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Should Warriors take swing on Chris Cenac Jr. in loaded 2026 NBA Draft?

Should Warriors take swing on Chris Cenac Jr. in loaded 2026 NBA Draft? originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The plan always was for Chris Cenac Jr. to compete for a championship in his one season at Houston and be a one-and-done player taken at the top of the 2026 NBA Draft.

Recruiting services had the same kind of thinking as Cenac. The Big Four of this year’s draft – AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cam Boozer and Caleb Wilson – along with Nate Ament, were the only five players ranked ahead of him by ESPN in the Class of 2025. Cenac was seen as more of a sure-fire freshman prospect than his Houston teammate Kingston Flemings, along with Darius Acuff Jr. and Mikel Brown Jr., all of which are expected to go higher than Cenac in next week’s draft. 

“There was a lot of things I needed to improve at in my game,” Cenac said Monday after his pre-draft workout for the Warriors at Chase Center, “like motor, physicality, defense. I feel like I improved a lot in those areas at Houston and I feel like I’m ready for the next step, for sure.” 

Former Houston Cougar LJ Cryer was at Chase Center getting work in on Monday as well. The two said hi to each other, but the young big man didn’t want to get in Cryer’s way too much. He knew better after even one season coached by Kelvin Sampson. 

When Cryer, undrafted a year ago, impressed the Warriors and earned a two-way contract last season, Sampson was a constant talking point. Warriors coach Steve Kerr knew Cryer was well prepared to be a pro under the leadership of someone like Sampson. 

Though the two couldn’t be more different players, and they’re more than five years apart in age, Sampson is the kind of coach that can build a foundation for a project like Cenac to shine when he’s ready. 

“In every aspect,” Cenac said Monday when asked how Sampson has prepared him for the NBA. “The physicality, just how hard you plan, bringing that intensity every single time you’re on the court. He prepared me very well. I feel like I made the right decision going to Houston.” 

Cenac put up a 12-point, 10-rebound double-double in his college debut against Lehigh. He grabbed 13 rebounds his next game, but scored just two points on 1-of-8 shooting and was 0 of 3 from 3-point range against Towson. In a nutshell, that’s how Cenac’s freshman season went. There were highs, there were lows and there were inconsistencies for a 19-year-old who isn’t close to touching his ceiling.

Through Cenac’s first five games, he made multiple 3-pointers in three of them. But he then reached that feat only six times in 32 games the rest of the season. Cenac recorded 14 games of double-digit rebounds, but only six of those were double-doubles, and he made more than three free throws in just two games. 

During a three-game losing streak near the end of the regular season against Iowa State, Arizona and Kansas, Cenac averaged 8.7 points and 10.7 rebounds, but didn’t block a single shot, had one steal and went 2 of 14 on threes. He opened the Big 12 tournament averaging 13.5 points and 10.5 rebounds in wins against BYU and Kansas, going 3 of 4 from three against the Jayhawks, but had five points, four rebounds and four fouls in a championship game loss against Arizona. 

For his one season at Houston, Cenac started 36 of the 37 games he played and averaged 9.5 points and 7.9 rebounds per game, while shooting 48.5 percent from the field, 33.3 percent on threes and 62.1 percent at the free-throw line. 

Then at the NBA draft combine, Cenac showcased elite dimensions for a 4 and 5 at over 6-foot-10 barefoot and 240 pounds (up 20 pounds since his last game at Houston), with a 7-foot-5 wingspan and 9-foot standing reach. Cenac likes to watch Anthony Davis, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Naz Reid the most as pros he can model his game after. 

“Those 6-10, 6-11 versatile guys,” Cenac said. “Can pretty much do it all on the floor: Rebound, defend, do whatever the team needs them to do.” 

Cenac also can already envision how he’d find success on the Warriors.

“Giving all the guys on the team, [Steph Curry], space in the paint and having strong defense,” Cenac said. “With my matchup, defending, rebounding and doing whatever it is that Steve Kerr and our organization would need me to do.” 

His 92.2 defensive rating led the entire Big 12 and ranked eighth nationally. Cenac’s measurements are what teams dream of. He has gone through eight pre-draft workouts and already has accepted an invitation to the green room to be in New York for the first round of the draft. However, he likely won’t be an option for the Warriors at No. 11. 

Maybe that changes if his workout did indeed go as well as he says it did. 

“Workout went great,” Cenac said. “Amazing workout, great organization. Had a lot of fun of competing. Overall, a 10 out of 10.” 

Trading back or finding a way to get another first-round pick is a very real option for the Warriors. Cenac doesn’t graduate from being a teenager until Feb. 1. Trusting the tutelage of Sampson and the many skills in Cenac’s bag, he fits the mold of taking a swing with another crack at a loaded draft.

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Braden Montgomery’s big debut part of a week that left the White Sox atop the AL Central

Braden Montgomery showed up for his big league debut and immediately became part of the fun.

The Chicago White Sox have been one of baseball’s most pleasant surprises this season. With a 38-32 record, they’re atop the AL Central. That’s after losing 102 games last year and a record 121 in 2024. So the vibes already were good when Montgomery played his first major league game.

Then he sent a drive to left in the bottom of the 10th for a two-run homer to win the game, 6-5 over the Atlanta Braves. Montgomery became the fifth player to hit a walk-off homer in his debut, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. He joined Billy Parker, Josh Bard, Miguel Cabrera and Carlos Pérez.

Montgomery is Chicago’s No. 2-ranked prospect according to MLB Pipeline. The outfielder was a first-round draft pick by Boston in 2024, then he was part of the trade that sent Garrett Crochet to the Red Sox before last season.

The White Sox finished the week by taking two of three from the Los Angeles Dodgers. That was after beating Atlanta twice in a row.

Performance of the week

There are two obvious candidates this week. Yoshinobu Yamamoto retired the first 23 batters he faced and took a no-hitter into the ninth inning before allowing a leadoff homer in the Dodgers’ 7-1 win over the White Sox.

But even that wasn’t as impressive as Milwaukee’s Jacob Misiorowski’s one-hitter against Philadelphia. He struck out 15 in a 6-0 win and threw a pitch at 104.5 mph, the fastest by a starter since tracking began.

Trivia time

Misiorowski became the fifth pitcher since 1903 to strike out at least 15 with no walks while throwing either a no-hitter or a one-hitter. Who were the others?

Comeback of the week

The San Francisco Giants were eight runs behind in the eighth against Washington when they scored five runs in each of the final two innings to win 11-10. San Francisco’s win probability was 0.2% in the eighth according to Baseball Savant.

