Jun 26, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Atlanta Braves pitcher Hurston Waldrep (64) walks off the mound during the bottom of the fifth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Justine Willard-Imagn Images | Justine Willard-Imagn Images
The Braves used six pitchers on Friday night to snap their four-game losing skid and finally get a west coast win, taking down the San Francisco Giants, 3-1, at Oracle Park on a foggy night.
Reynaldo Lopez started the game and was shaky in the first, allowing San Francisco’s lone run to score. Despite decreased velocity and a lot of hard contact, Lopez was able to work through three innings in his first start in nearly two months. We’ll see if he gets another turn in the rotation next week.
Dylan Dodd covered an inning effectively and gave the ball to Hurston Waldrep, who was effectively wild — to be nice — over 2+ innings. Waldrep, who was called up to the majors on Friday after a couple of shaky rehab starts, had little command of the strike zone (55 pitches, 28 strikes) but was able to work through it with four strikeouts and a couple of weak-hit grounders. Similar to Lopez, we’ll see what next week brings for the talented righty.
Dylan Lee was masterful for the seventh in relief of Waldrep, stranding two runners and making quick work of San Francisco’s middle of the order. Lee then recorded two outs in the eighth before giving way to Didier Fuentes, who promptly struck out Matt Chapman on a perfectly located fastball to send it to the ninth. Raisel Iglesias worked a perfect 9th on just 10 pitches to close it out.
The Braves didn’t exactly put on a show with the bats, but they managed to squeeze out three runs. Dominic Smith singled home Austin Riley in the second, Ozzie Albies singled home Mauricio Dubon in the third, and Albies was able to hit a deep fly ball to score Dubon again in the fifth. In total, the Braves recorded just seven singles and a double.
Saturday’s pitching matchup will feature Bryce Elder against Logan Webb. It would be swell if Bryce could find himself again. First pitch is at 9:05 p.m. ET.
Last month she had a post-defeat meltdown and insisted she was done with tennis. On the eve of Wimbledon, she talks about what really happened – and why her ‘aggressive’ face gives people the wrong impression
It’s less than a month since Aryna Sabalenka told the world that she felt like walking away from tennis. The world No 1 had suffered an almighty implosion. Sabalenka is as famous for her implosions as she is for her on-court ferocity. But this was a different level.
She had been playing at her imperious best in the French Open, one of tennis’s four major tournaments. Winner after winner from the back of the court, and when she bullied her opponents back to the baseline she’d dupe them with the most delicate drop-shot. In the last 16 against Naomi Osaka she looked invincible. And then came the quarter-final. By now, all her main rivals were out. The 28-year-old had a clear path through to winning her fifth grand slam singles title. Again, she was playing well against the world’s No25, Diana Shnaider. Sabalenka won the first set easily, 6-3, and was 5-3 up in the second set. Victory was an inevitability. And then it happened. One game lost. Then another. And another. The wind had picked up, playing conditions got ever worse, the organisers failed to close the roof. And Sabalenka was walloping shot after shot out of court.
The New York Rangers made their first significant move of the offseason, acquiring Pavel Dorofeyev in exchange for the 26th overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, a 2026 third-round pick (92 overall), and a 2028 top-10 protected first-round pick.
This move offers insight into the direction Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury wants to take the team.
In January, Drury issued a letter to fans outlining the Rangers’ intention to “retool” the roster.
Despite implicitly saying that the team will not be rebuilding, Drury also stated that the Rangers would prioritize “obtaining young players, draft picks, and cap space to allow flexibility moving forward,” which sent mixed messages about the franchise's exact direction.
At the surface, early signs pointed toward the Rangers looking to rebuild with the trade of Artemi Panarin, but a closer look will show otherwise.
Drury opted to acquire forward prospect Liam Greentree instead of a highly valued draft pick due to Greentree’s readiness to take the professional leap.
Following a disappointing 2025-26 season, Drury gave no indication of his outlook on the future.
“I’m not going to get into the timelines,” Drury said during his exit interview about how close the Rangers are to being a playoff team. “I said it before, and feel the same right now, I think we have a lot of good players, we have a lot of talented players. I do like a lot of our pieces, and I'm excited to begin the offseason and take a deeper look at it and try and figure out how to be better.”
