Jun 12, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Detroit Tigers first baseman Spencer Torkelson (20) runs the bases for his home run against the Cleveland Guardians during the eighth inning at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images | Scott Galvin-Imagn Images
Detroit Tigers (29-42) vs. Houston Astros (33-40)
Time/Place: 8:10 p.m., Daikin Park SB Nation Site: The Crawfish Boxes Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network Pitching Matchup: RHP Troy Melton (3-0, 2.81 ERA) vs. RHP Kai-Wei Teng (3-5, 3.71 ERA)
Major League Baseball handed down fines and suspensions to the San Diego Padres following a June 13 incident during an eventual, 9-3 win against the Baltimore Orioles where tempers flared and players were hit by pitches.
MLB senior vice president of On-Field Operations Michael Hill announced Monday, June 15 that Padres pitcher Ron Marinaccio received a three-game suspension for intentionally hitting Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson with a pitch during the bottom of the ninth inning of Saturday’s game at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
Marinaccio was ejected from the game on Saturday. He was additionally fined an undisclosed amount, according to a MLB statement from Hill.
Padres RHP Ron Marinaccio was ejected from the game after hitting Orioles' Gunnar Henderson with a pitch with 2 outs in the bottom of the 9th inning. San Diego is leading 9-3.
Padres manager Craig Stammen later got tossed as well after a long, heated argument with the umpiring… pic.twitter.com/nKLjgESJkB
The San Deigo pitcher wasn't the only one to receive disciplinary action from the league. Padres manager Craig Stammen was also disciplined by the league.
Padres manager Craig Stammen suspended
Padres manager Craig Stammen was upset after Marinaccio was ejected. He was seen arguing back-and-forth with umpires before getting ejected, himself.
MLB decided to suspend Stammen for one game and fine him an undisclosed amount. Stammen will serve his suspension Monday, June 15 when the Padres play the St. Louis Cardinals.
Ron Marinaccio files appeal
Marinaccio isn't going out without a fight. The 30-year-old pitcher elected to file an appeal of his suspension. His suspension was to begin Monday against the St. Louis Cardinals, however it will now be postponed until the appeal process complete.
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - JUNE 10: Mike Paredes #53 of the Minnesota Twins looks on against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on June 10, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images) | Getty Images
First Pitch (CT):7:05 PM TV: Twins.TV Radio: TIBN/830 WCCO/102.9 The Wolf /Audacy App Know Yo’ Foe: Lone Star Ball
It’s the day we’ve all been waiting for. That’s right folks. It’s once again MIKE PAREDES DAY!! I feel like a kid on Christmas Eve.
Facetious ribbing aside, Paredes has actually been perfectly fine in limited action. A few too many walks for how few batters he strikes out, but that’s never been an issue in the minors so we can chalk that up to a small sample size. It will be nice to get Mick Abel back soon, but Paredes has held his own and kept the Twins in games in his bulk outings, which is more than could be said for a lot of other pitchers currently on Minnesota’s roster.
On the other side, they’ll be facing lefty Mackenzie Gore who has dazzling stuff with the ability to throw a no hitter if he can command while also running the risk of imploding if he can’t. Gore has 3 or more walks in 8 of his 14 starts this year. In those 8 games, he has a 6.27 ERA. In the rest he has a 2.78 ERA. That’s a bigger difference than the one between reigning NL Cy Young Paul Skenes (2.75 ERA, 2.5 fWAR) and and current pitching Least Valuable Player Matt Strahm (5.40 ERA, -1.0 fWAR). Walks will haunt and patience is a virtue.
