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TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | On MVPs, Tanking & The Home Team Act

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Bronze Luka – Frozen Out From MVP Voting

By TERRY LYONS, Editor in Chief of Digital Sports Desk

BOSTON – There’s a four horse race looming for the Most Valuable Player in the National Basketball Association with a fifth horse ruled ineligible for lack of playing time/games. Here are the contenders, listed in alphabetical order:

  • Jalen Brown, Boston Celtics
  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC Thunder
  • Nikola Jokić, Denver Nuggets
  • Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs

The following NBA players are ineligible for postseason awards because of the fact they did not play the minimum number of games to qualify. That number of games, 65, was increased as a deterrent for teams resting the top players too often, a growing trend known as load management.

  • *Luka Dončić, LA Lakers
  • Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves
  • *Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons
  • Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks
  • Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns
  • Jimmy Butler, GS Warriors
  • Stephen Curry, GS Warriors
  • Anthony Davis, Dallas Mavericks / Wash (DC) Wizards
  • Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers
  • Paul George, Philadelphia 76ers
  • Josh Giddey, Chicago Bulls
  • LeBron James, LA Lakers
  • Lauri Markkanen, Utah Jazz
  • Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies
  • Austin Reaves, LA Lakers
  • Domantas Sabonis, Sacramento Kings
  • Franz Wagner, Orlando Magic
  • Jalen Williams, OKC Thunder
  • Trae Young, Hawks / Wizards

Note: The NBA delayed its post season award voting and later ruled that Luka Dončić and Cade Cunningham were now eligible for awards.*

Put simply, team/front office analysts and player agents believe that the fewer games (and minutes) a basketball star plays over an 82 games regular season will translate to extended careers, thus more years on their contract extentions, thus, more money to be earned. Most likely, there’s a significantly better chance for such a player to earn “Super Max” money in a fair number of contracts, starting with the player’s second or third deal and continuing until the player decides to retire or is injured and forced to retire.

Now, for the award in unintended consequences: In negotiations for the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement, labor and management decided to tie together the concept of that “Super Max” to the annual postseason awards, thus putting the ability for players to qualify for the big bucks in the hands of the 100+ voters, all media members who cover the league on an 82-games a year basis. The panel is also bolstered by votes from select members of the league’s national broadcast teams, and an international media member or three are tossed in for good reason.

Big mistake.

Paraphrasing from the CBA with the help of the Villanova Law Review: “An NBA player qualifies for a Super Max contract (Designated Veteran Player Extension) by meeting specific performance criteria, primarily being named to an All-NBA team, winning MVP, or earning Defensive Player of the Year. The player must have 7-9 years of experience, be with their original team (or acquired via rookie deal), and have 1-2 years left on their contract.

Performance Criteria (Must meet one):

  • Named to an All-NBA Team (1st, 2nd, or 3rd) in the most recent season or in two of the previous three seasons.
  • Named Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY) in the most recent season or in two of the previous three seasons.
  • Named NBA MVP in any of the three previous seasons.

Eligibility & Service Requirements:

  • Experience: Player must have completed seven or eight years of service (YOS).
  • Team Requirement: The player must be on their original team or have been traded before their fifth season.
  • Contract Timing: Eligible with one or two years remaining on their current contract.

Key Rules & Limitations

  • Games Played Threshold: Under the latest NBA Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), players must appear in at least 65 regular-season games to be eligible for the postseason awards (All-NBA, DPOY, MVP) that trigger Super Max eligibility.
  • Roster Limits: Recent CBA changes removed the limit on how many “Designated Veteran” players a team can have on its roster at once.
  • Negotiation: Qualifying only makes a player eligible for the 35% max; the team is not required to offer the full amount and the terms of the deal must be negotiated.
  • Trade Restrictions: A player cannot be traded for one year after signing a Super Max deal.

“Super Max’ Benefits:

  • Allows a team to offer up to 35% of the total salary cap (vs. 30% for standard max).
  • The contract length is for five years.

As sure as actor George Clooney portraying Frank William “Billy” Tyne Jr., captain of doomed Andrea Gail, would attest, this season is The Perfect Storm where all the rules of the CBA, the post season awards and the anti-load management have come home to roost.

What are the biggest problems the system has put forth? Let us count just a few ways.

  • This season, players like Luka Doncic and Cade Cunningham deserve consideration for All-NBA, at the least, and MVP at the best.
  • The NBA Players Association (NBPA) is calling for the 65-game rule to be abolished or reformed, arguing that it unfairly disqualifies deserving players from end-of-season honors due to injuries. That comes long after they ratified the deal.
  • Tying the ability for a player to “Max” out to the whims of the media voting can (and will) place unjust pressure on the voters (media). The post season honors were intended to be a publicity/ attention grabber and cause for debate and an eventual photo op – not determine whether a player merits “Super Max” levels of salary.

By 2029 and 2030, the NBA maximum team salary figures will likely reach $200m and $220m, thus projecting the Super Max deals to come in at $80m per season and $400m per player over the life of a five-year deal – all potentially dependent on a vote or two on MVP or All-Defensive team honors.

All this said, the NBA is actively attempting to solve an obvious “Tanking” issue.

On Friday, April 10, the Associated Press reported that 168 NBA players did not play because of injury or illness.

One team, the OKC Thunder, might’ve had good reason, as they clinched the best record in the league and home court advantage for the duration of the playoffs.

“If we didn’t clinch [the No. 1 overall seed] coming into tonight, everybody would be playing,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said to reporters before the game. “We’ve earned the right through 80 games to manage their bodies and stuff like that.”

San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama, needing to play 20 minutes to reach the 65-game standard and be eligible for postseason awards, was taken out after hitting exactly that number of minutes. That accomplished, he reported back into the game, evidently having convinced the Spurs’ hierarchy that he needed a bit more work. He finished the Friday night game with 40 points, 13 rebounds and five assists in 26 minutes during a 139-120 win over the Dallas Mavericks.

