Minnesota Twins @ Texas Rangers
Tuesday, June 16, 2026, 7:05 PM CDT (105.3 The Fan / Rangers Sports Network)
The Shed
RHP Zebby Matthews vs. RHP Kumar Rocker
Go Rangers!
Game 73 Game Day Thread – Minnesota Twins @ Texas Rangers
Game 75: Twins at Rangers
First Pitch: 7:05 PM CDT
TV: Twins.TV
Radio: TIBN, LosTwins.com, WCCO 830, The Wolf 102.9 FM, Audacy App
Know thine enemy:Lone Star Ball
Zebby Matthews gets the start tonight for the Twins, and he’s hoping to not give up 7 earned runs as he’s done in 2 of his last 3 starts. If he can avoid the long ball I think he stands a pretty good chance, and he should be helped by the fact that the Rangers don’t hit many home runs (ranked 22nd in MLB).
The Rangers will counter with RHP Kumar Rocker, their 3rd overall draft pick from 2022. He features a slider, sinker, 4-seam, a cutter, and a change-up. Expect to see primarily sliders and sinkers from Rocker, and because of that, lots of ground balls.
Colorado Rockies vs. Chicago Cubs game discussion: Ryan Feltner vs. Edward Cabrera
In Game 1, the Colorado Rockies bullpen managed to blow a lead, gifting the Chicago Cubs a walk-off win (shrimp style).
Tonight, they will look to even the series. .
Starting for the Rockies is Ryan Feltner in what will be his ninth start for in 2026.
Worth noting, he will be facing the Cubs for the second-straight start after facing them last Thursday at Coors Field. In that game, Feltner suffered the loss in a 9-3 Rockies loss, allowing six runs on four hits across 4.1 IP. He surrendered four runs in the fourth and two in the fifth after retiring each of the first nine batter he faced to begin the game.
The righty has a 5.20 ERA in 36.1 IP. He’s struck out 26, walked six, and given up two home runs. Feltner has a 1.21 WHIP.
Taking the mound for the Cubs will be RHP Edward Cabrera.
Currently, he has an ERA of 4.86 in 63.0 IP. He’s struck out 58 while giving up 33 walks and 13 home runs with a 1.41 WHIP.
And now to the details.
First Pitch: 6:05 pm MDT
TV: Rockies TV
Radio: KOA 850 AM/94.1 FM; KNRV 1150 (Spanish)
SB Nation site:Bleed Cubbie Blue
Lineups:
For the visiting Rockies:
And the home Guardians:
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Former Buffalo Sabres Forward Calls It A Career
A former Buffalo Sabres draft pick and forward is hanging up the skates.
The NHL Alumni's official X account shared that former Sabres forward Luke Adam has announced his retirement.
Adam was selected by the Sabres in the second round of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, 44th overall. From there, he played his first four NHL seasons with the Sabres from 2010-11 to 2013-14.
In 87 games with the Sabres over that span, Adam posted 15 goals, 11 assists, 26 points, and 64 hits. His best season with the Sabres was in 2011-12, though, as he set career highs with 10 goals, 10 assists, and 20 points in 52 games.
Adam played his final season at the NHL level during the 2014-15 campaign with the Columbus Blue Jackets. However, he played in just three games for the Blue Jackets that year, where he was held off the scoresheet.
While Adam did not spend a lot of time at the NHL level, he put together a long career over multiple leagues. From 2016-17 to 2022-23, he played in the German DEL. He also split the 2023-24 season in both Czechia and Slovakia's leagues before spending each of the last two seasons in the ECHL with the Tahoe Knight Monsters.
Adam was still an impactful player in the ECHL this season, as he recorded 20 goals, 27 assists, and 47 points in 69 games. However, instead of continuing his career, the 35-year-old is now ready to hang up the skates.
Braves vs Giants chat and discussion: Grant Holmes vs Adrian Houser
The Atlanta Braves are finally back home after a round trip that they likely would like to forget. Spencer Strider was injured and the Braves’ offense struggled mightily.
Since the start of June, only three teams in MLB have scored fewer runs than the Braves and only five teams have had a worse rotation ERA. That clearly is a trend that the Braves would like to turnaround. Fortunately, the Braves finally got back Drake Baldwin which now turns a weakness to a strength.
Grant Holmes is taking the mound tonight against Adrian Houser. Holmes and Houser are both struggling of late so this could be a shootout between the two teams. Holmes has shown he really needs to be in the bullpen since he struggles the second time through the order, and Houser is likely only going to keep a rotation spot because he can eat innings.
