Despite not getting the perfect game, Yamamoto retired 45 batters in a row over two games, which ties Mark Buehrle or the second-most in MLB history. I remember who holds the record with 46 straight batters retired, but I would not have remembered his name without the article. I would have just said “Oh, that reliever with the Giants . . .”
Finally, the worlds of the World Cup and Major League Baseball came together in Boston at Fenway Park. Fans of Scotland, known as the Tartan Army, traveled to Boston to see the Scotland National Team play (and win!) their first World Cup game since 1998. Then the Scots descended upon Fenway Park to enjoy the MLB experience. Scott Muller reports.
Unforgettable night with the Tartan Army at Fenway Park in Boston. Spoke to police officers, bar staff, security + merch sellers who said they'd never seen a set of fans like it 🏴
Jun 9, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Rockies center fielder Cole Carrigg (16) advances in the sixth inning against the Chicago Cubs at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
LAS VEGAS, Nevada — Cole Carrigg (No. 4 PuRP) has made a statement in 2026.
Through 57 games, he was slashing .338/.414/.529 with 26 extra-base hits (15 doubles, five triples, six home runs) and 30 stolen bases in 37 attempts. That was enough for him to get the call, and he made his debut on June 9th.
“I didn’t really expect it,” Carrigg said on Friday. “[Pedro Lopez], our manager, was just kind of giving a speech sometimes, like he does, and then he just kinda dragged on about something that had to do with one of our conversations and I got a pretty good idea.”
He first called his dad, Mike, and then called his mom, Lisa, his brother and a few friends.
“[My dad] was pretty choked up,” Carrigg said. “He’s just super excited for me, and happy.”
When he got to Coors Field, one of his first stops was to meet with manager Warren Schaeffer.
“I just went in and right as I got there, I went into his office,” Carrigg recalled. “He was super pumped and excited to let me get out there and try to win some games.”
So far, Carrigg hasn’t skipped a beat, hitting a triple and two homers in his first five games. And to make things even more special, the triple was his first MLB hit. He’s the second Rockie to ever record a triple as his first MLB hit after Ryan Ritter did it on June 6, 2025.
“The triple was really fun,” Carrigg reflected. “I was glad to get the first hit out of the way in the first game, and it was pretty fitting that I got to run around the bases for a triple, which was pretty nice. And then, honestly, the homer was probably the coolest moment in my life so far. It was an out-of-body experience that I can’t really explain.”
Carrigg had another out-of-body experience in Las Vegas, though, launching a three-run homer on Saturday night to give the Rockies the lead late (which they ultimately lost, and lost the game 7-5).
And, of course, it was “definitely cool” to put on the purple coat.
Before the game on Friday, manager Warren Schaeffer said he was “not surprised” that Carrigg has had early success.
“I mean, I thought that if he came up here and played like himself and his attitude was the same as it’s always been, then he would be just fine,” Schaeffer said. “And that’s exactly what I’ve seen. I’ve seen a fiery guy who hates to get out, who plays good defense. He’s ready to play at all times. He just can make an impact in so many different ways on the baseball field, and that’s what he’s done so far. So [I’m] very, very happy that we have Cole Carrigg here.”
Even though he was more nervous in the batter’s box, Carrigg didn’t show it.
“Definitely stepping into the batter’s box was more nerve wracking than stepping onto the field,” he said. “I feel like playing defense is, I guess, easier than hitting. And obviously, it’s pretty nerve wracking stepping into the box and you’re the only out there on offense.”
But his favorite moment of his first week in the big leagues came off the field.
“[My favorite moment was] probably my cart shower, when the guys threw me in the shower,” he chuckled. “It was just something that I did not expect to happen, and I had no idea what to expect. It was very interesting, but awesome.”
Overall, Carrigg’s biggest takeaway from his debut week is “the difference in the amenities.”
“Clubhouse, stadium, clubbies… everything’s just that much more professional,” he said. “It’s super cool being on a private jet instead of flying Southwest. It’s all the stuff that’s different.”
But going forward, Carrigg is most looking forward to “trying to keep winning series, and see if we can make a push and just keep winning ballgames. But I’m just happy to play with these guys.”
The Rainiers (SEA) came out of the gates with a rally in the first that culminated in a two RBI single from Victor Labrada. The Isotopes countered by scoring in back-to-back innings via a two-out RBI single from Jose Cordova in the second and a leadoff homer from Richie Martin Jr. in the third. The final run was scored in the bottom of the third when Cal Raleigh (who is on a rehab assignment) was sent home thanks to an double from Labrada.
While the offense was largely done early, the pitching staff’s for both teams looked great throughout. For Albuquerque, Keegan Thompson started the game and allowed three runs (all earned) over four innings. Thompson was followed by a string of scoreless one inning outings from Parker Mushinski, Jordan Romano, Sammy Peralta, and John Brebbia.
A fairly uneventful game resulted in the Isotopes falling to 35-34, second in the PCL.
The Yard Goats lineup had success from the top to the bottom and combined for a total of nine hits and seven walks. Of particular note were Zach Kokoska’s first triple of the year, two hits from Andy Perez, and home runs from Roc Riggio (No. 14 PuRP) and Aidan Longwell. It was not, in the end, enough as the Yard Goats could not hold onto the lead they’d had since the second inning.
On the mound, every pitcher Hartford turned to allowed at least a run. Connor Staine started the game and had the best performance with five innings of three-run ball in which he struck out five. Then came an inning from Davison Palermo who allowed a run on a couple of walks and a sacrifice bunt. Next up was an inning from Griffin Herring (No. 10 PuRP) the end result of which was a Carter Cunningham two-run homer. Finally came in Cade Denton who, in the first of his two innings pitched would allow the go ahead run on a wild pitch. Denton was able to record five straight outs following that run, but the damage had already been done.
Spokane bested the Emeralds (SFG) in a quick afternoon match on the back of strong pitching and some well timed hits.
On the hitting side of things, Alan Espinal hit a home run in the fourth to drive in Jack O’Dowd. Following that homer the Indians didn’t record another hit until the seventh inning when back-to-back hits from Kelvin Hidalgo and Juan Castillo resulted in a run due to the Emeralds pitcher Cade Vernon flubbing a pickoff attempt. Then in the ninth, Espinal singled before Hidalgo and Castillo came through again to load the bases with a double and a walk respectively. A ground-out from Jacob Hinderleider was enough to score the Indians fourth and final run of the day.
Starting pitcher Everett Catlett was both efficient and effective. Catlett threw a total of 82 pitches and struck out eight over the course of six innings in which the only runs scored were on the solo home runs (both in the second inning). Covering the final three innings after Catlett departed were Justin Loer and Hunter Mann. They allowed a couple walks apiece but didn’t allow any of the resulting baserunners to come score which ensured Spokane’s 27th victory of the season.
