Bo Bichette is red hot, and Shohei Ohtani is facing his old team. That means the possibility of fireworks for both batters on a busy Sunday of baseball.
The Chicago Cubs also need a long start in the worst way, and Jameson Taillon is ready to take the ball, even if it ends up being "the worst."
The Chicago Cubs need a long outing from Jameson Taillon, effective or otherwise. And with a 5.13 ERA and 1.260 WHIP, there’s a good chance he won’t be.
After giving up 18 runs to the San Francisco Giants on Friday and playing extras on Saturday, the Chicago bullpen is spent. Cubs relievers have pitched 17 1/3 innings in the last three, posting a 5.19 ERA. So, Taillon is going to wear one.
He pitched 6 1/3 innings in his last start, and has gone at least six in half his starts this year. So our MLB picks expect length and hits in abundance.
Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
Where to watch: NBC
Bo Bichette Over 1.5 total bases (+121)
New York Mets infielder Bo Bichette has been on a tear, picking up seven hits in 12 at-bats with two extra-base hits since Wednesday.
Bichette is turning things around after a slow start. He’s hitting .368 with a .526 slugging percentage over the first week in June. He also hits 27 points higher on the road with 73 more points of slug.
San Diego Padres starter Randy Vasquez has a 1.62 WHIP over his last five starts, and the bullpen has given up five runs in 11 innings pitched over the last three days.
He’s hitting .480 with 1.312 OPS over the last week, posting a 254 OPS+ (154% over league average). For the last month, he’s at .378, 1.139, and 218.
Angels starter Jose Soriano has imploded over the last month, with a 5.34 ERA in May. His sinker is down 1 mph from April, and his four-seamer has also lost velocity, while his offspeed stuff isn’t finding the strike zone. That could mean throwing a heater to Ohtani, who already has eight fastball homers this year, after falling behind in the count.
Time: 4:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: ABTV, SportsNet LA
Shawn Krest's 2026 Transparency Record
Prop picks: 4-6, +1.39 units
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
The Rockies’ Tyler Freeman took the brunt of Brewers star pitcher Jacob Misiorowski’s record-setting night on the mound Saturday.
In the sixth inning of the Rockies’ 7-1 loss to Milwaukee, Freeman absorbed a 98.2 mph cutter that knocked off his batting helmet. He doubled over for a moment before a trainer promptly came out of the dugout to check on him.
Freeman was immediately removed from the game, but manager Warren Schaeffer and his Rockies teammates assured that the utility player was fine.
— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) June 7, 2026
“They were talking about amputating his head, but I think they advised against that,” outfielder Troy Johnston joked to reporters. “Other than that, he’s fine, seems in good spirits.
At Coors Field, Misiorowski set a new record with 45 pitches reaching at least 101 mph. His 52 pitches of at least 100 mph was exceeded in this era only by the 57 he unloaded on May 25 against the Cardinals.
Misiorowski, a 24-year-old in his second MLB season, is an early candidate for the National League Cy Young with his 1.50 ERA. He’s played a key role in the Brewers’ considerable lead at the top of the NL Central.
Rockies outfielder Tyler Freeman gets hit in the head by Brewers starter Jacob Misiorowski’s 98 mph pitch on June 6, 2026. AP Photo/David ZalubowskiTyler Freeman (c.) is tended to by a trainer after getting hit in the head by a pitch on June 6, 2026. AP Photo/David Zalubowski
Hitting Freeman seemingly rattled Misiorowski, who went on to walk Hunter Goodman and load the bases. The Rockies, however, were not able to capitalize on the opportunity.
Freeman was still being evaluated postgame and was not made available to the media.
“Obviously I don’t want that to happen … lost the ball, lost grip on it,” Misiorowski told reporters. “Obviously, not aiming for him. There’s also the moment, I’m standing behind the mound trying to pray for him a little bit.”
HOUSTON, TEXAS - JULY 12: Hunter Brown #58, Jeremy Peña #3, Isaac Paredes #15 and Josh Hader #71 of the Houston Astros pose with their 2025 MLB All-Star jerseys during a pregame ceremony before a game against the Texas Rangers at Daikin Park on July 12, 2025 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Houston Astros/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Astros fans, where are you on your frustration level with General Manager Dana Brown and this year’s team?
