May 17, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm (28) and first baseman Bryce Harper (right) celebrate after defeating the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
A 3-3 road trip to Boston and Pittsburgh was, for me at least, the bare minimum the Phillies had to do. Gaining some steam at home was great, but going to those two cities and laying some eggs would have left a sour taste. They had to at least go .500 to maintain that steam moving forward, but instead won five of six and again look like one of the better teams in baseball.
Deep down, we all knew this was going to be how it was with them. There’s simply too much talent to not be this good. It just looked like they all were struggling together, now they’re all on the upswing. Now they just need to maintain the momentum and take care of business at home this week.
Three up
Cristopher Sanchez – A lot of people don’t subscribe to The Athletic and I get it. However, I am one of those people that does, which means I can read this article each year, where it talks to different people around the game to try and determine who the actual Aces of the game are. Sanchez came in fifth, behind the names you’d suspect in Skenes, Skubal, Crochet and Yamamoto. However, Skenes and Skubal were placed in their own tier called “The Inner Circle”. I think it’s time to start putting Sanchez into that same conversation with those two, calling for his own placement in that “Inner Circle” of starters.
Kyle Schwarber – What more is there to say? Schwarber’s week was an incredible one and has arguably been the reason this team has moved back over .500. The starting pitching getting their act together is probably the biggest reason, but the offense was doing absolutely nothing during that 10 game rough patch. Seeing Schwarber get hot and vault himself to the top of the home run leaderboard has been a pleasure to watch.
Alec Bohm – Sometimes, a guy just needs a few days off to get his game going again. Rob Thomson had a lot of strong points to his game, but one of his weaker ones was sticking with players in the lineup when they clearly needed to come out of it. He believed that a player slumping needed to keep swinging his way out of the slump and a lot of times, that’s true. It was so blatantly obvious that Bohm needed a break, even for a day, and yet Thomson continued to put him in the lineup. Don Mattingly saw right away that Bohm’s poor production was hurting the team as well, so he sat him down to let him clear his head and he has a week where he collects nine hits in 25 plate appearances. Sometimes, it’s that easy.
Three down
Edmundo Sosa – Remember each time that we say, me included, how Sosa needs to play more and Bohm needs to play less? At the time, it wasn’t wrong. Bohm was horrid and Don Mattingly acted accordingly, sitting him down two games to get his head on straight. The only problem is – Sosa is in one of his own slumps right now and probably shouldn’t be playing much either. I think I know what the team should be looking for at the trade deadline.
J.T. Realmuto – It really does look like age has caught up to Realmuto offensively. As Matt Gelb pointed out, he’s missing fastballs in the zone badly this year. Even though his bat speed is fine, he’s just getting blown away right now. Will it change? Maybe. It had better.
Aaron Nola – There is only so much a person can defend a guy. I’ve been pro-Nola during these struggles last year and this, but even I can’t defend some of his recent performances. Even with the usual caveats of “lower your expectations!”, there is only so low one can go with him.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - MAY 11: Evan Mobley #4 of the Cleveland Cavaliers celebrates with Jarrett Allen #31 against the Detroit Pistons during the third quarter in Game Four of the Second Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Rocket Arena on May 11, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Dinners should not be where revelations take place.
After a Saturday night meal, Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert told head coach Kenny Atkinson that Jarrett Allen was the team’s spark. Atkinson has since credited that conversation as a turning point. And while Gilbert was right, it’s a “no s***” observation. Frankly, the fact that it took a dinner with the owner to shift Atkinson’s worldview is the most concerning detail of Cleveland’s postseason run so far.
Because the evidence was already there. Repeatedly. In plain sight.
Game 7 against the Toronto Raptors was a blueprint. Allen’s presence was stamped all over the 114-102 win. Allen was physical, assertive, and finished at the rim. Donovan Mitchell, who was nowhere near his best that night, operated as a facilitator rather than a hero. The offense flowed. Cleveland advanced.
Then the series shifted to Detroit, and almost like the coaching staff hadn’t been in the building for Game 7, the focus reverted back to the star backcourt. Allen played just 18 minutes in Game 1, which is unacceptable even though he was dealing with foul trouble. He and Evan Mobley combined for only 11 points. Cleveland lost 101-111. The team spent the next several games trying to find Mitchell’s groove rather than building on what had just worked.
Games 2 through 6 against Detroit told the same story in rotating chapters. When Allen and Mobley were connected and involved, the offense had a logic to it. When Cleveland fell back into “let’s see if Mitchell has it” mode, and more often than not in this postseason, he didn’t, the offense siloed. James Harden became the primary facilitator by default. Mitchell forced. The life drained out of the building, and it seemed like the Cavaliers blew their chance at the Eastern Conference Finals.
The pattern was never subtle. Mitchell playing hero-ball, chucking up contested looks, is electric when they’re falling. When they don’t, it is the most aggravating form of basketball to watch, and it visibly drags him and everyone around him down with it.
Game 7 against Detroit confirmed what Game 7 against Toronto had already shown. From the opening possession, the bigs were going to be involved. Allen was set up immediately and converted. Mitchell ran the offense as a distributor, getting Mobley and Allen engaged early and keeping them there. The result was an offense that played with a coherence Cleveland rarely sustained for more than a few minutes at a stretch across either series; it produced a 125-94 blowout on the road.
When Mitchell drives and draws defensive bodies, it opens a dump-off lane for Allen or Mobley. Either they finish inside, or they kick out to Sam Merrill, Max Strus, or Harden for open looks. Allen and Mobley are too gifted offensively to exist solely as pick-and-roll partners. The offense becomes genuinely difficult to guard when they’re true options, not afterthoughts.
The Cavaliers have now won two Game 7s this postseason running this offense. They’ve also dropped winnable games in both series when they abandoned it.
Cleveland opens against the New York Knicks on Tuesday as significant underdogs, and they are heading into a road series against a deeper, well-coached team. The margin for error is thin. Reverting to Mitchell-first basketball when it isn’t working; burning possessions, flattening the offense, waiting for a hot streak that may not come, is a luxury they cannot afford.
The blueprint has been written twice now. Allen and Mobley at the forefront. Mitchell as the engine who makes everyone better, not the lottery ticket the team cashes in and hopes for the best. When this Cavaliers offense is a collective effort rather than an individual one, it is as good as anything left in these playoffs.
Atkinson shouldn’t need another dinner to figure that out.
The Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs open their Western Conference Finals showdown tonight in what on paper looks to be one of the most compelling Finals matchups in recent memory. The Thunder enter undefeated in the postseason, having swept both Phoenix and the Lakers, while the Spurs arrive with a little more wear and tear on the tires having lost a game in the opening round to the Trail Blazers and two games in Round 2 to the Timberwolves. Despite those three losses, this is the series NBA fans were hoping to get because despite Oklahoma City’s postseason perfection, San Antonio holds a clear edge from the regular season, winning four of the five meetings and doing so by an average margin of 11.75 points. Are the Spurs the Thunder’s kryptonite?
A major storyline centers on the star power on both sides. Oklahoma City is led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the two-time reigning MVP who averaged 31.1 points during the regular season and continues to control games with better than elite efficiency. The Spurs counter with Victor Wembanyama, the 2026 Defensive Player of the Year and one of the league’s most dominant two-way forces. Wembanyama has been central to San Antonio’s surge, with the team going 37–3 in his last 40 games with at least 15 minutes played. Their matchup—Wembanyama vs. Chet Holmgren—anchors the chess match of the series.
