The homer, Judge’s first hit of the night, crashed into the upper deck in left at Target Field. The first-inning solo blast off of Twins ace Pablo López traveled 467 feet at 113 mph and gave the Yankees an early lead in a series-clinching victory.

AARON JUDGE HITS ONE 467 FEET! pic.twitter.com/jBTKbZVbf4

— MLB (@MLB) May 15, 2024

Judge, who also drove in a run with a seventh-inning double, had slashed .371/.500/.829 with four doubles, four homers and nine RBI over his last 10 games prior to Wednesday. The center fielder, battling some early-season struggles, was hitting .197 with a .725 OPS before that stretch.

Judge is now batting .255 with a .926 OPS following Wednesday’s performance. He’s leading the Yankees with 11 dingers, and his 29 RBI ranks second on the team.

While Judge provided the slugging, the Yankees scored their second run in the second inning when Anthony Volpe flew out to Minnesota’s Willi Castro for the second out of the frame. However, Castro thought he had corralled the third out and began jogging toward the Twins’ dugout. The boneheaded play — one of several defensive mistakes Castro has made this series — allowed Gleyber Torres to tag up and score.

The Yankees plated their third run in the third inning when Giancarlo Stanton picked up a broken-bat single.

That was the last run charged to the right-handed López, who totaled 6.1 innings, 10 hits, three earned runs, zero walks and three strikeouts over 96 pitches.

While the Yankees knocked López around, Marcus Stroman kept the Twins scoreless for six strong innings.

The righty walked three and only struck out two, but Stroman permitted just two hits over 91 pitches. Two of those walks came in the second inning, when Stroman also worked around a Volpe fielding error.

Stroman, off in his last few starts, now has a 3.33 ERA this season.

The Yankees and Twins will wrap up their series with a matinée on Thursday. First pitch is scheduled for 1:10 p.m. and will be thrown by Minnesota’s Joe Ryan.

The right-hander has a 3.21 ERA through eight starts this season.

Clarke Schmidt will start the finale for the Yankees. The righty matched the longest start of his career last time out, logging 6.2 scoreless innings against the Rays on May 10.

Schmidt has a 2.95 ERA after eight starts.

Kahnle Getting Closer

Tommy Kahnle (delayed throwing program) is scheduled to make two more rehab appearances this week, according to the New York Post. Kahnle will throw on Thursday, his first time on one day’s rest, before pitching again on Sunday.

From there, it’s possible Kahnle joins the Yankees’ active roster for the first time this season.

Jayson Tatum had 25 points and 10 rebounds, and the Boston Celtics beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 113-98 on Wednesday night to advance to the Eastern Conference finals for the third straight season.

Al Horford added 22 points, 15 rebounds and six of Boston’s 19 3-pointers to post their third consecutive win of the series and earn a 4-1 win. The Celtics will now await the winner of the matchup between the New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers. New York leads that series 3-2.

The Cavaliers played extremely short-handed without All-Star Donovan Mitchell (calf), center Jarrett Allen (rib) and key reserve Caris LeVert (knee).

Cleveland stayed close through the first three quarters and pulled within 88-85 early in the fourth. Boston then went on a 13-2 run to take a 101-87 lead with 6:44 to play.

Evan Mobley scored a playoff career-high 33 points and had seven rebounds. Marcus Morris Sr. had five 3-pointers and finished with 25 points.

Cleveland now enters a summer of uncertainty with the futures of Mitchell and coach J.B. Bickerstaff squarely in the spotlight.

Mitchell has been everything for the Cavs in his second postseason for Cleveland. He earned his fifth All-Star appearance in the regular season. He averaged 29.6 points in these playoffs but didn’t play in either of the final two games.

The end of Mitchell’s tenure in Cleveland could potentially come in the same TD Garden arena where LeBron James played his last game with the Cavs before leaving for Miami in 2010.

Mitchell is eligible to sign a contract extension but has not given any indication he’s eager to stay or leave Cleveland.

Bickerstaff is completing his fourth full season as Cleveland’s coach. Including the 11 games he coached after taking over for John Beilein during the 2019-20 season, Bickerstaff is 170-159 with two playoff appearances.

Much like they did in Game 4 without Mitchell, the Cavs used the 3-point line to keep pace with the Celtics, making 8 of 19 in the opening 24 minutes.

Cleveland started the second quarter by connecting on 4 of 5 attempts from beyond the arc to nudge ahead 46-40. The Cavs also got solid minutes off the bench from Marcus Morris Sr., who scored 14 points in his first 12 minutes of action.

But Boston rallied and closed with an 18-6 run to take a 58-52 lead into halftime.

But then it all unraveled for the lefty in the fifth inning.

A four-run fifth did the Mets and Lucchesi in for the night, leading to a 10-5 loss to the Phillies on Wednesday night at Citizens Bank Park. It was the third straight loss to their NL East foes for the Mets, who have now lost five of their last six games.

