Oh, Jalen Green. What are we going to do with you?
There are only two years left on your contract, but I feel like we barely know you. You surprised us with that injury. That was pretty sneaky. To be real, I can’t quite figure you out. Some plays, I’m shouting, “MVP.” Some plays, I’m shouting, “Why did you shoot that?” Sometimes I’m shouting, “Man, if only…”
If only Jalen could finish at the rim, he’d be an All-Star. If only Jalen could improve his playmaking, we’d have an open three instead of a turnover. If only, if only, if only. But it was only two seasons ago that Jalen Green was the leading scorer on one of the best young teams in the NBA. He led the Rockets in points, field goal attempts, and three-point attempts. On the Suns, he ranked third in all three categories, and that makes me wonder. Were the Rockets a better fit for Jalen Green?
The pre-KD Rockets were young and athletic, stacked with long, rangy defenders that were developing their offensive games, and they relied on Jalen to do what Jalen Green does best. Get up shots. Create off the dribble. Attack the paint. Jalen Green led the Rockets in FGAs every single season he played for them.
That’s not what the Suns want from Jalen, at least not on that volume. The Suns have too many shooters for Jalen to stop the ball and go to work. The Suns want ball movement and open threes. The Suns want Devin Booker to go to work, and Jalen Green to be able to work off of him. For many of the Suns players, that was a recipe for success. Dillon Brooks took advantage of the spacing by posting a career high in points. Yet Jalen had a bumpier road. Derailed by an injury at the start of the season, Jalen returned to the Suns tentatively, clearly struggling with the mental aspects of returning from the first significant injury in his career, which underscores an important aspect of Jalen Green that needs to be considered. Jalen Green is still a young player.
There’s room for growth in Jalen Green’s game. The offseason has just started, and Jalen Green is already putting in the work. As is evident from the videos going around on social media, Green is developing that midrange game. And there’s room for improvement there. Last season, he struggled to shoot in traffic, posting his lowest FG% on shots between 3 and 10 feet, and in the workout videos I’ve seen, that’s where he’s shooting it from.
But I can’t help but notice as he puts up shots from the elbow, that’s the same space Booker likes to shoot it. So while improving those shots will make Jalen Green a better scorer. It may not make him a better fit for the Suns.
That doesn’t mean that Jalen Green doesn’t fit in with his teammates. He’s positive and energetic even through his injury. The same was true for the Rockets. Jalen Green is a great guy. It’s not a chemistry issue.
It’s not a buy-in issue either. Jalen Green gives the effort and energy Matt Ishbia has demanded from the Phoenix Suns going forward. Defensively, he’s not locking anyone down, but in the play-in game against the Warriors, he showed just how disruptive he could be, posting three blocks and two steals. He shot it 20 times that game, going 8-of-14 from three and scoring 36 points. His best all-around game of the year. He led the Suns in FGAs that game.
Jalen came to the Suns, tacked onto the deal to make the salaries match. It’s like if you had a pot that you loved to cook with, but the lid broke. So now you gotta buy a whole new pot to replace the lid, but you like your old part. This new one’s just taking up space. What you really need is a pan.
This isn’t a knock on Jalen Green or a call to trade him. I don’t think there’s any question that the injury affected Jalen. On dunks this past season, he recorded a 64.6% field goal percentage. The year before in Houston he dunked it home 82.9% of the time. There’s plenty of reason to think he can put up the type of numbers he did in Houston with a healthy year.
But Houston traded him because he had plateaued. Can he add to the non-scoring related elements of his game, specifically his playmaking? Can Booker and the Suns coaching staff make adjustments to help unlock his scoring and improve his efficiency? As I mentioned earlier, he’s a young player with room for growth. But growth is not the same thing as change. Jalen Green will become a better Jalen Green. What the Suns need him to be is a different Jalen Green. And that might not be in the cards.
I do know the Suns have to decide if they want to re-sign him. Maybe they’ll have a better idea of whether Jalen Green fits what they want to do by the trade deadline. Some early-season success might improve his trade value. There are teams out there that need a primary scorer. The Suns already have one. They picked up Jalen because they had to get a lid for their pot, but if they really want to start cooking again, they don’t need a second pot; they need a new pan.
So Suns fans, do you think Jalen Green will be a part of the Suns’ long-term solution? Let me know in the comments.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 25: A detailed view of bats belonging to Harrison Bader #9 of the San Francisco Giants is seen in the dugout prior to the start of the game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Oracle Park on May 25, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning, baseball fans!
A new week of San Francisco Giants baseball begins today, so let’s take a look at what’s on deck this week.
While the week begins today, the baseball does not. The Giants have the day off, as they head to the east coast to begin a three-game series against the Atlanta Braves tomorrow. After that, they head to Florida to play the Miami Marlins this weekend.
