The Detroit Tigers opened up their three-game series against the New York Yankees in the Bronx with a 7-3 win on Monday night. Casey Mize tossed an absolute gem and the offense, powered by two-hit efforts from Kevin McGonigle, Hao-Yu Lee and Zach McKinstry, had no trouble producing runs to take Game 1.
On Tuesday, the Motor City Kitties can clinch the road series behind left-hander Tarik Skubal, who will make his fourth start since returning from cutting-edge nanoscope surgery to clean up his elbow. In his three games since coming back, the 29-year-old has struggled to the tune of an uncharacteristically high 4.96 ERA and 5.85 FIP over 16 1/3 innings of work, surrendering a whopping six home runs over that stretch — four more than he allowed in the 43 1/3 frames he threw before his IL stint.
Skubal’s last start also came against the Bronx Bombers, in which he allowed four runs on four hits (three home runs) and no walks while striking out nine over six innings for his fourth loss of the season in a 4-2 final at Comerica Park. The two-time Cy Young Award winner had not allowed three dingers in a game since 2021, when it happened five times.
For the Yankees, right-handed ace Cam Schlittler will take the mound amidst a Cy Young-worthy season of his own this summer. The 25-year-old second-year hurler has posted a microscopic 0.76 ERA and a tidy 2.46 FIP over his last four games, though his most recent outing saw him surrender four unearned runs to the Boston Red Sox for his fourth loss of 2026 in a 6-3 final.
Here is a look at how the two top-tier pitchers match up on Tuesday night.
Detroit Tigers (26-49) vs. New York Yankees (48-36)
Time (ET): 7:05 p.m. Place: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York SB Nation Site:Pinstripe Alley Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network
Game 86: LHP Tarik Skubal (3-4, 3.32 ERA) vs. RHP Cam Schlittler (8-4, 1.62 ERA)
Halfback Charley Trippi of the Chicago Cardinals runs upfield during a 45 to 21 loss to the Washington Redskins on November 23, 1947 at Griffith Stadium in Washington, DC. Redskins defenders Jim Youel(30) and Jim Peebles(19) attempt to tackle Trippi. (Photo by Nate Fine/Getty Images) *** Local Caption ***
Back in 1949, Violet Bidwill had remarried after her husband, Charlie Bidwill, passed away in 1947. It was just months before his Chicago Cardinals captured the 1947 NFL Championship title.
Violet wed Walter Wolfner, who was then named the franchise’s managing director, but Violet was the sole owner of the Cardinals club and made all team decisions. She did not stay home and bake pies, but was present for the owner’s meetings, and after some time, she volunteered and was placed on various league committees.
Wolfner simply wanted to make money from owning their NFL franchise. He wanted lots of fans and to finally be in the black at the end of each season. Discussions between him and Violet determined that, instead of relocating to a whole new city and state, the Cardinals could remain in the Chicagoland area, where Violet’s entire world had evolved, and Wolfner could please his wife.
By playing their home games at Dyche Stadium, located on the campus of Northwestern University, the venue was much nicer than their current stadium, Comiskey Park, home of the Chicago White Sox baseball team, and located in a much better part of Chicago. The thought process was that the Cardinals could perhaps finally build a decent fanbase and regain their financial stability.
The move was brought up and discussed at the January 1959 league meeting with the other owners. During the discussion regarding the move, Chicago Bears’ owner George Halas pulled out a contract.
Enter: The “Madison Street Agreement”
It was identified as the “Madison Street Agreement.”
This was a document dated 1931 and signed by Halas and Dr. David Jones, owner of the Chicago Cardinals. It stated the two clubs would adhere to strict boundaries regarding the City of Chicago.
The agreement was put in place so that the Bears would have control and access to the northern portions of the City of Chicago, and the Cardinals would have control and access to the southern portions of Chicago; and they wouldn’t infringe upon the other team’s ability to gather fans, attend grand openings of new businesses, sell sponsorships and ads, and basically get in each other’s way.
The dividing line was Madison Street, which runs along a long stretch that travels east and west. The Cardinals had every opportunity regarding the southside, while the Bears could go after anything in the northern portion. This prevented the other team from stealing clients who might buy program ads or offer sponsorships. The agreement also prevented the other from playing home games in each other’s protected area.
It was later renewed and signed by Charlie Bidwill after he purchased the Cardinals.
Does this sound like something mobsters would do? Of course it does. Claiming territories and setting boundaries. Chicago is famous for this type of self-regulation. According to Halas, with this signed contract, the Cardinals were prevented from moving their home games north into Evanston, Illinois, and begin play at Dyche Stadium.
The Cardinals filed a lawsuit in Superior Court in Chicago on September 26. The Wolfners also asked NFL Commissioner Bert Bell to intercede.
Why would Halas care? For one, Dyche Stadium was a lot nicer than Wrigley Field, where his Bears played their home games. For one, Wrigley Field was built as a baseball stadium. The Bears owned the majority of fans in the city as far as being the kingpin NFL team, while the Cardinals, although a lot older, were always considered the big brother who couldn’t find success in life, while their younger sibling ruled the region.
The courts threw out the petition because it wasn’t a real contract. After all, it was never a recorded instrument. Bell ruled that the contract was valid, but was between two member clubs and had nothing to do with the league. It was basically regarded as a “gentleman’s agreement.”
Instead of pressing forward, the Wolfners did not pursue the Northwestern venue. A year earlier, a young Texas oilman named Lamar Hunt approached the Wolfners about selling the Cardinals, to which they made a counteroffer of selling him 20%, but the club would remain in Chicago. Hunt intended to relocate the franchise to Dallas. He turned down their counter, then started the “American Football League.”
In 1959, the Cardinals played four home games at aging Soldier Field on the Chicago lakefront, plus two more home games in Minneapolis, MN. The Minnesota Vikings came along as an expansion team in 1961.
Five years earlier, the Cardinals began playing an annual preseason game in St. Louis called the “Cardinal Glennon Charity Game” at Sportman’s Park, a baseball field that was home to the St. Louis Browns and later the St. Louis Cardinals pro baseball clubs.
With the tie-in to the annual charity game, the fact that Wolfner had his business located in St. Louis, and the flux with the stadium situation back in Chicago, the Cardinals relocated to St. Louis beginning in 1960.
And who knows? If the Cardinals had been able to move to Dyche Stadium, they might still be there. Or at the very least, perhaps have remained in the Chicagoland area.
Barry Shuck is a pro football historian and a member of the Professional Football Researchers Association
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - JUNE 29: Chadwick Tromp #41, Adley Rutschman #35, Pete Alonso #25 and Gunnar Henderson #2 of the Baltimore Orioles look on during the ninth inning of the game against the Chicago White Sox at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on June 29, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Happy Tuesday, Camden Chatters! Did you watch the game last night? It was not great. There were a few good things, like Shane Baz’s seven-inning, two-run start. Colton Cowser played good defense in center field and walked twice. Birthday boy Gunnar Henderson had two hits and a walk.
Other than that, it was another bad night. The run scoring was limited to two Adley Rutschman sac flies, and the team went 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position and left six runners on base. Pete Alonso struck out three times. The bullpen fell apart, giving up six runs over the final two innings. And they got an assist from another Blaze Alexander error that allowed two runs to score when the inning should have ended. If you yearn for more details of last night’s 8-2 loss, check out Tyler Young’s game recap.
Honestly, what is there to even say about these guys anymore? They are now eight games under .500, which ties their season low. They were also eight games under back on May 20th. This is just a bad baseball team.
