NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 19: Cam Schlittler #31 of the New York Yankees warms up prior to the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Friday, June 19, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by Michael Mooney/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Fresh off another masterful performance last night, it’s still amazing to think about how there were 219 players selected in the 2021 MLB Draft before Cam Schlittler. The details will fade in memory. No, he was not remotely this kind of pitcher at Northeastern in the Colonial Athletic Association. But the Yankees’ scouts deserve credit for nabbing not one but two players from New England who had tools that popped. The development from Schlittler and Ben Rice (12th round, 363rd overall) is nothing short of impressive. They have bigger goals in mind than strong first halves, to be clear. I can’t wait to see what’s next.
Today on the site, Scott will take the occasion of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders traveling to Columbus to face the Clippers to remember the many years that they were in fact a Yankees affiliate. Peter will tackle the Rivalry Roundup, Jonathan will remember a “Next Man Up” Yankee for today’s birthday feature, and Michael will ponder the question of whether the Knicks’ championship run increases or decreases the pressure on the 2026 Yankees.
Today’s Matchup
New York Yankees vs. Cincinnati Reds
Time: 1:35 p.m. EST
TV: YES Network, Reds.tv
Venue: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY
Questions/Prompts:
1. Do you think Cam Schlittler will top his 13-strikeout game from last night at some point this season?
2. How far do you think Team USA will advance in the World Cup now that they’ve secured an appearance in the knockout round?
WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 18: Penguins right wing Rickard Rakell (67) takes a shot on goal during the Pittsburgh Penguins versus Washington Capitals National Hockey League game on January 18, 2025 at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.. (Photo by Randy Litzinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Whether or not any trade has been close to completion, Rickard Rakell’s name has often been in the chatter as an offseason trade possibility. That’s again this case on TSN, where Rakell comes in as a highlighted player around the league.
6. Rickard Rakell, Pittsburgh – LW
Rakell, 33, had 24 goals and 48 points in 60 games with the Penguins last season. He added a goal and four points in six playoff games as the Penguins fell in the first round to the Flyers.
The 6-foot-1 winger is entering the fifth season of a six-year, $30 million contract that carries an annual cap hit of $5 million.
The Penguins have been patient about holding onto Rakell, who is quite the asset on the ice. After producing 70 points in 2024-25, Rakell performed well again in 2025-26. He’s versatile enough to play all three forward positions, including an extended stint at center this past season. Add in a team-friendly cap hit and that’s a valuable player to have around.
Yet the questions still swirl, which could have something to do with team makeup as well. Pittsburgh re-signed 40-year old Evgeni Malkin, Sidney Crosby turns 39 over the summer and Bryan Rust celebrated his 34th birthday last month. Add in Rakell, and that’s a mighty old nucleus of a top-six forward group.
The Pens don’t have a ton of other options, Egor Chinakhov has established himself, Tommy Novak is hanging around but prospects like Rutger McGroarty and Ville Koivunen did not make tangible strides towards being plug-and-play in a huge NHL role next season.
That makes the idea of moving Rakell an alluring one, especially if the team’s initial outlook for 2026-27 didn’t include Malkin coming back. Moving on from Rakell now for younger assets and trying to target bringing in another forward (either directly in that transaction or by finding one elsewhere) could make sense in a team-building perspective.
The fallback of simply hanging onto a good player is a nice path to take too. Rakell is a player that is still going to help next season, if it comes to that.
The offseason got a jolt, though at the expense of an already uninspiring July 1, when the top blueline UFA was taken off the market via a sign-and-trade.
It’s not a riveting post-Cup June just yet, but a trade every other day isn’t a bad clip as we march steadily toward the draft.
Islanders News
Bryan Trottier reflects on getting his own postal stamp. [Isles]
Special episode of Weird Islanders…a conversation with Josh Ho-Sang himself! Good dude. [LHH]
(Yester)day in Isles History: The Ryan Pulock block. [Isles]
Elsewhere
Take Darren Raddysh off your offseason, redundant-consonant list, as the Leafs have jumped the line with a sign-and-trade for the top free agent, sending a 5th to the Lightning and inking him to a massive eight-year deal after the 30-year-old’s breakout season. [Sportsnet | NHL]
Rumors and such: Does Bowen Byram want to leave Buffalo for a #1 role? Is Pavel Zacha available? Jordan Kyrou on the market to anyone who might bother? [Sportsnet | Athletic]
Jonathan Toews retires, for real this time. [NHL | Sportsnet]
Ron Francis returns to Pittsburgh in an advisory role. [Sportsnet | NHL]
The Bruins will retire Patrice Bergeron’s #37, which is just as well because that’s a terribly ugly number that shouldn’t be in general circulation anyway. [NHL]
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - JANUARY 02: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics dribbles the ball against Rudy Gobert #27 of the Minnesota Timberwolves in the third quarter at Target Center on January 02, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Celtics defeated the Timberwolves 118-115. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Celtics have popped up in several major rumors since their abrupt playoff exit. Talk of a deal for Giannis Antetokounmpo and Trey Murphy has been the most notable of the bunch, but two new names have entered the mix.
NBA insider Jake Fischer reported Friday night that Boston could have interest in Rudy Gobert and Detroit’s Isaiah Stewart.
On Stewart:
“Boston is known to be looking for frontcourt upgrades and has liked Stewart for some time, sources say.”
On Gobert:
“In reference to Minnesota’s interest in White, which The Athletic’s Sam Amick first reported Friday morning, trading him for Rudy Gobert would represent a clear salary match. Sources say that Boston, furthermore, has inquired about Gobert before … most recently at February’s trade deadline. Now I don’t think that the Wolves are actively shopping Gobert, either way, but Minnesota is said to be as exploratory and open-minded as Boston when it comes to shaking up the roster around the team’s clear alpha (Edwards).”
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – JANUARY 02: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics dribbles the ball against Rudy Gobert #27 of the Minnesota Timberwolves in the third quarter at Target Center on January 02, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Celtics defeated the Timberwolves 118-115. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images
While both players address Boston’s desire for frontcourt size and defense, the logistics behind acquiring them are very different.
Gobert is a huge swing. He’s signed for a $36.5 million cap hit next season. Stewart is on the books for $15 million in 2026-27, the final year of his deal before a team option in 2027-28. That gap would dictate who has to be on the move in any deal.
