ARLINGTON, TEXAS - JUNE 05: Kumar Rocker #80 of the Texas Rangers pitches during a game against the Cleveland Guardians at Globe Life Field on June 05, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Texas Rangers lineup for June 11, 2026 against the Kansas City Royals: starting pitchers are Kumar Rocker for the Rangers and Michael Wacha for the Royals.
We have an afternoon getaway game in Kansas City today. If the Rangers win, they will win the series and get to .500. If they lose, they will lose the series, drop to two games under .500, and we will all continue to wonder whether they will ever get back to even this year. Joc Pederson gets the day off after leaving yesterday’s game with a hip issue.
The lineup:
Langford — LF
Seager — SS
Jung — 3B
Nimmo — DH
Duran — RF
Burger — 1B
Carter — CF
Diaz — C
Lopez — 2B
1:10 p.m. Central start time. Rangers are +105 underdogs.
Jun 10, 2026; New York, New York, USA; A general view of the court and videoboard after game four of the 2026 NBA Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
Ron Swoboda. Stephane Matteau. Graeme Lloyd. David Tyree. OG Anunoby.
The pantheon of players who’ve come to New York and stamped themselves in playoff lore is short and sweet and celebrated. Anunoby’s Right Hand of God tip-follow with 1.2 seconds left completed a 30-point turnaround, the largest comeback in NBA Finals history, lifting the New York Knickerbockers to within one win of their first title since 1973. Diving catches in the World Series, a double-overtime series-winning goal, an improbable stretch of dominance, a freak play you couldn’t repeat if you tried 100 times . . . and OG may have topped them all.
Without the bitter life wouldn’t taste so sweet, but for the first 40 minutes the Knicks played like their pregame meal was grapefruit rinds. San Antonio built the biggest halftime lead for any Finals road team — 27. With just over nine minutes left, the Spurs were up 20. In an irony worthy of O. Henry, it happened despite Mike Brown’s team, having raised the issue of the free throw disparity after Game 3, quadrupling the visitor’s attempts by the break (23-6).
It was the 3-point shooting, natch, creating the division between the sides, with the visitors +30 from deep by halftime. For much of the first half, I thought, “All right, they can’t keep making 60% of their 3s,” which gave way to “They really gonna make 60% of their 3s?!” Understand: for far longer than is decent, the Spurs were on pace to score 180 points. On offense, they couldn’t miss. On defense, they made Jalen Brunson endure a triathlon just getting the ball past midcourt. Karl-Anthony Towns took two shots the whole first half, the victim of an absurd coach’s challenge in the game’s first minute. The Spur reserves outscored the Knicks’ 22-2. Pick your poison, it all pointed to the same end. Not that some of us lost sight of the big picture.
Madison Square Garden belongs to the people, and we the people all, eventually, belong to the dead. There are ghosts at 33rd and 8th. Ghosts that don’t take kindly to 22-year-olds throwing cheap shots, reveling in their protected status at the league office and mouthing off about being in someone’s head when they’re down in the series and there’s most of the game left to contest. The Knicks needed to look within. They needed the crowd. But they also needed the ghosts.
When San Antonio’s lead was at its peak, 29, Victor Wembanyama — bet your bottom dollar the league overturns it — was whistled for a flagrant foul for swinging a ‘bow into KAT’s face. Obviously the ghost of J.R. Smith briefly possessed Wemby, making him go one step too far with the aggression while making amends for the 2013 elbow on Jason Terry, the one that sent a promising oasis of a season down the tubes (Mixed metaphors, I know. I’m a goof). The rest of the way it was 55-25 Knicks.
The last time the Knicks came this close to a title, a small sparkplug guard who played harder than anybody, whose superpower was his effort, couldn’t hit a basket in Game 7. The ghost of John Starks was with Jose Alvarado last night. The Puerto Rican demigod played only three minutes in the first half but 12 in the second, giving the Knicks a critical second ball-handler to give Brunson a chance to be Brunson. 10 of those minutes were in the fourth, when he hit all three of his shots for eight points, including an essential bomb with three minutes left to make it a four-point game.
By his lofty standards, Patrick Ewing struggled in the one Finals he played in. The scoring touch just wasn’t there. So what did The Big Fella do? Just haul in a Finals-leading 12.4 rebounds while setting the record for blocks in a Finals. The ghost of Aloysius was with Towns last night. KAT had a team-high 10 rebounds and broke his fourth-quarter scoreless streak. Most importantly, KAT was there. Playing. Present. Even when he wasn’t looking to shoot, the threat Towns presents kept Wembanyama out guarding him away from the basket, opening up some precious real estate for the other Knicks to do their thing.
Early on, my nightmare scenario was coming true: with KAT in early foul trouble and Mitch Hack-a-Mitch’d, Mike Brown had to turn to Ariel Hukporti and Jeremy Sochan for first-half minutes at the 5. I like them both, but no. After only eight first-half minutes, Towns staying out of foul trouble the rest of the way let him play 18 in the second. He wasn’t much of a scorer, but he grabbed seven rebounds post-intermission and dished a couple of dimes. He did whatever they needed from him to win this game. All the players did.
And the coach, and while some people continue to debate the relative worth of Mike Brown, I say any coach who in the biggest spot looks more Red than Riley is worth his weight in gold. The ghost of Pat the Rat’s decision to play Starks ad nauseum when he couldn’t make a jumper, with Rolando Blackman on the bench, has haunted any Knick fan who lived through that Game 7 in Houston; Riley himself has said it’s his biggest coaching regret.
