Sometimes you just have to give someone on the other team credit, even at the top of the story. Hat tip, Yoshinobu Yamamoto. | Getty Images
Well, the good times were bound to run into a blip eventually, and this blip happened in overwhelming fashion.
Sean Burke fed Shohei Ohtani an upper-zone fastball on the second pitch of the game and it ended up 409 feet away. Then, after a Mookie Betts single, Burke went 3-0 on Max Muncy, at which point Steve Stone warned Muncy would have the green light. Burke didn’t hear him and fed another fastball in the zone, this one deposited 415 feet away to make it three-zip.
After that, the only thing of interest in the game for the sellout crowd was whether Yoshinobu Yamamoto would throw a perfect game. That drama lasted through 23 Sox hitters, until Mookie Betts booted a routine grounder by Chase Meidroth:
(For those keeping track of such things, getting on via error does not extend an on-base streak, so Meidroth’s ended at 22 and his hitting streak died at 12.)
Yamamoto ended up losing the no-hitter and shutout when Tristan Peters led off the ninth with a 388-foot shot just inside the foul pole, but who’s to say whether Peters would have gotten a nice fastball right down the middle from a pitcher who hadn’t thrown such a thing all game if the perfect game was still in play?
Whilst the Sox were flailing — Yamamoto ended up with seven strikeouts — the Dodgers mainly just watched pitches go by. Burke ended up walking five and first reliever Joe Rock, just up from Charlotte, added five more in three innings and hit a couple of Dodgers as well.
The mighty L.A. lineup did little more to help itself until Muncy hit a second two-run shot in the eighth — Ohtani being given little chance to do anything because he was walked three times and Betts being the only other Dodger to do much (three singles to raise his average to a mighty .196). The Dodgers left 11 on base in the first six innings alone, and that was after hitting into rally-killing double plays twice, and were 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position. Save that, things could have been truly ugly.
The loss runs the White Sox record to 37-32 and puts them a half-game behind the Guardians, who beat the Tiges and Tarik Skubal this afternoon. But José Ramírez suffered a broken hamate in the game, so Cleveland may be in trouble.
Rubber match against the Dodgers is tomorrow afternoon, Erick Fedde vs. Emmet Sheehan, who couldn’t even make it through the second inning against the Angels last time out.
ONE DAY AT A TIME: A win today would be the Cubs’ third straight for the first time since their second 10-game winning streak ended on May 8. They are 9-22 since then and have won back-to-back games three times. The first two were May 14-15, at Atlanta and at the White Sox, and May 27-28, at Pittsburgh. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
I LEFT MY WINS IN SAN FRANCISCO: The last time the Cubs won the first two games of a series at San Francisco was in 2023. That was the first since 2013, when they completed a three-game sweep. They lost the third game in 2023. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
SATURDAY IN THE PARK: The Cubs already have lost more games on Saturdays on the road than they did all of last season. They are 3-3 this year. They finished last year 11-2. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
TODAY IN CUBS HISTORY: Terry Shumpert hit a three-run walk-off homer in the 14th inning — one of just two home runs he’d hit as a Cub — and the Cubs defeated the Padres 6-3. It happened 30 years ago today, Thursday, June 13, 1996.
Ben Brown has been the Cubs’ best pitcher for a month now. That’s great for the team and great for him.
Since joining the rotation May 8: 1.44 ERA, 0.766 WHIP, 1.89 FIP, 34 strikeouts in 31.1 innings, and of course his great homerless streak, which is now 219 batters since the first hitter he faced this year (Jacob Young of the Nationals) homered off him.
Do good again, Ben.
Trevor McDonald threw five innings against the Cubs last Sunday at Wrigley Field and allowed one run in five innings, striking out six.
The Cubs will need to do better than that today to win.
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The 2026 game discussion procedure has been changed, so please take note.
You’ll find the game preview, like this one, posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).
At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game.
The Live! (formerly “First Pitch”) thread will still post at five minutes to game time. It will also post to the front page. That will be the only live game discussion thread. After the game, the recap and Heroes and Goats will also live on the front page as separate posts.
You will also be able to find the preview, Live! thread, recap and Heroes and Goats in this section link. The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.
NEW YORK, UNITED STATES - JUNE 10: OG Anunoby (8) of the New York Knicks and De'Aaron Fox (4) of San Antonio Spurs in action during the National Basketball Association (NBA) finals game between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs at the Madison Square Garden in New York, United States on June 10, 2026. (Photo by Celal Gunes/Anadolu via Getty Images) | Anadolu via Getty Images
The Knicks return to the Frost Bank Center to face the Spurs in Game Five of the NBA Finals. They’ve already won there twice—Games One and Two—and are coming off a 29-point comeback for the ages to win Game Four at home. Now, with the Spurs stunned by another blow-lead and heartbreaking loss, the Knicks are ready to close this series out and take home the Larry O’Brien. Meanwhile, Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs are playing for pride with their season on the line.
Should be a helluva game. Tip-off is 8:30 pm EST on ABC. This is your game thread. This is Pounding the Rock. Please don’t post large photos, GIFs, or links to illegal streams in the thread. Try not to lose your minds. And go Knicks!
Golden Knights coach John Tortorella confirmed Karlsson's absence but did not discuss whether he would be available for Game 7 or who would replace him in the lineup on Sunday, June 14 in Las Vegas.
Karlsson has two goals and two assists in the Stanley Cup Final, which the Hurricanes lead 3-2. He has nine points overall in the playoffs.
The Golden Knights forward will miss Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final after being injured in Game 5.
Karlsson is a two-way center who kills penalties and gets some power play time. The Hurricanes scored two power-play goals after Karlsson left the game.
"It's obviously a big miss," Vegas forward Mitch Marner told reporters. "He's done a lot of great things for us since he's been back in the lineup, but we've done this all year. We've had a lot of injuries throughout the year, throughout the playoffs. Obviously, it's tough losing Will, but it's next man up mentality."
Why did the umpires overturn Juan Soto's home run in the ninth inning?
When asked about the umpires' explanation for the controversial overturning of a solo homer hit by Juan Soto, Mendoza responded that "they didn't see the ball leave the ballpark.
Soto's homer would've been a much-needed shot in the arm for a Mets lineup that struggled all day against the Braves, and it came in a pivotal spot, as the slugger was leading off in the bottom of the ninth with the Mets down 3-1.
Given the lengthy review, and the presence of a fan reaching over the railing in right field to attempt catching the long fly ball (much to the frustration of Braves left fielder Mike Yastrzemski), many were wondering if the call of a ground-rule double was made due to fan interference. However, Mendoza clarified, "there was no fan interference" on the play.
"It was tough to tell from the big screen," the skipper lamented.
Lack of clutch hitting continues to cost the Mets
Today's loss was yet another instance of the Mets offense not being able to get going when it matters most.
The Mets have the fourth-worst OPS in all of MLB with runners in scoring position (.679), and today they were 0-for-3 with RISP.
Two of those opportunities came in the ninth inning, after the aforementioned double by Soto to lead off the inning. Mark Vientos struck out swinging, Marcus Semien walked, and Francisco Alvarez grounded into a double play to end the game.
"We created traffic," Mendoza said when asked about the team's inability to come up clutch. "We couldn't come up with the big hit, that's how good modern-day bullpens are, especially [Atlanta's], gotta give them credit."
Mendoza also called for a more disciplined approach from his hitters.
"We have to do our thing. Get better at-bats against good pitching... you have to be able to work some really good at-bats."
Yoshinobu Yamamoto was nearing major league history on Saturday afternoon.
Mookie Betts doomed any chances of that, however.
The Dodgers shortstop booted a routine grounder in the bottom of the eighth inning against the White Sox in Chicago, ending any chance the star right-handed pitcher could achieve baseball immortality in the Los Angeles’ 7-1 win.
Oh no…
Yamamoto loses his perfect game bid with 2 outs in the 8th as Betts can't make this play at SS. pic.twitter.com/XfFDWWtebc
Already with two outs in the frame, Yamamoto induced a ground ball from Chase Meidroth. Betts shuffled to his left and got in perfect position to field it, but the grounder bounced off him and caromed toward second baseman Santiago Espinal, who bobbled the ball and dropped it without being able to make a throw.
“Just a routine ground ball that I missed,” Betts told reporters after the game. “Not making any excuses.”
Yamamoto got out of the rest of the inning unscathed, so a no-hitter was still intact in the ninth. But Tristan Peters ended that chance at history with a lead-off solo homer.
The Dodgers hurler, had he thrown the perfect game, would have become the 25th pitcher to do so in MLB history and the first since ex-Yankees right-hander Domingo German did so in 2023.
Instead, Yamamoto’s effort will likely become just a small footnote in baseball history in the Dodgers win at Rate Field.
Mookie Betts now has two errors at shortstop this season. Getty Images
For Betts, who shifted to shortstop full-time last year, it marked just his second error of the season after having seven last year.
Betts has been mired in a slump at the plate this season, but he went 3-for-5 with three runs scored on Saturday.
The 2018 American League MVP’s average (.196) and OPS (.611) still remain far below career norms.
Jun 13, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles catcher Samuel Basallo (29) and pitcher Trey Gibson (43) meet on the mound during the first inning against the San Diego Padres at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: James A. Pittman-Imagn Images | James A. Pittman-Imagn Images
Occasionally there are games where a bad first inning is enough to make you consider doing something other than watching Orioles baseball that day. That was the case here as the Padres scored four runs before the O’s even got a chance to hit and eventually prevailed to a 9-3 win on Saturday afternoon in Baltimore.
It was a mixed day for rookie Trey Gibson. As mentioned, the first inning was brutal. He gave up two walks in the opening frame, and each one was shortly followed by a home run to get the visiting Padres out to an early four-run lead.
Gibson found his footing a bit after that, working three straight scoreless innings from the second through the fourth. But the fifth inning was trouble once again. He walked the lead-off hitter. Later, he hit Xander Bogaerts in the head with a wayward sinker. Craig Albernaz pulled him at that point, but his line wasn’t quite wrapped up as Keegan Akin came on and allowed both inherited runners to cross the plate.
When it was all said and done, Gibson tossed 4.1 innings and allowed six runs on three hits, five walks, and seven strikeouts. Missing bats had been an issue for him coming into this game. His 14.7% whiff rate was near the bottom of the league. He more than doubled that to 30% in this game, which was shown in the box score with the seven strikeouts. What he seemed to sacrifice to get there was control of the strike zone. The sky high walks and the bean ball to Bogaerts speak for themselves.
This is the sort of game that a rookie is going to have. He’s still figuring things out. The whiffs and strikeouts are good. The home runs and walks are bad. Sometimes you have to suffer through the growing pains and hope it all pans out on the other side.
The bullpen was not much better. Akin only recorded those two outs in the fifth inning, and while he wasn’t charged with any runs of his own, he failed to prevent any of Gibson’s runners from pushing the lead even higher. At least Albert Suárez was able to provide length. He worked the final four innings, but also allowed three solo home runs.
The Orioles lineup showed some early life. They responded in the bottom of the first inning with two runs. Pete Alonso hit a two-out homer. Samuel Basallo followed with a walk and then came in to score on a Leody Taveras triple to right field. Maybe we had a game on our hands after all?
Not really. The Orioles had runners on base throughout the afternoon. But time and time again they failed to cash in on them. As a group the team went 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position and left nine runners on base.
Alonso and Blaze Alexander were the two most active on offense. They each had three hits. Alonso had the homer, a double, and two RBI. Alexander’s three knocks were all singles, but he added a stolen base on top of it all. Tyler O’Neill and Coby Mayo both had a double each, but were stranded.
Something to watch coming out of this game relates to Bogaerts being hit. The Padres, understandably, weren’t happy about it. Gibson had been wild all day, so there is no question about it being an accident. But it’s dangerous to pitch up in that area. If you don’t know where the ball’s going to that degree, you probably shouldn’t be in the game. Albernaz quickly pulling him was, at least in part, an acknowledgment of that.
San Diego was intent on retaliating, which probably would have been fine if they succeeded the first time. Bradgley Rodriguez went up and in on Gunnar Henderson twice in the seventh inning, but missed both times. Henderson eventually walked. Then, in the bottom of the ninth with two outs, Ron Marinaccio successfully nailed Henderson in the ribs with a 94 mph fastball. That got the Orioles’ hackles up. Henderson gestured something about trying “three times” towards Marinaccio. The umpires quickly got together and decided the San Diego pitcher was gone. His ejection riled up the skipper Craig Stammen, who clearly wanted to be thrown out himself at the point, when there was essentially nothing to lose. Eventually, he got his wish and was sent to the showers about five minutes before the rest of his team.
Padres reliever Adrian Morejon came on to throw two pitches and get the final out without any additional fireworks. But it’s possible that more is brewing. The Padres got to throw at Henderson twice on purpose. The Orioles had only thrown at Bogaerts once, and it was by accident. Do they now get to throw at Manny Machado or Jackson Merrill in the series finale now? Hopefully not. The Padres are probably looking at suspensions for someone coming out of this. Intentional hit by pitches usually come with consequences.
The best comeback from the Orioles perspective would be to go out and win the series on Sunday. The Padres aren’t some division (or even league) rival. Just beat them and wrap this series up on a positive note.
Trevor Rogers (3-6, 6.15 ERA) will be on the bump as he continues to keep his encouraging June going. The lefty has a 3.18 ERA this month. He will be opposed by Walker Buehler (3-3, 4.33 ERA). Buehler has also been good recently, allowing just two runs over his last 10.2 innings. First pitch is set for 1:05 from Camden Yards.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 10: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs shoots the ball over Josh Hart #3 of the New York Knicks during the third quarter in Game Four of the 2026 NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden on June 10, 2026 in New York City. 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 Al Bello/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to the Game Thread. Veterans of the Game Thread know how we do things around here, but for all you newbies we have a few rules. Our community guidelines apply and basically say be cool, no personal attacks, don’t troll and don’t swear too much. The rule against trolling also applies to members of this site that visit other fan sites.
It’s been a rough three days, folks. I just had to listen to this song like a hundred times [warning: foul language] and have long conversations with my cats about the unfairness of life [they’re excellent listeners]. I’ve had to limit my PTR time, since every time I go onto the site, I see fans trying to tear each other apart and saying that everyone should be fired, and wondering how mad they would have been if the Spurs didn’t even make it to the NBA Finals1. It’s just really hard to get to the edge of success and then slip on a banana peel and fall down the mountain. A wise man once said, “I refuse to carry the burden of hiding my emotions.” And that’s the trick, feel it, let it motivate you, but don’t let it overwhelm you. That’s where the Spurs are in tonight’s game, they have to acknowledge their historic collapse in Game 3, but also have to move forward by playing with poise for 48 minutes. I think this series has shown that the Spurs have more talent in the starting lineup, but the veteran focus of the Knicks can take advantage of every mistake. They know how to exploit the way the game is being called by the refs and Coach Mike Brown knows how to work the officials.
You have to give credit to the Knicks for what they did on Wednesday night as they fought all the way to the end, but you also have to recognize the the Spurs should have won the game. If the Silver and Black can make better decisions, they still have a chance to win tonight’s game, and if they win tonight, then they just have to win one more, and then win one more again. This team can do it if they play up to their abilities, and maybe have a few bounces go their way. THIS ISN’T OVER, DAMMIT!!
Luke Kornet is questionable tonight with an undisclosed illness, and while the team hasn’t played well whenever Wembanyama has to rest, he does have to rest sometimes, because his fatigue late in Game 4 was a big factor in the Knicks comeback surge. If Luke can’t go, you might see a lot of small ball with Carter Bryant, and a lot of Hack-a-Robinson when Wemby sits. Devin Vassell could have a breakout game with the home-ish2 crowd. Things could get ugly tonight, but if it ends in a win for the Silver and Black, it’ll be beautiful. GO SPURS GO!!
Answer: they probably wouldn’t be mad at all.
It’s been reported that about half of the tickets for this game were sold to fans from the New York metro area. That’s going to make for a very interesting atmosphere.
Game Prediction:
Chants of “refs you suck” erupt whenever a foul is called against either team, because both Spurs and Knicks fans hate refs, and there’s a bunch of both in the arena.
San Antonio Spurs vs New York Knicks, NBA Finals, Game 5 June 13, 2026 | 7:30 PM CT Streaming: ESPN TV: ABC Reminder: It is against site policy to post links to illegal streams in the comments.
The left-hander certainly appeared to be as he made his first official start of the season in Saturday afternoon’s middle-game of a huge weekend set with the Braves.
While he ended up taking the loss, Manaea was able to keep the high-powered NL East leaders in check, completing six innings of work for the first time since the 2024 playoffs.
The lone damage against him came off the bat of righty-hitting outfielder Eli White.
White struck against Manaea for an RBI double to open the scoring in the top of the second, then lifted his third homer of the season to increase the advantage just two innings later.
Other than that, the 34-year-old southpaw was in complete control the rest of the way, allowing just those two runs on four hits while striking out six and issuing no free passes.
Most importantly, his velocity was up a few ticks from his season-average, again.
“That was huge,” Carlos Mendoza said. “That’s the guy we’re going to need -- for him to go out there and give us a chance today, he was very solid today against a pretty good lineup over there.
“He used all of his pitches, competed in the strike zone, got swing-and-misses, and had a good pitch mix -- that’s the guy we saw a lot in 2024 -- big picture, that’s the guy we need moving forward.”
After a brutal start to the season that saw him relegated to an inning-eating low-leverage role out of the bullpen, Manaea has now pitched to a solid 3.33 ERA over his last eight appearances.
He’s given up just three homers and has struck out (28) four times as many batters as he’s walked (7) over that span, fighting his way back into a regular spot in the Mets' starting rotation.
“I feel good,” Manaea said. “I'm excited with where I’m at and just want to keep this train rolling.”
“He continues to earn the opportunity,” Mendoza added. “To go out there and have that type of outing today, he just puts himself in a way better position, and he’s going to only make us better moving forward."
Hart was one of five players on the 2018 Canadian national junior team who faced trial in 2025 on a sexual assault charge and were found not guilty by a judge in London, Ontario. Justice Maria Carroccia said she didn't find the accuser's testimony in the 2018 case credible and the prosecution didn't prove its case.
"It's just noise," Hart said of the chants. "Both atmospheres, both buildings have been really loud and a lot of fun to play in. Yeah, just noise."
Hart will make his 22nd start of the playoffs in Game 6. After a stellar first three rounds, he has allowed four goals in every game of the championship series.
"I haven't been at my best in this series," he said. "I'll be better next game and ready to go."
He added: "They've gotten some lucky bounces and there's a few plays where I've got to make more saves but at the end of the day, I prepare the same way just like every other game and I'll be ready to go."
Hart skipped Saturday's optional practice and did some work with goalie coach Sean Burke on a different rink.
He says he feels good after playing every minute of the playoffs.
"As as goaltender, you want to play every game and you want to be ready to go," he said. "I've got a routine that I do and I follow it."
Coach John Tortorella, who knows Hart from their days in Philadelphia, has backed the goalie. When he was asked after the Game 5 loss whether he considered switching to Adin Hill, he said that "could be the stupidest question I've heard."
Tortorella said he has confidence in Hart.
"I know him," he said. "I know there's a better game in him. I've seen it throughout the playoffs. I think he's a very good goalie. We've got to do a better job around him, too."
Jun 13, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (18) throws the ball against the Chicago White Sox during the first inning at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images
Shohei Ohtani is back; he homered to open the scoring in what turned out to be a 7-1 Dodgers win, and yet he takes a backseat in the storyline of this game as Yoshinobu Yamamoto toyed with perfection—not allowing a single baserunner through the first 7.2 innings—carrying a no-hit bid into the ninth inning before Tristan Peters took care of it with a solo shot. Dating back to his previous performance against the Angels, Yamamoto went as far as retiring an absurd 45 straight batters, and for the second straight appearance, tossed eight innings of one-run ball, allowing a combined three hits.
Forget recording a hit; even lifting the ball in the air was a massive challenge for the White Sox, who, through the first seven innings, recorded only a pair of flyouts. Specifically for this game, Yamamoto found himself with a little extra zip on the fastball with an average velocity 1.2 MPH higher than his season average, and he took advantage of it. The Dodgers’ starter defaulted to his four-seamer far more regularly than he has in 2026, and the success behind his performance evidently justified that choice. Although it should be noted that Peters’ home run in the ninth came on a poorly located fastball with not enough zip to miss his bat, as the Dodgers starter was already over 100 pitches at that point.
Shortly before that home run, though, the perfect game bid ended in brutal fashion—there were two outs at the bottom of the eighth when the White Sox would put their first man on via an error. Chase Meldroth hit what was by all accounts a routine grounder to short, and Mookie Betts couldn’t collect it cleanly, allowing the White Sox’ second baseman to reach base. Going back to the events in Baltimore a year ago, Yamamoto is establishing similarities with Dave Stieb as a bit of a no-no specialist, well before eventually recording one.
For the Dodgers offense, much like it was the case against the Angels, once again they rewarded Yamamoto’s outstanding performance with a slugfest that left no doubts about the winner of this game. As stated at the top, the scoring began early when Ohtani knocked one out of the yard to lead off the game.
Lacking in the power department on what are the inhuman standards he has set for himself, Ohtani briefly tied Max Muncy for second place in homers on the team with 14. However, it was Muncy’s day to shine, hitting not one but two long balls, one in the first and one in the eighth. In doing so, Muncy overtook Andy Pages for the team lead in homers, with 16, and became the main driving force behind this seven-run effort on the road.
What’s even more impressive is that had the Dodgers supplemented their power output with a bit more quality with runners in scoring position—finishing the game 1 for 11 in such instances—they could’ve easily gotten into the double digits. In the end, they didn’t need much with Yamamoto dismantling the White Sox lineup, leaving the game to a standing ovation after recording the first out in the ninth.
Emmett Sheehan and the veteran Erick Feede will be the protagonists in an early Sunday matchup for West Coast viewers as the Dodgers and White Sox will meet for the final time in Chicago this season, first pitch at 11:10 a.m. PT.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - JUNE 13: Nicky Lopez #33 of the Texas Rangers scores off a single hit by Wyatt Langford #36 (not pictured) in the third inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on June 13, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jaiden Tripi/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Texas Rangers scored three runs but the Boston Red Sox scored six runs.
The Rangers had four opportunities with the bases loaded today and went 0-for-4. The Red Sox had one opportunity with the bases loaded after two infield dribble hits and a walk and went 1-for-1 with the eventual winning hit.
The Rangers have gone 1-for-10 with the bases loaded on this road trip, which they now need a win tomorrow to avoid being a losing road trip after clinching their first losing series of June with today’s loss.
Player of the Game: Jacob deGrom allowed two runs on six hits in six innings while walking zero and striking out five Red Sox batters. He was pretty good.
After the Rangers took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third, deGrom’s big sin today was pitching to Wilyer Abreu with a runner in scoring position after Boston had tied the game at one apiece which, if you’ve ever seen Wilyer Abreu hit against the Rangers, that meant the game did not stay tied.
A bigger sin, though, was being a member of the Texas Rangers when the lineup backing him went 1-for-9 with RISP. That hit did not even score a run.
Up Next: The Rangers and Red Sox close out this series with RHP Nathan Eovaldi set to pitch for Texas against LHP Connelly Early for Boston.
The Sunday evening first pitch in the series finale from Fenway Park is scheduled for 6:20 pm CDT time and will be back on Peacock.
When Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are sitting in the middle of their prime years, it's only natural to wonder whether the answer lies in another blockbuster. Morgan Riely's name gets tossed around. We've all heard Jason Robertson's grumblings. Every unhappy star around the league eventually finds themselves wearing orange and blue on social media.
Reality tends to be less glamorous.
Winning teams aren't always built by buying high.
Quite often, they're built by identifying good players before everyone else remembers how good they are.
Florida didn't acquire Sam Reinhart after his 57-goal season.
Vegas didn't trade for Jack Eichel after he became a Conn Smythe candidate.
Colorado landed Devon Toews before the rest of the league realized just how valuable he was.
The best swings aren't always the biggest ones.
Sometimes they're the smartest.
Which raises an interesting question for Stan Bowman.
Instead of chasing stars whose value has never been higher, what if Edmonton spent this summer looking for players who come with talent, upside and a few question marks attached?
Players whose current teams might be wondering if they're worth the trouble.
Players whose best hockey may still be ahead of them.
Take Owen Tippett.
Philadelphia's rebuild hasn't exactly gone according to plan, and while Tippett remains one of the fastest and most dangerous shooters in the league, consistency has never quite followed. There are stretches where he looks like a future 40-goal scorer, followed by stretches where he disappears for weeks.
It also sounds like the kind of player Connor McDavid has made a career out of elevating.
JJ Peterka falls into a similar category.
Buffalo's inability to turn talent into Cups has become one of the NHL's greatest jokes, and while Peterka's offensive gifts are obvious, there have been whispers for years that a change might benefit both the player and the organization.
But if the Sabres eventually decide that the fit isn't perfect, Edmonton should be among the first teams calling.
Then there's Mason McTavish.
Admittedly, this one requires a little imagination.
Anaheim would have to do something strange. The Ducks would need to convince themselves that their young centre isn't a long-term fit, something that seems unlikely today.
Nobody thought Matthew Tkachuk would leave Calgary.
Nobody expected Jack Eichel to become available.
And if Anaheim ever gets weird, Stan Bowman should be listening, because power forwards who score, hit and play with an edge aren't exactly growing on trees.
Dawson Mercer might be the most realistic name on the list.
New Jersey has money committed everywhere and several difficult decisions looming. Mercer's numbers haven't exploded, but his versatility and work ethic would fit beautifully on a contender.
Very few teams want to pay the price that comes with one.
The Oilers know that reality better than most.
They don't possess endless cap space. Their prospect pool has been thinned out. A shocking first-round exit to Anaheim has increased the pressure, but it hasn't magically created the assets required to win every bidding war.
Jun 13, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Seattle Mariners first baseman Josh Naylor (12) catches the ball at first base for a out against the Washington Nationals during the first inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images | Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images
Nationals 8, Mariners 3
Day baseball nap: Colt Emerson, .17 WPA
Day baseball nap, on the cap: Luis Castillo, -.37 WPA
Dodgers starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto retired the first 23 hitters before an error in a 7-1 win over the Chicago White Sox on Saturday. (Matt Marton / Associated Press)
A White Sox hat waved in the air. Fans clad in Chicago’s black pinstripes and Dodger blue alike rose to their feet.
Rooting interests didn’t matter as they watched Dodgers right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto embrace his teammates on the mound. The brilliant performance they’d just witnessed deserved to be celebrated.
In the Dodgers’ 7-1 win against the White Sox on Saturday, Yamamoto carried a perfect game into the eighth inning until Mookie Betts booted a grounder at short, and a no-hit bid into the ninth before Chicago’s Tristan Peters homered to end it.
Perhaps even more astounding, dating to Yamamoto’s previous start against the Angels, he retired 45 straight batters, one shy of the major league record set by Yusmeiro Petit in 2014.
In an eventful game, which included Shohei Ohtani returning to the lineup to homer in his first at-bat, a two-homer performance from Max Muncy and a team bounce-back after getting blown out the night before, Yamamoto’s performance on the mound stole the show.
“I do feel a little bit [of regret], because I went into the ninth inning and I was not able to achieve a no-hitter,” Yamamoto said through interpreter Yoshihiro Sonoda. “But how I was pitching, I was pretty satisfied.”
It marked the second time in about nine months that Yamamoto fell just short of his first major league no-hitter. Last September, he was one out away in Baltimore when he surrendered a solo homer to Jackson Holliday.
“Every time he takes the mound we feel he’s got a pretty good chance to do something special,” pitching coach Mark Prior said.
That feeling only grew stronger as Yamamoto cruised through seven innings. The only thing that slowed his roll was the mound itself. Yamamoto asked for the grounds crew to fix it in the sixth. And then he kept rolling.
“He can attack the plate on both sides from ball-to-strike better than anybody I’ve ever seen,” Prior said. “He has that ability to do that when he’s on. And that makes it tough on hitters. You don’t know if the ball is coming at them, from the right side or the left side, and going in. He did a lot of really good things to keep guys off balance.”
Yamamoto also had help from a steady defense behind him for much of the game.
The sixth inning included two highlight plays. Peters hit a sharp ground ball up the line, and first baseman Freddie Freeman made a sliding stop, tossing the ball to Yamamoto at the bag to get the out. Then left fielder Alex Call ran into the retaining wall in foul territory to catch Edgar Quero’s fly ball for the final out of the inning.
The hardest contact against Yamamoto came the third time through the lineup. In the seventh inning, he pumped a heater to the top rail against Miguel Vargas, who stayed on top of the pitch to send a line drive to left field — and right to Call.
In the eighth, Yamamoto fell behind Colson Montgomery 3-and-1. But Yamamoto worked back to a full count. Montgomery then scorched a line drive up the first base line — into Freeman’s glove.
Yamamoto’s perfect game ended two batters later.
“I’m not making any excuses,” Betts said. “I should have made the play.”
It looked like Yamamoto had tied the record for consecutive batters retired when he got Chicago’s Chase Meidroth to chase a slider and hit a routine grounder to Betts.
Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing slaps hands with Yoshinobu Yamamoto in the ninth inning Saturday against the White Sox. (Zoe Davis / Getty Images)
But the last hop was higher than Betts expected. The ball ricocheted off him to his left, where second baseman Santiago Espinal made a last-ditch effort to salvage the play but couldn’t pick up the ball cleanly.
“I thought I got him, but that was kind of an irregular bounce,” Yamamoto said. “So it was just what it is. I didn’t really think much.”
An inning later, the no-hit bid was next to fall.
Peters led led off the ninth, and on a 1-and-0 count, Yamamoto put a high fastball over the plate. Peters turned on it and drove it into the stands in right, craning to see it stay to the left of the foul pole.
“I was a little heated in the ninth inning,” catcher Dalton Rushing said. “Jumped on a pitch that was really decently executed.”
Yamamoto stayed in for one more batter, inducing Quero to fly out, before handing the ball to manager Dave Roberts.
Yamamoto wasn’t the only one feeling mixed emotions on the mound as he embraced Rushing, tapped Muncy on the back in a side hug and bumped fists with the rest of the infielders.
“I was still frustrated,” Rushing said. “He’s such a great teammate, he’s one of my good friends. You can talk to him just about anything, and he’s just a good dude. So you want to see good things happen to guys like that.”
Rushing made a prediction: “I know we’re going to have more opportunities with Yoshi like that, and I’m looking forward to it.”
After coming so close to a no-hitter twice, maybe the third time will be the one Yamamoto completes.