Now, I’m no stranger to bad baseball teams. In my 47 years on this earth, the Orioles have had winning seasons in just 21 of them. And seven of those were the first seven years I was alive, so they don’t really count from a baseball consciousness perspective. As far as my baseball fan lifespan goes, there have been three stretches of good baseball: 1995-1997 (they were a touch under .500 in ’95, but 2131 made up for it), 2012-2016, and 2022-2024. That’s it. Other than that, a whole lot of losing.
The early aughts were rough, but then it got easy to settle in as fan of a terrible baseball team that everyone knew would be terrible. We got a little bit of hope with your Miguel Tejadas and your Javy Lopezes and the like, but we never got too far into the excitement. 2005 was fun until it crashed, and I was reminded of what it’s like, for a minute, to like a good baseball team. But then the real losing started. Jay Payton. Kevin Millwood. Jeff Fiorentino. César Izturis.
There was so much bad baseball that I can’t account for it all. Those players were bad, but that’s all they were ever going to be. No one expected otherwise. So put the Orioles game on in the background, hon, while we have crabs.
Then, they got good again. And it was incredible. 2012 was amazing. 2014, even better. After 2018, we were told we had to embrace the losing for just a few years in order to build a team that would become a powerhouse. That powerhouse? It lasted two seasons. And now here we are again. And it’s so much worse than 2010. The process failed, the hyped talent isn’t performing. The Orioles are bad again, but this time it’s worse. This time, we were told it would be different. A terrible team that is forced to play Félix Pié every day? Eh, what are you gonna do? A terrible team with Gunnar Henderson looking lost? Unbearable.
We’ve been saying around these parts for a while that they just need to go on a hot streak. And we believed they could do it because these players are supposed to be good enough for that. But maybe it turns out that they’re not. And that we watched them lose on purpose five years ago for nothing. And that’s a tough pill to swallow.
Akin to Injured List – MASN Sports If you missed the news, Keegan Akin has been placed on the IL with left elbow discomfort. He was replaced the Josh Walker, who would have had a decent night last night if not for an error by Blaze Alexander. Welcome to the team, Josh! This is what they do.
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! You have just one Orioles birthday buddy. Jesús Aguilar turns 36 years old today. Aguilar played in 16 games for the Orioles in 2022, a blip in his 10-year career.
On this day in 1997, Mike Mussina won his 100th career game. He pitched eight innings with one run and nine strikeouts. He got some run support from teammate Cal Ripken, who hit a grand slam in the 8-1 win over the Phillies. On the same day, Ripken was elected to his 15th All-Star game with the second-most votes of the year, after only Ken Griffey Jr.
In 2009, the Orioles completed the biggest comeback in team history. Down 10-1, they scored five runs in the seventh and five runs in the eighth, with Jonathan Papelbon giving up the go-ahead double by Nick Markakis. Pitcher Jeremy Guthrie, pinch running for Matt Wieters, scored the tying run. It was a fun one.
In 2012, the Phillies traded future Hall of Famer Jim Thome to the Orioles for a few minor leaguers who never panned out. I had long wanted Thome to be on the Orioles, and he was a little past his prime. But it was exciting all the same as the Orioles went to the playoffs for the first time since 1997.
And on this day last year, the Orioles defeated the Texas Rangers 10-6 on the road. The game was tied 3-3 at the end of the ninth. The Orioles scored three runs in the top of the 10th on homers from Gunnar Henderson and Colton Cowser, but Keegan Akin blew it in the bottom of the 10th. The Orioles scored four more in the top of the 11th and Andrew Kittredge pitched a 1-2-3 11th to lock it down.
Milwaukee Brewers infield prospects Josh Adamczewski and Brady Ebel walk off the field during spring training workouts Tuesday, February 17, 2026, at American Family Fields of Phoenix in Phoenix, Arizona. | Dave Kallmann / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The second half of the minor league season is officially underway, which means it’s time for my first-half awards for each Brewers affiliate. As a result, this week’s roundup looks a little different.
Instead of briefly touching on nearly every notable prospect, I’m taking a (slightly) deeper look at the standout performers from each Brewers affiliate. Below are my picks for MVP, Cy Young, and Most Improved, along with a couple of news items from the past week.
Triple-A Nashville Sounds
Current record: 42-34 Record this week: 3-3 This week: vs. Gwinnett Stripers Next week: vs. Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
Standout performances:
Jeferson Quero: 8-for-19, 2 3B, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 1 BB, 3 K Luis Lara: 10-for-21, 2 2B, 6 RBI, 6 BB, 4 K Tyler Black: 5-for-19, 1 3B, 2 HR, 10 RBI, 3 BB, 7 K Reiss Knehr: 4.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 4 BB, 2 K Craig Yoho: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
News this week: RHP Logan Henderson made a rehab start in Nashville this week, throwing three scoreless innings while striking out seven. Per Curt Hogg, Brewers manager Pat Murphy said Henderson will make one more rehab start before rejoining the Brewers prior to the All-Star break.
MVP: No player has been more valuable to Nashville this season than Luis Lara. He leads the Sounds in hits, batting average, on-base percentage, and OPS. His .326 batting average as a 21-year-old in Triple-A is impressive on its own, but what’s been even more remarkable is his ability to reach base. While the home runs have slowed since his torrid start to the season, Lara’s .438 on-base percentage leads the International League. Add in his elite defense in center field, and it’s hard to argue anyone has had a bigger impact on the Sounds this season.
Luis Lara keeps finding the grass in Triple-A Nashville, lining extra-base hits in the gap and robbing them on defense ✨
— Brewers Player Development (@BrewersPD) June 4, 2026
Cy Young: After struggling to begin the year in Double-A, Tyson Hardin has posted a 3.20 ERA in eight starts since joining Nashville. He’s the latest in a long line of Brewers pitching prospects who don’t light up the radar gun but still miss bats and consistently get outs. With Milwaukee’s pitching staff finally getting healthier, Hardin probably won’t get a chance in the majors anytime soon — he’s also not on the 40-man roster — but if an opportunity does come, don’t be surprised if he looks like he belongs.
Tyson Hardin just completed his fifth start at the AAA level, and it was another impressive one.
Most Improved: It’s cheating a little bit because he’s only played thirty-two games, but Luke Adams has the highest OPS (.956) and slugging percentage (.574) of his career. He needs one more home run to reach his career high of eleven. Adams doesn’t get talked about as much because the Brewers have five other highly-regarded infield prospects, but he’s the Brewers No. 12 prospect and would be higher than that in a lot of organizations.
Current record: 41-33 Record this week: 4-2 This week: @ Montgomery Biscuits (away, Jun 23-Jun 28) Next week: vs. Chattanooga Lookouts (home, Jun 30-Jul 5)
Standout performances:
Mike Boeve: 9-for-20, 1 2B, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 3 BB, 3 K Jacob Hurtubise: 9-for-21, 1 2B, 1 3B, 5 RBI, 1 BB, 3 K Josh Adamczewski: 9-for-22, 3 2B, 4 RBI, 3 BB, 4 K Blake Burke: 7-for-21, 3 HR, 9 RBI, 0 BB, 0 K Dylan O’Rae: 5-for-19, 1 3B, 1 RBI, 4 BB, 1 K Tanner Gillis: 9.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 4 BB, 6 K Bishop Letson: 7.0 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 8 K Jaron DeBerry: 5.0 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 4 K
News this week: Technically last week, but the Shuckers won the first-half title in the Southern League, guaranteeing them a playoff spot.
MVP: Late last season, Blake Burke made mechanical adjustments designed to get the ball in the air more consistently. The results have more than validated the experiment. Burke leads Biloxi in OPS (.874), home runs (18), and RBIs (54), answering one of the biggest questions originally surrounding his prospect profile.
