ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Reid Detmers was nearly perfect for eight innings while striking out a career-high 14, and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Texas Rangers 2-1 Sunday night on Justin Foscue’s ninth-inning throwing error for their first series sweep this season.
Detmers retired 24 of 25 batters, allowing a home run to Jake Burger on a changeup leading off the second. He induced 23 misses among 51 swings and his strikeouts tied Seattle’s Emerson Hancock on May 2 against Kansas City for the most in the major leagues this season.
Mike Trout tied the score with a broken-bat RBI single off MacKenzie Gore in the third.
After Sam Bachman (1-0) struck out Burger to strand the bases loaded in the ninth, Jorge Soler singled against Gavin Collyer (1-1) with one out in the bottom half. Jo Adell was hit by a pitch, Donovan Walton pinch ran for Soler and Oswald Peraza flared a potential double-play, one-hopper over the mound.
Foscue fielded the ball near second and juggled the ball as pulled it out of his glove for a throw while stepping on the base. His throw to first bounced away from Burger, and Walton scored standing up.
Los Angeles’ sweep followed a 1-9 skid.
Up Next
Rangers: RHP Kumar Rocker (2-4, 3.60 ERA) will oppose Astros RHP Tatsuya Imai (1-3, 8.31) at Houston on Monday night.
Angels: RHP Jack Kochanowicz (2-3, 4.55 ERA) will face Tigers RHP Keider Montero (2-3, 3.83) at Detroit Tuesday night.
May 24, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) reacts in the first quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder during game four of the western conference finals for the 2026 NBA playoffs at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images
San Antonio avoided losing three games in a row for the first time all season and routed Oklahoma City 103-82 in a Game 4 blowout. The Spurs earned and built upon their advantage by staying home on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander defensively and depriving his teammates of open looks throughout many minutes of hellacious fullcourt coverage. San Antonio better shepherded their possessions tonight, while making life very difficult for Oklahoma City, as they were held to 33% shooting overall and 6-for-33 from three.
The Spurs received a far more complete effort in game 4 that they glaringly lacked in the previous two games. Wembanyama (33 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 blocks) and Castle (13 points, 6 assists, and 3 rebounds) found a timely third contributor in Devin Vassell (13 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists). The team’s ailing point guards – De’Aaron Fox (12 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists) and Dylan Harper (7 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists) looked no worse for the wear and steadied the Spur attack. San Antonio also benefitted from spirited bench minutes – in just the right dosages by Coach Johnson – from veterans Luke Kornet (6 points and 7 rebounds), Harrison Barnes (5 points and 3 rebounds) and Keldon Johnson (6 points and 3 rebounds).
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (19 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 turnovers) and Isaiah Harteinstein (12 points and 7 rebounds) paced Oklahoma City in defeat tonight. Chet Holmgren (10 points and 9 rebounds) competed capably in the first half. The Thunder’s vaunted bench production (16 points) was far muted than in Games 1-3.
San Antonio leapt ahead again in the opening frame, but in a vastly different manner than game 3, they were able to harrass the Thunder players into numerous forced looks. All of Oklahoma City’s offense – over the first 8+ minutes – came from none other than Hartenstein. The Spurs pieced together a 14-0 run spanning the middle minutes in the frame, and Oklahoma City could not find any open airspace for their shooters. Gilgeous-Alexander broke a nearly nine minute non-Hartenstein drought with a jumper, and then meekly fell to the floor on a Fox contest a minute later. A 5-0 burst brought the Thunder to within nine with Wembanyama (11) and Vassell (6) almost matching OKC’s total.
San Antonio played arguably its finest defense in this series so far over several sequences to start the second period. Unfortunately their offense could not match that excellence (5-for-23 in the first 10+ minutes), and Harteinstein continued to add to his team-leading total with a floater and dunk. San Antonio continued to squander handfuls of possessions, and Holmgren kept his team within three possessions with free throws and second-chance tips. With the Thunder continuing to hover close, Vassell’s jumper and Wembanyama’s buzzer-beating 47-footer extended San Antonio’s lead to 12.
A 7-0 run featuring Area 51 forced Dort to the bench with his fourth foul and put Oklahoma City down 16 early in the third quarter. Castle found Wembanyama in transition for a near free throw line dunk to put the Spurs back up 18. Harper rewarded Castle for his efforts with a rim-rattling lob to grow the lead to 22. Oklahoma City’s offense looked ever-so-slightly flustered. But even though the Thunder stayed under 50 points for 3/4 of the period, they were able to slice the deficit to 60-78 going to the fourth.
Observations
The Dirk Nowitzki ‘let’s go home’ sequence: Harper, after dribbling an head-scratching 15 seconds on the perimeter, split two defenders, and thre down a monstrous slam on Jaylin Williams to make it 92-70.
After Harteinstein bearhugged Wembanyama on an early loose ball, Scott Foster flew in from midcourt to call the foul on Harteinstein.
