Everyone’s favorite quick hitters. I found a couple of first-inning props that should get the sweat going to kick off the evening while still delivering a full thrill ride.
Let's dive into my favorite NRFI predictions and MLB picks on Tuesday, June 16.
Best NRFI/YRFI predictions today
Pick
Odds
/ - YRFI
-126
/ - NRFI
-142
/ - NRFI
-131
Giants at Braves: YRFI (-126)
One of my favorite matchups on the board today has the potential to produce a ton of runs, and we are all over the YRFI in this one, folks.
San Francisco Giants right-hander Adrian Houser takes the mound against an Atlanta Braves lineup that features seven hitters with at least a strongly rated matchup. Houser also enters the day as the lowest-rated pitcher on Batters-Box, so we have to be rooting for runs here. Through 13 starts this season, he owns a 9.00 ERA in the first inning, while allowing opposing hitters to slash .302/.409/.698.
Things do not get much better for Braves right-hander Grant Holmes, who owns the third-worst pitcher rating on the slate. He will have to navigate a Giants lineup featuring three elite-rated hitters and two more with strongly rated matchups. Through 13 starts, Holmes has posted a 4.83 first-inning ERA, allowing eight runs in those appearances.
With a combined nine elite-rated hitters and three strongly rated hitters in this matchup, I think the -126 price tag makes a lot of sense. I would be comfortable playing this up to -130.
Time: 7:15 p.m. ET
Where to watch: BravesVsn, NBCSBA
Blue Jays at Red Sox: NRFI (-142)
Back-to-back weeks taking an NRFI featuring Boston Red Sox right-hander Payton Tolle, who draws a Toronto Blue Jays offense that has not been making much hard contact or barreling the baseball over its last 12 road games. Meanwhile, Tolle has been nails in the first inning, posting a 2.00 ERA while allowing just two runs through nine starts. Opposing hitters are batting only .194 with a .242 OBP and .419 SLG against him in the opening frame.
On the other side, Blue Jays right-hander Dylan Cease has also been tremendous in the first inning, sporting a 3.00 ERA while allowing just five runs across 12 starts. Opposing hitters are batting .217 with a .280 OBP and .413 SLG. Cease also gets the luxury of facing a lineup that does not feature a single elite or strong-rated hitter in the current season timeframe ratings at Batters-Box.
Additionally, the Red Sox lineup features eight hitters with strikeout rates above league average and seven hitters with ground-ball rates above league average.
Sure, -142 is a heavily juiced price for an NRFI, but I would still play it at anything near this number. You could also consider pairing it with another prop from today's card.
The White Sox enter this matchup after taking down two of the National League's best, winning a series against the Dodgers this past weekend and the Braves in the series prior. Can they keep the momentum rolling against a red-hot ace?
Early on, I am leaning toward Cole recording a clean first inning. Through four starts this season, nobody has been able to touch him in the opening frame. He owns a 0.00 ERA, while opposing hitters are batting just .083 against him.
Martin has been impressive in the first inning as well. Through 13 starts, he has allowed only two runs in the opening frame, with opposing hitters batting .191 and carrying a .255 slugging percentage.
I am expecting some offensive regression from the White Sox following their first series win over the Dodgers since 2014. Meanwhile, with Aaron Judge out of the Yankees lineup, I think Martin can navigate the first inning cleanly and get in and out without any damage.
Time: 7:05 p.m. ET
Where to watch: YES, CHSN
Colby Marchio's 2026 Transparency Record
NRFI/YRFI picks: 5-1, +2.1 units
What is a NRFI prediction?
NRFI (No Run First Inning) and YRFI (Yes Run First Inning) picks add a thrilling twist to the start of an MLB game. A NRFI pick is a prediction that no runs will be scored in the first inning. You're predicting that the starting pitchers for both teams will get through the first inning without allowing any runs, whether by striking out batters, inducing ground balls, or through solid defensive play.
A YRFI pick is the exact opposite. You're predicting that at least one run will be scored in the first inning. In this case, you’re hoping for an early offensive burst such as a leadoff walk, a timely hit, or even a home run.
NRFI and YRFI picks add excitement to the early part of a game and offer immediate gratification for those looking for a quick resolution.
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.
“BORD$ still values him as a high-end reserve, with his $9.4 million valuation falling well short of the contract dollars,” Hollinger wrote. “I could see the Hawks picking up the option to use his contract in a trade, but it’s more likely that they decline it and either re-up at a lower number or move on.”
BORD$ is Hollinger’s proprietary player valuation system, which factors in regular-season production, age, injury history and projected minutes to estimate what a player is actually worth on the open market.
Kuminga averaged 12.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists while shooting 46.3 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from 3-point range across 36 games with the Hawks after being traded by the Warriors in February. The 23-year-old was selected No. 7 overall by Golden State in the 2021 NBA Draft, a pick the Warriors hoped would develop into a long-term frontcourt piece next to Stephen Curry and Draymond Green before injuries and inconsistency stalled his rise.
The numbers tell only part of the story. Kuminga was in and out of Hawks coach Quin Snyder’s rotation for much of the season — a pattern not unlike his up-and-down role under Kerr in Golden State, where his minutes fluctuated wildly from game to game despite flashes of real talent.
The Hawks have until June 29 to make their decision. If they decline the option, Kuminga becomes an unrestricted free agent — though Hollinger’s valuation suggests his next contract may once again fall short of what he believes he’s worth.
BALTIMORE, MD - JUNE 12: Gunnar Henderson #2 of the Baltimore Orioles celebrates with Adley Rutschman #35 after hitting a solo home run in the fourth inning during the game between the San Diego Padres and the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on Friday, June 12, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Mariners return home after a rough road trip with some reinforcements waiting to join the squad. The return of both Cal Raleigh and J.P. Crawford should alleviate some of the issues plaguing the team over the last few weeks by lengthening the lineup. There are still issues on the pitching staff — Andrés Muñoz’s back issue that forced him from the game on Sunday being the most concerning — but the roster definitely looks a lot stronger with the M’s superstar catcher back on board.
After splitting a four-game series in Baltimore last week, the Orioles make the trip out to the West Coast this week to wrap up the season series against the Mariners. If you watched any of that series, you’re already familiar with what the O’s bring to the table — nothing much has changed in the four days since these two teams met last.
Player
Position
Bats
PA
K%
BB%
ISO
wRC+
Taylor Ward
LF
R
332
20.2%
19.0%
0.095
123
Gunnar Henderson
SS
L
330
24.2%
7.9%
0.191
99
Adley Rutschman
C
S
216
14.4%
10.6%
0.217
128
Pete Alonso
1B
R
316
22.2%
10.8%
0.220
123
Samuel Basallo
DH
L
215
25.6%
8.8%
0.211
117
Leody Taveras
CF
S
217
21.2%
10.6%
0.114
104
Colton Cowser
RF
L
171
28.7%
11.1%
0.162
97
Blaze Alexander
3B
R
170
22.9%
5.9%
0.118
118
Jackson Holliday
2B
L
82
29.3%
11.0%
0.169
79
The biggest change to the O’s lineup already happened last Thursday when Adley Rutschman and Samuel Basallo returned from their respective minor injuries that had held them out of the first three games of that series in Baltimore. Otherwise, I’ll just paste in what Isabelle wrote about the team below:
The Orioles currently have the fifth-highest strikeout rate and the sixth-highest walk rate paired with some distinctly middle-of-the-road contact numbers. It’s also worth noting that only four players have accrued 200+ plate appearances at this point, indicative of intermittent injury struggles and some reclamation projects. Former AL Rookie of the Year contender and longtime light at the end of the Bad Years in Baltimore Tunnel, Adley Rutschman (“play badly for Adley” is a clever little ditty that will live on in my brain for eternity) had a torrid start, but has cooled in recent weeks. Gunnar Henderson is being propped up by his good defense, Taylor Ward is as annoyingly-decent as ever, and former “friend” Leody Taveras has slashed his strikeout rate by third, which makes him a reasonably functional big leaguer. Their big offensive signing, Pete Alonso, petrified everyone with his frigid start, but he’s since been about what you would expect. Other names to note are Samuel Basallo, their younger, better (?) catcher who had a scorching month at the plate in May; Jackson Holliday, former top prospect and eternal nepo baby, who started the season on the injured list; and Coby Mayo, pressed into service at third after Jordan Westburg’s season-ending elbow surgery.
Brandon Young graduated from the Orioles’ development pipeline last year after landing sixth on their 2025 prospect list. He’s got above average skills across the board but no clear carrying tool to push his profile above a back-end starter. His fastball is probably his best pitch, though he’s introduced a new slider this year that shows a lot of promise. He’ll also mix in a curveball and a splitter to keep left-handed batters at bay. His strikeout rate isn’t all that impressive, but he’s found some success by limiting the amount of hard contact he allows.
Pitcher
IP
K%
BB%
HR/FB%
GB%
ERA
FIP
Kyle Bradish
73.1
22.6%
12.1%
15.5%
50.0%
4.30
4.70
George Kirby
84
21.1%
6.0%
10.1%
52.0%
4.07
3.40
Pitch
Usage vRHB
Usage vLHB
Velocity
Stuff+
Whiff+
BIP+
xwOBA
Four-seam
7.7%
25.7%
94.0
84
68
133
0.401
Sinker
39.6%
27.7%
94.7
95
84
129
0.302
Curveball
12.0%
27.9%
84.3
104
130
114
0.261
Slider
40.7%
18.7%
87.0
114
95
109
0.339
From a previous series preview:
Kyle Bradish looked like he had made the jump to ace-dom back in 2024 but Tommy John surgery derailed his breakout. He returned to the mound late last year and looked like he was ready to pick up exactly where he left off. Things haven’t gone so smoothly this season, however. The key to his success all those years ago were his two breaking balls. His curveball has looked fine this year, but his slider has been knocked around a bunch. The effectiveness of his sinker has also waned a bit because he’s struggled to locate that pitch in the zone. That’s led to a pretty big jump in walk rate to go along with a much lower strikeout rate.
Pitcher
IP
K%
BB%
HR/FB%
GB%
ERA
FIP
Shane Baz
82
18.9%
9.0%
8.2%
36.8%
4.06
4.02
Bryan Woo
82
24.0%
4.6%
8.3%
35.5%
4.28
3.26
Pitch
Usage vRHB
Usage vLHB
Velocity
Stuff+
Whiff+
BIP+
xwOBA
Four-seam
23.1%
40.6%
96.2
104
80
86
0.364
Sinker
16.0%
1.8%
95.2
90
59
135
0.323
Cutter
32.8%
7.5%
89.5
97
86
78
0.353
Changeup
0.2%
13.0%
88.5
77
37
91
0.474
Curveball
27.9%
37.1%
85.3
102
91
104
0.291
The Orioles traded for Shane Baz this offseason in an effort to bolster their rotation and then signed him to a five-year, $68 million extension after his first start with the ballclub. At one point, Baz was a highly regarded prospect in Tampa Bay’s organization but Tommy John surgery derailed much of his development. Over the last two years since returning from that injury, he’s been merely average rather than transcendent like many thought he’d be as a prospect. With Baltimore, he added a sinker to his repertoire and emphasized his excellent curveball at the expense of his four-seam fastball. It’s a good trade off in theory but he’s struggled through an up-and-down season so far. His strikeout rate is down six points and left-handed batters in particular are crushing his pitches.
The Big Picture:
Team
W-L
W%
Games Behind
Run Diff
Recent Form
Mariners
37-36
0.507
—
+20
L-L-W-L-L
Athletics
36-36
0.500
0.5
-42
W-W-W-L-W
Rangers
35-37
0.486
1.5
+4
W-L-L-W-L
Astros
33-41
0.446
4.5
-45
L-W-W-L-L
Angels
29-44
0.397
8.0
-39
W-W-W-L-L
Team
W-L
W%
Games Behind
Run Diff
Recent Form
Rays
41-28
0.594
+6.5
+7
W-L-L-W-L
Guardians
39-33
0.542
+3.0
-3
L-L-L-W-W
Athletics
36-36
0.500
—
-42
W-W-W-L-W
Rangers
35-37
0.486
1.0
+4
W-L-L-W-L
Blue Jays
34-38
0.472
2.0
-22
W-L-W-L-L
Orioles
34-39
0.466
2.5
-33
W-W-W-L-L
The Athletics had a weird week in Las Vegas last week, winning four of six on that special “homestand” but losing their game on Sunday by a score of 23-9 against the Rockies. The team returned to Sacramento last night and beat up on the Pirates in the first game of a three game set against Pittsburgh. The Rangers wound up salvaging a single win in their weekend series against the Red Sox but lost the first game of a series against the Twins last night.
Jun 13, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays second baseman Ernie Clement (22) attempts a bunt and pops out against the New York Yankees during the eighth inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images | Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images
The Jays made a trade yesterday. Connor Seabold, who was DFAed, was traded to the Royals for minor league pitcher Denis Samudio and cash.
Samudio is a 21-year-old right-handed pitcher from Panama. He was pitching in the Arizona Complex League (the Arizona equivalent to the Florida Coast League). He’s a little old for that league. He was signed as an international free agent before the 2025 season.
There is a sentence about him in the FanGraphs KC prospects list.
Samudio was an older signee who performed on the complex last year. He throws strikes and touches 95 with some of the best vertical break in the system.
He’s pitched 5.2 innings this year with 3 hits, 2 earned runs (3 unearned), 2 walks and 5 strikeouts. I’d say he was a lottery pick, but anyone who can throw 95 at the start of his professional career might be interesting to watch. He’s been assigned to the Dunedin Blue Jays.
Turning to Seabold, he pitched in 5 games for us in the rotating last-man-in-the-pen role. In 3.1 innings, he allowed 6 hits, 3 earned, 2 walks, and 1 strikeout. He’s played parts of five years in the majors with six different teams (he’s been in nine different organizations). When you are out of options, and you are on the bubble, that’s how things go.
Looking ahead, we have three games in Boston starting tonight.
Starting Pitchers:
Dylan Cease (3-3, 2.91) vs. Payton Tolle (3-3, 2.70).
Max Scherzer (1-4, 10.23) vs. Jake Bennett (1-2, 5.28). If I were a betting man, I’d take the over on this game.
Trey Yesavage (3.3, 3.78) vs. Sonny Gray (8-1, 3.03)
How long do they keep going with Max? You know the answer is ‘Longer than we’d like’. But, if he’s crushed again today, I don’t see the point in starting him over Spencer Miles. Neither one is going to get you through 5 innings, but at least Miles could get us there while still within a one-possession game. Or he could come out when Shane Bieber is ready to return (which could be next week).
I get that it is a little more delicate when you are dealing with a future Hall of Famer, but having a starter with an ERA over 10 is not something you can sustain.
We have two players leading their position in All-Star voting. Ernie Clement and Vladimir Guerrero. Ernie deserves to go. Vlad…..not so much. But I do remember Davey Lopes getting voted into the All-Star Game despite a poor season. When asked about it, he said something like, ‘I’m not sure who the All-Star Game is for, the players or the fans.‘ Suggesting that, if it were for the players, his getting voted in would be a bad thing. If it is for the fans, well, they should get the players they want to see.
I remember, even then, not caring about the All-Star game, but thinking it was wrong that Dodgers fans voted more than anyone else, so more of their players went than truly deserved.
Vlad is a personality who will make the game more fun. If you have voting, you sometimes get the wrong person.
Elsewhere in the organization, Ricky Tiedeman pitched today in the FCL, starting the road back, throwing one inning, 5 batters, 2 hits, 1 earned, 2 strikeouts.
I was curious to look; the Jays have had 11 successful sac bunts, one more than league average. That’s only 11 too many. The Rays are at the top with 22. The Yankees have just 1. I hate things that make me want to like Aaron Boone. Fortunately, there are many reasons not to like him.
We are fourth in sac flies with 21; the Royals are on top with 29, the A’s at the bottom with 12.
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Full slate on tap tonight with plenty to dig into.
Here are my favorite MLB player props from the board, featuring some heavy hitters who have been seeing the ball extremely well lately.
See why Juan Soto and others are primed for big offensive performances on Tuesday, June 16.
Best MLB player props today
Player
Pick
Odds
Juan Soto
Over 1.5 total bases
-118
Kody Clemens
Over 1.5 hits+runs+RBI
-113
Bobby Witt Jr.
Over 1.5 total bases
-128
Juan Soto Over 1.5 total bases (-118)
Run it back. Juan Soto did not cash for us last night, going 0-for-2 with two walks, but tonight sets up as a strong bounce-back spot.
The New York Mets slugger draws an even better matchup against Cincinnati Reds right-hander Brady Singer, who has struggled mightily with left-handed hitters. At home this season against lefties, opposing bats are hitting .362 with a .621 SLG and a .442 wOBA, while lifting the ball 60.5% of the time.
Singer also grades out as one of the weakest arms on the slate, sitting second-worst in Batters-Box’s current season dataset with poor marks in matchup wOBA, ISO, hard contact, and strikeout rate.
Soto brings one of the highest arsenal coverage profiles among elite-rated hitters on the slate, covering 92.2% of Singer’s pitch mix. He has also been heating up over the last stretch, posting a .922 OPS with 52.4% hard contact and a 9.5% barrel rate over his last 30 plate appearances against right-handed pitching.
The numbers point toward the over 1.5 hits, runs, and RBIs, but the price is steep. The cleaner approach is either taking his bases or going straight to a double or homer angle if you want more upside.
Time: 7:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: CINR, SNY
Kody Clemens Over 1.5 hits + runs + RBI (-113)
Have I found my new favorite player? Maybe. He has only come through for me once so far, but Minnesota Twins outfielder Kody Clemens is in a strong spot against Texas Rangers right-hander Kumar Rocker, against whom he owns a 100% arsenal coverage.
Rocker has struggled at home against lefties, allowing a 70.6% elevation rate and 44.1% hard contact, while giving up a .425 slugging and .332 wOBA. Overall this season, left-handed hitters have posted a .302 xBA, .529 xSLG, and .359 xwOBA against him, while generating 53.2% hard contact.
Over his last 30 plate appearances against right-handed pitching, Clemens has been rolling, hitting .345 with a .862 SLG and 1.229 OPS, along with a 50% hard contact rate and a 16% barrel rate.
Getting an elite-rated hitter who is swinging it like this, with this level of arsenal coverage, below -120 is a gift. I would take this up to -125 if I had to.
Time: 8:05 p.m. ET
Where to watch: RSN, MNNT
Bobby Witt Jr. Over 1.5 total bases (-128)
Mr. Bobby Witt Jr., the pride of the Kansas City Royals, shows up every single day for his team. Now, the question is, does he show up for us?
Witt has been locked in against left-handed pitching for a while now, posting a .321 average with a .921 OPS, along with 61.5% hard contact and a 15.4% barrel rate. He draws Washington Nationals southpaw Foster Griffin, who has struggled against right-handed bats this season.
Over his last 60 batters faced, those hitters are producing a 46.5% hard contact rate, 14% barrel rate, with a .335 xBA, .696 xSLG, and .341 xwOBA.
Against Griffin’s pitch mix, Witt carries a 92.7% arsenal coverage rating, per Batters-Box. He also grades out strong in this spot, and over the last three seasons in 54 strong-rated spots, he has cleared this prop 50% of the time.
I am interested here, but I would not chase this at a bad number. If you cannot get it below -130, I would rather pivot to his double or home run look straight instead.
Time: 6:45 p.m. ET
Where to watch: NATS, ROYL
Colby Marchio's 2026 Transparency Record
Prop picks: 220-382-35, +7.8 units
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.
John Tortorella talks to MItch Marner (93) during the Golden Knights' Game 6 loss to the Hurricanes in the Stanley Cup Final on June 14, 2026.
John Tortorella’s time in Vegas is over.
The Golden Knights announced Tuesday that Tortorella will not return as the team’s head coach after taking them to the Stanley Cup Final, ending a short but impactful stint with the organization.
Tortorella joined the Golden Knights in March as Vegas looked for an immediate boost during a pivotal point in the season.
John Tortorella talks to MItch Marner (93) during the Golden Knights’ Game 6 loss to the Hurricanes in the Stanley Cup Final on June 14, 2026. Getty Images
General manager Kelly McCrimmon said the move gave the team what it needed, with Tortorella helping guide the Golden Knights to their third Cup Final appearance in franchise history.
They lost to the Hurricanes in six games in a series that ended Sunday.
“We thank Torts for the guidance he provided our team since joining the organization in March,” McCrimmon said in a statement. “When the decision was made to bring Torts to Vegas, we needed an immediate impact to help us at a pivotal point in the season.
“Torts’ experience and leadership proved to be the boost that we were looking for, helping guide us to the Stanley Cup Final. We are grateful for Torts’ passion, sincerity, and commitment to our organization, and we wish him and his family the best.”
The parting of ways was not unexpected. Tortorella said in an interview with Sportsnet during the Stanley Cup Final that he’d be leaving the team at season’s end.
“Everybody knows that I came on here and end of June, I’m done, as far as with Vegas. Kelly and I made that agreement when we first talked,” Tortorella said.
Golden Knights head coach John Tortorella (l.) and Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour (r.) shake hands after Carolina wins the Stanley Cup on June 14, 2026. Getty Images
The Golden Knights did not announce a replacement or any further coaching staff changes in Tuesday’s release. However, Sportsnet linked the team’s AHL head coach Ryan Craig, a former Golden Knights assistant, to the head coaching gig.
The announcement brings an end to a brief partnership between Vegas and one of hockey’s most recognizable coaching figures.
Tortorella’s arrival was framed as a late-season move designed to provide experience and leadership, and the Golden Knights credited him with helping the team through its playoff push.
John Tortorella during the Stanley Cup Finals. NHLI via Getty Images
Vegas has been one of the NHL’s most successful recent franchises since entering the league in 2017-18.
The organization reached the Stanley Cup Final in its inaugural season and won the Stanley Cup in 2022-23.
The Golden Knights now head into the offseason with at least one change to their coaching staff after another deep postseason run.
Apr 22, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren (0) reacts during the second half against the Orlando Magic during game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
The offseason is officially here, and for the Detroit Pistons, no decision is more consequential than the future of big man Jalen Duren. Duren bet on himself last offseason by not being willing to sign an extension in his first opportunity with the Pistons. That bet paid off to the tune of the best season of his career and All-NBA Third-Team honors.
The Pistons want to re-sign Duren to be the big man complement to star guard Cade Cunningham for the foreseeable future. He’s eligible to sign a five-year $287 million contract courtesy of making All-NBA. He won’t get that much money from Detroit or anyone else, but how much less will be a sticking point.
Duren had a great season, and showed his offensive game is not just limited to his already valuable rim pressure as a roll man alongside Cunningham. He can face up. He can use both power and touch near the rim. He can hit his free throws.
But he has limitations, and we certainly saw those limitations in a disappointing playoff run that cost him some money on his next deal. He’s not an offensive hub, he doesn’t stretch out to the perimeter, and he doesn’t play all-world defense.
There are questions about how much money is worth in today’s NBA if you’re serious about building a contending team. Well, when you’re 22 years old and maybe just scratching the surface like Duren seems like he might be, that number is going to be nine digits and probably start with a two.
In his valuation of Duren’s season, John Hollinger pegs Duren as worth approximately $44 million a year. Hollinger’s analysis is a mix of analytics, playing time data, and projection. Hollinger, being a human who saw said playoff struggles, gives Duren’s deal a bit of a haircut and lands on five years and approximately $200 million.
That is a lot of money. A lot, a lot. It would rank Duren behind only a handful of the centers in the NBA. In terms of age and percentage of the salary cap, it would be nearly identical to the deal Alperen Sengun signed with the Houston Rockets.
Whether Hollinger is correct in his valuation or not, the team must also be careful that Duren isn’t suddenly motivated to sign an offer sheet with another team. That’s a scenario Hollinger also calls out.
“On the other hand, Duren is only 22 and coming off an All-Star regular season, and cap-room teams like Brooklyn and Chicago will be circling with offer sheets if the Pistons get cold feet.”
If the Pistons draw a hard line at around the $200 million mark, then a team like Brooklyn and Chicago can come in and offer something closer to the $230 million that Duren would be eligible for on a typical post-rookie max deal. That would leave the Pistons with an extremely difficult choice between overpaying for a potential cornerstone player or losing them for nothing.
For a contending team like Detroit, it’s a decision that effectively dictates your path for the next several years. Choose correctly and you can reasonably fight for an NBA title. Choose wrong, and you’ve cemented your status as close but never was.
Regardless of the path chosen, the choices only get harder from here on out.
When the 2025 NHL Free Agency period opened on July 1, two of the Vancouver Canucks’ biggest signings were contract extensions for pending 2026 unrestricted free-agents Thatcher Demko and Conor Garland.
This year, there are five current Canucks who are eligible to sign contract extensions once July 1, 2026 hits, all of whom are set to become unrestricted free-agents in 2027.
Two 2025 Trade Acquisitions Will Have Their Current Contracts Expire In 2027
Drew O’Connor
Current Contract: $2.5M x 2yrs
Acquired alongside Marcus Pettersson in January of 2025, O’Connor has been one of the Canucks’ most consistent players since arriving in Vancouver. The forward, now entering his second full-season with the Canucks, is an asset for the team on the penalty kill as well as for depth scoring. He set a new career-high in goals scored in a single season with 17 during the 2025–26 season and was one of only three players to skate in all 82 games for Vancouver. Like a player like Kiefer Sherwood, O’Connor could fetch an intriguing package from a team looking to add players at the trade deadline.