There was never much doubt that Burke could hit, but his newfound power has taken him from being a solid prospect to one worth prioritizing a spot for. With Luke Adams in Triple-A and Jake Bauers and Andrew Vaughn on the major league roster, Burke may not have a clear path to Milwaukee just yet, but he probably won’t be in Biloxi much longer.
Cy Young: The Brewers challenged Bishop Letson by assigning him to Double-A for his age-20 season, and the transition was far from seamless. Over the past month, though, he’s looked much more like the organization’s No. 10 prospect. Letson has posted a 2.35 ERA over his last four starts (23 IP) while continuing to miss bats at a solid rate, and — more importantly — he’s been limiting the big innings that plagued him earlier in the season.
Most Improved: Mike Boeve. Injuries derailed much of his 2024 season, and he entered this year with plenty to prove after posting a .630 OPS in Triple-A. Since returning to Biloxi, Boeve has looked much more like the hitter who reached Double-A in the first place, pairing his usual plate discipline with considerably more extra-base impact compared to last year.
As I mentioned with Burke, the Brewers have a ton of quality infield prospects. Boeve doesn’t have the upside of a lot of them, and a lot of those guys are also better defenders, so he might end up as an odd man out. Still, he’s quietly put together an excellent first half and showing that he belongs at the Double-A level.
Current record: 41-29 Record this week: 5-1 This week: vs. Cedar Rapids Kernels Next week: @ Peoria Chiefs
Standout performances:
Josiah Ragsdale: 10-for-24, 5 2B, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 5 BB, 4 K Eric Bitonti: 10-for-25, 1 2B, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 3 BB, 6 K Marco Dinges: 7-for-20, 2 2B, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 5 BB, 5 K Daniel Dickinson: 5-for-15, 1 2B, 3 RBI, 4 BB, 4 K Garrett Hodges: 4.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K Ethan Dorchies: 7.0 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K Wande Torres: 6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 K Braylon Owens: 10.0 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 11 K Josh Knoth: 5.0 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
MVP: Andrew Fischer outgrew High-A immediately, slashing .298/.443/.675 with 20 home runs before earning his promotion to Biloxi. In his first ten games in Double-A, he has a 1.150 OPS with four home runs. If he keeps hitting like this, it won’t matter much how often he strikes out. Fischer was widely viewed as one of the most pro-ready bats in the 2025 draft, and so far, he’s looked exactly like that.
Cy Young: Josh Knoth hasn’t thrown as many innings as some of the other candidates, but when he’s been healthy, he’s looked like the best pitcher on the staff. Per MLB Pipeline, the Brewers’ No. 22 prospect has a 55-grade fastball and a 60-grade curveball and slider. If he hadn’t missed all of last year after undergoing Tommy John surgery, he’d probably be ranked higher than No. 22.
So Josh Knoth threw a 3,518 RPM curveball in the Complex League today
No MLB pitcher has thrown one over 3,500 in 2026
Only 33 total pitches since 2022 (sticky stuff crackdown had begun)
Been a little more common in the minor leagues, but still only 22 such pitches this year. pic.twitter.com/jRMjF4rzrk
Few players in the Brewers’ system this year have raised their stock more than Braylon Payne. After posting a .736 OPS in his first full professional season, Payne’s hitting .288 with a .982 OPS and 15 home runs — already almost double last year’s mark (eight) The strikeout rate (29.6%) is still higher than you’d like, but the overall offensive profile looks dramatically different than it did a year ago. Payne was drafted for his speed and defense with the idea that he would hopefully grow into power. If he’s hitting like this at 19 years old, watch out.
Braylon Payne hit his 15th homer of the season, and took a sprint around the bases
Current record: 40-35 Record this week: 3-4 This week: @ Fredericksburg Nationals Next week: vs. Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
Standout performances:
Handelfry Encarnacion: 12-for-27, 4 2B, 3 RBI, 5 BB, 6 K Brady Ebel: 7-for-18, 2 2B, 1 HR, 7 RBI, 9 BB, 2 K José Anderson: 7-for-21, 2 2B, 3 RBI, 3 BB, 7 K Alexander Frias: 8-for-24, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 3 BB, 4 K Juan Ortuno: 6-for-20, 2 2B, 5 RBI, 5 BB, 2 K Hayden Robinson: 4.0 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K Andrew Healy: 6.0 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
News this week: Alexander Frias was promoted from the Arizona Complex League on June 22 after dominating the ACL. The 18-year-old outfielder slashed .441/.518/.678 with 18 extra-base hits and 12 stolen bases in 32 games before earning a spot in Wilson.
MVP: Handelfry Encarnacion has put together the best all-around offensive season on the Warbirds. He leads the club in OPS while ranking second in both batting average and home runs, all while playing nearly every day. Encarnacion doesn’t get talked about as much as some of the Brewers’ higher-ranked prospects, but he’s been Wilson’s most consistent hitter and is someone to keep an eye on moving forward.
Handelfry Encarnacion threw a runner out at the plate in the top of the first, and then led off the bottom half with a homer. pic.twitter.com/wtFlcnhwrX
Cy Young: José Meneses gets the nod despite not making a single start this season. Instead, the Warbirds have deployed him as a multi-inning reliever, and they’ve been rewarded with by far the best numbers on the pitching staff. Meneses owns a 1.95 ERA with 11.92 strikeouts per nine innings over 22 appearances, covering an inning or two at a time while consistently shutting down opposing lineups. As someone who spent far too much time arguing that Josh Hader deserved serious Cy Young consideration, I have no problem giving this award to a reliever.
— Brewers Player Development (@BrewersPD) April 28, 2026
Most Improved: José Anderson’s stat line is one of the strangest in the Brewers’ farm system. He’s batting below the Mendoza Line and owns an astronomical 38.9% strikeout rate. The case for Anderson can be distilled into one sentence: he’s 19 years old and has already hit 17 home runs in just 251 at-bats.
You can’t teach power like that.
Anderson has also added 11 doubles, and while his batting average and on-base percentage leave plenty to be desired, his .442 slugging percentage pushes his OPS to a respectable .732. He’s a fascinating player because the massive raw power is tantalizing, but he’s clearly still a project. Like Encarnacion, he’s worth keeping an eye on. If he can trim the strikeouts and improve his on-base ability — easier said than done, I know — he’ll quickly become a prospect that people are talking about as a player with big-league potential.
JUPITER, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 17: Luis Gastelum #95 of the St. Louis Cardinals poses for a photo during the St. Louis Cardinals Photo Day at Roger Dean Stadium on February 17, 2026 in Jupiter, Florida. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images) | Getty Images
C’mon, it was Father’s Day recently, humor me! Max Rajcic has done an admirable job coming out of the Cardinals’ bullpen in the exact role I spoke about earlier this year. I think it’s time the Cardinals elevate another young arm that’s “changing” things up on AAA hitters this year. Sorry, I seem to be in a very pun-oriented mood today.
Luis Gastelum has been awesome over the last month plus! Since May 17th, Gastelum has pitched to a 0.45 ERA and a 1.41 FIP over 20 IP in that span, with a K/BB% of 34.8%. Opponents are batting .121 against, and he’s striking out batters at a 37.7% pace in that time as well. So, whats giving him all this success?
Remember that changeup I alluded to earlier? It’s a true plus-plus offering. He uses it almost 39% of the time and generates a staggering 45.2 Whiff% on the pitch. Opponents have an xBA of .129 and an xSLG of .145! But that’s not all!
Gasetlum also features a 4SFB, Slider, and Sinker that rate out as 100 or better according to stuff+ models.