For Gobert, Boston almost certainly has to put Derrick White in the trade to match salary. Amick reported Friday morning that Minnesota has “strong interest” in White. Fischer’s reporting adds some fuel to the fire given how the two sides line up financially. White is signed for two more seasons at $30.3 million and $32.6 million, plus a $34.8 million player option for 2028-29. Trading him for a soon-to-be 34-year-old center, even one as accomplished as Gobert, creates a conversation about what this roster wants to become.
Stewart is a much smaller, supplementary move. Sam Hauser’s $10 million salary alone gets close enough to legally match, meaning Boston wouldn’t have to touch its core to get a deal like this done. Brad Stevens would also have the $27 million TPE at his disposal, too. Amick reported that Isaiah Stewart is available, with Detroit prioritizing additional shooting and playmaking, which could make a player like Hauser a logical fit.
Gobert averaged 10.9 points, 11.5 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game this past year and finished fourth in Defensive Player of the Year voting. He’d walk into a starting role on Day 1 and immediately become the best rim protector Boston has had in a very long time. Acquiring him would give the Celtics a 7-foot defensive anchor, but the likely inclusion of Derrick White creates a difficult trade-off.
Stewart offers the younger, cheaper alternative. Heading into his age-25 season, he averaged 10 points, 5 rebounds and 1.6 blocks in 22.7 minutes per game. He’s not the same game-changing presence as Gobert, but he brings physicality, switchability and a defensive motor that fits Boston’s identity. He’d likely slot in as the backup to Neemias Queta, giving the Celtics a solid second option that can eat up minutes.
BOSTON, MA – DECEMBER 15: Isaiah Stewart #28, Cade Cunningham #2 of the Detroit Pistons and Neemias Queta #88 of the Boston Celtics waits for the rebound during the game on December 15, 2025 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
These rumors are both interesting, if there’s truth to them. It does make sense that the Celtics would look to improve on their frontcourt based on the role it played in their loss to the Sixers.
With the Giannis domino yet to fall, it’s difficult to get a read on how the rest of the offseason could play out. Gobert could be a fallback option if a pursuit of Antetokounmpo falls short, or he could become part of a larger roster overhaul. Stewart could be a compelling option in either scenario as well.
There is very little certainty right now, but with the NBA Draft just a few days away, clarification should be coming soon. Whether or not any of these deals materialize, it feels clear that Brad Stevens isn’t satisfied with the state of the roster, and change should be on the way. The frontcourt is a reasonable place to start.
Jun 18, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. (13) is checked on after hitting himself with a foul ball in the fourth inning against the Chicago White Sox at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
The Athletic | Chris Kirschner ($): Jazz Chisholm Jr. had to exit Thursday’s game against the White Sox after fouling a ball into his groin, but he insists that he will continue not wearing a cup. He said fielding grounders is where you’d really want to wear some protection, but that he trusts his hands enough to not make a change in spite of the pain he suffered on Thursday. He admitted he has never worn a cup in his career including when it was required in the minors. Aaron Boone confirmed that “a lot of these guys don’t wear cups,” as they feel that doing so limits their range of movement or is just plain uncomfortable.
That’s certainly a risky gamble to take as we saw with Jazz. At least he showed no signs of continued discomfort last night, homering off Rhett Lowder to kick off the Yankees’ scoring in a 5-0 win.
MLB.com | Bryan Hoch: The Yankees suffered another bullpen meltdown on Thursday, Fernando Cruz and (more impactfully) Tim Hill loading the bases in the eighth before Camilo Doval came in and gave up a grand slam on the first pitch he threw. These latest struggles thrown what has been a glaring need all season into sharper focus with the Trade Deadline approaching. The Yankees have internal options including converting top prospect Carlos Lagrange into a reliever to potentially help the major-league bullpen this year if he can sufficiently adjust to the role. But they would also be well-suited to target relievers with a proven track record of success at the highest level.
The Athletic | Chris Kirschner ($): Alongside the bullpen, the top target in the coming weeks will be a right-handed catcher. Austin Wells may have hit two home runs in his latest rehab game at Triple-A, but he and J.C. Escarra have both largely struggled to produce at the plate, both lefties in particular looking helpless against southpaw pitching. The name that keeps popping up is the Twins’ Ryan Jeffers, who was slashing .295/.408/.541 with seven home runs, 26 RBIs, a 163 wRC+, and 1.7 fWAR in 37 games before suffering a broken hamate bone in his left hand on May 19th. He has an eight-week expected recovery timetable, but it is always terrifying for a hitter coming back from a broken hamate. He’s middle-of-the-pack when it comes to framing in his career but quite poor at blocking and throwing, which could stand at odds with the Yankees emphasizing defense over anything else at the catcher position.
MLB Trade Rumors | Darragh McDonald: The Yankees announced that right handed pitcher Peter Strzelecki has opted out of the minor-league deal he signed on May 23rd and will become a free agent. He made just six appearances at Triple-A since joining the organization, allowing four runs in 4.2 innings though he did strike out over 40-percent of the batters he faced. The 31-year-old is hoping for his first taste of the big leagues since making 10 relief appearances for the Guardians in 2024. He pitched 83.2 innings for Milwaukee, Arizona, and Cleveland between 2022 and 2024, posting a 3.44 ERA, 3.49 FIP, and 86 strikeouts across 77 appearances.
Arkansas guard Meleek Thomas drives to the basket past Vanderbilt guard Duke Miles. | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
This offseason will be a fascinating one for the Celtics as they retool following last year’s early exit.
That reshaping officially begins with the NBA Draft, which is set for Tuesday and Wednesday in Brooklyn, and will continue in the coming weeks.
While it’s very possible the Celtics will trade one or both of their picks as part of a deal, they currently have the No. 27 and No. 40 selections, so let’s operate under the assumption that they’ll make those picks.
With that in mind, here are seven players who could go late in the first round or early in the second and could fit in well with the Celtics:
Isaiah Evans, Duke guard
Yes, it’s unlikely Evans will fall to No. 27, but he’s worth including on this list because the Celtics should absolutely take him if he does. They could also make a deal to move up and draft him.
Evans is a lights-out shooter who moves well without the ball, improved his driving ability last year at Duke and has great instincts defensively. He’s 6 feet, 6 inches, plays with a ton of confidence and would fit in well with Boston’s 3-point heavy offense. His floor and ceiling are both high, and he’s shown he’s capable of making improvements to his game.
Isaiah Evans in a road win against No. 20 Louisville:
The Southborough native masterfully pieced together one of the most magnificent careers in UConn history. He’s a strong shooter, versatile defender and extremely smart player.