When the 1970 Knicks lost Willis Reed early in Game 5 of the Finals, Cazzie Russell and Dave Stallworth stepped up as the entire Knick squad pulled in one direction, ultimately toppling Wilt Chamberlain. There’s a difference between a total team and a top-heavy group.
Brown played 12 Knicks in the first half. Tom Thibodeau would have shrunk the rotation to four. But in order to best the Spurs’ modern-day Prometheus, it was going to take a true team effort, every last ounce every last one of them could muster. And they did. And they did it. The Spurs made 28 shots in the first half. Second half? Eight. New York closed on a 32-11 run, their eleventy billionth huge run of this postseason.
The Knicks winning the championship was never going to happen in a dull, mundane fashion. It was always gonna take something like the greatest Finals comeback in league history. And you know? There was literally no point last night when I thought they were done. That is a quality unique to this Knick of any I’ve ever watched. I was frustrated and confused as they fell behind. I was sick of all the (understandable) gushing over San Antonio’s play the first two or three or three-plus quarters. I was never without hope. I was never even without certainty.
One of the oldest ghosts at Madison Square Garden has been the fake comeback, for years the symbol of everything we loved and lashed out at with this team. The fake comeback is the epitome of team-sponsored torture — they let you down, only to build you up, only to let you down, like you *knew* they always would.
These Knicks? They never let you down. Can you believe it? We’ve waited 53 years to say that.
Quoth Mike Breen after OG’s tip-in: “It’s good! It’s good! It’s good!” It is. It really, truly is. Last night wasn’t just a comeback for the ages. It was catharsis, the breaking of one identity and the premiere of a new one. Like the 2004 Red Sox. Or a hermit crab. Or Carrie, after the prom. The “LOL Knicks,” the “Knicks for clicks,” the “not a model of intelligent management” Knicks? They’re on life support. They could be, should be the new ghosts, and sooner than later. The old Knicks are dead.
FORT WORTH, TEXAS - JULY 14: Major League Baseball commissioner Robert D. Manfred Jr. announces the pick for the Kansas City Royals at the 2024 MLB Draft at Cowtown Coliseum on July 14, 2024 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The MLB draft is a month away, to be held during All-Star week in Philadelphia beginning on July 11. The Royals benefitted from the draft lottery, moving them up to the #6 overall pick. This is considered a fairly strong draft class with good impact talent, with a terrific class of college hitters at the top and a deep pool of talented high school pitchers.
UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky is the consensus best player in this class, likely to go #1 to the White Sox. Prep shortstop Grady Emerson is the top high school player with Georgia Tech catcher Vahn Lackey also likely to go in the first few picks.
ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel writes that the “next grouping after the clear top three players” includes high school shortstop Jacob Lombard, high school outfielder Eric Booth Jr., and college pitcher Jackson Flora. The Royals should be positioned to grab one of these six players, but they also have the sixth-largest bonus pool, which could allow them to be flexible. There is typically a surprise in the first ten picks, and McDaniel thinks it could come with the Royals’ pick. They could cut an under-slot deal with the #6 pick, to grab a first-round talent in later rounds that fell due to high bonus demands.
What are the top draft observers saying about who the Royals might take? While mock drafts remain an inexact science, many of the game’s top draft writers keep connecting Kansas City to the same handful of names, most notably Lombard, Booth, and left-hander Gio Rojas.
Jacob Lombard is a right-handed bat whose father George was a big leaguer, and whose brother is a top prospect with the Yankees. The Miami-area product is a five-tool player widely lauded for his baseball IQ and coachability. The last time the Royals selected a toolsy, mature high school shortstop whose dad played in the big leagues, it seemed to work out for them. In a mock draft back in early May, Keith Law of the Athletic had the Royals going chalk and grabbing Lombard. Most other mocks also report the Royals prefer Lombard, although they don’t think he will be available when the Royals select at #6.
Eric Booth Jr. is a 70-grade runner with good bat speed that some evaluators think will translate to decent power numbers in the big leagues. MLB Pipeline notes that Booth’s left-handed swing can look choppy at times, but evaluators are encouraged by his excellent exit velocities. He also won the home run derby at the Perfect Game All-American Classic. Joel Reuter at Bleacher Report has the Royals taking Booth, citing his potential as a “20-homer, 40-steal everyday center fielder.” Law reports that the Royals’ plan is to take either Lombard or Booth if one is available. McDaniel and Carlos Collazo at Baseball America each write that the Royals prefer Lombard to Booth.
Gio Rojas could be the option if both Lombard and Booth are off the table. Jim Callis at MLB Pipeline wrote the Royals will “sort through the consensus top six players, at least one of whom will get to them, along with left-hander Gio Rojas, the consensus top prep pitcher.” The Miami-area lefty can run his fastball up to 98 mph and complements it with a sweeping slider and a changeup. MLB Pipeline writes he has the makings of a frontline starter, and with “outstanding presence on the mound” and an ability to “fill up the strike zone.” McDaniel writes that Rojas is the backup option if Lombard and Booth are both off the table, possibly as a “cut-rate option” that could sign underslot. Collazo reports the Royals have heavily scouted Rojas.
Jackson Flora is the top college pitcher on the board, and could be an option if the top prep players are off the board. Peyton Sower at Just Baseball writes that Royals scouting director Brian Bridges has done well with college pitching selection in recent years, so he has the UC-Santa Barbara pitcher going to the Royals. He writes that Flora has a “fascinating arsenal” with “above-average command” including a kick-change he uses against left-handers. Flora had a 1.06 ERA with 133 strikeouts in 102 innings this season for the Gauchos.