I think Gastelum could have a profile similar to long-time reliever Tommy Kahnle. Remember in the playoffs when he threw like 45 straight changeups, and nobody could hit it? That’s a similar impact type reliever capable of pitching in high leverage situations, posting a 90.9 LOB% in his last 20 IP, for example.
The one unanswered question seems to be how he would find himself in the big leagues. First, they would have to clear a 40-man spot for his contract to be selected. Then you start to ask, whose spot would he take? Gordon Graceffo has done a solid job this season, and while the underlying data is scary, the surface-level performance is what matters in the here and now, so he probably wouldnt be a candidate without a few consecutive blow-ups. Matt Svanson could be another option. While he has been better as of late, he still hasn’t been the same guy he was a year ago, and that 9th inning against the Diamondbacks was yet another reminder that pitchers who regularly don’t miss bats are subject to weird, fluky snowball innings.
The other might be Max Rajcic himself. His spot in the bullpen, specifically, not his performance, dictates that a demotion is necessary. Rajcic has been solid and a certain upgrade from the Chris Roycroft experience. You can see the bulldog attitude he brings to the mound, and he shows no fear against any batter who steps in the box. His command has been a little shaky at times, but for a young guy trying to establish himself in the big leagues, that’s not all that uncommon. When he’s in sync with his mechanics, the mid-90s fastball plays, and so does the big hammer curveball. There’s certainly still a long runway left with his opportunity to show what he can do.
The most likely outcome, barring injury, would seem to be a trade of a current veteran bullpen arm, and I don’t see that taking place any time soon, for someone like Ryne Stanek, for example. It can still happen at any time, but we just spoke with Chaim Bloom a couple of days ago, and the way he described the industry and its focus is on the amateur draft side of things in the immediate future, and once that and the All-Star break conclude then we should start to hear chatter on such topics start to pick up before the inevitable deals begin to trickle in up to the August 3rd deadline.
We may have to wait a little while longer to see Gastelum, with a lack of immediate openings or opportunities, but make no mistake about it, he’s proven he’s ready for the next level, and it’s just a matter of opportunity opening up for him to seize it, and Cardinals fans will enjoy it when that time comes.
ATLANTA, GA - MARCH 28: Devin Carter #22 of the Sacramento Kings drives to the basket during the game against the Atlanta Hawks on March 28, 2026 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Hagy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Free agency technically kicks off later today, but there are already reports flying around about signings, trades, and option decisions all over social media.
The Hawks have been busy in both making moves pertaining to rostered players as well as acquiring players from other teams. Yesterday, Malik Brown broke down what new addition Aaron Wiggins brings to the team, but I’ll go over all the rest of the moves and give my two cents on the important ones.
Picking up Mouhamed Gueye’s $2.4 million 2026-27 option
‘Mo’ Gueye has had a rapid rise from second rounder to G Leaguer to rotation player for the Hawks. He can be an absolutely devastating defender — in the right situation at least — with a penchant for pinning shots off the glass.
The offensive game is still a work in progress, especially if he never develops into a corner three-point shooter, but it’s smart to hold onto as many elite defenders for use in certain lineups even if that overall leap never happens.
A no-brainer.
Grade: A
Trading two second-round picks for Aaron Wiggins
I’ll be brief since Malik covered Wiggins’ on-court potential the other day. Two seconds is a low cost to pay for a solid bench wing with some on-ball upside and shooting potential who also comes from an elite Thunder defensive scheme.
His contract over the next two years is right around $17 million combined (declining from 2026-27 to 2027-28), and he fits the timeline of the current roster. I say it’s a home run move on the margins.
Grade: A+
Guaranteeing Buddy Hield’s $9.7 million salary for 2026-27
This one is a shocker — at least in a vacuum.
Hield came over with Jonathan Kuminga in the return for sending Kristaps Porzingis to the Golden State Warriors, but it quickly became clear that the Bahamian international wasn’t in the Hawks’ plans. Hield mostly only saw garbage time the second half of last season, though he was lauded for his leadership in the locker room as the Hawks stormed into the playoffs as the 6 seed.
With the Hawks facing a deadline (pushed back to the guarantee date on the calendar already), the team had to decide whether to waive him and eat the $3 million guaranteed portion of his salary or fully guarantee the entire thing, presumably as salary filler.
They chose the latter.
Taken alone, that choice gets a D from me as Hield is realistically no more than a veteran minimum-caliber player as he enters his age 34 season in 2026-27. Maybe he can step in off the bench and space the floor a bit while not hurting you too much on defense, but clearly his best days are behind him, making his almost $10 million salary much too much for his services.
Still, I have a sneaking suspicion that this decision was made with a particular trade scenario in mind.
Grade: Incomplete
Declining Jonathan Kuminga’s $24.3 million 2026-27 team option
Within the fanbase, a decision either way would have had its two camps of supporters versus detractors.
Kuminga had some real highs and some clear lows in his short time in Atlanta, averaging 12.3 points (58% true shooting), 5.3 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in 22.1 minutes per game in the regular season after the trade deadline. Similarly, in the first round against the Knicks, his performance was mixed but ultimately needed off the bench.
Jonathan Kuminga is still fairly young (23 years old) with athletic gifts you can’t teach, but even still the $24.3 million price tag is nothing to sneeze at. Presumably, the Hawks could have either declined his option and extended him at a lower annual value so that he doesn’t hit free agency in 2027 or picked up the option as part of a trade.
Instead, they did neither. Still, similar to the Hield decision, we’ll have to wait to see if the Hawks give Kuminga a new deal or merely let him walk to a suitor willing to meet his price.
Grade: B- pending a possible re-signing, C if he walksgiven Porzingis’ new deal with Golden State
Trading for Devin Carter, 2033 second-round pick
While Devin Carter has disappointed as an older lottery pick from just two drafts ago, it’s such a low-risk pickup that this trade almost impossible to criticize. Based on the reporting, it sounds like the Hawks are giving up essentially nothing to pick up the 6-foot-2 point guard.
Carter was 22 when he entered the draft from Providence, and in the two years since he’s struggled with injuries — most notably a torn left labrum the offseason he was drafted leading to just 74 games in two seasons — and shooting woes (career 27% shooter from three). He’s more of a defensive-minded guard to be sure, but he’ll need to make himself more useful than he’s been on offense to have real a role in the NBA.
My read is the Hawks are mainly absorbing his $5.2 million salary for next season (with a team option in 2027-28 that they’ll need to decide on by October) for the low cost of also picking up a 2033 second-round pick which helps offset the two they sent out for Aaron Wiggins. Any upside they get from his play on the court is icing on the cake, but they can cut him out of the rotation if needed after acquiring Wiggins and Kingston Flemings this offseason.
It may well be the pitching matchup of the season tonight in Motown when Cam Schlittler and the Yankees (48-36) take the field at Comerica Park against Tarik Skubal and the Tigers (36-49).
The Yankees will need this year's Cy Young favorite to be at his best if they are to snap their now five-game losing streak. Last night's series opener belonged to Detroit from nearly the first pitch. The Tigers rolled to a 7-3 victory behind a dominant performance from Casey Mize, who fired seven shutout innings, allowed just one hit, and matched a career high with 10 strikeouts. Detroit jumped on Yankees starter Ryan Weathers early and often, scoring five runs in the first two innings and adding two more in the fourth to build a 7-0 lead. Kevin McGonigle drove in two runs, Hao-Yu Lee added two RBIs, and the Tigers took advantage of two New York errors. The Yankees did not score until the eighth inning, when Amed Rosario launched a three-run homer, but that was the extent of their offense. New York managed only three hits and struck out 13 times. The loss was their eighth in their last nine games.
