Jun 21, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers relief pitcher Jakob Junis (16) and catcher Kyle Higashioka (11) celebrates the win against the San Diego Padres at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Good morning.
Shawn McFarland writes about what we learned about the Texas Rangers over the last week which is that they continue to be unable to beat bad teams while holding up well against good teams.
MLB dot com’s John Henry writes about Wyatt Langford heating up after a forgettable first couple of months to the season.
McFarland writes that a healthy and productive Langford changes the dynamic for the Rangers and their oftentimes threatless lineup.
Jeff Wilson writes that the Rangers made it nearly half a season before a starting pitcher hit the IL, with an injury from late April finally doing Jack Leiter in.
McFarland notes that Corey Seager is making progress on a potential return from landing on the concussion injured list, but the Rangers still don’t know when he’ll play.
Jim Bowden calls Jake Burger a potential under-the-radar trade target with the trade deadline around a month away.
And, yesterday was Father’s Day so McFarland was tasked with writing about the fact that Skip Schumaker reproduced.
CHICAGO, IL - MAY 10: Brayden Burries and Koa Peat pose for a portrait during the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery on May 10, 2026 at Navy Pier in Chicago, Illinois. 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 Chris Schwegler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The wait is almost over for former Arizona star freshmen Brayden Burries and Koa Peat. After leading the Wildcats to their first Final Four in 25 years, the duo are less than 48 hours away from achieving their dreams of joining the NBA.
The 2026 NBA Draft takes place in New York City this week, with the first round being held on Tuesday and the second round on Wednesday. Burries and Peat are both locks to hear their names called. Three more Wildcats from this year’s team could be taken in the second round: Jaden Bradley, Tobe Awaka and Anthony Dell’Orso.
Burries, a projected lottery pick, could be one of the first dozen players taken on Tuesday, while Peat is slated to go as a mid-to-late first rounder. Here’s where the final NBA mock drafts have Burries and Peat going. Some mocks also include Bradley and Awaka.
Summaries of mock selections are italicized where provided.
Burries has drawn a good amount of interest inside the top 10 but has not scheduled many workouts, appearing comfortable with his potential landing spots, including the Clippers, Hawks, Mavericks and Warriors. His predraft process has largely been under the radar. Any of those teams would give him an opportunity to contribute in a role in a competitive context right away.
The Mavericks are another team that appears open to moving back in the draft and have cast a wide net with first-round workouts, with Masai Ujiri taking over in May, and Dallas keeping its options open as it builds around Cooper Flagg.
Peat: No. 26 to the Nuggets
After opting to stay in the draft rather than return to Arizona, Peat seems to be trending toward the 20s, with teams continuing to express concern about his jump shot. His physicality and defensive versatility might appeal to a team like Denver, which has been able to creatively fit different skill sets around Nikola Jokic and needs to get more athletic along the frontline.
The Nuggets should be taking a best-available approach as they work to improve their depth. They are working with cap constraints as Peyton Watson hits restricted free agency, a situation that could lead to Denver moving a veteran player to enable added flexibility.
There’s not much new information out of Dallas since my previous mock draft. The Mavericks continue to conjure a lot of speculation among sources. They’ve explored trading this selection and are considering several different players and positions, from lead guards like Flemings, Wagler, Brown, Acuff and Christian Anderson to Ament to Yaxel Lendeborg.
Burries is the name I hear the most with Dallas, though, with sources around the lottery trying to determine why he’s not working out in as many places as you’d expect. There’s a lot of enthusiasm for Burries among teams who want to try to win next season, as he’s seen as a tough guard who can dribble, pass and shoot who will also defend at a high level with physicality.
Peat: No. 22 to the 76ers
Sources around the league are still trying to figure out what new head of basketball operations Mike Gansey’s type will be. So this pick might just be me wish-casting, but I can’t imagine a better fit for both Peat and an organization. With Joel Embiid playing more consistently on the perimeter, Peat could use his athleticism and strength to crash along the baseline and make smart plays while also providing tough defensive energy. The 76ers desperately need a four with some power to his game, and Peat brings that in a big way.
I have Peat higher than this on my personal board, but sources across the league are unsure where he slots into the class. His range seems to be quite wide, starting somewhere post-lottery and stretching into the back half of the first round.
Burries has not scheduled many workouts, and it appears his range starts with the Clippers with the fifth pick, as I reported a few weeks ago, and ends with the Warriors at the 11th pick. Burries drops smack in the middle of that range in this mock with Atlanta. Burries arrived at Arizona as a top-10 recruit, started slow, and then erupted once conference play began, helping lead his team to the Final Four. He’s a physical, versatile scorer who can beat you from all three levels, rebounds like a forward, and competes hard on defense. But he’s a methodical creator rather than an explosive one, and his shooting history before Arizona gives scouts reason to wonder whether the efficiency is real or a blip.
Peat: No. 24 to the Knicks
Congratulations to Knicks fans for winning the championship! Mitchell Robinson grabbed a clutch offensive rebound in the closing moments of the game, but he’s a free agent this offseason so the Knicks may need to replace him. Peat’s bloodline is so loaded with offensive linemen that it’s almost funny he ended up playing basketball. His father played nine NFL seasons. His uncle was a Pro Bowl tackle. Two brothers played college ball on the line. And you can absolutely see it in how he plays: powerful, physical, relentless, and it genuinely takes something special to stop him from getting to where he wants to go. He opened the season with a 30-point game against defending champion Florida and backed it up as one of Arizona’s best players all year on its way to the Final Four. Since Peat can’t shoot yet, it’ll be important that he’s paired with a floor-spacing center like Karl-Anthony Towns. Or he could serve as a small-ball center in switchable lineups. So even though Peat entered the year with top-10 hopes, it might be a blessing in disguise for him to fall to the end of the first round.
