Sports
MLB roundup: Cubs overtake Dodgers late for 10th straight win
Apr 24, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Chicago Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson (7) celebrates with Chicago Cubs third baseman Alex Bregman (3) after the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Liang-Imagn Images Dansby Swanson hit the go-ahead two-run home run in the ninth as the visiting Chicago Cubs rallied for a 6-4 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the opener of a three-game series on Friday.
The Cubs won their 10th straight game as they came back from a 4-0 deficit, scoring all their runs over the final three innings.
Swanson was 2-for-3 with two runs, a triple, homer and four RBIs. Alex Bregman was 2-for-5 with a solo home run and Moises Ballesteros had two hits and a run.
Pete Crow-Armstrong led off the ninth with a single and was plated on Swanson’s homer off Tanner Scott (0-1).
Dodgers starter Emmet Sheehan kept the Cubs at bay as he yielded one run on four hits over 6 1/3 innings with 10 strikeouts.
Yankees 12, Astros 4
Jazz Chisholm Jr. homered and drove in four and visiting New York ran its winning streak to seven by taking control early in its victory over Houston.
The Yankees lost Giancarlo Stanton to tightness in his lower right leg in the sixth. Will Warren (3-0) allowed two hits on seven hits in six innings. Chisholm had his first three-hit game of the season and third multi-hit game in four games after not getting a multi-hit game in his first 21 games. Ryan McMahon, Ben Rice and Jose Caballero also hit solo homers.
Yainer Diaz homered and had an RBI single for the Astros, who lost for the 14th time in 18 games.
Orioles 10, Red Sox 3
Adley Rutschman hit the first of his two two-run homers in Baltimore’s three-homer first inning and the Orioles went on to rip visiting Boston.
Rutschman, who has three home runs in two games since being activated from the injury list earlier this week, finished with six RBIs. The Orioles blasted six home runs — four of them solo blasts. Gunnar Henderson began the homer parade, and Rutschman and Dylan Beavers joined him with long balls in the inning. Samuel Basallo and Coby Mayo later went deep.
Wilyer Abreu hit a homer for Boston in the second inning, and he, Marcelo Mayer and Trevor Story each finished with two of their team’s 10 hits. The Red Sox have lost four games in a row.
Marlins 9, Giants 4
Liam Hicks and Connor Norby smacked home runs and Kyle Stowers, Xavier Edwards and Otto Lopez collected three hits apiece as Miami opened a six-game California swing with a romp over San Francisco.
Benefitting from a season-high-tying 16 hits of support, Sandy Alcantara (3-2) snapped a three-game personal winless streak with six comfortable innings, helping the Marlins win for the fourth time in their last five games.
Luis Arraez and Jung Hoo Lee had three hits apiece for the Giants, who tallied 11 hits but lost their second straight.
Guardians 8, Blue Jays 6
Angel Martinez launched a pair of two-run home runs and visiting Cleveland held on to defeat Toronto.
Daniel Schneemann had a solo shot for the Guardians in the opener of a three-game series. Gavin Williams (4-1) allowed six runs and seven hits in six innings.
Jesus Sanchez and Kazuma Okamoto homered for the Blue Jays.
Rockies 4, Mets 3
Michael Lorenzen tossed a season-high seven innings and earned the win for visiting Colorado, which beat New York in the opener of a three-game series.
Jake McCarthy laced the tiebreaking RBI double in the sixth while Troy Johnston had what proved to be the decisive two-run single an inning later for the Rockies. TJ Rumfield hit a run-scoring groundout in the fifth while Ezequiel Tovar finished with two hits.
Marcus Semien hit into a run-scoring double play in the second and Brett Baty delivered a two-run single in the eighth for the Mets, who had won two straight following a 12-game losing streak.
Pirates 6, Brewers 0
Paul Skenes took a perfect game bid into the seventh inning and Konnor Griffin celebrated his 20th birthday with his first career homer to pace visiting Pittsburgh over Milwaukee in the opener of the three-game series.
Skenes (4-1) retired the first 20 hitters before Jake Bauers lined a 3-2 pitch for a single up the middle with two outs in the seventh for the Brewers’ only hit. The Pirates, who played their first game in 1882, have yet to throw a perfect game. Their last no-hitter came in 1997.
Skenes, the reigning National League Cy Young Award winner, struck out seven without a walk in a dominant 93-pitch outing. Mason Montgomery followed with a perfect eighth and Isaac Mattson preserved the one-hitter despite a two-out walk in the ninth.
