Knicks Notes: Rust vs. rest, MSG impact, challenging Donovan Mitchell and James Harden

The long wait is over. The Knicks’ springtime sojourn waiting for the Cleveland Cavaliers to dispatch the Detroit Pistons so they can commence the Eastern Conference Finals ends on Tuesday night, after New York went nine days without a game.

“It’s go-time now,” Jalen Brunson said Monday.

But the long layoff presents challenges for the Knicks and head coach Mike Brown. Asked if he’s worried about complacency, his team losing its sharpness, or being a step slow, the head coach said, “You worry about all those things.” 

“But at the end of the day, we’ve had the chance to rest, too,” Brown said. “And they’ve had to play 14 games in 29, 30 days. So, it could go either way. You just hope when we step out there, our competitive spirit is at an extremely high level and we don’t ease into the game at all.

“Because they’re a dangerous, dangerous offensive team, they’re very potent with their shooters and playmakers and they have size and toughness and all that.”

Josh Hart added that the break – a roughly 218-hour interlude – is something they would rather not have to deal with, but it did offer them a chance to reset.

“Obviously, you'd rather not have a 9-day break – you're in a good rhythm, then you've kinda got to sit there and wait,” Hart said. “Ideally, if it was a three- or four-day break, that would've been nice. Good points and bad points [to the rest].”

During the time off, the Knicks did get a big boost as OG Anunoby, who missed the final two games of the sweep of the Philadelphia 76ers, was a full participant in practice yet again on Monday and looks set to return to action from a hamstring issue. Brown had no other injury issues to report.

Attacking Cavs 

“I remember back in the day when I was with [Greg Popovich], Pop said you need three All-Stars to win a championship. Well, they’ve got four,” Brown said of the Cavs’ trio of Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen that was boosted with James Harden’s coming over in an early February trade. “[Harden] has added a dimension to their team that not many teams have. 

“Not many teams can say, 'Hey we have four All-Stars on our roster,' and that fourth guy is a playmaker and a scorer. That’s a problem when you have that and Donovan Mitchell and everybody else and then they have the shooting.”  

But, even with the importance of Mitchell and Harden to the Cavs’ offense, Brown said the Knicks have to be “conscious of trying to play the right way against this group.”

“We have to put pressure on them in all phases, starting with transition and ending with the ability to try and get an offensive rebound,” he said. “You wanna make all of their guys, especially their guys that playmake for them and do a lot for them, you wanna make them work as much as you can. 

“But that’s not gonna be our vocal point. Our vocal point is going to be to take the best possible shot that we can get because it’s hard to score in the playoffs. But we do wanna make those guys work.”

Leaning on MSG

With the No. 1 Pistons eliminated, the Knicks have home-court advantage for the series, something that the players will look to use to their advantage.

"It means the world to me," Brunson said. "This place has done wonders for myself and my family. I don't take it for granted, not one bit."

Hart added that Knicks fans always come out and "show love," and MSG is "definitely the best atmosphere in the league."

"You always want to be at home, be in the Garden," he continued. "And you feed off of that energy. It's fun. When the Garden is going, especially during this time, there's nothing like it."

Of course, New York is also back home for Mitchell. 

“Yeah it’s great I get to play at home, woo, but it doesn’t matter,” the Cavs' star said. “We’ve got to be locked in and ready to go, and I know we will be.”

Mets calling up LHP Zach Thornton to pitch on Wednesday

In need of a starter following Clay Holmes’ fibula fracture, the Mets are calling up left-hander Zach Thornton from Triple-A Syracuse.

According to manager Carlos Mendoza, Thornton could start on Wednesday against the Nationals, but there also could be an opener in front of him.

The 24-year-old Thornton is ranked by Joe DeMayo as the No. 13 overall prospect in the Mets’ system, with DeMayo writing that Thornton “has the best control and command in the system and is among the best in all of minor league baseball.”

