The Royals are back at it trying to salvage a win from a series. Luinder Avila, who blew up last time out, will be starting against the best offense in baseball. What a weird thing to say about a Nationals franchise that has struggled along most recent years. At least KC gets to face a righty today. Maikel will not be in the lineup today as more injuries plague the team.
The Rogers Centre has proven to be a house of horrors for the Yankees over the last calendar year. In dropping the recent series opener in Toronto, the Yankees had lost nine of their last ten games north of the border including a pair of thumpings in the first two games of the 2025 ALDS. That the Yankees turned things around and won the final two games of the series—both with go-ahead home runs in the ninth inning—must give the team a ton of confidence after the Blue Jays had their number last year in the regular season and playoffs. Few hitters had a bigger impact for the Yankees that series than Ben Rice, and his late go-ahead blast earns his third appearance on At-Bat of the Week.
We join Rice with one out in the top of the ninth, the score knotted at 3-3. Pinch-runner Ryan McMahon stands on second after Paul Goldschmidt reached on an infield single and advanced on a throwing error by reliever Braydon Fisher. Fisher entered the game as one of Toronto’s most effective relievers with a 2.70 ERA, the righty striking out over a batter per inning and giving up well under one home run per nine. If Rice can come through in the clutch, the Yankees will very likely win the series at the Rogers Centre, something that felt like an impossibility less than 12 months ago. Indeed, they hadn’t done so since 2023.
The scouting report on Fisher shows that he throws the slider just shy of half the time and his curveball just shy of 30-percent of the time, so Rice knows that he will be fed a steady diet of breaking balls. Indeed, out of the six pitches that Fisher has thrown to Spencer Jones and Goldschmidt, four were sliders, one was a curveball, and one was a waste four-seamer just for show. Therefore, Rice is likely hunting a pitch that leaves Fisher’s hand middle-up with the idea that it will land down and in.
This first-pitch slider begins aimed just off the plate inside and drops straight downward. It likely didn’t have quite the aiming point that Rice is looking for, which explains his ability to not chase this pitch despite it landing close enough to the zone for the catcher to unsuccessfully challenge the ball call. When the catcher is fooled that a pitch is a strike and the hitter is not, you know that hitter has an elite knowledge of the strike zone.
True to the scouting report, Fisher sticks with the slider after narrowly missing with the one before.
I’m actually a lot more impressed that Rice took this pitch than the previous one, despite the fact that this one ends up farther from the strike zone than ball one. That’s because this slider exits Fisher’s hand aimed right down the middle, meaning Rice had to pick up the spin early, diagnose slider, and realize that it would break out of the zone all in fractions of a second.
Rice is in the driver’s seat, 2-0, but that does not guarantee that Fisher is going to give in and groove a fastball to get back into the count.
This is just an unfair pitch to drop in back door for the called strike. It looks like a ball high and away out of Fisher’s hand and never looks like it is in the zone until the very last moment where it barely grazes the corner of the strike zone low and away. If the Yankees still had a challenge remaining in this spot I would not have been surprised to see Rice use it a lose it, this curve earning the strike one call by the very slimmest of margins.
The problem for the hitter once a pitcher lands a breaking ball for a called low strike is that you then have to protect the bottom of the zone, which opens up ample opportunity for the pitcher to get you to chase a breaker below the zone. That’s precisely the tactic that Fisher employs with this slider to follow up the curveball.
I’m not sure what Rice is supposed to do in this situation. Once again, this pitch looks like a strike right down Broadway when it leaves Fisher’s hand, and at 89 mph the hitter has way less time to react than against your typical low-80s slider. You can tell Rice is still sitting on a breaking ball from the way he sinks into his legs and aligns his swing plane to track below the zone, but he’s just not precise enough with his barrel to make contact.
With just two pitches, Fisher has turned this AB on its head, going from way behind to being in full possession of count leverage. Rice is in trouble, given that Fisher showed he can both land the breaker for a called strike and command it below the zone for a chase and whiff. Another well-located slider should spell the end of this AB.
Instead, Fisher falls into the classic trap of trying to throw the best slider of his life rather than one that’s just incrementally better than the one before. He spikes this pitch into the dirt by Rice’s feet and he has to hop out of the way to avoid getting hit.
Now that it is a full count, we are once again faced with a situation that in certain cases might dictate an in-zone fastball to avoid putting a second baserunner on, but in Fisher’s case that by no means a sure bet.