Meanwhile, the Twins will have one thing in their advantage: the promotion of 26-year-old Kyler Fedko. Fedko broke out in 2025 with 28 home runs, 38 stolen bases, and a 130 wRC+ in 130 games across AA and AAA. He’s kept that going in 2026 with a 138 wRC+ and has crushed lefties to the tune of a 1.262 OPS. Fedko is capable of playing all three outfield spots as well as first base and has enough speed and base running acumen to be a pinch runner late in games. I wouldn’t expect him to become a lineup fixture, but the Twins have been searching for a right-handed bench outfield bat for a half decade and may have stumbled into one on accident.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 5: New York Knicks fans watch their Game 2 NBA finals game against San Antonio Spurs at a bar on June 5, 2026 in the Brooklyn Borough of New York City. New York Knicks fans are expected to fill the streets once again as they seek the franchise's first championship since 1973. (Photo by Adam Gray/Getty Images) | Getty Images
48ish hours later and still feeing . . . altered. In a good way.
The best way. Saturday night, millions of Knicks fans finally caught that dragon we been chasing most if not all our lives. I’m still kinda in a daze. You?
I bring it up because for this mailbag invite, I need you to know I could not care less about any “break up the Knicks” questions. Giannis Antetokounmpo did not appeal to me as a trade rumor during the season; he sure as shit don’t now. Got an idea for how the Knicks can turn Mikal Bridges into Dylan Harper? Keep it to yourself. I. Do. Not. Care.
S’cool if you do. But the New York Knickerbockers have been champions for not yet 48 hours. Far as I’m concerned, they can give everyone on the roster a 5-year extension on top of wherever their contract stands now and I’m good with it. These people did it! They did the thing! What comes next isn’t just another sunset. This is a cosmic event streaking across the heavens. I will follow its light so long as any one single photon of it remains.
(Not to mention these Knicks are as well-positioned as any of the NBA’s Great 8 2019-2026 champs to break the streak and repeat. I think OKC this year is the only one of that lot to even make the conference finals the next season. I don’t bet on sports, but if I did I’d bet on NYK joining them next spring.)
(Also I’m gonna try “NYK” for a bit as a proper noun. The Knicks don’t really have a ton of nicknames. Like, the Mets are the Metropolitans, the Amazins, the Metsies, the Miracle Mets. The Yankees are the Yanks, the Bombers, the Bronx Bombers and the Pinstripes, as well as the Damn Yankees across vast swaths of this land. The Giants have G-Men and Big Blue, the New York Football Giants and, once upon a time, more so, the Jints. The Rangers are both Blueshirts and Broadway Blues.
And yet, besides New York, Knickerbockers and some syntax featuring “blue” and “orange,” there’s not much to do with the Knicks. So I’m giving NYK a 10-day contract. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.)
Wanna talk draft? Or pros potentially on the move who you think would work added to the mix? That works. The rest of the NBA? These Knicks in a historical context? Summer ice cream shop go-tos? Bring it. Commas versus dashes when setting off an appositive? Maybe a bit narrow for a Knicks mailbag. But it never hurts to ask.
The comment section awaits. Dive in. The water is champagne.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - JUNE 02: Taylor Trammell #26 of the Houston Astros bats in the fifth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Daikin Park on June 02, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
TONIGHT’S GAME: The Houston Astros (33-40) will wear their City Connect uniforms tonight as they open a weeklong, six-game homestand with the first game of a three-game series opposite the Detroit Tigers (29-42).
RHP Kai-Wei Teng (3-5, 3.71 ERA) will make his eighth start of the season for the Astros tonight opposite the Tigers and second-year starter RHP Troy Melton (3-0, 2.81 ERA).
MY WAY OR THE KAI-WEI: RHP Kai-Wei Teng has split his season between the bullpen (13g) and rotation (7 starts), posting a 3.71 ERA (21ER/51IP) and a .219 opponent average.
Teng is new to the Astros, as he was acquired from the Giants this offseason in exchange for minor leaguer C Jancel Villarroel. A native of Taiwan, Teng is the second Taiwanese-born player to appear with the Astros in their history, joining RHP Chia Jen-Lo, who made 19 relief appearances with the Astros in 2013.