Health will also play a key role in Game 1. The Thunder expect Jalen Williams back after a hamstring injury that has kept the All-Star out of the lineup for the better part of the season. Williams offers a crucial scoring and playmaking option to their lineup. Meanwhile, the Spurs list De’Aaron Fox as questionable with an ankle issue, though he is expected to play; his effectiveness could swing the early momentum of the series although Dylan Harper has gotten better each game of the postseason. Both teams rely heavily on their perimeter creators, making these injury updates especially significant.
As mentioned, the regular-season series tilted heavily toward San Antonio: December 13 (111–109) – San Antonio win December 23 (130–110) – San Antonio win December 25 (117–102) – San Antonio win January 13 (119-98) – Oklahoma City win
No question the Spurs draw confidence from those regular season results, but a healthy and postseason-tested Thunder are decent favorites to advance to the NBA Finals against the winner of the Cavs/Knicks series.
Lets take a closer look at tonight’s matchup and take into consideration lineups, injuries, and other factors affecting the line and total.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds courtesy of DraftKings recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
After 24 years, the NBA is back on NBC and Peacock, combining the nostalgia of an iconic era with the innovative future of basketball coverage. The NBA on NBC YouTube channel delivers fans must-see highlights, analysis, and exclusive and unique content.
Game Details and How to Watch Live: Thunder vs. Spurs
Date: Monday, May 18, 2026
Time: 8:30PM EST
Site: Paycom Center
City: Oklahoma City, OK
Network/Streaming: NBC/Peacock
Rotoworld has you covered with all the latest NBA Player News for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Game Odds: Thunder vs. Spurs
The latest odds as of Monday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Oklahoma City Thunder (-245), San Antonio Spurs (+200)
Spread: Thunder -6.5
Total: 220.5 points
This game opened Thunder -6.5 with the Game Total set at 217.5.
Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & player props for every matchup this week on the NBA schedule!
Expected Starting Lineups: Thunder vs. Spurs
Oklahoma City Thunder
PG Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
SG Luguentz Dort
C Isaiah Hartenstein
SF Jalen Williams
PF Chet Holmgren
San Antonio Spurs
PG De’Aaron Fox
SG Stephon Castle
SG Devin Vassell
PF Julian Champagnie
C Victor Wembanyama
Injury Report: Thunder vs. Spurs
Oklahoma City Thunder
Jalen Williams (hamstring) is listed as probable for tonight’s game
Thomas Sorber (knee) has been declared OUT of tonight’s game
San Antonio Spurs
De’Aaron Fox (ankle) is listed as questionable for tonight’s game
Luke Kornet (foot) is listed as questionable for tonight’s game
David Jones Garcia (ankle) has been declared OUT for tonight’s game
Important stats, trends and insights: Thunder vs. Spurs
The Thunder are 38-7 at home this season
The Spurs are 33-13 on the road this season
The Spurs are 53-39-2 ATS this season
OKC is 44-45-1 ATS this season
The OVER has cashed in 50 of the Thunder’s 90 games this season (50-40)
The OVER has cashed in 42 of the Spurs’ 94 games this season (42-52)
Devin Vassell scored 10 or more points in each game of the Spurs series against the Timberwolves
Vassell pulled down 5 or more rebounds in 4 of the 6 games against Minnesota
Dylan Harper averaged 14.7 points, 6.2 boards, and 2.5 assists against Minnesota
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander shot 47.1% from the field against the Lakers
This is the first month this year SGA is shooting under 50% from the field
Chet Holmgren averaged 20 points and 8.5 rebounds last round
Rotoworld Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for tonight’s Thunder and Spurs’ game:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is recommending a play on the Thunder -6.5 ATS
Total: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Game Total UNDER 220.5
NBC Sports’ Lead Betting Analyst Jay Croucher’s (@croucherJD) Series Prediction: Thunder in 7
"The Thunder will likely struggle to score in the halfcourt against Victor Wembanyama, who has found an extra gear in the playoffs, but expect the tipping point of the series to be 1) OKC having home court advantage, and 2) OKC generating just enough San Antonio turnovers to juice their own offense."
Want even more NBA best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert NBA Predictions page from NBC Sports for money line, spread and over/under picks for every game on today’s calendar!
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our NBA Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
PITTSBURGH, PA - OCTOBER 27: Harrison Brunicke #45 of the Pittsburgh Penguins skates during the game against the St. Louis Blues at PPG PAINTS Arena on October 27, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Now it is time to look at some of the Pittsburgh Penguins young players that could break out in a big way for the 2026-27 season.
The candidates are mostly obvious, but how high should we be setting the ceiling?
Let’s dig into it a little bit,
Ben Kindel
The most encouraging development for the Penguins during the 2025-26 season was the emergence and rapid development of center Ben Kindel. From the moment he arrived in training camp and started to play in the preseason there was obvious reason for excitement and optimism. And then he delivered on that far sooner than anticipated by not only making the team as an 18-year-old in his draft year, and not only sticking around for the entire season and playoffs, but also making a sizable impact.
He was not a passenger.
He was one of the drivers of the team’s success for a good chunk of the season.
He did have some moments where he ran into a rookie wall, especially later on, but that is to be expected for a player that age going through that sort of grind for the first time.
At the very least, he looks like an NHL player. The question is what his long-term upside is, including in his second season.
To try and get an idea I pulled up comparable rookie seasons over the past 20 years. The criteria: 18-year-old forwards in their rookie season, scoring between 12 and 25 goals, and finishing with between 25 and 40 points. It eliminates the 18-year-olds like Sidney Crosby and Macklin Celebrini that were clearly on a different level, as well as the players that did not stick around long enough to contribute or simply did not contribute as much as Kindel did.
The comparable results were: Andrei Svechnikov, Cole Sillinger, Valeri Nichushkin and Evander Kane.
Kindel, Svechnikov and Nichushkin were the only ones that also exceeded a better than 50 percent shot attempt share in their rookie seasons, indicating an ability to drive possession.
It’s not exactly a big group of players to draw many conclusions or comparables from, which also kind of highlights how rare of a season it was for Kindel.
Svechnikov took a huge step forward in year two. Kane took a small step forward offensively. Nchushkin was limited to just eight games in his second season and took a few years to become an outstanding second-line winger. Sillinger took a massive step backwards and has not really taken a major step forward ever since.
It’s also not really an apples-to-apples comparison across the board because Svechnikov, Nichushkin and Kane are all wingers, while Kindel and Sillinger are the only centers on the list.
The ideal scenario here would be a Svechnikov-like jump offensively. But I am not sure he has Svechnikov’s shot, even if he might have the two-way game.
Sillinger is the example you do not want him to follow, but I also think his rookie year was significantly better and more well-rounded than Sillinger’s. Sillinger didn’t push play to the same degree that Kindel did and received slightly more favorable situations and matchups.
Kindel’s not likely to be a franchise-level player or star-level player. But that doesn’t mean he won’t be a really good, really important long-term piece. The sort of jump he takes next season will give us more insight into what that upside can be.
