The Golden Knights coach lambasted a reporter who asked about the possibility of changing goaltenders with Las Vegas down 3-2 to the Hurricanes in the Stanley Cup Final.
“Oh, for Christ, that could be the stupidest question I heard,” the fiery Tortorella said Thursday night after a 4-2 road loss in Game 5.
The reason for the question, though, is rather obvious.
Carter Hart has become the first goalie in Stanley Cup history to let up four-plus goals in the first five games of the series — allowing exactly four in each.
The Golden Knights are out of rope with Carolina now one win from the Stanley Cup after back-to-back victories in Games 4 and 5.
One would think the idea of making a change could be tantalizing for Tortorella, given that their opponent has found success with the switch.
John Tortorella at the Game 5 post-game press conference NHLI via Getty Images
Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’amour pulled Frederik Anderson in the middle of Game 4 with the Hurricanes trailing 4-0. Backup Brandon Bussi held strong before giving up the game-winner in overtime.
He has since led the team to back-to-back wins.
Hart has played all 21 games this postseason for Las Vegas. He shut down one of the best offensive teams in the NHL in the Colorado Avalanche in the Western Conference finals in a shocking sweep.
Carter Hart warming up for Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Finals IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Backup Aidan Hill had a somewhat uninspiring regular season with a 3.04 goals against average in 27 appearances.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - JUNE 10: Trent Grisham #12 of the New York Yankees celebrates after scoring during the sixth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on June 10, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s hard to argue against the idea that a Yankees outfield feels incomplete without the 6-foot-7 right fielder manning the grass, warning track, and wall. No, Aaron Judge isn’t just a huge presence in the field missing (literally and figuratively), but losing a .907 OPS with 17 home runs and 38 RBI in 59 games is a major hole in the lineup that needs to be filled for the time being.
For a while, there was a concern about the team’s outfield with Trent Grisham starting in center following his signing of a one-year, $22.025 million qualifying offer to remain with the team. Through his first 29 games of the season in March and April, he was batting .151 with a BABIP of .145 and a wRC+ of 76. For a guy hoping to prove that his breakout 2025 season wasn’t a fluke and that he deserves a significant free-agent contract after 2026, Grisham was not doing a very good job through the first couple months of the season. However, over the last 30 games, the tide has turned in his favor.
Grisham went from well below the Mendoza line in the box in his first 35 games of the season to slashing .296/.382/.454 in his next 30. Now, he’s hitting .232 on the season with an 114 wRC+ and a career-high walk rate and career-low strikeout rate (to this point).
The Yankees needed this change, but what’s driving it? It was highly unlikely that Grisham would hit .150 all year, but the change has been a tale of two halves through the first 65 games of the season.
There are a few major changes to what Grisham has been doing in the box that have helped expedite his resurgence. First, he’s probably just gotten some better luck. He was hitting the ball hard through the early parts of the season, but it was right at defenders. His process was not terrible, showing the same solid plate approach that helped him excel in 2025, but he just wasn’t seeing the ball find grass.
But Grisham has also seen an improvement in his batted ball profile. He’s seen an increase in both pulled balls (slightly up from 41.1% to 41.6% in May and 43.3% in June) and those hit to the opposite field (up from 17.8% to 24.7% in May and 20% in June). But he has also seen an increase in line drives and decreases in both groundballs and fly balls. His line drive rate through March and April was 8.2%, well below the league average, and that shot up to 14.3% in May and is even higher in June (23.3%). The line drives have made it easier for him to score runs or put his team in position to do so, like this hard-pulled line-drive triple following an incredible ABS challenge, which kept the inning at one out and allowed Grisham to score the fourth run on a sacrifice fly. And the Yankees would go on to score two more runs in the inning to make the score 6-3.
The Yankees needed their outfield production to replace Judge in the aggregate (or at least try their best with a rookie Spencer Jones still getting a hold of playing in the majors), and Grisham’s return to an above-average level is a boon. A change in approach that involves putting the bat to the ball while also keeping emphasis on high exit velocities has helped Grisham not just find the gaps in both right and left more, but it’s kept his power around. There’s still quite some time left until Judge returns, but the Yankees will have an easier time weathering the storm as long as Grisham continues at this rate. Grisham resembling the version of himself from 2025 (as well as Cody Bellinger’s return to MVP-caliber form) will go a long way to keeping the team afloat in Judge’s absence.
Arizona (34-34) continues its East Coast trip to Cincinnati (32-35) for a three-game weekend series. Both teams come into this series cold, but nothing like a heatwave to get these teams going.
The Diamondbacks have lost three straight games and five of the last six. Arizona's longest losing streak of the season is four, so they are at jeopardy of tying that with a loss today. Over the past 13 games, Arizona's pitching rotation has a 5.38 ERA (24th) and the third-worst OBA (.286). The offense isn't much better with the worst batting average in that span (.198).
Cincinnati is 1-6 in the last seven games and 3-10 over the previous 13 contests. Like the Diamondbacks, the Reds pitching rotation hasn't been the sharpest tool in the shed with a 5.32 ERA (23rd) over the last 12 games and a .272 OBA (25th). Oddly, Cincinnati ranks 28th in batting average at home (.221) and have a 4.99 ERA (27th), which are both worse than their road numbers.
