Oklahoma City's Zach Ehrhard drives in a run during a minor league baseball game between the Oklahoma City Comets and the Albuquerque Isotopes at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark in Oklahoma City, Friday, March 27, 2026. | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Three separate starting pitchers struggled heavily in a disappointing day across the Dodgers’ minor league system, particularly in the higher levels.
Player of the day
While it wasn’t enough for the win, Zach Ehrhard did his part and then some, recording two home runs and four RBI in what has been an absurd month of June for the twenty-three-year-old.
Ehrhard is batting .345 with eight homers since the start of the month, securing nearly as many walks (12) as he has strikeouts (14), scoring 17 runs, and driving in 18.
Triple-A Oklahoma City
River Ryan dug too big a hole for the Comets to dig themselves out of as the right-hander allowed eight runs in 4.1 innings of work against the River Cats in a 9-6 loss. The deficit could’ve even been larger, but the River Cats left 13 on base against just five from the Comets, whose offense didn’t have a lot going on besides Zach Ehrhard.
The Comets’ leadoff hitter managed his third multi-homer game this month, going deep in both the third and seventh innings to reach 11 homers on the season. Unfortunately, the two hitters behind him, James Tibbs III and Jack Suwinski, didn’t reach base once, combining to strike out five times. The only other standout hitter for the Comets in the game was catcher Eliezer Alfonso, accumulating three hits, all of them doubles.
Double-A Tulsa
Ryan wasn’t the only Dodgers’ minor league starter who struggled on Wednesday, as Patrick Copen also didn’t give his team much of a fighting chance against the Naturals, letting in six of their seven runs in a 7-2 win against Tulsa.
With one of the Drillers’ runs coming on a wild pitch, allowing Mike Sirota to score, their only RBI came from the leadoff spot with Josue De Paula hitting a solo shot in the third. Speaking of Sirota, though, the offense’s issues didn’t go through him, who reached base four times.
High-A Great Lakes
Another game, another starter getting his doors blown off, as Zach Root allowed in 10 hits and seven runs, five of them earned, more than enough for the Captains to handsomely beat the Loons, whose 0 for 11 performance with runners in scoring position proved costly.
Take Charles Davalan, for example. The Loons’ number two hitter went three for four and yet didn’t score a run or drive in one, with the two hitters surrounding him going 0 for 8. All three of the Loons’ runs came from the bottom of the order in sacrifice flies or errors.
There was a second game scheduled between these two clubs, but the doubleheader was postponed for today, June 18th.
Single-A Ontario
At last, a win. Starter Cam Leiter tossed three scoreless innings, recording strikeouts in seven of his nine outs. Even with that, the bullpen didn’t make it easy in this eventual 8-5 affair with reliever Jholbran Herder coughing up a four-spot in the sixth.
Chase Harlan and Ching-Hsien Ko both homered in this one—Ko’s homer was of particular significance, breaking a long streak for a hitter whose last long ball had come nearly a month ago, on May 20th. First baseman Easton Shelton secured a couple of RBI behind those two, and in doing so, he reached 60 on the season.
Wednesday’s scores
Oklahoma City 6, Sacramento 9
NW Arkansas 7, Tulsa 2
Great Lakes 3, Lake County 7
Ontario 8, Rancho Cucamonga 5
Thursday’s schedule
10:05 a.m. PT: Oklahoma City (Christian Romero) vs. Sacramento (John Michael Bertrand)
2:35 p.m. PT: Great Lakes (Christian Zazueta) at Lake County (Braylon Doughty)
WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 16: CJ Abrams #5 of the Washington Nationals looks on during the game between the Kansas City Royals and the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on Tuesday, June 16, 2026 in Washington, District of Columbia. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Entering the season, I would guess that Paul Toboni fully anticipated being sellers at the trade deadline. However, year one under this new regime has exceeded all expectations. The Nats are currently 39-36 and tied for the third wild card spot. This could create a conundrum for the Nats new President of Baseball Operations at the August 3rd trade deadline.
Yesterday, Jeff Passan released an article ranking trade candidates and also listed some potential suitors. There were 100 names on the list, but he only gave a suitor list for the first 25. The Nats were listed as a potential fit for Joe Ryan, Reid Detmers, Jose Soriano, Luis Arraez and Matt Chapman. With that news out there, this could turn out to be a very entertaining deadline.
Free at ESPN: The top 100 trade candidates before the Aug. 3 deadline — with the likelihood they move and potential landing spots. @kileymcd and I will be updating this list periodically as the deadline approaches to reflect teams' evolving statuses. https://t.co/4DX6hlcWkx
The last time the Nats were buyers was all the way back in 2019, when Mike Rizzo patched up a leaky bullpen. Since then, the Nats have still been very active at trade deadlines, but they have been selling pieces off instead of buying.
We still have a long way to go before August 3rd, but the fact the Nats are listed as potential buyers is exciting. Unsurprisingly, almost all of the names listed as fits for the Nats have team control beyond 2026. The only rental listed is Luis Arraez, who seems like an unlikely target to me.
In my opinion, the cleanest fits for the Nats are either of the two Angels pitchers. Reid Detmers and Jose Soriano would both slide into the top of the Nats rotation alongside Cade Cavalli. Both have premium stuff and are under control for two years after this one. If the Nats want to maximize CJ Abrams, who is on the same timeline, these would be fun fits.
For most of the season, it seemed like Soriano would be the bigger fish. However, despite having a sub-3 ERA, he has really cooled off lately. Soriano has an ERA close to 5 since allowing only 1 run in his first 37.2 innings. Despite the hot and cold results, Soriano has nasty stuff and is going fairly deep into games. His fastball averages 97, and his splitter and curve are nasty. Soriano just needs to clean up his control.
A package with Ronny Cruz, Luke Dickerson, Alex Clemmey and maybe one more smaller piece may be enough. In my opinion, Detmers is likely to cost even more despite having a higher ERA and less velocity. The lefty has a 3.68 ERA, but that is dropping fast and his FIP is under 3. With Detmers, you don’t need to change much about his arsenal or control, you can just plug him in.
For a while, I was a Detmers guy because it seemed like you would be buying low. However, you are certainly not going to be buying low at this point. The Angels will and honestly should be asking for a similar value to what the Nats got back for MacKenzie Gore, maybe a little bit more.
I actually think Soriano is the smarter play of the two. He is likely to cost slightly less and needs to make a couple tweaks. However, his upside is even higher than Detmers, and he would be a fun project for Simon Mathews. Passan even noted that Soriano could be a fun target for teams with savvy development teams.
One final name that intrigues me is Matt Chapman. He is a different sort of target. Chapman is 33 years old and is under contract until 2030. However, acquiring the veteran could be a 3D chess move for Paul Toboni. As we all know, there is a looming CBA battle. There seems like a good chance that some sort of salary floor will be put into place.
