MINNEAPOLIS, MN - JUNE 06: Joe Ryan #41 of the Minnesota Twins pitches during the game between the Kansas City Royals and the Minnesota Twins at Target Field on Saturday, June 6, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Matt Krohn/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
FIRST PITCH: 135p Central THE TUBE: Twins.TV, presented by Progressive THE WAVES (ENGLISH): WCCO 830 AM, KMNB 102.9 FM, Cory & Danny Baseball Network, Audacy Application LAS ONDAS (ESPAÑOL): LosTwins.com KNOW THE FOE:Lone Star Ball
After a scheduled off-day mid-series due to SAH-KER, the Minnesota Twins and Texas Rangers will tangle once more in Texas – where Bob Wills is still the king – with the Twins looking for the series sweep. Minnesota has swept a series twice this campaign: once early in April at home against the Detroit Tigers and another time at Fenway Park against the Boston Red Sox. Matt didn’t get to utilize his talent of writing lyrics yesterday, so I seriously considered doing that with Bob Wills songs, but I couldn’t do it justice. I hope the thought counts.
Texas will trot out Jack Leiter for his fifteenth start this year. It’s been a bumpy road for the right-hander this season, sporting a 4.86 ERA/4.53 FIP in 76 innings of work. His last two outings – one each against the Red Sox and the Cleveland Spiders – resulted in a combined 11 runs (nine earned) in 9.2 innings of work, including 13 hits, five walks, only five strikeouts, and three homers. He’ll be looking to get in the win column again. Hits and homers per nine innings are up compared to last year for Captain Jack. He will not take you home tonight.
Minnesota will counter with Joe Ryan. He may take you home tonight. I don’t know. But I do know he’s been pretty awesome this year for the Twins. The Twins have won five of his last seven games he’s started, and the two losses were by only one run in low-scoring affairs. The keys to the game are 1) for Ryan to go as deep as he can so the bullpen can’t screw it up later in the game and 2) for the offense that showed up on Tuesday night to be in attendance and do the same thing today.
Victor Caratini resumes catching duties after being considered “day-to-day” with neck stiffness this week.
ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - APRIL 14: JJ Wetherholt #26 (R) celebrates with Iván Herrera #48 of the St. Louis Cardinals after hitting a solo home run against the Cleveland Guardians in the third inning at Busch Stadium on April 14, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Joe Puetz/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Royals were supposed to have a contending team this year, while the Cardinals were rebuilding. But those roles have reversed, with the Royals limping along at the bottom of the standings, looking ahead to next year, while the Cardinals are ahead of schedule with an exciting young team that is winning games. St. Louis has been on a roll lately, winning 9 of their last 13 games.
St. Louis Cardinals (40-32) vs. Kansas City Royals (30-45) at Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City, MO
Jordan Walker is enjoying a breakout season – only nine hitters have hit more home runs than his 18, and only Nick Kurtz has driven in more runs than his 56 RBI. Iván Herrera has the seventh-best on-base percentage in baseball at .398. He’s a .306/.453/.468 hitter in road games. Nathan Church is hitting .321/.387/.393 in nine games since returning from the Injured List.
Alec Burleson hits just .186/.220/.244 against lefties. Former Royals outfielder Nelson Velázquez was called up after hitting .232/.344/.420 with seven home runs in 40 games at Triple-A. The Cardinals demoted former first-round pick Nolan Gorman this year after he was hitting .194 through 62 games. Shortstop Masyn Winn became the youngest player in club history to win a Gold Glove last year, and rookie second baseman JJ Wetherholt is third in all of baseball in Outs Above Average at +13.
This series will feature a weird off-day on Saturday due to the World Cup. Parking will be more of a challenge this series so plan ahead. Thursday’s game will simulcast free on over-the-air KCTV 5 in Kansas City, while Friday’s game airs exclusively on Apple TV’s Friday Night Baseball.
Matthew Liberatore has a reverse split, with lefties hitting .319/.342/.623 against him. He has allowed four or more runs in 7 of his 14 starts. Opponents are hitting just .167 against his curveball with a 38 percent whiff rate.
Michael McGreevy has a Quality Start in each of his last three outings. He has the fourth-lowest strikeout rate among qualified starters. Seth Lugo is expected to return this series after missing his last start due to a line drive to the head.
Dustin May pitched a one-hit shutout against the Padres in his last start, taking a perfect game into the seventh inning. He struggled in his first two starts after joining the Cardinals as a free agent, but has a 2.54 ERA over his last 12 starts. Opponents are hitting just .211 against his 96.9 mph fastball.