Other names that could be possibilities for the Royals include high school pitcher Carson Bolemon, who Keith Law calls one of the top prep arms. He writes that the Royals prefer Lombard or Booth, but pitching could be a “fallback option” with the South Carolina lefty a possibility.
California high schooler Jared Grindlinger is an intriguing two-way player that most teams see as a hitter, but Callis reports the Royals like him better as a pitcher. At 17, he’s one of the youngest players in the draft, but has a fastball that sits 90-93 mph that could tick up as he grows.
Collazo reports there is some buzz about Florida right-hander Liam Peterson, although he might be a reach at #6. The Royals have gone with Gator pitchers before – notably Brady Singer and Jackson Kowar. Peterson stands 6’5” with a mid-90s fastball that could increase in velo in shorter stints. He had a 4.59 ERA with 111 strikeouts in 84.1 innings this year for the Gators.
The Royals could look to college hitters, with McDaniel suggesting Arkansas catcher Ryder Helfrick is an option. A right-handed slugger, Helfrick hit .283/.417/.562 with 18 home runs in 62 games for the Razorbacks and 55 walks. Mark Powell at FanSided has the Royals going with Drew Burress, who hit .358/.473/.657 with 16 home runs and 10 steals in 61 games for Georgia Tech. Burress is a more polished hitter, but standing at 5’9”, he lacks imposing physical tools. Powell writes that Burress has rising stock, and would likely be an underslot signing.
From celebrity row at Madison Square Garden to the feud between owner James Dolan and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani over security at watch parties, Knicks fans have become a focal point of the 2026 NBA Finals. But they're not all making the best impression with the franchise in the spotlight again, just one win away from winning its first championship since 1973.
The unfortunate behavior may now include an apparent egging attempt on the Spurs' best player.
This latest incident comes on the heels of videos that appeared to show a fan wearing a Spurs jersey being attacked after NBA Finals Game 3 in New York, and drew a strong reaction in the aftermath of the Knicks' historic comeback.
"If you're throwing eggs at Victor Wembanyama and, the other night, if you're beating up on people, threatening, or doing anything to people wearing Spurs jerseys, just know that you are a disgrace," ESPN's Mike Greenberg said on "Get Up," while also referring to these particular Knicks fans as "lunatics."
"You're not disgracing the city, you're disgracing yourself and everyone that knows you, and that should go without saying," Greenberg added.
Wembanyama looked back briefly but otherwise did not appear to react when the object was thrown at him following Game 4 on Wednesday. Another angle makes it appear as if the object (likely an egg) hit a street sign near where Wembanyama was walking and liquid (yolk?) splashed near him.
He was then quickly ushered into the hotel by security without further incident.
There were fan gatherings across New York City as the Knicks completed the greatest comeback in NBA Finals history, but some again required law enforcement involvement.
According to the NYPD, across multiple locations around the city, 56 people were taken into custody, 15 were arrested, and 41 were released with criminal court summonses. Some of the charges included assault on a police officer, criminal possession of a weapon (knife), reckless endangerment, criminal mischief, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, obstruction of governmental administration, and trademark counterfeiting.
The NYPD previously released surveillance photos related to the Game 3 incident and announced it was looking for a group of five men charged with robbery. They allegedly surrounded a man wearing a Spurs jersey walking back to his hotel around midnight in midtown Manhattan and "proceeded to punch and kick the victim about the body and forcibly removed the victim's basketball jersey from his body."
"Being a Knick fan doesn't mean being disrespectful to Spurs fans in any way," actor and celebrity Knicks fan Ben Stiller wrote on social media ahead of Game 4. "We get caught up during the games but we gotta show respect to our fellow humans."
Happy Friday Junior, folks! Read that again: I did not say "Happy Friday."
Despite it being a getaway day, there are a few guys I'm in love with to have success at the dish today: Hunter Goodman, Miguel Vargas, and Randal Grichuk.
In the default ratings on Batters-Box, Goodman owns a strong rating, with that data dating back to the start of his career. While the sophomore catcher carries an elite rating in the current season timeframe, his trends toward a strong rating are still worth noting.
Across 30 strong ratings, Goodman has left the yard 26.67% of the time and surpassed this prop in 50% of those games. Not only that, but the Rockies' backstop owns an 87.4% arsenal coverage rating against Cabrera's pitch mix.
The 26-year-old got off to a slow start this season, but he has turned things around over his last 30 plate appearances against right-handed pitching, batting .304 with a 1.000 SLG and 1.433 OPS while producing a 55.6% hard-hit rate and 33.5% barrel rate.
Since returning from injury, Cabrera has not exactly been a pitcher I'm looking to back.
Against the last 30 right-handed hitters he's faced, he's allowed 47.4% hard contact, a 21.1% barrel rate, and a 52.7% elevation rate. Those hitters have also posted a .311 xBA, .681 xSLG, and .426 xwOBA during that stretch.
At nearly even money for two bases at Coors Field, I'd play this down to -110 if I had to.
Time: 3:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Marquee, COLR
Miguel Vargas Over 1.5 total bases (+104)
The next two guys I'm going to boast about offer a ton of value this evening. Sure, they might not even play due to the thunderstorms expected to roll through the South Side of Chicago, but I don't look at, nor do I care about, the weather.
14 mph winds blowing out, though. Eyes emoji
With how well Chicago White Sox third baseman Miguel Vargas has been playing this season — especially against southpaws — it's hard to pass up the value on him tonight.
For those worried about the rain, I actually love a hitter even more if there's a delay. Making a starting pitcher go through his routine twice before the first pitch can throw everything out of whack.
Vargas enters today with a favorable matchup rating on Batters-Box in the default ratings dating back three seasons. More importantly, he owns an elite rating in the current season timeframe.