Acquiring Chapman and the final 4.5 years of his 6-year $151 million deal would be a good way of getting ahead of that. Chapman still has gas in the tank, with 1.5 fWAR and 2.9 bWAR. Taking on a big chunk of that contract would be a good way to get closer to a potential floor and acquire a good player for not a lot of prospect capital. The Giants seem desperate to clear salary and build around Bryce Eldridge. Meanwhile, the Nats could get a veteran presence and an elite third baseman who still has a lot in the tank.
Another avenue the Nats could explore is to look for bullpen help. As we all know, this Nats bullpen is not very talented. Beyond Brad Lord and Orlando Ribalta, there are a bunch of question marks. One name I like that is actually 36th on Passan’s list is Daniel Lynch IV of the Royals.
While Lynch allowed a 3 run homer to Curtis Mead the other day, he is having a wonderful season. His ERA is 2.61, while his FIP and xERA are in the low 3’s. Lynch is a lefty with swing and miss stuff, which the Nats desperately need. He also has 2.5 years of control left. It would take a solid prospect haul, but the Nats would not have to send out any truly high end prospects either.
With the Nats playing the Royals and having a winning record, I thought about the idea of trading for Royals lefty reliever Daniel Lynch IV. Lynch has a 1.80 ERA in 30 games with impressive statcast metrics. The 29 year old has 2.5 years of control. What would you give up for him
However, it is far from a guarantee that the Nats buy. In fact, a soft sell, or some combination of buying and selling feels most likely at this point. Rentals like Foster Griffin, Miles Mikolas and Zack Littell could still be on the block, especially if the Nats fall back in the standings.
There is also the looming question of CJ Abrams, who is 5th on Passan’s big board. However, Passan only gives an Abrams trade a 15% chance of happening right now. Teams would love to have Abrams, but Toboni’s asking price was high in the offseason and is likely even higher with the start Abrams and the team are having.
On the selling side of things, CJ Abrams was 5th on the list but Passan only gave him a 15% chance of being moved. Griffin and Littell further down the list https://t.co/BTZhsOAkhU
Abrams also has some warts in his profile that may prevent teams from meeting the sky high asking price. Between his rough defense, his streaky hitting and Toboni’s monster ask, it feels like teams will be scared off. Honestly, they should be scared off because the Nats should hold on to Abrams unless a team gives them an offer they can’t turn down.
The 25 year old has been in the middle of the Nats league leading offense, and why should Toboni break up a good thing. With this team ahead of schedule, they should be looking to compete in 2027 and 2028, rather than keep rebuilding. Toboni may have had plans to trade Abrams at this deadline, but it feels like times have changed.
If the Nats go on some big losing streak in July, we can revisit this, but for now CJ Abrams is a National for the rest of the year. Foster Griffin is a more likely candidate to move, but his future also depends on how the Nats do in these next six weeks. If the Nats remain in a playoff spot, it would be tough to sell off pieces.
This is shaping up to be the most fun Nationals deadline in a long time. Instead of looking at the prospect rankings, I am looking at other teams rosters to find potential targets. Of course, the situation is fluid, but buckle up folks because the next six weeks should be a doozy.
In a bullpen game, the WooSox ended up fending off the IronPigs in extra innings. (Phillies AAA) Just as Nathan Hickey (who homered) and Vinny Capra (who drove in the game’s opening run) helped put some early runs on the board, they helped put plenty of padding on during a tenth inning offensive outburst with a knock apiece. It’s also notable that Kristian Campbell contributed in his own way by drawing three walks. This hefty lead allowed Kyle Keller to come in for a second inning and struck out two to slam the door and increase his total to four.
In a Patrick Sandoval rehab apperance in which a homer was his only hit allowed, the Sea Dogs were not as lucky, or rather, skillful at generating offense, in the tenth inning as Worcester was. The Patriots (Yankees AA) scored a run in the tenth off of Cooper Adams and the Sea Dogs couldn’t answer. In fact, the inning was a continuation of a pretty poor night where they struck out 14 times and had just 4 hits… even if one came from a budding Stanley Tucker. Romy Gonzalez would reach on an error and end up scoring. The Sea Dogs giving up walks, eight on the night, to be exact, was also a factor in the loss.
I’m going to be honest: I don’t have much hope for Patrick Sandoval. It was a bad contract with limited upside from the jump. Even if you’re among the last stragglers of belief in the 2026 Red Sox season (I’m not), this is not the place for Sandoval to make a resurgence. It’s great he’s pitching again and that he is about to come back from injury after such a long road. But he likely won’t make an impact on this ball club.
Greenville has now been outscored 24-6 in three games. Dylan Brown just allowed too many runs while striking out seven BlueClaws (Phillies High-A). The Blue Claws had 16 hits on the night and simply overpowered the Drive, and nothing of substance was happening with just five hits and stranding ten runners.
The RidgeYaks are now losers of ten straight with this shutout loss to the Nationals. Leighton Finley again pitched well in his five-inning start, not letting his four walks or one hit score and striking six out. Salem only struck out four on the night, but also had to fight for hits. And when it was time to score, the offense couldn’t be found; they put their best Red Sox costume on and went hitless in eight attempts with runners in scoring position.
CINCINNATI, OHIO - JUNE 07: Cincinnati Reds mascot Mr. Redlegs leans on the dugout wall prior to a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs at Great American Ball Park on June 07, 2024 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Jeff Dean/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cincinnati Reds are 73 games into their 162 game trek through the 2026 Major League Baseball season. They’re inching closer to being half-done with this latest experiment, and that’s a sample size large enough to begin to make some objective observations.
Some of them stick out like a sore thumb, particularly on the offensive side of things. Two areas in particular, two facets of the game wholly distinct, seem to be defining just who this team is – and, more importantly, why they find themselves sitting at just 35-38 and in last place in the National League Central division.
We’ll start with the positive.
The Reds have stepped to the plate 1540 times, respectively, with nary a runner on base so far this season. In that time, they’ve posted a collective wOBA ove .325, and only four clubs in the sport can boast a better mark. They’re on the heels of both the Chicago Cubs (.326) and the Las Sacoakvegas Athletics (.327), and when I checked this mark prior to yesterday’s series finale against the New York Mets they actually held the #3 mark on this particular leaderboard. In other words, in scenarios in which the bases are empty, only two teams (the Dodgers and Pirates) have been better offensively than the Cincinnati Reds.
The Cincinnati Reds!
Then, there are the scenarios in which the Cincinnati Reds step to the plate with runners on-base.
