Mark Walter (left) has investments in Chelsea, the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Cadillac F1 team, who make their debut in 2026 - Getty Images/Craig Mercer
The Los Angeles Lakers will become the most expensive sports team in history with a valuation of $10 billion (£7.45 billion) after an agreement was reached to sell a controlling stake to TWG Global CEO Mark Walter.
The Buss family, which has owned the team since 1979, has made a deal to sell to Walter, who also has a controlling stake in the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team and is part of the group that owns Chelsea.
Walter has been a stakeholder in the Lakers since 2021, when he took a 20 per cent holding in the franchise. He has overseen a period of success with the Dodgers, who won the World Series last year and in 2020.
The valuation of the Lakers comfortably eclipses that of their rivals, the Boston Celtics, who were sold for $6.1 billion (£4.5 billion) earlier this year, then a record-high price for an American sports team.
The Lakers are one of the most prominent teams in basketball and home to 40-year-old LeBron James, who won his fourth career championship with the team in 2020.
They made a blockbuster trade earlier this year for Slovenian Luka Doncic with the Dallas Mavericks, sending Anthony Davis in the other direction, one of the most unexpected moves in NBA history.
Why are the Lakers being sold?
Jerry Buss, who bought the team for $67.5 million 46 years ago, died in 2013 and passed ownership of the Lakers to his six children in a trust. The family were in control of 66 per cent of the team but the terms of the trust reportedly required all six of the children to agree on any potential sale.
That appears to have happened, although Jeanie Buss, who has worked as the Lakers governor, is expected to keep her title under the new ownership structure. When Walter initially invested in 2021 it is understood he was given the option to become majority owner if the situation arose.
Jerry Buss (right) bought the Lakers for $67.5 million 46 years ago - Reuters/Lucy Nicholson
What does it mean?
Fans and analysts are optimistic about Walter leading the Lakers to the sort of success he has enjoyed with the Dodgers. “Mark Walter is the best choice and will be the best caretaker of the Laker brand,” said their hall-of-famer Magic Johnson. “He is driven by winning, excellence and doing everything the right way. AND he will put in the resources needed to win.”
The Lakers have qualified for the play-offs in four of the past five seasons, but other than their Championship win in 2020 they have been knocked out in the first round. James remains a remarkably potent force given his age, but Doncic is the player the new Lakers era will be built around.
Who is Mark Walter and how has he made his money?
A 65-year-old businessman and CEO of the investment and financial services company Guggenheim Partners, which manages more than $330 billion (£246 billion) of assets. Highly private, his estimated net worth is disputed with one calculation guessing at $6 billion (£4.45 billion), another at $12 billion (£8.9 billion). A long career in insurance, investment and financial services has been extremely lucrative.
Walter (left) is also a co-owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers along with Todd Boehly (right), his fellow Chelsea co-owner - Shutterstock/Jayne Kamin-Oncea
What other teams does he own?
The Dodgers are his best-known other interest, only behind the New York Yankees in baseball in estimated value and cultural heft. Last year they recruited the sport’s biggest name Shohei Ohtani. The Dodgers general manager, Dave Roberts, has already mock-warned Walter not to move Ohtani over to basketball, saying, “Hands off of Shohei. They got enough superstars wearing the purple and gold. Leave him alone.”
With his frequent investment partner Todd Boehly, Walter is part of BlueCo, the holding company which controls Chelsea and RC Strasbourg. Walter also has stakes in the Los Angeles Sparks women’s basketball team, owns the top league of women’s ice hockey in the USA and several motorsport teams, including Cadillac, which will compete in Formula One next year.
Why are the Lakers worth $10bn?
They are arguably the best-known and certainly the most popular team in a sport which is in rude health. Their brand has worldwide reach, guaranteeing lucrative earnings from merchandise and licensing around the globe. This is aided by their starry reputation as the team which frequently has the face of the league within its ranks: James currently but Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar before him.
TV rights are negotiated locally for games not shown nationally in basketball and Los Angeles is one of the biggest markets in the country. Thanks to the closed-shop nature of American sport, operating without relegation, there are few reasons to believe the money will ever stop rolling in.
Its Thursday, June 19 and the Phillies (44-30) are in Miami to take on the Marlins (29-43).
Cristopher Sánchez is slated to take the mound for Philadelphia against Edward Cabrera for Miami.
Philadelphia took the third game of this four-game series last night, 4-2. Bryson Stott paced the attack with a three-run home run. Ranger Suarez allowed just a single run over seven innings to earn his sixth win of the season.