Just as I was about to type “Julian Champagnie might shoot us out of this series, (9-for-28 after the first quarter for the series)” he did an upfake and drove it right to the rim for a layup. He’s going to need to turn into Bruce Bowen 2.0 over these next 2-3 games to justify his playing time.
Reggie Miller – referencing San Antonio’s other rookie – called him ‘Bryant Carter’ pregame.
It’s not just the foul merchant stuff on the offensive end, but when Gilgeous-Alexander stood up Vassell as he went upcourt on the dribble late in the half, the Spurs guard (6’5” / 195 lb) stayed upright, while the MVP (6’6” /195 lb) crumpled into a heap.
My three sisters met up in San Antonio to go to game 4 in honor of dad. My mom (out of nowhere) said we lost game 3 because wer’re ‘too comfortable.’ We truly are a Spurs family now.
Sequence of the Game #1: 90 seconds into game action and during what looked like yet another OKC second chance bucket, Wembanyama met Holmgren at the rim and turned away his dunk try.
Sequence of the Game #2: During the Spurs’ 14-0 run in the first, Vassell looked like he might get beat for a reverse lay-up, but erased McCain’s attempt, and took it downcourt and fed Wembanyama for a lob slam.
Sequence of the Game #3: To close the first half, Castle doggedly grabbed a rebound away from Jaylin Williams, and the ball ended up in Wembanyama’s hands – who knocked down a Curry-like pull-up from half court.
Sequence of the Game #4: Partway through the third period, Vassell, after stealing an errant Holmgren pass, fed it to a streaking Harper – who (while completely neglecting the franchise superstar) tossed a soaring lob to Castle to make it 75-53.
Game Rundown
The teams’ centers traded buckets from the opening tip. While Wembanyama played well off of him, Harteinstein surprisingly added two more floaters. Castle connected on a contested jumper and spoonfed a lob to Wembanyama. Shockingly, Harteinstein’s fourth pop-a-shot put the Thunder up one. After Champagnie failed to convert several long-distance attempts, he drove deep into the paint for a lay-up. Nearly five minutes in, the three big OKC bench contributors (Caruso, Jaylin Williams, and McCain) from game 3 were inserted, but it was Johnson who immediately deflected two passes and willed home a shot over Williams. Castle and Vassell’s catch-and-shoot threes put the Spurs up 19-8. Vassell deflected the ball away on one Thunder possession, and Castle forced Holmgren to dribble the ball off of his foot on another. San Antonio’s offense stalled out a bit near the end of the stanza; yet they left it still up 28-19.
Isaiah Joe’s and-1 finished a 10-0 Thunder run spanning the first and second quarters. Harper drew Holmgren’s and Caruso’s second fouls in succession. But San Antonio concerningly missed free throws (8-for-15 at one point). Kornet’s second field goal put the Spurs up nine, which was answered by Harteinstein’s FIFTH FLOATER. San Antonio then forced a shotclock violation and unforced turnover – both on Gilgeous-Alexander. Coach Daigneault’s challenge on the latter sequence was upheld and Oklahoma City lost the ability to pose any more challenges. Barnes drew Lu Dort’s third foul halfway through the period, which put San Antonio into the foul bonus, too; Mr. 100%‘s hustle either extended San Antonio possessions or prevented the Thunder from leaking out in transition. Harper forced yet another Gilgeous-Alexander turnover, and Wembanyama drew Caruso’s third foul at the other end. Vassell’s shotclock beating fadeaway was outdone by Wembanyama’s audacious pull-up jumper from halfcourt to make it 50-38.
Wembanyama started the third by answering Cason Wallace’s three with an emphatic and-1 lob over Hartenstein and Dort, and Castle powered through Thunder defenders for a pair of lay-ups. Wembanyama (on Hartenstein) and Castle (on Wallace) combined to swat away two more shots to force another OKC shotclock violation. Vassell’s free throws put the Spurs up 25. Bryant committed a charge, and then inexplicably fouled McCain 40 feet from the basket #rookiemistakes. The Thunder finally passed 50 points 9 1/2 minutes into the quarter as part of 7-0 run. Kenrich William’s two triples negated Wembanyama’s microburst, and the Spurs went to the fourth up 18.
Angels fans wave their shirts and chant "sell the team" during the eighth inning of a game at Angel Stadium on Wednesday. (Ronaldo Bolaños/Los Angeles Times)
Lifelong Angels fan Johnny Gonzalez has reached his boiling point as the team sits at the bottom of the standings, but he’s not giving up. And he’s not alone.
The Angels completed a surprise sweep of the Rangers Sunday, but the team still is tied for the worst record in Major League Baseball with a 20-34. Their fans spent the holiday weekend pushing back against the idea that the franchise would never be more than a bargain option amid rising prices all around them.
