NBA Basketball News, Scores, Standings, Rumors, Fantasy Games 2026-06-08 01:49:18
Nelly Korda wins US Open ahead of Charley Hull to claim second consecutive major
American survives close putt on final hole
Korda claims $2.5m first prize for victory
England’s Hull misses out on first major title
Nelly Korda won the US Women’s Open on Sunday for her second consecutive major victory, holding off Charley Hull and Gaby Lopez by one shot when her final putt curled perilously around the cup and dropped in.
Korda’s first US Open win is the fourth major victory of her career, and she claimed it with a steady two-under 69 in the final round – but only after her second putt on the 18th green – from a little over 2ft – caught the edge and toured half the circumference of the hole before falling.
Continue reading...Landry Shamet an unsung hero who can't be ignored in Knicks' incredible postseason run
It takes 12 players, multiple coaches, a medical staff, front office and much more to win a championship, but to the general public, most of the credit falls on the big stars. For the Knicks, now two wins away from their first chip in over half a century, that’s Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns, but their roster of unsung heroes runs much longer.
One player who can’t be ignored is Landry Shamet -- now on his second consecutive veteran's minimum deal, Shamet's been a major part of their run to the championship, despite the bumps and bruises on the way.
Last year, he suffered a shoulder injury in preseason and agreed to rehab in the G-League before rejoining the team midseason. While he returned to action, he fell out of the rotation when the playoffs rolled around, until the Knicks desperately turned to him facing elimination in the Conference Finals.
He provided a nice spark, but New York had limited roster spots going into 2025-26, and he had to compete for another minimum deal. Shamet made the cut, but this year began to look like Déjà vu.
Shamet suffered another shoulder injury early this season, sidelining him for a third of it. He’d come back again, but wasn’t a major rotation piece early in the postseason.
Things turned around in New York’s second round, when Shamet popped for 15 and 12 points in Games 3 and 4 on the road in Philadelphia. His performance helped close out the Sixers, as he shot 6-of-9 from three in the two contests.
But the real magic came in Game 1 of the Conference Finals. With Josh Hart struggling down 22 and just seven minutes to play, head coach Mike Brown subbed in Shamet with the starters for spacing, and the Knicks rolled.
Shamet hit some of the biggest threes of the season: one to cut the lead to 17, another that bounced in with under a minute to play that tied the game, and finally the clincher in overtime. He finished with just these nine points, but they were crucial to one of the greatest comebacks in NBA Playoffs history.
He followed up with another pair of big road games, scoring 14 in Game 3 and 16 in Game 4, contributing to another dominant sweep. He finished the Conference Finals shooting a stellar 11-of-12 from downtown.
If these performances weren’t enough to cement his legacy in this playoff run, his early start to the Finals might put #44 in the rafters. Shamet’s been a big boost off the bench in a series Brunson’s struggled and the Knicks haven’t played to their best offensively as a team.
Shamet scored 13 in Game 1 on 3-of-6 shooting from three, and another 13 on 3-of-7 three-point attempts in Game 2, as the Knicks won two tough road games to take control of the championship round.
Throughout his appearances, he’s defended hard and attacked the mid-range and paint to keep defenses honest.
It’s no exaggeration that the Knicks wouldn’t be in this spot without Shamet’s contributions. Miles McBride is averaging under seven points this postseason and Jordan Clarkson slowly fell out of the rotation as the competition stiffened.
With limited offensive help from the pine, Shamet’s been a major lift, providing double-digit scoring in single-digit victories. All on a prove-it contract that’s likely to now be aggressively outbid in the summer.
The Knicks are still two wins away from their ultimate goal, and Shamet will need to continue his pace to secure them. If that happens, he goes from heartwarming story to local legend, and no matter where he ends up, New York fans will be eternally, deservingly grateful.
Mets’ Francisco Alvarez reaches twice, Tobias Myers takes home win with Triple-A Syracuse
Francisco Alvarez was back behind the plate as he continued his minor league rehab assignment on Sunday afternoon with Triple-A Syracuse.
The 24-year-old backstop enjoyed himself a much-needed strong day with the bat after going hitless in each of his last two appearances with the team.
Alvarez was retired his first two times up, but then drew walk before being stranded in scoring position.
He then ripped a third-pitch fastball right back up the middle in the top of the eighth, and came in to score a few batters later on a Matt Rudick homer.
Before that, Syracuse regained the lead on a Ryan Clifford RBI sacrifice bunt.
Alvarez finished 1-for-3 with a walk, and caught a runner too far off first on a back-pick.
The Mets don’t have an exact day for his return, but as long as things continue progressing as planned, he could be back in the lineup at some point during the upcoming six-game homestand.
On the mound for Syracuse, prospect Zach Thornton delivered a bounceback performance, allowing just two walks and walk hits while striking out five over five scoreless innings.
Tobias Myers followed that by only giving up an unearned run while striking out one over two innings of work in his second appearance following his demotion from the Mets.
Dylan Ross was called upon to get the final out after Syracuse ran into trouble in the ninth, and he allowed an RBI double and two walks before striking out George Lombard Jr. to end the game.
Ross took home his first save, but he’s now issued 16 walks over 18 outings this season.
Carson Benge’s five-hit day another sign of the ‘special player’ he can be
Carson Benge just continues to progress at the big-league level.