The soon-to-be All-Star has been torching lefties. Over his last 30 plate appearances against them, Vargas owns a .409 batting average, .682 slugging percentage, and a 1.234 OPS, while producing 60% hard contact and a 10% barrel rate.
Perez has allowed nearly a 60% elevation rate to right-handed hitters on the road while also surrendering 40.6% hard contact.
With the wind blowing out and the way Vargas has been seeing left-handed pitching, I want to be all over him this evening. I wouldn't pay any juice on this prop, so shop around and grab the best plus-money price you can find.
Time: 7:40 p.m. ET
Where to watch: CHSN, BravesVsn
Randal Grichuk Over 1.5 total bases (+117)
The other guy I’m in love with in this matchup is newly added fan favorite Randal Grichuk, who has been a great addition for the White Sox since arriving from the Yankees.
Like Vargas, he has been giving left-handed pitchers hell this season, sporting a .407 BA, .889 SLG, and 1.356 OPS over his last 30 plate appearances against southpaws. During that span, he has also produced a 40.9% hard-hit rate and a 9.1% barrel rate.
The 34-year-old veteran owns the second-highest rating in this matchup over on Batters-Box, marking his 33rd elite home rating. In his previous 32 elite home ratings, he has recorded at least one hit 65.63% of the time and doubled in 37.5% of them.
With Grichuk hitting in the two-hole and two bases sitting at +117, I think this is a great spot for both the No. 2 and No. 3 hitters tonight — assuming the weather cooperates.
For those wondering why I'm backing these props despite the weather concerns, my answer is simple: if they're playing, there's always a chance.
That's how I've always approached it. Others may disagree, but I spend far too much time digging through the data to let the possibility of rain, snow, or even a massive typhoon scare me off a play. If the game is on, it's in consideration.
Time: 7:40 p.m. ET
Where to watch: CHSN, BravesVsn
Colby Marchio's 2026 Transparency Record
Prop picks: 208-356-30, +4.01 units
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Jul 24, 2015; Seattle, WA, USA; Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Jose Reyes (7) celebrates in the dugout after scoring a run against the Seattle Mariners during the first inning at Safeco Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images
Jose Reyes turns 43 today.
In November 2012, Jose Reyes joined the Blue Jays as part of a blockbuster trade with the Marlins. Toronto received Reyes, Josh Johnson, Mark Buehrle, outfielder Emilio Bonifacio, and catcher John Buck, while Yunel Escobar, Adeiny Hechavarria, Henderson Alvarez, Justin Nicolino, Jake Marisnick, Jeff Mathis, and Anthony DeSclafani went to Florida.
This was the first in a series of high-profile moves that supposedly ‘won the off-season’ for Toronto. By all accounts, Reyes was the player then-GM Alex Anthopoulos most coveted, and the deal expanded from there.
The trade ultimately didn’t work out well for the Blue Jays. Johnson made 16 poor starts, was injured, and never pitched in the majors again. Emilio Bonifacio struggled on both offense and defense before being traded mid-season. John Buck was quickly flipped to the Mets, and Mark Buehrle ended up staying with the team the longest.
As for Reyes, he struggled with frequent injuries and didn’t quite meet expectations during his two and a half seasons with the Blue Jays.
In 2013, Reyes hit .296/.353/.427 with 15 steals in 93 games. Unfortunately, he suffered a severe ankle injury on April 12th, causing him to miss over two months. After returning, he struggled to push off that foot, which seemed to impact his defensive range.
2014 was another challenging year. Reyes hit .287/.328/.398 with 30 stolen bases, but defensively, he committed 19 errors and his range was diminished.
2015 brought more of the same challenges. Radio broadcaster Jerry Howarth seemed determined to criticize Reyes, particularly for his errors at crucial moments and his cheerful demeanor on the bench even when the team was losing.
While the criticism was understandable given the team’s disappointing performance in recent seasons, Howarth’s focus on Reyes felt excessive.
Eventually, Reyes was traded along with Miguel Castro, Jeff Hoffman, and Jesus Tinoco to the Rockies in exchange for Troy Tulowitzki and LaTroy Hawkins.
That trade, along with acquisitions of David Price, Mark Lowe, and Ben Revere, plus Marcus Stroman’s return from the IL, energized the Jays, who went 40-18 over the last two months of the season. Perhaps Jerry was right that Reyes was holding the team back; Tulowitzki provided more defensive stability, though he too would struggle with injuries.
Reyes finished 2015 with the Rockies, but off-field issues arose, including a domestic violence incident that led to his suspension and eventual release by Colorado before he played a game in 2016. He later signed with the Mets and played with them from 2016 to 2018.
During his 2.5 seasons with Toronto, Reyes hit .289/.334/.404 with 61 stolen bases over 305 games.
Over his 16-year MLB career, Reyes posted a .283/.334/.427 line with 145 home runs and 517 stolen bases in 1,877 games—a very solid career overall.
Ezequiel Carrera turns 39 today.
Carrera spent the final three years of his seven-year MLB career with the Blue Jays, from 2015 to 2017, primarily playing the corner outfield positions.
I’ll admit I wasn’t a huge fan. In 2015, he hit .273/.321/.372 over 91 games, and in 2016, he posted a .248/.323/.356 line in 110 games.
His saving grace was his strong playoff performance in 2016. Carrera went 2-for-4 in the Wild Card game against the Orioles and then hit .333/.429/.583 with a home run during the Blue Jays’ three-game ALDS win over the Rangers. He didn’t hit much in the ALCS loss to Cleveland, but neither did the rest of the team.