“If I had 65 [games] before, I, for sure, wouldn’t have played,” Wembanyama said.

While we examine the upper echelon of NBA teams (As of Saturday, OKC is 64-17, and playing .790 ball with an (8-2) record over their prior 10 games and San Antonio is 62-19, and playing at a .765 clip with a (9-1) mark over their prior outings, the opposite side of the playoff qualifying ledger gets pretty ugly.

Before today’s season finale at Toronto, the Brooklyn Nets lost consecutive games by scores of (123-94) and (125-108). Meanwhile, the Washington Wizards have won a grand total of one game since February 22. That’s (1-and-25) for those of you scoring at home.

Five teams sit between the 17-win and 22-win threshold, all battling it out for the slight advantages of the NBA Draft Lottery system which was addressed by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver quite definitively at the recent NBA Board of Governors meeting. A vote of the three proposals Silver presented to his Board will come in May. (See proposals HERE).
Captain Obvious was a Brooklyn Dodgers fan.

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: I preface this section by stating it is written in bipartisan fashion, and – in fact – I’ll be ripping some of the “good guys” in U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn) along with Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and U.S. Rep. Greg Casar (D-Texas) as the aforementioned group of four have introduced the Home Team Act, and it’s a doozie.

The lawmakers on Thursday introduced a bill that “could counter” professional sports franchises’ plans for relocating. The Home Team Act, if passed, would “require team ownership to provide one year of notice before moving a team to a new location if the team would move across state lines or to a new metropolitan area.” During that year prior to the proposed relocation, the franchise in question would be “available for other (presumably local) prospective owners to purchase ‘at a fair and reasonable price.’” A team of appraisers would determine “what constitutes as ‘fair and reasonable.’”

While it all sounds nice and an effort by local politicians to support their local sports team, while currying favor (a.k.a. ‘sucking up) to the local constituents with hopes of some votes down the road, it is quite a strike against a business owners’ rights to do what he thinks is best for his business and, very possibly, the future health of the franchise.

The case in point is the decision by the Mohegan Tribe to sell the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun to the Tellman Fertitta family who plan to move the Sun to Houston to become the second coming of the Houston Comets – the once mighty dynasty of WNBA years gone by.

Last summer, there was quite a kerfuffle when the Mohegan Tribe had a handshake with former Celtics team owner Stephen Pagliuca to sell the team and slide it up I-95 to play in the Boston Garden. The WNBA put the brakes on that cozy agreement and noted that the relocation of franchises was subject to the bylaws of the WNBA’s Constitution and By Laws. quite simply, the league had canvassed various potential cities for expansion and/or re-location and not a peep was heard from Boston.

The WNBA also noted that Houston was in line for a franchise and locating a team in the Southwest USA might be best. Meanwhile, another bid to move the Sun to Hartford from lovely Uncasville, Connecticut did not gain traction. The WNBA also noted that current NBA Boston Celtics’ team owner Bill Chisholm might have a say in the matter.

The other major factor was the relocation to either Hartford or Boston would place the Sun/Comets in a building they did not own nor operate, thus severely limiting the potential earnings of the franchise. And, keep in mind, the margins for a WNBA franchise to operate and turn a profit are slim and require revenue sources from every possible source (concessions, parking, etc.).

The politicians and the Home Team Act don’t seem to do (nor care about) the calculations to make the team successful. and face, it, the franchise is up for sale and potential relocation for a reason. If it were drowning in revenue, chances are the club would not be up for sale.

EXCUSE ME SIR, MAY I HAVE ANOTHER: On April 3, the day before the NCAA Final Four tipped-off in Indianapolis, the office of the White House dropped an Executive Order on the world of collegiate sports that – quite frankly – seemed quite illegal right from the moment it became public.

“The Urgent National Action to Save College Sports” made quite a splash with the “we want college sports to be the way it used to be” crowd. Of course, that group of American society – the people who ignored the 2015 “O’Bannon vs NCAA” case or the June 6, 2025 settlement between the NCAA and NIL claims.

Those two cases, handed down by the NCAA and the courts, significantly changed the landscape of Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) rights and college athletics overall. The settlement called for backpay and the ability for athletes to be paid directly by their schools. There was no longer a limit on scholarships per sport/team.

The “Settlement” introduced significant changes to college athletics and NIL, but it did not settle all outstanding issues, such as whether student athletes should be considered employees by their schools and whether student athletes have the right to collectively bargain.

Those issues still needs to be decided, but, of course, a Collective Bargaining Agreement would need to have two definitive sides representing labor and management to begin negotiations. As of now, the NCAA does not represent all of the management team (see College Football Playoff group, Power Four Conferences, basketball conferences, such as the BIG EAST, Olympic sports – both men and women, along with Division II or III athletes, their schools and conferences.

And, the athletes as a group would need to unionize to make it work.

Thus, the Executive Order put forth is like throwing a book of matches on top of a blazing fire of legal uncertainty in collegiate sports. and, clearly, what works for big-time college football doesn’t work for tennis or track and field. What works for the BIG EAST for men’s basketball, might not even work for the BIG EAST in women’s basketball.

While not a fan of piling “What About” on top of problems, how about a giant “What About” if applying all of the proposed laws and provisions of the EO on top of the IVY League schools?

The bottom line, the EO is a complete waste of time and money, as it will quickly be challenged in court and the findings will further divide the parties in an effort to find a legitimate working system for college sports.

What can be agreed upon:

  • The current (lack of) system for collegiate football and basketball is not sustainable.
  • The proposed limits to collegiate athletes is un-Constitutional. Why should they be singled out and limited?
  • There doesn’t;t seem to be an equal restriction plan for college coaches, Athletic Directors and school Presidents. They seem to be able to move around as they please, with no limitations of years served, not the number of times they change jobs.
  • Holding Federal Funding over the heads of the colleges is surely illegal.

One other point to be made, and it’s quite simple: Let’s reverse the Executive Order from collegiate athletes and apply it to elected officials:

We’ll call it, “Urgent National Action to Save Democracy,” and here are a few bullet-points for the EO.

