Graphic via FanGraphs.
He’s back: Lawrence Butler, +0.38 WPA
Tough day in the bullpen: Zach Agnos, -0.39 WPA
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The Athletics started their weekend series against the Colorado Rockies on the right foot, beating their NL West counterparts 6-4 thanks to some solid pitching and timely hitting. The win secures the team’s 34th win of the season and they remain in striking distance of a playoff spot and the AL West lead. They’re now just a game under .500 and can get back to that mark tomorrow with another win.
Zeros early
Tonight’s pitching matchup featured a pair of young starters just beginning to make their mark on the league. It was lefty Gage Jump for the Athletics while fellow southpaw Sean Sullivan was making his major league debut for the Rockies.
Jump, one of the organization’s best young pitchers, came into this contest riding high after two quality starts in a row. He ran into some trouble in the first when he allowed back-to-back one-out singles but managed to wriggle out of it. He allowed another single in the second before getting into his rhythm.
From the third on Jump was dominant. He turned in 1-2-3 innings in the third, fourth, and fifth, retiring 10 straight at one point tonight. Considering how much the ball was flying earlier in the week during the Brewers series, Jump did a great job keeping the Rockies off the board for five full frames this evening.
On the other side Sullivan was keeping up with Jump. The A’s got a double in the second that was stranded and put two runners on in the third, but they couldn’t cash in on that early opportunity either. Those three innings were all we would see of Sullivan as the Rockies didn’t want to push their luck and ask him to go through the Athletics’ lineup a second time.
The scoring begins
Righty Jeff Criswell replaced Sullivan and had a scoreless fourth before Seth Halvorsen entered this contest for the fifth. He managed two outs before Shea Langeliers stepped up to the plate and hit the second pitch he saw over the center field wall for a solo shot:
That big fly was Langeliers’ 18th of the year and gave the Athletics the first lead of the game. But the A’s were done there. Next to the plate was first baseman Nick Kurtz and he decided to go back-to-back with Langeliers with his own home run, his 16th on the year:
The power stroke is officially here. That big fly was Kurtz’s fifth long ball in his past five games. It also doubled the A’s lead and gave Jump some breathing room.
Speaking of Jump, he finished the fifth rolling after punching out the side and was sent out to start the sixth given a chance to keep it going. But a leadoff single broke his streak. Then another single and a five-pitch walk brought Mark Kotsay out of the dugout, and the manager decided to pull his starter before things got any hairier.
No need to push the young lefty when he was clearly beginning to lose it. Right-handed Justin Sterner replaced Jump, coming into a bases-loaded, no out situation with the Rockies’ home run leader stepping to the plate. He punched out Hunter Goodman before a sac fly brought in the Rockies’ first run of the evening, charged to Jump. Then it was the big hit for the Rockies, a three-run home run to turn a 2-1 A’s lead into a 4-2 Rockies lead. Two of those runs would also be charged to Jump, putting a bad finish on an otherwise quality outing. Jump is lined up to take on the Pirates next week.
Now facing a deficit, the A’s offense needed to get to work. A leadoff walk to the just-activated Jacob Wilson started the bottom of the sixth. That was followed by a Zack Gelof one-out single (which extended his hitting streak to 16 games) to put two runners on. Up to the plate stepped third baseman Max Muncy and he delivered a huge two-run double that knotted this game back up at 4 apiece:
Much needed hit right there. Muncy would finish the night 2-for-4. This game would need to be decided in the final frames tonight.
The endgame
Following Sterner out of the Athletics’ bullpen was right-hander Mason Barnett, who had a perfect top of the seventh.
The bats meanwhile managed to push a run across in the bottom of the seventh with a little help from the Rockies’ defense. With two outs and runners on the corners Kotsay sent the runner on first, hoping to draw the throw to second base and allow the runner at third to make an attempt for home plate. Instead Butler nearly got picked off at third, but luckily a bad throw from the catcher sailed past the third baseman into left field, allowing Butler to come home and give the A’s the late lead:
Hey, take what they give you right?
Barnett came out for another inning of work in the eighth and got two outs but also allowed a double, putting the tying run in scoring position for the Rockies. Enter lefty Hogan Harris. Asked to get one major out, Harris did his job inducing a ground ball to escape the jam. Breath out.
The A’s added on a much-needed insurance run in the bottom of the eighth. Lawrence Butler, who didn’t even start this game, delivered his second hit of the night to drive in Muncy and give the A’s some breathing room for the ninth:
It was then up to Harris to finish the Rockies off. The lefty finished off the bottom part of the Colorado lineup with ease, collecting two punch outs and securing the win for the Green & Gold while earning his sixth save of the season.
A slightly stressful win but a win nonetheless. Don’t let Jump’s final line tell you he had anything but a great start tonight. The offense managed to do just enough to squeak out the win against the worst team in the league, and the bullpen was (almost) perfect to secure win #34 for the squad. They did what they needed to do tonight and now they need to do it two more times.
We do it all again tomorrow evening, same time same place. The A’s are shaking things up and will send right-hander Joey Estes to the mound for his first appearance with the big league team this season. Estes has made 12 starts with the Aviators this year and has a 5.95 ERA. Not great numbers but on the plus side he has plenty of experience pitching in Las Vegas Ballpark. The Rockies meanwhile have lefty Kyle Freeland going for them in the middle contest this weekend. The 10-year veteran has gotten hit hard this season as he’ll carry a sky-high 7.81 ERA into tomorrow. More homers incoming?
