The Minnesota Twins demoted former No. 1 draft pick Royce Lewis to the minor leagues, the team announced.
The Twins also designated right-handed pitcher Justin Topa for assignment and placed catcher Ryan Jeffers on the injured list with a left hamate bone fracture. Right-handed pitcher Travis Adams was recalled from Triple-A St. Paul, and the Twins selected the contracts of infielder Orlando Arcia and catcher Alex Jackson. Lewis heads to the minors after struggling following his return from a sprained left knee. Since returning from the injured list on April 21, the third baseman has struck out 25 times in 68 plate appearances while batting just .132 with one home run and five RBIs.
Before the injury, Lewis hit .222 with two doubles, two homers, eight RBIs and an .822 OPS in 12 games.
The Twins made a similar move in demoting right fielder Matt Wallner to Triple-A St. Paul.
BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA - MARCH 30: New head coach Will Wade of the LSU Tigers Men's Basketball team speaking at his press conference in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center on March 30, 2026 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Photo by Mitchell Scaglione/LSU Athletics via Getty Images)
The proverbial lines that regulate college sports have never been more difficult to identify than they are at this present moment in time. Players that would have been declared ineligible without a second thought as recently as five years ago are now not just being allowed to suit up for collegiate athletic programs across the country, they’re being paid handsomely (in some cases extremely handsomely) to do so.
Even in this current climate, every now and then there comes a situation where the line crossing becomes akin to pornography: You might not be able to fully articulate exactly what lines have been breached, but you know it when you see it.
Enter, of course, Will Wade. The man who was openly talking about paying players before it was cool (or allowed) is back to pushing the envelope in Baton Rouge like Kendrick Lamar and Drake are lightly lobbing sneak disses at one another.
On Monday, Wade made headlines for signing 25-year-old Israeli point guard Yam Madar to a reported $5 million deal. Not only is Madar a EuroLeague vet at this point — his Hapoel Tel Aviv B.C. squad just faced Real Madrid Baloncesto in a EuroLeague quarterfinal — but he was the 47th overall pick by Boston in the 2020 NBA Draft. For reference, that’s the same draft where Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball and Tyrese Haliburton all had their names called.
Madar, who will turn 26-years-old in December, never signed with the Celtics, but the franchise still owns his draft rights. He was the EuroLeague’s “Rising Star” award recipient in 2023, and averaged 11.1 points, 3.0 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game in 16 appearances for Hapoel Tel Aviv in league play last season.
If that piece of news wasn’t splashy enough, less than 24 hours later LSU announced that Wade had signed former St. John’s star R.J. Luis. The 2024-25 Big East Player of the Year, Luis opted last spring to spurn another year in college in favor of chasing his NBA dream. He went undrafted.
While there were rumors last summer that Wade was trying to convince Luis to sign with him at NC State, the 6’7 wing ultimately inked a two-way contract with the Utah Jazz. Two months later he was traded to the Boston Celtics. Though he was waived by Boston before the start of the 2025-26 season, Luis signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Celtics’ G League affiliate, the Maine Celtics.
In 2023, Bediako had left school early to play in the NBA, gone undrafted, ultimately signed a two-way contract with San Antonio, and competed in the G League as a professional over parts of three seasons. He then re-signed with Alabama and played five games for the Crimson Tide between January 24 and February 7 thanks to a temporary restraining order. On February 9, his temporary restraining order expired and he was denied a motion to play out the remainder of the season.
“The NCAA has not and will not grant eligibility to any prospective or returning student-athletes who have signed an NBA contract (including a two-way contract),” NCAA President Charlie Baker said in a statement last December in response to the Bediako situation.
Wade’s reasons for pushing the envelope here extend beyond his established status as a provocateur.
Since making the highly controversial jump from NC State back to LSU after just one season in Raleigh, Wade has had a more difficult time piecing together a roster than he likely anticipated. The Tigers are returning essentially zero production from last season’s 15-17 squad and have no incoming freshmen from the recruiting class of 2026. This would be fine if Wade was crushing it in the NCAA transfer portal. He hasn’t been.
Wade has inked just four players from the portal so far this spring — Divine Ugochukwu from Michigan State, Abdi Bashir from Kansas State, Mo Dioubate from Kentucky, and Austin Nunez from UTSA. That’s a four man class that has LSU currently ranked No. 40 in 247 Sports’ team portal rankings. At a time when most major conference programs are putting the finishing touches on their 2026-27 rosters, Wade and the Tigers are very much in scramble mode.
Earlier this month, Wade beat out Kentucky to sign 23-year-old Brazilian big man Marcio Santos of the Israeli league. In addition to signing Madar and Luis, there are reports that Wade has also been pursuing 22-year-old Saliou Niang, who is currently competing in the Italian Wing. With so few uncommitted impactful players in the portal remaining, it’s apparent at this time that Wade’s last ditch effort to produce a roster that can be competitive in the ultra-difficult SEC revolves around signing as many pros as possible and hoping at least a handful of them will be deemed eligible by the NCAA.
