Sure, the Dodgers have Shohei Ohtani, but can they do this? Members of the Savannah Bananas ball club rock a kick line before a 2025 game in Seattle. (Lindsey Wasson / Associated Press)
Chris Clarke had gone the traditional route, pitching for three years at USC after starring at Newbury Park High, then toiling for six more seasons in the Chicago Cubs' minor league system after being a fourth-round draft pick in 2019.
But his big-league dream abruptly became a wake-up call last August when the Cubs released him a week before his wife gave birth to their first child. No more paychecks. No more health insurance.
"It was surreal," Clarke said. "In fact, it was so incredible, I didn't feel anything. My body went numb. There was a moment in the third inning when everybody was screaming. I couldn't hear myself talk."
It was the most people ever crammed into Kyle Field, the nation's fourth-largest college stadium, trailing only Michigan (107,601), Oregon (106,572) and Ohio State (102,780).
Texas A&M is ROCKING hours before the Savannah Bananas and Texas Tailgaters start the game at 8pm ET pic.twitter.com/FoY7ydGuwN
Clarke pitched for the opposing team, the Texas Tailgaters, one of five squads created by Bananas founders Jesse and Emily Cole that serve as touring partners to face the yellow-clad star attraction. All six teams practice at a complex in Savannah, Ga.
The game in College Station attracted the largest crowd in the Bananas' six-year history, and Clarke shined, striking out five in four innings. He also entertained, as all players in the Banana Ball Championship League are cheerfully required to do.
"The amount of joy it brings to fans and even people online, it's really something," Clarke said. "There definitely is a winner and a loser — which holds some weight — but for the most part, fans are there because it's a really good show."
Clarke, a 6-foot-7 right-hander, was the third overall pick in the inaugural Banana Ball draft held in November. Tailgater coaches contacted him beforehand to gauge his interest and he told them, "Pick me."
That level of bold fits right in. Banana Ball is fast-paced, hilarious and maximizes fan engagement. It features innovative rules: Fouls caught by fans count as outs, for example, and batters who walk get to run the bases until all nine defensive players have touched the ball. Choreographed dances, acrobatic tricks, a pitcher on stilts and other antics keep the entertainment flowing.
"I like to think of every game as a stepping stone to the next show," Clarke said. "Whether it goes well or is terrible, we will make it better for next time. Banana Ball is a relaxed culture, so when it comes to the entertainment stuff, there is no fear of failure. We are seeing what works and what doesn't."
Guest stars are frequent and on Saturday, the Bananas sent Texas-grown YouTube sensation Tyler Toney, a member of the sports comedy troupe Dude Perfect, to the plate as a pinch-hitter. Clarke struck him out on four pitches: a called strike, a swinging strike, a ball Clarke purposely launched high into the stands for laughs, then strike three swinging on a cut fastball.
It was a rare humbling moment for Toney, who, with fellow Dude Perfect members Cody Jones, Garrett Hilbert, and twins Cory and Coby Cotton, generates more than $20 million annually from YouTube, merchandise and tours.
Clarke had watched Dude Perfect videos religiously when he was at USC and was starstruck to meet them in person.
"Dude Perfect is the reason I failed econ twice," he said. "I watched every single Dude Perfect video. To meet them and shake their hands was fun. It was the only moment in my life where I was a fanboy."
He's also a breadwinner again for his family. The burgeoning popularity of Banana Ball has made the gig more lucrative than playing in the minor leagues.
"I'm making five times as much and playing half the time," Clarke said. "My contract is also for 12 months of the year. In affiliated baseball, it's only six months. So, there's that. I've never met anyone in baseball who has had the luxury to spend time with a newborn child. To come to Banana Ball and actually feel like there is respect, a culture and guidelines, that was something I hadn't experienced."
It is also giving him notoriety. Twenty-five Banana Ball games this year are being streamed on the ESPN app and Disney+, with select games airing across ESPN networks and ABC. The first Bananas broadcast on ABC will take place at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore., June 27 and 28. The games have been sold out since October.
Highlights from Saturday's game flooded social media and traditional outlets alike. Family friends and former teammates reached out to Clarke. What was it like pitching in front of 100,000 people? Are you improving your dance moves?
"The entertainment side of it takes pressure off performance," he said. "Performing well is still very much there, but there is a level of relaxation that makes it easier."
Clarke admits he thinks back to USC and the 2019 season, when he posted a stellar earned-run average of 1.03. He also occasionally misses the heightened competition and quest to make the major leagues of affiliated baseball.
He pitched two seasons in triple A and is only 27. Would he leave Banana Ball next year if an MLB team offered him an invite to spring training?
"I'm not in a situation to close any doors," he said. "That's the mindset that got me here. I wanted to investigate Banana Ball and I told them I'd give them a full year for us both to evaluate it. Either way, I think it's a win. Just comes down to what's best for my family."
Meanwhile, more games in packed stadiums await. In addition to a handful in football stadiums against the Bananas, the Tailgaters will play three games a week against other Banana Ball League teams throughout the summer, mostly in minor league baseball stadiums from Tulsa, Okla., to El Paso, Texas, to Nashville, Tenn., to Charlotte, N.C.
Exponentially larger crowds than those venues are accustomed to are a given.
The Boston Red Sox will look to make it two in a row as they continue their road series against the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday night.
Framber Valdez takes the mound for Detroit, and I’m counting on him to give his team the edge in my Red Sox vs. Tigers predictions below.
Read on to see my full analysis and get my free MLB picks for Tuesday, May 5.
