Chicago Cubs history unpacked — June 29

Free of charge for the discerning reader.

Happy birthday to Frank Schwindel, and a mighty host of others.

Today in baseball history, in 2004 – At Bank One Ballpark, the Diamondbacks’ 40-year-old fireballer Randy Johnson records his 4,000th career strikeout to become the fourth player in major league history to reach the plateau. The “Big Unit” needs fewer innings (3,237.1) than Nolan Ryan (3,844.2), Roger Clemens (4,151) or Steve Carlton (4,991.1) to accomplish the feat, and other stories as well.

Today in baseball history:

Today in Cubs history:

Cubs Birthdays:Frank Schwindel*, Brooks Raley, Pedro Valdés, Bruce Kimm, John Boccabella, Bob Shaw, Bobby Morgan. Also notable: Harmon Killebrew HOF. Wilbert Robinson HOF.

Today in history:

  • 1613 – Shakespeare‘s Globe Theatre in London burns down during a performance of “Henry VIII”.
  • 1863 – George Armstrong Custer, aged 23, appointed Union Brigadier General.
  • 1940 – Batman Comics, mobsters rub out a circus highwire team known as the Flying Graysons, leaving their son Dick (Robin) an orphan.
  • 1953 – Oklahoma governor declares today “Maria Tallchief Day” in honor of Native American prima ballerina Maria Tallchief.
  • 1958 – FIFA World Cup Final, Råsunda Stadium, Stockholm, Sweden: Vavá and Pelé each score two goals as Brazil defeats Sweden 5-2.
  • 1963 – Beatles’ first song “From Me to You” hits UK charts.
  • 1967 – Keith Richards is sentenced to 1 year in jail on drugs charge.
  • 1971 – Rolling Stones Mick Jagger and Keith Richards are sentenced for a drug offense.
  • 1979 – Mascot San Diego Chicken is reborn at Jack Murphy Stadium.

*pictured.

Detroit Tigers hit the road to take on New York Yankees this week

The Detroit Tigers failed to split their four-game weekend series against the Houston Astros on Sunday, falling 7-5 in 10 innings after taking a 3-0 lead into the seventh. Jack Flaherty gave his team five frames of shutout ball with a whopping nine strikeouts, but the trio of Tyler Holton, Kyle Finnegan and Kenley Jansen failed in their tasks out of the bullpen.

With the 10-game homestand now in the books, the Motor City Kitties hit the road for their next six matchups starting in the Bronx against the New York Yankees on Monday. Right-hander Casey Mize, who has struggled in his two games since returning from the injured list, will open things up on the mound.

The 29-year-old has put up a 6.10 ERA and 4.46 FIP over his last two starts, which includes his most recent outing against the Yankees at Comerica Park in which he surrendered four runs on eight hits (one home run) and a walk while striking out six in 5 2/3 frames of work. That stretch saw Mize add two losses to his total and extend the streak to four defeats over his last four decisions.

Up against him is left-hander Ryan Weathers, who has found a groove over his last two starts to the tune of a 1.46 ERA and 2.62 FIP stretching across 12 1/3 innings for a pair of quality starts. That includes the last time he saw the Tigers, in which the 26-year-old allowed two runs (one earned) on six hits and two walks while striking out six across six innings for his fifth win of the 2026 campaign.

Here is a look at how the two hurlers match up in the series opener on Monday night.

Detroit Tigers (35-49) vs. New York Yankees (48-35)

Time (ET): 7:05 p.m.
Place: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York
SB Nation Site:Pinstripe Alley
Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network

Game 85: RHP Casey Mize (2-5, 2.95 ERA) vs. LHP Ryan Weathers (3-5, 3.95 ERA)

PlayerGIPK%BB%GB%FIPfWAR
Mize1158.025.16.134.42.781.8
Weathers1586.226.96.841.44.181.1

MIZE

WEATHERS

2026 Brewers Week in Review: Week 14

Jun 27, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA;Chicago Cubs/ designated hitter Seiya Suzuki (27) is tagged out by Milwaukee Brewers catcher William Contreras (24) in the seventh inning at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images | Michael McLoone-Imagn Images

Last Week’s Results

  • Monday: Brewers 2, Reds 1
  • Tuesday: Brewers 2, Reds 0
  • Wednesday: Brewers 6, Reds 5
  • Friday: Brewers 6, Cubs 2
  • Saturday: Cubs 8, Brewers 2
  • Sunday: Cubs 4, Brewers 3

Division Standings

  • Milwaukee Brewers: 50-31
  • Chicago Cubs: 46-38 (5.5 GB)
  • St. Louis Cardinals 43-38 (7.0 GB)
  • Pittsburgh Pirates: 42-42 (9.5 GB)
  • Cincinnati Reds: 39-43 (11.5 GB)

Last Week

  • Brewers: 4-2
  • Cubs: 6-1
  • Cardinals: 2-4
  • Pirates: 3-3
  • Reds: 2-4

Top Pitching Performance of the Week

The Brewers weren’t short on solid pitching performances this week, so we’ll make this a “Brandon” award for Brandon Sproat and Brandon Woodruff. Sproat went six scoreless frames with just one hit and one hit batter while striking out 10 in a strong showing against the Reds, while Woodruff made a pair of scoreless starts, totaling 11 2/3 innings against the Reds and Cubs with 16 strikeouts and just two hits and two walks allowed. Those two helped contribute to this crazy pitching stat:

Honorable mentions go to Shane Drohan (4 1/3 scoreless innings in his start), Trevor Megill (four scoreless innings over four appearances), Abner Uribe (4 2/3 scoreless innings over four appearances), Jacob Misiorowski (six innings of one-run ball with eight strikeouts), and Kyle Harrison (five innings of two-run ball with nine strikeouts).

Top Hitting Performance of the Week

There were no clear standouts for the Brewer offense this week, as Brice Turang and Jackson Chourio tied for the team lead with seven hits, though both batted just .269 (26 at-bats each). William Contreras had the best all-around week, though, as he went 6-for-18 with a pair of homers, four RBIs, three runs, and four walks for a solid .333/.455/.667 line.

