Florida Complex League Yankees: L, 10-9 (11) at FCL Phillies
3B Richard Matic 0-5, RBI, BB, 2 K CF Wilberson De Pena 1-6, 2 K C Queni Pineda 1-4, 2B, 2 BB, 2 K 2B Leni Done 3-6, 2B, 2 SB DH Jose Castro 2-4, RBI, 2 BB, K, 2 SB, CS RF Francsco Vilorio 0-3, 2 K LF-1B Christofer Reys 1-2 SS Dexters Peralta 3-5, 2B, HR, 5 RBI, CS, fielding error 1B Justin Capellan 0-4, BB, K LF-RF Estivenzon Montero 0-2, RBI, BB, K
Stanly Alcantara 3.1 IP, 6 H, 6 R (5 ER), 6 BB, 1 K Marco Manzano 1.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 1 K Austin Breedlove 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K Rafael Arias 1 IP, 1 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 1 K, HBP, throwing error (hold) — started the ninth inning with a 9-7 lead, and went walk, walk, throwing error, HBP before getting pulled Jorge Luna 2.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R (0 ER), 0 BB, 2 K, 4 (!) HBP (loss, blown save) — stranded the bases loaded in ninth and tenth, but couldn’t quite hold in the 11th
Dominican Summer League Yankees:L, 5-4 (7) vs. DSL Tigers 2
CF Isaias Castillo 2-2, HR, RBI, BB 2B Stiven Marinez 1-3, RBI, K RF Yostin Pena 2-3, HR, RBI SS Juan Torres 0-3 DH Cesar Lopez 0-1, BB, HBP 3B Abrahan Pichardo 0-3, 2 K, fielding error C Juan Martinez 0-2, BB 1B Jose Peralta 0-2, 2 K, CS, throwing error LF Kendry Diaz 0-3, fielding error
Hector Moreno 0.2 IP, 0 H, 2 R (1 ER), 3 BB, 1 K Fredy Penuelas 4.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R (0 ER), 1 BB, 7 K Luis Rodriguez 2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 0 K (loss, blown save)
Dominican Summer League Bombers:L, 13-0 (7) at DSL Marlins
3B Dariel Santana 0-2, BB, K SS Mani Cedeno 0-2, BB, K, throwing error 2B Carlos Bello 0-3, 2 K RF David Carrera 0-1, 2 BB, K C Alessandro Rodriguez 0-1, BB, fielding error PH-1B John Rosillo 0-1 DH Germayhoni Beltre 0-3, K LF Richard Meran 0-3 1B-C Stalen Ramirez 0-2, 2 K, HBP CF Alfiery Matos 0-2, K — yes, that’s a no-hitter. At least they drew some walks
Randy Agomas 1.2 IP, 0 H, 6 R (4 ER), 5 BB, 3 K, 1 HBP (loss) — a truly DSL statline. Poor guy has a 30.86 ERA Kevin Centeno 2.1 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 4 BB, 3 K Ronald Tejada 1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 0 K Oscar Vasquez 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 K
The Detroit Tigers open up the second half of their current six-game homestand on Tuesday night against the Minnesota Twins. With five wins in six tries so far this month coming against the leaders of the American League East and West divisions, AJ Hinch’s squad now has a chance to make up some ground in the AL Central this week.
The Motor City Kitties currently share space in the division cellar with the Kansas City Royals, while the Twinkies are 2.5 games ahead of them in the standings. The Cleveland Guardians currently lead the pack, with the Chicago White Sox trailing not too far behind them.
The series opener will see right-hander Troy Melton take the mound, coming off an impressive eight-inning performance against the Tampa Bay Rays in St. Pete, where he allowed just two runs on four hits (one home run) and two walks while striking out five en route to his second win of the 2026 campaign.
The 25-year-old has faced Minnesota just once before in his young major league career in relief last year on Aug. 5 at Comerica Park. Melton threw a pair of hitless, scoreless frames, allowing a pair of walks and striking out one in what turned out to be a 6-3 loss for the Tigers that day.
Up against him is fellow righty Taj Bradley, who has regressed slightly after missing some time in May due to right pectoral inflammation. Since his return to the rotation, the 25-year-old has made three starts, putting up an ugly 5.93 ERA but far more respectable 3.40 FIP over 13 2/3 innings of work, allowing 15 hits and nine walks while striking out 18 batters.
Bradley last faced Detroit earlier this season on April 7 at Comerica Park, earning a quality start on 6 1/3 innings of one-run ball, allowing six hits and no walks while striking out 10 — also hitting a pair of batters — en route to his second win of the year with a 4-2 final score.
Here is how the two match up on Tuesday night.
Detroit Tigers (27-39) vs. Minnesota Twins (30-37)
Time (ET): 6:40 p.m. Place: Comerica Park, Detroit, Michigan SB Nation Site:Twinkie Town Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network
Game 67: RHP Troy Melton (2-0, 1.74 ERA) vs. RHP Taj Bradley (5-2, 3.56 ERA)
Milwaukee Brewers third base prospect Luke Adams waits for batting practice during spring training workouts Monday, February 17, 2025, at American Family Fields of Phoenix in Phoenix, Arizona. | Dave Kallmann / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Welcome back to the Minor League Roundup! I’m filling in for Adam this week.
As a reminder, you can find this roundup — covering everything you need to know about each of the Brewers’ minor league affiliates — every Tuesday morning right here on Brew Crew Ball. For consistency, all organizational prospect rankings will reference MLB Pipeline unless otherwise noted.
Triple-A Nashville Sounds (38-25)
Opponent this week: @ Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (Miami Marlins)
Record this week: 3-3
Standout performances:
Luke Adams (No. 11): 4-for-17, 3 HR, 4 RBI, 3 SB, 8 K, 3 BB Cooper Pratt (No. 4): 6-for-23, 1 2B, 1 3B, 4 RBI, 3 SB, 4 K, 3 BB Ethan Murray: 4-for-6, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 2 SB, 5 BB Garrett Stallings: 5 IP, 0 ER, 5 H, 1 BB, 5 K Thomas Pannone: 5 2/3 IP, 0 ER, 4 H, 1 BB, 3 K Reiss Knehr: 4 1/3 IP, 0 ER, 3 H, 0 BB, 5 K Jacob Waguespack: 3 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 1 BB, 5 K
Luis Lara was noticeably absent from the Sounds’ lineup this week, as he hasn’t appeared in a game since Tuesday, when he went 0-for-4 with a walk in the series opener. No word on if he’s injured, but something to keep an eye on ahead of their next series.
In positive injury news, Luke Adams returned to the lineup after missing more than a month, and he slugged three homers, swiped three bags, and drew three walks for a .235/.381/.765 line across five games.
— Nashville Sounds (@nashvillesounds) June 3, 2026
Most of Nashville’s other regulars — Brock Wilken, Eddys Leonard, Akil Baddoo, Tyler Black, Jeferson Quero, and Jett Williams — had rough weeks, but Cooper Pratt had six hits and three steals across 23 at-bats. Shortstop Ethan Murray also went 4-for-6 with five walks and two steals for a .667/.818/.833 line over three games.
On the mound, Garrett Stallings and Thomas Pannone both had scoreless starts, as Stallings went five innings with five strikeouts and Pannone went 5 2/3 innings with three strikeouts. Reiss Knehr went 4 1/3 scoreless innings across three relief appearances, striking out five, while Jacob Waguespack made a pair of appearances spanning three innings, also striking out five.
