TORONTO, CANADA - JUNE 23: Joey Loperfido #10 of the Houston Astros celebrates his go-ahead, three-run home run in the 11th inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at the Rogers Centre on June 23, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Tara Walton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Christmas came six months early for the Astros. After Joey Loperfido tripled with 1 out in the 8th, Blue Jays reliever Jeff Hoffman inexplicably attempted to pick him off at third base. His errant throw would send him home, making Loperfido the hero for the second straight day.
Gifts continued in the bottom of the 8th when Luis Urias would get doubled up off of second base, after a sensational play by Cam Smith, thwarting any threat for Toronto.
The final gift would add an insurance run, as Brice Matthews scored when Guerrero was pulled away from first on a sloppy throw. The combination of miscues would make the final score 3-1.
Not only were the Astros beneficiaries of Toronto’s charity, but they would also retire the opening batter in all nine innings, a rare feat for this staff. Mike Burrows brief flirtation with the bullpen has already paid dividends. Burrows’ lone mistake would be a solo shot to Nathan Lukes, but after that, he’d finish strong.
In the 6th inning, Burrows would retire Springer, Lukes and Guerrero with relative ease. Burrows would go six, strike out three and only walk one runner. By contrast, his counterpart, Trey Yesavage issued five walks on the night.
Issac Parades would start the scoring with a double which brought home Jeremy Pena who was the first runner of the night after drawing a walk.
Two weeks ago in Anaheim, Joe Espada summarized what every Astros fan was feeling stating “We’ve got to start winning some series”. After taking the rubber match from the Jays, Houston has now won their last four series, and in total have won 8 of their last 12 games.
Steven Okert would notch the win, his first of the season. Josh Hader would record his 6th save of the season. He’s now 6 for 6 in save opportunities.
Houston now heads to Detroit for a 4 game series with the Tigers beginning tomorrow night.
The Astros are now 39-43, 4 games under .500. They are even in the win column with Toronto, and trail the Jays by 1 game in the Wild card race.
Houston is 2.5 games behind Seattle in the AL West.
BOSTON, MA - MAY 25: A scoreboard operator carries a number to post on the manual scoreboard on the left field wall at Fenway Park between innings of the game between the Boston Red Sox and the Baltimore Orioles on May 25, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
When the Milwaukee Brewers came to town, we talked about their Famous Racing Sausages as a tradition they could leave behind to inspire a new mascot race at Coors Field.
With the Colorado Rockies taking the series today and sending the Boston Red Sox back to Fenway, it feels like a good time to discuss Boston’s historic home and chat all things ballparks.
Along with the Chicago Cubs’ Wrigley Field, Fenway Park comes up frequently as being at the top of people’s bucket lists for MLB parks they are most excited to visit. Getting to step into the oldest cathedrals of the game is truly a treat. They’re a blast from the past and capture the heart of baseball.
On top of those, there are so many wonderful modern classics with stunning backdrops, fun features, exciting fan bases, and amenities that are worth a visit. Thanks to some work travel, I had the chance cross off Pittsburgh’s PNC Park, the new Yankee Stadium, and Fenway over the span of a few months last year. It was an incredible stretch of stadiums, views, and experiences that I feel lucky to have gotten.
I’m currently at 12 of 30 MLB ballparks visited (in addition to a handful of minor league stadiums) and I’m excited to get to more. While nothing will overtake the Coors Field-shaped space in my heart, I loved the bay views in San Francisco, the delicious food in Seattle, the history of Chicago and Fenway, and the aforementioned mascot race shenanigans in both Milwaukee and Washington, D.C.
Which brings us to tonight’s chat! We want to hear about all the places you’ve been or hope to get to.
Are you “Chasing 30”, on a mission to visit every team’s ballpark? How many have you been to so far?
Which park are you visiting next?
Of the ones you’ve been to, which is your favorite?
Any favorite features, traditions, snacks, or hidden gems from the ballparks you’ve gotten to check out?
Whether it’s in the majors or minors, give us all of your ballpark hot takes, memories, and hopes below!
Buster Posey, the president of operations for the San Francisco Giants, makes a statement ahead of an MLB game against the Athletics at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Tuesday, June 23, 2026. Protesters are expected to gather outside Oracle Park to demonstrate against four pitchers who wrote Bible verses on their caps and opted out of wearing the team's Pride-themed gear during the Giants' Pride Night celebration on June 12. (Photo by Santiago Mejia/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)
Like most San Francisco Giants fans, I remember May 25, 2011 vividly. But it’s been more than 15 years since that fated day in which a young blossoming superstar, the budding pillar of the franchise, fractured his fibula and tore multiple ligaments in his leg during a collision at the plate. So some of the features of that memory have grown blurry.
I don’t remember who was pitching, or who hit the ball that sent Scott Cousins barreling around third base and straight into Buster Posey. I can’t recall the outcome of the game, or the Giants’ place in the standings at the time.
What I do remember is this: in the face of excruciating physical and emotional pain, Posey remained stoic. Years before the hundreds of millions of dollars in salary and investments would roll into his bank account, and before countless dreams had been checked off his personal to-do list, Posey sat on the plate at his home ballpark, knowing that not just his season, but his entire career was in jeopardy. His eyes were dry and his jaw was strong. He took in the scene, refused to call for a cart to wheel him away, and, with he help of the training staff, stood up and slowly hopped off the field, tall and upright. Beat and battered, but never broken.
