PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 30: The sneakers worn by Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers during the game against the Boston Celtics during Round One Game Six of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 30, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
We're just days out from the 2026 NBA Draft, and with that the trade rumors are coming in hot. Here is a roundup of some of the latest talk and speculation around the Association.
Celtics, Spurs among teams linked to Isaiah Stewart
The Detroit Pistons have to pay Jalen Duren this summer. Combine that with how Paul Reed showed out in the playoffs, and the Pistons are making physical defensive center Isaiah Stewart available this summer, something first reported by Sam Amick at The Athletic.
It makes sense for Boston, which is looking to upgrade its front line heading into a season where it expects to contend for a title. Stewart would be a defensive upgrade and bring some needed physicality to the Celtics. San Antonio is looking for a physical presence who can both play alongside Victor Wembanyama at times and serve as a solid backup big. Miami needs talent up front (especially if they have to trade Kel'el Ware in a Giannis Antetokounmpo deal), while the Bucks need talent everywhere.
Stewart, at 6'8", is a very physical defensive presence in the paint who blocked 1.6 shots per game last season and held players to a league best 43.8% shooting at the rim when he was the primary defender. He's not much of an offensive player, but he did average 10 points a game on 55% shooting last season.
Celtics discussed Gobert trade
As noted above, and with all due respect to Neemias Queta (who had a solid season for Boston), the Celtics knew they needed an upgrade at center if they planned to contend last season with Jayson Tatum back, and they still need that going into this coming season.
That led the Celtics to ask the Timberwolves about Rudy Gobert at the February trade deadline, reports Fischer at The Stein Line. The idea was likely at its core a Derrick White for Gobert swap. Fischer notes Minnesota is not actively shopping Gobert, but their GM, Tim Connelly, is aggressive and at least open to considering an unexpected trade.
Minnesota eyes other trades
With Donte DiVincenzo out for much, if not all, of next season, the Timberwolves are looking for wing and guard depth — that's why they like Boston's White.
They also have their eyes on Josh Giddey, reports Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News. Take this one with a grain of salt. Giddey needs to have the ball in his hands to be effective, and Minnesota doesn't want to take the ball out of Anthony Edwards' hands. Plus, Giddey does not come cheap, he is just entering the second season of a four-year, $100 million contract. Hard to imagine Minnesota making that move.
Fischer adds this interesting note: Minnesota has been more open to putting Julius Randle in trade talks than Gobert, while Jaden McDaniels and Naz Reid remain "off-limits."
Grizzlies hope Morant becomes Plan B
It's no secret that the Memphis Grizzlies are looking to trade Ja Morant this summer. They tried to find a deal at the February trade deadline — when they sent Jaren Jackson Jr. to Utah — but nothing emerged. This summer, the Grizzlies are hoping that Morant becomes the "Plan B" for a team that strikes out in the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes, reports Sam Amick at The Athletic. Miami is the obvious name here, although the Heat remain the frontrunner to land Antetokounmpo if he's dealt.
"The only two teams I have heard and I will pick one of them is New Orleans and Sacramento. I will probably push it the New Orleans way."
New Orleans wants to win now, and pairing Morant with Zion Williamson would be an interesting dynamic (at least for the handful of games when both are healthy during a season). Sacramento is resetting from its older core and Morant, 26, could be a key part of that.
Other Trade Rumors
• Boston has its eyes on Trey Murphy III and may try to make a deal for the New Orleans two-way wing. The Celtics could throw a couple of first-round picks in a deal.
• Portland reportedly would like to get in the Jaylen Brown sweepstakes if Boston makes him available. Except, right now, he's not really available. Maybe in an Antetokounmpo trade (Boston would want that straight up), but don't bet on Boston just shopping the All-NBA player coming off the best season of his career.
"I always need shooters around me because normally they double me quite a lot, so I think that I need shooters and some centers that jump a lot, defend, and put up blocks."
The Lakers know the blueprint and are looking for those kinds of players, but the supply side of that equation is making things difficult.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 15: Jonathan Aranda #8 of the Tampa Bay Rays before a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on June 15, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ryan Sun/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Jun 14, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Kyle Harrison (52) throws a pitch during the second inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images
Yesterday’s series-opening loss between the Brewers and Braves was a pitchers’ duel, with Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski squaring off against veteran left-hander Martín Perez. Unfortunately for hitters on both sides, today’s contest will feature another marquee pitching matchup: Kyle Harrison (8-1, 2.47 ERA) against Braves ace Chris Sale (8-5, 2.30 ERA).