Matt Chapman and Rafael Devers led off the bottom of the eighth with home runs, and after a pair of walks, Daniel Susac doubled home a run. Two more came home on a groundout and a wild pitch.

After the Nats extended the lead to 10-6, Luis Arraez and Chapman led off the bottom of the ninth with consecutive doubles to pull the Giants within three. After a walk and a single loaded the bases, Bryce Eldridge won it with a grand slam.

Teams trailing by at least eight runs in the eighth inning or later had lost 4,291 consecutive games, according to Sportradar. The last team to win after facing such a deficit was Cleveland against Tampa Bay in 2009.

Trivia answer

Kerry Wood of the Chicago Cubs struck out 20 in a one-hitter on May 6, 1998, against Houston.

Pedro Martinez of the Boston Red Sox struck out 17 in a one-hitter on Sept. 10, 1999, against the New York Yankees.

Max Scherzer of the Washington Nationals struck out 17 in a no-hitter on Oct. 3, 2015, against the New York Mets.

Clayton Kershaw of the Los Angeles Dodgers struck out 15 in a no-hitter on June 18, 2014, against Colorado.

Only Misiorowski faced the minimum 27 batters.

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Once a journeyman, Brandon Bussi backstops the Hurricanes to the Stanley Cup championship

LAS VEGAS — Hours before Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, Rod Brind’Amour praised Brandon Bussi while also expressing some measure of relief that the Carolina Hurricanes did not need to turn to their backup goaltender during this playoff run.

“Haven’t had to use him, (and) to be honest, I hope we don’t because something’s gone wrong,” Brind’Amour said.

Turns out the late-blooming goaltender came out of the bullpen after all and backstopped the Hurricanes to the Stanley Cup.

“I thought they were really good tonight, Vegas,” Hurricanes wing Jackson Blake said. “If it wasn’t for Bus, there’s no way we’re winning that game.”

After Frederik Andersen was in net for every minute of the first three rounds and the start of the final, Bussi came in during Game 3 and finished out the series. He stopped 81 of the 87 shots he faced against Vegas as Andersen’s status was shrouded in mystery; the veteran from Denmark did not dress from Game 4 on because of a knee injury that was only revealed after the final was over.

“Freddie battled,” Brind’Amour said. “He got a little nicked up, wasn’t 100%. I felt for him, but he got us here and then Bus took over. This is a team.”

Bussi and Andersen embraced after Game 6 ended. Andersen, at 36 the second-oldest player on the team, was the first player captain and playoff MVP Jordan Staal handed the Cup to after getting it from Commissioner Gary Bettman.

“It’s disbelief, really,” Andersen said. “I did not expect that. It really beat every emotion I could think of or what I’ve been feeling.”

Bussi, a 27-year-old from Long Island, was not an unknown quantity for the Hurricanes because he played in nearly half their games this season, winning 31 of his 39 starts to help Carolina earn the top seed in the Eastern Conference. He got a three-year extension at a bargain-basement $5.7 million price in February.

Before the past several months, he was on track for the career of a journeyman.

Going undrafted, he spend several years in the Boston Bruins’ farm system with the Maine Mariners of the ECHL and Providence Bruins of the American Hockey League. Liking what they saw, the astute back-to-back champion Florida Panthers signed him last summer to be their third goalie behind Sergei Bobrovsky and Daniil Tarasov.

Trying to get him to the AHL in Charlotte, the Panthers lost Bussi when Carolina claimed him off waivers. He and fiancée Mary Raclawski were 10 hours into a drive from from South Florida to North Carolina when his agent called to tell him the Hurricanes had claimed him.

“The next thing you know, the following day I’m in Raleigh and I’m on the opening night roster,” Bussi said. “It’s crazy.”

Injuries to Andersen and Pyotr Kochetkov thrust him into an important role for a top contender.

Bussi was even more needed in the final. He entered at the second intermission in Game 3 with the Hurricanes down 4-0. He stopped all 18 shots to allow a stirring comeback, and the only goal he allowed was the Golden Knights’ winner in double overtime when the puck took a bad bounce off the end boards behind him and Bussi inadvertently kicked it in.

In the Game 6 clincher, Bussi denied playoff-leading goal-scorer Brett Howden, who got in all alone in the first period. He stopped Tomas Hertl on a 2-on-1 rush in the second, much to the joy of family members watching from the stands. Then Bussi robbed Hertl and Mark Stone on quality scoring chances in the final few minutes of regulation.

“Their goalie gives them a really good opportunity in the second part of the series to give them the opportunity to win the Stanley Cup,” Golden Knights coach John Tortorella said.

Hurricanes fans in Las Vegas chanted “Buss-i! Buss-i!” on the way to his third career shutout. A journeyman no more, Bussi is now a Stanley Cup champion. So is Andersen.

“This is something everyone dreams of,” Andersen said. “You don’t really know what it feels like until you try it, and now we’re here.”

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Don Mattingly isn't ‘giving up' on Trea Turner during prolonged slump

Don Mattingly isn't ‘giving up' on Trea Turner during prolonged slump originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

It’s been a down year for Trea Turner.

But the Phillies remain confident in their shortstop. He’ll bat second against the Marlins on Monday night at Citizens Bank Park, despite questions about a potential reset day or a move down in the lineup.

Don Mattingly said he did not give much thought to sitting Turner.

“Well, I really didn’t think about it today,” Mattingly said. “So I really wouldn’t need deliberation at all.”

The conversation around town right now centers on Turner, the 32-year-old shortstop who won the National League batting title last year and is now enduring one of the biggest slumps of his major league career.

Turner is batting .219 with a .598 OPS through a league-leading 288 at-bats. His OPS is the seventh lowest among 156 qualified hitters in the sport.

His struggles are reminiscent of his first season in Philadelphia.

After a hot 19-game stretch in 2023, Turner spent the next 88 games in a massive skid. He produced a .217/.270/.350 slash line in 365 at-bats from April 20 to August 4. He dropped as low as the eighth spot in the Phillies’ lineup.

That preceded the infamous standing ovation game, when Turner homered and then took off as one of baseball’s hottest hitters. He batted .337 with a 1.057 OPS in the final 48 games.

Turner said then that the key was gripping the bat softer and lowering his hands. His underlying metrics that year provided a sense of optimism.

In 2026, the advanced numbers are not quite the same.

He ranks in the bottom 25 percent of hitters in barrel rate, chase rate and walk rate. He is in the bottom 40 percent in hard-hit rate, whiff rate and strikeout rate.

Interestingly enough, Turner is hitting .303 against four-seam fastballs, a pitch he sees nearly 30 percent of the time. But he has struggled badly against sinkers on the inner part of the plate, batting .203, and more recently has been pitched away often with offspeed. He is batting .180 against breaking pitches and .152 against other offspeed deliveries.