Injury Notes & Roster Moves

  • The Brewers officially activated RHP Brandon Woodruff from the injured list ahead of Monday’s series opener in Cincinnati, and his return could not have gone smoother. Across six scoreless frames, he allowed just one hit and no walks, striking out 10. Left-handed reliever Drew Rom was optioned to Triple-A Nashville as the corresponding move.
  • After officially clearing waivers, third baseman Luis Rengifo was released by the Brewers on Tuesday.
  • Reliever Abner Uribe, who was given a one-game suspension for his WWE-style crotch chops toward the Cardinals’ dugout in late May, dropped his appeal and served his suspension on Wednesday after pitching the two nights before.
  • Reliever Peter Strzelecki, who opted out of an outright assignment to Triple-A Nashville in late May, re-signed with the Brewers on a minor league deal on Wednesday after being released by the Yankees (who had signed him to a minor league deal). He’s now back in Nashville, where he picked up the save in a scoreless inning of work on Thursday night.
  • Left-hander Jared Koenig, who missed more than two months with a left elbow sprain, was activated from the injured list on Friday. Right-hander Craig Yoho was optioned to Nashville as the corresponding move.

On Deck

  • Monday: vs. Reds (6:40 p.m.)
  • Tuesday: vs. Reds (6:40 p.m.)
  • Wednesday: vs. Reds (7:10 p.m.)
  • Thursday: vs. Reds (1:10 p.m.)
  • Friday: @ Diamondbacks (8:45 p.m.)
  • Saturday: @ Diamondbacks (8:40 p.m.)
  • Sunday: @ Diamondbacks (3:10 p.m.)

Orioles news: O’s drop another series

Jun 28, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles manager Craig Albernaz (55) watch his team play in the seventh inning against the Washington Nationals at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images | Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images

Good morning, Camden Chatters.

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: the O’s just lost a series that they absolutely should have won, all because they did a whole lot of dumb stuff.

The Birds’ latest embarrassment came against their regional rival Nationals, who completed a season series win, four games to two. The O’s dropped yesterday’s rubber game because Kyle Bradish couldn’t throw strikes, Coby Mayo couldn’t throw the ball to first, and the Orioles couldn’t figure out how to hit a guy with a 5.40 ERA. Your 2026 Orioles, ladies and gentlemen. Alex Church recapped the fruitless O’s effort.

The O’s have won just one of their last seven series — against the Dodgers, oddly enough — and are 9-13 in that span. Their defeat yesterday clinched their third consecutive losing month. They’re one loss away from matching their season-low of eight games under .500. At 39-46, they’re also just two games better than the 2025 Orioles — the gold standard of underachieving O’s teams — were at the same point of the season. And the Orioles are 0-2 since Mike Elias told reporters that he intends for the team to be buyers at the trade deadline. He’s got a little over a month to change his mind.

Three months into the season, the Orioles haven’t gotten any better. Elias and the players continue to talk a big game about how a turnaround is just around the corner, how the team just needs more time for things to click, and they’ll soon become a force to be reckoned with. There is, unfortunately, no evidence that such a thing is ever going to happen. They haven’t cleaned up their sloppy play and poor fundamentals at all; if anything, they’ve only gotten worse throughout the season. And with each passing day, the Orioles’ chances of putting together an extended winning stretch are getting slimmer and slimmer. They’ve passed the halfway mark of the schedule and are only sinking deeper into quicksand.

Adding an extra layer of pain is watching the Orioles get passed in the standings by teams that weren’t even supposed to be contenders this year, like these Nationals. The Nats were thought to be a rebuilding club that was a year or two behind the Orioles’ progress; instead, they’re an above-.500 team that has thoroughly outclassed the Birds this year.

Then there’s the Orioles’ next opponent, the White Sox, who are coming off of three straight 100+ loss seasons, including a historically abysmal 41-121 just two years ago. This year the White Sox are the most out-of-nowhere success story in baseball, leading the AL Central with a 43-39 record, 5.5 games better than the Orioles. The White Sox had barely started to rebuild and are already an exciting, hungry team full of promising young players. The O’s, meanwhile, have completely flatlined in what was supposed to be their window of contention. It’s sad.

The Orioles are overdue for a brutally honest assessment of their organization and the many mistakes that have led to this point. That kind of thorough accounting might not take place until the offseason, which means we’re stuck watching this team in its current form for the next few months.

Lucky us.

Links

Orioles start fast and fade in 6-4 loss to Nationals, Bradish ties career high in walks (updated) – School of Roch

Remember the first inning? That was nice. Everything that happened afterwards, not so much.

Adley, Beavers activated as Orioles DFA Huff, option Jackson – MLB.com

I know that Jeremiah Jackson hasn’t hit much since his hot April, but what exactly is the thought process that leads the Orioles to send him down instead of a completely unnecessary third catcher?

Sail250 air show flies over Camden Yards during Orioles-Nationals game – The Baltimore Banner

Kudos to the Blue Angels for giving the Camden Yards crowd their only entertainment yesterday.

Orioles’ Gunnar Henderson on slump: ‘One of the most frustrating things’ – The Baltimore Sun

Says Gunnar: “It sucks. It’s baseball.” The motto of the 2026 Orioles, everyone!

Orioles birthdays and history

Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! And happy 25th birthday to Gunnar Henderson. The O’s shortstop has already racked up quite a few accolades in his young career, including AL Rookie of the Year in 2023 and fourth place in the MVP voting in 2024. His 2026 season, as we all know, hasn’t gone quite as well. But what better day than his birthday to start turning things around?

Former Orioles born on this day include infielder Emmanuel Rivera (30), left-hander Pedro Viola (43), and righties Travis Lakins Sr. (32) and the late Dizzy Trout (b. 1915, d. 1972).

