Dalton Rushing’s reputation for playing old school baseball added another chapter Tuesday night in Pittsburgh.
The Dodgers rookie catcher was called for interference during the fifth inning of a game against the Pirates after attempting an aggressive takeout slide into shortstop Jared Triolo while trying to break up a double play.
With nobody out and Rushing on first base, Alex Freeland hit a ground ball to the right side that appeared destined to become a double play Rushing veered well away from the bag and crashed into Triolo as the Pirates infielder attempted to complete the turn.
Dalton Rushing sparks controversy again after an illegal slide costs the Dodgers against Pittsburgh. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectDalton Rushing with a slide that hasn’t been legal for 10 years SNLA
Although Freeland initially beat the throw to first, umpires reviewed the play and ruled Rushing’s slide illegal under Major League Baseball’s “bona fide slide” rule, awarding Pittsburgh the double play.
The play immediately reignited criticism surrounding Rushing, who has already found himself at the center of similar controversies this season.
Back in April, San Francisco infielder Luis Arraez criticized Rushing after a hard slide into Giants shortstop Willy Adames.
“For me, that’s not good baseball. It’s not clean baseball,” Arraez said at the time. “It’s dirty, but for me, this is baseball.”
Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing (68) reacts at second base after hitting a double against the Los Angeles Angels IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectDodgers catcher Dalton Rushing slides home during the first inning CHRIS TORRES/EPA/Shutterstock
Still, those who know Rushing insist the 25-year-old is not trying to build a reputation as baseball’s newest villain.
Speaking with The California Post last week, Rushing acknowledged that several viral moments have created an image he doesn’t want attached to his name.
“You never want to be viewed as a guy like that from opposing teams,” Rushing said. “You want guys to hate playing against you because of the player that you are and how great you are on a baseball field. Not because of the verbalized things you say.”
Rushing said he has been trying to better manage the competitive fire that has occasionally landed him in headlines this season.
“I’m gonna continue to compete, I’m gonna continue to play with an edge,” he said. “But obviously we can hone back a little bit on things that can get you in trouble in this media world.”
That competitive edge was evident again Tuesday.
While older generations of baseball fans might view the play as a throwback takeout slide, MLB’s rules changed in 2016 following Chase Utley’s infamous postseason collision with Ruben Tejada.
Under the current standard, runners cannot alter their path to initiate contact with a fielder, making Rushing’s slide an easy call after review.
The timing is notable for the Dodgers.
Starting catcher Will Smith has missed three consecutive games because of neck stiffness, and Los Angeles is reportedly considering a stint on the injured list. If Smith misses additional time, Rushing will see an expanded role behind the plate.
Rushing’s power potential remains intriguing, but as his playing time increases, so does the spotlight. And right now, Rushing is drawing attention for much more than his bat.
The Buffalo Sabres and winger Alex Tuch have been negotiating off and on since the 30-year-old become eligible to sign a contract extension last summer, but there was no progress throughout the regular season, to the point that the veteran winger and his representatives paused negotiations.
“We had talks with Kevyn Adams and his management staff that didn't progress to where we wanted it to, so we decided to kind of hold off and go through the season a little more," Tuch said at locker cleanout earlier this week. "When Jarmo stepped in, we initially had some good talks, and then they kind of stalled out a little bit. They continued to talk (throughout) the course of the season, and at a point when we were starting with the playoff push, I decided that it was my best interest, and the best interest for the team to put anything like that on hold until after the season was over."
According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman on Wednesday’s 32 Thoughts podcast, the chatter coming out of last week’s NHL Scouting Combine was that there was “still a gap” between the two sides, and there has not been a lot of movement with just over three weeks to go before Tuch hits the open market.
Tuch posted his third 30+ goal season in four years, and had seven points in the first round series against Boston, but went pointless in seven games against the Montreal Canadiens. In spite of that, he is expected to draw the most attention on July 1, if the Sabres do not trade his negotiating rights before then or do a sign-and-trade at or around the NHL Draft later this month.
Alex Tuch and his contract situation with the Sabres
Rasmus Dahlin was one of three finalists for the Norris Trophy after leading his club to their first playoff appearance in 15 years, but last week it was revealed that he finished third behind Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski and Cale Makar. On Tuesday, the Buffalo Sabres team captain learned that he finished second behind countryman and Team Sweden teammate Gabriel Landeskog in voting for the Bill Masterton Trophy.
The Masterton is awarded “to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey” and is voted on by members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association. Landeskog returned to full time NHL duty after nearly three years after undergoing a series of serious surgeries to repair knee issues, playing 60 games for the President’s Trophy-winning Colorado Avalanche this season. The 33-year-old received 69 first-place votes and 509 points. Dahlin received 53 first-place votes and finished 110 points behind Landeskog. Jonathan Toews of the Winnipeg Jets finished third.
Award season was a disappointment for members of the Sabres organization, with Dahlin’s second and third place finishes, and Lindy Ruff finishing just behind Tampa’s Jon Cooper for the Jack Adams for coach of the year.
May 10, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Carlos Rodon (55) throws a pitch in the first inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
It’s been a series full of nailbiters, but at least the Yankees have come out on the right side of a pair of one-run games in this set with the Guardians. With a getaway day today, we have a matinee affair for you that will hopefully be a little more of a laugher than we’ve seen this week, but a pair of low-ERA lefties might mean we’re doomed to another tight one.
