As if the Cubs didn’t have enough problems, right-hander Ben Brown was placed on the 15-day injured list today with a neck strain. The move is retroactive to Sunday.
Here are all the roster moves made by the Cubs today, per press release from the team:
The Chicago Cubs today selected the contract of right-handed pitcher Vince Velasquez and recalled right-handed pitcher Gavin Hollowell. In corresponding moves, right-handed pitcher Edward Cabrera has been placed on the 15-day injured list with a left hamstring strain, right-handed pitcher Ben Brown has been placed on the 15-day injured list with a neck strain (retroactive to June 21) and right-handed pitcher Eduarniel Nunez was designated for assignment. Additionally, right-handed pitcher Tyler Ferguson was appointed as the 27th man for today’s doubleheader against the New York Mets at Citi Field.
What we know is that Matthew Boyd is going to be activated from the injured list to start Thursday’s game against the Mets in New York.
Brown would have been on target to start Friday against the Brewers in Milwaukee. That start likely now goes to Colin Rea, who last pitched Saturday against the Blue Jays at Wrigley Field.
Beyond that I have no idea what the Cubs will do for starters for the Saturday and Sunday games in Milwaukee. With both Javier Assad and Shōta Imanaga going in the doubleheader today, neither would be available until at least Monday. That means likely another recall, or a bullpen game, or both.
The Philadelphia Flyers may have missed out on Bowen Byram, but the good news is that there are always more fish in the pond we call the NHL trade market.
As has the team themselves have said, the Flyers would like to upgrade on defense if possible, and while a veteran like John Carlson is still an option, what better way to do it than for the short and long-term?
Byram, 25, has long-term appeal, even if his next contract would have been an albatross on the Flyers in their current situation.
Another player who may be available, of similar age and skill, is surprisingly none other than Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Alexander Nikishin.
According to TSN NHL insider Darren Dreger, "Multiple teams have confirmed Carolina is considering trade involving Alexander Nikishin. The 24-year-old Stanley Cup champion is a pending RFA, so the Canes are weighing trade interest vs extension."
On a deep Hurricanes team, Nikishin won't get the top-four role he's capable of playing when stuck behind former Flyers defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere, K'Andre Miller, and Jaccob Slavin on the depth chart.
In Carolina, the Russian was, at best, a No. 5 defenseman with some serious talent and physicality, but with rare opportunity to fully harness those gifts.
The Flyers, on the other hand, just traded Emil Andrae in a package for Joseph Woll and Simon Benoit, and they want to get bigger and better on defense.
They have all the assets in the world to pull off a trade, even with a division rival (run by hometown hero Eric Tulsky), and they have all the money in the world to sign Nikishin to an extension.
A former captain of SKA St. Petersburg, Nikishin can do it all at both ends of the ice. He's long and mean and can use his size and strength to kill plays before they develo.
Offensively, Nikishin is poised, a willing and able shooter, and a plus in transition with his legs and passing.
Making the jump from the KHL straight to the NHL, Nikishin scored 11 goals, 22 assists, and 33 points in 81 games for the Hurricanes, but recorded only one assist in 17 playoff games in a reduced role.
Despite his age, Nikishin is still developing and improving as a player on North American ice, and that's just fine.
For the Flyers, there is a significant benefit to having Nikishin and Matvei Michkov--former teammates, mind you--in the same locker room, communicating with each other, learning together, and pushing to be the best NHLers they can be.
It's worth noting that Michkov had a up-and-down sophomore season following the departures of Russian teammates Ivan Fedotov and Egor Zamula.
Tulsky and Flyers GM Danny Briere have done business together in the past, with the Nick Deslauriers trade that effectively cost the Hurricanes nothing, and there would be mutual benefits for both sides depending on the final trade package.
Yes, the Hurricanes did knock the Flyers out of the playoffs, but this is still an opportunity for the Flyers to get bigger, younger, and better as a team.
AFP Analytics currently projects Nikishin to sign a six-year, $38.6 million extension ($6.44 million AAV), which is perfectly affordable for the Flyers and just barely above Travis Sanheim's $6.25 million cap hit in a rapidly rising salary cap climate.
If the Flyers are truly interested in Nikishin, there are no downsides, and it just comes down to getting a deal done.
Tuesday was one of the most exciting days of player movement in the NHL in a long, long time. There were several trades made, many including a star player and/or a first-round pick.
The salary cap is rising, and teams are motivated to make bold moves to improve their roster in pursuit of a Stanley Cup title.
The Boston Bruins did not participate in Tuesday’s action, and they have been very quiet so far this offseason.
In fact, the B’s have done pretty much nothing. They did trade prospect Andre Gasseau and a draft pick to the San Jose Sharks for two draft picks last week, but that’s a very minor move.
The Bruins’ inactivity is putting them in a tough position. Right now, they look like the fifth- or sixth-best team in a loaded Atlantic division. They appear, as currently constructed, destined to be fighting for a wild card playoff berth next season, with another first-round exit as the most likely outcome.
“(It’s) obviously an important time in the season for us,” Bruins general manager Don Sweeney said at his pre-draft press conference Wednesday. “And it’s been busy, obviously, around the league and chatter. I don’t think the transactions are going to stop between now and the timeframe in July.
“We’re eager to be participating, haven’t yet, I guess what we did with [Andre] Gasseau, but there’s been a lot of chatter so I expect things to continue in terms of player movement and stuff heading into the draft to be busy.”
They returned to the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season and took a big step toward becoming a good team again following a disastrous 2024-25 campaign. But maintaining their standing as a playoff team and inching closer to contender status could prove very difficult next season.
