Posts

Posted on

Former Phillies Check-In #2

Jun 7, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Ranger Suarez (55) pitches in the first inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Several players who helped shape the success of the current Phillies run left in the off-season or even departed in the middle of 2026, in the case of Rob Thomson.

In the first installment, we covered the first few days for each of these players in their new homes. Now that we are in late June, there is a much better idea of how each of their seasons is going and whether the Phillies made the right decisions or not (there is still not enough time to judge but it’s fine).

Ranger Suárez’s Career Year

In 15 starts with Boston, Ranger Suárez is on pace for a career season. He is on pace to eclipse his 4.0 fWAR 2025 season, his innings total, and has a 2.83 ERA with an even better FIP.

The Red Sox have made a few tweaks with him; his primary fastball to right-handed hitters is his cutter, with a slight uptick in four-seam usage and fewer sinkers. Against left-handed hitters, Suárez is weirdly throwing a lot more four-seam fastballs and is getting worse results. In 2025, Suárez allowed a .611 OPS to lefties and is at .730 in Boston. Maybe there is a new tweak in the second half to cut those numbers down.

The changes have also cut his groundball rate down from a well above average 48% to 39.4%, so there could end up being some regression if this continues.

Another interesting wrinkle is that Boston has been cutting his outings a little quicker than the Phillies did. In 26 starts with the Phillies last season, he appeared in the sixth inning 20 times and in the seventh another 14. Through 15 starts in Boston, he’s appeared in the sixth inning eight times and only four in the seventh.

Part of this is probably because of organizational philosophy, the Red Sox losing more games, and also Suárez’s injury history. If it helps get him to 30 starts, then the juice is probably worth the squeeze here.

Castellanos Cut

While the Padres were in Philadelphia earlier this month, San Diego released Nick Castellanos and he has not signed with a team since. In 39 games with the Padres, Castellanos hit .191 with a .560 OPS and had -1.0 bWAR. He was one of the worst players in the sport.

Max Kepler’s New Team

Max Kepler signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks for the pro-rated league minimum and became eligible to return on June 25. Kepler is expected to join the snakes roster after hitting .333 with a 1.040 OPS in his 10 game minor league stint.

It’s not going well

Things have not gone well for Harrison Bader and Matt Strahm on their new teams. Bader has only played in 30 games and is currently on the injured list with a foot injury. He’s taken a major step back as a player overall, hitting just .170 with a .557 OPS and has not graded out nearly as well defensively.

There are significant red flags for Bader, his sprint speed and arm strength have taken nose dives, he’s missed most of the season because of injuries, and is 32. This all looks to be the signs of a player who isn’t going to be major league caliber anymore.

Matt Strahm is another player the Phillies seemed to give up on at the right time. His fastball velocity lost more than a full tick and he is now completely ineffective. His strikeout rate went down by 10% from 2025 to 2026, he is now walking hitters at a below average rate, and is not getting any soft contact.

In 25.2 innings, Strahm has a 5.96 ERA and looks like someone who will end up getting released before the season ends.

Taijuan Walker was released by the Phillies back in late April and signed a minor league deal with the Angels. He was cut then signed again at one point and most recently was released a few days ago. In three AAA starts with the Salt Lake Bees, Walker had a 4.91 ERA in 14.2 innings.

Speaking of the Angels, they released Jordan Romano back in late April after he put up a 10.13 ERA in nine games. Romano signed with the Colorado Rockies to a minor league contract soon after.

This is neat

Buddy Kennedy played major league baseball in 2026. In 7 games with the Giants, Kennedy went 0 for 7 with a walk. Neat.

Joe Ross was released from the Diamondbacks in May after a 19.64 ERA in 3 games. He then signed a minor league deal with the Rangers soon after and even got a high leverage appearance against the Padres. He gave up a three-run home run to Manny Machado.

View Link

This stinks

Mick Abel put together a promising four appearances in 2026 with the Twins but will have to undergo elbow surgery and his timetable to return is TBD.

Eduardo Tait, the other player in the package that got the Phillies Jhoan Duran, has taken a step back as a 19 year old in A+ ball, hitting just .221 with an 81 wRC+.

More stuff

Walker Buehler made two starts against the Phillies in late May and early June, throwing a combined 11.1 innings of 3 run ball. For the season, Buehler has been a solid piece to the Padres rotation as a minor league signing with a 3.96 ERA in 72.2 innings this season.

Kody Clemens is having the best season of his career with a .767 OPS with the Twins. Neat.

Weston Wilson has split time between Baltimore and Seattle this year as a right handed corner utility option. Across 53 plate appearances, Wilson has a 78 OPS+ and has been a below replacement level player.

The best story for last, Donovan Walton has been amazing for the Los Angeles Angels. The 32-year-old journeyman middle infielder has played in 26 games with the Angels and has a .885 OPS. Maybe the Angels are willing to trade him and Wade Meckler at the deadline because they don’t seem to want to trade anyone else.

Posted on

2026 Cubs Heroes and Goats: Trent Thornton is the Superhero vs. the Mets

Well, that game was at least a little differently shaped. Sort of. The Cubs broke out to a three-run lead after both starters were excellent. Then the porous Cub bullpen slowly gave back the lead with three different relievers being charged with a run each. But they scored in the tenth and held on. A last at-bat win for this team isn’t odd. That makes 11 of them now by my count. Nine walk-offs and two road wins in their last turn at the plate. That’s 25 percent of the team’s wins. Wow. So different, but not that different. This is a script they’ve followed at home.

Trent Thornton became the eighth different Cub reliever with a save in the first half. Anyone know the Cub record for different players recording saves in a season is? An even harder search would be what the record is at the intersection of most different players with a save and fewest saves. This was the team’s 12th save among 44 wins. Eight players to record 12 saves. Oh and the third intersection? The team is actually good, definitely record wise.

The Cubs swept a season series with the Mets for the first time since 2015. World Series championship in 2027 confirmed. Get your tickets now and place your bets. Surely there is some causation/correlation there, right? This team has so many contradictions. It’s a crazy wild ride. 10 wins in 13 games to finish the first half. Put otherwise, in two stretches, totaling 36 games, they won 30. In the other 45 games, they won 14. 83 percent winning percentage on the peaks and 33 percent winning percentage in the valleys. Unbelievable.

There are so many contradictions that I don’t know what to think of this team. The sum appears better than the parts. I somehow think this team ended up underachieving in the first half while also headed for a second half collapse due to the absolute lack of any frontline pitching. You can’t reasonably expect any of Cade Horton, Justin Steele, Ben Brown or Edward Cabrera to make significant contributions the remainder of this season. How is this team not headed for collapse?

And at the same time, I feel like a fool if I totally write this team off. Their offense has been one of the better units and I could argue they’ve underperformed. Is anyone other than Pete Crow-Armstrong having a particularly good season offensively? Other than being elite at taking walks, this offense hasn’t been that good. Is that modern baseball? Or should they actually be better in the second half? Can they hit enough to stay competitive? I don’t know how good this team really is. But I do know they are a lot of fun to follow. You know, other than when they make you want to pull your hair out.

Three Positives:

  • Pete Crow-Armstrong had two of the Cubs six hits. He drove in the decisive run with a 10th inning double.
  • Caleb Thielbar had a perfect eighth inning. He struck out two.
  • Trent Thornton locked down the 10th inning, facing the minimum.

Game 81, June 25: Cubs 4, Mets 3 (44-37)

Reminder: Heroes and Goats are determined by WPA scores and are in no way subjective.

THREE HEROES:

  • Superhero: Trent Thornton (.445). IP, 3 BF (Sv 1)
  • Hero: Matthew Boyd (.249). 4.2 IP, 21 BF, 4 H, 4 BB, 0 ER, 4 K
  • Sidekick: Pete Crow-Armstrong (.242). 2-5, 2B, RBI

THREE GOATS:

  • Billy Goat: Hoby Milner (-.258). 0 IP, 3 BF, 3 H, ER
  • Goat: Michael Busch (-.122). 1-5
  • Kid: Dansby Swanson (-.108). 0-4, R

WPA Play of the Game: Pete Crow-Armstrong’s RBI-double with one out in the tenth. (.290)

Mets Play of the Game: Jared Young’s solo homer off of Phil Maton leading off the seventh inning. (.237)

Cubs Player of the Game:

Game 79 Winner: Dansby Swanson received 148 of 153 votes.

Game 80 Winner: Dansby Swanson received 103 of 144 votes.

Rizzo Award Standings: (Top 5/Bottom 5)

The award is named for Anthony Rizzo, who finished first in this category three of the first four years it was in existence and four times overall. He also recorded the highest season total ever at +65.5. The point scale is three points for a Superhero down to negative three points for a Billy Goat.

  • Pete Crow-Armstrong +21
  • Michael Busch +18
  • Ben Brown +13.5
  • Carson Kelly +12.5
  • Trent Thornton +11.5
  • Jacob Webb/Jameson Taillon -8
  • Edward Cabrera -9.5
  • Phil Maton -10
  • Caleb Thielbar -13
  • Seiya Suzuki -22.5

Up Next: It’s best to not think about this weekend series. The Cubs won four straight and nine of 13 and then charitably forfeited the next three. Win one. Any one. That would be such a triumph at this point. Colin Rea (5-5, 4.99) vs. Jacob Misiorowski (8-3, 1.45). A totally reasonable matchup. A great way to spend my Friday night. Have I ever mentioned I have friends there who are rabid Brewers fans (and Packers and everything else Wisconsin, woohoo). Yep. There are going to be no unreasonable takes on a Friday night.

Gonna have to sweep this series to keep rolling to 10 straight. Those are the rules, right?

Posted on

Takeaways from Henri Veesaar’s NBA Draft plummet

BROOKLYN, NY - JUNE 24: Henri Veesaar is selected fifty-second overall during the 2026 NBA Draft - Round Two on June 24, 2026 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

When a kid from Estonia grows up dreaming of being in the NBA, that decision goes well beyond simple salary math. A NBA team or teams, possibly the Lakers and/or Knicks, likely gave Veesaar’s representatives a strong indication they valued him as a first round pick. Veesaar recently married, and after three years of college life, a desire for a change in lifestyle would be completely understandable. The NBA Draft values potential more than anything else, and a player’s age plays a role in those calculations. Henri turned 22 in March, and a 23 year old Veesaar is slightly less valuable than a 22 year old Veesaar, all other things being equal. Veesaar had these and other reasons, all totally valid, to go. What done is done. Godspeed, Henri. Knock ’em dead.

That said, dropping to pick 52 in the draft could mean a financial difference as much as $10 million over the next two seasons. The math on that is simple. First, Matt Norlander of CBS Sports reports UNC offered Veesaar $5 million or more for next season.

Second, the recent change in NCAA rules eligibility, the “5 for 5” rule, means Henri would have had two more seasons of college eligibility. Assuming good health, Veesaar in retrospect had the option of two years at $5+ million each. Third, Alex Toohey, last year’s pick 52, signed a non-guaranteed G-league deal with the Golden State Warriors worth around $600,000. Injured in December, the Warriors cut him, so Toohey realized only around $170,000 of that contract. That’s a $10 million difference.

We’ll get into the particulars of Veesaar’s drop in a bit, but his example seems worth discussion because UNC likely will have plenty of players facing similar decisions and dilemmas moving forward. The conversation for next year’s draft already includes three players on next season’s roster: Nikolas Avdalas, Sayon Keita, and Matt Able. They will all likely face choices similar to Veesaar’s. As fans, there’s also the small matter of gnashing our teeth every time we’re watching a tight game or monitoring the NET standings, wondering whether Henri’s return would have meant a better result. Taking the time to better understand a dynamic that likely to impact UNC men’s basketball every season moving forward seems worth the time.

The following moves back and forth between what we suspect and what we know, labelled accordingly. The speculation isn’t an attempt to point fingers without evidence. It’s just conjecture along the lines of the way NBA front offices can operate.

Speculation. A player with $5 million or more on the table in college likely needs solid evidence that a NBA tam values him enough to forego that guaranteed money, no matter how done they are with college classrooms or how much they dream of being in the NBA. Let’s pretend that a team promises to draft him late in the first round, say, the Lakers at pick 25. Perhaps no one makes him a promise, but more than one team – add the Knicks here – indicates a desire to add Veesaar with a late first round or early second round pick.

Known: Last year’s pick 25, Jase Richardson of the Orlando Magic, signed a four year contract worth more than $15 million, with more than $6 million of that guaranteed over the first two years. So, yes, the 25th pick in the NBA draft actually represents a pay cut from what a college player in Henri’s situation stands to make. If you’re wondering why so many underclassmen projected in the latter half of the first round opted to return to school, there’s one highly relevant data point. “Let’s make more money next season than I would in the NBA, with hopes of moving up in next season’s draft.” That comes with risks, most notably injury. Choosing the NBA in this situation means slightly less money in the short term, but it allows a player to train full-time in a fully professional setting, minus the demands of college. It gets a player firmly onto a NBA roster. It gets a player to a second contract sooner. It amounts to a player making a long-term bet on themselves, and that’s hard to condemn a guy for.

Speculation: This in turn assumes the front offices aren’t just blowing smoke or more fluid behind the scenes than they’re willing to reveal. Let’s say the Knicks, fresh off a title, restructure their off-season strategy and decide to keep trading down, taking a couple of two-way assets in the 2nd round rather than adding a first rounder to the roster. Let’s say the Lakers front office also likes Cameron Carr, a center from Baylor with better defensive upside, but doesn’t expect him to be on the board when their turn rolls around. Turns out Carr is, and the Lakers trade up from 25 to 24 to nab him.

Known: The Lakers picking Carr at 24, and then the Knicks trading away both picks 24 and 25 for future assets, was the point things went off the rails for Veesaar. Most mocks assumed one of those two teams would be Veesaar’s first round landing spot. With the first round done and Veesaar still waiting, Henri became a hot topic. Pundits talked about Veesaar as a first round talent and steal as an early second round pick. Jeremy Woo of ESPN said he expected the Knicks to take Veesaar with pick 31, with the caveat that the Knicks didn’t keep trading away their picks. Which the Knicks did, sending the pick to Houston.

Speculation: Veesaar and his agent at this point want some sort of guaranteed deal, but the teams picking at the top of the second round don’t need bigs. 10 of the first 15 picks in the second round go for guards, and the other five choose forwards. Word leaks that Veesaar’s agent tells teams that if they want to draft Veesaar, they better be willing to offer him a contract with more than one guaranteed year.

Known: The Lakers trade back into the second round at 56, with the conventional wisdom that Veesaar’s their aim. Once the Hawks jump into the 52 spot and take Henri, the Lakers trade that pick away.

Speculation: Veesaar and the Hawks worked something out better than the Lakers were offering. While the details of a Hawks-Veesaar agreement remain unknown, the NBA doesn’t have firm salary slots for picks in the second round. Remember pick 52 mentioned above, the one Golden State signed to a non-guaranteed $600,000 and then cut? Those same Warriors at pick 56, four picks later, took Will Richard and signed him to a four year deal at $8.7 million, with $3.4 million of that guaranteed over two years (hat tip LCS70). That’s in line with what other picks near the top of the second round negotiated. Richard appeared in 69 games for the Warriors, averaging 20 minutes, 6.4 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.2 steals.

So, if Veesaar’s agent was able to work out something like that for Veesaar, then Veesaar’s still making good money in a stable roster spot and launching his NBA career. It wouldn’t be what he’d hoped for when all the mocks had him as a first round pick, but it would be far better than a G-league two-way deal with no guarantees. At some point, the details of Veesaar’s contract will be made public. Until then, we can only hope things worked out for the big guy. Either way, however, the fact remains Veesaar would have been far more valuable to UNC this season and next than he turned out to be to any NBA team.

