The Braves are going for the sweep. The offense has to wake up and Elder has to set the tone early to bounce back from his last outing.
First pitch is set for 1:35 p.m. EDT
Game Notes
Braves vs Brewers Chat & Discussion—Elder vs Gasser
Cubs, Blue Jays postponed; makeup date August 6
It’s not raining in Chicago right now but there’s a forecast of rain all afternon and evening.
And so, today’s 1:20 p.m. CT game between the Chicago Cubs and Toronto Blue Jays at Wrigley Field has been postponed due to forecasted inclement weather.
The makeup game is scheduled for Thursday, August 6 at 1:20 p.m. CT.
Mobile tickets via the MLB Ballpark app will automatically update with the makeup game information. No ticket exchange is necessary.
Thus this becomes an open thread for you to discuss baseball, the Cubs or, really, anything within the rules of the site.
I’m adding a couple of rain songs to set the mood. Enjoy your afternoon!
Blue Jays vs Cubs Prediction, Odds & Home Run Pick for Today's MLB Game
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Chicago Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson draws one of the toughest matchups in baseball today against Dylan Cease, whose elite swing-and-miss arsenal should neutralize the struggling slugger.
Read on for my top Blue Jays vs. Cubs predictions and MLB picks for this Sunday, June 21 matchup.
Editor's Note: This game has been postponed due to weather.
Blue Jays vs Cubs predictions
Blue Jays vs Cubs best bet: Dansby Swanson Under 0.5 hits (-130)
Dansby Swanson has been one of the worst hitters in baseball this season with a .177 batting average, while ranking in the second percentile in xBA.
Additionally, his hitting profile does not match up well at all against Toronto Blue Jays starter Dylan Cease, who has elite swing-and-miss stuff.
Swanson can’t hit the breaking ball this season, owning a .095 average with a 33% whiff rate.
That won’t bode well against Cease, who ranks in the 99th percentile in strikeout rate with a 37% whiff rate.
A lot of his whiffs come from his slider, which is his most-used pitch to right-handed batters, which is also a pitch that Swanson struggles with (.048 batting average, 37% whiff rate).
Additionally, Swanson is just 1-for-6 against Cease in his career. I’d play this prop up to -140.
COVERS INTEL: Swanson doesn’t generate much contact against Cease's two most used pitches, owning a porous .048 average and a 34% whiff rate against the slider and changeup combined.Blue Jays vs Cubs same-game parlay (SGP)
Cease has electric stuff, leading the American League with 110 Ks. He’s eclipsed today’s number in seven straight starts and owns a 39% strikeout rate against this Chicago Cubs lineup.
George Springer is turning a corner with a 1.089 OPS over his last nine games, and profiles well against Shota Imanaga, who’s primarily a fastball pitcher.
Springer owns a .291 xBA over the last three seasons with a .613 xSLG.
Blue Jays vs Cubs SGP
- Dansby Swanson Under 0.5 hits
- Dylan Cease Over 6.5 strikeouts
- George Springer Over 1.5 total bases
Blue Jays vs Cubs home run pick: Kazuma Okamoto (+365)
Kazuma Okamoto's hitting profile matches up perfectly against Imanaga’s stuff.
The Cubs starter throws a heavy dose of the fastball and gets barreled up at a 10.4% rate. The Jays third baseman barrels the ball better than anyone in the Blue Jays lineup (13.5%) while possessing a 63.2% hard-hit rate against the four-seamer.
Additionally, Imanaga has allowed 14 home runs over 15 outings this season.
This is a half-unit wager.
2026 Transparency record
- Best bets: 35-39, +0.75 units
- SGPs: 14-60, +2.15 units
- HR picks: 12-62, +1.8 units
Blue Jays vs Cubs odds
- Moneyline: Toronto -116 | Chicago +102
- Run line: Toronto -1.5 | Chicago +1.5
- Over/Under: Over 7 | Under 7
Blue Jays vs Cubs trend
The Blue Jays have hit the moneyline in nine of their last 14 away games (+6.00 Units / 41% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Blue Jays vs. Cubs.
How to watch Blue Jays vs Cubs and game info
| Location | Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL |
| Date | Sunday, 6-21-2026 |
| First pitch | 2:20 p.m. ET |
| TV | MARQ, Sportsnet |
| Blue Jays starting pitcher | Dylan Cease (4-3, 2.71 ERA) |
| Cubs starting pitcher | Shota Imanaga (4-6, 4.26 ERA) |
Blue Jays vs Cubs latest injuries
Blue Jays vs Cubs weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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Report: Astros GM Dana Brown Telling Teams Houston Is Not Selling
Condolences to the many members of the national media who have been hoping and praying to see the Astros sell at the deadline, and have their roster picked apart to go to other teams. That doesn’t appear to be happening.
According to a report from longtime MLB insider Bob Nightengale, the Houston Astros intend to be buyers at the deadline and teams calling up asking for Astros stars are wasting their time.
According to Nightengale, the Astros are still on the hunt for bullpen help and a left-handed hitting outfielder. These are two of the 3 primary things they sought this offseason as well (the other being starting pitching).
The AL West has been the weakest division in baseball this season, and entering play today there are no teams in the division over .500. The Seattle Mariners lead the division at 39-39.
The Astros enter play today only 3 games out in the division, and 2.5 back in the race for the final Wild Card spot.
Over the last month, dating back to May 21, the Astros have gone 16-11 (.593), which ties as the fifth-best record in the Majors and is the second-best record in the AL.
Top Records since May 21 (AL)
1. Yankees 16-9 (.640)
2. Astros 16-11 (.593)
3. Blue Jays 16-12 (.571)
Oilers re-sign center Jason Dickinson to a 5-year, $20 million contract
EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — The Edmonton Oilers re-signed Jason Dickinson to a five-year contract worth $20 million on Sunday, preventing the defensive-minded center from testing the free agent market.