Let’s dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game details & how to watch Diamondbacks at Reds
Date: Friday, June 12, 2026
Time: 7:15 PM EST
Site: Great American Ball Park
City: Cincinatti, OH
Network/Streaming: Apple TV
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
The Diamondbacks’ Corbin Carroll is hitting .280 with 67 hits, 11 home runs and 33 RBI over 239 at-bats
The Diamondbacks’ Adrian Del Castillo is hitting .189 with 23 hits and 41 strikeouts over 122 at-bats
The Reds’ JJ Bleday is hitting .267 with 40 hits, 11 home runs, and 29 RBI over 148 at-bats
The Reds’ Will Benson is hitting .1989 with 18 hits and 37 strikeouts over 95 at-bats
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Diamondbacks at Reds
The Diamondbacks are 39-29 ATS, ranking seventh-best
The Reds are 36-31 ATS, ranking eighth-best
The Diamondbacks are 34-31-3 to the Under
The Reds are 42-24-1 to the Over, ranking second-best
The Diamondbacks are 20-13 ATS, ranking fourth-best
The Reds are 15-17 ATS at home
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Diamondbacks and the Reds
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Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Friday's game between the Reds and the Diamondbacks:
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The Buffalo Sabres, as with many clubs looking to gain entry to the playoffs or advance further in the postseason, face a number of options depending how the dominoes fall leading up to the start of free agency. Some of those potential options were mentioned by The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta on a Thursday podcast.
Along with the revealed trade requests of Detroit’s Dylan Larkin and Edmonton’s Darnell Nurse, Pagnotta reports of unconfirmed reports that multiple Vezina Trophy winner and Olympic gold medal winner Connor Hellebuyck may be looking to play elsewhere. The 33-year-old has five years remaining on an eight-year deal at $8.5 million.
Sabres GM Jarmo Kekalainen said at his season-ending media availability that he was content with the three-headed monster of Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Colten Ellis and Alex Lyon, but the inconsistency of UPL and Lyon in the playoffs was a big factor in Buffalo’s second round loss to Montreal. The cost for Hellebuyck would likely be prohibitive, which may prevent the Sabres from being serious challengers, but Kekalainen could be willing to investigate other possibilities on the goalie market.
What possible options do the Sabres have if Alex Tuch leaves
Pagnotta reiterated reports from Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman earlier in the week that the is a gap between what the Sabres are willing to offer and what winger Alex Tuch is looking for. He went further to say that if the two sides were close, the deal would get done.
The 30-year-old is expected to draw the most attention on July 1 and is reportedly looking for more than $10 million per season on a long-term deal. The Sabres have only $12.9 million in available cap space this summer, and might have to make other moves to clear cap room if they wanted to re-sign Tuch. If Kekalainen does not trade his negotiating rights or do a sign-and-trade at or around the NHL Draft later this month, the Sabres could lose one of their top forwards without any kind of return.
Coming off an impressive showing in the playoffs, the speculation regarding a trade involving defenseman Owen Power has quieted, but if the Sabres lose Tuch in free agency, some clubs reportedly have kicked tires on the 2021 top overall pick to see what it would take to acquire him.
Even the streets around Madison Square Garden are zhuzhed up, with the 34th Street-Penn Station subway entrances transformed into an Instagram-ready landmark with globe lights reimagined as basketballs and the metal facade repainted in the Knicks’ signature colors.
The city’s most beloved eateries have been stirring up fan spirit, too — proving that when the Knicks win, so does New York.
Marco Vicari of Il Fornaio Bakery shows off some of their themed treats. Brigitte Stelzer for NY PostJalen Brunson is leading the Knicks in the NBA Finals NBAE via Getty Images
Restaurants, bakeries and more are getting in on the basketball boom, giving New Yorkers another reason to hope for a championship win this Saturday, which would be the team’s first since defeating the LA Lakers way back in 1973.
From Knicks logo-emblazoned cakes, cookies and cupcakes to pasta in — what else? — neon orange and blue, NYC chefs are making a full-court press with in-demand themed treats in time for Game 5 against the San Antonio Spurs.
Here are some of the hot spots getting major foot traffic for their Knicks-themed goodies.
Patrizia’s
Pasta eaters are flocking to Patrizia’s to score the new Jalen Brunson rigatoni.
The Jalen Brunson rigatonia from Patrizia’s is $24.99. @patriziasrestaurants/Instagram
The family-style Italian chain rolled out the $24.99 plate — honoring the team’s star point guard at all 19 restaurant locations — just before the finals started.
The in-house rigatoni is dyed blue using natural blueberry extract, then topped with a spicy orange vodka cream sauce, plus generous dollops of burrata cheese.
Antonio Alaio, owner of Patrizia’s Manhattan, told The Post that diners have been packing in just to get a taste of the dish after it went viral on social media.
But you’d better be quick.
“Over the weekend, we sold out. Approximately 600 pounds of pasta since launching our pasta special last week across all our locations,” said Alaio.
