The Detroit Tigers have not had much luck this weekend, dropping two straight to the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field, including a 3-1 loss on Saturday afternoon in Tarik Skubal’s return from the injured list. While the offense put up nine hits, the team reverted back to its unclutch ways, going just 1-for-13 with runners in scoring position and leaving 11 on base in the defeat.
On Sunday afternoon, the Motor City Kitties look to prevent a sweep at the hands of their American League Central rivals with right-hander Casey Mize toeing the rubber. The 29-year-old is also returning from his second stint on the IL this season with inflammation of his right groin.
Mize had looked great in his return from his first trip to the IL, posting a 1.08 ERA and 1.61 FIP stretching over 16 1/3 innings and three starts, allowing eight hits and a walk while striking out 14 over that stretch. The last time he saw Cleveland was in the AL Wild Card Game last September, in which he gave his team three one-run innings on just a solo home run and two walks while striking out one in what turned out to be a 6-1 loss for the Tigers.
For the Guardians, fellow righty Gavin Williams will climb the hill looking to secure his team’s second sweep and seventh straight win over Detroit this season. The 26-year-old comes into Sunday having struggled over his last two outings — both against the New York Yankees — posting a 5.23 ERA and 7.17 FIP stretching over 10 1/3 frames with four walks and 11 strikeouts.
Williams faced the Tigers last year in the postseason, earning a quality start for his two-run (neither earned) effort over six innings on five hits and a walk while striking out eight in a 2-1 loss.
Here is how the two match up in the series finale.
Detroit Tigers (29-42) vs. Cleveland Guardians (39-33)
Time (ET): 1:40 p.m. Place: Progressive Field, Cleveland, Ohio SB Nation Site:Covering the Corner Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network
Game 72: RHP Casey Mize (2-3, 2.27 ERA) vs. RHP Gavin Williams (9-3, 3.32 ERA)
MIAMI, FL - OCTOBER 8: Head Coach Mitch Johnson of the San Antonio Spurs looks on during the game against the Miami Heat on October 8, 2025 at Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Eric Espada/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Lots of emotions flowed through Frost Bank Center last night. An estimated 44% of tickets purchased for Game 5 were done so by New York Knicks fans, so when the final buzzer reigned in a champion, their fans were there to cheer them through the trophy presentation.
In the press room, Spurs Head Coach Mitch Johnson and members of the Spurs took turns answering questions just moments after the reality set in that there was no tomorrow to the 2025-2026 season.
‘The general sentiment is just I want them to feel all the emotions. I feel that, too,“ stated Johnson. ”Whatever they feel, that’s real. That’s what is competitiveness. That’s what makes you better. That’s what pushes you to continue to improve in the dark, long hours when nobody is around. We improved a whole lot this year. We still have a lot now. More motivation to continue to get better.“
Victor Wembanyama, who has been open about his emotions throughout the season, did not hold back his frustration. But already permeating through the loss is his hope and positivity for what is to come.
“I think that compared to anything before, this is the biggest lesson of my life, the biggest learning moment,” he stated in his postgame conference. “I can’t tell you exactly what the lesson is, but we’re learning from that, for sure. I’m learning more than any other time in my life before.”
Fans have seen Wembanyama’s reaction to big losses. The video of France losing to Team USA (and the genesis of the “feud” between him and Chet Holmgren) when he was a youngster. The 2024 Olympic loss to Team USA. And now his first foray into the NBA Finals. Wemby is facing temporary heartache, but has long-term gains to reap from the experience.
“I don’t think we could have learned more and gained more experience in one Playoff run and in one season, and personally in 18 months,“ he shared. ”It’s been hard and full of lessons.“
Devin Vassell, the second longest tenured member of the Spurs roster, gave a shout to the fans who’ve been with the team through thick and thin.
“First off to the fans, just thank you guys so much for supporting us, especially in my journey being here six years, from where we started from the 20 wins we were at to being in the Finals,” Vassell said. “They’ve been loyal. I just want to say thank you to them. Without them and the noise, having our backs, we’re not in this situation, we’re not in this position. Thank you to them.“
Dylan Harper said he’d remember “The chemistry, how everyone blended. Really the sacrifices we all made to be in the position we were in.”