Personally, it’s a tough choice to pick between these series. I think the Braves will be the more difficult opponent. But you can’t rule out the Marlins Death Fog as a factor. With that in mind, I think I’m most interested in the Braves series. Even if I think it’s unlikely the Giants will win the series. At least they’re more likely to leave that series in one piece.
Which series are you most interested in this week?
JUPITER, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 27: Quinn Mathews #60 of the St. Louis Cardinals looks on during a spring training game against the New York Mets at Roger Dean Stadium on February 27, 2026 in Jupiter, Florida. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images) | Getty Images
On the heels of a frustrating loss and a frustrating series, let’s look for positivity today. To achieve this, I will look towards the minor leagues. Instead of my usual minor league update – I’ll probably wait for the first half to be over – I will instead share great performances. Any hitter or pitcher who stands out purely from their performance. Their prospect status doesn’t matter, although obviously it’s better if there are some prospects in this article.
Here’s how to get highlighted today: do something exceptional. I am using qualified MLB rankings as my reference point. I will pick out specific stats and if you have a stat that would rank in the top 30 among qualified players, your stats get shared. For hitters, I will be looking towards elite walk rates, elite K rates, elite power, and of course an elite wRC+. For pitchers, it’ll be K%, GB%, FIP, and K-BB%. I am writing this intro before I’ve seen a single stat so I’m really hoping for some good representation.
Hitters – BB%
The 30th ranked hitter on the qualified leaderboard is Spencer Horwitz, with a 13% BB rate. So anybody with a walk rate equal or better to that is on this list. The Cardinals kind of promoted most of the Memphis list away from this list: Nelson Velazquez, Jimmy Crooks, and Bryan Torres would all be here without a promotion.
This is timely. On the podcast, Jake Wood asked Alex Coil who was somebody fans were underrated, and with the caveat that he’s a journeyman type, he mentioned Madris. He’s the leader of the clubhouse in Memphis according to him. He’s 30-years-old and was not very good when he got the chance to play in the big leagues, so don’t expect a call-up, but let’s give a little shout-out to Madris here.
Yeah the Cardinals have a unheralded catching prospect in Springfield who also is managing a .400 OBP on the back of walking a lot. Good luck getting through this group buddy.
Currently injured, I can’t imagine Davis will have to spend a whole lot more time in Springfield. If he had a normal BABIP, he’d probably be in the wRC+ section too and he narrowly misses the ISO section.
In the spirit of using the qualified batters as a reference point, I didn’t want to share anybody with fewer than 100 PAs, but Jeremy Rivas has walked 17% of the time in his 13 games at Memphis. He narrowly misses the cutoff overall with a 12.8% BB rate between Springfield and Memphis combined.
This is a brand new development for the record. Harris didn’t walk at all before this season. He had a 4.4 BB% in his 2024 season across two levels and a 5.5% one at Springfield last year. I guess he watched Moneyball over the offseason, because holy hell is that a huge jump.
That is a lot of walks, but his OBP is that high because he also has gotten hit by 14 pitches. He got hit by 7 pitches in 335 PAs last season, so it does not seem like a fluke.
Last year’s 17th round pick, Nickens is probably someone I would never mention in a traditional minor league update, so I think it’s at least cool to highlight him here.
Barring a significant difference in the 2nd half of this season, I suspect Mitchell will probably repeat Low A next year. And that’s when I’m really going to be paying attention.
Last year’s 8th round pick. Really a lot of this post could just be considered an update on the 2025 draftees. This is where their age really shows, just having a better sense of the strike zone than the pitcher.
I’m going to stop at Mejia, because a 13% BB rate is actually not remarkable at all at this level, judging by the amount of players I could list. I think nearly 16% is probably still great though.
Hitters – K%
St. Louis Cardinal Alec Burleson ranks 30th – at least before today’s game is taken into account – with a 15.3% K rate. So anything below that is getting mentioned. Blaze Jordan and Torres would be here if they weren’t promoted.
I guess this is where I list Prieto’s stats, because he qualifies for both power, and overall hitting line. His xwOBA in AAA is just .306 though and of course he went 1 for 23 at the big league so far in his career with yes, zero walks.
You can see why I chose to put him in the strikeout section right? This is a comically low K% and better yet, it’s reliable. His K% hasn’t touched double digits since 2024. I’m honestly curious at how this would translate to the MLB level.
Usually a guy on this list will have a much higher average, but it remains to be seen whether this low average is deserved or unlucky, because that sure is a low BABIP.
Last year’s 9th round pick has certainly gotten off to an interesting start. You get the answer to the question “What if you took a no power hitter, but he never struck out and had a super high BABIP?” It looks like this.