Harrison has been consistently dominant in his first season with the Brewers. The lone blemish on his resume came on June 8 against the A’s, when he was tagged for eight runs in 2 1/3 innings. Outside of that outing, he has not allowed more than two runs in any start this season.
Sale, now in his sixteenth season in the big leagues, has aged like a fine wine. The nine-time All-Star captured the pitching Triple Crown and his first Cy Young Award in 2024, then followed that campaign with a 2.58 ERA and 1.066 WHIP across 20 starts in 2025. If both pitchers perform as expected, today’s game should be another low-scoring affair.
Jake Bauers (.765 OPS vs. LHP, .916 OPS vs. RHP) is out of today’s lineup against the left-handed Sale. The top of the order features Jackson Chourio, Brice Turang, and William Contreras, with designated hitter Gary Sánchez hitting cleanup. Andrew Vaughn (1.429 OPS vs. LHP, .691 OPS vs. RHP) is hitting fifth and playing first base. Rounding out the bottom of the order are right fielder Blake Perkins, center fielder Garrett Mitchell, shortstop Cooper Pratt, and third baseman Joey Ortiz.
In some news unrelated to today’s game, MLB.c0m Brewers beat writer Adam McCalvy reported this morning that manager Pat Murphy will be undergoing surgery for a ruptured disk in his back on Thursday. Thursday is an off day for the Crew, so Murphy doesn’t anticipate missing any time. Per McCalvy, Murphy will also be undergoing hip surgery on the first day of next month’s All-Star break.
How are you planning to spend the Brewers’ off day on Thursday? Pat Murphy will spend it having surgery for a ruptured disc in his back.
As usual, today’s game will be televised on Brewers.TV, with radio broadcasts available on WTMJ 620 and the Brewers Radio Network. First pitch is set for 3:10 p.m.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 13: Trevor McDonald #72 of the San Francisco Giants pitches against the Chicago Cubs in the top of the first inning at Oracle Park on June 13, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s time for Game 2 between the San Francisco Giants and Miami Marlins. And it’s time for weekend baseball! It’s a battle of right-handed pitchers, as Trevor McDonald (2-4, 4.64 ERA) faces off with Max Meyer (7-0, 2.75 ERA).
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - JUNE 19: CJ Abrams #5 of the Washington Nationals celebrates with third base coach Victor Estevez #7 after hitting a home run in the second inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on June 19, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Nats dropped the first game of the Rays series in a fairly sleepy contest. In each of the last two games, the Nats ferocious offense has been quiet. They will look to bounce back and avoid a rare series loss. As we saw last night though, this Rays team is a tough nut to crack.
With a lefty opener, Blake Butera is making some lineup changes. Curtis Mead and Andres Chaparro are both in the lineup at third and first base. James Wood will move to DH, meaning Daylen Lile, Jacob Young and Dylan Crews will be in the outfield. After being scratched due to illness yesterday, Cade Cavalli feels better and will toe the rubber this afternoon.
The Rays only have one personnel change. We will see Victor Mesa Jr. for the first time. He will replace Jonny DeLuca. Other than that it is the same group, though Cedric Mullins will be higher in the lineup. It will be a bullpen game for the Rays, with Ian Seymour starting things off.
Rays 6/20
Y. Díaz DH J. Aranda 1B C. Mullins CF J. Caminero 3B R. Palacios 2B C. Simpson LF V. Mesa Jr. RF H. Feduccia C T. Walls SS
The Nats have done a good job staying consistent and not having many large losing streaks. They will look to stay resilient today and get back in the win column. To do so, they will need to take advantage of their chances. Follow along in the comments down below and let’s go Nats.
CJ Kayfus hit a three-run homer in the first game but Steven Perez got lit up in relief.
Bo Naylor went 2 for 4 with two homers including an inside-the-parker to walk it off, where the Railriders’ outfielder seemed to forget what the score was. Oops. Franco Aleman had another scoreless outing.
Ralphy Velazquez has raised his Triple-A OPS to .700… now to see if he can take the next step.
The Flyers traded Deslauriers to the Hurricanes ahead of the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline. In the end, the move certainly paid off for the 35-year-old forward, as he is now a Stanley Cup champion.
