Worldwide Sports News

June 19, 2026

NBA Mock Draft 2026: Who do the Clippers take at No. 5?

With the 2026 NBA Draft less than a week away, one question affecting the league is what Milwaukee will do with Giannis Antetokounmpo. Moving the veteran forward would likely involve the Bucks receiving draft picks in return, and it would also affect what the team does with its own pick. With the first four picks seemingly settled, that is one of the situations that will significantly affect Tuesday's first round in Brooklyn.

Another question is what the Clippers will do at No. 5. While the team did acquire Darius Garland last season, there's still a need for perimeter depth. And that part of the draft won't lack for quality options. Below is our most recent mock draft, including all 60 picks, with NBC Sports writers Raphielle Johnson and Kurt Helin providing some thoughts on the first rounders.

First Round

1. Washington Wizards: G/F AJ Dybantsa, BYU

While Darryn Peterson may be angling to go first overall, Dybantsa remains the Wizards' choice, according to recent reports. His offensive versatility and athleticism make the former BYU standout an excellent option for Washington, especially if they re-sign Trae Young to address the need at point guard. - Raphielle Johnson

2. Utah Jazz: G Darryn Peterson, Kansas

Utah president Danny Ainge does not care if Peterson worked out for the Jazz. Nor does he care that Peterson's agent is also the agent for Keyonte George, and he's worried that a Peterson/George backcourt could cannibalize each other's touches. There was a lot more smoke around Ace Bailey not wanting to go to Utah last year, Danny and Austin Ainge drafted him anyway. While there are rumors that the Jazz really like Boozer, we're going to bet they make the pick of the player with the highest upside and who fits best with their current roster. That's Peterson. - Kurt Helin

3. Memphis Grizzlies: F Cameron Boozer, Duke

While Ja Morant remains on the Grizzlies roster for now, there will clearly be a changing of the guard in Memphis. Adding Boozer, who hails from a winning college program and is the son of a former pro in Carlos Boozer, will help with the rebuild. Plus, the Grizzlies can use some more depth in the frontcourt. - Johnson

4. Chicago Bulls: F Caleb Wilson, North Carolina

Wilson and his off-the-charts athleticism next to Matas Buzelis? That is an entertaining foundation for Tiago Splitter to build upon. - Helin

5. LA Clippers (from Indiana): G Keaton Wagler, Illinois

Is this pick where the 2026 draft "starts?" One could argue that, especially if the first four picks go as many expect. Wagler's emergence factored into Illinois reaching the Final Four for the first time since 2005, and the combination of size and offensive skill set makes for a good fit within the Clippers' perimeter rotation. - Johnson

6. Brooklyn Nets: G Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas

Brooklyn may have drafted two point guards one year ago — Egor Dëmin and Nolan Traoré — but neither really showed the spark and scoring touch that Acuff brings. Brooklyn needs talent and an entertaining star, and Acuff can be exactly that. - Helin

7. Sacramento Kings: G Mikel Brown Jr., Louisville

Of the guards projected to be selected in this segment of the draft, Brown may offer the highest ceiling because of his shooting ability and offensive gifts. However, he'll need to become a more efficient lead guard at the NBA level. The Kings desperately need to rebuild, and addressing the point guard position would be a good place to start. - Johnson

8. Atlanta (from New Orleans): G Kingston Flemings, Houston

Atlanta showed a lot of promise after the Trae Young trade last season, and they took more games off the Knicks in the playoffs than any other team, but CJ McCollum is not the long-term answer at point guard. The lightning-quick Flemings is a quality passer and decision maker, and he could be setting up Jalen Johnson and company for years to come. - Helin

9. Dallas Mavericks: G Brayden Burries, Arizona

NBA insider Jake Fischer reported earlier this week that Burries impressed the Clippers in a recent workout, so it's possible that he isn't on the board when the Mavericks come up. However, if he is, the former Arizona guard would make for a good addition to a perimeter rotation headlined by Kyrie Irving, who's returning from a torn ACL. - Johnson

10. Milwaukee Bucks: F Nate Ament, Tennessee

This is a bet on Taylor Jenkins' player development skills — there is a much better player in Ament than we saw at Tennessee last season. His defense and his shooting have to improve; a lot of things need to get better, but the Bucks are rebuilding, so betting on a player's upside makes sense. - Helin

11. Golden State Warriors: F/C Morez Johnson Jr., Michigan

Thought to be a late-first round option at the beginning of the pre-draft process, Johnson appears likely to hear his name called during the lottery. He's one of the best defenders in this class, regardless of position, and the Warriors need reinforcements in the frontcourt. Given the experience he has, most recently winning a national title, Johnson has the temperament required to offer immediate value to a veteran team looking to make one more run. - Johnson

12. Oklahoma City Thunder (from LA Clippers): C Aday Mara, Michigan

I'm not sure Mara is where Oklahoma City plans to go in the draft — they have the more versatile Chet Holmgren on the roster already — but if he falls all the way to 12 on the board, they may have to take him as the best player available. It may take a year or two for the 7'3" center to develop, but he could eventually slot into Isaiah Hartenstein's role. - Helin

13. Miami Heat: G Labaron Philon Jr., Alabama

Given the Heat's connection to Giannis Antetokounmpo trade rumors, it's possible that this pick is included if Miami makes a deal. Philon has been reportedly linked to Milwaukee, and the Heat also like the former Alabama guard, according to NBA insider Jake Fischer. Regardless of where he lands, Philon has the offensive skill set needed to make an immediate impact next season. - Johnson

14. Charlotte Hornets: F Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan

Charlotte has the start of a rotation it likes based around LaMelo Ball, Kon Knueppel and Brandon Miller. Now Lendeborg steps in as a ready-made four, giving them some defense and passing. Lendeborg doesn't have to create here, just finish the plays set up by others, and he showed he could do that all the way through Michigan's championship run. - Helin

15. Chicago Bulls (from Portland): C Hannes Steinbach, Washington

The Bulls have their head coach in Tiago Splitter; now, they need to go about filling their roster for a proper rebuild. There's been a clear need to upgrade the frontcourt, even before Chicago traded Nikola Vučević at the February deadline. Steinbach has great hands and is an excellent rebounder; drafting him would be a good move for the Bulls. - Johnson

16. Memphis Grizzlies (from Phoenix via Orlando): G Christian Anderson Jr., Texas Tech

Memphis needs everything and nobody is going to go wrong taking the best shooter in the draft. - Helin

17. Oklahoma City Thunder (from Philadelphia): F Karim Lopez, New Zealand Breakers

In addition to having two first-round picks in this draft, the Thunder also has to account for last year's first-round pick, Thomas Sorber, returning from a torn ACL. And with some key decisions to make with veterans Isaiah Hartenstein and Luguentz Dort, it's possible that lead executive Sam Presti looks to save some money somewhere. If Lopez is the pick, he would go into an excellent situation for a developing player. - Johnson

18. Charlotte Hornets (from Orlando via Phoenix): C Chris Cenac Jr., Houston

Charlotte is looking for help along the front line, so this may be higher than a lot of teams expected Cenac to go, but it makes sense for the Hornets. Cenac is a development project, a player with all the athletic tools, but he needs to work on his feel for the game and his shot. He's also got to show more consistent rim protection than we saw in Houston. A lot falls on Charles Lee and his staff with this pick. - Helin

19. Toronto Raptors: C Jayden Quaintance, Kentucky

Even with the selection of Collin Murray-Boyles in last year's draft, the Raptors still have needs to address in the frontcourt. Sandro Mamukelashvili can opt out of his deal and become a free agent, while starter Jakob Poeltl struggled with back issues for most of last season. Quaintance comes with some risk given his knee injury, but he boasts a high ceiling thanks to his athleticism and rim-protection ability. - Johnson

20. San Antonio Spurs (from Atlanta): G/F Dailyn Swain, Texas

If he plans to get on the court for Mitch Johnson, Swain will have to improve his defense and shooting. That said, he's going to fit in with San Antonio because he's big (6'7"), physical and likes to drive into the paint. The Spurs need more size on the wing; there's a role for Swain if he can grab it. - Helin

21. Detroit Pistons (from Minnesota): G Bennett Stirtz, Iowa

Whether it's through the draft or free agency, the Pistons need to add supplementary playmakers to help lighten Cade Cunningham's workload. Stirtz does come with some defensive concerns, but he's an excellent shooter who had the ball in his hands a lot at the college level. - Johnson

22. Philadelphia 76ers (from Houston via Oklahoma City): G/F Cameron Carr, Baylor

Carr is a knock-down 3-point shooter (37.4% last season for the Bears) who moves well off the ball and can put the ball on the floor and attack closeouts. His game should translate to the next level, but he's got to get a lot stronger and become a better, more physical defender. You can see a role for him in Philly. - Helin