Frustrated fans have gone shirtless during the Angels’ homestand and chanted for owner Arte Moreno to “sell the team.” And about 75 fans heeded Gonzalez’s call for a protest, gathering in front of the Angel Stadium State College Boulevard entrance on Saturday chanting “sell the team,” “we want playoffs” and “winning matters.” Drivers passing the spectacle honked their horns in support.
“They’re not doing much for us fans,” said Gonzalez, who organized the protest using the Instagram account @AngelsBoycott. “It seems like every other team is just doing a lot more than us, despite us having a huge following [and] having some of the best players to ever play the game. I mean, it’s just like a lack of commitment, to say the least, and that’s why we’re here today.”
Angels fans wave signs and urge owner Arte Moreno to sell the team to an ownership group willing to invest more in winning during a pregame protest Saturday at Angel Stadium. (Joaquin Ruiz / For The Times)
It has been three months since Angels owner Arte Moreno told the Orange County Register that, according to Angels survey results, winning was not a top-five priority for fans and that data showed they valued affordability, safety and a “good experience” first.
Outrage over the remarks has grown as the Angels remain anchored at the bottom of the standings.
With a megaphone in his hand, Gonzalez pointed to the Ducks’ recent Stanley Cup playoff run as proof that Anaheim enjoys winning. He also noted how the nearby Dodgers and even the Padres demonstrate how Southern California teams can play for the postseason.
The Angels have missed the MLB playoffs for 11 consecutive seasons — including six with stars Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout on the roster — and have reached the postseason six times since Moreno purchased the team in 2003 after the franchise’s sole World Series title win in 2002.
Team officials did not respond to The Times’ request for comment on the fans’ protest, but manager Kurt Suzuki addressed the “sell the team” chants that are so loud they can be heard during Angels television broadcasts.
“I know it’s a thing, the no shirts and waving,” Suzuki said. “But yeah, we see it. We recognize it. They have the right to their opinion, and … they cheer for the guys, they roll-call them. I think it’s pretty neat for them to have that kind of support.”
A fan wears a bag over his head that says "Sell the Team Arte!!!" during a game against the Rangers on Friday at Angel Stadium. (Mark J. Terrill / Ap Photo/mark J. Terrill)
Suzuki added that the Angels remain focused on winning and haven’t paid the chants too much attention.
The Angels entered Sunday’s game ranked No. 9 in MLB attendance with 34,555 announced fans per night, according to ESPN. There are swaths of empty seats during every home game, suggesting some season ticket holders are choosing to stay home.
There is an expanding contingent of fans in the upper deck adjacent to the right-field foul pole who have chanted “sell the team” while waving T-shirts, joining in on a trendy “tarps off” fan movement across MLB sparked by Cardinals fans in St. Louis.
Angels fans who haven’t joined the protests are pleased to see the calls for change.
“I think it’s good that there’s fans that are passionate enough to actually speak out, to want to see a better team and really want to get us back into the playoffs,” Darren Shimasaki, an Angels fan from Yorba Linda, said Friday.
Debbie and Reed Olive, meanwhile, said they usually attend games for the promotions.
“You’re not going to come away with the wins,” Debbie said. “So, we got to get something for our ticket price.”
Even the fan experience unrelated to winning that Moreno touted has taken a hit.
Angels officials said they quickly resolved a rodent infestation Orange County health inspectors flagged at an outdoor food stand in View Level Section 432. Videos of stadium workers capturing a possum in one fan section and spraying gnats on the field during the last few weeks haven’t helped the team’s image.
Reed said the rodent infestation “was a bad look” and that the Angels need a new stadium in addition to a new owner.
Catcher Logan O’Hoppe, who has spent his five-year career with the Angels, said he understands the fans’ frustration.
“We don’t like not doing well, either,” O’Hoppe said. “It’s not OK to us. It doesn’t matter how much we’re getting paid or that we get treated great throughout the league and things like that. We hate it, too. I think people definitely don’t realize that. I think I can speak for a lot of guys in here that we dedicate our lives to this. … We’re not happy with how it’s going, but we’re doing everything we can to fix it.”
O’Hoppe is a New York Rangers fan and gets frustrated when his team struggles, but he said he reminds himself that “we’re all humans.”
The Rangers' Josh Jung is tagged out at home by Angels catcher Logan O'Hoppe on Friday at Angel Stadium. (Mark J. Terrill / Ap Photo/mark J. Terrill)
Angels left fielder Wade Meckler, who made his debut on Friday night, is an Orange County native who grew up cheering for the team.
“I mean, I get it,” Meckler said. “It’s a hungry fan base. The fan base is hungry for a winning team. So I understand, you know, being frustrated. They just really want a winning team.”
Meckler has been following the Angels since age 5 and remembers feeling dejected after attending the Angels’ 4-1 home loss to the Royals in Game 2 of the 2014 American League Division Series.
“It’s a super loyal fan base,” Meckler said. “I feel like they show up with energy every day.”