Who will win Red Sox vs Tigers today: Tigers -1.5 (+137)
The Detroit Tigers are struggling with injuries to their pitching staff, but they still have a healthy Framber Valdez to take the mound tonight.
Valdez is a solid 2-1 with a 3.35 ERA so far in his first season in Detroit, and the Tigers are 5-2 in his starts this season.
The Boston Red Sox will use open Jovani Moran tonight. And while that’s fine on the surface, the fact that Brayan Bello (1-4, 9.12 ERA) will try to pick up the bulk of the innings is concerning given his struggles so far this season.
With a massive advantage on the mound at home, I’m taking Detroit to cover the run line.
COVERS INTEL:The Red Sox are fifth in the majors in batted ground ball percentage at 45.7%, which should play into the hands of Valdez, who has averaged a 61.2% ground ball rate in his career.
Red Sox vs Tigers Over/Under pick: Under 8.5 (-115)
The Red Sox have struggled to score runs all season long. At 3.86 runs per game, Boston is one of just five teams in the majors averaging less than four runs per contest, and its .671 OPS ranks 27th in the league.
If Valdez can handle his business against the Red Sox, it will come down to Detroit to carry this total. But the Tigers have averaged only 4.28 runs per game over their last seven games, so it’s far from certain they’ll put up huge numbers tonight either.
The total of 8.5 runs is close to correct, but given reason trends, the Under is my play.
Ed Scimia's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 5-10, -5.31 units
Over/Under bets:5-8, -3.43 units
Red Sox vs Tigers odds
Moneyline: Boston +140 | Detroit -155
Run line: Boston +1.5 (148) | Detroit -1.5 (+134)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 (+105) | Under 8.5 (-116)
Red Sox vs Tigers trend
The Tigers are 4-1 overall in Valdez’s last five starts. Find more MLB betting trends for Red Sox vs. Tigers.
How to watch Red Sox vs Tigers and game info
Location
Comerica Park, Detroit, MI
Date
Tuesday, May 5, 2026
First pitch
6:40 p.m. ET
TV
NESN, DSN
Red Sox starting pitcher
Brayan Bello (1-4, 9.12 ERA)
Tigers starting pitcher
Framber Valdez (2-1, 3.35 ERA)
Red Sox vs Tigers latest injuries
Red Sox vs Tigers weather
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.
While the Pittsburgh Penguins fell to the Philadelphia Flyers in the first round of the playoffs, it is clear that the 2025-26 campaign was a major success for the Pens. After entering the season expected by many to be one of the NHL's worst teams, the Penguins responded by finishing second in the Metropolitan Division standings.
After a strong regular-season, the Penguins should not be afraid to add to their roster during the summer. They should be looking to build off their momentum, and one way they could look to boost their roster is through the trade market.
When looking at trade candidates around the NHL, Dallas Stars forward Jason Robertson stands out as a prime potential target for the Penguins.
Robertson is entering the offseason as a restricted free agent, and questions about his future in Dallas have come up because of it. If contract talks between the Stars and Robertson don't go well and he is made available for trade, the Penguins absolutely should consider targeting him.
At 26 years old, Robertson would be a great fit on a Penguins team that is focused on the future. This is because he has several years left in his prime. Furthermore, he would finally give the Penguins their much-needed Jake Guentzel replacement.
Robertson is also coming off a monster season with the Stars, which adds to his appeal. In 82 games this campaign with Dallas, he had 45 goals, 51 assists, 96 points, and a plus-22 rating. With numbers like these, he would be a major pickup for the Penguins.
Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see if the Penguins end up making a push for Robertson this summer. If they acquired him and locked him up to a long-term extension, it would be game-changing for Pittsburgh.
Manchester City did not choke at Everton to hand Arsenal the advantage but it was another reminder the Premier League’s random qualities are still key
For me Clive, it’s all about the Socratic paradox. The wisest man is the man who knows enough to know he knows nothing. I’ve always said that. Or never said it. Or only said it sometimes. One of those. Either way the Premier League title race could have been designed to prove that, in an age of thundering takes and mega-certainties, nobody actually has any idea what’s going on here.
Manchester City’s draw at Everton on Monday night has already been described as The Moment. Advantage Arsenal. This is the consensus. On Tuesday morning, Rob Earnshaw was asked on Sky Sports if this is “the week the season will be decided” and replied: “ABSOLUTELY,” almost before the question had ended. And while you have to admire Rob Earnshaw’s sense of showmanship, there is still a large chance this might not actually be the case.
NEW YORK — Pittsburgh Pirates reliever Chris Devenski has been suspended for three games and fined for intentionally throwing at Cincinnati Reds rookie Sal Stewart, Major League Baseball announced.
Devenski intentionally threw at Stewart in the top of the seventh inning of Pittsburgh’s 17-7 win at PNC Park. He was ejected following the incident.
Pirates manager Don Kelly also was suspended for one game and received an undisclosed fine, MLB senior vice president for on-field operations Michael Hill announced.
Devenski’s suspension is set to start when the Pirates open a road series against the Arizona Diamondbacks. If Devenski appeals, the suspension would be put off during that process. His fine was not disclosed.
In 2001, the Cubs were coming off a 97-loss season. The Dodgers were good, but hadn’t made the playoffs in four years.
That was the backdrop to what began as an ordinary Saturday afternoon at Wrigley Field. The Cubs, off to a good start that year, entered the day at 17-11, two games in the lead in the NL Central. They had shut out the Dodgers the day before, 4-0, led by seven strong innings by Kevin Tapani. The Dodgers were 17-12, also in first place in the NL West.