Given the precedent set by the Bediako situation, it seems extremely unlikely that the NCAA will clear Luis for a return to college basketball in 2026-27. Madar has more of a shot (somehow), but it still seems more likely than not that the NCAA will do everything in its power to keep the seasoned EuroLeague vet from spending the first four months of his 26th year playing college basketball.
For any other power conference college basketball coach, the actions taken by Wade this week would reek of desperation and a lack of any sort of respect for the last vestiges of the sanctity of college hoops. But for a man who has spent the better part of his kicking at lines like a leadoff batter on a dirt field and still managed to fall upwards more times than not, it’s almost hard to blame him for continuing to exist in the shadowy world he knows better than anyone.
NEW YORK — The Vegas Golden Knights’ appeal to have their punishment reduced for breaking media access rules was denied by the NHL and they will lose a second-round pick in the draft this year, two people with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press.
The people spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the league had not announced the result of the team’s appeal.
The league docked Vegas the second-rounder and fined coach John Tortorella $100,000 for what it called flagrant violations of media regulations. Tortorella refused to speak to reporters and the team did not open its locker room following its second-round-series-clinching Game 6 victory at Anaheim.
Announcing the sanctions, the NHL said the Golden Knights had been warned previously about not following media and other policies. They were offered the chance to appeal in person to Commissioner Gary Bettman, and that ultimately was unsuccessful in getting the pick back or the fine reduced or rescinded.
The loss of a second-round pick is the strictest punishment for breaking media access rules in league history. Vegas opens the Western Conference Final at the Colorado Avalanche.
Asked about the punishment, Tortorella told reporters in Las Vegas, “We put out a statement as an organization, and so we’ll go back that. We have no more comment on that.” That statement said only that the team was aware of the announcement and would have no further comment.
Tortorella took over as coach on an interim basis when Bruce Cassidy was fired on March 29. The Golden Knights went 7-0-1 in their final eight regular-season games, then beat the Utah Mammoth and the Ducks to make it to the West final for a fourth time in their nine-year existence.
Now 67, Tortorella coached the Tampa Bay Lightning to the Stanley Cup in 2004. He has been fined $262,000 for various transgressions over his time in the NHL.
Turns out, George Kittle had a good reason for cheering on the Thunder in Oklahoma City on Monday night.
Shortly after the 49ers tight end — who’s been a passionate Golden State Warriors fan since arriving in San Francisco in 2017 — caught flak for wearing an OKC shirt during Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals, he made it clear to several trolls on X he’s not actually a bandwagon supporter.
George Kittle attended the Thunder vs. Spurs matchup in Oklahoma City on Monday night. NBAE via Getty Images
“I graduated high school from Norman Oklahoma !!” Kittle wrote to one.
“Graduated from Norman Oklahoma so you can chill bruh,” he added in a message to another.
Kittle was seen throughout NBC’s broadcast of the big playoff game going nuts for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren and the rest of the Thunder as they took on the Spurs in an epic, double overtime matchup.
At one point during the game, the seven-time Pro Bowler’s antics actually caught the attention of play-by-play man Mike Tirico, who shared a tidbit about Kittle and Spurs star Victor Wembanyama while on-air.
George Kittle, a passionate Warriors fan, received criticism for cheering on OKC in its matchup with the Spurs. Instagram/@hannah.c.davisonGeorge Kittle’s been spotted cheering on the Warriors often since he arrived in San Francisco in 2017. NBAE via Getty Images
Only poetic that Mike Tirico bring up George Kittle and Wembanyama together.
After all, what would he know about being a positionless freak who plays both big and small and plays both ends of their game at an S tier level? pic.twitter.com/tzUrAetbIo
Unfortunately for Kittle, the home team ended up losing in a nail-biter to San Antonio, 122-115.
Game 2 is slated for Wednesday night, though it’s unclear if Kittle has plans to stick around in Oklahoma for the tilt — and the criticism that would no doubt come with another appearance.
The Chicago Blackhawks have a huge off-season ahead. It already began with them being given the 4th overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. The Toronto Maple Leafs and San Jose Sharks jumped up into first and second, pushing Chicago down two spots.
Now, what lies ahead is an important period of time in which the Blackhawks must use to improve their team ahead of the 2026-27 season. After an 11-point improvement in 2025-26, a strong off-season may allow them to get closer to being in the race.
There are plenty of moves that could be made to improve the team via trades, free agency, and the draft. Some moves would be more consequential than others.
In a perfect off-season, the Blackhawks would address at least four of their most important weaknesses. These five transactions would make it a perfect off-season:
Whether Ivar Stenberg or Caleb Malhotra falls to them, they choose a defenseman, or make a trade involving the pick, they must make the right decision.
The Blackhawks have already built up a strong young core. They have a lot of development left, but there is talent there. Adding another high-end prospect to the mix will only increase their chances of succeeding in the future.
Once they make the selection, assuming they make it, it will only become a strong pick with good development plans.
