Deadspin | MLB roundup: Mets eke out win over Twins, end 12-game skid 
Apr 22, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets relief pitcher Luke Weaver (30) reacts after defeating the Minnesota Twins at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images Mark Vientos redeemed himself for an earlier baserunning miscue by delivering the tiebreaking single in the eighth inning, and the host New York Mets snapped a 12-game losing streak with a 3-2 win over the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday.
The losing streak was the longest for the Mets since a 12-game skid from Aug. 10-23, 2002. However, the much-needed victory may have been costly for New York, which lost shortstop Francisco Lindor due to left calf tightness after he scored from first on Francisco Alvarez’s double in the fourth inning.
Lindor, who was 2-for-2 with an RBI infield single in the first, was injured the same night Juan Soto returned from a 15-game absence caused by a strained right calf. The Mets won their first three games after Soto was injured on April 3 before beginning their losing streak.
Victor Caratini lofted a game-tying sacrifice fly in the fourth for the Twins, who have lost five of their past six. Byron Buxton knotted the game again with a solo homer in the sixth.
Cubs 7, Phillies 2
Pete Crow-Armstrong went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and Seiya Suzuki connected on a two-run homer, helping Chicago beat visiting Philadelphia for its eighth straight win.
Ian Happ also drove in two runs and Alex Bregman tallied three hits for the Cubs. Ben Brown (1-0) tossed 2 1/3 scoreless frames in relief, striking out five.
Taijuan Walker (1-4) surrendered five runs (four earned) across four innings as the Phillies dropped their eighth straight game. It’s Philadelphia’s longest skid since a nine-gamer in September 2018.
Diamondbacks 11, Padres 7
Ildemaro Vargas hit two homers and drove in a career-high five runs and Arizona withstood Munetaka Murakami, who homered in a fifth straight game, to hold off Chicago in Phoenix.
Murakami went 3-for-5, and he became the fastest player in White Sox history to reach 10 homers, doing it in 24 games. He also joined Shohei Ohtani to become the second Japanese-born player to homer in five straight games.
Nolan Arenado had four hits, including a homer, scored three runs and drove in three for the Diamondbacks, who evened the three-game series. Colson Montgomery homered for the fourth consecutive game and Miguel Vargas went deep in a third straight for the White Sox.
Angels 7, Blue Jays 3
Nolan Schanuel homered and also had a three-run, go-ahead double and Jose Soriano continued his historic start to the season with five shutout innings as the Los Angeles snapped a four-game losing streak with a victory over Toronto in Anaheim, Calif.
Soriano extended his scoreless inning streak to 24 2/3 innings while lowering his ERA to 0.24, the lowest ERA in a pitcher’s first six starts to a season since earned runs became official in both leagues (1913) with a minimum of 30 innings pitched. Mike Trout homered, walked twice and scored twice for the Angels.
Ernie Clement went 3-for-5 with an RBI for the Blue Jays, whose three-game winning streak ended. Tommy Nance (0-2) allowed two runs in 1 1/3 innings of relief.
Yankees 4, Red Sox 1
Amed Rosario had four RBIs in just two plate appearances and Max Fried pitched eight shutout innings, leading New York to a win at Boston.
Rosario’s three-run shot in the first inning was all that New York needed, as Fried (3-1) allowed just three hits. The Yankees were one strike away from pitching a third consecutive shutout for the first time since 1962 before Jarren Duran hit an RBI single in the ninth.
Duran had three hits and doubled twice. Ranger Suarez (1-2) gave up four runs through 4 2/3 innings, and Eduardo Rivera pitched 3 1/3 scoreless innings in his big-league debut.
Mariners 5, Athletics 4
Josh Naylor singled home Cal Raleigh with two outs in the bottom of the ninth as host Seattle defeated the Athletics to salvage the finale of a three-game series.
