Kyle Schwarber currently leads the big leagues in home runs with 25, and while he's only gone deep twice in his last 12 games, there's reason to believe No. 26 is around the corner.
Schwarber is consistently getting under the baseball, and he's up against Freddy Peralta tonight. The righty has allowed 1.26 HR/9 over his last five appearances, and Schwarber has taken Peralta yard twice in 15 at-bats.
He's homered four times over his last six games and six times across his previous 12 contests. The Chicago Cubs star carries a mind-boggling .640 ISO in the last week into today's matchup with the Toronto Blue Jays.
The matchup isn't overwhelmingly favorable, but Crow-Armstrong is squaring up everything right now and generating the type of contact that can overcome even solid pitching.
I'll play this pick up to +400.
Time: 2:20 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Marquee Sports Network, Sportsnet
Home run pick: Bryan Reynolds (+379)
Bryan Reynolds is tearing the cover off the baseball right now, carrying a .571 ISO and 29.4% barrel rate over his last six games. His average exit velocity during that span sits at 98.1 mph, and Reynolds has gone deep three times over the last week. Tonight's matchup only adds to the appeal.
Reynolds will face Tomoyuki Sugano at Coors Field, where the ball tends to carry due to the high elevation. The right-hander has allowed 1.80 home runs per nine innings across his last two starts while surrendering a 38.5% hard-hit rate. He's also struggled immensely against left-handed hitters, allowing 2.27 home runs per nine innings.
Lock this one in. I'll play this pick up to +300.
Time: 9:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: SportsNet Pittsburgh, Rockies.TV
Quinn Allen's 2026 Transparency Record
HR picks: 10-66, -17.58 units
Todayâs HR parlay
Kyle Schwarber
Bet Now +8703
Pete Crow-Armstrong
Bryan Reynolds
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
The Philadelphia Phillies look to get back into the win column tonight when they send Cristopher Sanchez to the mound against the New York Mets.
Both clubs have been near the bottom of the barrel offensively over the past month, but Sanchez gives the hosts the edge in our MLB odds.
Iâm taking Philadelphia in my Mets vs. Phillies predictions and free MLB picks in what should be a low-scoring contest on Saturday, June 20.
Who will win Mets vs Phillies today: Phillies moneyline (-190)
Itâs early, but Cristopher Sanchez is already making his case for the NL Cy Young. In fact, he is FanGraphsâ current favorite to win the award.
The Philadelphia Phillies starter ranks in the 99th percentile in pitching run value while boasting a stingy 2.95 xERA and .222 xBA. Sanchez also ranks second in the majors in strikeouts (116) thanks to his nasty changeup.
The New York Mets are 23rd in runs scored (102) as well as batting average (.235) over the last 30 days. Theyâll look even worse against Sanchez as the team is collectively hitting .238 against southpaws.
Mets vs Phillies Over/Under pick: Under 7.5 (-110)
The Mets (102; 23rd) and Phillies (99; 24th) both rank near the bottom of the MLB in runs scored over the last 30 days, and Iâm expecting both starters to have the upper hand tonight.
Mets starter Freddy Peralta has historically had success vs. the Phillies lineup, with only Bryce Harper (3-for-14; .214) and Edmundo Sosa (2-for-5; .400) batting better than .200 vs. the right-hander.
Unsurprisingly, the Under has cashed in each of Sanchezâs last seven starts.
Chris Faria's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 2-1, +0.71 units
Over/Under bets: 1-2, -1.12 units
Mets vs Phillies weather
Notes on the weather and its impact.
Mets vs Phillies odds
Moneyline: New York +170 | Philadelphia -178
Run line: New York +1.5 (-122) | Philadelphia -1.5 (+117)
Over/Under: Over 7.5 (-104) | Under 7.5 (-100)
Mets vs Phillies trend
The Mets are just 2-9 as the road underdog this season, the second-worst win percentage in the majors. Find more MLB betting trends for Mets vs. Phillies.