2. Sign Connor Bedard and make him the captain
Connor Bedard has lived up to being a first overall pick so far. His ability to generate offense for himself and his teammates has been noticeable from day one.
Whether it's Philipp Kurashev, Taylor Hall, Ryan Donato, Tyler Bertuzzi, Ryan Greene, or Andre Burakovsky, Bedard has found a way to put up points in bunches with any linemate over his first three seasons. If they could find him a star to play with, he would take another step in production.
Before any of that happens, however, the Blackhawks must get Bedard extended. On July 1st, he will officially become a restricted free agent. The Blackhawks are likely to get him signed up to a long-term deal that includes an average annual value of over $10 million.
It will be a lucrative contract for Bedard, but he's worth every penny. At one point, he might be "underpaid" based on NHL standards.
After he is signed long-term to a massive contract, the Blackhawks are going to name him as the team's next captain. After Nick Foligno left the team via a trade, it became apparent that Bedard was next.
Bedard made it clear that being the next captain would mean a lot to him and would be a role that he embraces.
"It’d be an honor," Bedard said on being the captain. "It’d be extremely special. We have a lot of guys in this room who can lead and take on those kinds of roles. If I’m the one who is chosen for that, I’d be extremely grateful, and that’s not something anyone would take for granted. This is a special organization; it’s been around for 100 years now. You see the names that have gotten that honor, that would be amazing. But whatever fits the team best, and whatever Kyle and everyone is thinking on that. Whatever happens, happens with that."
3. Add a key veteran forward & defenseman
Whether it's a linemate for Connor Bedard or a middle-six forward, the Blackhawks need at least one veteran forward added to the mix. More scoring touch is going to help this team, but they need someone older who has a proven track record of consistency.
It may also come in the form of a middle-six forward if they believe that Connor Bedard will play with young players already in the organization. Regardless, another solid veteran forward is needed in one way or another.
This also applies to the defense without the Connor Bedard factor. After trading Connor Murphy and Matt Grzelcyk went down with an injury, Alex Vlasic became the oldest defenseman on the NHL roster.
It is time to look for another older player to bring a steady presence to the group. With Sam Rinzel, Artyom Levshunov, Wyatt Kaiser, and Louis Crevier as the big-minute guys on the team, they can use some support from someone who has played big minutes elsewhere.
The Blackhawks don't have to increase their average age by 5 or more years, but it would be helpful if they weren't the youngest team in the league again. Being like Montreal, the youngest team to make the playoffs, is where you want to be.
32 Thoughts Monday morning playoff preview, news & interview pod. Not reported in it, but heard this morning: Oilers have permission to talk to Craig Berube.
Today's guest is Henrik Sedin. Great answers to terrible questions.
If that is true, he will be traded away to a team that is attempting to sign him before he officially becomes a free agent. That relieves the Blackhawks of another veteran who is one of the best penalty killers and a solid, even-strength two-way player. That's tough to lose.
If it is so certain that they have to let him go, they must replace him. If they don't, they will go from having a top-two penalty kill to being outside of the top ten.
That player who directly replaces Mikheyev may or may not already be within the organization. Oliver Moore and Ryan Greene are guys who have similar profiles, but the team must be sure that they are getting the equal production of Mikheyev from someone else if they are letting him go.
It makes sense that the Blackhawks are uninterested in giving him a long-term extension, and money has nothing to do with it, but a younger player must be ready to take on his role.
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OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - APRIL 02: Deandre Ayton #5 of the Los Angeles Lakers dunks the ball against the Oklahoma City Thunder at the Paycom Center on April 2, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. 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 Cooper Neill/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The NBA, like most businesses, is people-based. Yes, having talented players is important, but plenty can hoop. What differentiates teams is their ability to maximize their rosters and bring out the best in their group.
Lakers head coach JJ Redick has shown an ability to do that.
He’s had back-to-back 50-win seasons, and that’s because he’s been able to navigate massive roster changes and get the best out of his players night in and night out. And even for players like Deandre Ayton, who are known for being inconsistent and having up and down moments, he’s been able to reach him and bring out his best more often than not.
Even during a down moment, after the Thunder eliminated the Lakers, Ayton praised Redick for how he navigated the season.
“He was really proud of the group, how much faith he had,” Ayton said in his exit interview. “This being his 17th season with an NBA team, he was just really proud of each one of us. That really gave me some burdens off my shoulders. He showed in the media that he had my back as well. He’s a really good coach and I was just really honored to be coached by him and his staff.”
Since we are not privy to the behind-the-scenes moments between players and coaches, we only know a sliver of the dynamic between Ayton and Redick. Still, we have seen signs of how Redick supported him.
When Ayton was signed to the Lakers, he praised his raw talent. During the season, Redick was rocking a t-shirt that featured Ayton’s face mixed with a lion, expressing his desire for him to be a lion on the court.
Overall, Ayton had a solid season. He remained the team’s starting center all year long and shot a career-best 67% from the field.