On this date in 2007, the Orioles’ Aubrey Huff hit for the cycle in a 9-7 loss to the Angels. At the time he was just the third player in the 54-year history of the Orioles to accomplish the feat, but the O’s have since done it four more times.

And in 2013, Chris Davis bashed his league-leading 30th homer of the year in just his 82nd game, part of a two-dinger day against the Yankees. He ultimately finished the season with an MLB-best 53 home runs. Man, vintage Chris Davis was something else.

Random Orioles game of the day

On June 29, 1990, the Orioles defeated the Twins, 6-2, at the Metrodome. Baltimore’s own Dave Johnson earned the win with 6.2 innings of two-run ball, and Curt Schilling — yes, that one — finished things off with 2.1 scoreless frames to earn his first career save. The O’s offense collected 12 hits, including three by Ripken brothers Cal Jr. and Billy, and catcher Bob Melvin drove in two runs. Despite the win, the Orioles remained well under .500 at 33-41.

Phillies news: Kyle Schwarber, Andrew Painter, Wyatt Langford

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 28: Kyle Schwarber #12 of the Philadelphia Phillies watches the flight of his seventh inning two run home run against the New York Mets at Citi Field on June 28, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Imagine getting to 30 home runs before the calendar even flips to July? Kyle Schwarber just did that, becoming the fastest player in team history to do so.

It’s just so impressive how each season, he seems to be getting better. The strikeouts are high, but who really cares when he hits for this much power. I feel like another high finish in the MVP vote is in the offing.

On to the links.

Phillies news:

MLB news:

Mets Daily Prospect Report, 6/29/26: Mostly monotonous Mets

Triple-A: Syracuse Mets (38-37/4-2)

SYRACUSE 5, LEHIGH VALLEY 4 (BOX)

Manager Dick Scott went with something a little different, having reliever Dan Hammer start the game before bringing in starter Jack Wenninger, but the move didn’t seem to really have much of an impact- Hammer pitched a scoreless inning in the first and Wenninger was so-so, allowing three runs over the next five. Trailing by a run, Syracuse tied things up in the seventh on a wild pitch and then took the lead on a Vidal Brujan RBI single. After Lehigh Valley tied things up in the bottom of the inning, Syracuse once again took a late lead in the eighth on a Ben Rortvedt RBI double and that ended up being the final score.

·  SS Vidal Bruján: 1-5, RBI, 3 K, 2 SB (6, 7), E (5)

·  CF Nick Morabito: 1-5, 2B, RBI, K

·  2B Ji Hwan Bae: 0-3, R, BB, SB (27)

·  RF Ryan Clifford: 0-2, 2 BB, K

·  3B Yonny Hernández: 2-4, R, RBI, CS (2)

·  C Ben Rortvedt: 1-4, 2B, RBI, K

·  1B Grae Kessinger: 1-3, 2 R, BB, K

·  DH Hayden Senger: 1-3, R, BB, K

·  LF Cristian Pache: 1-4, 2 K, E (4)

·  RHP Dan Hammer: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

·  RHP Jack Wenninger: 5.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 4 K, WP, HBP

·  RHP Ryan Lambert: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, WP, W (3-1), BS (1)

·  LHP Nate Lavender: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, S (2)

Double-A: Binghamton Rumble Ponies (27-42/1-6)

ERIE 6, BINGHAMTON 5 / 10 (BOX)

The first time through the order, Bryce Conley looked good, blanking Erie for three innings, allowing just a single hit while striking out four. His second time through the order? Not so much. In the fourth, he gave up a two-run homer to right fielder Chris Meyers to tie the game at 2-2. In the fifth, he loaded up the bases on a pair of singles and a hit batsman and then gave up a double to Meyers, scoring two more runs. In the sixth, he allowed a solo homer to third baseman E.J. Exposito to make it a 5-2 ballgame. Chris Suero manufactured a run in the seventh, knocking a double, stealing third, and coming home on a wild pitch, but it looked like the Rumble Ponies were going to after a strike-‘em-out-throw-‘em-out double play ended the seventh, and then three consecutive strikeouts ended the eighth. In the bottom of life, they showed new life and came galloping back, tying the game up at 5-5 on an RBI single off the bat of Jose Ramons and a Nick Lorusso RBI groundout. In the tenth, JT Schwartz was thrown out at the plate, negating Binghamton’s chance to score. Erie didn’t have that issue, and just like that, momentum shifted and game over with another Chris Meyers RBI.

·  C Chris Suero: 2-3, 4 R, 2 2B, 2 BB, SB (20), E (9)

·  CF Jose Ramos: 1-4, RBI, BB, K, CS (2)

·  3B Nick Lorusso: 2-4, 2B, 3 RBI, BB, K

·  1B JT Schwartz: 0-5, 3 K

·  DH Vincent Perozo: 0-5, 4 K

·  LF Matt Rudick: 1-4, 2 K, HBP

·  2B Wyatt Young: 1-5, 2 K

·  RF Jaylen Palmer: 0-2, BB, K, HBP

·  SS Kevin Villavicencio: 1-4, R, K

·  RHP Bryce Conley: 6.0 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, HBP

·  RHP Douglas Orellana: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, HBP

·  RHP Garrett Stratton: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K

·  RHP Zach Peek: 1.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, L (2-1)

High-A: Brooklyn Cyclones (25-40/5-4)

BROOKLYN 5, JERSEY SHORE 1 (BOX)

Nicolas Carreno got things started with four scoreless innings and the bullpen took over from there, throwing three more before Juan Arnaud allowed a run in the top of the eighth. That run would end up the BlueClaws’ only run of the ballgame. The Cyclones, on the other hand, got on the board in the bottom of the third on a Ronald Hernandez homer and then plated four more in the sixth on an RBI double off the bat of Colin Houck and a three-run homer off the bat of Yohairo Cuevas.

