New York Mets Francisco Lindor sits in the dugout in the sixth inning against the Atlanta Braves at Citi Field, Friday, June 12, 2026, in Queens, NY.
Francisco Lindor has taken another step in his recovery from a strained left calf that’s sidelined him since April, as the shortstop has begun running the bases.
It’s one of the latest signs that Lindor expects to be back soon, even as he opts not to publicly disclose a potential return date.
Access the Mets beat like never before
Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Mike Puma about the inside buzz on the Mets.
But as The Post’s Jon Heyman reported, Lindor could be back by the third week of June, which is quickly approaching, and president of baseball operations David Stearns noted they expect him back by the end of the month.
If the Mets really do intend to turn around what’s been a rotten first few months of the season, they’ll need their star shortstop to be there — and productive.
Lindor is in his sixth season with the Mets. He and his family live in Manhattan, and the 32-year-old understands the pulse of the city.
“It’s a great moment to be a New York sports fan,’’ Lindor told The Post on Sunday when the Mets beat the Braves 8-1 to win the series. “I’m proud of that group. All they talked about after they won last night is how they played for each other.”
New York Mets Francisco Lindor sits in the dugout in the sixth inning against the Atlanta Braves at Citi Field, Friday, June 12, 2026, in Queens, NY. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
Like these Mets, the Knicks were down a long time before finally getting the title, as James Dolan said immediately after the clincher, when he apologized for the championship having taken so long to return to New York.
“Even the owner said it,’’ Lindor said. “We know what it’s like. We don’t need more inspiration, but something like that, seeing them win, of course it motivates us as players and is inspiring. Want to win here and when you have history being made in this city like they did, it gives you goose bumps and gets you excited for the ‘what ifs.’ ”
New York Mets Francisco Lindor in the dugout in the seventh inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Citi Field, Monday, May 25, 2026, in Queens, NY. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
For those “what ifs” to have a chance to become reality, Lindor has to get back on the field and return to form.
Lindor was 7-for-17 with a pair of extra-base hits in his final five games before he suffered the calf injury the same day that Juan Soto returned from his own strained calf.
Without the superstars paired in the lineup, the Mets offense has mostly slumped, although there have been encouraging signs of late.
He’ll continue to rehab from the injury this week, Carlos Mendoza said prior to the game, and the Mets will see how he responds before a potential minor league rehab stint since he hasn’t played in nearly two months.
The Mets clearly haven’t played well in his absence, but they haven’t completely folded, with the hope that Lindor’s presence back on the roster could rejuvenate the team, which has severely underperformed.
With Lindor returning to short, Bo Bichette would shift back to third, leaving Brett Baty to play against certain right-handed pitchers, and Jared Young would likely stay at first base, at least for now.
DALLAS, TEXAS - JANUARY 24: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers is defended by Daniel Gafford #21 of the Dallas Mavericks during the first half at American Airlines Center on January 24, 2026 in Dallas, 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 Sam Hodde/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Lakers’ search for a center this summer is going to require them to find someone who can be the yin to Luka Dončić‘s yang as a pick-and-roll partner.
What better way to ensure a successful partnership than finding someone who already flourished alongside him?
While a trade with the Mavs may have once seemed unlikely, a complete rehaul of the front office and coaching staff almost certainly makes it more of a possibility moving forward. And a player they have been linked to, even in the aftermath of the Luka trade, has been Daniel Gafford.
The big man was a key piece of the Mavs’ run to the Finals and looked great alongside Luka. However, with the Mavs entering a new era led by Cooper Flagg, he could be one of the players the team looks to move on from.
In a recent article on his Substack, longtime NBA beat writer Marc Stein named Gafford as one of the veterans the Mavs are open to moving.
“Klay Thompson, P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford, as we speak, are the veterans that the Mavericks are seen as most open to trading … with Thompson drawing particular notice now that he’s entering the final season of his current contract valued at $17.5 million in 2026-27.”
One of the biggest selling points about Gafford is his contract. He’s set to make $17.2 million next season and is under contract through the 2028-29 season. That is a contract that is easy to find a trade package for that works financially.
On the flip side, perhaps the biggest downside for Gafford is his availability. He’s played just 57 and 55 games in the last two seasons. That said, he had three consecutive seasons of at least 70 games played just prior to that stretch.
If the Lakers are comfortable rolling the dice on his health, as they were with Marcus Smart last season, then a deal could be reached this summer. Pairing Dalton Knecht and Jarred Vanderbilt gets the Lakers into the range of matching salaries.
It would be a gamble for the Lakers to make a deal for Gafford, but it’s also a player who has had success with Luka. Is that enough to make them roll the dice and take the risk?
We're less than two weeks away from the start of the 2026 NHL Draft, and one player who could be on the Pittsburgh Penguins' radar is defenseman Tommy Bleyl.
Bleyl played for the Moncton Wildcats in the QMJHL during the 2025-26 season and put up some ridiculous numbers, finishing with 13 goals and 81 points in 63 games. His season was so impressive that he won the Defenseman of the Year Award in the QMJHL.
He was also fantastic in the playoffs, compiling six goals and 28 points in 21 games. This was his first season with the Wildcats, and he made sure it was a memorable one.
The first thing that jumps out about his game is his shoot-first mentality. He loves to shoot from the point and look for deflections from his teammates. However, when he has time, he can really rifle the puck, and one of my favorite examples came from a Wildcats game against the Cape Breton Eagles. Bleyl took a pass at the center of the blue line, skated in a little bit, and absolutely sniped the puck to give his team a 2-1 lead.
Bleyl's also an exceptional skater and can get going on a dime. A great example of this was also from a game between the Wildcats and Eagles when Bleyl corralled the puck in his own zone and started skating down the left side. He gained the red line with ease before skating into the offensive zone and made a beautiful power move to the front of the net while protecting the puck on his backhand. At the last second, he moved the puck to his forehand and rifled it top shelf to cut the deficit to 4-3.
Another example of this came during a Wildcats' game against the Val-d'Or Foreurs. He started behind his own cage and came across his own blue lines before skating through the entire penalty kill by himself. The play ended with Bleyl going to his backhand for a beautiful goal.
These two plays are just a taste of what he can do as a skater. The skating mechanics are great and they allow him to do things with the puck that others can't.
Bleyl quarterbacked the top power play throughout the year and did an excellent job. He has great vision from the point, allowing him to find passing lanes as soon as they open. He can make players miss with some really smooth moves and knows when to activate deeper in the offensive zone.
The offensive game is all there, whether it's his release, skating, playmaking, or stickhandling. Heck, his transition game is also spectacular to watch.
Defensively, he has an active stick in his own zone, allowing him to win some battles along the boards. His gap control is also solid and helps disrupt players as they try to come into the zone with control. He could still be better at defending in front of his own net, but that will probably come as he gets bigger and puts on more muscle. For reference, he's listed at only 170 lbs, but that should change when he plays for Michigan State.
Michigan State is a great place for Bleyl to go to since it's one of the top college hockey programs in the country and has a history of developing some really good NHL players.
Like a few of the other players I have profiled, I'd be more than comfortable with the Penguins taking Bleyl with the No. 22 pick if he's still on the board.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 04: A view of the center court logo is seen prior to the game between the Denver Nuggets and the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center on January 04, 2026 in New York City. 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 Evan Bernstein/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We’ve tried to write this in our head more than a few times after last night, but each time we failed. Some times our thoughts were too negative. Other times too positive. So we took a different tack.
In the end, it is what it is and overall, there was an indisputable wonder to it all. New York erupted last night in ways we can’t ever remember. This city, so often under siege in the last quarter century, felt a collective relief. not a sigh but rather an extended, sustained joy. Much of it was the joy of youth, but it was more than that. The community pride that pulls New Yorkers of all ages, genders, races, ethnicity, origin through the tough days and nights was palpable. The civic religion of basketball, so deliriously described in The City Game about a past Knicks title, once again showed itself. It was grand.
Critics can and will say the fans of the Brooklyn Nets are left in the inevitably irrelevant lurch because this day is solely the property of the long-suffering New York Knicks fans. There is indeed a strong case for that. The Nets are at the NBA’s opposite pole from their neighbors. But at least in our mind, that’s secondary. Individual team and player fortunes rise and fall, sometimes inexplicably and at a moment’s notice. We know this. So do the more honest of the Knick fans. But the city goes on forever. We love New York and we love hoops so we’re happy for it and congratulate the Knicks and their fans.
And hope our time will come soon, just as it came for them, just as it came for the Liberty last year after 28 years of futility. Will the city react the same as it did last night should the Nets win? Almost certainly not. The Knicks have been part of the city for 80 years, the Nets 15. The Knicks play in midtown Manhattan, the center of the known universe, the Nets in Brooklyn, hip and hot but … It is what it is. Like we said.
Bottom line for the Brooklyn Nets in all of this is that they decided in June 2024 to go deep into a rebuild, hoping that by exchanging picks with the Rockets and adding picks from the Knicks, they’d be able to come away with top picks in two deep and potentially generational drafts in 2025 and 2026 and hedge their bets by acquiring other picks in the Mikal Bridges deal. They wound up with the eighth and sixth picks and some Knicks picks that aren’t looking so good in the short term. A lot of that was simply bad luck and we will soon see just how bad or good starting June 23.
If you’re wondering if there could be changes coming in the front office, we see no indications of that. Indeed, the recent decisions by ownership to extend and give raises to Jordi Fernandez and all nine assistants then promote capologist Makar Gevorkian to assistant GM are indications of confidence in decision-making. Could that change if the plan doesn’t work out? Of course. The rebuild can’t go on forever. But the watch words now are patience and the plan.
Now back to the weeds!
Will Mikel Brown be out of Nets range?
Increasingly, it looks like the top five picks of the NBA Draft are set even if the order isn’t. For weeks, maybe months, A.J. Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cam Boozer and Caleb Wilson were seen as the leading men of this play. The storyline may be up for debate, but not the cast of characters. Now, Mikel Brown Jr. once seen as part of a group of four or five minor characters, seems to be joining the top picks at No. 5. As Sean Farnham of ESPN said three days ago to M.J. Acosta…
"[Mikel Brown Jr.] has now moved his name up and the momentum is on his side."@SeanFarnham joins @MJAcostaTV to discuss the latest surrounding the fifth pick in the NBA draft 👀 pic.twitter.com/KWk8gobQL2
That of course is not good for the Nets who, the Lottery be damned, finished No. 6. The Nets seem quite enamored of Brown who they’ve reportedly seen twice already, once at home in Orlando, then again this week in Brooklyn. The 6’5” Louisville lead guard checks every Nets box from skills to character. Here’s what Rafael Barlowe told our Connor Long a couple of days ago when asked about the in-home visit.
“It’s a good sign of the interest level that the Nets have,” Barlowe said. “From what I understand, it was Jordi, it was Sean Marks, it was the assistant general manager, just trying to get a feel for the kid and the situation. From what I hear or what I heard, not only did he kill that interview, he’s killed every interview…”
Brown has something else as well: star quality. IF the Nets are going to catch the Knicks, they’ll need a lot of that.
Can the Nets jump to No. 5 by sending the Clippers some assets, presumably draft picks? Hard to tell right now. We don’t how much in love the Clipper front office is with the Florida native. Also, it’s hard to know how big a hammer Adam Silver will drop on Steve Ballmer et al regarding the Aspiration scandal. In short, the mega rich Ballmer (as compared to the super rich Joe Tsai) reportedly sent money to a company called Aspiration which in turn paid Kawhi Leonard eight figures for what sure looks like a no-show job. As we noted a couple of reports back, that could affect the Clippers thinking since historically the way the league punishes such transgressions is by docking the offending team future draft picks. A generation ago, Silver’s predecessor David Stern assessed the Timberwolves five years worth of first round picks along with fines, suspensions, etc.
Here’s some possibilities that could affect any discussions between Sean Marks and Lawrence Frank, the Clips GM:
Might the Clippers decide to resist trade offers for the fifth pick, understanding their cache of picks could be diluted by the league and so, hang on to what they got? That would limit the Nets ability to move up.
Might they decide to trade the fifth pick for future firsts to lessen the pain of future losses? With the Nets having the most draft assets in the NBA by far, could that provide an opportunity for Brooklyn?
Might they decide to use the fifth pick in a trade for a star, forgetting any semblance of an organic route contention, knowing how constrained that route will become? That would also eliminate the possibility of a trade and add a new player and new needs to the mix at the top of the Draft.
Complicating matters is that the league is unlikely to make any move before the first night of the draft on June 23 so the Clippers won’t have any intelligence on what’s going to happen. A big new New York law firm, Wachtell Lipton, has been investigating the scandal for months and although Silver said on June 6 that “We need to wrap this up,” he also indicated Wachtell wasn’t done yet. After he receives the report, of course, Silver will have to decide on punishments.
Adding to the uncertainty is that the Clippers have already dispatched some of their firsts in previous trades. The Clippers don’t have clear title to their own first rounder till 2029. If the commissioner pulls Clippers firsts starting in 2029, that’s a lot easier to deal with.
A far less complicated possibility is what Yossi Gozlan proposed in his Third Apron review of the Nets situation: a couple of potential salary dumps that might be appealing to the Clippers.
[T]hey could make that happen by taking on negative-value contracts like Bradley Beal ($5.6 million) and Isaiah Jackson ($7 million) while sending out a minor asset. The last time two teams next to each other in the middle of the lottery swapped picks was in 2023, when the Wizards gave the Pacers two second-round picks to move up from No. 8 to No. 7.
So what happens if the Nets can’t get their hands on Brown? We simply don’t know how they feel about that Acuff, Wagler or Flemings although in previous discussions three weeks ago, Ben Pfeiffer of Sportscasting suggested to Erik Slater that Nets had interest in Flemings. Of those four, we believe that only Acuff has been in. Flemings and Wagler were supposed to be in but scheduling issues intervened. Then, there’s the two big men the Nets paired off last Tuesday: Nate Ament and Karim Lopez. No one — at this point — believes either is likely to be taken as high as No. 6 but there’s always the possibility that the Nets move down or acquire a later first rounder.
‘F*ck them picks’
Josh Hart’s now famous analysis of the picks the Nets got for Mikal Bridges resonates Sunday. As we tweeted numerous times, any time a team makes a trade that leads to a championship, that team is the winner, period. There’s no counter argument and despite some (typical) inconsistent play by Bridges in the Finals, he will be sitting in a float no doubt with his fellow Villanovans Thursday.
All that said, where do all them f*uckin’ picks stand? Here’s how it started:
Nets traded Mikel Bridges and Keita Bates-Diop as well as the least favorable of Bucks, Magic, Pistons second round picks and the draft rights to Juan Pablo Vaulet.
Knicks traded Bojan Bogdanovic, Shake Milton and Mamadi Diakite to the Nets along with four unprotected first-round picks in 2025, 2027, 2029 and 2031 and the Bucks 1-4 protected pick in 2025, an unprotected first round swap in 2028 and the Nets 2025 second rounder which the Knicks had acquired.
So where do we stand now, two years after?
The Nets used two of the first round picks in 2025 to take Nolan Traore at No. 19 (the Bucks pick) and Ben Saraf (the Knicks pick) at No. 26. They traded the 2025 second rounder — No. 36 — to the Suns who sent back a 2026 Clippers second rounder which is currently the No. 43rd pick in this year’s draft and the Celtics 2030 second rounder. The Suns ultimately sent the pick to the Lakers who chose Adou Thiero.
The Nets sent Diakite and his partially guaranteed deal to the Grizzlies along with the draft rights to Nemanja Dangubic, acquiring Ziaire Williams and the Mavericks 2030 second rounder. They also sent Milton to the Lakers along with Dorian Finney-Smith for D’Angelo Russell, Maxwell Lewis and three Lakers second rounders 2027, 2030 and 2031. Russell’s contract was not renewed and Lewis was waived.
The Knicks sent the second round pick acquired from the Nets to the Pelicans as part of the package for Joe Alvarado. New York sent New Orleans another second plus cash considerations.
So what’s left?
Three unprotected Knicks firsts in 2027, 2029 and 2031, an unprotected first round swap in 2028 and number of seconds that are by-products of the trade, including the Clippers pick (No. 43) in this year’s draft plus two second round picks — the Celtics and Mavericks — in 2030. Also, there’s Ziaire Williams.
The Knicks picks will likely increase in value. New York was the fourth oldest team in the NBA last season. A dynasty seems unlikely, but who knows.
Draft Sleeper of the Week
For weeks, Sergio De Larrea has been linked to the Nets in more than one mock draft at No. 33, the first of their two second rounders. However, in recent weeks, we’ve seen the 6’7” Spanish point guard start to sneak into the first round. While Mexican Karim Lopez is generally seen as the top international prospect and a lottery pick, De Larrea is the top European this year in a less than stellar group. However, he has a lot of supporters…
NEWS: Valencia's Sergio de Larrea, a projected first round pick, is staying in the 2026 NBA Draft, a source tells DraftExpress.
The 6'7 Spanish PG, 20, averages 8.9 points, 3.3 assists in 18 minutes in the ACB for Euroleague Final Four participant Valencia, shooting 39% from 3. pic.twitter.com/2SfWB3TYpB
His draft status is somewhat uncertain in part because he is still playing for Valencia in the Spanish League. Per the Rookie Wire’s Cody Taylor, he’s unlikely to be available for any workouts until next weekend, days before the Draft, if then.
De Larrea is averaging 7.1 points, 2.8 assists and 2.2 rebounds while shooting 39.5% from 3-point range in 67 games across all league competitions. He has registered three 20-point games, including a season-high 23-point performance on Oct. 3.
The 6-foot-7 de Larrea helped Valencia advance to the ACB Finals on Sunday after sweeping Joventut Badalona 3-0 in their series. The group, which has homecourt advantage, will face Barcelona in the best-of-five championship, beginning on Thursday.
(That’s not necessarily a no-go for the Nets. They drafted Ben Saraf, a similarly sized European guard, last season without working him out. Saraf played in the German league finals after being drafted! Of course, Jordi Fernandez, with his Spanish basketball roots, is likely to have a good read on De Larrea.)
“I’m intrigued by De Larrea’s size and craftiness with the ball. However, his lack of athleticism and defensive limitations are concerns, at least to some degree. Regardless, he’s an interesting prospect who should generate plenty of draft interest.”
Offensively, 3-point shooting is De Larrea’s best strength right now, and that will hold value to NBA teams. De Larrea can hit threes both off of the dribble and in catch-and-shoot scenarios — I suspect the latter will be called upon more in his rookie season than creation off the dribble. Nevertheless, the ability to rise into a three off of the dribble — while not perfected — is still be a useful tool in De Larrea’s arsenal.
Some highlights from earlier this season in the Spanish League.
Should De Larrea wind up in Brooklyn, he’s likely to serve an apprenticeship on Long Island. Same with the No. 43 pick. The Nets have a lot of kids.
Final Note
So what’s the Nets and their fans’ best response to gloating by Knicks gloating about their first title in 53 years? Norman Oder, the critic and chronicler of Atlantic Yards, had the best suggestion we’ve seen…
The Nets might legitimately say: we promise it will take less time
BOSTON (AP) — Wyatt Langford hit Connelly Early’s first pitch over the Green Monster completely out of Fenway Park, and Kyle Higashioka launched a three-run homer to help the Texas Rangers avert a three-game sweep with a 6-4 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Sunday night.
Justin Foscue had three hits and Brandon Nimmo added two doubles and two RBIs for the Rangers, who finished a 3-3 trip.
Willson Contreras hit a pair of solo homers and had three hits for the Red Sox, who were looking for their first series sweep at Fenway this season.
There was a lively atmosphere at the ballpark, with Scotland’s Tartan Army on hand for what the Red Sox billed as “Scottish Heritage Celebration Night.” Numerous times, soccer fans in town for the World Cup broke into chants of “No Scotland, no party!”
Coming in 0-3 in his last four starts, Texas right-hander Nathan Eovaldi (6-7) pitched seven strong innings, allowing three runs and six hits with six strikeouts.
Coming in 0-3 in his last four starts, Texas right-hander Nathan Eovaldi (6-7) pitched seven strong innings, allowing three runs and six hits with six strikeouts.
Jacob Latz got four outs for his 11th save.
Early (5-5) had his worst start of the season, getting tagged for six runs and 11 hits in 4 2/3 innings.
Higashioka also sent his homer over the Green Monster in left field, making it 4-0 in the second.
Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said shortstop Corey Seager, who missed his third straight game, is dealing with a mild concussion from his collision at home plate with Kansas City catcher Carter Jansen on Thursday.
Up next
Rangers: LHP MacKenzie Gore (4-5, 4.18 ERA) starts Monday at home against Minnesota.
Red Sox: LHP Payton Tolle (3-3, 2.70) pitches Tuesday at Fenway Park in the opener of a three-game series against Toronto.
When the New York Knicks beat San Antonio in game five on Saturday, it was the eighth unique NBA champion in the past eight seasons, dating back to the Toronto Raptors’ title in 2019. That’s 26.67% of the league that has won a title in less than a decade.
For fans of the Utah Jazz, there are two questions regarding this unique time in the NBA’s history: How long will the parity era last, and can the Jazz strike while the iron is hot?
During this eight-year stretch, five teams either won their first title or won their first title since pre-1979 — the Jazz’s first season in Utah. Those teams were the Raptors (2019), Bucks (2021), Nuggets (2023), Thunder (2025) and Knicks (2026). The Pacers were one game away from claiming their first championship in 2025.
In the last eight years, 43.3% of the NBA’s franchise’s have reached the finals and 60% of teams have made the conference finals. The closest the Utah Jazz got during that time was in 2021, when they lost in six games to the Los Angeles Clippers in the second round.
If all goes according to plan, the Jazz will be in the playoffs for the indefinite future. The Thunder and Spurs are the clear frontrunners for the West over the next few years, but both teams could look incredibly different in two years than they do now.
Because of current roster and salary construction in the NBA, it’s difficult to keep all key pieces of a team in tact for more than a few seasons at a time. It’s hard to predict what today’s best teams will look like even two seasons from now — which is what makes this era one of great parity. The current collective bargaining agreement that is in place for the NBA does not expire until the end of the 2029-30 season, so expect the next four years to be filled with as much parity as the rest of the decade.
So until this parity era comes to an end, can the Utah Jazz make the colorful list of teams that won in the 2020’s?
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - JUNE 14: Members of Scotland's "Tartan Army" march to Fenway Park before a game between the Texas Rangers and the Boston Red Sox on June 14, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before, but the Red Sox failed to win a game at Fenway Park. It was ugly from the jump, with Connelly Early’s first pitch of the night going for a home run. In the second inning, after a few runners reached base, he left a changeup over the plate that was also sent over the fence, giving the Rangers a 4-0 lead. Willson Contreras followed with a solo home run in the bottom half, and the Red Sox were able to push another run across after a walk, a single, and a groundout, but couldn’t extend the rally. In the fourth, the Rangers grabbed two more runs when Early again left a pitch over the plate, this time off the wall for a double.
The bullpen did its job, keeping the Rangers off the board for the final 4.1 innings of the game, but the offense wasn’t able to do enough against Nathan Eovaldi and a really strong Rangers bullpen. Jacob Latz came in with two outs in the eighth inning and was nearly perfect, retiring all four batters he faced to record his 11th save of the season. It’s an off day on Monday before a three-game set with the Blue Jays at Fenway Starts on Tuesday.
Three Studs
Willson Contreras
Two bombs. Get that man to the All-Star game.
Ryan Watson
Two scoreless innings to keep the score where it was and save the bullpen. Solid.
The Tartan Army
I love having the Scots here in Boston. Yeah, they’re on a once-in-a-lifetime vacation, so obviously they’re in a good mood, but they’re just constantly having fun and bringing good vibes. I biked around the city on Friday morning, and Boston Common was lively with bagpipes and kilts and all of that. On Sunday, the crowd was as loud as it’s been all season, thanks to the Tartan Army. Go Scotland.
Three Duds
Connelly Early
The home run ball once again ruined Early’s night. He’s left the ball over the plate far too often this season, which has gone for home runs. He also seriously labored through the fourth inning. If the Red Sox’s season continues to go how it is, I can’t help but wonder if it would be beneficial to cap his innings. He’s never thrown over 100 innings in a season, and he’s already at 75 on the season.
Precious Achiuwa, who played for the Knicks for parts of two seasons, took to social media an hour or so after the game and posted a meme from Nickelodeon show “SpongeBob SquarePants” of SpongeBob and Patrick joyously playing outside while Squidward watched through the blinds of his house.
He had been a part of the Knicks during the 2023-24 season after being traded to New York along with OG Anunoby, and re-signed on a one-year deal for the 2024-25 season.
Precious Achiuwa drives to the basket as New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson and New York Knicks forward Og Anunobygive chase in the first half at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York, Tuesday, January 27, 2026. JASON SZENES/ NY POST
Achiuwa signed with the Kings in November, just missing out on being part of the championship-winning squad that toppled the Spurs in five games in the NBA Finals.
While Achiuwa was having a bit of tongue-in-cheek fun with the moment, plenty of Knicks fans responded to his post by wanting to include him in the celebration.
“Fans ain’t forget your bro. Once A Knick Always A Knick. Thank you for your time with the team,” one fan wrote on X.
“I’m sure it’s a small consolation but us Knicks fans count you as part of this. It’s been a long road,” another fan wrote.
Former Knicks forward Precious Achiuwa rebounds the ball during the first quarter of a game against the Hawks on Feb. 12, 2024. Jason Szenes for New York Post
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - JUNE 14: Fans in the Green Monster react as they attempt to catch a home run ball hit by Wyatt Langford #36 of the the Texas Rangers during the first inning of a game against the Boston Red Sox on June 14, 2026 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Texas Rangers scored six runs while the Boston Red Sox scored four runs.
The Red Sox must not enjoy tidying up as the Rangers were able to keep them from sweeping with a win in tonight’s finale. It was a frustrating couple of games for the Rangers over the weekend in Boston but they came out quite literally swinging in front of the primetime audience on NBC.
On the game’s first pitch, leadoff designated hitter Wyatt Langford sent one 418 ft over the Green Monster to give the Rangers an early 1-0 lead. By the end of the top of the second, it was already 4-0 Texas as catcher Kyle Higashioka connected for a three-run dong, giving the Rangers what they’d been missing for much of this road trip with a big extra base hit with runners on base.
In the bottom of the second, however, the Red Sox signaled that the game wouldn’t just devolve into a laugher as they scored two runs off Texas starter Nathan Eovaldi to halve Texas’ lead.
The Rangers were up for scoring more runs in ways they’ve struggled with as Brandon Nimmo doubled in two runs on a bases loaded opportunity in the fourth inning. That double made it 6-2 to give Eovaldi a lot of runway as he eventually finished allowing three runs on six hits and a walk to go along with six strikeouts over seven innings of work.
The third Red Sox run came in the sixth when Willson Contreras connected for his second solo home run off Eovaldi, as he did his best Wilyer Abreu impression against Texas this weekend. Speaking of Abreu, he drove in Boston’s fourth run of the night — because of course he did — in the eighth to cut the lead to just two.
However, with two on, Jacob Latz came in and got the Rangers out of the eighth inning jam and then pitched a clean ninth to allow Texas to claim the finale and finish with an even road trip.
Player of the Game: Eovaldi deserves credit for putting in seven innings for a quality start on 94 pitches as he helped to save the bullpen during this long stretch.
In addition, Brandon Nimmo doubled twice and drove in two runs with his first double coming on a dreaded bases loaded chance. Justin Foscue had three hits before being lifted to get his glove off the field. Cody Freeman had two hits and drew a walk.
Kyle Higashioka had two hits, including the big hit of the night with his three-run home run to give the Rangers a four run lead. Wyatt Langford hit a home run, walked, and scored twice out of the leadoff spot. And Latz was Latz (1.1 IP, 0 R, 2 K) and Latz is good.
Good stuff all around.
Up Next: The Rangers immediately hop a plane back to Arlington to open up a series against the American League Central’s Minnesota Twins beginning tomorrow night. Texas will send LHP MacKenzie Gore to the mound to begin the series while Minnesota hasn’t yet named a starter for the opener.
Monday’s first pitch from The Shed is scheduled for 7:05 pm CDT and you can can head back over to watch it on the Rangers Sports Network.
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - MAY 13: Mickey Moniak #22 of the Colorado Rockies flips his bas as he rounds the bases after hitting a three run home run in the fifth inning during the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on May 13, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) | Getty Images
I was having trouble settling on a Purple Row After Dark topic tonight because I was distracted by the absurdity that was the Rockies game today.
By the time it was over, Colorado had scored 23 runs on 24 hits.
Every Rockies starter had at least one hit. Every Rockies starter scored at least one run.
Nobody in the Rockies lineup had a birthday today, but it might as well have been everyone’s birthday.
Which brings me to a baseball belief I have always had:
Play the birthday guy.
Baseball is already loaded with superstition. Lucky socks, rally caps, dugout routines, not saying certain things out loud — this sport has never been shy about chasing vibes. So if a player’s birthday offers even the smallest chance of baseball magic, why not lean in?
Mickey Moniak gave the theory a pretty strong push earlier this season. On his birthday, he did exactly what the birthday guy is supposed to do: he homered.
But because baseball is baseball, there is actual data for this. Baseball Savant has a Birthday Index, built by Sarah Langs, that compares how players perform on their birthdays against how they perform every other day.
Naturally, I opened it.
The June 14 leaderboard had a familiar name at the top: Greg Brock.
Brock played 10 MLB seasons with the Dodgers and Brewers, finishing with 110 home runs, 10 WAR, and a 105 OPS+. He also hit 44 home runs for the 1982 Albuquerque Dukes, giving Rockies fans a loose Albuquerque connection through today’s Isotopes.
Greg Brock was also my high school baseball coach.
At that point, I was fully invested.
As for the Rockies, Moniak is the easy headliner because he already delivered the birthday homer. He ranks fourth among active players with a 4.7 Birthday Index, and the numbers are as ridiculous as you would hope: in three birthday games, he has gone 6-for-11 with a double, a triple, two home runs, a .545 batting average, a 1.947 OPS, and a .784 wOBA.
