Otto Kemp of the Lehigh Valley IronPigs throws the ball during a Minor League Baseball game at Coca-Cola Park in Allentown, United States, on May 8, 2026. (Photo by Dan Squicciarini/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images
The lack of quality hitting prospects is starting to show up in these days of summer as offenses struggled outside of Lakewood.
Worcester 12, Lehigh Valley 3
Hey! We had an old friend alert as Kolby Allard got the start for the IronPigs and actually pitched not too shabby. He allowed seven runs in five innings, but only three were earned thanks to a fielding error by Otto Kemp in the third innings with two outs that gave the WooSox four runs in the inning. Christian Cairo had a two RBI triple in the fourth inning to at least make it interesting for a while, but two more runs allowed by Allard and a nightmare relief outing for Evan Gates (2/3 IP, three hits, three walks, five runs allowed) salted this game away.
Hartford 7, Reading 4
Jean Cabrera continued his horrible season by giving up six runs in 4 2/3 innings for the Fightin’ Phils, chalking up yet another loss on his year. The offense did not help him at all, only notching three hits, though they did draw nine (!) walks from the Yard Goats, but outside a three-run home run from Pedro Leon, the big hit eluded them, wasting those scoring chances. Meanwhile, it might be time to officially declare Cabrera’s season a complete loss and let him try to recoup whatever confidence they can out of him by putting him in the lowest level they can, Roy Halladay style, to see if he can rediscover something, anything.
Jersey Shore 7, Greenville 6
Five different BlueClaws had multihit games on the night, led by Devin Saltiban and his three-run home run. Jersey Shore in total amassed eleven hits and backed a strong bullpen performance to outslug the Drive and walk them off. Who hit the walk off?
Tyler Pettroni joined Saltiban by hitting a two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth to clinch the win for Jersey Shore, the only win in the minor league organization for the Phillies on the day.
Bradenton 8, Clearwater 3
Your hitting stars for the day for Clearwater were Alirio Ferrebus and Juan Villvicencio, both of whom were 2 for 4 on the night. Villavicencio had a double and a two-run home run while Ferrebus had a single and an RBI double. Sadly, they were about the only positives for the Threshers as the rest of the offense had a combined one hit, the relief pitching struggled with MT Morrissey giving up five runs in his inning of work and the Marauders marauded the Clearwater lineup.
The Cubs played only five games this past week due to Sunday’s rainout. They won three of the five.
Nevertheless, we have enough data for an update on who was hot and not for the team over the five games.
Three up
Pete Crow-Armstrong remains en fuego
PCA’s probably going to win his second consecutive National League Player of the Week award when that honor is announced this afternoon (although he’s got some competition for that in Kyle Schwarber, who also had a big week).
Over the five games he batted .550/.600/1.300 (11-for-20) with a double, a triple, four home runs, seven RBI, four walks and two stolen bases. The walks gave him 28 for the season, which might not sound like a lot but that’s just one fewer than he had for all of 2025.
PCA is riding a 23-game on-base streak in which he is batting .412/.468/.835 (40-for-97) with seven doubles, two triples, 10 home runs, 17 RBI, 19 runs scored, six stolen bases and eight walks. He has a hit in all but one of those 23 games and has homered in four of his last six games.
He’s also a good candidate for Player of the Month. So far in 17 games in June (nine games remaining): .437/.481/.930 (31-for-71) with four doubles, two triples, nine home runs, 14 runs scored, 14 RBI and six stolen bases.
He’ll almost certainly make his second straight NL All-Star team, too.
Dansby Swanson has shown signs of coming out of his slump
Over the five games, Swanson batted .250/.400/.500. That’s just 4-for-16, but he also walked four times, homered and stole three bases.
Kelly’s 2-for-4, six-RBI, grand slam day on Friday could be a week’s production for many players. Overall he played three games (one as a defensive replacement) and went 4-for-8 (.500) with the home run, a double, seven RBI and four runs scored over the week.
Kelly’s been a revelation in his year and a half with the Cubs. He plays solid defense and his bat is certainly good enough. He was a 3.5 bWAR player last year and likely has another 3 bWAR season in store in 2026. The Cubs and Kelly have a mutual $7.5 million option for 2026. Here’s hoping that’s either exercised (although mutual options rarely are) or they tear it up and find a way to keep him around another year.
He’s also one of the best catchers in MLB at ABS challenges, currently at a 78 percent rate. That’s fourth-best among catchers who have challenged more than 10 times.
The collective bullpen had itself a really bad week
Yeesh. The pen gave up eight runs in two innings to the Blue Jays on Saturday and that followed a game Wednesday in which they nearly blew an 8-1 lead.
Jacob Webb, Caleb Thielbar, Trent Thornton and Ethan Roberts had all been reasonably successful for most of this year and had all resided in Craig Counsell’s circle of trust.
For the week, those four combined for the following numbers:
9.1 IP, 11 H, 15 R, 15 ER, 6 BB, 9 SO, 5 HR. That’s a 14.46 ERA and 1.821 WHIP and that’s more runs than a good bullpen should give up in maybe two months, let alone five games.
This has to improve or the Cubs are going to have to find replacements. Weirdly enough, Phil Maton, who had been super-awful most of the year, didn’t allow a run in two outings covering 1.2 innings over the week. Baby steps.
Alex Bregman still has a power outage
Bregman has six home runs this year, only one this month and just two in his last 138 at-bats dating to May 12. It’s not just home-run power that’s lacking. He has only five doubles in that 138 at-bat span for a SLG of .341, which is 140 points below his career slugging percentage entering 2026.
I’m not sure what’s going on here but let’s hope he finds his power stroke soon.
Bregman, at least, is drawing some walks. His .343 OBP is decent, and he’s still playing solid defense at third base.
But the bat has been lacking. Let’s hope it comes back.
Edward Cabrera had another rough outing
Cabrera returned from the injured list and had a good, zero-homer, two-run outing against the Rockies at Coors Field. Then he faced the same team at Wrigley this past week and got hit hard, allowing five runs in 4.2 innings, including a home run.