Here is to hoping the Braves can get back on the right track. Follow along in the comments. First pitch is at 7:15 pm EDT.
Blank: Astros Were Right to Let Framber Valdez Walk
Sometimes it’s okay to say goodbye.
That may be a difficult reality for Astros fans to accept, especially when it involves a player who played such a significant role in the organization’s success over the years. But after hearing Framber Valdez’ comments during his first return to Houston since signing with the Detroit Tigers, it became clear that some fans were bothered by the fact that the Astros apparently never reached out to him or made a serious effort to bring him back before or during free agency.
The question many fans have asked is simple: Why?
The answer is equally simple.
As good as Framber Valdez was throughout most of his Astros career, the version of Valdez that approached free agency was not the same dominant pitcher Houston had relied on for years. There was a time when every time he took the mound Astros fans felt confident their team was going to win. He was one of the most reliable starters in baseball and a key piece of multiple playoff runs.
But over his final season or two in Houston, there were signs of decline.
The flashes of brilliance were still there. The dominance would occasionally show up. However, so did the warning signs. His consistency slipped. There were more rough outings, more runs allowed, and diminished returns on both his velocity and command. Even his trademark breaking pitches didn’t seem to have the same effectiveness they once did.
When evaluating whether to commit a massive long-term contract to a pitcher, performance isn’t the only factor.
The Astros also had to consider Valdez’s emotional volatility.
Whether you believe his actions involving César Salazar were intentional or not, the optics were poor. More importantly, it reinforced concerns that have existed throughout much of his career. When things went wrong, Valdez often struggled to maintain his composure.
Astros fans have seen it before.
There were games where frustration appeared to overwhelm him. Instead of staying focused and working through adversity, he would abandon his approach and simply throw pitches over the plate. Postgame interviews occasionally featured comments that seemed to shift blame toward teammates or others rather than accepting responsibility himself.
Those concerns weren’t limited to the mound.
Valdez’s defense was also a recurring issue. Opposing teams understood that forcing him to field his position could create opportunities. Bunts and slow rollers often turned into adventures, and his throwing accuracy became a liability at times.
There were also documented disagreements regarding defensive positioning and game-planning strategies. One notable example came during a 2024 game against the Angels when frustration over the pitching plan appeared to contribute to a disastrous seven-run inning.
Yet the biggest factor in the Astros’ decision was likely the simplest one.
Age and mileage matter.
Valdez was already over 30 years old and had accumulated a significant workload on his arm. Baseball history is filled with examples of pitchers signing lucrative contracts after turning 30, only to see injuries and declining performance follow shortly thereafter.
General managers don’t get paid to reward past accomplishments. They get paid to project future performance.
Dana Brown and the Astros front office had to determine whether committing major money and years to Valdez made sense moving forward. Based on the available evidence, they concluded it did not.
And they were right.
That’s not to say fans aren’t justified in feeling disappointed. Valdez was a fan favorite and an important part of the Astros’ success. If you believe he earned at least a phone call or a conversation out of respect for everything he accomplished, that’s a fair argument.
But loyalty can only take a franchise so far.
The Astros had to make a baseball decision, and this appears to be one they got right.
The fact that Houston’s replacements haven’t performed particularly well this season is a separate discussion entirely. The Astros deserve criticism if their plan to replace Valdez has failed. However, that doesn’t automatically mean they should have re-signed him.
His results with the Tigers haven’t matched the best years of his Astros tenure, and the same emotional concerns have resurfaced. Most notably, during a recent game against the Red Sox, Valdez hit Trevor Story with a 94-mph fastball, was ejected, suspended six games, and later denied responsibility for the incident despite widespread criticism.
For Astros fans frustrated by another beloved player leaving town, the reaction is understandable. Houston has watched a long list of fan favorites depart over the years.
But not every goodbye is a mistake.
When you examine the total picture, his age, workload, declining performance, defensive shortcomings, emotional volatility, and the financial commitment required, the Astros’ decision to let Framber Valdez walk was the correct one.
Sometimes it’s okay to say goodbye.
San Diego Padres at St. Louis Cardinals
San Diego Padres (37-34) at St. Louis Cardinals (39-31), June 16, 2026, 4:45 a.m. PST
Watch: Padres.TV
Location: Busch Stadium – St. Louis, MO
Listen: 97.3 The Fan
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How to watch San Francisco Giants vs. Atlanta Braves
The San Francisco Giants begin a three-game series against the Atlanta Braves this afternoon.
Taking the mound for the Giants will be right-hander Adrian Houser, who enters today’s game with a 5.54 ERA, 5.18 FIP, with 46 strikeouts to 24 walks in 65 innings pitched. His last start was in the Giants’ 6-3 loss to the Washington Nationals last Tuesday, in which he allowed three runs on four hits with six strikeouts in four and a third innings.
He’ll be facing off against Braves right-hander Grant Holmes, who enters today’s game with a 4.05 ERA, 5.26 FIP, with 59 strikeouts to 29 walks in 66.2 innings pitched. His last start was in the Braves’ 6-5 loss to the Chicago White Sox last Tuesday, in which he allowed three runs on four hits with two strikeouts and two walks in three and two thirds innings.
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Game #73
Who: San Francisco Giants (29-43) vs. Atlanta Braves (46-25)
Where: Truist Park, Atlanta, Georgia
When: 4:15 p.m. PT
Regional broadcast: NBC Sports Bay Area
National broadcast: n/a
Radio: KNBR 680 AM/104.5 FM, KSFN 1510 AM
Maple Leafs Off-Season Goalie Deal May Affect What The Sabres Can Get For Devon Levi
The Toronto Maple Leafs got the early jump on trade season two days after the Stanley Cup was handed out, shipping goalie Joseph Woll and defenseman Simon Benoit to the Philadelphia Flyers for defenseman Emil Andrae, goaltender Samuel Ersson and a 2026 third-round pick. The Leafs faced the prospect of having to carry three goalies on their NHL roster, with Anthony Stolarz, Woll, and youngster Dennis Hildeby not waiver exempt.
That situation was better than that the Buffalo Sabres face going into next season, as they have four goalies who would have to clear waivers to be sent down to the American Hockey League. Buffalo Sabres GM Jarmo Kekalainen indicated in his end-of-season remarks last month that he was satisfied with how the trio of Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Alex Lyon, and Colten Ellis played last season and that it is possible that the club will carry three goalies next season, but that leaves goalie Devon Levi on the outside looking in.
The 24-year-old has played 120 games over the last three seasons in AHL Rochester and only nine games for the Sabres. After being demoted to the Amerks after training camp, any chance of seeing NHL action last season was eliminated when Buffalo claimed Ellis off of waivers from the St. Louis Blues in early October.
Other Sabres Stories
Sabres Emotionally Devastated By Game 7 Overtime Loss
"(Devon is) a talented goalie, he's played some great hockey at the American League level, and he's played some games in the NHL. Probably the toughest position of any positions on a hockey team is to get the responsibility to be a goalie that coaches rely upon on a regular basis,” Kekalainen said. “Next year he'll need waivers, so it's another part of that process, and we see how he keeps developing, and I think he's an NHL caliber talent that has a potential to be a good goalie in this league for a long time."
Ideally, the Sabres would like to get an asset in the form of a prospect or a high draft pick, but the move that Toronto made on Tuesday may have set the market price for available goalies. Veterans with multiple years of term remaining, such as New Jersey’s Jacob Markstrom ($6 million AAV), Vegas’s Adin Hill ($6.25 million AAV) may require salary retention to be moved. Other goalies reportedly on the market like Columbus’s Elvis Merzlikins ($5.4 million AAV) and Montreal’s Samuel Montembeault ($3.15 million AAV) are not as desirable coming off bad seasons.
Woll has played well at times, but struggled with a defensively inept Toronto club last season, and the return for him was a bottom pairing blueliner who was not in Rick Tocchet’s system in Philadelphia and a low third round pick. Another disadvantage to the Sabres is that Levi is not the only young, inexpensive goalie looking for a new home potentially available. Detroit first rounder Sebastian Cossa is being shopped by the Red Wings.
Levi has another year remaining on a two-year bridge deal making $812,500, and their will likely be a number of clubs looking for a tandem or backup goalie this summer, but unless Kekalainen includes Levi as part of a package in a larger deal, it is likely thar the once prized prospect will bring back as good of a return as once expected.
Follow Michael on X, Instagram @MikeInBuffalo
OG Anunoby explains viral Instagram Live panic after Knicks’ title celebration
OG Anunoby wanted to go live.
He just did not want to lose a new phone in the process.
The Knicks forward explained Monday night during an appearance on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” what happened during his viral Instagram Live from the locker room celebration after the franchise won the NBA championship on Saturday night.
Anunoby briefly went live as the Knicks celebrated their 94-90 Game 5 win over the Spurs, which secured the franchise’s first championship in 53 years.
OG Anunoby on trying to turn off his champagne-soaked Instagram live from the Knicks locker room:
— Ryan Field (@RyanFieldABC) June 16, 2026
“I just got a new phone and I didn’t want it to get wet.”#AlwaysKnicks
pic.twitter.com/ADMaEjCazn
Champagne was being sprayed around the locker room, with Karl-Anthony Towns appearing in goggles and declaring, “We live, baby, we live.”
That was when Anunoby realized he had a problem.
“I meant to go on Live, like going on Live was my goal,” Anunoby told Fallon.
“But then they were spraying the champagne, and I just got that phone. I didn’t want the phone to get messed up, so I was like, let’s turn this off, and I didn’t know how to do it.”
During the original stream, Anunoby could be heard repeatedly asking how to end the video before the clip cut out after roughly 25 seconds.
The explanation got a laugh from Fallon and his Knicks teammates, who were on the show as part of the team’s post-title media tour.
Anunoby said someone eventually took the phone and helped him turn off the stream.
The moment quickly became one of the funnier scenes from the Knicks’ championship celebration, partly because of how calmly Anunoby appeared to panic while the rest of the locker room was in full party mode.
It also fit the forward’s low-key reputation.
Anunoby has become a fan favorite in New York not only for his defense and clutch postseason moments, but also for his dry personality and understated postgame interviews.
His defining moment in Game 4, when he tipped in the winning shot at Madison Square Garden to give the Knicks a commanding 3-1 series lead.
But amid all the champagne and chaos after Game 5, Anunoby had a more immediate concern.
He had meant to bring fans inside the celebration.
Anunoby just had no idea how to get out of it before his new phone got soaked.
Knicks’ NBA title finally allowed Patrick Ewing to ‘exhale’: Karl-Anthony Towns
Karl-Anthony Towns shared his first NBA title with Knicks legend Patrick Ewing.
The two met on the Frost Bank Center court in San Antonio after New York won Game 5 because Towns said he knew how much the Knicks’ first championship in 53 years meant to Ewing, a legend of the team.
“It was so amazing to see how this win healed so many people in New York, fan-wise and even to the alumni, and Patrick,” Towns said on “The Howard Stern Show” on Tuesday.
“When I hugged Patrick, it was like he finally was able to exhale and see a trophy in a Knicks jersey.”
Ewing spent 15 seasons with the Knicks and made the playoffs 13 times and the Finals twice.
He was one win away from beating the Rockets in 1994, but the Knicks lost Games 6 and 7. In 1999, he was similarly close but tore his Achilles tendon in the Eastern Conference finals and missed the championship series, which the Spurs eventually won.
Ewing, a Hall of Famer, was named a Knicks basketball ambassador in 2024.
“To finally be able to see that Larry O’Brien in [Ewing’s] hands and not in Michael Jordan’s and all these other people’s hands, I mean, there was just so much healing that I was stunned,” Towns added.
“I didn’t realize how impactful it really is, and I still honestly don’t think I understand the true magnitude of what we’ve done.”
Towns was born in Edison, New Jersey, about 30 miles from New York City, and grew up a Knicks fan due to Jeremy Lin.
He said it meant a lot to him to see the impact the win had on the fans and to be a part of a memory the kids in New York will carry with them.
“You never realize a little kid watched the Knicks play, win a championship with his father, and now he’s the one with his son celebrating the same moment that him and his father,” Towns said.
Knicks’ thrilling NBA Finals was most-watched in nearly 30 years
Every game of the 2026 NBA Finals was a nail-biter.
And the television ratings reflected as such.
The Knicks-Spurs series was the most-watched NBA Finals since 1998 — the last gasp of the Michael Jordan Bulls dynasty — by averaging 20.6 million viewers across the five games, ESPN said in a statement on Tuesday.
The Finals, the highest-rated ABC has had, saw a 100 percent increase in viewership over the 2025 seven-game series between the Thunder and Pacers. This year’s Finals was also the top program on TV each day.
On top of all the macro-level data, Game 5 averaged 24.5 million viewers and peaked at 33 million, becoming the most-watched Game 5 since the 1998 Finals.
The peak viewership of Game 5 reached nearly 10 million more people than the Knicks’ epic 29-point comeback in Game 4, which had a viewership high of 23.2 million.
The Knicks’ title, their first in 53 years, has had New York and the rest of the tri-state area buzzing.
The team’s heroes have been making plenty of TV hits, with Finals MVP Jalen Brunson joining the “Today” show on Tuesday, one day after he and his New York teammates were feted on the “Tonight Show” with Jimmy Fallon and “Good Morning America” on Monday.
