The Buffalo Sabres made a notable move on Wednesday, trading defenseman Michael Kesselring and the 27th overall pick of this year's NHL Entry Draft to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for this year's 20th overall pick. The move is not surprising, as Kesselring struggled during his only season as a Sabre.
With the Sabres moving on from Kesselring, let's take a look at three more Sabres who have the potential to be traded next.
Devon Levi, G
Devon Levi has been a very popular name in the rumor mill since Buffalo's season has ended. With the Sabres having three other goalies ahead of him on their depth chart, it would not be shocking if the Sabres give Levi a fresh start elsewhere. This is especially so when noting that he did not play in a single NHL game this season.
In 52 games this season for the Rochester Americans, Levi had a 23-20-9 record and a .904 save percentage.
Jordan Greenway, LW
The Sabres need to free up cap space with them having so multiple pending free agents, both unrestricted and restricted. Due to this, it would not be surprising if the Sabres traded Greenway and his $4 million cap hit before July 1. He is simply making too much for his role as a bottom-six forward.
In 40 games this season for the Sabres, Greenway recorded one goal, six points, and 57 hits.
Josh Norris, C
Josh Norris is another Sabres forward who should be watched this off-season. While he is a key part of the Sabres' forward group, his $7.95 million cap hit is definitely high for what he provides. With this, it is fair to wonder if the Sabres could try to flip him in a trade package to land another high-impact forward.
In 44 games this season with the Sabres, Norris had 13 goals, 21 assists, and 34 points.
NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 10: JR Smith and Kevin Love smile after the game between the San Antonio Spurs and the New York Knicks during Game Four of the 2026 NBA Finals on June 10, 2026 at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York. 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 Jim Poorten/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Several players from the 2016 championship Cleveland Cavaliers, are celebrating the 10th anniversary of that achievement on the golf course. J.R. Smith is among the group that went across the pond. However, according to him, he hasn’t been invited back by the organization he helped bring a championship to.
In a recent episode of The Pivot Podcast, Smith talked about the importance of teams taking care of their former players. He pointed to the New York Knicks as the gold standard of doing this. And in the process, he singled out the Cavs for not being up to snuff in this department.
“I won a whole chip in Cleveland, they haven’t invited me back once, and it’s been 10 years,” Smith said. “This is our 10-year anniversary. They haven’t invited me back once.”
The official Cavs account on X replied to this with a video of Smith being at a game during the 2022-23 season and saying that he “ALWAYS has a home here.”
Anything bought from the links helps support Fear the Sword. You can also shop all of Homage’s Cavs gear HERE. The link to the 2016 championship shirt HERE.
Whether or not Smith was invited back for that appearance is unknown. What we can say is that he hasn’t been among the former players who’ve been asked to pull the sword out during player introductions before recent playoff games. Anderson Varejao, Booby Gibson, and Matthew Dellavedova all did so during the Cavs’ run to the Eastern Conference Finals. Smith didn’t.
It’s worth pointing out that Smith and the Cavs’ relationship didn’t end well. He was a member of the 2018-19 team, the first one that didn’t feature LeBron James after four-straight trips to the NBA Finals. The Cavs struggled at the start of the season, fired head coach Ty Lue, and traded away many of their veteran players before the deadline.
Smith wasn’t among the players dealt, but he wasn’t a part of the team after late November. He and the Cavs agreed to part ways after he played in only 11 games that year. The Cavs weren’t able to find a new home for him with a trade, and ended up waiving him the following summer. Smith played part of one more season as he appeared in six games for the bubble championship Los Angeles Lakers.
We don’t know whether or not the exit still lingers over that relationship. What we do know is that Smith was an indispensable part of the 2016 championship team and played a large role in a group that made four consecutive Finals. He should be celebrated for his role in bringing a championship to Cleveland for decades to come. Hopefully, we see that come to fruition in the coming years.
Ryan Craig has been named the fifth head coach of the Vegas Golden Knights.
Yes, the fifth. Incredibly crazy considering the team has only been around since 2017 and has made it to the Stanley Cup Final three times since inception.
The former Brandon Wheat Kings captain has been handed the keys in Vegas, by a familiar friend, nonetheless. Thus completing a coaching climb through the only NHL organization he has ever known from behind the bench.
Photo by Rusty Barton/Game On Magazine
Craig, 44, joined the Golden Knights as an assistant coach ahead of the franchise’s inaugural 2017-18 season and quickly became part of one of hockey’s greatest expansion stories. He helped guide the team to the Stanley Cup Playoffs in five of his six seasons as an assistant and was behind the bench when Vegas captured its first Stanley Cup championship in 2023.
From there, Craig continued building his resume with the organization’s American Hockey League affiliate, the Henderson Silver Knights.
Over three seasons as Henderson’s head coach, Craig helped the club improve each year, increasing its win total from 28 victories in 2023-24 to 29 in 2024-25 before a franchise-best 39-21-12 record and 90-point campaign in 2025-26. The Silver Knights also advanced to the second round of the Calder Cup Playoffs this spring.
Long before his rise through the Golden Knights' organization, however, Craig’s leadership qualities were on display in Manitoba.
The Abbotsford, B.C. product spent five seasons with the Brandon Wheat Kings from 1998 to 2003, where he played under current Vegas general manager Kelly McCrimmon, who was Brandon’s owner and general manager.
Craig served as the Wheat Kings' captain for two seasons, led the club in scoring twice and was named to the WHL East First All-Star Team during his final junior season. He was also recognized as both the WHL and CHL Humanitarian of the Year.
That leadership followed Craig throughout his professional playing career.
Selected by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the eighth round of the 2002 NHL Draft, Craig went on to play 198 NHL games with Tampa Bay, Pittsburgh and Columbus. He also appeared in 711 AHL games and served as captain of an incredible nine different teams, including the 2015-16 Calder Cup champion Lake Erie Monsters.
Now, after years of leading as a player and developing as a coach, Craig will get his first opportunity running an NHL bench.
For the Wheat Kings, it represents yet another connection between Brandon and one of the NHL’s most successful modern - and sometimes cutthroat - franchises.
More than two decades after McCrimmon watched Craig grow into a leader in Westman, the two are reunited as they look to bring another Stanley Cup to Vegas.
Jun 16, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers center fielder Garrett Mitchell (5) celebrates with third base coach Matt Erickson after hitting a solo home run in the seventh inning against the Cleveland Guardians at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
The Milwaukee Brewers will be looking to secure a series win over the Cleveland Guardians tonight after a win in last night’s pitchers’ duel.
Some pregame notes from Pat Murphy include a positive report on Brandon Woodruff’s rehab start last night for High-A Wisconsin, in which Woodruff was sitting 90-92 mph. He’s expected to rejoin the big league rotation soon and not need another rehab start. Also, there’s no update yet on the decision on Quinn Priester following his appointment with his thoracic outlet specialist, but news should be coming soon.
Meanwhile, for the Brewers’ current rotation, it’s Brandon Sproat’s turn tonight. Sproat is coming off one of his strongest outings yet, despite pitching in the bandbox that was Las Vegas. Sproat went six strong innings, allowing just one run over six innings on 68 pitches. He was efficient and largely kept the ball in that tiny ballpark. He’ll be looking to repeat that strong performance against a fairly weak Guardians lineup that is missing a couple of its best hitters, including José Ramírez.
However, the Guardians will be throwing one of the better starters in the American League tonight with Gavin Williams. The East Carolina product has a 3.32 ERA on the season with a 9-3 record. Williams is tied for the fifth-most strikeouts in baseball this year and ranks in the top 10 in the AL in opponent batting average.
The Brewers’ lineup tasked with going against Williams will include the standard top four in the order with Christian Yelich, Jackson Chourio, Brice Turang, and William Contreras. Jake Bauers gets the start at first base, meaning Andrew Vaughn is on the bench once again. Sal Frelick is in right field, Garrett Mitchell is in center. Cooper Pratt, seeking his first major league hit, is batting eighth for the second consecutive night, with David Hamilton rounding out the bottom of the order.
The Guardians still have a pretty strong 1-2 punch atop their order with Travis Bazzana and Kyle Manzardo. Old Friend Rhys Hoskins is batting cleanup and is the designated hitter. Another old friend, David Fry, traded as a minor leaguer for JC Mejia a few years ago, is batting sixth and playing right field.
The Brewers have already set a franchise record for most wins through 70 games with 44 of them. In their 71st game, can they add to their win total? First pitch is at 6:40 p.m.
As the Knicks prepare to celebrate their first NBA title in 53 years, The Post’s writers and columnists provide insight into the indelible moments they’ll remember forever from this championship season and legacy this team will leave after an incredible run.
Stefan Bondy
The final buzzer went off for Game 5 and my mind went to two places: Jalen Brunson and my sneakers.
Neither was for sentimental reasons. The sneakers are clean and white, a proud accomplishment I’ve been able to maintain, shockingly, throughout an entire season in airports, snowy slush in Toronto and the sticky floors of every NBA arena.
