OAKLAND, Calif. -- Houston Rockets star James Harden said he "can barely see" after getting hit in both eyes Tuesday night during the first quarter of a 115-109 loss to the Golden State Warriors in Game 2 of their Western Conference semifinals series.

Harden, who had bleeding in both eyes and suffered a laceration on his left eyelid, returned in the second quarter and finished with 29 points on 9-of-19 shooting as the Warriors took a 2-0 series lead.

Harden's eyes were especially sensitive to light. He squinted and shielded his eyes repeatedly during the game and throughout his postgame news conference. He said his vision was a problem after taking an inadvertent shot from Golden State's Draymond Green and didn't know if it would continue to be an issue when the series resumes Saturday in Houston.

"It's pretty blurry right now," Harden said. "Hopefully it gets better day by day."

Warriors star guard Stephen Curry also briefly left the game because of an injury in the first quarter, dislocating the middle finger on his left hand when he tried to tip the ball away from Rockets center Clint Capela. Curry missed a few minutes while getting an X-ray, which was negative, and a tape job on the finger.

Curry scored 20 points on 6-of-16 shooting (3-of-13 from 3-point range) in the win.

"It looked bad when he came off the floor," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. "I looked at the finger and I was just hoping it was a dislocation and not a break. And fortunately, that's what it turned out to be. As far as whether it bothered him, you can ask him that. I thought he did some great things for us and fueled us, and may not have shot the 3 that well, but played a great game for us."

Said Curry: "It hurts, but it's all right. Didn't break anything. Fortunate, and some higher power's looking out for me on that one. Just gotta deal with pain and hopefully, before Saturday, that goes away and will be fine."

Curry didn't sound concerned the injury would limit him moving forward, especially since the Warriors will get a full day off Wednesday. Curry even joked that his block on Capela in the second half, with his injured left hand, was worth a little extra pain.

"I ain't got a block like that in a minute, so I'll take the pain for that for sure," he said.

Harden was hurt when Green's left hand smacked him in the face a little more than five minutes into the game. The contact, which did not result in a foul call, occurred while Harden was attempting to rebound his own miss after driving to the basket, with Green also pursuing the loose ball.

Harden remained facedown in the lane for the entire ensuing possession for the Warriors, who took advantage of the 5-on-4 situation by getting Kevin Durant a good look at a corner 3-pointer, which he swished. The Rockets called timeout with 6 minutes, 27 seconds left to allow Harden to receive medical treatment.

As Harden walked across the court to the Rockets' locker room with members of Houston's athletic training staff, Green approached him to apologize.

"I made a mistake and hit him in his eye," Green said. "Just [wanted] to check on him. It's not about hurting anybody out here. So many times, people forget that when a guy [has] an injury, you live with that every day, every second of every day. It's not just about this game."

Harden remained in the locker room until returning to the Rockets' bench with 9:38 left in the second quarter. He checked back into the game at the 7:09 mark of the quarter. Houston managed to trim the deficit from nine to five points in the time that Harden missed.

"He got raked pretty good in the eyes, but that's him," Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni said. "I mean, I didn't have a doubt that he was coming back unless it was something catastrophic. I'm sure he would have loved to play better. Under the circumstances, I thought he played great."

Harden's issues with his vision were not evident in his performance. He actually had his highest field goal percentage of this postseason (9-of-19, 47.4 percent) despite missing his first three shots before suffering the injury.

All four of Harden's assists occurred after the injury.

"I can barely see," said Harden, who took some eye drops to numb the pain. "Just tried to go out there and do what I can to help my teammates."

ESPN's Nick Friedell contributed to this report.

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Before they were champions, before Kevin Durant came to town and before they built a billion-dollar arena across the bay, the Golden State Warriors changed the NBA with the "death lineup."

It was five guys who could dribble, pass and score, applying a level of pressure to opponents that no one had really seen before. Of course, it was constructed around the singular shooting talent of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, but it was always made possible by the flexibility of Draymond Green.

In the haze of screaming matches with his coach, screaming matches with his teammates, technical fouls, flailing legs, suspensions, unfortunate social media posts, injuries and conditioning issues, it can be easy to forget just how unique Green can be.

This series with the Houston Rockets, which the Warriors lead 2-0 after a 115-109 Game 2 victory, has been a return to glory for Green. He's been the best version of himself through two games and really for much of the postseason, which included a triple-double when the Warriors closed out the LA Clippers last week.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr, who had limited the renamed "Hamptons 5" lineup this season as he worked in DeMarcus Cousins, decided to make it the starting group for this series. It was something Kerr hadn't done all season, a bold move with the stakes so high.

The decision placed a great load on Green's shoulders, as he would have to play long stretches as the primary defender for Rockets center Clint Capela, a pick-and-roll demon who specializes in shedding defenders for lobs -- a major facet of the Houston offense.

Kerr, though, had his reasons.

First, the Curry-Durant-Thompson-Green-Andre Iguodala lineup was the most effective of any of the groups the Warriors played in the four games against the Rockets during the regular season. But more importantly, Kerr knew that Green was in the best physical condition he's been in at this point of the season in years. It's been a bit of a turning-back-the-clock to those postseasons between 2014 and 2016, when Green was truly at the top of his game.

It has worked out beautifully thus far. Green is so light on his feet and focused that he's able to be everywhere, the type of performance that made him a star. In this matchup, he can flash out to contain James Harden in screen situations and still recover quickly to get back to defend Capela's lobs, nearly neutralized in the first two games.

His activity extends to rebounding, where he's always been good, and especially at the offensive end, where he's darting to beat opponents to open spaces as though he is 5 years younger than he is. He had five offensive rebounds on Tuesday and 12 overall to go with 15 points.

"[He's] always a problem," Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni said. "He's an All-Star for a reason. He's really good. Kind of a point guard at the center or forward position. He plays well. He's a heck of a player."

