Imagine if they held a National League Cy Young Award race, and Paul Skenes didn’t even crack the top five.
That’s the current reality right now in the senior circuit, though conceiving of a “Cy Young race” before the calendar hits June and no more than one third of the season has elapsed is some kind of folly.
By September, we’ll have a better idea who encountered injury problems, who got figured out the second or third time around by opposing hitters and who hit the figurative wall as the weather heats up and batters exact revenge.
At the same time, what a handful of hurlers are doing in the NL defies all logic and modern convention.
In an era in which the average starting pitcher has gone from “five-and-dive” to “four-and-no-more,” Philadelphia Phillies lefty Cristopher Sánchez is averaging nearly seven innings per start – and riding a club-record 44 ⅔-inning scoreless streak that’s nearing the neighborhood of Orel Hershiser’s all-time mark of 59.
At a time when your garden variety redlining starting pitcher lives north of 95 mph yet never sticks around to figure in the decision, Cincinnati’s Chase Burns is on pace for 21 wins and 193 innings pitched – all with an average fastball of 98.1 mph.
After nearly a decade of disbelieving what we’re seeing from Shohei Ohtani, the most talented player in baseball history has a 0.73 ERA in eight starts and more than backed up his oh-by-the-way suggestion that he’d like to win the Cy Young one day.
And rather than associating the phrase “Most fastballs above 100 mph in the pitch-tracking era” with a flash-in-the-pan reliever or a guy soon bound for his orthopedist, Milwaukee’s 6-foot-7 wunderkind, Jacob Misiorowski, is both upright and unhittable, with 100 strikeouts in 64 innings and a 1.83 ERA.
So who’s the best of the bunch? And who figures to sit atop the heap at season's end?
No. 1: Cristopher Sánchez, Phillies
Beyond dislodging Grover Cleveland Alexander from the Phillies’ record book (don’t worry kids – an iteration still lives on in your history lessons) with 44 ⅔ consecutive shutout innings, Sánchez is leading in every important precinct of this race right now.
OK, maybe not strikeouts. He’s five behind The Miz.
Yet he’s tops among qualified starters with a 1.47 ERA across a majors-leading 79 ⅓ innings pitched. It’s that latter stat that may separate him from the flamethrowers as the season goes on: Sánchez already has 30 more innings pitched than Ohtani, essentially providing four more starts worth of coverage to the pitching staff.
Sánchez features perhaps inarguably the best changeup in the game, a pitch he throws more and more each year – now at 37.8% usage - as his conviction in it grows. Opponents are batting .153 against it, with no homers and just two doubles in 141 plate appearances.
No. 2: Jacob Misiorowski, Brewers
He’s the right-handed Big Unit, with a fastball that averages 99.8 mph and a slider that comes in at 94.5 mph – all coming out of the hand of a baby-faced 6-7, 201-pounder. Perhaps Randy Johnson created more deception with his 6-10 frame and unchecked mullet flailing about, and who knows how his 98-mph fastball and 93-ish slider would rate in this modern era of pitch tracking?
Either way, hitters are equally helpless. Misiorowski is holding opponents to a .152 average, nearly 30 points nastier than No. 2 on the list, Chris Sale. And it’s not like his max velocity is driving him from games early – he’s completed at least six innings in six of 11 starts, including his past four.
Most recently, he chucked 57 of his 96 pitches at least 100 mph and dominated for seven innings in beating the Cardinals.
We’re not big fans of pitching WAR, especially in the smaller samples, such as one-third of a season. Nonetheless, Burns trails only Sánchez in WAR, is fourth in ERA and strikeouts and third in opponents’ batting average.
It’s all coming together awfully quick for the 23-year-old, who began the year determined to hone his changeup yet remains plenty reliant on his 98-mph heater. That’s been a mixed bag: He’s cut his home runs per nine in half compared to his 43-inning 2025 debut, though he could stand to trim his walk percentage a little more. But these are just nitpicks on what’s shaping up to be a beautiful canvas for 2026.
Need to see more: Shohei Ohtani, Kyle Harrison
You won’t see these fellows in the pitching leaders because they haven’t thrown enough: Ohtani’s 55 innings pitched leave him one shy of qualifying because the Dodgers have played 56 games; Harrison is at 51 ⅔ innings in the Brewers’ 53 games.
And while Ohtani is universally revered, Harrison has the rare opportunity to make two of his former teams look foolish.
He was the San Francisco Giants’ top pitching prospect who was perhaps rushed into a spot he wasn’t ready for, tossed into the Rafael Devers blockbuster with Boston and then discarded by the Red Sox, who have never met a hole they couldn’t make deeper by digging more.
Harrison, a Bay Area dude who lives in Arizona, had just reported to Fort Myers when the Sox dealt him to the Brewers, who train in Phoenix. Oh, well: The Red Sox had to pay to ship his car back home.
Ever since? He’s the Brewers next great success story, with a 1.57 ERA in 10 starts and a 4.36 strikeout-walk ratio that would rank sixth if he qualified.
Turns out the third team was the charm.
“It definitely adds a wrinkle to it, but it’s baseball, right?” Harrison told USA TODAY Sports earlier this month. “ You make relationships in the past with guys, and then you look forward to the new relationships with teammates.
“It’s all an experience. That’s the way you gotta look at it. Just keep pitching.”
And the winner will be … Paul Skenes?
Hey, he’s the champion until determined otherwise. And with all these gaudy numbers surrounding him, Skenes is simply lurking in the weeds, with what seems like a pedestrian 2.89 ERA and “only” 75 strikeouts in 65 1/3 innings.
Yet those numbers are accompanied by a 0.86 WHIP - second to Misiorowski's 0.83 - and a 75-12 strikeout-walk margin for a league-leading 6.25 ratio – ahead of No. 2 Sanchez’s 5.94 mark. If anything, the home run ball has nipped him a little more than his elite peers, his six bombs yielded exceeded only by Burns’ eight in this group.
And let’s face it: At 6-foot-6, 260 pounds, the man is built for the long haul. He’d probably be working on a Cy Young three-peat if the Pirates called him up sooner in 2024.
Nobody can win the Cy Young in the first third of the season – but plenty can lose it. Skenes doesn’t land in either camp yet ironically represents a “dark horse” to emerge from the pack come September.
MEXICO CITY, MEXICO - APRIL 26: Commissioner of Major League Baseball Robert D. Manfred Jr. speaks with the press prior the MLB Mexico City Series game between San Diego Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks at Estadio Alfredo Harp Helú on April 26, 2026 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Photo by Hector Vivas/Getty Images) | Getty Images
ESPN | Jesse Rogers: One day after the MLB Players’ Association offered a soft cap and a substantial increase of the minimum salary, among other things, the owners came up with the first firm cap offer since the 1994 strike. Per the league’s offer, each organization would need to keep a minimum payroll of $171.2 million, with a maximum of $245.3 million. “Our salary cap and floor proposal levels the playing field while sharing baseball revenue with the players 50/50 as we grow the game together,” league spokesperson Glen Caplin said in a statement.
MLB.com | Bill Ladson: Ladson caught up with Yankees legend Reggie Jackson. Mr. October discussed many subjects, including his excellent shape, cutting down on sugar, his love for the Steinbrenner family, the development of Aaron Judge, his favorite ballplayers around the league, his stance on the ABS challenge system, and many more. It’s definitely worth a read if you admire the always interesting Jackson.
NJ Advance Media | Randy Miller: Yankees backup catcher J.C. Escarra, who hits from the left side of the plate, is reportedly exploring the possibility of becoming a switch-hitter in the offseason. Per Miller, he is taking five swings righty every day in batting practice and is not opposed to the idea of eventually hitting from both sides. “I’m not committed yet, but it’s been on my mind some. We’ll see where it goes. All things are possible,” he said. Escarra is hitting .200/.250/.291 with a 51 wRC+ in 60 plate appearances this year.
NY Post | Ryan Giancola: It’s not a secret to anybody that followed the Yankees in the eighties that Dave Winfield and George Steinbrenner had a complicated relationship. The former outfielder, who spent nine seasons in the Bronx, criticized the “toxic work environment” in New York while talking on the All The Smoke Baseball podcast.