Acquiring Ayton was a bit of a risk, as this was his third team in four years, but overall it was far more good than bad. The credit goes primarily to Ayton, but Redick played his part as well. Thanks to their collaboration, they made this a positive experience, and if Ayton does come back next season, he will likely be welcomed with open arms.
It took some time, but the Eastern Conference Finals are finally here. Our NBA player prop projections are set for Game 1, as the Cleveland Cavaliers face the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden, with the model uncovering several high-value betting spots.
By analyzing the data against current market lines, we’ve identified where the strongest edges exist.
If you’re building your card, here are the model’s top NBA picks for Tuesday, May 19.
Cavaliers vs Knicks computer picks for Game 1
Cavaliers
Knicks
Mitchell u26.5 points -112
Brunson o27.5 points -120
Harden o6.5 assists -112
Towns o11.5 rebounds +102
Mobley o8.5 rebounds +102
Anunoby o15.5 points -110
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Cavaliers Game 1 computer picks
Donovan Mitchell Under 26.5 points (-112)
Projection: 25.95 points
The Cleveland Cavaliers should face a slower pace in this matchup against the New York Knicks, who’ve played at the league’s slowest tempo over the last 25 games — making it tougher for Donovan Mitchell to dictate offensively.
It’s also a challenging spot for getting to the line, as opposing starting shooting guards have averaged just 1.9 free-throw attempts per game at Madison Square Garden over the last 10 — third-fewest in the league.
Coming off a Game 7 on Sunday, the quick turnaround combined with a well-rested Knicks squad puts Mitchell at a disadvantage to open the series.
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James Harden Over 6.5 assists (-112)
Projection: 6.57 assists
Mitchell won’t be the only star under pressure, James Harden should also feel the full force of New York’s defense in Game 1.
The Knicks understand how vital Harden is to Cleveland’s offense, and keying in on him could force more playmaking than scoring. He either cleared or came close to this assists line in five of seven games last series against Detroit, showing a strong tendency to facilitate when defenses tighten up.
If New York clamps down, expect Harden to lean into the distributor role and rack up the dimes.
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Evan Mobley Over 8.5 rebounds (+102)
Projection: 8.56 rebounds
Evan Mobley’s rebounds prop has been a steady moneymaker throughout the Cavaliers’ playoff run, and after a 12-board performance in Game 7 against the Pistons on Sunday, there’s little reason to expect a slowdown.
Cleveland has thrived on the glass on the road, ranking sixth in the league with 13.0 offensive rebounds per game over its last 10, with Mobley playing a major role in that dominance. Look for him to bring that same energy into the Big Apple.
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Knicks Game 1 computer picks
Jalen Brunson Over 27.5 points (-120)
Projection: 27.92 points
Jalen Brunson has averaged 31.4 points per game over his last five home outings, which is 3.9 points higher than his season-long home average.
The Knicks could also benefit from their full week of rest, a boost that could further elevate Brunson’s production as New York looks to keep defending home court throughout its postseason run.
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Karl-Anthony Towns Over 11.5 rebounds (+102)
Projection: 12.24 rebounds
The Knicks rank fourth in the NBA in offensive rebounding at home this season, and for Karl-Anthony Towns, the key to clearing this rebound line in Game 1 will be staying on the floor and avoiding foul trouble.
That was an issue at times during the series against Atlanta, but New York managed those minutes well in his absence. When Towns is active, though, he remains a strong presence on the glass — positioning him to do enough damage on the boards to push this prop Over tonight.
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OG Anunoby Over 15.5 points (-110)
Projection: 16.53 points
OG Anunoby has averaged 22.0 points per game over his last five outings, 4.8 points higher than his season-long mark, highlighting an uptick in offensive production.
New York’s quick work in the series against Atlanta also gave him valuable time to recover from the hamstring issue that forced him to miss the final two games. He’s expected to be available for Game 1 against Cleveland, and the Knicks are clearly more dangerous when he’s operating at full strength.
If the injury doesn’t limit him, Anunoby should slide right back into a key offensive role as New York looks to keep its attack rolling.
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How to watch Cavaliers vs Knicks Game 1
Location
Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
Date
Tuesday, May 19, 2026
Tip-off
8:00 p.m. ET
TV
ESPN
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Apr 18, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Emmet Sheehan (80) throws during the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images | Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images
Emmet Sheehan gets the start on Tuesday for the Dodgers in the middle game of their series against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park, but what’s notable is that it’s the first start this season for Los Angeles on four days rest.
Sheehan allowed two runs in six innings with six strikeouts in his win last Thursday over San Francisco. He swapped rotation slots so Shohei Ohtani could start on Wednesday’s series finale, directly in front of an off day, reducing the number of games Ohtani might hit with next-day fatigue after a pitching start.
Pitching on four days rest was the norm for decades in baseball, but that’s waned a bit over time. Here’s a look at the Dodgers starts on four (or three) days rest over the last few five-year check-ins.
