One of the biggest questions facing the Detroit Red Wings amidst the ongoing saga with the trade request from captain Dylan Larkin is what kind of package they'll receive in return.
Speculation has ranged everywhere from getting NHL ready players and prospects in return to simply getting a futures-driven package of draft capital, the latter of which would do nothing to help Detroit in the short-term.
In recent days, it has been reported that the Dallas Stars have emerged as a potential frontrunner for Larkin, and the most obvious return request that GM Steve Yzerman could ask from former Red Wings assistant GM Jim Nill are the rights to pending RFA forward Jason Robertson.
However, acquiring Robertson and getting him signed to a new contract that Yzerman would be comfortable with may prove difficult.
According to NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman, Robertson rejected a contract offer from the Seattle Kraken, whom he was granted permission to speak with, that would have paid him $15 million annually over eight years.
Jason Robertson has rejected an 8-year, $15mil AAV contract offer from the Seattle Kraken, per @FriedgeHNIC
An annual salary of $15 million would have made Robertson the second-highest paid player in the NHL behind only Minnesota Wild forward Kirill Kaprizov, who now earns $17 million per season, and ahead of Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl, who earns $14 million annually.
Meanwhile, the Stars themselves are experiencing difficulties in signing their three-time 40-goal scorer. According to ESPN's Emily Kaplan, Robertson rejected a contract that would have paid him $12 million annually, the same AAV that star forward Mikko Rantanen is now earning.
"According to one NHL source, the Stars had offered Robertson a contract of eight years with $12 million AAV, which would match the contract they handed Mikko Rantanen after acquiring the winger from the Hurricanes," Kaplan reported.
What's more, Robertson also reportedly rejected a move that would have sent him to the St. Louis Blues, as he's allegedly not interested in joining them.
Sources indicating the St Louis Blues offered a package that included multiple first round picks to the Dallas Stars for Jason Robertson but he is not interested in signing there.
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COLUMBUS, OHIO - JUNE 18, 2026: Cooper Ingle #2 of the Columbus Clippers runs the bases after hitting a two-run home run during the sixth inning against the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders at Huntington Park on June 18, 2026 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
The news broke last night that Cooper Ingle is getting the call for the Guardians.
Cleveland Guardians Prospective was the first I saw with the move on Twitter:
Cleveland #Guardians are promoting 24-year-old (C) prospect Cooper Ingle before the Seattle Mariners series starts at home Friday night.#GuardsBall
— Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) June 26, 2026
It will be interesting to see what move is made to get him on the 26-man. (To get him on the 40 seems easy enough with the various injuries the team has sustained). One would assume it is a Petey Halpin demotion. But, what if it isn’t? …A Gabriel Arias or a Stuart Fairchild being DFA’d? A shock David Fry demotion? An even more shocking Rhys Hoskins DFA?
I am sure it’ll be Halpin.
Meanwhile, Ingle has a 150 wRC+ with a 22/18 K/BB% in Columbus. I checked his Baseball Savant for performance against various fastballs – .464 wOBA/.418 xwOBA – breaking balls – .361 wOBA/.301 xwOBA – and offspeed – .349 wOBA/.333 xwOBA. He seems ready for a big league challenge. He also has a 1.112 OPS in Columbus and a .865 OPS on the road. The biggest issue with Ingle is that he hasn’t been able to hit LHP very well… but, hey, join the club here. He has a .611 OPS vs LHP this year and his career numbers are solidly in the mid 600’s range.
But he’s here, he’s real and he’s spectacular. Ingle was ranked the 7th best Guardians prospect by this site, 4th in the Guardians system by Baseball America, 3rd by MLB Pipeline, 10th by FanGraphs, 5th by ESPN and 7th by the Athletic.
Drafted as a catcher, recently, Ingle has seen a bunch of time in left field. It will be interesting to see if the team mostly abandons him catching or if he mixes in occasionally with Patrick Bailey and Austin Hedges. It certainly cannot hurt to have him hanging out with those two.
I applaud the Guardians for their aggression with promotions. Would have been nice to have Ingle in Chicago… but I should not complain. I am very excited to have tickets for his likely debut tonight. Bringing my 3 year-old daughter for Ingle and fireworks as the Mariners come to town. Now, if the rain will just hold off…
AROUND MLB:
The Royals and Tigers lost.
The Pope says he is following the White Sox’ season. Explains a lot tbh.
MLB and MLBPA are still exchanging CBA ideas and insults.
It's another edition of Knicks Mailbag, with SNY NBA Insider Ian Begley ready to answer your questions surrounding the team. Let's get started...
Have the Knicks been in conversations with teams about centers they can trade for? - @jmere09nyc
Yes. Before the draft, they checked in with at least one team with a center under contract. Obviously nothing came to fruition. The team contacted by the Knicks was ultimately unwilling to part with its big man. The Knicks’ approach in this check-in was more than just due diligence, according to the team the Knicks spoke with. They were genuinely trying to get a deal done. Was this because they knew Mitchell Robinson would not be back? I don’t know the answer to that, but logic tells you they wouldn’t have put a call in if they thought Robinson would be back. If the Knicks want to stay under the second apron next season, Robinson would have to take a significant pay cut to return to the team.
You can make the argument that Robinson is the best unrestricted free agent on the center market. The Lakers are among the teams in need of a center. Reports have linked the Lakers and Robinson. SNY hasn’t independently confirmed those reports, but Robinson will certainly have interest from teams around the league.
If the Knicks lose Robinson, they will have to find a serviceable center via the trade market or free agency.
Free agency will be difficult because they will not be able to offer much more than a minimum deal. The next place to turn is the trade market. Maybe Moussa Diabate is available from Charlotte after they drafted a big man to add to their large center rotation? The Knicks have previously showed interest in Goga Bitadze, Yves Missi and Nic Richards. I’m sure they will look at all options on the table if Robinson does not return.
Could a yearly pay cut with more years added work? I don’t see any other team giving him more than 2 years? Maybe? - Via Kenny
The Knicks can give him a five-year deal. So they have the opportunity to offer more guaranteed money in the scenario you propose. But the Knicks can also offer him more money annually than he is making now. They would just have to exceed the second apron to do so.
Do you think staying under the second apron is to protect from Mitch injury issues? - Via @therealgmlopes
If you go over to sign him you’re basically stuck if he has his yearly injury. If they can keep him and stay under the apron, that’s not an issue. Also staying under leaves S&T as an option for him.
This would make sense to me. If you are worried about committing multiple years to Robinson due to injury, that’s understandable. But I can’t wrap my head around why the Knicks wouldn’t want to exceed the second apron this offseason.
The penalties are significant (as ESPN’s Bobby Marks explains in this video) but this team just won a championship.
Owner James Dolan has never been shy about spending money. Why would that change now? Dolan said in a WFAN interview recently that he didn’t want to go over the second apron. He reiterated that stance internally prior to the draft. He has not shared the specific reasons why he does not want to go over the second apron.
The strongest pushback to staying under the 2nd apron is BOS won while over it and DEN won + then immediately lost depth bc of it. If NYK believes this group can win multiple titles why should preserving future flexibility take priority over retaining everyone on the title team? - @Brock_Aller
This is a question that will hang over this offseason until it’s explained to the fan base. Every title team loses players. But this situation is different because the Knicks can spend the money to retain Robinson and Landry Shamet. By staying under the second apron, they will have to choose one or the other.
VALENCIA, SPAIN - MAY 13: Sergio de Larrea, #5 of Valencia Basket celebrates at the end of the EuroLeague Play Off Game Five match between Valencia Basket and Panathinaikos Aktor Athens at Roig Arena on May 13, 2026 in Valencia, Spain. (Photo by JM Casares/Euroleague Basketball via Getty Images)
Three international players? That’s how many the Dallas Mavericks drafted this week. That’s three more than last season.
And it’s a huge shift from the previous year, where the Mavs either traded or refrained from resigning every single international player still on the team – after having at least one but up to five European or international players on the roster continuously for over 30 years.
The Dallas Mavericks have had a proud tradition of being first-movers on international talent for decades. We all know how Dirk Nowitzki was doubted before Dallas put their trust in him, and how Luka Doncic fell to third in the 2018 draft, despite being the biggest prospect in years – mainly because he never played college basketball.
The Mavs have been known to look abroad consistently and turn their focus outward and in new places to find promising talent since the 1990s.
But under the leadership of General Manager Nico Harrison and head coach Jason Kidd, who was brought to Dallas in 2021, things changed.
As Mark Cuban stepped away, eventually selling the majority of the franchise in 2023, the outward focus turned inward, and stars – who were once superstars – were valued higher than potential and hidden treasures. The thought-process seemed to be that old is trustworthy, new is risky and what once worked will always work. And with that, the Mavs as a franchise came to a standstill.
But a sudden course correction has taken place recently. New leadership, consisting of experienced, international scouts were brought to Dallas, and with that a shift and a tangible rebuild has commenced.
New GM Mike Schmitz and president Masai Ujiri wasted no time looking outside the US to find diamonds in the rough for this year’s draft, despite only being in Dallas for a little under two months.
And it looks like there might be three this year, though it’s unclear who will be stashed (remain with their overseas team to develop). The Mavs traded Koa Peat at 30 to get Sergio De Larrea (to the New York Knicks) from Valencia, a club that just secured an incredible ACB Spanish championship win over powerhouse Barcelona.
De Larrea is a Spanish point guard and a 6’7 shooter, straight out of the European basketball tradition, and more specifically, the Spanish – just like Luka Doncic.
De Larrea debuted for Valencia’s best team and in the Euroleague at 17. After playing for some smaller and reserve teams and declining offers to play college basketball in the US, he returned to a regular role with Valencia as a point guard in 2024/25.
Other noteworthy accomplishments from the 20-year-old include a FIBA World Cup U19 Gold medal with Spain in 2023 and a Spanish Liga ACB Young Player of the Year award in 2026.
The likelihood of this being a draft-and-stash seems lower at the moment than just after the draft. According to Spanish sources, the Mavs’ commitment to De Larrea is “completely firm, because their new coach, Dusty May, considers him a guaranteed part of next season’s roster… Any possibility that De Larrea would remain with Valencia Basket has essentially disappeared.”
There aren’t many 6’7, 20 year old primary ball handlers who can self-generate paint touches, navigate screens and flash the craftiness that Sergio De Larrea has…⤵️
Sergio De Larrea isn’t a particularly impressive finisher at the rim, 58.7% and just 43.7% as a driver, BUT his… pic.twitter.com/1Doug23p9G
Basically, this is not some scrappy European guy, but at 20, he’s a player who could develop into a serious shooting guard, at least, in the NBA. As Schmitz confirmed after the draft, the Mavs leadership has a strong focus on positional size, and here he also checks all boxes at 6’7.
The second player of this Mavs draft, who may have come even more out of nowhere to many, is Russian wing Vsevolod Ishchenko (Seva). The Mavericks traded cash considerations to the Los Angeles Lakers to acquire his draft rights. He was selected with the No. 56 pick.
Seva is considered more of a clear draft-and-stash, and the still raw 6’8 Russian wing, playing in the not very athletic Russian VTB United league, stands out as extremely athletic. He looks to have a huge potential, and can be an asset and development piece for the Mavs down the line.
He made his name early in Russia’s youth basketball system, earning two VTB Youth April MVP awards while dominating the junior ranks for Lokomotiv Kuban-2 at 18. This earned him a spot on Lokomotiv Kuban’s senior team in the professional Russian VTB United League. He was named a VTB United League All-Star and took home the league’s Young Player of the Year award this season.
Seva’s efficiency stands out, according to RotoWire. Shooting above 50 percent from the field and over 46 percent from three on respectable volume for a 20-year-old, he has a solid shooting touch. Along with his frame, it makes him dangerous on the perimeter. “He moves fluidly in transition, attacks downhill with body control and absorbs contact at the rim.”
The third player is English Tobi Lawal, selected at 48 by the Mavericks. The 23-year-old didn’t start playing basketball until 16, and attended City of London Academy basketball programme before he left for prep school in Lee, Maine. He stayed in the US and spent his college years at VCU and Virginia Tech. The last two years at Virginia, the 6’8 power forward averaged just above 12 points.
With these three players, three of four drafted by the Mavs, the return of an international outlook and a welcoming of fresh currents in Dallas means a certain level of excitement in the Mavs world and especially for the many international fans of the franchise.
Paradoxically, it feels like the Mavs are returning to the past. Back when they took a chance on Dirk, and put everything on Luka.
There’s a feeling among Mavs fans that the tide has turned and new, exciting prospects and ways of playing and rebuilding have emerged. And that is not a bad way to start a new season.
The Columbus Blue Jackets have announced that they've re-signed forward Mikael Pyyhtia.
The deal is a two-year extension and will be a one-way NHL deal for the 2027-28 season. Getting a one-way deal in the final year is huge for the young Finn.
Per a CBJ PR release, "Mikael is a versatile, two-way forward who brings speed, energy and competitiveness to the lineup,” said Waddell. “He was very good in Cleveland last season, and we are excited about his future."
Pyyhtia has 5 goals and 11 points in 71 NHL games for the CBJ.
Next Up For Columbus: The NHL Draft is on June 26 and 27 in Buffalo, where the CBJ will own pick #14.
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BUFFALO, NY -- It was about a year ago when the New York Islanders traded pending restricted free agent defenseman Noah Dobson to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for forward Emil Heineman, and the No. 16 and No. 17 in the 2025 NHL Draft.
The trade occurred after Dobson and first-year general manager Mathieu Darche could not come to terms on a contract extension. Although Dobson didn't have any trade protection, he had all the leverage given that he would only move to a team that he was interested in signing with.
Dobson was believed to be asking for something in the $10 million range from the Islanders, but ended up signing an eight-year deal worth $9.5 million annually in Montreal.
Flash-forward a year later and the Dallas Stars find themselves in the same situation with pending RFA forward Jason Robertson.
The 26-year-old goal scorer, who just concluded the final season of a four-year deal worth $7.75 million, turned down an eight-year extension worth $12 million annually.
While Dallas is hoping they can still bring him back, time is ticking and other teams are lining up.
The St. Louis Blues, who own four first-round picks in this draft, were told no by Robertson's camp.
The Seattle Kraken, who have been trying to go big-game hunting for a few years now, were given permission to speak with Robertson, but he turned down $15 million annually on an eight-year deal.
I believe Dobson turned down extensions with the Boston Bruins and the Columbus Blue Jackets before the Islanders sent him to Canada.
While there's been some chatter that the asking price for Robertson is similar to the one that Dallas sent to the Carolina Hurricanes for Mikko Rantanen -- Logan Stankoven, a conditiional 2026 first-round pick, a conditional 2028 first-round pick, a 2026 third-round pick and a 2027 third-round pick -- I was told that isn't accurate.
The accurate ask is what the Colorado Avalanche got for Rantanen when they sent him to the Hurricanes -- Martin Necas, Jack Drury, a 2025 second-round pick and a 2026 fourth-round pick.
It doesn't sound like Dallas wants futures, but impact players given that they are a Stanley Cup contender and would like to stay that way, with or without Robertson.
One would expect that every team has called Stars general manager Jim Nill regarding Roberston, including the New York Islanders.
However, the Islanders are a team that doesn't have an impact winger to send back the other way -- not many teams do.
On June 26 and 27, the 2026 NHL Draft will take place at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, NY. This year, the Calgary Flames have 10 picks, with plenty of cap space and draft currency to make a move or two, either to move up or to acquire another player to assist in the rebuild.
For Flames fans everywhere, The Hockey News is the place to follow the team's moves at the draft. Whether it's news about their latest pick or post-draft analysis, everything you need will be below and updated as the event unfolds.
As always, join in the conversation to let us know where you are watching the NHL Draft, and provide your opinions about General Manager Craig Conroy's move over the weekend.
The first night of 2026 NHL Draft will be available on ESPN, Sportsnet, and TVA Sports. On Saturday, for rounds two through seven, coverage will be available on EPSN+, NHL Network, and Sportsnet.
Los Angeles, CA October 29, 2025: A Dodgers player's hat and glove in the dugout during game five of the World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Toronto Blue Jays at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday, October 29, 2025 in Los Angeles, CA. (Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Four games, four wins, three of them by no more than two runs. There was plenty of drama and excitement when the Dodgers’ minor league affiliates took the field on Thursday.
Player of the day
It’s a shame the Tower Buzzers offense didn’t show up early enough to help Brady Smith secure his first win of the season. Still, at least they didn’t waste the magnificent start from this right-hander, who has been an absolute strikeout machine for Ontario, with 81 punchouts in fewer than 50 innings of work, eventually winning the game 6-2.
Smith delivered, easily his best outing of the season, allowing just one hit in six masterful innings with no walks and 11 strikeouts. Prior to this game, four innings had been the longest performance from Smith this season.
Triple-A Oklahoma City
One hit and four RBI. Austin Gauthier made the most out of his third home run of the season by hitting a grand slam to help the Comets beat the Aces 9-8.
Oklahoma City had quite the scare in this game by allowing six unanswered runs in the sixth and seventh, but the offense had enough cushion to barely outlast the opposition. James Tibbs III had quite the game batting leadoff, reaching base four times with a pair of knocks and two walks.
While Charlie Barnes and subpar defense were responsible for keeping this one close, with the Comets starter having allowed seven of the Aces’ eight runs, three of them earned, the bullpen had little to no margin for error. Chayce McDermott recorded the most important out of the game by inducing a bases-loaded double play in the bottom of the seventh with no one out. Evan Phillips wrapped up that inning with a strikeout.
Double-A Tulsa
Through the game’s first five innings, neither team scored, and the only moment the Drillers led in this one was when Frank Rodríguez crossed the plate to walk things off, delivering Tulsa a 3-2 win at home, their 47th on the season.
Strong starting pitching with five one-hit innings from Christian Zazueta and timely home runs, one from Mike Sirota, whose on-base streak remains active, and another one from Kole Myers, proved to be enough offensively for the Drillers. Sirota is now at 61 games reaching base in a row.
High-A Great Lakes
For only the second time this season, left-hander Jakob Wright had a scoreless appearance, tossing 5.2 innings before handing it off to the bullpen en route to a 2-0 shutout win with the whole staff allowing just three hits. Wright now has a 4-3 record on the season.
While Eduardo Guerrero was the standout hitter for the Loons, securing three of the team’s seven hits, including a solo shot, the go-ahead hit came from Logan Wagner on an RBI single in the fifth. Wright got the win, but the Lugnuts starter deserves some praise—Samuel Dutton caught the short end of the stick, moving to a 1-5 record with his seven innings of one-run ball.
Single-A Ontario
Between the second and ninth innings, the Tower Buzzers scored a total of zero runs, but thanks to strong pitching, all they needed was that one in the first and another five in the tenth. Right-hander Brady Smith had one of the more dominant outings by a starter in the Dodgers minor league system this season, striking out 11 through six scoreless innings, allowing just one base runner.
The offensive outburst in the tenth to take control of what was then a 1-1 game came through the long ball. Ching-Hsien Ko hit his fourth home run in the last seven games, and Mairoshendrick Martinus also left the yard, securing his fourth hit of the game.
— Ontario Tower Buzzers (@towerbuzzers) June 26, 2026
Transactions
Outfielder Kendall George was assigned from the Drillers to the Tower Buzzers, activated off the injured list, while starter Landon Knack began a rehab assignment with the Comets.
Thursday’s scores
Reno 8, Oklahoma City 9
Tulsa 3, Corpus Christi 2
Lansing 0, Great Lakes 2
Visalia 2, Ontario 6
Friday’s schedule
4:05 p.m. PT: Great Lakes (Sean Patick) at Lansing (Zane Taylor)
5:00 p.m. PT: Tulsa (Adam Serwinowski) vs. Corpus Christi (Cole Hertzler)
6:35 p.m. PT: Oklahoma City (Cole Irvin) at Reno (Brandon Pfaadt)
6:35 p.m. PT: Ontario (TBD) at Visalia (Chung-Hsiang Huang)
BRONX, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 9: The Bronx Zoo transforms into a vibrant display of autumn colors as fall foliage surrounds its animal habitats in New York, United States on November 9, 2025. Visitors enjoy the mix of wildlife and seasonal scenery, with golden leaves creating picturesque views across one of New York City's most famous attractions. (Photo by Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu via Getty Images) | Anadolu via Getty Images
Not a lot of stuff—I mean—going on in the past few hours as we quietly navigate the silent period between the NBA Draft and the start of free agency.
But what, did you expect me to sit idly without scouring the interwebs for links? You mad if you think like that.
Former Knicks beat reporter Fred Katz of The Athletic just confirmed what we all suspected: James Dolan, and not the front office, is the lone person behind the second-apron mandate. According to Katz and fellow scribe James L. Edwards, the Knicks FO was “blindsided” by Dolan’s comments. I have a lot more on that and Mitchell Robinson’s “likely” exit from New York in an earlier post.
Welcome to Tyler Nickel season. The more you read about the Knicks’ second-round pick, the more you’ll like about him. Delicious write-up over Sports Illustrated in which Nickel openly says you need an “almost delusional” belief in yourself to make it this far and insists he’s fearless against anybody who steps on the court. A true New Yorker right there.
The New York Post also had a nice story on Nickel’s draft night, one the Virginia native celebrated with family and his girlfriend, Towson basketball player Zoli Khalil. A sample:
“(Going to New York) doesn’t even sound real. It doesn’t even sound like it would happen. It’s been a minute since it happened to anybody even in the area.”
Jared Schwartz of the NY Post also spoke with Fran Fraschilla, who had plenty of praise for both Knicks draft picks. Fraschilla trusts Walt Perrin and Brock Aller more than most NBA front offices, likes Nickel’s toughness, shooting and fearlessness, and believes Jack Kayil has a legitimate NBA future even if he still needs seasoning. Worth the full read!
Speaking of Kayil, the NY Post also talked with several of his coaches and teammates from Germany. The reviews are glowing.
The second-apron conversation somehow refuses to die. The Newsday’s Steve Popper laid out the financial reality facing the Knicks, and, surprise, it still doesn’t look easy. Mitchell Robinson remains the biggest domino, and although Mitch is on his way out, Popper still can’t believe the front office will simply let him go for nothing.
“The most intriguing free agent is Robinson. The history of the front office tells you that the Knicks don’t let a player walk in free agency for nothing (see: Immanuel Quickley, Julius Randle, Quentin Grimes). So it’s hard to imagine that the Knicks will let him leave with nothing in return. They had chances to extend Robinson and passed, understandably, given his injury history. There has been frustration in the organization with his free-throw struggles, and no one was pleased when he broke his right pinkie in an off-court incident in the postseason, but it’s also countered by what he delivers on the court (and his willingness to get on the court with the injury).”
ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel blastedJames Dolan the Knicks’ determination to avoid the second apron, arguing there’s “absolutely zero reason” not to spend after winning a championship.
Sports Illustrated’s Isaiah De Los Santos thinks there’s still a chance Pacome Dadiet gets moved at some point this offseason, even though that won’t help in retaining Mitch and might have a little impact when it comes to all other pending free agents.
Around the league, Jaylen Brown rumors continue multiplying by the hour. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst made it very clear that Brown “is going to get traded.”
“(Brad Stevens) obviously told him that there was a good chance they’re going to trade him. It’s not a guarantee that they’re going to find a deal that they like that’s going to improve the team, but I think they are intending to trade him.”
Meanwhile, Mike Lacett “is hearing” that Charlotte is in the mix for Brown, right after getting rid of LaMelo Ball with the younger of the BBB brothers on his way to Minny.
Clippers veteran Kawhi Leonard is back in the rumor mill, with Jake Fischer reporting that he’d be willing to sign an extension with the Toronto Raptors if they land him via trade. Kawhi, however, doesn’t want to sign any sort of deal with Detroit if the Pistons trade for him. Sister blog Detroit Bad Boys has more on it.
Per The Athletic’s Sam Amick, it looks like the Pistons went from targeting Austin Reaves to thinking about Brown and Kawhi to… being forced to find a suitor for a pissed Jalen Duren, who doesn’t want to re-sign in Detroit and is close to demanding a sing-a-trade out of Motown. In any case, there are still so many Jalens in the NBA.
LaVar Ball knows what the Wolves are missing after Thursday’s blockbuster.
The Lakers got their center on Thursday. “The A10 Player of the Year is one of the nation’s most skilled bigs. Shot 40% from three and averaged 4+ assists per game as a frontcourt playmaking hub,” Jon Chepkevich wrote while announcing the news.
Jun 20, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics designated hitter Jonah Heim (15) bats against the Los Angeles Angels during the sixth inning at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
Happy Friday A’s Fans!
Today, the Athletics begin a three-game series against their American League West rival, the Los Angeles Angels. These two teams have matched up often over the past few weeks. Towards the end of May, the A’s won three of four in Los Angeles, capturing two victories in dramatic extra-inning games. Last weekend, the “Green and Gold” and the “Halos” split four games in West Sacramento, with the Angels winning the final two games of that series.
Yesterday, the A’s scored seven unanswered runs to rally past the San Francisco Giants, salvaging the final game of that three-game interleague series. Now, the team must carry that momentum into this weekend. They cannot afford to drop this series against the last-place Angels, especially with Mike Trout still on the injured list.
Right-handers J.T. Ginn, Jack Perkins and Aaron Civale will start for the A’s in their penultimate series against the Angels this season. In Ginn’s most recent outing at Angel Stadium, he came three outs shy of his first career no-hitter. Can he record another quality performance tonight in his second consecutive start against this team or will he take a step back?
From the other dugout, A’s hitters will face the Angels’ promising young right-hander Walbert Ureña and left-hander Reid Detmers in the first two games of the series. Los Angeles has not yet announced its starter for Sunday’s finale.
Backup catcher Jonah Heim has arguably been the A’s most clutch hitter over these past few weeks. Whenever he has batted in the ninth inning, he has delivered, recording huge hits to either tie the game or give the A’s the lead.
The organization’s savvy move to trade for him and then retain him instead of fellow backstop Austin Wynns has paid dividends. Look for Heim to continue receiving opportunities in big late-game situations, as he has come through more often than not.
Additionally, center fielder Henry Bolte appears to have emerged as the solution to the A’s center field and leadoff spot concerns. While his defense in center field is not too much of a drop off from Denzel Clarke’s, his combination of speed and power gives him greater offensive upside and makes him a natural fit atop the lineup in front of Shea Langeliers and Nick Kurtz.
Will Bolte and Heim continue to contribute this weekend, or will another unexpected A’s player rise to the occasion?
This situation appears unlikely to end anytime soon. Unless Major League Baseball and the players’ union reach a compromise, the league seems headed toward a lockout on December 1st.
The biggest issue baseball fans want solved to strengthen the game is fixing the payroll disparity that leaves too many fans without hope of their team competing for a World Series title. Every other major U.S. sport has tackled this problem, and every year more small market… pic.twitter.com/kbt2vTIGMS
Unfortunate injury news for one of the A’s top minor-league prospects.
LHP Wei-En Lin has now seen a couple of doctors. We'd heard earlier that'd he'd been diagnosed with a shoulder strain. But I'm hearing today that he may also possibly have a tear of the UCL. Still waiting to find out more, but hoping for the best.
— Bill Moriarity – A's Farm (@AthleticsFarm) June 25, 2026
Congrats to A’s trainer Jeff Collins on being selected to work the All-Star Game. This is an incredible opportunity and a well-deserved honor.
Congratulations Jeff!!
Jeff Collins will serve as one of the AL’s trainers for the 2026 All-Star Game! pic.twitter.com/kHQGiuzdNv
WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA - MAY 17, 2026: Coby Mayo #16 of the Baltimore Orioles hits a two-run home run during the second inning of an interleague game against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on May 17, 2026 in Washington, District of Columbia. The Nationals beat the Orioles, 7-3. (Photo by Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
The Orioles return to Baltimore this weekend as frustrating and confounding as ever, with the team returning home after their West Coast road trip. When the O’s left for their three-series West Coast swing against the Mariners, Dodgers and Angels, they were five games under .500 and two games out of a Wild Card spot. They now return to Baltimore six games under .500 and still two games out of the final AL playoff spot.
The O’s next chance at trying (and likely failing) to build some positive momentum comes against their local rivals, the Nationals. The DC ball club comes into this series in a similar position as the Orioles. Sure, they’re actually at .500, but a stacked National League currently has the Nats 3 games outside the NL playoff picture.
This will be the second Battle of the Beltways this season, with the Orioles dropping two out of three in DC back in the middle of May. That series served as a concise example of the frustrating reality of the 2026 Orioles.
In Game 1, the O’s lost 3-2 in a game that saw them fail to take advantage of a starting pitcher with a 6.00+ ERA and where they didn’t score until the 9th inning. Game 2 was a different type of embarrassing loss, where a seven-run 7th inning turned a 4-3 close game into a 13-3 blowout. Game 3 was a completely different story, as the offense came alive from the first inning, raced out to an early 6-2 lead, and coasted to a 7-3 win behind a strong performance from Brandon Young and the bullpen.
Since that game, both teams have hovered around .500, struggling to get a foothold in either league’s playoff race. The O’s are 17-18 in the month-plus since their last meeting with the Nats, and have never gotten closer to .500 than two games under. The Nationals are18-17 in their 35 games since facing the O’s, at one point getting to four games above .500, but have lost [five/six] of their last eight.
The good news for Birdland is that the Orioles have typically found success against the Nationals in Camden Yards. Prior to last season, the O’s were 9-5 against the Nats at Camden Yards in the Mike Elias era. However, the Nationals did sweep the Orioles in Camden Yards last May, with the first game of that series being the last game of Brandon Hyde’s tenure in Baltimore. The O’s will need to return the favor this year if they want to finish the season with a winning record against their National League neighbors.
Trevor Rogers is the starting pitcher whose best epitomised the maddening lack of consistency from the Orioles, but glimpses of 2025 Trevor Rogers have started to peek through the cracks in June. After posting a 10.31 ERA in 18.1 innings across four starts in May, Rogers is rounding back into ace form this month. Across his last four outings, he has an ERA of 2.22, is averaging just over six innings per start and is holding opposing hitters to a .195 average. His most recent outing, in Dodger Stadium, was the best of his 2026 campaign, as he held the two-time defending champions to one hit and two walks over seven scoreless innings.
Rogers only has one career appearance against the Nationals as a member of the Orioles, back in 2024. In his third start after coming over from the Marlins, the Nats battered Rogers to the tune of 5 IP, 7 H, 5 ER, 2 BB and 2 K.
In 10 career starts against Washington as a member of the Marlins, Rogers was typically good, putting up a 3.35 ERA with a .234 BAA. That past success may not matter this season, though, as the Nationals have also crushed left-handed pitching this season. Washington leads the MLB with a .274 average and .793 OPS vs. southpaws, though that OPS drops to .752 against left-handed starters.
While the Nationals hadn’t announced their starters yet at the time of writing, left-hander Andrew Alvarez should make his first career start vs. Baltimore. The 27-year-old lefty out of Cal Poly relies heavily on his two breaking balls, throwing his curveball and slider a combined 47% of the time. Any time a lefty is on the mound, it presents a good matchup for 3B Coby Mayo. The 24-year-old has a 1.111 OPS vs. LHPs and is one of the best hitters in baseball against southpaws.
Game 2, Saturday, June 27th, 7:05pm ET
Probable pitchers: RHP Brandong Young (6-2, 3.07 ERA, 49 K) vs. TBD
Where to watch: MASN/MASN+
This season, Brandon Young has held a similar role to 2025 Trevor Roger: the pitcher that seemingly comes out of nowhere to become the most consistent pitcher in the Orioles rotation. After making an abbreviated start against the Nats back in May, Young has been the model of consistency for Baltimore. In six outings since, the 27-year-old Texan has five quality starts, a 2.15 ERA, a .219 BAA and is averaging 6.1 IP per start.
And like Rogers last year, a Brandon Young start has usually meant a guaranteed win for the O’s. Baltimore is 10-2 in games started by BY this season, 5-1 at Camden Yards and is on a four-game win streak when Young takes the mound at home.
It will be a matchup of strength vs. strength in Young vs. the Nats upstart offense. The Orioles starter’s four-seam fastball has been one of the best heaters in all of baseball this season, as it ranks ninth in Run Value and 16th in BAA among 212 qualified pitchers. However, Nationals stars CJ Abrams and James Wood have both crushed fastballs this year, ranking third and 14th, respectively, in Run Value produced against four-seamers.
The Nats should counter Young with journeyman right-hander Foster Griffin. The 30-year-old spent the last three years in Japan and is now enjoying the first extended run of his Major League career. Prior to going to Japan, Griffin had a 6.75 ERA in eight career MLB innings. This season with Washington, Griffin has a 3.15 ERA in 91.1 innings and leads all Nats pitchers with a 2.3 bWAR. The soft-tossing lefty has led with his cutter most of the year, but features a true seven-pitch mix.
While Kyle Bradish hasn’t been as consistent as Rogers or Young in June, the Orioles’ former ace comes into Sunday’s start off the best back-to-back starts of his career. Nine days ago in Seattle, Bradish delivered his best start of the season (up until then), posting a line of 7.2 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 2 BB and 12 Ks–with the 12 strikeouts setting a new career-high for the 29-year-old.
He then went out and one-upped himself in his start against the Dodgers, pitching eight shutout innings with nine Ks against the defending champs. The past two starts marked the first time in Bradish’s career that he’s pitched into the 8th inning in back-to-back outings.
Sunday will mark the first time Bradish has faced off against the Nationals since before his elbow injury in 2024. In his second start of the 2024 season, he held the Nats to one run on four hits over five innings with nine Ks. It was the first time he’d allowed a run against Washington, as he previously combined for 14 innings of shutout baseball across two starts vs. the Nationals in 2023.
To oppose Bradish, the Nats could turn to former Ray Zack Littell or turn Sunday into a bullpen game. Littell pitched well against the Orioles back in May, holding the O’s scoreless over five innings while only allowing two hits. Washington has used Littell four times this season as the follower to an opener, including his most recent appearances against the Phillies–when he allowed two runs over four innings in a 14-9 loss.
Let us know in the comments whether the O’s can even the score against the Nationals or whether it’ll be another disappointing series of Orioles’ baseball this weekend.
Jun 25, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager (5) turns a double play against Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Ernie Clement (not pictured) first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (not pictured) during the first inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Good morning folks and happy Friday!
The Mariners had another stinker of a performance last night, dropping the series finale to the Pirates 5-1 which brings them back to .500 on the season. The M’s will try to get back in the win column with the first of three games in Cleveland starting this afternoon.
The good news is that Bryce Miller seems to have taken a serious step forward. Where would you slot him into your personal ranking of the Mariners’ starting pitchers at this moment?
In Mariners news…
Ryan Divish at The Seattle Times caught up with closer Andrés Muñoz to uncover the changes he’s made to regain his former glory.
Mariners utilityman Miles Mastrobuoni cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Tacoma.
Mariners infield prospect Felnin Celesten continued his hot month by hitting for the cycle in last night’s game.
Around the league…
Major League Baseball announced the finalists for the 2026 All-Star Game starters. The Mariners were blanked from the selection with Julio Rodríguez narrowly missing the cut in the outfield.
Major League Baseball countered with another CBA proposal, with sweeping changes headlined by a maximum for years and dollars for free agent contracts.
ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - JUNE 25: A general view of Busch Stadium during a rain delay prior to a game between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Arizona Diamondbacks at Busch Stadium on June 25, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Joe Puetz/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Diamondbacks and Cardinals were scheduled to conclude their four-game series Thursday, but with rain in the forecast, St. Louis announced on its X account that the game would be rescheduled for July 23. According to Sewald’s post on X, Arizona had asked the home club to move the game earlier in the day to avoid the postponement.
“No you’re right thank you @Cardinals for not moving our game up to this afternoon when we politely asked given the whole world knew it was going to rain tonight. I actually was really hoping we could lose an off day and turn it into a 4 city road trip.”
The Arizona Diamondbacks activated outfielder Max Kepler from the restricted list Thursday following his completion of an 80-game suspension for testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug.
Kepler, who signed a free agent deal with the Diamondbacks on June 7, hit .333 with two home runs in 10 minor league games. He was fifth in the batting order and set to play left field for the Diamondbacks against the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday night, but the game was postponed by rain.
With the rise of legalized sports betting in recent years, several MLB players have spoken about the criticism that they’ve received from people blaming them for failed bets.
As part of Thursday’s proposal, the MLBPA also asked MLB to clarify that players are permitted to engage in endorsements and sponsorships from legal betting operators and prediction markets (via Purdum and Passan).
That changed Thursday, when MLB put out a league-approved campaign making a hard push for a salary cap and salary floor. The campaign, which is titled “Leveling the Playing Field,” makes the argument that the spending gap between teams has reached a breaking point and that a salary cap and salary floor are necessary to fix the game.
In an effort to spread the word about the campaign, MLB launched a website dedicated to the cause, which features five tabs explaining why the league believes the sport needs a salary cap.
If young Milwaukee Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski were part of the Greek or Roman pantheon, then he’d probably be pulling double duty right about now. Among the elemental gods, Misiorowski was already in charge of fire — this, after all, is a pitcher whose first three pitches in the majors were in excess of 100 mph. Now, though, Misiorowski has expanded his jurisdiction to include earth — mound dirt, to be more specific. Indeed, the 24-year-old primal force known informally as “The Miz” is throwing harder than ever (and harder than any starting pitcher ever), and he’s also harnessed that fiery stuff to go from occasionally dominant but flawed to just plainly overwhelming. The best pitcher in the world is right now equal parts thrower and pitcher, equal parts fire and earth.
ST. PETERSBURG, FL - JUNE 25: Junior Caminero #13 of the Tampa Bay Rays celebrates his home run against the Kansas City Royals during the fifth inning of a baseball game at Tropicana Field on June 25, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Yankees lost some ground in the American League East on Thursday. A tough loss in Fenway, combined with a dominant win by the Rays brings New York’s division lead down to 2.5 games. The day’s short schedule still provided plenty of pop, excellent pitching, and plenty to pay attention to around the American League. Let’s take a look at how it all shook out.
Tampa Bay Rays (45-33) 13, Kansas City Royals (34-48) 2
The Rays jumped ahead early on Thursday, and they never looked back in a convincing win over the Royals in St. Pete. Tampa Bay took that early lead in the bottom half of the first, when Junior Caminero belted a two-run home run, his 17th on the season, giving his club a lead they’d never surrender.
It was also the beginning of big-time day for the Rays’ slugger, as he stayed hot with a solo home run in the fifth inning. In the eighth, Caminero put a bow on his massive night, when he launched his third home run of the game, this one extending their lead well into blow-out territory.
Shortly after that first homer, the Rays turned to their bulk pitcher for the evening, Ian Seymour, who was terrific in his outing. Entering in the second inning, and working 6.2 frames in total, the lefty kept the Royals scoreless and hitless, while striking out seven in a sparkling appearance.
Beyond Caminero’s damage, plenty of other Rays got in on the action on Thursday. Victor Mesa Jr. blew the game open with a three-run shot in the fourth, while Johnathan Aranda tallied three hits, and Richie Palacios and Cedric Mullins each had a pair. With a multi-run lead for almost the entire game, Tampa Bay put the nail in the coffin with a five-run eighth inning, which was punctuated by Caminero’s third homer.
On the pitching side, the Rays actually had a combined no-hitter going into the ninth inning, as the Royals had little to say with the bats. There would be some late life, however, when Carter Jensen simultaneously ended the no-no and the shutout with a two-run homer in the ninth off of Craig Kimbrel. Nonetheless, it was a dominant win for the Rays from all angles, and it helps them gain some ground in the East with the Yankees’ loss.
With a loss on Thursday, the Mariners drop to .500 on the season, but still hold first place in the underwhelming West. Brandon Lowe swatted his 19th homer of the season in the first for the Pirates, and they held that lead until the end. Seattle’s lone run came in the fifth thanks to an RBI from J.P. Crawford, but it wasn’t enough as the Buccos countered with a pair of runs in each of the fourth and eighth innings. Bubba Chandler was excellent for Pittsburgh in his 5.1 innings, setting up a spotless evening for their bullpen after his departure.
Texas Rangers (39-42) 6, Toronto Blue Jays (39-42) 5:
The Rangers did much of their damage in just one inning to scrape a win on Thursday. In the third inning, up 1-0, a three-run shot from Wyatt Langford and a two-run blast from Jake Burger plated five runs in the inning, and had Texas up 6-0 early on. The Jays weren’t dead in the water, however, as a Myles Straw double helped cut the deficit in half in the fifth inning, and Kazuma Okamoto’s two-run homer in the ninth cut it to just one run. It ultimately wasn’t quite enough, as the Jays fell just short in their comeback effort.