TORONTO — Max Fried still has a ways to go before he is pitching for the Yankees again, but he will take another important step in his comeback on Saturday.
The left-hander is set to throw a light bullpen session after another round of imaging on his left elbow bone bruise showed enough healing to clear him for the next step in his ramp-up, manager Aaron Boone said Friday.
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Try it free“I think it’s just a touch and feel [bullpen on Saturday] and then hopefully progress on the mound and see where that leads,” Boone said before an 8-5 loss to the Blue Jays.
Fried, who last pitched on May 13, has been asymptomatic since he started playing catch late last month. He had gotten out to throwing from 120 feet before going for more tests to get the green light to take the next step.
“Doesn’t mean he’s been cleared to get into that next point of a game — I think there’s still got to be some improvement [in his MRI exam],” Boone said. “But he’s doing well.”
In a best-case scenario, Fried is still likely more than a month away from returning, needing to get through multiple bullpen sessions and live batting practices before a rehab assignment might come into play.
But if the Yankees can get him through those steps healthy, they will gladly welcome him back to strengthen what is already a potent rotation.
J.C. Escarra led off the fifth inning with a double, marking the first hit by a Yankees catcher since May 30. In between, Escarra, Austin Wells and Ali Sánchez had combined to go 0-for-26.
Wells (cervical headaches) is hitting, throwing and going through treatment, feeling “great” as he works toward a return, according to Boone.
The catcher is first eligible to return from the IL on Tuesday, though Boone said the Yankees would decide after this weekend if they want him to play in any rehab games first.
The lore of The Miz just keeps growing.
Brewers flame-thrower Jacob Misiorowski kicked off his start against the Phillies by striking out the side — and breaking one of his own records in the process of the 6-0 win.
The young right-hander hit 104.5 mph on the radar gun with a foul-tip strikeout of Philadelphia leadoff hitter Kyle Schwarber.
THAT SAYS 105 MPH
— MLB (@MLB) June 12, 2026
WOW, Jacob Misiorowski! pic.twitter.com/wXuz0W2YbU
It was the hardest-thrown pitch by a starter in the pitch-tracking era, which dates to 2008, surpassing the 103.4 mph heater he fired in late May against the Cardinals.
Misiorowski finished the inning by punching out Trea Turner and Bryce Harper swinging on 103.5 mph and 104.1 mph fastballs, respectively, to cap a ridiculous opening frame.
He didn’t slow down there.
Misiorowski continued dominating the Phillies lineup, striking out 15 batters while allowing only one baserunner — a fourth-inning single by Schwarber — in a complete game shutout.
The outing continued what has been a ridiculous start to the 2026 season for Misiorowski, who made his MLB debut for Milwaukee exactly one year ago to the day.
Heading into Friday’s game, Misiorowski had posted a 1.50 ERA with a major league-leading 116 strikeouts across 13 starts, putting him squarely in the National League Cy Young conversation.
Last summer, with his stardom rising quickly, Misiorowski was placed on the NL All-Star team after just five outings and 25 2/3 innings.
That decision didn’t go over well around much of the baseball world — especially in Philadelphia.
Phillies lefty Christopher Sanchez, who didn’t make the team despite being 7-2 with a 2.49 ERA across 107 2/3 innings at the time, was among the players who had a case for the spot Misiorowski filled.
Ironically, Sanchez is now one of the few arms in the senior circuit pitching near Misiorowski’s level, having posted a 1.54 ERA with 113 strikeouts, setting up an intriguing NL All-Star Game starter debate and Cy Young race.
It wasn't necessarily pretty, but the Mets held on for a huge 7-5 win over the NL East-leading Braves on Friday night and Devin Williams was a big part of it.
Bo Bichette smashed two home runs and drove in six runs for the Mets, but Nolan McLean wasn't efficient enough to go deep and the bullpen faltered a bit as Atlanta's dangerous lineup chipped away at New York's lead. And with two outs in the eighth and runners on second and third, manager Carlos Mendoza called on his closer to get a four-out save.
Williams has yet to get more than three outs in a single outing as a Met. He didn't even do it with the Yankees a season ago until the playoffs, so this is uncharted territory for the Mets skipper. But after Eli White hit a sharp single off of third baseman Brett Baty that scored a run, Williams got Rowdy Tellez -- who represented the go-ahead run -- to fly out and send the game into the ninth.
"We got to a point now where they’re built up, equipped for it," Mendoza said of his rationale to use Williams for a four-out save. "Once you get in that situation, you’re trying to avoid another high-leverage guy, which was [Luke Weaver]. We get to a point where a four-out save was in play. I thought today, where we were in the game, where we were in the lineup, matchup-wise, that was the decision there."
After getting Austin Wynns to line out on the first pitch of the ninth, the at-bat of the night occurred. Mauricio Dubon and Williams battled for 14 pitches before the Braves outfielder singled, allowing the tying run to come to the plate.
But Williams didn't back down. He struck out Michael Harris II on four pitches and got Matt Olson -- who homered earlier in the game -- to strike out on a foul tip on four pitches to end the game.
"Pretty impressive at-bat by Dubon there, but that’s what makes Devin who he is," Mendoza said of the ninth. "He knows that even after that long one, he’s got two pretty good hitters coming up. He’s gotta execute, stay on the attack, not get behind in the count. That’s what he did. He went right after them. Huge save for us."