The Grizzlies took an early lead and never looked back against the Rawhide (ARI). In the top of the first Ashly Andujar (No. 20 PuRP) tripled and then scored on a single from Roldy Brito (No. 11 PuRP). Fresno would score another run in the second on a home run from Luis Mendez. By the time the fourth inning came along Visalia had turned to reliever Ricardo Yan, who couldn’t find the strike zone, and both Mendez and Jeremy Ciriaco were able to draw a walk. A pair of wild pitches would then allow Mendez to score before a hit from Yeiker Reyes would drive in Ciriaco as well. They picked this up in the fifth when a Cameron Nelson single would drive in Matt Klein for the Grizzlies fifth and final run.
The real stars of the game were Grizzlies pitchers Ethan Cole and Bryson Van Sickle who combined to pitch all nine innings while striking out 12 and allowing only a single run. Cole took the ball to start the game and threw five and a third innings and allowed one run on five hits, three of which were doubles. Van Sickle relieved Cole in the bottom of the sixth and finished the next three and two thirds innings by striking out seven without allowing a hit.
Kevin Henry caught up with Rockies’ PBO Paul DePodesta, who was in Las Vegas watching his current team play his former team. They talked about the state of both organizations, and especially how the Rockies are fighting despite numerous challenges.
In Patrick Saunders’ weekend journal, he flashed back to when the Rockies traded for Germán Márquez in 2016. It still goes down as one of the best trades in franchise history, but could the new Rockies front office engineer something similar if needed?
Arion Armeniakos chronicles the Rockies young offense and how they’ve started trending in the right direction. On Saturday, TJ Rumfield recorded his 17th multi-hit game and Troy Johnston has 19. Kyle Karros hit his first career triple. Things are clicking, and hopefully they can all click at the same time soon.
FREDERICK, MARYLAND - APRIL19, 2026: Victor Figueroa #24 of the Frederick Keys readies for the next pitch during a South Atlantic League game against the Hudson Valley Renegades at Nymeo Field at Harry Grove Stadium on April 19, 2026 in Frederick, Maryland. The Renegades beat the Keys, 7-6 in 10 innings. (Photo by Rodger Wood/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
The Tides closed out the first half of the season at Harbor Park with a sloppy 11-7 loss on Sunday. New guy Chris Kachmar, in his third start since being signed on a free agent contract, pitched a stinker, allowing five runs on six hits in four innings for Norfolk. Cameron Weston wasn’t good, either, allowing three runs in one inning. José Espada and Enoli Paredes also caught the run-allowing bug, but Andrew Magno pitched a scoreless ninth. All nine Memphis starters recorded at least one hit in what turned into a 25-hit ballgame.
At least Norfolk managed 11 hits of their own. Christian Encarnacion-Strand blasted his 15th homer of the season and finished 2-for-5. Enrique Bradfield Jr., done with his rehab stint, went 2-for-5 with a stolen base and an RBI. Heston Kjerstad turned in another multi-hit game in the month of June, going 2-for-4 with an RBI, and Johnathan Rodriguez contributed a double and two RBI.
Another rough one in Altoona, until this one got called early for rain. Ben Vespi got blown up with a four-spot in the first inning, allowing five hits, and Joseph Dzierwa was OK but not fabulous, allowing seven hits and three runs in five innings.
The Baysox managed a single run on an Anderson de los Santos home run. The 1B went 2-for-3 today. Aaron Estrada, Willi Vasquez and Adam Retzbach each had a single on a five-hit day for Chesapeake.
High-A: Brooklyn Cyclones (NYM)7, Frederick Keys 4
Although the Keys outhit the Cyclones 9 to 8, a five-run inning for Brooklyn off No. 9 prospect Boston Bateman—the May Minor League Pitcher of the Month, who entered at 3-2 with a 3.38 ERA—proved a hole too great to dig out of. Bateman surrendered five runs in 2.2 innings on five hits, including a home run.
For the offensively minded, there were a few high points. Slugging first baseman Victor Figueroa keeps hitting bombs, including his seventeenth on Sunday, and he singled in a second RBI. Elis Cuevas was 3-for-4, stole two bases, and scored two runs, partly manufactured by him. Catcher Ryan Stafford had two hits. Ike Irish and Wehiwa Aloy had 0-fers, unfortunately.
Low-A: Columbia Fireflies (KCR) 8, Delmarva Shorebirds 5
Columbia scored all of its eight runs in the fifth inning or later. That’s to say, starter Esteban Mejía was very good, throwing 4.1 innings and allowing just a run. Dalton Neuschwander had the ugly box score, surrendering six runs (five earned) in 2.2 innings of relief, and Adrian Heredia surrendered a solo home run in the ninth. As for the earned-unearned run gap, it’s not often that you see a catcher make four errors in one game, but Delmarva’s Juan Ortega managed to do it (gulp).
On the offensive side, DJ Layton doubled and walked twice. First baseman Miguel Rodriguez hit a two-run double. Shortstop Jaden Lo Re had a 3-for-4 day and is OPS’ing 1.004.
PROVO, UT - FEBRUARY 7: AJ Dybantsa #3 of the Brigham Young Cougars calls a play agianst of the Houston Cougars during the half of their game at the Marriott Center on February 7, 2026 in Provo, Utah. (Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
During Will Dawkins and Michael Winger’s introductory press conference in June 2023, the duo outlined a multi-year plan to resurrect a dormant franchise in need of a major reset.
After years of chasing NBA titles with a play-in roster, Wizards ownership promised a different approach — one built on trust between an owner tired of mediocrity and a front office eager to build a perennial contender in the nation’s capital.
“The eventual expectation is that we’re gonna build a generational contender,” Winger said in 2023. “There’s no excuse for the lone NBA team in D.C. not to be contending for championships. Eventually, we’re gonna hoist a trophy here in D.C.”
Winger said his staff had “full autonomy” to reset the team. And reset it did.
Three 60-loss seasons, four lottery picks and several savvy trades later, only one player — Anthony Gill — remains from the roster Dawkins and Winger inherited.
But the rebuild isn’t complete.
One decision stands between three years of tanking and a potential title contender. It’s a decision the Wizards are lucky to have, yet desperate to get right.
The prospect Washington selects with the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft must carry the weight that selection bears and more.
They must want the ball when the game is on the line. They must possess the relentless drive to be great that is often the catalyst for legendary careers.
Most importantly, they must become the star the Wizards need to take them from a mere playoff participant to a feared title contender.
That player is AJ Dybantsa.
Why the Wizards should select Dybantsa at No. 1
There are several important metrics when evaluating NBA prospects, such as height, scoring ability, defensive impact and character.
When it comes to the top pick, however, ceiling trumps all. That’s because when prospects are so closely aligned in the aforementioned categories like Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson and Cameron Boozer are, upside is the greatest tiebreaker.
While Boozer has the most polished game and Peterson is the silkiest scorer, Dybantsa possesses the skills and measurables of a future MVP candidate.
During his lone season at BYU, the 19-year-old forward scored a Division-I best 25.5 points per game while shooting 51% from the field. Dybantsa used his 7-foot wingspan to grab nearly seven rebounds per contest. His 3.7 assists per game showed a willingness to move the basketball into prime scoring positions when defenses loaded up to stop his scoring.