He just hasn’t been close to the pitcher he was in Miami. There’s still half a season left to turn this around. Sometimes, it seems as if hope is all we have.
Offense was the name of the game as the Stripers broke out for 10 runs on 14 hits including seven extra-base hits and two home runs. They scored early, and often, and rode some strong pitching performances to win the game of the series.
Hurston Waldrep made his second start for the Stripers, since coming off of his rehab assignment, and while he ran out of gas late he was still strong – allowing just one run over the course of his outing. The way Hurston did it was diferent as he ditched the four-seam entirely and instead leveraged his cutter and two-seam, along with the rest of his arsenal (splitter, curveball). Hurston will need a few more starts to build up his arm strength before you can consider him an option for the Braves as his velocity started to drop towards the end of his outing from 97 down to 94 around the 60th pitch. His only run, and the only run allowed by the Stripers pitching staff, came in the first inning when Hurston allowed a two out double, walk, stolen base, and single to open up the scoring before he struck out the final hitter to end the first inning. He would then settle in and simply not allow another hit the rest of his outing before giving way to Connor Thomas who continued his strong return to Gwinnett with 2.1 innings of scoreless ball himself. Following Connor thomas were Daysbel Hernández (1IP 1H 0R 0BB 1K), and Ian Hamilton (1IP 0H 0R 1B 2K) who worked the final two frames of the game to preserve the big win over the Bats.
Offensively, there was damage throughout the lineup with Jair Camargo the only player not to get a hit, despite hammering a 111 MPH force out. The attack was so balanced that there were only two innings in which the Stripers failed to score a run entirely. The offense was paced by Brewer Hicklen who continued his strong 2026 – hitting his 12th home run, and stealing his 22nd base of the season
Jim Jarvis continued his strong work as well, getting on-base twice, including hitting his sixth home run of the season. Brett Wisley, Aaron Schunk (2-for-4), and Cal Conley (2-for-4) were the five players to register multiple hits in the game as well.
The Clingstones dropped the first game of the double header after taking the early lead as the bullpen struggled to get outs while the offense was held in check throughout the game, outside of one inning.
Julio Robaina got the start and while he only lasted three innings they were relatively pain free as he retired the first six batters he saw before finally giving a single in the bottom of the third. That single was quickly wiped off by a double play before he quickly retired the final hitter of the inning – facing the minimum through three. Robaina would walk the lead off hiterr in the fourth before being replaced by Blane Abeyta (1IP 3H 3ER 1BB 1K) who really struggled as he surrendered a pair of home runs in his only inning of work. Ian Mejia (1.2IP 4H 5ER 0BB 1K) came in for Blane Abeyta and his struggles continued, surrendering five earned runs including surrendering another pair of home runs. Blake Burkhalter (0.1IP 2H 0R 0BB 0K) recorded the final out of the game.
Offensively, the first run of the game for the Clingstones came in the fourth inning when Luke Waddell hit his fourth home run of the season.
— Columbus Clingstones (@GoClingstones) June 21, 2026
As a team the Clingstones went 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position, stranding 10. Their big inning came in the sixth inning when they broke out for three runs. The first three batters of the inning reached based via walk-walk-HBP before Ambioris Tavarez drove in the second run of the game for the Clingstones with a force out to the third baseman. Patrick Clohisy would follow that up with a sacrifice fly of his own to drive in the third run of the game for the Clingstones. Following a Luke Waddell walk, Jordan Groshans would single in another run, their final run of the game, before eventually falling to the Shuckers.
The Clingstones fell late, surrendering a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth, to drop game 2 and get swept in today’s double header.
Brett Sears got the start for the Clingstones and his impressive scoreless stretch finally came to an end as he gave up earned run in the first inning. Sears was greeted with a six pitch at bat that resutled in a triple to his first batter of the game. On the next pitch he gave up a run scoring single to Jesús Made that tied the game. He would then retire six of his next six batters before he was forced to sit due to a rain delay, before giving way to Lucas Braun who pitched the next three innings of the game. Lucas Braun would come in for Brett Sears and would surrender a pair of runs in the decisive fifth inning as he gave up four singles that resulted in a pair of runs that swung the game in favor of the Shuckers.
There wasn’t too much to talk about offensively for the Clingstones as they collected a total of just four hits while walking just twice. The only run they were able to score came in the first inning when Will Verdung drove in Patrick Clohisy via a sacrifice fly to originally put up the Clingstones 1-0. Their second run came in the fifth inning when Drew Compton connected on his third home run of the season. Outside of that, the Clingstones struggled to get on base, going just 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position and stranding just two overall.
(32-35) Hudson Valley Renegades 7, (34-33) Rome Emperors 6
After an offensive outburst in the third inning, the Emperors struggled to get runners out eventually falling after allowing a decisive run in the ninth inning – losing the series two games to three.
Cade Kuehler got the start for the Emperors and pitched to solid results. He gave up a solo home run to the games first batter to put the Emperors down 1-0 but overall lived at the bottom of the zone, inducing weak contact as well as swinging strikes at the bottom. He cruised through the next four innings, only allowing a double, before giving up his second run of the game in the fifth when he gave up a leadoff triple and sacrifice fly. After really struggling through the seasons first five games Cade has turned things around. Cade was removed after the fifth and replaced by Colin Daniel (3IP 4H 4ER 3BB 3K) who struggled, but also was a victim of some poor defense – two fielding errors. Justin Long (1IP 2H 1ER 1BB 1K) pitched the final inning of the game, allowing the games’ decisive run.
Offensively, the Emperors were strong early against starting pitcher Sean Paul Liñan, scoring five runs in the games first three innings, before Franyer Herrera shut them down over the next six. Eric Hartman drove in their first run with a sacrifice fly that drove in Tate Southisene who had earlier drew a walk and stole second and third. In the fifth, Tate drew his second walk of the game and was then driven in by John Gil who hit his 11th home run of the season.