The Cardinals bullpen has a 4.23 ERA, filled mostly with anonymous relievers. Riley O’Brien is having a breakout season at age 31, and is tied for third in baseball with 18 saves. Kansas City native Ryne Stanek has the 15th-highest strikeout rate among relievers. Lefty JoJo Romero has allowed the fifth-highest hard-hit rate among relievers.
The Cardinals have bounced back not through big free agent signing or splashy trades, but by identifying good talent and getting the best out of them, and cutting bait on players that weren’t performing. They have also built a top-five farm system by trading away veteran players, positioning themselves well for the future. With the Royals playing for next year, there are probably a lot of lessons they can learn from their neighbors across the state on how to rebuild quickly and field a winning team.
“There are a lot of people who have a lot of opinions, but when you prove them wrong, you don’t have to say (expletive) to them,” Brunson told the crowd, which erupted in cheers immediately afterward. “Nah, they don’t deserve it. Appreciate y’all, thank you.”
Earlier in his career, Brunson had at times faced criticism, in particular for his 6-foot-2 size. The context being that shorter players like Brunson would have a hard time carrying a contender.
Brunson, with his scoring outbursts and clutch play in fourth quarters, quieted those narratives in emphatic fashion.
This follows comments Brunson made Saturday, June 13, after the Knicks topped the San Antonio Spurs in the decisive Game 5 of the Finals.
Spike Lee has had plenty of courtside moments with the Knicks.
This one was different.
The legendary filmmaker and longtime Knicks superfan was in full celebration mode during Thursday’s championship parade through Lower Manhattan, soaking in the franchise’s first NBA title in 53 years from a float alongside the Brunson family.
Spike Lee attends a championship ticker-tape parade celebrating the team’s NBA Finals victory in New York on June 18, 2026. AFP via Getty ImagesSpike Lee rides on Jalen Brunson’s float at the 2026 NBA Champion New York Knicks ticker-tape parade. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Lee, who has been a fixture at Madison Square Garden for decades, was seen reveling in the moment as the Knicks celebrated the end of one of the longest championship waits in New York sports.
“I’ve never been to a parade ever,” Lee told MSG while being interviewed on the float. “I’m glad it’s this one!”
Lee also thanked the Brunson family for inviting him onto their float and said he felt blessed to be part of the celebration.
Lee, who has been a fixture at Madison Square Garden for decades, was seen reveling in the moment as the Knicks celebrated the end of one of the longest championship waits in New York sports. Robert Miller for NY Post
Then he gave the moment a very Spike ending.
After the interview, Lee kissed the interviewer on the cheek before breaking into a dance, pointing his arms up and down as the parade rolled on.
It was a fitting scene for one of the most recognizable Knicks fans in the world.
Lee has been part of the team’s public identity for generations, sitting courtside through playoff runs, painful collapses, rebuilds and years when The Garden had far more frustration than celebration.
That made Thursday’s parade feel like more than just another celebrity appearance.
For Lee, it was the payoff for decades of loyalty.
It has also been quite a year for the filmmaker’s sporting life.
Lee, a known Arsenal fan, also saw the Gunners win the Premier League this season, ending their own long wait for a league title.
For Lee, Thursday’s parade was the payoff for decades of loyalty. Erik Pendzich/ShutterstockLee has been part of the team’s public identity for generations, sitting courtside through playoff runs, painful collapses, rebuilds and years when The Garden had far more frustration than celebration. Stephen Yang for NY Post
But Thursday belonged to the Knicks.
As fans packed the streets in blue and orange, Lee was right in the middle of it — smiling, dancing and enjoying a parade that had been more than five decades in the making.
After all those nights courtside at the Garden, Spike finally got his Knicks championship moment.
The Chicago White Sox, ranked first in the AL Central with a 38-34 record, face the New York Yankees, who are first in the AL East with a 45-27 record. The New York Yankees are favored with a -170 moneyline compared to the Chicago White Sox's +140. Starting pitchers are Sean Burke for Chicago, with a 4.15 ERA, and Ryan Weathers for New York, with a 4.36 ERA.
How to watch Chicago White Sox vs. New York Yankees
The contract Bobrovsky is seeking has an AAV of $6-$7 million, depending on the term.
While the money may be steep for a netminder coming off a poor season, the real boggling part of this report is the term Bobrovsky is demanding.
To begin, Bobrovsky is 37 years old and will be 38 when the 2026-27 season begins. In many cases, goaltenders’ careers don’t even last that long, let alone have the ability to play at the standard Bobrovsky showed.
Prior to the difficult 2025-26 season, Bobrovsky guided the Panthers to back-to-back Stanley Cup wins and another finals appearance, posting a .915 save percentage, .906 SP, and .914 SP.
