NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 25: Cooper Flagg (R) shakes hands with NBA commissioner Adam Silver (L) after being drafted first overall by the Dallas Mavericks during the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 25, 2025 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. 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 Sarah Stier/Getty Images) | Getty Images
UNITED STATES - MAY 06: Basketball: finals, Los Angeles Lakers Jerry West in action vs New York Knicks, Los Angeles, CA 5/6/1970 (Photo by James Drake/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images) (SetNumber: X14924)
Jerry West was a famously complex man. He wrestled with his demons for most of his life, the emotional wreckage of a difficult and traumatic relationship with his father, and a constant battle with depression that tormented him without end.
Yet he remains one of the greatest basketball players in NBA history, so revered that his silhouette was used for the league’s logo. After his playing career, his time as GM of the Los Angeles Lakers rivaled that of Red Auerbach of the Boston Celtics, with West’s teams winning six championships to Auerbach’s seven.
By any definition, he had a brilliant career. However, West’s focus was always on the shortcomings. He never beat Boston in the NBA Finals as a player, and as a GM, would not set foot in Boston Garden, finding it too physically stressful.
One of West’s greatest plays came against the New York Knicks in 1970 in the NBA Finals. Dave DeBusscherre hit a shot from near the foul line to give the Knicks a 102-100 lead with three seconds to play.
Because the Knicks won in overtime, 111-108, and would later win the series, which devastated West. He was convinced that L.A. was the best team in the league after Bill Russell retired, but they came up short yet again.
Feb 23, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Max Strus (1) celebrates with guard Sam Merrill (5) during the second half against the Memphis Grizzlies at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers have some tough decisions to make this summer. Anything they choose to do will come with a risk. From making another blockbuster trade to simply running back the same squad. The latter feels like something they can’t afford to do.
That’s because reality has caught up with the Cavs. They’ve built this roster on speciality players that fill specific roles. And while the rest of the NBA is thriving on versatility, Cleveland’s Jenga Tower of one-dimensional skillsets is starting to teeter.
You can dissect the roster and find overlapping talents at every position. Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley share the frontcourt. James Harden and Donovan Mitchell dominate the backcourt. There isn’t a whole lot that separates those duos from their counterpart.
The stars of this team aren’t multifaceted. Neither is the supporting cast. They’re a layered collective that looks to be greater than the sum of its parts. That can lead to wonderful things when everything is going right. But relying on that many moving pieces is nearly impossible.
The Cavs need to consolidate.
And since all indicators suggest that the front office is committed to the core four, that turns our eyes to the supporting cast. Flipping one of their three-point specialists for a player of greater variety could help them find long-term solutions in the playoffs.
Max Strus and Sam Merrill come to mind.
Now, I want to be clear. Both Merrill and Strus have been positive contributors. This is not meant to be a knock on either of them. They are fantastic role players to have on your squad, and you can never have enough shooting. Parting with them isn’t easy.
But a team that lacks size and athleticism can not continue to overindex on two three-point specialists who play the same position (even if they’ve refined other aspects of their game).
Look at the teams that have made it to the Finals this decade. You’ll see a clear pattern of length and mobility on the wing. Switchability and versatility enable them to meet any challenge thrown their way. They have players who can provide a counter option when the three-point shot isn’t falling. Cleveland doesn’t.
The Cavaliers’ front office hasn’t successfully added those types of players this decade. That’s not Merrill or Strus’s fault, but moving one of them might offer the clearest path towards finally addressing that this summer.
Of course, this is easier said than done.
It’s one thing for me to tell you the Cavs need to upgrade at a specific position. It’s another thing to actually suggest a realistic deal that will appease both sides. That’s why I’m a blogger, not a GM. I can point out flaws better than I can fix ‘em.
Still, the Cavs should have a clear goal this offseason: get more athletic and versatile. That likely comes with the difficult decision to part with one of their more helpful role players. Making the tough choice should result in a deeper roster that has more answers to problems that can emerge in the playoffs.
LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 21: AJ Dybantsa attends the game between the Houston Rockets and the Los Angeles Lakers during Round One Game Two of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 21, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
In the latest Stein Line, Marc Stein provided new intel about who the Washington Wizards might be picking at #1, and it might be changing from the consensus.
With only a few days to go before Tuesday night’s first round of the NBA Draft, multiple draft experts have passed along that they legitimately believe Washington could select Kansas’ Darryn Peterson over BYU’s AJ Dybantsa with the No. 1 overall pick.
“Increased consideration” is the way one well-placed insider put it.
Regular readers know that I don’t really curate a full 1-to-60 draft board … but I can certainly say that I’ve been expecting Dybantsa’s name to be called first by Adam Silver in Brooklyn for literally months.
Peterson’s camp, of course, expects to invalidate such expectations and prevail in a photo finish. The Wizards, as you’ve surely heard by now, are the only team being granting a private workout with the Kansas star in advance of the draft.
How serious are the Wiz about selecting Peterson after all the Dybantsa hype? Is such chatter some sort of smokescreen? These are natural questions that we can probably only answer for sure shortly after 8 PM ET on Tuesday.