TONIGHT’S FIRST PITCH: In celebration of City Connect Monday, Houston Texans 2026 first round draft pick, offensive lineman Keylan Rutledge, will throw out a ceremonial first pitch.
WELCOME BACK FRAMBER!: The Astros will welcome back 2022 World Series Champion LHP Framber Valdez in a pregame ceremony tonight. Valdez spent his first eight Major League seasons (2018-25) as an Astro before departing the team via free agency this offseason.
PEN PALS: Since May 15, the Astros bullpen has a 2.62 ERA (29ER/99.2IP) with 90 strikeouts, a 1.03 WHIP and a .187 opponent average. Among AL teams since May 15, the Astros bullpen ranks first in ERA, first in WHIP, and first in opponent batting average. The Astros are also 16-12 since May 15.
MAKING THE PLAYS: The Astros are tied with the Athletics for committing the fewest errors in the AL (29). Houston has posted the best fielding percentage (.988) in the AL, topping the Athletics (.988) and Royals (.988) by a few percentage points.
ASTROS ROSTER MOVES: The Astros have recalled RHP Jayden Murray from Triple A today. He takes the roster spot of RHP Alimber Santa, who was optioned to Triple A after yesterday’s game.
FROM THE TRAINER’S ROOM: The Astros have 12 players on the Major League IL…updates on a few:
• RHP Ronel Blanco (rt. elbow surgery) threw 42 pitches in a simulated game in West Palm Beach earlier this week…his next appearance will be a rehab start for the Astros FCL affiliate.
• RHP Hunter Brown (rt. shoulder sprain) is scheduled to rejoin the Astros rotation tomorrow night.
• RHP Cristian Javier (rt. shoulder strain) was scheduled to start last night for Triple A Sugar Land, but that game was canceled due to inclement weather. He will instead start for Sugar Land tomorrow night at Albuquerque (COL).
• RHP Lance McCullers Jr. (rt. shoulder inflammation) has advanced to throwing bullpens.
• LHP Bennett Sousa (lt. elbow inflammation) continues to advance in his throwing progression.
• LHP Brandon Walter (lt. elbow surgery) continues his throwing progression in West Palm Beach.
• RHP Hayden Wesneski (rt. elbow surgery) is continuing with his live BP progressions in West Palm Beach.
• IF Nick Allen (lt. hamstring strain) and OF LaMonte Wade Jr. (rt. hamstring strain) are currently completing therapeutic exercises in Houston.
• C Yainer Diaz (lt. oblique strain) is scheduled to take live batting practice at Daikin Park today.
• IF Braden Shewmake (rt. adductor strain) is in West Palm Beach continuing baseball activity and a running progression.
SEÑOR CIEN:IF Isaac Paredes, who recently reached 500 career hits and 100 career homers, is one double shy of 100 career doubles. When he reaches it, he will become the fourth Mexican-born player in MLB history with 500 career hits, 100 doubles and 100 home runs, joining IF Vinny Castilla, IF Jorge Orta and IF Aurelio Rodríguez.
ON-BASE MACHINE: OF Yordan Alvarez is on a 21-game on-base streak, in which he’s batting .382 (29×76) with nine homers, 23 RBI, 15 walks, a .484 OBP and a 1.247 OPS. It is his second-longest on-base streak this season, behind a 22-game on-base streak from April 4-28. It is the second time in his career, he’s recorded two 20-game on-base streaks in the same season, also did so in 2023 with on-base streaks of 30 games and 36 games.
ON THE LEADERBOARD: DH Yordan Alvarez leads the Majors in OPS (1.084), SLG (.651) and total bases (170) and is tied for the Major League lead in home runs (24). In the AL, he ranks first in RBI (54), first in extra-base hits (37), first in hits (85), first in batting average (.326), second in OBP (.433), fourth in walks (46) and tied for fourth in runs (49).
