The Detroit Tigers wrapped up their homestand on Thursday afternoon with an 11-0 shellacking of the Minnesota Twins to give the team its seventh win in nine tries so far in June. Already, AJ Hinch and Co. have exceeded their win total for May with just under 2/3 of the month remaining.
Not too shabby.
Now, the Motor City Kitties hit the road for another big series against a fellow American League Central rival — the Cleveland Guardians — starting on Friday night at Progressive Field. The Guards have experienced an opposite level of success in June, winning just three of their nine games so far while bringing a four-game losing streak into the weekend that includes a three-game sweep at home against the New York Yankees.
The Tigers will open up with right-hander Jack Flaherty, who was cruising through five innings against the Seattle Mariners last time out before getting knocked out in the sixth. The 30-year-old’s final line saw him surrender three runs on six hits and a walk while striking out seven over five frames in what eventually turned out to be a 5-4 victory for Detroit.
Flaherty last faced Cleveland in the 2025 AL Wildcard series, in which he gave his team 4 2/3 innings of one-run ball on three hits and two walks while striking out four in a 6-3 team win.
Up against him for the Guardians will be fellow righty Tanner Bibee, who is coming off his best start of the year on the road against the Texas Rangers. The 27-year-old gave his team eight frames of shutout ball on three hits and two walks while striking out just three to earn his first and only win of the 2026 campaign.
That effort just barely outdid his previous performance against Detroit this season back on May 20, when he also went eight innings, surrendering just one run on four hits and a walk while striking out three. However, the Olde English D ultimately prevailed that day in 10 innings, 3-2.
Take a look below at how the two match up on Friday night.
Detroit Tigers (29-40) vs. Cleveland Guardians (37-33)
Time (ET): 7:10 p.m. Place: Progressive Field, Cleveland, Ohio SB Nation Site:Covering the Corner Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network
Game 70: RHP Jack Flaherty (1-7, 5.31 ERA) vs. RHP Tanner Bibee (1-7, 4.09 ERA)
Jun 10, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; A detailed view of the All-Star Game logo on the hat of Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper (3) during an MLB game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images | Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images
The Phillies now head to Wisco for a set against the Brewers. I’ve heard that actual Wisconsinites never say “Wisco”. Is that true? As you can tell (or maybe not?) from my use of the term, I am not from Wisconsin.
Onto the links.
Phillies news
The Phillies are going to have some All-Stars for the hometown All-Star Game. But how many?
Happy birthday to Damon Buford, and a mighty host of others.
Today in baseball history, in 1939 – In front of a record crowd of 23,864 fans at Ruppert Stadium in Newark, NJ, Lou Gehrig plays his last game in a Yankee uniform when he participates in an exhibition contest against the Kansas City Blues, the team’s American Association farm club. The “Iron Horse”, playing only three innings and batting eighth, grounds out weakly to second base in his only at-bat, and other stories as well.
Today in baseball history:
1880 Worcester Ruby Legs pitcher Lee Richmond throws the first perfect game in MLB history in a 1-0 win over the Cleveland Blues at the Agricultural County Fair Grounds in Worcester
1970 – Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Dock Ellisno-hits the San Diego Padres, 2-0. Ellis receives all his support on two home runs by Willie Stargell. Ellis will later claim that he was suffering from the after-effects of his previous night’s LSD trip while pitching this gem.
1923 – Harry Houdini frees himself from a straight jacket while suspended upside down, 40 feet (12 m) above ground in NYC.
1930 – German boxer Max Schmeling beats Jack Sharkey by disqualification in 4 rounds in NYC for vacant NBA, NYSAC, The Ring and lineal heavyweight titles; first time title won on a foul.
1931 – Al Capone is indicted on 5,000 counts of prohibition violations and perjury.
1979 – Kevin St Onge throws a playing card a record 185 ft-1 inch; record broken in 1992.
1987 – US President Ronald Reagan challenges Mikhail Gorbachev to “tear down” the Berlin wall.
2008 – Patrick Kane receives the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL’s rookie of the year.
Today in music history:
1909 – “Shine On, Harvest Moon” by Ada Jones & Billy Murray hits #1.
1965 – Queen Elizabeth’s Birthday Honours List names The Beatles as MBEs (Members of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire); dozens of past winners return medals in protest.
1966 – Dave Clark Five sets record as they appear for 12th time on “The Ed Sullivan Show.”