The big question leading into the offseason was whether or not Drury would look to continue tearing down the existing veteran group of players and follow suit in a rebuild or look to add younger players who could make an instant contribution and complement the “core” of players, including Adam Fox, Igor Shesterkin, J.T. Miller, and Mika Zibanejad.
Those core players, specifically Fox, who once seemed uneasy about the Rangers' future, spoke optimistically about the road ahead after a late-season surge, indicating their confidence in the team’s trajectory and willingness to stick around for whatever this apparent retool had in store.
“For me, it was just, we’re still in a unique situation,” Fox said via The Athletic. “Not many people have been through a retool letter and kind of what that means, so I think that’s kind of where the figuring out stuff was from. It was never really about belief in the guys. It was just kind of direction and where it’s going. I think that’s where I was at. But obviously there’s been some promising signs of the possibilities of the kind of team we can be.”
The Rangers’ trade for Dorofeyev proves that Drury is looking to propel the Rangers into a competitive state sooner rather than later and has no appetite to sit through a prolonged rebuild.
Dorofeyev, a 25-year-old left winger, gives the Rangers immediate top-six help and offensive explosiveness they lacked.
Shortly after the completion of the trade, the Rangers signed Dorofeyev to a seven-year, $77 million contract extension, showing their confidence in the young forward.
Instead of centering the deal around established players on the roster like Alexis Lafrenière or Will Cuylle, the Rangers gave up a slew of draft picks, further establishing the message that while the team is looking to get younger, they’d rather add immediate impact players as opposed to building through the draft and starting fresh.
Drury’s willingness to give up a 2028 first-round pick, although it’s top-ten protected, is a sign that he hopes the Rangers are a competitive team in two years’ time, further fast-tracking this retool process.
There are still questions left unanswered. What exactly does this all mean for Vincent Trocheck and Braden Schneider’s futures, and will they still be traded this offseason? That remains unclear.
While the Dorofeyev trade does not answer every question, it does paint a clearer picture for what the Rangers’ immediate future may look like and how the years ahead will possibly take shape.
Roki Sasaki's command deserted him in San Diego, as five walks, a hit batter and a three-run homer to Ty France chased him before he could record an out in the fifth. (Derrick Tuskan / Associated Press)
The home run that Roki Sasaki gave up to San Diego’s Ty France was more dramatic than the two walks he issued to open the inning. But it was the free passes that really hurt him.
In the Dodgers’ 7-1 loss to the Padres on Friday, Sasaki was out of the game before he could record an out in the fifth inning. He gave up only three hits but issued five walks, tying his season high, and hit a batter.
“I actually felt different than I ever felt before, mechanically,” Sasaki said through interpreter Kensuke Okubo, noting that his lower body felt a little off. “So I need to go over it and see what was really happening.”
Sasaki successfully pitched around traffic for much of his outing, other than the three-run homer to France in the second inning. But the inefficiency sent his pitch count past 80 before he exited with runners on first and second in the fifth.
“I’m not going to have it every time out, so that’s something I have to improve,” Sasaki said. “And also the game plan. I was able to execute some of the pitches, but some of the pitches I couldn’t, so that’s something I have to go through before next start.”
Earlier this month, when Sasaki held the Angels scoreless through seven two-hit innings, it seemed as if he’d had a breakthrough. But in three starts since, including a seven-run dud against the Chicago White Sox two weeks ago, he has yet to pitch through the sixth inning.
“I am a little surprised, because there was such good momentum going on,” manager Dave Roberts said. “Hopefully we can get him back to throwing the way he did in May.”
The Padres' Walker Buehler walks off after holding his old team to one run for 5-1/3 innings Friday at Petco Park. (Derrick Tuskan / Ap Photo/derrick Tuskan)
Sasaki’s command issues Friday showed up almost immediately. After striking out Padres leadoff hitter Fernando Tatis Jr., Sasaki walked Samad Taylor on 10 pitches. But Sasaki bounced back by inducing a double play.
The next inning, there would be no such escape. Sasaki walked both Manny Machado, whom he also battled for 10 pitches, and Gavin Sheets to open the frame. Then Xander Bogaerts’ sharp line drive to center field found leather.
France’s long fly ball to left field, however, found the seats.
Sasaki’s only clean inning, the third, was made possible by catcher Dalton Rushing’s successful challenge of a called ball four against Tatís, flipping a walk into a strikeout.
