Daily Report – 5/7/25

Here is today’s report, including your Knicks Game 2 PREVIEW:

Yankees

Last night, Yankee Stadium saw its 50 millionth fan enter the building, and the Yankees broke a three-game losing streak with a 12-3 win over the San Diego Padres. With the win, the Yankees forced a rubber game tonight with Max Fried on the mound.

It started with a pitching battle between two former Yankees teammates as San Diego’s Michael King faced off against Clarke Schmidt. Since being traded to San Diego, King has become one of baseball’s most dominant right-handed starting pitchers. Schmidt, meanwhile, has been inconsistent. Last night, King allowed two runs off three hits, including a home run by Aaron Judge, across six innings. Schmidt allowed two runs off seven hits across six innings. The score was knotted at 2-2 entering the seventh inning.

In the top of the seventh inning, the Yankees’ bullpen struggled as Tim Hill gave up a single to Gavin Sheets, and with one out, Elias Díaz singled to put runners at first and second. Fernando Cruz then relieved Hill to face the pinch hitter Jose Iglesias, who lined out before Fernando Tatis Jr. stepped up to the plate. Cruz made the mistake of throwing a sinker down the middle to Tatis, who drilled it to right field for a double to put the Padres up 3-2.

Entering this game, San Diego held a 23-0 record this season when leading after seven innings, and their bullpen’s 1.68 ERA was the best in the Majors. The Yankees have struggled to overcome scoring deficits this season. With San Diego’s high-leverage lefty Adrian Morejon pitching in the seventh inning against Jasson Domínguez, who entered the game 3-for-36 against lefties, a comeback seemed unlikely for the Yankees. Little did they know that 13 batters, seven hits, and three walks later, they’d lead the Padres 12-3.

It started with a double from Jasson Domínguez. He scorched the first pitch he saw into left center field and hustled into second base. “I know I’ve been struggling from the right side,” said the switch-hitting rookie Domínguez. “Getting a hit from that side means a lot.”

Anthony Volpe followed Domínguez with a single to center field to put runners at the corners with zero outs for Austin Wells. Wells tied the game with a single to right field before Oswaldo Cabrera bunt popped out to Manny Machado. Paul Goldschmidt then pinch hit for Jorbit Vivas, but when Volpe and Wells each stole a base, San Diego intentionally walked him, loading the bases for Trent Grisham.

Grisham worked a walk to move the carousel and score Volpe, giving the Yankees a 4-3 lead. Then, Ben Rice crushed his second double of the night, this time to right field to score Wells and Goldschmidt. With first base open, San Diego intentionally walked Aaron Judge, and Cody Bellinger singled to right field to score Grisham. The bases were loaded again, and after Jasson Domínguez flied out to left field, Anthony Volpe singled to third base to score the pinch runner Oswald Peraza. The bases were loaded for the catcher, Austin Wells.

Wells was responsible for plating the game-tying run earlier in the seventh inning. This time, he belted a changeup from the former Yankees southpaw Wandy Peralta above the short porch in right field for his first career grand slam. In the seventh inning last night, his five runs batted in marked the most by any Yankee since Alex Rodríguez in 2009. They were also the most by any Yankees catcher with a stolen base in the game  (Stathead).

“That was a lot of fun to watch – a lot of fun to be a part of,” said Wells. The Yankees’ 10 runs in the seventh inning were their most in any inning since plating 11 in 2015.

It’s fun when the Yankees get a 12-3 win, but it’s especially enjoyable when that win comes against a) one of the best teams in baseball, b) one of the best pitchers and the best bullpen in baseball, c) left-handed pitching, and d) with a non-Max Fried starting pitcher.

Tonight, at 7:05 PM, the New York Yankees will play a rubber game against the San Diego Padres (Prime Video). LHP Max Fried (6-0, 1.01 ERA) gets the start against RHP Dylan Cease (1-2, 5.61 ERA).

Here is tonight’s starting lineup for the New York Yankees:

1. DH Ben Rice (L)

2. RF Aaron Judge (C) (R)

3. C Austin Wells (L)

4. 1B Paul Goldschmidt (R)

5. CF Cody Bellinger (L)

6. SS Anthony Volpe (R)

7. LF Jasson Domínguez (S)

8. 3B Oswaldo Cabrera (S)

9. 2B Jorbit Vivas (L)

P: LHP Max Fried (6-0, 1.01 ERA)

Knicks GAME NIGHT: 7:00 PM – 2025 NBA Playoffs Round 2, Game 2 – NYK (1-0) at BOS (0-1); TNT, TruTV, MAX

Tonight, at 7 PM, the New York Knicks will try to take a commanding 2-0 series lead against the Boston Celtics (TNT, TruTV, MAX).

Boston is going to make things tough for the Knicks tonight. Really tough. They may do some ugly things. I’m sure the players in Beantown got a stern talking to from head coach Joe Mazzulla after dropping Game 1 in their own building. Kristaps Porzingis will likely be back for the Celtics tonight, and the team will be ready to adjust their game and tie up this series.

There will be fewer three-pointers. There will be more jump shots, layups, and dunks. And the Knicks need to make improvements, too, like boxing out three-point shooters more effectively and scoring more points in the early parts of games. Oh, and Mitchell Robinson needs to be better from the free-throw line.

But if Boston fears Jalen Brunson and the Knicks at all right now, then this series will be over if the Knicks win tonight. It will be a remarkable collapse if the Celtics travel to Madison Square Garden down 2-0. What we witnessed on Monday night proves that the Knicks cannot merely “hang with” the Celtics. The Knicks can beat the Celtics.

The Pistons series helped remind the Knicks of the physicality that shaped their identity last season. While Boston is talented, they are not gritty, they are not healthy, and they are not physical enough to compensate for their health issues. The Knicks play a more physical style of basketball than them. They showcased it in Game 1.

Remember how much we complained about the Knicks playing too many minutes during the regular season? Now, their injury report is clean while Boston’s could use a mop. “Playing that kind of minutes in the regular season puts your body in a position to be resilient,” said Josh Hart. “And I think everything that we do from training camp through the first 50 games of the season is to make sure we’re ready and prepared mentally and physically for the end of the season.”

Indeed, it would be remarkable if the Knicks win tonight, and I believe they are prepared to take on whatever challenges the Celtics present, but I do not think Boston will let them win Game 2 in their own house. Beantown is for leprechauns, not Knickerbockers.

Schedule

7:00 PM: 2025 NBA Playoffs Round 2, Game 2: NYK (1-0) at BOS (0-1); TNT, TRUTV, MAX

7:05 PM: NYY vs. SD; AmazonPV; SP: LHP Max Fried (6-0, 1.01 ERA)