Bradley: No. 45 to the Kings
Bradley is a combo guard with a strong frame, a calm demeanor, and a knack for clutch moments. After arriving in college as a McDonald’s All-American, he lost his starting spot as a freshman at Alabama then transferred to Arizona, where he got better every year and became the team’s trusted leader. As a senior, he won Big 12 Player of the Year, Big 12 Tournament MVP, and led the Wildcats to their first Final Four since 2001. There are questions about whether he can be a lead guard at the next level, but his connective passing, improved shooting, and gritty defense all give him the potential to play big minutes.
Awaka: No. 51 to the Wizards
Awaka was college basketball’s best rebounder and helped energize Arizona’s bully-ball style over the past two years. At 6-8 with a brickhouse frame and an unrelenting style of play, he set a tone off the bench and earned Big 12 Sixth Man of the Year. The problem is everything else. He doesn’t shoot. He doesn’t pass. And he doesn’t have a clearly defined position on defense. The team that drafts him is betting it can find enough of a defensive role to keep that elite rebounding and relentless motor on the floor.
There are reports that Burries is trying to land in Dallas to play next to Cooper Flagg. I like the vision even if I’m a bit skeptical Burries has the shot-creation upside to eventually be a star. The Arizona guard is a well-rounded player who defends and rebounds better than your average two-guard, and he’s a really good three-point shooter. Flagg would have to stay in more of a shot-creator role if Burries is the pick, but maybe that’s what Dallas wants. I personally wouldn’t have him as the best player available in this scenario, but Burries’ lack of a glaring weakness makes him a malleable guard who should be able to hang in the playoffs. It’s easy to understand the appeal of that with the No. 9 pick.
Peat: No. 26 to the Nuggets
Peat had the toughest decision of the withdrawal deadline to make, but I actually think he made the right choice by staying in the draft. His money surely would have been bigger at Arizona for a hypothetical sophomore season, but he risked falling off the NBA radar completely if he didn’t improve in important areas. There should still be room for him at the end of the first round with much of the depth in this class getting drained by NIL dollars. His intersection of weight, passing, and offensive rebounding will be interesting even if his shot is completely busted right now.
There’s a growing belief that this could be a scenario that both Burries and Dallas would be excited about, and even some speculation that’s why Burries is not working out for more teams. He is a strong and aggressive two-way guard who can get downhill with force, provide a formidable three-point shooter, and defend his position, all with an NBA ready frame, all of which would make him a nice complement to Cooper Flagg for the foreseeable future.
Peat: No. 22 to the 76ers
Peat is higher than this on the CBS Big Board, but his glaring lack of shooting is going to require a specific fit. The Sixers lack a long-term solution at the four, can get their floor-spacing from Embiid’s face-up skill set, and could benefit from Peat’s strength, physicality, intangibles, winning pedigree, and ability to get downhill.
Bradley: No. 48 to the Mavericks
The Big 12 Player of the Year is a downhill force, quality defender, and improved shooter. This could also reunite him with his former Arizona backcourt mate Brayden Burries.
One of the Chicago Blackhawks' top needs this off-season should be to add another left-shot defenseman to their roster. It is clear that the left side of their blueline could use a boost as they look to take a step forward in 2026-27.
When looking at this year's pending unrestricted free agents (UFAs), Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Ryan Shea stands out as an interesting potential option for the Blackhawks to consider.
Shea just had a big breakout year for the Penguins in 2025-26, posting new career highs with six goals, 25 assists, 35 points, and a plus-30 rating in 80 games. With numbers like these, he would have the potential to be a nice pickup for a Blackhawks club that needs help on its blueline.
Besides seeing a surge with his offense this season, Shea's steady defensive play also led to him receiving time on the Penguins' penalty kill. He could hold a similar role with the Blackhawks if signed as well.
Overall, with the Blackhawks needing some help on their blueline, it could make sense for them bring in Shea. He would give them an upgrade on their bottom pairing at a minimum, but he also could move up to to their top four if needed.
Aaron Wiggins was traded for two second round picks as the Thunder look to cut costs.
The Oklahoma City Thunder’s offseason is already off and running.
After being eliminated by the Spurs in seven games in the Western Conference finals, Thunder general manager Sam Presti wasted no time getting his team in order and began retooling the roster when he traded bench player Aaron Wiggins to the Hawks for two second-round picks on Sunday, per multiple reports.
The second-round picks will be executed in 2030 with the Hawks’ pick, and the least favorable of the two will be executed in 2032.
Aaron Wiggins was traded for two second round picks as the Thunder look to cut costs. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Wiggins is currently playing on a very team-friendly contract where he will be paid $9.2 million this season, $8.3 million in 2027-2028, and has an $8.3 million team option for the following year.
The compensation, while small for a young guard under that team-friendly deal, saves the Thunder $61 million as their luxury tax penalty drops from $213 million to $152 million.
It is certainly possible that the Thunder are accumulating assets to make a bigger splash in Tuesday’s NBA Draft.
Wiggins was mostly buried on the Thunder bench, playing in just 5.8 minutes per game during the Thunder’s playoff run this year, the lowest of his career after being a steady contributor in years prior.