“It was a pretty gutsy performance by Devin there," McLean said. "Coming back-to-back and two-ups tonight, that’s big time.”
Friday was Williams' sixth career save of four or more outs and his first since May 28, 2023. It's also a continuation of some recent domination from the Mets closer.
He's now allowed just one run over his last six outings (6.1 IP). He's also unscored upon in 15 of his last 17 appearances dating back to April 26. His 37 strikeouts this season are the seventh-most among NL relievers.
While Williams will more than likely not be available on Saturday, he delivered a big win to start the weekend series as the Mets continue to climb out of their early-season hole.
The Mariners are finishing out their long road trip with an interleague set against the Nationals and things got off to a tough start with a two-hour-plus rain delay, their second of the season (glares in the general direction of Minnesota). Rain delays historically haven’t been kind to the Mariners, but today they overcame the long delay thanks to a strong start from Bryce Miller, backed by an offensive explosion led by Dominic Canzone and Colt Emerson.
After a tough loss in Baltimore yesterday, the Mariners were on the right side of a big inning today, jumping on Nats starter and former Mariner Zack Littell in the second inning. It started with what I’m terming an Arozarena Double (single, stolen base) followed by a walk to Luke Raley, who’s really trying to lean into that Three True Outcomes label lately. Dominic Canzone apparently has a grudge against Nationals Park – which, fair – because he then tried to laser this ball through the center field wall for a rare Dominic Canzone Triple, which unfortunately immediately triggers a #CycleWatch for Canzone.
Miles Mastrobuoni brought home Canzone from third because Miles “Mister Bunny/Master Boney” Mastrobuoni knows how to do his job, to make it 3-0 Mariners, but the suffering would not end there for Littell, as Jhonny Pereda wore him out with a nine-pitch at-bat that ended in a line-drive single (with batflip, natch), bringing up Colt Emerson. Emerson got a fastball up in the zone and was able to pull it over the wall for his fifth home run: an impressive feat for a player whose power was never a highlight in his prospect scouting report.
Even though the Mariners had knocked out Littell by the second inning, the third inning was more of a bummer, comparatively, not only because the Mariners didn’t score but also because Randy Arozarena appeared to injure himself on a routine groundout to first, looking like he maybe tweaked a hamstring trying to beat out the throw. Victor Robles replaced Randy in the bottom of the inning, playing right as Luke Raley shifted to left, making his first return to Nationals Park, and immediately made a nice inning-ending catch.
The first Nats run off Miller came in the fourth, when Miller made the mistake of falling behind Nats slugger James Wood in a 3-1 count. Miller then compounded his mistake by hanging a slider in Wood’s lefty loop zone for a no-doubt homer that at least was a solo shot. Miller almost made things harder for himself with an ill-located splitter to Luis García Jr., but thankfully the yard held it, and Miller was able to escape the inning without further damage.
The Mariners were able to get that run back in the fifth and then some, doing some damage with two outs. Cole Young started with a one-out single, moving to second on a seven-pitch walk to Julio Rodríguez. With two outs, Victor Robles worked a walk to load the bases, with Young eventually scoring on a wild pitch by Nats bulk pitcher Riley Cornelio (pause for Beavis and Butthead jokes). Luke Raley then brought in Julio and Robles with a big two-out single that would put this game functionally out of reach; a pair of solo homers later in the game from Canzone and Josh Naylor pushed the score to double digits.
Miller, with his pitch count in good shape, earned an opportunity to pitch in the eighth to try to set a career high, but fell behind leadoff man Dylan Crews 3-0 before serving up a sinker that didn’t sink, prompting Dan Wilson to get up new bullpen addition Michael Rucker. Miller rebounded, however, to get his next three outs, completing eight innings for the first time in his career.
For Miller, who has a near-encyclopedic recollection of his outings, it was a satisfying step forward.
“The last time I had a low pitch count after seven was 2024 in Milwaukee, and I lost the battle then,” joked Miller.
Today, with the Mariners bullpen thin in the middle of a long road trip, Miller got the green light to go back out and push deeper into a game than he had, making things easy on new callup Michael Rucker, who pitched a scoreless ninth. It was a statement game against a team that’s been averaging over five runs a game, and a statement game for Miller, who’s making a case along with Emerson Hancock to be considered the ace of the Mariners rotation. Big Tex > Big thunderstorms.
After more than a decade in pro hockey, former Senator Max McCormick has called it a career.
The decision came after the 34-year-old had hip surgery and was forced to miss the entire 2025-26 AHL season. He had appeared only 19 games the season before, so he's had some time to adjust to the idea of not playing.
McCormick was a fan favourite as the captain of the Coachella Valley Firebirds, the top farm club of the Seattle Kraken. He retires as the franchise’s all-time leader in goals (67), ranking second all-time in points (140), and having played in the third-most games in team history (158).
McCormick was part of the Senators organization for four and a half seasons, suiting up for 71 games with Ottawa. He was a 2011 6th-round pick coming out of the USHL. He played the next three years at Ohio State with Ryan Dzingel, who was picked one round later in that same draft.
“The decision to retire from the game I have loved for as long as I can remember has not been easy, and as much as I wish I could play forever, it’s time to hang up the skates,” McCormick said in a Firebirds website press release.
