Jun 4, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees relief pitcher David Bednar (53) pitches against the Cleveland Guardians during the ninth inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Things are going well for the Yankees right now, all things considered. Even though the team is without their top hitter in Aaron Judge and one of their top pitchers in Max Fried, alongside a few other regulars in the lineup that could really be helping them out. Despite this, they’re sitting in first place in the AL East with the best record in the AL overall and have won four straight and eight of their last ten games. The team is rallying much like the 2019 team did when they were besieged by injuries, and they’ve gotten key improvements from some early slumpers.
One such area that the team has gotten a boost from has been the back of the bullpen, with David Bednar having not allowed a single run since exactly a month ago on May 18th. The Yankee closer has gotten into eight appearances since then, pitching 8.2 scoreless innings and striking out 11 while walking three and giving up four hits. His ERA has gone from north of five to a more stable 3.64 mark in the meantime, and outside of his multi-inning outing on June 8th Bednar has only been pushed into 20 pitches or more once during this stretch. The only knock you could give against his performance is that only three of these outings have been save opportunities, with one seeing Bednar enter in a tie game and the rest being big leads, but Bednar has converted all three of those saves and he earned the win in that tie game that went into extras.
The bullpen has been the weak spot of the roster all season, and Bednar’s sharp form would be a welcome reprieve from sweating out the Houdini acts he’s put the team through in the first couple of months on top of the other pain points in the ‘pen. One nice stretch of play might not be enough to shake the memories of Bednar’s tightrope act though, especially when shades of it could be seen in his last outing against Toronto when he was set up with a five-run lead but made it a little hairy with two loud pieces of contact to put runners on second and third. Bednar escaped that jam without any damage of course, but had that been a tighter contest I think it’s fair to say we’d all have been sweating as soon as the inning led off with a hit. On top of that, Bednar has only been put into back-to-back games twice during this run, and the second time it occurred is where the drama could’ve kicked off had the offense not erupted in the top of the inning.
There’s still a fair amount of pitchers in the bullpen that cause stress every time they take the mound this season, but as of late Bednar hasn’t been one of them. The team will be looking for reinforcements over the course of the next month or two, and the ‘pen is a prime candidate to see a couple of new faces, but Bednar’s recent play should keep him firmly in control of the closer’s role. Should the team be comfortable with that and look to add to their bridge to Bednar, or should they still consider swinging big for an arm that could step into the role should Bednar get into a funk again? Let us know what you think.
Before the Yankees go for the sweep tonight, we’ve got a full slate of stuff going on here. Josh starts us off with a look at the new AL MVP landscape with Aaron Judge all but guaranteed to fall short this time and Shohei Ohtani over in the NL now. Then Matt covers the Rivalry Roundup with the Rays crucially getting swept by the Dodgers, Jeff wishes one-time Yankee Félix Heredia a happy birthday, and Jonathan examines Gerrit Cole’s first five starts of the season to see how the former Cy Young winner has adapted post-Tommy John. John makes the case for Jasson Domínguez to hit leadoff for the Yankees, and Sam outlines what success would look like for Spencer Jones’ rookie season to round things out.
Rochester Red Wings 6, Toledo Mud Hens 5 (F/11)(box)
The Mud Hens battled through a bullpen game only to run out of pitching in the 11th inning, losing via walkoff to the Red Wings.
Woo-Suk Go got the start and went two innings. He surrendered a pair of runs on four hits and a walk, striking out five.
The Hens turned the tables pretty quickly. In the top of the fourth, Max Anderson led off with a walk and Eduardo Valencia doubled him to third with one out. Anderson scored on a Trei Cruz ground out, and Corey Julks singled in Valencia to tie the game.
In the fifth, Jace Jung led off with his 11th homer and two batters later, Cal Stevenson followed suit for a 4-2 lead.
Unfortunately the offense ran out of steam after that, and the bullpen leaked a run in the sixth and Matt Seelinger blew the save in the bottom of the ninth.
In the 10th, with Tyler Gentry starting at second base, Cal Stevenson flew out to right field, allowing Gentry to tag and take third, where he’d score on a wild pitch. That was all they’d get, and Seelinger couldn’t prevent the run in the bottom half. The Hens failed to push across a run in the 11th, and Gentry had to pitch, allowing a walkoff single on a 37 mph slider.
Jung: 2-4, R, RBI, HR, K
Valencia: 2-4, R, 2B, BB
Go: 2.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, BB, 5 K
Coming Up Next: The series is tied up heading into a 6:45 p.m. ET start on Thurday.
Former Tigers prospect Josh Randall spun a solid game against the SeaWolves on Wednesday, while Lael Lockhart Jr.’s outing fell apart late and the bullpen collapsed.
The SeaWolves did strike first, as singles from Justice Bigbie, Izaac Pacheco, and Aaron Antonini produced a run in the second inning.
Meanwhile, Lockhart rolled through the first three innings without much trouble, but he allowed a solo shot in the fourth and then three more runs in the fifth. Chris Meyers answered back with his third home run in his last three games in the sixth, but Wandisson Charles allowed two runs in the bottom half for a 6-2 lead.
Chris Meyers’ power surge continues with a rocket of a solo home run to right. It’s his 3rd straight game with a homer, and it left his bat at 113 MPH. pic.twitter.com/Ec6Z5MPcHS
In the seventh, the SeaWolves made a bigger push as Antonini led off with a double and scored on a one-out triple to the wall in center from Brett Callahan. John Peck doubled in Callahan to make it a 6-4 game, but that was all they’d get.
Meyers doubled and scored in the eighth, and Peck tripled and scored on a Bigbie ground out in the top of the ninth, but Tyler Owens gave up a run in the seventh and then four runs in the eighth as the Senators pulled away.
Peck: 3-5, R, RBI, 2B, 3B, K
Meyers: 2-3, 2 R, RBI, 2B, HR, 2 BB
Callahan: 2-5, R, RBI, 3B, K
Pacheco: 1-3, 2 BB, 2 K
Lockhart (L, 1-1): 4.2 IP, 4 ER, 2 H, 3 BB, 2 K
Coming Up Next: The series is tied, with first pitch on Thursday set for 6:30 p.m. ET.
West Michigan Whitecaps vs. Lansing Lugnuts (cancelled)
They were washed out in West Michigan on Wednesday and the game cancelled. It’s a 6:45 p.m. ET start on Thurday night.
Dunedin Blue Jays 9, Lakeland Flying Tigers 5 (box)
The Flying Tigers swung the bats pretty well on Wednesday, but the pitching wasn’t there as the Blue Jays made it two in a row.
Cash Kuiper got the start, and he gave up a run in the first and two more in the third. In the bottom of the second, Anibal Salas and Jack Goodman singled and both scored on Hunter Dobbins triple. Jordan Yost was hit by a pitch, stole second, and scored on a Nick Dumesnil single in the third.
So it was all tied up at that point and stayed that way until the sixth when Salas smoked a drive over the right field wall for his fifth home run.
Anibal Salas with a missile over the wall in right to give Lakeland a 4-3 lead. It’s his 5th home run of the year, and it left his bat at 111 MPH and traveled 406 feet. pic.twitter.com/ywve3FvIAZ
Unfortunately, in the seventh Antonio Florida and then Jan Carabello combined to surrender five runs as the Blue Jays seized control for good.
Beau Ankeney added a solo shot, his eighth on the year, in the eighth inning. Jatnk Diaz was wild in the ninth and gave up a run before this one ended.
Salas: 3-4, 2 R, RBI, 2B, HR, K
Kuiper: 3.1 IP, 3 R, 2 ER, 6 H, BB, 4 K
Coming Up Next: They’ll match up again at 11:00 a.m. ET on Thursday.