Hitters – ISO
The 30th ranked ISO in baseball right now is a .230 ISO. We already know Prieto is on this list, so hopefully there are some legit power prospects on here. Just to reiterate that these are important stats, both Jordan and Crooks would have been on this list. Velazquez interestingly isn’t that close.
Is it weird that the walks are the thing holding me back from promoting him, not the strikeouts? I mean yes the strikeouts certainly play a part and I want it lower, but in combination with the walks, that’s not ideal. If Crooks had Baez’s walk rate, I don’t think he’d be up right now.
Technically, he wouldn’t be on this list anymore because he is at exactly .230 ISO and he didn’t get an extra base hit yesterday, and technically he should be in the BB% section instead. But I am highlight Cho’s power because he has never had issues walking. He had a significant power issue. He might be in Springfield soon.
He’s definitely too old for the level to treat him like a real prospect, but holy hell. This dude had five professional homers in previous 771 PAs. He has hit 11 in 118 PAs this season. This is insane.
The Midwest League must be going crazy this year, because that batting line should produce much better than a 116 wRC+. Nonetheless, Peete is only 20-years-old doing this in Peoria. He still has strikeout issues, but we’ll worry about that later.
Yeah definitely, the league is going nuts. That should absolutely not be a below average line. Wow. For whatever reason, power is out of control in this league.
Hitters – wRC+
The 30th ranked hitter in baseball – as of yesterday when I’m writing this, not necessarily when you’re reading this – is Dillon Dingler with a 135 wRC+. Prieto is on this list too. Of the MLBers, Crooks, Jordan and Torres both would be on this list. Hey these guys sure got promoted for a reason. They were killing it.
Hernandez has mostly functioned as the backup catcher, so he doesn’t fit under my 100 PAs threshold. But he could go 0 for 15 and still have above a 130 wRC+ after 100 PAs. He has had an unbelievable first half.
After his underwhelming pro debut last year, it’s very encouraging to see Gurevitch build himself into a prospect worth following.
Datallo and Prieto both had a wRC+ greater than 135, but I listed their stats earlier. Tre Richardson also would have been on this list, but I wanted to single out his power. I use stats for combined levels, which is why Raniel Rodriguez is not on any list, if you were wondering.
Pitchers – K%
I’m running a bit long, so I am going to be more selective with my pitchers. For starting pitchers, I want a 30% K rate and for relievers, I want a 35% K rate.
See, this is why I like this feature. It emphasizes just how many strikeouts Mathews is getting. I wasn’t sure how many starting pitchers would be here, since a 25.6 K% is actually the 30th best performance.
He is striking out batters, but he’s not getting many groundballs and his walk rate is a little elevated. Really, the groundballs is just insanely low right now.
Kind of an interesting quirk that both starting pitchers in Springfield with a greater than 30 K% have a very low GB%, which is a tough way to live in the Springfield park.
Odle has had two really bad starts in High A, and one really good start in High A. He has really taken to the extremes in each. In the first, he walked six batters. In the second start, he struck out 8. And in his most recent start, he allowed three homers. He has not heard of a ho hum start.
That is a comically high K% and yeah it’s only been one Low A appearance, but holy cow. This dude wasn’t that good in the DSL last year as a 19-year-old. And now he’s striking out 44% of hitters he faces.
Last year’s 18th round pick, Dreissen was a multi-inning reliever in college who was not particularly good. And that’s why they were able to nab him in last year’s draft in the 18th round. He’s got swing-and-miss, that’s for sure.
It’s hard to promote him with that walk rate, but it does kind of feel like someone who strikes out over a third of batters as a starting pitcher is just not dealing with a high enough quality of hitters for him.
It hasn’t really shown in actual results quite yet, but Winquest is treating AAA like we would hope he would AAA. Tons of strikeouts, not many walks. If he keeps pitching like this, we’ll see him in St. Louis this season.
He could have also gone on the K% list, but especially as a starting pitcher, I find landing on this list much more impressive. Almost as impressive as having a .391 BABIP and a 3.72 ERA, that seems difficult.
Listing Graham breaks the spirit of this, because I think the complex games were essentially rehab for him, but I wanted an excuse to list his stats. Despite a fairly strong K/BB% in Low A, almost everything is hit in the air and he’s allowed 3 homers in his 12.2 IP.
Pitchers – GB%
Alright, we have two standards here. For starting pitchers, anything above a 48.4 GB%, and for relievers, it will be as high as a 55 GB%.
I’ve mentioned this before and I’ll do it again. I don’t know what the MLB version of Dobbins looks like, but the version in Memphis looks a hell of a lot like Andre Pallante. Whether you consider that good or bad is up to you.
