Colt Keith’s home run trio powers a bullpen-day victory

Jun 15, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Detroit Tigers catcher Dillon Dingler (13) hugs third baseman Colt Keith (33) after he hit a two run home run against the Houston Astros in the third inning at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images | Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

After a pair of disappointing losses and a rainout at home against the Guardians, the Tigers hit the road for the Lone Star State, the Bluebonnet State, the Home of the Whopper (I assume) for the opener of a three-game series against the Astros in Houston. It didn’t exactly go as the Tigers initially envisioned it, I imagine, but in the end Detroit came away with a comfortable 9-3 victory on Monday night — and, holy mackerel, did Colt Keith have a night.

Troy Melton woke up with lower-back tightness, so Drew Anderson got the spot start. (Get well soon, Troy. Please.) Anderson has generally been solid whenever in the game he’s been asked to pitch; he made a similar start back on May 20 against Cleveland and he pitched into the fifth, giving up no runs, two hits, and striking out seven. He’s been decent recently, too: in June coming into today, Anderson had pitched 5 2/3 innings, giving up seven hits and two runs across five relief appearances.

Facing the Tigers was Kai-Wei Teng, a right-hander from Taiwan in his first season in Houston. He’s had some mixed results so far in his career in North America, spending time with the Giants the last two seasons. Like almost all of his colleagues on the Houston pitching staff, he’s been walking a ton of batters — about 4.2 per 9 innings — so it was important that the Tigers needed to be patient against Teng to get runners on base.

The Tigers loaded the bases with two out in the first after a pair of walks and a hit-batsman. Keith then got clipped by a very, very wild pitch that nicked his back-foot calf pant-leg to force in a run, putting the Tigers up 1-0. With the bases still loaded, Spencer Torkelson struck out on a sweeper for the third out, and what a strange inning: two walks, two hit-by-pitches, three strikeouts, and no balls in play. (Do not say Teng “struck out the side.”)

Anderson had a similarly silly first inning: he struck out three, but walked a pair and gave up a single; fortunately there were no runs scored. Sheesh, if you were going to show a young pitcher a tape of how not to pitch an inning of baseball, show him either halves of this one (or both).

Kevin McGonigle tattooed a fastball in the second, smashing a solo home run to right field for a 2-0 lead.

The next batter, Gleyber Torres, swung-and-missed and appeared to re-aggrivate that oblique injury from which he’d just returned from the Injured List. It was a problem last year, it’s been a problem this year, and you have to wonder for how long he’ll be on the shelf this time. Hao-Yu Lee came into the game in Torres’ place.

In the third inning and with a runner on base, Keith launched his first home run of the night deep to right-centre to put the Tigers up 4-0. Torkelson followed with a home run of his own, his twelfth of the year, off the left-field foul pole for a 5-0 lead.

Anderson departed with two outs and a runner on first in the bottom of the third, and Jacob Waugespack relieved him. It did not go well, as Old Friend™ Isaac Paredes smacked a home run for a 5-2 score. Jose Altuve, a thorn in the Tigers’ side for years, completed Houston’s own back-to-back trick to narrow the lead to 5-3.

The first two times through the Tigers lineup, Teng faced 18 batters: he struck out nine of them, walked two, hit two, and gave up three home runs. That’s just silly. Not long after, having given up a pair of singles to put runners on the corners with one out in the fourth, Teng departed for a lefty and Jahmai Jones pinch-hit for Kerry Carpenter.

Now, I know, by the numbers, you sometimes have to look at the lefty-righty thing. But really, in the fourth inning, in a two-run game at the time, do you really want to pull Carpenter from the game in favour of Jones? Knowing Carpenter is now gone for the remainder of the contest? That’s two at-bats (at least) that you’re getting Jones instead of Carpenter. I’m no major-league manager, but that just feels… wrong.

Dingler led off the fifth with a triple, and after a one-out walk he scored on a passed ball to make it 6-3. Then, in the top of the seventh, Keith blasted his second tater of the night, scoring Dingler again, for an 8-3 lead.

And if you thought Keith was done — remember, coming into tonight he had exactly one (1) home run so far this season — well, he wasn’t. Here’s his third home run:

That is a silly, short left field, but hey, the Tigers spend half the year in a park in which 410 feet to straightaway centre is an out. Dimensions give, and dimensions take away; just relax and enjoy one of our fellows hitting three dingers in a game, alright?

Final score: Tigers 9, Astros 3

Notes and Corrections

  • Further research has uncovered that the Home of the Whopper — i.e., Burger King — is, in fact, Jacksonville, Florida. Bless You Boys apologizes for the error
  • Did you see that, after taking two out of three on the weekend against the Dodgers, the Chicago White Sox are tied for the lead in the American League Central? As Clark Griswold once said, “I wouldn’t have been more surprised if I’d woken up with my head sewn to the carpet.”
  • On this day in 1789, Josiah Henson was born as an enslaved person in Maryland. Eventually, after a tough early life — as you can imagine — he made it to freedom in Canada with his wife and children in 1830. They settled near Dresden, Ontario, starting the Dawn Settlement and Henson became a pastor and a community leader, a soldier in the Canadian Militia, and eventually met Queen Victoria. His homestead near Dresden is now the Josian Henson Museum of African-Canadian History.

Twins 4, Rangers 2: Oops, all dongs

ARLINGTON, TEXAS - JUNE 15: Byron Buxton #25 of the Minnesota Twins celebrates his solo home run against the Texas Rangers during the sixth inning at Globe Life Field on June 15, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Dongs, taters, bombs, dingers, moonshots, in play run(s). Whatever you call them, there’s few things better than when your favorite team hits them and worse than when they give them up. In this case, the good guys hit one more than their oppenents and a couple of them was all it took to take home a win.