The Angels are on track to miss the postseason for a 12th consecutive season, prompting restless fans to call for new owners who will invest in building a team capable of reaching the playoffs.
“Arte don’t know what he’s talking about,” said Austin Kleschka, an Angels fan who joined Gonzalez at the front of Saturday’s protest. “Winning is a priority. We want that.”
Angels pitcher Reid Detmers delivers during the first inning of a win over the Rangers on Sunday at Angel Stadium. (Caroline Brehman / Associated Press)
Reid Detmers had a career-high 14 strikeouts and pinch runner Donovan Walton touched home on an errant throw in the ninth to give the Angels a walk-off 2-1 win at Angel Stadium and their first three-game sweep of the season.
With one out and runners on first and second in the ninth, third baseman Oswald Peraza grounded into a fielder’s choice at second. Rangers second baseman Justin Foscue bobbled the ball and first baseman Jake Burger couldn’t cleanly field his throw, allowing Walton to advance from second to score the game-winning run.
The Angels’ dugout erupted as Walton scored.
“That was amazing,” Peraza said. “I went up there and just put the ball in play, and not trying too much. I’m happy for the sweep. And yeah, amazing.”
The win sealed the Angels’ fourth series victory and second three-game winning streak of the year.
Detmers (1-5) entered on a three-game skid and finished dominantly after yielding a second-inning home run to Burger.
The left-handed pitcher ultimately gave up one hit and one run through eight innings — his first time pitching through eight innings in 2026 and first time since his no-hitter as a rookie in 2022 — while setting a new personal best with 14 strikeouts to zero walks.
“I mean, you realize it, but you don’t really think much of it,” Detmers said when asked if he was aware of his strikeout count. “It’s more just, ‘How can I get this next guy out?’ Like I said a little bit ago, just stick with the process, don’t overthink stuff. There’s not a whole lot that goes into it, to be honest with you …”
In front of an announced crowd of 36,903 on “Little League Day” in Anaheim, the 26-year-old used 96 pitches to lower his ERA from 5.07 to 4.57 in the win.
Rangers left-handed starter MacKenzie Gore (3-4) dueled, too, giving up one hit, two walks and one run through six innings.
“Gore was really good today,” Detmers said. “His stuff was really good today. He kept us off balance and got out of a couple of big situations.”
But the Angels’ offense, finishing with four hits, found a way to make do without solely relying on the long ball.
Mike Trout started the Angels’ scoring in the third with a two-out single to score Sebastián Rivero from second and tie the score at one.
The Angels’ run support behind Detmers was far from ideal. But Angels manager Kurt Suzuki is proud of his team’s effort in what was a pitcher’s duel.
“Like we talked about, you put the ball in play, things happen,” Suzuki said. “You never know what can happen when you put the ball in play. And you know, [Peraza] showed right there with the speed and putting it in play … forcing the issue a little bit.”
After Detmers and Gore sat down, Gavin Collyer (0-1) earned the loss, and Angels right-handed reliever Sam Bachman earned his first win of the year after striking out Rangers right fielder Brandon Nimmo to get out of a two-out, bases-loaded jam in the ninth.
Glad his team won, Detmers considers Sunday’s game his second-best career performance after his no-hitter. Suzuki, who was Angels teammates with Detmers during his no-hitter from four seasons ago, also chimed in.
“Yeah, I mean, never discredit a no-hitter, right?” Suzuki said. “A no-hitter is special. But for him, I think what made [Sunday] … he was better was the strikeouts, right? It was not many balls put in play, that’s for sure … He struck out 14 guys, [and] to do it under 100 pitches, that’s even more impressive. That means you’re getting in, getting out of there really quick. So, I think … just probably the best start he’s had.”
Despite the recent uproar among fans frustrated with the Angels, whose 20-34 record is tied for worst in MLB with the Rockies, the Angels aim to stay hot.
“Well, as you know, we need more wins,” Peraza said. “[We’re] working very hard every day for that result.”
The Detroit Red Wings entered the 2008 Stanley Cup Finals as the favorites over the young Pittsburgh Penguins, who were only three years into the Sidney Crosby era.
The Red Wings had defeated the Nashville Predators in six games in the Western Conference Final, swept the rival Colorado Avalanche in four games in round two, and held off a rally by the Dallas Stars in the Western Conference Final, winning in six games.
Following a special ceremonial puck drop at center ice featuring Steve Yzerman and Mario Lemieux, the game was on.
While it appeared that the Red Wings had taken a 1-0 lead thanks to a goal from Nicklas Lidstrom, it was called back thanks to Tomas Holmstrom's reputation of being a net-front presence.
However, their fellow Swede Mikael Samuelsson would eventually break the ice in the second period, beating Marc-Andre Fleury with a backhanded wraparound shot. Samuelsson struck again early in the third period, doubling Detroit's lead with his second goal of the evening.
Detroit's Dan Cleary tallied a shorthanded goal later in the period, followed by a late power-play goal from eventual Conn Smythe Trophy winner Henrik Zetterberg in the waning seconds.