TODAY IN ASTROS HISTORY: 2022 – The Astros down the Rangers with a dominant 9-2 victory in Arlington. The Astros make history, becoming the first team to have two pitchers toss immaculate innings in the same game, accomplished by RHP Luis Garcia (2nd inning) and RHP Phil Maton (7th). The two turned the trick on the same group of three hitters: Nathaniel Lowe, Ezequiel Duran and Brad Miller. These marked the eighth and ninth immaculate innings in club history.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Monday, June 15, 7:10 p.m. CT
Location: Daikin Park, Houston, TX
TV: Space City Home Network, SCHN2
Radio: KTRH 740 AM, KBME 790 AM & 94.5 FM HD2; TUDN 102.9 FM HD2 (Spanish)
Jun 2, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Dustin May (3) reacts after stranding a runner at third and striking out Texas Rangers first baseman Jake Burger (not pictured) to end the first inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
The St. Louis Cardinals return to Busch Stadium Monday night as they’ll host the San Diego Padres. Dustin May will make the start for the Cardinals while the starter for the Padres is to be determined. First pitch is scheduled for 6:45pm at Busch Stadium and the TV broadcast will be available on Cardinals.tv.
Spencer Strider won't pick up a baseball for a month, and that is the good news for the Atlanta Braves.
Strider has been shut down from throwing for four weeks following a consultation with Dr. Keith Meister. He'll then have a follow-up MRI. A clean scan would clear him to start a throwing progression.
Given where this looked headed on Friday night, the Braves have to be relieved.
An MRI taken Saturday in Atlanta came back showing nothing but inflammation and no ligament damage. For Strider, it's a huge relief, because there isn't much natural ligament left to work with. He had Tommy John surgery at Clemson in 2019 and an internal brace put in the same elbow in 2024, the latter by Dr. Meister himself.
So the four weeks of rest beats the alternative everyone was bracing for.
When with Spencer Strider return?
When he might actually pitch is the harder question to answer. Strider is due for a follow-up MRI in mid-July, and a clean one would let him start throwing around the All-Star break. Realistically, after a four-week shut down, the best case scenario would have Strider back in late August. It's more likely he will return in September.
The window changes how Atlanta operates over the next seven weeks. It opens the door to a 60-day injured list move, and with the Aug. 3 trade deadline looming, it sharpens the case for going out and getting an arm. Maybe two.
Spencer Strider injury
Strider came out of Friday's 7-5 loss to the Mets after three-plus innings, charged with a season-high seven earned runs, his fastball sinking from 96 miles per hour to 88 mph by the fourth inning. He was placed on the IL Saturday.
He opened the season on the injured list with a left oblique strain and sits at 4-2 with a 5.31 ERA across eight starts. The dip in velocity has been a red flag all year. A four-seam fastball that averaged 97.2 mph in 2023 is down to 95.1, and the swings-and-misses have disappeared with the speed.
His absence further deteriorates a rotation that was already short. Neither Spencer Schwellenbach nor Hurston Waldrep has thrown a pitch for Atlanta this season. No.2 prospect JR Ritchie, who carries a 3.82 ERA over 30 2/3 inning with the club, will slot into Strider's spot.
Somehow it hasn't mattered in the standings. The Braves sit atop the National League East at 46-25, riding out injuries to Ronald Acuna Jr. as well as Schwellenbach and Strider, again.
Braves get Drake Baldwin back behind the plate
Atlanta reinstated catcher Drake Baldwin from the injured list Monday, returning one of their best bats to a lineup that had been getting next to nothing from the position. To clear the roster spot, Atlanta outrighted catcher Austin Wynns.
Baldwin strained his right oblique against the Marlins on May 18 and drew Grade 1 diagnosis the next day. Before the injury, Baldwin was the front-runner to start the All-Star Game at catcher for the National League. he was slashing .303/.389/.543 with 13 home runs and 38 RBIs. The NL Rookie of the Year gives the lineup a real lift.