Eric Hartman would immediately follow that up with a walk of his own and would then steal second and third on consecutive pitches. He would then be driven in by Dixon Williams who singled and would later come in to score on a single by Mason Guerra. After that five run third Rome would be shut down over the games final six frames – struggling to get on base.
(31-38) Hill City Howlers 5, (38-31) Augusta GreenJackets 8
Luis Guanipa, CF: 2-for-4, 2B, 2RBI, BB, R, .326/.377/.504
The GreenJackets struck late, scoring all eight of the games remaining runs winning the series against the Hill City Howlers a resounding 5-1.
Davis Polo got the start for the GreenJackets and cruised through the games first two innings before surrendering a pair in the third. Davis allowed four consecutive singles in the fifth inning, surrendering three runs, before retiring the next three batters and coming out of the game. Logan Forsythe (1.2IP 1H 0R 4BB 2K) worked around some trouble in the sixth inning – walking two, having a hitter reach on catchers interference, as well as a single but still didn’t allow a run. Kendy Richard (2.1IP 0H 0R 0BB 0K) pitched the final innings of the game, consistently attacking the bottom and outside parts of the zone, picking up the win.
After being held mostly in check through the first four innings, the GreenJackets exploded for four runs in the fifth and seventh inning, each. In the fifth Guanipa drew a walk and took second on a wild pitch before being driven in by Conor Essenburg to make it 5-1 Hull City. Alex Lodise would then take a pitch low in the zone and drive it to left, putting runners on 1st and 3rd. Cody Miller would then make it a one run game after this three run home run.
— Augusta GreenJackets (@GreenJackets) June 21, 2026
That homer was Cody’s fifth in his last seven games driving his slugging from .314 to .456. The GreenJackets would strike for four more in the seventh – drawing five walks, as well as getting hit by a pitch. The only hit was a two run single by who else but Luis Guanipa, driving in a pair of insurance runs – making it 8-5.
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - JUNE 21: Jonny DeLuca #21 of the Tampa Bay Rays reacts after hitting a two-run home run in the seventh inning against the Washington Nationals at Tropicana Field on June 21, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Not the most enjoyable Sunday for Yankees fans, huh? Elmer Rodríguez made one glaring mistake in his spot start. Unfortunately, that mistake resulted in a three-run home run. On a weekend when the Bronx Bombers couldn’t buy a hit with runners in scoring position, that was enough to sink the Yanks, losing the game and the series to Cincinnati. Next up, a road trip, beginning in Detroit. Monday is Gerrit Cole Bump Day though. And that’s always fun.
Elsewhere, the rival Blue Jays had their contest with the Cubs postponed. At the very least the postponement means they avoided Pete Crow-Armstrong, who’s been unstoppable recently. In his last 19 games, PCA is slashing .450/.494/.938 with 10 home runs. Having him go off on the Jays Sunday would have been nice.
Tampa Bay Rays (43-31) 4, Washington Nationals (40-38) 3
After a CJ Abrams home run in the top of the sixth—his third consecutive day with a bomb at the Trop—Washington held a 3-1 lead over the Rays and were in good shape to take the rubber match of this three-set and move to a season-high four games over .500. Unfortunately, as they seemingly always do when you’re not paying close enough attention, the Rays persisted.
First, Ryan Vilade clubbed a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth, moving the Rays within one run. The next inning, Yandy Díaz, leading the Junior Circuit in batting average at .326, singled to put the tying run on and bring the go-ahead run to the plate in the form of Jonny DeLuca. The man once acquired from the Dodgers in the Tyler Glasnow trade didn’t miss his opportunity. A two-run blast staked the Rays to a 4-3 lead with two innings to go.
For the Nats, Daylen Lile singled in the ninth but was promptly erased trying to steal second base with one out. That was the only runner Washington managed in those final two frames and the Rays held on. The win moves Tampa Bay to within two games of the Yankees — though the Rays have played two fewer games on the season (74 to the Yanks’ 76).
Other Games
Cleveland Guardians (41-37) 1, Houston Astros (37-42) 2: It’s late June and the Astros, as putrid as they’ve been for much of the season, are lurking in the dumpster fire that is the American League West. Cleveland might have had a better chance if they’d mustered more than four hits against Kai-Wei Teng, who entered Sunday with a 4.31 ERA. Alas, they didn’t. So Houston turned a 2-1 lead over to its bullpen. Three shutout innings ensued, including a lockdown ninth from closer Josh Hader, recently returned from injury. Offensively, Houston was again led by its best player as Yordan Alvarez uncorked his 25th home run of the season.
Seattle Mariners (40-39) 3, Boston Red Sox (31-44) 1: Speaking of the AL West. Logan Gilbert did yeoman’s work Sunday to ensure the first-place team in the division did not have a below-.500 record. Gilbert tossed 6.1 innings of one-run ball, fanning eight before turning the game over to the Seattle bullpen. Meanwhile, Dominic Canzone did his part at the dish. Canzone opened the scoring with a solo home run in the first before driving in the third Seattle run in the sixth with a groundout. Those two runs were enough, as the Red Sox failed to dent the Seattle pen, though they brought the tying run to the plate in the ninth. Unfortunately for Seattle, Canzone left the game in the sixth running out his RBI groundball with what sure looked like a hamstring issue.
SARASOTA, FL - MARCH 20: Franklin Arias #65 of the Boston Red Sox bats during the game between the Boston Red Sox and the Baltimore Orioles at Ed Smith Stadium on Friday, March 20, 2026 in Sarasota, Florida. (Photo by Scott Audette/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
In the finale with the IronPigs (Phillies AAA), the WooSox had six batters with a multi-hit day. The scoring started early and often; Vinny Capra, who hit his first home run of June but is hitting .288 on the month, led it off, but by the third it was 5-0 in favor of the WooSox. Lehigh Valley scored three runs on Jack Anderson in the fourth to give the home team a run for their money but then the WooSox bullpen allowed just two baserunners for the duration of the game while also just having two more strikeouts (for a total of six), inducing those balls in play to create outs. Also humorous is that the WooSox, in their display of offensive output, had three players who have suited up at catcher for the team have seven total hits. This includes Jason Delay, the former Pirate who had a 6-RBI day.