“Those nine-plus years that I was there, there wasn’t one day that I felt the organization was on my side trying to help me promote me, move me forward,” Winfield said on Wednesday. “You got to go to work every day, a toxic work environment.”
He added: “One of the best things that happened for my career is when I left New York.”
Steinbrenner infamously hired a private investigator to dig up dirt on Winfield, and also leaked made-up stories about him to the press, among other things.
SNY | John Flanigan: Yankees ace Gerrit Cole has already returned from the injured list, making two starts so far. Both of them resulted in at least six scoreless innings, with the most recent one, on Wednesday, also including 10 strikeouts in 6.2 frames. His velocity and command both seem all the way back, and manager Aaron Boone had nothing but good things to say about the frontline starter. “If the first start was the appetizer, this was the main course,” he said. “He had everything going.” A healthy, locked-in Cole takes the Yanks’ rotation to a whole new level.
The aforementioned Qatar played Ireland last night in Dublin, and lost 1-0.
The game was played against the backdrop of mounting controversy over Ireland’s forthcoming Nations League fixtures against Israel, with the game scheduled for October 4 in Dublin a particular focus, and protesters hurled tennis balls bearing the message “stop the game” onto the pitch on several occasions during the first half.
The 22-year will make a shock switch of allegiance from Italy to Australia four years after turning down the opportunity to represent the country of his birth at the tournament in Qatar.
Football Australia is still awaiting confirmation from Fifa that the formalities surrounding Volpato’s change of heart can be completed before Socceroos coach Tony Popovic names his 26-player World Cup squad by 1 June.
Teenager beats Luke Humphries in epic final to regain crown
‘I was sat at home saying I don’t want to do it anymore’
A tearful Luke Littler admitted his Premier League struggles and the boos from the crowd had made him consider walking away before he beat his great rival Luke Humphries in an epic final at the O2 Arena in London. Littler won a nail-biting last-leg decider to regain his crown and pocket a £350,000 jackpot.
The world No 1 was subjected to more pantomime booing and whistling from the 16,000 crowd. But the 19-year-old shrugged off the jeers that have followed him around recently to reclaim the title he lost to Humphries in last year’s final.
Cameron Green will be considered as Australia’s newest Test opener, partnering with Travis Head in attempt to squeeze both him and Beau Webster into the XI, per a report.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 25: Knicks fans celebrate winning the eastern conference championship against the Cleveland Cavaliers on May 25, 2026 in New York City. The Knicks last reached the NBA Finals in 1999, falling to the Spurs, and are seeking their first championship since defeating the Lakers in 1973. (Photo by David Dee Delgado/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Here’s the latest from Tarrytown and elsewhere as we keep patiently/anxiously waiting.
Mike Brown: “I’ve actually gotten to know @fatjoe a little bit. He used to kill me about my shoes… He’s probably the only (celebrity) I know well (from Knicks games).” pic.twitter.com/qnactJBm6o
On preparing for either potential Finals opponent:
“If we expect to be who we think we are, then at the end of the day it doesn’t matter. If we play San Antonio, it’ll save me some money because my family lives in San Antonio. I don’t have to buy airline tickets. But at the end of the day, both teams are great and both teams will be a challenge for us.”
On staying intentional amid any Finals distractions:
“Yeah, the biggest thing is you have to enjoy it because this doesn’t happen. Some guys never make it here, you know. And this is what most people play for, is to have a chance to, at the end of the year, say you won your last game, so you can walk around in the summertime with your chest out and all that other stuff amongst your peers. Having said that, you know, there are a lot more distractions that you got to navigate, so you have to be — I was talking to Allan Houston, he used the right word when I was talking to him about it, but you have to be real intentional about what you’re doing because you’re going to get pulled in so many different directions. And everybody’s human, and it’s natural to get pulled here, get pulled a little here, get pulled a little there, and think that you’re OK. But at the end of the day, after doing the media and practicing and getting pulled three or four different directions — because you’re going to have your family around you, you’re going to have friends around you, you’re going to have people wanting tickets, you’re going to have people wanting to go on this show and that show. At the end of the day, you may not realize it, but it can be fatiguing for you to do all of that stuff while trying to focus on some of the biggest games in your life. So again, going off of what word Allan Houston used, trying to be intentional about everything that we do during this time while keeping an edge is going to be huge.”
On managing scrimmage intensity before the Finals:
“Well, I mean, you can only have so many scrimmages because there’s only so many days, and you got to make sure – knock on wood — that you give them time to recover from the scrimmages. So it can’t be about much more increased contact, you know? But just the biggest thing is reminding them what happened in Game 1 of our last series, and let them know that when you’re watching these teams, it can’t happen this time around.”
On the difficulty of manufacturing Game 1 energy in practices during the break:
“It’s hard to manufacture the competitive environment that you’re going to be in in Game 1. So to continue to just find different ways to keep that competitive spirit or to keep that edge as high as you can is something that I’ll ask different players. I’ll ask my staff. I’ll get input from a few different people, and may roll with this, may roll with that. But the biggest thing that I think should help us is knowing that as a group, the last time we went through this, we started off a little slow in that game, and we can’t afford to do that again. Our guys, they’re a veteran group. They’ve been really resilient, and they’ve done a good job of growing quickly anytime they’ve hit adversity.”
Mitchell Robinson (broken right pinky) is holding his left hand after this play, but look at the right pinky
On missing the Raptors’ 2019 postseason run due to injury:
“Of course, I wanted to play. I wish I played, but I also learned a lot.”
On learning from his Raptors championship teammates:
“Jeremy Lin was a great teammate. I had Jodie Meeks, Norm Powell, Fred VanVleet, Marc Gasol, Serge Ibaka, Kyle Lowry, Kawhi Leonard, Pascal Siakam and Danny Green. I learned a lot from those guys. I learned so much being out.”
Word out of Westchester is Jalen Brunson's planning to dunk all over the Finals pic.twitter.com/huamGR6OwQ
“Obviously, you want to focus on being ready as a team, but you gotta prepare for both [teams]. Just understand the differences between the teams. You have two really good teams going at it right now. We gotta prepare for both.”
On staying locked in during another long break before the Finals:
“Comparing our situation from last time, just being mentally and physically locked in. I think that’s really important for us and that’s what we have to focus on these next couple of days.”
On blocking out social media and outside noise:
“I think it’s different for everybody. I’ve been off social media. I may post one thing and then just go back to deleting it. You just gotta block out the noise. You gotta do whatever you can to make sure you’re locked in. Everyone is different. Every individual has their way of blocking out things. It’s important to not hear some of the things. When there’s negative things being said about you, it’s important to ignore them. When there’s positive things about you, it’s easy to read them and feel good. You can’t do one and not the other. So just block it out as best as you can.”
On being ready from the opening tip in Game 1:
“I think just being more ready to go by the time Game 1 hits. Comparing our situation from last time, just being mentally and physically locked in. I think that’s really important for us and that’s what we have to focus on these next couple of days.”
Robby: “Pope Leo go Knicks! Pope Leo go Knicks! Pope Leo! Pope Leo go Knicks! Pope Leo go Knicks! Pope Leo go Knicks! Go Knicks!
On focusing on the Knicks’ own identity regardless of who they face in the Finals:
“Just going out there, playing our way no matter what, whoever’s out there, don’t really care. Just go out there and just play our way, and whoever’s out there is out there. We just got to play the right way.”
On starting the Finals on the road:
“I think it helps even just being on the road a little bit, being in a hostile environment. That should just get the mindset right off the jump anyway … Second time going around it, knowing that, ‘OK, we just got to pick it up.’ ”
On handling praise and media attention during the long break:
“Just worry about what we have to do to be better. Not get too into the media and all the stuff. A lot of questions, a lot of talk about how great we are, how great we’ve been. That doesn’t matter, we just gotta worry about being ourselves and stay locked in. And go win.”
"I would've retired as soon as I won."
Melo winning a championship with the Knickstape crew would've meant the everything 💯 pic.twitter.com/3S5z0Tfy33
“What a wild surprise. I think he just puts the work in. We always talk about, that’s what I think makes all of us special because all of us are putting work in, but he also really, really puts the work in. And I know if you know JB’s merch line and everything like that, it’s always about ‘The magic is in the work.’ He’s a testament to that. He believes in that. He showcases that every single day to all of us and drives us all to be better.”