So, even if Veesaar avoided a worst-case scenario and still parlayed his talent into a firm footing in the NBA, his story remains a cautionary tale for future Tar Heels faced with similar choices. Way-too-early mock drafts for 2027 already include Keita and Able as potential first rounders, with Avdalas in the mix in the next tier of 30 draft candidates. Will one of those be in position to make far more money in college than the NBA? Will their agents be able to accurately read between the lines in communications with NBA front offices? Will one of them confidently step into the draft as a consensus first rounder, only to find themselves scrambling to create value as their leverage rapidly dwindles?

For fans, it only adds to the frustration of following the Tar Heels and college sports. Should Henri have taken much better money to return to Carolina, a return which would have unquestionably raised both the ceiling and floor for next season? Selfishly: of course. If Able, Keita, or Avdalas play their way into legitimate late first round consideration, will Veesaar’s example influence their perspective? Hopefully. Should fans have to worry about the portal on the one hand and the NBA on the other decimating their team every season? Selfishly: no.

Regardless, it remains something Tar Heel fans will need to get used to. Landing elite players with NBA potential makes Final Fours possible. It also means other teams, both college and NBA, dangling temptation in front of those players. This saga may yet have a happy ending for Veesaar, but it leaves fans with a very real “what if” that will inevitably color the coming season.

Posted on

Diamondbacks activate Max Kepler from restricted list after 80-game suspension

ST. LOUIS — The Arizona Diamondbacks activated outfielder Max Kepler from the restricted list following his completion of an 80-game suspension for testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug.

Kepler, who signed a free agent deal with the Diamondbacks on June 7, hit .333 with two home runs in 10 minor league games. He was fifth in the batting order and played left field for the Diamondbacks against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Kepler was suspended in January for a positive test for Epitrenbolone, a metabolite of Trenbolone that’s contained in some products used in body-building stores and has been used in products to promote cattle growth. Kepler was the first player suspended by MLB for the substance since public announcements of the penalty details began in 2005.

“It’s a great opportunity for him,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. “I’m glad that he’s here. … He’s been working his tail off to get back here as soon as possible, and the fact that he’s in this lineup tonight is not surprising to any of us. He’s going to go out there and help us win a baseball game by impacting it the right way.”

Kepler, 33, hit .216 with 18 homers and 52 RBIs with Philadelphia last year after agreeing to a one-year, $10 million contract. He was slowed in 2024 by left patellar tendinitis and had core surgery after the season to repair a sports hernia.

He has a .235 average with 179 home runs and 560 RBIs over an 11-year career.

“I don’t know what happened, but he paid his penalty,” Lovullo said. “He served it, and he’s here, and he wants to show the world that he can still play this game at a very high level.”

To make room for Kepler on the 40 man, the Diamondbacks moved RHP Ryne Nelson (strained right elbow) to the 60-day disabled list. Arizona also optioned OF Tim Tawa and LHP Mitch Bratt to Triple-A Reno and recalled RHP Juan Burgos.

Posted on

Cubs vs Brewers Prediction, Picks & Odds for Tonight's MLB Game

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.

It's Jacob Misiorowski day, which means the Milwaukee Brewers are predictably monstrous -260 moneyline favorites.

With a massive pitching advantage, my Cubs vs. Brewers predictions and MLB picks are attacking the Brewers on the run line. 

Who will win Cubs vs Brewers today: Milwaukee Brewers -1.5 (-115)

The Milwaukee Brewers have advantages everywhere in this game.

They’ve had a more potent offense than the Chicago Cubs over the course of the season, and the recent numbers are better as well.

Milwaukee ranks fourth in wOBA and OPS against right-handed pitching in June. Even with recent improvements, Chicago sits 16th and 18th over the same period.

The Brewers have a massive pitching edge with Jacob Misiorowski starting opposite Colin Rea. Misiorowski ranks in the 100th percentile in Pitcher Run Value and has allowed only three earned runs over his last nine starts.

Back Milwaukee on the RL to -135.

Cubs vs Brewers Over/Under pick: Under 7.5 (-125)

Misiorowski has allowed 0.33 runs per start since May 1, making it impossible for any offense to get going in the slightest.

He faced the Cubs during that stretch and pitched six innings of shutout ball while striking out eight batters. Predictably, that game went Under 7.5 runs.

I don’t see the Cubs scoring more than a run or two here, which puts a lot of pressure on the Brewers to score in bulk.

I expect a 5-1 type of game, and see plenty of value on an Under of 7.5 runs. Bet to -140.

Todd Cordell's 2026 Transparency Record
  • ML/RL bets: 42-31, +2.20 units
  • Over/Under bets: 38-31-4, +3.24 units

Cubs vs Brewers weather

Clear to partly cloudy skies are expected tonight with temperatures dipping into the mid-fifties tonight. 

Cubs vs Brewers odds

  • Moneyline: Cubs +210 | Brewers -260
  • Run line: Cubs +1.5 (+100) | Brewers -1.5 (-120)
  • Over/Under: Over 7.0 (-125) | Under 7.0 (+105)

Cubs vs Brewers trend

Milwaukee has hit the run line in 23 of the last 40 home games (+10.25 units, 22% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Cubs vs. Brewers.

How to watch Cubs vs Brewers and game info

LocationAmerican Family Field, Milwaukee, WI
DateFriday, June 26, 2026
First pitch7:45 p.m. ET
TVApple TV
Cubs starting pitcherColin Rea
(5-5, 4.99 ERA)
Brewers starting pitcherJacob Misiorowski
(8-3, 1.45 ERA)

Cubs vs Brewers latest injuries

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.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

Posted on

Colorado Avalanche NHL Draft Guide: Needs, Targets And Top Fits

The Colorado Avalanche enter the 2026 NHL Draft with 10 selections, including Nos. 43, 74, 126, 128, 149, 152, 195, 214, 215, and 222.

After a stretch of aggressive roster maneuvering, Joe Sakic has steadily rebuilt Colorado’s draft capital as part of a broader reset of the organization’s prospect pipeline. Moves such as sending Ross Colton and Isak Posch to the Nashville Predators for two third-round picks, followed by the deal that sent star winger Valeri Nichushkin to the Columbus Blue Jackets for three additional selections, have significantly expanded the Avalanche’s draft flexibility heading into 2026.

Even after those moves, the Avalanche still have clear roster gaps to address. Chief among them is a need for added center depth and more physical presence down the middle.

43. Liam Lefebvre, C.

Lefebvre could come off the board before the Avalanche even get a chance to pick, but if he’s still available, Colorado should not hesitate. The Montreal native is a hard-charging, physical forward who can slide into multiple roles and contribute in different situations. He finished the season with 32 goals and 27 assists for 59 points in 59 regular-season games split between the Océanic and Saguenéens, and added 12 points in 20 playoff games.

If Lefebvre is gone, however, Colorado may pivot to Alessandro Di Iorio—and that wouldn’t be a downgrade. In many ways, Di Iorio could be an even cleaner fit within the Avalanche system. He brings a strong mix of speed, physical play, vision, and a dangerous shot, allowing him to impact the game in multiple ways. Over the years, Colorado has consistently leaned toward versatile forwards like Di Iorio, making him a natural target in their draft approach.

74. Lucas Ambrosio, D. 

Ambrosio profiles as a defensive-minded defenseman who moves well and still has some untapped potential on the offensive side of the puck. He has the skating ability to keep up with quicker forwards, while also bringing a large frame that allows him to close gaps and knock opponents off the puck.

For a Colorado blue line that could stand to get tougher, Ambrosio fits the mold. He brings a physical edge, plays with structure in his own zone, and projects as a steady, defensive presence.

126. Sawyer Dingman, LW. 

Dingman offers the kind of size that can't be taught. At 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds, the Edmonton, Alberta native plays a physical, north-south game while showing the skating ability and offensive tools to develop further. His upside made him a player worth watching throughout the draft process, finishing No. 145 on NHL Central Scouting's final rankings among North American skaters.