Fisher sticks with his plan of throwing sliders and Rice sticks with his plan of hunting one. It’s a really good pitch from Fisher — a slider dotted right on the corner down and in. The problem for him is that it is an even better swing from Rice. This is the exact pitch he has been hunting the whole AB — a slider down and in that he can drop the bat head on and pull in the air with power. His patience pays off, and after having seen four previous sliders, he now knows exactly how this pitch is going to move and anticipates its trajectory perfectly with his barrel. The result: a booming two-run home run to right to give the Yankees the lead in the ninth inning of consecutive games.
Here’s the full AB:
You don’t normally see this level of emotion from Rice, including the bat flip and shouts of encouragement towards his dugout. I wonder if he is feeling extra pressure to be the team’s primary run producer with Aaron Judge out injured. Whatever the case he continues to produce clutch hits for the team in what has been a breakout season from rising star to true superstar. He’s the third-best hitter in MLB by wRC+ (171), and his ABs have become appointment viewing — the first homegrown position player we can say that about since Judge.
The Knicks enter the 2026 NBA Draft with picks No. 24, No. 31, and No. 55. Depending on how the board falls, Tarris Reed, Jr. could be available when New York is on the clock. Should the Knicks consider him?
On the surface, Reed profiles as a traditional, retro low-post center. But deeper investigation of his senior season under Dan Hurley at UConn shows a highly modern interior engine. Reed posted an efficient 61% field goal percentage, largely because he understands his limits and dominates the restricted area.
The advanced metrics that stand out are his defensive and playmaking indicators. Reed grabbed nine boards per game with a strong defensive rebound percentage, but his defensive utility is what pops: he averaged two blocks per game, anchoring the paint using his massive 7’4.25” wingspan and a 9’2” standing reach.
Perhaps the most surprising evolution in Reed’s game is his passing. Jumping up to 2.3 dimes per game as a center isn’t an accident. He logged an impressive eight-assist game against Georgetown in the Big East tournament, showing he can act as a high-post hub or find cutters out of short-roll scenarios. The red flag remains at the charity stripe, where a 62% free-throw mark (and a total lack of three-point shots) confirms he is strictly an interior finisher.
Reed is a physical, blue-collar enforcer who thrives on doing the dirty work that impacts winning. The Knicks have a need for dependable, low-mistake interior depth off the bench, and Reed fits like a glove. Unlike a raw developmental project who needs two years in Westchester, Reed spent two seasons under Dan Hurley playing a highly disciplined, demanding style of basketball. He understands defensive rotations, values every possession, and sets the exact type of physical screens that Jalen Brunson loves to exploit. He would be a safety net at the five spot, giving the Knicks a rugged interior presence who can be a physical rebounder and pass out of the short roll.
Pass at 24, Draft at 31.
If the Knicks keep both picks, taking Reed at No. 24 might feel like a slight reach given his lack of vertical explosiveness and spacing. However, if he is sitting there on the board at No. 31, run don’t walk Leon.
For our other Draft Profiles, go here.
Go Knicks!
The Buffalo Sabres could go a number of different ways as the NHL enters trade season leading into the NHL Draft in two weeks, and the beginning of free agency on July 1. Based on a lengthy impasse between pending UFA Alex Tuch, most insiders are expecting the 30-year-old to sign elsewhere since there continues to be a considerable gap between what Tuch’s representatives are looking for and what Sabres GM Jarmo Kekalainen is willing to pay him.
There is a slim possibility that Buffalo could get something significant in return for the Syracuse, NY native if they arrange a sign-and-trade, so that another club can have him on an eight-year deal and spread out the AAV to lower the cap hit, but with the likely scenario that he simply walks away when free agency opens next month, Kekalainen will have to pivot to fill the scoring gap.
Over the next few weeks, we will look at potential options for the Sabres. Some of the possibilities are not going to match Tuch’s stats, that absence may have to be filled by youngsters like Konsta Helenius, Jiri Kulich, or Noah Ostlund, but Kekalainen will potentially need to find a veteran winger to replace Tuch in the top six.
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Kekalainen will likely looking for a veteran with some leadership, a history of playoff performance, with cost certainty and some term remaining on his deal instead of a younger player like Anaheim’s Mason McTavish, who is 23 years old and is signed long term at an AAV of $7 million. Marchessault might be a fit for what the Sabres are looking for, if he would be willing to waive his no trade protection come to Buffalo.
The acquisition could be quite risky, since the Stanley Cup and Conn Smythe Trophy winner is 35 and dropped from 42 goals with Vegas in 2024, to 21 in 2025, to 12 in 62 games with Nashville last season. The Predators may be in the process of a retool over a rebuild, and new GM Chris McFarland has already begun the reshuffle of his roster with the trade with Colorado for center Ross Colton on Tuesday.