On preparing for the possible Finals rust off a long layoff:
“Obviously, rust will be a thing, just not having shot in an NBA game in a while, but we’ll do a better job this time around of just preparing for that kind of situation to happen. I think that obviously the coaching staff did an amazing job getting us ready for Game 1 [of the Eastern Conference Finals], but obviously we just didn’t go out there and shoot well … We just got to figure out a way to get those game-like reps. I think the coaching staff heard us loud and clear. We want to get back to work to keep the rhythm and also maybe change up the philosophy of how we have those, I guess, scrimmages that we had last time, that we didn’t do last time. So I think we’ll be better prepared, but at the end of the day, it’s all about execution, desperation, energy. We got to bring it in Game 1.”
Crowd "We want Shamet! We want Shamet!
Mike Brown 😄
Lisa "You hear that? You're in the other teams building
Josh "It's New York man. Gotta give Sham big shoutout. Played huge––
On Brunson receiving national recognition once and for all:
“It’s cool. Obviously you always want teammates and friends to get recognition for everything that they’re doing. It’s super dope that’s how he’s being viewed now. Obviously he’s very humble. He’s not going to really make too much of it until he retires. But it’s cool he gets that recognition.”
"I would've retired as soon as I won."
Melo winning a championship with the Knickstape crew would've meant the everything 💯 pic.twitter.com/3S5z0Tfy33
“I just wish [Brunson] would get the respect and the calls that all these other guys are getting when they’re flopping and falling. I was at the game when they played OKC and Shai was getting calls and Jalen was literally getting hit all the time. But he brushes it off. He was getting a little upset initially and he calms himself down. You got to be like that because if your teammates see you being feisty, they’re going to do the same thing and not stay focused; they’re going to do the same thing on the attention to detail going forward.”
On Brunson’s physical style and toughness:
“Brunson’s small in stature, but he’s a power guard. He’s small but he doesn’t do all the theatrical stuff, falling down like he just got shot by a tranquilizer dart or something. Maybe he needs to take some acting lessons so he gets the calls. But he’s so strong, he’s bouncing off guys so he doesn’t have to fall all the time to get the call.”
On Brunson’s focus despite missed foul calls:
“I sat there — I’m not being biased — I sat there and for one quarter [Brunson] drove the ball, and I saw at least six fouls that weren’t called. And he literally was grabbed and pushed and knocked off balance. But that tells you the focus he has that he’s not going to let that take away from the goal at hand. ‘Okay, I’m not getting the calls but I’m going to make them make these calls.’ And we’ll see in the Finals if it’ll hold true that, ‘If you’re going to let us play, let us play.’ If you’re going to make the calls, make them fair on both sides.”
Monica McNutt
On Becky Hammon’s infamous take about small guards:
“Honestly, historically, she was not wrong. Isaiah Thomas. Steph Curry. The list is very short, right? But I remember her saying, and I was like, ‘Oh, saying that to the wrong fanbase, my girl.’ And I, too, adore Becky Hammon. She’s a Hall of Famer.”
On the reaction to Hammon and being a woman in sports media:
“She picked the wrong fanbase, and I will add, as a woman in this space, I think it’s easy to pile on women in this space. Not everybody rolls off her credentials the way you did, Adam. … But I get it, I’ve said some crazy things as an analyst too. I think I said the Warriors were cooked a year they went on to win the championship.”
On Brunson’s mentality and growth over time:
“I’ll never forget this as long as I cover him, Adam. We are looking at these moves, and I’m like, ‘What are you seeing?’ He’s like, ‘I’ve never been the fastest. I’ve never been the strongest. I’ve never out athleticisized. But I’ve always had to figure out how to beat my opponent. So, I just play to my strengths.’ And he has been meticulous about finding his strength. … At every stop, he has been one that has been doubted — and for whatever reason — but all he has done is won. There are some people among us that just have that winning gene and I would describe Jalen Brunson as one of those guys.”
On how this Knicks team resembles the champions of the 1970s:
“I grew up in Queens with the championship Knicks teams of the ’70s, and this team plays the same way. They share the basketball and the ball just pops around. They play defense, they are deep, and they have so many people you can rely on. You never know who can hurt you. Leon has done a tremendous job, and he’s done it his own way. His team sacrifices for one another just like those ’70s teams. Josh Hart was one of his great moves because he’s the glue of that team, just like Dave DeBusschere. They’re peaking at the right time and doing things that have never been done in the NBA playoffs.”
On Leon Rose’s quiet approach as Knicks president:
“It’s working for him, and that’s what counts. The whole media situation has changed from the ’90s, with social media and everything else. Mike Brown has done a great job, the Knicks are winning, and when you have too many voices out there, it’s not beneficial anyway.”
Maria "Patrick Ewing
VC "WAAH
T-Mac "PE my brother!
Melo😆
Pat 😆"Whats up fellas
Maria "They didnt know you were gonna show … VC "Who's been best player?
“Rick existed only on one-year contracts. And it was always the joke from Patrick [Ewing] to me all the time — every year we would bring Rick into training camp, and Patrick would go, ‘Hey, you brought your nephew back.’ I guess he thought we looked alike. So, as a result, whenever I see Rick, I refer to him as nephew. He was in on the joke, and I say, ‘My nephew is really doing well.’ (Laughs). I don’t know Jalen, really. I only met him through the draft process and all that. But he’s become an extraordinarily good player and an extraordinarily clutch player.”
On rest vs. rust entering the Finals:
“Let me dispose of the rest vs. rust concept. When you’ve already played 90 games, everything on your body is sore. I don’t know a player in the league who wouldn’t want the rest. Because it allows your body to go back to some feeling of normalcy. … We played a grueling hand-to-hand combat series against Miami. And then we flip it over and we play another six-game hand-to-hand combat series with the Pacers. And we were a team that, at that time, was starting to age. So this current team seems to have everybody who is a critical member in their prime. I don’t see anybody who is on the aging side of their career. And they have dispatched other teams pretty quickly so they can get their rest. So they’re on a good cycle. To me, that’s an important ingredient in the calculation as to whether or not they can win this.”
John Thomas
On why most players prefer long postseason breaks:
“That’s key. A lot of people look at rest as a negative but as players we always look at that as a positive. The more rest, the better.”
Reggie Miller clarifies his take that the Knicks will be the favorite in the NBA Finals:
"The sentimental, people I think are pulling for the Knicks because it's been a bazillion years since they go to the Finals … that's what I was trying to say last night." pic.twitter.com/oho17DhuUS
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) May 27, 2026
Reggie Miller
On whether he “hates” the Knicks:
“Hate is a very strong [word]. I love the players. I love the organization. It’s the fanbase at times that makes me scratch my head. … Those guys, the way they play, the way they carry themselves, it’s all about business.”
On clarifying his comment that the Knicks could be favored in the Finals:
“They won’t be the betting favorite. Obviously, that will be the Spurs or the Thunder. They will be the betting favorite, either one of those teams, but the sentimental people, I think, are pulling for the Knicks because it’s been a bazillion years since they’ve gotten to the Finals. All of New York is on board. That’s what I was trying to say last night. And the way they’ve been playing right now, 11 in a row, they are so connected at both ends of the floor, that’s why I think they would be favored, not in the betting aspect of, but in terms of winning a series because of how well they’re connected.”
“Nunca vi Karl-Anthony Towns defender e estar tão engajado no lado defensivo como ele está. O que vimos por anos, e este ano um pouco, é ele cometer essas faltas idiotas. Ele nem está fazendo isso mais.”
“I’ve never seen Karl-Anthony Towns defend and be as engaged as he is on the defensive end. What we’ve seen for years, and this year some, is him get these dumb fouls. He’s not even doing that anymore.”
“You’ve got great players coming out of Chicago, great players coming out of L.A., but in those cities only the ones who want to be great play [at the next level]. In New York, the guys who play don’t want to be great, they just want to play in the day. Now, everyone who’s playing AAU, everyone who’s playing streetball, everyone who’s playing travel ball, everyone playing in high school in those cities has delusions of grandeur to be in the NBA. Everyone in New York [back then], they just want to play, they don’t think they’re going to be in the NBA, so you have everyone playing. We had a guy in our neighborhood, Fat Ike. I had Fat Ike on my team because he knew how to set a hell of a pick. He ain’t trying to make the NBA, he ain’t thinking about it. Those guys don’t exist in other cities.”
"I said it 2 years ago
I stand by it
There's no air to be cleared
I said what I said"
–– Becky Hammon on saying Jalen Brunson's not a "1A dude" because he's "too small" and therefore "not winning" pic.twitter.com/erkWEOPDaY
On standing by her previous Jalen Brunson comments:
“I’m speaking historically on the NBA with what I said. I don’t know why everybody’s so stuck on that. I said it two years ago, I stand by it. There’s no air to be cleared. I said what I said. He proves me wrong. He proves me wrong. Good for him, but I do think the two best teams are in the West. I’m up for being proven wrong. That’s the other thing. I think Jalen Brunson is a hell of a player.”
BREAKING: Mayor Mamdani says he’s considering an executive order to let kids stay up late to watch the Knicks finals. pic.twitter.com/RWEeXp1675
“I remember when Coach Becky Hammond went on national TV saying you can’t win with a SMALL guard… Man I don’t like those type of statements smh. Keep doing ya thang Brunson… Us ‘small’ guards all rooting 4 ya.”
On criticizing ESPN colleagues for considering the Knicks’ Finals run enough:
“So sick of the blasphemy I’m hearing in [Get Up] from [Kendrick Perkins], [Monica McNutt], [Vince Goodwill], [Mike Greenberg], and, of course the diabolical [Michael Wilbon]. Already wanting to tell [Knicks] fans the season is a success. They are NOT the ones who’ve suffered since 1973. They don’t get it. But they will, especially on [First Take] this morning. They’d better!!!”
Adam Silver says the NBA will implement an AI automated system to review calls.
On how franchises will approach team-building in the new lottery era:
“You want the greatest incentive to be successful. So those teams still have very good chances to get a top draft pick, but I’ll just also add that’s not the only way to build a team. It may put more of an emphasis on scouting. We’re now at a point where 30 percent of our players are from outside the United States. So you have a much larger pool of players. Rosters are much deeper than where they used to be.”
On the distinction between embellishment and deception in officiating:
“Even as I sit in the stands at games, players may be falling down, players may be reacting to a call. But to me, if they’re not fooling the referees, it’s OK. Players are taught to sell calls these days.”
On the NBA starting to use AI for automating certain calls:
“We’re going to move to a system like that where that whole category of calls will be automatic. It’s going to be Laker ball, Knick ball, whatever it is. Those calls will be done by an AI, automated system with cameras lined around the court. It will take all those so-called objective calls out of the hands of the referees. You won’t have to deal with challenges on those calls.”
On why referees will remain essential for judgment calls:
“There’s often contact on every play, but that doesn’t mean there’s a foul on every play. That’s something that can’t just be done on camera.”
On taking Taylor Swift to the Cavaliers-Knicks game:
“This wasn’t me trying to persuade Taylor into being a Cleveland sports fan with me. This was me just having a fun date night knowing that I love going to basketball games. We actually tried to go to a game in New York, but I was stuck in Kansas City. I love bringing her into the sports world that I appreciate. That’s why you’ve seen us at the U.S. Open tennis matches, other baseball games, and the (Guardians) vs. the (Yankees) two years ago. I just enjoy bringing her to experience a lot of the fun that I’ve always known to have.”
On Swift’s New York ties and wearing Knicks gear for the Melo-Amar’e pic:
“Not a lot of teams have been able to get Taylor to wear a jersey, and the Knicks did. Tay’s got a lot of New York ties. When it came down to going to the Cavs game, she was like, ‘Oh nice, they’re playing the Knicks, sweet! I’ve seen them play before.’ It was fun.”
On the Knicks’ leadership and influence in the Jets:
“That’s a gritty, gritty team, and it’s hard to be a gritty team without gritty players. And it all starts with the point guard. I mean, you could tell that the leadership, the fight, everybody follows that. And it’s easy to follow that. … I continue to say this, that leadership really comes down to one word and that’s ‘influence,’ and you really see the influence that he has. And it’s not always verbal — it’s a lot of just what he does and how he operates. Man, pulling for those guys. I really am because they play their ass off and it’s fun to watch and it’s good to see.”
Donald Trump reveals that Knicks owner James Dolan has invited him to an NBA Finals game pic.twitter.com/w4PY7pBPim
“I was invited to. I was going to go on Wednesday [Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals], but they closed it out very quickly. They’re great, and Jim Dolan’s a great guy — he’s as you know, owns and in charge of Madison Square Garden. He’s having a good year. Boy, what a team! They win all their games. They really have some great players. I think I’ll be going to one of the games, yeah. I was invited by numerous people, and Jim, and I think it’s great. Great to see it. The Knicks have really, they’ve really suffered for years and they’re doing right now very well.”
Wembanyama appeared in the first play-off elimination game of his NBA career [Getty Images]
Victor Wembanyama produced an inspired performance as the San Antonio Spurs beat defending NBA champions the Oklahoma City Thunder 118-91 to set up a decisive game seven in the Western Conference Finals.
San Antonio coach Mitch Johnson had called on Wembanyama to score more than 20 points after a disappointing showing in game five, and the 22-year-old duly delivered.
Wembanyama finished with 28 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks as the Spurs dominated after taking an early lead to level the series at 3-3.
The Frenchman came out of the game with almost eight minutes remaining in the third quarter and midway through the Spurs scoring 20 consecutive points.
Johnson praised Wembanyama's "passion and desire" and taking "responsibility" after his dominant display.
Stephon Castle finished with 17 points, nine assists and one turnover, while Dylan Harper added 18 points off the bench.
Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander could not replicate his 32-point outing in game five as he finished with 15 points and four assists after making only six of 18 shots.
It was Gilgeous-Alexander's lowest scoring output since he scored 14 in game three of the 2025 Western Conference finals against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The two-time NBA MVP is shooting just 37.9% from the floor in the series after making 51.4% of his field-goal attempts during the first two rounds of this year's post-season.
"I'm not sure, to be honest," Gilgeous-Alexander said when asked why he is struggling.
"A lot of the shots that I'm shooting, I shot plenty of times before. They feel good, and it's not good.
"They [San Antonio] were the aggressors from start to finish. They played harder than us, hit more shots, were more aggressive, were in attack mode. We were on our heels."
Whoever wins game seven in Oklahoma City on Saturday, 30 May (Sunday 01:00 BST), will face the New York Knicks in the NBA Finals.
OAKLAND, CA - OCTOBER 17: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors hugs NBA Commissioner Adam Silver during their 2017 NBA Championship ring ceremony at ORACLE Arena on October 17, 2017 in Oakland, 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 Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After drafting 11th in this year’s NBA draft, the Golden State Warriors would really like to stay out of the lottery for the next few seasons. If they do end up there, they’ll be subject to some temporary anti-tanking reforms.
Breaking: The NBA's Board of Governors has passed new anti-tanking rules that include expanding the draft lottery from 14 to 16 teams, a relegation zone where the bottom 3 teams get penalized with lessened chances for the No. 1 pick, and flattened odds, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/e1oq10p2yV
Shams really writes like a poet, doesn’t he? The “relegation zone” also feels like an idea that would have existed had comics legend Jim Kirby consulted with David Stern on the original draft lottery proposal.
Here’s the gist of the changes. The new format of the draft involves what’s being called a “3-2-1 lottery,” which sounds like it was suggested by a consultant named Big Bird.
The name refers to the number of ping-pong balls each lottery team will receive. The teams with the 4th- through 10th-worst records get three balls. The three worst teams get two balls, as do the No. 9 and No. 10 seeds, which certainly creates a disincentive to win play-in games! The loser of the 7-8 game in each conference gets one ping pong ball.
What’s the big takeaway? It’s no longer worth it to be terrible! The odds of getting the top pick when you’re one of the NBA’s three worst teams dropped from 14.1% to 5.4%. This year, the Warriors’ odds would have improved from 2% to all the way to 5.4%. They also can’t protect picks landing between 12 and 15, which is extremely important when the Warriors front office leaks their trade offer for a superstar, two days after he lands with a different team.