There is no denying that injuries have played a significant role in the Astros’ disappointing season to this point. It’s impossible to ignore the impact of losing key contributors for extended periods of time. Many of us entered this season expecting another division championship run and another successful year for one of baseball’s premier franchises. Instead, we’ve watched a team struggle to meet those expectations.
Both things can be true. The injuries are real, but they also can’t be used as the only explanation or the only solution moving forward.
The bigger question now is what happens when these players return. Will the Astros simply rely on getting healthy, or will they aggressively pursue moves that can improve this roster before it’s too late?
Despite digging themselves into an early hole, the Astros remain within striking distance. Their climb back to relevance has been steady, and they continue working toward getting back above .500, re-entering the Wild Card race, and eventually challenging for the top spot in the American League West. Considering they remain within single digits of first place, the division is far from out of reach.
However, Dana Brown can ill afford to wait until July to begin addressing this roster’s shortcomings.
With players such as Jose Altuve and Josh Hader back in the lineup and others like Yainer Diaz, Christian Javier, and Hunter Brown expected back sometime between now and the end of the month, the Astros will certainly receive a boost. The question is whether that boost alone will be enough.
I don’t believe it will.
When you look at the inconsistencies in the starting rotation, though better of late, and the struggles we’ve seen from Bryan Abreu, it’s clear that adding pitching should be a priority. Another arm or two could go a long way toward stabilizing a staff that has been far too unpredictable.
Beyond pitching, the outfield remains a glaring concern. While the infield possesses plenty of offensive firepower and talent, the outfield continues to lack the production and power needed to support a legitimate postseason run. If the Astros expect not only to make the playoffs but also do damage once they get there, additional offensive help in the outfield feels necessary.
The reality is that the clock is ticking for Dana Brown.
As he traverses the final year of his contract, Brown faces increasing pressure to prove he is the right person to lead this franchise moving forward. If he wants to save his job and remain in the good graces of owner Jim Crane, now is the time to be proactive rather than reactive.
The recent addition of LaMonte Wade Jr. is just the latest example of Brown attempting to find value on the margins and catch lightning in a bottle. Sometimes those moves work, but this team may require something much bigger than a low-risk gamble.
Astros fans aren’t accustomed to mediocrity. This city, this fan base, and this organization have spent the better part of the last decade expecting excellence. Championships, playoff appearances, and division titles have become the standard.
Because of that, simply sitting back and hoping health alone fixes everything is not a strategy.
Dana Brown needs to be exploring every possible avenue to improve this roster. The Astros still have time to turn this season into something special, but that window won’t stay open forever. Waiting until the trade deadline may ultimately be waiting too long.
The message is simple: the Astros still have a chance, but action needs to happen now.
A big subtraction from the Philadelphia Flyers roster feels inevitable at some point this summer, as does an addition. An oft-discussed name on defense appears to be the place to start.
With the addition of David Jiricek and the emergence of Oliver Bonk, it would benefit the Flyers to move on from aging veteran Rasmus Ristolainen at some point, regardless of whether or not they add John Carlson in free agency to bolster a miserable power play.
Daily Faceoff NHL insider Anthony Di Marco reports that the Flyers are very much willing to deal Ristolainen, 31, at the right price, and the big Finn still has plenty of suitors.
"According to team sources, the Flyers are still open to trading Ristolainen this summer – but are still holding firm on their asking price," Di Marco wrote.
"Among the teams who could have interest in Ristolainen, the Ottawa Senators have shown interest in him in the past. The Montreal Canadiens could be an option. Sources have suggested that they were among the closest of teams that almost acquired Ristolainen ahead of the trade deadline."
The Canadiens being one of the frontrunners for Ristolainen is interesting, considering they had a trade in place for Toronto Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies, only to have the NHL reject the late paperwork after the buzzer.
Considering Alex Zharovsky was on the table for Knies, the Flyers may have been targeting prospects like center Michael Hage or defenseman David Reinbacher.
Given a deal never came to fruition, the Flyers likely pivoted to David Jiricek as an alternative to Reinbacher.
Ristolainen's situation will be one to watch throughout this summer; his injury history appears to be behind him for now, and teams know it would be in the Flyers' best interest to trade the veteran defenseman away.