And the game was fairly ordinary — for a while. Sammy Sosa and Todd Hundley hit two-run homers in the fourth off Darren Dreifort for a 4-0 lead. The Dodgers were shut out by Julian Tavarez for five innings before future Cub Eric Karros hit an RBI single in the sixth to make it 4-1.
That’s where things stood going to the bottom of the seventh. A perfectly ordinary game…
Damon Buford and current Cubs radio announcer Ron Coomer singled, followed by an RBI single by Eric Young Sr.., making it 5-1. Ricky Gutierrez attempted a sacrifice bunt (remember those?), but wound up safe on a fielder’s choice, loading the bases.
Bill Mueller singled in a pair of runs, now it’s 7-1. RBI hits by Sammy Sosa and Rondell White made it 9-1. Hundley struck out, but Julio Zuleta smashed a three-run homer and the Cubs had an eight-run inning, leading 12-1 heading to the eighth.
In the bottom of the eighth, Gutierrez hit a one-out double, followed by a walk by Mueller. A comebacker by Sosa to Dodgers pitcher Jose Nuñez was thrown away, with Gutierrez scoring and runners winding up on second and third. Another walk loaded the bases and Hundley struck out.
Now there are two out, the bases loaded and the Cubs with a 13-1 lead.
Cubs pitcher Courtney Duncan walked, forcing in a run. Buford singled in two runs, now it’s 16-1. Another single by Coomer re-loaded the bases again, and Augie Ojeda hit a grounder to third that could have ended the inning, but it was booted by Dodgers third baseman Dave Hansen (another guy who briefly played for the Cubs). Two runs scored on the error, making it 18-1.
A single by Gutierrez, batting for the second time in the inning, scored Coomer to make it 19-1. Mueller walked, loading the bases, and Sosa drew a walk, scoring the 20th run.
The Dodgers went out meekly in the ninth and the Cubs had their 20-1 victory, with back-to-back eight-run innings. Sadly, no extensive highlights survive from this game, though the first minute or so of this highlight video from that day show a few plays from the game:
The Cubs swept that 2001 series against the Dodgers, winning the final game 3-2 on a walkoff hit by Hundley, and eventually led the NL Central by 3.5 games before losing eight in a row later in May. They followed the eight-game losing streak with a 12-game winning streak, going back into first place where they’d stay until mid-August. Their final record of 88-74 was a 23-game improvement over the previous year, but they missed the then-single wild card spot in the NL by five games.
The Cubs’ 20-1 blowout of the Dodgers happened 25 years ago today, Saturday, May 5, 2001.
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - NOVEMBER 01: Cade Denton #31 of the Salt River Rafters throws a pitch during an Arizona Fall League game against the Scottsdale Scorpions at Scottsdale Stadium on November 1, 2025 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Original photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images 11/1/2026
The hard-throwing righty had just helped his Oral Roberts Golden Eagles go deep in the 2023 College World Series by posting a 1.83 ERA over 35 appearances and carried a 12.1 SO/9 over 64 innings of work. You might have overlooked both Denton and Oral Roberts as that was the season Paul Skenes took Louisiana State all the way, but the Rockies didn’t, signing him for above slot value and quickly assigning him to their farm system.
He made eight appearances that season: four with the Arizona Complex League following the draft and four with the Low-A Fresno Grizzlies to end the season.
However, Denton seemed to largely fly under the radar during his minor league career and hasn’t been ranked among the organization’s top prospects despite solid results. He spent most of the 2024 season with the Grizzlies, posting a 2.86 ERA in 26 relief appearances, but struck out just 23 batters in 28.1 innings.
Following a late-season promotion to the High-A Spokane Indians, Denton made an additional five appearances. However, he struck out just three batters and had a 7.36 ERA over 7.1 innings.
Denton was assigned again to Spokane for the 2025 season, where he found his footing. A workhorse reliever for the Indians, Denton made 42 appearances and posted a 3.73 ERA with 63 strikeouts over 50.2 innings. He also tallied seven saves. He did struggle somewhat with his command, issuing career high 20 walks for a 3.6 BB/9—a career high tying his metric during his initial four-game stint in Fresno. He also gave up a career high eight home runs.
Once there, Denton quickly stood out. He struck out 18 batters and walked only four over 13 innings of work for the Salt River Rafters. He did allow five earned runs, but all five came in one bad inning that included a grand slam on October 16th. Denton finished the Fall League with a 3.46 ERA due to his combined efforts outside of that outing.
An important part of Denton’s success in Arizona was finding rhythm with his fastball. Delivering out of a low arm slot, Denton’s fastball rides upwards and is at its best when he places it at the top rail with higher velocity—maxing out around 96 MPH. Denton had lost velocity on the pitch in 2024, but during the Fall League, he had regained the velocity and control.
“During the Fall League I finally got [the fastball] to the top of the zone where I wanted it to be. It’s not a four-seam carry fastball, but pitching coaches prior [had said] that it’s a deceptive arm slot,” Denton explained of his success. “So just trying to get that ball to the top of the zone to get whiffs, just trying to keep emphasizing filling up the zone, filling up the top of the zone with the fastball and everything else will keep working the way that it’s supposed to.”
“That was really cool,” Denton said. “After a rough second outing—I think it was—in the Fall League where you go out there and you give up a grand slam. You’re like ‘yeah, pitch [well] the rest of the Fall League, put your name out there.’ [I] didn’t expect to be reliever of the year. There was quite a few guys that that I think were also deserving of that honor, but I was super excited. It was really cool.”
He went on to praise his wife and family for the support and excitement they’ve shown for him.
“My wife was really excited whenever that happened. Those are the moments that you get to share that joy with other people and family and friends and stuff,” he said. “So it was definitely a good fall and definitely a cool award to get.”