It is so weird to look at my identifying stat first, not knowing what his pitching line looks like, going through the list, thinking I’m about to have a good pitching line and then get hit with an 8.59 ERA. He’s not pitching as poorly as that would suggest.
As maybe expected, a guy returning from injury is throwing up some meatballs it appears. He’s allowed 5 homers in 22.2 innings. Which is especially notable, because most everything hit against him is on the ground.
Pitchers – FIP
For starting pitchers, I just need an FIP lower than 3.09. For relievers though, I’m looking for a 2.55 FIP. Some of the run environments in the system make this a little bit of harshly high standard admittedly.
We caught Pete at a good time. I don’t think he has a 3.09 FIP right now. Last night, he gave up a homer, walked one and struck out three. His FIP is so low because of the homers, I’m guessing it’ll see a big jump.
Unfortunately, he’s on this list because he hasn’t allowed a homer. Not that you want someone to allow a homer, just kind of makes their FIP untrustworthy. But he’s doing two things right: not a lot of walks and groundballs aplenty.
And that’s the list. As I suspected the FIP numbers were a little bit unreasonable, but that’s not necessarily the go-to stat for minor league performance anyway.
It was a special 2025-26 season for the Buffalo Sabres. This is because they not only made the playoffs for the first time since 2011 but also won the Atlantic Division. Now, the Sabres will be looking to build off their big year by putting together a strong off-season.
If the Sabres want to remain one of the NHL's top teams next season, they are going to need to make some upgrades to their roster this summer. One of their biggest needs is another top-six center.
When looking at trade candidates around the league, New York Islanders center Mathew Barzal stands out as a prime potential fit for the Sabres.
If the Sabres brought in Barzal, he could slot perfectly as their first-line center on a line with Tage Thompson and Zach Benson. Barzal's strong playmaking ability could make him a perfect linemate for a high-impact sniper like Thompson. Barzal would also give the Sabres another star to work with on their power play, which would be huge.
With the Sabres becoming contenders, they should not be afraid to make a bold move for a star center like Barzal if the Islanders make him available. He would be a great fit on their roster and could the addition that helps Buffalo take another big step forward in 2026-27.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - JUNE 14: Members of Scotland's "Tartan Army" march down Lansdowne Street to Fenway Park before a game between the Texas Rangers and the Boston Red Sox on June 14, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Hello and happy Monday, folks.
The Red Sox do not play today, and neither does the Scotland national football soccer team. However, their fans sure as hell have made their presence in Boston known—especially within and around Fenway Park.
A group of Scottish football fans adding some great atmosphere to the Boston Red Sox game.
Scotland The Brave being played in Boston—must be any ol’ weekday. If I had a nickel for every time I heard that tune on the bagpipes around here….
Anyways, a huge shoutout to the Tartan Army, man. My question to you: do you like the Tartan Army as much as I do? I mean, I’m loyal to the Irish, but we didn’t quality for the World Cup (WE ALMOST DID THOUGH), so I gotta pick and choose my spots.
Use this space to talk about what you want, be good to each other, and go Sox.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - MAY 30: Jared McCain #3 of the Oklahoma City Thunder drives to the basket during the game against the San Antonio Spurs during Game Seven of the Western Conference Finals on May 30, 2026 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. 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 Morgan Givens/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Jared McCain’s NBA career has had an odd start. The former Duke star was a leading candidate for Rookie of the Year last season when he had a knee injury in mid-December. He suffered a thumb injury this year, and Philadelphia had a deeper backcourt rotation as well, and he didn’t get that much time. Then, on February 4th, he was traded to Oklahoma City, and by the end of the season, emerged as a deadly weapon for the Thunder.
Maybe next year, we can see what he can do across a full season.
Now that he has some downtime, the Sacramento native and his OKC teammate, Jalen Williams, hit L.A. to take in Friday’s U.S.-Paraguay match in the World Cup. The U.S. rolled, of course, winning 4-1, so maybe they should ask the pair back for their next match as a good-luck charm.
Here are some more links about McCain and how well things have worked out for him in OKC so far.
DALLAS, TX - APRIL 29: Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks poses for a photo with Kyrie Irving #11 and Dereck Lively II #2 during the 2026-26 Rookie of the Year Presentation on April 29, 2026 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. 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 Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Last week’s poll question was a simple one: does it matter to you if the next Dallas Mavericks head coach is hired before or after the NBA Draft? The response was rather overwhelming!
A whopping 87% of respondents want a coach hired before the draft. I suppose with the news that the Chicago Bulls are honing in on a head coach (my belief is that it’s Tiago Splitter), we end up looking like the last person at a school dance without a partner.