·  2B Mitch Voit: 2-3, BB, K

·  3B Yonatan Henriquez: 0-4

·  C Ronald Hernandez: 1-3, R, HR (6), RBI, BB, K

·  LF John Bay: 1-3, R, HBP

·  DH Daiverson Gutierrez: 0-4, K

·  1B Corey Collins: 0-3, R, BB, K

·  SS Colin Houck: 1-4, R, 2B, RBI, 3 K, E (9)

·  RF Yohairo Cuevas: 2-3, R, HR (2), 3 RBI, BB, K, SB (4)

·  CF Sam Biller: 0-4, 3 K

·  LHP Nicolas Carreno: 4.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 4 BB, 1 K

·  RHP Bryce Jenkins: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, W (2-2)

·  RHP Cristofer Gomez: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, H (1)

·  RHP Hoss Brewer: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K

·  RHP Juan Arnaud: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K

·  RHP Hunter Hodges: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 2 K, WP

Single-A: St. Lucie Mets (33-33/2-5)

FORT MYERS 6, ST. LUCIE 5 (BOX)

The St. Lucie Mets went down swinging, but they still dropped this one to the Mighty Muscles, their fourth loss in a row. The Mets got on the board first, scoring a run in the top of the second, but Ethan Lanthier, who just activated and was making his first non-rehab start since injuring his elbow in April 2025, allowed a pair of runs in the second to give Fort Myers the lead, a lead they would hold on to for the rest of the ballgame. In the ninth, trailing 6-3, St. Lucie loaded up the bases with no outs, but a two-run single by Trey Snyder was all they were able to manage before recording three outs. The rehabbing Dedniel Nunez pitched in the bottom of the fourth and, after recording two quick outs, allowed back-to-back singles that resulted in a run before recording a strikeout to end the inning.

·  CF Trey Snyder: 1-5, 2 RBI, K

·  LF Branny De Oleo: 2-4, R, 2B, RBI

·  SS Antonio Jimenez: 0-5, K

·  1B Julio Zayas: 0-3, RBI, K

·  RF Simon Juan: 1-4, R, 2B, K

·  C Chase Meggers: 3-4, R, 2 2B, RBI

·  3B Taylor Darden: 0-2, R, BB, K

·  2B Jeremy Rodriguez: 2-3, R, BB, K

·  DH Jackson Hauge: 2-4, K

·  RHP Ethan Lanthier: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, L (0-1)

·  RHP Christian Rodriguez: 1.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 0 K

·  REHAB ALERT RHP Dedniel Núñez: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K

·  LHP Conner Ware: 3.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, HBP

·  RHP Elwis Mijares: 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K

ROSTER ALERT: St. Lucie Mets activated RHP Ethan Lanthier from the 60-day injured list.

Rookie: FCL Mets (15-24)

NO GAME (SCHEDULE)

STAR OF THE NIGHT

Yohairo Cuevas

GOAT OF THE NIGHT

Bryce Conley

DitD & Open Post – 6/29/26: Draft Class Edition

Here are your links for today:

Devils Links

A recap of the 2026 draft class for the Devils: [Devils NHL]

“Alexander Command, the 12th overall pick, highlights the Devils’ draft class, but Mehta selected a few other intriguing prospects in the later rounds. Let’s review the Devils’ 2026 draft class and which prospects you should be most excited about moving forward.” [Devils on the Rush ($)]

“Mehta’s first draft as GM of a team was one in which cardio merchants were off the table, highly preferring productive players with dynamic qualities and the ability to play with the puck on their stick. I loved it.” [Devils’ Advocates]

Hockey Links

Could we see a Zach Werenski trade?

“The Winnipeg Jets are listening to trade offers for Connor Hellebuyck, general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff said Friday. Cheveldayoff, however, would not provide a definitive answer as to whether his franchise goalie has requested a move.” [NHL.com]

Jack Drury gets a five-year deal:

Rangers bet on Pavel Dorofeyev:

Mason McTavish heads to St. Louis:

“The 2026 NHL draft is complete and there were some truly wonderful moments. From the Ruck twins going together to the Pittsburgh Penguins, to the reaction of Jaxon Cover’s family to the Cayman Islands product being selected with the final pick in the first round, and much more over the course of 224 picks in two days. Now, it is time for draft grades. These marks are about what the teams did with their selections, how they maneuvered the draft board and how much value they gained or left on the board where they picked.” [ESPN]

More draft grades: [Daily Faceoff] [The Athletic ($)]

A cool moment for the Iginla family:

Seth Jarvis will miss some time for the Hurricanes:

Feel free to discuss these and any other hockey-related stories in the comments below.

Open Thread: Happy birthday to Julian Champagnie

Julian Champagnie has been a gem. After going undrafted in in 2022, he signed with the Philadelphia 76ers where he played 2 games as well as a handful of games with their G-League affiliate Delaware Blue Coats. He was waived on Valentine’s Day 2023 so the 76ers could allow Mac McClung to participate in the All-Star Dunk Contest.

The 76ers loss was the Spurs gain. He signed on for the remainder of the season and impressed the organization enough to earn a $12M/4-year contract. Since then, Champagnie has gone on to be an essential component of the Spurs success. He now holds franchise record for postseason three-pointers after this season’s Finals run.

On a personal note, my life has been touched by Julian. Last January, my daughter was the Spurs Ball Kid for the MLK Day game between the Spurs and Utah Jazz. When they announced that her favorite player was Champagnie, he heard his name. After the game, he sent Elizabeth the game worn jersey and signed it for her, thanking her for the support.

A couple of nights later I ran into Champagnie at a Spurs event and he shared that he’d never heard his name as a fan favorite. He was touched and his delight was perceptible. He’s approachable, kind, and friendly. That is who Julian is. He engages with folks, and he is genuine. He’s even gone so far as to include the young fans is part of his warm up. You can see him encouraging young fans to shoot and connect in a way uncommon for most star athletes.

Over the season, Champagnie’s press conferences revealed a refreshing level of honesty. From his feelings on going undrafted to the moments after being waived, Champagnie is open about his journey. He’s taken negative moments and persevered. His worldview inspires as he has fused his positive energy and manifested an amazing career and a life of gratitude.