As mentioned, tonight's pitching matchup is special. Detroit sends ace Tarik Skubal (+6000 at DraftKings to repeat as Cy Young winner) to the mound. The left-hander takes the ball for the Tigers with a 3-4 record, 3.32 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, and 66 strikeouts in 59.2 innings. There is an expectation that the defending Cy Young winner will return to form, but he has yet to be the dominant ace he was prior to his arm issues. In three starts since his return, Skubal has given up nine earned runs in 16.1 innings. The Yankees counter with the current favorite to win the Cy Young Cam Schlittler (-115 at DraftKings), who has emerged as the ace of this loaded New York staff. Schlittler is 8-4 with a sparkling 1.62 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, and 118 strikeouts across 100 innings.
The availability of Jazz Chisholm Jr. is a question mark. He exited Monday's game after a collision with Jasson Domínguez and has reportedly entered concussion protocol.
Lets dive into tonight’s 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 first pitch, 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 and How to Watch: Tigers vs. Yankees
Date: Tuesday, June 30, 2026
Time: 7:05PM EST
Site: Yankees Stadium
City: New York, NY
Network/Streaming: MLB.TV, Tiger.TV, TBS, Prime Video
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.
The Latest Odds: Tigers vs. Yankees
The latest odds as of Tuesday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Detroit Tigers (+114), New York Yankees (-137)
Spread: Tigers +1.5 (-188), Yankees -1.5 (+154)
Total: 7.0 runs
Probable Starting Pitchers and their Stats: Tigers vs. Yankees for June 30
Ben Rice has not had a hit since last Wednesday going 0-18 over his last 5 games
Rice has 2 hits (both singles) in his last 8 games (2-31)
Anthony Volpe is 1-17 over his last 6 games
Cody Bellinger is 1-18 over his last 5 games
What little history the Tigers have against Cam Schlittler is not great as they are a collective 3-15 (.200) against him
Paul Goldschmidt is 7-13 with 4 HRs against Tarik Skubal in his career
Kevin McGonigle was 2-4 last night and is 7-21 over his last 6 games
Zach McKinstry is 11-35 over his last 11 games
Spencer Torkelson is 4-10 over his last 3 games
Tarik Skubal has struck out Jasson Dominguez 4 times in 8 career ABs against him
Skubal has K’d Anthony Volpe 6 times in 12 career ABs against him
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top Betting Trends & Insights: Tigers vs. Yankees
The Yankees are 39-45 on the Run Line this season
The Tigers are 42-43 on the Run Line this season
The OVER has cashed 37 times in Detroit’s 85 games this season (37-44-4)
The OVER has cashed 38 times in the Yankees’ 84 games this season (38-42-4)
Expert picks & predictions: Tigers vs. Yankees
Rotoworld Bet 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 tonight’s game between the Tigers and the Yankees:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Run Line.
Total: Rotoworld Bet is recommending a play on the Game Total OVER 7.0
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What will be Kawhi Leonard's next team? The odds are out: while the NBA operates at maximum volume, Kawhi Leonard has always moved in total silence.
While other superstars use public leverage plays and loud social media hints to dictate their futures, the league’s most enigmatic multi-time Finals MVP prefers to let his representation and closed-door front-office panic do the talking.
As confirmed by ESPN's Shams Charania, the Los Angeles Clippers are nearing a definitive agreement to send two-time Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard back to the Toronto Raptors.
On Kalshi, the Kawhi Leonard Next Team odds reacted instantly, throwing the entire board into a vertical spike that pushed Toronto shares from a heavily contested frontrunner into an absolute monopoly.
For macro-traders on the prediction markets, it is no longer about speculating on a potential destination: it is a lesson in contract settlement velocity, asset allocation, and squeezing out the final scraps of market efficiency before the league office locks the books.
Key Takeaways:
The Northern Monopoly: Toronto has completely conquered the board, surging to a 97% implied probability as short-sellers scramble to cover their positions.
The Price of Certainty: "Yes" shares for the Raptors are trading at an institutional ceiling of 99¢, indicating that the market treats this blockbuster trade as an absolute certainty.
The Collateral Damage: Former trailing options like Oklahoma City, Dallas, and the incumbent Clippers have been completely flattened, drifting down to raw micro-fractions.
Total market liquidity scaled past $500,000 ($530,017 vol at the time of writing). This rush of capital reflects a classic late-stage migration where high-volume participants aggressively lay heavy capital to clear out the remaining cents on a near-guaranteed contract.
The underlying financial mechanics of this transaction required significant matching blocks. Leonard enters the final stretch of the offseason carrying a massive $50 million expiring contract.
While Clippers owner Steve Ballmer originally signaled an intense preference to keep his cornerstone and retool the roster in Los Angeles, the underlying structural pressure of looming league-mandated salary-cap circumvention findings completely altered the organizational math. Faced with punitive luxury tax restrictions, the Clippers' front office finally pulled the trigger on a comprehensive asset haul.
Kawhi Leonard Next Team Odds: Value Picks vs. Structural Certainty
In a prediction market trading at 99¢, the traditional concept of a "value pick" is fundamentally flipped. You are no longer looking for undervalued narratives; you are evaluating the cost of insurance or exploiting minor pricing inefficiencies before formal resolution rules lock down the capital.
Toronto Raptors | ‘Yes’ 99¢ | 97% Chance
Buying a contract at 99¢ is a pure capital efficiency play favored by institutional portfolios. You are risking $0.99 to yield a single penny of profit once the league office formally ratifies the paperwork.
While the profit margin is razor-thin, the probability of a multi-team deal collapsing after the specific asset components have been fully leaked to the national media is exceptionally low.
For traders looking for a safe, short-term treasury-style yield to park idle cash, clearing out the last few percentage points of this board is a standard execution play.
Toronto Raptors | ‘No’ 2¢ | 3% Chance
If you are a dedicated chaos merchant, buying the 'No' shares on Toronto at 2¢ is the only viable contrarian position left on the board.
The risk-to-reward ratio is mathematically spectacular: a tiny 2¢ risk yields a 98¢ payout if the entire trade dissolves at the eleventh hour.
Roster history tells us that Kawhi Leonard’s medical file is a permanent variable; if an unforeseen anomaly emerges during the mandatory incoming physical exam, the Raptors could theoretically pull back the contract. It is a true black-swan lottery ticket, but one that carries genuine structural justification given the player's extensive injury profile.
The exact asset cascade required to move a $50 million contract under the modern collective bargaining agreement is staggeringly complex. According to the direct reporting from Shams Charania, the Clippers are receiving a substantial package consisting of "Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, 2 first-round picks, 1 pick swap and 2 second-rounders."
This tells us a massive story regarding front-office positioning. The Clippers previously expressed zero structural interest in a generic, one-for-one player package revolving around Ingram. However, Toronto successfully forced the issue by throwing in a premium young floor-spacer in Gradey Dick alongside a heavy treasure chest of future draft capital.
By surrendering their long-term draft depth, the Raptors' management successfully satisfied the Clippers' demands for an accelerated rebuilding toolkit, allowing Los Angeles to reset their cap sheet while staying competitive under the shadow of impending league sanctions.
For traders holding active positions on Kalshi, understanding the exact legal language governing the contract resolution is vital for risk insulation.
Roster over Rumor: Kalshi contracts for this market do not formally settle when an insider tweets a "nearing deal" update. The market explicitly resolves based on the first franchise Leonard is officially under contract with or rostered on for an active regular-season game appearance.