That’s 1,200 orders citywide — translating to an extra $20,000 just from Knicks pasta alone.
Noa, a Café
For those with a sweet tooth, a newer bakery — cleverly titled Noa, a Café — is already making fans with its vibrant cinnamon rolls.
Only available on game days, the cinnamon rolls have been selling out each day Noa Bakery
Its two locations — the first debuted in Nomad in April 2023, and the second is now open in the West Village — have been blasting through about 150 to 200 cinnamon rolls on game days only, according to founder Nicki Dehghani.
That’s in addition to the 100 to 300 non-themed rolls with cream cheese frosting they produce every day.
“We wish we could do more! But that is what we have time to produce at the moment,” Dehghani said of the popular product, which offers the option of orange or blue frosting and sprinkles for $9.
The Dot Cakes from Butterfield Market come with the classic Knicks orange and blue Butterfield Market
Junior’s Restaurant and Bakery
In a rare move, legendary Junior’s Restaurant and Bakery added something special to its famed cheesecake line: melt-in-your-mouth Knicks vanilla cupcakes, boasting frosting, a fondant wafer, a Knicks logo and sprinkles on top.
“They are selling like hot cupcakes!” third-generation owner Alan Rosen proclaimed to The Post. He said they unloaded more than 1,000 cupcakes in the first week alone, adding: “Which is surprising since we are known for cheesecake.”
Upscale grocer Butterfield Market is also getting in on the game.
The UWS staple has been selling out of its viral Dot Cakes The Dotcakes/ Instagram
Its original Upper East Side location on Lexington Avenue — there’s also a newer spot on Madison — recently went viral for its exclusive, multi-product Dot Cake collab. Each 8-ounce confection is $11, whether Knicks-themed or regular, and fans have been lining up for a chance to score one.
Butterfield has also whipped up 12-packs of orange- and blue-frosted cupcakes for $24.99. Overall cupcake package sales have spiked from 200 per day to 220 across both locations since the playoff run.
And Knicks-themed cookies ($12.99 a box) have pushed cookie sales from roughly 300 per day to about 350.
Butterfield Markey is selling New York Knicks cookies and cupcakes Butterfield Market
In addition, they’ve been selling approximately 50 to 60 Knicks-themed cakes ($20 each) per day.
“The Knicks excitement has created a meaningful boost in our dessert business and has driven a noticeable increase in customer traffic and celebratory purchases,” Joelle Obsatz, CMO of Butterfield Market, told The Post.
Il Fornaio Bakery
Beloved Il Fornaio Bakery has been selling out of their most popular hand-crafted goodies since rolling out Knicks-themed cookies, cakes and cake pops.
Owner Marco Vicari revealed that just in Knicks items alone, the company made over $35,000 in sales since the finals kicked off. Most notably, cookies — at $30 a pound – have been a big seller at the Astoria staple, known for its luxe cakes, traditional Italian pastries and danishes.
The classic rainbow cookies from Il Fornaio Bakery are dressed in orange and blue for the Knicks Brigitte Stelzer for NY Post
“Since Game 3, which was our biggest day to date, we have sold over 500 pounds of Knicks rainbow cookies alone, and the orders have not stopped,” Vicari, who established the shop in 2011, told The Post.
Posting on Instagram just hours before Wednesday’s game, Vicari urged diners to call ahead and reserve theirs as other treats have sold out fast.
In recent days, online orders have skyrocked 100%, he told The Post.
Given that success and just ahead of Game 4, the bakery has also started selling personal-sized chocolate mousse cakes christened with the Knicks’ colors and logo on top.
Zabar’s
Meanwhile, Upper West Side landmark, Zabar’s (2245 Broadway), also jumped on the Knicks kick — big-time.
A rep told The Post that it has landed a $11,800 windfall from special team treats and merch.
Zabar’s switched its black and white for Knicks-themed cookies Zabar's
The popular deli and grocery store, best known for selling 4,000 pounds of hand-sliced smoked fish per week, traded its signature black-and-white cookies for orange-and-blue-hued treats just ahead of Game 3.
Six-packs, available online, run $29.98; individual cookies are $4, first-come, first-served; in just a few days, the UWS staple nabbed $6,000 alone on those as fans line up to grab them, setting social media abuzz.
For those looking to score one, Zabar’s revealed it will restock with 200 more hats this weekend — but, no surprise, they expect to sell out again.
Raising the bar(s)
A Knicks shirt-wearing server pours a shot at Goldie’s Tavern. @Goldiestavern/Instagram
It’s no surprise that bars have also seen big wait times, and for Goldie’s Tavern — an official partner of the Knicks Playoff Bar Network, with a prime location at 135 W 30th St, just one block away from MSG — it’s certainly no different.
“It’s a level of ‘holy s–t’ we were not expecting. The best crowds we’ve ever had.” Wayne Gravesande, general manager of Goldie’s, told The Post, adding that he projects a whopping $40,000 to 50,000 in sales each game night.