The $5.5 million AAV for three more seasons is quite reasonable if he can bounce back and score 20+ goals. Kekalainen would likely not move any of his young forwards. Marchessault’s declining numbers could make the acquisition price relatively economical, with Nashville potentially willing to swap the veteran for a draft choice, a B-level prospect or a forward making a significant salary off the Sabres roster, like Ryan McLeod or Jordan Greenway.
Follow Michael on X, Instagram @MikeInBuffalo
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The Chicago White Sox visit the New York Yankees on Wednesday night for the middle game of a three-game set, with the Yankees listed as -190 home favorites after pummeling Chicago 12-2 in the opener.
Anthony Kay's 4.34 ERA hides a brutal underlying profile that catches up against a Yankees lineup running hot, while Carlos Rodon's contact suppression suffocates a White Sox group still finding production outside its top three bats.
Here are my White Sox vs. Yankees predictions and MLB picks for Wednesday, June 17.
This is one of the bigger ERA-to-expected ERA gaps you'll find this season.
Anthony Kay’s 8.74 expected ERA is concerning, especially paired with a .438 xwOBA allowed and a 58%+ hard-hit rate. Regression is coming, and few teams are better equipped to take advantage of it.
In addition, it's not idea tha a 15% walk rate puts free runners in front of a New York Yankees lineup that I think has found its footing again.
Carlos Rodon counters with a 75th-percentile strikeout rate and 81st-percentile xERA against a Chicago White Sox lineup that strikes out heavily. Play to +100.
COVERS INTEL: Anthony Kay has allowed an average exit velocity of 92.4 mph in 2026, one of the worst marks in baseballI like the Over to -130.
Anthony Kay's .594 expected SLG allowed and 10.3% barrel rate is a big story. I mentioned how I expect the Yankees to hit him hard and there's just loads of evidence to back that up.
On the other side, Carlos Rodon's bottom 3 percentile walk rate is always a story. It's an issue here because this White Sox team has quietly hung around the top ten of baseball in various hard-hit metrics.
Yankees do the heavily lifting and the White Sox put up a crooked inning in a hitter-friendly stadium.
The New York Yankees have hit the Moneyline in 7 of their last 8 games (+6.10 Units / 63% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for White Sox vs. Yankees.
| Location | Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY |
| Date | Wednesday, June 17, 2026 |
| First pitch | 7:05 p.m. ET |
| TV | CHSN, Amazon Prime Video |
| White Sox starting pitcher | Anthony Kay (6-1, 4.34 ERA) |
| Yankees starting pitcher | Carlos Rodon (2-2, 3.19 ERA) |
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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The Chicago Blackhawks are going to make the fourth overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. They dropped two spots in the lottery, so they slot in behind the Toronto Maple Leafs, San Jose Sharks, and Vancouver Canucks. It is expected that they are going to get a great prospect with this selection.
There is a lot of dialogue around the hockey community when it comes to the top 10 in this draft. 3 forwards stick out above the rest, and four defensemen who project to lead the pack at that position. There is also a Latvian player that some team is going to take a chance on, and may be thankful they did years down the line.
What will the order be when teams come up to make their selections? This mock draft goes through the 16 picks that were put through the lottery for non-playoff teams:
1. Toronto Maple Leafs - Gavin McKenna, LW, Penn State
The Toronto Maple Leafs, unless they go way off the board, are going to select Gavin McKenna with the first overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. With big changes within the organization over the last 12 months, he will be a part of their fresh start.
2. San Jose Sharks - Chase Reid, D, Sault St. Marie
Are the San Jose Sharks going to pass on the second-best talent in the draft for what they believe is the top defenseman in the draft? Chase Reid may be a star, and the Sharks need young defensemen in the organization much more than they need forwards.
3. Vancouver Canucks - Caleb Malhotra, C, Brantford
The Vancouver Canucks hired Caleb Malhotra's dad, Manny, to be their head coach this offseason. Now, they have a chance to select his son, who happens to be the best true center in the draft.
4. Chicago Blackhawks - Ivar Stenberg, LW, Frolunda
With the Sharks valuing a defenseman and the Canucks going with the bloodline, Ivar Stenberg falls to the Chicago Blackhawks at 4th overall. He plans on playing in the NHL as soon as 2026-27, and the Blackhawks have room for him with one of Connor Bedard, Frank Nazar, or his countryman Anton Frondell.
5. New York Rangers - Keaton Verhoeff, D, North Dakota
The New York Rangers need everything to get back into contention after falling out of it. An offensive-minded defenseman with lots of skill makes sense for them as they move forward. Keaton Verhoeff would be a great addition to their future blue line.
6. Calgary Flames - Carson Carels, D, Prince George
Carson Carels joining the elite farm system that exists within the Calgary Flames organization would be perfect for his development curve. There is an argument to be made that he is the best defenseman in the class, but he falls to six here.