Dickinson will count $4 million against the salary cap through the 2030-31 NHL season. He was set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, three days before his 31st birthday.
Instead, Dickinson will be counted on to provide depth in Edmonton as the organization looks to get over the hump and win the Stanley Cup following a decade of trying and falling short despite having two of the best players in the league in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
Dickinson fit in well with the Oilers after they acquired him from Chicago in early March ahead of the trade deadline. He averaged roughly 15 minutes of ice time a game the rest of the season and 12 in the playoffs, becoming one of the team's most frequently penalty killers.
Re-signing Dickinson was one item on a lengthy offseason checklist for general manager Stan Bowman. Hiring a coach could be next, along with potentially trading longtime defenseman Darnell Nurse and upgrading the goaltending position.
___
AP NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL
Pennington smashes 14th HR, Erie rolls to shutout win
Rochester Red Wings 14, Toledo Mud Hens 1 (box)
An 11-run sixth inning led to a 14-1 loss for the Toledo Mud Hens on Saturday.
Scott Effross and Carl Edwards Jr. were decent through the first four frames. They combined for nine straight outs after a leadoff single, but Christian Franklin broke the shutout with a solo shot off Edwards in the fourth. Max Anderson homered in the top of the inning, but that was Toledo’s only run of the day.
Edwards gave up another homer in the fifth, Anderson had a double in the top of the sixth, and then the bad times began. A leadoff single and walk got the bullpen going, and Konnor Pilkington replaced Edwards on the mound after a groundout put men on the corners.
Pilkington gave up an RBI single, hit a batter and watched two more runs cross on a double up the middle. Tyler Mattison was next out of the bullpen. He immediately got tacked for a two-run double over the right fielder’s head. If the wheels weren’t already falling off, they were definitely gone after this sequence: walk, single, single, walk, single. 10-1, Rochester.
Mattison finally got the second out, striking out Yohandy Morales, and in came Woo-Suk Go. Three more runs crossed before the inning ended. Go wasn’t particularly good, walking two batters — one with the bases loaded — and allowing a two-run single. None of those baserunners were on his ledger, though.
At least Beau Brieske went 1-2-3 in the seventh, right?
Toledo went to a position player on the mound in the eighth. Morales homered for good measure, and that’s all she wrote.
Clark: 1-4, K
Anderson: 2-4, HR (6), 2B (8), RBI
Edwards (L, 2-6): 3.1 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 4 ER, BB, 5 K, 2 HR
Effross: 2.0 IP, H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
Coming Up Next: It’s a 1:05 p.m. ET start on Sunday. Rochester leads the series, 3-2.
Erie SeaWolves 8, Harrisburg Senators 0 (box)
Erie put together a complete win on Saturday, allowing just three hits in an 8-0 win over Harrisburg.
Kenny Serwa got the start but not the win, coming up just one out shy of the minimum required to qualify. Still, he was excellent, giving up just one hit and three walks while striking out four. The knuckleballer drew a game-high eight whiffs before turning the ball over to Tanner Kohlhepp.
Justice Bigbie started the scoring early, driving in Seth Stephenson and Peyton Graham with a double in the first. He hit a good 400 feet, but there’s a tall wall 405 feet in center field. Andrew Jenkins made it a 3-0 game later in the inning with a groundout RBI. Jenkins did the groundout thing for a run again in the third.
Brett Callahan was hit in the head before Bigbie’s double. He shook it off pretty well, but left the game as a precaution.
Kohlhepp pitched through the sixth, striking out a pair and working around one hit. Johan Simon took over for him in the seventh, but not before Izaac Pacheco launched a ball out of the park for Erie’s fifth run.
Simon went two frames, striking out two and giving up just one hit, and Yoniel Curet closed out the game in the ninth.
Before all was said and done, Toledo scored three more runs in the eighth. Stephenson doubled in Bennett Lee and scored on a Thayron Liranzo sac fly, and Jenkins drove in another — this time on a base hit.
Liranzo: 0-3, RBI, BB
Bigbie: 1-3, 2B (13), 2 RBI, 2 BB, K
Jenkins: 1-5, 3 RBI, 2 K
Pacheco: 1-4, HR (11), R, RBI, BB, 2 K
Stephenson: 2-6, 2B (12), 2 R, RBI, K, SB (33)
Serwa: 4.2 IP, H, 0 R, 3 BB, 4 K
Coming Up Next: It’s a 1 p.m. ET start on Sunday. Erie leads the series, 3-2.
West Michigan Whitecaps 7, Lansing Lugnuts 3 (box)
Despite being outhit by Lansing, West Michigan came away with a 7-5 victory on Saturday.
Jake Miller went four innings in his fourth rehab assignment start. This was his first with West Michigan, and he gave up his first run in 11 2/3 innings. Lansing got to him for six hits — four of which came in the first — but no walks and three strikeouts are encouraging.
Garrett Pennington homered in the bottom half of the first, keeping it a tie game through Miller’s outing. Neither offense really got much going after that, at least until the seventh. Carlos Lequerica went 1-2-3 in the fifth, with a pair of strikeouts, Duque Hebbert worked around a two-out single in the sixth and Luke Stofel retired the Lugnuts in order in the seventh.
With the game still knotted at one run apiece, Andrew Sojka sparked a rally with a one-out double in the seventh. Luke Shliger poked one through the left side to bring Sojka home, moved to second on a Samuel Gil single and stole third base. A throwing error brought him home and put Gil on third.
Lansing intentionally walked the bases loaded to face Bryce Rainer, and the former first-round pick made them pay with a two-run single through the right side. It wasn’t hit particularly hard, but Lansing was in double-play depth and the second baseman couldn’t get there. Pennington added another RBI to his box score with a line-drive single to center field. 6-1, West Michigan.