Dodgers starts on (3 or) 4 days rest
2006: 90 starts
2011: 70 starts
2016: 59 starts
2021: 61 starts
That’s a slow-ish decline, and even in some recent years when the Dodgers have looked for avenues to give extra rest whenever possible, through spot starts, bullpen games, the decline in starts on four days rest wasn’t precipitous, until 2024.
2022: 45 starts
2023: 40 starts
2024: 10 starts
2025: 9 starts
Last season, after excluding openers, relievers making spot starts, and some final-week shenanigans, the Dodgers had 150 real starts, and only nine of them were on four days rest. The rest were split essentially evenly, with 70 starts on five days rest and 71 starts with six days or longer. Through Monday, this year has 15 starts on five days rest and 32 starts on longer rest (Friday’s bullpen game in Anaheim is not included).
Roki Sasaki signed last year and is also on the same extra-rest plan, as is Ohtani, who returned to pitching last June. Ohtani as a two-way player means he doesn’t count against the roster limit of 13 pitchers, which makes it much easier to use a six-man starting rotation, because the team can still keep a full complement of eight relievers. Hence the decline in starts on four days rest. Tuesday is just the 30th such start for the Dodgers since the start of 2024, which is a quarter fewer than the 2023 season alone.
Tuesday is technically Sheehan’s third career start on four days rest, though his one-inning “start” last September 26 — the final weekend of the regular season, keeping him available for relief work as early as four days later in the wild card round — doesn’t really count. Sheehan also struck out nine in 4 2/3 innings with one run allowed on four days rest on September 21, 2023, but that was following a three-inning relief outing, not another start.
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Josh Inglis' expert pick: Orioles/Rays Over 7.5
Price: 50¢ (+100) at Polymarket
Yesterday’s series opener exploded for 22 runs, and the projections are calling for more offense today with a fair price on this Over sitting around -126. Kyle Bradish is coming off his best start of the season and threw 100 pitches, after averaging closer to 90 per outing beforehand — there could be some drop-off in quality after the heavier workload.
Griffin Jax is a reliever-turned-starter whose strikeout rate has fallen sharply, from 35% down to 18.2% this season. Both offenses should be able to contribute on a relatively low total, with THE BAT projecting 8.72 runs.
Jon Metler's expert pick: Braves moneyline
Price: 56¢ (-127) at Polymarket
We have two southpaws on the mound at loanDepot park this afternoon, and Martín Pérez and the Atlanta Braves have a much easier matchup with the lineup they’ll face than Braxton Garrett does.
Three of the first five hitters in the Marlins lineup bat from the left side, and the lineup features five left-handed hitters in total. This is a dream matchup for Pérez, as he can neutralize a lot of that power by working the outer half of the plate with his sinker-changeup combination, forcing those hitters to drive the ball the other way.
Garrett, meanwhile, isn’t nearly as fortunate. He struggled with his command and lasted only 1 1/3 innings in his first start of the season, and with Ronald Acuña Jr. expected back in the lineup, the Braves can throw several hitters at him who thrive against left-handed pitching, along with Ozzie Albies and Austin Riley. I price the Braves closer to 61-cent (-156) favorites in this spot.
Joe Osborne's expert pick: Red Sox moneyline
Price: 57¢ (-133) at Polymarket
The Boston Red Sox hold advantages across the board tonight in Kansas City. Ranger Suarez continues to pitch at an elite level, allowing zero earned runs in five of his last six starts, while carrying a stellar 1.96 ERA on the road.
The Royals are 2-10 against lefty starters this season, and the offense ranks 27th in OPS against southpaws over the last two weeks. Boston’s bullpen has also been dominant during that span, with an MLB-best 1.90 ERA. With a struggling Bailey Falter set to open for KC, scoring opportunities should come early and often for Boston.
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His 11 made 3-pointers were the most ever in an NBA playoff game at the time, and his 19 points and five triples in the fourth quarter helped Golden State overcome the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference semifinals.
That game – and that showing – however, were not enough to land on ESPN Brian Windhorst’s “Tower of Power” when it comes to conference finals performances.
Before Windhorst gave his list, he explained that he took which game of the series the performance came during as part of his metric.
“I took into account where it was in the series, OK?” Windhorst said. “The later in the series, the more important. Having said that, Game 1, Victor Wembanyama. It was a Game 1 but, my God, what a game.”
Wembanyama put on an incredible showing as he dropped 41 points and 24 rebounds in his first ever conference finals appearance to lead the Spurs to a road victory.
3. LeBron James’ Game 5 in Detroit against the Pistons in 2007 where he finished with 48 points — 25 straight to close out the game.
2. Charles Barkley’s Game 7 against the Seattle Sonics in 1993 where he dropped 44 points and 24 rebounds to help the Suns clinch a trip to the NBA Finals.
1. LeBron James’ Game 6 against the Celtics in 2012 as he dropped 45 points to help even the series at 3-3.
While the top four performances all helped the respective player and teams head to the NBA Finals, whether Wembanyama’s holds the same weight is to be determined.