Carrera had his best offensive season in 2017, hitting .282/.356/.408, but his defensive struggles limited him to a -0.1 bWAR. He often took circuitous routes to fly balls and lacked the arm strength to compensate.
After being released by the Blue Jays following the 2017 season, Carrera signed with the Braves, Mets, and Dodgers organizations but never returned to the majors.
Beyond his defensive issues, my lasting memory is of Carrera occasionally getting a home run on a pitch at head level. Then, for the next couple of weeks, he’d swing at anything high.
Carrera was a classic replacement-level player—good enough to fill a roster spot, but ideally not playing as often as he did. For a left-handed hitter, he posted only a modest platoon split (.660 OPS vs. lefties, .698 vs. righties), which limited his value as a platoon option. He wasn’t dependable enough to be used as a late-inning defensive replacement either.
Across seven MLB seasons, Carrera hit .262/.324/.365 with 19 home runs and 44 stolen bases in 508 games, including 332 appearances with Toronto.
NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 10: Dylan Harper #2 and Devin Vassell #24 help up Stephon Castle #5 of the San Antonio Spurs during the game against the New York Knicks during Game Four of the 2026 NBA Finals on June 10, 2026 at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE(Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
I woke up this morning.
I know, I’m as surprised as you are, but I did. I woke up. I went downstairs. I made coffee and it tasted exactly like it did yesterday. The sun was shining through the windows. My kids were playing with their Legos. Everything was fine. Perfect, actually.
It’s always striking to me how relentlessly life just marches on with so little regard for the circumstances and events that fill in the blanks. Nothing slows down, nothing speeds up. Time may be relative, sure, but it’s also consistent. Tomorrow will forever follow today.
If you’re reading this then, congratulations. You also survived. What happened in Madison Square Garden on June 10th didn’t kill you. It probably didn’t feel great either, but that’s beside the point. We’re here. We’re alive. There’s nothing to be done except pick up the pieces.
Now, we could certainly sit here and rehash the game if you’d like. The big lead. The big collapse. The missed opportunities. The OG play. Taylor Swift. I have a whole book full of notes and we can dissect it piece by piece. I’m sure we’ll find plenty of excuses and reasons for everything in there. Hidden gems that will tell us exactly when and where it all started to fall apart. If bet if we look close enough, we can pinpoint the exact second our hearts ripped in half.
For the life of me though, I can’t imagine wanting to go through that again. I’d rather figure out what we’re going to do now.
We could wallow, obviously. Lord knows there’s every reason to. But, look, we all watched Knicks fans spend the 48 hours between Games 3 and 4 having a collective existential meltdown on every podcast, show and platform they could find. We watched them take to the streets and cry to the heavens about the injustice, the indignity, of having to suffer through a 2-1 series lead. I watched a crowd of people yell obscenities at a man in a DeMar DeRozan jersey. These are not serious people.
I have no interest in doing anything like that. Frankly, it’s unbecoming.
Last night wasn’t the refs. The league doesn’t have a vendetta against us. The Illuminati didn’t convene and determine that in order for the world to prosper, the third biggest market in Texas needs to be humiliated on national television. We just lost. It was brutal and it was basically every sports fan’s worst nightmare come to life. But that’s all it was. A loss.
And we survived.
Y’all, we are so unbelievably lucky. Maybe it’s a little hokey of me to be preaching gratitude at a time like this, but like, ask a Sacramento Kings fan if they’d trade places with us. Ask a Hawks fan. A Clippers fan. Hell, go back in time four years ago and ask a fan of the Spurs team that finished 15th in the Western Conference and tied for the worst record in franchise history. Today feels pretty awful but I don’t think I’d trade it for anything.
You can’t get your heart broken if you never go to the dance.
We’re in the NBA Finals. We have one of the most talented, young rosters in the history of the league. We have a 7’4″ Shaolin monk who hits step back threes. We have five banners flying back home in our arena. We have Tim, Manu, and Pop waiting on the tarmac to help pick up the pieces. We have each other.
If you still feel bad, that’s okay. Feel it. Embrace it. Live with it. If you’re not watching sports to feel something then you’re not doing it right.
Eat, drink, and be merry.
Game 5 is Saturday.
Takeaways
It never felt safe. Not for one single second and if you did feel safe you’ve not been paying attention. It was going too well. The shots were too clean. Everything was going to plan. That’s just…not how any of this works. It felt like a trap the entire time. A guy I was watching with made some comment about how, like, “Can you imagine paying 15K for those seats and now you’re having the worst night of your life?” and as soon I heard that question I almost turned the TV off. We tempted fate. We flew too close to the sun. They gave us all the clues.
I’m willing to give De’Aaron Fox some grace on that last play where he tried to go to the rack in transition. I know he’s being a little defensive about it right now, trying to explain his thinking on it, and that’s okay. He allowed to do that. It all happened really fast and the moment got away from him. There were no shortage of mistakes to go around last night and I’m sure no one feels worse about it than he does. Fox is going to be heard from again in this series, I can feel it.
At one point in the 4th quarter, I think I said something along the lines of “I’d be okay if we never shot another three the rest of the game.” I hate to be that guy, but I just wanted us to go to the rim over and over and over again. That’s all I wanted. Burn clock. Go to the rim, if you get blocked whatever, but make them work. It’s like we were just trying to re-catch lightning in a bottle and that’s simply not how lightning or bottles works. The lightning was gone. Ugh, I don’t know. Maybe that wouldn’t have worked either. That game simply felt destined to break our hearts one way or another and there isn’t really a tactic or scheme lurking around in some playbook to combat destiny.