Is this catching depth of note considering Carlos Narvaez’ struggles after a strong 2025? Sure, if you let it – but Delay and Thaiss have had their shortcomings offensively in their limited time as Major Leaguers, and as addressed many times in these Minor Lines, Nathan Hickey profiles more as a first baseman and is also having a tough year making content at the plate. For now, the Red Sox may let the current situation ride and consider Gaspers’ versatility an advantage (even though many, myself included, consider the number of platoon guys given everyday roles an indictment on roster construction. It also doesn’t help that Mickey Gasper can’t pick a runner off.) But, hey, I will never sneeze at a 9-run win!
The Sea Dogs made two celebratory posts after the series finale against the Patriots (Yankees AA) and they were both reasons to be excited, but ultimately the thing folks who attended will remember is Eduardo Rivera giving up the go-ahead home run go in the top of the eighth inning after the rest of the pitching staff kept Somerset at bay for most of the night. Despite this pitching blunder, one of those things to celebrate was Anthony Eyanson having another awesome start, though he was pulled after just four scoreless innings and 53 pitches.
Another outlier in an otherwise quiet afternoon offensively for Portland was Franklin Arias, who still holds the leadoff spot in the lineup, going 3-for-5 and opening the scoring by hitting his 14th home run of 2026. Despite the humor of this article’s headline, Arias actually hasn’t gone yard in about two weeks and after his ballistic start has cooled down alongside Brooks Brannon, each of whom have slumbered below an 1.000 OPS. The horror! Arias wasn’t alone in hitting balls in the stands yesterday. Abhram Liendo, hitting out of the 9-hole, is slugging .600 in June and hit his fourth home run of the month in the sixth inning, and shortly after came the collapse.
Jersey Shore (Phillies High-A) ended up walking off Greenville. I don’t think Marcus Phillips, despite having the strikeout ability, is a starting pitcher; he allowed seven hits and four runs and didn’t make it out of the fifth, something that’s happened quite a bit in 2026. But the Drive stayed in the game thanks to also having one batter manage three of their seven knocks. Yoelin Cespedes hit his 11th home run of the season and was preceded by Isaiah Jackson doing the same in the previous inning, but the lead never grew so large that the Red Claws couldn’t come, uh, clawing back.
The RidgeYaks have started another losing streak against the Nationals and fall to 3-14 this month despite some commendable pitching, albeit giving up eight walks yesterday. Salem actually lost this one by giving up a home run on the second pitch of the game, but they didn’t know it yet. What followed was the team getting just three hits, all singles, and stranding nine.
OTTAWA, ON - APRIL 25: Brady Tkachuk #7 of the Ottawa Senators takes a break during a stoppage in play against the Carolina Hurricanes in Game Four of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs on April 25, 2026, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON, Canada. (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Florida Panthers are a much scarier team than they were a week ago. The NHL was stunned on Sunday by the news that the Ottawa Senators were trading Brady Tkachuk to the Panthers in exchange for three first-round picks (two in 2026 and one in 2027), as well as a second-round pick in the upcoming draft. It’s a mammoth deal that unites the Tkachuk brothers on one team, gives Florida the scariest three-line offensive depth chart in the NHL, and seemingly puts them on a collision course with another Stanley Cup run. The near-universal reaction to the trade was some variation of “they’re going to be unbeatable for years.
Just one problem: the Stanley Cup isn’t won on paper. In making the deal, we have a Panthers team that is accentuating its strengths, but also opening up its weaknesses even further. They are now a team that is wholly reliant on a handful of superstars to get the job done, killing what little depth they had in the process. As easy as it is to opine that Florida is now “unbeatable,” they have some significant issues holding them back.
No. 1: What is this team doing in goal?
There is a mammoth question mark in net for Florida as they prepare for the 2026-27 season. Veteran legend Sergei Bobrovsky is coming off a down season, but still remains the best clutch playoff goaltender in the NHL by a significant margin.
The goaltending problem is compounded by the fact that backup Daniil Tarasov is also an unrestricted free agent. If the Panthers try to re-sign him it would be with the understanding that he would become the starter, which means he’s going to want starter money — and that’s an iffy prospect because Tarasov hasn’t neccesarily shown the ability to be “the guy” in net.
That brings us back to Bobrovsky, and any hopes that Florida would get him to take a hometown discount are out the window. Bob is reportedly looking for a multi-year, $42M deal at age 37, wanting something in the $6-7M AAV range is simply impossible for the Panthers, as is any dream of making another trade to somehow land Connor Hellebuyck from the Jets. That’s because …
No. 2: The Panthers have put themselves in a dangerous cap position
Florida was in good shape prior to the Brady Tkachuk trade to be able to make some smart deals and bolster their roster at several positions. Instead, this deal essentially made the Panthers stronger at their best position, without allocating resources to their other needs.
As it stands, the Panthers have $7.5M in open cap space and significant holes they need to patch. The goaltending is a mammoth problem, but so is their back-line depth. This Brady Tkachuk deal could have priced them out of both making a deal for Hellebuyck, as well as reliably retaining A.J. Greer — who will have suitors in the open market. This is compounded by the fact that they have now opened up multiple high-value prospects to being poached through RFA, with teams knowing the Panthers are in a vulnerable cap spot.
Ben Steeves showed enormous AHL promise this season while playing for the Charlotte Checkers. Steeves made his first All-Star Game and registered 45 points in 72 games. The 24-year-old forward figured to be part of the Panthers’ long-term plans, but now he could easily be signed for a mid-level contract that would put him out of range that Florida could match, but not give them great compensation either. The same could happen with Mikulus Hovorka.
If the Panthers want to actually solve their net problem by trading for Hellebuyck, it will require clearing salary. Reports are that the team nixed any discussion of Anton Lundell to the Senators in the Tkachuk deal, which could mean they intend to hold him for a separate trade — but that doesn’t sound great either from a roster perspective. Let’s assume they find a way to get Hellebuyck for Lundell (and something). They will have essentially traded one of the best young forechecking centers in the NHL for Brady Tkachuk, changing their forward dynamic — while getting only slightly better in goal. That seems like a really iffy tactic.