DENVER, CO - JUNE 10: Starting pitcher Michael Lorenzen #24 of the Colorado Rockies delivers a pitch in the first inning against the Chicago Cubs at Coors Field on June 10, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Fresh off a franchise-record win, a 23-9 victory over the A’s in Las Vegas, the Rockies will see if they can keep their red-hot offense in Chicago as they start a three-game series against the Cubs tonight.
The Rockies (27-45, 14-20 home, 13-25 road) set a franchise record with 23 runs on Sunday, which prevented a sweep from the A’s. Just before that, the Rockies won a series against the Cubs, 2-1, at Coors Field. The Cubs (37-35, 20-15 home, 17-20 road) rebounded from the Colorado series with a 2-1 series win against the Giants in San Francisco over the weekend.
Monday’s match-up will feature a repeat of the starters from when the Rockies and Cubs faced off on June 10 with Michael Lorenzen (2-8, 7.54 ERA) taking on LHP Shota Imanaga (4-6, 4.44 ERA). In that game, Lorenzen had one of his best starts of the season. The 34-year-old RHP struck out seven, giving up one run on two hits with two walks in five innings. While Lorenzen didn’t get the win, the Rockies scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth, capped off by a walk-off RBI single from Sterlin Thompson, for a 3-2 victory.
Imanaga pitched well against the Rockies in his last outing, throwing five scoreless innings with seven strikeouts, two hits and two walks. Hunter Goodman singled and walked against Imanaga for the Rockies, while TJ Rumfield singled and Braxton Fulford drew a walk. Imagana, who is in his third MLB season at age 32 after a successful career in Japan, had struggled in his four starts leading up to facing the Rockies, giving up 26 runs on 27 hits, including 12 homers with six walks and three HBP in 21.2 innings.
Earlier on Monday, the Rockies made a roster move in the bullpen as Victor Vodnik has returned from the IL. Vodnik has been out since May 20 with right ulnar nerve inflammation. Since June 9, Vodnik has been on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Albuquerque where he threw two scoreless, hitless innings with four strikeouts and one walk in two appearances.
The Rockies announced today the following transactions:
– Reinstated RHP Victor Vodnik from the 15-day injured list – Optioned RHP Eiberson Castellano to Triple-A Albuquerque
— Rockies Club Information (@RockiesClubInfo) June 15, 2026
First Pitch: 6:05 p.m. MDT
TV: Rockies.TV
Radio: 850 AM/94.1 FM KOA Rockies Radio Network; KNRV 1150 AM (Spanish)
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - JUNE 14: Josh Jung #6 of the Texas Rangers throws to first base during the second inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on June 14, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Paul Rutherford/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Jun 11, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager (5) collides with Kansas City Royals catcher Carter Jensen (22) as he scores a run during the first inning at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
The Texas Rangers have placed Corey Seager on the 7 day concussion injured list, retroactive to June 12, the team announced today. To take his place on the active roster, the Rangers have activated Josh Smith from the injured list.
We discussed this possibility earlier today, noting that Seager would be eligible to return as early as Friday, when the Rangers start their series against the Padres. It is noteworthy to me that Smith isn’t in the starting lineup today, despite being activated, with Cody Freeman and offensive catalyst Nicky Lopez manning the up-the-middle infield spots, and Ezequiel Duran joining Smith on the bench today.
Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images | Getty Images
The Mets plan to start Kodai Senga against the Reds tomorrow night, as the team needed a replacement for Christian Scott, who hit the injured list with a hip issue today. Senga hasn’t pitched in a major league game since April 26 himself, as he’s been on the injured list for just shy of two months.
Senga initially went on the IL because of lumbar spine inflammation, and at the time, he had just had three consecutive abysmal appearances. Having looked fantastic in his first two starts of the season, he had a 17.28 ERA over the course of the three bad starts, and in total, he has a 9.00 ERA and a 6.15 FIP in 20.0 innings of work with the Mets this season.