1970 – Rocker and blues singer Janis Joplin debuts in Kentucky.
1990 – Mariah Carey‘s self-titled debut album is released.
1993 – “Three Little Pigs” by Green Jelly hits #17.
2008 – Coldplay release their 4th studio album ” Viva la Vida or Death” (winner of 3 Grammys).
David Reinbacher wasn’t the only young Montreal Canadiens blueliner to make his NHL debut this season; Adam Engstrom did as well, and he even got to spend 15 games with the big club. It wasn’t all that surprising, though, since the 22-year-old Swedish prospect was absolutely dominant in the AHL with the Laval Rocket.
As a result, Engstrom was named to the AHL Top Prospects Team earlier this week. In 45 games with the Rocket, he put up 34 points, including 10 goals, received only 18 penalty minutes and finished his season with a plus-14 rating.
While Engstrom was only a third-round pick (92nd overall) in the 2022 draft by the Canadiens, he has developed admirably and raised his stock accordingly. If he were a right-shot defenseman, he likely would have spent the season in Montreal, allowing the Canadiens to play Lane Hutson on his natural side.
Given the fact that the Habs have Hutson, Mike Matheson and Kaiden Guhle on the left side, it’s not hard to imagine that the Canadiens could be tempted to use Engstrom in a deal to address the organizational needs that are the second-line center and a top-four right-shot defenseman. That’s not to say that Engstrom on his own would bring back that kind of return, but he could certainly be part of a package that would.
There’s also a line of thinking that dictates it would make sense for the Habs to part ways with Guhle, not because he’s not a good defenseman, he definitely is, but because of how often he is injured. When the puck drops on the new season, Guhle will be entering the 2nd year of his six-year contract with a $5.5 million cap hit. It’s not too expensive for that kind of punishing defenseman who can, as Cole Caufield so eloquently put it, “bury people.” It becomes expensive, however, if you cannot rely on him for more than 50 games and need a backup plan.
It’s a shame because the Canadiens lack sandpaper and should be adding some rather than discarding it. If the Habs decide to part ways with Guhle and promote Engstrom, he’s certainly not the guy who will bring that element to the lineup. It means that if the return for the trade is a right-shot blueliner, he not only needs to be able to play in the top-four, but he needs to be able to deliver bone-crushing hits as well, making him an even rarer specimen for Kent Hughes to find.
Mar 1, 2026; Jupiter, Florida, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Antwone Kelly (89) delivers a pitch against the St. Louis Cardinals during the fourth inning at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
The Pittsburgh Pirates are addressing some season-long problems in the bullpen by calling up number seven prospect Antwone Kelly ahead of this weekend’s series against the Miami Marlins.
The 22-year-old right-hander had a 4.50 ERA and a 1.481 WHIP at Triple-A Indianapolis this season, which are hardly sparkling numbers, but as the team continues to middle along with a 4.45 ERA as a bullpen, some reinforcement arms were needed. He did pitch over 100 innings last year with a 3.02 ERA, which helped his cause.
Kelly has a fastball that reaches triple digits and averages 97.6 mph in the Minors, and he also employs a change-up and a cutter. He began the year in the starting rotation for Indianapolis, but was then moved to the bullpen.
The 20th-ranked Pirates bullpen needs all the help they can get, having two major blowups within the past week, giving up a 10-run inning to the Los Angeles Dodgers and blowing 9-5 eighth inning lead to the Houston Astros. The bullpen seems to be getting worse, not better, which is why some fresh bullpen arms were needed. Whether Aruban native Kelly is part of the answer or not remains to be seen, but we’ll be set to find out this weekend against the Marlins.
The Bucs have three home games against Miami this weekend, playing Friday at 6:40pm, Saturday at 4:05pm and Sunday at 12:15pm. We’ll see Braxton Ashcraft, Bubba Chandler and Paul Skenes taking the mound this weekend as starters. Once we get to the bullpen, there’s a good chance Kelly makes his debut. Stay tuned.
‘I’ve given it my all in every match,’ says Black Caps legend
He captained World Test Championship winners in 2021
The former New Zealand captain Kane Williamson will play no further part in the Test series against England after retiring from all international cricket with immediate effect.
Williamson brings an end to a 16-year career marked by numerous accolades and by captaining his side to the title in the inaugural World Test Championship in 2021.
Can the San Antonio Spurs actually recover from the most devastating collapse in NBA Finals history? While the odds are heavily stacked against them, the New York Knicks still have to cross the finish line to secure that elusive fourth victory.