To be fair, there was plenty of blame to go around. The Mets made costly defensive mistakes with two errors and even more mental mistakes. The bullpen was a sieve, with right-hander Grant Hartwig giving up two runs (one earned) in relief of Lucchesi and right-hander Adrian Houser tagged for three (one earned).

“We’ve got work to do,” said manager Carlos Mendoza. “That’s the message to the players.”

Mendoza put the onus on the coaching staff to help the team get past this dismal stretch of play. The manager didn’t make excuses or deflect criticism, only promising that the team would put in the work to play better baseball.

“We’re going through a rough patch right now,” Mendoza said. “We didn’t play a good game today or a clean game. It’s going to happen at times. But understanding that us as a coaching staff, our job is to continue to work with these guys and help them get through it.

“And we will.”

Lucchesi (0-1) was called up from Triple-A Syracuse on Wednesday to make a start in place of Houser. Forced to empty their bullpen in Tuesday’s loss to the Phillies at Citi Field, Houser warmed up as the last pitcher standing and was unable to make his Wednesday start. Lucchesi was set to start against Triple-A Iowa, instead he found himself driving from Syracuse to Philadelphia with third baseman Mark Vientos on Tuesday night.

It was a tough challenge, but one many other pitchers have managed to overcome. Lucchesi took full responsibility for the damage, which amounted to five earned runs on five hits, four walks and two strikeouts over 4 1/3 innings.

“No one likes excuses so I’m not going to make any,” Lucchesi said. “I felt really good today, I felt on and pretty sharp, except for that last inning. But yeah, of course it’s hard and tough to get here in one night or whatever. But I’m a warrior. So I felt good, man. I don’t know.”

Lucchesi gave up a home run to Bryce Harper in the first before settling in through the next few innings. But in the fifth, he lost the strike zone completely and walked the first two hitters. No. 9 hitter Johan Rojas dropped a bunt to the left of the mound and instead of making a play at first base, Lucchesi turned and threw to third base where Edmundo Sosa was already safe.

It was reminiscent of a play Lucchesi tried to make last season in Miami. Lucchesi turned to throw to third and collided with Brett Baty in the process. Failing to realize the third baseman was right in front of him, he threw to an empty base.

“The bunt happened and then bases were loaded,” Lucchesi said. “I tried to miss more on the inner third [part of the plate], and then they were just putting good bat-to-ball on it and things kind of just got away from me.”

The rest of his inning went as follows: A bases-loaded walk to Kyle Schwarber, an RBI single to J.T. Realmuto and a two-run double to Harper. The Mets got Realmuto at the plate for the first out, ending Lucchesi’s night.

“I think they made some adjustments because early in the game it felt like they were swinging at balls just outside of the strike zone,” Mendoza said. “In that inning, they came in with a plan and they were just forcing him [to throw the ball] in the zone and he lost it there.”

The Mets (19-23) scored two runs off left-handed starter Ranger Suarez, who went five innings in the win (8-0). Right-hander Spencer Turnbull pitched three innings for Philadelphia (31-13), giving up three in the eighth. J.D. Martinez hit his second homer of the season to lead off and Vientos (2-for-4 with an RBI double) followed with a single up the center.

With two outs, Jeff McNeil hit a deep fly to right-center field and Johan Rojas dove for it, with the ball falling right next to him for an RBI double. Tomas Nido sent him home on a single.

But the offensive output was too little, too late.

“We’re just not clicking right now,” Mendoza said. “The free basis or extra bases, when you’re playing good teams, you know, they’re going to make you pay for them. This is something that we will continue to address and we’ve got to get better.”

Gang Green will begin its 2024 season on the road in back-to-back weeks. Then, in Week 3, the Jets will come home to play their home opener on Thursday Night Football.

Expectations should again be at an all-time high for the Jets with Aaron Rodgers returning from a season-ending injury. Rodgers tore his Achilles four plays into the 2023 season opener against the Bills last September. Without Rodgers, the Jets finished 7-10 for the second consecutive year.

If the Jets are going to make the playoffs for the first time since 2010, they will have to navigate a demanding schedule. In their final five games of the 2024 season, the Jets will face all teams who finished over .500 last season. Four of those games will be against teams who made the playoffs.

Now it’s time for The Daily News to make early predictions on the Jets’ schedule:

WEEK 1: at San Francisco 49ers

Monday, Sept. 9, 8:15 p.m., ESPN (Monday Night Football)

Prediction: 49ers 27, Jets 20

Like last year, the Jets will begin their season on Monday Night Football. Although the Jets defeated the Bills in the opener last year, they lost Rodgers for the year.

Robert Saleh will face Kyle Shanahan for the first time since becoming Jets coach. The 49ers are coming off a 12-5 season and a Super Bowl loss to the Chiefs.

Record: 0-1

Week 2: at Tennessee Titans

Sunday, Sept. 15, 1 p.m.

