28-year-old is first US player to win at Halle since 1993
Tiafoe will climb to No 19 as Wimbledon nears
Frances Tiafoe beat fellow American Taylor Fritz 6-4 6-4 to win the Halle Open on Sunday, sealing the biggest title of his career and becoming the first American since 1993 to lift the ATP 500 grass-court trophy.
Tiafoe set the tone early, breaking serve in the opening set and remaining composed on his own delivery to keep Fritz from settling. He carried that momentum into the second set, again striking early and dictating from the baseline to wrap up the win and snap a seven-match losing streak against Fritz since his first victory in 2016.
One day after locking down Collin Gillespie with a new contract, the Phoenix Suns have done the same with another member of their guard rotation.
Jordan Goodwin and the Suns have agreed to a three-year, $19 million contract (with a player option on the final season), a story broken by Shams Charania of ESPN and since confirmed by other sources.
Goodwin found a home on the court last season in Phoenix after bouncing around the league for a few years and being waived by the Lakers (to create a roster spot to sign Marcus Smart). Coming off the bench (primarily) for the Suns, he played 70 games and scored 8.7 points a night while shooting 37.1% from 3-point range. He was part of a solid guard rotation in Phoenix. Along with Booker, Gillespie, Grayson Allen and Jalen Green, the Suns formed a quality guard rotation last season that helped lead the team to 45 wins.
Phoenix has now locked down two of its free agent rotation players and reportedly plans to do the same with center Mark Williams, a restricted free agent. With this signing, the Suns move into the luxury tax, reports Keith Smith of Spotrac, but this was expected. Owner Mat Ishbia is willing to spend, but he does not want to go into the second apron (as with nearly every other owner), according to reports.
Jun 20, 2026; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves center fielder Michael Harris II (23) catches a fly ball hit by Milwaukee Brewers catcher William Contreras (24) (not shown) during the first inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
The Braves are going for the sweep. The offense has to wake up and Elder has to set the tone early to bounce back from his last outing.
It’s not raining in Chicago right now but there’s a forecast of rain all afternon and evening.
And so, today’s 1:20 p.m. CT game between the Chicago Cubs and Toronto Blue Jays at Wrigley Field has been postponed due to forecasted inclement weather.
The makeup game is scheduled for Thursday, August 6 at 1:20 p.m. CT.
Mobile tickets via the MLB Ballpark app will automatically update with the makeup game information. No ticket exchange is necessary.
Thus this becomes an open thread for you to discuss baseball, the Cubs or, really, anything within the rules of the site.
I’m adding a couple of rain songs to set the mood. Enjoy your afternoon!
Chicago Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson draws one of the toughest matchups in baseball today against Dylan Cease, whose elite swing-and-miss arsenal should neutralize the struggling slugger.
Read on for my top Blue Jays vs. Cubs predictions and MLB picks for this Sunday, June 21 matchup.
Editor's Note: This game has been postponed due to weather.
Blue Jays vs Cubs predictions
Blue Jays vs Cubs best bet: Dansby Swanson Under 0.5 hits (-130)
A lot of his whiffs come from his slider, which is his most-used pitch to right-handed batters, which is also a pitch that Swanson struggles with (.048 batting average, 37% whiff rate).
Additionally, Swanson is just 1-for-6 against Cease in his career. I’d play this prop up to -140.
COVERS INTEL: Swanson doesn’t generate much contact against Cease's two most used pitches, owning a porous .048 average and a 34% whiff rate against the slider and changeup combined.
Blue Jays vs Cubs same-game parlay (SGP)
Cease has electric stuff, leading the American League with 110 Ks. He’s eclipsed today’s number in seven straight starts and owns a 39% strikeout rate against this Chicago Cubs lineup.
George Springer is turning a corner with a 1.089 OPS over his last nine games, and profiles well against Shota Imanaga, who’s primarily a fastball pitcher.
Springer owns a .291 xBA over the last three seasons with a .613 xSLG.
Blue Jays vs Cubs SGP
Dansby Swanson Under 0.5 hits
Dylan Cease Over 6.5 strikeouts
George Springer Over 1.5 total bases
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Blue Jays vs Cubs home run pick: Kazuma Okamoto (+365)
Kazuma Okamoto's hitting profile matches up perfectly against Imanaga’s stuff.
The Cubs starter throws a heavy dose of the fastball and gets barreled up at a 10.4% rate. The Jays third baseman barrels the ball better than anyone in the Blue Jays lineup (13.5%) while possessing a 63.2% hard-hit rate against the four-seamer.
Additionally, Imanaga has allowed 14 home runs over 15 outings this season.
This is a half-unit wager.
2026 Transparency record
Best bets: 35-39, +0.75 units
SGPs: 14-60, +2.15 units
HR picks: 12-62, +1.8 units
Blue Jays vs Cubs odds
Moneyline: Toronto -116 | Chicago +102
Run line: Toronto -1.5 | Chicago +1.5
Over/Under: Over 7 | Under 7
Blue Jays vs Cubs trend
The Blue Jays have hit the moneyline in nine of their last 14 away games (+6.00 Units / 41% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Blue Jays vs. Cubs.
How to watch Blue Jays vs Cubs and game info
Location
Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL
Date
Sunday, 6-21-2026
First pitch
2:20 p.m. ET
TV
MARQ, Sportsnet
Blue Jays starting pitcher
Dylan Cease (4-3, 2.71 ERA)
Cubs starting pitcher
Shota Imanaga (4-6, 4.26 ERA)
Blue Jays vs Cubs latest injuries
Blue Jays vs Cubs weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 30: General Manager Dana Brown of the Houston Astros speaks during an end of season press conference at Daikin Park on September 30, 2025 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Houston Astros/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Condolences to the many members of the national media who have been hoping and praying to see the Astros sell at the deadline, and have their roster picked apart to go to other teams. That doesn’t appear to be happening.
According to a report from longtime MLB insider Bob Nightengale, the Houston Astros intend to be buyers at the deadline and teams calling up asking for Astros stars are wasting their time.
According to Nightengale, the Astros are still on the hunt for bullpen help and a left-handed hitting outfielder. These are two of the 3 primary things they sought this offseason as well (the other being starting pitching).
The AL West has been the weakest division in baseball this season, and entering play today there are no teams in the division over .500. The Seattle Mariners lead the division at 39-39.
The Astros enter play today only 3 games out in the division, and 2.5 back in the race for the final Wild Card spot.
Over the last month, dating back to May 21, the Astros have gone 16-11 (.593), which ties as the fifth-best record in the Majors and is the second-best record in the AL.
EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — The Edmonton Oilers re-signed Jason Dickinson to a five-year contract worth $20 million on Sunday, preventing the defensive-minded center from testing the free agent market.
Dickinson will count $4 million against the salary cap through the 2030-31 NHL season. He was set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, three days before his 31st birthday.
Instead, Dickinson will be counted on to provide depth in Edmonton as the organization looks to get over the hump and win the Stanley Cup following a decade of trying and falling short despite having two of the best players in the league in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
Dickinson fit in well with the Oilers after they acquired him from Chicago in early March ahead of the trade deadline. He averaged roughly 15 minutes of ice time a game the rest of the season and 12 in the playoffs, becoming one of the team's most frequently penalty killers.
Re-signing Dickinson was one item on a lengthy offseason checklist for general manager Stan Bowman. Hiring a coach could be next, along with potentially trading longtime defenseman Darnell Nurse and upgrading the goaltending position.
An 11-run sixth inning led to a 14-1 loss for the Toledo Mud Hens on Saturday.
Scott Effross and Carl Edwards Jr. were decent through the first four frames. They combined for nine straight outs after a leadoff single, but Christian Franklin broke the shutout with a solo shot off Edwards in the fourth. Max Anderson homered in the top of the inning, but that was Toledo’s only run of the day.
Edwards gave up another homer in the fifth, Anderson had a double in the top of the sixth, and then the bad times began. A leadoff single and walk got the bullpen going, and Konnor Pilkington replaced Edwards on the mound after a groundout put men on the corners.
Pilkington gave up an RBI single, hit a batter and watched two more runs cross on a double up the middle. Tyler Mattison was next out of the bullpen. He immediately got tacked for a two-run double over the right fielder’s head. If the wheels weren’t already falling off, they were definitely gone after this sequence: walk, single, single, walk, single. 10-1, Rochester.
When the Rochester announcers keep giving us “Fun Facts” • over 40 minute half inning • 17 ABs pic.twitter.com/IDfwom4sZk
Mattison finally got the second out, striking out Yohandy Morales, and in came Woo-Suk Go. Three more runs crossed before the inning ended. Go wasn’t particularly good, walking two batters — one with the bases loaded — and allowing a two-run single. None of those baserunners were on his ledger, though.
At least Beau Brieske went 1-2-3 in the seventh, right?
Toledo went to a position player on the mound in the eighth. Morales homered for good measure, and that’s all she wrote.
Erie put together a complete win on Saturday, allowing just three hits in an 8-0 win over Harrisburg.
Kenny Serwa got the start but not the win, coming up just one out shy of the minimum required to qualify. Still, he was excellent, giving up just one hit and three walks while striking out four. The knuckleballer drew a game-high eight whiffs before turning the ball over to Tanner Kohlhepp.
Justice Bigbie started the scoring early, driving in Seth Stephenson and Peyton Graham with a double in the first. He hit a good 400 feet, but there’s a tall wall 405 feet in center field. Andrew Jenkins made it a 3-0 game later in the inning with a groundout RBI. Jenkins did the groundout thing for a run again in the third.
Justice Bigbie drives a 2-run double into left center to give Erie the early lead. pic.twitter.com/igctgiJByt
Brett Callahan was hit in the head before Bigbie’s double. He shook it off pretty well, but left the game as a precaution.
Kohlhepp pitched through the sixth, striking out a pair and working around one hit. Johan Simon took over for him in the seventh, but not before Izaac Pacheco launched a ball out of the park for Erie’s fifth run.
Izaac Pacheco with another monster home run. This one left his bat at 110 MPH and traveled 440 feet to put Erie up 5-0. pic.twitter.com/cni3apcqTF
Simon went two frames, striking out two and giving up just one hit, and Yoniel Curet closed out the game in the ninth.
Before all was said and done, Toledo scored three more runs in the eighth. Stephenson doubled in Bennett Lee and scored on a Thayron Liranzo sac fly, and Jenkins drove in another — this time on a base hit.
Liranzo: 0-3, RBI, BB
Bigbie: 1-3, 2B (13), 2 RBI, 2 BB, K
Jenkins: 1-5, 3 RBI, 2 K
Pacheco: 1-4, HR (11), R, RBI, BB, 2 K
Stephenson: 2-6, 2B (12), 2 R, RBI, K, SB (33)
Serwa: 4.2 IP, H, 0 R, 3 BB, 4 K
Coming Up Next: It’s a 1 p.m. ET start on Sunday. Erie leads the series, 3-2.
West Michigan Whitecaps 7, Lansing Lugnuts 3 (box)
Despite being outhit by Lansing, West Michigan came away with a 7-5 victory on Saturday.
Jake Miller went four innings in his fourth rehab assignment start. This was his first with West Michigan, and he gave up his first run in 11 2/3 innings. Lansing got to him for six hits — four of which came in the first — but no walks and three strikeouts are encouraging.
Garrett Pennington homered in the bottom half of the first, keeping it a tie game through Miller’s outing. Neither offense really got much going after that, at least until the seventh. Carlos Lequerica went 1-2-3 in the fifth, with a pair of strikeouts, Duque Hebbert worked around a two-out single in the sixth and Luke Stofel retired the Lugnuts in order in the seventh.
Garrett Pennington does it again. He smashes a solo homer to left to tie the game for West Michigan. It’s his 14th of the year, and his 3rd straight game with a home run. @ThatDanHasty and @wangler_nathan on the call. pic.twitter.com/jyyV8rdmep
With the game still knotted at one run apiece, Andrew Sojka sparked a rally with a one-out double in the seventh. Luke Shliger poked one through the left side to bring Sojka home, moved to second on a Samuel Gil single and stole third base. A throwing error brought him home and put Gil on third.
Luke Shliger with an oppo knock to score Andrew Sojka and put West Michigan up 2-1. pic.twitter.com/QSFrY9syIC
Lansing intentionally walked the bases loaded to face Bryce Rainer, and the former first-round pick made them pay with a two-run single through the right side. It wasn’t hit particularly hard, but Lansing was in double-play depth and the second baseman couldn’t get there. Pennington added another RBI to his box score with a line-drive single to center field. 6-1, West Michigan.
CJ Weins had a little trouble in the eighth, giving up two runs on four hits. He was the only Whitecaps arm to struggle today, and the offense got one of those runs back in the bottom half of the inning on a wild pitch. Jalen Evans closed things out, working around a two-out single to secure the win.
Rainer: 1-3, 2 RBI, 2 BB
Pennington: 2-5, HR (14), R, 2 RBI
Sojka: 2-4, 2B (7), 2 R, K
Gil: 3-4, R
Miller: 4.0 IP, 6 H, R, ER, 0 BB, 3 K
Coming Up Next: It’s a 2 p.m. ET start on Sunday. West Michigan goes for the five-game sweep.
Dunedin Blue Jays 8, Lakeland Flying Tigers 6 (box)
Lakeland had control of the game for seven innings on Saturday, but a late collapse led to an 8-6 loss for the Flying Tigers.
Hunter Dobbins gave Lakeland an early lead with a two-run home run in the second, his fourth of the year. Caleb Leys couldn’t hold the 2-0 lead for long, giving up a run in the top of the third and two more in the fourth. Four of the five hits he allowed went for extra bases, and a pair of one-out walks in the fifth ended his day. Not great, but he still left the game with a lead.
The Flying Tigers got to Dunedin’s first bullpen arm right away in the fourth. Zach McDonald walked and stole second base. He moved up to third on a bad throw from the catcher. Jude Warwick also walked, and Javier Osorio doubled in MacDonald. The ball was catchable, but a missed diving catch led to two bases and a run.
Win Scott bailed out Leys in the bottom of the fifth, inducing a double play to end the inning. He worked through three innings, navigating his way around a hit and a walk. Scott actually came back out for the eighth, but a pair of errors led to a run and ended his night. After getting the first out, Jan Caraballo took over and immediately gave up a triple to put the tying run 90 feet from home.
Caraballo gave up a game-tying single, walked a batter and balked to put two in scoring position. Another single put Dunedin out in front before Caraballo finally got out of the inning. He came back out for the ninth and gave up another run on a leadoff single and triple.
Andrew Pogue took over after two outs, but the implosion was already complete. Lakeland’s offense didn’t do anything in the final two frames besides a two-out walk in the ninth. Snatching defeat from the jaws of victory isn’t fun.
Yost: 2-5
Pinto: 3-5, HR (3), R, 3 RBI, K
Dobbins: 1-4, HR (4), R, 2 RBI, 2 K
Leys: 4.1 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 6 K
Coming Up Next: It’s a noon ET start on Sunday. Dunedin leads the series, 3-2.
Owen Hall got ripped for a homer and a triple in the first inning, but it only resulted in one run. Hall bounced back with two clean innings, but he gave up a two-run homer in the fourth after a leadoff walk. There’s some hard contact being made off him, but it could have gone worse.
Fortunately, the Tigers came to hit, too. Angel De Los Santos led off the first with a triple, and a wild pitch brought him home after the Phillies starter walked the bases loaded. Cristian Perez doubled in both runners on base, and a throwing error scored him.
Ronald Ramirez had a three-run homer in the second, giving Hall a six-run cushion to work with. The Phillies chipped away to make it a two-run game in the fifth. Leonardo Leon had some command issues and was replaced by Jatnk Diaz after three batters. An error from Michael Oliveto, Detroit’s supplemental round pick (34th overall) last year, threw the ball away for one of those runs.
De Los Santos hit his second triple of the game to get two runs back in the bottom of the fifth. Perez and Enderson Delgado went back-to-back for the final two runs. Diaz retired the final seven batters he faced for the save.
There’s something weird about playing a team in your own organization because anything that’s good is bad and vice versa.
Ten of the 13 runs scored in this game came in the second inning, so it was a rough day for both starters. The bullpens were decent, though, with Omar Gonzalez delivering the best line of the day with 2.1 innings of no-hit ball. Of course, it’s the guy with a 10-plus ERA.
Despite the score, there weren’t many standout hitters. Eduardo Tusen went 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles. Thirteen combined walks contributed to the run total.
The DSL Tigers 2 almost came back in the seventh, but Tusen was stranded on second after making it a one-run game with one out left.
LAS VEGAS, NV - APRIL 01: Cameron Carr #43 of the Baylor Bears dunks the ball in the first half during the 2026 College Basketball Crown - Quarterfinal game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Grand Garden Arena at the MGM Grand Resort on April 01, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Surprise! It’s draft season!
It was hard to focus on the NBA Draft when the San Antonio Spurs were playing in the NBA Finals. But slowly, as the series started to slip, I found myself heading over to YouTube to check out the prospects who could be in San Antonio’s range come draft day. Now, with just mere days separating us from the NBA Draft, it’s time to do a full-blown deep dive into who the Spurs may pick on June 23rd.
In past years, there have been months without Spurs basketball where I could watch hours of games to catch up on who San Antonio should draft. This year’s playoff run made that nearly impossible. So, like one of my favorite basketball commentators of all time, Bill Simmons, I studied the 2026 Draft prospects extensively on YouTube. With little time to do individual posts on all of the prospects, they’ll be lumped together in this article on first-round targets.
The Spurs have the 20th, 35th, 42nd, and 44th picks in the draft. It’s highly unlikely they’ll use all four of those picks, so expect some trades up or out of the draft. There is no guarantee that they’ll even make a selection in the second round, as those picks can often be traded for cash. It would make sense for them to look for someone with their first round selection. The 20th pick offers a wide range of outcomes. Past draftees in that spot include Jaylon Tyson, Jalen Johnson, Matisse Thybulle, Caris LeVert, Malaki Branham, Harry Giles III, and Bruno Caboclo.
In this particular draft, it seems unlikely that San Antonio will be able to select a player ready to start or play a significant role as a rookie with the 20th pick. Several players have the potential to develop into quality role players and fill some gaps on San Antonio’s roster, but fans should temper their expectations on the quality of prospects the Spurs can bring in with this pick (unless they trade up or someone falls).
With the scene setting out of the way, let’s take a look at the prospects San Antonio could consider.
San Antonio’s number one need this summer is a big forward/wing who can play inside and out. Someone who can bang with bigs inside and rebound to help Victor Wembanyama in the paint, while being able to space the floor. Those players don’t grow on trees. In this draft, Lendeborg might be the most gettable prospect with those skills.
If the Spurs trade up for anyone in the draft, it should be Lendeborg. Yes, he’ll be 24 when he plays his first NBA game, but his skill level and development over his collegiate career give him a high floor with room to grow. Lendeborg could step in on day one and be a physical, slashing big man who could help on the boards, defend inside and out, and space the floor. He fits like a glove in San Antonio and is one of the few prospects in the draft who could step in and play a role on day one.
This year’s Michigan roster was stacked with NBA post players. It wouldn’t be a shock if the defending National Champions saw three bigs drafted in the lottery this year. Much of that is thanks to Johnson Jr.’s ascent over the last few months.
Johnson Jr. would give San Antonio a lot of the versatility they need in the frontcourt. He’s an imposing physical and athletic presence who can gobble up boards inside and is quick enough to guard on the perimeter. He’ll be able to step into the league and compete on the offensive glass and serve as a rim-runner offensively as a rookie. He has a developing jump shot that could turn him from an undersized hustle big man to a legit floor spacing workhorse. Trading up for Johnson Jr. would signal that the Spurs believe in his jump shot and that he could play alongside Wembanyama or back him up.
San Antonio may never lose the rebounding war ever again if they draft Steinbach to play alongside Wembanyama. The Washington freshman is a tough, big, rebounding forward/center who exploded onto the scene this year. He’s adept at scoring around the basket, converting on 67.2% of his looks at the rim in half-court settings, and will get out and finish plays in transition.
There are question marks around Steinbach’s defensive positioning. Is he quick enough to guard smaller fours? Can he protect the rim well enough to play center? With Wembanyama, those defensive questions become less important, especially if he’s able to do more of the dirty work on the glass and score around the basket. The real swing skill for Steinbach is his jump shot. He showed signs of shooting touch in his freshman season, hitting 18 threes at a 34% clip. If his jump shot continues to develop, he’d be an ideal offensive fit with Wembanyama as a big man who can score inside and out.
Pretty much every player on this list fills a similar niche: a versatile big/wing who can join Wembanyama in the Spurs’ frontcourt. Carr is not that, but he could be just as valuable. The 21-year-old wing is a knockdown three-point shooter with some crazy vertical pop. Go watch the way Carr leaps for dunks and blocks and tell me you aren’t impressed.
San Antonio needs more floor spacers at all positions. They were over-reliant on Julian Champagnie and Devin Vassell to hit open threes this season. Adding Carr would give them another shooter who would thrive in San Antonio’s up-tempo system. He can score as an off-ball cutter who finishes athletically at the rim and defend off the ball as a defender who plays aggressively in the passing lanes and erases shots at the rim with his 42.5-inch vertical. Carr needs to add more strength and become a more physical player overall, but his combination of shooting touch and athleticism would make him an exciting addition to San Antonio’s growing young core.
Graves finds himself mock-drafted to the Spurs more than any other player. He fits exactly what they need as a versatile forward with good defensive instincts and a nice jump shot. Graves needs to get more physical around the rim and find a way to defend without fouling, but his combination of defensive playmaking, rebounding, floor spacing, and passing makes him an intriguing bet for San Antonio at 20.
Graves doesn’t seem like the type of player who can come in and play an immediate role on a title contender. He came off the bench for a WCC school in his sole collegiate season and played limited minutes. The Spurs could develop him into a long-term frontcourt partner with Wembanyama and use his versatility to give them another look in their big-man rotation.
Lopez would best be described as a power player. He uses his size, frame, and physicality to score on tough drives in the half-court and transition. He does a lot of the things San Antonio needs in a wing/forward. He was fairly productive in the NBL, a professional league in Australia and New Zealand, but his question marks on defense and from three-point range have left him out of the lottery conversation.
Lopez showed flashes as a standstill shooter, but hit just 32.6% from three in his second season in the NBL. Defensively, he struggles to stay in front of athletic offensive players, and he allows players to back-cut after ball-watching off the ball. If San Antonio were to select Lopez, they would be betting on his physical tools and feel for the game, with the belief that his jump shot and defense can develop.
The idea of Quantaince is exciting. He’s an athletic big man who is one heck of a defensive playmaker. The drop off in rim protection from Wembanyama to Quaintance would be like going from an A+ to an A. The reason he will be available where the Spurs are selecting is that it’s unclear when he will be able to play and how healthy he will be.
Quaintance tore his ACL in February of 2025 and has not recovered since. He played in just 4 games his sophomore year at Kentucky, dealing with complications from the injury. Not only are teams worried about his knee’s health, but also whether the experience has sapped some of his athleticism. It’s not just health with Quaintance; he’s also an extremely limited offensive player who will be best at rim running at the next level.
San Antonio is one of the few teams that make sense for Quaintance. There aren’t a ton of “win-now” prospects at 20 in this draft, and the Spurs’ rotation is already overflowing with logjams. San Antonio could select Quaintance, let him rehab and develop in the G League for a year, and then plan to unleash him behind Wembanyama in the years to come. Selecting Quaintance at 20 would be a long play, but one that could ultimately solve a lot of the Spurs’ backup big man problems for years to come.
Swain played a crucial role for the Longhorns this year, leading the team to the NCAA Tournament in his breakout junior season. He has good size for a wing, is an excellent ball-handler and driver for the position, and has potential as a defensive playmaker. Off the ball, he’ll be a strong cutter, but won’t be an elite floor spacer, as he has a slow, inconsistent jump shot. He’ll be at his best with the ball in his hands at the NBA level. That’s a bit of a problem for his fit in San Antonio, since they already have a lot of ball-dominant players on the roster.
To a certain extent, San Antonio should draft the best player available at 20. If Swain is available at 20, he’d certainly be among the best prospects they could select. Do the Spurs need a ball-dominant handling wing who doesn’t space the floor? Probably not. But he would give them another offensive weapon in a bench unit that struggled to score at times in the playoffs.
Cenac Jr., in theory, would be an awesome fit next to Wembanyama. He’s got great size and athleticism, and projects to eventually shoot the ball consistently from three. He’s already a strong rebounder, has a ton of defensive tools, and could develop into an interesting offensive player who could dribble, pass, and shoot as a stretch 4/5. The problem is that a lot of these skills are theoretical. They came out in flashes during his freshman season at Houston, but most of the time, he was a weaker forward who played more like a wing than a center.
Selecting Cenac Jr. would be a developmental pick for the Spurs. Like Carter Bryant, he’d be a toolsy prospect who could maybe get some spot minutes, but has not consistently put it all together to earn significant minutes. San Antonio could take Cenac Jr., develop him in the G League for a year or two, and slowly work him into the rotation over time.
Jeremy Sochan never found his footing with the Spurs, mostly because his offensive game couldn’t complement the rest of the roster. Peat gives me those same worries.
The Arizona freshman is a fierce competitor who has won at every single level. He’s a really strong athlete who bullied his way to the basket in college and high school. He shows intriguing upside as a playmaker, mid-range scorer, and versatile defender. The problem is that he cannot shoot. He went 7-20 from three-point range and only shot 62.3% from the free-throw line in his freshman season. What will his offensive role be for the Spurs if he’s not spacing the floor?
Peat has the pedigree and demeanor to be a winner at the NBA level. But it’s so uncertain how his skills will translate to the next level, and you have to squint to find a fit for him with the Spurs. San Antonio has done a great job drafting high-character winners in the last few seasons, like Wembanyama and Stephon Castle. If they value that above all else, Peat could be the selection at 20.
Boris Diaw and Kyle Anderson. Those are the type of players that Spurs fans most often say they want on this team. Well, there might just be one of those guys in the draft. Jefferson is a slower, athletically limited player who thinks the game incredibly well. He’s an awesome playmaker and rebounder at his position while defending and scoring well as a senior at Iowa State. His jump shot came a long way, as he showed the ability to hit standstill threes this year. There are still significant questions about his athleticism and shot-making ability at the NBA level.
Jefferson, in my eyes, is the perfect fit for the Spurs. He can dribble, pass, shoot (kind of), rebound, and defend. He’s able to push the pace in transition and move the ball well in the half-court. If the shot continues to improve, he’ll space the floor alongside Wembanyama while providing some of the toughness San Antonio needs inside. A lot of people have a second-round grade on Jefferson, but his unique set of skills makes him an intriguing reach candidate for San Antonio at 20.
The Spurs need another look in their front court. Luke Kornet is a solid screener, paint protector, and rebounder. He does the dirty work you need from a backup big, but he lacks the offensive pop and shot blocking that San Antonio could use against more athletic teams. Veesaar could be a great change of pace with his size, shot blocking, and floor spacing.
Veesaar is a weaker big man who struggles with physicality. Players will try to go through him when he’s defending, and they’ll try to take advantage of his lack of strength when he’s rolling or trying to finish around the rim. Because of that, it’s not a sure thing he’ll be able to play alongside Wembanyama even with his three-point shot. The Spurs would be incredibly thin in the front court with him and Wembanyama being their two bigs. On the flip side, Veesaar and Wembanyama would be incredibly tough to score over the top of, and could cause a lot of challenges for defenses with their floor spacing ability. Veesaar is another player who could be available with San Antonio’s second-round selections.
You can always use more shooting, and Evans is one of the best movement shooters in the draft. He hit huge shots for Duke in his two seasons there. A lot of those shots were with a high degree of difficulty, which bodes well for his ability to knock down threes with more space at the next level. Every aspect of his game stems from that shooting ability. His drives usually come from attacking hard closeouts, and his gravity as a shooter can open up lanes for others. He is improving as a defender, but still leaves a lot to be desired on that end. He’s also not much of a playmaker on the wing.
If San Antonio just wants to add more shooting, they could do a lot worse than Evans. There is a chance the Duke sophomore falls to the second round. At 20, he’s a bit of a reach, but at 35, he’d be a worthwhile flyer who could develop into a solid movement shooter off the bench.
Sheehan will benefit from the Dodgers offense, which leads the majors with a .783 OPS. Los Angeles has a hard-hit percentage of 41.6% and will get to Baltimore Orioles starter Brandon Young, who allows a hard-hit rate of 41.3%.
I like the Dodgers to cover the run line at -120 or better.
I’m expecting Sheehan to take care of Baltimore’s offense by missing a lot of bats with his 30.3% whiff rate. That should leave us with a reasonably low-scoring game compared to this inflated total.
I love the Under here at 9 runs or more.
Ed Scimia's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 13-19, -6.84 units
Over/Under bets: 12-18, -6.74 units
Orioles vs Dodgers weather
The wind is blowing out to left center at 8 mph on a 75F day at Dodger Stadium.
Orioles vs Dodgers odds
Moneyline: Orioles +213 | Dodgers -223
Run line: Orioles +1.5 | Dodgers -1.5
Over/Under: Over 9.5 | Under 9.5
Orioles vs Dodgers trend
The Orioles are 2-5 straight up in their last seven games, losing four of those contests by 2+ runs. Find more MLB betting trends for Orioles vs. Dodgers.
How to watch Orioles vs Dodgers and game info
Location
Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, CA
Date
Sunday, June 21, 2026
First pitch
4:10 p.m. ET
TV
MASN, SNLA
Orioles starting pitcher
Brandon Young (5-2, 3.18 ERA)
Dodgers starting pitcher
Emmet Sheehan (3-4, 4.76 ERA)
Orioles vs Dodgers latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Jun 20, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Kazuma Okamoto (7) celebrates and bows with first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (27) after hitting a three-run home run against the Chicago Cubs during the eighth inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images | Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images
Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there.
I took yesterday off from all things Blue Jays related. My sister was in town, she’s a big Bonnie Raitt, so we went to the concert last night.
There was a bunch of news yesterday:
The team traded for Luis Urias from the Diamondbacks for cash. He’s an infielder. He is a 28-year-old right-handed hitting infielder, who has played eight seasons in the MLB, hitting .231/.329/.378 with 60 home runs in 2080 games. This year he’s been playing in Triple-A for Reno in the PCL, hitting .361/.393/.546 with 33 home runs in 27 games. They are still looking for a right-handed hitting platoon infielder who can hit is weight.
And they made a bunch of roster moves. Daulton Varsho and Lazaro Estrada were activated from the IL. Brendon Little and Charles McAdoo were optioned to the Bisons.