Why is that? Look no further than the Bruins’ rivals in the division.
Over the last few weeks, several of these teams have made substantial moves to change their roster and try to improve.
The Florida Panthers’ run of three straight trips to the Stanley Cup Final ended this past season due to injuries. But the Panthers should be a top contender again next season with a healthy roster, and they recently traded for a top-six power forward in Brady Tkachuk. Florida sent the Ottawa Senators three first-round picks (including No. 9 overall in Friday’s draft) and a second-rounder.
The Senators, who made the playoffs last season, wasted no time in using those assets to replace Tkachuk. They sent the No. 9 pick to the San Jose Sharks to acquire promising young William Eklund.
The Buffalo Sabres returned to the postseason in 2026 after a 15-year absence and defeated the Bruins in a six-game first-round series. They made a blockbuster deal with the Blackhawks on Tuesday that sent defenseman Bowen Byram to Chicago in exchange for the No. 4 overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, among other pieces involved. Buffalo can use the No. 4 pick to draft an elite prospect or trade it for a veteran star (maybe a goalie?).
Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images
The Sabres traded defenseman Bo Byram to the Blackhawks on Tuesday in a deal that sent the No. 4 pick to Buffalo.
The Tampa Bay Lightning finished second in the division last season, and their roster is much better than the Bruins’. It features the reigning Hart Trophy winner (Nikita Kucherov) and a Vezina Trophy finalist in net (Andre Vasilevskiy). The Montreal Canadiens reached the Eastern Conference Final after a 106-point regular season. After some tough years in Montreal, the Canadiens are back. Their roster is loaded with premium young talent signed to team-friendly contracts.
Even the Toronto Maple Leafs should be much better next season after winning the NHL Draft Lottery in May and signing the top free agent defenseman, Darren Raddysh, after trading for his rights.
Despite all of these rival teams being proactive in bolstering their rosters, Sweeney seems unconcerned with the strength of the division.
“Florida, obviously they had injuries last year. They were a good team prior, they’re a good team now,” Sweeney said. “Montreal just took a step, Detroit’s looking to take a step, Buffalo took a step, they just traded some players. The moving parts are there. Ultimately, you’re going to have to show up and win your games. I think we’re competitive within our division. We were last year. And you’re going to need to be, because you are playing those games more frequently than the others.
“I don’t think it’s to the point where you’re like, oh, our division is overwhelming us by any stretch. I think we’re perfectly fine to compete within our division, but we have to address some areas in order, to your point, to acknowledge that other teams have finished ahead of us right now.”
Teams outside the division have improved, too. The Washington Capitals missed the playoffs by just four points last season. Over the last 24 hours, they have made bold trades for two top-six forwards in Jordan Kyrou and Alex Tuch.
The most impactful moves the Bruins can make to improve the roster would be adding another top-six forward (preferably a center) and a top-four defenseman who plays on the right side of the blue line. Boston’s lack of speed and skill were obvious in the playoffs. Those upgrades aren’t going to come from within, at least not in 2026-27. Outside reinforcements are required, and the trade market is the place to make those deals.
“You have to be in the trade market at this time of the year,” Sweeney said. “I just don’t think you can be singularly focused on UFA and internal growth and expectation that somebody’s just going to take the job. You’ve got to go out and actively find some guys that your pro guys have identified can help you.”
Many of the Bruins’ core players are in the win-now stage of their careers. David Pastrnak is 30 years old. Pavel Zacha is 29. Charlie McAvoy is 28. Jeremy Swayman is 27. If the Bruins plan to win with these players, the clock is ticking.
“We’re trying to improve our hockey club,” Sweeney said. “We’re competitively driven as I said, our players are going to be impatient in that regard. Organizationally, we’ve tried to look at this as, what’s our window. We did a good job to get back and be competitive this year relative to where we were a year ago. We had some players, you know, young players get integrated and take steps. We’d like to add to the group, you know, so it has to be. Whether that’s in a move up or move back or if that’s in a player acquisition, you know, we have to be in the marketplace.”
The Bruins need to get in the marketplace ASAP and make some moves or the 2026-27 season could be lost before it even starts. There’s no worse position to be in than a fringe playoff team, and that’s exactly where the Bruins stand on June 24, 2026.
The Los Angeles Dodgers have taken the first two games from the Minnesota Twins, but will face their best starter in Wednesday night’s game.
Joe Ryan was pushed back from Tuesday’s start to give him a few days to rest after an illness. Ryan threw 97 pitches in his last outing, striking out seven and only walking two batters. However, that outing only lasted 5.0 innings. The Dodgers offense beat up on the Twins bullpen on Tuesday night, so the Twins would like to see him go much deeper into the game.
Over his last seven games, Ryan has only allowed 12 earned runs, walked five, while having a 0.96 WHIP. Overall, he has a 2.99 ERA on the season and could be making one of his last home starts for the Twins, as trade deadline rumors swirl around him.
It’s Wednesday, so of course that means its Shohei Ohtani Day on the mound. Ohtani took a pitch off his pitching hand on Tuesday, is still dealing with knee inflammation, and had a blister develop in his last start. Still, manager Dave Roberts said that he is good to go in both his capacities, as he will be hitting as well as pitching Wednesday.
Ohtani sits at a 1.47 ERA, and his last two outings have been a little rough. He had only allowed seven earned runs across his first 10 starts of the season but has allowed seven total over his last two outings.