Denton has continued to emphasize the importance of family throughout his baseball journey.
“It’s been amazing,” he continued. “I mean, without them, I wouldn’t be where I am right now. They came to probably about every college baseball game I played in, and they were just here for spring training. It’s really cool to just share that with the people that are closest to you and the people that got you to the place you are now. Now you’ve just got to go out and prove it to everybody else.”
Denton joined the big league camp multiple times during spring training and appeared in three Cactus League games as the Rockies tried to grow on the momentum he gained during the fall. He gave up one earned run on one hit—a solo home run—while striking out four batters and walking one over 2.1 innings. Denton also appeared in the Spring Breakout prospect showcase game.
“With the the new the new pitching directors here, pitching staff, there’s a lot of the mental side of the game that I think comes into play [in spring training] where you’re trying to find a way to get into a groove.”
Denton was assigned to the Double-A Hartford Yard Goats to start the season. As he works with the new pitching development staff in the organization, their philosophies remain aligned.
“The philosophy, like I said, it’s ‘fill up the zone to two strikes’ and then then, you know, ‘kill.’ That’s what they said, is ‘Get there and your stuff’s meant to get guys out with two strikes. You’re not trying to generate whiffs as early in counts. You’re trying to get strikes. Whiffs are fine. Whiffs are good. Whiffs will always be okay, but fill up the zone, strike guys out and finish at bats when you can.’”
Once again, the Albuquerque Isotopes managed to split a game series, winning the final three games against the El Paso Chihuahuas (San Diego Padres). It marked the third time since the six-game format was implemented that Albuquerque won the final three contests to earn a split after losing the initial three games. The Isotopes outscored El Paso 49-18 over the final three games of the series. On Friday, Albuquerque exploded for 26 runs, the most scored in franchise history, as every player recorded at least one hit, an RBI, and a run scored. The following day, they scored 19 runs to win 19-7 after being down 5-0 in the first inning. On the homestand, they ended up batting .332/.433/.484 with 41 strikeouts and 40 walks. Meanwhile, pitching posted a 6.67 ERA, allowing 53 runs (40 earned) on 74 hits with 45 strikeouts and 28 walks.
⬆️ Stock Up:Cole Runnings
Not that his stock needed much more raising, Cole Carrigg (No. 4 PuRP) had himself quite the week, earning Player of the Week honors in the Pacific Coast League. During the series against El Paso, Carrigg slashed .583/.615/.875, going 14-for-24 with two doubles, a triple, a homer, eight RBI, and four stolen bases. He led the PCL in runs scored (11) and stolen bases (four), while tying for first in hits (14) and placing third with 21 total bases. This also comes as Carrigg is in the midst of a 24-game on-base streak and a 13-game hitting streak. Last Saturday, he also went 4-for-5 with four runs scored and five RBI, tying career highs in all three categories.
It was an amazing weekend for our bats, and Cole Carrigg led the way! He's been named PCL Player of the Week.
Carrigg was 14-for-24 with four extra-base hits, eight RBI and four steals in the set. His best performance was a four-hit, five-RBI night on Saturday vs. El Paso. pic.twitter.com/6e9FmwfJUM
⬇️ Stock Down:Turbulence on the flight of the Condor
After a hot start out of the gate, Charlie Condon (No. 1 PuRP) has hit a bit of a rougher patch where he isn’t seeing much success at the plate. During the home stand, Condon slashed .150/.393/.150, going 3-for-20 with three RBI. His plate discipline remains impeccable, as he drew six walks and had just five strikeouts and increased his on-base streak to 24 games. In 59 plate appearances at home this season, Condon has just one extra-base hit. Hopefully, Condon can tap back into the damage he can do with his bat and complement the discipline even more.
Upcoming
The Isotopes head to Sugar Land, Texas, to face off against the Space Cowboys (Houston Astros).
The Yard Goats ended up splitting the series against the Reading Fightin’ Phils (Philadelphia Phillies). They were outscored 40-32 including both a 12-6 victory on Sunday, as well as an 11-3 loss on Friday and a 15-5 loss on Thursday.
⬆️ Stock Up:Take a good look, you won’t see it for Long-well!
Aidan Longwell went on an absolute tear this week, going 9-for-23 with three doubles, a triple and three home runs in six games. The first baseman also recorded nine RBI with just one walk and three strikeouts.
In 26 games this season, Longwell is slashing .282/.333/.524 with 11 doubles, one triple, four homers, 20 RBI, six walks and 18 strikeouts. The double lead only Andy Perez (10); he’s tied with Dyan Jorge and Benny Montgomery with one triple apiece; the four homers rank second behind Bryant Betancourt; and the 20 RBI lead the team ahead of Roc Riggio’s (No. 14 PuRP) 16.
Aidan Longwell makes it look wayyyy too easy with his 3RD HR THIS HOMESTAND🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/wBU2zReKTL
⬇️ Stock Down:Pa-checo yourself before you Pa-wrecko yourself
LHP Alberto Pacheco had a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad outing this week. He came in to relieve the titular Cade Denton in the third inning of April 30’s contest against the Phils and did not record a single out, but gave up seven earned runs on three hits (though one resulted in a grand slam). He also hit a batter and walked three without any strikeouts.
Upcoming
This week, the Yard Goats will head to Binghamton for a series against the Rumble Ponies (New York Mets).