128. Giorgos Pantelas, D. 

Pantelas projects as a potential two-way defenseman with the tools to grow into a puck-moving role. He has decent skating ability and can contribute to transition play, including joining or leading rushes when given space. However, his skating still needs refinement before it reaches a reliable NHL level.

The biggest concern in his game is how he handles pressure. When facing an aggressive forecheck, he can get rushed into mistakes and will occasionally cough up possession in his own zone. Improving his decision-making and composure under pressure will be key to unlocking his full potential.

149. Dmitri Yakutsenak, C.

Yakutsenak's game is defined by his skating as well as his excellent puck control and sharp offensive instincts. At 6'1 and 201 pounds, Yakutsenak uses his size well on the ice to win board battles and is known for being effective on the power play from the bumper spot.

152. Joby Baumuller, LW. 

Baumuller is a hard-charging checking forward who excels in the forechecking role, using his positioning and hockey sense to disrupt opposing plays and force turnovers. His ability to read and react to breakouts is a key strength, as he consistently gets into effective lanes to take away time and space or steer his opponents into traps. Baumuller’s excellent stick work keeps defenders alert, and he frequently comes close to intercepting passes, adding pressure to the opposition’s breakout. This player has a little bit of Valeri Nichushkin and Devon Toews.

195. Michel Myloserdnyy, D. 

The Avalanche appear to be shifting toward a more physical identity this season, targeting players who make life difficult for opponents. Myloserdnyy fits that mold perfectly. At 18 years old, he already stands 6-foot-7 and weighs close to 230 pounds, and he doesn’t hesitate to engage physically or step into confrontations. He brings a clear edge to his game and projects as a heavy, intimidating presence on the ice.

214. Danil Sysoyev, C.

Sysoyev projects as a reliable two-way center with the tools to develop into an effective fourth-line player at the NHL level. He's strong in the faceoff circle, moves the puck well, and makes smart, simple plays with possession. While his offensive upside appears limited, his hockey IQ, passing ability, and defensive reliability give him a solid foundation

215. Adel Kalimullin, RW

Kalimullin plays with relentless energy and isn't afraid to throw his body around, delivering big open-ice hits while constantly pressuring opponents. He's an aggressive player who attacks with speed and creates offense through his motor, but his game can get rushed at times. As he continues to refine his puck-handling and learns to better control the pace of play, he should cut down on unnecessary mistakes and become a more consistent offensive threat.

222. Darian Anderson, RW.

Anderson profiles as a reliable depth forward who has a knack for slipping through defensive coverage and finding soft areas in coverage. He does a lot of his damage around the net, tracking down loose pucks and capitalizing on rebound opportunities that can swing momentum in tight games.

Image
Posted on

Giannis Antetokounmpo makes first public appearance since trade to Heat

Giannis Antetokounmpo made his first public appearance since his blockbuster trade to the Miami Heat, attending SNF Nostos 2026, an international festival celebrating culture, sports, and social good, hosted by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation in Athens.

Antetokounmpo took the stage alongside Olympic medalist Emmanouil Karalis, joining Stavros Niarchos Foundation Co-President Andreas Dracopoulos for a wide-ranging conversation. The trio discussed the values underpinning athletic excellence and how these principles could inspire athletes to give back, strengthen their communities, and create opportunities for future generations.

Antetokounmpo did not take any questions about his trade to the Heat, and instead he focused on his philanthropic work off the court.

"I came from nothing. Growing up, my family relied on community organizations for food and basic necessities. I remember asking why these people helped us, and they said it was from the heart," Antetokounmpo reflected. "As a kid, I didn’t grasp the meaning, but now I understand the power of compassion and generosity. We may not be able to solve every problem, but we can always do something to ease someone’s load."

More: Giannis Antetokounmpo traded to Heat in blockbuster deal with Bucks

During the event, Antetokounmpo revealed that a conversation with former U.S. President Barack Obama was a turning point for him. Obama encouraged him to use his platform not just for personal success, but to advocate for causes he believes in and inspire others to dream big. This guidance motivated Antetokounmpo to step outside his comfort zone, raise awareness for critical issues that shaped his childhood, and instill hope in people.

"Although I prefer to keep my personal life private, that conversation made me realize the importance of speaking out and sharing my journey and platform," Antetokounmpo said. "I’m extremely proud of the foundation and the real difference it’s making in people’s lives."

Those early experiences shaped Antetokounmpo’s deep commitment to making a difference beyond basketball. In 2022, he and his family established the Charles Antetokounmpo Family Foundation in honor of his late father. The foundation’s mission spans three places he considers home: Milwaukee, Greece and Nigeria, providing food security, access to education, youth sports programs and emergency relief.

The two-time NBA MVP appearance comes after being traded from the Milwaukee Bucks to the Miami Heat in exchange for five future picks and four players. The trade involves Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis going to the Heat, while the Bucks receive Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, three first-round picks (including the No. 13 overall pick in this year's draft), a pick swap in 2030, and a second-round pick in 2033.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Giannis Antetokounmpo makes first public appearance since trade to Heat

Posted on

Get to know Andy Green, Mets' interim manager for remainder of 2026 season

The Mets fired manager Carlos Mendoza on Friday morning, and named Andy Green his interim replacement.  

Here's everything you need to know about Green...

His most recent role

Green comes down from the Mets' front office, having served as the team's vice president for player development since before the 2024 season. In that role, he oversaw the entire farm system and minor league operations. 

Past managerial experience

Green does have some experience in the managers' seat, having previously served as the head man for the Padres for close to three seasons until he was fired late in the 2019 campaign. 

San Diego was in the midst of a rebuild during his time there, and he led them to a 274-366 record. 

Following his departure, he joined David Ross' staff as the Cubs' bench coach, a role that he filled until Chicago decided to bring in Craig Counsell to replace Ross, ultimately bringing him to the Big Apple. 

Playing career

Green was selected by the Diamondbacks in the 24th round of the 2000 MLB Draft. He was a consistent .300 hitter throughout his journey through the minors, and ended up making his big league debut during the 2004 season.

Green, a utility man, never quite stuck as a regular in the majors and ended up taking his talents over to Japan, where he played for the Nippon Ham Fighters for a year. 

He spent time in the Reds organization upon his return to the U.S., then ended up back at the big league level with the Mets for a very brief stint during the 2009 season. 

Green had 46 hits in 230 at-bats during his four MLB seasons. 

Posted on

Astros Legends Series 29: Trever Miller

30 May 1998: Trever Miller of the Houston Astros in action during a game against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field in Denver, Colorado. The Rockies defeated the Astros 6-3. Mandatory Credit: Brian Bahr /Allsport | Getty Images

Trever Miller pitched 13 seasons in the majors.   He’d appear in 230 games as a reliever for the Astros and was a member of the 98′ squad that won 102 games.   Trever joins us exclusively at The Crawfish Boxes.     

Q:  You came to Houston as part of a big trade.    Where were you when you heard the news?   

A:  I remember exactly where I was.   I was in the hospital; my son was born the day before that.   I was actually holding him and taking the phone call, and they told me I was traded.   At the time, I could care less, I was just caught up in the emotions of welcoming my son into the world.    I was a proud papa at the time.    

Q:  How much did you know about Houston?

A:  I didn’t know anything, really.   I had never been there before.   I was east coast, brought up through the Tigers organization so I had never really been over there but once I got there, I fell in love with the town and the people.   

Q:  You came to a good situation as well.    That 1998 team was one of the greatest assembled in franchise history.  What do you most remember about that season?

A:  1998 was fantastic.  We had a lot of future Hall of Famers, and we won lots of ball games.   That was my first experience in the playoffs and focusing on the playoff picture.   

I was the long man that season coming out of the bullpen, and I went 18 days without getting into a ballgame.   That’s how good our starters were.   I had to go and do short bullpen sessions with the burn rule just to try to stay sharp.    

Q:  What happened when you finally got in after such a long layoff?

A:  We were playing in Montreal.   I’m going back to the hotel with Sean Bergman, who’s scheduled to start the next day.   I said to him “tomorrow, you go six innings and get the win by a score of 10-0, and I’ll come in the final three innings and close it out to get my first save.”      