The Dodgers offense finally erupted on Tuesday night, with each batter having at least one hit, and scoring 12 runs as a unit, as the Dodgers are still missing a bunch of their roster to assorted injuries.
Kyle Tucker will not be in the lineup on Wednesday, giving him more rest with the off day on Thursday and the hope is he will be ready for the Padres series this weekend. Tucker was removed from Monday’s game when Roberts noticed him wincing when he arrived at second base, and he is dealing with lower back pain. He could resume swinging a bat on Wednesday.
Dalton Rushing could return to the backstop on Wednesday, as he told Roberts he was good to go before Tuesday’s game.
One of the biggest potential free agents ahead of the 2026 NBA offseason is off the market before he reached it.
Los Angeles Lakers star Austin Reaves intends to sign a new max contract to remain with the team, according to multiplereports. Reaves and the Lakers have reportedly agreed to a 4-year, $185-million contract after he declined a $14.9-million player option for the 2026-27 season in his current deal.
Reaves, 28, went undrafted in 2021 after playing college basketball at Wichita State and Oklahoma, but latched on with the Lakers as a free agent. His scoring average has increased every year he's been in the NBA, culminating with a career-high 23.3 points per game this past season.
Reaves also averaged 5.5 assists and 4.7 rebounds, while shooting 49% from the field in 51 games during the 2025-26 campaign. He suffered an oblique injury late in the regular season that forced him to miss the beginning of the playoffs as well.
The Lakers now have both Reaves and star Luka Doncic signed as a backcourt tandem for at least the next two seasons. Doncic signed a new 3-year max contract extension with the Lakers in August 2025 that includes a player option for the 2028-29 season.
LeBron James still looms as a pending free agent for the Lakers this offseason, and center DeAndre Ayton and guard Marcus Smart each have player options they could exercise rather than enter NBA free agency.
Austin Reaves contract details
The 4-year, $185-million extension matches the maximum amount of money Reaves could have received from teams other than the Lakers had he chosen to enter free agency this year.
Here's a breakdown of how the annual salary breakdown of the contract could look, according to NBA salary cap reporter Keith Smith:
The Lakers and Austin Reaves agreed to a four-year maximum contract his new $185M contract. Here's how that deal will look:
Apr 11, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves city connect hat in the dugout against the Cleveland Guardians in the second inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images
With six games on the docket there was plenty of action to examine on Wednesday, so let’s dive into it all.
Despite leading this one 4-2 at one point, the Stripers bullpen faltered late as Gwinnett lost by a staggering 12-5 final on Tuesday.
Drue Hackenburg got the start and while he tossed five innings while striking out seven, Nashville tagged the righty for three runs earned on seven hits in the process. Across two starts at the triple-A level, Hackenburg has spun 10.1 innings while five earned runs and striking out 10 batters in the process.
At the plate, Jim Jarvis led the charge with a pair of doubles and a run scored and a walk to his credit. With his pair of doubles on Tuesday, Jarvis has tallied at least two hits in seven of his previous 11 contests.
Meanwhile the biggest swing of the night for Gwinnett came in the fifth inning as Brett Wisely — who went 4-4 on the night with a double — singled up the middle to plate a run.
Unfortunately, Nashville tagged the Stripers’ bullpen for five runs in the eighth inning to extend their lead to 12-5, which proved to be more than enough to keep Gwinnett at bay and secure the win.
(29-36) Columbus Clingstones 1, (36-33) Rocket City Trash Pandas 4
It was a rough go of it for Columbus on Tuesday, as the Clingstones didn’t get much production on the mound or at the plate in their 4-1 loss to Rocket City to move to seven games under .500 on the season, thus far.
Herick Hernandez got the start and got roughed up in what was a rare occurrence for the lefty. Across four innings of work, Hernandez was tagged with four earned runs on six hits and five walks in the process in his roughest start at the double-A level this season. Hopefully it’s just a blip on the radar for a guy who has been a welcomed surprise among Atlanta’s arms in the minors through the first few months.
At the plate, Hernandez didn’t exactly get a ton of support as the Clingstones were held to just one run on four hits on the night — with Jordan Groshans, who also tallied the lone RBI for Columbis and the only extra base hit — were limited to just one run in the process.
— Columbus Clingstones (@GoClingstones) June 24, 2026
Groshans RBI in the bottom of the fourth was the only meaningful offense in this one as Columbus was held scoresless for the next five at-bats in the loss.
While Gwinnett and Columbus combined for just six runs, Rome’s offense came out in stellar fashion on Wednesday as the Emperors plate 14 runs on just 10 hits to take the dominant win.
Before we get to the offensive performances, let’s take a look at Cam Caminiti who got the start in this one.
Across 4.1 innings of work, the lefty scattered three runs on three hits and walking three batters. However, he also struck out six across that same span. So far at high-A this year, Caminiti has not exactly been stellar. He has shown the ability to get outs when put into a pinch, but he hasn’t been that dominant either. Hopefully he finds more of his elite stuff that made him a first-round selection in the near future.
At the plate, four Emperors registered at least two hits on the night with Dixon Williams leading the way — more on him late.
Eric Hartman totaled a pair of RBI on the night, as did John Gil who also doubled on Wednesday as well. Owen Carey also had an underrated night as he drove in a pair of runs and scored twice in the process as well for Rome.
The bigges offensive blow of the night — which ultimately sealed the deal in this one — came off the bat of Williams, who took a 1-0 fastball down and in and pulled it over the right field wall for a grand slam in the bottom of the eighth, putting the Emperors up 14-5, which was more than enough to seal the deal.