  • Elected officials are limited to a five year period to serve
  • Elected officials may change jobs only once, this if a Congressman wishes to run for Senate after a five-year period of serving as an elected Representative in the House, “go get ‘em.” But that’s it. Only one job change.
  • Same goes for Senators who might want to run for President. And, you get one crack at it, one election – win or go home. NO changes to City council or Mayor or any other elected office. “You’re done.”
  • Presidents? One five-year term. Good-bye or go run for Dog Catcher back home.

We Have Spoken.

TIDBITS & NUGGETS: Boston Celtics point guard Payton Pritchard was named as the recipient of the 2026 Red Auerbach Award. The annual award, which was presented to Pritchard at mid-court by Celtics Team President Rich Gotham and Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens, prior to Boston’s game against the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday night, is traditionally given to the Celtics player or coach who best exemplifies the spirit of what it means to be a Celtic through exceptional performance on and off the court.

“Payton’s growth and consistency speak to everything the Red Auerbach Award stands for – toughness, selflessness, and a commitment to the greater good of the team,” said Gotham. “He approaches his role with professionalism, purpose, and an amazing work ethic, earning the admiration and trust of his teammates and coaches alike.”

In 78 games (50 starts) this season, Pritchard is averaging career highs of 17.0 points (46.3 FG%, 37.4 3FG%, 88.8 FT%), 4.0 rebounds, and 5.1 assists in 32.4 minutes per game. The 2024 NBA champion and 2025 Sixth Man of the Year is one of only two Celtics players in history with multiple career 35-point games off the bench (Larry Bird).

Created in 2006, the award is named in honor of legendary Celtics coach, general manager and president, Arnold “Red” Auerbach.

SOX STRUGGLING, ALL BUT ABREU: The Boston Red Sox are struggling coming out of the gate this spring. They opened up on the road and won their season opener at Cincinnati. From there, they went (0-5) before they won another game when they returned to Fenway Park to face the san Diego Padres. After that win, it was three more losses before they put two wins together against the Milwaukee Brew Crew. With everyone on the club struggling, there’s been only one consistent source of production and that is from right fielder Wilyer Abreu who started in right in each of the Red Sox’ 13 games through Saturday, and is batting .392 (20-for-51) with a 1.101 OPS, eight runs, four doubles, one triple, three home runs and nine RBI. Going into the weekend, Abreu led the American League in total bases (35), hits (20) and batting aveerage (.392), while ranking third n SLG (.686), OPS (1.101), and extra base hits (eight, tied), 8th in OBP (.415) and doubles (four, tied), and T-11th in HR (3) and RBI (9).

MARATHON MAN: The Fenway Park Marathon will return to America’s Most Beloved Ballpark on Saturday, May 30, 2026. The race will offer runners a rare opportunity to complete a marathon distance entirely on the warning track inside Fenway Park while raising funds for two impactful nonprofits. Runners interested in securing one of the limited spots can register HERE

Originally run back in 2017, the Fenway Park Marathon is one of the most unique endurance events in the country, allowing participants to circle the historic ballpark’s warning track for 26.2 miles while surrounded by the sights and sounds of Fenway. The money raised via the race benefits the Red Sox Foundation and the Dave McGillivray Finish Strong Foundation. Registration is now open for the 2026 race, with participation limited to only 100 individuals. Due to strong interest in the event’s return, organizers have also added two new participation options for 2026: a half marathon distance and a relay team division of two, three, four or five runners on a team. All individual participants and teams are required to raise a minimum of $5,000 in support of the Red Sox Foundation and the Dave McGillivray Finish Strong Foundation. “Running a marathon inside Fenway Park is an experience unlike anything else in the sport,” said McGillivray. “Participants will spend the entire race on the warning track of one of the most beloved ballparks in the world, surrounded by family, friends, and fellow runners. It’s a celebration of endurance, community, and the power of giving back.” For Dave McGillivray,the Boston Marathon’s Senior Race Advisor, the event offers runners a chance to experience Fenway Park in an unforgettable way while supporting important community causes. … McGillivray will be a very busy man come April 20th when the 130th running of the Boston Marathon dissects the streets of Boston and the MetroWest ‘burbs.

ONE OF THE COOLEST EVENTS: The National Baseball Poetry Festival will return to Polar Park in nearby Worcester, on May 7-10. The event continues a growing New England tradition, celebrating the home plate that is baseball and storytelling. Ready to enjoy its fourth year, the festival continues to grow. In 2026 alone, adult poetry submissions have come from 42 states and 12 different countries and territories, reflecting the growing interest in baseball themed writing from students, poetry lovers, and baseball fans. Event organizers describe it as the first festival designed specifically to unite sports and the fine arts. Note that the festival’s youth poetry contest remains open for submissions through April 17, coinciding with National Poetry Month. The festival weekend itself brings together baseball fans, writers, educators, and community members for readings, workshops, pick-up and organized ballgames, and other events at beautiful Polar Park, home of the Worcester Red Sox.

Baseball Poetry in Motion

After earning his way to first base, a runner can make a mark,

He can take a lead-off the base, draw a pick-off attempt or two,

Maybe, he can distract the pitcher and extend his teammate’s at bat,

But careful he must be, as the catcher has a glove and a rocket,

He’ll fake to the mound, but throw a bullet right into your back pocket.”

PARTING WORDS & MUSIC: How about some music for the final round of The Masters Tournament?

While We’re Young (Ideas) is a weekly (every weekend) collection of Sports Notes and News written by Terry Lyons. The posting of each notebook harkens back to the days when you’d walk over to the city news stand on Saturday night around 10:00pm to pick-up a copy of the Sunday papers. Inside, just waiting, was a compilation of interesting sports notes, quotes and quips in a column that always sold a few newspapers. Wire Service reports are utilized within the column.

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes – Brought to you by Digital Sports Desk.