He averaged 21.8 minutes per game during the regular season, averaging 9.4 points, and was a defensive menace on the ball, forcing nearly a steal per game.
Sam Presti is among the sharpest general managers in the NBA. NBAE via Getty Images
Wiggins’ .9 steals per game and .4 bolocks per game were both career highs during the regular season.
The Thunder surely had no problem arming a team in the Eastern Conference with some more firepower to compete with the Knicks after their NBA Finals run.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JUNE 20: Jarren Duran #16 of the Boston Red Sox celebrates with Andruw Monasterio #32 after the game against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on June 20, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Jack Compton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
6 runs in 3 games! That’s all the Red Sox pitching staff surrendered over the weekend, as the Sox bounced back from a grim homestand to take a late-night west coast series. Granted, the Mariners are no one’s idea of an offensive juggernaut, and T-Mobile is no one’s idea of a lyric little bandbox. But that pitching wasn’t a mirage. The 2026 Red Sox genuinely do have a championship-level starting staff.
And, unfortunately, that’s what makes this upcoming trade deadline so tricky. . .
When looking ahead to the forthcoming trading frenzy, I believe in two things resolutely:
(1) The Red Sox should not remotely consider giving up any assets in any kind of “win now,” move. Yes, the American League is so bad that Cape Verde would be a Wild Card contender this year. And, yes, the Red Sox have the 6th-best run-differential in the league, indicating that they have the true talent-level of a playoff contender. But this roster is so poorly constructed that any kind of late playoff run would only distract from the real work that needs to be done to rebuild the roster and turn the team into a genuine contender. They are legitimately running out quad-A lineups on a nightly basis, and that’s not going to be easy to fix.
However…
(2) The Red Sox should plan and aim to be a genuine contender as soon as next season. When you have a pitching staff this good, you simply cannot let that go to waste.
And there’s the rub vis-a-vis the deadline. It’s easy enough to sell-off big league assets for far-away prospects. And it’s easy enough to sell-off prospects for win-now relievers. But the Red Sox need to do something a little more delicate: they need to sell-off pieces of their team who won’t be contributors in 2027 for players who will be.
This is not going to be easy, and I don’t trust Craig Breslow to pull it off. But that’s the challenge ahead.
Use this space to talk about whatever you want, be good to one another, and go Sox.
Bucks co-owner Jimmy Haslam said last month that he wanted to have the situation with the two-time league MVP settled before the June 23 draft. "Because if Giannis does play somewhere else, we've got to have a lot of assets. That's Jon's (GM Jon Horst) job to do. And if he's here, then you build the team differently," Haslam told reporters May 6.
The Bucks grasp the magnitude of moving the greatest player in franchise history, one who ranks first in points (21,531), rebounds (8,882), assists (4,484), blocks (1,088), triple-doubles (56) and games played (895). So the price to land him isn't going to be cheap.
With the clock ticking, a deal would have to come together pretty quickly.
ESPN insider Shams Charania was on "The Pat McAfee Show" to weigh in deeper on the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade rumors.
"Bucks executives are literally right now in their offices figuring out which direction they're going to go," Charania said. "Because there are two offers right now that it's come down to at a serious and significant level.
"That's the Celtics offer, led by Jaylen Brown, who is a superstar, there's other additional pieces of that deal. Or an offer from the Miami Heat that consists of several players – players that you have control over on rookie-scale contracts, guys you can extend at a reasonable number and a surplus of draft capital."
"The Bucks are trying to navigate internally, which direction do we go?"@ShamsCharania expects Milwaukee to trade Giannis "as soon as today." 👀
Miami’s offer is pretty clear-cut: Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware and other younger players combined with draft assets that include the No. 13 overall selection in this year’s draft. The Heat have been the most active and consistent team in Antetokounmpo talks, going back to the February trading deadline, if not years earlier.
Celtics or Heat? Heat or Celtics? According to NBA insider Jake Fischer, "a split faction of Milwaukee’s decision makers, sources say, is deciding between Boston’s package for Giannis Antetokounmpo built around Jaylen Brown" or "Miami’s offer of younger pieces — featuring Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez — and multiple first-round picks." The established MVP candidate versus greater overall value is what this whole saga has boiled down to one day before the NBA Draft."
ESPN insider Shams Charania said on "Get Up" on Monday morning that Giannis Antetokounmpo is expected to be traded before Tuesday's NBA draft.
"Sources tell me a trade and a resolution is coming for the Milwaukee Bucks with Giannis Antetokounmpo before the NBA draft on Tuesday night," Charania said. "The Bucks are in serious conversations with two finalists: the Miami Heat and the Boston Celtics. Both teams are Giannis' preferred trade destinations, but both of these packages are different deals. The variance of these deals is dramatic."
ESPN's Brian Windhorst reports that even if the Celtics don't trade Jaylen Brown in a deal to get Giannis Antetokounmpo, they still might move him.
"I think the Celtics have taken a hard look in the mirror and they have decided, 'We weren't going to beat the Knicks,'" Windhorst said on "Get Up" on Monday morning.
Windhorst continued: "I am now speculating that if Jaylen Brown doesn’t get traded for Giannis, they may trade him somewhere else. So that is one of the things that has emerged. Now, Miami understands that Jaylen Brown is in there.; they can’t match that. Miami in recent days has gone out to try and recruit third and fourth teams to improve their offer."