Well, it turns out that he pitched six innings, the score was actually 8-0, he left in the 7th with the bases loaded, I came in and got out of that jam by some miracle (laughs) and I pitch two more innings to get the save.  In the process, I also got my first big league hit.    I hit a double, and that wound up being the 10th run scored.   I got my first hit and my first save in the same game!     I also pitched for the first time in 18 days!

Q:  Did you like playing for Phil Garner? 

A:  I did.   Phil used me a ton.   The end of one year I had like 76 appearances.    

At the end of that season, Phil looked me right in the eye and said, “I rode you pretty hard this last month, didn’t I?”    I was like “yes you did, I did my best.”    

So, I get home, and I go to do my first off-season workout, and I can barely even lift a 10 lb. dumbbell to curl.    My arm was fried and I spent that whole offseason just trying to get back to neutral.    

Q:  What do you think of pitching today?

A:  The fans seem to love it, so I like it for them.   I think there’s too many reviews and I hate the pitcher’s clock.  My wife thinks that the clock has created a deal where the romance of baseball is gone.   I tend to agree with that.   

I don’t see pitching anymore, I see guys trying to throw it as hard as they can.   I don’t think I’d get a look from a scout if I only threw in the low 90’s which is what I threw back then.    

Q:  Final question.  Jose Lima was one of your teammates.   Do you have a favorite story about Lima? 

A:  We came up together with Detroit.   We had a guy that would serve soup to us in the fall league.   Jose was always loud and boisterous.    We all loved him, but he irked some of the older people.    

So, we are going through the soup line one day, and the man pours soup into our bowls and Lima says something that the man doesn’t like and he takes the giant soup spoon and hits him right over the head with it!   (laughs).   Soup went flying everywhere.

Jose wanted to fight him, we had to hold him back, we were all dying laughing.    It was the funniest thing I’d ever seen.  

Posted on

Astros vs Tigers Prediction, Picks & Odds for Tonight's MLB Game

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.

The Houston Astros were able to grind out a 2-1 win in the series opener Thursday night.

While Detroit is slightly favored to even things up Friday, my Astros vs. Tigers predictions and MLB picks see value in backing the road team.

Who will win Astros vs Tigers today: Houston Astros (+100)

Spencer Arrighetti was borderline untouchable the first couple of months despite rocky numbers beneath the surface. 

The pendulum has swung a little too far the other way over the last month, with Arrighetti posting a 5.79 ERA despite a respectable 3.89 FIP.

He is poised to get back on track against the Detroit Tigers, who sit 26th in wOBA vs. righties the past two weeks.

The Houston Astros rank 16th in wOBA and eighth in ISO during the same period. They should cause trouble for Keider Montero, whose 4.68 xFIP signals regression is coming. 

Back Houston to -115.

Covers COVERS INTEL:Montero ranks in the the 13th percentile in K%, which should lead to a lot of balls put in play by an Astros attack sitting eighth in hard hit rate vs. righties the past two weeks.

Astros vs Tigers Over/Under pick: Under 9.0 (-115)

The Astros have struggled to deliver ceiling-level offensive performances, scoring four runs or fewer in eight of their last 10 games.

It’s been a similar story for the Tigers. They plated just 28 runs over the last nine games (3.11 per), eight of which came Under the pre-game total.

While Arrighetti and Montero have both pitched worse than their season outputs suggest, these are not the offenses to truly take advantage.

The bullpens are also in great shape, and each team sits Top-3 in bullpen FIP during the month of June.

Bet the Under to -125.

Todd Cordell's 2026 Transparency Record
  • ML/RL bets: 42-31, +2.2 units
  • Over/Under bets: 38-31-4, +3.24 units

Astros vs Tigers weather

Temperatures in the high 60s are expected with slight winds blowing inwards. Small boost to the pitchers.

Astros vs Tigers odds

  • Moneyline: Astros -105 | Tigers -115
  • Run line: Astros +1.5 (-210) | Tigers -1.5 (+170)
  • Over/Under: Over 9.0 (-105) | Under 9.0 (-115)

Astros vs Tigers trend

Houston has won 12 of the last 18 away games (+7.50 units, 40% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Astros vs. Tigers.

How to watch Astros vs Tigers and game info

LocationComerica Park, Detroit, MI
DateFriday, June 26, 2026
First pitch6:40 p.m. ET
TVSCHN, DSN
Astros starting pitcherSpencer Arrighetti
(7-3, 3.31 ERA)
Tigers starting pitcherKeider Montero
(3-5, 3.68 ERA)

Astros vs Tigers latest injuries

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.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

Posted on

Anaheim Ducks Offseason Rumor Roundup: 6/26/26

It’s Draft Day in the NHL, and this week has lived up to promises of years past from an entertainment standpoint. Tuesday was one of the most impactful landscape shakeup days in the history of the NHL, with four major trades finalized and the NHL coaching carousel finally coming to a stop for the time being. 

The Anaheim Ducks didn’t get in on the week’s trade action, but were able to re-sign young right-shot defenseman Ian Moore to a two-year, $1.15 million AAV contract. The Mason McTavish trade saga seems to be on the verge of a conclusion, but until then, here’s what some of the top NHL insiders have been reporting or speculating on when it comes to the Ducks this offseason. 

Ducks Sign Ian Moore to Two-Year Contract Extension

Anaheim Ducks 2026 Draft Preview

Mason McTavish

A McTavish trade seems imminent at this point in time. If a deal does go through, he’ll be the third straight former top-ten pick to take contract negotiations into a training camp following the expiration of his ELC, only to be eventually traded before that contract concluded. 

Anthony Di Marco from dailyfaceoff.com reported earlier in the week that the Calgary Flames and Philadelphia Flyers have either called or have been keeping tabs on McTavish’s availability.

“Among the teams who have called on McTavish are the Calgary Flames, Daily Faceoff was told. According to a team source, the Flames don’t feel like they have what the Ducks are looking for in exchange for McTavish; the same source said that Verbeek is looking to make ‘hockey deals,’” Di Marco reported in his column. 

“When speaking with an Eastern Conference executive, DFO was told McTavish’s value is not as high across the league as it was a season ago,” He continued

“One team who is believed to be keeping tabs on McTavish is the Philadelphia Flyers, who have been on the lookout to add a center all offseason. Despite McTavish playing on the wing for large stretches of last season, the Flyers believe he is a true center, according to a team source.”

It now seems the Ducks are deciding between two offers: one from the St. Louis Blues and one from the New York Rangers. Frank Seravalli first reported the Rangers’ involvement on Thursday evening, followed by TSN’s Pierre LeBrun and ESPN’s Emily Kaplan reporting that another offer was on the table from the Blues. 

SportsNet’s Elliotte Friedman furthered the reporting late Thursday night on his “32 Thoughts” podcast, when he hinted at potential pieces from each organization. 

“I think the Blues, one of the key parts of their offer, is the 11th overall pick, and the Rangers, it’s a player, I believe,” Friedman said. “I don’t want to guess the name of the player. I’m not sure”

Friedman went on to report Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek’s desire for win-now pieces as opposed to draft picks. 

“I don’t think the Ducks want picks. I think they want someone that can help them now,” Friedman continued/ “They’re in win-now mode. They want someone that can help them now. He (Verbeek) thinks he takes his time. So, we’re on his timetable, not ours. If I’m right about the St. Louis pick, the 11th overall pick, being the key part of their offer, I don’t think it’s necessarily something he wants to keep. So, if he does take the Blues offer, one of the things I think here, he might be saying, ‘Okay, I have the 11th pick, what can I do with it?’”

Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Citizen has connected McTavish to the Ottawa Senators throughout this process, reporting the organization’s interest. It appears now that the price has become too rich for the Sens. Friedman confirmed Garrioch’s report. 

“I don’t believe the Senators are in on McTavish. The asking price has gone up,” Garrioch reported on Twitter. 

“Ottawa, I heard, was in this. It was believed Ottawa had a lot of interest in Mason McTavish,” Friedman said. “There are a lot of ties in there. I think at the end of it, Verbeek liked what was being offered more from St. Louis and the Rangers.”

Defensemen

Last week, defenseman John Carlson relayed his intention to forgo re-signing with the Ducks after the organization traded for him at the 2026 trade deadline. It seems like the Tampa Bay Lightning are the frontrunners for Carlson, and fellow right-shot blueliners Radko Gudas and Jacob Trouba will likely join him in free agency. 

“Anaheim’s D, Carlson, is now going to market. I think a lot of people wouldn’t be surprised if he ended up in Tampa Bay,”  Friedman said. “Trouba, I think, is going to market, and it looks like Gudas is too. There was some talk about Gudas in Toronto. But I don’t think that’s going to be happening.”

Seravalli reported on Twitter that the Ducks are hoping to trade Carlson’s signing rights for a draft pick before the veteran defenseman hits the market. 

“Preference of the Ducks is to move the rights to John Carlson in exchange for a pick, but it sounds like the handful of teams interested in jumping the queue for the top free agent D have irons in the fire at the moment,” Seravalli tweeted.

Finally, the Ducks have been connected to Blues defenseman Colton Parayko since the trade deadline, but Seravalli reported via Twitter that the Blues have removed Parayko from the trade block and are no longer taking calls on him. 

“One player coming off the trade targets board today is Colton Parayko. The Blues have told inquiring teams Parayko is unavailable, same answer for Robert Thomas,” Seravalli said. 

Ducks Assistant GM Martin Madden on 2026 NHL Draft, Prospects & More

Revisiting the Ryan Poehling-Trevor Zegras Trade

Posted on

Mariners vs. Guardians prediction: Odds, recent stats, trends, and best bets for June 26

The Mariners and Guardians open a weekend three‑game set tonight in Cleveland. The Guardians are home after salvaging the final game of their three-game series against the White Sox. Cleveland won, 4-3, in ten innings last night. Cade Smith gave up solo home runs to B Montgomery and Randal Grichuk to blow a 3-1 lead last night but Cleveland prevailed in the tenth thanks to a Kahlil Watson single that scored Petey Halpin. The Mariners dropped their second straight in Pittsburgh last night. Bubba Chandler was elusive last night, limiting the Mariners to one run over 5.1 innings despite giving up five hits and walking three hitters. Seattle was 1-10 with runners in scoring position as they fell back to .500 for the season (41-41). The Mariners have scored three or fewer runs in 11 straight games.

 

It is not surprising that the season series between Seattle and Cleveland is tied 2–2 heading into tonight’s matchup. Both teams have shown similar statistical profiles on the mound and at the plate. Seattle owns a .231 team batting average with 100 home runs, while Cleveland sits at .228 with 75 homers. Seattle carries a 3.71 ERA (5th in MLB), and Cleveland follows closely with a 3.79 ERA (6th).

 

Tonight’s pitching matchup features Luis Castillo for Seattle and Joey Cantillo for Cleveland. Castillo enters at 2–6 with a 5.22 ERA, 69 strikeouts, and a 1.40 WHIP across 70.2 innings. Cantillo’s season has been far more positive with an overall record of 6–3, a 4.05 ERA, 76 strikeouts, and an identical 1.40 WHIP over 80 innings.

 

Seattle’s hottest hitter over the last week plus is Dominic Canzone. The fact he is considered a hot hitter despite going just 8‑for‑30 in his last 10 games is a testament to just how bad Seattle has been at the plate. Julio Rodríguez is 3-9 over the last two games but is hitting a mere .198 in June. Cleveland’s Travis Bazzana is 11‑for‑36 with two doubles, three home runs, and seven RBI over his last 10 games.

 

Lets dive into tonight’s matchup and find a sweat or two.

 

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

 

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

 

Game Details and How to Watch: Mariners vs. Guardians

 

  • Date: Friday, June 26, 2026
  • Time: 7:10PM EST
  • Site: Progressive Field
  • City: Cleveland, OH
  • Network/Streaming: MLB.TV, Mariners.TV, CLEGuardians.TV

 

Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.

 

The Latest Odds: Mariners vs. Guardians

The latest odds as of Friday courtesy of DraftKings:

  • Moneyline: Seattle Mariners (-108), Cleveland Guardians (-112)
  • Spread: Mariners -1.5 (+153), Guardians +1.5 (-187)
  • Total: 7.5 runs

 

Probable Starting Pitchers and their Stats: Mariners vs. Guardians for June 26

  • Mariners: Luis Castillo
    Season Totals: 70.2 IP, 2-6, 5.22 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 69K, 25 BB
  • Guardians: Joey Cantillo
    Season Totals: 80.0 IP, 6-3, 4.05 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 76K, 37 BB

Who’s Hot? Who’s Not! Mariners vs. Guardians

  • Josh Naylor picked up at least 1 hit in each of the 3 games against Pittsburgh (5-11)
  • Randy Arozarena is just 2-20 over his last 6 games
  • Cal Raleigh has hit in 3 straight games (3-12)
  • Brayan Rocchio was 4-14 in the 3 games against the White Sox earlier this week
  • Rocchio is 9-30 over his last 7 games
  • Kyle Manzardo was 1-9 against the White Sox
  • Steven Kwan was 3-8 against the White Sox the past 2 games after going hitless in his previous 4 games (0-8)

Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Top Betting Trends & Insights: Mariners vs. Guardians

  • The Mariners are an MLB-worst 31-51 on the Run Line this season
  • The Guardians are 43-38 on the Run Line this season
  • The OVER has cashed 39 times in Cleveland’s 81 games this season (39-42)
  • The OVER has cashed 39 times in the Mariners’ 82 games this season (39-40-3)

 

Expert picks & predictions: Mariners vs. Guardians

Rotoworld Bet Best Bet

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

 

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

 

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

 

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for today’s game between the Mariners and the Guardians:

  • Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is recommending a play on the Guardians on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Run Line.
  • Total: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Game Total OVER 7.5.

 

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

  • Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
  • Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
  • Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
  • Trysta Krick (@Trysta_Krick)
Posted on

2026 NHL Mock Draft: Top 16 Projections With Devils Adding Future Star Forward

The National Hockey League is set to host the 2026 NHL Draft in Buffalo, New York, over the course of the weekend. The first round will take place on Friday night, while the rest of the event will take place on Saturday. 

The Toronto Maple Leafs are currently on the clock for another day, as they will make the first overall pick. They will be followed by the San Jose Sharks, who won the second lottery spot. The Vancouver Canucks, who had finished in last place in the league in 2025-26, will round out the top three. 

Although the New Jersey Devils had a lackluster season, the 12th overall pick is a decent consolation prize. They may use the selection on a player that they believe will help them down the line, or they will trade it for immediate help. 

Surrounding New Jersey's selection are the 16 picks that were involved in the lottery. Lots of parts have already been moved through trades this week, and more are sure to follow. This is a mock of all those lottery picks, including New Jersey's selection at 12:

1. Toronto Maple Leafs - Gavin McKenna, LW, Penn State

The Toronto Maple Leafs had one rough year and lucked into the top spot via the lottery. Now, they have the right to select Gavin McKenna, who has superstar NHL potential. 

2. San Jose Sharks - Ivar Stenberg, LW, Frolunda

After some moves made this week, the San Jose Sharks select Ivar Stenberg out of Sweden. They had some lottery luck once again, and now they have a legit star winger in the making coming to play with Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith. 

3. Vancouver Canucks - Caleb Malhotra, C, Brantford

The Vancouver Canucks could use some help down the middle of the ice in the short and long term. They address that need with their new head coach's son, Caleb Malhotra, at third overall. 

4. Buffalo Sabres via Chicago Blackhawks - Chase Reid, D, Sault St. Marie 

After trading Bowen Byram to the Chicago Blackhawks, the Buffalo Sabres have the fourth overall pick. With it, they use it on a defenseman in Chase Reid. One day, the hope for them will be that Reid is as good as Byram but much younger. 