Harrison Brunicke
Brunicke’s 2025-26 season did not follow the path many people expected, getting playing time in the NHL, WHL and AHL. There’s been some concern that the Penguins didn’t really help his development this season by jumping him all around to three different levels, and having him sit for most of the first half of the season while they made a decision on him, but I’m not sure I agree with that take.
At the end of the day he is going to play more hockey games this season than he did in each of the previous two seasons.
He has also received a significant taste of pro hockey, including at the NHL level, and held his own as a 19-year-old.
He just wasn’t ready for full-time NHL action at that point. It’s okay. It happens.
He has been especially strong since getting an opportunity to play at Wilkes-Barre, including in the playoffs.
President of Hockey Operations/general manager Kyle Dubas has already made it clear that improving the team’s defensive play is going to be a huge priority this offseason, and I can’t think of a better place to start looking for that than internally with a player like Brunicke, even if it does not happen from the very start of the season.
Honestly, he checks every box for what the Penguins should be looking for on next year’s roster and would add youth, skating and a potential long-term defensive solution. He’s been a highly touted prospect from the moment he was drafted and has impressed at every step in the process.
They need somebody to emerge as a long-term piece on defense. Next year could be the start for him.
Sergei Murashov
There is not a young player in the organization that can change the Penguins’ timeline for contention more than Murashov.
I do not say that to put more pressure on the kid or raise expectations around him, but just to point out the reality of the situation and his position.
The Penguins farm system has improved significantly over the past few years in terms of depth and potential NHL players. But it is still lacking that one dude that can be a top-tier player. If Murashov reaches his ceiling, he could be that top-tier player. And given that he plays the most impactful position on the ice, and the one that can change an entire season for a team, he could be the most significant player they have.
That is what goalies do.
But goalies are also maddening, volatile beasts that can surprise in the best and worst ways. There are maybe five established goalies in the NHL that you should feel confident in from one year to the next. Or even within the same season.
Young goalies with no NHL track record are even more volatile and unpredictable.
The good news: Murashov looks NHL ready, at least in the sense that he has nothing left to prove in the AHL. He has dominated for two years down there, and entering play on Monday has a .938 save percentage this postseason in his first six games. He is almost certainly going to be in the goalie rotation next season with a chance to make a difference. I imagine there will be some rocky moments at times, but there is also the potential for a major contribution.
If they get back to the playoffs next season, my guess is he would be a big reason why.
Bill Zonnon
If you go back to the 2025 NHL Draft, the one Penguins player taken in the first round that seemed to get the most consistent praise for his game, and for being NHL-ready, wasn’t actually Ben Kindel, but instead Bill Zonnon. He’s been a favorite of prospect watchers all year and has received high-praise for his work ethic, two-way play and hockey IQ. He has done nothing but back all of that up on the ice in both the QMJHL and AHL. When it comes to the latter, he showed up having already learned the system on his own and was ready to be plopped into the lineup.
He then scored two goals in his first two games.
I don’t know if he will make the roster next season right out of training camp, but I could see a scenario in the middle of the season where he gets an opportunity and never returns to Wilkes-Barre.
After a complete collapse on home ice on Saturday night, the Montreal Canadiens find themselves on the brink of elimination for the second time in these playoffs as they face a do-or-die Game 7 with the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Centre on Monday night. The last time the Canadiens had to play a Game 7, they came out on top, but they needed a little help from the Forum ghosts, who had apparently made the trip to Florida for their game against the Tampa Bay Lightning. They won, but they didn’t deserve to with just nine shots on net. They’ll need to be better than that tonight.
Tonight’s tilt will be the 203rd Game 7 in league history and only the second in these playoffs, with the Canadiens starring in both. The Sabres will be playing only their eighth Game 7 in franchise history, and so far they have a 1-6 record, but are 1-1 when the game is played at home. Both home games required overtime. Meanwhile, this will be the 26th Game 7 in Canadiens history and the 15th on the road. The franchise has a 16-9 record and is 8-6 on the road.
The Habs will not be holding a morning skate today, but we may get some lineup hints if the healthy scratches take to the ice. Joe Veleno took an elbow to the head in the last game, and one can wonder if he’ll be dressed tonight or if Martin St-Louis will decide to make some changes after the disastrous Game 6.
That’s not a decision to take lightly, especially after using the same lineup for the last six games. Anyone you decide to bring in will be somewhat rusty. Brendan Gallagher has not played since Game 7 against the Lightning, while Oliver Kapanen’s last game was on April 26. When Gallagher entered the first round in Game five, he provided a much-needed spark and scored the first goal of the game. Can the veteran do the same against a much faster and younger Buffalo team? As for Kapanen, he has two goals against the Sabres in four games this season, but that was in the regular season.
St-Louis could also elect to mix his lines a little bit. The top line had an awful game in Game 6, and that was in large part because Juraj Slafkovsky was ineffective. On the other end, Ivan Demidov looks like he has finally found his rhythm in this series; perhaps he could cause some damage alongside Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield. There’s also the possibility of reuniting Alexandre Texier, Kirby Dach and Zach Bolduc, who worked well as a unit against Tampa.
Whichever combinations St-Louis decides to put on the ice, though, the Canadiens’ top players will have to be better. Montreal also can’t afford to miss golden opportunities. Game 6 might have been vastly different if Texier hadn’t missed the pass that would have sent him on the breakaway on the first shift of the second period.
In the last two games, St-Louis started with Slafkovsky, Suzuki, and Caufield, and they were scored on following defensive-zone turnovers by Caufield on Thursday and Slafkovsky on Saturday. It might be an idea not to lead with that line, but with an energy line that can set the tone in this pivotal game.
While Saturday’s defeat wasn’t Jakub Dobes’ fault, the Czech netminder can play a much better game than he did, and on Monday night, he’ll need to have his A-game. So far in these playoffs, the 24-year-old netminder has always bounced back (or, as St-Louis would say, "forward") after a loss; he is 5-0 with a .911 save percentage. In those five games, the Canadiens have scored 19 goals and only allowed nine for a 1.80 GAA. That’s the kind of performance Montreal needs. With a win, Dobes would become only the fifth goaltender in franchise history with multiple Game 7 wins; he would join Ken Dryden, Patrick Roy, Jaroslav Halak, and Carey Price in the very select club.
In Game 7 against Tampa, Dobes allowed just one goal on 29 shots, while Suzuki scored the team’s first goal, and Alex Newhook scored the unorthodox game-winner. Kaiden Guhle assisted on both goals, while Lane Hutson, who leads the team in scoring, had an assist. The team that scores first in a Game 7 has won the game 75% of the time (152-50), which is what Montreal did against the Bolts, but in six games against the Sabres, they’ve only scored the first goal once. So far in this series, the home team has only won two of the six games.
Puck drop is set for 7:30 PM, and you can catch the game on ESPN, SN, TVAS, and CBC. Jean Hebert and Wes McCauley are set to officiate, while Scott Cherrey and Devin Berg will be the linemen. Whoever wins the game will head to Raleigh to face the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 1 of the Conference Final on Thursday. It will be the Canes’ first game since May 9, when they completed the sweep against the Philadelphia Flyers.
Newfoundland native Alex Newhook gives the Montreal Canadiens a lead in the third period of Game 7.