Things got off to a quick start for the Twins. After a leadoff double by Austin Martin, Texas starter McKenzie Gore got Byron Buxton and Kody Clemens, but a well-earned walk from rejuvenated Royce Lewis let Josh Bell bang a three-run dong and take an early lead. With rookie Mike Paredes on the mound, an early cushion was much appreciated.

Gore settled in from there, retiring 14 of the next 15 Minnesota batters before a Byron Buxton bomb broke the dry spell. And I’ll use this opportunity to take a brief detour into “Why Byron Buxton is the Best.” Buxton now has 23 home runs, third in all of baseball and trailing only Yordan Alvarez and Kyle Schwarber, two of the best home run hitters in the league over the past decade. Buxton has also done it in 30 fewer PAs than Schwarber and 40 fewer than Alvarez. Famously, Alvarez and Schwarber play almost exclusively at DH while Buxton is still one of the best defenders and base runners in baseball at age 32. Since the start of 2024, Buck’s .554 slugging percentage is fourth in baseball among qualified batters, trailing only Alvarez and the two reigning back-to-back MVPs, Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani.

Buxton has always been one of the most valuable players in MLB on a rate basis but never put it all together due to his injuries. But somehow in his 30s, Buxton is healthier than ever and is straight up one of the best power hitters in baseball without any caveats. He’s a surefire All-Star starter and STILL one of the most exciting players to watch. The Twins have been disappointing the past three years, but none of that is because of their star.

Meanwhile, Paredes had his best outing of his young career. He was nearly perfect his first time through the order with a hit batter and a single as the only base runners. Second time through was a little rougher. The first pitch Paredes threw was a cutter down the heart of the plate to Joc Pederson who promptly deposited that ball into the right field bleachers, but those were the only runs allowed on the night. I don’t know if Paredes has a real future in the league (he gave up eight hard-hit balls in under five innings which is not a winning formula for a guy with lackluster stuff) but I’ll reiterate what I said in the game thread: he’s kept the Twins in games in a stretch when pitchers much more accomplished than him haven’t been able to, and that’s worth something.

Even rarer than a solid outing from a 12th-string starting pitcher: the Twins’ bullpen had an easy night. Taylor Rogers, Andrew Morris, Eric Orze, and Yoendrys Gomez combined pitch 4.1 innings of scoreless ball, allowing only a single baserunner on a two-out single. Even better news: Mick Abel is on track to return next week and Kendry Rojas shortly thereafter. May we do everything in our power to have one of the worst bullpens in the game avoid bullpen games going forward. Amen.

STUDS

  • Josh Bell: 2-4, HR, 3 RBI
  • Byron Buxton: 23rd HR of the season, putting him one behind the league lead
  • Mike Paredes and the Bullpen Boyz: 9 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 7 K

DUDS

  • Milk Duds, Jared Dudley, Dudley Dursley all have duds but none of them are on the Twins AKA NO DUDS TWINS WIN!!

Cubs star Pete Crow-Armstrong hits for rare cycle

Pete Crow-Armstrong did the hard part first.

The center fielder hit for the cycle in the Chicago Cubs' 5-4 win Monday night against the Colorado Rockies at Wrigley Field, and he did it backwards. He led off the bottom of the first with a 434-foot home run off of Michael Lorenzen. He tripled in the third inning and doubled in the fifth. He dropped a single in the seventh to complete one of the rarest feats in baseball.

And then in a very PCA-way, he got picked off first base on the very next pitch.

It was the first cycle in the majors this season, the first of his career and just the 13th in Cubs history. It was the first cycle by a Cubs player since Carson Kelly in 2025. Cycles are about as rare as no-hitters. There have been roughly 350 since 1882. There are only 14 natural cycles, which means hitting one in order.

On the very next pitch, after completing the cycle, Crow-Armstrong drifted too far off first. Brennan Bernadino wheeled and threw to TJ Rumfield to catch him.

If you want Crow-Armstrong explained in a single evening, that might be it. He is one of the most talented players in baseball and one of the most maddening, sometimes in the same trip to the plate. His tools are absurd. He flies on the bases, runs down almost everything in center and when he is locked in, the bat is unreal. Since May 30, when he answered a section of St. Louis hecklers with a 444-foot homer, he is hitting .453 with seven home runs and a 19-game on-base streak.

He is just 24.

Crow-Armstrong is also a career .245 hitter who runs himself into outs and goes quiet for stretches. In one night, he showed it all and put himself in the record books.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Pete Crow-Armstrong hits for cycle and then Cubs star is picked off

Eugenio Suárez homers twice as Reds smash Mets 12-0

CINCINNATI, OHIO - JUNE 15: Eugenio Suárez #28 of the Cincinnati Reds rounds the bases after hitting a grand slam in the second inning against the New York Mets at Great American Ball Park on June 15, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Cincinnati Reds entered Monday night’s game against the New York Mets with the second worst run differential in all of Major League Baseball, second only to the woeful Colorado Rockies. Thanks to Eugenio Suárez, they improved that number by a boatload.

Suárez socked a 2-run homer in the Bottom of the 1st inning to give Chase Burns an early 3-0 lead, and expanded upon that later with a grand slam the broke the game wide open. Burns poured in what he typically does when he’s on the mound for the Reds – a scoreless 5.0 IP with 7 K – and JJ Bleday later added a 3-run tater of his own, the combined efforts of which resulted in a massive 12-0 win for the Redlegs on the day.