Well, not always. Green has been slowed by injuries over the past two seasons. Last season, a shoulder injury wrecked his shooting to the point where opponents basically stopped guarding him on the perimeter. A hip problem dogged him in the playoffs. This season, a toe injury and a sore knee slowed him down. He came into the season aiming to win the Defensive Player of the Year Award, but he wasn't in good enough shape to seriously contend for it.

"All this year I don't think I was in great shape at all," Green said. "[I'm] really just locking in and focusing on my body; getting it healthy and ready for this time of year has been important."

After the All-Star break, Green went on a strict diet and started ramping up workouts on off days. He lost more than 20 pounds in six weeks, and the difference is striking. His quickness and versatility from earlier in his career have returned. His shooting hasn't fully recovered, but everything else has him looking like he's in his prime again.

"It feels good to step out there and not have an ache," Green said. "Sometimes during the year, like the toe injury, every time you step on that toe, put pressure on it, it's killing me. You kind of dread going on the floor."

Green was surely motivated by the postseason and his desire to win a third consecutive championship. But there's also his contract. Green signed a five-year, $82 million deal in 2015. That made him one of the star players who wasn't able to cash in on the 2016 salary-cap spike that inflated salaries across the league.

One of the reasons the Warriors were able to afford Durant in 2016 was that Green was signed to a favorable deal the year before. Green hasn't been afraid to point out that fact over the years.

Although he still has a season left on his deal, Green has been gearing up for contract extension talks this summer, as he will be eligible for an extension in the final year. He changed agents recently -- hiring Rich Paul of Klutch Sports -- to prepare for the talks, which have the potential to get complicated.

Because even as Green believes he's underpaid based on the changed market, his effectiveness and production have dropped over the past two seasons. With his mounting injury history and advancing age -- he recently turned 29 -- it is a little unclear what the Warriors would be willing to pay before he could test the free-agent market.

That cloud is still on the horizon, but Green's turning back the clock in recent weeks has accomplished sending the message that he's still a valuable player. If he's able to do it for a few more weeks and help the Warriors to a fourth ring, Green just might get everything that he wants.

"I feel great out there. I think it's showing in my play," Green said. "But it's a long road for what we want to do. Just got to continue to do the things that I've been doing, continue to try to bring it on the floor."

SEATTLE -- Citing solely baseball reasons, Chicago Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein said the team will option infielder Addison Russell to Triple-A Iowa when his 40-game suspension for violating the league's domestic violence policy is up Thursday.

"There have been some real promising signs with his play. Six games just isn't enough to get fully up to speed to come up to the big league club," Epstein said Tuesday.

According to Epstein, Russell has been making progress in his off-the-field rehabilitation after accepting the suspension that stemmed from multiple allegations of abuse by his ex-wife, Melisa Reidy.

According to league rules, Russell was allowed seven days in the minors as his suspension neared its end, but the Cubs have decided to leave him at Triple-A while he acclimates himself to second base again.

National League MVP runner-up Javier Baez has taken over at shortstop, Russell's natural position. The Cubs are seemingly stacked up the middle as David Bote has emerged as a key player, as well.

"He's going to split his time evenly between short and second," Epstein said of Russell.

The Cubs continue to stress Russell is being given a "conditional" second chance as the team regularly checks in with people in the 25-year-old's life. There is no "finish line" to the off-the-field work, Epstein said.

"There has been progress, even though there is a tremendous amount of work ahead for him," Epstein said. "He's put a lot of work in, as he needed to. Talking to the people in his life, they notice improvements in the way he's handling himself in important situations, improvements in his relationships and the way he's functioning as a father and a partner. Those are all good signs."

Epstein also addressed reports that the team was "threatening" media members for critical coverage of the story.

"If you want to write critical articles about Addison or about the club's handling, you're more than welcome to," Epstein said. "Seriously, we believe in the freedom of the press and this is an issue where we expect there to be strong opinions. People have their right to have those opinions and express them however they want.

"We would never try to stifle freedom of the press. The threat of reprisal to a media member about any topic, especially one of this nature, is not acceptable. I would be surprised if that happened with the Cubs, and if it did, I would want to know who it was and they wouldn't be working for the Cubs much longer. That's a fireable offense."

Rich Hill and his wife, Caitlin, were met with an unfathomably difficult decision early in the 2014 calendar year -- whether to go against doctors' recommendations and put their newborn son through dialysis, or take him home on hospice care so that he could die peacefully.

"I honestly wouldn't wish that sort of decision on my worst enemy," Hill, the Los Angeles Dodgers veteran starting pitcher, wrote as part of a 3,900-word essay for The Players' Tribune that detailed the death of his infant son, Brooks, who had a rare brain disorder and malfunctioning kidneys.

Hill and his wife chose hospice and watched Brooks pass away on the night of Feb. 24, 2014, less than two months after his birth.

Brooks was diagnosed with lissencephaly and congenital nephrotic syndrome, a combination that had only ever struck 50 people worldwide. Hill wrote about the initial "ultra-male mode" he went into of Googling symptoms and trying to fix the problem; about deciding whether to include his 18-month-old son, Brice, in what was happening; and about how they whispered the song "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" in Brooks' ear during his final moments.

"Caitlin, Brice and I loved Brooks to the moon and back, and we miss him like crazy," Hill, 39, wrote. "He remains a gigantic part of our family to this day, and moving forward after his passing has not been easy. There's no blueprint for how to go on after you've lost a newborn child. You just kind of have to try to do the best you can. In whatever way allows you to make it to the next day. There is no right way to grieve. Everyone grieves differently, and nobody does it well. No one is good at grieving."

Caitlin's pregnancy and Brooks' birth seemed perfectly normal. The problems Brooks showed initially -- a smaller-than-normal head, trouble breastfeeding, thumbs turned toward his palms -- were not considered serious. But then Rich and Caitlin were led into a boardroom at MassGeneral Hospital for Children in Boston and told that their newborn son had "a serious brain malformation" that carried with it a low life expectancy and an assortment of physical and mental deficiencies along the way.

After Brooks' urine was tested, a renal specialist informed the couple that he was also having trouble holding protein in his body. He needed a kidney transplant, but he didn't weigh enough for one. And with his breathing issues there was no guarantee that he would make it through the anesthesia. Brooks would eventually need dialysis every two hours, as opposed to the standard six, and doctors urged against attempting that as well.

Rich and Caitlin took Brooks home with the assistance of a visiting nurse about a month after his birth, but more breathing issues prompted his return to the hospital 10 days later. Then it all snowballed. Brooks' kidney readings got progressively worse. His breathing was continually labored, and he opened his eyes only in the dark.

Out of solutions, Rich and Caitlin took Brooks home to comfort him during his final days.

Hill reported to camp with the Boston Red Sox six days after Brooks was buried because, as he wrote, "I needed to get away. We all did, really."

At the funeral, a hospice doctor told Hill to "be kind to yourself" during the grieving process, and Hill has taken those words to heart. He has been touched by how often Brice brings up his younger brother, validating the decision to include him in Brooks' final days. The park across the street from the family's house will now be named Brooks Hill Playground, and the Hills have launched a campaign, Field of Genes, that included an initial $575,000 donation to MassGeneral Hospital for Children.

"These days," Hill wrote, "I'm proud to say that Brooks lives on with our family in so many ways."

PHOENIX -- As he nears the end of what might be a Hall of Fame career, CC Sabathia added to his extensive Cooperstown résumé Tuesday night at Chase Field by recording his 3,000th major league strikeout.

The milestone K came in the bottom of the second inning of the New York Yankees' series-opening 3-1 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks. Sabathia got catcher John Ryan Murphy swinging at a changeup as he struck out the side.

Sabathia is the 17th pitcher in big league history, and the third southpaw, to reach 3,000 strikeouts.

"When I actually got that last strike, I didn't want it to be Murph," Sabathia said of the former second-round Yankees draft pick. "Me and him are really close, I've been knowing him his whole career."

Sabathia and Murphy played together in the Bronx from 2013 to 2015, with Murphy having caught Sabathia 15 times.

Ahead of Murphy's at-bat, Sabathia picked up two quick strikeouts in the inning before Diamondbacks second baseman Wilmer Flores hit a two-out solo homer. On the two pitches before the 382-foot blast, many of the 36,352 fans present had been chanting "CC, CC, CC" and "Let's go, CC."

Though the cheers didn't work on the Flores at-bat, they did when Murphy came to the plate.

Ultimately handed the loss, Sabathia left the game after 5⅓ innings, having given up two earned runs, five hits and two walks, and striking out five.

As Sabathia walked off the mound in the second inning after the momentous inning-ending strikeout, he was met near the Yankees' first-base side dugout by teammates and coaches who swarmed him with daps and hugs and handshakes. A graphic also flashed on the center-field video board congratulating Sabathia on reaching the milestone.

Before the game, right fielder Aaron Judge and fellow Yankees lefty J.A. Happ asked manager Aaron Boone what course of action the team should take when the key strikeout was recorded.

Boone told them not to have a plan -- just go with the flow.

"I just said, 'We're going to react. We're going to let the moment tell us what to do,'" Boone said. "We're not going to take a cue from anyone. We're just going to respond to the moment in celebration of our guy."

The celebration lasted a couple of minutes along the warning track by the dugout before Sabathia disappeared inside it. At some point after Sabathia came back into the dugout, Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez handed him the historic ball.

"The experience to catch his 3,000th strikeout is something that I'll never forget," Sanchez said through an interpreter.

When he finally emerged from the dugout, Sabathia had a bat and helmet in his hands as he waved and acknowledged the cheering crowd.

In the next instant, he looked over to a gap in the protective netting, where his children, Carsten Charles III, Carter Charles, Jaeden Arie and Cyia Cathleen -- none of whom was alive to see his first career strikeout in April 2001 -- had peered through to greet him with congratulatory hugs.

Each of his children, as well as his wife, Amber, mom Margie, and other family members and friends have traveled across the country with Sabathia and the Yankees in recent weeks as he has chased 3,000. For his oldest, it has meant missed high school baseball games.

"It's been fun with them, traveling around the last three starts to every city, so we've enjoyed our time together and hanging out," Sabathia said. "It's a very special time right now to have everybody in town."

Nearly an hour after the game, Sabathia and his friends and family were still celebrating the moment, soaking it up on the field.

Even before Tuesday's game, Sabathia's manager was soaking up the history he was about to witness.

"It's one of those awesome numbers: 3,000 hits, 500 homers, 3,000 strikeouts," Boone said before the game. "That's what I grew up with in my mind, and I think I got to see Rod Carew hit 3,000, Reggie [Jackson] 500 [homers], Don Sutton 3,000 [strikeouts], 300 wins.

"Those are magical numbers in our sport, and people should take notice when people come up upon them."

Boone expanded on that thought after the game.

"In a game that dates back to the 1800s, to be only the 17th guy to get to 3,000 is amazing," Boone said. "But it means a lot to the guys in that room, because they know who he is.

"Obviously frustrated with the loss, but [Tuesday] is about us celebrating a man and what's been an amazing career."

Arizona manager Torey Lovullo doesn't know Sabathia anywhere near as well as Boone, but he still believed Sabathia's feat deserved the attention it received.

"If you're a baseball fan, you have to appreciate what you saw today," Lovullo said.

One of Sabathia's longtime opponents, former Orioles outfielder and current Diamondbacks right fielder Adam Jones, certainly has taken notice. When speaking to ESPN about the pitcher who he said treated him "like a little brother" over the years, Jones recognized multiple parts of the historic significance of Sabathia's accomplishment.

"He's one of the biggest names in the game for the last two decades, and he's the [third] African American pitcher with at least that many strikeouts," said Jones, who entered Tuesday with 105 career plate appearances against Sabathia, the most against any pitcher in his 14-year career.

Hall of Famers Bob Gibson and Fergie Jenkins are the only other black pitchers to have amassed 3,000 strikeouts in their careers. Like Sabathia, Gibson and Jenkins are part of the 15-man group of "Black Aces," a collection of the only black pitchers to have won 20 or more games in a season. The group's founding member, Don Newcombe, who posted the first of his three 20-win seasons in 1951, died earlier this year.