PGA Tour: Masters Preview ’26

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By TERRY LYONS, EDITOR of Digital Sports Desk

AUGUSTA – The 90th edition of The Masters returns to Augusta National Golf Club this week (April 9–12, 2026). As the first major of the year, the tournament carries its usual prestige, but this year’s Masters will be dominated by a historic title defense, a bevy of top-notch challengers, including the World’s #1 player and a field of rising stars.

Top Storylines to Watch

McIlroy’s Encore: After finally capturing the Green Jacket in 2025, Rory McIlroy enters as the defending champion.
Rory McIlroy’s Major Victories

Scheffler’s Dominance: World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler remains the betting favorite. With two Green Jackets already in his closet (2022, 2024), a third win would further cement his era of dominance.

The LIV Contenders: Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau arrive at Augusta in peak form. DeChambeau, in particular, is a focus after back-to-back top-10 finishes at Augusta and recent wins on the LIV circuit.

The 2026 Masters has issued 91 invitees and, they are represented by players from 22 different countries and territories outside the United States. Six of the last 10 major championships have been won by players who were ranked No. 3 or better in the Official World Golf Ranking heading into the major championship.

Preview | The Masters

COURSE: Augusta National Golf Club, Augusta, Georgia

ARCHITECT: Dr. Alister MacKenzie and Bobby Jones Jr.; Perry Maxwell in 1937

YARDS/PAR: 7,565 yards/Par 72

PRIZE Money/First Place Winnings: TBD

DEFENDING CHAMPION: Rory McIlroy

OVERVIEW: (link)

PAST RESULTS: (link)

FEDEx CUP Points to Winner: 750

SOCIAL MEDIA: #PGATour #FedExCup The Intimacy Masters

Master’s Par Three Contest

Wednesday, April 8, 2026 – (All Times Eastern (EDT)

12 Noon to 2:00pm – ESPN+ Streaming

2:00pm to 4:00pm – ESPN

Overall Schedule: Here’s the basic schedule for the entire week, as published by CBS Sports:

2026 Masters | The Basics:

Tournament site: The Masters

Tee Times: (PGATourCom)

Weather: Weather for today’s Par 3 forecast is set for partly cloudy skies, temperatures reaching 68-degrees but winds at 14 mph. Thursday’s forecast is for sunny skies with temperatures reaching 73-degrees but lesser wind (9mph).

The Masters Begins on Prime this Thursday.

The Field w Update, Tee Times and Leaderboard

The Field: (link)

Update:

Thursday, April 2

Phil Mickelson / WD

Tee Times: (link)

Masters Leaderboard: (link)

CHAMPIONS’ DINNER MENU

Here’s what Rory McIlroy as in mind for Wednesday Night at Augusta National:

The Masters ‘26 | Tournament Odds

Odds Courtesy | Betting Hero

Scottie Scheffler +500

Bryson DeChambeau +1000

Jon Rahm +1000

Rory McIlroy +1300

Xander Schauffele +1500

Matt Fitzpatrick +1800

Ludvig Åberg +1800

Cameron Young +2200

Tommy Fleetwood +2200

Hideki Matsuyama +2700

Justin Rose +2700

Robert MacIntyre +3000

Min Woo Lee +3300

Collin Morikawa +3500

Patrick Reed +4000

Brooks Koepka +4000

Chris Gotterup +4500

Russell Henley +4500

Si Woo Kim +4500

Jordan Spieth +4500

Viktor Hovland +5000

Shane Lowry +6000

Nicolai Højgaard +6000

Jake Knapp +6500

Justin Thomas +6500

Akshay Bhatia +6500

Maverick McNealy +6500

Adam Scott +7000

J.J. Spaun +7000

Patrick Cantlay +7000

Sepp Straka +8000

Tyrrell Hatton +8000

Jacob Bridgeman +8000

Jason Day +8000

Sungjae Im +10000

Sam Burns +10000

Harris English +10000

Corey Conners +10000

Cameron Smith +10000

Marco Penge +10000

Daniel Berger +12500

Kurt Kitayama +12500

Gary Woodland +12500

Rasmus Højgaard +15000

Ben Griffin +15000

Keegan Bradley +15000

Aaron Rai +15000

Alex Noren +15000

Ryan Gerard +15000

Sam Stevens +17500

Harry Hall +17500

Wyndham Clark +17500

Aldrich Potgieter +17500

Brian Harman +17500

Max Homa +17500

Ryan Fox +22500

Casey Jarvis +22500

Kristoffer Reitan +22500

Nick Taylor +25000

Dustin Johnson +25000

Nicolas Echavarria +25000

Carlos Ortiz +25000

Michael Kim +25000

Max Greyserman +35000

Sergio Garcia +35000

Haotong Li +35000

Matt McCarty +35000

Andrew Novak +35000

Tom McKibbin +35000

Sami Valimaki +50000

Michael Brennan +50000

Bubba Watson +50000

John Keefer +50000

Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen +50000

Charl Schwartzel +50000

Zach Johnson +50000

Davis Riley +75000

Angel Cabrera +100000

Mason Howell +100000

Fifa Laopakdee +100000

Ethan Fang +100000

Brian Campbell +100000

Vijay Singh +100000

Jose Maria Olazabal +100000

Brandon Holtz +100000

Naoyuki Kataoka +100000

Danny Willett +100000

Jackson Herrington +100000

Fred Couples +100000

Mateo Pulcini +100000

Mike Weir +100000

BoSox: Two Wins in a Row

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BOSTON – Boston’s starting pitcher Sonny Gray pitched 6.1 innings of scoreless baseball and allowed only three hits while the Red Sox scored three runs in the third inning to spot him a 3-0 lead, early, en route to Boston’s 5-0 victory over the visiting Milwaukee Brewers. The win gave the Sox their first series win of 2026, after a paltry 2-8 start.

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In the third, Boston loaded the bases, then scored on a base on balls earned by first baseman Willson Contreras. Rightfielder Bobby Abreu delivered an infield hit to score the second run and designated hitter Trevor Story hit a sacrifice fly ball to right, scoring reserve shortstop Andruw Monasterio as the Sox scored three runs but left three men on base.