It was precisely the kind of victory Cincinnati needed to help flush the recent memories of their five consecutive lost series down the loo, in theory. Their offense has been so lackluster that it’s put undo pressure on the inexperienced bullpen with just about every pitch they’ve thrown for weeks, and the end result has been a litany of games that the Reds once led slightly that fell by the wayside late. This time, though, Cincinnati’s offense burst things open and refused to slow down, cinching things before it ever had a chance to get close.

In Suárez, Cincinnati has perhaps the single biggest wild card in the National League. He’s a guy who has twice socked 49 homers in a single season, though this year saw an oblique injury sideline him for longer than he’s ever been out before. Since he returned, he’s not quite been right, but if he once again gets hot as the summer months roll around, the Reds might still have the vaunted slugger in the heart of their order that they hoped they’d get when they signed him to a 1-year, $15 million deal this winter.

That would certainly be something for this offense, who has desperately needed his presence all year and simply hasn’t had it in the form we’d all hoped…yet. If he’s back – and if Elly De La Cruz is back by the end of the week – this Cincinnati Reds club might still have enough legs to be relevant for when Hunter Greene returns healthy to co-ace with Burns.

It’s a lot to ask for, sure, but it sure is easy to dream on the possibilities of that roster after a night like this.

Mets give up twelve runs to and get shut out by Reds

Manager Carlos Mendoza of the New York Mets relieves Tobias Myers #32 in the second inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on June 15, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio.

The 2026 Mets will happily burst your bubble. Coming off a weekend that saw them take two of three from the Braves, the Mets’ series opener against the Reds offered the opportunity to take another step forward. Instead, they fell behind 9-0 early, left an incredible number of runners on base in the middle innings, and saw mop-up man David Peterson serve up a three-home run run in the bottom of the eighth—and found themselves getting shut out just three quick outs later.

When the Mets optioned Tobias Myers to Triple-A Syracuse recently, there was some reporting that the organization intended to stretch him out. While he was there, though, his outings resembled the ones he had made at the major league level.

Whatever the case with the plan, or the lack of one, Myers looked downright awful in his return from the minors. In one-and-one-third innings, he threw 43 pitches, gave up a staggering seven earned runs, struck out one, walked three, and gave up four hits.

Jonathan Pintaro wasn’t nearly that bad, but he gave up a pair of runs of his own in the bottom of the second after taking over for Myers. The Mets were down by nine. To his credit, Pintaro put up three scoreless innings from there.

A capable major league lineup could’ve easily gotten back into the game with the opportunities that presented themselves over those aforementioned middle innings. The Mets loaded the bases in the fourth and failed to score. They loaded them again in the fifth, and they failed to score once again. They got two runners on base in the sixth, but they failed to score then, too. And they loaded the bases in the seventh but failed to score again.

Add all of that up, and the Mets left eleven runners on base over the course of four innings, an impressive exercise in futility.

Even after the series win over the weekend, the Mets had a lot of work to do. But if you were feeling optimistic and thinking that the Mets might be able to pass the Reds in the standings by the end of this three-game series, well, there goes that.

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NBA Draft Rumors: Darryn Peterson going #1?

EL SEGUNDO, CA - MAY 04: Darryn Peterson handles the ball during his workout on May 04, 2026 at Meyer Institute Of Sport in El Segundo, California. 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 Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

According to Ben Anderson, Darryn Peterson’s camp is “very confident they are going #1,” and this is the reason for the change of plans to work out with the Utah Jazz.

Does this mean that Darryn Peterson is avoiding Utah because he doesn’t want to play in Utah? It doesn’t look it. It appears that this has everything to do with him wanting to be the #1 pick.

From Anderson:

…there has been “plenty of communication” between the Jazz and Peterson, and the Kansas guard was not “trying to avoid Utah at all.”

This is definitely the biggest tell that maybe the Wizards aren’t as locked in on AJ Dybantsa at #1 as we thought. Shams Charania has also continued to talk about this story and says that “both AJ Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson believe they will be the #1 pick in the draft.”

How this affects the Jazz is who they end up drafting. It has been clear since before the NBA lottery that the two best prospects in this draft are Dybantsa and Peterson. When Utah landed the #2 pick on lottery night, their pick was always going to depend on who the Wizards picked at #1. So, how this changes things for Utah is whether they are printing Dybantsa or Peterson jerseys next season.

On a side note, the idea that Utah would somehow pick Boozer at #2 keeps getting floated by NBA media like Bill Simmons and Kevin O’Connor, but this has always been a two-man draft at the top between Dybantsa and Peterson. Utah will get whoever the Wizards don’t pick, and you can bet they will be happy either way.

35-37 – Rangers get most momentum-shifted in 4-2 loss to Twins

Jun 15, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers left fielder Wyatt Langford (36) looks on as Minnesota Twins designated hitter Josh Bell (not pictured) hits a three run home run against the Texas Rangers during the first inning at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Texas Rangers scored two runs but the Minnesota Twins scored four runs.

MacKenzie Gore allowed four hits over seven innings with just a couple of walks and ten strikeouts so he obviously had an excellent start, right?

Well see the problem with that is two of those hits were home runs and one of them, a three-run shot by Josh Bell with two outs in the top of the first inning, was a back-breaker that proved all that Minnesota would need as it accomplished that thing the Rangers like to do this season where they allow first inning runs and then decided “well, I guess the game’s already over.”

That prophecy was fulfilled as though they out-hit the Twins 5-to-4, the Rangers only had two opportunities with RISP all night and converted on neither.

Player of the Game: Joc Pederson hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the third inning and then Texas never scored again.

Up Next: The Rangers and Twins are back for the second game of this series with RHP Kumar Rocker expected to make the start for Texas opposite RHP Zebby Matthews for Minnesota.