Marc Stein has reported some candidates Dallas is interested in: Minnesota’s Micah Nori, Houston’s Royal Ivey, Toronto’s Jama Mahlalela, Boston’s Tony Dobbins and former Hawks, Bucks and Blazers head coach Terry Stotts. The two college coaches were apparently not really seen as feasible and never went beyond an overture.
As a person that usually has a million strong opinions, I am not concerned by Dallas not having a coach yet. Cooper Flagg is the hard part and that’s done now. Who they hire next I have confidence in already because this front office has a track record I believe in. So if they hire someone in the next several days, great. If not, we’ll live.
The national polling question asked which NBA event fans were more focused on.
The results track with what I’d expect. Most fans really were locked in on the NBA Finals, and why not, it was a great series. I can’t believe I enjoyed that as much as I did. The other quarter of fans are very focused on the NBA Draft. That’s certainly the case here given the number of draft articles we’ve been pumping out. If you want to see what the odds are for given picks, head on over to our partner FanDuel, where you can see how the bettors think things are going to shake out. The Maverick spot at 9 has me worried; I just can’t help it.
A year ago was the Summer of Waiting for the Warriors as Jonathan Kuminga’s restricted free agency took over their offseason. The same situation won’t arise one year later.
“Well, for my personal summer vacation plans it’s very important,” Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy joked one month ago on May 15. “I don’t want to – I hope I don’t have to be dealing with roster construction to the end of September, but that was a unique situation.
“My guess is it probably won’t happen again in that regard. We have some things to figure out, though. Draft and then obviously Draymond [Green] has his player option, and we’ve got some unrestricted free agents that we’d like to get back. So a busy summer, as always, and then hopefully it ends up shorter than last year.”
Golden State’s busy offseason began once all parties could take a deep breath and not have any emotional decisions after losing in the NBA play-in tournament, including Steve Kerr’s ultimate choice of remaining the Warriors head coach. In terms of contracts and getting the ball rolling there, the offseason began Sunday.
Teams can start negotiating with their own free agents the day after the NBA Finals ends. The Warriors have four unrestricted free agents, three restricted free agents and three with player options. That leaves them with just six players currently under contract, and two of them will start the season rehabbing knee injuries.
Steph Curry is eligible for a contract extension on Aug. 29, which he has stated he wants, and Brandin Podziemski is rookie contract extension eligible to avoid restricted free agency next offseason. A rookie contract extension has to be signed by 3 p.m. PT the day before the 2026-27 regular season starts.
Free-agent negotiations with players not on your own teams begins June 30 at 3 p.m. PT ahead of the July 1 free agency moratorium and teams being able to officially sign free agents on July 6 at 9:01 a.m. PT. There’s business to be done before then, however, throughout the final two weeks of June.
The Warriors for the first time in years are going into the offseason under the luxury tax, with the NBA’s projected salary cap for the 2026-27 season being right around $165 million. The Warriors also should have the $15.1 non-taxpayer midlevel exception to use, but it’s unlikely they can use it and still have the flexibility to fill in their roster and stay under the tax. The NTMLE should be a strong asset to use at their disposal.
Shortly after the 2026 NBA Draft, the Warriors will have a much better idea of their roster and expenses. Golden State has three key players who have to decline or exercise their player options by June 29.
Now that the 2025-26 NBA season has concluded and the draft is one week away, here is a look at the Warriors’ offseason outlook.
NBA Draft
First Round:No. 11 Pick
Second Round: No. 54 Pick
Under Contract
Steph Curry: $62.6 million
Jimmy Butler:$56.9 million
Moses Moody: $12.5 million
Brandin Podziemski: $5.7 million
Gui Santos: $4.6 million
Will Richard: $2.2 million
Player Options
Draymond Green:$27.7 million
Al Horford: $6 million
De’Anthony Melton: $3.5 million
Unrestricted Free Agents
Kristaps Porzingis: Bird Rights
Gary Payton II: Bird Rights
Seth Curry: Non-Bird Rights
Charles Bassey: Non-Bird Rights
Restricted Free Agents
Pat Spencer: Bird Rights
Quinten Post: Early Bird Rights
Nate Williams: Non-Bird Rights
“Let’s see where we go when the trade deadline comes around and into the spring,” Dunleavy said regarding the state of the Warriors and his outlook for the 2026-27 season. “I think the last couple of years we can say we’ve added talent in a good way in February.
“Who knows where we’ll be come April, March, May. … But by the end of the year, if you have Steph Curry on your team, Steve Kerr is the coach and Jimmy Butler is back, in a seven-game playoff series, I don’t want to say we can’t beat anybody.”
Happy birthday to Hall of Famer Billy Williams, and a mighty host of others.