The Jets hit the road again in Week 2 and face a new-look Titans team. Will Levis return as Tennessee’s quarterback. However, the Titans have a new coach in Brian Callahan and have added wide receiver Calvin Ridley and running back Tony Pollard.

Prediction: Jets 27, Titans 17

Record: 1-1

Week 3: vs. New England Patriots

Sunday, Sept. 17, 8:15 p.m., Amazon (Thursday Night Football)

The Jets finally ended their 15-game losing streak to the Patriots during the 2023 season finale last January. Now, they hope to begin a winning streak with Patriots coach Jerod Mayo and quarterback Drake Maye, who was selected third overall in April’s draft.

Prediction: Jets 24, Patriots 14

Record: 2-1

Week 4: vs. Denver Broncos 

Sunday, Sept. 29, 1 p.m.

Nathaniel Hackett vs. Sean Payton, Part 2, will take place at the end of September at MetLife Stadium. During training camp last year, USA Today published an article in which Payton ripped Hackett and took a jab at how much attention the Jets received.

Gang Green also traded Zach Wilson to the Broncos last month, which should add more fuel to the fire between the two teams. This will be the fifth year the Jets and Broncos have played each other.

Prediction: Jets 31, Broncos 13

Record: 3-1

Week 5: at Minnesota Vikings 

Sunday, Oct. 6, 9:30 a.m. ET (London)

London calls the Jets for the first time since the 2021 season when they lost to the Falcons 27-20.

Gang Green could potentially face its old quarterback, Sam Darnold after he signed a one-year, $10 million deal with the Vikings during the offseason. The Jets selected Darnold third overall in the 2018 NFL Draft.

Prediction: Jets 23, Vikings 16

Record: 4-1

Week 6: vs. Buffalo Bills

Monday, Oct. 14, 8:15 p.m. ESPN (Monday Night Football)

The last time the Jets and Bills met on the field, Buffalo won in a 32-6 route in Orchard Park last November. Afterward, Bills tackle Dion Dawkins and Jets defensive lineman Micheal Clemons got into a postgame altercation in the tunnel.

Dawkins has continued to say how much he hates the Jets this offseason. He even called Clemons a “b—- boy” and accused him of instigating their postgame scrum. The Bills and Jets have split their season series the last two seasons.

Prediction: Bills 24, Jets 16

Record: 4-2

Week 7: at Pittsburgh Steelers

Sunday, Oct. 20, 8:20 p.m. (Sunday Night Football)

Mike Tomlin is still roaming the sidelines for the Steelers. But Pittsburgh will have a new quarterback in the huddle in 2024.

The Steelers signed Russell Wilson and traded for Justin Fields. That should make for an exciting quarterback competition in training camp.

Pittsburgh finished 10-7 and made the playoffs before losing to the Bills in the AFC Wild-Card Game.

Prediction: Steelers 24, Jets 21

Record: 4-3

Week 8: at New England Patriots

Sunday, Oct. 27, 1 p.m. 

The Jets haven’t swept the Patriots since the 2000 season. But 2024 could finally be the year, assuming Gang Green takes care of business against a New England team in rebuild mode.

Prediction: Jets 34, Patriots 20

Record: 5-3

Week 9: vs. Houston Texans

Thursday, Oct. 31, 8:15 p.m., (Thursday Night Football)

Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud had his worst outing of the season in the 30-6 loss to the Jets last December. He passed for 91 yards, was sacked four times, and left the game with a concussion.

Houston eventually bounced back, finishing 10-7 and winning the AFC South before losing to Baltimore 34-10 in the divisional round.

Prediction: Texans 28, Jets 23

Record: 5-4

Week 10: at Arizona Cardinals

Sunday, Nov. 10, 4:25 p.m.

In Jonathan Gannon’s first season as coach, the Cardinals finished 4-13. Arizona will get Kyler Murray back at the start of the season after he returned from an ACL injury last year after he suffered the injury during the 2022 season.

Prediction: Jets 31, Cardinals 20

Record: 6-4

Week 11: vs. Colts 

Sunday, Nov. 17, 8:20 p.m. (Sunday Night Football)

The Colts barely missed the postseason party last season after finishing 9-8 with Gardner Minshew under center. 2023 first-round pick Anthony Richardson missed the final 13 games after suffering a Grade 3 AC joint sprain.

Indianapolis added ex-Jets quarterback Joe Flacco after Minshew signed with the Raiders.

Prediction: Jets 34, Colts 17

Record: 7-4

Week 12: Bye

Week 13: vs. Seahawks 

Sunday, Dec. 1, 1 p.m.

Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith will face the team that drafted him for the second time in three seasons. In 2022, Smith passed for 183 yards and two touchdowns in the 23-6 win against the Jets in 2022.

Mike Macdonald is now in charge in Seattle after Pete Carroll and the organization mutually parted ways this offseason.

Prediction: Jets 28, Seahawks 24

Record: 8-4

Week 14: at Miami Dolphins

Sunday, Dec. 8, 1 p.m. 