Rays 6, Twins 2
Junior Caminero hit a pair of tape-measure home runs and drove in three runs and Jonathan Aranda also homered twice to lead Tampa Bay to a victory over visiting Minnesota.
It was the fifth career multi-homer game for Caminero, who has hit six home runs during a nine-game hitting streak. Drew Rasmussen (2-0) picked up the win, allowing one run on five hits over six innings.
Brooks Lee homered and doubled in a 3-for-4 game and Royce Lewis also homered for Minnesota, which took its seventh loss in the last eight games.
Braves 5, Phillies 3
Michael Harris II delivered a pinch-hit double to drive in two runs and help Atlanta rally for a win and hand visiting Philadelphia its 10th straight loss.
The losing streak is the longest for Philadelphia since it dropped 11 in a row in 1999. The Braves have won all four games against the Phillies and have won nine of their last 10 games. Ronald Acuna crushed a two-run homer to pull Atlanta even in the fifth.
Trea Turner hit a solo shot and Bryce Harper smashed a two-run blast to put the Phillies up 3-2 in the sixth. For Harper, it was the 800th extra-base hit of his career as he became only the 27th player, and 10th left-handed hitter, to reach that milestone prior to his 34th birthday.
Mariners 3, Cardinals 2
Josh Naylor hit a tiebreaking home run and George Kirby won his third straight start as Seattle defeated host St. Louis in an interleague matchup.
Naylor’s leadoff homer to right-center field in the sixth was the difference. The Mariners snapped a streak of eight consecutive road defeats.
Kirby (4-2) allowed two runs on five hits over six-plus innings. Andre Pallante (2-2) pitched 5 1/3 innings and allowed three runs on four hits. The right-hander fanned a season-high eight, one shy of his career best.
White Sox 5, Nationals 4
Sam Antonacci delivered a tiebreaking sacrifice fly in the eighth inning and Munetaka Murakami homered as host Chicago edged Washington.
Seranthony Dominguez worked around a Luis Garcia Jr. double in the ninth for his sixth save, sending the Nationals to their third straight loss.
Garcia had two hits for the Nationals, while Miguel Vargas had a pair of hits for the White Sox, who have won four of their last five.
Royals 5, Angels 3
Veteran Mike Trout set a franchise record for most career games played at any one position with his 1,367th appearance in center field, but Los Angeles fell to host Kansas City in the opener of their three-game series.
The Royals scored five runs in the bottom of the fourth inning against Angels starter Yusei Kikuchi (0-3), who allowed five runs on five hits in five innings.
The Angels rallied for three runs in the seventh against left-hander Noah Cameron, who had a shutout going for six innings. Cameron (2-1) got the win with three runs allowed on eight hits in 6 1/3 innings.
Athletics 8, Rangers 1
Nick Kurtz, Carlos Cortes and Tyler Soderstrom each hit solo homers in the first inning as the Athletics opened a three-game series against Texas with a victory in Arlington.
Cortes also hit a three-run homer and Zack Gelof slugged a two-run shot among his two hits for the Athletics, who have won three of their last four games. Kurtz also singled, walked and scored two runs. Luis Severino (1-2) allowed one run on six hits over 6 2/3 innings.
Josh Jung doubled in a run and Corey Seager and Josh Smith had two hits apiece for Texas. Nathan Eovaldi (2-4) gave up six runs on six hits over six innings.
Reds 9, Tigers 8
Nathaniel Lowe belted a two-run walk-off home run, lifting Cincinnati to a victory over Detroit.
After Detroit closer Kenley Jansen (0-1) recorded two quick outs in the ninth, Spencer Steer singled. Lowe then connected on his second homer of the game and the season. Matt McLain also homered twice for Cincinnati, which overcame a 5-0 deficit.
Spencer Torkelson and Kerry Carpenter homered in the eighth to give Detroit an 8-7 lead. The Tigers had won 10 of their past 13 entering the Friday contest, which was the opener of a three-game interleague series. Javier Baez and Riley Greene also went deep for the visitors.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Yankees to honor late broadcaster John Sterling with uniform patch
May 4, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees wear “JS” stitched on their hats honoring radio play-by-play announcer John Sterling during the game against the Baltimore Orioles at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images The New York Yankees will honor longtime radio announcer John Sterling, who died on Monday at the age of 87, with a patch on their uniforms for the reminder of the season.
The Yankees will continue to wear caps with the initials “JS” on the back through May 17. The team will switch to the patch as their tribute to Sterling on May 18, when the Yankees’ next homestand begins.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone approves of the tribute.