The Physical Exam Variable: Every major NBA transaction is contingent on the incoming player successfully passing a mandatory team medical review. Because Leonard is a historic load-management asset coming off a decorated but fragile availability track, smart traders keep a close eye on local Toronto health streams before completely over-leveraging into the 99¢ line.
Capital Velocity Management: If you accumulated Toronto shares back when they were trading at a modest 37¢ or 77¢, the smartest operational play is often to liquidate your position right now at 99¢. Locking in a guaranteed 22% to 62% return immediately frees up your active balance to deploy into secondary offseason markets, completely eliminating the minor risk of an administrative snag delaying your payout for weeks.
Northern Renaissance: The Raptors' Outlook with Kawhi
The moment this transaction officially clears the league office, the structural baseline of the Eastern Conference will be completely rewritten. Bringing Leonard back to the franchise he led to the mountain top in 2019 provides an immediate defensive identity to an ascending roster.
From a purely tactical perspective, Leonard will slot into a highly functional, lower-usage perimeter role alongside Scottie Barnes. This structural pairing allows Toronto to preserve his health via systematic regular-season load management without completely sacrificing their baseline win floor.
With elite spacing now insulated by the team's remaining rotation assets, macro-traders are already looking past this specific player market and aggressively buying into Toronto's Eastern Conference championship futures on secondary sports boards.
The Raptors are instantly accelerating their timeline, transforming from a patient development project back into a legitimate, battle-tested playoff threat.
How to Trade Kawhi Leonard Next Team Odds on Kalshi
Trading binary contracts on live NBA front-office movements offers a highly responsive, tactical experience that completely bypasses the static limitations of traditional sportsbooks.
Account Setup: Complete your profile configuration and fund your active trading account via secure bank wire or standard transfer to ensure your capital is fully liquid before breaking news hits.
Navigate: Click into the main sports market portal, filter your view by the "Next NBA Team" directory, and locate the active Kawhi Leonard dashboard.
Execute: Assess the current contract spread to decide if you want to back the heavy Canadian favorite via ‘Yes’ shares or buy ‘No’ contracts to profit from a potential breakdown in negotiations.
Monitor: Track your risk allocations in real-time through the live portfolio dashboard, allowing you to close out positions early to secure clean yields or mitigate your downside exposure.
It’s the end of June, July beckons. Do you know where your prospects are? How about your free agents?
Islanders News
The Islanders wasted no time after the draft getting the kids to Long Island. Development camp began Monday morning with greetings and interviews and breaking into Blue and White. [Isles]
Adam Boqvist, Marc Gatcomb and Max Shabanov did not receive qualifying offers. [Post]
Islanders Anxiety: Mike and Dan review the final week, plus some bonus Masterleaf Theatre. [LHH]
Three Islanders free agency needs and some suggestions for filling them. [Newsday]
What would a successful free agency look like, anyway? (There’s a lot of crap out there.) [Newsday]
Speaking of…here’s a ranking of teams’ cap situations. “The Islanders should be in a strong position to build around Matthew Schaefer, Ilya Sorokin, Bo Horvat and Mathew Barzal, but the team’s cap sheet is handcuffed by several overpaid veterans.” [Athletic]
Elsewhere
Florida made a couple acquisitions, sending A.J. Greer to Anaheim for pending free agent Radko Gudas’ rights, and they sent a third to Vegas for goalie Akira Schmid. [NHL]
The Hurricanes acquired the negotiating rights to pending UFA John Carlson, who wants to move back east. [NHL]
Bourne: What the Leafs might be doing, or should do given what they’re doing. [Sportsnet]
Anders Lee is among the free agents the Senators should maybe target. [Sportsnet]
The Oilers invited three women pros to their development camp. [NHL]
CLEVELAND, OH - MAY 15: Dean Wade #32 of the Cleveland Cavaliers is introduced before the game against the Detroit Pistons during Round Two Game Six of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 15, 2026 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Lauren Leigh Bacho/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers have built one of the most expensive teams in the league, and one somehow devoid of depth at the most premium position.
The pursuit of talent over position has led to a team with too many overlapping skill sets at guard and center. That is coming back to bite them as they simultaneously can’t afford to be with or without the only rotation player who can naturally shift between small and power forward.
Dean Wade isn’t the ideal starting small forward for a championship-level team. He’s an exceptional point-of-attack defender who can legitimately guard each position on the court. Every team can use a player like that. It’s the offensive side that holds him back.
Wade is a respectable outside shooter for his size, but he hasn’t registered above the fifth percentile for offensive usage in the past five seasons. The hesitancy to pull the trigger when he has an opening, combined with his inability to provide much else as a passer, ball handler, or inside finisher, contributes to that number being so low. An offense can’t function at its capacity if one of its players is participating so little in the outcome of possessions.
Despite these warts, the market for Wade is robust. Every team is either looking for a star athletic wing or a way to slow down their opponent’s. Wade is the latter. And if you’re able to play him in a more ideal role, you’d probably get better results.
It’s been reported that Wade isn’t going to give the Cavs a hometown discount. His market could be upward to the entire non-tax midlevel exception of $15 million per year.
The Cavaliers can match that. They have Wade’s Bird rights, which means they can go over the salary cap to retain him. The concern comes with what that means for the rest of the cap sheet.
The second apron makes it very difficult to reshape your team. The Cavs found that out the hard way this past season as they were the only team above the second apron. James Harden opting out of his contract has allowed the Cavs to duck below that threshold by $42.1 million. But if they are going to stay below — or even get below the first apron — they’ll need more than just signing Harden to a more team-friendly deal.
Moving Dennis Schröder or Max Strus for smaller contracts or cap relief is a possibility that was already on the table. Trading either or both would become vital if you were to retain Wade near the $15 million per year mark. It’s also worth noting that these changes would be aimed at bringing back a group that fell in four games to the New York Knicks — not one that’s a proven championship contender you want to keep intact.
Despite that, if the Cavs lose Wade, there really isn’t a simple solution for replacing him.
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The Cavs don’t have enough wings to take up Wade’s minutes internally. Strus has proven that he can start at the three with this group, but he can’t do so and also provide backup minutes at power forward. Neither can Jaylon Tyson at 6’6″ if he takes another step forward in his development.
Cleveland’s core four doesn’t have the same exact skill sets, but from a team construction standpoint, they functionally occupy similar archetypes. Donovan Mitchell and Harden are both most effective with the ball in their hands while not providing much resistance as point of attack defenders. Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley are both at their best as play finishers, not play creators. They’re also more traditional rim protectors that aren’t as useful when they’re forced to guard in space. Both sets require compromises elsewhere. This creates lineups where you have multiple players with the same skills and the same weaknesses.
Redundancy on its own isn’t a problem. Having multiple elite ball handlers and rim protectors is extremely useful over an 82-game season. However, in the playoffs, you need to be able to play in a variety of ways depending on the matchup. This is where the repeated strengths and weaknesses of the core are an issue.
The ideal role players for this kind of team would be players who have well-rounded games. Unfortunately for the Cavs, it’s difficult to find well-rounded role players for a variety of reasons. The main one being that if their games were that well-rounded, they’re usually not actually in the role-player tier.
So instead, the Cavs have opted for specialists to plug holes. There’s lineups and situations that someone like Sam Merrill is extremely useful in. And there’s situations and lineups where it doesn’t quite work. The same isn’t true for Wade.
With the team’s strengths and weaknesses, nearly every grouping benefits from Wade’s point of attack defense, rebounding, switchability, and occasional shooting. This is why the Cavs have consistently played better with Wade on the court.