Maybe it will change as we get a little further away from it, but I’m pretty sure this still wasn’t as bad as the Ray Allen shot. It’s close! As close as I ever want to even remotely get ever again, but it’s not as bad as the ropes already being out for the celebration. Nothing will ever be as bad as that. And even if it is, I mean, hey, everything turned out okay in the end, right?
Why do we fall? So we can learn to pick ourselves up. Batman Begin
Yeah. Sort of hard to like, lean into the fun bits after you spent the evening watching Detective Benson, Taylor Swift and the Haim sisters dance on your grave.
Pretty undignified way to go.
It’s not what you want. It really is such a surreal experience to be living through a horrific sports trauma and then the camera cuts to Adam Sandler in a giant hoodie clapping along to your demise. I’m trying to process my grief and David Zaslav is staring at me in a backwards hat. There’s not a playbook for things like that. We weren’t trained for this.
Do you think it’d feel better if it were just random Knick fans instead?
I think the concept of whatever that was last night “feeling better” in any way, shape or form is not something I think is worth entertaining right now.
The Montreal Canadiens’ first-round pick at the 2023 draft, David Reinbacher, has not been lucky with injuries so far in his young career, but he still believes that he can be the right-shot defenseman the Habs need, according to TVA Sports’ Anthony Martineau.
The journalist who covers the Canadiens’ daily activities reported that he made some calls recently about the young blueliner and that the ball will very much be in his court come training camp. Martineau explains that when the puck drops in Brossard in September, the Austrian blueliner will no longer be earmarked as a player who needs some more time with the Laval Rocket and that it will be up to him to grab a roster spot with the big club.
Martineau also reports that the organization really liked what it saw from the 21-year-old this season, both in the NHL and the AHL, and is very aware of how rare, good right-shot blueliners are in the league. From that, he believes the rearguard is unlikely to move this summer.
Reinbacher is perfectly healthy right now and spending some time in Switzerland, where he has already begun training for next season. The youngster will head back to Montreal toward the end of July in readiness for the next campaign.
While there’s no denying that good right-shot blueliners are few and far between in the league, what the Canadiens need is a good right-shot blueliner who can step right in a top-four role. The question then becomes, is Reinbacher the kind of player who could do that? When he was drafted, the team believed that he could, and, from what Martineau reports, it still does.
In 57 games with the Rocket this season, Reinbacher put up 24 points and played a big role in a fantastic pairing with Adam Engstrom. However, he was once again bothered by injuries, beginning with a broken metacarpal bone in his hand sustained in a preseason game against the Toronto Maple Leafs in September and ending with his missing the do-or-die Game 5 against the Toronto Marlies, which the Rocket lost, crashing out of the playoffs. In his first two NHL games, the youngster grabbed an assist and took three shots on goal, averaging 13:09 on the ice.
Keeping Reinbacher would make sense for the Canadiens, not just because of how rare his profile is, but also because his value has declined since the 2023 draft, and Kent Hughes is not the kind of GM who likes to sell low; he prefers to maximize asset value. I don’t think Reinbacher should be seen as an untouchable, though. If the Canadiens need to include him in a deal to get a right-shot defenseman who could step right into a top-four role, I don’t think they would hesitate.
Ralph Houk (right), who will succeed Casey Stengel as the New York Yankees' manager, gets light from his boss, Dan Topping, at the Savoy-Hilton Hotel in New York on Oct. 21, 1960. Topping, the Yankees' co-owner, introduced the 41-year-old Yankee coach as the team's new manager by emphasizing that, "Ralph is the boss." As boss, he'll get $30,00 on a one-year pact. (Frank Hurley / New York Daily News via Getty Images)
As sports fans, what we generally care about is the players on the field. Sure, they come and go over the years, but they would be the ones doing the thing that clinches a World Series title.
However, as sports fans, you still do have to spend some amount of time thinking about ownership. After all, it’s quite hard to actually be a winning franchise if you have an actively bad owner.
From 1945-64 if you were a Yankees’ fan, you did not need to spend a lot of time worrying about the team’s ownership. Under the stewardship of Dan Topping and Del Webb, the Yankees were the cream of the crop in Major League Baseball, winning 10 World Series championships in the span of just two decades.
Today also happens to be the birthday of one of those men, so let’s look back at the life and times of Dan Topping.
Daniel Reid “Dan” Topping Born: June 11, 1912 (Greenwich, CT) Died: May 18, 1974 (Miami Beach, FL) Yankees’ Ownership Tenure: 1945-66
Daniel Topping was born in Connecticut in 1912 to parents Henry and Rhea Topping. The future Yankees’ owner was born into money, as both of his grandfathers had amassed wealth as industrialists. His maternal grandfather — Daniel G. Reid — was known as the “Tinplate King” having been successful in the tin industry.
Like you might expect from people of that part of society, Topping was sent to a fancy boarding school and later attended the University of Pennsylvania. Along the way, he developed an interest in sports, and was pretty decent at them. He played baseball and football at Penn, and was also quite a good golfer, qualifying for the U.S. Amateur Championship on three occasions.
After graduating from college, Topping worked at some fancy jobs initially, but didn’t take to that life. Using the money he came from, he decided to purchase a partial stake and then eventually the majority ownership of the NFL version of the Brooklyn Dodgers. Under his guidance, the NFL Dodgers steadily improved, until they were decimated by the outbreak of World War II. Topping himself also served in the military during the war, joining the Marines.