“I think it’s appropriate, certainly,” Boone told the New York Times after the Yanks’ 7-4 victory over the Texas Rangers. “(I’m) glad we’ll be able to honor his legacy throughout the rest of the season.”
The patch will feature Sterling’s name, as well as a microphone with the Yankee logo on a pinstriped background.
Sterling passed away from complications of heart failure on Monday, the Times reported. Sterling was honored prior to Monday’s game with a ceremony that featured a moment of silence and a video of some of Sterling’s most iconic radio calls.
After Monday’s game, Sterling’s signature call of “Thuuuuuuuuuuh Yankees WIN!” was played over the PA system at Yankee Stadium, followed by Frank Sinatra’s “Theme from New York, New York.”
Both manager Boone and Yankees captain Aaron Judge called for making that combo a permanent tradition. But Sterling’s call was not part of Tuesday’s post-game victory celebration, and it was unclear if the team intends to continue it, the Times reported.
Count Jazz Chisholm Jr. among those who feel the patch is a good way to honor Sterling this season.
“He was here for a long time,” said Chisholm. “He represented the Yankees well. We all, in our childhood, have that John Sterling call rising in our ears. I think it’s pretty cool that we, as a team and organization, get to recognize him for all the great things that he’s done here.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
MLB Panic Meter: Mets, Red Sox, Angels Among Biggest Early Concerns
May 4, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; New York Mets left fielder Juan Soto (22) during the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images The season isn’t one-fourth complete, meaning it’s relatively early by MLB standards.
But it’s also time for concern for a spate of underachieving teams and players to be calibrated against the potential for a rebound.
Here’s our look at some particularly worrisome slow starts around the game.
1. The New York Mets
David Stearns’ nonsensical off-season overhaul — dumping a spate of franchise icons all in the name of improving the defense by signing or moving a bunch of people to positions they’d never played — left the Mets in a much more vulnerable position than any team should be with a $352 million payroll. But it shouldn’t be going THIS badly, even with Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor playing just seven full games together due to their calf injuries.
At least the Mets no longer have the worst record in the bigs after winning three of four from the Los Angeles Angels and Colorado Rockies. But when you’ve got to win three of four from the Angels and Rockies just to escape the basement.
2. The Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies
May 1, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox left fielder Jarren Duran (16) runs the bases after hitting a three-run home run against the Houston Astros during the third inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images The 2-for-1, you-both-got-your-managers-fired deal here. As with the Mets, the off-season should have provided more of a hint that the Red Sox (who didn’t re-sign valuable veteran leader Alex Bregman) and Phillies (who re-signed every aging veteran this side of Steve Jeltz) might stumble out of the gates. A 4-0 start under interim manager Don Mattingly served as a reminder the Phillies have an immeasurable edge of the Red Sox in terms of postseason-tested players and, especially, competent upper management. Boston’s geniuses apparently thought it’d be a good idea to toss Triple-A manager Chad Tracy into a locker room filled with angry players. Hard to believe “chief baseball officer” Craig Breslow actually played in the majors.
3. The Los Angeles Angels
May 5, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout (27) is greeted after hitting a solo home run against the Chicago White Sox during the first inning at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images We should all be immune to being disappointed by the Angels, who have the longest playoff drought in the majors as well as the longest streak of consecutive sub-.500 finishes despite employing both Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout from 2018 through 2023.
But the American League is a mashup of mediocrity and Trout is enjoying a renaissance season, so it wouldn’t take much for the Angels to at least hover around the fringes of contention. So of course they’ve lost 13 of 15 to fall to 13-23, which is the worst record in the bigs and puts the Angels on pace to lose 100 games for the first time ever. So there is that.
4. Willy Adames and Rafael Devers, San Francisco Giants SS/1B
Buster Posey’s weird plan to construct a contender around a bunch of singles hitters was always contingent on Adames, the one Giants position player star who chose to play in hitter-unfriendly Oracle Park, and Devers, a blockbuster trade addition last year, providing the token bit of power.
But the duo have combined for just five homers and rank 161st and 163rd, respectively, in OPS at .579 and .572 as the Giants have started 14-21. Adames’ poor strikeout-to-walk ratio — he’s struck out 45 times while drawing just six walks — is a big red flag after he increased his walk total each of the previous three seasons.