The Heat know that Jaylen Brown is on the table, and are searching for 3rd and 4th teams to get involved to improve their offer for Giannis, per @WindhorstESPN
NBA insider Marc Stein reported overnight that the Boston Celtics could offer the Bucks a package headlined by five-time All-Star forward Jaylen Brown.
UPDATE: One league source, after my story published, told @TheSteinLine that the Celtics emerged from the weekend “with a real shot” to win this race with a Jaylen Brown-centric offer … adding that Milwaukee has considered going ahead even without a third-team facilitator. https://t.co/aaeQ1agUKX
However, sources reportedly told The Stein Line's Jake Fischer earlier this month that the Warriors have not factored into any recent trade talks for Antetokounmpo.
Could Timberwolves be a stealth candidate?
ESPN's Ramona Shelburne agreed with the overall leaguewide consensus that the Heat and Celtics are among the most likely destinations for Antetokounmpo. However, she floated another dark horse team into the mix: the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Shelburne highlighted a potential pairing with guard Anthony Edwards, "who's been successful in the playoffs, but has not gotten over that hump. You're on the clock with a superstar of that caliber in his 20s."
The Heat, Celtics, and Timberwolves are in a 3 team race for Giannis, per @ramonashelburne
"Right now it's really 3 teams you hear most about. The Boston Celtics, Minnesota Timberwolves, Miami Heat.... For Boston, it would be the best player they could give Jayson Tatum to play… pic.twitter.com/PbxOYZd9rg
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - JUNE 19: Dillon Dingler #13 and Tarik Skubal #29 of the Detroit Tigers high five against the Chicago White Sox at Comerica Park on June 19, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After a promising start to the three-game set at home, the Yankees are coming off of a disappointing couple of games against the Reds. The last two days saw the Bombers plate just three runs in total, while giving up double digits on Saturday. But, they are right back on the horse, as they hit the road for a trio of contests in Detroit. The Tigers have had their flaws in 2026, but the Yanks will see the best of their pitching, likely having their hands full without the “A” lineup.
The Tigers have struggled mightily for much of the season, though they are on high note at the moment, coming off of a sweep of a better-than-expected White Sox squad at home. Despite that, they still have a 7.5-game deficit in the AL Central (trailing all but the Royals), and remain five games out of a Wild Card spot. The Cats will be fighting for everything the rest of the way if they want to return to the postseason — or at least make the case to ownership that nonpareil ace Tarik Skubal shouldn’t yet be traded ahead of free agency.
They’re currently missing two All-Stars from their 2026 club, Javier Báez and old friend Gleyber Torres, who are both on the IL. But rookie shortstop Kevin McGonigle is back on track in June with an .894 OPS following a bumpy second month in the big leagues. Riley Greene and Dillon Dingler are building their own cases for the Midsummer Classic, too. Detroit can absolutely punch a team in the nose, so the Yankees must be on their guard in enemy territory.
Monday: Gerrit Cole vs. Framber Valdez (6:10 pm ET)
After a red-hot start to his return from the injured list, Gerrit Cole has settled into a nice groove, and will be making his sixth start of the season to kick off this series. Since his return, the veteran has completed five innings in all but one of his outings, and the same rang true in his most recent start. On Tuesday against the White Sox, Cole struck out six in as many innings, while allowing a pair of runs. While he’s been very good on the whole, he’ll look for a classic Cole gem to start the week off right.
In the first season of a nine-figure deal, erstwhile Houston standout Framber Valdez has not quite had the start he or the Tigers likely hoped for. Despite ERA and FIP numbers that would be his worst since becoming a full-time starter, the lefty is coming off one of his better outings of the year. Against his old team last week, Valdez allowed just a single unearned run, while striking out six in a half-dozen innings. He last faced the Yankees in September of last year, when he allowed six runs and a pair of homers in five innings of work.
Tuesday: Carlos Rodón vs. Casey Mize (6:40 pm ET)
Following a strong start to his return from injury, Carlos Rodón has stuttered a bit in his more recent outings. Across his last two starts, the veteran lefty has allowed six earned runs in 11 innings against the Guardians and White Sox. The K’s are still there, as he notched seven in each of those starts, but he’ll look to limit hard contact to a greater degree in Detroit on Tuesday niht.
In his age-29 season, the Tigers are seeing the very best of their former number one overall pick in 2026. In what has been an undisputable career-year to this point, Casey Mize is boasting a 2.58 ERA and 2.66 FIP in 52.1 innings of work this year. After missing the first couple weeks of June, however, the 2025 All-Star struggled in his return, when he allowed three runs on six hits over 4.2 innings last week against the Astros. The righty should be back in full health now, however, and is sure to give the Yankees plenty of work to do come Tuesday.
Wednesday: Ryan Weathers vs. Tarik Skubal (6:40 pm ET)
The series finale finds Ryan Weathers taking the bump for New York. In what will be his 15th start of 2026, the 26-year-old will look to build on his bounce-back effort against Chicago last week, when he struck out eight across 6.1 innings of one-run ball. Prior to that, Weathers had allowed at least five earned runs in four of his previous five starts. He has also allowed eight home runs over his last four outings, a habit he’d certainly like to buck for the end of this series.