23. Atlanta Hawks (from Cleveland): F Koa Peat, Arizona

Peat didn't have the best draft combine showing, as his perimeter shot remains a work in progress. However, the physicality and athleticism that he brings to the table should be enough to ensure the forward goes in the first round. The Hawks can use additional depth at the forward position, even if strengthening their options at center is the priority this offseason. - Johnson

24. New York Knicks: F Allen Graves, Santa Clara

Knicks fans are going to love him, and Mike Brown might as well, because he plays a high-IQ game and his strengths help a team win the possession battle (he will get you some steals). That said, the Santa Clara star fell this far down the board because he's a bit of a project — there's nobody better to learn from firsthand than the Villanova core in New York. - Helin

25. Los Angeles Lakers: C Tarris Reed Jr., UConn

Simply put, Deandre Ayton was not consistent enough last season. And regardless of what he decides to do with his player option, the Lakers need a post player who's more compatible with Luka Dončić in the two-man game. Reed, who was outstanding in the Huskies' run to the national title game, has the potential to be that kind of post player. - Johnson

26. Denver Nuggets: G Isaiah Evans, Duke

He's got good size (6'6") and he's a quality movement shooter, and there's a path to him becoming a quality NBA rotation player. But he's going to have to get stronger, improve his feel for the game — get open for Nikola Jokic and he will find you — and become a better defender. A bit of a project, but a good pick this deep for Denver. - Helin

27. Boston Celtics: F Joshua Jefferson, Iowa State

Jefferson's final season at Iowa State was short-circuited by an ankle injury suffered during the NCAA tournament, but he is one of the most versatile offensive talents in this draft class. He can score and create for others, and Jefferson's basketball IQ would make him a good fit for Joe Mazzulla's system in Boston. - Johnson

28. Minnesota Timberwolves (from Detroit): C Henri Veesaar, North Carolina

When Rudy Gobert entered the league from France, Utah's strength and development team spent a couple of years building him up physically to become the elite defender and force he is today. It's similar for Vessaar, but the other side of the coin — his strength and conditioning need to get a lot better so he can become a solid NBA defender, because he's already got the shot and handle teams are looking for at the five in the modern NBA. Good roll of the dice here by the Timberwolves. - Helin

29. Cleveland Cavaliers (from San Antonio via Atlanta): G Meleek Thomas, Arkansas

Cleveland had the NBA's most expensive roster last season, and while they reached the Eastern Conference Finals, the Cavaliers weren't very competitive after Game 1. Due to payroll constraints, the front office needs to find talent at an affordable price. Thomas has one of the quickest releases in this draft class, and his shot-making ability would fit nicely in a rotation headlined by Donovan Mitchell and James Harden. - Johnson

30. Dallas Mavericks (from Oklahoma City via Washington and Philadelphia): G Ebuka Okorie, Stanford

Okorie has an NBA-level skill: He is arguably the best driving guard in this class. He gets downhill and touches the paint almost at will, it seems. His handle is elite for a guy not yet in the NBA. However, his finishing on those drives — whether passing out or scoring — needs to improve, as do his defense and decision-making. There is potential there as a guard next to Cooper Flagg, but Okorie has work to do. - Helin

Second Round

31. New York Knicks (from Washington via Oklahoma City and Houston): C Zuby Ejiofor, St. John's

32. Memphis Grizzlies (from Indiana via Milwaukee): G/F Sergio De Larrea, Valencia (Spain)

33. Brooklyn Nets: G/F Richie Saunders, BYU

34. Sacramento Kings: G/F Alex Karaban, UConn

35. San Antonio Spurs (from Utah via Minnesota): F Baba Miller, Cincinnati

36. LA Clippers (from Memphis via Atlanta and Utah): G Emanuel Sharp, Houston

37. Oklahoma City Thunder (from Dallas): G Jack Kayil, Alba Berlin (Germany)

38. Chicago Bulls (from New Orleans via Boston, Detroit and Portland): G Ryan Conwell, Louisville

39. Houston Rockets (from Chicago via Washington): G Braden Smith, Purdue

40. Boston Celtics (from Milwaukee via Orlando): F Dillon Mitchell, St. John's

41. Miami Heat (from Golden State via Charlotte, New York, Oklahoma City and Atlanta): F/C Izaiyah Nelson, South Florida

42. San Antonio Spurs (from Portland via New Orleans): G Vsevolod Ishchenko, Lokomotiv Kuban (Russia)

43. Brooklyn Nets (from LA Clippers via Houston): C Ugonna Onyenso, Virginia

44. San Antonio Spurs (from Miami via Indiana): G Ja'Kobi Gillespie, Tennessee

45. Sacramento Kings (from Charlotte via San Antonio, Atlanta and New York): G Jaden Bradley, Arizona

46. Orlando Magic: F Trevon Brazile, Arkansas

47. Phoenix Suns (from Philadelphia via Houston and Oklahoma City): G Nick Boyd, Wisconsin

48. Dallas Mavericks (from Phoenix via Washington): G Bruce Thornton, Ohio State

49. Denver Nuggets (from Atlanta via Brooklyn and Golden State): G/F Tyler Nickel, Vanderbilt

50. Toronto Raptors: C Felix Okpara, Tennessee

51. Washington Wizards (from Minnesota via Detroit and New York): F Tobi Lawal, Virginia Tech

52. LA Clippers (from Cleveland): F/C Tyler Bilodeau, UCLA

53. Houston Rockets: F Bryce Hopkins, St. John's

54. Golden State Warriors (from Los Angeles Lakers via Toronto, Miami and Cleveland): G/F Tobias Jensen, Ratiopharm Ulm (Germany)

55. New York Knicks: F Nick Martinelli, Northwestern

56. Chicago Bulls (from Denver via Minnesota, Phoenix, Charlotte and Phoenix): F Tobe Awaka, Arizona

57. Atlanta Hawks (from Boston): G Noam Yaacov, Oostende (Belgium)

58. New Orleans Pelicans (from Detroit via New York, Brooklyn, Phoenix, Orlando and LA Clippers): G Kylan Boswell, Illinois

59. Minnesota Timberwolves (from San Antonio via Indiana): G Tamin Lipsey, Iowa State

60. Washington Wizards (from Oklahoma City via San Antonio and Miami): G Milos Uzan, Houston

June 19, 2026

Reds vs Yankees Prediction, Picks & Odds for Today's MLB Game

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The New York Yankees are heavily favored to best the Cincinnati Reds in tonight's series opener, carrying -260 odds to win.

With a massive starting pitching advantage, my Reds vs. Yankees predictions and MLB picks see value backing New York to win by multiple runs.

Who will win Reds vs Yankees today: Yankees -1.5 (-125)

Rhett Lowder ranks in the 25th percentile or worse in xERA, xBA, strikeout rate, chase rate, and walk rate.

He allows a ton of quality contact, doesn’t miss bats, and control issues lead to a lot of additional traffic on the basepaths.

The New York Yankees are third in wOBA, second in OPS, and first in BB% against right-handed pitching at home — they are a perfect team to exploit Lowder’s shortcomings.

Cam Schlittler has already developed into an elite starter, and should have little problem against a Cincinnati Reds attack missing Elly De La Cruz.

Play Yankees -1.5 to -135.

COVERS INTEL:Lowder has a 5.08 SIERA over the last 30 days, third-worst among today's starting pitchers.

Reds vs Yankees Over/Under pick: Under 8.5 (+100)

Schlittler has posted a 1.69 ERA over seven starts against teams ranking Bottom-15 in OPS vs. right-handed pitching. Only once did he concede more than a single run.

The Reds are a subpar offense against righties on the road, and the injury to De La Cruz only makes their life tougher.

The Yankees are missing Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, and Trent Grisham. Not to mention, Jazz Chisholm is nursing a groin issue.

It’ll be harder for them to run up the score without them. I also project they’ll only have eight innings to hit.

Play to -115.

Todd Cordell's 2026 Transparency Record

ML/RL bets: 34-27, -0.65 units
Over/Under bets: 32-27-2, +1.69 units

Reds vs Yankees weather

It will be another warm day in New York, with temperatures expected to reach the 80s. That should boost the bats, although both teams are missing some of their top power sources.

Reds vs Yankees odds

Moneyline: Reds +310 | Yankees -260
Run line: Reds +1.5 (+105) | Yankees -1.5 (-125)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-120) | Under 8.5 (+100)

Reds vs Yankees trend

New York has hit the Run Line in seven of the last 11 games (+4.4 units, 33% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Reds vs. Yankees.

How to watch Reds vs Yankees and game info

Location	Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY
Date	Friday, June 19, 2026
First pitch	7:05 p.m. ET
TV	Reds.TV, YES
Reds starting pitcher	Rhett Lowder (3-3, 4.60 ERA)
Yankees starting pitcher	Cam Schlittler (7-3, 1.82 ERA)

Reds vs Yankees 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.