5. Andrew Abbott, Cincinnati Reds P
Jun 10, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Andrew Abbott (41) delivers a pitch in the first inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images Abbott outperformed his peripherals (a 2.87 ERA but a 3.66 FIP) while making the All-Star team for the first time last season. But the market correction has been unforgiving for Abbott, whose 5.97 ERA is seventh-worst in the NL amongst pitchers who have thrown at least 30 innings. He is also striking out just 6.2 batters per nine innings, easily the lowest figure of his career and a concerning trend as the Reds bank on a bounce-back.
Sports
Should the Celtics Blow It Up? Analyzing Every Major Option
Feb 28, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens before their game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images Everyone seems to have an opinion on how to “fix” the Celtics.
You’ll probably not be surprised to hear I have a few myself. OK, more than just a few.
Raising a 7-foot bar on a bunch of wishful thinking among Celtics fans and senseless knee-jerk reactions among the unfaithful, here’s where I stand on some of the more popular suggestions:
Fire Brad Stevens.
Let’s get the most ridiculous one out of the way.
Stevens was NBA Executive of the Year this year for a reason. He did the seemingly impossible (or so Golden State tells us) … He got rid of a bunch of overpaid veterans, remained competitive even without Jayson Tatum for the most part, and restructured a roster that should be able to compete for Eastern titles for most of the next decade.
Fire him? I say: Reward him.
Fire Joe Mazzulla.
He did such a great job during the regular season, he set himself up for a hard fall in the playoffs. And even at that, you have to wonder what might have happened had Tatum not contracted a case of Embiid-itis.
Did he mismanage the Philadelphia series? Sure. The Pistons would have fired their coach if he’d done that. Maybe even the Knicks and Cavaliers. But they haven’t won a title, made the Finals twice and been a perennial contender for the better part of a decade.
Based on the improbable regular season alone, Mazz deserves the benefit of the doubt. But don’t let it happen again.
Trade Derrick White.
On the surface, this one makes sense. As the 76ers series demonstrated, the Celtics could use a Robert Williams III type more than a White type. But that’s what Stevens, in a rare blunder, thought when he exchanged Anfernee Simons for Nikola Vucevic.
Look at the Eastern Conference. When Joel Embiid isn’t playing – which is most of the time – the top players are almost all guards: Cade Cunningham, Jalen Brunson, Donovan Mitchell, James Harden, Tyrese Haliburton … You need somebody to slow them down.
Yeah, the Celtics could move Jaylen Brown fulltime to the backcourt, but that likely would force Tatum to actually have to guard somebody. Giving Brown the tough frontcourt assignments allows Tatum to freelance, grab cheap rebounds and stay fresh for his late barrage of missed 3-pointers. Wait, that was supposed to be a positive.
Trading White maybe gets you Wendell Carter Jr., but does that make you better? I say: Just bigger.
Trade Jaylen Brown.
May 2, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey (0) talks with Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7)after Philadephia’s win in game seven of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images Let’s be honest: Breaking up the Brown/Tatum tandem would take a lot of guts. But after watching the Celtics play without Tatum for two-thirds of last season, it’s at least worth considering.
So which one gets shopped? That depends what type of team you want.
We’ve seen what the Celtics look like without Tatum – energetic, defensive-minded and all-inclusive on offense. And that’s without whatever high-level player or players you would get by trading Tatum.
You turn Brown into, say, Naz Reid and Terrence Shannon Jr., and you improve defensively on the interior and offensively on the perimeter. But you lose what made the Celtics so fun to watch this season – the team’s best defender and emotional leader.
I’d keep Brown.
Trade Jayson Tatum.
It might take just one call to turn the Celtics into the Eastern frontrunner again …
Stevens: If we give you Tatum for Giannis, how many first-round picks would you want?
Bucks GM Jon Horst: Let me get back to you on that.
If the response is anything you can count on one hand, the Celtics’ off-season is complete.
Tatum has done a lot of good things for this team, but he’s not in Giannis’ league. Few players are.
The Celtics would get their interior force, a runner who would allow the team to pick up the pace and another elite shot-blocker who would make Boston the most well-rounded defensive force in the league, with White shadowing star little guys, Brown locked onto mid-sized scorers and Giannis pitching a tent in the middle.
Stop dreaming? OK, then I’d settle for Domantas Sabonis and De’Andre Hunter.
Stand pat.
Stevens earned a nice, long vacation. Maybe he should take one.
No phones. See you in October with the same pieces that made the Celtics the favorite in the Eastern playoffs. Even with Tatum at less than 100 percent.
After all, it ain’t broke.