Knicks fans rushed to Goldie’s Tavern for a spot to watch their team play the Spurs. @Goldiestavern/Instagram
The sports bar has been playing all games on massive projectors, and for Game 1 alone on June 3, 500 fans were standing outside for hours, waiting to get in ahead of the game’s 8:30 start.
Fans have even stood on cars outside just to catch a peek, the proud manager revealed.
Toronto Blue Jays starter Trey Yesavage profiles well against a New York Yankees squad that has been swing-happy this season, making his strikeout prop appetizing.
Read on for my Blue Jays vs. Yankees predictions and MLB picks for this Thursday, June 12, matchup.
Yankees vs Blue Jays predictions
Yankees vs Blue Jays best bet: Trey Yesavage Over 6.5 Ks (+110)
Trey Yesavage is 2-0 against the New York Yankees, throwing 11.2 scoreless innings with 19 strikeouts. His splitter gave this Yankees team fits last season, and the Toronto Blue Jays' rookie right-hander is poised to baffle those Yankee bats again.
He limits contact, garnering a .188 xBA, while ranking in the 85th percentile in barrel rates.
The Yankees don’t barrel the ball very well, and have the second-highest strikeout rate against right-handers with Yesavage’s pitching arsenal (four-seamer, Splitter, slider).
New York’s offense also owns a league-worst .199 xBA against those pitch types. I’d bet Yesavage O 6.5 strikeouts up to +100.
I’m expecting a lot of swings and misses from the Yankees' bats tonight, so I’ll add Over 0.5 strikeouts to Trent Grisham.
He owns a 37.5% strikeout rating against Yesavages pitch mix, and struck out in 3-of-4 playoff appearances against him.
I’ll also bet over 0.5 singles for Vladimir Guerrero Jr. He profiles well against Yankees starter Ryan Weathers and has been hitting the ball harder recently, which has led to line drive singles and hard hit balls into the outfield.
Additionally, 80% of his hits this season have been singles.
Yankees vs Blue Jays SGP
Trey Yesavage Over 6.5 strikeouts
Trent Grisham Over 0.5 strikeouts
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Over 0.5 singles
img loading="lazy" width="100%" height="null" src="https://img.covers.com/editorial/2026/jaysmlcbp.jpg" alt="Canada’s best price for Jays"
Get the best Jays ML odds at BET99 — every game.
Yankees vs Blue Jays home run pick: Kazuma Okamoto (+370)
Weathers has been prone to the longball over his last four starts, surrendering seven bombs in that stretch.
Kazuma Okamoto’s hitting profile matches up best against Weathers, who uses a four-seamer as his primary pitch.
The Jays slugger barrels the baseball well and puts power into his swings with a 64% hard-hit rate and a .544 slug against the four-seamer this season.
I’ll bet half a unit on this, however, considering the Jays’ inconsistent power numbers all season.
2026 Transparency record
Best bets: 33-33, +4.85 units
SGPs: 13-53, +6.35 units
HR picks: 9-57, -2.30 units
Yankees vs Blue Jays odds
Moneyline: New York -115 | Toronto +104
Run line: New York +1.5 (-210) | Toronto -1.5 (+180)
Over/Under: Over 8 (-110) | Under 8 (-110)
Yankees vs Blue Jays trend
The Toronto Blue Jays have hit the Game Total Over in 9 of their last 12 games (+5.80 Units / 45% 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
Friday, 6-12-2026
First pitch
5:37 p.m. ET
TV
YES, SN
Yankees starting pitcher
Ryan Weathers (2-4, 3.86 ERA)
Blue Jays starting pitcher
Trey Yesavage (2-3, 3.16 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.
Jun 9, 2026; Tempe, AZ, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett (7) warms during minicamp at Arizona Cardinals Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images | Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images
As the Arizona Cardinals closed up minicamp on Wednesday, Mike LaFleur decided he had seen enough through mandatory minicamp and the Cardinals are now off until training camp opens, with the Cardinals being one of the first teams reporting.
The Arizona Cardinals have cancelled the final mandatory minicamp practice today. Cards coach Mike LaFleur will speak with the media at noon @PHNX_Cardinals
Fans were a little perplexed by the decision, which I get their thoughts, the Cardinals are one of the worst teams in the NFL in terms of odds to even make the playoffs. They are being bet heavily that they will not even make their over 4.5 wins, so why would you take the last day off?
Well, here is my thoughts on it… Why does it matter?
Everyone that is there and participating have been there and participating through all of voluntary OTA’s as well, so what is one day for those guys?
If Jacoby Brissett was back and participating, then to me it makes more sense to keep getting an extra day of work and getting some more camaraderie. However, Gardner Minshew and Carson Beck have been throwing to these guys for over a month already. One day isn’t taking it to the next level, and one day isn’t causing them to lose anything.
Again, I get the concern, but these guys who have been at camps are there everyday and working. It is one day, it is one less two hour workday. It doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things, and those who think it is bad can’t be convinced otherwise. Yet, for me it is a nice way to say thank you for the work and effort put in over the last month from those that were there.