McCormick made his NHL debut on Oct. 24, 2015 and scored his first career NHL goal in his tenth career game on Jan. 7, 2016.
After splitting time between Binghamton/Belleville and Ottawa, McCormick was traded to the Colorado Avalanche organization for J.C. Beaudin. Beaudin played 22 games for Ottawa, posting one assist.
McCormick later had stops with the Carolina Hurricanes and Seattle Kraken. He was named the first captain in Firebirds’ history and served in the role in each of his four years. While the last two were write-offs, the first two were excellent.
In those two campaigns, McCormick not only found a scoring touch he'd never enjoyed before, but he also helped lead the Firebirds to back-to-back appearances in the final.
“Looking back on my career, I’m filled with nothing but gratitude and pride. Hockey has given me so many great memories, lifelong friendships, and opportunities I could have never imagined. I’m thankful to every organization, teammate, coach, and fan who was a part of my journey.
"I will forever cherish everything this game has given me.”
By Steve Warne
The Hockey News
Only the Houston Astros this season could deliver angst and high drama after posting a whopping 9 runs in the first inning. What should’ve been a contest set on cruise control, quickly became a roller coaster affair, between dueling bullpens. Houston would hang on for a 10-8 win.
Royals starter Luinder Avila would be chased after throwing 49 pitches, the highest volume for any pitcher in an inning this year. Avila now owns that dubious distinction. Swimming in the same stormy waters was Tatsuya Imai, who in his 9th start would also get bounced in the opening frame while being charged with 5 runs. The inning would take 47 minutes to complete.
Steven Okert would come on initially in relief to quiet the noise. Okert would go 2 1/3 IP, his longest outing since August of 2021. In total, the Astros would utilize six different relievers; Okert, Blubaugh, Pearson, De Los Santos, King and Josh Hader. Hader would close the door, registering his 2nd save of the year.
The Astros first inning fireworks began with a leadoff single by Jeremy Pena, followed by back-to-back home runs from Yordan Alvarez and Christian Walker. The entire order would bat around. Alvarez would then reappear with the bases loaded, launching a grand slam off of reliever Mason Black. It would be the first time an Astros player would have multiple homeruns in the same inning since Jeff Bagwell accomplished the feat in June of 1994 verses the Dodgers. Alvarez would account for 6 of the 10 runs scored. He now leads the A.L. with 54 rbi’s.
The Royals would add a trio of runs in the bottom of the 8th, first on a single by Michael Massey that drove in Michael Garcia. That hit would be followed by a Carter Jensen bases loaded walk and then a Bobby Witt RBI single. That would trim the lead to one.
In the top of the ninth, Brice Matthews would create some breathing room, adding an insurance run with a 433-foot HR. It was Matthews’s 5th homer of the season.
With the win, the Astros improve to 2-2 on this current road trip. Mike Burrows is scheduled to start Saturday. First pitch from Kauffman Stadium at 6:10pm CDT. Burrows has lost 4 of his last 5 outings.
Bo Bichette may have called it while talking to The Post before Friday’s game.
“I think I am good enough that my season could look how I want it to look in a week,” Bichette said. “But I also think that I am good enough to where we look up in a couple of months and I am like, ‘Oh, dang, he made it to where he wants to be.’ ”
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Try it freeHe’s off to a good start.
Buoyed by Bichette’s two home runs, which included a grand slam, the Mets beat the Braves 7-5 at Citi Field for their second straight victory.
The barrage gave Bichette, who began the night with an anemic .607 OPS, three homers over his last two games. His six RBIs matched a career high. It’s the kind of night the Mets had in mind when they signed Bichette last winter to a three-year contract (that contains opt outs) worth $126 million.
“Individually you have a little bit more juice already, knowing that you are playing the best team,” Bichette said of the Braves, who own MLB’s best record. “Individually you are going to have to bring it if you want to win, but coming out and seeing the crowd how it was, I don’t know if I have really seen that all year, so it was exciting just walking out there in the first innings.”
Bichette’s outburst boosted the Mets on a night Nolan McLean scuffled and lasted just four innings because of an elevated pitch count. The right-hander allowed two earned runs on three hits and four walks with six strikeouts. He was removed after 93 pitches.
Juan Soto, whose go-ahead homer Wednesday propelled a victory over the Cardinals, went deep on this night to augment Bichette’s offensive heroics.
Bichette and Soto got the night started with consecutive homers in the first inning that gave the Mets a 2-0 lead. Soto, who received his silver bat award from last season before the game, cleared the right field fence for his team-leading 15th homer after Bichette had homered to left.
“I feel like we haven’t seen that the whole year,” manager Carlos Mendoza said, referring to the Bichette-Soto combo. “Whether it was losing Juan because of injury, then he gets going and Bo going through a rough stretch, but if we get those two going they can carry any team.”
McLean needed 42 pitches to get through the second, an inning in which the Braves sent eight batters to the plate and scored twice, with help from three walks.
Dominic Smith’s RBI single pulled the Braves within 2-1 after Ozzie Albies walked leading off and reached second when Jared Young mishandled McLean’s pickoff throw for an error. Austin Riley walked before Mike Yastrezemski’s RBI single tied it 2-2. McLean then walked Ha-Seong Kim to load the bases before getting three straight outs without a run scoring.