318 days later, he was back on the field for Opening Day. 523 days later, he hoisted a World Series trophy over his head. 541 days later, he was honored as the league MVP.
That year-and-a-half sequence defined Posey as one of the toughest athletes of his era. Staring at the utmost adversity, Posey refused to blink.
It set the tone for the rest of his career. He was talented and selfless and a tireless worker, yes, but above all else he was tough. And in turn, the Giants were.
Which makes his latest turn all the more confounding, concerning, and infuriating.
On Tuesday, Posey — no longer the face of the roster, and now the face of the front office — met with the media. It was Posey, as he so often did in the batter’s box, calling his own number. It wasn’t a media session mandated by the league, or demanded by the reporters. It was just Posey, leader of a team in turmoil on and off the field, making himself available.
And looking weaker than I ever could have imagined he would.
Posey opened with a milquetoast statement regarding the team’s Pride Night debacle, and the subsequent fallout within the queer community, one that had about as much substance as a Jack Harlow song played in reverse. At best, it was a “there are good people on both sides and I care more about baseball” deflection; at worst, it was a child placing his head in his hands and screaming “mom I don’t want to.”
“I’d like to recognize that the organization has shared its response to Pride Night, and I understand that there’s strong feelings on this topic,” Posey said, the prevarication only just revving up. “There’s differing perspectives, and out of respect to everybody involved, it’s not something that I’m going to revisit. I understand that some fans are upset and frustrated, and I promise you this is something we’ve talked about a lot internally, and we’ll continue to do so. Our focus is on the team right now, the upcoming draft, the trade deadline, and trying to win games. So anybody that has baseball questions, I’m happy to take baseball questions from you now.”
It was bland and corporate, and a little spineless. But if that was leaning back at a pitch high and tight, what followed was Posey watching a fastball down the middle, and turning around to walk away before it even made it to the catcher. Calling off the at-bat after two pitches. Unwrapping his protective gear, walking out of the ballpark, and driving home in the fifth inning.
The reporters in attendance, to their credit, pushed back. Fairly, I might add. And even gently at first. Softballs initially, perfect for someone who used to be able to square up a 100-mph fastball with ease.
But Posey tucked his tail and tucked his head. In a staggering display of weakness, at the team’s lowest moment in decades, Posey stuck his fingers in his ears, squeezed his eyes closed, and sang, “la la la la I can’t heeeaaaaaarrrrrr youuuuuu.”
It was genuinely difficult to watch.
Did you object to Pride Nights as a player, and did anyone explain the importance to Tony Vitello and the players?
“If you want to ask baseball questions, I’ll answer baseball questions.”
Will you reach out to the gay community about what has unfolded?
“If you want to go to baseball questions, I made my statement, I’ll answer baseball questions.”
Do you have a response to the commissioner throwing the Giants under the bus?
“I’ll answer baseball questions.”
Why will you only answer baseball questions when the team is embroiled in something so important?
“I’m gonna only answer baseball questions.”
Is this not your job? Should we speak with Larry Baer?
At that point, Posey was beyond answers, and looked pathetically around for help, until a poor communications director was forced to repeat the same line: “We just need to keep it baseball related.”
You made this a baseball issue by hosting Pride Night, and letting players take the field having violated MLB’s rules.
“Buster made his statement. If you guys have any baseball questions, he can answer those, or we’re gonna be done.”
Cowardice. Weakness. Spinelessness.
And broken.
All hidden behind the vacant face of a man who clearly would rather face Clayton Kershaw 1,000 times over before having to spend another 10 seconds being asked for accountability over a blatant lack of inclusion and failure of leadership.
It’s clear that the Department of Justice’s hogwash meddling with the situation has spooked the Giants, and it’s fair to think that Posey’s hands were slightly tied by an unwanted political presence hovering over the entire situation. It also does essentially nothing to cover up the immeasurably pathetic display that took place at Oracle Park.
Posey could have no-commented questions about the hats that Landen Roupp, JT Brubaker, and Ryan Walker defiled. He could have no-commented the team’s communication with its players, the involvement of the DOJ, and Rob Manfred harshly criticizing the team.
Here, I wrote him a statement he could have said. I’m writing this on the fly. I didn’t take any time to think it over. I’m not going to edit it. I’m improvising here. Let’s see what I’m about to come up with.
I, along with the entire Giants organization, support and celebrate San Francisco’s vibrant and historic LGBTQIA+ community. We are aware that many in the community are hurting based on the actions and response of our team, and we are dedicated to making sure that every Giants fan feels at home at Oracle Park. We will meet with local leaders in the community to see how we can learn and grow from this year’s Pride Night, and I personally will be donating $100,000 to the SF LGBT Center. Unfortunately, for legal purposes, I can’t currently comment on the hats, our communication with the commissioner’s office, or anything regarding the DOJ’s investigation. We’re going to keep our discussions with players internal.
See how easy that was? It’s not a perfect statement because, again, I wrote it on the fly. It took 45 seconds. It probably has a spelling error in it. It features an organization I just learned about when I googled “LGBTQ youth centers San Francisco.”