No. 3: … if they’re healthy
The huge caveat to the Panthers’ chances is “if they’re healthy.” It’s a refrain you tend to hear a lot when it comes to the Florida Panthers. They would have won this year “if they were healthy,” they will win for the next four years — “if they can stay healthy.”
Florida can’t stay healthy. This isn’t a genie that can be stuffed back in the lamp. Numerous skaters at numerous positions have established injury concerns, and the physical way the Panthers play isn’t going to make that easier.
Sam Bennett hasn’t played a full regular season in a decade. Matthew Tkachuk is still coming back from surgery. Brad Marchand was hurt in 2025-26, and he’s also 37-years-old. None of these are really issues in isolation, but there are going to be injuries when you go so profoundly all-in on stars while requiring them to play physical, Florida Panthers hockey.
Imagining a world where the Panthers are always healthy just isn’t a reality at this point. Will their injuries be as bad as last season? Probably not, but something will pop up and the depth has never been more thin than it is right now.
The Brady Tkachuk trade is a make-or-break for next season
Florida pushed all its chips to the middle, and they’re going for it. On paper, the roster looks absolutely terrifying, with the Panthers leveraging their winning pedigree and their state’s tax-free status to assemble a unit that nobody else could. The issue is that they have left themselves open on various fronts to see it all go up in smoke.
Brady Tkachuk is a good player, but he’s not his brother. The Panthers made a superstar-level trade for a player who isn’t a superstar. The hope is that Brady will have a Mitch Marner-esque breakout now that he has fresh scenery, but that is wishful thinking. The likelihood is that he will be a very good player for Florida and add to the team’s overall ethos — but it’s difficult to fall head-over-heels in love with the trade, considering what they have lost and will lose because of getting Brady Tkachuk.
Like any all-in deal: If they win the cup next year it’s worth it, anything less will have made this trade a failure.
Toronto Blue Jays slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is showing signs of a turnaround, and today’s +150 price for the Over on his base prop doesn’t reflect how well he profiles against Houston Astros starter Hunter Brown.
Read on for my Astros vs. Blue Jays predictions and MLB picks for this Monday, June 22 matchup.
Astros vs Blue Jays predictions
Astros vs Blue Jays best bet: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Over 1.5 total bases (+150)
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. profiles extremely well against Hunter Brown. The Houston Astros starter primarily throws a fastball/sinker combination, and Vladdy owns a .373 batting average with a .483 slug rate against those pitches.
Since June 1, his hard-hit rate has risen from 48% to 57% against these pitch types, which points to some extra-base potential.
Additionally, Guerrero Jr. has eclipsed this number in three of his last four games, showing serious signs of a turnaround, which gives me confidence in his market.
Let’s double down on Vladdy and take Under 0.5 strikeouts tonight. He matches up well against Brown and has been chasing fewer pitches lately, resulting in only two Ks in his last eight games — including no strikeouts in four straight.
George Springer is turning a corner with a 1.089 OPS over his last nine games, and profiles well against Brown, who’s primarily a fastball pitcher. Springer owns a .296 xBA over the last three seasons with a .558 xSLG against his two primary pitches.
Astros vs Blue Jays SGP
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Over 1.5 total bases
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Under 0.5 strikeouts
George Springer Over 0.5 hits
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Astros vs Blue Jays home run pick: Kazuma Okamoto (+440)
Brown is one of the toughest pitchers to homer against, but if a Toronto Blue Jays player leaves the yard tonight, Kazuma Okamoto’s profile gives him the best chance.
Most of Okamoto‘s team-leading 16 home runs have come off the fastball this season, where Okamoto owns a 63.2% hard-hit rate against the four-seamer.
However, Brown has yet to allow a home run in his three starts this season, and he ranked in the 97th percentile in hard-hit rate in 2025.
So we’ll just make Okamoto’s home run play a quarter unit.
2026 Transparency record
Best bets: 35-39, +0.75 units
SGPs: 14-60, +2.15 units
HR picks: 12-62, +1.8 units
Astros vs Blue Jays odds
Moneyline: Houston +105 | Toronto -125
Run line: Houston +1.5 (-210) | Toronto -1.5 (+170)
Over/Under: Over 7 (-125) | Under 7 (+105)
Astros vs Blue Jays trend
The Toronto Blue Jays have covered the first five innings (F5) run line in six of their last eight games (+3.60 Units / 36% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Astros vs. Blue Jays.
How to watch Astros vs Blue Jays and game info
Location
Rogers Centre, Toronto, ON
Date
Monday, 6-22-2026
First pitch
7:07 p.m. ET
TV
SCHN, SN
Astros starting pitcher
Hunter Brown (1-0, 1.10 ERA)
Blue Jays starting pitcher
Shane Bieber (2025: 4-2, 3.57 ERA)
Astros vs Blue Jays latest injuries
Astros vs Blue Jays weather
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Giannis Antetokounmpo is expected to be traded to the Heat or Celtics before the 2026 NBA Draft.
Milwaukee Bucks star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo is expected to be traded to the Miami Heat or the Boston Celtics before the 2026 NBA Draft on Tuesday, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Monday morning on “Get Up.”
Jaylen Brown would be part of the Celtics deal, according to Charania. The Heat, meanwhile, are ready to part with Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr. and the No. 13 overall pick in the draft, NBA insider Marc Stein reports.
Antetokounmpo, 31, has been rumored to be on the trade block since the end of the season, with the front office reportedly making the decision to trade the star.
Giannis Antetokounmpo is expected to be traded to the Heat or Celtics before the 2026 NBA Draft. Getty Images
For a while, it seemed that the Heat had the inside track for Antetokounmpo, but the Celtics have ramped up the pursuit in the last week.
The Greek Freak would approve a trade to either team and doesn’t have a preference, according to Charania, who adds a third team will not be involved in either trade scenario.
Antetokounmpo has spent his entire career with the Bucks after being drafted in the 2013 NBA draft. He helped the Bucks win the NBA championship in 2021.