And Julian Champagnie had a message for everyone: “We’ll be back again next year.”
There were so many positives in these Finals for the Spurs to build upon. The lessons will take shape over the summer and their hope is it will carry them into next season with more awareness and better preparation.
“I think with these games in the Finals, it just shows that every possession matters and every little detail matters,” stated Vassell. “You can mess up some stuff in the regular season and still kind of get away with it. Obviously in the Finals, with everything being amplified, one mistake can cost you a game. I think we had a couple that cost us multiple.”
Dylan Harper, after completing his rookie season as the youngest player in NBA Finals history to score 20+ points in a game shared, “It meant a lot. Whole lot to grow on. Whole lot to learn on. At the end of the day, this is my first year. Can’t keep moving forward if you don’t got a positive attitude. Obviously we lost and I wanted to win that, but at the end of the day, we’ve got to bounce back.”
‘I learned one of many things, the margin of error is very thin,“ Wembanyam stated. ”Our domination stints are absolute. We absolutely dominated for most of the series. But our errors, our mistakes, are punished so hard that we can’t have ups and downs like this.“
Perhaps Mitch Johnson said it best. “I hope they take the same thing that we’ve taken from our success. I hope it leads to them be hungrier than they’ve ever been, and I hope it leads them to be more motivated than they’ve ever been, and hopefully that leads them to be more — yeah, just to continue to improve in every facet.”
In the coming days and weeks, much will be said about the collapse of the young, inexperienced team. But what will be made clear was how the Spurs responded with real time adjustments. After each loss, they were able to reset. In the end, they knocked out the Minnesota Timberwolves who’d been to the Western Conference Finals for the last two years. They also knocked out the 2025 Champion OKC Thunder in their series, taking Game 7 in Oklahoma City.
In these Finals, unfortunately, the Knicks were able to cover their mistakes better than the Spurs. From Brunson’s struggles in Games 1 and 2, to Karl-Anthony Towns disappearance in Game 5 (as well as his fourth quarter struggles throughout the series), the Knicks were the same one or two mistakes, one or two calls, one or two missed shots away from watching the Spurs hoist the Larry O’Brien. Simple twists of fate have given New York their first title since 1973, the year the San Antonio bought the Dallas Chaparrals and created the Spurs.
Over the last 53 seasons, the Spurs have had ups and downs, more ups compared to other franchises. The pairing of Gregg Popovich with Tim Duncan created one of sports greatest love stories. With the addition of Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili and supporting casts throughout Duncan’s nineteen seasons, the Spurs became a model franchise winning five NBA titles in three different decades.
Make no mistake, this modern-day Spurs team is special, and like their predecessor, they are not going away. They are developing at a rapid rate. And boasting one of the most gifted basketball minds as their cornerstone, the Spurs are poised to dominate for years to come.
Make no mistake, this Finals was just the beginning. They may have not been ready this season, but when they are — watch out.
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CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - FEBRUARY 07: Caleb Wilson #8 of the North Carolina Tar Heels reacts during the second half of the game against the Duke Blue Devils at Dean E. Smith Center on February 07, 2026 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With the first pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, the Washington Wizards are almost certain to pick either AJ Dybantsa or Darryn Peterson. They’re both impressive prospects who’d warrant being the top selection in nearly any draft. But 2026 is a rare year with four elite prospects who would normally be considered The Guy.
So far in this series, we’ve looked at Dybantsa, Peterson, and Boozer. Also check out the current Big Board, according to Ye Olde Draft Analyzer (YODA), my stat-based draft prospect evaluation tool. Today, let’s look at why Caleb Wilson might be the perfect player for the Wizards at No. 1.
Could Caleb Wilson be the right choice for the Washington Wizards at No. 1? | Getty Images
Wilson doesn’t warrant No. 1 overall status because of his offense. Although he was extremely efficient (128 offensive rating) on high usage (28.7%), he shot just 7-27 from three-point range — low volume and inaccurate. He shot just 71.3% from the free throw line. Not terrible, but not exactly a harbinger of future long-range success.