Filip Chytil
Current Contract: $4.437M x 4yrs
One of three pieces acquired as part of the J.T. Miller deal in January of 2025, Chytil’s time with the Canucks has been unexpected to say the least. The forward, anticipated to be Vancouver’s second-round centre solution at the time, has only skated in a total of 27 games for the Canucks. Despite showing flashes of speed and skill in 2025 pre-season and training camp, injuries set Chytil back multiple times, with his most recent being an unlucky puck to the face during practice that ended his 2025–26 season.
Two 2025 Free-Agent Signings Are In Need Of New Deals After Next Season
MacKenzie MacEachern
Current Contract: $850k x 2yrs
MacEachern was signed by Vancouver during the 2025 free agency period, inking a two-year, two-way deal. He spent most of his injury-stunted season with the Abbotsford Canucks in the AHL, though he did end up playing in eight games with Vancouver from the end of October to mid-November. With Abbotsford, MacEachern put together six goals and two assists in 21 games.
Jimmy Schuldt
Current Contract: $850k x 2yrs
Like MacEachern, Schuldt signed with Vancouver in free-agency in 2025, though he didn’t end up skating in any NHL games this past season. During his 2025–26 season with Abbotsford, the defenceman spent a good chunk of time on the AHL Canucks’ top-pairing, putting up three goals and 15 assists in 70 games despite his team making frequent changes to their blueline. His role in the next season will likely depend on what moves Vancouver chooses to make in free-agency and how their blueline shapes up.
Tolopilo’s Next Contract Could Make The Canucks’ Goaltending Situation Complicated
Nikita Tolopilo
Current Contract: $850k x 2yrs
Tolopilo’s oncoming free-agent status complicates things a bit within the Canucks organization. Both Thatcher Demko and Kevin Lankinen are locked up until 2029 and 2030 respectively, which doesn’t leave a whole lot of room for Tolopilo to snag NHL minutes. The situation is made even more complex given that the goaltender would require waivers to be sent down to the AHL. Tolopilo split his minutes between the NHL and AHL in 2025–26, putting up a 3.07 GAA and .897 SV% in 19 games with Abbotsford. He performed better than what his numbers with Vancouver show (3.61 GAA and .881 SV%), especially given his status as a rookie goaltender thrust into a difficult position.
Apr 14, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Drew O'Connor (18) handles the puck in warm up prior to a game against the Los Angeles Kings at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
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BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - AUGUST 09: General Manager Mike Elias of the Baltimore Orioles watches the Orioles Hall of Fame ceremony before the game between the Baltimore Orioles and the Athletics at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on August 09, 2025 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Orioles fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
Nearly halfway into the season, the Orioles remain a frustratingly inconsistent team. At times they look great and capable of beating the best teams. Other times they are unable to avoid making silly mistakes against lesser teams and they waste opportunities to stack up wins against that level of competition. At 34-39, it feels like they should be hopelessly out of the race, but, with the state of the AL being what it is this year, they are only 2.5 games out. If they can ever go on a 5+ game winning streak, they should be in a good position.
The trade deadline is still about a month and a half away. In this week’s survey, I want to know where you think this team will land in this back and forth. Will they stay close enough to be buyers, or are they going to fall out and end up as sellers for a second consecutive year?
There is also the Mike Elias track record to consider. He made the 2022 team into sellers even after their July resurgence, an unpopular decision that prompted him to say “it’s liftoff from here,” which I suspect nearly four years later he regrets having said. Even if Elias ends up buying, he’s unlikely to be as aggressive as fans would like. But that’s not the question. Just break it down: Do they buy or do they sell?
Recent Orioles play is probably going to lean the responses in one direction. In asking this question, I’m more interested in seeing how lopsided it is. Perhaps the votes will surprise me. It’s happened before.
Scrum-half could play in Saturday’s final against Exeter
England preparing to name Nations Championship squad
The England scrum-half Alex Mitchell is in line for an unexpected return to Northampton’s matchday squad for this weekend’s Prem final against Exeter. A hamstring injury had threatened to rule Mitchell out of the rest of the domestic season but the Saints are now hopeful he will be available for Saturday’s finale at Allianz Stadium.
A fit Mitchell would be positive news for club and country after the 29-year-old tore a hamstring during an England training camp in Bagshot last month. At the time his club director of rugby, Phil Dowson, publicly expressed his frustration about Mitchell’s injury and suggested he would struggle to feature again this season.
George Lombard Jr. of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders exits the field before a Minor League Baseball game at Coca-Cola Park in Allentown, United States, on May 22, 2026. (Photo by Dan Squicciarini/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images
It’s a good week when just one of the seven affiliates has a losing record, and that’s only because they lost to their sister club. There were a lot of sensational hitting performances this week on the farm, but that’s not to say the pitching slacked off either.
In fact, it was a really good week to be an under-the-radar prospect this week.
Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders
Record: 34-34, 8.5 GB in the International League East after a 3-3 week against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (Phillies)
Run differential: +4
Coming up: Away @ Columbus Clippers (Guardians)
Things started pretty bleak this week for the RailRiders, who became even more shorthanded this past weekend after Jasson Domínguez’s rehab assignment was cut short on Friday. They went 1-3 entering the weekend, but rallied to win two consecutive one-run games to secure the series split.
With Domínguez and Spencer Jones filling roles up in the big leagues, there aren’t many intriguing bats to talk about. Tyler Hardman is starting to heat up, Duke Ellis has had some big swings lately, and Jonathan Ornelas is raking, but the storyline is George Lombard Jr. continuing to heat up. He’s starting to really drive the ball in the air and, after several near-misses with the long ball over the past few weeks, hit two in a row during Friday’s doubleheader. He’s up to a 106 wRC+ at the level.
Elmer Rodríguez drew the Tuesday/Sunday starts this week and combined to allow four runs in 11.1 innings. His strikeout rate was way down this week, but he threw enough strikes and limited damage to continue holding serve as “next man up.” Brendan Beck got screwed over with the suspended game on Thursday, only tossing 3.1 scoreless innings before the game was halted. Adam Kloffenstein struggled, while Dom Hamel tossed a rare quality start.
The bullpen was headlined by Carlos Lagrange, who served as the multi-inning piggyback for Rodríguez on both Tuesday and Sunday, combining to allow three runs across 5.2 innings with eight strikeouts to just one walk. He’s probably going to settle in at the 2-3 inning role going forward.
After him, it was up and down. Bradley Hanner and Yovanny Cruz took some bad outings on the chin, while guys like Dylan Coleman and Yerry De los Santos stepped up. We also got a Will Brian cameo, as he was briefly promoted midweek to strike out three in 1.1 scoreless innings in his Triple-A debut before being returned to Somerset.
Record: 35-28, 0.5 GB in the Eastern League Northeast after a 5-1 week against the Binghamton Rumble Ponies (Mets)
Run differential: +40
Coming up: Away @ Portland SeaDogs (Red Sox)
The quirks of the minor league schedule mean that, even though it’s June, it’s playoff hunt time for Somerset. The final week of the “first half” begins today, and they sit just a half game behind Hartford for an automatic playoff spot with six games to go. They held serve this past week, taking 5 of 6 from Binghamton with some great pitching, allowing three runs or fewer in four games.
With Jace Avina still out and Garrett Martin having his first homerless week since April, the offense has needed someone to step up in a big way. DJ Gladney (6-for-23, HR, 6 RBI, 2 2B) and Jackson Castillo (7-for-24, 4 HR, 11 RBI, 4 BB) have absolutely done that, with the highlight of the week coming when Gladney obliterated a ball 474 feet on Friday night.
As I said previously, it was a good week for pitching. Trent Sellers started them off with five two-run innings on Tuesday, Cade Smith tossed seven shutout innings on Wednesday in his best start of the season, Xavier Rivas pitched four shutout innings on Thursday, Jack Cebert allowed just one run in 5.1 innings on Friday, and Kyle Carr tossed a quality start on Saturday. Even the brief outings by Ben Hess (3.1 IP, 1 R), Chase Hampton (welcome back to Somerset!), and a rehabbing Alexander Cornielle in the piggyback system didn’t hurt.
There were some moving parts in the bullpen, as Harrison Cohen returned from a brief absence on Sunday, but at the cost of Chris Veach going down with an injury. That, along with Will Brian being sent to Scranton for a few days before returning, kinda just led to this being a silent week for these guys. Remember, they got three piggyback long-relief outings by Cebert, Rivas, and Chase Chaney behind guys like Cornielle, Hampton, and Hess, so there weren’t many innings to go around.