Any kind of trade that keeps Ristolainen in the East with the Flyers comes with inherent potential to backfire, but so long as the Flyers stick to the guns and get what they want, it should be worthwhile in the end.
May 10, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; A general view during the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery at Navy Pier. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images
In 1919, eight members of the Chicago White Sox attended a series of meetings and plans were hatched to throw the World Series in favor of the Cincinnati Reds.
The fix was far from the first in baseball. At the time, America’s pastime was in its infancy and the notion of ‘integrity of the game’ was also in its infancy. Gamblers and players routinely fraternized, and the occasional fix was more or less accepted — maybe not always with good grace, but without a great deal of protest.
Then the World Series was fixed.
The response was not particularly swift. White Sox owner Charles Comiskey and the rest of the league’s owners spent most of 1920 trying to bury the story, but when a grand jury was convened to investigate the conduct of the Series in the context of laws against gambling in general, it became hard to keep a lid on what actually happened. In September of that year, Eddie Cicotte confessed and the scandal exploded onto the front page.
Ultimately, Kennesaw Mountain Landis, the first commissioner of a U.S. professional sport, instituted lifetime bans against the eight players who sat in on meetings to throw the Series. Landis’ ban was based on players knowing about the fix, so even guys that arguably didn’t participate in the fix like Shoeless Joe Jackson were banned for life.
Fast forward to the 1980s in the NBA and maybe Gloria was right…
In the 1981-82 season, that prince of an owner, Donald Sterling, publicly suggested that his team should lose games to secure a top pick. He was fined a record $10,000 by David Stern, but there were no further consequences — not even when Sterling allowed the team’s active roster to fall as low as eight players that season.
Two years later, the Houston Rockets decided to sit their starters in order to secure the top pick in the pre-lottery draft. Their reward? One of the best centers ever to play the game, Hakeem Olajuwon. Granted it took a decade for that to pay off with a pair of championships, but the Rockets definitely benefited from playing to lose.
Also competing for the bottom of the draft that season? The Chicago Bulls. They got Michael Jordan with the third pick, and the rest, for them, is history as well.
In 1996-97 multiple teams, the Celtics included, tanked for a chance to pick Tim Duncan, in the NBA’s relatively new lottery arrangement which gave the worst teams better odds at getting a top pick.
In the 2010s, Sam Hinkie made tanking a publicly declared priority for the Philadelphia 76ers, with the team deliberately stripping itself of competent players in order to secure multiple top draft picks (picks which Hinkie wasted, for the most part, but that’s another story for another day).
Tanking has become as accepted an affront to the integrity of basketball as gambling once was in baseball.
There is no material difference between the players throwing games for monetary gain and GMs throwing seasons in order to secure high draft picks.
None.
In both cases, the individuals involved are deliberately doing less than their best in order to lose.
It’s true that the NBA has finally done something to minimize the most egregious forms of tanking, but this new system, with its dramatic rise in odds for 4-10 finishers has basically created a huge disincentive for teams that are ‘on the bubble.’ Teams sitting in the gap between the 10th place in the lottery standings and the 19th place teams that are assured playoff spots have little incentive to push for a better record and every incentive to play for a worse one.
If you finish in 11th place, you get one lottery ball. If you finish in 10th place, you get three.
All this new approach has done is change the way teams will choose to tank and how they’ll pursue it. Changing the goal from ‘being the worst team in the league’ to ‘being bad enough to get three lottery balls’ doesn’t change the fact that the team’s management is still trying to lose.
Sure, the optics might be a bit better, but tanking is still cheating. It’s still a violation of trust.
What can be done?
Sadly, not much. Gambling-influenced play typically comes out due to criminal investigations, where law enforcement agencies have both the power to seize communications and the authority to threaten real consequences against individuals complicit in these schemes.
Recall that it was a criminal investigation that brought the Black Sox scandal to light.
With a matter like tanking, there aren’t any laws being broken.
And in any event, tanking is often done with a nod and a wink. The NBA might have the power to compel teams to turn over emails and other correspondence, but these aren’t likely to feature an owner and a GM chatting about how they’re going to aim for a top pick in the lottery.
When tanking is egregious, as what happened with the Pacers and the Jazz this season, the league’s response is, basically, a slap on the wrist.
Yes, under the new lottery arrangement, the league has the ability to impose more severe punishment for conduct perceived as tanking, and this is a good first step.
However, like locked screen doors that only stop honest burglars, penalties for obvious acts of tanking only affect the stupidest teams. Any team can get around these penalties by cooking up plausible-sounding reasons for trading away good players (‘saving on cap costs’), and for resting starters (‘injury recovery’).
In order for tanking to stop, the collective attitude of fans — which is ultimately what drives league policy — needs to change. As long as we pretend that tanking is anything but cheating, it’s going to continue.
The game we’re promised is one where both teams are playing to win. We didn’t sign up for Gloria’s murky realm where some teams are playing to lose, because if they lose they win.
As long as we believe that trying to win is optional, as long as we’re content to see teams trying to lose, we will be complicit in the active undermining of the integrity of the game.
Who knew the Knicks had it in them?
I’m going to wrap up this column by noting that we might have another ‘fo-fo-fo’ in the making.
Yeah, this means that Jamie Dolan might get to hoist a Finals trophy, and it means that I got my “Spurs in six” prediction quite wrong, but in the end, I’m fine with it.
I don’t particularly care for the Knicks, but I’m sick and tired of the notion that the Western Conference is head-and-shoulders better than the East. It’s such an accepted narrative, that I’d be happy to see the East’s third seed spank the West’s second seed, even if it means having to deal with Knicks fans acting like this isn’t the team’s first championship since 1973.
With the C’s out of the playoffs, I’ve been in favor of maximum chaos, and the Knicks winning a title is about the maximumest chaos that we can get short of human sacrifice and dogs and cats living together.
Rafael Devers has piled up 16 total bases over his last four games against right-handed starters and is in a great spot to build on those outputs.
Chicago Cubs pitcher Jameson Taillon has struggled mightily to slow left-handed bats, ranking in the 15th percentile or worse in xwOBA, xSLG, and ISO.
Devers has feasted in similar matchups, recording multiple total bases in 61% of games against righties who sit in the 40th percentile or worse in xwOBA and xSLG vs. lefties.
That number spikes to 67% on the road, which is notable as Devers plays home games at a pitcher-friendly park.
Play to -110.
Jung Hoo Lee Over 1.5 hits + runs + RBI (-110)
Jung Hoo Lee has averaged a whopping 3.7 H+R+RBI over the last 10 games, and there's no reason to expect him to slow down tonight.
He has cleared this line in 75% of his away games and couldn't profile better against Taillon and his pitch mix.
Fastballs and changeups account for more than 60% of Taillon's pitches. Lee has excelled against both, posting a .322 xBA against the fastball and .432 against the changeup when facing right-handed pitching.
Expect Lee's hot streak to continue. Betable to -130.
Ian Happ Over 1.5 hits + runs + RBI (-115)
Ian Happ ranks in the 83rd percentile in xwOBA and 85th percentile in xSLG when facing right-handed pitching. He is very dangerous.
He has a nice matchup against San Francisco Giants pitcher Trevor McDonald, who has had a difficult time against left-handed batters. McDonald ranks in the 17th percentile in xBA and 25th in xWOBA.
In terms of counting stats, McDonald has allowed lefties to hit .284 on the season – a far cry from the .177 average he's held righties to.
Look for Happ to take advantage. Play to -120.
How to watch Giants vs Cubs and game info
Location
Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL
Date
Sunday, June 7, 2026
First pitch
8:30 p.m. ET
TV
Peacock
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
CHICAGO — He was batting a paltry .265 less than a month ago.
Now, Jung Hoo Lee is keeping company with the likes of Willie Mays and Buster Posey.
The Giants’ Jung Hoo Lee is batting close to .600 since returning from the injured list. Getty Images
There hasn’t been a Giant since Posey to record more hits over a 14-game stretch than Lee’s 27 during his hitting streak. You have to go all the way back to Mays in 1958 to find the last Giant with as many knocks as the 22 belonging to Lee in nine games since returning from the injured list.
The secret behind all those successful swings? Not swinging at all.
“When I was on the IL, I didn’t just try to take time off the field,” Lee said through team interpreter Justin Han. “What I did was I went to the cage and just stood there.”
Lee missed only the minimum 10 days with a mild back strain, but he made the most of his time. Unable to swing, he stood in against the Trajekt pitching machine, which can replicate the characteristics of any offering from any pitcher in the major leagues.
