The Spurs chose to ride with their $230 million man De’Aaron Fox in the last four minutes of regulation, and he missed an easy jump shot and then bailed out the Knicks with a stupid foul that helped swing the game for New York. Fox ended the night with seven points on 3-of-13 shooting in 38 minutes, while Harper was electric off the bench with 16 points. Right now, Harper feels like the better player even though he’s just 20 years old.
A strange TikTok popped up on Dylan Harper’s page the day after the game. Harper reposted a video with the title “De’Aaron Fox seen honoring playoff James Harden after shooting one of his statline.” The video showed Fox’s 3-for-13 box score line next to Harden’s 3-for-13 line in the Cleveland Cavaliers’ Game 2 loss to the Detroit Pistons in the first round. The video is no longer on Harper’s page, but multiple people confirmed it was indeed there earlier.
The most likely explanation here is that Harper accidentally reposted the video to his page without realizing what he was doing.
Harper played 28 minutes in Game 1. Fox played 38 minutes. If Harper continues to be more effective, head coach Mitch Johnson will have to make a tough decision to sit a veteran for a rookie.
Harden is a famous playoff dropper. I wouldn’t put Fox in that category yet, but he hasn’t been very good during this Spurs run. In his defense, Fox has been playing through an ankle sprain that he suffered in the Western Conference Finals. Harper is also playing through an abductor injury.
I wouldn’t blame Harper is he felt frustrated with his role in Game 1 especially after such a hot start. He can’t air his grievances on social media, even if it was by accident. Chalk this up to a rookie mistake by Harper. He doesn’t make many of them.
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - MAY 29: Jared Jones #17 of the Pittsburgh Pirates reacts after walking Victor Caratini #37 of the Minnesota Twins (not pictured) to load the bases during the second inning at PNC Park on May 29, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Pitching Matchup: Jared Jones (0-0, 10.38 ERA) vs. Kai-wei Teng (3-3, 2.57 ERA)
The Pittsburgh Pirates are on the road today against the Houston Astros looking to grab a win.
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Apr 2, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Minnesota Twins third baseman Royce Lewis (23) reacts after striking out during the ninth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
Welcome back to Thursday baseball. I had a couple of weeks off to recharge the ol’ game thread and recap batteries. The Royals played every other day of the week, so let’s see how they di—
Oh.
Oh, no.
Well, on the bright side, they took the series from the Reds in Cincinnati. Going into tonight’s series opener in Minnesota—the first of four, I should add—the Royals are 24-38, 11.5 games back of the Guardians in the Central and 6.5 back of the last Wild Card spot.
They also have the second-worst record in the American League (thank you, Arte Moreno) and are tied with the Giants for the fourth-worst record in the Majors.
Is this season lost? I don’t know. It’s hard for me to definitively say that on June 4. There are still a ton of games to be played. If the Royals reached the postseason, they’d join a list of many teams that started slowly only to rebound and make the playoffs.
The Twins, meanwhile, are 29-34, and just won a home series against the White Sox despite getting blanked yesterday, 8-0. Their three series before that one: swept in Pittsburgh, lost three of four to the White Sox in Chicago, and swept the Red Sox in Boston.
Baseball in 2026, am I right?
The Royals will send to the mound tonight Seth Lugo, who’s pitched pretty well his last three outings against the Red Sox, Mariners, and Rangers. Over those starts, Lugo’s tossed 18-and-1/3 innings while allowing six earned runs with 14 strikeouts versus four walks and 17 hits.
The Twins will counter with righty Andrew Morris, a rookie making just his second start and 18th appearance. Morris is 1-2 with a 4.07 ERA, 3.06 FIP, and 1.521 WHIP. His first start of the year came nearly a month ago on the road against the Guardians. He pitched…one inning.
Ah, an Opener more than a Starter. The Royals did well last time they faced a team utilizing its bullpen the entire game.
Michael Massey is Michael Mashey recently. He’s hitting the cover off the ball. In his last 23 games, he’s slashing .323/.338/.581 with four home runs. A sliver of good news in a season gone awry.
This made me feel old: the Twins drafted Byron Buxton fourteen years ago today. He’s one of those great “what if” type of guys. What if he stayed healthy? Dude might be one of the best all-time. And yet, he’s still posted at least 4.9 bWAR in three different seasons including one in which he only played 61 games. He’s slashing .253/.314/.538 in 2026 with 17 home runs, ten more than the next guy on the team.
Jalen Brunson might not have been the only person who dealt with the vitriol of a Spurs fan.
A man potentially involved in an incident with Brunson late in Wednesday’s Knicks win in NBA Finals Game 1 against the Spurs, allegedly “harassed” one of the viral female Spurs fans during a previous game at Frost Bank Center.
