ATLANTA, GA - JULY 13: Major League Baseball Robert D. Manfred announces Jordan Yost as the twenty-fourth overall pick by the Detroit Tigers during the 2025 MLB Draft presented by Nike at Coca-Cola Roxy on Sunday, July 13, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The 2026 MLB amateur draft is now less than a month away. After all the preseason chatter and rise and fall of hot draft prospects, we are finally getting down to the point where draft board start to firm up. At the same time, this is when the gamesmanship really picks up, with teams hiding their interest in certain players and talking up others, all while trying to feel out signing prices for their favorite overslot bonus candidates.
MLB Pipeline’s most recent mock draft still has the Tigers selecting Georgia prep standout Trevor Condon with the 22nd overall pick. The outfielder clearly fits the Tigers established preference for left-handed hitting prep players who can play up the middle and have good contact skills. The only time the Tigers have deviated from this with first round and competetitive balance A round picks was when they selected Bryce Rainer in 2024 in the first round. Rainer checks all the boxes except the high contact hitter requirement, but his developing 70 grade power and huge arm strength made him well worth the pick despite the higher risk profile.
Condon has double plus speed and should stick in center field and plays with an aggressive style both in the outfield and on the bases. He reminds me of Max Clark, playing with a lot of intensity and flair, without quite the high-end contact ability the Tigers’ current top prospect possesses. Baseball America likes the Cincinnati Reds to take Condon with the 18th overall pick, so we’ll have to see if the Tigers even get a crack at him.
Pipeline mentions alternatives like prep 3B Bo Lowrance out of Greenville, South Carolina, or Mississippi prep 3B/C Cole Prosek. Of those two, Prosek seems the more likely choice, especially if the Tigers believe he can stick as a catcher. Finally, prep switch-hitting shortstop Aiden Ruiz is also mentioned, and frankly if Condon is gone, an underslot deal for Ruiz might be most likely. Ruiz makes a lot of contact and has the skills to stick as a plus defensive shortstop, though he’s probably going to top out a little short of average power.
Baseball America, expecting Condon to be gone already, projects the Tigers to take Ruiz at 22nd overall. They also mention Prosek, and fellow prep left-handed hitters Connor Comeau and London Thome as alternatives.
Comeau is a 6’4” shortstop with a pretty good hit tool despite his lanky, long-limbed frame, who is committed to Texas A&M. He lacks speed, and may be better suited at third base. The hit tool is appealing, and he should have at least average power.
Thome, son of Jim, is also a left-handed hitting shortstop. The bat is more of selling point here as he has good recognition and bat-to-ball skills already. He also has a little more power potential than Comeau due to his demonstrated ability to pull a lot of balls in the air, though he’s probably even more likely to move to third base.
Another interesting wild card in the mix is Stanford commit Tyler Spangler. The northern California prep shortstop played for Concord De La Salle. He has an advanced eye and makes a lot of quality contact, and his 6’3” frame has plenty of room to add muscle and get to eventual plus power. That would alleviate concerns if he loses some quickness and has to move to third base. His swing could probably use a little work, as he has a little of Bryce Rainer’s tendency toward bottom hand dominance, lagging the barrel a little excessively.
Spangler barely played this season due to a back injury, and he’s expected to be tough to sign if he doesn’t go pretty early in the draft, as Stanford can throw some real NIL money at him. There are some who think Spangler is still one of the top prospects in this draft, however, and he does fit the Tigers type both as a player, and in terms of being a bit more of a risk/reward play due to the injury and lack of exposure this spring.
Of course, the Scott Harris front office, led in the draft by assistant GM Rob Metzler and amateur scouting director Mark Connor, have avoided pitchers in the first round, but it’s not impossible that this could change. Their strategy of concentrating much of their bonus pool beyond the top round into prep pitching talent has been a failure so far, and the upper levels of the Tigers’ system are decidedly lacking in pitching talent. Perhaps they’ll change gears, but more likely they’ll continue their pivot toward JUCO and college arms beyond the first round, taking RHP Malachi Witherspoon in the second round last year, while continuing to snipe prep pitchers a little later on.
JERSEY CITY, NJ - JUNE 13: The Empire State Building, JPMorgan Chase Building, and One Vanderbilt in New York City illuminate in the colors of the New York Knicks behind the Statue of Liberty during Game 5 of the NBA Finals on June 13, 2026, as seen from Jersey City, New Jersey. (Photo by Gary Hershorn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Meet the Mets
Sean Manaea had his best start of the season, keeping the Braves mostly at bay over six solid innings, but the Mets still fell to Atlanta 3-1 to even up the series, as the bats went silent.
Bo Bichette’s big night on Friday night gives the Mets maybe a little reason to hope, writes Jon Heyman of the New York Post.
Per Anthony DiComo, the Spiderman mask behind the Mets’ new home run celebration was a gift to Juan Soto from a fan that Carson Benge suggested the Mets start using in their celebrations.
In the aftermath of the worst start as a Met on Thursday, Freddy Peralta said yesterday that he identified a mechanical adjustment that could help him fix things for today’s outing in the Mets’ series finale against the Braves.
Around the National League East
The morning after his early exit on Friday night, the Braves placed Spencer Strider on the 15-day injured list with right elbow inflammation.
The Nationals routed the Mariners 8-3, as C.J. Abrams had another big night at the plate for Washington.
The Marlins lost a close one to the Pirates 3-2, as Anthony Bender hit Spencer Horwitz with a pitch with the bases loaded in the eighth to plate the go-ahead run. Miami rallied in the ninth, but could not manage to pull this one out.
A five-run sixth inning propelled the Phillies to a 9-8 victory over the Brewers, as they held on to win despite a late-inning comeback effort from Milwaukee.
Around Major League Baseball
McCovey Chronicles called out the bigoted and tone deaf display some Giants pitchers chose to partake in during the team’s Pride Night.
Yankees designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton experienced a setback in his recovery from a left calf strain and could undergo additional imaging.
Injury woes continue for the Yankees, as they placed Trent Grisham on the 10-day injured list yesterday with a right hamstring strain.
Guardians third baseman José Ramírez suffered a fractured left hamate bone on Saturday, in the Guardians’ 3-1 win over the Tigers.
In that same game, Tigers ace Tarik Skubal took the loss in his return from surgery to remove a loose body in his elbow. He pitched well, but was done no favors by his defense nor given much run support.
In a new episode of Today Your Love, Tomorrow the World Series, Brian Salvatore and Chris McShane discuss the one step forward, two steps back nature of the 2026 season for the Mets.
SAN FRANCISCO — It started right from the first pitch of the game, which Pete Crow-Armstrong deposited into the seats at Oracle Park.
And it continued through nine innings of the Cubs putting together the sort of offense we saw during the two 10-game winning streaks. Not that another one’s necessarily going to follow, but I have always believed that these Cubs hitters were too good to have slumps like this for much longer.
Ian Happ and Pedro Ramirez added homers and Ben Brown threw five solid innings and hey, look! The Cubs extended their winning streak to three with a 6-1 win over the Giants.
About that first batter of the game homer, from BCB’s JohnW53:
PCA’s homer was the Cubs’ second this season by their first batter of a game on the road. Nico Hoerner did it at Tampa on April 8.
They did it four times last season: three by Michael Busch and one by Ian Happ.
PCA is the 61st Cub to turn the trick since 1910. They have done it 116 times. Alfonso Soriano is the leader, with 12. Dexter Fowler hit seven; Happ, Brian McRae and Rick Monday, five. PCA is the 37th with one.
The Cubs got a couple more men on base in the first, but Happ hit into a double play to end the inning.
Ben Brown was once again solid through two innings, allowing a hit in each, but no runs.
Both Happ and Busch were credited with stolen bases on that play — I’m not sure what Giants catcher Eric Haase was thinking, or what the Giants infielders were doing, because no one was covering second base. So Busch, a very unlikely stolen-base guy in the first place, gets a steal of home. More from John:
The last Cub before Michael Busch to steal home was Kyle Tucker, on a double steal with Seiya Suzuki, on July 22 of last year, at Kansas City, with two outs in the seventh inning and the Cubs ahead, 5-0.
The last Cubs first baseman to do it was Lloyd McClendon, on a double steal with Damon Berryhill on May 19, 1989, at Cincinnati, with one out in the fifth inning and the Cubs ahead, 5-2. Busch’s was the Cubs’ 16th steal of home since then.
McClendon stole seven bases in his 141 games as a Cub over two seasons. Busch now has swiped eight in 377 games as a Cub over three seasons.
So it’s 3-0 Cubs. The Giants got one run back off Brown in the third, and then the Cubs made the lead three runs again in the fourth, all with two out and no one on base. The first two Cubs, Ramirez and Miguel Amaya, struck out. Dansby Swanson followed with a walk and went to third on a single by PCA, his third hit of the game. Alex Bregman was hit by a pitch to load the bases.
Brown was lifted after five innings and 86 pitches. It wasn’t quite as dominant as his previous recent outings, but it was certainly good enough. Here’s more on Brown’s game [VIDEO].
Three Cubs relievers, Ethan Roberts, Caleb Thielbar and Phil Maton, threw four no-hit innings in relief of Brown, issuing one walk and striking out four. Maton, in particular, is digging himself out of the big hole he found himself in earlier this year. Since allowing three runs to the White Sox May 17, Maton has a 2.45 ERA and 1.454 WHIP in 12 appearances covering 11 innings, and a FIP of 2.89. That’s certainly an improvement. Perhaps he’ll be a useful reliever after all.
The Cubs’ three-game winning streak is their third-longest of the season, after their two 10-game streaks. They won back-to-back games three times, then lost the third.
The offense appears solid looking at the box score, but I’m going to open the complaint department door just a little. The Cubs had 11 hits, four walks, two men hit by a pitch and another hitter reaching on an error, with Giants pitchers throwing a huge number of pitches, 187 in all. That’s a lot of traffic on the bases for only six runs. They went 1-for-11 with RISP and left 12 runners on base. Since they won the game convincingly this is only a minor thing, but… gotta be better in those situations.
PCA’s season OPS is now up to .803 after his three-hit game. He was NL Player of the Week last week and who knows, he might do it again — in the five games on the trip he’s batting .318/.348/.682 (7-for-22) with three doubles, a triple, a home run and five runs scored.
On the opposite end of the spectrum are Swanson, who is 2-for-16 (.125) with eight strikeouts on the road trip, and Nico Hoerner, who went 0-for-5 and is 3-for-20 (.150) in the five games in Colorado and San Francisco and over his last 21 games is batting .183/.244/.207 (15-for-82). I’d think Craig Counsell will sit at least one of those two players Sunday afternoon, just for a reset, likely Nico.
The Cubs will try for a series sweep Sunday afternoon at Oracle Park. It will not be easy, as the Giants’ best starter, Logan Webb, will take the mound. Colin Rea will go for the Cubs after Ryan Rolison is the opener. Game time is 2:10 p.m. CT and TV coverage will be via ABC (full national broadcast, no blackouts), and streaming on the ESPN app. Announcers: Jon Sciambi, David Ross and Buster Olney.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - MAY 25: Brycen Mautz #52 of the St. Louis Cardinals throws a pitch in the sixth inning of his major league debut against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on May 25, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Midway through June, I believe it is time we can all believe that the postseason is a real possibility for the St. Louis Cardinals this year. FanGraphs agrees, putting the Cardinals above a 50% chance to play in October, but we would still be smart to temper overall expectations for this season. The overall strategy remains to build towards the future and Chaim Bloom has been clear that the team is more likely to subtract than add to the major league roster at the Trade Deadline.
Even though Bloom will still look to deal from the active roster, he has not been shy to shake things up as he has gone a different direction in recent weeks. Beyond the promotion of Blaze Jordan for a tough-to-watch Nolan Gorman, he called up Jimmy Crooks and demoted Victor Scott II in order to stay competitive but future-focused. Rather than dumpster dive on the waiver wire, Bloom has used upper minors talent to supplant the major league roster in order to evaluate yet still hope to catch lightning in a bottle.
Since expiring contracts like Dustin May and JoJo Romero could (should?) be traded regardless of postseason position, Bloom would likely be searching for prospect return rather than big league talent back. If it were a major league player, I would think it would be similar to Hunter Dobbins or Richard Fitts in terms of team control. Because the Cardinals minor league system is so talented, I would prefer this way of dealing as 26-man trades open up spots for the organization’s guys to get their chance.
In a big league sell-off, opportunity awaits for Cardinals prospects
Out: Dustin May
In: Hunter Dobbins
Duh. Let’s get this one out of the way. It may not be the coolest, but it is the simplest and cleanest move for a guy like Dobbins to get his extended look. Another righty with lower strikeout rates, yes, but he can also touch 97mph with a solid splitter and breaking ball that could be further unlocked for more whiff.
If an extension could be worked out with May, I would be open to that conversation. The questions around the 2027 season make me wary of a one-year addition, but anything going into his age-30 season and beyond is also a yellow flag for me. I had hoped for a two-year deal at the time of signing, but in this mutual option reality, it makes the most sense to get decent return for a solid rental starter.
Honorable mentions for this spot would be Brycen Mautz (seen later) and Quinn Mathews. I would like to see Mathews get his shot since he will have to be added to the 40-man this offseason anyway. In a May to Dobbins scenario, Mathews or Mautz could end up taking on the Dobbins spot starter role until something more long-term opens up.
Out: JoJo Romero
In: Brycen Mautz
I am still not sure if the Cardinals held onto Romero too long or if his value is just what it is as a solid backend lefty reliever. However, he is still in St. Louis and pitching fine but is on the expiring deal that makes him expendable, even if the team remains competitive. Rather than replace him with a waiver wire lefty, Mautz could make his return to the majors in a relief role.
After getting his first start wiped out by rain, the Cardinals kept him active for a bulk relief role before sending him back to Memphis. He has remained in the rotation since the demotion and has kept his strikeout stuff in his shorter outings. Mautz has not gone over five innings in a month, so a bullpen role is an easy way to manage his workload but give him more major league experience.
The left-handed relief options have been thin for the Cardinals, seemingly by design in recent years. When they return to consistent relevance, I would hope a high-leverage lefty would be priority, either through development, trade, or with the pocketbook.
Out: Ryne Stanek
In: Tink Hence
Unlike May, Ryne Stanek actually got a more realistic two-year deal, with the Cardinals holding a $6 million club option for the question mark of a 2027 season. They could realistically hold onto him if he becomes a lockdown eighth inning guy, especially if Bloom cashes out on Riley O’Brien as he could then slide into the closer role for a team still holding a postseason spot. After that blowup against Minnesota, though, I think we are all on the train of finding Stanek somewhere to go besides St. Louis.
Assuming he is dealt somewhere desperate for an experienced bullpen arm, I am giving Tink Hence his opportunity to crack the majors. It may be the plethora of Bowman 1st cards talking, but the Cardinals need to give Hence his shot at the big league level before fully throwing in the towel on the former top prospect. He is working in the minors still and has flashed mid-90s on his fastball while coming out the bullpen. Like the others, Tink is on the 40-man so, if healthy, give him his shot.
After getting his feet wet as a reliever this year and assuming he stays healthy through the season, Tink could then shift his focus back to the starting rotation or stay in a consistent reliever work pattern if he was effective in relief.
Out: Riley O’Brien
In: Max Rajcic
In the season’s first two months, if you mentioned trading Riley O’Brien you were an uneducated baseball person because there is no way you trade the best closer in baseball. Well, the 31-year-old with health and consistency issues has demonstrated some of his tight-roping tendencies in recent weeks as his effectiveness waned. Even with four years of control remaining, taking advantage of O’Brien being on the mound and performing at a high level is the best move.
Assuming Bloom will not be able to get a major-league ready closer in return and if Stanek gets traded, the ninth inning is questionable at best. In the best case scenario, Matt Svanson is back to form and can slide into the closer role to end the year, thus leaving the middle innings open for a revolving door of tryouts. Getting one of those spots for me is starter turned reliever Max Rajcic.
Like Mathews, Rajcic could be selected in the Rule 5 draft if he is not added to the 40-man roster this offseason so, if you are following along, my wish is to give him that shot now and see if he is worth the protection in the winter. The righty has seen a massive jump in his stuff across the board this year, commanding the strike zone better than before while striking out over a batter an inning. Racjic has hit a blip in the past couple outings, but his overall body of work is worthy of a deeper look.
My honorable mention here goes to Luis Gastelum. The righty also needs to be added to the 40-man this offseason and has a devastating changeup that can be used against righties or lefties, allowing Marmol to play matchups despite the handedness. Gastelum has been trending in a better direction lately than Rajcic, but I could see both of these guys making their debuts at some point later this season.
Out: Lars Nootbaar
In: Joshua Baez
My article on Lars Nootbaar last Sunday went a few different directions and I am ultimately settled on whatever Chaim does involving Noot, I’ll just nod my head and say okay. In the winter, I needed Noot healthy so the Cardinals could trade him ASAP. Now that he IS healthy, he is mashing baseballs like his peripheral stats always said he could. He has only been back for a few games so far, but we know more about Nootbaar than we do say… Joshua Baez.
Even though he is the oldest on the team, Noot is only 28-years-old and has a year of control remaining. His veteran leadership is a 180 compared to that of Arenado and Goldschmidt, so Noot’s personality figures to play well with the young clubhouse if Bloom decides to keep him around for this year and into next. Should Bloom go the other way, though, Joshua Baez is as close to knocking on the door to the majors as anyone with his seemingly daily Memphis moonshots.
The 22-year-old Baez completely transformed his offensive approach last season and bolted into top prospect lists after maintaining those changes in the 2026 season. After hitting 24 homers in his first 232 games, Baez has smoked 38 homers in the 177 game since while also wreaking havoc on the bases. He trimmed his K-rate to 20% last season, but it has trickled back into the 30% range, although that has not sapped Baez from his power stroke. As of Saturday morning, Baez has 19 homers to tie him for the lead in all of Triple-A. He also has another 12 stolen bases and has generally graded as a solid defender in the corner outfield. Memphis has been deploying him in centerfield more often lately, so Baez could become a major league outfielder even if Noot is held onto.
Out: Justin Bruihl
In: Cooper Hjerpe
This last one is a cheapie because the article title is trade chips and Justin Bruihl is more of a cut candidate unless another team gets desperate for lefty help. I know Justin Bruihl has “done well lately” but I agreed to a point. In our VEB group text, Jake said “Justin Bruihl has a 2.70 ERA since May 3rd”, which is correct. The Cardinals have been playing well since then, so I looked at his outings. My response, “Not by accident for Bruihl. The only close games were extra innings in Cincy and Friday Cubs game. Their record in his games 3-10.”
No slight to Bruihl as he has done his job and was helped by the team giving him the best opportunity to succeed. He is like a referee or umpire: you don’t notice them unless they really mess up. When the Cardinals are consistently in close games, Bruihl has to pitch in those spots more often. In order to prevent that from happening, I decided to promote Cooper Hjerpe to the bigs to give the Cardinals a chance to stay competitive even while using their youngsters.
I am on the record as not being as high on Hjerpe as others, and that is mostly due to his unorthodox delivery that yes, Chris Sale can do, but few others replicate. The lefty was durable in college but has missed significant time with different arm injuries these past couple seasons. Hjerpe is now rehabbing and while he has not pitched above Double-A, he is, again, on the 40-man roster so move him on up.
I did not include any catchers because I do not know the interest around the league in Pedro Pages or Yohel Pozo, nor do I see the Cardinals moving on from Ivan Herrera and Jimmy Crooks for the rest of the season, barring injury. If they do, then Leo Bernal will move on up and then the catching freight train continues rolling. I believe Bloom will avoid dealing from the catching depth this season and will let the backstops sort themselves out throughout the year.
I still expect the Cardinals to remain competitive throughout the rest of this season and even make slight additions on the waiver wire as the year goes on. I do not necessarily see all the above trade candidates as locks to be moved, but I do believe Bloom will make a move or two. In those trades, I foresee prospects as being priority, so the replacements on the roster will have to come from within.
Did I miss any trade candidates? Any non-roster guys you believe should get a shake?
Jun 11, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Carter Hart (79) makes a save against Carolina Hurricanes center Jordan Staal (11) during the third period in game five of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
The Stanley Cup will be in the building Sunday night, and for the first time in 20 years, the Carolina Hurricanes can be the team to skate away with it.
The final game is the toughest to win, and tonight’s battle will be no different. The Vegas Golden Knights will be desperate to force Game 7 and will leave everything they have on the ice.
Below are a few key storylines for tonight’s game.
For Game 5, Vegas head coach John Tortorella decided to stack his lines and lean heavily on his stars.
The Canes responded with their best game of the series, one that was truer to their style of play.
Mitch Marner, Jack Eichel, and Mark Stone loaded up the top line and spent nearly eight minutes of ice time together during five-on-five play. This was the most ice time among Vegas lines.
Those three had over 20 minutes of ice time during Game 5. In contrast, no Carolina forward had more than 20 minutes of ice time.
With Vegas having the matchup advantage on home ice, will this change Tortorella’s strategy?
The most important factor influencing the Golden Knights’ lineup is the loss of William Karlsson.
A heavy Sean Walker check in Game 5 knocked him out of the game with an upper-body injury, and Tortorella has ruled him out for Game 6, hinting he’s unlikely to return to this series.
Karlsson centered Marner and Brett Howden, one of Vegas’s most productive and relied-upon lines. This combination led all Golden Knights’ lines in five-on-five ice time during the first four games of the series.
Not to mention, Karlsson is a top two-way center and a critical penalty killer.
If Vegas were to make a goaltending switch, it should have been after Game 4. Tortorella announced yesterday that Carter Hart will, once again, start for Vegas. The goalie continued to make history on Thursday by adding to his infamous Stanley Cup Final streak, allowing at least four goals in five straight games.
Via the Associated Press during Tortorella’s media availability on Saturday:
Because I know him, Tortorella said Saturday. I know there’s a better game in him. I’ve seen it throughout the playoffs. Yeah, I think he’s a very good goalie. We’ve got to do a better job around him, too. You can look at the numbers, and you guys (media), that’s what you do. You spit out those numbers, but I’ve got to look at things differently and watch the play going on around him and what type of goals are being scored.
In the battle between Hart and Brandon Bussi, Carolina’s goalie is giving his team the advantage.
In Game 5, Hart had a 2.73 expected goals against while posting -1.27 goals saved above expectation. A major reason for that negative number was that three of the Canes’ goals were considered low danger shots.
Bussi, on the other hand, had a 4.029 expected goals against with a 2.03 goals saved above expectation. Both of Vegas’ goals were considered high danger, and finished the game with a 4.03-3.17 expected goals advantage over Carolina.
From these advanced statistics, there are two points to emphasize in the Hurricanes’ game plan.
First, continue to fire upon Hart. Shots are getting through, and there are still plenty of rebounds available. Carolina did a better job exploiting some of Vegas’ defensive miscues, and a moving Hart has led to some great scoring chances.
Second, the Canes need to further limit high danger opportunities. Although skewed to the third period of Game 5, the Golden Knights did create some quality chances. Expect Vegas to come out firing Sunday night. The Carolina defense must keep Vegas out of those high-danger areas and trust Bussi to take care of the rest. This will be the biggest advantage of the night if the goaltender trends continue.
Since an unsuccessful coach’s challenge late in Game 2 by the Golden Knights, the Hurricanes’ power play converted on half of their opportunities. Throughout the Final, Carolina has outscored Vegas 6-2 on the power play. With Karlsson out, the Knights’ kill is under even more pressure against a rolling Canes’ power play.
Vegas owned the middle frame for four games before Carolina finally answered in Game 5. Whoever controls the long-change period likely controls the night. The Canes do not have to “win” the second period, but they absolutely cannot fall behind while on the road. Positioning, clean exits from the zone, and ensuring no Golden Knight sneaks behind the defense are the keys for the team.
Another key tonight will be the opening 10 minutes. Although the first goal has not predicted the outcomes of the individual games in this series, tonight is different. If the Hurricanes score the first goal of the game, the opposing arena will go quiet, and the Knights will face another obstacle in an elimination game. Carolina must continue to play their game and certainly not sit back with an early lead.
Keep an eye on the announcement of the Carolina starter, although it is expected that Bussi will earn the start. Frederik Andersen skated yesterday and is with the team.
Vegas Golden Knights
Forwards:
Dorofeyev — Eichel — Stone
Howden — Hertl — Marner
Barbashev — Sissons — Saad
Smith — Dowd — Kolesar
Defense:
McNabb — Theodore
Hanifin — Andersson
Lauzon — Coghlan
Goalies: Hart (starter), Hill Scratches: Schmid, R. Smith, Hutton, Megna, Bowman, Korczak Injured: Karlsson (upper body), Rondbjerg (lower body)
BOSTON, MA - JUNE 13: Jacob deGrom #48 of the Texas Rangers warms up prior to the game between the Texas Rangers and the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on Saturday, June 13, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Joe Sullivan/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Red Sox 6, Rangers 3
And the “get back to .500” curse strikes again.
A nice start from Jacob deGrom goes for naught. Six innings, five Ks, no walks. Just six hits allowed, but four of them came in the third inning, when the Red Sox strung together four singles to get two runs in.
The person I really feel bad for is Cole Winn.
Brought into a tie game, who strikes out two batters, and allows two very weak rollers down the third base line that end up going for infield singles.
He is then lifted for Robby Ahlstrom, who walks Andruw Monasterio to load the bases, then leaves a 1-2 curveball up too high in the zone, allowing Ceddanne Rafaela to send it into left field for a two run single.
Peyton Gray gave up a two run homer in the eighth just to rub some salt in the wound.
The offense had plenty of opportunities, but repeatedly failed to cash in, ultimately stranding 10 runners in the game.
Having the bases loaded and not doing enough with the opportunity was a recurring theme.
The Rangers loaded the bases with no one out in the fourth, on singles by Josh Jung and Ezequiel Duran, followed by a Jake Burger walk.
They actually got a run in that inning, to tie the game, on a Michael Helman sac fly.
But just one.
Bases loaded and one out in the fifth ended with failure, as Duran and Burger struck out to end the inning.
Jake Burger did homer later in the game, but no one was on, of course, because that’s how this game went.
And to top it off, Michael Helman is headed to the injured list due to “multiple fractures” in his right hand, suffered when he was hit by a pitch.
Those of you who wanted Alejandro Osuna in the majors? You’re getting your wish…
Jacob deGrom touched 99.6 mph with his fastball, averaging 97.7 mph. Cole Winn hit 96.8 mph with his fastball. Robby Ahlstrom maxed out at 96.7 mph with his fastball. Peyton Gray’s fastball topped out at 93.7 mph.
Jake Burger’s homer was 107.3 mph. Elias Diaz had a 105.1 mph single. Wyatt Langford had a 102.3 mph single. Justin Foscue had a 101.2 mph groundout. Ezequiel Duran had a 100.2 mph single.
NEW YORK, NY - MAY 15: (NEW YORK DAILIES OUT) Chase Whitley #39 of the New York Yankees in action against the New York Mets at Citi Field on May 15, 2014 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. The Yankees defeated the Mets 1-0. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images
They say it is impossible not to be romantic about baseball. Chase Whitley’s story is one that gives credence to that idea. He never reached the Hall of Fame and he never etched his name among the game’s legends, but he did discover one of baseball’s greatest gifts: the opportunity to pay it forward.
Chase Coleman Whitley
Born: June 14, 1989 (Ranburne, AL)
Yankees Tenure: 2014-2015
Whitley was born and raised in Ranburne, Alabama where he graduated from Ranburne High School in 2007. A three sport star in baseball, football, and basketball, Whitley would elect to attend Southern Union State Community College to play baseball as both a pitcher and infielder for the Bisons. Southern Union State Community College competes in the NJCAA at the Division II level.
While in junior college Whitley impressed as both a pitcher and hitter. As a hitter, Whitley posted a .427 average as a freshman and .412 as a sophomore on his way to being named first team All-Conference. His performance was good enough to land an opportunity to go to Troy University for his junior season.
The Troy Trojans are a Division I university in Alabama. Whitley joined the program as it was coming off new found success and was looking to continue building into a national power. Coincidentally, Troy has finally made it to the College World Series this season for the first time this year after years of building their program. As a Trojan, Whitley continued to serve as a two-way player pitching and playing third base. In his lone season, he hit .364 with 10 home runs. On the mound, Whitley served as the closer for the Trojans. In 32 appearances Whitley put up a 3.68 ERA in 66 innings and secured seven saves.
This season was impressive enough for the Yankees to use their pick in the 15th round of the 2010 draft on Whitley. Despite showing some potential to be able to play both ways the Yankees wanted Whitley to focus on pitching. For the first time in his life, Whitley would focus on one aspect of one sport.
The Yankees staff began working with Whitley and he quickly rose through the system appearing mostly as a reliever. In the offseasons, Whitley returned home and started to work with local youths by coaching and training them. By the end of the 2012 season Whitley found himself pitching for the Yankees Triple-A affiliate in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. On the doorstep of the big leagues Whitley would continue to get seasoned and refine his craft there until 2014.
Entering the 2014 season the Yankees decided to start stretching Whitley out hoping to use him as a starting pitcher in the minors. Whitley was thriving in the new role and in May of 2014 the Yankees found themselves victim to injuries in the starting rotation after ace CC Sabathia joined fellow pitchers Ivan Nova and Michael Pineda on the shelf. At 24 years old, and despite only making a handful of starts in the minors, the Yankees called Whitley up to fill a hole in the big league rotation.
On May 15, 2014, Whitley made his Major League debut against the Mets. Standing opposite him was another rookie making his own debut that night: Jacob deGrom. While deGrom would go on to become one of the greatest pitchers of his generation, Whitley got the better of the meeting, tossing 4.2 scoreless innings and collecting a hit off the future Cy Young winner in a 1-0 Yankees victory.
Whitley would appear in 24 games total in 2014 making 12 starts. His final line for his rookie season was 4-3 with a 5.23 ERA. The Yankees would end the season without making the postseason for the second straight year. With a taste of the majors in his mouth, Whitley looked to 2015 with hope of further carving out a role on the team.
The Yankees pitching staff started 2015 off healthy so Whitley found himself back in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to start the year. However, in late April Whitley got the call back up as the big league club again found itself facing injuries in the rotation. Whitley made four starts, posting a 1-2 record with a 4.19 ERA over 19.1 innings before the injury bug unfortunately got Whitley too.
In mid-May Whitley was pulled from a start against the Rays with arm discomfort and a few days later would be under the knife for Tommy John surgery. This injury would ultimately end Whitley’s time in the Bronx as well. In November, while rehabbing, Whitley was claimed off waivers by the Tampa Bay Rays.
Most of Whitley’s first season with the Rays was spent rehabbing, but he did get called up in September and made a handful of appearances for the club. Healthy for the 2017 season Whitley would start the year in Triple-A before sticking with the big league club as their long-reliever. That offseason Whitley was claimed by the Atlanta Braves, his favorite childhood team. However, the storybook ending would not come to fruition as a severe staph infection in his heel would ruin his season and effectively end his career. Whitley only made one appearance for the Braves.
Following the 2018 season with the Braves, Whitley decided to retire. His final career numbers include a 7-6 record, 4.56 ERA, with 75 appearances including 17 starts. Despite his playing days being over, the game was not finished with Whitley.
Whitley returned home to Alabama where he now serves as the head coach at Ranburne High School. A local legend who once left town chasing a professional dream, Whitley now spends his days helping the next generation of players build their own foundation in the sport. He may not have finished his career the way he envisioned, but few endings are more fitting than returning home and passing the game on to those who love it as much as he once did and still does.
NEW YORK — This is something that spanned generations.
This was 53 years of parents telling their children that, perhaps, this was the year. This was Ewing and Starks and Houston getting ever-so-close in ’99. This was icons like Carmelo and Camby who were players on good teams that could never be great teams. It was even Marbury and Stoudemire, fan favorites who captured the hearts of the city but who often had the misfortune of playing on bad teams.
The New York Knicks, with a magical run through the 2026 postseason – one of the greatest playoff performances of all-time – became basketball royalty with their relentless resilience that saw them claim the NBA Finals in five games over the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday, June 13.
This is why, even though the ’73 team featured a remarkable eight Hall of Famers, these Knicks will go down as the greatest team in franchise history.
In Radio City Music Hall, confetti tumbled from the ceiling of a sold out watch party, as the team’s official anthem, "Go New York Go," thundered over the sound system.
A block party broke out in the West Village, on W. 4th near Christopher Park, where people gathered on their fire escapes to belt out the chorus of "Empire State of Mind," joining the thousands who flooded the streets below.
In Harlem, residents poured out of walk-ups and bars to shut down 116th and Frederick Douglass Blvd. They drank and sang, and one man set off Roman Candles in the middle of the street. Another rolled up in his neon green Harley Davidson and blasted Busta Rhymes’ "New York S***" for everyone to hear, a song whose lyrics include "I rep the Giants, Jets, New York Knicks."
In Wollman Rink in Central Park, where New Yorkers go to pickleball in the summer and ice skate in the winter, a pair of massive screens beamed the game to thousands, backlit by the towering corridor of opulent skyscrapers along Billionaires’ Row.
You can swap the names of the places because they were all interchangeable. This was the vibe across the Bronx and Brooklyn, too, from Highbridge in the shadow of Yankee Stadium, to Williamsburg on the banks of the East River. This spanned all five boroughs.
There were men and women, young and old. They were Black and white and Asian and everything in between. There were recent arrivals to the bandwagon and lifers. It didn’t matter. They all spilled out into this hot night to celebrate together because that is how this city honors its very best.
Though it was under wholly different circumstances, tonight reminded me of another celebration, one far more somber in nature. Back in April of 2020, as COVID-19 cases ripped through the city and we were confined to our apartments, someone found a way to honor first-responders and medical staff who were keeping the city safe: every evening at 7 p.m., residents opened their windows and banged pots and pans to recognize the efforts of those putting themselves at risk.
Tonight, as the final seconds ticked off the clock, there was no need to stay inside. The city chose to celebrate together all the same.
And though the parade has been set for Thursday, June 18, New York almost certainly won’t need to wait another 53 years for this feeling. If anything, these Knicks are built to last.
Jalen Brunson, the Finals Most Valuable Player, is 29 and signed to an extremely team-friendly deal, one he agreed to on condition that the team use the salary cap space to attract other key players. Karl-Anthony Towns is 30, Mikal Bridges is 29 and OG Anunoby is 28.
Mike Brown was coaching his first season with the franchise, but, more than anything, these Knicks proved in convincing fashion that winning in the contemporary NBA is not necessarily about accruing star players, but finding ones who perfectly fit a system and a vision. In the era of parity – in which New York made it eight different champions in as many seasons – it’s not about a Big Three or blockbuster signings, but about holistic roster construction.
"I love my players, love the organization, but more importantly, let’s go New York," Brown told reporters after the game, holding his grandson, Iverson, in his lap. "Let’s go New York. We can’t wait to get back home."
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto throws against the Chicago White Sox in the first inning at Rate Field on Saturday, June 13, 2026, in Chicago. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shohei Ohtani stole the show on Saturday as the Dodgers bounced back with a 7-2 victory after suffering a heavy defeat to the Chicago White Sox the day prior.
Ohtani hit his third home run in as many games to begin Saturday’s contest, while Yamamoto produced his magnum opus on the mound this year, flirting with a perfect game and carrying a no-hitter into the ninth. While Tristan Peters ruined Yamamoto’s no-hit bid with a home run in the bottom of the ninth inning, Yamamoto felt satisfied knowing he was able to pitch that late into the game while providing the bullpen with some much-needed rest, per Sonja Chen of MLB.com.
“I do feel a little bit regrettable, because I went into the ninth inning and I was not able to achieve a no-hitter,” Yamamoto said through interpreter Yoshihiro Sonoda. “I didn’t complete the ninth inning, the no-hitter. But how I was pitching, I was pretty satisfied.”
Ohtani not only started the game with his 14th home run of the season, but he also walked three times as he continues to be one of the game’s best hitters over the last month. It’s an encouraging sign that Ohtani was able to play throughout the full duration of the game considering Ohtani was out on Friday due to left knee inflammation concerns, per Chen.
“I felt good waking up in the morning. I feel good now,” Ohtani said through interpreter Will Ireton. “So I’m pretty confident that I’ll be able to stay healthy, and should be good to go tomorrow as well.”
With the All-Star game just one month away, there will be some questions as to who will start on the mound for the National League squad. Both Ohtani and Yamamoto are destined to become All-Stars again this season, and Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times notes that it’ll be a toss-up as to which Dodger will start on the mound for the National League team.
In this year's issue, one of the interesting exercises the mothership came up with was a homegrown dream team for each franchise, including the Senators. In a nutshell, among players drafted by Ottawa, it's a list of the best 12 forwards, six defence, and two goalies.
The Hockey News' The Wrap Around show discusses the idea of Ottawa trading for Jake DeBrusk.
THN writer Jared Clinton came up with this list, working only with active players who were drafted by the Sens, regardless of where they play now.
The Homegrown Dream Team (Active)
FORWARDS
Brady Tkachuk Mika Zibanejad Tim Stutzle Mark Stone Drake Batherson Shane Pinto Ridly Greig Jean-Gabriel Pageau Mark Kastelic Nick Foligno Stefan Noesen Cole Reinhardt
DEFENSEMEN
Jake Sanderson Erik Karlsson Thomas Chabot Tyler Kleven Cody Ceci Jacob Bernard-Docker
GOALIES
Joey Daccord Leevi Merilainen
So, as someone who has covered this team since day one, I set out to see if there were any selections I really disagreed with. There were not. I might argue that Curtis Lazar might bump out a Cole Reinhardt or maybe a Stefan Noesen, who never played a game for the Sens, but that would be a big-time splitting of hairs.
So, to complement Jared's list, I thought I'd create the all-time homegrown Senators dream team. Some of the active players stayed on this list, but many did not. They're ranked on what they did for the Sens, in their full careers, and in some cases, the potential they still have.
The Homegrown Dream Team (All-Time)
FORWARDS
Daniel Alfredsson Alexei Yashin Marian Hossa Brady Tkachuk Mika Zibanejad Tim Stutzle Mark Stone Jason Spezza Pavol Demitra Drake Batherson Mike Fisher Shane Pinto
DEFENSEMEN
Jake Sanderson Erik Karlsson Chris Phillips Thomas Chabot Anton Volchenkov Tyler Kleven
GOALIES
Ray Emery Brian Elliott
At the moment, it's hard to imagine any player from the past five Senators' drafts ever cracking either of these lists. Players like Carter Yakemchuk, Logan Hensler, Stephen Halliday, and Leevi Merilainen are probably the best bets, but they all have a lot of work to do. The good news is they still have a lot of time.
And who knows? Maybe another challenger or two will emerge from Ottawa's 2026 NHL Draft in a couple of weeks.
CLEMSON, SC - FEBRUARY 28: Louisville Cardinals guard Mikel Brown Jr. (0) during a college basketball game between the Louisville Cardinals and the Clemson Tigers on February 28, 2026 at Littlejohn Coliseum in Clemson, S.C. (Photo by John Byrum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The New York Knicks are NBA champions, and it’s still hard to believe it. The Knicks won their first NBA championship in 53 years by knocking off the San Antonio Spurs in five games on Saturday night. New York’s historic 29-point second half comeback in Game 4 will be remembered forever as one of the wildest finishes in league history, and it ends a five decade title drought for one of the marquee franchises in the sport.
The NBA offseason starts now. The 2026 NBA Draft is coming June 23 and 24, and it will be followed by the start of free agency a week later. All eyes are on a potential Giannis Antetokounmpo trade, and the arrival of loaded draft class will only bring more pressure to complete deals quickly around the league.
There was a brief moment where I considered Peterson at No. 1, and that was when he dropped 58 points on Dybantsa in Feb. 2025 when they matched up near the end of their high school careers. The full game is on YouTube, and it’s still a spectacular watch:
The best version of Peterson feels like one of the strongest guard prospects to hit the NBA in recent memory. We did not see that player this year as he dealt with bizarre soft tissue strains and cramping at Kansas. He says the problem is under control now — he was taking too much creatine without proper hydration — and I tend to think that getting professional advice from an NBA team will be better for his health than listening to his family or private trainers.
This draft is starting to remind of the 2022 class, when everyone was so sure the Orlando Magic were picking Jabari Smith Jr. at No. 1 until they decided to take Paolo Banchero when they turned in the card. Dybantsa just leaves too much doubt outside of his scoring for a top pick. I predict the Wizards go with Peterson or Boozer, and today I’m settling on Peterson.
What are the other swing picks in this draft?
The Clippers at No. 5: The top-4 feels like the top-4 in this draft. Ask 20 people who they think is the fifth best prospect in the class and you might get 10 different answers. That means the Clippers have the biggest decision in this class after earning the pick from the Indiana Pacers in the Ivica Zubac trade. I could see the Clippers going with Keaton Wagler or Kingston Flemings or even Yaxel Lendeborg or Aday Mara. In this mock, I’m giving them my pick for the fifth-best player in the class, Louisville guard Mikel Brown Jr. Brown’s shot selection can get wild at times, and it’s scary that he was already hampered by a back injury at age-20, but his intersection of pull-up shooting, three-point volume, passing creativity, and rim pressure sets him apart from the other guards in the class in my mind.
The Nets at No. 6: Brooklyn feels like such a wildcard in the draft. I hated the Nets five-man class last year, and time will tell how it pans out. I don’t really like the names associated with the Nets this year, either. It appears this is shaping up to be Nate Ament vs. Darius Acuff, and while I’m not as high on Acuff as others are, he’s still the better option out of the two in my eyes. Acuff’s offensive production was unreal at Arkansas, but I fear he’s going to need to maintain his greatness on that end of the floor because his defense is full of red flags. Maybe he can do it, but I’m skeptical of his shot selection and if he’s really going to be a 44 percent three-point shooter long-term in the league. I know what you’re thinking: didn’t the Nets draft a bunch of ball handlers last year? Yes, but this is the Nets, the roster is terrible and their draft strategy doesn’t make any sense. I feel bad for the cool Brooklyn fans out there.
The Bucks at No. 10: I had Milwaukee taking Labaron Philon at No. 10 last week. This week, Ament falls to the Bucks after Brooklyn passes on him. I certainly wouldn’t take Ament in the top-10 of this draft, but I can see the appeal for a tall forward who potentially spaces the floor and adds some supplemental rim protection. If the Bucks finally trade Giannis, they are fully resetting their timeline to zero, and Ament would have a long leash to develop.
The 2026 NBA Finals finished up last night at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas, with the Eastern Conference champion New York Knicks, which was making their first championship appearance since the 1998-1999 season, defeating the Western Conference champion San Antonio Spurs for the title. For the Knicks, it was their first NBA championship since 1973.
Both teams have drafted players near and far when it comes to constructing their rosters as athletes are dotted along each roster hailing from states within the country and around the world. The starting players from New York all played a role in helping bring the Big Apple a title, but where did the Knicks’ players all play in high school boys hoops at?
Rivals went through the entire roster for the 2026 NBA champion New York Knicks, giving to you where each of the players starred on the prep boys basketball scene.
New York Knicks: Where did they play in high school?
Before Brunson arrived to the Big Apple and became the face of the Knicks, he was a high school hoops star out of the Prairie State. The point guard was a five-star product coming out of Adlai Stevenson High School and had plenty of accolades along the way. Brunson led Adlai Stevenson to the 2015 IHSA Class 4A state championship, and was also a McDonald’s All-American in addition to being Illinois Mr. Basketball.
One of the most versatile players for the Knicks heading into tonight’s showdown with the Spurs is Anunoby, who played his high school boys hoops out of the Show Me State of Missouri. During his hay day as a three-star forward prospect, Anunoby averaged 19 points, 8.6 rebounds as a senior and was a Missouri Mr. Basketball finalist.
Whether Bridges is asked to cover guards on the perimeter or needed to head into the painted area and snag rebounds, he’s a do-it-all type player for New York. The former Villanova star played his high school boys basketball at Great Valley, earning Class AAAA all-star selectee and Philadelphia-area honors.
The big man for the New York Knicks has been the next biggest star next to Brunson throughout this playoff run, which has brought the franchise to their first NBA Finals appearance in nearly three decades. Towns was a five-star prospect out of Saint Joseph where he won multiple state championships and was a McDonald’s All-American.
Another former Villanova product has shined on the big stage for New York and will look to do so again beginning tonight in Texas. Hart back in his high school boys basketball playing days was a four-star shooting guard prospect, ranking as the state’s No. 2 player and No. 12 at his position. Hart was a First-team All-Met selection and led Sidwell Friends to a 22-9 record his senior campaign.
The 7-foot, 222-pound center will likely be tasked with covering arguably the league’s top player in Victor Wembanyama throughout the series because of his length and agility. Robinson was a can’t miss prospect out of the Pelican State, ranking as a five-star prospect before heading off to play collegiately at Western Kentucky. Robinson finished his high school career at Chalmette after being at Pensacola (Fla.) Pine Forest, named a McDonald’s All-American and averaging 25 points and 12 rebounds per game.
McBride is a rotation player for the Knicks that will be expected to play key minutes throughout the NBA Finals. Before his days in the NBA and collegiately, however, McBride starred at Archbishop Moeller where he led the Crusaders to multiple state titles and earned all-state honors.
It’s a homecoming of sorts for Clarkson tonight as he will play in a city where he made a name for himself on the high school boys basketball scene. In his senior season out of the Lone Star State, Clarkson was named San Antonio Player of the Year before playing collegiately at Missouri.
Played his college days at Georgia Tech after his high school boys basketball career playing for one of New York’s top teams in Christ The King Regional. There with the Lions, Alvarado his junior season was the CHSAA Player of the Year and notched the ultra-rare quadruple-double in a game his senior year.
Sochan was one of the best high school boys basketball players out of the state of Tennessee coming out, rated as a four-star forward before playing at Baylor University. The forward played at a number of schools during and after his high school days, including Itchen College (UK), La Lumiere School (Indiana; junior year) and eventually played professionally in Germany.
When it comes to little or no fanfare coming out of high school, but ending up playing at the highest level, that’s the story for Shamet. The guard played mostly at Bartram Trail (Fla.) before heading to Park Hill and eventually collegiately at Wichita State.
Dadiet didn’t play any high school boys basketball within the states as he starred at Saint-Charles Charenton for nearly a decade before entering the professional world of hoops. The 6-foot-9, 217-pound forward for the Knicks could see rotational time in the Finals series.
A Rhode Island high school boys basketball standout before heading to college and the pros, Kolek was the 2019 Rhode Island Gatorade Boys Basketball Player of the Year after scoring 1,000 points his senior year and earning all-state honors.
Hukporti is another international player that developed outside of the United States before jumping into the NBA. The 7-foot, 245-pound center spent a majority of his time in the German youth basketball system before playing professionally in Austraila and Europe.
Another player that played his high school boys basketball growing up in the San Antonio area and now will be back in the city is McCullar, who like Clarkson also played at Wagner. McCullar re-classed and graduated early to play collegiately at Texas Tech before moving on to Kansas.
Rounding out the list of 16 players heading into tonight’s NBA Finals is Jones, who is the lone representative of the Knicks from the state of Kansas. Jones for his first three years of high school boys basketball played at W.J. Keenan High School in Columbia, South Carolina where he won a SCHSL Class 3A state crown before heading to Sunrise Christian Academy for his senior season.
NBA Finals courtside tickets sold for more than $100,000 as the New York Knicks pushed for their first NBA championship since 1973, a feat clinched Saturday night. In Madison Square Garden, much of the front row was occupied by celebrities, including Taylor Swift, who attended Game 4.
On Sunday, the Cleveland Cavaliers, who the Knicks defeated in the conference finals, will soon find out how valuable those seats are after the games are done.
In partnership with authenticated memorabilia marketplace The Realest, Cleveland is auctioning the chair Swift sat in during the Cavs’ Eastern Conference finals series against New York. As of Saturday evening, the top bid was $7,000. Travis Kelce’s spot is also available, as are chairs used by Kylie Jenner, Timothée Chalamet, Ben Stiller and Machine Gun Kelly.
“I’m definitely surprised at how much attention it’s gotten,” Cavaliers chief marketing officer Chris Kaiser said. Earlier this year, the team sold a seat used by LeBron James when the Lakers visited for $1,905. But the Cavs didn’t stop there. For $245 more, a collector grabbed the grip powder LeBron used during his signature pre-game routine.
“Anything that our authenticators can put their eyes on and mark, it’s all fair game,” Kaiser said.
The definition of sports memorabilia has expanded in recent years alongside a boom in collecting and the support of companies like The Realest, which has developed an expertise in authenticating off-beat items, from Lincoln Financial Field snow to a Ryder Cup rake. Kaiser is hopeful that the team’s eye-catching offerings will also generate awareness of more traditional auction items. The highest price paid this year was for a James Harden jersey worn during his home debut with the team in February.
Working with The Realest and selling the items directly will give fans more confidence in their authenticity, Kaiser said. The team is already considering in-arena activations, such as the ability to bid on a night’s game-used ball up until the final buzzer. By this time next year, Kaiser said, he anticipates the Cavs’ memorabilia offerings representing a mid-six-figure business.
Days after the virtual gavel bangs on Taylor Swift’s chair, Cleveland will drop another collection of items. Coming up soon: the ceremonial sword several celebs and former players have held aloft as part of the team’s pregame ceremonies.
As for what a fan might do with such a saber? That’s up for the highest bidder to decide.
SECAUCUS, NJ - AUGUST 20: Deputy Commissioner of the NBA, Mark Tatum holds up the card of the Phoenix Suns after they get the 10th overall pick in the NBA Draft during the 2020 NBA Draft Lottery on August 20, 2020 at the NBA Entertainment Studios in Secaucus, New Jersey. 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 2020 NBAE (Photo by Steven Freeman/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Ten days. That is all that separates the Phoenix Suns from the 2026 NBA Draft. Sure, the draft technically begins in 9 days, and current FanDuel projections have BYU’s AJ Dybantsa going first overall. But the Suns won’t be involved in any of that. They don’t own a first-round pick. Instead, the Memphis Grizzlies will make the selection that would have belonged to Phoenix based on the results of the 2025-26 season. Memphis currently holds the 16th overall pick, while the Suns are left with the 17th pick in the second round, No. 47 overall.
But is that how things will ultimately play out? And more importantly, is that what we want?
The fan base appears pretty split on the subject. According to this week’s poll, 58% of Suns fans believe the team should make a trade and move up in the draft. The remaining 42% believe Phoenix should stand pat and select at No. 47.
Honestly, I can see both sides. If you want to move up in the draft, it isn’t free. It’s going to cost something. Unfortunately, the Suns don’t have an abundance of assets at their disposal. Unless we’re talking about attaching future second-round picks, something Phoenix is already short on, the most likely outcome is that the team stays where it is and makes a selection at No. 47.
And that’s where the real question begins. What is the responsible move for the organization at this point in time? Is this a season in which patience makes the most sense? Should the Suns stay put, continue evaluating what they have, see who they become under this new direction, and then make more aggressive draft decisions a year from now?
Those are all fair questions.
Personally, I’d love to see the Suns move into the front half of the second round. No, you’re probably not drafting a future All-Star. But if it only costs a couple of second-round picks to move up in what is considered a deep draft, I think it’s worth exploring. And if you’re asking me who I’d target? I’d love to see them go after Zuby Ejiofor out of St. John’s. That would feel like a slam dunk selection for Phoenix.
Fortunately, we won’t have to wait much longer. Ten days from now, we’ll have our answer.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - JUNE 11: A detailed view of the San Francisco Giants logo in Pride colors prior to the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park on Saturday, June 11, 2022 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Josie Lepe/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Good morning, baseball fans!
Another week of San Francisco Giants baseball comes to an end today, which would normally mean that it’s time to share our favorite highlights of the week.
I even had an entire post already scheduled to publish today with fantastic highlights.
Unfortunately, I am a human being. And a human being in the LGBTQIA+ community, to boot. I know, it’s a pretty shitty time for us right now.
And on Friday night, several Giants players decided that the ONE night of the entire season that is dedicated to acknowledging the humanity and struggles of fans like me was something that they absolutely could not abide.
And because of that, they don’t get to have a highlight of the week this week.
You know what they do get? My indignant ire. And my commitment to not letting this go until they do something to combat the hatred of their players and the damage that they’ve caused.
I’ve had to let a lot of things go over the years. I didn’t have the mental bandwidth for the fight. But right now? Yeah, I’ve got time. So I’m not letting this one go. And we’ll be talking about this one for a hell of a lot longer than anyone will remember anything else the Giants may have done this week. Good? Bad? Doesn’t matter.
This is who they are now.
People in the LGBTQIA+ community are Giants fans just like any other Giants fans. We go to games. We cheer, we mourn, we bleed the same blood as anyone else. We pay the same amount of money to watch this team (most likely lose) on any given day of the week.
More importantly, we also deserve the same dignity and basic human decency as anyone else.
And until the Giants do something to rectify the damage that their players have done this weekend, they don’t get to move on because I have now made it my mission in life to not let them.
So buckle up, Giants fans. Because this is only just beginning.
What time do the bigoted Giants play today?
The bigoted Giants wrap up this weekend series against the Cubs this afternoon at 12:10 p.m. PT.