"Being a 'Black Ace' is something that I take very seriously," Sabathia said. "So to be on that list as one of three guys with 3,000 strikeouts, it's hard to grasp, it's hard to think about it. But it's cool to be on that list."

Added Jones: "That's pretty historic. This is just another sign that [Sabathia] is building his résumé for Cooperstown. I've played against him for 12 years, and I can say that the competition against him is always A-1. You always know when you face him that the intensity is going to be high.

"He deserves everything that's coming his way."

Sabathia is the first pitcher to cross the 3,000-strikeout threshold since John Smoltz did it for the Atlanta Braves on April 22, 2008. Smoltz struck out the Washington Nationals' Felipe Lopez swinging in the third inning of that game.

In February, two months after an unexpected offseason angioplasty that followed an earlier offseason knee surgery, Sabathia, a former first-round draft pick, announced he would be retiring after 19 seasons.

Earlier this season, Sabathia admitted he has been thinking about getting his 3,000th strikeout since spring training. Because he came into the year just 11 strikeouts shy of the milestone, he found it difficult to avoid thinking about it.

"Just ready to get it over with," he said two starts ago.

Of the pitchers to have previously reached 3,000 strikeouts, all but two -- Roger Clemens and Curt Schilling -- have been elected to the Hall of Fame.

When the Yankees visited San Francisco on Friday, Sabathia was treated to a two-minute, between-innings montage on the Oracle Park video board recognizing his accomplishments as a pitcher. His upcoming 3,000th strikeout was mentioned.

Fittingly, the Giants were the first team to recognize Sabathia, a native of neighboring Vallejo, California, during a Yankees road trip this season. Asked about that video, Sabathia simply smiled and said seeing it was "cool."

What happened in April? Here are the five big storylines.

1. Lots of home runs

2. Dogfight in the National League

3. Cody Bellinger and Christian Yelich

4. Defending champs play like chumps

5. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. reaches the bigs

But what about for your team? My April grades with best storyline and one key do-over for each team:

Jump to ...:
The high achievers | The C-class | Hey, at least you passed | Three who failed

The high achievers

Tampa Bay Rays: A+

Best storyline: How good does last July's Chris Archer trade with the Pirates look now? Tyler Glasnow is throwing strikes and dominating, and looks like a potential Cy Young contender after starting 5-0 with a 1.75 ERA in his first six starts. Austin Meadows was off to a .351/.422/.676 start in 20 games before landing on the IL because of a thumb injury.

Mulligan: Blake Snell signed a $50 million extension, so he can afford a proper interior decorator who would have never placed a granite stand right next to the shower that Snell might conceivably try to move and accidentally drop on his toe, breaking the toe and forcing him to miss a start.

St. Louis Cardinals: A

Best storyline: The reemergence of Marcell Ozuna as a big threat has helped the Cardinals to first place despite playing one of the toughest April schedules. Ozuna was a disappointment last season, but he played through a bum shoulder that affected his output. He's healthy again and among the league leaders in home runs and RBIs. Also boosted by trade acquisition Paul Goldschmidt, the Cardinals now have the punch in the middle of the lineup they lacked last season.

Mulligan: The game plan against reigning MVP Christian Yelich, who has hit .389 with eight home runs and 19 RBIs in 10 games against the Cardinals.

Minnesota Twins: A

Best storyline: Dingers! The Twins homered 49 times in their first 25 games and led the majors in home-run rate and at-bats per home run through Sunday. They look like a lock to beat the franchise record for home runs of 225, set in 1963 -- the longest-standing team home-run record. They've taken advantage of a soft schedule -- they're 10-0 against the Orioles, Royals and Tigers -- but that's the path to a division title. Beat up on the weaklings of the AL and hold your own against everyone else.

Mulligan: Everyone applauded the Marwin Gonzalez signing, but he has been helpless at the plate. Miguel Sano isn't expected to return until late May, but Gonzalez's struggles have opened the door for Sano to get a chance at third base.

Los Angeles Dodgers: A-

Best storyline: Cody Bellinger's opening month for the ages has made him the early leader in the MVP race. He has tied the records for most home runs (14) and most RBIs (37) before May 1. His ridiculous "on pace" numbers at the start of the week: .427, 76 HRs, 194 RBIs, 162 runs.

Mulligan: Free agent Joe Kelly signed a three-year, $25 million contract and was supposed to be the primary setup man to Kenley Jansen, but he has been serving up batting practice so far. Warning: Don't pay a guy based just on what he did in October.

Houston Astros: A-

Best storyline: Justin Verlander keeps rolling along as one of the best starters in the game at age 36 -- continuing to show why he's going to end up in Cooperstown one day. After finishing second in the Cy Young voting in 2016 and 2018, you know he'd love to go one spot higher in 2019 and become the oldest Cy Young winner since 42-year-old Roger Clemens in 2004.

Mulligan: The offense hasn't really kicked into gear yet, ranking in the middle of the AL in runs scored, but you do wonder if the Astros still need another left-handed bat. They signed Michael Brantley, who has been excellent, but their only other lefty bats are Josh Reddick and utility man Tony Kemp.

San Diego Padres: A-

Best storyline: The Padres decided not to screw around with the service time of Fernando Tatis Jr. or Chris Paddack, and both have lived up to their prospect hype -- or maybe even exceeded it in Paddack's case. Tatis has hit for average and power, played an excellent shortstop and run the bases with electrifying speed. What a talent. Paddack has merely been one of the best starters in the league.

Mulligan: Ian Kinsler looked like a solid veteran signing in the offseason, but he has hit .133 in the early going. Luis Urias was called up, but he hit .083 in 29 plate appearances and was sent back to the minors. Now pinch-hit specialist Greg Garcia might get a chance at second base.

