on the mound of late, giving up runs in six of his last nine outings. He surrendered a run in a non-save situation against the Mets on Friday, then gave up three runs and blew a save on Sunday before holding on for a save against the Blue Jays on Monday despite giving up a run. With Bednar unavailable on Tuesday, Camilo Doval stepped in and picked up a save. He also allowed a run before closing it out.

Fantasy managers rostering Domínguez are on red alert this week after he blew a save, giving up three runs against the Cubs on Sunday. Two days later, it was Grant Taylor out for the ninth inning with a one-run lead against the Mariners. He struck out the side to lock down his first save. Taylor has the makings of a dominant closer, posting a 1.78 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, and 38 strikeouts over 25 1/3 innings. Tuesday might've been a way to give Domínguez an extra day off after expending 32 pitches on Sunday. Or it was a showcase for Taylor to show what he could do in the closer role if Domínguez continues to struggle.

Megill got the first save this week for the Brewers, pitching a clean inning against the Twins on Friday after Uribe completed a scoreless eighth. Uribe then got the next save with a scoreless frame against the Cubs on Tuesday. It seems the two could work in tandem to close out games.

Latz had given up three runs without recording an out last Wednesday in a rare bad outing. After not pitching all week, he got the final two innings in Colorado on Wednesday, holding the Rockies scoreless with four strikeouts to fall in line for a win.

Tier 4

Gregory Soto - Pittsburgh Pirates
Rico Garcia - Baltimore Orioles
Lucas Erceg - Kansas City Royals
Bryan Abreu/Bryan King - Houston Astros
Gus Varland - Washington Nationals
Kaleb Killian - San Francisco Giants
Tony Santillan/Graham Ashcraft - Cincinnati Reds

Soto gave up three runs, two earned, to blow the save chance against the Phillies on Friday. He bounced back with a clean inning against the Cardinals, striking out the side in a non-save situation on Tuesday. The Pirates just haven't been in a position to offer many save chances, but Soto remains the best option, even if he isn't used for every opportunity.

The Orioles didn't see a save chance this week, but Garcia did make three scoreless appearances. The 32-year-old right-hander has stepped up for the injured Ryan Helsley, converting three saves with a 0.87 ERA, 0.58 WHIP, and 25 strikeouts over 20 2/3 innings. Helsley has been out of action since April 29 with right elbow inflammation. He's making his way through his throwing progression, with a goal to return at the end of May.

Erceg blew a save with an unearned run allowed against the Cardinals on Friday, then bounced back with a save in St. Louis on Sunday. He's up to 11 saves with a 3.26 ERA over 19 1/3 innings, but it'll be tough to remain effective with a 17/13 K/BB ratio.

King converted a five-out save for the Astros on Friday against the Rangers. Abreu got the next two chances, converting back-to-back saves. He's come around a bit, with no runs allowed in his last six outings. King, Abreu, and Enyel De Los Santos have split save chances through the season, with Josh Hader working his way back from a biceps injury. Hader needs a few more rehab outings before he's activated from the injured list, but his return is near.

Varland didn't see a save chance this week. He recorded two outs against the Orioles on Friday, then pitched two scoreless innings against the Mets on Monday. Richard Lovelady stepped in for two saves. He's not someone to be trusted for saves going forward, with a 6.5% K-BB rate.

It seemed Kilian would have the opportunity to step into the primary closer role in San Francisco when the team optioned Ryan Walker to Triple-A Sacramento. Kilian hasn't exactly taken advantage of it, giving up runs in four of his last six outings. Manager Tony Vitello continues to play the matchup game in the ninth, with Matt Gage getting two save chances this week. He converted one, then surrendered a walk-off, three-run homer against the Diamondbacks on Tuesday. It's tough to trust any Giants reliever at the moment.

The same can be said for the Reds, where it seems like as many as five relievers are in the daily saves mix. Tejay Antone converted a save against the Guardians on Friday. Then it was Santillan pitching a scoreless ninth for a save on Tuesday for his second of the season. No one has been particularly effective. If anything, Pagán (hamstring) will be the clear choice once he returns from the injured list.

▶ Tier 5

Jack Perkins/Hogan Harris - Athletics
Juan Mejia/Antonio Senzatela - Colorado Rockies
Eric Orze/Justin Topa/Luis Garcia - Minnesota Twins
Sam Bachman/Ryan Zeferjahn - Los Angeles Angels

Senzatela has been the best pitcher among this bottom tier and the only one really worth rostering for fantasy purposes, even if he's not seeing traditional save chances. His save on Saturday against the Diamondbacks marked the first time he was asked to get just three outs. He then pitched two scoreless innings against the Rangers on Wednesday.