The Jets-Dolphins rivalry was one-sided a season ago after Miami swept the season series. The Dolphins outscored the Jets 64-13. That includes the 30-0 loss last December, which eliminated the Jets from playoff contention for the 13 consecutive season.

Prediction: Dolphins 31, Jets 20

Record: 8-5

Week 15: at Jaguars

Sunday, Dec. 15, 1 p.m. 

The 2024 season was a disappointing one for the Jaguars. A year after winning the AFC South and making it to the AFC Divisional Round, Jacksonville missed the playoffs after finishing 9-8.

As long as Trevor Lawrence is healthy, the Jaguars should be in the playoff mix again.

Prediction: Jaguars 24, Jets 21

Record: 8-6

Week 16: vs. Rams

Sunday, Dec. 22, 1 p.m. 

Defensive tackle Aaron Donald retired this offseason, which should make many opposing quarterbacks around the league very happy.

The Rams finished 10-7 last season and made the playoffs before losing to the Lions in the wild-card game.

Prediction: Jets 28, Rams 24

Record: 9-6

Week 17: at Buffalo Bills 

Sunday, Dec. 29, 1 p.m.

If Gang Green is going to win the AFC East, all roads will go through Buffalo. The Bills have won four consecutive division titles. They also arguably have one of the top three quarterbacks in the NFL in Josh Allen.

Prediction: Bills 31, Jets 21

Record: 9-7

Week 18: vs. Miami Dolphins 

Saturday, Jan. 4, or Sunday, Jan. 5

The Jets’ playoff hopes could hinge on their season finale against the Dolphins. Both teams figure to be playoff contenders in 2024, and the Dolphins have made the postseason the last two years.

Gang Green last swept Miami in 2015, the last time the team finished with a winning record (10-6).

Prediction: Jets 30, Dolphins 27

Record: 10-7

Final record prediction: 10-7, AFC Wild Card

After going all in the last two offseason, Saleh and the Jets have to win in 2024. Last season, Saleh and Jets general manager Joe Douglas received a mulligan after Rodgers’ injury. It’s hard to see that happening again under almost any circumstance.

The Jets have made the necessary moves to improve their offensive line, backup quarterback position, and add wide receiver help. Now, it is put up or shut up time for many in the organization.

His death was announced this week in an obituary posted by the Prestige Memorial Funeral Home, in Gadsden, Ala. A cause of death was not provided.

“He is survived by his loving family. We ask that you please keep this family and those that may be going through the same lifted in prayer,” the announcement read.

Lubin, who played one season as a freshman for the Huskies from 2014-15, later transferred and played at Cal State Northridge for the 2016-17 season. He transferred again to LSU Shreveport, reported CT Insider.

The Alabama native, nicknamed “Rock” for his toughness on the court, was a highly touted three-star recruit coming out of high school.

After moving to Georgia during his adolescence, Lubin led Buford High School to the Georgia 2A state championship his senior year, averaging 20.3 points and 12.1 rebounds per game.

He was named the Georgia Sportswriters 3A Player of the Year, and ultimately committed to play for then-coach Kevin Ollie at UConn in 2013.

During his freshman year, Lubin played in 24 games for the Huskies, but was one of four players suspended from the program that November for violating team rules.

Although he was later reinstated, transferred to Cal State Northridge, where he averaged 18.2 minutes, 8.5 points and 5.2 rebounds per game.

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He went on to earn his bachelor’s degree in business administration and management from LSU Shreveport, according to his LinkedIn page.

Following his basketball career, Lubin was arrested in 2019 for allegedly robbing a Jack’s Family Restaurant in Munford, Ala.

Then they started 1-5 and skidded to a 6-11 finish in a disappointing 2023.

It is critical that the Giants start fast in 2024, their franchise’s 100th season, despite high turnover on the coaching staff and roster. And the schedule that became official on Wednesday night provides them the opportunity to do that.

But they have to capitalize and not let key games slip through their fingers like they did a year ago.

Here are all 17 of the Giants’ games and the Daily News’ predictions for the season. All game times are Eastern Standard.

Week 1: Sunday, Sept. 8 vs. Minnesota Vikings (1 p.m., FOX)

The Giants open with a daytime matchup of projected last-place finishers after last year’s 40-0 prime time, blowout loss to the Dallas Cowboys. Both teams boast former star LSU wide receivers in Justin Jefferson and Malik Nabers. Minnesota arrives with former Giants head coaching candidate Brian Flores as defensive coordinator and two familiar names in the quarterback room: former Jet Sam Darnold and rookie J.J. McCarthy. It’s hard to call a Week 1 game a must win. But this is a game the Giants have to win if they want to be taken seriously.

Prediction: Vikings 25, Giants 13 (0-1)

Week 2: Sunday, Sept. 15 at Washington Commanders (1 p.m., FOX)

It could be advantageous to face Washington early, before rookie QB Jayden Daniels and new head coach Dan Quinn get comfortable, established and experienced in their positions. College teammates Daniels and Nabers called off their $10,000 Rookie of the Year bet, but bragging rights and important NFC East positioning is still on the line.

Prediction: Commanders 31, Giants 16 (0-2)

Week 3: Sunday, Sept. 22 at Cleveland Browns (1 p.m., FOX)

Daboll’s new offensive line will have its work cut out against superstar pass rusher Myles Garrett and a stout Browns defense led by Jim Schwartz. The timing of this game certainly is better than having to travel to Cleveland in December. But that won’t make it any easier for the Giants’ offense to move the ball and score

Prediction: Browns 20, Giants 0 (0-3)

Week 4: Thursday, Sept. 26 vs. Dallas Cowboys (Thursday Night Football, 8:15 p.m., Prime Video)

Daboll and Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy both are coaching for their jobs this fall, which ratchets up the pressure. Schoen and Daboll are 0-4 against the Cowboys in two seasons, getting outscored 140-53. And the Giants have lost six straight to Dallas overall. It’s impossible to pick New York in this rivalry until they win one again.

Prediction: Cowboys 28, Giants 10 (0-4)

Week 5: Sunday, Oct. 6 at Seattle Seahawks (4:25 p.m., CBS)

Will this be a Drew Lock revenge game? A potential snoozer could turn into an intriguing cross-country trip if the former Seahawks backup starts against his old team. Geno Smith’s squad has beaten the Giants twice in the last two years by a combined score of 51-16. But rookie head coach Mike McDonald is now running the Seahawks instead of longtime boss Pete Carroll. Maybe the desperate Giants can steal one as Seattle still grasps for its new identity.

Prediction: Giants 23, Seahawks 20, OT (1-4)

Week 6: Sunday, Oct. 13 vs. Cincinnati Bengals (Sunday Night Football, 8:20 p.m., NBC)

Joe Burrow is healthy. So Brian Burns and the Giants’ pass rushers need to pressure the Bengals’ quarterback, or this will be a long night in New Jersey. Cincy defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo is also one of the best in the league. This seems like a strange Sunday Night pick by the NFL, frankly, and it very well could get flexed out. The league is allowed to flex up to two Sunday Night Football games between Weeks 5 and 10.

Prediction: Bengals 30, Giants 7 (1-5)

Week 7: Sunday, Oct. 20 vs. Philadelphia Eagles (1 p.m., FOX)

Saquon Barkley makes his highly-anticipated return to what promises to be a hostile MetLife Stadium. The Giants have lost five of their last six against the Eagles. Daboll is 1-4, outscored 151-97, but beat the slumping Eagles, 27-10, in last season’s finale. The NFL could flex this into Sunday Night Football, but the fact that the league didn’t put this matchup in prime time says a lot.

Prediction: Eagles 40, Giants 22 (1-6)

Week 8: Monday, Oct. 28 at Pittsburgh Steelers (Monday Night Football, 8:15 p.m., ESPN)

Russell Wilson visited the Giants in free agency before signing with the Steelers. Mike Tomlin’s team is not unbeatable, but they are tough, and they will be better offensively with Arthur Smith as their coordinator. This could be a nailbiter, but Daboll has struggled managing close games. This game is not eligible to be flexed.

Prediction: Steelers 16, Giants 13, OT (1-7)

Week 9: Sunday, Nov. 3 vs. Washington Commanders (1 p.m., FOX)

The Giants manage to get at least one win — or tie — against Washington every season, even when they’re getting swept by their other NFC East rivals. Daniels’ explosiveness at quarterback running Kliff Kingsbury’s offense is a scary proposition. But the Giants have invested a lot in their pass rush with Burns, Dexter Lawrence and Kayvon Thibodeaux. And Washington’s O-line will be improved but still vulnerable at times. A defensive TD saves the home team.

Prediction: Giants 21, Commanders 19 (2-7)

Week 10: Sunday, Nov. 10 at Carolina Panthers in Germany (9:30 a.m., NFL Network)

It’s exciting that the Giants are playing in Munich. It’s not thrilling that this might end up being a battle between two bottom-feeding teams that are vying for the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Burns will be motivated to play a monster game against his former team, and the Giants are 3-0 internationally as a franchise all-time. But Derrick Brown and Carolina’s pass rush will be difficult to stop for four quarters at Allianz Arena playing for rookie head coach Dave Canales.

Prediction: Panthers 17, Giants 9 (2-8)

Week 11: Bye week

Week 12: Sunday, Nov. 24 vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1 p.m., CBS)

Todd Bowles’ playoff team has three former first-round picks on the defensive line, led by tackle Vita Vea. And they hung with the Detroit Lions in last year’s divisional round. Liam Coen is in as offensive coordinator with Canales’ departure to Carolina, so Baker Mayfield is not guaranteed to have the same success. But this is a difficult, physical opponent to take on out of the bye.

