Willie Mays — the baseball legend who made history in so many ways—has died. He was 93.

“My father has passed away peacefully and among loved ones,” Mays’ son, Michael Mays, told the San Francisco Chronicle. “I want to thank you all from the bottom of my broken heart for the unwavering love you have shown him over the years. You have been his life’s blood.”

“His incredible achievements and statistics do not begin to describe the awe that came with watching Willie Mays dominate the game in every way imaginable,” MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said. “We will never forget this true Giant on and off the field.” 

The San Francisco Giants announced the former center fielder, who also played for the New York Mets, died on Tuesday.

The “Say Hey Kid” started out playing for the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro American League in 1948. The Giants purchased his contract in 1950, and after a slow start, Mays earned the National League’s Rookie of the Year award in 1951 with 20 home runs.

Mays played 21 seasons before being traded to the New York Mets in 1972. Mays finished with 660 home runs, the sixth most in MLB history.

Olive Garden offers a new twist on its Chocolate Brownie Lasagna with the introduction of new Chocolate Lasagna.

The brand’s new Chocolate Lasagna features layers of chocolate cake and creamy chocolate mousse, plus a layer of crushed wafers, all topped with chocolate sauce.

First introduced in 2018, Chocolate Brownie Lasagna featured alternating layers of rich brownie fudge and sweet vanilla cream cheese, all topped with chocolate shavings and chocolate drizzle.

While prices vary, a hunk of Chocolate Lasagna costs $9.29 at my nearest Olive Garden.

You can find Chocolate Lasagna at participating Olive Garden locations nationwide.

For the 18th time in franchise history, the Boston Celtics are NBA champions.

The Celtics closed the first quarter of Monday’s NBA Finals Game 5 on a 9-0 run and never looked back en route to a dominant 106-88 win over the Dallas Mavericks. The win secured a 4-1 win in the NBA Finals and the franchise’s first title since 2008.

The Celtics set the tone from the opening tip as they took the floor for the first time in these Finals wearing their classic green jerseys. They proceeded to put on a performance worthy of those colors. It was also worthy of a team that rolled to an NBA-best 64 wins in the regular season and produced advanced metrics that rank among the best in league history.

They did it on Monday with defense. They did it with 3s. They did it with stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown leading the way. It was an optimal conclusion to the Celtics season.

The Mets insist they still have a run in them. If they’re going to go on one, they have to beat certain teams, with the rebuilding Washington Nationals being one of them.

They took care of business Wednesday at Nationals Park with a 9-1 win to complete a three-game series sweep. It was their fifth win in the seven games since they held a players-only meeting.

Luis Severino gave the Mets some much-needed length with eight innings of one-run baseball. A beleaguered bullpen didn’t have to worry about a save situation or any tense late-game pitching performances with the Mets beating up on left-hander Patrick Corbin and right-hander Jordan Weems, taking all nine runs off of the two Washington hurlers, including a six-run sixth inning that sunk the Nats (27-34).

“We won three games in a row and we got a chance to win four,” Severino told reporters after the game. “When we combine hitting and pitching at the same time, it’s huge for us. We have this mentality now that we have to go out there and give 100 percent every time.”

Aaron Judge hit his major league-leading 25th home run with a 436-foot, two-run drive into the fountain behind the center-field seats, and the New York Yankees routed the Kansas City Royals 10-1 on Tuesday night for their 11th win in 14 games.

Giancarlo Stanton followed Judge in the seventh with a 446-foot shot to center against reliever Nick Anderson for his 16th home run of the season. Austin Wells hit a three-run homer in a four-run fourth off starter Brady Singer.

Back in the lineup after his first game off this season, Judge hit his 21st homer in his last 41 games and also singled in New York’s first run. Judge raised his average to .309 and is hitting .419 with 44 RBI in his last 35 games after batting .197 through May 2.

“I’m trying not to take that for granted. It’s a lot of fun to witness and to watch what he’s doing on a nightly basis,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. 

Panda Express has introduced a new dish to its menu: Hot Orange Chicken. This offering is a spicy twist on the brand’s signature Original Orange Chicken.

The Hot Orange Chicken retains the flavors fans know and expect but turns up the heat with six scoops of crushed chilis and a ladle full of dried chilis, the same ones featured in Panda’s Kung Pao Chicken. This fiery addition is set to tantalize taste buds across the country.

Original Orange Chicken by Panda Express is a signature dish and one of the chain’s most popular menu items. It features crispy, bite-sized pieces of fried chicken coated in a sweet, tangy, and slightly spicy orange-flavored sauce. The dish is known for its balance of flavors, combining savory and citrus notes with a hint of heat.

Introduced in 1987, the Original Orange Chicken has become a defining item for Panda Express, often credited with helping to popularize the chain. The dish is typically served with steamed rice or chow mein and is a staple choice for many customers seeking a flavorful and satisfying meal. Its consistent quality and unique taste have made it a favorite among American Chinese cuisine enthusiasts.

Shake Shack is offering a modern take on classic sundaes with the introduction of the new Strawberry Shortcake Sundae and Shack Attack Sundae at select test locations.

Both new sundaes start with cake, layered with Shake Shack’s frozen custard and toppings, plus a mini waffle cone.

Here’s a closer look at the new sundaes:

• Strawberry Shortcake Sundae: House-made vanilla frozen custard scooped onto vanilla sponge cake with real strawberry sauce, rainbow sprinkles, whipped cream, topped with a cherry and mini waffle cone.
• Shack Attack Sundae: House-made chocolate frozen custard scooped onto dark chocolate cake with fudge sauce, brownie chunks, whipped cream, topped with brownie crunch and a mini waffle cone.

Krispy Kreme is introducing a full line of more than two dozen hot, frozen and iced coffees that are all-new, made with richer roasts and better beans.

Krispy Kreme is expanding its permanent beverage menu, serving updated iced, frozen and hot coffees, all of which feature new, smoother blends and richer roasts for fresh, delicious flavor. Krispy Kreme also is adding oat milk to its menu, giving fans more options to customize their coffee.

The more than two dozen updated coffee beverages include:

• Original Glazed Iced Coffee: A taste of the iconic Original Glazed Doughnut in a cup.
• Frozen Caramel Mocha Latte: Creamy caramel mocha and espresso blended with ice and topped with whipped cream and a caramel and chocolate drizzle.
• Caramel Latte: A specialty latte blended with Ghirardelli caramel sauce, topped with whipped cream and caramel drizzle.
• Classic Brewed Coffee: A bright and smooth balanced blend.

The Atlanta Braves suffered a gigantic blow with the announcement that All-Star outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. of La Guaira, Venezuela is out for the remainder of the 2024 Major League Baseball season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament. 

The reigning National League Most Valuable Player is without a doubt the heart and soul of the entire Atlanta organization. 

Acuna Jr. has had ACL injuries before which caused him to miss time in 2018, 2021 and 2022.

Acuna Jr. was in between second and third base during the first inning on Sunday in an 8-1 Braves win over the Pittsburgh Pirates, when he had a fake break to third base, stopped and tried to get back to second base. In the process, Acuna Jr. went down, favored his knee,  and did not return to the lineup. 

The season seems to be sliding away from the Mets.

Edwin Diaz, who has forgotten how to save games, and Kodai Senga, who keeps getting further away from a return, are signed through 2027. Is Diaz, who blew his fourth save in his last five tries ever going to be elite again after his devastating knee injury? How about Senga after his shoulder woes?

Brett Baty, the third baseman of the future, can’t beat out Mark Vientos in the present. Has anyone heard much good about the Mets’ farm system this year, particularly its best position players? 

The Mets have lost five straight and at 21-30 are a season-high nine games under .500 and have the majors’ worst record (9-22) since April  21. 

The Mets had plotted wild-card contention this year but the product on the field currently looks ill-equipped to make a playoff run even with the third wild card being fought for among mediocrities.