Goaltender Chris Osgood stopped all 19 shots that he faced for the shutout.
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National coach Andrew MacDonald has “full trust” that Australia’s multi-format cricketers will make the tough decision to skip next year’s Indian Premier League if they feel it would jeopardise their Ashes preparation.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - MARCH 27: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers brings the ball up court during the third quarter against the Miami Heat at Rocket Arena on March 27, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavaliers defeated the Heat 149-128. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers had a turbulent regular season after seemingly everything went exactly their way the year before. The one player who was dependable night in and night out to keep things on the rails was Donovan Mitchell. They don’t come close to putting up 52 wins if it wasn’t for his steady hand on the wheel.
The individual consistency and stellar play have landed Mitchell on the All-NBA Second Team. This is the third time he’s made an All-NBA team, with all of them coming in Cleveland. He was named to the second team in 2022-23 and the first team last year.
Mitchell averaged 27.9 points and 5.7 assists per game with an effective field goal percentage of 56.3%. All three of those categories are the second-best marks of his career. He participated in 70 regular-season games.
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All-NBA votes aren’t done by position anymore. The first team slot goes to the five players who receive the most All-NBA votes, and so forth. Mitchell received the eighth most points. He was behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic, Victor Wembanyama, Luka Doncic, Cade Cunningham, Jaylen Brown, and Kawhi Leonard.
Players must participate in at least 65 games to be eligible for All-NBA votes. The league made an exception for both Luka Doncic and Cade Cunningham. Both of their seasons were cut short at 64 games due to injuries.
James Harden received one second-team vote and three third-team votes. Evan Mobley received one third team votes. Both Harden and Mobley made All-NBA teams the year before.
Mar 13, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Chicago Cubs shortstop Ben Cowles against the Chicago White Sox during a spring training game at Camelback Ranch-Glendale. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
It was a Sunday bullpen game for Iowa today as Gabe Klobosits started and allowed three runs in the top of the first inning. Memphis didn’t score again until the ninth. The final line on Klobosits was three runs on four hits over two innings. He walked one and struck out four.
Ryan Jensen threw the next two innings and got the win, retiring all six batters he faced. Jensen struck out one.
Iowa took the lead for good with a nine-run second inning, highlighted by a grand slam by shortstop Ben Cowles. It was Cowles third home run of the season. He also had a two-run double in the eighth, giving him six total RBI on the game. Cowles final line was 4 for 6 with two doubles and the grand slam. He also walked once and scored three runs.
DH Chase McCormick clubbed a solo home run in the fourth inning, his fifth one the season. McCormick went 2 for 4 with a double, the home run and a walk. He scored three runs and drove in two.
Right fielder Justin Dean was 2 for 5 with a walk and three RBI. He scored two runs.
Third baseman Owen Miller went 3 for 5 with an RBI double. Miller had two total runs batted in and scored twice.
Second baseman Scott Kingery was 2 for 5 with two runs scored.
Catcher Eric Yang was 1 for 3 with two walks and three runs scored.
Center fielder Brett Bateman was 2 for 3 with a walk and a sacrifice fly. Bateman scored once and drove in two.
Dawson Netz was activated off the injured list to make this start, which unfortunately did not last long. Netz struck out the side in order in the first, but he got knocked around in the second and didn’t finish the inning. He took the loss after giving up three runs on three hits over 1.1 innings. Netz struck out three and walked one.
Jace Beck tossed two scoreless innings of relief. He gave up just one hit and issued one walk while striking out four.
DH Edgar Alvarez was 2 for 4 with a double and two runs scored.
Catcher Ariel Armas doubled in a run in the fifth inning. Armas went 1 for 3 with two overall RBI.
Koen Moreno gave South Bend a great start to the game with four scoreless innings. Moreno only allowed one hit and one walk while striking out four.
Nazier Mulé kept the shutout going in the fifth and sixth innings, but he got hammered in the seventh to cough up the lead. Mulé’s final line was four runs on two hits and three walks over 2.1 innings. He also had two wild pitches. Mulé struck out three.
Grayson Moore let two runners inherited from Mulé score, but finished out the inning and got the win after the Cubs retook the lead in the top of the eighth. The final line on Moore was no runs on one hit over two-thirds of an inning. He struck out one and did not walk anyone.
Eli Jerzembeck went the rest of the way for a two-inning save. The only baserunner Jerzembeck allowed was a one-out walk in the eighth. He struck out three.
Center fielder Christian Olivo hit a two-run single in the top of the eighth that ended up being the winning hit. Olivo went 2 for 4 with the two runs batted in. He also stole a base.
Third baseman Alex Madera was 2 for 3 with a walk and one run scored.
Shortstop Ty Southisene went 1 for 2 with three walks and two steals. He scored one run.
A two-run single in the first inning by first baseman Cole Mathis, who was 1 for 5.