7. Seattle Kraken - Alberts Smits, D, Jukurit
Alberts Smits of Latvia seems to be the buffer between the top defensive prospects and the next tier. The Seattle Kraken taking a risk on him seems to be a great fit at this point, as they need a little bit of everything added to their roster.
8. Winnipeg Jets - Daxon Rudolph, D, Prince Albert
Daxon Rudolph doesn't have the projected ceiling that the other defenseman already off the board have, but the Winnipeg Jets have been a master of developing blue-liners and turning them into stars.
9. Florida Panthers - Tynan Lawrence, C, Boston University
The Florida Panthers, who entered this season as the back-to-back Stanley Cup champions, had one bad year due to injuries and will make the 9th overall pick. If they add Tynan Lawrence, who spent parts of this season as a projected top-three pick, they would only be improving their future, which is scary for the rest of the league.
10. Nashville Predators - Viggo Bjorck, RW, Djurgarden
The hockey nation of Sweden is pumping out multiple high-end forward prospects these days, and Viggo Bjorck is one of them. He impressed at the World Junior Championships on a team that also had Anton Frondell and Ivar Stenberg. He was also great for Sweden at the Men's World Championships and solidified himself as a top-ten pick. The Nashville Predators could use a dynamic winger like him in their pipeline and possibly on their team.
11. St. Louis Blues - J.P. Hurlbert, LW, Kamloops
The St. Louis Blues have two picks in the top 15. It might be wise for them to use both on forwards to improve their overall skill within the organization. Here at 11, J.P. Hurlbert of the Kamloops Blazers makes sense. He is committed to Michigan in the NCAA in 2026-27.
12. New Jersey Devils - Oscar Hemming, RW, Boston College
Oscar Hemming, a Finnish forward, played 19 games for Boston College in 2025-26. The potential to play with one of Jack Hughes or Nico Hischier may help him take his game to another level if he ever makes it to the NHL.
13. New York Islanders - Ethan Belchetz, LW, Windsor
The New York Islanders had a strong draft in 2025, including Matthew Schaefer with the number one overall pick. Now, they have a chance to add a stud forward in Ethan Belchetz, who spent the 2025-26 season with the Windsor Spitfires. Now, he will transition to play college hockey at Michigan State.
14. Columbus Blue Jackets - Adam Novotny, LW, Peterborough
The Columbus Blue Jackets are close to being a playoff team, but they must continue adding to their prospect pool. Adam Novotny is a strong forward who can score goals with the best of them, as far as prospects are concerned.
15. St. Louis Blues via Detroit Red Wings - Brooks Rogowski, RW, Oshawa
The St. Louis Blues have the 15th overall pick as a result of the Justin Faulk trade with the Detroit Red Wings. Brooks Rogowski, a winger, is the selection here for them. He is a winger who can make their middle six better with the potential of a top-line forward.
16. Washington Capitals - Ryan Lin, D, Vancouver
The Washington Capitals no longer have John Carlson, so selecting a defenseman may be something they are interested in for their long-term future. Ryan Lin is an option for them at 16th overall.
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LOS ANGELES — Shohei Ohtani will make his scheduled start on the mound against the Tampa Bay Rays, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.
Ohtani (6-2, 1.06 ERA) left a game in Pittsburgh with left knee inflammation. He missed the next day’s game against the White Sox in Chicago, then returned. This will be his first start since the injury in Chicago.
Roberts said the swelling in Ohtani’s knee had “completely dissipated.”
“I saw that he had just a catch-play right now,” Roberts said of Ohtani’s work. “He’s going to do his touchy-feely deal from the mound in a little bit. I saw him play some catch. Looks good, feels good. Look forward to him making a start tomorrow.”
The game against the Rays is an early afternoon start. It’s a tight window to prep and an early start.
“He likes his sleep. It’s certainly not ideal, but the calendar is the calendar,” Roberts said. “He’ll get his rest and do what he can to post tomorrow. … Anyone that has anything that has a potential red flag, we’ll certainly be watching closely. But again, he wouldn’t start if we felt that we were going to put him in harm’s way. He’s a competitor.”
After a 1-0 win over the Rays, Roberts said Ohtani would not hit.
In his last pitching start, Ohtani gave up four runs — three earned runs — in 6 2/3 innings and the Dodgers lost to Pittsburgh, 9-8.
Utility man Tommy Edman was reinstated by the Dodgers following offseason ankle surgery.
Edman, who was the 2024 NLCS MVP in the Dodgers World Series championship year, will make his season debut soon.
“The good thing was, I saw progress with every step along the way. It just wasn’t as fast as I expected,” Edman said.