Boston scored two insurance runs in the seventh inning and relief pitchers Greg Weissert, rookie Tyler Samaniego and Ryan Watson closed it out for Boston, now 4-8 on the year. The loss by Milwaukee dropped their record to 8-4.

Monasterio drew three walks on the day to go with two fly outs to right. Centerfielder Ceddanne Rafaela was 2-for-2 with a walk.

Gray (2-0) was credited with the win, while Brewers starter Shane Drohan (0-1) took the loss. There was no save. Gray threw 90 pitches on the day with 53 being strikes.

Rookie reliever Tyler Samaniego (1.0 IP, one walk, three strike-outs) made his MLB debut for the Red Sox. He pitched a hitless 8th inning, striking out three of his four batters faced. and joins Fred Wenz who on 6/4/68 vs. DET-G2 (1.0 IP, 2 BB, 3 SO) was the only other Red Sox relieverr ever to allow no runs in their debut and record three strike-outs in their first inning of work. The feat was witnessed by 28,660 fans at Fenway Park on a cool (43-degrees) but sunny afternoon.

The Brewers have an off day on Thursday and head home for a three-game set with the visiting Washington Nationals. Boston completed their six game home stand, going (3-3). They’ll have a travel day on Thursday and play three games at St. Louis before flying to Minnesota for another three-game set.

Red Sox Put One in the “W” Column

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Boston Red Sox will turn to veteran right-hander Sonny Gray while the visiting Milwaukee Brewers will counter with left-hander Shane Drohan in the rubber match of a three-game series on Wednesday afternoon.

Drohan will make his major league debut against his former organization after being acquired in an offseason trade with Boston.

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Gray (1-0, 4.50 ERA), who totaled 27 wins over the previous two seasons with St. Louis, notched his first victory with the Red Sox in his most recent start.

Boston snapped a three-game skid on Tuesday night and evened the series with a 3-2 victory despite managing just three hits. The Red Sox, who are only 3-8 this season, converted three consecutive walks for three runs in the sixth inning off hard-throwing Jacob Misiorowski for a 3-0 lead, keyed by Trevor Story’s two-run, bases-loaded double.

Milwaukee answered with two runs in the seventh off starter Garrett Crochet but stranded runners on second and third.

“A night like tonight, you know who’s on the other side and you kind of know that you’ve got to be on your A -game,” Crochet said afterward about Misiorowski, who struck out 10 in 5 1/3 innings.

Gray picked up the victory his last time out, allowing two runs on four hits in six innings in a 5-2 win over San Diego on Friday.

“It’s a team effort, for sure,” Gray said afterward. “But I do think it’s the starting pitcher’s job to come out and attack, put zeros on the board and give your team a chance. That’s just kind of what my mindset was today — to just attack early, get back to being you. And we had a good game plan going in.”

Gray is 5-6 with a 4.55 ERA in 20 career starts vs. Milwaukee.

Drohan was called up Monday from Triple-A Nashville after reliever Jared Koenig was placed on the 15-day injured list. Drohan was acquired in February from Boston with pitcher Kyle Harrison and infielder David Hamilton for infielders Caleb Durbin, Andruw Monasterio and Anthony Seigler.

Drohan made one start this season at Triple-A Nashville, allowing two runs on three hits in 3 1/3 innings without a decision. He was 5-1 with a 2.27 ERA last season in 12 games, including 11 starts, for Worcester, Boston’s Triple-A affiliate.

Drohan was 1-2 with a 4.26 ERA in four spring training outings with Milwaukee, allowing seven runs (six earned) in 12 2/3 innings. He struck out 15 and walked four.

The Brewers, already without injured starters Jackson Chourio and Andrew Vaughn, were without second baseman Brice Turang on Tuesday night. Turang, hitting .270 with seven RBIs, has been dealing with a foot or ankle injury, although he probably is not slated for the injured list, Brewers manager Pat Murphy said Tuesday.

“Turang’s playing on one leg, and he hasn’t got great numbers on this road trip, but he’s helped us win,” Murphy told MLB.com. “He’s been on base, he’s played defense. He’s a threat when he’s taking his walks, which is crucial for what he needs to do.”

–Field Level Media

A Lousy 2-8 Skidoo …

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Boston Red Sox will try to end a three-game losing streak and avoid dropping their fourth straight series when they host the Milwaukee Brewers tonight. Milwaukee opened the three-game set by overcoming a three-run deficit en route to an 8-6 victory on Monday.

Christian Yelich recorded three of the Brewers’ 11 hits, plus an RBI.

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“Our offense … it doesn’t matter what the score is, we can grind out at-bats, get guys on and make things happen for sure,” said starting pitcher Brandon Woodruff, who gave up three runs and seven hits over 5 2/3 innings.

“Early in the year when it’s cold like this, you’re just trying to give your team a chance to win. Yeah, it would be great to throw up zeros, but the way the  game was transpiring, I was just trying to give us a chance. Getting into the sixth was big. It was huge for the guys down in the (bullpen) because we were short. I knew I needed to do that.”

After starting the season by losing two of three games in Cincinnati, Boston was swept by Houston and then lost two of three against San Diego.

“It was a great win,” Yelich said Monday. “It was a toughness win from the guys. We got down. It was cold out there (low 40s at game time). We got a short ‘pen, and we found a way to win. We’re willing to grind with anybody. Just proud of the guys for finding a way there.”

Boston committed two errors during Monday’s loss and has 11 in 10 games. The boos may have been the loudest after Roman Anthony committed a throwing error in the eighth inning that allowed a run to score and give Milwaukee a 7-5 lead.

“It wasn’t a good throw,” Boston manager Alex Cora said. “(Pitcher Garrett Whitlock) didn’t back up. We’re just watching the play. When the ball is hit we got to go somewhere. The only people that can watch is the people in the stands, and obviously they’re not too happy.

“That’s why we love it here because their expectations are up there with us. And right now we deserve whatever they’re thinking. We’re not playing good baseball and we know it.”

Willson Contreras was a bright spot for the Red Sox, hitting a solo home run and reaching base a career-high five times.

It will be a battle of aces on Tuesday when Boston left-hander Garrett Crochet (1-1, 3.27 ERA) is scheduled to start opposite right-hander Jacob Misiorowski (1-0, 2.45).

Crochet took the loss in his last start after allowing five runs (four earned) on six hits in five innings of a 6-4 defeat to Houston on Wednesday. He is 0-1 with a 2.13 ERA in two career appearances against Milwaukee, with 19 strikeouts in 12 2/3 innings.

“Like I said a few days ago, we have to pitch to get to .500 and go where we want to go,” Cora said. “We have to pitch, that’s the bottom line. We walked eight (on Monday). They had 18 at-bats with men in scoring position. It’s very hard to win that way. Very hard.”

Misiorowski will make his first career appearance against the Red Sox. He has thrown 20 pitches this season clocked at 100 mph or higher. In his most recent outing, he gave two runs and four hits over six innings in a no-decision vs. Tampa Bay on Wednesday. Misiorowski struck out seven and walked two in his team’s 8-2 victory.

–Field Level Media

Celtics Iron-Out Rotation

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BOSTON – Although this is the final week of the NBA regular season, the Boston Celtics still have at least one significant thing to iron out entering Tuesday’s game against the visiting Charlotte Hornets: making sure Nikola Vucevic fits comfortably into the rotation before the playoffs begin.

Vucevic returned to the court for Sunday’s 115-101 victory over Toronto after missing four weeks with a broken finger. The injury occurred in a March 6 game against Dallas, the same night Jayson Tatum returned from his Achilles injury.

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Vucevic collected four points and four rebounds in 13 minutes against Toronto, but he also picked up four fouls.

“He was good,” Boston coach Joe Mazzulla said. “I mean, it was only 13 minutes. I thought offensively he made the right reads, missed a couple. Second half, we kind of went to — it was almost, we were looking at some different matchup stuff, so we didn’t get him in as much as we wanted to in the second half. But he was fine, I thought. He’s just going to continue to get acclimated.”

Vucevic said regaining chemistry is the hardest part about returning after missing significant time with an injury.

“That just has to come from us playing and practicing together, which is good I get at least these five games in before the playoffs then we’ll have that week between that will help,” he said. “But I think as far as plays, coverages, kind of knowing what to do out there in different situations, that was pretty good for me. I did a lot of it throughout my rehab. A lot of my workouts were fully left-handed, but I was still learning plays like that.

“Just continue to play alongside all of the guys,” he continued. “Obviously me and JT didn’t get a lot of time together, but I think we’re both high-level players, both smart players, and I think we’ll be able to figure it out pretty quick. Just even being around the guys, the time I did play, I think it’s helped a lot. Obviously, it would have been great to have that full month that I missed, but it is what it is. We know we’ll try to make the best out of it in the next couple games. And then also I think that week leading up to the playoffs is going to help. We’ll probably have a couple practices which will help as well.”

The Celtics (53-25) will be looking to extend their winning streak to four games.

Charlotte (43-36) has won four in a row since it dropped a 114-99 decision to Boston at home on March 29. The Hornets are 9-2 in their last 11 games, and are trying to avoid the play-in tournament by finishing sixth or higher in the Eastern Conference.

Charlotte will participate in the postseason for the first time since 2015-16, when the Hornets lost to Miami in the first round.

The Hornets beat the Celtics 118-89 when the teams met in Boston on March 4. Charlotte’s Miles Bridges said dealing with Boston’s physicality will be paramount Tuesday night.

“We came into their place and beat them,” he said. “Then they came into our place and beat us, so we want to return the favor and start getting ready for the playoffs.”

–Field Level Media

Michigan is the One

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INDIANAPOLIS – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Michigan is a national champion for the first time since 1989, standing as the best in the land even if the Wolverines weren’t at their peak on Monday.

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Michigan defeated UConn 69-63 to turn back the Huskies’ bid for a third national championship in four seasons. Led by Most Outstanding Player Elliot Cadeau’s 19 points and endless energy, the Wolverines had to go off-script to end their title drought.

“We have a lot of banners at (Crisler Center), but we had just one lonely center banner, and we wanted to change that,” said Michigan coach Dusty May, who took over a program that went 8-24 in 2023-24.

All-American Yaxel Lendeborg had a quiet 30 minutes after a self-described “awful” and “soft” first half, but Michigan, the first title-winner in college basketball to start five transfers, came well-armed to the fight.

Cadeau and Morez Johnson Jr., who scored 10 of his 12 points in the first half, made shots and impactful effort plays on both ends.

“It means the world to me,” Cadeau said. “I was down on myself last year. It means the world to me to be Most Outstanding Player and win a national championship.”

Michigan’s perimeter shooting was virtually non-existent in the first half — the Wolverines were 0-for-8 from 3-point range — but yielded nothing close to a clean look to UConn freshman Braylon Mullins and Alex Karaban.

The Wolverines were held to 33 points in the first half, which put them 61 points behind their scoring pace from five prior NCAA Tournament wins.

Without their usual outside-inside balance to stir the offense, Michigan finished with 36 points in the paint and knocked down 25 free throws.

“All year we’ve just been finding ways to win,” Cadeau said. “We constantly just find ways to win all season.”

Lendeborg returned to the court in the semifinals after sustaining left knee and ankle injuries earlier in the contest, and he decided then that he wouldn’t miss the title game.“It took a lot to get on the court. I was having a lot of mental issues. These guys stuck with me. They believed in me, really helped me out,” said Lendeborg, who put up 13 points against UConn. “I just tried to find a way to do something to help the team out. I did the best I could regardless of the outcome, but it feels really, really good to be a national champion.”

The Huskies reached Indianapolis on the back of Mullins’ buzzer-beater against Duke in the East regional final, and he kept the hot hand with four 3-pointers against Illinois. However, he shot 4 of 17 from the field on Monday. Karaban made 5 of 14, and they were both 3 of 10 from 3-point range.

UConn shot 30.9% from the field, and when the teams switched baskets at halftime, the Huskies came up empty on their first 11 3-point tries.

“They just made it so tough on us around the rim,” UConn coach Dan Hurley said after he instructed the Huskies to wait courtside for a handshake line while the Wolverines celebrated for several minutes. “Just an incredibly talented, incredibly imposing team physically. They’re legit.

“They definitely deserved to win the national championship. They’re clearly the best team in the country this year. They’re just so hard to score against at the rim. I could talk about the threes that we missed, and I thought we had a lot of good threes that we missed. But they just made it so tough on us around the rim.”

The Huskies scrapped to the bitter end. Down nine with less than two minutes remaining after Michigan’s Trey McKenney splashed a stepback 3-pointer, UConn went 4-for-4 on foul shots before Solo Ball banked in a trey, trimming the deficit to 67-63 with 37 seconds left.

McKenney hit two free throws with 13.4 seconds left to set off the Michigan celebration.

Tarris Reed Jr., a transfer from Michigan, had 14 rebounds and 13 points, though he shot 4-for-12. Karaban had 11 rebounds and led UConn with 17 points.

“This guy changed my life,” Hurley said of Karaban. “The joy he’s brought to the university, the fan base. His decision to come to UConn has made us — Florida won the national championship last year. I’ll probably get in trouble for this. Michigan won the national championship this year. But he’s helped to make UConn, I think, right now — we’re probably the premier program in college basketball right now, having been to three out of four national championship games, having won two of them. He’s put UConn in that rarefied place in college basketball.”

Hurley, bidding to become the seventh college coach with at least three national title wins, lost a game in the Final Four for the first time (5-1).

–Field Level Media

Padres Come From Behind, Beat Sox 8-6

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By TERRY LYONS, Editor-in-Chief

BOSTON – San Diego closer Mason Miller entered the game in the bottom of the ninth inning to much fanfare. Fenway Park’s welcome was actually a rallying cry to the home Boston Red Sox and they came to the plate with the heart of the order scheduled to bat. Miller struck out Boston shortstop Trevor Story on three pitches, then got No. 3 hitter Jarren Duran with only four pitches.

Lastly, Miller earned his fourth save of the season by mowing down Willson Contreras with a 89 mph slider to strike out the side and secure an 8-6 victory for the visiting Padres (4-5). The Red Sox fell to (2-7) and will limp into a three-game set vs. Milwaukee on Monday night at Fenway..

After a paltry 1-5 start to the 2026 Major League Baseball season, the Boston Red Sox needed two big games. One came on their home opening day, on Friday, when the Sox defeated the San Diego Padres 5-2 before a festive sellout crowd at Fenway Park, but the other fell short Sunday, when the Sox faced those same Padres in the rubber-game of their three-game series and dropped it.

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Boston tallied first, scoring four runs in the bottom half of the third inning. The inning began with two base-on-balls issued to catcher Carlos Narvaez and designated hitter Roman Anthony, respectively. After Boston Story moved the runners up a base with a ground-out to first, centerfielder Jarren Duran laced a double down the right field side, scoring both Narvaez and Anthony.

Later in the inning, Boston’s rightfielder Wilyer Abreu cracked a drive to the wall in right for a stand-up triple. Left fielder Masataka Yoshida followed with a double to right, scoring Abreu and giving Boston a 4-0 lead. With that, San Diego yanked starter Walker Buehler in the third as his line was a horrid, 2.2 IP, three hots, four runs, all earned  with three walks and four strike-outs. Buehler threw 61 pitches in his 2.2 IP with 33 strikes.

San Diego followed a half-inning later, tallying three runs on four hits and an error. Fernando Tatis Jr. started the rally wqith a double ripped to the left-center field gap. Centerfielder Jackson Merrill knocked in Tatis with a base hit to right and Manny Machado followed immediately afterward with a single. The two runners advanced on an errant throw by Boston’s backstop, Narvaez, and newly acquired first baseman Nick Castellanos knocked in the pair of runners with a single to cut the Red Sox lead to 4-3. . Castellanos was batting .154 when the game started.

San Diego scored another three runs in the 5th inning. Catcher Luis Campusano and Merrill each singled to set the table for Padres third baseman and All-Star Manny Machado’s 365-foot, three-run homer to left field which gave the Padres a 6-4 lead in the middle of the 5th.

Manager Alex Cora had yanked starter Ranger Suarez after the Campusano single, so reliever Greg Weissert was left holding two of those three runs on his resume. Weissert was replaced by rookie  right-hander Tyler Uberstine in the sixth inning.

Boston tied the game in the bottom of the 7th inning when Story singled, first baseman Contreras traded the base paths on a field’s choice but Abreu laced a double to put runners on 2nd and 3rd base. Yoshida came through in the clutch with a two-out double to right-center field, scoring both Contreras and Abreu.

With the score knotted at 6-6, Merrill led-off the 8th inning with a 384-foot home run to right field, hitting a 2-2 pitch off Uberstine – his first homer to be let up at Fenway. The Padres scored an insurance run in the top of the 9th. Tatis ripped a long sacrifice fly ball to center and pinch hitter Gavin Sheets scored after he had hit a double to lead-off the inning.

Jeremiah Estrada was credited with the victory. He is (1-0), while the rookie, Uberstine, took the loss. He is (0-1).

The Padres will fly to Pittsburgh to face the National League Pirates in their next series.

 

 

Does Your Dog Bite?

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Huskies Bark & Bite Their Way to Final v. Michigan

INDIANAPOLIS – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – A gift, and not one UConn coach Dan Hurley saw coming, became fuel for the Huskies long before the team bus pulled up to Lucas Oil Stadium early Saturday afternoon.

