Sports
Carlos Rodon, Yankees vie to get right in finale vs. Blue Jays
May 10, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Carlos Rodon (55) throws a pitch in the first inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images Carlos Rodon was pitching with loose bodies in his left elbow when he struggled in Game 3 of the 2025 American League Division Series. That was the only game the New York Yankees won against the Toronto Blue Jays in that series.
Rodon recovered from surgery and has returned with a pair of difficult outings.
The left-hander hopes to put together a strong performance as the Yankees host the Blue Jays in the finale of a four-game series on Thursday. The most recent Rodon outing against Toronto, in the ALDS, didn’t go well.
Rodon (0-1, 5.63 ERA) allowed six runs on six hits in 2 1/3 innings last Oct. 7 before New York rallied for a 9-6 win over Toronto to delay its elimination from the series by one night. In that game, Rodon’s fastball averaged 93.4 mph and the velocity on his other pitches also diminished.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who is 11-for-19 in all matchups with Rodon, belted a two-run homer off Rodon in the first inning.
Overall, Rodon is 2-3 with a 4.72 ERA in nine career regular season starts against Toronto.
This season, Rodon has been tagged for six runs (five earned) on five hits and eight walks in his first eight innings during outings against the Milwaukee Brewers and New York Mets.
“They didn’t go well at all,” Rodon said about his rocky two starts.
Rodon’s four-seam velocity is 95.3 mph thus far, however he has struggled with command.
In his season debut in Milwaukee on May 10, Rodon allowed three runs on two hits in 4 1/3 innings but also walked five in the 4-3 defeat. In Saturday’s 6-3 loss to the Mets, Rodon yielded three runs (two earned) on three hits in 3 2/3 innings, walked five and allowed a run on a throwing error following a wild pitch.
“Both of the innings where he gets dinged there, it’s two outs and nobody on, and then some long at-bats,” manager Aaron Boone said after that outing. “There’s some really encouraging signs. We’ve got to dial in the command now.”
The Blue Jays moved to 6-10 in their past 16 games by recording a 2-1 win over New York on Wednesday after losing the first two games of the series. Andres Giminez scored on a bases-loaded walk and Guerrero added a sacrifice fly in the seventh inning.
Toronto used four relievers in each of the first three games of this series and likely will lean heavily on its bullpen again Thursday.
Right-hander Braydon Fisher (2-1, 3.08) is penciled in to serve as the opener and make his second start of the season and third of his career. He is 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA in six career relief appearances versus the Yankees.
Spencer Miles likely will appear as a bulk reliever since 12 of his 13 appearances are out of the bullpen.
Miles pitched 3 2/3 innings of two-hit ball when he threw 56 pitches to 14 hitters in Saturday’s win at Detroit. In his previous appearance, he threw 38 pitches in three scoreless innings of a 6-1 loss to the Los Angeles Angels on May 10.
The Yankees were held to three runs or fewer for the sixth time in a 4-8 slump on Wednesday. Aaron Judge is 1-for-11 in the series after striking out in all four plate apparances — three times against Trey Yesavage — and 4-for-27 with 11 strikeouts over his past seven games.
“He’s a good player. I try to strike out everybody,” Yesavage said. “I guess it’s an accomplishment to strike him out three times, but I try to do that to everybody.”
Both teams likely will be without outfielders on Thursday.
New York lost center fielder Trent Grisham to left knee discomfort and is awaiting further testing. He was replaced in the outfield by Spencer Jones in the fifth inning.
Toronto lost Jesus Sanchez after he attempted a diving catch on Paul Goldschmidt’s sinking liner in the seventh inning. Manager John Schneider said Sanchez was “winded” and would be re-evaluated Thursday.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Trent Grisham (knee) exits Yankees-Blue Jays game
May 12, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; New York Yankees center fielder Trent Grisham (12) looks on during the sixth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images New York Yankees center fielder Trent Grisham exited Wednesday’s game against the visiting Toronto Blue Jays because of left knee discomfort.
The Yankees said he was checked out by team physician Dr. Christopher Ahmad and will undergo further testing.
In the second inning, Grisham hit a pop up off Trey Yesavage that fell between left fielder Yohendrick Pinargo and third baseman Kazuma Okamoto.
Grisham jogged slowly to first base as he thought the ball was going to get caught. He accelerated to second when it was not fielded and appeared to be running awkwardly.
Grisham exited after the Yankees batted in the fourth and was replaced by rookie Spencer Jones, who played most of his minor league games in center field.