The NBA is investigating the incident, which reportedly involved two fans using profanity and making “flopping” remarks toward Brunson.
But a woman, who goes by @bluebeari3 or Blue, posted a video on X showing a man possibly involved in the Brunson incident insulting her at a previous Spurs game. She alleges he “harassed and assaulted me and my friend.”
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson has words with a San Antonio Spurs fan at the end of NBA Finals Game 1. Jason Szenes for The New York Post
The incident occurred during Game 6 of the Western Conference finals, according to James B., who identified himself as the manager for Blue and fellow viral fan Julie J. Swan.
In the video she posted, a man is seen leaning over a railing and talking to Blue and another woman with her.
As Blue shifted to bring the man into view, he turned his attention to her and told her that “it’s absolutely disgraceful that you sit like that” and gestured with his finger toward her.
Blue asked the man not to touch her, and then he proceeded to tell her, “Everyone in the stadium agrees.”
“He came up to us at halftime and he was very suddenly in our face and we thought it was like a joke,” Swan told The Post in a phone interview on Thursday. “We thought we were on ‘Punk’d’ or something because he proceeds to tell us that we are disgusting, what we’re doing is disgusting and that the whole stadium hates us. He was just repeating that very, very aggressively, and then Blue starts recording him, and then he grabs her.
This is the same family that LITERALLY harassed and assaulted me and my friend the previous honest game. pic.twitter.com/kLD6UDUeOE
“She tells him ‘don’t touch me,’ and kind of shoves him off a bit,” Swan added. “He backs off a little. It was just very jarring and it happened all at once.”
In subsequent social media posts, Blue alleges the man approached her and her friend and started “calling us names, cursing at us.” She also alleges that he was trying to get her attention, but she ignored him.
“Then he went into a full-on rant,” she wrote on X. “Calling us who++*, sl*is, etc etc. Then actually TOUCHING me.”
Blue also said she had called security, but added that nothing was done.
New York Knicks player Jalen Brunson (11) reacts to a fan during the 2026 NBA Finals. Scott Wachter-Imagn Images
“So this past game security escorted us to our seats because of last time and (from what we we’re told) they were told to stay away from us. The guy literally PUT HIS HANDS ON ME but was STILL allowed to stay at the game even though it’s against the code of conduct,” she wrote in another post.
The Spurs did not immediately respond to requests for comment from The Post.
Blue and Swan are the OnlyFans models who have become internet sensations after being spotted behind the Spurs bench during the conference finals.
Blue and Swan were back in their seats on Wednesday for Game 1 of the NBA Finals and once again were seen behind the Spurs bench.
The NBA is investigating a man and one other person as the ones allegedly involved in the Brunson incident, and not a woman whom the internet speculated was a possible offender, according to The Post’s Stefan Bondy.
Brunson seemed ready to move on from the whole thing when he spoke to reporters on Thursday.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - APRIL 9: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers and Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors high five after the game on April 9, 2026 at Chase Center in San Francisco, California. 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 Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Even as the Golden State Warriors publicly discussed taking a step back from the “championship or bust” mentality that has defined them for the past decade, this team is never actually far from taking a big swing. According to a report by Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, there is growing momentum toward the Warriors making a legitimate run at signing legendary forward LeBron James this offseason. In fact, Siegel reports that Steph Curry plans to meet with LeBron prior to the start of free agency.
“League sources telling us at ClutchPoints that the Warriors are very much open to pursuing LeBron James and they plan to do so this offseason in free agency,” Siegel said. “LeBron James, at the end of his career, he could still contribute a high level, we saw that in the playoffs. Pairing him with Stephen Curry is going to be something that the Warriors look to pursue over the next few weeks… It seemed very doubtful, it seemed low percentage, now it’s kind of questionable. Now there’s going to be some legs to this… That same source told us that Steph is planning on meeting and talking with LeBron about potentially joining the Warriors over the course of the next few weeks leading up to free agency.”
This is far from the first time the Dubs have tried to bring LeBron to the Bay Area. The Warriors have consistently checked in with the Lakers about LeBron’s potential availability via trade over the past couple seasons, per reports. Two years ago it seemed obvious that James would finish his career with the Lakers, but the league-shattering blockbuster that brought Luke Dončić to Los Angeles significantly changed the dynamic. While LeBron still will likely have the best chance at receiving the most money from the Lakers,
The Warriors clearest path to signing James is with the non-taxpayer mid-level exception (worth roughly $15 million per season), which would still mark a 70% pay cut for LeBron. A sign-and-trade could be a different path to paying James more, but that would require Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green, or Kristaps Porzingis heading out in the deal.
Butler’s exorbitant salary and ACL injury likely makes any deal a non-starter. On paper, Green could fit with the Lakers as they look for a defensive anchor, but his longstanding close relationship with James and their shared agent (Rich Paul) makes that seem less likely. Porzingis seems like the most likely of the three. Sign-and-trades require three-year contracts, but they can include non-guaranteed years.
Given Porzingis’ upside the Lakers may be willing to role the dice on a three-year, $75 million deal with only the first season guaranteed. A deal like that would allow the Warriors to pay LeBron around $30-$35 million next season. Green could also decline his player option and re-sign an extension with a lower salary in 2026-27 to leave the Dubs more space below the first apron to use their mid-level exception for another addition.
Time will tell if the Warriors are a serious contender to sign James or if LeBron is simply using Golden State as leverage to get more guaranteed money from the Lakers. However, the Dubs have few easy options to add premium talent to a roster that is sorely lacking exactly that. Even if the odds are low, a hail mary to land LeBron is worth a shot.
Jalen Brunson #11 speaks with referee Scott Foster during an interaction with a fan in the fourth quarter of Game 1.
SAN ANTONIO — It’s unusual for Jalen Brunson to be so visibly upset.
There was a reason for it. And the league has gotten involved.
The NBA is investigating two fans who allegedly made profane comments toward Brunson, The Post confirmed, at the end of the Knicks’ 105-95 Game 1 win over the Spurs Wednesday night at Frost Bank Arena.
Jalen Brunson speaks with referee Scott Foster during an interaction with a fan in the fourth quarter of Game 1 on June 3, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
As OG Anunoby shot free throws with just 20.6 seconds left in the game, Brunson could be seen talking with fans near the sideline. After the game, Brunson spoke with referee Scott Foster near the sideline and motioned toward the crowd.
He exchanged a few more words with the fans before Jose Alvarado and other Knicks teammates pulled him away.
A day later, he had no interest in revisiting it.
“I’m all good about talking about that,” Brunson said on Thursday when asked if something was said that crossed the line. “All good.”
Video that went viral on social media speculated that a woman sitting courtside was the culprit who Brunson had the exchange with. But that is not who the league believes was involved and is investigating, according to The Post’s Stefan Bondy. They are instead investigating a man and one other person.
“I didn’t even see what happened,” Josh Hart said on Thursday. “I heard something about it. I didn’t really see it. I don’t know. He’s always pretty calm, pretty composed. I’m sure the fans probably said something crazy to kind of get him going. I wish I could answer that a little bit better, but I didn’t see the interaction.”
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - JUNE 04: Jung Hoo Lee #51 of the San Francisco Giants hits a double, scoring a run in the third inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on June 04, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Playing at American Family Field, the San Francisco Giants got six insurance runs in the 7th inning that included an Eric Haase grand slam. Their nine-run cushion, plus a home run robbery by Drew Gilbert in the bottom of the inning, proved to be just enough as the Giants held on for a 12-9 win and a series split.
— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) June 4, 2026
On a day where the wind was blowing out hard to left field, Casey Schmitt hit a leadoff home run, Jung Hoo Lee had another four-hit game, and the Giants piled up 20 hits in a game that unexpectedly turned into a save situation for Caleb Killian (S 4). Adrian Houser hit the wall with one out in the 5th, so Sam Hentges picked up his first win of the season by escaping the inning.
Not only did Schmitt establish a new career high with his 13th dinger, he made a very nice catch in left in the bottom of the inning, as well snagging a tough grounder with the bases loaded while playing first base in the 9th. At this rate, Schmitt will be taking over center field after the All-Star break and become the team’s emergency catcher around Labor Day.
The 5-6-7 hitters did the majority of the damage Thursday afternoon, combing for six runs, 10 hits, and four RBI. It started in the first inning, where the Giants got an RBI single from Bryce Eldridge (3-for-4, BB) and an RBI double from Matt Chapman (3-for-5) that knocked in Lee (4-for-5).
Lee has a 12-game hitting streak, during which he’s raised his batting average by 55 points. He has 19 hits in his last seven games, which no Giant has done since Bill Terry in 1932, a year where he was also managing the team. Watch your back, Vitello! Eldridge has a seven-game hitting streak where he’s raised his average 116 points and his OPS by 300 points, which is probably comparable do something Mel Ott did in 1932, right?
The trio struck again in the 3rd inning. Lee doubled in Willy Adames, who just missed a home run, Eldridge walked, and Chapman hit an RBI single. Schmitt made the game 6-1 with a sac fly.
Jackson Chourio hit the first in his pair of two-run homers in the 5th, during a six-pitch stretch where Houser gave aup a double, home run, and another double. Still, the Giants kept hitting and kept knocking out Brewers pitchers. Literally and figuratively.
The third-inning rally chased Crow. His replacement, DL Hall, might be heading to the IL after injuring his pectoral muscle. He had to leave the game in the middle of an at-bat. Grant Anderson entered the game for him, only to leave when Eldridge lined a ball off his forearm in the 7th.
Jake Woodford came in and gave up a single to Chapman and Haase’s bomb to center field.
Woodford gave up four more singles, including Lee’s second hit of the inning, and a sacrifice fly to make the game 12-3.
Everything nearly fell apart when the Giants’ Choose Your Own Adventure bullpen tried to protect their six-run lead. Chourios went deep again off Brubaker, one of two home runs that bounced off the top of the fence Thursday. David Hamilton hit his second home run off the season off Tristan Beck in the 8th. Still, Wilkin Ramos entered the 9th with a seemingly-safe six-run lead.
Then, as Shawn Estes so poetically said, the Giants and their fans “puckered” a little. Chourio reached on an infield single. Even though the Brewers had cleared their bench in the 8th to rest their 3-4-5 hitters, the replacements delivered in the 9th. Gary Sanchez singled. Joey Ortiz and Blake Perkins walked. That was it for Ramos, and Killian entered with the bases loaded and an improbable save situation.
Killian got a strikeout and an RBI groundout before Luis Rengfio took a break from robbing Giants of hits at third to deliver an RBI single. Then Hamilton delivered a scare, but his potentially game-tying home run died on the warning track.
The wind-aided game should prepare the Giants for a weekend at Wrigley Field, delighting the hitters and terrifying the bullpen. The lineup is looking great — Rafael Devers finally got his first hit of the series in his final at-bat — while the ‘pen remains a work in regress.
Ultimately, the series felt like knocking down the widest pins in a bowling alley
Not only is President Donald Trump going to the NBA Finals once the games hit New York's Madison Square Garden, he also has opinions on the series — including about Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama.
Speaking Thursday, June 4 to reporters from the Oval Office, the 47th president of the United States was asked about the series between the Knicks and Spurs, after New York escaped Game 1 with a 10-point victory Wednesday, June 3.
“I saw the beginning of the game, and it was not looking good,” Trump said. “I missed the middle because I talk to generals all night long now, but I watched the end of that game and they were dominant, really amazing."
“Wemby is a great player,” Trump continued. “I say: ‘How do you guard this guy?' — 7-foot-5 and he’s got a great shot, right? They find a way to do it. They’re a great team, and I’m happy for Jim (Dolan) because Jim has been fighting really hard to produce such a team.”
Trump confirmed that Knicks owner James Dolan invited him to attend Knicks home games, though he did not provide firm specifics; New York will host the Spurs for Game 3 Monday, June 8 and Game 4 Wednesday, June 10.
“The answer is: yes, he has invited me and I’m going,” Trump said. “Could be Monday — maybe I’ll do both.”
The Knicks will be playing their first home NBA Finals games since 1999, and New York is seeking its first title in 53 years. The games at Madison Square Garden are quickly becoming some of the most expensive tickets in sports history, and the crowd — both inside and outside the arena — is expected to be frenetic.
Trump on going to the NBA Finals: Wemby's a great player. He's going to be a great player and he is already a great player. I’m going. Could be Monday. Maybe I’ll do both. pic.twitter.com/SBeDujD3vt
With Trump also in attendance, security will be bolstered in kind, which could create longer-than-normal waiting times to get into the venue.
“Well, I’ve been a Knick fan for a long time, and I’m also a Jim Dolan fan,” Trump said. “He’s a nice guy, OK? He spent a long time wanting to win, and he’s a competitive guy. He’s got a team that’s amazing.”
CINCINNATI, OHIO - MAY 31: Ronald Acuna Jr. #13 of the Atlanta Braves during the game against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on May 31, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) | Getty Images
As the Braves go for a sweep of Toronto Thursday night, it doesn’t seem like a very fair pitching matchup on paper.
Atlanta is starting its ace, Chris Sale. Toronto is using an opener, Mason Fluherty, and then likely giving Chad Dallas his major league debut after he was promoted to the major league roster on Thursday.
Follow along once things get underway at 7:15 EDT at Truist Park to see if Atlanta can complete its first sweep since early May with what sure looks like a favorable setup.
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - JUNE 03: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs shoots the ball against Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks during the second quarter in Game One of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center on June 03, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. 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 Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Since February 1st, Wemby has only finished a game with a negative plus/minus three times. Once was in game five of the West Finals against OKC, and the other two times were both against the Knicks, including Wednesday night.
It’s undeniable that New York has a matchup advantage against the Spurs, and it all starts with KAT. Big Purr was undoubtedly the best player in game 1, but San Antonio also made some head-scratching mistakes when guarding him, which should be easily correctable moving forward.
Give the KAT some space!
KAT’s one of the best big man shooters ever, but he still shouldn’t be guarded like Steph Curry.
There were a handful of possessions in game 1 where Wemby or Kornet were glued to his hip, which made it easy for him to drive or pass to cutters.
The Spurs should not sag off KAT, but rather stay close enough to contest shots without giving him the ability to easily blow by on drives. This would also give San Antonio’s bigs an easier time navigating screens, as they would have more room to operate.
Lastly, it’s crucial that the Spurs keep their bigs on KAT, for now. Sure, they can always have them sag off of Hart, but KAT proved in game 1 that his size is too much for any other player to handle, which resulted in a number of offensive rebounds and lobs for New York.
Even in this play, Wemby overplayed the pass from Hart when he should’ve been in a deep drop. This is a very easy mistake to fix, and once Wemby understands his assignments better, the Spurs should bounce back nicely moving forward.
The 3-guard lineup and other rotation changes
Even though Harper played too few minutes and Fox was bad, the answer is not to replace the veteran with the rook, but rather to play them together. This accomplishes several things at once: it decreases the erratic minutes from Bryant and Barnesy, limits Brunson’s opportunities to hunt Champagnie, and gives the Spurs more chances to run actions with another ballhandler on the floor. Most importantly, it allows the Spurs to play arguably their second-best player more, who should be fresh given that he’s a 20-year-old who has averaged under 26 minutes during the postseason.
Even in game 1, Harper played just 27:31, while Barnes and Bryant combined for 16:34 of straight cardio. Harper can absorb more than half of those minutes alone, and at this point, the Spurs should only be playing him, Kornet, and Big Body consistent bench minutes. Defensively, the rookie arguably had the best game guarding Brunson, and starting a lineup that includes all three guards would give Captain Knick fewer chances to hunt Champagnie, who was his favorite target in game 1. Matching Harper with Brunson also frees Castle up to guard a bigger player like Anunoby, who can play bully ball against the Spurs’ wings.
To be clear, Harper should take minutes away from Bryant and Barnes, not Champagnie. The latter should still play his usual amount, but more with bench units. Mitch Johnson also needs to match Kornet and the bench with the Knicks’ secondary unit. Brunson got going in game 1 by attacking Bryant and Kornet in the non-Wemby minutes, and the Spurs need to prevent that from happening again by matching the stars’ rotations.
These are all trickle-down effects of playing all three guards together, and we haven’t even gotten to the most exciting part yet: the offense.
Hunt New York’s small guards
Landry Shamet played over 33 minutes in game 1, which was more than both Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart. Even Alvarado and Clarkson got some run, combining for 16:36 in the opening match.
The Spurs did a decent job of hunting New York’s small guards when they had favorable matchups, like what Castle did on this possession.
However, they didn’t manage to make the Knicks pay enough, resulting in Shamet going 3-6 from deep when the rest of New York shot 8-33. If the Spurs do play more three-guard lineups, they need to hunt the Knicks’ backcourt ruthlessly, forcing Mike Brown to try other lineups.
Specifically, San Antonio needs to put both Knick guards in the action whenever possible. One of the main reasons why New York’s point of attack defense has held up surprisingly well during the playoffs is because they’ve perfected protecting Brunson and other small guards through hedging and recovering. However, if you put two poor defenders in the same action, they won’t have anywhere to hide, and that’s what happened in the play below, where New York successfully recovers Brunson from being hunted, but Shamet is forced to be the one scrambling back onto Fox.
That play worked with Champagnie as the screener. Now, can you imagine how much more lethal it would be if all three guards took turns hunting, with one of them screening? That would open up so many more options offensively and there would be nowhere for New York’s guards to hide. In turn, the Knicks would be forced to play Shamet and co. fewer minutes, thus decreasing their spacing on the other end, too.
Replace the Wemby isos with screening actions, please!!
Speaking of screens, the Spurs need to replace Wemby isos with them as well. KAT is big and mobile enough to prevent the Alien from getting to the rim, and the Knicks can replace him with an equally tough matchup in Anunoby too.
Wemby can continue shooting when he’s open, but on halfcourt plays, the Spurs operate better when he’s doing big man things. This means using his size to set hard screens (which he failed to do in game 1) and rolling when he can. Such opportunities are hard to come by, but the one play that I’ve yet to see fail is a double screening action that results in Wemby going downhill, which either opens up a lob or a kickout to a corner shooter, who should be wide open since his man will be too preoccupied with Wemby.