Carlos Rodón has looked more than serviceable in his five starts already this year, with a 2.88 ERA and 3.08 xERA that suggest he’s not just suppressing runs but suppressing good contact as well. However, there are a couple of yellow flags to note. First of all, he has a very elevated walk rate, over 15 percent of batters faced. He did walk five in his return start against the Brewers, but has only issued two or fewer free passes in one outing this year, and being able to control the strike zone will be an early key to his effectiveness. He’s also running a pretty paltry HR rate that will begin to normalize eventually, and while this Guardians squad won’t bludgeon you to death, they have a couple guys that can get some good swings off.
Parker Messick is playing in his first full season and a lot of the things we just said about Rodón could probably be said here, even if it appears Messick’s error bars are for the time being narrower than his veteran counterpart. He’s walking guys about doubly as often as last year, but with a more normal home run rate. Regardless, the two southpaws feature FIPs within .15 points of each other, so we’re dealing with two pretty similar looking seasons so far.
We see the Full Lefty lineup deployed once again, with Paul Goldschmidt leading off, but given the half-day off while DH’ing, Amed Rosario cleaning up, and Ali Sánchez batting ninth and catching. The platoon advantage is there for Sánchez of course (and it’s a day game after a night game), but after the game J.C. Escarra had, having the backup in was probably a good idea regardless of the starter.
How to watch
Location: Progressive Field — Cleveland, OH
First pitch: 1:10 pm ET
TV broadcast: YES, Guardians TV, WKYC3
Radio broadcast: WFAN 660/101.9 FM, WADO 1280 (NYY), WTAM 1100, WMMS 100.7, WARF 1350, Guardians Radio Network (CLE)
Jun 8, 2026; New York, New York, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) reacts in the fourth quarter against the New York Knicks during game three of the 2026 NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
The San Antonio Spurs were knocked off their rocker in the first two games of the NBA Finals at home by the New York Knicks. Entering as heavy favorites, many Spurs players eased off the gas pedal.
UConn’s Stephon Castle averaged 15.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 4.5 assists across those first two games. However, he was part of a critical turnover in the final seconds of Game 2. With 14 seconds left in a tie game, Victor Wembenyama grabbed a rebound off a Jalen Brunson miss and raced up the floor. With Castle in front of him, Wemby passed the ball off his back the second Castle looked away. Brunson snatched the loose ball and secured the Knicks’ second straight road victory to open the finals.
Monday’s game 3 was the most important game of Castle’s young career. A sold-out Madison Square Garden with many important folks in attendance surely would be too much pressure for the 21-year-old, right? The Knicks looked to slam the door shut and go up 3 games to none, as no team has come back from a 3-0 deficit in NBA history. Castle started off the night with an 18 point 1st half, hitting an early triple to get San Antonio moving. He threw the first punch early, as the Spurs struggled to open the first two games in the series.
Castle ended the night with 23 points on 8-for-14 shooting, including knocking down the dagger 3-pointer to go up 7 with under 2 minutes to play.
Another late Knicks comeback saw them down two points with 6 seconds remaining, as they sent Castle to the charity stripe with the game on the line. The forward buried both free throws and the Spurs held on to take Game 3, making the series 2-1.
“I expect us to win the next three. Those first two games really hurt. I feel like it was an eye-opener for us… We wanna punch first and be on the front foot,” Castle said in an interview with ESPN.
ESPN currently has the Spurs at +160 to win the championship, with the Knicks at -190 odds. No team in NBA history has won the NBA Finals after dropping the first two games at home.
San Antonio looks to steal another game on the road as Game 4 tips off Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. on ABC.
NEW YORK — The New York Mets took catcher Francisco Alvarez off the injured list before the game against St. Louis, but Kodai Senga experienced a setback in his rehab from a back injury.
The 24-year-old Alvarez returned to the lineup exactly four weeks after sustaining a torn meniscus in his right knee while taking a swing against the Detroit Tigers. He started behind the plate and batted ninth, going 1 for 3 in a 7-0 loss to the Cardinals.
Alvarez had surgery May 14 and was expected to miss six-to-eight weeks. Already known as a quick healer following his recovery from hand and thumb injuries the last two seasons, Alvarez was taking dry swings within days of the operation and began hitting within two weeks.
“I always want to get back as quickly as possible to help the team,” he said through an interpreter.
Alvarez went 3 for 13 in four rehab games at Triple-A Syracuse. He played six innings at catcher in his first appearance and seven in the next two games before catching all nine innings.
“He’s unbelievable,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “Four weeks later, not only he’s playing, he’s playing on the big league level. He checked all the boxes.
“You’ve got to give him credit — credit to our trainers and our group there — because I don’t think anybody saw this coming.”
Alvarez is expected to get the majority of the starts behind home plate going forward. Luis Torrens and Hayden Senger combined to bat .215 with two homers and 10 RBIs with Alvarez on the IL. Senger was optioned to Syracuse in a corresponding transaction.
“I feel good. I feel like my legs are strong enough,” Alvarez said. “I don’t think there’s anything that’s weak right now.”
The news was less encouraging for Senga, sidelined by lumbar spine inflammation since April 27. He was scheduled to make a rehab appearance for Double-A Binghamton before experiencing what he called a “small reaction” in the ulnar nerve while doing his between-starts work.
Senga via an interpreter said he “wouldn’t go as far as saying it’s inflammation. It’s relatively minor.”
The right-hander played catch and is expected to do so again.
Mendoza said the Mets haven’t ended Senga’s rehab assignment, and the team hopes he can resume pitching in minor league games this week.
“He’s kind of day to day,” the manager explained.