Newhook is the only player on the Habs with his name already on the Stanley Cup. What a goal. pic.twitter.com/npd9fzJUnx
NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 23: Spike Lee and Patrick Ewing embrace during the game between the Brooklyn Nets and the New York Knicks on March 23, 2024 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. 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 2024 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
After what felt like a month, the Knicks finally learned the next team they’ll put to the sword.
It’s the Cleveland Knights, no puns intended.
Here’s the latest in what will likely be the softest and most casual Bulletin in the next two weeks.
On sticking with Mikal Bridges despite outside questions:
“I don’t know if I was publicly backing him. I was just telling the truth. He can play, he’s been in this situation before, we’ve had success with him. So I was just basically answering the questions regarding him. He’s earned the right to be there. He’s earned the right to do a lot of different things. And I was just reiterating it.”
On Bridges’ importance within the team structure:
“He’s definitely an important piece of what we’re trying to do, as well as everybody else. He’s gotta do his job on both ends, and when he does, we’re pretty good. Not just him; when anybody else does, we’re pretty good. So he’s no different than anybody else.”
Donovan Mitchell: "Yeah it's great I get to play at home…doesn't matter. We gotta be locked in and ready to go. I know we will be. They're a tough team. We're excited"
On the need for steady improvement throughout the playoffs:
“You can’t look at the past. You learn from it, but just be present and do what you gotta do to get better. I think that’s really it. Just learn from each game and try to get better every single game. And that’s really it. Like I said, I always try to play to help win and just keep trying to get better. That’s been the outcome.”
Dirk "Knicks rolling–what do you see next round?"
Donovan Mitchell "Peaking right time…Obv Brunson head of snake, KAT–but Mikal/OG equally dangerous…Josh Hart dog…We know them v well…Gonna be dogfight…boards, D…They been off feels like 3 weeks…We gotta…continue momentum" pic.twitter.com/B4TYeHIcxp
— New York Post Sports (@nypostsports) May 16, 2026
Patrick Ewing
On the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity in front of the Knicks:
“What I would tell them is they have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. No one knows if it’s going to come back around. When we got there in ’94, I definitely thought that we were going to have another opportunity in ’95 — take advantage of this opportunity. Continue to do the things that they’ve been doing. Continue to play as a team. The five guys on the floor got to do their part, the bench has to do their part. So remember that it’s about team, this is not tennis with one person against another person, all five have to be locked in, be unselfish, be selfish when you need to be selfish, and just play a team game.”
On why these Knicks can win a championship:
“Anything is possible. These guys have been putting in the work, the coaches have been putting them in great positions to accomplish that. That’s everybody’s goal at the beginning of the year to win a championship, and we’re all hoping that happens.”
On how the Knicks finish the job:
“They have to continue to do what they’ve been doing. We’ve been definitely hot in these last two rounds. We have to continue to do the same thing that we’ve been doing — playing as a team, both offensively and defensively taking care of business, no turnovers, just all the things that they’ve been doing.”
Mike Lupica: Karl-Anthony Towns is a big reason why Knicks are different this time https://t.co/MGZiOhBuMB
On how playing through Karl-Anthony Towns elevates the Knicks:
“What everybody is seeing is that playing through him the way they are doesn’t take away from anybody else’s game. On the contrary, it adds to everybody else’s game. And is exactly right for this team. The style of game he’s been playing, especially since they got behind the Hawks, I call that Jokic style, and that’s without him getting a ton of shots. Good for Mike and good for Karl.”
On Towns handling regular-season criticism:
“You know why I’m happy for him? He never said a word when he was taking all the grief he took during the regular season. He just kept walking. There’s a word for that, by the way: Professional.”
“Hey, I know it’s hard to listen to me when I’m talking about him. I admit I’m biased. But I stand up for my guys and this time it was easy, even when it looked as if he was scuffling. Now he’s started making things easier for everybody else. I told Spike the other day: If they keep playing through Karl this way, they can win the whole thing.”
On Towns’ versatility and unselfishness:
“You can’t foul him because he shoots free throws like a guard. He can absolutely make the right pass if you make a hard cut. And because of his size, he can pass the ball over the defense if he has to. As good a scorer as he’s been, guy’s not thinking shoot first. It just speaks to how unselfish he is. Hey, back when we were both at Kentucky and I needed him to play 21 minutes a game so Dakari Johnson could get 19, you know what he did? He went and sat down and didn’t say a word then, either.”
On first recognizing Jalen Brunson’s talent:
“I remember seeing [Brunson] when he was on his way to Villanova. And even though I knew Jay Wright had him locked up, I called up Jay and said, ‘I need to recruit the hell out of this Brunson kid.’ Because it was clear how good he was.”
Naz Reid on supporting Karl Anthony Towns and the Knicks run in the playoffs now that the Wolves season is over
“I'm trying to get out there back home for sure, trying to see him play in person, you know, from a spectator aspect, that's a brother for sure, he's I've been years… pic.twitter.com/sY85D8xsI4
On supporting Karl-Anthony Towns during the Knicks’ playoff run:
“I’m trying to get out there back home for sure, trying to see him play in person, you know, from a spectator aspect, that’s a brother for sure, I’ve been years in with him as well. So, and him also being from Jersey, I’ve known him long before NBA. So I mean, just trying to make sure I give the same love to him that he’s reciprocated to us and so forth and so on. I obviously want to be there for him as much as I can. I mean, he’s been there for me more than you guys know. So I mean, just showing that love is the least I can do.”
Baron Davis
On comparing Jalen Brunson to Allen Iverson:
“Jalen Brunson to me is like Allen Iverson in this era. Like nobody can guard him. No matter what you do, he going to get his shot off. He gets hot. You know, it’s on fuego and he can play to the moment.”
Jamal Crawford
On the similarities between Jalen Brunson and Allen Iverson’s usage:
“I think they are a little more diverse in using Brunson. To me, they’re using Brunson, as AI was used in Philly. And they got him off the ball some. They moved him around. Then they got him in pick-and-roll situations. Obviously, we know the playoffs slow down, and you want the ball in your best player’s hands, but they’re a little less predictable.”
Stephen A. Smith ranks the Knicks as the No. 1 option for LeBron next season 👀
On why the New York Knicks are LeBron James’ best option:
“Now, I understand that it’s emotional. I know that. But what I’m thinking about when it comes to the New York Knicks is two things. If you don’t win the title this year, again, you don’t … He gonna be with the Knicks. That’s the brand that will easily enable LeBron to pocket an additional half a billion dollars. And then you got LeBron with Brunson, with OG, with Karl-Anthony Towns.”
Paul Pierce says he thinks LeBron James should retire:
“Just like for the simple fact that at the age that he still receives the criticism that he still does. The greats wasn’t getting this criticism late. Nobody was criticizing Kobe when he wasn’t going to the playoffs in his… pic.twitter.com/1gzMrMvQwi
“Yeah, I think he should, man. Just like for the simple fact that at the age that he still receives the criticism that he still does. The greats wasn’t getting this criticism late. Nobody was criticizing Kobe when he wasn’t going to the playoffs in his last year. They was just enjoying his moments. Like, the same with Jordan in Washington.
“For the simple fact that the man is 41, and we still critiquing him like he 25 and should be winning championships still. Just the criticism he gets still. He still gets criticism.”
May 17, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; The infield is covered during a weather delay before the start of the game between the Colorado Rockies and the Arizona Diamondbacks at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
Recaps
[AZ Central] Diamondbacks build big lead, hold off Rockies in road trip finale – A weather delay was announced five minutes before the scheduled first pitch, and a few minutes later, groundskeepers rolled out the field tarp. Light rain then began to fall. At 1:31 p.m., in Denver, fans were told to seek shelter with lightning in the area. But the sky eventually cleared up, the tarp was off the field by 2:35 p.m. and the game got under way. Fans in the stands sang along and danced to music, including Neil Diamond’s classic “Sweet Caroline. Most appeared to have waited out the delay.
[dbacks.com] Carroll homers twice as D-backs erupt, then hold off Rox late rally – After being held homerless for the first two games of the series, the D-backs unloaded on the Coors Field bleachers Sunday, with Corbin Carroll knocking a pair to pace Arizona’s 8-6 win over the Rockies and secure the series win and a .500 road trip. Gurriel knocked his first homer of the season in the two-run fifth and Carroll’s second homer of the game, a 448-foot blast to right-center, accounted for a sixth-inning insurance run to make it an 8-2 lead. Michael Soroka pitched 5 2/3 innings for Arizona, allowing two runs (both earned) on six hits and two walks while striking out eight.
[Arizona Sports] Corbin Carroll knocks 2 home runs in Diamondbacks’ win over Rockies – With the D-backs up 3-0 in the fourth inning, Carroll hit a 94-mph fastball off Rockies righty Michael Lorenzen into the Colorado bullpen for his sixth homer of the season to make it 5-0. His second homer of the day marked the ninth-career multi-home run game of Carroll’s career. His last multi-homer game came on June 3 last season against the Atlanta Braves. Carroll’s offensive outburst was a welcome sight for the Diamondbacks, as Arizona left 10 runners on base and went 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position in a 4-2 loss to the Rockies on Saturday.
Team news
[AZ Big Media] Paul Sewald of the Diamondbacks has, literally, returned home – Last spring, Sewald and his wife, Molly, purchased a home in the Valley with a plan: six months at home, six months on the road, and stability for their two young daughters. The cycle of packing, unpacking and re-establishing routines was getting tiring. Then the phone rang. “The Diamondbacks called, and we thought, ‘That’s amazing,’” Sewald said, sitting in the dugout during batting practice. “Pretty cool to stay at home.” For Sewald, the move wasn’t just convenient — it was personal. Sewald and Molly met while she was an ASU student. His brother, Johnny, is also a former Sun Devil. The couple considered settling in the Valley during Sewald’s first stint with the D-backs, from 2023-2024.
[SI] Diamondbacks Prospect Manuel Pena Simply Can’t Be Ignored Any Longer – To say infield prospect Manuel Pena has been swinging a hot bat for the Double-A Amarillo Sod Poodles would be a vast undersell. The 22-year-old is simply posting a .963 OPS, with a .634 slugging percentage through the first 36 games of the Texas League season. The reason that slug is so high? Pena has 15 home runs already. That is on pace for just over 57 long balls in the 138-game Texas League season. Six of his home runs have come in the month of May, including a two-homer game back on May 7.
And, elsewhere…
[ESPN] Mariners call up top prospect Colt Emerson for MLB debut – [Emerson] will be the youngest Mariners player to make his major league debut since Félix Hernández did so at 19 on Aug. 4, 2005. Emerson signed an eight-year, $95 million contract April 1 — the biggest commitment at the time for a minor leaguer yet to make his major league debut. The Mariners selected Emerson with the 22nd pick in the 2023 draft, and his stock only rose from there. General manager Justin Hollander said, “This is not a 15 at-bat or 20 at-bat tryout to see if he’s capable of taking the job and running with it for the rest of the year.”
[Awful Announcing] Joe Davis, John Smoltz discuss whether MLB should change ABS strike zone – As Davis explained, walk rates (specifically, unintentional walk rates) are at an all-time high because the ABS has shrunk the strike zone. Davis then asked Smoltz, “Would you tweak the ABS zone, make it bigger in certain areas?” “No,” Smoltz, who was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2015, responded. “I think lowering it gives hitters a chance with velocity down vs. velocity up. If that strike zone was higher, no chance.” “That’s a spot where the zone has shrunk the most,” Davis said. “The top of the zone is three inches shorter than what umpires were calling last year.”
WEST PALM BEACH, FL - MARCH 09: Kevin Alvarez (11) of the Houston Astros throws from the outfield during a spring training practice game on March 09, 2026 at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Another day of minor league baseball is in the books. See the results below. Check out the previous days recap here.
AAA: Sugar Land Space Cowboys (20-25) lost 7-6 (BOX SCORE)
Sugar Land got on the board in the 3rd inning scoring 4 runs on a Strahm sac fly and Nelson 3 run home run. McPherson got the start making his Triple-A debut but struggled allowing 5 runs over 2.2 innings. After falling behind 6-4, the offense tied things up in the 7th on a Strahm 2 run single. The game went to the 9th and in the bottom of the 9th, Tacoma walked it off as Sugar Land fell 7-6.
Joey Mancini, RHP: 2.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
Nate Pearson, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
Sam Carlson, RHP: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
Alimber Santa, RHP: 0.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
Roddery Munoz, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
Logan VanWey, RHP: 0.1 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
AA: Corpus Christi Hooks (17-22) lost 5-3 (BOX SCORE)
Dombroski started for the Hooks and went 4 innings allowing 1 run. The offense tied it up in the 3rd on a Whitaker sac fly. In the 8th, the Hooks rallied for 2 runs on RBI doubles from Encarnacion and Meyers. The bullpen was solid until the 9th where Ramsey allowed 4 runs, though all were unearned. The offense was unable to counter in the bottom of the inning as the Hooks fell 5-3.
Alex Santos, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
Railin Perez, RHP: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
Ramsey David, RHP: 1.0 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
A+: Asheville Tourists (9-30) lost 19-12 (BOX SCORE)
DeVos started for Asheville and went 4 innings allowing 6 runs, 4 earned. The offense got on the board in the 2nd inning on a Call RBI double. They picked up 3 more runs in the 4th on a Call 2 run home run and Thomas sac fly. Steinbaugh relieved DeVos but struggled allowing 6 runs over 1.2 innings. In the 5th, Daudet connected on a 3 run home run. Asheville rallied for 5 runs in the 6th inning to tie it on a fielder’s choice, Call 2 run double, and two runs scoring on wild pitches. The bullpen continued to struggled as the Spartanburgers added 7 more runs between the 8th and 9th inning. The offense loaded the bases in the bottom of the 9th but was unable to score as Asheville fell 19-12.
A: Fayetteville Woodpeckers (18-21) won 8-7 (BOX SCORE)
The Woodpeckers got on the board in the first inning on an Alvarez solo home run, his 5th of the season. Carrera got the start and went 5 innings allowing 7 runs. The offense battled back in the 5th scoring 2 runs on a Sierra RBI double and Alvarez RBI single. The offense got another run in the 6th on a Ramirez sac fly and one in the 7th inning on a wild pitch. The Woodpeckers tied things up in the 8th inning scoring 2 runs on a Wakefield groundout and Sierra sac fly. The offense took the lead in the 9th inning on a Salas RBI double. Smith went the final 4 innings allowing zero runs as he closed out the 8-7 win.