Santiago Espinal was designated for assignment.
TODAY’S GAME: The Astros and Tigers will play the rubber game of their three-game series today in an afternoon matchup at Daikin Park.
RHP Peter Lambert (5-4), who’s won three straight decisions, will get the start for the Astros opposite the Tigers and RHP Casey Mize (2-3), who’s being activated off of the IL to make today’s start.
DRIVING THE LAMBO: Today’s Astros starter RHP Peter Lambert has been solid in his 10 starts for the Astros, going 5-4 with a 3.47 ERA (22ER/57IP) with 53 strikeouts and a .212 opponent average.
Lambert pitched last year for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows in the NPB, posting a 3.98 ERA (55ER/124.1IP) with 111 strikeouts in 23 appearances in Japan.
He began this season at Triple A Sugar Land (1.84 ERA in three appearances) before being called up to join the rotation on April 17.
VS. THE TIGERS: The Astros and Tigers will play all seven of their games against each other within a two-week span, with the Astros traveling to Detroit next weekend.
In 2025, the Astros and Tigers finished with identical 87-75 records, but because the Tigers won the season series over the Astros, they earned the final Wild Card playoff spot.
TODAY’S RADIO BROADCAST: The Astros English radio broadcast today will feature Robert Ford and Kevin Eschenfelder, who’s subbing for Steve Sparks.
Sparks will return to the booth on Friday.
LOS ASTROS: Space City Home Network is televising this series in English and Spanish with the Spanish broadcast being televised on SCHN2.
Enrique Vasquez and Gene Flores are on the call on the Spanish telecast this series.
PEN PALS: Since May 15, the Astros bullpen has a 2.73 ERA (33ER/108.2IP) with 101 strikeouts, a 1.04 WHIP and a .189 opponent average.
Among AL teams since May 15, the Astros bullpen ranks first in ERA, first in WHIP, and first in opponent batting average.
The Astros are also 17-13 since May 15.
ALL-STAR VOTING UPDATE: On Monday, MLB announced the first balloting update for the 2026 MLB All-Star Game, which revealed DH Yordan Alvarez as the AL’s top vote-getter among all position players.
Other Astros among the AL’s top 10 at their respective positions: 2B Jose Altuve (4th), SS Jeremy Peña (5th), 1B Christian Walker (9th), 3B Isaac Paredes (9th), and C Yainer Diaz (9th).
MAKING THE PLAYS: The Astros have committed the fewest errors (29) and own the best fielding percentage (.989) in the AL.
1B Christian Walker has led the way, as he has not committed an error in 74 games and 522 total chances.
LAST NIGHT’S WIN: The Astros and Tigers played an entertaining ballgame last night with Houston scoring three in the 8th for a 4-2 comeback victory.
3B Raynel Delgado (2×4, 2RBI) was the hero as the rookie hit a go ahead, two-run single in the 8th for what were his first Major League RBI.
RHP Hunter Brown (1ER/5.2IP) made his much-anticipated return from the IL and fanned seven in his outing, but did not factor into the decision.
THE HUNT IS ON: RHP Hunter Brown returned from the IL last night after dealing with a right shoulder strain which cost him over two months, 67 team games, and approximately 12 starts.
He was effective in his return, improving to 1-0 with a 1.10 ERA (2ER/16.1IP) in three starts in 2026.
A 2025 All-Star, Brown finished third in the 2026 AL in Cy Young voting after going 12-9 with a 2.43 ERA.
ON THE LEADERBOARD: DH Yordan Alvarez leads MLB in OPS (1.074), SLG (.644) and total bases (174).
In the AL, he ranks first in batting average (.326), first in hits (88), first in HR (24), first in XBH (38), second in RBI (54), second in OBP (.430), fourth in BB (46) and seventh in runs (49).
ON-BASE MACHINE: OF Yordan Alvarez is on a 23-game on-base streak (dating back to May 22), in which he’s batting .376 (32×85) with nine homers, 23 RBI, 15 walks, a .471 OBP and a 1.200 OPS.
This ranks as the fifth-longest streak of his career and his longest since he posted a 26-game streak from Aug. 2-Sept. 2, 2024.
SELECT COMPANY: DH Yordan Alvarez played in his 750th career game on Monday and went 2×4 to
raise his career average to exactly .300.
With 194 career HR, Alvarez ranked sixth in MLB history in homers through a players first 750 career games.
THE LINEUP: The Astros have not repeated a lineup, using 75 different lineups in their 75 games.
DH Yordan Alvarez has the most starts at any spot in the lineup among Astros, hitting second 63 times.
WALKER, TEXAS HAMMER: 1B Christian Walker ranks third in the AL in RBI (52), behind only 1B Nick Kurtz (57) and DH Yordan Alvarez (54).