How to watch Mets vs Phillies and game info
Location
Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA
Date
Saturday, June 20, 2026
First pitch
7:15 p.m. ET
TV
FOX
Mets starting pitcher
Freddy Peralta (5-5, 3.90 ERA)
Phillies starting pitcher
Cristopher Sanchez (8-3, 1.82 ERA)
Mets vs Phillies latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - JUNE 15: MacKenzie Gore #1 of the Texas Rangers pitches against the Minnesota Twins during the first inning at Globe Life Field on June 15, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Texas Rangers lineup for June 20, 2026 against the San Diego Padres: starting pitchers are MacKenzie Gore for the Rangers and Walker Buehler for the Padres.
Texas will look to build on last nightâs win against San Diego. They will be doing so with MacKenzie Gore making the start instead of Nathan Eovaldi, who has been scratched due to knee soreness. Jarred Kelenic gets his first start as a Ranger.
The lineup:
Pederson â DH
Jung â 3B
Langford â CF
Nimmo â RF
Duran â SS
Kelenic â LF
Burger â 1B
Lopez â 2B
Higashioka â C
3:05 p.m. Central start time. Rangers are -131 favorites.
BRONX, NY - MAY 19: New York Yankees Pitcher Will Warren (29) delivers a pitch during the first inning of a Major League Baseball game between the Toronto Blue Jays and the New York Yankees on May 19, 2026, at Yankee Stadium in The Bronx, NY. (Photo by Gregory Fisher/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Cam Schlittler shoved on center stage in the series opener against the Reds, tallying a career-high 13 strikeouts in his six shutout innings. His start along with early home runs by Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Ben Rice carried the day as the Yankees opened the final series of a long home stand with a 5-0 victory. Weâll see if Will Warren can follow the example set by his rotation mate on what is shaping up to be a beautiful Saturday afternoon at the Stadium.
Warren hasnât looked as sharp over his last seven starts as he did in his first seven. While heâs done well to limit walks and home runs, he has a habit of letting a single inning spiral particularly when an error is made behind him. In those situations he tends to become predictable with too many in-zone fastballs and the result is he often gives up a string of base knocks. He has failed to complete five innings in his last two starts and the Yankees will be hoping for a little more length tonight. In the aggregate, he certainly looks like an improved pitcher from last season, with a 7-1 record in 14 starts posting a 3.47 ERA (121 ERA+), 3.33 FIP, and 76 strikeouts in 72.2 innings.
Andrew Abbott has been the Redsâ second-best starter behind Chase Burns with Hunter Greene still on the IL. Heâs faced the Yankees once in his career, holding them to a run on three hits and four walks in the Bronx on July 3, 2024. His four-seamer was one of the best in MLB last year accruing 15 Statcast Runs above average on account of precise command rather than velocity (92.7 mph average). This year, he has been one of the best starters at preventing the opposition from pulling the ball in the air as he lives low in the zone with most of his pitches. He throws the fastball about half the time, using the sweeper as his main put-away pitch against righties while reserving the changeup and curveball almost exclusively for lefties. In 15 starts, Abbott is 4-4 with a 3.95 ERA (111 ERA+), 4.79 FIP, and 58 strikeouts in 79.2 innings.
The Yankees make a handful of changes to their lineup with a southpaw on the mound. JosĂŠ Caballero comes in to play left field, moving Cody Bellinger to center and Spencer Jones to the bench. Lefty killer Amed Rosario gets the start over Ryan McMahon at third while Ali SĂĄnchez replace J.C. Escarra behind the plate.
The Reds meanwhile make just a pair of changes to the lineup that got shut out last night. Noelvi Marte gets the start in right, which moves Spencer Steer to first, Sal Stewart to third, and Eugenio SuĂĄrez to the bench following his three strikeouts last night. Old friend Jose Trevino starts behind the dish in place of Tyler Stephenson.