Our featured Knicks vs. Spurs props and NBA picks expect the regular-season champs to dig deep and put up a ferocious fight on their home floor for Game 5 this Saturday, June 13.
Best Knicks vs Spurs props for Game 5
Player
Pick
Victor Wembanyama
Over 27.5 points
-120
Karl-Anthony Towns
Over 11.5 rebounds
+110
Dylan Harper
Over 3.5 assists
+125
Game 5 Prop #1: Victor Wembanyama Over 27.5 points
Victor Wembanyama played all 12 minutes of Wednesday’s fourth quarter, yet he scored only five points, going 2-of-9 from the field and not taking a 3-pointer. Consider that to be the latest evidence of the San Antonio Spurs’ superstar’s exhaustion.
This is his first playoff run. He has never played into late April before, let alone mid-June. And the intensity of these games adds up. Fatigue is understandable even if also becoming a liability.
But with an added day off, Wembanyama should be ready to charge forward in Game 5, and he has always preferred shooting at home. Some consideration could be put into betting the Over on his 3-pointers prop, set at 1.5 but juiced to -200.
An extra day off before Game 3 helped Wembanyama to an 11-of-21 showing for 32 points, despite shooting only four 3-pointers. Expect a 3-of-7 or 3-of-8 showing from long range as Wembanyama again reaches 30 points in Game 5.
Game 5 Prop #2: Karl-Anthony Towns Over 11.5 rebounds
The Spurs could not have started Game 4 in a better way than notching two fouls on Karl-Anthony Towns within the first minute of the game. Failing to find a win when granted that break is nearly as damning as blowing a 29-point lead was.
Once Towns was back on the court in full, he returned to his effectiveness. He finished with 10 rebounds despite playing less than 26 minutes. He snagged seven boards once free of his shackles in the second half.
He is effectively the New York Knicks’ only quality big man in this series; obviously that drastically understates Towns’s role. Every Mitchell Robinson minute risks Hack-A-Mitch, but when facing Wembanyama, New York needs size.
Expect at least 35 minutes from Towns in Game 5, if not 40.
This prop is set at the right number, but the plus-money is foolish. Towns cleared this in the first two games of this series, and he fell short in Game 4 only because of the opening minute’s whistles.
Game 5 Prop #3: Dylan Harper Over 3.5 assists
Obviously and memorably De’Aaron Fox had an ugly closing few minutes in Game 4 that likely cost the Spurs a win. But San Antonio head coach Mitch Johnson should already have been playing Fox fewer minutes and turning to Dylan Harper more often.
Harper is clearly the Spurs’ best guard in this series, outplaying both Fox and Stephon Castle. He has notched at least three assists in each of the last three games, playing 32 minutes in each and with a usage rate of at least 22.1% in them after playing only 28 minutes in Game 1 with a usage rate of 19.0%.
San Antonio’s best chance at shocking everyone in these Finals includes elevating Harper to the No. 2 role behind Wembanyama. The headlines will say that comes at Fox’s expense, but it was an obvious need long before Fox missed a layup and failed to box out OG Anunoby.
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DETROIT - JUNE 12: The Pittsburgh Penguins celebrate with the Stanley Cup after defeating the Detroit Red Wings by a score of 2-1 to win Game Seven and the 2009 NHL Stanley Cup Finals at Joe Louis Arena on June 12, 2009 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Seventeen years ago today, the Pittsburgh Penguins stunned the Detroit Red Wings to win the team’s third Stanley Cup title.
The Penguins were heavy underdogs in the Stanley Cup Final series against the Red Wings, who were the defending champions from the prior year.
Pittsburgh seemed extremely outmatched during stretches of the series, losing all three road games in Detroit, but winning Games 3, 4, and 6 to force a deciding Game 7 back at Joe Louis Arena.
Maxime Talbot opened the scoring early in the second period of the game, beating goaltender Chris Osgood to make it a 1-0 game.
Sidney Crosby left the game with a knee injury, but the Penguins kept pressing on.
Maxime Talbot was the star of the game, scoring a second goal near the midway point of the second period, picking a corner against Osgood to make it 2-0 Pittsburgh.
From there, it seemed like the Penguins were hanging on for dear life.
Jonathan Ericsson got the Red Wings on the board and Niklas Kronwall nearly tied the game, hitting the crossbar with a shot with just over 2 minutes remaining in the contest.