This year he started in 68 regular season games and all 23 playoff games. He continues to shine on the court and his three-point shooting earned him all kinds of accolades and comparisons. The next step will be receiving the payday he deserves.

Perhaps we should cease using the term “undrafted” and just refer to Champagnie’s pre-Spurs days as “undiscovered.” The Spurs and Champagnie are a great match. He’s really had an opportunity to shine in San Antonio. And his fit is undeniable.

Happy birthday, Jules! Here’s to many more celebrations in San Antonio.


Welcome to the Thread. Join in the conversation, start your own discussion, and share your thoughts. This is the Spurs community, your Spurs community. Thanks for being here.

Our community guidelines apply which should remind everyone to be cool, avoid personal attacks, not to troll and to watch the language.

Kentucky Wildcats News: Otega Oweh Realizes NBA Dream

Mar 22, 2026; St. Louis, MO, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Otega Oweh (00) dunks during the second half against the Iowa State Cyclones during a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

Former Kentucky basketball star and fan-favorite Otega Oweh had his dreams come true when he heard his name called in the second round of last week’s NBA draft.

He was taken 41st overall by the Oklahoma City Thunder, a pick which OKC acquired in a trade with the Miami Heat.

Oweh joins former Wildcats Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Cason Wallace in Oklahoma City, where he’s sure to carve out some playing time on the wing for the 2025 NBA champions.

The creative team at UK Athletics always does a phenomenal job with their work and gave their absolute best effort in putting together an incredible behind-the-scenes look at Oweh’s dream coming true and what Draft Day was like for the former Wildcat.

While Oweh could have rolled the dice last summer and turned professional, he decided to commit to one more year at Kentucky to improve his game but also do his best to lead the program as far as he could for one more season.

It’s easy to speak for all of Big Blue Nation in saying that Oweh is loved and will always be appreciated for his two years in Lexington.

Tweet of the Day

Will forever love this logo.

Headlines

Hawthorne doesn’t feel pressure to perform after redshirt – KSR

Love his mentality.

Scheffler forces Monday playoff with Hovland at Travelers – ESPN

Some early action today.

Will Stein hangs out with 1976 SEC Champions – KSR

Pretty cool.

Ryu, 10 shots behind after Round 1, wins Women’s PGA – ESPN

Heck of a finish.

Pope hit the recruiting trail for Kentucky this weekend – KSR

Always on the move.

Hornets trade veteran Miles Bridges to Suns – ESPN

Complete reset.

Hampton’s highlights in UK gear will leave you excited for the future – KSR

Agreed!

Kyle Schwarber sets Phillies record with MLB-best 30th HR – ESPN

On a roll.

Early 2027 NBA Mock Draft has Malachi Moreno projected as a lottery pick

Feb 4, 2026; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats center Malachi Moreno (24) shoots a free throw during the second half against the Oklahoma Sooners at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

The 2026 NBA draft finished on Wednesday, so all the names have been called, and the teams have made their selections. So, now we must do the natural, immediate next step: Look ahead to next year’s draft!

As Kentucky Basketball fans, we got to hear two former Wildcats get their names called during the 2026 draft: Jayden Quaintance and Otega Oweh. Now, we look towards next year and talk about which players may be the next to leap to the next level. Hopefully, many players from the 2026-27 team will be selected next year, following what hopes to be a special 2026-27 season.

The name that we are already seeing people believe will be selected highly next year is Malachi Moreno. One Sam Vecenie even went on the record to say he believes Moreno will be drafted in the lottery next year, at pick No. 11.

“On the plus side, Moreno is a good shot-blocker and has potential to be a solid rim protector at 6 feet 11 with a 9-foot-3.5 standing reach,” Vecenie wrote. “Offensively, he’s an excellent passer who averaged 1.8 assists per game and can act as something of a hub at the top of the key because of his comfort with the ball.

“Moreno needs to get stronger and more willing to play with physicality on the interior. He has an immense amount of potential to be the kind of big teams are looking for in the Isaiah Hartenstein mold, but he has work to do to round out his game.”

Moreno went through the draft process this year before ultimately deciding to pull his name out and return to Lexington for his sophomore season. Now, the Bluegrass product will look to make a big splash as a leader and a star for Kentucky next season.

This year’s class of 2026 for the NBA draft was viewed as one of the more elite groups we’ve seen in a while, but next year, not so much. That makes his decision a little easier, on top of certain skills needing work, knowing that it could be a reality that even though he’d be a year older, he would likely get drafted higher than he would have this year.

One other thing that numerous people believe Malachi Moreno could do to help him grow into a great modern big, on top of what he has already sharpened up, is 3-point shooting. Here is a clip from this offseason where Malachi Moreno worked out for the Los Angeles Lakers, and within the clip, you’ll notice some threes being taken.

Will we see a new, more versatile offensive Moreno this upcoming season?

Kentucky fans know that Moreno was lifted into a role that not many expected him to be in during his true freshman season: the starting center for the team for most of the year. Moreno ended up starting 30 of 36 games last season after showing that he was capable of playing at a high level immediately.

Growing up in Georgetown (KY) as a Wildcat fan, Moreno heard many names called on draft night over the years that once wore the blue and white before him. Now, after many years of working towards this and hearing his teammates get drafted, he will get ready to make his way to the next level following a sophomore campaign in Lexington.

Erie walk it off in extras, Bryce Rainer homers again

Worcester Red Sox 3, Toledo Mud Hens 1 (box)

Toledo couldn’t finish off the sweep and dropped its first game in a week, 3-1, against Worcester on Sunday.

After 15 runs on Saturday, there wasn’t much offense to speak of for the Mud Hens in this one. Toledo had only five hits, none going for extra bases. Two of those came in the second inning from Eduardo Valencia and Brett Callahan. Tyler Gentry grounded into a double play for the only Mud Hens run of the day.