As the modern NBA shifted to a perimeter-oriented game, the college game followed. Most prospects in this year’s class reflect that shift, relying on 3-point shooting as their premier offensive threat.
But not Dybantsa, who owns a smooth mid-range jumper and puts relentless rim pressure on whoever dares stand in his way.
At 6-foot-10 in shoes, Dybantsa can rise and shoot over almost any defender — a rare trait seen in scorers like Kevin Durant and Victor Wembanyama.
It’s why he prefers the mid-range jumper to the more popular 3-pointer. It’s also why he hits that shot at such an efficient clip.
Dybantsa shot 46% on mid-range jumpers as a freshman, which ranked in the 91st percentile among fellow prospects, according to draftballr.com. His eight mid-range shots per 100 possessions ranked in the 94th percentile.
This play against UConn, where Dybantsa gets to his spot, rises over an impeccable contest from 6-foot-7 Jaylin Stewart and sinks a mid-range jumper, encapsulates his talent.
2. Can get to his spots and shoot over almost any defender.
Dybantsa gets the ball in the post, steps to the free-throw line and drills a contested mid-range jumper through contact and over an incredible contest from 6-foot-7 Jaylin Stewart. pic.twitter.com/TBIdQSmjO4
Dybantsa and Peterson both project as offensive engines poised for long careers filled with thousands of buckets. But how they project to score those points differs dramatically.
During his freshman season at Kansas, Peterson primarily operated on the perimeter and in the intermediate scoring areas with 3-balls and floaters. Dybantsa did the opposite, instead relying on layups, dunks and mid-range jumpers for the bulk of his buckets.
The key separator lies in their ability to get downhill and finish at the rim — an area Dybantsa dominated while Peterson faltered.
Dybantsa shot 72.3% at the rim, which ranks first among ESPN’s consensus lottery picks, on more than eight rim attempts per 100 possessions. Of Dybantsa’s 604 shot attempts, 153 (25.3%) came inside of three feet.
4. Can get downhill and finish at the rim.
Dybantsa takes the ball in transition and uses a low pickup to blow past the initial defender before using a euro step for the lay.
Next, he uses a quick first step and another euro to get past two defenders and get to the bucket. pic.twitter.com/sRSH9TYuhD
The offensive-minded forward can draw contact as well. He attempted 13.1 free throws per 100 possessions, narrowly trailing Boozer’s 13.2 and Caleb Wilson’s 14.1, and finished his freshman campaign with a 49% free-throw rate.
Dybantsa’s 296 free-throw attempts led all Division-I players and more than doubled Peterson’s 132.
Peterson shot just 59.7% at the rim on 5.8 attempts per 100 possessions and finished with a 37.1% free-throw rate — nearly 12 percentage points behind Dybantsa. Furthermore, 41% of his shots came from 21 feet or more away from the basket and just 15% came from three feet or less.
Despite playing off ball at Kansas, Peterson’s camp believes he’s a point guard at the NBA level. But his low assist numbers — he averaged just 1.9 helpers per game compared to Dybantsa’s 3.7 — and subpar 1.o assist-to-turnovers ratio reflect a guard far from traditional NBA point guard standards.
His constant cramping issues and other nagging injuries, which caused him to miss 11 of his team’s 35 games, were certainly a factor. However, those health issues also represent the main concern for several evaluators who question Peterson’s long-term viability.
Peterson has Dybantsa beat in 3-point shooting and most defensive metrics. And at times, the Kansas product made college basketball appear too easy.
But Dybantsa’s long frame, freakish leaping ability and elite athleticism provide hope that his defense could dramatically improve with increased film study and reps next to top defenders like Alex Sarr, Bilal Coulibaly and Kyshawn George.
And his mid-range talent and relentless rim pressure, combined with his availability — he missed zero games at BYU — athleticism and upside as an All-NBA forward who could one day lead the NBA in scoring, give him the edge over Peterson.
Dybantsa vs. Boozer
Draft Express’ Jonathan Givony reported that nearly every NBA team has Boozer atop their draft board. And for good reason.
The Duke forward dominated nearly every matchup with his bruising 6-foot-8, 253-pound frame. His soft touch around the rim, seasoned footwork and smooth outside jumper posed near-impossible tasks for most defenses.
But when games got tight, and Duke needed a bucket, Boozer often reverted to his post game, one heavily reliant on bullying his way into the paint against smaller defenders, trying to force the officials to call a foul if his contested layup didn’t fall.
That approach is less likely to work in the NBA.
There’s no denying Boozer projects as a terrific professional with All-Star potential. He’ll likely average 20 points and 10 rebounds and drive winning in any situation he’s drafted into.
The issue is that he projects as more of a complementary piece than a No. 1 option. And for a Wizards squad filled with complementary pieces, Dybantsa better fits what they’re missing: An offensive engine with elite shot creation tools that can get a bucket when everyone knows who’s getting the ball.
The numbers tell the story.
Dybantsa ranked in the 99th percentile of Draftballr’s age-adjusted offensive box score impact metric despite a 33.5% usage rate, which ranked in the 100th percentile. BYU continued to pile more onto his plate, which only raised his level of play.
When BYU’s second leading scorer, Richie Saunders, tore his ACL on Feb. 14, the Cougars’ reliance on Dybantsa skyrocketed. Defenses gameplanned to stop him at all costs, and even that wasn’t enough.
Dybantsa scored 20 or more points in every game to close the season, including three contests with 35 or more and a 40-point showing in Round 1 of the Big 12 Tournament.
While Washington’s young core has received praise for its two-way impact, outside shooting and tremendous upside, one question has lingered: Who would step up as the team’s go-to scorer in key moments?
Enter Dybantsa, who, despite being the centerpiece of opponents’ game plans, averaged 31.0 points on 52.4% FG in three Big 12 Tournament games and dropped 35 points in BYU’s lone NCAA Tournament contest.
In big games and season-defining moments, Dybantsa doesn’t just want the ball. He demands it. And when he does, he meets the moment.
Just ask Texas coach Sean Miller, who seemingly ran out of adjustments in trying to stop BYU’s offensive engine.
“I don’t think we can [stop Dybantsa],” Miller said during his team’s NCAA Tournament victory over BYU. “There’s just very little you can do.”
Addressing the shooting concerns
The major question mark surrounding Dybantsa is his 33.1% 3-point clip, which ranks third-worst among Draftballer’s top-20 prospects.
But one collegiate season with poor outside shooting numbers doesn’t mean a prospect can never develop a 3-point jumper, nor does it mean that prospect can’t become one of the league’s premier scorers. Especially when that prospect possesses the athleticism, speed, rim pressure and two-point game that Dybantsa does.
Just ask John Wall, the Wizards’ No. 1 pick in 2010 who shot 32.5% from 3-point range at Kentucky before a lengthy NBA career that included five All-Star appearances. Or Derrick Rose, who shot 33% from three at Memphis before winning MVP as a 22-year-old with the Chicago Bulls.
Anthony Edwards was selected with the No. 1 pick despite shooting 29.4% from 3-point range at Georgia. Five years later, he made an NBA-best 320 threes at a 39.5% clip.
Other NBA All-Stars who shot sub-33% from three in college include Russell Westbrook, Jimmy Butler, DeMar DeRozan, Dwayne Wade and Rajon Rondo. What do those players have in common? They relentlessly attacked the rim, and when defenders took away their drive, they relied on an efficient mid-range game.
Dybantsa’s outside shooting numbers fall significantly behind those of Peterson (38.2%) and Boozer (39.1%). But other indicators, like his efficient mid-range jumper and touch in intermediate areas with floaters and push shots, showcase a shooting touch poised to stretch beyond the 3-point line with good coaching and lots of repetition.
The missing piece
Three years of losing have positioned Washington to achieve its ultimate goal: finding a centerpiece to build a perennial contender around.
Washington has done so in the inverse, spending the first three years accumulating talent to surround that centerpiece with.
Sarr is one of the league’s best young rim protectors. George and Coulibaly possess two-way potential as complementary offensive pieces who star on defense. Tre Johnson and Bub Carrington are 40% 3-point shooters who pose a threat from long range the second they cross halfcourt.
Will Riley flashed his shifty scoring ability in the latter months of an impressive rookie campaign. Justin Champagnie simply impacts winning on one of the league’s best contracts. The latest additions, Trae Young and Anthony Davis, add a veteran presence necessary for young teams to thrive.
It appears Washington is just one piece away. Winger said the Wizards aren’t looking for a “savior” with their top selection. But it’s no secret they lack a true No. 1 option.
Peterson has All-Star potential. And Boozer could become one of the league’s most dominant interior forces.
But Dybantsa possesses the greatest potential to become everything this rebuild was started for and more: A prospect with MVP upside, the missing No. 1 option to a puzzle that’s one piece away from its final form.
Oh, Jalen Green. What are we going to do with you?
There are only two years left on your contract, but I feel like we barely know you. You surprised us with that injury. That was pretty sneaky. To be real, I can’t quite figure you out. Some plays, I’m shouting, “MVP.” Some plays, I’m shouting, “Why did you shoot that?” Sometimes I’m shouting, “Man, if only…”
If only Jalen could finish at the rim, he’d be an All-Star. If only Jalen could improve his playmaking, we’d have an open three instead of a turnover. If only, if only, if only. But it was only two seasons ago that Jalen Green was the leading scorer on one of the best young teams in the NBA. He led the Rockets in points, field goal attempts, and three-point attempts. On the Suns, he ranked third in all three categories, and that makes me wonder. Were the Rockets a better fit for Jalen Green?
The pre-KD Rockets were young and athletic, stacked with long, rangy defenders that were developing their offensive games, and they relied on Jalen to do what Jalen Green does best. Get up shots. Create off the dribble. Attack the paint. Jalen Green led the Rockets in FGAs every single season he played for them.
That’s not what the Suns want from Jalen, at least not on that volume. The Suns have too many shooters for Jalen to stop the ball and go to work. The Suns want ball movement and open threes. The Suns want Devin Booker to go to work, and Jalen Green to be able to work off of him. For many of the Suns players, that was a recipe for success. Dillon Brooks took advantage of the spacing by posting a career high in points. Yet Jalen had a bumpier road. Derailed by an injury at the start of the season, Jalen returned to the Suns tentatively, clearly struggling with the mental aspects of returning from the first significant injury in his career, which underscores an important aspect of Jalen Green that needs to be considered. Jalen Green is still a young player.
There’s room for growth in Jalen Green’s game. The offseason has just started, and Jalen Green is already putting in the work. As is evident from the videos going around on social media, Green is developing that midrange game. And there’s room for improvement there. Last season, he struggled to shoot in traffic, posting his lowest FG% on shots between 3 and 10 feet, and in the workout videos I’ve seen, that’s where he’s shooting it from.
But I can’t help but notice as he puts up shots from the elbow, that’s the same space Booker likes to shoot it. So while improving those shots will make Jalen Green a better scorer. It may not make him a better fit for the Suns.
That doesn’t mean that Jalen Green doesn’t fit in with his teammates. He’s positive and energetic even through his injury. The same was true for the Rockets. Jalen Green is a great guy. It’s not a chemistry issue.
It’s not a buy-in issue either. Jalen Green gives the effort and energy Matt Ishbia has demanded from the Phoenix Suns going forward. Defensively, he’s not locking anyone down, but in the play-in game against the Warriors, he showed just how disruptive he could be, posting three blocks and two steals. He shot it 20 times that game, going 8-of-14 from three and scoring 36 points. His best all-around game of the year. He led the Suns in FGAs that game.
Jalen came to the Suns, tacked onto the deal to make the salaries match. It’s like if you had a pot that you loved to cook with, but the lid broke. So now you gotta buy a whole new pot to replace the lid, but you like your old part. This new one’s just taking up space. What you really need is a pan.
This isn’t a knock on Jalen Green or a call to trade him. I don’t think there’s any question that the injury affected Jalen. On dunks this past season, he recorded a 64.6% field goal percentage. The year before in Houston he dunked it home 82.9% of the time. There’s plenty of reason to think he can put up the type of numbers he did in Houston with a healthy year.
But Houston traded him because he had plateaued. Can he add to the non-scoring related elements of his game, specifically his playmaking? Can Booker and the Suns coaching staff make adjustments to help unlock his scoring and improve his efficiency? As I mentioned earlier, he’s a young player with room for growth. But growth is not the same thing as change. Jalen Green will become a better Jalen Green. What the Suns need him to be is a different Jalen Green. And that might not be in the cards.
I do know the Suns have to decide if they want to re-sign him. Maybe they’ll have a better idea of whether Jalen Green fits what they want to do by the trade deadline. Some early-season success might improve his trade value. There are teams out there that need a primary scorer. The Suns already have one. They picked up Jalen because they had to get a lid for their pot, but if they really want to start cooking again, they don’t need a second pot; they need a new pan.
So Suns fans, do you think Jalen Green will be a part of the Suns’ long-term solution? Let me know in the comments.
It was a special 2025-26 season for the Buffalo Sabres. This is because they not only made the playoffs for the first time since 2011 but also won the Atlantic Division. Now, the Sabres will be looking to build off their big year by putting together a strong off-season.
If the Sabres want to remain one of the NHL's top teams next season, they are going to need to make some upgrades to their roster this summer. One of their biggest needs is another top-six center.
When looking at trade candidates around the league, New York Islanders center Mathew Barzal stands out as a prime potential fit for the Sabres.
If the Sabres brought in Barzal, he could slot perfectly as their first-line center on a line with Tage Thompson and Zach Benson. Barzal's strong playmaking ability could make him a perfect linemate for a high-impact sniper like Thompson. Barzal would also give the Sabres another star to work with on their power play, which would be huge.