Juraj Slafkovsky is having a productive series, with six points through six games. What’s impressive is that he has managed strong outputs while scoring only once on 3.13 expected goals and 21 chances. He’s deserving of better.
Open ice will be hard to come by in a Game 7, with every puck hotly contested in a meat-and-potatoes style of game. Slafkovsky’s ability to get to the net and operate in tight spaces will serve him well.
Game 7 Prop #2: Rasmus Dahlin Over 2.5 shots
-170 at BET99
Rasmus Dahlin is a one-man shooting gallery for the Buffalo Sabres. He has generated 3+ shots in eight of the last nine games and five straight in Buffalo.
He’s been more productive at home, especially in this series. Dahlin combined for 12 shots on 21 attempts through three home dates, a stark contrast to the eight on 11 he mustered up over three games in Montreal.
Nobody on the Sabres has generated more attempts or shots than Dahlin at home. Likely to play 25+ minutes in Game 7, the volume should remain quite strong.
Game 7 Prop #3: Nick Suzuki Over 0.5 assists
-135 at BET99
Cole Caufield leads the Montreal Canadiens with 22 scoring chances against Buffalo, and right behind him is Slafkovsky at 21.
What do those two have in common? They're centered by Nick Suzuki at 5-on-5 as well as on the power play.
Suzuki is the best facilitator the Canadiens have up front and, clearly, he's helping create plenty of looks for his linemates. Given how much of the offense runs through Suzuki and the talented finishers on his wing, he's as likely as anybody to pick up a helper.
img alt="Get a first bet encore up to $800 with the BET99 promo code COVERSNHL" width="100%" loading="lazy" src="https://img.covers.com/promo-articles/bet99nhlcreative2526.jpeg"Get a first bet encore up to $800 with BET99 bonus code COVERSNHL. (not available in Ontario)
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - JANUARY 27: Manager Stephen Vogt of the Cleveland Guardians greets Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers after the game against the Detroit Pistons at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on January 27, 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavaliers defeated the Pistons 110-91. 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 Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After a great night for Cleveland in Detroit, the Guardians head to the Motor City to play the Tigers for four days beginning tonight. Let’s hope it goes as well for the Cleveland baseball team as it did for the Cavaliers.
Yesterday was a tremendous day for the Guardians. Nicole/Deborah covered it quite well here as always.
If you haven’t been keeping up with Zack Meisel’s amazing work at the Athletic, now’s the time to catch up. He covered remembering Bob Tayek, Guardians’ stadium PA here. He covered Parker Messick’s historic start here. And it’s a good idea to go back to take a look at Angel Martinez’s hot start as covered by Zack here. I have to note that the Athletic tried to get their Twins’ writer to go national and he refused and started his own website, so I’d continue to subscribe to the Athletic and support Zack were I a Guardians’ fan who loves his content.
FanGraphs’ Michael Baumann had a nice article about Erik Sabrowski that I missed earlier.
AROUND MLB:
The Tigers lost, but the Royals, White Sox and Twins all won yesterday.
Mikal Bridges chose the perfect time to find his mojo. After a tepid close to the regular season, and an alarming first few games in the playoffs, the Knicks' wing has played some of his best basketball lately.
With the Cleveland Cavaliers standing between the Knicks and an NBA Finals appearance, Bridges will be an X-Factor in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Bridges’ offense has taken off. In the last five games, he’s averaging 18.8 points on 67.8 percent from the field and 46.7 percent from the three-point line.
The Knicks have needed the offense from Bridges with OG Anunoby missing the last two games of the second round with a right hamstring injury. Anunoby is expected to play in the Conference Finals, but it’s unclear how he will look both physically. Also, it will be important to see if he can quickly shake off the rust of not playing for nearly two weeks.
That makes Bridges’ offensive role even more important. He’s not a playmaker for the Knicks, but he’s proven to be a very good play finisher. He can score both as a cutter and outside shooter.
As New York's assists and passing have increased since center Karl-Anthony Towns’ emergence as a playmaker, Bridges has become one of the main beneficiaries of the stylistic shift.
Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey (0) drives against New York Knicks guard Mikal Bridges (25) in the third quarter during game four of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena. / Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
Defensive pest
Defense is where Bridges should have an even larger role. He will check Cleveland's star perimeter duo of Donovan Mitchell and James Harden throughout the Conference Finals. Both Mitchell and Harden are dynamic with the ball in their hands and are capable of creating scoring opportunities for themselves and their teammates.
Bridges’ playoff defense has been a strength to the Knicks during these playoffs, hounding the likes of Tyrese Maxey and Nickeil Alexander-Walker in the first two rounds. In the second round sweep against the Philadelphia 76ers, Bridges led the charge in defending Maxey. He and New York did a good job on the 76ers All-Star, limiting him to 18.3 points on 43.3 percent from the field.
Now, Cleveland presents some different challenges for New York’s defense. During the Knicks’ February loss to the Cavs, Bridges guarded Mitchell for much of the game, so expect him to take on that challenge again for Game 1.
Mitchell is a tough cover. He can be electric on the drive with power reminiscent of a tailback striding through the teeth of an NFL defense. Mitchell can also pull up from three as a shooter. He’s not the best playmaking guard in the NBA, but he’s shown he can both score and distribute. In Cleveland’s 125-94 rout of the Detroit Pistons in Game 7 of the second round, Mitchell had 26 points and eight assists. He consistently knifed into the lane and found Cleveland big men Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley for drop-off passes.
Bridges’ skills on defense are bolstered by length. Armed with a 7-foot-1 wingspan, he can get into passing lanes and disrupt offenses with deflections and steals. As New York blitzed Maxey in the pick-and-roll, Bridges’ anticipation created some deflections to slow down Philadelphia’s offense. New York’s defense is allowing 104.8 points per 100 possessions through 10 playoff games, the second-best number among all 16 playoff teams.
Though New York’s trade of Bridges nearly two years ago continues to be debated, he’s proven to be a key cog in the playoffs. For the Knicks to advance to the NBA Finals, they will need him to have a significant impact in this series.
The Oilers' head-coaching role is also vacant, as they fired Kris Knoblauch one day after the Leafs fired Berube.
Knoblauch was Edmonton's bench boss for three seasons, hired in November 2023. He led the Oilers to two straight trips to the Stanley Cup final, but also a first-round exit to the Anaheim Ducks in this past campaign.
As for Berube, he coached the Maple Leafs for two whole seasons.
In his first year, Berube was able to push Toronto to Game 7 of the second round of the playoffs, which is the furthest the Buds have gone in the post-season for quite some time.
In his second year, the team's direction started to change course. The Leafs went from 52 wins and Atlantic Division champions in 2024-25, to 32 wins and finishing at the bottom of the division one year later.
Outside of Berube's contributions in Toronto, he was a Stanley Cup champion in 2019 with the St. Louis Blues, and the following year, they finished first in the Central Division, albeit after playing 71 games due to COVID-19 ending the regular season early.
TSN's Edmonton reporter, Ryan Rishaug, reported that "a formal interview with Berube is expected after some initial conversation" between him and Oilers GM Stan Bowman.