Callahan had the only multi-hit day, singling again in the fifth. Andrew Navigato hit safely in the eighth, and Max Anderson got his in the ninth. The WooSox only walked two batters, so it was a pretty boring day on that side of the ball.

It’s a shame because the pitching staff was solid for most of the afternoon. Troy Watson got the start, going five inning and allowing one run on two hits and a walk — a first inning homer was the only real issue. Watson struck out five and left with the score tied 1-1.

Ricky Vanasco took over in the sixth and gave up three singles to break the tie. The third drove in both runs and ricocheted off his foot. The training staff checked him out, but Vanasco stayed in the game.

Woo-Suk Go got the seventh and worked around a pair of singles. Jack Little went 1-2-3 in the eighth, but the bats couldn’t make it a competitive finish.

Anderson: 1-4, K

Callahan: 2-4, K

Valencia: 1-2, R, 2 BB

Watson: 5.0 IP, 2 H, R, ER, BB, 5 K,HR

Coming Up Next:The Mud Hens are at home next week against the Iowa Cubs, starting on Tuesdayat 12:05 p.m. ET.

(F/10) Erie SeaWolves 6, Binghamton Rumble Ponies 1 (box)

Erie won in walk-off fashion 6-5 in the 10th inning to finish the series with Binghamton 5-1.

Things got off to a rocky start with Lael Lockhart on the mound. The Rumble Ponies took the lead three batters in thanks to a leadoff double and single through the left side. Lockhart also balked in the first, but he didn’t give up any more runs.

The command was in and out for Lockhart. He plunked the leadoff man in the second, balked again and threw a wild pitch. Again, no runs scored, but it’s not a pretty inning by any means.

Binghamton got to him again in the third with a leadoff walk and an RBI double. Lockhart came back out for the fourth, but he finally got the hook after hitting another batter with two outs.

Fortunately, Chris Meyers tied the game up with a two-run homer. Thayron Liranzo drew the walk right before that.

Meyers had three of Erie’s nine hits on the day, including a go-ahead double in the fifth. This time, the bases were loaded, so Binghamton had to pitch to him. Credit to E.J. Exposito and Seth Stephenson for singling earlier in the inning. Liranzo was hit by a pitch for his second free pass of the day, loading the bags.

Yosber Sanchez and Johan Simon got the SeaWolves through the sixth, recording four and three outs, respectively. Both walked a batter, and Simon gave up a hit. Simon also had two strikeouts to Sanchez’s one, though.

Exposito homered in the sixth to give Erie some valuable insurance. Without that bomb, the SeaWolves don’t make it to extras.

Wandisson Charles got the seventh. He gave up a leadoff double, the runner stole third and Charles went too far inside for a wild pitch and an easy score. Charles was better in the eighth, striking out the side in order.

Tyler Owens couldn’t convert the save — his first blown save of the season. After the first out, Binghamton went single, walk, RBI single to make it a one-run game. Owens got a short chopper to third base, but Exposito didn’t have time for a play at home. He traded a run for an out instead. Tie game.

Erie had the winning run in scoring position in the ninth, but Stephenson and Peyton Graham couldn’t follow up on Joe Campagna’s one-out double.

Eric Silva took the mound in the 10th and almost gave up the go-ahead run, but a great throw from Meyers got to home plate in time for the tag.

Meyers basically won this one for Erie single-handedly. Of course, it was him who came up clutch in the bottom of the 10th with a one-out single to drive Graham in from third base. Walk-off wins are always sweet.

Meyers: 3-5, 2B (16), HR (5), R, 5 RBI, K

Exposito: 2-4, HR (11), R, RBI, K

Lockhart: 3.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, BB, 4 K

Charles (H, 3): 2.0 IP, H, R, ER, BB, 5 K

Coming Up Next: The SeaWolves are on the road next week against the Akron RubberDucks, starting Tuesday at 6:35 p.m. ET.

Dayton Dragons 10, West Michigan Whitecaps 4 (box)

A rough day on the mound for West Michigan led to a lopsided 10-4 loss against Dayton on Sunday. The Whitecaps and Dragons end the series tied, 3-3.

The day started off nice, with Woody Hadeen walking and Bryce Rainer blasting a two-run homer. Clayton Campbell singled to give the Whitecaps three straight hits, but West Michigan only found four more hits the rest of the game.

Rayner Castillo didn’t have it today. He walked the first three batters he faced to load the bases, and that got the bullpen up and working. Castillo struck out a batter and induced a popout, but the decision was already made to pull him. Jalen Evans took over and immediately gave up a two-run single to tie the game.

Dayton took the lead in the second off Evans, who was arguably worse than Castillo. After getting the first out, Castillo allowed a single, walked two batters and gave up a two-run double. He walked one more before getting out of the inning.

Inohan Paniagua got the third. A bad pickoff attempt turned into a run, and a throwing error from the catcher made it 6-2.

Stephen Hrustich gave the Whitecaps new life in the fourth, hitting a two-run homer to cut the four-run deficit in half.

Eliseo Mota was next out of the bullpen. He worked around a two-out single in the fourth but gave up a leadoff homer int he fifth. Luke Stofel faced the minimum in the sixth, inducing an inning-ending double play to erase a single. He came back out for the seventh and worked around a two-out single, giving the best performance for any Whitecap pitcher on the day.

CJ weins had a rough ninth, walking the bases loaded before recording the first out. A pair of singles brought all three of those baserunners home, and the Whitecaps went down 1-2-3 in the top of the ninth.

Rainer: 1-3, HR (8), R, 2 RBI, BB, 2 K

Hrustich: 1-4, HR (3), R, 2 RBI

Campbell: 2-4, 2 K

Stofel: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K

Coming Up Next: The Whitecaps are at home next week against the Lake County Captains, starting Tuesday at 6:35 p.m. ET.

Lakeland Flying Tigers 3, Daytona Tortugas 1 (box)

Despite losing the series, 4-2, the Lakeland Flying Tigers ended the week in Daytona on a good note, with a 3-1 win over the Tortugas.