A league official warned prior to tipoff that the sneakers would certainly be doused by champagne if the Knicks win, and maybe stained with cigar ash or beer or whatever else tends to spray in the locker room celebrations.
I’m not accustomed to these things covering the Knicks for 11 years. Remember — they didn’t celebrate the NBA Cup very enthusiastically.
“Oh yeah,” the NBA PR person said. “RIP to those sneakers.”
Brunson was on my mind for a practical reason. He was the subject of my column that required filing ASAP. And through the typing, it crossed my consciousness — too briefly to put in the story — that I couldn’t recall Brunson’s first game with the Knicks.
When a player of his magnitude joins a team, the first appearance is usually a big deal. We all remember Carmelo Anthony’s “Coming Home” game. Since I was there, the Knicks debuts of Kristaps Porzingis and Derrick Rose are also logged in my memory. They were certainly the subjects of my story those nights.
But Brunson? The outlook of his impact seemed so mediocre that there’s no recollection. As it turned out, Brunson debuted on Oct. 19, 2022, in Memphis. It was a thrilling overtime loss for the Knicks and the hero — the subject of my main story — was … Cam Reddish.
Jalen Brunson #11 drives to the basket against Ja Morant #12 in his Knicks debut in 2022. Getty Images
Brunson had 15 points — fewer than Reddish, Julius Randle and Isaiah Hartenstein. Of the 10 Knicks to play that night, only Brunson and Mitchell Robinson are still on the team.
And for the point guard, it’s been a ride through the impossible, through the humble beginning in Memphis and on to the championship podium. My sneakers? They also shocked the world (my version of it, at least), leaving San Antonio still crispy white.
Zach Braziller
It really didn’t hit me for several minutes after the final horn, when the media was allowed onto the floor. The Knicks chants were deafening, fans of the orange and blue taking over Frost Bank Center.
It was particularly gratifying for them, because of that trip to the Finals in 1999, against these same Spurs; Ewing couldn’t play, due to a torn left Achilles tendon in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals. Houston did all he could, but it wasn’t nearly enough against Tim Duncan, David Robinson and Co.
This championship, the franchise’s first in 53 years, holds great meaning to so many. To fans. To former players. To everyone who has followed this team.
Jeremy Sochan #20 of the Knicks and Patrick Ewing high five after winning the NBA Finals. NBAE via Getty Images
“It means everything to the city,” Ewing said.
Growing up in the city in the 1990s myself, the Knicks owned the sports landscape every spring. Baseball season didn’t really begin until the Knicks’ season was complete. There isn’t a team that unifies everyone quite like the Knicks. We’ve seen that this spring, Knicks fans taking over road arenas in each round. There is a different buzz when the Knicks are this good, when they play this deep into the spring.
I thought: I’ve been doing this job a long, long time. I’d had the privilege of writing the column nine times after one of the teams we cover has won a championship, either here at The Post or elsewhere at papers in Newark and Middletown, N.Y.
Each one of those columns — five for the Yankees, two for the Giants, one each for the Devils and Rangers — I keep in a safe place, preserved and protected. Maybe someday I’ll make a collage out of them for a wall in my office. Maybe not. But I sleep better knowing I have them safely tucked away.
One thing, though.
Growing up, my father always insisted: “We root for New York in this house.” So while peer pressure later on insisted I needed to declare one or the other in every sport — and I picked the Mets, Jets, Knicks and Islanders — I never rooted against the other teams. And it was a joy to chronicle their titles.
But they weren’t “my” teams.
It’s here I should mention: I genuinely haven’t lost an ounce of sleep over any team since 1993 or so, with the notable exception of the St. Bonaventure basketball team. Whatever devotions I had previously have been channeled into the Bonnies, exclusively, for almost 35 years. Generally I root for me: good stories, early start times, no overtime.
But a few years ago it occurred to me: You know, at some point, I’d really like to write at least one column on the day after one of the teams I grew up rooting for won a title. And when the final seconds bled off the clock, it occurred to me: now I would.
I, like most New Yorkers, am too young to have seen the Knicks’ first two championships.
I spent decades looking at names — Frazier, Barnett, Monroe, Reed, DeBusschere, Bradley — in the rafters of Madison Square Garden, described as less than gods but more than men, representatives of the way the game should be played.
Finally, the torch has passed to another Knicks team guided by selflessness, to a group that was constantly reminded about a 53-year drought and saw it as an opportunity, rather than a burden.
The title celebration was surreal — thousands of Knicks fans taking over San Antonio, players passing around bottles of booze like frat brothers, lining up to take pictures with the Larry O’Brien Trophy — but Game 4 remains at the forefront.
It was the one moment of doubt, when unimaginable joy looked set to be replaced by familiar pain. The Garden was eerily silent — en route to a 29-point deficit — overshadowing six weeks of a dominant, dream-like run. Somehow, that night ended with the Garden’s all-time apex, capped by OG Anunoby’s mind-melting, heart-swelling, series-saving tip-in.
OG Anunoby’s makes an iconic game-winning tip-in during Game 4 of the NBA Finals. Jason Szenes for the New York Post
In the bowels of the building where he first became a champion, Bill Bradley, 82, walked down the hall, smiling, shaking his head in disbelief, speaking to no one in particular — “Incredible” — and for everyone who bleeds orange and blue.
He knew they would be making room in the rafters, that the moment would live longer than those who witnessed it, becoming iconic to the unborn, who one day will look up to the pinwheel ceiling and long to have seen those legends — Brunson, Towns, Anunoby, Hart, Bridges — representatives of the way the game should be played.
Jared Schwartz
I was born in 1999. I was only a few months old when the Knicks lost in the Finals that year. By the time I started making tangible memories, the electric ’90s were well in the past and the Knicks had already established themselves as a perennial laughingstock.
Like so many kids my age, all I had was stories from those older than me. For me, it was my father and grandfather. All I heard was: “It wasn’t always like this,” or “You don’t get how special it is when they’re good.” To me, it felt as close as the stuff I learned in my history textbook in school – it was then, not now.
I am lucky to also have a father in the industry who covered the first half of that magical ’90s era. Back then, they let the reporters sit courtside. He spoke of smelling the burning rubber of their sneakers on the court.
Josh Hart hugs New York Knicks guard Jose Alvarado (front) after the Knicks win the NBA Championship. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
He told stories of waiting around Michael Jordan’s locker – after he repeatedly broke the Knicks’ hearts – and meticulously screwing in his earrings. He reminisced about Patrick Ewing telling everyone to “watch the toes” as they crowded around him. He had endless tales about Pat Riley.
Meanwhile, I was building my fandom around guys like Nate Robinson, Jamal Crawford and Danilo Gallinari. The way longtime MSG PA announcer Mike Walczewski used to yell “Threeeee point goalllll, Daniloooooo Galllllinarrrrrriiii” made him one of my first favorites.
What did I think of when the Knicks won the championship? I thought of Carmelo Anthony hitting those two 3-pointers — at the end of regulation and overtime — against the Bulls on Easter in 2012.
For most of my life, that was the most electric moment I could think of surrounding the Knicks. When I went to college at Wisconsin, and tried explaining to non-New Yorkers what MSG was like, that was the highlight I’d show them. They’d, of course, retort that it was a regular-season game.
AKRON, OHIO - MAY 26, 2026: Bo Davidson #5 of the Richmond Flying Squirrels bats during the third inning against the Akron RubberDucks at 7 17 Credit Union Park on May 26, 2026 in Akron, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
All seven of the San Francisco Giants Minor League Baseball affiliates were in action on Tuesday. Here’s what happened!
All listed positions in the roundup are the position played in that particular game.
AAA Sacramento (40-27)
Sacramento River Cats beat the Oklahoma City Comets (Dodgers) 10-1 Box score
RHP Tyler Mahle began his rehab assignment on Tuesday, a few days later than planned (Mahle was supposed to begin his rehab on Sunday, but that game was rained out, and Monday was an off-day). Rehab assignments are all about ramping up and feeling healthy, so we’ll try to overlook the fact that Mahle was not very sharp. He only threw 33 of 63 pitches for strikes, while walking 5 batters in just 3 innings. He wasn’t particularly hittable, admittedly, as he only gave up 1 hit and 1 run, with 3 strikeouts, but still not the most encouraging outing. With RHP Trevor McDonald (No. 12 CPL) struggling, and Mahle being a player who could be moved at the deadline, it seems likely that he’ll be back in the MLB rotation soon.
Also rehabbing was RHP Jason Foley, who pitched a perfect inning while throwing 8 of 10 pitches for strikes. Foley has pitched well in his rehab, though he had it hit the pause button when his arm struggled to recover from back-to-back outings. Now he’s rehabbing again, and could be helping the MLB bullpen soon.