With runners on, there’s not a team in the sport who owns a lower wRC+ (82) than the Reds. Their .298 wOBA ranks 29th ahead of only the Kansas City Royals (.297), and again, when I checked this mark prior to yesterday’s loss to the Mets the Reds held sole possession of dead last outright. The basement here has been Cincinnati’s pretty much all season long, their .259 BABIP with runners on similarly last by a good margin (with Philadelphia’s .270 mark next-worst).
It isn’t as if the Reds become completely different hitters in these situations, either. With the bases empty, for instance, they own a 39.2% groundball rate, a 41.0% fly ball rate, and pull the ball 38.6% of the time. In these positions, they also own a reasonable .287 BABIP. With runners on, they own a 40.0% grounder rate, 41.1% fly ball rate, and pull the ball 38.1% of the time – again, this time with just a .259 BABIP.
Those are two profiles that sure seem similar enough to maybe, just maybe, suggest it’s merely some bad luck that’s in play for the Reds with runners on base. At least, that’s got to be the hope for them right now, seeing as their lack of timely hitting has cost them over and over again already during this season’s first half. And given how beat up and broken their bullpen is, it’s impossible to ignore that they’ll be tasked with playing in games with razor-thin margins for the rest of the 2026 season, scenarios that will inevitably beg them to get big hits with runners on if they’re going to win more games than they lose.
To date, though, they’ve been just about as opposite of one another as they can be in these very defined situations. Hopefully, the regression to the mean between the two is of the positive variety.
The Knicks’ head coach wore a shirt alluding to James Dolan’s joke about abstention during the team’s 10-week NBA playoff run that culminated with the the ticker-tape parade Thursday.
Brown showed off the shirt after while joining in on a rendition of “Who Let the Dogs Out” with a nearby crowd Thursday morning, and was jumping for joy before boarding a bus.
Knicks head coach Mike Brown enters the team bus during celebratory parade with “10 weeks” on the back of his shirt. @nypostsports/YouTube
His shirt is in reference to the Knicks’ owner’s 15-minute speech to the players before the playoffs about making sacrifices for 10 weeks to win a championship, including giving up sex.
“I had this idea that maybe you should give up sex for the next 10 weeks,” Dolan told the Knicks before the playoffs on April 3. “You don’t have to give up sex for the next 10 weeks, but like Spartans — do you know what Spartans are? — they denied themselves to gain an edge. Get the edge.”
Brown is not the first to reference the joke, which was released to the public Monday.
Mikal Bridges also joked about it on his NSFW Instagram live earlier in the week.
Head Coach Mike Brown of the New York Knicks poses for a portrait after winning Game Five of the 2026 NBA Finals. NBAE via Getty Images
The Knicks hired Brown as Tom Thibodeau’s replacement in July 2025 due to his “championship pedigree.”
It’s safe to say it was the right choice as Brown led the Knicks to a 53-29 record during the regular season and one of the greatest NBA Playoff runs in history, winning 13 straight games during one stretch and the team’s first NBA Finals since 1953 when they downed the Spurs in five games.
The Los Angeles Angels have been dreadful on the road this season, posting a 13-25 record to date.
With the Athletics only priced at -135 on the moneyline, my Angels vs. A's prediction and MLB picks see value in backing Los Angeles' road woes to continue.
Who will win Angels vs A's today: Athletics (-135)
Jose Soriano has recorded a 3.62 ERA over the last 30 days despite a 4.68 SIERA and 5.15 FIP. That’s a strong indicator that regression is coming.
The Athletics are certainly capable of forcing the issue. They rank Top-5 in wOBA, OPS, and hard-hit rate against right-handed pitching at home. They also sit seventh in walk rate, which could highlight Soriano’s control issues.
This one has real potential for fireworks. Soriano has posted a 5.56 ERA over four starts against teams ranking in the Top 10 in both OPS and OBP vs. right-handed pitching.
The Athletics are Top-7 in both categories, and the wind is blowing out in a ballpark that is already conducive to scoring runs.
The Los Angeles Angels have hit .275 against righties in June while leading the majors in doubles. They are capable of chipping in a few runs as well.
I’m expecting plenty of offense in this game, and would play Over 10.5 to -110.
Todd Cordell's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 32-27, -2.65 units
Over/Under bets: 32-25-2, +3.84 units
Angels vs A's weather
Temperatures in the mid-70s are expected throughout this game with winds of 10 miles per hour blowing out. The bats should see a boost.
Angels vs A's odds
Moneyline: Angels +115 | A's -135
Run line: Angels +1.5 (-160) | A's -1.5 (+140)
Over/Under: Over 10.5 (-105) | Under 10.5 (-115)
Angels vs A's trend
The Athletics have cashed the Over in 26 of their last 45 home games for +7.2 units and a 15% ROI. Find more MLB betting trends for Angels vs. A's.
How to watch Angels vs A's and game info
Location
Sutter Health Park, West Sacramento, CA
Date
Thursday, June 18, 2026
First pitch
9:40 p.m. ET
TV
ABTV, NBCSCA
Angels starting pitcher
Jose Soriano (8-4, 2.79 ERA)
A's starting pitcher
Gage Jump (2-1, 3.09 ERA)
Angels vs A's latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Detroit Tigers manager A.J. Hinch expressed significant concern with an eye injury suffered by utilityman Wenceel Perez in a training room accident.
Perez was doing an exercise with a training band slung from a hook in the training room, and the band "snapped off the hook and hit him just below the left eye," Hinch told reporters Wednesday, June 17 in Houston. The accident occurred Tuesday.
"We have a battery of tests to check out his face, his eye. We're pretty concerned about it."
Perez, who was not at the ballpark Wednesday, is batting .180 in 53 games this season.
He wouldn't be the first player to land on the injured list due to a training room mishap. All-Star closer Mason Miller, then with the Athletics, suffered a fractured pinky when he pounded a padded table in the training room after a poor outing in July 2024.
City Hall goofed during the Knicks victory parade Thursday when it displayed a massive banner for little-known forward Dillon Jones with legendary center Patrick Ewing’s retired No. 33 jersey number.
Fans were shocked and outraged by the Mamdani administration mishap as critics said you’d have to be from Mars – or a phony fan – not to know 33 is a sacred number for the Knicks that belongs forever to the Hall of Fame center.
“They must be trying to rile us up,” said Knicks faithful Allister. “You’re supposed to double-check your work and then double-check the double check. How do you mess that up?”
Never really saw him in a jersey so just realized this — Dillon Jones is listed on the Knicks roster with Patrick Ewing’s retired No. 33 pic.twitter.com/OlXBPoDVxH
Construction worker Marquis Diaz was floored over the gaffe.
“You can’t be a New Yorker and you don’t know who owns No. 33,” Diaz said. “That’s why his number is retired – number of a legend.”