— Nashville Sounds (@nashvillesounds) June 7, 2026
Next week’s opponent: vs. Durham Bulls (Tampa Bay Rays)
Double-A Biloxi Shuckers (28-26)
Opponent this week: vs. Montgomery Biscuits (Tampa Bay Rays)
Record this week: 3-3
Standout performances:
Dylan O’Rae: 3-for-13, 1 HR, 1 2B, 3 RBI, 2 SB, 3 K, 2 BB Matthew Wood: 5-for-12, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 1 K, 6 BB Jaron DeBerry: 6 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 5 K Bishop Letson (No. 8): 6 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 8 K Manuel Rodriguez: 6 2/3 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 5 K
It was a fairly disappointing week for the Biloxi offense, as no players had more than five hits on the week, and top prospect Jesús Made went just 4-for-18 with no extra-base hits. Made was also 0-for-2 on steal attempts.
Matthew Wood led the offense with five hits, slugging a pair of homers and driving in three while drawing six walks to just one strikeout. Blake Burke and Dylan O’Rae both homered, and O’Rae was one of three players with multiple steals on the week, joining Mark Coley and Eduardo Garcia.
While the offense didn’t have a great week, some of Biloxi’s starting pitchers looked fantastic. Bishop Letson had the best start of the week, going six scoreless with a team-high eight strikeouts, allowing just three hits and a walk. Jaron DeBerry had his second consecutive great outing, going six scoreless with five strikeouts and just three hits and two walks allowed. Manuel Rodriguez went 6 2/3 innings with one run allowed, and Tanner Gillis went six innings with two runs allowed and seven strikeouts.
Next week’s opponent: @ Birmingham Barons (Chicago White Sox)
High-A Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (29-24)
Opponent this week: @ Cedar Rapids Kernels (Minnesota Twins)
Record this week: 3-2
Standout performances:
Andrew Fischer (No. 6): 7-for-18, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 7 R, 1 SB, 6 BB, 7 K Josh Adamczewski (No. 10): 7-for-16, 2 HR, 2 2B, 9 RBI, 5 R, 2 SB, 2 BB, 4 K Eric Bitonti (No. 23): 3-for-11, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 4 R, 2 BB, 4 K Josiah Ragsdale: 5-for-8, 2 2B, 2 RBI, 3 R, 2 SB, 3 BB, 2 K Ethan Dorchies: 5 1/3 IP, 0 ER (1 R), 4 H, 3 BB, 5 K Braylon Owens: 5 IP, 1 ER, 5 H, 1 BB, 2 K
Andrew Fischer, who was named the Brewers’ Minor League Player of the Month for May, continued his raking ways this week. After batting .281/.439/.674 with three doubles, a triple, 10 homers, 20 RBIs, 25 runs, and 21 walks in 24 games in May, he hit .389/.542/.889 with three homers, seven RBIs, seven runs, and six walks in five games this week. Oh, and he broke the Timber Rattler single-season home run record (17) in just 48 games. Not bad for the 22-year-old prospect.
Andrew Fischer takes home the Brewers Minor League Player of the Month Award for May 🏅
Fischer put up 10 home runs (T-2nd in MiLB) and an incredible 71% Hard-Hit rate (100th percentile) and 77% Air rate (99th percentile) that propelled him to a 1.113 OPS in the month 🔥… pic.twitter.com/0oeZ7hEQXu
— Brewers Player Development (@BrewersPD) June 8, 2026
ANDREW FISCHER IS A HOME RUN MACHINE 🔥
In 49 games Fischer has hit 18 homers‼️ @sirfischer3
— Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (@TimberRattlers) June 7, 2026
Fellow top prospects Josh Adamczewski and Eric Bitonti also homered twice each, as did Luis Castillo. Braylon Payne added a homer, and Luis Peña, who returned to the lineup last week, went 2-for-8 with three steals and four runs scored this week.
— Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (@TimberRattlers) June 7, 2026
Ethan Dorchies turned in the best start of the week, going 5 1/3 innings with one unearned run allowed on four hits and three walks, striking out five. Braylon Owens, who was named the Brewers’ Minor League Pitcher of the Month for May after striking out 35 to just nine walks over 25 innings, went five innings in his outing this week, allowing one run and striking out a pair.
Braylon Ow(e)ns May. 😤
Owen’s struck out 35 over 25 innings pitched in May. He made five appearances – three starts – with a save and a 4.32 ERA. #tratnationpic.twitter.com/4OnTZH9Uta
— Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (@TimberRattlers) June 5, 2026
Next week’s opponent: vs. Great Lakes Loons (Los Angeles Dodgers)
Single-A Wilson Warbirds (31-26)
Opponent this week: vs. Salem RidgeYaks (Minnesota Twins)
After a rough start to the season, the Warbirds have found a rhythm, as they now sit in second place in the Carolina League North at 31-26. They won five of six against the Salem RidgeYaks, outscoring them 48-39 in the series.
José Anderson led the offense with three homers and 10 RBIs this week, slashing .263/.333/.789 across 19 at-bats, including a walk-off grand slam. Kevin Garcia and Pedro Ibarguen both homered, too, as Ibarguen led the Warbirds with six hits this week. No. 13 prospect Brady Ebel went 5-for-24 but added a whopping seven walks for a .387 on-base percentage. Filippo Di Turi also walked off Saturday’s game in a 4-3 victory.
Jayden Dubanewicz went 6 1/3 total innings over two appearances, striking out a team-high eight, though he allowed five runs, just two of which were earned (2.84 ERA). Carlos Carra went 6 1/3 innings with one run allowed and six strikeouts, while Joshua Quezada allowed one unearned run and struck out six over 4 2/3 innings. Andrew Healy went 2 2/3 scoreless innings with two strikeouts in his start, and Peyton Niksch went 3 1/3 scoreless frames in relief, striking out four.
OMAHA, NEBRASKA - JUNE 21: Cameron Flukey #2 of the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers pitches against the LSU Tigers in Game 1 of the NCAA College World Series baseball finals at Charles Schwab Field on June 21, 2025 in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Jay Biggerstaff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The St. Louis Cardinals are set to be one of the big players at this year’s Amateur Draft. The Cardinals own 6 of the top 86 picks, including 13, 32, 50, 68, 72, and 86 overall. They also have amassed a war chest of 16,612,300, which is the 6th largest behind PIT (19.1 M), TBR (19.0 M), CWS (17.5 M), SFG (17.3 M), and MIN (16.9 M). The added caveat that those are the top 5 teams in the draft, which may help the Cardinals a bit, should they try to float a player down the board a bit if they can negotiate an overslot deal for a player they really want that is directly ahead of them in the order.
We visited with Joe Doyle of Overslotbaseball.com, who is one of the top independent amateur scouting content creators, on the Viva El Birdos Podcast, and he shared with us the Cardinals’ new “prototype” St. Louis is looking for. These are Big-bodied pitchers with big fastballs and athletic shortstops/up-the-middle type players whose athleticism would play up as they move down the defensive spectrum. Think of how San Diego has built their roster. Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr, Jackson Merrill, Xander Bogaerts, Jake Cronenworth. These players came up capable of playing average or above SS, moved off the position, and are capable of letting their natural athleticism play up at their defensive position.
Pitchers like Liam Doyle, Tanner Franklin, Ty Van Dyke, Ethan Young, Payton Graham all come to mind, and then offensively, Ryan Mitchell and Jalin Flores. This year’s class is not thought to be as strong as seasons past, though the 2027 draft is thought to be one of the deepest in years, and should rival the ‘23 class. Make no mistake, there is still plenty of talent to be had in this year’s crop.
I wanted to highlight some of the more intriguing names that I’ve keyed in on that might tickle the Cardinals’ fancy.
Pitchers (Pick 13):
RHPCameron Flukey – Coastal Carolina
6’6 210 lbs
FB – 60 CRV- 55 SL – 55 CH – 50 CTRL – 55 FV – 55
Flukey entered the 2026 season as one of the top arms in the class, given his combination of big stuff and ability to overpower hitters. He suffered a Rib stress fracture after his first start of the season, but was able to make it back by the end of April to maintain his stock. Between himself, Liam Peterson, and Jackson Flora, only Flora was able to truly separate himself this season and will likely be a top 5 pick and thus be out of the Cardinals’ range. Flukey should have a high floor as a starter in a 2-3 type mold in a big league rotation if he avoids the injury bug moving forward.