Unless, of course: Brad, this is Horstie getting back to you …
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Sports
MLB roundup: Cubs overtake Dodgers late for 10th straight win
Apr 24, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Chicago Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson (7) celebrates with Chicago Cubs third baseman Alex Bregman (3) after the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Liang-Imagn Images Dansby Swanson hit the go-ahead two-run home run in the ninth as the visiting Chicago Cubs rallied for a 6-4 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the opener of a three-game series on Friday.
The Cubs won their 10th straight game as they came back from a 4-0 deficit, scoring all their runs over the final three innings.
Swanson was 2-for-3 with two runs, a triple, homer and four RBIs. Alex Bregman was 2-for-5 with a solo home run and Moises Ballesteros had two hits and a run.
Pete Crow-Armstrong led off the ninth with a single and was plated on Swanson’s homer off Tanner Scott (0-1).
Dodgers starter Emmet Sheehan kept the Cubs at bay as he yielded one run on four hits over 6 1/3 innings with 10 strikeouts.
Yankees 12, Astros 4
Jazz Chisholm Jr. homered and drove in four and visiting New York ran its winning streak to seven by taking control early in its victory over Houston.
The Yankees lost Giancarlo Stanton to tightness in his lower right leg in the sixth. Will Warren (3-0) allowed two hits on seven hits in six innings. Chisholm had his first three-hit game of the season and third multi-hit game in four games after not getting a multi-hit game in his first 21 games. Ryan McMahon, Ben Rice and Jose Caballero also hit solo homers.
Yainer Diaz homered and had an RBI single for the Astros, who lost for the 14th time in 18 games.
Orioles 10, Red Sox 3
Adley Rutschman hit the first of his two two-run homers in Baltimore’s three-homer first inning and the Orioles went on to rip visiting Boston.
Rutschman, who has three home runs in two games since being activated from the injury list earlier this week, finished with six RBIs. The Orioles blasted six home runs — four of them solo blasts. Gunnar Henderson began the homer parade, and Rutschman and Dylan Beavers joined him with long balls in the inning. Samuel Basallo and Coby Mayo later went deep.
Wilyer Abreu hit a homer for Boston in the second inning, and he, Marcelo Mayer and Trevor Story each finished with two of their team’s 10 hits. The Red Sox have lost four games in a row.
Marlins 9, Giants 4
Liam Hicks and Connor Norby smacked home runs and Kyle Stowers, Xavier Edwards and Otto Lopez collected three hits apiece as Miami opened a six-game California swing with a romp over San Francisco.
Benefitting from a season-high-tying 16 hits of support, Sandy Alcantara (3-2) snapped a three-game personal winless streak with six comfortable innings, helping the Marlins win for the fourth time in their last five games.
Luis Arraez and Jung Hoo Lee had three hits apiece for the Giants, who tallied 11 hits but lost their second straight.
Guardians 8, Blue Jays 6
Angel Martinez launched a pair of two-run home runs and visiting Cleveland held on to defeat Toronto.
Daniel Schneemann had a solo shot for the Guardians in the opener of a three-game series. Gavin Williams (4-1) allowed six runs and seven hits in six innings.
Jesus Sanchez and Kazuma Okamoto homered for the Blue Jays.
Rockies 4, Mets 3
Michael Lorenzen tossed a season-high seven innings and earned the win for visiting Colorado, which beat New York in the opener of a three-game series.
Jake McCarthy laced the tiebreaking RBI double in the sixth while Troy Johnston had what proved to be the decisive two-run single an inning later for the Rockies. TJ Rumfield hit a run-scoring groundout in the fifth while Ezequiel Tovar finished with two hits.
Marcus Semien hit into a run-scoring double play in the second and Brett Baty delivered a two-run single in the eighth for the Mets, who had won two straight following a 12-game losing streak.
Pirates 6, Brewers 0
Paul Skenes took a perfect game bid into the seventh inning and Konnor Griffin celebrated his 20th birthday with his first career homer to pace visiting Pittsburgh over Milwaukee in the opener of the three-game series.
Skenes (4-1) retired the first 20 hitters before Jake Bauers lined a 3-2 pitch for a single up the middle with two outs in the seventh for the Brewers’ only hit. The Pirates, who played their first game in 1882, have yet to throw a perfect game. Their last no-hitter came in 1997.
Skenes, the reigning National League Cy Young Award winner, struck out seven without a walk in a dominant 93-pitch outing. Mason Montgomery followed with a perfect eighth and Isaac Mattson preserved the one-hitter despite a two-out walk in the ninth.