Tanking hasn’t really been an issue for the Warriors since 2012. That was the year the Warriors owed a top-7 protected pick to the Utah Jazz, thanks to a complicated series of transactions. The Dubs gave the then-New Jersey Nets a protected first-round pick to add point guard/laptop thief Marcus Williams, who played 54 minutes for Golden State. Not games — minutes.
The Warriors panicked at the possibility of losing a lottery pick for a guy who barely played, so they sent the Nets two second-rounders to push the pick back to 2012, where it remained protected for picks 1-7. It made sense at the time — the team was bad. They were tied for the NBA’s third-worst record with one game to play and the draft featured future stars like John Wall, Boogie Cousins, Gordon Hayward, and Paul George.
In that final game, the Warriors went to Portland with six healthy players. They had only five players after Chris Hunter hurts his knee in the 1st quarter. Somehow, he was the team’s starting center. Devean George fouled out, but stayed in the game because by rule, the team can’t play with four. Steph Curry and Monta Ellis played 48 minutes each and combined for 76 points, while Reggie Williams and Anthony Tolliver never came out of the game.
The result? Golden State 122, Portland 116. The victory leap-frogged the Warriors ahead of the Sacramento Kings and Washington Wizards, so they were only the 5th-worst team in basketball. Subsequently the Wizards won the draft lottery and drafted Wall, while the Dubs took Ekpe Udoh at No. 6.
In 2012, the Lacob administration wasn’t risking anything. The team closed the season on a 3-22 run. Coach Mark Jackson delivered a master class in losing down the stretch. David Lee, Andrew Bogut, and Steph Curry all had surgeries the same week. Mikki Moore played 91 minutes in the Warriors’ final four games and never played in the NBA again. Mickell Gladness played 68 minutes in the final two games and never played in the NBA again.
Someone named Chris Wright almost ruined everything by scoring 25 points in 46 minutes in a close loss in the season finale. He would not play in the NBA the next season, and only eight more NBA games in his career. Mama, there goes that man — straight to the lottery.
It all worked out when the team stayed at No. 7 and landed The Black Falcon, also known as Harrison Barnes, who is now one game away from his third NBA Finals appearance after a 10-year absence. You could say the Warriors tanked during the 2019-20 season, but it’s more accurate to say they just sucked after everyone got hurt.
The new draft rules only last until 2029, when either management or the players can opt out of the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement. That means the Warriors may well be facing a new set of rules entirely for the post-Steph Curry era.
Our guess? Like Commissioner Adam Silver’s tinkering with the All-Star Game format, the new rules will end up being even more confusing and arcane in terms of restrictions on trades and pick protections, and probably include tradable draft credits, incentives for beating DraftKings over/under totals after the All-Star Break, and an artificial intelligence model for randomizing draft order that goes rogue and moves the New Orleans Pelicans to the site of a data center in rural Montana.
Eventually, the draft order will be determined by a combination of NIL money, TikTok follower counts of the draftees, and the declamations of a blind, nude oracle in a subterranean temple below the Intuit Dome. And upon that oracle’s death, or bribery by a tree planting charity deeply in debt to Steve Ballmer, they’ll go back to comically-large envelopes in a large glass ball.
Throwback to the very first NBA Draft Lottery in 1985, when the Knicks won the chance to draft Patrick Ewing pic.twitter.com/cS48IVuIp3
SAN ANTONIO, TX - MAY 28: Dylan Harper #2 of the San Antonio Spurs dribbles the ball during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder during Game Six of the NBA Western Conference Finals on May 28, 2026 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photos by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
After a disappointing performance Tuesday night in OKC, the Spurs bounced back with a dominant 27-point, wire-to-wire victory to stave off elimination and force a game 7.
The good guys came out with their hair on fire. San Antonio made a trio of threes, forcing the Thunder to call an early timeout. Wemby, specifically, played with the needed aggression that was missing in game 5. He drilled two triples and took Hartenstein into the paint before making a pretty turnaround jumper while deterring shots on the other end. The defense as a whole was sharp, with every player rotating and not giving up open looks for OKC. The Spurs played at a breakneck pace, getting into their actions early and running at every opportunity. Their momentum fuelled a scorching shooting start, as San Antonio made eight threes in the first quarter alone to build a double-digit lead.
Still, the Thunder kept their composure. Even with Shai on the bench, OKC played methodically to keep the game competitive. The Spurs maintained their defensive intensity, with the roof of Frost Bank Center almost coming off after Vassell blocked Chet at the rim. San Antonio continued getting good looks on offense, with Dylan Harper hitting multiple threes and penetrating the paint with ease. Some late-quarter blunders, however, led to two quick buckets from the Thunder that cut the lead down to single digits, and the good guys headed into the break up 60-53.
The Spurs’ resilience was on display to start the second half. OKC made it a two-possession game right off the bat, yet San Antonio kept answering with punches of their own. They managed to build on the lead during the non-Wemby minutes, even with Shai playing. The good guys neutralized the MVP, picking his pockets multiple times and forcing him into attempts from near-impossible angles while taking away open looks from the Thunder’s shooters. As a result, the Spurs went on a 13-0 run to build a 20-point lead without Wemby, and the dominance continued when he checked back in. OKC was noticeably frazzled, failing to generate good looks and chucking up long 3s so that they didn’t have to deal with San Antonio’s swarming defense. The Thunder went almost eight minutes without a single bucket, and the Spurs outscored them 32-13 in the third alone.
Down 26, Mark Daigneault got funky and threw a 2-3 zone at the good guys. It flummoxed them momentarily before the points started coming again, and Wemby comfortably checked out of the game with nine minutes remaining. Similar to game 4, Shai didn’t even touch the floor in the fourth, with both teams turning their focus to game 7 long before the contest was over. In the end, the Spurs came away with a dominant 118-91 victory on home soil.
Game notes
Wemby had a great game, finishing with 28 and 10 on 10-21 from the field and 4-9 from three. Yet, I didn’t like his process, as he only had two lob finishes/attempts total, which was also why he only shot four free throws. Almost all of his points came from hot shooting from deep and the mid-range, along with iso drives against OKC’s bigs. If he had a cold shooting game, the Spurs might be on their way to Cancun, and the team will need to get him touches closer to the rim if they hope to win game 7.
Harper looks like he’s back, and it couldn’t have happened at a better time. The rookie had 18/6/4 on 6-9 shooting and seemed to regain his explosiveness, effortlessly knifing his way to the rim multiple times for impressive finishes or kickouts to open shooters.
On the other hand, Fox had a horrendous game. The All-Star shot 1-9 and had just five points, although he also poured in seven assists. Fox didn’t have any of his usual burst and was largely invisible, but his presence is still a positive since it gives the Spurs another reliable ballhandler, while also forcing OKC to respect him from the perimeter.
Jalen Williams was active and came off the bench, although it remains puzzling as to why OKC brought him back. He was one of the worst players both from the eye test and on the scoreboard. JDub played just 10 minutes and had a single point while taking just one shot. He wasn’t involved in the Thunder’s offense at all and was attacked relentlessly on defense, unable to contain anyone on the Spurs. I was expecting OKC to hold him out until a potential game 7 to avoid re-injury, though perhaps they wanted to see how he looked so that they could gameplan moving forward? Well, they have their answer.
The Spurs will return to OKC to play the biggest game of the entire season Saturday night, with tip-off set for 7pm central time. Let’s punch our ticket to the finals and prove Corgi right!! Go Spurs go!
ARLINGTON, TX - MAY 25: Jeremy Peña #3 of the Houston Astros celebrates with teammates in the first inning during the game between the Houston Astros and the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field on Monday, May 25, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Sam Hodde/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Astros best starter this season has been a guy not deemed good enough to make the Opening Day roster.
Spencer Arrighetti (W, 7-1) picked up his 7th win in 8 starts with another terrific performance, limiting the Texas Rangers (25-31) to one run over 6 innings as the Houston Astros (26-32) took 3 of 4 games in Arlington with a 5-1 victory at Globe Life Field.