The aforementioned Peterson was another one of the top college pitchers entering this season, and while he demonstrates the same type of electric stuff that Flukey does, his command is noticeably worse than Flukey’s. Peterson still runs a fastball up into the high 90’s and has 2 distinct and effective breaking pitches and an improving changeup. There’s still real mid-rotation upside with Peterson, with some reliever fallback in his profile.
Dietz is my personal favorite for the Cardinals at 13 as things stand if the team decides to go the pitching route. We know how much the Cardinals love their lefties and being able to feature 4 plus pitches immediately and a 5th with a chance to be average fits the mold of today’s modern starter, and the upside is immense. Probably the best Arkansas lefty to be draft eligible since Hagen Smith. Dietz would be capable of challenging Liam Doyle, Brandon Clarke, and Quinn Matthews as the best lefty in the system immediately.
Position Players (Pick 13):
SS Justin Lebron – Alabama
6’2 180 lbs
Hit – 45 Power – 60 Run – 60 Arm – 60 Field – 60 FV – 55
Justin Lebron came into the season as a near-consensus top 5 selection lock, but due to some hit tool struggles this season in SEC play, Lebron has taken a little bit of a tumble in terms of his draft stock. Outside of the hit tool, he is plus across the board, and the idea of an infield in 2 years featuring Winn, Wetherholt, and Lebron could look like the 2010’s Astros (minus the trash cans) of Bregman, Correa, and Altuve. The Cardinals’ hitting development staff has proven its ability to get the most out of raw, tooled-up athletes with hit tool concerns, see: Baez, Joshua, and Peete, Tai.
CF Derek Curiel – LSU
6’2 192 lbs
Hit – 60 Power – 45 Run – 55 Arm – 45 Field – 55 FV – 55
We love a good player comp, right? Scouts say that Curiel reminds them of a young Christian Yelich. Take that for what it’s worth. A wiry CF with an advanced hit tool and capable of playing a strong CF early in his career, before he’s likely pushed to LF later when his speed and athleticism diminish. Certainly would seem to have the floor of an everyday CF with the chance for more if he can add some strength and grow into above-average power.
CF Trevor Condon – Etowah HS (Georgia)
5’11 178 lbs
Hit – 60 Power – 45 Run – 70 Arm – 55 Field – 60 FV – 55
Again, we try not to get too ahead of ourselves when we hear comps, but one name that’s mentioned synonymously from an offensive standpoint with Condon is Kevin McGonigle. The contact, barrel control, and strike zone control are the primary calling cards, along with his ability to burn on the bases and play an excellent defensive CF. This is a dark-horse candidate, but one that certain corners of the industry believe is possible. If you’re able to get any kind of power out of this kid, he’s likely a perennial All-Star if he combines that with health.
I could do this for every round, but for the sake of time, I will just highlight a few additional players who I find interesting, and I think would fit the Cardinals’ “type.”
SS Tyler Spangler – De La Salle (California)
6’3 195 lbs
Hit – 55 Power – 55 Run – 50 Arm – 55 Field – 55 FV – 50
Likely a 3rd basemen at the next level, he also gives some scouts Corey Seager vibes in the box from the left side. The ability to be average to above across the board and at such an imposing frame with a sweet lefty swing would inspire optimism in Cardinals fans for years to come.
SS James Clark – St. John Bosco (California)
6’1 195 lbs
Hit – 55 Power – 45 Run – 60 Arm – 50 Field – 50 FV – 50
Reminiscence of Ryan Mitchell abounds with this player. The ability to hit and control the strike zone at an advanced level, with the ability to play anywhere on the diamond long term. Fits the mold of the new regime’s ideology.
SS Dee Kennedy – Kansas State
5’11 190 lbs
Hit – 55 power – 50 Run – 55 Arm – 55 Field – 50 FV – 50
Probably an above-average 3B at the next level, Kennedy has all the athleticism and pop to add to a Cardinals pipeline in search of more high upside talent on the dirt.
Mid-rotation arms are never a bad thing when drafting talent to continue infusing your pipeline, and Radel fits the bill. His release point and pitchability are what give him the ability to separate himself from others in a similar range. Expect to hear his name called in the top 50.
Your classic high-floor mid-rotation starter that the Cardinals made their money on drafting in the 2010’s, Ben Blair has every tool in the toolbox to be a quality mid-rotation starter at the highest level if all goes to plan.
RHP Carson Wiggins – Arkansas
6’5 215 lbs
FB – 80 SL – 70 CTRL – 45 FV -45
Before Wiggins blew out his elbow last season, he looked like a near lock to go in the first round last year. Now he’s likely not pitching at all this year, and still is likely to hear his name called in to the top 100 thanks to his impressive overpowering stuff.
Rabe is shooting up draft boards after his performance in the playoffs thus far and should remind Cardinals fans a bit of Tanner Franklin if he were to have been a starter his final season at Tennessee. One of my personal favorites to keep an eye on.
The draft is always an exciting annual milestone in the season, and this year should be no different. While the Cardinals might not be poised to grab a generational talent in this year’s crop, there are still a lot of players with intriguing upside to continue building the farm system back up to its former glory. We will continue to try to be one of your main sources for draft coverage. Joe Doyle will join us one more time, pre-draft, on draft week to give us the latest intel and buzz as the event grows near. We have also been kicking around the idea of a livestream for the draft and posting the link in the article so that we can all consume and react to night one of the picks as they happen in real time, and I have a few very intelligent guests in mind to rotate in as the night goes on. Would you like for us to do that, or is that something you’d be interested in? Let me know in the comments and I will plan accordingly if the result is overwhelmingly positive.
On June 9, 1993, the Montreal Canadiens beat the Los Angeles Kings 4-1 to capture their 24th Stanley Cup, defeating Wayne Gretzky and his team in just five games. After the win, Patrick Roy was awarded the second Conn Smythe Trophy of his storied career. He would go on to win another one with the Colorado Avalanche in 2001, becoming not only the first player to win the playoffs’ MVP title three times, but also the first player to win it in three different decades, with his first win coming in 1986.
This 1993 conquest by the Canadiens is also the last time a Canadian team won Lord Stanley’s Mug, but it has to be said that the American teams that have triumphed since have always had more than their fair share of Canadian players. This year, the Vegas Golden Knights have 18 Canadians on their roster while the Carolina Hurricanes have nine, ensuring that Canada will once again leave its mark on the Cup.
It’s been 33 years since the Habs have won the big prize and in those years, they’ve made the Cup final once while their journey was stopped in the Conference Final three times, against the Philadelphia Flyers in the Halak spring of 2010, against the New York Rangers with the infamous Carey Price/Chris Kreider collision and this season, against the Hurricanes in what could rightfully be called the Dobes spring.
While this latest journey to the Conference Final came as a surprise with Montreal being ahead of schedule in its rebuild, it feels different from 2010 and 2014. Back then, it felt like the organization was banking on great goaltending and rolling the dice on offense; it’s no longer the case. With Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky, Ivan Demidov, and Lane Hutson, the Canadiens have more firepower than they’ve had since their last Cup conquest, and it certainly feels like they have reasons to hope their 25th championship could come soon. If you ask Demidov, he’ll even tell you he believes this team will win a few Cups in the not-so-distant future.
Ivan Demidov on the Habs future:
“This is a team that’s going to win, not only one Stanley Cup, but I think a couple more. That’s my expectation. That’s what I see in this team.” pic.twitter.com/4rySL0HIdL
CLEVELAND, OHIO - MAY 27: Angel Martínez #1 of the Cleveland Guardians singles on a line drive to center field, scoring Chase DeLauter in the fifth inning against the Washington Nationals at Progressive Field on May 27, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. Cleveland leads 3-1. (Photo by Russell Lee Verlinger/Cleveland Guardians/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Guardians lost 7-5 to the Yankees in 10th inning, and life is awful.