The Tuesday evening first pitch from The Shed is scheduled for 7:05 pm CDT and you can watch it on the Rangers Sports Network.

Why the Avalanche's Biggest Battle Will Start on Day One of Training Camp

Nobody expected Scott Wedgewood to take over Colorado's crease, but training camp could determine whether he ever gives it back.

The most intriguing storyline surrounding the Colorado Avalanche next season won't be a trade deadline addition or a midseason surge. It'll begin the first day training camp opens.

Can Mackenzie Blackwood take the starting job back from Scott Wedgewood?

The Avalanche will continue to call it a tandem, and that's the expected answer. But when the games carried the most weight, the rotation largely disappeared. Wedgewood got the lion's share of the starts in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, making it clear who Jared Bednar trusted when everything was on the line.

That has become a talking point for a fanbase still trying to process how a team that looked like a legitimate Stanley Cup favorite was swept by the Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference Final.

As always, the search for blame began almost immediately.

Brock Nelson's production was scrutinized. Martin Necas became an easy target. Nathan MacKinnon's injury entered the conversation. But reducing Colorado's collapse to one player or one moment ignores what actually happened.

The Avalanche were pushed around from the opening faceoff of Game 1. They lost battles along the boards, struggled to manage the puck, and repeatedly surrendered leads. The speed and offensive firepower that masked so many flaws during the regular season suddenly disappeared, leaving behind the defensive lapses and careless turnovers that had quietly followed the team all year.

That's why the spotlight has now landed on Wedgewood.

He certainly had difficult moments against Vegas, but there were remarkably few instances where you could point to an obvious bad goal and say he cost Colorado the game. More often than not, he was dealing with odd-man rushes, broken coverage, or self-inflicted mistakes in front of him.

Ironically, this entire conversation may have started months before the playoffs.

Blackwood entered the season recovering from a lower-body injury that Bednar later acknowledged to The Hockey News took longer than expected to heal.

The Hockey News attended several voluntary offseason skates, and Blackwood participated in one late in the summer alongside several AHL players. From this writer's vantage point, he looked noticeably slow—enough that it raised concerns. During another session a few days later, Blackwood audibly groaned in pain during a drill before leaving the ice and disappearing from workouts for an extended stretch.

It became increasingly obvious he wasn't fully healthy.

While Blackwood worked his way back, Wedgewood quietly took advantage of the opportunity. He handled the majority of the reps, looked comfortable from the start, and carried that confidence into the regular season.

That's really where this story began.

Wedgewood came out flying and stayed that way for long stretches, while Blackwood never quite found a consistent rhythm. He started slowly, caught fire, cooled off again, and spent much of the season alternating between brilliant and ordinary performances. Even so, he closed the year with a tremendous effort in Game 4 despite the loss.

It's also worth remembering that Blackwood and Wedgewood are built differently as goaltenders.

Bednar has explained that Blackwood is at his best when he has consistent preparation, regular reps, and the chance to settle into a rhythm over multiple starts. Wedgewood, meanwhile, is almost a throwback. He can sit for a week, step into the crease without warning, and immediately give his team a chance to win.

That's been the story of his career.

He's bounced around the league enough to earn the journeyman label, but somewhere along the way he quietly became one of the NHL's most dependable—and underrated—goaltenders.

There's a reason Avalanche fans embraced the nickname "The Lumberyard."

Wedgewood didn't simply keep the net warm while Blackwood recovered. He grabbed the opportunity and turned it into the best season of his career.

He finished 31-6-6 in 45 appearances with a 2.02 goals-against average and a career-high—and league-leading—.921 save percentage. Those numbers went a long way toward explaining why he and Blackwood shared the William M. Jennings Trophy as the NHL's top goaltending tandem.

Blackwood's season deserves a little more context than the raw numbers provide.

Despite never fully settling into a rhythm, he still posted a 23-10-2 record with a 2.51 goals-against average and a .904 save percentage. Considering his save percentage dipped below .900 at multiple points before climbing back over the mark by season's end, the finish was more encouraging than it might appear at first glance.

It's difficult to find timing and confidence when you miss training camp, skip the preseason, and spend the opening weeks trying to catch up while the goaltender sharing your crease is putting together one of the best statistical seasons in hockey.

And that's exactly what makes this training camp so compelling.

If Blackwood arrives healthy and finally gets the preparation Bednar believes he needs, the Avalanche could once again have the luxury of two starting-caliber goaltenders pushing each other every night. Wedgewood has already proven he can carry a contender for extended stretches, while Blackwood still possesses the ceiling that convinced Colorado he could be its long-term answer.

Maybe the Avalanche truly do have a tandem.

Or maybe Wedgewood has earned the right to keep the crease until someone takes it away.

Either way, "The Lumberyard" enters next season as one of Colorado's biggest strengths—and perhaps the most fascinating position battle on a roster built to win the Stanley Cup.

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Knicks Roster, Salaries, Cap Space, Available Draft Picks and More

(Note: For more information on CBA terms and their impact, read this breakdown from June 2024.)

The New York Knicks are NBA champions.

Every last move over the last several years, every tweak of the salary cap, every bold decision has all led up to this moment, with the Knicks ending a 53-year long nightmare on Saturday night in San Antonio.

All of the hard work that President of Basketball Operations Leon Rose and his staff have done to shape one of the greatest teams in franchise history should be enjoyed for a long time, but the beauty of being the ones to lift the Larry O’Brien Trophy is that the turnaround is extremely short.

The NBA Draft is on June 23. Free agency begins one week later. In just over weeks, we’ll probably know the direction they’ll go as defending champions in 2026-27.