Shane Bieber will be starting Monday’s game. He threw 80 pitches in his last rehab start for the Bisons. We’ll ignore the part that he gave up 5 runs on 7 hits and 4 walks. I don’t generally read much into stats of a rehab start. The pitch is mostly just trying to make his pitches and getting his work in.
Today’s lineups:
Today’s Lineups
BLUE JAYS
CUBS
George Springer – DH
Pete Crow-Armstrong – CF
Vladimir Guerrero – 1B
Alex Bregman – 3B
Kazuma Okamoto – 3B
Michael Busch – 1B
Alejandro Kirk – C
Seiya Suzuki – DH
Daulton Varsho – CF
Ian Happ – LF
Ernie Clement – SS
Matt Shaw – RF
Davis Schneider – 2B
Nico Hoerner – 2B
Jesus Sanchez – LF
Carson Kelly – C
Myles Straw – RF
Dansby Swanson – SS
Dylan Cease – RHP
Shota Imanaga – LHP
16 Father’s Days ago, John McDonald hit a home run. It was just a few days after the death of his father. His dad told John to hit a home run for him and he did. Up until then, he had just 14 career home runs and would finish with 28 in his career. It was an amazing moment.
This year’s draft is one of the most anticipated in years, with several star prospects at the top of the board and a handful of potential gems later in the first round.
With that in mind, here’s a look at the updated order and more draft info:
Who has the first pick in the 2026 NBA Draft?
The Washington Wizards are picking first overall after winning the lottery with the best odds. In the drawing, the Wizards converted their 14.0% chance at landing the top pick into reality, with the Utah Jazz, Memphis Grizzlies and Chicago Bulls filling out the top four slots.
This draft is headlined by four elite prospects, including BYU forward AJ Dybantsa, Kansas guard Darryn Peterson, Duke forward Cameron Boozer and North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson.
What’s the 2026 NBA Draft order?
As with any year, the draft order is fluid. There will be trades before, during and after the draft this week, so don’t get comfortable with the current order just yet.
Here’s an updated look at the full draft order for all 60 picks in 2026 (as of Sunday, June 21):
Cleveland Cavaliers (from San Antonio via Atlanta)
Dallas Mavericks (from Oklahoma City via Washington and Philadelphia)
New York Knicks (from Washington via Oklahoma City and Houston)
Memphis Grizzlies (from Indiana via Milwaukee)
Brooklyn Nets
Sacramento Kings
San Antonio Spurs (from Utah via Minnesota)
Los Angeles Clippers (from Memphis via Utah and Atlanta)
Oklahoma City Thunder (from Dallas)
Chicago Bulls (from New Orleans via Boston, Detroit and Portland)
Houston Rockets (from Chicago via Washington)
Boston Celtics (from Milwaukee via Orlando)
Miami Heat (from Golden State via Charlotte, New York, Oklahoma City and Atlanta)
San Antonio Spurs (from Portland via New Orleans)
Brooklyn Nets (from LA Clippers via Houston)
San Antonio Spurs (from Miami via Indiana)
Sacramento Kings (from Charlotte via San Antonio, Atlanta and New York)
Orlando Magic
Phoenix Suns (from Philadelphia via Houston and Oklahoma City)
Dallas Mavericks (from Phoenix via Washington)
Denver Nuggets (from Atlanta via Brooklyn and Golden State)
Toronto Raptors)
Washington Wizards (from Minnesota via Detroit and New York)
Los Angeles Clippers (from Cleveland)
Houston Rockets
Golden State Warriors (from LA Lakers via Toronto, Miami and Cleveland)
New York Knicks
Chicago Bulls (from Denver via Minnesota, Phoenix, Charlotte and Phoenix)
Atlanta Hawks (from Boston)
New Orleans Pelicans (from Detroit via New York, Brooklyn, Phoenix, Orlando and LA Clippers)
Minnesota Timberwolves (from San Antonio via Indiana)
Washington Wizards (from Oklahoma City via San Antonio and Miami)
What are the 2026 NBA Draft dates?
The NBA draft will take place over two days for the third straight year. The first round, which includes the first 30 picks, is on Tuesday, June 23, followed by Round 2 on Wednesday, June 24.
What is the 2026 NBA Draft location?
The Barclays Center, home of the Brooklyn Nets in New York, is hosting the entire draft. The arena has hosted the draft annually since 2013, with the exception of 2020 due to the pandemic.
The Yankees officially welcomed back catcher Austin Wells on Sunday, activating the catcher from the 10-day IL.
Wells landed on the IL due to cervical headaches, but he’s been ramping up his baseball activities and manager Aaron Boone said he is headache-free.
Wells is back in the starting lineup on Sunday against Cincinnati, batting eighth.
It’s been a tough season for the former first-round pick, as he comes into play on Sunday hitting .166 with four home runs and 7 RBI in 145 at-bats.
Meanwhile, catcher J.C. Escarra was optioned to Triple-A on Saturday night, but Boone said he will likely be back with the club in the very near future, as catcher Ali Sanchez is expected to go on the paternity list soon.
The Calgary Flames aren’t exactly grabbing headlines for it just yet, but there’s a quiet sense building around the organization that their rebuild may be tracking a little cleaner—and maybe a little faster—than most teams in a similar position.