Senga has a 5.25 ERA in three rehab starts between Syracuse and Class A St. Lucie. He was 0-4 with a 9.00 ERA in five starts for the Mets before going on the injured list, and is 0-7 with a 6.94 ERA in his last 14 big league starts since straining his right hamstring while covering first base last June 12.
“I think the front office would agree that they would like to see some results and so would I,” Senga said. “I think we’re on the same page there.”
Star shortstop Francisco Lindor, who hasn’t played since he strained his left calf running the bases on April 22, is expected to participate in full baseball activities — including on-field batting practice. Lindor and Juan Soto, who missed 15 games in April with a right calf injury, have played just seven full games together this season.
First baseman and designated hitter Jorge Polanco, who experienced soreness in his left ankle while on a rehab assignment for the left Achilles injury that’s sidelined him since April 15, underwent an MRI on the Achilles that revealed nothing more than inflammation.
Mendoza acknowledged Polanco, who was expected to shift to first base and replace Pete Alonso upon signing a two-year deal worth $40 million in December, likely would be limited to DH duties for the foreseeable future.
Mets reliever Joey Gerber exited prior to the start of the ninth inning when a blister began flaring up on his right hand. Gerber spent time on the injured list due to the blister in April.
Former Buffalo Sabres defenseman Kale Clague is taking his talents to the KHL.
Avtomobilist Yekaterin of the KHL have signed Clague to a two-year contract.
Clague heading to the KHL comes after he spent all of this in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Manitoba Moose. In 67 games this campaign with the Winnipeg Jets' AHL affiliate, the former Sabres defenseman posted nine goals, 18 assists, and 27 points.
Before the 2025-26 season, Clague spent the three previous seasons with the Sabres organization. He spent the majority of his time with the Sabres down in the AHL with the Rochester Americans. This included him spending all of the 2024-25 season with Rochester, where he recorded 10 goals and 39 points in 69 games.
In 36 games as a member of the Sabres, Clague posted zero goals, five assists, 25 hits, and a minus-3 rating.
It will now be interesting to see how much of an impact Clague can make in the KHL from here. If he performs well overseas during his two-year deal, perhaps it could open the door for him to get another opportunity in North America.
When matchups for the 2026 SEC/ACC Challenge were revealed last week, the LSU men’s basketball program was handed a home game against Wake Forest — meaning that, for at least one year, Tigers coach Will Wade was spared from having to square off against NC State, where he coached last season.
The mercurial coach’s battle with his former employer, though, is far from over.
Three months after Wade left the Wolfpack, NC State has launched an investigation into whether LSU violated North Carolina law by persuading Wade to return to the Tigers, according to letters between lawyers from the two universities that were obtained by WRAL in Raleigh, North Carolina.
In one of the more notable moves in this year’s coaching carousel, Wade resigned from NC State on March 25 after only one season before being announced one day later as the head coach at LSU, where he had previously coached from 2017-22.
According to WRAL, NC State is refusing to release LSU from potential legal action as the university examines whether the Tigers violated North Carolina’s Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices Act. NC State said it has reason to believe LSU may have worked with Wade for the new coach to avoid a larger buyout when he left the Wolfpack.
Wade had agreed to pay NC State a $4 million buyout, which LSU passed along in early May. Wade’s buyout had been set to drop from $5 million to $3 million on April 1, but the two sides negotiated a figure in the middle so that Wade could leave and the Wolfpack could begin their search for a new coach.
“The timing and circumstances of Coach Wade’s departure from Raleigh and his resignation, along with the LSU term sheet, and the eventual (buyout) payment of $4 million to NC State raise questions about LSU’s potential liability in this matter,” NC State General Counsel Allison B. Newhart wrote in correspondence to LSU General Counsel Carlton Jones, which was obtained by WRAL.
In a June 4 letter, NC State wrote that it would not agree to a mutual release and settlement agreement LSU sent two weeks earlier. In the letter, Newhart wrote that the Tigers may have “influenced efforts to avoid or delay notice to NC State of LSU’s recruitment of Coach Wade and perhaps even the timing of Coach Wade’s employment with LSU in order to avoid larger buyout fees.”
Wade’s exit marked the end of months of speculation that linked him to LSU, which fired coach Matt McMahon the same day Wade was hired after the former Murray State coach went 60-70 in four seasons in Baton Rouge.
LAS VEGAS — The Carolina-Vegas series largely was expected to be a Stanley Cup Final in which goals were at a premium and each shift felt like a march up a well-defended hill.
Yeah, that isn’t this.
Another two-goal lead went the way of the landline in Game 4, the go-ahead shot came from a 37-year-old on his stomach on one of the great runs in Cup final history, and the winning goalie made his first start in two months and doesn’t know if that will be his last one this postseason.
None of it makes sense and yet it all somehow does in this series that is now even after four games — probably aptly so — because of Jordan Staal’s second goal at 6:32 of the third period that came while sprawled on the ice in what became a 5-3 Hurricanes victory over for the Golden Knights.
“It’s a wild ride, isn’t it?” Staal said. “There’s a lot of emotion, lots of ups and downs.”
Now the series heads back to Carolina for Game 5. The Hurricanes potentially will have two games on home ice to win their first Cup in two decades. Coach Rod Brind’Amour captained that 2006 team, and though he’s not ready to look at the big picture, he recognizes this is a unique final.
“I know I need to (appreciate it) because this doesn’t come across very often,” Brind’Amour said. “But it is pretty stressful.”
The same applies at the other end, where the 9-year-old Golden Knights chase their second championship in four years. Their position isn’t all that different from when the day started — two more wins and they’re there — but now they need to win at least once more on the road.