But it does the important thing: it makes it clear where Posey stands. It makes it clear where the organization stands. It takes the absolute bare minimum level of accountability. It does nothing to interfere with the commissioner or the Department of Nonsensical Whining.
In the absence of that tiny act of accountability and inclusion, why do anything at all? Why hold a media session? Why face the cameras and reporters at all, if you can even call what Posey did “facing?” Why write a test that didn’t need to be written just to get all the answers spectacularly wrong?
A stable of unforced errors, buried beneath a cascade of cowardice. The antitheses of meeting the moment. The polar opposite of what the fanbase deserved and needed.
There was a time when I never would have dared to utter the word “weak” in association with Buster Posey. Now I fear I need a stronger word.
Mar 19, 2026; Greenville, SC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels center Henri Veesaar (13) celebrates after a play against the VCU Rams in the first half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
Welcome to the NBA Henri Veesaar. With the 52nd pick in the second round, the Atlanta Hawks selected the former Tar Heel center and starting his NBA career. So what does Veesaar bring to the NBA?
Strengths
In today’s NBA there is nothing more valuable than a stretch four and despite playing the five at North Carolina, Veesaar should fit in great in that role. Not only does he bring the obvious size, but he also brings the three point shooting to help stretch the floor and create space for driving guards and big men with less range. Additionally, Veesaar knows how to use his size on defense getting rebounds and blocks. Finally, Veesaar is also a good passer after averaging over two assists per game last season for the Tar Heels.
Areas of Improvement
There are two main areas that Veesaar is going to need to improve on. The first is adding weight. Despite being seven feet tall, Veesaar is not very big at a slim 225 lbs. The smaller frame will make him susceptible to injury when going up against much bigger post players in the NBA. Luckily for him, that is something that can be quickly remedied by just being drafted and getting into a full professional strength and conditioning program.
Secondly, he needs to work on his free throw shooting. Veesaar’s free throw shooting percentage of 61.5% was the tenth worst on the Tar Heels this past season and something that other NBA teams will take advantage of which in turn will limit his minutes. This is probably one of the more disturbing aspects of his game as his percentage has dropped every season in college as his attempts per game went up as well.
If he can get these areas fixed he should be able to provide some minutes for his new team this season.
DETROIT, MI - JUNE 24: Jasson Dominguez #24 (R) of the New York Yankees celebrates his two-run home run that drove in Ben Rice #22 in the sixth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on June 24, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Facing off against Tarik Skubal, the Yankees were going to need a strong start to best the reigning two-time AL Cy Young winner. They got just that, and though Skubal managed to look a lot more like his old self and shut down the lineup for long stretches, the offense made their moments count and cashed in most of the hits they got for runs.
Paul Goldschmidt set the tone immediately, working a 3-0 count before finding a fastball up and in the zone that he could crush — 372 feet later, it landed in left field for a 1-0 Yankees lead. Skubal rebounded quickly though, retiring the next three Yankees in just seven pitches, and outside of a seven-pitch battle with Jazz Chisholm Jr. the second inning gave him little trouble as well.
In the bottom of the second, the Tigers’ bats responded against Ryan Weathers. Riley Greene led off with a fly out, but Spencer Torkelson crushed a middle-middle fastball for a double out to left, and Hao-Yu Lee worked a four-pitch walk to put runners on with one out. Weathers managed to strike Ben Malgeri out to get an out away from escaping without any damage, but Zach McKinstry jumped on a 2-1 sinker that caught too much of the plate for a line drive single back up the middle that tied the game at one. Weathers evaded further problems by striking out Jake Rogers, his third of the night already, but the offense would have to pick him back up.
Goldschmidt’s second blast of the game was still just the second hit the Yankees had, and spoiler alert: they wouldn’t get another one for a while. Still, the Bombers were making Skubal pay on the few mistake pitches he made, making a night where he otherwise looked like the dominant ace he has been not feel too frustrating.
The Tigers weren’t out of this one yet, and they got some help to tie the game back up in the fourth inning. Torkelson led off with a walk, and Lee worked a 3-0 count before getting a fastball near the middle of the plate to drive. Jasson Domínguez couldn’t field the ball cleanly, allowing Torkelson to advance to third on the single, and Malgeri lifted a sacrifice fly in the next at-bat to cash in the runner and knot us up at two.
Weathers buckled down, getting the next two outs to close the inning without incident, and he worked around a leadoff double in the fifth to turn in a relatively strong outing for the second consecutive turn through the order. Weathers lasted six innings, allowing the two runs (one earned) on six hits and two walks with six punchouts. After a shaky streak of starts saw his ERA jump north of four during this month, Weathers has calmed things down and managed to secure his first start without a home run allowed since May 24th against Tampa Bay. And thanks to his offense finding one more spark on a night that they otherwise struggled, he walked away with the win.
After Goldschmidt’s second homer in the third, the entire lineup turned over without a batter getting on board. With two outs in the sixth, Ben Rice jumped on a first-pitch changeup to slap a single out to right breaking up Skubal’s rhythm and forcing him into the stretch for the first time all game. Perhaps that made the difference as Domínguez stepped up to the plate and fought through a nine-pitch at-bat where Skubal just couldn’t put him away despite jumping ahead 0-2, eventually leaving the third and final mistake pitch of his night: a changeup right over the heart of the plate. Domínguez pounced on it, and drove it out to left.