The banner was part of a series naming the Knicks roster that decorated City Hall for a ceremony that saw Mayor Zohran Mamdani present the hometown champions with keys to the city.
“I think that’s ridiculous,” Seagate resident Denise Cosenza said. “They should have done their homework especially since Ewing is so involved with the team.”
Another fan who identified himself as Curtis simply called it “blasphemy.
“Pat made this city what it is,” he told The Post.
Patrick Ewing during a Knicks-Lakers game in 2000. New York PostPatrick Ewing’s No. 33 is retired in 2003. New York Post
Ewing was a Knicks icon, considered one of the greatest players in franchise history over 15 seasons in New York. His No. 33 was retired in 2003 and now hangs from the rafters of Madison Square Garden.
Jones, 24, was active for just seven regular-season games this year for the Knicks, his third NBA team since he was drafted by the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2024.
He played for the Washington Wizards before joining the Knicks last year — wearing No. 1 at MSG and No. 2 with the development league Westchester Knicks.
Patrick Ewing poses with the Larry O’Brien trophy alongside Rick and Jalen Brunson after New York’s Game 5 win. NBAE via Getty Images
But Jones did wear 33 during preseason games while ballin’ for the Wizards before he was cut and picked up by the Knicks.
Still a mystery is why that was the number — of all numbers — chosen for his City Hall banner, as captured by The Post’s Jared Schwartz.
Dillon Jones wore No. 1 for the Knicks this year — not No. 33. Getty ImagesDillon Jones was listed as No. 33 on the Knicks roster page. NBA.com
“They need to take that s—t down now,” lifelong Knicks fan Ronel B. said. “Pat is the one who set the tone, who laid the bricks to get to where we are today, so to do him like that is just crazy and disrespectful.”
While Ewing last suited up for the Knicks in 2000, he was ever-present during the team’s championship run this year, and was in San Antonio as the team clinched the Finals over the Spurs on Saturday in Game 5.
A view of the Knicks jerseys hanging at City Hall for the championship parade on June 18, 2026. Stephen Yang for the NY Post
The legendary big man celebrated the team’s first title in 53 years as he held the Larry O’Brien trophy alongside Jalen and Rick Brunson.
Jones, meanwhile, did not suit up during the playoff run, and last saw the court for the Knicks back on April 12 in the regular season.
The 2024 first-round pick also earned a ring with the Oklahoma City Thunder last year, for whom he made 10 appearances in the postseason.
Additional reporting by Craig McCarthyand Georgett Roberts
Feb 24, 2025; West Palm Beach, Florida, USA; Houston Astros infielder prospect Pascanel Ferreras takes batting practice after a cancelled spring training game against the Miami Marlins at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images | Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images
Another day of minor league baseball is in the books. See the results below. Check out the previous day’s recap here.
AAA: Sugar Land Space Cowboys (31-38) won 21-8 (BOX SCORE)
Sugar Land got on the board in the first inning scoring 3 runs on an Alexander RBI double and Price 2 run home run. Gordon got the start and went 5.1 innings allowing 4 runs, 3 earned. Price added another 2 run homer in the 3rd. In the 4th the offense scored 5 runs on a Ferreras RBI double, Brooks RBI double, Biggio 2 run home run and Alexander solo home run. They scored 3 more runs in the 5th on a Ferreras RBI double, Brooks RBI single and Sacco groundout. In the 6th, Sugar Land got solo home runs from Dezenzo and Cole to extend the lead. The offense continued to add on with a Ferreras sac fly and Sacco 2 run triple in the 8th. In the 9th they scored 3 runs on a Cole groundout, Ferreras RBI single and Cole Sacco single. The pen allowed a few runs but the offense did more than enough for the 21-8 win.
Nezuh started game one of the doubleheader and went 4 innings allowing 3 runs, which all came in the first inning. He struck out 8 batters. The Hooks tied it in the second inning scoring 3 runs on a wild pitch, a Whitaker groundout and Guillemette sac fly. Santos tossed 2 scoreless and Rodriguez allowed a run in the 7th as the Missions took the lead. The offense was unable to respond as the Hooks dropped game one 4-3.
Mayer started game two for the Hooks and ran into trouble early but ended up allowing 3 runs, all in the 2nd, over 4.2 innings while striking out 6. The Hooks responded with 2 runs in the 2nd inning on a Whitaker sac fly and a run on a wild pitch. They scored 2 more in the 4th on a Spence 2 run double. In the 5th, the Hooks extended their lead 2 runs on an error and a run on a wild pitch. The Missions scored one more run but the Hooks held on for the 7-4 win.
Nic Swanson, RHP: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K (SAVE
A+: Asheville Tourists (17-47) lost 13-8 (BOX SCORE)
Santos started for Asheville but really struggled allowing 9 runs over just 1.2 innings. Bowling Green got 2 more runs in the 4th to make it 11-0. Asheville got on the board in the bottom of the 4th on an Ochoa 2 run home run. Asheville would rally for 5 runs in the 7th inning on a Powell RBI single, Ochoa groundout, Nunez RBI double, Hernandez RBI double and Moss RBI single. The pen allowed a couple more runs as Bowling Green extended the lead. Asheville would get one more in the 9th on a Nunez solo home run but that was it as Asheville fell 13-8.
A: Fayetteville Woodpeckers (31-33) lost 8-1 (BOX SCORE)
Potter started for the Woodpeckers and pitched really well striking out 4 over 5 scoreless innings. He was relieved by Varela but he struggled walking 4 and allowing 4 runs while retiring just 2 batters. The Woodpeckers got on the board in the bottom of the 6th inning scoring a run on a wild pitch. The pen continued to struggle allowing another 4 runs and the offense was unable to get anything going as they fell 8-1.
The Yankees (45-27) and the White Sox (38-34) close out their series in the Bronx tonight, with New York continuing to put forth a dominant season taking Game 2 of 3 last night, 10-5.
Last night’s game was another offensive showcase for the Yankees. Cody Bellinger set the tone early, launching a two-run homer in the first and finishing with three hits, while Paul Goldschmidt continued his recent tear with a three-run homer during a decisive five-run fifth inning. The Yankees piled up 13 hits and were consistently getting on base…and crossing home plate. Carlos Rodón wasn’t dominant but was effective enough, allowing three runs over five innings with seven strikeouts to earn the win. For Chicago, there were a few highlights including Colson Montgomery, who homered twice and drove in four runs. Sam Antonacci also added a late home run, but the White Sox couldn’t keep pace once New York’s lineup erupted in the middle innings. The Yankees continue to dominate the American League Central this season winning 12 of 14 games.