Arrighetti allowed just 3 hits and 1 walk while striking out 6. His lone blemish was a solo HR allowed to Josh Jung.
Houston gave Arrighetti all the run support he would need before he even took the mound.
Jeremy Pena led off the game with a HR, his 2nd of the season, off Rangers SP Nathan Eovaldi (L, 5-6). Eovaldi then walked Yordan Alvarez before surrendering a 2-run HR to Isaac Paredes. Houston led 3-0 going into the bottom of the first. The 3 runs in the first off Eovaldi by Houston was more runs than they had scored off him in his last 4 starts against them (2 runs in 27.1 IP).
After Jung homered in the bottom of the 2nd, the Astros answered right back in the top of the third.
Paredes drew a 2-out walk, then took second on a wild pitch. Taylor Trammell then ripped an RBI double, scoring Paredes to make it a 4-1 lead. Cam Smith then drove in Trammell with a single to center to make it a 5-1 game. Eovaldi was charged with 5 runs, 4 hits, 2 walks and 2 HR allowed in 7 innings. He struck out 6.
Houston used 4 relievers to get the final 9 outs, with Bryan Abreu working a 1-2-3 9th with a pair of strikeouts.
Pearson, Okert, De Los Santos and Abreu allowed only 1 hit and 2 walks in 3 innings, while striking out 5 as the bullpen got the job done again for Houston.
Houston has now won 9 of its last 13 games, and only allowed 13 total runs in those 9 wins. They went 7-3 on the road trip, and have won consecutive series for the first time this season.
Houston took 3 of 4 from the Rangers in this series, and now has a 5-2 edge in the Silver Boot Series.
The Astros will now come back to Daikin Park and open a 3-game series with the Milwaukee Brewers.
Pitching probables:
Fri: RHP Kai-Wei Teng vs. RHP Coleman Crow (Fri, 7:10 pm)
Sat: RHP Peter Lambert vs. RHP Brandon Sproat (Sat, 3:10 pm)
Sun: RHP Tatsuya Imai vs. RHP Jacob Misiorowski (Sun, 1:10 pm)
PHOENIX, AZ - APRIL 25: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder dribbles the ball during the game against the Phoenix Suns during Round One Game Three of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 25, 2026 at PHX Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. 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 Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Phoenix Suns have been eliminated for over a month now, but one Phoenix Sun continues to stay in the public eye.
He’s not going to a get technical for it, but after Dillon Brooks’ partnership with Underdog Sports, where the Suns forward was promoting a game similar to Operation making fun of NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the point guard and his management team sent a cease and desist letter to Underdog Sports, according to the Athletic.
It doesn’t look like Underdog Sports is going to be stopping their promotion they did with Brooks. After SGA’s team filed for a cease and desist, according to Front Office Sports.
An attorney for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander sent a cease and desist to Underdog about a promotional board game making fun of his "foul bating."
Underdog tells FOS it will not stop promoting the game: “We like to have some fun with whatever is in the sports fan zeitgeist.
If you’ve been on the internet or been following NBA discourse the last few months, you’ve probably seen the constant criticism and mockery of the 2-time NBA MVP and Finals MVP receives for his play style. One of the main vocalists has been Brooks.
During the team’s matchup in the first round, the two made subtle jabs at each other after the game.
Brooks had some words for the refs after the Suns lost in Game 2 of the series that were pointed at SGA’s play.
"Ya'll should be interviewing the officials."
Dillon Brooks after Game 2 loss to OKC as he fouled out with 30 points.
"That should be a new thing in the NBA. Officials got to explain themselves because it's getting ridiculous when you can see it. It starts getting fiery. No… pic.twitter.com/Lgvdi3B8af
Both Brooks and Gilgeous-Alexander are from Canada and play on the team’s Olympic squad together, so it may have been all fun and games between the two off the court to get in each other’s heads, but what remains true is that Brooks has kept himself in the NBA eye since the Suns were eliminated. Brooks showed up front row to see LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers, who he’s had history with, be eliminated by the Thunder in the second round.
Thunder coach Mark Daigneault spoke to the media after the loss about Gilgeous-Alexander's performance. The guard scored 32 points the game prior.
"I was pretty encouraged last game at the cracks we were able to get him," Daigneault said. "And obviously, I don't think we were able to do that as well tonight. I'd never discredit the defense and the opponent. There's always that. There are things I think we can do better."
Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 31.1 points per game in the regular season en route to his second straight Most Valuable Player award. He had a career-high 55 points early on in an October double-overtime matchup where the Thunder beat the Indiana Pacers 141-135, in a rematch of last year's Finals.
The four-time All-Star has cooled off a bit in the playoffs, though. He's been held under 20 points two other times this postseason. He had 18 points on May 5 in a 108-90 win over the Los Angeles Lakers in the second round of the playoffs and only notched 19 points in Game 4 against San Antonio, a 103-82 loss.
“I’m not too sure, to be honest,” Gilgeous-Alexander said when asked why he’s been struggling to hit shots of late (36.2% from the field over his last four games). “A lot of the shots that I’m shooting, I’ve shot plenty of times before and they feel good. They’re just not going in.
“But it’s too late to abandon my work and abandon my game and who I am. This late in the season, I got to trust it and live or die by it.”
His 15 points were the fewest he's put up in any game since he was held to 14 in a May 24, 2025 playoff game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. He shot just 4-for-13 in that contest, which the Thunder lost 143-101.
The Thunder will host the Spurs in Game 7 of the Western Conference finals on Saturday, May 30. The winner will face the New York Knicks in the NBA Finals.
The NHL lost a total legend on Thursday, when NHL legend Claude Lemieux passed away at the age of 60 in Florida.
Lemieux played 1,215 NHL regular-season games along with 234 playoff games, winning four Stanley Cups and one Conn Smythe Trophy.
Lemieux has the ninth-most playoff goals in NHL history with 80, and has the 27th most points with 158.
Lemieux won two Stanley Cups with ex-New York Islanders' coach Patrick Roy, in 1986 with the Montreal Canadiens and in 1996 with the Colorado Avalanche.
The duo were teammates for a decade total, first with the Canadiens from 1984 until 1990, then reuniting in Colorado from 1996 until 2000.
Roy eulogized Lemieux Thursday evening:
“I am deeply saddened to learn of Claude Lemieux's passing," Roy said in a statement to TVA's Renaud Lavoie. "Claude was an exceptional teammate, a fierce competitor, a key element in several of our greatest achievements, and a player who left his mark on our sport.
"His intensity and determination made him a player respected by his teammates and feared by his opponents. We shared unforgettable moments, memorable victories, and a shared passion for hockey. My thoughts are with his family and loved ones during this ordeal.”
Lemieux's Conn Smythe victory came in 1995 with the New Jersey Devils and then-general manager Lou Lamoriello.
Lamoriello, the Islanders' President of Hockey Operations and General Manager from 2018 until 2025, traded for Lemieux twice while with the Devils, first in 1990 and then early in the 1999-2000 season.
The Devils went on to win the Stanley Cup in 2000, with Lemieux playing a key role.
Lamoriello spoke to The Athletic about his relationship with Lemieux and his untimely passing.
"Lamoriello told The Athletic on Thursday how 'shocked' he was by the death of his former player and an agent with whom he negotiated contracts."
Lemieux, a player agent post-retirement, represented several active NHL players, including Pierre Engvall, signing his current contract with the Islanders and Lamoriello on July 1, 2023.
The NHL lost a total legend on Thursday, when NHL legend Claude Lemieux passed away at the age of 60 in Florida.
Lemieux played 1,215 NHL regular-season games along with 234 playoff games, winning four Stanley Cups and one Conn Smythe Trophy.
Lemieux has the ninth-most playoff goals in NHL history with 80, and has the 27th most points with 158.
Lemieux won two Stanley Cups with ex-New York Islanders' coach Patrick Roy, in 1986 with the Montreal Canadiens and in 1996 with the Colorado Avalanche.
The duo were teammates for a decade total, first with the Canadiens from 1984 until 1990, then reuniting in Colorado from 1996 until 2000.
Roy eulogized Lemieux Thursday evening:
“I am deeply saddened to learn of Claude Lemieux's passing," Roy said in a statement to TVA's Renaud Lavoie. "Claude was an exceptional teammate, a fierce competitor, a key element in several of our greatest achievements, and a player who left his mark on our sport.