Bichette’s grand slam in the bottom of the inning gave the Mets a 6-2 lead. MJ Melendez doubled against Spencer Strider with two outs to begin the rally before Luis Torrens singled and Carson Benge got drilled to load the bases. Bichette hit a fly to right that just nestled into the first row.
Bichette’s sacrifice fly in the fourth extended the Mets’ lead to 7-2. Melendez walked in the inning and Luis Torrens singled.
McLean’s performance was a step backward after two straight solid starts from the right-hander following consecutive clunkers. In his previous outing, last Saturday against the Padres, he threw a season-high 101 pitches and allowed one earned run over six innings.
Matt Olson’s homer in the fifth against Cionel Perez gave the Braves their third run.
Brooks Raley surrendered two runs in the eighth to slice the Mets’ lead to 7-5 before Devin Williams retired Rowdy Tellez with the tying runs on base for the final out.
Williams worked a scoreless ninth for his second save in as many days. The right-hander threw 33 pitches overall.
“Most teams get hot at some point during the year,” Bichette said. “We have just got to grind this one out.”
At this point, no one should really be surprised about any avenue the Pittsburgh Penguins choose to pursue on Jun. 26, which marks the first round of the 2026 NHL Entry Draft.
Penguins' general manager and president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas has expressed a desire to take a "big step toward sustainable contention" next season, so maybe that involves leveraging their 22nd overall pick for a surefire young NHL talent. Maybe that involves trading up in the draft for a higher-upside player who can help them sooner rather than later.
However, if the Penguins do decide to stay put, that doesn't mean there will be a lack of talent potentially available at 22.
Of course, beyond the top-10, the draft always has its surprises. It is a defense-heavy class - especially on the front end of it - and the Penguins are in need of more talent on their blue line in the system, making it somewhat likely they'll select a defenseman in the first round.
But if they decide to go with a forward at 22, Peterborough Petes (OHL) forward Adam Novotny might just be their guy if he's still available.
A certain Penguins' and Petes' alumni is doing pretty well for himself in the Stanley Cup Final right now - Jordan Staal has goals in all five of the games in the series so far - and, in some ways, Novotny makes a lot of sense for Pittsburgh exactly 20 years after Staal's draft. At 6-foot-1, 205 pounds, the Czech forward doesn't quite have the frame that Staal has, but he is already pretty filled out for his age, and he plays a similar style to the younger version of Staal, even in the absence of playing center.
Staal's Standout Stanley Cup Final Performance For Carolina Hurricanes Brings Back Memories Of Clutch Moments During Penguins' TenureOnce upon a time, Carolina Hurricanes center and captain Jordan Staal was delivering clutch moments for the Pittsburgh Penguins in their quest for a Stanley Cup.Novotny shoots a lot, which helps explain his 34-goal, 65-point campaign in 58 OHL games last season. He plays a no-nonsense, hardline style, unafraid to drive the middle of the ice and use physicality, speed, and soft hands to his advantage. He's still adding size, too, which should only help his ability to open himself up for scoring chances in high-danger areas of the ice.
He's also a menace on the forecheck, as he uses his frame to gain positional advantage on opponents, pressures relentlessly and forces turnovers, and thrives around the net front. In some ways, his game is reminiscent to that of Philadelphia Flyers young star Porter Martone, although he compared himself to Anaheim Ducks forward Mason McTavish, who is also a Petes alumni.
But, above all, Novotny gets that he can't simply rely on his shot or his skills as-is to get him to the next level. He values his positional and role versatility - and he is confident in his ability to bolster his overall game - but he also understands the importance of improving the margins on the aspects of his game he already excels at.
Top 20 Projected pick Adam Novotny has offensive ability paired with a great motor who is a mosquito to opponents. He often forces his opponents to make mistake with his constant pressure.
— The Prospect Don (@TheProspectDon) May 4, 2026
He has a great shot and @SammyT_51 of the @ProHockeyGroup believes he could score 30… https://t.co/BOyGfcIcuhpic.twitter.com/WMm7pjxEET
"I mean, there's little stuff I need to work on," Novotny said at the NHL Scouting Combine earlier this month. "It starts in the gym, obviously. You have to be explosive in your upper body to have a good shot. Then, on ice, there's a bunch of stuff you can do. Just, you know, shoot like 300 pucks in 30 minutes on a practice [and] after a practice, and, I mean, that's how you get better, right?
So, there is a bunch of stuff I need to work on. My shot, obviously, and that's something, maybe, I'll focus on in this offseason."
Novotny already has the makings of a solid power forward who can thrive up and down a lineup, but he believes he has the skill to elevate himself and be more multidimensional on offense. He reads exactly as the type of player that the Penguins would covet, even as a winger.
And he did speak with the Penguins at the combine, appreciating their honest approach to meetings, where they showed less-than-ideal clips of players and evaluated their feedback. Novotny thrives off the challenge to improve.
Draft Profile: Adam NovotnyThe Petes' Czech import will be of interest to teams looking for a scoring power forward later this month."They showed you your clips, usually negative ones," Novotny said. "But, obviously, I think they just want to hear how you're going to react to "many failures," if I could say it like that. And I think I did well. I think they told me I did a good job, so it was nice.
"I like my coaches to be honest with me. [For] all the people around, I just want to hear the truth, not walk around something and not be honest. I always appreciate that feedback and how is that going to get better, right? So, for sure, I was happy for that."