Now in the driver’s seat, the Yankee bullpen was tasked with holding the lead and they were very successful. Camilo Doval entered for the seventh and walked Rogers to lead off, but then got two straight pop-ups before handing the ball over to Fernando Cruz who struck out all four batters he faced. David Bednar got the ninth inning as usual, and got to two outs before he allowed a single to Kevin McGonigle that brought the tying run to the plate. Thankfully, Dillon Dingler jumped at the first pitch and lofted a fly ball right into Domínguez’s glove for the final out.
The Yankees secured themselves a series win after looking rather lackluster to start off, and now they’ll take that momentum into Boston for a four-game set with their archrivals. Cam Schlittler will open that series off and face off with Connelly Early, first pitch set for 7:10 p.m. EST.
New York continued their trend of trading down, moving from No. 31 to No. 39 in a deal with the Houston Rockets, per ESPN's Shams Charania. The Knicks also sent pick No. 55 in exchange for No. 53 and a 2029 Kings second-rounder.
Houston used the No. 31 pick on Ohio State guard Bruce Thornton.
SNY NBA Insider Ian Begley noted that "by trading out of first pick in second round of draft, the Knicks have positioned themselves to find players more likely to accept rookie minimum deal via second round pick exception."
Second round, pick No. 39: guard Jack Kayil
With the pick acquired from Houston, the Knicks selected German guard Jack Kayil.
The 20-year-old from Berlin is listed at 6-foot-3 and 172 pounds. He joined the Alba Berlin youth academy in 2022 and rejoined the organization in 2025. In 2026, Kayil wan named the Bundesliga Best Young Player and FIBA Champions League Best Young Player, in addition to making the All-FIBA Champions League Second Team.
Kayil has represented Germany in international tournaments, helping them win gold at the FIBA U16 EuroBasket in 2022, the bronze at FIBA U18 EuroBasket in 2023, and the gold in 2024. He also led them to the silver medal at the FIBA U19 World Cup in 2025, where they lost to the United States, averaging 11.1 points, 3.6 rebounds and 6.6 assists in the tournament.
Kayil said in his post-draft news conference that he expects to be with the Knicks for the 2026-27 season as opposed to being a draft-and-stash prospect.
Second round, pick No. 47: forward Tyler Nickel
The Knicks selected Vanderbilt forward Tyler Nickel with the No. 47 overall pick. This pick was one of the three second-round picks acquired from the Phoenix Suns for Koa Peat.
At 6-foot-6 and 217 pounds, Nickel is a sharpshooting wing who averaged 13.5 points per game and shot 44.5 percent from three in 7.6 three-point attempts per game during the 2025-26 season. The 22-year-old from Harrisonburg, Virginia, played four seasons of college basketball, transferring from North Carolina to Virginia Tech after one season, then doing the same to spend his final two seasons at Vanderbilt.
Second round, pick No. 53: center Ugonna Onyeso (traded)
To round out their 2026 NBA Draft, New York selected center Ugonna Onyeso from Virginia.
Although he was quickly traded to the Detroit Pistons for cash considerations, per ESPN's Shams Charania.
Onyeso, listed at 6-foot-11 and 237 pounds, used his size to record 2.92 blocks per game (leading the ACC and second nationally) last year with the Cavaliers. Born in Nigeria, he played three years at the NBA Academy Africa in Senegal before moving to the United States for high school at Putnam Science Academy in Connecticut. There, Onyeso developed into a five-star recruit and committed to Kentucky, where he played for two years with a transfer stop at Kansas State before going to UVA.
DAY 1
First round, pick No. 25: guard Sergio De Larrea (later traded)
New York started Tuesday night's first round with the No. 24 overall pick, but moved back a slot in a deal with the Los Angeles Lakers and took De Larrea out of Spain.
However, his Knicks tenure was over in the blink of an eye.
After the first round was completed, New York sent De Larrea to the Dallas Mavericks for No. 30 pick Koa Peat and two second-round picks. Peat would then be quickly traded to the Phoenix Suns for three second-round picks and cash considerations.
Now that the San Jose Sharks have the 27th overall pick in this year’s first round. Their draft strategy should change a little. Michael Kesselring brings a low floor to the Sharks’ blueline, so with that in mind, high upside should be what they look for here.
Prospect Info
Name: Maksim Sokolovskii
2025-26 Team: London Knights
Date of Birth: Jul. 12, 2008
Height: 6-foot-8
Weight: 238
Position: Defense (Left-Handed)
Statistics
Games Played - 44
Goals - 2
Assists - 6
Points - 8
Shots - 23
Shooting Percentage - 8.7%
Plus/Minus - +10
Rankings:
NHL Central Scouting (North America): 40th
The Hockey News - Ryan Kennedy: 52nd
Elite Prospects: 22nd
Sportsnet - Sam Cosentino: 31st
Sportsnet - Jason Bukula: 33rd
Daily Faceoff - 36th
What Experts are saying:
“Without a doubt, Sokolovskii is one of the most interesting defensive prospects available this year. He’s an absolute behemoth on the ice, but he’s also quick and agile, giving him immense defensive upside.” - Brock Otten
"I loved his play against the Soo Greyhounds because he repeatedly had to go up against top forward Brady Martin and, for the most part, succeeded. I really like Sokolovskii as a shutdown option." - Steven Ellis
"Sokolovskii’s name has been one of the most hotly discussed among NHL scouts over the past few months, and I expect he’ll be selected in the 20s now. He’s the biggest player in this class, he might be its most naturally aggressive and he can move. Those three things made him a source of intrigue for the scouts this year. " - Scott Wheeler
The Sharks shouldn’t be looking to wow anyone with this pick. In this scenario, they get a player whose size might wow you, but he plays a shut-down in your face type of game. What else can you ask for?
