Thunder take Game 4 of NBA Finals vs. Pacers 111-104 to tie series
Thunder take Game 4 of NBA Finals vs. Pacers 111-104 to tie series originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Oklahoma City has avoided a 3-1 deficit.
The Thunder took down the Indiana Pacers 111-104 in Game 4 of the NBA Finals on Friday to tie the series at 2-2 going back to Oklahoma City.
Both teams stayed neck-and-neck for most of the first three quarters, though Indiana built a 10-point lead at one stage. However, Oklahoma City used a 31-17 point differential in the fourth quarter to pull away, mainly due to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s shotmaking in clutch time.
The league MVP ended the game with 35 points on 12 of 24 shooting and 10 of 10 free throws to go with three rebounds, three steals and a block. But he did not record a single assist. Jalen Williams supported Gilgeous-Alexander with 27 points on 8 of 18 shooting and 11 of 11 free throws.
Game 3 saw Bennedict Mathurin come off the bench for Indiana and light it up with 27 points on 9 of 12 shooting. But he came back to earth in this one, logging just eight points in 14 minutes with five foul-line makes. However, his three misses proved costly late on.
Oklahoma City needed someone to produce a Mathurin-esque game off the bench and got it through Alex Caruso. The star defender posted 20 points in 30 minutes on 7 of 9 shooting to go with five steals, three rebounds and a block. No other bench player had more than five points.
Indiana’s two main stars weren’t at their best from a scoring standpoint. Tyrese Haliburton scored 18 points on 7 of 15 shooting with seven assists while Pascal Siakam led the team with 20 points, eight rebounds, five assists and five steals on a 6 of 15 field-goal clip.
Though Mathurin didn’t produce like he did last time out, Obi Toppin did step up off the bench and record 17 points on 7 of 12 shooting and seven rebounds, but it didn’t move the needle enough.
Oklahoma City somehow won the game making just three 3-pointers to Indiana’s 11. The Thunder attempted 17 to Indiana’s 36, but capitalized on nine more foul-line makes and a 50-36 points-in-the-paint advantage.
Whoever takes the next game will be a win away from their franchise’s first ever championship. If Oklahoma City wins, Indiana will need to defend home court to force the two best words in sports. But if Indiana upsets the Thunder, it can win the title in front of its fans.
Game 5 in Oklahoma City is set for Monday at 8:30 p.m. ET, 5:30 p.m. PT.
Thunder take Game 4 of NBA Finals vs. Pacers 111-104 to tie series
Thunder take Game 4 of NBA Finals vs. Pacers 111-104 to tie series originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Oklahoma City has avoided a 3-1 deficit.
The Thunder took down the Indiana Pacers 111-104 in Game 4 of the NBA Finals on Friday to tie the series at 2-2 going back to Oklahoma City.
Both teams stayed neck-and-neck for most of the first three quarters, though Indiana built a 10-point lead at one stage. However, Oklahoma City used a 31-17 point differential in the fourth quarter to pull away, mainly due to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s shotmaking in clutch time.
The league MVP ended the game with 35 points on 12 of 24 shooting and 10 of 10 free throws to go with three rebounds, three steals and a block. But he did not record a single assist. Jalen Williams supported Gilgeous-Alexander with 27 points on 8 of 18 shooting and 11 of 11 free throws.
Game 3 saw Bennedict Mathurin come off the bench for Indiana and light it up with 27 points on 9 of 12 shooting. But he came back to earth in this one, logging just eight points in 14 minutes with five foul-line makes. However, his three misses proved costly late on.
Oklahoma City needed someone to produce a Mathurin-esque game off the bench and got it through Alex Caruso. The star defender posted 20 points in 30 minutes on 7 of 9 shooting to go with five steals, three rebounds and a block. No other bench player had more than five points.
Indiana’s two main stars weren’t at their best from a scoring standpoint. Tyrese Haliburton scored 18 points on 7 of 15 shooting with seven assists while Pascal Siakam led the team with 20 points, eight rebounds, five assists and five steals on a 6 of 15 field-goal clip.
Though Mathurin didn’t produce like he did last time out, Obi Toppin did step up off the bench and record 17 points on 7 of 12 shooting and seven rebounds, but it didn’t move the needle enough.
Oklahoma City somehow won the game making just three 3-pointers to Indiana’s 11. The Thunder attempted 17 to Indiana’s 36, but capitalized on nine more foul-line makes and a 50-36 points-in-the-paint advantage.
Whoever takes the next game will be a win away from their franchise’s first ever championship. If Oklahoma City wins, Indiana will need to defend home court to force the two best words in sports. But if Indiana upsets the Thunder, it can win the title in front of its fans.
Game 5 in Oklahoma City is set for Monday at 8:30 p.m. ET, 5:30 p.m. PT.
Race for Conn Smythe Trophy heating up with Sam Bennett, Leon Draisaitl among top contenders
One of the more intriguing storylines to track during the Stanley Cup Playoffs is usually the race for the Conn Smythe Trophy.
The award is given annually to the player voted the most valuable player to their team during the NHL postseason.
Now that we’ve reached the Stanley Cup Final, the prestigious trophy will be going to someone either on the Florida Panthers or Edmonton Oilers.
That we know for sure.
Generally, a player on the team that ends up winning the Stanley Cup is who will find themselves the MVP of the playoffs, but that wasn’t the case last season when Connor McDavid was voted the winner – and deservedly so – despite Edmonton losing to Florida in seven games.
Now the Cats and Oilers are back in the Final for what has been, to this point, an epic rematch.
Through four games, the Oilers and Panthers have gone to overtime three times and provided fans one of the most entertaining and dramatic Stanley Cup Final series in recent memory, to say the least.
As it stands, the race for the Conn Smythe is wide open. There is no clear-cut favorite, and both teams have more than one candidate who could take it home.
For Florida, you first have to look at Sam Bennett.
The pending unrestricted free agent leads all players with 14 postseason goals, three more than the next highest player.
Bennett has been incredibly impactful for Florida during their run to the Final, providing crucial minutes for the Panthers both at even strength and on the power play.
Additionally, his combination of high-end speed and the physical element of his game are what helps Florida add another critical layer to their aggressive, fast-paced defensive systems.
Another Panthers player who should certainly receive some consideration is veteran forward Brad Marchand.
The Trade Deadline addition has provided veteran leadership for Florida both on and off the ice while making steady contributions offensively, highlighted by his pair of overtime winners.
On the Oilers side, superstar Connor McDavid, who won the Conn Smythe Trophy last season, is always going to be a top contender, and this year is no different.
Through 20 playoff games, McDavid is tied for the league lead with 32 points. Between his overall production and ability to greatly impact the scoresheet on any given night, it’s no surprise that he’s once again in contention to take home the award.
However, a player who cannot be ignored any longer in this race is McDavid’s elite teammate, Leon Draisaitl.
In terms of playoff points, Draisaitl is right there with McDavid, tied with 32 points.
The difference in terms of offense is that Draisaitl has scored 11 times, second in the playoffs only to Bennett.
Of those 11 goals, Draisaitl has logged not one, not two, but four game-winning goals.
Interestingly, all four of those GWG have come during sudden death overtime, which is pretty remarkable.
It’s also a new NHL record.
Previously, three playoff OT goals had been the standard, a mark that had been held by four different players, including Florida’s Matthew Tkachuk from his amazing run in 2023 and current Oilers forward and former Ducks star Corey Perry, who had three OT goals during the 2017 playoffs with Anaheim.
Draisaitl has also scored four goals in four Stanley Cup Final games, with two of them among those aforementioned overtime winners.
That’s a far cry from the zero goals he scored during last season’s seven-game Final against Florida.
Certainly, what Draisaitl has accomplished so far this postseason is worth something in the eyes of the Conn Smythe voters.
So as we head into Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final, it appears the race for the Conn Smythe is as wide open as the Cup Final is itself.
Over the next week, someone is going to step up and separate themself from the rest of the pack.
However things end up playing out, if they go anything like the first four games of the Final have, it will be incredibly entertaining to witness go down.
Stay tuned.
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Photo caption: Jun 12, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers forward Sam Bennett (9) controls the puck against Edmonton Oilers right wing Kasperi Kapanen (42) and center Leon Draisaitl (29) during the first period in game four of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final at Amerant Bank Arena. (Jim Rassol-Imagn Images)
Mets' Frankie Montas struggles again in latest rehab outing with Triple-A Syracuse
Frankie Montas struggled again in his latest rehab start with the Syracuse Mets.
Facing the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, the right-hander hit the second batter he faced and almost worked his way out of the first inning unscathed -- but a T.J. Rumfield triple brought in the first run of the game.
Montas was then lit up in the second, and he ended up being pulled without finishing the frame.
He allowed the first four batters to reach on two singles and two doubles, allowing three more runs before finally getting an out -- but a Jorbit Vivas walk and Everson Pereira double put another tally on the board.
After an RBI groundout resulted in the second out of the inning, outfielder Brennan Davis crushed a two-run homer to deep left-center, capping off a seven-run inning and bringing his night to an end.
Montas’ final line: eight runs on seven hits, a walk and a strikeout in just 1.2 innings.
With just one minor league outing remaining on his rehab assignment, Montas is now up to an ugly 15.43 ERA.
It’ll be interesting to see how the Mets handle the 32-year-old with his continued struggles and a spot in their rotation opening up with Kodai Senga sidelined with a hamstring injury.
Schmitt's clutch grand slam stuns Dodgers in Giants' crucial win
Schmitt's clutch grand slam stuns Dodgers in Giants' crucial win originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
LOS ANGELES — Giants catcher Andrew Knizner had never caught Logan Webb before Friday’s game, not even in a bullpen session. There was plenty of homework to be done before the game, and it didn’t stop once Webb cruised through the first inning at Dodger Stadium.
Two innings later, Knizner, a Giant for a little over a week, was studying pitches on an iPad in the dugout when he heard a loud crack of the bat. The bases were loaded and Casey Schmitt was at the plate, and when Knizner looked up, he saw the young third baseman striding confidently away from the plate.
“I looked up and I saw Schmitty just kinda pimping it,” Knizner said later, smiling. “Subtle, subtle — but swaggy.”
Schmitt soaked up every moment of his first career grand slam, and why wouldn’t he. It came on a sold-out Friday night at Dodger Stadium. It provided Webb with more than enough support to pick up the win. And it helped the Giants move into a tie for first in the National League West through 70 games.
CASEY SCHMITT GRAND SLAM 💥 pic.twitter.com/rzg1Rxfb9u
— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) June 14, 2025
You have to go back to 2021 to find the last time the Giants had a share of first this late in the season, and while there’s a long way to go, Friday’s 6-2 win over the Dodgers certainly would have fit right in with that 107-win campaign.
The Dodgers have by far the better lineup, especially with Matt Chapman sidelined. Dominic Smith has been a Giant for just nine games, but he hit cleanup. Knizner started for the injured Patrick Bailey and Schmitt for the injured Chapman.
The Giants countered with Webb, and he’s as good as it gets right now, but the Dodgers had their own high-priced ace on the mound. Yoshinobu Yamamoto entered with a 2.20 ERA, but the Giants drew three walks with a tight zone in the third inning. The final one came with two outs, and as Schmitt watched Yamamoto pitch to Wilmer Flores, the team’s RBI leader, he felt the free pass was somewhat intentional.
“It felt like they were trying to put Flo on to get to me in that situation,” Schmitt said. “To be able to come through like that in that situation, that was a big thing for me personally, as well as being able to come through and put the team up.”
Schmitt admitted he took that sequence a little personally. That, in part, explained the subtle, subtle swag.
“I mean, who wouldn’t, you know?” he said. “But I understand it. It’s the game. But that inner competitor in me, I really wanted that at-bat.”
The slam came a day after Schmitt’s defensive mistake helped prevent the Giants from a sweep at Coors Field, but he said he was able to flush that pretty quickly. Chapman helped, reminding him after Thursday’s loss that he has made plenty of costly errors, too. On Friday, as he conceded that he might miss three or four more weeks with sprained fingers, Chapman said Schmitt would do just fine as the fill-in.
“This is just reps and experience that he can use to help contribute,” he said. “We need him. He’s going to be a big part of our team even when I come back. I think this is a good experience for him.”
Long term, Schmitt, who turned 26 in March, might have to build on this experience elsewhere. He is an elite defensive third baseman, and his greatest tool is somewhat wasted in San Francisco, where the Giants have an all-time defender at the position. They have tried to turn Schmitt into a utility player, and most of his time before the Chapman injury came at first base, a position he picked up on the fly during the first road trip of the season.
That put Schmitt in a difficult spot the first two months of the season. Starts were hard to come by, making it difficult to keep his swing ready. He had a .521 OPS when Chapman went on the IL, but it’s up to .702 after four games at third base.
“You feel great for him, because the kid works really hard to prepare for a game,” manager Bob Melvin said. “There’s a lot of ability there, both defensively and offensively. The grand slam obviously is the biggest hit of the game and gave Webby a little breathing room.”
Webb ran with it, throwing seven strong to pick up the win. The approach — cutter heavy — was new, but the result was not. He has gone at least seven innings in seven of his 15 starts, including twice this month against NL West rivals Los Angeles and San Diego.
Webb gave up just five total runs in those six previous seven-inning games, but had two no-decisions and a loss mixed in. Schmitt changed that Friday.
“Casey has all the tools in the world to be a really good big leaguer and everyone here knows that,” Webb said. “It’s tough. Baseball is a tough game sometimes and sometimes you don’t get a whole lot of opportunity, and with Chappy going down and Casey sliding in, it’s fun to see for him. I love Casey, I’ve been a big fan of his for a long time. It’s cool to see him kind of shine and do his thing.”
On a night when two likely All-Stars were on the mound and the Giants faced the most powerful lineup in the game, it was Schmitt who took center stage. He was looking for something he could handle and got a low splitter from Yamamoto. It left the yard in a hurry, and from there, it was all downhill.
By the time Schmitt joined a handshake line, the Giants were in a tie for first place, but afterward, the focus was on how they got there Friday, not the standings.
“Obviously you want to be in first place all the time (but) it’s June 13. There’s a lot of season to go,” Webb said. “We’ve just got to keep doing what we’re doing, play good baseball, don’t try to do too much. It’s hard if you start looking at standings and stuff like that. You just get lost in it. You’ve just got to try to go out there every day and win the day. That’s what we’re doing right now, which is great, and we’ve just got to keep that momentum going.”
Sabres Potential Trade Partner: Utah Mammoth
This is the first file in what will be an ongoing series on THN.com's Buffalo Sabres site. In these files, we're going to identify a number of teams the Sabres could be making a trade with this summer, and we'll be picking out specific players who could be trade targets for Buffalo.
Today, we kick things off with a look at the Utah Mammoth, who are aiming to get into the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time in their brief NHL history. Let's get to it:
TEAM: Utah Mammoth
CAP SPACE: $20.3 million
FREE AGENTS: Nick Bjugstad, C; Michael Carcone, C; Jack McBain, LW (RFA)
NEEDS: Veteran experience, more goal production
SABRES FIT? Like the Sabres, the newly-named Mammoth are highly-motivated to get into the post-season next year, and they're almost assuredly going to make a splash this summer. Some believe they'll be pursuing Toronto Maple Leafs star right winger Mitch Marner, but doing so would eat up much of their current cap space. Still, that would be a gigantic coup for a Mammoth team swinging for the fences.
Utah may also switch things up by trading a couple of younger players if they can bring in veteran experience and playoff knowhow. The Mammoth missed out on left winger Chris Kreider, who was dealt from the New York Rangers to the Anaheim Ducks this week. But Kreider is exactly the type of player who fits Utah's needs.
Now, would the Sabres have a match for the Mammoth in a trade? It may be tricky, and it may be a longshot, but someone like Utah winger Lawson Crouse could intrigue Buffalo GM Kevyn Adams. We're not crazy about the Sabres trading defenseman Bowen Byram, but he's young enough and still has enough upside to be a tempting acquisition for the Mammoth. And if Buffalo gets back Crouse in return, they may be more amenabe to moving RFA winger J.J. Peterka to address their other needs.
Here's Why The Draft Isn't The Most Important Thing For The Sabres This SummerThe Buffalo Sabres are going to have a shot at a solid prospect with the ninth-overall pick in the NHL entry draft this summer. But unlike other years, the draft isn't the be-all and end-all for this Sabres team. There are two other areas that, as we'll explore below, are much more important for Buffalo to address in this off-season.
Indeed, given that Crouse had put together two straight seasons where he combined to score 47 goals and 87 points, and given that Crouse is just 27 years old, the Sabres would be acquiring a big-bodied (6-foot-4) winger looking to bounce back from a down year that saw him score only 12 goals in 81 games. Crouse has two years left at $4.3-million-per-season, making him a cost-controlled asset that the Sabres wouldn't have to break the bank to re-sign anytime soon. Crouse also doesn't mind getting physical, and that's an element that could improve the Sabres. And if Crouse does work out in Buffalo, Adams can work with him on a contract extension that works for both the team and the player.
Another option for the Sabres to consider is Mammoth forward Nick Schmaltz, a 29-year-old veteran who has posted at least 20 goals and 59 points in each of the past four seasons. Schmaltz is a pricier acquisition at $5.85-million per season, but he'll be a UFA next summer, so he's got the motivation to have a big year -- and Buffalo could be the place where he can earn a sizeable raise with a strong 2025-26 season.
The Mammoth have a decent-enough blueline with Sean Durzi, John Marino and Mikhail Sergachev in their top four, but acquiring Byram would push greybeard Ian Cole into the third 'D' pairing. And considering that Utah has enough youngsters in the system, they can afford to part ways with Crouse or Schmaltz. A trade with the Mammoth could be the precursor to other deals -- as we've said, whether that's Peterka, Alex Tuch, or perhaps another young player on Buffalo's roster.
Will This Be The Season Sabres Star Thompson Breaks Momentous Mark On Offense?In two of the past three seasons, Buffalo Sabres star right winger Tage Thompson has put up a combined 91 goals. And although he had an off-season two years ago when he posted only 29 goals, the 27-year-old bounced back in a big way this year, generating 44 goals in 75 games.
Regardless of which Mammoth player they target, the Sabres should be looking at Utah as a viable trade partner this summer. They're two teams roughly in the same spot in their competitive trajectory, and they can help each other in different ways. Buffalo can help the Mammoth on their back end, and Utah can help the Sabres on their front end.
This is why we see the Mammoth as a solid fit with Buffalo on the trade front. Utah GM Bill Armstrong needs to come to the Mammoth's fan base with an exciting young player, and Byram fits that bill to a 't'. And Adams can come away from a trade involving Schmaltz or Crouse and give Sabres fans a changed lineup that can be kept together for the long term if the team plays well in 2025-26. We still see Buffalo making more moves even after a Byram-to-Utah deal, but getting off on a proactive foot with an early deal with the Mammoth would serve notice to the rest of the NHL that the Sabres are focused on making bigger moves this off-season.
Time will tell whether the two teams collaborate on a major move, but there's a great opportunity for the Sabres to work with Utah this summer. Now it's a matter of finding the stones to make a notable transaction.
Welcome to the Gallagher Prem: English rugby’s top flight rebrands and targets US
Reset will promote ‘gladiatorial nature’ of club game
Prem targets playing in US in run-up to 2031 World Cup
Premiership Rugby has rebranded England’s top division as the Gallagher Prem as part of a wide-ranging reboot that includes plans to take a fixture to the United States in the coming years and kicking off next season on a Thursday night.
Unperturbed by the existential threat posed by the R360 breakaway league, PRL on Saturday relaunches the Premiership on the day that Bath face Leicester in the final at Twickenham.
Continue reading...Blackhawks Trade Rights To Defenseman Victor Soderstrom To Bruins
The Arizona Coyotes, before they became the Utah Hockey Club, selected Victor Soderstrom in the first round (11th overall) in the 2019 NHL Draft. During the 2024-25 season, Utah traded him to the Blackhawks along with Aku Raty and the contract of Shea Weber for a fifth-round pick in 2026.
Now, the Blackhawks have flipped the rights to Soderstrom to the Boston Bruins in exchange for a 2025 seventh-round pick and defenseman Ryan Mast.
Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) on X🔔we've got a Friday afternoon trade
📰 ➡︎ https://t.co/u1Zm3Eag36Before turning pro with the Providence Bruins (AHL) and Maine Mariners (ECHL), Mast played major junior hockey for the Sarnia Sting of the OHL. When he was there, he showed some offensive talent, but it hasn't translated to the pro level.
The Rockford IceHogs will try their hand at getting more out of him in 2205-26 now. At 6'5" and 220 lbs, he's a big boy. He'll fit right in with some of the larger players that Rockford will have on the back-end.
The Blackhawks probably weren't signing Soderstrom anyway, so getting another defenseman looking to get something out of their pro hockey career, along with a draft pick, makes sense. This is an organizational depth trade at this time.
Mast is a tad bit younger than Soderstrom, who has made his NHL debut. In 53 NHL games played, Soderstrom has one goal and ten assists for 11 points. On the defensive side of things, there is a lot to be desired based on his draft status. Time will tell if this trade pays dividends for either the Blackhawks or Bruins.
Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.
The Ducks And The NHL's Pacific Division Are On The Rise
The Anaheim Ducks took a competitive step forward Thursday by acquiring veteran left winger Chris Kreider from the New York Rangers.
Kreider joins a Ducks team that has added other experienced veterans in recent years, including defensemen Jacob Trouba and Radko Gudas and forwards Alex Killorn and Ryan Strome. Kreider’s acquisition makes it more clear that the Ducks are in a Pacific Division that’s going to be considerably more competitive next season.
We added up all the standings points in each of the four NHL divisions. While the results aren’t an exact science in discovering which divisions were the toughest, it does give you an inkling of which divisions did the most damage this year.
It’s no surprise that the Pacific had the fewest points, with 710, an average of 88.75. The Atlantic Division led the way with 737 points (92.13), followed closely by the Central Division (735, 91.86) and the Metropolitan Division (713, 89.13). But we’ve got an inkling that the Pacific will be far tougher in 2025-26.
For one thing, you’ve got the Ducks, which still have $32.1 million in salary cap space, even after the Kreider acquisition. Most of Anaheim’s core is under contract, but Ducks GM Pat Verbeek has the money and the motivation to be a big player on the trade and free agent fronts this summer. Despite finishing 21 points out of a playoff spot this season, the Ducks could be quite better next year.
The rest of the Pacific is far from a gallery of mediocrity, either.
For one thing, the Edmonton Oilers could win the Stanley Cup this season, and they still have two of the top five players on the planet, a deep lineup and a GM, Stan Bowman, who will likely make them better in 2025-26.
The Vegas Golden Knights, which finished first in the division this season, won the Cup in 2023 and are a lock to be a playoff team next year. Golden Knights GM Kelly McCrimmon is famous for pulling off big moves to make his squad better, so we anticipate Vegas will lead the Pacific next season.
The Los Angeles Kings finished second in the Pacific and are playoff locks as well. The Kings have a new GM in Ken Holland, who will be rather active in improving his roster with $21.7 million in cap space to use on his pending free agents and acquisitions.
Right away, you’ve got three Pacific teams that are all but guaranteed to be Stanley Cup playoff teams. But the rest of the Pacific is also likely to be better next year.
The Vancouver Canucks finished 11 points out of a playoff spot last year, but they had major injuries and off-ice drama to contend with. If management has settled things down, and if Canucks GM Patrik Allvin makes good use of the $12.1 million he has in cap space, the Canucks should be much more competitive and get back into a playoff position next year.
Meanwhile, the team that was nine points better than Vancouver – the Calgary Flames – might be better next season. This writer thinks the Flames are better off to strip down some of the roster and embark on a fuller rebuild, but that probably isn’t likely, given some of the comments made by Flames GM Craig Conroy. Instead, Calgary may choose to add veterans this summer with the $26.8 million they have in cap space, and that could be enough to push them into a post-season spot.
Finally, the Seattle Kraken and San Jose Sharks round out the Pacific. The Kraken have changed their GM and coach, and they have $19.9 million in cap space, while the Sharks have a young team in a full rebuild that still has a whopping $41.7 million in cap space. Absent some blockbuster moves that bring in many veterans, the Sharks should still be considered a long shot to make the playoffs next year. But the Kraken are another story, as they have a mix of youth and experience that could see them battling for a post-season spot right through the end of the regular season.
That means there are seven out of eight Pacific Division teams that can reasonably be considered to be in the playoff mix next year. That means at least three of those teams, if not four, will miss out on the post-season.
So while the Ducks took a step forward with the addition of Kreider, they’re still going to battle tooth-and-nail to jump high enough in the Pacific standings to be a playoff team.
The Pacific teams will be in for a heck of a battle from Game 1 to Game 82, and Pacific team fans are going to have much to cheer for right out of the gate. It’s going to be a blast, and the Pacific is going to be vastly better next year.
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Yankees' Giancarlo Stanton expected to play for Double-A on Saturday, could join team in Boston for series finale
As the Yankees get set for a three-game series against their rival, the Boston Red Sox, at Fenway Park over the weekend, Giancarlo Stanton remains in Double-A on a rehab assignment.
While Stanton is not in Friday's lineup for the Somerset Patriots for the first time during his rehab after playing three straight days earlier this week, he is expected to play on Saturday, per manager Aaron Boone.
Following Saturday's game, New York is not ruling out the possibility of Stanton joining the team in Boston for the series finale. However, that scenario may be unlikely with Sunday being a day game.
“I’m not necessarily expecting him this weekend, but stranger things have happened," Boone told the media before Friday's game.
In three games for Double-A, Stanton is hitting .273 (3-for-11) with four RBI.
What we learned as Webb gem vs. Dodgers puts Giants in first place
What we learned as Webb gem vs. Dodgers puts Giants in first place originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
LOS ANGELES — Three hours before Friday’s game, a very polite local reporter asked Giants manager Bob Melvin if he could talk about the game plan against Los Angeles Dodgers ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Melvin smiled and politely declined.
The game plan was apparently a good one.
Casey Schmitt hit a grand slam in the third and the Giants knocked Yamamoto out in the fifth, rolling to a 6-2 win in their first meeting of the season with the Dodgers. With the victory, their eighth in their last nine games, the Giants moved into a tie atop the National League West. This is the first time since 2021 that they have held a share of the division lead this late in a season.
CASEY SCHMITT GRAND SLAM 💥 pic.twitter.com/rzg1Rxfb9u
— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) June 14, 2025
Schmitt’s first career slam broke the game open, but Logan Webb didn’t need nearly that much help. Webb struck out Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts in the first and cruised from there, taking the lead through the seventh. He allowed just two runs and picked up his fifth career regular season win against the Dodgers.
Schmitt Happened
After giving an update on his injured right hand Friday, Matt Chapman said the Giants were in good hands at third base and that Schmitt would be a big part of the team even after the starting third baseman returns. That proved to be wildly prophetic.
By the time Schmitt stepped to the plate in the third, both teams were already fed up with home plate umpire Adam Beck, who had a tight zone and was prone to making delayed strike calls. Both Yamamoto and Webb bent over at the hips early on in frustration over calls, but the Dodger had a particularly hard time with the tight zone. He walked three in the third without looking particularly wild, and Schmitt made him pay.
With two outs, Yamamoto threw a splitter at the bottom of the zone and Schmitt unloaded. His second homer of the year and road trip left the bat at 108.6 mph and traveled halfway up the bleachers in left. Schmitt knew right away that he had swung the game …
Crank It Up
The return to Dodger Stadium seemed to bring a little extra out of Webb. He hit 95 mph three times in the first inning, including on a strikeout of Ohtani. Coming into the game, he had touched 95 just four times in 14 starts, although three of them were in his last start, so perhaps this was just a sign of how good he’s feeling three months into the season.
Webb developed his cutter last year in part because he needed another weapon against the Dodgers, and he threw it a career-high 29 times Friday. The pitch got him 22 strikes and six swinging strikes.
The top of the order — Ohtani, Betts and Freddie Freeman — was 0-for-8 with a walk and four strikeouts against Webb, who kept his ERA at 2.58. He’s fifth in the NL in ERA, second in innings and third in strikeouts. Paul Skenes is the Cy Young frontrunner and the likely All-Star starter, but Webb is right in the mix for both after 15 starts.
He Does It At Sea Level, Too
Melvin said before the game that Willy Adames’ recent surge wasn’t just a Coors Field thing. He is seeing a more relaxed version of the shortstop, and the Giants believe that will lead to big things in the weeks and months to come. On Friday, Adames looked like someone who really has turned the corner.
The Giants got on the board first when Adames hit an opposite-field blast in the first inning, his eighth of the year and third of the road trip. He nearly did it again a few innings later, but his fly ball to deep center died on the track.
Willy Adames stays HOT with an oppo homer 🔥 pic.twitter.com/RfRMS9lNLQ
— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) June 14, 2025
Adames has raised his OPS to .635. It was .584 when the Giants arrived in Denver earlier this week.
David Stearns: Mets would consider calling up top pitching prospects, but there’s a ‘steep hill to climb’
The Mets’ rotation suffered a big blow on Thursday, as Kodai Senga landed on the IL with a hamstring strain.
Lucky for them, there are plenty of reinforcements on the way, as Paul Blackburn is set to rejoin the rotation on Tuesday while Frankie Montas and Sean Manaea are progressing well during their rehab assignments.
New York also has some intriguing options stashed down in the minor leagues.
Nolan McLean continues to dominate during his first full season as a pitcher, Brandon Sproat is finding his footing after a rough start to the year, and Jonah Tong has been cruising his way through Double-A.
Blade Tidwell, who made his big-league debut earlier this season against the Cardinals, is also still down in Syracuse and possesses significant upside of his own.
Though all of the young arms are starting to knock on the door, they seem to be a bit of an afterthought for the organization at the moment, with the amount of depth above them on the big-league roster.
President of baseball operations David Stearns indicated that they would be considered for a call-up if they continue to dominate -- but they are facing a bit of an uphill battle.
“We're going to make those decisions based exclusively on who and what group of players gives us the best chance to win," Stearns said. "If we have a prospect that we believe gives us the best chance over someone else, we are going to strongly consider that.
“That being said, the volume of established major league pitchers we have makes that a steep hill to climb. We have pitchers at the majors we really believe in, who have proven to pitch at a high level. For a prospect to jump that, especially in a pennant race, is a high bar.”
McLean seems to be the closest to taking that leap with his stretch of dominance.
Sproat is working his way back into the mix after a rough start to the season. He's put together four straight starts with three or less earned runs to bring his ERA down to 5.31 for the year. Still not where it needs to be, but a step in the right direction.
“He’s getting back to doing some of the things he did well while in Double-A,” Stearns said of Sproat. “He’s attacking hitters and he’s using the entirety of his arsenal pretty well. We saw the curveball come out a little bit more last night, which is important.
“At the appropriate time, he’s leaning on the changeup when that is the needed pitch. He’s not just trying to blow the fastball by guys. This is a talented guy with weapons, and sometimes you just need to learn again and again that you need to lean on your whole arsenal.”
Golden Knights Prospect Wins CHL Scholastic Player of the Year
Vegas Golden Knights prospect Mathieu Cataford was announced as the winner of the CHL's Scholastic Player of the Year.
The CHL Scholastic Player of the Year Award is awarded annually to the Canadian Hockey League player who best combines success on the ice with success in school.
"It shows that the efforts I put in paid off, and I think that it's something I'm really proud of, it's a huge honor obviously. I think there are a lot of people behind the scenes, my teachers, my school advisors and Halifax, Rimouski and my parents who taught me the importance of always putting a lot of effort into education," said Cataford after winning the award.
The 20-year-old scored 19 goals and 64 points in 54 games with the Rimouski Océanic in his first season with the team. Cataford played a critical role in their run to the QMJHL finals and their Memorial Cup appearance, although they did not win either trophy.
Cataford was the winner of the Michel Briere Trophy in 2023-24 with the Halifax Mooseheads, awarded to the QMJHL's MVP, but he wasn't able to replicate the 40-goal and 90-point output with the Océanic.
The Golden Knights' third-round pick (77th overall) in the 2023 NHL draft concluded his CHL career this season and will likely join the Henderson Silver Knights in the AHL next year for his rookie season.
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Darts delight in king’s birthday honours as Littler and Humphries pick up MBEs
Darts pioneer Deta Hedman becomes an OBE
Wimbledon champion Virginia Wade made a CBE
Luke Littler and Luke Humphries have been awarded MBEs in the king’s birthday honours list in recognition of the heights to which their rivalry has taken them in darts.
Littler became the youngest world darts champion at the age of 17 years and 347 days at the beginning of 2025 while Humphries, who beat the teenager in the world championship final 12 months prior, came out on top in Premier League Darts.
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