The youngster has settled in nicely after a bit of a slow start to his career, and Sunday was easily one of his most impressive showings to this point.
Benge led the way for the Mets’ offense, becoming the third-youngster player in franchise history to enjoy a 5-for-5 day in a series-finale win over the Padres.
He’s also the first Mets rookie to reach that mark since Pete Alonso in 2019.
“Pretty impressive, it was really cool to see,” Carlos Mendoza said. “Rockets pretty much everywhere, using the middle of the field, staying short and on top of the ball -- he set the tone for us and it was a good team win.”
The 23-year-old certainly set the tone, lining the fourth pitch of the game right back up the middle before coming in with the opening run just two batters later.
Benge also singled leading off the top of the third, then again to open the fifth, with the second sparking another rally which chased Vásquez from the ballgame.
The damage wasn’t done there, as Benge lifted a homer in a left-on-left matchup in the sixth then ripped an RBI triple down the right-field line with two outs in the top of the eighth.
Benge scored three runs, drove in two, and finished just a double shy of the cycle.
“Today was definitely nice,” the slugger said. “It’s always nice to get two hits let-alone five, so being able to do that today was definitely pretty special.”
With the Mets’ offense extremely shorthanded Benge has slid seamlessly into the leadoff spot, hitting an impressive .316 with five homers and 20 RBI since the beginning of May.
“I’m not surprised,” Mendoza said. “We’ve seen the type of player and the talent and just the things he can do on a baseball field -- he’s settling in, is comfortable, and is just going out and playing his game.
“We’re going to see a lot of games like that moving forward where he’s just totally locked in and he's doing a lot of things to help us win baseball games -- he’s just a special player.”
With NBA Finals shifting to New York, can Spurs slow Knicks' roll to the title?
Through two games, the New York Knicks have been clearly the better team in the NBA Finals. They have the best player in the series so far in Karl-Anthony Towns, the most clutch player in Jalen Brunson, and they have been the better defensive team.
Now those Knicks — winners of 13 playoff games in a row — head home to what will be a frenzied Madison Square Garden and home fans desperate for the team's first title in 53 years — even President Donald Trump will be in attendance.
"The Garden is going to be rocking," Josh Hart said of the atmosphere. "Obviously, in this city, we love our Knicks. So we're going to come out, show love, support. The energy is going to be electric."
What do the Spurs need to do to turn this series around and stop it from becoming a Knicks coronation?
"Resilience," De'Aaron Fox said. "Obviously, losing two games at home is never ideal, but we have to be able to let those two games go and look forward, look ahead toward the game that's in front of us."
The Spurs need a few other things, too.
More De’Aaron Fox
While the Knicks have knocked the entire Spurs offense off balance, San Antonio has looked better with Fox running the show and less Stephon Castle. While Castle is an impressive young player, he has struggled in the Finals to finish at the rim or in the paint and has committed some sloppy turnovers. Take a look at his shot chart.
Fox isn't exactly lighting the world on fire — 44% shooting overall and 33% from 3-point range the past two games — but the Spurs are +2 in his minutes through two games and -15 in Castle's minutes. Coach Mitch Johnson needs to lean more on the Fox-Dylan Harper backcourt.
Finish possessions
San Antonio's defense has done its job and held the Knicks in check — New York has a 106.6 offensive rating through two games, which is almost 10 below their regular season average and more than 20 below their playoff average coming into this series. Or, look at it this way, 106.6 would have been the worst offense in the league during the regular season by more than two points per 100 possessions.
However, the Spurs are even worse with a 101 offensive rating. What has happened to San Antonio's offense in this series?
"I think that's probably been, if there's a thematic thing, the biggest thing is we've put in some good, hard work at times, and have not taken advantage of that hard work," Johnson said. "That's been partially some undisciplined things of us, partially also New York has stepped up and made some plays at the end of the clock and finished out possessions."
Victor Wembanyama echoed that point.
"We need to capitalize, actually use all the efforts we did," Wembanyama said. "It felt like we did a lot, we did a lot of things wrong, but we also were relentless and kept pushing, but kind of like wasted that effort. Even though I know it's not wasted because our lessons are learned, I know we're not going to make the mistakes of the past again, but in a moment like this we need to make these things matter."
Jalen Brunson in the clutch
While the Spurs have struggled at the end of games and possessions, that's where the Knicks have thrived, with a composure they have earned the past couple of seasons.
"Us staying composed helped us win that game," Jalen Brunson said about Game 2. "We do need to be able to finish the game better. Unacceptable the way we just obviously just let that 14-point lead go the way we did."
One of the things San Antonio has done well in these Finals is make things difficult for Brunson, who is shooting just 33.9% through two games. But while Brunson has struggled overall in the Finals against the Spurs' defense, when it's gotten into crunch time, he has finished plays.
"I mean, you watch him, he has some of the best footwork in the game. Obviously, he's a tough shot-maker. He can really shoot the ball. He's strong," Fox said of Brunson. "Talk about his size, yeah, he's not tall, but he's strong and he knows how to get to his spots. He plays angles well.
"But we've done, I think, a good job on him through the course of the game, but he's made big shots. He's been a Clutch Player of the Year, obviously. Probably the biggest reason why they're here. But we have to continue to try to make it tough on him, and I think we're doing a pretty good job at that. He's played well despite that."