Yet we can certainly say this much now: Jazz owner and BYU alumnus Ryan Smith would undoubtedly be giddy with this outcome. Especially just one year removed from the Jazz going 17-65 to post the league’s worst record and coming away with the fifth pick in the Cooper Flagg Sweepstakes.
Dybantsa slipping to No. 2 this June, for Smith and his Jazz, would be a dream.
There’s a ton to unpack here. First, it’s clear that Darryn Peterson’s talent is keeping the Wizards front office up at night. To me, this feels like the Wizards are worried. The amount of rumors we keep hearing is one of two things. They’re worried that they’re not making the best choice, or they’re still trying to bait the Jazz into a trade for the #1 pick. In a weird way, it makes me feel even better about the #2 pick in this draft. All the pressure is on the Wizards, Utah gets to take the one they don’t pick. And best of all, the Jazz win either way. I can’t blame the Wizards either. Dybantsa and Peterson are both elite prospects. They both have the potential to be top-10 NBA players eventually, maybe more. And that’s what the Wizards are probably worrying about. Get this wrong, and that might be the difference between an MVP and an All-Star.
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – MARCH 11: AJ Dybantsa #3 of the BYU Cougars in action during the second round game of the Men's 2026 Big 12 Tournament against the West Virginia Mountaineers T-Mobile Center on March 11, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) | Getty Images
But what about Cam Boozer? Stein has info on that as well.
PS — What we can also say, according to league sources, is that neither Duke’s Cam Boozer nor North Carolina’s Caleb Wilson are in contention to go No. 1 overall. Boozer is widely projected to go to Memphis at No. 3 and Wilson is expected to go to Chicago at No. 4 as Bryson Graham’s first-ever draftee as the Bulls’ new lead decision-maker.
So we know that only the Jazz have interest in Cam Boozer, not the Wizards. We’ve seen a shift lately in what has been the consensus lately, it’s just hard to tell what’s real.
It has definitely felt like the Wizards have been trying to bait the Jazz into trading for the #1 pick and AJ Dybantsa. But with all the draft experts saying that Dybantsa was the first choice, why would they want to trade that to the Jazz? Maybe there’s some merit to this rumor about Peterson. If they’re just as happy with Peterson, it makes more sense that they would try to trade the pick to the Jazz.
Or maybe we’re hearing this rumor now because they know that Utah has another preference? Do they know that Utah might prefer Peterson instead of Dybantsa? Could this be that they’re trying to get Utah to trade up for him? Maybe, but something tells me, just like Stein says, the Jazz are going to be happy either way. And if they end up with AJ Dybantsa, it’s going to be one of the best sports stories in Utah history. To think that AJ Dybantsa might be in a Jazz uniform feels like a sports movie.
The San Jose Sharks have acquired forward Andre Gasseau and the 120th overall selection in the 2026 NHL Draft from the Boston Bruins in exchange for the 104th and 157th overall picks in this month’s draft.
Gasseau, 22, was selected by the Bruins with the 213th overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft. A native of Garden Grove, California, Gasseau started his hockey career with the Los Angeles Jr. Kings before moving to the USHL and the USNTDP.
Eventually, he made his way to the NCAA where he spent four seasons at Boston College. He was teammates with current Sharks forward Will Smith during the 2023-24 season. He was also named the captain of the Eagles for his senior season.
Gasseau currently isn’t projected to be a game-changer at the NHL level, but will provide important organizational depth at the AHL and ECHL levels for the time being.
As an unsigned college player, the Sharks are on a deadline to sign Gasseau to his entry-level contract, as he can become an unrestricted free agent if he’s not signed by August 15.
Jun 16, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; San Diego Padres right fielder Samad Taylor (0) slides in safely at home and scores against the St. Louis Cardinals during the fifth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
The San Diego Padres left on their current road trip three games over .500 and in contention for a Wild Card spot come playoff time. After the first six games of the nine-game road trip, playing against the Baltimore Orioles and St. Louis Cardinals, the Friars are three games over .500 and in contention for a Wild Card spot. In that sense, nothing has changed.
There was good and bad to be seen over the past week. There have been incremental improvements with the offense, especially with specific players. Some players who were hitting well have stopped. The current roster has a large contingent of El Paso Chihuahua players trying to support the organization through an especially trying time with injuries and roster upheaval.
Highlighting some of the good
Let’s take Fernando Tatis Jr. as an example. We all watched as his futility at the plate had piled up over the start of the season. Finally getting two home runs over the past two weeks has taken a bit of the pressure off, but the real accomplishment is in his overall performance.
Tatis was definitely stuck in a rut.
Swinging at bad pitches, chasing out of the strike zone, and especially vulnerable to the up and in, then down and away pattern that pitchers routinely used against him.
Manager Craig Stammen had already mentioned to him during spring camp that Tatis might be needed in the infield. He had been taking grounders there since February.
On May 5, second baseman Jake Cronenworth went on the injured list with concussion symptoms. On May 12, Tatis made his debut as the Padres second baseman. Since that day, Tatis has hit .366/.420/.485 with two home runs and 11 RBI. He has acknowledged in the past that he loves playing in the infield (originally as a shortstop). Tatis has improved his defense at second base, and his offensive numbers have skyrocketed.