Jun 16, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees right fielder Spencer Jones (78) hits a solo home run against the Chicago White Sox during the second inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images | John Jones-Imagn Images
NY Daily News | Gary Phillips: Since being called up again on June 5th, outfielder Spencer Jones has given the Yankees a strong .318/.423/.636 line with a 193 wRC+ in 26 plate appearances. His playing time against lefties, however, has been fairly limited. It’s understandable, since he struggled to the tune of a .663 OPS vs. southpaws in Triple-A this year.
The young slugger didn’t start on Wednesday with the lefty Anthony Kay on the mound for the White Sox. Manager Aaron Boone says his time might come at some point. “Yeah, I think so,” the manager replied when asked if Jones would get more chances vs. southpaws. “I’m sure at some point I’ll do that.”
“It really came down to Kay just being so good against lefties, and he’s had some struggles against righties,” Boone explained. The Yanks might not have time for experiments, but the only way for Jones to improve in this particular platoon situation is by being exposed to tough MLB lefties.
NY Post | Greg Joyce: The New York Knicks secured their first NBA Finals victory in 53 years last week, beating the San Antonio Spurs and making an entire city happy and proud. To celebrate, stars Jalen Brunson (the Finals MVP) and Josh Hart tossed out first pitches at Yankee Stadium before Wednesday’s game vs. the White Sox, in front of thousands of cheering fans.
NY Post | Greg Joyce: George Lombard Jr. exited Scranton’s game against Columbus on Tuesday, and yesterday we learned the severity of the injury that forced his hand — literally. Lombard sprained a couple of his fingers trying to tag out a runner at second base. There’s currently no timeline for Lombard to return to the lineup down in Triple-A, but the sooner that the Yankees’ top prospect can return to the field the better. Lombard figures to compete for a starting spot next year, but continued adjustments leading to consistent production at the plate was giving Lombard a shot at factoring into this year’s playoff push in the majors. If he’s on the sideline for an extended period of time then that bid gets put in jeopardy, though it seems like the Yankees have avoided a major blow with this one.
NJ Advance Media | Bob Klapisch: Gerrit Cole’s return to the Yankees after Tommy John surgery last year has been nothing short of amazing. Klapisch says that while others struggle to regain their velocity and command, Cole is back to his best already. The right-hander feels amazing on the mound, and that’s the biggest and most important takeaway. “I’ve kept us in every game so far, so it feels pretty good,” he said. “I’ve gotten some good length (in innings pitched), and been able to continue to build pitch counts and sharpen some stuff while competing.” The Yanks’ ace boasts a 2.57 ERA in five starts in 2026. Even his teammate Cody Bellinger says it’s been “amazing to watch.“
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - JUNE 13: Ernie Johnson Jr. interviews Josh Hart #3 and Mikal Bridges #25 of the New York Knicks after the victory against the San Antonio Spurs in Game Five of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center on June 13, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) | Getty Images SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – JUNE 13: Timothée Chalamet celebrates with Mikal Bridges #25 of the New York Knicks after the victory against the San Antonio Spurs in Game Five of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center on June 13, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) | Getty Images
When I woke up on the morning of Thursday, June 11, I was not in the best mood I’ve ever experienced. Nope. These finals games for an East Coaster with an earlier bedtime are tough, and when they go down to the wire and my heart is racing at midnight and I’m looking at maybe a 1.00 a.m. sleep time if I’m lucky. When the games end in a devastating and quite frankly borderline embarrassing loss for the team you would like to see win at the hands of the team you absolutely would not like to see win, it’s even worse.
The last few weeks being a Nets fan who lives in Brooklyn has not been the most fun I’ve ever experienced either. You know why. The city worked up into a frenzy over the other team, their merch everywhere, not a drop of news on our front for weeks other than what seemed like a nice vacation that MPJ took with the boys and vague, unverifiable and very perishable draft rumors. Yuck.
So I woke up cranky. On the phone with my girlfriend I told her I was in my “Quarterly Bad Mood”. I received texts about the Nets moving back to New Jersey, etc. I continue to get asked by people I do or don’t know very well, “who I’m rooting for”(???).
Then, amidst all this, on my commute to the office, the subway doors opened and looking right at me in the little area between the seats was a tall, older gentleman, maybe in his 60’s, proudly wearing a crisp, white flat-brimmed Brooklyn Nets cap! Mood completely flipped! So, I get off that subway and call my friend Drew who is also (albeit much more casually) a Nets fan and elatedly declare us “So Back!!.” The power of seeing someone else displaying their allegiance on the morning I was feeling so down about my team turned it all around. I kid you not I ordered a Nets cap shortly thereafter. The day had brightened. Hope was not lost. It was found again in the dank air of subway tunnel.
To be a fan of this team has not been and will never be for the faint of heart. We are cursed so uniquely with bad luck that I don’t think we have any rivals in that specific category. We aren’t the Kings, a poorly run franchise who can’t get out of their own way for anything. We don’t quite feel like the Mets, cursed with something deeper, darker, more twisted than any mortal minds can fully comprehend. We are just a franchise for whom nothing seems to go right. KD’s foot, draft lottery luck, COVID vaccination policies, Ben Simmons yips, the list goes on.
But bizarrely, against all odds, where we sit right now as I am typing this all out, I actually feel… pretty good? Don’t get me wrong, I don’t begrudge anyone an ounce of frustration about how the last six years have gone, I am not here to preach. You can be mad that your basketball team is bad. The point of the sport is to be good. But I would argue that for me and my journey with this team, the ideal would be having a team that is good for a prolonged period of time in a way that feels exciting and sustainable. And we are slowly but surely tracking towards that place. Plus, I’m just not prone to pessimism or complaining! See again: “Quarterly Bad Mood”. And I understand why many, many, many Nets fans seem to be in a bad place right now, but may I suggest… A little bit of a step back and a deep breath to go along with it?
Let’s break this down because I feel like there are a few misconceptions about some things or different angles at which to view situations that I’d like to present, starting with…
The Five (Former) Rookies
If I hear one more basketball pundit on a podcast where they are paid to know about and talk about and opine about basketball chortle as they refer to the Nets as having drafted “Five Point Guards” I am going to combust. Egor is a playmaking wing. Traore is a point guard. Powell is a 3-and-D wing. Saraf is maybe kind of a point guard, more likely a bit of a combo guard. And for God’s sake, Wolf is a nearly 7-foot tall forward who can also pass and shoot a little bit for a guy his size. Let’s take a look at that again… Ok one…. One and a half….. Ok yeah. One and a half point guards. Got it. You could get creative with it and just make an entire lineup out of this group! You’d have to fudge some positions a bit and I’m not saying this is the Lineup of Death or anything, but:
Traore (6’4”)
Powell (6’5”)
Saraf (6’6”)
Denim (6’8”)
Wolf (6’11”)
Heck, they could all be still growing!
Would not look ridiculous just purely on paper positionally. Certainly not if a few of them are eating enough cheeseburgers this summer because three of them were born in 2006(!!) and still skinny!
Traore, Saraf, Demin and Powell ranked among the 20 youngest players in the league. And for Egor and Nolan, I saw flashes of some useful players. I think we need to remember that not a single one of these picks was like a “can’t miss top 4 pick prospect oh my god you can’t screw this one up” guy. You cannot just expect your No. 8 pick to be an All-Star in year 1. You want that guy to be a starting caliber player and as far as I can tell Egor is tracking in that direction. Some muscle, some experience, some improvement at the rim, you have yourself a starting caliber wing. The 3-point shooting last season was a revelation and if that sticks, it’s a huge plus skill for a guy that size.
The rest of them mostly profile as interesting depth players, which for guys taken in the late first round is pretty good! Do you know what Yang Hansen, Kasparas Jakucionis, and Asa Newell did last year? Not much! And you know what that is? Fine, too!