After making five starts with Double-A Binghamton to start the 2026 season, Thornton moved up to Triple-A Syracuse, where he’s made two starts and pitched to a 2.25 ERA.

"He earned it," Mendoza said. "The way he’s been throwing the ball, especially at the Triple-A level. We like him as a lefty against this lineup. His ability to throw strikes, his pitchability.

"There were a lot of names, Jonah [Tong]was one of them obviously, but in the end we decided to go with Zach."

With Kodai Senga and Holmes on the IL, the Mets needed to fill a spot in the rotation. For now, the five-man group includes Freddy Peralta, McLean, Christian Scott, Thornton [potentially with an opener], and David Peterson, who has been pitching in a bulk reliever role with an opener in front of him.

Mendoza said that the Mets will take things "one outing at a time" with Thornton before deciding whether or not he stays in the majors.

Yam Madar, a 25-year-old former Celtics draft pick, commits to LSU basketball | Report

Construction of Will Wade's LSU basketball roster continues with the reported addition of Israeli guard Yam Madar, a 2020 Celtics NBA Draft pick.

The 25-year-old Madar has extensive pro basketball experience overseas and was the 2023 EuroLeague Rising Star playing for Partizan Belgrade. He's also played for Haopel Tel Aviv (Israel), Fenerbache (Turkey) and Bayern Munich (Germany).

A report from European outlet Mozzart Sport, claims Madar is headed to LSU in a lucrative move, claiming a $5 million deal.

Per Mozzart Sport, "Madar has been dissatisfied with the treatment at Hapoel for some time, during the quarterfinal with Real he was given a total of 10 minutes and he played less than five minutes in the second game and a little more than six minutes in the fourth game. That's why going to the NCAA turned out to be a great solution for him."

Per Sports Illustrated's Kevin Sweeney, Madar's eligibility would "come as a result of exemptions for military service as well as national team participation, which can provide another avenue for a permissible year of delayed enrollment."

Israel's guard #11 Yam Madar (L) and France's power forward #07 Guerschon Yabusele (R) vie during the FIBA EuroBasket 2025 Group D basketball match between Israel and France at the Spodek Arena in Katowice, Poland on August 31, 2025.

The point guard was drafted No. 47 overall in the 2020 NBA Draft by the Boston Celtics and played on the Celtics' 2021 Summer League team before returning overseas.

Wade's roster build in his return to Baton Rouge has been a slow burn. It took weeks for the former NC State coach to land his first transfer commitment, but has since added small forward Mouhamed Dioubate (Kentucky), combo guard Divine Ugochukwi (Michigan State) and shooting guard Abdi Bashir Jr. (Kansas State)

Yam Madar age: How old is Yam Madar?

Madar is 25 years old and will turn 26 during the 2026-27 season (Dec. 21).

When did Celtics take Yam Madar in NBA Draft?

Madar was selected in the second round of the 2020 NBA Draft (pick No. 47 overall). He played with the Celtics Summer League team in 2021.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2020 Celtics NBA Draft pick Yam Madar commits to LSU basketball

Mets call up Daniel Duarte, option Joey Gerber to Syracuse

A portrait of Mets pitcher Daniel Duarte in a home white Mets uniform

Two days after calling right-handed pitcher Joey Gerber up from Triple-A Syracuse, the Mets have optioned him back to Syracuse and called up fellow right-handed reliever Daniel Duarte to replace him on the team’s active roster. Gerber did not get into either of the two games for which he was with the big league club, and Duarte exercised an upward mobility clause in his contract that forced the Mets to either call him up or risk losing him to another organization.

To make room for Duarte on the 40-man roster, the Mets transferred left-handed reliever A.J. Minter to the 60-day injured list, a distinction that won’t have any effect on the veteran’s ability to return to the team if and when he proves to be healthy and effective.

Duarte last pitched in the big leagues in 2024 with the Twins, and he’s thrown a total of 38.1 innings as a major league player, the vast majority of which came with the Reds in 2023. In total, he has a 3.99 ERA and a 6.11 FIP as a major league pitcher, as he’s walked nearly as many batters as he’s struck out while surrendering too many home runs.