With the Penguins hanging on, Marc-Andre Fleury made a diving save on Nicklas Lidstrom as time was expiring and as time expired, the Penguins were Stanley Cup champions.
What a month this has been for the NHL and NBA finals, each with tremendously entertaining series and, in the Knicks’ case, the chance to make a city explode and unite around a title not seen in half a century.
A cup win for Raleigh or Vegas would be…less impactful, but it will still be the conclusion to a riveting series.
As for us, check back later for an outstanding Weird Islanders episode with former Isles beatwriter Arthur Staple discussing the weird Nino Niederreiter year (and a bonus run-in with Jack Capuano).
Islanders News
Anders Lee update-non-update: Isles would still like to keep him (but at what cost?) and he’d like to stay (but at what cost?), so the betting is he’ll reach free agency. [LeBrun rumbling at Athletic]
The Isles have signed Daylan [sic] Kuefler to another two-way deal, this one for two years. [Isles]
Matthew Schaefer was there for the Knicks’ amazing comeback in Game 4. [THN]
Elsewhere
The Hurricanes are one win away after a somewhat comfortable (by this series’ standards) Game 5 win at home. [NHL]
Jordan Staal is the first guy to score in five consecutive Stanley Cup final games in 50 years. [Sportsnet]
The NHL will further investigate Mike Babcock’s douchebaggery in Columbus, what with Edmonton seeking permission to hire him to kill their team off. [Athletic]
Speaking of the Oilers, Darnell Nurse says yeah fer sure, you can trade me. [Sportsnet]
Nikita Kucherov was awarded the Hart Trophy for some reason. [NHL]
Former Canucks GM Patrik Allvin joins the Kraken as one of several assistant GMs. [Sportsnet]
Ask a dumb question, spend a thousand words on a dumb non-answer. [Athletic]
Pitching was sharp on both sides in this one as Sawyer Gipson-Long posted his best start of the season while the Hens were held to four hits.
The right-hander fired five scoreless innings of one-hit ball of his own in this one. Gipson-Long allowed two walks, but he struck out five on the evening. As usual, his slider-changeup combo was very good, but his fastball metrics remain well below average. Ricky Vanasco succeeded him with a scoreless inning of work, and Troy Watson took it the rest of the way. He too pitched a solid three innings, but allowed a solo shot in the top of the ninth for the only run in this one.
Max Clark went 0-for-5 but didn’t strike out, and he was the only Hen who could say that. Corey Julks had two hits to lead the offense, such as it was as Saints veteran Austin Voth struck out eight in his start.
Julks: 2-4, 2B, 2 K
Gipson-Long: 5.0 IP, 0 R, H, 2 BB, 5 K
Coming Up Next: It’s a 7:05 p.m. ET start on Friday in Toledo.
John Peck came through with a walkoff double after the RubberDucks tied this one up late.
Starter Sean Hunley struggled for Erie in this one, but the offense seized control pretty early after Hunley gave up four runs in four innings.
Brett Callahan is really pressing his case for a move to Toledo now. The left-handed outfielder crushed a solo shot in the bottom of the first for his 12th home run of the season, and his fifth in the last six games. Callahan is holding his own against left-handed pitching and destroying right-handers. The Tigers do things at a glacial pace but Callahan should be moving up after the All-Star break if he can avoid a slump in the meantime.
In the second, singles from Chris Meyers and Izaac Pacheco led to their second run. In the third, they really poured on the offense. Peyton Graham singled with one out and John Peck drew a walk. A two-out single from Andrew Jenkins plated Graham, and then Meyers walked to load the bases. Pacheco ripped a two-run single to right field and then stole second base. E.J. Exposito came through with a two-run single of his own, and it was 7-3 Erie through three innings.
The Detroit area’s own Alex Mooney hit a solo shot off of Hunley in the fourth to make it a 7-4 game, and the RubberDucks chipped away at the lead with a two-run sixth against Johan Simon.
Moises Rodriguez took over in the ninth with a 7-6 lead looking for the save. He got a quick pair of ground outs and his sinker is popping triple digits now that the weather has heated up. That didn’t stop Jaison Chourio, who got a hanging slider and launched it to right for just the second homer against Rodriguez this year.
Tie ballgame.
The reversal came quickly in the bottom half. Graham walked, and Peck smoked a double off the right field wall. Graham raced first to home ahead of the relay, and the SeaWolves had a walkoff winner.