Do I believe in Ben Saraf? No. I’ll go on record right now and say if I am betting against one, it’s him. But can Traore, Powell, and Wolf all be productive depth pieces on a good basketball team in a year or two? Absolutely. And that’s all they need to be. Will they better? You have to hope so.
The 2018-19 team we all loved (and the team I was covering the most when I wrote of NetsDaily back in the day) was built on the backs of Spencer Dinwiddie, Joe Harris, D’Angelo Russell, Caris LeVert, and Jarrett Allen. Solid players, good players, winning players in some cases, but not All-Stars (God bless D’Angelo’s All-Star appearance that year but like, in the perennial sense of the word).
Also, what is the problem with taking five rookies? It gets scoffed at and never ever actually dissected by some of these basketball analysts but I would love to hear… Why is that bad? This team needs players. More importantly, it needs young players who can develop. They had 5 picks. They used them and three other rooks a total of an NBA record 6,400 minutes last season. I guess the argument could be they could have traded one of the picks? But traded it for… what?… another pick? In the future? Spoiler alert for later but, we already have those. Also could we have? You don’t know what was on the table! I like that we took five rookies, take the swings! You need the swings! Historically we have been lacking in swings!
If one of these guys is a starter and three of them are productive bench players, I truly am happy and that can make up the bones of a well-rounded NBA roster. Next year will be instructive, and we’ll see what happens, but for the most part I feel good about where the rookies are right now.
The Sixth Pick
I turned my phone off and went on a walk during the Draft Lottery. My stomach hurt the whole time, I knew deep in my bones something bad was going to occur. But wow did it SUCK to turn that phone back on and see where we landed. To be honest I wasn’t even 100% sure we could fall that far. It sucks, again I am here to agree that falling that far sucks, but…
In my life as a Nets fan, which goes back to 2002 but really in an earnest, conscious way starts in 2009 (auspicious, I know), I and we have had so few young prospects to really sink our teeth into. Brook Lopez was one and he is a beloved Nets legend. We had Derrick Favors for about 28 minutes. There was a brief moment where I really honestly had to believe in MarShon Brooks. We’ve had late-round hits, we’ve had misses, but as I mentioned earlier the draft is unpredictable and anyone outside of the top picks you just have to try to find a diamond in the rough and hope for the best.
At No. 6 … it hits a little bit different. It’s actually an incredibly unenviable spot for Sean Marks. He has to nail it. There’s a cluster of guards, a few wildcards, trade-down options, but no matter what happens nothing is going to fall into his lap. The GM’s in the top of this draft barely have to do anything, just take the guy the other ones didn’t. No one would bat an eye if Boozer goes second or fourth. Peterson drops to No. 3? Ok, sure, no bad options! Wilson would be a steal at No. 4 and a great pick at 3!
But regardless of what we do and who we choose, we will be getting a guy with the highest pick we’ve had since God knows when. I mean it’s since 2010 and Derrick Favors, but I was 14 years old when that happened. I’m literally 30 years old now. It’s not that we’ve forgotten what it’s like to root for a high-potential young guy like that, I don’t think we even know how! Genuinely! Like I don’t think we have the collective experience to understand what that player’s journey might look like and how to act and respond accordingly to it. We have to brush up.
But if we nail it, and we take someone like, I don’t know, Acuff, and he starts to show real flashes of star potential, it is going to be so much fun. And then, all of a sudden, you’re developing a young core with some real wind in their sails. Which brings me to…
Cap Space/Draft Picks/Maneuverability
Lumping all of these together because they all combine to do whatever the opposite of making my stomach hurt is. My heart rate slows down when I pull up Real GM’s Future Nets Draft Picks page.
I, like many of you reading this I’m sure, were here for the Dark Times. No notable players, no picks, no cap space, no hope. It was bad. Really bad. As bad as it can possibly get, essentially. And the scary thing is, this could refer to a couple of different periods in recent memory.
Where we are now is so, so far away from the light. Even if we have to swap our pick next year we have the Knicks pick and the presumably swapped Houston pick. The year after that we have the most incredibly convoluted Real GM pick swap explanation I have ever seen but ultimately netting out in our favor as far as I can tell (go ahead and read it and report back if you have a law degree). We have the Denver pick eventually, some more Knick picks, one million second rounders, one or two others shoved in there somewhere… It’s a lot. And that is a very good thing. And more valuable than ever given the new Draft Lottery rules.
We also have cap space. Beautiful, gorgeous cap space. The second-most in the league right now according to Spotrac and a couple of pretty easy ways to create more. Marks could use that to throw a max at Austin Reaves, take on a bad contract for more draft equity, or just use it to acquire some solid players and raise the floor of what this team can do in the immediate future… or maybe a secret fourth option I haven’t thought of yet. Point being, we have options, options, options.
Did you hear that? Options! We have maneuverability! We are RICH with both money and possibilities! We are NOT the 2016 Nets. Hell, we aren’t even the 2023 Nets. Is this going to be a good basketball team next year? No!! But we are on our way!
This takes time and patience and a huge deal of effort. Not to mention luck where, again, we are fighting an uphill battle. Not every team has Victor Wemby, Stephen Castle, and Dylan Harper fall into their laps during a rebuild…
Then, of course, there’s Jordi Fernandez and his merry band of nine — count ‘em — nine assistants. Nobody has a bad word to say about him, most of all his players. For the first time since he was hired in April 2024, his marching orders are to win games, not “play the probabilities,” a nice euphemism for tanking. Moreover, Joe Tsai had his contract and those of his assistants ripped up and extended, each with a raise as well.
On Friday night, after spending a beautiful evening having drinks with friends not far from the Barclays Center, I stopped by my bodega for a snack. The guy behind the grill was, as he always is, wearing a New Jersey Nets cap. Cool guy. I guarantee someone reading this knows where I’m referring to but I’ll dox myself for the sake of the story, who cares.
After I ordered my sandwich I told him “Hey, love your hat!” which to be clear, I have 100% said before. But he works in a bodega and serves God knows how many people a day so he has absolutely no idea who I am. He gave me a thumbs up, I went to peruse the drinks (I got a Vanilla Coke) and when he handed me my sandwich both him and the other guy who is always there said with big smiles “Here you go Nets fan!” Another sign!
I emailed NetsDaily after getting off that subway on Thursday, asking if I could write this piece and I kid you not me and a guy wearing a KEVIN GARNETT Nets jersey high-fived on Thursday evening. Yep, I figured, Nets universe is healing despite what happened on the other side of the East River.
Other teams might have such hallowed celebrities as A Couple of the Haim Sisters, Bobby Bacala, and Donald J. Trump showing up to their games. There have been more bandwagon fans created in the last two weeks than ever previously considered possible. You may be getting asked yourself who you’ve been rooting for in the NBA finals despite a lifelong, loud, and proud affiliation with the Nets. Again, it’s been a rough few weeks…
So for those of us still here, clicking on NetsDaily, reading to the end of this gratuitously long essay, sifting through the swap rights in 2028, looking up Egor’s stats for the 897th time, that logo will continue to really mean something. The hat means something, the jersey and the t-shirt… More likely than not those are your honest to God fellow Nets fans. No one in their right mind would spend money on the merch for any other reason right now.
I was in Hong Kong in April and witnessed with my own two human eyes a man wearing a crisp 2003 Eastern Conference Finals Champions T-shirt, if only I knew how to speak Cantonese… We are everywhere, don’t let anyone ever tell you we aren’t. (China, for reasons quite clear, is a special case, it’s not unique.)
We will be back, it’s a matter of when, not if. And I refuse to let anyone put my team down except for myself when I’m feeling a bit cranky. In the meantime, the other guys can enjoy their damn parade and some of my fellow Nets fans will no doubt call me pollyannish. Meh!
And you know what else: in the celebrity sweepstakes, I’ll take Ethan Hawke every day of the damn week, Thursdays included.