CJ Weins had a little trouble in the eighth, giving up two runs on four hits. He was the only Whitecaps arm to struggle today, and the offense got one of those runs back in the bottom half of the inning on a wild pitch. Jalen Evans closed things out, working around a two-out single to secure the win.
Rainer: 1-3, 2 RBI, 2 BB
Pennington: 2-5, HR (14), R, 2 RBI
Sojka: 2-4, 2B (7), 2 R, K
Gil: 3-4, R
Miller: 4.0 IP, 6 H, R, ER, 0 BB, 3 K
Coming Up Next: It’s a 2 p.m. ET start on Sunday. West Michigan goes for the five-game sweep.
Dunedin Blue Jays 8, Lakeland Flying Tigers 6 (box)
Lakeland had control of the game for seven innings on Saturday, but a late collapse led to an 8-6 loss for the Flying Tigers.
Hunter Dobbins gave Lakeland an early lead with a two-run home run in the second, his fourth of the year. Caleb Leys couldn’t hold the 2-0 lead for long, giving up a run in the top of the third and two more in the fourth. Four of the five hits he allowed went for extra bases, and a pair of one-out walks in the fifth ended his day. Not great, but he still left the game with a lead.
The Flying Tigers got to Dunedin’s first bullpen arm right away in the fourth. Zach McDonald walked and stole second base. He moved up to third on a bad throw from the catcher. Jude Warwick also walked, and Javier Osorio doubled in MacDonald. The ball was catchable, but a missed diving catch led to two bases and a run.
Jesus Pinto homered right after that, giving Lakeland a 6-3 lead.
Win Scott bailed out Leys in the bottom of the fifth, inducing a double play to end the inning. He worked through three innings, navigating his way around a hit and a walk. Scott actually came back out for the eighth, but a pair of errors led to a run and ended his night. After getting the first out, Jan Caraballo took over and immediately gave up a triple to put the tying run 90 feet from home.
Caraballo gave up a game-tying single, walked a batter and balked to put two in scoring position. Another single put Dunedin out in front before Caraballo finally got out of the inning. He came back out for the ninth and gave up another run on a leadoff single and triple.
Andrew Pogue took over after two outs, but the implosion was already complete. Lakeland’s offense didn’t do anything in the final two frames besides a two-out walk in the ninth. Snatching defeat from the jaws of victory isn’t fun.
Yost: 2-5
Pinto: 3-5, HR (3), R, 3 RBI, K
Dobbins: 1-4, HR (4), R, 2 RBI, 2 K
Leys: 4.1 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 6 K
Coming Up Next: It’s a noon ET start on Sunday. Dunedin leads the series, 3-2.
FCL Tigers 11, FCL Phillies 5 (box)
Owen Hall got ripped for a homer and a triple in the first inning, but it only resulted in one run. Hall bounced back with two clean innings, but he gave up a two-run homer in the fourth after a leadoff walk. There’s some hard contact being made off him, but it could have gone worse.
Fortunately, the Tigers came to hit, too. Angel De Los Santos led off the first with a triple, and a wild pitch brought him home after the Phillies starter walked the bases loaded. Cristian Perez doubled in both runners on base, and a throwing error scored him.
Ronald Ramirez had a three-run homer in the second, giving Hall a six-run cushion to work with. The Phillies chipped away to make it a two-run game in the fifth. Leonardo Leon had some command issues and was replaced by Jatnk Diaz after three batters. An error from Michael Oliveto, Detroit’s supplemental round pick (34th overall) last year, threw the ball away for one of those runs.
De Los Santos hit his second triple of the game to get two runs back in the bottom of the fifth. Perez and Enderson Delgado went back-to-back for the final two runs. Diaz retired the final seven batters he faced for the save.
De Los Santos: 3-4, 2 3B (3), 2 R, 2 RBI
Ramirez: 2-4, HR (3), R, 3 RBI, K
Perez: 2-4, HR (7), 2B (7), 2 R, 3 RBI, K
Diaz (S, 1): 2.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, K
Hall: 4.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, 2 HR
DSL Tigers (1) 7, DSL Tigers (2) 6 (box)
There’s something weird about playing a team in your own organization because anything that’s good is bad and vice versa.
Ten of the 13 runs scored in this game came in the second inning, so it was a rough day for both starters. The bullpens were decent, though, with Omar Gonzalez delivering the best line of the day with 2.1 innings of no-hit ball. Of course, it’s the guy with a 10-plus ERA.
Despite the score, there weren’t many standout hitters. Eduardo Tusen went 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles. Thirteen combined walks contributed to the run total.
The DSL Tigers 2 almost came back in the seventh, but Tusen was stranded on second after making it a one-run game with one out left.
Tusen: 2-3, 2 2B (5), R, 2 RBI, BB
Gonzales (W, 1-0): 2.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 3 K
Spurs prospect profile: First-round targets
Surprise! It’s draft season!
It was hard to focus on the NBA Draft when the San Antonio Spurs were playing in the NBA Finals. But slowly, as the series started to slip, I found myself heading over to YouTube to check out the prospects who could be in San Antonio’s range come draft day. Now, with just mere days separating us from the NBA Draft, it’s time to do a full-blown deep dive into who the Spurs may pick on June 23rd.
In past years, there have been months without Spurs basketball where I could watch hours of games to catch up on who San Antonio should draft. This year’s playoff run made that nearly impossible. So, like one of my favorite basketball commentators of all time, Bill Simmons, I studied the 2026 Draft prospects extensively on YouTube. With little time to do individual posts on all of the prospects, they’ll be lumped together in this article on first-round targets.
The Spurs have the 20th, 35th, 42nd, and 44th picks in the draft. It’s highly unlikely they’ll use all four of those picks, so expect some trades up or out of the draft. There is no guarantee that they’ll even make a selection in the second round, as those picks can often be traded for cash. It would make sense for them to look for someone with their first round selection. The 20th pick offers a wide range of outcomes. Past draftees in that spot include Jaylon Tyson, Jalen Johnson, Matisse Thybulle, Caris LeVert, Malaki Branham, Harry Giles III, and Bruno Caboclo.
In this particular draft, it seems unlikely that San Antonio will be able to select a player ready to start or play a significant role as a rookie with the 20th pick. Several players have the potential to develop into quality role players and fill some gaps on San Antonio’s roster, but fans should temper their expectations on the quality of prospects the Spurs can bring in with this pick (unless they trade up or someone falls).
With the scene setting out of the way, let’s take a look at the prospects San Antonio could consider.
Trade up targets:
Yaxel Lendeborg, 6’9” PF/SF, Michigan
30.2 minutes, 15.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.2 blocks, 51.5% shooting, 37.2% three, 82.4% free throw
San Antonio’s number one need this summer is a big forward/wing who can play inside and out. Someone who can bang with bigs inside and rebound to help Victor Wembanyama in the paint, while being able to space the floor. Those players don’t grow on trees. In this draft, Lendeborg might be the most gettable prospect with those skills.
If the Spurs trade up for anyone in the draft, it should be Lendeborg. Yes, he’ll be 24 when he plays his first NBA game, but his skill level and development over his collegiate career give him a high floor with room to grow. Lendeborg could step in on day one and be a physical, slashing big man who could help on the boards, defend inside and out, and space the floor. He fits like a glove in San Antonio and is one of the few prospects in the draft who could step in and play a role on day one.
Morez Johnson Jr., 6’9” PF/C, Michigan
25.1 minutes, 13.1 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.1 blocks, 62.3% shooting, 34.3% three, 78.2% free throw
This year’s Michigan roster was stacked with NBA post players. It wouldn’t be a shock if the defending National Champions saw three bigs drafted in the lottery this year. Much of that is thanks to Johnson Jr.’s ascent over the last few months.
Johnson Jr. would give San Antonio a lot of the versatility they need in the frontcourt. He’s an imposing physical and athletic presence who can gobble up boards inside and is quick enough to guard on the perimeter. He’ll be able to step into the league and compete on the offensive glass and serve as a rim-runner offensively as a rookie. He has a developing jump shot that could turn him from an undersized hustle big man to a legit floor spacing workhorse. Trading up for Johnson Jr. would signal that the Spurs believe in his jump shot and that he could play alongside Wembanyama or back him up.
Hannes Steinbach, 6’10” PF/C, Washington
34.6 minutes, 18.5 points, 11.8 rebounds, 1.2 blocks, 57.7% shooting, 34% three, 75.9% free throw
San Antonio may never lose the rebounding war ever again if they draft Steinbach to play alongside Wembanyama. The Washington freshman is a tough, big, rebounding forward/center who exploded onto the scene this year. He’s adept at scoring around the basket, converting on 67.2% of his looks at the rim in half-court settings, and will get out and finish plays in transition.
There are question marks around Steinbach’s defensive positioning. Is he quick enough to guard smaller fours? Can he protect the rim well enough to play center? With Wembanyama, those defensive questions become less important, especially if he’s able to do more of the dirty work on the glass and score around the basket. The real swing skill for Steinbach is his jump shot. He showed signs of shooting touch in his freshman season, hitting 18 threes at a 34% clip. If his jump shot continues to develop, he’d be an ideal offensive fit with Wembanyama as a big man who can score inside and out.
In range at #20:
Cameron Carr, 6’5” Wing, Baylor
33.7 minutes, 18.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.3 blocks, 49.4% shooting, 37.4% three, 80.1% free throw
Pretty much every player on this list fills a similar niche: a versatile big/wing who can join Wembanyama in the Spurs’ frontcourt. Carr is not that, but he could be just as valuable. The 21-year-old wing is a knockdown three-point shooter with some crazy vertical pop. Go watch the way Carr leaps for dunks and blocks and tell me you aren’t impressed.
San Antonio needs more floor spacers at all positions. They were over-reliant on Julian Champagnie and Devin Vassell to hit open threes this season. Adding Carr would give them another shooter who would thrive in San Antonio’s up-tempo system. He can score as an off-ball cutter who finishes athletically at the rim and defend off the ball as a defender who plays aggressively in the passing lanes and erases shots at the rim with his 42.5-inch vertical. Carr needs to add more strength and become a more physical player overall, but his combination of shooting touch and athleticism would make him an exciting addition to San Antonio’s growing young core.
Allen Graves, 6’8” PF/C, Santa Clara
22.6 minutes, 11.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.9 steals, 51.2% shooting, 41.3% three, 75% free throw
Graves finds himself mock-drafted to the Spurs more than any other player. He fits exactly what they need as a versatile forward with good defensive instincts and a nice jump shot. Graves needs to get more physical around the rim and find a way to defend without fouling, but his combination of defensive playmaking, rebounding, floor spacing, and passing makes him an intriguing bet for San Antonio at 20.
Graves doesn’t seem like the type of player who can come in and play an immediate role on a title contender. He came off the bench for a WCC school in his sole collegiate season and played limited minutes. The Spurs could develop him into a long-term frontcourt partner with Wembanyama and use his versatility to give them another look in their big-man rotation.
Karim Lopez, 6’8” Wing, New Zealand Breakers
25.8 minutes, 11.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.2 steals, 50.2% shooting, 32.6% three, 71.7% free throw
Lopez would best be described as a power player. He uses his size, frame, and physicality to score on tough drives in the half-court and transition. He does a lot of the things San Antonio needs in a wing/forward. He was fairly productive in the NBL, a professional league in Australia and New Zealand, but his question marks on defense and from three-point range have left him out of the lottery conversation.