However, if Wemby is forced to be on the perimeter, the Spurs should use him more as a playmaking hub rather than a scorer. Similar to KAT, Wemby’s shooting pulls opposing bigs out, and this leaves the rim open for San Antonio’s slashing guards to attack.
New York’s length on the wings makes drives much harder than OKC’s smaller guards did, but Point Wemby is still a look that the Spurs should consider using. Still, even that shouldn’t be a priority, as San Antonio can run much more creative things using their guards that yield better looks.
Cutting down on Wemby’s iso saves the Spurs from running an inefficient play, while also preserving the Alien’s energy. I have no doubt that he’ll end up with a huge positive plus/minus by the end of the series, and the Spurs will need to play him as many minutes as possible to lift the Larry O’Brien trophy.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN- JUNE 16: Byron Buxton #25 of the Minnesota Twins looks on prior to the game in a Prince t-shirt against the Cleveland Indians on June 16, 2017 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Indians defeated the Twins 8-1. (Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Your Minnesota Twins continue their stretch of games against American League Central enemies, hosting the Kansas City Royals for a four-game set tonight through Sunday before a much-needed day off on Monday. The last time these two teams met was in K. C. for the Twins’ second series of the season in late March/early April when the Royals took the series 2-1. They’ve fallen on hard times since then, limping to a 23-38 record, good for the cellar of the Central. The offense has been off to a slow start, but is starting to pick up steam. Their pitching, like the Twins, have been hit hard with injuries and has an ERA of 4.62, good for 25th in MLB.
The Royals will send veteran righty Seth Lugo to the mound. He’s got a lot of pitches, but throws his slider the most and will mix in his sinker, four-seam fastball, curve, and cutter as well. He’s also known to throw a change from time to time and – very rarely – a splitter. He had a rough-ish month of May but his overall numbers this season so far shows a dip in homers and walks allowed while giving up more hits compared to past campaigns.
With Minnesota’s injury woes to their starting rotation, Derek Shelton has opted for a bullpen game. Multiple beat writers have noted last night that not-veteran Andrew Morris will take the mound first for the Twins. However, the Twins submitted a lineup with newly-called-up right-hander Mike Paredes as the starting pitcher, so maybe everyone’s lying. Either way, someone will be pitching for the local nine tonight and it will be a bullpen effort.
Morris started the season as a long-reliver but he’s only gone more than one inning once in his last 11 outings. He’s started the lone bullpen game for the Twins this season back on May 10 in a 5-4 win against the Spiders in Cleveland, throwing a clean first frame before passing the baton. (Kendrys Rojas started a game for the Twins and maybe that was bullpen game too, but he went four innings. Does that really count as a bullpen game then? I don’t know.)
Paredes has been part of the new-age starting pitching method that Minnesota has been using in the minors. Starting pitchers will go only four innings and pitch every fourth day instead of every fifth day, usually with another starting pitcher piggy-backing or piecing it together with multiple “classic” relievers. Paredes has done a bit of both the starting and the piggy-backing in St Paul, leading to a 3.38 ERA in 34.2 innings of work. He also owns a 1.125 WHIP across his nine appearances.
As a side note, it’s been a while since I’ve written and I forgot that our real-deal names are in the bylines now, so I am Imakesandwichesforaliving and will be taking care of you on Thursdays. Please sit back, crack open a cold one, and GO TWIMS GO. Also, Happy Prince Night!
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - MAY 13: Corey Seager #5 of the Texas Rangers anticipates a pitch during the fourth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Globe Life Field on May 13, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Texas Rangers have activated shortstop Corey Seager from the 10 day injured list, per MLB.com. In addition, the Rangers have optioned outfielder Alejandro Osuna and infielder Cody Freeman to AAA Round Rock.
Seager last played on May 13. On May 16, he reported back spasms, and while it was initially hoped he would be day-to-day, he ended up on the injured list. He has played for Frisco on a rehab assignment the previous two days, and is apparently ready to go when the Rangers host the Guardians on Friday. Seager had been in a 6 for 61 slump when he went on the injured list, and the hope was that the i.l. stint would also provide him a mental break and a re-set once he returned.
The other roster spot that is now open will presumably go to either Wyatt Langford, who last played on April 21, and who has been on the injured list with a strained forearm, or Sam Haggerty, who is on bereavement leave. Langford has played a pair of rehab games with Round Rock and a pair with Frisco. It may be that he is going to be making another rehab appearance for Frisco tonight before he is activated tomorrow.