It’s a lot of work exploring every nook and cranny of NBA business. Thankfully, SBNation is partnering with SalarySwish to use their data and help answer every question we have about the Knicks’ financial situation and what it might mean this offseason and going forward.

Below are the full, comprehensive details from SalarySwish, as well as an FAQ breakdown.

Knicks Roster, Salaries, Draft Picks, Cap Space and More

Here is a table with all of the Knicks’ salary information, courtesy of our friends at SalarySwish:

FAQ

Now, let’s answer some of your most frequently asked questions about the Knicks’salary cap and draft pick situations moving forward.

What is the Knicks’ cap situation?

According to Salary Swish, the New York Knicks have a projected cap hit of $205.4 million for the 2025-26 season with eight players rostered, leaving them $40 million over the projected salary cap. They are $4.4 million over the luxury tax, $4 million beneath the first apron, and $16.9 million beneath the second apron

The first step in the offseason will be seeing what Jose Alvarado does with his $4.5 million player option. I feel like that could go either way. After that, you probably have to deal with restricted free agents Ariel Hukporti and Mo Diawara, who both should be reasonably affordable. The unrestricted free agents include Landry Shamet, Mitchell Robinson, Jeremy Sochan, and Jordan Clarkson.

Is the second apron inevitable?

For those living under a rock, here’s a second apron explainer. You do not want to be there.

The answer is simple. Yes.

The Knicks, fiscally, cannot retain this roster without going into the second apron. Shamet and Robinson alone will make more than the $17 million in space they have, and that’s not even factoring in their draft picks, Alvarado, or the potential for a Diawara offer sheet. Going under the second apron would be pointless, especially with the proof in the pudding that this roster is capable of a championship.

The good news is that the severe punishments of the second apron only come into place in the third year that you operate in it, so the Knicks have the green light to expand payroll to keep this roster together through the end of the 2027-28 season before resetting. That’s your championship window.

How much will the Knicks pay in luxury taxes this year?

SalarySwish currently estimates about $4 million, which isn’t much but that’s before the offseason signings.

This will be the team’s third year in the luxury tax, which will be the last before the team is in the extremely restrictive repeater tax. If we assume the Knicks run it back with market value contracts for some of these players, they’ll likely be $15 million over the second apron, which would amount to over $90 million in total luxury tax.

Get ready to pay up, Mr. Dolan.

Who are extension candidates?

Obviously excluding players hitting free agency, there’s a few players who will be eligible to extend this offseason.

The big one is the Big Bodega, who’s due to make $57 million next year in the final guaranteed year of his last extension with the Minnesota Timberwolves before a $61 million player option in 2027-28. Towns is eligible to sign a four-year, $272 million supermax, a deal worth $68 million per year. His Year 1 salary won’t be too dissimilar to what he’d get anyway in 2027-28 with the player option, but it’ll escalate as he enters his mid-30s.

Is there a chance he takes less? Sure, but we can’t count on that. Now that they’ve won a title, expect guys to get their due rather than sacrificing.

The second key player immediately eligible is sixth-man Deuce McBride, who, despite a disastrous Finals performance, is an integral part of the bench with a criminally low salary of $4 million. He’s now eligible to sign a four-year, $95 million extension, which he won’t get, but could sign for anything less. He’s probably worth $15 million AAV on the open market, so it’ll be interesting to see how the Knicks approach this.

The final player who’ll be extension-eligible is Josh Hart, who will be eligible to extend his current contract on August 10. He’ll be eligible to sign for over $30 million a year, but he won’t receive that. This one is also interesting, as despite how integral he is to the identity of this team, he might not have much longer here.

Hart has made it clear he doesn’t want to play too deep into his 30s, and he turns 32 next March. With a $22 million team option due in 2027-28, could it be possible that the Knicks ride out this contract through Hart’s age-33 season and see how much longer he wants to play at that point?

What draft picks do the Knicks have?

Hey, the Knicks have a first-round pick this year!

Unlike in the NFL, MLB, and NHL, the NBA champion’s pick isn’t automatically moved back to No. 30, so the Knicks will pick 24th in next Tuesday’s draft. They will additionally receive the 31st pick from the Washington Wizards after their flagrant tanking finally ended with the conditional pick not conveying, giving the Knicks their second-round picks in 2026 and 2027. They also have the 55th pick after complex pick-swapping rules resulted in them retaining their pick.

The Knicks actually made out like bandits here despite not receiving a first-rounder. Now, if a team finishes with the worst record in the NBA, their second-round pick gets thrown all the way back to No. 46 thanks to tanking reform. And with the Wizards trying to compete next year, the Knicks won’t have to worry about that with the pick they get for next season.

After those 2026 picks, the Knicks have seven future second-round picks (including three in 2027) and their own first-round picks in 2030, 2032, and 2033. Additionally, they have the lesser of theirs or the Brooklyn Nets’ 2028 first. Due to the Stepien Rule, the Knicks are not allowed to trade their 2030 or 2032 picks unprotected, but are allowed to use them in swaps. The status of the team in the second apron will ultimately determine if the 2033 pick is able to be traded.

If you want to take the role of GM and mock up some trades, check out FanSpo or ESPN’s trade machine. And don’t forget to check your numbers with Salary Swish!

If you found this page useful, please bookmark it and/or share, and if you have any questions or information you’d like to see included, let us know in the comments below!

The Utah Jazz are fumbling Walker Kessler’s contract talks… again.

PHOENIX, ARIZONA - OCTOBER 31: Walker Kessler #24 of the Utah Jazz handles the ball during the first half of the Emirates NBA Cup game against the Phoenix Suns at Mortgage Matchup Center on October 31, 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns defeated the Jazz 118-96. 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 Kelsey Grant/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Utah Jazz’s offseason checklist listed just two crucial items from the moment the regular season concluded: maximize value through the draft, and re-sign Walker Kessler.