Lopez showed flashes as a standstill shooter, but hit just 32.6% from three in his second season in the NBL. Defensively, he struggles to stay in front of athletic offensive players, and he allows players to back-cut after ball-watching off the ball. If San Antonio were to select Lopez, they would be betting on his physical tools and feel for the game, with the belief that his jump shot and defense can develop.
Jayden Quaintance, 6’9” C, Kentucky
(USING FRESHMAN YEAR STATS) 29.5 minutes, 9.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.6 blocks, 52.5% shooting, 18.8% three, 47.9% free throw
The idea of Quantaince is exciting. He’s an athletic big man who is one heck of a defensive playmaker. The drop off in rim protection from Wembanyama to Quaintance would be like going from an A+ to an A. The reason he will be available where the Spurs are selecting is that it’s unclear when he will be able to play and how healthy he will be.
Quaintance tore his ACL in February of 2025 and has not recovered since. He played in just 4 games his sophomore year at Kentucky, dealing with complications from the injury. Not only are teams worried about his knee’s health, but also whether the experience has sapped some of his athleticism. It’s not just health with Quaintance; he’s also an extremely limited offensive player who will be best at rim running at the next level.
San Antonio is one of the few teams that make sense for Quaintance. There aren’t a ton of “win-now” prospects at 20 in this draft, and the Spurs’ rotation is already overflowing with logjams. San Antonio could select Quaintance, let him rehab and develop in the G League for a year, and then plan to unleash him behind Wembanyama in the years to come. Selecting Quaintance at 20 would be a long play, but one that could ultimately solve a lot of the Spurs’ backup big man problems for years to come.
Dailyn Swain, 6’7” Wing, Texas
32.8 minutes, 17.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.6 steals, 54.2% shooting, 34.4% three, 81.5% free throw
Swain played a crucial role for the Longhorns this year, leading the team to the NCAA Tournament in his breakout junior season. He has good size for a wing, is an excellent ball-handler and driver for the position, and has potential as a defensive playmaker. Off the ball, he’ll be a strong cutter, but won’t be an elite floor spacer, as he has a slow, inconsistent jump shot. He’ll be at his best with the ball in his hands at the NBA level. That’s a bit of a problem for his fit in San Antonio, since they already have a lot of ball-dominant players on the roster.
To a certain extent, San Antonio should draft the best player available at 20. If Swain is available at 20, he’d certainly be among the best prospects they could select. Do the Spurs need a ball-dominant handling wing who doesn’t space the floor? Probably not. But he would give them another offensive weapon in a bench unit that struggled to score at times in the playoffs.
Reaches:
Chris Cenac Jr., 6’10” PF/C, Houston
24.8 minutes, 9.5 points, 7.9 rebounds, 0.5 blocks, 48.5% shooting, 33.3% three, 62.1% free throw
Cenac Jr., in theory, would be an awesome fit next to Wembanyama. He’s got great size and athleticism, and projects to eventually shoot the ball consistently from three. He’s already a strong rebounder, has a ton of defensive tools, and could develop into an interesting offensive player who could dribble, pass, and shoot as a stretch 4/5. The problem is that a lot of these skills are theoretical. They came out in flashes during his freshman season at Houston, but most of the time, he was a weaker forward who played more like a wing than a center.
Selecting Cenac Jr. would be a developmental pick for the Spurs. Like Carter Bryant, he’d be a toolsy prospect who could maybe get some spot minutes, but has not consistently put it all together to earn significant minutes. San Antonio could take Cenac Jr., develop him in the G League for a year or two, and slowly work him into the rotation over time.
Koa Peat, 6’7” PF, Arizona
27.8 minutes, 14.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 52.8% shooting, 35% three, 62.3% free throw
Jeremy Sochan never found his footing with the Spurs, mostly because his offensive game couldn’t complement the rest of the roster. Peat gives me those same worries.
The Arizona freshman is a fierce competitor who has won at every single level. He’s a really strong athlete who bullied his way to the basket in college and high school. He shows intriguing upside as a playmaker, mid-range scorer, and versatile defender. The problem is that he cannot shoot. He went 7-20 from three-point range and only shot 62.3% from the free-throw line in his freshman season. What will his offensive role be for the Spurs if he’s not spacing the floor?
Peat has the pedigree and demeanor to be a winner at the NBA level. But it’s so uncertain how his skills will translate to the next level, and you have to squint to find a fit for him with the Spurs. San Antonio has done a great job drafting high-character winners in the last few seasons, like Wembanyama and Stephon Castle. If they value that above all else, Peat could be the selection at 20.
Joshua Jefferson, 6’8” PF, Iowa State
30.9 minutes, 16.4 points, 7.4 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 47.1% shooting, 34.5% three, 70% free throw
Boris Diaw and Kyle Anderson. Those are the type of players that Spurs fans most often say they want on this team. Well, there might just be one of those guys in the draft. Jefferson is a slower, athletically limited player who thinks the game incredibly well. He’s an awesome playmaker and rebounder at his position while defending and scoring well as a senior at Iowa State. His jump shot came a long way, as he showed the ability to hit standstill threes this year. There are still significant questions about his athleticism and shot-making ability at the NBA level.
Jefferson, in my eyes, is the perfect fit for the Spurs. He can dribble, pass, shoot (kind of), rebound, and defend. He’s able to push the pace in transition and move the ball well in the half-court. If the shot continues to improve, he’ll space the floor alongside Wembanyama while providing some of the toughness San Antonio needs inside. A lot of people have a second-round grade on Jefferson, but his unique set of skills makes him an intriguing reach candidate for San Antonio at 20.
Henri Veesaar, 6’11” C, North Carolina
31.4 minutes, 17 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.2 blocks, 60.8% shooting, 42.6% three, 61.5% free throw
The Spurs need another look in their front court. Luke Kornet is a solid screener, paint protector, and rebounder. He does the dirty work you need from a backup big, but he lacks the offensive pop and shot blocking that San Antonio could use against more athletic teams. Veesaar could be a great change of pace with his size, shot blocking, and floor spacing.