Tonight’s pitching matchup features RHP Sean Burke (3–4, 4.15 ERA) for the White Sox against LHP Ryan Weathers (2–5, 4.36 ERA) for the Yankees. Burke has shown solid strikeout ability (73 Ks in 73+ innings) but has failed to finish the fifth inning his last two starts allowing seven runs in 8.1 innings. Weathers has labored through his last three starts allowing 16 runs in 17 innings. The first five innings OVER 5.5 Total Runs is worth consideration.
New York’s lineup is clicking top-to-bottom. Cody Bellinger (.280 AVG, 11 HR, 49 RBI) has been the driving force and is coming off a three-hit game, while Paul Goldschmidt has homered in three of his last four games and continues to anchor the middle of the order. Ben Rice (.291 AVG, 20 HR) has been a consistent force all season. This is one of if not the most productive offenses in baseball. For Chicago, recent production has been more scattered. Over the last ten games, Chase Meidroth (.342 AVG) and Miguel Vargas (.282 AVG, 6 RBI) have led the way.
Lets dive into tonight’s matchup and find a sweat or two.
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Game Details and How to Watch: White Sox vs. Yankees
Date: Thursday, June 18, 2026
Time: 7:05PM EST
Site: Yankee Stadium
City: New York, NY
Network/Streaming: MLB.TV, CSN, YES
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
The Latest Odds: White Sox vs. Yankees
The latest odds as of Thursday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Chicago White Sox (+135), New York Yankees (-163)
Spread: White Sox +1.5 (-149), Yankees -1.5 (+124)
Total: 9.5 runs
Starting Pitchers and their Stats: White Sox vs. Yankees for June 18
White Sox: Sean Burke Season Totals: 73.2 IP, 3-4, 4.15 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 73K, 28 BB
Yankees: Ryan Weathers Season Totals: 74.1 IP, 2-5, 4.36 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 81K, 21 BB
Who’s Hot? Who’s Not! White Sox vs. Yankees
Miguel Vargas – 2-15 over his last 4 games
Colson Montgomery - 19 HRs this season after hitting 21 all of last season
Paul Goldschmidt – riding an 9-game hitting streak (16-39)
Ryan McMahon – 1-13 over his last 6 games
Anthony Volpe – riding a 4-game hitting streak (7-16) with 4 RBIs
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Top Betting Trends & Insights: White Sox vs. Yankees
The Yankees are 37-35 on the Run Line this season
The White Sox are 41-31 on the Run Line this season
The OVER has cashed 43 times in Chicago’s 72 games this season (43-27-2)
The OVER has cashed 34 times in the Yankees’ 72 games this season (34-34-4)
Expert picks & predictions: White Sox vs. Yankees
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Jun 13, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson speaks during his press conference prior to game five of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Dustin Safranek-Imagn Images | Dustin Safranek-Imagn Images
The San Antonio Spurs came up short in the Finals, but it’s unfair to call the season a failure because of the growth shown and the bonds strengthened in 2025-26. Fortunately, for them, their mighty nucleus is still in its infancy and with proper development, they will have more opportunities to raise the Larry O’Brien trophy.
In many cases, humiliation is one of life’s greatest teachers, and the Spurs must be feeling some of that after folding late in each of their four Finals losses. It’s what the team felt 13 years ago in 2013 when they let a title slip away in Miami, but it made them stronger and more determined the next season when they went on the warpath.
Those Spurs, who celebrated their 12th championship anniversary on Monday, were at the time recognized for their selfless style of play and determination, but in terms of being viewed as truly great, they quickly fell into the shadow of the dynastic Warriors, who built on that style and would dominate the rest of the decade, led by a much more socially outgoing superstar. (But maybe they’ll get more respect in the future, like old films that were under appreciated at the time but later become cult classics.)
Like their 2013 counterparts, the current Spurs team now knows that being good is not good enough. Sixty-two wins may not happen every year, but there was a point in time in the in 2025-26 season in which Spurs fans started expecting to win every game, and that needs to be the standard going forward.
The front office and Coach Mitch Johnson are likely already examining what areas need improvement. Among the things the Spurs will be addressing in the offseason, here are the changes and adjustments I’d like to see that could significantly raise their potency and be the difference between them hosting their own parade and going home empty-handed. Let’s review.
1. Passing
The Spurs were not a bad passing team, logging the second highest potential assists in the playoffs (45.7), but they were unremarkable in the playoffs as they were 12th of 16 in passes made and in the middle of ball security. Keep in mind that the greatest strength is the pass because it is faster than the dribble. The Spurs’ offense was too reliant on dribble penetration, while the New York Knicks ran more motion.
Additionally, the 2024-25 Knicks did not look this sharp offensively under coach Tim Thibodeau as they did with Mike Brown, a former Spurs assistant, who helped them win a championship. The Knicks that lost against the Indiana Pacers in the 2025 ECF made 25.8 less passes per game than this year’s champs. One of the biggest effects this had was saving some of the juice in Jalen Brunson’s legs for clutch time.
More passes could help Victor Wembanyama because a good chunk of his offense starts with him dribbling down from the perimeter. Greater effort is exerted getting past a man in a defensive stance than slipping past someone who is trying to pay attention to the ball while guarding an off-ball player.
Furthermore, it’s hard to have witnessed the Beautiful Game Spurs and think the current ball movement is enough. In 2014, they passed the ball 44 more times than the current squad, which makes them a completely different team.
Think of the swift first step De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper have. Putting them in a system with more ball movement could make their jobs easier with more catch-and-go moves, ensuring they see less help defenders.
One of the reasons the 2024-25 Indiana Pacers ripped through the East was because they averaged 318 passes per game, which was 49.4 more than the next East team (Orlando Magic), and 70.7 more than the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Finals. The Pacers lost in the finale, but who knows what happens if Tyrese Haliburton doesn’t pop his Achilles tendon? (Count yourself lucky, Chet Holmgren.)
With the right buy in and coaching, this adjustment can be done without the players sacrificing much of their identities.
2. Covering the 3-point line
The paint will always be the heart of the defense, but the importance of the 3-point line increases each year as the average attempts rise. On top of that, with respect to past eras, this one is the hardest to guard in since lots of carrying violations never get called, which is a ridiculously unfair advantage, and there are more areas of the half-court to cover.
Coach Johnson explained to me at All-Star weekend in the scrum that some of the reasons for so many open to wide-open 3-point attempts come from offensive rebounds, transition and unscripted plays. Some stuff is almost impossible to help unless the team is going to be perfect in other areas.
Nonetheless, teams can save themselves about 10 points per game by defending in the half-court with more attention to detail, and the Spurs are no different. One of the big mistakes made league wide is the corner defender standing in no man’s land. When the pass is made to his man, most times either an open shot is taken, or the hard close out causes a breakdown. This can be avoided by letting the backline defender, in a lot of cases Wembanyama, take care of it.