"His intensity and determination made him a player respected by his teammates and feared by his opponents. We shared unforgettable moments, memorable victories, and a shared passion for hockey. My thoughts are with his family and loved ones during this ordeal.”
Lemieux's Conn Smythe victory came in 1995 with the New Jersey Devils and then-general manager Lou Lamoriello.
Lamoriello, the Islanders' President of Hockey Operations and General Manager from 2018 until 2025, traded for Lemieux twice while with the Devils, first in 1990 and then early in the 1999-2000 season.
The Devils went on to win the Stanley Cup in 2000, with Lemieux playing a key role.
Lamoriello spoke to The Athletic about his relationship with Lemieux and his untimely passing.
"Lamoriello told The Athletic on Thursday how 'shocked' he was by the death of his former player and an agent with whom he negotiated contracts."
Lemieux, a player agent post-retirement, represented several active NHL players, including Pierre Engvall, signing his current contract with the Islanders and Lamoriello on July 1, 2023.
RALEIGH, NC - MARCH 15: Cooper Consiglio #28 of the NC State Wolfpack takes the mound during the college baseball game between the Boston College Eagles and the NC State Wolfpack on March 15, 2026 at Doak Field at Dail Park in Raleigh, NC. (Photo by Nicholas Faulkner/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Game 1: (1) Auburn vs (4) Milwaukee | Fri, May 29 @ 1:00pm | ESPN+ | Stats
Game 2: (2) UCF vs (3) NC State | Fri, May 29 @ 6:00pm | ESPN2 | Stats
Game 3: Game 1 Loser vs Game 2 Loser | Sat, May 30 @ 3:00pm | ESPN+ | Stats
Game 4: Game 1 Winner vs Game 2 Winner | Sat, May 30 @ 8:00pm | ESPN+ | Stats
Game 5: Game 3 Winner vs Game 4 Loser | Sun, May 31 @ 3:00pm | ESPN+ | Stats
Game 6: Game 4 Winner vs Game 5 Winner | Sun, May 31 @ 8:00pm | ESPN+ | Stats
Game 7: Repeat of Game 6 (if necessary) | Mon, Jun 1 @ TBD | ESPN+ | Stats
Welcome to the 2026 Auburn Regional, hosted by – you guessed it – the #4 overall seed Auburn Tigers. Let’s get to know the participants.
Opponent: Auburn | Seed: 1
Mascot: Generic Create-a-School Selection | Location: The Original Clemson, AL | Conference: SEC
The consistent thing you’ll hear about Auburn is that they’re battle-tested, and it’s not hyperbole. This Tigers team played the most Q1 games in the country this year and played not only the overall toughest schedule in the country, but also the toughest one in the SEC, playing fellow Regional hosts Texas, Alabama, Florida, Texas A&M, Mississippi State, and Georgia. Four of those series were on the road, plus they played a non-conference series against Regional host Nebraska, plus three total games against Regional hosts Florida State and Georgia Tech.
We’ll get the pitching staff here momentarily, but the lineup is vastly undervalued. Of the eight lineup mainstays, seven have OBPs over .400, the most of any team in the Auburn Regional. It’s a young core, too, with six of those eight mainstays being freshman or sophomores. SO 2B Chris Rembert (.345/.402/.478, 13 2B, 4 HR, 7.4 BB%, 16.0 K%, 11-16 SB) was the only 1st Team All-SEC honoree on the squad this year, but he’s far from the only deserving one. FR 1B Ethin Bingaman (.323/.415/.538, 7 2B, 11 HR, 12.0 BB%, 15.2 K%, 4-6 SB) earned 2nd Team honors while SO C Chase Fralick (.311/.415/.594, 16 2B, 14 HR, 11.4 BB%, 17.3 K%, 1-1 SB) has been invited to the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team training camp and JR 3B Eric Guevara (.335/.403/.555, 12 2B, 12 HR, 6.4 BB%, 18.5 K%, 3-3 SB) is a semifinalist for the Dick Howser Trophy. JR CF Bristol Carter (.299/.432/.388, 7 2B, 2 HR, 15.1 BB%, 12.0 K%, 30-31 SB) and rFR SS Brandon McCraine (.347/.428/.432, 11 2B, 1 HR, 11.2 BB%, 17.9 K%, 16-19 SB) provide the wheels to the lineup. Oh, and that one lineup mainstay with a sub-.400 OBP? That’s leading home run hitter SO LF Bub Terrell (.303/.383/.588, 12 2B, 16 HR, 10.0 BB%, 29.6 K%, 3-5 SB).
The pitching staff is what gets the most attention for the Tigers, and rightfully so as it’s as good of a group as you’ll find the country, and the reason why so many are high on this team to be playing in Omaha in two weeks. The starting rotation has been not only consistent but consistently dominant, with SO LHP Jake Marciano (5-5, 2.64 ERA, 81.2 IP, 5.1 BB%, 30.1 K%), SO RHP Andreas Alvarez (9-3, 3.30 ERA, 73.2 IP, 9.1 BB%, 33.0 K%), and rSO RHP Alex Petrovic (9-2, 3.21 ERA, 81.1 IP, 5.8 BB%, 24.8 K%) forming a fearsome three-headed beast. Somehow, none of the three earned All-SEC honors. Like Guevara, Petrovic is a semifinalist for the Dick Howser Trophy. Getting one of those three out of the game early does you no real favors as the bullpen is just a lethal. SO LHP Jackson Sanders (4-1, 4 SV, 2.66 ERA, 61.0 IP, 8.7 BB%, 32.5 K%), a 2nd Team All-SEC pick, was the main midweek starter for Auburn, but also led the team in saves. FR RHP L.J. Cormier (1-0, 2 SV, 2.06 ERA, 39.1 IP, 7.3 BB%, 29.7 K%), JR RHP Ryan Hetzler (4-2, 2 SV, 2.76 ERA, 29.1 IP, 4.2 BB%, 22.9 K%), and JR LHP Garrett Brewer (1-2, 3 SV, 5.00 ERA, 18.0 IP, 10.7 BB%, 31.0 K%) also notched multiple saves each on the year. Cormier is the son of long-time MLB pitcher Lance Cormier. JR RHP Jett Johnston (0-1, 5.64 ERA, 22.1 IP, 4.0 BB%, 28.0 K%) doesn’t have a pretty ERA, but good luck against him with those walk and strikeout numbers. It’s worth noting that Brewer hasn’t pitched since May 12th and Johnston since May 5th.
This Auburn team is built for postseason play with talent and depth in both the starting rotation and bullpen, a talented lineup with a high ceiling, and a solid fielding team that controls the running game. That’s a College World Series contender recipe right there.
Opponent: Central Florida (UCF) | Seed: 2
Mascot: Medieval Times | Location: Strip Mall Central, FL | Conference: Big 12
Around these parts we consistently hound on NC State’s dreadful non-conference scheduling, but it’s kind of wild to see that the Wolfpack had the 2nd “hardest” non-conference schedule among Auburn Regional teams. The Knights surprisingly had a worse non-conference schedule than the Wolfpack, checking in at #109 compared to NC State’s #96. UCF struggled against that OOC portion of their schedule, though, sweeping Murray State and Siena but going 6-9 against the rest. The Knights still started out hot in Big 12 play, getting out to a 10-2 start through their first four series, including a sweep over Regional team Oklahoma State and series wins against Regional host West Virginia. A rough two-week stretch being swept at Kansas (Regional host and Big 12 regular season and tournament champs) and losing a series to Cincinnati (another Regional team) removed UCF from the conference drivers seat, but they finished strong going 10-5 down the regular season stretch before getting bounced by Oklahoma State in their lone conference tournament game.