Jun 24, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Cleveland Guardians left fielder Steven Kwan (38), right fielder Kahlil Watson (31) and center fielder Petey Halpin (0) celebrate after defeating the Chicago White Sox after the tenth inning at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images | Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images
Everything was going smoothly for Tanner Bibee and the Guardians through six innings. Bibee was 89 pitches into his outing, looking to salvage a win and avoid a sweep on the South Side. Then, as has been the norm, Stephen Vogt takes Bibee out, in line for a victory, opting to go to the bullpen. This is when the fun began.
First things first, though, and that’s Kahlil Watson. Watson provided a spark all series long, and without Watson today, Cleveland gets swept. Watson set the table for a Bibee win with a bases loaded 2-RBI single, taking an Erick Fedde sweeper the other way. Watson, who entered the series 0-for-12 to start his MLB career, went 5-for-9 in this series with two massive hits in this game, including this single.
Now back to Bibee. Bibee’s pitch mix has seen some pretty major alterations. His 4-seam usage is down substantially while he’s leaning more on his sinker/cutter/slider combo. In doing so, Bibee is seeing more swing and miss in the zone and better quality of contact against him. He’s now running a 1.71 ERA in June while throwing his 4-seamer under 15% of the time in that span.
Vogt went to the Guardians’ magic 8-ball bullpen in the 7th, going to Erik Sabrowski fresh off the injured list, and Chicago immediately broke the seal, tallying a run and cutting the lead in half. Sabrowski has struggled upon return, getting tagged with earned runs in both outings. Holderman cleaned up, getting the final out.
The Guardians put together a scoring threat again in the 8th inning, and with the bases loaded and two out, Joe Rock walked Patrick Bailey, bringing Halpin in to score. A Kwan strikeout ended the threat, but Cleveland was up 3-1. Gaddis and Herrin covered the bottom half, but it was not without struggle as the White Sox got two more baserunners on before the threat was ended. Cleveland failed to add anything in the top of the 9th, and with Cade Smith coming on, all hell broke loose.
In a 1-1 count with two outs, Smith left a 4-seam fastball over the heart of the plate, and rookie Braden Montgomery did not miss it. 411 feet later, Chicago was within a run, and before anyone had a chance to catch their breath, Smith hung a sweeper right down broadway to Randal Grichuk, and just like that, Cade had blown his first save in two months, and Cleveland was staring down the barrel of a sweep and two game deficit in the division. Smith then surrendered a single to Jacob Gonzalez and walked Sam Antonacci, leading to Vogt yanking his potential All-Star closer for Shawn Armstrong. Somehow, this was Kyle Manzardo’s fault (iykyk).
Armstrong got the final out, but now it was on to extras.
Chicago brought in Grant Taylor who had already not been having the best series. After getting Manzardo to strike out, Taylor gave up a single to Rhys Hoskins.
Kahlil Watson, have a day! Watson, just like in the 6th, sliced a single to the opposite field, this time off of a 100 mph sinker from Taylor. Guards back up, 4-3.
Armstrong stayed on for the bottom half, and hooooo boy was this not good for the ol’ ticker! After a Luisangel Acuña sacrifice bunt moved Vargas to third, Armstrong walked Kyle Teel, then walked Colson Montgomery, and if not being able to find a grip wasn’t enough, the rain started falling on the South Side of Chicago. Thankfully, Armstrong got Chase Meidroth to ground out on a pitcher’s pitch down and in, and then Braden Montgomery grounded out to Manzardo with Manzo stretching out full extension to tag the base, mercifully ending this game with a badly needed W.
Cleveland, with this win, slots back into a tie for 1st place in the AL Central with Chicago, now sitting at 42-39.
After a day off tomorrow, the Guards head back home for a nice long home stand, starting with three against Seattle, three against Texas, and then a four game set against these same White Sox.
Mar 12, 2026; Nashville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie (0) celebrates after getting fouled and making the basket against the Auburn Tigers during the second half at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
The Tennessee Volunteers finally had another player come off the board in the 2026 NBA Draft, and it’s quite the team who picked him.
Vols guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie was tabbed by the current Western Conference champion San Antonio Spurs with pick No. 42 overall in the second round of the draft on Wednesday night.
It’s obviously a tremendous opportunity for Gillespie in San Antonio, if he can carve out a role for himself on a team that’s right on the edge of the pinnacle of the sport. The Spurs have themselves to blame for losing the NBA Finals in five games to the New York Knicks. They blew massive leads in multiple games, including a 29-point gag job in Game 4 in Madison Square Garden. So, clearly, they’re good enough to win it all, and having a superstar like Victor Wembanyama makes another run a distinct possibility in 2026-27 and beyond.
So, it’s a great situation for Gillespie to land in as far as potential to win. How he fits and what kind of role he earns for himself remains to be seen.