Death, taxes and Tim Hill shutting down the Guardians.
Hunter Gaddis had not given up a run in 9.1 innings.
Let’s go Slade Cecconi and Parker Messick. And let’s go get another reliever.
NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 07: Cody Bellinger #35 of the New York Yankees hits a home run in the eighth inning during the game between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Sunday, June 7, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by Michael Urakami/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Yankees opened their rematch against the Cleveland Guardians on Monday, playing the AL Central leaders for the fourth time in seven days and evening the head-to-head record by winning in overtime. Cody Bellinger was the MVP of the night, knocking in an early run and then getting two across in extra innings when he singled to left field. That ended up being the difference as the Guardians couldn’t answer in the bottom of the 10th, giving the Yankees a crucial win to start off the series.
Focusing back up on Bellinger, the Yankee outfielder has been invaluable in his second season in pinstripes. He’s collected 2.4 fWAR already, hitting for a 138 wRC+ with nine homers and 41 RBI in 63 games played, on pace to match his 2025 production and prove himself very much worth the contract that the Yankees handed him in free agency this offseason. That contract was the product of much debate back then, but he’s been inarguably one of the key members of the lineup even before Aaron Judge went down with injury. Now he’s the second-best batter in the offense behind the upstart Ben Rice as they look to provide enough for the rotation to stack up some wins in the captain’s absence.
Many people, including myself and several others on staff here, were pushing hard for the Yankees to sign Kyle Tucker in the offseason as a perceived upgrade to Bellinger. That wasn’t a slight to Bellinger’s play here and now so much as it was a concern then about the length of the deal he wanted, and the youth that Tucker had on his side with the history of more consistent production seemingly making him the most valuable pickup available. Well, fast-forward a little more than a third of the way into the season and that narrative has not held up at all — Bellinger’s the one performing as consistently good as he was last season while Tucker has struggled in the first year of his four-year, $240 million mega-deal, hitting just a touch over average with a 104 wRC+ and 0.7 fWAR in 62 games played.
The Dodgers are not hurting for talent or production, so they will likely be fine waiting out Tucker’s struggles in the hopes that he finds his form for the postseason, but if the Yankees were trying to maneuver around those numbers they’d be looking a lot rougher heading into the summer. New York didn’t wind up in the final conversations for Tucker’s services to be fair, but they nearly did lose Bellinger while waiting out his demands and playing around the possibility of wooing Tucker, and had that happened they would have been in dire straights either way. The rest of their options for a free agent pickup weren’t looking enticing, the trade market would’ve been a minefield to negotiate around, and their prospects in Jasson Domínguez and Spencer Jones while contributing now out of necessity weren’t ready for the majors at the start of the year, when one of them would’ve needed to be in the fold.
Where would the Yankees be without Cody Bellinger right now? It’s a very real possibility that it could’ve happened, and the picture doesn’t look pretty — surely a couple steps back of Tampa still chasing for first place, and with an offense that suddenly looks incredibly lean holding back a rotation that’s championship caliber. Thankfully they don’t have to consider that problem in our reality, but what would you have done if the offseason had panned out a little less in their favor? Would there have been a way to salvage their chances this year still?
It’s a quiet day on the site while we wait for the Yankees to get back to it against the Guardians. John checks in on the AL All-Star races for each position’s starters, while Matt covers the Rivalry Roundup amidst a quieter day in the Junior Circuit. Sam gives Bill Virdon some love on his 95th birthday, and Michael goes over the minor league action from the past week on the farm.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 08: Stephon Castle #5 of the San Antonio Spurs drives to the rim as Og Anunoby #8 and Josh Hart #3 of the New York Knicks defend during the second quarter in Game Three of the 2026 NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden on June 08, 2026 in New York City. 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 Al Bello/Getty Images) | Getty Images
For Game Three of the NBA Finals, a graphic of the Larry O’Brien Trophy was laid under the Knicks logo at halfcourt. This marks the very first time the image of the trophy has ever been placed there. Others have said it, but allow me to reiterate: seeing the iconic trophy on the court at MSG is weird.
No basketball stage is bigger than Madison Square Garden. Whenever a big game is played at the Mecca, visitors are expected to wilt under Broadway’s lights. It never occurs to us that the home team might feel a little of that heat, too.
Indeed, the Knicks seemed more affected by the pressure in their 115-111 loss. It was a flukey game across the board. For instance, they lost the third quarter for the first time in 17 playoff games. Given that the starters were out of sync all game, it made sense. In fact, this was the first they’ve looked like the “old Knicks” since the first round. The lead guys started slow, the reserves provided a second quarter lift while Towns and Brunson were split up, the play went stale again after halftime, and they hoped for Captain Clutch magic in the fourth. It was as if, after being away from the Garden for 19 days, they’d forgotten what a juggernaut they had become and, returning to their home court, reverted to their bad habits.
Out of the gate, the hosts coughed up two turnovers and fell behind by seven before Josh Hart finally got them on the scoreboard. That kicked off a promising stretch by Hart. The Spurs picked their poison and gave plenty of space to Hart on the perimeter. His two triples in the first quarter kept the Knicks from falling too far behind. Our Energizer Bunny finished with 16 points on 4-of-7 from deep, plus nine boards and five dimes.
The Spurs made eight of their first ten shots to go ahead by 11, but that’s a hard pace to maintain. Meanwhile, Mikal Bridges picked up two quick fouls and was replaced by Landry Shamet (3 PTS, 1-of-8 FG, -20, 23 MIN). It was the start of a long night for Bridges, who had his first offensive dud in a while. He posted two points on 1-of-5 shooting.
In the game thread, UrsaMajor13 said, “Bridges and KAT really disappointing.” Since they had combined for 14 points on 5-of-15 shooting and eight fouls, Ursa almost won a spot in the headline. Weirdly, the plus-minus tells a different story. Would you believe that Karl-Anthony Towns finished +8 and Bridges +11? That box score is lying—and Soylent Green is people!
The Spurs’ star, Victor Wembanyama, recorded 32 points on 11-of-18 from the field; the Knicks’ star, Jalen Brunson, also scored 32 points, shooting 11-of-25.
Both of these things can be true: San Antonio did an admirable job of keeping KAT out of the offense and the Knicks did a lousy job of incorporating KAT into the offense. Brunson shot 15 more times than Towns. They could have at least split the difference. If the Knicks plan to close this out and float a parade through Manhattan, they’d better start running plays for Karl again.
"Didn't execute, didn't do what got us 13-straight wins in a row."
Tempers were spicy tonight. On one sequence, Wembanyama palmed the back of Brunson’s head and shoved him to the floor. No whistle. On another, after a Knicks make, Hart was laid flat under the rim when Luke Kornet body-bumped him. Hart jumped up to shove Kornet and got a tech. Nothing for the Spur. The refs sure seemed intent on stretching this series past four games, but maybe your broadcast showed different camera angles. Both sides played aggressive, physical basketball yet when the curtain fell, the Spurs had shot 32 freebies to the Knicks’ 22.
Mike Brown thought it was fishy.
"I never thought I'd be in an NBA Finals and see in the 2nd half 24 free throw attempts to another team's 8…San Antonio's a great team…It's gonna lower our odds big time if in Game 4 they get 24 free throws 2nd half to our 8"
After the first quarter, New York trailed 33-22. San Antonio once again executed better than the Knicks at the start of a game. The Spurs had assisted on 11 of 14 field goals, while the Knicks had been outshot 25% to 57% from downtown and coughed up the rock four times. Once again, both teams crashed the defensive boards. Of the 22 first-quarter rebounds, just two were offensive.