Jun 19, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; The American and Canadian flags are seen above the scoreboard during a game between the Chicago Cubs and the Toronto Blue Jays at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images | Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images
So yesterday didnât go to plan. The Cubs treated Kevin Gausman like a nine-man Qatari soccer team, dissipating the good vibes from the sweep of the Red Sox. But itâs a new day. Patrick Corbin (2-3, 4.57) is no great shakes at this point in his career, but I think he can give us more than we got yesterday. The offense should be able to score more than two off Colin Rea (5-5, 5.35).
DETROIT, MI - JUNE 09: Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Troy Melton (52) pitches during the first inning of a regular season Major League Baseball game between the Minnesota Twins and the Detroit Tigers on June 9, 2026 at Comerica Park in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Scott W. Grau/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Sean Newcomb gets the nod as an opener this afternoon. | Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images
Last night was a little bit of a clunker. You wouldnât know it from the one-run, 4-3 final score, but it did sting just a little more than usual, because it felt like those are the types of games this White Sox team has been improbably winning all season. But I suppose the operative word there is improbable. The 32-19 record they posted from April 17th to June 14th works out to a .627 winning percentage. I love this team as much as the rest of us, but theyâre not a .600 club just yet. Games like yesterday were bound to happen with a bit more frequency than they have been.
The Sox had their chances to win yesterdayâs game. They put a baserunner on against Tarik Skubal in all five innings he pitched, a rare feat against a back-to-back Cy Young winner with a sub-1.000 WHIP over his last 600 innings. They loaded the bases with one out in a tie game against him, and came away with nothing. Skubal doesnât even give teams the chance to get there, most of the time. If you fail to capitalize in the rare moments in which he does, youâre probably not going to win. They took a lead in the back half of a game and their piecemeal bullpen just couldnât hold it. There are some pitchers you can only give so many high leverage innings to before it bites you.
Sean Newcomb is being given the ball to start this one, and as far as I can tell about an hour and a half before first pitch, weâre not entirely clear on who will be working behind him as a bulk man. This is the rotation spot previously occupied by Noah Schultz, and though last Mondayâs off day allowed them to skip it their last time through the rotation, theyâll have to find an alternate option today.
Given the mystery, I canât help but raise an eyebrow at the fact that Grant Taylor hasnât emerged from the bullpen in nearly a week.
Taylor has pitched two innings in four of his last five appearances, and his innings total is still on pace to check in a little below their stated preseason goal of 100 for the year. I could be completely wrong, but if Will Venable thinks he can get two innings out of Sean Newcomb â a pretty reasonable proposition, given how heâs pitched lately and the quality of Detroitâs lineupâthen I suspect this may be the day we get to see Taylor try at a third inning of work. Letâs just see what happens.
Weâve got an early one today, as first pitch is scheduled for 12:10 p.m. CT at Comerica Park in downtown Detroit. You know, Comerica might be a big corporation like any other sponsor, but at least they have a long history in Detroit and the Ilitch family hasnât sold those naming rights out from under them to UltraCryptoMaxx LLC like the rest of the world. Boy is the bar low, huh? Anyhow, if you want to join us, broadcasts are available on CHSN (TV) and WMVP AM 1000 (radio), like always!
Things couldnât have gone worse for Giants starter Trevor McDonald against the hottest team in June in Saturdayâs 6-2 loss to the Miami Marlins.
McDonald ran into immediate trouble in the bottom of the first inning. The rookie right-hander struggled with his command, issuing multiple walks that allowed Miami to quickly load the bases. However, the free passes only resulted in the Marlins taking an early one-run lead.
McDonald never fully settled in, and the Marlins continued to take advantage throughout his outing. He allowed three hits, three runs (three earned), three walks, three HBP and one strikeout through three innings.
â Bay Area Super fans (@Baysuperfans) June 20, 2026
Twelve Miami batters reached base without a hit, via walk, hit by pitch or error, in the first six innings. It was the first time since the Giants moved to San Francisco that they had four errors and hit four batters in a single game.
Outside of Casey Schmittâs 16th home run of the season, San Franciscoâs pitching and poor defense were too much for the offense to overcome.
And Miamiâs pitching staff limited San Franciscoâs scoring opportunities in key moments, preserving the Marlinsâ advantage as the game moved into the later innings.