In 17.1 innings with Syracuse so far this year, Duarte has a 2.60 ERA and a 4.21 FIP with a 19.7 percent strikeout rate and a 12.7 percent walk rate. Given the Mets’ reluctance to remove Craig Kimbrel or Sean Manaea from their active roster to this point, it certainly wouldn’t be surprising to see Duarte removed from the roster within the next day or two as the Mets continue to churn fringe pitchers.

Warriors star Draymond Green calls early NBA MVP leak 'embarrassing' for league

Warriors star Draymond Green calls early NBA MVP leak 'embarrassing' for league originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The “NBA on Prime Video” broadcast announced Sunday night that Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had won his second consecutive MVP award – the only problem was ESPN’s Shams Charania had made the announcement almost 12 hours prior.

Many in the basketball world, from tv personalities to players, had thoughts on the situation, with Warriors star forward Draymond Green being one of them.

“I think the NBA has to do something about that,” Green said on the latest episode of “The Draymond Green Show.” “Like, ultimately, you’re the NBA. You control the media. Shams is an NBA reporter with ESPN, who is a partner of the NBA. To tweet at six o’clock in the morning who the NBA MVP is, it’s actually embarrassing.”

“I thought that was pretty pathetic, if I’m being honest,” Green added.

While some were upset, Charania joined “The Pat McAfee Show” and defended his actions, explaining that he believed he had a responsibility to report the news – even if it comes before a scheduled release.

“This is a massive story,” Charania said. “And when I get it, I vet it. And then my job is to report the news. And so that’s all I focus on. That’s what I wake up thinking about. That’s what I go to sleep thinking about.”

However, Green had a different belief when it came to the premature release of the news.

“It makes our league look like we have no organization,” Green said. “… Like we can’t hold the winner of the most prestigious individual award in the NBA, we can’t hold those results until it’s actually time to be announced. That was a little disappointing.

“There’s no way that can happen. If there’s supposed to be an announcement on Amazon Prime, the announcement has to happen on Amazon Prime. This is something Commissioner [Adam] Silver has to do something about. This this can’t happen.”

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Nicolas Roy’s Journey Has Come Full Circle Against Vegas

Nicolas Roy spent six seasons building a life in Las Vegas. A Stanley Cup championship. Deep playoff runs. Friendships that still matter. But when the puck drops Wednesday night at Ball Arena, none of that carries much weight anymore — because the former Golden Knight now stands directly in Vegas’ path to another Final.

The Colorado Avalanche forward will open the Western Conference Final against the franchise where he became a trusted playoff piece, and while the memories remain, the loyalties are temporarily shelved.

“Just how it goes,” Roy said as Colorado prepared for Game 1 against Vegas. “The excitement’s already pretty high.”

From Surprise Trade To Colorado Fit

Roy’s offseason exit from Vegas came suddenly.

The 29-year-old was dealt to Toronto in last summer’s blockbuster trade that sent Mitch Marner to the Golden Knights, a move Roy admitted caught him off guard.

“As a player, you expect (a trade like this) more at the deadline than right there in the middle of the summer,” said Roy, who’s currently renting out his Las Vegas home to a Golden Knights player. “But again, you never know. It’s part of the business. It can happen at any given day. I just got surprised a little by it.”

Marner has delivered exactly what Vegas hoped for, leading the club with 18 playoff points — seven goals and 11 assists — through series victories over Utah and Anaheim.

Roy’s stay in Toronto, meanwhile, didn’t last long.

After recording five goals and 15 assists in 59 games with the Maple Leafs, he was moved again at the March 5 deadline, this time to Colorado in exchange for draft picks.

The transition could have been awkward. Instead, it’s looked seamless.

Roy has quietly become one of Colorado’s most dependable depth forwards during this postseason, contributing three goals and three assists through the opening two rounds while fitting naturally into Jared Bednar’s structure.

“All the other guys here made it so easy from the first day,” Roy said. “The coaches did a good job with me, of letting me know how to play the system. The guys talk to me a lot on the ice as well.”

Bednar said the Avalanche coaching staff revisited plenty of film from Roy’s Vegas tenure — including the Golden Knights’ 2023 Stanley Cup run — to better understand how to maximize his game.

“We tried to figure out how we would deploy him, and could we get him back to playing as well or better than he did in Vegas. Because he was a highly effective player for them,” Bednar said. “The one thing that I’ve been impressed with is his patience with the puck. He never throws the puck away. ... He's got a lot of patience for a guy with the production that he has.”

That patience already produced one massive moment for Colorado.

Roy scored the overtime winner in Game 2 of the Avalanche’s first-round sweep over the Los Angeles Kings, marking the second playoff OT goal of his career.

“I’m in a great situation right now,” said Roy, a 2015 fourth-round pick by Carolina who appeared in just seven games with the Hurricanes before eventually finding his footing in Vegas. “Just trying to keep doing my best.”

Inside Knowledge, No Extra Emotion

If anyone inside Colorado’s locker room understands Vegas’ tendencies, systems, and habits, it’s Roy.

Even with John Tortorella replacing Bruce Cassidy behind the bench, much of the Golden Knights’ identity remains familiar to him. So do the players — from Mark Stone and Jack Eichel to longtime linemate Keegan Kolesar.

“Obviously, I know their system and I know a little bit their player tendencies, as they know mine," Roy said. “I don’t think it’s a big advantage. The game is just so fast, you don’t want to overthink, you just want to play your game.”

Roy remembers all too well what Vegas did to Colorado in 2021, when the Golden Knights stormed back from a 2-0 series deficit in the second round to eliminate the Avalanche in six games.

This time, though, the perspective has changed.

Now he’s wearing burgundy and blue instead of gold.

And standing four wins away from another trip to the Stanley Cup Final.

Image

An optimistic preview of the Spurs vs. Thunder series

SAN ANTONIO, TX - FEBRUARY 4: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs looks to pass the ball during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on February 4, 2026 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photos by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

It’s a big day for the Spurs as they kick off their first Western Conference Finals appearance since 2017, and it’s against none other than an old rival who has given the Spurs a few very tough tests in their short existence in the Oklahoma City Thunder. Going up against the defending champions without homecourt advantage and with an unproven roster is daunting, and it’s easy to start getting nervous when you start really crunching the numbers. However, I’m choosing to look at the this serious from an optimistic view, and here is where I’m at:

1. The Spurs beat OKC in the regular season by daring average-ish shooters to shoot. This has already been pointed out, but here’s a short summary of the strategy: Wemby completely abandons Caruso, Dort, and others in the corner to guard the glass. I don’t think this is a sustainable strategy- I wouldn’t bet on Caruso to miss 10 wide open 3s this series, much less in an individual game. I thought the Wolves would be better equipped to exploit the Spurs use of Wemby zoning down low with Naz Reid, in particular, in the corner. But they never really leaned on that heavily enough. If we stick with that defensive strategy, OKC will find a way to exploit it. If we don’t have a clean counter, that could lead to OKC in 7, either through their main rotation players shooting better, or by dropping them from the rotation and playing guys like Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe, as JG points out. But the latter has downstream effects that I’ll discuss later.

2. Both teams are noticeably improved since they played in the regular season. The Thunder added more depth and versatility, and shooting, by adding McCain and providing a bigger role to Ajay Mitchell.

Meanwhile, the Spurs added more shooting, depth, and versatility through exponential internal growth. Even if Castle is an average to slightly above average shooter, instead of the elite shooter he’s been in the playoffs, that is a drastic swing in the Spurs favor. Most of our losses came from both not shooting well, and not shooting enough from distance. Castle, Harper, and Bryant all demonstrating improvement and confidence is a big change in our favor (each improved over 10 percentage points from January-on).

I give the Spurs a significant edge here, because it means we don’t have to mess with our rotation or our rhythm to get it on the floor- there’s no change in confidence. If there is foul trouble or an injury, guys like Harrison Barnes and Luke Kornet know who they are and what they can do and they don’t get impacted by shifts like the Thunder benching someone would. If the shooting holds up or stays slightly above average, the Spurs are well equipped to thoroughly handle OKC- we’re looking at a Spurs in 5 or 6 type scenario like against the Wolves.

If both of the above are true, that OKC is capable of exploiting the Spurs primary defensive strategy and our counterpunch will be less effective; while simultaneously we’ve experienced massive sustained internal development, then I would predict fireworks and offensive explosions and Spurs in 7, because not enough has changed in the Thunder’s favor.

Some other keys

1. Stephon Castle’s turnovers and fouls. If he’s taking care of the ball and on the floor, the Spurs win. I would think of it this way: “if Castle has as many assists and made 3s as fouls and turnovers, Spurs win; if he fouls out or has more than 4-5 turnovers, we lose”.

2. Wemby discipline. While JG points out “the little things”, I would point more specifically to Wemby’s discipline. If he is overaggressive going for blocks, it’s going to open up a lot for OKC- high variance type plays that would favor the Thunder. If he doesn’t handle their physicality and cheap shots, it’s a big win for OKC. If he starts to force things and turns the ball over or takes bad shots, it’s a big win for OKC. He has to be mentally and physically prepared to be near perfect on both ends and stay available for 36 minutes per game.

3. Can Keldon, Kornet, and Harper get even close to winning non-Wemby minutes? The benches will be big deciding factors. The Spurs had a minus 31 net rating in 107 minutes versus OKC in minutes where Kornet was the only big on the floor. Now, some caveats: Kornet was starting for many of those minutes, and Wemby was coming off the bench recovering from injury. Wemby hopefully won’t find himself on a minutes restriction this series, so there should be fewer non-Wemby minutes to lose. But we need to lose them by significantly less than we did during the regular season to have confidence. If Kornet and the bench group can have a neutral net rating, I would have a lot of confidence the Spurs can win and win big.

Final prediction: Spurs in 6.

I think Steph will control his turnovers, and I think he will be diligent in showing his hands and trying to avoid fouls on SGA. There will be a game or two that get away in both aspects. Wemby will force some things on offense and chase some blocks to overcompensate, and we’ll blow a game or two not having enough to overcome it. But for the other four games, Steph continues his leap. We’re disciplined, execute, and get enough shooting from Steph, Harper, and others to keep the floor spaced out. Tony dominates Fisher, Wemby dominates Chet.

We found the best Golden Knights vs. Avalanche ticket prices

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Colorado Avalanche star Nathan Mackinnon (L) and Vegas Golden Knights standout Mitch Marner are meeting in the NHL Western Conference Finals.

The Colorado Avalanche are looking to continue their winning ways.

In the first two rounds of the playoffs, Nathan MacKinnon and co. handily took down the LA Kings and Minnesota Wild, coming out on top in eight of their nine games.

Next up, they’ll face their greatest challenge in the Western Conference Finals when they take on Jack Eichel and Mitch Marner’s Vegas Golden Knights.

If you’d like to be there for this cutthroat series that determines who advances to the 2026 Stanley Cup Finals, tickets are available for all seven potential games.

At the time of publication, the lowest price we could find on seats for any one game at Denver’s Ball Arena was $175 including fees on SeatGeek.

Prices for games at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena start at $160 including fees.

Home ice advantage will be crucial in this series, too.

“In the 2025-26 regular season, Colorado and Vegas faced off three times, with the road team winning each game,” Daily Faceoff reported. “The Avs won 4-2 in Vegas on Halloween Night, before prevailing 6-5 in a shootout two days after Christmas; Vegas won 3-2 in Colorado on April 11 off of an overtime goal by Jack Eichel.”

However, it should be noted that this is a brand-new Golden Knights team.