Fun fact: The broadcast reported that Mitchell Robinson’s 37% career playoff free-throw percentage is the lowest in NBA history. Robinson made 1-of-2 tonight—and played just seven minutes. Why? His -11 plus-minus points to an answer.
In the second quarter, San Antonio’s shooting cooled, and the Knicks reserves turned up the heat. Jose Alvarado gave Brunson a breather and capitalized on the opportunity. His jumper over Wembanyama was a first-half highlight. That was part of a 16-7 Knicks run that cut their deficit to two.
Jose Alvarado hits the jumper over Victor Wembanyama, as KAT is fouled in the paint (with replays) pic.twitter.com/wmXeu45LWt
Not to toot my own horn, but in my preview, I said it was Jordan Clarkson’s turn to have a game. He did his best to make it so, hitting a timely three and picking De’Aaron Fox’s pocket on an inbound—before passing the ball past Hart and to Stephon Castle, who scored with an and-one. Clarkson finished with 10 points in 13 minutes, making 4-of-7 from deep. From the cheap seats (a recliner in Binghamton, NY), certain fans wondered why Coach Mike Brown chose not to sub Clarkson for Bridges once he knew that Mikal was mentally on Mars.
Meanwhile, OG Anunoby was ferocious on both ends. He netted a triple and then stuffed Dylan Harper at the rim. With the Knicks rallying, a Brunson trey gave them a brief lead with four minutes to go—before Wembanyama scored five points to restore the guests’ advantage. It was the tale of the game. So many times, the Knicks were poised to take over and just fell flat.
Thanks to a Castle loose-ball foul on Brunson, a Towns steal, and an Anunoby slam, New York tied the game with two minutes remaining in the second. Hart (who’s been studly everywhere except the points column in this series) swished his third three-pointer, Brunson added another, and Towns made two free throws to give the good guys a 64-57 halftime lead.
Through the half, the Knicks shot better from the field (58% to 53%), better from three (47% to 40%), won the rebounding battle (18-14), and matched San Antonio in the paint (28-28). What kept the Spurs afloat was ball movement and game control. San Antonio had assisted on 17 of 23 baskets while New York managed just 11 assists on 22 makes. At intermission, Castle led all scorers with 18 and Anunoby was a close second with 17.
Early in the second half, Julian Champagnie went up for a three and kicked out his foot at Brunson, who was closing out. Brunson had turned away from the shooter, and contact was initiated because Champagnie nearly popped a hip reaching his leg out. The officiating crew deemed it a flagrant foul on Brunson. Go figure. (Champagnie logged 12 points on 3-of-7 from deep.)
Jalen Brunson was assessed a flagrant foul after review on this play from Julian Champagnie. pic.twitter.com/bAdGIroXfv
That call helped the guests mount a 10-4 run. Around the midway through the third, the Spurs tied the game at 76, and then Wembanyama stroked one from deep to regain the lead. With both teams fighting through it, the Knicks were down by three. Thanks to a Hail Mary from Clarkson, New York entered the final frame trailing 92-91.
While Brunson rested, the Spurs’ defense continued to disrupt the Knicks’ shooting and kept them scoreless for the first three-ish minutes. That increased the deficit to seven. Brunson returned to try to get things going, but even he was short on answers. New York would shoot 7-of-27 in the fourth quarter. Yuck.
At the other end, Wembanyama drained a three as Robinson crashed into him for a foul. Except, on replay, it was clear that Keldon Johnson shoved Robinson into Wembanyama. Brown challenged the call and, correctly, it was overturned. Instead of being down by 10, New York regained possession, and Brunson promptly drove the lane to make the deficit five.
Anunoby scored on a soft-touch jumper, then blocked Harper at the rim on a breakaway that led to a Brunson bucket. Buckets were hard to come by, with each team ratcheting up its defense. The clubs had combined to miss their first 16 shots from deep in the fourth period. And although the players in the frontcourt hung onto each other all game long, the refs waited until the final frame to start calling fouls. Wembanyama had shot six freebies in just over seven minutes of fourth-quarter play.
With four minutes to go, the Knicks trailed by eight and were gifted a missed finger roll by Wembanyama. Two free throws by Brunson chipped at that, and his jumper from the elbow cut the lead to four. Two minutes left.
Castle connected from deep for the first triple of the quarter. Bad timing for us. Trailing by seven, Anunoby made one of two from the line. Then, with 30 seconds left, Captain Clutch drilled a three straight on. The Garden went crazy.
With 12 seconds left, Fox hit a contested jumper to make the score 113-108, and the Garden went silent.
Out of a timeout, Hart swung the ball to Anunoby for a corner three! 113-111. Nine seconds left.
New York intentionally fouled Castle, who made both from the line. 115-111. Out of a timeout, Bridges hoisted a three-point attempt, but he was the last person we wanted taking the shot after going Casper all night. He missed. Ballgame.
Up Next
The Knicks remain in the driver’s seat, ahead 2-1. We can comfortably chalk this loss up to poor performances by Bridges, Shamet, Robinson, too much Brunson, not enough Towns, and a few crappy calls. Quoth Real Clydes, “On to the next.” The pressure really will be on our heroes now, though. We do not like the idea of giving these Spurs the momentum of a tied series heading home to Texas. Not one bit. Game Four will be played at the Garden on Wednesday. Get ready, Knickerbockers.
CLEVELAND, OH - MAY 9: Head Coach Kenny Atkinson of the Cleveland Cavaliers looks on before the game against the Detroit Pistons during Round Two Game Three of the 2026 NBA Playoffs during Round Two Game Three of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 9, 2026 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Our season review of the Cleveland Cavaliers continues with Kenny Atkinson and the coaching staff.
As is the case with our postgame report cards, a “B” grade represents a player or group meeting the standard we expect from them.
Cavs’ record
Regular season: 52-30 (-12 from last season)
Playoffs: 8-10 (+3 from last season)
Atkinson was dealt a rough hand this year.
The front office’s moves last offseason didn’t pay off. Trading Isaac Okoro for Lonzo Ball was a miss, as were the signings around the edges of the roster.
Additionally, injuries were a recurring issue throughout the year. Max Strus didn’t play until the spring. Darius Garland missed the start of the season, and when he did return, he wasn’t close to the All-Star version we saw the year before. The group also missed time from both Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley.
Atkinson deserves credit for keeping this season on the rails. The group continued to be bought in, even during their slump, and were able to keep their heads above water. This could’ve easily been a lost season.
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Then, Atkinson was forced to adapt again when they traded for James Harden.
Atkinson understands that this is a player’s league first and foremost. He sacrificed his personal preference to fit the style that worked best with this group given the limited time left in the season.
The Cavs blended Harden’s isolation system with some of the off-ball movement concepts we saw from them during their 64-win season. Making those adjustments on the fly with limited practice time is an incredibly difficult task, and not one many coaching staffs would’ve succeeded in doing.
The trades and the injuries resulted in the starting lineup they used most in the playoffs, only spending four regular-season games together. Yet, the Cavs were able to make it further in the playoffs than they have at any point since 2018. That’s a remarkable achievement.
At the same time, Atkinson deserves criticism for some of their biggest losses in the postseason.
The adjustments in the first two rounds weren’t as quick as they should’ve been. Against the Toronto Raptors, he took too long to find ways to get the bigs involved. The Cavs weren’t ready for the first two games against the Detroit Pistons, and he failed to get his group prepared for Game 6.
Atkinson also deserves a good portion of the blame for the disastrous Game 1 loss to the New York Knicks. He kept Harden on the court late, allowing him to get picked on by Jalen Brunson. By the time the defensive adjustment came, it was already too late. The offense ground to a halt. Atkinson couldn’t find a way to get it jump-started down the stretch in the fourth, even after timeouts.
The Cavs probably don’t win the series if Game 1 ended differently. The Knicks are playing at an incredibly high level right now. But at the very least, Cleveland could’ve made it a competitive series if they had held on to Game 1.
Figuring out how to balance the impressive regular season and frustrating playoffs is difficult for a project like this.
On one hand, Atkinson showed that he can make the absolute best of a bad situation. He continually raised the baseline of a group that had no business winning more than 50 games with the amount of injuries, roster turnover, and off-years from the supporting cast.
Simultaneously, he didn’t elevate this group in the postseason. It never felt like the players were in the best position to succeed, and the adjustments came far too late, if they came at all. That is concerning for a group that wants to compete for titles over the next few seasons.
Overall, I’m going to lean more positive. The playoff shortcomings don’t happen if this season goes off the rails, as it could’ve.
MEMPHIS, TN - MARCH 27: Alperen Sengun #28 and Amen Thompson #1 of the Houston Rockets high five during the game against the Memphis Grizzlies on March 27, 2026 at FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Rockets fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
This week’s question is an interesting one. We’ve been over and over the fact that the Houston Rockets have two non-shooters in the lineup in Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson. If the Rockets don’t make headway this season with shooting progress for at least one if not both guys, they may end up having to move on from one of them.
So, the question is, if you had to get rid of one of those guys — and only one — which one would it be?
Cast your vote, tell us in the comments, and we’ll be back soon with more Reacts.
ATLANTA, GA - JUNE 06: Marcell Ozuna #24 of the Pittsburgh Pirates looks on from the dugout during the MLB game between the Pittsburg Pirates and the Atlanta Braves on June 6, 2026 at TRUIST Park in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Pittsburgh Pirates have one of the best offensive units in baseball as their lineup is third best in hits, fourth best in RBIs and the fifth best team batting average. One player that has unfortunately not been able to greatly contribute is designated hitter Marcell Ozuna.
Ozuna was signed this offseason to be the Pirates’ primary DH, but has largely not lived up to his former All-Star stature. In 49 games the 35-year-old former Silver Slugger is slashing just .193/.277/.304 with a mere five home runs and 58 strikeouts. Ozuna also has a -.8 WAR on the season.
Despite the struggles, it sounds like the Pirates front office are fully backing Ozuna. General Manager Ben Cherington gave his reasoning for support of Ozuna on the Pirates Insider Show on 93.7 The Fan on Sunday.
“Certainly plenty of runway in terms of being on the team,” Cherington said. “He’s a big part of the team. We keep working with him. He’s made a really good contribution off the field. He hasn’t gotten quite going on the field yet.”
Cherington went on to further say that Manager Don Kelly has a lot at his disposal when shaping the lineup and that has also contributed to Ozuna not being a constant fixture.
“I think the biggest challenge in the short term is the lineup with the roster construction we have right now, there is obviously a lot of days where Donny has a reason to put someone else at DH,” Cherington said. “Whether it’s a particular matchup or whether it’s someone who might need a day off their feet. We would probably expect some more in the short term.”
Marcell Ozuna has the full and undying support of Pirates GM Ben Cherington. Here's a sampling of what he said about the slumping slugger:
"He has plenty of runway on the roster" "He's a big part of the team" "He's done so much for us off the field" "We're gonna give him time"… pic.twitter.com/xlobZUh914
— Andrew Fillipponi (@ThePoniExpress) June 8, 2026
With the flexibility that Kelly has with his lineup, there have been numerous players appear at DH for the club in 2026. Outside of Ozuna Bryan Reynolds, Spencer Horwitz, Brandon Lowe, Oneil Cruz, Ryan O’Hearn and Konnor Griffin have all made appearances as the team’s designated hitter. Just since May 28, there have been six different designated hitters in the lineup.
Although Ozuna has had the most appearances at DH for the Pirates he has gotten off to an ice cold start to 2026. Now again he’s on the back half of his career and his age has shown at the plate. With that being said it’s not the first time “The Big Bear” has had a slow start or a slump before turning things around. Last season he had a similarly slow (and injury riddled) start to his campaign before finishing with 21 homers. Not to mention he’s only two seasons removed from smashing 39 home runs with a National League third best slugging percentage and third best OPS.
Despite Ozuna being viewed by many on the outside as someone the Pirates could easily move on from, Cherington and company still see the upside that the aging slugger can provide.
“We are going to give it time because we see that hot streak for him,” Cherington said. “We want to be the beneficiaries of that, when that happens and are confident that will happen.”
NJ Advance Media | Randy Miller: The Yankees could potentially get two key offensive pieces back soon. Per Miller, both Giancarlo Stanton and Jasson Domínguez ‘could be’ in play by next week, although it’s not official. The former is still running and hitting, and manager Aaron Boone hopes he can return by the next homestand. The Martian, on the other hand, is expected to continue his rehab assignment through the week.
MLB.com | Bryan Hoch: Aaron Judge and Ben Rice had been in a friendly competition in the home run department. Now that the Captain will be out for a while with his injury, the first baseman will likely run away with that unofficial ‘crown.’ He could get much more than that at the end of the season if he keeps up his excellent form, though. Some people think that the Yankees’ chances of securing another AL MVP vanished with Judge’s injury, but be careful: Rice might have something to say about that. We all know that any talk about individual awards in June is awfully premature, but the surging slugger has a good chance of being in the race until the end, as Hoch writes.
“Like I’ve said, it’s just keep focusing on today,” Rice said. “Stay in the present, and we’ll evaluate at the end.” Bobby Witt Jr., Yordan Álvarez, and other potential candidates will be formidable competitors. Even Judge can’t be completely ruled out. But the young Yankees infielder is playing at an MVP level, with a 183 wRC+ and 18 homers entering Monday’s action.
MLB.com | Bryan Hoch: The trade deadline is still a couple of months away, but part of being the Yankees is assuming that every year, prospects are going to be used as trade bait to bring in win-now pieces, save for very few exceptions. Hoch named outfielder Spencer Jones in MLB’s piece highlighting one trade chip per team, saying that “there’s some question about how seriously the Yankees view Jones as part of their future,” and that he could be used as a centerpiece of a deal for a player to cover one of the team’s current needs, including “a starting catcher.”
Newsday | Erik Boland: The Yankees will be without Judge for at least two months, if not more. Per Boland and rival scouts, the rotation is now tasked with carrying the team for as long as the three-time AL MVP is out. “That rotation looks so much better top to bottom than everyone else’s [in the American League],” a talent evaluator said. “And that’s without Max Fried.”
More than ever before, the Yankees will need to rely on their starters to minimize the impact of losing the best hitter of our generation for several weeks. Even Judge himself knows it: “We’ve got a great pitching staff [that’s] going to continue to carry this team,” he said this past weekend.
Every organization searches for talent, but the truly special ones find someone who quietly changes the culture the moment he walks through the door.
That’s exactly why the Colorado Avalanche shouldn’t hesitate to bring Brent Burns back for another season.
More Than An Iron Man
At 41 years old, Brent Burns is much closer to the final chapter of an extraordinary NHL career than the beginning, yet his value to the Colorado Avalanche extends far beyond his minutes on the blue line.
His greatest contribution isn't measured by goals, assists or blocked shots. It's measured by habits.
Brent Burns working with Nikita Prishchepov.
Burns is routinely among the first players to arrive at the rink and one of the last to leave, carrying the same relentless work ethic that first turned heads when he broke into junior hockey with the Couchiching Terriers in 2001.
During training camp and throughout the season, Burns could regularly be found staying long after practice had officially ended, working through extra drills with prospects. The Hockey News watched him spend additional time on the ice with Nikita Prishchepov, offering instruction after most of the rink had already emptied.
There are countless ways to teach the game, but the most effective lessons are often demonstrated rather than spoken.
For a generation of younger players trying to establish themselves, those routines become impossible to ignore.
The Standard Never Changes
Hockey continues to evolve with speed, skill and technology, but one ingredient remains constant on every championship contender: veterans who refuse to lower the standard.