He is not pulling the baseball like he has in the past. For a contact hitter, spraying the ball to all fields can be a strength. But it has hurt his numbers. His pull rate is down seven percent, and his opposite-field rate is at its highest in a full season.

A lot of it has been soft contact the other way.

What is also similar to three seasons ago?

The underwhelming defense.

That year, Turner posted minus-six outs above average. This year, he is already at minus-two, in the bottom ninth percentile, after ranking in the 99th percentile with 17 outs above average last season.

Mattingly compared this stretch to Alec Bohm earlier in the season, when Bohm also stayed in the lineup through an extended rough patch.

“It’s what we talked about earlier in the year with Bohmer, when everybody was ready to bench him and not ever play him again,” Mattingly said. “Guys hit. Trea’s a great player, and he’s going to be a great player for us.”

Mattingly said he has not seriously considered moving Turner down in the order yet.

“Not really. Not at this point,” Mattingly said. “If it gets to that point, then consider anything that’s going to help us win. But right now, everybody all of a sudden is talking about Trea today. Trea’s not the reason when we don’t score. He’s not the only reason when things like that happen.”

The Phillies’ right-handed hitters have struggled this year as a group. And their offense will not fully take off until a top-of-the-order bat like Turner gets going. At his best, he is putting the ball in play with force, wreaking havoc on the basepaths and gobbling up everything hit to him.

The speed is still there.

Everything else has lagged behind.

But Mattingly made one thing clear Monday: Turner is still central to what the Phillies believe they can be.

“Trea’s a big piece of what we are, what we’re going to be, and if we’re going to be really successful, we’re going to need Trea,” Mattingly said. “For me, I’m not giving up on Trea. I’m not moving him right now.”

That confidence, Mattingly said, is not just for show.

“I want to show confidence because I feel confidence,” Mattingly said. “I wouldn’t say the things I say if I didn’t feel confident that Trea was going to find it, and be swinging more consistently and better as we go through the season.”

For Mattingly, pulling Turner out of his usual spot would send the wrong message before the Phillies believe they have reached that point.

“When you do certain things to guys, it basically tells them you don’t believe it,” Mattingly said. “And that’s where I’m not going.”

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Final Ex-Files – Four Former Sabres Win The Cup With Carolina, Jack Eichel On The Losing Side

The 2025-26 NHL season ended on Sunday with the Carolina Hurricanes hoisting the Stanley Cup after a 3-0 victory in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final over the Vegas Golden Knights in Las Vegas. After falling behind 2-1 in the series, the Canes returned to stifling their opposition defensively, and defeated the Golden Knights with a balanced offensive attack.  

Three former Sabres on the Hurricanes earned their first Cup ring, while ex-Golden Knight William Carrier, won his second Cup in four years. Former Hart Trophy winner Taylor Hall, who finished second in scoring for Carolina behind linemate Jackson Blake, led the club with a +14 plus/minus, scored the game-winner in Game 6, and finished second in Conn Smythe voting behind veteran center Jordan Staal. 

Two others; Eric Robinson and Mark Jankowski, along with Carrier made up the Canes effective fourth line that provided energy and allowed Carolina head coach Rod Brind’Amour to roll four lines without concern of matchup issues or defensive liabilities. 

Final Stats

Taylor Hall - GP 19, G 7, A 12, Pts 19, 16:29 ATOI, +14, 55 SOG, 14 PIM

Eric Robinson - GP 19, G 3, A 5, Pts 8, 10:47 ATOI, +5, 26 SOG, 16 PIM

Mark Jankowski - GP 19, G 1, A 4, Pts 5, 11:36 ATOI, +2, 14 SOG

William Carrier - GP 19, G 0, A 4, Pts 4, 10:01 ATOI, +3, 15 SOG

Other Sabres Stories

Sabres Emotionally Devastated By Game 7 Overtime Loss

What will the Sabres if Alex Tuch leaves?

The Western Conference champs were able to stay with the Hurricanes and get them to play a more wide open game early on, but as the series progressed, Carolina was able to clamp down on the Golden Knights, especially their core group led by former Sabres captain Jack Eichel. Eichel finished second to Mitch Marner in playoff scoring with 22 points, but ended up being mostly a distributor, with 20 assists and only two goals. The former second overall pick went the final eight games of the playoffs scoreless. 

Defenseman Brayden McNabb represented a profile in courage for not missing a game after taking a slapshot to the face in Game 2. The 35-year-old continued to average over 20 minutes after the injury, and ended the playoffs with 10 points.  

Final Stats

Jack Eichel -  GP 22, G 2, A 20, Pts 22, 22:27 ATOI, 52 SOG, 16 PIM

Brayden McNabb - GP 21, G 1, A 9, Pts 10, 20:49 ATOI, 19 SOG, +13, 23 PIM  

 

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Twins vs. Rangers prediction: Odds, recent stats, trends, and best bets for June 15

The Minnesota Twins (33-40) open a road series in Arlington on Monday night against the Texas Rangers (35-36). The Rangers pulled back to within a game of .500 with a 6-4 win to salvage the final game of their weekend set against Boston. Minnesota took two of three in their weekend series at home against St. Louis including a 5-4 win yesterday. Each team sits in third place in their respective division but right in the hunt for one of the wild card berths.

On the mound, the Twins are expected to send right-hander Mike Paredes (0–0, 4.35 ERA) against the southpaw MacKenzie Gore (4–5, 4.18 ERA) for Texas. Gore has allowed more than two earned runs just once in his last six starts. This will be Paredes’ fourth start. The rookie has yet to finish the fourth inning in his first three outings.

 

At the plate, Minnesota continues to lean on Byron Buxton, who leads the club with 22 home runs and a .276 average, along with Josh Bell, who has driven in 40 runs already this season. For Texas, Jake Burger remains the primary power threat with 12 homers and 42 RBI, while Josh Jung has been the Rangers’ most consistent bat, hitting over.300 this season. on the year.

 

Lets dive into tonight’s matchup and find a sweat or two.