The loss leaves the Giants searching for answers after another difficult outing from a young rotation arm. San Francisco will look for a cleaner start on the mound and more timely hitting as it attempts to avoid a sweep in Miami on Sunday.
RUN DIFFERENTIAL: The Cubsâ 16-2 demolition of the Jays yesterday sent their run differential soaring to +23. It had not been that high in 16 games, since May 30, following a 6-1 win at St. Louis. It has not been higher than +23 in 25 games, since it was +26 on May 22, following a 4-2 loss against Houston. (Courtesy BCBâs JohnW53)
WINNING IN DOUBLE FIGURES: The Cubs have scored at least 10 runs in seven games this season. They have won them all, extending their streak to 39 consecutive wins with double-digit runs since a 12-11, 10-inning loss at Arizona on April 16, 2024. (Courtesy BCBâs JohnW53)
WALKING THE WALK: Cubs batters walked 11 times yesterday and struck out only four. They had had 23 previous games since 1901 with at least 11 walks and no more than three whiffs, but not since Sept. 5, 1988, when they had 12 and 4 while beating the Phillies at home, 14-3. Yesterdayâs game was their 5,926th since then. (Courtesy BCBâs JohnW53)
PLAYER OF THE WEEK, AGAIN?: Pete Crow-Armstrong was NL Player of the Week last week. Heâs making a case to win the honor again. In four games so far this week: .563/.600/1.313 (9-for-16) with a double, a triple and three home runs.
Colin Rea had made some decent starts early this year but the last seven, yikes. In those seven: 6.75 ERA, 1.556 WHIP, eight home runs in 36 innings. His season ERA is 5.35, the highest itâs been since it was 6.00 after his first season outing (two runs in three innings).
Okay, so what can we find in his record vs. Blue Jays hitters? Not much, 3-for-17 in a very small sample size. One of those three hits was a home run by Alejandro Kirk.
Good luck today, Colin.
Patrick Corbin signed a six-year deal with the Nationals after six pretty good years in Arizona.
Well. He had one good year there (2019) and got himself a World Series ring but the rest of his time in Washington was just awful â 137 starts with a 5.62 ERA and he led the league three times in runs allowed, hits allowed and losses.
In Toronto heâs been⌠okay. Positive bWAR (0.8), for whatever thatâs worth. This month, though, in three starts, itâs gone back to bad: 8.49 ERA, 1.971 WHIP, K rate down, BB rate up⌠maybe this is a good time for the Cubs to face him.
Current Cubs are batting .316 (49-for-155) against Corbin. Michael Conforto, in particular, has hit him well: .333 (12-for-36) with five home runs. Seiya Suzuki and Dansby Swanson have also both homered twice off Corbin.
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The 2026 game discussion procedure has been changed, so please take note.
Youâll find the game preview, like this one, posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).
At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled âCubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.â It will contain every post related to that particular game.
The Live! (formerly âFirst Pitchâ) thread will still post at five minutes to game time. It will also post to the front page. That will be the only live game discussion thread. After the game, the recap and Heroes and Goats will also live on the front page as separate posts.
You will also be able to find the preview, Live! thread, recap and Heroes and Goats in this section link. The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.
Jun 19, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers left fielder Alex Call (12) slides into home plate to score in the ninth inning as Baltimore Orioles catcher Samuel Basallo (29) watches at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Every Dodgers game in the 2026 season has been decided in nine innings, and the lack of extras hasnât been for lack of trying. The Tampa Bay Rays loaded the bases in the ninth inning, coming dangerously close to bringing home the equalizer. On Friday, Dalton Rushingâs RBI single should have tied the game with two outs in the ninth.
âWith the base hit, I was thinking about extra innings. I was thinking the play was going to be made, and I actually didnât see it get by the catcher,â manager Dave Roberts said Friday night. âI wasnât in tune, I was kind of moving to the next play.â
But the ball did get by Baltimore Orioles catcher Samuel Basallo, allowing a second, winning run to score, and the Dodgers decided yet another game before having to deal with the automatic runner on second base.