Willi Castro was less fortunate. He has a 2.6 Birthday Index, but he was injured the night before his April 24 birthday and missed the chance to test the theory in a Rockies uniform. That is too bad, because Castro’s birthday line is strong: three hits in seven plate appearances, two home runs, a .429 batting average, a 1.858 OPS, and a .759 wOBA.
Jake McCarthy and Ezequiel Tovar are the next proven birthday bats to watch. McCarthy owns a 2.0 Birthday Index and has gone 5-for-9 in two birthday games, with two doubles, a .556 batting average, and a 1.334 OPS. His next birthday game opportunity comes July 30. Tovar follows two days later on August 1 with a 1.8 Birthday Index, built on five hits in three birthday games. Four of those hits have been doubles, good for a .357 average and a 1.043 OPS.
There are a few first-time cases before then. Troy Johnston has the first upcoming Rockies hitter birthday on June 22, followed by Sterlin Thompson on June 26. Kyle Karros is next on July 26. None of them has played in a major-league game on his birthday yet, so the sample size is nonexistent. Which, honestly, makes the experiment cleaner.
Of course, the Birthday Index also makes it clear this is not universal. Some players get the cake and the candles and still go 0-for-4. That is baseball. The Rockies have had a few fun birthday lines to point to, but the point is not that birthdays guarantee anything.
It is that in a 162-game season, with all the weirdness this sport already allows for, I am fine giving the birthday guy a start.
Let him swing. See if the birthday luck can carry.
Pitchers are trickier because of rotations, of course — although given the state of Rockies starting pitching, maybe birthday vibes are worth trying there too.
So what do you think: Play the birthday guy, or is it completely irrelevant once the game starts? Has anyone ever had birthday luck show up on the field, at work, or somewhere else in real life? Or is this just one more baseball superstition that feels true because it is more fun that way?
I’m running out of things to say about Josiah Hartshorn. The only thing I can really compare him to is Kris Bryant, but Bryant was coming out of college and was 22 when he hit .355 with 22 home runs in 68 games for Double-A Tennessee in 2014.
Left-hander Luke Little was demoted to Double-A Knoxville from Triple-A Iowa.
Before I get into the stats, let me explain that Iowa scored five runs in the top of the tenth and James Triantos hit a three-run home run. But the rains came and washed out the bottom of the tenth, so the score reverted to a 4-4 tie.
Starter Doug Nikhazy went four innings and allowed two runs on three hits. He struck out six and walked no one. Both runs off Nikhazy came on a fourth-inning home run by Héctor Rodríguez.
Center fielder James Triantos was 2 for 4 with two runs batted in. It would have been five if it hadn’t rained when it did.
Right fielder Justin Dean went 2 for 4 with a walk and a stolen base. He also had a two-run single in the tenth that didn’t count.
The Knoxville Smokies ate the Montgomery Biscuits (Rays), 4-3. The win and the Lookouts’ loss moved the Smokies into sole possession of first place in the Southern League North Division. The Smokies and the Lookouts start a six-game series in Knoxville on Tuesday to end the first half.
Brooks Caple allowed three runs on just two hits over the first five innings. All three runs were unearned, although it was his own throwing error that opened the gates to a three-run bottom of the third. Caple walked three and struck out one.
Next, Yenrri Rojas threw two scoreless innings, giving up just one hit. He struck out one and walked no one.
Luke Little pitched the bottom of the eighth inning and got the win in his first game with the Smokies since 2023. Little walked a batter with one out, but then he picked him off first base. The he allowed a two-out single before finishing off the inning with his only strikeout.
Erian Rodriguez pitched the ninth and got his first professional save. He gave up a two-out single, but no other baserunners. Rodriguez struck out two.
DH Andy Garriola hit a sacrifice fly that scored catcher Owen Ayers in the top of the ninth that ended up being the winning run. Garriola went 1 for 4 with a triple and the sac fly. He scored once.
Ayers doubled twice and walked once in a 2 for 4 afternoon.
First baseman Cameron Sisneros hit a solo home run in the top of the eighth to tie the score. It was Sisneros’ first Double-A home run and seventh overall. Sisneros was a perfect 2 for 2 with two walks.
Third baseman Jefferson Rojas was 3 for 5 and scored once.
Right fielder Alex Ramírez went 2 for 5 with three steals.
Alfredo Romero pitched the first three innings, allowing three runs on three hits. All three runs came on a home run in the top of the third. Romero walked two and struck out four.
Nazier Mulé handled the next three innings and got the win. Mulé allowed just one hit and no runs. He struck out four and walked two.
Kenton Egbert, Nate Williams and Ethan Bell each threw a scoreless inning to close out the game in non-save situations.
DH Josiah Hartshorn did it again with a solo home run in the eighth inning. It was Hartshorn’s eighth home run in 18 games in South Bend and 13th overall. Hartshorn went 3 for 4 with a walk, the home run and a stolen base. He scored twice and had two overall runs batted in.
Back in the fifth inning, right fielder Miguel Useche hit a three-run home run, his seventh with South Bend and eighth overall. Useche went 1 for 4 and he was hit by a pitch.
Left fielder Jose Escobar hit a two-run triple in the bottom of the first inning. Escobar went 1 for 3 with two walks and the triple.
Second baseman Alex Madera was 2 for 5 with three steals. He scored one run.
Third baseman Matt Halbach went 2 for 5 and scored twice.
Starter Pierce Coppola went four innings and allowed just one run on three hits. Coppola walked two and struck out three.
David Bracho gave up a three-run home run in the seventh, but he got the win because Coppola didn’t go five innings. Bracho’s final line was three runs on one hit over four innings. Bracho walked four and struck out four.
Jordan Henriquez came on in the ninth to get the save with a 6-4 lead. After retiring the first two batters of the inning, he gave up a solo home run. Then Henriquez got a ground out to end the game and record the save. He struck out one.
Right fielder Alexey Lumpuy led off the bottom of the first inning with a solo home run, his third of the year. Lumpuy was 1 for 3 with a walk and a hit by pitch.
In the fourth inning, left flieder Geuri Lubo homered with the bases empty. It was Lubo’s fourth home run of the season. Lubo was 2 for 4.
Catcher Logan Poteet hit the Pelicans third and final home run of the game with a man on in the fifth. Poteet now has ten home runs this year. Poteet also had an RBI double in the third inning, giving him three RBI on the game. Poteet went 3 for 4 with the double and the home run.
Lumpuy homers to lead off the bottom of the first.
Alexey Lumpuy goes yard for the second night in a row!
BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 15: Barry Bonds attends Harold and Carole Pump Foundation 25th Anniversary Celebrity Dinner at The Beverly Hilton on August 15, 2025 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Michael Tullberg/Getty Images) | Getty Images
This team, amiright? One of the streakiest teams I can remember for a while. Can a team this streaky maintain its long term status and get into the playoffs, or will the streaking eventually catch up?
C. Wesley Baier: It is very easy to forget how long a 162 game season is and even easier to fall into the trap of recency bias. By the time this roundtable is published, the D’Backs will still have over 90 games left to play. I honestly can’t answer that question until we have a better idea of what this lineup and roster is going to look like by the end of the month..
Spencer: We aren’t even the streakiest team in MLB this season (hello North Side little bears). I think a streaky team has a better than average chance to make the playoffs because they rack up wins. But the ones that do make it on the back of 1-3 top tier skills. I don’t think this Arizona has those skills.
James Attwood: It is going to largely depend on how often the negative streakiness of the offense and pitching line up with each other. This team still has some serious issues that need to be addressed, including left-handed power and reliable starting pitching. It will be difficult enough to address one of those, much less both. The best chance the team has of keeping things going in the right direction is if the youth movement continues to develop and impress.
Makakilo: Yes, they can reach the playoffs. This season, the longest losing streak is 4 games. This is favorable because in 2023, when the Diamondbacks made the playoffs, they had three 6-game losing streaks, a 5-game losing streak, and at least three 4-game losing streaks.
Justin:I think we end up right around 81-81. We will have some stretches where we look like we can take on anyone and other stretches where we….won’t.
Ben: I don’t know if this team is really that streaky or if they’re just inconsistent. The current iteration of the Cubs feels like a more accurate representation of streaky with multiple 10-game streaks of winning or losing. This D-Backs club I think more likely just took advantage of some softer parts of their schedule that might have been more of a mirage than anything else.
Jordan Lawler is back. Do you think its more likely we get the Lawler we saw the first couple cups of coffee or more what we saw at the start of the season
C. Wesley Baier: I’m confident that the Jordan J.J. Lawlar we’re seeing this season is the real deal, because that’s the hitter I saw when the Dbacks drafted him. Every first round prospect has the raw talent to succeed, but not all of them have the makeup to overcome multiple injuries or being terrible for the first time in their life like like Lawlar has. Triple-J always seemed like he had that special “Je ne sais quoi” to eventually figure it out.
Spencer: Lawlar is an immensely talented player who gets hurt constantly. He’s Royce Lewis and Byron Buxton. I think we get the good version for however long he stays on the field. He’s turned a corner and is finally capable of hitting MLB pitching.
James Attwood:I figure it will be somewhere in-between, but leaning towards the opening of this season. He is going to have to stay healthy though, which might be his single-biggest challenge.
Makakilo: With the caveat that 25 PAs is a small sample size, the following stats indicate that he can maintain his excellent batting. .311 xBA, .479 xSLG, .386 xwOBA, 27.5% squared up, and 40.0% hard hits.
Justin: I think he needs an extended look. 34 PAs in 2023 and 74 last year. I might be in the minority, but I am not ready to write him off.
Ben: I suspect he’ll get off to a slow start as he works back from his injury, but I think he showed enough at the start of the season to give me confidence that he can be a productive part of the lineup which would feel like a victory in and of itself after his injury history.
Puk took a step back in his rehab, seemingly continuing a trend of Dbacks players to do so. Is this a concerning pattern or just noise?
C. Wesley Baier: It’s just noise at this point. I do think the organization should look to improve though, and one of the ways they can do that is improving in this area, even if they’re not anywhere near the worst in this regard. It might be a good idea to take a look at all the IL setbacks over the last few seasons and identify what, if any, external causes of those setbacks might be, and try to eliminate them from happening again, if possible. Maybe they need to take a look at what the “healthiest” organization do to keep their players off the Injured List?
Spencer: Concerning pattern brought on by a desperate team. But it happens and it is what it is.
James Attwood: At this stage, going back more than a year now, it is difficult to see this as anything other than a pattern. Exacerbating the issue is that this is a make-or-break season for a number of Diamondbacks, including Mike Hazen and Torey Lovullo. That means guys pressing (or being pressed) to come back as quickly as possible. Expecting Burnes to return before mid-August was always optimistic in my opinion, and that was before he suffered his recent setback. Now, he’s out until September. The reality is, he should be out until 2027, to make sure he returns 100% healthy. A.J. Puk’s timetable was a more rapid one as he underwent a different procedure, but still a major one. Given Puk already has one foot out the door, the push to rush him back did more to help him with showcasing himself for the trade deadline (or free agency) than it did to help the team win more games over the rest of the season. At this point, especially as the team continues to hover around the .500 mark, they should be slowing recoveries, not accelerating them.
Makakilo: Injuries (and reinjuries) will always be somewhat unpredictable (noisy). Nevertheless, my view is that the ratio of supinated to pronated pitches will impact the frequency of pitcher injury. A fan perspective of pitcher injuries follows:
Justin: It speaks to the depth, or lack there of, where we were depending so much on renforcements arriving. Puk will get back when he gets back, JMart. Burnes might as well not even come back as far as I am concerned.
Ben: I think it’s likely just noise/function of pitcher delivery. As far as I remember, there was no setbacks for Pavin Smith or Jordan Lawlar in their respective rehab and Lourdes Gurriel Jr came back earlier than expected. I understand fans are frustrated by setbacks because the process feels so opaque and they want to blame the training staff, but I think that’s just misdirected anger.
Jack brought up an interesting suggestion, that he believed MLB should allow therapeutic corticosteroids for rehabbing players. Is that something you would agree with, and is that something MLB could allow and manage in such a way that it would not be abused?
C. Wesley Baier: Doctors and other licenced healthcare professionals should be able to treat their patients with whatever is in the best interest of their patient’s health. Banning substances that have legitimate medical uses, that are medically appropriate for a patient’s condition is legal and ethical landmine, and unsurprisingly something I have a problem with. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is commonly treated with various amphetamines, which players already can get a medical exemption for, because it’s what is medically appropriate more often than not. I mention that specifically because MLB has quite the history of its players abusing Amphetamines (along with literally every single stimulant known to humankind, see my last article for some examples), and that’s most often to combat the fatigue that comes with an extremely long season, or to mentally focus, because you have undiagnosed ADHD.
James Attwood: MLB has a very sticky situation on their hands that is 100% a problem of their own making. By turning a blind eye to players going from being administered HGH as part of their recovery process (hello Barry Bonds) to more than 50% of the league on HGH or related steroids (still here Barry?), the integrity of the game’s hallowed records has come under constant attack. Now, to try and clean up their mess, MLB is forced to implement rules that do not have the best recovery outcomes for players in mind. Instead of allowing closely-regulated treatment of rehabbing players, they are forced to put players in the position of less effective treatments in order to “keep the game clean”. One of the problems here though, is that as the players are getting bigger, stronger, and faster, they are needing more and more aggressive therapies to rehabilitate from injury. It is something that, if they were smart and honestly interested in the long-term health of their rank and file, the MLBPA would be addressing in the upcoming CBA. It might well be that we have come to the point that MLB is going to need to allow modern medicine back into the sport, but closely regulated and with strict oversight. Perhaps an independent rehabilitation panel that answers only to the Commissioner’s Office instead of the team could be created. I’m sure there are issues with that as well, but it at least starts the conversation. Baseball fans want to see Aaron Judge, Shohei Ohtani, Tarik Skubal Jacob Misiorowski, et al on the field not on the IL.
Makakilo: My impression (I could be wrong) is that doctors can submit pre-treatment paperwork to MLB to request approval to use PEDs, including corticosteroids. My opinion is based on these two quotes about the investigation of the Dodgers team doctor.
“MLB players, like UFC fighters, can receive a special exemption to use certain banned substances.” link: https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/dodgers-doctor-neal-elattrache-performance-enhancing-drugs-conor-mcgregor/
“[Neil] ElAttrache [Dodgers team doctor] told the NYT that after McGregor [UFC fighter] saw the specialist, the doctor wrote a letter to support McGregor’s application for a special exemption, which would’ve allowed him to use performance-enhancing drugs without facing a penalty.” link: https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/dodgers/2026/06/11/mlb-dodgers-doctor-connection-conor-mcgregor-treatment/90517303007/
Justin: I guess I agree with. Like the question asks, they would have to figure out a way to manage it so it isn’t abused.
Ben: I’m not a medical expert so I won’t pretend to understand what corticosteroids do on a molecular or medical level, but I’m on board with any strategy that might ease the pain of the actual participants in my favorite sport. If they can find a way to apply them to either improve rehabilitation times without abuse or giving some players an advantage, then I’m all for it. But I suspect there would be some significant side effects that would need to be dealt with before MLB would approve it.
NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 16: A generic photo of the Larry O'Brien championship trophy during the NBC Sports and Rockefeller Center 30 Rocks Activation in Celebration of the NBA's Return to NBC and Peacock on October 16, 2025 at Rockefeller Center in New York , New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The New York Knicks, for the first time since 1973, are NBA champions. Their victory represents something unique in the modern NBA. They are the first team since Isiah Thomas and the 1990 Detroit Pistons to be led by an undersized, physical guard all the way to a championship. Sure, you can point to Steph Curry as the best player on the Golden State Warriors dynasty. But Curry doesn’t occupy the same space as Jalen Brunson. And once Kevin Durant arrived in Golden State, much of the burden was lifted from Curry’s shoulders for two of those four championships.
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – JUNE 13: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks celebrates with the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy after the victory against the San Antonio Spurs in Game Five of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center on June 13, 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
Brunson is different. He is the exception to the rule. Historically, smaller players struggle to withstand the physical toll of four consecutive playoff rounds. I think of how Chris Paul broke down in 2021 and am reminded that’s one of the reasons teams built around undersized guards rarely end up holding the Larry O’Brien Trophy at the end of the season. Yet that’s exactly what Brunson and the Knicks accomplished.
The NBA has always been a copycat league. Whenever a team wins a championship, the natural reaction is to point to that team and declare it the blueprint. Front offices study it. Fans debate it. Media members write about it. Everyone searches for the secret formula.
What I find fascinating about the Knicks’ title run is that it serves as another reminder that there is no singular blueprint. In fact, this is now the third consecutive season in which the league’s perceived North Star has changed. Three years ago, the focus was on one model. Then another champion emerged and shifted the conversation. Now the Knicks have done it again.
Three seasons ago, the Boston Celtics hoisted the trophy in 2024. Their recipe for success was straightforward. Build from within around two elite wings in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, then supplement that core through the trade market. They added Kristaps Porzingis, Derrick White, and Jrue Holiday, creating a roster that was deep, versatile, and built to complement its stars. They also leaned heavily into modern basketball. The Celtics attempted more three-pointers per game than any team in the league while finishing second in three-point percentage. They combined elite shooting with elite roster construction and rode that formula to a championship.
The following season, the Oklahoma City Thunder won the title. Their path looked completely different. Yes, they benefited from acquiring Shai Gilgeous Alexander in the Paul George trade, and yes, he developed into an MVP-caliber player. But Oklahoma City’s blueprint centered on drafting and development. They identified Shai as their cornerstone, then strategically surrounded him with players and archetypes that complemented his skill set while creating one of the most disruptive defenses in basketball.
Then came this season and the New York Knicks. Their roster was assembled through a completely different process. Jalen Brunson arrived via free agency, but much of the roster around him was built through trades. Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, and Josh Hart all arrived through deals that required New York to part with significant assets.
In many ways, the Knicks are an example of what the Suns attempted to become in 2023. Phoenix pushed its chips to the center of the table, sacrificing future assets in pursuit of a championship. The Knicks did the same thing. The difference is that New York found the right combination of players, chemistry, timing, and health to make it work.
That’s the lesson. Many teams attempt to build a champion through aggressive trades. Very few actually pull it off. This time, the Knicks did.
All of this is a reminder that there is no singular blueprint for building a champion in the NBA. This isn’t the NFL, where a dominant running game and consistent defense can dramatically raise your ceiling. This isn’t Major League Baseball, where the absence of a salary cap allows teams to backload contracts, stockpile talent, and overwhelm opponents with financial muscle.
The NBA is different. It’s restrictive. It’s unforgiving. And it requires an incredible amount of precision to build a contender, let alone a champion. What the last three seasons have shown us is that there are multiple paths to the top of the mountain. Boston built around homegrown stars and supplemented them through trades. Oklahoma City built through patience, drafting, and development. New York aggressively utilized the trade market and surrounded its star with complementary pieces that fit.
Different paths. Same destination. So, how does this relate to the Phoenix Suns?
Well, the Suns are operating with a $23.2 million anvil tied to their ankle in the form of dead cap money. Every decision they make is impacted by it. Every move they consider has to be weighed against it. It limits flexibility, limits options, and limits margin for error. If Phoenix were somehow able to navigate those challenges and win a championship during this era, it might be the most impressive accomplishment of all the examples we’ve discussed.
But that’s also why there should be hope. The last three champions have reminded us that there isn’t only one way to build a winner. There isn’t a universal formula that guarantees success. Every organization has different circumstances, different strengths, and different obstacles. The challenge is identifying who you are, committing to a direction, and executing it better than everyone else. That’s the task in front of the Phoenix Suns. And while the road ahead is difficult, recent NBA history reminds us that difficult doesn’t mean impossible.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JUNE 8: Jeffrey Springs #59 of the Athletics walks off the mound in the top of the fourth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Las Vegas Ballpark on June 8, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Justine Willard/Athletics/Getty Images) | Getty Images
No, not because of the score, humiliating as it was, and not because of the venue, which “is what it is” and was always going to be that. It’s the decisions that were made with full knowledge of the context that make fans rightly wonder who is minding the store.
The fact is, fans don’t actually want to be smarter than management — they want to pretend to be, but they want to be wrong because they want their team to be well run. One of the worst aspects of fandom is the helpless feeling of watching decisions you know are dumb but can do nothing to control.
Fortunately, most often fans “know that they’re smarter” but in fact are only smarter in hindsight. It’s when foresight is 20/20 that nerves are touched even in a game that winds up being a loss by 2 touchdowns. Let’s count the number of obvious blunders that were blunders before they happened — and then showed why.
1. As I proclaimed loudly, before the home stand began, to anyone who would listen (nobody), the last thing you wanted to do was to line up Jeffrey Springs to start twice in a 6-game home stand in the launching pad that is Summerlin. JT Ginn would have been on turn, Mason Barnett could have pitched in tandem as part of a bullpen game, and Springs could have been pushed back to Monday.
Predictably, Springs got shelled again for 8 runs and 3 HR in 4 IP — with 2 of the HRs coming on exit velocities that needed a boost from the desert air.
2. I will accept that Nick Kurtz needed a day off of 1B because he has had so little time off the field and you can’t begrudge needed rest, even though you were looking at a game against an opponent you had a great chance to beat with a chance to move into a 1st place tie. But given the extreme heat and fatigue factor, you have to allow for it.
Where the front office failed was in constructing a roster without a real back up 1Bman, which led Mark Kotsay to opt for Jeff McNeil at 1B. It only took until the top of the 1st for the idea to backfire, as McNeil couldn’t pull in a bad throw from Muncy that a taller or more accomplished 1Bman catches on the bag.
Where Kotsay failed was in not making the more logical move and going with Tyler Soderstrom, no great 1Bman but one with experience at the position and the physical traits for the job. Speaking of which…
3. The A’s could not have put a more absurd defense on the field behind their pitchers. You had Max Muncy and Jeff McNeil on the corner infield, the combo that predictably allowed for 2 unearned runs to score early.
The A’s continue to act as if Lawrence Butler is a viable option in CF and that Carlos Cortes won’t hurt you in RF. Back when the game was still very winnable, Butler fanned on a drive that Henry Bolte runs down, then proceeded to look like a Little Leaguer out there the rest of the afternoon. Cortes did as well later in the game, but you can at least blame the sun/wind for playing a part and by then no one really cared about the results anyway.
Overall the defense was an absolute joke — just as it was on paper so no one should have been the least bit surprised. How could Kotsay have better navigated the personnel he had available to him? You put Soderstrom at 1B, McNeil at 2B, Gelof at 3B, Cortes in LF, Bolte in CF, Butler in RF.
Suddenly you have exactly nobody playing out of position (even if your 1Bman and LFer aren’t the strongest fielders) and you have swapped Muncy out for Bolte the day after Bolte put together several excellent plate appearances and there was really no reason to sit him.
With that defense behind a SP who isn’t an extreme fly ball pitcher with severe HR tendencies, the A’s would have had a shot today against a bad pitcher who was getting hit hard. Now would the A’s have won? Likely not in that most probably today was a game where at some point the A’s were going to turn to Luis Medina in the middle innings and Medina was just awful. So maybe you lose anyway — but not in a way where the front office and manager are exposed for not knowing how to assemble or employ a roster.
Moving forward, if the A’s want to stay in contention for anything they are going to have some difficult decisions to make because they can’t continue to carry too much dead weight on their roster and expect to distance themselves from the .500 mark — at least not in the direction they are hoping.
In a game that featured 39 hits, McNeil went 0 for 3 with a couple weak fly balls to LF. It’s getting harder and harder to justify penciling him in as his slump reaches 0 for 20 and he has just 4 hits, all singles, in his last 51 at bats. And more troubling is how weak most of his contact has been in those 51 at bats.
Also, Scott Barlow’s smoke and mirrors act is running out of steam. The A’s suddenly have the trappings of a much improved bullpen thanks to the apparent emergence of Elvis Alvarado and Mason Barnett, but Barlow’s last 5 appearances speak for themselves: 4.1 IP, 8 hits, 9 ER, 4 BB, 3 K, 3 HR. Summerlin can only be blamed so much.
Colby Thomas’ season line is down to .241/.290/.379 (.670 OPS) as opposing pitchers have gotten a clear book on him: throw balls and let him swing at them. Thomas is now 3 for his last 26 with 2 BB and 9 K (32.1% K rate). And he’s hardly making up for it in the field, where he sports a -3 DRS and -1 OAA in RF.
So there’s 3 roster spots the A’s need to make some tough decisions around as the calendar turns to mid-June and the prevailing phrase is “It’s not early anymore.”
But what the A’s need to do first and foremost is to put their players in a position to succeed and that means understanding where they can play on the diamond and how their skill set matches the environment where the game is being played. Today’s game should be a wake up call that these things actually matter. A lot.
Jun 14, 2026; Summerlin, Nevada, USA; Colorado Rockies outfielder Cole Carrigg (16), Colorado Rockies right fielder Sterlin Thompson (30) congratulate their teammates for the win against the Athletics at Las Vegas Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Boz Bloom-Imagn Images | Boz Bloom-Imagn Images
Under the clear desert sky and scorching sun of Las Vegas, Nevada, the Colorado Rockies offense put on a fireworks show to close out a three-game series against the Athletics and avoid a sweep. The Athletics were hosting six games at Las Vegas Ballpark—home of the Triple-A Las Vegas Aviators—to give fans a preview for when the team moves to Sin City full time.
Across those six games, there were a combined 35 home runs hit. The Rockies added a few of their own in a 23-9 blowout.
Sugano struggles but gets the job done.
The unthinkable happend to Rockies starting pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano (菅野 智之) in today’s scorcher: He gave up a multi-run home run for the first time this season. All 12 of his previous home runs had been solo shots. The offending blast came in the bottom of Sugano’s final inning of the day with two outs.
Not much went right for Sugano. Under the high skies of Las Vegas, the ball was either rocketing into the outfield or getting lost in the sun. Multiple plays fell apart simply because an infielder or outfielder could not track the baseball in the cloudless sky.
Sugano gave up eight earned runs on nine hits and he tallied two walks and two strikeouts against the Athletics. His ERA—4.08 entering the game—settled at 4.79 once his five innings of work were complete.
Despite the struggles, Sugano still left the game in line for a a win on the scoresheet. His seventh win is the current most among the Rockies pitching staff. Antonio Senzatela is second with six.
Castellano’s MLB debut helps the bullpen get the job done
All the Rockies bullpen had to do in relief of Tomoyuki Sugano was keep the damage to a minimum while the offense continued to rack up hits. Said bullpen held the Athletics to just one run in four total innings of work. The run came via a solo home run against Blas Castañ0, who gave up the one earned run on two hits.
Right-handed pitcher Eiberson Castellano—usually a starter—made his Major League debut after being called up from Triple-A Albuquerque this weekend. Castellano pitched three shutout innings, giving up four hits and tallying his first two career strikeouts. His three innings of work to close out the game also earned him his first career save.
When both the Rockies and Athletics scored five runs each in the first two innings, it was obvious this would end up a high-scoring game. However, the high skies in Las Vegas seemed to give a tired and heat-weary Athletics squad much more trouble in the field, and the Rockies eventually smashed the pedal to the floor and never let up.
In the first inning, Tyler Freeman reached on a throwing error from Athletics third baseman Max Muncy (no, not that one). Hunter Goodman—who had been hitless in the first two games of the series—got a hold of a four-seam fastball and crushed it over the outfield pool that was at the time playing host to one Ryan “Spillagus” Spilborghs.
The second inning then kicked off with back-to-back singles by Cole Carrigg and Kyle Karros to set the table. Troy Johnston drove in a run on a sacrifice fly, and Willi Castro—batting right-handed—slugged the Rockies’ second home run in as many innings.
In the top of the fourth, Carrigg and Karros once again went back-to-back. Carrigg reached on an infield single while Karros drove him home with a double. After that, it was time for yet another home run. This time it was Troy Johnston hitting his third of the season, putting the Rockies ahead with a lead they would not relinquish.
However, when it’s this hot and the ball is flying, you can’t let up.
The Rockies continued their offensive onslaught with a six-run fifth inning that started with Hunter Goodman hitting his second home run of the game and 20th of the season thus far. Singles from Ezequiel Tovar, Karros, and Castro, a walk drawn by Carrigg, a Troy Johnston double and a Tyler Freeman triple gave the Rockies 14 runs.
There were still four innings left to play.
Four more runs would come across in the seventh inning with a Braxton Fulford double, a Willi Castro single, a Tyler Freeman RBI fielder’s choice, the incredibly rare TJ Rumfield triple, and back-to-back doubles off the bats of Hunter Goodman and Ezequiel Tovar.
In the top of the eighth inning, the Rockies quickly loaded the bases with a single and two walks. Willi Castro—now batting left-handed—worked a full count before taking a hung curveball 444 feet for a grand slam.
The Athletics finally waved the white flag, bringing in outfielder Carlos Cortes to record the final five outs of the game… but not before TJ Rumfield left the park for the Rockies’ sixth and final home run of the game.
When all was said and done, the Colorado Rockies scored 23 runs on 24 hits. Every member of the starting lineup recorded at least one hit, and seven of them recorded multi-hit games. Every member of the starting lineup crossed home plate at least once, and eight of them did so two or more times. Cole Carrigg was the only member of the starting lineup to not record an RBI, and he still went 2-for-5 with a walk and three runs scored.
Obviously Hunter Goodman and Willi Castro were the stars of the game. Goodman’s five hits were a career high and his 12 total bases were both a career high—beating his previous best of 11 from 2024—and a Rockies franchise record for total bases by a catcher. Castro, meanwhile, had his fourth multi-homer game of his career while going 4-for-6 and hitting those home runs from both sides of the plate. His grand slam was the first of his career.
Ryan Spilborghs may have been kicked out of the pool, but the Rockies still went 24-for-50 at the plate, drew five walks, struck out just seven times, and set a few franchise benchmarks along the way.
The Rockies’ 23 runs scored is a new franchise record—both at home and on the road—tied a franchise record for hits in a nine inning game, and their 13 extra-base hits represent the most they have hit as a franchise in a road game.
Coming Up Next
The Rockies pitching staff will surely appreciate the change of scenery—though the bats might not—as the team heads to the Windy City for a three game series against the Chicago Cubs.
Monday’s game will feature righty Michel Lorenzen, who is coming off one of his best starts as a Rockies pitcher—against Shota “The Throwing Philosopher” Imanaga. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 PM MDT.