I’ll pause to make a limited observation. There’s another forward who shot poorly from deep in college (25.0%), was unimpressive from the free throw line (74.4%) and turned into a great NBA shooter (39.1% career percentage on threes; 86.3% career on free throws). That other forward is Kawhi Leonard.
Let me reemphasize the limited nature of the Leonard observation. I’m not comparing the players directly. I’m not saying Wilson will, can, or might be The Next Kawhi. The point is that things like NCAA shooting and the signals we look for in the numbers are not automatics. A guy shooting great in college usually means he’ll be at least good in the NBA. And players who shoot poorly in college usually aren’t good shooters in the NBA.
But not always.
Wilson, for example, is 19-years-old. Many players improve their shooting as they get older, stronger, and put in the work. In Wilson’s case, the biggest reason to think his shooting won’t improve is that it hasn’t. His lack of shooting ability has been a known flaw in his game before he got to North Carolina. It’s still an issue.
And that pre-NCAA experience might be where the Leonard example breaks down. The available evidence suggests Leonard was a competent distance shooter in high school and amateur ball, and that his San Diego State numbers might have been something of an aberration. Tough to say — it turns out, predicting the future of teenagers isn’t an exact science.
Anyway, the point of this digression is to say that shooting isn’t the reason to choose Wilson No. 1. It’s everything else.
With the exception of shooting, Wilson’s statistical production is up there with Boozer and anyone else in the draft. He checks the boxes for rebounding (at both ends), passing (3.4 assists per 40 with a 1.4 assists-to-turnovers ratio), steals (1.9 per 40) and blocks (1.8).
This season, he posted 15.7 rebounds + steals + blocks per 40 — ninth best in the draft behind only centers and Allen Graves. In other words, Wilson was an impactful and active defender who put in work on the boards to end defensive possessions and prolong offensive possessions for his team. That’s valuable.
Wilson is lanky and athletic (unlike Boozer, who’s slower and more ground-bound). He’s an effective, perhaps elite, defender, and he has potential to grow significantly on the offensive end. As noted previously, he was hyper-efficient on high usage despite not being a three-point threat or shooting a high percentage from the free throw line.
And there’s a signal in the numbers indicating he was an absolute handful for NCAA competition — 9.6 free throw attempts per 40 minutes. That’s a tick behind Dybantsa and George Washington’s Rafael Castro (9.7) for the top spot in this category in the 2026 draft. In other words, the free throw attempts indicate the opposition couldn’t compete with him without fouling. That’s not always predictive of NBA success, but it’s a good sign.
Now, the FanDuel odds are unchanged. Wilson is a long-shot to go No. 1. It’s still looking like Dybantsa or maybe Peterson. But any of the top four prospects could turn out to be the best player from this draft, and there’s a case that Wilson could be that guy.
Sunday's massive 15-game MLB slate offers numerous player prop betting opportunities that we are eager to take advantage of.
I'm targeting three sluggers in great spots and terrific plus-money odds for James Wood, Yordan Alvarez, and Jonathan Aranda to have big days at the dish.
Read on for my MLB player props and MLB picks for Sunday, June 14.
Wood’s 2026 profile is pure elite material, sitting at a 100th percentile .627 xSLG and an absurd 25.4% Barrel %.
The massive catalyst? He’s lifted his launch angle to 10.5°, turning those rockets into extra-base hits.
Now enter Hancock. He features a fastball-heavy mix over 61% of the time, which plays right into Wood’s hands (4.8 combined Run Value against 4-seamers and sinkers).
Hancock doesn’t miss bats, doesn't chase, and surrenders a dangerous 90.4 MPH average exit velocity (18th percentile).
Wood has at least two total bases in three of his last four games, and is a strong bet to +100.
Alvarez has been elite in 2026 (.327 AVG, .658 SLG, .744 xSLG, 100th percentile), backed by a 94.9 MPH exit velocity and 19.1% Barrel rate.