Burns embodies that philosophy.
Despite battling multiple injuries throughout the season, he appeared in every single game, extending his consecutive games played streak to 1,007 regular-season contests. Only Phil Kessel's 1,064-game iron man streak stands ahead of him in NHL history.
That level of consistency cannot be manufactured.
Colorado's younger players see someone who has spent a quarter century preparing the same way every day and understand exactly why longevity isn't an accident.
He can still flatten an opponent when necessary, still fire pucks through traffic and still provide the emotional lift every contender needs during difficult stretches.
Talent helps teams reach the postseason.
Character helps them survive it.
A Locker Room Built On Character
One interaction away from the cameras perfectly illustrates why Burns has earned so much respect throughout the hockey world.
After practice one day, this writer was unexpectedly stopped by Burns inside the locker room. The conversation had nothing to do with systems, analytics or hockey strategy.
Instead, Burns was genuinely interested in hearing my life story, how I arrived at The Hockey News and where the sport fit into my journey.
It wasn't a brief exchange born out of obligation. It was authentic curiosity from someone whose reputation as one of hockey's friendliest personalities is every bit as real as advertised.
That mindset carries over to everything he does, whether it's mentoring prospects, interacting with staff members or setting the daily example for teammates.
Nathan MacKinnon summed up Burns' longevity with a smile before the Western Conference Final against the Vegas Golden Knights.
“I think with Burnsy, he just sleeps a lot — more than anybody,” he stated prior to the beginning of the Western Conference Final series against the Vegas Golden Knights. “He’s like a big bear. He’ll nap between 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. and then go to sleep for another 10 hours. It’s crazy. I think that’s a big reason why he’s played so long.”
Whether he's training relentlessly or eating meat harvested from hunts on his ranch, Burns has remained committed to the same disciplined lifestyle that has carried him through 25 professional seasons.
The Perfect Mentor For Colorado's Future
The only major accomplishment missing from Burns' remarkable résumé is a Stanley Cup championship.
His place in the Hockey Hall of Fame feels inevitable.
His impact on Colorado, however, is already happening.
While his 12 goals and 23 assists won't resemble the offensive numbers from his prime, they remain productive contributions from a defenseman entering his 40s. The turnovers became more noticeable as the season wore on, but injuries almost certainly played a role. The Hockey News learned earlier this season that Burns was dealing with an undisclosed injury that would normally sideline most players for weeks.
Instead, he did what he's always done.
He kept playing.
Like a throwback cowboy refusing to quit, Burns fought through the pain and continued launching pucks toward the net, even during Colorado's Western Conference Final sweep against Vegas.
His point wrist shot in Game 2 created Ross Colton's opening goal after generating a rebound in front of Carter Hart, briefly giving the Avalanche momentum before the Golden Knights rallied with three third-period goals to seize control of the series.
Colorado’s future is beginning to arrive.
College standouts T.J. Hughes and Matthew DiMarsico are joining the organization, along with undrafted prospect Nikita Novosyolov. Their development will depend on skill, opportunity and patience.
It will also benefit from sharing a dressing room with someone who has spent decades proving that professionalism is a daily choice.
The numbers will eventually stop.
The iron man streak will eventually end.
One day, Brent Burns will skate off an NHL ice surface for the final time.
Burns’ run with the Sharks was nothing short of legendary. Credit: Kirby Lee
But that day doesn’t have to be today.
The Avalanche don’t need him to score 20 goals or play 27 minutes a night. They need him to show the next wave of players what it takes to survive—and thrive—in the world’s best hockey league.
Re-signing Burns for one more season isn’t simply about rewarding a future Hall of Famer. It’s about preserving a culture that championship organizations spend years trying to build.
If Colorado wants its young talent to develop alongside one of the game’s most respected professionals, the decision should be an easy one.
Bring Brent Burns back for another year, let him keep firing pucks from the blue line and mentoring the kids after practice.
If the youngsters leave the ice carrying even a fraction of Burns’ work ethic, humility and attitude, the Avalanche will have gained something far more valuable than another defenseman.
Poor attention to detail on defense. Untimely turnovers. Not enough movement off the ball on offense. Too much dribbling. Slow decision-making. And on and on.
But one thing ate at Brown as much as anything listed above: the officiating.
“They came and took the game. But I will say this: I never thought I would be in the NBA Finals and see a team get 24 free throw attempts in the second half to another team's eight,” Brown said late Monday night. “I don't think I complain much about officials or the fairness when it comes to the free throw attempts….Maybe we were fouling. But they fouled, too.
“KAT gets the ball off of a loose-ball rebound and he shoots it, and he gets whacked across the arm and they hit the ball and it goes out of bounds on the baseline. There's no foul. There were opportunities for fouls to be called, to at least try to even the free throws out,” he continued.
“Now, we didn't play good. San Antonio played great. We could have played better. There was a lot of things that we didn't do that we did in Game 1 and Game 2. But to go 24 free throw attempts in the second half, that's 48 for the game if you think about the way they called that second half, compared to eight. All the shots we took, we got fouled four times, roughly, for eight free throw attempts. Again, I don't complain much. I never thought I'd see that in an NBA Finals game, and I saw it tonight. That's tough to overcome when you're playing against a great team.”
The Knicks were in the bonus three minutes into the fourth quarter, so they played a role in the free-throw discrepancy.
But the officiating -- in general -- has been an issue for New York. There were complaints about calls behind the scenes over the first two games.
On Monday, Brown made his case publicly.
“There are a lot of things we can do better and we are going to have to do better, but the same breath, like I said, hopefully they will see some more fouls called against them, so it's not 24-8,” Brown said. “This is a four-point ballgame. Four-point ballgame. One-possession ballgame going down the stretch. It's tough to overcome.
“If they do this in Game 4 where it's 24-8 in the second half,” he continued. "It's going to be tough for us to win.”
Sometimes in playoff series, this public plea can change how the next game is called.
We’ll find out on Wednesday if Brown’s words will have that kind of impact.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JUNE 08: William Contreras #24 of the Milwaukee Brewers celebrates a 3 run home run in the 10th inning during the game between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Athletics at Las Vegas Ballpark on Monday, June 8, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Entering the series in Las Vegas, the potential for a high-scoring series was seen by many. It didn’t take long for the game to live up to it. In a marathon game that may go down as a classic this season, both teams rallied from four-run deficits and the game went into extra innings. It was the Brewers who just managed to come out on top, defeating the Athletics 15-14 in 12 innings.
The Brewers gave starter Kyle Harrison a lead to work with before he even threw a pitch. Jackson Chourio had the first hit in Las Vegas with a one-out single, and William Contreras walked to move him into scoring position. Jake Bauers remained hot, singling to left to put the Brewers up 1-0.
It's an extraordinary night to vote Jake Bauers into the All-Star Game
After that, the home run derby commenced. It started with a leadoff home run by Shea Langeliers, tying the game at 1-1. Harrison recovered from there in the first, working around a walk to keep the Athletics at bay while striking out two. In the next inning, while the Athletics didn’t hit one out of the ballpark, deep back-to-back doubles by Zack Gelof and Alika Williams brought in a run to take a 2-1 lead.
In the third inning, it was the Brewers’ turn to blast some home runs. It started with Brice Turang, who followed a Chourio single with a massive 443 foot home run to center field, grabbing the lead 3-2.
America deserves to see Brice Turang do this at the All-Star Game
Unfortunately, the Athletics got to Harrison in the third inning. The first five batters all reached base against him. It started with two singles, a walk, and then an RBI single from Max Muncy that scored two. The fifth batter was Tyler Soderstrom, who homered to center for a 7-4 lead. After a strikeout, Gelof added another home run to increase it to 8-4. That was it for Harrison, and Murphy replaced him with Grant Anderson, who got out of the inning with no more damage.
