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Tyler Mahle, San Francisco Giants

Leading off this week is San Francisco Giants right-hander Tyler Mahle, whose 9.00 ERA over his last three starts is one of the most misleading lines in baseball. Across 14 innings, Mahle has allowed 14 earned runs, but his 2.60 SIERA tells a completely different story. The contact against him has been weak, with a 31.9% hard-hit rate, a 4.3% barrel rate, and an 85.9 mph average exit velocity, all well below league average.

His .405 wOBA against sits 131 points above his .274 expected mark, and a .383 BABIP shows balls dropping that shouldn’t. With a 22.7% strikeout rate and a 6.1% walk rate, Mahle’s ERA should plummet toward his skill level soon.

Janson Junk, Miami Marlins

Next up is Miami Marlins right-hander Janson Junk, who carries the largest sample of bad luck on this list. Over his last three starts spanning 15.1 innings, Junk has surrendered 16 earned runs for a 9.39 ERA, but his 2.93 SIERA says he has pitched far better than that. The contact against him has been manageable, with an 86.7 mph average exit velocity and a 6.6% barrel rate, and he has barely walked anyone at 4.1%.

His .440 wOBA against towers 132 points above his .308 expected mark, while a .361 BABIP confirms balls keep finding grass. If he leans on the soft contact over strikeouts, Junk’s results should normalize in a hurry. 

Peyton Gray, Texas Rangers

Over three short outings totaling just 5.1 innings, Texas Rangers righty Peyton Gray has allowed 8 earned runs for a 13.50 ERA, yet his 2.83 SIERA hints at a far better arm underneath. He has paired a 23.3% strikeout rate with a 3.3% walk rate, and the contact has stayed soft, with a 4.8% barrel rate and an 86.4 mph average exit velocity.

His .443 wOBA against runs is 145 points above his .298 expected mark. The more he keeps pitching, the more Gray’s ERA should crater toward his skill. 

Mitchell Parker, Washington Nationals

Washington Nationals lefty Mitchell Parker is another arm whose line lies about his week. Over his last three starts, Parker gave up 7 earned runs across 6 innings for a 10.50 ERA, yet his 2.93 SIERA points to something much closer to a quality stretch. His 23.3% strikeout rate and 6.7% walk rate are exactly the foundation you want, and his .425 wOBA against sits 117 points above his .308 expected figure.

The one wrinkle is a neutral .300 BABIP, so this isn’t a balls-finding-holes story. If Parker keeps missing bats and limiting free passes, his ERA should follow the underlying numbers down. 

Jose Quintana, Colorado Rockies

Rounding out the list is Colorado Rockies veteran Jose Quintana, whose home ballpark complicates the picture. Over his last three starts, Quintana yielded 11 earned runs in 11 innings for a 9.00 ERA, while his 3.48 SIERA points to a steadier performer.

His contact allowed has been roughly average, with a 36.4% hard-hit rate and an 87.2 mph average exit velocity. A .386 BABIP suggests some misfortune, though pitching half his games at Coors Field means a good chunk of that is the environment, not pure luck.

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Maye hosted a celebrity softball game for charity on Sunday night and it featured several notable names taking part, including Rife and Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson.

On one play during the game, Rife was the beneficiary of a bad throw to first base after what looked like a routine groundout.

The throw was errant and that led to Rife trying for second base, something he quickly regretted after getting in a rundown.

And then Stevenson nearly paid the price for that errant throw and Rife’s aggressiveness because the comedian’s slide into second base took the Patriots running back’s legs out, which was a scary scene to watch when you think about NFL players and leg injuries.

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Thankfully, Stevenson appeared to be OK after the play, and Rife avoided never hearing the end of it from Patriots fans for the rest of his existence on planet Earth.

Wherever they were, head coach Mike Vrabel and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels definitely cringed watching that clip.