RHP Carson Seymour, like Mahle, struggled with command, issuing 4 walks in 3 innings, though he gave up just 1 hit and 0 runs, while striking out 3. Seymour hasn’t looked particularly good in AAA (3.81 ERA, 4.70 FIP) or in the Majors (14.54 ERA, 6.56 FIP) this year. Already 27 years old, it’s fair to wonder if the Giants are thinking of moving on at some point.
LHP Juan Sánchez (No. 41 CPL) hasn’t had a very good season either, but has been really strong since returning from an unofficial (I believe) stint on the Development List. He was dominant in the 9th inning of this game, throwing 8 of 9 pitches for strikes in a perfect frame, while striking out 2. I’m still optimistic that we see him in the San Francisco bullpen in the second half of the season.
A lot of good days on offense. The hits just keep coming for second baseman Nate Furman (No. 39 CPL), who hit 4-6 with a double, a stolen base, and an error. Furman, a 24-year old lefty acquired in the Alex Cobb trade, has been living up to his billing as a contact maven in his debut AAA stint. He’s up to a .292 batting average and just a 12.5% strikeout rate, with a sensational 3.9% swinging strike rate … a mark that ranks 2nd out of 54 Pacific Coast League hitters with at least 200 plate appearances … and 3rd out of 674 Minor League hitters across all leagues and levels (min: 200 PA). It does seem logical to conclude that the Giants might want Furman to slide right into Luis Arráez’s spot when Arráez is inevitably traded, though for now that spot seems to be Casey Schmitt’s to take.
In total, Furman has an .804 OPS, a 115 wRC+, and 10 stolen bases in 14 attempts.
The big hit belonged to third baseman Thomas Gavello, who hit 1-4 with a 3-run home run, a walk, a strikeout, and 4 runs driven in. Gavello is still trying to get off the interstate, and right now his biggest strength is that he plays all over the diamond and is a fantastic clubhouse guy. But we shouldn’t forget that there’s quite a bit of talent there, too! Sometimes it just comes out late.
First baseman Jake Holton had a good but painful day, going 0-1 but drawing a walk and getting hit 3 times. Left fielder Jared Oliva continued his rehab and went 2-5 with a walk, a stolen base, and a strikeout, while center fielder Turner Hill stated his case for that sort of a role, hitting 2-5 with a stolen base and an outfield assist.
Catcher Jesús Rodríguez (No. 16 CPL) and designated hitter Drew Cavanaugh (No. 19 CPL) drew to a draw in their race to be next man up behind the dish in San Francisco, as both players had a pair of singles and a walk.
AA Richmond (41-22)
Richmond Flying Squirrels lost to the Chesapeake Baysox (Orioles) 8-4 Box score
A fairly uninteresting day on either side of the diamond, save for big days from a pair of hitters: center fielder Bo Davidson (No. 4 CPL) and first baseman Sabin Ceballos (No. 43 CPL).
Davidson continued his June dominance. He only hit 1-4, but the hit was a 2-run home run, he didn’t strike out, and he continued his stellar defensive year with an outfield assist at third base and a robbery.
— Richmond Flying Squirrels (@GoSquirrels) June 17, 2026
After a rough May that featured just 1 home run and a ton of strikeouts, the soon-to-turn 24-year old has spent June regaining any top prospect status that he had risked losing. He’s hit safely in 12 of the 13 games he’s played in this month, with the only exception being the weather-shortened game that ended in the 5th inning. In total, he’s hit a staggering 18-48 with 7 home runs in June, while striking out just 10 times. That’s given him not just an .854 OPS and a 120 wRC+ on the season, but has also put him in 1st place on the Giants farm system home run leaderboard. If he keeps this up, we’ll almost certainly see him in AAA by the end of the year, especially since he’s going to be Rule 5 eligible this winter.
— Richmond Flying Squirrels (@GoSquirrels) June 17, 2026
As for Ceballos, who came to the Giants in the Jorge Soler trade, he showed off his power, hitting 1-2 with a 2-run home run and 2 walks.
Ceballos, a 23-year old taken in the 3rd round in 2023, is repeating AA, and is once again struggling with his batting average, which is just .228 after being .232 a year ago. But he’s found some of the power he lost last year … he now has 7 home runs on the season, surpassing last year’s total while barely having half as many plate appearances. He only has a .734 OPS and a 99 wRC+, but with his decent power, his ability to avoid strikeouts, and his excellent defense at both corners of the dirt, there’s something exciting there if he can just find a way to get more hits.
— Richmond Flying Squirrels (@GoSquirrels) June 17, 2026
Tough days for a pair of exciting players who are going through rough patches: left fielder Parks Harber (No. 17 CPL) and shortstop Maui Ahuna (No. 33 CPL). Harber, who missed the start of the season due to injury, but was red hot when he got started, went 0-3 with a walk, 2 strikeouts, and an error. In his last 12 games, Harber is hitting just 8-43 with 0 home runs, 3 doubles, 9 walks, and 20 strikeouts, which has brought him down to an .871 OPS and a 130 wRC+ … still fantastic numbers! Ahuna went 0-4 with 2 strikeouts, as the contact concerns continue to rear their heads. Ahuna has hit a lowly 5-39 with 21 strikeouts in June, and now has a .674 OPS and an 81 wRC+. The bigger concern, however, is the 36.5% strikeout rate and the 18.6% swinging strike rate … numbers that rank 102nd and 99th, respectively, out of 104 Eastern League hitters with at least 150 plate appearances this season.
Not a good pitching day, though RHP Mitch White tossed a perfect inning, which was great to see since he’s been struggling quite a bit. LHP Greg Farone continued to have a hard time adjusting to AA, as the 2024 7th-rounder gave up 7 hits, 2 walks, and 3 runs in 5 innings of action, while striking out just 3 batters. June has been a tiny bit better to Farone than the rest of the year, as he has a 5.14 ERA in the month, after ERAs in the 6s in the prior 2 months. The recently-turned 24-year old has a very interesting profile and could really develop into something exciting, but right now he’s not really doing anything well from a results standpoint: he has a 6.15 ERA, a 6.40 FIP, 8.5 strikeouts per 9 innings, and 5.1 walks.
In the Northwest League, however, there was a highly encouraging starting pitching performance, as RHP Niko Mazza took the mound for the Emeralds and struck out 7 Dust Devils in 5 innings of work, while allowing just 5 baserunners. It wasn’t a flawless performance, as 3 of the 5 baserunners he allowed (2 singles and a hit batter) came to the first 3 batters he faced. That, combined with a sacrifice fly, put 2 runs on his ledger. But he recovered to retire 15 of the next 17 batters he faced, with only a pair of walks reaching base.
Mazza, a 23-year old who was taken in the 8th round in 2024, has settled in fairly nicely with Eugene, where he has a 3.06 ERA and has struck out 11.3 batters per 9 innings. He’s had an issue with walks (5.9 per 9), which has led to a slightly bloated FIP (4.27), but it’s been a very strong 2nd season in the pros.
RHP Matt Dunaway made his 2nd appearance since getting returned to Eugene following an injury and a rehab appearance, and he tossed 2 perfect innings with 1 strikeout. LHP Esmerlin Vinicio, unfortunately, had a bad outing for one of the only times this year, ceding 8 baserunners and 4 runs in 2 innings … after having given up just 3 runs in 29.2 innings entering the game.
On offense, designated hitter Carlos Gutierrez (No. 18 CPL) once again showed off the massive power leap he’s made this year, hitting 2-5 with a home run, a strikeout, and 3 runs batted in. Anyone who has been reading these roundups is aware that Gutierrez, one of the best hitters for average in all of the Minors last year, has given up some of that this season in pursuit of more power, and this was the latest example. The 21-year old lefty now has 7 home runs in 51 games with High-A … after just 3 in 85 games across the DSL, ACL, and Low-A.
There’s room for the batting average to come up for Gutierrez, as it’s just .263 right now. The low strikeout rate (18.9%) and decent speed certainly suggests that Guttierez can get that number a lot closer to .300 eventually. But for now, with the power increase, it’s still good for a .823 OPS and a 123 wRC+, and given Gutierrez’s age and inexperience, that’s really impressive.
Funnily enough, of Eugene’s 5 extra-base hits, 3 of them were triples, and they came from a trio of good prospects who had nice days: right fielder Trevor Cohen (No. 15 CPL) went 3-6 though he was caught stealing; center fielder Dakota Jordan (No. 5 CPL) hit 2-5 with a stolen base and a strikeout; and left fielder Lisbel Diaz (No. 32 CPL) went 2-5, albeit with 2 strikeouts.
First baseman Jakob Christian (No. 40 CPL) continued his absurd streak of walk-drawing, as he went 1-1 and drew 4 walks. Christian has now drawn 9 walks in his last 4 games, boosting his walk rate to 13.6% on the year, with an .859 OPS and a 134 wRC+. His strikeout rate, however, remains a very high 30.3%.