High-A: Spokane Indians (1-5, 9-18 overall)
The Spokane Indians have struggled so far in 2026, which was reflected in their week against the Eugene Emeralds (San Francisco Giants). Despite having two off days last Monday and Tuesday (which resulted in a Saturday doubleheader), they only managed one win on Friday. Additionally, they were outscored 34-17 (including an 11-0 loss in Game 1 of the doubleheader and an 8-1 loss on Sunday). They did, however, win 7-1 on Friday behind an excellent two-pitcher performance (see below).
⬆️ Stock Up: The Cat-lett is out of the bag
LHP Everett Catlett had an excellent outing this week, earning him Northwest League Pitcher of the Week honors.
Catlett made one appearance on Friday against the Emeralds and absolutely dominated in the 7-1 victory. He threw six innings behind starter Lebarron Johnson Jr., who pitched three innings and only allowed one run on one hit in three innings of work.
Catlett finished the game with six scoreless innings of work, allowing twice as many hits as Johnson Jr. (2) but striking out 11 and only walking one batter. That lowered his ERA from 5.09 to 3.80 in five starts for the Indians.
In his previous start on April 24th, Carlett threw 4.2 innings and allowed one run (a solo homer) on two hits with five walks and seven strikeouts. His stock is definitely climbing!
⬇️ Stock Down:Min Belyeu
Max Belyeu (No. 15 PuRP) struggled this week at the plate, going just 2-for-15 (.133) with one RBI, three walks and 10 strikeouts. He attempted to steal one base, but was caught. Belyeu has struggled in his repeat High-A assignment (though he only played 21 games there last year after the Draft. In 22 games, Belyeu is slashing just .185/.290/.395 with a team-leading 38 strikeouts.
Upcoming
This week, the Indians will welcome to Avista Stadium the Tri-City Dust Devils (Los Angeles Angels).
Low-A: Fresno Grizzlies (3-3, 15-12 overall)
The Grizzlies equalized the Stockton Ports (Athletics), outscoring their competition 43-33. They started off the week with a bang, shutting out the Ports 10-0. They also had two 9-8 games directly following, one being a win and the other being a loss. They scored nine runs for a third time on Saturday en route to a 9-4 victory.
⬆️ Stock Up:Jolly Holliday
Ethan Holliday (No. 2 PuRP) is becoming more comfortable, as was evident this week. The fourth-overall draft pick went 6-for-12 with a double, two home runs (one of which was a grand slam), 11 RBI, eight walks and just three strikeouts.
Not to be outdone, Roldy Brito (No 11 PuRP) also had himself quite a week. He went 8-for-21 with three doubles, two home runs (including a grand slam), seven RBI, three walks and three strikeouts.
Brito flips the script in grand fashion!
Roldy Brito's grand slam regains the lead for the Grizzlies in a back and forth game in Stockton
While the infield soared, the backstop struggled. Matt Klein went just 1-for-16 with a run scored. He also recorded three walks, but struck out five times. Klein is hitting just .156/.304/.313 in 18 games this year.
Upcoming
The Grizzlies will travel to San Jose for a series with the Giants (San Francisco Giants).
The Arizona Complex League kicked off on Saturday, and the ACL Rockies have played two games so far, winning both. They beat the ACL Angels on Saturday 4-0 and the ACL Giants on Monday 4-3.
⬆️ Stock Up:U-got-it, Ronny!
Over two games, 21-year-old Ronny Ugarte had quite the showing! The Venezuelan first baseman went 5-for-7 with a double, a home run and three RBI with zero strikeouts and one stolen base.
⬇️ Stock Down:Garci-oh
On the flip side, 19-year-old Dariel Garcia has yet to record a hit. The Puerto Rican shortstop went hitless (0-for-6) with a walk and two strikeouts.
(Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Inspiration.
In the game thread on 1 May, there was some doubt about the sustainability of the Diamondbacks’ performance (16 wins, 14 losses before the game started).The game was close, with the Diamondbacks losing by one run.
For whatever reason, the Diamondbacks are not pitching well in the first inning. With my optimistic viewpoint, I’m confident the problem can be fixed. Perhaps the fix is as simple as using an opener for every game (as suggested in the thread).
The first inning ERAs for Diamondbacks pitchers (3 game minimum, games through 3 May) follow:
Nelson, 12.79 ERA
Soroka, 10.5 ERA
Kelly, 9.0 ERA
Gallen, 6.43 ERA
Rodriguez, 6.00 ERA
Pfaadt, 3.00 ERA
Fixing the first inning pitching would go a long way toward the Diamondbacks reaching a wild card berth into the playoffs. Let’s look at how likely is it that the Diamondbacks will reach the playoffs?
Wins needed to be a wild card – Last 4 seasons.
The following list shows wins needed to gain a NL wild card berth into the playoffs. The list only includes seasons after the playoff format changed.
2022, 87 wins.
2023, 84 wins.
2024, 89 wins.
2025, 83 wins
My conclusion: this season, if the Diamondbacks win 84 games they will have a 50% chance of a wild card; win 87 games they will have a 75% chance of a wild card; and win 89 games they will have a 99% chance of a wild card.
Wins needed to be a wild card – 3 projections.
On 29 April, two projections (Baseball Reference and Baseball Prospectus) showed 86 wins would earn a wild card. The FanGraphs projection showed that 83 wins would do it, but it projected the Diamondbacks with only 82 wins.
How many games will the Diamondbacks win?
My final preseason prediction was that the Diamondbacks will win 85.1 games. That was about the same as my Too Early Win Projection. Based on historic wins needed, 85 wins would give the Diamondbacks slightly over 50% chance of a wild card. However, this season is unusual because the range of possible wins is very wide.