The A’s tied the score in the top of the inning on Nick Kurtz’s one-out homer to straightaway center off Mariners closer Andres Munoz (3-2), who blew the save opportunity but ended up getting the victory.
Raleigh, who homered for a third consecutive game, sparked the winning rally with a two-out single to center. Raleigh and Naylor each went 3-for-5 as the Mariners collected a season-high 14 hits.
Astros 2, Guardians 0
Yordan Alvarez had three hits, including a two-run homer in the first inning, and Peter Lambert threw six shutout innings as visiting Houston beat Cleveland in the decisive game of a three-game series.
Lambert (1-1) allowed three hits while striking out eight for the Astros, who had lost five of six and surrendered at least seven runs in four of those defeats.
Chase DeLauter had two of the five hits for the Guardians, who had won three of four. Tanner Bibee (0-3) permitted two runs and five hits over six innings.
Giants 3, Dodgers 0
Shohei Ohtani pitched six shutout innings, but Patrick Bailey belted a tiebreaking three-run homer off reliever Jack Dreyer in the seventh, lifting San Francisco to a shutout victory over visiting Los Angeles.
Tyler Mahle (1-3) tossed seven innings and teamed with two relievers on a four-hitter, giving the Giants a second straight low-scoring win over the two-time defending champs.
Ohtani and Mahle matched zeros for six innings before the Dodgers star was pulled after having thrown 91 pitches. He has pitched exactly six innings in each of his four starts this season, and he owns a National League-leading 0.38 ERA.
Braves 8, Nationals 6
Michael Harris II hit two home runs, Matt Olson smacked a three-run shot and Atlanta rallied from an early three-run deficit to claim a win at Washington.
Drake Baldwin homered for a second straight game for the Braves, who have earned at least a split of the four-game series. Dylan Lee (1-0) pitched a scoreless inning, and Robert Suarez handled the ninth for his second save.
James Wood homered for the second straight game for the Nationals. Daylen Lile hit a three-run homer and Joey Wiemer had a pinch-hit solo shot. Zack Littell (0-3) surrendered eight runs (six earned) over six innings.
Pirates 8, Rangers 4
Nick Gonzales beat the tag at home plate and scored the go-ahead run in the ninth inning as Pittsburgh picked up a win over Texas in Arlington, Texas.
Gonzales came home on pinch hitter Jake Mangum’s slow roller to third base. Jalen Beeks then replaced Cole Winn (1-1) on the mound, and Oneil Cruz greeted the new reliever with a three-run homer. The ninth-inning rally allowed Pittsburgh to even the three-game series.
Josh Jung had a two-run homer and a single for the Rangers. Jack Leiter allowed four runs (three earned) on five hits over five innings.
Marlins 4, Cardinals 1
Janson Junk allowed just one hit and a walk over five innings, and Jakob Marsee drove in a pair as Miami beat visiting St. Louis to claim the deciding contest of a three-game series.
Junk (1-2) pitched efficiently, needing just 56 pitches to go five. Javier Sanoja had his third three-hit game of the season, getting three singles in four at-bats to lead a 12-hit attack, all singles, for the Marlins.
Kyle Leahy (2-3) gave up eight hits and walked three over five innings for the Cardinals.
Rays 6, Reds 1
Nick Martinez pitched eight strong innings and Junior Caminero homered to lead Tampa Bay past Cincinnati in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Martinez (1-1) allowed a run on five hits against his former team as the Rays averted a sweep in the three-game series. Yandy Diaz finished 3-for-4 with a run and an RBI.
The Reds had their five-game winning streak snapped as Brandon Williamson (2-2) gave up five runs on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings.
Orioles 8, Royals 6
Coby Mayo belted a three-run homer to highlight a sixth-run sixth inning, fueling Baltimore to a victory at Kansas City.
Pete Alonso also homered as the Orioles won the rubber match of the three-game series. Chris Bassitt (1-2) allowed five runs in 5 1/3 innings, and Anthony Nunez pitched a scoreless inning for his first career save.