Low-A San Jose (37-27)
San Jose Giants lost to the Lake Elsinore Storm (Padres) 2-1 Box score
A very funny pitching performance from RHP Keyner Martinez (No. 10 CPL). Martinez has put his strength and his concern fully on display this year: strikeouts and walks, respectively. And that was true to an extreme on Tuesday, when he struck out 6 batters in just 4 innings … but walked 7.
Remarkably, despite giving up 11 baserunners in those 4 innings (he also hit a batter, and gave up a home run and 2 singles), Martinez was only tagged for 2 runs, and just 1 earned run. Just a strange game for the 21-year old from Venezuela.
Martinez has proved mostly unhittable this year, as he’s given up just 32 hits in 45.1 innings … with 73 strikeouts. His 14.5 strikeouts per 9 innings ranks 3rd out of the 509 Minor Leaguers with at least 40 innings thrown this year, and if you want to know why he’s emerged as arguably the top pitching prospect in the organization, well … that’s why! But if you want to know what’s keeping him from more success — such as a promotion, or a spot on a top 100 list — it sits with the 6.0 walks per 9 innings, which needs to be addressed in a big way.
Nice bullpen games from the 2 relievers who pitched, RHPs Alix Hernandez and Garrett Langrell. Both pitchers gave up 3 baserunners and 0 runs, with 3 strikeouts; Hernandez while pitching 3 innings, and Langrell while pitching 2. Both players have strong strikeout numbers this year, but haven’t been able to make the total package work.
A nothing-burger on offense, with the Baby Giants mustering just 4 hits on the day. Shortstop Lorenzo Meola (No. 23 CPL) had perhaps the best day, hitting 1-3 with a double, a stolen base, and a strikeout. Meola is still trying to overcome his slow start to the year, but last year’s 4th-round pick has been playing quite well lately, and seems to be enjoying getting to play shortstop regularly with Jhonny Level (No. 3 CPL) promoted to High-A.
Arizona Complex League (16-16)
ACL Giants lost to the ACL D-backs 5-4 (7 innings) Box score
Not the most interesting game, but a few nice performances, especially on offense. Second baseman Anthony Marquez, a 19-year old in his 1st season stateside, hit 1-3 with a double, a walk, and a stolen base. After a pair of strong seasons in the DSL, Marquez has struggled a bit to adapt to the ACL, and has just a .673 OPS and a 78 wRC+. He’s still drawing a ton of walks, like always (15.9% walk rate), but is having a hard time hitting for average … he’s at just .216 for the year, after boasting a .279 average in 2024, and a .276 average last year. He does have 6 stolen bases though, and some strong defense.
Designated hitter Yosneiker Rivas, a 20-year old in his 1st ACL season after 3 years in the DSL, hit 2-2 with a double and a walk. The lefty from Venezuela has adapted very well to stateside ball, as he’s hitting for average (.343), drawing walks (16.7%), and limiting strikeouts (19.0%). He’s not hitting for much power at all, but the hits and walks have given him an .881 OPS and a 130 wRC+.
As for the big name prospects, recently-returned first baseman/DH Reggie Crawford didn’t play, while shortstop Josuar González (No. 2 CPL) remains sidelined with a hamstring injury. Shortstop Luis Hernández (No. 6 CPL) hit 0-3 with a walk and a strikeout.
Dominican Summer League Black (7-5)
DSL Giants Black beat the DSL Mets Orange 4-1 Box score
A trio of hitters who reached base a bunch in this game. Center fielder Djean Macares, an 18-year old in his 2nd season, went 0-2, but drew 3 walks and stole 2 bases. Just as was the case in his debut last year, Macares — who was arguably the team’s 2nd-biggest signing last year after Josuar González (No. 2 CPL) — is doing a tremendous job of limiting strikeouts, but having a hard time doing damage with the bat. He has just an 8.9% strikeout rate this year, with a tremendous 19.6% walk rate … but has only a .233 batting average and a .070 isolated slugging, resulting in a .702 OPS and a 90 wRC+.
Designated hitter Diego Villegas hit 1-2 and drew 2 walks while getting caught stealing. A good game, but unfortunately the 22-year old has been unable to separate himself from the pack in his 6th DSL season. And catcher Diego Alambarrio, an 18-year old in his 2nd season, had a painfully successful game, hitting 0-1 but getting hit 3 times. He’s already been hit 7 times in his career, despite playing just 17 games. Catchers! They’re built different!
A really nice start by RHP Santiago Guerrero, an 18-year old from Mexico who is a member of the team’s very small signing class this year. Guerrero is an intriguing prospect, and in his 3rd professional game tossed 4 shutout innings with 5 strikeouts and 0 walks, while giving up just 3 singles. Very impressive stuff. He’s been excellent in 2 games, while having a dud sandwiched between them.
LHP Hector Dos Santos tossed 2 perfect innings with a strikeout. Through 4 games this year, the 20-year old in his 2nd season has given up just 3 baserunners and 0 runs in 4.1 innings.
Despite the gaudy run total, the Giants Orange squad had just 1 extra-base hit on the day. Welcome to the DSL!
A few players had nice offensive games though: center fielder Jose Valdez, a 17-year old in his debut season, hit 2-3 with a walk, raising his OPS to .807 and his wRC+ to 97; first baseman Albert Jimenez, a 19-year old in his 3rd season, went 2-5 with a double and a strikeout, giving him a whopping 1.293 OPS and 180 wRC+; shortstop Jonathan Valle, an 18-year old debuting player, hit 1-3 with 2 walks, a stolen base, and a strikeout, and now has a .669 OPS, a 58 wRC+, and 3 stolen bases; second baseman Yeison Oviedo, an 18-year old in his 2nd season, hit 0-2 but drew 3 walks and stole a base, moving his OPS to .845 and his wRC+ to 116, with 2 stolen bases; and left fielder Angelo Ugueto, a 17-year old who was signed in January, hit 3-4 with a strikeout, bumping his OPS to .754 and his wRC+ to 96.
A pair of players pitched really well: RHPs Fernando Estrella and Abraham Utrera. Estrella, a 23-year old who is pitching for the first time since 2022, threw a perfect inning with 2 strikeouts in his 2nd appearance of the season. Utrera, a 21-year old in his 2nd season, gave up a hit and a walk in 2 shutout innings, with 3 strikeouts. He has 16 strikeouts in 9 innings this year.
Home run tracker
13 — Bo Davidson — [AA] 7 — Sabin Ceballos — [AA] 7 — Carlos Gutierrez — [High-A] 5 — Thomas Gavello — [AAA]
Wednesday schedule
Sacramento: 4:05 p.m. PT at Oklahoma City (SP: Matt Wilkinson) Richmond: 3:35 p.m. PT at Chesapeake (SP: Charlie McDaniel) Eugene: 7:05 p.m. PT at Tri-City (SP: Tyler Switalski) San Jose: 1:00 p.m. PT vs. Lake Elsinore (SP: Jordan Gottesman)
Reminder that almost all MiLB games can be watched on MLB TV.
“As a matter of fact, thank you for asking me that, we just did receive an invitation from the White House, which we accepted,” Dolan said during the appearance. “We still have to figure out the details, et cetera, but yes, of course. Look, I invited the president to come down for the game. He is a friend. I’ve known him for 30 years and I’m very proud to bring the team to the White House.”
The acceptance may prompt polarizing reactions from some of New York’s players who may be on opposite ends of the political spectrum.
Forward Josh Hart, for example, posted a social media message after Joe Biden’s victory in November 2020 in which he used a derogatory term to describe Trump.
The previous five NBA champions crowned during a Trump administration each declined to visit the White House, starting in 2017, when the Warriors won their first of two consecutive titles during a Trump term.
“Going to the White House is considered a great honor for a championship team,” Trump wrote in September 2017. “Stephen Curry is hesitating, therefore invitation is withdrawn!”
LeBron James even became involved, firing off a post of his own in which he called Trump a “bum” and added that “going to the White House was a great honor until you showed up!”
The Warriors declined to visit after their 2018 title, and the Toronto Raptors opted in 2019 not to visit either the White House or Parliament Hill in Ottawa over scheduling conflicts.
The Lakers won in 2020 and also declined, though the COVID-19 pandemic would’ve complicated any potential White House visit.
Three of the following four NBA champions, the Bucks, Warriors and Celtics, each visited the White House, but that was under the Biden presidency.
The Nuggets had scheduled a visit following their 2023 title, but scheduling conflicts with the White House led to a postponement. The rescheduled date, however, fell the day before what would be a crucial game against the Timberwolves, so the Nuggets chose to forgo the event.
Then, after Trump won back the presidency after the 2024 general election, the Thunder won the 2025 NBA Finals. They, too, declined a visit, though Oklahoma City cited scheduling conflicts.
“We have been in touch with the White House, and we are appreciative and grateful for the communication we have had, but the timing just didn't work out,” the team said in a statement.
Dolan has long been a supporter and donor of Trump and sat alongside the president in his suite June 8 during New York’s 115-111 loss against the Spurs in Game 3, the team’s only defeat during the series.