Topping would later make further attempts at football ownership, but none of them stuck long term. But spending time in that world did lead him to baseball. While owning the NFL Dodgers, Topping became acquainted with Larry MacPhail, who was an executive with the more famous baseball Dodgers. Years later, they ran into each other while Topping was still serving in the military and MacPhail recruited him to join the consortium he was putting together to buy the New York Yankees. The estate of Col. Jacob Ruppert was looking to sell the team, and together, Topping, MacPhail, and developer Del Webb would join forces to take over the team.
The late Ruppert helped mold the Yankees into the titans of the sport with the acquisition of Babe Ruth and by maintaining productive relationships with other stars like Lou Gehrig and Joe DiMaggio. As far as owners go, he was a good one, and the Yankees won seven championships under his watch. Remarkably, under Topping and Webb’s group, they would fare even better.
Initially, MacPhail was mostly in charge of the baseball operations, and that proved fairly successful, culminating with a win in the 1947 World Series. However, his behavior during that time also became increasingly erratic. A drunken outburst in the celebrations following that World Series victory led to MacPhail resigning his post and Topping and Webb purchasing his shares in the team to take full control just between the two of them.
In the aftermath of that, the Topping and Webb duo quickly came to an understanding. Webb was to handle the team’s affairs on the league level, while Topping would head the baseball operations. That partnership proved very fruitful. Farm system director George Weiss was elevated to the team’s general manager and after the team failed to repeat in 1948, a managerial change was made, with Topping and Weiss bringing in Casey Stengel.
Those hires and the moves the baseball staff made in general over the next couple years would lead to arguably the most successful period in Yankees’ history, which is saying something. The team regained the World Series crown in 1949 and they would go on to win a further eight rings over the course of Topping’s time as owner, taking his personal total to 10.
As the 1960s came, Topping had some health scares and began to seriously consider selling the team. Worried that he could no longer effectively run the club, Topping eventually decided to sell, and he and Webb sold the team to CBS in 1964.* Topping retained partial ownership and the title of Yankees’ president initially, but after the Yankees shockingly slid to last place in 1966, Topping decided to sell his remaining shares in the team.
*There will be no glowing essays about how the CBS ownership went.
Away from the field, Topping lived quite the life. He was married six times over the course of his 61 years. There were some high-profile marriages in that list, including actresses Arline Judge and Kay Sutton, as well as Olympic figure skating champion Sonja Henie. Another reason Topping eventually decided to sell the team was to help with some of the financial burdens that multiple divorces and nine children across them brought.
The sixth of those marriages was to Charlotte Lillard in 1957, and that one proved stable. They remained married throughout the end of Topping’s run with the Yankees and they eventually settled down together in Florida. Topping lived there until 1974, when he passed away at the age of 61 from complications of emphysema.
When Topping, Webb, and MacPhail purchased the Yankees in 1945, they did so for $2.8 million. When they sold up to CBS 19 years later, it was for $11.2 million. While both of those figures are a long way away from what the team could theoretically go for today, the guidance of Topping (and Webb) is still partially a reason for that.
See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.
He ranks in the ninth percentile in barrel rate allowed and the 24th percentile in ground ball rate. The Tigers profile exceptionally well to take advantage of those red flags.
With a red-hot offense and bullpen advantage, I see value backing the Tigers up to -135.
COVERS INTEL: Minnesota's bullpen has struggled mightily, ranking 28th in xFIP since May 1.
Twins vs Tigers Over/Under pick: Over 9.5 (-105)
Matthews is allowing a ton of hard hit balls and fly balls, which the Tigers excel at generating.
Behind him is a fatigued bullpen with no available lefties – and the Tigers are crushing right-handed pitching.
The Minnesota Twins will have to score to keep things interesting, and they have a nice matchup to do that.
Keider Montero has posted a 5.31 xFIP over the last 30 days while allowing fly balls at a higher rate than any of today’s projected starters.
The Twins (seventh in wOBA, fifth in HR/FB in June) should take advantage.
Betable to -115.
Todd Cordell's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 26-22, -4.10 units
Over/Under bets: 23-24-2, -4.06 units
Twins vs Tigers odds
Moneyline: Minnesota +110 | Detroit -130
Run line: Minnesota +1.5 (-170) | Detroit -1.5 (+145)
Over/Under: Over 9.5 (-105) | Under 9.5 (-115)
Twins vs Tigers trend
Detroit has hit the moneyline in six of the last eight games (+4.05 units, 44% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Twins vs. Tigers.
How to watch Twins vs Tigers and game info
Location
Comerica Park, Detroit, MI
Date
Thursday, June 11, 2026
First pitch
1:10 p.m. ET
TV
Twins.TV, Detroit SportsNet
Twins starting pitcher
Zebby Matthews (2-3, 4.15 ERA)
Tigers starting pitcher
Keider Montero (2-4, 3.96 ERA)
Twins vs Tigers latest injuries
Twins vs Tigers weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Less than six weeks after undergoing elbow surgery, Tarik Skubal will make his return to the Detroit Tigers' rotation.
The reigining two-time Cy Young Award winner will start Saturday's game against the Cleveland Guardians, manager A.J. Hinch told reporters Thursday, June 13. That will cap a whirlwind repair and recovery from surgery to remove loose bodies from his prized left arm.
Skubal, 29, underwent a less invasive NanoScope procedure, which allowed for shorter time off the mound - and consequently, less time to ramp back up. His return couldn't come soon enough for the Tigers.
They lost 16 of their next 18 games after it was announced Skubal would be shelved, sinking to the cellar of the AL Central. The preseason division favorites have played better of late, winning six of their last eight to climb to 28-40 as other injured players such as infielder Gleyber Torres returned.