“We need to flush it and get ready for our next game,” Vegas coach John Tortorella said. “I don’t think we should be looking any farther than just the next game.”
Whichever team winds up losing can point to a number of moments that could have changed the outcome.
Each game until this one was decided by one goal. It appeared this one would as well until Nikolaj Ehlers deposited an empty-net goal from 187 feet.
A two-goal lead has disappeared in all four games in what has been a remarkable series in which momentum often changes at a moment’s notice. Each team has led by at least that many twice.
The 33 combined goals are tied for the third highest in a Cup final with the Islanders-Flyers series in 1980.
Staal became the first player in 44 years to score at least one goal in each of the first four games of the final and the ninth overall. Mike Bossy in 1982 with the New York Islanders against the Vancouver Canucks was the last player to score in the first four games of a final.
Ehlers’ goal was part of a three-point night for him, Jackson Blake had a goal and an assist and Logan Stankoven scored a goal.
Brandon Bussi started in place of Frederik Andersen in goal and made 18 saves, and including his work in relief in Game 2, Bussi has 36 saves on 40 shots. Brind’Amour said Andersen, who did not dress, needed the rest. Pyotr Kochetkov was the backup goalie with Andersen serving as the emergency goaltender.
“If you’re going to give him a break, you need to give him a break,” Brind’Amour said. “So to me, him dressing and going through all that does not really give him a night off.”
Mark Stone, William Karlsson and Brett Howden scored goals for the Golden Knights, and Carter Hart made 23 saves. Karlsson also had an assist.
The Hurricanes came out blazing, taking a 3-1 lead in the first period. Vegas nearly cut it to one, but Brayden McNabb’s goal came right after the period ended and didn’t count.
Vegas scored twice in the second to tie the game, and the Golden Knights now have outscored Carolina 9-1 in that period.
But the Golden Knights failed to add to that total, shifting home-ice advantage back to the Hurricanes.
“We knew it was going to be a tight series,” Golden Knights defenseman Rasmus Andersson said. “We’re playing a really good team and 2-2, best out of three and fly out to Carolina and take care of business in Game 5.”
The Phillies (36-31) and the Blue Jays (33-35) wrap up their three-game series tonight in Toronto. The series is even at one game apiece following last night’s 3-2 walk-off win for the hometown Jays.
It was a classic pitchers’ duel last night at Rogers Centre. The Phillies struck first in their first at bats when Brandon Marsh doubled home Trea Turner, and for much of the night it looked like that early run might hold in a tight matchup between Zack Wheeler and Dylan Cease. Cease was dominant in his return, striking out 11 over six innings and allowing just one run, while Wheeler matched him with six strong innings of one-run ball. The game turned in the ninth. Bryson Stott delivered what seemed like the decisive blow with a two-out RBI double to give the Phillies a 2–1 lead, but the back end of Philadelphia’s bullpen cracked. Jhoan Duran, previously perfect in save chances, failed to record an out and allowed three hits, including a game-tying wild pitch and a walk-off single from Brandon Valenzuela.
Tonight, Philadelphia turns to Jesús Luzardo (LHP, 4–4, 4.56 ERA), who has been steady but not dominant, carrying an ERA in the mid-4s but he is averaging just about one strikeout per inning. Toronto counters with Max Scherzer (RHP, 1–3, 9.64 ERA), who is expected to make his return from the injured list. Scherzer’s numbers are inflated from a small sample and injury-shortened season, but the storyline is obvious—if he looks anything like vintage form, Toronto gains a massive ceiling boost; if not, this becomes a favorable matchup for the Phillies lineup.
Philadelphia has the more stable starting pitching option in Luzardo. Toronto, meanwhile, expects Scherzer to keep the likes of Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber in the ballpark.
Lets dive into tonight’s matchup and find a sweat or two.
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Game Details and How to Watch: Phillies vs. Blue Jays
Date: Wednesday, June 10, 2026
Time: 7:07PM EST
Site: Rogers Centre
City: Toronto, ON
Network/Streaming: MLB.TV, NBC Sports Philadelphia, Sportsnet One
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.
The Latest Odds: Phillies vs. Blue Jays
The latest odds as of Wednesday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Philadelphia Phillies (-136), Toronto Blue Jays (+113)
Spread: Phillies -1.5 (+119), Blue Jays +1.5 (-144)
Total: 8.5 runs
Probable Starting Pitchers: Phillies vs. Blue Jays for June 10
Phillies: Jesus Luzardo Season Totals: 73.0 IP, 4-4, 4.56 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 80K, 21 BB
Blue Jays: Max Scherzer Season Totals: 18.2 IP, 1-3, 9.64 ERA, 1.61 WHIP, 10K, 8 BB
Who’s Hot? Who’s Not! Phillies vs. Blue Jays last 10 Games
Bryson Stott – .346 AVG, .452 OBP, 1 HR, 7 RBI
Nick Castellanos – .314 AVG, 2 HR, .951 OPS
Kyle Schwarber – 3 HR, .864 OPS
Trea Turner – .279 AVG, 3 HR
Alec Bohm – .243 AVG, .270 slugging
Ernie Clement – hitting .366
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. – hitting .225 with 0 HRs and just 1 RBI
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Top Betting Trends & Insights: Phillies and Blue Jays
The Philles are 37-32 on the Run Line this season
The Blue Jays are 32-34 on the Run Line this season
The OVER has cashed 33 times in Toronto’s 68 games this season (33-32-3)
The OVER has cashed 28 times in the Phillies’ 67 games this season (28-37-2)
Expert picks & predictions: Phillies vs. Blue Jays
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Here are the best bets our model is projecting for tonight’s game between the Phillies and the Blue Jays:
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HOUSTON, TEXAS - JUNE 07: Zack Gelof #20 of the Athletics throws to first base against the Houston Astros during the first inning at Daikin Park on June 07, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Jack Gorman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
As you might expect with a team that has hovered around .500 all season, signs point upwards, downwards, and downright sideways, all at the same time, with regard to the 2026 A’s and the rest of the season.