Rays 6, Twins 2
Junior Caminero hit a pair of tape-measure home runs and drove in three runs and Jonathan Aranda also homered twice to lead Tampa Bay to a victory over visiting Minnesota.
It was the fifth career multi-homer game for Caminero, who has hit six home runs during a nine-game hitting streak. Drew Rasmussen (2-0) picked up the win, allowing one run on five hits over six innings.
Brooks Lee homered and doubled in a 3-for-4 game and Royce Lewis also homered for Minnesota, which took its seventh loss in the last eight games.
Braves 5, Phillies 3
Michael Harris II delivered a pinch-hit double to drive in two runs and help Atlanta rally for a win and hand visiting Philadelphia its 10th straight loss.
The losing streak is the longest for Philadelphia since it dropped 11 in a row in 1999. The Braves have won all four games against the Phillies and have won nine of their last 10 games. Ronald Acuna crushed a two-run homer to pull Atlanta even in the fifth.
Trea Turner hit a solo shot and Bryce Harper smashed a two-run blast to put the Phillies up 3-2 in the sixth. For Harper, it was the 800th extra-base hit of his career as he became only the 27th player, and 10th left-handed hitter, to reach that milestone prior to his 34th birthday.
Mariners 3, Cardinals 2
Josh Naylor hit a tiebreaking home run and George Kirby won his third straight start as Seattle defeated host St. Louis in an interleague matchup.
Naylor’s leadoff homer to right-center field in the sixth was the difference. The Mariners snapped a streak of eight consecutive road defeats.
Kirby (4-2) allowed two runs on five hits over six-plus innings. Andre Pallante (2-2) pitched 5 1/3 innings and allowed three runs on four hits. The right-hander fanned a season-high eight, one shy of his career best.
White Sox 5, Nationals 4
Sam Antonacci delivered a tiebreaking sacrifice fly in the eighth inning and Munetaka Murakami homered as host Chicago edged Washington.
Seranthony Dominguez worked around a Luis Garcia Jr. double in the ninth for his sixth save, sending the Nationals to their third straight loss.
Garcia had two hits for the Nationals, while Miguel Vargas had a pair of hits for the White Sox, who have won four of their last five.
Royals 5, Angels 3
Veteran Mike Trout set a franchise record for most career games played at any one position with his 1,367th appearance in center field, but Los Angeles fell to host Kansas City in the opener of their three-game series.
The Royals scored five runs in the bottom of the fourth inning against Angels starter Yusei Kikuchi (0-3), who allowed five runs on five hits in five innings.
The Angels rallied for three runs in the seventh against left-hander Noah Cameron, who had a shutout going for six innings. Cameron (2-1) got the win with three runs allowed on eight hits in 6 1/3 innings.
Athletics 8, Rangers 1
Nick Kurtz, Carlos Cortes and Tyler Soderstrom each hit solo homers in the first inning as the Athletics opened a three-game series against Texas with a victory in Arlington.
Cortes also hit a three-run homer and Zack Gelof slugged a two-run shot among his two hits for the Athletics, who have won three of their last four games. Kurtz also singled, walked and scored two runs. Luis Severino (1-2) allowed one run on six hits over 6 2/3 innings.
Josh Jung doubled in a run and Corey Seager and Josh Smith had two hits apiece for Texas. Nathan Eovaldi (2-4) gave up six runs on six hits over six innings.
Reds 9, Tigers 8
Nathaniel Lowe belted a two-run walk-off home run, lifting Cincinnati to a victory over Detroit.
After Detroit closer Kenley Jansen (0-1) recorded two quick outs in the ninth, Spencer Steer singled. Lowe then connected on his second homer of the game and the season. Matt McLain also homered twice for Cincinnati, which overcame a 5-0 deficit.
Spencer Torkelson and Kerry Carpenter homered in the eighth to give Detroit an 8-7 lead. The Tigers had won 10 of their past 13 entering the Friday contest, which was the opener of a three-game interleague series. Javier Baez and Riley Greene also went deep for the visitors.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Yankees to honor late broadcaster John Sterling with uniform patch
May 4, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees wear “JS” stitched on their hats honoring radio play-by-play announcer John Sterling during the game against the Baltimore Orioles at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images The New York Yankees will honor longtime radio announcer John Sterling, who died on Monday at the age of 87, with a patch on their uniforms for the reminder of the season.
The Yankees will continue to wear caps with the initials “JS” on the back through May 17. The team will switch to the patch as their tribute to Sterling on May 18, when the Yankees’ next homestand begins.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone approves of the tribute.