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From Hurley’s vantage point, the overall national narrative wrote UConn into the Final Four as the underdog against an Illinois team the Huskies beat by double digits earlier in the year.

“You’re coming into the game as an underdog versus a team that you beat by 13 points earlier in the season, which was kind of surprising, that’s how we kind of came into the game. Obviously I’ve been waiting to say that,” Hurley said 12 minutes into the UConn postgame press conference.

Illinois felt UConn’s intensity almost immediately and the Huskies made a full-court, do-or-die mentality the focus of their preparation. Even though the UConn banners arranged in Storrs celebrate a growing tradition of gold-plated victories, Hurley instead preaches an eat-off-the-floor philosophy. That chip on his shoulder Saturday isn’t going away by Monday night.

“I couldn’t be more proud of my guys and how hard they fought when most people probably didn’t think we were going to win the game,” he said. “Or at least a little bit of what I saw on TV today, you know, TNT and some of the different prognostications.”

UConn is back, and at 34-5 playing for a national title on Monday night. With program royalty on hand, from Ray Allen and Richard Hamilton to Khalid El-Amin and Charlie Villanueva, UConn reacted Saturday night like the more experienced team. When things went their way and when they didn’t, the Huskies had an answer.

“We’re a group of fighters. It’s not appealing to everyone,” Hurley said. “I’m sure there’s some people in here that it’s off-putting for. But we are a group of fighters. We are incredibly tough. We’ve got incredible will. We go into these games, we’re ready for battle. Again, for us it’s not a game that we’re just kind of running around in uniforms throwing the ball around, hoping it goes in. That’s not what we’re doing out there. We’re fighting. It’s a life-and-death struggle for us to get to Monday night for the opportunity to win a championship, and then just to be able to prolong this season with each other and to make the people of Connecticut proud, to make the university proud and all the former great players.”

“It’s why I have so much respect for Alex Karaban,” Underwood said of UConn’s senior forward. “He’s been to three of them. It’s freaky.”

In the last three meetings with UConn, Illinois has been held to its lowest scoring output of that season. That includes a loss in November of this season and a blowout in the 2023 Elite Eight. Maybe, Underwood joked Saturday night, it’s “the uniforms.”

“When they beat us in the Elite Eight, I told our coaches, that was a bad feeling. This is even worse,” Underwood said. “It hurts. My gut hurts so bad right now. I feel sad. I’m sad, if you want to know the truth. Seasons coming to an end hurts.”

Tarris Reed Jr. had 17 points to lead UConn, Mullins had 15 and Ball 13.

Hurley felt the offense had a chance to turn the game into a blowout because of the quality of looks UConn was getting. Illinois had the same reaction postgame, pointing to holding UConn to 35 percent shooting.

Even things that didn’t go their way broke right for the Huskies. After not scoring in the second half, Mullins wound up with the ball after Karaban missed a 3. He calmly connected with 52 seconds on the clock and UConn booked a couple more nights at the Marriott in Indy along with the most meaningful bus ride in the  sport from Hurley’s experienced perspective.

“There’s no better feeling than being on that bus on Monday night, just being one of the last two teams standing, that bus ride to the stadium,” Hurley said. “It’s just a cool experience.”

–Field Level Media

 

Michigan Mauls Arizona; Next is UConn

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INDIANAPOLIS — Michigan’s wait for a competitive NCAA Tournament game extends to the national championship game Monday after the Wolverines mauled Arizona, 90-73 on Saturday night.

Michigan was all gas, no brake in improving to 36-3 and earning a spot in the title game with a fifth consecutive blowout in the 2026 NCAA Tournament.

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Aday Mara scored 26 points, Trey McKenney had 16 and generations of Wolverines celebrated with Chris Webber, Jalen Rose and the Fab Five courtisde at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Michigan had 26 points off turnovers and made 12 of 27 3-pointers.

The barrage had Arizona head coach Tommy Lloyd shaking his head long before Elliot Cadeau splashed his second 3 and gave the Wolverines a 27-point lead with 12:20 left in the game.

There was little life remaining in the Wildcats, who were atypically frustrated for most of their third loss of the season (36-3).

With Michigan All-American Yaxel Lendeborg in and out of the game — first due to foul trouble, later to have his rolled ankle checked and taped to return — the Wolverines flexed their title-worthy depth. Cadeau missed 12 of his 14 shot attempts in the first half, but McKenney could scarcely miss and Arizona had no way to slow down 7-foot-3 center Mara.

McKenney made three 3s in less then five minutes during a second-half sprint that helped Michigan kick its way to a 77-47 lead with 10:31 on the clock.

Mara was more of a constant.

He made 11 of 16 field goals, three of them emphatic and emotional dunks. On defense he slapped away shots, changed countless more and harassed Arizona freshman Koa Peat into a night to erase from his memory.

Peat took a team-high 18 shots (made six) and had only 11 points with 10 minutes left in the game. He eventually led Arizona with 16 points and 11 rebounds.

Arizona had a couple of roundhouse punches left as the deficit hovered around 30 points, but a true game never materialized.

Peat and Burries cashed 3s and Big 12 Player of the Year Jaden Bradley, limited to 25 minutes due to foul trouble, outsprinted the Wolverines for a layup that narrowed the gap to 81-60. The Wildcats forced a stop and then Cadeu’s fourth foul sent Bradley to the line for one-and-one. He came away with two and whittled the margin to 19.

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Burries was 2 of 10 from 3-point range. He finished with 13 points, as did Bradley.

It was still a 19-point game when Mara lowered his right shoulder and tugged Tobe Awaka with him for a five-footer on the baseline that gave him a career-high 25 points and added the free throw to balloon Michigan’s lead to 86-64 with 5:19 left.

Michigan improved to 8-1 in the Final Four and meets UConn (34-5) on Monday. The Huskies held off a late Illinois rally to improve to 13-1 all-time in the Final Four. Michigan is 1-6 and UConn is 6-0 all-time in the national title game.

–By Field Level Media