In terms of Leafs GM John Chayka and his search for a new bench boss, on the 32 Thoughts podcast, Friedman name-dropped Jay Woodcroft, David Carle and Manny Malhotra as three candidates that could be in the mix, or had initial conversations.
He further noted that Toronto's search will be very broad, and that it's too early to tell what kind of coach will be coming in.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
FORT MYERS, FLORIDA - MARCH 7: Miguel Bleis #44 of the Boston Red Sox throws before a spring training game against the Tampa Bay Rays at JetBlue Park at Fenway South on March 7, 2026 in Fort Myers, Florida. (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In yet another bullpen game, the WooSox kept Buffalo (Blue Jays AAA) off the scoreboard despite using six pitchers. Everyone was in lockstep, and the Bison managed just three hits on the night. The WooSox matched that total just in their extra base hits, and Nathan Hickey hit his third home run of the season out of the nine-hole to get Worcester on the board and in the lead for good.
Just as the Sea Dogs walked off the Yard Goats (Rockies AA) earlier in the week, this time, it was the home team’s turn to capitalize on a blown save. Michael Sansone had a very tough second inning but recovered well and kept it a tie game through 5. This was thanks to Brooks Brannon and Miguel Bleis each going yard in the first inning.
Now, I’m not saying that Bleis is suddenly going to become an organizational factor again, as this game pulled him only just barely back over the Mendoza line, but it’s good to know that revered power still exists somewhere. There was no power, or even much contact, from either side to speak of for the vast majority of this game; after no scores from the third inning all the way to the eighth, Max Ferguson had an RBI knock with two outs in the top of the ninth, and then Cooper Adams got walked off by allowing two runs. The six-game series in Connecticut was a split 3-3 and four were decided by one run.
After losing eight consecutive games including five with Bowling Green (Rays High-A) in town, the Drive finally got in the W column despite giving up ten runs on fourteen hits. The offense was aided by some usual suspects who remained hot even through the losing streak; Mason White hit his eighth home run of the season and Justin Gonazales had his sixth, a three-run shot to put Greenville up 12-3. Bowling Green would threaten to bring this drought to an end and get this to within two runs, but on Sunday, a dozen runs was enough to come away with the W.
The Drive got walked off by Fredericksburg (Nationals A) in the series finale, in part due to allowing ten walks on the afternoon and three in that defining ninth inning on the way one of those runners putting the game away, but it wasn’t all bad: Enddy Azocar, the 19-year-old outfielder and leadoff hitter for the RidgeYaks, had a four-hit day as his batting average re-approaches .300 and accounted for the team’s only stolen base of the day. Still, the team stranded a dozen men and they suffered a Sunday loss.
Have a merry Monday. And, special shout out to the first person to solidify me as a lifelong Sox fan, my father, who turns 65 today. Happy birthday Dad!
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - MARCH 7: Nick Kurtz #16 of the Athletics bats during a spring training game against the Los Angeles Angels at Las Vegas Ballpark on March 7, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Justine Willard/Athletics/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to another new week A’s fans!
The team had a lackluster weekend as they dropped two of three to the Giants. Add that to the series loss mid-week to the Cardinals and the A’s did not have a great time in their latest homestand in Sacramento.
It’s in the books and behind us now though and the team has packed their bags and flown down south to Anaheim to take on the Angels in the team’s second four-game series of the season. This’ll be the first time these two teams have seen each other all year so it’s a fresh start against one another in that regard. The A’s will come into tonight’s series with a slim one-game lead over both the Texas Rangers and Seattle Mariners so the team really needs to rack up wins against these Angels.
Los Angeles is, yet again, near the bottom of the league but perhaps the bottom has truly fallen out from under them this year. At 16-31 the Angels are the owners of the worst record in the sport. Their offense, led by a resurgent Mike Trout, aren’t completely punchless but still rank in the bottom third in most offensive categories. Slugger Jorge Soler and shortstop Zack Neto have provided solid production, as has former Yankee Oswaldo Peraza, but they’ve gotten little help from the other spots in the batting order.
On the pitching side for the Angels they’ve been treated to the revelation of starter Jose Soriano, who is far and away the best pitcher on the team. They’ve gotten strong results from top-20 prospect Walbert Ureña as well but none of the starters have adequate ERA’s. They’ve also had their depth severely tested early on as they’ve already had 10 pitchers start a game for them this year. Things aren’t any better in their bullpen as their relief unit ranks 29th in the league in bullpen ERA, just ahead of the Astros.
The way things have been and are headed for the Angels right now, the future is not too bright. There’s not much in the way of reinforcements coming up in their farm system anytime soon, and Trout will be turning 35 in August. Could this be the year the team finally pulls the trigger and sends their franchise icon to a winning situation? That’ll be a fascinating story to watch as the summer trade deadline approaches.
The starting matchups this week are all already set. J.T. Ginn will get us started tonight as he gets the ball for his eighth start and looking to keep his roll going. He’ll be opposed by Ureña, who himself is pitching well and has had three straight solid starts. Another thing to keep an eye on in this game? If first baseman Nick Kurtz can extend his on-base streak to 41 games:
Nick Kurtz works a walk to leadoff the bottom of the first, extending his on-base streak to 40 consecutive games.
Only Mark McGwire has a longer single-season, on-base streak than Nick Kurtz in the last 40 years of A's franchise history.#Athleticspic.twitter.com/8CpfpHrpzB
Tuesday will see the lefty vs. lefty matchup this series as Jacob Lopez will take on Reid Detmers. Lopez has had struggles this year but has put together back-to-back quality starts and has lowered his season ERA by nearly a full run. There’s other arms in the system that are waiting for their shot though so Lopez needs to keep it up to keep the competition off his heels. Detmers, who once looked like a building block for the Angels years ago, has shifted back to the rotation after spending last year exclusively as a reliever. The early results have been mixed but he’s still only 26 years old and the Angels have nothing to lose letting him try to rediscover his previous form as a starter.
Right-hander Aaron Civale gets the ball for the A’s on Wednesday as he’ll be making his 10th start for the ballclub. He’s continued to be a steal for the Green & Gold as he’ll bring a 2.70 ERA into his first start of the year against the Angels, which ranks 7th in the American League. That mark also leads the Athletics’ pitching staff, though Ginn’s 3.12 mark isn’t far off. Civale will be going up against Jack Kochanowicz, who has gotten lit up to the tune of 12 runs in 10 innings over his previous two starts entering this one. Advantage: A’s.
The final pitching matchup of the series will pit the staff leaders against one another as Luis Severino goes up against one of the best starters this year in fellow righty Jose Soriano. Sevy was on a four-game roll before stumbling this weekend against the Giants. That was at home in Sacramento though and we all know how much he dislikes Sutter Health Park. Maybe getting back on the road will help him get back in the win column too. It won’t be easy as Soriano has been one of the best pitchers in the league this year. That said, he just endured his first rough start last time out when he surrendered six earned runs to the cross-town Dodgers, boosting his season ERA form 1.66 to 2.41. Still a good mark but doesn’t show how dominant he’s been for the Angels so far. Like Trout expect to hear his name in trade talks come this summer.