Kyle Isbel crushed a two-run homer and Vinnie Pasquantino and Carter Jansen also went deep for the Royals, who have lost nine of their past 10 games. Michael Wacha (2-1) yielded six runs in 5 1/3 innings.
Tigers 5, Brewers 2
Spencer Torkelson hit his first homer of the season, a two-run shot, and Kerry Carpenter added a solo blast as host Detroit downed Milwaukee.
In six-plus innings, the Tigers’ Casey Mize (2-1) gave up one run and three hits. Kenley Jansen escaped a ninth-inning jam to record his sixth save.
Brewers opener DL Hall tossed two scoreless innings before Chad Patrick (1-1) allowed four runs and six hits in four innings.
Rockies 8, Padres 3
Hunter Goodman homered and doubled twice, Mickey Moniak also had two doubles, and Colorado beat San Diego in Denver.
TJ Rumfield, Jake McCarthy and Willi Castro had two hits each to back a strong outing by Colorado starter Tomoyuki Sugano (2-1), who allowed one run on five hits in 5 2/3 innings.
Luis Campusano homered among his three hits and Xander Bogaerts had two hits for the Padres, who had won 11 of their previous 12 games. Walker Buehler (1-2) was tagged for four runs on eight hits in 2 2/3 innings.
–Field Level Media
#Deadspin #MLB #roundup #Mets #eke #win #Twins #12game #skid
Apr 22, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets relief pitcher Luke Weaver (30) reacts after defeating the Minnesota Twins at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images Mark Vientos redeemed himself for an earlier baserunning miscue by delivering the tiebreaking single in the eighth inning, and the host New York Mets snapped a 12-game losing streak with a 3-2 win over the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday.
The losing streak was the longest for the Mets since a 12-game skid from Aug. 10-23, 2002. However, the much-needed victory may have been costly for New York, which lost shortstop Francisco Lindor due to left calf tightness after he scored from first on Francisco Alvarez’s double in the fourth inning.
Lindor, who was 2-for-2 with an RBI infield single in the first, was injured the same night Juan Soto returned from a 15-game absence caused by a strained right calf. The Mets won their first three games after Soto was injured on April 3 before beginning their losing streak.
Victor Caratini lofted a game-tying sacrifice fly in the fourth for the Twins, who have lost five of their past six. Byron Buxton knotted the game again with a solo homer in the sixth.
Cubs 7, Phillies 2
Pete Crow-Armstrong went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and Seiya Suzuki connected on a two-run homer, helping Chicago beat visiting Philadelphia for its eighth straight win.
Ian Happ also drove in two runs and Alex Bregman tallied three hits for the Cubs. Ben Brown (1-0) tossed 2 1/3 scoreless frames in relief, striking out five.
Taijuan Walker (1-4) surrendered five runs (four earned) across four innings as the Phillies dropped their eighth straight game. It’s Philadelphia’s longest skid since a nine-gamer in September 2018.
Diamondbacks 11, Padres 7
Ildemaro Vargas hit two homers and drove in a career-high five runs and Arizona withstood Munetaka Murakami, who homered in a fifth straight game, to hold off Chicago in Phoenix.
Murakami went 3-for-5, and he became the fastest player in White Sox history to reach 10 homers, doing it in 24 games. He also joined Shohei Ohtani to become the second Japanese-born player to homer in five straight games.
Nolan Arenado had four hits, including a homer, scored three runs and drove in three for the Diamondbacks, who evened the three-game series. Colson Montgomery homered for the fourth consecutive game and Miguel Vargas went deep in a third straight for the White Sox.
Angels 7, Blue Jays 3
Nolan Schanuel homered and also had a three-run, go-ahead double and Jose Soriano continued his historic start to the season with five shutout innings as the Los Angeles snapped a four-game losing streak with a victory over Toronto in Anaheim, Calif.