If Brissett had shown up to work (I understand why he did not) then get all three days in and work, but if he’s not doing anything, then those that have been here have gotten enough work in and will be prepared for the next phase.
While the city of New York and its media machine are not paying attention this year because the Knicks are in the Finals — that group usually leads the "What playoff games? Let's focus on the offseason" push — free agency and trade rumors are heating up fast around the league.
If you want the latest on Giannis Antetokounmpo trade rumors, follow this link. Here is what else is being talked about.
Nets, others eyeing Austin Reaves
Re-signing Austin Reaves is at the top of the Lakers' offseason to-do list. He has proven himself a quality No. 2 option as a scorer and shot creator (plus a guy who can carry the offense for a stretch when Luka Doncic is out), plus he has become a key locker room voice for them.
The question is price. Reaves is 28 and this contract is his one shot at generational wealth, he is not handing out a steep discount to stay with the Lakers as he did with his last contract.
Reaves has leverage this time because he is an unrestricted free agent and there are other teams interested — including Brooklyn coming in at the max, reports Dan Woike of The Athletic.
Multiple front-office sources around the league, granted anonymity to freely discuss an opposing player, expect Reaves to have interest from the Brooklyn Nets, with a four-year, $178.5 million contract expected to be offered. League sources said the Detroit Pistons and Atlanta Hawks are among a group of interested teams that can create space to make competitive offers. Other teams could also emerge.
The Lakers can offer more, both a fifth year and larger raises, with a max of $239.3 million (for five years), but they had hoped to get out cheaper, likely around $200 million. That said, the Lakers really have no choice but to pay a little more and make a deal. Reaves is a proven high-level shot creator who averaged 23.3 points and 5.5 assists a game last season while battling injuries, plus he has strong relationships with Luka Doncic and LeBron James. The Lakers cannot let Reaves just walk for nothing as a free agent — and he doesn't want to. He wants to stay in Los Angeles, but as noted, this is his first massive contract, and he has to take advantage of his opportunity. It's a business.
The Lakers have an exclusive negotiating window between now and the start of free agency on June 30. They want to get a deal done, but with Brooklyn lurking, Reaves has leverage.
Minnesota still eying Morant, Irving?
Minnesota realizes if it wants to compete with the elite teams in the West — Oklahoma City and San Antonio, specifically — it needs another high-level shot creator and scorer to pair with Anthony Edwards. That is why they come up in Giannis Antetokounmpo rumors (although he reportedly does not want to go to the West).
[Timberwolves president Tim] Connelly pursued stars like Kevin Durant and Antetokounmpo (at the February trade deadline) while showing some level of interest in others like Kyrie Irving and Ja Morant, but has yet to land a high-profile running mate for Anthony Edwards.
To be clear, Dallas has said Kyrie Irving is not available. While other teams take that with a grain of salt, there have been no indications that Dallas is looking to trade Irving in the short term.
Morant is expected to be traded this offseason, although the Grizzlies will wait until the Antetokounmpo drama plays out before making a move, to see whether any teams that strike out with the Greek Freak pivot to Morant. The question is how much are teams willing to trade for Morant? He's a 26-year-old All-Star and dynamic shot creator, a fan favorite, but one with a lengthy injury history, plus he has missed time due to off-the-court issues. It's something to watch.
"League sources said teams are approaching free agency with increased caution because of the restrictions tied to the league's first and second tax aprons, potentially leading to more conservative spending than in previous summers."
The new CBA is the gift that just keeps on giving for fans.
Zach LaVine likely opts-in
Zach LaVine has a $48.9 million player option for next season with Sacramento, and the expectation is that he is going to take it. While Kings fans may dream of a team swooping in with a multi-year offer, that's not happening, something Hoopshype’s Michael Scotto laid out.
"[Another team's offer for LaVine] would have to be something of like a... three-year deal for $100 million, something like that. If you're Zach LaVine, I don't see that out there right now. I think ultimately he's opting in and barring anything of that caliber, that was kind of the expectation I was told and a lot of people around the league have surmised that as well. So I do think ultimately he's opting in."
Expect his name to come up a lot in trade rumors during the season and around next February's deadline.
Joining Schaefer is Montreal Canadien's Ivan Demidov, Anaheim Ducks' Beckett Sennecek, St. Louis Blues' Jimmy Snuggerud, Carolina Hurricanes' Alexander Nikishin and Montreal Canadiens' Jakob Dobes:
Schaefer, the first unanimous Calder Memorial Trophywinner since 1992-93, rewrote the League’s record book for production by an 18-year-old defenseman with 23-36—59 across 82 games. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, Schaefer became the youngest blueliner in NHL history to register a point in his League debut, the youngest player (at any position) in NHL history to score an overtime goal and the first defenseman in more than 90 years to lead rookies (outright or tied) in goals. His 23 goals matched the single-season NHL record for a rookie blueliner (of any age), while his goal and point totals surpassed Phil Housley (17-40—57 in 1982-83 w/ BUF) for the most by an 18-year-old defenseman in NHL history. Schaefer, who placed fifth among rookies in plus/minus (+13), achieved these feats while topping New York and all NHL rookies with 2,023:59 of total time on ice – more than 500 minutes ahead of the next-closest rookie in 2025-26 and the second-highest figure by any rookie since the statistic began being tracked in 1997-98. Schaefer is the third defenseman in Islanders history who has been selected to the All-Rookie Team, following fellow Calder Trophy winner Bryan Berard (1996-97) as well as Vladimir Malakhov (1992-93).