Whether Langford returns Friday or later in the weekend, his returning to the roster meant Alejandro Osuna was going to go back to AAA. Osuna has been playing left field against righthanded pitchers, and has slashed .253/.376/.275 in 110 plate appearances over 37 games. With the non-Langford outfield and DH spots manned by lefthanded hitters, Osuna, who is also a lefty, is not a fit as a fourth outfielder, particularly given that he’s more suited for a corner spot than center field.
Freeman was called up to take Haggerty’s place when Haggerty went on bereavement leave. There was some question as to whether Freeman, who was in the mix for a spot on the Opening Day roster, would stick even once Haggerty returned (along with Seager and Langford), but that appears to not be the case.
New York Yankees Giancarlo Stanton (27) and New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge (99) after the game when the New York Yankees played the Cleveland Guardians Thursday, June 4, 2026 at Yankee Stadium.
Day 4 of the search for an Aaron Judge injury diagnosis involved more waiting and question marks, but one potentially concerning revelation.
The specialist that the Yankees were waiting on as of late Thursday afternoon to review Judge’s second round of tests was Dr. Gregory Pearl, who focuses on “complex vascular procedures and thoracic outlet syndrome management in high-performance athletes,” according to his practice’s website.
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It is possible that this second opinion was just to rule out a worst-case scenario like thoracic outlet syndrome — which is found more often in pitchers but typically requires surgery — though the Yankees remained in a holding pattern with the three-time American League MVP until they knew exactly what they were dealing with.
“I promise you, when we know, we’re going to give it to you,” manager Aaron Boone said Thursday after a 2-1 win over the Guardians at Yankee Stadium. “I wanted to walk in here and give you something so bad. I want [a diagnosis] too.”
“I checked in the middle of the game, I ran in and asked and we’re waiting on the specialist to weigh in. That’s where we’re at. … It’s a lot of smart people in a specialized area, and guys several states away. Just got to be patient.”
The injury concern has loomed over the Yankees all week.
Giancarlo Stanton (27) and Aaron Judge (99) after the game when the New York Yankees played the Cleveland Guardians on Thursday, June 4, 2026 at Yankee Stadium. Robert Sabo for NY Post
Judge, who was experiencing shoulder soreness that was affecting his swing, got initial testing on Monday that the team said showed a bone bruise near his right rib cage.
He saw the Yankees’ team doctor on Tuesday and had his imaging reviewed by Pearl, a specialist based in Texas, on Wednesday, which led to more testing Wednesday night (another MRI) and Thursday morning (CT scan and X-ray).
Given all of that, the real question seems to be how much time Judge will miss rather than whether he goes on the injured list, though as of Thursday, the Yankees insisted they did not yet know the answer to either.
“I just think it’s a complicated spot and there’s some edema [swelling] that complicates how they look at it,” Boone said. “I’m obviously not a doctor, I don’t know how it all works, but there’s a lot of people involved trying to make sure we get the right diagnosis.”
Aaron Judge (99) looks on in the seventh inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Yankee Stadium, Tuesday, June 2, 2026. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
Former Met Jeff McNeil is the most recent example of a position player who had thoracic outlet syndrome. He underwent surgery in October but was ready in time for spring training with the A’s.
Other cases include former Rays catcher Mike Zunino, who underwent surgery in July of 2022 and missed the rest of the season, and former Angels first baseman Jared Walsh, who had surgery in August of 2022 and also missed the rest of the year.
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Losing one of the best players in baseball for any period of time would hurt the Yankees, especially given how they have played while Judge has been injured in other seasons, but whether that is a short-term problem or something more severe remains to be seen.
“It kind of sucks not having a three-time MVP in your lineup,” Jazz Chisholm Jr. said. “But at the same time, we all know we can’t use it as an excuse. We’re all baseball players and we got to go out there and win a game.”
STREAKING THE WRONG WAY: The Cubs have lost eight consecutive games at home. This is their 17th streak of at least eight straight losses at home since 1901. The most recent was a team-record 13 games July 27-Aug. 22, 2021. That eclipsed the 12 in a row to start the 1994 season, which had topped the 11 games July 25-Aug. 22, 1902. They have had two streaks of 10 games and three streaks of nine, two of them in 2006 and 2021. This is their ninth of eight. The most recent to end at eight was Aug. 6-20, 2010. The seven before then all were between 1938 and 1974. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
HISTORY, THE WRONG WAY: With their losses in the last the three games, the Cubs have fallen below .500 — since Opening Day of 2021, the first full season after the pandemic: 435 wins and 437 losses. They were: 71-91 in 2021 (20 games below .500); 74-88 in 2022 (14 below, total of -34); 83-79 in 2023 (4 above, total of -30); 83-79 in 2024 (4 above, total of -26); 92-70 in 2025 (22 above, total of -4); 32-30 in 2026 (2 above, total of -2). In 2015-20, the Cubs were 140 games above .500, with 505 wins, 365 losses and 1 tie, for a percentage of .580. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
STREAKING PCA: Pete Crow-Armstrong is on an eight-game hitting streak in which he is batting .343/.410/.600 (12-for-35) with three doubles, two home runs, five RBI and six runs scored.