New York Yankees: B+

Best storyline: The Yankees have overcome a rash of injuries to get off to a good start -- heck, it has been so bad that even the injury replacements are getting injured. They were fortunate to have a soft schedule in April -- they finished the month having played only four games against teams that currently have a winning record (three against Houston and one against Arizona). Still, the backups played well enough and Domingo German helped rescue the rotation.

Mulligan: Chad Green's April. Green was as good as any reliever in baseball the past two seasons (13-3, 2.18 ERA, 197 Ks in 144⅔ innings), but after giving up 14 runs and four home runs in 7⅔ innings and losing two games, he was dispatched to Scranton to figure things out.

Seattle Mariners: B+

Best storyline: Dingers! The Mariners hit at least one home run in their first 20 games -- a record for the start of a season -- and bashed their way to a 13-2 start. Reality has set in a bit since, but they've continued to slug away, especially Daniel Vogelbach with his early gaudy batting line of .310/462/.732.

Mulligan: In what was supposed to be a rebuilding year, two of Jerry Dipoto's rebuilding trades don't look good so far. He traded Mike Zunino for Mallex Smith to acquire a center fielder, but Smith has hit under .200 and, more troublesome, looked terrible in center field. It's certainly way too early to pin a final evaluation on Justus Sheffield and Erik Swanson, acquired in the James Paxton deal, but Sheffield's command issues remain a concern, and Swanson has been hit hard in his first three starts.

Arizona Diamondbacks: B+

Best storyline: Christian Walker is a 28-year-old journeyman-type first baseman who spent most of the past five years at Triple-A and entered the season with just 99 PAs over four major league seasons. He has hit like Paul Goldschmidt, however, and it hasn't been a fluke as he ranks in the top 10 in average exit velocity and hard-hit percentage.

Mulligan: Zack Godley wants a do-over, that's for sure. He's 1-2 with a 7.58 ERA through his first six starts, with 18 walks in 29.2 innings.

Philadelphia Phillies: B

Best storyline: Maikel Franco has thrived in the eighth spot in the batting order, adding an exclamation point to a lineup that is as deep as any in the majors. It's a tough lineup for pitchers to navigate, with Bryce Harper, Andrew McCutchen and Rhys Hoskins all among the league leaders in walks. You also get the feeling that there is more in the tank here than what we've seen so far.

Mulligan: What's wrong with Aaron Nola? After finishing third in the 2018 Cy Young voting, his usual command and swing-and-miss curveball haven't been there. He has given up two or more home runs in three starts already, after doing that only three times in 2018. He has pitched in a lot of cold weather, so maybe he'll regain his feel once the temperatures get warmer.

Toronto Blue Jays: B

Best storyline: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is finally here. Aside from his arrival, here's another reason the Jays have a chance to be a sleeper playoff contender: The rotation has a 3.16 ERA through April, second best in the majors. In a season where so many starters are struggling early, maybe Toronto's rotation will be enough (although Matt Shoemaker was off to a good start and he was lost for the season after tearing his ACL).

Mulligan: Was it really necessary to give Randal Grichuk a $52 million contract extension? He's a nice enough player and now he has taken over center field after the Kevin Pillar trade, but he's still doing Randal Grichuk things: a few home runs, not enough walks, a few too many strikeouts.

Texas Rangers: B-

Best storyline: Hunter Pence has always been one of the most enjoyable players to watch with his unique style of play. He also hasn't been very good the past couple of seasons and is coming off a minus-0.9 WAR season with the Giants in 2018. But he's off to a good start at 36 in a part-time role, and though it's unlikely to continue, it's good to see him playing well in his hometown.

Mulligan: This one's for anyone who drafted Rougned Odor high in their fantasy leagues, thinking he had turned the corner after a strong second half in 2018 that included some semblance of plate discipline for the first time in his career. Alas, he's hitting .145 with one home run, a reminder that he's always going to be an inconsistent -- and frustrating -- player.

The C-class

Chicago Cubs: C+

Best storyline: Yes, that's Jason Heyward hitting .312/.433/.519 entering the week with five home runs and more walks than strikeouts. For all the crap that Heyward has taken from Cubs fans the past couple of seasons, the start must be extra gratifying. Is it for real? His exit velocity is up and so is his launch angle, so maybe these mechanical tweaks will actually stick.

Mulligan: Sorry, Yu Darvish was last year's mulligan (and don't write him off just yet). I do wonder if bringing back Addison Russell -- set to return soon from his suspension for domestic violence -- was not only a questionable moral decision, but unnecessary from a baseball standpoint, with Daniel Descalso and David Bote both playing well and Javier Baez obviously capable of handling shortstop.

Milwaukee Brewers: C+

Best storyline: Dingers! Especially Christian Yelich's dingers -- and he has a lot of them. Like Cody Bellinger, his 14 home runs before May 1 tie the all-time record. Like the Twins and Mariners, the Brewers began the week on pace for 300 home runs, even though Jesus Aguilar didn't hit his first one until Monday. They've also weathered a tough early schedule despite bad starts from Aguilar, Travis Shaw and Ryan Braun and some injuries in the bullpen.

Mulligan: Umm, maybe they should have signed a veteran starter? The Brewers got good work last year from a staff of journeyman-type starters, but began 2019 with three second-year pitchers in the rotation. Well, Corbin Burnes pitched his way back to Triple-A, Freddy Peralta is on the IL with a 7.13 ERA and Brandon Woodruff has been inconsistent. They just signed Gio Gonzalez to provide some help.

Detroit Tigers: C

Best storyline: Matt Boyd is putting everything together and is off to a 3.13 ERA with 48 strikeouts and only two home runs allowed in 37⅓ innings. He has the fifth-highest swing-and-miss rate among starters, suggesting he's developing ace-type stuff.

Mulligan: The entire offense. I mean, nobody expected the offense to be any good, but this is one pitiful lineup -- and the Tigers just struck out 20 times in one game against the White Sox. It hasn't helped that Nicholas Castellanos and Miguel Cabrera have combined for only three home runs.