Take Buffalo Sabres forward Alex Tuch off the NHL free agent list.
Tuch, who had been the top available player, is going to the Washington Capitals in a sign-and-trade deal. He will average $10.5 million in his eight-year contract. The Sabres get back a third-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft and forward David Kampf.
Tuch, 30, has three 30-goal seasons, including 33 goals this past season. His cap hit had been $4.75 million.
They still don't know if left wing Alex Ovechkin will return or retire, but one of the NHL all-time leading goal scorer's factors was whether the team would be competitive after missing the playoffs in 2025-26.
The 2007 No. 1 pick became the top U.S.-born scorer this past season. He has topped 50 points the last two seasons. Current cap hit: $3 million.
8. Anders Lee, New York Islanders
He has been the Islanders' captain since 2018 and is usually good for 20-plus goals, though he had 19 in 2025-26. Current cap hit: $7 million.
7. Mason Marchment, Columbus Blue Jackets
He struggled with the Seattle Kraken after his offseason trade, but his trade to Columbus revived his season with 32 points in 39 games. He's also an agitator. Current cap hit: $4.5 million.
6. Anthony Mantha, Pittsburgh Penguins
He's the third-highest-scoring player on the free agent list with 64 points after he signed a one-year deal with Pittsburgh. Will a general manager be tempted to think he can do that again or look at his subpar production before that? Current cap hit: $2.5 million.
5. Viktor Arvidsson, Boston Bruins
The forward bounced back from a couple subpar seasons and had 25 goals and 54 points after being traded to Boston. Current cap hit: $4 million.
4. Sergei Bobrovsky, Florida Panthers
The goalie won back-to-back Stanley Cup titles and owns two Vezina Trophies. He'll be 38 next season. Current cap hit: $10 million.
3. Alex Ovechkin, Washington Capitals
The NHL's all-time leading goal scorer is expected to either re-sign with the Capitals or retire. Otherwise, he'd lead the list. He scored 32 goals at age 40. Current cap hit: $9.5 million.
2. Rasmus Andersson, Vegas Golden Knights
The defenseman was traded to the Golden Knights this past season by the Flames. He can provide offense with one 50-point season and others topping 40 points, including 47 points in 2025-26. He had an average playoffs. Current cap hit: $4.55 million.
1. John Carlson, Anaheim Ducks
Carlson, the Capitals' all-time leader in scoring among defensemen, was traded to the Ducks in a shocker. He totaled 60 points in 71 games. Current cap hit: $8 million.
Others to watch: Mats Zuccarello, Boone Jenner, Brent Burns, Jacob Trouba
Kam Jones is going to play for my favorite NBA team, win-win! | Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images
It seemed like it was going to be a quiet day on the Marquette To NBA front as there was no chance of Ben Gold or Chase Ross getting selected in Wednesday night’s second round of the NBA Draft. However, Indiana Pacers general manager Chad Buchanan and Chicago Bulls general manager Stephen Mervis had different ideas. After Chicago selected Purdue guard Braden Smith with the 8th pick of the second round and the 38th pick overall, ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania broke some news on a trade:
Former Marquette guard Kam Jones is headed to the Windy City.
Indiana is trading Jones to the Bulls along with some yet to be revealed future pick swaps and cash in exchange for the draft rights to Smith.
Sources: Chicago is trading Braden Smith to the Indiana Pacers for Kam Jones, future swaps and cash.
Jones was the #38 pick one year ago, technically being selected by San Antonio before a trade that was finalized after the fact sent him to the Pacers, much like this trade will eventually be finalized because the NBA rules about the league schedule are weird and bad. Marquette’s #2 all time leading scorer appeared in 37 games for Indiana this past season as the Pacers went 19-63 with Tyrese Haliburton out for the year after suffering an Achilles tear in the 2025 NBA Finals. Jones started seven times along the way and ended up averaging 4.4 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 3.2 assists in 16.6 minutes per game. One thing that did not help Jones’ playing time was his 29.3% three-point shooting, and that was dragged down by shooting just 25% in Indiana’s final seven games of the season.
After being taken in the second round last year, Jones signed a three year contract with the Pacers that has a fourth season on a team option. In theory, that means that the Bulls are up for the idea of continuing Jones’ development for at least another two seasons. I would wager it means we will see him in Chicago black & red when Summer League pops up in July. Where things go from there as Tiago Splitter takes over as head coach and the Bulls move on from the front office pairing of Arturas Karnisovas and Marc Eversley, we will have to wait and see…..
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - MARCH 13: Meleek Thomas #1 of the Arkansas Razorbacks looks on during the first half against the Oklahoma Sooners in the quarterfinal game of the 2026 SEC Men's Basketball Tournament at Bridgestone Arena on March 13, 2026 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Johnnie Izquierdo/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers have a type: undersized guards. They added another one to the fold as they selected 19-year-old 6’3″ guard Meleek Thomas 34th overall out of the University of Arkansas.
Thomas is a lights-out shooter. He connected on 41.6% of his 5.3 outside shots per game. This led to him averaging 15.6 points in 37 games for the Razorbacks.
That shooting is one of the things that intrigued the Cavaliers most.