Additionally, drop coverage should be used only on players who aren’t threats outside of 10 feet from the rim. The second defender has to play at the level of the screen against dynamic scorers in case a switch has to be made on the perimeter.
Better corner and screen-roll defense plus staying home at important moments, like the last five seconds of Game 4 of the Finals, are about trust. Being out of position doesn’t just lead to an open jumper for the other side as it can cause a straight line to the hoop, too. Doubles can’t happen in the last four-to-five minutes when it’s a tight game or they are trying to preserve a lead.
And then there’s the cardinal sin: fouling 3-point shooters. One of the Spurs’ goals next season should be to commit the least amount of these. It’s such a serious concern that every player should be fined $1,000 every time they do it and double that in the playoffs. Those three 3-point fouls Harper, Castle and Fox committed on Brunson in the second half of Game 5 probably brought Spurs fans somewhere to their knees.
The Spurs will solve a great deal of the fouling part by staying down and keeping their arms vertical.
3. More close range action for Wemby
Ok, fine. I’ve been spoiled by tapes of David Robinson and saw Tim Duncan. How can you blame me, especially when they have a real successor?
Wembanyama had big-time moments in the playoffs, but there is still work to be done. He shot 42.5 percent in the paint non-restricted area in the playoffs and made 28.3 percent of attempts outside of the lane in the Finals. He naturally plays like a taller Kevin Durant but some of the outside shots happened because his body isn’t strong enough yet to take advantage of guys like Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson.
Preferably, the strategy would be more post play when his body is ready, but to be clear, he doesn’t need to turn into Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Yet, he should some day be good enough to where he can go to it as an adjustment and score a bucket every time.
This could positively affect the teams passing because he’d be such a mismatch that he would unfasten coverages as soon as he catches it close, and then hit the open man on the move. Having this in the arsenal would help take him from a great player today to one for the ages.
Great post players are usually more dangerous on the second catch, and with his size advantage passing over the top, imagine Wembanyama getting the ball back while his defender isn’t looking. Shaquille O’Neal thrived in those moments created by the triangle offense.
This year, the Spurs’ post-up frequency was 1.7 percent in the playoffs. Unfortunately, the NBA’s tracking data for post-ups only goes as far back as 2015-16, but interestingly, the Spurs were first in frequency that season at 14.5 percent. They fell in round two to the Oklahoma City Thunder that year, but made the Western Conference Finals in 2016-17 against the overkill Golden State Warriors, while running nearly a third less post-ups. So, there are other avenues aside from the post to get Wemby more looks at close range, like getting him involved more at the elbow and nail, or using him at the dunker spot.
It doesn’t matter how it happens. He needs to impose his size more inside the arc.
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - MARCH 28: Trey Murphy III #25 of the New Orleans Pelicans shoots the ball over Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks at Smoothie King Center on March 28, 2024 in New Orleans, Louisiana. 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 Chris Graythen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The NBA draft is under a week away, which means we’re under two weeks away from one of the league’s most active transactional periods: the start of free agency on June 30th. While NBA insider Chris Haynes recently cast some doubt on this, Bucks co-owner Jimmy Haslam previously stated the Bucks would like to have Giannis’ future resolved by the draft. The Greek Freak can’t technically sign an extension until October, but if the Bucks tell him they’ll offer it once he’s eligible, then they can operate accordingly. If he signals acceptance, commit to having him in Milwaukee moving forward, and if he doesn’t, trade him for the best package. Or they could just not offer the extension at all and trade him.
The business implications of that move aside, the main basketball argument that makes the most sense for moving on is Giannis’ increasingly worrisome injury history. However, that may drive down offers from rivals, and is it worth trading your franchise legend for 75 cents on the dollar coming off an injury-plagued season? Alternatively, with a new coach in place and the assets to upgrade around Giannis, taking some pressure off him could negate his injury woes somewhat while also returning the Bucks to the playoffs.
That’s what we’re looking at today: how could GM Jon Horst revamp the roster while keeping Giannis, who we’ll assume would extend if Horst made another Jrue Holiday/Damian Lillard-type splash? They appear ready to do something, with or without the big fella: Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints said yesterday that he expects the Bucks to be “one of the most aggressive teams” on the trade market, though in the context of a Giannis trade. He also stated that Ryan Rollins is the only player on the roster off the table.
It’s possible that they’re looking at win-now moves as well as rebuilding ones. Everyone and their uncle has written about the latter, but few are talking about the former. The reality is that the Bucks have every capability of being a buyer this offseason with what they have on hand.
The Bucks’ assets
Once again, Horst has a bevy of first-round picks available to trade, despite every pick from 2027–31 being property of other teams after trades for the aforementioned guards. He can currently only offer his 2031 and 2032 first-round picks, but after the Bucks make their first-round pick at 10 overall next week, he can trade that player plus his first- and second-rounders in 2033. So, once any trade can be made official involving any of their 2026 or 2033 picks, Milwaukee’s best package of draft assets is three first-round picks and a swap.
Many fans are loath to give up additional firsts to acquire another star-level talent that will convince Giannis to extend, as he did in 2020 and 2023. And while the Bucks have succeeded in finding young talent on two-way deals recently, since drafting Donte DiVincenzo at 17 in 2018 (definitely a hit), they’ve had just two first-rounders since at 23 and 24 overall, both misses. It’s harder to find talent in that range, so the prevailing sentiment seems to be to hold onto the 10th pick.
That spot doesn’t often bring in a difference maker, but in this loaded draft, it seems likely Milwaukee will end up with someone quite promising. We spent a few weeks conducting a community mock draft with the Bucks selecting Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg with their 10th overall pick… if that’s where they’ll draft. One rumor says Milwaukee is operating as if they’ll have three firsts next week. For now, let’s go with what they can offer on draft night: a maximum of three first-round picks—including whoever is selected at 10 on behalf of a trade partner—and one first-round pick swap.
Recall that Lillard was obtained for one first and two swaps in 2023, plus Holiday. Holiday cost Milwaukee three firsts and two swaps in 2020, plus Eric Bledsoe and George Hill. Each of those players was necessary to make the deals legal. Though Milwaukee has similar draft capital available now as they did six years ago, those players had plenty of value when traded: Holiday and Bledsoe were both coming off All-Defense selections, while Hill led the NBA in three-point percentage.
The Bucks’ main salary-matching pieces—Kyle Kuzma and Bobby Portis—don’t hold that same value, at least not on the floor. But their contracts could both expire next summer: Portis can opt out in a year and hit the open market the same time as Kuzma. That has a different sort of value; one that might help the Bucks acquire draft picks, as I’ll explain tomorrow.