If the Spurs are going to give themselves a chance in this series, they need to be the clutch team — and find a way to limit Brunson in those moments.
That's a big ask for a game in Madison Square Garden.
6/7 Gamethread: Giants @ Cubs
It’s series finale time, and it’s getaway day … in the evening? Odd. Yes, the scheduling deities have blessed the San Francisco Giants by placing their 10th of 13 straight games in the evening, ahead of a flight back to the Bay Area. So it goes.
Taking the mound for the Giants is right-hander Trevor McDonald, who makes his seventh start of the season. The 25-year old is 2-3 on the year, with a 4.50 ERA, a 3.66 FIP, and 31 strikeouts to nine walks in 34 innings. In his last start, McDonald, who is trying to hang onto a rotation spot that he’s halfway through stealing from Tyler Mahle, gave up three runs in five innings against the Milwaukee Brewers.
Pitching for the Chicago Cubs is veteran right-hander Jameson Taillon. The 34-year old, who is in his fourth season with the Cubs, has made 12 starts this year, and is 2-5 with a 5.13 ERA, a 6.33 FIP, and 57 strikeouts to 21 walks in 66.2 innings. He’s also allowed an MLB-worst 20 home runs, which opens the door for a Giants team that has been putting the ball over the fence a lot lately. In Taillon’s last start, he gave up two runs in 6.1 innings against the Athletics.
Enjoy the game, everyone! Go Giants!
Join the conversation!
Sign up for a user account and get:
- Fewer ads
- Create community posts
- Comment on articles, community posts
- Rec comments, community posts
- New, improved notifications system!
Game #66
Who: San Francisco Giants vs. Chicago Cubs
Where: Wrigley Field, Chicago, Illinois
When: 5:30 p.m. PT
Regional broadcast: n/a
National broadcast: NBC and Peacock
Radio: KNBR 680 AM/104.5 FM, KSFN 1510 AM
Emmet Sheehan struggles early as Angels prevent a Dodgers season series sweep
The Angels flipped the script on the Dodgers, preventing a Freeway Series season sweep with a 13-5 win Sunday afternoon at Dodger Stadium.
Emmet Sheehan’s start only lasted 1 ⅓ innings, as he struggled to keep his pitch count low. He threw 35 of his 49 pitches in the second inning alone. Many of those went to Nick Madrigal, who battled Sheehan in a 14-pitch at-bat in which Madrigal won two ABS challenges.
“I thought the stuff was good coming in,” said manager Dave Roberts about Sheehan. “After the first inning, I just didn’t feel comfortable getting him past the 40-pitch mark in one inning. I’m not going to put this guy in harm’s way.”
The Angels third baseman drew a walk, marking the beginning of the end for Sheehan, who already allowed a single. The 26-year-old pitcher loaded the bases with another walk. Angels catcher Sebastián Rivero drove in two runs with a center-field single.
Read more:Swanson: Dodgers show courage by permanently honoring LGBTQ+ pioneers Glenn Burke and Billy Bean
“Frustrating,” Sheehan called his outing. “Couldn’t put guys away, not efficient.”
The game shifted into an unexpected bullpen game, and the Dodgers shuffled through seven pitchers. Edgardo Henriquez retired five consecutive batters. But the Dodgers’ spiral continued. Jo Adell reached first after a ball deflected off the glove of Miguel Rojas. Adell then moved to second on a passed ball by catcher Dalton Rushing. Reliever Blake Treinen then gave up a walk and before Rivero hit another two-run single.
Madrigal beat the Dodgers (42-24) in another double-digit pitch plate appearance in the fifth. Home plate umpire Dan Iassogna called a third strike, but Madrigal argued with the umpire, emphatically slapping his head. After an ABS review, the pitch was determined to be a ball. Rushing, seemingly not pleased with a borderline check-swing call, argued with Iassogna. In the end, a 12-pitch at-bat resulted in another walk.
Coupled with a missed call for a walk on a foul-tip earlier in the game, the check-swing call added to a frustrating afternoon for the Dodgers.
“It should be reviewable,” Roberts said of the foul tip. “That changed the game, and obviously the Madrigal check-swing. I felt that he went. That did impact the game.”
Roberts replaced Alex Vesia with Jonathan Hernández, who gave up a two-run single to Jose Siri. Miguel Rojas threw out Madrigal at home on the hit to limit the damage.
In the third inning, Kyle Tucker drove in a run on a groundout that landed a foot away from home plate, but it gave Shohei Ohtani just enough time to sprint home after Rivero threw to first.
Still, the Dodgers, who had outscored the Angels 41-5 in games this season before Sunday, struggled. Twice, Rushing hit singles. Twice, Ryan Ward, the next batter, grounded into a double play, dashing any momentum. Rushing and Ward hit back-to-back home runs to right field in the sixth, but the Dodgers couldn’t capitalize on the momentum.
Rushing received more playing time than predicted this series, but he said he embraced the opportunity. He matched his career-high with four hits on Sunday. His home run was his first since April 20.
“This year, my whole goal was make sure if there’s an opportunity that I can pick a day that Will [Smith] needs rest, make sure that I can provide just as much as he does with the bat as well as behind the plate,” Rushing said Saturday. “He knows I’ll catch every game if he can’t go back there.”