Han, his interpreter, fed the machine.
“I didn’t take any swings, but just tried to feel out the pitches on the Trajekt, which helped out a lot,” Lee said. “I stood in there and [Han] just kind of randomly threw out pitches located everywhere. We would just communicate on whether it was a strike or a ball.”
Since returning from the IL, Lee is batting a remarkable 22-for-37 (.595).
His batting average is up to .324, tied with Luis Arraez among the top five qualified hitters in the majors, after he rapped two more base hits Saturday — with only three more from the rest of the Giants’ lineup in a 3-2 extra-inning loss to the Cubs.
In the words of manager Tony Vitello, it’s the product of “Jung Hoo being Jung Hoo.”
One of Jung Hoo Lee’s heroes is Ichiro. Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
“I know Ichiro is a hero of his,” Vitello said. “That style of hitting that I think we’re kind of familiar with from a lot of Asian players has got a little bit of rhythm, a little bit of movement going forward. But Ichiro was always going forward and in line with the pitcher. … I just think he’s a really good hitter. I boil it down to the mentality, but I do see him staying in line a lot better.”
Before coming to MLB, Lee led Korea’s highest level in batting three times — a career .340 hitter over seven seasons. His first two seasons in San Francisco, however, produced merely a .265 mark at the plate.
He’s not allowing himself to look too far ahead about a possible MLB batting title.
“I don’t really want to be happy about it right now. I just want to be consistent on where I’m hitting right now and see where I’m at at the end of the season.”
Could Joe Pavelski end up behing the bench for the Toronto Maple Leafs? According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, it’s a possibility.
In the latest edition of the ‘32 Thoughts’ podcast, Friedman disclosed that the Maple Leafs are interest in Pavelski, even though most of the candidates who have seemingly moved onto the next round of interviews have some NHL head coaching experience.
Pavelski has been coaching his son, Nate, with the Madison Capitols 15U hockey team with Friedman saying he was told Joe is being seen as a Martin St. Louis style coaching candidate.
St. Louis was coaching his son’s peewee team before he was hired as coach as interim coach of the Montreal Canadiens in Feb of 2022. The interim tag was eventually removed. Given Montreal's sucess as of late under St. Louis, reaching the Eastern Conference final in 2026, it's clear to see why the Leafs may want to pursue this route.
The impact of bringing in someone like Pavelski is intriguing as he established himself as a player of authority and mentorship during his NHL career. In his playing days with the Dallas Stars, Pavelski invited 19-year-old Wyatt Johnson to live with him for two seasons in 2022-23 and 2023-24. Logan Stankoven, who was with the Stars as the time, also joined Pavelski and Johnston for much of the 2023-24 season.
Former Stars head coach Pete DeBoer recalled Johnston in particular benefitting from “true leadership.” Johnston led the Stars in goals with 32 in the 2023-24 season.
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The Seattle Mariners, first in the AL West with a 34-31 record, face the Detroit Tigers, who are fourth in the AL Central with a 26-39 record. Seattle is favored with a -119 moneyline compared to Detroit's -100. Starting pitchers are scheduled to be Luis Castillo for Seattle, with a 5.53 ERA, and Jack Flaherty for Detroit, with a 5.31 ERA.
The Chicago Cubs are short home favorites against the San Francisco Giants on Sunday Night Baseball, but my Giants vs Cubs predictions are taking the plus-money side.
Jameson Taillon’s barrel issues create a better offensive path for San Francisco, while Trevor McDonald’s ground-ball profile gives the Giants the cleaner starter fit.
COVERS INTEL: Jameson Taillon’s 38.5% fly-ball rate is nearly four times Trevor McDonald’s 10.1% rate.
Giants vs Cubs Over/Under pick: Over 8 (-105)
There's not an enormous edge here, but I like the Over. I'd play this down to around -122 with my projected run total sitting at 8.3.
McDonald is the better starter, but his groundball reliance is not a perfect matchup against the Chicago Cubs.
The Cubs own a below-average 40.4% ground-ball rate and above-average 28.1% fly-ball rate, so they are not an offense I want to automatically suppress with a contact-oriented arm.
The Cubs will do their part and score, but the Giants have a much more direct route to getting after the opposing pitcher.