Make no mistake about it, there are positives. The A’s have not hit the way they expected to, but joining the already superb Nick Kurtz, Shea Langeliers, and Carlos Cortes is the sizzling hot Tyler Soderstrom and Brent Rooker has shown signs of life this week as well. The A’s will ultimately hit. And the emergence of Gage Jump, along with the good arm of Jack Perkins and breakout of JT Ginn, gives the A’s renewed hope around their beleaguered rotation.
But there are still more questions than answers around the final 95 games as the A’s sit 3.5 back of 1st place and 0.5 game out of a crowded field of wild card mediocrity. Here’s an updated look around the diamond…
Third Base
Leo De Vries looked so good in spring training that it felt realistic to think he might push for a spot on the big league roster as soon as this month. He didn’t miss that fast-track by a hair, he missed it more by a finger. De Vries suffered a bone bruise in his finger that probably explains his big drop in slugging so far in 2026, with an ISO of just .107 compared to the impressive .196 of last season. All his other stats are still looking elite and he’s on his way — but not imminently anymore.
Meanwhile, Zack Gelof has been a revelation, with his .266/.315/.462 batting line pretty close to his enticing rookie season stats (.267/.337/.504) that had him looking like a core piece for years to come. His defense has been the best of any A’s candidate, night and day better than Max Muncy and superior to that of other players, e.g., Darell Hernaiz, trying to play it as their second or third best position.
So why hasn’t Gelof stabilized 3B going forward? Not because of anything he has done wrong, but because of what Jeff McNeil has done wrong. McNeil went to bed April 30th a wily 34 year old veteran and woke up on May 1st a 54 year old trapped in a horror movie best described as “Freaky Friday meets The 100 Year Old Man”. Point being the A’s might need Gelof to stabilize 2B, where his defense is even better, leaving a hole still at 3B.
As for Muncy, who is being given opportunities again to show he is capable of manning 3B every day, he brings questions on both sides of the ball. He has yet to prove he can play 3B (or 2B) adequately and the bat has not shown up since he was hit on the hand, played through it, rested, rehabbed, and returned to go 1 for 8 — and the one should have been ruled an E6.
Bottom Line: Really you want to put players at their best positions when possible, especially if there is a hole at that position. For Gelof that is 2B, not 3B, so it leaves 3B still highly uncertain given that De Vries is not yet in the picture. It continues to be the place where the A’s should probably focus if they consider a trade or waiver acquisition for the rest of the 2026 season — but they know help is on the way so they would only be looking at a stopgap of an upgrade, which is an unlikely fit. Especially for a team whose focus will be on pitching if it’s on anything.
Second Base:
Once lovingly referred to as Squirrel, then also Graybeard as a tribute to his “mature profile,” lately Jeff McNeil’s nickname has simply been Your Expletive Here. Another possible one would be This ISO Intentionally Left Blank, as McNeil’s last extra base hit came on May 20th and he has had just two since May 3rd.
It’s hard to overstate how bad McNeil has been the past 6 weeks, as his swings themselves are actually more alarming than the results, which are putrid enough. May’s terrible .216/.278/.284, 54 wRC+ performance has been followed by an even more frightening June: .091/.130/.091, good for the ol’ -44 wRC+. He is now 4 for his last 48 with 4 singles.
Perhaps McNeil’s most recent PA shines a spotlight on just how far the former batting champion has fallen. With the game on the line in the bottom of the 12th, McNeil swung at the first pitch even though it was several inches inside and he could not have possibly done anything with it but pull it weakly foul as he did. Then he took a strike which he challenged even though most of the ball was clearly in the zone. Then he waved late at a pitch up around his neck. It was a PA you couldn’t fathom in April, but have come to expect in June.
If the A’s sit McNeil they solve 2B immediately with Gelof. Only the hole it leaves at 3B, and the “what to do with McNeil?” questions remain — but both are significant queries. So 2B remains as unsettled as 3B unless the A’s can figure out a way to clone Gelof (hey, he does have a brother in the minors…).
Bottom Line: The A’s need to figure out what they do with McNeil and if it’s the Gio Urshela “It’s been fun…” treatment then they have solved 2B with Gelof, but if not most likely we will continue to see some sort of platoon that bounced Gelof around the infield.
Center Field
This is probably the least unsettled of the 5 in that Henry Bolte is off to a somewhat rollicking start — so long as you don’t look too deep under the hood. Bolte smashed his first HR last night, which is a welcome development, but he also struck out twice to raise his K rate to 31.5%. His BABIP now sits at .440.
Bolte also committed errors in each of the first 2 games of the series, first making an unnecessary throw that skipped past 3B and then getting his footwork a bit tangled as he fanned on a base hit he was charging. Bolte is still only 25 games and 89 PAs into his career, and there are clear signs of success (a .295 BA and .371 OBP) as well as red flags for regression ahead (he has struck out in 14 of his 28 June PAs).
Bolte’s job is safe in that Denzel Clarke is out for a long time and Lawrence Butler is a terrible CFer who also happens to be hitting worse than Clarke offered. But what lies ahead for Bolte, both at the plate and in the field, is anybody’s guess.
Bottom Line: The A’s will pretty much “sink or swim” with Bolte for the next 2 months. It’s just unclear which it will be.
Starting Pitching
Gage Jump has been sensational and JT Ginn has been a true “breakout SP” — including last night when he was charged with 5 ER in 5.2 IP but in the context of the hitting environment offered the best start of any of the 4 SP in the series so far. Jack Perkins is still an unknown but offers a third “plus arm” the A’s can hope to lean on to create a young “big 3” of sorts.
It’s after that things get even dicier than wishcasting great success on Perkins before he has fully shown it. Jeffrey Springs began the season with an ERA of 1.46 for his first 4 starts and hasn’t won a game since. His season ERA now stands at 4.68 and the dreaded HR ball has shown up 16 times in just 75 IP. He has pitched very much like JP Sears did for the A’s, and while Sears was useful to the A’s he was clearly a “back of the rotation innings eater”. The 5th SP is a revolving door of recently Kade Morris, potentially Joey “You think Springs gives up a lot of HRs?” Estes, and soon the return of Aaron Civale, who out pitched his peripherals for a while and then didn’t.
It feels like the A’s SP, going forward, could be anything from “surprisingly solid” — like the bullpen was last season following the Mason Miller trade — to “predictably godawful” as you can get when you rely on pitchers who have made 3 big league starts, haven’t been able to stay healthy for a full season, have pitched to poor predictive stats but better results, and so on. It’s a wild card to match the playoff spot the A’s are a half game away from.
Bottom Line: The A’s are going to lean heavily on 3 very inexperienced SPs to lead them into the post-season picture at more than a cursory level.
Bullpen
Oh the bullpen. This is a group that can throw 6.1 IP scoreless innings across 6 different relievers one day and then the very next day turn a comfortable 5-1 7th inning lead into a devastating walk-off loss. After last night, fans are bullish about the prospect of Mason Barnett and Elvis Alvarado blowing away the competition in high leverage, but how many felt this way a week ago?
Justin Sterner (3.19 ERA with underlying metrics to support his success) has probably been the A’s most consistently effective reliever from day 1 to day 67. Certainly Alvarado has the stuff as he unleashed yesterday. Hogan Harris has a team leading 5 saves but he has also walked 23 in his 32.1 IP. Barnett has been a revelation, but only for 3 appearances so far. Luis Medina has been solid in lower leverage and brings good stuff to go with erratic results throughout his career. The rest of the bullpen crew (Mark Leiter Jr., Scott Barlow, Jose Suarez) are veterans who rely on guile more than plus offerings.
Best case scenario is that a couple arms emerge to give the A’s one thing they have sorely lacked all season: a clear set-up man and a clear closer to build the rest of the pen around. 2 of Alvarado, Sterner, and Barnett could potentially seize these roles, but whether they will is still anybody’s guess.
Bottom Line: “Closer and set-up man by committee” just doesn’t usually work well at all, so look for the A’s to settle on 2 guys soon and then we’ll find out if they made good choices.
A lot of uncertainty, and also a lot of potential and upside, as the A’s spend the next month or so learning whether they are contenders, pretenders, buyers or sellers, in a mediocre AL that is there for the taking — but is also not going to be taken by most of the middling teams. Your thoughts and suggested plans of action moving forward? One thing is clear: it’s not early anymore and the wheat and chaff are about to separate in the American League.
DENVER — Cole Carrigg’s helmet flew off as he kicked it into high gear around the bases. He slid headfirst into third base and looked toward the Colorado Rockies dugout before breaking into a little dance.
The first hit in his major league debut goes down as a triple.
“I wouldn’t want it any other way,” Carrigg said after the Rockies beat the Chicago Cubs 7-3. “I love pushing it and going for three. Oh man, it was really awesome. It was the best feeling in the world.”
Carrigg brings speed to the diamond and an aura of fearlessness to go with it.
No way he’s dialing it back, either. Nor do the Rockies want him to. The outfielder who now wears No. 16 — it was assigned to him — finished his debut 1 for 3 with a walk. Carrigg became the second Rockies player to have a triple as their first big league hit, joining Ryan Ritter, who accomplished the feat last season.
“As soon as it got by the first baseman, I’m thinking three for sure,” Carrigg said of his fifth-inning grounder down the line in right field.
This prospect doesn’t hold back.
“He plays with his hair on fire,” Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer said. “We just want that to continue up here. Anytime he’s on the baseball field, anything can happen. Just want him to play without fear, have fun, play free, and just let his skills shine.”
Carrigg was the fifth Rockies player to make their big league debut this season. He had a handful of family members, including mom and dad, along with friends and coaches in the stands to cheer.
He treated them to quite a show, too. He was doused with the contents of a Powerade bucket after the game.
“The nerves were running pretty high,” Carrigg said. “This is what I’ve worked for my whole entire life. If you’re not nervous for that moment, you’re not human.”
He got a glimpse of this level during the World Baseball Classic while playing shortstop for Team Israel. He said facing Venezuela and Ronald Acuña Jr. in front of more than 20,000 fans certainly was an eye-opening experience.
“As loud as I could have ever imagined,” said Carrigg, who was selected in the second round of the 2023 amateur draft from San Diego State. “It definitely got me prepared, for sure.”
The 24-year-old was in the midst of quite a season for Triple-A Albuquerque, hitting .338 with 15 doubles, five triples, six homers, 42 RBIs and 30 stolen bases. He played outfield and mixed in some shortstop, too.
This after after a spring training in which he hit .387 and made a compelling case to possibly be on the Rockies roster. He just went to work.