This three-game set wraps up with a lefty-lefty matchup, as the Tigers are set to send Skubal to the mound on Wednesday. At his best, the reigning two-time Cy Young Award winner is perhaps the best pitcher in the game, though he hasn’t quite been himself since returning from the IL on June 13th. He’s allowed five earned runs over his last two starts (10.1 IP), but that is also coming fresh off of a month-and-a-half layoff — and a groundbreaking elbow surgery that saw a pretty quick comeback from the ace despite the removal of loose bodies (well, body). His talent is nearly unmatched around the league, and he will undoubtedly present a challenge for the Yankees bats to close out the series.
Jun 20, 2026; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Milwaukee Brewers shortstop Cooper Pratt (12) singles against the Atlanta Braves during the seventh inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
Welcome to week 13 of our 2026 NL Central Power Rankings — let’s rank some teams!
1. Milwaukee Brewers (46-29); 3-3 this week; 95.6% chance to make postseason (FanGraphs)
The Brewers played .500 baseball this week, taking two of three against the Guardians in Milwaukee before dropping two of three in Atlanta over the weekend.
William Contreras led the offense with seven hits this week, including a four-hit day on Sunday. For the week, he batted .350/.435/.500. Cooper Pratt also had a nice start to his MLB career, going 7-for-19 with three steals as he has a five-game hit streak through just six games played. Christian Yelich, Brice Turang, Garrett Mitchell, and Jackson Chourio all homered.
Robert Gasser led the pitching staff with 12 strikeouts over 11 2/3 innings in his two starts this week, allowing two runs (1.54 ERA). Chad Patrick picked up a save and a win in two appearances to bounce back from a rough week, while Jacob Misiorowski and Kyle Harrison both turned in quality starts, though the Crew had no wins to show for it. Trevor Megill, Drew Rom, and Craig Yoho all had scoreless weeks for the bullpen.
The Crew is now headed to Cincinnati for three games with the Reds before an off day on Thursday. They’ll then return home to host the Cubs for the weekend.
2. St. Louis Cardinals (41-34); 3-3 this week; 47.2% chance to make postseason
The Cardinals took two of three at home against the Padres before dropping two of three to the Royals over the weekend for a 3-3 week.
JJ Wetherholt led the offense with 10 hits this week, including a pair of homers and a double. Masyn Winn also had 10 hits, including a homer and two doubles. Alec Burleson and Lars Nootbaar each added seven hits, and Jordan Walker picked up six hits, with Iván Herrera adding the only other homer for the Redbirds.
Dustin May made a pair of strats, and they could not have been more different. He tossed a complete-game shutout against the Padres on Monday, allowing just one hit and one walk while striking out nine, but he was roughed up for six runs in just two-plus innings in Sunday’s series finale against the Royals, though his offense backed him to pull out the win. Andre Pallante went seven quality innings with two runs allowed and six strikeouts, while Ryne Stanek and Matt Svanson both had scoreless weeks for the bullpen.
St. Louis doesn’t have to travel far from Kansas City, as they’ll now play host to the D-backs and Marlins this week.
3. Pittsburgh Pirates (39-39); 3-3 this week; 37.9% chance to make postseason
The Pirates took two of three in Sacramento against the A’s but dropped two of three against the Rockies in Denver this weekend for a .500 week.
Bryan Reynolds turned in a huge week offensively, leading the team with 11 hits, including three homers and two doubles, driving in nine. Six other players added a homer apiece, including Spencer Horwitz, Brandon Lowe, and Ryan O’Hearn, who tied with Jake Mangum for second on the team with seven hits each.
Mitch Keller had a bit of an odd line in his appearance, as five runs scored over 5 1/3 innings, but just one of those was earned. He also struck out seven. Paul Skenes took the loss but had a quality start, allowing two runs over six innings with eight strikeouts. Braxton Ashcraft and Bubba Chandler also had quality starts, while Yohan Ramírez led the bullpen with four scoreless innings over three appearances.
After an off day on Monday, Pittsburgh will host the Mariners and Reds over the next week.
4. Chicago Cubs (40-37); 3-2 this week; 45.8% chance to make postseason
The Cubs took two of three against the Rockies at home before splitting two games with the Blue Jays, with Sunday’s series finale rained out and rescheduled for early August.
Pete Crow-Armstrong went off with four homers as part of an 11-hit week, including hitting for the cycle. Carson Kelly went 4-for-8 in limited chances, adding a homer and seven RBIs. Matt Shaw and Dansby Swanson also homered, while Ian Happ added six hits and Seiya Suzuki added eight, including three doubles.
Ben Brown went six innings with two runs allowed and four strikeouts, and Shota Imanaga and Javier Assad also turned in solid starts, going 5 2/3 innings with Imanaga allowing one run and Assad allowing two. Colin Rea went 5 1/3 scoreless innings in his start, and Ryan Rolison, Daniel Palencia, Hoby Milner, Phil Maton, and Gavin Hollowell combined for 8 2/3 scoreless innings for the bullpen.
The Cubs now head back on the road to face the Mets for four games before a visit to the Brewers over the weekend.
5. Cincinnati Reds (37-39); 4-2 this week; 7.6% chance to make postseason
The Reds had a nice week after a disappointing stretch, as they took two of three against the Mets at home before winning two of three against the Yankees in the Bronx over the weekend.
Spencer Steer and Eugenio Suárez each had two homers this week, while JJ Bleday, Tyler Stephenson, and Sal Stewart added a homer each. Stewart drove in a whopping 11 runs this week as part of a seven-hit week, including three doubles. Blake Dunn led the Reds with eight hits, and Edwin Arroyo added six hits.