After narrowly escaping Pittsburgh with their first series win there in five years, the Dodgers are now in the South Side of Chicago to take on the first-place White Sox. Yes, you read that right, the first-place White Sox.
While it is currently just a half game lead over the Cleveland Indians in the AL Central, they are taking advantage of the situation that is presented to them. Two years ago, they won 35 games total. This season brought them their 36th win on Wednesday. They are a group of young and exciting players who don’t really have anything to lose. The ChiSox are coming off a mini sweep of the Braves, winning their first two of the series with the game on Thursday being postponed due to weather.
Old friend Miguel Vargas has found a home in Chicago after he was traded midseason in 2024. He has 16 homers on the season and while his .243 batting average is not high, it’s much higher than his lifetime average of .212.
The White Sox are sending Anthony Kay to the mound, a left hander who is 5-1 on the season with a 4.40 ERA. His ERA in May was 1.95, however he is coming off a clunker of an outing against the Philadelphia Phillies where he allowed six runs in 4.0 innings including two homers. He does not strike out a lot of batters and walks about 25% of the right-handed batters that he faces.
For their part the Dodgers are sending Roki Sasaki, who has been fantastic in his last three outings and seems to be figuring things out again. The White Sox are very good against right-handed pitching however, scoring three or more runs on each of the last five righties they’ve faced. The White Sox do strike out a fair amount as a team, so look for Sasaki to exploit that.
The Dodgers will be without Will Smith, and Shohei Ohtani left Thursday’s game with an inflamed left knee. Manager Dave Roberts did indicate after the game that Ohtani’s removal was precautionary, and that he is expected to be back in the lineup on Friday.
While they didn’t quite make this list, two Vancouver Canucks rookies received votes for this season’s All-Rookie NHL Team.
For forwards, Linus Karlsson came ninth in voting throughout the NHL with one point, finishing behind Montréal Canadiens forward Oliver Kapanen. Zeev Buium finished third among defencemen with nine points total, with Cole Hutson (Washington Capitals), Yan Kuznetsov (Calgary Flames), and Axel Sandin-Pellikka (Detroit Red Wings) all finishing in fourth behind him.
Despite this not being his first stint in the NHL, Karlsson experienced a breakout during the 2025–26 season — the first in which he played more than 25 games. He scored a career-high of 15 goals and 20 assists in 79 games, finishing the season tied with Marco Rossi for fifth on the team in points. At the beginning of January, he signed a two-year deal worth $2.25M AAV.
Buium’s journey with the Canucks began when he was traded to Vancouver in the Quinn Hughes deal conducted with the Minnesota Wild. In his first game as a Canuck, he scored both the game-winning goal and an assist to defeat the New Jersey Devils by a score of 2–1. He finished the 2025–26 season with three goals and nine assists in 45 games with Vancouver and a grand total of six goals and 20 assists on the season.
The 2026 NHL All-Rookie Team features Ivan Demidov (Montréal), Beckett Sennecke (Anaheim Ducks), and Jimmy Snuggerud (St. Louis Blues), defencemen Matthew Schaefer (New York Islanders) and Alexander Nikishin (Carolina Hurricanes), and goaltender Jakub Dobeš (Montréal).
Dec 16, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Vancouver Canucks center Linus Karlsson (94) and defenseman Zeev Buium (24) fight for the puck against New York Rangers defenseman Matthew Robertson (29) and left wing Will Cuylle (50) during the first period at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
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DENVER, CO - MAY 20: Manager Skip Schumaker #55 of the Texas Rangers jogs on the field in the fifth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on May 20, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) | Getty Images
This week, our Rangers Reacts Survey asked y’all to give new manager Skip Schumaker a grade for his work as manager so far.
Y’all seem to find him to be, generally, just okay.
Just over half of you gave him a “C” grade, and over 80% of you have him with either a “B” or a “C.” So a fairly unremarkable performance so far from Skip.
As for the national questions, Yordan Alvarez narrowly edged out Shohei Ohtani for the title of “best hitter in baseball”:
Asked about the looming labor negotiations, over half of respondents are following, and a large majority are worried about a work stoppage.
Sep 7, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Houston Astros designated hitter Jose Altuve (27) throws his bat after he strikes out against the Texas Rangers during the eighth inning at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
The Astros missed the playoffs last year for the first time since 2016, but still finished with 87 wins. This year, the bottom may be dropping out, as they are tied for the eighth-worst record in baseball and are headed to their first losing season since 2014. Their dynasty run that included nine playoff appearances, four pennants, and two titles, appears to be coming to an end.