The Dodgers are nearly at the halfway point of their season, as Friday was their 76th game of the campaign, and have still not played in extra innings in 2026. The Texas Rangers have played in two such games and the San Diego Padres in three. Every other team has played in at least four extra-inning games by now, with the MLB average about six per team. Last year the Dodgers played in 15 extra-inning games in the regular season, tied for seventh-most in the league, including nine games by this point in the year.
To start a season, the Dodgersâ streak of 76 games with none in extra innings is the second-longest in MLB history. They trail only the 2005 Boston Red Sox, who went 98 games into that year before playing in extra innings.
Four games is the Dodgersâ longest streak of wins all by one run since May 30-June 2, 2010 against the Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies. The Dodgers on Saturday have a chance to tie their franchise record for longest streak of one-run victories. Theyâve had three such five-game streaks, the last coming 32 years ago:
May 17-22, 1961 vs. Braves (one game), at Giants (three games), Reds (one game)
July 4-8, 1966 vs. Reds (three games), vs. Braves (two games)
May 9-14, 1994 vs. Astros (three games), vs. Padres (two games)
Friday eveningâs debacle in the Bronx would have, in a just world, been the kind of thing that would have pissed off a wide swath of Cincinnati Reds fans. They gave up big hits early on bad pitches. They looked positively overmatched all up and down their lineup. They lost, they didnât score, and looked defeated throughout the entire process.
It somewhat went over without so much as a groan, though. This is the Reds we have come to know for oh so long after all, and losing games like that in ways like that have become so predictable that you see them coming from weeks away. So, by the time it materializes in perfect form, youâve already checked out.
A couple dozen strikeouts later, and the Reds are back in action again today in Yankee Stadium, this time with lefty Andrew Abbott on the mound. At the rate heâs been pitching (2.47 ERA in 51.0 IP over 9 starts dating back to April 30th) and at the rate the Reds have been precipitating down the standings, Abbott should probably get traded this summer for something the Reds can use down the road. Thatâs a compliment, Andrew.
Will Warren will start for New York as they look to clinch the series over Cincinnati. Heâs 7-1 with a 3.47 ERA on the season, and while I long ago moved past the idea that a pitcherâs record was worth more than a cold slice of dirt, the idea that a pitcher could actually be 7-1 for a team means that team has actually won enough games to make that happen, and thatâs foreign enough for me to sound cool right now.
First pitch in todayâs matinee action is set for 1:35 PM ET as the Reds â who will be in last place through the weekend regardless of how the next two games play out â look to figure out how to play baseball once again.
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - JUNE 19: Ty France #25 of the San Diego Padres hits a solo home run during the fourth inning against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field on June 19, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Diego Padres couldnât cash in on one of their most productive nights at the plate all season. The Friars slugged out five runs in the first inning against Texas Rangers starter Jacob deGrom. Randy VĂĄsquez couldnât back up the squad, surrendering six to Texas in the bottom frame.
San Diego stayed in it the whole way, thanks to Ty France and Gavin Sheets solo shots in the fourth and eighth. But the club fell short, 9-7, in the end and couldnât capitalize on a few key opportunities. The fault certainly lies with VĂĄsquez, who gave up seven runs (six earned) through just 3 1/3 innings.
Taking the mound
Nathan Eovaldi (TEX) v. Walker Buehler (SD)
After turning in the best season of his career in 2025, Eovaldi has looked rough in â26 with a 4.23 ERA across 14 starts. Pair that with a 1.17 WHIP through 87 1/3 innings and itâs been tough for the righty.
Eovaldiâs looked better in his last seven starts, pitching to a 3.78 ERA, but itâs still been tough. Heâs given up 10 runs across his last 18 2/3 innings. The Padres will hope to beat the Rangersâ starter to force the rubber match.
Buehler has had an incredible turnaround as of late. Despite a 4.14 ERA this season, heâs posted a 2.92 mark in his last seven starts. In his last three starts, heâs surrendered just one run apiece across 15 2/3 innings.
San Diego will need that form of Buehler to pitch tonight. The righty has been resurgent and heâll need to limit a Rangers lineup that just slugged nine runs against the Padresâ pitching staff.
Batter up!
Despite the loss, it was an incredibly productive night for the Padresâ lineup. The offense went 10-for-37 with three walks. France was the player of the game, with a three-hit night and 10 total bases. He slugged two homers, including a grand slam in the top of the first.
Fernando Tatis Jr., 2B
Samad Taylor, RF
Jackson Merrill, CF
Manny Machado, 3B
Gavin Sheets, LF
Xander Bogaerts, SS
Ty France, 1B
Will Wagner, DH
Blake Hunt, C
Catcher Rodolfo DurĂĄn took a few pitches to the head and exited the game early. Nick Solak pinch-hit for DurĂĄn in the eighth before Blake Hunt made his major league debut behind the dish. Hunt might start todayâs game to give DurĂĄn a day off.
Relief corps
With VĂĄsquez exiting early, the San Diego bullpen was tasked with covering 4 2/3 innings of work. They did so well, but gave up some key runs that would have turned the tide for the Friars. Yuki Matsui, David Morgan, Wandy Peralta and Jason Adam finished out the game. If Adam hadnât given up a home run to Wyatt Langford in the bottom of the eighth, the game could have been taken into extra innings.
The Padres will hope for another great start from Buehler. Behind him is Kyle Hart, Ron Marinaccio, Adrian Morejon and the returning Mason Miller. Miller came back off the bereavement list on Friday, with San Diego sending Bradgley Rodriguez to the Arizona Complex League.
Ian McCall has described new Rangers manager Derek McInnes as a "total control freak" and expects him to be "hands on" in how the club is run.
Having led Hearts to within minutes of the title last season, McInnes was this week appointed Ibrox boss after Danny Rohl's move to Red Bull Salzburg. It is McInnes' sixth club as a manager.
And former Rangers midfielder McCall told BBC Sportsound: "Derek McInnes, I think, as the new manager - I hope he doesn't mind me saying - is a total control freak. He'll want to be in control of all the things that are going on.
"He wants his hands on everything. I do think that Derek is very, very hands on in all aspects of management.
"He's exactly what they're looking for. They need a manager and that's what Derek is. The way he manages best is he likes to have a print on all over the club.
"The biggest thing he's got to get right is who he signs. His signing record is very good. He won't be scared of it. There is no chance he'll be scared of it. He'll embrace it all."
Retired midfielder Andy Halliday played for Rangers from 2015-20 and later turned out for Hearts.
And he sees need for further significant change at Ibrox this summer.
"It'll interesting in terms of recruitment," said Halliday. "They have so much work to do. I still think they've got glaring holes within their squad."
However, Halliday believes Rangers are "already in a stronger position" after recruiting Lawrence Shankland and appointing McInnes, both from Hearts.
"It gives them a stronger edge than if it was Danny Rohl," Halliday said.
"It's almost been 10 years in the making. How many times has McInnes been linked with the Rangers job? It's probably been the best time for McInnes and I think it's been the best time for Rangers.
"He's been a part of the club before, he obviously lives in Scotland, he knows what it's all about.
"It's a positive appointment. "They're already in a stronger position going into next season.
"Lawrence Shankland's the best striker in the country and they've got him as well."
NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 17: Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart of the New York Knicks are seen in the dugout ahead of throwing the ceremonial first pitch before the game between the Chicago White Sox and the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on June 17, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images
A week ago today, a long, city-wide nightmare finally came to an end. At 11:30 pm on June 13, 2026, the New York Knicks won the NBA Finals, securing their first title in 53 years. Thursdayâs parade was a sight to behold.
As I left New York City in the aftermath of the Knicksâ first-ever journey down the Canyon of Heroes, I was listening to WFAN, where a host who I do not remember the name of got a call from a very old gentleman who started by talking about just long he had waited for this moment and how much it meant to him.