Brady Singer turned in a solid five-inning outing with one run allowed and five strikeouts, while Chase Burns got a pair of wins, totaling 10 innings with just one run allowed and 14 strikeouts. Andrew Abbott also picked up the win, going five innings with one run allowed and six strikeouts. Tony Santillan went 2-for-2 in save opportunities with no runs allowed over three innings, and Chase Petty, Caleb Ferguson, and Tejay Antone combined for 9 2/3 scoreless innings for the bullpen.
Cincinnati now plays host to the Brewers for three games before an off day on Thursday. They’ll then take a road trip that begins in Pittsburgh for three games over the weekend.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JUNE 21: Juan Soto #22 of the New York Mets looks on during the game between the New York Mets and the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on Sunday, June 21, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Meet the Mets
Loser! You’re a loser! Are you feeling sorry for yourself? Well, you should be, cause you’re dirt! You make me sick! You big baby! Baby want a bottle? A big dirt bottle?
Bryce Elder’s ERA went up 56 points in one game as he gave up eight runs in his second inning of work to the Milwaukee Brewers in the Braves’ weekend-ending 9-4 loss.
Teoscar Hernandez is starting his rehab assignment tomorrow and it wouldn’t be out of the question for him to return to the big league Dodgers lineup by the end of the month.
This Date in Mets History
On this date in 1987, Tom Seaver abandoned his comeback attempt and retired as a member of the New York Mets.
We continue our series on possible areas where the Astros could add at the deadline. As a reminder, I am not recommending any addition at this point. This is more devil’s advocate. The Astros have been playing better of late and the race in the AL West is tightening. So, there will be more pressure to try to make that one key addition to get the team over the top. The problem is that there is probably only room for one addition given their proximity to the tax threshold and depleted minor league farm system.
Last Friday, we looked at the starting pitcher market. However, more important than the market itself is the expressed need for additions in that area. We can’t put the cart before the horse. We have to first look at the current roster and establish a need. Certainly you want to get good players to add to your roster, but it is that much better if those good players can actually be in a position of need. The question for Dana Brown and the Astros is which of those positions is the most acute need.
Anyone that has watched the offense knows that it is improved overall based on what we saw in 2025. However, Brown kept talking about adding to outfield offense all season in addition to adding left handed bats in general. Obviously, he failed to do that in general. So, you could really make a compelling argument that an outfielder is the most pressing need.
AVG
OBP
SLG
OPS
BPO
LF
.199
.281
.367
.648
.610
CF
.231
.291
.348
.639
.580
RF
.239
.319
.380
.699
.695
Total
.224
.298
.365
.663
.628
These are all standard numbers except for bases per out. As we saw earlier in the year, the league average for bases per out is .663. That is an entire league average, so it actually is worse than it appears. That league average includes catchers, shortstops, and second basemen who typically bring that overall average. In particular, when you look at the corner outfield positions, first base, and third base the league average is closer to .700.
The league average slash line at all positions is .243/.320/.400. So, when we compare the overall outfield production across the board we notice that the average hitter is considerably better than all of the Astros outfielders. If you take Yordan Alvarez out of the equation it gets particularly anemic. When you remove Alvarez from the totals, this is the worst Astros outfield offensively in franchise history. That is particularly true when you compare them with the league average.
So, when we look at the landscape, there are a number of outfielders that spotrac.com have listed as being available in trade. Again, I’m not necessarily advocating any of these and I have no idea whether the Astros are interested or not. We will look at two sets of numbers. We will look at the current slash statistics (AVG/OBP/SLG) and the Statcast estimates of where the player should be based on the level of contact (xAVG/xOBP/xSLG).
Jarren Durran
AVG
OBP
SLG
xAVG
xOBP
xSLG
2026
.210
.269
.388
.229
.288
.390
This is what we would call a buy low candidate. Durran was long rumored to be coming to Houston for Isaac Paredes but the deal never quite worked out. I’d have to imagine that some reasonable version of the deal is still on the table. The upside is clear on him as he was a nine win player just a couple of years ago. A large part of that comes on the defensive end. He is a Gold Glove level defender in both center field and left field, so the Astros could continue to play Cam Smith in right field and have at least two Gold Glove level defenders there. The bad news is that he might not be an offensive upgrade.
Byron Buxton
AVG
OBP
SLG
xAVG
xOBP
xSLG
2026
.273
.334
.588
.247
.308
.516
When you look at the Statcast numbers it feels like you are looking at Christian Walker. So, imagine adding a Walker level bat to a lineup that already features Alvarez and Walker. Of course, he is about the best asset the Twins have, so they will make you pay dearly for him. Assuming he can stay healthy he might be the best impact bat on the trade market. Like most of these guys, he is ready for free agency, so it would be a pure rental.
Bryan Reynolds
AVG
OBP
SLG
xAVG
xOBP
xSLG
2026
.285
.402
.474
.265
.382
.457
I’m down with OBP (yeah you know me), I’m down with OBP (yeah you know me). I’ve been a Reynolds fan for awhile, but there are some issues that come with getting him. He is signed through 2030 with an option for 2031. Second, this is his best season in awhile, so you will tied down to a guy that will be in his mid thirties that is likely to decline. A bet on Reynolds is a bet on a guy you want to play well now for this season and will just live with the contract from here on out.