With eight games remaining before the end of the year, Vegas axed Head Coach Bruce Cassidy and brought in John Tortorella, who led the club to a 7-0-1 record to close the campaign.

Since then, they’ve ousted the resilient Utah Mammoth and competitive Anaheim Ducks behind wizard-like play from Marner.

Pundits favor Colorado in this series — CBS Sports wrote that they’re “expecting the Avs to advance to the Stanley Cup Final for the second time in five years” — but anything is possible especially with Marner hoping to win his first trophy.

Don’t miss this one. We smell a blockbuster series.

For more information, our team has everything you need to know and more about the Colorado Avalanche vs. Vegas Golden Knights 2026 NHL Western Conference Finals below.

Colorado Avalanche playoff home game tickets

A complete calendar including all announced Avalanche Western Conference Finals home game dates and the best prices on tickets can be found here:

Colorado Avalanche home game datesTicket prices
start at
Game 1
Wednesday, May 20
$175(including fees)
Game 2
Friday, May 22
$220(including fees)
Game 5
Thursday, May 28
$261(including fees)
Game 7
Monday, June 1
$471(including fees)

Vegas Golden Knights playoff home game tickets

All Vegas Golden Knights playoff home game dates and the cheapest tickets available at the T-Mobile Arena can be found below.

Vegas Golden Knights home game datesTicket prices
start at
Game 3
Sunday, May 24
$208(including fees)
Game 4
Tuesday, May 26
$160(including fees)
Game 6
Saturday, May 30
$274(including fees)

How to watch the Avalanche vs. Golden Knights on TV

Fans hoping to catch MacKinnon and Marner throw down on the tube can watch all first-round playoff games on ABC, ESPN and TNT.

Just make sure to review your local listings before tuning in.

If you don’t have cable, your best bet may be DIRECTV.

2026 NHL playoff schedule

Want to keep tabs on how the postseason is shaking out?

Check out the NHL’s 2026 Playoff Bracket here.

Huge concerts at the Ball Arena in 2026

Not sure what to do once the final buzzer sounds on the 2025-26 NHL season?

Ball Arena has you covered.

The gorgeous five-level arena has booked a number of exciting acts to entertain audiences all summer (and fall) long.

Here are just five of our favorites you won’t want to miss live.

• Earth Wind and Fire with Lionel Richie (July 31)

• Avenged Sevenfold with Good Charlotte (Aug. 23)

• Tame Impala with Dominic Fike (Sept. 11)

• Billy Strings (Sept. 18-19)

• Sturgill Simpson aka Johnny Blue Skies (Sept. 23)

Want to see who else is Ball Arena-bound? Check out this list of all the upcoming events at the Avalanche’s home to find the show for you.


Why you should trust ‘Post Wanted’ by the New York Post

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.


Where to watch Los Angeles Dodgers vs. San Diego Padres: Live stream, TV channel, odds for Monday, May 18

The Los Angeles Dodgers (29-18) meet the San Diego Padres( 28-18) to start a three-game series between the NL West rivals. The Dodgers have won five in a row, including a three-game weekend sweep of the Angels. Starting pitchers are expected to be Yoshinobu Yamamoto for the Dodgers, with a 3.60 ERA, and Michael King for the Padres, with a 2.63 ERA.

  • Date: Monday, May 18

  • Time: 9:40 p.m. ET / 6:40 p.m. PT

  • Where: PETCO Park, San Diego, CA

  • TV Channels: Padres.TV Presented by UC San Diego Health, SportsNet LA

  • Live Stream:ESPN+, MLB.TV | Follow on Yahoo Sports

  • Los Angeles Dodgers: 29-18 (No. 1 in NL West)

  • San Diego Padres: 28-18 (No. 2 in NL West)

  • Spread: San Diego Padres +1.5

  • Moneyline: San Diego Padres +130 (41.7%) / Los Angeles Dodgers -155 (58.3%)