Today in baseball history, in 1938 – Johnny Vander Meer of the Cincinnati Reds stuns the baseball world by pitching his second successive no-hitter in five days, defeating the Brooklyn Dodgers, 6-0, as Brooklyn plays the first night game ever at Ebbets Field. In front of 38,748 fans, including spectator Babe Ruth, Vander Meer strikes out seven and walks eight, including three one-out walks in the 9th inning, and other stories as well.
Today in baseball history:
1928 – Ty Cobb of the Philadelphia Athletics steals home for the 54th and final time in his 24-year career to extend his major league record. It comes in the eighth inning against the Cleveland Indians.
1964 – The St. Louis Cardinals make one of their best trades ever, acquiring outfielder Lou Brock from the Chicago Cubs for pitchers Ernie Broglio and Bobby Shantz and outfielder Doug Clemens. As a member of the Cardinals, Brock will set the all-time stolen base record and reach the 3,000-hit mark. Broglio will soon be felled by arm injuries and will only win seven more games in the majors, while Shantz and Clemens will only make marginal contributions.
1969 – En route to setting the National League record of playing in 1,117 consecutive games, Billy Williams, after fouling a pitch off his foot in yesterday’s contest, hobbles to the plate as a pinch-hitter in the Cubs’ 7-6 loss to Cincinnati at Crosley Field. The contest marks the first time “Sweet Swingin’ Billy” has not been in the starting lineup during the 878 games of the streak.
1215 – King John of England signs the Magna Carta at Runnymede near Windsor in Surrey, limiting royal authority and establishing the principle that the king and his government are not above the law.
1775 – George Washington is appointed commander-in-chief of the Continental Army a day after Congress establishes the force.
1842 – John C. Frémont sets off from Kansas River on his first expedition of the Oregon Trail with frontierman Kit Carson as his guide.
1869 – World’s first plastic celluloid is patented by John Wesley Hyatt in Albany, NY.
1878 – World’s first moving pictures captured on camera using 12 cameras, each taking one picture, to determine if all four of a horse’s hooves leave the ground.
1921 – Bessie Coleman earns her pilot license in France becoming the 1st African-American woman and Native American to hold one.
1951 – Joe Louis scored his last knock out victory.
1980 – US Open Men’s Golf, Baltusrol GC: Jack Nicklaus sets new tournament scoring record 272 (-8) to win his 4th Open title, 2 strokes ahead of Isao Aoki of Japan.
1984 – American boxer Thomas Hearns retains WBC light middleweight title with 2 round KO of Roberto Durán of Panama at Caesar’s Palace, Las Vegas; marks first time in his illustrious career Durán knocked out.
2012 – Apple I computer sells for a record $374,500.
2015 – Stanley Cup Final, United Center, Chicago, IL: Chicago Blackhawks defeat Tampa Bay Lightning, 2-0 for a 4-2 series victory; Blackhawks’ 6th Championship.
Today in music history:
1965 – Bob Dylan records the single “Like a Rolling Stone” (#1 in Rolling Stone magazine’s “500 Greatest Songs of All Time”).
1973 – “Let’s Get It On” single released by Marvin Gaye (Billboard R&B Song of the Year, 1973; No. 4 overall).
1974 – “Back Home Again”, the 8th studio album by John Denver, is released (Billboard Album of the Year, 1975).
1974 – Novelty song “The Streak” by Ray Stevens hits #1 on UK pop chart.
The Detroit Tigers’ road series against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field was cut short on Sunday by bad weather, resulting in a de facto sweep by the home team over the two games they did manage to play. It is a bit of a shame, since the Guards would have been without their three best hitters, but it is what it is.
Next up, the Motor City Kitties head to Houston to face the Astros for the second leg of their current road trip, seeking to snap their two-game losing streak. The ‘Stros have not been very good this season so far but are coming off a series win over the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman despite dropping the final game on Sunday.
To open things up, right-hander Troy Melton will take the mound for the Olde English D looking to continue his tightwire act so far this season. The 25-year-old has looked pretty decent this year as far as outcomes are concerned, but his FIP is 5.36 (vs 2.81 ERA) and his strikeout rate sits at 13.7% (3rd percentile) while accumulating zero fWAR in 25.2 innings.
However, the Tigers are 3-1 when he starts, so one cannot complain as long as the wins keep stacking up.
Melton has faced Houston just once in his young career — a perfect one-inning appearance last year on Aug. 18 in which he threw just nine pitches, with six going for strikes, resulting in one strikeout. His team went on to win that one, 10-0.
Opposite him is fellow righty Kai-Wei Teng, who permanently moved from his relief role in mid-May to a starter and has made a total of seven starts so far. The 27-year-old’s last three appearances have been unimpressive to say the least, posting a 7.71 ERA and 6.39 FIP over 14 innings of work, allowing 17 hits (three home runs) and nine walks — plus a pair of hit batters — while striking out 13 over that stretch.