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - OCTOBER 22: Walker Kessler #24 of the Utah Jazz grabs a rebound against the Los Angeles Clippers during the first half of their game at the Delta Center on October 22, 2025 in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
For the last few days, Jazz fans have been hearing rumor after rumor about the contract negotiations between Walker Kessler and the Utah Jazz. In multiple reports, we heard different updates on how the negotiations had left Kessler and his representation frustrated. They expected more than a five-year, $140M offer. Those things are still likely true, but the story took on a life of its own, and it was reaching a point where Jazz fans were becoming frustrated. It was a valid frustration too. Kessler is a valuable player and was supposedly going to be a part of the core going forward. Now, it felt like Kessler wasn’t as interested in that.
Today, Kessler put some of those worries to rest with a timely Instagram post.
I’ve seen what’s being said, and I want it to be clear that I have always wanted to be here – I love this city, these fans, my teammates, my coaches – that’s real to me. You don’t grow roots where you don’t want to be
It’s the perfect message from Kessler to assuage Jazz fans who were getting frustrated. Kessler has been a big part of the current Jazz roster and was considered an important, maybe even vital, part of the future.
This has to be a little frustrating to Kessler, who was probably aware that the situation could get tough, but I doubt he wanted it to get to the point where fans would turn on him like what was happening. It very well might have been all his agents doing the negotiating and losing control of the situation. Now, Kessler has taken control of it, and it will likely get the fans and public perception off his back while negotiations continue. It’s not clear how long the negotiations will last, but it is nice to know that Kessler wants to be part of the future. A future that is looking very bright.
The sample size is still small, just as it was during his first stint as a big leaguer.
But in his second go-around with the Yankees, Spencer Jones, who did not play in the Yankees’ 10-5 win over the White Sox on Wednesday night, is looking like he belongs while flashing the tools that have long made him a tantalizing prospect — and not just the power.
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With a runway for everyday at-bats in center field, as the Yankees try to hold the fort down without Aaron Judge, Trent Grisham and Giancarlo Stanton in the lineup, Jones is beginning to settle in and produce while using his first taste of the majors to his advantage.
“Seeing a mature hitter up there,” Ben Rice, who came up through the minor leagues with Jones, said Wednesday. “Slow heartbeat, looking for his pitch and going up there with a plan and just trying to execute.”
Take Tuesday’s win over the White Sox. After homering to the second deck in his first at-bat, a bullet that came off the bat at 111.6 mph, Jones came to the plate again with the bases loaded and one out in the third inning of a game the Yankees led 3-1. It might have been human nature for Jones to just swing for the fences again and try to deliver a knockout punch to White Sox righty Davis Martin, who entered the game as one of the American League’s best pitchers to date.
Spencer Jones hits a solo home run during the second inning of the Yankees blowout win over the White Sox on June 16, 2026 at the Stadium. Robert Sabo for New York Post
Instead, Jones worked a 3-2 count and then laid off a fastball just off the inside corner to take his walk, forcing in a run and keeping the line moving with his strong plate discipline.
“Everyone wants to talk about the power, the speed, the size,” Rice said. “But he has really sharpened that tool, especially over the last couple seasons.”
The 6-foot-7 Jones is going to strike out, no matter how many adjustments he makes as he gets used to facing big league pitching. But if he can do so at a respectable clip while putting together consistently tough at-bats along with the power displays, the strikeouts become much easier to live with.
“Even going back to his first [stint] when he didn’t get a lot of results, the at-bats were competitive,” manager Aaron Boone said. “Since coming back this last time, it’s gotten even better. It’s been game in and game out, I feel like he’s really putting together quality at-bats. Obviously you know the power is real. So when you have that kind of power and obviously the opponent’s aware of that, when you can control the zone with it, that’s a dangerous combination. It’s been great to see. Feel like he’s just in a really good frame of mind and going into the game with a good plan and executing.”
Across 10 games in his first stint as a big leaguer in May, Jones hit .167 (4-for-24) with a .426 OPS, 12 strikeouts, three walks and no home runs. He faced some tough pitching along the way — including making his debut against arguably the most dominant pitcher in the majors this season, Jacob Misiorowski — and put together some good at-bats along the way.
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But since returning earlier this month as a replacement for the injured Aaron Judge, Jones has looked even more comfortable at the plate. In eight games during his second stint entering Wednesday (when he was out of the lineup against White Sox left-hander Anthony Kay), he was batting .318 (7-for-22) with a 1.059 OPS, nine strikeouts, four walks and two home runs.
“You can visualize what the major leagues are going to be like, but until you’re in there and see it, expectation and reality don’t always match up,” Jones said. “That first go at it was a lot of new information, a lot of new things, different routines.
“I think having a couple weeks to meditate on the things that were going on from my first call-up and certain actions on the field, certain routine things, certain mentalities, certain approaches to the game, I was really able to focus on and know that next time I get an opportunity that I’ll make the most out of it.”
It is their first time hoisting the Larry O'Brien Trophy since 1973 and the city is preparing for a party fitting of the occasion. MVP Jalen Brunson and his teammates will celebrate with the city at the Knicks' championship parade on Thursday, June 18.
Here's what you need to know for the Knicks' championship parade:
How to watch the Knicks' championship parade?
Mayor Zohran Mamdani made sure fans are prepared to enjoy the Knicks' parade whether they can attend the festivities or not. "We're bringing the Knicks Championship Parade to the people - no matter where you are," he posted on social media.
The Knicks' championship parade will run down Manhattan's "Canyon of Heroes," starting near Bowling Green in Lower Manhattan and traveling north to City Hall.
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 18: Buster Posey of the San Francisco Giants looks on at Scottsdale Stadium on February 18, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Andy Kuno/San Francisco Giants/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Giants fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
This season has been an unmitigated disaster for the San Francisco Giants. The bulk of their offseason transactions haven’t paid off. The biggest moves from last year — signing Willy Adames and trading for Rafael Devers — are currently backfiring. And to this point, the splash move of the winter — hiring Tony Vitello straight from the college ranks — hasn’t really panned out.
On the one hand, it’s early. Buster Posey has only been President of Baseball Operations for a season and a half, and he’s approaching trade deadline season, which he aced a year ago. On the other hand, the Giants have been one of baseball worst teams this year, while also committing numerous unforced errors on and off the field. Things just aren’t right.
So we wanted to poll the community on the man at the top: Posey. How are you feeling about him halfway through his second season at the helm?
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JUNE 17: Connor Joe #9 of the Seattle Mariners is forced out at third base in the fifth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at T-Mobile Park on June 17, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Kevin Ng/Getty Images) | Getty Images
One of the most frustrating features of the 2026 Mariners has been their inconsistency. They’ll have a great homestand just to muddle through a poor road trip; work a hard-fought series win only to drop the next two; and most frustratingly, follow up a fun, vibes-cleansing win like last night’s game with a real stinker like tonight’s.
To be fair, the odds were stacked against them in this contest: the combination of the Mariners’ allergies to scoring runs when George Kirby is on the mound against the Orioles (averaging less than a run per game of support in his past eight outings!) plus Kyle Bradish and his deadly high-slot curveball plus some absolutely dogwater (hi Angie) BABIP luck for the Mariners made this game an exercise in misery – a misery that was compounded when Julio Rodríguez was lifted in the sixth inning for a defensive replacement. Dan Wilson clarified postgame that it was a hamstring spasm for Julio, tweaked on a leaping play in the sixth, and he’s currently day-to-day.
To be fair, Julio might have just wanted a mental break – the Mariners hitters suffered mightily against Bradish, who came an inning and an out shy of a complete game against a Mariners lineup missing a fair amount of its punch with Luke Raley and Josh Naylor still out and the recent loss of Randy Arozarena to the 10-day IL.
Sometimes the Mariners have bad and brutal at-bats, and we may shame them for that; but sometimes you just get beat by a pitcher who’s really on his game. That was Kyle Bradish tonight, whose bemused, befuddled, and downright bedeviled the Mariners hitters. Some hitters did a better job laying off the pitch, especially in two strike counts, but it was a lot of flailing after curveballs that showed on Gameday as subterranean but must have looked very different in the batter’s box, judging from the quality of swings.
Some of the Mariners did have some success laying off the pitch as the game wound on, and managed to scrape a run off Bradish in the fourth thanks to an adjustment from Julio, who laid off the curveball that gave him trouble earlier and was rewarded with a sinker in the fat part of the plate that he clobbered for a double. He was then knocked in on a well-struck single from Dominic Canzone, who took advantage of a first-pitch sinker at the top of the zone, shooting it right back up the middle.
But that’s all the Mariners would work off Bradish tonight, who departed the game with two outs in the eighth and a runner on (Miles Mastrobuoni, doing his daily Useful Thing by hitting a single), giving way to Yennier Canó. Canó walked Cal, who had just missed a homer earlier – robbed at the wall by former Mariner Tyler O’Neill, adding indignity to indignity – to get to Rob Refsnyder, pinch-hitting for Julio. Refsnyder popped out to end the inning, because that was the only way that at-bat was going to end.
The Orioles, meanwhile, got all they needed in one swing of the bat. George Kirby was good but not perfect, and unfortunately, given that the offense stubbornly refuses to score runs in support of him whenever the team plays Baltimore, that wasn’t enough for a win. Like Logan Gilbert did last night, Kirby found success leaning on his fastball, using it to get ahead in counts, and then would dial up the sweeper as a putaway for both whiffs and weak-contact outs.
Kirby made two mistakes that cost him: the big one came early, in the third, when with two outs he left a four-seamer directly in the lefty loop zone for Gunnar Henderson, who punched the ball over the right-field wall for a two-run shot. It was a two-run shot because nine-hole hitter Blaze Alexander was on with a seeing-eye single off a well-located pitch from Kirby – a bit of bad BABIP luck but magnified by the poor pitch to Henderson.
With the Mariners offense unable to do anything against Bradish, that would have been enough, but Kirby made one more mistake on the day, in his last inning of work. It was almost a mirror image of the previous score: with two outs, Pete Alonso made contact on what might have been a check swing and rolled a snowball down the third-base line, allowing even the slower-footed Polar Bear to reach first. Kirby then got into a protracted battle with former Mariner Leody Taveras and in a full count left a sinker on the plate that Taveras demolished over Julio’s head into the deepest part of the park for a triple. It was a disappointing end to an otherwise solid outing for Kirby, who expressed frustration postgame with the mistakes and said he just had to be better.
“There are two pitches I’d like to have back,” he said.
Three runs over six innings shouldn’t be a prison sentence for a pitcher, although the bullpen couldn’t keep it there: Alex Hoppe issued a leadoff walk to Jackson Holliday, who later came around to score, and in the eighth Michael Rucker allowed a solo homer to Holliday, continuing to roll out the Mariners welcome mat for the struggling second baseman. (The bright spot sandwiched in here is another scoreless appearance by Nick Davila, who has not allowed an earned run over his first 11 appearances with the club.)
The due of Dominic Canzone and Cole Young tried valiantly to turn around the vibes in the bottom of the ninth, going back-to-back off Ryan Helsley, recently re-activated from the IL.
But it was too little, too late, and the Mariners once again find themselves searching for consistency with a bruised and busted roster and a pitcher who wears three runs over six as a personal failing. It’s somehow both inconsistent, and the same old story.
While New York is still celebrating its title — the parade on Thursday in Manhattan is expected to draw more than 1 million people — the NBA offseason is coming fast. And it's coming for the Knicks roster (more on that below).
Here is all the latest
Antetokounmpo saga drags on past draft?
Bucks co-owner Jimmy Haslam set an artificial deadline of wanting to have the Giannis Antetokounmpo saga wrapped up by the NBA Draft. It makes sense. If the Bucks want picks in this deep draft class as part of any trade, they need it done by next Tuesday.
"From what I'm hearing this could drag on into free agency. This could drag on until July…. Boston seems a little bit from what I'm hearing and gauging, Boston doesn't seem a promising destination…. I do still believe he will be moved this offseason but I'm not as certain as I was before that it'd be done before the draft."
As NBC Sports recently reported, there is a growing belief around the league that Boston isn't all in on an Antetokounmpo trade, that it was exploring options but not serious. If the Celtics are out of the mix, that just leaves the Heat, with an offer the Bucks' front office clearly doesn't love (or they would have jumped at it long ago).
For a couple of weeks now, all the rumors out of Milwaukee have sounded like a team desperately trying to drum up a bidding war, trying to find other interested teams, to spark a market that is tepid now after being hot at the trade deadline. This sounds like more of the same, and maybe the Bucks just strike a deal with Miami at the deadline and move on.
Or maybe this drama will drag on longer — but it's not like the offers are not suddenly going to get better.
Kevin Love to the Lakers?
As we reported this week, league sources have told NBC Sports there is an increasing sense that LeBron James will re-sign with the Lakers. Money and comfort level on both sides are driving that.
If he stays in LA, LeBron may reunite with Kevin Love, reports ESPN's Marc Spears.
"I'm hearing that [LeBron's] likely coming back [to the Lakers]. ... Kevin Love could likely be joining the Lakers too."@MarcJSpears gives some insight on what could be next for LeBron pic.twitter.com/EV1Qwqiixf
As expected, Washington's Trae Young will decline his $48.9 million player option for next season, reports Marc Spears of ESPN.
This is the first step to him re-signing with the Wizards on a multi-year deal at a lower number (maybe three years, $120 million, or a little less). Young is not part of the long-term future in Washington — that will be focused around whoever they draft No. 1 next week — but he will be part of the transition.
League sources said Ballmer has maintained a firm stance against a Leonard trade, preferring to continue building around his star forward.
Will the league's eventual punishment of the Clippers for the Aspiration scandal change that? Maybe. Depends on what that punishment is. Just don't expect one of the punishments to be the Clippers being forced to void the remaining year on Leonard's contract (that's not really a punishment for either side, the Clippers would get their books cleared up and Leonard would just sign a massive contract somewhere else).
Other trade rumors
• Knicks owner James Dolan admitted that, as much as he would like to run it back with his championship roster, that may not be possible because he's not taking the team into the second tax apron. From an interview on WFAN’s The Carton Show (hat tip Hoop Rumors).
"If we could bring back the whole team, exactly as it is, why wouldn't you? But I don't know if we're going to be able to. We're willing to stretch, but there's certain things in the NBA that you'd have to be suicidal to do and we're not going to do those. One of them is the second apron. Cannot go into the second apron. … I'll write as big of a check as possible, but I can't write a check that goes into the second apron."
The core of Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart and Miles Bridges are locked down. However, Mitchell Robinson, Landry Shamet and Jordan Clarkson are all unrestricted free agents, while Jose Alvarado has a $4.5 million player option. It may be tough to bring all of them back (don't be surprised if Shamet is holding the short straw when it's all done).
• The Atlanta Hawks have gauged Jonathan Kuminga's value on the trade market, reports Michael Scotto at Hoopshype. Atlanta has until June 29 to decide whether to pick up Kuminga's $24.3 million team option for next season.
• If Boston does decide to get serious about an Antetokounmpo trade — again, all the buzz in league circles is they are not serious — then there needs to be a third team to get Brown to a new home. It had previously been reported that the Bucks didn't want Brown — a player at his peak is not a fit for a rebuilding team — but now ESPN's Spears says the feeling is mutual: "I know Jaylen wouldn't want to play for Milwaukee.
• Draymond Green has a $27.7 million player option for next season, and if he picks it up, the Warriors are open to trading him, reports Anthony Slater at ESPN. That said, the expectation is he opts out and re-signs for two years at a slightly lower number (two years, $40 million?).
Feb 25, 2026; Spokane, Washington, USA; Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Graham Ike (15) controls the ball against the Portland Pilots in the first half at McCarthey Athletic Center. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-Imagn Images | James Snook-Imagn Images
Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Graham Ike is right on the border of being picked in the second round of the 2026 NBA Draft. Ike is currently ranked as the No. 64 best available prospect, according to ESPN.
Even if he ends up going undrafted, that doesn’t mean the Aurora, Colorado native can’t find his way to making the league down the road. The best way to do that is by being signed on a two-way contract, splitting his time with a big club and its G League squad.
The 24-year-old has been a proven winner and scoring threat throughout his three seasons in Spokane, Washington. During that 101-game stretch under coach Mark Few, Ike averaged 17.8 points on a shooting split of 58.9 percent from the field, 35.8 percent on three-pointers, and 79.6 percent at the free throw line. The 2025-26 West Coast Conference Player of the Year also grabbed 7.5 rebounds per game and 31 double-doubles across that span.
As a 6-9, 250-pound leftie, he’s a tad bit undersized for the center position at the next level. Ike, who does have a 7-5 wingspan and 9-2 standing reach, will look to play a sort of throwback, brute-strength power forward position primarily.
The way that he improved his ability to stretch out the floor and controlled his personal anger after frustrating foul calls that didn’t go his way was quite noticeable throughout his final collegiate campaign at Gonzaga. Nine reported NBA franchises took notice as well this offseason while bringing him in for workouts leading up to next week’s draft.
Boston Celtics
Orlando Magic
Atlanta Hawks
Minnesota Timberwolves
Charlotte Hornets
Oklahoma City Thunder
Detroit Pistons
Los Angeles Lakers
Sacramento Kings
Ike mentioned in his post-workout interview with the Sacramento Kings that he has visited 11 total teams, all looking into taking a chance.
Few has had at least one alum drafted in four of the last five years. Can Ike make it five of the last six? Even if he fails to do so, recent Zags have found major success after grinding their way through the G League. Just take a look at Los Angeles Lakers forward Drew Timme, Dallas Mavericks guard Ryan Nembhard, and Brooklyn Nets guard Malachi Smith, who all went undrafted.
Arden Cravalho is a Gonzaga University graduate from the Bay Area… Follow him on X @a_cravalho
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - JUNE 17: Corbin Carroll #7 of the Arizona Diamondbacks celebrates while running the bases after hitting a grand slam against the Los Angeles Angels during the second inning at Chase Field on June 17, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In baseball, we often like to talk about “flushing” a bad game and mentally preparing for the next one – usually the very next day – as one of several stock phrases to describe the ability to move past failure and try to visualize the next success. It’s a particularly appropriate phenomenon in baseball when failure is such an integral part of the sport. But just like the rest of us, baseball players are human and can struggle psychologically to push past particularly difficult instances of failure. Last night’s game, in which the D-Backs were thoroughly outclassed, certainly qualifies as a failure, but today, the team looked much closer to the team that went a combined 29-24 in April and May than the one that’s gone 6-9 in June coming into today’s game.
Unsurprisingly, the team’s fortunes are tied to their starting pitching and today was no exception. Eduardo Rodriguez continues to beat out all of the expected statistics and underlying red flags to maintain the most unlikely Cy Young candidacies of the season. He had just one blemish on the night – a Zach Neto ambush on the fifth pitch of the game that the young shortstop drove out to the home run porch in centerfield that gave the Angels an early lead. Outside of that drive, Rodriguez was spectacular. There was certainly some hard contact throughout his outing, but he did what so many fans and players clamor for: he let his defense do most of his work, generating three separate double plays to eliminate several threats before they started. He also collected an impressive 11 swings and misses while throwing 62 strikes and allowing 9 baserunners (three walks and six hits) over seven innings.
Of course, it never hurts a starting pitcher’s confidence if his offense provides some run support and the Arizona bats delivered plenty of fireworks this afternoon to give Rodriguez more confidence than he might have had already. After a scoreless first inning in which they worked starter Sam Aldegheri around, the bats exploded for five runs starting with a leadoff walk to Ildemaro Vargas who scored on a Tommy Troy triple after a couple outs. But the team then loaded the bases on a hit by pitch and a hard-fought walk to Geraldo Perdomo for a suddenly scuffling Corbin Carroll who turned on an inside changeup and deposited it into the right field bleachers for his fifth career grand slam. In all, the team sent nine batters to the plate in the inning in an impressive offensive showing, but they weren’t done either. The team tacked on another run in the next inning through a Jordan Lawlar double and a single from Troy as well as a two-run double from Ketel Marte that just snuck by first baseman Vaughn Grissom down the right field line. It was great to see exactly the kind of dynamic offense the team is capable of bringing to the ballpark every day after a few series of lackluster offensive results.
This series win is the team’s second straight after a rough stretch to begin the month of June. And while the Angels win-loss record on the year is nothing to write home about, they’ve been playing better as of late (if you can believe it) with an exactly .500 record over their last 20 games. Additionally, if we’re being honest, the D-Backs are desperate enough in an extremely competitive National League playoff picture that they’ll take every win they can possibly get. Next on the docket after an off day tomorrow: another losing team in the Minnesota Twins, their last such opponent before re-entering the fray with consecutive series against the Cardinals, Rays, Giants, Brewers, Padres, Dodgers, and Cardinals again heading into the All-Star Break. It should be a fun couple of weeks – especially if the team plays up to its standards like they did today.
In this week's Closer Report, the saves landscape gets one closer back but loses another as Ryan Helsley returns from the injured list. Meanwhile, the Cubs lose Daniel Palencia to the injured list with right elbow inflammation. And the Giants finally settle on a reliever in the ninth inning, naming Caleb Kilian the closer.
⚾️ Baseball is back! MLB returns to NBC and Peacock in 2026! In addition to becoming the exclusive home of Sunday Night Baseball, NBC Sports will broadcast MLB Sunday Leadoff, “Opening Day” and Labor Day primetime games, the first round of the MLB Draft, the entire Wild Card round of the postseason, and much more.
Mason Miller - San Diego Padres Cade Smith - Cleveland Guardians Jhoan Duran - Philadelphia Phillies Aroldis Chapman - Boston Red Sox Raisel Iglesias- Atlanta Braves
Miller recorded a clean, four-out save against the Orioles on Sunday, striking out three batters. He was then placed on the bereavement/family medical leave list on Monday. Miller could be back on Friday, following Thursday's off day, after the minimum three-day absence.
Smith kept it rolling this week with back-to-back scoreless saves against the Tigers on Friday and Saturday. He's in the middle of his best season yet, working to a 2.48 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, and 49 strikeouts over 32 2/3 innings while converting an MLB-leading 23 saves.
Duran tossed a clean frame against the Brewers on Saturday, striking out one batter for his 18th save to go with a 1.90 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, and 35 strikeouts over 23 2/3 innings. Setup man Brad Keller was placed on the 15-day injured list this week with right forearm tendinitis. Orion Kerkering likely steps into the eighth-inning role behind Duran and would be next in line for saves.
Chapman struck out two batters in a scoreless inning against the Rangers on Saturday for his 14th save. He keeps rolling, with a 0.44 ERA that marks the lowest among all closers.
Iglesias made one appearance this week, working around a hit and a walk to convert his 14th save against the Mets on Saturday. Didier Fuentes has been working his way up the leverage ladder as the team has opted to keep him in the bullpen this season. He struck out the side in a scoreless seventh inning to record his fourth hold on Saturday.
▶ Tier 2
Louis Varland - Toronto Blue Jays Bryan Baker - Tampa Bay Rays Josh Hader - Houston Astros Tanner Scott - Los Angeles Dodgers Gregory Soto - Pittsburgh Pirates Andrés Muñoz - Seattle Mariners Ryan Helsley - Baltimore Orioles Paul Sewald - Arizona Diamondbacks David Bednar - New York Yankees
In Toronto, Varland pitched a perfect ninth against the Yankees on Friday to convert a save, then took the loss on Saturday, giving up two runs. He bounced back on Tuesday, striking out three with a four-out save, and struck out the side on Wednesday against the Red Sox for his 14th save.
Baker got some work in on Sunday against the Angels, tossing a scoreless ninth inning with a five-run lead. He remains at 18 saves with a 1.91 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, and 32 strikeouts over 28 1/3 innings.
Hader picked up three more saves this week, first tossing a pair of scoreless innings to start his season with six scoreless frames. The team avoided using Hader in a back-to-back, with Bryan Abreu picking up a save on Saturday. Following Hader's appearance against the Tigers on Tuesday, he took the mound with a three-run lead on Wednesday and gave up his first run on a solo homer before holding on for his fourth save.
Scott was impressive on the mound this week, starting with a clean, four-out save with three strikeouts against the Pirates on Thursday. He then picked up two more saves against the Rays on Monday and Tuesday. Scott is up to nine saves since taking over closing duties in Edwin Díaz's absence. Díaz has progressed to throwing bullpen sessions as he recovers from his elbow surgery to remove loose bodies.
Soto had a much better week after giving up five runs in his two outings the previous week. He converted a save with a scoreless inning against the Marlins on Saturday, then struck out two to convert his 11th save against the Athletics on Tuesday.
Muñoz was removed from Sunday's game against the Nationals with lower back tightness. After one day off, he returned to the mound on Tuesday and worked around one hit, striking out one batter for his 11th save. Muñoz is no stranger to back issues. He pitched through a minor back strain in early 2024, though he never missed any time. Injury aside, Muñoz continues to fall further down the standings as he struggles to match results with underlying skills.
The Orioles reinstated Helsley from the injured list on Tuesday following his seven-week absence with right elbow inflammation. He's set to resume closing duties in Baltimore. Helsley made his first appearance back on Wednesday, taking the mound in the ninth with a four-run lead against the Mariners. He gave up a pair of solo homers before finishing out the game.
Sewald had a busy week, making four appearances for the Diamondbacks. He locked down three saves, giving him 18 this season to go with a 3.29 ERA, 0.73 WHIP, and 31 strikeouts over 27 1/3 innings. A.J. Puk suffered a setback in his second rehab outing, prolonging his return from elbow surgery.
Bednar struck out the side on Saturday against the Blue Jays to lock down his 14th save, then pitched a scoreless inning on Sunday in a non-save situation, extending his scoreless streak to eight games. He's worked his ratios down to a 3.64 ERA and 1.38 WHIP across 29 2/3 innings.
▶ Tier 3
Jacob Latz - Texas Rangers Riley O'Brien - St. Louis Cardinals Devin Williams - New York Mets Trevor Megill - Milwaukee Brewers Kenley Jansen - Detroit Tigers Kaleb Kilian - San Francisco Giants Grant Taylor/Seranthony Domínguez - Chicago White Sox Pete Fairbanks - Miami Marlins
Latz needed only 11 pitches to work the final two innings against the Royals last Thursday, falling in line for a win. He then struck out two to complete a four-out save against the Red Sox on Sunday. Latz has been outstanding this season, posting a 1.62 ERA, 0.60 WHIP, and 35 strikeouts over 33 1/3 innings.
O'Brien gave up one run in a non-save situation against the Twins on Saturday, then bounced back with a scoreless outing for his 18th save against the Padres on Tuesday. He certainly hasn't been quite as sharp as he was early on, with a 6.19 ERA over 16 innings since the start of May.
Williams appeared in back-to-back games last Thursday and Friday, securing saves against the Cardinals and Braves. He struck out two batters in each outing, including a four-out save against Atlanta. Williams has a 3.14 ERA since the start of May, with four of five runs allowed in one outing against the Marlins on May 24.
Megill struck out three in a non-save situation on Saturday against the Phillies, then collected two more strikeouts in a perfect inning against the Guardians on Tuesday for his ninth save with a 4.15 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, and 36 strikeouts over 26 innings.
Jansen returned from the injured list following a two-week absence with pelvic inflammation. He made his first appearance on Saturday, striking out two in a non-save situation against the Guardians. The 38-year-old right-hander steps back into the closer role for the Tigers.
We finally get a bit of clarity in San Francisco. After Keaton Winn landed on the 15-day injured list with a right elbow strain and Ryan Walker was recalled from Triple-A Sacramento, Kilian was officially named the Giants' closer. While he leads the team in saves with four, seven different relievers have recorded a save for the team as manager Tony Vitello has played the matchup game in the late innings thus far. Kilian has been one of the most effective relievers in the bullpen, posting a 3.06 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, and 38 strikeouts over 32 1/3 innings.
Domínguez worked the only save chance for the White Sox this week. It was the cleanest outing as he gave up one run on two walks and a hit before holding on for his 12th save on Sunday against the Dodgers. Taylor gave up two runs over two innings in that game. Four of his last five outings have been two-inning appearances, so it doesn't seem like the team is ready to give him looks as a traditional closer just yet.
Fairbanks worked a clean inning against the Diamondbacks on Thursday, striking out two for a save. He then gave up a run against the Pirates on Sunday before holding on for his ninth save of the season.
▶ Tier 4
Alex Lange - Kansas City Royals Clayton Beeter - Washington Nationals Yoendrys Gómez/Eric Orze - Minnesota Twins Jacob Webb/Caleb Thielbar - Chicago Cubs
Lange gave up a run to take a loss against the Astros on Saturday, then bounced back with a scoreless ninth inning on Wednesday with a four-run lead, indicating he's still in line to close. Meanwhile, Beeter struck out two in each of his scoreless outings this week, but did not pick up a save.
And we finally have someone emerging in Minnesota as Gómez converted two saves, giving him seven. While his 3.86 ERA has been good enough to get the job done, he's working with an 11% K-BB rate and underlying ERA indicators that suggest he's been quite fortunate.
Palencia struck out the side and picked up a win against the Rockies on Tuesday, but was then placed on the 15-day injured list on Wednesday with right elbow inflammation. It's incredibly disappointing, especially after a good outing. Fantasy managers who have been patiently waiting for Palencia to start collecting some saves will have to wait longer. How long Palencia may be out is still unknown. The Cubs' situation hasn't produced many saves altogether. Still, Thielbar and Webb are the top candidates to work in a committee in Palencia's absence. Webb gave up a run in the ninth inning on Wednesday against the Rockies, but held on to convert the save.
▶ Tier 5
Antonio Senzatela - Colorado Rockies Tony Santillan - Cincinnati Reds Kirby Yates - Los Angeles Angels Elvis Alvarado/Hogan Harris - Athletics
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 17: Jacob Wilson #5 of the Athletics hits a two-run single in the bottom of the sixth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Sutter Health Park on June 17, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Athletics dropped their final game of their mid-week series against the Pirates on Wednesday evening, falling to Pittsburgh 12-4. Nothing went right tonight as the A’s were losing big from the get-go, and never really mounted any sort of comeback attempt. The loss drops them to 36-38 but on the bright side the division-leading Seattle Mariners lost tonight so the A’s remain just a game and a half back of them for the lead in the AL West. New series starts tomorrow!
Things were rough from the jump for the Athletics tonight. Right-hander Aaron Civale was on the mound for the A’s, making his first start since going on the IL a few weeks ago. Though he looked sharp in his lone rehab assignment he did not look like himself tonight. Pittsburgh plated three early runs against the veteran right in the first inning, then added two more in the second. The Pirates were up 5-0 before half of the fans had found their seats.