Augusta just didn’t have it on Wednesday as the GreenJackets fell by a 9-2 final on the night.
Carter Holton made his third start of the season for Augusta and things went from bad to worse for the lefty. In his second start on June 16, the lefty gave up five earned runs on just four innings pitched in what was hoped to be just a fluke after returning for a rehab stint.
However, Holton followed that outing up with a 4.2 inning performance of six earned runs allowed on eight hits on Wednesday. Hopefully he just needs a bit more time to tune back up following his injury, but it’s not a great sign for the 2024 second round pick.
While they only scored two runs on Wednesday, there were a handful of significant offensive performances from the GreenJackets in the loss.
Luis Guanipa went 2-4 with an RBI and a walk, while Cooper McMurray went 3-3 with a double and a walk to his credit as well.
However, the largest swing of this one for Augusta came courtesy of Cody Miller who launched his sixth homer in eight games for the GreenJackets. With the offensive output, Miller raised his season OPS to .868 on the year for Atlanta’s low-A squad thus far.
Victor Duarte somehow spun a decent start in this one.
Despite giving up five runs and two walks in 3.1 innings, Duarte managed to strikeout seven batters in the process for the FCL squad.
At the plate, Diego Tornes went 2-5 with a double and an RBI, while second baseman Juan Elejandro also doubled but drove in three RBI to his credit as well.
The other significant offensice performance came from first baseman Johan Rodriguez who walked and drove in a run in the process as well.
(4-13) DSL Braves 15, (7-10) DSL LAD Bautista 2
Sherrintley Da Costa Gomez, LF: 2-3, 3 RBI, 2 R, 2 BB
The DSL Braves notched just their fourth win of the season on Wednesday by routing the Los Angeles Dodgers Bautista squad by a 15-2 final.
Starter Martires Polanco gave the team a fighting chance despite giving up five walks in three innings pitched. He also gave up three hits but struck out four as well.
At the plate, Sherrintley Da Costa Gomez continued to impress with his approach as he went 2-3 with three RBI and a pair of runs scored and a pair of walks as well to his credit. With Wednesday’s outing, Da Costa Gomez raised his OPS to 1.191 which leads the entire DSL sqad.
Top international signee Jose Manon tallied three hits in the process while scoring four times in the process as well.
All in all it was an incredibly successful offensive performance from the DSL hitters in this one as the squad registered just their fourth win of the season to this point.
Milano-Cortina competitors will be first to be paid
The International Olympic Committee has broken with 130 years of tradition by deciding to pay athletes to compete at the Olympic Games.
Starting with the recent Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, all competitors will be entitled to a $10,000 (£7,600) grant from the IOC regardless of whether they are NBA stars or on the poverty line.
On this day 36 years ago, Dan Pasqua’s 10th-inning homer pulled the upstart White Sox to within a game of first place in the AL West. | (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
1914 In a telegram discovered in 2012, White Sox owner Charles Comiskey told scout GeorgeMills that the asking price for pitcher Babe Ruth was too high at $16,000.
At the time, Ruth was playing for the minor league Baltimore Orioles. Comiskey had sent Mills to scout the best Orioles players on June 9. Millsgave Comiskeya list of six players he thought were the best, with Ruth among them. He later revealed that Jack Dunn, the Orioles owner, said Ruth could be had himself for $16,000 cash. In the telegram, Comiskeyreplied, “Do not need pitchers bad enough to go that high price.”
The White Sox thus joined the Cincinnati Reds and the Philadelphia A’s in turning down chances to get Ruth, who was eventually was sold to the Red Sox. Comiskeylater would try to get Ruth before the start of the 1920 season, offering Joe Jackson and cash to Boston —to no avail, as the Red Sox sold Ruth to the Yankees.
1915 The White Sox outlasted Cleveland, 5-4, in 19 innings. Red Faber pitched 11 innings of three-hit, shutout ball — IN RELIEF — to earn the win. The White Sox took the lead with two outs in the top of the 19th, as Buck Weaver singled and Eddie Collins doubled him home.
After going down, 2-0, in the first and trailing all game, the White Sox had struck for three in the eighth and then invited this extra-innings odyssey when Guy Morton walked Happy Felsch with two outs in the ninth, forcing the tying run home.
This game tied with 19-inning affairs in 1951 and 2006 for fifth-longest in White Sox history. The White Sox have won all three 19-inning games they’ve played, and this was the only such game that didn’t come against the Boston Red Sox.
1956 It was probably the biggest White Sox weekend of the 1950s.
Two days earlier the White Sox had started what was an unheard-of four-game sweep of the Yankees, winning on Friday, 5-4, in 12 innings. On Saturday, the Sox shut out the Bombers, 2-0. Then on Sunday, before almost 48,000 fans, the Sox took a pair, closing to within one game of first place.
Larry Doby would hit a pair of three-run shots in the twin bill, helping to account for the 14-2 and 6-3 wins. He went 5-for-7 with six runs and six RBIs.
Fans by the hundreds poured on to the field during the second game, simply to get the chance to shake players’ hands and run around the outfield. Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley came out and said that the Sox would be in the World Series that fall. Of course, they weren’t … but the White Sox did finish the season at 85-69, good for third place.
1963 Going 2-for-2, including a solo home run that tied a game the White Sox would end up winning, 5-2, rookie Pete Ward extended his hitting streak to 18 games. It would end up being the longest hitting streak in the American League that season.
Ward kept his string going in front of a packed crowd of 42,748 at Comiskey Park watching the second-place Sox try to catch the AL-leading Yankees. With another win the next game, on June 25, the White Sox did just that in spite of Ward going 0-for-3.
During the streak (from June 7-24, hitting .382), Ward raised his batting average from .277 to .303, as the White Sox won 11 of 18. At the time, the rookie’s hitting streak was tied for the 22nd-longest in team history, and today it still ranks in a tied for 36th.
1969 In the second game of a doubleheader in Seattle, White Sox third baseman Bill Melton slugged three consecutive home runs (in the second, fourth and sixth innings) in a 7-6 win. All were solo blasts. Ed Herrmann’s home run in the top of the ninth was the deciding factor. As a club, the White Sox hit five homers in the game.
The Sox took the first game as well, winning 6-4, with relief pitcher Wilbur Wood picking up wins in both games. Wood allowed only two hits in 5 2⁄3 innings of work between the two games.
Amazingly, this marked the second game (in less than three months) in which the White Sox hit five homers at Seattle’s Sick Stadium, in the only year it was used as a major-league ballpark.
1972 Behind the inspired play of Dick Allen,Wilbur Wood, Stan Bahnsen, Rich Gossage, Terry Forster and Carlos May, the Sox were in the middle of a pennant chase when the bizarre injury curse struck again.
During the previous offseason third baseman Bill Melton had fallen off of a ladder, damaging his back. The defending American League home run champion had been playing in pain ever since, and on this day was put on the injured list and lost for the rest of the year when it was discovered he had a herniated disk. For the season, he only played in 57 games with seven home runs and 30 RBIs.
The reason he was on the ladder? Somehow his young son got up on the garage roof!
The Sox would finish 5 1⁄2 games behind the Oakland A’s, with a record of 87-67.
1973 It almost tied a club record: In the second game of a doubleheader at Comiskey Park, White Sox catcher Ed Herrmann drove in seven runs in a 11-1 win over the A’s. Herrmann went 3-for-4 with a three-run home run, two-run double and two-run single.
1977 It was an embarrassing moment for White Sox outfielder Ralph Garr and, as it turned out, a costly one for the team. In the third inning of a game in Minnesota, Garr hit what appeared to be a three-run home run. However, as he was running the bases, he passed catcher Jim Essian, who waited at first base to make sure the ball was in fact a home run. Garr was watching the ball, and got called out for passing the runner and awarded a two-run single.
The Sox wound up losing the game, 7-6.
1990 In another example of the upstart White Sox not going away any time soon, Dan Pasqua blasted a 10th-inning homer in Oakland off of A’s ace (and chief Chicago agitator) Dave Stewart. The win improved the White Sox to 41-25 and within one game of Oakland in the AL West.
After Bobby Thigpen blew a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the ninth on a Dave Henderson homer with two outs and two strikes to send the game to extras, Pasqua led off the 10th with his blast, going the other way and deep to left field. Stewart would end up going the distance in taking the loss by throwing all 10 innings and using 134 pitches, in case you thought former White Sox skipper Tony La Russa wasn’t taking his former team seriously.
Melido Perez was even more brilliant than Stewart in the game, outpacing him with a 79 game score and eight scoreless innings. The win was a fourth of eight straight for the White Sox, and also completed a full sweep of two West Coast series (needs to be confirmed, but this could be the only full sweep of two or more West Coast series in White Sox history).
1991 Holding a 2-1 lead over Seattle in the eighth inning, the White Sox iced the game with a grand slam from Frank Thomas — the first of 11 he would hit in his career. Thomas added a double in the game, going 2-for-4 with five RBIs.
The White Sox had been lingering around .500 for about a month despite a strong start to the season and expected division title-contention in 1991. This win got the White Sox back on a roll, although they ended the season in second place and at a disappointing 87-75, eight games out.
2017 It was Mark Buehrle Day at Guaranteed Rate Field, as the White Sox honored the lefthander by retiring his No. 56.
Buehrleplayed 12 seasons with the Sox, winning 161 games including a perfect game against Tampa and a no-hitter against Texas. He also won two postseason games and saved another. He was a three-time All-Star, who won the 2005 contest.
Buehrlealso was a model of consistency, with 11 straight years with the White Sox winning in double figures, starting 30 or more games and throwing at least 200 innings.
In the July 2025 during ceremonies for the 2005 World Series anniversary, a statue of Buehrle to cement him as an all-time team legend would be revealed.
In the game played on that day, three Oakland A’s hit their first career home runs (Franklin Barreto, Matt Olson, Jacob Brugman) — the first time that had happened in MLB since 1914.
With 41 days remaining until Major League Baseball’s Aug. 3 trade deadline, the market will remain remarkably fluid, with teams dipping in and out of contention, injuries creating unforeseen needs and player performance greatly affecting market value.
The big prize? There might be no big prize, so long as the Detroit Tigers remain sentient and free-agent-to-be Tarik Skubal remains in Motown. The Tigers crawled within 10 games of the .500 mark this week, making it more than conceivable they’ll be at least treading water come deadline time.
USA TODAY Sports will keep track of the latest rumblings in the market all the way until the buzzer sounds Aug. 3:
Sonny Gray might be best starter available
The starting pitcher pool may be getting a significant upgrade. Boston Red Sox right-hander Sonny Gray confirmed to the Boston Globe that he would be "open to a conversation" if the club approached him to waive his no-trade clause.
It only makes sense: The Red Sox are floundering at 32-45 and Gray is in the final year of his contract, though he does have a 2027 player option. And he’s pitching exceptionally well: He’s 9-1 with a 2.95 ERA and just threw seven innings of one-run ball at Coors Field.
A significant question is whether Boston would be willing to dangle Gray immediately, which could enhance their return in allowing the trading team to enjoy his services an extra six weeks before the deadline.
Trade partners to be in short supply
Clarity will be hard to come by on this market.
Because so many teams are near contention, defining buyers and sellers will remain difficult right up until the deadline. A high-ranking baseball official for a contending team told USA TODAY Sports that teams are currently assessing their place in the market, and the tightly-bunched standings remain the biggest impediment to trade action.
Giants aren’t a teardown
While his accountability session with reporters was largely viewed as a debacle, Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey did set a few parameters for what’s expected to be a significant selloff by the Bay.
Most notably: Logan Webb will not be traded.
Webb has been fantastic of late, completing at least seven innings in four consecutive starts, and he’s signed on a reasonable deal through 2028. But Posey says he won’t be dealing Webb, indicating the Giants aren’t stripping the house down to the studs.
So, good luck with everything else: Rafael Devers is still owed more than $200 million, Posey granted California native Matt Chapman a full no-trade clause and Willy Adames remains below league average at the plate with $140 million due from 2027-31.
So, just how much can a singles hitter like Luis Arraez fetch?
The better news: Robbie Ray made his case as the best lefty available on the market with eight innings and no earned runs given up against the Athletics, lowering his ERA to a fathomable 3.70.
CINCINNATI, OHIO - JUNE 17: Nolan McLean #26 of the New York Mets pitches in the fourth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on June 17, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Mets lineup
Carson Benge – RF A.J. Ewing – CF Bo Bichette – SS Jared Young – 1B Francisco Alvarez – DH Brett Baty – 3B Marcus Semien – 2B MJ Melendez – LF Luis Torrens – C
SP: Nolan McLean – RHP
Cubs lineup
Pete Crow-Armstrong – CF Michael Conforto – RF Michael Busch – 1B Seiya Suzuki – DH Ian Happ – LF Nico Hoerner – 2B Pedro Ramirez – 3B Miguel Amaya – C Dansby Swanson – SS
SP: Javier Assad – RHP
Broadcast info
First pitch: 1:10 PM EDT TV: SNY Radio: Audacy Mets Radio WHSQ 880AM, Audacy App, 92.3 HD2
For the second straight game, Manny Machado hit a walk off game-winner for the Padres (41-37) to beat the Braves (48-30). San Diego won 7-6 in the 10th inning behind Machado's effort.
San Diego will go for the sweep at home and attempt to build on its 3-1 record over the last four games. The Padres offense has struggled in June with a .224 batting average (26th) and the fourth-fewest home runs (20). Luckily, the pitching staff has been superb with a 3.73 ERA (3rd) and converted all four save opportunities.
Atlanta has lost three straight games, six of the past eight, and nine of the last 12. The Braves are in their worst stretch of the season and three consecutive losses is tied for a season-high. Atlanta is hitting .225 (25th) in the month of June with the second-fewest home runs (18) and fewest walks (43).
Let’s dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game details & how to watch Braves at Padres
Date: Wednesday, June 24, 2026
Time: 8:40 PM EST
Site: Petco Park
City: San Diego, CA
Network/Streaming: MLB TV
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Braves at the Padres
The latest odds as of Wednesday:
Moneyline: Atlanta Braves (-120), San Diego Padres (+100)
Spread: Padres +1.5 (-166), Braves -1.5 (+137)
Total: 8.0
Probable starting pitchers for Braves at Padres
Wednesday's pitching matchup (June 24): JP Sears vs. Martin Perez
The Braves’ Michael Harris II is hitting .310 with 81 hits, 14 home runs and 42 RBI over 261 at-bats
The Braves’ Austin Riley is hitting .216 with 61 hits and 92 strikeouts over 283 at-bats
The Padres’ Fernando Tatis Jr. is hitting .286 with 85 hits, 3 home runs, and 28 RBI over 297 at-bats
The Padres’ Jackson Merrill is hitting .215 with 62 hits and 77 strikeouts over 289 at-bats
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Braves at Padres
Atlanta is 43-35 ATS, ranking tied for seventh-best
San Diego is 43-35 ATS, ranking tied for seventh-best
Atlanta is 38-34-6 to the Over, ranking 10th-best
San Diego is 43-34-1 to the Under, ranking second-best
Atlanta is 24-16 ATS on the road, ranking fourth-best
San Diego is 22-18 ATS at home, ranking 10th-best
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Braves and the Padres
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Wednesday's game between the Braves and the Padres:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Braves on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Braves at -1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Over on the Game Total of 8.0
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We have a ton of value to attack this evening, so here are my favorite MLB player props for June 24, led by Ketel Marte and Nick Kurtz.
Best MLB player props today
Player
Pick
Odds
Ketel Marte
Over 1.5 total bases
-126
Nick Kurtz
Over 1.5 hits + runs + RBI
-123
Brice Turang
Over 1.5 total bases
+106
Ketel Marte Over 1.5 total bases (-126)
Mr. Ketel Marte was the first bet I locked in this morning. The Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman has been seeing the ball extremely well over his last 60 plate appearances against southpaws, posting a .680 SLG and 1.047 OPS while generating 65% hard hit and a 13% barrel rate.
He also brings a 70% arsenal coverage edge against St. Louis Cardinals left-hander Matthew Liberatore, whose pitch mix grades out 85% below league average.
Liberatore has also been getting tagged by right-handed hitters, with the last 60 he has faced producing a 49% hard hit rate, an 18.6% barrel rate, and a 62.8% elevation rate. Those hitters are sitting at a .357 xBA, a .671 xSLG, and a .427 xwOBA in that span.
When Marte owns an elite rating on Batters-Box, he clears this prop 53.38% of the time across a 133-game sample. I would not want to pay anything above this current number; shop around and look for a boost.
Time: 7:45 p.m. ET
Where to watch: CARD, ARID
Nick Kurtz Over 1.5 hits + runs + RBI (-123)
Get ready to drool all over yourself as I lay out some delicious numbers on the Athletics' young star Nick Kurtz.
He checks in with an elite rating on Batters-Box, including 100% arsenal coverage against San Francisco starter Tyler Mahle. In 48 elite road ratings, Kurtz clears this prop nearly 71% of the time, while also leaving the yard 25% of the time in those spots.
Mahle leans heavily on his fastball at nearly 50% usage, a profile that should have hitters salivating. Even more concerning, roughly half of his pitch mix grades below league average.
Left-handed hitters have also given him issues of late, with the last 60 he has faced elevating the ball 60% of the time while posting a .505 expected slugging.
Kurtz has been on a tear all season, and over his last 30 plate appearances against right-handed pitching, he is sitting at a .346 average, .615 slug, 1.048 OPS, with a 53.3% hard-hit rate and a 13.3% barrel rate.
Get the best number and do not lay anything past -130 on this prop.
Time: 9:45 p.m. ET
Where to watch: NBCSBA, NBCSCA
Brice Turang Over 1.5 total bases (+106)
I may just be fading future country singer Rhett Lowder to kickstart that career, or this may just be the right spot to back Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Brice Turang to go over his bases prop this evening in the small park.
The Cincinnati Reds' starter has been allowing a 60% elevation rate to lefties at home. Over his last 60 left-handed hitters faced, he has allowed a 40% hard hit rate, 15% barrel rate, and 65% elevation rate, while also carrying a .311 xBA, .627 xSLG, and .397 xwOBA in that split.
Turang enters with an elite rating in Batters-Box’s current season dataset, and he also brings 86.2% arsenal coverage against Lowder’s pitch mix, which sits 46% below league average, per FanGraphs.
The 26-year-old has shown strong percentage gains across key underlying metrics in this current stretch, which only sharpens the appeal of this matchup.
Take this down to even money, no need to pay any juice.
Time: 7:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: BREW, CINR
Colby Marchio's 2026 Transparency Record
Prop picks: 236-436-36, -7.5 units
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
CINCINNATI, OH - JUNE 15: Jonathan Pintaro #91 of the New York Mets pitches during the game between the New York Mets and the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on Monday, June 15, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Colten Strauss/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Mets recalled Jonathan Pintaro to be the 27th man on their roster ahead of Wednesday’s doubleheader against the Cubs at Citi Field.
The right-hander has now been promoted to the majors four times in the past five weeks, but he’s only appeared in four games this season, posting a 2.61 ERA in 10.1 innings pitched with nine strikeouts and one walk. His most recent outing came on June 15, when he ate 3.2 innings of the Mets’ 12-0 blowout loss in Cincinnati before being optioned the following day. Prior to that appearance, Pintaro had allowed just one hit in 6.2 innings of work.
According to the 27th-man doubleheader rule, Pintaro will be optioned following Wednesday night’s game. Typically, a pitcher can’t be recalled for 15 days after being optioned, but that 15-day window doesn’t apply in this case – so Pintaro could still be eligible to return to the major league roster at any point in the coming weeks.
Pintaro last pitched in Syracuse on Saturday, so he should be able to provide multiple innings for a Mets bullpen forced to cover 5.1 innings in Tuesday night’s loss. Nolan McLean will start Game 1 at 1:10 p.m. ET, while Sean Manaea will start Game 2 at 7:10 p.m. ET.
The Lakers entered the offseason wanting to add depth to their roster.
They wanted to get more athletic.
And they wanted to add elements of youth.
By trading up in the draft order with the Knicks, the Lakers selected Baylor wing Cameron Carr with the No. 24 pick in the first round of the NBA Draft on Tuesday night — accomplishing all three of their key goals.
The Lakers chose Baylor guard Cameron Carr with the No. 24 overall pick in the 2026 NBA draft. AP Photo/Adam Hunger
Carr averaged 18.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.3 blocks in 33.7 minutes across 34 games in his lone season at Baylor in 2025–26 after spending two years at Tennessee.
Before Tuesday, Cameron Carr wasn’t expected to still be available when the Lakers were on the clock.
Most mock drafts from major media publications projected Carr to be selected just outside of the lottery, between picks 15–20.
Carr (right) averaged 18.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.3 blocks in 33.7 minutes across 34 games last season. Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Where Carr stands out
Carr’s 3-point shooting and athleticism are his clearest strengths that should immediately translate from college to the NBA.
He shot 37.4% from beyond the arc with the Bears last season, including over 40% on catch-and-shoot 3s, while attempting 6.1 3s per game.
And while standstill shooting is a strength, it isn’t the only time Carr proves dangerous from beyond the arc: He’s a threat spotting up, relocating, curling off screens, and even showed potential as a pull-up 3-point shooter in college.
Carr showed he knows how to leverage his threat as a 3-point shooter into easier scoring opportunities inside the arc, where he shot 60.2%.
He thrived with attacking closeouts or cutting into open space near the rim after defenders pressed up on him too much, using his athleticism to explode for dunks.