The question marks with Karaban are his ability to create his own shot and to stay in front of quick guards on the other end. If the Celtics keep both Baylor Scheierman and Sam Hauser, Karaban probably wouldn’t make sense; if they trade one, he could be an ideal replacement.
Tarris Reed Jr., UConn center
Karaban’s teammate, Reed, was outstanding in the NCAA Tournament and played his best when the lights were brightest. While he’s improved his footwork in the paint, he still has room to grow in that area.
He has an impressive motor, is a fiery and fearless player and brings out the best in his teammates. Reed could learn from Neemias Queta and push Amari Williams for one of the final roster spots.
Players in men's NCAA Tournament history to have 200 career points scored and a team winning percentage of .940 or higher:
Darius Acuff Jr. got a lot of buzz last year at Arkansas, and for good reason, but Thomas was also extremely impressive. The 6-foot-5-inch, 185-pound shooting guard/small forward shot 41.6 percent from 3 on 5.3 attempts per game.
He scored 21, 19 and 17 points in the NCAA Tournament and shot 45 percent or better each game. Thomas has tremendous upside and could end up being a steal in this year’s Draft. He would mesh well with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown from a stylistic standpoint and, like Tatum, is still only 19 years old.
Arkansas guard Meleek Thomas has declared for the NBA Draft while maintaining his college eligibility.
Sharp is a menace defensively and was a driving force in Houston’s success the past few years. He has a nose for the ball, impressive range and plays extremely hard.
While his size (6 feet, 3 inches) is a bit of a concern, since he’s not a point guard, he compensates for what he lacks in that area with physicality and brute force. Sharp is the kind of player whose winning habits are contagious, and he always seems to hit the big shot when his team really needs it.
Houston’s Emanuel Sharp said that he was on the phone with Kelvin Sampson after his first scrimmage at the combine, and Sharp said that Sampson said “if I don’t rebound he’s gonna rebound better he’s gonna run me.”
Nkrumah is one of the better stories in this year’s NBA Draft. The Worcester native and South High product started his career at Quinsigamond College before transferring to Nichols College and transferring again to Worcester State.
He then kept it rolling at Tennessee State under former Duke guard Nolan Smith, averaging 17.7 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3 assists last season. The 24-year-old sharpshooter has seen a lot in the past few years and appears ready to keep elevating his game.
Tennessee State's Aaron Nkrumah made the most of being the last player invited to the G League Combine, dropping 22 points on 12 shots in yesterday's scrimmage.
The Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year measured 6'5 barefoot, 189 pounds, with a 6'10.25 wingspan. pic.twitter.com/nw2HX5HnOP
Jefferson is an intriguing player because at 6 feet, 9 inches, he can guard post players and body people down low. He can also step out and burn you from the outside, moves well for a guy his size and is a crafty passer.
He feels like one of those players where people will wonder which position he truly plays (probably power forward) that ends up shining wherever he goes on the court because of his skill set, motor and heart. The Celtics need more low-post scoring, and Jefferson has a chance to help an NBA team in that area.
The player that we think will be a very good NBA player and getting no love – Joshua Jefferson
Not elite at anything but does so many things well
Fits a great 3/4 mold in the league and, by ALL accounts, is a big time winner pic.twitter.com/B07pOBr06E
Former Kraken defenseman and two-time Stanley Cup winner Justin Schultz will make his wa back to Seattle, the team announced Thursday, to take on a role in player development. The 35-year-old announced his retirement in 2024. At the time, he was playing for the Swiss National League.
Schultz's career spanned 12 NHL seasons with 745 regular season games. He hoisted the Stanley Cup twice, in 2016 and 2017, with the Pittsburgh Penguins. His success with the Penguins may have played a part in giving him this new opportunity: both GM Jason Botterill and newly-announced Assistant GM Patrik Allvin were part of the Penguins organization at that time.
Speaking on his new role, Schultz said that player development is "something that I've always wanted to do." Adding that "I loved my time in Seattle. I’m excited to get to work with these prospects. They're all obviously great players; they've been drafted or signed. I want to help in whatever way I can with what they need to get better. I've played a lot of games, won some Stanley Cups, I am hoping to relay some positive things to them.
Director of Player Development Cory Murphy is also excited to have Schultz join his team, calling him a "great fit within our [player development] group...He's familiar with the organization and the people; he's lived [the NHL player life] for a long time and had success doing it. That's something he's going to bring, the consistency of pro habits, what's needed on a daily basis to be an NHL player and to stay in the NHL. Not just to make it, but to stay there. That's something we pride ourselves on, looking to develop these prospects to make the NHL and have the tools for a longer NHL career.”
Kraken Development Camp will take place the last week of June, following the draft. The public are invited to view camp on June 30th, July 1st, and July 2nd. See the Kraken Community Iceplex website for times and details.
CLEVELAND - MAY 11: Rajon Rondo #9 and Kevin Garnett #5 of the Boston Celtics talk on court against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game Five of the Eastern Conference Semifinals during the 2010 NBA Playoffs on May 11, 2010 at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. The Celtics won 120-88. 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 2010 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Christmas can come early for NBA fans. After a champion is crowned in June, the draft follows soon after with a fresh class of young players. And maybe more importantly, the offseason kicks off in July with so much palace intrigue over trades and free agency.
However, what comes with the excitement of getting new players in a summer deal is the hard truth of sending players out. Whether it’s a fan favorite (Marcus!) or a promising phenom (like Aaron Nesmith), there’s always a give-and-take in these trades.
Need a savvy everyman and jack-of-all-trades? Baylor Scheierman could be your guy. Ron Harper Jr. could develop into a microwave scorer off the bench. Jordan Walsh is already an accomplished defender.
In the end, it was rookie sensation Hugo Gonzalez that our readers didn’t want to include in a potential package next month. Gonzalez fell out of the rotation by the end of the year and into the playoffs, but his upside in undeniable.
Back in 2006, then President of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge refused to include Rajon Rondo in the deal that would bring Kevin Garnett to Boston. That duo would later raise Banner 17 to the rafters.
Could Gonzalez be that instrumental in a championship run or should Stevens even hesitate including him a deal that could net a known commodity? Well, the fans have spoken and named Hugo the “Most Likely To Be Back In Boston Next Season.”
Our friends at FanDuel don’t have a Mr. Untouchable category you can wager on, but if you want to bet on Boston, they’ve already got the Celtics at a +550 to raise the Larry O’Brien in 2027.
