For better or worse, the inaugural edition of the inter-hemisphere tournament launches with even more long-haul flights in a drive to attract greater interest
Brave is one word for it. Let’s launch a must-see global rugby tournament in direct opposition to the football World Cup, Wimbledon, the Open and Formula One. Necessitating even more long-haul flights and an enlarged carbon footprint in an era of soaring jet-fuel prices and climate-change concerns. And with some of the world’s most box-office players unavailable. Right-ho.
Welcome, for better or worse, to the inaugural Nations Championship, which kicks off in Christchurch, Tokyo, Sydney, Cardiff, Johannesburg and Córdoba next weekend. Spot the odd ones out, by the way. Yes, contrary to the atlas, Cardiff and Tokyo are now southern hemisphere venues. For various reasons Fiji are “hosting” Wales beside the swaying palms of Tiger Bay while Japan, for the sake of numerical convenience, are in with the traditional southern powerhouses.
Miguel Vargas and the bats helped lead the White Sox to their second-largest win in franchise history.
It’s not every day you see your favorite team score 10 runs in a game. It’s even more rare to see them score 10 runs in a single inning, but that’s what the Chicago White Sox did Friday night. In a rare game that was over by the end of the third inning, the White Sox came roaring back to life after a tough stretch that saw them go just 3-6 over their last nine games, destroying Kansas City, 22-1.
The 22 runs tied for the second-most in White Sox history, joining the woebegone 1970 White Sox (22-13 win at Boston) but falling short of the all-time mark, coming in Kansas City (against the Athletics) in 1955, in 29-6 win. However, the 21-run margin of victory now ranks second all-time in club history, trailing just that 23-run win in K.C. in 1955.
Usually, when you score 10 runs in a game, everybody’s eating good like a college kid on Thanksgiving. For the White Sox, the entire lineup had scored at least one run by the end of the sixth inning. The party didn’t stop there, as the White Sox started tacking on runs so fast it’s a wonder the scoreboard was able to update in time. It was one heck of a jolt from an offense that has struggled to score runs consistently as of late.
It all started in the third inning, with the score knotted 0-0 and Chicago had seen seven of their first eight batters go down. A Jacob Gonzalez walk started a party that just wouldn’t stop, as 10 of the next 11 batters got on base for the White Sox and the game was over before the Royals could even cry “uncle.”
The Royals got a run back in the fourth, aided by three straight walks from starter David Sandlin, but a Benny Bomb to lead off the bottom of that same inning kept the party vibes flowing. That party continued in the fifth, sixth, and seventh as well before they showed some mercy to the Royals with a scoreless eighth. In truth, the Sox dented the scoreboard in every inning between the second and eighth. White Sox fans were treated to a fireworks display even more explosive than we’ll see at the lakefront next week.
Honestly, there aren’t many words that can be used to sum up the White Sox on Friday night, at least that are appropriate to use on this site, other than phenomenal. These games are incredibly rare, so it’s vital to enjoy them when they come around.
One part of the win that shouldn’t fly under the radar is the pitching. While it’s certainly easier to pitch when you have a huge cushion, it’s still not easy to give up just one run and three hits over six innings. Sandlin was outstanding tonight, and deserves a lot of credit for how he looked on the mound. His wildness beyond the three consecutive walks was corralled, as the Royals were held to just three free passes in the game, and four hits total.
A big reason the White Sox have enjoyed such a big resurgence this year is due to their pitching. Davis Martin, Anthony Kay, Bryan Hudson, Sean Newcomb and even Erick Fedde as of late have become incredibly reliable options. It would be foolish to believe this is the pitcher Sandlin will be for the rest of his career, but if he can give the South Siders even a sliver of what he was able to tonight, Chicago suddenly has a much-different looking rotation, and a solid option in the No. 5 slot.
With the win, the White Sox improved to 27-13 at home. Oddly enough, they sit at just 15-25 on the road. Usually that would be cause for concern, but with the way the White Sox have looked overall this season, it’s hard not to buy in to this team. The fans are buzzing, the arms and bats are back, and there is life among the fan base once again. The best part may actually be that Jerry Reinsdorf is probably livid with how much he’s having to spend on fireworks this season. With the All-Star break approaching, there’s only two things left to do: Take the division and win the whole dang thing.
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - APRIL 07: Kevon Looney #55 of the New Orleans Pelicans reacts during the second half of a game against the Utah Jazz at Smoothie King Center on April 07, 2026 in New Orleans, Louisiana. 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 Tyler Kaufman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Kevon Looney, a three-time NBA champion and forever Golden State Warrior, will have to find a new home next season.
Per NBA insider Chris Haynes, the New Orleans Pelicans have chosen to decline Looney’s $8 million team option, making him an unrestricted free agent.
New Orleans Pelicans are expected to decline the $8M team option on veteran center Kevon Looney, making the 3-time NBA champ an unrestricted free agent, league sources tell me. pic.twitter.com/U45QTgHWKy
Looney’s tenure with the Pelicans was highly limited, playing only 21 games due to injury. The veteran experience and poise that he was expected to provide was ultimately limited.
The Warriors chose to move on from Looney in order to prioritize size and shooting at the center position, a somewhat tough pill to swallow considering Looney’s stature within the organization. So far, that decision is proving to be correct.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - JUNE 26: Royce Lewis #23 of the Minnesota Twins (C) celebrates his walk-off RBI single against the Colorado Rockies with teammates Austin Martin #16 and Byron Buxton #25 in the tenth inning at Target Field on June 26, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Twins defeated the Rockies 9-8 in ten innings. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Colorado Rockies were buried early, somehow took the lead late, and still left Target Field with one of their tougher losses of the season.
Colorado fell to 32-50 with a 9-8 loss in 10 innings to the Minnesota Twins, who improved to 39-44 with their first walk-off win of the season. The Rockies trailed 7-0 after five innings, scored eight runs across the eighth and ninth, took an 8-7 lead, gave it back in the bottom of the ninth, and failed to score in extras before Minnesota ended it.
It was a comeback good enough to matter. It was not quite good enough to win.
Sugano’s mix does not hold up
Tomoyuki Sugano’s final line was ugly, but the start was not as simple as a pitcher showing up without anything working.
Sugano used seven different pitch types, and the movement profile was more functional than the final line suggests. His sinker had more arm-side run than usual, his four-seamer had extra ride, and his splitter created real separation underneath the fastballs. But Minnesota still saw him well enough to do damage.
The game tilted early. After Taj Bradley retired the Rockies in order on six pitches in the top of the first, Sugano got Trevor Larnach to fly out before Byron Buxton singled to left. Kody Clemens followed by driving an 86 mph splitter to right field for a two-run homer. The ball left the bat at 102.5 mph and traveled 380 feet, giving Minnesota a 2-0 lead.
Sugano recovered enough to get Josh Bell to pop out and Victor Caratini to strike out swinging, but Minnesota had the early lead.
The second inning pushed it further. Royce Lewis opened with a single, and Brooks Lee followed with another two-run homer, this time on an 85.9 mph slider after Sugano had worked the count to 2-2. It was not one of Minnesota’s loudest swings at 93.9 mph off the bat, but it carried 348 feet to right field and made it 4-0.
Sugano settled briefly with clean innings in the third and fourth, but the fifth changed the line. After Tristan Gray lined out to open the inning, Jake McCarthy made a sliding catch in right field against Luke Keaschall for the second out.
Larnach then doubled to extend the inning, and Buxton followed with a 106.1 mph double down the third-base line to score Larnach and make it 5-0.
That was where the inning got away. Clemens walked, Sugano’s first free pass of the night, and Bell followed by driving a 93.5 mph sinker to center field for a two-run double. Buxton and Clemens both scored, stretching the lead to 7-0.
Sugano finished with five innings, eight hits, seven earned runs, one walk, two strikeouts, and two home runs allowed. He threw 85 pitches, generated only five whiffs on 33 swings, and allowed seven hard-hit balls on 20 balls in play. The pitch shapes were there. The swing-and-miss was not.
Bradley keeps Rockies quiet
Taj Bradley controlled the game for seven innings, even if the command was not perfect.
Bradley worked seven-plus innings, allowing three hits, two runs, three walks, and no home runs while striking out seven. He threw 92 pitches, generated 14 whiffs on 45 swings, and leaned heavily on a fastball that averaged 97.0 mph and reached 99.5 mph. His four-seamer made up 61% of his pitch mix, while the splitter and cutter came in at 18% and 16%, respectively.
Bradley threw 50 pitches out of the strike zone and walked three, but the Rockies did not turn those misses into enough pressure. When he came back into the zone, his fastball and splitter were good enough to keep Colorado from building an inning.
The first chance came in the second. TJ Rumfield walked to open the inning, and Troy Johnston followed with the Rockies’ first hit, a hard single to right field. But the inning ended with runners on the corners after Ezequiel Tovar struck out. Tovar had taken a 99 mph fastball for a ball earlier in the at-bat, but Bradley got him to chase well out of the zone to end the threat.
That became the pattern. Colorado had baserunners, but not enough of them in sequence.
Rumfield walked again in the fourth, but the Rockies could not turn it into anything. In the fifth, an ABS challenge turned a ball into strike three against Edouard Julien, giving Bradley another clean inning.
McCarthy had the loudest swing against Bradley in the sixth, jumping a first-pitch 94.5 mph four-seam fastball for a double to right field. The ball left the bat at 108.6 mph, but it was only Colorado’s second hit and came with the Rockies trailing 7-0. Bradley stranded him.
Bradley came back out for the eighth, but Tovar opened with a double and Julien followed with a walk after an ABS challenge confirmed the call. Minnesota went to Kody Funderburk with two aboard and nobody out. Both runners eventually scored, putting two earned runs on Bradley’s line, but the rally changed the box score more than the shape of his start.
Rockies storm back before falling in extras
The Rockies’ bullpen gave the offense a chance to make the game matter again.
Seth Halvorsen replaced Sugano in the sixth and worked a scoreless inning, striking out Lewis and pitching around his own missed-catch error. Juan Mejia followed in the seventh, allowed a leadoff single, then got out of the inning when Clemens grounded into a double play. John Brebbia handled the eighth, giving up a two-out double to Lewis but stranding him.
Together, Halvorsen, Mejia, and Brebbia combined for three scoreless innings, allowing two hits with one strikeout. It did not erase Sugano’s line, but it kept the score at 7-0 long enough for Colorado to make a real push.
The comeback started in the eighth. After Funderburk entered with two runners aboard and nobody out, McCarthy singled to load the bases. Mickey Moniak brought home Tovar with a groundout to make it 7-1. Hunter Goodman followed with a sacrifice fly to score Julien, and Rumfield lined a single to center to bring in McCarthy, cutting the deficit to 7-3.
Willi Castro added another single, but Tyler Freeman struck out as a pinch-hitter to end the inning with two runners on.
Then the ninth changed the game.
Cole Carrigg opened the inning with a walk against Eric Orze, and Julien doubled to center after a flyout, scoring Carrigg to make it 7-4. McCarthy followed with a two-run homer to right-center field, turning a four-run deficit into a one-run game.
Minnesota went to Anthony Banda, but Colorado kept going. Kyle Karros came off the bench and doubled to left, with Braxton Fulford entering as the pinch-runner. Goodman followed with the swing that completed the comeback, launching his 22nd home run of the season to left field. The ball left the bat at 116.2 mph and traveled 451 feet. Goodman knew it immediately, dropping his head and heading toward first as Fulford scored ahead of him.
Rumfield followed with a pop-up double into short center/right field that several Twins converged on and none of them caught. It was the visual summary of a Minnesota inning that had fully unraveled.
But Colorado could not close it.
Antonio Senzatela entered for the bottom of the ninth and struck out Gray for the first out, but Austin Martin and Ryan Kreidler followed with back-to-back singles. Buxton then chopped a 78.3 mph ground ball toward third. Castro waited on the hop, but the ball jumped over him and into left field. Martin scored, and the lead was gone.
Senzatela still got the game to extras. He got Clemens to fly out to left, then got Bell to lift a short flare to center at 72.7 mph. Carrigg raced in to make the catch, sending the game to the 10th tied 8-8.
Colorado had the first chance in extras and came up empty. With Freeman starting the inning at second, Carrigg grounded out and moved him to third. Tovar followed with a grounder to short against a drawn-in infield, and Freeman was cut down at the plate after breaking on contact. Julien grounded out to first to end the inning.
Minnesota did not miss its chance. Jimmy Herget came on for the bottom of the 10th with Bell starting at second before Kyler Fedko entered as a pinch-runner. Colorado intentionally walked Caratini to create force plays around the diamond, but Herget uncorked a wild pitch that moved Fedko to third. With the infield in, Lewis punched a single back through the middle, scoring Fedko and giving Minnesota a 9-8 walk-off win.
Final notes
McCarthy and Rumfield were at the center of Colorado’s comeback. McCarthy finished with three hits, including a double, a single, and the two-run homer that made it 7-6 in the ninth. Rumfield reached multiple times, drove in a run in the eighth, and added the strange pop-up double that captured the Twins’ ninth-inning collapse.
The Rockies went 4-for-10 with runners in scoring position, matching Minnesota’s 4-for-10 mark. Colorado finished with 11 hits, eight runs, and one error. Minnesota finished with 14 hits, nine runs, and no errors.
Colorado scored three runs in the eighth and five runs in the ninth after being shut out through the first seven innings. Minnesota had three two-out RBIs, including Bell’s two-run double and Buxton’s RBI double in the fifth.
Andrew Morris earned the win for Minnesota, improving to 3-2. Herget took the loss for Colorado, falling to 0-2.
Up next
The Rockies and Twins continue the series Saturday night at Target Field as Colorado looks to shake off one of its more painful losses of the season. Michael Lorenzen is scheduled to start for the Rockies, entering at 2-9 with a 7.11 ERA and 65 strikeouts. Minnesota will counter with Mike Paredes, who enters at 0-0 with a 4.05 ERA and 11 strikeouts.
Oklahoma City is not letting its big man get away.
Isaiah Hartenstein intends to sign a new three-year deal to stay with the Thunder through 2028-29, ESPN's Shams Charania reported Friday night. With what he has already made in Oklahoma City, the commitment reaches five years and $134 million guaranteed.
The Thunder had possessed a $28.5 million team option for Hartenstein next season, but he now takes a new multiyear deal at a lower yearly number. That matters in Oklahoma City right now. The Thunder are staring at a brutal tax bill once the max extensions for Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams land, and spreading Hartenstein's money over more years is how they keep the band together without paying a record-setting penalty.
The Thunder are still looking at one of the most expensive rosters in the league.
The Thunder signed Hartenstein in the summer of 2024 to a three-year, $87 million contract, and people thought it was an overpay. But he gave Oklahoma City a center who rebounds, protects the rim and can pass, and the Thunder won the franchise's first championship in Oklahoma City in 2025.
This spring, Hartenstein made San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama in the Western Conference finals work hard before the Thunder fell in Game 7. He averaged 9.2 points, 9.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists on the season.
The 28-year-old German was taken 43rd in the 2017 draft. Free agency begins June 30 at 6 p.m. ET.
You best make us proud, HV71 ginger! | Getty Images
The Islanders made their lone pick with little fanfare on what was a never-ending first day of the draft: Malte Gustafsson, a tall, swift-skating, left-side defenseman who’s already had pro-league experience at age 17 with HV71 in Sweden, was their pick at 13th overall.
The Isles went into the draft with four picks on the second day, one each in rounds 4, 5, 6 and 7.
As for Gustafsson, the Isles had Matthew Schaefer announce the pick — a helluva lot better than having that twert Bieber do it — and though both are lefties, you could see him fitting well next to Schaefer in select situations one day:
A one-man play killer, Gustafsson cemented his status as a high-end defensive prospect by becoming a regular on HV71’s SHL team, a rare feat for a draft-eligible defender. Against his peers, he played nearly half of every game for Sweden at the under-18 championships.
His defensive game is the most translatable part of his NHL game and will allow him to be a trusted defender early in his career. He’s the ideal partner for an elite offensive defenseman because of his ability to insulate and shut down offense, be it in transition or in the defensive zone.
Gustafsson is an outstanding skater and another prospect from Sweden who played most of his season at the pro level. He’s competitive and smart. Gustafsson can be deployed in a variety of roles and trusted in all situations, but will likely only produce secondary offence at most.
A late riser with his play at the U18 worlds, Gustafsson has size, can skate, defend well and help move pucks quickly and efficiently.
Gustafsson was seen as just outside the top tier of five defensemen in this draft, though some entertained the possibility that he should be in there. The Athletic addressed that question before the draft:
There has been a lot of talk about Malte Gustafsson now entering that group of five and making it a group of six, so I thought it would be valuable to test that theory. It was split almost exactly down the middle, with seven scouts saying they don’t have a sixth D in that group and six saying that Gustafsson is now in that group for them. Among the six who had Gustafsson in that group, a majority said they’d rank him sixth, with only a couple saying they’d slot him ahead of any of the other five D. One other D got a vote for that group as well: Tommy Bleyl. A couple of scouts did wonder if their fifth-ranked D actually belonged in a tier with the other names instead of with the four in front of them as well.
To me, Gustafsson was clearly the best player available here. He’s a big, mobile defenseman who can make plays. He has really good defensive traits. He didn’t put up huge points at the J20 level or in the SHL, but I thought he was the best defenseman at the U18 World Championships. He’s a really impressive two-way player.
The other side of this is, the Islanders have quite the deep chart at left defense. So IF current prospects develop, it’s a strength to trade from as well.
Around the Draft
The 29th-overall pick the Islanders acquired from Colorado in the Brock Nelson trade continued to move around. Dealt to the Blues in the Brayden Schenn trade, the Blues packaged it with the 15th-overall pick to Anaheim for Mason McTavish. The Ducks then swapped it with Vegas in a bizarre move that allowed them to move up one spot. Anaheim selected Marcus Nordmark.
The Canucks went ahead and took Caleb Malhotra, the son of their new coach. No pressure there. [Sportsnet]
Not long for Utah: the Bruins grabbed ex-Sabre JJ Peterka from the Mammoth for two firsts. [NHL | Sportsnet]
The Rangers acquired RFA Pavel Dorofeyev from Vegas and are working on a seven-year extension. [Sportsnet]
The second day of the draft moves so fast, it’s hard to keep up. But man, it’s downright refreshing after the long, glacial slog of the first day. The Islanders, of course, don’t even pick until the fourth round, barring a trade. So stay tuned for how much they blew it/reached/stole it/found the hidden gem.
This guy wasn’t the problem on the mound! Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images | Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images
Derek Shelton’s Magical Arm Barn managed to quickly cough up a seven-run lead, but heads-up baserunning and a nice hit by Lewis sends the fans home happy. (Or starts off tonight’s postgame Ludacris concert with good vibes.) Inning-by-inning notes:
1: Do we get good Taj or bad Taj tonight? Well, six pitches and three outs. That’s certainly effective Taj.
Buxton has a one-out single. Radio guys Kris Atteberry and Dan “Answer Man” Gladden debate whether Buxton’s yellow shoes mean he’ll run or not. They come to the conclusion that green shoes would mean “go,” but yellow means “caution.” This is what happens when you’ve broadcast a few thousand baseball games.
At any rate, Buxton doesn’t steal, and it doesn’t matter because two pitches later, a good thing happens.
Klobberin’ Kody Klemens, folks. Good grief! Over the top of the sandstone overhang in right. In his first four seasons and 265 games, Clemens had an OPS of .666 (the number of the Least) and a 1.1 bWAR. In his age-30 season, he’s currently at .784 and 1.2. Tell me he doesn’t have his dad’s old “special pharmacy” phone number. Twins 2-0
2: Well… here we get Lucky Taj. He walks one and gives up a hit, but fortunately with two outs the batter is Ezeqiuel Tovar (no relation to César). Tovar is batting .208 on the season with 81 strikeouts; make it 82.
Royce (he’s all fixed now) Lewis has the leadoff single. Brooks Lee decides to bounce one off the top of the right-field wall.
Tristan Gray puts down a good bunt, and pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano makes a terrible throw to first. Gray assumes second will be his on the overthrow, but Edouard Julien (we remember him!) makes a solid grab-and-throw to nail Gray by ten feet at second. So, a heads-up play followed by a TOOTBLAN, or a HUTOOTBLAN. Still, ex-Senators 4-0
3: A pretty easy inning for both pitchers, but Rockies CF Cole Carrigg has an exciting moment when he falls on his buttbutt going for a fly ball. He’s young, though, and gets up in time to go catch it. I’d probably still be on my buttbutt.
4: Second walk of the game for Bradley; second strikeout of the game for old friend Willi Castro. Gladden says the Rockies have been around for “about 25 years” which is only off by 27%, so we’ll call it a dart that misses the board but at least doesn’t put anybody’s eye out.
5: Bottom of the lineup, and it takes Taj eight pitches to get right through ’em. We shouldn’t get TOO excited — the Rockies have the worst record in baseball. But they’re only tied for eighth-worst in MLB on offense (with a 94 OPS+, where 100 is league average, adjusted for ballpark). They’re second-worst in pitching.
To wit: back-to-back two-out doubles by Trevor Larnach and Buxton. Clemens takes a nine-pitch walk, and Josh Bell doubles both runners home. The 830-ft.-high City 7-0
6: The Rockies’ second hit! Jake McCarthy, starting Bradley’s third time through the lineup with a leadoff double. A flyout to left means McCarthy can’t tag up and advance, and the next dude strikes out. Then a long pop fly that new RF Luke Keaschall calls everybody off for. (Not BRAND new; Keaschall has played one inning in RF before.)
Seth Halvorsen replaces Sugano. I think I recognize Halvorsen’s name from somewhere. I look at his player page, and no, I don’t know him. Maybe my alternate-timeline self is Halvorsen’s best friend, or he beat me half to death with a flounder one time.
7: Bradley gets ’em 1-2-3 and sits at 91 pitches. He’s never recorded an out in the eighth inning, so we’ll see.
Larnach singles and Buxton ALMOST knocks one out, but doesn’t because Clemens stole all his ‘roids.
8: Bradley still hasn’t recorded an out in the eighth; a double and walk end his night. In comes LHP Kody Funderburk. Per the Twins’ wesbsite, Kody’s entrance song is AC/DC’s “Thunderstaruck,” sadly without new vocals singing “Funderstruck.” An infield hit, groundout and flyout score two runs. TJ Rumfield, who’s 26 and looks 17, singles home another. Still, it’s the Millers Saints 7-3
9: Eric “Small Pasta” Orze in for the Twins. Hey, how about some Drama! A walk, flyout, Julien double and Jake McCarthy homer. Oops.
Anthony Banda in. First-pitch double by Kyle Karros. The Rockies’ best hitter, Hunter Goodman, up.
No more damage afterwards, but this is pretty hilariously bad stuff.
Antonio Senzatela trying to save it for Colorado. A one-out Austin Martin hit, a Ryan Kreidler hit, and that brings Buxton up. He grounds it to third and…
10: RHP Andrew Morris pitching. A FC (to Morris) pushes the runner to third. Then a slow Tovar roller to short, and Kreidler throws it home. Yer out! No scoring occurs.
Kyler Fedko (who?) pinch-runs for Josh Bell at second. The Rockies intentionally walk not-great hitter Victor Caratini to (I guess) set up the double-play possibility. Royce now up. On reliever Jimmy Herget’s second pitch, the ball barely gets away, and Fedko scampers to third. Then…
Studs: Bradley (7.0 IP, 2 H, 3 BB, 7 SO.) Royce walkoff! The Bash Brothers in Clemens and Lee, doubles duo in Buston and Bell, Keaschall for not embarrassing himself in RF. Duds: no duds, Twins win!
(except the bullpen management was really dudley do-wrong)
COTG go to SooFoo for “Are we secretly playing at Coors?” (because nobody made much noise rooting for the Twins), Nagurski for a bullpen management criticism that turned out to be prophetic, Zach for some blockbuster trade ideas, falcontimmy for reviewing the new Shakopee ampitheater, Matt for immoral support, and JustAnotherMinnesotan for “This is Ludacris” (referring to the bullpen and the postgame concert performer).
Thanks for everyone who joined in, I know it’s more fun to be outdoors on a lovely summer evening. (For people who like the outdoors, which is Not Me.)
Tomorrow’s game is at 6:10, featuring Michael Lorenzen’s Oil pitching against our own Mike Paredes. Catch ya next time!
BUFFALO, NEW YORK - JUNE 26: (L-R) NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, Gavin McKenna and Justin Bieber pose onstage after McKenna was selected first overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs during Day One of the 2026 NHL Draft at KeyBank Center on June 26, 2026 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/NHLI via Getty Images)
NHLI via Getty Images
BUFFALO, N.Y. — Gavin McKenna’s nerves finally eased when lifetime Maple Leafs fan and international pop icon Justin Bieber took the NHL draft stage to announce who Toronto was selecting No. 1.
“He was looking at me and I kind of was thinking, maybe,” McKenna said with a laugh. “Crazy. Just crazy what’s going on right now.”
With most of Yukon watching and a loud presence of Maple Leafs fans in the stands, Toronto chose the Penn State left winger, validating longstanding projections of McKenna being his age group’s top prospect. The 18-year-old from Yukon’s capital of Whitehorse has been a prolific scorer on both sides of the U.S.-Canada border.
And if Bieber’s appearance and taking the stage to the artist’s song “Yukon” wasn’t enough, McKenna was welcomed to the Maple Leafs with a video message from Toronto captain Auston Matthews.
“Obviously he’s on the first line. I’m going to have to prove myself to be able to play with a player like that. But that’s my goal,” McKenna said of Matthews, who was chosen No. 1 by Toronto in the 2016 draft, which also happened to be held in Buffalo. “My game’s obviously a playmaker, he’s a shooter, so I think we could complement each other pretty well.”
McKenna represents a major plank in the Maple Leafs’ rebuilding process of a team suddenly in transition under new general manager John Chayka. Toronto finished last in the Atlantic Division last season and missed the playoffs for the first time since Matthews’ arrival.
Canucks select coach’s son, Caleb Malhotra
The draft featured dueling cheers — and boos — between large contingents of Maple Leafs and Sabres fans, several surprises, a few trades and a nice father-son moment when Vancouver selected center Caleb Malhotra with the No. 3 pick, joining a team coached by dad Manny Malhotra.
“I hugged him right after, and we were happy,” said Caleb, who is from British Columbia and finished second among OHL rookies with 84 points with Brantford last season. “It’s the best feeling in the world. I’ve never felt anything like this. And that embrace was so comforting, and I’m so glad he’s here with me as dad.”
Malhotra said his dad was not aware of the Canucks’ draft plans. And he now has bragging rights on his father in being selected four spots higher, after Manny went No. 7 to the New York Rangers in 1998.
Run on defensemen
After forwards went with the first three picks, including Sweden’s Ivar Stenberg second to San Jose, the expected run on defensemen began with five selected over the next six picks.
Buffalo selected Prince Albert blue-liner Daxon Rudolph at No. 4, followed Latvia’s Alberts Smits going fifth to the Rangers. Chase Reid, who is from Michigan, was part of that run, going seventh to Seattle as the first American-born player selected.
Smits split last season playing professionally in Finland and Germany, while also representing Latvia at the Milan Cortina Olympics. He became the highest drafted Latvian, ahead of Buffalo selecting Zemgus Girgensons 14th in 2012.
Trades and more trades
This was a much more active first round with picks traded for NHL players than the previous couple of years. The Rangers got Pavel Dorofeyev from Vegas for picks 26 and 92, and a 2028 first-rounder. Boston acquired JJ Peterka from Utah for a pair of first-rounders. And St. Louis traded two of its picks Friday night to Anaheim for Mason McTavish.
The draft opened with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman getting booed — a draft-day tradition — as he took the stage, and was joined by Sabres forward Josh Doan and NFL Bills tackle Dion Dawkins, who referred to Bettman as his “new dawg.”
Rudolph was wowed watching his good friend McKenna being welcomed to the stage.
“To see him be selected first and with Justin Bieber and everything, it was amazing,” Rudolph said. “I just remember talking to my mom and saying. ‘Wow, this is so cool,’ as I’m sitting there on the couch waiting to be picked.”
McKenna accustomed to the spotlight
McKenna is accustomed to the spotlight, splashing on the scene by combining for 79 goals and 244 points in 133 games with Medicine Hat in the WHL. He made the jump to the NCAA last summer in a bid to challenge himself against older and more physical competition. He finished with 51 points, tied for fourth in the nation.
He became just the fifth NCAA player to go first, and third in six years, since Michigan defenseman Owen Power went No. 1 to Buffalo in 2021.
McKenna also became the fifth Yukon-born player to be selected in the draft, and the highest pick after Ottawa’s Dylan Cozens went No. 7 to Buffalo in 2019. He now heads to a metropolis that is nearly 100 times larger than Whitehorse’s population of about 39,000.
This was the NHL’s second straight decentralized draft, with teams making selections from their respective headquarters.
Decentralized draft Part II
Lacking in the new format is each draft pick joining his new team’s front office on stage. Last year, the NHL attempted to rectify that by having teams welcome their prospects by video conference call on stage at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. The interviews were widely panned for being awkward and glitchy, and contributing to the draft lasting nearly 4 1/2 hours.
This year the NHL had the top prospects seated with their families in what resembled a lounge area, featuring plush couches, directly in front of the stage. After being selected, each player was interviewed on a couch on stage, with the backdrop representing the team.
Jun 26, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Texas Rangers center fielder Wyatt Langford (36) falls over Toronto Blue Jays second baseman Andres Gimenez (0) after being tagged out trying to steal second base in the second inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images | Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
That’s two in a row where the Jays have fallen behind big early, rallied late, and fallen a single run short. Add to that Tuesday’s loss, in which a successful comeback was blown in extra innings, and it’s been an extremely frustrating week of Toronto Blue Jays baseball, in a season where frustration is the signature.
Patrick Corbin was bad from the start today. Wyatt Langford opened the game with a single. Corbin then hit the next batter, gave up a double to Brandon Nimmo, a single to Justin Foscue, and another to Ezequiel Duran. That put the Jays in a 3-0 hole before they recorded the second out of the ball game. He rallied for a clean second, but the walked Jake Burger with one out in the third to set up a two run Justin Foscue homer, extending Texas’ lead to 5. He’d work around a double in the fourth and record one out in the fifth before being pulled. His ultimate line was 4.1 innings pitched, five runs (all earned) on seven hits and a walk against five strikeouts.
Spencer Miles took over to finish the fifth, and stuck around for the sixth and seventh. He was excellent, allowing just one hit and striking out three. Adam Macko handled the eighth, walking a pair but avoiding runs. Louis Varland, for some reason, was called to work the ninth. He worked around a single for a clean frame.
So five runs was the hill the Jays offence had to climb. They couldn’t find any purchase against Nathan Eovaldi. Their first base runner was a Daulton Varsho walk in the third, and they didn’t get a hit until Vladimir Guerrero jr.’s one out single in the fourth. The first Jay to reach scoring position was Andres Gimenez, who doubled to open the sixth. He advanced to third on a Nathan Lukes line single, but a Guerrero double play stranded him.
They again had a little something going in the seventh. Singles by Kazuma Okamoto and Ernie Clement put a pair on with one out. Eovaldi rallied to strike out the next two batters, though, and they couldn’t break the shutout.
They were able to get to the bullpen in a way they couldn’t the starter. Gimenez singled and Springer walked to put two on with one out off Robby Ahistrom. The Rangers swithched to Jacob Junis, who advanced both runners on a wild pitcha nd then gave up a line single to Guerrero, plating both. Kazuma Okamoto followed with his 19th home run of the season, cutting the deficit to one. Junis got two of the next three Jays swinging, though, preventing them from tying it up.
Down to their last three outs, Brandon Valenzuela worked a walk off Jacob Latz to put the tying run on base. A pair of pop outs and a fly out wasted that final opportunity.
Jays of the Day: Okamoto (0.13), Valenzuela (0.10)
Less So: Corbin (-0.29), Springer (-0.13), Straw (-0.13)
Game 3 goes tomorrow at 3:07pm ET. Dylan Cease (4-3, 2.75) represents the forces of goodness and light, while Cal Quantrill (3-0, 3.73) represents the Texas Rangers.
The Mets were swept away by the Cubs in four games to start the week. Injury woes continued with Marcus Semien hitting the injured list and Juan Soto experiencing back discomfort early in the week. The morning after that Cubs series ended, news broke that they had fired manager Carlos Mendoza.
On Friday night, despite a great performance by rookie starting pitcher Zach Thornton in interim Mets skipper Andy Green’s debut, they dropped their seventh game in a row with a 2-1 loss to the rival Phillies.
On Friday night before the game, though, an awkward moment on the TV broadcast with Steve Gelbs and Mr. Met put a weird note on the week.
The sideline reporter was doing a live hit on the field discussing Mendoza’s firing when Mr. Met appeared behind him in frame…and began dancing.
Mets: last in their division, six-game losing streak, just fired their manager
With such a somber topic being discussed, it was an uncomfortable moment as Gelbs discussed the rough state of the franchise. But Mr. Met just wouldn’t disappear.
Former Mets manager Carlos Mendoza in the Mets dugout on June 25, 2026, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Gelbs, in a professional manner, continued the segment, pretending like nothing was happening behind him.
When asked about their emotions surrounding Mendoza’s firing, several players — including Francisco Lindor — placed the blame on themselves and discussed their close relationships with their former manager.
President of baseball operations David Stearns seemed somber in his pregame availability as well, but did express optimism for the future.
“I believe that we are building the foundation of an organization that can deliver what we all want,” Stearns said, when asked why he hasn’t considered stepping down. “I don’t believe that our record on the field this year is indicative of some of the advancements that we have made in the organization, but clearly our record is nowhere good enough.”
New York Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns speaks during a press conference before a game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citi Field. The club earlier today parted ways with manager Carlos Mendoza. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
With their loss Friday night, the Mets fell to 34-48, a season-worst 14 games under .500. They’re 10 games out of a National League wild-card spot.
Roman Empire—Feb 28, 2020 - VOL. 73, Issue. 04 - Ryan Kennedy
YOU’D BE FORGIVEN IF you came out of the 2008 NHL draft in Ottawa thinking about someone other than Roman Josi. After all, this was the year of “Seen Stamkos?” when the Tampa Bay Lightning telegraphed their first overall selection of Sarnia Sting center Steven Stamkos as part of a rebranding for the franchise. And yet it was also an exciting year for defensemen, with the daring Drew Doughty, beastly Zach Bogosian and all-around excellent Alex Pietrangelo going in order after Stamkos. Heck, if you were looking for a hidden gem on the back end, you were probably intrigued by the skinny Swedish kid taken by the host Senators with the 15th overall pick – Frolunda’s Erik Karlsson.
But over at Nashville’s table, GM David Poile and his team were pleased to land Josi early in the second round with the 38th pick. (Earlier, Nashville selected Colin Wilson seventh and Chet Pickard 18th.) Poile was happy, but a little puzzled. “His name wasn’t getting mentioned, other than by our scouts,” Poile said. “You hope he’s a guy you can swoop in and get. I realize he was a second-round pick, but there wasn’t a huge amount of fanfare about him, at least in my memory. I don’t remember anyone telling me, ‘That was a great pick,’ at the time. But we were bang-on.”
Twelve years later, Josi is the captain of the Predators and a Norris Trophy candidate. Playing for a franchise that has made its name on defensemen, Josi is the top dog after years of learning from some of the best in the game. While Nashville is having a down season that saw coach Peter Laviolette fired and goaltending become an unusual weak spot, 29-year-old Josi is proving to be worth every penny of the eight-year, $72-million contract extension he signed last summer. And once it kicks in next season, he’ll still be paying dividends for a long time.
The story of Josi is the tale of development perfected. The kid from Bern, Switzerland, stayed home for two more years after the Predators drafted him, allowing him to get reps against men in his home nation’s best league and playing in multiple world juniors. He wasn’t among Nashville’s top 10 prospects in Future Watch 2009, but arrived in FW10 at fifth, then rose to third in FW11. When he came over to North America in 2010, the first thing he did was pay his dues in the AHL. “I like the way the process worked,” Poile said. “He was a young kid eager to come over, and he understood where he had to play. He went to Milwaukee, where we had a lot of good young guys at the time, then came to Nashville and played a lesser role behind guys like Ryan Suter and Shea Weber, where he learned the game and leadership.”
I DON’T REMEMBER ANYONE TELLING ME, ‘THAT WAS A GREAT PICK.’ BUT WE WERE BANG-ON– NASHVILLE GM DAVID POILE
Ah yes, Suter and Weber – they were OK for Nashville, eh? The Predators were building something special on their back end, but nothing came easy in Nashville in those days, when money from ownership was tight. Suter was a pending UFA in the summer of 2012 and ended up signing a massive 13-year deal worth $98 million with Minnesota. Soon after, Philadelphia smelled blood and tried to swipe Weber away with an offer sheet worth $110 million over 14 years. At the time, the situation looked bleak, but the Preds had a young ace up their sleeve. “Talk about timing,” Poile said. “That summer we lost Suter and matched the offer sheet on Weber. Suter was one of the top five or six defensemen in the league. People wondered how we were going to replace him, and bang, we had a replacement right there. Roman’s like a good stock. We bought low and we’re getting a very good return.”
And so, after a lockout-shortened 2012-13 campaign split between Bern and Nashville, Josi began his master class in the NHL, helped along by captain Weber. “Just watching him prepare daily for practice, for games, the way he plays the game, there were so many things I learned from him,” Josi said. “He had a huge influence on my career.”
The admiration went both ways and continues to this day, even though Weber is now with Montreal. “Really good kid, works hard,” Weber said. “I enjoyed being around him. He was very young, at the start of his career. You could see the talent there. He just needed time. As you grow as a player you get more experience and consistency and his game has grown, it speaks for itself.”
Looking back at the Predators’ 2013-14 defense corps is wild. Weber and Josi were joined by Seth Jones, Ryan Ellis and Mattias Ekholm, all of whom have become fantastic NHLers and, in the case of the first three, Norris Trophy candidates, albeit with different teams. “Roman is a special player,” said Jones, the ex-Pred and current Columbus star. “Probably twice the player now than he was when I was there. He’s grown that much. His offensive instinct was one of the best I’ve seen. We were both starting to get into our careers, and he was a great guy off the ice.”
Poile describes that time as “priceless” for Josi, as he could take as many lessons as possible from partner Weber and use them to grow. “Everybody learns from different guys,” Poile said. “You watch, you learn, you steal things from other people’s games, you see how they conduct themselves as a pro off the ice: how they dress, how they engage the community, what charitable work they do. Shea Weber was the man in Nashville, and now Roman is doing the same things.”
But Josi doesn’t just draw his mentors from hockey. Like a number of other NHL stars, he’s a huge fan of tennis icon Roger Federer. The fact both of them are Swiss surely has something to do with it, but Josi sees a true professional in Federer, and following the tennis player’s career has clearly influenced his own athletic trade. “First of all, he’s the best ever, don’t question me on that,” Josi said. “Then it’s the way he behaves. With all the success he’s had, he’s still a humble person. I’ve got to meet him a couple times, and that was definitely something that impressed me.”
When Weber was traded for P.K. Subban, Mike Fisher took the ‘C’ for a season before Josi was named captain in 2017. In determining who would wear the ‘C,’ Poile and Laviolette consulted not only each other but also a lot of people in the organization, from hockey operations to trainers and equipment staff, and the feedback all suggested Josi would make a great leader. Now, Poile sees a player who has evolved into the role and someone who is a lot more vocal than he used to be in the dressing room. “You learn a lot when you become captain,” Josi said. “Shea had a big influence, Mike Fisher, too, those were two great captains. As you go on, there are so many ups and downs, and you learn to deal with certain situations. It’s been a lot of fun and a huge honor to be captain.”
SHEA WEBER HAD A BIG INFLUENCE, MIKE FISHER, TOO, THOSE WERE TWO GREAT CAPTAINS– ROMAN JOSI
Before he earned the ‘C,’ Josi also got a taste of the ultimate prize in hockey – the Stanley Cup final. The Predators fell to Pittsburgh in six games in the spring of 2017, but the playoff run left an indelible mark on Josi, who was on the cusp of taking the next step in his career. “You realize how hard it is,” Josi said. “It’s such a long journey, but it’s such an awesome journey. The games are hard, the games are intense, there are so many momentum swings, but looking back it was unbelievable to have a run like that. It makes you want to go back and get the win this time.”
That Cup run also threw a huge spotlight on Nashville itself, where the party scene on Broadway and the car-smashing fun outside of Bridgestone Arena helped many an outsider fall in love with the city. It’s something Josi was already privileged to know about. “The fans have always been great in Nashville,” he said. “I remember the first time I played at home, I was like, ‘Wow, this is loud and the crowd is awesome.’ With us going to the Cup final, it took it to another level, and it’s definitely a hockey city. The support we get is unbelievable.”
And the city’s cultural DNA is seeping into Josi’s life as well. Coming from Switzerland, he knew nothing about country music when he arrived in Tennessee, but after years of meeting some of the genre’s biggest stars at Preds games, he’s taken a shine to it. He also found the love of his life in Nashville. Ellie Ottaway is from the suburbs of Detroit, but the fashion model moved to Nashville to study music at Belmont University. Josi and Ottaway were engaged at Christmas of 2017 and tied the knot last summer (and just to make the story even more Nashville, their venue used to be Reba McEntire’s house).
Of all the growth that has come to Josi, settling down is right up there in terms of impact. “I definitely feel like I’m at a different point in my life,” he said. “You’re married, two dogs, living a little bit outside the city, things definitely change. I love spending time at home with my wife and my dogs, it’s good.”
So the off-ice component of Josi’s life is locked in. On the ice, hope is not lost for a playoff spot. The West is wide open, and Nashville still has their solid array of blueliners who can change a game at either end. While Subban is now struggling in New Jersey, three of the D-men from the Weber era are still hanging around, making more of an impact than ever. “Most of us, Ellis and Ekholm and me, we’ve been playing together a long time,” Josi said. “We grew up together in Nashville…We have such a great group of guys and some really good defensemen.”
Josi is having the best season of his career, averaging about a point per game and playing more than 26 minutes a night – putting him among the NHL’s leaders and opening eyes league-wide. “I’m a big fan,” said Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele. “He’s unbelievable. He skates really well, he’s got a good stick, thinks the game really fast, and his offensive talent is pretty special. He’s not just offensive, he’s not just defensive, he does it all. He skates so well, it makes it tough to beat him.”
While Washington’s John Carlson will have something to say about it, Josi is in the conversation for his first Norris Trophy. And with years of productive hockey left, he has found his sweet spot both on and off the ice. So what advice would he give to Young Josi, that eager kid from Bern? “Enjoy it,” he said. “It goes by so quick. I remember the day I came into the league and played my first game. Now I’m 29 turning 30 in my ninth season.”
Thinking back to those early days, Poile can still picture the fresh-faced Josi, full of potential and positivity. “Always a smile on his face, upbeat, someone who loved to play the game,” Poile said. “You felt right away that this kid could be really good. His skating, his personality, every game I’ve ever seen he’s got the puck all the time, and that’s not exactly the norm for a defenseman. I don’t think any of us had the foresight to see how the game would change in 10 years, but if we did we wouldn’t have taken him in the second round, we would’ve taken him in the first.”
HE’S UNBELIEVABLE. HE’S NOT JUST OFFENSIVE, HE’S NOT JUST DEFENSIVE, HE DOES IT ALL– MARK SCHEIFELE
That certainly would have caused a lot of chatter on the draft floor, but the result would have been the same: Roman Josi, captain of the Predators, here to pleasantly exceed your expectations – even if those who were around at the beginning could see the future. “Nashville knew,” Jones said. “We all knew how good he was going to be.”
Jun 26, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Miami Marlins starting pitcher Max Meyer (23) pitches against the St. Louis Cardinals during the first inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
If you’re hoping to see highlights of a lot of offense at Busch Stadium Friday night, you’ll have to wait awhile as both Michael McGreevy and Max Meyer were determined to have an old-fashioned pitcher’s duel and they were both successful…for awhile. But, the Cardinals bullpen would eventually lose it to the Marlins.
Let’s start with a lack of offense, shall we? The St. Louis Cardinals only had 2 hits and no runs going into the bottom of the 6th inning. Based on that, you would rightly imagine that the Cardinals chances of winning would not be high. However, the Miami Marlins only had 5 hits through the first 6 innings and they had no runs to show for them either. The stories of the night were the Marlins Max Meyer and the Cardinals Michael McGreevy. The problem is that the Cardinals were losing the pitch count battle as Meyer completed the first 2/3 of the game with only 66 pitches. Michael McGreevy’s pitch count after 6 full innings was 94 which is why he was relieved by JoJo Romero entering the 7th inning.
The only offensive play worth mentioning in the first 6 innings was Kyle Stowers of the Miami Marlins who wins the award for the worst ABS challenge in history (or that I’ve seen) where the replay showed the ball could not have gone any more directly through the strike zone if it tried. A defensive play worth highlighting was a lightning-fast pickoff by Michael McGreevy as he nailed Ruiz at first in the top of the 5th inning.
In a shocking development, Iván Herrera was hit by a pitch to lead off the bottom of the 7th inning and yes, that’s sarcasm. That’s a Major League-leading 22 hit-by-pitches for Herrera. After that, Max Meyer experienced a rare moment of wildness as he walked Alec Burleson on 5 pitches to bring up Jordan Walker who had one of the Cardinals only 2 hits on the night leading up to that at-bat. Jordan was charged with a pitch clock violation before Meyer even threw him a pitch which was odd. Walker grounded into a fielder’s choice with Burleson being forced out at 2nd giving the Cardinals runners at first and third with just one out. That gave Lars Nootbaar the opportunity to finally help the Cardinals break through Friday night’s scoring drought. He worked the count full before drawing a walk to load the bases which brought up Masyn Winn. He unfortunately grounded out to the other shortstop who forced out Herrera at home. He was slow to get up after sliding hard into home as the replay appeared to show him roll over his ankle somewhat, but he eventually retreated into the dugout. It was up to Nathan Church to try and save the Cardinals from another RISP disaster. I wish I could say he was successful, but he lined out to left field to end the bottom of the 7th with the game still deadlocked at 0-0. The Cardinals would not get another great opportunity to score the rest of the night.
JoJo Romero was successful keeping the Marlins scoreless in the top of the 7th inning. For the top of the 8th, it was George Soriano‘s turn. He gave up a sharp single to Ruiz who led off the top of the 8th. What had been a scoreless battle suddenly became a Marlins lead when Graham Pauley ripped a double down the right field line scoring Ruiz making it 1-0 Miami. And then the rains came…and we as Cardinals nation had 15 minutes to contemplate our lives. Meanwhile, George Soriano had to return to the mound and figure out how to hold the Marlins to just 1 run with a runner on second with nobody out. Soriano was able to get Marsee to pop out to shortstop for the first out, but then he walked Conine and Edwards to load the bases. The next play would be pivotal. Stowers hit a ground ball that Alec Burleson grabbed, stepped on first and then fired the ball home to Herrera who tagged Pauley. The ump called him out on the field and after a long review from New York, the call was overturned giving the Marlins a 2-0 lead which would be the score after the LONG top of the 8th was done.
The good news for the St. Louis Cardinals was the fact that Max Meyer did not go out to pitch the bottom of the 8th inning. His impressive stat line for the night was 7 innings pitched allowing just 2 hits and no runs while striking out 5 and walking 2. Michael Petersen was his replacement for the Marlins. He would get Blaze Jordan to ground out leading off the 8th, but José Fermín cracked a ground rule double into the left-center field stands although a fan did not make a good play on the ball. JJ Wetherholt then lined out hard to left-center which brought up Iván Herrera with two outs. He struck out to end the St. Louis hopes of going into the 9th inning with anything other than 0’s on the board.
Max Rajcic was not able to hold the Marlins at bay in the top of the 9th inning. After getting the first out, he walked Mack and Ruiz. He was able to get Pauley out on a deep flyball to right which sounded like a home run off the bat, but Nathan Church was unable to make a diving catch on a single from Marsee which scored both Mack and Ruiz giving the Marlins a commanding 4-0 lead going into the bottom of the 9th inning.
For the Cardinals to pull off a miracle comeback win, they’d have to get through the Marlins Calvin Faucher. Unfortunately, they didn’t. The grand total of St. Louis Cardinals offense Friday night was a very disappointing 3 hits and nothing but bagels on the scoreboard.
After a pitcher’s duel Friday night, the St. Louis Cardinals and Miami Marlins will tangle again Saturday night. The expectation was that Dustin May would get the start for the Cardinals, but there is a report that he has back tightness and may skip his next start. The most up-to-date lineup for Saturday shows Andre Pallante starting for St. Louis Saturday. The Marlins have not officially announced a starter either, it could be that Ryan Gusto will take the mound for Miami. First pitch is set for 6:15pm central time at Busch Stadium. The game TV broadcast will be handled by Cardinals.tv.
Jun 26, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Twins center fielder Byron Buxton (25) and Minnesota Twins second baseman Kody Clemens (2) shake hands after scoring runs against the Colorado Rockies in the fifth inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images | Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images
Well, it looks like at least one of the twins will be donning the black and gold.
With their 22nd overall selection in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft, the Pittsburgh Penguins selected right wing Liam Ruck from the Medicine Hat Tigers of the WHL. Ruck, along with his twin brother, Markus, put up massive numbers in the WHL last season with 45 goals and 104 points in 68 games, while Markus had 21 goals and 108 points in 68 games playing on the same line.
Both Liam and Markus are committed to the University of North Dakota for the 2027-28 season, as they each plan to play for Medicine Hat in 2026-27.
The 6-foot, 183-pound forward is a dangerous offensive player, and he has some speed to boot. But the most lethal weapon is his shot, which is, arguably, one of the best in the 2026 class. The Penguins are getting a sniper with Ruck, and if his brother is selected in the second round at 39, many have compared their connection and chemistry to that of the Sedin twins.
The NHL Draft continues Saturday with rounds 2-7. The Penguins still have their 39th, 54th, 86th, and 170th selections for the time being.
The Nashville Predators have made another first-round pick in the 2026 NHL draft.
After acquiring pick No. 31 from the Carolina Hurricanes for picks No. 42 and 57, they drafted Tommy Bleyl. A right-handed-shooting defensemen, who was slated to go in the late first round.
The Pro Hockey Group, founded by former NHL scout Jason Bukala, released a blurb on what type of player he is.
"Bleyl is a mobile, puck-moving defenseman who excels with the puck on his stick. His skating, vision and passing ability allow him to drive transition, create offense and contribute effectively on the power play."
Bleyl has the potential to be an impactful defensemen similar to how Lane Hutson plays with the Montreal Canadiens. He can use his skating and vision to make a great first pass and crease offense.
That is a big need for the Predators. They have a ton of young forwards, including their 10th overall pick Wyatt Cullen. However, they are pretty thin in terms of high-end prospects on the blue line. Bleyl helps with that a lot and has a good chance at being the future of the Predators' blue line.
Bleyl played the 2025-26 season with the Moncton Wildcats in the QMJHL. Where he played in 63 games and scored 13 goals and 68 assists for 81 points. After a strong season, he will return to the Wildcats next season, but then he will jump to the NCAA and join Michigan State University in the 2027-28 season.