Just a few baseball-related thoughts here:

Rife clearly needs to work on his slide and everyone involved in the rundown needs to do a better job not crowding second base.

Food for thought for 2027, gentlemen.

Rhamondre Stevenson’s 2026 outlook

Rhamondre Stevenson will once again share a backfield with 2025 second-round pick TreVeyon Henderson.

The question is: will Stevenson actually lead the backfield?

Henderson is clearly the more explosive and exciting player given his big-play ability that makes him a scoring threat from anywhere on the field.

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But Henderson also proved shaky in pass protection, and if that continues his playing time will be negatively impacted, which will benefit Stevenson.

Stevenson has his own issues, though, as the veteran has struggled with fumbles during his career.

Last hurrah in New England?

Stevenson could be auditioning for a new team in 2027.

That’s because the veteran running back has a clear out in his contract next year.

New England can save $6.4 million while incurring a dead-cap hit of $3.2 million if Stevenson is cut next offseason.

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The Patriots’ willingness to do so will depend upon Stevenson staying healthy (he has missed games in each of the past three seasons) and productive in 2027.

Henderson taking a step forward and proving himself to be a clear lead back will be important for Stevenson’s future, also.

In 2025, after the Thunder won their championship, it felt like their window to win in the Western Conference was endless, that there wasn’t anything stopping their path to two or three consecutive NBA Finals appearances. That changed this season. The San Antonio Spurs rose quicker than anyone would’ve thought, and Victor Wembanyama presented massive problems for OKC. 

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A question coming out of Game 7 is what happens next for OKC, what moves do they make to combat the seemingly insurmountable puzzle that is Victor Wembanyama? 

There is one giant swing move Oklahoma City has the resources to make, and that’s trading for Giannis Antetokounmpo. This has been a growing theory that many think would be the right move for the Thunder, and that couldn’t be more wrong. 

What a trade for Giannis would cost

If the Thunder were to drop everything and trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo, it’d cost a heavy price. The package would be centered around Chet Holmgren, who just had an awful Game 7 but remains one of the best two-way players in the sport and is only 24 years old. 

A role player would also have to be involved, likely Cason Wallace, who’s already one of the best perimeter-defense guards in the NBA. Lastly, one of the rookies on OKC, likely Thomas Sorber, who was selected 15^th overall in the 2025 NBA Draft.

Not only those players, but probably 3-4 first-round picks would have to be involved as well. It’s simply too much to give up, especially with the risk factor of Giannis at this stage of his career. 

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Trading for Giannis only creates more risk

When healthy, Giannis Antetokounmpo is probably one of the five best players on the planet. The only issue is that the “when healthy” part has been an issue for years now. In both 2023 and 2024, Giannis missed significant playoff time due to calf and back injuries. 

Injuries have especially plagued Giannis this season, resulting in a career-low 36 games played. Both injuries were lower body, with a left knee hyperextension and a right calf strain that was especially aggravating for Antetokounmpo. 

Oklahoma City already had a star with injury issues in Jalen Williams; there’s no need to sell a core piece of their championship in Chet Holmgren and one of their valuable role players for an injury-prone star who will turn 32 next season.

The other issue with Giannis on OKC is that he can’t space the floor, and even though Chet Holmgren struggled in this Western Conference Finals, he at least has the potential and skill set to be a floor spacer against the Spurs in the future. 

Now, four teams remain in the hunt for the third annual UFL Championship, which will be played at Audi Field in Washington, D.C.

After 10 weeks of regular-season action, the UFL has narrowed the field to four playoff contenders. The postseason could produce either the league’s first repeat champion or a brand-new titleholder.

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Here’s a look at the four playoff teams, how they got here, and their semifinal matchups.

Orlando Storm

In their inaugural UFL season, the Orlando Storm claimed the league’s top seed. Orlando finished with a league-best 8-2 record under head coach Anthony Becht.

Before taking over the Storm, Becht served as an assistant coach for the AAF’s San Diego Fleet and later led the St. Louis Battlehawks from 2023 to 2025.