A big part of that comes down to what they’re about to walk into at the 2026 NHL Draft.
Heading into KeyBank Center in Buffalo, Calgary owns 11 picks in total, including two first-round selections and six picks inside the top 55. That kind of draft capital doesn’t guarantee anything, but it does give a rebuilding team something invaluable: flexibility. At this stage of the cycle, that’s often the difference between staying stuck and actually moving forward.
The 2026 NHL Draft begins Friday, June 26 at 5 p.m. MT with Round 1, followed by Rounds 2 through 7 on Saturday, June 27 at 9 a.m. MT. Both days will be broadcast on Sportsnet.
Here’s how the Flames’ draft board currently sits:
What stands out isn’t just the sheer volume—it’s how tightly packed those early picks are. Calgary will be on the clock repeatedly in quick succession across the first two rounds, giving them the ability to go in multiple directions: swing for upside, target organizational holes, or package selections if a meaningful trade opportunity presents itself.
Of course, none of it matters in theory. Draft capital only becomes real value when it’s used well—and the league has plenty of examples of teams both maximizing and wasting it.
The Colorado Avalanche, for instance, have shown both sides of that coin in recent years. Some picks have developed into key contributors, while others were moved out in pursuit of another Stanley Cup run that ultimately fell just short. It’s a reminder more than anything: stockpiling assets is only step one. Execution is everything.
For Calgary, that’s the warning label attached to all of this. The opportunity is real—but so is the risk of getting it wrong.
One potential swing at the top of the board is Swedish center Viggo Björck at sixth overall. He’s not the biggest player on the ice, but Calgary has been searching for more long-term center depth, particularly after moving Nazem Kadri back to Colorado.
Björck’s production with Djurgårdens IF in the Swedish Hockey League—six goals and nine assists last season—doesn’t jump off the page at first glance, but his impact has been more noticeable in flashes and in international play. At the IIHF World Juniors, he added three goals and six assists in his debut tournament, helping power his country to a gold medal.
For a Flames organization trying to restock skill down the middle, he represents the kind of bet that can quietly reshape a depth chart over time.
There’s also a broader philosophical shift taking shape in Calgary. The organization still wants veteran presence in the room, but the runway for younger players is getting longer—and more meaningful.
Ryan Lomberg, for example, appeared in just two of Calgary’s final 19 games as the coaching staff increasingly leaned into extended auditions for younger players like Tyson Gross and Aydar Suniev. It wasn’t subtle, either. It felt like a preview of where things are heading.
General manager Craig Conroy didn’t fully tip his hand on Lomberg’s future when asked at season’s end, but he acknowledged the balancing act the organization is now managing.
“We’ve got to take a couple days because everything is emotional. I’ll reflect and see where we think this is going. We have a lot of players under contract right now. When you have players, there needs to be room to play, too.”
That “room to play” part matters—and it’s becoming harder to ignore in Calgary.
Among the young players already forcing the issue is Gross, who scored in just his third NHL game during a 3–1 loss to Colorado on April 9. The goal stood as his first at the NHL level, though he briefly thought he had two before a second was overturned for offside.
Even so, it was a glimpse of something the Flames haven’t had enough of in recent years: young players arriving and looking like they belong.
And that’s really the hinge point for all of this. Calgary’s rebuild won’t be defined by how many picks they have, or even where they pick. It’ll come down to whether those players turn into everyday NHLers—and how quickly they can push the roster forward.
Because if they do, this doesn’t stay a long rebuild for very long. If they don’t, all this draft capital is just paper again.
CINCINNATI, OH - JUNE 15: Chase Burns #26 of the Cincinnati Reds pitches during the game between the New York Mets and the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on Monday, June 15, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Colten Strauss/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Did the Cincinnati Reds catch a break when the New York Yankees opted to shuffle their starting rotation for the series finale? We’ll find out this afternoon!
The Reds were initially slated to face six-time All Star and former Cy Young Award winner Gerrit Cole in Sunday’s series finale, but manager Aaron Boone made the call to bump their rotation all back one day instead. The Yankees are in the middle of playing 16 games in 16 days, and that was enough to prompt the 1st place Yanks to ease the strain on the arms they’ll depend on as they make their playoff push later this year.
Instead, New York will roll out rookie Elmer Rodriguez, who’s made a trio of starts at the big league level and pitched well enough (4.15 ERA) in that time. MLB Pipeline ranked him the #2 prospect in the Yankee system in their most recent update (and #59 overall) on the back of a fastball he can throw up to 99 mph, so the Reds won’t be up against some nobody on the day – they just won’t be up against Gerrit Cole.
The Yankees, meanwhile, will be up against Chase Burns.
Burns has already accrued 3.9 bWAR so far in less than half the 2026 season, his mix of fastball/slider simply devastating to teams he faces. He’ll toe the rubber knowing a victory today would give the Reds a series victory on the road in the Bronx, and he seems like precisely the kind of guy you’d want your team to have on the mound knowing that’s what’s at stake today.
First pitch is set for 1:35 PM ET. Here’s how both clubs will line up to start:
COVERS INTEL: Swanson doesn’t generate much contact against Cease's two most used pitches, owning a porous .048 average and a 34% whiff rate against the slider and changeup combined.