Prediction: Bucs 27, Giants 17 (2-9)

Week 13: Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, Nov. 28 at Dallas Cowboys (4:30 p.m., FOX)

The Giants clearly deliver TV ratings for the NFL, because there is no other explanation for why they are back in this slot given last season’s disaster in Arlington, Tex., and the Giants’ low-scoring effort in their Thanksgiving loss at Dallas in 2022. Dak Prescott is a pending free agent, and the Giants are expected to search for a new quarterback again in 2025. So that will be the most interesting conversation point during the second half of this laugher.

Prediction: Cowboys 47, Giants 20 (2-10)

Week 14: Sunday, Dec. 8 vs. New Orleans Saints

The Saints embarrassed the Giants last season, 24-6, but that game was at the Superdome with Tommy DeVito at quarterback. New York will have a better chance at home with a better QB. New Orleans was 4-5 on the road last year. While Daboll may only be playing out the string here, he can still beat Dennis Allen. A Shane Bowen defense that has floundered most of the season at least shuts down Derek Carr.

Prediction: Giants 16, Saints 13 (3-10)

Week 15: Sunday, Dec. 15 vs. Baltimore Ravens

The Giants might have the pass rush to present some problems for John Harbaugh’s seemingly offensive line. But even if they affect the passing game, New York’s defense still won’t be able to hold down two-time MVP Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry on the ground.

Prediction: Ravens 31, Giants 7 (3-11)

Week 16: Sunday, Dec. 22 at Atlanta Falcons

New Falcons head coach Raheem Morris, and either Kirk Cousins or Michael Penix Jr. at quarterback, are going to make the Giants sorry that they traveled south to their dome.

Prediction: Falcons 26, Giants 16 (3-12)

Week 17: Sat. Dec. 28 or Sun. Dec. 29 vs. Indianapolis Colts (TBD)

Trying to stop Jonathan Taylor is a scary proposition for a Giants run defense that has struggled for years on end, but Giants middle linebacker Bobby Okereke wills the hopeless Giants to a late-season upset at home nevertheless.

Prediction: Giants 14, Colts 10 (4-12)

Week 18: Sat. Jan 4 or Sun. Jan. 5 at Philadelphia Eagles (TBD)

With the Eagles and Cowboys in a race to the finish for the NFC East crown, Barkley and the Birds bury the Giants to enter the postseason on a high note and cost some of the running back’s former bosses their jobs.

Prediction: Eagles 38, Giants 13 (4-13)

Final record: 4-13

More moves will be made soon with right-handed starter Tylor Megill set to return to the rotation Sunday or Monday. Megill is in Philadelphia with the Mets, but has not yet been activated.

“We still have to finalize whether it’s going to be Sunday or Monday,” manager Carlos Mendoza said Wednesday at Citizens Bank Park. “But that will be the plan, Megill will take a turn on the rotation.”

Megill has been out since the first series of the season with a right shoulder strain. He’s made five rehab starts and is ready to be activated from the 15-day injured list, but having just made a start with Triple-A Syracuse on Sunday, he wasn’t available to make one Wednesday.

The Mets scratched Houser after he warmed up in the bullpen Tuesday against the Philadelphia Phillies at home. Sean Reid-Foley was approaching his pitch count in the ninth inning of a loss and the Mets had no other arms available. Houser threw two innings out of the bullpen Wednesday, giving up three runs (one earned).

The Mets started a three-city eight-game road trip Wednesday in Philadelphia. They’ll continue with a three-game series against the Marlins in Miami this weekend before finishing the trip with three against the Cleveland Guardians.

Right-handed reliever Drew Smith suffered a setback Tuesday after playing catch. He was set to return Wednesday but complained of pain in the back of his shoulder shortly before Tuesday’s game. However, the Mets don’t think it will be a serious setback. The shoulder injury that landed him on the IL was in the front of his shoulder, so it may not be related.

Smith will resume playing catch Thursday. No imaging is currently scheduled.

“We don’t anticipate this being a long setback,” Mendoza said. “We’ll see where we are because after he pitched (in a rehab assignment) he said that he was feeling fine, but yesterday after he went out there and played catch, he said something about the back of his shoulder.”

Left-hander Brooks Raley underwent another MRI and got another opinion on his injured elbow Tuesday in Texas. The results showed a UCL strain. However, the imaging showed signs of healing, so he may be able to avoid surgery.

The Mets will continue to treat the injury for two weeks. At that point, Raley will be reassessed again and the doctors will determine whether or not he can begin a throwing program. The lefty previously had a cortisone shot to help with inflammation, but there are no plans for another injection at the moment.

Vientos is riding the waves of the season, good and bad. His hopes were up before it even began, only for the Mets to sign J.D. Martinez, which bumped him to Triple-A Syracuse. When Starling Marte went to the Dominican Republic for a family emergency in April, Vientos was called up and played the hero role with his first walk-off home run against the St. Louis Cardinals.

But when Marte returned, Vientos returned to Syracuse.

He was recalled by the Mets again Wednesday and was in the lineup playing third base against the Philadelphia Phillies. There was no hiding his excitement, but he was much more measured this time than during big league stints in the past.

“The way you view things is big,” Vientos said Wednesday at Citizens Bank Park. “For me it’s just another baseball season — another baseball season with its ups and downs. I’m taking it day by day and I’m here now, so I’m happy with that and happy to be with the squad.”

Vientos is expected to platoon with Brett Baty at third base, though manager Carlos Mendoza is hesitant to call it a straight platoon. Baty will become the Mets’ new utility infielder, at least in the interim, and will get more at-bats against right-handed hitters. Vientos will see more at-bats against left-handed hitters.

“We’re facing a lefty today and potentially few more in the next series against the Marlins, so it was a good opportunity for him to get some playing time here,” Mendoza said. “That’s the decision we made yesterday, but Brett will continue to play as well. It’s a combination of matchups and putting guys in a position to have success.”

The Mets hope Vientos can help with an anemic offense. The offense ranks toward the lower third in the league in runs per game (4.20) and OPS (.672). He’s hit .285 with a .876 OPS and six home runs in 31 games with Syracuse.

But getting another bat to work with came at the cost of Joey Wendle. The Mets have gone from two utility infielders to none, designating Zack Scott for assignment last month and Wendle on Wednesday.

Wendle was signed to a Major League contract in December to replace Luis Guillorme, and while he provided solid veteran leadership, the Mets needed him to defend. His -2 OAA wasn’t good enough and he became the victim of a roster crunch.

However, the Mets acknowledged that the sample size was small.

“It was a tough one,” Mendoza said. “Not an easy one because of who he is as a player and as a person, such a professional. Obviously, things didn’t go the way we were expecting or the way he was expecting. He didn’t get many opportunities, but he understood that it’s a business and where we are in trying to change things up here. And we needed a righty bat.”

Wendle hit .222 with a .493 OPS in only 18 games for the Mets (37 plate appearances).

Baty will work with Mike Sarbaugh to take grounders all over the infield over the next week or so, but the Mets only plan to use him to back up Francisco Lindor and Jeff McNeil in an emergency.

“The angles are different, especially if he’s got to go to second base to turn a double play or something that he’s never done,” Mendoza said. “But this is where we are right now and we want to roll with it.”

That leads one to believe Vientos might not be up in the Major Leagues for very long. While Francisco Lindor would play all 162 games if you let him, injuries and illnesses happen. The slumping McNeil was already benched earlier this week. At some point, the Mets will need another utility infielder.

But this is where the Mets are now and they’ll work with what they have.

“I don’t look into the future,” Vientos said. “I’m just staying with the daily things that I’ve got to do right now. I’m going to go do batting practice and I have a game at 6:40. I’m just worried about things that are about to happen, I don’t look into the future.”

Tom Thibodeau finished fifth among his peers in Coach of the Year voting, an award rightfully claimed by Oklahoma City Thunder coach Mark Daigneault, who captained the youngest team ever to both win 55 games in a season and secure to the No. 1 seed in either the Eastern or Western Conferences in NBA history.

Daigneault ran away with the league honor, taking home 89 of the 99 first-place votes to create 315 points worth of separation between himself and the runner-up, Orlando Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley.

Mosley had an admirable season, leading Paolo Banchero and a Magic team with just one player over age 29 to the East’s No. 5 seed.

So did both Chris Finch, who coached Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves to one game shy of the West’s No. 1 seed, and Joe Mazzulla, whose loaded Boston Celtics finished seven games better than the West’s No. 1 seed and 14 games better than the next-best Eastern Conference team.

That team is the Knicks — Thibodeau’s Knicks — who miraculously claimed the second seed in the East despite a barrage of injuries and a pair of mid-season trades.

If Thibodeau’s regular-season success in the face of adversity doesn’t reinforce his status as a top-three coach of the year candidate snub, consider what he’s done in the playoffs, as he’s positioned these Knicks one game shy of their first trip to the Eastern Conference Finals since 2000.

There is no reason Thibodeau should not have finished top-three in Coach of the Year honors. He has turned water into wine, pushing a depleted, injury-riddled Knicks roster beyond its limits to put it on pace for one of the best single seasons in franchise history.

It’s no wonder the Knicks, reportedly, are preparing to offer Thibodeau a long-term — and lucrative — contract extension to stay at Madison Square Garden.

After all, Thibodeau powered the Knicks to the No. 2 seed despite a wave of injuries that would have wrecked a number of seasons elsewhere.

In fact, the Knicks have taken a 3-2 series lead over the Indiana Pacers in the second round of the playoffs despite missing four key rotation players to injury entering a pivotal Game 6 in Indiana on Friday.