It was a night to forget for Harrison, and over the course of a season, may be the start you throw out when talking about him. He allowed eight runs in 2 1/3 innings, coming on eight hits and two walks. Three of those hits went for home runs and five were extra-base hits. He struck out four as well.
The fourth inning was an anomaly as neither team scored a run, one of the only combined scoreless innings of the game. That went back to normal in the fifth. Contreras hit a one-out single, and Vaughn brought him in with an RBI double, closing the gap to 8-5.
Anderson kept the Brewers in the game with 2 2/3 scoreless inning before Joel Kuhnel made his Brewers debut in the sixth. While he struck out the side, the Athletics did add on with a Nick Kurtz home run to push it back to a four-run deficit, 9-5. It was one of the weakest home runs of the year with a 97.4 EV, 36 degree launch angle, and a .150 xBA. To his credit, it would have been a home run in 29 of 30 MLB ballparks.
The Brewers did not give up. In the seventh, Chourio recorded his third hit of the day. Two batters later, Bauers hit his 12th home run of the season, closing the gap to 9-7.
Kuhnel started the eighth and recorded two more outs, adding a fourth strikeout as well. Drew Rom followed him after that, but could not escape the home run bug. Soderstrom hit his second home run of the day and pushed the gap to 10-7. He got out of the inning with a strikeout of Gelof to keep the score there.
The woodpeckers kept pecking away. Luis Rengifo led off the eighth with a walk. Two batters later, Christian Yelich singled to center, and a throwing error by Bolte let Rengifo reach third and Yelich reach second. Then, with Chourio at the plate, Mark Leiter Jr. threw one to the backstop, normally not far enough to score but Rengifo was ready. He ran home and beat the throw, and it was back down to a two-run deficit. Chourio walked to give the Brewers another scoring chance, but Turang grounded into a double play to end the inning.
Rom kept the Athletics in check in the eighth to give the Brewers a chance in the ninth. It started with a Contreras single. Bauers then kept on walking, adding another to his season total to push Contreras into scoring position. Then, with Vaughn up (who is hot facing left-handed pitchers), on a 2-1 count manager Pat Murphy decided to pinch-run Blake Perkins for Bauers. Maybe it was a premonition, because on the next pitch, Vaughn doubled down the left field line, scoring both and tying the game at 10-10. Bauers might have scored on it regardless, but Perkins made it without a doubt.
Unfortunately, the Brewers couldn’t get ahead as Mitchell, Rengifo, and David Hamilton (who entered in the eighth inning as a defensive replacement) all struck out. It was up to Aaron Ashby to send it to extras, and he did that. He did allow a two-out single, but struck out two and the game went into extra innings.
The Brewers were up first with Hamilton on second as the placed runner. Hogan Harris entered the game in relief for the Athletics. Yelich started it off with a single, moving Hamilton up but it hung too long for him to score. That didn’t matter as he scored on the next at-bat, with Chourio hitting a sacrifice fly to score Hamilton, and let Yelich reach second.
The Athletics then chose to intentionally walk Turang and face Contreras instead. After three balls far out of the strike zone, Contreras mashed a fastball down the middle. He hit it so hard that he ended up on his butt. He just watched it fly for a few seconds, as it was way out to center and flew 463 feet. The Brewers had a 14-10 lead.
With a four-run lead, Ashby was in position to vulture his 10th win of the season. The bottom of the inning started well enough, as Ashby struck out Gelof and then got Williams to ground out for the first two outs. Unfortunately, the home run derby continued. It started with a single by Langeliers to center to make it a 14-11 game. Then, Kurtz hit one out to right to make it a one-run game.
The next batter, pinch-hitter Jonah Heim, hit what appeared to be a pop-up to end it. However, it kept carrying, and just snuck over the right field fence and over Perkins’ glove for another home run. If this was in an actual MLB park, it would not have been a home run in any of them. It only traveled 316 feet, had a 48 degree launch angle, and a 94.7 mph exit velocity. The game was tied at 14-14.
Murphy pulled Ashby for Uribe, who allowed another pop-up, but this one stayed in the park and landed in Chourio’s glove. The game kept going and went to the 11th.
José Suarez came in for the Athletics, with the bottom of the Brewers’ order up and Mitchell at second. This time, the Brewers couldn’t get anything going. Rengifo, Hamilton, and Yelich didn’t even put a ball in play, with all three striking out in order to end the inning.
That left it up to Uribe to get the game to the 12th inning. It started with a groundout from pinch-hitter Carlos Cortes that kept the runner at second for the first out. After the Brewers intentionally walked Soderstrom to set up the double play, Uribe struck out Bolte for the second out. He followed that up with a strikeout of Gelof, aided by a generous strike three call. It was the first combined scoreless inning since the fourth inning, and the game moved to the 12th.
Yelich began the inning as the placed runner with Chourio at the plate. He immediately gave the Brewers a runner at third when he stole third without a throw. Chourio ended up striking out for the first out. Next up was Turang, and he hit a ground ball at second baseman Jeff McNeil. He went home with the throw, but it was off and Yelich scored. Turang wasn’t aware so he didn’t advance to second, but the Brewers had a 15-14 lead.
The Brewers couldn’t add on to that, though were almost gifted a baserunner when a two-out ground ball from Perkins almost pulled Kurtz off the bag, but he just held the bag on review. Murphy went to Patrick for the bottom of the 12th, holding on to a one-run lead with Gelof placed at second.
The Athletics went the safe route and had Williams bunt, which worked perfectly for them and moved Gelof to third. It brought up a tense battle with Langeliers, and Patrick won it by striking him out. Murphy then chose to walk Kurtz intentionally, and Jeff McNeil came in to pinch-hit. Patrick struck him out and the Brewers came away winners, 15-14.
This game set several high marks for offense this season. The two teams combined for 29 runs and 11 home runs, both season highs in a single game. The teams also combined to make 16 ABS challenges, with 11 of them overturned. There were 34 hits, 11 walks, and 35 strikeouts. It was also one of the longest games of the season, coming in at 4 hours and 14 minutes.
Here is a full list of the home runs. While the ball was flying tonight, most of the home runs were good ones. Eight of the 11 would have been out in all 30 MLB parks, and 10 would have been out in at least 25 of them. For reference, between all eight MLB games today, there were 21 home runs hit, and 11 came in this game.
Langeliers (17, 1st inning, 483 feet)
Turang (10, 3rd inning, 443 feet)
Vaughn (2, 3rd inning, 420 feet)
Soderstrom (9, 3rd inning, 434 feet)
Gelof (7, 3rd inning, 391 feet)
Kurtz (13, 6th inning, 374 feet)
Bauers (12, 7th inning, 457 feet)
Soderstrom (10, 7th inning, 418 feet)
Contreras (6, 10th inning, 463 feet)
Kurtz (14, 10th inning, 447 feet)
Heim (4, 10th inning, 316 feet)
For the Brewers, Vaughn led the team in hits with a 4-for-6 day, driving in four as well. He had a home run, two doubles, and a single, finishing a triple short of the cycle. Chourio and Contreras each reached base four times with three hits and a walk. Turang, Contreras, and Bauers each drove in three runs. Every starter reached base at least twice except for Mitchell, who went 0-for-6.
As for the pitching staff, let’s not say too much there. Every pitcher did strike out at least two batters as they combined for 20 strikeouts. Anderson, Uribe, and Patrick had scoreless appearances. Unfortunately, they did give up seven of the 11 home runs hit in the game. They did use seven relievers in the game, with Trevor Megill the only reliever who did not pitch. Also, despite the eight runs given up, the Brewers won their ninth straight game with Harrison starting.
It’s going to be a short rest before tomorrow’s game, as this was just the first game of a three-game series. The encore will take place tomorrow evening at 9:05 p.m., with Robert Gasser set to face J.T. Ginn.