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The Storm will face the defending champion DC Defenders on Sunday, June 7, at 3 p.m. ET. The semifinal matchup will be played at Historic Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio.

St. Louis Battlehawks

The St. Louis Battlehawks are among the longest-tenured franchises carried over from the USFL-XFL merger. The team originally launched as part of the XFL in 2020, and the return of professional football to St. Louis has proven to be a major success for the league.

St. Louis is led by first-year head coach Ricky Proehl, who guided the Battlehawks to a 6-4 record and a playoff berth in his debut season.

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The Battlehawks will face the Louisville Kings on Sunday, June 7, at 6 p.m. ET. The semifinal will be played at The Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis, giving the Battlehawks a significant home-field advantage throughout the postseason.

Louisville Kings

Another first-year franchise, the Louisville Kings secured a playoff berth in their inaugural season. The team is led by hometown football legend Chris Redman.

Redman starred at Louisville Male High School before becoming a standout quarterback for the University of Louisville. In his first season as head coach, he guided the expansion Kings to a 6-4 record and a postseason appearance.

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The Kings will take on the Battlehawks on Sunday, June 7, at 6 p.m. ET in St. Louis.

DC Defenders

The DC Defenders enter the playoffs as the league’s defending champions and one of the most established franchises in the UFL. The former XFL club is led by head coach Shannon Harris.

Harris served as the team’s quarterbacks coach from 2023 to 2024 before earning a promotion to head coach in 2025. He also serves as offensive coordinator at Tennessee State.

The Defenders finished the regular season at 5-5. They will begin their title defense against the top-seeded Storm on Sunday, June 7, at 3 p.m. ET in Columbus, Ohio.

The San Antonio Spurs will host the New York Knicks in a rematch of the 1999 NBA Finals, marking the Knicks’ first return to the championship round since that series 27 years ago. That matchup also served as the launching point for the Spurs’ dynasty.

The Finals begin Wednesday night, and San Antonio will look to capture another championship in its first NBA Finals appearance since Gregg Popovich stepped down as head coach.

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On the other side, the Knicks are finally back on the NBA’s biggest stage after decades of frustration. Their last Finals appearance ended against the Spurs at the beginning of San Antonio’s dynasty. This time, New York hopes to rewrite history and perhaps begin a championship run of its own.

Knicks fans are known for traveling well. Some may consider making the trip to San Antonio after seeing the staggering ticket prices in New York.

As soon as the Knicks completed their sweep of the Cleveland Cavaliers, demand for NBA Finals tickets surged. Reports indicated that some transactions for Game 3 at Madison Square Garden already exceeded $30,000 just to get through the doors. Courtside seats climbed past $300,000 on the resale market.

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On Wednesday, the Spurs will welcome both the Knicks and their fans to San Antonio. While getting into Game 1 still requires a significant investment, prices are considerably lower than those in New York.

According to Ticketmaster’s resale marketplace, the cheapest tickets for Game 1 at Frost Bank Center start at $1,097.18 per seat.

Of course, those tickets come with a view from the upper deck. Fans looking to sit closer to the action will need much deeper pockets. Courtside Club seats currently start at roughly $23,000 per ticket. It may be a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but those premium seats remain out of reach for most fans.

Compared to the early resale prices in New York, where some pairs of tickets were selling for more than $30,000, San Antonio almost looks like a bargain. Still, it’s a steep price to pay to watch Game 1 in person.

Would you pay those prices for the chance to watch your team compete in the NBA Finals?

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Return Timeline Takes a Hit

The expectation when Crochet landed on the injured list was that his absence would be relatively brief. However, those hopes took a significant blow over the weekend. While throwing as part of his recovery program, Crochet reportedly experienced soreness. As a result, plans for him to face live hitters on Tuesday have been canceled.

That development is concerning because facing live hitters is typically one of the final steps before beginning a minor league rehab assignment. Without a clear timetable for when that session will be rescheduled, Crochet’s recovery timeline becomes much more difficult to predict.

June Return Appears Unlikely

Before this setback, there was optimism that Crochet could potentially return around June 20th. Now, that appears increasingly unlikely.

Even in a best-case scenario, Crochet would need to resume throwing, progress to facing live hitters, and then begin a rehab assignment. Given the amount of time he has missed, the Red Sox will likely want him to make at least two rehab starts to rebuild arm strength and pitch count before activating him.

That process alone could take several weeks. As things currently stand, a return sometime in mid-July may be a more realistic expectation.

Boston Needs Its Ace Back

When healthy, Crochet is one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball.

The left-hander finished as the runner-up in American League Cy Young voting in 2025 and was expected to anchor Boston’s rotation for years to come. Although he struggled early in 2026, there is little doubt about his importance to the club.

For a Red Sox team searching for answers, getting Crochet healthy remains one of the biggest priorities of the season. Unfortunately, that wait appears set to continue.

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By the time the third inning finally ended, New York had turned a three-run deficit into a commanding 13-3 lead. Even more remarkably, they accomplished the feat without hitting a single home run.

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Yankees Erupt for 13 Runs in One Inning

The offensive outburst came in the top of the third inning and seemed to never end. Hit after hit, walk after walk, the Yankees continuously put pressure on the Athletics pitching. Before the A’s could record a single out, New York had already scored more than 10 runs.

According to historical records, the Yankees became the first team since the 2009 Boston Red Sox to score 10 or more runs in an inning before the opposing team recorded an out. That statistic alone highlights just how rare Sunday’s inning truly was.

The Yankees finished the frame with 13 runs, completely changing the complexion of the game in a matter of minutes.

A Truly Strange Box Score

As incredible as the third inning was, the rest of the game was almost equally shocking. The Yankees did not score another run after the third inning. In fact, they did not record another hit for the remainder of the game.

Every single hit and every single run New York produced came during that historic third inning. They were hitless and scoreless in the first two innings and again from the fourth through the ninth.

It may not have been a complete offensive masterpiece, but it was certainly one of the strangest and most unforgettable innings of the 2026 season.

No Home Runs Needed

In today’s game, massive innings are often fueled by multiple home runs. That was not the case here.

The Yankees pieced together their rally through timely hitting, patience at the plate, and relentless pressure on the Athletics pitching staff. Every run came the hard way, making the inning even more unusual.

For a team known for its power, scoring 13 runs without a single ball leaving the yard is almost harder to believe than the run total itself.

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Reports indicate that Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez has skipped voluntary OTAs for the first time in his professional career. He attended each of the previous three offseason workout programs, leading to speculation that his absence is tied to contract extension talks.

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The Patriots exercised Gonzalez’s fifth-year option last offseason, keeping him under contract through the 2027 season. However, as more teams sign their first-round picks to extensions before they reach the fifth year of their rookie deals, Gonzalez could be seeking a similar commitment.

This is just the latest storyline surrounding the Patriots this offseason. In addition to ongoing headlines involving head coach Mike Vrabel, New England has reportedly engaged in trade discussions with the Philadelphia Eagles. Those conversations have centered on Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown.

Acquiring Brown would require more than valuable draft capital. It would also come with significant financial considerations. Brown has four years remaining on his contract and would carry a cap hit of roughly $7 million this season. That figure climbs above $20 million next year.

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The good news for New England is that the team has approximately $80 million in combined salary cap space over the next two seasons. However, the Patriots are not expected to have much cap space available to roll over into 2027. Given that reality, extending Gonzalez now may be the organization’s best move.

The Patriots selected Gonzalez with the 17th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. The selection originally belonged to the Pittsburgh Steelers, who traded up with New England to acquire the 14th overall pick. Gonzalez watched two cornerbacks come off the board before the Patriots called his name.