“When you meet this kid, his confidence jumps off the page,” Cavs president of basketball operations Koby Altman said in a press conference afterward. “It’s not a cocky sort of ego, he just believes, and it’s a quick flick. He doesn’t need to jump high, so he can get it off against anybody. He can get the space, he can get the step-backs. I think he’s 47% off the bounce three-point wise. When I talk about these translatable skills…these are things he has.”
Anything bought from the links helps support Fear the Sword. You can also shop all of Homage’s Cavs gear HERE. The link to the 2016 championship shirt HERE.
Shooting is, in fact, a translatable skill that works in every kind of lineup. There’s always more room on the floor for more shooting. But it’s fair to wonder if there’s more room on the roster for another undersized guard. Especially on a team that is dying for more size and athleticism.
Thomas joins a long list of guards that are 6’4″ or under currently on the team: Dennis Schroder, Craig Porter Jr., Donovan Mitchell, Keon Ellis (unrestricted free agent), Tyrese Proctor, and Sam Merrill. Ideally, you don’t want more than one undersized guard on the court at a time. At most, two is the limit. That makes this selection curious from a roster construction standpoint. Although it’s fair to point out that this group could look drastically different by the time training camp opens up or when Thomas is ready for rotation minutes.
Altman acknowledged this issue, but pointed out that you don’t always have the luxury of drafting for fit when you’re selecting 34th overall. “When you get to this part in the draft, you’re drafting for talent. … You’re drafting for who’s best available.”
The Cavs believe Thomas was the best available. Altman mentioned that they thought he was a “first-round talent” and they were impressed with what Thomas showed them when he came in for a workout. Altman compared it to what Jaylon Tyson displayed when he came in during the predraft process two years ago.
Even though moving back in the draft helped the cap sheet and the roster fit isn’t ideal, the Cavs like the skills that Thomas brings.
“We were excited that he was available in the second round,” Altman said. “Usually, a guy of that caliber of scorer, that level of shot maker, his profile, you get a lot earlier. The fact that we were able to move back and still select a player of his caliber and his shot making — one of the best shot makers in all of college basketball — is pretty exciting.”
Jun 24, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Kansas City Royals left fielder Isaac Collins (1) reacts after getting called out on strikes in the fifth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images | Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images
The Royals did not cash in on early opportunities and the Rays did. Sometimes it is that simple. In the end the score was 5-3, but two of those three for Kansas City came because of an inning where the Rays made two back-to-back errors.
The Royals had runners in scoring position in the 1st, 2nd, and 4th innings against Griffin Jax who Tampa Bay is trying to convert into a starting pitcher mid-season. They went 0-5 with RISP in these opportunities including a double play to end the threat in the first inning. Meanwhile, the Rays started the bottom of the 3rd inning with a pair of singles and a sac bunt to get two runners set up to score. That forced the Royals to intentionally walk Junior Caminero to load them and set up a double play as an escape hatch. Next up was Ryan Vilade who hit a hard ground ball to Jac Caglianone who stepped on first and threw home. Unfortunately, the throw home was rushed and off target. It actually hit Nick Fortes coming home and that error allowed a second run to come in as well. Jonathan Aranda added an RBI single to left before Noah Cameron could get out of the inning down 3-0.
In the 4th, Tampa started the inning with a double just past Nick Loftin at third base. He was sac bunted over to third, just like last inning. The struggling Fortes was up again and reached for the second time in as many innings when Cameron hit him with a pitch. Yandy Diaz made him pay for that with an RBI single moving Fortes to third and Jonny DeLuca promptly doubled to score him. Caminero was walked to load them unintentionally this time, and Vilade was back in the same position as the inning before. This time he struck out and so did Aranda when Salvador Perez challenged a ball call and turned it into strike three. Recently Kansas City has made a habit of coming back from big deficits though, and they immediately went to work trying to get back in this one.
It was not entirely the Royals who got the comeback started in the 5th inning. They got some help from the Rays’ defense. Jensen got on with a walk and was still on first with 2 outs when the red hot Jac came up. He hit a pretty routine looking groundball up the middle that somehow got past the short stop, Taylor Walls, playing right near second. Jensen made it to third and Cags hustled to second. Salvy was up next and crushed a liner right at Chandler Simpson in left, it looked like a sure out. It was knuckling on him, and it hit him right in the chest. With two outs the baserunners were going on contact and both scored. Two errors and two runs to get the score to 5-2 Rays.
Noah Cameron was just not very sharp in this one. He did stay in and have a nice quiet 5th inning ending with a final line of 5IP, 8H, 3BB, 5K, and 5ER over 108 pitches.
The rest of the game was mostly bereft of baserunners. Lucas Erceg did allow a runner but faced the minimum with a GIDP. Daniel Lynch had a clean 7th and he and Erceg combined threw just 18 pitches in those two innings. The Tampa bullpen was equally effective and the two teams rattled off six pretty easy scoreless innings. After giving up a run last night with a huge lead, Beck Way was given the 8th and there was finally another interesting one. He walked Simpson who stole second and was advanced to third on a Yandy chopper to third with two outs. Way got DeLuca to groundout for the seventh goose egg in a row and the Royals had three more outs to win or extend this one. On a side note, Beck Way has now allowed runs in just two of eight outings in the big leagues this season.
