Top-level rugby is fast becoming a different sport and finalists illustrate the domestic talent Borthwick needs to harness
For anyone who hasn’t yet watched them, the weekend’s two English Prem semi-finals were brilliant adverts for the sport. The game between Northampton and Leicester fizzed with speed and quality passing. The following day’s encounter between Bath and Exeter involved one of the best fightbacks and tautest finishes imaginable.
The upshot is a Northampton v Exeter final this Saturday, a showpiece with the potential to be just as absorbing. Henry Pollock v Greg Fisilau, Tommy Freeman v Henry Slade, Fin Smith v Harvey Skinner … not to mention two intelligent English coaching teams led, respectively, by Phil Dowson and Sam Vesty, and Rob Baxter and Dave Walder. If the Rugby Football Union is pondering future homegrown alternatives to Steve Borthwick there are some increasingly strong candidates.
The New York Knicks celebrate with the Larry O'Brien trophy after defeating the Spurs in Game 5 of the NBA finals on Saturday in San Antonio.Photograph: Darren Abate/AP
The year of New York
Sometimes it’s just your year. When infectiously optimistic young mayor Zohran Mamdani was elected this past fall, there was a palpable vibe shift in the city. That’s not to say that there’s a direct correlation between the New York Knicks being NBA champions and the era of buoyant positivity permeating the city, but it’s also not to say there’s not one. Other American cities will, inevitably, have their moment in the sun again soon. But 2026 is the year of New York (someone get that memo to the Mets).
It may come across as condescending to you’ll get ‘em next time a group of professional athletes who were on the verge of a championship, but the it doesn’t feel like the San Antonio Spurs just squandered a golden opportunity. If anything, they far, far overachieved this year: it’s almost entirely unheard of for a young team to make it all the way to the finals in their first rodeo. The core of Victor Wembanyama (22 years old), Stephon Castle (21) and Dylan Harper (20) certainly took their lumps along the way, and lessons learned are often painful. But it’s not looking through rose-colored glasses to say that this Spurs team will be rodeo-ing for many seasons to come.
The Thunder are not inevitable
As the saying goes, that’s why they play the games. I’m old enough to remember nine months ago, when the Oklahoma City Thunder seemingly didn’t know how to lose and everyone in the NBA media ecosystem was talking about how they were going to cruise to a repeat championship. Flash forward to the present: where the formidable Thunder met their end against the pugnacious Spurs in Game 7 of the Western Conference finals. Oklahoma City will absolutely be heard from again, and it wouldn’t be shocking if they wound up back in the finals next year. But let this be a lesson: in an era of parity, dynasties are best left labeled in hindsight, not prematurely.
LeBron shouldn’t retire yet
A 41-year-old with a beard full of grey being the guy to single-handedly backpack his team to a first-round playoff victory sounds fantastical. But there is one timeline in which it’s possible: the one with LeBron James. James has been asked about retirement relentlessly for the past several seasons, and the question is understandable. He is old enough that his own son is now his teammate. But he is, quite frankly, still too damn good to hang it up. When the Lakers found themselves without their top two scorers – All-NBA first-teamer Luka Dončić and guard Austin Reaves – the then-third option had to pull his cape out of the closet. He responded by dragging Los Angeles through the first round almost by force of will. Wherever James ends up next season, it simply cannot be retirement.
Everyone who has played any level of organized basketball has heard the same refrain: “We gotta play all 48.” But it’s rare that playing 46 or 47 minutes worth of high-level hoop comes back to bite you … anywhere besides the NBA playoffs. This year’s eventual champions, the Knicks, are that fact personified: clawing back from down 29 points in the second half of Game 4 to complete the largest comeback in NBA finals history. They knew what all great, connected, fearless teams know: it’s never over until it’s over. All it takes is, as captain Jalen Brunson put it after the Game 4 comeback, “chipping away”.
Steph needs help
Listen, maybe it’s just over. But Stephen Curry is still really, really good, and I for one am tired of watching him flame out in the play-in or, at best, the first round year after year. At this point, the 2022 championship feels like a fever dream. Maybe the answer is a 2024 Olympics-style reunion with old rival LeBron James. Maybe the long-rumored Giannis Antetokounmpo pipedream somehow comes to fruition. The Golden State Warriors are running short on time. They need solutions, and quickly. Otherwise, the flashes of brilliance Curry still delivers every spring will become increasingly fleeting, until one day they’re gone.
The Twitter DMs were real
Do we have concrete proof that the controversial, mean (and, if we’re honest, occasionally hilarious) Twitter DMs leaked earlier this season actually came from the keyboard of Kevin Durant? Not exactly. But the evidence is mounting. The most damning exhibit may have been the first round of the playoffs, where Durant’s Houston Rockets were bounced by a Lakers squad relying on meaningful postseason minutes from not only LeBron James Sr, but also junior. Death by Luke Kennard is a pretty scathing indictment all by itself. The Rockets were a walking reminder that talent and chemistry are not the same thing. They looked discombobulated and unmoored with or without Durant in the lineup, but they often seemed to be having a lot more fun when he wasn’t.
The Knicks won 16 of 19 games during their march to the title, but two of those three losses came in the first three games of the opening round. The opponent? A feisty Atlanta Hawks team that finally admitted defeat on the Trae Young experiment and embraced the future in the form of Jalen Johnson and his Most Improved Player running mate Nickeil Alexander-Walker. In exchange for Young, Atlanta landed the perfect veteran steward in CJ McCollum, who, as shocking as it may sound, was the only player in the entire postseason to consistently make the Knicks look mortal. Add in all that athleticism and depth, plus the No 8 pick in this year’s draft courtesy of the New Orleans Pelicans, and the Hawks should enter next season with a puncher’s chance in what promises to be a fascinating Eastern Conference.
Philly need to turn the page
Speaking of embracing the youth movement, there’s another team in the Eastern Conference that could stand to do the same. For a brief moment – around the start of the second round – it looked as though the stars were finally aligning for this moribund version of the Philadelphia 76ers. Joel Embiid looked like an MVP candidate again. Paul George didn’t look like a walking contractual albatross. Everything was clicking in a way that seemed to validate the grand vision that Daryl Morey had spent years chasing. Then the wheels came off. Morey is out of a job, and the underlying reality has reasserted itself. If there’s a path forward for Philadelphia, it probably doesn’t involve squeezing one more run out of Embiid and George. It involves turning the page, embracing the future, and building around Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe instead.
The Celtics should shake it up
There will be several coaches on the hot seat this summer. Joe Mazzulla, fresh off a Coach of the Year award, probably won’t be one of them. But he showed some serious warts in these playoffs – and, honestly, last year’s too – with his apparent unwillingness to stray from a three-point-heavy dogma even when circumstances demanded it. The pithy press conference quotes are cute and all. They become a lot less charming when your team keeps running aground on the same shoals every postseason. Beyond any tactical adjustments, the Boston Celtics have a major personnel decision to make. Jaylen Brown, the mercurial star who appeared to relish his months-long stint as the team’s No 1 option, may never have more trade value than he does right now. My takeaway? Sell high on Brown, and use the return to retool both the roster and the philosophy underpinning it.
There was a time, not all that long ago, when the blockbuster trade that sent Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for Karl-Anthony Towns looked like a genuine win-win. While Towns didn’t exactly cover himself in glory during the title-clinching Game 5 of the NBA finals, that debate was settled this postseason. Randle once again proved more liability than asset when the games mattered most, while DiVincenzo will spend most, if not all, of next season recovering from an achilles tear. Meanwhile, Towns was indispensable during the Knicks’ march to the championship. He was particularly brilliant in Games 1 and 2 of the finals, helping set the tone for a dominant series victory and validating the gamble New York made when it acquired him.