“I think when you feel like you have a chance to be up here and a chance to help the team, and you know you’re kind of playing well, it’s hard not to look up here,” Carrigg said. “It’s hard to stay where your feet are. But I think that’s the best thing you can do is just keep using those opportunities in Triple-A to make sure that you’re ready for when you get here.”
He officially found out about his promotion over the weekend in front of his Isotopes teammates. Then again, he had an inkling the moment was about to arrive. Or, his teammate, Adael Amador, did anyway.
“Adael came up to me in the fifth inning of the game and he’s like, `I think you’re getting called up, bro,’” Carrigg said. “I’m like, `What do you mean?’ He’s like, ‘I got a feeling.’ He had a feeling.”
About No. 16: Turns out one of his father’s favorite players, Bo Jackson, donned that number while with the Kansas City Royals.
“That’s the first thing he said and I’m like, ‘That’s a pretty good number to have,’” Carrigg recounted.
Schaeffer was eager to see how Carrigg’s skills translate in the big leagues.
“I mean, listen, he can run, he can hit from both sides and he can play instinctual center field, plays good shortstop, he steals bases,” said Schaeffer, who plans to use Carrigg as an outfielder. “A lot of people do that, but there’s not a lot of people that do that without fear. That’s part of his game.
“It’s one thing to have the tools, it’s another thing to use them, and he’s a guy that uses them.”
Apr 13, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Oneil Cruz (15) greets second baseman Brandon Lowe (left) crossing home plate on a three run home run against the Washington Nationals during the sixth inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Pirates fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
There’s a little over a third of the season in the books, with the Pittsburgh Pirates sitting at 34-33. They’ve been wobbling back and forth between .500 and a few games over all season. However, it’s better baseball overall than we’ve seen in a while, minus some hiccups.
What we want to know is, who do you consider to be the Bucs MVP with a third of the season in the books?
There’s some newcomers, a stud pitcher, a guy finally coming into his own at the plate. You decide.
We’ll be back soon with the results. Thanks for voting!
The Edmonton Oilers are going to need to make a decision. With reports surfacing on Tuesday that the NHL is moving forward on an investigation that will look into the incidents that occurred in 2023 when Babcock resigned as head coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets, there are subsequent reports that the NHLPA has “significant” additional claims about his behavior beyond just looking at players' cell phones.
As reported by several sources, including Chris Johnston and Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic, "The NHL will conduct an investigation into Mike Babcock’s short stint coaching the Columbus Blue Jackets after the NHL Players’ Association on Tuesday informed the Edmonton Oilers that the union wants one before signing off on the team hiring him as head coach."
“I don’t think the Players Association has a choice here if they want to show that they have any teeth and that they are mindful of the players. They have to step in and say, “Hold on.” I was told—and I didn’t realize this—but I was told that at issue, and the reason the Players Association is adamant about this, is that when Babcock resigned in Columbus, the NHL was about to do an investigation into everything that happened there. Babcock just resigned. He said, “Look, it’s not worth it,” whatever his rationale was—he resigned.”
That's not good enough for the NHLPA. They want the truth. That will beg the question: can the Oilers can handle the truth?
Friedman added:
"So the league just said there’s no point in having an investigation. I think everybody felt at that time Babcock was going to retire and we weren’t going to see him in a head coaching role again. Well, now that this has come up, the Players Association has said, 'Hold on a second. There was supposed to be an investigation that never happened because Babcock resigned. Now we want it to happen. He shouldn’t be able to come back without that investigation.'
Perhaps the Oilers knew this was an inevitability. What that might not be aware of is what else the NHLPA has on Babcock.
Frank Seravalli reports, "
If Oilers elect to continue down the path with Mike Babcock, sources say the NHLPA is in receipt of “significant” additional claims from their own investigation with players that were not publicly reported in 2023.
Those claims were presented to NHL prior to his resignation. " He adds, "Furthermore, sources indicate that asking players to see photos is NOT what ultimately resulted in Babcock’s resignation. It was the subsequent (unknown) allegation reported below that cost Babcock his job in Columbus."
So now what?
Edmonton could still hire Babcock and then wait to see what the investigation uncovers. Alternatively, they could back away. Knowing that this story isn't going to disappear quietly into the night, it might not be worth the hassle.
Friedman said, “I just can’t see the Oilers moving forward with the hiring if they know this is coming.”
Will the Oilers stick to their guns and move forward, hoping that whatver is unearthed is not as bad as it sounds? Or, will Edmonton back away with the belief that the NHL is likely to learn is much worse than imagined? Perhaps there's a reason Babcock resigned and decided not to pop his head out for six years.
PITTSBURGH, PA - JUNE 09: Freddie Freeman #5 of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts after recording his 2,500th hit in the seventh inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on June 9, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
“It does mean a lot,” Freeman told reporters in Pittsburgh after his 2,500th hit, as shown on SportsNet LA. “There’s always another [milestone] to get to, but to step back and realize how long you have to play, the consistency over the course of that, to play at a high level for many, many years to get there, it does mean a lot.”
Freeman is the first new member of the 2,500-hit club since Robinson Canó on May 7, 2019 while with the New York Mets. The 2010s were a fruitful decade in gaining new members to this exclusive club, with 11 players getting their 2,500th hit between 2010-19.
There have been double-digit players reaching 2,500 career hits every decade dating back to the 1970s, topping out at 14 players between 2000-09.
Decade
No.