Atlanta Braves: C

Best storyline: The emergence of young starters Max Fried (2.30 ERA in 31.1 innings) and Mike Soroka (1.62 ERA through three starts) gives the Braves a potential one-two dynamo at the top of the rotation -- helping to cover for the bad starts of Sean Newcomb and Kyle Wright that sent that pair back to Triple-A.

Mulligan: Hello, Craig Kimbrel? No, the Braves couldn't have anticipated the season-ending injury to Arodys Vizcaino, the projected closer, but even before that injury there were concerns about this bullpen. Through Monday, the Braves' bullpen ranked 28th in the majors in win probability added -- they've led in 11 of their losses. But, hey, good to see Liberty Media stock going up in value.

New York Mets: C

Best storyline: Rookie first baseman Pete Alonso has showed off some of the best exit velocity and raw power in the game while becoming an instant cult hero in Queens.

Mulligan: The Mets are hanging around .500, but would be in even better shape if Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard had pitched better, as they're a combined 3-6 with a 5.70 ERA. They should pitch better moving forward, but the same can't be said for Jason Vargas. It wasn't a good idea to count him as the fifth starter, let alone not to have a good backup plan in case he faltered.

Cleveland Indians: C

Best storyline: Trevor Bauer trash-talking the Astros after a game in which he walked six and struck out three (although escaped giving up only one run in eight innings and beat Gerrit Cole, his old UCLA teammate). Loathe him or dislike him, Bauer has obviously become one of the best pitchers in the league and enters May as the Cy Young favorite given the weak offenses in the AL Central, plus he's the rare starter who pitches relatively late into games on a regular basis.

Mulligan: Maybe the Indians should have listened to all those Corey Kluber trade offers this past winter. Kluber finished third in the Cy Young voting in 2018, but there were a few red flags in his numbers that suggested maybe he's starting the downward slope of his career. So far, he has struggled with his command, and the results have been a career-worst walk rate (more than double his 2018 rate) and his worst OPS allowed since his rookie season (200 points higher than last season).

Colorado Rockies: C

Best storyline: Signing Nolan Arenado to that eight-year, $260 million extension in spring training. Arenado got off to a slow start with no home runs in his first 15 games -- and, not by coincidence, the Rockies also started 3-12. Since then, however, Arenado has done Arenado things, and the Rockies have climbed back into the vicinity of .500

Mulligan: Ian Desmond in center field was never a good idea. Over the previous two seasons, his OPS+ ranked 197 out of 210 players with at least 800 plate appearances. He actually has been better than expected on defense so far (plus-1 defensive runs saved), but he hasn't hit and the Rockies offense isn't good enough to carry a center fielder hitting .196 with a .235 OBP.

Pittsburgh Pirates: C

Best storyline: As expected, the rotation has been very good while the offense has not -- with the exception of Josh Bell. A one-time top prospect, Bell hit 26 home runs in his first full season in 2017 but fell off to just 12 in 2018, producing a disappointing 0.8-WAR season. He's crushing so far, with a big 4 mph increase in average exit velocity and one memorable 474-foot home run. I'd written him off as a potential All-Star-type player, but maybe he does get to that level.

Mulligan: Not building a better bench. Gregory Polanco began the season on the IL (which the Pirates knew would happen), but Corey Dickerson has played only four games, and the injury to shortstop Erik Gonzalez forced the team to rush prospect Cole Tucker to the majors. This has meant too many plate appearances from the bench, which might waste one of the game's best rotations.

Chicago White Sox: C-

Best storyline: Tim Anderson is a player of the month candidate after hitting .375/.394/.615 with six home runs, 10 steals and 21 runs heading into Tuesday's game. He's riding a .435 BABIP that will obviously decline and he has drawn only two walks as he somehow has become even more aggressive at the plate. Maybe he's the rare athlete like Javier Baez who can produce despite poor plate discipline, but major regression appears likely.

Mulligan: Acquiring Manny Machado's pals. Brother-in-law Yonder Alonso is hitting .190 and best bud Jon Jay has yet to play because of injury. And Machado is having fun in San Diego.

Cincinnati Reds: C-

Best storyline: Luis Castillo entered 2018 with a lot of helium and then posted a 5.49 ERA in the first half. He was very good in the second half, however, including a 1.09 ERA in September, and he arguably has been the best pitcher in the majors in April, going 3-1 with a 1.45 ERA and giving up just two home runs in 43 ⅓ innings. In fact, the entire Cincinnati rotation has been solid, including Sonny Gray, who has been excellent after a bad first outing (although he hasn't won because of poor run support).

Mulligan: Agreeing to take on Matt Kemp as part of the Yasiel Puig/Alex Wood trade. Kemp hit .200 with 19 strikeouts and one walk before landing on the IL. Given his poor defense, he's probably not even worth a roster spot once he returns. In fact, the Reds might want a mulligan on that entire trade. Puig hasn't hit yet and Wood hasn't pitched because of back issues.

Oakland Athletics: C-

Best storyline: Matt Chapman is proving that he's a superstar. His defense is obviously spectacular and he continues to improve at the plate, hitting for power and average while also cutting way down on his strikeouts (he has more walks than whiffs). He finished seventh in the MVP voting last year; he's going to finish higher this season.

Mulligan: The one move the A's made in the rotation was to bring back Mike Fiers. Oops. While he had a 3.56 ERA in 2018, he also gave up 32 home runs and had a 4.75 FIP. Signs pointed to major regression and he has a 7.03 ERA so far.

Hey, at least you passed

Los Angeles Angels: D+

Best storyline: Well, Mike Trout is still awesome.

Mulligan: The Angels gave Matt Harvey a one-year, $11 million contract relatively early in the offseason. That ended up being a slight overpay given the way the market developed. That's not even the issue, however, as Harvey has a 6.54 ERA through six starts. He simply lacks the weapons to put batters away like he did earlier in his career, and his strikeout rate has fallen from 24.9 percent in 2015 (which was still post-Tommy John surgery) to 15.1 percent. Out of 98 qualified starters, he ranks 95th in strikeout rate.

Washington Nationals: D

Best storyline: Well, not the bullpen. Anthony Rendon is earning himself a huge payday in free agency with his monster start.