There is a decent possibility that Novotny won't be available for the Penguins at 22, as his draft stock has risen considerably over the past year. He has all the makings of a pro goal-scorer, and his floor seems to be relatively high for a scoring winger because of the honest way he plays the game.
But, if he is still hanging around, he's certainly a player worth taking a shot on for Dubas and the Penguins.
Penguins' Draft Prospect Profiles: J.P. HurlbertJ.P. Hurlbert is a player that the Pittsburgh Penguins definitely had their eyes on this season. Does he make sense for them at pick No. 22?Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!
The Mets welcomed the Braves to Citi Field with a 7-5 victory to open the series against the division leaders.
The dynamic duo of Bo Bichette and Juan Soto went back-to-back in the first inning to give the Mets an early 2-0 lead against their rivals. After Nolan McLean labored in the second and Atlanta tied the game, MJ Melendez doubled with two outs in the bottom half of the inning. That ended up being a key play in the game since the team went on to load the bases for Bichette who blasted his second home run of the game.
Bichette’s grand slam also saved McLean who stayed in game once staked to a four-run lead. It still wasn’t easy for the righty but he didn’t give up any more runs outside of the second inning. In that inning he threw 42 pitches and gave up RBI hits to old friend Dominic Smith and Mike Yastrzemski. After the two runs came home, the Braves loaded the bases with nobody out but he escaped without further damage by getting two strikeouts and a pop up. His night was done when he was unhappily pulled after four innings. McLean walked four and struck out six in his brief outing and then the game was in the bullpen’s hands.
First up was Cionel Pérez who gave up a home run to Matt Olson to allow the Braves to creep closer and after Huascar Brazobán was stellar for 1.2 innings, Brooks Raley was less so. He got just two outs and gave up two runs which forced the team to turn to Devin Williams with the tying runs on base. Williams did allow one of the inherited runners to score, but he got big Rowdy Tellez to fly out for the final out of the eighth inning. In the ninth the tying run again came to the plate, this time in the form of Olson, but Williams struck him out to nail down the save.
The Mets offense had tacked on a run the the fourth but they were held mostly in check after Spencer Strider departed early with right arm soreness. This game ultimately became a battle of the bullpens and while the Mets’ bullpen bent it did not break and they held on for a 7-5 win they desperately needed. Lets go Mets baby. Love da Mets.
Big Mets winner: Bo Bichette +41% WPA
Big Mets loser: Nolan McLean and Brooks Raley -5% WPA
Mets pitchers: +5% WPA
Mets hitters: +45% WPA
Teh aw3s0mest play: Bo Bichette grand slam in second, +30% WPA
Teh sux0rest play: Mike Yastrzemski RBI single in second, -14.2% WPA.
On a drizzly night, the Twins managed (somehow) to win a battle of bumpy bullpens. (In bWAR for relievers, the Cards’ pitchers are ninth in MLB; the Twins’ are 29th.) Inning-by-inning notes:
1: Cards 1B Alec Burleson has a home run in each of his last three games; make it four. Heckuva hot streak. If you didn’t know (I didn’t), the record is eight games in a row. Shared by Ken Griffey, Jr. (1993), Don Mattingly (1987), and Dale Long (1956). Long’s not a name most of us are familiar with, but he had a solid career OPS of .80 over 10 seasons. Six guys have hit seven in a row, and 25 have hit six. None of the above were Twins.
Byron Buxton now has one straight game with a home run. That’s #21 for the year; that’s on pace for 48! But we know he’ll waive his no-trade clause, get traded to the Dodgers for a high-A prospect, and end up hitting 75 home runs because the Dodgers have bought off the baseball gods. (They can afford it.) Tied 1-1
2: Two singles by guys who have Tattooine-type names; Lars Nootbar and Masyn Winn. Then a lineout, and an RBI single for Blaze Jordan, who was just called up today! It was his first at-bat, in fact. Good for him. After a strikeout, there’s a single to right, and Winn scores. Originally, the throw beat Jordan to third, and he was tagged out… but, SS Tristan Gray bumped into Jordan on the basepaths, so he’s safe because of defensive interference.
Radio’s Kris Atteberry keeps saying this mistake cost the Twins a double play. No, Kris. No, it did not. Well, everybody makes boo-boos.
Royce Lewis hits a long out. That’s as exciting as the Twins get here. Cardinals 3-1
3: Ooh, Gameday has really spruced up the graphics this year:
That ball in the dirt KICKED UP some dirt. This is what you pay graphic design graduates hard money to think up, folks.
Finally a 1-2-3 inning for Joe Ryan, although he’s at 63 pitches now which means four innings of The Best Bullpen in Baseball.™
Tristan Gray has a leadoff single, and this mistake costs the Twins an imaginary radio double play. Whoops, I jinxed it, since after a Luke Keaschall strikeout there is an actual double play. Well, I wouldn’t have jinxed it if Atteberry hadn’t said it in the first place, so it’s still his fault.
4: Oops, I also jinxed Ryan by saying he’d pitch five innings. They just paused the game for rain, so he’s done.
I double-jinxed it. The delay was short enough (29 minutes) that Ryan’s back out. Waiting for the game to start, OTHER radio guy Dan Gladden says “I think 14 teams make the playoffs now” and this is untrue, so let’s just assume that the third radio guy is named Jim Beam tonight. Another 1-2-3 for Ryan.