Read more:Dodgers go on scoring spree before Yoshinobu Yamamoto shuts down Angels
Catcher Will Smith did not play Sunday because of neck stiffness, despite Roberts predicting the catcher would return for the series finale. Imaging on Smith’s neck came back negative, though it’s unclear if he’ll play Tuesday against Pittsburgh.
“It’s not anything serious, but it’s something that is preventing him from playing,” Roberts said. “It’s kind of a day-to-day thing.”
Rushing’s and Ward’s home runs were quickly negated when Adell hit a two-run homer to left-center field. Zach Neto also hammered a seventh-inning, three-run home run. By the time the game concluded, the bottom of the Angels lineup batted 13 for 15, walking four times. The Angels (25-41) could’ve scored more if not for Neto and Mike Trout, who hit a combined one for 12.
“The bottom half of the order, they were fouling off a lot of balls, we couldn’t put those guys out,” Roberts said. “But, yeah, the Madrigal at-bat really was a difference today.”
Glasnow talks about his injury
Dodgers starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow (back spasms), who was put on the 60-day injured list Saturday, attributed his slow recovery to trying to come back too soon. He plans to rest a few days before building back up.
“It’s uncomfortable,” Glasnow said. “When I get into my load, something feels weird. The more I go, the more it starts to aggravate it. Generally, before I start to throw, as long as it’s completely gone, it gets over the hump, it’s gone, and then I can get back to full speed. I just feel like I haven’t gotten there yet.”
Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Cubs Minor League Wrap: Jefferson Rojas homers again
A rain-shortened schedule today.
Iowa Cubs
Rained out. The game will not be made up.
Knoxville Smokies
The Knoxville Smokies exiled the Birmingham Barons (White Sox), 7-4. The win moved the Smokies into a tie for first place in the Southern League North Division.
Starter Brooks Caple took home the win after he went five innings and allowed three runs on five hits. All three runs came in the third inning and two of them came on a home run. Caple struck out seven and walked no one.
Vince Reilly didn’t allow a run over the final two innings for the save. Reilly surrendered just one single in the eighth (erased in a double play) and walked one batter in the ninth. Reilly struck out one.
The Smokies took the lead for good when third baseman Jefferson Rojas connected on a two-run home run. It was Rojas’ ninth home run and third in two days. Rojas went 2 for 4 with a triple and the home run. He scored twice.
DH Owen Ayers was 2 for 4 and he singled home Rojas after he tripled in the seventh inning.
Rojas’ home run.
Ayers’ RBI single.
South Bend Cubs
Rained out. The game will also not be made up.
Wisconsin was also rained out, which means that the two rainouts are going to move the Cubs’ magic number for clinching the second half down. South Bend has a five-game lead on Wisconsin with nine games left in the first half.
Myrtle Beach Pelicans
The Myrtle Beach Pelicans were herded up by the Charleston RiverDogs (Rays), 5-4.
The Pelicans wasted a dominating start by Pierce Coppola. Coppola pitched five innings and allowed no runs and just one hit and one walk. One more runner reached on an error. Coppola struck out five.
Riely Hunsaker pitched the seventh and eighth innings, gave up three runs and took the loss. The final line on Hunsaker was three runs, one earned, on five hits over two innings. He struck out one and walked no one.
First baseman Michael Carico reached base five times, going 2 for 2 with three walks. He scored once.
Catcher Jairo Diaz tied the game 4-4 with an RBI double in the top of the eighth. Diaz was 2 for 4.
Right fielder Eli Lovich hit a two-run double in the seventh. Lovich was 1 for 4 with a walk.
ACL Cubs
Off day.
Angels storm back with dominant 13-5 win over Dodgers
Needing one win to secure the sweep, the Dodgers had to use their bullpen much earlier than expected and were outclassed offensively in a 13-5 loss to the Angels.
After a 14-pitch first inning, Emmet Sheehan started the top of the second with a strikeout of Nolan Schanuel, but the Angels strung across a one-out rally beginning with a Jo Adell single. Sheehan lost a 14-pitch battle to Nick Madrigal for a walk before walking José Siri, with Dalton Rushing pleading that Siri fouled tipped the 3-2 pitch. Sebastián Rivero, who had just two RBI on the year entering Sunday, gave the Angels a two-run lead with a single up the middle, knocking out Sheehan after tossing 49 pitches over 1 1/3 innings.
What had been a dominant stretch for Dodgers starting pitching this week came to a screeching halt, as Sheehan was the first starter to not even complete two innings all season long after each starter tossed quality starts since Wednesday’s win over Arizona.
Edgardo Henriquez came in to get out of the jam, which he did by striking out Zach Neto and getting Mike Trout to ground out with two men on base. The Dodgers responded offensively in the bottom of the second with a pair of leadoff singles against José Soriano, only for a double play and a groundout to keep them scoreless. The Dodgers once again had two men on with less than two outs in the bottom of the third, and this time Kyle Tucker brought home a run on a groundout.