As for Thompson’s legendary night, it might not have been enough to land him on Windhorst’s list, but it was enough to earn himself a reputation in the Bay and NBA world that’s still discussed a decade later.
It was pure chaos at home plate after Edgar Quero’s walk-off homer against the Chicago Cubs on Sunday. | (Michael Hirschuber/Getty Images)
As quickly as spring came and went, the White Sox leapt from horrendous to… fun? I’m not talking fun in the lovable loser type of way that the North Siders affectionately refer to their tribe, and not in the way a little league parent earnestly cheers for their kid, knowing they’re about to do a swinging bunt and then run to third instead of first. I’m talking fun fun. Like, plan my weeknights around watching the game, save up money for tickets that don’t offer a giveaway, and, dare I say it, fully buy into this team making a wild card run kind of fun.
Like a cold glass of water on a hot day, this team has been refreshing. The gritty play, comical home run sushi celebrations, and extremely clutch hitting from guys who were scoffed at as lineup starters have started the season with a bang. Although it’s tempting to slot this team into the wild card race automatically, it’s time to start pumping the brakes on the hype train. Trust me, I don’t want to be writing this more than you want to read it, but let’s take the emotion out of the equation and carefully evaluate this team.
Run differential is still the Sox’s worst enemy. With a current run differential of -7, the Sox should be happy they aren’t further behind the eight ball. The bullpen deserves a lot of credit recently for keeping them close to zero, but injuries haven’t hit yet, and the arm barn is notoriously one of the shakiest aspects of this team. The relief pitching crew’s 3.81 ERA, 0.3 WAR, and only two blown saves in May have gotten the team through its fair share of troubles, but don’t expect this steadfastness to be long-term. It’s only fair to expect the run differential to get worse as relievers get hurt and the season goes on. And as run differential goes, so will the team’s playoff odds.
Psychology is also playing tricks. While a winning record looks excellent on paper, especially to excitement-starved Sox fans, a record above .500 doesn’t guarantee a postseason appearance. Since 2022, when the playoffs expanded from 10 to 12 teams, 57 teams held a winning record at the 46-game mark, yet only 45 made the postseason that year. Although a near 80% success rate is promising, there’s one big factor working against Chicago: money.
Miserly ownership will weigh a winning team down, no matter how good they are. Thirty-six of the 45 teams that exhibited sustained success had a payroll over $100 million. The nine exceptions to this case were the Guardians, known for developing the best talent on a shoestring budget; the Marlins, led by Kim Ng and exceptional management in 2023; and the Orioles, who were quite the outlier in 2024. While Zach Bove and Derek Shoman are proving to be impactful coaches, there are too many things that have to work in favor of the Sox to defy the challenges that come with competing against clubs with plenty of money to spare at the trade deadline.
Finally, the Sox being fun to watch and playoff-caliber aren’t mutually exclusive. Tuning in to a Munetaka Murakami and Colson Montgomery back-to-back home run and following Davis Martin’s dark horse Cy Young campaign won’t get old any time soon, but that doesn’t mean they’re an 81-plus win team. It simply means this team is finally taking up primetime space in fans’ minds, in a good way.
Hopefully, I’m wrong once again, like I was wrong about Montgomery being impactful last year and Murakami adjusting to the big leagues this year. But until then, let’s enjoy the ride.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Adam Foote is out as coach of the Vancouver Canucks, fired Tuesday as part of the organization's latest purge of staff following a last-place finish in the NHL this season.
Foote lasted just one year in the role after being promoted from an assistant to succeed Rick Tocchet, who decided to leave when his contract was up. The Canucks lost 57 of 82 games to end up 14 points lower than the next-closest team in the league standings.
Assistant coaches Kevin Dean, Scott Young and Brett McLean also were dismissed.
Moving on from Foote comes after a total front-office overhaul. Last week, Hall of Fame player twin brothers Daniel and Henrik Sedin were named co-presidents, and Ryan Johnson was elevated to general manager.
Then-president of hockey ops Jim Rutherford fired GM Patrik Allvin last month, then the 77-year-old announced on May 5 he was stepping down from the job he had held since 2021. Despite having the highest odds to get the first pick, the Canucks lost again in the draft lottery, falling to No. 3 behind Toronto and San Jose.
Vancouver has made just two playoff appearances over the past decade and soon will have a fifth coach in six seasons. Tocchet won the Jack Adams Award as coach of the year for his part in the Canucks qualifying in 2023-24, and he got Philadelphia in and to the second round this spring.
Foote, who was a defenseman during his playing career, was a favorite of former captain Quinn Hughes, who was traded to Minnesota in December. Also in consideration last year was retired forward Manny Malhotra, who coached the team's top minor league affiliate, the Abbotsford Canucks, to a Calder Cup title last year as champions of the American Hockey League.