He also ranks tied for fifth in AL in homers (18), sixth in total bases (137) and tied for sixth in extra-base hits (32).
SEÑOR CIEN: IF Isaac Paredes, who recently reached 500 career hits and 100 career homers, recorded his 100th career double last night.
He is now just the fourth Mexican-born player in MLB history with 500 career hits, 100 doubles and 100 home runs, joining IF Vinny Castilla, IF Jorge Orta and IF Aurelio Rodríguez.
WHAT A RELIEF: LHP Josh Hader is 1-0 with three saves and a 0.00 ERA (0ER/6IP) in six appearances this season.
He’s allowed just two baserunners (one walk, one hit) and has fanned eight.
Hader had a delayed start to the season, missing the first two months with left biceps tendinitis.
ON THE MEND: RHP Cristian Javier started last night for Triple A Sugar Land at ABQ (COL) in what was his third minor league rehab start.
He worked 3.1 innings, allowing three runs on four hits with six strikeouts, while throwing 63 pitches (37 strikes).
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Wednesday, June 17, 1:10 p.m. CT
Location: Daikin Park, Houston, TX
TV: Space City Home Network
Radio: KBME 790 AM & 94.5 FM HD2; TUDN 102.9 FM HD2 (Spanish)
WASHINGTON — Nationals reliever Paxton Schultz has his first career victory thanks to a rarely seen official scorer’s decision.
Schultz pitched a scoreless eighth inning in Washington’s 6-4 victory over Kansas City. The Nationals already were up 6-3 when he entered the game — they’d scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh — but that didn’t preclude Schultz from receiving the win.
In the top of the seventh, Washington was up 3-1 when Richard Lovelady entered the game with one out and two on. He retired two of the three men he faced, but the one batter who reached against him was Isaac Collins, whose two-run single tied the game at 3.
Although Lovelady was in the game when the Nationals took the lead for good, according to Rule 9.17 (c), a reliever is not supposed to receive the win if he has been “ineffective in a brief appearance.” If that sounds like a harsh way of describing Lovelady’s outing — 2/3 of an inning, one hit, zero earned runs — the rule book gives even more guidance.
“The official scorer generally should, but is not required to, consider the appearance of a relief pitcher to be ineffective and brief if such relief pitcher pitches less than one inning and allows two or more earned runs to score (even if such runs are charged to a previous pitcher),” it says.
The rules about awarding wins to relievers have been in the news recently after Texas rookie Robby Ahlstrom got his first victory via a scoring appeal. Ahlstrom entered with two outs in the fifth inning against Kansas City. The Rangers led 3-2 in a game they’d eventually win 4-2. Because the starter didn’t go five innings, the official scorer was supposed to give the win to the most effective reliever.
Ahlstrom got a celebratory beer shower after that game, only to find out that Jacob Latz — who came in later — had received the win. The Rangers appealed, and MLB eventually changed the win to Ahlstrom.
ARLINGTON, Texas — Texas Rangers rookie left-hander Robby Ahlstrom is OK not celebrating his first big league victory a second time.
That celebratory beer shower Ahlstrom got in the clubhouse after a road win in Kansas City just came four days before he officially was awarded that win.
“I mean, we celebrated like I did (get the win). I mean everybody thought it was going to be that way,” Ahlstrom said two days before his 27th birthday and a day after an appealed scoring change rightfully made him a winner.
“A little interesting finding out after the fact,” he said. “I was more thinking of like, I don’t want to go through that beer shower again.”
Ahlstrom came on with two outs in the fifth inning and a runner on in the finale of a four-game series against the Royals. He retired all four batters he faced while Texas extended its lead to 4-2. Cole Winn then threw a scoreless inning and closer Jacob Latz finished it with two perfect innings.
Since Texas starter Kumar Rocker had exited one out shy of qualifying for the win, it was assumed by everyone — except the official scorer that day — that Ahlstrom was the winner in his fourth big league appearance, and Latz had another save.
It wasn’t until Ahlstrom checked his phone afterward that he saw the official box score listing Latz as the winner instead.
“No one wants to get beer poured on them if they don’t even get the win,” Latz said. “So we’re happy that it was actually meaningful.”
The Rangers appealed the decision by the scorer. That process included input from Latz, who noted that he had entered the game in a save situation and said Ahlstrom deserved the win.
MLB made the change, with manager Skip Schumaker informing Ahlstrom just before pregame stretch and congratulating him again for his first win. His fellow relievers cheered the news.
“He got the beer shower already, so I’m glad he didn’t have to do that again,” said Schumaker, adding he was excited for Ahlstrom, who made his big league debut June 3.
“You put MLB next to it, it’s kind of cool getting your debut, your first strikeout. But the ultimate goal is to come up here and help the team win ballgames,” Ahlstrom said. “So if you have a ‘W’ next to your name, you did something right. So I think that’d be the coolest part.”
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I still have plenty of digging to do to get myself out of this home run hole, but I've hit a dinger here in four straight articles and have gone +10.71 units over those four days. Let's keep the good time rolling with some four-baggers and MLB player props.
The price on Alec Bohm is nearly 300 points higher than it has been all week, yet today's matchup might be the best one he's seen. Michael Busch is also being priced as a lefty-on-lefty matchup, but the Colorado bullpen will be forced to cover innings today and doesn't have a left-handed option available.
Finally, I need a piece of this Pirates/Athletics game because Sutter Health Park is a launching pad, and Bryan Reynolds stands out.
These are my favorite home run props for Wednesday, June 17.
| Player to hit a HR | Odds |
|---|---|
 Alec Bohm | +940 |
 Michael Busch | +508 |
 Bryan Reynolds | +404 |
| 💲Today's HR parlay | +29317 |
Citizens Bank Park ranks as the second-best home run park on the board today, per Ballpark Pal. The Phillies have a home run edge against Sandy Alcantara, who owns the 18th-worst HR/9 rate among MLB starters over the last 30 days and doesn't generate many ground balls, with a 36.3% rate.
Philadelphia should get plenty of balls in the air, and somehow Alec Bohm is still paying a silly +940 to keep raking.
Bohm has been cruising at home in June with a 1.046 OPS. He has three home runs over his last 45 plate appearances and went deep again last night. Those previous home run prices were all shorter than +700. Where else are you going to find a cleanup hitter at this number?
Bohm also owns the second-best slugging percentage on the team over the last two weeks. He's seen Alcantara 32 times in his career and has hit .344 with an .851 OPS in that respectable sample.
I have this fair price closer to +650.
Here is another great price in a plus-plus matchup against the Rockies, who have a short-leashed starter with home run issues and will eventually turn things over to a depleted bullpen that gets hit harder than any unit in baseball.
Michael Busch will have the wind helping his pull-side power today at Wrigley Field, with 13-mph winds blowing out to right-center. The attractive price is largely due to the lefty-on-lefty matchup, but Colorado starter Sean Sullivan left his last outing due to illness and threw only 49 pitches. He owns a 5.76 ERA in Triple-A this season and has allowed 10 home runs in just over 54 innings.
He'll eventually hand the ball to a bullpen that has three relievers unavailable, including its only left-handed option. This isn't a true lefty-on-lefty matchup for nine innings, and Busch offers plenty of value for a hitter who owns the third-best slugging percentage on the team over the last two weeks.
The Cubs are hitting multiple dingers today, and Busch's HR price has been +330 and +375 in this series.
Sutter Health Park once again projects as the best home run park on the slate today. Bryan Reynolds hit two dingers last night, and I'm backing him to add another.
Aaron Civale is starting for the Athletics and making his first start off the IL. Before going down last month, he owned one of the worst HR/9 rates in baseball, and is an extreme flyball pitcher.
He likely won't go deep and will hand things over to a bullpen that ranks fourth-worst in baseball by ERA over the last two weeks.
| Alec Bohm | Bet Now +29317 |
| Michael Busch | |
| Bryan Reynolds |
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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The Nats have been a series winning machine lately, but sweeps have been hard to come by. They will look to change that against the struggling Royals. With a win today, the Nats would move to a wild 5 games over .500. Finishing off the sweep would be a big step for this group.
Blake Butera has made some tweaks at the bottom of his lineup. Jose Tena will get the start at DH. That means Jacob Young will sit and the outfield will be Daylen Lile in left, Dylan Crews in center and James Wood in right. Keibert Ruiz will be back behind the plate. Zack Littell had his first rough start in a while and is looking to bounce back.
With a righty on the mound, the Royals will add some left handers to the lineup. John Rave will make his first start of the series in right field. Lane Thomas remains in the lineup, but he is lower in the order. Catcher Carter Jensen is back in the lineup and leading off. That pushes Salvador Perez to DH. Luinder Avila gave up 8 runs and couldn’t get out of the 1st inning in his last start, but the righty throws hard.
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Game Info:
Stadium: Nationals Park
Time: 1:05 PM EST
TV: Nationals.TV
Radio: 106.7 The Fan
The Nats have used late inning rallies to overcome the Royals in the first two games, and will look to finish off what would only be their second sweep of the year. Getting 5 games over .500 would be quite the accomplishment. Follow along in the comments down below and let’s go Nats.