“Well, I’ve been a Knick fan for a long time, and I’m also a Jim Dolan fan,” Trump said June 4. “He’s a nice guy, OK? He spent a long time wanting to win, and he’s a competitive guy. He’s got a team that’s amazing.”
Two of the Knicks' biggest stars were in the Bronx Wednesday night to throw out the first pitch before the Yankees' game against the White Sox.
Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart toss out first pitches at Yankee Stadium after securing the New York Knicks' first NBA championship in 53 years 😤 pic.twitter.com/V7eFvdriys
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 17: Freddie Freeman #5 of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrates with teammate Andy Pages #44 after hitting a two-run home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Dodger Stadium on June 17, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ryan Sirius Sun/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Scoring was much more prevalent on Wednesday, but the Dodgers secured their third straight one-run win against the Tampa Bay Rays, taking the finale 5-4 to complete the sweep.
Just like on Tuesday, both teams were held scoreless over the first three innings, as Shohei Ohtani and Shane McClanahan allowed just two baserunners apiece over that span.
The Dodgers began the bottom of the fourth with a leadoff walk to Mookie Betts, giving them their first baserunner since the second inning. A dazzling defensive play from Richie Palacios robbed Kyle Tucker of a hit but moved Betts into scoring position, setting the table for an RBI single from Alex Call to help the Dodgers strike first against McClanahan.
A successful ABS challenge by Dalton Rushing helped him reach on a walk, and Alex Freeland kept the two-out rally alive with an RBI single to left to make it a two-run lead. After a walk to Tommy Edman loaded the bases, that marked the end for McClanahan’s day. Casey Legunima got out of the jam without any further trouble by getting Andy Pages to line out to leave the bases full.
After Shohei Ohtani extended the Dodgers’ pitching scoreless streak to 20 innings against Tampa Bay, Ohtani allowed the first two to reach in the top of the fifth with a walk to Victor Mesa Jr. and a double from Hunter Feduccia. The shutout attempt fell by the wayside with a sacrifice fly from Taylor Walls, and an RBI single from Yandy Díaz tied the game at two to take McClanahan off the hook for the loss.
Ohtani induced a ground ball off the bat of Cedric Mullins that looked like a sure out at first, but Freddie Freeman hesitated on the play and Ohtani couldn’t cover the bag in time allowing Mullins to reach to load the bases. Tommy Edman made a fantastic play to rob Junior Caminero of a hit, but the throw nearly got away from Freeland to spoil the double play, score a run and help Tampa Bay take a 3-2 lead. Palacios followed up with a two-out RBI single to right to make it a two-run Rays lead.
The Dodgers responded by loading the bases against Legumina with nobody out to begin the bottom of the fifth which signaled the end of his afternoon. Tucker worked a nine-pitch walk against Garrett Cleavinger to bring the Dodgers down a run, but the left-hander got both Alex Call and Dalton Rushing to fly out before striking out Alex Freeland to get out of the jam.
Ohtani had better fortunes in the sixth inning, retiring the side in order to end his outing. Wednesday was the most struggling start for Ohtani as a Dodger, as his four earned runs were the most he’s allowed in any start this season. He’s allowed seven runs over his last 12 2/3 IP and his season ERA now sits at 1.47, which now ranks second behind Jacob Misiorowski for the lowest ERA among all pitchers with at least 70 innings.
Despite the poor start, the Dodgers took him off the hook for the loss and in line for the win, as Freddie Freeman clobbered a two-run home run to center field, giving the Dodgers the lead once again.
Edgardo Henriquez worked around a leadoff infield single from Díaz in the top of the seventh and recorded four outs overall on the day. Jack Dreyer followed him out of the bullpen to secure the final two outs in the top of the eighth inning.
Instead of Tanner Scott attempting to record a third consecutive save against the Rays, Alex Vesia was called upon for the ninth. Vesia allowed a leadoff walk to pinch-hitter Austin Slater, and Slater took second on a stolen base to put the potential tying run in scoring position. The left-hander got pinch-hitter Ben Williamson to line out before inducing an infield pop fly out from Taylor Walls. Díaz was put on intentionally to fill the open bag at first and Aranda worked a seven-pitch walk to load the bases with two outs. Vesia found himself in a full count against Mullins, but a sharp slider sent him down swinging on strikes, securing the Dodgers’ first sweep since doing so against the Colorado Rockies from May 25-27.
The Dodgers are off on Thursday but are back at home to welcome the Baltimore Orioles for a three-game set beginning Friday (7:10 p.m. PT, SportsNet LA). Roki Sasaki goes for the Dodgers while the Orioles have yet to announce their starter.
SCORING FIRST IS USUALLY GOOD: Last night’s loss was just the Cubs’ second of the season at home after they had scored first. But it was their second in three such games since a 10-0 start. They are 24-9 in all games when they have scored first; 14-27 when they have not. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
THREE IS THE NUMBER OF THE COUNTING: The Cubs are 35-16 when they have scored at least three runs; just 4-20 with no more than two. They lost last night despite making eight hits. They are 32-20 with at least seven. They lost despite hitting a homer. They are 33-20 with at least one. And they lost despite earning four walks. They are 32-23 with at least three. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
THE NICO FILES: No Cub batter started the season hotter than Nico Hoerner. Through his first 12 games, his OPS was exactly 1.000. It was last above .900 after 24 games, at .908. It was last above .800 after 37 games: .809. It was last above .700 after 56 games: .705. It now stands at .641. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
TODAY IN CUBS HISTORY: Jake Arrieta throws six shutout innings, striking out 11, and the Cubs defeat the Pirates 6-0 at PNC Park. They are 45-20 after this win and lead the NL Central by 10.5 games. It happened 10 years ago today, Friday, June 17, 2016.
Javier Assad has had two straight outstanding outings, first after coming into a game at Wrigley Field in an emergency after Jameson Taillon was injured, then in a start against the Giants last Friday in San Francisco, where he threw six shutout innings.
Keep up the good work, Javier. Last year, he threw six innings and allowed three runs to the Rockies Aug. 30, 2025 in Coors Field. Perhaps Wrigley will be more pitcher-friendly to Assad.
Sean Sullivan was the Rockies’ second-round pick out of Wake Forest in 2023. He made his MLB debut last Friday against the A’s in Sacramento and threw three scoreless innings, which in Sacramento is pretty good!
Sullivan threw 49 pitches in that game. He was throwing 80-plus pitches for most of the year in his starts with Triple-A Albuquerque so he is likely going a bit longer tonight.
Obviously he’s never faced the Cubs or anyone on their active roster.
Based on the pitch chart below — and remember, it’s just 49 pitches — he appears to be a soft-tossing lefty.
Please visit our SB Nation Rockies site Purple Row. If you do go there to interact with Rockies fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.
The 2026 game discussion procedure has been changed, so please take note.
You’ll find the game preview, like this one, posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).
At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game.
The Live! (formerly “First Pitch”) thread will still post at five minutes to game time. It will also post to the front page. That will be the only live game discussion thread. After the game, the recap and Heroes and Goats will also live on the front page as separate posts.
You will also be able to find the preview, Live! thread, recap and Heroes and Goats in this section link. The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.
Here are five things to watch and predictions as the Mets and Phillies play a three-game series in Philadelphia starting on Thursday night at 6:40 on SNY...
As Lindor continues to play simulated games at Citi Field, his return from a nearly two-month long absence appears imminent.
There's a chance Lindor is back as early as Saturday against the Phillies, in the second game of the series.
When Lindor does return, it will be just the 12th time that both he and Juan Soto are in the lineup together this season -- with Lindor having suffered his calf injury in the same April game where Soto returned from his.
The Mets' offense has been better lately, with them averaging roughly 4.7 runs per game over the last week -- including their nine-run eruption on Wednesday against the Reds.
Lindor being back should add a serious jolt to that. If he isn't activated from the IL in Philadelphia, it stands to reason that he'll return during New York's homestand that opens this coming Monday against the Cubs.
Bichette entered play on Wednesday having slashed .412 with a 1.222 OPS in 53 plate appearances over his last 12 games.
On Wednesday, he had another huge day, going 3-for-4 with a walk, RBI, and two runs scored. Bichette's OPS, which was .531 on May 17,is up to .677.
The return to form by Bichette has been enormous for the lineup, which is also getting strong contributions lately from Juan Soto (who has been on a tear for most of the season), Francisco Alvarez, Carson Benge, and A.J. Ewing.
Once Lindor returns, Bichette -- who has been holding down shortstop in Lindor's absence -- will slide back to third base.
New York's starting rotation is a tricky jigsaw puzzle right now, but Manaea has been sharp lately -- taking a bit of pressure off.
After working in a bulk role for a while, Manaea returned to the rotation on June 13 against the Braves and was strong, allowing two runs in six innings while striking out six.