ESPN Analytics gives our #Athletics a 51.1% chance to beat the Angels tomorrow.
J.T. Ginn is projected to be on the bump tomorrow, will the righty lead the boys in a bounce back series?https://t.co/X9pI8zy8ur
Who else thinks that’s too small of odds? Gotta take at least three of four against these guys, but division games are always a different beast. First pitch of the series is at 6:38 tonight. Until then, have a great day everyone.
Denzel Clarke felt really good about where he was at in his progression and will begin a rehab assignment tonight with Single-A Stockton. Will play two games there today and tomorrow, then likely head to Triple-A Las Vegas next week.
Shotaro Morii, A’s No. 13 Prospect and baseball’s first “three-way” player, collected his first Single-A hit today—an RBI triple! 🔥 #Athleticspic.twitter.com/JhEgWYJrgm
RHP Chen Zhuang to LV IL RHP Nick Hernandez off LV develop list OF Denzel Clarke to STK on rehab IF Michael Stefanic DFA’d IF Alika Williams to A’s from PIT for LAN RHP Kyle Robinson OF Junior Perez to CWS for LHP Jackson Nove (to STK) RHP Jay Dill to LANhttps://t.co/joKXkyUAPy
— Bill Moriarity – A's Farm (@AthleticsFarm) May 18, 2026
May 16, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Tigers shortstop Kevin McGonigle (7) hits a single in the third inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
By any measure, Tigers’ rookie Kevin McGonigle is having an excellent rookie year. The number two prospect in all of baseball coming into the year has an impressive .291/.397/.424 slash for the season and is walking more than he’s striking out. With his blistering start, he quickly settled into the leadoff slot of Detroit’s lineup.
That said, his month of May has been a bit of a struggle, as his power has mostly evaporated. He’s still taking his walks, but a .224 SLG on the month really won’t do. An exceptionally low BABIP for the month is deflating things even more, though a lot of routine fly balls and pop-ups will do that to you, but this is easily the worst stretch of his professional career. There’s nothing to be concerned about long-term at all, and we’re only talking about a few weeks for a 21-year-old rookie, but McGonigle is going to have to make some adjustments to get back on track.
To better understand what those adjustments might be, let’s pretend to be Red Team for the Detroit Tigers scouting department. Typically, MLB scouts focus on how to attack guys for the other team, but when you’re on the struggle bus, reverse scouting is the right idea. The premise is simple: if you put yourself in your opponent’s shoes and better understand how they want to attack you, you can adapt preemptively. To do so, I’ll try and find out McGonigle’s biggest weaknesses so far. Who knows, maybe he’ll read this and learn a thing or two about himself!
The first thing I thought I’d look at is pitch type distribution. Is there a pitch type the league has decided McGonigle can’t handle? I figured if that was the case, his pitch distributions before May 1 and since would look pretty different. Here’s that table:
Pitch Type (%)
Fastball
Offspeed
Breaking Balls
Before May 1
52
16.4
31.7
After May 1
58.6
14.8
26.6
There’s a small change there, but not the one I expected. Teams saw McGonigle spit on secondary pitches and ambush fastballs early in the year, so they responded by… throwing him more fastballs? That feels unintuitive, to say the least. For the whole season, both of his home runs have come on a fastball, and he’s only whiffing on 9% of them. On its own, this doesn’t feel like the solution to beat McGonigle. Trying to get McGonigle out on a fastball feels like crossing your fingers as you send the pitch out towards home plate, but the league seems to have a plan. Let’s keep going.
Next I decided to check pitch location. Maybe that could be more illuminating than pitch type, and indeed, I think it was. Here’s what I found, with the first image being the percentage of pitches he saw in April/May, and the second being for May so far:
Now the extra fastballs make sense. It’s no secret the modern pitcher loves fastballs up, and recently, McGonigle is facing a lot of those. That top right corner of the zone is a particular hot zone, as it’s the hardest pitch to pull for power. Pitchers seem to be coming in with a concerted effort, forcing McGonigle to play more to their strengths than his, knowing that he’s looking for fastballs to drive. The game plan appears to be trying to get ahead in counts with softer stuff, then challenging McGonigle and his average raw power up in the zone, assuming whatever air contact he makes will be more of a lazy fly ball than a crushed dinger. It’s a pretty solid plan, especially since McGonigle’s entire approach is predicated on singling out a few pitches to pull in the air for extra base damage; fastballs up and away help negate this.
Naturally, the follow-up is ‘is it working’? Is this new gameplan backing McGonigle into a corner? And the answer to that is… kind of? Let me try to explain. One way of looking at that would be launch angle; more pitches up probably means a higher launch angle, and we see that. Mostly:
I went ahead and highlighted May 1 in that photo to help give a timeframe. We see McGonigle’s rolling launch angle spike in early May, and then it drops almost as quickly as it climbed. This is measuring the launch angle of his previous 25 batted balls after every batted ball, so it’s susceptible to a lot of noise. In particular, since it’s an average, this isn’t a very precise instrument to begin with. A towering popup at 40 degrees and a weak grounder at -5 degrees average out at 17.5 degrees, same as two well-struck line drives, so it’s probably worth checking out how he’s getting to that mid-May average.
Here is where I have unfortunate news to share: McGonigle has seemingly entered his Ian Kinsler arc. His ground ball rate has spiked from 27.3% to 36.6%, his line drives are down from 27.3% to 19.5%, and worst of all, his infield fly rate has ballooned from 2.2% to a hilariously untenable 16.7% (note: infield flyball rate is expressed as the ratio infield fly balls/all fly balls, not infield fly balls/all batted balls, so it’s bad, but not as awful as it sounds at first blush). Still, this isn’t how a good hitter operates long-term. If McGonigle wants to start bashing again, he needs to either commit to punishing the fastball up he knows he’s going to get and going to the opposite field more, or spit on the fastball until two strikes and wait to ambush an in-zone mistake on a breaking ball.
The good news is he’s not broken and starting to chase: his plate discipline metrics are all still excellent. He’s not going out of the zone much, and he’s making as much contact in the zone as he did in March and April. Plus, as pitchers force him to look outside, he’s responded with more of an all-fields approach which should be the right decision, if he can get back to a line-drive swing. The only red flag is in his inability to punish the fastball up the way he needs to, or to just let more of those go since he isn’t getting that many of them actually in the zone where he can barrel them up. Instead, pitchers know he’s trying to read fastball out of hand, and they’re showing them to him while not really giving him many he can drive. Essentially they’re forcing him to take his walks and betting that he’ll be too tempted to offer when he does get the fastball.
Considering his short levers, great bat-to-ball skills, and strong eye at the plate, this shouldn’t be a pitch that breaks the whole profile long term. He’s really not built to barrel up pitches on the outer edge consistently, but he torched fastballs up in the zone throughout his minor league run and without regard to velocity. It’s likely the first time pitchers have consistently spotted fastballs up and away but close to the zone against him for weeks at a time, and now, the young rookie will have to adjust. This shouldn’t be a surprise for the kid who skipped AAA. MLB pitchers will eventually force some adaptations. Based on his career so far, and the excellent run we saw in March and April, I think we’re just one small approach tweak away from the on-base machine developing into a power hitting force at the top of the lineup.
Juraj Slafkovsky
Rasmus Dahlin 