The lineup isn’t going to blow your socks off in any one area, but they handle the stick well and put up tough at-bats from 1-to-9. JR RF Andrew Williamson (.320/.440/.601, 13 2B, 12 HR, 15.5 BB%, 17.5 K%, 8-13 SB) and SR LF John Smith III (.328/.393/.582, 12 2B, 12 HR, 7.9 BB%, 14.0 K%, 2-4 SB) both earned 2nd Team All-Big 12 honors, but rSR C Zak Skinner (.365/.438/.503, 8 2B, 5 HR, 9.7 BB%, 13.7 K%, 2-2 SB) and rSR 3B Javier Crespo (.335/.429/.486, 9 2B, 5 HR, 9.7 BB%, 12.1 K%, 1-1 SB) also deserve some love. FR SS Jordan Lodise (.241/.338/.391, 14 2B, 4 HR, 12.4 BB%, 17.1 K%, 4-4 SB), the younger brother of former Georgia Tech SS Kyle Lodise (3rd round pick in last year’s MLB Draft) and cousin of former Florida State SS Alex Lodise (2nd round pick in the same draft), earned All-Big 12 Freshman Team honors.
Injuries have hurt the pitching staff, losing JR RHP Matt Sauser (2-3, 3.06 ERA, 35.1 IP, 7.7 BB%, 20.3 K%) and JR RHP Braden Smith (3-1, 6.21 ERA, 33.1 IP, 6.0 BB%, 15.3 K%) each after 8 starts. That put a serious hurt on the pitching staff, but JR RHP Camden Wicker (5-3, 4.00 ERA, 72.0 IP, 9.0 BB%, 20.3 K%) has been a steadying presence in the starting rotation for the Knights. The 6’7 Wicker has only hit 90+ pitches in two of his 15 starts this year, but has worked into the 7th inning on five occasions this year, an indication to his ability to be efficient on the bump. The injuries to Sauser and Smith have moved SO RHP Mateo Gray (5-1, 1 SV, 4.87 ERA, 57.1 IP, 6.2 BB%, 18.1 K%) into the starting rotation, with mixed results. Despite the shifting to fill holes in the rotation, the bullpen is solid with rJR RHP Evan Jones (1-3, 4 SV, 4.10 ERA, 41.2 IP, 8.0 BB%, 26.7 K%), rSR Kris Sosnowski (1-0, 4 SV, 2.10 ERA, 25.2 IP, 5.5 BB%, 14.7 K%), and FR RHP Max Murray (5-2, 3.62 ERA, 32.1 IP, 11.1 BB%, 25.7 K%) all earning some level of Big 12 honors this year. Add to that group rFR RHP Anthony Lariz (4-0, 4.39 ERA, 26.2 IP, 12.1 BB%, 24.1 K%), who finished the season strong (9.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 11 K over his last five appearances).
The lack of starting pitching depth is going to hamstring UCF in the postseason, with the team needing the lineup to produce over what it’s done to date and hoping the bullpen can keep up.
Opponent: NC State | Seed: 3
Mascot: The Best Mascot Ever | Location: Home of the Future Stanley Cup Champs, NC | Conference: ACC
The Wolfpack’s season has revolved around two themes: injuries and inconsistency. A third theme will dominant their postseason: the retirement of long-time head coach Elliott Avent.
Injuries hit the starting rotation the hardest, with NC State losing JR RHP Jacob Dudan (4-1, 3.60 ERA, 50.0 IP, 5.9 BB%, 30.4 K%) after eight starts and being without JR LHP Ryan Marohn (6-1, 3.18 ERA, 45.1 IP, 11.9 BB%, 33.5 K%) for the last five weeks of the regular season plus the ACC Tournament. There’s a chance Marohn will return for the Auburn Regional, but to what extent and at what effectiveness will be the real question. Those two injuries forced shuffling for the rest of the pitching staff, with JR LHP Cooper Consiglio (3-4, 3 SV, 5.73 ERA, 59.2 IP, 10.5 BB%, 26.6 K%) being forced into a starting role and keeping JR RHP Heath Andrews (3-4, 7.24 ERA, 59.2 IP, 11.2 BB%, 19.3 K%) in the starting rotation despite his struggles. That caused its own chaos in an already thin bullpen, and stud reliever SO RHP Anderson Nance (4-2, 3 SV, 3.78 ERA, 47.2 IP, 11.3 BB%, 26.4 K%) has now joined the starting rotation – he’s slated for the start against UCF on Friday.
Despite the overall numbers being the most potent among the four teams in Auburn this weekend, the Wolfpack have struggled at times with plating runs, being held to two or fewer runs on eight occasions, including four shutouts. Despite not having a true power guy or a blazing speedster, the lineup both packs a punch and can push the issue on the bases, but it really thrives when it can work pitchers into delivering pitches with which damage can be done. FR LF Rett Johnson (.392/.498/.460, 10 2B, 1 HR, 16.9 BB%, 6.3 K%, 14-16 SB) has been a revelation from the leadoff spot, JR 2B Luke Nixon (.361/.450/.600, 16 2B, 9 HR, 12.6 BB%, 14.6 K%, 11-16 SB) has been arguably the best two-hole hitter in the ACC, and SO CF Ty Head (.294/.467/.572, 8 2B, 14 HR, 22.8 BB%, 8.9 K%, 26-29 SB) has lived up to his MLB Draft hype both at the dish and with his defense. The lineup suffered for a while when SO SS Mikey Ryan (.336/.427/.599, 11 2B, 9 HR, 12.2 BB%, 17.1 K%, 11-13 SB) was forced to miss time with an ankle injury, but he’s back. JR 3B Sherman Johnson (.335/.438/.555, 7 2B, 9 HR, 11.8 BB%, 15.2 K%, 11-14 SB) might be the most undervalued bat in the conference.
Like the Knights, pitching depth is going to be the Wolfpack’s Achilles heel in the postseason, although Elliott Avent has proven to be able to make a run to Omaha before with essentially just five pitchers. Expecting him to something similar again might be asking a bit much. NC State’s going to need the lineup to carry this team in Auburn.
Opponent: Milwaukee | Seed: 4
Mascot: Tim “The Toolman” Taylor | Location: PBRtown, WI | Conference: Horizon
What a ride 2026 has been for the Panthers. Milwaukee started the year as straight trash, with a 5-23 record when the sun came up on April 4th. They’ve been hot since, albeit suffering through a 10-game stretch in late April to mid-May where they went just 3-7. But they got right at the right time, winning their last four games of the regular season and then going unbeaten through the Horizon League Tournament, defeating perennial Horizon power Wright State (and their head coach, former NC State player Alex Sogard) twice, including via a walk-off home run in the title game.
Milwaukee’s lineup has some exciting pieces to it, led by JR CF Dylan O’Connell (.338/.435/.566, 17 2B, 8 HR, 11.9 BB%, 14.4 K%, 40-44 SB), the team’s three-hole hitter and a 1st Team All-Horizon pick. It is a top-heavy group, though, and despite former Notre Dame player Joey Spence coming through with the heroics to capture the league trophy, 6-to-9 in the order have struggled to consistently contribute. JR C/DH Dom Kibler (.317/.466/.571, 13 2B, 11 HR, 16.9 BB%, 11.3 K%, 13-17 SB) and SR RF Charlie Marion (.310/.387/.580, 16 2B, 12 HR, 8.7 BB%, 19.9 K%, 8-9 SB) each bopped double-digit bombs while joining O’Connell on the All-Horizon 1st Team.
The pitching staff doesn’t offer a ton to get excited about, but does have JR RHP Camden Kuhnke (4-1, 6 SV, 3.38 ERA, 32.0 IP, 10.5 BB%, 23.1 K%), a 1st Team All-Horizon honoree and the Horizon Reliever-of-the-Year. The starting rotation has been consistent with 1st Team All-Horizon rSR RHP Gavin Theis (2-3, 4.91 ERA, 69.2 IP, 9.6 BB%, 17.3 K%), Aric Ehmke (5-6, 4.50 ERA, 70.0 IP, 6.1 BB%, 14.5 K%), and LHP Riley Peterson (5-4, 7.18 ERA, 62.2 IP, 8.6 BB%, 23.7 K%) toeing the rubber every weekend. The issue has really been anything past Kuhnke in the bullpen.
While it wouldn’t be the biggest upset in this year’s field thanks to South Dakota State (4-seed in the Lincoln Regional) also being in a Regional, Milwaukee moving on to a Super Regional would be the most shocking 4-seed Regional champion in recent memory. The bullpen is too light for Regional play, but this is a team capable of pulling off a win in Auburn.