New York, N.Y.: Crowds of fans of the New York Knicks attend a championship ticker-tape parade celebrating the team's NBA Finals victory in New York on June 18, 2026. (Photo by Alejandra Villa Loarca/Newsday RM via Getty Images) | Newsday via Getty Images
If you’re still on cloud nine, that’s alright.
The Knicks won the NBA championship for the first time in 53 years.
It’s fair to say we’re due at least 53 days of floating around the Earth without giving nothing else any care.
"The further we get away from it, the more real it becomes."
“First of all, I got to go get paid, man. That’s God willing. I want to be in this for a long time. I love this life. I love the NBA life. It feeds my family, and you know, it puts me in rooms where I could never be at.”
On potentially taking less money to stay with the Knicks:
“I got to see what makes sense for everybody. I truly do feel like if it’s a great opportunity to stay home, I stay home.”
One of Leon Rose’s Good Luck Charms on this Knicks Championship Run?
A piece of slate from the City of David in Ancient Jerusalem.
Gifted to him by the Philadelphia Eagles GM, Howie Roseman. Also a Jewish exec who won a Championship. pic.twitter.com/iL6maczhTl
On the gift from Howie Roseman before one of the Finals wins:
“I want to share this with everbody. Howie Roseman, general manager of the Philadelphia Eagles came tonight with his boys and he gave me this gift which is a piece of slate from the city of David in ancient Jerusalem that he got when he was there and he either got it, or it was given to him in 2024. He took it to the Super Bowl and won the super bowl and he gave it to me for good luck tonight before the game. Un-friggen-believable.”
Josh Hart "Can you sit here & admit you were wrong?
“You see that reaction (after they won the WCF and beat OKC) because they think they gon’ win it. They think it’s over.
“And then you look at the reaction after we beat Cleveland, and it was tough to celebrate, because, like, we got four more, right? Obviously, winning the Eastern Conference is an amazing accomplishment, but we all look at that like, this is just a step, this isn’t the destination. And the reaction after Game 4 in Cleveland shows that.”
On Becky Hammon’s comments about Jalen Brunson:
“I’m not naming names: I’m still waiting for somebody… to say they was wrong about someone who led our team to a championship…I know they have media availability so we’ll be waiting for that apology.”
“I think for me it’s imperative to make the defense have to shift and make them have to continuously think. It’s not only, as you know, the game is already physically tiring, but if you add the mental component as well and have them thinking the whole game, it makes them even more tired and allows for more opportunities for us to get better looks.”
On ball movement and passing:
“I think what you can do when you do move the ball and allow the IQ to flow and the ball to flow is you allow great shots to happen, especially when you’re touching the paint or having movement on the offense and allowing the defense to make a mistake, instead of us having to make a tough shot or a great shot. I’ve always loved passing, and it’s always one of my greatest joys is getting my teammates an assist and allowing them to see them succeed. It’s truly, for me, better than hitting a great shot, because when you make a shot, only one person is happy, but when you get an assist, two people are happy. I think that’s a recipe for success, when everyone is really feeling good about themselves.”
James Dolan is booed loudly by the watch party at Radio City.
Then he apologizes for mismanaging the Knicks for two decades, and the crowd cheers.
— THE GARDEN IS ROCKING (@MSG_Rocking) June 14, 2026
James Dolan
On admitting being wrong during the dark Knicks times:
“Did I make mistakes? Of course I did. Did I trust people that maybe I shouldn’t have trusted? You go into it as a new owner and if you’re dumb enough, you think you actually know what you’re doing. Believe me, you don’t. And all along, you have everybody whispering in your ear: Do this, do that. You have you guys, the press, telling us where we’re going wrong at every step. And, you can start to feel like a pinball.”
On learning over 25 years at the helm of the Knicks organization:
“The thing is, is to learn. Right? That might be the thing I feel best about is, I felt, I feel, that now after 25 freaking years of doing this, I might actually have learned something.”
On Tom Thibodeau’s run in New York and his firing:
“We loved Thibs, we really did, I held him in high regard. It would not surprise me at all, by the way, if Thibs comes back and coaches a championship team because I think you could still win that way. Thibs was kind of old style. Right? Like Red Holzman, right, everything comes through me, and I’ll guide us through. He’s very good at that, but that sort of obviated the need for all these other people. Mike Brown had a different view. He had a different approach. And you look at our team, in the Finals. Everyone was healthy.”
stephen a smith loudly booed at ‘the roommates show’ with jalen brunson & josh hart pic.twitter.com/MXMlBZdnid
On being wrong about the Knicks and Jalen Brunson:
“I’m a grown a** man. I was beyond grown. I apologized to this brother on national television. I’m apologizing to you. I’m apologizing to the entire Knicks organization. Let me be very, very clear — I have never been more happy to be wrong in my life. Let me be very, very clear — I came out of the womb a Knicks fan. I’m 58-years-old. The last time the New York Knicks won a title before last Saturday, I was four.
“In his own way, (Brunson) reminds me of this every time. It’s automatic… national television, I owe this man an apology. I am grateful for what you have done for this city, what y’all have done for this city, and you won’t be hearing any more doubts from me, my brother.”
The Knicks could keep their core together for the next 3-5 years IF Karl-Anthony Towns and Josh Hart are willing to take a pay cut, per @WindhorstESPN
KAT is eligible for a 4-year, $272M extension.
"If Karl Towns is willing to take a little bit of a haircut, you know, $7-10… pic.twitter.com/ugpU6Bx1L6
On Karl-Anthony Towns’ taking a paycut being the key to the Knicks’ contending window:
“In all honesty, that’s the biggest question of the Knicks offseason. So Karl [Anthony] Towns is under contract for next season. He’ll be back. He’ll be the starting center. He’ll be there on ring night. The way he was used in this postseason, it’s hard to not see him as with this team for the majority of the rest of his career.
“But he is in position to get a contract extension that’s going to approach $70 million a year on average. And he has earned it. He has shown that he is an elite center in this league, a championship player. But the Knicks are not going to be able to afford that type of player. They’d re-sign him. But I don’t know if they’d be able to keep the team together.”
On how Jalen Brunson’s sacrifice could impact KAT’s and the Knicks’ future:
“I don’t expect anybody in the history of the NBA to do what Jalen Brunson did. If Karl Towns is willing to take a little bit of a haircut, you know, $7-10 million over the course of multiple seasons and Josh Hart is also extension eligible this summer, if both of them are willing to take a little bit of a haircut, you could see this core staying together for three, four, five years.”
