Good Morning! Here’s what happened in the world of sports on Monday, May 19.

BASEBALL

As my Uber driver put it yesterday, “Summer is knocking at the back door.” While he may have been referencing the oncoming heat wave hitting Los Angeles later this week, it got me thinking about the sports calendar. With only a few weeks left of spring, it’s time we checked in on the baseball standings. So on this otherwise slow news day, I invite you to sit back, pretend you’ve just opened the sports section of your local newspaper, and enjoy a Remix Refresh of Major League Baseball:

AL EAST:

THE STORY SO FAR: Aaron Judge and Max Fried are the early favorites for AL MVP and Cy Young, and it’s a big reason why the Yankees are in first. Elsewhere, this division has been disappointing… especially Baltimore, who have been a complete disaster to start the year.

AL CENTRAL:

THE STORY SO FAR: The Detroit Tigers have the best record in baseball, and barring injuries, they look legit. A 13-game winning streak brought the Twins back into the race, however, while KC and Cleveland lurk close behind.

AL WEST:

THE STORY SO FAR: Keep an eye on Texas. The Rangers started slow, but are 7-3 in their last 10 games. This division feels eerily similar to last season, when the Mariners fell out of the playoffs after an underwhelming second half.

NL EAST:

THE STORY SO FAR: The Braves have turned things around after a super slow start, giving us the three-horse race we all expected in the NL East. If anything goes wrong with the current top two, however, we’ll know it’s because the Phillies have a bullpen issue and there’s a bit of drama around Juan Soto not hustling or fitting in. Oh, and the Nationals boast a very exciting group of young players. Pretty fun division!

NL CENTRAL:

THE STORY SO FAR: Is there anything better than a division race between two rivals? The Cubs and Cards are the class of the Central so far, and I’m enjoying every minute of it. While Chicago jumped out to an early lead behind the astonishing play of Kyle Tucker and Pete Crow-Armstrong, the surprising Redbirds are suddenly the hottest team in the game: St.. Louis has the best record in the NL since April 25.

NL WEST:

THE STORY SO FAR: The Rockies are historically awful, but that’s more of a “please look away” than “keep an eye on” story. LA is scuffling a bit at the moment with four consecutive losses and what feels like an entire roster of injured pitchers. Can San Diego, San Francisco, and Arizona capitalize? At least one team is going to be left out in October, due to what is shaping up to be an incredibly competitive NL Wild Card race.

BONUS TRIVIA: Last night, Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber became the 11th active player with 300 home runs. How many can you name of the other ten? answer at the end!

NOTEWORTHY NEWS

The US Open announced plans for massive upgrades to their facility in New York City. Arthur Ashe Stadium will be expanded and improved by an $800 million investment set to take place over the next few years. “We're proud to unveil the largest single investment in the history of this event, a multi-year transformation that will elevate the experience for every fan, player and partner who enters the grounds at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center,” said USTA chairman and president Brian Vahaly.

John Oliver, host of Last Week Tonight on HBO/Max/HBO Max, is now in charge of the Erie SeaWolves AA baseball team? Did I read that right? Apparently Oliver sent out a proposal to all minor league ballclubs for his late night team to rebrand their team. I’m eagerly awaiting whatever he comes up with for the SeaWolves…

CONFERENCE FINALS PREVIEW

We’ve got four teams left in each of the NBA and NHL– let’s take a quick look at the matchups as the conference finals get underway:

NBA

WEST: (1) Oklahoma City Thunder vs (6) Minnesota Timberwolves

Bring your popcorn as two of the brightest young stars in the sport go head-to-head for their first career Finals appearance. But while all eyes will be on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander vs Anthony Edwards, the key to this series will be the supporting casts. Two of the best defensive teams in the league promise to deliver a physical, thrilling, and lengthy series.

EAST: (3) New York Knicks vs (4) Indiana Pacers

Tyrese Haliburton and the high-flying Indiana Pacers are playing their very best basketball at the most important time of the year. Jalen Brunson and the Knicks, however, feel like a team of destiny– if the game is close, New York finds a way to win. It’s anyone’s guess as to who emerges from this unexpected but incredibly exciting matchup.

NHL

WEST: (2) Dallas Stars vs (3) Edmonton Oilers

You could argue no one is playing better hockey right now than Mikko Rantanen, as he and the Stars have become an unstoppable force in the offensive zone this postseason. Meanwhile, Edmonton is seeking their second consecutive Finals appearance, and it feels pretty foolish to bet against Connor McDavid, the best player in the world. I think the winner of this series will become the favorite to hoist the Stanley Cup.

EAST: (2) Carolina Hurricanes vs (3) Florida Panthers

The defending champs are back and hungry for another Cup. Boosted by trade deadline acquisition Brad Marchand, I’d say Florida has a pretty good shot. But the Hurricanes thrive on shutting down their opponents and making life difficult for the opposing team’s top scorers. Carolina hasn’t made the Finals since 2006– will this be the year they finally get over the hump?

TODAY’S BIG GAMES (all times Eastern)

WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: Timberwolves @ Thunder, 8:30 PM on ESPN

EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: Panthers @ Hurricanes, 8 PM on TNT/Max

TRIVIA ANSWER: Giancarlo Stanton (429), Mike Trout (387), Paul Goldschmidt (367), Freddie Freeman (352), Nolan Arenado (345), Manny Machado (345), Bryce Harper (343), Aaron Judge (330), Carlos Santana (328), and Andrew McCutchen (322) are the other 10 active players with 300 career home runs. Eugenio Suarez (290) is on pace to be the next player to join the elite club!

Thank you for all your continued support of The Remix. As we approach our one-year anniversary next month (!), I want to begin taking more time to express how truly grateful I am for this community.

See you again tomorrow! Have a terrific Tuesday