Senga’s rehab assignment didn’t go particularly well, either, as he was just so-so in his first three rehab starts, the first of which came with Single-A St. Lucie before he moved to Triple-A Syracuse for the second and third. Following the second starts for Syracuse, Senga missed a scheduled rehab start Double-A Binghamton on June 9. Two days later, however, he went six innings, struck out five, walked one, and gave up one run for Binghamton. That was easily his best appearance in a while, but the Reds are more formidable than the minor league hitters he faced a few days ago.
Oct 26, 2025; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) and guard Dylan Harper (2) celebrates in the second half against the Brooklyn Nets at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images | Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images
The Finals are over, and the Spurs lost. If you could describe how you feel about how they went in one word, what would it be and why?
Marilyn Dubinski: The first word is “excruciating,” considering how easily the outcome could have been reversed if the Spurs simply could have executed down the stretch of games. But I made the decision that I would not allow myself to enter a state of 2013 sports depression, and there really isn’t a need to. This was not a case where they had a championship in the palm of their hands because they never even led in this series. Combine that with a good social media cleansing over the weekend (as in staying off it), and I switched to relieved that it’s over and ready to see what the future brings. After spending all of the last two weeks with stomach knots, I’m just happy to feel normal again.
Mark Barrington: It’s a mixture of feelings. The word I’m looking for is ambivalence. I’m grateful that the Spurs made it to the finals a few years before I thought they would be ready. I’m disappointed that they couldn’t finish games and make the finals last longer. Paradoxically, I’m a little glad it’s over. All of these close games that ended the same way were tough to watch, and I was emotionally drained by the end of the series. And if I feel that way, a guy who just watches the game on TV, I can’t imagine how it’s affecting the players and coaches. Hopefully they will take this as a challenge to learn how to finish games with more force and poise, because that was the reason why they lost in five games.
Bill Huan: Bittersweet, the perfect word to capture both ends of my emotions. Bitter because the finals were decided by razor-thin margins that were preventable, but sweet because the Spurs exceeded the expectations of the wildest optimists. It’s strange because many fans (including myself) would’ve felt better had they lost a competitive series against the Thunder, but I guess that’s both the gift and curse of expectation. If you told someone before the season that they’d lose in the finals, everyone would be elated. But since they actually made it there, the expectations had been blown through the roof, thus making a loss feel somehow disappointing. Overall, though, this season was absolutely an A+.
Jeje Gomez: As the Finals were happening, the word was “enraging.” It just wasn’t fun to watch the Spurs shoot themselves in the foot over and over. The Knicks were great when it counted and deserve the title, but San Antonio made things easier for them by making avoidable mistakes at every level. Now that it’s over, the word would be “relieved.“ Instead of focusing on the bad, because that was what determined who won, it’s now possible for me to focus on all the good from the season and on the future, which should be bright.
Did the bitter end detract from how fun the season was, or do you still consider 2025/26 a resounding success?
Dubinski: It’s easy to go into a series and say “whatever happens, I’m proud of this team,” but when the games actually play out, those wide-view feelings go away. It’s certainly not fun to be the team the modern Knicks finally got a championship against, but again, when you get out of the moment and away from the toxicity of social media, it’s much easier to return to that wide view and appreciate everything they did this season. None of us came in expecting a finals run, and barring a win, they couldn’t have asked for a better experience out of this season. It was still a huge success.
Barrington: Emotionally, it was hard to take, but rationally, the team performed way above my expectations. It looks like the prelude to a dynasty, but you can’t take that for granted. The team has to improve on many fronts, starting with strengthening the roster so that Wembanyama doesn’t have to carry the team in the playoffs by playing 40+ minutes per game. I’m looking forward to seeing what happens in the offseason before I declare it a faultless success.
Huan: I don’t think those are mutually exclusive things, as I feel both disappointed by the finals but also elated with how the season went as a whole. As mentioned above, expectations change everything. Once you’re in the finals, no one is thinking about how much the team exceeded everyone’s hopes since they’re only focused on winning the title. To not have that happen is obviously heartbreaking, but once you take a step back, it’s obvious how much of a resounding success this season really was.