But the part of his call that raised a good bit of discussion in the studio was where he said that he no longer cared about how the Mets did in 2026, which is probably a good thing given their struggles deep into June. That opinion fostered an interesting debate on whether New York baseball fans will give more leniency overall to their teams throughout the season and as we head into October.
The consensus opinion over the airways was that it wouldnât, and it might even work in the opposite direction of adding more pressure onto them, because of the manner in which the Knicks did it.
Itâs an interesting thought, especially because of the natural pressure on the Yankees to win the World Series every year. After all, they always have a top-three payroll in the sport, havenât had a losing season since the year Aaron Judge was born, and make it clear every year that itâs âchampionship or bustâ.
The last New York Big 4 professional sports team to win a championship before the Knicks was the Giants over 14 years ago in Super Bowl XLVI. That drought was the longest the city had seen since before the Yankees won their first World Series back in 1923. It brought a level of angst towards all of the teams when they made the postseason, with the weight of the largest city in the country on their shoulders.
The close calls werenât even that close, either. The Rangers, Mets, and Yankees all made it to their respective championship rounds, but all lost in five games. The Islanders and Knicks had gotten as close as the conference finals, the Nets made it to Game 7 of the 2021 Eastern Conference Semifinals, the Giants made it to the 2022 Divisional Round, and the Jets havenât even made the playoffs.
The title drought wasnât technically 14 years. New York teams have won in the PLL, NWSL, WNBA, and MLS, all since 2020, but you can tell from the way the city reacts to one of the Big 4 teams that itâs another level (well, maybe except for those Nets).
But as Yankees fans can certainly attest to, once you finally get a taste of that victory champagne, you get addicted to it. Itâs easy to say that finally seeing a team youâve loved your whole life winning a title can be good enough, but that feeling eventually fades away. Iâm sure Knicks fans will not be as distraught if next year doesnât end in a championship, but ask how Celtics fans felt losing the way they did the last two years. Itâs never easy to lose.
Ultimately, from a fan perspective, it might just come down to the way you feel about your teams. If the Knicks are the team youâve loved more than any other, and youâve lived through all the bad years like that WFAN caller, it might truly be good enough for now. Nothing will match the joy of what you saw last week, so the pain of feeling defeat wonât feel as bleak.
But if you donât watch much basketball or your fandom of the Knicks doesnât match up as much as yours with the Yankees, itâs entirely fair to say that this doesnât affect the mission statement at all. If the Yankees donât win, itâs another catastrophic failure.
But regardless of what the Knicks did, the pressure on the Yankees has never been about an entire city hanging on them to end a miserable title drought, itâs always been about the legacies of both the franchise and the talent they possess.
The Yankees are two years away from their longest title drought since they were referred to as the Highlanders, before the time of Babe Ruth. Aaron Judge is 34 years old and is getting closer and closer to going down as one of the greatest players of the modern era to never win a ring, and unlike when Barry Bonds had to backpack underwhelming Giants and Pirates teams, heâll have done it playing exclusively for the sportâs biggest brand.
The pressure is as much internalized as it is exuded by the fans. This is the New York Yankees. Every year the franchise is stuck on 27 World Series championships is an injustice to the brand itself. You see the Dodgers looking to redefine the sport and make it their own in the way that the Lakers did to basketball, ripping it away from a Celtics team that dominated the first couple of decades of the sport.
So my answer to this thought experiment is that it depends based on who youâre talking to. In the grand scheme of things, it changes nothing. The Yankees are the best team in the American League. They should win the AL East. Theyâll be favorites to make the World Series for the second time in three years. Their success and the Knicksâ success are independent of each other.
The one thing I worry about in the other direction, where the pressure actually increases on them, is that people take the wrong lessons away from what the Knicks did and try to apply them to the Yankees.
The Knicks won it all one year after firing Tom Thibodeau, a very respectable coach whose limitations were obvious. Mike Brown gave them the extra edge they needed to get over the top. The WFAN host suggested maybe the same could happen with Aaron Boone if 2026 ends without a title, and while I wouldnât rule it out, it fundamentally misunderstands why the Knicks made the move and what the jobs are of coaches in these two sports.