“This season is unusual because of the wide range of possible wins. My view is that the Diamondbacks will win between 81 and 89 games, depending on the health and performances of nearly all Diamondbacks players. Therefore, my confidence that they will reach the playoffs is less than 50%. Nevertheless, there is a realistic chance of reaching the playoffs…. Makakilo, 23 March Round Table
An Alternate way of predicting whether the Diamondbacks will be a wild card.
The team with the most triples in a 3-game series.
Teams with at least 3 stolen bases in a 3-game series.
Teams that win an epic battle.
Teams with at least 9 RBIs in a 3-game series.
Let’s expand that view to regular season games against likely wild card teams. Through 3 May, the Diamondbacks played 3 teams that could be NL wild cards:
2 game series against Padres. 11 hits per game, 1 triple, & 8 RBIs per game indicate that the Diamondbacks could do well as a wild card.
3-game series against the Brewers. 6.7 hits per game, & 3.7 RBIs per game indicate that the Diamondbacks could be average as a wild card.
3-game series against the Cubs. 7.3 hits per game, & 3 RBIs per game indicate that the Diamondbacks could be average as a wild card (despite the Cubs sweeping the series).
Perspective: Sustainable Performance.
Batting is a strength of the Diamondbacks. In games through 3 May, the Diamondbacks 4.55 runs per game ranked 11th in the Majors. Players such as Nolan Arenado seem to be improving during the season.
Pitching sustainability will be boosted by players returning from the injury list.
In 1-run games through 3 May, the Diamondbacks’ 6 wins and 5 losses (39 runs scored and 38 runs allowed) was about average. However, this could improve because my feeling is that the Diamondbacks are at their best in 1-run games.
Leveraged batter run value is encouraging.
A hat tip to Preston Salisbury because in a game thread he made a comment about base runs. That prompted me to look at Baseball Savant and found the following data about batter run value.
In games through 28 April, the Diamondbacks batters created +15 leveraged runs, which was higher than most other NL contenders for wild card berths. Examples were the Cubs (+21), the Padres (+6), Pirates (+3), the Phillies (negative 19), and the Mets (negative 24). The Diamondbacks ranked eighth highest in the Majors.
Summary: Will the Diamondbacks reach a wild card berth into the playoffs?
First inning pitching is a problem. All things considered, my prediction is the Diamondbacks will win 85 games.
Looking at the broad range of possible season wins (81 to 89 games), how well the Diamondbacks play could greatly impact their chances, either negatively of positively. It’s encouraging that the Diamondbacks batters created more leveraged runs than most NL contenders for wild card berths. The Diamondbacks performance may be sustainable for several reasons.
In two of the last four seasons, it only took 84 wins to obtain a NL wild card berth in the playoffs. Three different projections estimate that this season it will take between 83 and 86 wins.
With the problems that the Phillies and Mets have experienced, and with the Diamondbacks [recently] above 500, there is a real chance (about 50%) for the Diamondbacks to reach a wild card berth into the playoffs!
The Padres will likely be a NL wild card. If the Diamondbacks win most of their games against the Padres (they play 11 more times this season) that will be a big step in controlling their destiny.
The New York Knicks scorched the nets at Madison Square Garden in the series opener and take aim at a 2-0 lead when they host the Philadelphia 76ers Wednesday night.
My same-game parlay for Game 2 of this Eastern Conference semifinal likes the points to keep flowing, along with standout efforts from Kelly Oubre Jr. and Karl-Anthony Towns.
Here are my best NBA picks and SGP predictions for 76ers vs. Knicks on May 6.
Our best 76ers vs Knicks SGP for Game 2
SGP leg #1: Over 215
The New York Knicks shot 63% from the floor and scored 137 points in the series opener. While I expect New York’s success to come back to earth, its offense throws a lot at Philadelphia, especially with Joel Embiid limping around on defense.
As for the Philadelphia 76ers, they need to promote pace on offense, and I expect the Sixers to do their share of the scoring in Game 2. This total has jumped only two points from the closing number of 213 O/U in Game 1, leaving a low bar for the Over.
SGP leg #2: Kelly Oubre Over 5.5 rebounds
Kelly Oubre Jr. is averaging six rebounds for the postseason, but his work on the boards surges in this series. Embiid is being drawn away from the rim and isn’t mobile enough to chase down misses.
Oubre had five boards on eight rebounding chances in Game 1, with New York not missing much. There will be more rebounding chances in Game 2, and Oubre is projected for six or more rebounds after pulling down seven in both regular-season meetings with the Knicks.
SGP leg #3: Karl-Anthony Towns Over 18.5 points
Karl-Anthony Towns has served more as a conduit for the Knicks' offense in the playoffs, passing off rather than attacking. However, Philadelphia has to change how they defend KAT.
That means sending smaller players at him up top or sagging off with Embiid. Either way, Towns can find the bottom of the basket, and Game 2 forecasts have him scoring around 22 points.
Get Jason Logan's full breakdown of this game, including his best bet, plus the latest NBA odds, injuries, and betting trends, in his 76ers vs Knicks predictions for Game 2.
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Across 1,960 career playoff and regular-season NBA games, LeBron James has never been a larger underdog than he is against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night.
According to Yahoo Sports’ Ben Fawkes, the 15.5-point Game 1 line represents the largest perceived deficit of James’ illustrious 23-year career.
Key Takeaways
LeBron hasn’t been as large of a series underdog since 2006.
The Lakers beat the Houston Rockets at +550 underdogs in the first round.
Bronny James has +500 odds of scoring 15 points in the upcoming series.
The Los Angeles Lakers are taking on a real-life Goliath in the form of the Oklahoma City Thunder, who are -15.5 at home ahead of tip-off in Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals.