Soriano extended his scoreless inning streak to 24 2/3 innings while lowering his ERA to 0.24, the lowest ERA in a pitcher’s first six starts to a season since earned runs became official in both leagues (1913) with a minimum of 30 innings pitched. Mike Trout homered, walked twice and scored twice for the Angels.
Ernie Clement went 3-for-5 with an RBI for the Blue Jays, whose three-game winning streak ended. Tommy Nance (0-2) allowed two runs in 1 1/3 innings of relief.
Yankees 4, Red Sox 1
Amed Rosario had four RBIs in just two plate appearances and Max Fried pitched eight shutout innings, leading New York to a win at Boston.
Rosario’s three-run shot in the first inning was all that New York needed, as Fried (3-1) allowed just three hits. The Yankees were one strike away from pitching a third consecutive shutout for the first time since 1962 before Jarren Duran hit an RBI single in the ninth.
Duran had three hits and doubled twice. Ranger Suarez (1-2) gave up four runs through 4 2/3 innings, and Eduardo Rivera pitched 3 1/3 scoreless innings in his big-league debut.
Mariners 5, Athletics 4
Josh Naylor singled home Cal Raleigh with two outs in the bottom of the ninth as host Seattle defeated the Athletics to salvage the finale of a three-game series.
The A’s tied the score in the top of the inning on Nick Kurtz’s one-out homer to straightaway center off Mariners closer Andres Munoz (3-2), who blew the save opportunity but ended up getting the victory.
Raleigh, who homered for a third consecutive game, sparked the winning rally with a two-out single to center. Raleigh and Naylor each went 3-for-5 as the Mariners collected a season-high 14 hits.
Astros 2, Guardians 0
Yordan Alvarez had three hits, including a two-run homer in the first inning, and Peter Lambert threw six shutout innings as visiting Houston beat Cleveland in the decisive game of a three-game series.
Lambert (1-1) allowed three hits while striking out eight for the Astros, who had lost five of six and surrendered at least seven runs in four of those defeats.
Chase DeLauter had two of the five hits for the Guardians, who had won three of four. Tanner Bibee (0-3) permitted two runs and five hits over six innings.
Giants 3, Dodgers 0
Shohei Ohtani pitched six shutout innings, but Patrick Bailey belted a tiebreaking three-run homer off reliever Jack Dreyer in the seventh, lifting San Francisco to a shutout victory over visiting Los Angeles.
Tyler Mahle (1-3) tossed seven innings and teamed with two relievers on a four-hitter, giving the Giants a second straight low-scoring win over the two-time defending champs.
Ohtani and Mahle matched zeros for six innings before the Dodgers star was pulled after having thrown 91 pitches. He has pitched exactly six innings in each of his four starts this season, and he owns a National League-leading 0.38 ERA.
Braves 8, Nationals 6
Michael Harris II hit two home runs, Matt Olson smacked a three-run shot and Atlanta rallied from an early three-run deficit to claim a win at Washington.
Drake Baldwin homered for a second straight game for the Braves, who have earned at least a split of the four-game series. Dylan Lee (1-0) pitched a scoreless inning, and Robert Suarez handled the ninth for his second save.
James Wood homered for the second straight game for the Nationals. Daylen Lile hit a three-run homer and Joey Wiemer had a pinch-hit solo shot. Zack Littell (0-3) surrendered eight runs (six earned) over six innings.
Pirates 8, Rangers 4
Nick Gonzales beat the tag at home plate and scored the go-ahead run in the ninth inning as Pittsburgh picked up a win over Texas in Arlington, Texas.
Gonzales came home on pinch hitter Jake Mangum’s slow roller to third base. Jalen Beeks then replaced Cole Winn (1-1) on the mound, and Oneil Cruz greeted the new reliever with a three-run homer. The ninth-inning rally allowed Pittsburgh to even the three-game series.
Josh Jung had a two-run homer and a single for the Rangers. Jack Leiter allowed four runs (three earned) on five hits over five innings.
