The world champion New York Knicks were greeted by jubilant fans as they arrived at Westchester County Airport Sunday morning, just hours after snatching their first NBA title in 53 years.
Knicks star Jordan Clarkson was greeted to raucous cheers at the team arrived back from their historic win. X/@notmoosenbaNew York Knicks coach Mike Brown greets fans as they return home from victory. X/@notmoosenbaThe Knicks clinched the title in Game 5 Saturday in San Antonio.
Dozens of fans draped in Knicks gear and holding up banners and signs lined up outside the suburban airfield for a parade of players’ cars and SUVs to welcome the hoop heroes home – with guard Jordan Clarkson seen high-fiving fans from one vehicle’s window.
Knicks star Karl-Anthony Townes and legend Patrick Ewing waved to fans from other SUVs, as the crowd chanted, “Let’s go Knicks!”
Josh Hart taking a selfie on the plane with Jalen Brunson and the Larry O’Brien trophy. Instagram/@jhartBrunson and Karl-Anthony Towns arriving In New York with the trophy. Instagram/@showcase718A beaming Mike Brown getting off the team’s plane in Westchester. Instagram/@showcase718Sochan taking a selfie with Jordan Clarkson in his car. Instagram/@jeremysochanA throng of Knicks fans greeting Jordan Clarkson and the rest of the team. X/@notmoosenbaMikal Bridges riding by the Knicks faithful. X/@notmoosenba
The hometown hoopsters stunned the San Antonio Spurs with a 94-90 victory on their home court, taking the NBA Finals 4-1.
It's that time of year again; we are just two weeks away from the 2026 NHL Draft. With the 2026 Stanley Cup Finals getting near the end, the attention will soon turn to the draft, free agency, and then the start of the 2026-27 season.
However, for a team like the Nashville Predators, their focus has been on the draft and the offseason for quite some time. So, let's look at a potential draft target for them. Today, we are going to look at Viggo Björck, the Swedish forward out of Djurgården (SWE J20).
For most, the first thing that stands out is his speed and size. At 5-foot-9 and 177 pounds, he is one of the smallest players in the draft, but he's also one of, if not the fastest players. He drives a lot of plays using his speed and typically averages around 20 minutes per night at just 17 years old.
Scouts point out that he has slick passing, great awareness and vision, and isn't afraid to shoot the puck. So, adding him into a young Predators offence alongside the likes of Matthew Wood, Joakim Kemell, and Brady Martin would make them a team to watch in the next few seasons.
Scout's Takes:
Here are some of the scouting reports put out by the most notable scouts/hockey writers in the NHL.
"While his numbers will be nothing to lose your mind over, the fact that Björck played on the first line – often skating in more than 20 minutes a night – as a 17-year-old in one of the top leagues in the world is bonkers. Björck was electric at the World Juniors, showing a high-end blend of hockey sense and raw skill."
- Steven Ellis ~ Daily Faceoff
"Some people will shy away from his size, but Bjorck never shies away from battling in the hard areas of the ice. He plays quick and fast and his three-zone detail has resulted in his coaches at the pro level in Sweden trusting him in all situations."
- Jason Bukala `~ Sportsnet
"Bjorck can play with the puck on a string and make plays as a natural facilitator who has a ton of poise and vision, but he also plays in and out of give-and-gos, will go to the net and finish off plays and has great overall sense on and off the puck. He’s also a quick and fast skater who can play at different paces and challenge both in straight lines and on cuts and turnbacks, even if he’s not a true burner for his size."
- Scott Wheeler ~ The Athletic
Draft Projection
Many 2026 NHL Draft mock drafts have Björck going somewhere in the 6-8 range, with some having him jump into the top five. That said, very few have him falling to number 10, where the Predators pick. Regardless, if he were to fall down to 10, or the Predators could move up in the draft, Björck is a name they should strongly consider calling.
Tempers flared with one fan sporting a Dennis Rodman Spurs jersey. Video went viral of him trying to fight every Knicks fan in his immediate vicinity inside Moynihan Train Hall at Penn Station, shoving and chasing down multiple people while throwing a few punches before a police officer came over to try to calm him down.
Cops then escorted the fan away while Knicks fans taunted him.
— New York Post Sports (@nypostsports) June 14, 2026
This wasn’t the only scene of chaos following the conclusion of the NBA Finals, which the Knicks won 4-1 to clinch their first championship since 1973. Some celebratory scenes in New York after the championship-clinching Game 5 grew out of control, such as one where a school bus was set on fire in Times Square.
Following some other games during the NBA Finals, fans of both teams were being attacked. During Game 4 on Wednesday, a 17-year-old boy was beaten into a coma during a livestreamed brawl in Midtown, started by a man chanting “Spurs in 7.”
The boy was rushed to Bellevue Hospital, where he came out of the coma and was listed in critical but stable condition.
A Spurs fan tries to fight Knicks fans inside Moynihan Train Hall at Penn Station after the Knicks’ NBA championship win on June 13, 2026. Instagram/diaper_man_officialCops escort the Spurs fan away on June 13, 2026. Instagram/diaper_man_official
Another Spurs fan was attacked in New York after Game 3. Twenty-one people were taken into custody and several NYPD officers were injured following the Game 3 watch party at Bryant Park.