J. R. Smith responds to a fan saying these New York Knicks could beat the 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers . He says We’d beat them, put me and Shump on Jalen Brunson and who on the Knicks is guarding LeBron James and the little guy people say he doesn’t like, number 2 (Kyrie Irving) pic.twitter.com/420iwZwyAr
— joebuddenclips/fanpage (@Thechat101) June 19, 2026
J.R. Smith
On his wild spending throughout his NBA career:
“The first thing that comes to mind? How much money I wasted. Half the shit I bought in the last 10 years, I barely use. Even the watches, buying all these fancy-ass watches and shit, I don’t wear them. I don’t go anywhere to wear them! Why did I spend all of this money on this stuff that I don’t really use? I had seven cars at one point when we were in Cleveland. I’m like, ‘Why did I have seven cars?’”
Agent Bernie Lee doesn't think players taking pay cuts a la Brunson is such a great idea.
If your reaction is "well, he's an agent, of course he's going to say that," I still recommend you read the article.
On players being compared to Brunson’s contract sacrifice:
“I’ve talked to a couple of different players that could be Supermax this year or next year — they’re starting to feel a little pressure from team owners by saying, ‘Yo, Jalen Brunson left 113 million dollars on the table. What are you going to do?’”
Marc Berman covered the Knicks for 23 years. He watched them win the championship at a sports bar in Florida https://t.co/XLvPuKei5g
On being glad he retired before the Knicks won it all:
“Part of me was saying, ‘Oh, I’m glad I retired, I would be panicking.’ I was shaking in the final couple of minutes, just thinking about the enormity of having to write it. And I didn’t have to write it.”
On James Dolan:
“Listen, I wasn’t a big fan of James. He was a pretty good guitar player, but he made a lot of silly mistakes and his media policies were always baffling to me. And I wonder now that they finally have a championship if he’ll open up a little more with the media.”
On New York’s reaction to the Knicks championship:
“You see it in the streets. I mean, everyone is just in almost disbelief. I think it’s surreal to them. I think the next day it finally hit them, but it’s something that they thought may not have ever happened in their lifetime. It’s 53 years, and the team seems to always have gotten a bad break. And every single break went their way since mid-April. I think they’re just joyous, and I think there’s a sense of relief.”
“It takes a championship to bring this caliber of happiness and love together.”
“I think if you said ‘tabloid reporter,’ his picture might be in the dictionary. He kind of embodied all of that. He knew what they wanted at the New York Post. I mean, the Daily News is the same way.
“He’d be lying in wait. Then he’d look at the guy for a second, pause, kind of close his eyes. It very much was like Peter Falk playing Columbo: ‘Doctor, just one more thing.’”
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 14: Manager Tony Vitello #23 of the San Francisco Giants walks back to the dugout during the game against the Chicago Cubs at Oracle Park on June 14, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Andy Kuno/San Francisco Giants/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Francisco Giants are embroiled in a scandal completely of their own making. And it just keeps getting worse.
The San Francisco Chronicle published a piece on Friday that confirms what I said in my opinion post on Thursday. The players were not forced to wear the Pride hats that members of the team defaced on Pride Night. Nor did they do so out of any semblance of a feeling of being discriminated against.
No, no. It was an entirely unforced error. And one that they had, apparently, spent weeks planning. Per the Chronicle’s reporting. And what’s worse is that manager Tony Vitello apparently knew about it the whole time and even helped the players navigate how they would perform their very optional protest.
You know, the protest of the thing they weren’t being forced to participate in. The one that they chose to make a “personal” stand on to display their own homophobia, rather than just opting out of wearing the hats and moving on with their lives.
And then, you know, complaining about not being able to move on with their lives because they were being forced to face the consequences of their own actions. I guess we should all just accept that they hate us and let them move on. But I’m not interested in doing that.
So yes, they spent weeks planning this protest without ever once, seemingly, even taking a single moment to ponder how that would play out among the fanbase that supports them. Really shortsighted work on their part.
But what gets me is that Tony Vitello reportedly knew the whole time. Not only did he know, he helped them plan it. You know, the person who should have known better. The person who should have advised against it. The person who most assuredly either informed the ownership group, or neglected to do so which would be even worse.
Which means that we can safely assume that the ownership group was aware of the planned protest and through their lack of actions allowed it to proceed.
Firing Tony Vitello would be the absolute least that the Giants organization could do to make amends at this point. He is so very clearly in over his head on a human level, that it almost doesn’t even matter how poorly he is doing on a baseball level. And he is also failing at that.
So yes, Vitello should absolutely be the first firing from this shameful ordeal. But he should not be the last, and if they do fire him we should not accept his scapegoating as enough.
Because the rot starts well above him.
As I said on Thursday, it’s time to clean house and Vitello would only be the first move in that. But it would be a meaningful one.
Friday night should not have required late dramatics for the Dodgers.
But boy, what a stunning finish it created.
After leading by three runs early, then falling behind by two runs entering the ninth, the Dodgers rallied for a wild 6-5 walk-off win over the Baltimore Orioles –– one that finished, fittingly, with a game-winning hit from the Dodgers’ most frustrated player.
Before he came to the plate with the game on the line, catcher Dalton Rushing had endured eight innings of anguish. He was 0-for-4 on the night with three strikeouts. He had fanned twice on low sliders, including one in a wasted bases-loaded opportunity in the bottom of the third.
After two pitches against Orioles closer Ryan Helsey, he was back in a two-strike hole again, having chased yet another slider in the dirt that sent him stepping out of the box in another moment of rage.
But then, the left-handed hitter looked up and caught a glimpse of the Dodgers’ dugout.
Mookie Betts was cheering him on. The rest of his teammates were pounding the top railing.
“When you’re in that moment right there, nothing that’s happened the first four at-bats … matters,” he said afterward. “I look in the dugout and all those guys care about is that next pitch, and the next pitch after that.”
Dalton Rushing (center) is mobbed by teammates after hitting a walk-off singe in the ninth inning that brought home two runners on a Baltimore error in the Dodgers’ 6-5 win over the Orioles on June 19, 2026 in Los Angeles. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Thus, Rushing took a deep breath, then took the next pitch –– another slider –– high for a ball that kept the at-bat alive.
The next pitch after that: A fastball on the inner half that had Rushing jammed, but that he still got enough of to send a single into right field.
“Honestly, I just wanted to spoil any pitch besides a slider, especially after chasing one in the dirt,” Rushing quipped. “I had a feeling that they were gonna throw another one. And the whole mindset was, foul off a fastball and just try to move the slider forward through the middle of the field. And luckily, pulled a heater inside, caught it in the loop, and Dodgers win.”