With Blake Treinen on the mound, both Adell and Madrigal repeated with a single and a walk respectively, with a sacrifice bunt from Siri moving them into scoring position. Rivero reached out on a 1-2 sweeper and dunked it just over the head of Alex Freeland to give him a career-high four RBI on the game, making it a three-run Angel lead. The Dodgers responded with a one-out single from Dalton Rushing, only for Ryan Ward to hit into his second double play turned by the Angels.
The Angels were able to load the bases with two outs, including Jo Adell slapping his third hit of the game and Madrigal winning a 12-pitch battle against Alex Vesia for his third walk of the game, chasing the left-hander out of the game. Jonathan Hernández came in as the fourth reliever before the end of the fifth, but Siri capitalized for a two-run single to make it a five-run lead. Madrigal tried to help Siri clear the bases, but he was thrown out at home to end the rally.
The Dodgers once again put two men on with less than two outs, as Tucker led off the inning with a walk before Alex Call reached on a throwing error by Neto. Dalton Rushing notched his third hit of the game, this one leaving the yard to bring the deficit to two runs. It was Rushing’s first home run since April 20 against the Colorado Rockies and it was the Dodgers’ first hit with runners in scoring position against Soriano.
Ryan Ward crushed his second big league home run to make it back-to-back blasts and trim the Angels lead to just one run.
The Angels almost immediately got two of those runs back as Jo Adell smashed one 433 feet deep into the left field pavilion to give him a four-hit game and once again make it a three-run lead. Madrigal only needed three pitches to reach on a single up the middle as he reached base for the fourth time. Siri followed with a single to left while Rivero dunked in his fourth hit of the game, knocking in his fifth run to make it a four-run lead. Zach Neto put the game completely out of reach with a three-run shot to center, giving the Angels a commanding 12-5 lead.
Rivero would add the cherry on top of his game with his fifth hit of the afternoon in the ninth inning, driving home Siri for his sixth RBI to bring the lead to eight runs. 13 runs are the most that the Dodgers have allowed in any game this season.
While Sunday was a game to certainly leave in the past, there were some key individual performances from the Dodgers lineup. Dalton Rushing added a double in the eighth to give him a four-hit game, while Freddie Freeman and Shohei Ohtani both had a pair of hits.
Last season the Angels took every game from the Dodgers in the regular season. The Dodgers nearly returned the favor this year, but will settle for a 5-1 season record having outscored the Angels 46-18 in the six games. The Dodgers division lead now sits at 7 1/2 games over the second place Arizona Diamondbacks.
Game particulars
- Home runs— Dalton Rushing (8), Ryan Ward (2); Jo Adell (10), Zach Neto (12)
- WP— José Soriano (7-4): 6 IP, 8 hits, 5 runs (4 earned runs), 2 walks, 2 strikeouts
- LP— Emmet Sheehan (3-3): 1 1/3 IP, 3 hits, 2 earned runs, 2 walks, 2 strikeouts
Up next
The Dodgers are off on Monday as they fly out to Pittsburgh for a three-game set with the Pirates beginning Tuesday (3:40 p.m. PT, SportsNet LA). Eric Lauer faces the reigning NL Cy Young award winner Paul Skenes.
The Cincinnati Reds are broken with no quick fix
The Cincinnati Reds lost to the St. Louis Cardinals again on Sunday. Much like Saturday’s loss, the team scraped and clawed their way to the game still being tight late, only for the bullpen to fork over the game in the 8th inning.
The bullpen is a problem, yes. There are simply too few arms down there that can be turned to in any situation, let alone late and close, and their inability to find the plate is a problem with no clear fix.
Not to be outdone, their starting pitching still struggles mightily on pretty much every day in which Chase Burns is not the starter, and we all know how quickly he is sprinting towards hitting his innings cap for the season. Reds starters owned a collective 5.07 FIP on the season entering Sunday’s start by Rhett Lowder, one in which he danced around 5 walks and just 4 strikeouts in his 70-pitch trio of innings. The only clubs with worse marks so far this year are the perpetually rebuilding A’s and Colorado Rockies.
Cincinnati is now riding a four-game losing streak after being swept by St. Louis, and have lost five of their last six. They’ve won just two of their last ten games, and it’s startling just how off their offense has looked in that time (which overlaps completely the days since Elly De La Cruz hit the shelf with his hamstring problem). In those last ten games, they’ve scored two, three, two, six, two, four, two, three, five, and three runs, it being simply impossible for any of their biggest bats to get hot at the same time in the absence of their star.
At 31-33 through 64 games, it also seems as if they’ve already played most of their cards. They’ve rifled through all of their AAA bullpen options in attempts to patch that battered unit, have watched it still not work, and lost a couple guys to free agency through being DFA’d in the process. They’ve called up Rece Hinds, JJ Bleday, Noelvi Marte, and Edwin Arroyo to give them their shots, and only Bleday – who’s cooled over the last week – has hit the ground running. There is no obvious bat to call up to fix those woes.
Chase Petty got a cup of coffee and showed improvement, but not nearly enough to, say, cut Brady Singer and let Petty do heavy lifting for the rest of the year. If anything, keeping Singer – one of the four worst pitchers in the sport who’ve thrown at least 50 IP this year – to mop things up and keep innings off other, more controllable arms has to be in the discussion. Even the idea of rushing Hunter Greene back to ride to the rotation’s rescue at the moment seems like Pickett’s Charge in its feasibility.