The Los Angeles Lakers are consensus 15.5-point underdogs in Game 1 tonight at the Oklahoma City Thunder.
➡️That would be the biggest underdog LeBron James has been in ANY game in his 23-year career
James is already 11 regular-season games clear of Robert Parish and 39 playoff outings ahead of Derek Fisher for the NBA’s all-time record in career appearances. But while he has won four championships and produced countless unforgettable moments, he has never been a larger underdog than he is tonight.
The Lakers’ +600 moneyline odds at DraftKings suggest they only have a 14.3% chance to steal Game 1 on the road. Notably, they’re still without leading scorer Luka Doncic, who suffered a hamstring injury on April 2 against this same Thunder team.
Upsets aren’t impossible. The Lakers overcame huge +550 odds to win their first-round series against the Houston Rockets, eliminating a team they were given a 15.4% chance of beating in six games.
However, in extending their season, they also accepted a date with a team that tormented them during the regular season.
LeBron, Lakers face daunting task
The defending-champion and NBA Finals odds favorite Thunder (-155) went 4-0 against the Lakers during the regular season. Those wins came by nine, 29, 36, and 43 points, and they did not have MVP favorite Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for the nine-point victory.
DraftKings has the Thunder at -1600 (94% implied chance) to eliminate the Lakers and move on to the Western Conference Finals. LA is only +900 (10% chance) to continue past the series.
For context, here are all of the opening series odds for the other NBA conference semifinals:
San Antonio Spurs (-525), Minnesota Timberwolves (+350)
New York Knicks (-260), Philadelphia 76ers (+215)
Detroit Pistons (-125), Cleveland Cavaliers (+105)
According to SportsOddsHistory, that makes this the second-most lopsided series of LeBron’s career as an underdog. The only other time he faced a greater deficit was in the 2006 Conference Semifinals, when his Cleveland Cavaliers were +1200 against the Detroit Pistons. Detroit won the series in seven games after falling behind 3-2.
Oddsmakers at DraftKings don’t believe that James has much of a hope of extending the series as he did back in ‘06. There are -320 odds the Thunder cover a 2.5-game spread, meaning they have an implied 76.2% chance of winning the series in four or five games.
Notably, the Thunder enter the series having already swept the Phoenix Suns. They also swept their first-round opponent, the Memphis Grizzlies, before they were taken to seven games by the Denver Nuggets one year ago.
They went on to win the NBA Finals, beating the Indiana Pacers in seven games.
Bronny James prop special
As LeBron looks to add a possible final crowning achievement to his playoff resume, his son, Bronny James, is enjoying his first taste of playoff action.
Bronny finished the first round against the Rockets with 10 total points scored while getting playing time in five of six games. FanDuel Sportsbook published a special market for Bronny to reach 15 total points in the series with the Thunder for +500 odds, suggesting he only has a 16.7% chance to hit the mark.
Bronny had 10 total points the Lakers' series vs. the Rockets 😳
The 2025-26 season was another tough year for the Chicago Blackhawks. They finished the campaign at the bottom of the Central Division standings with a 29-39-14 record and 72 points. They also lost eight out of their final 10 games.
While the Blackhawks had some rough moments this campaign, forward Ryan Greene was certainly one of their bright spots. The 22-year-old forward had a solid rookie campaign for Chicago, posting 12 goals, 17 assists, and 29 points in 81 games. With this, he cemented himself as a full-time NHL player.
Greene also ended the season on a strong note for the Blackhawks. He scored a goal in each of his final three games of the campaign and will now be looking to carry that momentum over to next season.
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When noting that Greene is a young forward with plenty of promise who is just kicking off his NHL career, there is no question that he has the potential to hit a new level. With next season being just his second full campaign in the NHL, it would not be shocking in the slightest if he put together a breakout year for the Blackhawks.
Greene has the tools to blossom into an impactful offensive contributor. It will be interesting to see what he can do in 2026-27, but there is a lot to like about his game.
Thompson just completed his first season as Bridgeport Islanders head coach, leading a team that finished in last place in the AHL in 2024-25 back to the playoffs for the first time since 2021-22.
The 48-year-old former third-round pick who played 25 NHL games over a four-year career with the Calgary Flames and Florida Panthers has been behind an NHL bench before.
Thompson has six years of NHL assistant coaching experience. He served one season as an assistant with the Edmonton Oilers (2014-15), two with the San Jose Sharks (2020-2022), and three with the Philadelphia Flyers (2022-2025) under John Tortorella.
As for the connection between Rocky Thompson and #Isles coaching staff:
While Thompson was never an assistant for Pete DeBoer, assistant coach Bob Boughner had Rocky as his assistant in San Jose for his final two seasons there (2020-2022).
Rocky's job in Bridgeport, changing the culture while also getting prospects back on track, earned him this opportunity on DeBoer's staff.
The Hockey News confirmed that Ray Bennett and Bob Boughner remain with the team, so this could be your Islanders coaching staff for the 2026-27 season.
New Orleans has been deliberating over finalists Darvin Ham (a Bucks associate head coach under Rivers), Steve Hetzel (Brooklyn assistant), Sean Sweeney (San Antonio associate head coach) and Rajon Rondo (a coaching associate with the Bucks). Mosley has long been believed to be a possible candidate if he became available, but it's unclear as of yet if he'll be added to the list.
Rondo is an interesting name. The four-time All-Star point guard has been out of the league for four seasons and is on the radar of a number of general managers, but is he ready for that leap? It has long been expected in league circles that the Magic's Mosley would move to the front of the line in New Orleans if Orlando moved on from him, which it did. Ham was a former head coach with the Lakers, and his name has come up as a possibility in Orlando’s coaching search.