There are parallels between Boone and Thibodeau, but not many. The main knock against Thibs was that he was stubborn and played his starters too many minutes. Can you imagine an MLB manager sitting out their stars for more than a few days per year? The two sports are just totally different in that regard. Brown was also instrumental in changing the teamâs offensive scheme, something you wonât see with a managerial change in baseball.
There was also the discussion of how the Knicks went all in with an owner in James Dolan that had an addiction to winning (a take that I disagree with, considering how his meddling tanked the team for 20 years), but Hal Steinbrenner refuses to show the same desire, and Brian Cashman refuses to go the extra mile to build a juggernaut. The sports are just entirely too different to make these comparisons directly.
The Knicks winning the championship is a seismic event for New York sports. All of us Yankees and Knicks fans should bask in that glory this summer and use it as an opportunity to not be too bothered if a summer swoon makes those July and August Yankees games a bore, but when October comes around, the mission statement remains. We want a second parade down the Canyon of Heroes this November.
Hours after the Department of Justice announced an investigation into Major League Baseball and after the league warned four San Francisco Giants pitchers about altering their caps on the team's Pride night, three of the pitchers said they did not feel discriminated against by MLB.
Relievers JT Brubaker and Ryan Walker wrote a Bible verse on the rainbow Giants logo, while Sam Hentges did not wear the hat at all for the team's June 12 game at Oracle Park. The three told the San Francisco Chronicle that they didn't feel a warning from MLB for defacing their uniform constituted discrimination.
The DOJ announced its investigation Friday, June 19, and the players issued their remarks before their game at Miami that evening.
"At the end of the day I donât think itâs discrimination,â reliever JT Brubaker told the Chronicle. "Itâs just people getting a hold of something and turning it into something."
Giants pitchers place Bible verses on hats during Pride celebration
Brubaker and Ryan Walker, joined by starting pitcher Landen Roupp, wrote the 9:12-16 verse near the rainbow âSFâ logo and received warnings for violating MLB's uniform rule. Roupp, who pitched Friday at Miami, declined to comment, the Chronicle said.
"I donât feel discriminated against,â Hentges told the Chronicle. "Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. They can feel how they want about me or what I have done, but it wasnât out of hate. I donât hate the community. Itâs gotten bigger than anticipated and drawn more attention than everybody thought.â
Walker said, when asked if he felt pressured to wear the Pride cap: "I wouldnât say I necessarily felt pressured by anybody, necessarily. It was more so questioning myself and what does my faith mean to me. More like, I have my beliefs in myself and what am I going to do to make sure I stand for my faith in myself versus feel pressured to wear this because such-and-such."
The Chronicle reported that Giants players discussed the Pride night actions weeks in advance among themselves and staffers.
The particular Bible verse was first scrawled on a Pride cap by Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw in 2025; LGBTQ supporters say the verse is an attempt to reclaim the rainbow symbol from their movement.
The Giants players have received significant criticism nationally and particularly in San Francisco's LGBTQ community; the Giants were the first team to hold a promotion specifically geared toward the community, beginning in 1994 with their "Until There's A Cure" day, designed to raise funds and awareness for AIDS victims.
Giants broadcaster Mike Krukow was among those criticizing the players.
"I think when youâre a player and you come into this environment, itâs your responsibility to know just how sensitive this city is in regards to that cultural freedom and religious freedom, and just the way that you live your life,â Krukow said in a talk-show sequence on the club's flagship radio station. "And I think they were in for a rude awakening with the response, and it wasnât just from the gay community; it was from the Northern California community that supports the gay community.
"It hurt me because I saw in 1994 that they were the first team to ever take on the challenge of going against public opinion and the outrage of even associating with the gay community, and they openly went out and said, âWe support the gay community. We support Until Thereâs a Cure day. We are going to raise money to fight AIDS. We support the community.â And they did it with love."
Kyle Schwarber
Pete Crow-Armstrong
Bryan Reynolds
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