5. New York Rangers - Carson Carels, D, Prince George

The New York Rangers have their pick of defensemen outside of Reid here, and they opt to go with Carsen Carels for a safer pick. 

6. Calgary Flames - Keaton Verhoeff, D, North Dakota 

The Calgary Flames need help everywhere, but they have a wonderful pipeline in the making. If Keaton Verhoeff, who has tremendous puck skills, can reach his potential at the pro level, the Flames will have an even brighter future. 

7. Seattle Kraken - Viggo Bjorck, RW, Djurgarden

The Seattle Kraken need a star with some offensive flair. They have had Artemi Panarin and Jason Robertson turn them down over the last couple of months, despite big money. Viggo Bjorck has that type of talent worth taking a risk on. 

8. Winnipeg Jets - Alberts Smits, D, Jujurit

The Winnipeg Jets have a wonderful ability to draft and develop defensemen. Alberts Smits, who is kind of a buffer to the next wave of blue-liners in the draft, makes great sense for the Jets organization. 

9. San Jose Sharks via Ottawa Senators via Florida Panthers - Daxon Rudolph, D, Prince Albert 

This pick has had its fair share of movement. It was supposed to belong to the Chicago Blackhawks, but then the Florida Panthers protected it by being in the bottom ten. Then, they traded it to the Ottawa Senators for Brady Tkachuk, who flipped it to the San Jose Sharks for William Eklund. If they use the second overall pick on a forward, which all signs point to, they are likely to use the ninth pick on a defenseman. Daxon Rudolph would be great for their organization. 

10. Nashville Predators - Tynan Lawrence, C, Boston University

The Nashville Predators take Tynan Lawrence here, who was once a top-three pick possibility. Boston University wasn't as smooth a transition for him, so his stock fell a little bit. A team like Nashville would love to take him on as a project who could become a star forward. 

11. St. Louis Blues - Oscar Hemming, RW, Boston College 

The St. Louis Blues have four picks in the first round, and three of them are in the lottery portion of the draft. They could go with any position at any time, especially with the needs that they have. Boston College forward Oscar Hemming is the selection for them here. With Jordan Kyrou gone, they will need eventual help up front. 

12. New Jersey Devils - Wyatt Cullen, F, USNTDP

The New Jersey Devils are, as currently constructed, a team designed to use their speed and skill. They didn’t score a lot of goals in 2025-26, and they’d like to stock their pipeline with players who can help them be a fast team over the course of the next few years. Wyatt Cullen is someone who fits that mold as a prospect. It will take some time to become a full-time NHL player, but he is worth considering if the Devils don’t trade the pick. 

13. New York Islanders - Ethan Belchetz, LW, Windsor

The New York Islanders made two incredible picks in the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft, headlined by rookie superstar Matthew Schaefer. Now, they can follow that up with a great selection in Ethan Belchetz of the Windsor Spitfires. 

14. Columbus Blue Jackets - Alexander Command, C, Orebro HK

The Columbus Blue Jackets have a lot of question marks within their organization, including Norris Trophy-winning defenseman Zach Werenski. For now, however, a forward in Alexander Command could help them brighten their future. 

15. St. Louis Blues via Detroit Red Wings - Malte Gustafsson, LD, HV71

The St. Louis Blues make their second of three picks within the top 16 using the 15th overall pick acquired in the Justin Faulk deal. Malte Gustafsson, a defenseman, helps them re-stock their prospects at the position as they retool. 

16. St. Louis Blues via Washington Capitals - Ryan Lin, D, Vancouver

Making consecutive picks is scheduled to be the reality for the Blues, as they also hold 16 from the aforementioned Jordan Kyrou deal. Another defenseman makes sense for them, and this time it's Ryan Lin. 

Image

Visit The Hockey News New Jersey Devils team site to stay up to date on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting on the article below on THN.com or by creating your own post in our community forum.

Posted on

Mets look to avoid further humiliation as they host Phillies

Jun 21, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies infielder Bryce Harper (3) forces out New York Mets outfielder Juan Soto (22) in the first inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

I don’t often struggle to write series previews. In fact, it’s often my favorite article to compile for Amazin’ Avenue. But I’m going to be honest, I’m struggling to even think about where to begin with this one. But here goes…after a truly horrific stretch of baseball, the New York Mets (34-47) welcome the division rival Philadelphia Phillies (45-36). The two teams squared off last weekend, with Philadelphia taking two out of three on their home turf, and the Mets will look to return the favor.

The Mets enter this series on a six-game skid, a losing streak which began against the Phillies and was exacerbated as the Mets endured a truly embarrassing sweep at the hands of the Cubs at Citi Field. The Mets ended up losing all seven games they played against the Cubs this year, including their three games at Wrigley Field in April.

Losing games is one thing, but these games were borderline noncompetitive, and each game had its own embarrassing component. After a Monday night rain out, the series kicked off in earnest on Tuesday with Kodai Senga putting the final nail in his own coffin by getting rocked once again. Senga, whose ERA now sits at 10.08 after seven starts, has found himself relegated to a bullpen role following his putrid season, but given his performance, you can excuse any Mets fan for being skeptical that this move will pay off.

Following their 9-6 loss on Tuesday, the team was swept in a double header on Wednesday. The winners of the day game (besides the Cubs) were the Norwegians, who captured the hearts and minds of New Yorkers everywhere. The losers, of course, were the Mets and Mets fans everywhere, who are subjected to watching this team. The Mets actually led 3-0 thanks to back-to-back homers from Jared Young and Francisco Alvarez, but the Cubs went on to score 10 unanswered runs. In the nightcap, the Mets’ infield made six (6!) errors en route to a 10-5 loss which was as demoralizing as it was deeply embarrassing.

The series concluded with the closest of the four matches, an extra innings loss on Thursday. The Mets were once again plagued by bad defense, which directly resulted in three unearned runs charged to Freddy Peralta’s final line. The first error came on a routine play that Ronny Mauricio, who was called up earlier that day, could not make, which kicked off a three-run inning for the Cubs. As Carlos Mendoza (now former manager of the Mets) said post game, the errors the team has been making, specifically the ones in this game, were extremely routine plays. Despite a two-run homer from Wagaman and another dinger from Young, the Mets fell in extra innings and ended up leaving a season-high 14 runners on base in the sweep-clinching defeat.

Dansby Swanson had a series for the ages against the Mets, driving in 15 home runs and hitting three homers across the four games. In fact, he was held hitless in the fourth game, so all of that offensive production came in the first three games. In the first game of the doubleheader alone, he hit two homers, including a grand slam, and drove in seven runs for Chicago, matching a career high.

On the bright side, Francisco Alvarez has begun to heat up offensively, hitting three homers in the series. He now has eight home runs and a .258/.326/.436 slash line on the season, with a 115 wRC+ and a 0.9 fWAR. Since returning from the IL on June 9, he’s hitting .294/.345/.529 with four homers and a 145 wRC+ in 14 games. At the very least, from the crop of youngsters that includes Ronny Mauricio, Mark Vientos, and Bretty Baty, Alvarez has at least provided you with something to feel good about, and he figures to be the only one from that group to factor into the future.

Any dreams of chasing a Wild Card spot have all but been dashed with this losing streak, as the vibes are literally lower than I can ever remember with this club. At the exact halfway point of the season, the Mets reside at 34-47, meaning that they’re on pace for 68 wins. If these trends continue, they would fail to win 70 games for the first time since the 2003 season, and it’s never a good thing to be compared to the Art Howe years. The Mets are currently 9.5 games back of the final playoff spot in the National League, but only two games ahead of the Rockies for the worst record in the league. They currently are tied for the sixth-worst record in baseball, which is important for MLB Draft Lottery odds, because if they snag a top-six spot of the MLB Draft order, they won’t be dropped ten spots due to the payroll penalty.