While New Orleans is narrowing down the field, Portland continues to cast a very wide net, reports Amick.
As league sources said on Monday, the Trail Blazers have cast a net so wide that the list of candidates could be almost 20 coaches long and, in the end, will consist of names procured by both Dundon and general manager Joe Cronin. What's more, league sources say, there is no clear messaging as of yet about a possible timeline on the hiring.
While Tiago Splitter did a good job taking over a team a couple of days into the season (after the arrest of Chauncy Billups on alleged gambling charges) and leading the Trail Blazers to a surprise playoff berth, league sources told NBC Sports he does not appear to be a favorite of new owner Tom Dundon, so the door is wide open. Then there is the lingering money question: Rumors circulated that Dundon was trying to get a coach to take the job for $1.5 million or less — mid-major college coach money — the team has pushed back hard on that. Still, the chatter around the league is that Portland is trying to hire on the cheap, whatever that final number is. As Amick notes, it is thought that the least any coach in the league is making is at least $2 million, in Sacramento's Doug Christie (who is keeping his job).
It appears it could be a while before Portland has a coach.
For teams outside of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the offseason will finally get in full swing tonight with the NHL Draft Lottery. The San Jose Sharks enter the night with the ninth-best odds of moving up, but there is also a chance that they could fall back.
The Sharks have six possible outcomes at the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery. They could win big and earn the honor of picking first overall for the second time in three seasons, they could pick second, or even third, overall. The most likely outcome is that they stay in place and pick ninth overall, but they could also fall to either the 10th or 11th overall pick as well.
In the United States, the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery will be broadcast on ESPN beginning at 4 p.m. PT. For those in Canada, it'll be available on Sportsnet and TVA Sports.
SHARKS' RECENT LOTTERY HISTORY
The San Jose Sharks have only won the NHL Draft Lottery once in 2024, however that was only because they entered event with the highest odds on the night. That first-overall selection, Macklin Celebrini, ended up changing the franchise's trajectory right out of the gate.
Last year, the Sharks were again projected to earn the first-overall pick heading into the Draft Lottery which would've earned them the right to select star defenseman Matthew Schaefer. Luck wasn't in their favor on that occasion, as the New York Islanders jumped from the 10th overall pick to the first pick, dropping the Sharks to the second selection.
Important note, no team in the 30-year history of the NHL Draft Lottery has earned the first overall pick with the ninth-best odds entering the night, meaning history doesn't favor the Sharks tonight.
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LeBron James defied all odds again.
In the first round of the 2026 NBA playoffs, King James led a Luka Dončić-less Los Angeles Lakers to a surprising six-game series win over the Houston Rockets.
Over the course of the series, the 41-year-old future Hall of Famer averaged 23.2 points, 7.2 rebounds and 8.3 assists per game. After closing out, he told NBA on ESPN correspondents “the mission has always stayed the same throughout my career and that’s to go out there and try to dominate.”
Next up, King James and co. will attempt to dominate once again against Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s No. 1 seeded, defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder.
Since they don’t have home court advantage this time around, their three hypothetical games at Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena are scheduled to take place:
If you’d like to be there, last-minute tickets are available for each and every contest in LA.
At the time of publication, the lowest price we could find on tickets for any one game at the Crypto.com Arena was $250 including fees on SeatGeek.
Prices start at $146 including fees for games at Oklahoma City’s Paycom Center.
While pricey, don’t underestimate just how much you can help the Lakers at home.
Over the course of the 2025-26 regular season, the Thunder beat Los Angeles in all four of their meetings and won by an average of 29.3 points (!) per game.
According to NBA.com, that should come with a disclaimer because “LeBron James, Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves played in the same game just once and were minus-16 in 17.9 minutes.”
Sources told The California Post that “Dončić is expected to miss the first two games of the Western Conference semifinal series in Oklahoma.”
Will he be back for Games 3 and 4?
While we can’t say for certain, we do know the best way to find out is live.
For more information, our team has everything you need to know and more about the Los Angeles Lakers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder 2026 Western Conference Semifinals series below.
Lakers playoff home game ticket prices
A complete calendar including all announced Lakers home game dates and the best prices on tickets can be found here:
Lakers home game dates
Ticket prices start at
Game 3 Saturday, May 9
$292(fees included)
Game 4 Monday, May 11
$250(fees included)
Game 6 Saturday, May 16
$300(fees included)
Thunder playoff home game ticket prices
All Thunder playoff home game dates and the cheapest tickets available can be found below.
Thunder home game dates
Ticket prices start at
Game 1 Tuesday, May 5
$146(fees included)
Game 2 Thursday, May 7
$168(fees included)
Game 5 Wednesday, May 13
$205(fees included)
Game 7 Monday, May 18
$323(fees included)
How to watch the Lakers and Thunder on TV
Fans hoping to catch LeBron and co. on the tube can watch all first-round playoff games on ABC, ESPN, TNT, Prime Video, NBC and NBA TV.
Just make sure to review your local listings before tuning in.
If you don’t have cable, your best bet may be DIRECTV.
2026 NBA playoff schedule
Been meaning to see how the postseason has shaken out thus far?
This article was written by Matt Levy, New York Post live events reporter. Levy stays up-to-date on all the latest tour announcements from your favorite musical artists and comedians, as well as Broadway openings, sporting events and more live shows – and finds great ticket prices online. Since he started his tenure at the Post in 2022, Levy has reviewed a Bruce Springsteen concert and interviewed Melissa Villaseñor of SNL fame, to name a few. Please note that deals can expire, and all prices are subject to change.
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