Lineups with Wade playing last season were three points better than they were when he was off. That drastically increased in the playoffs. The Cavs were 10.6 points better with Wade on the floor compared to without him. That was second only to Harden (+12.7).
It’s easy to see why when you watch these groups play. Wade can guard the opposing team’s best perimeter player. The two bigs can switch any pick-and-rolls without giving up significant mismatches with backline help behind them. And Wade does enough as a shooter and rebounder to round out those lineups. This is just one example of a grouping that Wade can elevate.
On one hand, it’s difficult to justify giving $15 million per year for a player with such a low usage offensively, and who can be a liability in the playoffs when he isn’t taking outside shots. At the same time, there’s no one on the roster, nor anyone that the Cavs could easily acquire, who would better provide the defensive versatility and rebounding that Wade does.
This is one of the many areas where the lack of roster balance hurts the Cavs. Every team under this CBA has weak points and role players that hold groups together. That’s fine. But ideally, those glue guys aren’t the only players at that particular position.
Wade’s importance is a byproduct of valuing skill over position. That philosophy can lead you to stealing Allen in a multi-team trade or picking up an All-Star guard like Darius Garland instead of taking Jarrett Culver because he played a more valuable position. But when taken to its furthest extreme, you end up with a roster that is only glued together by an undrafted free agent that isn’t good enough to elevate the group to the next level, but also too expensive to justify really paying if it handcuffs your ability to make other moves.
The Cavs have a difficult choice to make with the start of free agency later today. Either they pay Wade more than they can easily rationalize doing, considering their cap situation. Or, they lose him for nothing, and will need to spend valuable assets and likely create holes elsewhere in the roster trying to find a replacement.
Neither is a good option. But the Cavs need to choose one, and hope to reinforce the wing position at some point this summer, regardless of which direction they decide to go.
NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 29: Spencer Jones #78 and Cody Bellinger #35 of the New York Yankees look on during the game against the Detroit Tigers at Yankee Stadium on June 29, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The worst-kept secret about the Yankees right now is that they’re hurting for some offensive fireworks. With Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Trent Grisham, and Ryan McMahon all on the IL right now, over a third of the starting lineup is missing and the consequences can be felt in their five-game losing streak. They’ve been on no-hit alert in back-to-back nights now, and in general the lineup has failed to get much of anything going on a consistent basis. Nearly everyone in the lineup is slumping, and as a result they haven’t scored more than four runs in a game in over a week. That just won’t do.
So there’s been many culprits responsible for the offense’s cold streak, but who can pull them out of the doldrums? In an ideal world there would be several hitters getting close to finding their form again, but sometimes you just need one guy to get on a heater to take the pressure off the rest of the team. It doesn’t matter who does it, but someone’s gotta step up and be the one to put the lineup on their back for at least a little bit. Let’s go over some candidates, shall we?
Ben Rice has been the 1B to Aaron Judge’s 1A in the lineup for the majority of the year, but with Judge now out Rice unfortunately entered a pretty big slump regressing back to the mean a bit. His June’s been rough, but he still stacks up as the team’s best hitter this year and thus stands the best chance of carrying the load with some timely homers if he gets back on track. The lack of protection might be a contributing factor to Rice’s slump, but right now there’s no guarantee of any protection coming up and they simply need somebody to get the torch lit.
Aside from Rice, the next best hitter would be Cody Bellinger, and he’s in the right place to find his groove. Bellinger’s got some of the most egregious home/away splits you could ask for going on this season, hitting to a 207 wRC+ in Yankee Stadium while hitting for a 64 wRC+ anywhere else. That latter mark is quite concerning, but seeing as the Yankees are at the start of a homestand as we speak, there’s no harm in keeping the pattern going for another week.
It’s been a major surprise just how well Paul Goldschmidt’s done this year, but the long-time veteran has fit into his role exceptionally since taking on a small one-year deal to return to the Yankees. He’s gotten more playing time than originally expected with Stanton’s injury, and that has only expanded with Judge also out now, but they’ve never needed him more than now with the rest of the offense struggling. He’s been arguably the most successful of the bunch during June, encapsulated by his two-homer day against Tarik Skubal last week, but if he could fully turn on the 2022 Matt Carpenter magic for a bit his Yankees stint could quickly rise to legendary status.
Perhaps though, the answer simply doesn’t lay with the lineup as is. Perhaps the return of Grisham and/or McMahon will be the catalyst that turns things around, and they’re both nearing that point. Grisham could be back during this homestand, with a short rehab stint that could last as long as a single game being all that stands between him and his name being penciled back into the lineup. McMahon is due back shortly after him, and while he hasn’t been as impactful with the bat overall he’s had his moments and could certainly ingratiate himself by slapping a clutch home run to bail out the rest of the position players.
Whoever the answer is, the Yankees would love it if they got to work immediately as they’ve got another game in front of them. Before we get to their attempt to even up this series though, let’s run through what’s in store here first: Jeff considers what Minnesota could have to offer as our trade partner series kicks off, Peter covers the Roundup, Kento honors Jerry Kenney’s time with the Yankees on his birthday, Michael goes through the past week’s action down on the farm, and Andrés examines Henry Lalane’s resurgence and how it could position him as a trade chip this season.
ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Tuesday that James informed the Lakers that “the franchise can move on without him because he will play elsewhere.”
James, 41, spent eight seasons with the Lakers after previous stints with the Cleveland Cavaliers (2003-10, 2014-18) and Miami Heat (2010-14). He led the Lakers to their 17th NBA championship in the 2019-20 season, which ended in the bubble in Orlando due to Covid.
Over his Lakers tenure, James became the league’s top all-time scorer, made eight All-Star appearances and seven All-NBA teams. He averaged 25.9 points, 7.7 rebounds and 7.9 assists per game in the regular season with 63 postseason games played.
James also famously joined his son, Bronny James, on the floor for the last two seasons as the first father-son duo to play together. The Lakers fully guaranteed the younger James’ $2.3 million contract for next season on Monday.
Things have changed in recent years for James, though, since the Lakers acquired Luka Doncic. The younger superstar became the face and future of the franchise, leaving James to play in a secondary role alongside Austin Reaves.
Last season, the Lakers went 53-29 and lost in the second round to the Oklahoma City Thunder. James played just 60 games, causing him to miss out on All-NBA for the first time since his rookie year.
Now a free agent for the fourth time in his career, James’ next move could be his last. He will enter his 24th NBA season as the league’s oldest player.
James’ next team has been speculated as the Golden State Warriors, who reportedly could look to pair in-house stars Steph Curry and Draymond Green with James and his former teammate Anthony Davis. Other teams pursuing James could include his former homes in Cleveland and Miami, though they’ll have less money to spend compared to Golden State.
NBA free agency officially opens at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT on Tuesday, June 30.
The 22-time NBA All-Star will continue his career next season and has informed the Los Angeles Lakers that the franchise can move on without him because he will play elsewhere, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Tuesday, citing James’ Klutch Sports agent Rich Paul.
BREAKING: LeBron James will continue his NBA career for the 2026-27 season and has informed the Los Angeles Lakers that the franchise can move on without him because he will play elsewhere, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul tells ESPN. pic.twitter.com/zzVk6xUVF1
Just when you thought Giannis' move to Miami was the biggest story of the summer... LeBron James reminded everyone who the biggest star in the NBA really is.
We have officially reached the ultimate turning point of the summer, and Kalshi'sLeBron James Next Team odds are responding to a tectonic shift in player movement with the news that James will be moving to new pastures for the 2026-27 season.
For bettors trying to separate smoke from signal, our latest LeBron James Clue Decode breaks down the hints, rumors, and market movement behind where The King could land next.