If Bobrovsky signed a seven-year contract, he would be under contract until his mid-40s. Only five goalies have ever played until 45, and the most recent goaltender to play beyond 40 years old is Marc-André Fleury, who was a backup netminder who played just 26 games.
Other examples are Martin Brodeur, Craig Anderson, Roberto Luongo, Tim Thomas, Jonathan Quick, and Mike Smith. Luongo was the only netminder to play more than 40 games in his final season.
Signing Bobrovsky to a contract with that term comes with plenty of risk. He likely wouldn’t play out the full contract, as in many cases, older players who sign long-term deals end up on the long-term injury reserve before they retire.
Still, Bobrovsky would have to be paid out, whether his contract is attached to the salary cap or not.
In all, Bobrovsky is a Panthers legend, but the NHL is a business, and GM Bill Zito can’t afford to overpay for an aging goaltender because of the fan base’s feelings towards him.
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NEW YORK − MD Ahnaf Hossain is, like countless other 23-year-old recent college graduates, looking for a job. Preferably in finance, the Queens resident told USA TODAY in a recent FaceTime call from a park in lower Manhattan, before the New York Knicks Thursday, June 17, championship parade. He donned a Knicks cap, glasses slightly lowered, and a Portugal jersey, for the World Cup.
The Knicks eventually won their first NBA championship since 1973, in five games. Hossain adjusted his lines with the extra game ("The Pope's on our side / Knicks in five"). As Nas, another Queens poet said, it was written.
In his city, Hossain has become equivalent to Homer, the ancient Greek poet credited with the epic, “The Odyssey.”
“At this point, I might actually become one,” Hossain said of a career as a poet, pointing to lines he said came to him impromptu on a warm night in the city.
Hossain's poem was as much a celebration of the Knicks as it was a love letter to New York City, his home since his family moved from Bangladesh when he was a year old. He first began rooting for the Knicks during Brooklyn native Carmelo Anthony's era, when Hossain was a kid.
“I grew up in Jamaica, Queens, and there's so many different cultures in there,“ he said. “I'm sure you might be able to find someone from every country in the world.”
While he thought he wasn’t the first person to feel this way, he said, “I just saw that mic that night, and I just had to say what was in my heart.”
In retrospect, he easily recalls the diversity of the winning team. Jose Alvarado, a Brooklyn native, is Puerto Rican. Jordan Clarkson is half-Filipino. Karl-Anthony Towns is half-Dominican. The Knicks' captain Jalen Brunson, Hossain recounted, “good-old American.”
“It's a mix of all these different cultures from around the world,“ he said. “That’s exactly what New York is, and what makes it the best city in the world.”
The day before the city's parade, Hossain said he'd be at the parade but was still figuring out his role. On Thursday morning, he posted on Instagram for Good Morning America, ABC's eminent national program. Hossain was near the steps of New York City Hall, before the Knicks received the keys to the city.
Eduardo Cuevas is based in New York City. Reach him by email at emcuevas1@usatoday.com or on Signal at emcuevas.01.
The Winnipeg Jets will make seven selections at the 2026 NHL Draft, beginning with the eighth-overall pick.
The Jets officially know where they will be picking when the 2026 NHL Draft gets underway.
Photo by Bill Stretcher/USA Today
The NHL announced the complete order of selection for the upcoming draft, with Winnipeg currently holding seven picks across six rounds.
The Jets’ first selection will come early, as general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff and his scouting staff own the eighth-overall pick. It marks the organization’s highest draft position since selecting Patrik Laine second overall at the 2016 NHL Draft.
Winnipeg is currently without a second-round pick, as its original selection at No. 39 overall belongs to the Pittsburgh Penguins. The pick was moved as part of the March 2025 trade that brought veteran defenceman Luke Schenn to the Jets.
The Jets will return to the draft floor in the third round with the No. 71 overall selection.
Winnipeg is also without its original fourth-round pick, as the No. 103 overall selection now belongs to the Montreal Canadiens following a series of transactions involving the New Jersey Devils.
The Jets do, however, own a fourth-round selection at No. 116 overall, originally belonging to the Edmonton Oilers, before moving through Boston and Buffalo.
Winnipeg also holds an additional seventh-round selection, picking at No. 220 overall with a choice originally belonging to the Buffalo Sabres.
The Jets’ complete list of 2026 NHL Draft selections:
Round 1: No. 8 overall
Round 3: No. 71 overall
Round 4: No. 116 overall (from Edmonton via Boston and Buffalo)
Round 5: No. 135 overall
Round 6: No. 167 overall
Round 7: No. 199 overall
Round 7: No. 220 overall (from Buffalo)
After making five selections at the 2025 NHL Draft, Winnipeg will enter this year’s event with two additional picks and an opportunity to continue building its prospect pipeline.