 

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

 

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

Game Details and How to Watch: Twins vs. Rangers

  • Date: Monday, June 15, 2026
  • Time: 8:05PM EST
  • Site: Globe Life Field
  • City: Arlington, TX
  • Network/Streaming: MLB.TV, Rangers Sports Network, Twins.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: Twins vs. Rangers

The latest odds as of Monday courtesy of DraftKings:

  • Moneyline: Minnesota Twins (+135), Texas Rangers (-163)
  • Spread: Twins +1.5 (-162), Rangers -1.5 (+134)
  • Total: 8.0 runs

Probable Starting Pitchers: Twins vs. Rangers for June 15

  • Rangers: MacKenzie Gore
    Season Totals: 71.0 IP, 4-5, 4.18 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 76K, 33 BB
  • Twins: Mike Paredes
    Season Totals: 10.1 IP, 0-0, 4.35 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 8K, 6 BB

Who’s Hot? Who’s Not! Twins vs. Rangers

  • Brandon Nimmo was 2-10 vs. the Red Sox this weekend
  • Jake Burger has hit safely in 6 of his last 7 games (10-23)
  • Austin Martin has 1 hit in his last 6 games (1-15)
  • Brooks Lee was 2-11 over the weekend against the Cardinals

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: Twins vs. Rangers

  • The Twins are 38-35 on the Run Line this season
  • The Rangers are 37-34 on the Run Line this season
  • The OVER has cashed 43 times in Minnesota’s 73 games this season (43-25-5)
  • The OVER has cashed an MLB-low 29 times in the Rangers’ 71 games this season (29-36-6)

Expert picks & predictions: Twins vs. Rangers

Rotoworld Bet Best Bet

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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 Twins and the Rangers:

  • Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Twins on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Run Line.
  • Total: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Game Total OVER 8.0

 
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A big trade swing, then a bold reset that powered the Hurricanes to the Stanley Cup

The coach is the same. The system is the same. The core is the same.

That is nothing against Rod Brind’Amour, considered one of the best behind the bench in the NHL, or Jordan Staal, Jaccob Slavin, Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis, who have been the centerpiece of the Carolina Hurricanes making the playoffs year after year.

But the difference this year came from all the new talent general manager Eric Tulsky added over the past 17 months to get over the hump. It added up to the franchise winning the Stanley Cup for the second time and first since 2006.

Tulsky took a big swing by acquiring elite winger Mikko Rantanen from Colorado in January 2025 and also got veteran Taylor Hall from Chicago as part of the three-team blockbuster. When Rantanen didn’t want to be part of Carolina’s long-term future, Tulsky traded him to Dallas and received center Logan Stankoven and two first-round picks, one of which became part of getting defenseman K’Andre Miller on July 1.

Two days later, the Hurricanes won the bidding competition to sign top free agent Nikolaj Ehlers, the speedy winger who gave them just what they needed after seven consecutive postseason appearances without a trip to the final. Falling one goal short so many times in key situations, Ehlers, Stankoven, Hall and Miller put an end to the rite of spring of wondering where that would come from.

All of them fit in with Brind’Amour, who requires his players to commit to a demanding brand of hockey that isn’t for everyone.

“We’ve really focused on finding people who fit the way we want to play,” Tulsky said. “We ask players to play a very distinctive style, and our scouts have done a great job finding players who can come in and look their best playing the way Rod needs them to play.”

The Hurricanes’ run started with a miss

Trading for Rantanen was a huge risk. It involved sending talented forwards Martin Necas and Jack Drury to the Avalanche in a gamble that the big Finnish winger was the missing piece.

Rantanen had six points in 13 games with Carolina, and it became clear it was not a good fit. Discussions with Toronto involving Mitch Marner did not lead to him waiving his no-trade clause, and instead he wound up in Las Vegas and was key to the Golden Knights’ run to the final.

Rather than letting the situation play out with the likelihood he would depart in free agency, Tulsky flipped Rantanen to Dallas for Stankoven and a pair of first-round picks. One went to the New York Rangers for Miller, whose presence shored up depth on the blue line.

“We never want to get worried about the what ifs,” Tulsky said. “That being said, sometimes it doesn’t go the way you hoped, and you’ve got to be ready to figure out how you’re going to move forward from there.”

Stankoven led the team with 11 goals during this dominant run of 16 victories in 19 games.

Hurricanes make all the right moves after

It was the same old story every time. The Hurricanes weren’t just a great regular-season team that failed in the playoffs. They won at least one series in six of Brind’Amour’s first seven years as coach, including three trips to the East final.

Tulsky, a former scientist who got into the sport by blogging about it as a fan and was promoted to succeed Don Waddell two years ago, didn’t blow it up. But he didn’t stand pat, either.

The changes — including claiming goaltender Brandon Bussi off waivers from back-to-back champion Florida just before opening night in October — worked out swimmingly. Playing in the NHL for the first time at 27, Bussi won 31 of 39 starts during the season, then stepped in during the final in place of Frederik Andersen and backstopped them the rest of the way, including a shutout in the Game 6 clincher.

“We have the confidence in Bus,” Brind’Amour said. “He makes a ton of big saves. Even when there’s breakdowns, we trust him back there, gives us tons of confidence to play our game and just be aggressive all night.”

Aggressive is the Golden Knights’ way, going after every big-name free agent or trade candidate, and it led to the Stanley Cup in 2023 and three runs to the final in their first nine years of existence. But Carolina has also become that team.

“Fundamentally, we want to be aggressive,” Tulsky said. “Rod has the team playing very aggressive on the ice. We want to be aggressive off the ice, too. And when you have a chance to add a really high-end player, we never want to miss out on it.”

Carolina did not miss on Ehlers, who turned out to be key and scored the empty-netter that sealed the title. Getting him, Stankoven, Hall, Miller and others also made longtime holdovers like Staal and grinding forward Jordan Martinook believe they could get the job done.

“When your team is trying to get better all the time, it’s something that you can get behind,” Martinook said. “Obviously, we took a run of Mikko, it didn’t work out, but look what we got from it. Stanks and Key, those are two of the pieces that we got from it. Hallsy was part of that, too. Those are three incredibly important pieces to our team. It just shows that they’re ready to take chances all the time.”

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Tom Izzo rants after Michigan State president, AD leave in same summer: 'I've had it'

This has been a summer of change at Michigan State. First, the school's president Kevin Guskiewicz left. Now, its athletic director J Batt has bolted for Kentucky after just one year in East Lansing.

Tom Izzo has been one constant at MSU — 43 years to be exact — and he vented his frustrations Monday, June 15 about the instability above him.

“Well, I’ll be very honest with you, which I’ve always been. I can’t stand what’s going on, and I’m not going to over-talk about it now, but I am in the very near future. I’ve had it," Izzo told Detroit Free Press reporter Chris Solari. "This is self-inflicted. We just lost the best president to ever been here, maybe — one of the best. And there’s other dominoes that get affected when things go wrong like that. I’m very upset about it, and I’m sick of it. And I’ll go into why when I decide to say something in the near future. I’m not going to do it right now."