Lets dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game details & how to watch Phillies at Marlins
Date: Thursday, June 19, 2025
Time: 6:40PM EST
Site: LoanDepot Park
City: Miami, FL
Network/Streaming: NBCSP, FDSNFL
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Odds for the Phillies at the Marlins
The latest odds as of Thursday:
Moneyline: Phillies (-179), Marlins (+149)
Spread: Phillies -1.5
Total: 7.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Phillies at Marlins
Pitching matchup for June 19, 2025: Cristopher Sánchez vs. Edward Cabrera
Phillies: Cristopher Sánchez (5-2, 3.05 ERA) Last outing: 6/14 vs. Toronto - 7IP, 2ER, 0BB, 5Ks
Marlins: Edward Cabrera (2-2, 4.10 ERA) Last outing: 6/13 at Washington - 3IP, 2ER, 2H, 2BB, 5Ks
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Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Phillies at Marlins
The Marlins have lost 12 of their last 20 games
The Under is 4-1 in the Marlins' last 5 matchups against divisional opponents
Xavier Edwards is 6-13 through 3 games of this series
Trea Turner is 5-13 through 3 games of this series
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Phillies and the Marlins
Rotoworld Best Bet
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Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Thursday's game between the Phillies and the Marlins:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Philadelphia Phillies on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Miami Marlins at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 7.0.
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Unless Kent Hughes pulls the trigger on a trade, the Montreal Canadiens will get to speak twice in the first round of the NHL draft on June 27. Thanks to the trade in which they acquired Sean Monahan in August 2022, they now hold the 16th overall pick, which previously belonged to the Calgary Flames, as well as their pick, the 17th overall.
Over the years, the Habs have selected 17th overall seven times. There were some hits, some misses, but there were also some players they should have held onto longer.
The first time Montreal picked at number 17 was back in 1966; that year, the Sainte-Flanelle opted for centre Jude Drouin. The Murdochville, PQ native looked like a promising forward, and until he wore the Tricolore, he was a very productive player. In 1969-70 with the Montreal Voyageurs of the AHL, he recorded 106 points in 65 games. In the NHL, however, he was held off the scoresheet in three games after mustering only two assists in nine games the previous year, which prompted the Canadiens to trade him to the Minnesota North Stars for a player to be named later, who turned out to be Bill Collins. While he spent only 40 games with the Canadiens before being traded to the Detroit Red Wings, he was part of the package Montreal sent to the Wings to acquire Frank Mahovlich, so that we can count that one as a win.
In 1973, the Sainte-Flanelle picked Glenn Goldup with the 17th overall pick. A left-shot winger who was unable to crack a powerhouse Canadiens’ roster and would only play 18 NHL games in town before the Tricolore traded him alongside a third-round pick at the 1978 draft to the Los Angeles Kings for two picks, a third-round and a first-round one at the same draft. Those picks would turn into Moe Robinson and Danny Geoffrion, son of former legend Bernard Geoffrion and father of future Hab Blake Geoffrion. Unfortunately for the Canadiens, Boom Boom’s son didn’t possess his father’s talent and played only 111 games in the NHL, including 32 with Montreal.
That didn’t stop the Canadiens from betting on family genes when they drafted Dave Hunter at the 1978 draft. Dale and Mark’s brother elected to play in the WHA for the Edmonton Oilers, and stayed with them when they became an NHL team. Hunter played 746 NHL games with the Edmonton Oilers, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Winnipeg Jets, accumulating 323 points and winning three Stanley Cups. He was, however, the least productive of the three brothers, Mark wrapping up his career with 384 points and 1,428 penalty minutes, while Dale scored 1,020 points and 3,563 penalty minutes.
In 1983, the Canadiens picked Alfie Turcotte (father of Los Angeles player Alex Turcotte) with the 17th pick. They played part of three seasons in the NHL with the Habs with mixed results before they traded him for future considerations to the Edmonton Oilers. Less than a year later, they reacquired him for cash before trading him away a second time, to the Winnipeg Jets for future considerations. In the end, Turcotte played a total of 112 NHL games and picked up 46 points before heading overseas to continue his career.
Then, in 1987, Montreal selected Andrew Cassels with the 17th overall pick. The left-shot center then played a couple more dominating seasons in the OHL, posting 285 points in 117 games with the Ottawa 67’s. After that, he spent a year with the Sherbrooke Canadiens in the American Hockey League (AHL), accumulating 67 points in 55 games before advancing to the NHL for the 1990-91 season. In his only complete season in Montreal, he scored 25 points in 54 games. Then, in September, the Canadiens traded him to the Hartford Whalers for a 1992 second-round pick who turned into Valeri Bure. Cassels would go on to play 1015 NHL games, registering 732 points in the process.