Buxton hits a double, and tries stretching it into a triple. It doesn’t work. The rest of the Twins avoid baserunning errors by avoiding the bases.
5: Two-out single by Iván Herrera, who steals second with no throw, but Ryan strikes out Burleson to end it. He’s at 92 pitches now, though, so my original jinx stands true.
Here we go! A Lewis single and super-rare Victor Caratini double. Second and third, no out. Brooks Lee hit one to right, and Lewis doesn’t try to score, thinking RF Jordan Walker has a rocket arm. Walker does, but the throw ended up being way off line. Still, Gray has an infield single and Royce scores. Luke Keaschall flies out; not deep enough for the slow Caratini to tag up. No more goodness; man, you’d like to have had two runs there. Gashouse Gang 3-2
6: TRIPLE JINX! Ryan stays in to get three guys on seven pitches. Shows how much I know. I mean, I know a lot about certain things. I know that old-timey actor Edward G. Robinson was in a crime movie called The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse and you probably didn’t know that. But I do not always predict the future of baseballing games accurately.
Gee whiz, Byron… 3-3 tonight, this one a double. Kody Klobberin’ Klemens takes a walk. Josh Bell manages to golf-swing one off the outfield wall, and for some reason Clemens doesn’t get past third. Still, Buxton scores, and this chases starter Kyle Leahy.
Alfonso Soriano’s cousin George Soriano in to pitch. Royce sac fly to center, scoring Clemens. “Other” Soriano escapes further damage. Again, when (after the Bell RBI double) you had runners on second and third with nobody out, you’d like to get both of those in, but we’ll have to settle for Twins 4-3
7: Taylor Rogers (4.78 ERA) in. Leadoff walk, not so good. He gets a called Strike Three on the next guy, and he’s probably lucky this is Blaze Jordan’s first MLB game, because the 3-2 pitch was inside, but Jordan doesn’t challenge it. Roger gets the next guy swinging, and walks another; geez, Taylor.
This brings in Eric “Oozy” Orze. He gives up a hit, but Tristan Gray manages to keep the ball from escaping the infield. Nobody scores; yet the bases are loaded.
Four straight balls from Orze. YUMMY. Tie game.
Jordan Walker double. NOT tie game.
The new Cards pitcher is Gordon Graceffo, who is not related to Alfonso Soriano, but he has a very cool name just by itself. He gives up two walks of his own, and the second means he’s replaced by Ryne Stanek.
Hey! Kody Clemens found his dad’s old pharmacy phone number! Homer runner! Tied 7-7
8: Something called a Yoendrys Gómez pitching for the Twins. One easy pop-up out, then a single, WP, another single, and a ball that gets stuck in Tristan Gray’s glove for the RBI. Yuck. New pitcher time, it’s Anthony Banda. A bloop single loads them up; still only one out. A pop-out to first; then a flyout to center. Nice job, Banda, I guess maybe.
Hey, what happens when you hit a ball at the right angle 107 MPH? A Dong Does! Thanks Royce!
Then, Brooks Lee with a pathetic, only 100 MPH one. But, we’ll take the second dong anyways! Better Midwesterners 9-8
9: Andrew “Not Black Jack” Morris in for the save opportunity, and it’s… really pretty easy for him! Twims wim! (Yes, we spell it wrong on purpose here sometimes.)
Studs: Joe Ryan and the Bomba Squad, 6/12/2026 edition: Buxton, Clemens, Lewis, Lee. Duds: No duds, Twins win! (Except the whole bullpen, but it’s not their fault they stink, it’s Pohlvey’s.)
The Twins remain one of two teams (along with the Nats) not to have a walkoff win so far this season.
COTG: Nagurski for weather/cultural observations, SooFoo for “more like tarps on” (referencing how half-nekkid Cards fans like to call themselves the “Tarps Off” bunch, and there was a rainy delay), sandwiches for “We should play Twinkie Town blackout bingo with how the bullpen f***s up a game. Pretty sure we’d have a blackout already on the bingo card and by drowning our sorrows,” then Matt for “what is this Morris nonsense… get Lawrence out there, I want the Twins to obliterate the unique saves record”
Thanks to everybody who joined in; it was a long night!
Tomorrow’s game is at 1:10, featuring one Matthew Liberatore against our own Connor Prielipp. Catch ya next time!
There was plenty of debate in the aftermath of the Detroit Red Wings not retaining defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere, whom they had signed to a one-year, $4.125 million contract.
Gostisbehere, who has been an offensive-minded defenseman throughout his NHL career, fit in nicely on the Red Wings blue line and contributed 10 goals while adding 46 assists.
However, he departed in the summer of 2024, re-joining the Carolina Hurricanes with a three-year, $9.6 million deal, carrying a $3.2 million cap hit.
Gostisbehere, who helped the Hurricanes reach the Eastern Conference Final during his first stint with the club, helped them do the same last season, where they were defeated by the eventual Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers.
This season, as the top seed in the Eastern Conference, he's helped them to come within one win of what would be their first Stanley Cup in 20 years.
And so far through the first five games of the Stanley Cup Final against the Vegas Golden Knights, Gostisbehere is the leading scorer on Carolina's blue line with a goal and five assists for six points.
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Overall, he has 12 points in 18 postseason games so far this spring.
The reported hangup in the negotiations between the Red Wings and Gostisbehere in the summer of 2024 was the length of the contract, which Carolina was eventually able to offer him.