Oneil Cruz
AVG
OBP
SLG
xAVG
xOBP
xSLG
2026
.264
.350
.472
.255
.341
.490
Spotrac lists him as a trade candidate. I am a little skeptical of that considering that he can’t become a free agent until 2029. Cruz came up as a shortstop and was converted to center field. It has been a troubling adjustment. He is sitting on -9 defensive runs saved as I write this. So, maybe you try him in left field if you acquire him. He adds 21 steals to these numbers and led the National League in stolen bases. A bet on Cruz is a bet on the awesome athleticism that is obviously present.
Taylor Ward
AVG
OBP
SLG
xAVG
xOBP
xSLG
2026
.253
.393
.345
.257
.397
.381
The Orioles season is in the crapper. Ward hasn’t been exactly what the Orioles had hoped, but he hasn’t been bad. His .737 OPS would be considerably better than anything the Astros are putting out there and Statcast shows he might be somewhat unlucky. Camden Yards has become a difficult place to hit home runs, so maybe he would be luckier in Daikan Park. Like Buxton, he will be a free agent at the end of the season, so hopefully would be cheaper in terms of player capital.
Putting it all together
The general idea would be to upgrade either center field or left field for the stretch drive. The Astros offense is generally average once you leave the warm embrace of March and April. So, you could make an argument that an upgrade in the outfield would be more meaningful than any other addition the Astros could make. Keep in mind that this is just the second article in a series. I’m not arguing for making any deal. It is just a glimpse into what might be possible if the Astros want to move in that direction.
Mar 14, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Chris Newell against the Chicago White Sox during a spring training game at Camelback Ranch-Glendale. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Three out of four Dodgers minor league affiliates won on Sunday.
Player of the day
Chris Newell had two singles in his last 30 at-bats before hitting two home runs to deliver a win on Saturday. Then the Tulsa outfielder hit two more home runs on Sunday, part of a three-hit day that also included a walk.
The Comets played catch-up all day, then scored twice in the ninth inning but left the tying run on second base in a loss to the Sacramento River Cats (Giants).
Austin Gathier had three hits. Noah Miller tripled and singled.
Jackson Ferris allowed three runs (two earned) in his 3 2/3 innings, and had more walks (four) than strikeouts (three) for the fourth time in 11 starts this season.
Double-A Tulsa
Down two runs in the ninth inning, the Drillers rallied for three runs for a road win over the Northwest Arkansas Naturals (Royals). Newell hit the first of five singles in the ninth-inning rally. Elijah Hainline’s single scored the winning run.
Two games after coming off the injured list, third baseman Logan Wagner hit a two-run home run in the seventh inning that provided just enough insurance for the Loons to hold for a one-run win over the Lake County Captains (Guardians).
Brooks Auger struck out a career-high nine in his four-inning start, and allowed just one run. He has 52 strikeouts against 15 walks to go with his 2.30 ERA in 31 1/3 innings, and a 39.7-percent strikeout rate.
Shortstop Emil Morales also homered for Great Lakes.
Class-A Ontario
Ching-Hsien Ko hit a two-run home run in the second inning that held up in the Tower Buzzers’ win over the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (Angels).
Tyler Gough allowed one run in 4 2/3 innings in his start for Ontario, and Will Gagnon followed with three scoreless innings to keep the Quakes at bay.
ATLANTA, GA - JUNE 06: The baseball cap of the Atlanta Braves sits in the dugout during the MLB game between the Pittsburg Pirates and the Atlanta Braves on June 6, 2026 at TRUIST Park in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Overall, it was another somewhat tough week for the Braves. However, despite another Sunday loss, the Braves did win the weekend in a pretty important series against the Brewers. That is certainly a needed positive. The Braves remain in a fine position, it now just needs to win another series to get back full momentum.
RHP Jared Jones of the Padres was struck in the elbow by a line drive and had to be removed from his start on Sunday. Jones returned to action earlier this year from elbow surgery.
The Yankees (46-30) and the Tigers (33-44) were the favorites to contend for the American League pennant at the start of this season. New York has maintained their status as a favorite to contend for a title while Detroit has struggled. That said, the Tigers may have turned a corner last week. Tarik Skubal is back after a stint on the injured list and the Tigers have responded with three straight wins. Tonight, the two teams open a three-game series in Motown.
Yesterday the Yankees dropped a 4-1 decision to the Reds. It was their second straight loss to Cincinnati as they dropped the series to the National League Central contender. The story of the two games can best be summarized by the following stat: the Yankees were 0-22 with runners in scoring position the last two days. Detroit completed their sweep of the White Sox with a 5-4 win in ten innings yesterday. The three straight wins pulled them within 7.5 games of Cleveland in the division and within five games of the final Wild Card spot.
Gerrit Cole (2-1, 2.57 ERA) takes the mound for the Yankees tonight. The veteran is throwing well allowing just 20 hits over 28 innings this season. Framber Valdez (3-5, 4.09 ERA) takes the bump for the Tigers. The veteran was special in his last outing allowing just a single unearned run over six innings against the Astros. Inconsistency has been the calling card of Valdez, though. He has given up four runs in two of his previous three and three of his previous five starts.
Over their last ten games, the Yankees are 6-4. They have hit.269 in those ten and bashed 17 home runs. Detroit is 5-5 over their last ten and the reason has been a lack of offense. They are hitting just .232 during that stretch.
Lets dive into tonight’s matchup and find a sweat or two.