Houston Astros (31-39) vs. Kansas City Royals (28-41) at Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City, MO
Despite playing in Minute Maid Park, the Astros have hit better away from home this year, and only five teams in baseball have hit more road homers. Jose Altuve is one hitter who has struggled on the road, hitting .189/.252/.263 away from Houston. Yordan Alvarez leads all qualified hitters in slugging percentage (.636) and wRC+ (189), and is second in on-base percentage (.430) and home runs (22). He is hitting lefties equally as well as righties. Jeremy Peña is hitting .328/.418/.534 with three home runs over his last 17 games.
Isaac Paredes has a 53.8 percent pull rate, seventh-highest in baseball. He’s a lifetime .196/.328/.373 hitter in 14 games at Kauffman Stadium. The Astros have the worst success rate on stolen bases, getting caught 33 percent of the time. Altuve and Paredes rank as poor defenders by Outs Above Average, but much of the rest of the team rates well.
Tatsuya Imai struggled in his first few starts in the big leagues after coming over from Japan, but he allowed just four runs in 17 innings over his last three starts. He has a 3.24 ERA in four road starts. He throws his slider 44.7 percent of the time, helping him induce a 51 percent groundball rate.
The Astros acquired Mike Burrows in the offseason in a trade with the Pirates, but he has struggled. He leads the majors in losses (8), home runs allowed (17), and he has the highest ERA among qualified starters at 5.77. He has given up four or more runs in 7 of his 13 starts. Lefties are hitting .321/.397/.575 against him. Noah Cameron has allowed just six earned runs in 30 innings over his last five starts for 1.80 ERA, but the Royals have won only one of those games.
Spencer Arrighetti is tied for third in the American League with seven wins, with five Quality Starts. Opponents are hitting just .185/.322/.260 against him. He throws his curveball one-third of the time, and the pitch has a 42 percent whiff rate. Stephen Kolek has allowed just seven earned runs in 32.1 innings over his last five starts.
The Astros have a 4.82 ERA from their bullpen, seventh-worst in baseball, with the third-highest walk rate. And yet, they have the fewest blown saves in baseball with just three. Josh Hader missed the first two months with shoulder and bicep injuries, but earned a save in his first game back. He has struck out 7 of the 13 batters he has faced so far, without allowing a hit. Bryan King, Bryan Abreu, and Enyel de los Santos had each earned saves prior to Hader’s return. Abreu has the highest walk rate among relievers. Steven Okert has a 60 percent flyball rate, third-highest in baseball.
The Astros had an awful month of April, but have played .500 ball since then. They split their season series with the Royals last year, with Kansas City winning the series at Kauffman. This is the fifth consecutive series for the Royals against a team that currently has a .500 record or worse. They’ve gone 6-7 over that stretch so far, and will need to do much better if they any hopes for climbing back into contention.
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - MAY 28: Nathan Eovaldi #17 of the Texas Rangers pitches against the Houston Astros at Globe Life Field on May 28, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Is Craig Breslow being fired? Better not tell you now.
Is Boston selling? Reply hazy, try again.
Is Chad Tracy going to lose the interim title? Outlook not so good.
But the Texas Rangers are in town for three games andm like Boston, they’re struggling. Unlike Boston, that means staying at .500 rather than going below. The Rangers are sitting in second place in the AL West with a 34-34 record, 2.0 games behind the Mariners but in control of a Wild Card.
As usual it seems, the pitching matchups are in Boston’s favor. But playing at home with little offense outside of Caleb “Home Run” Durbin what can possibly go right?
Jack Leiter opens things up for the Rangers and he’s pitching, well, not great. He’s coming off a 4.2 innings, 5 run loss to the Cleveland Guardians. He gave up 4 runs to the Rockies and Astros a couple weeks before that. He has 76 Ks in 71 innings but also has 31 walks. Sonny Gray won the only game in New York. With 6.1 innings, 3 runs against the Yankees lineup he’s continued to have a great season. The pitching usually gives them a chance to win. Maybe he can convince the bats to show up? My grandfather would say they call him Sonny because he’s bright, so maybe he’s got a trick up his sleeve?
deGrom remains good, if fragile. At the moment he isn’t hurt. He might get hurt during the game. Who can say. He’s struck out 84 in 70.2 innings. The stuff is still there. And Boston loves striking out. He only has two outings longer than 6.0 innings. Maybe they’ll wear him down? Ranger Suarez had a bounceback start against the Yankees that the Sox should have won. But we all remember the bullpen setting the game on fire. That 6-1 loss really hurts. The Sox can’t get out of their own way in these games and it’s that sloppiness that has really killed them.
Old friend Nathan Eovaldi has thrived in Texas but he’s in a rough patch right now, dragging his season down to something the Sox might exploit. In his last three starts he’s allowed 4 in 5.2, 4 in 6.0, and 5 in 7.0. He still strikes out almost a batter per inning. He’s allowed 15 homers in 13 starts, although 4 in one game skews that a tad. Connelly Early, who has been plagued by the home run ball, has given up just 12 long balls this season. Maybe this is a strategy Boston can exploit? Homers in Fenway? Is that…legal? Craig Breslow will make it legal. The Ks have been there for Early, at least 6 in four of his last 5 starts. They’ve lost three of his last five starts 3-1, 4-2, and 3-2. So while the rookie isn’t lights out, he’s keeping them in the game.
Jake Burger leads the Rangers with 11 home runs and no one else has double digits.
Evan Carter has 10 steals and no other Ranger has more than 5.
The Rangers are a bottom five offense in terms of runs scored.
They’re, really, not a great team. But that gets you a .500 record in the AL this year. Boston can win this series. Or rather they can pitch to win it. Can they score enough to keep the weak part of the bullpen in the ‘pen?
As a reminder, Sunday is a night game on Peacock.
Probable Pitching Matchups
Friday, June 12: Jack Leiter (4.69 ERA / 4.46 FIP) vs. Sonny Gray (3.20 ERA / 3.94 FIP)
Saturday, June 13: Jacob deGrom (3.76 ERA / 4.07 FIP) vs. Ranger Suarez (3.18 ERA / 4.45 FIP))
Sunday, June 14: Nathan Eovaldi (4.26 ERA / 4.59 FIP) vs. Connelly Early (3.30 ERA / — FIP)
The Cubs looked like they were going to have a great 2026 after they started 27-12. They had a 3.5 game lead in the NL Central with that record after defeating the Rangers 7-1 on May 8.
Since then, as you know, the Cubs are 8-22 and trail the first-place Brewers by 7.5 games. I’ll save you the math — that’s an 11-game drop over a 30-game span. Clearly, that isn’t good.
But the Cubs never dropped below .500 during this 30-game swoon, or collapse, or whatever you want to call it. There are still 93 games remaining in the 2026 season. If the Cubs can win 55 of them, that’s 90 wins, which should be enough for at least a wild-card spot. 55 wins in 93 games is a .591 winning percentage, which is a 96-win pace. That’s a pretty good pace, but it should be noted that the 27-12 record posted to start the season is a .692 winning percentage, or a pace for 112 wins.
These Cubs aren’t that good. But can they be .591 good over a 93-game span? I think they can.
Here are 10 teams that made comebacks from large deficits over fairly long periods of time to make the postseason over the last 25 years. Of these 10, six reached their low point in June, two in late May and two as late as August. Two of these 10 are Cubs teams, and you’re likely very familiar with at least one of the others.
Here’s hoping the 2026 Cubs join this list by the end of the year.
2002 Athletics
After losing to the Mariners June 5, the A’s were 28-30. They went 75-29 the rest of the way to finish at 103-59 and won the AL West by four games. This included their famous 20-game winning streak. The 2002 A’s lost a division series to the Twins.
2005 Astros
After losing to the Orioles June 15, the Astros were 26-38 and 14.5 games out of first place. They went 63-35 the rest of the way and were the NL’s then sole wild card. They wound up getting to the World Series, where they lost to the White Sox.
In those pre-video review days, Lou came out for a vehement argument with umpire Mark Wegner. He later said he knew Angel Pagan was out, but he wanted to “light a fire” under his team.
It worked. The Cubs went 63-46 the rest of the way and won the NL Central by two games before losing a division series to the Diamondbacks.
This is one of only two Cubs teams in franchise history to be at least nine games under .500 and finish with a winning record (the other: 1968, when they went from 35-45 to finish 84-78).
2009 Twins
The Twins were 56-62 after losing to the Rangers Aug. 17. They went 30-14 the rest of the regular season and won a tiebreaker game for the AL Central title over the Tigers before losing a division series to the Yankees.
2017 Cubs
The “World Series hangover” Cubs were under .500 at the All-Star break at 43-45 after losing to the Pirates July 9, and 5.5 games out of first place. They went 49-25 the rest of the way and won the NL Central by six games. They won a division series over the Nationals before losing the NLCS to the Dodgers.
2019 Nationals
They were 32-38 after losing to the Diamondbacks June 15. They went 61-31 the rest of the way, made the postseason as a wild card, and won the World Series, the only such win in their franchise history.
2021 Braves
They lost to the Red Sox June 16 to drop to 30-35. They went 58-38 the rest of the way, won the NL East by 6.5 games and won the World Series, their first WS win since 1995. Dansby Swanson hit .259/.329/.463 with 17 home runs during those 96 games, playing in 93 of them.
2022 Phillies
They were 21-29 after losing to the Giants May 31. They weent 66-46 the rest of the way, though they backed into postseason after being 80-62, then going 7-13. They made it to World Series, but lost to the Astros.
2024 Tigers
They came to Wrigley Field in late August and lost two of three, looking bad doing it, to drop them to 62-66. They went 24-10 the rest of the way, winning the AL Central. They won a wild card series over the Astros, then lost a division series to the Guardians.
2025 Brewers
They were 25-28 after losing to the Pirates May 24 and were 6.5 games behind the then-division leading Cubs. They went 72-37 the rest of the way, including winning streaks of 11 and 14 games. As you know, they defeated Cubs in the division series before being swept by the Dodgers in the NLCS.
So it can happen. I continue to believe this Cubs team has good players on it and can make a comeback like that. Let’s hope that comeback started Thursday in Denver.
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