“I know that there’s confidence in there,” Roberts said. “But when you feel good and you don’t feel good mechanically and can’t execute pitches, then the results are walks, and 1-2 [count] homers, and things like that. But I do think that we can kind of tackle the mechanical things that he’s probably looking for right now.”
The Padres piled on in the eighth inning against reliever Jonathan Hernandez, as the sold-out crowd chanted “Beat L.A.!”
Mookie Betts hit a home run off former teammate Walker Buehler for his second homer in as many games. Betts seems to have come out of his offensive funk, entering Friday with a 1.061 on-base-plus-slugging percentage over the previous 11 games.
Buehler earned the win, delivering five strikeouts in 5⅓ innings.
“[Buehler] is reinventing himself,” Roberts said. “He’s throwing the kitchen sink at you. Cutter, slider, changeup, two-seamers. He doesn’t just try to bully you, and he’s finding ways to just get guys out. So yeah, he’s gonna still go up there and compete.”
The Dodgers went 0 for 4 with runners in scoring position and squandered a bases-loaded opportunity with one out in the sixth inning after chasing Buehler. Max Muncy popped out and Kyle Tucker, back in the lineup after exiting Monday’s game because of back spasms, flied out.
The Dodgers have built such a big lead in the division that the loss barely made a dent. The Padres, in second place, trail by eight games.
Jun 26, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder Andy Pages (44) is tagged out by San Diego Padres shortstop Xander Bogaerts (2) as he tries to steal second base during the first inning at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images
The Dodgers (52-30) scored only once against old friend and World Series hero Walker Buehler and the San Diego bullpen, dropping the series opener 7-1 to the Padres (43-37) Friday night at Petco Park.
The game remained close, within two runs, for most of the game. The Dodgers failed time and time again to drive in runs with runners in scoring position (0-for-4), and they left six men on base. They also hit into three double plays. It was a testament to how good San Diego’s pitching is, including Buehler, who impressed against his former team for the win.
Shohei Ohtani rolled a leadoff single into right field off Buehler to open the series between the NL West rivals. Andy Pages bounced into a Fielder’s Choice. While Freddie Freeman struck out at the plate, Pages was gunned down by Rodolfo Durán at second on a steal attempt for a strike ’em out, throw e’m out play to end the first.
The Dodgers also used their defense to turn a double play to end the first and prevent San Diego from cashing in a walk.
Mookie Betts continued to be hot at the plate with a leadoff home run in the second off his former teammate.
The Betts home run would be the sole offensive highlight of the night for the Dodgers who were shut down therafter by San Diego pitching.
A 10-pitch walk and a wild pitch put old friend Manny Machado into scoring position in the bottom of the second with nobody out. He also walked Gavin Sheets which spurred a visit to the mound by Mark Prior.
Ty France got the Padres their big hit with a three-run homer off a bad Sasaki slider to give San Diego a 3-1 lead.
A rare miscue from Pages near the center field wall allowed Machado to reach second to lead off the bottom of the fourth. After Sasaki walked Will Wagner to load the bases with two outs, the Dodgers bullpen began to stir. It was the fourth free pass allowed by Sasaki on the night. Betts made a good defensive play to retire Rodolfo Durán and end the bases-loaded threat.
Freeman doubled to the left field corner off left-handed reliever Yuki Matsui with one out. Betts was intentionally walked to load the bases for Max Muncy. Muncy popped up the first pitch for the second out, and Kyle Tucker flied out to leave the bases loaded…again.
Machado allowed the ball hit by Muncy to fall, and it nearly bounced foul despite the infield fly rule call on the field. Manny…still being Manny.
The Padres took advantage of the nine walks allowed by Dodgers pitching on the night. They broke the game open and scored four more runs thanks to two more walks and four hits in the bottom of the eighth against Jonathan Hernández. Tatis Jr. knocked in the final run on a RBI single to make it 7-1.
The Padres didn’t need to use Mason Miller with a six-run lead and gave the ball to Wandy Peralta to close things out. Alex Call managed a single in the top of the ninth, but the Dodgers offense wasn’t able to muster anything else.
The second-place Padres move up to 8 games back of the Dodgers in the NL West standings.
The series down south continues Saturday night at (5:40 p.m. PT, SportsNet LA), with Yoshinobu Yamamoto (7-5, 2.65 ERA, 0.87) and Randy Vásquez (6-5, 4.17 ERA, 1.40 WHIP) starting.
