The NHL is exploring potential expansion to Texas with Houston and Austin among the possibilities, a person with knowledge of the decision told The Associated Press on Tuesday.
The league’s Board of Governors had their annual post-Stanley Cup Final and pre-draft meeting on Tuesday in New York. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the expansion consideration had not been announced. ESPN and Sportsnet were first to report the move.
While there is no guarantee the NHL adds a 33rd team, it is a first step toward becoming the largest professional sports league in North America, surpassing the NFL. Commissioner Gary Bettman in recent years has been careful to say officials were listening to expressions of interest from prospective owners in places like Houston and Atlanta but not yet engaged in a formal path toward expansion.
The league last expanded to 32 with the Seattle Kraken beginning play in 2021 after the Vegas Golden Knights started in the 2017-18 season. Before that, there had been 30 teams since 2000, when Columbus and Minnesota entered.
The recent success stories, combined with booming franchise values across sports, spurred talk of expansion in hockey circles, especially because expansion fees could exceed $1 billion. Seattle paid $650 million and Las Vegas $500 million.
From Florida to Texas to California and places in between, the NHL has enjoyed strong popularity across the Sun Belt and non-traditional hockey markets over the past four decades. Teams were added in South Florida and Tampa in Florida, San Jose and Anaheim in California, Nashville, Tennessee, and Las Vegas while relocations put teams in Dallas and Raleigh, North Carolina, Denver and elsewhere.
Teams in those places have won the Stanley Cup the past seven years in a row and 13 times dating to Colorado’s championship run in 1995-96.
The NHL is exploring potential expansion to Texas with Houston and Austin among the possibilities, a person with knowledge of the decision told The Associated Press on Tuesday.
The league’s Board of Governors had their annual post-Stanley Cup Final and pre-draft meeting on Tuesday in New York. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the expansion consideration had not been announced. ESPN and Sportsnet were first to report the move.
While there is no guarantee the NHL adds a 33rd team, it is a first step toward becoming the largest professional sports league in North America, surpassing the NFL. Commissioner Gary Bettman in recent years has been careful to say officials were listening to expressions of interest from prospective owners in places like Houston and Atlanta but not yet engaged in a formal path toward expansion.
The league last expanded to 32 with the Seattle Kraken beginning play in 2021 after the Vegas Golden Knights started in the 2017-18 season. Before that, there had been 30 teams since 2000, when Columbus and Minnesota entered.
The recent success stories, combined with booming franchise values across sports, spurred talk of expansion in hockey circles, especially because expansion fees could exceed $1 billion. Seattle paid $650 million and Las Vegas $500 million.
From Florida to Texas to California and places in between, the NHL has enjoyed strong popularity across the Sun Belt and non-traditional hockey markets over the past four decades. Teams were added in South Florida and Tampa in Florida, San Jose and Anaheim in California, Nashville, Tennessee, and Las Vegas while relocations put teams in Dallas and Raleigh, North Carolina, Denver and elsewhere.
Teams in those places have won the Stanley Cup the past seven years in a row and 13 times dating to Colorado’s championship run in 1995-96.
Boston tried to say, "We weren't shopping Brown, it was only because this was Giannis Antetokounmpo." Except a few years back, they said the same thing when Brown was rumored to be part of a trade offer for Kevin Durant. From Brown's perspective, you don't want to be the person in the relationship where your partner is always looking around for an upgrade.
"What I expect to happenis a bidding war for Jaylen Brown. In the most recent days, teams have been preparing for this eventuality, that it wouldn't be the Boston Celtics who won the Giannis sweepstakes and that there would be a Jaylen Brown market. And now we're going to watch that. I think it'll take time to play out."
If Brown becomes available, look for Houston and Atlanta to be at the front of the line for him, with a number of other teams — Portland has said it's interested — in the mix. The challenge will be matching his salary, which is $57.1 million next season and totals about $183 million over the next three years. Brown is coming off his best season as a pro, averaging 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game.
Boston kept young players out
Why did Milwaukee ultimately choose the Miami offer over Boston? In part because, while Brown would have been the best individual player the Bucks could have gotten in return, they wanted more — specifically a young player like Baylor Scheierman and Hugo Gonzalez, and Boston would not put them in the offer, reports Shams Charania of ESPN.
Boston's final offer was Brown and two unprotected first-round picks. Milwaukee preferred Miami's offer... or at least one key person did.
Bucks co-owner Haslam pushed for Miami trade
Milwaukee Bucks co-owner Jimmy Haslam also owns the NFL's Cleveland Browns — a team that dealt with a trade demand from future Hall of Famer Myles Garrett. Then came the Antetokounmpo saga with the Bucks.
That led Haslam to push for the "certainty" of the Miami offer because he didn't want to see Brown come to Milwaukee and force his way out in a couple of years, something Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports reported right after the trade went down. That was a concern of others in the Milwaukee front office, reports Sam Amick and Eric Nehm at The Athletic, who add there had been signs in recent weeks that Brown didn't really want to land in Milwaukee.
Herro happy
Brown may not have wanted to go to Milwaukee, but Tyler Herro — who is a Milwaukee native — is excited to go home in the trade, reports NBA insider Chris Haynes.
Sources: Tyler Herro is thrilled about a fresh start and playing for his hometown team the Milwaukee Bucks. Herro always envisioned returning home at some point during his NBA career.
Except Herro may not be staying in Milwaukee—there are multiple reports that the Bucks are listening to offers to trade him again. At the front of that line may be Detroit, which is looking for shooting and secondary ball-handling to pair with Cade Cunningham, and Herro fits that bill.
Is Anthony Edwards next?
Once one superstar is traded, the insatiable NBA trade rumor machine starts looking for the next star who might be on the move.
Is it about to be Anthony Edwards' turn in the spotlight? ESPN’s Tim MacMahon said on the latest Hoop Collective Podcast, "The NBA vultures are swirling around Ant in anticipation of him potentially becoming the next superstar who's available in the trade market." Multiple reports in recent years have said Edwards has been frustrated with the team building in Minnesota, dating back to when it traded away Karl-Anthony Towns to save money.
This is not happening fast. Minnesota has no intention of trading Edwards right now, and he still has three fully guaranteed years at $156.9 million left on this contract. There is no pressure to move him, and Edwards would deny he is even thinking about leaving.
That said, teams file these kinds of things away and just wait.
BetMGM’s branding presence with MLB will continue for the foreseeable future.
Key Takeaways
BetMGM and MGM Resorts International renewed their partnership with MLB, extending a relationship that began in 2018.
The online operator will continue to be featured on multiple league platforms.
BetMGM operates in nearly a dozen jurisdictions that have an MLB team.
The online sportsbook and casino announced a multi-year extension Tuesday with the pro baseball league that began when MGM became the first operator to be MLB’s official sports betting partner in 2018, enhancing the operator’s visibility on multiple platforms.
“Major League Baseball offers one of the most engaging, data–rich experiences in sports, and this renewal underscores our shared commitment to innovation, integrity, and responsibility,” BetMGM chief revenue officer Matt Prevost said in a statement. “Together, we're enhancing how fans experience the game, from defining moments on the field to legendary experiences at marquee events like MLB All-Star Week."
Under the extension, BetMGM will continue to receive exposure across MLB's media platforms, including MLB Network, Apple TV broadcasts, and the league's website in the U.S. and Canada. The responsible gaming partnership feature, GameSense, will also remain.
BetMGM will also keep developing online casino games featuring pro baseball, and MGM Resorts, which owns 50% of BetMGM with Entain, will continue to be MLB’s exclusive resort and casino partner.
Visibility increasing
BetMGM also expects its marketing presence with MLB events, including MLB Awards Week in Las Vegas, to grow.
“MGM Resorts and BetMGM have been great partners to baseball for nearly a decade,” said Uzma Rawn Dowler, MLB chief marketing officer and senior vice president of global corporate partnerships. “We're excited to continue our relationship and together help create more unique experiences for our fans.”
Not only is BetMGM a league sponsor, but the online operator also has partnerships with nine MLB teams, including big-market teams in the Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies, and New York Yankees.
BetMGM operates online sports betting in 22 U.S. states, including nearly a dozen jurisdictions where at least one MLB team resides. BetMGM also has partnerships with the NBA, WNBA, NHL, and NASCAR.
MLB's broader gambling strategy
MLB also has an integrated partnership with FanDuel, the No. 1 market-share online sportsbook and iGaming operator in the U.S. It wasn't the first league to partner with sportsbooks after PASPA was overturned in 2018, but it was among the earliest major leagues to embrace gambling sponsorship revenue.
MLB signed an unprecedented memorandum with the federal regulator, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, in March and partnered with prediction market platforms Kalshi and Polymarket to build new contract trading standards. MLB wants input on what markets are offered, something other leagues are seeking as well, and a seat at the regulatory framework table to help protect the integrity of the sport.
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — The New Jersey Devils traded Simon Nemec to the Calgary Flames on Tuesday, getting draft picks for the 22-year-old defenseman.
In new general manager Sunny Mehta’s first major roster transaction, the Devils received two future conditional first-round picks, as well as No. 35 overall this year and prospect Etienne Morin for Nemec and winger Maxim Tsyplakov.
There had been buzz in recent weeks that Nemec was interested in a change of scenery. The right-handed shooting Slovak is just 22 years old and 159 games into his NHL career since New Jersey selected him with the second pick in the draft in 2022.
The first-rounders are top-10 protected, with Calgary potentially parting ways with one in each in some combination of 2027, ‘28 and ’29.
Morin, 21, is a left shot defenseman who spent last season in the minors.
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — The New Jersey Devils traded Simon Nemec to the Calgary Flames on Tuesday, getting draft picks for the 22-year-old defenseman.
In new general manager Sunny Mehta’s first major roster transaction, the Devils received two future conditional first-round picks, as well as No. 35 overall this year and prospect Etienne Morin for Nemec and winger Maxim Tsyplakov.
There had been buzz in recent weeks that Nemec was interested in a change of scenery. The right-handed shooting Slovak is just 22 years old and 159 games into his NHL career since New Jersey selected him with the second pick in the draft in 2022.
The first-rounders are top-10 protected, with Calgary potentially parting ways with one in each in some combination of 2027, ‘28 and ’29.
Morin, 21, is a left shot defenseman who spent last season in the minors.
The final West Coast trip of the season for the Braves started in brutal fashion Monday night in San Diego.
The hot-and-cold offense which has been a lot more cold of late was at its coldest in the opener, stranding eight runners in a 1-0 loss to the Padres.
The Braves will put JR Ritchie (1-2,4.54 ERA) on the mound Tuesday night hoping to level the series.
The rookie’s first two appearances back have been a real mixed bag. His relief appearance after Spencer Strider’s early exit at the Mets (2 H, 0 R over 5 IP) was very good. His first start back last Wednesday against the Giants (5 R, 5 H, 3 HR in 5 IP) was not.
Walks continue to be an issue for Ritchie, who has issued 21 free passes in 35 2/3 innings this season. He’s issued three or more walks in four of his seven appearances.
Maybe a Padres lineup which ranks last in the majors in batting average (.219), slugging percentage (.363) and scoring (3.86 runs per game) will be what Ritchie needs to rediscover his form, having not thrown more than five innings since he did so in each of his first two career starts.
While the Padres haven’t officially announced a starter, it sounds like it will be right-hander Griffin Canning (1-5, 6.64) getting the nod. He had a delayed start to his season as he finished up recovery from a torn left Achilles.
It didn’t start well for him, with an 0-4 record and 7.16 ERA in six May starts. But two of his three June starts have been at least solid and he’s coming off his first win of the season, allowing one run on four hits over 4 1/3 innings last Wednesday against the St. Louis Cardinals.
As with Ritchie, walks have been an issue. He’s walked 25 batters against 41 strikeouts in 42 innings. He’s also allowed eight home runs — as many as he had given up in 16 starts and 76 1/3 innings this season.
Canning, who was with the Mets last season, made his first two career appearances against the Braves the last two seasons. He lasted a combined seven innings across the two starts, giving up seven runs for a 9.00 ERA with nine hits allowed, six strikeouts and one walk.
Could this be what awakens the dormant Braves’ offense, most notably from Drake Baldwin’s extended slump since his return from the injured list?
Michigan coach Dusty May cuts down the net after the Wolverines defeated UConn for the 2026 NCAA title in Indianapolis. (Michael Conroy / Associated Press)
Questions surely will follow Dusty May as he leaps to the Dallas Mavericks after coaching Michigan to the NCAA national championship.
Can he provide blessed amnesia to the Mavericks faithful? Can he help them forget Luka Doncic and Nico Harrison and Anthony Davis and Jason Kidd? Can he allow them to peer into a future anchored by budding superstar Cooper Flagg without constantly checking the rearview mirror?
May, 49, was hired Tuesday as the Mavericks’ head coach,. He led Michigan to the pinnacle of March Madness last season and posted a 64-13 record in two years. He also coached Florida Atlantic to the 2023 Final Four and a 60-13 record in the last two of his six seasons there.
“We set out to find a leader who embodies the values we want to define our organization,” Mavericks president Masai Ujiri said in a statement. “Dusty has won at every stage of his career because of his ability to build. He develops players, creates accountability, and brings people together around a shared standard of excellence. His work ethic is extraordinary, and his teams consistently reflect his values.”
The list of high-profile college coaches who struggled to replicate their success in the NBA is daunting: Rick Pitino, John Calipari, John Beilein, Lon Kruger, Tim Floyd and Mike Montgomery immediately leap to mind.
Not only did May not coach or play in the NBA, he barely played in college. He was a 5-foot-10 point guard at NAIA Oakland City for one season before transferring to Indiana and serving as team manager under coach Bobby Knight.
But his arrival will divert attention from the past, from the hugely unpopular and disastrous trade of Doncic to the Lakers for Davis and spare parts on Feb. 1, 2025.
Mavericks fans staged a faux funeral complete with a casket a day later in front of the Dirk Nowitzki statue outside the American Airlines Center. They booed Harrison — the general manager who engineered the deal — at every home game and chanted “Fire Nico.”
When Doncic returned as an opponent, Mavericks fans chanted “MVP” when the Lakers player shot free throws.
Harrison admitted to underestimating the backlash from fans but defended the trade, initially saying he had “no regrets.” By November, he was fired and updated his social media profile to “unemployed.”
Next to go was Kidd, a Hall of Fame point guard who helped the Mavericks to their only NBA title as a player and to the NBA Finals as a coach. At the time, it wasn’t clear whether Kidd was an advocate of the Doncic deal or a victim of a front-office blunder. But Mark Cuban, the Mavericks’ former majority owner who currently owns 27% of the team, indicated March 31 during a podcast that Kidd was complicit.
“I think there was animosity between [Harrison] and some people on Luka’s team — his agent and some of the people around them,” Cuban said. “I don’t think they got along. I think there were issues.
“J-Kidd had coached Anthony Davis and was close to him, and Nico was close to AD since he was like 13 years old. So I think there was some confirmation bias as well. But that doesn’t justify our coach and our general manager to stand up and trade our best player.”
Doncic, 26, flourished in his first season in Los Angeles despite a late-season injury that kept him out of the playoffs. The shooting guard led the NBA with 33.5 points per game and he will be a franchise cornerstone. Davis played only 20 games with Dallas because of injuries and in February was traded to the Washington Wizards.
The makeover began when the Mavericks secured the first pick in the 2025 NBA Draft despite having only a 1.8% chance of obtaining it through the lottery. They took Flagg, a forward from Duke who went on to lead Dallas with 21 points per game and was named Rookie of the Year.
Next, they hired respected former Raptors executive Ujiri as team president. And now they have added May as coach. This week they will add two more promising players via the first round of the NBA Draft.
“I am honored to join the Dallas Mavericks organization,” May said in a statement. “This is one of the most respected franchises in professional sports, with passionate fans, a talented roster, and a clear commitment to building a championship organization.”
The franchise is trying to eliminate reminders while attempting to instill hope for the future.
“When you study [May’s] journey, you see someone who has earned every opportunity through preparation, discipline, humility, and an unwavering commitment to improvement,” Ujiri said. “We believe those qualities make him the right leader for the Dallas Mavericks.”
Meanwhile at Michigan, a loaded roster will report to interim coach Mike Boynton Jr., May’s top assistant and the head coach at Oklahoma State from 2019-2024. Players are allowed to enter the transfer portal for 15 days following a coaching change, so job one for Boynton will be to keep them from fleeing.
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It’s finally time for the NBA Draft. Follow along this thread and on @BrightSideSun on X/Twitter for the latest updates and insights on all things Phoenix Suns and the NBA Draft with staff writer Holden Sherman at the Barclays Center covering the event.
5:50 If the Suns move into the first round…
According to Arizona Sports Insider John Gambadoro, the Suns would look to select Arizona’s big man Koa Peat, who was born in Arizona 30 minutes outside of Phoenix. Peat is a potential lottery pick after helping lead the Wildcats to their first Final Four appearance since 2001.
They like Koa but would most likely have to move into the first round to get him – right now at 2:34 pm that seems unlikely.
With the 2026 NHL Draft just a few days away, there appears to be more clarity regarding three prospects the New York Rangers could look to target at the fifth overall pick.
The 18-year-old defenseman was the youngest player at the 2026 Winter Olympics, representing Latvia and recording two assists in four games while averaging 18:44 minutes per game.
In 38 games for Jukurit in Liiga, Finland's top league, Šmits recorded six goals, seven assists, and 13 points.
The 17-year-old defenseman is coming off a season with the University of North Dakota, in which he posted 17 points through his first 22 collegiate games, but he had only three assists in his final 14 games.
Carels, a 6-foot-2, 198-pound defenseman, ranked third among all North American skaters in the NHL Central Scouting Rankings.
The 17-year-old defenseman is coming off a season with the Prince George Cougars of the Western Hockey League, in which he recorded 20 goals, 53 assists, and 73 points in 58 games.
Despite some speculation regarding the Rangers’ interest in center Viggo Björck, Wheeler reports that he hasn’t gotten any indication that they’re going to be the team to take Björck.
There has also been talk of the Rangers moving back from the fifth overall pick, according to Wheeler, although it’s unclear exactly what the team would be seeking in return if they were to move down.
With the 2026 NHL Draft just a few days away, there appears to be more clarity regarding three prospects the New York Rangers could look to target at the fifth overall pick.
The 18-year-old defenseman was the youngest player at the 2026 Winter Olympics, representing Latvia and recording two assists in four games while averaging 18:44 minutes per game.
In 38 games for Jukurit in Liiga, Finland's top league, Šmits recorded six goals, seven assists, and 13 points.
The 17-year-old defenseman is coming off a season with the University of North Dakota, in which he posted 17 points through his first 22 collegiate games, but he had only three assists in his final 14 games.
Carels, a 6-foot-2, 198-pound defenseman, ranked third among all North American skaters in the NHL Central Scouting Rankings.
The 17-year-old defenseman is coming off a season with the Prince George Cougars of the Western Hockey League, in which he recorded 20 goals, 53 assists, and 73 points in 58 games.
Despite some speculation regarding the Rangers’ interest in center Viggo Björck, Wheeler reports that he hasn’t gotten any indication that they’re going to be the team to take Björck.
There has also been talk of the Rangers moving back from the fifth overall pick, according to Wheeler, although it’s unclear exactly what the team would be seeking in return if they were to move down.
Sep 12, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; A general view of the Toronto Blue Jays baseball carry bag during batting practice before a game against the Baltimore Orioles at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images | Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images
The Return of Shane. It sounds like an old time western, starring Glenn Ford with Walter Brennan in it to give comic relief.
I try not to expect too much out of a guy coming off rehab, but it is hard not to hope for a great game. And Shane has come back from injuries before.
As I mentioned, in the open thread, I’m spending today on my bike. The MS ride is this weekend and I haven’t been riding near enough. But the ligament tears in my foot, plus the crappy weather we’ve been having, and a certain amount of laziness, I’ve only had half a dozen rides this spring.
The forecast for the weekend isn’t great, I think we’ll be riding in the rain.
Anyway, I’m doing this together long before they put up lineups.
It would be nice to get above .500, but the Astros have a pretty good starter going too, Peter Lambert is 6-4, with a 3.23 ERA and has a 1.93 ERA in his last three games.
A lot has happened since Landen Roupp, JT Brubaker, Ryan Walker, and Sam Hentges protested the Giants’ Pride Night, and as with everything that’s happened in this country, it’s devolved into a circus. But rather than come at this from the responsible, community-driven angle that the Actually Good writers on this site have done already, I’ll stick to baseball, because I think there’s a sneaky weird problem for the team that has nothing to do with a good chunk of the fan base losing faith in and enthusiasm for the team.
On Friday, Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred continued MLB’s slow walk towards banning Pride Nights by responding to Senator Josh Hawley‘s letter of “grave concern” over the league engaging in “a pattern of discrimination […] against baseball players who profess their Christian faith.” In the letter, he makes it clear that this terrible episode is the Giants’ fault, that the team’s “communication with players was inadequate and not clear.” This letter was sent the day after the DOJ opened an investigation into the league for the same sort of discrimination. Given all this, have Buster Posey’s hands been tied?
Along the lines of the league and the team needing to be careful with what they say and do given the government’s scrutiny (and penchant for punitive measures), does this open investigation into the league now prevent the team from doing anything “negative” with Roupp, Brubaker, Walker, or Hentges? They can’t option the optionable, cut the cuttable, or demote the demoteable? Now, before you go closing the window thinking I’m getting conspiratorial, here are some actual facts.
@MLB Commissioner writes to me and admits they were wrong to threaten the Giants players over Bible verses and promises never to fine or discipline these players – or any players for their religious beliefs
Indeed, Manfred writes, “The players were neither fined nor disciplined, nor will they ever be.” Hawley characterizing it as a “promise” is a good play for his audience, as American discourse involving religion or politics rarely rises above childish thinking. Now, if the Giants want to option or DFA Ryan Walker after his next meltdown, Hawley can point to that and say, “Promise broken!”
Now, would a reasonable person conflate what happened with the players’ protests, the league’s uniform policy, and the team’s right to manage its roster? No, but a person can very easily be made unreasonable through propaganda, or simple repetition. Liberal, anti-Christian San Francisco is taking out their bad season on their good Christians. Fox News and the internet are the Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen of shaping reality.
A standard baseball transaction for a poor performance ought not to fall into the realm of “punishment,” but with the Department of Justice weaponized against them, it stands to reason that the league and the team will be extra careful in how they treat these players. What would that do to the Giants’ already pitiful roster?
Landen Roupp
Well, here’s the thing: the rest of the Giants’ season is an experiment, and so Roupp won’t lose his rotation spot no matter what. He’s rocking a 6.64 ERA / 3.94 FIP here in June, but these are the rough rapids teams must ride when trying to build up their inexperienced players. Roupp is still pretty inexperienced from an innings standpoint (237.1 IP over three seasons), and he’s just 26.1 innings away from last year’s total. Recall that Roupp’s injury track record has limited his playing time for his entire pro career. He’s been as valuable as Logan Webb this season (1.8 fWAR to 1.9), but he also has the 10th-highest walk rate (3.7 BB/9) of any qualified starter.
I’m sure most people (myself included) figured Roupp would be a part of the team’s plans long-term. The thing is, he’ll be 28 next season. Let’s see if he can reach even 130 innings this season. It’s not that he shouldn’t have been considered part of the next good Giants team, it’s just that his importance might be a bit overblown. As a developed prospect contributing to the big league roster, sure — he’s a narrative buster (the narrative being that the Giants have been bad at developing prospects since the championship era). But he’s not an ace, not the next Logan Webb. And as time goes on, he might wind up being a solid #3 or great #4.
But would moving him to the pen for a stretch or towards the end of the season just to keep his arm fresh trigger the DOJ? Maybe. The best thing to do then is to just let him pitch, and let the chips fall where they may.
Ryan Walker
He was extremely unpopular with the fan base before he protested the rainbow hat, but it looks like their hatred has only given him strength? He has allowed just 3 baserunners in 3.2 innings since being recalled on June 12th, but we’ve seen Walker’s performance act like a roller coaster before, including this season. A 5.40 ERA through his first 6 appearances, 1.29 through the next 6, then 7 earned in his next 3.1 innings which got him optioned to Triple-A. The next Ryan Walker Trainwreck is maybe only a couple of innings away. Are the Giants really going to hold a roster spot for him the rest of the season for fear of running into trouble with the league or “the law?”
Well, yeah, because Buster Posey and Zack Minasian haven’t really been able to get anyone better.
Sam Hentges
After missing all of 2025 it wouldn’t be a surprise if Hentges takes some innings to get on a roll or — and, perhaps, more likely — hit a wall just as the fatigue/workload catches up to him. Under those circumstances, a team might slow play him or phantom IL him. Might the Giants be too shy to try either option? He has another year of team control attached to his name, and so it might be in the best interest of the club — in a dreadful year — to preserve some talent they think can help next year’s team, if they think that one’s going to be any good.
Hentges’s 2.84 ERA in 12.2 innings is good, but his FIP has been rising all season thanks to those walks. It’s up to 4.44, which is quite a bit higher than his career average (3.33).
He’s out of options, though, and so the Giants really only have “phantom IL” and limiting playing time as their options should they want to hold on to the player. Relievers are supposed to be fungible, and relievers who walk a lot of batters especially so, but the DOJ might not even be the reason why they don’t mess with him too much. It’s simply the case that they need strikeout stuff in the bullpen, and he has it.
It’s also the case that he’s been lumped into this matter by Hawley and the evangelical rabble rousers when MLB only made contact with the three players who wrote on their hats. But now Hentges has an opportunity for special treatment if he ever feels jilted by the club like, say, Tom Murphy once did.
JT Brubaker
I never really understood the affection for the player. A mid-90s sinker that didn’t get a lot of outs paired with a 2,500+ rpm slider that did. His utility to the team — besides being able to write on his hat WITH REALLY BIG LETTERS — seems to be pitching multiple innings.
But he’s basically been fine this season, too. The majority of his appearances (19 out of 26) have been when the team is trailing. Only 6 times has he appeared with the lead and only once when it’s tied. He’s in spots that you might give to Adrian Houser following his move to the bullpen, but even that move is temporary until the Giants trade Robbie Ray and/or Tyler Mahle, so, we’re just not going to see Brubaker very much — unless Tony Vitello plans to line up all of these relievers after Roupp starts, as he did in Roupp’s last game.
But this is a role you could tag with all three of the relievers in this group: not for use in high leverage situations. They are not the best options out of the bullpen. In theory, that should make them the most replaceable, with the guys currently being asked to get key outs moving down the pecking order and bumping one of them should the Giants acquire more talented relievers. Which, would a team want to acquire any of these guys? Not because of the protest baggage, but because the DOJ might start scrutinizing them?
On the active roster, Erik Miller, Dylan Smith, and Tristan Beck are the other relievers with options and Trevor McDonald has one, too. It just seems a little wacky to hold three spots in the ‘pen for a trio who might not be on the active roster of any other team. On the other hand, the Giants don’t have anything more to lose by holding on to them. Can Ryan Walker turnaround his career? Can Sam Hentges regain his form? Will Brubaker simply out-pitch others who might seem like a better fit?
The Giants were committed to these guys before, during, and after their protest, so the league and the government coming along to tell them they’d better not try anything probably hasn’t added any tension to their plans, and as a thought experiment it seems pretty clear that except for maybe Ryan Walker the roster was setup to feature these guys in these specific roles long before Pride Night. And, as a bad season is really good at illustrating, even if the team wanted to improve, they don’t have any better options now or going forward.
CINCINNATI — Elly De La Cruz is back in the Cincinnati Reds’ lineup against Milwaukee after spending just over three weeks on the injured list.
The Reds announced they activated the two-time All-Star shortstop, who strained his right hamstring on May 31, and optioned outfielder Will Benson to Triple-A Louisville.
De La Cruz completed a three-game rehab assignment at Louisville over the weekend. He homered and played five innings at shortstop on Friday, was 0 for 3 as the designated hitter Saturday and 0 for 3 with two strikeouts and an error on Sunday.
De La Cruz was batting .280 with an .855 OPS and 12 home runs in 58 games before he went on the IL for the first time in his major league career.
AUBURN HILLS, MI - APRIL 24: Kyrie Irving #2 of the Cleveland Cavaliers celebrates a fourth quarter basket with LeBron James #23 in game four of the NBA Eastern Conference quarterfinals during the 2016 NBA Playoffs at the Palace of Auburn Hills on April 24, 2016 in Auburn Hills, Michigan. Cleveland won the game 100-98 to win the series. 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 Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers have been partying like it’s the summer of 2016 all over again. LeBron James, Kevin Love, Richard Jefferson, and others have all joined forces in a vacation for the ages. One that, much like the Cavs themselves, has been plastered all over social media.
But while Matthew Dellavedova gets drunk and sings Australian classics, one crucial member of the 2016 title team has been absent from start to finish.
Kyrie Irving.
A tiny cloud of drama hung over last week’s events as fans speculated as to why Irving was not included in the festivities. Was he not invited? Did he not want to go? JR Smith’s Instagram comments only added more fuel to the fire, stating that Irving was, in fact, invited but did not RSVP.
Irving himself finally took a moment to settle the score.
“Me and my brothers, who played on the Cavs, bro, we’re good,” Irving said in a video posted to social media. “We’re more than good… When I get back to the States, imma pop in with them. We’re gonna chop it up. We’re gonna have a great time.”
That settles that.
Irving is in a different position than most of his peers who went on vacation. He’s one of only two other members from the 2016 team who are still actively playing NBA basketball. He’s also been traveling for various basketball camps and community events. That could explain why he wasn’t able to join the trip.
Either way, Irving insists that he and his teammates are on good terms. That’s not for any of us to debate or deny. While we all would have loved to see Kyrie participating in the shenanigans from last weekend, it’s important to remember that these are individual people who can make their own decisions. The fans don’t decide who Irving spends time with.
Nonetheless, Irving and the 2016 team represent something. Meaningful to an entire city. It’s understandable why this story became relevant. Especially when Smith and other members commented on it publicly. But now that’s all said and done, I’d say there’s no harm or foul.