Malhotra, who turned 46 on Monday, worked at the NHL level as an assistant with Vancouver from 2017-20 and the Maple Leafs from '20-24 before getting put in charge of Abbotsford. Johnson has been the GM of the AHL club for several years.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JULY 15: Byron Buxton #25 of the Minnesota Twins jogs off the field after the fifth inning of the MLB All-Star Game at Truist Park on July 15, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
ICYMI: Buster Olney spoke with the folks at 680 The Fan’s Cellini & Dimino on a variety of Braves-related topics yesterday, but none were more buzzy than the following: should the Braves trade for Byron Buxton?
It’s been discussed a lot over the years. A two-time All-Star and Georgia native who’d be a great cultural fit in this clubhouse; everything about him screams “Brave”. Our Feed largely falls into three camps:
Blue box him NOW
We keep saying it and will keep saying it – this year’s team depth is 1) great 2) has been put to the test, but can you IMAGINE what the team would be like at full strength, PLUS Buxton? It’s a beautiful thing.
Skeptical, but open-minded
There’s a few people who see both sides, but ultimately wouldn’t mind if Alex Anthopoulos made a call or had a few conversations. We have a bit of an outfield logjam at the moment, but things can certainly be shifted to bring a player with his kind of tools onto the roster.
Stay far, far away
He’d be a perfect fit in several ways… including the unfortunate and recurring injury bug. That’s the biggest issue people have, along with what Minnesota might want in return as a secondary concern. And with the aforementioned OF logjam? For some, that’s a hard pass.
Just some fun, mid-May spectulation… if you’ve got a different take, let us know in the comments below.
NEW YORK, NY - MAY 17: Anthony Volpe #11 of the New York Yankees hits a two-run single in the sixth inning during the game between the New York Yankees and the New York Mets at Citi Field on Sunday, May 17, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by Michael Urakami/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
We’d probably all like to forget the Yankees’ soul-crushing loss on Sunday against the Mets. That being said, there were several moments that can be remembered in a positive light, including Anthony Volpe’s first hit of the 2026 campaign — a two-out double off Freddy Peralta in the second inning. Volpe arguably had a pair of more impactful plate appearances later in the game, driving in two with a sixth inning single and fighting back from 0-2 down to draw a bases loaded walk in the seventh, however the approach Volpe showed in his first AB will serve him well if he can maintain it, and merits analysis in this week’s installment in this series.
Peralta seemed to be extra amped for his start against the crosstown rivals, his fastball coming in about two mph above his season average during the first turn through the order. He starts Volpe with a first-pitch four-seamer at 96 mph, he and catcher Luis Torrens looking to jam Volpe up and in.
Peralta executes this pitch perfectly to his spot and all Volpe can do is fight it off foul. Last year, among the many issues for Volpe included being too passive against pitches in the zone, particularly fastballs early in counts. It’s at least some bit of progress to be offering at a pitch like this, if for no other reason than being evidence of good pitch recognition and strike zone awareness.
With the muscle memory of the previous pitch execution, Peralta looks to throw the exact same pitch here.
Instead, he gets his release point all wrong and sails this one above the zone at head height, making for an automatic take from Volpe.
Now that he has shown Volpe two straight fastballs, the second resetting Volpe’s eye level up, Peralta now sees if he can get him to chase a slider off the plate low and away.
Oh man, Volpe missed an absolute cookie here — a cement mixer slider right down the middle. This is just not a good swing from Volpe, his front side bailing out early as he guesses fastball, and he’s in nowhere near the right hitting position to do anything but foul this very hittable pitch back and out of play.
After his previous mistake went unpunished, Peralta doesn’t dare throw another mistake slider. Instead, he goes back to the fastball, now attempting to climb the ladder above the zone for the strikeout swinging.
Once again, Peralta is wild with his release, spraying this four-seamer up and in and not close enough to the zone to entice Volpe to chase.
That’s now two fastballs and a slider where Peralta cannot find the right release. Perhaps that is why he opts for a changeup here — a dangerous pitch to a same-handed hitter if you can’t bury it below the zone.
Indeed, we see exactly what happens when you can’t get a changeup low enough to a same-handed hitter — it turns into a batting practice fastball when thrown in the zone. Volpe sends it right back the way it came, driving this pitch to the wall in left-center for a double, the first hit of his season.
Volpe entered this game hitless, but with a robust .455 OBP in his first three games thanks to drawing five walks in his first 11 plate appearances of the year. Following his two hits and four times on base on Sunday, he’s got a 188 wRC+ and 43.8-percent walk rate — obviously a minuscule sample size that doesn’t provide conclusive evidence, but still offers an optimistic outlook on his process to open his campaign.
This AB alone provides a ton of encouragement when it comes to Volpe’s approach to the plate. Volpe struggled to control the strike zone last year, letting hittable pitches go by while also chasing junk off the plate. It’s why he found himself 0-2 in so many spots last year, taking an early in-zone fastball for a strike and then trying too hard to make up for it by chasing a breaking pitch out of the zone. There seems to be a concerted approach to to improve that area of his game. Including this contest, Volpe has an in-zone swing rate of 74.1-percent and a chase rate of 12.5-percent, both massive improvements of his career marks of 65.6-percent and 27.2-percent, respectively. In this AB, he swung at all three pitches in the zone and didn’t chase the two out of it. As simple as it sounds, swinging at strikes and taking balls is a big part behind the impressive walk rate he has posted so far.
Finally, I feel this encounter highlights a mid-AB adjustment from early in the count to a two-strike approach. I’ve taken screenshots of the moment right after contact on Volpe’s swings against the 1-1 slider he fouled back vs. the 2-2 changeup he barreled for the double, both offspeed pitches in the exact same location.
In the lefthand image, his swing on the mistake slider, you can see how open his front hip is and how all of his momentum is traveling toward third base. This is because he’s trying to make room for his top half to get the bat head out early as he tries to pull the ball in the air. Contrast that with the righthand image, the swing that produced the double, and you can see how he’s keeping his weight back an extra tick and letting the ball travel, and then when he does swing, his momentum is traveling forward toward the pitcher as he goes with more of an up the middle approach. It’s way early, but this improvement in his swing decisions and the employment of a two-strike approach makes me excited to watch Volpe play for the first time in a long time.
NEW YORK, NY - MAY 6: Quentin Grimes #5 of the Philadelphia 76ers dribbles the ball during the game against the New York Knicks during Round Two Game Two on May 6, 2026 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 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Quentin Grimes’ audition with the Sixers for the 2025 free-agency class couldn’t have gone much better. He averaged 21.9 points in 28 games on 46.9/37.3/75.2% shooting splits. He also bore no responsibility for the team’s record over that time as they began to pile the roster with G-Leaguers and journeymen from overseas in a tanking effort to retain their draft pick.
For the first month of the season, Grimes had appeared to put such a rocky negotiation behind him, scaling down perfectly into the sixth man role the team envisioned for him when they acquired him. Through November, he was averaging 17 points a night shooting 44.8% from the field and 36.9% from behind the arc.
As the season wore on, he struggled more and more to consistently be that complementary player. He shot 31% from three the rest of the season and as his percentage dropped, so did his willingness to take them.
He was getting up 6.4 threes a game in that first month and a half versus 4.6 the rest of the way. The drop off in his three-point shot hampered his other ways to score, as did the erratic playmaking that saw him post the second-highest turnover percentage of his career.
By the time the playoffs rolled around, the scuffling Grimes was still the only trustworthy one out of the Sixers’ “glut of guards” off the bench.
He was phenomenal in Game 5 of round one against the Boston Celtics, dropping 18 points while providing stellar defense on the other end, but it was short-lived. That ended up being Grimes’ only meaningful double-digit performance of the postseason (he scored 12, mostly in garbage time, in a Game 4 blowout loss to the Celtics). Game 2, the only game the Sixers had a shot in against the New York Knicks, was lost because this glut could not withstand the 1:12 Maxey sat on the bench.
The context has changed this time around with Grimes set to hit the market again, this time as an unrestricted free agent, but what kind of offers he will get and from who are just as unclear. Grimes is one of two key free agents for the Sixers this summer, along with Kelly Oubre Jr. Andre Drummond and Kyle Lowry’s contracts are also set to expire.
With three max contracts still on their books, the Sixers are in a pretty similar cap situation they were last summer, with room for about one real contract to hand out in free agency before hitting the first apron. It’s probably a safe assumption to say they’d want to stay under that so they’d be able to use the $15 million non-tax payer mid-level exception.
The Sixers’ choice is likely not going to be as binary as this, especially given the expected financial limitations, but if it comes down to keeping Oubre or Grimes, the choice doesn’t seem too hard at this point. Oubre is coming off a career-high three-point shooting season. With the work he’s put in to get his shooting hand and wrist healed the past couple of offseasons, that feels sustainable as well. The chemistry he’s developed cutting off Joel Embiid has made him malleable and scalable for this team in a way Grimes has yet to figure out.
The best case to be made for retaining Grimes is that his value around the league remains a lot lower than many would have expected after how his previous season ended. He no longer has the restricted tag that would scare teams with cap space away, but his struggles to fit in nicely as a role player seem likely to give any contender pause.
It would also go a long way in explaining how a guy with so many sought-after traits in the current NBA has already played for four teams through his first five seasons.
In his exit interview, with his season having just ended only hours prior, Grimes admitted he isn’t sure what he’s looking for in free agency just yet. He did feel like it was a solid season, one he felt he showed he could do different things when needed.
“Whenever guys were in and out or were dealing with injuries or whatever I feel like I was able to prove myself every time I stepped on the court,” he said. “If I had more responsibility, if I was in a bench role, I would come in and just try to make an impact anyway I can. So, I’m just kind of digesting the whole season as a whole right now.”
With a new agent, Grimes will hope his free agency goes better this time around. The Sixers, on the other hand, might be even more cautious than they were a year ago.
Cavaliers
Knicks