Meanwhile, the Red Wings also decided to eventually part ways with defenseman Jake Walman in a controversial trade just days before Gostisbehere returned to Carolina for reasons which GM Steve Yzerman declined to elaborate on.
"It's Going To Be Soon": Agent For Sebastian Cossa On When His Client Will Get His Major Opportunity The player agent for Detroit Red Wings prospect goaltender Sebastian Cossa spoke openly about the chances of his client getting a major opportunity, saying that it "will be soon". Since the departure of both Walman and Gostisbehere, the Red Wings have iced the likes of Jeff Petry, Justin Holl, and Travis Hamonic on the blue line without much success.
One thing is for certain - despite his defensive flaws, the Red Wings could certainly have made use of Gostisbehere's offensive capabilities in each of the last two seasons, both of which have resulted in missing the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
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This is going to be a much cheerier recap than my last one, for obvious reasons. Feels like the Guardians haven’t played many truly well-rounded complete games recently, and tonight was a sterling example of what that looks like for this iteration of the club. Great starting pitching which, in turn, limits the amount of damage the middle/non-Cade relievers can do, and just enough offense.
Guardians got the scoring started with a 2-out rally (kinda) in the 2nd. Hoskins hit a leadoff double, which was promptly followed by back-to-back flyouts — neither of which advanced him to 3rd. But, as you might expect, Bailey drove in Hoskins with an RBI single and Rocchio drove in Bailey with an RBI triple (why not?).
The Tigers fought right back in the 3rd with a James Outman (who, if you missed it, was picked up by the Tigers yesterday) solo homer.
It was pretty quiet until the 6th, when Kwan drove in Angel with an RBI single (Angel doubled).
Bibee was through 7 and came out for the 8th, but gave up a solo homer to Torkelson. He was pulled after that. His final line was 7+ IP 2H 2ER 8K 2BB.
Flaherty, who started for the Tigers, was pulled after the 3rd. He had an awkward tumble in the 2nd, but came back out in new cleats for the 3rd. He seems to have been pulled due to some foot/lower leg injury.
Gaddis pitched a scoreless 8th, and Cade slammed the door in the 9th.
Cantillo vs. Skubal tomorrow!
SAN ANTONIO — OG Anunoby is having a moment, birthed from a moment that will outlive us all. The national recognition is long overdue for the Knicks’ best two-way player, who could soon be named the NBA Finals MVP.
But Jalen Brunson remains the leader in the clubhouse for the award, uniquely built to crush whatever will the Spurs have left, looking to lead the Knicks to their first title in 53 years, eight years after leaving San Antonio with his second national championship.
“I think the one thing that stays constant is I’ve always told myself, and always been taught by my parents, ‘Never be afraid to fail,’” Brunson said Friday at Frost Bank Center. “You put yourself in those positions in the summertime when you’re envisioning what’s going on the court, when you’re by yourself on the court …
“When those opportunities come about, you’re not afraid of the moment because you worked hard enough to where if you do fail, you’re going to learn anyway. You put the confidence you have in everything you do when the lights aren’t on, when no one’s watching.”
Brunson is 48 minutes from forever, coming off a brilliant effort in the record-setting 29-point Game 4 comeback, when he had 36 points, seven assists, five rebounds and three steals, including a key 3-pointer over Victor Wembanyama — bringing the Knicks within one with 2:21 remaining — and the go-ahead shot to put the Knicks in front for the first time with 1:22 left.
Brunson has played the hero multiple times this series — scoring 13 fourth-quarter points in Game 1, then recording a steal in between his game-tying and game-winning shots in Game 2 — but he has been uncharacteristically inefficient, struggling with the speed and physicality of a defense hellbent on bumping and blitzing him at every opportunity.
Through three games, Brunson scored 82 points on 81 shots, had as many turnovers as assists (13) and recorded a minus-13 rating. In Game 4, he looked most comfortable, getting space, and getting to his spots, shooting 12-for-25 and becoming the first Knick to record three 30-point games in a single NBA Finals.
“Whenever you win or lose a game, that night, you’re going to think about it, think about the things you’ve done well or what you did wrong, [but] I’ve always told myself when you wake up the next day, it’s time to turn the page,” Brunson said. “Yes, we won [Game 4], but we still have a lot of work to do. We have a lot to learn. We didn’t play our best basketball. We still have a lot to revisit to make sure that we don’t really put ourselves in that position again.
“We still have to continue to have the belief that we’ve had.”
Since Brunson’s 40-point masterpiece in the first round in Detroit last year — capped with his series-ending 3-pointer in the final seconds — the Knicks haven’t needed his heroics in clinching opportunities.
They beat the Celtics by 38 to finish last year’s second-round upset. This postseason run has seen the Knicks win by 51 in Atlanta, by 30 in Philadelphia and by 37 in Cleveland.
Each game of the NBA Finals has been decided in the final minute.
Enter Captain Clutch, the former second-round pick, the supposedly undersized and overpaid free-agent signing, who has become the city’s most beloved athlete — and has one more hill to climb.
“I think I’ve been able to understand what a unique opportunity this is,” Brunson said. “When you’re doing the things that help you prepare for a game, prepare for moments, put yourself in routines that you’ve done your whole career, your whole life, when it comes game time, you’re ready to go because you put yourself, you put your mind in a position to be ready.”