Mulligan: So, about that Trevor Rosenthal signing ... the problem with the Nationals' bullpen goes much deeper than Rosenthal. Outside of closer Sean Doolittle, there were obvious concerns about the rest of the pen. Rosenthal, coming off an injury, and Kyle Barraclough, who completely fell apart in the second half with the Marlins last year, were the big additions but hardly sure things to set up Doolittle. Mike Rizzo has always had trouble building deep bullpens, and so far this one (5.95 ERA entering Wednesday, 29th in win probability added) has been a disaster.

San Francisco Giants: D

Best storyline: The bullpen is very good, which means the Giants will eventually play a significant role in determining who makes the playoffs -- as in, which NL East team trades for Will Smith?

Mulligan: The Giants already pulled a mulligan on outfielders Connor Joe and Michael Reed, who started the first two games of the season and are already off the 40-man roster.

Kansas City Royals: D

Best storyline: What's weird is the Royals actually have several good storylines despite the awful start. Adalberto Mondesi is one of the most exciting players in the league, Hunter Dozier leads the AL in OPS, Terrance Gore is hitting .438! But Alex Gordon's turn-back-the-clock start is a nice reminder that he was one of the best all-around players in the league from 2011 to 2014, when he averaged 6.1 WAR per season.

Mulligan: I'm not exactly sure why Chris Owings continues to get so much playing time. Arizona kept him around as a semi-regular for years because of his versatility, but he has never hit much, especially on the road (.608 career OPS). Owings has already sucked up over 100 PAs with poor results.

The three who failed

Miami Marlins: F

Best storyline: Caleb Smith is really good and it's not a fluke. He has 37 K's in 29 innings and has held batters to a .167 average. He's seventh among starters in swing-and-miss rate (teammate Trevor Richards is eighth) and is fifth in strikeouts, sandwiched between Max Scherzer and Carlos Carrasco. His changeup is one of the best in the game and his slider has turned into a wipeout weapon.

Mulligan: At one point in the offseason or spring training, I mentioned that it was weird the Marlins were handing a job to Peter O'Brien considering he hit .191 in the minors in 2017 and .216 in 2018 with a zillion strikeouts. Somebody on Twitter tried to defend O'Brien. Well, he played nine games, hit .111, struck out a zillion times and is back in Triple-A.

Baltimore Orioles: F

Best storyline: Chris Davis got a hit ... then a home run ... then two more home runs! That was pretty cool, but we have to go with Trey Mancini, who is raking with a .355 average and 17 extra-base hits heading into Tuesday and might actually give the Orioles a legitimate All-Star candidate.

Mulligan: Dingers! The Orioles gave up 73 home runs in their first 30 games, an incredible pace of 394 over 162 games. The rotation has giving up 39 home runs in just 136⅓ innings.

Boston Red Sox: F-

Best storyline: None, really. Look, relative to expectations, the Red Sox have obviously been the biggest disappointment. It's not just that they're off to a slow start, it's that they've played poorly in all phases of the game. On the bright side, they're almost certain to win at least one Chris Sale start before the season ends.

Mulligan: Taking it easy on the starters in spring training was the cautious approach and maybe the correct one -- but easing into the regular season might be a reason the rotation (other than David Price) has fared so poorly.

The two-time Olympic 800m champion had been seeking to overturn the world governing body’s new regulations on female classification

Caster Semenya has lost her landmark case against the IAAF’s new rules on female classification, which relate to restricting testosterone levels in female runners in certain events on the world stage.

The case concerned the “IAAF Eligibility Regulations for Female Classification (Athletes with Differences of Sex Development)” (DSD Regulations) which had been due to come into effect on November 1, 2018, but were suspended.

The regulations will now start on May 8.

Ruling on the case, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) dismissed the challenges from both Semenya and Athletics South Africa (ASA) against the new rules, but added that the panel “expressed some serious concerns as to the future practical application of these DSD Regulations”.

As a result two-time Olympic 800m champion Semenya, and other female athletes with DSD, will need to reduce their natural testosterone level in order to take part in certain women’s events in international competition.

The rules for athletes who have DSD will apply to the 400m, 400m hurdles, 800m, 1500m, one mile races and combined events over the same distances.

Athletes who wish to compete would be required to take medication for six months beforehand and then maintain a lower testosterone level. Should they not want to take the medication they would be able to compete in international competitions in disciplines other than track events from 400m to the mile, or they could compete in men’s or mixed gender competitions or domestic (non-international) events.

“I know that the IAAF’s regulations have always targeted me specifically,” read a statement from Semenya, who recently won both 1500m and 5000m titles at the South African Championships.

“For a decade the IAAF has tried to slow me down, but this has actually made me stronger. The decision of the CAS will not hold me back. I will once again rise above and continue to inspire young women and athletes in South Africa and around the world.”

?‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/FHmm10npfx

— Caster Semenya (@caster800m) May 1, 2019

The case had previously been described by CAS as “one of the most pivotal” to have ever been heard by the court.

“The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has ruled on the requests for arbitration filed by the South African athlete Caster Semenya and Athletics South Africa (ASA) (“the Claimants”) against the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) (collectively, the parties),” read a CAS statement in part.

“The arbitration procedures concerned the “IAAF Eligibility Regulations for Female Classification (Athletes with Differences of Sex Development)” (DSD Regulations) that were due to come into effect on 1 November 2018 and which are currently suspended, pending the outcome of the CAS procedures.

“The CAS has dismissed both requests for arbitration.”

The statement added: “Caster Semenya and ASA requested that the DSD Regulations be declared invalid and void with immediate effect. They consider them as being discriminatory, unnecessary, unreliable and disproportionate. The IAAF contended that the DSD Regulations do not infringe any athlete’s rights, including the right to equal treatment, but instead are a justified and proportionate means of ensuring consistent treatment, and preserving fair and meaningful competition within the female classification. There is no dispute that there should be a separate classification for female athletes – a binary divide between male and female.