Don’t make too much (or too little) of the regular season …
Somewhere between “the NBA regular season is irrelevant” and “the NBA regular season is the bible” lies a more nuanced truth: there is plenty to be gleaned from the six months between October and April, but none of it is definitive. Take, for example, the Detroit Pistons, who steamrolled the Eastern Conference for much of the regular season but carried glaring playoff-centric flaws that were obvious to anyone looking closely enough. Or the Knicks, who faced the opposite problem: a team that wasn’t blowing the doors off opponents during the 82-game marathon because it was clearly ironing out wrinkles in preparation for the 16-game sprint. The signs were there all along, not least when they captured the NBA Cup in December. On the other side of the ledger sat the Spurs. Their regular-season dominance over the Thunder turned out to be more than a curiosity; it was a preview. When the Spurs knocked Oklahoma City out in the conference finals, the warning signs had already been there for months. So by all means, take lessons from the regular season. Just don’t mistake them for gospel.
… and don’t trade for James Harden
There’s a famous meme, born from a scene in Arrested Development, in which one character asks: “Did it work for those people?” The response: “No, it never does. I mean, these people somehow delude themselves into thinking it might ... but it might work for us.” That, in a nutshell, is the James Harden experience. Every few years, a different NBA front office succumbs to a kind of selective amnesia. Executives are charmed by Harden’s remarkably regular-season production and convince themselves that this time will be different. They willingly suppress the memory of the playoff shortcomings that have followed him throughout his career until, inevitably, those memories come flooding back in painful fashion. Then comes the disappointment. Then the trade request. Then the wheel spins again. I will never fully understand how the optimism persists, but the Cleveland Cavaliers became the latest franchise to learn the same lesson as so many before them: when the calendar turns to April, May and June, Harden simply cannot be treated as a dependable No 1 option.
There was one trait shared by the three best teams in the playoff field – the Thunder, Spurs and Knicks – they were run by smart, shrewd front offices. Their intelligence manifested in different ways. Oklahoma City and San Antonio largely built through the draft. New York took a more aggressive path, assembling their core through trades and free agency. But all three organizations excelled at the same fundamental task: roster construction. You may not have the Thunder’s seemingly endless depth. You may not have the Spurs’ lottery fortune. You may not possess the je ne sais quoi, culture and sheer stubborn resilience that powered the Knicks to a championship. But putting smart people in charge is one of the few competitive advantages available to every franchise.
You can win with a small guard
Becky Hammon is a brilliant basketball mind, a damn good coach and, unfortunately, the source of a quote that will live in infamy. “If your best player is small, you’re not winning,” Hammon said in 2023 while arguing that Brunson, listed at 6ft 2in, could never be a true No 1 option on a championship team. Given that Brunson now possesses both an Eastern Conference finals MVP and an NBA finals MVP trophy, it goes without saying that the take did not age particularly well. If the NBA teaches the same lesson over and over, this season hammered it home more forcefully than most: there is no single blueprint for superstardom. Brunson has flaws. Plenty of them. He is also one of the most outrageously clutch players the league has ever seen. The goal is not to find a flawless basketball demigod molded in the image of ames or Michael Jordan. The goal is to find a truly great player, one capable of leading a locker room and elevating teammates, then intelligently and relentlessly build a roster that amplifies his strengths. The Knicks’ radio broadcaster Tyler Murray captured it perfectly in his final call of the season: “The 2026 New York Knicks will forever be remembered as the team that proved no lead is too big, and no guard is too small.”
Jun 14, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; New York Yankees designated hitter Ben Rice (22) celebrates in the dugout after hitting a ninth inning home run against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Gerry Angus-Imagn Images | Gerry Angus-Imagn Images
MLB.com | Bryan Hoch: Ben Rice shook off a rough start to Sunday’s game before connecting for the game-winner in the ninth, a two-run shot that staked the Yankees to a 3-1 lead. It was the second straight game New York won on a ninth-inning long ball as they won their first series in Toronto since 2023. “There were definitely some swings that weren’t very convicted on my end, so to finish the day on a good one — that feels nice,” Rice said. José Caballero followed with a three-run homer to put the game out of reach. In comparison with Rice’s relative wall-scraper, Caballero’s blast traveled 420 feet. “That’s one of those he hits in BP all the time,” manager Aaron Boone said.
New York Post | Greg Joyce: The Yankees have no plans to use Rice at catcher in the near future. The slugger, who came up through the minor leagues playing backstop, has played exclusively at first and DH this year while posting a .998 OPS that ranks second in baseball. “Not yet,” Boone said on Rice going behind the plate. “We talk about it a lot. That’s not in the plans right now, but we’ll see.” The hesitancy is likely due to Rice’s importance to the lineup, which is currently without Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton and can ill afford to lose the man who’s been their best hitter this season. For his part, Rice remains open. “I love catching,” he said. “Right now, it hasn’t been in the equation as much. With that being said, I always appreciate the position so much.”
MLB.com | Bryan Hoch: Jasson Domínguez’s first day back in the big leagues was a busy one. Informed near midnight on Friday that his rehab stint would be cut short in light of an injury to Trent Grisham, the Martian spent much of Saturday in transit. After taking a bus from Moosic, PA to Newark, NJ and a plane up to Toronto, he arrived at Rogers Centre about an hour before first pitch. After a caffeine spree that included two Red Bulls and four espresso shots, he manned right field for the first time in his career and hit a key fourth-inning homer in the victory. Domínguez expressed optimism about the move to right field after spending most of his time in left during past stints with the Yankees. “In Triple-A, I had a couple of fly balls, a couple of plays,” Domínguez said. “It felt pretty good. I feel like it’s better than left field when I started. Maybe the angle is better.”
Forbes | Peter Chawaga: Our condolences to the family of Al Closter, who has passed away per Baseball Almanac. The southpaw appeared in 16 games with the Yankees between 1971 and ‘72, going 2-2 with a 5.58 ERA, the longest stint in a career that also included stops with the Senators and Braves. Closter also represented Team USA in games against Japanese players at a demonstration baseball tournament at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, long before baseball became an Olympic sport. Closter was 82.
Make no mistake about it, Steph Curry remains a superstar who still is playing at an elite level when healthy. He also just missed 39 games and will turn 39 years old at the end of the next NBA season.
The Warriors need more backcourt help around him, and more depth at both guard positions in general. Curry remains under contract and isn’t going anywhere. Brandin Podziemski is under contract and is eligible for an extension this offseason to avoid restricted NBA free agency next offseason.
The only other healthy guard under contract is Will Richard, who was a pleasant surprise as a second-round rookie. The only other guard under contract outside of Richard is Moses Moody, who is rehabbing a torn patellar tendon, and he’s more of a wing.
Between age and the state of the current roster, guard play needs to be an upgrade for the Warriors. Here are three who could be available with the No. 11 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
Of these three prospects, Burries is the least likely to still be available when the Warriors are on the clock. There isn’t one trait of his that jumps out over the others. Burries is a combo guard who can do a bit of everything, as he displayed in his one season at Arizona.