ANAHEIM, CA - JUNE 26: Jeff McNeil #22 of the Athletics makes a play at second base in the fifth inning during the game between the Athletics and the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on Friday, June 26, 2026 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Tony Macon/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The A’s took the first game of their weekend series against the Angels on Friday night, winning in Anaheim by a 9-3 final to make it two in a row for the Green & Gold. The club won its 40th game tonight and remains just a game and a half back of the Mariners in the division.
The first four innings
The offense did not show up at all through the first four frames in tonight’s game. Facing the Angels’ top young starting pitcher Walbert Urena, the A’s went down 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12 in this one (four perfect innings).
On the bright side of things, the A’s had their own young rising ace in J.T. Ginn on the mound tonight. While he wasn’t as perfect as his counterpart, Ginn did his job with three scoreless innings in going toe-to-toe with his mound opponent.
Los Angeles did strike first tonight. A double and passed ball put an Angels baserunner on third base but with two down all Ginn needed was any sort of soft contact. Alas, a line-drive single plated the first run of the game to give the Angels the first lead of the night.
The fifth inning
That lone run really woke up the A’s bats. After getting perfected for the first four innings the offense got to work against the rookie right-hander that had had their number for the past 15+ innings dating back to his previous two starts.
It all started with, of course, a walk. Followed by a force out at second. Nothing too crazy. Then a walk. Then a single to load the bases, the first domino. Then the hit that gave the A’s the lead, another single from Jeff McNeil:
Then another single from Alika Williams brought in another run to make it 3-1. After him the lineup flipped over and it was lead off man Henry Bolte’s turn to get in on the action with his own base knock, this one driving in a pair to make it 5-1 A’s:
Urena’s unraveling continued as Nick Kurtz followed Bolte with another single to drive home the A’s rookie center fielder. And finally, to cap off the 7-run inning was the likely AL starting catcher Shea Langeliers and he hi his own single to bring home Kurtz:
It was only after that final hit did Halos manager Kurt Suzuki come to get his starting pitcher. Five straight singles was what it took to knock him from this game. The Angels reliever then quickly got the next two outs to escape the frame but the damage was done. A 7-spot to give Ginn plenty of room to go on cruise control.
The Angels did not provide the A’s with a shutdown inning. A single and home run off the bat of Jo Adell cut the lead from 6 to 4, but Ginn was generally in control tonight. He pitched one more inning to put a bow on his performance this evening.
An overall solid night from Ginn as he held the Angels to just three runs. One mistake cost him two off that Adell home run but other than that he more or less held down a Los Angeles lineup that doesn’t have many bats of recognition. He’s set to take a 3.15 ERA into his next scheduled start against the Miami Marlins next Friday.
The final frames
The A’s quickly got back two of those runs in the top of the seventh. Kurtz brought Bolte home on an RBI single, moved to second on a hit from Shea, then came home himself off a ground-rule double from Jonah Heim:
Luis Medina and Hogan Harris combined for a scoreless eighth and ninth. Then, maybe hoping to get him right in a lower pressure situation, Mark Kotsay sent Elvis Alvarado out for the ninth. It was an uneventful 1-2-3 inning to finish off the game, which is probably exactly what Kotsay was hoping for from the young righty reliever. Lock in win #40.
A great win by the A’s tonight. A huge fifth inning against a rookie starting pitcher that had already bested them twice this year was the perfect formula for tonight’s victory. Ginn was of course fantastic with run support and the A’s now have a 2-game winning streak and have started this series off on the right foot.
The series continues tomorrow night. Right-hander Jack Perkins is slated to get the ball for what’ll be his fifth start since joining the rotation. It hasn’t been a smooth or easy transition for the starter-turned-reliever-turned-starter again as he sports a 7.50 ERA in those four starting assignments, the last of which came against these very same Angels last weekend. The A’s will be hoping for better results and who knows how long his leash is if he falters against the Angels tomorrow.
Speaking of Anaheim, they’ll counter the Athletics’ righty with left-hander Reid Detmers, who will be looking to continue a solid season in his own return to starting duties. Overall he’s had a great season but he’s coming off one of his worst starts of the year, when he allowed five runs in six innings of work in an eventual Angels victory in Sacramento. We’ll all be hoping for a better outcome than that, but let’s have more of that offense show up against the lefty!
Isaiah Hartenstein's floater was a key component of the Thunder's offense against the Spurs during the Western Conference Finals.