A 10-time All-Star and two-time MVP, Antetokounmpo has career averages of 24.1 points, 9.9 rebounds, 5 assists while shooting 55.4 percent from the field. He was limited to 36 games this past season in which he averaged 27.6 points, 9.8 rebounds and 5.4 assists while shooting 62.4 percent.
The Milwaukee Bucks failed to make the postseason in 2025 after reaching the playoffs for nine consecutive seasons. The team will now hope to build around guards Ryan Rollins and Kevin Porter Jr.
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - MARCH 19: Giannis Antetokounmpo #29 of the Milwaukee Bucks walks on the court during warmups before their game against the Utah Jazz at the Delta Center on March 19, 2026 in Salt Lake City, Utah.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. (Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s time for the Milwaukee Bucks to make a decision in the long-rumored Giannis Antetokounmpo trade sweepstakes. The 2026 NBA Draft is Tuesday night, and if the Bucks want to acquire more picks in this draft, now is the time to trade their franchise player. Bucks ownership has already indicated that Antetokounmpo will be traded this summer if he doesn’t sign a contract extension as he enters the final year of his deal. There’s reportedly only two teams left in the bidding.
There’s strong mutual interest between the Miami Heat and Antetokounmpo. The Heat’s offer has been similar since the Feb. trade deadline, with a package built around Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., and multiple first-round picks, including the No. 13 overall selection in the 2026 draft. The Bucks are reportedly lukewarm on taking back Herro, a Milwaukee native, and could re-route him to a third team, with the Detroit Pistons being connected to the scoring guard over the weekend.
The Boston Celtics are the other team in the mix for Antetokounmpo, and they are now reportedly willing to include Jaylen Brown in their trade offer. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported that “Brown is on the table, and he could get traded for Giannis in the short-term future.” Watch the full clip here:
"Jaylen Brown is on the table, and Jaylen Brown could get traded for Giannis Antetokounmpo in the short-term future."@WindhorstESPN with the latest on the Bucks possibly trading Giannis Antetokounmpo 🏀 pic.twitter.com/BhGHPdlSDF
It remains unclear what else Boston would include in the deal. The Celtics have three tradable first-round picks, starting with the No. 27 pick this year, as well as first rounders in 2031 and 2033. Can Milwaukee get Payton Pritchard in the deal, too?
Giannis’ injury history, age, and contract are all factors in the deal. Antetokounmpo turns 32 years old in December. He’s only played in three playoff games since 2022 because of untimely injuries. He’s likely about to negotiate a max contract extension.
Imagine a world where we all had collective amnesia, specifically about the NBA Draft.
Weird world, right? How did that happen? It doesn’t matter. Life is the same as before, only nobody knows where any NBA player got drafted. Please note that this is not a pitch for a Sci-Fi movie.
Consider Jabari Smith Jr. That guy is pretty good, right? He’s not a superstar, but at roughly $24 million per season, anyone would be happy to roster a 6’11” wing who can shoot the three, protect the rim from the weakside, and survive in space defensively. Smith Jr. is pretty good:
He’s just not third-overall pick good.
By now, that’s a moot point – he’s not third-overall pick paid, either. Still, fans want more. Smith Jr. himself seems to want more.
Can he give more?
Rockets’ Jabari Smith Jr. has something to build on
Let it be said that Smith Jr. responded to his contract extension by having the best season of his career.
In 2025-26, he averaged 15.8 points per game while shooting 36.3% from deep, both career highs (although the latter is a tie). As with virtually every NBA player ever, much of Smith Jr.’s value is tethered to his three-point shooting. Smith Jr. shot exactly 36.3% from deep in his sophomore year as well, but last year he shot a career-high volume (6.3 per game vs 5.0).
Otherwise, little changed about Smith Jr.’s shot profile. In 2025-26, 50.1% of his field goals came from beyond the arc, compared to 48.9% last year. His percentage of attempts in every area was comparable to the previous year. Smith Jr. simply increased his overall field goal attempts.
Some fans would like to see Ime Udoka run more sets that find Smith Jr. in the midrange. He did hit a solid 52.4% of his attempts between three and ten feet this year, although the 42.4% he hit between ten and 16 left something to be desired. Still, Smith Jr. is reliable in that ten-foot area.
It’s somewhat a case of eating your vegetables before you can have your dessert. There’s a world where Smith Jr. middies become a larger staple of (to extend the metaphor) the Rockets’ offensive diet, but it’s more pressing that he continues to build on his three-point shooting.
He’s a…let’s say less than prolific ball-handler. Smith Jr. can get to his spots by virtue of his height, and he’s increased his physicality when looking to create his own shot. Still, life would be easier if defenses were more concerned with his three-pointer.
There’s also the omnipresent reality of the Rockets’ spacing. Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson need the paint. Kevin Durant loves the midrange and is much more effective there. The team’s (presumed) 2026-27 roster won’t be set up to explore Smith Jr.’s midrange mastery.
Perhaps it’s something to explore down the road. For now, the key to success for Smith Jr. in 2026-27 remains behind the three-point line. If he can increase his efficiency on comparable volume, or increase his volume with limited efficiency regression, he’ll earn his keep again.
One more note: I’d like to see Udoka explore lineups with Smith Jr. at the 5 more frequently. I’ve long abandoned my pipe dream of him as a full-time five. Still, he spent 32% of his time there as a sophomore (the same year that he matched that 36.3% from deep, which may be a statistical blip, but big men have a harder time closing out…) and a career-low 10% last season.
Smith Jr. is one of the very best 6’10” and up shooters in the NBA. There’s Karl-Anthony Towns, his own teammate Kevin Durant, and…that’s where I start drawing blanks. Naz Reid is comparable. Kristaps Porzingis is a candidate. Still, Smith Jr. is right there. That combination of height and shooting accuracy gives him value:
Even if it’s a bit less than you wanted from a third overall pick.