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Game Details and How to Watch: Yankees vs. Tigers
Date: Monday, June 22, 2026
Time: 6:10PM EST
Site: Comerica Park
City: Detroit, MI
Network/Streaming: MLB.TV, YES, Tigers.TV
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: Yankees vs. Tigers
The latest odds as of Monday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: New York Yankees (-136), Detroit Tigers (+113)
Spread: Yankees -1.5 (+128), Tigers +1.5 (-155)
Total: 8.5 runs
Starting Pitchers and their Stats: Yankees vs. Tigers for June 22
Cody Bellinger was 3-10 (.300) with 1 run scored over the weekend against Cincinnati
Ben Rice has homered in 2 of his last 3 games
Jose Caballero is 6-13 (.462) in his career against Framber Valdez in his career
Kerry Carpenter is 4-9 (.444) in his career against Gerrit Cole
Kevin McGonigle has hit safely in 7 straight games (8-25)
Riley Greene was 2-11 (.182) over the weekend against the White Sox
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top Betting Trends & Insights: Yankees vs. Tigers
The Tigers are 37-40 on the Run Line this season
The Yankees are 38-38 on the Run Line this season
The OVER has cashed 34 times in games involving Detroit this season (34-39-4)
The OVER has cashed 35 times in games involving the Yankees this season (35-37-4)
Expert picks & predictions: Yankees vs. Tigers
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for today’s game between the Tigers and the Yankees:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is recommending a play on the Yankees on the Moneyline.
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is recommending a play on the Yankees on the Run Line.
Total: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 8.5
Joe Sakic didn’t say much at the end of Colorado’s season—and in hindsight, that silence might have said plenty.
You can certainly credit Sakic for the way he handled the Avalanche’s end-of-season media availability earlier this month, especially in light of recent developments across the Stanley Cup Final picture.
Typically, at the end of a season—particularly for teams that fall short in the playoffs—you get the full medical rundown: the bumps, bruises, injuries that shaped the outcome but only come to light afterward. Sakic didn’t go there. No list. No explanations. No built-in caveats.
In hindsight, it was a deliberate and effective choice to keep the discussion of injuries as minimal as possible. No excuses. The message was straightforward: everyone is expected to be healthy heading into training camp, and that was the extent of it. Whether a team chooses to disclose injuries publicly is ultimately its prerogative. In Colorado’s case, the organization opted for discretion, even if it meant fewer storylines for the media and more room for speculation.
That context becomes more interesting given what the Vegas Golden Knights have since revealed about their own playoff health situation. By all accounts, they were dealing with significant injuries of their own.
Captain Mark Stone played through a torn adductor. William Karlsson underwent surgery for a broken wrist that ultimately sidelined him for the final game of the Stanley Cup Final, a 3-0 loss that clinched the championship for the Carolina Hurricanes. Defenseman Noah Hanifin was managing an upper-body injury that, under normal regular-season circumstances, likely would have kept him out for roughly two months. Brayden McNabb, according to both teammates and management, battled through multiple injuries during the playoff run, including the facial injury he sustained in Game 2 of the Final that quickly made the rounds on social media.
Yet much of the conversation following Vegas’ sweep of Colorado in the Western Conference Final centered on the Avalanche’s injuries. And to be clear, they were real and they mattered. Several key players were clearly playing through issues, including Cale Makar, Artturi Lehkonen, Brent Burns, Sam Malinski, and Nathan MacKinnon, who took a puck to the knee in Game 3 and was noticeably limited afterward. However, he was held scoreless in the series, marking the first time in his playoff career that had happened in a postseason matchup.
But that’s the point.
Vegas was dealing with injuries, too—those are simply the ones they chose to acknowledge publicly. And even then, the focus remained on core pieces, not the full scope of what depth players may have been battling through behind the scenes.
Injuries, however, weren’t the reason Colorado lost control of the series.
The Avalanche surrendered leads in two of the four games, including a 3-0 advantage in Game 3 that ultimately swung the series. At that level, against a team as structured as Vegas, those moments matter more than any post-series injury ledger.
As Jared Bednar noted several times throughout the postseason, that’s exactly what makes the Stanley Cup so unforgiving. It’s not just talent. It’s not just cap construction. It’s not even just surviving four rounds. Everything has to align at the right time.
“It’s partly why I think it is the hardest trophy to win just because of the grind of it all,” Bednar said. “Not only do you have to be good; you have to be healthy, you have to be lucky, you have to be tough, playing through injuries.
“You have to be mentally tough, too, because it is a grind every day; every game is a Game 7. Every game feels like it is Game 7 because you need to win it.”
That reality makes Colorado’s playoff exit even harder to reconcile when set against what was, by almost every measure, the strongest regular season in franchise history.
The 2025-26 Avalanche finished with a franchise-record 121 points, surpassing the mark set by the 2000-01 Stanley Cup-winning team. They also captured the Presidents’ Trophy as the NHL’s top regular-season club and were dominant at both ends of the ice from start to finish.
Colorado led the league with 298 goals scored while allowing a league-low 197 goals against. Their plus-101 goal differential paced the NHL, and they finished first in both goals per game and goals against per game. On paper and over 82 games, no team was more complete.
That’s what makes the ending so difficult to process.
The Avalanche didn’t lose because they lacked talent. They didn’t lose because they weren’t an elite team. They lost a series where execution, structure, and in-game details ultimately decided outcomes—and Vegas, when it mattered most, was simply sharper in those moments.
In a playoff environment where margins are razor-thin, that’s often all the difference there is.
And if you're the Vegas Golden Knights, it came down to something much simpler: cleaner execution, tighter structure, and the ability to consistently take away the Avalanche’s biggest strengths when it mattered most.
But as the saying goes, there’s always next season.