May 24, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Texas Rangers catcher Danny Jansen (9) looks on after striking out during the fifth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Liang-Imagn Images | William Liang-Imagn Images
The Texas Rangers scored one run but the Anaheim Angels scored two runs.
Ok, let’s focus on the positive for a moment. MacKenzie Gore allowed one run on one hit and struck out seven Angels batters over six innings as he rebounded from pitching just one inning in his last start which he left with weird side/shoulder/back pain.
In the first game of this series, a one-run start gets him a win with Texas scoring six runs. Last night, that start might have been good enough for a victory with Texas scoring two runs.
Tonight, however, one run on one hit wasn’t good enough as the Rangers also collected just one run on one hit against came-into-the-game-with-a-5.00-plus-ERA Reid Detmers, who struck out 14 Rangers over eight innings.
Eventually the Angels overtook Texas in the late innings thanks in part to the Rangers again failing to score with the bases loaded and Anaheim collecting the walk-off on an errant Justin Foscue throw a half inning later.
Truth be told, I didn’t watch this game because I don’t have NBC Peacock Plus or whatever. So maybe it is because of that fact that while I was following along on Gameday, I realized there’s not much reason to be annoyed or upset right now other than we’re all donating our time to this.
The simple fact is, the current lineup would probably make Triple A Round Rock feel like they have a fighting chance on any given night if they were playing these Rangers.
Corey Seager is out. Wyatt Langford wasn’t hitting before he got hurt and he hasn’t played in weeks. Josh Jung was at one point the only member of the lineup hitting and now he’s out for a day or more. Josh Smith was supposed to be the starting second baseman finally elevated to a regular role but he was among the worst hitters in baseball before he contracted the plague or something.
Michael Helman is the starting shortstop. They’ve got .357 OPS Sam Haggerty in center field. 39 year old Andrew McCutchen is batting leadoff and I don’t think he’s had a hit since the first series of the season. Danny Jansen makes me miss Andrew Knizner and his tandem Kyle Higashioka was the DH tonight despite he and Jansen perpetually battling it out to see who can finally raise their OPS to above .615 first (and somehow Higashioka is trailing in that race!).
It seems unwise to expect anything more than what the team can reasonably give right now. Of course, if you’re investing your time in watching it, you can feel however you want about it.
The Rangers seemed pretty flawed if everything went perfectly and if they had good health. Not much has gone well other than the rest of the league also being pretty bad and half the expected lineup has been cast across the nation with various ailments like they were on the Springfield softball team.
Even the worst team in baseball, which I think the Angels probably are, can sweep a team like the one Texas is fielding these days and here we are.
Player of the Game: I mentioned Gore, but I guess also Jake Burger hit a second inning solo home run to become the first Ranger in dinger double digits this season as he basically single-handedly prevented Detmers from attempting to a shot at one of the greatest games of all time. Instead, Detmers settles for perhaps the most impressive start from anyone this season.
Then again, it was Burger that struck out with the bases loaded in the top of the ninth, his third strikeout with the bases loaded this weekend.
Up Next: The Rangers head back home with their tails between their legs and immediately open up a series against the Houston Astros. RHP Kumar Rocker is listed as Monday’s starter but we’ll have to see if the Rangers attempt the opener gambit again with Rocker after he enjoyed success in his last game utilizing that tactic. Meanwhile, Houston will opt for RHP Tatsuya Imai.
The Memorial Day first pitch from The Shed is scheduled for 6:05 pm CDT and you can catch it on the Rangers Sports Network.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - MAY 22: Chadwick Tromp #39 of the Atlanta Braves reacts with teammates after a walk off single to end the game in the eleventh inning against the Washington Nationals at Truist Park on May 22, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Braves had their worst performance of the season in the first game in the Miami, and then bounced back to deliver three straight clobberings. There was no inkling that they’d return home for a soggy holiday weekend and suffer a letdown, but ultimately, that’s what happened. Whatever combination of weather, travel, regular baseball season ebb-and-flow stuff, offensive doldrums, Nationals gameplanning to perfection — you name it — it completely derailed Atlanta’s offense, and handed the Braves their second series loss of the season.
The big story here really was that the Braves suddenly ran out of offensive answers for an extended stretch. This series was the first time the Braves went homerless in three straight against the same opponent since July of last year. When you think about how the summer and tail end of 2025 were pretty much a disaster for the Braves, that’s kind of impressive. The Braves did have a three-game homerless stretch earlier this year, and they also went 1-2 in the process, but that happened in Seattle and Los Angeles, which is a bit different from facing the Nationals, who came into this series with the worst pitching staff in baseball. The Braves only scoring six runs in three games isn’t even that unusual — they scored five in three games at one point last week, and five in three games as part of that Seattle-Los Angeles trip — but the lack of homers was incredibly sudden, and incredibly detrimental.
This game was kind of a portent of things to come, but also ended up as the only win of the series. The Braves were held scoreless by opener Richard Lovelady and bulk guy Miles Mikolas for six frames, until taking the lead in the seventh, giving it back in the eighth, falling behind in the tenth, tying it in the tenth, and finally walking it off in the 11th. Chadwick Tromp played hero not once, but twice: his leadoff single in the tenth and mad dash home on a Mauricio Dubon bouncer helped the Braves tie the game, and then his two-out single on a 2-2 pitch brought home the winning run in the 11th.
This game featured a lot of wild stuff even beyond that: Mikolas having a 3/0 K/BB ratio but furnishing five scoreless frames, Robert Suarez grooving a 3-0 pitch that CJ Abrams turned around into a game-tying homer, a rare (and possibly rain-aided) “meltdown” by Dylan Lee (thanks to a not-that-hard Abrams double), and so on. In many ways, it was absolutely bizarre that the Braves even got themselves in a position to be able to win this game, given that the Nationals had two homers on their two barrels in this one, while the Braves went 0-for-2 on their two barrels. And yet, Chadwick Tromp provideth, and the ostensibly-blessed season continued… until it didn’t.
This was the real offensive doldrums game. The Braves got out-barreled 4-0, and had by far their worst wOBA and xwOBA of the season. It’s not like they were facing down some kind of world-beater, either, as Jake Irvin came into this game both mediocre and unlucky stat-wise. Furthermore, Irvin ended up leaving with injury, and the Braves then got eaten alive by three innings of Brad Lord, who has been good but not dominant or anything so far this year.
Grant Holmes ended up having a bizarre start, with a 10/2 K/BB ratio but two homers yielded. Holmes continues to have a pretty stark times-through-the-order split, with an expected uptick in peripherals, but more problematically for the Braves, a big homer problem once batters have seen him the first time in a game.
The Braves had one big chance in this game thanks to a defensive gaffe by Washington in the seventh, but the trio of Ozzie Albies, Dominic Smith, and Austin Riley didn’t get it done and that was pretty much that. There was a brief-ish rain delay, but it didn’t really upend anything and this was just a welp game for the team.
Somewhat fittingly, this game kind of ended up being a mix of the first two games of this series, but the Braves ultimately didn’t pull this one out. There was a no-rain rain delay to start, and another delay partway through; much of the game was played in pretty horrid conditions and it’s kind of impressive that no one got hurt and there weren’t any weird “welp that’s not how baseball should be played” shenanigans.
This time, it was Foster Griffin’s turn to dominate the Braves — he was largely forced out by the rain delay. The Braves had a scoring chance in the fourth, but Eli White hit it hard into a double play with the bases loaded and one out. The Nats then got three straight hits off Martin Perez, and added a second run post-rain delay off Reynaldo Lopez. The Braves only kind of came alive with a couple of hits (one well-struck, one bloopy) in the ninth. White then hit into what could’ve been a game-ending double play (again hitting it hard, but at a fielder), but it was booted, scoring the first (and only) Atlanta run. Lovelady, in for the third game in a row (and all three in this series), walked Ha-Seong Kim to load the bases and bring up Tromp…
…who did not get it done this time against Orlando Ribalta (the guy he had his first key single against on Friday). That meant it was all up to Ronald Acuña Jr., who had the Braves’ only barrel of this game (an out) earlier. But, Acuña didn’t get it done either, mis-hitting an inside sinker for a weak groundout to end the game.
With the Rays also losing today, the Braves are nominally “tied” for the best record in baseball, even if this series kinda sucked. At least we’ll always have the Chadwick Tromp Game, even if he couldn’t come through twice in the same weekend.
WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 13 : Savanah Bananas Alex Ziegler balances a bat on his nose to entertain the crowd before the Bananas defeat of the Firefighters at Nationals Park in Washington, DC on July13, 2024. (Photo by John McDonnell/ for The Washington Post via Getty Images)
My kids put up with me watching the Rockies all summer, which is a bigger act of patience than I probably give them credit for. But when Banana Ball is on, they are not just tolerating baseball. They genuinely love it.
And I get it. Banana Ball is absurd. That is the whole point. The rules are built for pace, chaos, fan involvement, and the kind of baseball-adjacent weirdness that asks traditionalists to meet it halfway. This made me wonder: If the Rockies could adopt one Banana Ball rule to use at Coors, which one would you choose?
But what other absurd rules could help Coors Field feel unfair again?
The fan in me wants Rule 8: If a fan catches a foul ball, it’s an out.
At Coors Field, that would be tremendous. Suddenly, every foul ball has real stakes. We have already seen a Rockies fan make a catch while holding a baby and another make a full-extension grab after a massive bounce. The second one would not count as an out under Banana Ball rules, but that is exactly the kind of effort I would expect from the Coors Field faithful.
It would be chaotic, unfair, deeply silly, and probably a lot of fun.
But if we’re talking about a rule that might actually help the Rockies, Rule 5: Batters can steal first might be the answer.