With the Sabres becoming contenders, they should not be afraid to make a bold move for a star center like Barzal if the Islanders make him available. He would be a great fit on their roster and could the addition that helps Buffalo take another big step forward in 2026-27.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - JUNE 14: Members of Scotland's "Tartan Army" march down Lansdowne Street to Fenway Park before a game between the Texas Rangers and the Boston Red Sox on June 14, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Hello and happy Monday, folks.
The Red Sox do not play today, and neither does the Scotland national football soccer team. However, their fans sure as hell have made their presence in Boston known—especially within and around Fenway Park.
A group of Scottish football fans adding some great atmosphere to the Boston Red Sox game.
Scotland The Brave being played in Boston—must be any ol’ weekday. If I had a nickel for every time I heard that tune on the bagpipes around here….
Anyways, a huge shoutout to the Tartan Army, man. My question to you: do you like the Tartan Army as much as I do? I mean, I’m loyal to the Irish, but we didn’t quality for the World Cup (WE ALMOST DID THOUGH), so I gotta pick and choose my spots.
Use this space to talk about what you want, be good to each other, and go Sox.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - MAY 30: Jared McCain #3 of the Oklahoma City Thunder drives to the basket during the game against the San Antonio Spurs during Game Seven of the Western Conference Finals on May 30, 2026 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. 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 Morgan Givens/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Jared McCain’s NBA career has had an odd start. The former Duke star was a leading candidate for Rookie of the Year last season when he had a knee injury in mid-December. He suffered a thumb injury this year, and Philadelphia had a deeper backcourt rotation as well, and he didn’t get that much time. Then, on February 4th, he was traded to Oklahoma City, and by the end of the season, emerged as a deadly weapon for the Thunder.
Maybe next year, we can see what he can do across a full season.
Now that he has some downtime, the Sacramento native and his OKC teammate, Jalen Williams, hit L.A. to take in Friday’s U.S.-Paraguay match in the World Cup. The U.S. rolled, of course, winning 4-1, so maybe they should ask the pair back for their next match as a good-luck charm.
Here are some more links about McCain and how well things have worked out for him in OKC so far.
DALLAS, TX - APRIL 29: Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks poses for a photo with Kyrie Irving #11 and Dereck Lively II #2 during the 2026-26 Rookie of the Year Presentation on April 29, 2026 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Last week’s poll question was a simple one: does it matter to you if the next Dallas Mavericks head coach is hired before or after the NBA Draft? The response was rather overwhelming!
A whopping 87% of respondents want a coach hired before the draft. I suppose with the news that the Chicago Bulls are honing in on a head coach (my belief is that it’s Tiago Splitter), we end up looking like the last person at a school dance without a partner.
Marc Stein has reported some candidates Dallas is interested in: Minnesota’s Micah Nori, Houston’s Royal Ivey, Toronto’s Jama Mahlalela, Boston’s Tony Dobbins and former Hawks, Bucks and Blazers head coach Terry Stotts. The two college coaches were apparently not really seen as feasible and never went beyond an overture.
As a person that usually has a million strong opinions, I am not concerned by Dallas not having a coach yet. Cooper Flagg is the hard part and that’s done now. Who they hire next I have confidence in already because this front office has a track record I believe in. So if they hire someone in the next several days, great. If not, we’ll live.
The national polling question asked which NBA event fans were more focused on.
The results track with what I’d expect. Most fans really were locked in on the NBA Finals, and why not, it was a great series. I can’t believe I enjoyed that as much as I did. The other quarter of fans are very focused on the NBA Draft. That’s certainly the case here given the number of draft articles we’ve been pumping out. If you want to see what the odds are for given picks, head on over to our partner FanDuel, where you can see how the bettors think things are going to shake out. The Maverick spot at 9 has me worried; I just can’t help it.
A year ago was the Summer of Waiting for the Warriors as Jonathan Kuminga’s restricted free agency took over their offseason. The same situation won’t arise one year later.
“Well, for my personal summer vacation plans it’s very important,” Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy joked one month ago on May 15. “I don’t want to – I hope I don’t have to be dealing with roster construction to the end of September, but that was a unique situation.
“My guess is it probably won’t happen again in that regard. We have some things to figure out, though. Draft and then obviously Draymond [Green] has his player option, and we’ve got some unrestricted free agents that we’d like to get back. So a busy summer, as always, and then hopefully it ends up shorter than last year.”
Golden State’s busy offseason began once all parties could take a deep breath and not have any emotional decisions after losing in the NBA play-in tournament, including Steve Kerr’s ultimate choice of remaining the Warriors head coach. In terms of contracts and getting the ball rolling there, the offseason began Sunday.
Teams can start negotiating with their own free agents the day after the NBA Finals ends. The Warriors have four unrestricted free agents, three restricted free agents and three with player options. That leaves them with just six players currently under contract, and two of them will start the season rehabbing knee injuries.
Steph Curry is eligible for a contract extension on Aug. 29, which he has stated he wants, and Brandin Podziemski is rookie contract extension eligible to avoid restricted free agency next offseason. A rookie contract extension has to be signed by 3 p.m. PT the day before the 2026-27 regular season starts.
Free-agent negotiations with players not on your own teams begins June 30 at 3 p.m. PT ahead of the July 1 free agency moratorium and teams being able to officially sign free agents on July 6 at 9:01 a.m. PT. There’s business to be done before then, however, throughout the final two weeks of June.
The Warriors for the first time in years are going into the offseason under the luxury tax, with the NBA’s projected salary cap for the 2026-27 season being right around $165 million. The Warriors also should have the $15.1 non-taxpayer midlevel exception to use, but it’s unlikely they can use it and still have the flexibility to fill in their roster and stay under the tax. The NTMLE should be a strong asset to use at their disposal.
Shortly after the 2026 NBA Draft, the Warriors will have a much better idea of their roster and expenses. Golden State has three key players who have to decline or exercise their player options by June 29.
Now that the 2025-26 NBA season has concluded and the draft is one week away, here is a look at the Warriors’ offseason outlook.
NBA Draft
First Round:No. 11 Pick
Second Round: No. 54 Pick
Under Contract
Steph Curry: $62.6 million
Jimmy Butler:$56.9 million
Moses Moody: $12.5 million
Brandin Podziemski: $5.7 million
Gui Santos: $4.6 million
Will Richard: $2.2 million
Player Options
Draymond Green:$27.7 million
Al Horford: $6 million
De’Anthony Melton: $3.5 million
Unrestricted Free Agents
Kristaps Porzingis: Bird Rights
Gary Payton II: Bird Rights
Seth Curry: Non-Bird Rights
Charles Bassey: Non-Bird Rights
Restricted Free Agents
Pat Spencer: Bird Rights
Quinten Post: Early Bird Rights
Nate Williams: Non-Bird Rights
“Let’s see where we go when the trade deadline comes around and into the spring,” Dunleavy said regarding the state of the Warriors and his outlook for the 2026-27 season. “I think the last couple of years we can say we’ve added talent in a good way in February.