🚨SeaWolves Walk-Off Win🚨
John Peck hits a hard line-drive double off the wall in right and Peyton Graham comes all the way home from 1st to give Erie an 8-7 win. Unfortunately, it looks like Alfonsin Rosario was hurt on the play. @ZachSurdenik calls it. pic.twitter.com/cAxBVYJpEu
Coming Up Next: The SeaWolves will morph into the Flagship City Kitties on Friday, as they hunt for their fifth straight victory at 6:35 p.m. ET.
Lake County Captains 6, West Michigan Whitecaps 5 (box)
The Whitecaps beat up on Captains starter Melkis Hernandez, only to watch their bullpen blow the lead late on Thursday.
Right out of the gate, a one-out single from Andrew Sojka and a double from a still hot Ricardo Hurtado got the Whitecaps in scoring position, and Sojka scored on a ground out for a 1-0 lead.
Starter Lucas Elissalt leaked two runs in the bottom half on a single-double-single combination, but in the second, Samuel Gil and Junior Tilien led off with singles. Caleb Shpur’s automatic double scored Gil, and a Sojka single scored Tilien. Shpur was thrown out at the plate, but it was 3-2 ‘Caps.
The third opened with back-to-back doubles from Clayton Campbell and Luke Shliger for a 4-2 lead. Unfortunately Gil lined into a double play to snuff that threat from developing further.
Elissalt allowed a Dean Curley solo shot off a high fastball in the bottom of the third that got the Captains back within one. The right-hander has struggled early on this year, but we keep seeing hints of more velocity, and he was really just bit by sequencing. Other than the solo shot he wasn’t hit hard at all and was in pretty good command of his stuff.
Again the Whitecaps pushed across a run in the bottom half on a Campbell sac fly that scored Sojka.
Unfortunately, that 5-3 lead wouldn’t hold up as Preston Howey surrendered three runs in the sixth, and the offense went quiet.
Sojka: 3-5, 2 R, RBI, 2 K
Hurtado: 2-5, 2B, K
Gil: 2-4, R
Elissalt: 5.0 IP, 3 ER, 4 H, BB, 4 K
Coming Up Next: It’s a 7:00 p.m. ET start on Friday with the Captains up 2-1 in the series.
Malachi Witherspoon’s control was pretty shaky again in this one, and the bullpen kept leaking runs while the offense was pretty quiet.
Witherspoon did settle in eventually, but he coughed up two runs in a pretty laborious first inning. He shut the Threshers down from there and found his command to a degree, but was still pretty efficient. He departed in the fourth and Yendry Gomez cleaned up that inning and spun a scoreless fifth as well.
In the fifth, the Flying Tigers finally capitalized on an opportunity when a passed ball got Nick Dumesnil to second base, and a Beau Ankeney single scored him. In the sixth, Anibal Salas singled with two outs, and Hunter Dobbins doubled him in.
At that point it was a 2-2 game and things were looking up.
In the bottom of the sixth, Luke Hoskins came on for Lakeland and an error on Jude Warwick allowed the leadoff hitter to reach and then steal second base. A double that Javier Osorio couldnt’ snare at third gave the Threshers the lead. Hoskins leaked another run before getting out of the inning, and gave up one more in the seventh as the Flying Tigers’ offense went silent.
Dobbins: 2-4, RBI, 2B, K
Warwick: 2-5, 2 K, SB
Witherspoon: 3.1 IP, 2 ER, 6 H, 2 BB, 4 K
Coming Up Next: The Flying Tigers lead the series 2-1 heading into a 6:30 p.m. ET matchup on Friday.
20-year-old Jack Bushell, another of the Tigers’ Australian pitching contingent alongside Ali Tanner, went through the Phillies like an angry weedeater in this one, striking out 10 and allowing just a solo shot in five innings of work.
Angel de los Santos, a fast-rising 19-year-old shortstop prospect, mashed a three-run shot in the fifth that was the decisive blow in this one.