CHICAGO — The Chicago Cubs placed right-handed pitcher Daniel Palencia on the 15-day injured list with right elbow inflammation hours after he struck out three in the ninth inning to pick up the win in a 5-4 comeback victory against the Colorado Rockies.
The Cubs recalled Gavin Hollowell from Triple-A Iowa to replace Palencia.
After Palencia walked the first batter he faced, Cubs manager Craig Counsell went to the mound with a trainer to check on Palencia, but left him in the game to finish the inning. The Cubs scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth to give Palencia (2-1, 2.70 ERA) his second win.
”I was just concerned that the body language wasn’t normal,” Counsell said. “He said he was fine but then he had symptoms afterward, the elbow didn’t feel great afterward and didn’t feel great today.”
Hollowell, 28, has made one appearance for the Cubs this season, allowing two runs in 1 2/3 innings.
Starter Matthew Boyd (knee) is headed for a minor league rehab stint after a successful bullpen session, and Justin Steele (elbow surgery) has rejoined the team to begin a throwing program expected to last about three weeks, Counsell said.
The Cubs still hope Steele will pitch again this season despite a flexor strain that pushed back his timetable.
“He’s got runway,” Counsell said. “He can’t afford any setbacks. But we’ve got time.”
Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer said the wave of injuries to pitchers — the Cubs have eight pitchers on the injured list, including starters Boyd, Steele, Caleb Horton and Jamieson Taillon —- has pushed the depth the Cubs thought they had to the limit.
“We thought we had real numbers there, and then the number of injuries took care of it,” Hoyer said. “Now we have to be creative.”
When the Cleveland Cavaliers signed Sam Merrill to a contract extension and let Ty Jerome walk, it raised a lot of eyebrows. It created unnecessary discourse around who they should have let walk in free agency when they could have retained both at the expense of going further over the second apron. Merrill’s 2025-26 season showed why the Cavaliers invested in one of the league’s purest three-point shooters.
All grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.
Regular Season Stats
Merrill is arguably one of, if not the most straightforward, grades on this Cavaliers roster. The question boils down to “how well did Merrill shoot the ball in 2025—2026?” The answer to that question is very well.
It was not only that Merrill had his highest three-point percentage since his rookie season, but also that he accomplished this feat while shooting the highest number of attempts from the perimeter in his career.
If one word could describe Merrill’s past season, it is confidence. It takes a certain mindset to blindly fire from the perimeter as Merrill did. There is a sureness with his approach, combined with the ability makes him a one-man wrecking crew to opposing defenses. I’m not saying Merrill was the Cavaliers’ version of Steph Curry, however, the way that his presence can bend a defense is a difference maker alone.
Merrill is an active shooter; he does not sit idle in the corner and wait for the primary ball-handler to generate his looks for him. When Merrill is on the floor, he is arguably the most active player, constantly forcing opposing defenses to keep their eyes on him as much as any star the Cavs have in lineups with him.
What separated Merrill’s 2025-26 season from others is that it felt like the Cavs optimized Merrill as a player. They featured him in a way that previous versions of the team didn’t. This was best shown once the Cavaliers acquired James Harden at the trade deadline.
Harden passed the ball most to Merrill of anyone on the Cavs, averaging nearly 10 passes a game. James Harden and Merrill are an intriguing example of how Merrill’s game is far from just a floor spacer. Their partnership evolved into these convoluted pick-and-roll or pop actions where their basketball IQ would stand out almost instantly.
When players like Harden immediately take note of how dynamic a player Merrill can be, it validates the investment made into Merrill at the beginning of the season. The Cavaliers made the correct choice of extending Merrill and keeping his elite skills in house. As the Cavaliers look forward, it’s safe to say that Merrill will continue to play an integral part of the offense and motion of it.
Grade: A
Tennessee picked up a commitment from Wyatt Hanoian on Tuesday, a transferring second baseman from Air Force. Hanoian made his commitment public on Tuesday night.
Hanoian hit .357 for Air Force this season as a true freshman, which put him on the Mountain West All-Freshman team. The switch-hitting second baseman hit six home runs, walked 32 times, hit 14 doubles and four triples this year.
The most impressive stat for Hanoian? A staggering on-base percentage of .498. For reference, Garrett Wright, who was seemingly always on base for Tennessee this season, held a .439 mark.
Hanoian made 33 starts at second base for the Falcons, along with eight in right field, a handful at third base, along with a few as the team’s designated hitter. The class of 2025 prospect was the No. 222 player out of the state of California in the recruiting cycle.
He joins former two-way Mercer star Braydon Kersey and Northwestern State pitcher Brody Trosclair in Tennessee’s current transfer portal class.