Isaiah Hartenstein isn’t going anywhere.
Hartenstein is returning to the Thunder on a three-year, $75 million deal, with a rare mutual option after the 2027-28 season, ESPN reported Friday night.
The contract also has a 15 percent trade kicker, according to ESPN.
Isaiah Hartenstein’s floater was a key component of the Thunder’s offense during their seven-game series loss to the Spurs during the Western Conference finals. Getty Images
The Thunder had a big decision to make in settling their frontcourt, and they’ve locked down their man in the middle, which wasn’t always a guarantee heading into the season.
Hartenstein, who turned 28 in May, was initially signed following the 2023-24 season, in which he played for the Knicks, and immediately contributed to what became an NBA championship Oklahoma City team in 2025.
Hartenstein will continue to hold down the frontcourt with the talented but maligned Chet Holmgren.
It’s worth noting that, in the frontcourt, the Thunder are welcoming 7-foot-3 rookie Aday Mara, selected No. 12 overall in this week’s NBA draft out of Michigan, as well as 2025 No. 15 overall pick Thomas Sorber, who sat out all of last season with a torn ACL.
Jaylin Williams, who became key during the Thunder’s loss to the Spurs in the Western Conference finals, is also expected to play a meaningful role in OKC at the forward and center positions.
Isaiah Hartenstein averaged 9.2 points, 9.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists last regular season. Getty Images
This, of course, is all pending any sizable transactions over the next few months.
Hartenstein averaged 11.2 points, 10.7 rebounds and 3.8 assists in 2024-25, which dropped to Hartenstein 9.2, 9.4 and 3.5 this past season, which was in part due to a drop in three minutes per game.
In the playoffs, however, his production jumped from 8.1 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.2 assists per contest in 2024-25 to 9.1, 8.3 and 2.6 this past run.
The Thunder, who are still a second-apron team following this move, could look to make another cost-cutting measure.
The team has already traded multiple solid rotation pieces in Isaiah Joe, a knockdown 3-point shooter, and Aaron Wiggins, a regular season contributor whose minutes were muted in the playoffs, to the Pistons and Hawks, respectively, each for two second-round picks.
It’s possible that the team will maneuver either or both of Lu Dort and Kenrich Williams this offseason as well, in an effort to save money and scoot under the second apron.
Smokies pitcher Jace Beck (32) pitches during a minor league baseball game between the Knoxville Smokies and Birmingham Barons at Covenant Health Park in Knoxville, Tennessee., on May 7, 2026. | Angelina Alcantar/ News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Iowa right-hander Tyler Beede has elected free agency.
Right-hander Zac Leigh goes from the ACL Cubs to Triple-A Iowa.
Right-hander Anhuar Garcia was promoted to Low-A Myrtle Beach from the ACL Cubs.
Andrew Wantz gave up a run in the top of the first inning on three singles, but then settled down for the next three in his first start for Iowa. Wantz’s final line was one run on four hits over four innings. He struck out three and walked one.
Ty Blach pitched the final five innings, did not give up a run and got the win. Blach gave up five hits, but they were all singles and he didn’t walk anyone. He struck out six.
First baseman Jonathon Long hit a two-run home run in the fifth inning, his seventh on the season. Long also had a two-run single, an RBI double and an RBI groundout to give him six runs batted in tonight. He was 3 for 5 and scored twice.
DH Christian Bethancourt connected for a solo home run in the sixth inning. It was his eighth on the year. Beathancourt went 1 for 4.
Second baseman Owen Miller had two doubles and a triple in a 4 for 5 game tonight. Miller scored once and had two RBI.
Right fielder Kevin Alcántara was 4 for 5 with two doubles. The Jaguar scored twice and drove in one.
Left fielder BJ Murray went 2 for 4 with a double and he was hit by a pitch. He scored twice.
RBI double for Moisés Ballesteros, who was 1 for 4 with a walk.
Jace Beck may have turned in the best Cubs start this year in the minor leagues tonight. At least he had more strikeouts than anyone else. Beck pitched six innings and allowed just one run on five hits. He struck out a career-high 11 batters and walked two.
Tyler Santana gave up a run in the bottom of the ninth, but hung on to get the save. The final line on Santana was one run on two hits over two innings. He struck out one and walked no one.
Left fielder Carter Trice doubled twice in a 2 for 4 night. Trice also stole a base. He scored one run and drove in one.