  • Over/Under: 7.5

Los Angeles Dodgers: Yoshinobu Yamamoto (3-3, ERA: 3.60, K: 48, WHIP: 1.00)
San Diego Padres: Michael King (3-2, ERA: 2.63, K: 50, WHIP: 1.09)

Weather: 67°F at first pitch

Ballpark: Capacity: 40,222 | Roof: Open | Surface: Grass

Where to watch Milwaukee Brewers vs. Chicago Cubs: Live stream, TV channel, odds for Monday, May 18

The Milwaukee Brewers (26-18) take on the Chicago Cubs (29-18) to start a three-game series between the teams with the two best NL Central records. The Cubs have lost four of their past six games, including two in a row to the Chicago White Sox. record. Starting pitchers are expected to be Brandon Sproat for Milwaukee, with a 5.75 ERA, and Shota Imanaga for Chicago, with a 2.32 ERA.

  • Date: Monday, May 18

  • Time: 7:40 p.m. ET / 4:40 p.m. PT

  • Where: Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL

  • TV Channels: Marquee Sports Network, Brewers.TV

  • Live Stream:ESPN+, MLB.TV | Follow on Yahoo Sports

  • Milwaukee Brewers: 26-18 (No. 2 in NL Central)

  • Chicago Cubs: 29-18 (No. 1 in NL Central)

  • Spread: Chicago Cubs -1.5

  • Moneyline: Chicago Cubs -166 (59.8%) / Milwaukee Brewers +138 (40.2%)

  • Over/Under: 10.5

Milwaukee Brewers: Brandon Sproat (1-2, ERA: 5.75, K: 36, WHIP: 1.53)
Chicago Cubs: Shota Imanaga (4-3, ERA: 2.32, K: 59, WHIP: 0.90)

Weather: 74°F at first pitch

Ballpark: Capacity: 41,363 | Roof: Open | Surface: Grass

Dodgers, Padres start NL West showdown

For the first time this season, the Dodgers and the Padres will meet in their fight for NL West supremacy. Currently, the two teams are separated by only a half game, with the Dodgers having one more win than the Padres with the same number of losses.

The Padres have used the Dodgers’ struggles to their advantage, being able to stay so close to them even though the Padres offense has been lackluster all season – specifically, the big three of Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Jackson Merrill. The Padres have been hanging on with the strength of their bullpen and their starting rotation hanging in there.

Between those three aforementioned players, they have a combined OPS around .600. Machado and Merrill aren’t even reaching base a third of the time, and Tatis has yet to homer. The Padres’ run differential is +7 while the Dodgers’ is + 94. While the top of the Dodgers lineup has been better overall than the Padres, it is similar how the two offenses have been much more reliant on the rest of the lineup to power them to winning games.

The Dodgers have been finally dominating games like they should be. Yes, it was against the San Francisco Giants and Anaheim Angels, but the Dodgers are 5-0 in their last five games with a combined 39 runs scored, including one game in which they scored 15, their highest mark so far this season. The pitching staff only allowed five runs across that winning streak.

And so, this series with the Padres will be a test to see if the offense truly has gotten back on track. The series begins Monday night in San Diego with a matchup between Michael King and Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

Lifetime, Shohei Ohtani has seen King pretty well. He has a .429 BA, with three homers and a 1.681 OPS. Max Muncy, Mookie Betts, and Teoscar Hernandez have all homers off of King as well. King is 3-2 on the season with a 2.63 ERA and 50 strikeouts.

The Padres are coming off of a sweep of the Mariners in Seattle, in a game where Gavin Sheets went 3-for-3 with two homers, a double, and two walks. Ty France went 3-for-4 with three RBI, and those two players have been some of the main contributors to the Padres’ success.

While the division won’t be won or lost on the back of this series alone, it could be a good indicator of the current direction of both teams – whether the Dodgers offense actually is back, and if the Padres big three can get hyped up and going at the plate.