The Jets have relied heavily on the draft throughout Cheveldayoff’s tenure, with much of the organization’s core being built internally. Players such as Mark Scheifele, Josh Morrissey, Kyle Connor, Cole Perfetti and Connor Hellebuyck were all selected by Winnipeg and developed within the organization.
The first round of the 2026 NHL Draft will take place Friday, June 26, with Rounds 2-7 following Saturday, June 27.
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - JUNE 16: Brandon Nimmo #24 of the Texas Rangers singles against the Minnesota Twins during the fourth inning at Globe Life Field on June 16, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
While it’s been known for a while that the Toronto Maple Leafs are selecting first in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft, the league officially revealed its order of selection.
The Leafs, as of this writing, will have eight picks in the 2026 NHL Draft ranging from No. 1 to No. 169.
In addition to picking first overall, the Leafs will next pick in the second round (60th overall). That’s the pick they received from the Los Angeles Kings in the trade that sent forward Scott Laughton out west. The pick originally belonged to the Buffalo Sabres.
After that, the Leafs will have two picks in the third round. They have their own pick (69th) and the Philadelphia Flyers pick (85th) that was acquired this week in the trade that sent goaltender Joseph Woll and defenseman Simon Benoit to Philly.
In the fourth round, the Leafs will select 114th. This pick was acquired from the Seattle Kraken in the Bobby McMann trade in the last deadline. The pick originally belonged to the Anaheim Ducks.
In the fifth round, the Leafs have two picks. They have their own (133rd overall) and the 158th overall pick they acquired the Colorado Avalanche trade they made in the deadline deal that sent Nicolas Roy back to the Western Conference.
In the sixth round, the Leafs will pick 169th overall using San Jose’s pick in the deal that sent Timothy Lilljegren to the Sharks back in 2024.
Toronto doesn’t have any picks in the seventh round.
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NEW YORK — New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani gave a rousing speech before handing the New York Knicks players keys to the city after a ticker-tape parade through the Canyon of Heroes.
The Knicks broke a 53-year championship drought with a five-game romp in the NBA Finals over the San Antonio Spurs, and more than a million people gathered in lower Manhattan to celebrate the triumph.
During Mamdani's speech, he gave a rundown of the Knicks' history from the moment in 1973 when the team won its second championship.
The mayor thanked the players and coaches who came before them, naming Tom Thibodeau, who was fired last season after leading New York to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time in 25 years.
"This championship belongs to them too, because championships aren't just built in one season," he said.
Mamdami spoke about the odds the Knicks faced, especially when they were down by 29 points in the second half in Game 4 and came back to win on OG Ananoby's tip-in with 1.2 seconds left.
"The Knicks did not just win for New York City," he said. "They won like New York City. What is New York if not your back up against the wall, a dream that feels just out of reach, a rent payment you don't know how you'll ever make, 99.6% of the world stacked against you. And who are New Yorkers if not people who hear those odds and smile and ask, 'Why are you giving me a head start?'
"This is our city. This is our team. For 53 years, we watched; for 53 years, we waited. Now we've won," Mamdani said. "Knicks in!? Knicks in?!"
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Anaheim Ducks forward Troy Terry is expected to miss the start of the upcoming season after undergoing hip surgery.
Terry will make a full recovery in five to six months after surgery “to address hip impingement and a labral tear,” the Ducks announced in a statement Thursday. Terry had the surgery on June 9, and he has begun the rehabilitation process.
The 28-year-old Terry had 19 goals and 38 assists during the regular season before getting the first playoff experience of his nine-year NHL career last spring. He had three goals and eight assists in 12 games while Anaheim reached the second round, but the team announced after the season ended that Terry needed surgery for a chronic hip impingement.
Terry has been the Ducks' most consistent offensive presence during the team's seven-year postseason drought. The two-time All-Star selection has four career 20-goal seasons, and he has scored at least 50 points in five consecutive seasons, getting a career-high 67 in the 2021-22 season.
Joining the crowd is not the only thing Hart has done for the fans during the parade; he also signed a jersey for an NYPD officer.
The former Villanova Wildcat has become a man of the people in New York for his blue-collar style of play, which had him grabbing 8.9 rebounds per game in the 2026 NBA Playoffs.
“This city is built on toughness, grit, blue-collar people,” Hart said before Game 5.
New York Knicks player Josh Hart celebrates with fans during the ticker-tape parade. @NBA/X
“I feel like I’m the same person. They can look in the mirror, they can see themselves, just because that’s how I look at myself. I just happen to hoop.”