Guskiewicz cited an "unstable situation" in his decision to leave Michigan State to become president at Clemson, taking an $800,000 pay cut in the process to leave MSU's dysfunction.

"I think 600,000 living alums better start rally together. If there’s ever a time that we need to rally together it’s now. And that’s all 600,000. That ain’t Tom Izzo. I’m not an alum... I’m a very invested stakeholder. But the alums better stand up. I’m asking the alums to stand up because what happened with our president is ridiculous. And he said it. We know the reasons. And I’m ashamed. I’m disgusted, hurt… Spartan Nation better stand up, all 600,000 of them.”

Izzo is entering his 32nd year as Spartans head coach with a 764-310 record (.711), 11 regular-season Big Ten titles, eight Final Four trips and a national championship in 2000.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Tom Izzo goes off on Michigan State as president, AD leave

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Ronald Acuña Jr., Ozzie Albies and Drake Baldwin currently in line to start at 2026 MLB All-Star Game

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - MARCH 27: Drake Baldwin #30 of the Atlanta Braves reacts with Ozzie Albies #1 after hitting a solo homer against the Kansas City Royals during the third inning of the home opener at Truist Park on March 27, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Major League Baseball has released the first round of updates for All-Star voting for this year’s MLB All-Star Game, which will be taking place in Philadelphia this season. Assuming things remain as they are, the locals will get an opportunity to boo three players in particular once the introductions are made, as the Braves currently have three players who are leading the voting in their respective positions for the National League team.

Ronald Acuña Jr., Ozzie Albies and Drake Baldwin are each leading their positions in All-Star votes at the moment. Here’s more from MLB’s press release on the voting results so far:

The Atlanta Braves, who own the best record in MLB at 46-25, have three players among the NL leaders. Reigning NL Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year Drake Baldwin, seeking his first All-Star assignment, ranks second among all NL players and is leading NL catchers with 972,813 votes…

Baldwin is joined by second baseman Ozzie Albies and outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. of the Braves. Albies (517,147), who is bidding for his fourth All-Star selection and first fan-elected starting assignment, is trailed by a pair of potential first-time All-Stars in Philadelphia’s Bryson Stott (399,729) and Brice Turang of the Milwaukee Brewers (373,656). Albies would become Atlanta’s first second baseman to win a fan election since Dan Uggla in 2012…

Acuña Jr. (693,472) ranks second among NL outfielder behind positional leader Andy Pages of the Dodgers (800,496). The duo is joined by Philadelphia’s Brandon Marsh (668,191), while Atlanta’s Michael Harris II (635,473), two-time All-Star Teoscar Hernández of the Dodgers (507,625) and Jordan Walker of the St. Louis Cardinals (437,071) are currently in position to advance to Phase 2…

Dodgers teammates Freddie Freeman and Max Muncy are currently leading at the corner infield positions, joining Ohtani and Pages among Los Angeles positional leaders. The nine-time All-Star Freeman (870,606) is narrowly edging out three-time All-Star Matt Olson of the Braves (802,848) while eight-time All-Star Bryce Harper of the Phillies (651,792) ranks third. Freeman, who has won five of the last seven fan elections, is aiming for his sixth fan-elected start, while Olson seeks his first and Harper his eighth.

So as you can see, while Acuña, Albies and Baldwin are currently leading, both Michael Harris II and Matt Olson are at least primed to make things interesting in their respective races to get voted into the All-Star Game. Additionally, Austin Riley is currently running in fourth place among NL Third Basemen, Ha-Seong Kim is running sixth in the Shortstop voting, Dominic Smith is third among all Designated Hitters and Mauricio Dubón is 11th among outfielders. The rest of those names are long shots to get in but hey, it’s still pretty cool to see this many Braves players even in the mix at this point.

The next round of updates will be released at this time next week, with Phase 1 of the balloting ending at 12:00 p.m. ET sharp on June 25, finalists being announced at 6:00 p.m ET that same day and Phase 2 beginning on June 29. If you’re trying to get your favorite Braves players to Philadelphia for the Midsummer Classic, you’d better get to voting (or keep voting).

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Alex Sarr undergoes surgery for fractured foot

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 27: Alex Sarr #20 of the Washington Wizards dribbles against the Golden State Warriors in the first quarter at Chase Center on March 27, 2026 in San Francisco, California. 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 Eakin Howard/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Washington Wizards forward Alex Sarr underwent surgery to repair a fractured right foot on Monday, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.

Sarr, 21, suffered the injury during an offseason workout last week but is expected to return by the start of the 2026-27 season.

Depending on the severity, foot fractures typically require 6-to-8 weeks for the bone to knit together, according to Royal United Hospitals. That said, it could take anywhere from 3-to-6 months to regain full strength in the foot and return to high-impact physical activities.

The 7-foot big man averaged 16.3 points and 7.4 rebounds per game in what was a breakout sophomore season. Sarr raised his field goal percentage to 48.2% and shot a respectable 33% from three.

Sarr missed 34 games last season due to toe, hamstring and groin injuries. He projects as Washington’s starting center alongside Anthony Davis, who prefers to play power forward.

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MLB Same-Game Parlay Predictions: Our Best SGP Picks for Monday, June 15

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Let's get the week started with a few plus-money Silly Goose Parlays (SPGs). That is what SGP stands for, right?

I dug through the slate and found a handful of spots backed by mouthwatering trends, strong matchup data, and hitters who are swinging a hot bat.

If you are looking for a little fun with your MLB picks this evening, these are the MLB same-game parlay predictions catching my eye tonight.

Today's best MLB SGP picks

Rockies vs Cubs SGP: Pitchers in trouble

I am fully expecting both offenses to carry over the success they had in their previous series as the Colorado Rockies and Chicago Cubs square off tonight at Wrigley Field.

Cubs left-hander Shota Imanaga enters with a favorable Batters-Box rating, sporting poor marks in matchup ISO, hard contact rate, and ground ball rate. In 20 previous favorable matchups, he has allowed 5+ hits in 85% of those starts and has gone over 5.5 hits allowed 50% of the time. This season, the Cubs southpaw owns a 5.13 ERA at home while allowing a 42% hard contact rate and a 10.29% barrel rate to opposing hitters.

Michael Lorenzen brings similar concerns to the mound, entering with the worst pitcher rating on the slate. In 17 previous poorly rated matchups, the Rockies right-hander has allowed over 5.5 hits in 52.94% of those outings. His struggles have been even more pronounced on the road, where he owns a 6.68 ERA while allowing a 49.15% hard contact rate and a 12.71% barrel rate.

Both offenses are loaded with hitters in favorable matchups, making this a strong spot for the bats to stay hot tonight.