Last week was a week so bad that I couldn’t even bear to pull out three positive moments. Luckily, it can’t get any worse than the bottom, and it didn’t! While it wasn’t anywhere close to a 6-0 week, the 2-4 result had a few moments to be positive about.
Bazzana Has Huge Night
In Saturday’s big 8-1 win against the Houston Astros, Travis Bazzana was the star of the show. He took Spencer Arrighetti’s first pitch of the game 382 feet into right center field for a home run. In the top of the fifth, he took Arrighetti deep again, this time for a 406 foot three-run home run to right center. He ended the day 4-4 with the two home runs, four hits, and five RBI. He is now hitting .273/.367/.471 in his rookie campaign.
Cantillo Shines
Also in Saturday’s win, pitcher Joey Cantillo had his moment to shine. 6-3 on the year after the big win, Cantillo went eight innings while giving up just four hits and one earned run. He struck out nine and walked only one. He brought his ERA down to 4.05 across 16 games this season, and has collected 76 strikeouts so far. Reliever Matt Festa held on for the ninth inning to give Cantillo the win.
Watson Makes Debut
With all of the injuries plaguing the Guardians right now, they had to make some moves. One of those moves included calling up outfielder Kahlil Watson. He had been hitting .255/.370/.491 so far this season in Columbus, and he was highly anticipated in Cleveland. While he has yet to collect a hit or a walk and has struck out eight times in his first four games, he has shown his talent with the leather in the outfield. He made a huge diving catch in his MLB debut, holding the Milwaukee Brewers to just a one-run lead.
Social Media Spotlight
This week’s Social Media Spotlight comes from the Guardians’ Triple-A affiliate, the Columbus Clippers. They posted a video of catcher Bo Naylor’s inside-the-park home run from Friday’s game versus the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRaiders.
Lindor played rehab games the last few days with Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Syracuse, with his return from a calf injury imminent.
The plan is for Lindor to play a simulated game on Monday at Citi Field, after which he could get a day off before being activated.
That puts Wednesday as the most likely day for Lindor's return.
When Lindor is back, it will be just the 12th time that both he andJuan Soto are in the lineup together this season -- with Lindor having suffered his calf injury in the same April game where Soto returned from his.
The Mets' offense as a whole was an afterthought as the team lost two of three games to the Phillies over the weekend. That's because Freddy Peralta and David Peterson put New York in early holes that were inescapable.
But amid the carnage, Benge had a strong showing, smacking home runs on Saturday and Sunday.
Over his last seven games, spanning 33 plate appearances, Benge is slashing .290/.333/.548 (.882 OPS) with two homers, one triple, and six runs scored.
Dating back to April 23, Benge is hitting .296/.350/.471 (.821 OPS) with eight homers in 53 games.
Looking at his advanced season stats via Baseball Savant, Benge is above average in 10 of 13 key categories, including xwOBA, xBA, xSLG, average exit velocity, barrel percentage, and hard hit percentage.
Playoffs? We're talking playoffs?
Yes, we are, even though it's borderline absurd to be doing so with New York having a record of 34-43.
But despite how bad the Mets have been, they are just 6.0 games back of the third Wild Card spot in the National League with more than half the season to go. The team currently in that spot? The Cubs.
Jun 12, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets left fielder Juan Soto (22) hits a solo home run in the first inning against the Atlanta Braves at Citi Field. / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
That means if the Mets have a big series this week against Chicago, they can make up serious ground in a theoretical race for one of the final playoff spots in the National League.
The Mets front office has about a month left before they have to decide whether to sell at the trade deadline. At this point -- barring an incredible run in the next few weeks -- buying would seem to be out of the question.
So it will almost certainly come down to standing pat or selling, with the Mets' direction possibly due in large part to how they perform this week at home against Chicago and the Phillies.
The Jekyll and Hyde Cubs
The Cubs started the year on fire before crashing back to earth.
They were 27-12 ahead of play on May 9 before going on a slide that had them at 34-34 on June 10 -- following a brutal 7-22 clip.
Chicago has righted the ship since, though their 6-3 record over the last week-plus has come against two of the worst teams in baseball, with the Cubs winning five of those games against the Rockies and Giants.
Like the Mets, the Cubs are dealing with rotation issues, with Justin Steele, Cade Horton, Matthew Boyd, and Jameson Taillon all on the IL.
The Cubs are set to send Shota Imanaga, Edward Cabrera, and Javier Assad out against the Mets during this series, with their starting pitcher for Thursday TBD.
Pete Crow-Armstrong is having a monster year
After struggling badly over the first month of the season (he had a .662 OPS on May 5), Crow-Armstrong has turned it on.
For the season, Crow-Armstrong is slashing .286/.363/.521 with 16 homers, 12 doubles, four triples, and 18 stolen bases.
He is on a 10-game hitting streak, and has reached base safely in 22 of his last 23 games.
Defensively, Crow-Armstrong has been the best center fielder in the league, with him in the 100th percentile when it comes to outs above average and 99th percentile in arm value.
Predictions
Who will the MVP of the series be?
Juan Soto
When in doubt, go with the guy who has a .974 OPS.
Which Mets pitcher will have the best start?
Nolan McLean
McLean has righted the ship after back-to-back rough outings at the end of May, posting a 1.64 ERA in 22.0 innings over his last four starts.
Which Cubs player will be a thorn in the Mets' side?
Pete Crow-Armstrong
The 24-year-old impacts both sides of the ball like few can.
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - JUNE 21: Xander Bogaerts #2 of the San Diego Padres turns the double play as Josh Jung #6 of the Texas Rangers slides into second base during the third inning at Globe Life Field on June 21, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Fernando Tatis Jr. came off the bench to pinch-hit to lead off the top of the ninth inning. He laced a single into center field and represented the tying run for the San Diego Padres who trailed the Texas Rangers, 4-3. Xander Bogaerts followed Tatis and pushed him to second base with his own single to center field. The Padres were in prime position to at least tie the game with runners at first and second with no outs and Ty France coming to the plate. France homered twice in the series opener, which included a grand slam, but that was not needed in this case. All he had to do was put the ball in play without hitting into a double play. France failed to execute the fundamentals and struck out giving San Diego their first out with no advancement of the runners. Sung-Mun Song then flied lined out to the outfield, which also did not allow either runner to advance and Rodolfo Duran grounded out to short to end the threat and the game. It was a difficult to end to a promising start to the inning and the result was a 4-3 loss and a series loss for the Padres.