“Who knows where we’ll be come April, March, May. … But by the end of the year, if you have Steph Curry on your team, Steve Kerr is the coach and Jimmy Butler is back, in a seven-game playoff series, I don’t want to say we can’t beat anybody.”
Feb 16, 2026; Ames, Iowa, USA; Iowa State Cyclones forward Joshua Jefferson (5) drives past Houston Cougars guard Kingston Flemings (4) during the first half at James H. Hilton Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-Imagn Images | Reese Strickland-Imagn Images
The back end of the 2026 NBA Draft is going to be quite the adventure for the league, including the Dallas Mavericks. The conglomerate of players who could go between picks 15 and 45 is truly fascinating. One of the players who seems to firmly fit in that range is Iowa State forward Joshua Jefferson.
The basics
Joshua Jefferson (born November 21, 2003) was born and raised in Henderson, NV, just outside of Las Vegas. His father, Ben Jefferson, played football for the University of Maryland. As an offensive lineman, he went undrafted in the 1989 NFL Draft. Jefferson spent a few years bouncing around the NFL before eventually retiring in 1995. Joshua’s two brothers also played college football. Noah Jefferson played at USC and Florida Atlantic, while his other brother Cameron played for UNLV and Arkansas.
Choosing basketball was a good decision for Joshua, as he was the Southern Nevada Boys Athlete of the Year in 2022, as well as the MaxPreps Player of the Year. Jefferson helped lead his Liberty Patriots to their first ever state championship in 2022, defeating powerhouse Bishop Gorman 63-62 in overtime. Jefferson scored the last six points of regulation to force overtime. The win ended Gorman’s run of nine consecutive state championships in class 5A.
Joshua Jefferson’s 2025-26 season by the numbers | CBB Analytics
Jefferson spent a full four-year term in college, starting off at Saint Mary’s. Jefferson was a productive player for the Gaels, including averaging 10 points and nearly seven rebounds per game in 2023-24. However, after a season-ending leg injury, Jefferson decided to hit the transfer portal, where he signed with TJ Otzelberger and the Iowa State Cyclones. Jefferson blossomed as a player in Ames, as he averaged 17 points, over 7.5 boards and nearly five assists per contest. With his eligibility exhausted, Jefferson is off to the NBA draft.
The good
When you talk about unique players, Joshua Jefferson truly has a unique offensive game. There are very few forwards in college basketball who have the blend of scoring and passing skill that Jefferson does.
Jefferson was such an integral part of the Cyclones offensive attack, as without him on the floor, the lack of creation was evident. Tamin Lipsey did a nice job of running the show at point, but the real sauce that made Iowa State go was Jefferson’s ability to be a hub from inside the arc. When he was operating at the nail and attacking downhill, Iowa State was at its best.
The unique trait that teams hope they can maximize is the passing. Jefferson is without a doubt the best passer in this class of forwards. The vision is excellent, and the craftiness and creativity to find the correct windows is exceptional. He can use both his right and left hand to get the ball to teammates on time and on target. In an NBA setting, allowing him to play in the short roll in advantage situations will be elite offense.
i can't imagine joshua jefferson facing up and attacking set defenses in the NBA as often as he does in college and the passing chances won't be this challenging
i want my NBA role players overqualified and that's exactly the kind of offensive talent jefferson boasts pic.twitter.com/fXoca9BafQ
Jefferson does not have the athletic gift of speed or agility, but he is able to get to the rim and finish using a combination of size, feel and footwork. He goes to a little hook shot quite a bit, typically over his left shoulder but he is comfortable taking and making them with both hands. He’s not really ever going to be a “dump it down to him on the block” type, but if given the space to operate, he handles it well enough to get to where he wants to go.
Areas of concern
Jefferson shot it fine from three, as he’s been right around 35% from deep for the better part of three years now. However, he doesn’t always look willing to shoot them. For him to reach his potential in the NBA, having the three as a counter he believes in would go a long way.
Against top-of-the-line teams, Jefferson saw a bit of a drop in both efficiency and effectiveness. Some of that is to be expected, as the better teams figure to guard a bit better, but it was something to note. In fairness to him, teams LOADED up on him in conference play, daring anyone not named Milan Momcilovic to beat them from deep. Still, it’s worth noting.
Jefferson, as expected, tested like an average-to-slightly-below-average type of athlete at his position during the NBA Combine. In fairness to him, he’s coming off a tough ankle sprain he suffered in the NCAA Tournament, so perhaps he even tested worse due to that. Jefferson is not a slob or anything, he’s what I would consider passable as an athlete. He leverages his smarts and technique help him on the defensive end to compliment the size and movement skills he does have. But it isn’t a stretch to say that there will be some matchups that are tough for him to cover.
Fit with the Mavericks
There’d have to be some reshuffling of the forward room to make this fit. Namely, PJ Washington and Naji Marshall, two guys who figure to be featured heavily in trade discussions, would likely need to be moved to allow for a cheaper, cost controlled Jefferson. That said, if the front office is able to accomplish that, I think Joshua Jefferson would be a fantastic fit around Cooper Flagg and whoever they draft to compliment Kyrie Irving in the guard room. His IQ and playstyle would be a great ying to Cooper’s yang. Even if it requires moving on from a vet and moving up from pick 30, the Mavericks should try and pull it off.
NBA comparison
There’s some Collin Murray-Boyles here with Jefferson, which is ironic since Jefferson is the older player here. There’s a bit of extra seasoning to Jefferson’s game, largely seen in the passing and craft. Another good comparison is Kenrich Williams. Kenny Hustle was able to carve a career out for himself coming out of TCU, and Jefferson should be able to do the same, especially if the shot falls for him like it has for Williams at various times throughout his career. I think there’s real room for him to overachieve those if he hits his peak outcome.
PITTSBURGH, PA - MARCH 31: Evgeni Malkin #71 of the Pittsburgh Penguins in action during the game against the Detroit Red Wings at PPG PAINTS Arena on March 31, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Vitals
Player: Evgeni Malkin Born: July 31, 1986 (Age 39 season) Height: 6’ 5” Weight: 213 pounds Hometown: Magnitogorsk, Russia Shoots: Left Draft: 2004 first round (2nd overall) by the Pittsburgh Penguins 2025-26 Statistics: 56 games played, 19 goals, 42 assists = 61 points ; 6 games played, 2 goals, 1 assist in playoffs. Contract Status: Malkin signed a one-year deal on May 26th to return to the Penguins in 2026-27 for his 21st NHL season after completing a four-year contract that wrapped up with the 2025-26 season.
Story of the Season
At 39 years old, Evgeni Malkin entered the 2025-26 season as the fifth oldest player in the NHL, preparing to play in his 20th NHL campaign in what will be a Hall of Fame career. While he may no longer be the player he was at his peak, Malkin proved to everyone that he still has something left to give, posting over a point per game season as he approaches his 40th birthday.