Carr had the second-fastest lane agility time (10.46 seconds), second-highest standing vertical leap (38 inches), and third-highest max vertical leap (42 ½ inches) at the NBA combine last month. He uses his explosive athleticism and length in functional ways as a threat in the open floor and above-the-rim finisher/lob threat when he has space in front of him.
Even though he has several areas of improvements on the defensive end of the floor, Carr showed he can at least be a defensive disruptor by using his vertical pop and length (7 ¼-foot wingspan was the longest among players 6-foot-6 or shorter at the combine) to block shots.
Carr has showed the high-end athleticism needed to thrive in today’s NBA. Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Where Carr needs to improve
The biggest areas the 6-foot-5 Carr needs to address are his strength and frame.
He weighed 184.4 pounds at the combine, which was the lightest among all players who measured at least 6-foot-3.
Carr’s lack of strength hurts him on both ends of the floor.
He can get bumped off of his driving lanes pretty easily, making it harder for him to finish at the rim, and he can get bumped easily when trying to guard bigger guards and forwards — the types of players he’ll be expected to defend in the NBA — making it challenging for him to stay in front of his assignment.
Carr will need to get stronger and improve his physicality to be a viable point-of-attack defender at the NBA level.
His shotblocking in college showcased his use of timing and instincts in conjunction with his length and athleticism. With more consistent effort and attentiveness, those elements should show up in other areas on defense.
Offensively, he wasn’t a true creator for himself or others for a variety of reasons: The lack of strength; not having much wiggle in his handle; not reading defenses the best (though he’ll make the simple pass).
While Carr’s skillset appears NBA ready, he must improve his strength if he wants to find similar success in the league. Getty Images
Fit/Expectations
The Lakers are as good a fit for Carr as any NBA team since they have the playmakers, led by superstar guard Luka Dončić, who’ll create easier looks for him as he takes on a lower-usage role than he had at Baylor.
Dončić will create the spot-up 3s Carr thrived with during college, as well as connect with the uber-athletic Carr on alley-oops and cuts to the basket.
If free agents Austin Reaves and/or LeBron James return to the Lakers, there will be even more playmakers who’ll allow Carr to focus on his strengths as an off-ball scorer.
Carr will be given chances to prove his worth early in his rookie season as a spot-up shooter. NBAE via Getty Images
The Lakers could use more defensive proficiency on the wings, but Carr has the tools to be a positive on that end of the floor if he gets stronger and provides consistent effort.
Carr should be in the mix for a spot in the rotation at the start of the season depending on what happens with the rest of the Lakers’ offseason. At the very least, he’ll be a viable depth option.
Draft grade: B+
Carr’s lack of strength, and how that affects his upside on both ends of the floor, is the biggest swing factor for his career.
But his 3-point shooting, cutting, slashing, length and athleticism should make him an impactful player from Day 1 as he develops his body.
Drafting a player of his caliber late in the first round was great value for the Lakers even with the clear areas of improvement.
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Rick Brunson needs to see a longer body of work before he is ready to crown his son.
Soon after the Knicks won Game 5 of the Finals to secure their first championship since 1973, Rick went viral for going out of his way to make it clear that he does not yet think Jalen Brunson is the best-ever Knick. Brunson had just delivered a Finals masterpiece for the ages, scoring 45 of the Knicks’ 94 points.
“I love my son,” Rick said on ESPN not long after the final buzzer. “Patrick Ewing is the best Knick that I’ve ever witnessed.”
Rick (l.) and Jalen Brunson (r.) with Mariska Hargitay (c.) on a float during the Knicks’ championship parade on June 18, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Rick expanded on that sentiment and explained why the claims from a plethora of fans that Brunson had elevated above any other Knick were premature.
“You have to understand we strive for perfection,” Rick told New York Magazine. “I’ve always pushed him. I’m going to continue to push him. People get caught up in the things he’s done in a short period of time, which is tremendous. I mean, look, I’m a proud father, but you have to do this for a long time to be great. I tell him that all the time. You can’t take away from the great ones — the Walt Fraziers, the Willis Reeds, the Patrick Ewings. They did it for a long period of time. So we still have a long way to go, but we’ll get there.
“You always think about next season. That’s how his mind works. We want to get back to where we were this season and hopefully have a chance to compete for another championship. You want more.”
Patrick Ewing (l.) and Rick Brunson (r.) during the Knicks’ championship parade on June 18, 2026. GC Images
Rick was teammates with Ewing during his two brief stints with the Knicks as a player.
Ewing has all the franchise’s statistical records and carried them through an iconic ‘90s era that fell just short of a title. Frazier was the engine of the two previous championship teams — in 1970 and ‘73 — and the King of Cool who later became a beloved announcer for the team. Reed was the anchor of those two championship teams, winning Finals MVP both times along with the NBA MVP award in ‘70 and delivered one of the most iconic moments in league history.
One thing they all have in common is their longevity, not just in the league but with the Knicks specifically. Right now, that’s something that Brunson does not yet have.
“Patrick Ewing, obviously, [that] I witnessed, is the greatest right now,” Rick said previously on “CBS Mornings.” “All-time leading rebounder, points, he has all the stats. But just the type of person Pat was, the type of teammate he was, the work ethic was similar. Pat was the hardest working guy we had and he was the best player.
“Pat did it for 15 years, Jalen did it for four. I don’t rank these players by championships, although it’s great. Pat’s always been a champion in my book. As of today, Big Fella is my favorite.”
Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images
Ketel Marte
Nick Kurtz
Brice Turang