“By majority, the CAS Panel has dismissed the requests for arbitration considering that the Claimants were unable to establish that the DSD Regulations were “invalid”. The Panel found that the DSD Regulations are discriminatory but the majority of the Panel found that, on the basis of the evidence submitted by the parties, such discrimination is a necessary, reasonable and proportionate means of achieving the IAAF’s aim of preserving the integrity of female athletics in the Restricted Events.”

However, it added: “In a 165-page award, the CAS Panel expressed some serious concerns as to the future practical application of these DSD Regulations. While the evidence available so far has not established that those concerns negate the conclusion of prima facie proportionality, this may change in the future unless constant attention is paid to the fairness of how the Regulations are implemented.”

An executive summary of the decision has been published by the CAS and can be found here.

A press release issued on behalf of Semenya added: “Ms Semenya shares the view of the dissenting CAS arbitrator that the DSD Regulations are unnecessary. Women with differences in sexual development have genetic variations that are conceptually no different than other genetic variations that are celebrated in sport. The IAAF’s basis for discriminating against these women is their natural genetic variations. Ms Semenya believes that women like her should be respected and treated as any other athlete. As is typically the case across sport, her unique genetic gift should be celebrated, not regulated.

“Ms Semenya also agrees with the concerns expressed by the unanimous CAS panel about: (i) difficulties implementing and complying with the DSD Regulations; (ii) the absence of concrete evidence supporting the inclusion of certain events under the DSD Regulations; and (iii) the negative and harmful side effects of medical treatment experienced by athletes subject to the DSD Regulations who wish to continue in women’s competition.”

The CAS panel has suggested that the IAAF considers deferring the application of the DSD regulations to the 1500m and one mile events until more evidence is available.

The IAAF released a statement in response to the CAS decision, with the governing body saying it was “pleased that the Regulations were found to be a necessary, reasonable and proportionate means of achieving the IAAF’s legitimate aim of preserving the integrity of female athletics in the Restricted Events.”

Regarding the CAS concerns, the statement added: “The IAAF notes the three concerns expressed by the CAS Panel as to the fairness of the implementation of the Regulations. The CAS Panel in the Chand case (CAS 2014/A/3759) found that the previous iteration of the regulations were administered with ‘care and compassion’ by the IAAF, and this will not change.

“As the Regulations expressly state, the IAAF will keep all practical matters of implementation under periodic review. Indeed, the IAAF has already addressed the CAS Panel’s first concern by mitigating the consequences of unintentional non-compliance by an athlete in a new clause 3.15.”

The IAAF regulations can be found here, while a summary of the process for athletes seeking eligibility for the IAAF World Championships in Doha is here.

The CAS added that the decision may be appealed at the Swiss Federal Tribunal within 30 days. Semenya is said to be reviewing the decision with her legal team and considering whether to file an appeal.

British runners Purdue and Hawkins rewarded for performances in London but Mo Farah declines World Champs spot at 26.2 miles

Charlotte Purdue and Callum Hawkins are among half a dozen British endurance runners selected for the IAAF World Championships in Doha.

British Athletics has named Purdue and Hawkins along with Tish Jones and Dewi Griffiths in its marathon team for the big event from September 27 to October 6, while Cameron Corbishley and Dominic King are picked to compete in the 50km race walks.

Mo Farah has declined selection for the marathon, however, increasing speculation that he will target the 10,000m in Doha or perhaps an autumn big-city marathon instead such as Berlin, New York City or Chicago – the latter of which he won last year.

Like Farah, Steph Twell was also eligible for selection after her 2:30:11 marathon debut in December, but she also declined selection.

Purdue and Hawkins both went No.3 on the UK all-time rankings on Sunday at the Virgin Money London Marathon. Purdue clocked 2:25:38 while Hawkins ran 2:08:14 to also break Allister Hutton’s long-standing Scottish record.

Griffiths clocked 2:11:46 in London in only his second marathon while Jones ran 2:31:00 in the women’s race.

Hawkins and Purdue also both ran for Britain in the IAAF World Championships in London two years ago – with the Scottish runner fourth in the men’s race and Purdue 13th in the women’s race.

In the race walks, Corbishley clocked the second quickest 50km time ever by a British athlete of 3:53:20 in Slovakia recently confirm his place while King was also inside the qualifying standard with 3:56:35 in the same race.

On welcoming the first selections for Doha, British Athletics performance director Neil Black said: “Each of the six athletes selected have performed extremely well to confirm their places in Doha, many setting personal bests and establishing themselves among the UK’s best all-time in their events.

“The IAAF World Championships in Doha are a very important marker ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and we look forward to being as competitive as possible in both events.”

British number one Kyle Edmund lost to American world number 82 Denis Kudla in the first round of the Munich Open, his third straight defeat.

Fifth seed Edmund was beaten 6-4 6-3 in the first ATP meeting between the pair.

Defeat continued an ordinary start to the clay-court season for Edmund, whose only win has been against French youngster Ugo Humbert in Marrakech.

Edmund went out to former Grand Slam finalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, then lost in Monte Carlo to Diego Schwartzman.

Now ranked 22nd in the world, the 24-year-old Englishman was unable to turn around his form on a surface on which he has good pedigree against Kudla, who dominated to win in just one hour and seven minutes.

The 26-year-old ended his own losing of streak of five matches by taking three of 10 break points, while Edmund did not manage to muster any opportunities on Kudla's serve.

British number one Johanna Konta saved three match points - on her way to winning 11 straight points - to level her Morocco Open first-round match before going on to claim victory.

Konta, 27, saw off China's Yafan Wang, ranked 56th - nine places below the Briton - in a 4-6 7-6 (7-0) 6-4 win.

She was on the verge of defeat as she trailed 40-0 at 6-5 in the second set, only to stage a remarkable fightback.

"I'm very proud of myself, for the way I competed," Konta said.

"It was a tough match and I'm very happy to have battled through to find a way to win that second set and then come back from 3-1 down in the third.

"I also had match point at 5-3 so there was very little in the match."

Konta will play Romania's 132nd-ranked Ana Bogdan in the next round.