Nazier Mulé gave up a three-run home run in the first inning to the third batter of the game. The River Bandits didn’t score again and only had two more hits. Mulé final line was three runs on three hits over 3.2 innings. He walked two and struck out two.
Jackson Brockett went the rest of the way and got the win. Brockett retired the first 14 batters he faced before giving up a one-out single in the top of the ninth. But then he got a game-ending double play out of the next hitter. Brockett struck out five over 5.1 innings.
Catcher Justin Stransky hit a solo home run in the seventh inning, his fourth. Stransky went 1 for 3.
Shortstop Angel Cepeda put the Cubs up for good with a two-run single in the eighth. Cepeda was 1 for 3 and he was hit by a pitch.
DH Kane Kepley went 1 for 3 with a double, a steal and a sacrifice fly. He also scored one run.
Starter Pierce Coppola went four innings, allowed just one run on two hits and got the win. (Not sure how he got the win despite only going four.) Coppola struck out six and walked two.
Daniel Avitia threw a three-inning save, allowing no runs and just one hit. He walked three and struck out three.
Shortstop Alexis Hernández is heating up and for the second-straight night, he had three hits. Hernández was 3 for 4 with an RBI triple and two walks. Hernández had two RBI overall.
Center fielder Darlyn De Leon had a two-run double in the second inning. De Leon was went 1 for 3 with a walk, a hit by pitch and a stolen base. He scored three times.
The Birds scored three runs in the fifth inning on three bases-loaded walks. In fact, the Pelicans did not have a hit in the fifth.
Liam Hendricks made his Cubs and season debut in this game. He pitched the first inning and retired all three batters he faced, striking out two of them.
Jun 26, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Zach Thornton (49) follows through on a pitch against the Philadelphia Phillies during the third inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images
In a banner day in Metsland, our beloved Metropolitans lost yet another game, despite the managerial change that saw Carlos Mendoza fired and replaced with Andy Green.
The 2-1 loss was a genuine pitcher’s duel from a rather unsuspecting place — at least from the Mets side of things. Old Friend Zack Wheeler was his typically excellent self. The now-veteran righty has shown no signs of slowing down, despite the off season thoracic outlet syndrome surgery that delayed the beginning of his season, as he lowered his season ERA to 2.03 after his outing. He surrendered one run over seven innings, with the one run coming by way of a Jared Young single in the fourth, though he was lucky to not have surrendered two more. Derek Hill made an absolutely stunning catch in center field to rob Juan Soto of a two run home run, which would prove to be game winning, considering the final score of 2-1.
The Mets, to their credit, pitched well in the loss. Not that moral victories matter, really, but Zach Thornton deserves his flowers on the day. Thornton, who was called back up to the bigs after the Mets traded David Peterson away to the Cubs, matched Wheeler at every turn. He surrendered a first inning RBI single to Bryce Harper, but was nails after that, surrendering five hits, striking out seven, and walking one over six innings. With the season trending towards being lost, it is nice to see a young player put together a quality performance. Again, this is a strict no moral victory household, but facts are facts.
That 1-1 score was erased in the seventh, when Trea Turner singled a run home off of Huascar Brazoban. The Mets put runners on in the seventh and the ninth, but they simply could not scratch a run across to prevent the loss. It was a telling loss in regards to the story of the 2026 season, up until now: frustrating, and coming up short.
Big Mets winner: Zach Thornton, +22% WPA Big Mets loser: Juan Soto, -16% WPA (this is a Derek Hill stat) Mets pitchers: +15% WPA Mets hitters: -65% WPA Teh aw3s0mest play: Jared Young’s RBI single, +7.9% WPA Teh sux0rest play: Trea Turner’s RBI single in the seventh, -20.8% WPA
The Golden Knights did not, in fact, make a selection with the 2026 first-rounder they got from the Dorofeyev trade. Instead, they traded down twice.
First, the Golden Knights made a deal with the Montreal Canadiens, exchanging the 26th overall pick for the 28th overall pick, and received a 2027 third-round pick as a sweetener. The Golden Knights then traded down once again, sending the 28th overall pick to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for the 29th overall pick and the 117th overall pick.
Finally, when the Golden Knights were on the clock for the third time, they made a selection. They used the 29th overall pick to select Finnish defenseman Juho Piiparinen from Tappara, Liiga.