Bryan Baker came on to close it out for Tampa Bay and he struck out Kameron Misner to begin the inning. The Royals did manage their first earned run of the game on the next batter when Josh Rojas hit his first home run as a Royal while pinch hitting for Tolbert. They still needed two more runs though, and Carter Jensen struck out followed by a Nick Loftin lineout to left. Those early missed opportunities came back to bite the team in the end.
Tomorrow they will get another opportunity to win the series in in a day game that starts at 11 in the morning.
Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) reacts after New York Yankees right fielder Jasson Domínguez (not in the photo) hits a two run home run during the sixth inning at Comerica Park in Detroit on Wednesday, June 24, 2026. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
It was one of those games where a handful of unlucky pitches made all the difference as the Yankees beat the Tigers 4-2.
The Tigers were looking to come away with a series win in Wednesday night’s rubber match against the Yankees. To get the job done and head into their four-game weekend series against the Astros on a high note, the Tigers had Tarik Skubal on the mound. And, with some storm clouds in the distance and the potential threat of rain, the Yankees had the aptly-named Ryan Weathers on the mound.
It was bad news right out of the gate as Paul Goldschmidt hit a solo home run to start the game. Skubal immediately got back in the groove, not letting the leadoff homer shake his confidence, and got the next three outs in a row. The Tigers went 1-2-3 in the bottom of the inning.
The Yankees went three-up, three-down in the top of the ninth. Skubal wasn’t messing around and was likely more than a little fired up about that first-inning run. In the home half, Spencer Torkelson got a one-out double, followed by a walk to Hao-Yu Lee. With two outs, Zach McKinstry singled to bring Torkelson home and tie up the game. It was the only run they’d get for the inning, but it brought them back to even footing.
Two outs into the third inning, and Goldschmidt did it again. Another solo home run. Skubal got the final out of the inning, but I’m pretty sure Paul isn’t getting a Christmas card from the Skubals this year. In the bottom of the inning, Matt Vierling got a single, but the Tigers left him stranded.
Skubal, not one to be thrown off by a bad pitch, got the side out in order in the top of the fourth. Torkelson started the home half with a walk. Lee then singled, and thanks to an error from Jasson Dominguez, Torkelson advanced to third. A sac fly from newbie Ben Malgeri brought Tork home and tied the game up again.
Skubal once again churned through the Yankees in order. In the bottom of the inning, Kevin McGonigle got things going with a leadoff double, but was then eliminated gunning for third in a fielder’s choice off the bat of Dillon Dingler. Two more outs followed and the Tigers missed out on their opportunity to pull ahead.
With two outs in the sixth–finally getting Goldschmidt out–Ben Rice hit a single. Jasson Dominguez then homered (it almost would have been better if it HAD been Goldy), putting the Yankees up 4-2. Not ideal. In the home half with one out, Lee singled. That was all the Tigers managed for the inning, though.
Skubal’s day was done after six, with a final line of 6.0 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 0 BB, 9 K, 3 HR on 85 pitches. He looked really good; it was just unfortunate that the hits he did give up were home runs. Jacob Waguespack came in to replace him. He got the side out in order, though there was a brief pause in play while Jose Caballero tried to sort out a twist in his back. As someone in my 40s… relatable. In the bottom half, Camilo Doval replaced Weathers. Jake Rogers took a leadoff walk. Two outs followed, including a force out off the bat of Dingler, eliminating Rogers. Fernando Cruz replaced Doval, and A.J. Hinch did a double pinch-hitter swap, pulling James Outman, who was queued up for Doval, and then went to Kerry Carpenter for Cruz. The change ultimately didn’t matter, as Carpenter was the third out of the inning.
In the eighth, Max Schuemann was hit by a pitch with one out to take a free base. With two outs, Enmanuel De Jesus replaced Waguespack, and while Ben Rice hit a grounder to get on first, pinch-runner Spencer Jones was out at third to end the inning. Riley Greene got a leadoff single in the home half, but the next three batters were out in order.
With one out in the top of the ninth, Cody Bellinger hit a double right down the foul line to right field. The Tigers did manage to get themselves out of that pickle, though, and escaped the inning with no additional runs scored. David Bednar was the next Yankees’ reliever. With two outs in the bottom of the inning, McGonigle singled, keeping hope a live a little longer. That hope was short-lived, though, as Dingler hit a flyout to end the inning and the game. The Yankees took the series.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - MAY 26: San Francisco Giants pitcher Tyler Mahle (54) throws the first pitch during a MLB game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the San Francisco Giants on May 26, 2026 at Oracle Park in San Francisco, CA. (Photo by Trinity Machan/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The San Francisco Giants continue this three-game series against the Athletics tonight from Oracle Park.
Taking the mound for the Giants will be right-hander Tyler Mahle, who enters tonight’s game with a 6.04 ERA, 4.89 FIP, with 57 strikeouts to 24 walks in 56.2 innings pitched. His last start was in the Giants’ 7-5 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks on May 26th, in which he allowed three runs on three hits with three strikeouts and three walks in five innings.
He’ll be facing off against A’s left-hander Gage Jump, who enters tonight’s game with a 2.37 ERA, 2.48 FIP, with 26 strikeouts to nine walks in 30.1 innings pitched. His last start was in the Athletics’ 5-0 win over the Los Angeles Angels on June 18th, in which he allowed just one hit and three walks with seven strikeouts in seven innings.
