New York Yankees' Jasson Dominguez, center, talks with a team trainer as manager Aaron Boone, right, looks on after Dominguez was hit by a pitch in the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers Wednesday, April 29, 2026, in Arlington, Texas.
Domínguez was not in Friday’s starting lineup but Boone hoped he would be available off the bench.
“He was much improved [Thursday], much improved today,” Boone said before the Yankees beat the Orioles 7-2 in the first game of a three-game series in The Bronx. “He’ll go through pregame today, do all his baseball activities and see where we’re at.”
Domínguez left the series finale in Arlington in the fourth inning in just his third game of the season after being called up to replace the sidelined Giancarlo Stanton. Domínguez, who had been performing with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, went 1-for-9 before the hit-by-pitch knocked him from the game.
The 23-year-old was only briefly in the clubhouse before Friday’s game, grabbing a glove and running to the field to get some work without showing any issues with his elbow.
Without Domínguez, the Yankees started their usual outfield while Paul Goldschmidt played first base and Ben Rice DH’d against lefty Cade Povich.
New York Yankees’ Jasson Dominguez, center, talks with a team trainer as manager Aaron Boone, right, looks on after Dominguez was hit by a pitch in the fourth inning against the Texas Rangers on Wednesday, April 29, 2026, in Arlington, Texas. AP
Stanton (right calf strain) may be able to start hitting again this weekend, Boone said.
But the slugger has not yet begun running, and “there’s nothing imminent there,” Boone added.
It is possible Carlos Rodón requires just one more minor league start before returning to the majors, Boone said.
Rodón made his second rehab start Thursday, when he threw 76 pitches with Double-A Somerset. The lefty allowed one run on five hits with no walks and eight strikeouts in 5 ¹/₃ innings.
“I thought he looked really good,” Boone said. “It’s encouraging, certainly, what we’re seeing. Feel like he’s about ready.”
Rodón is set to pitch with SWB on Tuesday, the same day Gerrit Cole is set to pitch for High-A Hudson Valley.
“[The Mets are] going through a tough time, but I think Mendy’s great at what he does. “As much as you can be equipped to handle everything that’s going on with them, he certainly is. I know he’ll be fine.”
New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza reacts in the dugout against the Washington Nationals in the eighth inning at Citi Field in Queens on Thursday. Jason Szenes for the NY Post
Randal Grichuk, who was designated for assignment earlier this week, elected free agency rather than accepting an outright assignment to SWB.
Veteran infielder Paul DeJong, who posted an .877 OPS in 23 games with SWB, opted out of his minor league deal and became a free agent.
DENVER, CO - APRIL 18: Emmet Sheehan #80 of the Los Angeles Dodgers delivers a pitch in the second inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on April 18, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After the off day, the Dodgers (20-11) start a six-game road trip Friday against the St. Louis Cardinals (18-13) at Busch Stadium.
Emmet Sheehan (2-0, 4.78 ERA, 40.3 GB%) is coming off one of the most dominant starts of his young career. It was a hard-luck loss for the Dodgers, but Sheehan struck out 10 over 6 ⅓ innings against the Cubs.
Southpaw Matthew Liberatore (0-1, 4.75 ERA, 1.55 WHIP) takes the ball for the Cardinals.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 30: Mauricio Dubon #14 of the Atlanta Braves reacts after scoring during the second inning against the Detroit Tigers at Truist Park on April 30, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After a 4-2 homestand, the Atlanta Braves begin a nine-game road trip Friday night in Colorado at 8:40 p.m. EDT.
The Braves bring the best record in baseball (22-10) and a 6.5-game lead in the NL East into the road trip, which will conclude with series against the Seattle Mariners and Los Angeles Dodgers.
Follow along as Grant Holmes kicks off the road trip and begins the series which will end Sunday with Spencer Strider’s return.
Pete Alonso connects on a home run during the Orioles' game against the Yankees on May 1.
Just after Pete Alonso said that he found his start to the season to be “disappointing,” he let it rip in his first at-bat back in New York City on Friday night.
In the top of the second inning on a 1-1 pitch, Alonso launched a ball to 367 feet right field for a home run ito the second deck at Yankee Stadium.
As he rounded the bases, he faced a few boos from The Bronx crowd.
The run tied the game before the Yankees took a 5-1 lead in the bottom half.
It’s Alonso’s first time back in what used to be his home city since leaving Queens for a stable five-year, $155 million contract in Baltimore.
It marks Alonso’s fifth home run in what has been a slow start to the season.
Heading into Friday, the ex-Met had 23 hits across 116 at-bats with four home runs and a .668 OPS through 31 games.
Pete Alonso connects on a home run during the Orioles’ game against the Yankees on May 1. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
A year ago, he had seven home runs with a 1.132 OPS in 31 games.
Pete Alonso scores after hitting a home run during the Orioles’ May 1 game against the Yankees. Imagn Images
“Every single day I feel dangerous in the box and every day I’m ready to do damage and compete,” Alonso added. “So, just need to keep preparing and putting myself in the best possible situation to succeed that night.”
Alonso likely hopes to build off of the first at-bat as he relishes a little homecoming.
Apr 25, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Matthew Liberatore (32) pitches against the Seattle Mariners during the first inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
The St. Louis Cardinals will play host to the allegedly formidable Los Angeles Dodgers, the best team money can buy. Matthew Liberatore will get the Friday night start for the Cardinals while Emmet Sheehan will start for the Dodgers. First pitch is set for 7:15pm central time at Busch Stadium.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 16: Brendan Donovan #33 of the Seattle Mariners singles in the sixth inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on April 16, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Mariners GM Justin Hollander met with the media ahead of this week’s homestand to provide updates on injured Mariners. Obviously, the question at top of mind for most Mariners fans is what the latest is on reliever Matt Brash, who had to leave Wednesday’s game with an apparent injury to his side. Brash had an MRI which revealed inflammation in his lat, which is significantly more optimistic than the oblique injury many feared when he left the game. Hollander says there are no signs of anything serious or structurally damaged, just trace inflammation. The team has opted to put Brash on the 15-day IL, calling up lefty Josh Simpson to take Brash’s place.
Despite the disappointing injury designation, Hollander called the results of Brash’s MRI “very good news all around, probably the best news we could have possibly hoped for.”
One other note relevant to tonight’s game: despite the Royals putting a lefty on the hill, OF Rob Refsnyder is not in the starting lineup. Manager Dan Wilson said Ref is “nursing a couple of different little things” and that he’s fine, but day-to-day.
Other injury updates:
INF Brendan Donovan (groin) – Donovan will travel to Arkansas on Monday to play with the Travelers when they start a home series this week. He’ll play Tuesday and Wednesday with Arkansas, and then if all goes well, will join the team in Chicago ahead of the series against the White Sox next Friday. Hollander said the team will look into doing some load management strategies – DH days or the occasional off-day – to help Donovan as he continues to work back from the sports hernia surgery he had last year.
OF Victor Robles (shoulder) – Robles will head out on a rehab assignment on Sunday and the team will assess weekly how he’s doing. The soonest he would return would maybe be the start of the Houston series on this upcoming road trip, but the team will assess after he finishes his first week of rehab assignments. Hollander said the last hurdle Robles needs to clear is making the long throw home from the outfield, but overall the team is happy with how he’s progressing.
INF Patrick Wisdom (oblique) – Wisdom will begin a short rehab assignment this weekend in Tacoma.
RHP Carlos Vargas (lat) – Vargas has hit a “mild setback” in his rehab process, feeling some pain in his strained lat in the early stages of his ramp up back to throwing. He’ll take some time off and then will start the ramp-up progression from the beginning. Lat strains: almost as not-fun as oblique strains.
RHP Bryce Miller (oblique) – Ending on a positive note. Miller continues to charge through the rehab process with no setbacks. His next outing will be in Everett on May 6th, narrowly missing the opportunity to see Miller in the Everett Star Wars jerseys, with a goal of 65-70 pitches and hopefully five innings, and the team will decide whether he needs another start after that or not.
After a brutal Game 3 loss in Atlanta put New York in a 2-1 hole, many thought their worst fears about this team were realized. There was no cohesion -- the offense looked directionless, the defense debilitated by the team’s best player.
The three games that followed were a complete reversal. The Knicks topped the Hawks by 16, 29, and a whopping 51 points to close the series, making their strongest statement of readiness to contend to date.
It was only the first round against an upstart team, but it may have solidified what this team’s winning identity will be these playoffs: versatility. The postseason is all about matchups and adjustments, and the Knicks have all the talent, but sometimes struggle with utilizing it.
It didn’t look that way to close out the Hawks. Everything coach Mike Brown preached and implemented was executed to glowing perfection. The Knicks ate the early struggle and adjusted to win the series -- here’s how.
Their biggest issue through three games was the offense -- completely freezing down the stretch of Game 2 and well into Game 3. Jalen Brunson struggled outside of the first quarter of the postseason, and the Knicks failed to get other creators to pick up the slack.
They corrected this by getting Brunson off-ball much more and running their offense through their most glaring advantage -- Karl-Anthony Towns. Every half-court possession moved through him in the pinch post, as Brown and the Knicks employed flex action to create cutters and space.
This gave Brunson many easier opportunities and higher-efficiency outputs, and opened the door for OG Anunoby to step up. The Knicks needed more scoring with the slow start from their guards, and shifted more offense in a favorable direction with Anunoby able to use his size to explode in the series.
None of this would work if not for the work that Towns and Brown put in during the regular season. It took some time for the two to find synchronicity in the offense, with many of these added creation reps causing friction early in the year.
It’s certainly paying off now as Towns looked prepared to leverage this Hawks matchup, patiently picking off their defense with strong decision-making and raw talent. A triple-double amid a career series from Towns and 22-and-9 averages from Anunoby later, and the Knicks are advancing in their most dominant fashion in years.
Brown also switched up the bench rotation for more ball handling, inserting Jose Alvarado and making sure that he and Jordan Clarkson were playing if Brunson wasn’t.
Defensively, Brunson was getting picked on while guarding CJ McCollum. Brown turned to veteran Josh Hart for the assignment, moving Brunson onto Dyson Daniels with both stepping up in the new defensive alignment to swing the series.
Now, have the Knicks figured out they need to be running their offense through Towns' high-post creation and making Anunoby their bona fide third scorer? That may have worked against Atlanta, but Boston or Philadelphia offer different challenges.
Towns won’t have the same advantages versus Joel Embiid, and New York’s likely to see much more drop next round, no matter its opponent. Maybe we’ll see different bench pieces to combat the different issues they face
Going up against Boston could make for more of a Mikal Bridges series, coming off last year’s run when he scored more than 20 in Games 4 and 6. Anunoby will be dealing with much tougher wings, and Bridges is much more comfortable against conservative pick-and-roll defenses and smaller guards.
The point is, fans who spent the regular season fretting about an identity or the team’s constant evolution were missing the bigger picture. These Knicks are built to win any way necessary, not in one specific one -- this is a feature, not a bug.
They spent the regular season fidgeting with schemes, lineups and rotations for this championship run, so that if Brunson has a slow series, or Towns an unfavorable matchup, they have other options in their back pocket that have been tried and tested. It may have taken longer than necessary against the Hawks, but we saw what that ability to adapt looks like fully unlocked.
They’ll need to be even more ready against a tougher foe like the Celtics or 76ers. Styles make fights, now let’s see if the Knicks are truly prepared for the bouts ahead.
Mar 27, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; A general view of Busch Stadium during the fifth inning of opening day between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Minnesota Twins. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
Game two of the series with the Twins, where it is 12C today.
It has to be a better game than yesterday’s, right?
Ernie Clement gets his first day off of the season.
In their first playoff series since 2018, the Anaheim Ducks defeated the Edmonton Oilers in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs and earned their first series win since 2017, when they ironically defeated the Oilers.
The Ducks have an entirely different roster than that team from nine years ago. In 2017, their core consisted of Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry, Ryan Kesler, Cam Fowler, etc., who were taking their final kicks at the can together. The new core, which consists of Leo Carlsson, Jackson LaCombe, Cutter Gauthier, Beckett Sennecke, etc., is on the completely opposite trajectory.
At the beginning of the season, the 2025-26 Ducks set their seemingly lofty goal to make the playoffs and potentially make some noise once there. Well, they made the playoffs, and they made noise, eliminating the defending back-to-back Western Conference Champions, who employ (potentially) the two best hockey players on the planet, in six games.
Very few picked the Ducks to win the series, so here are three primary keys to the Ducks’ success in their opening round victory:
Author’s note: These are keys from the Ducks’ perspective. The Oilers had injuries to impact players like Leon Draisaitl (missed 14 games heading into the playoffs, lower body), Connor McDavid (appeared to have sustained an injury to his right leg/ankle in Game 2), Jason Dickinson (missed three games heading into the playoffs and missed games 2 and 3 of this series, lower body), and Adam Henrique (exited game 1, lower body), which were potentially their most significant factor in losing this series to Anaheim.
Jackson LaCombe
If the Conn Smythe were to be awarded after the first round, a relatively easy case could be made for Anaheim’s star defenseman Jackson LaCombe. As of Friday morning, he’s tied for second among all players in scoring with nine points (1-8=9) in six games and leads all defensemen. At 5v5, he played 138:24 TOI, and in those minutes, the Ducks accounted for 64.06% of the shots on goal, 60.81% of the shot attempts, and 65.63% of the expected goals.
More impressively, he was hard-matched against Connor McDavid as much as Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville could manage. When LaCombe was on the ice against McDavid (66:09) at 5v5, the Ducks won the shots on goal battle 42-19, the shot attempt battle 78-50, accounted for 67.3% of the expected goals, and outscored the Oilers 6-2.
LaCombe, forever calm and poised, defended rushes all series perfectly, dictated tempo, was efficient on breakouts, active along the blueline, and joined as many rushes as he could to generate offense for Anaheim. He broke out in the 2024-25 season, continued to turn heads during the 2025-26 season, and has now put the hockey world on notice, playing his best when it matters most.
“This guy (pointing to LaCombe) is really good,” Ducks forward Troy Terry said after Game 6 when asked about defeating McDavid. “That team had been to two cup finals, and we have a lot of respect for him and those players. He really is that good, and to watch the task that this guy and (Jacob) Trouba had. These guys were on him most of the time, but collectively, we all had to play him and we were all aware of it.”
Special Teams
In the 2025-26 regular season, the Ducks held the 23rd-ranked power play (18.6%) in the NHL and the 27th-ranked penalty kill (76.4%). The Oilers were the NHL’s top power play team (30.6%) and had the 20th-ranked penalty kill (77.8%). Logic would have suggested the Oilers had the advantage should the series be decided by special teams.
The Ducks were one of the NHL’s most penalized teams in the regular season, racking up 814 penalty minutes (6th in NHL). They flipped the script in the first round of the playoffs and averaged just 6.5 PIMs/Game, the lowest rate of any team in the first round. They didn’t kill at a spectacular rate in the playoffs (71.4%), but only allowing four power play goals to the Edmonton Oilers is a feat not to be ignored.
The deciding factor on special teams through the series was the Ducks’ power play. The Ducks converted on eight of their 16 opportunities with the man-advantage and deployed two equally potent units capable of scoring in a variety of ways. Ducks assistant coach Jay Woodcroft, former Oilers head coach, found the puzzle pieces he liked together on each unit and crafted several ways for each unit to execute clever in-zone sequences to generate optimal chances.
One of Woodcroft’s units featured John Carlson at the top of the umbrella and accounted for five power play goals, while the other featured Jackson LaCombe and accounted for three (all from Cutter Gauthier).
“The best part about it was that in the whole series, we didn’t take that many penalties,” Quenneville said. “That was one of the things that we had to do in order to have some success. As infrequent as they were on the power play, their top guys are going to have some confidence, and they can generate stuff off of that, and then everybody helps their team. That was a point of emphasis, and the guys did a good job of that.”
Joel Quenneville’s Adjustments (Tactical and Personnel)
This series was a six-game chess match between head coaches Joel Quenneville and Kris Knoblauch, along with their respective staffs. They each took turns adjusting and counteradjusting to personnel and tactical tweaks made by the other.
After losing Game 1 in Edmonton, Quenneville seemed to be deploying the exact same lineup for Game 2, but at the apparent last second, and keeping his cards close to the chest, he swapped his third and first-line left wingers, offering his club new looks and forcing his opponent to counter on the fly. He did the same thing between Games 5 and 6 in an attempt to disrupt any potential game plan Knoblauch had prepared.
Tactically, this series took on many forms despite high goal totals in every game. Edmonton took advantage of Anaheim’s wide eyes early in game one, controlling cycles and connecting plays at high speeds. From the first puck drop, Anaheim’s focus when it came to defending McDavid was to match him up against LaCombe when possible and hound him with backchecking pressure, creating a five-man unit with waves of defenders, and they were careful to keep a high F3 when 97 was on the ice.
Knoblauch tweaked his approach to a more streamlined, north-south game after Game 2, as the Oilers were turning a high number of pucks over in neutral ice when trying to manufacture connecting sequences. Ducks defenders were up to the task, evading heavy F1s and had supporting forwards low to help in precarious situations.
Ultimately, the Ducks and their coaching staff were able to draw the Oilers into playing their brand of hockey, trading chances, forcing neutral zone turnovers, and turning said turnovers into quick-strike offense.
“Jay (Woodcroft) was great. I think our coaching staff is outstanding. Gilly (Ryan McGill) with the penalty kill was outstanding as well,” Quenneville said after Game 6.
Quenneville and Co. will have a brand new set of challenges facing them in the second round, and a new chess match will present itself, whether they’ll face the Utah Mammoth or the Vegas Golden Knights. This series proved one thing: this coaching staff has the ability to manipulate their opponent to optimize the Ducks’ chances at advancing.
Oct 2, 2022; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols (5) celebrates with catcher Yadier Molina (4) after hitting a solo home run for his 702nd career home run during the third inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
If you’ve paid any attention to St. Louis Cardinals baseball for the past two decades, the announcement today was a foregone conclusion. The team has just confirmed that Albert Pujols and Yadier Molina have been elected into the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame because of course they were. In addition, the veterans committee elected Bill Sherdel who had 153 wins as a Cardinals during his era from 1918 through 1929.
Earlier Friday, the Cardinals revealed they would be announcing the new Hall of Fame members during a live broadcast on Cardinals.tv. Brian Jordan, George Hendrick were also nominated alongside Albert Pujols and Yadier Molina.
That announcement was among the least surprising things ever as both Albert Pujols and Yadier Molina will be given their inevitable red jackets later this season. Brian Jordan and George Hendrick were both impactful players in their eras, but they’re simply not Albert and Yadi. When you look at their career statistics, it’s obvious why this announcement today was so obvious.
10× All-Star 2× World Series champion (2006, 2011) 9× Gold Glove Award 4× Platinum Glove Award Silver Slugger (2013)
Bill Sherdel was a member of two National League pennant-winning Cardinals teams, in 1926 and 1928, winning the World Series in 1926.
Mark your calendars now for Saturday, September 12, 2026 and plan to beat the crowds into Busch Stadium as the ceremony will be held there instead of the typical Ballpark Village location. The Cardinals know the crowds will be massive, so this was the perfect decision.
The only question that remains is if Albert Pujols and Yadier Molina will enter the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2028 when they are both eligible. I’m not objective, but I think the answer to that question is almost as obvious as this one today. They are both legends that deserve to be enshrined in every hall they are eligible to enter. End of story.
HOUSTON — As Austin Reaves was ramping up to make his eventual return to the court from a strained left oblique, Lakers coach JJ Redick was asked: How would the team manage Reaves’ role after Luke Kennard’s emergence in the playoffs?
“We’ll cross that bridge when it happens,” Redick responded ahead of the Lakers’ Game 3 win over the Rockets.
Lakers coach JJ Redick needs to find a way to maximize the pairing of Austin Reaves and Luke Kennard. NBAE via Getty Images
Well, with Reaves returning in the Lakers’ Game 5 loss to the Rockets on Wednesday, it’s time to cross the bridge.
Because the Lakers’ best-of-seven first-round playoff series against the Rockets made it clear they need all the offensive help they can get, especially with star guard Luka Doncic remaining sidelined because of his left hamstring strain.
Enter Reaves and Kennard, the former who had an All-Star-caliber season and the latter who showcased the depth of his offensive skill set while Doncic and Reaves were both sidelined.
The problem for the Lakers: They’ve yet to find the formula that maximizes Reaves and Kennard while on the floor together.
The Lakers were minus-2 in the 17 minutes when Reaves and Kennard were on the court at the same time in Game 5.
For the regular season, the Lakers had a minus-5.8 net rating when Reaves and Kennard shared the floor — with their high-level offense being masked by putrid defensive play.
The Lakers’ Austin Reaves (15) had success operating on the ball while Kennard ran off off-ball screens weakside. NBAE via Getty Images
The Lakers were even worse when Reaves and Kennard shared the floor without Doncic, recording a minus-15.2 net rating, albeit in a small sample of 273 possessions.
The Lakers’ struggles during those situations shouldn’t be a surprise.
But the Lakers need the pairing to find synergy if the team wants to achieve its goal of extending its season long enough for Doncic to return.
And it starts offensively.
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The Lakers found success with Reaves operating on the ball while Kennard ran off off-ball screens weakside, helping create driving lanes for Reaves or opportunities for a drive and kick from Reaves to Kennard.
The defensive shortcomings are more digestible if the offense is firing on all cylinders — which the Lakers are in desperate need of.
They need Reaves’ ball handling, pick-and-roll chops, playmaking and pull-up shooting.
Kennard was a difference-maker to start the first-round series, combining for 50 points on 65% shooting. NBAE via Getty Images
Kennard was a difference-maker to start the series against the Rockets, combining for 50 points on 65% shooting to lead the Lakers’ offense.
But when he cooled off, so did the Lakers, with Kennard combining for 22 points on 29% shooting in Games 3-5, with the Lakers’ offense — and Kennard — being less productive and efficient offensively with each game.
And with Kennard playing at least 31 minutes in each of the Lakers’ first five playoff games against the Rockets entering Friday’s Game 6, phasing him out of the rotation isn’t a great option.
Especially with how important he is to the offense and creating havoc for defenses while Doncic is sidelined.
Reaves’ return provides some solutions. But it doesn’t solve all of the problems about the Lakers’ offensive concerns without Doncic.
They need Reaves and Kennard to be in a rhythm to have a shot to play deeper in May.
TORONTO, CANADA - APRIL 26: Max Strus #2 of the Cleveland Cavaliers shoots against Ja'Kobe Walter #14 of the Toronto Raptors during Game Four of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena on April 26, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 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 Cole Burston/Getty Images) | Getty Images
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And Josh Hart, willing to trade a limb for a loose ball.
And Jalen Brunson, among the sport’s elite closers.
But there is also more depth than the reserve unit — featuring Mitchell Robinson and Miles McBride — provided in the Knicks’ breakthrough to last year’s conference finals, following the additions of Jordan Clarkson and Jose Alvarado.
Jose Alvarado reacts during the Knicks’ April 30 game against the Hawks. Getty Images
“We know how good the bench is and how good the team is,” Alvarado said this week. “We go out there and be ourselves and try to boost the energy. Whatever the team needs, the bench tries to provide that.”
Late in the regular season, Clarkson — who signed a one-year deal with the Knicks in July — was out of the rotation, barely resembling the former Sixth Man of the Year.
Alvarado — who was acquired on Feb. 5 from New Orleans — also recently seemed to lose his spot, as he was benched in Game 1 against the Hawks.
But the two veteran guards both provided much-needed sparks in the first round, giving Mike Brown’s roster increased flexibility against the Celtics or 76ers in the second round.
Jordan Clarkson drives to the basket during the Knicks’ April 25 game against the Hawks. NBAE via Getty Images
Alvarado, 28, made the most of his limited time, pestering the Hawks with his relentless defense, while rediscovering the shot that temporarily caused Brown to lose trust in the New York City native.
In the final three games of the series, Alvarado scored 21 points with five assists, five steals and a plus-24 rating, finishing the series 5-of-10 on 3-pointers, while ranking first on the Knicks in steal percentage (5.3) and third in assist percentage (22.0).
Clarkson posted a plus-48 rating while playing 48 minutes in the past three games, attacking the paint, the glass and ball-handlers with urgency that had largely been unseen.
The 33-year-old led all Knicks reserves in scoring (7.7) in the series, while ranking second on the team in offensive rebounding percentage (11.5) and second in turnover percentage (4.4) despite the second-highest usage rate among rotation players.
“[Being out of the rotation is] definitely challenging, but I’ve been in the league for 12 years. I know how it goes,” Clarkson said. “Just continue to stay ready. There’s a locker room of young guys and other people, watching me and seeing how I react to those things. Set an example for them. Continue to stay locked in. … Just wait for my opportunity to go out there and play. Everybody setting that example and having everybody ready is big for the team.”
The Carolina Hurricanes host the Philadelphia Flyers to begin Round 2 at Lenovo Arena on Saturday, May 2.
My top Flyers vs. Hurricanes predictions and NHL picks expect Carolina to make it five consecutive postseason wins and grab a 1-0 series lead over Philadelphia.
Flyers vs Hurricanes Game 1 prediction
Flyers vs Hurricanes best bet: Hurricanes moneyline (-205)
The Philadelphia Flyers lost the five-on-five battle with a 41.8 Corsi For percentage and 46.2 expected goals percentage in Round 1, and that won’t fly against the Carolina Hurricanes.
It’s as simple as that because the Hurricanes paced the NHL in CF% while ranking second in xGF% during the regular season, and they were on the right side of both metrics in the opening round while never trailing during their four-game sweep of the Ottawa Senators.
Of course, Carolina also received top-tier goaltending from Frederik Andersen to the tune of a .963 save percentage with 1.67 goals saved above average per 60 minutes.
Philly having to play two extra Round 1 games will take a toll during this losing effort, too.
Flyers vs Hurricanes Game 1 goal scorer pick
Andrei Svechnikov (+190)
Carolina winger Andrei Svechnikov was dangerous throughout Round 1 and finished with a team-high 2.38 individual goals and 19 scoring chances without finding the back of the net. He scored eight times across 15 games last spring in the playoffs, and the go-to Russian projects to remain on the top line and No. 1 power-play unit.
The Carolina Hurricanes have beaten the Philadelphia Flyers in eight of their past 10 games. Find more NHL betting trends for Flyers vs. Hurricanes.
How to watch Flyers vs Hurricanes Game 1
Location
Lenovo Center, Raleigh, NC
Date
Saturday, May 2, 2026
Puck drop
8:00 p.m. ET
TV
ABC
Flyers vs Hurricanes latest injuries
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Ortmeyer has served in this role with the Rangers since 2017, before Chris Drury became the Rangers’ president and general manager.
During Drury’s exit interview, he vaguely answered whether or not he’s considering changes to their player development staff.
“We are looking at every different department and areas as to what we can do better,” Drury said.
Some of the players drafted by the Rangers under Ortmeyer who still remain on the roster today include Braden Schneider, Alexis Lafrenière, Noah Laba, and Gabe Perreault.
Mercogliano reports that there’s no official word yet on a new director of player development, but Tanner Glass is a name to monitor if they decide to promote from within.