San Diego employed the opener to start the game with Wandy Peralta throwing a scoreless first inning. Luca Giolito came on for the bulk innings role and allowed four runs on seven hits with two walks and two strikeouts. The most disappointing aspect of his start was he immediately surrendered the go-ahead run in the bottom of the fourth inning after the Padres scored three runs in the top of the inning to tie the game, 3-3. Giolito allowed back-to-back-to-back one out singles, which allowed the Rangers to take a 4-3 lead when Josh Jung singled to score Wyatt Langford. Neither team added to their run total for the remainder of the game and San Diego finished its three-city road trip with a record of 4-5.
Jhony Brito continued his return to the majors with another solid start for El Paso and currently has an ERA under three with 30 innings pitched.
Miguel Andujar returned from the injured list and the Padres had to make a corresponding move to make room on the roster. Nick Solak was designated for assignment.
Baseball News:
Bryce Harper has found magic in his bat. A day after hitting for the cycle, he was a triple shy of doing it again for the Philadelphia Phillies, using the same bat.
United States' Brady Tkachuk (7) and Matthew Tkachuk (19) celebrate after the United States' win over Canada in the men's ice hockey gold medal game at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, Feb. 22, 2026.
A blockbuster trade hit the NHL world on Father’s Day with the Ottawa Senators sending Brady Tkachuk to the Florida Panthers for a bundle of draft picks, including both of Florida’s first-round picks in this week’s draft. The former Ottawa captain joins his brother Matthew in Florida.
While the trade itself isn’t all that surprising, the timing of the move was never quite clear. Tkachuk has two years remaining on his seven-year, $57.5 million contract, so it wasn’t inevitable that Tkachuk would be moved this summer. But at some point, Ottawa got the message from Tkachuk and his agent.
In recent weeks, Tkachuk’s agent, Craig Oster of Newport Sports, had conversations with Senators general manager Steven Staios about the captain’s future. At some point, it was conveyed that Tkachuk wouldn’t look to re-sign with the team when his contract expires in 2028, and that the Senators should get ahead on trading their captain, according to The Athletic.
Ottawa Senators left wing Brady Tkachuk on the ice during the second period at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York, USA, Monday, March 23, 2026. JASON SZENES FOR THE NEW YORK POST
It’s a similar sentiment to the one conveyed to the Vancouver Canucks when they traded captain Quinn Hughes to the Minnesota Wild in December. Had the Sens waited too long, they might’ve put themselves in a situation similar to the one the Rangers faced with Artemi Panarin, who began the 2025-26 season on the final year of his contract. The Rangers sent Panarin, who had a no-move clause, to the Los Angeles Kings in February for a lackluster return of prospect Liam Greentree and a conditional 2026 third-rounder.
Oster presented four teams where Tkachuk would consider accepting a trade: the Panthers, the Wild, the Carolina Hurricanes and the Vegas Golden Knights, per The Athletic. Florida has one thing that the other three teams, while all very attractive destinations, cannot replicate, and that’s the presence of Matthew Tkachuk.
United States’ Brady Tkachuk (7) and Matthew Tkachuk (19) celebrate after the United States’ win over Canada in the men’s ice hockey gold medal game at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, Feb. 22, 2026. AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster
By making a move early, the Senators eliminate the possibility of locker-room distraction and potential turmoil surrounding their captain, and they develop for the future or have assets to play with in the trade market with multiple picks.
Tkachuk gets to play with his brother on a team that will surely be back in contention and leaves Canada, where he was booed in Edmonton and Calgary every time he touched the puck after returning from the Milan Olympics.
Tkachuk’s move is just the start of what is sure to be a busy summer around the NHL.
One of the most inspirational players in all of sports, former MLB pitcher Jim Abbott will be honored with the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance at the 2026 ESPY Awards, USA TODAY Sports confirms.
The pitcher will receive the award for being an incredible symbol of resilience. Abbott had a 10-year professional baseball career despite being born without a right hand, and accomplished one of the best moments a pitcher can have by throwing a no-hitter.
From Michigan, Abbott has defied the odds throughout his entire life. With just his left hand, he would pitch by putting his glove on his right forearm, then quickly putting his hand in the glove after throwing. If he fielded a ball, he'd again put the glove against his right forearm so he could grab the ball with his hand and throw it around the diamond.
Abbott caught national attention, as he was a star player at the University of Michigan and then a first round pick by the California Angels in the 1988 MLB Draft.
He immediately jumped to the MLB level without playing in the minors and had a solid rookie season in 1989, finishing fifth in the AL Rookie of the Year voting. His best season came in 1991, when his 2.89 ERA was the fourth-lowest in the AL and he finished third in Cy Young voting.
Abbott's defining moment came as a member of the New York Yankees on Sept. 4, 1993, when he threw a monumental no-hitter. He threw 119 pitches and struck out three batters in what became an iconic moment in baseball history.
Abbott's remarkable achievements and longevity paved the way for future athletes with limb differences to succeed in professional sports, including football player Shaquem Griffin, U.S. women's soccer national team member Carson Pickett and MMA fighter Nick Newell.
Earlier in June, an ESPN documentary about Abbott, "Southpaw – The Life and Legacy of Jim Abbott" received a Peabody Award.
"Overcoming obstacles and pushing past traditional limitations on the mound was my way of showing what is possible when you refuse to give up," Abbott said in a statement. "To have my journey and my career recognized with an award that bears Coach Jim Valvano's name is a truly humbling milestone. Receiving the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance is an incredible honor, and I hope it serves as a reminder to the next generation of athletes that our perceived limits do not define our potential."
Abbott will be presented the award at the 2026 ESPY Awards ceremony on Wednesday, July 15 at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center in New York City.
COVERS INTEL:
