Hosts hold their nerve on a tricky wicket to reach target
Australia only set 158 despite Josh Inglis’s 65
Pakistan overcame Australian spin on a tricky wicket to win the third and final one-day international by four wickets in Lahore and clinch the series 2-1 on Thursday.
Pakistan had to fight hard on a turning wicket to reach 161-6 in 41.5 overs after Australia had crashed to their lowest ODI total in Pakistan after being dismissed for 157 in 42 overs.
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While there’s no guarantee that the Tigers will trade ace Tarik Skubal, they would be wise to entertain offers for him heading into the trade deadline. Set to become a free agent in 2027 with a potential lockout on the horizon, Skubal is a tantalizing trade chip — despite an injury* — thanks to Detroit sitting six games out of a postseason spot at the time of writing this. Although the American League has been surprisingly weak this year, the Tigers are just 4-13 against their own division, with all four of their wins coming against the Royals. If the arbitration case between the Tigers and Skubal were any indicator of future negotiations between the two parties, signing him to a free agent deal (and potentially the largest one ever for a pitcher) doesn’t appear to be likely.
The Rays, on the other hand, currently have the best record in the American League and fourth best record in baseball despite their recent minor skid. Not having Ryan Pepiot in the middle of their rotation hasn’t hurt them too much, but relatively strict innings limits to Shane McClanahan, Steven Matz, Griffin Jax, and to a lesser extent Drew Rasmussen should put them in the market for some rotation help as we approach the trade deadline.
Of course any team would benefit from trading for an ace like Skubal, but the Rays would be an exceptionally strong fit given their current place in the standings and their need to supplement the rotation with quality — not just an innings eater.
*Skubal claims he is “symptom free” following a NanoScope procedure to remove a loose body from his elbow, and is building back up to a starter’s workload, even throwing a 70-pitch simulated game at the Trop this week
I think it’ll take one higher tier prospect plus an additional mid-tier guy, and I think just about everyone is available. The market may ultimately prove me wrong, but I think the combination of injury uncertainty and limited remaining control keeps the price below the blockbuster packages often associated with frontline starters.
Given the Rays’ necessity to clear space for their Rule 5 crunch this winter, it’s more likely they consolidate prospects in a package for Skubal rather than trading away current Major League talent, and less likely they would deal from deep in the minors. Accordingly, I’d be surprised to see the Rays entertaining moving Theo Gillen in a package for such a short term rental like Skubal. Few prospects in baseball have seen their stock rise more over the past year than Gillen.
That next tier of Rays prospects contains two guys: Nathan Flewelling and Brody Hopkins. They both have high upside to be above average regulars with several impact tools. I think a trade conversation starts with one of them, but not both, and leans toward Hopkins, who will demand a roster slot next year.
Why not both? Remember, the Rays would be acquiring only a partial season of Skubal, not multiple years of control. Giving up 6+ years of control of both Flewelling and Hopkins would be a significant overpay. That’s not to say that a team won’t have to overpay to get Skubal; starting pitching is usually the most expensive commodity at the deadline. I think it’ll take a mild to moderate overpay to land Skubal, and a Rays’ trade package starts with a player in their top tier of prospects behind Gillen.
After one of Flewelling or Hopkins, the Rays would likely need to add some additional prospect capital. The next tier contains guys who could be solid big leaguers but have bigger question marks in their profiles compared to the previous three guys mentioned. This tier consists of prospects with legitimate major-league upside but either less projection, less certainty, or less positional value than Flewelling and Hopkins. Players in this tier would be:
These guys have varying levels of track record and projection that could help the Rays land Skubal when coupled with one of Flewelling or Hopkins. The Rays may even need to add an additional prospect to their package depending on how the market for starting pitching shapes up this summer. If contenders start losing their frontline starters to injury, Skubal’s price could climb, although probably not as high as what it was heading into this season.
A good rule of thumb for making a trade is that if it doesn’t hurt at least a little, it’s probably not a fair trade. No “Clint Frazier + Miguel Andujar” scenarios here. Giving up Flewelling or Hopkins plus another prospect listed above would absolutely hurt, but that’s usually the cost of acquiring frontline starting pitching in July.
For a Rays team with World Series aspirations and a looming Rule 5 crunch, this is exactly the type of aggressive consolidation move that makes sense to explore.
The NHL’s Stanley Pup, a friendly competition featuring adoptable rescue dogs, will air in the U.S. and Canada on June 8 to celebrate the 2026 Stanley Cup Final.
All 32 NHL teams will be represented by a puppy, many of which will be available for adoption through adoption partner Brandywine Valley SPCA.
The St. Louis Blues’ dog this season is named Jordan Bone-Ington.
The show will premiere on June 8 on truTV and simulcast on HBO Max in the U.S. (8:30 p.m. CT) and on Sportsnet in Canada (7 p.m. CT).
This years event will feature several celebrity appereances, as notable names are Kenan Thompson (Saturday Night Live, D2: The Mighty Ducks), Flavor Flav, Anthony Anderson (black-ish), Jean Smart (Hacks), Brooke Shields (The Blue Lagoon, Pretty Baby), Kelli Giddish (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit), Michael Strahan (Good Morning America), Joel McHale (Community, Animal Control), singer-songwriter Bryan Adams, Kendall Vertes (Dance Moms), Emma Kenney (Shameless, The Connors), broadcasting legend Doc Emrick, Anson Carter, Paul Bissonnette, Liam McHugh and Chris Chelios (NHL on TNT), and Dan Powers and Chris Powers (Empty Netters Podcast).
Meet our representative for this year's Stanley Pup 🦴🐶 While the competition is ruff, we are pawsitive that this puck hound will bring the same dogged determination as her namesake.
— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) June 3, 2026
The Stanley Pup airs June 8 at 8:30 p.m. CT on TruTV and HBO Max! pic.twitter.com/CYYCfSzsZJ
In addition to celebrities, mulitple NHL players will be present, hihglighted by Matthew Schaefer (New York Islanders), Logan Thompson (Washington Capitals), Seth Jarvis (Carolina Hurricanes), Will Smith (San Jose Sharks), Devin Cooley (Calgary Flames), Alex Ovechkin (Washington Capitals) and Bill Guerin (Minnesota Wild GM). Color and play-by-play commentary will be provided by Mark Shunock and Chris Rose, with Alexa Landestoy reporting rink-side.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
Buffalo Sabres veteran head coach Lindy Ruff exceeded all expectations last season, ending an NHL record 14-season playoff drought and winning the Atlantic Division, which was thought to make him a favorite for the Jack Adams Award, but on Wednesday Tampa Bay’s Jon Cooper narrowly edged out Ruff for coach of the year. Cooper led the Lightning to a 50-26-6 record (106 points), three points in back of Ruff’s Sabres.
Cooper received 36 of 99 first place votes, while Ruff received 26, and Pittsburgh’s Dan Muse 18. The criticism of the choice of Cooper, in Buffalo in particular, comes from the perception that his victory was more of a career achievement award for a two-time Stanley Cup winner that had never won coach of the year, while Ruff, who won the Jack Adams with the Sabres in 2005-06, lost out to a coach that he bested by three points in the standings.
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Sabres Emotionally Devastated By Game 7 Overtime Loss
There is no doubt that Ruff exceeded expectations more than any other coach in the league, as the Sabres were expected to miss the playoffs for a 15th straight season and was something that seemed likely through the first two months of the regular season. Buffalo’s turnaround, which coincided with the firing of GM Kevyn Adams, started with a 10-game winning streak and resulted in the Sabres posting the league’s best record after December 9.
Can someone make this make sense? Schopp is looking for answers on how the voters decided to go with Cooper over Ruff. #Sabres#NHLpic.twitter.com/UfRgU4ROWh
— WGR 550 (@WGR550) June 3, 2026
The perception that Cooper’s win is based more on career achievement than a deserving victory is not accurate. Other than the injury to Josh Norris that kept the Sabres center out two months, and a series of short-term ailments to Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Alex Lyon, and Colten Ellis in goal, the Sabres were relatively healthy all season, but that is not to take away from Ruff instilling a work ethic and defensive responsibility from a club that had not shown that under Don Granato.
That is in stark contrast to the Lightning, who may not have led the league in the quantity of man-games lost, but arguably led in quality man-games lost. Two of Tampa Bay’s veteran blueliners; Ryan McDonagh and Victor Hedman, played less than 50 games. Another top-four defender, Erik Cernak missed 21 games. Up front, Brandon Hagel, Anthony Cirelli, Nick Paul and Brayden Point missed significant chunks of the season, with some playing injured down the stretch.
Cooper pieced together a roster on many nights, filling the gaps with free agent unknowns like Charle-Edouard D’Astous and Dominic James, minor-league call-ups Gage Goncalves and Max Crozier, and coaxing career years out of defenseman J-J Moser, and journeyman Darren Raddysh.
While arguments can be made that Ruff was cheated out of the award since nearly one-third of the voters left them off their ballot completely, Cooper was left off more ballots and won on the strength of more first place votes.
Follow Michael on X, Instagram @MikeInBuffalo
I often wonder about the value of hitting coaches.
I mean, I understand they have a value, and even when things are going poorly, I get that hitters need someone to talk to about their craft. And, nowadays, I feel that they pretty much tell guys the same thing. They, of course, all have their own way of putting it across, but there isn’t any magic anymore.
You won’t find a batting coach like Cito anymore. Someone who teaches pull pull pull to everyone. It just won’t happen. Guys will tell players to turn on inside pitches, but no one will refuse to let batters hit to all fields in batting practice.
Two years ago, we blamed hitting coaches and Don Mattingly for the lack of hitting. Last year, they were hitting better and winning and we gave credit to the new hitting coaches. They were great. This year? Well, the team isn’t hitting, is it the coaches?
I don’t know, I hate blaming coaches for how players are preforming.
Maybe teams should hire a new batting coach every year?
Pitching coaches? I feel safe in saying that Pete Walker is a good pitching coach. Sure things aren’t always going to go well. I think he’s helped enough pitchers that I have faith that he’s good at the job. It isn’t always going to work. And sometimes guys won’t do well with him and then go somewhere else and be great. I don’t think coaching is a one guy fits all thing. I’ve had enough teachers/coaches that i know that some I’ve clicked with and some I haven’t. I have a tennis pro, who every 3 months or so, will send me a note saying ‘do you want a lesson?’. I always take it for granted that he’s been watching me and thinks ‘he needs help’. One time I got the email while I was playing tennis. Anyway, he’s great. He knows I like baseball and soccer and he relates things to those sports. And, I think, for a guy who has taken up the sport at a, let’s say, advanced age, he’s turned me into a decent player.
Anyway, let’s have a poll.
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Victor Wembanyama looked tired. And understandably so. Game 2 will mark his ninth game in 19 days.
That is a more frenetic pace than is often realized, and this is Wembanyama’s first playoff run, as it is for nearly all of this young San Antonio Spurs’ roster.
But desperation can overcome fatigue. These Victor Wembanyama picks expect a balance of the two for both Wemby and the Spurs in Game 2 against the New York Knicks on Friday, June 5.
Victor Wembanyama best bet: Over 3.5 assists (+120 at bet365)
Maybe the New York Knicks’ defense is truly this good. Maybe it has found some secret this postseason that no team has ever before enjoyed. Maybe.
In the last 12 games, New York has held opponents to 28.8% from deep while forcing those foes to pull up from long range on 46.5% of their shots.
Suffice it to say, the Knicks' defense deserves a bounty of credit, but at some point, an opponent will hit more shots.
There is only one opponent left. The San Antonio Spurs went a gruesome 11-of-43 (25.6%) from deep on Wednesday. Remove Julian Champagnie’s 5-of-10 and the rest of the Spurs hit 18.2% of their heaves from beyond the arc.
Logically, role players like Devin Vassell (1-of-6) and Dylan Harper (1-of-4) should shoot better in Game 2, again at home.
And them shooting better should allow Victor Wembanyama to preserve a touch of energy on the offensive end of the court, playmaking more than driving.
Wembanyama should also shoot better, though his 2-of-9 from deep in Game 1 would have cashed much of this same-game parlay, regardless. His shot looks tired right now, but he needs to keep chucking from deep.
Frankly, getting to the line 13 times was a means of scoring, but each blow also further exhausted Wemby.
The world may not want to acknowledge his fatigue, but it is still a reality. Debut playoff runs almost always end in exhaustion.
That is part of why Wembanyama has fallen short of this modest points prop in three of his last four games and in five of his last seven. Yet in six of those games, he hit multiple 3-pointers.
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Our latest mailbag delivered plenty of great questions, but one topic came up time and time again: LeBron James.
His future is going to be not just the biggest question of the Lakers’ offseason, but one of the biggest in the league as a whole. He’s already broken basically every record in terms of longevity while still showing he can perform at a high level this season.
But with the Lakers looking to move into the Luka Dončić era, does it make sense to also take part in the LeBron retirement tour?
Let’s dive into that debate with your questions.
So, let’s try to have that conversation with nuance, because I agree that there are multiple ways to come at this from both sides of the argument.
Depending on when you asked the Lakers during the season, their thoughts on LeBron’s future with the franchise would have been different. For much of the first half of the season, all the signs pointed to the two sides going their separate ways this summer.
Then, the team figured some things out heading into March, LeBron looked great as a willing third fiddle and the Lakers played their best basketball of the season. They legitimately looked like a contender for most of the month, including beating the team that is currently up in the NBA Finals in a rout.
For LeBron, when everything else went awry for the Lakers heading into the playoffs, he stepped up in a way that should also provide some encouragement that he has something to offer for a title-contending team.
Now, even taking that into account, there are other things that come with having LeBron on the team. No matter if he’s the best player on the team or the third option, he’s always going to be a focal point. Conversations will revolve around him.
He also brings pressure that will stress-test a team throughout the year. Whether it’s due to reasons on the court or off of it, there will be multiple times during the campaign where the team’s resolve will be tested.
You also have to account for a regular season in which he’s not going to be going all out throughout. He paces himself, which means you’re likely going to lose games in December and January because LeBron is pacing himself for the postseason.
It is also impossible to fully move into the Luka era with LeBron still on the team. Everyone can acknowledge that this is Luka’s team and Luka’s franchise, but with LeBron on the roster, it won’t fully feel like that.
And yet, even with all those qualifiers, he led the team to a playoff series win as the central figure with Luka and Austin Reaves. It truly can’t be understated, even if it came against an underwhelming Houston side, that LeBron still has enough juice to carry a team in the playoffs.
This is not an easy decision. There are pros and cons, as suggested in the comment/question, about parting with LeBron. Is it worth moving on and into the Luka era if it means moving on from a player who is still capable of contributing at a high level?
I think one aspect that hasn’t been discussed enough is that, if the Lakers should and do move on from LeBron, there is a huge statistical void that will have to be filled.
Last season, he averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds per game. If you take that off the team, that’s big, big numbers they have to replace. And that’s to speak nothing of the ways he impacts the team outside of the stat line. The knowledge and experience he has is invaluable and irreplaceable.
No one player can replace LeBron statistically. Even if the Lakers replace him in the aggregate, which is how they’ll have to approach things, and are able to find nearly 21 points and over seven assists and six rebounds per game, there are still ways they’re not going to be able to replace him.
And needing to do all that this summer with a free agent market that isn’t exactly brimming with top-end talent makes it more difficult. They could find solutions via trade, but that will be difficult given the other needs the team will also have.
Can they replace LeBron’s production while also finding athleticism on the perimeter while also finding a center option for the future? One player could fill multiple of those needs, but it makes a tough offseason even more difficult.
The Lakers may be better in the long run by parting ways with LeBron and entering the Luka era, but it will also likely hurt them in the short term.
I’m going to ignore all of the doom and gloom of the second comment because I want to focus a bit on LeBron’s upcoming contract and both of these questions commented on that.
I don’t think LeBron is under any illusion that he’s a massive contract guy anymore. Even if he is, the free agent market is going to let him know that’s the case. The only contending team that could offer him that type of money is the Lakers and they’d be bidding against themselves for that matter.
It’s hard to see a scenario where LeBron’s contract is much more than the mid-level exception — which will be roughly $15 million this year — because that’s what the market is going to dictate. Again, if you think he’s getting more than that, it’s because you think the Lakers are going to cave and just give him a bunch of money.
You can point to how the team handled the end of Kobe Bryant’s career, but I’d argue that…
I don’t disagree that giving LeBron a deal around $30-35 million basically dooms the rest of their free agency plans. I also don’t think that he is getting that deal.
Now, on the flip side of that, I’m not ever going to criticize someone for taking money. If the Lakers offer LeBron $30 million, my anger would be at the front office, not LeBron. By the same token, I’m not going to tell or expect a player to take less money to be competitive.
It’s nice if a player does take a discount to help the team win, but it’s not their job to take less money and if I was in their shoes, I can’t say I’d be willing to take less money to compete. This is life-changing money, even if LeBron is a billionaire. He came from nothing. I’m not going to criticize or expect him to take less.
Having said that, it is substantially easier to build a title-contending team if LeBron takes significantly less money, obviously. I’d question how much he wants to bring a title to Los Angeles on his way out, since he already brought the city a title. I doubt those are his motivations.
There was also the comment LeBron made about when he would decide his future. He gave a timeline of late June through August where he would make his decision. The Lakers aren’t going to wait on him, so if he wants to make a decision after the beginning of July, then he’s returning to the Lakers on a minimum. I’m not reading too much into that for now, but it did pique my interest.
If you want to make the case for why he would stay in Los Angeles, I think a more compelling argument would focus on the family roots he has in the city. Does he really want to relocate his family again for what will likely be a one-year retirement tour? Does he want to live alone during that time if they remain in LA?
Considering how much he speaks about his family and how close he is to them, I venture to think neither of those are options desires.
If I were to guess, I think LeBron is back in Los Angeles for one more season next year. I genuinely do not know what the contract will be. I don’t expect it to be north of $20-25 million because that really starts to handicap the Lakers this summer.
What I do know, though, is that moving on from LeBron this summer is going to create even more holes for the Lakers to plug in an offseason with plenty of them already.
You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude or on Bluesky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.
It’s safe to say Air Corgi’s NBA Finals appearance didn’t go the way Spurs fans probably hoped.
Air Corgi — real name Lilo — is a dog with 1.6 million followers on TikTok who predicts the outcome of several sports games by pushing a ball down stairs into a basket, was in the building for Game 1 of the NBA Finals between the Knicks and Spurs in San Antonio on Wednesday night.
But after the Knicks downed San Antonio 105-95 in thrilling fashion Wednesday night, Lilo is 0-for-1 on her NBA Finals prediction after picking the Spurs to win the opener and ultimately the series in seven games.
Corgi’s prediction ruffled some feathers on X, with some even joking the dog was fraudulent and mentioning how she incorrectly predicted the 2025 NBA Finals by picking the Pacers to win in six games.
Despite her prediction, Corgi still received a standing ovation from fans in the second quarter Wednesday night and was lifted in the air.
San Antonio’s video scoreboard even showed a dog bouncing a ball into a basket, mimicking what Corgi does on TikTok.
Even with some calling her a fraud, Corgi pulled off a remarkable feat last month.
She not only correctly predicted the Spurs would beat the Thunder in seven games in the Western Conference finals, but correctly predicted the outcome of every single game.
The dog also correctly picked the Knicks to beat the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference finals, though she predicted a six-game series instead of the eventual sweep.
THE PREDICTION WE’VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) June 2, 2026
Air Corgi shares her pick to win the 2026 NBA Finalspic.twitter.com/G7rdxFSQ67
Corgi doesn’t only predict NBA games, however.
She also predicted the Stanley Cup outcome on Tuesday, picking the Golden Knights to beat the Hurricanes in six games.
Air Corgi looks to make it 1-of-2 in her NBA Finals prediction Friday night, where she chose the Knicks to steal Game 2.
San Antonio and New York square off in Game 2 Friday at 8:30 p.m.
Yesterday voting opened for the All-Star game. It is insane that we are already this far into the season, but here we are. The Nationals have two players who deserve to start in Philly next month. Through the first two months and change, CJ Abrams and James Wood have done enough to earn a starting nod.
With the Nats on the upswing, our fans need to have their voices heard. We need to stuff the ballot box to make sure our guys get in. In the past, we have seen Nats players get robbed of starting this event due to players from bigger market teams. This year we need to vote! Here is where you can go vote.
Even after the sweep against the Marlins, the Nats have still scored the most runs in all of baseball. Abrams and Wood have been the drivers of this well oiled machine. Interestingly, Wood has been the man at the top of the order, while Abrams has been the run producer in the middle. Abrams is more of your traditional leadoff type, while Wood is your prototypical middle of the order bat. However, with their roles reversed, both have excelled. Wood is first in baseball in runs scored, while Abrams is second in RBI’s.
I actually made a ballot myself, which had Wood and Abrams starting. Curtis Mead also made my lineup, but if I put my bias aside, Max Muncy probably deserves it over him. If I had a re-do, Matt Olson would also be at first base over Bryce Harper. With the game being in Philly, I wanted to put someone on the Phillies in there, but Olson is the more deserving candidate.
When you look at the offensive metrics, it is clear that Wood and Abrams are deserving. Wood is 8th in baseball with a 158 wRC+, while Abrams is 11th, with a 152 mark. While Abrams is behind Elly De La Cruz and Otto Lopez in WAR, I still think he deserves a starting nod for a couple reasons. The first is that De La Cruz is going to miss time with an injury, which should help Abrams. In the case of Lopez, Abrams is just 0.1 wins behind him, and I prefer the explosiveness Abrams provides at the plate.
For Wood, the case is very straightforward. He is third among outfielders in WAR, and has been one of the best hitters in all of baseball. I also believe that Wood can be a star attraction in the game. His freakish size, power and athleticism is breathtaking at his best. He is the kind of player you want in an All-Star game. Who doesn’t love to see a giant hit balls 115 MPH.
Wood and Abrams are not the only candidates the Nats have, but they are the only ones who I think will end up getting in. Curtis Mead has had an incredible breakout season, and he is certainly a name who should receive some consideration. However, his lack of name brand value and the fact he was not playing every day until recently is likely to hold him back.
A couple other players who deserve shoutouts are Brad Lord, Keibert Ruiz and Cade Cavalli. All three are long shots, but have been excellent this season. Ruiz had a monster month of May, and if he has another great month, his name could be in consideration. Lord does not have a flashy job in the Nats pitching staff, but he has been amazing in his multi-inning relief role. Cavalli is certainly a long shot, but if he catches fire in June, he could have a chance due to his strikeout numbers and low FIP.
At the end of the day, I think Wood and Abrams get in, and at least one will start. Both have put up ridiculous numbers, and have put the league on notice. Abrams has taken his game to another level this season. He is on pace for 32 home runs and 125 RBI’s as the Nats cleanup man. That is an All-Star shortstop if I have ever seen one.
Outside of this past series against the Marlins, the Nats have provided fans with more joy than anticipated. We need to repay them for their hot start. James Wood and CJ Abrams should not be overshadowed by players from bigger markets that are not as deserving. Make sure to make your voices heard and vote!
Former Florida Panthers AHL goaltending coach Sylvain Rodrigue has been hired by the Minnesota Wild.
Rodrigue will serve as the goaltending coach for both the Wild’s NHL team and their AHL affiliate, the Iowa Wild. Rodrigue will also assist in amateur and professional player evaluation and work with drafted and signed goaltenders in a developmental capacity.
The 52-year-old had spent the past two seasons working with the Charlotte Checkers as the goaltending coach. He worked in close contact with young netminders like Cooper Black and Kirill Gerasimyuk, both of whom had strong 2025-26 campaigns.
Prior to working with the Panthers, Rodrigue spent 11 seasons working in various goaltending roles with the Edmonton Oilers. He served as the goaltending coach at the NHL and AHL levels, while also serving as a goaltending consultant and development coach.
Dating even further back, Rodrigue was a goaltending coach in Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, and in the QMJHL.
Although the Montreal, Que., native never played in the NHL, he did play four seasons in the QMJHL, where he recorded an .863 save percentage and a 4.38 goals-against average.
Could The Panthers Take Advantage Of The Goaltending Situation In Minnesota?If the Florida Panthers are in the market for a goaltender this off-season, could they look to take advantage of the situation with the Minnesota Wild?Joining the Wild, Rodrigue will now have the opportunity to work closely with Jesper Wallstedt and Filip Gustavsson, two of the top goaltenders last season. While there are some reports that one of the backstoppers could be on the move this off-season, he’ll still have plenty of talent to work with.
In the AHL, Rodrigue will work with Samuel Hlavaj, a top performer at multiple international events with Team Slovakia.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
The rookie ball teams were off on Wednesday, but the San Francisco Giants quartet of A-ball teams were all in action. So let’s dive into the Minor League baseball results!
Link to the 2026 McCovey Chronicles Community Prospect List (CPL)
All listed positions in the roundup are the position played in that particular game.
Just a tiny bit of news. AA Richmond activated LHP Jack Choate (No. 37 CPL) off the Injured List, while placing recently-signed RHP Christian Alvarado on the Development List.
Sacramento River Cats lost to the Tacoma Rainiers (Mariners) 5-1
Box score
Not a very good game for the River Cats, who are scuffling through their roster churn. They’ve lost 4 of their last 5 games, and have opened this series by getting held to 1 run in each of the 2 games thus far.
The big news for Sacramento is that LHP Matt Wilkinson made his AAA debut. Wilkinson, a burly 23-year old who was taken in the 10th round of the 2023 draft, came to the Giants in the Patrick Bailey trade, and was promoted to AAA after just 9 starts in AA (and just 3 in the Giants’ system).
Unfortunately, Wilkinson, as happens with most Sacramento prospects, reminded the Giants that there is a cavernous gap in talent between AA and AAA, which makes it all the more confounding that they opted to have Jonah Cox skip the level entirely (but that’s a rant for another day).
After thoroughly dominating the Eastern League, Tugboat ran into some issues with the hitters in the Pacific Coast League. More specifically, he ran into some issues with the strike zone in the Pacific Coast League, and with the hitters’ ability to stay within it.
Wilkinson threw just 26 of 49 pitches for strikes, and had as many walks (4) as outs recorded. He wasn’t particularly hittable — he gave up just a single, while striking out 2 — but walking 4 of the 9 batters you face is no way to make a living, and so he gave up 2 runs while getting pulled after just 1.1 innings. That will be an adjustment for the southpaw, who only had 4 walks in 15 innings with AA Richmond. But adjustments are why AAA exists … except, again, for Cox apparently.
Rehabbing RHP Jason Foley also pitched, which was a big deal because it was his 1st time pitching in back-to-back games. That’s a critical part of the rehab process for a reliever, and while he didn’t pitch particularly well (he gave up 2 hits, 1 walk, and 1 unearned run in an inning of work, without a strikeout), it’s a big milestone to reach. Foley is now 9 games into his rehab assignment, and about a week away from maxing out his 30-day rehab window. He should be making his Giants debut very soon.
RHP Braxton Roxby pitched well, tossing 2.2 shutout innings with just 1 hit allowed, while striking out 3. Those numbers are good as is, but underscore his performance, as he replaced Wilkinson in the 2nd inning and inherited a bases loaded, 1-out situation. Tugboat’s ERA could have been disastrously ugly, but Roxby didn’t allow any of the inherited runners to score, which included striking out MLB veteran Miles Mastrobuoni with just 1 out.
Roxby, who came to the Giants in the Taylor Rogers trade, is starting to settle in following a tough beginning to his 1st full season in AAA. Through his 1st 9 appearances of the year, Roxby allowed 11 earned runs in just 9 innings; in 7 games since, he’s given up just 1 earned run in 11.2 innings.
The hitters did very little. Second baseman Nate Furman (No. 39 CPL) had a nice game, hitting 2-4 with a pair of doubles and a strikeout. Furman’s really been hitting the ball lately, and the 24-year old lefty has an 11-game hitting streak going on. Over his last 14 games, the 2022 4th-round pick (by the Guardians) is 22-61 with 3 home runs, 1 triple, 5 doubles, 4 walks, and 9 strikeouts. He’s up to an .802 OPS and a 116 wRC+, with just a 12.3% strikeout rate … assuming the Giants trade Luis Arráez this summer, I expect we’ll see Furman in the Majors at some point this year.
Designated hitter Jared Oliva continued his rehab assignment, and hit 1-4 with a stolen base. Recently-optioned Jesús Rodríguez (No. 16 CPL) hit 0-4 with 2 strikeouts, but made his season debut at third base, the position he played most when he 1st came up through the Minors. The Giants still view him primarily as a catcher, but it seems they’re happy to let him develop into a super-utility player, which would have a ton of value (not many utility players can catch!).
Richmond Flying Squirrels lost to the Erie SeaWolves (Tigers) 4-2
Box score
This game was all about the starting pitcher, LHP Cesar Perdomo. With Matt Wilkinson and Joe Whitman (No. 26 CPL) promoted to AAA, Perdomo takes over the title of staff ace. And he did a damn good impression of that pair of more well-known prospects on Wednesday, with one of the top pitching performances on the farm this year.
Perdomo, a 24-year old who signed in 2021 out of Venezuela, was nearly unhittable against Erie. He threw 6 scoreless innings, and gave up just 2 hits (both singles) and 2 walks. And best of all? He struck out 9 batters.
That’s been the story of his season so far, which is always exciting. You expect players to lose some strikeouts as they climb the Minor League ranks, but Perdomo — who has some nasty pitches — has done the opposite. He had a strong 2025 with High-A Eugene, but it featured just 8.3 strikeouts per 9 innings … this year, at a higher level? 10.6!
And while you expect an increase in strikeouts to be accompanied by an increase in walks, it hasn’t been a huge raise for Perdomo, whose BB/9 number has gone from 2.7 to 3.5. Room for improvement, to be sure, but not exactly a concerning figure.
In all, the strikeouts — and the fact that he’s ceded just 1 home run in 46.2 innings — have given Perdomo a nice ERA (3.86) and a stellar FIP (2.86). That latter figure is 2nd among the 49 Eastern League pitchers with at least 30 innings thrown this year, trailing only his (now former) teammate Whitman. All of that is to say: we should probably be talking about Perdomo more!
No one else on the team, however, really deserves to be talked about in this game. RHP Ryan Vanderhei made his AA debut and struggled, giving up 2 hits, 1 walk, and 1 run in 1.2 innings, with 1 strikeout. RHP Manuel Mercedes struck out the side in a scoreless inning, but also allowed a hit and a walk.
Second baseman Diego Velasquez (No. 31 CPL) and catcher Ty Hanchey both hit 2-4 with a double. Velasquez has been quietly chugging along in his 3rd year in AA, where he has a .764 OPS and a 108 wRC+. Critically for the 22-year old switch-hitter, who has always been a all-contact, no-power hitter, his isolated slugging mark of .133 is higher than it was in his 1st 2 AA stints combined. He probably deserves to be in AA, but with Nate Furman there, it doesn’t really work logistically.
Hanchey has been a player that the Giants send wherever they need a roster hole filled this year, as he’s seen time with Eugene, Richmond, and Sacramento. The 26-year old UDFA has done quite well with the Squirrels, posting a .987 OPS and a 163 wRC+ in 50 plate appearances.
Center fielder Bo Davidson (No. 4 CPL) had his 2nd consecutive multi-hit game, as he went 2-4 with a strikeout, while also showing off his tremendous athleticisim.
Eugene Emeralds lost to the Everett AquaSox (Mariners) 5-3
Box score
Eugene is the most talent-stacked team in the Giants system right now, but all eyes are on one player: Jhonny Level (No. 3 CPL). The just-turned 19-year old switch-hitter earned a quick promotion from Low-A to High-A, and now he’s even more of a must-watch and must-follow prospect, as we all want to see how he’ll handle higher competition.
So far, so good. After going 2-5 in his High-A debut on Tuesday, Level one-upped himself on Wednesday, hitting 2-4, getting hit by a pitch, and stealing a base, though he struck out twice. We’ll have to wait to see the power play — he had 26 extra-base hits in 44 Low-A games this year — but reaching base 5 times in 2 games, with a stolen base, is quite an introduction to the Northwest League. So far it sure doesn’t seem like he’s fazed by the better pitching at the level.
Interestingly, Level has now played second base in both of these games, with Gavin Kilen (No. 7 CPL) playing shortstop. I still think that they’re likely to fairly evenly split time between the 2 positions, but it’s something to keep an eye on. Maybe instead of having them rotate game by game, they give the pair a few games at each position before making the switch. Or maybe they’ll just keep Level at second for a while. Stay tuned to find out!
Kilen, on that note, went 0-5, and he’s in a bit of a slump at the moment. In his last 9 games, the 2025 1st-rounder is 4-36 with 2 doubles and 4 walks, though he only has 4 strikeouts in that time. I’m guessing the Giants were hoping that Kilen would be ready for a promotion at the same time as Level, but with just a .762 OPS and a 109 wRC+, they’ll probably keep him in Eugene for a while.
Left fielder Carlos Gutierrez (No. 18 CPL) had the team’s only extra-base hit, as he went 2-4 with a double. The 21-year old lefty continues to show a massive power improvement, as he’s boosted his year-over-year isolated slugging from .101 in Low-A to .186 in High-A. The quality of contact is way up, though the rate of contact is way down: his average has dropped from .351 to .256, while his strikeout rate has risen from 13.7% to 18.0%, and his swinging strike rate from 6.9% to 10.4%. Still, a fabulous year for Gutierrez, who has an .803 OPS and a 121 wRC+, with 13 stolen bases in as many attempts and some strong defense. And a reminder that he’s only played 127 games in his professional career!
Eugene’s other top hitting prospects had pretty nice days, as designated hitter Dakota Jordan (No. 5 CPL) went 1-3 with a walk, while center fielder Trevor Cohen (No. 15 CPL) hit 2-5 with a stolen base and 2 strikeouts. Jordan now has an .806 OPS and a 119 wRC+, while Cohen has a .766 OPS and a 115 wRC+, with 17 stolen bases in 21 attempts.
But a day to forget for third baseman Walker Martin, who struck out in all 4 plate appearances, while committing his 14th error of the year. Martin has shown some flashes this year on both sides of the ball, but ultimately is hitting below league average (.696 OPS, 92 wRC+), striking out a ton (31.1% rate), and committing a lot of errors.
Unfortunately, it was also a day to forget for Eugene’s starting pitcher, LHP Jacob Bresnahan (No. 11 CPL). Like Wilkinson in AAA, Bresnahan struggled to find the strike zone, with just 33 of 59 pitches going for strikes. The soon-to-turn 21-year old issued 5 walks on the day (and hit a batter), while recording just 6 outs.
That said, Bresnahan was utterly dominant for 2 innings, before falling apart in a 3rd inning in which he failed to record an out. He hit the 1st batter he faced in the game, but that batter was then thrown out by catcher Jancel Villarroel (No. 42 CPL), and Bresnahan responded by striking out the next 2 batters. He issued a leadoff walk in the 2nd, then struck out the next 3 batters. Elite!
But he walked 4 consecutive batters to open the 3rd inning, and then gave up a grand slam, ending his night and tattooing him for 5 earned runs in just 2 innings. It’s a brutal part of being a pitcher: sometimes everything is going great, until it all goes awful.
Bresnahan, who missed the start of the season with an injury, is still trying to find his rhythm in High-A, and his numbers (4.97 ERA, 5.53 FIP) don’t resemble the guy who won Pitcher of the Year honors in his league in each of the last 2 seasons. But there sure are some reminders as to his talent, most notably the 11.4 strikeouts per 9 innings.
LHP Esmerlin Vinicio had an awesome game, pitching 3 shutout innings with 5 strikeouts. Vinicio didn’t allow a hit or a walk, with Martin’s error being the only thing that kept him from perfecting in his 3 innings. It’s go time for the 23-year old, who is in his 3rd High-A season, and so far he’s going all right: he has a staggering 0.35 ERA on the year, and a very nice 2.58 FIP. Vinicio remains one of the best groundball pitchers in system, with a 53.8% rate this year. That, combined with his 10.5 strikeouts per 9 innings, has resulted in allowing only 10 hits all year, in 25.2 innings pitched. What a great season he’s having!
San Jose Giants beat the Inland Empire 66ers (Mariners) 10-3
Box score
Finally, a win!
This was a hitfest for the Baby Giants, who had 13 knocks and 4 walks on the day, en route to 10 runs. The biggest day belonged to third baseman Dario Reynoso, who just refuses to slow down. A day after bopping a pair of home runs, Reynoso was back at it on Wednesday, hitting 2-4 with a 2-run blast and a strikeout.
Yesterday I wrote about Reynoso’s power surge, so let’s update it: after hitting 0 home runs in his 1st 30 games with San Jose (spanning the end of last year and the start of this year), Reynoso has bopped 9 dingers in just 26 games. He’s figuring it out, folks!
If you read this space often, you probably know the scouting report on Reynoso, a recently-turned 21-year old from the Dominican Republic who signed with the Giants almost 3 years ago to the day. He gets a ton of hits, a lot of extra-base knocks, and a kajillion walks … and also strikes out like it’s going out of style. To wit: of the 84 California League hitters with at least 100 plate appearances this year, Reynoso is 14th in batting average (.306), 4th in isolated slugging percentage (.272), 18th in walk rate (16.0%), and 66th in strikeout rate (29.8%).
At higher levels he’ll probably have to improve the swing-and-miss to have success, but in Low-A it’s a mighty fine equation, as he has a 1.006 OPS and a 147 wRC+. Just an awesome season for the right-hander.
Also putting a ball over the fence was catcher Fernando Gonzalez, who hit 2-4 and smashed a solo home run, his 1st big fly of the year. We haven’t talked much about Gonzalez, a 24-year old righty who was taken in the 20th (and final) round of the 2024 draft. The Giants are using him fairly sparingly, as this was just his 16th game of the year. He has a .704 OPS and a 75 wRC+, a year after having a .726 OPS and a 104 wRC+ in his debut season at the same level. He doesn’t do a lot of damage with the bat, but he has just a 6.5% strikeout rate this season.
More nice games for second baseman Isaiah Barkett, who hit 2-5 with a double and was caught stealing, and first baseman Hayden Jatczak, who went 2-3 with a double and a walk. Barkett, a 22-year old taken in the 10th round last year, has a .901 OPS and a 131 wRC+; Jatczak, a 24-year old UDFA, has a .947 OPS and a 135 wRC+. It’s the 1st season of pro ball for both players.
A strong, if unconventional, outing for LHP Jordan Gottesman, who started the game. The team’s 6th-round pick in 2025 tossed 5 shutout innings, and struck out 5 batters, while allowing just 3 hits. That’s excellent! He also walked 3 batters and hit another, which is less excellent. It’s been a very solid debut season for Gottesman, and it’s only been getting better: he’s tossed 5 shutout innings with at least 5 strikeouts in 4 of his last 5 starts, and that’s phenomenal. The primary stain on Gottesman’s debut resume is that he’s allowed 5 home runs, but we can give him a little bit of a pass there, as 4 of those 5 occurred in April as he was getting his feet wet. Those dingers are the primary reason why his FIP is a not-very-good 5.23, but his 2.45 ERA sure is glistening. He’s allowed just 32 hits in 44 innings, with 46 strikeouts, and the Giants are surely pleased with those numbers.
RHP Alix Hernandez pitched well in relief, with 3 strikeouts in 2.1 no-hit innings, with 1 walk allowed. I’ve always been a fan of Hernandez’s stuff, and he’s shown it off this year with 29 strikeouts in just 23.2 innings … though 11 walks and 3 homers allowed have given the 21-year old a 3.80 ERA and a 5.52 FIP.
9 — Dario Reynoso — [Low-A]
1 — Fernando Gonzalez — [Low-A]
Sacramento: 6:45 p.m. PT vs. Tacoma (SP: Carson Seymour)
Richmond: 4:05 p.m. PT vs. Erie (SP: Greg Farone)
Eugene: 7:05 p.m. PT at Everett (SP: Niko Mazza)
San Jose: 6:30 p.m. PT vs. Inland Empire (SP: TBD)
Reminder that almost all MiLB games can be watched on MLB TV.
On Thursday, the USHL announced plans to partner with stakeholders, including the NHL and USA Hockey, to establish member clubs in California, Arizona, and Nevada, marking the league's first major expansion into the western United States.
Los Angeles Kings President Luc Robitaille on what USHL expansion means for the future of player development in the West.
"This will create a whole new competitive layer to the western region that will allow junior-level players to develop and compete closer to home," Robitaille said Thursday morning.
THE USHL IS HEADED WEST!
— USHL (@USHL) June 4, 2026
More opportunity. More access. More pathways for the next generation of players.
"This expansion is about more than adding teams. It is about expanding opportunity." — USHL President and Commissioner Glenn Hefferan
More here: https://t.co/l5FcsRbeJrpic.twitter.com/WMvKadV7JB
The USHL currently operates 16 teams, all in Midwestern markets, and is now considering expanding to 19 franchises, moving beyond its traditional Midwestern footprint.
Thursday's announcement brings major excitement for junior players, who will increase their chances of making it to the NHL, providing the right opportunities and mentorship to play in their home country.
More details regarding club ownership, markets, and timelines for when the teams will begin play will be announced on June 24.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
Blaming officiating is something every fanbase in every sport has done. A lot of times, it’s overblown or unreasonable. Sometimes, it’s not. A lot of Knicks fans would argue that last night’s Game 1 would be categorized as the latter. And they may have a very good case.
At one point in the game, the Spurs had taken seven free throws to the Knicks’ zero. Not too long after, the attempt discrepancy ballooned to 10-1 Spurs. And at halftime, the Spurs had 12 attempts, while the Knicks had managed to scrape together a paltry three attempts. Thanks to a few calls in the second half and some garbage time free throws, the Knicks did end up taking 18 free throws, while the Spurs took 25 in total. Now, looking at free-throw attempts alone as a way of judging the quality of officiating can be a slippery slope.
Every team is different, which means shot diet, physicality, and pace can all play factors in how many free throws a team deserves to get, or doesn’t deserve to get. But in general, players, coaches, and fans alike ask for one thing- consistency. And that’s where the Knicks have a justifiable argument.
On one end of the floor, Victor Wembanyama was getting to the free-throw line for some marginal contact and ticky-tack fouls. As you can see below, Wembanyama benefited from some soft calls considering it’s the Finals.
Now, yes, some of the calls Wembanyama got were warranted. By the books, they are fouls. But what fans didn’t understand was that the same kind of calls were not going the other way. Below, you can argue that Landry Shamet tries to sell the call. And if the refs were allowing the Knicks to play with the same kind of physicality, I don’t think there’d be as much of an uproar. But those seem like odd no-calls considering the whistle Wembanyama was getting. But that wasn’t even the worst parts.
It’s one thing for Shamet not to get a call, because as good as he’s been, and as beloved as he’s become, he’s just not a star. Brunson, on the other hand, is. A multiple-time All-Star and All-NBA player, while being the face of one of the most popular franchises in the league. What’s his reward? A measly four free throw attempts. And it’s not like he was taking only three-point shots.
Brunson spent much of the first half driving to the rim and taking contact. I think fans understood that the whistle may be Spurs-friendly due to the location of the game. But some of the no-calls were just too egregious. In the play below, Dylan Harper gets a handful of Brunson’s jersey, and it’s clear as day. Somehow, this resulted in a no-call.
Later on in the first half, Luke Kornet steps on Brunson’s ankle after the layup. Also, a no-call.
And the play below was almost just as bad. While this one hasn’t been talked about as much because it did result in a call, Scott Foster misses a clear swipe across the arm, and only calls it when Brunson is fouled a second time on the shot.
If anything, the 25-18 free-throw discrepancy doesn’t do the one-sided officiating job justice. While things did balance out a bit in the second half, it was one of the more egregiously biased whistles in recent memory. Again, all the Knicks want is some consistency. San Antonio should not be allowed to shove, grab, and step on players if they are getting to the line for marginal contact.
With the Knicks’ odds of winning it all at -132 on FanDuel now, it will be interesting to see if the officiating continues to be a topic of discussion. A more Knicks-friendly whistle could sway the odds even more in their favor, while the continuation of last night’s whistle could swing the odds back in favor of the Spurs, who do currently have a -235 odds to win tomorrow night’s Game 2.
Celtics assistant coaches Tony Dobbins and Tyler Lashbrook could both become NBA head coaches next season. Lashbrook is a finalist for the Portland Trail Blazers head coach position, while Dobbins is in the mix for the Dallas Mavericks head coach position.
Dobbins has been with the Celtics since 2017 and is one of Joe Mazzulla’s four front-of-bench assistant coaches, while Lashbrook has been with the team since 2023 and works primarily on the offensive (and player development) side.
Tony Dobbins is one of the Celtics’ longest-tenured assistants and an important member of the defensive team. He is a former professional basketball player who went undrafted after an illustrious career at Virginia Tech (1999-2000) and Richmond (2001-2004) as a defensive specialist. Dobbins spent a few years in the G League, but the majority of his 13-year pro career took place overseas, where he laced up for professional clubs in Italy, Greece, France, and Spain.
Dobbins has been a Celtics assistant coach since 2017, beginning in the film room and rising through the ranks over the past decade. Dobbins was the Celtics’ Summer League head coach in 2023. This past year, he was the assistant coach who worked most closely with Jayson Tatum as he rehabbed his Achilles injury.
“He’s one of the best people you’ll ever be around,” Jayson Tatum told CelticsBlog last year.
“I can’t thank him enough for his selflessness and just really being engaged with me every single day,” Tatum said after making his return from his Achilles injury.
Before that, Dobbins worked most closely as Jaylen Brown’s lead coach. He’s widely known as one of the most patient and even-keeled people on the Celtics’ sidelines.
“Tony is always keeping everybody level-headed – reminding me, and reminding our team just to breathe,” Brown said in February. “Managing the emotions of the game is what he speaks to a lot, because the better players — the better professionals — can manage their stress levels and their emotions during the game, so that they can see the game clearly.”
Marc Stein reported on Thursday that the Mavericks are expected to interview a dozen or so prospects to replace Jason Kidd as head coach. In addition to Dobbins, that list includes Minnesota Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori, Houston Rockets assistant Royal Ivey, Toronto Raptors assistant Jama Mahlalela, and Miami consultant
Noah LaRoche.
Tyler Lashbrook is one of the lead voices in the Celtics’ offense team and a key part of the team’s player development. He was the head coach of the Maine Celtics during the 2024-2025 season before returning to the parent club this year.
Before joining the Celtics in 2023, Lashbrook was with the Philadelphia 76ers since 2014. He began as an intern in the film room and worked his way to becoming a video coordinator and player development coach.
Lashbrook was a player development coach in Boston during the championship season before becoming a head coach in the G League for the first time last year.
Lashbrook is reportedly one of three finalists for the Trail Blazers head coach position, a list that also includes interim head coach Tiago Splitter and longtime Minnesota Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori, per Marc Stein.
If either Dobbins or Lashbrook is selected for their respective head coach roles, they’ll become the latest in a long line of former Celtics assistants to land head coach positions. Charlotte Hornets head coach Charles Lee and Utah Jazz head coach Will Hardy were both recently Celtics assistants, while Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka was the Celtics’ head coach in 2022.