The Golden Knights like their big, physical defensemen, and Piiparinen certainly fits the bill. At just 17 years of age, he is already an imposing figure, standing 6’3” and weighing in at 203 lbs.
Piiparinen, who analysts ranked as high as 17th and as low as 42nd, is a mature, mobile, right-shot defenseman. He’s a defensive defenseman who uses his range to break up plays. He’s also a decent playmaker who can consistently create offense with his breakout passes. He’s a smooth skater who can be very dangerous in transition.
Because of his diverse tool kit, it’s hard to predict how far Piiparinen is from being NHL-ready. However, it also means that his development will be an intriguing one to follow.
5/11/25 – NBA Playoffs, Game 4, Boston Celtics vs. New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden – Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown #7 reacts during the first quarter. Photo by...
It might cost a fortune to trade for Jaylen Brown.
On ESPN’s “Get Up” Friday morning, NBA insider Shams Charania revealed the Celtics may be asking some teams for several first-round picks for the star who’s been constantly in trade rumors the last few weeks.
“My understanding is that in some cases the Celtics have asked for at least four first-round picks for Jaylen Brown,” Charania said. “Where does that put him as far as his value? This is a Boston team that’s been contending in the Eastern Conference and their potential ask for some teams is a package of picks and players.”
“How have they reimagined this roster moving forward? Their finances, their viability as a contender in the Eastern Conference. I do think as of right now, time will tell which side will bring the emergence to this matter this offseason,” he added.
Jaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics reacts after scoring in the second half at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York on November 18, 2025. JASON SZENES/ NY POST
While the Heat ultimately won the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes by acquiring him via trade, the Celtics went all-out in their pursuit of acquiring him, reportedly offering Brown and multiple first-round picks.
As Brown’s name continues floating around in trade rumors, Celtics general manager Brad Stevens remained noncommittal on what’s to come for the star and said he “can’t predict the future”.
“As you know, we try to keep things as close to the vest and quiet as possible, and at the same time, knowing that the rumor mill is the rumor mill, and there’s going to be a lot of noise out there, that’s why you meet and be upfront as possible,” Stevens told reporters when asked about Brown.
Though Antetokounmpo was traded for a package that included Tyler Herro and three first-round picks Monday, there have still been trades involving four or more first-rounders recently — like the Knicks trading five for Mikal Bridges in 2024.
Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown reacts during the first quarter of a 2025 game. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Despite the Celtics blowing a 3-1 loss to the 76ers in the first round of the 2026 playoffs, Brown was pivotal to their regular season success, averaging a career-high 28.7 points per game.
Brown was the Celtics’ No. 1 option most of the season with Jayson Tatum injured, and he called the season his “favorite year of my basketball career”.
The 29-year-old has three years left on his five-year contract, and he has averaged over 20 points per game every season since 2019-20.
The San Jose Sharks will have a light day on Saturday, at least compared to Friday night.
After trading three picks to move up to 21st overall, the Sharks will only have three picks on Saturday, unless something changes. Currently, they'll next be on the clock in the fourth round. They hold the 127th overall pick, which they acquired from the Washington Capitals as a part of the Timothy Liljegren trade, but originally came from the Vegas Golden Knights.
Then, the Sharks will have a quick break, as they currently don't possess a fifth round pick. They'll be back at it with the 174th overall pick in the sixth round, before closing out their draft class with the 201st overall pick in the seventh round.
It was an eventful day for the team in teal on Friday, while there's still quite a bit of work to be done at the 2026 NHL Draft, they'll likely have a relatively calm day on Saturday by comparison
For better or worse, the inaugural edition of the inter-hemisphere tournament launches with even more long-haul flights in a drive to attract greater interest
Brave is one word for it. Let’s launch a must-see global rugby tournament in direct opposition to the football World Cup, Wimbledon, the Open and Formula One. Necessitating even more long-haul flights and an enlarged carbon footprint in an era of soaring jet-fuel prices and climate-change concerns. And with some of the world’s most box-office players unavailable. Right-ho.
Welcome, for better or worse, to the inaugural Nations Championship, which kicks off in Christchurch, Tokyo, Sydney, Cardiff, Johannesburg and Córdoba next weekend. Spot the odd ones out, by the way. Yes, contrary to the atlas, Cardiff and Tokyo are now southern hemisphere venues. For various reasons Fiji are “hosting” Wales beside the swaying palms of Tiger Bay while Japan, for the sake of numerical convenience, are in with the traditional southern powerhouses.