  • Time: 8:05 p.m. ET
  • Where to watch: Marquee, COLR

See full analysis of this game in our Rockies vs. Cubs predictions.

Marlins vs Phillies SGP: Philly...with Gusto!

Get ready to drool, numbers nerds, because there are some juicy trends in this Miami Marlins vs. Philadelphia Phillies matchup.

Phillies veteran right-hander Zack Wheeler enters with an elite rating on Batters-Box. In 32 previous elite-rated starts, he has recorded six-plus strikeouts 87.5% of the time. At home this season, Wheeler owns a 26.6% strikeout rate along with a 36.1% chase rate outside the zone. He draws a Marlins lineup that features five hitters with a strikeout rate of at least 27.9%, including four north of 30.6.

On the other side, the Phillies offense gets a favorable matchup against Ryan Gusto, who has to navigate three elite-rated hitters and one strong-rated hitter. All four will bat from the left side. Throughout his career, left-handed hitters have given Gusto trouble, batting .316 with a .560 slugging percentage and a .402 wOBA.

Kyle Schwarber stands out as my favorite to record a hit against Gusto. He owns the number one hitter rating in this matchup along with the highest arsenal coverage against Gusto’s pitch mix. When elite at home, Schwarber records a hit 63 percent of the time across a 100 game sample.

With all four lefties possessing strong arsenal coverage against Gusto, this sets up for the Phillies to jump out early and cruise to a win.

  • Time: 6:40 p.m. ET
  • Where to watch: NBCSP, MIAM

Tigers vs Astros SGP: Southpaw slugfest

I have always been a big advocate of a little plus-money three-leg hit parlay. They are tough to come by, but they are always worth a look. This evening, Detroit Tigers young studs Riley Greene and Kerry Carpenter find themselves with elite ratings over on Batters-Box as they take on Houston Astros right-hander Kai-Wei Teng.

Teng owns the third-worst pitcher rating on the slate, carrying poorly rated marks in matchup ISO, hard contact rate, and ground ball rate. Over his last five outings, the right-hander has allowed 42% hard contact while posting a 1.48 WHIP.

Both Tigers have been scorching the baseball lately, producing plenty of hard contact and barrels over their last 30 at-bats against right-handed pitching. Each hitter also owns at least 50% arsenal coverage against Teng's pitch mix. On top of that, both have strong trends when carrying an elite Batters-Box rating, recording a hit in at least 63.79% of those opportunities.

Finally, adding the most dangerous bat in baseball to simply record a hit, as he carries nearly 90% arsenal coverage against Tigers right hander Troy Melton. Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez has also recorded a hit in nearly 67% of his elite rated games over the last three seasons, a 218 game sample size.

At +180, asking these three to simply do the floor and record a hit feels well worth the squeeze this evening.

  • Time: 8:10 p.m. ET
  • Where to watch: DSN, SCHN

See full analysis of this game in our Tigers vs. Astros predictions.

Colby Marchio's 2026 Transparency Record
  • 2026 Record: 218-376-35, +9.10 units

Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
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Series Preview #24: Angels @ Diamondbacks

PHOENIX, AZ - JUNE 17: The Angels' Mike Trout, Dino Ebel and Mike Scioscia watch the final out of the Halos' 3-2 loss to the Diamondbacks Wednesday night at Chase Field. ///ADDITIONAL INFO: angels.0618.kjs --- Photo by KEVIN SULLIVAN / Orange County Register -- 6/17/15 The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim take on the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona Wednesday night. 6/17/15 (Photo by Kevin Sullivan/Digital First Media/Orange County Register via Getty Images) | MediaNews Group via Getty Images

We won.

Lately my previews are always a race against the clock. I start this preview well ahead of the first game starting time, so you could say I am save, but I just remembered that the Spain game starts 30 minutes from now and, since I live in Spain, I feel obliged to watch the team, beside it being probably one of the most fun teams to watch this World Cup.

But, before that, we have to take a look at this series preview.

The Diamondbacks won a series against the Reds. That is good news. I am sharing a subscription now with someone and was very disappointed on Saturday when I noticed that the Friday game was on Apple TV. On Saturday we had a huge neighbourhood party and early morning Sunday I went out for a game of squash. After that life happens so I hadn’t been able to watch the Saturday game either and then my country played Japan. Conclusion: I haven’t seen the Snakes this weekend.

Of all the people on the Injury List, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. should be close to returning: Taking machine batting practice, running and doing outfield work. Manager Torey Lovullo said on June 14 that the team is honing in on a plan for a return. I guess that is positive news, no matter how much he has sucked so far or how much we need a left-handed batter. Can’t be much worse than Pavin Smith, Jorge Barroso, or Adrian Del Castillo.

Now the Angels though…

Dead last Angels.

They didn’t do much last year, and notable departures were probably only veteran Kenley Jansen’s and his 29 saves. In the off-season they signed long-time former Pirate and second baseman Adam Frazier, third baseman Yoan Moncada and outfielder and Rays’ Jose Siri. Their biggest movements were on the reliever market, where they signed Drew Pomeranz to a $5MM contract. I had no idea he was still pitching but he apparently threw almost 50 good innings for the Cubs last year. Brent Suter, Kirby Yates and Jordan Romano are other well-known names. The Angels also took a flier on the fallen-from-grace Blue Jays’ pitcher Alex Manoah.

Though those are not really spectacular signings, and indeed some haven’t been able to contribute that much, you also have to admit that the Angels haven’t been lucky with injuries.

Jorge Soler, Vaughn Grissom, Adam Frazier, Travis D’Arnaud and Yoan Moncada are currently all without a timetable for return. On the pitching side Yusei Kikuchi, and Ben Joyce are also out, though they might return in July. Currently, Wade Meckler and Grayson Rodriguez are day to day.

You haven’t read the name of Mike Trout and that is good news for all Angels and baseball fans. The future Hall of Famer has been troubled by many injuries over the past seasons, but 2026 has treated him kindly so far. He has played 71 games this season and his 134 OPS+ and 15 homeruns lead the team. Over the past two weeks Mike Trout has been in a slump though, batting a miserable 34 WRC+, but others have stepped up to make sure that the Angels are a middle of the pack hitting team at the moment. Jose Siri, rookie Wade Meckler, Nick Madrigal and Jo Adell have been riding a hot bat. Zach Neto is one of the other bats that stand out, hitting a bit above average.

On the pitching side you could say that only Reid Detmers really stands out and every off-season signing hasn’t panned out so far. That probably explains why the Angels are 29-43 and dead last in the AL West. Yet another lost season for Anaheim, like there already have been so many.

It didn’t look that bad at the beginning of the season. They stayed around .500 for the first month of the season until they entered a long streak of losses, going 6-24 in the next 30 games, from an 11-10 record to 17-34. The last two series though, they have been able to string some wins together, beating both Houston and Tampa Bay. Two weeks ago the Rockies beat the Angels 2-1 in their series, so that should be our benchmark.

Matchups.

Game #1 Mon 06/15 6:40 PM MST, Ryne Nelson (ARI) vs Walbert Ureña (LAA).

  • Ryne Nelson. 14 GS, 76.1 IP, 2 W-5 L, 5.19 ERA, 5.53 FIP, 1.23 WHIP, 57/22 K/BB. $3,000,000.
  • Walbert Ureña. 12 G, 10 GS, 55.1 IP, 4 W-4 L, 2.44 ERA, 4.01 FIP, 1.36 WHIP, 55/33 K/BB. $780,000.

What do you get when you have Dilbert walking into a Walmart? You get a very bad joke that ends with Walbert. The names kids have in the Dominican never stop to amaze me and if you think you have seen it all, well, Walbert shows up. The jokes do not do justice to his career and hat off for this Dominican 22-year old who makes his debut in the MLB this season. Signed in 2021 and making his professional debut in 2022 in the complex league, Ureña has skyrocketed through the Angels’ farm system. FanGraphs hasn’t been high on him, pointing out that he is more of a thrower than a pitcher. Perhaps that explains why Ureña is already in the MLB. He throws 101 mph and we all know that the Angels love some gas on their pitchers. The pattern of poor control and allowing way too many free passes has haunted him since his early days into the MLB. However, until now he has been able to keep the damage controlled. But expect to see a wild one in this first game.

Nelson had a terrible performance against Miami, after a good one against the Dodgers, so it is time to bounce back. For Ryne it will be the second time that he faces the Angels, though this season for the first time at Chase Field. Last season he got a no-decision, struggling over 4 innings, allowing 4 runs.

Game #2 Tue 06/16 6:40 PM MST, Merrill Kelly (ARI) vs Reid Detmers (LAA).

  • Merrill Kelly. 11 GS, 64.1 IP, 5 W-5 L, 5.46 ERA, 5.90 FIP, 1.45 WHIP, 38/27 K/BB. $18,000,000.
  • Reid Detmers. 14 GS, 81.0 IP, 2 W-5 L, 4.00 ERA, 2.87 FIP, 1.05 WHIP, 97/24 K/BB. $2,625,000.

Just like Walbert Ureña, Merrill Kelly isn’t able to strike anyone out either. Though, where Ureña is earning league minimum, Kelly is earning some real big money, but you could say that this is payback for all those years where he was steady and excellent while earning crap for the value he provided to this team. Well, that value might be at its lowest right now. Merrill struck out just 1 Marlin in his latest performance and before that, the Nationals knocked him around for 7 runs. Last season Merrill notched a win against the Angels, though what value has his performance of last season?

The loss looks a certainty with Reid Detmers on the mound. Detmers has had two stinkers though also seems to be a victim of some bad luck. That is evidenced by the 97 men he has mowed down so far this season. In that category Detmers has only Jacob Misiorowski and Paul Skenes in front of him. His fastball averages 94.1, which isn’t that much, and he combines it with excellent control, command and and a great slider and curveball.

Game #3 Wed 06/17 12:40 PM MST, Eduardo Rodriguez (ARI) vs Samuel Aldegheri (LAA).

  • Eduardo Rodriguez. 14 GS, 81.1 IP, 5 W-2 L, 2.55 ERA, 4.09 FIP, 1.23 WHIP, 60/32 K/BB. $21,000,000.
  • Samuel Aldegheri. 5 G, 2 GS, 17.0 IP, 2 W-1 L, 2.12 ERA, 3.87 FIP, 1.29 WHIP, 12/8 K/BB. $500,520.

Italy will be happy to know that, although the Azzuri is not at the World Cup (part of me likes to believe that they get punished for years of catenaccio – what is equivalent to destroying football), Italy is at the highest level in the MLB in the form of Samuel Aldegheri. That is terrific for this pitcher, who was born in 2001 in Verona. After starting his career for well-known team Parma, he signed for the Phillies in one of the international amateur signing periods and ended up in Anaheim in 2024 in a trade for former Rockie Carlos Estévez. Aldegheri was ahead of Ureña in the Angels farm ranking on FanGraphs, projected as a back-end starter with good command but without any outstanding pitch and oscillation in his velocity. Aldegheri made his debut in 2024 in the majors, making him the 5th Italian born pitcher in the leagues, but had a little crisis in 2025 with declining velocity. He has been up and down this season, but got the start almost a week ago against the Tampa Bay Rays and pitched well enough to earn another one. His four-seamer sits around 92 mph and he also uses a curve, slider and changeup.

E-Rod struggled against the Reds. That was after an already tough performance against the Nationals in his performance before that one. The last time E-Rod saw the Angels was in 2023. In 11 plate appearances, Mike Trout has a .919 OPS, with 1 homerun, against Rodriguez. Trey Mancini, recently added to the team and last year, for a while, in Reno, has seen E-Rod in 48 plate appearances, good for a .811 OPS.

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Mikal Bridges’ NSFW Instagram Live went off the rails — and Jalen Brunson wants teammate’s phone taken away

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Man in a baseball cap holding a liquor bottle wrapped in a white sleeve, Image 2 shows Mikal Bridges live on Instagram, grinning at the camera

Looks like Knicks star Mikal Bridges is really enjoying the team’s NBA championship win.

The former Villanova Wildcat went crazy on Instagram Live on Monday, doing everything from discussing Jalen Brunson getting a statue to singing to his dog Sonny.

“Build him a statue,” Bridges said. “Build that little big-headed ass n—a a statue bro.”

Mikal Bridges talks about Jalen Brunson getting a statue in New York on Instagram live. mikalbridges/Instagram

Bridges continued to support the NBA Finals MVP, sarcastically imitating people who questioned the decision to bring in Brunson from the Mavericks.

“Just take over the Knicks and get a chip,” Bridges said. “That’s some savage talk.”

The guard didn’t just talk about Brunson, though; he also showed off his jersey collection, which included signed jerseys from Josh Hart, Donte DiVincenzo and Austin Reaves.

Knicks owner James Dolan also got a shoutout from Bridges for helping the team lock in over the past 10 weeks as they rolled through the playoffs.

He also referenced Dolan’s reported joke to the players about not having sex during the playoff run.

“Someone take Mikal’s phone away,” Brunson wrote on X.

Mikal Bridges drinks from a bottle while dancing on Instagram live after the NBA Finals. mikalbridges/Instagram

“He could be a bigger savage if he built a practice facility in the city,” Bridges said. “But he still a savage.”

Bridges later showed off his dance moves while eating Chipotle, which he famously has eaten every day for the past 10 years.

His order is white rice, double chicken, medium and mild salsa, corn and lettuce, as seen in the video.

Warning: Graphic Language

The guard continued his dance moves shortly after with his Labrador named Sonny.

Throughout the live, multiple other voices could be heard, though it’s unclear who he was with.

Bridges won the NBA Finals with the Knicks on Saturday.

He averaged 13.5 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 19 games during the playoff run.

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Astros Need to Play Their Best Players Every Day to Get Back in Hunt

HOUSTON, TEXAS - MAY 16: Jose Altuve #27 of the Houston Astros celebrates with teammate Isaac Paredes #15 after hitting a solo home run in the first inning against the Texas Rangers at Daikin Park on May 16, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Houston Astros/Getty Images) | Getty Images

To play or not to play? That has become the question Astros fans are debating following Houston’s 4-0 loss to the Kansas City Royals on Sunday.

With an opportunity to complete a three-game sweep and continue building momentum, the Astros elected to keep two of their most important hitters, Isaac Paredes and Jose Altuve, out of the lineup. The result was a noticeably less potent offense that performed exactly as many feared it would, managing little at the plate in a shutout loss.

Let me be clear: I am not one of those people calling for Joe Espada’s job because of a lineup decision. I’m also not naive enough to believe the manager is solely responsible for filling out the lineup card. General Manager Dana Brown, the analytics department, and other members of the baseball operations staff undoubtedly have significant input in those decisions on a daily basis.

That said, this isn’t the first time we’ve had this discussion.

The Astros have once again found themselves digging out of an early-season hole, spending much of the first half trying to make up ground in both the division and Wild Card races. When you’re playing catch-up, every game matters. Every opportunity to gain ground matters. And in those situations, I believe your best players need to be on the field as often as possible.

Houston had an off day on Thursday. Yes, Saturday night’s game featured a 90-minute rain delay, but shortly after play resumed, the Astros wrapped up the victory in the next inning. It’s not as though the club had endured a grueling stretch of baseball leading into Sunday afternoon.

That’s why I struggle to understand sitting two of your top four hitters when a sweep was there for the taking.

A victory would have given the Astros four wins in six games on the road trip, continued the momentum they’ve built over the last several weeks, and helped them inch closer to .500 while narrowing the gap in both the Wild Card and division races.

Instead, the lineup looked diminished from the start, and the offense never found its footing.

The larger question is one that has divided Astros fans on social media.

Do you subscribe to the belief that the season is a marathon, not a sprint, and that key players should receive rest whenever the organization believes they need it, regardless of circumstance?

Or do you believe that when a team starts slowly and spends months trying to recover lost ground, the urgency changes? That every game carries added significance and your best players should be in the lineup whenever reasonably possible to maximize your chances of winning?

I fall into the latter category.

Had it been my decision, both Altuve and Paredes would have been in Sunday’s lineup. The team had just enjoyed an off day earlier in the week, and they were headed home immediately after the game. Given the circumstances, the opportunity to secure a sweep and continue gaining ground outweighed the need for rest.

The good news for Astros fans is that the season is far from over. Houston remains within striking distance, sitting only a few games out of a Wild Card spot and still close enough to keep an eye on the division race. As injured players continue to return and the roster gets healthier, the Astros should only improve.

But if they’re serious about climbing back into contention, I believe their best players need to be on the field as often as possible.

What do you think? Should teams prioritize rest no matter the circumstances, or should the urgency of the standings dictate when stars get days off?

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San Diego takes momentum into Cardinals series

BALTIMORE, MD - JUNE 14: Rodolfo Durán #48 of the San Diego Padres celebrates as he rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run in the seventh inning during a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yard on June 14, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images | Getty Images

The San Diego Padres haven’t won two consecutive series since April. They finally did so on Sunday against the Baltimore Orioles. After besting the Cincinnati Reds in a rubber match last week, they did the same against the O’s in the rubber match Sunday afternoon. They did so on the backs of some great pitching alongside some even better offense.

The Friars put up 17 runs in the series, including a nine-run romp of Baltimore in Game 2. They haven’t scored that many runs since they swept the Seattle Mariners in May. San Diego needs to ride that momentum into their series against a recently struggling St. Louis Cardinals ballclub.

Taking the mound

Dustin May (STL) v. Lucas Giolito (SD)

May has been off to a solid season with the Cards. He’s pitched to a 4.21 ERA through 72 2/3 innings. That was due to a difficult stretch to start the year, but he’s turned things around lately. May boasts a 3.43 ERA in his last seven starts.

He pitched well against the Friars last time they faced St. Louis. May pitched six innings but surrendered three runs (two earned) and failed to record a win for the Cards. He’ll look to improve this time around against San Diego.

Giolito has struggled with consistency in his Padres tenure thus far. He owns a 4.35 ERA through 20 2/3 innings pitched. His last few starts have been better, surrendering just three runs in his last 8 innings. Hoping to turn that around, the Friars will be using an opener for him today.

The right-hander has struggled with fastball command, but has looked better. Hopefully, Giolito can return to the form he had in his first two starts with the club (3 ER, 10.0 IP). If he can, the Padres should easily take Game 1 over St. Louis.

Batter up!

The sample size is getting bigger and bigger. Samad Taylor has been fantastic for the Friars. He’s batting .357 with a .919 OPS and went 5-for-13 with his first MLB home run in the series against Baltimore.

  1. Fernando Tatis Jr., 2B
  2. Jackson Merrill, CF
  3. Manny Machado, 3B
  4. Xander Bogaerts, SS
  5. Gavin Sheets, 1B
  6. Samad Taylor, LF
  7. Will Wagner, DH
  8. Jase Bowen, RF
  9. Rodolfo Durán, C

The star of the rubber match was Durán, who will be shouldering the catching weight with Freddy Fermin hitting the 7-day IL on concussion protocol. Durán slugged two homers in the last two games. Padres catchers have now combined for five home runs in the last week.

Relief corps

San Diego exhausted the majority of their high leverage relievers on Sunday afternoon. Bradgley Rodriguez, Jason Adam, Adrian Morejon and Mason Miller covered the final four innings of the game after Walker Buehler covered the first five and allowed just one run.

That will leave the Padres with options, though none of them have been fantastic. Ron Marinaccio, Yuki Matsui, David Morgan and Wandy Peralta will each be available in Game 1 against the Cards.