Somebody please explain, then, why Kessler and the Jazz are butting heads in contract negotiations for the second straight offseason.

With restricted free agency soon approaching, reports are sprouting from the fertile soil of the NBA offseason — the basketball equivalent of Formula 1’s silly season, in which the public is peppered by a hailstorm of rumors and reports that athletes will be on the move. If it’s interesting or potentially consequential, the eagerly awaiting public will chomp at the first morsel to hit their news feed.

And the Jazz are dipping their toes into those choppy waters by butting heads with their franchise center, Walker Kessler, for the second consecutive season.

Many, many NBA teams wouldn’t hesitate to overpay for a center this offseason, and letting Walker Kessler venture into the waters of free agency — even restricted free agency — will accomplish one of two things. Either the Jazz are forced to match an expensive offer sheet, or they lose a foundational piece of the roster they have spent the past three seasons meticulously constructing.

Finally, at the brink of fielding a competitive roster for the first time since Royce O’Neale was a Jazzman, Utah is letting a routine ground ball roll right past their glove.

Situations like these often boil down to a rousing game of “Who’s being unreasonable?” We’re forced to question whether Utah is being stingy, or if Walker Kessler’s camp is demanding too great a sum. We could be seeing a little bit of both, with lingering resentment and frustration impacting the numbers on either end of this negotiation. Contract negotiations are typically a tight-lipped interaction between the player’s representation and their team’s front office, so it’s hard to gauge which side needs to give way from an outside perspective.

But as negotiations become tense for the second consecutive year, I’d argue that both sides could do a bit more to meet each other in the middle without threatening free agency.

Alongside Markkanen and Jackson Jr, the Jazz place Kessler as the anchor of what might be the biggest, most fearsome front court in the NBA; if all goes according to plan, that is.

Losing Kessler simply isn’t an option for the Utah Jazz this offseason, and I expect them to match any offer sheet if this indecision eventually dips into free agency. JJJ arrived as part of a plan to fit alongside Kessler in the front court, and they’d be insane to quit on that plan before the pair have shared the court even once.

That’s why I feel the rumors that Kessler is “considering a future outside of Utah” are overblown — literally every NBA player has considered a career outside of their current location, so that means nothing to me. The two sides can and must come to an agreement.

A center of Kessler’s quality is hard to find these days — just ask Los Angeles — and the Jazz have invested far too much into this core of talent to let it slip now.

Sign Walker Kessler — it’s as simple as that.


Calvin Barrett is a writer, editor, and prolific Mario Kart racer located in Tokyo, Japan. He has covered the NBA and College Sports since 2024.

Champion Knicks take over ‘The Tonight Show’—Here’s how to watch for free

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An image collage containing 1 images, Image 1 shows SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - JUNE 13: New York Knicks owner James Dolan is interviewed by Ernie Johnson Jr. after his team's 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 Ronald Cortes/Getty Images)

The Knicks’ championship celebration isn’t slowing down any time soon.

After players made appearances on “TODAY,” “Good Morning America” and “The View” earlier today, the Knicks are taking over “The Tonight Show.”

Knicks fan and “Tonight Show” host Jimmy Fallon called the team’s visit “a booking 53 years in the making” in an official statement announcing the team’s appearance on tonight’s show.

New YOrk Knicks on 'The Tonight Show': what to know
  • When: June 15, 11:35 p.m. ET
  • Channel: NBC
  • Streaming: DIRECTV (try it free)

In addition to every member of the championship squad — including captain Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, Josh Hart, OG Anunoby, and Mikal Bridges — head coach Mike Brown and the Knicks City Dancers are also set to appear on the episode.

Tonight’s episode of “The Tonight Show” will also feature a performance from the Wu-Tang Clan. The hip-hop group performed during halftime of Game 4, where the Knicks recorded the largest comeback victory in NBA Finals history.

The celebration will continue through this week with the championship parade on Thursday.

When are the Knicks on ‘The Tonight Show’?

The NBA champion New York Knicks will appear on the June 15 episode of “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.” The show begins at 11:35 p.m. ET.

How to watch the Knicks on ‘The Tonight Show’ for free

If you don’t have cable, you’ll need a live TV streaming service to stream “The Tonight Show” for free. One option we love is DIRECTV, which comes with five days free and starts at $34.99/month, with plenty of subscription options and genre packs that include NBC.

TRY DIRECTV FOR FREE

You can also watch “The Tonight Show” live for free with a Peacock Premium Plus free trial (seven days, then $16.99/month).


Why Trust Post Wanted by the New York Post

This article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Streaming Reporter for Post Wanted Shopping, Page Six, and Decider.com. Angela keeps readers up to date with cord-cutter-friendly deals, and information on how to watch your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and movies on every streaming service. Not only does Angela test and compare the streaming services she writes about to ensure readers are getting the best prices, but she’s also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech, sports, and pop culture. When she’s not writing about (or watching) TV, movies, and sports, she’s also keeping up on the underrated perfume dupes at Bath & Body Works and testing headphones. Prior to joining Decider and The New York Post in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews.


The Knicks, the Suns, and the Parity Era

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

The New York Mikals are your NBA Champi- I mean, the New York Knicks are your NBA Champions. This has honestly come as quite a shock to me. The Knicks were not the championship favorites coming into the season, the playoffs, the Conference Finals, or even the NBA Finals. 