Civale bounded around a pair of singles in the third to post a zero for the frame, but a leadoff walk in the fourth ended his day after just 71 pitches, putting the bullpen in charge for a majority of tonight’s innings.
Not a great return appearance for Civale, who didn’t look comfortable at all tonight. Maybe the biggest thing is that he made it through tonight without any sort of aggravation of the shoulder injury. He’s lined up to take on the San Francisco Giants next week.
Left-hander Jose Suarez replaced Civale for the frame and allowed a two-run home run to push this game to 7-0 Pirates.
Meanwhile on offense, the A’s bats were struggling against Pittsburgh rookie Braxton Ashcraft. The right-hander held down the offense, issuing just two free passes and one meaningless single through the first five innings.
By now it felt out of reach but at least the bats kept working. Jacob Wilson smacked a two-run single in the bottom of the sixth to get the A’s on the board, avoiding the shutout:
That was as close as the A’s would get to a comeback tonight. Just a half inning later Pittsburgh got those two runs back and then some, adding on five runs in the top of the seventh to blow this game wide open.
All that was left to do was get through these final few frames. They weren’t totally without entertainment. Rookie center fielder Henry Bolte went yard in the bottom of the seventh for his second career home run and first in Sacramento:
Then, in the final frame, Zack Gelof, who entered tonight on an MLB-leading 20-game hit streak, extended it at the last second with a ninth inning home run for the Athletics’ fourth run of the night:
21 game hit streak now. After that the A’s went down 1-2-3 to finish this game.
Tough loss. The A’s need to flush this one though and get ready for a big series against a division rival. The A’s welcome the Los Angeles Angels to Sacramento for a four-game series, one that the A’s need to clean up in. It’ll be Gage Jump for the home team, though the Angels have yet to announce their starter for the series opener. Stay tuned…
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JUNE 17: Kyle Bradish #38 high-fives Adley Rutschman #35 of the Baltimore Orioles after the first inning against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on June 17, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Kevin Ng/Getty Images) | Getty Images
If you’re an eagle-eyed consumer of random Orioles stats, you might have seen that the Orioles are 7-3 on Wednesdays, so this game was pretty much in the bag before a pitch was thrown. Or was it that incredibly involved handshake Pete Alonso and Adley Rutschman tried out in the dugout? Or was it … Kyle Bradish being awesome?
Chalk it up to luck, or skill, or what, this was an excellent all-around win for the Orioles. After a deflating offensive performance on Tuesday night, the team hitters managed a solid eight-hit, three-run effort against Seattle’s George Kirby, a solid competitor with a great fastball. As for Baltimore starter, Kyle Bradish, what to say other than that this was arguably his finest start of the year. The right hander pitched into the eighth inning (7.2 IP), allowing just one run on five hits while punching out twelve. His curveball was sick.
It’s been an up-and-down season for the Tommy John survivor, but if he’s snapping off breaking balls like this, hitters, beware. He’s finding his ace form again.
The two starters traded zeros for the first two innings. Kirby was throwing heat, with 98 dotted on the corners, and he retired Taylor Ward, Gunnar Henderson, and Adley in order.
Bradish got through a clean first inning himself, largely because Adley Rutschman is a good catcher. Bradish struck out J.P. Crawford on a third strike call that Adley challenged from behind the plate, ABS revealing that the ball was in by a millimeter. Gutsy challenge! Cal Raleigh singled. A couple of pitches later, the Seattle catcher then took off for second on a wayward curveball that bounced in front of Adley, but he underestimated his fellow backstop, because Adley slid to the left, grabbed the ball and fired to ring up Raleigh at second. Then Julio Rodríguez went fishing on a curveball.
The Bradish breaking ball claimed a couple more victims in the second. After whiffing Dominic Canzone with another, Bradish walked Victor Robles, a man who is difficult to walk, but Colt Emerson swung over another curve.
The Orioles’ first rally began with one in out the third. Blake Alexander managed an inside-out swing and then, with two outs and a 1-1 count, George Kirby tried to sneak an inside fastball by Gunnar Henderson. He failed. Henderson got all of it, driving the ball 370 feet to center-right, one of the prettiest home runs I’ve seen an Oriole hit this year. See if you agree.
After Gunnar put his team up 2-0, Kyle Bradish managed a shutdown third inning. Battling, he finished off J.P. Crawford with a fastball at the top of the zone, and then he caught Miles Mastrobuoni staring at a slider.
The Mariners got one run back off Bradish in the fourth. Cal Raleigh kept fouling off balls, but he flew out on a 3-2 fastball. But Julio Rodríguez got an outside fastball, and he drove it over the head of Tyler O’Neill in right. I know what you’re thinking, but it wasn’t a makeable play. Then Dominic Canzone singled through the middle, plating Rodríguez. The Mariners were down by just one.
In the meantime, two Orioles hit singles were stranded, of a fashion. Samuel Basallo got thrown out trying to stretch a single into a double, and Blaze Alexander and Taylor Ward hit back-to-back singles in the fifth, Alexander’s second of the game.
Bradish got through a scoreless fifth, courtesy of a breaking ball so deceptive that he bounced one in front of Colt Emerson and still got him swinging through it, and again, his defense. With one out, Connor Joe hit a single that bounced in front of Leody Taveras, who muffed it, letting the ball roll behind him in center while Connor Joe circled the bases. Then, another turn: the relay hit Gunnar Henderson, who fired a perfect throw to third, just in time to catch Joe. Then Adley challenged another non-call, and again, he was right: three outs. Adley really loves that ABS challenge.
How long could Bradish go? Through the sixth? No problem, it’d turn out, again through a combination of curveballs and great defense. Big Bopper Cal Raleigh hit a ball to deep right, going, going, and… caught by a leaping Tyler O’Neill, taking away at least extra bases! You saw it coming all along, right? Then Bradish racked up his season-high tenth strikeout. Snazzy.
I was kind of surprised to see Kyle Bradish come back out for the seventh—at a tidy 77 pitches, no less—but he sure did. And despite walking the leadoff man, he got two quick popouts and a ground ball. And even more surprised to see Bradish out for the eighth, but out he came and struck out Connor Joe, and wow, was this a nice sight to see. He allowed a single, but then racked up his twelfth strikeout. Wow, Bradish.
Last night, the Orioles couldn’t buy a hit after the first inning. Tonight, the cavalry made it With Pete Alonso aboard with a single, Leody Taveras hit a triple off a tiring Kirby. Alonso duly chugged home and made it 3-1.
With Kirby out after six, the Orioles scored a quick fourth run against right-hander Alex Hoppe put Jackson Holliday and Blaze Alexander aboard with no outs, Blaze hitting his third single of the day to move Holliday to third. There would be no RBI for Taylor Ward, who hit into a double play, but in that situation the run still scores, anyway, and 4-1 felt like a nice cushion.
It wasn’t enough of a cushion—but it didn’t have to be, as Jackson Holliday homered to make it 5-1 before closer Ryan Helsley, just off the IL, allowed two back-to-back home runs to make it 5-3. OK, a bit of rust. Then, he started pitching: groundout, swinging K, swinging K. That’s good to see!
This was an elegant, all-around win for a team that alternates between bad and good, depending on the day. I don’t want to prejudge the Most Birdland question, but perhaps most excitingly, Kyle Bradish looked like a fricking ace again. If you somehow hate starting pitching, then give your consideration who Gunnar Henderson, who got the scoring started (that’s important) with a two-run jack off Kirby and had a crucial play to nab a runner at third. Or Blaze Alexander, quietly crushing it in the nine-spot with a 3-for-3 day and a walk.
The Birds face Bryan Woo and the M’s at 4:10 ET tomorrow with Shane Baz countering in hopes of a series win.