Monday will be Teng’s first-ever appearance against the Olde English D.
Take a look below at how the two match up in the opener of the weekday series at Daikin Park.
Detroit Tigers (29-42) vs. Houston Astros (33-40)
Time (ET): 8:10 p.m. Place: Daikin Park, Houston, Texas SB Nation Site:The Crawfish Boxes Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network
Game 73: RHP Troy Melton (3-0, 2.81 ERA) vs. RHP Kai-Wei Teng (3-5, 3.71 ERA)
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - JUNE 12: Jacob Misiorowski #32 of the Milwaukee Brewers reacts after the final out of the ninth inning in a game against the Philadelphia Phillies at American Family Field on June 12, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Misiorowski threw a complete game and allowed only one hit. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Last Week’s Results
Monday: Brewers 15, Athletics 14
Tuesday: Athletics 7, Brewers 5
Wednesday: Athletics 4, Brewers 3
Friday: Brewers 6, Phillies 0
Saturday: Phillies 9, Brewers 8
Sunday: Brewers 4, Phillies 0
Division Standings
Brewers 43-26
Cardinals 38-31 (5.0 GB)
Cubs 37-34 (7.0 GB)
Pirates (8.5 GB)
Reds (10.5 GB)
Last Week
Brewers: 3-3
Cardinals: 3-3
Cubs: 3-3
Pirates: 2-4
Reds: 2-4
Top Pitching Performance of the Week
This past week was filled with a lot more offensive performances than it was with pitching. Of course, half of the week, some could say you could put an asterisk on, as they played at a Triple-A stadium. Naturally, in the first game back in an MLB ballpark, we get the best outing from a Brewers pitcher all week. Yet again, Jacob Misiorowski earns this week’s top pitching performance after his dominance on Friday night.
On what was the first of many more strikeouts to come, Misiorowski hit 104.5 mph on the radar gun to retire Kyle Schwarber. He then went on to strike out 14 more batters to tie the second-most strikeouts in a game by a Brewers pitcher. That wasn’t even the best part; Misiorowski tossed a complete-game shutout in 95 pitches, making it the most strikeouts in a Maddux (a complete game of fewer than 100 pitches).
As I previously mentioned, it was quite the week for the Brewers’ offense as they benefited from the small field of play in Las Vegas. Overall, throughout the last week, the offense posted 41 runs and somehow only came away with three wins. There were many phenomenal performances throughout the course of this week, but none was more impactful than Jackson Chourio’s efforts at the plate. Over this past week, we saw Chourio hit .457 with a .943 SLG. He crushed five home runs, including a two-home-run performance on Saturday’s loss to the Phillies, drove in 10 hitters, and struck out only five times.
Some honorable mentions for top hitting performances of the week:
Blake Perkins went 2-for-4 against Phillies ace Cristopher Sánchez on Sunday with a three-run home run and a double, continuing to see the ball well over his career against the southpaw.
Andrew Vaughn shone in the slugfest that was the opening game of the Las Vegas series, as he went 4-for-6 at the plate with four RBIs, a double, and a home run.
Jake Bauers carried the majority of the load in the Crew’s win on Friday night as he smashed a three-run blast in the series opener against the Phillies.
Injury Notes & Roster Moves
The time has officially come as the Brewers will be calling up their No. 4 prospect, Cooper Pratt, for the start of their series against the Guardians on Tuesday night.
Brandon Woodruff’s return is nearing as he threw 68 pitches in 3 2/3 innings in the Arizona Complex League on Tuesday. He will have one more minor league appearance before potentially rejoining the Brewers rotation.
DL Hall received an anti-inflammatory injection on Friday for his minor pectoral injury. He’s expected to return in late July.
Brandon Lockridge is also nearing a comeback as he underwent a platelet-rich plasma injection in his knee on Thursday after experiencing some setbacks while working out. He will still have to complete a rehab assignment before moving forward.
Quinn Priester’s struggles on his rehab assignments continue, as he threw 73 pitches and gave up five walks in 2 2/3 innings. He was scheduled to pitch again in the minors, but has since gone back on the IL. The team is currently reevaluating the plan moving forward.
Jacob Waguespack was traded to the Detroit Tigers for cash.
Jun 14, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles infielder Pete Alonso (25) walks back to the dugout after running the bases in the sixth inning against the San Diego Padres at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images | Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images
Happy Monday, Camden Chatters! I hope that, despite the poor play of the Orioles, you were able to have a nice weekend. I went to the game on Saturday, and the weather was just great. It was hot in the sun, but for a 4 p.m. game much of the stadium was in shade. That’s about the only good thing I have to say about that game. Well, it was nice to see Pete Alonso hit a home run and have an all-around good day.