Players
1890s
2
Cap Anson, Jim O’Rourke
1900s
8
Jake Beckley, Jesse Burkett, Lave Cross, George Davis, Ed Delahanty, Willie Keeler, Jimmy Ryan, George Van Haltren
1910s
5
Fred Clarke, Ty Cobb, Sam Crawford, Nap Lajoie, Honus Wagner
1920s
6
Max Carey, Eddie Collins, Rogers Hornsby, George Sisler, Tris Speaker, Zack Wheat
1930s
11
Frankie Frisch, Lou Gehrig, Charlie Gehringer, Goose Goslin, Harry Heilmann, Heinie Manush, Rabbit Maranville, Sam Rice, Babe Ruth, Al Simmons, Paul Waner
Luis Aparicio, Lou Brock, Willie Davis, Al Kaline, Vada Pinson, Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson, Pete Rose, Billy Williams, Carl Yastzemski
1980s
11
Buddy Bell, George Brett, Bill Buckner, Rod Carew, Steve Garvey, Reggie Jackson, Joe Morgan, Al Oliver, Tony Pérez, Rusty Staub, Robin Yount
1990s
11
Harold Baines, Wade Boggs, Andre Dawson, Tony Gwynn, Rickey Henderson, Paul Molitor, Eddie Murray, Dave Parker, Tim Raines, Cal Ripken Jr., Dave Winfield
2000s
14
Roberto Alomar, Garret Anderson, Craig Biggio, Barry Bonds, Steve Finley, Julio Franco, Luis Gonzalez, Ken Griffey Jr., Derek Jeter, Rafael Palmeiro, Alex Rodríguez Iván Rodríguez, Gary Sheffield, Omar Vizquel
2010s
11
Carlos Beltrán, Adrian Beltré, Miguel Cabrera, Robinson Canó, Johnny Damon, Vladimir Guerrero, Todd Helton, Chipper Jones, Albert Pujols, Manny Ramírez, Ichiro Suzuki
2020s
1
Freddie Freeman
Freeman is the first player to reach 2,500 hits in the 2020s, and we’re already in our seventh season of this 10-year stretch.
Jose Altuve is next in line on the active career leaderboard, with 2,430 hits. The Houston Astros second baseman will likely reach 2,500 hits at some point later this season. But the rest of the active hit leaderboard quickly runs out of steam when it comes to potential players reaching 2,500 hits by the end of 2029.
MLB active hit leaders
Freddie Freeman 2,500 hits
Jose Altuve 2,430 hits
Andrew McCutchen 2,280 hits (39 years old, released by Rangers on May 28)
Paul Goldschmidt 2,229 hits (turns 39 in Septmber)
Manny Machado 2,109 hits (turns 34 in July)
Nolan Arenado 1,973 hits (age 35, had 453 hits since start of 2023, ~3.5 years)
Carlos Santana 1,882 hits (age 40)
Xander Bogaerts 1,874 hits (age 33, last had 170 hits in a season in 2023)
Of that group, Altuve and Machado look likely to reach 2,500 hits in the next three-plus seasons, and maybe Arenado depending on how he finishes out this year. Bogaerts and Harper still very well could reach 2,500 hits, but perhaps not until 2030 or later.
The 2020s might end up being the decade that sees the fewest new entrants to the 2,500-hit club since the 1950s, when only two players did so. They were upper-echelon Hall of Famers Stan Musial and Ted Williams, so maybe it’s not all bad to be in such select company.
LAS VEGAS — Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal chose the simple approach to Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final with Carolina trailing in the best-of-seven series.
But, the 20-year veteran’s winning goal was anything but simple. Then again, considering how he has played against the Vegas Golden Knights in this series, perhaps it was.
With the game tied at 3 in the third period, Staal’s sprawling backhand shot while in the air with 13:29 left beat Vegas’ Carter Hart and found the back of the net for his second score of the game, and it held up as the winner in the 5-3 victory.
“For a second, I wasn’t sure if it exactly went in, and I heard everyone go quiet,” said Staal, who lay face down on the ice after his acrobatic goal. “I heard some guys yelling. I was in my own world. It was an incredible moment, obviously, and just let a big yell go and then celebrated with the guys.”
It was yet another big moment that Staal found a way to spark his team when it needed it most.
The 37-year-old, who has five goals in the series, said as long as the wild and zany series that has been defined by “no lead is safe,” the Hurricanes have to pounce on every opportunity.
“There are fine lines of making plays, and we have to make big plays, there’s no question,” Staal said. “But it’s a simple game that we can run, and when you know when they maybe call uncle, and you jump on it. And that’s what they’ve done to us very well, as well. It’s just kind of a back-and-forth kind of stress game, and who can do it better.”
In Game 4, that was Carolina.
The Hurricanes came out with a sense of urgency by taking a 2-0 lead early to set the tone, and dominated the shots on goal, 23-12 after two periods, and then withstood Vegas’ late surge before Staal’s heroics.
The series is tied at 2 and returns to Carolina for Game 5.
That’s how long the Golden Knights have to figure out how to stop Staal from adding to his scoring tally.
“He’s killing us in front of the net, Staal,” Golden Knights coach John Tortorella said. “So, we have got to do a better job around the blue.”
Staal became the first player since Mike Bossy of the New York Islanders in 1982 to score a goal in each of the first four games of the final.
Staal also tied the second-longest playoff goal streak in franchise history, behind teammate Logan Stankoven, who set the record at five earlier this postseason.
He said he isn’t concerned with milestones, though, or the fact that he has 11 points in these playoffs, including seven goals.
“I don’t think big picture right now, it’s too hard to think like that,” Staal said. “It’s just like, my goodness, it’s the next shift, next play, next game, next everything. And that’s all that’s running through my brain, is how do we get two more wins.