New York Mets starting pitcher Sean Manaea (59) follows through on a pitch against the Atlanta Braves during the third inning at Citi Field / Brad Penner - Imagn Images
Manaea gets the start in Thursday's series-opener, with Freddy Peralta slated to start on Saturday and New York possibly going with a bullpen game on Sunday night.
Kyle Schwarber is on another level
Schwarber, fresh off re-signing with the Phillies this offseason after being pursued by the Mets and others, is having another monster year.
He entered play on Wednesday with an MLB-leading 25 homers, putting him on pace to come close to the career-high 56 he slugged last season.
Overall, Schwarber is hitting .249/.368/.574 in 70 games, with his slugging percentage leading the National League.
Strikeouts continue to be Schwarber's kryptonite, with him fanning a league-worst 107 times already. He's on pace to strike out 237 times this season, which would shatter his career-worst to this point (215 strikeouts in 2023).
Can the Mets get to Cristopher Sanchez and Zack Wheeler?
After the Mets face Aaron Nola (5.86 ERA, 1.47 WHIP), they draw Philadelphia's aces.
Sanchez, one of the early favorites for the NL Cy Young award, has a 1.82 ERA (2.14 FIP) and 1.09 WHIP while striking out 10.5 batters per nine in a league-best 99.0 innings.
Wheeler, who missed the start of the season as he finished his recovery from thoracic outlet surgery, has been nearly as good.
In 62.2 innings over 10 starts, Wheeler has allowed just 38 hits. He has a 2.01 ERA (3.38 FIP) and 0.84 WHIP, though his strikeout rate (8.9) has taken a serious dip from where it was in 2025 (11.7 per nine) and is the lowest it's been since the shortened 2020 campaign.
Predictions
Who will the MVP of the series be?
Bo Bichette
Bichette is sure to get a rude welcome after spurning the Phillies in the offseason. He'll use it as fuel.
Which Mets pitcher will have the best start?
Freddy Peralta
Peralta locked in during his last outing, allowing just one run in five innings against the Braves.
Which Phillies player will be a thorn in the Mets' side?
Brandon Marsh
Marsh is in the midst of the best season of his career.
CHICAGO, IL - MAY 12: Darryn Peterson shoots the ball during the 2026 NBA Draft Combine on May 12, 2026 at Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois. 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 Melissa Tamez/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Well, the 2026 NBA Draft is now less than one week away. And one of the Washington Wizards’ recent stars gave his endorsement on who he would like to see picked No. 1 overall.
John Wall was recently asked who he would like to see drafted No. 1. He endorsed former Kansas guard Darryn Peterson t No. 1.
John Wall wants the Wizards to take Darryn Peterson with the No. 1 pick 👀
It goes a bit further than that than Wall saying that Peterson should go No. 1 and former Brigham Young star AJ Dybantsa going No. 2 to the Utah Jazz.
Peterson is going “all in” on the Wizards himself. He reportedly visited the Wizards recently for extended workouts and decided not to visit the Jazz for the same thing. It’s a high risk high reward move for sure.
After he was virtually untouchable in his first nine appearances of the season, Shohei Ohtani, the pitcher, is mired in a two-start funk on the mound.
Ohtani, who gave up one or no runs in eight of his first nine starts, gave up more runs in one inning — four — on Wednesday, June 17 than he did in his first five starts. And now he has a pair of nagging physical issues to monitor.
Making his first start since sitting out a game as a hitter due to left knee inflammation, Ohtani was peppered for four singles, a double and a walk as the Tampa Bay Rays batted around in the fifth inning.
After the inning, cameras caught small traces of blood on his pants, from the middle finger on his pitching hand, although Ohtani came out to pitch a scoreless sixth and even served as pinch-hitter in the bottom of the inning.
Despite his struggles he ended up the winning pitcher, after Freddie Freeman clubbed a go-ahead two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth, erasing a deficit and giving the Dodgers a 5-4 lead that the bullpen preserved.
L.A.'s relievers pitched nine scoreless innings in the three-game sweep of the Rays.
Yet the good vibes were at least partially tempered by the notion Ohtani - now 7-2 - hasn't been as indomitable of late as he was in the season's first third. He was sanguine about his dual health concerns.
"It’s just part of the game. Not a lot of situations where you feel 100% so I took it as that,' Ohtani told reporters via translator Will Ireton. "It was big we were able to win a game like this."
The bad inning Wednesday was fueled in part by his tardiness covering first base on a groundball to Freeman, who glanced momentarily toward second, freezing Ohtani in his journey off the mound. Soon, a 2-0 Dodgers lead was a 4-2 deficit.
And after Ohtani's six innings of seven-hit, four-run, one-walk, five-strikeout work against the Rays, his ERA stood at 1.47. Elite, to be sure, but when he took the mound in Pittsburgh one week ago, it was at an absurd 0.74.
Ohtani allowed a season-high 10 baserunners and gave up a season-high three earned runs to the Pirates in that game and a day later, was removed from the game due to left knee inflammation.
Ohtani sat out just one game as DH, and manager Dave Roberts said he remained on track to make his assignment against the Rays. That he did, though it went south after four innings, and now the finger issue may be one to further monitor for the Dodgers.
"My every intention was to start today’s game.," says Ohtani. "Didn’t really feel like that was not going to be an option not to pitch."
Roberts felt confident sending Ohtani out for the sixth despite his rough fifth inning and the knee and finger issues, citing a desire to avoid lower-leverage relievers before aligning for the seventh, eighth and ninth.
"He still always finds a way to manage innings and make pitches when he needs to," says Roberts. "I think he’s still kind of working through delivery stuff with the knee."
Roberts said that "right now," Ohtani would be fine to make his next start one week from now, and says they will revisit his use of a topical skin adhesive on the middle finger. As for the past two starts?
"I don’t think anyone expected him," says Roberts, "to never give up any runs."
Pitcher Landen Roupp was one of three San Francisco Giants players who were issued warnings for inscribing a Bible verse on their Pride Night caps. (Scott Marshall / Associated Press)
The controversy around the Pride Night protest by three San Francisco Giants pitchers continues to grow.
Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) entered the fray Tuesday, demanding answers from Major League Baseball after it issued warnings to Landen Roupp, JT Brubaker and Ryan Walker about writing on their uniforms. The players added a Bible verse on their specialty caps for the night.
In a letter addressed to MLB commissioner Robert Manfred, the Republican senator also accused the league of “a pattern of discrimination ... against baseball players who profess their Christian faith.”
“I write with grave concern over your reported decision to issue a formal warning to three Major League Baseball (MLB) players for publicly expressing their Christian faith,” Hawley says in his letter. “MLB has said this is a content-neutral policy and that MLB ‘respect[s] players’ right to free expression.’ But this is dubious, given that MLB is openly promoting a political viewpoint and possibly compelling adherence to that viewpoint.”
The Missouri senator referenced the league’s “sweeping, judicially manufactured exemption from the federal antitrust laws” as justification for his inquiries.
“Trump won we don’t have to do this anymore,” Vice President JD Vance wrote on social media.
The San Francisco Giants' pride logo is displayed on the scoreboard at Oracle Park before its Pride Night game against the Chicago Cubs. (Scott Marshall / Associated Press)
In Friday’s Pride Night game against the Chicago Cubs, Roupp, the Giants’ starting pitcher, wore a hat with “Gen 9:12-16” written alongside the rainbow “SF” logo. Relief pitchers Brubaker and Walker also added similar references to the Old Testament passage about rainbows being a “covenant between God and every living creature” on their caps. (Fellow Giants pitcher Sam Hentges chose to wear a cap with the team’s standard logo instead of the Pride Night version.)
“That’s just kind of something I believe in, and I stand firm in that,” Roupp told reporters after the game. “I’m thankful we live in a country where, you know, we have the freedom to believe what we want ... and express what we want.
“The verse says ... the rainbow is a symbol of God’s covenant to us, and us as believers to stand firm in that,” he added after confirming he never had previously inscribed it on his cap before. “There’s no hate at all. It’s just what I stand for and what I stand in. I believe in God, and that’s me.”
Rainbows have been associated with LGBTQ+ pride since the rainbow flag was introduced by activists and artists in San Francisco in the 1970s. The verse Roupp mentions often is cited by Christian conservatives in their effort to “reclaim” the rainbow’s symbolism. (Former Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw added the same Bible verse to his Pride Night cap last season.)
Following the Pride Night actions of Roupp and his fellow Giants pitchers, the team’s fans, members of the LGBTQ+ community and allies expressed their hurt, anger and disappointment in the players and the organization. The Giants have a history of supporting the LGBTQ+ community and causes.
The MLB issued the players who added inscriptions to their caps a warning Monday for violating the league’s uniform policy.
“To be clear, this routine verbal warning not to wear the hat in future games is not disciplinary and had absolutely nothing to do with the content of the message,” MLB clarified in a widely reported follow-up statement issued Tuesday.
“We respect players’ right to free expression. However, writing of any kind, with any message, is prohibited per Major League Baseball’s Uniform Regulations which provides in part that, ‘(a) Player may not write, attach, affix, embroider or otherwise display nicknames or messages on apparel or playing equipment…’. We have given the same warning numerous times in the past to players for messages such as ‘Dad’, ‘Happy Mother’s Day, I Love Mom,’ and names of family members.”
A number of fans expressed anger and disappointment after the actions by pitchers for the Giants, a team with a history of supporting the LGBTQ+ community and causes. (Scott Marshall / Associated Press)
The Giants have not addressed the fallout beyond their statement following the game Friday.
“The San Francisco Giants are proud to support Pride Night and the LGBTQ+ community. Baseball should be a place where everyone feels welcome, respected, and valued,” the statement provided to numerousoutlets reads. “We also respect that individuals may make personal choices about participating in team activations. We understand that the choices by individual players has caused pain and anger to many in the LGBTQ+ community and we are sorry for that. Those choices do not change our organization’s commitment to inclusion, belonging, and creating a welcoming environment for all. We remain grateful to our fans, partners, employees, players and coaches who help make Pride Night a meaningful celebration.”
The team was among the first in professional sports to host an HIV/AIDS awareness game in the 1990s and the first MLB team to incorporate the Pride rainbow in its on-field uniforms for its Pride game in 2021.
California state Sen. Scott Wiener has continued to call out both the Giants and Republican politicians regarding the Pride Night protest and the aftermath.
“MAGA leaders like JD Vance and Josh Hawley are now glomming on and declaring an anti-LGBTQ culture war, in an attempt to bully MLB from enforcing its rules,” Wiener wrote in an lengthy post on social media, calling them out for their “Bigotry against LGBTQ people.”
“This isn’t an issue of religious freedom. People have a right to whatever religious beliefs they want — even if those beliefs dehumanize other people — but they don’t have a right to hijack their employer to promote those hateful beliefs at a job-related event.”
With high school baseball seasons across the country coming to a close, attention now turns to the 2026 MLB Draft.
On Monday, June 15, hundreds of the nation’s top prospects received invitations to the MLB Draft Combine, a three-day event that gives players the chance to showcase their skills in front of Major League baseball operations departments, scouting directors and other personnel.
Of the 334 draft-eligible players invited, 140 are high school athletes representing numerous schools. The event begins with a high school sim game on June 23 before players participate in on-field workouts, strength and conditioning assessments and biomechanical testing.
While those players represent programs from across the country, nine schools placed multiple athletes on this year’s invite list. Here’s a look at the high schools with the most players invited to the 2026 MLB Draft Combine.
TNXL Academy: Ocoee, Florida (4)
TNXL Academy is a baseball-focused high school program that allows athletes to train in a professional style environment. Since the academy was founded in 2014, it has produced eight MLB draft picks and 93 college commits. It's no surprise that TNXL produced the most invites this year, but it has not yet had four players drafted in the same year.
Coleton Brady – RHP (No. 178)
Genson Veras – OF (No. 184)
Spencer Evans – LHP (No. 194)
Kaleb Traylor – 3B
Orange Lutheran High School: Orange, California (3)
Orange Lutheran has long been one of the nation's top high school baseball programs, producing several notable MLB players, including AL Cy Young Award winner Gerit Cole. The Lancers continued that tradition this year, placing three players on the MLB Draft Combine list after also producing 10 Division I signees this year.
Cooper Sides -- RHP (No. 99)
Gary Morse -- RHP (No. 137)
CJ Weinstein -- SS (No. 149)
Etowah High School: Woodstock, Georgia (2)
Fresh off of its third state championship in program history, Etowah High School enters the draft season as Georgia's top-ranked baseball program. The Eagles captured the 2026 GHSA Class 6A State Championship, marking its second title in three years, and placed two players on the Combine invite list. Senior outfielder Trevor Condon is one of the top high school prospects invited to the Combine.
Trevor Condon -- OF (No. 22)
Matthew Sharman -- RHP
Casteel High School: Queen Creek, Arizona (2)
Despite being founded just 11 years ago in 2015, Casteel High School has established itself as a powerhouse in Arizona. After earning back-to-back AIA 5A state championship titles in 2023 and 2024, the Colts moved up to the 6A classification last season.
Ryne Barker -- 3B (No. 195)
Ryan Harwood -- OF
De La Salle High School: Concord, California (2)
De La Salle High School is another one of California's premier baseball programs. The Spartan's won their second-consecutive NCS Division I Championship this season, securing the program's 16th North Coast Section. De La Salle has produced numerous MLB draft picks and will look to add a pair of teammates to that list.
Tyler Spangler -- SS (No. 49)
Graham Schlicht -- RHP (No. 139)
Corona High School: Corona, California (2)
Corona High School made MLB history last year after three of its players were drafted in the first round of the 2025 MLB Draft. Two of the three were drafted in the top-10, which was also a historic feat. The program hasn't always been dominate, but has become a national powerhouse under head coach Andy Wise. Trey Ebel hopes to follow in the footsteps of his brother Brady who was the No. 32 overall pick last year.
Anthony Murphy -- OF (No. 107)
Trey Ebel -- SS (No. 113)
St. John Bosco: Bellflower, California (2)
While St. John Bosco isn't the first California school to enter this list, it is the top-ranked program in the state. The program claimed back-to-back CIF Southern Section Division 1 Championship titles, with draft prospect Julian Garcia paving the path this year. He threw a complete game and struck out 14 en route to the championship title.
James Clark -- SS (No. 53)
Julian Garcia -- RHP (No. 117)
South Walton: Santa Rosa Beach, Florida (2)
The South Walton Seahawks emerged as one of the nation's top teams this season, finishing 30-4 and capturing the first state championship in program history. Ranked No. 4 nationally, the Seahawks also boast one of the top MLB draft prospects in the country in right-handed pitcher Coleman Borthwick, who could be a first-round pick this year.
Coleman Borthwick -- RHP (No. 35)
Denton Lord -- RHP (No. 72)
Jesuit High School: Tampa, Florida (2)
Jesuit High School Tampa has one of the most historically dominant baseball programs in the nation. The Tigers have captured seven state titles and have produced hundreds of Major Leaguers, including Hall of Famer Al Lopez Sr. In last year's draft, Jesuit High School graduate Jamie Arnold was drafted 11th overall, becoming the second-highest Jesuit alumnus ever drafted.
When NBA free agency officially opens at 6 p.m. Eastern on June 30, there will be a rash of signings, but the biggest deals of the summer likely will already have happened. Free agency is not how the best players change teams anymore — if Giannis Antetokounmpo is leaving Milwaukee this summer, it's via trade. That's essentially how all the top players change teams — a year ago at this time, it was Kevin Durant being traded to the Houston Rockets. When it comes to free agency, changes to extension rules and unrestricted free agency make it generally smarter for a player to re-sign with his existing team (and then force a trade later, if that's the goal).
Still, free agency saw some signings worth noting — last summer, it was how Myles Turner ended up in Milwaukee, Al Horford landed in Golden State, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker in Atlanta. Who will be on the move when free agency opens on June 30? Here are the biggest names on the board. (Reminder, a "restricted" free agent means his current team has the right to match any offer from another team.)
1. Jalen Duren (restricted)
Detroit will re-sign Duren, who proved to be a critical core player for the No. 1 seed Pistons, averaging 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds a game, shooting 65% and playing high-level defense.
A CAREER NIGHT FOR JALEN DUREN!
36 PTS (career-high) 12 REB
At 22 years and 119 days old, Duren becomes the 2nd-youngest player in Pistons franchise history to record 35+ PTS, and 10+ REB in a game, trailing only Isiah Thomas (21y, 284d). pic.twitter.com/JSED2aKyfU
The only question is, did his playoff swoon cost him money? After making All-NBA last season, his max is five years, $287.1 million. The Pistons would like to get him at a slightly lower number, but if they get too cute, there are teams with cap space — Chicago and Brooklyn are rumored to be lurking — who could put a max offer sheet and force the Pistons to match. All that said, Detroit can't afford to lose him.
2. Austin Reaves (player option)
There's a theme to the top of this list: The team with a player's rights can't afford to let the player walk, but would like to get them in at a lower number than the max. Enter Austin Reaves and the Lakers. Reaves has proven to be a quality second option next to Luka Doncic and averaged 23.3 points and 5.5 assists a game. At 28, this is Reaves' shot at generational wealth and he will opt out of the $14.9 million on his contract and is not giving the Lakers a steep discount this time around. Do the Lakers lock him up for five years at around $200 million or less, or something more like four years and $160 million? If the Lakers mess around here, Brooklyn is lurking, has cap space and can offer a max of four years, $178 million, forcing the Lakers to match. However it plays out, Reaves will be back with the Lakers next season.