Kolek leans on a fastball-sinker combo more than half the time, and Alvarez has crushed both (.806 SLG vs four-seamers, .488 vs sinkers, positive Run Values on each).
Kolek's 17.4% K rate means plenty of balls in play, and a bonus for Alvarez. Play this prop to -105.
Time: 2:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Space City Home Network, Royals.TV
Rodriguez has been brutal in 2026 (8.10 ERA, 6.66 xERA, .306 xBA allowed, 52.0% hard-hit rate allowed), and opponents are slugging .596 against his four-seamer, which he throws 52% of the time.
The Tampa Bay Rays slugger has punished four-seamers before (.353/.569 last year) and brings a strong power profile (.372 xwOBA, .473 xSLG, 11.7% Barrel rate, 45.6% hard-hit rate) and declining whiff rate on the pitch this season (20%). Play this one to +105.
Time: 4:07 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Angels.TV Rays.TV
Phil Naessens' 2026 Transparency Record
Prop picks: 6-2, +9.95 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.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 14: New York Knicks fans climb on buses as they celebrate after they win the NBA Finals in Times Square on June 14, 2026 in New York City. The New York Knicks lead the San Antonio Spurs 3-1 and could win the franchise's first NBA championship since 1973 if they win tonight.(Photo by Adam Gray/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Your New York Knicks are the 2026 NBA champions. Full stop.
And hey, it was very obvious from the moment the final buzzer sounded inside that sad-for-the-hosts arena in San Antonio, that the thing that mattered the most to everybody in New York City was going outside. Going mad outside.
There will be two banners. There will be a proper parade. There will surely be a whole lot of summer to review and replay and comment on Jalen Brunson’s historic 45-point Game 5 masterpiece.
Now, though? Now it’s the New Yorkers who stuck around for 53 years who are getting all the spotlight they too deserve.
You know why? Cause before Game 5 tipped off on Saturday evening, the Knicks were -500 to win the series on FanDuel. That’s cool! But you know what and why, too? The damn oddsmakers had the Knicks as the underdogs at +172 to close it out in San Antonio, as 5.5-point underdogs. To hell with that, fam.
New York beat the San Antonio Spurs 94-90, finishing the Finals in five games and ending a five-decade-plus championship drought. Brunson won Finals MVP after scoring 45 points in the clincher. The damn Knicks did it again and came back from a 16-point deficit on the road, in a closeout game. What’s not to love!?
The NBA showed Knicks fans celebrating in Central Park as the title became a reality.
Right after the game and during Josh Hart’s presser, James Dolan briefly interrupted the Knickerbocker to send a message to the New York masses. “Stay safe out there,” he said. Good luck with that! (But stay safe out there, fam)
— Bart Trzynadlowski (@BartronPolygon) June 14, 2026
ABC7NY captured fans celebrating after Game 5, with New York City finally getting to release everything that had been eating them since 1973.
New York Knicks fans celebrate their victory after Game 5 of the NBA Finals basketball series against the San Antonio Spurs, Saturday, June 13, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa) pic.twitter.com/QwrRdmVmYw
Breaking911 posted the Times Square scene, which looked like every Knicks fan in the city had agreed to meet in the same spot to lose their minds collectively.
CBS wasn’t lucky avoiding F-bombs, with a fan out of her mind making it clear what she was feeling, and the reporter nearly collapsing live in reaction to the best statement ever.
An F-bomb derails a CBS News New York live report on Knicks fans celebrating the championship. pic.twitter.com/CANmwEmahX
Acyn shared aerial footage of New Yorkers celebrating on fire escapes, balconies, and pretty much every available surface.
More aerial footage of the celebration in New York: You see people out on their fire escapes, on their balconies, clinging on the side pic.twitter.com/dRuMCiicdn
Want some hope as a hapless New York Jets or New York Mets fan, as I am? The Knicks’ victory might already be breeding a new generation of banana/football/baseball throwers!
Knicks fan threw a banana into the crowd and it promptly came back to him 😭🍌👏 pic.twitter.com/A2nEDctZoJ
Time to go round the grounds on this sleepy Sunday, Lancashire making a better fist of things this morning at Stanley Park, 31-1. The sun is even straining to come out from net curtain clouds. Matt Milnes has swapped to the north end.
Harry Singh, slip catcher extraordinaire, is caught by his Kent counterpart, Ben Dawkins, off Hasan Mahmud’s first over of the day. Lancashire 19-1.
Jun 13, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) celebrates with his teammates after the Knicks defeat the San Antonio Spurs during game five of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
The NBA Finals have officially wrapped up, and the New York Knicks are NBA champions once again.
After a 53-year drought, and a total of 19,312 days since the Knicks last hoisted the trophy, they can do it now. The city that never sleeps will certainly not rest after this historic playoff run. With only three losses and two series sweeps, the NBA has crowned them champions, and for the third time in four years, a former Kentucky Wildcat will add a ring to their finger and an NBA title to their personal biography
This year, following Jamal Murray in 2023, and Cason Wallace and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in 2025, Karl-Anthony Towns is officially an NBA champion. Towns averaged 13 PPG, 10.6 RPG, and played a huge role in slowing down what seemed to be an unstoppable force in Victor Wembanyama.
After the finish that nobody wants to speak of at Kentucky, KAT is finally able to get at least a little bit of the monkey off his back and is now a champion.
During the postgame celebration with Ernie Johnson, Towns had some words to share with the world about the Knicks’ big-time accomplishment.
“You know, you work your whole life for this moment. Throughout my career, I’ve seen myself fall down, people tell me to stay down, and I got back up. Even when I was in the mud, and I kept putting my left foot in front of my right foot. I kept trusting God, I kept trusting my faith, I kept trusting the work.” Towns shared with TNT’s Ernie Johnson.
KAT also shared on ESPN during postgame coverage, “It is written. This was written for New York, and we went and got it done today, and it’s because of all the brothers here, all the fans — Y’all heard my story, y’all know my story, and I just want to say, Thank you, Momma, I appreciate you getting me one.”
Karl-Anthony Towns has always been a fan favorite for Kentucky fans. He played for one of the most loved teams in program history, the 2014-2015 Kentucky Wildcats, which nearly had the greatest season any team has ever had at the college level. Towns has always had that infectious smile and endless joy that always seem to make people love him.
Towns tragically lost his mother in 2020 due to complications of COVID-19, which was very hard on their family and loved ones and still is. So, it was only right that on the big stage on this night, he would bring up his late mother and mention her at the peak of his playing career.
From being traded away from the team that drafted him No. 1 in 2015, to an NBA champion, it’s quite the roller coaster ride. Hats off to you, NBA champion, Karl-Anthony Towns!
Toledo outhit St. Paul on Saturday, but the Mud Hens still fell to the Saints 6-1 thanks to nine walks.
All six runs for St. Paul came with Carl Edwards Jr. on the mound for Toledo. Edwards had five of the nine walks and gave up a three-run homer to ruin what was otherwise a solid bullpen day.
Konnor Pilkington got the start, striking out four over two innings. Jack Little and Tanner Rainey each gave two innings of no-hit ball, with the latter allowing just one walk. Woo-Suk Go worked around a base hit in the eighth, and Tyler Gentry worked around a walk in the ninth.
Max Clark drove in the only Mud Hens run of the game, singling Cal Stevenson home in the third. Besides that little rally, Toledo stayed fairly quiet until the sixth, when Gage Workman led off with a double. The big hit never came, though, and Toledo suffered an unfortunate loss.
Some late bullpen struggles ruined a great start from Max Alba and cost the Erie SeaWolves a sixth straight win on Saturday, as the Akron RubberDucks mounted a comeback and finished off a 5- 4 win.
Alaba was efficient, getting through five scoreless frames while allowing just two hits and a walk. He struck out four along the way before turning things over to Wandisson Charles in the sixth. Alba’s 14 whiffs induced were the fourth most across Double-A today.
Charles got into trouble right away, giving up a one-out double and walking the bases loaded. He’s lucky that Akron only managed one run off him. Justice Bigbie threw a runner out at home for the second out, and Charles got out of the jam with a strikeout, preserving a 2-1 lead.
Chris Meyers gave Erie an early lead, blasting a solo homer in the second. An error put Peyton Graham with two outs in the fifth. He stole second — his 30th of the year — and Brett Callahan drove him in.
Bigbie followed up his fielding heroics with a leadoff home run in the sixth to put the SeaWolves back up by two, and Meyers took a bases-loaded walk in the seventh to make it 4-1.
Charles went 1-2-3 in the seventh, but Dariel Fregio had a complete meltdown with two outs in the eighth. The sequences went: single, two-run homer, double, double to tie the game. Erie couldn’t capitalize on a one-out triple from Aaron Antonini in the bottom half, and Tyler Owens gave up the lead in the ninth.
The SeaWolves loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth, but E.J. Exposito flied out to center to end the game.
Meyers: 1-4, HR (2), R, 2 RBI, BB, K
Bigbie: 1-3, HR (3), R, RBI, 2 BB
Pacheco: 2-4, 2B (9), BB, K
Liranzo: 1-3, 2 BB, K
Coming Up Next: The SeaWolves can get back in the win column on Sunday at 1:35 p.m. ET.
Lake County Captains 9, West Michigan Whitecaps 8 (box)
A five-run eighth nearly led to a West Michigan win on Saturday, but Lake County walked it off, 9-8, with a two-run ninth.
The ball was flying early for both teams. Garrett Pennington hit a two-run homer in the top of the first, and Dean Curley answered with a solo shot for Lake County in the bottom half of the inning. Caleb Shpur brought in Andrew Sojka in the second to give the Whitecaps a 3-1 lead, but a four-spot for the Captains in the fourth swung momentum the other way.
Once again, the big inning caught up to Rayner Castillo. Three straight hits, including back-to-back doubles, put Lake County in front, and the bullpen came in to relieve Castillo in the fifth. Juanmi Vasquez struck out four over 1.2 innings, but he gave up a pair of singles and a run in the sixth.
Duque Hebbert went 1-2-3 in the seventh, but he couldn’t replicate that after a long top of the eighth for West Michigan. Bryce Rainer sparked the rally with a solo home run.
After that shot from the Whitecaps’ shortstop, Lake County walked the bases loaded. Woody Hadeen evened the score at six runs apiece with a two-run single, and Jackson Strong tripled home two, making it an 8-6 game.
Jackson Strong stays hot with a 2-run triple into the right corner that puts the Whitecaps up 8-6. pic.twitter.com/603ybNsfyq
Hebbert immediately gave a run back in the bottom of the eighth, allowing a leadoff home run. Jalen Evans took over for him with two outs. Evans struck out the first batter he faced, but everything fell apart in the ninth. He hit Jace LaViolette to open the frame, threw a wild pitch, gave up a single, walked the bases loaded and gave up the tying run on a groundout to short.
A wild pitch sealed it for Lake County. What a way to lose…
Rainer: 2-5, HR (5), R, RBI, 3 K
Pennington: 2-4, HR (11), R, 2 RBI, 2 K
Strong: 3-4, 2B (6), 3B (2), R, 3 H, 2 RBI, BB
Coming Up Next: West Michigan can still tie the series on Sunday at 4 p.m. ET.
Caleb Leys only gave up one run over five innings, but the Lakeland Flying Tigers’ offense didn’t provide any run support until the eighth. The Clearwater Threshers took control of the series 3-2, with a 2-1 win on Saturday.
Leys was solid, generating a 32% CSW on his changeup. The southpaw only struck out three, but he also only walked one in his first time working through the fifth inning. It was in that fifth frame that Leys gave up the first run of the ball game.
Jose Guzman walked in the second run, which ended up deciding the game; otherwise, he worked around four hits and two walks over two innings. No strikeouts, though. Eliseo Mota went 1-2-3 in the eighth with a pair of strikeouts.
Lakeland had base hits in each of the first three innings but couldn’t score. The best opportunity came in the second after back-to-back two-out singles from Carson Rucker and Hunter Dobbins, but Newremberg Rondon couldn’t get it done.
Jordan Yost led off the fifth with a single, but Jude Warwick erased it with a double play right after. Lakeland finally got on the board in the eighth, thanks to a leadoff triple from Warwick and a sacrifice fly from Edian Espinal.
Yost: 1-4
Warwickr: 2-4, 3B (3), R
Leys (L, 0-4): 5.0 IP, R, ER, 3 H, BB, 3 K
Coming Up Next: Lakeland is looking to tie things back up in the series finale Sunday at noon ET.
Owen Hall (2024, Round 2) got hammered over 3.1 innings, giving up a home run in each of the first two frames and six earned runs overall. Both balls were center-cut and dispatched appropriately. Still, he managed four strikeouts before turning things over to the bullpen with a 6-3 lead and two men in scoring position.
Leonardo Rossell took the loss, allowing both runners to score and two more under his own ledger. Bryce Alewine (2024, Round 18) gave up one more run in the sixth.
Patrick Lee had two of the club’s six hits, including a three-run homer in the second. Lee’s OPS is above 1.500 through four games of his rehab assignment, so it’s only a matter of time until he’s back with the Whitecaps. Stephen Hrustich doubled in a run, and Steven Madero homered, too.
This one was picked up in progress from Friday. The Tigers plated six runs in the bottom of the third, which is when lightning delayed the game. Most of the runs came on singles, and the Tigers didn’t score again after the third. A four-run seventh for the Twins gave them a scare, but the rally came up short.
The game stayed close until the fifth, when the Twins scored seven runs to run away with it. The Tigers still had a couple of runs left in them, but nowhere near the dozen needed to make a comeback. Enny Rodriguez homered in the sixth, and Randy Santana did the same in the seventh.
A three-spot in the fifth was enough for the Tigers to take this one. Alexander Bertiz went four innings and gave up just one run. Jesus Miranda got the win in relief of Bertiz, with three strikeouts over 1.2 hitless innings. Dariel Morillo logged his second save of the summer.
The nine-hole hitter, Diego Orro, tripled in two of the three runs and scored himself on an RBI single from Sterling Bazil.
TORONTO, CANADA - JUNE 13: Cody Bellinger #35 and Ben Rice #22 of the New York Yankees celebrate after their team defeated the Toronto Blue Jays in their MLB game at the Rogers Centre on June 13, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning to a new New York everybody. The Yankees squared things up in their series against the Blue Jays thanks to a timely two-run homer from Paul Goldschmidt and the return of Jasson Domínguez proving fruitful with a solo blast, securing the win after Cam Schlittler gave the team seven strong with just one run allowed. However, even on a Yankees page like this we have to acknowledge the monumental achievement that is the New York Knicks winning the NBA Finals after 53 long years, besting the San Antonio Spurs 4-1 with yet another comeback win in the fourth quarter. The vibes in the city are sky-high, and hopefully with the stage now fully clear for baseball in the city the Yankees can ride that momentum into being the boys of summer.
We’ve got a relatively quiet day to wrap up the weekend before getting into the rubber match against Toronto. Jonathan wishes former Yankee Chase Whitley well on his birthday and reminisces on his career, Kevin covers the Rivalry Roundup featuring a Tampa Bay loss that puts the Yanks back in the driver’s seat in the AL East, and John has the weekly social media spotlight featuring plenty from that Knicks run with Yankees past and present making cameos at the games.
Today’s Matchup:
New York Yankees at Toronto Blue Jays
Time: 1:37 p.m. EST
TV: YES, Sportsnet1, TVA Sports
Venue: Rogers Centre, Toronto, ON
Questions/Prompts:
1. Does Will Warren do better or worse than the five innings and three runs he gave up in his previous meeting with the Blue Jays this year?
2. If you’ve been a Knick fan throughout this drought, what were the emotions that came up when they finally won the title? Where does Jalen Brunson rank in your All-Time Knick leaderboard after delivering a Finals MVP?
The Australian Cricketers’ Association has halted Big Bash League privatisation, pledging to reject the current plan without an improved deal for players.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - MARCH 27: Thomas Bryant #3 of the Cleveland Cavaliers reacts during the second quarter against the Miami Heat at Rocket Arena on March 27, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Thomas Bryant, fresh off a trip to the NBA Finals with Indiana, was meant to provide additional depth to the Cleveland Cavaliers frontcourt. He fell just short of that goal, but the underlying issue might have been outside of his control.
All grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.
Regular Season Stats
6.2 points
3.4 rebounds
0.6 assists
50.6% FG
35.9% 3PT FG
80.3% FT
Bryant’s fit in Cleveland seemed straightforward. He’s a 6’9” center who plays with strength and physicality. He can also space the floor, knocking down 34% of his career three-point attempts. Bryant should have fit nicely with either Evan Mobley or Jarrett Allen.
This didn’t translate to the real world. Bryant mostly clogged things up offensively and his lack of defensive mobility was jarring when placed on a Cavalier team that wasn’t equipped to defend around him. Cleveland was in the 36th percentile for defensive rating when Bryant was alone at center (no Mobley or Allen).
Bryant can be a passable defender when he’s on a team that’s loaded full of versatile and switchable wings. A defense that can contain the perimeter and limit dribble penetration is one that Bryant can slot into as a big who protects the paint. Cleveland was missing that all season. Their point-of-attack defense was shoddy, at best. Often leaving Bryant stuck in space, trying to cover gaps that are outside of his pay range.
Then on offense, a dynamic game plan that’s predicated on ball movement is the type of system that Bryant fits in. Indiana exemplified this. The Cavs did not. Especially in the back half of the season, when stationary spacing became their motto. That style doesn’t work with Bryant.
For this, I think we can conclude that Bryant’s fit in Cleveland was never as good as it might have looked on paper. The Cavs, in my opinion, need to find an athletic forward who can create plays off the dribble to pair with either Mobley or Allen. That’s to say, Bryant’s archetype is not the one this team was missing. I think that context is important when evaluating a role player who underwhelmed.
Bryant’s best moments came when his three-point shot was falling, or when he was stirring the crowd into a frenzy by celebrating like a maniac whenever anything remotely positive happened. His energy was infectious, and you can’t say the man didn’t care about winning. He played every game with an intensity that was unfortunately not always matched by his teammates, particularly in the first half of the season.
MILWAUKEE - 1970: Jon McGlocklin #14 of Milwaukee Bucks and Earl Monroe #33 of New York Knicks reach for the ball during a game circa 1970 at the MECCA Arena in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1970 NBAE (Photo by Vernon Biever/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
With the New York Knicks having won the 2026 NBA championship Saturday night, it’s a good time to look back at one of the great stars from the last Knicks teams to win a championship, Earl “the Pearl” Monroe.
Monroe played college basketball for Clarence “Bighouse” Gaines at Winston-Salem State in the early 1960s, in the waning days of segregation. Wake Forest assistant coach Billy Packer, despite being warned not to, went over to Whitaker Gymnasium, and Winston-Salem Memorial Coliseum (now Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum) when Monroe began drawing bigger crowds. He found Monroe mesmerizing.
Monroe was then drafted by the Baltimore Bullets in 1967, where he became a sensation. However, they traded him to the Knicks in 1971, and in 1973, the Knicks won their second NBA title, with the first having come in 1970.
Monroe dazzled the league with what for his day was an astonishing bag of tricks. He may look somewhat dated now, but he was a brilliant force for the Knicks.
He played for New York until he retired in 1980.
He was an extraordinary talent, and more so because he played for his entire career with significant arthritis in his knees. Monroe has had dozens of surgeries, and the last time we saw him make a public appearance, he was using forearm crutches.
This video asks how good was he? Well, as you’ll see, he was brilliant.
James Wood
Yordan Alvarez
Jonathan Aranda 