“I think it’s appropriate, certainly,” Boone told the New York Times after the Yanks’ 7-4 victory over the Texas Rangers. “(I’m) glad we’ll be able to honor his legacy throughout the rest of the season.”
The patch will feature Sterling’s name, as well as a microphone with the Yankee logo on a pinstriped background.
Sterling passed away from complications of heart failure on Monday, the Times reported. Sterling was honored prior to Monday’s game with a ceremony that featured a moment of silence and a video of some of Sterling’s most iconic radio calls.
After Monday’s game, Sterling’s signature call of “Thuuuuuuuuuuh Yankees WIN!” was played over the PA system at Yankee Stadium, followed by Frank Sinatra’s “Theme from New York, New York.”
Both manager Boone and Yankees captain Aaron Judge called for making that combo a permanent tradition. But Sterling’s call was not part of Tuesday’s post-game victory celebration, and it was unclear if the team intends to continue it, the Times reported.
Count Jazz Chisholm Jr. among those who feel the patch is a good way to honor Sterling this season.
“He was here for a long time,” said Chisholm. “He represented the Yankees well. We all, in our childhood, have that John Sterling call rising in our ears. I think it’s pretty cool that we, as a team and organization, get to recognize him for all the great things that he’s done here.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
MLB Panic Meter: Mets, Red Sox, Angels Among Biggest Early Concerns
May 4, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; New York Mets left fielder Juan Soto (22) during the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images The season isn’t one-fourth complete, meaning it’s relatively early by MLB standards.
But it’s also time for concern for a spate of underachieving teams and players to be calibrated against the potential for a rebound.
Here’s our look at some particularly worrisome slow starts around the game.
1. The New York Mets
David Stearns’ nonsensical off-season overhaul — dumping a spate of franchise icons all in the name of improving the defense by signing or moving a bunch of people to positions they’d never played — left the Mets in a much more vulnerable position than any team should be with a $352 million payroll. But it shouldn’t be going THIS badly, even with Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor playing just seven full games together due to their calf injuries.
At least the Mets no longer have the worst record in the bigs after winning three of four from the Los Angeles Angels and Colorado Rockies. But when you’ve got to win three of four from the Angels and Rockies just to escape the basement.
2. The Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies
May 1, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox left fielder Jarren Duran (16) runs the bases after hitting a three-run home run against the Houston Astros during the third inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images The 2-for-1, you-both-got-your-managers-fired deal here. As with the Mets, the off-season should have provided more of a hint that the Red Sox (who didn’t re-sign valuable veteran leader Alex Bregman) and Phillies (who re-signed every aging veteran this side of Steve Jeltz) might stumble out of the gates. A 4-0 start under interim manager Don Mattingly served as a reminder the Phillies have an immeasurable edge of the Red Sox in terms of postseason-tested players and, especially, competent upper management. Boston’s geniuses apparently thought it’d be a good idea to toss Triple-A manager Chad Tracy into a locker room filled with angry players. Hard to believe “chief baseball officer” Craig Breslow actually played in the majors.
3. The Los Angeles Angels
May 5, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout (27) is greeted after hitting a solo home run against the Chicago White Sox during the first inning at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images We should all be immune to being disappointed by the Angels, who have the longest playoff drought in the majors as well as the longest streak of consecutive sub-.500 finishes despite employing both Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout from 2018 through 2023.
But the American League is a mashup of mediocrity and Trout is enjoying a renaissance season, so it wouldn’t take much for the Angels to at least hover around the fringes of contention. So of course they’ve lost 13 of 15 to fall to 13-23, which is the worst record in the bigs and puts the Angels on pace to lose 100 games for the first time ever. So there is that.
4. Willy Adames and Rafael Devers, San Francisco Giants SS/1B
Buster Posey’s weird plan to construct a contender around a bunch of singles hitters was always contingent on Adames, the one Giants position player star who chose to play in hitter-unfriendly Oracle Park, and Devers, a blockbuster trade addition last year, providing the token bit of power.
But the duo have combined for just five homers and rank 161st and 163rd, respectively, in OPS at .579 and .572 as the Giants have started 14-21. Adames’ poor strikeout-to-walk ratio — he’s struck out 45 times while drawing just six walks — is a big red flag after he increased his walk total each of the previous three seasons.