Yet it's still a long climb: The Tigers are 8 1/2 games behind the first place Chicago White Sox in the Central and would need to vault a half-dozen teams to ease into playoff position. The clock is ticking: Major League Baseball's Aug. 3 trade deadline looms and Skubal is expected to be a significant prize if the Tigers are out of contention.
Yet with their ace back, suddenly it seems like they have a chance.
Skubal made one rehabilitation start, pitching five scoreless innings and striking out six for the Tigers' Class A West Michigan affiliate June 7.
Jun 10, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Nolan Arenado (28) hits a single against the Miami Marlins during the sixth inning at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
The praying mantis is the only insect that can turn its head.
Praying mantises are the only known insects able to rotate their heads from side to side.
Gene Wilder ate wax in Willy Wonka.
For the tea time scene in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, the “candy” flower cup that Gene Wilder chomped on was actually made of wax. Additionally, the chocolate river was made of actual water, chocolate, and cream that spoiled throughout shooting.
May 10, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; BYU AJ Dybantsa sits during the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery at Navy Pier. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images
Per Aldridge and Robbins, the Wizards may meet Dybantsa as soon as today. And so you know, it’s not set in stone that the Wizards will pick him. Former Kansas star Darryn Peterson may still be in the mix. Per the piece:
The Wizards are also likely considering taking Kansas guard Darryn Peterson with the top pick. The 6-foot-5 Peterson averaged 20.2 points for the Jayhawks and shot 38 percent on 3-point attempts. His ability to create and shoot off the dribble, along with improved decision-making as a primary ballhandler and his potential as a plus defender at the pro level, make him an intriguing prospect.
Looks like the Wizards will keep us in suspense about which direction they will go until the end. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
As the wheels were coming off for the Spurs, Stephon Castle stepped out of bounds to turn the ball over with 65 seconds remaining — or did he?
With 1:05 left and the Spurs having already blown a 29-point lead, down 105-104, Castle drove baseline against Josh Hart and was called for stepping out of bounds, though further replay shows he may never have stepped out at all.
Out of bounds?
Stephon Castle appeared far more surprised given what looked like a pretty noticeable shove that went uncalled.
The successful challenge allowed them another, but they took it back home after the Knicks’ astonishing 107-106 victory.
Castle appeared to fling his hand and elbow into the head and neck area of the defending Hart, who embellished the action to make it look much worse than it actually was.
Castle still could have been called for an offensive foul on the play if not for the out-of-bounds call.
Still, The Garden was rocking and Spurs coach Mitch Johnson was seldomly heard from as his group of young players collapsed on sports’ biggest stage.
When the Senators selected Carter Yakemchuk seventh overall at the 2024 NHL Draft, most people thought he'd eventually need a pinch of seasoning in the AHL before cracking the NHL lineup. Then the young defenseman suddenly changed some minds after almost making Ottawa's roster that fall, and leading the entire team in preseason scoring with 7 points in 4 games.
When the Senators sent him home for his fourth and final year with the WHL’s Calgary Hitmen, people expected him to tear it up, as most top draft picks do. But that didn't happen at all. While working on the defensive side of his game, Yakemchuk's offensive stats plummeted.
The Senators said they weren't concerned, but it was hard for fans not to be. His offensive stats for a big man (30 goals, 71 points, and 120 PIM) are probably the biggest reason why he was drafted so high in 2024.
Last fall, for the second year in a row, he was Ottawa's final cut at training camp. and reported for duty in Belleville.
So how did his first professional season go? Well, there's always some bias when asking the player or the organization about it, but here are some of the views.
“I thought it was definitely a big learning year for myself, but I thought overall improved throughout the year, so I was pretty happy with it,” Yakemchuk told broadcaster David Foote in an interview posted last month on the B-Sens YouTube channel.
One of the biggest moments of his season came when he earned his first NHL recall and got the opportunity to make his NHL debut with Ottawa, putting up a goal and an assist in a huge win in Detroit.
“I think I’d go with that for sure,” Yakemchuk said. “It was awesome. I mean to have my family there, and (for them) to be able to watch that game was awesome. Because obviously, without them, I wouldn’t be where I am today. So just to share that moment with them, it was awesome.”
Yakemchuk only played four games before suffering a concussion on a bad hit from former Senator Noah Gregor. But when the Sens had more injuries, he returned to make his playoff debut and had two assists.
So, make it 4 points in 5 career NHL games so far. Maybe he's one of those players who are better at the higher levels than the lower ones?
Senators' head amateur scout Don Boyd guested on TSN 1200 radio this week and was asked what he thought about Yakemchuk's first pro season.
"Well, he's been able to show the offensive capabilities that he has, and we believed he had," Boyd said. "We've been fortunate enough to be able to have him play and get experience and marinate in Belleville, and that bodes well for a lot of (players)."
"We like what we see, we like the progression, the improvement, and the work ethic that he's shown us to get where we think, or I do anyway, that he's close to being a full-time player."
Hearing his qualifier of "Or I do, anyway" left the immediate impression that maybe not everyone on the Sens staff agrees that Yakemchuk's arrival time is close. But it's also very possible that Boyd just didn't want to speak for everyone or put words in their mouth.
Boyd has good reason for his optimism. Yakemchuk's ability to step up in limited, yet crucial NHL moments this season was a highly encouraging sign.
Whatever the future may hold for Yakemchuk, the Senators are trying to go by their "Best in Class" manual. They aren't focused on getting him to the NHL as quickly as possible or catering to the pressure of proving to people they made a good decision with the highest pick they've had in the last five drafts.
They're focused on nothing more than helping him reach his full potential once he gets here, whenever that may be.
Hunter Goodman
Miguel Vargas
COVERS INTEL: Minnesota's bullpen has struggled mightily, 