He was Arizona’s leading scorer at 16.1 points per game, and was their leader in both 3-pointers made (70) and steals (59). Burries has every ability to make a difference defensively and offensively, and at the least can complement teammates around him well. As an older freshman who will be 21 before his first NBA game, Burries plays like a high-IQ, high-motor impact guard.
Burries showed up for spotlight games and always seemed to bounce back. He scored just seven points on 1-of-5 shooting in his first game against Houston, only to then outscore Kingston Flemings 21 to eight for a five-point victory in the conference tournament championship game, which came one game after scoring only three points. In front of Warriors coach Steve Kerr in the Sweet 16, Burries was awesome against Darius Acuff Jr., scoring 23 points with five rebounds, two steals and two threes in a blowout win against Arkansas.
Like a lot of the top guards in the draft, Burries has a range of places he could go to in the lottery. The Warriors sure would be happy to see him still available at No. 11.
Brayden Burries with insane read and game winning block for Arizona
A lead guard in the SEC who averaged 22 points per game, shooting 50.1 percent from the field and 39.9 percent behind the 3-point line on high volume, almost always will be seen as a top 10 pick. Playing under the rim and weighing 176 pounds almost always pushes you to the back end of the first round. Philon falls somewhere in the middle.
Though he isn’t an elite athlete, Philon is silky smooth with the ball in his hands. He played two seasons at Alabama, is younger than Burries, and truly made the leap as a sophomore. His points per game jumped 11.4 points, he essentially shot 40 percent after shooting a lowly 31.5 percent as a freshman, and he dropped 35 points on Michigan for his final game in college.
How many players on the Warriors last season could beat their man off the dribble and be a real scoring threat? The list isn’t a long one. Philon would be an immediate jolt of offense in that regard.
Even with having such a slender build that calls for real questions defensively, Philon has to be an option for the Warriors.
Speaking of making the leap as a sophomore, Anderson did exactly that.
He went from making the Big 12’s All-Freshman team to then being named the conference’s Most Improved Player. Anderson averaged 18.5 points and 7.4 assists per game while shooting 41.5 percent from deep on an eye-opening 7.9 attempts per game. Playing mostly at 19, and now 20, Anderson led the Big 12 in minutes and assists, along with ranking fifth in points per game, but did finish second in total turnovers.
If he were bigger, he’d be going a lot higher in the draft. Anderson came in slightly below 6-foot-1 barefoot at the combine and weighs 180 pounds. However, he does have a 6-foot-6 wingspan, and the tape should speak for itself as someone who wasn’t deterred anywhere on the court.
Christian Anderson with 31-11-7 tonight vs. a Cincy. Shooting 44% on 8 3PT attempts this year, but tonight he was great with his pace getting to spots inside the arc. Having an awesome season balancing scoring with playmaking. pic.twitter.com/CPntMbk0pS
Anderson is more of a trade back option for the Warriors, or trading back into the first round after making their first pick. Adding him would bring a lot more instant excitement to Chase Center.
This summer ought to be a special one at Citizens Bank Park. The eyes of baseball will all be on South Philly when the festivities surrounding All-Star Week commence next month, and a few weeks later, fans will pack CBP for the team’s celebration of Alumni Weekend. The main event will be Friday, August 7, when the franchise adds the latest name to its Wall of Fame, Chase Utley.
Utley is considered by Phillies fans as the greatest second baseman to wear a Phillies uniform, and on the short list of the team’s best players overall. Monday Utley took to social media to make an announcement regarding his Wall of Fame ceremony.
“Hey everyone. This summer I’m being inducted into the Phillies Wall of Fame. And with that, I’m going to post my top ten most favorite moments. Let me know what you think. Feel free to share yours, as we did have a lot together. I hope to see everyone at The Bank on August 7th.”
We did have a lot of moments together, Chase, too many to mention here. But we *can* put together a top ten list of our own right here.
I’m listing them in chronological order, since ranking them would lead to arguments, and this is supposed to make folks feel good.
1. Career Hit #1 – April 24, 2003
It wouldn’t be Utley if it wasn’t larger than life, would it? In his second career game, Utley took Dennis Cook of the Rockies deep and gone into the Phillies bullpen at Veterans Stadium.
Chase Utley hit a grand slam at Veterans Stadium 19 years ago today.
The 2006 Phillies finished with 85 wins, 12 games out of first place, but they had something. They had the NL MVP in Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins, and they had Utley, all hitting their stride. Utley’s stamp on the 2006 season was his 35-game hitting streak, during which he batted .405 with 30 RBI and 25 extra-base hits. Utley heroics were not contagious, however; the Phillies went just 17-18 during the streak.
3. ‘Chase Utley, You Are The Man!’ – August 9, 2006
Utley was known for his constant hustle, but this may have been his signature play, thanks to the accompanying play-by-play call from the late, great Harry Kalas.
Utley was on second base, and took off for third as Ryan Howard hit a chopper that bounced high in the air. Braves pitcher Macay McBride made the play to first, but Utley never stopped, rounding third and beating first baseman Scott Thorman’s throw home. Legendary.
4. Walking Off the Mets – August 30, 2007
2007 was best remembered as the season the Phillies overcame a 7-game deficit the standings in the final 17 games to overtake the Mets and win their first division title in 14 years.
Along the way, they closed out a four-game sweep of their archrivals with a gripping, 11-10 comeback win, and the crowning blow was Utley’s RBI single off Hall of Fame closer Billy Wagner in the bottom of the ninth, scoring Tadahito Iguchi from second base.
5. 2008 World Series: The Pump Fake – October 29, 2008
Game 5 of the 2008 World Series against the Tampa Bay Rays took three days to complete, thanks to some a brutal rain storm. It resumed with the game tied at 2-2 in the bottom of the sixth.
It was 3-3 in the 7th when Akimori Iwamura grounded a ball up the middle with Jason Bartlett at second base. Utley got to it, but had no shot at Iwamura at first. Instead, he faked a throw to first base, turning his attention to Bartlett, who was on his way home. Utley’s throw wasn’t precise, but got to catcher Carlos Ruiz in plenty of time for Ruiz to catch it and find Bartlett before he could give the Rays the lead.
6. WFC – October 31, 2008
The 2008 World Series championship was obviously the zenith of the Utley Era, but Utley’s stamp on the ceremony at CBP following the championship parade was an indelible, unforgettable punctuation mark on that day in franchise history.
Five words, one of which was a cathartic, never safe for work adjective.
“World Champions. World [blanking] Champions!!”
(NOTE: Not providing a link here, because I like my job.)
7. 2009 World Series: The Onslaught October 2009
The Phillies didn’t win the 2009 World Series, losing in six games to the Yankees, several of whom may or may not have been chemically enhanced during that season. At any rate, the World Series defeat could not have been pinned on Utley, who came as close as a World Series loser could come to winning MVP.
He hit two homers in the Game 1 victory, five in all in the six games, tied for most in World Series history. Unfortunately, the best World Series hitting performance ever by a Phillie was done in a losing cause.
8. Utley’s Big Return – June 27, 2012
Even when he suffered through knee pain, Utley gave us moments to remember. In 2012, he missed the first half of the season, finally making his debut at home in late June. The sellout crowd stood to welcome him back to the field. Then he reminded them who he was one more time.
9. One Last Curtain Call – August 18, 2015
The end of the Utley Era in Philadelphia didn’t end with a walkoff homer or a highlight catch, but it did finish with a moment shared with the fans. The Phillies were about to trade Utley to the Dodgers – a move most fans knew was inevitable – and as he walked off the field for the final time in a Phillies uniform, the 26,547 in attendance showed their love.