I, like many foolish people, watched the Western Conference Finals thinking that I was watching the deciding series of the playoffs. Surely either the Thunder or the Spurs would take down any team in the East over the course of seven games, right?

Apparently not.

I am elated by this outcome, though. Not only do I love to see the Spurs lose, but I loved watching one of my all-time favorite Suns win a chip. Most of all, though, I love what this outcome tells us about the NBA in the modern era.

SAN ANTONIO, TX – JUNE 13: Mikal Bridges #25 of the New York Knicks poses for a portrait after winning Game Five of the 2026 NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs on June 13, 2026 at Frost Bank Center 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE(Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

When I think of the NBA, I think of dynasties. I think of Magic and Bird, Jordan, Kobe, Shaq, Duncan, LeBron, Wade, Steph. I don’t think of Ben Wallace and Chauncey Billups. The NBA, more than any other sport, is defined by its dynasty-building superstars. That is the image that has skyrocketed the NBA brand to its current popularity.

But, the NBA has implemented many changes in recent years to break the chain of dynasties and lead us to our current parity paradise. The most impactful of these changes was the second apron, forcing teams to break up talented cores and make tough choices about who to keep. In many ways, this new parity era has taken the NBA away from its previous dynasty-heavy identity to something more akin to the MLB. 

Until very recently, when the Dodgers decided to ruin the game I love, the MLB playoffs have been defined by an “every team has a chance” spirit. If your favorite team made the playoffs, they could get hot at the right time and beat any other team. The Arizona Diamondbacks experienced this in 2023, making a run to the World Series in a season where they went just 84-78.

Every now and then you get a big run in baseball. The Yankees will rip off three in a row here, the Red Sox will win two in three years there. But for the most part, every playoff team has a shot. In the NBA, this isn’t usually the case.

Let’s take a look at the last seven NBA champions going into these playoffs:

  • 2025 – Oklahoma City Thunder
  • 2024 – Boston Celtics
  • 2023 – Denver Nuggets
  • 2022 – Golden State Warriors
  • 2021 – Milwaukee Bucks
  • 2020 – Los Angeles Lakers
  • 2019 – Toronto Raptors

Four of these seven, OKC, Boston, Denver, and Milwaukee share a commonality. Each of these teams, I would argue, were at the beginning or middle of their championship window. Milwaukee was closer to the end than any of us knew, but would have probably had a longer run if it weren’t for injuries.

The Warriors were clearly at the end of their window when they won in 2022. The Lakers title, though legitimate, was won in the bubble so I don’t want to use it to identify any trends. Finally, the Raptors window closed after Kawhi Leonard left town for the Clippers.

For each of the other four, I looked around the league after they won and asked, “Who could possibly beat this team next season?” For Milwaukee and Denver, I thought their best players were simply unbeatable. For Boston and OKC, I thought their systems were unbeatable. 

But all were beaten.

And now we have an NBA champion in the New York Knicks that looks a lot like the Texas Rangers, who beat the Diamondbacks in 2023, and that is strange. Much like the Diamondbacks themselves, the Rangers weren’t really in contention before their 2023 title run, and haven’t really been in contention since. They simply got hot at the right time and went on an incredible run.

Since the Bulls dynasty ended almost 30 years ago, the New York Knicks are just the fourth team to win a title that “wasn’t supposed to be there” (2019 – TOR, 2011 – DAL, 2004 – DET). Every other champion could have been considered a contender going into their title year(s).

Oh, the Knicks were good, and have been for years now. But the Raptors, the Mavericks, and the Pistons had all been good going into their title years too, and they weren’t expected to win either.

The difference is the environment. The Raptors won a title in the Warriors dynasty years, the Mavericks in the Boston/Miami years, and the Pistons in the Spurs/Lakers years. Everyone knew that the following season, one of the big dogs was likely to find itself back on top the food chain. It isn’t like that anymore. The Knicks have won an NBA championship in what could have been the second year of an OKC dynasty or the first year of a Spurs dynasty, but wasn’t. Next year, it could be Miami, Atlanta, or Indiana that gets hot at the right time and beats the next “unbeatable” team.

But, this isn’t Bright Side of the Knickerbockers, so why should Suns fans care that the Knicks won a title?

You should care because it means this ship may not have to sink after all. It means that the Suns can find their way to a title in the Devin Booker era. It could be the Suns who do the impossible and beat the unbeatable, like the Knicks did this season.

New York found their guy, Jalen Brunson, and surrounded him with the pieces he needed. They got long, defensive wings, a stretch big, and a deep enough bench. They built around him well with the pieces that fit best alongside him, and it paid off.

The Suns did this once with Booker as well. They gave him a point guard to run the offense, stretch bigs off the bench, long defensive wings, and paint defense. It resulted in the Suns’ first NBA finals run since the Barkley era.

I have been a bit doom-and-gloom since the Suns traded away Kevin Durant. Though trading him away was the right call, I thought it meant the end of the possibility of the Devin Booker era championship parade.

Now, the New York Knicks are champions. Their best player is a small point guard who many thought would never be able to be the best player on a championship team. Brunson certainly has his limitations, but the Knicks mitigated them through excellent teambuilding.

If they can do it, so can the Suns.

The offseason has begun, Suns fans. Given the current roster construction, it is likely to be a quiet one but you never know what could happen. I am holding out hope for a Jalen Green trade, but if you fire up the trade machine, you’ll find that the right move is a bit difficult to find.

Still, the right moves may be out there. If Brian Gregory can pull them off, the impossible may just become possible.

The next major offseason domino is on June 23rd, when the NBA draft comes around. Curious who the Suns might be drafting?

GameThread: Detroit Tigers vs. Houston Astros, 8:10 p.m.