Just as nice to see was the return of SS/2B Franyerber Montilla. The 21-year-old slick fielding switch hitter blew out his ACL last July, and this was the first we heard about his status. He went 0-1 with two walks and scored a run. He’ll need some time to build up, but my guess would be West Michigan is his final destination, playing second base alongside Bryce Rainer.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - JUNE 09: Spencer Jones #78 of the New York Yankees celebrates with teammates after hitting a two-run home run for his first Major League home run during the second inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on June 09, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Yankees are going to have to pass the “Playing without Aaron Judge Test” repeatedly over the next several weeks, but they’ve passed the initial run. They’ve won five of six since the Captain’s injury was officially announced, with the offense particularly stepping up in a series sweep in Cleveland. The road trip continues with the team’s first visit to Canada this year, where they’ll look to repay the Blue Jays for Toronto’s domination of New York last year.
On the site today, we turn our sights to the Jays, with Matt previewing the three-game set. Later, Sam recaps Thursday’s American League action, and Nick praises the great Hideki Matsui on the occasion of his 52nd birthday. Also, Peter’s sequence of the week highlights Fernando Cruz, and Jeff discusses how Trent Grisham’s resurgence couldn’t have come at a better time.
Today’s Matchup:
New York Yankees at Toronto Blue Jays
Time: 3:07 p.m. EST
TV: YES, Sportsnet, TVA Sports
Venue: Rogers Centre, Toronto, ON
Questions/Prompts:
1. On the occasion of the Yankees visiting Toronto, do you think the Jays are still a major threat to come back in the division? Or do you think they’ve fallen far back enough?
2. Can you think of a baseball analogue to what happened in Game 4 of the NBA Finals?
Jason Lane’s four home runs and 31 total bases in 1998. Greg Swindell’s 29 strikeouts for Texas in 1985. Mark Kotsay’s both-ways dominance for Cal Fullerton in 1995. Arizona State first baseman Bob Horner’s 11 RBIs in 1977.
The College World Series has been the stage for some of the top individual performances in NCAA history. Last year, LSU righthander Kade Anderson was named the CWS Most Outstanding Player after striking out 10 batters in the opening game of the finals against Coastal Carolina.
This year’s series features a record five teams from the SEC along with North Carolina, West Virginia and Troy.
One player will end up taking the wheel and leading his team to the national championship. Before play begins on Friday, here are the pitchers and hitters to watch heading into the CWS:
No. 3 Georgia: RHP Caden Aoki and C Daniel Jackson
Aoki spent most of the year in the bullpen, earning a finalist nomination for Stopper of the Year honors as the nation’s top reliever, but has delivered 11.2 innings and 20 strikeouts in two starts in this tournament. The first catcher in Division I history to post 25 home runs and 25 steals in the same season, Jackson (.396 BA) won the triple crown in the SEC and is up to 31 homers after hitting a pair in the super regionals against Mississippi State.
No. 5 North Carolina: RHP Jason DeCaro and CF Owen Hull
DeCaro (11-2, 2.28 ERA) is a veteran of this stage after giving up one run and striking out six across four innings of work in the Tar Heels’ win against Virginia in the 2024 CWS. He’ll likely draw the nod for the opener against Mississippi. A transfer from George Mason, Hull (.390, 81 RBIs) had four doubles and the walk-off winning hit against Southern California in the super regionals.
No. 6 Texas: LHP Dylan Volantis and RF Aidan Robbins
A projected top pick in this year’s MLB draft, Volantis (2.03 ERA) is nearly untouchable when on his game and pretty unstoppable even when things aren’t working well; he had a season-high four wild pitches but still struck out 10 in an easy 11-3 win against Oregon in the super regionals. Robbins has continued to mash since joining the Longhorns from Seton Hall, posting a .342 average and 24 home runs with a 1.115 OPS.
No. 7 Alabama: RHP Myles Upchurch and SS Justin Lebron
Just a freshman, Upchurch has battled through some early command issues (40 walks in 70.2 innings) to go 8-3 with 77 strikeouts and a 3.57 ERA while holding batters to a .198 average. It’s been a frustrating year at times for Lebron, who is hitting just .277, down from a .316 mark in his breakout sophomore season. But he’s one of the best base-stealers in the nation (41 steals in 42 attempts) and can make a huge impact even if his bat is missing.
No. 16 West Virginia: LHP Maxx Yehl and UTL Gavin Kelly
Yehl (2.10 ERA) has worked his way back from Tommy John surgery to become one of the top southpaws in the country. He’s given up just two runs on seven hits in his past two tournament starts. Kelly has posted at least one hit in all seven tournament games, pushing his average to .384, and the sophomore brings even more value thanks to his ability to man both catcher and second base at a high level. A strong CWS could vault him to the top of the list among 2027 draft prospects.