Chris Hatfield's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 27-22, +4.54 units
Over/Under bets: 31-18, +16.07 units
Giants vs Cubs odds
Moneyline: Giants +105 | Cubs -130
Run line: Giants +1.5 | Cubs -1.5
Over/Under: Over 8 | Under 8
Giants vs Cubs trend
The San Francisco Giants have hit the first five innings (F5) team total Over in 15 of their last 20 games (+9.65 Units / 38% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Giants vs. Cubs.
How to watch Giants vs Cubs and game info
Location
Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL
Date
Sunday, June 7, 2026
First pitch
8:30 p.m. ET
TV
Peacock
Giants starting pitcher
Trevor McDonald (2-3, 4.50 ERA)
Cubs starting pitcher
Jameson Taillon (2-5, 5.13 ERA)
Giants vs Cubs latest injuries
Giants vs Cubs weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 06: Freddy Fermin #54 of the San Diego Padres celebrates after hitting a two-run home run against the New York Mets during the seventh inning at Petco Park on June 06, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After last night’s win over the New York Mets, the San Diego Padres have forced just their second rubber match in the last two weeks. The win came against New York’s young pitcher Nolan McLean, with the Friars tying the game early after Griffin Canning gave up a run in the second inning.
Canning navigated trouble, pitching five innings and allowing just three hits to the Mets. McLean pitched an extra inning but allowed the same amount of hits and runs as Canning.
Austin Warren came on in relief in the seventh inning and got two easy outs by inducing a lineout from Xander Bogaerts and a flyout from Miguel Andujar. Sung-Mun Song singled on a full-count sweeper outside the zone. He barely beat out the play at first base to keep the inning alive.
Catcher Freddy Fermin came up and took the first pitch he saw, a 94.4 mph sinker, into the left field seats. It was a lead the Padres held onto, despite some trouble in the eighth. Jason Adam gave up back-to-back singles before inducing a double play after Song made an incredible catch at second base.
Mason Miller pitched with a lead in the ninth for the first time in over a week. It was a one-run game with no margin for error and the closer delivered, getting two easy outs before allowing a walk to A.J. Ewing. He struck out Mark Vientos to end the trouble.
Taking the mound
Sean Manaea (NYM) v. Randy Vásquez (SD)
Manaea is the likely starting pitcher for today, though the Mets have been using an opener for him lately. They’ve announced that Huascar Brazobán will start the game. The reliever pitched in Saturday’s contest and will likely pitch an inning before Manaea pitches in bulk relief.
New York’s starter has had a rough season, posting a 5.08 ERA. But, since the Mets have begun using an opener for Manaea, he’s pitched much better. In spite of his frustration about not being able to start pitching in the first inning, the situation has helped out Manaea thus far.
The burgeoning San Diego ace has had a rough go of things lately. Vásquez has been saddled with a 4.42 ERA in his last seven starts. Across the season he owns a 3.31 ERA through 65 and 1.3 innings pitched. His last start against the Philadelphia Phillies was much better, going five innings and allowing just two runs.
The Mets haven’t had an abundance of success against Vásquez in the past. New York’s lineup has gone a combined 4-for-22 against the right-hander with one homer and five RBI.
Batter up!
Fernando Tatis Jr. continued to flash his bat, going 2-for-4 with an RBI for the Friars. Despite Fermin’s homer being the difference maker, it was Song’s production that won the game for San Diego. He went 2-for-2 with a walk and scored two of the Friars’ three runs.
Fernando Tatis Jr., RF
Jackson Merrill, CF
Ty France, 1B
Manny Machado, 3B
Gavin Sheets, LF
Xander Bogaerts, SS
Miguel Andujar, DH
Sung-Mun Song, 2B
Rodolfo Durán, C
France has effectively become the starting first baseman with Ramón Laureano now out for the season. That gives the Padres some ability to shake things up in the outfield. France at first base paid off well yesterday, with him making multiple plays in the cold corner that saved the game early.
Machado went 0-for-4 at the plate but it looked like he had a home run in the bottom of the sixth inning against the starter McLean. Instead, it was a 315-foot flyout to Juan Soto. Machado was visibly frustrated, slamming his bat against the ground. He’s shown some pop lately but still can’t seem to bat for average.