Miguel Vargas and the bats helped lead the White Sox to their second-largest win in franchise history.
It’s not every day you see your favorite team score 10 runs in a game. It’s even more rare to see them score 10 runs in a single inning, but that’s what the Chicago White Sox did Friday night. In a rare game that was over by the end of the third inning, the White Sox came roaring back to life after a tough stretch that saw them go just 3-6 over their last nine games, destroying Kansas City, 22-1.
The 22 runs tied for the second-most in White Sox history, joining the woebegone 1970 White Sox (22-13 win at Boston) but falling short of the all-time mark, coming in Kansas City (against the Athletics) in 1955, in 29-6 win. However, the 21-run margin of victory now ranks second all-time in club history, trailing just that 23-run win in K.C. in 1955.
Usually, when you score 10 runs in a game, everybody’s eating good like a college kid on Thanksgiving. For the White Sox, the entire lineup had scored at least one run by the end of the sixth inning. The party didn’t stop there, as the White Sox started tacking on runs so fast it’s a wonder the scoreboard was able to update in time. It was one heck of a jolt from an offense that has struggled to score runs consistently as of late.
It all started in the third inning, with the score knotted 0-0 and Chicago had seen seven of their first eight batters go down. A Jacob Gonzalez walk started a party that just wouldn’t stop, as 10 of the next 11 batters got on base for the White Sox and the game was over before the Royals could even cry “uncle.”
The Royals got a run back in the fourth, aided by three straight walks from starter David Sandlin, but a Benny Bomb to lead off the bottom of that same inning kept the party vibes flowing. That party continued in the fifth, sixth, and seventh as well before they showed some mercy to the Royals with a scoreless eighth. In truth, the Sox dented the scoreboard in every inning between the second and eighth. White Sox fans were treated to a fireworks display even more explosive than we’ll see at the lakefront next week.
Honestly, there aren’t many words that can be used to sum up the White Sox on Friday night, at least that are appropriate to use on this site, other than phenomenal. These games are incredibly rare, so it’s vital to enjoy them when they come around.
One part of the win that shouldn’t fly under the radar is the pitching. While it’s certainly easier to pitch when you have a huge cushion, it’s still not easy to give up just one run and three hits over six innings. Sandlin was outstanding tonight, and deserves a lot of credit for how he looked on the mound. His wildness beyond the three consecutive walks was corralled, as the Royals were held to just three free passes in the game, and four hits total.
A big reason the White Sox have enjoyed such a big resurgence this year is due to their pitching. Davis Martin, Anthony Kay, Bryan Hudson, Sean Newcomb and even Erick Fedde as of late have become incredibly reliable options. It would be foolish to believe this is the pitcher Sandlin will be for the rest of his career, but if he can give the South Siders even a sliver of what he was able to tonight, Chicago suddenly has a much-different looking rotation, and a solid option in the No. 5 slot.
With the win, the White Sox improved to 27-13 at home. Oddly enough, they sit at just 15-25 on the road. Usually that would be cause for concern, but with the way the White Sox have looked overall this season, it’s hard not to buy in to this team. The fans are buzzing, the arms and bats are back, and there is life among the fan base once again. The best part may actually be that Jerry Reinsdorf is probably livid with how much he’s having to spend on fireworks this season. With the All-Star break approaching, there’s only two things left to do: Take the division and win the whole dang thing.
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - APRIL 07: Kevon Looney #55 of the New Orleans Pelicans reacts during the second half of a game against the Utah Jazz at Smoothie King Center on April 07, 2026 in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Tyler Kaufman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Kevon Looney, a three-time NBA champion and forever Golden State Warrior, will have to find a new home next season.
Per NBA insider Chris Haynes, the New Orleans Pelicans have chosen to decline Looney’s $8 million team option, making him an unrestricted free agent.
New Orleans Pelicans are expected to decline the $8M team option on veteran center Kevon Looney, making the 3-time NBA champ an unrestricted free agent, league sources tell me. pic.twitter.com/U45QTgHWKy
Looney’s tenure with the Pelicans was highly limited, playing only 21 games due to injury. The veteran experience and poise that he was expected to provide was ultimately limited.
The Warriors chose to move on from Looney in order to prioritize size and shooting at the center position, a somewhat tough pill to swallow considering Looney’s stature within the organization. So far, that decision is proving to be correct.