Indeed, what happened next was the most pandemonious moment of the Dodgers’ season to date.
Pinch-runner Alex Call came racing home from the second. Then, outfielder Tyler O’Neill’s throw from right got past catcher Samuel Basallo, who gave a seemingly weak effort to corral a high, awkward hop.
The ball ricocheted off Basallo’s glove, trickled into the dugout, and allowed the winning run in a suddenly delirious Chavez Ravine.
“Great way to end the night, especially after the frustration early,” Rushing said, wearing a wild smile and cooler-soaked jersey as he addressed reporters from his locker postgame.
“It’s a great feeling. I think it honestly just feels great that we won that baseball game.”
Dalton Rushing hits a walk-off single to lead the Dodgers to a comeback win over the Orioles. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
What it means
Rushing was not the only one frustrated early, after the Dodgers had let a 3-0 lead in the second inning turn into a 5-3 deficit by the seventh.
Along the way, there was the wasted bases-loaded, no-out opportunity in the third, the low point of a night the Dodgers left 12 men on base and went 3-for-10 with runners in scoring position.
There were back-to-back home runs off Roki Sasaki in the sixth, turning what had been a gem of an outing up to that point (he had retired 16 of his first 19 batters with six strikeouts) into a disappointing 5 ⅔-inning, three-run dud.
Then, there was a go-ahead two-run single from Orioles No. 9 hitter Jeremiah Jackson in the seventh off reliever Will Klein, giving Baltimore a two-run lead it would carry into the ninth.
But, with the Dodgers on the verge of one of their most disappointing defeats of the year, Mookie Betts hit a home run (his third hit of the game) to cut the deficit to one. After that, Max Muncy and Ryan Ward both drew walks to set up Rushing’s heroics with two outs in the inning, lifting the Dodgers (49-27) to their fourth-consecutive one-run win.
“Tonight shouldn’t have been a game, in my opinion,” manager Dave Roberts said. “We kept them around. We’ve let a lot of teams hang around … But at the end of the day, we are winning baseball games. So that’s a good sign.”
Roki Sasaki, who allowed three runs over 5 ²/₃ innings, received a no decision in the Dodgers’ comeback win over the Orioles. Wally Skalij for California Post
Who’s hot
Even before Friday, Rushing had not been hot for the better part of two months, following up his blistering start to the season (.385 average, seven home runs, 16 RBIs in his first 12 games) with a prolonged slump ever since (.209 average, one home run, five RBIs in 30 games since April 27).
Against that backdrop, he repeatedly berated himself in the dugout following his poor swing decisions earlier in the contest. At one point, he tried to snap a bat over his knee.
“Still working on that,” Rushing deadpanned when asked how he is learning to better control his animated emotions.
“It’s just part of the process,” Roberts added. “The learning process, the experience part.”
Another meltdown might have happened in the ninth, if not for the glimpse Rushing caught of the bench in the face of the game’s last strike.
The faith he felt from Betts, he noted, was particularly helpful as he tried to reset.
“I see Mookie, [and he had] just all the confidence in the world in me,” Rushing said. “For a guy like that, a guy that’s lived in that moment, he’s succeeded in that moment, he’s failed in that moment, he knows what it feels like, it’s pretty special.”
Betts was in the middle of the mob that formed around Rushing at the game’s raucous conclusion, as the team walloped the second-year catcher in one of the season’s most joyous scenes.
“For him to flush it all and to flip his entire game and help us win a ballgame was huge,” Roberts said. “After he, you know, vents, he does a good job of collecting himself to get back into the next play.”
Ryan Ward scores the game-winning run in the ninth inning of the Dodgers’ come-from-behind win over Orioles. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Who’s not
The Dodgers, of course, didn’t want to need a three-run ninth-inning rally given the way the game had started.
But on a night they were without Shohei Ohtani (who was away from the team for the birth of his second child), Teoscar Hernández (who is set to begin a rehab assignment next week as he nears his return from a hamstring strain) and Will Smith (who had a cortisone injection to address his lingering neck injury), the team’s young replacements missed a chance to pull away.
With the bases loaded and no outs in the third, each of Ward, Rushing and Alex Freeland went down swinging, unable to lay off low sliders from Trey Gibson that cost the Dodgers a golden opportunity to break the game open.
Alex Freeland beats the tag of catcher Samuel Basallo to score a run in the second inning of the Dodgers’ comeback win over the Orioles. Wally Skalij for California Post
In the end, however, both Ward and (especially) Rushing got their chance for redemption.
“That third inning, very forgettable at-bats,” Roberts said, “To their credit, they made the adjustments later.”
Up next
The Dodgers and Orioles continue this series on Saturday night when Yoshinobu Yamamoto (7-4, 2.52 ERA) returns to the mound following his near no-hitter last week. He will face off against Orioles left-hander Trevor Rogers (3-7, 5.86 ERA).
Jun 19, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts (50) celebrates after a double during the first inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Dalton Rushing walked it off with a clutch ninth-inning RBI base hit for the Dodgers (49-27), securing a 6-5 comeback victory over the Orioles (35-42) Friday night at Dodger Stadium.
The Dodgers offense stranded 12 base runners on the night, squandering many scoring opportunities against Baltimore pitching. Rushing channeled all With two outs, Dalton Rushing hit a clutch two-run single to right field, bringing in Alex Call and Ryan Ward to cap off a wild, three-run ninth inning rally
Sasaki looked to turn the page on his last start against the White Sox when he stepped back in a series-opening 8-2 loss to the White Sox at Rate Field. Sasaki was cruising until the sixth inning when Baltimore scored three runs to tie the game.
Taylor Ward tested the arm of Andy Pages to start the game in dramatic fashion. Taylor tried to extend a base hit into two bases, but Pages had something to say about that. Pages came up with his seventh outfield assist of the season after throwing out Taylor at second.
Roki was touching the corners with a fastball touching 99-101 mph and his nasty splitter in the first.
The Dodgers were without Shohei Ohtani in the lineup, but the lineup sans Ohtani did a good job to get on the board in the first against the rookie Gibson. Kyle Tucker led off with a walk, and a Mookie Betts double put two into scoring position with two outs for Max Muncy.
Muncy singled to right field to cash in both runners and make it 2-0 early. Tommy Edman kept the first inning alive with his first hit of the season, an opposite field single.
Dino Ebel was feeling froggy in the home half of the second. He sent Alex Freeland home on a Pages double to left field. Freeland’s swimmingly good slide home was one we won’t forget soon. The call at the plate was safe. Baltimore challenged and lost. 3-0 Dodgers.