Malkin wasted no time getting his season rolling with a red hot right out of the gate that helped propel the Penguins up the standings and had people raising their eyebrows after preseason predictions had them as basement dwellers rather than playoff contenders.
Through the first month of play in 2025-26, Malkin paced the Penguins in scoring, producing 17 points in the month of October. There was a short period of time where he was leading the league in points courtesy of his hot start. That pace eventually cooled off, but Malkin made it clear he still had gas in the tank and could produce at a high level for the Penguins.
Coming off a 2024-25 season where he played 68 games, injuries (and a bad decision on his part) limited Malkin to just 56 games this past season. In December, the Penguins played 14 games, but Malkin appears in just two of those games, missing the rest due to injury. Malkin’s absence from the lineup coincided with one of the Penguins worst stretch of the season, surely not a coincidence given the level Malkin was playing at before going down.
In total, Malkin missed 15 games between early December and when he returned on January 8th but he wasted no time getting back on the scoresheet, recording a goal in his return to action and racking up 13 points across 12 games played in the month of January.
Of course not all of Malkin’s time out of the lineup was injury related. In an early March game against the Buffalo Sabres, Malkin slashed Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin across the neck and was handed a five game suspension for his actions.
Much like his return from injury in January, Malkin returned to the lineup on March 16th in Denver and did so with a bang against the Avalanche, recording a pair of goals and an assists in a shock 7-2 Penguins victory over the eventual President’s Trophy winners.
In the playoffs, Malkin found the back of the net twice to tie the team lead for goals scored in the Penguins six game loss to the Flyers in the first round.
October and January are the big months here that really stand out for Malkin this season. It should be noted those two months are when his legs were the most fresh, at the beginning of the season and coming off a long injury layoff that saw him miss 15 games. December and February were low volume in terms of games played because of injury and the Olympic break, but Malkin was still clicking at above a point per game pace even in those small sample sizes.
Regular season 5v5 advanced stats
Data via Natural Stat Trick. Ranking is out of 18 forwards on the team who qualified by playing a minimum of 150 minutes.
Perhaps not the driver of play that he was at his peak, but Malkin’s scoring rates still remain among the highest on the team at 39 years old. His goal total improved slightly from last year, but it’s dishing the assists where he earned his money this season. Maybe Malkin does need to focus on shooting the puck more in 2026-27 with his GF% being that high and his shooting percentage being in the top half of qualified skaters.
2025-26 proved to be a major bounce back season for Malkin following his career-worst worst performance in 2024-25. The offensive impact this year was back in a major way and WAR rankings shine favorably on his game.
Malkin is always going to live in the Sidney Crosby shadow but has some incredible playmaking chops of his own. At this point he is a much more effective player setting up his teammates than taking the shots himself, and a shift to wing has freed him up to be more involved on the forecheck. Malkin also remained incredibly productive on the power play, leading the team in power play points per 60 minutes played and ending up with 26 PPP in his 56 games.
Malkin was able to increase his amount of shots from mid and high danger zones from last season, despite playing in 12 less games. That might say more about 2024-25 than this current year. Overall, through coaching inputs on zone starts and skill he’s still able to spend lots of time in the offensive end and as little as possible in the defensive part.
Age and a few knee surgeries have put a ceiling on what was once the most explosive skater of his generation back in his heyday. These stats show a real ceiling to how fast Malkin can be these days, right around the 20mph area. He still has the burst to remain worthy of playing in a league that gets a little faster each season, even as he slows, it’s just not quite the same as it once was and missing that high gear.
Evgeni Malkin, are you KIDDING @Joe_Brand1?? Another day, another bank shot. Here's how Geno's goal sounded on our airwaves, presented by S&T Bank. pic.twitter.com/MH4r2XTrMQ
One has to wonder in this coming season will be the last for Evgeni Malkin in his Hall of Fame career. There were whispers last offseason that 2025-26 was going to be the end, at least for his time in Pittsburgh, but an impressive age 39 season left little to doubt that Malkin can still play and it led to a one year deal for 2026-27 and a 21st NHL season where he will be 40 years old.
Malkin was already among the oldest players in the league last season and he could climb even higher this season depending on other retirement decisions from those ahead of him on the list. At some point his NHL career will come to and end, but until that time comes, it’s best to just enjoy having Malkin in a Penguins uniform, the only uniform he should ever wear as an NHL player.
Ideal 2026-27
There were two 40 year old forwards in the NHL in 2025-26, Alexander Ovechkin and Corey Perry. Evgeni Malkin will be 40 when next season begins so they can serve as a good comparable for what to expect from Malkin as he laces up the blades for his 21st NHL season.
Ovechkin posted 32 goals and 32 assists for 64 points while playing all 82 games. Corey Perry recorded 17 goals and 20 assists for 37 points in 72 games played.
Malkin nearly equaled Ovechkin last season in total points despite playing 26 less games and he far surpassed Perry’s numbers in less games as well. Whether or not either of those guys play in 2026-27 remains to be seen, but we know Malkin will be in the league for another year.
Gone of the days of Malkin being a 30 goal scorer and even the 20 goal mark may be a stretch for him anymore, but what we do know is he can still distribute the puck to rack up assists. Given that he will likely still be in the Penguins top six and getting top power play time, a repeat of the season we just saw from Malkin, minus some injuries perhaps, will do just fine for the Penguins.
Bottom line
Evgeni Malkin entered 2025-26 with doubts about his future with the Penguins as he was entering the final season of his contract. As the season played out and it became apparent that Malkin still had much to give and his future in Pittsburgh was secured for another season with a well earned one-year contract that will see him play his 21st NHL season with the Penguins in 2026-27.
Injuries did force Malkin from the lineup more than in past seasons, playing his fewest amount of games since the 2021-22 campaign when he played in only 4q contests. Still though, when Malkin was on the ice he showed the talent that has made him a future Hall of Famer, scoring at over a point per game pace for the first time in four seasons.
There was some angst among the Penguins fan base about bringing Malkin back for 2026-27, but this season showed he can still produce and he’s not blocking anyone in the system. It was an easy call to give him a new deal and if he can put together a similar season at 40 years old, then it’s a win all around.
Final Grade
A-.
At 39 years old and in his 20th NHL season, Malkin posted a point per game and played a key role in helping the Penguins get back to the playoffs. His red hot start had the Penguins off and running and put them in good position to survive the rough patches that were to come. He did go down with injury that cost him a large chunk of games in the middle of the campaign, but he returned and produced straight away.