The Cincinnati Reds are in a terrible rut, and they need a spark in the worst of ways. It’s just getting increasingly hard to find where that will come from, or if it’s at all possible for it to happen in a way that can help salvage this once promising season.
The reality is that it’d be completely easy to simply write about how this team’s ownership and front office have failed to get the job done, but since there’s been so much continuity there through the mediocre, at best, last few decades, that’s the short way to cover this story. So, in the meantime, we get to be critical of the pieces put in play on the field and in the dugout since it seems foolish to believe there would ever be greater change higher up. And, once again, the product on the field simply looks lackluster when compared to most teams – in particular, this weekend, their once-heated rivals in St. Louis
The Hockey News Sunday Recap: Nashville Predators – June 7th, 2026
Good morning and happy Sunday, Predators fans.
While it may be the offseason in Nashville, things haven't exactly slowed down around the hockey world. Between front office changes, free agent speculation, trade rumours, and plenty of action overseas, there was no shortage of headlines this week.
From the Predators continuing to reshape their hockey operations department to some notable developments around the NHL, we've rounded up the biggest stories from the past week all in one place.
Grab a coffee, settle in, and catch up on everything you may have missed.
Nashville Predators Prospect Cameron Reid Wins Memorial Cup With Kitchener Rangers Captain Cameron Reid snapped a two-decade title drought, leading Kitchener to major junior glory before heading to Nashville’s rookie camp alongside standout fellow prospects Alex Huang and Hiroki Gojsic.
No NHL Team Benefitted More From World Championship Than Predators | Column From Roman Josi’s MVP performance to Justus Annunen’s golden goaltending, Nashville’s stars dominated the international stage, solidifying a formidable roster and sparking a heated crease battle for next season.
REPORT: Nashville Predators Granted Permission To Speak To Avalanche GM Chris MacFarlandNashville seeks a swift conclusion to its front-office search as the Stanley Cup-winning executive meets with ownership, potentially shifting from Colorado to lead the Predators' new era.
Predators Name Chris MacFarland President Of Hockey Operations & General ManagerFresh off a successful tenure in Colorado, the veteran executive takes the reins in Nashville to navigate a pivotal offseason defined by roster restructuring and bold personnel moves.
Chris MacFarland Addresses Media For First Time As Predators GMFollowing a comprehensive four-month search, Nashville’s new front office leader outlines his strategic vision to revitalize the franchise through foundational rebuilding and a winning Colorado pedigree.
THN Archive: NHL Valuations - Nashville PredatorsNew owner Bill Haslam brings billion-dollar stability and political patience to Nashville, balancing his massive wealth with a measured approach to the Predators’ front office and future.
Predators Should Take A Chance On Patrik Laine This SummerNashville’s search for an elite finisher could find its match in the former 40-goal scorer, offering a high-upside gamble to ignite the power play and top-six.
Predators Make Significant Front Office ChangesHall of Fame defenseman Rob Blake joins Chris MacFarland to spearhead a new era in Nashville, signaling a sweeping overhaul as longtime executive Brian Poile exits.
THN Archive: The Joy of Bridge From Nashville's bargain bets to Nikita Kucherov's high-stakes gambles, NHL stars are weighing immediate security against the massive paydays that come with betting on their own prime.Up Next: Now that the Predators have their front office in place, their attention turns to the 2026 NHL Draft on June 26 & 27. Then, it's on to July 1 when free agency opens.
Stay updated with the most interesting Nashville Predators stories, analysis, breaking news, and more!
Tap the star to add us to your favourites on Google News and never miss a story.
Let us know what you think below.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive, and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
Carolina trails Vegas in the Stanley Cup Final and has a big decision to make for Game 4
Jun 6, 2026; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Vegas Golden Knights right wing Mitch Marner (93) scores his second goal against Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen (31) during the second period in game three of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images
Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images
A sequence of events in a Stanley Cup Final that has gotten crazier by the minute has put the Carolina Hurricanes at a crossroads.
They blew a two-goal lead and lost Game 1, erased a two-goal deficit and won Game 2, and rallied from down four goals in Game 3, only to lose in double overtime on a fluky bounce.
They have lived the ups and downs of a tight series against the Vegas Golden Knights and head into Game 4 on Tuesday night with a razor-thin margin for error. While each of the first three games was decided by a single goal, close doesn’t count toward anything but a 2-1 deficit they now need to try to overcome.
“It’s part of the gig, and it’s never easy,” captain Jordan Staal said. “It’s never going to be easy, and we know that and we understand that. We’ve got a bigger hill to climb now, but we’re excited for the challenge and excited to keep playing hard and keep moving forward.”
Carolina faces several lingering questions, most notably who starts in net between Frederik Andersen and Brandon Bussi. Andersen played every minute of the first 15 playoff games before getting the hook at the second intermission Saturday night down 4-0, and Bussi was perfect in relief until a shot from Shea Theodore banked off the end boards and went in when the goaltender inadvertently redirected it with his left skate 5:38 into the second overtime.
Coach Rod Brind’Amour deferred the decision until after practice Monday, if not later.
“I don’t anticipate a lot of changes to our lineup,” Brind’Amour said on a video call with reporters Sunday. “We’ll see how (Andersen is) feeling. I haven’t made any decisions on the lineup, so I can’t tell you.”