Over the past week, he has hit .320 with five RBI and a .757 OPS.
Third baseman Manny Machado had a horrible May, the worst month of his career. He hit .127 with a .526 OPS, which was only that good because he still hit home runs (6 HR, 14 RBI).
June has been better, and the past week has shown some hope for Padres fans that the normal Machado will show up going forward. His .227/.333/.429 batting line isn’t great, but he has three doubles and a home run to go with three walks and two RBI.
Samad Taylor, called up to replace Nick Castellanos, has been a revelation as the everyday left fielder. Since joining the team on June 3, he has hit .343/.410/.457 with a double, a home run, eight RBI, four stolen bases and eight runs scored. He has also played excellent defense. Over the past week, Taylor has hit .350/.381/.500 with a home run, three RBI, and two stolen bases.
The Padres’ bullpen has moved back up the rankings in MLB. After having a rough patch, the relievers’ ERA is 3.01, second in MLB and close to the Atlanta Braves’ 2.91 ERA.
The Padres used both Wandy Peralta and Bradgley Rodriguez as openers this week; both pitched a scoreless first inning in their respective games (Peralta for Giolito and Rodriguez for Canning against the Orioles).
Some of the bad
Padres starting pitchers are not getting the job done. Inconsistency has been the issue for all of the starters. Overall, command of their pitches leaves a lot of room for improvement.
In his start against the Orioles, Griffin Canning allowed seven runs on six hits and five walks over five innings. Even with a good offense, that would be a hard game to win. He was better against the Cardinals but only went 4.1 innings with four hits and one run allowed after Bradgley Rodriguez pitched as the opener.
Lucas Giolito started the first game versus St. Louis, going five innings, allowing seven hits and three runs with three walks.
None of the starters turned in a quality start because none could make it into the sixth inning.
The offense was stifled for two against St. Louis with Cardinals pitcher Dustin May pitching a complete game, one-hit shutout and the next day the Padres didn’t get a hit until the fifth inning. They went 5-for-57 over those two games.
Overall, the Padres have had 35 quality starts thrown against them, including eight shutouts.
First baseman Ty France, who has given a great defensive performance so far, has gone cold at the plate. Over the past week, France hit .071 with a .204 OPS. He has one hit, one RBI and seven strikeouts. For June, his average is .132 and he has dropped his overall line to .245/.294/.434.
Outfielder Jase Bowen, who was leading the Triple-A Chihuahuas in many offensive categories, has had a difficult time adjusting to major league pitching. In 25 at-bats, he is hitting .120/.154/.274 with 11 strikeouts.
Roster moves and injury updates
Outfielder Bryce Johnson was designated for assignment when Xander Bogaerts returned from paternity leave and Will Wagner remained with the team. Johnson cleared waivers and was outrighted to El Paso.
DH Miguel Andujar went on the injured list with a left hamstring strain and utility player Nick Solak was promoted from Triple-A.
Catcher Blake Hunt was promoted from Triple-A and catcher Freddy Fermin was place on the injured list with a concussion.
RHP Ty Adcock was designated for assignment. Adcock cleared waivers and was outrighted to El Paso.
RHP Mason Miller was placed on family/bereavement leave and LHP Kyle Hart was called up from Triple-A.
RHP Ron Marinaccio began serving a two-game suspension (June 17-June 19) for intentionally hitting the Orioles’ Gunner Henderson.
Manager Craig Stammen also served a one-game suspension for the same offense.
Pitchers Joe Musgrove and Nick Pivetta have both advanced to long-toss in their throwing programs on rehab from arm injuries. Per a report from The Athletic’s Dennis Lin on 97.3 The Fan, Musgrove also has a bone spur in his right elbow. There is reportedly no issue with the bone spur at this time.
RHP Germán Márquez is progressing in his rehab with Triple-A El Paso. In four starts and 15.1 innings pitched, Márquez has a 1.76 ERA and just allowed his first runs in his fourth start. Per a report from MadFriars.com, he reached 95 mph on his four-seam fastball and reached 73 pitches on June 17.
Catcher Luis Campusano was seen with the team last week but is back in Arizona and ramping up his baseball activities. There is no rehab assignment yet (per manager Craig Stammen).
Second baseman Jake Cronenworth is also slowly ramping up baseball activities but is still experiencing some symptoms resulting from a concussion and there is no timeline for his return (per Stammen).
RHP Jhony Brito has completed his rehab and was optioned to El Paso. He has made two starts with a 2.00 ERA in nine innings pitched. He has reached the mid-90’s on his fastball and threw 71 pitches in his last start, per MadFriars.com reporting.
LHP Marco Gonzales, signed to a minor league contract before Spring Training began, was released by the Padres this past week. He had a 7.99 ERA in 47.1 innings pitched at Triple-A.
RHP Matt Waldron began his rehab from his right brachialis muscle injury with El Paso.
Old Beginnings—Sept 18, 2023 - Vol. 77, Issue 03 - Michael Traikos
BARRY TROTZ IS back in Nashville, a place where he’s spent so much of his hockey career, doing what he’s really never done before.
As a coach, he would have normally taken the summer off. But as a rookie GM, there’s been no time for that. Not with the draft and free agency to take care of, and daily meetings with amateur scouts and pro scouts taking up his time, all while working the phones and figuring out what kind of team he’s going to ice this season. “It’s pretty hectic,” he said. “It’s been a different rhythm than coaching. What I’ve found is that, as a coach, you’re married to the NHL schedule. As a manager, you’re married to the situation.”
Of course, no one envisioned a situation where Trotz, 61, would become GM. Not Trotz. And certainly not David Poile, who, in the final week of February, officially announced he would be stepping down as GM of the Predators in what now looks like a seamless drop pass to his old friend and colleague. “It was a perfect situation,” said Poile, 73. “It was also a long time coming. I had told my owners last summer that it was time to make a change, and we all agreed upon that. It was just a matter of ‘How is it going to work?’ ”
What he meant was he didn’t know who would take over.
Though Trotz had just been fired by the New York Islanders, he wasn’t exactly hurting for work. A year ago, teams were lining up for his services. The Winnipeg Jets offered him the opportunity to return home. A local brewery even sweetened the deal with a promise of free beer for life. But Trotz politely turned it down. The Philadelphia Flyers reportedly offered him a multi-year contract worth $7 million annually to coach. Again, Trotz said no. As the months went by, more and more teams kept calling. They all received the same answer: he wanted to take time off to spend with his family.
And then Poile called and offered something completely different. “We just talked,” Poile said. “I never said, ‘Would you be interested?’ or anything like that. But as we went along and he kept turning down these jobs and the season was moving along, I brought it up to him. Once I planted that seed, it obviously struck a chord with him.”
By then, the two longtime friends had been talking regularly. Mostly, it was about hockey. But they also talked about the future and what Trotz wanted to do with the rest of his career and where his wife and family wanted to live.
Up until then, Trotz still wanted to coach. He probably still does. You don’t become the third-winningest coach in NHL history (914 wins) – only Scotty Bowman (1,244) and Joel Quenneville (969) have won more games – and suddenly stop for no reason. But while Trotz admits that he “was in process of being on the 18th tee” of a long career behind the bench, he also wasn’t ready to put away his clubs just yet. Nor was he angling for a management job.
But the fact that it was Nashville changed everything. “He had lots of coaching opportunities, and it’s pretty public that he was offered quite a few,” Poile said. “But one thing that kept coming back was that, regardless of what happens, he would be moving back to Nashville now and that whatever happened and wherever he went, he would always go back in the off-season to Nashville. That’s what he and his wife decided.”
It was around that time Poile was also making a serious life decision. He had decided the 2022-23 season would be his last. No one really believed him, of course. After all, more than 50 years had passed since Poile got his first job in the NHL with the Atlanta Flames in 1972. Hockey lifers, such as Poile, never really retire. But as Trotz became more and more interested in the position, a succession plan started to take shape.
“I always thought when I finished coaching, I would come back to Nashville and have some kind of role,” Trotz said. “I didn’t necessarily think it was going to be as a GM or anything like that. But the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. I had spent a lot of time in Nashville, and it had become home, and I thought it was a natural fit.”
As Poile echoed, “It was a perfect situation.” Not just for Trotz, but for Poile as well. Part of the reason why he had been so reluctant to move on was he couldn’t picture anyone doing his job. Then again, Trotz wasn’t just anyone. He was Poile’s first hire when Nashville was awarded an NHL franchise in 1997, a position he held until 2014. His fingerprints are all over the franchise. The year before the Predators played their first game, Trotz worked for the team as a scout. He designed the team’s facilities and helped pick the paint colors. He even coined several of the team’s catchphrases, such as “the Nashville Way.”
In many ways, the team belongs as much to Trotz as it does to Poile. “From a management standpoint, if it was another team, I don’t know if I would have gone that route,” Trotz said. “What pulled me in was my love for this franchise and the city. I think I would probably still be coaching if it weren’t for this opportunity. It was a new challenge. I would get to be more at home, and it would be full circle.”
I ALWAYS THOUGHT WHEN I FINISHED COACHING, I WOULD COME BACK TO NASHVILLE AND HAVE SOME KIND OF ROLE– BARRY TROTZ
Indeed, this is going to be a challenge. Trotz is not only transitioning from being a coach to being a GM, but he’s taking over a team that is also undergoing its own transition from perennial contender to middle-of-the-road bubble team. Since reaching the Cup final in 2017, the Predators have won just one playoff round in six years. Last season, they missed the playoffs, which is part of the reason why Poile decided a new voice was needed. “The realization is there that we’re in the middle,” Poile said. “While we’ve made the playoffs every year, we weren’t winning any playoff rounds. It was my opinion, and Barry concurred, that it was time to take a proverbial step backwards in order to take a few steps forward.”
And yet, there is a bit of a disagreement as to what path Nashville is on. Poile’s last moves as GM – trading defenseman Mattias Ekholm and winger Tanner Jeannot – effectively pushed Nashville toward what looks like an inevitable rebuild. But in trading away Ryan Johansen and then signing defenseman Luke Schenn and center Ryan O’Reilly in free agency, Trotz made it clear Nashville is not a place where vets can come to retire. Rather, he said, “I want you to come here to win.”
WE’RE NOT IN A RESET. WE’RE NOT IN A REBUILD, WE’RE IN SOMETHING IN BETWEEN RIGHT NOW– BARRY TROTZ
“I don’t have the correct word for it,” Trotz said. “But we’re not in a reset. We’re not in a rebuild, we’re in something in between right now.”
Indeed, the Predators still have Norris Trophy winner Roman Josi on defense, 40-goal scorer Filip Forsberg up front and Vezina Trophy contender Juuse Saros in net. That’s a pretty good core. They also have a cupboard that is well stocked with prospects – Nashville has seven players who were ranked among the top 100 prospects in last season’s Future Watch magazine.
“We were watching the NHL Network the other night, and they had our prospect pool ranked seventh,” Poile said. “I like that number. I think that’s fair with the draft we had. I believe we’ll be in the top five next year at this time.”
Whether they will be in the playoffs will depend on what Trotz did this summer. Then again, a lot of it will be dependent on how new coach Andrew Brunette handles the roster. Handing over the team to someone else is an entirely new experience for Trotz – and it’s not something that he’s looking forward to.
“I’m going to miss the bench,” he said. “I’m going to miss the locker room. As a coach, you’re looking at it probably from a different angle. In the seat I’m in now, it seems that you’re looking from a long ways away. You’re up in the press box rather than behind the bench. The angles, the speed, the emotions and the chaotic stuff is all behind the bench. Whereas up top, it’s more sterile and generic. But hopefully, the thing I should have learned is the timing of when you ask questions or put a little heat on the coaches or back off and say nothing. I’ll have a better grasp of that than someone who hasn’t been behind the bench.”
And if he runs into a jam, he’ll still have his old boss to lean on. While Poile won’t have an office in Bridgestone Arena, he joked that he’ll still have a phone. And chances are the two friends will be talking just like they always have.
The A’s took the first game of their four-game series against the Angels on Thursday night, beating the Halos 5-0 on a warm evening in West Sacramento at Sutter Health Park. The win moves the A’s back to just one game under .500 and the team remains a game and a half back of the Seattle Mariners for first place. Things are getting interesting.
A’s “Jump” out to huge lead
It didn’t take long for the scoring to get started. The Angels sent right-hander Ryan Johnson to the mound this evening, recalling him from Double-A to start the first game of the series against the A’s. A tough spot to put him in. The rookie right-hander entered tonight with just one career start plus 17 relief appearances at the big league level, so expectations couldn’t have been too high on the Angels’ part.
Leading things off for the A’s was Zack Gelof. He didn’t wait around to extend his hitting streak, swatting a single off the third pitch from Johnson to extend his career-high hitting streak to 22 games and counting:
And to think, he was almost an afterthought for most A’s fans entering the season. He’s completely turned his fortunes around and now he seems as important a player as anyone on the team.
Nick Kurtz came right behind him with a double to put two runners in scoring position with no outs. Up to the plate stepped Shea Langeliers, and did he what he’s been doing all year: hitting home runs, this one a three-run shot to give the A’s an early lead:
Then it was Tyler Soderstrom’s turn and he got in on the action with his own long ball, going back-to-back with Langeliers and making this a 4-0 lead before the A’s had even had an out:
That opposite-field shot was Sodey’s 13th of the year and he now has five homers over his last 10 games. We’re finally seeing the power that was missing from our left fielder all year and it’s going to make the A’s much more dangerous with Soderstrom hitting like we know he can.
The A’s kept things going after that with two more hits, with six straight hits to open up this contest. A pair of sacrifice flies brought home the Athletics’ fifth run of the frame. Another hit and the A’s had officially batted around, bringing Gelof to the plate for the second time this inning. He worked a walk to load the bases but Kurtz grounded out to finally end the rally. Plenty of runs to work with for the team’s starting pitcher though.
Jump dominates (again)
While the Athletics’ offense was having its way with the Angels’ pitchers in the early going, the arm on the mound for the A’s was quietly going to work. Rookie Gage Jump, making just his fifth career start, absolutely dominated the Angels’ lineup tonight. The 23-year-old only allowed a single and a trio of walks during seven scoreless frames, racking up seven strikeouts on top of a dominant performance.
Somewhat surprising to see Kotsay let one of the prime pitchers in the organization pitch deep into a blowout but everything worked out fine in the end. Jump lowers his ERA to 2.37 through his first five starts. He’s next lined up to go against the Giants next week, though we’ll wait and see which game he’s slated for. Do we finally have our ace in hand? Him and Ginn seem to be a formidable duo atop the rotation.
Once Jump was done it was Mason Barnett, who handled a scoreless eighth. Lefty Hogan Harris finished things off for the home team for the ninth. Uneventful, like like we like it.
A fantastic win against one of the worst teams in the sport. The A’s did what they needed to do tonight and have momentum for the next three contests to wrap up the homestand. Big homers from Langeliers and Soderstrom in the first was all that was needed. Paired with a fantastic outing from rookie lefty Gage Jump and the club is a mere game and a half back of the Mariners for the division lead.
The series continues tomorrow night, same time same place. The Halo’s will have their best pitcher going for them in the second game of the series in right-hander Jose Soriano. The 27-year-old is having a career season as his 2.79 ERA ranks fifth in the entire American League. He faced the A’s almost exactly one month ago down in Anaheim, pitching into the seventh inning while allowing just a pair of runs. The A’s meanwhile will counter Soriano with veteran Jeffrey Springs. The left-hander has gotten hit hard in recent outings, allowing 15 runs in three June starts. The A’s need better results from him going forward and the hope is that tomorrow’s the day he can iron things out and look more like the arm that led the team through the first weeks of the season. We’ll have to wait and see which Springs shows up tomorrow.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 12: Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks and Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks look on during the second half at Madison Square Garden on January 12, 2025 in New York City. 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 Evan Bernstein/Getty Images) | Getty Images
According to ESPN, Boston has emerged as a leading destination in the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes. No deal is on the table (that we know of), but the mere possibility might raise a few concerns.
Concern numero uno is obvious. Giannis is one of the handful of players capable of altering the championship picture by himself. Pairing him with Jayson Tatum would create an impressive combination of size, athleticism, versatility, and star power. The question is whether Brad Stevens and the Celtics can actually pull it off without creating a new set of problems for themselves.
Boston’s path to Giannis is narrower than it first appears. The Celtics would almost certainly need to move Jaylen Brown, either directly to Milwaukee or through a third team. Reports indicate Brown has little interest in joining the Bucks (in paraphrase: “Milwaukee?! Yuck!”), which complicates matters further. We start moving from a blockbuster trade to a three-team puzzle involving contracts, draft compensation, and competing agendas.
Even if Boston finds a way through that maze, there’s no guarantee the resulting team will succeed.
Giannis may be a better asset than Brown, but championships are not won by comparing players one-for-one. They’re won by building complete teams (case in point: YOUR WORLD CHAMPION NEW YORK KNICKERBOCKERS ).
Brown averaged more than 28 points per game last season while defending multiple positions. He can create his own offense, punish smaller defenders, and absorb primary scoring responsibilities when Tatum is unavailable (as Tatum was for most of last season, recovering from a torn Achilles). Replacing him with Giannis raises Boston’s ceiling, perhaps, but also changes the structure of the roster.
The Celtics have spent years building an ecosystem around two star wings. Remove one and the supporting cast suddenly becomes more important, which means Stevens would have many more decisions to make before the start of training camp.
What catches me up is, if the Bucks believed that Giannis has more great years ahead of him, would they so quickly offload him to a conference rival? Might he actually be a distressed asset?
Giannis will turn 32 this season. He has generally been durable over his career but has dealt with increasing lower-body issues (especially calves and knees) in recent years, leading to more missed time. To wit:
• 2022–23: 63 GP / 19 missed
• 2023–24: 73 GP / 9 missed
• 2024–25: 67 GP / 15 missed
• 2025–26: 36 GP / 46 missed
Wouldn’t that just be the worst if the Celts parted with Brown to get him, and then Giannis missed extended time due to injury? Like, the absolute worst? (Insert diabolical laughter.)
A healthy Tatum-Giannis pairing would present unique challenges for New York. The Knicks would need to defend relentless downhill pressure while also containing one of the league’s best bucket creators. But, given their depth, New York may be better equipped than most teams to handle it.
So if the Celtics’ pursuit of Giannis causes an initial flutter of worry, you can let that just drift on by. The scenario only noses toward Red Alert if Boston nabs him while somehow also acquiring a guard who makes up for what they’d lose with Brown’s departure.
But wait! This just in: Chris Haynes has pushed back on the idea that a Giannis Antetokounmpo-to-Boston deal is close. He writes that Boston does not appear to be a promising destination and suggested the situation could extend into July. Additionally, Marc Stein reported that the Celtics are frustrated by speculation involving Jaylen Brown, while Brian Windhorst said Brown has not been formally offered in a trade. So, to quote the great William Goldman (also a Knicks fan), “Nobody knows anything.”
It’s worth noting that the Miami Heat are also reportedly in the mix. We’ve heard that the lack of income tax is alluring to the Greek Freak. Plus Florida offers sunny, warm weather, which is not a defining feature of Wisconsin. In the end, though, joining Boston would allow Giannis to keep all his favorite green-themed items in his wardrobe, and shouldn’t looking good be a priority, too?
LAWRENCE, KANSAS - JANUARY 31: Forward AJ Dybantsa #3 of the BYU Cougars controls the ball as he is defended by guard Darryn Peterson #22 of the Kansas Jayhawks in the first half at Allen Fieldhouse on January 31, 2026 in Lawrence, Kansas. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With the NBA Draft less than a week away, the Jazz will have the chance to select one of the best, if not the best, prospects they’ve ever drafted. The best part of this draft is that it counts for the top three picks. AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, and Cam Boozer all have their own legitimate case for the #1 pick.
The Washington Wizards have the first pick and will take one of those three off the board, but no one knows who they’re taking. Both AJ Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson believe they’re the #1 pick based on their interviews with the Wizards, but the Wizards are holding their cards close to the chest.
Jazz fans, on the other hand, let us know who they would prefer if they were choosing between all three prospects, and here’s what they said:
Clearly, Jazz fans have a favorite, and that’s AJ Dybantsa. Not only do Jazz fans appear to prefer Dybantsa 1st, but 41% prefer Peterson. That means that 88% of Jazz fans prefer either Dybantsa or Peterson. Now, maybe some of those Dybantsa voters might prefer Boozer if the Wizards select Dybantsa #1, but it’s pretty clear that a vast majority of fans want Dybantsa or Peterson on draft night.
It’s a good reminder of just how great landing at #2 was on lottery night. Whatever the Wizards do, Jazz fans will come away with the clear top two choices. At FanDuel, AJ Dybantsa has the best odds of going #1, so it may mean that Jazz fans will have to go with their second choice. But in this draft, that’s probably just as good as first.
Smokies catcher Owen Ayers (6) celebrates hitting a solo home run 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
I’m sure there will be an article on it after it is officially announced, but the Cubs transactions page notes that catcher Moisés Ballesteros has been demoted to Triple-A Iowa.
South Bend right-hander Mason McGwire was activated off the development list.
Will Sanders gave the I-Cubs a good start, giving up just one run on three hits over five innings. He struck out six and walked no one. Sanders fastball was sitting 92-93 miles per hour.
Yosver Zueleta did not make a great impression in his Cubs and Iowa debut. He relieved Sanders in the sixth and gave up five runs on three hits over two-thirds of an inning. Zueleta walked two, had two wild pitches and struck out just one. He was throwing 95-to-97 though.
Left fielder Jonathon Long hit a solo home run in the second inning, his fifth on the year. Long went 3 for 5 with a double and the home run. He scored two runs.
Right fielder Chas McCormick crushed a 467-foot home run in the sixth inning with a man on. It was McCormick’s eighth home run this season. He went 1 for 4 with a walk.
Later in the sixth inning, catcher Christian Bethancourt hit a two-run home run. It was his eighth on the season. Bethancourt was 2 for 4 and scored twice.
First baseman Casey Opitz then went back-to-back with Bethancourt for his first home run of 2026. Opitz went 1 for 4.
DH BJ Murray went 2 for 4 with a double and a walk. He scored once.
Everyone in the I-Cubs lineup had at least one hit.
Dawson Netz started and got the win after giving up just one run on six hits over five innings. Netz struck out seven, walked three and hit one batter.
Erian Rodriguez then pitched three scoreless innings, surrendering just two hits. He struck out one and walked no one.
Marino Santy pitched the ninth inning and got the save. Santy gave up a walk and a single after one out, but then ended the game when he caught a hard comeback line drive to the mound and then threw to first base for the double play. Santy did not have a strikeout.
The Smokies took the lead with three solo home runs in the bottom of the fourth inning, the first two of which were back-to-back. Third baseman Jefferson Rojas tied the game with his 11th home run of the year. Rojas also walked with the based loaded in the seventh inning, giving him two RBI on the game. Rojas went 1 for 3.
Next, catcher Owen Ayers went back-to-back with his 12th home run. Ayers was 1 for 4.
The next batter, Alex Ramírez, struck out, but then center fielder Andy Garriola hit his team-leading 13th home run. Garriola went 1 for 4.
Those three hits were the only hits the Smokies had in this game. They did draw six walks and were hit by a pitch.
The win moves the Smokies back into a first-place tie with the Lookouts for the first-half title with three games to play.
Here are all three Smokies hits and all three home runs.
THE SMOKIES TAKE THE LEAD WITH THREE HOMERS IN THE 4th!
— Knoxville Smokies (@smokiesbaseball) June 19, 2026
South Bend Cubs
The South Bend Cubs dropped a doubleheader to the Ft. Wayne TinCaps (Padres), 4-3 in eight innings and 5-2.
Mason McGwire started and gave the Cubs three good innings, allowing just one run on two hits. McGwire struck out three and walked three.
Cole Reynolds then pitched the next four innings, allowing just one run on one hit, a solo home run. Reynolds walked two, hit one batter and struck out three.
After the Cubs scored a run in the top of the eighth, Adam Stone came in to get the save in the bottom of the inning. Unfortunately, Stone gave up two runs on three hits while retiring just one batter. One of the two runs was unearned, naturally. Stone also walked one and struck out no one.
South Bend had just three hits in game one, all singles. Catcher Justin Stransky was 1 for 2 with a two-run single and two walks. One of the two walks was intentional.
Jostin Florentino started game two and gave up just one hit and one run over four innings. The one hit, unfortunately, was a solo home run. Florentino struck out six and walked two.
Brayden Spears gave up four runs in the bottom of the sixth and took the loss. Spears’ final line was four runs on three hits and two walks over two innings. He struck out two.
South Bend only had three hits in game two as well, but one of them was a solo home run by third baseman Matt Halbach in the fourth. It was Halbach’s sixth home run on the season. Halbach was 1 for 3.
Center fielder Kane Kepley went 1 for 3 with a walk and two steals in game two. He scored on a throwing error.
Josiah Hartshorn went 0 for 7 with zero times on base in this game. He’s human, I guess.
Starter Hayden Frank got knocked around for five runs on three hits and five walks over three innings. He struck out three.
Yoendris Gonzalez got the win with 2.2 innings of scoreless relief. Gonzalez gave up just one hit and he walked one while striking out two.