Deslauriers played in seven regular-season games for the Hurricanes following being traded by the Flyers, where he had one assist, five penalty minutes, and 35 hits. He also played in one playoff game for the Hurricanes.
Deslauriers spent four seasons with the Flyers from 2022-23 until his trade to the Hurricanes this campaign. In 195 games with the Flyers over that span, he posted nine goals, 11 assists, 20 points, 273 penalty minutes, and 665 hits.
DETROIT, MI - JUNE 9: Pitcher Troy Melton #52 of the Detroit Tigers during the fifth inning of a game against the Minnesota Twins at Comerica Park on June 9, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Troy Melton gave the Tigers six innings of one-hit ball on Saturday, leading them to a 4-1 victory and a series win over the Chicago White Sox. Dillon Dingler and Jake Rogers both had great games by their respective standards, and contributions from Kevin McGonigle, Spencer Torkelson, James Outman, and Tyler Holton were key in this one. Kenley Jansen locked up his 485th save to finish this one off.
Things did not begin well for Troy Melton, but they would get much, much better after the first batter. The second pitch of the game was a fastball on the inner half of the strikezone and Sam Antonacci lifted it to right field for a solo shot. Melton retired Miguel Vargas, Andrew Benintendi, and Colson Montgomery without difficulty from there, though the only thing he was commanding decently was the fourseamer early on.
Antonacci robbed Dillon Dingler of a flare single with a leaping grab at second base in the bottom half. That helped lefty Sean Newcomb to a 1-2-3 bottom of the first.
The White Sox continued to take their hacks at first pitches from Melton in the second, but it only led to two quick outs. Melton started to find the handle on his cutter and slider, but still had zero feel for the splitter. Braden Montgomery waited out a few errant splitters and drew a two-out walk. Jake Rogers tried to backpick him and Torkelson couldn’t handle the throw. Montgomery took second while Melton challenged the pitch correctly as Rogers was otherwise occupied. Rogers got the error despite the ball being right to Torkelson. It ultimately didn’t matter as Melton carved up Tristan Peters with a good curveball for a swinging strike three and his first strikeout of the game.
Riley Greene and Kerry Carpenter, getting a rare start against a lefty, grounded out weakly in the bottom of the second, while in between them, Spencer Torkelson whiffed on a Newcomb fastball to strike out. The lefty wasn’t showing much beyond a good, well located fastball, but early on that was plenty.
Drew Romo flew out to start the third. Melton, trying to get inside on Antonacci, hit him, but Miguel Vargas flew out to center field, and Benintendi grounded out to first in another quick inning for Melton. The right-hander finished the third at 39 pitches.
Hao-Yu Lee flew out to right to open the bottom of the third and Jake Rogers took a called striked three. The White Sox had their bullpen warm as Newcomb was only scheduled to throw around 45 pitches, but things were going well, and Will Venable stuck with Newcomb against Zach McKinstry, who whiffed on 96 mph up to complete three perfect frames.
Melton got a weak fly out from Colson Montgomery to open the fourth, mixing in some good curveballs now. Grichuk bounced a cutter to McGonigle at third for the second out. Jacob Gonzalez bounced out to Lee at second just as Melton’s pitch count topped 50.
Will Venable did turn to RHP Tyler Davis in the bottom of the fourth. He walked Kevin McGonigle on four straight pitches, and the Tigers had the leadoff man on. Dillon Dingler got tied up with a good fourseamer and popped out on the first base side in foul territory. Vierling pulled a pair of two strike pitches just foul of third base, and battled his way back to 3-2 and through a 10 pitch AB before Davis yanked a fastball wide to issue a walk. Davis then fired three straight balls to Riley Greene. Greene swung at a fastball on the inner edge, pulling it foul, and then got jammed, blooping one to Montgomery at shortstop for the second out. That left it up to Torkelson, and Davis continued to be pretty wild, walking him on five pitches.
And so, Kerry Carpenter stepped into a perfect matchup for him, and Venable wanted none of it, turning to lefty Joe Rock instead. And after starting Carpenter with Newcomb facing him the first time, AJ Hinch now turned to fan favorite, Jahmai Jones. He fouled a ball off his shin and was in obvious pain, and then struck out on a slider that backed up and never broke into the zone as boos rained down from the crowd.