5. Andrew Abbott, Cincinnati Reds P
Jun 10, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Andrew Abbott (41) delivers a pitch in the first inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images Abbott outperformed his peripherals (a 2.87 ERA but a 3.66 FIP) while making the All-Star team for the first time last season. But the market correction has been unforgiving for Abbott, whose 5.97 ERA is seventh-worst in the NL amongst pitchers who have thrown at least 30 innings. He is also striking out just 6.2 batters per nine innings, easily the lowest figure of his career and a concerning trend as the Reds bank on a bounce-back.
Sports
Should the Celtics Blow It Up? Analyzing Every Major Option
Feb 28, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens before their game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images Everyone seems to have an opinion on how to “fix” the Celtics.
You’ll probably not be surprised to hear I have a few myself. OK, more than just a few.
Raising a 7-foot bar on a bunch of wishful thinking among Celtics fans and senseless knee-jerk reactions among the unfaithful, here’s where I stand on some of the more popular suggestions:
Fire Brad Stevens.
Let’s get the most ridiculous one out of the way.
Stevens was NBA Executive of the Year this year for a reason. He did the seemingly impossible (or so Golden State tells us) … He got rid of a bunch of overpaid veterans, remained competitive even without Jayson Tatum for the most part, and restructured a roster that should be able to compete for Eastern titles for most of the next decade.
Fire him? I say: Reward him.
Fire Joe Mazzulla.
He did such a great job during the regular season, he set himself up for a hard fall in the playoffs. And even at that, you have to wonder what might have happened had Tatum not contracted a case of Embiid-itis.
Did he mismanage the Philadelphia series? Sure. The Pistons would have fired their coach if he’d done that. Maybe even the Knicks and Cavaliers. But they haven’t won a title, made the Finals twice and been a perennial contender for the better part of a decade.
Based on the improbable regular season alone, Mazz deserves the benefit of the doubt. But don’t let it happen again.
Trade Derrick White.
On the surface, this one makes sense. As the 76ers series demonstrated, the Celtics could use a Robert Williams III type more than a White type. But that’s what Stevens, in a rare blunder, thought when he exchanged Anfernee Simons for Nikola Vucevic.
Look at the Eastern Conference. When Joel Embiid isn’t playing – which is most of the time – the top players are almost all guards: Cade Cunningham, Jalen Brunson, Donovan Mitchell, James Harden, Tyrese Haliburton … You need somebody to slow them down.
Yeah, the Celtics could move Jaylen Brown fulltime to the backcourt, but that likely would force Tatum to actually have to guard somebody. Giving Brown the tough frontcourt assignments allows Tatum to freelance, grab cheap rebounds and stay fresh for his late barrage of missed 3-pointers. Wait, that was supposed to be a positive.
Trading White maybe gets you Wendell Carter Jr., but does that make you better? I say: Just bigger.
Trade Jaylen Brown.
May 2, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey (0) talks with Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7)after Philadephia’s win in game seven of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images Let’s be honest: Breaking up the Brown/Tatum tandem would take a lot of guts. But after watching the Celtics play without Tatum for two-thirds of last season, it’s at least worth considering.
So which one gets shopped? That depends what type of team you want.
We’ve seen what the Celtics look like without Tatum – energetic, defensive-minded and all-inclusive on offense. And that’s without whatever high-level player or players you would get by trading Tatum.
You turn Brown into, say, Naz Reid and Terrence Shannon Jr., and you improve defensively on the interior and offensively on the perimeter. But you lose what made the Celtics so fun to watch this season – the team’s best defender and emotional leader.
I’d keep Brown.
Trade Jayson Tatum.
It might take just one call to turn the Celtics into the Eastern frontrunner again …
Stevens: If we give you Tatum for Giannis, how many first-round picks would you want?
Bucks GM Jon Horst: Let me get back to you on that.
If the response is anything you can count on one hand, the Celtics’ off-season is complete.
Tatum has done a lot of good things for this team, but he’s not in Giannis’ league. Few players are.
The Celtics would get their interior force, a runner who would allow the team to pick up the pace and another elite shot-blocker who would make Boston the most well-rounded defensive force in the league, with White shadowing star little guys, Brown locked onto mid-sized scorers and Giannis pitching a tent in the middle.
Stop dreaming? OK, then I’d settle for Domantas Sabonis and De’Andre Hunter.
Stand pat.
Stevens earned a nice, long vacation. Maybe he should take one.
No phones. See you in October with the same pieces that made the Celtics the favorite in the Eastern playoffs. Even with Tatum at less than 100 percent.
After all, it ain’t broke.
Unless, of course: Brad, this is Horstie getting back to you …
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