TODAY IN CUBS HISTORY: Fergie Jenkins throws a three-hit shutout, striking out six, and the Cubs thrash the Braves 11-0 in Atlanta. Joe Pepitone goes 4-for-6 with a home run and three RBI. It happened 55 years ago today, Friday, June 4, 1971.
Didn’t we just do this Tuesday? Shōta Imanaga’s last three starts have been just awful. He’s allowed 21 hits and five walks (1.660 WHIP) in 15.2 innings, with 20 (!) earned runs (11.49 ERA) and eight home runs. He was striking out a lot of guys earlier in the season (28 percent K rate over his first nine starts) but that has plunged to just 13.7 percent over those last three starts, suggesting… I dunno, velocity drop? Injury? Both?
In any case, it’s not good.
His only career start vs. the A’s was Sept. 16, 2024 at Wrigley Field. He allowed two runs in seven innings (a two-run homer by Brent Rooker) and struck out 11.
It would be nice for Shōta to get back there.
J.T. Ginn has been the A’s best starter this year since he joined their rotation in mid-April. In 10 starts since then: 2.56 ERA, 1.139 WHIP, has allowed more than two runs just once in that 10-start span.
One thing he’s had a bit of trouble with is walks — his 24 walks among 213 batters faced as a starter this year is an 11.3 percent walk rate, which is kind of high. So maybe the Cubs can, for once, be patient?
Ginn has never faced the Cubs and only two Cubs (Alex Bregman, 1-for-2 and Carson Kelly, 0-for-2) have ever seen him.
One potentially good thing: Ginn is right-handed, the first RH starter the Cubs have seen in this series. They are 25-21 vs. RH starters this year, just 7-9 vs. LH starters.
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The 2026 game discussion procedure has been changed, so please take note.
You’ll find the game preview, like this one, posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).
At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game.
The Live! (formerly “First Pitch”) thread will still post at five minutes to game time. It will also post to the front page. That will be the only live game discussion thread. After the game, the recap and Heroes and Goats will also live on the front page as separate posts.
You will also be able to find the preview, Live! thread, recap and Heroes and Goats in this section link. The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - FEBRUARY 13: Blake Wesley #14 and Malaki Branham #22 of the San Antonio Spurs talk with Darius Garland #10 of the Cleveland Cavaliers after the game at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on February 13, 2023 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavaliers defeated the Spurs 117-109. 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 Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers traded away Darius Garland at the deadline this past season, but apparently, this move was in the works as far back as 2024. That season, Garland broke his jaw and had a tough time finding a rhythm next to Donovan Mitchell. That year ended in an anticlimactic five-game series loss to the eventual champion Boston Celtics.
After that series, The Athletic reported that Garland’s agent, Rich Paul, “would have conversations with Cavs officials on potentially finding a new home for the one-time All-Star.”
Garland ended up staying with the team and vehemently denied any reports that he was possibly unhappy in Cleveland by the time the next season rolled around.
He went on to say that he was happy that the Cavs committed to Mitchell that summer and that they have a great relationship off the court.
Earlier this week, Paul said on the Game Over podcast that Garland “wanted to get out” of Cleveland back in 2024 and the San Antonio Spurs were an option before they traded for De’Aaron Fox.
“[Garland] was flustered, he was frustrated and he wanted to get out,” Paul said. “We were having a conversation, and I said to him at the time, you got to get somewhere…I don’t want you to take a dip. And the Spurs, before they got the second pick, they needed a point guard. And I thought next to Wemby, with shooting and all that. And then things changed and he was fine.”
As a point of clarification, the Spurs had the second pick in the most recent draft, not the one before. Based on when the Fox trade happened in Feb. 2025, presumably Paul is talking about the 2024 draft when San Antonio took Stephon Castle number four overall. This also lines up with when Garland was disgruntled.
The Cavs were able to work things out in the 2024-25 season as Paul alluded to. Garland played the best basketball of his career, and the Cavs looked like a threat to win the Finals. Then, that all went away after Garland injured his toe that spring.
Last February, it seemed like the Garland trade for James Harden came out of nowhere. Looking back, it’s clear that this has been brewing for a while. It was just a matter of when, and not if.
(@bluebeari3) 