All in all, it’s hard to be too critical of a 39 year old who is still playing and contributing at the level of Evgeni Malkin did in 2025-26. He earned his new contract and here’s to hoping we see this version of Malkin again in the new season.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JUNE 14: The Carolina Hurricanes celebrate after Game Six of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final against the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena on June 14, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Carolina Hurricanes won 3-0. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Here are your links for today:
Devils Links
The Hockey Guy provides assessments for where teams stand in their competitive windows, and he saves the Devils for last:
“General manager Sunny Mehta should pursue some of the bigger trade targets available this offseason, such as Jordan Kyrou, but there’s the salary cap to worry about, too. As such, there could be some under-the-radar, though potentially riskier, trade candidates that Mehta could pursue over the coming weeks. Let’s look at who those could be and why some of these trade targets offer buy-low, high-reward potential.” [Devils on the Rush ($)]
“If there’s one commonality between most of the armchair-GM trade proposals, it’s the repeated inclusion of the same Devils’ pieces: the 12th overall pick, Simon Nemec, and Dawson Mercer. A draft pick is what it is, and I’ve certainly laid out the Nemec of it all before, but I feel as though it would be a worthy endeavor to dive into what Mercer actually brings to the table as a player and determine whether or not he deserves to be in these trade conversations. Half of those I’ve spoken to believe him to be a strong, all-situations asset to the team; a player the Devils cannot afford to lose. The other half believes that he is what he is — a 20-goal, 40-point player — and that he’s best used as a trade chip by virtue of his trade value being higher than his on-ice value.” [Devils’ Advocates]
“Twenty years later, the Carolina Hurricanes are Stanley Cup champions again. Brandon Bussi stopped all 22 shots he faced, and the Hurricanes set off a Stanley Cup celebration with a heavy presence of their fans who made the trip here, defeating the Vegas Golden Knights 3-0 in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final at T-Mobile Arena on Sunday.” [NHL.com]
Jordan Staal is awarded the Conn Smythe:
#SoundTheSiren captain Jordan Staal is the 2026 Conn Smythe Trophy winner for MVP of the #StanleyCup playoffs, as voted by @ThePHWA.
Staal had a Stanley Cup Final for the ages, becoming the first player to score in each of the first five games in 70 years.
Kevin Villavicencio of the Binghamton Rumble Ponies throws the ball during a Minor League Baseball game at TD Bank Ballpark in Bridgewater, United States, on June 12, 2026. (Photo by Dan Squicciarini/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images
Thanks to a rain delay that turned into an early completion, Syracuse fell below the .500 mark. Jonah Tong did not pitch particularly well, allowing four runs on eight hits over 5.0 innings, but silver lining: he only walked a single batter, just the second time all season. Buffalo pitched CJ Van Eyk wasn’t much better, allowing three runs on nine hits over 5.2 innings, but that’s the luck of the draw sometimes.
Trailing for most of the game after taking a 2-0 lead in the top of the eight, the Rumble Ponies came back from a four-run deficit in the middle innings thanks to a two-run Jose Ramon double in the fifth and a two-run Jacob Reimer homer in the seventh. After Binghamton failed to score in the bottom of the tenth, a throwing error by Kevin Villavicencio allowed Somerset’s automatic runner to score.
The Cyclones put up a five-spot in the bottom of the third, with all nine batters coming up to the plate in the inning. Mitch Voit drove in a run with a single into left, and a few batters later, stole home when Daiverson Gutierrez drew a walk and the Frederick infield fell asleep. Even if he hadn’t, he would’ve come home to score, as JT Benson whacked a three-run homer over the left-center wall to make it a 5-0 game. Both teams would score a bunch more, but in the end, Brooklyn stood tall.
It wasn’t exciting, but the St. Lucie Mets got the job done. Simon Juan put the team on the board with a solo homer in the top of the first, the team plated an insurance run in the top of the third- which came in handy because Palm Beach scored a run of their own in the bottom of the inning- and then they plated one more in the top of the eighth. Cam Tilly was solid for three-and-a-third innings, and the bullpen behind him blanked the Cardinals.
Happy birthday to Hall of Famer Billy Williams, and a mighty host of others.
Today in baseball history, in 1938 – Johnny Vander Meer of the Cincinnati Reds stuns the baseball world by pitching his second successive no-hitter in five days, defeating the Brooklyn Dodgers, 6-0, as Brooklyn plays the first night game ever at Ebbets Field. In front of 38,748 fans, including spectator Babe Ruth, Vander Meer strikes out seven and walks eight, including three one-out walks in the 9th inning, and other stories as well.
Today in baseball history:
1928 – Ty Cobb of the Philadelphia Athletics steals home for the 54th and final time in his 24-year career to extend his major league record. It comes in the eighth inning against the Cleveland Indians.
1964 – The St. Louis Cardinals make one of their best trades ever, acquiring outfielder Lou Brock from the Chicago Cubs for pitchers Ernie Broglio and Bobby Shantz and outfielder Doug Clemens. As a member of the Cardinals, Brock will set the all-time stolen base record and reach the 3,000-hit mark. Broglio will soon be felled by arm injuries and will only win seven more games in the majors, while Shantz and Clemens will only make marginal contributions.
1969 – En route to setting the National League record of playing in 1,117 consecutive games, Billy Williams, after fouling a pitch off his foot in yesterday’s contest, hobbles to the plate as a pinch-hitter in the Cubs’ 7-6 loss to Cincinnati at Crosley Field. The contest marks the first time “Sweet Swingin’ Billy” has not been in the starting lineup during the 878 games of the streak.
1215 – King John of England signs the Magna Carta at Runnymede near Windsor in Surrey, limiting royal authority and establishing the principle that the king and his government are not above the law.
1775 – George Washington is appointed commander-in-chief of the Continental Army a day after Congress establishes the force.
1842 – John C. Frémont sets off from Kansas River on his first expedition of the Oregon Trail with frontierman Kit Carson as his guide.
1869 – World’s first plastic celluloid is patented by John Wesley Hyatt in Albany, NY.
1878 – World’s first moving pictures captured on camera using 12 cameras, each taking one picture, to determine if all four of a horse’s hooves leave the ground.
1921 – Bessie Coleman earns her pilot license in France becoming the 1st African-American woman and Native American to hold one.
1951 – Joe Louis scored his last knock out victory.
1980 – US Open Men’s Golf, Baltusrol GC: Jack Nicklaus sets new tournament scoring record 272 (-8) to win his 4th Open title, 2 strokes ahead of Isao Aoki of Japan.
1984 – American boxer Thomas Hearns retains WBC light middleweight title with 2 round KO of Roberto Durán of Panama at Caesar’s Palace, Las Vegas; marks first time in his illustrious career Durán knocked out.
2012 – Apple I computer sells for a record $374,500.
2015 – Stanley Cup Final, United Center, Chicago, IL: Chicago Blackhawks defeat Tampa Bay Lightning, 2-0 for a 4-2 series victory; Blackhawks’ 6th Championship.
Today in music history:
1965 – Bob Dylan records the single “Like a Rolling Stone” (#1 in Rolling Stone magazine’s “500 Greatest Songs of All Time”).
1973 – “Let’s Get It On” single released by Marvin Gaye (Billboard R&B Song of the Year, 1973; No. 4 overall).
1974 – “Back Home Again”, the 8th studio album by John Denver, is released (Billboard Album of the Year, 1975).
1974 – Novelty song “The Streak” by Ray Stevens hits #1 on UK pop chart.
