Tip-off is at 8:30 E.T., with doors opening at 7:30 p.m. The $10 tickets were snapped up quickly and sold out within an hour of the posting on Ticketmaster. Fans will be able to watch the game on Garden Vision and other screens inside the Garden.
It's a stark turnaround from what city officials were saying just a week ago as the Knicks were eliminating the Cleveland Cavaliers in a four-game sweep.
The New York City Police Department had to stop watch parties outside "The World's Most Famous Arena" during the Cavaliers series, claiming fans became unruly. On May 21, six people were arrested after more than 6,000 fans celebrated following New York's 109-93 victory over Cleveland in Game 2.
Crowds were seen jumping on top of subway entrances, climbing on police barricades, causing traffic problems, throwing bottles and just being an overall nuisance.
Fans can also participate in free watch parties outside of Madison Square Garden at Plaza33 and at SummerStage in Central Park. The team also said that additional Game 3 watch parties will take place at both venues when the Knicks return home to play on June 8.
The Dodgers (39-22) tied up the series with a 6-5 win on Tuesday, but have two games left with the Diamondbacks (32-28). Shohei Ohtani and Zac Gallen take the mound for game three of the four game series between the NL West opponents.
Los Angeles is 4-1 versus Arizona this season and have outscored the Diamondbacks, 23-17 in that five game span. The Dodgers are 2-2 in the past four games, but 8-2 in the last 10 as a bigger picture. If you go a little bigger to the previous 12 games, the Dodgers offense is hitting .270 as a team (5th) with 20 home runs (T-3rd) and 68 runs scored (4th). Los Angeles has scored at least four runs in eight of the last 12 contests.
Arizona is 1-4 in the last five games, but 6-4 in the past 10. The Diamondbacks are currently in a slump offensively. In that five game span, Arizona is hitting .207 (29th) with 18 runs scored (24th) and ranks 29th in OBA, SLG, and OPS. On the other hand, the pitching staff has held up their end of the bargain with a 3.83 ERA (12th) and 1.32 WHIP (15th).
Let’s dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game details & how to watch Dodgers at Diamondbacks
Date: Wednesday, June 3, 2026
Time: 9:40 PM EST
Site: Chase Field
City: Phoenix, AZ
Network/Streaming: MLB TV
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Dodgers at the Diamondbacks
The latest odds as of Wednesday:
Moneyline: Los Angeles Dodgers (-198), Arizona Diamondbacks (+162)
The Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani is hitting .293 with 63 hits and 111 total bases over 215 at-bats
The Dodgers’ Kyle Tucker is hitting .235 with 50 hits and 46 strikeouts over 213 at-bats
The Diamondbacks’ Corbin Carroll is hitting .289 with 61 hits and 115 total bases over 211 at-bats
The Diamondbacks’ Geraldo Perdomo is hitting .224 with 44 hits and 30 strikeouts over 196 at-bats
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Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Dodgers at Diamondbacks
The Dodgers are 32-29 ATS
The Diamondbacks are 37-23 ATS, ranking third-best
The Dodgers are 35-26 to the Under, ranking second-best
The Diamondbacks are 29-28-3 to the Over
The Dodgers are 17-13 ATS as the road team, ranking eighth-best
The Diamondbacks are 18-10 ATS as the home team, ranking fourth-best
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Dodgers and the Diamondbacks
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Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Wednesday's game between the Diamondbacks and the Dodgers:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Dodgers on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Dodgers at -1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Under on the Game Total of 9.0
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Angels right fielder Jo Adell misplays a ball hit by Colorado Rockies' TJ Rumfield that hit him in the head and bounced over the fence for a home run during the fourth inning in Anaheim. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
Nothing could possibly generate a headline Tuesday night when the worst American League team — the Angels — played host to the perhaps the worst National League team — the Colorado Rockies.
Except. . .
This.
A fly ball conked Angels right fielder Jo Adell on the head and bounced over the fence for a home run, reminding fans of José Canseco’s similar gaffe 33 years ago.
The ball caromed back into the outfield and Rumfield momentarily stopped at second base. But the umpires confirmed the home run, coupling Adell with Canseco in numerous social media posts.
Canseco, the steroids-fueled, defensively challenged left fielder of the Texas Rangers, made a similar blunder on May 26, 1993, when a ball hit by Cleveland’s Carlos Martínez bounced off his head and over the wall.
Mike Trout presumably has witnessed every possible blooper, blunder and boo-boo in 16 seasons with the woeful Angels. The center fielder stood only a few feet from Adell when this one occurred and did not make himself available for comment afterward.
To his credit, Adell faced reporters.
“It looks like I’ve never played in the field before, which is disappointing, because it’s beyond the truth,” he said. “I’m the only one that really knows what happened. I was out there, and it happened to me, so it is what it is.
“It was kind of the icing on the cake, because I was [expletive] all the way around the whole day today.”
Adell was hitless in four at-bats, striking out twice, in the 8-2 loss that dropped the Angels to 23-39, the worst record in the AL.
The play was emblematic of Adell’s seven-year career with the Angels, who made him a first-round draft pick in 2017. At first blush, his lifetime Wins Above Replacement of 0.3 would indicate that he’s little better than the fictional minor league “replacement player” to which MLB players are compared in calculating the statistic.
Yet Adell’s physical tools and occasional highlights scream stardom. He shouldn’t be an ordinary Jo. The antithesis of the embarrassing episode Tuesday night came less than two months ago when he robbed the Seattle Mariners of three home runs in one game.
“It was the Jo Show,” Angels manager Kurt Suzuki said at the time. “This guy works as hard as anybody I’ve ever been around. His work ethic, attention to detail, his desire to improve every single day. To see him do that, I don’t believe you’ll see that again.”
Suzuki, who was Adell’s teammate in 2021 and 2022, likely never thought he would see a fly ball bounce off the outfielder’s head and into the stands, the Jo Show shifting to Oh, No!
“I saw the play, but for me, Jo’s made great strides defensively from when I played with him,” Suzuki said Tuesday. “And obviously, he had the night he robbed three home runs. It was a tough play tonight, but at the same time, the strides that he’s made defensively have been great.”
Adell was considered a defensive liability early in his career and was saddled with a four-base error in 2020 when a fly ball hit his glove and went over the fence. But he steadily improved and became a Gold Glove Award finalist in 2024.
That didn’t stop the “Tarps Off” throng of shirtless fans at Angel Stadium from chanting Adell’s name after the gaffe against the Rockies. For his sake, they likely will revert to imploring Angels owner Arte Moreno to “sell the team” soon enough.
Adell might have to stay away from social media forever, but he would like to forget the ball bouncing off his head as soon as possible.
“That’s what we have to do,” he said. “I mean, there’s really no other way around it. Let it fester and tumble over, but these are plays I’ve made hundreds and thousands of times. I’ve got to just keep going, and as a team, we’ve got to keep going.”
The New York Yankees are favored again at home, but this number looks too heavy with Aaron Judge expected out of the lineup.
Gerrit Cole has been excellent in two starts back from elbow surgery, but the Cleveland Guardians bring a contact-heavy approach that will make him work. Gavin Williams’ recent form also gives Cleveland enough pitching upside to justify the plus-money shot.
Here are my Guardians vs Yankees predictions and MLB picks for Wednesday, June 3.
Who will win Guardians vs Yankees today: Guardians ML (+135)
This is the same matchup idea I used last night against Cam Schlittler: New York is lining up another arm whose success leans on chase, command, and swing-and-miss.
Gerrit Cole has opened with just over 12 scoreless innings, but that level is not sustainable while he rebuilds after elbow surgery.
Again, Cleveland has the second-lowest whiff rate at 22.9% and rarely chases, so the Guardians can again put balls in play, lengthen at-bats, and make a taxed favorite uncomfortable.
COVERS INTEL:Cleveland’s lineup has four projected hitters with strikeout rates of 13% or lower: Jose Ramirez, Chase DeLauter, Brayan Rocchio, and David Fry.
Guardians vs Yankees Over/Under pick: Under 7 (+102)
I see this as good to -110.
Cole is still Cole, and even though the Guardians will make him labor, this is still a guy who has allowed zero barrels since returning, with a 2.19 expected ERA. Cleveland’s contact profile is more annoying than explosive, after all, last night was the first time they scored more than four runs in 13 games.
On the other side, Gavin Williams’ contact quality is the concern, but his power stuff (88th percentile run value fastball) gives him a cleaner path against a less dangerous Yankees lineup as Aaron Judge remains sidelined.
Chris Hatfield's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 26-21, +4.59 units
Over/Under bets: 30-17, +15.07 units
Guardians vs Yankees odds
Moneyline: Guardians +135 | Yankees -160
Run line: Guardians +1.5 | Yankees -1.5
Over/Under: Over 7 | Under 7
Guardians vs Yankees trend
The New York Yankees have hit the Moneyline in 12 of their last 17 games at home (+3.70 Units / 13% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Guardians vs. Yankees.
How to watch Guardians vs Yankees and game info
Location
Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY
Date
Wednesday, June 3, 2026
First pitch
7:05 p.m. ET
TV
YES Network, CLEGuardians.TV
Guardians starting pitcher
Gavin Williams (8-3, 3.07 ERA)
Yankees starting pitcher
Gerrit Cole (1-0, 0.00 ERA)
Guardians vs Yankees latest injuries
Guardians vs Yankees weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
The Arizona Diamondbacks will try to take the advantage in the third game of their series against the Dodgers, but to do so, they'll need to survive baseball's best player.
Shohei Ohtani is on the mound for L.A., and he'll also be at the plate. He's won his last three starts and homered in the last two, matching the number of home runs he's given up all season.
He's good, but the odds have been pushed to ridiculous heights. My Dodgers vs. Diamondbacks predictions and MLB picks try to find a way to earn by taking the D-Backs and the runs.
Who will win Dodgers vs Diamondbacks today: Diamondbacks +1.5 (+100)
Shohei Ohtani's great, but not unbeatable. He's lost two of his last five starts, and the Los Angeles Dodgers are just 5-4 in games Ohtani pitches. Bettors have Ohtani fever, though. The Dodgers are such favorites that they're impossible to bet on. Even giving up runs, L.A. is favored.
Getting even money and runs for the Arizona Diamondbacks is an easy call, although if the Arizona moneyline gets much higher—say +185—it's worth a flier on an outright upset. Even in a best-case scenario for L.A., Arizona will get two innings against a L.A. pen that has a 7.82 ERA and 1.97 WHIP in the last three.
COVERS INTEL: He's still been strong, but Ohtani has been more vulnerable in road games. The Dodgers have lost three of their four road starts, and he allows batters to hit 64 points higher and 100 points higher in OPS away from Dodger Stadium, and strikes out 3.7 fewer batters per nine innings.
Dodgers vs Diamondbacks Over/Under pick: Pick (Odds)
The Under looks appealing with Zac Gallen pitching much better at home than on the road this season. While his overall numbers are unimpressive, he has been far more effective in Phoenix, where opponents have struggled to generate consistent offense against him.
Arizona's bullpen is also in excellent form, posting a 1.69 ERA over its last three games and providing reliable support if Gallen can work through the middle innings. Recent results also favor a lower-scoring game, as both teams have scored five or more runs in only two of their last six contests.
Shawn Krest's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 19-21 -0.79 units
Over/Under bets: 21-23 -3.51 units
Dodgers vs Diamondbacks odds
Moneyline: Dodgers -178 | Diamondbacks +170
Run line: Dodgers -1.5 (-120) | Diamondbacks +1.5 (+100)
Over/Under: Over 9.5 (-110) | Under 9.5 (-110)
Dodgers vs Diamondbacks trend
The Arizona Diamondbacks have covered the Run Line in 28 of their last 45 games at home (+10.70 Units / 19% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Dodgers vs. Diamondbacks.
How to watch Dodgers vs Diamondbacks and game info
Location
Stadium, City, State/Province
Date
Wednesday, June 3, 2026
First pitch
9:40 p.m. ET
TV
DBACKS.TV, Sportsnet Los Angeles
Dodgers starting pitcher
Shoehei Ohtani (5-2, 0.82 ERA)
Diamondbacks starting pitcher
Zac Gallen (3-4, 5.16 ERA)
Dodgers vs Diamondbacks latest injuries
Dodgers vs Diamondbacks weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
The Orioles (29-32) and the Red Sox (25-34) continue their three-game series tonight at Fenway Park with Chris Bassitt (4-3, 5.06 ERA) set to take on Payton Tolle (2-2, 2.61).
Baltimore took the series opener last night, 4-2. Pete Alonso and Coby Mayo each went deep for the Orioles who have now won three straight and are 7-3 in their last ten games. After a dreadful start to the season, Alonso all of a sudden has 12 home runs and is hitting .241 in his first season in Baltimore. The Sox managed just five hits against Orioles’ pitchers with Shane Baz allowing just two runs and four hits over seven innings to earn his third win of the season. Connelly Early took the loss for the Sox, allowing all four Baltimore runs over just 5.1 innings. Boston is now 9-20 at Fenway Park this season.
Alonso is not the only Oriole swinging a hot bat of late. Colton Cowser (.364 AVG, 1.098 OPS), Samuel Basallo (.304 AVG, 1.053 OPS), and Coby Mayo (.333 AVG, 1.012 OPS) have all delivered over the last ten games. Boston’s offense continues to labor. Last night was the 17th time this season the Sox have scored two or fewer runs in a game this season.
Tonight’s pitching matchup features Baltimore’s Chris Bassitt (4–3, 5.06 ERA) against Boston’s Payton Tolle (2–2, 2.61 ERA). Bassitt has been inconsistent on his good days while the rookie Tolle has been one of Boston’s few bright spots, never allowing more than three earned runs and allowing even that many just twice in his seven starts.
Lets dive into tonight’s matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.
Game Details and How to Watch: Orioles vs. Red Sox
Date: Wednesday, June 3, 2026
Time: 6:45PM EST
Site: Fenway Park
City: Boston, MA
Network/Streaming: MLB.TV, MASN, NESN
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
The Latest Odds: Orioles vs. Red Sox
The latest odds as of Wednesday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Baltimore Orioles (+129), Boston Red Sox (-156)
Spread: Orioles +1.5 (-158), Red Sox -1.5 (+131)
Total: 9.0 runs
Probable Starting Pitchers: Orioles vs. Red Sox for June 3
Orioles: Chris Bassitt Season Totals: 53.1 IP, 4-3, 5.06 ERA, 1.58 WHIP, 36K, 20 BB
Red Sox: Payton Tolle Season Totals: 41.1 IP, 2-2, 2.61 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, 46K, 11 BB
Who’s Hot? Who’s Not! Orioles vs. Red Sox
Coby Mayo - 9-26 (3 BB, .433 OBP) over his last 8 GP
Colton Cowser - 8-for-30 (.682 SLG) over his last 13 GP
Samuel Basallo -3 HR in last 11 GP (.696 SLG)
Jarren Duran has hit in 9 straight games (14-41)
Ceddanne Rafaela is 10-36 over his last 8 games
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top Betting Trends & Insights: Orioles and Red Sox
The Orioles are 29-32 on the Run Line this season
The Red Sox are 24-35 on the Run Line this season
The OVER has cashed 34 times in Baltimore’s 61 games this season (34-25-2)
The OVER has cashed 27 times in Boston’s 59 games this season (27-30-2)
Expert picks & predictions: Orioles and Red Sox
Rotoworld Bet Best Bet
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for tonight’s game between the Orioles and the Red Sox:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Red Sox on the Moneyline.
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Run Line.
Total: Rotoworld Bet is recommending a play on the Game Total OVER 9.0
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If Monday morning made it clear that Patrik Laine and Brendan Gallagher would move on, it didn’t provide as much clarity about forward Kirby Dach. When the Montreal Canadiens’ GM Kent Hughes was asked about the Albertan forward, he was really not committing in his comments:
We know he’s a talented player, but also very unlucky with injuries so far. But we have to sit down and have a chat with Kirby, probably during his exit meeting today. Then, Jeff, Marty, and I, Sedge (John Sedgwick – the Canadiens’ “capologist”) have to discuss his case, but it’s too early to talk about those things.
The fact that he included Sedgwick in that answer is revealing. It feels like the Canadiens will have to think long and hard before making a qualifying offer to Dach. The 25-year-old is coming off a four-year contract with a $ 3,362,500 cap hit, meaning his qualifying offer has to be $4 million. That’s a lot of money for a player who has skated in 154 games out of a possible 328 over the last four years. That’s only 47% of the games the Habs have played.
His four-year deal was an audition of sorts, a chance to prove that he could play the role the organization acquired him to play, which was that of a second center. In 154 games, he has put up 77 points and has never had a better face-off percentage than 41.4 %. He finished the playoffs playing on the wing of the fourth line, and it’s safe to say that he will never be what the team bet on him being when they sacrificed Alexander Romanov to get him.
When Dach spoke to the media, however, he said he hadn’t had any talks about his contract yet and was looking forward to having that discussion. When asked about his season, he replied:
I felt confident in my game, felt good, felt like whatever the coaching staff asked me to do, I was willing to do it, and I was able to do it.
To be blunt, we weren’t in the meetings Dach had with the coaching staff, but his play doesn’t pass the eye test. When he made that mistake against the Tampa Bay Lightning, which cost the Canadiens Game 2 of their first-round series, he was vilified online by fans, and there were calls to scratch him, but Martin St-Louis refused to do it. Dach rewarded him with his best game of the playoffs, putting up two points and playing a key role in the Game 3 win. After the game, the bench boss said he wouldn’t give up on a player who hadn’t given up on himself.
Unfortunately, Dach didn’t keep that level of performance throughout the playoffs, and he soon faded away, being pretty much invisible by the end of the Canadiens’ run. When the Habs were sent packing by the Carolina Hurricanes, Dach hadn’t had a point in nine games.
Of course, you can’t expect a player who gets fourth-line minutes to light up the scoreboard, but you can expect him to bring energy and a spark by making life hard on the opponent. That’s not what Dach did. He’s 6-foot-4 and 221 pounds, and if he were to play with speed and use his big body, he could make a difference, but more often than not, he doesn’t. When Dach was asked if the long playoff run helped with his next contract, he replied:
Yeah, I think it was nice to kind of go on that run and be healthy, play the style that I needed to play.
When he was asked to summarize his time in Montreal, he explained:
It’s been a long couple of years, obviously, with the injuries and the surgeries. It adds up, and mentally it wears on you. Physically, it’s another thing. But for me, I just tried to have the same attitude: come to the rink every day and make sure I was doing everything I needed to do to be in the lineup.
Of course, it’s hard not to sympathize with a player who has gone through so many injuries, but at the end of the day, hockey is a business, and it’s about winning games and ultimately winning the Stanley Cup. By the end of the playoffs, it was hard to see what Dach was doing to deserve to be in the lineup over, say, someone like Brendan Gallagher, who would have given everything he had to get one last game with the Sainte-Flanelle. Not that the veteran would have changed the outcome of the series, but he at least would have brought some passion, some energy, a spark to lead his team into battle.
At this stage, it’s hard to know what the Canadiens will elect to do with Dach. No one likes losing an asset for nothing, but it feels like, from what he has shown so far, he wouldn’t be worth the four million cap hit. If the Habs do not give him a qualifying offer, he will become an unrestricted free agent and be free to sign with any team or sign a new deal with the Canadiens for less money.
ARLINGTON, TX - MAY 28: Spencer Arrighetti #41 of the Houston Astros pitches during the game between the Houston Astros and the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field on Thursday, May 28, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tenley Wright/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
First Career Pitcher of the Month Award for Astros hurler.
HOUSTON, TX – Major League Baseball announced today that Astros RHP Spencer Arrighetti has been named American League Pitcher of the Month for May. It is the first Pitcher of the Month Award and second monthly award overall for Arrighetti. He was also named AL Rookie of the Month for August of 2024.
Arrighetti was outstanding in the month of May, posting a 4-1 record in his five starts with an 0.93 ERA (3ER/29IP) and a .165 opponents batting average. He led the AL in ERA and opponents batting average and was tied for first in wins. Arrighetti allowed just three earned runs in his five May starts, allowing one or no earned runs in all five starts. For the season, he is 7-1 in his eight starts with a 1.34 ERA and a .167 opponents batting average. Despite making just eight starts, he is tied for third in the AL in wins and would be leading in ERA as well if he had enough innings to qualify.
Arrighetti is the first Astros hurler to earn Pitcher of the Month honors since RHP Hunter Brown won the award for June of 2025. He is also the Astros second monthly award winner in 2026 as Yordan Alvarez was named AL Player of the Month for March/April of this season.
LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 5: Marcus Smart #36 high fives Rui Hachimura #28 of the Los Angeles Lakers after the game against the San Antonio Spurs on NOVEMBER 5, 2025 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
With a really important offseason in front of the Lakers, it probably shouldn’t be too much of a surprise that there were a lot of questions you guys wanted answered in our latest mailbag.
So many, in fact, that we have to split them up.
There was plenty of discussion and questions about LeBron James, his impending free agency, how much the Lakers should prioritize him and whether they’re better off without him. There were also a lot of other general questions.
To avoid turning the mailbag into a LeBron-centric piece, we’re going to split that up into it’s own piece for Thursday. This one will be focused on the “other” questions, which involve the Lakers’ own free agents, potential centers in free agency and via trade and how the team is and could change owner Mark Walter.
So, let’s dive in!
Romain Corsican LakerFan
Aside from Luka and Reaves, which Laker free agents are absolute keepers and at what price?
As I thought about this question, I actually wondered if there were any that were “absolute” keepers. It’s a subjective phrase, but to me, it means you have to pay them whatever is necessary to retain them.
The only person I feel that way about would be Austin Reaves, who was taken out of the conversation. After that, would you argue that anyone else is someone the Lakers must keep?
With LeBron, there is a price point that certainly will determine how much the Lakers want to re-sign him. Rui Hachimura feels like the next most important free agent, but there is a price point where it would feel too rich to retain him.
After that, I’m not sure you would quantify any of the other free agents as “absolute” keepers. Luke Kennard was valuable during the regular season and the first round of the playoffs, but also tailed off offensively as the postseason progressed and was targeted often by the Thunder.
Marcus Smart and Deandre Ayton could be free agents, but I doubt anyone views Ayton as an “absolute” keeper. Smart could be on that list, but if a team comes in with an offer around $10 million annually, does it make sense for the Lakers to retain him?
The good news for the Lakers in all this is that not many teams have cap space. They won’t be able to outspend LA unless they devote their mid-level exceptions to these players. The Lakers are in a good place in this regard.
Section80
How would a center rotation of Mitchell Robinson and Timelord look with Luka? Would it be financially reasonable and responsible?
Who are the top 10 realistic wings we should be targeting in trade/free agency?
Let’s say Rob goes star chasing like a raving lunatic and Walters doesn’t stop the madman from gutting any semblance of depth. What would a team of Luka, Giannis, LeBron, and AR even look like?
Let’s take this one at a time.
A center rotation of Mitchell Robinson and Robert Williams III would be incredible…for the seven games they are healthy together. Both are set for free agency this summer, so they would be attainable. But both have big injury concerns.
Robinson has played 59, 31, 17 and 60 games in the last four seasons. Time Lord has played 35, 6, 20 and 59 games in his last four seasons. I don’t want to be the team buying high on them having a rare healthy season.
Now, let’s look at the wings. I’m not going to rank them, but I have been making a list of players to take a look at before free agency. Here’s a look at that (non-extensive) list right now:
Peyton Watson, Herb Jones, Lu Dort, Tari Eason, Trey Murphy III, Lu Dort, Sadiq Bey, Kelly Oubre, Derrick Jones Jr., Andrew Wiggins
Lastly, the Giannis Antetokoumpo superteam route. In a scenario where they somehow have acquired Giannis, convinced LeBron to sign for the minimum and retained Austin, they would have a fantastic core…and little else.
Giannis would eat up all of the Lakers’ cap room. You’re going to have to build the roster with the exceptions they would have and veteran’s minimum deals. It’s a path the Lakers were forced down during the Russell Westbrook days with mixed results.
But, having said that, you’d be hard-pressed to find a quartet better than those four.
SirTuppy
Another one.
Should Rob Pelinka stay on as GM? Give a full analysis on his hits and misses as GM and, critically, how many of those were on him vs. influenced by other factors.
How much was Lebron coming to L.A. based on Magic or simply that Lebron already wanted to be here? (Keeping in mind the two max cap space plan and the young assets and the getting off of bad contracts that made it appealing.)
How much credit for the Luka trade?
How much blame for the Westbrook trade vs. how much of that is on AD and Lebron pushing for it?
How much is THT/Caruso on him vs. Jeanie not wanting to spend?
And so on and so forth. New ownership. They’re going to take a long look at things. Rob has a lot of very hardcore detractors. Also some defenders, but less vocal.
Basically, I personally think there are good arguments for giving Rob the boot. There are good arguments for retaining him. I want to see this sort of analysis too. Fair minded, open, looking at things from all angles.
I think there’s a nuanced conversation to be had about Rob Pelinka and his role with the team. It’s something I plan on diving into more in-depth at some point. But the gist of it is that I always felt that he was going to get this summer to make moves, but he’ll be heavily judged on them.
In short, this is a make-or-break summer.
You don’t spend years building up this summer with talks about optionality and draft picks and flexibility and then be allowed to miss on it. He has to get things right this summer or he should lose his job.
Now, if you’re looking for some optimism on if he can do that, take a look at the last calendar year. Starting with the draft and buying up to select Adou Thiero through free agency and the trade deadline, Pelinka has hit on basically every move.
I’m not trying to write away his misses, because they’ve been big and set the team back years. Watching Alex Caruso still hurts. But is it possible those were mistakes he learned from?
For the sake of the team this summer, it’s best to hope so.
TheWrathof
Can you provide a breakdown of the Lakers roster and cap situation, including any exceptions they are allowed going into the summer trade and free agency?
Well, I can’t give you a complete breakdown in this short time, but we do have plans for our very own Bryan Toporek to detail some things in the coming weeks.
I would also direct you to the top of our page, under “Sections.” If you click “Salary Cap Info,” it will take you to our salary page, which is updated throughout the season. It will also show you the breakdown from our friends at Salary Swish.
Coops Knee Highs
Aside from moving the SB Lakers to the Coachella Valley, what changes to their G team is the organization planning to make? Will these changes actually benefit the big boy club?
There hasn’t been any talk about changes to the G League team outside of the move to Coachella Valley. While there was some discussion about the negatives that would come with the move, including not having the G League team in-house anymore, it will allow the Lakers to reallocate some of the space in the UCLA Health Training Center with new medical and recovery labs.
Circling back to the G League side, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the coaching staff and front office expanded to some degree. It’s one of the ways the team can flex their financial muscle outside of the salary cap and finding those diamonds in the rough is already a Lakers specialty even before Walter took over.
BINGHAMTON, NY - MAY 26: Franklin Arias #50 of the Portland Sea Dogs celebrates on first base after hitting an RBI double in the 10th inning during the game between the Portland Sea Dogs and the Binghamton Rumble Ponies at Mirabito Stadium on Tuesday, May 26, 2026 in Binghamton, New York. (Photo by Kylie Richelle/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
Jake Bennett threw five innings of great work, allowing just one hit to propel the WooSox to a lead, but they couldn’t get any run support for him and so they pulled into the ninth inning trailing the Bison (Blue Jays AAA) 2-1. Enter a rally that got everyone involved: Anthony Seigler lead-off double, Kristian Campbell groundout to advance Seigler, Mikey Romero triple to tie it up, and then Tsung-Che Cheng scored on a wild pitch that ended the game. Before that Seigler hit, the WooSox had one hit all game (also from Seigler), but they got the two other knocks exactly where it counted.
This game had everything in 2026 Red Sox farm team tropes. Anthony Eyanson going five and not allowing a run, the team unloading their offense as if there won’t be close game where one run is needed later, a Brooks Brannon home run, and of course, a Franklin Arias home run, just as his OPS began to hover dangerously close to that 1.000 mark. The home run gave Arias 13 on the season and put the Sea Dogs up 6-0 on the Yard Goats (Rockies AA) but, with the way Eyanson, Halligan and Erik Rivera pitched, it would never have gotten close.
Marcus Phillips put in one of his best starts of the season, albeit a short one, but it didn’t stop Joe Vogatsky from melting down to start the seventh and allowing six total runs to the Emperors (Braves High-A), putting the team down much more than they could muster in a four-hit night.
And speaking of “more than they could muster,” though the RidgeYaks pitching staff struck out thirteen Warbirds (Brewers A) they also walked thirteen and gave up fourteen, twelve earned. Not that the RidgeYaks were going down without a fight. Skylar King hit two home runs to boost his season total to 7 (and who also only seems to homer in losing efforts), and Kleyvar Salazar nuked a ball in about the biggest no-doubter I’ve seen in A-ball. Still, it’s tough to win when you’re going against 14 runs, and this one was never close.
After early reports of a heat wave, the expectation tempered down to about 80 here in the Albany area and it’ll be milder still in Boston. Perfect baseball weather in the evening. So, have a well-rounded Wednesday.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - JANUARY 29: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics high-fives Zion Williamson #1 of the New Orleans Pelicans after a game at the TD Garden on January 29, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Brian Fluharty/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Jaylen Brown trade rumors keep comin’ and they don’t stop comin’.
After weeks of speculation about whether the Celtics could explore a major roster shakeup this offseason, the New Orleans Pelicans have reportedly emerged as one of the teams with interest in Brown.
“The Pelicans have been mentioned by various league executives with Jaylen Brown interest, as well,” NBA insider Jake Fischer said while speaking on Bleacher Report’s live show.
Fischer also cautioned that interest does not mean Boston is preparing to move one of its franchise pillars.
“We don’t know if Boston is even going to fully entertain this at the end of the day,” Fischer said. “But that doesn’t mean these teams aren’t going to call and try.”
According to reports, the Rockets, Hawks, and Trail Blazers have also been linked to Brown. Of course, none of this means a deal is close. It does not even mean Brad Stevens is shopping Brown. But it does show that if Boston ever did open the door, there would be no shortage of teams trying to wedge a foot into the frame and present their best package.
Cambridge, MA – July 26: Boston Celtics SG Jaylen Brown looks at President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens after signing his supermax contract extension. Standing behind them are, from left, Celtics Governor Wyc Grousbeck, Managing General Partner Steve Pagliuca, and head coach Joe Mazzulla. (Photo by Pat Greenhouse/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
For New Orleans, the motivation is easy enough to understand. Brown would give the Pelicans a proven star wing still in his prime, someone who could immediately raise the team’s ceiling and set a defensive tone under new head coach Jamahl Mosley. He is a five-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA selection, NBA champion and Finals MVP. Those players do not become available often, which is why teams are apparently circling even before there is any clear sign Boston is ready to listen.
The harder question, and the only one that really matters, is what the Pelicans could actually offer and whether that’s enough for Brad Stevens.
Trey Murphy III would almost certainly need to be part of any serious player package. Murphy is younger than Brown, a high-level shooter and the kind of big wing every team desires. Dejounte Murray could also help match salary and give Boston another ball handler, though his fit would be questionable alongside Jayson Tatum and the rest of the Celtics roster.
Another possible framework could center around Murphy, Murray and significant draft capital. NBA insider Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson reported that a potential New Orleans offer could be built around those pieces, which makes sense as a starting point if the Pelicans want to avoid including Zion Williamson.
But in terms of allure, Zion is perhaps the most fascinating name, and certainly the scariest one.
According to Robinson, the Pelicans would prefer to keep Williamson, but may not view him as completely untouchable if a major deal for a player of Brown’s caliber required a larger franchise pivot. One potential alternate construction could involve Zion, Herb Jones and significant draft capital. That package would give Boston more rim pressure and defensive toughness, but it would also ask the Celtics to take on all the uncertainty that has followed Williamson’s career: availability, conditioning, fit and whether his best-case version can be counted on through a long playoff run.
That is a lot of risk when the outgoing player is Jaylen Brown.
The crown jewel in any Pelicans package may not be one of the names on the roster. It could be the 2027 first-round asset. New Orleans’ future draft situation is complicated by swaps and obligations, but the appeal is obvious. If Boston were to move Brown without getting a clean star-for-star replacement, the Celtics would need draft capital that could either become a premium pick or help fuel the next move.
That is where this rumor becomes more interesting than a simple “Team X wants star player” headline.
A Brown-to-New-Orleans deal would probably make more sense if it were part of a larger chain of moves. The Celtics are not in a position where depth for depth’s sake should be the goal. They already have plenty of players who can make a case for minutes. Their bigger need is turning good pieces into fewer, better-fitting pieces around Jayson Tatum and whoever remains in the core.
That is why any Pelicans package would need to be judged less by the names alone and more by what it allows Boston to do next. Murphy would help replace some wing scoring and shooting. Murray would give Boston a mid-sized contract and another creator. Zion would offer the rim pressure Stevens has openly said the Celtics need, but with far more volatility. The 2027 first-round asset could be the real swing piece, especially if Boston is trying to build enough ammunition for another major move.
Still, there is a long way from “interest” to an actual Jaylen Brown trade.
Brown is coming off one of the best seasons of his career, averaging 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists. He helped carry Boston to 56 wins in a season that began with lowered expectations because of Jayson Tatum’s Achilles recovery. He remains one of the faces of the franchise and one of the few players on the roster who has already proven he can be a top option deep into the playoffs.
So yes, the Pelicans may be interested. I’m sure most teams would be interested in having a player like Brown on their roster.
But if New Orleans wants Boston to even think about picking up the phone, the conversation probably starts with Murphy, real salary, and the best draft capital the Pelicans can put on the table. If Zion is involved, the upside grows, but so does the risk.
Anything less feels more like an early-summer rumor than a serious Jaylen Brown conversation.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - MAY 30: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs celebrates with Devin Vassell #24 after defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder with a score of 111 to 103 to win Game Seven of the NBA Western Conference Finals at Paycom Center on May 30, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
For as unpredictable as the NBA can be, it doesn’t get many sea changes. That is, big, overhauling alterations to its topography or behavioral patterns – those things take more time. The 2025-2026 Playoffs have been mercurial, surprising, even enlightening, but it’s still not the basketball that’s brought about the most marked development.
It was clear something was different when the tenor of the NBA aggregator infographics changed. Early in the playoffs the images looked familiar, the usual contextless photos of athletes looking gassed or frustrated churned out with blunt, all-caps missives (OUT, ELIMINATED, CHOKED, BUILT DIFFERENT) from NBA media properties’ social platforms and aggregator sites alike. But then, following the first round, there was a blip.
After the Spurs beat the Blazers in a five-game series, Victor Wembanyama answered a postgame question from L’Equipe’s Maxime Aubin about the cliché that showing emotions signals weakness. As that game ended, Wembanyama visibly choked up on the Spurs bench.
“I think it’s first and foremost a fear of judgment,” Wembanyama told Aubin. “Like, this feeling that you have to act a certain way, social codes, I guess. Personally, I refuse to carry the burden of having to hide my emotions.”
In rapid succession, the quote was aggregated, but it wasn’t blunted. At most, the “personally” was lopped off, but infographics of all shapes and sizes (or just two, whatever the optimised dimensions are for Instagram and Twitter) stated, like an awkwardly short affirmation, “I refuse to carry the burden of having to hide my emotions.” There were photos of Wembanyama looking thoughtfully into the middle distance, photos of him screaming in triumph, lots of photos of him crying, face scrunched or buried into the shoulder of a teammate.
That was early May, when the stakes for the Spurs felt light and low. The team has since advanced through two more rounds, besting the Timberwolves in six and dumbfounding the Thunder in seven games of high-flying, arduous, gorgeous basketball. Throughout those 13 contests, Wembanyama’s emotional peaks and valleys have continued to be on prominent display: there have been more tears, more tension, more frustrations and more joy. In the month backdropping those games, the appreciation, even obsession, with Wembanyama’s expressiveness has also grown. Creators outside the traditional NBA media and fan ecosystem have latched on, touting Wembanyama for normalising vulnerability and bringing back demonstratively caring about things. Even within the typically contradictory and oftentimes dour NBA media space of which I am a part, he’s been similarly lauded.
But Wembanyama isn’t the first athlete to articulate how badly he wants to win and to ugly cry when he does. Nor is he the first to grapple with the juxtaposition of that desirousness against the appearance of cold control we still require of our stars. So, what is it about this moment that’s made Wembanyama resonate so deeply, well beyond the NBA? Why do we care so much about Wembanyama caring so much?
Loathe as we are to admit it, we’re creatures of the contemporary world; frogs boiling in whatever noxious soup du jour each new news cycle dumps more ingredients into. Against the backdrop of accumulating global conflicts and the warped language used by our leaders to justify them — “deescalate” into violent escalation, “winding down” that only serves to ramp up — the plain-spoken rejection of a convoluted and long-held status quo hits like a gulp of cold water. Wembanyama handed us the proverbial glass when he rejected the need to be responsible for other people’s discomfort with his emotions, and he’s topped the glass up each time he’s doubled down on being expressive.
There’s a two-fold distinction in Wembanyama’s direct and considered articulation. The first is that he has the perspective of an outsider, because he is one. Basketball is the common ground, a shared language as much as shorthand between him and a majority American NBA fanbase, but his clarity comes from a lifetime prior to now of looking in. The requisite distance needed to hold a place up like a prism and have it catch different streams of light. It was apparent this past winter, when he was one of just a few NBA players to speak up about ICE violently clamping down on people in Minneapolis.
“Every day I wake up and see the news and I’m horrified. It’s crazy that some people might make it sound like it’s acceptable, the murder of civilians. Every day I read the news and I’m asking very deep questions about my own life. But I’m conscious also that saying everything that’s on my mind that would have a cost that’s too great for me right now,” he told media. “I’m a foreigner, I live in this country, I am concerned.”
Asked to clarify if his hesitation to speak came from being a foreigner, Wembanyama said yes.
It was a glimpse into his thought process as a person navigating the delicate intersection he stood at as a French national and non U.S. citizen, as a high-profile athlete, arguably no longer an abstract “future face of the NBA” but the very one actively eclipsing the last generation, and as, foremost, a person who saw injustice and harm and was compelled to speak up. All athletes exist in something of a suspended state of personhood, expected to perform as their outward persona even when they’re off the court. International athletes — especially those in the U.S. in its current sociopolitical climate — exist in a much more temporal state of belonging and tend to keep below the radar.
His articulation has also been bodily. At his stature, his face is a little like a lighthouse. Whatever expression flashes there is impossible to miss. The difference between Wembanyama’s competitive expressiveness and, say, an athlete blowing up on court with vitriol, is that we’re almost more accustomed to the latter. To expressions of frustration and aggression: fights breaking out, equipment being smashed. We’re conditioned to think of these eruptions as part and parcel with the high-stakes and effort of pro sports, proof of concept. But it’s a little bit of crying that, traditionally, had the potential to send the whole system spiraling. At least it was, until a highly visible — 7’4, towering tears — athlete started doing it.
It’s this visibility of emotion, specifically the emotions we equate with sensitivity and vulnerability, that’s so unique when paired with Wembanyama’s expression of them. It reads as oversimplified, even rude (giant man has giant feelings), but when seemingly softer emotions are expressed at billboard-size scale, it’s almost like exposure therapy.
And it’s high-stakes exposure. Prime-time and now, entering the Finals, under the brightest lights and biggest production the NBA has to offer. There’s been a sense that, as the playoffs wore on and the Spurs gained experience, they’d mature, harden. Wembanyama as their leader perhaps most of all. There is, in some corners of fandom and analysis, even a thirst for this. For a young team like San Antonio to get the hope and all these softer expressions — aspiration, jitters, overwhelming joy — roughly knocked out of them.
But this is it. In a world where we’re told not to care, a mindset reinforced daily by the blithe destruction and ravaging of people, their humanity, far and close to home; where a social veer to aggressive, self-serving apathy is threatening to become — if not already — the norm, a demonstrative example of a person extolling the opposite is jarring. That initial jolt can be taken as a threat, or as an opportunity to recalibrate. To be a little more willing to put your own vulnerabilities on display in return.
My interpretation of Wembanyama being put up as face, or saviour, of the league is not that the NBA was lacking the hyper-unique, once-in-an-era skillset he has prior to this; it’s that he offers an alternative to the majority viewing experience of the world writ large right now. You can certainly watch to be entertained, but you can also watch to be infused with a wallop of emotion. The scale of those feelings is difficult to simply switch off with the game, chances are that they will flash over you in the days, months, and more to come. Against disorienting, intolerant darkness, Wembanyama is a roving light to borrow from or burn with.
CINCINNATI, OHIO - MAY 31: An Atlanta Braves player's hat and glove in the dugout during the game against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on May 31, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Atlanta Braves DSL level squad, the lowest level in professional baseball, opened their play on June 1st to become the final affiliated league to get underway in 2026. I thought now would be a good time to take a look at that roster and give you some players to watch from that team.
Unlike the other rosters, this team is filled with all international signings, mostly between the ages of 16-18. Some of these guys are still very much unknowns, so there isn’t much talk or data surrounding them. However there are definitely some players worth tracking this summer on this team as there are both some six and seven figure bonus guys and lesser known talents on the roster – and you never know who will grow into the next Ronald Acuna Jr, Didier Fuentes, or even Michael Martinez – all players the Braves signed for little money without a ton of hype.
Pitchers
Hector Aguiar is a 18-year-old Panamanian right-handed pitcher signed this year for an unreported signing bonus. He won’t turn 19 until mid-August, but has reportedly touched 97 MPH with his fastball already.
Jonathan Hechavarria only turns 17 on June 4th, but signed for $340k out of Cuba this year. He is presently listed as being out on the 60-day IL, but he is an outfielder turned pitcher that is already up to 94 MPH.
Diego Ramirez is a Venezuelan lefty who turns 17 on June 12th, but is already to to 92 MPH from the left side at the age of 16.
Efrailin Caminero is a 17-year-old who doesn’t turn 18 until after the season. The Braves signed him out of the Dominican for six figures this winter ($150k).
Catchers
Jorwin Pulido is a 17-year-old Venezuelan catcher that won’t turn 18 until after the season. The Braves gave him $350k this year as the fifth biggest bonus in their class. He’s an athletic catcher with some power in his bat that hit in the three-hole in his first game and went two for three with a walk.
Infielders
Jose Manon was the Braves biggest international signee this year, getting $1.5M out of the Dominican. He projects as a solid all around shortstop. In his first pro at bat he homered, and added another hit in that game. Manon already ranks on our refreshed Top 30 as reports on him have been positive.
Edelson Cabral is a 16-year-old Dominican who doesn’t turn 17 until July. He signed for $600k and has also earned a spot on our most recent Top 30 because of strong reports. Cabral is known for his advanced feel for hitting at a young age and is a solid runner with a chance to grow into average power, though there is some question about where he sticks defensively. He was one for three with a walk in his first professional game, and is sounding like a potential steal for under a million dollars.
Yassel Pena is formerly known as Yassel Garcia, a player the Braves signed last year for $247.5k out of the Dominican. He debuted last year and hit .202/.404/.282 in 38 games. He is a switch hitting middle infielder with some speed, though can definitely get a little more strength – though he will still just be 18 until December.
Angel Carmona got $447.5k out of Venezuela last year and debuted with a slash line of .253/.374/.453 with nine extra base hits in 20 games. Unfortunately the now-18-year-old is listed as being on the restricted list, but he is still young and has shown promise both before and after signing.
Durban Arnedo is a Colombian infielder who just turned 17 in mid-May. The Braves gave him $275k this winter and is seen as a potential source of power. He is likely to get looks at third base.
Luis Fortunato is a 17-year-old Dominican shortstop who signed for six figures this winter ($150k). Fortunato was in the lineup for the first game and scored a run.
Outfielders
Starlyn De La Cruz was the Braves second largest signing this year, getting $1.2M out of the Dominican. He is 17-years-old all season. His power and speed are what sticks out, despite not being especially big at 5’10, 170-pounds. The hope is that he will be able to stick in center defensively. De La Cruz was one for four in his pro debut.
Osmar Torrealba is a 17-year-old who won’t hit 18 until next February. The Braves signed him for $400k out of Venezuela. Torrealba went one for four in his pro debut.
Elias Reyno is an 18-year-old Dominican outfielder that signed for $297.5k last year. He debuted last year and hit .178/.397/.271 in 42 games. He only turned 18 back in April and has shown an ability to get on base.
Sherrintely Da Costa Gomez received $250k to sign out of Curacao this winter and made his debut in the team’s first game with a single and two walks in four plate appearances. He is seen as a contact hitter who could develop more power and already has strong athleticism. He won’t turn 18 until the winter.
It’s one thing to be bad. It’s worse to be bad when you were supposed to be good.
It’s another thing altogether to be historically bad, ranking among the worst teams in the history of the franchise, when you were supposed to be good.
The Phillies’ offense is off to a historically terrible start. Coming into Tuesday’s three-game series against the Padres at Citizens Bank Park, their .224 team batting average is 2nd-worst in MLB (Padres, .218). Even in a season in which offenses throughout baseball are generally struggling, it is particularly terrible.
But even worse, their .224 average is the worst, through any team’s first 59 games in franchise history, of all time. The previous worst average, .226, belonged to the 1941 Phillies, the subject of a recent book by my Hittin’ Season podcast co-host and former Good Phight site director Justin Klugh, Summer of the Cheap Wieners. That squad lost 111 games. They did not have one of the highest payrolls in Major League Baseball.
They were so bad, their manager even went temporarily blind.
Their OBP is only 5th-worst, so at least they have that going for them!
They haven’t scored more than four runs in a game, since May 18. They haven’t reached double figures in hits since May 18. Over their last 11 games, they’ve scored 26 runs and tallied 59 hits. During their 4-2 road trip, the offense put up a slash line of .169/.229/.339.
Oh, and that $300+ million payroll features an active roster of position players that has tallied the 3rd-fewest Fangraphs WAR so far this season. Here are their rankings by position in terms of fWAR through May.
Catcher (19th)
First Base (21st)
Second Base (T-16th)
Third Base (27th)
Shortstop (24th)
Left Field (29th)
Center Field (24th)
Right field (T-20th)
Outfield (29th)
Designated Hitter (7th)
There are only three positions in which the Phillies rank inside the top-20 (2B, C, DH), but only Kyle Schwarber ranks among the top-half at his position. And Kyle doesn’t actually play a position.
Now, we can certainly argue about the value of WAR if the position primarily played by Bryce Harper is ranked 21st, although according to Fangraphs, Harper has been worth 1.0 WAR at that position, while Dylan Moore accumulated -0.2 fWAR and Felix Reyes -0.4 in their very brief moments at first. So yeah, there’s some noise there.
That being said, these are not the results one would, or should, expect from a $300+ payroll.
Adolis Garcia entered the week hitting .191/.274/.296 with just four home runs. He has 3 hits in his last 57 at-bats, with 30 strikeouts. The easy decision would be to sit him and replace him with someone else. The problem is there is no one in AAA worthy of doing that.
The same can be said for Bryson Stott and his .217/.264/.380 slash line. Or Bohm’s .210/.271/.335. Or J.T. Realmuto’s .220/.296/.299. Or Trea Turner’s .223/.273/.349. Or Justin Crawford’s .234/.297/.341.
There will be no hot prospect to ride to the rescue. Moving Bryce Harper to right field and trading for Boston’s Willson Contreras or Houston’s Christian Walker might be beneficial, but cannot overcome five regulars with OBP’s under .300. Same with adding Mike Trout.
I wish I could tell you there was a solution, but we both know there isn’t. At least not here in the middle of the season.
I do know that if the offense doesn’t improve, they will not go 18-10 in June, July, August or September. They cannot rely on Cristopher Sanchez never giving up another run again. They should not rely on Zack Wheeler to keep posting ERAs under 2.00. They should expect uneven pitching from Jesus Luzardo, Aaron Nola and Andrew Painter.
The Phils will hang around the wild card race all season. Their pitching is good enough, and the competition around the rest of the NL after the Big Three (Dodgers, Braves and Brewers), is middling (8 teams are no more than 2 1/2 games apart for the three wild cards).
All the Phillies can do is hope the breakout is right around the corner.
Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders:W, 6-5 at Syracuse Mets
3B George Lombard Jr. 1-3, 3 BB, RBI, K — celebrated 21st birthday with a bunch of walks and a 111-mph single CF Spencer Jones 2-4, 2 BB, RBI, K SS Oswaldo Cabrera 1-3, 2 RBI, 2 SF 1B Tyler Hardman 0-5, 2 K DH Seth Brown 2-5, 2B, RBI, 3 K C Payton Henry 0-2, K PH-C Ali Sánchez 0-2, BB, catcher interference error RF Ernesto Martinez Jr. 2-4, HR, BB, RBI — solo shot to put RailRiders ahead in sixth PR-RF Duke Ellis 0-0, SB — swiped his 25th base in 26 chances 2B Jonathan Ornelas 2-4, BB, K, CS LF Kenedy Corona 1-3, 2 BB
Dom Hamel 5 IP, 4 H, 2 R (2 ER), 2 BB, 2 K, HR (win) Danny Watson 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 K — the funk was funkin’ Yovanny Cruz 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K Carson Coleman 0.2 IP, 1 H, 3 R (2 ER), 2 BB, 1 K — turned a 6-2 lead into a one-run edge, hence Montero Rafael Montero 0.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K (save) — got Kevin Parada to fly out with winning run on in the ninth
Double-A Somerset Patriots:W, 4-3 at Harrisburg Senators
CF Jace Avina 0-2 — left the game after running the bases in the top of the third 1B Miguel Palma 1-2, BB, RBI, K, throwing error RF-CF Garrett Martin 3-4, 2B, HR, BB, RBI, K — 17th homer in 48 games at Double-A 1B-RF Nicholas Torres 0-5, RBI, 2 K, SB LF DJ Gladney 1-4, 2B, RBI, K — 108 mph on ripped double in the third DH Jackson Castillo 0-4, 2 K C Manuel Palencia 1-2, 2 BB, CS 2B Connor McGinnis 0-4, K, throwing error 3B Kevin Verde 2-4, 2B, K, GIDP SS Owen Cobb 1-4, 2 K, throwing error — yeah the Pats were chucking the ball around a little
Trent Sellers 6.1 IP, 3 H, 3 R (1 ER), 2 BB, 3 K, HR (win) Will Brian 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K Ben Grable 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K (save)
High-A Hudson Valley Renegades:L, 3-7 at Frederick Keys — held to five hits despite the three runs
2B Kaeden Kent 0-5, RBI, K SS Core Jackson 3-5, 2B, RBI, K, SB — briefly put Hudson Valley ahead in the second with an RBI single DH Eric Genther 0-5, 4 K — golden sombrero among 14 K’s for ’Gades on the day 1B Kyle West 1-2, 2B, BB, RBI, K, SF RF Wilson Rodriguez 0-4, K, outfield assist 3B Roderick Arias 1-4, 2 K, throwing error C Josue Gonzalez 0-1, 2 BB, HBP LF Josh Moylan 0-4, 4 K — another golden sombrero and a no-contact day CF Camden Troyer 0-2, 2 K
Bryce Cunningham 3.1 IP, 5 H, 4 R (4 ER), 4 BB, 3 K, 2 HR, 2 WP (loss) — 2024 second-rounder has just had a tough go of it this year Andrew Landry 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K Thomas Balboni Jr. 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K — good relief from Landry and Balboni Aaron Nixon 1.1 IP, 2 H, 3 R (2 ER), 1 BB, 1 K, HBP Tanner Bauman 0.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
Low-A Tampa Tarpons:W, 12-1 vs. Palm Beach Cardinals — 12 runs on 8 hits, sounds like A-ball
SS Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek 2-4, 3B, HR, BB, 2 RBI, K, throwing error — went oppo taco into the Short Porch at GMS Field 3B Hans Montero 2-3, HR, 2 BB, 3 RBI, K, SB — solo shot in the third DH Luis Puello 0-4, BB, 2 K LF JoJo Jackson 1-3, 2 BB RF Willy Montero 2-3, 2 2B, 2 BB, 3 RBI, SB — cleared the bases on an excuse-me double in the eighth, pretty great day for the Monteros! C Engelth Urena 1-5, HR, 2 RBI, K — a fun, majestic dinger CF Luis Durango 0-4, BB, K 1B Austin Green 0-4, BB 2B Luis Escudero 0-3, BB, K
Thatcher Hurd 4.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R (0 ER), 1 BB, 4 K — better second start than his Tampa debut Luis Velasquez 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K (win) — sat just shy of 97 with the sinker and fastball Justin West 3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, pickoff (save)
Florida Complex League Yankees:W, 4-3 vs. FCL Blue Jays
1B Richard Matic 1-4, K, SB CF Wilberson De Pena 0-4, 3 K DH Queni Pineda 1-4, RBI, K 3B Leni Done 1-3, 2B, BB, 2 K, SB LF-RF Estivenzon Montero 1-3, BB SS Dexters Peralta 2-3, BB, K C Justin Capellan 1-3, BB, CS, passed ball 2B Christofer Reyes 0-2, BB, K RF Isael Arias 0-2, K PH David McCann 1-1, HR, 3 RBI — clubbed a go-ahead, three-run blast in the seventh for decisive blow LF Gabriel Lara 0-0
Blake Gillespie 5.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 3 K, HR Brian Arias 1 IP, 0 H, 2 R (2 ER), 2 BB, 0 K, HBP, WP Austin Breedlove 2.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K, WP (win) — wonderful work from a wonderful name
Dominican Summer League Yankees:L, 14-15 vs. DSL Mets Blue — led 9-0 after three innings and blew it, woof; allowed seven in the fifth, three in the seventh, and five to let the Mets go ahead in the ninth
CF Isaias Castillo 4-6, 2B, 3B, HR, 4 RBI, K, 2 fielding errors, outfield assist — finished hitting for the cycle with a double in the sixth, very nice; the defense less so DH Stiven Marinez 1-3, 3 BB, RBI, SB RF Yostin Pena 3-5, 2B, BB, 3 RBI, K — the second of four multi-hit games for DSL Yanks SS Juan Torres 2-6, 2B, 2 RBI, K, GIDP C Cesar Lopez 1-6, 2B, RBI, passed ball, missed catch error 3B Abrahan Pichardo 1-2, 2B, 4 BB, K, 2 SB — made last out as DSL Yanks went 1-2-3 in the ninth to end it after the Mets’ five-run frame 1B Edgar Jimenez 0-5, RBI, 3 K, fielding error — only guy without a hit 2B Emmanuel Orozco 1-3, BB, RBI, HBP LF Kendry Diaz 3-3, BB, HBP, SB — perfect (if somewhat painful) pro debut for 2026 IFA signee
Sebastian Rivas 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K — perfect pro debut for 2026 IFA signee; game got silly from there! Dalvin Taveras 2.2 IP, 4 H, 6 R (2 ER), 3 BB, 5 K— pro debut for 2026 IFA signee, defense didn’t help him Emanuel Vargas 2 IP, 3 H, 4 R (2 ER), 1 BB, 5 K, 2 WP Brandon Rodriguez 1.1 IP, 2 H, 4 R (4 ER), 3 BB, 2 K, HR, WP — pro debut for 2026 IFA signee, tough one, as he was largely behind the ninth-inning collapse Varis Villarreal 1 IP, 2 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 2 K (loss)
Dominican Summer League Bombers:L, 3-9 (7) at DSL Miami
DH Dariel Santana 1-3, 2B, 2 RBI, K — pro debut for 2026 IFA signee, tied game with a two-run double in the third, his first-ever hit SS Mani Cedeno 1-3 3B Germayhoni Beltre 0-3, GIDP, throwing error — tough day at the office for the kid RF David Carrera 1-3, K, CS LF Richard Meran 0-3, K, GIDP 1B Stalen Ramirez 0-3, K, fielding error C Jesus Guerrero 1-3, 2 K 2B Adrian Feliz 2-3, HR, RBI — first pro homer in the fifth, a solo shot CF Alfiery Matos 0-1, BB
Junior Tavera 3.2 IP, 4 H, 3 R (3 ER), 4 BB, 5 K, HR, HBP, WP, pickoff error (loss) Mauricio Vargas 0 IP, 1 H, 5 R (5 ER), 4 BB, 0 K, 2 WP — no control at all, not the 2026 debut he wanted; DSL Bombers allowed four runs to score in the fourth on wild pitches, and two of them came from Vargas Lenin Caceres 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R (0 ER), 3 BB, 3 K, HBP, WP Ronald Tejada 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
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