It was not clear if Andersen was banged up in any way. The 36-year-old from Denmark also was not chiefly to blame for allowing four goals on 16 shots in Game 3.
“You obviously don’t want to give up some of the chances we’ve given up, but overall I thought he’s been fine,” Brind’Amour said. “You ask him to make the saves that he’s got to make, and I think he’s done that. A couple bad bounces, they are what they are. He’s been solid for us, Buss came in and was solid for us, so that’s got to continue.”
A too many men on the ice penalty flipped the momentum Saturday at Vegas, after Brind’Amour had two Golden Knights goals taken off the board by successful challenges. Reliable defenseman Sean Walker knocking the puck into his own net came at an inopportune time, as did fourth-line forward William Carrier failing to clear the zone.
Mitch Marner scored on each of those occasions and finished off the hat trick and a four-point second period with a breakaway goal. One emphasis moving forward will be trying to avoid Marner breaking through for quality chances.
“We have to know when he’s on the ice because that’s kind of how he loves to play,” Brind’Amour said. “If we can eliminate some of those, I call ’em freebies ... that’ll definitely help.”
It would also help to get Carrier back after he missed the third period and OT because of an upper-body injury. Brind’Amour did not have an update other than hope that Carrier would be good to go in Game 4.
With or without him, the Hurricanes face close to a must-win situation at the arena on The Strip nicknamed the “Fortress.” Only one team out of 39 that has fallen behind 3-1 in the final has come back to win it: Toronto in 1942.
Pointing out his team is a couple of shots away from what could be a 3-0 series lead, Brind’Amour is not worried about players dwelling over this deficit because they know how close it has been.
“I think we can tighten some things up and be a lot better, and I think we’re right there,” veteran winger Jordan Martinook said. “We’ll look at some things and see where we can improve and come back Tuesday ready to try and even this up.”
Series Preview: Milwaukee Brewers @ Athletics
The Milwaukee Brewers, fresh off a sweep of the Rockies, will wrap up their road trip in Las Vegas, as they’ll visit the Athletics in a preview of their future home. The A’s, formerly of Oakland and now playing their home games in Sacramento, will host the Brewers and Rockies for three games each at Las Vegas Ballpark, the home of the A’s Triple-A affiliate. The A’s new Vegas stadium, slated to be ready for the 2028 season, is still under construction.
Milwaukee sits at 40-23 on the season, five games ahead of the second-place Cardinals in one of the toughest divisions in baseball through two-plus months. On the other side, the A’s play in one of the weakest divisions, as the Mariners sit in first place at 34-32, the only team in the division with a winning record. The A’s are 31-34 on the year, 2.5 games behind Seattle, as they’ve lost three of their last four to the Cubs and Astros.
The Brewers’ injuries keep piling up, as lefty Brian Fitzpatrick is the latest to join the list after suffering a UCL strain on Friday night in Denver. With him shelved, alongside fellow lefties DL Hall, Rob Zastryzny, Jared Koenig, and Angel Zerpa, the once deep bullpen is suddenly facing a lefty depth issue, with Aaron Ashby and Drew Rom the only active lefties. Milwaukee is also without right-handers Brandon Woodruff, Quinn Priester, and Logan Henderson, as well as outfielder Brandon Lockridge, all of whom have listed June/July return dates.
For the A’s, third baseman Max Muncy, shortstop Jacob Wilson, and outfielder Denzel Clarke will all miss this series with injuries. On the pitching side, the A’s are without former Brewer Aaron Civale, Luis Severino, Brooks Kriske, and Gunnar Hoglund.
Milwaukee’s offense is anchored by Jake Bauers, Brice Turang, William Contreras, Jackson Chourio, and Christian Yelich, with Sal Frelick, Gary Sánchez, Garrett Mitchell, and Andrew Vaughn providing support. David Hamilton, Joey Ortiz, Blake Perkins, and Luis Rengifo round things out. As a team, Milwaukee is hitting .251/.339/.381 (.720 OPS ranks 11th), with 50 homers (29th), 329 runs (fifth), and 67 steals (second).
The A’s offense is led by Shea Langeliers, Nick Kurtz, and Brent Rooker, all of whom have double-digit homers, with Langeliers leading the way with 16 homers and Kurtz leading the team with a .927 OPS, including a .431 OBP thanks to 60 walks. Tyler Soderstrom, Zack Gelof, Jeff McNeil, Carlos Cortes, and Lawrence Butler round out the regulars, while Colby Thomas, Henry Bolte, Darell Hernaiz, Alika Williams, and Jonah Heim serve as depth. As a team, the A’s are hitting .244/.324/.392 (.716 OPS ranks 13th), with 72 homers (tied for 14th), 273 runs (20th), and 36 steals (tied for 21st).
After the recent pitching injuries, the Brewers’ bullpen is held down by Aaron Ashby, Grant Anderson, Trevor Megill, Abner Uribe, and Chad Patrick. The rest of the ‘pen is filled with a variety of moving pieces, including the aforementioned Rom, Craig Yoho, and potentially Coleman Crow, who started on Thursday but hasn’t been included in the upcoming probables. The team will also likely add Joel Kuhnel, who was acquired for cash considerations from these same A’s over the weekend. He hasn’t yet been activated. As a staff, the Brewers have a 3.26 team ERA (third), including a 3.22 starter ERA (third) and a 3.31 bullpen ERA (eighth). They’ve struck out 606 batters (third) over 563 1/3 innings.