Yesterday’s game was another drag. The Orioles had so many chances at the plate but couldn’t capitalize. Trevor Rogers looked good, which is refreshing. It was a shame to see Rico Garcia have another bad outing, but I try to be rational about that one. He was never going to get through the season with a 0.68 ERA. Through his first 24 games, Garcia gave up just two runs. That is not sustainable. He has not allowed runs in three of his last four games. I’m ready for his regression to be over. If you want to read all the ugly details of yesterday’s 9-3 loss, check out Tyler Young’s game recap.
Since their impressive 7-3 homestand, the Orioles have gone 6-7. They won one series, split one, and lost two. It’s been frustrating, but not terrible. Even so, if you feel like you’re ready for a little vacation from the Orioles, this is your week. They are off today and kick off a nine-game West Coast road trip on Tuesday in Seattle. From Seattle, they head to Los Angeles to play the Dodgers and Angels. I don’t have to tell you that this is going to be a very tough trip. They will face two first-place teams, one of which is the best team in baseball. And baseball on the West Coast is always a tough task.
Of the nine games being played, three start at 4 p.m. Eastern time. The rest begin around 10 p.m. This is a good chance to decompress from the team. Or, you can stay up way too late. Then if they lose, you can be mad at both them and yourself as you struggle to get to work the next day. I might be speaking from experience.
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! I’m sorry to say that you have no Orioles birthday buddies. Not a single Oriole was ever born on June 15th. There are two Hall of Famers born on this day in history, however. Wade Boggs (68) and Billy Williams (88) are celebrating today, so happy birthday to them.
On this day in 1997, the Orioles completed a sweep of the Atlanta Braves in Atlanta. The game went into extra innings tied at 3-3, when Lenny Webster hit a game-winning two-run homer. The Braves and Orioles came into the series with 42 wins each, tied for the most in baseball. The Orioles left with a 45-19 record, 8.5 games better than the next team in the American League. 1997 was fun.
In 1999, Will Clark got his 2000th hit as a member of the Orioles. It came in the 10th inning of a 2-2 tie with the Royals. Three batters later, Charles Johnson hit a walk-off single. Clark ended his career with 2,176 hits, 153 of which came with the Orioles.
In 2013, the Orioles lost to the Red Sox, 4-3, on a gorgeous Saturday in Baltimore. It was the only game of the four-game series that the Red Sox won. I don’t recall anything about that game except that I checked the score one time during my wedding reception. I do remember the wonderful weather. Happy anniversary, Paul!
And one year ago today, the Orioles beat the Angels, 11-2. Scott Blewett was the opener ahead of Cade Povich and allowed both Angels runs. He blew it. Jordan Westburg and Ramón Urías hit two-run homers. Gary Sánchez had a grand slam. Ramón Laureano and Coby Mayo also had RBI hits.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JUNE 6: Andrew Painter #24 of the Philadelphia Phillies looks on after allowing a solo home run in the top of the third inning to Colson Montgomery #12 of the Chicago White Sox at Citizens Bank Park on June 6, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The White Sox defeated the Phillies 6-3. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
I know this is not baseball, and you’re probably not interested, but it was incredible to see a World Cup match played in Philadelphia last night. I personally was unable to secure tickets, but just seeing the enthusiasm surrounding the match was something awesome to watch.
Compare that to the lethargy displayed by the Phillies yesterday and it’s the definition of two ends of a spectrum.
“The San Antonio Spurs, alongside Friends of the Carver/IDEA and the David Robinson Fellowship Program, joined Habitat for Humanity of San Antonio on Friday, June 12, for a volunteer build day celebrating Habitat’s 50th anniversary. Nearly 250 volunteers participated in the effort, helping advance Habitat’s mission of creating affordable homeownership opportunities across the community. As part of the celebration, Spurs Sports & Entertainment and Friends of the Carver/IDEA announced a combined $100,000 commitment to Habitat’s 50th anniversary initiative, which aims to build more than 50 homes across San Antonio this year.”
Spurs legend David Robinson spent the morning landscaping, painting and beautifying three homes on San Antonio’s East Side.
“Habitat for Humanity has transformed lives in San Antonio for 50 years, and we’re honored to help celebrate that legacy,” said Patricia Mejia, Chief Impact and Inclusion Officer at SS&E. “Habitat’s commitment reflects our shared belief that strong communities are built through opportunity, partnership and people coming together to make a difference.”
Additionally, the Spurs provided 50 tickets to Game 5 of the NBA Finals to residents of the homes supported through the initiative.
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