Fans were even seen chasing down a bus they believed was carrying the Spurs team. Things got so chaotic that several people, including players, longtime Knicks fan Ben Stiller, and others called for an end to the chaos.
Former San Antonio mayor Ron Nirenberg called for Spurs fans to be kind to Knicks fans before Game 5, even after the violent events.
Speedy shortstop George Davis swiped a team-record four bases on this day, 121 years ago.. | (Photo by Transcendental Graphics/Getty Images)
1905 George Davis stole four bases in a 5-3 win at Washington, a mark that has stood for 121 years now (though tied nine different times). Davis led an onslaught that saw the speedy Sox swipe seven sacks on the afternoon without once being caught. Woe was Senators catcher Malachi Kittridge.
It was truly a different, dead-ball era, in that nine different White Sox swiped at least 11 bases in 1905, and the team totaled 194. Davis, in spite of his four-swipe day, did not lead the team; his 31 finished one shy of first baseman Jiggs Donahue. Davis did, however, finish with 7.2 WAR to lead the American League and make him the presumptive MVP (it was not officially honored as such in the early days of baseball). In the extreme dead-ball era, Davis’ hitting prowess landed him at just a .693 OPS.
Davis was elected to the Hall of Fame posthumously, in 1998.
1942 With an 11-4 win in the nightcap of a doubleheader at Washington, Eddie Smith won his first game of the year, in 12 tries, to improve to 1-10. What’s crazy about Smith’s winless streak, which stretched back to the start of the 1942 season, is that he didn’t pitch badly at all: seven complete games, five one-run losses, two two-run losses, and an 3.83 ERA/4.16 FIP.
In the 11 games leading up to this blowout win, the White Sox scored just 21 runs total (not runs in support of Smith, but TOTAL runs in all of the losses, plus one ninth-inning win when Smith had been removed from the game).
If you stretched back to the end of 1941, Smith’s losing run heading into this game was 15 straight, having lost his final five decisions in that season.
Despite a 3.98 ERA that wasn’t that much worse than league average (90 ERA+), Smith would end up leading the AL in losses, at 7-20. While it would be easy to blame a bad White Sox team for Smith’s misfortune in 1942, by 1920-50 White Sox standards the 66-82 White Sox weren’t all that bad; applying their winning percentage to Smith’s 27 decisions, the hurler should have gone 12-15 on the season.
1953 White Sox pitchers Billy Pierce and Sandy Consuegra both fired shutouts in beating the Boston Red Sox in a doubleheader at Comiskey Park. The Sox won, 6-0 and 1-0. Pierce was brilliant in the opener, with two hits and one walk against eight Ks for a 90 game score. And although the 1-0 score in the nightcap doesn’t indicate it, Consuegra was a lot luckier with his win, spinning a shutout on an eight-hitter; Chico Carrasquel knocked in the only run of the game, with a single to center in the second inning.
With the sweep, the White Sox moved from a tie for fourth place with the Washington Senators to third place, leapfrogging the Red Sox with these head-to-head wins. Chicago would spend much of the season in second place from there, but would fall no lower than third for the remainder of the 1953 season.
2000 The White Sox trounced Cleveland, 11-4, but still managed to fail. How? Well, a club-record 17 games hitting at least one home run was snapped in the win.
The streak started on May 26, when Frank Thomas hit a solo home run off of Cleveland’s Chuck Finley in the first inning of a 5-3 win. The White Sox hit 28 home runs during the streak, but interestingly from just seven hitters: Thomas (eight), José Valentín (five), Carlos Lee (five), Ray Durham (five), Magglio Ordoñez (three), Chris Singleton (one) and Greg Norton (one). Eighteen of the homers were solo shots, seven came with one runner on, two were three-run shots, and one was a grand slam.
The streak came close to snapping only three times, with two homers coming as late as the seventh inning to keep the streak going. The homer streak came closest to snapping on June 13, when Durham’s solo shot in the 10th inning kept it going.
The White Sox went 13-4 over the 17 games of the streak, raising their record from 26-20 to 39-24 and extending their AL Central lead to five games by streak’s end. Despite snapping the longball streak, this game came toward the start of a eight-game winning streak and wins in 14 of 16 to shoot to a commanding lead in the division — one that would not be relinquished.
One of the two losses in the stretch came against the Cubs, in a June 11 game when the White Sox exploded for five home runs — all solo shots — in a 6-5 final.
2009 With American League pitchers still having to bat in any interleague game played in NL parks, White Sox pitchers had long been a hole in the batting order of such games. Mark Buehrle, coming into a start in Milwaukee as a career 3-for-36 hitter with zero extra-base hits for a -49 OPS+ and a .083/.108/.083 slash, homered to lead off the third inning against Braden Looper.
Buehrle never homered again in the major leagues, and in fact would have just five hits (two doubles) in his career after this game. In his 14 years hitting in the majors, Buerhle was 9-of-125 for a .072/.087/.112 slash for a -1.0 WAR and -47 OPS+.
The White Sox prevailed in this tight game, 5-4, when A.J. Pierzynski singled in the deciding run in the bottom of the eighth off of Hall of Fame closer Trevor Hoffman. Interestingly, pitcher Clayton Richard had pinch-run for Jim Thome in the inning and scored the eventual winning run.
The Chicago Cubs just won their first series dating back to the first week in May after taking the first two games in San Francisco. That was also the last time Chicago had a win streak as long as this current three-game streak.
The Cubs will look for a sweep in the Bay Area, but they have their work cut out for them. My Cubs vs. Giants predictions and MLB picks expect the Giants to salvage the series finale.
Who will win Cubs vs Giants today: Giants -1.5 (+155)
The San Francisco Giants have scored just one run in each of the last two games, but the offense could get an assist from this Chicago Cubs pitching rotation today.
Chicago is expected to start opener Ryan Rolison, then follow with Colin Rea. Rolison walks 4.5 batters per nine innings and has a FIP two runs higher than his ERA, while Rea has a 5.19 ERA. This Cubs offense also may be down a man after Seiya Suzuki left Saturday’s game with an injury.
I'm subbing out Giants moneyline (-135) for Giants -1.5 at +156, but would take the runs back at -110 or better.
COVERS INTEL: In addition to Ryan Rolison's high overall walk rate, he’s been surprisingly ineffective against the leadoff and two-hole hitters in the lineup throughout his career. Rolison has allowed the top two batters in the order to hit .353 with 1.186 OPS and 171 OPS+ (71% above league average). The other seven batters are .274, .777, 18% below league average.
Cubs vs Giants Over/Under pick: Under 7.5 (+105)
The Giants start their ace on Sunday in Logan Webb. He’s been dependable and effective for years, but since returning from the injured list at the end of May, he seems to have found another level.
In his three starts since returning, he’s allowed two runs and nine hits in 19 1/3 innings. He’s avoiding barrels, inducing grounders, and his barrel rate is down two percentage points from last year. He’s also in the 96th percentile in ground-ball rate.
The Cubs have been scoring, but against Webb and without Suzuki, that could change. Getting plus-money odds with Webb is a no-brainer. I’d stay Under until -110.
Shawn Krest's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 22-24, +0.09 units
Over/Under bets: 25-25, -1.35 units
Cubs vs Giants odds
Moneyline: Cubs +115 | Giants -135
Run line: Cubs +1.5 (-185) | Giants -1.5 (+155)
Over/Under: Over 7.5 | Under 7.5
Cubs vs Giants trend
The Giants have covered the run line in six of their last 10 games for +0.85 units and a 6% ROI. Find more MLB betting trends for Cubs vs. Giants.
How to watch Cubs vs Giants and game info
Location
Oracle Park, San Francisco, CA
Date
Sunday, June 14, 2026
First pitch
3:10 p.m. ET
TV
ABC
Cubs starting pitcher
Colin Rea (5-4, 5.19 ERA)
Giants starting pitcher
Logan Webb (3-4, 3.88 ERA)
Cubs vs Giants latest injuries
Cubs vs Giants weather
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.
TORONTO, ON- JUNE 8 - Vladimir Guerrero Jr. #27 of the Toronto Blue Jays reacts after striking out in the eighth inning as the Toronto Blue Jays play the Philadelphia Phillies at Rogers Centre in Toronto. June 8, 2026. Steve Russell/Toronto Star (Steve Russell/Toronto Star via Getty Images) | Toronto Star via Getty Images
There isn’t much for Blue Jays news today.
Vladimir Guerrero (back) and Andrés Giménez (wrist) both are out of the lineup today. The team isn’t saying how long either will be out.
Bob Nightingale says that ‘teams’ expect Bo Bichette to opt out of his contract with the Mets after this season. I’m finding it hard to believe. He’ll have $79 million left on the contract, that would be hard to give up to go off into the unknown. And it isn’t like he’s having a great season, Baseball Reference has him at a -0.5 WAR. He’s hitting .236/.283/.361. I don’t think his defense at third base has been terrific, though he’s been playing mostly short lately.
Knicks Finals MVP Jalen Brunson couldn’t help but make a subtle dig at New York’s high cost of living while celebrating his latest victory in Texas early Sunday.
In his post-game interview, Brunson, 29, was reminded that his two big college championship victories were both won in Texas, leading one reporter to ask him what he has against the Lone Star State.
“I have nothing against Texas. I love Texas. I miss the Texas taxes,” Brunson joked.
Jalen Brunson speaks with the media after the Knicks clinched an NBA championship. NBABrunson raises the trophy and celebrates with his teammates after defeating the Michigan Wolverines during the 2018 NCAA Men’s Final Four National Championship game at the Alamodome on April 2, 2018, in San Antonio, Texas. NCAA Photos via Getty ImagesBrunson poses for a portrait after winning Game Five of the 2026 NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs NBAE via Getty Images
Texas famously does not have individual income tax nor corporate income tax, a far cry from New York, which has tax rates between 4% to 10.9%.
Brunson had played for the Villanova Wildcats during their big 2016 and 2018 NCAA championship victories, with the games played in Houston and San Antonio, respectively.
He then played for the Dallas Mavericks after the 2018 NBA draft, spending four years in Texas.
Brunson, who was born in New Jersey and grew up in Illinois, is on a 4-year, $156.5 million contract with the Knicks.
Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Yohendrick Pinango is at the center of today's Yankees vs. Blue Jays predictions as he draws a favorable matchup against New York starter Will Warren.
Read my MLB picks below for a full breakdown of today's matchup.
Yankees vs Blue Jays predictions
Yankees vs Blue Jays best bet: Yohendrick Pinango Over 0.5 hits (-160)
Warren is a contact-pitcher who lives in the zone with a heavy dose of the four-seamer and sinker to left-handed batters. Pinango owns a .385 average against that pitch mix, with a .500 xSLG rate.
Additionally, the Toronto Blue Jays rookie owns a well-above-average solid-contact rating of 6.7%. Warren allows solid contact at a 7.8% clip, well above the 5.9% league average.
Pinango has eclipsed his hits total in eight of his last 11 games, garnering a .994 OPS in that stretch. I’d buy Pinango Over 0.5 hits up to -165.
COVERS INTEL: Will Warren doesn’t have swing-and-miss stuff and allows consistent contact, which should play into Yohendrick Pinango’s strengths with his .283 xBA and 6.7 solid-contact rating.
Yankees vs Blue Jays same-game parlay (SGP)
We'll continue to bank on a productive day for the Blue Jay bats in today’s SGP with Ernie Clement and Alejandro Kirk hitting props.
Clement has a hit in 22 of his last 25 games, posting a .964 OPS in that stretch, averaging 2.3 bases per game. He is a premier contact hitter, and Warren is a contact-friendly pitcher.
For the last leg of the SGP, I’ll bet on Alejandro Kirk to keep swinging his hot bat. He draws back into the lineup after a 3-for-3 outing in his return on Friday. He’s one of the best contact hitters in baseball with a .306 xBA.
Yankees vs Blue Jays SGP
Yohendrick Pinango Over 0.5 hits
Ernie Clement Over 0.5 hits
Alejandro Kirk Over 0.5 hits
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Get the best Jays ML odds at BET99 — every game.
Yankees vs Blue Jays home run pick: Kazuma Okamoto (+450)
Kazuma Okamoto has gone back-to-back games with a home run and leads the Jays with 15 homers this season. He also hits Warren's pitch mix well with a .500 slug-rate and a 58% hard-hit rate,
This positions him well for success today as the Yankee starter pitches to contact, while ranking in the 43rd percentile in hard-hit rate.
However, Warren has only allowed one home run in his last 5 starts this season. Therefore, I’ll be making this a half-unit wager today.
2026 Transparency record
Best bets: 34-34, +5.05 units
SGPs: 13-55, +4.35 units
HR picks: 11-57, +1.9 units
Yankees vs Blue Jays odds
Moneyline: New York -130 | Toronto +110
Run line: New York -1.5 (+125) | Toronto +1.5 (-150)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-105) | Under 8.5 (-115)
Yankees vs Blue Jays trend
The Blue Jays have gone Over the total in 12 of their last 18 games for +5.5 units and a 28 ROI. Find more MLB betting trends for Yankees vs. Blue Jays.
How to watch Yankees vs Blue Jays and game info
Location
Rogers Centre, Toronto, ON
Date
Sunday, 6-14-2026
First pitch
1:37 p.m. ET
TV
Sportsnet, YES
Yankees starting pitcher
Will Warren (7-1, 3.28 ERA)
Blue Jays starting pitcher
Patrick Corbin (2-3, 4.45 ERA)
Yankees vs Blue Jays latest injuries
Yankees vs Blue Jays weather
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.
When the Senators make the 32nd overall pick at the NHL Draft in Buffalo on June 26, they'll likely be selecting a player they believe should have gone earlier.
Speaking recently on TSN 1200, Senators head scout Don Boyd said there will likely be a tier of about eight players on their list that could realistically be in play when their turn arrives at the end of the first round.
They think five of their higher-ranked players might drop to 32, and they also have three players ranked 33-35 that they'd be happy with, too. So the Sens are probably confident they'll end up with one of eight or nine specific players.
The Hockey News Wrap Around Show discusses the idea of the Senators going after Vancouver's Jake DeBrusk.
Since we don't have access to the Sens' ranked list of 32, and we don't know who other teams will pick, any reference to this tier of eight players is just speaking in generalities.
However, The Hockey News Draft Preview provides an interesting glimpse at the prospects we project to go in the range Boyd mentioned. To round things out, we even expanded the list to ten players.
So, using our Draft Preview issue rankings from 26 through 35, here's a look at some of the names who could be in play when the Senators are on the clock.
#26 Marcus Nordmark, LW — Djurgårdens IF Jr. (Sweden)
It's hard not to be intrigued by a player who thrives in a best-on-best. Nordmark led Sweden in scoring at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, but he's probably one of the most polarizing players in this range. His supporters see a skilled winger with top-six NHL potential thanks to his offensive creativity, but critics wonder why a player with his talent doesn't dominate more consistently. His father, Robert, was a defenseman in the NHL in the late 1980s.
Another player with NHL bloodlines, Maddox is the son of former Montreal Canadiens winger Pierre Dagenais. Maddox enjoyed a breakout season, scoring at a point per game clip and winning the QMJHL award for best pro prospect. Scouts love his shot and saw some games where he was a legitimate power forward. But being that player more consistently will be the challenge next season.
#28 Tobias Trejbal, G — Youngstown Phantoms (USHL)
The Czech goalie was named the top goaltender in the USHL after posting a .916 save percentage. Scouts praise his athleticism, size and calm presence in the crease. He's headed for UMass in 2027 and will be a target in this month's CHL import draft.
A year before being draft eligible, Roobroeck scored 41 goals in the OHL last season. Between that and his impressive size, it had people thinking he might be a lottery pick this year. His stats dipped this season due to a season-ending lower-body injury in February. Some scouts see a future power forward with a pro-calibre shot, while others want to see him use his size more and become harder to play against. He's already played three seasons for Niagara and has been able to produce despite that team's ongoing struggles on and off the ice.
The Norwegian winger impressed scouts at the Under-18 World Championship and already has experience in Sweden's top professional league, playing 16 games this season. Evaluators praise his skating, hockey sense and shot. Many see him as one of the safer prospects in this range because he plays a mature, well-rounded game.
At this point in the draft, it's going to be awfully hard to turn down a player in his draft year who just won the WHL scoring title with 108 points. According to one scout, NHL analytics departments are particularly fond of his game. Skeptics wonder how much of his production was helped by playing with his twin brother, Liam, on a loaded Medicine Hat roster, but few question his hockey IQ.
Piiparinen played the entire season in the Finnish men's league, which is certainly a feather in his cap. The biggest question revolves around his offensive ceiling, and a first-round selection needs to be able to deliver at least some of that. But many believe he has the tools to become a reliable NHL defenseman,
Cover only began playing organized hockey five years ago after first excelling in roller hockey. Scouts rave about his athleticism, creativity, and his snap shot is off the charts. Because he is still relatively new to elite-level hockey, many believe he has a lot more room to improve than almost anyone in the draft. And he's already pretty darn good.
#34 Brady Knowling, G — U.S. National Team Development Program
The Boston University commit was chosen to play for Team USA at the Hlinka Gretzky and the World Juniors. At 6-foot-5, he has all the physical attributes teams look for in a modern NHL goaltender. Scouts have seen him dominate games against top competition and praise his athleticism and competitive level. The concern, as it is for most teenagers at this range, is consistency.
#35 Yegor Shilov, C — Victoriaville Tigres (QMJHL)
Shilov might be the highest-risk, highest-reward player in this group. Scouts praise his offensive instincts, puck skills and ability to create scoring chances. However, concerns about his compete level and play away from the puck appear repeatedly in scouting reports. One evaluator described him as a classic boom-or-bust prospect whose talent could make him a first-round bargain or a disappointment.
* Predictions? Granted, I'm no draft guru by any stretch, but I do like to read up and watch player highlights. If they're still there, it's hard not to like Jaxon Cover (pronounced like clover) or Markus Ruck.
Wearing Sidney Crosby's number 87, Cover's puck skill, fierce snap shot, and fearlessness at the net are pretty crazy, especially for a young man with only five years of organized hockey. The Sens won with Shane Pinto, who didn't play competitive hockey until he was 15.
As for Ruck, again, it's tough to turn down a player in his draft year who just won the WHL scoring title with 108 points.
Of course, the Senators only need two teams ahead of them to see these players the same way.
No matter how it plays out, Boyd says the Senators have identified an eight-player tier they'd be comfortable selecting from, so they'll have plenty of intriguing choices available when their turn arrives in Buffalo.
IT’S PRETTY RARE: The Cubs swept three games at San Francisco on Sept. 13-15, 1993. They have done it in only one of the 35 subsequent series before the current one, July 26-28, 2013. This is their 12th since then. Five times, the Cubs won the first two games and lost the third, most recently in 2023. In 2009, they won three, then lost the fourth. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
RUN SCORING NOTE: The Cubs have scored 20 runs in their last three games (nine, five, six). They had scored at least 20 in 11 previous three-game spans this season, some overlapping, but only twice since May 8: 21 runs, May 15-17, and 22, May 27-29. They played 10 more games after the last of the previous span before the first of the current span. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
THE PITCHING IS BETTER THAN YOU THINK: Cubs pitchers have yielded no more than three runs in a season-best four consecutive games. They had allowed three or fewer in three straight three times, all between March 30 and April 20. The Cubs have allowed eight runs in the last 40 innings. Six came on five homers, one on a triple and one on a walk-off single. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
PCA! PCA! PCA!: Pete Crow-Armstrong is on a 17-game on-base streak in which he is batting .370/.425/.726 (27-for-73) with six doubles, a triple, six home runs, 10 RBI and 14 runs scored.
Ryan Rolison is going to open this game because the Giants generally stack the top of their lineup with left-handed hitters. This is an attempt to try to neutralize that. Rolison threw a scoreless inning vs. the Giants last Saturday at Wrigley Field and overall this year, lefties are batting .182/.263/.182 (6-for-33) against him with 13 strikeouts. Rolison last pitched Thursday against the Rockies, throwing one inning and 17 pitches.
After Rolison, Colin Rea is supposed to be the “bulk guy” this afternoon. Rea got hit pretty hard by the Rockies in his last start, last Tuesday at Coors Field. So what do you say we try to pretend that didn’t happen?
In Rea’s three previous starts he posted a 3.57 ERA and got into the sixth inning in all three of them.
Current Giants, though, have hit him hard (small sample size alert): 16-for-32 (.500) with four home runs (Luis Arraez, Matt Chapman, Rafael Devers and Jung Hoo Lee).
Rea has two outings this year as the “bulk guy” and in those he’s thrown 9.1 innings, allowed eight hits and four runs, and struck out eight.
Logan Webb has been the Giants’ best starter for the last five-plus seasons, with Top 6 Cy Young finishes three times in that span. He’s continued that this year, with a bit of a higher ERA (3.88), which has come down over his last three starts (0.90 ERA, 0.672 WHIP, no home runs in 19.1 innings).
Webb last faced the Cubs Aug. 28, 2025 in San Francisco and allowed three runs in seven innings. Ian Happ is 5-for-14 (.357) against Webb with a home run and Dansby Swanson has homered twice off him in 14 career at-bats, including a homer in that game last year.
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The 2026 game discussion procedure has been changed, so please take note.
You’ll find the game preview, like this one, posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).
At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game.
The Live! (formerly “First Pitch”) thread will still post at five minutes to game time. It will also post to the front page. That will be the only live game discussion thread. After the game, the recap and Heroes and Goats will also live on the front page as separate posts.
You will also be able to find the preview, Live! thread, recap and Heroes and Goats in this section link. The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.
Last week, Alexander Zharovsky arrived in Montreal and wasted no time starting his on-ice training. On the very next day, he was at the Montreal Canadiens’ training facility in Brossard, and he’s hit the ice every day since then. Habs player development consultant Paul Byron was with him, but no other Canadiens’ player up to this weekend.
On Saturday, Zharovsky’s countryman Ivan Demidov landed back in Montreal, according to his significant other’s Instagram account, and it’s safe to assume that the talented winger will soon hit the ice with his childhood friend.
Not only did he tell the media at the dressing room clearout day that he would train with Zharovsky this Summer, but his work ethic is also second to none, and he’s not the kind to spend a lot of time on the ice. Back in February, when the Canadiens were off during the Olympics and had told players to take a break, he and Lane Hutson ended up skating on an outside rink in Notre-Dame-de-Grace.
While Demidov failed to capture the Calder Trophy because of Matthew Schaefer’s incredible rookie season with the New York Islanders, the soon-to-be sophomore still led all rookies in points with 62 points in 82 games.
If Kent Hughes manages to get a real second-line center to ride along with the youngster next season, we should see a significant increase in production. While Oliver Kapanen did well in the first part of the season, centering him, he struggled after the Olympics break, which no doubt impacted Demidov’s point production.
It will be interesting to see Demidov skate alongside Zharovsky in Brossard in the coming days and, in July, to see how the prospect handles the Canadiens’ development camp, which he will attend for the first time after missing last year’s edition due to visa issues.
Alexander Zharovsky is back on the ice in Brossard today.
Jun 13, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; Atlanta Braves center fielder Michael Harris II (23) celebrates with on base hitter Ozzie Albies (1) after hitting a solo home run against the New York Mets during the eighth inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images
It’s time for some Sunday baseball. The Atlanta Braves are looking to take the series against their division rivals in this afternoon’s finale, and the rosters are set.
Let’s take a look at them.
Michael Harris II is leading off for the Braves today, swapping places with Mauricio Dubón. Austin Riley, Ozzie Albies and Matt Olson have the most experience facing Mets’ Freddy Peralta.
Albies, with 14 at-bats against him, hasn’t recorded as much success, only batting .071 with a .378 OPS, but Olson and Riley, however, with 11 and 14 respective appearances, find their ways to bases pretty frequently, with Riley batting .429 against him with an OPS of 1.396.
Dominic Smith has also found his pitches against Peralta, batting .400 with an .800 OPS.
The person Peralta really has to worry about, though, with only two appearances against him, is Eli White. Batting in the seventh hole, he averages .500 and has 2.500 OPS against the righty.
The Braves are looking for Bryce Elder to hold the Mets’ defense off, as a few key players are known to get hot against him, and have shown in this series that they could rally at any point. Though the name Bo Bichette has been ringing throughout the series, it’s Juan Soto, who’s seen him the second-most behind Brett Baty, that Elder needs to look out for. Soto’s average is .429 against Elder with a 1.413 OPS, in which he also recorded one homerun and one RBI.
A lot of possibilities as both teams look to close this matchup with a series win. New York is looking to continue their celebration and defeat their division rivals to add to a fresh NBA finals win, but the Braves are looking to shut it down before getting back on the road.
CANADA - APRIL 22: Late Robin: Shortstop Robin Yount of Milwaukee Brewers is tagged out at home plate by catcher Ernie Whitt of Blue Jays while trying to score in seventh inning of game at Exhibition Stadium. Brewers had little trouble winning; however; as a bases-loaded home run by Paul Molitor sparked them to an 8-1 victory. (Photo by Dick Darrell/Toronto Star via Getty Images) | Toronto Star via Getty Images
Today marks Ernie Whitt’s 74th birthday. Actually, it was yesterday, but I got busy and didn’t get this posted. But, since he was a favourite of mine I wanted to
The Red Sox selected Whitt in the 15th round of the 1972 amateur draft, just one pick ahead of Jason Thompson, who became a standout first baseman for the Tigers and Dodgers. Blocked by Carlton Fisk, Whitt never got a chance with the Red Sox and was left unprotected in the 1976 expansion draft, where the Blue Jays picked him up.
Whitt had 41 at-bats in the Blue Jays’ inaugural season and appeared in a few games in 1978. He spent all of 1979 in the minors, but at age 28, he finally secured a regular role in the majors as the left-handed half of a catching platoon with Rob Davis. He struggled offensively, hitting .237/.288/.353.
In the strike-shortened 1981 season, the Jays acquired Buck Martinez, who would become Whitt’s platoon partner for several years. Whitt continued to struggle at the plate, hitting just .236/.307/.297 with one home run.
In 1982, Bobby Cox took over as manager and Cito Gaston became the hitting coach. That year, Ernie rediscovered his swing, raising his averages to .261/.307/.440 and hitting 11 home runs in just 284 at-bats, thanks in large part to Cito’s all-out pull philosophy. In 1983, Whitt continued to improve, batting .256/.346/.459 with 17 home runs in 344 at-bats. Together with Buck Martinez, the Jays’ catchers produced 27 home runs and 89 RBI. Under Cito’s guidance, Whitt’s home run totals jumped from 1 to 11 to 17 over two seasons.
In 1984, Ernie maintained his power, hitting 15 home runs in 315 at-bats. The following year, during the Blue Jays’ first playoff appearance, Whitt set a career high with 19 home runs, batting .245/.323/.444 in 412 at-bats and earning an All-Star selection. However, he struggled offensively in the seven-game ALCS loss to the Royals, hitting just .190. Whitt started every game of the series, as Buck Martinez was injured—fans likely recall the memorable play where Martinez broke his leg, dislocated his ankle, and still tagged out the runner at home—with Jeff Hearron serving as backup catcher.
Whitt remained remarkably consistent. In 1986, he hit 16 home runs. After Buck Martinez retired before the 1987 season, Charlie Moore became Whitt’s catching partner. That year, Whitt matched his career best with 19 home runs, set new personal highs with 75 RBI, 24 doubles, and 120 hits, and batted .269/.334/.455. Unfortunately, the Blue Jays faltered down the stretch in 1987 and lost the division to the Tigers, with Whitt missing the end of the season due to a rib injury—a factor that might have changed the outcome.
Whitt’s steady production continued in 1988, when he hit .251/.348/.410 with 16 home runs in 398 at-bats. In 1989, as the Jays made their second playoff appearance, he batted .262/.349/.416 with 11 home runs in 385 at-bats. However, his postseason struggles persisted, as he managed just a .125 average with one home run in 16 at-bats during the five-game ALCS loss to the Oakland A’s.
After the 1989 season, Whitt was traded to Atlanta with Kevin Batiste for Rick Trlicek, making way for Pat Borders and Greg Myers behind the plate. He spent a year with the Braves and finished his career with a short stint in Baltimore in 1991. Despite playing just 33 games before his 28th birthday and only reaching 300 at-bats in a season at age 31, Whitt crafted an impressive and consistent career. From 1983 to 1989, he posted OPS+ numbers between 104 and 121, with on-base percentages from .323 to .349 and slugging averages from .410 to .459.
Whitt appeared in 1,328 games over 15 seasons, hitting 134 home runs and posting a career line of .248/.324/.410 with 534 RBI. He was known as a strong defensive catcher with a reliable arm. Despite early doubts from first manager Roy Hartsfield, Whitt proved himself and enjoyed the longest career with the Jays among players from their inaugural season.
Whitt was always one of my favorites. His all-out pull swing, encouraged by Gaston, was the most entertaining to watch. He’d finish his swing down on his left knee, sometimes nearly coming out of his shoes. Watching him, you’d wonder how he ever connected, with his back knee dropping and dragging, seemingly risking swinging under the ball. But his open stance gave him a great look at the pitch, and he was a smart, instinctive hitter. As a catcher, he excelled at anticipating pitches, making him tough to fool at the plate.
He wrote a biography called ‘Catch: A Major League Life,’ which I still have somewhere at home. The book stirred controversy when he labeled umpire Joe Brinkman ‘incompetent.’ Whitt also argued he shouldn’t have been limited to a platoon role, but the stats suggest otherwise: he hit just .223/.303/.311 against left-handed pitchers, and resting against them likely kept him fresh.
Rob Neyer, in his “Big Book of Baseball Lineups,” names Whitt as the Blue Jays’ all-time best catcher—a ranking I still support—and credits him with being the franchise’s top defensive backstop. Bill James ranked Whitt 72nd among all-time catchers in his “New Historical Baseball Abstract.” Whitt will have moved down a few spots since then. He was arguably the most popular Jay during his playing days, known for his relentless effort and extensive charity work off the field.
Ernie later served as the Jays’ bench coach and then first base coach beginning in 2005, before being let go alongside John Gibbons and much of the staff in June 2008. Whitt didn’t hold back afterward, criticizing JP Ricciardi and dubbing himself ‘the best manager the Jays never had.’ Maybe he was right.
Since 2004, Whitt has managed the Canadian National Baseball Team, including leading them during Olympic qualifiers.He is also a member of the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame.
When Buck Martinez left the broadcast booth this year, I thought Whitt would have been a fitting replacement, though I’m not sure how he’d fare in that role.
Whitt is married with three children.
He remains near the top of my list of favourite Blue Jays. As a fellow lefty hitter, I often tried to mimic his unique swing—dropping down to my knee—but could never quite master it.
PITTSBURGH, PA - JUNE 09: Paul Skenes #30 of the Pittsburgh Pirates in action against the Los Angeles Dodgers at PNC Park on June 9, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Pittsburgh Pirates are closing things out in their three-game weekend series against the Miami Marlins with an earlier start for the nationally-televised contest.
The Pirates will put their ace on the mound in Paul Skenes, hoping that he can rebound from his struggles over his last five games. The Pirates have not won a start from Skenes since May 12 against the Colorado Rockies and have dropped their last five, including the most recent one against the Dodgers on June 9. Skenes pitched six innings and gave up just two runs, but the bullpen could not support him enough.
The Pirates surrendered 10 runs in the seventh inning, which led to the 12-3 defeat. The Pirates cannot let another Skenes start go to waste again, especially with the Marlins countering with one of the top underrated starting pitchers in the league.
The Marlins are starting Max Meyer, who was the number three overall pick in the 2020 MLB draft. Meyer is enjoying the best season of his career so far with a 6-0 mark, which matches his win total from his first four seasons combined. Meyer has gone at least five innings in all but one of his starts this season, so his consistency should challenge the Pirates in the matchup.
Location: PNC Park, Pittsburgh, PA
Broadcast: KDKA AM/FM, Peacock
Pitching Matchup: Max Meyer (6-0, 2.85 ERA) vs. Paul Skenes (6-5, 2.84 ERA)
BD community, chime off in the comments section below.
What - Game 6 (3-2) When - 8 p.m., Sunday, June 14 Where - T-Mobile Arena; Las Vegas, NV How to Watch - ABC, CBC, Sportsnet, TVA Sports
The Stanley Cup is in the building.
After a Game 5 win on Thursday, the Carolina Hurricanes are now just one win away from winning the Stanley Cup and they'll have two cracks at the Cup, starting tonight in Vegas.
The Hurricanes have been firing on all cylinders in the last few games, with all four lines going, the power play being red hot and Brandon Bussi solidifying the net.
Jordan Staal has also put the team on his back with a monstrous Final, and he's put himself right there in the Conn Smythe conversation.
But the series isn't done yet.
The Golden Knights still have a lot of talent (even though they'll be without center William Karlsson) and they're capable of pulling off another two wins, so the Canes are going to have to bring their best game of the season if they want to secure eternal glory.
Streaks
Jordan Staal (6g, 1a) has goals in five straight games.
Sebastian Aho (1g, 4a) has points in four straight games.
Nikolaj Ehlers (1g, 5a) and Shayne Gostisbehere (3a) have points in back-to-back games.
Game Notes
Carolina and Vegas have never met in the postseason before.
This is both team's third trip to the Stanley Cup Final in franchise history (CAR - 2002, 2006, 2026; VGK - 2018, 2023, 2026).
William Carrier played for the Golden Knights from 2017-2024, winning the Cup with them in 2023.
Noah Hanifin (2015-2018) and Dylan Coghlan (2022-2024) both played for Carolina.
The Hurricanes went 0-2 against the Golden Knights in the regular season, with both games taking place in October.
All-time, the Canes have a 9-7 record against Vegas.
Key Matchups
Projected Starting Goalies
Brandon Bussi: 2-1; 0.908 Sv%; 2.18 GAA
Carter Hart: 14-7; 0.909 Sv%; 2.59 GAA
Leading Scorers
Goals - Logan Stankoven (11) / Brett Howden (14)
Points - Taylor Hall & Jackson Blake (18) / Mitch Marner (29)
Power Play
Carolina - 18.1% (13/72)
Vegas - 21.3% (13/61)
Penalty Kill
Carolina - 91.2% (62/68)
Vegas - 81.3% (52/64)
Hurricanes Projected Lineup
Andrei Svechnikov - Sebastian Aho - Jordan Martinook Taylor Hall - Logan Stankoven - Jackson Blake Nikolaj Ehlers - Jordan Staal - Seth Jarvis William Carrier - Mark Jankowski - Eric Robinson
Jaccob Slavin - Jalen Chatfield K'Andre Miller - Sean Walker Shayne Gostisbehere - Alexander Nikishin
Brandon Bussi Frederik Andersen
Injuries and Scratches: Mike Reilly, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Nicolas Deslauriers, Pyotr Kochetkov
Golden Knights Projected Lineup
Ivan Barbashev - Jack Eichel - Pavel Dorofeyev Brett Howden - Tomas Hertl - Mitch Marner Brandon Saad - Colton Sissons - Mark Stone Cole Smith - Nic Dowd - Keegan Kolesar
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COVERS INTEL: I