The A’s bullpen is anchored by Hogan Harris, who leads the team with five saves and a 2.40 ERA over 30 innings this season. Justin Sterner (3.23 ERA over 30 2/3 IP), Scott Barlow (3.54 ERA over 28 IP), and Mark Leiter (4.94 ERA over 27 1/3 IP) have also played major roles for the bullpen, with Luis Medina (2.77 ERA over 26 IP) also showing signs of success. Elvis Alvarado (6.94 ERA over 11 2/3 IP), José Suarez (6.00 ERA over 12 IP), and Mason Barnett (no earned runs over 6 IP) round out the bullpen. As a staff, the A’s have a 4.54 team ERA (23rd), including a 4.68 starter ERA (24th) and a 4.46 bullpen ERA (21st). They’ve struck out 523 batters (21st) over 579 1/3 innings.
Probable Pitchers
Monday, June 8 @ 9:05 p.m.: LHP Kyle Harrison (7-1, 1.57 ERA, 2.46 FIP) vs. LHP Jeffrey Springs (3-6, 4.37 ERA, 4.97 FIP)
Harrison, 24, continues to star through 11 starts, as he’s lowered his season numbers to a 1.57 ERA, 2.46 FIP, and 73 strikeouts over 57 1/3 innings. He’s coming off his fourth consecutive win, as he went 5 2/3 innings of one-run ball (a solo homer) against his former team, the Giants, striking out 12 in Milwaukee’s 8-3 victory. Harrison made a three-inning relief appearance against the A’s last September while with the Red Sox, allowing no runs on three hits and a hit batter, striking out a pair.
Springs, 33, is in his ninth MLB season and second with the A’s. He’s been a reliable every-fifth-day starter with the A’s, making 45 appearances (43 starts) over the last two years. Across 13 starts this season, he has a 4.37 ERA, 4.97 FIP, and 60 strikeouts across 70 innings. After the A’s lost all five of his May starts, the team was able to provide enough run support for a win over the Cubs his last time out, as he went just 3 2/3 innings, allowing four runs on seven hits and a walk, striking out three, though the A’s would go on to win 5-4 in 10 innings. Springs has made two starts against Milwaukee, totaling 7 1/3 innings with eight runs allowed (six earned) and 11 strikeouts, including six runs (four earned) over just 2 1/3 innings in a loss last season.
Tuesday, June 9 @ 9:05 p.m.: LHP Robert Gasser (0-2, 4.73 ERA, 5.50 FIP) vs. RHP J.T. Ginn (3-3, 2.74 ERA, 4.08 FIP)
Gasser, 27, hasn’t been able to replicate the success from his first two stints in the majors quite yet, as he has a 4.73 ERA, 5.50 FIP, and 12 strikeouts over 13 1/3 innings across three starts this season. He held his own against the Giants in his last appearance, allowing one run on five hits and a walk, striking out five in a tough-luck 1-0 loss as Logan Webb dominated. This marks Gasser’s first career appearance against the A’s.
Ginn, 27, is in his third season, all with the A’s. He’s found success this year, as he sports a 2.74 ERA, 4.08 FIP, and 60 strikeouts over 65 2/3 innings. He leads the American League with just six hits allowed per nine innings, though he’s walking 3.7 batters per nine, which, combined with his FIP, indicates potential regression. He’s allowed two or fewer runs in each of his last six starts, going 3-2 with a 1.49 ERA over that stretch. Ginn has appeared in each of the last two seasons against Milwaukee, totaling 6 1/3 innings with four runs allowed (5.68 ERA) and eight strikeouts in a start and a relief appearance.
Wednesday, June 10 @ 8:05 p.m.: TBD vs. RHP Jack Perkins (2-3, 6.19 ERA, 2.88 FIP)
Based on Milwaukee’s recent use of a six-man rotation, this would be either Coleman Crow (last pitched Thursday in Milwaukee) or Brandon Sproat (last pitched Friday in Colorado). Neither of them had great outings, though, and Sproat hasn’t found any consistency this season, so it seems plausible that the Brewers go a different direction in the series finale. I’ll quickly outline Crow and Sproat’s stats here.
Crow: 0-1, 5.94 ERA, 4.54 FIP, 10 Ks over 16 2/3 IP in 2026; no career appearances against the A’s
Sproat: 1-4, 6.17 ERA, 5.64 FIP, 54 Ks over 54 IP in 2026; no career appearances against the A’s
Unlike Ginn, Perkins, 26, has struggled with a 6.19 ERA but also has a 2.88 FIP over 32 innings this season, striking out 39. His first 17 appearances came out of the bullpen, but this will mark his second consecutive start. He went four innings against the Astros in that one, allowing five runs on five hits and a pair of walks, striking out six. A former fifth-round pick now in his second MLB season, this marks Perkins’ first career appearance against Milwaukee.
How to Watch & Listen
Monday, June 8: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Tuesday, June 9: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Wednesday, June 10: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Prediction
I’m hopeful for a fun series in Vegas, with three late starts at Las Vegas Ballpark. Give me the Brewers to win two of three.