10. Utley’s Big Return, Part Two – August 16, 2016
Almost exactly a year to the day after being traded, Utley returned to Philadelphia as an opponent for the first time as a Dodger. He could have let his old team have this one, but that wouldn’t be Chase Utley.
He hit a solo homer in the fifth inning, and came up with the bases loaded in the seventh.
You guessed it. The seventh, and final, grand slam of his career.
Fifteen-year-old cricket sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi blew his fuse in an India A game in Sri Lanka and pushed an opposition player after a heated on-field exchange.
HOUSTON, TX - APRIL 24: Rui Hachimura #28 and Jaxson Hayes #11 of the Los Angeles Lakers high five during the game against the Houston Rockets during Round One Game Three of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 24, 2026 at the Toyota Center in Houston, 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 Logan Riely/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
While the Lakers are set to reshape their roster this offseason, there is something to be said about continuity as well.
Coming into this season, most expected it to be a sort of transition season from the LeBron James era to the Luka Dončić era. One of the primary objectives was to identify players on the team who complemented Luka and could be part of the next iteration.
Obviously, the team’s success changed expectations along the way, but the overall idea remains. The Lakers certainly got answers about who should and shouldn’t be around next year. The next step will be deciding who to keep and who to part ways with.
Two players who flourished this year, particularly at the very, very end of the season, were Rui Hachimura and Jaxson Hayes. Both are set for unrestricted free agency but it looks like the pair could be prioritized by the Lakers this summer.
On Monday, Dan Woike of The Athletic reported that are believed to be internal free agents the team prioritizes this offseason.
The belief is that Rui Hachimura and Jaxson Hayes are players the Lakers would prioritize bringing back as they try to best fit a roster around Dončić. And each piece of the puzzle the Lakers feel they need to add into their cap space takes up a slice that could go to James.
There is logic as to why the Lakers feel this way about both players.
With Rui, while there is plenty of discussion of areas his struggles, like his rebounding or defense, they don’t grow 6’8” forwards who are lights out 3-point shooters on trees. Even if he isn’t the perfect fit next to Luka, he is still a great one.
And even if things don’t work out, signing Rui to a deal and figuring out a trade later is a better option than losing him for nothing this summer.
As for Hayes, there is obviously the aspect of him being a solid rim-running center who has good chemistry with Luka. The friendship between the two, which led to Hayes actually getting a Slovenian passport, is also a factor.
That being said, he’s someone who has, more often than not the last two seasons, been unplayable in the playoffs. Even if he found a more suitable role as a backup big man, could the Lakers take a swing at another option in the backup center role?
It is that balance of continuity versus roster reshaping that the Lakers will have to grapple with as free agency opens.
New York Knicks owner James Dolan (center) celebrates with the Larry O'Brien trophy on Saturday night in San Antonio.Photograph: Ronald Cortes/Getty Images
The New York Knicks’ first NBA championship in 53 years may have been built on many things: Jalen Brunson’s brilliance, Mike Brown’s steady hand, a suffocating defense and a healthy roster when it mattered most.
According to much-maligned team owner James Dolan, it may also have required a little self-denial.
A video released Monday by the Roommates Show podcast revealed that Dolan urged Knicks players to consider abstaining from sex during what he anticipated would be a 10-week march to an NBA title, part of a broader appeal for sacrifice delivered shortly before the playoffs began.
“I had this idea that maybe you should give up sex for the next 10 weeks,” Dolan told players during a surprise speech to the team on 3 April. “The Spartans, they denied themselves, right, so they can have an edge. Get the edge.”
The remarks came as part of a lengthy address in which Dolan implored the team to seize what he described as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to end one of the longest championship droughts in North American sports.
“This team can win it all,” Dolan said. “I don’t know if you understand what it would mean for you to win the championship this year. It would be life-changing for all of you.”
At the time, the Knicks had five regular-season games remaining. They would go on to win four of them before resting starters in the finale, then storm through the postseason with a 16-3 record, defeating the San Antonio Spurs in five games to capture the franchise’s first title since 1973.
Dolan’s comments have quickly become the most discussed portion of the speech, though the owner framed the suggestion as part of a wider message about commitment and discipline. He urged players to improve their diets, prioritize sleep and eliminate distractions during the playoffs.
“It’s not a long time,” Dolan said. “Sacrifice everything you’ve got these next 10 weeks to win that championship.”
The Knicks owner also acknowledged that any championship pursuit would require buy-in from players’ families.
“Go home, talk to your wives,” Dolan said. “Don’t tell them it was my idea. But let them know what this commitment is going to be like, and how they’re going to have to sacrifice too.”
“They were a little surprised, but the words hit,” a source told SNY.
Whether any Knicks players followed Dolan’s advice remains unclear. One person who apparently did not was head coach Mike Brown.
Speaking to the New York Post after the video surfaced, Brown said he had no intention of implementing the owner’s recommendation in his own household.
“There was no way that I could get that done,” Brown told the Post.
The speech was delivered during Brown’s first season in charge after replacing Tom Thibodeau, a controversial coaching change that Dolan also addressed during the meeting. He told players that Knicks leadership believed the roster was talented enough to compete for a title but needed a more collaborative approach.
LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 15: Miguel Rojas #72 of the Los Angeles Dodgers rounds the bases after hitting a home run in the seventh inning during the game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Los Angeles Dodgers at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium on Monday, June 15, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Tom Wilson/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Rays have not always had the best of luck when playing on ESPN. A West Coast trip to Chavez Ravine on ESPN? Well, I was not expecting a great night. However, much to my delight, for 6 and a half innings the Rays went toe to toe, pitch for pitch, with the defending champs.
Unfortunately, the Rays lack of depth and early sloppy bit of defense proved to be too much against such a power house club.
Tampa Bay was able to strike early after Caminero laced a double off the wall, Ryan Vilade, the Rays left-handed pitcher specialist, delivered a 2-run bomb to give the Rays a rare early lead this road trip.
Vilade will probably never earn the trust to start against right handed pitchers, at least with any consistancy. He has his role against the small side of platoons. However, Vilade has truly made the most of his limited playing time off the pine for the Rays and has been a huge bright spot in the first half for the club.
Rays almost looked like the Rays of pre-June in the 2nd, with Nick Fortes laying down a slick sac bunt to move Austin Slater (single) and Cedric Mullins (walk) into scoring position. Taylor Walls followed that up with a second bunt, to score Slater and give the Rays a 3-0 lead. Against the Dodgers you knew runs were gonna be a premium, so the following inning was a true backbreaker for Tampa Bay’s chances.
Dodgers jumped all over Nick Martinez in the bottom half of the 2nd. Following a Mookie Betts double, Muncy hit a sharp grounder into the backhand glove of Aranda at 1st. Aranda was not able to field it cleanly, and a far too slow recovery and underhand toss to 1st later, even the not quite fleet of foot Muncy was able to win the race.
The very next batter, Tampa native Klye Tucker, delivered the game tying swing.
Following that swing, Tucker was not done taking the swiftly sinking Rays and handing them another few bricks to sink even faster. A 2-out Ben Williamson single attempted to drive in Aranda from 2nd to give the Rays the lead right back. Unfortunately, Aranda is very slow, did not seem to get a good jump, and Tucker made a perfect throw to get Aranda out by a country mile.
This was the closest the Rays would get to scoring the rest of the game.