Connor Fenlong made his organizational debut after being signed on Friday out of the American Association Independent League. He previously pitched in the Kansas City farm system, making it up to High-A in 2024 before being released.

Fenlong gave Lakeland 4 2/3 innings of scoreless ball, working around five hits and a walk while striking out eight. It’s a shame he couldn’t get one more out to qualify for the win, but the numbers are solid.

The Flying Tigers only had one hit through the first three innings, but they broke through in the fourth to score all three of their runs. Edian Espinal led off with a single, Nick Dumesnil also singled and Hunter Dobbins crushed a three-run homer.

Xiomer Guacache finished out the fifth for Fenlong, stranding the bases loaded. Guacache worked around a two-out double in the sixth before turning it over Luke Hoskins in the seventh. Hoskins walked a batter, but there was no harm done.

Bryce Alewin went 1 2/3 innings, but Lakeland brought in Jan Caraballo with two on and two outs in the ninth. Caraballo gave up the first run of the day and walked a batter before getting the final out.

Great work from the bullpen today, but it was kind of a boring game. Still, a W is a W.

Yost: 0-4, BB, 2 K

Dobbins: 1-4, HR (5), R, 3 RBI, 2 K

Espinal: 2-4, R, K

Fenlong: 4.2 IP, 5 H, 0 R, BB, 8 K

Coming up Next: The Flying Tigers are at home next week against the Palm Beach Cardinals, starting Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. ET.

Prospects descend on Pittsburgh

BUFFALO, NEW YORK - JUNE 27: (L-R) Markus Ruck, 39th overall of the Pittsburgh Penguins, and Liam Ruck, 22nd overall of the Pittsburgh Penguins, pose for a photo during Day Two of the 2026 NHL Draft at KeyBank Center on June 27, 2026 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Andrea Cardin/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images

Over the weekend, the Pittsburgh Penguins added six new prospects to the organization at the 2026 NHL Draft. Those prospects will not have to wait long to make an impression on the fans in Pittsburgh as they make their way to the city this week to take part in the Penguins annual development camp set to open today at the team’s UPMC Lemieux facility in Cranberry.

Which of the draftees will be in attendance at development camp has yet to be announced, but the Ruck twins Liam (22nd overall) and Markus (39th overall) are both expected to participate. They will be joining 22 others who were previously announced by the Penguins, including defenseman Jake Livanavage who signed as a college free agent in April and made his NHL debut in the final game of the season against the St. Louis Blues.

Other prospects on the development camp roster for this week include forwards Will Horcoff* (2025 24th overall; University of Michigan) and Travis Hayes (2025 105th overall, brother to Avery Hayes), defensemen Peyton Kettles (2025 39th overall) and Quinn Beauchesne (2025 148th overall, Boston College commit), and goaltender Gabriel D’Aigle (2025 84th overall).

All full camp roster, minus 2026 draft picks and any late additions, can be found here, courtesy the Penguins. There is expected to be a full development camp roster released once the final skaters have been confirmed by the team.

As for the development camp schedule, action begins bright and early on Monday morning and runs through Friday, with four days of practice on and off the ice for the prospects, all culminating in a tournament set for Friday between the participants.

You can find the full schedule from the team’s website below.

All sessions are held at the UPMC Lemieux team facility in Cranberry. Each session is open to the public and is free of charge to attend so if you’re itching for some Penguins hockey, consider heading up to Cranberry to see the prospects in action because it will be your last chance to see live hockey in Pittsburgh until September.

Development camp serves as an opportunity for fans to see and learn about some of the prospects in the Penguins system, especially the new players drafted this past weekend. There will be some well deserved buzz surrounding the Ruck twins, but it will also be a showcase for players like Jake Livanavage to put on a show and make an early case to push for an NHL roster spot.

The team announced prospects including 2025 first round pick Will Horcoff and Melvin Fernstrom will not take part in on ice activity due to undisclosed injuries.

So if you have some free time this week, maybe consider on spending some of that time at UPMC Cranberry to check in on the talent in the Penguins system that got a new infusion of prospects from the draft over the weekend and see what lies in store for the franchise in the future.

Today on Pinstripe Alley – 6/29/26

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 11: Jazz Chisholm Jr. #13 of the New York Yankees slides safely into second base past Javier Báez #28 of the Detroit Tigers during the game at Yankee Stadium on September 11, 2025 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Ishika Samant/Getty Images) | Getty Images

That series sucked. The last time the Red Sox swept the Yankees in a four-game set was 2018, which was very annoying but in hindsight more understandable because that was legitimately the best team in Boston history (108 wins, 11-3 record in October). They were a powerhouse. These Red Sox doing it when they entered with–no joke–the worst record in the American League is appalling. Awful, awful.

Can’t dwell on it though. Spit it out like an awful drink, cleanse the palate, and move on with Detroit coming to town.

Today on the site, Estevão will preview the upcoming three-game set against the Tigers, Kevin tackles the Rivalry Roundup, and Jonathan celebrates the 138th birthday of a man who was actually a longtime Tiger but also became a Yankee near the end: Bobby Veach. Later, Jonathan will return to run through the Yankeees’ top Trade Deadline priorities as that aspect of the season heats up, Peter breaks down his At-Bat of the Week, and Madison issues the mailbag prompt.

Today’s Matchup:

New York Yankees vs. Detroit Tigers

Time: 7:05 p.m. EST

TV: YES Network, Detroit SportsNet

Venue: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY

Questions/Prompts:

1. Are there any Triple-A promotions you’d consider to try to jolt some life back into the Yankees’ lineup? Or is there so little there at the moment (especially with George Lombard Jr. hurt) that they’re probably best just riding it out at the moment?

2. Now that almost every team has hit the 81-game halfway point of the regular season, which do you think has been the biggest surprise?

MLB power rankings: AL champion Blue Jays flail with Vladdy homerless at home

The Toronto Blue Jays are on the verge of a disastrous 10-game homestand, now losers of six in a row with old friend Bo Bichette and the directionless New York Mets coming to town.