June 19, 2026

Blackhawks Don't Have To Take A Defenseman If McKenna, Stenberg, & Malhotra Are All Gone

The Chicago Blackhawks have some options with the 4th overall pick, but it will mostly depend on what the teams ahead of them do.

Chicago needs forwards more than they need defensemen at both the NHL level and within the pipeline, which begs the question about best player available vs organizational need.

The truth is, if Gavin McKenna, Ivar Stenberg, and Caleb Malhotra are the first three picks, that doesn't mean that the Blackhawks are forced into taking a defenseman.

If they don't think that one of Chase Reid, Keaton Verhoeff, or Carson Carels is going to be better than Artyom Levshunov or Sam Rinzel, and there is a fourth forward that they really like, they must not hesitate to take the risk.

Forwards like Viggo Bjorck, Tynan Lawrence, Ethan Belchetz, and Wyatt Cullen are projected to be NHL-caliber forwards in the future, and the Blackhawks need as many of those as they can.

If one of them is at the top of their board, even more than any of the defensemen, there is no shame in that. Kyle Davidson has to do what he feels will make the team better in the long term, even if it goes against popular opinion.

Of those forwards, Viggo Bjorck and Tynan Lawrence appear to have the highest ceiling. For Bjorck, he shone at the World Juniors and World Championships, which featured other young stars like Ivar Stenberg and Anton Frondell.

If the Blackhawks ended up with a forward like him, he has the mold of a player who could slot in on a line with his countryman Frondell. The success that they've had with Sweden on the national stage could translate to the NHL.

As for Lawrence, he had times when he was projected to be a top-three pick in the draft. His time at B.U. showed just how hard the transition to college hockey can be, and he wasn't the only one who dealt with that reality check in 2025-26.

Chicago also doesn't have to use the 4th overall pick. If those top-three forwards are gone, there is the option of trading the selection. Trading down could still land them one of the other forwards mentioned, plus another asset.

As with any other team that has selected 4th overall in the past, some decisions must be made depending on what the three teams ahead of them decide. For the Blackhawks this year, positional need could come into play.

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June 19, 2026

Exclusive Q&A: Flyers GM Danny Briere on Matthew Schaefer's Calder, Top Prospects, and Free Agency

The Philadelphia Flyers and general manager Danny Briere got off to a blazing start to the offseason with their first trade, and the NHL draft and the start of free agency rapidly approach.

With Joseph Woll and Simon Benoit in the fold, the Flyers have already addressed a few immediate needs, and they have a number of prospects still on the way.

In a recent one-on-one with The Hockey News, I had the pleasure of picking Briere's brain, gleaning some insights into the Flyers' plans, how their prospects are coming along, and other odds and ends.

Here, we'll be covering topics like Egor Zavragin, David Jiricek, free agency, Jett Luchanko, former Flyers friends, and more.

Note that some questions and answers in this interview were edited for clarity and brevity.

Jonathan Bailey: "You have Simon Benoit now. You have talked a lot about Hunter McDonald, Ty Murchison, and those guys in the past. Do you think this changed anything for them? Benoit’s got one year on his deal, Seeler’s got a few more, but does that change anything for them now?"

Danny Briere: "You know, the way I see it is, those young guys, they both took a step forward last year. They're going to have to beat someone out of a job, like that's just the reality to make it in the NHL. You have to show that you can beat someone out of their job; that's going to be the challenge for them. So that's always the tough part, you know. Nothing is handed for free. You got to earn it.”

JB: "A few weeks ago, you re-signed Aleksei Kolosov for one year, but his goal was to play in the NHL. Now he’s the No. 3 goalie coming into the year. What's your confidence like in him, because he played pretty well last year?"

DB: "With Aleksei, two years ago, it was kind of a wasted year for him. So spending the year up as a third goalie with the Flyers, it wasn't ideal, and I think it was a little bit of a season that was lost for him last year. He had a good season, stepped back up, so we still see him as a young goalie that's still developing, but he needs more time. We feel it's a good spot for him to be in, as the No. 3. Most likely, there's going to be some injuries along the way, and sometimes he's going to have to play, he’s going to have the chance to play a few games. We don't know how many, and it's kind of the same thing that goes for McDonald and Murchison. You have to beat someone out of the job, so that's going to be the challenge for him."

Exclusive: Flyers GM Daniel Briere On How Joseph Woll Trade With Leafs Came TogetherPhiladelphia Flyers GM Daniel Briere shared when they made Joseph Woll a trade target from the Toronto Maple Leafs and how the team plans to use him and Dan Vladar.

JB: "Egor Zavragin is off to a new KHL team, maybe a tandem situation, but probably going to play. How optimistic does that make you now after the way this past year went?"

DB: "Yeah, I mean, it was a little disappointing to see, and there was a time where he, early in the year, had the best stats out of the group of three, and I think it almost felt like it was decided before that he was the youngest and he was going to be the one going to the VHL. So it's unfortunate, but we have no control over what they do now. There's a little bit of hope that he's going to be in the KHL the whole year and play some KHL games next year. I think it's going to be great for his development, and there's no rush, especially now knowing and seeing what we have here. We have a good group of four goalies that are under NHL contracts, and hopefully, we don't have to use all four, but we know it's there. And especially in Kolosov and Bjarnason’s cases, it's good to see them developing and playing some games. I think we're comfortable with where it's at, at the moment."

JB: "Jett Luchanko is turning pro this year. He made the team out of training camp both years he’s been here. Is that the expectation now, or do you want to leave that up to him and see where he's at?"

DB: "It’ll be up to him now. We’ll see. I mean, it's a big summer for Jett. Last year was a tough one, missed a lot of training, and he missed development camp. He came in, and he was still a little dinged up. So it's a big summer for him, but there's also no rush if we don't feel he's quite ready. We have Lehigh Valley that's down the road from here, and he's going to play a lot of minutes there, so I don't see us keeping Jett Luchanko as an extra player as a 13th or 14th forward on the team. If he doesn't fit into the top 12, he's most likely going to be in Lehigh so he can play lots of minutes and lots of responsibilities in every situation."

JB: "David Jiricek, I think he needs waivers. All things considered, pretty good in Lehigh, very productive. Where do you see him now that, especially because you have Benoit, is kind of like the insulator? If Juulsen isn’t coming back, that leaves a spot on the right for him… where do you see him right now?"

DB: “Yeah, like you said, he had a really good stint in Lehigh Valley. He proved that he's ready for the next level. For him, it's gonna be a battle for ice time. It's going to be up to him. Big summer for him. Yeah, he needs waivers. We're aware of that, and he's going to get a good look, and we hope that he's ready for it. We feel he's ready for it, but he's going to have to show it on the ice. We know the offense is there, the big shot is there, the size is there, and that's just for him to round out his game, where he becomes a player that the coaches trust every night."

JB: "Are there any players who definitely are, or definitely are not, coming back this summer?"

DB: "[Rodrigo Abols] will most likely not be back. [Luke Glendening] we still have in the mix. Yeah, there's so many moving parts still, right? We're looking at different things, we're exploring. That's our job, to explore what's out there. Look at trades, you know. Three weeks ago, I would be talking about [Emil Andrae] as a guy who has a chance to find his way into the top six, and it'll be up to him, and now today, he's out. Same thing with [Sam Ersson]. So things changed, things evolved. It's a little too early, right? I don't want to pigeonhole myself and say, ‘Oh, this guy's definitely not coming back’ yet. We're keeping the door open, but it's our duty to look at what's out there, and if there’s an improvement that we can make to help the team."

JB: “Coming into this, I had Sergei Bobrovsky and Claude Giroux written down, two of your old teammates who are now free agents.”

DB: Smiles. "Yeah, it's pretty safe to say that there's not much room for Bob. I still have the feeling that Bob will re-sign in Florida. I don't think they have a goalie signed, so, yeah, they're gonna need a goalie, at least one, maybe two. I mean, Bob's a fantastic teammate, and great work ethic. He would have been a really good example for our guys, but no, I don't know how realistic that would have been."

JB: "Giroux, I assume, the same thing? I'm thinking of Rick Tocchet talking about Luke Glendening, having that veteran right-hand center for matchups, making that connection. You never know?"

DB: "Yeah, you never know where it's at. G's had a really good stint in Ottawa. I'm sure they want to keep him there, so I'm not sure he's thinking about going anywhere else. But I think he's been invested in the Senators for a while now, and they have a pretty good team."

Flyers Trade With Hurricanes Worked Out PerfectlyThe Philadelphia Flyers were again proven right by making this trade with the Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes.

JB: "Nick Deslauriers, Stanley Cup champion. You guys gave him the chance to go play for a contender, got nothing back, but showed the young guys they’ll be rewarded for being good teammates and working hard. How nice is it to see him actually go do it from your perspective?"

DB: "Yeah, it was pretty cool. Nick, again, what he did for us, protecting some of our young guys the last few years, it's not an easy job, and you don't play a lot, and you sacrifice, and you do extra work. It's a really tough job to do. So, we're thankful for what he did, and I feel it was the right thing to do, to give him a chance to go somewhere and have a shot at the Cup at the time. If you remember, like, we weren't looking too, too good to have a chance to make the playoffs, so yeah, it was pretty cool to watch him lift when it happened a couple nights ago."

JB: "A bit of a personal one, but Matthew Schaefer has special place in the heart for you, and not to talk about other teams' players too much, but is there a personal sense of pride for you to see him win the Calder Trophy, and then on Good Morning America, where they brought it out to surprise him?"

DB: Smiles. "Yeah, I'm not supposed to talk about players on other teams, but there's a special connection there with the family, not just Matthew, but also his brother and his dad. So it was pretty cool to see that, and a surprise on the show. Yeah, there's a little special place for him, obviously. [New York Islanders GM] Mathieu Darche knows that as well, so it's not a secret. Very proud of him. The only thing I don't like about him is that he plays in our division. That makes it tough. But, otherwise, on most nights, I'm happy for the Schaefer family and Matthew, and he’s a special talent to watch play."

Why Islanders No. 1 Pick Matthew Schaefer Chose No. 48On Monday, the <a href="http://thn.com/isles">New York Islanders</a> inked first overall pick <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-islanders/latest-news/islanders-sign-no-1-pick-matthew-schaefer-to-entry-level-deal">Matthew Schaefe</a>r to his three-year entry-level deal as he walked to the Citi Field mound to throw out the inaugural first pitch.

JB: "Anything new on Nikita Grebenkin's injury?"

DB: "No, there's nothing still at this point that we can share. We're still in a holding pattern with him, so I don't have anything to share yet."

JB: "Is he still someone you see, like just the way he plays, his style, his traits, long-term, bottom-six, pushing for that role?

DB: “Yeah, that's what we are hoping for, believing that he can give us. He's just got to get healthy, but yeah, we love his spunk. We love the sandpaper that he brings, great personality, really well-loved, too, in the locker room. So we're just hoping that we can get him to a place where he can provide that feistiness for us every night.”

June 19, 2026

James Tibbs III walks it off for the Comets

Feb 23, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman James Tibbs III against the Seattle Mariners during a spring training game at Camelback Ranch-Glendale. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Several one-run affairs and a blowout loss for the Tower Buzzers made up a day of baseball in the Dodgers’ minor league system.

Player of the day

Sometimes one hit is all you need. Through nine innings, James Tibbs III hadn’t done anything, but then, with one out in the tenth and the Comets trailing 4-3, Tibbs was at the plate with a runner on base and homered to the opposite field for the win.

TIBBS CALLS GAME IN THE 10TH INNING☄️ pic.twitter.com/SZuwhcTSQv
— Oklahoma City Comets (@OKC_comets) June 18, 2026

It hasn’t been the best of months for Tibbs, far from it, as the left-handed hitter now has a .200 average with three home runs in June. On the plus side, he still is getting on base rather consistently with a .362 OBP despite that batting average at the Mendoza line.

Triple-A Oklahoma City

James Tibbs III is now up to 20 homers on the season, none bigger than last night’s two-run shot, which came when the Comets were two outs away from losing the game in the 10th inning. Tibbs drove in Ryan Fitzgerald, who also only had one hit the whole game.

Considering Tibbs’ homer was the Comets’ only extra-base hit in the entire game, and Hyesong Kim was their only hitter with a multi-hit game, the bullpen deserves a ton of praise. Led by Evan Phillips, Comets’ relievers tossed five innings without allowing an earned run after Christian Romero’s solid but unspectacular start. The only run conceded when relievers were on the mound was the ghost runner in the 10th.

Double-A Tulsa

The Drillers started off hot with four runs in the second, but quickly faded in a 6-5 loss against the Naturals. Just like in the Comets game, the whole lineup only had one hitter with a multihit game; here it was catcher and ninth-hole hitter Hayden Gilliland. It also only had one home run, here belonging to Josue De Paula.

Unable to score more than one run after that second inning, the Drillers’ offense allowed the Naturals the chance to get back into this one, and after a couple of blown saves from Lucas Wepf and Kelvin Ramírez, the veteran Nick Robertson suffered his first loss on the year. Robertson now moves to a 6-1 record, allowing only his fourth run (two earned) in 29.2 innings.

High-A Great Lakes

Playing a couple of closely contested games, both decided by a single run, the Loons split the doubleheader with the Captains. The bullpen tried to let their win slip, allowing the Naturals to tie the game at four-all after Aidan Foeller left them leading 4-0 thanks to 4.2 scoreless innings. However, the Loons caught a break, earning a walk-off win thanks to a defensive error from the Naturals, allowing DH Jose Meza to cross the plate.

Christian Zazueta’s five scoreless innings in the Loons loss meant that, combined, the Loons starters tossed 9.2 innings without allowing a run. This time around, reliever Isaac Ayon didn’t have it out of the bullpen, and not only did he blow the save in the sixth, but he also allowed a walk-off loss an inning later, coughing up a solo homer. The two runs the Loons had scored in this game, thanks to Emil Morales and Jose Meza, which looked like enough for most of it, fell short.

Single-A Ontario

Unlike the other four games, all decided by one run, the Tower Buzzers fell at the hands of the Quakes by a score of 11-2 in a game with a forgettable defensive performance. Four different players committed an error for the Loons, ultimately accumulating more defensive errors than hits (.3).

The only reliever out of the five from the Tower Buzzers to not give up a run was the veteran Brock Stewart, continuing to work his way back. Starter Brady Smith is now up to a 0-4 record.

Unable to drive forward a competitive effort by himself, designated hitter Eason Shelton at least upped his individual numbers, responsible for both RBI of his team, now sitting at 62 on the season.

Thursday’s scores

Oklahoma City 5, Sacramento 4
NW Arkansas 6, Tulsa 5
Great Lakes 5, Lake County 4
Lake County 3, Great Lakes 2
Ontario 2, Rancho Cucamonga 11

Friday’s schedule

4:05 p.m. PT: Great Lakes (Brooks Auger) vs. Lake County (Michael Kennedy)
5:05 p.m. PT: Oklahoma City (Charlie Barnes) vs. Sacramento (Joe Whitman)
5:05 p.m. PT: Tulsa (Roque Gutierrez) at NW Arkansas (Hunter Owen)
6:35 p.m. PT: Ontario (TBA) vs. Rancho Cucamonga (Alton Davis II)

June 19, 2026

Mariners News: Bryan Woo, Quinn Priester, and Trei Cruz

Jun 18, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Bryan Woo (22) throws against the Baltimore Orioles during the first inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images | Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

Good morning, foLLks, and happy Friday!

The Mariners shut out the Orioles 3-0 yesterday to secure their first series win over Baltimore since 2022. The second series of the homestand kicks off today against the Red Sox at 7:10pm PDT.

In Mariners news:

Bryan Woo twirled a gem yesterday, and he did so rocking a pair of cleats courtesy of patients from Seattle Children’s Hospital.

View this post on Instagram

The Mariners will be giving away a K-Pop Demon Hunters themed jersey on September 5th against the A’s. Specially priced tickets are on sale here.
Randy Dobnak is on his way to the Royals after exercising the upward mobility clause in his minor league deal with Seattle. He was added to Kansas City’s 40-man roster.
Mikey Ajeto at Baseball Prospectus took a deep dive into Emerson Hancock’s pitch arsenal. ($)

Around the league:

Brewers righty Quinn Priester will undergo first rib removal surgery. He will miss the rest of the season after being diagnosed with thoracic outlet syndrome.
MLB has proposed a reworked Draft system as negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement remain in their infancy, including the addition of an international draft, removing draft eligibility for high school players, and once again truncating the number of rounds. The MLBPA released a statement regarding these proposals in response, and perhaps unsurprisingly, it appears to be a non-starter in negotiations.
The Pirates and Braves completed a small swap, with Pittsburgh sending former second overall pick C Joey Bart to Atlanta for RHP Hunter Stratton.
The Tigers will recall utilityman Trei Cruz from Triple-A Toledo, who will fill in for Wenceel Pérez after a freak eye injury involving a snapped plyo band. Notably, he is the son of former Mariner José Cruz Jr., and the Cruzes will become just the fifth family to have three generations of MLB players when Trei makes his debut.
Death, taxes, and Mike Trout hitting the injured list – this time for a hamstring.
The Phillies signed veteran lefty and notable red-ass Kolby Allard to a minor league deal to bolster their pitching depth.