Jun 12, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Detroit Tigers first baseman Spencer Torkelson (20) runs the bases for his home run against the Cleveland Guardians during the eighth inning at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images | Scott Galvin-Imagn Images

Detroit Tigers (29-42) vs. Houston Astros (33-40)

Time/Place: 8:10 p.m., Daikin Park
SB Nation Site: The Crawfish Boxes
Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network
Pitching Matchup: RHP Troy Melton (3-0, 2.81 ERA) vs. RHP Kai-Wei Teng (3-5, 3.71 ERA)

PlayerGIPK%BB%GB%FIPfWAR
Melton425.213.75.943.25.360.0
Teng2051.022.811.244.54.360.3

Lineups

TIGERSASTROS
Kevin McGonigle – SSJeremy Pena – SS
Gleyber Torres – 2BYordan Alvarez – DH
Kerry Carpenter – DHChristian Walker – 1B
Riley Greene – LFIsaac Paredes – 3B
Dillon Dingler – CJose Altuve – 2B
Colt Keith – 3BTaylor Trammell – LF
Spencer Torkelson – 1BCam Smith – RF
Zach McKinstry – RFBrice Matthews – CF
James Outman – CFChristian Vazquez – C

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Padres pitcher Ron Marinaccio suspended 3 games, fined for intentional HBP

Major League Baseball handed down fines and suspensions to the San Diego Padres following a June 13 incident during an eventual, 9-3 win against the Baltimore Orioles where tempers flared and players were hit by pitches.

MLB senior vice president of On-Field Operations Michael Hill announced Monday, June 15 that Padres pitcher Ron Marinaccio received a three-game suspension for intentionally hitting Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson with a pitch during the bottom of the ninth inning of Saturday’s game at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.

Marinaccio was ejected from the game on Saturday. He was additionally fined an undisclosed amount, according to a MLB statement from Hill.

The play caught the attention of everyone. It appeared to be retaliation from the Padres as Henderson was struck just five innings after Padres' Xander Bogaerts took a 93-mph pitch to the head from Orioles' Trey Gibson.

The San Deigo pitcher wasn't the only one to receive disciplinary action from the league. Padres manager Craig Stammen was also disciplined by the league.

Padres manager Craig Stammen suspended

Padres manager Craig Stammen was upset after Marinaccio was ejected. He was seen arguing back-and-forth with umpires before getting ejected, himself.

MLB decided to suspend Stammen for one game and fine him an undisclosed amount. Stammen will serve his suspension Monday, June 15 when the Padres play the St. Louis Cardinals.

Ron Marinaccio files appeal

Marinaccio isn't going out without a fight. The 30-year-old pitcher elected to file an appeal of his suspension. His suspension was to begin Monday against the St. Louis Cardinals, however it will now be postponed until the appeal process complete.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY Sports: Padres pitcher Ron Marinaccio, manager Craig Stammen suspended by MLB

Game 74: Twins at Rangers

DETROIT, MICHIGAN - JUNE 10: Mike Paredes #53 of the Minnesota Twins looks on against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on June 10, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images) | Getty Images

First Pitch (CT):7:05 PM
TV: Twins.TV
Radio: TIBN/830 WCCO/102.9 The Wolf /Audacy App
Know Yo’ Foe: Lone Star Ball

It’s the day we’ve all been waiting for. That’s right folks. It’s once again MIKE PAREDES DAY!! I feel like a kid on Christmas Eve.

Facetious ribbing aside, Paredes has actually been perfectly fine in limited action. A few too many walks for how few batters he strikes out, but that’s never been an issue in the minors so we can chalk that up to a small sample size. It will be nice to get Mick Abel back soon, but Paredes has held his own and kept the Twins in games in his bulk outings, which is more than could be said for a lot of other pitchers currently on Minnesota’s roster.

On the other side, they’ll be facing lefty Mackenzie Gore who has dazzling stuff with the ability to throw a no hitter if he can command while also running the risk of imploding if he can’t. Gore has 3 or more walks in 8 of his 14 starts this year. In those 8 games, he has a 6.27 ERA. In the rest he has a 2.78 ERA. That’s a bigger difference than the one between reigning NL Cy Young Paul Skenes (2.75 ERA, 2.5 fWAR) and and current pitching Least Valuable Player Matt Strahm (5.40 ERA, -1.0 fWAR). Walks will haunt and patience is a virtue.

Meanwhile, the Twins will have one thing in their advantage: the promotion of 26-year-old Kyler Fedko. Fedko broke out in 2025 with 28 home runs, 38 stolen bases, and a 130 wRC+ in 130 games across AA and AAA. He’s kept that going in 2026 with a 138 wRC+ and has crushed lefties to the tune of a 1.262 OPS. Fedko is capable of playing all three outfield spots as well as first base and has enough speed and base running acumen to be a pinch runner late in games. I wouldn’t expect him to become a lineup fixture, but the Twins have been searching for a right-handed bench outfield bat for a half decade and may have stumbled into one on accident.

Lineups

TwinsOpponent
SP: Mike ParedesSP: Mackenzie Gore (LHP)
1. Austin Martin, RF1. Joc Pederson, DH
2. Byron Buxton, CF2. Josh Jung, 3B
3. Kody Clemens, 1B3. Wyatt Langford, LF
4. Royce Lewis, 3B4. Brandon Nimmo, RF
5. Josh Bell, DH5. Jake Burger, 1B
6. Kyler Fedko, LF6. Alejandro Osuna, CF
7. Luke Keaschall, 2B7. Cody Freeman, 2B
8. Ryan Kreidler, SS8. Nicky Lopez, SS
9. Alex Jackson, C9. Elias Diaz, C