But again, these are the questions: do the Bucks touch their draft stockpile again for another big-time roster upgrade, especially if they decide to keep Giannis? If they open the pick cupboard, how much are they comfortable giving up? Will it be enough to return to the postseason picture next year?
First, let’s level set. You might recall that Houston sent out the very same no. 10 pick in last year’s draft in the Kevin Durant trade. They also traded away Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, David Roddy, and five second-round picks. Durant was about to turn 37 and relatively healthy, so if you’re interested in Kawhi Leonard right now, I’d imagine the package would be similarly steep. Not to mention the Bucks would need to add AJ Green or Myles Turner alongside Kuzma and Portis to make the deal legal. Anyway, onto some better names…
Trey Murphy III
Here’s a longtime favorite of Bucks fans on trade machines. Reportedly, the Pelicans—who are without a first this year—are trying to acquire a lottery pick. And they have someone specific in mind who’s in the top-10 neighborhood. That should pique Milwaukee’s interest, because there’s a very real chance that whoever is selected 10th never becomes as good a player as Murphy, or the other players we’ll discuss.
New Orleans controls all of their future firsts, so they probably would prefer to trade future picks—and it may take a few—to get into this year’s lottery rather than trading from the roster. That means Horst might need to sweeten the pot. Kuzma’s expiring salary is enough to satiate trade rules, but is no. 10 enough for a sweet-shooting 26-year-old that averages 21 a game? If not, maybe swap rights on one of Milwaukee’s 2031–33 firsts does the trick.
Or perhaps New Orleans would like two picks in this year’s first round. I’ve written a bit about how Oklahoma City (who own no. 12 and 17) and Charlotte (no. 14 and 18) are who to call if Milwaukee wants to move down for multiple picks, and I’ve read OKC is interested in moving up. Sending no. 10 to the Thunder while the Bucks preserve their picks in 2031–33 and route two 2026 picks to the Pelicans might get a Murphy deal over the line. And get Giannis to sign on the dotted line in October.
Michael Porter Jr.
MPJ broke out last year in Brooklyn, and maybe his presence could also convince Giannis to extend. He was connected with several teams—never with the Bucks—around the deadline before the Nets decided to keep him. Now he’s on a $40.8m expiring contract, and could be eligible to extend with a team that acquires him after six months. Again, Portis plus Kuzma works, and saves Brooklyn $5.8m next year (not that they need it). But MPJ will likely have many suitors this offseason, and would the Nets, who have long had eyes for Giannis, want to do anything that keeps him a Buck? To convince them, I think no. 10 might be necessary, and hopefully not much more. They’d then have two top-10 picks on their roster next season.
Brandon Ingram, Lauri Markkanen, Franz Wagner
Packaging Kuzma and Portis would work as salary matching for Ingram, and if one of Trent/Harris/Prince opts in and is included, Markkanen. I imagine the latter would definitely require giving up a future first, though I don’t think either guy is worth no. 10. Plus, the on-court fit with Giannis isn’t as good. The only other player I’d group among the win-now acquisitions in this article is Wagner, but I don’t think Orlando is ready to call off their Wagner/Paolo Banchero frontcourt experiment yet, and Wagner played just 34 games last season.
Tomorrow, we’ll take a look at trades that won’t require the Bucks giving up picks, and would make at least some sense regardless of whether Giannis remains. But let’s close with a poll today to get your opinion on once again trading first-rounders. You can select multiple options, but obviously, don’t select any of the draft picks if you vote “none of the above.”
It didn’t help that the Frenchman had 32 points with eight rebounds, six assists and three blocks in the Knicks’ only loss of the series on the same night.
The fans then chanted the same “f–k Wemby” line during Game 4 at MSG.
“I guess,” Wembanyama said when asked if he’s being vilified by the Knicks fans. “I’m nowhere near Trae Young-level, though.”
Enormous crowds have already shown up for the parade celebrating the Knicks’ win, with viewing areas already full, per the NYPD.
Spurs star Victor Wembanyama during the NBA Finals. Charles Wenzelberg / New York PostGeneral view of New York Knicks fans before the parade. REUTERS
“It may well be the largest parade in New York City history,” Mayor Zohran Mamdani said.
Knicks fans have waited a long time to see their team parade through the Canyon of Heroes, but on Thursday that dream has become reality.
As fans flooded the streets of lower Manhattan — many arriving in the very early morning hours — let's take a look a some of the top moments as the Knicks and their fans soak in their NBA title.
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - JUNE 13: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks lifts the Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award trophy after defeating the San Antonio Spurs in Game Five of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center on June 13, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. 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
Today, New York City celebrates its champions, as the victory parade for the 2026 NBA champion Knicks will be held in Manhattan. It will be the culmination of a two-month long stretch of play, the likes of which New York has not seen from any of its teams in any of its sports in quite some time, as the squad steamrolled their way through the playoffs en route to their first championship since 1973. And just about everyone—from the longtime fans who have suffered through years of heartbreak and pain to the newbie fans joyfully jumping on the bandwagon—has been swept up in the mayhem of the Knicks and their unlikely march into the history books.
That includes many of us here at Amazin’ Avenue. Joe Sokolowski used the most recent This Week in Mets Quotes article to write a heartfelt treaty about experiencing the highs of this playoff run with his father. I first wrote about the Knicks when they were on the verge of clinching their way into the Finals and I didn’t really want to write an actual recap of another crappy Mets game. Then, prior to the beginning of the series against the Spurs, I wrote a more serious piece bemoaning the inability of the other blue and orange team we focus on around these parts to achieve the same kind of extended success that we’ve seen at Madison Square Garden over these past few years.
That latter article offered a somewhat more fatalistic outlook on how the success of the Knicks commented upon the failures (both new and old) of the Mets. And many of the feelings expressed therein are ones I still feel two weeks later. But now that the Knicks have finally reached the mountaintop, I think it’s only fair that I offer a culminating piece to this unofficial trilogy of mine—one that provides the more positive takeaway from all of this. Because if there’s one lesson I’ve learned from this Knicks run that I can take and apply to them, the Mets, and any other sports team that you or I may root for, it’s this: the pain and suffering is all worth it in the end.
I didn’t necessarily always know for sure if that statement would prove to be true. I speak as someone born in 1993, and I imagine my experiences mirror those of a lot of fans in my relative age range: those of us who were born too late to experience some of the great moments in our franchise’s histories, but also early enough that we have now spent decades of our lives waiting for our turn to finally know what it’s like to see our team win a championship. As a Mets/Jets/Knicks fan who has been consuming sports religiously for two decades now, the idea of actually seeing it happen has usually felt entirely unattainable, as the experience of rooting for my three primary teams was rooted almost solely in heartbreak. And when I allowed myself to dream about some distant future in which things actually broke our way for once, some part of me had to wonder: can the joy that I would experience in that hypothetical scenario actually make up for all the years I spent living with an entirely irrational level of stress and disappointment over the stumblings of these three teams?