Veesaar is a weaker big man who struggles with physicality. Players will try to go through him when he’s defending, and they’ll try to take advantage of his lack of strength when he’s rolling or trying to finish around the rim. Because of that, it’s not a sure thing he’ll be able to play alongside Wembanyama even with his three-point shot. The Spurs would be incredibly thin in the front court with him and Wembanyama being their two bigs. On the flip side, Veesaar and Wembanyama would be incredibly tough to score over the top of, and could cause a lot of challenges for defenses with their floor spacing ability. Veesaar is another player who could be available with San Antonio’s second-round selections.
Isaiah Evans, 6’6” Wing, Duke
28.2 minutes, 15 points, 3.2 rebounds, 0.7 steals, 43.3% shooting, 36.1% three, 86% free throw
You can always use more shooting, and Evans is one of the best movement shooters in the draft. He hit huge shots for Duke in his two seasons there. A lot of those shots were with a high degree of difficulty, which bodes well for his ability to knock down threes with more space at the next level. Every aspect of his game stems from that shooting ability. His drives usually come from attacking hard closeouts, and his gravity as a shooter can open up lanes for others. He is improving as a defender, but still leaves a lot to be desired on that end. He’s also not much of a playmaker on the wing.
If San Antonio just wants to add more shooting, they could do a lot worse than Evans. There is a chance the Duke sophomore falls to the second round. At 20, he’s a bit of a reach, but at 35, he’d be a worthwhile flyer who could develop into a solid movement shooter off the bench.
Orioles vs Dodgers Prediction, Picks & Odds for Today's MLB Game
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The Los Angeles Dodgers will look to get a series win at home as they host the Baltimore Orioles in the rubber game of their series today.
Emmet Sheehan has the stuff to quiet Baltimore’s bats, and I’m taking Los Angeles to cover the run line in my Orioles vs. Dodgers predictions.
Read on for more analysis of this game and get my free MLB picks for Sunday, June 21.
Who will win Orioles vs Dodgers today: Dodgers -1.5 (-104)
Los Angeles Dodgers starter Emmet Sheehan has an inflated ERA (4.76), but his underlying numbers are positive.
He has outstanding strikeout (26.8%) and walk (6.3%) rates, and gets batters to chase 35.4% of the time. He also has an elite slider that holds opponents to a .267 wOBA.
Sheehan will benefit from the Dodgers offense, which leads the majors with a .783 OPS. Los Angeles has a hard-hit percentage of 41.6% and will get to Baltimore Orioles starter Brandon Young, who allows a hard-hit rate of 41.3%.
I like the Dodgers to cover the run line at -120 or better.
COVERS INTEL: Sheehan has an excellent whiff rate of 30.3%, which will frustrate an Orioles team that whiffs on 26% of its swings.Orioles vs Dodgers Over/Under pick: Under 9.5 (-122)
The Dodgers' lineup will get to Young, but he has some weapons that will stop them from making this a complete slaughter.
Young’s combination of four-seam fastballs and splitters, which make up 60% of his pitches, should frustrate Los Angeles, which only pulls those pitches in the air 16.5% of the time against righties.
I’m expecting Sheehan to take care of Baltimore’s offense by missing a lot of bats with his 30.3% whiff rate. That should leave us with a reasonably low-scoring game compared to this inflated total.
I love the Under here at 9 runs or more.
Ed Scimia's 2026 Transparency Record
- ML/RL bets: 13-19, -6.84 units
- Over/Under bets: 12-18, -6.74 units
Orioles vs Dodgers weather
The wind is blowing out to left center at 8 mph on a 75F day at Dodger Stadium.
Orioles vs Dodgers odds
- Moneyline: Orioles +213 | Dodgers -223
- Run line: Orioles +1.5 | Dodgers -1.5
- Over/Under: Over 9.5 | Under 9.5
Orioles vs Dodgers trend
The Orioles are 2-5 straight up in their last seven games, losing four of those contests by 2+ runs. Find more MLB betting trends for Orioles vs. Dodgers.
How to watch Orioles vs Dodgers and game info
| Location | Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, CA |
| Date | Sunday, June 21, 2026 |
| First pitch | 4:10 p.m. ET |
| TV | MASN, SNLA |
| Orioles starting pitcher | Brandon Young (5-2, 3.18 ERA) |
| Dodgers starting pitcher | Emmet Sheehan (3-4, 4.76 ERA) |
Orioles vs Dodgers latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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Father’s Day Jays Notes
Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there.
I took yesterday off from all things Blue Jays related. My sister was in town, she’s a big Bonnie Raitt, so we went to the concert last night.
There was a bunch of news yesterday:
- The team traded for Luis Urias from the Diamondbacks for cash. He’s an infielder. He is a 28-year-old right-handed hitting infielder, who has played eight seasons in the MLB, hitting .231/.329/.378 with 60 home runs in 2080 games. This year he’s been playing in Triple-A for Reno in the PCL, hitting .361/.393/.546 with 33 home runs in 27 games. They are still looking for a right-handed hitting platoon infielder who can hit is weight.
- And they made a bunch of roster moves. Daulton Varsho and Lazaro Estrada were activated from the IL. Brendon Little and Charles McAdoo were optioned to the Bisons.
- Shane Bieber will be starting Monday’s game. He threw 80 pitches in his last rehab start for the Bisons. We’ll ignore the part that he gave up 5 runs on 7 hits and 4 walks. I don’t generally read much into stats of a rehab start. The pitch is mostly just trying to make his pitches and getting his work in.
Today’s lineups:
16 Father’s Days ago, John McDonald hit a home run. It was just a few days after the death of his father. His dad told John to hit a home run for him and he did. Up until then, he had just 14 career home runs and would finish with 28 in his career. It was an amazing moment.
Yankees activate catcher Austin Wells off IL
The Yankees officially welcomed back catcher Austin Wells on Sunday, activating the catcher from the 10-day IL.
Wells landed on the IL due to cervical headaches, but he’s been ramping up his baseball activities and manager Aaron Boone said he is headache-free.
Wells is back in the starting lineup on Sunday against Cincinnati, batting eighth.
It’s been a tough season for the former first-round pick, as he comes into play on Sunday hitting .166 with four home runs and 7 RBI in 145 at-bats.
Meanwhile, catcher J.C. Escarra was optioned to Triple-A on Saturday night, but Boone said he will likely be back with the club in the very near future, as catcher Ali Sanchez is expected to go on the paternity list soon.
Why The Flames’ 2026 Draft Could Quietly Accelerate Their Rebuild Faster Than Expected
The Calgary Flames aren’t exactly grabbing headlines for it just yet, but there’s a quiet sense building around the organization that their rebuild may be tracking a little cleaner—and maybe a little faster—than most teams in a similar position.
A big part of that comes down to what they’re about to walk into at the 2026 NHL Draft.
Heading into KeyBank Center in Buffalo, Calgary owns 11 picks in total, including two first-round selections and six picks inside the top 55. That kind of draft capital doesn’t guarantee anything, but it does give a rebuilding team something invaluable: flexibility. At this stage of the cycle, that’s often the difference between staying stuck and actually moving forward.
The 2026 NHL Draft begins Friday, June 26 at 5 p.m. MT with Round 1, followed by Rounds 2 through 7 on Saturday, June 27 at 9 a.m. MT. Both days will be broadcast on Sportsnet.
Here’s how the Flames’ draft board currently sits:
Calgary Flames 2026 NHL Draft Picks
Round 1: 6th overall Round 1: 30th overall (via Vegas)
Round 2: 35th overall (via Utah, originally NYR) Round 2: 36th overall Round 2: 51st overall (via Utah) Round 2: 55th overall (via Ottawa)
Round 3: 65th overall (via Vancouver) Round 3: 68th overall
Round 4: 100th overall Round 5: 132nd overall Round 6: 164th overall
What stands out isn’t just the sheer volume—it’s how tightly packed those early picks are. Calgary will be on the clock repeatedly in quick succession across the first two rounds, giving them the ability to go in multiple directions: swing for upside, target organizational holes, or package selections if a meaningful trade opportunity presents itself.
Of course, none of it matters in theory. Draft capital only becomes real value when it’s used well—and the league has plenty of examples of teams both maximizing and wasting it.
The Colorado Avalanche, for instance, have shown both sides of that coin in recent years. Some picks have developed into key contributors, while others were moved out in pursuit of another Stanley Cup run that ultimately fell just short. It’s a reminder more than anything: stockpiling assets is only step one. Execution is everything.
For Calgary, that’s the warning label attached to all of this. The opportunity is real—but so is the risk of getting it wrong.
One potential swing at the top of the board is Swedish center Viggo Björck at sixth overall. He’s not the biggest player on the ice, but Calgary has been searching for more long-term center depth, particularly after moving Nazem Kadri back to Colorado.
Björck’s production with Djurgårdens IF in the Swedish Hockey League—six goals and nine assists last season—doesn’t jump off the page at first glance, but his impact has been more noticeable in flashes and in international play. At the IIHF World Juniors, he added three goals and six assists in his debut tournament, helping power his country to a gold medal.
For a Flames organization trying to restock skill down the middle, he represents the kind of bet that can quietly reshape a depth chart over time.
There’s also a broader philosophical shift taking shape in Calgary. The organization still wants veteran presence in the room, but the runway for younger players is getting longer—and more meaningful.
Ryan Lomberg, for example, appeared in just two of Calgary’s final 19 games as the coaching staff increasingly leaned into extended auditions for younger players like Tyson Gross and Aydar Suniev. It wasn’t subtle, either. It felt like a preview of where things are heading.
General manager Craig Conroy didn’t fully tip his hand on Lomberg’s future when asked at season’s end, but he acknowledged the balancing act the organization is now managing.
“We’ve got to take a couple days because everything is emotional. I’ll reflect and see where we think this is going. We have a lot of players under contract right now. When you have players, there needs to be room to play, too.”
That “room to play” part matters—and it’s becoming harder to ignore in Calgary.
Among the young players already forcing the issue is Gross, who scored in just his third NHL game during a 3–1 loss to Colorado on April 9. The goal stood as his first at the NHL level, though he briefly thought he had two before a second was overturned for offside.
Even so, it was a glimpse of something the Flames haven’t had enough of in recent years: young players arriving and looking like they belong.
And that’s really the hinge point for all of this. Calgary’s rebuild won’t be defined by how many picks they have, or even where they pick. It’ll come down to whether those players turn into everyday NHLers—and how quickly they can push the roster forward.
Because if they do, this doesn’t stay a long rebuild for very long. If they don’t, all this draft capital is just paper again.
Cincinnati Reds vs. New York Yankees – Chase Burns vs. Elmer Rodriguez
Did the Cincinnati Reds catch a break when the New York Yankees opted to shuffle their starting rotation for the series finale? We’ll find out this afternoon!
The Reds were initially slated to face six-time All Star and former Cy Young Award winner Gerrit Cole in Sunday’s series finale, but manager Aaron Boone made the call to bump their rotation all back one day instead. The Yankees are in the middle of playing 16 games in 16 days, and that was enough to prompt the 1st place Yanks to ease the strain on the arms they’ll depend on as they make their playoff push later this year.
Instead, New York will roll out rookie Elmer Rodriguez, who’s made a trio of starts at the big league level and pitched well enough (4.15 ERA) in that time. MLB Pipeline ranked him the #2 prospect in the Yankee system in their most recent update (and #59 overall) on the back of a fastball he can throw up to 99 mph, so the Reds won’t be up against some nobody on the day – they just won’t be up against Gerrit Cole.
The Yankees, meanwhile, will be up against Chase Burns.
Burns has already accrued 3.9 bWAR so far in less than half the 2026 season, his mix of fastball/slider simply devastating to teams he faces. He’ll toe the rubber knowing a victory today would give the Reds a series victory on the road in the Bronx, and he seems like precisely the kind of guy you’d want your team to have on the mound knowing that’s what’s at stake today.
First pitch is set for 1:35 PM ET. Here’s how both clubs will line up to start:
NHL Trade Rumors: Flyers Linked to Multiple Senators Centers
Should the Philadelphia Flyers try to add a top-six center for the second consecutive offseason, a familiar foe in the Eastern Conference could provide one... at the right price.
North of the border, the Ottawa Senators, fresh off a first-round sweep at the hands of the Carolina Hurricanes, are looking for moves they can make to give themselves a better chance at Stanley Cup contention.
Defensive depth has been a question mark, but they have a strong foundation, led by Tim Stutzle, Linus Ullmark, Brady Tkachuk, Thomas Chabot, and Jake Sanderson.
At center, Dylan Cozens, Shane Pinto, and Ridly Greig are all coming along nicely... and the Flyers reportedly have varying degrees of interest in all three.
"According to team sources, the Flyers have interest in Senators centers Shane Pinto, Dylan Cozens and Ridly Greig – in that order. DFO was told that the Flyers and Senators have had on and off trade talks going back to the 2024-25 season; per sources, the Senators were unwilling to move any of their pivots other than Josh Norris," NHL insider Anthony Di Marco recently reported for Daily Faceoff.
Pinto and Cozens are the two most attractive options of the three as the established top-six centers.
Pinto, 25, is coming off a career year, having scored 23 goals, 23 assists, and 46 points in 72 games for the Senators. He's the most expensive at a $7.5 million annual cap hit, though it should be noted that he has one goal in 10 career playoff games.
NHL Trade Rumors: Flyers Should Finally Pull Off Bowen Byram HeistThe Philadelphia Flyers have long wanted to acquire Bowen Byram, and the defenseman finally seems headed towards finding a new team on the trade market.As for Cozens, he's the most established of the group, as well as the biggest.
The 6-foot-3 former No. 9 overall pick already scored 30 goals in his third NHL season with the Buffalo Sabres back in 2022-23, when he scored 68 points overall.
Cozens hasn't reached that peak since then, but he put together a nice 59-point campaign last season. Notably, the 25-year-old has four seasons remaining on his contract at a $7.1 million cap hit, and he will have a five-team no-trade list kick in next summer.
If the Senators become convinced that Cozens can't reach another gear by then, they could be motivated to strike a deal with the Flyers, even if the latter's preference really is Pinto.
Greig, son of Flyers scout Mark Greig, is more of a third-line center at this stage, though he is young at 23 years old and comes cheap with a $3.25 million cap hit.
The Flyers don't need to save the money, but they could cut corners on a future Noah Cates extension; both players have three seasons remaining on their contracts, but Cates is already older and more expensive.
At the same time, it goes almost without saying that the Flyers would not pursue a virtually pointless trade such as that.
Di Marco notes that "the Senators have shown on and off interest in Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen," and we can assume that this would be the starting point for any trade between the two teams.
Ristolainen's trade value should be going up after a strong playoff run with the Flyers, and that value should be even greater to a team like the Senators who wouldn't be forced to play him in a top-pairing role behind Chabot, Sanderson, and Artyom Zub.
The Flyers won't be unearthing the next superstar this summer, but it is becoming increasingly clear that they will, at the very least, have options to upgrade at the center position via trade.
The Pindown I NBA Draft Preview w/Stephen Gillaspie
If you were unaware that the Draft is this upcoming Tuesday, you aren’t alone. Wes is just as shocked! With the playoffs ending for the Pistons early in June, the NBA draft really seems to have snuck up on us with all the rumors and excitement surrounding potential free agents and trade targets for the Pistons to improve on last season’s 60-win pace. But, what about the draft? Sitting at pick #21, the Pistons should have a few very good, young players available for them to choose from. The guys brought in draft expert Stephen Gillaspie from No Ceilings NBA to break down all the potential players who could and should excite Pistons fans come Tuesday evening. Stephen breaks down all of Ebuka Okorie, Joshua Jefferson, Cameron Carr, Karim Lopez, Yaxel Lendeborg and more in this NBA draft deep dive!
We’ve got you covered for all this and more in this week’s episode!
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Want to hear your voice on the Pindown? Call (313) 355-2717 and leave your question as a voicemail! The guys will play your message and answer your question on that week’s episode! All we ask is that you keep your questions to under 45 seconds.
Ha-Seong Kim returns to Braves lineup in series finale
The Atlanta Braves are running it back for the sweep against the Milwaukee Brewers on this Father’s Day Sunday.
The only batter on the Braves’ side who’s had experience against the Brewers’ Robert Gasser is Joey Bart, who’ll be batting seventh in the lineup. For the Brewers, Brice Turang has had his fair share of field days against Bryce Elder. In his 10 different appearances, he averaged .400 and a 1.100 OPS. He’s also the only one in the lineup that’s had a homerun against Elder.
Though the Braves have clinched wins in clutch performances in the other two games in the series, both teams were slower on offensive production, resulting in low-scoring games. Elder, who had a disappointing start last week, is looking to bounce back and hold the Brewers off the scoreboard, in hopes that the offense carries its weight early on.
It’s all happening at 1:35 p.m. EDT today at Truist Park.