Connor’s picks:

Ribbie launched a few weeks ago. Per their site description, it’s “[a]ctual live games rendered pitch by pitch in a cozy 8-bit view while they happen. Watch for free. No account needed. A calmer way to keep baseball close.” While it’s still a work in progress , it’s a pretty neat way to follow a game if you tire of the Gameday view.
If you are looking for a new show to watch, please consider this one (~NSFW).

June 19, 2026

Orioles-Dodgers series preview: Hollywood swinging

Los Angeles, CA - June 16, 2026: Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) hits a home run during the sixth inning of an MLB game against the Tampa Bay Rays at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday, June 16, 2026 in Los Angeles, CA. (Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

Baseball is the sport with the most parity on a night to night basis, particularly in the regular season. The worst team can beat the best team, and no one really bats an eye. That is part of what made the Orioles series with the Dodgers back in September so magical. The Orioles were in the midst of a disastrous season while the Dodgers were en route to yet another World Series. That didn’t really matter though as the O’s took two of three anyway, including a particularly exciting comeback from a near no-hitter for Yoshinobu Yamamoto to a walk-off winner for the Birds in Game 2 of that series.

There is a similar gulf between these two clubs entering this series. The Dodgers have a league-best +144 run differential; the Orioles are at -36. The Dodgers lead their division by nine games and are two games clear of the second-best team in the NL. The Orioles are 2.5 games back of the final wild card spot in the AL. Add in the O’s abysmal 13-22 record on the road or 15-24 record against teams .500 or better, and you can start to mentally write this series off entirely.

Looking at stats isn’t going to give you any more confidence. The Dodgers have scored the second-most runs (Nationals) in baseball and hit the second-most home runs (Yankees). They also rank first in batting average (.261) and on-base percentage (.345), while their .441 slugging percentage is second to just the Yankees.

Shoehei Ohtani is having himself another amazing year, though not quite as dominant offensively as we have grown accustomed to. His .545 slugging percentage is his lowest since 2022, and his 15 home runs have him well behind his normal pace of long balls. Even still, his 163 wRC+ is among the leage leaders yet again.

Max Muncy actually leads the team with 16 homers, and he has done that in 60 fewer plate appearances than Ohtani. Andy Pages’ 56 RBI are tops on the team, only one behind the league leaders. Freddie Freeman is still good too, posting a .279/.368/.482 batting line with 12 homers.

The negatives are pretty limited, but we should mention them. Mookie Betts is struggling, and not just in the context of a stacked Dodgers lineup. The former MVP is hitting just .203/.266/.367 with seven homers and a 75 wRC+. His peripheral numbers are much better though. His expected batting average is .277 and he rare chases, whiffs, or strikes out. The 33-year-old is due for some positive regression at some point. Hopefully it doesn’t start this weekend.

And you probably don’t need to worry about this Dodgers team beating you on the base paths. Their 31 stolen bases are the fourth-fewest in baseball, and their -2.4 Base Running Runs are in the bottom third of the league as well.

The two things you can depend on the Dodgers for in recent history are winning baseball games and a full injury report. That is the case yet again in 2026. We won’t see a number of key names this weekend. Will Smith has a stiff neck. Teoscar Hernández is nursing a hamstring strain. Edwin Díaz is out until next month with an elbow injury. And you won’t have to worry about Tyler Glasnow (back), Kiké Hernández (oblique), Blake Snell (elbow), or old friend Evan Phillips (Tommy John) for several more weeks, at least.

Game 1: Friday, June 19th, 10:10 p.m., MASN

RHP Trey Gibson (1-2, 5.91 ERA) vs. RHP Roki Sasaki (3-4, 4.76 ERA)

Gibson is having the rookie experience right now. His last outing against the Padres was his first with more than two strikeouts. It also saw him issue five walks and bean Xander Bogaerts in the head. There is work to be done, but the Orioles have no choice but to keep trotting him out there given the injures elsewhere on their starting staff.

It has been a rocky sophomore season for Sasaki. He had a 6.35 ERA in March/April, but settle down with a 3.18 ERA in May. Now in June he followed seven shutout innings against the Angels to begin the month with a meltdown against the White Sox (4.1 IP, seven runs). Which version will the Orioles see to open the series? It feels like we all know the answer, don’t we?

Game 2: Saturday, June 20th, 10:10 p.m., MASN

LHP Trevor Rogers (3-7, 5.86 ERA) vs. RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto (7-4, 2.52 ERA)

Is Rogers back? He has a 3.12 ERA in June and has not allowed more than three runs in any of his last three starts. His formula is pretty simple on paper. Limit the walks and keep the ball in the yard. When he does that, he finds success. That ability will be tested against these Dodgers.

Yamamoto is following up his third-place finish in Cy Young voting a season ago with an almost identical season in 2026. The strikeout numbers aren’t as dominant, but he is walking almost no one and has a WHIP of just 0.840. The diminutive righty makes you earn your way on.

Game 3: Sunday, June 21st, 4:10 p.m., MASN

RHP Brandon Young (5-2, 3.18 ERA) vs. RHP Emmet Sheehan (3-4, 4.76 ERA)

The Orioles’ string of winning games that Young starts was broken in his last outing, but that wasn’t the righty’s fault. He delivered a quality start, going six innings and allowing just three runs. His 2.83 ERA over his last eight starts has been a saving grace for a rotation that has struggled with consistency overall. The Orioles might even have the pitching advantage in this one.

Sheehan has probably been something of a disappointment for Dodgers fans this year. He looked great with his 2.82 ERA across 73.1 innings last season, but has failed to live up to that hype in 2026. Even still, he forces a lot of swing and miss, and regularly gets hitters to chase pitches out of the zone. So this is still going to be a tough matchup for the Orioles.

How many games do you think the Orioles will win in this series? Let us know in the comments.

June 19, 2026

Diamondbacks to buy at the deadline

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - APRIL 18: Arizona Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen looks on at Wrigley Field on April 18, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Geoff Stellfox/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Diamondbacks News

(SI.com) Hopeful Diamondbacks Plan To Buy at Trade Deadline

It was hardly even a question, thrown in at the end of a radio interview, but Arizona Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen went out of his way to give a definitive, strong statement on his trade deadline plans.

“I’m planning on buying,” Hazen said, in the waning seconds of an interview with Arizona Sports 98.7’s Wolf & Luke show.

(Sporting News) Diamondbacks’ frontline starter is giving up hits at an alarming rate

He isn’t missing bats with the knuckle curve as he has in the past. And with this, Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller tags him as the club’s most scrutinized player.

“A month ago, the choice would have been Ketel Marte. But while the three-time All-Star second baseman has turned things around in a big way, Gallen has gone from bad in 2025 to worse in 2026. He entered the year averaging 7.5 hits allowed and 9.5 strikeouts per nine innings pitched. The former rate has ballooned to 11.1 while the latter has plummeted to 5.9. His velocity has been fine, but the knuckle curve that used to be his go-to out pitch simply isn’t fooling anyone anymore.”

(SI.com) Diamondbacks Release Former Cardinals Infielder

According to the transaction log on his MLB player page, the Triple-A Reno Aces have officially released former St. Louis Cardinals first baseman and DH Luken Baker.

Baker, 29, has played in 76 major league games — 73 for the Cardinals in parts of three seasons from 2023-2025. He was signed to a minor league contract by the Diamondbacks in the offseason ahead of 2026, and made three major league appearances with Arizona.

MLB News

(MLBTR) MLB Proposes Significant Changes To Amateur Draft

Negotiations between Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association continue for the next collective bargaining agreement. Today, MLB proposed significant changes to the draft. J.J Cooper of Baseball America was among those to cover the developments.

The league’s proposed framework would be a significant drawdown of the way the draft has operated for years. High school players would no longer be eligible to be selected. In fact, anyone under 20 years old by September 1st of the draft year would not be eligible, so that would take many college and junior college players off the table as well.

(Orange County Register) Angels’ Mike Trout placed on IL with right hamstring strain

The Angels placed their 34-year-old center fielder on the 10-day injured list before Thursday’s game against the Athletics after he suffered a right hamstring injury while running to first base during his final at-bat in Wednesday afternoon’s loss in Arizona.

“It felt like a cramp and just didn’t get any better. Achy last night, so woke up this morning and got it looked at,” Trout said before the game.

(Yahoo! Sports) MLB Home Run Derby returning to swing-based system for first time since 2014

The 2026 MLB Home Run Derby is turning back the clock and saying goodbye to it simultaneously. MLB officially announced Thursday that the midsummer slugging competition is set to return to a swing-based system for the first time since 2014.

While timed rounds have been part of the past 11 iterations of the Derby, hitters’ bouts will again have no time limit.

June 19, 2026

Astros Legends Series 27: Sean Berry

ST. LOUIS, MO - JULY 12: Sean Berry of the Houston Astros during the game against the St. Louis Cardinals on July 12, 1998 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Sporting News via Getty Images via Getty Images) | Sporting News via Getty Images

Sean Berry made an immediate impact upon his arrival to Houston in 1996. Originally acquired in a trade from the Expos, Berry would join the “Killer B’s” lineup and drive in 95 runs in his debut season in the dome. Along the way that first season, he’d also hit a pair of grand slams. Berry is our 27th installment of our exclusive Legends Series.

Q: What do you remember about being dealt to Houston?

A: You know, it benefited me that the trade happened during the offseason, so I was able to get a full spring training under my belt and get to know the superstars that I was around in Craig and Jeff and everybody else.

It was a perfect fit. I kind of fell right into the framework and mindset that they had. They all hustled, and it was a great feeling. It was perfect because you knew there was something special with that team on day one.

Q: “Killer B’s” still resonates all these years later down here. How great were Biggio and Bagwell?

A: I think for me, just seeing those guys play as hard as they did, day in and day out, and to do it at that level. Those guys were great players, but what impressed me was the hard work they put in when no one was watching. I never even played a full 162 game schedule like those guys. The turf at the Astrodome wasn’t really turf (laughs) it was more like concrete and they kept their bodies in tune.

Q: Was there any doubt in your mind that they’d eventually wind up in Cooperstown?

A: I came up through the Royals organization, and I got to know this guy by the name of George Brett. Those guys had the same competitiveness as George did and they all had long careers. eff’s numbers would be even more impressive if he didn’t have the arthritis in his shoulder. He would’ve had another 2 or 3 years with great numbers.

Q: What did you like about taking the field for Larry Dierker?

A: When I got there, he was a new manager of sorts but the one thing that they don’t do these days but that Larry always instilled was with our staff, he’d say don’t be looking in here during the 5th or 6th inning for me to come and get you out of the game.

We had Mike Hampton and Shane Reynolds and Darryl Kile, and they always took us deep into games. They were our best guys, so Larry’s belief was to keep them out there even if the metrics didn’t bear it out. He was that way. Larry in his own right had some incredible complete games as a pitcher, so he brought that to the table as a manager.

Q: I heard a rumor that during the first week of the season, you attended a game as a fan for the first time. Is that true?

A: It is (laughs). It was against Boston in April. It was weird, very strange. I was sitting there and there were so many strikeouts and guys not putting the ball in play. It bothered me and watching guys not break up double plays was a little hard. We never tried to hurt anybody, but the second base play stuff doesn’t feel right when I watch it, it just feels wrong.

Q: What did you think of seeing Yordan Alvarez for the first time in person?

A: He’s pretty impressive. Wow. When I did that for a living, I did it pretty okay at times, but then I see a guy like him and I’m like, I never looked that polished at the plate.

June 19, 2026

On The Horizon: Cubs vs. Blue Jays series preview

When the Blue Jays were last at Wrigley Field in August 2024, thousands of Jays fans followed them to Chicago. I found them to all be passionate fans, but also friendly and unfailingly polite.

As we are near the beginning of summer travel season, I’d expect more Jays fans at Wrigley again this weekend — and in fact, I have heard all three games are already near-sellouts. So, welcome!

This series matches two teams that were supposed to be World Series contenders, but at this time both are struggling. For more on the Blue Jays, here’s Tom Dakers, manager of our SB Nation Blue Jays site Bluebird Banter.

What can I say about the Blue Jays? Well, they have been incredibly average. They can hit, unless, of course, there are RISP, and then they hit much as you or I would. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., the ‘face’ of the team, has been in a deep slump and an even deeper power outage. Earlier in the season, he was hitting well, just not hitting home runs. Now, if you look at his stats, you’d see he has three home runs, and that’s not a typo. Three.
The starting pitching has been pretty good, other than Max Scherzer, whom you are unlucky enough to miss out on seeing. The team has been getting starting pitchers back from the IL, so we weren’t going the ‘bullpen days’ two times out of five. Louis Varland has been amazing in the closer role, after Jeff Hoffman had enough blowups to lose the job. Hoffman has a great strikeout rate (36.1 percent) and a roughly equal home run rate (well, not really, but he does seem to give up home runs at the worst possible moments). On the good news side, Alejandro Kirk and Nathan Lukes are back and hitting well.
We Jays fans are hanging our hopes on the fact that they are in about the same spot as they were at this time last year, and that turned out pretty good.

Fun facts

The Cubs have played only nine previous games at home against the Blue Jays, their fewest vs. any current big league team.

They played more against three long-defunct National League clubs: 10 vs. the Hartford Dark Blues, 11 vs. the Louisville Grays and 11 vs. the St. Louis Brown Stockings, all in 1876-77, the league’s first two seasons.

The Cubs are 6-3 at Wrigley Field vs. the Jays. They lost two of three in 2005, swept three in 2017 and won two of three in 2024, missing a sweep when they lost the finale, 1-0.

(Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)

Probable pitching matchups

Friday: Ben Brown, RHP (3-2, 1.74 ERA, 0.968 WHIP, 2.36 FIP) vs. Kevin Gausman, RHP (4-4, 3.41 ERA, 1.034 WHIP, 3.20 FIP)

Saturday: Colin Rea, RHP (5-5, 5.35 ERA, 1.459 WHIP, 5.03 FIP) vs. Patrick Corbin, LHP (2-3, 4.57 ERA, 1.475 WHIP, 4.41 FIP)

Monday: Shōta Imanaga, LHP (4-6, 4.26 ERA, 1.062 WHIP, 4.58 FIP) vs. Dylan Cease, RHP (3-3, 2.91 ERA, 1.162 WHIP, 2.35 FIP)

Times & TV channels

Friday: 1:20 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network, also streaming on Peacock (outside the Cubs and Blue Jays market territories)

Saturday: 1:20 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network

Sunday: 1:20 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network

Prediction

The Cubs have had their struggles of late, but now they are facing a team that has had trouble winning on the road. The Jays are 16-20 away from Toronto, though they now have a winning record this month, 8-7, while the Cubs are 7-8 so far in June.

The pitching matchups seem to slightly favor the Jays, but I still think this is a series the Cubs can win. Two of three. If the Cubs can do that, that would be three straight series wins.

Up next

The Cubs head to New York for a four-game series against the Mets beginning Monday evening.

June 19, 2026

Trae Young isn’t the star the Wizards should bet on

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 16: Trae Young #3 of the Washington Wizards drives to the basket in the third quarter against guard Gary Payton II #0 of the Golden State Warriors at Capital One Arena on March 16, 2026 in Washington, DC. 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 G Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images

If you haven’t seen it already, Greg Finberg wrote about reports about Trae Young planning to decline a $48.9 million player option for the 2026-27 season and become an unrestricted free agent this summer. Go ahead and read that article and come back because I’m not going to rehash all the details — I’m here to look at what the Wizards should do.

The calculus for Young looks straightforward. He can get a new contract, the free agent pool is shallow, and he and his agent figure he’ll get a maximum contract. I suspect they’re correct. Several teams have money to spend and want to get better. And there’s a still pervasive view that Young is an elite offensive weapon.

If Trae Young truly opts out so he can sign a maximum contract, the Wizards would be wise to let it be with someone else. | Getty Images

The Wizards are at least somewhat in agreement — team presdient Michael Winger said they viewed Young as the top free agent this summer, so they traded for him to get him early.

But being the best free agent this summer is not the same thing as being worth a maximum contract. Being an elite offensive weapon (assuming that’s true) is not the same thing as being an elite player. Or being worth a max deal.

The question the Wizards front office needs to answer is whether the team would be better off over the next 3-5 years paying Young a maximum salary than they would be to either a) negotiate a lesser deal (if possible), or b) letting him depart and using the financial flexibility to acquire future assets.

I think the Wizards essentially answered this question when they traded for him. And you’ve probably already guessing which direction I’m leaning, but let’s go through it anyway.

Let’s start with this: the Wizards paid next to nothing of any meaningful value to acquire Young. They gave up Corey Kispert, a limited wing who offers good shooting and not much else, and CJ McCollum, a good player mostly in the deal due to his large salary and expiring contract.

That the Wizards got Young for so little is meaningful in at least couple ways. First, it’s testament to Young’s perceived value at a maximum-level salary. And second, the acquisition cost is low enough that the Wizards don’t need to think about it when making the should he stay or should he go decision. Their are no future picks dangling overhead — they gave up nothing of consequence.

There was a time when Young really was among the game’s best players. In my all-around production metric, Player Production Average, where average is 100 and higher is better, Young scored a 195 one season, which followed a 160, which followed a 165. That’s serious production — All-Star level in that 160s range, All-NBA bordering on MVP-conversation level at 195.

But that 195 was in 2021-22. Four years ago. Since then, four seasons, 7,606 minutes and a 142 PPA. Still pretty good but a long way from that elite status of 2022. During that time, the Atlanta Hawks were better on offense with Young on the floor by about the same amount they were worse on defense. In terms of driving wins, the Hawks were about the same whether he played or not.

Over that span, Young’s offensive possession usage stayed high while his efficiency sagged back to around average. It’s kind of impressive that he was able to remain even that efficient given his heavy offensive load and small stature. It’s also apparent that the drop in efficiency makes him less able to drive high-level team offense.

Young is a genius passer, though the creativity does come with turnovers. The shift in officiating has contributed to a modest reduction in trips to the free throw line, which is a further drag on his efficiency. The big issue is his shooting — subpar conversion rate on twos, and below average shooting on threes.

Some of the three-point shooting is the level of defensive attention he gets. Some of it shot selection. Which is to say, he takes a lot of hard shots — extreme range, heavily covered, stepbacks off the dribble. Sometimes all of those things on the same shot.

What happened in his brief appearance in a Wizards uniform last season is barely worth talking about. It totaled five games and 104 minutes, and while he looked pretty good personally, a) the sample size was too small to be meaningful, b) the team was worse on offense and better on defense when he was on the floor, and c) the sample size was too small to make item B mean anything.

That’s the past. The Wizards are buying the future — ages 28 to 31 or 32. Broadly speaking, this is an okay time to spend heavily on a player. The “normal” career arc is for a player to peak in their mid-20s (for a smaller guard like Young, peaks typically happen a little earlier) and then maintain into their early 30s.

Young’s career arc is already more like an exaggerated version of the small guard trajectory than the broader NBA population. Meaning: his best season was probably that 195 at age 23. His production has been down since then. Still pretty good, but not close to that elite level.

I haven’t talked much about Young’s defense, but it has to be addressed. Because, depending on the metric you use, he could well be the NBA’s worst defender. I’m not quite willing to go with absolute worst, but it’s fair to say he’s among the worst. As Bum Phillips once said of Earl Campbell, “He may not be in a class by himself, but it don’t take long to call roll.”

Young’s offense is still good enough that he’s probably a net positive overall — at least in the regular season — despite the defensive woes. We can worry about the postseason when the Wizards get back there.

At this stage in the rebuild, I think it’d be a poor decision to give Young a maximum contract, even if it’s for “only” three years. In my estimation, it would instantly be a bad contract that would saddle Washington with an expensive, declining player for however long the contract runs.

If Young can truly get a maximum contract from another team, the smart business decision would be to do one of two things: 1) facilitate the move and try to extract draft picks or young players, or 2) let him leave. The financial flexibility will pay off — there are always more opportunities to be had, and they’ll probably come along sooner than we’d think.

Bottom line: the Wizards are trying to build a contender. Now is not the time to make a multi-year, $200 million dollar bet on a small guard who’s already declining.

June 19, 2026

Bucks trade ideas that don’t involve Giannis: Accumulating more draft picks

DENVER, CO - MARCH 26: Christian Braun #0 of the Denver Nuggets drives to the basket during the game against the Milwaukee Bucks on March 26, 2025 at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado. 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 Bart Young/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

Yesterday, I discussed ways the Bucks could upgrade the roster around Giannis while again dipping into their draft cupboard. For those of you who were against this, today is for you. We’re going to explore ways the Bucks can upgrade the roster, whether or not Giannis stays, without losing a pick in any future draft…. and maybe even gain picks. In this scenario, they can still acquire some really talented players, but without Giannis, they’re not big-time needle movers. None of them by themselves can make the team meaningfully contend.

Since the Bucks have ample room under the tax line and the first apron, they should be in the business of taking on bad contracts if it also nets them draft assets. You might remember that in order to sign Myles Turner last summer, Milwaukee had to create every bit of cap room they could. That meant trading Pat Connaughton’s $9.4m expiring salary to Charlotte, and giving them two future second-round picks for the trouble. Now they’re going to be in Charlotte’s place, taking on teams’ unwanted money.

We begin in the Rocky Mountains, where you’ll find a squad with significant financial concerns this summer…

Christian Braun

The Nuggets need to cut a lot of payroll if they want to keep Peyton Watson in restricted free agency this summer. Braun’s five-year, $125m rookie-scale extension starts in July, but swapping him for Kyle Kuzma would only save them $1m in 2026–27, which is when they need the flexibility most, to say nothing of the future. Receiving Bobby Portis would instead save them $7m, and with five years remaining on that deal, Denver would have to give Milwaukee at least one of the firsts they control in 2026, 2031, or 2033. Their firsts from 2027–30 are encumbered by protections. Braun took a step back after his breakout third season, but he’s just 25 and is a nice player overall.

Cam Johnson

Johnson was widely discussed as a potential Buck last offseason and has a $23.1m expiring deal. Swapping the 30-year-old straight up for Portis is legal and would save Denver $8.6m. He shook off a slow start and actually set a career-high in three-point percentage, though he dealt with injuries a fair bit too, missing 28 contests. Perhaps Milwaukee could squeeze a couple second-rounders out of Denver for helping them save. The Nuggets only have two available to trade: no. 49 this year and their 2033 pick. They also have their 2028 second, but it’s protected only for picks 31–33, so if they don’t have one of the league’s worst records, it goes to Washington.

Zeke Nnaji

The forward has two years left (the second a player option) on his rookie-scale extension signed back in 2023. He showed some promise as a 22-year-old back then, but probably not enough to justify the four years and $32m he received. Denver would certainly like this one back. Milwaukee can help them here too, in the event that any of Gary Trent Jr., Gary Harris, or Taurean Prince opt into the final year of their minimum contracts. Swapping one of them for Nnaji could save the Nuggets up to $11.1m over the next two seasons. That’s definitely worth multiple seconds.

These Denver moves would be smart regardless of whether Giannis leaves or stays, particularly if Milwaukee can get a future first for bailing them out. But now I want to talk about some truly distressed assets. Admittedly, you’d have to squint for these to make sense, but if the Bucks can get some picks out of them, it softens the blow.

Ja Morant

I don’t think Giannis plus Morant necessarily makes the Bucks a top-tier contender in the East, but despite the baggage, I could learn to live with it. There are obviously long-term maturity/off-court issues with him, plus significant injury problems in recent years. There was some belief that Morant and Taylor Jenkins didn’t get along well by the end, though I’ve also heard those reports may be overblown. It’s anyone’s guess how they’d gel with a new franchise.

With two years and $87.1m remaining on his contract, the 26-year-old will probably fetch a similar return as Trae Young this past deadline: salary matching without picks attached. Morant is owed $38.1m more than the value of Young’s 2026–27 player option, which he reportedly plans to decline. Memphis would save $48.4m between now and 2028 if they took back Kuzma and Portis in return.

If I’m Jon Horst, I’d insist on the Grizzlies including draft assets for that bailout. Memphis has 14 firsts and 9 seconds in their cabinet between now and 2033. From a business perspective, getting any additional value alongside Morant, without trading picks, is a sound move. On the court? Maybe not, but a 32-50 team doesn’t exactly have a leg to stand on when debating how good the fit would be.

Kyrie Irving

Another option in a similar vein is Irving, whom Jeremy discussed late last month. Again, there are baggage and health concerns: he’s coming off a torn ACL that has sidelined him since last March. He also just turned 34, a full year older than Lillard was in 2023. He’s guaranteed several million less than Morant, but unlike him, Irving can opt out of his $42.4m final-year salary next summer. The age and injury demerits make for a trickier case: Dallas would only save about $7.5m next season if they swapped him with Portis and Kuzma, so what’s in it for them? They’re not facing financial constraints. They might need a pick to be convinced, and I’d only do that if it’s heavily protected or a swap.

Like I said yesterday, the Bucks are going to do something. But whatever happens with Giannis, I would really like them to deal with Denver. Yes, I wish the Nuggets had more than some crappy seconds to offer for Nnaji, but one of their future firsts in any deal would be an absolute coup. Whatever calls are being made, it would be a missed opportunity to restock if trades like the above aren’t being discussed.

June 19, 2026

Jim Hiller Hire, Darren Raddysh Addition Joins List Of Changes For Maple Leafs And Signals A True New Era For Organization

The Toronto Maple Leafs have seen many changes to the organization over the last several months. The latest being the hire of new head coach Jim Hiller on Wednesday, and the acquisition of defenseman Darren Raddysh.

Hiller's introduction to the Maple Leafs caps an abundance of decisions with the purpose of reshaping the organization. And Raddysh joining Toronto's blueline is a big change to the team's D-core.

In other words, it's the beginning of a new era for the Maple Leafs.

The start of this new era in Toronto began last off-season when Mitch Marner departed from the Maple Leafs in that sign-and-trade with the Vegas Golden Knights. But as the year went along, there were plenty more changes on the cards, and maybe some were not anticipated at the conclusion of the 2024-25 campaign.

Here are some of those notable changes and decisions that led to this new era for the Maple Leafs organization.

Joe Bowen's Retirement

After being the voice of the Maple Leafs for over 3,800 games and over 40 years of broadcasting, Joe Bowen has just wrapped up his final year in the booth.

It won't be the same for Leafs fans with Bowen no longer behind the microphone. But the 75-year-old will be in retirement as a new era of Maple Leafs broadcasting begins, starting next season.

Joe Bowen Reacts To Tribute From Maple Leafs And Fans In Final Home Radio Broadcast Of CareerBowen will call his final Maple Leafs game live from the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa on Wednesday night.

Missing 2025-26 Playoffs

The Maple Leafs have been a perennial playoff team in the NHL. In fact, this past season was the first time Toronto missed the post-season in nine years.

Until last year, the Leafs have consistently made the playoffs since 2016-17. In other words, they've never missed out on the post-season in the Auston Matthews era.

That change last season when Toronto ended their campaign as the last-place team in the Atlantic Division and fifth from the bottom of the entire NHL standings.

With that, the organization finds themself in a situation that it hasn't experienced in a decade, marking a new timeline for the Leafs.

John Chayka And Mats Sundin Hiring

Following that disappointing 2025-26 campaign by the Maple Leafs, ownership believed it was time for a change in the front office.

Former GM Brad Treliving was fired in late March, and current GM John Chayka and senior executive advisor Mats Sundin were named the successors to the previous management.

It was an interesting and unpredictable decision for MLSE to hire Chayka as the GM when he hadn't been in the league since 2019-20. To add to that, they brought in Sundin, a former captain and icon of the Maple Leafs, but he never experienced a role in an NHL front office or in any league, for that matter.

This different approach and assignment of roles is something the Maple Leafs organization hasn't gone through in recent years, and certainly marks a new era for the hockey club.

2026 First Overall Pick

In the aftermath of misery from the end of a poor regular season and the initial backlash from MLSE's front office hires, Toronto's spirits were reborn when they surprisingly won the 2026 NHL draft lottery.

Toronto had the fifth-best odds and an 8.5 percent chance of winning the lottery, and with a little bit of fortune, that hope became a reality. It marks the first time the Leafs will get the first overall pick in a draft since they selected Matthews in the 2016 draft.

With the likelihood of taking left winger Gavin McKenna in this year's draft, or even left winger Ivar Stenberg, Toronto is sure to get a talented youngster to boost a franchise that was trending downward at the end of the last campaign.

What Will Jim Hiller Bring To The Maple Leafs, What Could Make Him A Good Fit?Looking at Jim Hiller's head coaching history with the Los Angeles Kings, what will he bring to the Toronto Maple Leafs, and what makes him a good fit?

Jim Hiller Hiring

Hiller was another surprise hire by the Maple Leafs, both because of the lack of reports that included his name and also his previous tenure with the Los Angeles Kings.

Nonetheless, Hiller returns to the Maple Leafs after four years as an assistant coach from 2015-16 to 2018-19. And the word is, Toronto's stars are a big fan of Hiller.

As an assistant, he ran the power play, and over the course of his Leafs tenure, he guided them to be a top-five power play. With someone like Matthews dropping in production over the years, maybe Hiller can bring the best out of him.

Additions To Blueline

The latest move Chayka has executed is a sign-and-trade with the Tampa Bay Lightning for Raddysh. They acquired him from the Bolts for a 2026 fifth-round pick, and then reportedly inked him to an eight-year extension worth $8.5 million per season.

Raddysh, a Toronto native, was one of the top players in the 2026 UFA class, making this a big grab by the Leafs and a boost to their back end.

Maple Leafs And Lightning Finalize Sign-And-Trade For Top Pending Unrestricted Free Agent Defenseman Darren Raddysh At A Reported $68 MillionRaddysh, who was projected as the top defenseman available on the open market in July, signed an eight-year deal reportedly worth a reported $8.5 million per year.

With that, throw in the trade with the Philadelphia Flyers when Toronto received 24-year-old defenseman Emil Andrae and sent away Simon Benoit. This improves the Leafs' ability to advance the puck up the ice with Andrae's puck skills, along with his ability to skate.

Not to mention, the biggest change to Toronto's back end may be yet to come. With talks of Morgan Rielly potentially being moved this summer, that would be the most era-changing move Toronto could make, considering he is actively the longest-tenured Maple Leaf on the team.

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June 19, 2026

Pirates deal Joey Bart to Braves for familiar face

PITTSBURGH, PA - APRIL 14: Joey Bart #14 of the Pittsburgh Pirates rounds the bases after hitting a home run in the fifth inning during the game between the Washington Nationals and the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on Tuesday, April 14, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Christopher Denver/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

The Pittsburgh Pirates made a late-night trade on Thursday night that will shift the landscape of two areas of the team.

Pittsburgh dealt catcher Joey Bart to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for reliever Hunter Stratton.

A familiar face, Stratton was a 16th-round pick of the Pirates in 2017 and pitched for the club for three seasons.

Stratton made his MLB debut in 2023 and only allowed three runs over 12 innings.

He totaled a 3.58 ERA in 36 appearances the following season, but struggled in 2025. Stratton allowed seven runs in 2.2 innings with the Bucs last year for a deeper and higher-regarded bullpen staff.

The Pirates DFA’d Stratton and traded him to Atlanta, where he posted a 2.20 ERA in 12 appearances. He was DFA’d by Atlanta earlier this week and opened the door for the Pirates to make the trade.

Stratton will begin his second tour with the Bucs in Triple-A Indianapolis.

Currently on a rehab assignment for a left foot infection, Bart was in line to be the odd-man out of the Pirates catching rotation.

The former No. 2 overall pick of the San Francisco Giants was rumored to be a potential trade piece dating back to the start of spring training, and now exists Pittsburgh after two and a half seasons.

Bart hit .259 with one double, two home runs, six RBIs, and 21 strikeouts in 58 at-bats in 2026.

He performed well against left-handed pitching, but started off slow and was on pace for his worst season as a Pirate.

Bart recorded nine hits in his final six games before the injury, including a four-hit day in his final game as a Bucco.

Endy Rodriguez stepped up in Bart’s absence and didn’t look back. Rodriguez was recalled following Bart’s injury and is slashing .267/.413/.467 with three doubles, three homers, and eight runs driving in over 60 at-bats.

He’s also shown good plate discipline with 15 walks compared to 17 strikeouts in 23 games and is beginning to emerge as the Pirates’ No. 1 catcher. Henry Davis remains on the roster and has caught every Paul Skenes start in 2026.

Stratton primarily pitched in Triple-A Gwinnett, posting a 4.38 ERA and 16 walks compared to 24 strikeouts in 24.2 innings.

The Pirates need Stratton to channel his early Pirates career and help a bullpen that has been the Achilles heel of the team the entire year.

Pittsburgh plays the first of a three-game series in Colorado against the Rockies on Sunday at 8:40 p.m.

June 19, 2026

Justice Department opens civil rights probe after Giants’ Pride protest

An investigation into Major League Baseball by the United States Department of Justice into possible discrimination against four San Francisco Giants players has been opened after they wrote Bible verses on their hats during the team's Pride Night.

On June 12, three Giants pitchers, Landen Roupp, JT Brubaker and Ryan Walker, broke MLB protocol by altering their uniforms with Bible verses on their Pride Night caps, which featured a rainbow Giants logo. And another pitcher, Sam Hentges, did not even wear his Pride Night hat. The players received a warning from MLB for violating the uniform policy.

The DOJ said they were referring Major League Baseball to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in a letter written to Commissioner Rob Manfred.

"The three players expressed their opposition to MLB's pro-Pride orthodoxy," Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon said in the letter. "The Civil Rights Act prohibits MLB and its franchises from unreasonably burdening the rights of players with religious objections to serving as the League's vehicle for pro-Pride messages.

“Federal law is clear: employers must modify their uniform requirements to reasonably accommodate their employees’ exercise of religion,” Dhillon added in the letter. “The Trump administration is committed to combatting religious discrimination."

San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Landen Roupp throws against the Chicago Cubs during the first inning at Oracle Park.

On June 16, Vice President JC Vance publicly weighed in via social media, responding to a Sports Illustrated social media post, Vance said, “Trump won; we don’t have to do this anymore.”

The Giants said after incident that "they are proud to support Pride Night and the LGBTQ community" but also respect that individuals may make "personal choices about team activations," while also adding that the players caused "pain and anger for many in the LGBTQ community."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLB under investigation after Giants’ Pride Night protest by players