Relief corps
San Diego had the benefit of Canning going a solid five innings. He had only thrown 86 pitches through that time, but the Padres favored Adrian Morejon to face the lefty Soto for the third time. Bradgley Rodriguez gave up a run in the seventh to end the tie game, though he was credited with the win after the Friars scored in the bottom frame of the inning.
Adam and Miller pitched well, with Adam navigating the trouble he faced. The problem now is that San Diego will have none of their high-leverage relievers available. Their only options are Ron Marinaccio, Yuki Matsui, David Morgan and Wandy Peralta. That said, Matsui boasts a 0.53 ERA this season.
The Buffalo Sabres should be looking to bolster their roster this summer after a successful 2025-26 season. One of their biggest needs is a star center.
One player who the Sabres were connected to leading up to the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline was St. Louis Blues forward Robert Thomas. With Thomas staying put past the deadline, some naturally wondered if the Sabres would kick tires on him again.
Yet, based on a new report, the possibility of the Sabres landing Thomas this summer is very low.
According to Andy Strickland, the Blues are not shopping Thomas, and he is expected to be on their roster at training camp.
Hearing that Thomas is no longer an option for the Sabres is disappointing, as he would have had the potential to be an amazing addition to their top six. However, the Sabres will now need to explore their options elsewhere if they hope to bring in another center this summer.
Thomas appeared in 64 games this season with the Blues, where he had 25 goals, 39 assists, 64 points, and a plus-22 rating. This is after he had 21 goals and 81 points in 70 games for the Blues during the 2024-25 campaign. With numbers like these, he would have been a major pickup for Buffalo.
Kimi Antonelli won a chaotic Monaco GP which featured a red flag and multiple driver penalties
Some quotes from Max Verstappen, second on the grid in his Red Bull: “Try not to overthink it too much, that works best. We will try to do the best start we can. It is a long race, anything can happen. It is not always easy and I hope today, we can have a normal start.”
Lewis Hamilton has appeared fresh and full of his previous self.
The car has repeatedly demonstrated how good it is in the slower corners but has struggled with drag on straights and in using a smaller turbocharger than their rivals. It has proved costly on traditional circuits this season where, even when competitive at the off, the Ferrari has been unable to match the Mercedes’ formidable race pace, or that of the upgraded McLaren.
Ferrari’s pace through the twists – Hamilton was quickest in the slow speed corners at the last round in Canada – and that smaller turbo will be vital in Monaco. Energy management should not be an issue with ample recharging, while the smaller turbo will enable it to remain spooled up to be most effective in punching quicker out of the corners.
The Boston Red Sox (27-35) take on the New York Yankees (37-26) on Sunday. Saturday’s game between the two teams was postponed. The scheduled starting pitchers are Ranger Suarez for Boston, with a 3.38 ERA, and Cam Schlittler for New York, with a 1.89 ERA. The Yankees are favored with the over/under set at eight runs.
Former Edmonton Oilers' forward Milan Lucic has officially announced his retirement after 17 NHL seasons and 1,177 games.
The former Stanley Cup champion with the Boston Bruins wraps up his career with 586 regular-season points and 77 more in the playoffs, also playing for the Los Angeles Kings, Edmonton Oilers, and Calgary Flames.
Lucic hadn’t played in the NHL since 2023-24 but attempted a comeback in 2025-26, including brief stints in the AHL and overseas. Last season, he had a PTO with the St. Louis Blues but was cut. He played 26 EIHL games after joining the Fife Flyers in late December and recorded 5 goals, 7 assists, 18 PIMs and a +/- of -14.
His career effectively ended following a domestic incident in 2023, though charges were later dropped. Still, the latter part of his career, including his struggles both on and off the ice, will likely place a bit of a cloud over his career run. His repeated controversies in his personal life will have stained his legacy.
As for the positives, he retires as a physical, productive power forward, one of the best of his era. With the Oilers, he played 243 regular season games, scoring 39 goals. His best run came with the team in 2016-17, when he scored 23 goals during the season.
Milan Lucic is officially announcing his retirement following 1,177 career NHL games played – wishing all the best to the 2010-11 #StanleyCup champ👏 pic.twitter.com/X4QF1dWqt3
Jameson Taillon
Bo Bichette
Shohei Ohtani
Rafael Devers Over 1.5 total bases
COVERS INTEL: Jameson 