Mississippi: RHP Cade Townsend and 3B Judd Utermark
Ole Miss needs more from Townsend in Omaha. While still one of the top college arms in this year’s draft, he’s struggled of late, giving up 14 runs over 12 innings in his past three starts. That’s kicked his ERA to 3.94, up from 2.42 in early May. Utermark (22 home runs) went 3 for 7 with 4 RBIs to pace the Rebels’ two-game sweep of Auburn in the super regionals.
Oklahoma: LHP Cord Rager and C Deiten Lachance
The decision to move Rager from Sunday starter to the top of the rotation for the tournament has paid off for the Sooners. The freshman struck out eight in six innings in the regional opener against The Citadel and then delivered brilliant performance in the Lawrence super regional, holding host Kansas to just one hit in six innings. A junior college transfer this past offseason, Lachance has split time between catcher and first base. His bat travels: Lachance is hitting .332 while leading OU in hits (73), home runs (15) and RBIs (62).
Troy: LHP Hayden Smith and INF Aaron Piasecki
Smith joins Benjamin Stubbs (6-3, 4.93 ERA) and Tommy Egan (6-5, 5.38 ERA) in Troy’s rotation. He pitched four innings of one-run ball to eliminate Florida in the regionals. Piasecki’s elite hit tool has sparked the Trojans’ offense since he joined the program from Central Michigan. The middle infielder is hitting .346 with far more walks (39) than strikeouts (24). Beyond Piasecki, Troy has been boosted by a power surge from designated hitter Jabe Boroff, who is hitting .462 with six homers in the tournament.
Less than a decade ago, the British GP was on the brink of disappearing but this July it will break the record for the biggest ever with 570,000 through the gates
The scale of change at the British Grand Prix in recent years will be writ large come July when the meeting is poised to become the biggest in Formula One history.
This year’s race is expected to sell out its new capacity of 570,000 over four days, which will be a record-breaking 50,000 increase on the previous highest attendance of 520,000 at the Australian GP in 1995. Only Wimbledon, across two weeks, will boast more numbers in the UK summer with Silverstone the largest event on F1’s calendar.
In his lone college season, Cenac used those tools to consistently rebound at a good rate. He had 14 double-digit rebounding games. Over 37 outings, Cenac posted at least one offensive rebound on 33 occasions.
Cenac is a fluid mover for his size defensively and showed skills at Houston beyond the big man basics. At 19 years old, it’s doesn’t appear outlandish to think Cenac could get much better in the right developmental situation and provide considerable versatility on both ends of the floor in the NBA.
While Cenac didn’t have the production of many other first-round prospects, he was a helpful role player on a strong college team. He played 24.8 minutes per game for the 30-7 Cougars and averaged 9.5 points, 7.9 rebounds, 0.8 steals and 0.5 blocks. Houston head coach Kelvin Sampson admired his day-to-day approach.
“I love that kid,” Sampson told reporters in January. “I love him. He never has a bad day and I have worn him out. … He’s never, ever not looked me in the eye. He’s never had one ounce of bad body language. He’s never, ever been late. He’s always one of the first ones in, one of the last to leave.
“He is like a huge sponge. Wherever he’s playing in the NBA down the road, that team is going to be lucky to get him. He is an awesome, awesome young man.”
Weaknesses
Though Cenac flashed shooting ability in college from both three-point territory and the mid-range, he wasn’t particularly efficient.
He made 30 of 90 threes (33.3 percent) and 36 of 58 free throws (62.1 percent). As far as form, it’s noticeable that Cenac seems to lean back a bit during his shooting motion. The jumper is not currently a positive, dependable part of his game.
What position will suit Cenac as a professional? He doesn’t need to be exclusively a power forward or a center, but it’s worth asking whether his NBA team will be able to find a sweet spot in terms of positional usage.
Perhaps Cenac will put it all together in the NBA, but he comes across as a prospect still figuring out where he’s best and what he should focus on. It’s fine if he needs time to adapt to the NBA and hone specific skills like his jumper and his post defense, but there’s plenty of projection required for any team that believes in Cenac as a future starter.
If new president of basketball operations Mike Gansey took Cenac at No. 22, we imagine he’d mainly be investing in the Sixers’ frontcourt future. Even if Joel Embiid’s health fortunes improve, he’s 32 years old and won’t play at an All-Star level forever.
Victor Wembanyama
Karl-Anthony Towns
