NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 02: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees looks on from the dugout during the fourth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Yankee Stadium on June 02, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across Major League Baseball. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Yankees fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
Just a little over a week ago, the Yankees were dealt with a pretty sizeable blow, both literally and figuratively, with the loss of Aaron Judge for four to six weeks. While he hasn’t been hitting like the Judge that we’ve come to know, the fact that he’s been dealing with a stress fracture in his rib probably played a pretty big part in that.
Despite losing their captain, the Yankees have hardly fallen off a cliff in the days since putting Judge on the injured list, including a recent sweep of a solid Cleveland Guardians team. With that in mind, we wanted to know if Yankees fans thought the team could still take home the AL East crown despite Judge’s injury. Here are the results:
Pretty overwhelmingly, fans still think they can. Ahead of Friday night’s game against the Blue Jays, the Yankees were tied with the Rays atop the division, and they had one more win on the books already. We as fans always tend to think and want the best thing will happen, so it’s not a shock that on the whole, we expect that they’ll be able to at least keep pace with Tampa Bay, and then turn it on when the likes of Judge and Max Fried return.
Of course, the Yankees have goals that go beyond just winning the division. We all would generally like to see them return to the World Series and hopefully win it. With that in mind, we also asked who the biggest threat in the American League is. The results were:
The American League is a bit of a weak crop at the moment, which probably helps as to why so many think the Yankees will be able to get past the Judge injury. Not surprisingly, fans tend to think that the Rays, who co-held the best record in the AL going into Friday with the Yankees, will be the toughest out. Ahead of Friday’s games, after the Yankees and Rays, the next best record belonged to the Chicago White Sox at 36-31. Considering how bad the ChiSox were just a couple years ago, it’s understandable to be skeptical of them. Including them, pretty much every other team in the AL is hovering around or is below .500.
[Note: Below results are from an MLB-wide survey, not just for Yankees fans.]
We, and other MLB blogs around SB Nation, also asked who the best hitter is baseball was at the moment, and Astros’ slugger Yordan Alvarez came out with that crown. Houston as a team is struggling this season, but Alvarez went into Friday with a 1.066 OPS and led the league in several statistical categories. Of note for us is that Ben Rice is getting plenty of love too. Rice showed promising signs last year, but he’s exploded into life in 2026, with a 1.055 OPS and 18 home runs through Thursday.
Jun 12, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela (3) dives under Texas Rangers shortstop Ezequiel Duran (20) as he steals second base during the first inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images
Red Sox 10, Rangers 1
That was a trash game.
Just trash.
As a Rangers fan, it felt good for a half inning, when the Rangers hit three singles in the first to score a run and give the team a 1-0 lead.
After that, everything was ass.
Those three first inning singles? Half of the Rangers’ hit total for the day.
Jack Leiter wasn’t good, something that is recurring with an alarming frequency this year.
A pair of runs allowed in the first, highlighted by a Willson Contreras homer.
Then four more in the fifth — Leiter’s last inning — when the first four batters of the inning went double-double-double-sing.
This is the second straight start where Leiter has allowed at least five runs, and the fourth time in his last five starts where he has allowed at least four runs. Leiter has allowed four runs or more in eight of the fourteen stars he has made this year.
After a solid 2025 season, the expectation was that Leiter would take a step forward in 2026. Instead, he appears to have taken a step backwards.
Leiter has now allowed 19 runs in 12.1 IP in the fifth inning of games this year. That seems less than ideal.
Cal Quantrill and Luis Curvelo, apparently not wanting Leiter to feel bad, chipped in, with Quantrill allowing one run and Curvelo three.
Luis Curvelo is now sporting a 7.56 ERA and 7.91 FIP on the season.
Oh, and Evan Carter left the game with an oblique issue after making a diving catch.
Trash game. Bleah.
Jack Leiter hit 98.4 mph with his fastball, averaging 96.9 mph. Cal Quantrill hit 95.5 mph with his sinker. Luis Curvelo topped out at 97.0 mph with his fastball.
Josh Jung had a 105.7 mph single. Wyatt Langford had a 101.7 mph fly out.
We are moving on to the next game and forgetting this one happened.
Knicks fans will be able to get $10 tickets for the watch party at Radio City Music Hall, can procure free tickets for the party in Plaza33 outside the Mecca, or skate over to Wollman Rink in Central Park for another free, but ticketed, event.
Knicks fans celebrate during a watch party inside Central Park during Game 4 of the NBA Finals on June 10, 2026, in New York. AP Photo/Heather Khalifa
Fans can reserve their tickets for any of the three events starting at 10 a.m. EST, according to MSG.
Fans have until 10 a.m. EST on Saturday to reserve their tickets for any of the three events.
Knicks alumni are expected to at the events.
The Plaza33 watch party permit Saturday has a maximum of 3,000 attendees and will take place inside an NYPD “frozen zone.”
Only ticketed fans will be permitted entry and will have to go through security checkpoints no later than 8:30 p.m., according to MSG.
The 3,000 permitted fans is about two thousand more fans than were approved for the ultimately scrapped Game 4 watch party, which was canceled by MSG after the city granted just 1,000 spots for the popular events.
Knicks owner James Dolan blamed Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch for failing to accommodate the masses in an interview on sports radio WFAN on Wednesday.
“They have never managed anything like this before and it’s like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches coming out the sides,” he said.
Knicks fans can get $10 tickets for the watch party at Radio City Music Hall as the team looks to clinch the NBA championship in San Antonio. Getty ImagesFans attend a Knicks watch party at SOB’s in the West Village during Game 4 of the NBA Finals. William C Lopez/NY Post
Dolan further claimed that Mayor Mamdani was “not a Knicks fan.”
MSG has complained that the limited capacity of the watch parties ices out ten of thousands of fans from celebrating the possible championship.
Previous watch parties did not require tickets or security screenings.
The first Finals watch party to be canceled was the celebration for Game 3, which was called off due to security concerns surrounding the attendance of President Donald Trump.
Some watch parties across the city have turned violent.
A 17-year-old boy was beaten into a coma by a deranged San Antonio fan shouting “Spurs in 7” at W 35th and 8th Avenue after the historic Game 4 comeback victory at MSG on Wednesday.
The oldest living New York Knick is keeping his cool during the team’s historic — and heart-stopping –championship run.
Hall of Famer Richie Guerin told The Post this week he doesn’t get butterflies seeing his former team on the brink of their first championship title since 1973.
“Not really. Because, you know, I’ve been there too many times before — to watch a team win a game by effort and lose a game by the other team’s effort,” said the 94-year-old Guerin, who played for the Knicks from 1956 to 1963.
Hall of Famer Richie Guerin, now 94, played for the Knicks from 1956 to 1963. NBAE via Getty Images
The Knicks legend, who made history as the first guard to score 2,000 points in an NBA season, had the foresight to predict the team would clinch Game 4.
“I think there’ll be a very good chance that the Knicks will win this game tonight and then go to San Antonio with a 3 to 1 lead and hopefully come away with a win,” Guerin said on Wednesday morning, before the Knicks later stunned the San Antonio Spurs with a history-making comeback after being down 29 points in the third quarter.
Guerin spent seven seasons playing for the Knicks, until he was traded to the St. Louis/Atlanta Hawks, where he played seven more years and also coached.
He had an impressive career average of 20 points per game, 11 games of 40 or more points, and several with 50 points. His career high of 57 points stood for more than 50 years until Bernard King broke it with 60 in 1984.
The Bronx native, who played for Iona College and served as an officer in the Marine Corps, was at Game 3 at Madison Square Garden on Monday with his daughter as a guest of the organization, which announced him on the jumbotron.
“It worked out very nice to have an enjoyable evening. Everything nice, but winning the game,” the six-time NBA All-Star said.
The Bronx native, who played for Iona College, was at Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden. AP
“Monday, it just happened that the other team did a little bit better down the stretch and was able to come away with the win, just like the Knicks were in the game in San Antonio … But sports is a funny thing and teams play differently from game to game.”
The father of four said the league was different in his day — and players had to make ends meet by getting other gigs in the off-season.
“We had to go out and get a job. We had a family. The players today in all sports, it’s a 12-month sport. They take a slight break and they come back,” he explained.
“I worked with a friend of mine who owned a plumbing business. And then I worked at the racetrack up in Yonkers.”
And because current ballplayers are playing more, they’re stronger on the court.
“Today’s athlete is a lot better and physically stronger than the athletes of the era that I played in, in any sport. They play a lot more games than we did in the off-season,” he said.
Guerin, left, said that in his day, NBA players had to get other jobs in the off-season. AP
He also called the Spurs’ 7′ 4″ powerhouse and now-New York archenemy Victor Wembanyama “a very strong, talented player,” but explained that in his era, a man from France would never play in the NBA.
“That’s the other part of the game today, where people are coming into the league from Europe,” he said.
The grandfather of eight said none of his grandkids play basketball — but he still gifted them with precious memorabilia from his storied career.
“I give things to my grandchildren or a friend, and I’m very happy and satisfied to do that,” he said.
“There’s a lot of people who sell it. And I’m not one of those types of people.”
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - OCTOBER 28: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics drives to the basket against Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks during the second half at the TD Garden on October 28, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts. 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 Brian Fluharty/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Nothing has happened on the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade front yet, but there are strong rumors that Boston may win the sweepstakes.
There are various reports of how the trade would be structured, with some saying it would be a three-way deal between Boston, Milwaukee, and Atlanta.
Other reports say Brad Stevens is trying to swing a deal that would get Giannis and possibly former Virginia star Trey Murphy.
This would mean splitting up former Duke star Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. They’ve been very successful, having won a championship in 2024, but in a trade that big, Boston would have to give one of them up, and it looks like they’re choosing to keep Tatum.
There are a lot of moving parts here, but several reports suggest it’s nearly a done deal, possibly with Milwaukee getting Brown and sending him on for some significant bundle of assets from another team.
If this happens – and obviously it hasn’t yet – Tatum will have an incredibly talented frontcourt teammate. As of now, they don’t really have a center, even though Giannis could cover some of that up.
However, a frontcourt of Tatum, Antetokounmpo, and Murphy would cause all kinds of problems for the rest of the league.
As noted, nothing is certain yet, but at least one observer said that Boston and Milwaukee have a handshake deal.
If it goes through, it’s going to shake up the NBA in a way that few trades ever do.
New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby has made extraordinary progress in NBA Finals MVP odds, pushing into second place behind his teammate, Jalen Brunson.
The latest NBA Finals MVP odds from DraftKings Sportsbook have Anunoby second at +210 to Brunson’s -115.
Key Takeaways
Anunoby was around +5,000 earlier in the series.
Current odds suggest he has a 32.3% chance of winning the award.
Victor Wembanyama claimed that “everyone knows” the Spurs will come back to win the series.
Brunson opened the series second in Finals MVP odds behind San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama. Brunson quickly climbed into the lead after the Knicks took a 2-0 series lead and remains on top of the board with his team up 3-1.
Anunoby, formerly an afterthought in the conversation, has closed from around +5,000 to his current line of +210. Using the implied probability of his odds, Anunoby has a 32.3% chance of winning the award, while Brunson still has a 53.5% chance.
The 28-year-old Anunoby put up 33 points in Game 4, which ended in a Finals-record 29-point comeback for the Knicks. He also blocked De’Aaron Fox’s shot with less than 15 seconds remaining, and then scored the game-winning bucket by tipping in a missed three from Brunson.
“He's been clutch. He's the guy that's actually brought [the Knicks] back from being down,” DraftKings Sportsbook director Johnny Avello said. “I think he's got a big shot to win MVP. I really do. We had him at 4-to-1 after the game the other night. Now he's down to +210, so they're loving him right now to win the MVP.”
Anunoby’s raw stats (23.8 points, four rebounds) aren’t as impressive as Brunson’s (29.5 points, five assists, 4.5 rebounds). However, he’s played excellent defense, produced clutch moments, and shot the ball incredibly efficiently, making 58% of his field goals and 55.6% of his three-pointers.
Finals MVP odds contenders
Wembanyama follows Brunson and Anunoby in NBA Finals MVP odds at +390.
On Friday, he boldly declared that “everyone knows” the Spurs are going to win the Finals. That would require them to become the second team to recover from a 3-1 deficit in the championship round, with the 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers being the only team to have accomplished that feat.
Wemby on if the Spurs believe they can come back and win the Finals:
Bringing the Spurs back would almost assuredly guarantee that Wembanyama would win Finals MVP. Nobody on his team is shorter than +25,000 in odds, that player being Stephon Castle.
Knicks big man Karl-Anthony Towns sits between Wembanyama and Castle in odds at +4,000. He looked like the best player on his team in Games 1 and 2, although he was a relative no-show in Games 3 and 4.
Game 5 betting odds
DraftKings reported that Game 4 of the Finals was the sportsbook’s most-bet game in its history. Game 5 will see the series return to San Antonio, where the Knicks won the first two games of the series as underdogs.
Despite those results, and the Spurs trailing in the series 3-1, DraftKings has the home team as a 5.5-point favorite. That line rests between where it did in Games 1 and 2, for which they were 4.5- and 6.5-point favorites.
At DraftKings, 73% of bets and 68% of the handle in the spread market are backing the Knicks. Meanwhile, 59% of tickets and 82% of the money is also on the Knicks in the moneyline market, currently priced at -192 for the Spurs and +160 for the Knicks.
The San Antonio Spurs have slapped a ticket restriction on NBA Finals games in a pathetic bid to keep New York fans from flooding the Frost Bank Center.
Knicks faithful trying to get into tonight’s Game 5 contest – which could hand New York its first NBA title in 53 years – are being greeted with a warning from Ticketmaster.
“Frost Bank Center is located in San Antonio, Texas . Sales to this event will be restricted to customers residing within a 150-mile radius of Frost Bank Center,” the note reads.
The San Antonio Spurs are trying to prevent Knicks fans from attending Game 5. NBAE via Getty Images
“Residency will be based on credit card billing address. Orders by residents outside of a 150-mile radius of Frost Bank Center will be canceled without notice and refunds given. Please note there is a 4 seat ticket limit for transactions through the venue.”
The cheapest ticket to the game as of early Saturday was just over $1,000 while the most expensive seat for the potentially historic game clocked in at about $43,000.
Those who have already purchased a ticket may still be out of luck — with Ticketmaster stating that any out of towners with tickets will have them refunded and canceled without notice.
“The 150 mile radius restriction introduced during the Playoffs remains in place throughout the NBA Finals,” The Spurs told The Post. “This allows us to continue prioritizing local fans across San Antonio, Austin, and the surrounding communities.”
Basketball fans were incensed by the flagrant party foul.
“So the lifelong Spurs fan who moved somewhere else in our huge state is barred. The Knicks fan sensing history tonight can’t go. This is stupid,” radio host Mark Davis wrote on X.
Game 5 is being played at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio. NBAE via Getty Images
“That’s bulls–\t. Spurs are scared and know they’re going to lose so they resort to these tactics. Deal with it like adults,” X user Pebbles wrote.
“This can’t be real? Is this even legal,” author and New Jerseyan Phil Ruzzo wrote on X.
Even New York Gov. Kathy Hochul blew the whistle.
“Knicks fans finally get within one game of a championship and their reward is having their tickets canceled? Thousands of New Yorkers bought tickets, booked flights, and made plans in good faith. Ticketmaster and the Spurs should reverse this decision and let the fans who bought those seats keep them. Until then, on behalf of Knicks fans everywhere, I’m calling foul,” Hochul wrote in an X post.
The Spurs, making their last stand after the Knicks miracle Game 4, tried to encourage their deflated and regional fanbase with a statement on Friday to justify the mass of Knicks fans expected at the possibly decisive game.
The Post reported that nearly 50 percent of tickets had been purchased by fans from the New York/New Jersey area. Getty Images
“We’re excited about the energy and support our fans have brought throughout this Finals run and look forward to Game 5,” the org said.
“Tickets may be transferred or resold multiple time safer their initial purchase through a variety of channels,” the statement, reported by News 4 San Antonio continued. “That’s why the location of the original purchaser based on billing address does not always necessarily reflect who ultimately attends the game.”
“Throughout the season, Playoffs and Finals, we have encouraged Season Ticket Members to keep tickets in the hands of SPurs fans whenever possible,” the statement read.
However some on social media pointed out the residency restriction practice has been in place throughout the playoffs due to the Knicks fans domination of opponents’ home courts.
The Cleveland Cavaliers, who the Knicks swept in the Eastern Conference Finals, also tried and failed to maintain home court advantage — pulling notable Knick fan Fat Joe’s courtside seats at Rocket Arena for Game 4.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JUNE 12: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers looks on from the dugout against the Chicago White Sox during the fourth inning at Rate Field on June 12, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Daniel Bartel/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Shohei Ohtani did not play in Friday’s series opener in Chicago after leaving Thursday’s game in Pittsburgh with left knee inflammation. Ohtani got an MRI on his left knee with showed “normal wear and tear,” manager Dave Roberts told reporters Friday in Chicago.
“With the travel, just to give him an extra day. My hope is that he’s in there tomorrow. But if not, he’ll need another day. It’s something we think we can manage, not an IL situation,” Roberts said, as shown on SportsNet LA. “Seeing him today, he feels fine-ish. But again, just giving him the extra day is the smart thing to do.”
Dusty Baker had quite the baseball life, with over five decades in the sport as a player, coach, and manager, including eight seasons playing for the Dodgers. Baker has a new memoir out, and Daniel Brown at The Athletic profiled the 77-year-old in an engaging interview. This little aside really tickled me:
“I used to hang out with Tom Selleck. We worked out together,” Baker says. “In L.A., you might run into anybody. He was a good dude.”
Dr. Neal ElAttrache, the team physician for the Dodgers and Los Angeles Rams, and renowned surgeon who, among other things, also performed the recent arthroscopic nano-needle surgery on Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal in May, found himself in hot water on Thursday.
ElAttrache wrote a letter of support for UFC star Connor McGregor to use performance-enhancing drugs while McGregor rehabbed from a broken leg suffered in 2021, reported by Michael S. Schmidt of the New York Times.
“I have spoken with MLB and I am very comfortable with the process that the league and I will complete to assure the public that I have followed every rule and regulation in my medical treatment of athletes without exception” ElAttrache said in a statement. “My record is completely clean including in this case. I will leave it to MLB officials to provide any further comment as they see fit.“
Not that I was snoozing ….. but, boy, Seiya Suzuki’s slam had to wake everybody up, especially the other bats.
Speaking of Suzuki, Seiya must have read Ken Rosenthal’s article suggesting that the Cubs trade him (see link bel0w). Just like 100 million other people who read the article, those of which who are baseball writers went on a feeding frenzy. “(Enter team’s name) should trade for Suzuki.” I included the only article that actually posted a trade idea — for what it is.
The article by Sahadev Sharma on Edward Cabrera shows amazing detail on how the Pitch Lab went about providing the adjustments that Cabrera needed. I know people roll their eyes at the words “Pitch Lab” (I do at times as well), but if the work Tommy Hottovy put into Cabrera led to his performance in Colorado and he can build from there, there might be something to the Lab (at least in isolated situations).
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Mr. Rosenthal has entered the chat — More trade talk:
Joey Mistretta (Clutch Points): Cubs’ Craig Counsell sends brutally honest message to team after defeating Rockies. “The Cubs’ injury concerns have been impossible to ignore. They have certainly played a role in the team’s underwhelming overall season. However, many players have underperformed as well. The Cubs know they need to be better.”
The worst MLB team since 1961 is arguably the 2024 White Sox at 41-121. They averaged 3.1 runs a game and gave up 5.0 runs a game… net difference of -1.9.
In the last 29 games, the Cubs have scored 3.2 runs a game and given up 5.2 runs a game… net difference of -2.0.
— Baseball's Not Dead (@dead_baseball) June 11, 2026
Patrick Mooney (The Athletic {$}): Are the Cubs too uptight? A scuffling club is asking the same question. “The rapid drop-off can be attributed to a variety of factors, from pitching injuries to the law of averages to the club’s best hitters failing to deliver with runners in scoring position. Clearly, something is off.”
Jordan Campbell (Cubbies Crib): Jed Hoyer’s outdated vision for 2026 Cubs is unraveling in painful fashion. “The problem is that Hoyer’s need to find depth last offseason may have ignored the elephant in the room. It was made clear by the end of the 2025 season that the Cubs didn’t have a defined ace. Entering the 2026 season, it’s fair to suggest that was still case.”
Aynsley Lister is of the UK’s hottest contemporary blues guitarists. His unique brand of blues-based rock delivers contemporary song writing fueled with the kind of hear and soul that’s missing from so much modern music. Blessed with the coolest dad in town, regularly spinning Hendrix, Cream, Fleetwood Mac and a whole host of bewitching blues for his spellbound son, Aynsley taught himself to play with relentless dedication and a precociously attuned ear, spending hours copying his favourite records note for note. Peter Green, Albert King, Clapton and Kossoff weren’t just his heroes; they became his teachers.
Their influence, coupled with his dynamite live shows and an intense touring schedule, earned high profile support slots with established artists like John Mayall and Robert Cray, whilst rousing festival appearances, cemented his standing as an artist whose work, although rooted in blues, transcended the genre with a fiery modern sound that was eagerly embraced by fans of rock, pop, soul and acoustic music alike.
Please be reminded that Cub Tracks and Bleed Cubbie Blue do not necessarily endorse the content of articles, podcasts, or videos that are linked to in this series.
We have 15 MLB games on the card, with several underdogs who shouldn't be, and some massive favorites we must fade on price alone.
Read on for a fun day of MLB predictions and MLB picks for Saturday, June 13.
MLB moneyline picks for June 13
Matchup
Pick
Cardinals vs Twins
+104
Yankees vs Blue Jays
+117
Mariners vs Nationals
+104
Marlins vs Pirates
+122
Padres vs Orioles
+113
Tigers vs Guardians
+117
Dodgers vs White Sox
+178
Rangers vs Red Sox
-100
Braves vs Mets
+104
Diamondbacks vs Reds
+104
Astros vs Royals
+108
Phillies vs Brewers
+133
Rockies vs Athletics
+170
Cubs vs Giants
-104
Rays vs Angels
-122
Prices courtesy of Polymarket as of 6-13.
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Expert MLB moneyline picks for June 13
Cardinals vs Twins: Cardinals (+104)
Cardinals win probability: 49%
Minnesota hitters strike out 21.5% of the time against lefties. Matthew Liberatore holds a steady 4.68 SIERA and a low 0.93 home run rate. St. Louis relievers have a strong 3.10 SIERA, giving them the upper hand late.
Yankees vs Blue Jays: Blue Jays (+117)
Blue Jays win probability: 46.1%
Kevin Gausman gives Toronto a real pitching edge at home. The Yankees' offense has slowed down recently, posting a 106 wRC+. New York starter Cam Schlittler has a 4.50 FIP, making the home underdog the smart play.
Mariners vs Nationals: Nationals (+104)
Nationals win probability: 49%
Cade Cavalli owns a solid 4.61 SIERA for Washington. He faces a Seattle offense that has a high 20.1% strikeout rate over the last two weeks. Both teams have matching 107 wRC+, making the home team a plus-money price great value.
Marlins vs Pirates: Marlins (+122)
Marlins win probability: 45%
Pittsburgh rookie Bubba Chandler has a high 5.36 SIERA and gives up 1.80 home runs per nine innings. Miami's bullpen is much safer with a 3.81 SIERA compared to Pittsburgh's weak 4.11 bullpen mark. Back the Miami bats to come out on top.
Padres vs Orioles: Padres (+113)
Padres win probability: 46.9%
Baltimore starter Trey Gibson is overpriced with a poor 6.34 SIERA and a handful of strikeouts. Randy Vasquez has been much more reliable with a slightly better 5.70 SIERA. Take the better pitching numbers with the Padres on the road.
Tigers vs Guardians: Guardians (+117)
Guardians win probability: 46.1%
Tarik Skubal automatically makes the Tigers the favorites on the road. However, Joey Cantillo holds his own with a 4.46 SIERA. The real advantage is Cleveland's excellent bullpen, which has a sharp 3.59 SIERA to stop Detroit late.
Dodgers vs White Sox: White Sox (+178)
White Sox win probability: 41.5%
Rules prevent taking the Dodgers at a short price of -194. Chicago's offense has actually matched the Dodgers lately, with both teams earning a 122 wRC+. At a high +178 price, home field variance makes the White Sox worth backing.
Rangers vs Red Sox: Rangers (-100)
Rangers win probability: 50%
Texas is an excellent choice at an even pick'em price. The Rangers' offense is rolling with a 121 wRC+ over the last two weeks. Meanwhile, Boston has completely gone cold with a weak 82 team wRC+ and is hard to trust.
Braves vs Mets: Mets (+104)
Mets win probability: 49%
Sean Manaea matches up well against an Atlanta offense that has an ordinary 102 wRC+ across the past two weeks. Atlanta starter Martin Perez has a high 5.09 SIERA. The Mets bullpen carries a strong 3.33 SIERA to protect the lead late, and are a home dog worth backing.
Diamondbacks vs Reds: Reds (+104)
Reds win probability: 49%
Rhett Lowder gets the start for Cincinnati at home. He faces an Arizona offense that has completely flatlined. The Diamondbacks have a league-worst 65 wRC+ over the last 14 days, making the home underdog the right play.
Astros vs Royals: Astros (+108)
Astros win probability: 48.1%
Mike Burrows gets the nod for Houston. The biggest edge for the Astros is their stellar bullpen. Houston relievers have a 3.14 SIERA, which will shut down Kansas City late in the game. Take the plus-money road team.
Phillies vs Brewers: Phillies (+133)
Phillies win probability: 42.9%
The market is making a mistake by pricing the Phillies as big underdogs. Aaron Nola is a top-tier pitcher compared to Shane Drohan. Philadelphia's bullpen supports him with a strong 3.22 SIERA to keep Milwaukee quiet.
Rockies vs Athletics: Rockies (+170)
Rockies win probability: 37%
The Athletics are too expensive to back here. Colorado starter Kyle Freeland has a 4.93 SIERA, which matches up tightly with Jeffrey Springs' 5.00 SIERA. At this large a price, the Rockies and Freeland are too difficult to ignore.
Cubs vs Giants: Cubs (-104)
Cubs win probability: 51%
Ben Brown gives Chicago a stable advantage over Trevor McDonald's 4.21 SIERA. San Francisco's bullpen is in deep trouble, posting a slate-worst 5.21 SIERA over the last two weeks. Back the Cubs at a great price.
Rays vs Angels: Rays (-122)
Rays win probability: 55%
Tampa Bay has a major pitching advantage. Angels starter Jose Soriano struggles with a high 5.69 SIERA and a poor 7.59 BB/9 walk rate. The Rays will score early and exploit a mediocre Angels bullpen.
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.
More than 700 players have appeared in a game for the Rockies. Most do not last long. The average Rockies tenure is much closer to two years than five, which makes the long-timers easy to remember and the short stays easy to lose.
This is not about franchise pillars, or random cameos, but Rockies who packed most of their Colorado story into one season.
Jeff Cirillo helps draw the line. He spent two seasons with Colorado, and both were productive. In 2000, he hit .326 with 53 doubles, 115 RBI, 195 hits, an All-Star selection, and 4.5 bWAR.
In 2001, Cirillo hit .313 with 17 home runs, 83 RBI, and 3.2 bWAR.
If this were just a list of great short Rockies stays, Cirillo would belong. But his tenure had two good seasons, then a transaction afterlife when Colorado traded him to Seattle in the deal that brought Brian Fuentes to Denver.
This list is narrower: One big year, one sharp impression, and then the moment was gone.
The toolsy outfielder who looked like the future: Nolan Jones, 2023
The most recent bit of one-summer magic is Nolan Jones.
The Rockies acquired Jones from Cleveland for Juan Brito in November 2022, started him in Triple-A, and did not get the full version right away. He was recalled in April, sent back down, recalled again in May, and then caught fire after returning from the injured list.
In 2023, Jones hit .297 with 20 home runs, 20 stolen bases, and 4.3 bWAR in 106 games. He led the Rockies in Baseball-Reference WAR despite playing barely two-thirds of a season, and his outfield arm gave the profile another loud tool.
Jones looked like more than a nice find. He looked like a possible long-term answer.
Then came the follow-up. Jones fell to -0.8 bWAR in 2024, with injuries and swing-and-miss keeping the breakout from becoming a clean franchise arc. By March 2025, the Rockies had traded him back to Cleveland for Tyler Freeman.
The story has kept moving. Cleveland has since traded Jones to the White Sox. Teams are still searching for some version of the player who briefly looked like a future piece in Colorado.
Replacing a legend: Justin Morneau, 2014
Justin Morneau’s Rockies tenure technically stretched into 2015, but his Rockies story is really 2014.
Todd Helton had just retired. First base at Coors Field had belonged to one player for nearly two decades. The Rockies were not going to replace him with another Helton. Nobody was.
Then Morneau showed up and won the National League batting title.
He hit .319 with 17 home runs and 82 RBI, giving Colorado a veteran first baseman who could still really hit. He was not Helton, and the Rockies did not need to pretend he was. Morneau was a former MVP, post-concussion and post-prime, proving there was still a high-level hitter left.
The batting title can be dismissed by people who dismiss every Rockies batting line, but that undersells the season. Morneau gave Colorado a legitimate middle-of-the-order bat at a position that had just lost the most important player in franchise history.
As one-year Rockies chapters go, it was about as simple as it gets: batting title, injury-limited follow-up, free agency.
The Coors Field pitching answer: Joe Kennedy, 2004
Joe Kennedy might be the most underrated brief-stay season in Rockies history.
There was no All-Star selection. No major award. No playoff race. The 2004 Rockies lost 94 games, and Kennedy’s season mostly disappeared inside a bad team.
Kennedy gave the Rockies something they almost never get: a legitimately strong starting pitching season at Coors Field. He went 9-7 with a 3.66 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, 162 1/3 innings, 117 strikeouts, a 135 ERA+, and 5.6 bWAR. He became the first Rockies starter to finish a season with an ERA under 4.00 after the team moved to Coors Field.
Kennedy was actually better in Denver, going 6-1 with a 3.59 ERA in 14 home starts.
Jason Marquis fits this bucket, too, just differently. He gave the 2009 playoff Rockies 216 innings, an All-Star selection, and 3.5 bWAR in his only season with Colorado before leaving through free agency.
Kennedy had less visibility and less team success. For one year, though, he solved a problem Colorado has spent most of its existence trying to solve.
The one-year relievers: Gabe White and Greg Holland
Relievers have their own version of this.
Greg Holland is the visible one. He came to Colorado after Tommy John surgery, took over the ninth inning for a playoff team, saved 41 games, made the All-Star team, shared the National League saves lead, won NL Comeback Player of the Year, then reached free agency.
Gabe White is the sneaky one. He came over from Cincinnati in the Manny Aybar trade, put up 4.5 bWAR, a 2.17 ERA, 0.916 WHIP, 84 strikeouts, and a 247 ERA+ in 83 innings, then fell off in 2001 and was traded right back to Cincinnati.
Holland has the playoff team visibility. White has the “wait, that actually happened?” stat line.
The one that still stands out: Jeffrey Hammonds, 2000
The one that still stands out most to me is Jeffrey Hammonds in 2000.
The Rockies acquired Hammonds from Cincinnati on October 30, 1999, in the trade that sent Dante Bichette to the Reds after seven seasons in Colorado. Hammonds played one season in Denver, reached free agency, signed with Milwaukee, and never again matched that summer at Coors Field.
That one season was the whole story. Hammonds played 122 games for Colorado and hit .335 with 20 home runs, 106 RBI, 14 steals, and made the All-Star team. He was not even the only Rockies position player from that roster to get there. Helton made his first All-Star appearance, and Cirillo was there, too, which is a pretty good snapshot of how ridiculous that lineup became.
The Rockies were built for offense that year. Helton was having a monster season, and Coors Field was still playing huge. But Hammonds was not just along for the ride. He gave them average, gap power, home run thump, some speed, and enough RBI production to stand out even in that environment.
That is what makes it the cleanest brief-stay Rockies season: acquired for a franchise icon, one huge year, free agency, and a reminder that not every breakout is meant to be bought.
The current version
That is part of the point: sometimes you do not know you are watching a “one-summer-only” Rockies season while it is happening.
Hammonds looked like he might be part of the lineup beyond 2000. Kennedy looked like he might have found something that worked at Coors Field in 2004. Jones looked like he might be part of the next good Rockies team in 2023. Each one lasted much shorter than it seemed in the moment.
That is what makes the current roster interesting. Jake McCarthy, Tomoyuki Sugano, and Troy Johnston are Rockies right now, and all three have given Colorado something worth watching. McCarthy has brought speed and useful outfield defense. Sugano has given the Rockies real innings. Johnston is fifth in the National League in batting average and tied with Rafael Devers and Ernie Clement for the Major League lead with 20 doubles.
Maybe their Rockies stories keep going. But maybe this summer is the chapter. Maybe years from now, this is the stretch fans look back on as the brief moment when one of them dropped a little magic in Colorado.
Hughes was excellent in his first game back with Albuquerque after a rehab assignment with High-A Spokane, where he threw six scoreless innings across two starts. The right-hander worked five scoreless innings, allowing one hit and one walk while striking out four. He threw 58 of his 77 pitches for strikes and earned his first Triple-A win of the season, lowering his ERA to 7.20. Victor Vodnik followed with a scoreless inning, walking one but striking out the side, and Albuquerque pitchers held Tacoma to two hits while striking out 12.
Veen and Condon set the tone in the first inning. Veen doubled to right at 105.1 mph, his 16th double of the season, and Condon followed two batters later with a two-run homer to left-center. The 104.3 mph drive traveled 395 feet and was Condon’s 12th home run of the year.
They kept applying pressure from there. Veen added his 17th double in the third and finished 3-for-6 with two doubles, a three-run homer, three RBI, and two runs scored. He is now hitting .324 with a .985 OPS. Condon finished 3-for-4 with two home runs, five RBI, four runs scored, and two walks. His second homer of the night, and 13th overall, came immediately after Veen’s three-run shot in the ninth. Condon has now homered five times in his last five games, and both Condon and Veen have gone deep in back-to-back games.
The game was still 3-1 after seven innings before Albuquerque buried it. The Isotopes scored nine runs in the eighth, with Vimael Machín delivering the biggest swing on a three-run homer, his ninth of the season. Machín finished 2-for-5 with four RBI
The Hartford Yard Goats (34-26) beat the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (30-29) 11-1 behind an impressive Double-A debut from Jackson Cox (No. 16 PuRP) and a huge night from the Hartford offense.
Cox was superb in his first start with the Yard Goats after being promoted from High-A Spokane, where he had posted a 4.23 ERA and 78 strikeouts over 55.1 innings. The right-hander did not allow a hit until the fifth inning and finished with 5.1 scoreless innings, allowing three hits and three walks while striking out eight. He worked into trouble in the third with two walks and a hit batter, but escaped the bases-loaded jam with a strikeout and kept New Hampshire quiet from there.
Hartford gave Cox breathing room in the second when Conner Capel walked and Bryant Betancourt followed with his 12th home run of the season. Betancourt finished 4-for-4 with three RBI and four runs scored, raising his OPS to .861.
The Yard Goats put the game away with an eight-run fourth inning. Zach Kokoska delivered the biggest swing with a three-run double, his eighth double of the season, and Aidan Longwell later added a two-run double, his 18th. Longwell finished 3-for-5 with two RBI, while Kokoska went 2-for-5 with three RBI.
Cole Messina (No. 26 PuRP) also reached four times as the designated hitter, going 1-for-2 with his ninth double, three walks, and a run scored. Hartford finished with 16 hits and seven walks, giving Cox more than enough support in one of the Yard Goats’ most complete wins of the season.
The Spokane Indians (25-36) lost 7-6 to the Eugene Emeralds (41-20) on a walk-off homer after rallying back from a three-run deficit.
Jack O’Dowd stayed red hot, going 4-for-5 with two doubles and an RBI. O’Dowd singled home Ethan Hedges (No. 29 PuRP) in the first, doubled in the seventh, and doubled again to lead off the ninth before being stranded at third. In 20 games with Spokane, O’Dowd is now hitting .395/.471/.711 with a 1.182 OPS.
Tommy Hopfe also helped carry the offense, going 2-for-4 with a walk, his sixth home run of the season, and three RBI. Hopfe led off the game with a homer to center field, then tied it in the eighth with a two-run single after Spokane had fallen behind 6-3.
Hunter Omlid gave the Indians a chance, throwing three scoreless innings out of the bullpen with two strikeouts. But after Spokane missed a chance to take the lead in the top of the ninth, Trevor Cohen hit a walk-off solo homer in the bottom half to hand the Indians a tough loss.
The Fresno Grizzlies (31-30) lost 5-1 to the Visalia Rawhide (27-34) after scoring in the first inning but getting held quiet the rest of the way.
Yeiker Reyes opened the game with his first triple of the season, and Ashly Andujar (No. 20 PuRP) brought him home with a sacrifice fly to give Fresno a quick 1-0 lead. Reyes finished 2-for-4 and is now hitting .333 with a .777 OPS.
The lead did not last. Pedro Catuy hit a two-run homer off Riley Kelly (No. 27 PuRP) in the second inning, and Visalia added three more runs in the fifth. Kelly took the loss, allowing five runs, three earned, on three hits and four walks over 4 2/3 innings. He struck out four and now has a 5.65 ERA.
Easton Marks gave Fresno a strong finish out of the bullpen, throwing 3.1 scoreless innings with six strikeouts. The Grizzlies managed only five hits, struck out 14 times to one walk, and went 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position.
MLB.com’s Arion Armeniakos writes that Sean Sullivan’s Rockies debut was brief but memorable, with illness ending his first big-league start earlier than planned. Even so, Sullivan showed enough poise to make the outing feel more encouraging than disappointing. For a Rockies rotation still sorting through options, it was a strange debut — but a promising one.
Purple Row’s Cory Cohen looks at a Rockies injury spike that has gotten hard to dismiss as normal attrition. Colorado had been one of MLB’s healthier organizations in recent years, but 2026 has brought a wave of injuries across both the major-league roster and the farm.
MLB.com’s Thomas Harding writes that Brett Sullivan turned a little momentum into his best offensive day as a Rockie, homering twice in Colorado’s loss to the Cubs. The bigger takeaway is that Sullivan is starting to look comfortable again after a rough May and limited playing time behind Hunter Goodman
BALTIMORE, MD - JUNE 12: Gunnar Henderson #2 of the Baltimore Orioles jogs back to the dugout after making a catch for an out in the fourth inning during the game between the San Diego Padres and the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on Friday, June 12, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Good morning Birdland,
These Orioles are a resilient bunch. After last night’s 7-5 win over the visiting Padres, they have now taken three straight, scored seven runs in each of them, and find themselves within one game of the AL’s final wild card spot.
What has been most apparent during the Orioles’ recent resurgence is the improvement of the offense. Yes, they are scoring more runs. But that is simply a byproduct of a better approach. They are more competitive at-bat to at-bat. They are showing patience. They are working counts. They are putting up fight. It’s a beautiful thing to see.
Since May 22, the Orioles have the best offense in baseball. Or at least, no one has scored more runs than them in that span. They also rank in the top 10 of MLB in home runs (7th, 30), walk rate (4th, 10.7%), batting average (9th, .262), on-base percentage (3rd, .346), and slugging percentage (8th, .441), among other metrics.
In that same time, the Orioles have been trotting out eight different players with a wRC+ of 100 or better. That doesn’t even include Samuel Basallo, who just missed the cut off (90 wRC+) and has been dealing with an injury saga in that time. Finally, it feels like the potential of this roster is being realized, to a degree.
It’s probably no coincidence that the Orioles are probably as healthy as they could really hope to be from this day forward. There are some key names missing, including Ryan Helsley, Dylan Beavers, and Dean Kremer. But it’s hard to miss them too badly when some of their replacements have been playing quite well.
Rico Garcia is pitching like one of the game’s best relievers. Colton Cowser has rediscovered his 2024 form and seems to be the everyday center fielder again. And Brandon Young has quietly become the best starter on the team. Sure, there is room to improve, and this team would probably still like to have someone like Jordan Westburg back on the roster. But considering where this team has been at times already this year, things are pretty good!
Links
More this, that and the other leftovers for breakfast | Roch Kubatko Included in this are Basallo’s post-game quotes regarding the extremely odd injury critique that came from manager Craig Albernaz earlier in the week. It’s unclear what exactly happened internally with the Orioles, but obviously something did happen. Basallo suggests that he wants to move on from it, which seems wise. Hopefully he and Albernaz have had a heart to heart about it, and that will be the end of it.
James McCann turns 36 today. He was the backup catcher in Baltimore for two seasons from 2023-24, with his trademark moment coming when he got hit in the face by a wayward pitch but stayed in the game and played through a clearly broken nose. Currently, he is with the Diamondbacks in the same role.
Pedro Strop is 41 years old. A power righty, Strop become a crucial piece in the Orioles bullpen between 2011 and ‘13 before he was traded to the Cubs along with Jake Arrieta.
Ernie Whitt turns 74. Much of his 15-season MLB career ws spent in Toronto, but he wrapped up his time in the bigs with 35 games on the 1991 Orioles.
The late Tom Gastall was born on this day (b. 1932, d. 1956). He was a reserve catcher with the Orioles between 1955 and ‘56. He died the day after his final game when a small aircraft he was piloting crashed into the Chesapeake Bay.
This day in O’s history
1957 – Baltimore acquires Jim Busby from Cleveland in exchange for Dick Williams. This is the first of three times that the Orioles will either trade away or sell Williams in his career.
1966 – The Orioles trade away a disgruntled Jerry Adair, who wants more playing time, to the White Sox in exchange for Eddie Fisher.
1999 – The Orioles set a club record for runs scored, beating the Braves, 22-1. Cal Ripken Jr. goes 6-for-6 with two home runs. Will Clark goes 4-for-4 with five RBI. Mike Mussina gets the win, tossing seven innings and allowing just the one run.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 10: Bryce Eldridge #8 of the San Francisco Giants rounds the bases after hitting a walk-off grand slam home run in the bottom of the ninth inning to defeat the Washington Nationals 11-10 at Oracle Park on June 10, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning, baseball fans!
Another week of San Francisco Giants baseball is coming to an end this weekend, so it’s time to make our picks for Player of the Week!
I am really enjoying this thing that the Giants are doing lately where it’s actually difficult to make my picks for these because there are too many great options. It’s a nice change!
But there’s absolutely no universe in which my pick for this week isn’t Bryce Eldridge! Obviously he wasn’t the only one coming up big in Wednesday’s epic comeback win over the Washington Nationals. But Eldridge was the one that got THE big swing of the bat that sent everyone home happy with his walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the ninth inning.
I also want to take a moment to wish both my brother and Matt Cain’s perfect game a Happy Birthday! Pretty great day, if you ask me.
Who is your pick for Player of the Week?
What time do the Giants play today?
The Giants continue this weekend series against the Chicago Cubs tonight at 7:05 p.m. PT.
For most NBA teams, a uniform unveiling is a relatively simple affair. The team releases a few photos. Social media argues for 48 hours. Some people love them. Some people hate them. A few months later everyone has moved on and the jerseys just become part of the routine.
For the Minnesota Timberwolves, this past week’s unveiling felt different. Partially because the jerseys and logo had already leaked online days before the official reveal, taking some of the surprise out of the process. By the time the team officially pulled back the curtain, most Wolves fans had already spent the better part of a week debating fonts, trim packages, color schemes, and whether the black uniform was worthy of being mentioned in the same sentence as the legendary Black Trees jersey.
Even with the surprise element largely gone, however, one thing became immediately apparent once the dust settled. Wolves fans overwhelmingly seem to agree on one thing: These are a massive upgrade.
After nearly a decade of what many fans affectionately, or not so affectionately, referred to as the “sailor suit” era, Minnesota has finally returned to looking like the Minnesota Timberwolves again.
And honestly? It was overdue.
The uniforms the Wolves have worn since 2017 were never terrible. They were clean. They were perfectly acceptable NBA uniforms. The problem was that they never felt particularly Timberwolves. They felt like something generated by a focus group tasked with creating the safest possible basketball jersey.
They lacked personality. They lacked history. Most importantly, they lacked any meaningful connection to the eras that fans actually loved. The new look changes that.
What stands out immediately is how intentionally the organization blended together multiple chapters of franchise history rather than simply recreating one specific era. Instead of choosing between the original expansion-era identity, the Kevin Garnett years, or the modern look, Minnesota essentially took pieces from all three and built something that feels familiar without feeling like a pure throwback.
The original blue, green, and white color scheme is back. That alone feels significant. For longtime Wolves fans, those colors are synonymous with the franchise’s roots. Before the redesigns, before the multiple rebrands, before the highs and lows and playoff heartbreaks, those colors are where everything started.
There’s something comforting about seeing them return. At the same time, the Wolves didn’t simply copy and paste their 1989 uniforms. The jersey typography carries clear influences from the Kevin Garnett era. Not to the extreme degree of the late-90s and early-2000s uniforms, but enough to evoke that era without becoming a nostalgia act. The black uniform takes things a step further with the inclusion of the trees trim, perhaps the most iconic visual element in franchise history.
Meanwhile, the logo itself feels like an intentional bridge between generations. The howling wolf profile remains recognizable from the most recent logo iteration, but there’s also a noticeable callback to the original Wolves “Old Shep” identity. It’s almost as if someone took the current logo and ran it through an old-school filter, giving it just enough of that original expansion-era DNA without sacrificing modern design principles.
Too often teams either go completely retro or completely modern. Minnesota found a middle ground. The organization essentially looked at every era of Timberwolves basketball and asked a simple question: “What parts actually worked?” Then they built around those answers.
Of course, the next question immediately became which uniform fans liked best. The Canis Hoopus poll results were fairly decisive.
The blue uniform emerged as the clear favorite, and honestly, it’s not hard to understand why.
The royal blue jersey is gorgeous. It’s vibrant without being loud. The green wordmark and numbering pop beautifully against the blue backdrop. It immediately evokes the original road uniforms from 1989 while still feeling contemporary enough to fit today’s NBA aesthetic. Perhaps most importantly, it feels uniquely Timberwolves. You could glance at it from across an arena and instantly know which team is wearing it.
In an NBA increasingly filled with alternate uniforms, city editions, statement editions, and designs that sometimes seem determined to hide team identities entirely, there’s something refreshing about a uniform that unapologetically screams “Minnesota Timberwolves.”
The black uniform finished second in the voting, and this is where things become a little more complicated. Last year’s Black Trees throwbacks were one of the most anticipated uniform releases the franchise has had in years. Those jerseys occupy a unique place in Wolves history. For an entire generation of fans, they are the Timberwolves uniform.
Kevin Garnett wore them. The franchise experienced its greatest success wearing them. They’re iconic.
Which is exactly why this new black uniform faces an almost impossible challenge. It’s competing against perfection. The updated version isn’t bad. Far from it. But personally, I find myself agreeing with many fans who feel something is slightly off.
For me, it’s the addition of the blue accents. The original black Trees uniforms worked because they were remarkably clean. Black. White. Green. That’s it. Simple. Elegant. Timeless.
The new version introduces blue striping and blue outlining around the numbers and wordmark. It isn’t enough to ruin the look, but it does create a sense that the design is trying to add something extra to something that was already complete. It’s like remaking a classic movie. Even if the remake is good, you’re still inevitably comparing it to the original. That’s a battle most remakes lose.
The white uniform finished third, although that says more about the strength of the blue jersey than any weakness in the white version. In many ways it feels like a cousin of the throwback uniforms Minnesota wore during the franchise’s 35th anniversary celebration. Those jerseys were a little more faithful to the original home design, while this updated version incorporates some modern tweaks.
Personally, I have the white and blue uniforms nearly tied. They’re essentially mirror images of one another, and both succeed because they embrace the franchise’s original identity without becoming trapped by it.
Ultimately, ranking the three uniforms feels almost beside the point. The bigger takeaway is that Minnesota finally has a cohesive visual identity again. For years the franchise felt stuck between eras.
Not anymore.
While jerseys don’t win basketball games, they do matter. Sports are emotional. Fans connect to imagery. They connect to memories. They connect to eras. A great uniform becomes part of a team’s identity. It becomes part of the story.
When you think of Jordan, you picture the Bulls red.
When you think of the Showtime Lakers, you picture gold.
When Wolves fans think about Kevin Garnett, they think about the Trees.
Now Minnesota has an opportunity to create a new visual era, and the reality is that these uniforms will likely become associated with Anthony Edwards. These aren’t just the jerseys for next season. These are potentially the jerseys of Ant’s prime. The jerseys that will appear in highlight packages for years. The jerseys that will define the next chapter of Timberwolves basketball.
And who knows? Maybe someday they’ll become something even more significant. Maybe years from now we’ll look back at these uniforms the same way fans currently look back at the black Trees era. Maybe they’ll become synonymous with the greatest stretch of basketball the franchise has ever played. Maybe these are the uniforms Anthony Edwards is wearing when he finally brings the Larry O’Brien Trophy to Minnesota.
That remains to be seen.But for now, after years of looking like a team trapped in an identity crisis, the Timberwolves finally look like themselves again.
And that’s a pretty good place to start.
Speaking of the Larry O’Brien Trophy… Hopefully Karl-Anthony Towns will be hoisting it tonight! If you’re looking for one last bit of NBA betting action before the off-season begins, FanDuel Sportsbook has you covered for your Finals wager!
NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 10: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs looks on during the game against the New York Knicks during Game Four of the 2026 NBA Finals on June 10, 2026 at Madison in New York, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE(Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Today is Game 5 of the 2026 NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs. New York leads the series 3-1 and the series heads back to San Antonio. Watch it at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC (WJLA-TV in the DMV). Yes, I know I posted this in the morning.
In this week’s SB Nation Reacts survey, you can definitely see that a clear majority of NBA fans nationwide who responded that they are following the NBA Finals more than the draft. But as Washington Wizards fans, we are definitely in that 26 percent minority. Same with Utah Jazz fans.
While we are in the minority, that doesn’t mean that we don’t care about the Finals. There will be a lot of money changing hands during the game. The odds are in favor of the Spurs extending this series to a Game 6 per FanDuel* and others.
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