Good times.
James Outman took over for Jones, playing center field as Vierling moved over to right field. Melton got Braden Montgomery to open the fifth, but then walked Peters on four straight. That brought Chris Fetter out for a quick factory reset. It worked, as the right-hander carved up Romo with a nasty curveball for a swinging strike three and his second punchout. Melton fell behind against Antonacci, worked it back to 3-2, and then missed the lower outside corner to walk him. It was initially called a strike three, but Antonacci correctly challenged it. So it was Melton versus Vargas, and the Tigers’ starter came after him, blowing him away with 98 mph to strand both runners in the first stress of the outing.
Rock got a weak flyout to right from Lee in the bottom half, then a grounder from Rogers. McKinstry hung in there to draw a walk and turn the lineup over. Rock slung a pair of sliders in for strikes to get ahead of McGonigle, but the rookie eventually got a fastball and lined it up the middle for a single and the Tigers first hit of the game. Dingler followed suit, inside outing a fastball in and lining it for an RBI single to right field. McKinstry scored and McGonigle went first to third with ease. Tie ballgame. Vierling popped up a slider to shallow center field, and we were onto the sixth in a 1-1 game.
Melton was at 71 pitches to start the inning, so this was probably his final frame. Hao-Yu Lee made a nice diving stop to get Benintendi on a hard grounder to start things off. Melton dusted Colson Montgomery with a good slider for the second out, and then did the same thing to the right-handed Grichuk for his fifth strikeout of the game on his 84th pitch.
The breaking stuff really came around as the game progressed and they ditched the splitter. As usual, Melton’s strength is the mix of stuff he can throw, and the fact that he rarely makes a mistake over the middle. He issued three walks as a result, but only allowed one hit, Antonacci’s solo shot which started the game. He racked up 11 whiffs, getting one or more with six different pitches.
6.0 IP, ER, H, 3 BB, 5 K.
Riley Greene made an opposite field bid on a Rock slider as the lefty continued to pour them in, but it fell shy on the warning track for the first out of the bottom of the sixth. Torkelson got a sinker and smoked it to the wall in right center field for a one-out double. Outman got a breaking ball first pitch and torched a hard grounder through the right side of the infield for an RBI single. Nice job there, and the ball was thrown away by right fielder Braden Montgomery so Outman beat feet to second base. Lee lifted a deep sac fly to right field, allowing Outman to tag and take third, but that left it up to Jake Rogers. If I don’t sound confident there, it’s because I was not at all confident. Instead, Rock fired an 0-1 fastball in there and the Tigers backup catcher ripped an RBI single to left center field. 3-1 Tigers. That move to take second from Outman paid dividends.
Rock was clearly shook, and then Tigers fans decided to serenade the airwaves with Take Me Home, Country Roads, perhaps learning from the absolutely epic World Cup invasion of fans who know how to produce chants, sing songs together, and generally live it up. Of course, the John Denver staple has recently spread well beyond West Virginia and the Blue Ridge Mountains. As a result, Rock walked Zach McKinstry. Unfortunately, McGonigle smoked a line drive right to Gonzalez at first, ending the inning.
Tyler Holton took over in the seventh, and Venable pinch-hit Chase Meidroth in for Gonzalez. He bounced out, but Braden Montgomery bounced one down the first base line for a double. Junior Perez then hit for Tristan Peters. Holton carved him up with a backfoot cutter for the second out of the inning. Drew Romo grounded out to McGonigle, and that was that. Still 3-1 Tigers.
It was quickly 4-1 Tigers, because Dillon Dingler was up first against RHP Trevor Richards. A 1-1 fastball got vaporized 430 feet to straightaway center for the best catcher in baseball’s 17th home run of the season. DING DING.
Vierling, Greene, and Torkelson went in order from there, and we were onto the eighth with a 4-1 lead.
Hinch stuck with Holton against Antonacci, and the left-handed hitter ripped a leadoff single to right to open the inning. Vargas lifted a shallow fly ball to right field to Greene. The wind was blowing the ball toward the foul line, but Greene caught it and then dropped it on the transfer. Third base umpire Rob Drake thought otherwise and ruled a no catch, but Greene immediately fired to second to get Antonacci, who had no chance. Edgar Quero hit for Benintendi, and Holton popped him out to Lee at second. That left it to the dangerous Colton Montgomery, but Holton absolutely carved him up despite Rogers missing a call that should have been challenged. A sweeper that started at the shortstop’s head dropped in for strike three to end the top of the eighth.
Outman pulled another sharp grounder ball to the right side to open the bottom half against lefty Chris Murphy. Antonacci slid for it but couldn’t hang on, and it bounced away for a leadoff single. Lee flew out to center field, but Outman got a big jump and swiped second base easily. Rogers struck out, and McKinstry lifted a fly ball to center to end the inning.
So, it was Kenley Jansen time again. The big right-hander notched his 484th save on Friday night, but the three hitters he faced wouldn’t be seeing him again in this one.
Grichuk grounded out to McKinstry at shortstop to start the inning. Chase Meidroth dropped down a perfect bunt down the third base line on the first pitch he saw for a single. Jansen got right in Braden Montgomery’s kitchen, and he popped out to McGonigle. That left it to Perez, as the Tigers led Meidroth take second base. Jansen got a little wild and walked Perez, and no one liked that as Drew Romo came to the plate as the potential game-tying run, but he lifted a fly ball out to Outman to end the game.
Nice to get a series win. Melton and Dingler were great. Outman and Rogers had good games. Tyler Holton did a great job. And Jansen gets save number 485. The Tigers will hunt the sweep of their AL Central foes on Sunday.
RHP Keider Montero will take on a tough right-hander in Davis Martin at 1:40 p.m. ET on Sunday.
The Toronto Marlies are AHL champions for the second time in their history, and it was a former Senator who helped lead the charge.
The Leafs' top farm club edged the Chicago Wolves 4-3 in Toronto on Friday, winning the best-of-seven Calder Cup championship series in 5 games.
Artur Akhtyamov made 27 saves for the win and won the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy as the MVP of the AHL playoffs. But when it came time to bring out the biggest AHL Trophy of them all, that was presented to Marlies captain and former Senator Logan Shaw.
Steve Warne suggests that London Knights forward Jaxon Cover might be a good option for the Sens at the NHL Draft next week.
Shaw played sparingly in parts of two seasons in the Senators organization from 2020-22 and finished the postseason among the AHL's leading scorers with 17 points in 24 playoff games.
His biggest connection to the Senators these days is Drake Batherson.
For many years now, he and Batherson have been members of the famous East Coast summer skate that features the likes of Sidney Crosby, Nate MacKinnon, and Brad Marchand. When Marchand won the Stanley Cup last year, Shaw (far left below) was part of the fun, along with Batherson and ex-Senator Chris Kelly (far right).
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Now the group will have another day with another Cup this summer.
Shaw's biggest moment in the final was cramming home the overtime winner in Game 2, allowing the Marlies to take a 2-0 series lead and take control of the series and win it in 5 on Friday.
"This tops my hockey moments for sure," Shaw said in a post-game interview with Shawn McKenzie on the club's YouTube channel. "I hope these young guys get a lot more (championships). I hope to guide them to a lot more, as much as I can.
"But I'm gonna soak this one in for sure. And Toronto, they're in a great spot. The prospects are awesome; these guys are awesome. The organization does everything the right way. And we're champions!"
Shaw was the 2011 third-round pick of the Florida Panthers, and has appeared in 232 NHL games with Florida, Anaheim, Montreal, Winnipeg and Ottawa. But the 33-year-old has spent the past four seasons as the Marlies captain, providing a mentorship role for the Leafs young prospects.
Another local connection is Marlies' 22-year-old forward Luke Haymes, who grew up in Ottawa. Haymes made his NHL debut this season, getting into four games with the Leafs, including a game in Ottawa against the Senators.
In his first full pro season, Haymes is an AHL champion.
Marlies head coach John Gruden also figures in the Ottawa connections. Gruden played a couple of seasons with the Sens back in the late 90s. When the Senators sought to replace DJ Smith a couple of years ago, Gruden was said to be a possible candidate.
Meanwhile, Gruden's boss, Marlies GM Ryan Hardy, was responsible for one of the most beautiful gestures you'll ever see in a championship celebration. As the Marlies celebrated on the ice Friday night, Hardy joined his team for all the hugs, wearing Rodion Amirov’s No. 72 jersey.
Amirov was the Leafs 15th overall selection in the 2020 NHL Draft, but passed away in 2023 after being diagnosed with a brain tumour a year earlier.