• Mitchell Robinson suffered a stress fracture in his left ankle on Dec. 8, costing him three-and-a-half months of regular-season action, then returned with a handful of games remaining on the schedule, only to end his season on another stress reaction in the same ankle in Game 1 against the Pacers
• Three-time All-Star Julius Randle — who averaged 24 points, nine rebounds and five assists per game in the first half of the season — ended his year on a dislocated right shoulder in a an. 27 matchup against the Miami Heat
• That was also the last game OG Anunoby played before discovering inflammation in his right elbow. Anunoby ultimately underwent a minor procedure that sidelined him for a month-and-a-half. He  then aggravated the elbow injury within three games into his return to action and missed another stretch of games after the All-Star break
• And Bojan Bogdanovic’s season ended on a gruesome ankle injury in the first round against the Philadelphia 76ers

Now it’s Anunoby with not an elbow, but a hamstring keeping him off the floor, yet Thibodeau’s Knicks have decisively outplayed a Pacers team they would have already advanced beyond had Andrew Nesmith, who entered the fourth quarter of Game 3 with zero points on six shot attempts, not cashed-in on a buzzer-beating, 30-foot heave for the win in Indiana.

Thibodeau finished with two first-place votes for Coach of the Year, 14 second-place votes and seven third-place selections for the highest single-season coaching honor in the sport.

He also finished first in an anonymous poll among players asked to name the coach, aside from their own, they would least like to play for.

Thibodeau’s players, several of which are enjoying career years in New York, stuck up for their coach, and Josh Hart did it again, defending his coach from criticism suggesting culpability for the injuries plaguing the Knicks in the playoffs.

If anything, Thibodeau pushed the Knicks forward in spite of the missing bodies, and while he might not have any end-of-the-season hardware, or finalist status, to tout, he is captaining a Knicks team perpetually defying the odds, relentlessly moving forward toward the best season it’s seen this century.

“You expect ignorance when people have no idea what goes on in this building,” said Josh Hart. “At the end of the day,  people are going to say things for clicks. People are going to say things that make them feel like they stuck it to him. But at the end of the day, they are not in this building, they are not in that locker room. Whatever they say doesn’t mean anything. Put any of those guys in this position and see what they do.”

He’s OK with that.

A three-time Pro Bowler with the Giants, the 31-year-old wide receiver said during his introductory press conference Wednesday in Miami that he’s at peace as he enters his 11th year in the NFL.

“I haven’t been the No. 1 in a minute,” Beckham said. “You can go look at targets. You can go look at anything. That’s not really where I’ve been at, so just understanding your role, and how can you be the very best at that role?”

Beckham this month signed a one-year contract with Miami, joining a high-powered offense engineered by coach Mike McDaniel and headlined by speedy star wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle.

Hill, 30, led the NFL with 1,799 receiving yards and 13 receiving touchdowns last year, while Waddle, 25, recorded his third consecutive season with more than 1,000 yards to begin his career.

Beckham, meanwhile, missed the entire 2022 season as he recovered from his second torn ACL in his left knee. He spent 2023 with the Baltimore Ravens, recording 35 receptions on 64 targets for 565 yards and three touchdowns in 14 games.

Accepting a complementary role is not difficult for Beckham at this stage in his career, he said Wednesday.

“It gives you a huge sense of peace,” Beckham said. “I feel like I used to carry a lot of anger or resentment or whatever it was, and now I just feel at peace. You’re just able to train. You’re able to play the game that you love again. You kind of get past all of the business side or whatever could be holding you back. A part of me feels like this is an opportunity for it to be just [about] football.”

Beckham exploded onto the NFL scene with the Giants, hauling in 91 receptions for 1,305 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2014 en route to Rookie of the Year honors. His jaw-dropping one-handed touchdown catch against the Dallas Cowboys on “Sunday Night Football” that season ingratiated Beckham to a national audience.

Beckham recorded at least 90 catches, 1,300 yards and 10 touchdowns in each of his first three seasons. He eclipsed 1,000 yards in four of his five seasons with the Giants.

Then-Giants general manager Dave Gettleman signed the explosive Beckham to a five-year, $95 million extension before the 2018 season, then traded him to the Cleveland Browns less than a year later.

Beckham’s tumultuous Browns tenure included one 1,000-yard season, his first ACL tear and, ultimately, his release in November 2021. He signed with the Los Angeles Rams later that month and caught a touchdown during their Super Bowl victory in February 2022 but tore his ACL again in that game.

After one season with the NFL-best Ravens, Beckham hopes to help another contender in the Dolphins. Beckham said Wednesday he was “very close” to committing to the University of Miami before choosing to follow close friend and fellow wide receiver Jarvis Landry to LSU in 2011.

“I think my favorite thing, speaking on myself, is about resiliency,” Beckham said Wednesday. “Give me the best of the best in the world and put them through what I’ve been through at the highest level, and let me see them rebound and still be here to this day. … Let’s have a great ending to the story.”