In 1991, when the Quebec Nordiques selected Eric Lindros first overall, the New Jersey Devils selected Scott Niedermayer with the third pick, and the New York Rangers selected Alexei Kovalev at 15th overall, the Canadiens opted for 6-foot-4, 230-pound defenseman Brent Bilodeau. The supersized defenseman would go on to play 122 games with the Fredericton Canadiens in the American Hockey League (AHL). Bilodeau is the only first-round pick from that draft who never played a single NHL game; this one was truly a wasted selection.
Finally, in 2011, when Montreal last picked 17th, they chose left-shot defenseman Nathan Beaulieu. He wasn’t a bad pick and played 225 games with the Canadiens, gathering 60 points in the process. Then, in June 2017, Montreal traded him to the Buffalo Sabres in return for a third-round pick, which they used to select Scott Walford, who they never signed. As for Beaulieu, he went on to play 471 games in the NHL with the Sabres, Jets, and Anaheim Ducks before heading overseas to continue his professional career.
Just like with the 16th overall pick, the Canadiens have had mixed results with the 17th overall pick. They got their money’s worth with Drouin, who eventually landed him, Mahovlich, and Cassells were hands down their best pick, but they didn’t have the patience to wait for him to develop correctly.
Photo credit: Jean-Yves Ahern-Imagn Images
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Its Thursday, June 19 and the Mets (45-29) are in Atlanta looking to avoid being swept by the Braves (33-39).
Clay Holmes is slated to take the mound for New York against Spencer Strider for Atlanta.
Chris Sale was electric last night as the Braves blanked the Mets, 5-0. They will look to make it three in a row over their division rival tonight. Matt Olson and Ronald Acuna Jr. each went deep for the Braves, but it was Sales' night as the veteran allowed just five hits while striking out seven over 8.2 innings for his fifth win of the season.
Lets dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game details & how to watch Mets at Braves
Date: Thursday, June 19, 2025
Time: 7:15PM EST
Site: Truist Park
City: Atlanta, GA
Network/Streaming: SNY, FSDNSO, MLBN
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Odds for the Mets at the Braves
The latest odds as of Thursday:
Moneyline: Mets (+109), Braves (-129)
Spread: Braves -1.5
Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Mets at Braves
Pitching matchup for June 19, 2025: Clay Holmes vs. Spencer Strider
Mets: Clay Holmes (7-3, 2.87 ERA) Last outing: 6/13 vs. Tampa Bay - 5IP, 1ER, 3H, 2BB, 3Ks
Braves: Spencer Strider (1-5, 4.36 ERA) Last outing: 6/14 vs. Colorado - 6IP, 0ER, 3H, 1BB, 13Ks
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Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Mets at Braves
The Mets have won 18 of 28 games following a defeat
With Spencer Strider starting for the Braves this season the Under is 5-1 (83%)
The Mets have covered in 4 of their last 5 road games but they are profiting 1.16 units
Clay Holmes has struck out 3 opposing hitters in every start since the beginning of May but has struck out as many as 6 just once (6/7 at Colorado)
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Mets and the Braves
Rotoworld Best Bet
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Thursday's game between the Mets and the Braves:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the New York Mets at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0.
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Leicester City have been approached by Scottish Premiership club Rangers over a deal for 32-year-old defender Conor Coady, while his former club Wolves have also shown interest. (Sky Sports)
Its Thursday, June 19 and the Angels (36-37) are in Bronx to take on the Yankees (42-31).
Tyler Anderson is slated to take the mound for Los Angeles against Carlos Rodón for New York.
The Angels are looking to sweep the Yankees having taken the first three games of the series. Last night, New York scored for the first time in three games but were outscored and lost, 3-2. Anthony Volpe's error in the eighth inning allowed what turn out to be the winning run to score. The bats showed some life last night as Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Cody Bellinger each went yard, but those were two of a mere three hits for the Yankees.
Lets dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game details & how to watch Angels at Yankees
Date: Thursday, June 19, 2025
Time: 1:05PM EST
Site: Yankee Stadium
City: Bronx, NY
Network/Streaming: FDSNW, YES, MLBN
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Angels at the Yankees
The latest odds as of Thursday:
Moneyline: Angels (+215), Yankees (-266)
Spread: Yankees -1.5
Total: 9.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Angels at Yankees
Pitching matchup for June 19, 2025: Tyler Anderson vs. Carlos Rodón
Angels: Tyler Anderson (2-4, 4.44 ERA) Last outing: 6/14 at Baltimore - 5IP, 6ER, 9H, 2BB, 4Ks
Yankees: Carlos Rodón (8-5, 3.01 ERA) Last outing: 6/14 at Boston - 5IP, 3ER, 7H, 2BB, 4Ks
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Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Angels at Yankees
The Yankees have won 16 of 29 games following a defeat
With Carlos Rodon starting for the Yankees this season the Under is 11-4 (73%)
The Yankees have failed to cover the Run Line in 5 straight matchups against the Angels
Aaron Judge is 1-19 over his last 5 games
Paul Goldschmidt is 0-10 in his last 3 games
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Expert picks & predictions for today’s game between the Angels and the Yankees
Rotoworld Best Bet
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Thursday's game between the Angels and the Yankees:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the New York Yankees on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Los Angeles Angels at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the under on the Game Total of 9.0.
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For the better part of Brad Stevens’ tenure as Boston Celtics president of basketball operations, draft picks have been a bit of an afterthought.
Stevens didn’t make a first-round pick in his first three years at the helm, preferring to utilize those assets to reshape the complementary pieces around the superstar tandem of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. That strategy delivered Boston to two NBA Finals appearances in three years, and helped the team raise Banner 18 in 2024.
But a new collective bargaining agreement is forcing teams to prioritize drafting and developing in order to piece together the complicated financial puzzle that comes with building around two big-ticket stars. Hitting on first-round picks has never felt more important for contending teams.
All of which has us pondering all of Boston’s potential pathways in the 2025 draft. Given the murky nature of the season ahead, might this be a good time for Stevens to flip the draft-day script and ponder shimmying up in the annual pick-a-palooza?
The case for Celtics trading up
The absence of Tatum as he rehabs from Achilles surgery could change Boston’s regular-season priorities. The development of younger talent should be a bigger emphasis than the past three seasons, when the Celtics were laser-focused on title pursuits.
In a quest to find low-cost talent to pair with whatever remains of this championship core, the Celtics could give beefed-up minutes to recent draftees like Baylor Scheierman and Jordan Walsh, while also leaning heavily into any rookie they moved up to select.
Any expected growing pains are slightly offset by tempered expectations while Tatum is out, and the Celtics would embrace developing the players selected during the Stevens era.
The case against Celtics trading up
Much of what the Celtics do this summer will be steered by money.
The Celtics need to cut $20 million from next year’s payroll just to get off the punitive second apron, and they’d need to trim $20 million more to get below the luxury tax. Moving up in the draft slots a player at a higher annual salary.
What’s more, moving up would eliminate other swings of the bat, a risk given the crapshoot nature of picking outside the lottery.
How high can Celtics climb?
The Celtics currently own picks Nos. 28 and 32 in the 2025 NBA Draft. Unlike the NFL, there’s no widely-accepted NBA draft pick value chart, which makes it difficult to gauge just how high the Celtics might be able to climb if they packaged both their 2025 picks in hopes of shimmying up for a desired target.
Some old-school charts, like one created by ESPN’s Kevin Pelton, suggest Boston might be able to get into the low 20s. More recent attempts to establish draft value suggest Boston might only be able to climb a handful of spots.
For the purposes of this exercise, the Celtics are calling the Hawks, who are slotted at Nos. 13 and 22, with the goal of moving up six spots for a player who lingers on the board coming out of the lottery.
The Hawks slide back, content with what they got at 13 and now armed with additional swings of the bat.
Let’s get to the trade-centric mock:
1. Dallas Mavericks: Cooper Flagg, Duke
2. San Antonio Spurs: Dylan Harper, Rutgers
3. Philadelphia 76ers: VJ Edgecombe, Baylor
The Sixers wish this was the year they could move from No. 3 to No. 1, instead of 2017.
If we were Daryl Morey, we’d be moving the No. 3 pick this year for the best available veteran and crossing our fingers on Joel Embiid’s health next season. They’ll have another lottery pick next year if that doesn’t work out.
4. Charlotte Hornets: Ace Bailey, Rutgers
5. Utah Jazz: Kon Knueppel, Duke
6. Washington Wizards: Tre Johnson, Texas
7. New Orleans Pelicans: Jeremiah Fears, Oklahoma
The Pelicans now have picks Nos. 7 and 23 after swinging a deal with the Pacers during the middle of the NBA Finals. New general manager Joe Dumars can make a splash by trying to move up in the draft, but he stands pat in this scenario.
The Rockets are almost certainly going to take a swing this summer, and it sure feels like the No. 10 pick could be a centerpiece of whatever they do.
11. Portland Trail Blazers: Carter Bryant, Arizona
12. Chicago Bulls: Derik Queen, Maryland
13. Atlanta Hawks (via Kings): Egor Demin, BYU
The Hawks get an intriguing young guard with their first pick and can hunt a big man when they’re back on the clock with Boston’s No. 28 pick.
14. San Antonio Spurs (via Hawks): Nique Clifford, Colorado State
15. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Heat): Asa Newell, Georgia
Newell is the move-up prize we might covet most for the Celtics, but the Thunder are so well stocked that they can roll the dice on his intriguing upside.
16. Memphis Grizzlies (via Magic): Hugo Gonzalez, Spain
17. Minnesota Timberwolves (via Pistons): Drake Powell, North Carolina
18. Washington Wizards (via Grizzlies): Cedric Coward, Washington State
19. Brooklyn Nets (via Bucks): Thomas Sorber, Georgetown
You never want to draft for need. But undeniably, with all the uncertainty in the Celtics’ frontcourt, it feels important for Boston to at least prioritize size.
If Sorber is still on the board in the late teens, he’s a very intriguing move-up option with his two-way potential.
20. Miami Heat (via Warriors): Danny Wolf, Michigan
21. Utah Jazz (via Wolves): Will Riley, Illinois
22. Boston Celtics (via Hawks): Joan Beringer, France
Look, do I have a thing for shot-blocking, lob-finishing big men? Obviously. (Miss you, Rob.)
The Celtics need an injection of youth and athleticism, and they get all of that in a player who will still be 18 when the NBA season tips.
Normally, we’d be thinking draft-and-stash with a pick like this, but we’re wondering if you could throw him right to the wolves (the Minnesota version and beyond) and let him learn on the NBA job.
23. New Orleans Pelicans (via Pacers): Nolan Traore, France
24. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Clippers): Noah Penda, France
Three Frenchmen in a row?! The L’Hexagone Trois? Aww, oui oui.
Pakistani cricketers and fast bowlers were in high demand during Thursday’s Big Bash League overseas player draft, with seven players from the south Asian nation set to appear in the T20 tournament this summer.
It’s no secret that Rafael Devers’ Boston Red Sox tenure did not end on a positive note.
The superstar slugger reportedly was not thrilled with his former team asking him to transition from third base to designated hitter in the offseason after the team signed free agent Alex Bregman, and eventually to first base earlier this season after an injury to Triston Casas, before he was traded to the Giants in a stunning blockbuster deal on Sunday.
While many have criticized both Devers’ and the Red Sox’ handling of the situation, ESPN’s Buster Olney shared on the latest episode of the “Baseball Tonight” podcast that individuals with other MLB teams he spoke to placed far more of the blame on Devers.
“Within the sport, people with other teams are appalled at how he handled that,” Olney told Tim Kurkjian. “I had one person say to me, ‘Look the team’s handling of this on a scale of one to 10, with 10 being bad, was a six.’ This person said, ‘Devers? It was a 10 out of 10 [for] how badly he handled this.'”
Even Red Sox icons, such as David Ortiz, have criticized Devers for how the young slugger carried himself as Boston’s face of the franchise.
It’s a small sample size, but in two games with the Giants, Devers has been willing to do whatever his new team needs of him, including playing first base.
It remains to be seen when, or if, Devers will take over as the team’s everyday first baseman, but if he does, it’s fair to assume the Giants hope the transition will be drama-free.
SAN FRANCISCO — When the Rafael Devers press conference ended Tuesday, Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey went down to the field, but he wasn’t there to take in any more of the day’s craziness. Posey spent some time catching up with former teammate Stephen Vogt, who now manages the Cleveland Guardians.
“I just gave him crap for pulling off the trade,” Vogt said a day later, smiling.
Vogt knows Devers better than most of the current Giants. His Guardians currently are neck-and-neck with the Red Sox for the final wild-card spot in the American League, and he has gone up against Devers for years as a player and manager in the AL.
In Vogt’s final season with the Athletics, he and Devers homered in the same game at Fenway Park. Earlier this season, as a manager, he watched Devers pick up five hits, five runs, two homers and three RBI during a three-game series at Progressive Field in Cleveland.
Asked what the Giants are getting in Devers, Vogt referenced his Giants debut, when he hit a 111 mph double early in the game and later singled.
“You saw it last night. You make a mistake, he’s going to bang it,” Vogt said. “He’s just a really good hitter, he’s a complete hitter and obviously the power is real. He’s going to hurt you [but] when he needs to get a single, he’ll get a single. He’ll work a walk when he needs to. He’s a top 10 hitter in baseball in my opinion. The Giants got a good one.”
Vogt is in his second year as a manager, and his debut last season was about as successful as Posey’s first year as an executive has gone so far. He was named AL Manager of the Year after leading the Guardians to 92 wins and a division title.
Vogt played just one season in San Francisco, backing up Posey in 2019. He was extremely popular within the clubhouse and remains close with Posey.
“Buster was an awesome teammate,” Vogt said Wednesday. “I’m really happy that he’s in the position that he’s in and wish him nothing but the best.”
The most notable event on the calendar is the 2025 NHL Draft, which starts in eight days. This year’s draft class is impressive, especially at the center position. That’s good news for the Boston Bruins, who will pick No. 7 overall after failing to make the playoffs for the first time since 2016.
Check out our 2025 NHL mock draft below:
32. Calgary Flames (via Panthers): Bill Zonnon, RW, Rouyn-Noranda (QMJHL)
Zonnon ranked fifth in assists and tied for seventh in points among QMJHL players last season. The Flames scored the fourth-fewest goals of any team in 2024-25 and could use a dynamic offensive player like him in their prospect pool.
31. Philadelphia Flyers (via Oilers): Benjamin Kindel, C, Calgary (WHL)
Kindel doesn’t have a ton of size, but his speed and playmaking ability would be a nice boost for the Flyers, who currently own three first-round picks in this draft.
30. San Jose Sharks (via Stars): Shane Vansaghi, RW, Michigan State (NCAA)
After taking a couple centers with first-round picks (including the No. 2 pick below), it’s time to add some depth on the wing in San Jose. Spartans forward Shane Vansaghi would be among the best available at the position this late in Round 1.
Shane Vansaghi tips this one in the waning seconds of the power play – his third goal of the season. Larson and Andrews get the assists. pic.twitter.com/TIeJSgqYZu
29. Carolina Hurricanes: Milton Gastrin, C, Modo Jr. (SWE-JR)
Gastrin is a reliable, two-way center who can excel in all situations. He could maybe be a Jordan Staal replacement at some point in Carolina.
28. Winnipeg Jets: Henry Brzustewicz, D, London (OHL)
Brzustewicz is poised with the puck, he has a high hockey IQ and enough offensive skill to generate scoring chances at the NHL level. He played a huge role in the London Knights winning the 2025 Memorial Cup.
27. Washington Capitals: Cullen Potter, C, Arizona State (NCAA)
Potter’s goal-scoring ability and speed make him an exciting prospect. In fact, if he falls all the way to the late first round, he could end up being a huge steal. The only concern is his lack of size at 5-foot-9.
26. Nashville Predators (via Golden Knights): Joshua Ravensbergen, G, Prince George (WHL)
Ravensbergen is considered by many experts to be the top-ranked goalie prospect in the 2025 draft class. With veteran Juuse Saros signed long-term, the Predators could allow Ravensbergen to develop at the right pace and not rush him to the NHL. His size (6-foot-5), athleticism and poise are all impressive.
25. Chicago Blackhawks (via Maple Leafs): Sascha Boumedienne, D, Boston University (NCAA)
Boumedienne was the youngest player in NCAA hockey last season and showed tremendous improvement throughout the campaign. His hockey IQ is fantastic. After taking Artyom Levshunov at No. 2 overall last year, the addition of Boumedienne would give the Blackhawks really strong depth and high-end talent at defenseman in their prospect pool.
24. Los Angeles Kings: Daniil Prokhorov, RW, Dynamo St. Petersburg Jr. (RUS-JR)
Prokhorov is a talented goal scorer with excellent size (6-foot-6 and 220 pounds). His power forward kind of style would be a nice fit on the Kings.
The Predators were the second-lowest scoring team in the league last season. Spence would be among the best goal scorers available at this stage of the draft, and his top-end speed is a nice bonus.
22. Philadelphia Flyers (via Avalanche): Blake Fiddler, D, Edmonton (WHL)
The Flyers desperately need to find a No. 1 defenseman of the future, and Fiddler would be a nice get for them with the No. 22 pick, even if he’s a few years away from making a real impact at the NHL level. His skating ability for a player listed at 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds is quite impressive.
21. Ottawa Senators: Jack Nesbitt, C, Windsor (OHL)
The Senators got back to the playoffs for the first time since 2017 but lost to the Maple Leafs in the first round. They scored more than two goals in just two of the six games. A well-rounded center with offensive upside in Jack Nesbitt would be a safe choice for the Senators.
Hensler is a good skater and a strong defender who could excel in a shutdown role. His offensive skill set needs to improve if he’s going to maximize his potential, but there’s a lot to like in his game.
19. St. Louis Blues: Braedon Cootes, C, Seattle (WHL)
Cootes led Seattle in scoring with 63 points in 60 games, nearly doubling his offensive output from the previous season. He also has strong leadership skills and captained Canada to a gold medal at the 2025 U-18 World Championship. His play style is actually pretty similar to Blues captain Brayden Schenn.
18. Calgary Flames (via Devils): Cole Reschny, C, Victoria (WHL)
If you look at the top 10 prospects in the Flames’ system, not many of them are centers. Reschny had a strong second half of the season for Victoria and his draft stock has risen as a result. He also showed dramatic improvement offensively with 92 points (26 goals, 66 assists) last season — 33 more than he had in the 2023-24 campaign.
17. Montreal Canadiens: Cameron Reid, D, Kitchener (OHL)
The Canadiens exceeded expectations this season by making the playoffs as a wild card team, and they have two first-round picks to add more premium talent to their organization.
Reid’s two-way skill set and high hockey IQ make him a good fit for Montreal in this spot.
16. Montreal Canadiens (via Flames): Justin Carbonneau, RW, Blaineville-Boisbriand (QMJHL)
Carbonneau’s 46 goals were tied for the second-most in the QMJHL this past season. And he’s not just a scorer. He plays a hard, heavy game and is relentless on the forecheck. It wouldn’t take long for him to become a fan favorite in Montreal.
15. Vancouver Canucks: Victor Eklund, RW, Djurgarden (SWE-2)
If the Canucks keep this pick, Victor Eklund would be a smart choice here. The Swedish winger would add some much-needed speed, skill and toughness to the Canucks forward group.
14. Columbus Blue Jackets: Carter Bear, LW, Everett (WHL)
Bear’s elite offensive skill and high compete level would help make him a nice fit with what the Blue Jackets are building.
The Penguins need to find a No. 1 defenseman of the future, and Aitcheson fits the bill. He ranked third among all OHL defensemen with 59 points in 64 games last season.
10. Anaheim Ducks: Radim Mrtka, D, Seattle (WHL)
The Ducks are in the top 10 of the first round for the fifth straight year. Three of their previous four picks in this range were forwards, including Beckett Sennecke at No. 3 overall last year. With so many of the top forwards off the board, it would make the most sense for the Ducks to add a blue-chip defenseman prospect in Radim Mrtka. He plays a lot like Lightning star Victor Hedman.
The Sabres could opt to take the best center available here, but with so many of them already off the board, a wing with Martone’s offensive and physical traits makes a lot of sense. He would likely be a good fit alongside Tage Thompson at some point.
8. Seattle Kraken: Roger McQueen, C, Brandon (WHL)
The Kraken have drafted a center in the top 10 in two of the last three years, but McQueen is too talented of a prospect to pass on here. And frankly, he might be gone at this point depending on how teams view these centers. McQueen has drawn comparisons to Ducks legend Ryan Getzlaf with his size (6-foot-5) and two-way skill set.
7. Boston Bruins: Jake O’Brien, C, Brantford (OHL)
It’s no secret the Bruins need a center. They haven’t drafted well at that position for a long time. Luckily for the B’s, they have a top 10 pick (their first since 2011) in a draft that’s loaded with quality centers.
O’Brien is the best center available at this point in Round 1. He has a really strong two-way skill set with the high-end offensive talent to consistently create scoring chances for himself and teammates. He tallied 66 assists in 66 games for Brantford last season.
6. Philadelphia Flyers: James Hagens, C, Boston College (NCAA)
Hagens didn’t score as much as some expected for Boston College, but he is an elite playmaker and a great skater. He has top-six center potential for a Flyers organization that needs more high-end talent at that position.
5. Nashville Predators: Brady Martin, C, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)
Martin’s draft stock has risen quite a bit in recent weeks. He plays a lot like 2025 Conn Smythe Trophy winner Sam Bennett, and general managers love those kinds of players.
The Mammoth jumped 10 spots in the draft lottery, allowing them to select one of the best center prospects available. Caleb Desnoyers makes the most sense here. His offensive upside is tremendous. He also won the Guy LaFleur Trophy as QMJHL playoff MVP this past season.
3. Chicago Blackhawks: Anton Frondell, C, Djurgarden (SWE-2)
Frondell and Connor Bedard as a 1-2 punch at center long-term is an exciting scenario for Blackhawks fans. Frondell is not only highly skilled, he plays a true power forward style of hockey.
2. San Jose Sharks: Michael Misa, C, Saginaw (OHL)
The Sharks drafted center Macklin Celebrini at No. 1 in 2024 and center Will Smith at No. 4 overall in 2023. But with no defenseman worthy of the No. 2 pick in this class (assuming Schaefer goes No. 1 to the Islanders), taking another forward in Misa should be an easy choice. Misa is the No. 1 ranked forward in this draft. He is the complete package offensively and led the CHL in scoring with 134 points (62 goals, 72 assists) in 65 games.
1. New York Islanders: Matthew Schaefer, D, Erie (OHL)
The Islanders got lucky and jumped all the way up from No. 10 to No. 1 in the draft lottery. It might be tempting to take Misa here, but with veteran centers Bo Horvat and Mathew Barzal signed long term, it would be hard to fault the Islanders for going with Matthew Schaefer. He could be a top-pairing defenseman for a decade.
SAN FRANCISCO — The Giants are no longer living platoon life, but they still make tweaks to their lineup depending on whether they’re facing a lefty or a righty. On Tuesday, Jung Hoo Lee led off against a right-hander. A night later he was hitting sixth against a lefty, with Heliot Ramos in the leadoff spot.
Both nights, however, included Rafael Devers in the third spot, and that wasn’t just to keep him comfortable as he settled in at Oracle Park. Devers has a .909 OPS against right-handed pitching and a .882 OPS against lefties. He hits them all, and he is likely to hit third for Bob Melvin most nights. But the manager said Wednesday that he could change his mind over time.
“I don’t worry about where I hit him. I might worry about where I need him at times,” Melvin said. “Depending on how the offense is doing, you may juggle some stuff. You could see him in the two-hole, you could see him in the four-hole, something like that. But he’s not going to venture too far from where he is.”
Devers hit second in every appearance for the Boston Red Sox this year, but he also has 270 career starts in the cleanup spot and 75 hitting third. Teams often use their best hitter second these days, but having Devers third allows the Giants to keep Willy Adames — who was starting to come around in the week before the trade — near the top of the lineup. It should benefit Adames, too.
“I know in the long run for a fact I’m going to get more pitches to hit because of him,” Adames said Tuesday night.
With a different look at the top of the lineup, Lee hit in the bottom half for the first time in his two seasons as a Giant. Lee has done a nice job against lefties this season, but he is hitting just .192 in June.
“He hits lefties fine, but Ramos has really probably done the best job in the leadoff spot,” Melvin said of Lee. “With Flo in the lineup today behind Devers, I just moved him down a little bit.”
Disappointing Return
Justin Verlander called his return from the IL “frustrating” and “inconsistent.” He paid dearly for a fastball that was middle-middle and crushed into the seats. Three of the four runs on Verlander’s line came on that pitch, which he called “one of the worst I threw all day.”
Verlander fell to 0-4 and went just 4 2/3 innings in his return from the IL on Wednesday, but the Giants had him on a pitch count since he didn’t have a rehab assignment and instead built up with live BP sessions and bullpens. This is not how anyone imagined his first three months in San Francisco going, but Verlander said he was excited by the Devers addition and hopeful that he soon can join the party. The Giants will need him, since they just traded away some crucial starting pitching depth.
Slumping At Second
The homer came shortly after Tyler Fitzgerald booted a ball with one out and nobody on. There have been mistakes on the bases and defensively lately, and Fitzgerald also is 8-for-52 over his last 17 games. In both games of this series, he was lifted for a pinch-hitter late in the game. Wilmer Flores hit for him on Tuesday and Dominic Smith replaced him in the ninth Wednesday.
“He’s a little in-between,” Melvin said of Fitzgerald. “A little late on the heater, out in front on the breaking ball … it’s a little bit of a struggle recently.”
Fitzgerald seemed to find his stride in mid-April but missed 13 games in May with a rib fracture. The latest slump has dropped his OPS to .629, and he has just two homers after breaking out for 15 last season.
Another IL Stint
In the midst of Devers Mania on Tuesday, there was some roster shuffling. Outfielder Daniel Johnson initially was optioned to Triple-A to open a spot for Devers, but he returned a couple of hours later after Jerar Encarnacion went on the IL with an oblique strain. Melvin said Encarnacion’s strain is a pretty bad one, and he’ll miss extended time.
The injury is the latest tough blow for a player who had a strong spring and looked headed for plenty of at-bats. Encarnacion fractured his hand at the end of spring and missed about two months. He was back for just eight games, going 3-for-22 with six strikeouts and no walks.
The injury occurred as Encarnacion was trying to find a way out of his slump. Melvin said he came to the ballpark on Monday’s off day and got a lot of swings in.
After a run of greats at the helm, the tourists’ early promotion of their new leader is an intriguing choice to steady a listing ship
Shubman Gill was a pretty laid-back character when he played for Glamorgan three summers ago. So laid back, in fact, that early on during his time there he parked the brand new Volvo the club had arranged for him and apparently left the keys in the ignition. Sure enough, after training, he returned to find it had been pinched.
Cue panic in the finance department at Sophia Gardens, calls to the insurers and the like. But at least his new teammates had material for some lighthearted mickey-taking. Gill, just turned 23 but already an India star on the rise, had arrived for three September rounds of the County Championship in 2022. Saying hello with 92 on debut in Cardiff, and goodbye with 119 at Hove, it sounds like he fitted in well.
Australia will face India in a blockbuster at Lord’s next June in a clash likely to be pivotal to its bid to reclaim the Women’s T20 World Cup it conceded in a rare form dip last October.