On the other side of things, Nick Martinez had a gutty, gritty performance. It wasn’t his sharpest, and the Dodgers lineup has no breaks, but Martinez was able to keep the Rays in this one. 5.1 IP 5 hits, 1 walk, 6 Ks and most importantly just that one big blemish on the ledger of 3 ER. Hard to ask for more than that, and he gave the Rays that punchers chance for the mega upset.
Cam Booser would take the mound after Martinez departed, and was able to keep the score tied at 3s with two big Ks. Unfortunately, Kevin Cash ran out of arms.
To explain waht happened next you kinda have to look back to the previous series. With so many innings to cover, short starts, and poor appearances from Kimbrel and Sulser needing to be covered, left the Rays with very few usable arms left and fresh.
With the score tied 3-3, Cash had a real tricky choice. The contenders:
Cole Sulser: has been hammered nonstop in every appearance since returning from the IL and fresh off being chased for 4 runs without completing an inning just 48 hours prior.
Craig Kimbrel: would be three days in a row and the previous two days were ugly.
Garrett Cleavinger: 3rd day in a row
Casey Legumina: pitched two inning Opener the previous night.
Kevin Kelly and Brian Baker: both absolutely usable on back to backs but it’s the 7th and you are still tied so will need to cover the 8th and 9th.
So that leaves…oh no. Surely there’s somebody else? Yoendris Gomez isn’t still here? Nope, just Steven Matz. Welp, there’s a lot of lefties in the Dodgers lineup so I guess that’s something.
Welp, just ask the Blue Jays fans and Jeff Hoffman how fun it is to see Miguel Rojas up with the game on the line.
Matz somehow was able to pitch both the 7th and 8th and ONLY give up the game winning bomb to Rojas. It wasn’t pretty, he was getting hammered just foul, he was a boxer getting pummeled but standing still as the bell rings. Matz has given up a run in every appearance as a member of the Rays. Most of that was fine since he was a starter going 5-6 innings. As a reliever since he returned from the IL he has given up 16 runs in 12 IPs.
Despite the records, I don’t think anybody was expecting the Rays to be able to beat or even compete with the Dodgers right now. So, while it’s another loss in a long string of losses this month, to actually compete and make the Dodgers work and come within a lucky bounce here or there from stealing this one gives me some encouragement.
The Rays have banked a lot of wins. The AL is really bad. It won’t take much to keep afloat enough to convince Erik Neander to push some chips when trade season kicks off in a few weeks. Just got to endure a little while longer.
Miguel Rojas gave the Dodgers a late lead Monday night.
And this time, their bullpen didn’t squander it.
In a 4-3 win over the Rays at Dodger Stadium, the team overcame an early three-run deficit on a Kyle Tucker home run, took their first lead of the night on Rojas’ go-ahead, pinch-hit blast to left field in the seventh, then hung behind three scoreless innings from their previously scuffling bullpen, bouncing back from their first series loss in a month this past weekend with a narrow victory to open this six-game homestand.
Rojas’ home run was the difference, with the veteran utilityman taking Rays left-hander Steven Matz deep with a swing that was –– aesthetically, at least –– reminiscent of his heroic Game 7 homer in last year’s World Series.
Miguel Rojas reacts after hitting a home run during the Dodgers’ June 15 win. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
But the bullpen offered the most encouraging signs.
Entering Monday, the unit had a 7.51 ERA this month, good for the worst mark in the majors in June.
Tanner Scott throws a pitch during the Dodgers’ June 15 win. Imagn Images
But after a six-inning, three-run start from Eric Lauer that was aided heavily by the Dodgers’ defense, the club got scoreless frames from Kyle Hurt in the seventh (who worked around a two-out single), Will Klein and Alex Vesia (who stranded a runner at third in the eighth) and Tanner Scott (who picked up his eighth save in the ninth).
What it means
After dropping two of three to the White Sox to end their recent road trip, the Dodgers (46-27) got back in the win column Monday to improve to 8-6 in June and 22-9 since May 13.
They also got a leg up in this series over the Rays (41-28), who have cooled since a red-hot May and slipped to second in the American League East.
In the National League West, the Dodgers are back to eight games up on the San Diego Padres.
Who’s hot
Clearly, Dodgers fans are still lukewarm on Tucker –– evidenced by him getting half the All-Star votes of Andy Pages, and 100,000 less than the currently injured Teoscar Hernández.
On Monday, however, he finally showed more of the all-around skill set that prompted the Dodgers to give him a $240 million contract.
Kyle Tucker celebrates after hitting a home run during the Dodgers’ June 15 game. Getty Images
First, erased the team’s early 3-0 deficit by hitting a three-run blast in the bottom of the second, giving him just his second home run at Dodger Stadium this year
Then, in the third, he prevented the Dodgers from falling behind again, cutting down a runner at home plate with a perfect throw from right field to preserve the 3-3 tie and end the inning.
Overall, Tucker went 2-for-4 –– albeit, with a key strikeout in the sixth with a couple runners on base, and a flyout in the eighth with a runner on second –– and is now hitting .239 on the season with a .725 OPS.
Who’s not
The Rays’ batted ball luck.
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Though the Tampa Bay lineup struck out just seven times on Monday, their ability to put the ball in play was negated by strong Dodgers’ defense.
Tucker’s outfield assist was the biggest moment. But there was also a key double-play at the end of Lauer’s start in the sixth (helping him complete a quality start that gives him a 3.22 ERA in four starts with the Dodgers) and several nifty moments from Max Muncy at third and Mookie Betts at shortstop, including a grounder Betts fielded to lead off the ninth that sent him ranging far to his right as he made the play.
Up next
The Dodgers and Rays continue this series on Tuesday night, when Justin Wrobleski (7-2, 2.95 ERA) will pitch on four days’ rest against Tampa Bay right-hander Drew Rasmussen (6-2, 2.71 ERA).
Peoria, AZ - February 18: Blake Hunt #39 of the San Diego Padres poses for a portrait on February 18, 2026 in Peoria, Arizona. (Photo by K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune via Getty Images)
The San Diego Padres drafted catcher Blake Hunt as their Competitive Balance pick after the second round of the 2017 draft and signed him for $1.6 million. He had progressed to High-A Fort Wayne when he was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays as part of the Blake Snell deal in 2020. He was with the Rays organization until he was traded to Seattle in November of 2023. In May of 2024, the Mariners traded him to the Baltimore Orioles.
Hunt was called up by the Orioles in July for one day but was not used. He stayed on the taxi squad for a month but was never promoted again. He was designated for assignment in January of 2025 then traded back to Seattle and optioned back to Triple-A Tacoma. For the 2025 season, Hunt hit .272/.368/.452 with eight home runs and 35 RBI with 15 doubles and two triples. During the season he was again designated for assignment, cleared waivers and stayed with Tacoma.
Hunt opted for free agency at the end of the 2025 season and was re-signed by the Padres to a minor league contract on Dec. 16. On March 2, in the Padres major league camp, Hunt suffered an oblique injury and was shut down. He started the season on the injured list and wasn’t sent out for a rehab assignment until May; he played in seven games with the ACL Padres for his rehab.
On June 3, Hunt made his Triple-A debut with the El Paso Chihuahuas and has played in eight games as the primary catcher for El Paso. In 26 at-bats, he had a 269/.375/.462 line with two home runs.
Spring expectations
At the start of spring camp, manager Craig Stammen stated that Hunt was the catcher they were looking toward as their number three catcher, available in El Paso as needed. His early spring injury pushed Rodolfo Durán into that position and the fractured toe to Luis Campusano gave that 11-year minor league veteran a chance to prove his worth. He has since contributed significantly to the Padres.
As a prospect with Seattle in 2024, Hunt was reported to have plus-power as well as a sub-two-second pop time behind the plate. At 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds, he will easily be the biggest of all Padres catchers.
Blake Hunt gets his chance
Hunt, 27, is going to make his MLB debut after front-line catcher Freddy Fermin was placed on the seven-day concussion IL after being hit in the head with a bounced warm-up pitch from Yuki Matsui. Fermin has taken several direct hits to his facemask so far this season while catching. He had one previous concussion scare earlier this year but was only given a couple of games off.
The latest hit for Fermin required his removal from the game and further assessment indicated an IL stint was needed. Durán replaced Fermin on Saturday after his injury, and he started Sunday against the Baltimore Orioles in the final game of the series. Durán will start the first game of the series against the St. Louis Cardinals, but Hunt will most likely make his debut on Tuesday when Michael King has his next start.
With the debut of Blake Hunt, the Padres will have played host to the third member of their minor leagues making their MLB debut. Outfielder Jase Bowen, Rodolfo Durán and Hunt have all had minor league success without having an opportunity to play in the majors until injuries to Padres regulars have given them a big opportunity.
Hunt joins them and outfielder Samad Taylor as well as utility man Nick Solak in debuting with the Padres after the release of Nick Castellanos and injuries to multiple Padres regulars.
Miguel Rojas hits a pinch-hit home run during the seventh inning Monday. (Eric Thayer/Los Angeles Times)
Miguel Rojas had practiced his dance moves in the Dodgers’ dugout Monday, long before he hit the go-ahead home run. Before the game, he strutted around, at one point even grabbing Dalton Rushing, decked in full catcher’s gear, to get hyped.
Rojas, who pinch-hit for Alex Freeland in the bottom of the seventh and homered to left, was more measured as he crossed the plate without any antics. His veteran steadiness never indicated that he‘d hit a pinch-hit home run only one other time in his career.
“It feels pretty good,” Rojas said. “It’s always a new day, a new opportunity that you contribute to win a baseball game. It’s pretty special, especially with this group that we have right here and the kind of season that we’re having.”
The Dodgers’ 4-3 win over Tampa Bay rid them of their middling road performance. The team split a six-game trip, capped by a Sunday loss to the Chicago White Sox, before returning home.
No one found more immediate success than Kyle Tucker, who temporarily put his .227 batting average on the trip in the rearview mirror. For how long remains a question. Tucker’s season so far has looked more like a teenager testing out their driver’s license: stopping and starting and stopping again. Yet everything seemed to be working when the Dodgers (46-27) beat the Rays (41-28).
“I would love to come back and do it again and make it consistent every single day,” Tucker said. “I guess, if it works out for one at-bat, it’s not like I immediately figured it out and everything is fine now. The important thing is, just try to do it every single at-bat. And, over the course of time — It felt good and everything. I’ve just got to try to do it again tomorrow.”
Of the five Dodgers who’ve played at least 60 games, Tucker has the lowest batting average (.239). Still, he battled in an eight-pitch duel in the second inning before taking a changeup 384 feet over the wall in right-center.
“It was nice,” Tucker said. “Mookie [Betts] did a good job getting that double in front of us, and [Max] Muncy was able to leg that single out. I just had an opportunity, and sitting on the ball right there was huge. Nice swing.”
His home run tied the score at three apiece, and Tucker wasn’t finished.
The next inning, the Rays’ Ben Williamson hit a two-out single to Tucker in right field, and Tampa’s Jonathan Aranda darted around third toward home. Tucker lasered a ball to Rushing, who tagged Aranda out on the slide.
“We play so many games that it can get frustrating,” Tucker said of the season’s ups and downs. “You’ve just gotta try to move on to the next batter or the next game and do your best with that. That’s what I’ve been trying to do.”
Miguel Rojas acknowledges the bullpen after homering in the seventh inning. (Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)
The defensive play helped buoy an otherwise precarious start by pitcher Eric Lauer. The left-hander had been undefeated in three starts with the Dodgers, a large departure from the 1-5 record he had with the Toronto Blue Jays. After starting his year with a 6.69 ERA, Lauer had recorded a 2.76 mark with the Dodgers.
But inconsistencies plagued Lauer’s start, ranging from the three earned runs he gave up in the first two innings to a pitch clock violation in the fourth. While Lauer eventually settled, the command of his fastball remained absent. He normally crosses the strike zone with 53.7% accuracy on his fastball, getting batters to chase about 37% of the time. In the series opener, Lauer threw his four-seamer in the zone only 42% of the time, cutting his chase rate to 23%.
In other words, the best pitch in Lauer’s arsenal became one of his worst, and the Rays took advantage. Junior Caminero doubled in the first inning, and Ryan Vilade followed with a home run on a cutter, silencing a sold-out Dodger Stadium before the game could even heat up. The Rays tacked on another run on a safety squeeze, taking the lead until Tucker’s home run. Lauer finished after six innings, giving up the three earned runs, six hits and three walks, striking out four.
“The toughest inning for starters is that first inning, to get the flow of the game and to get the feel of what’s working, what’s not,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “My challenge [to Lauer] was to have that reliever mindset from the outset and be more on the attack and not feel your way into the game.”
Tampa Bay starter Nick Martinez fared about as well. The right-hander lasted 5-1/3 innings of three-run baseball, striking out six and walking one.
While there was movement on the bases for both starters, the game lulled until the seventh. A couple of feet separated Rushing’s foul ball from a home run. Reliever Steven Matz didn’t get so lucky with Rojas, who delivered his first homer since April 20.
Rojas acknowledged that pinch-hitting has been a challenge to adapt to, locating the pitches he can do the most damage on and putting together good at-bats in big moments. “I’ve never been a really good pinch-hitter,” he said.
After consulting with players such as Jason Heyward and Chase Utley and his former Venezuelan winter ball teammates, Rojas said he feels his mentality has changed and he’s been able to capitalize on more mistakes.
“The mentality for us bench players is to be the best players off the bench [in] the league,” Rojas said.
Espinal to be DFA’d
To make room for Tommy Edman on Tuesday’s roster in his return after he underwent ankle surgery over the winter, the Dodgers will designate Santiago Espinal for assignment. Espinal had returned to the roster May 29 after being DFA’d that month. He went five for eight on the trip but didn’t play Monday.
“[Espinal] has been great for us, but the fit right now with our ballclub just doesn’t make a whole lot of sense,” Roberts said.
Jun 15, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz (16) hits a three-run home run against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the seventh inning at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Lee-Imagn Images | Dennis Lee-Imagn Images
Tonight showed what the Athletics are capable of when their pitching does its job. The team got the start it needed from J.T. Ginn, who has become its most consistent starter. The A’s offense, led by Kurtz’s three-hit, two-home-run All-Star-caliber performance, provided Ginn plenty of run support in this 11-2 series-opening victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates at West Sacramento’s Sutter Health Park.
A’s Waste Early Scoring Opportunity
In the bottom of the first, Pirates starter Jared Jones worked into trouble. A’s first baseman Nick Kurtz, catcher Shea Langeliers and left fielder Tyler Soderstrom opened the frame with three consecutive singles. Jones responded by striking out the next three hitters, and the A’s came away empty-handed despite loading the bases with no outs.
A’s starting pitcher J.T. Ginn got off to a good start, pitching a scoreless first two innings, only giving up a single and a walk.
A’s Take the Lead with a Three-Spot!
With one out in the bottom of the second, Athletics’ center fielder Henry Bolte hit his fifth double of the season to the right field corner. Second baseman Jeff McNeil promptly delivered an RBI single to left field, with Bolte beating the throw home to give the hosts a 1–0 lead. That hit snapped the veteran infielder’s 0-for-20 streak.
The A’s were not done scoring that inning. Kurtz made it two hits in two at-bats as he hit his 17th home run, a two-run 112 mph line drive missile over the left field fence.
Ginn got the first two outs in the third inning before allowing an infield single and a walk. The A’s starter struck out Pirates’ right fielder Ryan O’Hearn to escape the runners in scoring position threat unharmed and complete the shutdown inning.
The Pirates first batter of the fourth inning reached on A’s third baseman Zack Gelof’s sixth fielding error of the season. Then, the Pirates’ catcher Endy Rodriguez singled, making it two on with no outs for the visitors. Center fielder Jake Mangum blooped a one-out RBI single to left field to get the Pirates on the scoreboard. Ginn limited the damage to one run by inducing an inning-ending double play that he started on a comebacker. Like the A’s in the first inning, the Pirates failed to capitalize on a runner at third with fewer than two outs.
So many times, the pitcher fires wildly to second base here. Instead, J.T. Ginn gets off the mound well, makes an accurate throw and starts a 1-4-3 double play to end a lengthy fourth inning with only one run allowed. pic.twitter.com/FO0EmFwpg9
The Athletics regained the momentum in the bottom of the fourth. Right fielder Lawrence Butler led off the inning with an infield single. He moved to second on Bolte’s groundout and then scored on McNeil’s third home run of the season, a two-run shot into the A’s bullpen in right field.
Ginn fired an eight-pitch, 1-2-3 shutdown fifth inning, keeping the A’s up 5-1. Jones did not come out for the fifth as right-handed reliever Carmen Mlodzinski entered out of the Pirates bullpen.
A’s Add a Sixth Run
Soderstrom greeted Mlodzinski with a single to right. A’s shortstop Jacob Wilson followed with a fly ball to right field that O’Hearn failed to catch, resulting in a ground-rule double that advanced Soderstrom to third. With one out, Gelof lined an RBI single up the middle to score Soderstrom, extending his hitting streak to 19 games—the longest active streak in the majors. Mlodzinski retired the next two batters as the A’s only pushed one run across in the fifth inning.
The Pirates got two singles against Ginn in the sixth, yet the A’s burgeoning ace wiggled out of another jam to finish six strong innings of work. He earned his fifth win, allowing just one unearned run on six hits while recording three strikeouts, eight groundouts, and six fly outs.
Right-handed reliever Justin Sterner replaced Ginn in the seventh inning. He preserved his team’s five-run lead, striking out two in a scoreless appearance.
A’s Two-out Rally!
Gelof reached on Pirates’ second baseman Brandon Lowe’s fielding error with two outs in the bottom of the seventh. Butler punished the visitors’ mistake by lining an RBI double off the left-center field fence, scoring Gelof from first to give the A’s their seventh run of the night.
Bolte kept the inning going by speeding down the line to beat Pittsburgh’s third baseman’s throw across the diamond. Then McNeil lined a single into right field for his fourth RBI of the game.
Kurtz put an exclamation mark on the inning with his second home run of the game and 18th of the season, a three-run opposite-field shot that just snuck over the left field fence. The hosts’ seventh inning rally off Mlodzinski doubled their advantage.
With three more home runs today, the Athletics set a franchise record for the most home runs over a seven-game span. Additionally, Kurtz’s seventh home run since last Sunday left him one shy of the Athletics’ franchise record for home runs by a player in his first two MLB seasons.
The “Big Amish” has shown no signs of a sophomore slump, as he now leads MLB in both RBIs and walks. How is he not in first place in the early All-Star voting?
Pirates Score A Consolation Run
In the eighth inning, Rodriguez collected his third hit of the game, a two-out solo home run off A’s reliever Mason Barnett to make it an 11-2 game. Barnett came back out and sealed the A’s win with a scoreless ninth inning.
Tomorrow, the A’s will return at the same time and place as they look to clinch the series against the Pirates and move above .500. Right-hander Jack Perkins will make his third start since joining the A’s rotation. Pittsburgh counters with right-hander Mitch Keller, who is 5-4 with a 5.14 ERA across 14 starts this season.
In this week’s Injury Report, hamate fractures claim José Ramírez and Vinnie Pasquantino. Spencer Strider has been shut down for the next four weeks with right elbow inflammation. And the Mariners will be getting their slugging catcher, Cal Raleigh, back from the injured list on Tuesday. All that and more as we recap all of the relevant injury news around baseball.
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José Ramírez (hand)
This one is really a bummer. Ramírez was pulled from Saturday’s game against the Tigers after five innings with a hand injury and was later diagnosed with a fractured left hamate bone. The 33-year-old star third baseman was placed on the 10-day injured list and will likely miss at least a month of action. Gabriel Arias was recalled to help fill in at third base alongside Daniel Schneemann. Ramírez was slashing .239/.339/.418 with 10 homers, 42 runs scored, 33 RBI, and 24 steals across 314 plate appearances.
With a 1.82 ERA, Schlittler has emerged as the Yankees’ staff ace and the favorite in the AL Cy Young Award race.
D.J. Short
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Vinnie Pasquantino (hand)
Pasquantino also fell victim to the dreaded hamate injury. He left Saturday’s contest against the Astros in the fifth inning following a pop-up, grabbing his wrist and heading to the locker room. The team confirmed the hamate fracture shortly after. He was placed on the 10-day injured list with a typical recovery timeline of 4-6 weeks. It’s an unfortunate setback in an already disappointing season for the 28-year-old first baseman. He’s hit .224/.309/.350 with six homers and 32 RBI through 291 plate appearances. Jac Caglianone should take over primary first base duties.
Spencer Strider (elbow)
Strider’s fastball velocity took a sharp dip to 88 mph in the fourth inning against the Mets on Friday, leading to his departure with a trainer with right arm soreness. JR Ritchie stepped in and fired five scoreless innings following Strider’s exit. Strider underwent an MRI and landed on the 15-day injured list with right elbow inflammation. The 27-year-old right-hander met with the renowned Dr. Keith Meister to determine the next steps and will be shut down for the next four weeks before a follow-up MRI. But Strider reportedly has no ligament damage and is not expected to require any surgery.
Christian Scott (hip)
This news came out of nowhere on Monday, but Scott heads to the 15-day injured list with an apparent hip injury. The issue is reportedly minor, but the 26-year-old right-hander will now have the next two weeks to rest. He was scheduled to start on Tuesday against the Reds in Cincinnati. Instead, Jonah Tong is the likely option to be recalled and step in. Kodai Senga, recovering from back and arm injuries, was scheduled to make one more rehab start, but could return early.
Corey Seager (concussion)
Seager sat out the entire weekend series against the Red Sox with mild concussion symptoms following a collision at the plate against the Royals on Thursday. He was set to miss his fourth straight game on Monday against the Twins, so the team opted to put him on the 7-day concussion injured list, retroactive to June 12. He’s eligible to be activated on Friday, but there’s currently no timetable for his return.
Drake Baldwin (oblique)
Baldwin had started a rehab assignment on Friday and needed just a weekend of games with Triple-A Gwinnett before he was deemed ready to return following a one-month absence with a Grade 1 right oblique strain. Expect the 25-year-old catcher to be back in the Braves lineup on Tuesday. It’s a much-needed return for fantasy managers after Baldwin hit .303/.389/.543 with 13 home runs over 216 plate appearances.
Kyle Teel (hamstring)
Noah Schultz (knee)
The White Sox are sending Teel and Schultz on rehab assignments with Triple-A Charlotte this week. It’ll be Teel’s second go at a rehab assignment after suffering a sprained LCL a month ago. It’s been a lengthy process for him after he went down with a strained right hamstring just before the start of the season. He’ll likely need a week or so without setbacks before making his season debut with Chicago before the end of June. Meanwhile, Schultz will start for Charlotte on Tuesday. He’s been out for the last three weeks with right knee patellar tendonitis and will need a start or two before returning to the White Sox rotation.
Andrés Muñoz (back)
Randy Arozarena (hamstring)
Cal Raleigh (oblique)
Fantasy managers will want to keep an eye out for news out of Seattle on Tuesday before the team’s series opener against the Orioles. Muñoz was on the mound in the eighth inning to get some work in against the Nationals on Sunday and faced two batters before leaving with a trainer. He was apparently dealing with lower back tightness. Working in a non-save situation, there was no reason to push it. But his status should be monitored over the coming days. Back issues aren’t new for Muñoz, who’s pitched through back discomfort before without landing on the injured list. We hope to see Arozarena back in the lineup after leaving Friday’s contest with a hamstring injury. He sat out Saturday and Sunday, but stated he would just need a couple of days' rest. One player confirmed to be returning on Tuesday is Raleigh. The 29-year-old slugger has wrapped up his rehab assignment with Triple-A Tacoma and will be activated ahead of Tuesday’s game against the Orioles following his one-month absence with an oblique injury.
Elly De La Cruz (hamstring)
De La Cruz received a follow-up MRI on Friday and came away with encouraging news in his recovery from a strained right hamstring. He’s ramped up his baseball activities and is expected to begin a minor league rehab assignment this week. On the shorter side of the 2-4 week timeline, he’d likely only need a few games before returning to the Reds lineup.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - JUNE 15: Pavin Smith #26 of the Arizona Diamondbacks reacts on the base paths after hitting a solo home run against the Los Angeles Angels in the seventh inning at Chase Field on June 15, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Record: 37-35. Pace: 83-79. Change on 2025: +1.
Ryne Nelson’s strong series of outings at Chase Field continued, as he pitched seven innings of two-run ball. The D-backs used some smart base-running to keep in touch, then Pavin Smith’s first home-run since his two-homer game in Chicago, almost a year ago (June 23rd), gave them a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. Geraldo Perdomo tacked on what would turn out to be a crucial insurance run. For Paul Sewald made it a little interesting in the ninth, allowing a solo home-run before locking down his 18th save. Mason Miller is the only pitcher in the National League with more.
But let’s talk about strikeouts. Nelson struck out a modest five of the 29 batters he faced tonight. However, that was still the most he had fanned in a start for more than a month (May 13), ending a streak of five consecutive games with three or fewer strikeouts. That’s not common. In the past fifteen years, there have only been a pair of D-backs starter with a longer run. Randall Delgado had six in a row, but he was more of an extended opener: those came over more than three years, from 2014-17, and he never threw more than four innings. The other was Mike Leake in 2019, who had just 15 K’s over seven starts, from August 6 through September 8.
Though in franchise history, the most “impressive” such streak likely belongs to Armando Reynoso in 1999. He had eight games where he struck out just 19, and walked more than that (22). However, he averaged an out into the seventh inning, had an ERA of 3.18 and was undefeated over those eight outings, going 3-0. The record by a Diamondback, incidentally, belongs to Brian Anderson, who went 13 starts in a row without more than three K’s, in 2001-02. He got just one win there – in part because he allowed getting on for as many home-runs (18) as strikeouts (26). More on the team’s K-shortage in tomorrow’s GDT, I think.
Nelson ended up scattering nine hits, but key was that he didn’t walk any batters. He was also efficient, and that allowed him to get through seven innings for the fifth time in his last seven appearances. It was also his fifth quality start in a row at Chase Field, over which time he has thrown 35.2 innings and allowed nine earned runs, an ERA of 2.27. I’m pleased to report his next outing will also be here in Arizona, on Sunday against the Twins. The two runs tonight were both scored by Mike Trout, playing only his third game at Chase in an Angels jersey. He has played more often here in the colors of Team USA.
As mentioned, a couple of nice moves on the basepaths were key in scoring both of Arizona’s runs. In the bottom of the first, after the Angels had taken a 1-0 lead, Perdomo walked with one out. Corbin Carroll then popped one foul down the first-base line and the Angels 1B and RF got tangled up. While the catch was made, by the time they were able to get the ball in, Perdomo had taken both second and third (above). Not often you see someone take two bases on a 219 ft. fly-ball out. It paid off immediately, Perdomo able to tie things up on Gabriel Moreno’s infield single, on a throw from third that pulled the Angels’ first-baseman off the bag.
Arizona then took the lead in the fourth, with another first-to-third move critical in the build-up. Here, it was Carroll, who singled to lead off the inning, stole second, and took an extra ninety feet as the throw down skittered into the outfield. One out later, a little bloop single from Lourdes Gurriel, in his return from the IL, brought Carroll home, to give the Diamondbacks a 2-1 lead. The visitors tied it up quickly though, Trout hammering his 16th of the season. But, hey: what’s a Ryne Nelson game without a solo home-run? There matters stayed until the bottom of the seventh inning.
That proved a veritable roller-coaster of emotions. Jordan Lawlar took a pitch off his thigh to get on base as the lead-off man in a tied game. Hooray! But he was then immediately picked off, a decision which just about survived a review (upheld – had he been called safe, that would likely have been upheld too). Boo! But Smith then turned on a change-up – to be fair, not a bad pitch, right on the inside edge of the strike-zone – and was just able to keep it fair down the line, clanging off the pole in right field for his first homer of 2026 (above). Hooray! He also singled. I was able to toast marshmallows powered only by the incandescent rage on social media.
A little two-out magic followed, courtesy of a Ketel Marte single, and a Perdomo double into the left-center gap, for a 4-2 lead. Jonathan Loasiga worked a very quick eighth inning, needing only eight pitches, and Sewald looked like he might also go 1-2-3, before a two-out blast brought the tying run for the Angels to the plate. A swinging strikeout ended the threat, and the D-backs moved two games above .500. As mentioned, Smith had two hits, and Perdomo reached base three times, walking twice in addition to his RBI double. It moves Arizona just one-half game back of the three-way tied for the last NL wild-card spot, currently shared by Chicago, San Diego and… Washington?
Click here for details, at Fangraphs.com For I would walk: Pavin Smith, +24% 500 Miles: Nelson, +21%; Perdomo, +14%
Sweet Caroline: Jordan Lawlar, -8%
A very enjoyable Gameday Thread, reaching over 330 comments. I particularly enjoyed the discussion on D-backs themed jigsaw puzzles. No, seriously. But comment of the Thread to gzimmerm:
They do say that every time you go to a baseball game, you might see something that has never happened before. This would be that. Tomorrow, it’s the same two teams at Chase, with another 6:40 pm first pitch, and Merrill Kelly on the mound for the Diamondbacks.
D.J. Short