Grisham is hitting .174 with six homers and 27 RBIs in 49 games this season. He hit .235 with 34 homers and 74 RBIs last season and accepted the one-year $22.5 million qualifying offer to return to the Yankees in the offseason.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Carmen Mlodzinski gets plenty of support as Pirates shut out Cardinals
May 20, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Carmen Mlodzinski (50) pitches against the St. Louis Cardinals during the first inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images The Pittsburgh Pirates got a home run from Spencer Horwitz as they emphatically snapped their four-game losing streak with a 7-0 win over the host St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday night.
Carmen Mlodzinski (3-3) threw five scoreless innings for Pittsburgh, which outhit the Cardinals 15-5. Four relievers completed the shutout. Rookie Konnor Griffin led the way for the Pirates offensively with a 4-for-5 night and three runs scored.
There was also a milestone moment for Pirates center fielder Jhostynxon Garcia, who recorded his first career RBI in the win. Garcia was making only his second start for Pittsburgh after being called up on Tuesday.
JJ Wetherholt went 2-for-4 at the top of the St. Louis order and Victor Scott II hit a double.
Mlodzinski worked around a single and a walk to strand two on base in the first inning. The Pirates struck first in the top of the second with Horwitz’s fourth home run of the season.
Pittsburgh mounted a two-out rally in the fourth to extend its lead. After Griffin reached on his first of two infield singles and Endy Rodriguez walked, Garcia’s RBI single doubled the Pirates’ advantage.
Cardinals starter Michael McGreevy (3-3) was chased after loading the bases without recording an out on three consecutive singles in the sixth. Justin Bruihl came on in relief and got out of the jam, but not without allowing Pittsburgh to add on with Nick Gonzales’ sacrifice fly.
McGreevy finished with three runs allowed in five-plus innings. The right-hander struggled to miss bats, allowing 10 hits and striking out only one hitter.
St. Louis also loaded the bases in the bottom of the sixth, but Yohan Ramirez struck out Masyn Winn, and Jake Mangum made a sliding grab at the wall in right to rob Cesar Prieto of extra bases and keep the shutout intact.
The result was put beyond doubt when Pittsburgh put up four runs off Matt Svanson in the eighth. Mangum and Gonzales hit RBI singles before Bryan Reynolds blew open the inning with a two-run double.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Second-period surge leads Knights past Avalanche in West finals opener
May 20, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Vegas Golden Knights right wing Pavel Dorofeyev (16) scores past Colorado Avalanche goaltender Scott Wedgewood (41) during the second period in game one of the Western Conference Final of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images DENVER — Dylan Coghlan and Pavel Dorofeyev scored 2:33 apart in the second period, Carter Hart made 36 saves, and the Vegas Golden Knights beat the Colorado Avalanche 4-2 in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals on Wednesday.
Brett Howton also had a goal and Nic Dowd scored into an empty net for Vegas, which grabbed home-ice advantage from the Presidents’ Trophy winners.
Game 2 of the best-of-seven series will be played Friday night in Denver.
Valeri Nichushkin and Gabriel Landeskog scored while Scott Wedgewood turned away 24 shots for Colorado, which trails in a series for the first time in this postseason.
Vegas captain Mark Stone (lower-body injury) and Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar (upper body) were scratched.
Both teams had chances in a scoreless first period. Keegan Kolesar nearly gave the Golden Knights the lead on a partial breakaway early on. Logan O’Connor hit the post for the Avalanche, and Hart made a save on Nazem Kadri in the waning seconds of the period.
Vegas finally broke through at 12:29 of the second period. Brandon Saad sent a pass to Coghlan in the slot, and Coghlan’s wrister beat Wedgewood through the pads for his first goal of the postseason.
Colorado’s Ross Colton took a roughing penalty less than two minutes later, and the Golden Knights took advantage. Mitch Marner stretched out with the puck and whipped a pass to Dorofeyev coming down the right side. Dorofeyev sent a one-timer to the short side past at 15:02, his 10th goal of the playoffs.
Vegas made it 3-0 early in the third after killing off a Colorado power play. Howden knocked down the rebound of Ben Hutton’s shot with his glove and tapped the puck by Wedgewood at 1:34.
The Avalanche answered at 5:53 when Nichushkin redirected Colton’s pass beyond Hart.
Wedgewood came off when Colorado went on the power play at 16:52, and Landeskog cut the deficit to one at 17:39.
The Avalanche pulled Wedgwood again, but Dowd sealed it into an empty net at 19:15.
–Field Level Media
Trent Grisham (knee) exits Yankees-Blue Jays game
Carmen Mlodzinski gets plenty of support as Pirates shut out Cardinals