Yet Vladimir Guerrero's failings at Rogers Centre have been a seasonlong affair.

With the season more than halfway over and the calendar flipping to July, Guerrero has yet to hit a home run at Rogers Centre this season - a span of 42 games and 181 plate appearances. His home slugging percentage is .300, down from .436 a year ago, while he's hit just seven home runs overall with an adjusted OPS of 94.

And the Blue Jays - after finally reaching .500 following a month in the red - dipped right back underwater following a four-game sweep by the Texas Rangers - an outcome that may have significant ramifications come season's end.

"It's no secret we're going to need Vlad," Blue Jays manager John Schneider told reporters Sunday, June 28, "if we want to be good."

The defending division and AL champs are now 10 1/2 games behind East-leading Tampa Bay and 9 1/2 behind the Yankees. At 39-45, they are deep in the thicket of mediocrity in the AL - Texas passed them just this weekend - and tumbled four spots to No. 20 in USA TODAY Sports' power rankings.

A look at our updated rankings:

Rogers Centre has not been kind to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. this season - he has yet to hit a home run in his home ballpark.

1. Los Angeles Dodgers (+2)

  • Mookie Betts, officially back-back.

2. Milwaukee Brewers (+1)

  • Jackson Chourio has hit nine homers in June.

3. Atlanta Braves (-2)

  • Scored two or fewer runs in four games on 1-5 road trip.

4. Tampa Bay Rays (+1)

  • Junior Caminero on track to once again threaten Carlos Peña's franchise record of 46 home runs.

5. New York Yankees (-1)

  • Closer David Bednar hasn't allowed a run in five weeks.

6. Philadelphia Phillies (-)

  • Now 38-18 under Don Mattingly - and just three games behind Atlanta.

7. Chicago Cubs (+3)

  • David Peterson a winner in his Cubs debut.

8. St. Louis Cardinals (-1)

  • Andre Pallante has shaved his ERA from 5.31 last year to 3.59 through 15 starts.

9. Cleveland Guardians (-1)

  • Top 100 prospect Cooper Ingle called up, delivers key hit in second game.

10. San Diego Padres (+2)

  • Randy Vasquez has given up seven runs in consecutive start/bulk appearances.

11. Miami Marlins (+4)

  • Eury Perez makes successful return to mound and club remains majors-best 18-6 in June.

12. Chicago White Sox (-3)

  • They're plus-18 in run differential - thanks to a 22-1 thwacking of the Royals.

13. Washington Nationals (-)

  • Luis Garcia Jr. with 11 June home runs, first double-digit month for Nationals since Kyle Schwarber in June 2021.

14. Texas Rangers (+5)

  • They sniff first place for the first time since April 25.

15. Seattle Mariners (-4)

  • The piggyback pitching plan is on hold, at least for now.

16. Pittsburgh Pirates (+1)

  • Climb back to .500 just before starting a stretch of 22 straight agmes against teams with winning records.

17. Arizona Diamondbacks (-3)

  • Swept at Tampa Bay as Max Kepler, having served his PED sentence, joins the lineup.

18. Athletics (-)

  • Shea Langeliers will need a voting surge from Yolo County to become first A's catcher to start All-Star Game since Terry Steinbach in 1989.

19. Houston Astros (+3)

  • That's five consecutive series wins, with .500 in sight.

20. Toronto Blue Jays (-4)

  • Shane Bieber's return gives rotation a far steadier look.

21. Baltimore Orioles (-1)

  • Still haven't won four in a row.

22. Cincinnati Reds (-1)

  • After getting swept at Milwaukee, a do-over at home against division bully.

23. Minnesota Twins (-1)

  • Bailey Ober nears return as he begins minor league rehab assignment.

24. Detroit Tigers (+1)

  • Blowing two late leads to Houston kills the little momentum they built up this month.

25. Boston Red Sox (+1)

  • Jarren Duran sits in the midst of 4-for-37 funk - then hops off the bench and walks off the Yankees.

26. New York Mets (-2)

  • A six-error game is like lighter fluid on a manager's hot seat.

27. Los Angeles Angels (+1)

  • You wonder if Temporary Adult In The Room John Mozeliak will hire a GM before the lockout or if the owner will save a few bucks with the industry shuttered.

28. San Francisco Giants (+1)

  • Utter organizational collapse makes their old June Swoons look quaint.

29. Kansas City Royals (-2)

  • Elbow surgery coming Wednesday for Cole Ragans. What they find in there will determine his 2027 prospects.

30. Colorado Rockies (-)

  • A three-homer game for Hunter Goodman, in case anyone had forgotten about him.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLB power rankings: AL champion Blue Jays flail with Vladdy homerless at home

YouTube Gold: Willis Reed Takes On Wilt Chamberlain In Game 4 Of The 1970 Finals

UNITED STATES - MAY 08: Willis Reed of the Knicks (foreground) and Wilt Chamberlain of the Lakers as time runs out in game at Madison Square Garden. (Photo by Dan Farrell/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images) | NY Daily News via Getty Images

New York Knicks legend Willis Reed is most famous for courageously taking the court in Game 7 of the 1970 Finals despite a very serious leg injury, and scoring the first two baskets.

However, there was much more to him than that.

At 6-10 and 240, by the standards of his day, he was a big, powerful center. And to be clear, he was a big, powerful center.

In 1970, the Finals went to seven games, but Reed battled Wilt Chamberlain on relatively even terms until his injury.

In this video, from Game 4, you can get a sense of his toughness.

Like Bill Russell, Reed was born in Louisiana, about 35 miles away from Russell’s hometown. And like Russell, he grew up in a racist environment that forced him to learn to be relentlessly tough.

He was always a tier below Chamberlain, Russell, Nate Thurmond and, later, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar talent-wise, but his will and his desire made him the equal of all of them. He remains the archetypal Knick to this day, largely because of games like this.

Go to the DBR Boards to find Blue Healer Auctions || Drop us a line