A season-ending shoulder injury limited Gonzalez to just four games as a rookie. He bounced back in 2024, earning second-team All-Pro honors and establishing himself as one of the NFL’s top young cornerbacks.

Gonzalez is expected to command a lucrative new contract. Currently, Los Angeles Rams cornerback Trent McDuffie holds the highest average annual value among cornerbacks at $31 million per season.

Will Gonzalez reset the cornerback market as his representatives negotiate his next deal?

That’s a nice way to sell some jerseys, but a reunion between these two sides would be largely pointless on the field. Not only do the Giants have better options than Beckham, but he also isn’t going to move the needle for this roster. At best, a reunion would serve as a public relations move designed to boost merchandise sales.

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Beckham is no longer the player he once was. In reality, he hasn’t been that player for nearly eight years. His most recent stint came with the Miami Dolphins two seasons ago, where he was largely a non-factor. Before that, he played a secondary role with the Baltimore Ravens.

The last time Beckham was truly impactful was probably during his run with the Los Angeles Rams. Even then, he benefited from playing alongside Cooper Kupp, the unquestioned No. 1 receiver in the offense. Head coach Sean McVay successfully maximized Beckham’s remaining abilities and got just enough production out of him to help push the Rams to a Super Bowl title.

As good as he once was?

None of this is meant to diminish what Beckham once was. At his peak, he was arguably one of the three best receivers in football. However, the defining image of his career remains the spectacular one-handed catch he made as a member of the Giants.

Beckham got off to a tremendous start in New York. He recorded 390 receptions, more than 5,400 receiving yards, and 44 touchdowns, giving Giants fans something to celebrate during a difficult stretch in franchise history. Then the organization traded him to the Cleveland Browns, a move that effectively marked the beginning of his decline.

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To Beckham’s credit, he still posted a solid season in 2019. Like many promising things in Cleveland, however, that success didn’t last long. After suffering major knee injuries in 2020 and 2021, Beckham was never quite the same player. The second injury came on the biggest stage possible: the Super Bowl.

His Super Bowl ring carries a bittersweet element. Beckham finally became a champion, but he couldn’t finish the game because of injury after spending much of his career with two underachieving franchises.

At this stage, Beckham’s best option may be to explore opportunities outside of playing football. Whether that’s in sports media, coaching, or business ventures, he has little left to prove on the field and likely doesn’t need another NFL paycheck.

As for the Giants, their focus should remain on the health of Malik Nabers and the talent already on the roster. Not every reunion makes sense, and this is one that simply doesn’t.

How to Watch Everett Silvertips vs Kitchener Rangers

• When: Sunday, May 31, 2026
• Time: 7:00 PM ET
• TV Channel: NHL Network
• Live Stream: Fubo (try for free)

Everett rolled into the final with a 6-1 thumping of the Chicoutimi Saguenéens, champions of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, in Friday night’s semifinal. Landon DuPont scored two goals, including the go-ahead marker at 13:59 of the first period, while Jaxsin Vaughan, Carter Bear, Zackary Shantz, and Julius Miettinen also scored for the Silvertips. Anders Miller made 25 saves in the win.

Kitchener rolled directly to the final by winning all three of its games during the round-robin stage. The Rangers opened with a 5-0 win over the host Kelowna Rockets on May 22 before beating Everett 6-2 on Monday and topping Chicoutimi 3-2 on Tuesday. Jack Pridham leads all players at the Memorial Cup with four goals and six points and Christian Kirsch has a .957 save percentage in the tournament.

The Rangers go into Sunday looking for a third Memorial Cup title to go with wins in 1982 and 2003. The Silvertips are playing in the Memorial Cup for the first time since the club’s founding in 2003.

This is a great junior hockey matchup that you will not want to miss; make sure to tune in and catch all the action.

Live stream Everett Silvertips vs Kitchener Rangers on Fubo: Try for free!

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