The Pelicans sent 16 batters to the plate in the 12-run eighth and five of them hit home runs. The first one was shortstop Derniche Valdez, who hit his fifth home run with a man on. Valdez went 2 for 6 with a walk. He had the two RBI and scored three times.
The next home run came three batters later as catcher Henniel Alcala hit a three-run home run. It was his first home run with the Pelicans and second on the season. Alcala was 3 for 5 with a walk. He scored twice.
Next, center fielder Alexey Lumpuy connected for a solo home run, his fourth on the season. Lumpuy was 2 for 6 with a walk. Lumpuy also stole two bases. He scored twice and had two runs batted in.
The fourth home run of the eighth was hit with two men on by first baseman Michael Carico. It was Carico’s sixth on the season. He finished the night going 1 for 3 with three walks. He drove in four total runs and scored three times.
Finally, right fielder Geri Lubo cranked his fifth home run of the year with two men on. Lubo went 1 for 4 with two walks. Lubo scored three times and had the three RBI.
Second baseman Alexis Hernandez doubled twice in a 2 for 6 night. He also walked once and stole a base. Hernandez scored twice and had two RBI.
Left fielder Darlyn De Leon was 3 for 5 with two doubles. De Leon drive in three runs and scored three times.
None of the home runs were hit off of position players.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Bobby Witt Jr. hit the first of Kansas City’s three home runs before leaving with a sore right knee, and the Royals smacked a club-record five doubles in a six-run second inning Thursday night on the way to a 14-6 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals.
Jac Caglianone and Salvador Perez also went deep for the Royals, who set season highs for runs and hits (17). Each of the first eight batters in the starting lineup had at least one RBI.
Witt homered in the first inning and delivered an RBI single in the second. But he was lifted for a pinch hitter in the fourth after making a sliding stop at shortstop in the top of the inning. The two-time All-Star was shaken up on the play and got checked out on the field by an athletic trainer.
Kansas City took a 7-2 lead in the second on the strength of five doubles — a team record for one inning. Carter Jensen, Isaac Collins, Lane Thomas and Starling Marte each had an RBI double. Perez led off with a two-bagger.
Caglianone hit a two-run shot to left-center in the fourth for his ninth homer this season. Nick Loftin doubled in two more runs.
Perez added his 10th home run in the sixth. It was his 137th at Kauffman Stadium, most in the ballpark’s history.
Royals starter Noah Cameron (4-4) threw 108 pitches in five innings. He gave up four runs, three earned, and eight hits.
Matthew Liberatore (3-4) was charged with seven runs — five earned — and seven hits in 1 2/3 innings.
Up next
RHP Seth Lugo (2-4, 3.86 ERA) returns to the Royals’ rotation Friday after spending the required seven days on the concussion injured list. He was hit in the head by a line drive last week. RHP Michael McGreevy (3-5, 2.99) pitches for the Cardinals in the second game of the series.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - MAY 05: Joey Bart #14 of the Pittsburgh Pirates gets ready in the batters box against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on May 05, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Despite having tonight’s scheduled series finale against the San Francisco Giants rained out well ahead of first pitch, the Atlanta Braves are still up burning the midnight oil while trying to figure things out with their roster. The latest bit of shuffling sees the Braves going back to addressing their catcher situation, as they’ve brought in another backstop to help fortify that spot.
Joey Bart is now a member of the Braves after being acquired in a straight swap with the Pirates for Hunter Stratton.
What makes this an interesting move for the Braves is that Bart is currently on the IL. With that being said, he appears ready to leave the IL imminently since he’d been on rehab assignment for a week now. It took him a month to recover from a foot infection (yikes) but apparently he’s healthy and ready to go now and as it turns out, he’ll be doing so in a Braves uniform instead of a Pirates uniform.
Bart hasn’t swung the bat particularly well this season, as he’s hitting .259/.290/.370 with a .294 wOBA and 82 wRC+ along with two homers but he did serve as a very reliable backup catcher for the Pirates over the past couple of seasons. Across the 2024 and 2025 seasons, Bart hit .257/.346/.398 with a .331 wOBA and 110 wRC+ with 17 homers to boot. That is perfectly fine plate production from a backup catcher and the Braves are obviously hoping that he’ll be able to tap into that vein of form while he’s here in Atlanta. Bart is also a Georgia Tech product who went to high school at Buford so maybe some home cooking will do him right, as well.
Hunter Stratton is actually heading back to Pittsburgh after the Braves picked him up in July 2025 in exchange for Titus Dumitru and cash considerations. Stratton made 12 appearances for the Braves, the bulk of which came in September when the season was quite clearly lost and they were just trying to end things on a high note as professionals. Stratton produced a 2.220 ERA and a 4.18 FIP during his 2025 stint with the Braves and only got one inning of work in for Atlanta during 2026 — a scoreless inning on May 2 against the Rockies.
Meanwhile, Sandy León is the latest Braves veteran to hop aboard the DFA cycle and considering how this stint went for León at the plate and where he was to start the season, it’s really anybody’s guess as to whether or not he’ll stick around with the Braves going forward. I’m certainly not going to speculate this late at night but here’s hoping that León does find a smooth landing spot no matter what happens.