The celebration hasn’t ended, however, as Karl-Anthony Towns is expected to make an appearance on “Late Night with Seth Meyers” on Tuesday before New York City hosts a parade up the Canyon of Heroes on Thursday morning. The parade is expected to use an eye-popping 1.25 tons of confetti.
New York Yankees vs. Chicago White Sox: Gerrit Cole vs. Davis Martin
You gotta salivate over games like this. The Yankees are back home after a successful 5-1 road trip, claiming sole possession of first place in the AL East along the way. Gerrit Cole has looked strong in his return from Tommy John surgery, and the increasingly-wily veteran will go up against one of the game’s best, if little-known, right-handers as the resurgent Chicago White Sox send Davis Martin to the hill to open this three-game series in the Bronx.
Martin, 29, has broken out this season, already putting up three wins by fWAR. He doesn’t sit batters down at that remarkable a rate, but he’s awful hard to work a walk against — just 5.4 percent of batters faced have managed it this year. He throws the best changeup this side of Cristopher Sánchez, along with three different fastballs that, like Cam Schlittler, means most of his offerings end up in the zone. You’re only going to get on against Martin by hitting, so no point in keeping the bat on your shoulder tonight.
Cole has been great by ERA, and that three-homer game against the Guardians a couple weeks ago has skewed his FIP in a way I expect to normalize, if not to the tune of 2.45. He’s much craftier than the Cole we knew at signing, and I’m a little worried at how much of the contact he’s allowed has been in the air so far — a 30.2 percent groundball rate is the lowest of his career. Still, as long as the runs aren’t crossing the plate, he’s as reliable as he’s always been.
The only real note on the lineup today is the move of Cody Bellinger up to the second slot, commonly seen in this era as where the best hitter hits for most teams. Ben Rice leads off, looking to capitalize on a big weekend in Toronto after killing too many worms there for a stretch. Jasson Domínguez is on the bench after getting a tooth pulled. Painful.
How to watch
Location: Yankee Stadium — The Bronx, NY
First pitch: 7:05 pm ET
TV broadcast: YES, Chicago Sports Network
Radio broadcast: WFAN 660/101.9 FM, WADO 1280 (NYY) | ESPN Chicago, WMVP 1000AM
Streaming: Gotham Sports App, MLB.tv (out-of-market only)
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LeBron James, Lakers reportedly negotiating new contract ahead of NBA free agency
The Los Angeles Lakers and LeBron James appear to be working on a reunion.
According to ESPN insider Brian Windhorst, the Lakers and James are actively negotiating a new contract that would bring the NBA’s all-time leading scorer back to Los Angeles for a record-setting 24th season.
Speaking Tuesday on ESPN Cleveland, Windhorst said the expectation around the league remains that both sides will ultimately reach an agreement, though the next two weeks could prove critical as free agency approaches.
“I think LeBron’s intention is to play,” Windhorst said. “And I think the focus right now is making a deal with the Lakers. Right now he’s allowed to negotiate with the Lakers and I believe they are negotiating. I believe they are going back and forth.”
LeBron has been vacationing in Europe for the last few weeks.
Windhorst added that the structure and value of a potential deal could be influenced by what Los Angeles hopes to accomplish in free agency. If negotiations stall, teams such as the Cleveland Cavaliers could become serious contenders for James’ services. Still, the prevailing belief around the NBA is that a reunion in purple and gold remains the most likely outcome.
The partnership has already become one of the most successful eras in franchise history.
Since signing with the Lakers during the summer of 2018, James has transformed the organization from a rebuilding team into a perennial contender. He delivered the franchise’s 17th NBA championship in 2020, earned Finals MVP honors and helped restore relevance to one of the league’s most iconic brands.
In eight seasons with Los Angeles, James has appeared in more than 500 games (including playoffs) and is averaging 25.9 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 7.9 assists per game. He became the NBA’s all-time leading scorer in a Lakers uniform and helped lead them to a first-round upset over the Houston Rockets in the 2026 NBA Playoffs without L.A.’s top two leading scorers in Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
Now, with Doncic positioned as the franchise’s future, the Lakers are trying to ensure James remains part of its present. The clock is ticking toward free agency, but all signs point toward both sides finding common ground and extending one of the most significant partnerships in modern NBA history.
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Blue Jays At Red Sox
We get a slightly earlier start than normal, which would have been good to know before I went for a workout.
Vlad and Gimenez are both back in the lineup.
Lineups: