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.
TAMPA, FLORIDA - MARCH 21, 2026: Alex Lodise #74 of the Atlanta Braves in the field during the first inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the New York Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner Field on March 21, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
There were some outstanding performances across the system for the Atlanta Braves affiliates, none more impressive than the dominant outing from Briggs McKenzie. McKenzie was moved to High-A aggressively and had two lackluster starts after that, but put it all together in the third of those with eight strikeouts and no earned runs allowed. Meanwhile Alex Lodise is the hottest hitter in the system and he went deep for Augusta again, then went and had the go-ahead hit for the GreenJackets in extra innings. Even in Columbus Patrick Clohisy had three extra base hits and Cedric De Grandpre struck out seven. It was a top-to-bottom collection of notable performances on an exciting day in the system.
Owen Murphy, SP: 5.2 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, 4.31 ERA
Elieser Hernandez, RP: 2.1 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, 4.96 ERA
Owen Murphy had his worse start in over a month, but given the standards he has set for himself in recent weeks that still wasn’t a terrible day at the office for most pitchers. The offense absolutely let him and Elieser Hernandez down, however. The team managed just two hits across the lineup and were putting up pitiful contact quality, so the times that Murphy slipped were magnified in the outcome of the game. Cal Conley gave the team the best chance to scratch out a run of any of the hitters and was part of the two early scoring chances that went to waste. He lined a single into center field to lead off the third inning and advanced around to third after a stolen base and a ground out, but a check-swing soft liner over to third had him between bases and he was doubled off to end a promising inning. In the fifth he was one of three Stripers to draw walks and load the bases, but DaShawn Keirsey Jr. hit a hot ground ball within range of the second baseman and Gwinnett came up empty again.
Owen Murphy’s command in this game was a little bit shakier than it has been in recent history, and without the higher levels of refinement in his location he didn’t miss as many bats and got hit harder than we’ve been seeing in recent weeks. He also had a matchup against a Sounds team that as a unit does not swing and miss very often, with the least number of strikeouts in the International League, and it was across the board that his whiff rates dipped. All of his pitches sort of compressed into the middle to top third portions of the strike zone, wth his fastball not getting on the top edge and his slider staying over the middle of the plate. His changeup and curveball lacked enough control to really be effective pitches in this game for him, leaving him with even less leeway with his offerings. In the end though he threw enough strikes to at least keep the team in the game, and if this is the worst we’ve seen of him over the past month and a half that’s not a particular bad version of him as a pitcher. He made some mistakes and didn’t have his A game, but still managed to find a lot of strikes with his fastball and kept the ball off of barrels.
Swing and Misses
Owen Murphy – 8
Elieser Hernandez – 5
(30-37) Columbus Clingstones 9, (37-34) Rocket City Trash Pandas 4
Patrick Clohisy, CF: 3-4, HR, 2 2B, 3 RBI, .264/.331/.449
Luke Waddell, SS: 1-4, RBI, .200/.333/.300
Cedric De Grandpre, SP: 5.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 7 K, 11.57 ERA
Patrick Clohisy had by far the best game of his season and extended his hot streak to round out June with a three extra base hit performance and his second home run in as many days. In the fourth inning Clohisy got a breaking ball that spun right into his wheelhouse and waited on him to get to it, and he hit that ball further than I’ve ever seen him hit a ball in a game. Patrick Clohisy no-doubters are not a common sight but he got every single stitch on that swing. He was also responsible for sparking a rally in the first inning with a leadoff ground-rule double. Columbus would go on to score three runs to open up a good early lead, with the biggest swing being Jordan Groshan’s two-run double. After a pretty slow start to the season in regards to his power Clohisy has turned it up in a big way in the recent weeks, and is starting to elevate his hard hit balls like he did towards the end of last season. For parts of the season the timing of his swing was off and he was getting open to soon and swinging over balls, but right now he has his swing locked in and is absolutely drilling the ball on his pull side. The Braves have been placing an emphasis on getting Clohisy to pull the ball more to start to dip into the power and even with his ups and downs over the past couple of seasons that has manifested with a guy who I think has still been the best he has in his career this season even during the times he wasn’t having as much batted ball luck. He is almost certain to cruise to a career-high in home runs (though I imagine Triple-A will call on him and give him a test at some point) and add in that he is on pace to clear 50 stolen bases again and he has certainly continued to give the notion that he has enough value to fit either as a depth piece at the upper levels or a fourth or fifth outfielder.
Cedric De Grandpre was welcomed rudely to Double-A last week, but turned it around and had a solid start this week. Walks were the big issue for De Grandpre, but that is something expected for him at this point given where his control development is. The important fact was that he missed a lot of bats and his slider is starting to take shape, and even though his strike-throwing hasn’t taken a leap forward this season his command is. He has started to land his slider at or below the bottom of the strike zone with much more regularity, and if he is going to carve out a major league career that is the pitch that is going to get him there. At times since Tommy John surgery his slider just was not in the form it was prior to surgery but it was in peak condition for sure on Thursday evening, and with as good as the pitch was it made his fastball play even better. Hitters were looking for the slider in strikeout counts and De Grandpre was able to sneak some fastballs by them that made them look foolish. I’m still of the opinion that De Grandpre’s future is best served in the bullpen, though that’s developed from concerns about his changeup pre-surgery to worries about command now, and that slider is a pitch that is good enough for him to use at a high rate and still get major league hitters out. If he can find more consistent command of that pitch like he had on Thursday night he could be a guy we start talking about heading into next season.
Briggs McKenzie, SP: 4.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 8 K, 4.66 ERA
After a two-start adjustment period Briggs McKenzie seems to be enjoying Rome. He had a brief period in the first inning where he was having a bit of trouble locking in his command of his secondaries and he coughed up a run (which was generously considered unearned), but that was the only sign of trouble all game. McKenzie was a big prospect coming out of high school but I’m still astonished at how quickly he has developed his game at the professional level, and a guy who can locate three MLB quality pitches at this stage in his career is considerably rare. His changeup is better than I expected, though if I had some criticism of McKenzie it’s that he tends to speed up his arm on his fastball in late count situations which does hurt both his command and how deceptive his changeup is. Most of McKenzie’s success at getting swinging strikeouts, even against right handed hitters, has come on his breaking balls, but it’s the best curveball in the system so that’s just using what works. We only have two starts from McKenzie and two of those weren’t good, but still it’s looking like he might just be one of those guys. The athleticism and body control is impressive, he already has an arsenal of pitches that could have success at the big league level, and he’s improving everything rapidly. There’s a lot of work left to do in refining his command, and pitching prospects have a lot of speed bumps they could hit, but this is about as good as it gets for a guy this young. He’s ticked every box I look for early on.
The offensive production this game left much to be desired, though the Braves still got production from the top five in the order which is all we’re really looking for. Among those only Eric Hartman came away without a hit, though he did thankfully draw a walk. Hartman has looked great this month and every month and has done a great job of continuing to improve his contact rates, but he’s been a bit aggressive at the plate and only drawn four walks so far in June. Not a major concern yet as he has up to this point never been a guy who is too aggressive for his own good, but it would be nice to see him be a tiny bit more selective working ahead. John Gil didn’t hit the ball very hard today and got lucky on his double that it managed to find some grass, though he’s earned a bad game or two with how well he has hit everything this month. Tate Southisene drew two more walks in this game, and he has been on a crazy walk binge with eight over his past five games. His contact quality at High-A has taken a major hit and he is also striking out more often, with that patience at the plate maybe playing against him just a little bit, but this is the same pattern we saw for him at Augusta. It took him a couple of weeks there to really lock in his approach and start hitting the ball hard all over the field, and with as good as his at bats have started to look I wouldn’t be surprised to see a repeat of that trend in the near future for Rome.
Swing and Misses
Briggs McKenzie – 13
Jarret Whorff – 4
Logan Samuels – 3
(40-32) Augusta GreenJackets 4, (40-32) Charleston RiverDogs 3
Alex Lodise, SS: 2-4, HR, BB, 3 RBI, .254/.347/.457
Derek Vartanian, SP: 6.1 IP, 9 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 3.78 ERA
Alex Lodise continued his wild hot streak for the GreenJackets with another home run, putting Augusta up early in this game. For Lodise that is his sixth home run over his past eight games, but he wasn’t done making an impact on this game. Both teams held on with three runs after nine and went through the tenth scoreless, bringing up the top of the order for Augusta in the top of the 11th inning. Lodise had a matchup against a lefty with an extreme sidearm delivery but showed a good approach on a sinker tailing away from him on the outer edge and was able to shoot a hard liner through the right side of the infield for a go-ahead single. Lodise’s explosion at the plate has been triggered partly by a much more patient approach at the plate. Early in the season Lodise was swinging at everything and his lack of selectiveness really hurt his contact quality, but lately he has really been chasing power contact early in counts. His whiff rates mean that’s going to come with the downside of more strikeouts, but with his power if he can just draw more walks these sorts of results are what will happen. Prior to that Lodise long ball Conor Essenburg made his biggest mark on the game by shooting a fly ball into the right center field gap for a double as part of his two-hit evening. Essenburg added a couple of strikeouts to his ever-increasing total and that’s still the major red flag in his profile, but it’s really not as dire as the recent results may indicate. His contact rate is steadily climbing after being pretty rough early in the season, but like Lodise he has settled down and been drawing a lot more walks over the past couple of weeks and that has just put him into more deep counts that lead to strikeouts. The process behind the scenes for Essenburg is churning and he seems to be caught in a bit of an approach transition right now, but there are some positive signs for him and overall he has obviously been very impressive with how hard he hits the ball. Essenburg has shown an aptitude for adjustment even in the limited sample size we’ve seen from him so I’m bullish on him for the second half of the season and expect things to click into place fpr him a bit more on the strikeout front.
Jan 10, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Syracuse Orange forward William Kyle III (right) dunks over Pittsburgh Panthers forward Cameron Corhen (middle) during the first half at the Petersen Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
The dust has finally settled on the 2026 NBA Draft, and while no Syracuse Orange players from the 2025-26 roster were selected, a few will be getting the chance to secure a permanent spot in the league.
Syracuse center William Kyle III will be on an Exhibit 10 deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.
After two seasons at San Diego State and one with UCLA, Kyle III finished his collegiate career with the Orange. He averaged 8.4 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks in 28.1 minutes per game. In his lone year at Syracuse, Kyle started in all of the team’s games in 2025-26.
Center will certainly be a position of need for the Lakers. Starting center Deandre Ayton has a player option for the 2026-27 season. He started in 72 games for L.A. last season. Even if he picks up that option, Ayton projects as the only center left on the roster heading into free agency. It will be a key position for the Lakers, who need rim protection and a lob threat for Luka Dončić.
A second player from last year’s Syracuse roster will also get a chance to shine and compete at the next level.
Guard Nate Kingz is reportedly signing a deal to play on the Miami Heat’s Summer League team, per Dushawn London of 247Sports.
Like Kyle, Kingz transferred to the Orange in 2025 from Oregon State and played his final college season in Upstate New York. He averaged 12.2 points and 3.6 rebounds, shooting 49% from the field and nearly 37% from three as a full-time starter last year.
It’s an interesting time for Miami, which recently acquired superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo in a blockbuster deal. The Heat have limited cap flexibility and less depth after the trade, especially on the perimeter, giving Kingz a prime opportunity to stand out.
There was a former Orange player who did hear his named called during the Draft.
The San Antonio Spurs selected former Syracuse forward Maliq Brown in the second round with the No. 44 overall pick (writer’s note: #brand). Brown began his collegiate career with the Orange and played two seasons there, developing into one of the best defenders in the ACC (and arguably in the country).
Brown would eventually depart from New York to North Carolina, transferring to the Duke Blue Devils, where he played the last two years. He averaged 5.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 1.6 steals in 125 career games.
Brown is joining a Spurs team coming off a trip to the 2026 NBA Finals, led by MVP candidate Victor Wembanyama. That said, San Antonio looked to address its frontcourt depth, especially at the four spot, this offseason. Brown joins Wembanyama and a young, promising roster.
Two other former Syracuse players signed with NBA squads. Guard Quadir Copeland will be signing a two-way contract with the Houston Rockets, according to Jake Fischer. Forward Chris Bell signed with the New Orleans Pelicans on an Exhibit 10 deal per Jake Weingarten of StockRisers.
Copeland will join a Houston team that’s in an interesting spot. Despite trading for Kevin Durant one offseason ago, the Rockets were dispatched by the Lakers in Round One of the playoffs. Bell joins a Pelicans team which is still rebuilding so we’ll see if these players can impress in Summer League.
While most rookies fail to be impact options for fantasy managers in their debut seasons, that does not mean that managers can't find value. Beyond the few at the top of a draft class who are must-draft players, many tend to be specialists, offering value in a handful of categories. And that isn't limited to first-rounders, either.
Within the 2026 draft class, there are some second-round picks who are in situations where they have the potential to achieve fantasy relevance as rookies. Below are a few players who may be worth rostering in deeper leagues next season.
G/F Isaiah Evans, Minnesota Timberwolves
Many expected Evans to hear his name called during the first round, and that likely includes the NBA, which invited him to the Green Room for Tuesday's portion of the draft. Instead, he went 33rd overall to the Timberwolves, and the former Duke wing is in a position to contribute immediately. With the Timberwolves adding LaMelo Ball but losing two key contributors in Julius Randle and Naz Reid, there will be a need for production beyond Ball, Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels and Ayo Dosunmu.
Evans shot 36.1 percent from three on 7.4 attempts per game as a sophomore, and the free-throw percentage (86.0) suggests that he can be a capable perimeter shooter at the NBA level. Add in Ball's injury history, and there should be opportunities for Evans to offer value, even if he and the Timberwolves' newest point guard don't play the same position.
G/F Otega Oweh, Oklahoma City Thunder
The Thunder are among a few contenders with significant decisions to make in free agency, as Luguentz Dort and Isaiah Hartenstein have sizable team options for 2026-27. Dort's future in Oklahoma City is most significant when assessing Oweh's value; if the Thunder decide to move on from the veteran wing defender, the 41st overall pick out of Kentucky has the physical build needed to potentially help fill the void. Also, while Oweh does need to improve his perimeter shot, he brings a bit more to the table offensively than Dort did as a rookie.
C Henri Veesaar, Atlanta Hawks
Like Evans, there was no shortage of draft evaluators who projected the 7-foot Veesaar to go in the first round. Shockingly, he remained on the board until pick No. 52, when the Hawks took him off the board. Atlanta may still look to add a more experienced center in free agency, but between Veesaar and first-round pick Zuby Ejiofor, the franchise added much-needed depth to the frontcourt. During his lone season at North Carolina, Veesaar was much-improved as a rebounder and scorer, and he's able to provide some value as a stretch big.
F/C Trevon Brazile, Denver Nuggets
Brazile is not a traditional center, but the defensive effort and athleticism give him an opportunity to fight for minutes as a rookie. It's unknown what the Nuggets will do with Jonas Valančiūnas, whose contract for next season is partially guaranteed, and Zeke Nnaji is once again the subject of trade rumors. Given Brazile's tools, he can be used at the four or the five, depending on the situation. He's unlikely to be a player who should be selected in most drafts, but it would be unsurprising if Brazile had streaming value at some point next season.
C Ugonna Onyenso, Detroit Pistons
The Pistons' decision to move on from Isaiah Stewart means that Paul Reed ascends into the backup center role, a change that was unsurprising given how the postseason went. And that opens up the third center spot within the rotation, and Onyenso's defensive ability makes him a worthy candidate for that role. In his lone season at Virginia, the 6-foot-11 center led the ACC with 2.9 blocks per game, and he totaled 21 rejections over the course of three games at the ACC tournament.
G Emanuel Sharp, Sacramento Kings
The Kings are rebuilding; how much the younger players get to play depends in part on which veterans the team can move. In a wise approach, Sacramento used its draft picks on players from winning college programs: first-rounders Darius Acuff Jr. (Arkansas) and Alex Karaban (UConn), and second-round pick Sharp (Houston). Sharp is a capable defender who can also knock down shots, as he was nearly a 38 percent shooter from three and 87 percent from the foul line for his college career. Given how strong the West once again projects to be, Sharp is someone who could be a "silly season" standout if his name isn't called early in the season by head coach Doug Christie.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JUNE 01: Manager Carlos Mendoza #64 of the New York Mets looks on before the game against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on June 01, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The New York Mets have fired manager Carlos Mendoza, per multiple reports.
This move seemed inevitable. Despite having the highest payroll in MLB, since starting the season with a 7-4 record, the team has gone 27-43, and has lost their last six in a row. They just got swept in a four game series at home by the Chicago Cubs, including an embarrassing 10-5 loss in the second game of a doubleheader on Wednesday that saw the Mets make six errors.
The Mets have, for the last year, been pretty terrible. On June 12, 2025, they were in first place in the National League East with a 45-24 record. They went 38-54 the rest of the way, finishing in second place in the N.L. East, 13 games out, and missed the playoffs. They are 72-101 in their last 173 games.
Mendoza was a coach in the New York Yankees’ minor league system from 2009 through 2017, then was on the major league coaching staff for the Yankees from 2018 through 2023. He was hired by the Mets after the 2023 season to replace Buck Showalter, who had gone 75-87 in his second season as the Mets’ manager.
Mendoza’s 2024 Mets squad finished third in the National League East with an 89-73 record, but claimed a Wild Card spot and advanced to the NLCS, where they lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Andy Green has been named as the interim replacement for Mendoza.
Summer league basketball is on the horizon for the Sixers.
The NBA on Friday released the full schedule for its 2026 summer league in Las Vegas, which will run from July 9 through July 19. Below is the Sixers’ slate:
Thursday, July 9 at 5:30 p.m. ET: Sixers vs. Pistons on Prime Video
Saturday, July 11 at 5:30 p.m. ET: Sixers vs. Pacers on Prime Video
Tuesday, July 14 at 4 p.m. ET: Sixers vs. Rockets on Prime Video
Wednesday, July 15 at 4 p.m. ET: Sixers vs. Magic on ESPNU
Detailis for each team’s fifth game will be based on how the standings shake out. Semifinal games are scheduled for July 18 and the championship is set for July 19.
The Sixers are not one of the participants this year in the Salt Lake City summer league (or the California Classic), so the 30-team Las Vegas event is the only summer league on their calendar.
Former Bowling Green guard Javontae Campbell and former Hawaii center Isaac Johnson will be members of the Sixers’ summer league roster, their schools announced. More undrafted summer pickups will pop up in the coming days.
BREAKING: Islanders Trade Noah Dobson To Montreal Canadiens<b>LOS ANGELES</b> -- The<a href="http://thn.com/isles"> New York Islanders</a> have traded defenseman<a href="https://www.theelmonters.com/p/noah-dobson-trade-new-york-islanders"> Noah Dobson</a> to the<a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/montreal-canadiens"> Montreal Canadiens</a>, first reported by Kevin Weekes.