While David Stearns said he will evaluate the team’s situation with respect to them being buyers or sellers up until the August 3 deadline, the team has seemingly already made it known to the league that they are open for business with their first big move, which was moving on from long-time pitcher David Peterson. The club sent him across to the visitor’s clubhouse after Wednesday’s doubleheader sweep while acquiring an infield prospect in return. Peterson was a free agent so moving on made sense regardless of the team’s situation, but it does at least show that the club seems to be leaning towards the sellers route. With little left to play for on the field, all eyes will be fixated on the trade deadline as the Mets look to extract some value and build up their farm system to help build towards a (hopefully) better future.

And as we publish this article, the team announced “the departure of Carlos Mendoza”, meaning they will have yet another new manager. Andy Green will take over as the interim skipper for the remainder of the 2026 season. A lot more will be discussed about this in the coming days, you can be sure.

The Phillies are in a completely different spot from the Mets. They come in to this series as winners of seven of their last ten games and hold the top Wild Card spot in the National League, one game clear of the Cubs, who just walloped the Mets this week. After a really sluggish start, they are only four games behind the Braves for first place in the National League East. After firing their manager, Rob Thomson, following a 10-19 start, and inserting Don Mattingly into the interim role, Philadelphia is 35-17. After losing their first game to Washington in their recent four-game set, they won the last three, with each of them coming thanks to a ninth inning rally. In the two middle games, they were down to their final strike before erupting to steal the game from the Nats. Must be nice.

Friday, June 26: Zach Thornton vs. Zack Wheeler, 7:10 PM EDT on WPIX

Thornton (2026): 4.2 IP, 3 K, 2 BB, 1 HR, 8.31 ERA, 6.10 FIP, 207 ERA-

Thorton is making his second spot start for the Mets this season in place of the recently-departed David Peterson. In his one outing, he allowed four earned runs over 4 2/3 innings while striking out three and walking two against the Nationals on May 20, which resulted in a loss. In seven outings in Triple-A so far this season (including six starts), he owns a 4.80 ERA. He has struck out 29 and walked 14 across his 31 innings in Syracuse.

Wheeler (2026): 68.1 IP, 69 K, 18 BB, 8 HR, 2.11 ERA, 3.48 FIP, 50 ERA-

Wheeler’s last start came against the Mets on Sunday Night Baseball, and he picked up his seventh win of the 2026 campaign against just one loss. In that outing, he allowed two earned runs on four hits over 5 2/3 innings, and he struck out seven while walking three batters. In the month of June so far, he has three wins and has posted a 1.82 ERA and a 3.55 FIP in 24 2/3 innings. Opposing batters have managed just a .165 batting average and .559 OPS against him during this stretch, and he’ll look to finish the month off strong against his old club.

Saturday, June 27: Christian Scott vs. Alan Rangel, 7:10 PM EDT on SNY

Scott (2026): 40.2 IP, 47 K, 19 BB, 4 HR, 3.10 ERA, 3.84 FIP, 77 ERA-

This will be Scott’s first start in 15 days after he landed on the injured list with a right hip impingement. Perhaps the injury could help explain Scott’s trouble with the long ball in his last start, which came against the Cardinals on June 11 in a game the Mets eventually won. After surrendering just one home run across his first eight starts, he gave up three in the first two innings against the Cardinals, but was able to hold them at bay after that rough start. He ended up going 4 2/3 innings, allowing a season-high seven hits while striking out six and walking one. He did keep his streak of 18 starts allowing four runs or fewer to begin his major league career, which remains a Mets record. Scott has been the Mets’ best starter this year since making his return to the majors, leading the club with a 3.10 ERA.

Rangel (2026): 8.0 IP, 9 K, 0 BB, 1 HR, 2.25 ERA, 2.85 FIP, 53 ERA-

Rangel is a journeyman pitcher who made his major league debut with 11 innings across five outings for the Phillies last season. He signed as an international free agent in 2014 and bounced around from the Braves to the Angels to Philadelphia, where he finally got a chance at major league action. Saturday will mark his first major league start after making seven relief appearances over the past two season with the Phillies. He enters play having allowed two earned runs over eight innings pitched. His last time out, he pitched five innings and limited the Nationals to one run on five hits. He threw 72 pitches in that one (a career high in the majors), so he is probably in line to pitch between 70 and 80 pitches in this start.

Sunday, June 28: TBD vs. Jesús Luzardo, 1:40 PM EDT on SNY

TBD

The Mets could turn to Tobias Myers or a bullpen game on Sunday, unless they want to promote someone from the minors.

Luzardo (2026): 92.1 IP, 110 K, 30 BB, 9 HR, 4.39 ERA, 3.12 FIP, 104 ERA-

Luzardo has had a bit of an up-and-down year for Philadelphia, and June is a perfect encapsulation of his struggles. In two of his outings this month, he’s allowed five earned runs. In the other two, he’s allowed one earned run and two earned runs. In the latter, he matched his season high by going seven innings. Despite that, the club has won each of his last six starts and eight of his last ten. In his most recent outing, he settled for a no decision but did strike out a season-high 13 batters while allowing five earned runs on six hits over 6 2/3 innings against the Nationals. He is currently seventh among NL starting pitchers in innings pitched, and can be relied upon to give the team length, even when he is struggling.

Posted on

Astros Prospect Report: June 25th

HOUSTON, TEXAS - MAY 13: Lance McCullers Jr. #43 of the Houston Astros pitches in the fourth inning during a game against the Seattle Mariners at Daikin Park on May 13, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Houston Astros/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Another day of minor league baseball is in the books. See the results below. Check out the previous day’s recap here.

AAA: Sugar Land Space Cowboys (35-42) won 11-0 (BOX SCORE)

Sugar Land got on the board in the first inning scoring 2 runs on a Dezenzo RBI single and Ferreras RBI groundout. McCullers got a rehab start for Sugar Land and went 3 scoreless innings with 4 strikeouts. The offense got 2 more runs in the 7th on a Biggio RBI triple and Whitcomb RBI single. Sugar Land blew it open in the 8th scoring a run on a wild pitch, a Brooks grand slam, Cole walk and Spence walk. Hendrickson tossed 5 scoreless innings in relief and Fleury had a scoreless 9th to close out the 11-0 win.

Note: Biggio has a .858 OPS this season.

AA: Corpus Christi Hooks (33-39) lost 3-2 (BOX SCORE)

Blanco made a rehab start for the Hooks and went 3.1 scoreless innings with 2 strikeouts. The offense got on the board in the 6th inning on a Brutcher bases loaded walk. They got another run in the 8th inning on a Schiavone RBI single. Hertzler went 4 innings in relief allowing 1 run with 3 strikeouts. The Hooks took a 2-1 lead into the 9th but Swanson allowed 2 runs as Tulsa walked it off.

Note: Hertzler has a 2.03 ERA in Double-A.

A+: Asheville Tourists (19-52) won 7-6 (BOX SCORE)

The Asheville offense got on the board in the first inning on a Powell groundout. They got 2 runs in the 2nd inning on a Daudet 2 run home run. Oakes started for Asheville and while he struck out 8 over 3.1 innings, he also allowed 4 runs. The offense got another run in the third on a double play and then 3 runs in the 4th on a Moss RBI double and Walker 2 run single. Cruz allowed 2 runs in relief but the rest of the pen was scoreless as they tossed 4.1 innings to close it out.

Note: Moss is hitting .353 in High-A.

A: Fayetteville Woodpeckers (36-35) won 5-1 (BOX SCORE)

The Woodpeckers got on the board in the first inning thanks to a Flores 2 run home run, his 10th home run of the season. Shoemaker started for the Woodpeckers and pitched well allowing 1 unearned run over 4.2 innings. The offense added a run in the third on a Luciano RBI double and another in the 4th on a Vasquez sac fly. The offense got another in the 8th on a Nigh RBI single. Weber tossed 3.1 scoreless in relief and Mathiesen closed the door with a scoreless 9th inning as the Woodpeckers won 5-1.

Note: Flores has a .836 OPS this season.

Today’s minor league starters:

SL: TBD – 7:05 CT

CC: TBD – 7:00 CT

AV: Parker Smith – 5:45 CT

FV: TBD – 6:05 CT