Record: 29-33, 10.5 GB in the South Atlantic League North after a 4-2 week against the Jersey Shore BlueClaws (Phillies)
Run differential: +1
Coming up: Away @ Rome Emperors (Braves)
After an absolutely miserable week to start June for the pitching staff, they bounced back pretty nicely against Jersey Shore this week, winning via shutout on Tuesday before a pair of 11-3 victories later in the week. They secured the series win with a 6-3 win on Sunday.
Kaeden Kent continued to hold serve as the team’s leadoff bat with a .300 average and not many extra-base hits. It was an absolutely massive week for Wilson Rodriguez (12-for-24, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 6 XBH), as the Puerto Rico native settles in midway through his first year in High-A. Eric Genther continued to slug in what’s been a big few weeks for him, while Josh Moylan cooled off after a multi-week heater. Enmanuel Tejada has also been a consistent on-base threat since he was promoted from Tampa in May.
The week started off with a great sign, as the struggling Bryce Cunningham finally looked like the player he was pre-injury last year with six shutout innings on Tuesday. Luis Serna followed things up by getting back on track with a quality start, Allen Facundo walked six but got through five innings with a no-decision, Rory Fox tossed a quality start of his own on Friday, and Sean Paul Liñan had a decent four-inning outing. Only starter who took it on the chin this week was Franyer Herrera on Saturday.
Nothing special from the pen this week. Jack Sokol took both a win and a loss, Brandon Decker continued to look good, and Brady Kirtner finally started to settle in. Tanner Bauman and Thomas Balboni Jr. exchanged good and bad outings, as well.
Record: 34-29, 5 GB in the Florida State League West after a 4-2 week against the Bradenton Marauders (Pirates)
Run differential: +30
Coming up: Home vs. Fort Myers Mighty Mussels (Twins)
It’s too late for the Tarpons to make a run at the first-half playoff spot, but if they can continue to ride this momentum into the second half, they’ll be playing in the postseason. In all four wins, they allowed three or fewer runs, and they did so in one of the two losses as well. The offense was down, but the pitching was just so good.
The big three continued to hit for Tampa, as Jackson Lovich, Hans Montero, and Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek all continued to hit, while Logan Maxwell is back entrenched in this lineup and hitting. Even JoJo Jackson, who had a mediocre May after a strong April, is starting to heat up. This lineup doesn’t have many holes right now, even if nobody is putting up a ridiculous slashline.
What a fun week for this rotation. Justin West only got three innings in on Tuesday, and Brennan Stuprich struggled on Sunday, but everyone else looked great. Thatcher Hurd got screwed over with a suspended game, but tossed three solid innings before Wyatt Parliament piggy-backed him with five two-run innings. JT Etheridge improved to 6-0 with five shutout innings. Henry Lalane had his fourth consecutive great start with six shutout innings with nine strikeouts. And to put the cherry on top, Tyler Boudreau struck out 11 in six strong innings on Saturday.
The bullpen continues to be buoyed by the strong performances of Jose Martinez and Pedro Rodriguez. Jose M. Rodriguez is overcoming some inconsistent command, Parker Seay and Greysen Carter are stringing together scoreless outings after scoreless outing, and even once-struggling relievers like Jordarlin Mendoza and Jose Ledesma have slowly gotten their gargantuan ERAs down. We also got a rehab assignment from former Somerset closer Kevin Stevens, who was arguably the best reliever in the system in 2024.
Record: 17-14, 5 GB in the FCL North after a 4-1 week.
Run differential: +24
Now, that’s more like it. What a great week for the FCL squad, who might not be any closer to the FCL Blue Jays at the top, but they’re finally playing a more consistent brand of baseball.
Remember last week when I said Wilberson De Pena fell back to earth? Well, he’s back on Jupiter. In five games this week, he went 9-for-23 with 4 HR, 10 RBI, and two doubles. When you add in Dexters Peralta’s tremendous growth in the game power department and Jose Castro returning from a multi-week absence to start slugging the crap outta the ball, this looks like the best offense in the Florida Complex League.
On the pitching end, it’s still a big gap between Omar Gonzalez and everyone else, but an intriguing face popped up on a rehab assignment. 2023 10th-rounder Brian Hendry made his season debut after missing all of 2025, and it wasn’t that long ago when he pitched to a 0.48 ERA in seven starts with Hudson Valley in 2024 before injuries ravaged him. He’s 26 now, but can look no further than Brendan Beck for a late bloomer.
DSL Yankees: Record: 5-6, 3.5 GB in DSL East after a 4-1 week Run differential: +33
DSL Bombers: Record: 3-8, 4 GB in DSL Southeast after a 2-3 week Run differential: -29
After a truly miserable opening week, both DSL teams got some momentum this week. Across both affiliates, a number of outstanding hitting performances are rising from the ashes, including Isaias Castillo, Stiven Marinez, and Juan Martinez. While Mani Cedeno, the most prominent name down here, isn’t lighting the world on fire, he has a .943 OPS. Just wait for the run environment to calm down.
The pitching is still pretty bad, but there are bright spots. Jhosneyker Colina has allowed just one run in 10.2 innings with 13 strikeouts. Yunior Jerez hasn’t allowed an earned run in nine innings with 12 strikeouts. The samples are too small for anyone else to emerge, especially with the leaguewide walk problems, so check back next week.
You might not know who this young man from Santo Domingo is, but you might want to learn the name.
Castillo was born in June 2008, which even makes a college student like me feel old. He signed with the Yankees in late January 2025 for $750,000 as the third-largest bonus in the class behind Mani Cedeno and Ruben Castillo. He had a fairly unremarkable debut season in 2025, hitting just one home run, eight extra-base hits, and posting just a 90 wRC+ in 27 games with a high strikeout rate. He was barely 17 at the time, but there’s a reason he wasn’t on many radars.
Well, just 11 games into the season, he’s already exceeded pretty much every counting stat from last year as he celebrated his 18th birthday on Monday. He’s been the best hitter in the Dominican Summer League so far, blasting same-age pitching to a degree we rarely see.
The sample size is still very small, and we have almost two entire months to go in the DSL season, but this is the guy you should be keeping your eyes on down in the D.R.
Justin Steele throws during spring camp in Mesa in February | | Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Cubs fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
As you all know, the Cubs have had quite a number of injuries to the starting rotation this year.
The Opening Day rotation of Matthew Boyd, Cade Horton, Shōta Imanaga, Edward Cabrera and Jameson Taillon is in tatters. Of those five, only Imanaga has not missed a start (in fact, he is among a number of starters tied for the MLB lead with 15 starts). Horton’s out for the year. Cabrera, Boyd and Taillon have all missed time, though Cabrera’s injury, a blister, had him out only the minimum 15 days and he threw well against the Rockies on his return last week.
Boyd was also supposed to return last week, but had a setback. Taillon’s injury likely has him out until after the All-Star break.
And then there’s Justin Steele, who also had a setback in recovery from Tommy John surgery last year. Originally, it had been hoped he’d be back around now, but at this point Steele is likely out until at least August. I
It’s possible none of these guys will help the team later this year. Or maybe one or more will come back and stabilize the rotation. It’s fortunate that Ben Brown and Javier Assad have stepped up, something that gives the team real starter depth.
So in this week’s SB Nation Reacts survey, I’m asking which of Boyd, Steele or Taillon will help the club the most this year. Or maybe you think none of them will. Vote in the survey below and I’ll have the results here later this week.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 13: Mauricio Dubon #14 of the Atlanta Braves looks on after the fifth inning against the New York Mets at Citi Field on June 13, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Caleb Bowlin/Getty Images) | Getty Images
(Note: Stats here through June 14, which only matters for comparing the Braves to other teams. In an ideal world, I’d either do this on the 16th, or during the day on the 14th, but we live in something very far from an ideal world.)
I have a colleague that uses the word “correction” a lot. It’s notable because I don’t think she really means “correction” when she says it, but she’s incredible precise with her language, so it stands out. This seems kind of opaque without context, but essentially, any time something breaks a trend or is an unusual micro-pattern within a broader, different macro-pattern, there she goes with “correction.” 2008? Economic correction. Post-pandemic drop in crime? Correction. Maybe “correction” is right, or at least fine. In any case, when talking about the Braves in June, you can see why the word haunts me a bit.
The bottom line is that whether the Braves were good, bad, or mediocre, a 6-5 record over two weeks of play isn’t weird. 6-5 is like, the default record. If a team constantly went 6-5, i.e., splitting ten games and winning the 11th, that’s basically 15 “free” wins over a .500 record, which means an 88-win season. Incidentally, 88 wins is not too far off from what the Braves were projected to do preseason (90ish by FanGraphs’ Steamer/ZiPS blend, lower by stuff like ZiPS alone). So, 6-5 — don’t call it a correction. Or… do?
Because, well, before June, the Braves weren’t playing at an 88-win pace. They also weren’t getting particularly lucky in racking up the victories. They also went 5-1 through their first two series in June… only to run into a very unfortunate road trip that saw them lose likely their two most talented (or at least, highest-ceiling, highest-variance because of that high ceiling) players to injury, and go 1-4 in the process. Whoops.
Is it a correction to go from a 108-win pace to a 105-win pace? (No?) What about from a 110-win pace to a 105-win pace (also probably not). What about from a projected 95-win team estimated to play at an 87-win clip the rest of the way on May 31, to a projected 94-win team estimated to play at an 86-win clip the rest of the way, as of June 15? Well, now I’m just throwing out a bunch of rhetorical questions. The bottom line: the Braves had a bad week. They didn’t bank wins at their previous, breakneck pace. They also suffered some injuries that will make winning harder in the future. Both of those kind of sucked, but they still have MLB’s best record. I guess the message is that if you expect them to play as they have, chances are, your perspective could use a correction. If you expect them to play as a good-not-great team given their surfeit of injuries and the usual talent variations, chances are you won’t get whiplash… and if you do, it’ll be the pleasant kind.
How did the Braves do recently?
Well, that was a very long, 500-word intro. Right to the stats, then. Believe it or not, going 6-5 for a month is a top half performance in MLB. Their production, though, was kinda worse — given what they did, you’d expect them to have gone 5-6 or maybe even 4-7. So, it could’ve been worse. You’ll see what I mean, namely…
After finishing in the top ten in position player value in both April and May, the Braves are literally dead last in MLB in position player value so far in June. They’re 29th in batting outputs, 28th in batting inputs, and 12th in defensive value.
On the flip side, the pitching has actually been pretty good. Or, at least, fortunate. Seventh in fWAR (rotation 19th, bullpen eighth, kind of a weird combo but there it is)… but a rankwise breakdown of ninth in ERA-, fifth in FIP-, and 15th in xFIP-. HR/FB on the pitching side comes to the rescue when the bats slumber, I guess. Thanks, HR/FB!
Using game-by-game odds, the Braves should’ve gone somewhere around 5-6 or 6-5, so what they actually did isn’t that surprising. But again, that’s because game-by-game odds will generally slam every team in that .500ish range, since that’s kind of how baseball works. That said, in true double-you-tee-eff fashion, the Braves somehow both lost the game where they were most-favored in this two-week stretch (Chris Sale against the Jays at home), but won the game where they were least-favored (Martin Perez against the Mets in New York). Baseball, man. Weirdly, the Braves are 1-2 in the three games with their pre-game odds over 60 percent, but they’re also 2-3 in games with their pre-game odds below 42 percent.
How did the Braves do recently?
Look, you can’t be dead last at a big thing like position player production for two weeks and not have it mess with your rankings a bit. But, given that two months were in the books before this span, maybe only a bit. Every team has a stumble for a week, it’s a long season.
The Braves are now seventh in position player value. They’re third in batting inputs, seventh in batting outputs, and seventh in defensive production.
The Braves are now 12th in pitching value (19th rotation, third bullpen). They have baseball’s best ERA- (still), but are 12th in FIP- and 10th in xFIP-.
How are the hitters doing?
Heh. Well…
It was a good two weeks for Ozzie Albies and Mauricio Dubon… and throw Matt Olson in too if you count “getting super-lucky without doing much to earn it,” too. Aside from Michael Harris II, it was a bad-to-horrific two weeks for everyone else, which is how you get that last-in-MLB-for-two-weeks demerit. Also, note that of the guys who didn’t meet the 17 PA cutoff I’m using for these biweekly check-ins, everyone else was horrendous, too, except for Eli White. The Braves were basically getting half a lineup’s worth of anything over these last two weeks, and that’s not enough.
For the season as a whole, the performance is still pretty strong. Harris and Olson continue to play like surefire All-Stars, Dubon’s defensively-buoyed profile is working as his bat has been fine, and Albies, who legitimately hit well over these two weeks, is combining luck and a defensive resurgence to getting back to good rather than merely playable-ish. Still, the awful June so far has been a drag on a lot of guys. If this keeps up, the Braves will probably have to explore more than just the usual starter/reliever/right-handed bat at the Trade Deadline — they’ll probably stick with Austin Riley, but Yastrzemski might be playing himself out of a permanent strong side platoon fixture, and Dominic Smith can’t afford too many more two-week stretches like the one he just had before he tumbles into 2026 Riley territory value-wise.
Sandy Leon, man. He’s not there to hit but the hitting has been… really far away from basically anyone else, even when the team is struggling.
Another shoutout to Dubon, who not only led the position players in WPA in this two-week stretch, but literally tripled the next-closest WPA tally… which belongs to White, of all people.
How are the pitchers doing?
Not much surprising here. Martin Perez (from the top rope, somehow) switched places with Bryce Elder in the “huh, that was a really good two starts” this time around.
The Braves’ rotation is, in the end, in a really weird place. Chris Sale is Chris Sale, no need for further discussion but for continued gawking at how good he is. Bryce Elder and Martin Perez have both been surprising in their own way; even if Elder is regressing, maybe Perez will simply swap places with him in terms of an arm being more-than-useful for longer than a two-week stretch. Grant Holmes and Spencer Strider were both awful in two outings, but despite Holmes’ horrendous performance after nine batters and the Strider Saga we’ve all come to know and dread, those guys aren’t doing horrendously on the season… except for the homers. On the season as a whole, the Braves haven’t had horrendous HR/FB problems… but the rotation is creeping up there, given what happened to Elder, Holmes, and Strider over the last few weeks.
On the bullpen front, there’s not much of note, other than Didier Fuentes continuing to thrive. Both he and Robert Suarez had three shutdowns and no meltdowns while making five appearances each. Their efforts are a big reason as to how the Braves were even able to manage to go 6-5 in a stretch where only one starter (and not Chris Sale) amassed positive WPA while pitching.
Here’s a weirdo factoid: the Braves have four relievers that already have 0.8 fWAR or more. There are 18 of those guys in baseball right now, period. A majority of teams don’t even have one. The Braves do have this odd issue, where they probably need to use the bullpen more relative to their starters given the disarray in the rotation, but there’s such a steep dropoff between that fearsome quartet and everyone else that you can totally see them just tread water for a bit before they they either feel like they need to wheel hard toward a change in personnel and management, or someone emerges to fill the gap.
Anyway, see you at the end of the month, at which point I hopefully won’t be talking about any full-fledged swoon.
THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JIMMY FALLON -- Episode 2305 -- Pictured: New York Knicks Championship Team on Monday, June 15, 2026 -- (Photo by: Rosalind O'Connor/NBC via Getty Images)
The Knicks have scheduled their parade for Thursday at 10 a.m.
Mikal Bridges might not make it there.
See for yourself.
"Put your hands together For the Kings of the comeback A team of history A team of destiny Our dream team Please welcome The 2026 NBA Champions Your New York Knicks" pic.twitter.com/HRY8DEv6i2
“This stuff is harder than what you think, and … you have to have great assistants. You have to have great players. But I was gassed. I’ll never forget, in 2003, as an assistant (with the Spurs), and when we won the championship (against the New Jersey Nets) … I was on the other bench when the buzzer went off, (and) I was sitting on my chair. All I did was lean back in my chair and I sat there, I felt like, for 10 minutes. It was probably 30 seconds, but I just wanted to breathe. I wanted to breathe. And that’s what I wanted to do today. It was surreal. I was tired, and then I went to find my family. I went to find (his partner) Ro, my grandson, my son Elijah, my step-kid, my mom, my sisters, I went to find my family and enjoy it with them.”
On the Knicks’ coaching search:
“No. I mean, I’ve been around a long time. This business is just as crazy as any other business. I’m pretty good at trying to control what I can control. I had zero control over who else was interviewing, who was denied permission. I had zero control over that. I just did the best I could in the interview process. I went about my business and waited until it was either going to progress or end . . . I just let it unfold the way it unfolded.”
On James Dolan’s speech:
“It’s a pretty serious mood going into the playoffs. When he said that, I was like, ‘Mike, hold yourself together. Do not fall out. Focus on his words. Focus on his words. Try to keep this as serious as you can. And let’s see how it plays out with the players.’ But there was no way that I could get that done.”
On Dolan’s impact:
“His speech was effective ’cause it was powerful. It was impactful, and it added to what messaging we’ve been giving our guys from Day 1, from the Opening Night dinner going into training camp, it added to it.
“And it added to it on another level because now you have the top guy, the ultimate leader, the guy that owns the team, that writes the checks, saying how he feels in a deep-felt message.
“They took it very seriously. We had shirts made up with ‘2026 Playoffs,’ and on the back we had ‘10 Weeks.’ And we even had the slogan ‘10 Weeks’ on the wall in the locker room, and as time went on, guys would say, ‘Hey — we got three weeks left, three weeks, let’s lock in.’
“If you can break it down to where, ‘Hey, this is 10 weeks of your life. … 10 weeks of your life to reach the mountaintop.’ ”
On feeling supported by James Dolan:
“One hundred percent this man has my back and we’re aligned. And that’s what I needed to hear. Our business, it’s a tough business, there’s too many different opinions that everybody can see and feel that can create separation or divide amongst a group. And I felt when he said those words, especially about me, that our players and everybody that was around during that speech, knew that we were truly aligned, vertically and horizontally, and it was a strong bond.”
On Knicks fans after the championship:
“You can’t go anywhere without people hugging you and telling you how long they’ve been waiting. You see grandpas saying, ‘When I was 20-something years old that happened.’ Then you see parents saying, ‘When I was a little kid and my parents used to take me,’ then you see their kids saying, ‘This is great!’ They don’t understand how long 54 years is ’cause they’re 10 years old.
You can feel how passionate and how truthful and how much pain they had over this team not winning all those years.”
On having family around during the Finals:
“It’s awesome having family around. Look, I’m a big family guy. To be able to have that support, whether you’re at home or on the road, and that love for anybody, it can uplift them. Whether you win or you lose, they don’t care. They just want to be there for you, and they want to support you. It’s always good to have that around, especially being in San Antonio.”
On his father:
“He definitely has that Air Force background. I think that’s where I got my OCD [obsessive-compulsive disorder] from. Dad, sorry. He’s pretty meticulous with whatever he goes about in his business.”
On getting another NBA opportunity:
“I obviously interviewed a couple times [for other NBA jobs], didn’t get them. Then Sacramento came. That gave me an opportunity, which I appreciate.”
On traveling after being fired by Sacramento:
“After I got fired, I wasn’t thinking about it, because my wife and I were running all over the world. We were in Sydney, we were in New York, Mexico, St. Barts. Next thing I know, they’re asking me to interview here.”
On the origin of the ‘Who Let the Dogs Out’ chant:
“I was an assistant (coach) in San Antonio many moons ago, a reporter who asked me a question, he said, ‘What did you learn during your time here when you coached the seven-year-old Dogs Flying Football team?’ I said, ‘I learned the cheer.’
We used to have the parents all come in the huddle, all the kids come in the huddle before every game, we put our hands in, and I go, ‘Who let the dogs out?’”
og really taking this nation by storm thats my hearthrob right there everyone is inlove with him pic.twitter.com/CNRkzwLg0M
— sports live tweeter yadira (@jonmoxIeys) June 16, 2026
Karl-Anthony Towns
On his meesage to future generations of hoopers:
“As long as you believe in yourself and you are willing to put the work in—anyone, kids growing up in New York, kids growing up all around the world have the chance to be a New York Knick as long as they want to do it and they gotta be willing to put the work in.”
On Victor Wembanyama:
“I mean, he’s taller, but for sure, you know, he’s a great player. He’s a once-in-a-generation player, someone that the league is honored to have. And to be able to see that kind of size and skill is something that we haven’t been able to see in the game of basketball before.”
“Honestly, it was like a lifetime, honestly, that’s what it felt like. I knew I had to because I knew that face would look crazy on TV.”
On his teammates:
“I think the best part about it is that these guys have my back night in and night out. Made that moment 10 times more special.”
On Mikal Bridges’ Instagram Live:
“Someone take Mikal’s phone away.”
On Josh Hart’s missed layup in Game 4:
“A lot of great things happen there. When we’re down one, and you miss wide-open layups.”
On not retaliating against Victor Wembanyama:
“I think it starts, honestly, with my parents, how they raised me. I’ll start there. I wanted to [retaliate] but at the same time, I knew that being a leader, understanding the moment, understanding the situation, you have to keep your composure. No matter when it’s being too high or being too low, you gotta stay even-keeled. That’s something I had for a long time.”
On Josh Hart being only his work-best-friend:
“I was ready to admit it, but after hearing that. I’m good.”
On Mike Brown’s ‘Who Let The Dogs Out?’ chant:
“We’ve got to put that to bed.”
Everything Mikal said on his drunk IG live today 😂
• Shouted out Atlanta for pissing him off and turning him up
• Called Ariel Hukporti “35” and joked that he lied on his birth certificate
• Called Jalen Brunson the GOAT and said his big-ass head needs a statue.
“Just take over the Knicks and get a chip. That’s some savage talk.”
On James Dolan:
“He could be a bigger savage if he built a practice facility in the city. But he still a savage.”
On Brunson deserving a statue:
“JB. Baaaaa. Goat. Baaaaa. Build him a statue. Build that little big-headed a statue, bro.”
On Becky Hammon’s comments on Jalen Brunson:
“And about Becky. No disrespect for Becky, man. She’s a m—-rf—-r for real, and she’s a savage for sure… Becky’s a savage, too. I appreciate Becky [Hammon], no cap. The words she said about can’t win with JB being a ‘1A’, ‘1B’, ‘he too little’, all that did is fuel that n—- bro.”
On Jalen Brunson’s mentality:
“I don’t care what y’all say or what he says, but I know him. And he ain’t gonna tell y’all. He knows what she said. It fueled that n—- to go be him, go be f—ing great….. Don’t f—k with Becky, bro, don’t disrespect Becky. She’s the GOAT.”
On his goal for the championship parade:
“I just want to bring my dog on the float; that’s it.”
“For me, I just wanted to set up an epic last possession. We wouldn’t have that OG tip-in without that missed layup. I was willing to sacrifice that layup so OG could get the tip-in. I was trying to be a good teammate.”
On Mikal Bridges drinking at 9 a.m. on a Monday:
“At 9 o’clock? Call the hotline.”
On Jalen Brunson as a work-best-friend:
“Well, you always have, like, work best friends. You go to school, and you have a friend there, and when he’s not there, you’re like, ‘Dang, where is he at?’ But when you go home, you don’t think about him.”
On his first impression of Brunson after meeting him in Villanova:
“I thought he was an entitled, privileged five-star recruit, [and] I wasn’t really a fan.”
On Brunson’s personality:
“It’s kind of the same now. People think that I’m the childish one, but he is like the annoying friend… He is probably the most annoying person I know behind the cameras.”
Mitchell Robinson shares his mental health battles (and an adorable picture of himself a child) in an IG post this afternoon pic.twitter.com/Mmq846SVds
“I don’t even know where to begin the battles, the sacrifices, the mental breakdown, the disbelief in myself, the injuries, the surgeries, the mistakes and to be able to stay strong and bounce back from being in hell was all worth the ride I appreciate the fans and my friends and family for helping me get through all of that while fighting to get it done the sacrifices yall made for me throughout the years will never go unnoticed and unappreciated I can’t thank you all enough for everything y’ll got me through.”
On asking the Knicks to communicate their postseason commitment to their family:
“Go home, talk to your wives. Don’t tell them you’re not going to have sex, and don’t tell them it was my idea. But let them know what this is going to be like, what your commitment is going to be like.”
On what a championship would mean:
“I don’t know if you understand what it would mean to win the NBA championship. It would be life-changing. … It will stick with you the rest of your lives. And if you don’t win, you’ll be thinking about it the rest of your lives.”
On the Knicks’ legacy:
“You will forever be important to New York City. No matter where you go and what you do the rest of your lives, when people introduce you, even if you become the president of the United States, they’ll start off with ‘NBA champion, 2026.’ … That’s what’s at stake here.”
On the need for sacrifice:
“The big word is sacrifice. You’re going to have to sacrifice if you want to achieve this.”
On his belief in the Knicks:
“I know you can do it. You know you can do it. I believe you know you can do it.”
On accountability and preparation:
“At the end of these 10 weeks, what you achieve is what the public’s gonna think of you — not what you say in the press conferences, etc.”
On building daily habits from the get-go:
“You need to bump your practice. You need to pay more attention to your diet. You need to sleep better. You need to be ready for every game. … That’s not something you start on the first game of the playoffs. That is something you start right now, today!”
On his particular demand for sacrifice:
“I had this idea that maybe you should give up sex for the next 10 weeks — you don’t have to give up sex for the next 10 weeks — BUT — like the Spartans, you know what Spartans are? They denied themselves, right? So that they can have an edge. Get the edge. Go home, talk to your wives and tell them — don’t tell them you’re not gonna have sex, don’t tell ’em it was my idea — but let them know what this is gonna be like, what your commitment is gonna be like, and how they’re gonna have to sacrifice too. Those concerns at home, they can’t come on the court. It’s not who we play, it’s how we play. Because I believe this team can beat ANYBODY in the NBA.”
On rewarding Knicks players’ families:
“When we win the championship, we will get rings. And when we get rings, so will they. I will buy a ring for each one of your significant others, because their contribution is gonna be very important to this team winning.”
On the areas to improve:
“The next 10 days, fix those three things as part of your focus, because those are our Achilles’ heels, and they’ll stop us in the playoffs.”
On demanding commitment from everybody:
“You gotta try like you’ve never tried before. It’s only 10 weeks, guys. You gotta go for it. You gotta leave nothing on the table. You must go for it. Do it. Commit to it. Go for it.”
On Mike Brown building a relationship with Jalen Brunson:
“The first thing he did was drive down to Jalen’s house and go to dinner with him in Jersey Shore. And I had told him, ‘Build a good relationship with Jalen, and he’ll run through a wall for you.’ That’s what they both did (this season). This is amazing, man. Mike’s been amazing. He gives way too much credit to everybody else. This is Mike Brown.”
On helping Jalen avoid his mistakes:
“You just take the experiences that you had, and the mistakes that you made, and try to instill them into your kids and make sure they don’t go down that same path.”
On his goals for Jalen:
“My only goal was that, ‘Hey, I wanna help my son reach his dream and play in the NBA.’ And our only goal was to get a guaranteed contract and be successful. It wasn’t to be this, you know? I’d be lying to tell you I knew it would come out to this. No way!”
On coaching Jalen in New York:
“I say this to him all the time, ‘Me coaching you the last four years, I never had a bad day. It’s going to work, looking at you, so I don’t expect you to have a bad day.’”
On lessons learned from his own career:
“I’ve been there not knowing if you’re gonna be there the next day. So I’ve always instilled that in him, and he took that… The credit goes to your children; they listen, they learn, and they want to be great.”
“When we first acquired him, I would’ve been happy with 20 points and six assists, because they talk about his height and having no speed. I thought in a playoff situation, opponents would put taller guys on Jalen and he would have trouble.”
On Brunson’s playoff success:
“But he found a way. In every series, he found a way. The Spurs have excellent defenders on the perimeter, and they were frustrated and devastated by Brunson. It’s a testament to his sagacity. His game is right between the ears.”
"I've never heard him talk about any other Knick team with the kind of reverence he talks about this team."
Mike Breen shares Clyde Frazier's thoughts of this Knicks championship team with @RichEisen 💪
On the origin of his ‘Go ahead and cry’ comment after the final buzzer:
“The cry line was from all the fans that I’ve talked to. It started the last three or four seasons when there was hope that this team might actually win a championship. They all said the same thing. ‘If that ever happens, I’m going to cry.’ They all said it. I figured that is a good time to let them know, ‘It’s OK to cry.’ That’s where it came from.”
On Leon Rose’s roster construction and long-term vision:
“It really starts with Leon [Rose]. I’m so impressed with his vision to put this together. I think the guys he went out and got, Karl-Anthony Towns and [OG] Anunoby, [Landry] Shamet — Mitchell Robinson fit in that way, even though he had him. He went out and got those kinds of guys like Josh, Mikal and Jalen that were about winning and about the team. It sounds simple, but that’s really hard to do today. All of those guys sacrificed parts of their games.
“It was specifically Leon’s plan to get those kinds of guys. It was a great vision and it took a lot of courage, because you know it was not something anyone else in the NBA had done. If it didn’t work, he would’ve been highly criticized.
It started with Jalen, and then bringing in Donte [DiVincenzo] and Mikal, the trade for Karl-Anthony Towns. He was doing it to get all the same type of character. He had a vision for that type of character and that type of player, that I don’t think anybody else has ever done in the NBA.”
On the Finals comeback and celebration:
“Thank God I didn’t leave. Being with 19,800 people, singing Frank Sinatra’s ‘New York, New York,’ Jay-Z’s ‘Empire State of Mind,’ being down on the court hugging Jalen, Mikal and Josh, and Spike Lee and Tim Thomas and [Stephon] Marbury, just being a part of that New York Knicks scene was one of my great memories all time in sports.”
On whether he also deserves a ring:
“I have been on such a great ride with these guys, that’s enough for me.”
“He did something that a bunch of great guards were never able to do, he did something that James Harden, as a starter on his own team, never even made the finals and fell short over and over again. Steve Nash, who was an unbelievable player, two-time MVP, through no fault of his own, could never quite get the team there. Chris Paul finally did it in the 2021 finals late in his career, but they lost. Jason Kidd; two straight finals, but he lost, and then finally gets one later as a role player starter in Dallas.”
On Brunson’s championship run:
“What Brunson did was up there with Dwayne Wade in 2006. It was up there with Walton in 1977. You can go on. through, but we’re just dragging a team to the finals, and he is somebody that I never in a million years would have thought would make the pyramid. He was the guy over and over again who could create the best offense for them, and he got better when it mattered…I have him at 40. I have him above Nash, Kidd, Sam Jones, Harden, George Gervin, and Luka Doncic.”
NEW: Today, Pope Leo XIV posed with the New York Knicks jersey.
After asking Leo for a miracle, Spike Lee credits the U.S.-born pontiff’s blessing over the team with helping them win their first NBA title since 1973. pic.twitter.com/1NsdBnzV8m
On Victor Wembanyama not shaking his hand with the Knicks:
“I think Wemby got exposed in a variety of ways here. I think he came off as petty. I think he came off occasionally as a guy who would give a cheap shot. I didn’t like sort of how he ended the series. Go find Jalen Brunson. I mean, Jalen Brunson was all class.”
On the Spurs’ lack of sportsmanship after the Finals loss:
“(Wembanyama,) look your killer in the face. Look your killer in the face. You got to look them in their face. By the way, if you leave the court and you don’t look me in my face and I just beat you, I actually know that I owned you forever because you couldn’t even look me in the face.
“And so to see them walk off the court, it was disheartening. And I blame it on youth. I blame it on lacking the leader to show them that, hey, this is what you do, not walk off. I blame it on that. I blame it on that.
“Lacking the leadership, the leader to show them that, no, no, no, there’s a way to win and there’s a way to lose. There’s a way to win and there’s a way to lose. And walking off the court, not looking your killer in his eyes, ain’t the way to lose.”
“You talk about Jalen Brunson and what he just accomplished, he cemented himself as the greatest Knicks ever. Jalen Brunson just cemented himself as a first-ballot Hall of Famer. Jalen Brunson just cemented himself as one of the greatest winners in sports. Jalen Brunson just cemented himself a top 5 player in this league. Jalen Brunson just cemented himself as one of the greatest offensive players that this game has ever seen.”
On Brunson’s clutch performances:
“When you talk about coming up clutch, put him up there with the all-time greats. Averaging over 11 points in the fourth quarter. Averaging over 32 points in the NBA Finals. Magic Johnson didn’t do that. Steph Curry didn’t do that. Isiah Thomas didn’t do that. And I’m talking about point guards. Now, we’re talking about a man that is sitting at the table with Isaiah Thomas and Steph Curry, as far as guards that’s listed under 6’3 leading their team to an NBA championship, and a Finals MVP.”
“I can’t pick anyone out because everyone had a part in it. The coaching staff, everyone had a part in it, so I won’t do that. I won’t single anyone out, but Brunson [the team captain] is the King of New York right now. The people have spoken.”
On Brunson as a Ghostbuster:
“There’s something strange in your neighborhood. Who you gonna call? Jalen Brunson!”
On his emotions after the title:
“I broke down a lot. I wasn’t the only one. Everyone in there was. Fifty-three years [the last time the Knicks won the championship was in 1973], everyone let it all out, everyone felt joyful, they were tears of joy.”
On what the title means for New York:
“It means we’re over the hump. The curse is over, and this is the first time in a long time that I’ve really seen the city happy.”
On New York’s resilience:
“We’ve been through a lot, and we have something to really, really be proud of.”
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Juan Soto
Kody Clemens
Bobby Witt Jr. 