Monday game info

  • Teams: Dodgers at Padres
  • Ballpark: Petco Park, San Diego
  • Time: 6:40 p.m.
  • TV: SportsNet LA, MLB Network (out of market)
  • Radio: AM 570 (English), KTNQ 1020 AM (Spanish)

Where to watch Toronto Blue Jays vs. New York Yankees: Live stream, TV channel, odds for Monday, May 18

The Toronto Blue Jays (21-25) open a four-game series against the New York Yankees (28-19). The Yankees lost the final two games of their Subway Series against the New York Mets. Scheduled starting pitchers are Patrick Corbin for Toronto, with a 3.93 ERA, and Ryan Weathers for New York, with a 3.00 ERA.

  • Toronto Blue Jays: 21-25 (No. 3 in AL East)

  • New York Yankees: 28-19 (No. 2 in AL East)

  • Spread: New York Yankees -1.5

  • Moneyline: New York Yankees -204 (64.4%) / Toronto Blue Jays +169 (35.6%)

  • Over/Under: 9.0

Toronto Blue Jays: Patrick Corbin (1-1, ERA: 3.93, K: 22, WHIP: 1.40)
New York Yankees: Ryan Weathers (2-2, ERA: 3.00, K: 54, WHIP: 1.11)

Weather: 81°F at first pitch

Ballpark: Capacity: 47,309 | Roof: Open | Surface: Grass

Ask Pinstripe Alley: Yankees mailbag questions request

Ask Pinstripe Alley

The upswing of the past few weeks has turned to a harsh downswing. The Yankees went on a terrible road trip last week, getting swept by the Brewers before losing two of three to both the Orioles and Mets — the first was an understandable blip on the radar, but the latter two are teams the Yankees are probably kicking themselves for not beating. The team also saw Anthony Volpe return from his brief descent into the minors after José Caballero got hurt, and Max Fried went to the IL with an elbow issue that will leave him on the shelf for an indefinite amount of time. Altogether, it was certainly a contender for the worst week of the season thus far.

On top of all of this, the Yankees have a clear bullpen issue starting to cascade. David Bednar’s habit of getting himself in trouble before converting the save has turned into getting in trouble and blowing the save, as his ERA spiked over five after giving up a game-tying three run shot to the Mets on Sunday. The pieces meant to bridge the gap to him have also been faulty, and at this rate the retooling of the ‘pen that Brian Cashman did at last season’s deadline is going to have to be dwarfed in scale this year. Can the Yankees get a jumpstart on the market, or will the muddied field of contenders prove to make things too difficult? Will the rotation settle down without Fried and with a shaky Carlos Rodón still finding his footing? If you have questions like these, or anything else on your mind, send ‘em in for a chance to be featured in our Yankees mailbag.

Answers will run on Friday afternoon. All questions received by the night of May 21st will be considered. You can leave your submissions in the comment section below or by e-mail to pinstripealleyblog [at] gmail [dot] com.

Austin Riley bats cleanup for game 1 in Miami

The Braves start a four-game series in Miami today, before returning home for a weekend series. JR Ritchie will take the mound for Atlanta, while Max Meyer will start for Miami.

Walt Weiss is putting Austin Riley back into the cleanup spot, as he has shown some life of late after some early season struggles. Michael Harris follows Austin, batting fifth, as Dubon and Yastrzemski fill out the outfield. Dominic Smith also mans the DH spot, as Drake Baldwin starts at catcher.

You can see the Statcast breakdown of the lineups below.

Game Info

Game Date/Time: Monday, May 18, 6:40 p.m. EDT

Location: loanDepot Park, Miami, FL

TV: BravesVision, Gray TV

Streaming: MLB.tv

Radio: 680 AM / 93.7 FM The Fan

Boston Celtics Daily Links 5/18/26

MILWAUKEE, WI - APRIL 3: The sneakers worn by Jordan Walsh #27 of the Boston Celtics during the game against the Milwaukee Bucks on April 3, 2026 at Fiserv Forum Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 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 Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images). | NBAE via Getty Images

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