Hart has been the spiritual and energy leader for the Knicks all season, but his efforts were best displayed during Game 1 of the NBA Finals when he became the first player in an NBA Finals game to lead both teams outright in rebounds (15), assists (6) and steals (4).
Throughout the entire finals, Hart seemed to be in the right spot at the right time nearly the entire time.
He averaged 7.6 points, 9.8 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.4 steals in the five-game finals.
“I think the city really embraced me, my style of play, me as a person,” Hart said. “When you do that, you feel like you’re able to go out there and play your best.”
They’ve dropped five of six while averaging just 2.8 runs per game and ranking 29th in wOBA during the short stretch.
Additionally, it’s been a smoke-and-mirrors start for veteran lefty Martin Perez, and there’s serious statistical correction ahead of his .230 BABIP and 80.2% strand rate considering they’re both high-end marks among pitchers with at least 60 innings this season.
COVERS INTEL: Giants starter Landen Roupp’s 29.9% hard-hit rate ranks in the 92nd percentile of MLB pitchers, and his minuscule 3.2 barrel percentage is in the 93rd percentile, so I’m anticipating him holding the Braves in check enough for the San Francisco offense to pull away on the scoreboard.
Giants vs Braves Over/Under pick: Over 7.5 (-116)
Even with the noted Atlanta slump, this total is too low.
The Giants have averaged 5.5 runs per game during the highlighted offensive heater, and the Braves still have a formidable lineup without Acuna.
Atlanta ranks ninth in wOBA against right-handed pitchers and third in overall xwOBA, so I’m anticipating the Braves still chipping in offense tonight, even with San Fran starter Landen Roupp sporting a run-of-the-mill 3.91 xERA and 3.90 xFIP across 231 1/3 career innings.
This Over is in play to -125.
Neil Parker's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 28-14, +15.77 units
Over/Under bets: 14-13, -0.03 units
Giants vs Braves weather
Truist Park faces a significant weather threat tonight with a 90% chance of precipitation, a flood watch, and an active wind advisory this evening. Because severe thunderstorms and heavy rain are forecast, bettors should prepare for a potential rain delay or postponement.
Giants vs Braves odds
Moneyline: Giants +110 | Braves -143
Run line: Giants +1.5 (-200) | Braves -1.5 (+150)
Over/Under: Over 7.5 (-125) | Under 7.5 (-115
Giants vs Braves trend
The San Francisco Giants have covered the 1st Five Innings (F5) Run Line in their last 7 away games (+7.00 Units / 81% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Giants vs. Braves.
How to watch Giants vs Braves and game info
Location
Truist Park, Atlanta, GA
Date
Thursday, June 18, 2026
First pitch
7:15 p.m. ET
TV
NBCSBA, BravesVision
Giants starting pitcher
Landen Roupp (5-7, 4.24 ERA)
Braves starting pitcher
Martin Perez (5-3, 2.90 ERA)
Giants vs Braves latest injuries
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.
In hopes of teaming up LeBron James with Steph Curry, the Golden State Warriors have offered James a $15.1 million contract for the 2026-27 season.
The possibility of LeBron James’ time as a Laker could be coming to an end.
According to ESPN NBA insider Anthony Slater, the Golden State Warriors are willing to offer James a full non-taxpayer midlevel, team-friendly deal of $15.1 million next season.
Slater also added that the Warriors’ sales pitch to James could also include a player option for a second season, and that the team could get Steph Curry in on the recruitment process, but they haven’t explored that option yet.
In hopes of teaming up LeBron James with Steph Curry, the Golden State Warriors will offer James a $15.1 million contract for the 2026-27 season. Getty Images
In the past, James has voiced how much he’s enjoyed playing alongside Curry, calling it “Everything and more.”
If James decides to come back and play in his 24th season, he will still be considered one of the top free agents available this offseason after averaging 21 points, 6 rebounds, and 7 assists per game, and would make any team he plays for a legitimate title contender.
James will turn 42 in December and is nearing the end of a Hall of Fame career.
But like James, Curry is also nearing the end of his basketball career, after winning 4 championships, 2 MVP awards, and being selected as a 12-time All-Star.
With the days numbering down, the Warriors are looking to win one more title while Curry is still in the building.
If the Warriors manage to convince James to head up north and join forces with Curry, they will have a team that features the two of them, Draymond Green, and Jimmy Butler.
While the Warriors are heavily interested in acquiring James, Slater did note that team sources have indicated to him that it appears more likely that a reunion between James and the Lakers seems more likely.
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COVERS INTEL: Giants starter Landen Roupp’s 