The Dodgers loaded the bases against Gibson in the third with nobody out. Betts had a nice at-bat, won a challenge on a ball, and dumped a single to lead off the frame. Muncy drew his patented walk, and Edman singled for his second hit of the game.
Gibson reared back to strike out Ryan Ward, Dalton Rushing, and Freeland to strand the bases loaded. This would be a key inning and wasted scoring opportunity.
The Orioles finally got to Roki after 5 2/3 innings and back-to-back home runs in the sixth. A two-run home run by Gunnar Henderson in the sixth made it 3-2. Pete Alonso also got a hold of one for a solo home run to tie the game up 3-3 and chase Sasaki.
The Dodgers got another man on base in the bottom of the sixth with a Tucker single. Andrew Kittredge and Freeman battled in a 11-pitch full-count at-bat for the final out of the inning. Freeman sent one for a ride, but Leody Taveras made a great catch crashing into the wall to retire the side and preserve the tie.
The Orioles plated another two runs in the top of the seventh, five straight runs, to put them ahead 5-3. Will Klein and the Dodgers got into a jam in the top of the seventh, Back-to-back base hits for the Orioles and a walk loaded the bases with one out. Jeremiah Jackson singled in two to give Baltimore the lead.
The Dodgers stranded another runner in the bottom of the seventh and one in the eighth.
Betts got the Dodgers back within one run with his eighth home run of the season, a solo homer against closer Ryan Helsley with one out in the ninth. It was a three-hit game for Betts.
Muncy drew a walk even though Helsey got a break on a challenged foul ball call. Edman faced his fellow former Cardinal Helsey, but he popped it out to Alonso in foul ground for the second out.
Ward walked to put pinch-runner Alex Call into scoring position for Rushing. Rushing had a rough night up to that point, chasing high cheese and striking out three times. He came up clutch in the ninth with a RBI single to right. A throwing error by right fielder Tyler O’Neill allowed the winning run with Ward to come in for the 6-5 walk-off win.
The series continues on Saturday night at (7:10 p.m.; SportsNet LA, MLB Network), with Yoshinobu Yamamoto (7-4, 2.52 ERA, 0.840 WHIP) on the mound for the Dodgers. Trevor Rogers (3-7, 5.86 ERA, 1.45 WHIP) starts for Baltimore.
Jun 19, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners outfielder Connor Joe (9) misses a pop fly by Boston Red Sox infielder Marcelo Mayer (11) in the eighth inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images | Kevin Ng-Imagn Images
In front of a sell-out crowd of 45,775 on fireworks night on a day the stands were packed with Red Sox and World Cup fans alike, the Mariners fizzled out, dropping the opening game against Boston in dismal fashion. By the ninth inning, a loud “let’s go Red Sox” chant had erupted, with the only joy for Mariners fans a garbage-time Julio Rodríguez two-run shot.
Every piggyback game feels like two games, but the contrast tonight was especially stark. In the Bryce Miller game, the story was: one ambush home run and a lot of good pitching between; in the Luis Castillo-led part of the piggyback, the story was: one bad and BABIP-fueled bad inning, one also-not-great-inning and some decent pitching between. But the part of the story that was consistent throughout the game was the Mariners offense once again failing to do much against a left-handed starter, and failing to capitalize on opportunities when they had them.
Bryce Miller had a clean first and was one out away from a clean second when Caleb Durbin ambushed a first-pitch fastball at the top of the zone and yanked it over the wall in left field just enough to clear the fence – a home run at just 13 MLB parks including T-Mobile and Fenway. Maybe that shook Miller’s confidence somewhat, because he then struggled to put away Marcelo Mayer, getting into a ten-pitch battle that ended with Mayer staring at a fastball on the plate for a called strike three.
Miller didn’t have a clean inning after the first, but he was able to face the minimum in both the third and fourth thanks to a well-timed double play, getting Mickey Gaspar, who has both the name and countenance of a 1900s circus strongman, to tap into an inning-ending double play on the splitter. In the fourth, he got an assist from Cal Raleigh (welcome back Cal) throwing out Wilyer Abreu trying to steal after Abreu had jumped on a first-pitch fastball for a ground ball single. Miller’s fifth inning was a cherry on top of a strong day, with two strikeouts and a weak groundout from Meyer, who’d given him the tough at-bat earlier. Miller doubled up on the curveball to Jarren Duran after Duran flinched after the pitch for his sixth strikeout of the day, and then went split-sweeper to Durbin, who had homered off him earlier, for his seventh strikeout.
“Everything felt good,” said Miller postgame, noting that he didn’t even have a chance to get to all his pitches because he was seeing so much success on the four-seamer. “I didn’t even throw a cutter today, so we still had that in the back pocket, and I think I threw one sinker…it’s never easy coming out of a one run game, especially when – I felt like I was rolling. But it was. You know. It was the plan going into it, so not really much that I can say to change anybody’s mind…when there’s a pre-set plan, there’s not really much arguing you can do.”
At least Miller was able to avenge himself against Durbin and Meyer, but unfortunately, that’s where the moral victory part of the day ends, leaving just the less-fun defeat part. Left-handed pitching has been the bête noire for the Mariners this season, and Ranger Suarez is a particularly good lefty, so the Mariners were already facing an uphill climb, but four strikeouts in the first two innings – with two of those coming from righties in Cal and Julio – isn’t exactly a recipe for success. The Mariners didn’t have a baserunner until the fourth, with Cal working a walk off Suarez in his second time facing him, declining this time to chase after the curveball, but Julio wasn’t able to make a similar adjustment, getting punched out looking on the sinker, and then Josh Naylor battled heroically for eight pitches but wound up popping out softly.
On as the second part of the piggyback, Luis Castillo had a strong first inning of work but a BABIP-fueled meltdown inning in the seventh. Ceddane Rafaela doubled off a fastball up in the zone to lead off the inning, giving the Red Sox a roughly 70% chance to increase their lead. What they’d wind up doing is putting the game out of reach. Some of it was Castillo’s fault: he lost the handle on a slider, allowing Rafaela to score from third to make it 2-0, but if you like Increased Velo Castillo – he was touching 97-98 on his fastball – you also have to be prepared for that increased velo on the slider, like this 90 mph one that Castillo said “surprised” him.
If Castillo had been able to cap the damage there, that would have been one thing, but things quickly got worse with four straight singles – two hard-hit on pitches that caught way too much plate, and then a pair of bad-luck more weakly hit ones off the slider that found holes. A sac fly on another slider brought in the fifth run of the inning and all of a sudden the Mariners were looking at a 5-0 deficit in a game where they were being no-hit.
“One of those things where sometimes things just don’t go your way,” said Castillo postgame through translator Freddy Lllanos.
After the blowup in the top of the inning, the Mariners attempted to answer back, finally knocking Suarez out of the game in the seventh. Cal walked again facing Suarez, but Julio went after a cutter for an easy flyout for the first out. That left it to the lefty Naylor, who finally, finally broke up the no-hitter with a ringing double to right-center.
After Josh Naylor’s no-hitter-breaking double, Dominic Canzone grounded out for the second out of the inning, but Cole Young was able to work a walk. A moment of appreciation for Cole Young: facing a tough lefty, he swung at strikes only, didn’t expand and chase the curveball or cutter, and overall did his best. If the Mariners want to leftyproof their lineup, Cole Young having at-bats like this will go a long way towards doing it. With the Mariners threatening, the Red Sox opted to bring in righty Justin Slaten, meaning Dan Wilson could free J.P. Crawford from the bench to try to come up with a clutch two-out RBI. Sadly Crawford couldn’t come up with any of his signature two-out magic, striking out and stranding the bases loaded.
The Red Sox were able to get one more run off Castillo with another set of two-out back-to-back doubles in the ninth, but by that point the game was pretty well out of hand for the Mariners. Julio Rodríguez provided the lone offensive highlight, hitting a garbage-time homer (with Cal aboard with his third walk of the day, the Red Sox pitching had zero interest in pitching to Cal Raleigh in this game from either side of the plate) off Tommy Kahnle, last seen being bullied by the Mariners in the ALDS. No no-hitter and no shutout goals achieved, then, but the more elusive “win back to back games” goal remains out of reach for these frustratingly inconsistent 2026 Mariners.
Dalton Rushing, center, celebrates with teammates after hitting a walk-off single in a 6-5 comeback win over the Baltimore Orioles at Dodger Stadium on Friday night. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Dalton Rushing was frustrated. He just chased a slider in the dirt — again. And this time, the game was on the line. The Dodgers were down to their last out. He was down to his last strike.
So he took a moment, took a breath, and looked to the Dodgers dugout.
The first person he spotted was Mookie Betts, who had just cut the Orioles’ lead to a run with a solo homer. Betts was locked in with Rushing, brimming with confidence, cheering him on.
“For a guy like that, a guy that’s lived in that moment, he’s succeeded in that moment, he’s failed in that moment, he knows what it feels like, it’s pretty special,” Rushing recounted.
Rushing’s eyes traveled along the railing, noting his teammates all on the top step, all relying on him.
He dug into the box, expecting the slider that Baltimore’s Ryan Helsley threw next — it was high, for a ball. Then Rushing got a fastball he could drive. And he did not miss.
The next moments in the Dodgers’ 6-5 walk-off win Friday were chaos.
Rushing lined a tying single into right field, giving Alex Call time to score from second. Call slid across the plate as the throw from Orioles right fielder Tyler O’Neill took for a long hop to catcher Samuel Basallo.
Basallo misjudged it, taking an unhurried shuffle up the line, before the ball glanced off his glove and rolled toward the Dodgers dugout.
Third base coach Dino Ebel waved home Ryan Ward, who scored standing up.
Manager Dave Roberts, who looked down at his card when the throw was in the air, was already thinking through extra innings when the crowd erupted again. He heard field coordinator Bob Geren shouting something like, “The run counts.”
The Dodgers (49-27) ran onto the field and swarmed Rushing, who had just reached second. They jumped and yelled as the Dodgers Stadium lights flashed around them.
“It was good to get Freddie [Freeman] a night off for being the guy in the middle for a change, you know?” Rushing said with a grin. “No, it’s a great feeling, and I think it honestly just feels great that we won that baseball game.”
For several innings, it looked like they wouldn’t.
Dalton Rushing celebrates after hitting a run-scoring single in the ninth to help lift the Dodgers to a 6-5 walk-off win over the Baltimore Orioles at Dodger Stadium. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
The Dodgers had jumped out to an early 3-0 lead, on a two-run single from Max Muncy in the first inning and an RBI double from Andy Pages in the second. Then their scoring dried up.
Rushing was having as frustrating of a night as anyone, with a line out and three strikeouts.
His first strikeout was part of a brutal sequence. The Dodgers loaded the bases with no outs in the third. Then Ward, Rushing and Alex Freeland, all went down swinging.
Rushing struck out on a slider in the dirt. And Orioles starter Trey Gibson got him to bite on the same putaway pitch in the fifth.
Rushing’s reactions steadily grew more animated, on the field and in the dugout.
Mookie Betts celebrates as he runs the bases after hitting a solo home run in the ninth inning Friday against the Orioles. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)Alex Freeland signals safe after sliding past Baltimore catcher Samuel Basallo to score on a double by Andy Pages in the second inning Friday. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
“He plays with a fire under his ass,” Freeland said. “He gets after it. He expects nothing but the best for himself day in and day out, and that comes with it.”
Said Roberts: “After he ... vents, he does a good job of collecting himself to get back into the next play, the next at-bat, catching.”
On Friday, he was catching Roki Sasaki, who faced just one batter over the minimum through five innings. But during the third time through the order, the Orioles finally figured him out and hit back-to-back home runs.
With two outs and a runner on, Sasaki yanked a splitter to the inside edge of the strike zone to Gunnar Henderson, who lifted it over the wall in right field. Pete Alonso then homered to left-center field on an inside fastball about belt high to tie the score.
“I thought he threw the baseball really well,” Roberts said. “I liked the way he competed. The fastball command was good. He was fantastic tonight.”
The Orioles (35-42) pulled ahead against the Dodgers bullpen. Will Klein surrendered a seventh-inning single to Jackson that sent two baserunners, including one inherited from Dodgers left-hander Jack Dreyer, across the plate.
Kyle Hurt and Blake Treinen threw clean eighth and ninth innings.
Finally, in the bottom of the ninth, Betts ended the Dodgers’ scoring drought. Then Muncy — later replaced by the pinch-running Call — and Ward drew walks.
With two outs, Rushing stepped up to the plate, fell behind in the count 0-2 and reset.
“I look in the dugout, and all those guys care about is that next pitch, and the next pitch after that, and the next pitch after that,” Rushing said. “They just want you to win one pitch at a time.”
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