The Rockies already have speed, ranking 10th in baseball in stolen bases despite sitting just 24th in on-base percentage. That tells a pretty simple story: When they get runners on, they can create pressure. The bigger problem is getting enough runners on in the first place.
That is where stealing first becomes interesting. In Banana Ball, a hitter can try to take first base on any pitch of an at-bat. It is not exactly a stable offensive plan, and every two-strike take turning into a footrace would probably get old quickly. Still, for a Rockies team that needs more ways to turn athleticism into baserunners, it would at least fit the roster’s shape.
There are other options, too. No mound visits. A two-hour time limit. No stepping out. A showdown tiebreaker. The Golden Batter rule is tempting, but I’m not sure who the Rockies would anoint with that title.
So what’s your pick?
Which Banana Ball rule would be the most fun at Coors Field?
Down 2-1 against the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder, the San Antonio Spurs are in a near must-win situation in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals on Sunday, May 24.
The two-time All-Star and 2026 NBA Defensive Player of the Year had a game-high 22 points (on 7-of-16 shooting) at halftime as the Spurs staked a 50-38 lead at intermission. The 22-point output included hitting on a buzzer-beating, 42-foot shot from halfcourt right before the half.
Kenny Atkinson claimed that the Cavaliers are "analytically" beating the Knicks in the Eastern Conference finals.
Kenny Atkinson is taking “looking on the bright side” to another level.
The Cavaliers head coach tried to put a positive spin on their current 0-3 hole to the Knicks in the Eastern Conference finals by claiming that Cleveland had actually been playing on par with New York, according to the analytics.
Atkinson even went as far as to say the Cavaliers would have won two of the first three games based on the expected score.
Kenny Atkinson reacts during Game 3 on May 23. AP Photo
“We’ve had success against this team before. We’ve had really good moments,” Atkinson told reporters. “In this series, up [20 points in] Game 1. Even Game 2, take that run out from the beginning of the third quarter, and it’s pretty tight. I think analytically, I think we’ve won I said three out of three, I think we’re two out of three in the [expected score] … we’ve won two out of three. And I know you’re looking confused, but … if you believe in process and all that, take that layer.
“I don’t throw that on them. I see it for myself. We have this feeling, I have this feeling, then I can go to our analytical table … last night, the expected score was like one point or two. Us shooting way below expected, them shooting way over.”
Mike Brown and the Knicks react during their Game 3 win against the Cavaliers on May 23. Charles Wenzelberg
The comments were certainly interesting, considering the Knicks are on the verge of their first NBA Finals appearance since 1999, and the Cavaliers are coming off a Game 3 effort that saw them shoot just 29 percent from 3-point range and go 12-for-19 from the free-throw line.
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The Knicks have also won 10 consecutive postseason games — setting a new franchise record in the process — and have beaten their opponents by an average of 22.5 points during that span.
Atkinson did appear to concede that his point may not be a winning one with the fans, who are watching the Cavaliers crash out at the end of a hard-fought season.
“I know when no one wants to hear that,” he said. “I think [the media likes] hearing it. I know the general public, no one wants to hear it. Everyone’s outcome-based, I get that, too.”
The St. Louis Cardinals have been better than everyone’s expectations this year but is that going to bite them later in the season? This week on the Redbird Rundown podcast we had the legendary Bernie Miklasz join us. We are thankful that Bernie was able to squeeze us in among his 40 other daily articles and podcast appearances and love the conversation we ended up having.
We hope you have been enjoying the content lately and massive thank you to everyone who has taken in our recent episodes. As always, please feel free to drop your feedback so we can continue to get better and bring you what you want to hear. This episode took plenty of turns so let us know your thoughts!
In the episode, we talked if it is fair to change our expectations for the season since the Cardinals have outperformed the expected stats. If they fall below .500, as we figured they would do at the start of the year, is this now a failure of a season? You will hear that I am just enjoying the ride and still see the season as a “fact-finding” mission. At the end of the day, they are finding things out about Jordan Walker, JJ Wetherholt, and others while playing some fun baseball.
Make sure you subscribe, like, and comment so we can continue to grow. Thanks as always!
A group of Catholic nuns known as the Salesian Sisters made a courtside appearance ahead of Game 4 between the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder, bringing both faith and fandom to the Western Conference Finals.
The sisters were seen interacting with players before tipoff, including a moment circulating on social media showing Spurs center Luke Kornet receiving a blessing from two of the nuns.
The Salesian Sisters, based in San Antonio, have followed the Spurs for years and drawn attention during the team’s playoff run for cheering and praying for the team, according to the Salesian Sisters website. Their presence is also tied to their broader mission. The group has said it connects with young people through shared interests, such as sports and uses those connections to build relationships with the community.
The sisters’ appearance in Game 4 comes as the Spurs look to shift momentum in the series, with the group adding both energy and prayer to the playoff atmosphere.