Marlins 4, Cardinals 1
Janson Junk allowed just one hit and a walk over five innings, and Jakob Marsee drove in a pair as Miami beat visiting St. Louis to claim the deciding contest of a three-game series.
Junk (1-2) pitched efficiently, needing just 56 pitches to go five. Javier Sanoja had his third three-hit game of the season, getting three singles in four at-bats to lead a 12-hit attack, all singles, for the Marlins.
Kyle Leahy (2-3) gave up eight hits and walked three over five innings for the Cardinals.
Rays 6, Reds 1
Nick Martinez pitched eight strong innings and Junior Caminero homered to lead Tampa Bay past Cincinnati in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Martinez (1-1) allowed a run on five hits against his former team as the Rays averted a sweep in the three-game series. Yandy Diaz finished 3-for-4 with a run and an RBI.
The Reds had their five-game winning streak snapped as Brandon Williamson (2-2) gave up five runs on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings.
Orioles 8, Royals 6
Coby Mayo belted a three-run homer to highlight a sixth-run sixth inning, fueling Baltimore to a victory at Kansas City.
Pete Alonso also homered as the Orioles won the rubber match of the three-game series. Chris Bassitt (1-2) allowed five runs in 5 1/3 innings, and Anthony Nunez pitched a scoreless inning for his first career save.
Kyle Isbel crushed a two-run homer and Vinnie Pasquantino and Carter Jansen also went deep for the Royals, who have lost nine of their past 10 games. Michael Wacha (2-1) yielded six runs in 5 1/3 innings.
Tigers 5, Brewers 2
Spencer Torkelson hit his first homer of the season, a two-run shot, and Kerry Carpenter added a solo blast as host Detroit downed Milwaukee.
In six-plus innings, the Tigers’ Casey Mize (2-1) gave up one run and three hits. Kenley Jansen escaped a ninth-inning jam to record his sixth save.
Brewers opener DL Hall tossed two scoreless innings before Chad Patrick (1-1) allowed four runs and six hits in four innings.
Rockies 8, Padres 3
Hunter Goodman homered and doubled twice, Mickey Moniak also had two doubles, and Colorado beat San Diego in Denver.
TJ Rumfield, Jake McCarthy and Willi Castro had two hits each to back a strong outing by Colorado starter Tomoyuki Sugano (2-1), who allowed one run on five hits in 5 2/3 innings.
Luis Campusano homered among his three hits and Xander Bogaerts had two hits for the Padres, who had won 11 of their previous 12 games. Walker Buehler (1-2) was tagged for four runs on eight hits in 2 2/3 innings.
–Field Level Media
![Aliyah Boston has become the leading voice of the Fever INDIANAPOLIS — It’s the third quarter of a late May game against the Valkyries and the Fever are looking to cap off a third-quarter rally that saw them overturn a seven-point deficit to take the lead.With 20 seconds remaining, a miscommunication by the Golden State defense allows Kelsey Mitchell to find Raven Johnson in the corner for a three that ignites the home crowd.In a moment that could hardly better define the highs and lows associated with playing rookies, Johnson’s excitement after the shot quickly transforms into overzealousness. Without a single player on either team having yet crossed half court, she fouls Veronica Burton 94 feet from the basket to send her to the free throw line.As cliché of a rookie mistake as it was, it was also a perfect teaching moment, and Aliyah Boston took advantage.Standing at half court, she waits for Johnson, puts her arms on her shoulders and offers advice. Despite being just 24 years old and in her fourth year in the league, Boston has become one of the team’s leaders.Boston isn’t new to the role. By her own admission, she’s a natural talker. But talking is not leading, nor is it necessarily communicating, either. Those are skills she’s had to develop over the years, something she credits her college coach, Dawn Staley, for helping kickstart.It’s also something that came along by necessity. When injuries ravaged the Fever last season, Boston became the point guard of sorts at times. Point guards are vocal leaders, so Boston had to assume that role as well.All those experiences and circumstances have led to this season, where Boston has blossomed into a leader and a constant voice for the Fever, whether in practice, the locker room, a huddle or during the game.In this moment against the Valkyries, it’s allowed her to help refocus Johnson in a tight game. The results are immediate as Johnson opens the fourth quarter with a flurry of activity, scoring or assisting on the first seven points of the period for Indiana — including setting up Boston for a layup — as the lead extended to double digits en route to a victory.Leadership is often demonstrated in the moments behind the scenes and away from the cameras, but that game and that moment offered a rare chance for fans to see how impactful it can be.It’s been clear for multiple years that the Fever have three stars in Caitlin Clark, Boston and Mitchell.But sometimes even if something is implied, it’s still best to make it known. So, this preseason, head coach Stephanie White took aside the trio and told them the obvious.“I think we’ve kind of known that from the jump that it’s really just like, we got to — the three of us like as a unit — we have to make sure that we lead the team in the right direction,” Boston told SBNation of White’s preseason message. “I think it’s always different, especially last year with [Clark] being out, so it was like kind of just finding that group again. But I think, honestly, like we’re doing a pretty good job of it.”Setting aside the multiple All-Star selections in the last two seasons from the three, they are also among the most tenured players on the roster. The roster turnover since the arrival of Boston and Clark in consecutive drafts leaves them as three of the four longest-serving Fever.INDIANAPOLIS, IN – JULY 19: Aliyah Boston #7, Caitlin Clark #22, and Kelsey Mitchell #0 of Team Clark pose for a portrait before the game against Team Collier during the AT&T WNBA All-Star Game 2025 on July 19, 2025 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Stephen Gosling/NBAE via Getty Images) NBAE via Getty ImagesFor Boston, even if talking comes naturally, White’s message was a reassurance that the team needed her to speak up. She took that vote of confidence and ran with it this season, and her team has taken notice.“I think the thing that really stands out is Aliyah’s constantly the one talking in our huddles,” Clark said. “She’s the first voice we have there…She has a very strong voice and you constantly hear it whether it’s in-game, whether it’s on the bench in a timeout, whether that’s in the locker room on not just game days, but even on practice days too.”Being the vocal leader also hasn’t taken away from Boston’s production either. If anything, the opposite has been true.She’s averaging 17.2 points, the most of her career, while still grabbing 8.6 rebounds per contest. Much of her jump in scoring can be attributed to her improvement as both a 3-point shooter, where she’s shooting 44.7% on 2.5 attempts per game, and at the free throw line, where she’s shooting 83.8%.“I think talking about the game is always great and I think it allows you to just see and understand it a lot more, understand teams, player tendencies,” Boston said. “I think the more that you watch, the more you talk about it, it just makes it clearer.”As great as Boston has been this season, ask just about anyone with the Fever, and they’ll point to last season as the moment Boston took a leap in many ways.It was a year marred by injuries for the Fever. As quickly as the team would make an in-season signing, another player would fall by the wayside with the point guard position being the most common point of attrition.To help alleviate the burden of the rotating new faces, the Fever did what they do so often: lean on Boston.“At times she was our point guard last year,” Clark said. “And if you’re the point guard, you got to communicate a lot, you got to know what’s going on, you got to be on the same page as a coach and you have to be able to get your teammates where they need to be.”Boston became one of only three players in league history to have at least 350 rebounds and 150 assists in a season last year. She also realized how impactful she can still be as a communicator even if she wasn’t a point guard.“I think that just my positioning, how we wanted to play, I think that definitely was a super big part of it,” Boston told SBNation. “So for this year, I’m just trying to make sure that I continue on that path.”I think you can still lead from the post. I know the guards have the ball a lot, but I think being able to just communicate and talk about what I’m seeing is always going to be crucial.”On top of everything else, the interplay between Boston and Clark remains one of the most reliable actions for any team in the league. What continues to make Boston particularly difficult to defend is her passing ability. As quickly as Clark can find Boston on a roll to the rim, the latter can hit the former on a backcut.Boston is one of only two players in the league this season with a total rebound percentage and an assist percentage both above 20%. The Fever are putting the ball in her hands more than ever before, evidenced by her career-high 27.8% usage percentage, and she’s repaying them with career numbers.“She’s solid,” White said. “She doesn’t get too high, she doesn’t get too low. Certainly, every player gets frustrated at times, but she’s an elite communicator. You trust her to make the right play and to make the right read. She brings people together. She’s a connector, which is so important, and she just continues to lead by example and be a vocal leader for our team.”Those lessons learned from a challenging 2025 season are paying dividends for Boston in 2026. As a team, the Fever have struggled to find consistency this season. Offensively, Indiana is averaging the most points per game in the league. Defensively, they’re allowing the third most.Not surprisingly, highs and lows have followed them. A recent four-game win streak included a game-winner from Clark in Washington. But that streak came shortly after an ugly loss in Portland, when they trailed by as many as 26.What remains most consistent throughout it all, though, is Aliyah Boston, who just keeps improving. #Aliyah #Boston #leading #voice #Fever](https://i2.wp.com/platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/gettyimages-2225167617.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=2400&ssl=1 "Aliyah Boston has become the leading voice of the Fever INDIANAPOLIS — It’s the third quarter of a late May game against the Valkyries and the Fever are looking to cap off a third-quarter rally that saw them overturn a seven-point deficit to take the lead.With 20 seconds remaining, a miscommunication by the Golden State defense allows Kelsey Mitchell to find Raven Johnson in the corner for a three that ignites the home crowd.In a moment that could hardly better define the highs and lows associated with playing rookies, Johnson’s excitement after the shot quickly transforms into overzealousness. Without a single player on either team having yet crossed half court, she fouls Veronica Burton 94 feet from the basket to send her to the free throw line.As cliché of a rookie mistake as it was, it was also a perfect teaching moment, and Aliyah Boston took advantage.Standing at half court, she waits for Johnson, puts her arms on her shoulders and offers advice. Despite being just 24 years old and in her fourth year in the league, Boston has become one of the team’s leaders.Boston isn’t new to the role. By her own admission, she’s a natural talker. But talking is not leading, nor is it necessarily communicating, either. Those are skills she’s had to develop over the years, something she credits her college coach, Dawn Staley, for helping kickstart.It’s also something that came along by necessity. When injuries ravaged the Fever last season, Boston became the point guard of sorts at times. Point guards are vocal leaders, so Boston had to assume that role as well.All those experiences and circumstances have led to this season, where Boston has blossomed into a leader and a constant voice for the Fever, whether in practice, the locker room, a huddle or during the game.In this moment against the Valkyries, it’s allowed her to help refocus Johnson in a tight game. The results are immediate as Johnson opens the fourth quarter with a flurry of activity, scoring or assisting on the first seven points of the period for Indiana — including setting up Boston for a layup — as the lead extended to double digits en route to a victory.Leadership is often demonstrated in the moments behind the scenes and away from the cameras, but that game and that moment offered a rare chance for fans to see how impactful it can be.It’s been clear for multiple years that the Fever have three stars in Caitlin Clark, Boston and Mitchell.But sometimes even if something is implied, it’s still best to make it known. So, this preseason, head coach Stephanie White took aside the trio and told them the obvious.“I think we’ve kind of known that from the jump that it’s really just like, we got to — the three of us like as a unit — we have to make sure that we lead the team in the right direction,” Boston told SBNation of White’s preseason message. “I think it’s always different, especially last year with [Clark] being out, so it was like kind of just finding that group again. But I think, honestly, like we’re doing a pretty good job of it.”Setting aside the multiple All-Star selections in the last two seasons from the three, they are also among the most tenured players on the roster. The roster turnover since the arrival of Boston and Clark in consecutive drafts leaves them as three of the four longest-serving Fever.INDIANAPOLIS, IN – JULY 19: Aliyah Boston #7, Caitlin Clark #22, and Kelsey Mitchell #0 of Team Clark pose for a portrait before the game against Team Collier during the AT&T WNBA All-Star Game 2025 on July 19, 2025 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Stephen Gosling/NBAE via Getty Images) NBAE via Getty ImagesFor Boston, even if talking comes naturally, White’s message was a reassurance that the team needed her to speak up. She took that vote of confidence and ran with it this season, and her team has taken notice.“I think the thing that really stands out is Aliyah’s constantly the one talking in our huddles,” Clark said. “She’s the first voice we have there…She has a very strong voice and you constantly hear it whether it’s in-game, whether it’s on the bench in a timeout, whether that’s in the locker room on not just game days, but even on practice days too.”Being the vocal leader also hasn’t taken away from Boston’s production either. If anything, the opposite has been true.She’s averaging 17.2 points, the most of her career, while still grabbing 8.6 rebounds per contest. Much of her jump in scoring can be attributed to her improvement as both a 3-point shooter, where she’s shooting 44.7% on 2.5 attempts per game, and at the free throw line, where she’s shooting 83.8%.“I think talking about the game is always great and I think it allows you to just see and understand it a lot more, understand teams, player tendencies,” Boston said. “I think the more that you watch, the more you talk about it, it just makes it clearer.”As great as Boston has been this season, ask just about anyone with the Fever, and they’ll point to last season as the moment Boston took a leap in many ways.It was a year marred by injuries for the Fever. As quickly as the team would make an in-season signing, another player would fall by the wayside with the point guard position being the most common point of attrition.To help alleviate the burden of the rotating new faces, the Fever did what they do so often: lean on Boston.“At times she was our point guard last year,” Clark said. “And if you’re the point guard, you got to communicate a lot, you got to know what’s going on, you got to be on the same page as a coach and you have to be able to get your teammates where they need to be.”Boston became one of only three players in league history to have at least 350 rebounds and 150 assists in a season last year. She also realized how impactful she can still be as a communicator even if she wasn’t a point guard.“I think that just my positioning, how we wanted to play, I think that definitely was a super big part of it,” Boston told SBNation. “So for this year, I’m just trying to make sure that I continue on that path.”I think you can still lead from the post. I know the guards have the ball a lot, but I think being able to just communicate and talk about what I’m seeing is always going to be crucial.”On top of everything else, the interplay between Boston and Clark remains one of the most reliable actions for any team in the league. What continues to make Boston particularly difficult to defend is her passing ability. As quickly as Clark can find Boston on a roll to the rim, the latter can hit the former on a backcut.Boston is one of only two players in the league this season with a total rebound percentage and an assist percentage both above 20%. The Fever are putting the ball in her hands more than ever before, evidenced by her career-high 27.8% usage percentage, and she’s repaying them with career numbers.“She’s solid,” White said. “She doesn’t get too high, she doesn’t get too low. Certainly, every player gets frustrated at times, but she’s an elite communicator. You trust her to make the right play and to make the right read. She brings people together. She’s a connector, which is so important, and she just continues to lead by example and be a vocal leader for our team.”Those lessons learned from a challenging 2025 season are paying dividends for Boston in 2026. As a team, the Fever have struggled to find consistency this season. Offensively, Indiana is averaging the most points per game in the league. Defensively, they’re allowing the third most.Not surprisingly, highs and lows have followed them. A recent four-game win streak included a game-winner from Clark in Washington. But that streak came shortly after an ugly loss in Portland, when they trailed by as many as 26.What remains most consistent throughout it all, though, is Aliyah Boston, who just keeps improving. #Aliyah #Boston #leading #voice #Fever")
Post Comment