Gomez: As soon as a team looks like a contender and reaches the Finals as a favorite or even with a fighting chance, success is determined by whether they win the title or not, in my eyes. The Spurs didn’t, so I can’t say the season was a resounding success. At the same time, reaching the Finals is extremely hard, and the season, for the most part, was extremely fun, so while how it ended did leave a bitter taste in my mouth, it was still better and more enjoyable than any season in the last 10 years, which means something.
How confident are you about the Spurs’ chances of making it back to the Finals next season?
Dubinski: I’m certainly confident they can do it again, but that’s a lot easier said than done. Despite five championships, the dynasty Spurs only made consecutive finals once, proving how hard it was even with just one or two other contenders to deal with. Meanwhile, we’re in such an age of parity that the last team to make consecutive finals was the Warriors in 2019 (their fifth straight). Since then, each Finals has featured two new teams from the year before. Can this young team be the 2014 Spurs and ride the pain of a loss back to the finals, and even a championship, or will the decade of parity continue? It’s hard to know right now, but it’s going to be a lot harder to get there compared to this year because they now officially have a target on their back and will no longer be underestimated.
Barrington: If they draft the power forward they need to fix the glaring hole in the roster or acquire one by trade or free agency, I think the chances are extremely high, assuming all of the key players stay healthy. Health is impossible to predict. I think that Wembanyama comes back stronger and more consistent next season, and Castle adds more to his game. Harper will play as much as Fox, and Vassell and Keldon Johnson will benefit from their playoff experience. The future is bright, but nothing is guaranteed. The Spurs got a taste of how hard it is to win a championship this season, and if they learn the right lessons from that, there’s no stopping them.
Huan: They are certainly capable of doing it, but I won’t be betting on it happening. We all need to remember that the Thunder aren’t going anywhere, and they managed to take the Spurs to a Game 7 even while playing most of that series without their second and third best ball handlers. It’s not even a guarantee the conference will come down to OKC vs San Antonio when factoring in the depth of the West and potential injuries. No single team should have higher odds to make the finals than the rest of their respective conferences, and it’s already a positive that the Spurs are one of the favorites going into next season.
Gomez: I’m confident they’ll make the playoffs as a high seed, health permitting, but anything beyond that is impossible to predict at this point. The roster has issues. We can expect internal development from a lot of guys, but improvement is not always linear, so how much better the young guys and even Mitch Johnson will be is a mystery. We also don’t know what the opponents will look like. I would go as far as saying that, right now, before the offseason, they seem like a safe bet to make the Conference Finals, but that’s as far as I’d go.
BALTIMORE, MD - JUNE 14: Manager Craig Stammen #14 of the San Diego Padres gestures before a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yard on June 14, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images | Getty Images
San Diego Padres (37-33) at St. Louis Cardinals (38-31), June 15, 2026, 4:45 a.m. PST
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PITTSBURGH, PA - JUNE 11: Justin Wrobleski (70) of the Los Angeles Dodgers delivers a pitch during an MLB game against the Pittsburgh Pirates on June 11, 2026 at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
A rare occurrence comes to Dodger Stadium on Tuesday for the middle game between the Dodgers and Tampa Bay Rays. Justin Wrobleski starts the middle game of the series, just the second time this season a Dodgers pitcher will start on four days rest.
Sheehan made his start on four days rest on May 19 in San Diego, and allowed four runs in four innings to the Padres. Like this Wrobleski start, both Dodgers starts on four days rest this season were to accommodate moving Shohei Ohtani to pitching on a Wednesday before a scheduled team off day, to limit the times he bats with next-day fatigue after pitching whenever possible.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - JUNE 13: J.T. Realmuto #10 of the Philadelphia Phillies hits a three run homer in the sixth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on June 13, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