Akhtyamov, this year's playoff MVP, was Amirov's teammate at the 2021 World Juniors and was proud to pose with his friend's jersey in the Marlies' official championship photo.
MIAMI — With Tyler Mahle’s pending return to the rotation, the Giants faced a coming logjam of starting pitchers. The odd man out, despite his objections: Adrian Houser.
“I mean, I’m not going to be happy with it, but I understand,” Houser told The California Post after manager Tony Vitello delivered the tough news Saturday. “I signed here to be a starter. I didn’t sign here to be in the bullpen.”
With Tyler Mahle’s pending return to the rotation, the Giants faced a coming logjam of starting pitchers. The odd man out, despite his objections: Adrian Houser.
Yet, that is precisely where the 33-year-old right-hander will find himself only three months into his Giants tenure, at least for now. In 14 starts, Houser was 2-6 with a 5.73 ERA with a 1.573 WHIP, the highest of his career and the third-worst mark of any starter with at least as many innings.
“He wants the same thing as everybody else,” Vitello said. “He wants to do better.”
Houser, in particular, has struggled against lefties and in the first inning. Left-handed hitters are responsible for nine of the 12 home runs Houser has allowed while batting .339 with a 1.042 OPS, compared to right-handers’ .218 average and .540 OPS.
In his last start, Houser served up a 473-foot home run to the Braves’ Drake Baldwin in the first inning, raising his ERA in the first frame to 9.64. His ERA in the fifth, when the lineup typically turns over for a third time, swells to 12.46. But in between, he owns a 2.79 mark.
“He’s really found a rhythm in the middle of outings,” Vitello said. “The first inning has given him trouble. Third time through the order has given him trouble. Those are things he’s done well before in the past.”
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That track record, most recently featuring a 3.31 ERA in 21 starts last season for the Rays and White Sox, led president of baseball operations Buster Posey to award Houser a two-year, $22 million contract to round out their starting rotation with Mahle, another free-agent addition.
Mahle hasn’t been any better — 1-7 with a 6.04 ERA in 11 starts — but could be a trade piece at the deadline. He is only under contract for the rest of this season at a rate of $10 million.
Houser, on the other hand, will attempt to convince Vitello and the Giants brass that he belongs in the rotation. Of his 187 career appearances, 139 have come as a starting pitcher.
Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images
“I proved last year that I’m a starter, and I’ve done it in years past, too,” Houser said. “At the end of the day, it’s still the same goal — you’ve got to get outs. I’m gonna do everything I can to get back in the rotation because I signed here to be a starter, not a bullpen guy.”
Houser talked with The Post following a “good day of catch play,” where he was getting hands-on advice from director of pitching Frank Anderson. The team believes his struggles against left-handers has more to do with pitch selection than mechanics.
“The sinker’s been getting damaged a little bit, and that’s kind of been the root cause,” pitching coach Justin Meccage told The Post. “So a little more four-seam usage. Really, a true mix of all four pitches. And moving the fastball around the different quadrants.”
Because of his release point, lefties tend to see the ball better out of Houser’s hand than a typical righty, Meccage said. Too predictable of a pitch mix makes it even easier to tee off on.
Houser talked with The Post following a “good day of catch play,” where he was getting hands-on advice from director of pitching Frank Anderson. The team believes his struggles against left-handers has more to do with pitch selection than mechanics. Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
“So you’ve got to disguise pitches to create an unpredictable look,” he said. “Make that [swing] decision really hard as long as possible. That’s where the sequencing comes into play.”
Houser has started to incorporate his four-seamer more, but teams still have stacked lefties at the top of the lineup, leading to his troubles in the first inning.
A simple solution, it would seem, would be to use a left-handed opener in front of Houser if and when he returns to the rotation. The idea has been bandied about among Giants coaches, but Houser said he hasn’t been approached about it.
He would be about as receptive to it as he was about his new assignment in the bullpen.
“I’m not big on it,” Houser said. “I like to stay in my routine.”
So much for that routine, at least for now.
Houser, having only thrown one inning before his last start was interrupted by rain, will be available in the bullpen beginning Saturday, Vitello said. How he will be used remains to be determined, though they expect to need some length behind Mahle in his return Wednesday.
Given Houser’s objections and his status as a player Posey handpicked to fill a role that has suddenly changed, it made for a test for how the rookie manager would deliver hard news.
“There’s no real easy way to tell somebody they’re being demoted or moving to the bullpen or someplace they don’t want to go to,” Houser said. “He handled it the best he could.”
Former Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Justin Schultz has landed a new gig.
The Seattle Kraken have announced that Schultz has returned to the organization in a player development role.
Schultz played his final two NHL seasons with the Kraken before signing with HC Lugano of Switzerland's National League during the 2024 NHL off-season. However, the former Penguins defenseman announced his retirement early on in the 2024-25 season after he had six assists in eight games for HC Lugano. Now, he is heading back to the Kraken in his first post-playing career NHL role.
Schultz spent five seasons with the Penguins from 2015-16 to 2019-20. In 234 career games with the Penguins over that span, he recorded 22 goals, 91 assists, 113 points, and a plus-43 rating. He also won the Stanley Cup twice during his time with the Penguins.
In 745 career NHL games over 12 seasons split between the Edmonton Oilers, Penguins, Washington Capitals, and Kraken, Schultz posted 71 goals, 253 assists and 324 points.
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Jun 19, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; A view of a tifo during the game between the Texas Rangers and the San Diego Padres at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
HOUSTON, TEXAS - JUNE 06: Manager Joe Espada #19 of the Houston Astros looks on during batting practice prior to the game against the Athletics at Daikin Park on June 06, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Jack Gorman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Joe Espada has done a far better job than you think.
Much has been made again this season over Astros manager Joe Espada’s performance. For the third straight year, Espada has been asked to take a highly injured roster filled with Triple-A players and get elite results.
In his first season, he was able to keep the team together through it’s first half struggles and lead them to a Division Title.
In his second season, he kept an injury ravaged team in the hunt all season, and missed the playoffs on a tiebreaker.
Now in his third season, and managing on the final year of his contract, Espada has again had to deal with a team devastated by injuries in both importance and volume. The Astros record is not where fans or management want, but it is hard to win Major League games with half your roster being Triple-A talent.
Many media and fans alike have stated that they believe Espada is on the hottest of seats, and others have called for his outright immediate termination.
So exactly what kind of job has Espada been doing? The numbers (thanks to our friends at @TigersData) are going to surprise you:
This chart from @TigersData on X shows two different metrics. The first is Bullpen Situation and the second is Pinch Hitter situation.
In Bullpen Situation, the grade is based on going to the bullpen with runners in scoring position (RISP) and 2 outs, and whether or not the new pitcher stranded the runner(s) or allowed the inherited runner(s) to score.
In this situation, Joe Espada ranked 9th in MLB, with his move to a new pitcher stranding the runner(s) 15 out of 20 times.
In Pinch Hitter Situation, the grade is based on going to a pinch hitter with RISP and either the batter reached base or drove in at least one runner.
In this situation, Espada ranked 11th in MLB, with his pinch hitting decision being successful 7 out of 16 times.
That would cumulatively make him a Top 10 manager in MLB based on game altering decisions that managers are entrusted to make.
Now let’s peel the onion back a little further.
This chart from @TigersData shows the expected change in Win Probability that the manager’s decisions in those bullpen and pinch hitting situations created.
Here, you will notice that despite the fact Espada ranked 9th and 11th in Bullpen and Pinch Hitting actual success, the expected win probability added was negative, rating at -0.43. That left him 20th in the ranking.
How can this be?
It’s because Espada has been getting success with players who were not expected to succeed.
When considering the Astros injury-depleted roster, you must understand that often times, Espada has been required to make pinch-hitting decisions with Triple-A players more than any manager should be asked to. Yet, he has chosen the right player at a Top-11 rate.
He has chosen the right bullpen arm to be a stopper in an inning at a Top 9 rate, despite the injuries and underperformance of the bullpen that left it with an MLB-worst ERA through the first two months of the season.
Analytically, his choices have been expected to fail. They are succeeding.
Espada is maximizing the talent on his team, directly in the face of what the metrics say he should be getting from those plyaers.
Forget making chicken salad out of chicken you-know-what, he’s making Chicken Cordon Bleu.
Espada has the respect of the clubhouse, he knows his players, and he is getting the most from them.
Those are the marks of a manager who should be extended and appreciated, not one who should constantly have his job security or job worthiness questioned.