3. James Harden (player option)
Harden will be back in Cleveland, that's a done deal. Harden and his team pushed to be traded from the Clippers last season because they did not want to extend the 36-year-old future Hall of Famer, but there is no way Harden signed off on a trade to Cleveland without a handshake deal for an extension already in place. The question is the number. Harden will decline his $42.3 million player option and sign a deal with a lower per-season number but a higher total, maybe something like two years, $70 million. Whatever the number, Harden is staying put.
4. LeBron James
There is a growing sense that LeBron James will re-sign with the Lakers, according to league sources NBC Sports has spoken with. Nothing else fits quite right. Part of that is simply money. LeBron is taking a steep pay cut from the $52 million max he earned last season, but if he goes to a team like Golden State, the best they can do is the $15 million mid-level exception (and if things break down with Los Angeles, expect that to be the outcome).
The Lakers have LeBron's Bird rights and can (and likely would) pay more. Plus, LeBron is playing with his son, Bronny, in Los Angeles, and his family has established a life here. It's a big ask to think he would give that up to go to Cleveland (who could only offer the $3.9 million veteran minimum — LeBron is not a minimum player). The Lakers have other priorities this offseason — re-signing Reaves, improving the center and wing positions around Doncic — but LeBron and Doncic mesh well, and it just seems like the best fit.
5. Peyton Watson (restricted)
Watson's value to the Nuggets was on clear display through his absence in the playoffs — he was out injured, and Denver was not the same team without his two-way wing play. Other teams noticed — the Lakers would love to bring Long Beach Poly's own back to SoCal, he's the kind of player they need — but Denver knows what they have and very likely re-signs him. Watson averaged 14.6 points a game last season, played well off Nikola Jokic, is a plus defender on the wing and shot 41.1% from 3-point range. The reported plan in Denver is to re-sign Watson and trade someone such as Christian Braun. Watson has some injury concerns, so the likely number he signs for is a little less than Braun's five years, $125 million, but Watson should make something like five years, $95 million or more.
6. Isaiah Hartenstein (team option)
Hartenstein's defensive physicality against Victor Wembanyama in the playoffs — he did a very respectable job on the Spurs' alien — showed why the Thunder need to work out a long-term deal to keep the German big man. He's not really hitting free agency, the Thunder will work out a deal where the team declines its $28.5 million option for next season, and he signs for three or four years at a slightly lower per-year number (maybe four years, $110 million).
7. Trae Young (player option)
The widely held expectation around the league is that Young will decline his $48.9 million player option for next season and re-sign with the Washington Wizards on a multi-year deal at a lower number (something like three years, $120 million, maybe with a partial guarantee on the final season). That said, the Wizards are a rebuilding team, and teams are eyeing Young as a potential trade target if they strike out in the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes (Miami has been mentioned). If Young picks up that player option, it's a sign he's on the move. That said, his staying in Washington on a more team-friendly deal seems the most likely outcome.
8. Walker Kessler (restricted)
For a guy who played just five games last season due to shoulder surgery, there is a lot of buzz around Kessler. That's because the 7'2" big man brings to the table what a lot of teams are looking for: rim-protection, good on the glass, efficient scoring, and can body up Wembanyama defensively. Utah wants to keep him and pair him in a front line with Jaren Jackson Jr. and Lauri Markkanen.
The sticking point is money. The latest report, via ESPN's Tim MacMahon, is that the Jazz offered five years, $140 million ($28 million per year average) and Kessler is unhappy with the negotiations and what's on the table. For comparison, that salary is slightly higher than what Myles Turner got from Milwaukee a year ago and slightly lower than what Jarrett Allen is making in Cleveland ($30.2 million per season). While the Lakers and other teams are interested, they are not coming in much higher than what the Jazz have on the table, if at all. Expect the Jazz and Kessler to work out a deal, and we can debate if he holds a grudge about how this went down the next time his free agency comes up.
9. Norman Powell
If Miami lands Giannis Antetokounmpo — and has to trade away players such as Tyler Herro and Kel'el Ware to make it happen — then they need to re-sign Powell for the depth. Powell is coming off an All-Star season in which he averaged 21.7 points per game, but at age 33, he has physically broken down before the last two playoffs. Miami likely re-signs him for a little more than $20 million a season (two years, $45 million?). If the Heat make the big trade, then Powell has leverage because the Heat need him. If the Heat strike out, it's worth noting that it proved hard to play Herro and Powell together on defense last season, and Miami might want to rethink its options.
10. Ayo Dosunmu
Minnesota may end up paying more than it wants to keep Dosunmu because he has all the leverage here. The midseason pickup proved his value in the playoffs, where he averaged 15.6 points a game off the bench, dropped 43 on Denver and showed he can be part of a dangerous team in Minnesota. With Donte DiVincenzo out most or all of next season, the Timberwolves need Dosunmu back. While they could offer the non-taxpayer mid-level exception at $15 million a season, to keep the unrestricted free agent, they may need to go a little higher (three years, $55 million?). If Minnesota tries to low-ball him, teams like Detroit or Miami could try to poach him.
11. Mitchell Robinson
After a championship run, New York has let it be known they want to re-sign Robinson and run it all back — and he earned his next check with some critical plays and minutes off the bench in the NBA Finals. He's a starting-level center who pretty much has to come off the bench and play limited minutes due to health issues — expect 15-20 minutes a night for 60 games, then hope he's healthy for the playoffs. Combine that with the Knicks being deep in the tax, and there start to be questions about the future, with teams like Boston, Los Angeles and Atlanta lurking. Still, after that run, expect Robinson to re-sign in New York at a little below the mid-level exception (three years, $40 million?).
12. Rui Hachimura
There are not a lot of 6'8" players who shot 44.7% from 3-point range last season and have shown the last couple of years they can step up and be better on the big stages in the postseason. Hachimura — and Luke Kennard — are players on the bubble to return to the Lakers as they rework the roster around Doncic, would a team like Detroit take a look at Hachimura and think he could slot nicely into the Tobias Harris minutes? Wherever he signs, look for him to make a little more than the mid-level exception ($18 million per season, or does that go up to $20 million?).
13. John Collins
Collins has proven to be a rock-solid NBA rotation big man, a quality pick-and-roll big who can pop out and hit the 3 (he shot 40.6% from 3 last season) and is a respectable shot blocker and rim protector. The Clippers have his Bird rights and need him at the five with Ivica Zubac gone, so expect him to re-sign in Los Angeles, but other teams in need of a big man could do worse than to talk to Collins and see if they can get him at a fair price.
14. Coby White
White is good enough to be a starter somewhere, but thrived after the trade deadline coming off the bench in Charlotte, where he averaged 15.6 points and shot 39.1% from 3. The expectation around the league is that he re-signs with the Hornets (and he might be an early Sixth Man of the Year favorite if he does). However, if a team looking for more shot creation, like Detroit, came calling, he'd have to listen.
15. Tari Eason (restricted)
One of the more interesting free agents on this list. He's a 6'8" high-level defensive wing player who has started to find his shot and hit 35.8% from 3-point range last season. He is exactly the kind of guy a lot of teams looking for two-way wings could use, and if teams like the Lakers can't poach Peyton Watson from Denver, they might call about Eason. All of that is driving up his price, and he may find a deal in the $25 million a season range. Houston likely pays that to keep him, but it's worth watching on a Rockets roster that is going to get expensive in the coming years.
16. CJ McCollum
He may be 34 and an undersized guard, but he was one of the biggest problems for the Knicks in the playoffs and showed he is still a threat. He was a great veteran fit with Atlanta after the trade last season, averaging 18.7 points a game, and the Hawks want him more than other teams. The buzz in league circles is that the Hawks want to re-sign him for one year with a big number ($30 million or so) as they continue to pivot to what is next.
17. Collin Gillespie
Gillespie played himself into a healthy raise at age 26, showing he could be a starting point guard in this league and fitting well with Devin Booker in Phoenix. The max that Phoenix can offer is $15.6 million, but that (or a little less to keep the Suns out of the luxury tax) should be enough to get a deal done.
18. Kristaps Porzingis
Can a team sign him and then put him in bubble wrap until the playoffs? Porzingis is exactly the kind of stretch big and elite rim protector who can help lift a team's ceiling — he was huge for Boston's title run. However, his injury history is too long to list here, and teams can't bank on him. For a playoff team looking to take the next step, it's a risk-versus-reward debate. Porzingis is only going to get a one-year contract (two at most), maybe around $15 million per season?
19. Draymond Green (player option)
Green isn't leaving the Warriors, the only question here is money and years. Green has a $27.7 million player option for next season, the expectation is he opts out and re-signs for two years at a slightly lower number (two years, $40 million?). Expect a deal to get done.
20. Anfernee Simons
What is the going rate for a guy who can get you a bucket but is not really efficient (at or below the league average true shooting percentage the past few years) and is a defensive liability? He averaged 14.3 points per game and shot 38.5% from 3-point range. Look for a shorter-term contract, and he might well stay with the Bulls.