Pricing provided by Kalshi — accurate as of July 11
The platform’s real-time prices are currently accounting for massive leverage plays, front-office panic, and a potential roster reconstruction that could permanently rewrite the balance of power in professional basketball. Traders are moving at breakneck speed to separate genuine transactional smoke from typical agent-driven leverage plays.
But sit tight, as LeBron's agent & right-hand man, Rich Paul, doesn't see a decision coming as fast as we all may think.
Cleveland still leads, but the gap has narrowed: The Cavaliers remain the market favorite at 45¢ (+122), but a 15-point drop has taken some shine off what previously looked like a much stronger lead.
Miami is the big mover: The Heat have surged into the No. 2 spot at 25¢ (+317), jumping nine points and replacing Golden State as Cleveland's closest challenger.
Golden State and Philadelphia form the next tier: The Warriors sit at 15¢ (+567), while the 76ers have climbed to 13¢ (+669), giving the market a much tighter chase pack behind Cleveland and Miami.
The breaking news has fundamentally inverted the Kalshi board. Before the announcement, the incumbent Lakers held a fragile 46% favorite status, with Golden State trailing closely at 37%. In the hours after the tweet was released, the market volume swelled from $5.5 million to $20.5 mil in small trades, now reaching $35.2 mil in volume.
With the Lakers now officially out of the running, per Klutch Sports, the board is consolidating around specific landing spots that possess the unique salary cap mechanics required to absorb a 41-year-old superstar chasing his final ring.
LeBron James next team odds: Value picks
Sharp predictive traders understand that elite value isn't found by simply backing the current favorite. It’s found by exploiting localized inefficiencies where the trading public has overreacted to a single headline or entirely underpriced a highly realistic luxury tax constraint.
Cleveland Cavaliers | ‘Yes’ 45¢ | 45% chance
If the hyper-complex multi-team financial trade architecture required to bring Anthony Davis to the Bay Area hits a structural snag under the new CBA luxury tax rules, the market will experience an instant, violent secondary correction.
While Yahoo Sports notes the Warriors' pitch is to "reunite with AD, team up with Steph Curry and Draymond Green", any failure to land Davis voids the deal entirely. If that superteam floor collapses, a sentimental return to Northeast Ohio instantly becomes the ultimate default narrative for the entire sports media apparatus.
Miami Heat | ‘Yes’ 25¢ | 25% chance
Not long after LeBron's announcement, the Heat were quietly available at a low price of 8¢; the Heat represent a low-cost lottery ticket for extreme portfolio diversification. Bleacher Report previously ranked Miami among LeBron's top potential landing spots, and Erik Spoelstra's institutional stability remains highly attractive to an ageing icon.
With the Lakers verified as out of the picture, Miami's baseline probability is technically higher than a simple 16% flyer. Risking pennies here protects your capital if the primary Western Conference options unexpectedly descend into a financial stalemate.
Golden State Warriors | ‘Yes’ 15¢ | 15% chance
When the layout of a superteam blueprint becomes this obvious, you don't overthink the entry price.
The Warriors are pitching an absurd, legacy-defining "Big 4" designed to unite LeBron James with Steph Curry, Draymond Green, and Anthony Davis. As Shams Charania previously reported, “Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green is declining his $27.7 million player option to become a free agent... This move gives the Warriors flexibility to pursue LeBron James in free agency.”
While the market has already factored in much of this smoke, the elimination of LA means Golden State is the only logical destination positioned for an immediate title run. Buying in before the contract becomes official still offers immense leverage against the final confirmation.
Stays with Los Angeles Lakers or Retires | ‘No’ estimated 98¢ and locking in
Early on June 30, paying 55¢ for a 'No' ticket on the incumbent favorite was a sharp contrarian play. Now, following the announcement that LeBron "will play elsewhere", it has become an absolute mathematical certainty.
If you can still scrape any remaining liquidity on the 'No' side before the market formally resolves or completely locks down, you are essentially picking up free yield on an outcome that has been explicitly ruled out.
Expert context: Why the LeBron James next team markets are shifting
The structural engine driving this historic market realignment is a corporate ambush masterfully timed right before the free-agency gates open. The entire sequence of events is highly dependent on a high-wire transactional cascade across multiple teams.
The initial piece of the puzzle fell into place when Draymond Green declined his massive player option to give Golden State the immediate breathing room to facilitate a max slot.
However, as Shams Charania strictly specified, “LeBron James will ONLY sign with the Warriors if they land Anthony Davis in a trade.” Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports provided the precise corporate roadmap, revealing that “The Warriors are attempting to trade with the Wizards for Anthony Davis and then sign free agent LeBron James.”
To satisfy the brutal salary cap matching requirements of the modern CBA, Golden State is aggressively leveraging Jimmy Butler’s expiring contract alongside an absolute haul of future draft assets to pry Davis loose from Washington. Rich Paul's sudden public statement that the Lakers can "move on without him" is the definitive proof that this multi-team framework is moving well past the conceptual stage.
LeBron is actively forcing the leverage window, giving the Warriors a clear ultimatum to finalize the Davis acquisition tonight or risk watching him survey the secondary market.
Strategic considerations for traders
Trade the Cascade, Avoid the Resolution: You do not need to hold your contracts until an official contract ink dries. The second a credible insider tweets that the Wizards and Warriors have agreed on the Anthony Davis trade framework, Golden State's contract will instantly clear 85¢—that is your optimal window to sell your "Yes" shares for a massive, clean profit.
Arb the Stale Contracts: Look across alternative trading pools for participants who haven't updated their portfolios in light of the Klutch Sports declaration. Buying up mispriced "No" shares on the Lakers remains a pure execution victory.
Monitor the Hard-Cap Aprons: Building a Big 4 under modern NBA collective bargaining guidelines is a financial nightmare. Watch closely for any leaks suggesting Washington is demanding additional young assets that would trigger an un-tradeable hard-cap restriction for Golden State.
How to trade LeBron James Next Team Odds on Kalshi
Trading high-volume NBA futures on a designated contract exchange like Kalshi offers a highly responsive, data-backed alternative to traditional, static sportsbooks.
Account Setup: Create your profile and fund your active Kalshi account securely via bank wire or standard transfer to ensure your liquidity is ready ahead of the midnight free-agency window.
Navigate: Click directly into the main sports interface, filter by the "Next NBA Team" tab, and select the dedicated "LeBron James Next Team" market.
Execute: Evaluate the live pricing spreads to determine if you want to back the surging Bay Area superteam narrative via ‘Yes’ shares or protect your position by purchasing ‘No’ contracts against the field.
Monitor: Track your risk exposure continuously through your live portfolio feed, giving you the power to sell out of your positions early to lock in your returns or cut your losses.
Secondary markets
The radioactive fallout from LeBron's verified Lakers departure is already bleeding directly into broader NBA future contracts. The second Rich Paul's statement cleared the wires, Los Angeles' 2027 NBA Championship futures experienced a catastrophic downward drift.
Concurrently, if Golden State successfully checks the final box on the Anthony Davis acquisition cascade, expect their Western Conference title odds to compress dramatically. Smart macro-traders are already shorting the Lakers' regular-season win total market on secondary boards, capitalizing on the vacancy of a historic superstar asset before the casual betting public can adjust their baselines.
Toronto Raptors | ‘Yes’ 99¢ | 97% Chance
Cleveland Cavaliers
Miami Heat
Golden State Warriors
Philadelphia 76ers
Minnesota Timberwolves
Denver Nuggets
Stays with Los Angeles Lakers or Retires | ‘No’ estimated 98¢ and locking in