Sure, I know the people who have actually gotten to see their squads win it all—including fans who are older than me and were around to see the 1969/1986 Mets, the 1970s Knicks, the 1968 Jets—would tell me that it would be worth it, but that was their experience; that doesn’t necessarily mean it would be mine. And of course, I would also think about the Red Sox and Cubs fans who lived full lives hoping that they would one day get to see their respective franchises’ curses lifted, the ones who died before seeing that dream realized. Some part of me had to wonder if I was destined to suffer a similar fate—not just for one of my teams, but for all three of them.
Well, the jury’s still out on the Mets and Jets, but as of June 13, 2026, I can now say that I have seen one of my teams win a championship. And I can now say that it was worth it. But I don’t really think that suffices. I think it’s important to really reflect on why it was worth it—because I think the specific reasons are different than what I might have imagined they would be when I first started watching sports as a 12-year-old boy and in the years to follow.
Like many, most of my sports fandoms were originally rooted in the people around me—my grandmother instilled my love for the Mets, and my father cursed me with Jets fandom (incidentally, the Knicks are the one team for whom I didn’t really have that initial outside influence, but I certainly wasn’t going to root for the Nets when their games aired on the same network as the goddamn Yankees). Still, for a large portion of my life, these fandoms were largely an isolated experience, something that offered small and brief periods of comfort while dealing with the deepest throes of depression and isolation. We don’t need to linger too much on these dark years—this is supposed to be a celebratory piece, after all—but suffice to say that during these times, there wasn’t a whole lot to look forward to, and not many people to share victories and (mostly) defeats with. The dream of a championship from one of my teams offered a small but meaningful reason to keep going, to keep struggling through the rough times. It was a dream destination that made the trials and tribulations of the journey just a little bit more bearable.
Over time, this changed—thanks in no small part to this very site and its community. I met the woman who would become my wife while we were both anonymous posters in the comments section (and subsequently got to indoctrinate her into Knicks fandom). I made several other friends from this site and through my participation on it who would form such a large basis of my consumption of sports. I no longer lived and died by these moments alone—now I got to share the joys and sorrows with others. And that did fundamentally change my relationship with sports, and all for the better.
And lord, there has been so much of that shared joy over these past few months—and not just with my friends and family. Living in Washington DC, I have spent most of this Knicks playoff run outside of the city in which the magic was happening. While there were obvious drawbacks to that, there was also the advantage of coming upon other Knicks fans in foreign waters and having those brief moments of recognition and acknowledgement of these fellow travelers. A large group of Knicks fans congregated in a bar in Arlington, Virginia during these playoff games, with the number of attendees rising higher and higher as the playoff run deepened until both the inner and outer areas of the establishment were filled wall-to-wall in a sea of orange and blue. All of these expatriates—people whose lineage hail from the greater New York area, whose lives have brought them to an entirely different area of the country but who still represent their roots through their fandoms—came together and experienced the thrills of a Knicks championship run with the only people in our corner of the world who could truly understand what it meant. My wife and I got to see some of the most memorable highlights of the playoff run in this setting—from the Eastern Conference Finals clincher to the dramatic Game 4 comeback against the Spurs, culminated by a tip-in basket by OG Anunoby which will live right up with the Buckner error in the pantheon of all-time great New York sports moments.
But still, nothing could quite compare to experiencing the joy of Knicks mania in New York City itself—something my wife and I did get to experience this past Saturday, the day the 53-year drought officially ended. We journeyed throughout Queens early in the day in our Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart jerseys and screamed “KNICKS IN 5” at virtually every single one of the dozens upon dozens of people who were also geared up in Knicks attire. And then there was the game itself, which we watched at Fifth Hammer Brewing Company in Long Island City amidst a massive crowd of fellow fans. Like every single game in the Finals, it was a tense affair in which the Knicks spent most of the game down by a lot and needed to fight tooth and nail to come back. But when the final whistle sounded and it was all over? Utter pandemonium ensued. The loudest cheers I’ve ever heard in my life. Some people cried. Some people hugged. Some people took their shirts off. Some people did a combination of all three. I mostly just stood there with my arms held up and a huge, stupid smile on my face, not quite able to believe that it had actually happened after all these years.
And later on, when we finally left to begin making the trek home, it was clear that the celebration was just getting started. Cars were honking. People in the streets were screaming and dancing. I took a selfie with a complete stranger. And when we entered the subway to head to Grand Central, the entire car was shaking with people cheering and banging the walls. The jubilation continued throughout our entire journey home, and it really hasn’t stopped in the days since then.
All of these moments—and countless more I don’t have the time or space to describe—were what made the wait worth it to me. It wasn’t necessarily just the vague sense of accomplishment one illogically feels when their team wins through no effort of one’s own—though that was there, of course. It was those communal moments of joy and connection, both with the people I already know and love and with the people I had never met before and probably will never meet again. It was the shared humanity that we all experienced, the feeling of being really and truly alive. Those kinds of moments are all too rare in life, and sports are one of the few things that are capable of giving them to us—particularly when the collective angst of a city is relieved through the end of a drought that many thought would live on forever. Mayor Zohran Mamdani perhaps put it best: “Oftentimes this kind of unity comes in moments of tragedy. And to see it coming now in a moment of joy, it’s something I’ve never seen before across our city.”
Right around now, someone reading this probably feels the need to remind me that, sir, this is a Mets website. And look: As meaningful as this Knicks championship was, and as much as I would love to one day see the Jets get there as well, the Mets have always been and will always be the team for whom I have the biggest emotional attachment. They are the Alpha and the Omega, and a prospective championship from them is my great white whale. New York City may never react as strongly to a sports victory as they did to this Knicks victory, but as for me, the Mets winning it all and ending their own lengthy title drought would give me a satisfaction that would know no equal. As fun as it was to convert my wife to Knicks fandom and experience their achievement with her, it would pale in comparison to being able to jointly celebrate a World Series victory for the team whose existence is the very reason we found each other.
And yet, there is still likely to be a journey of struggle and sadness to get to that point. There still exists the possibility that we may never get there. And many may still wonder if the wait will ever be worth that. But I personally will not wonder that anymore—because the Knicks showed me that it is. Whether you are just as big a Knicks fan as I am, an innocent bystander, or anything in between, hopefully you were able to examine what this team was able to accomplish for this city, and hopefully you came to the same conclusion that I did.
COVERS INTEL:
