ANAHEIM, CA - JUNE 26: Jeff McNeil #22 of the Athletics makes a play at second base in the fifth inning during the game between the Athletics and the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on Friday, June 26, 2026 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Tony Macon/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The A’s took the first game of their weekend series against the Angels on Friday night, winning in Anaheim by a 9-3 final to make it two in a row for the Green & Gold. The club won its 40th game tonight and remains just a game and a half back of the Mariners in the division.
The first four innings
The offense did not show up at all through the first four frames in tonight’s game. Facing the Angels’ top young starting pitcher Walbert Urena, the A’s went down 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12 in this one (four perfect innings).
On the bright side of things, the A’s had their own young rising ace in J.T. Ginn on the mound tonight. While he wasn’t as perfect as his counterpart, Ginn did his job with three scoreless innings in going toe-to-toe with his mound opponent.
Los Angeles did strike first tonight. A double and passed ball put an Angels baserunner on third base but with two down all Ginn needed was any sort of soft contact. Alas, a line-drive single plated the first run of the game to give the Angels the first lead of the night.
The fifth inning
That lone run really woke up the A’s bats. After getting perfected for the first four innings the offense got to work against the rookie right-hander that had had their number for the past 15+ innings dating back to his previous two starts.
It all started with, of course, a walk. Followed by a force out at second. Nothing too crazy. Then a walk. Then a single to load the bases, the first domino. Then the hit that gave the A’s the lead, another single from Jeff McNeil:
Then another single from Alika Williams brought in another run to make it 3-1. After him the lineup flipped over and it was lead off man Henry Bolte’s turn to get in on the action with his own base knock, this one driving in a pair to make it 5-1 A’s:
Urena’s unraveling continued as Nick Kurtz followed Bolte with another single to drive home the A’s rookie center fielder. And finally, to cap off the 7-run inning was the likely AL starting catcher Shea Langeliers and he hi his own single to bring home Kurtz:
It was only after that final hit did Halos manager Kurt Suzuki come to get his starting pitcher. Five straight singles was what it took to knock him from this game. The Angels reliever then quickly got the next two outs to escape the frame but the damage was done. A 7-spot to give Ginn plenty of room to go on cruise control.
The Angels did not provide the A’s with a shutdown inning. A single and home run off the bat of Jo Adell cut the lead from 6 to 4, but Ginn was generally in control tonight. He pitched one more inning to put a bow on his performance this evening.
An overall solid night from Ginn as he held the Angels to just three runs. One mistake cost him two off that Adell home run but other than that he more or less held down a Los Angeles lineup that doesn’t have many bats of recognition. He’s set to take a 3.15 ERA into his next scheduled start against the Miami Marlins next Friday.
The final frames
The A’s quickly got back two of those runs in the top of the seventh. Kurtz brought Bolte home on an RBI single, moved to second on a hit from Shea, then came home himself off a ground-rule double from Jonah Heim:
Luis Medina and Hogan Harris combined for a scoreless eighth and ninth. Then, maybe hoping to get him right in a lower pressure situation, Mark Kotsay sent Elvis Alvarado out for the ninth. It was an uneventful 1-2-3 inning to finish off the game, which is probably exactly what Kotsay was hoping for from the young righty reliever. Lock in win #40.
A great win by the A’s tonight. A huge fifth inning against a rookie starting pitcher that had already bested them twice this year was the perfect formula for tonight’s victory. Ginn was of course fantastic with run support and the A’s now have a 2-game winning streak and have started this series off on the right foot.
The series continues tomorrow night. Right-hander Jack Perkins is slated to get the ball for what’ll be his fifth start since joining the rotation. It hasn’t been a smooth or easy transition for the starter-turned-reliever-turned-starter again as he sports a 7.50 ERA in those four starting assignments, the last of which came against these very same Angels last weekend. The A’s will be hoping for better results and who knows how long his leash is if he falters against the Angels tomorrow.
Speaking of Anaheim, they’ll counter the Athletics’ righty with left-hander Reid Detmers, who will be looking to continue a solid season in his own return to starting duties. Overall he’s had a great season but he’s coming off one of his worst starts of the year, when he allowed five runs in six innings of work in an eventual Angels victory in Sacramento. We’ll all be hoping for a better outcome than that, but let’s have more of that offense show up against the lefty!
Isaiah Hartenstein's floater was a key component of the Thunder's offense against the Spurs during the Western Conference Finals.
Isaiah Hartenstein isn’t going anywhere.
Hartenstein is returning to the Thunder on a three-year, $75 million deal, with a rare mutual option after the 2027-28 season, ESPN reported Friday night.
The contract also has a 15 percent trade kicker, according to ESPN.
Isaiah Hartenstein’s floater was a key component of the Thunder’s offense during their seven-game series loss to the Spurs during the Western Conference finals. Getty Images
The Thunder had a big decision to make in settling their frontcourt, and they’ve locked down their man in the middle, which wasn’t always a guarantee heading into the season.
Hartenstein, who turned 28 in May, was initially signed following the 2023-24 season, in which he played for the Knicks, and immediately contributed to what became an NBA championship Oklahoma City team in 2025.
Hartenstein will continue to hold down the frontcourt with the talented but maligned Chet Holmgren.
It’s worth noting that, in the frontcourt, the Thunder are welcoming 7-foot-3 rookie Aday Mara, selected No. 12 overall in this week’s NBA draft out of Michigan, as well as 2025 No. 15 overall pick Thomas Sorber, who sat out all of last season with a torn ACL.
Jaylin Williams, who became key during the Thunder’s loss to the Spurs in the Western Conference finals, is also expected to play a meaningful role in OKC at the forward and center positions.
Isaiah Hartenstein averaged 9.2 points, 9.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists last regular season. Getty Images
This, of course, is all pending any sizable transactions over the next few months.
Hartenstein averaged 11.2 points, 10.7 rebounds and 3.8 assists in 2024-25, which dropped to Hartenstein 9.2, 9.4 and 3.5 this past season, which was in part due to a drop in three minutes per game.
In the playoffs, however, his production jumped from 8.1 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.2 assists per contest in 2024-25 to 9.1, 8.3 and 2.6 this past run.
The Thunder, who are still a second-apron team following this move, could look to make another cost-cutting measure.
The team has already traded multiple solid rotation pieces in Isaiah Joe, a knockdown 3-point shooter, and Aaron Wiggins, a regular season contributor whose minutes were muted in the playoffs, to the Pistons and Hawks, respectively, each for two second-round picks.
It’s possible that the team will maneuver either or both of Lu Dort and Kenrich Williams this offseason as well, in an effort to save money and scoot under the second apron.
Smokies pitcher Jace Beck (32) pitches during a minor league baseball game between the Knoxville Smokies and Birmingham Barons at Covenant Health Park in Knoxville, Tennessee., on May 7, 2026. | Angelina Alcantar/ News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Iowa right-hander Tyler Beede has elected free agency.
Right-hander Zac Leigh goes from the ACL Cubs to Triple-A Iowa.
Right-hander Anhuar Garcia was promoted to Low-A Myrtle Beach from the ACL Cubs.
Andrew Wantz gave up a run in the top of the first inning on three singles, but then settled down for the next three in his first start for Iowa. Wantz’s final line was one run on four hits over four innings. He struck out three and walked one.
Ty Blach pitched the final five innings, did not give up a run and got the win. Blach gave up five hits, but they were all singles and he didn’t walk anyone. He struck out six.
First baseman Jonathon Long hit a two-run home run in the fifth inning, his seventh on the season. Long also had a two-run single, an RBI double and an RBI groundout to give him six runs batted in tonight. He was 3 for 5 and scored twice.
DH Christian Bethancourt connected for a solo home run in the sixth inning. It was his eighth on the year. Beathancourt went 1 for 4.
Second baseman Owen Miller had two doubles and a triple in a 4 for 5 game tonight. Miller scored once and had two RBI.
Right fielder Kevin Alcántara was 4 for 5 with two doubles. The Jaguar scored twice and drove in one.
Left fielder BJ Murray went 2 for 4 with a double and he was hit by a pitch. He scored twice.
RBI double for Moisés Ballesteros, who was 1 for 4 with a walk.
Jace Beck may have turned in the best Cubs start this year in the minor leagues tonight. At least he had more strikeouts than anyone else. Beck pitched six innings and allowed just one run on five hits. He struck out a career-high 11 batters and walked two.
Tyler Santana gave up a run in the bottom of the ninth, but hung on to get the save. The final line on Santana was one run on two hits over two innings. He struck out one and walked no one.
Left fielder Carter Trice doubled twice in a 2 for 4 night. Trice also stole a base. He scored one run and drove in one.
Nazier Mulé gave up a three-run home run in the first inning to the third batter of the game. The River Bandits didn’t score again and only had two more hits. Mulé final line was three runs on three hits over 3.2 innings. He walked two and struck out two.
Jackson Brockett went the rest of the way and got the win. Brockett retired the first 14 batters he faced before giving up a one-out single in the top of the ninth. But then he got a game-ending double play out of the next hitter. Brockett struck out five over 5.1 innings.
Catcher Justin Stransky hit a solo home run in the seventh inning, his fourth. Stransky went 1 for 3.
Shortstop Angel Cepeda put the Cubs up for good with a two-run single in the eighth. Cepeda was 1 for 3 and he was hit by a pitch.
DH Kane Kepley went 1 for 3 with a double, a steal and a sacrifice fly. He also scored one run.
Starter Pierce Coppola went four innings, allowed just one run on two hits and got the win. (Not sure how he got the win despite only going four.) Coppola struck out six and walked two.
Daniel Avitia threw a three-inning save, allowing no runs and just one hit. He walked three and struck out three.
Shortstop Alexis Hernández is heating up and for the second-straight night, he had three hits. Hernández was 3 for 4 with an RBI triple and two walks. Hernández had two RBI overall.
Center fielder Darlyn De Leon had a two-run double in the second inning. De Leon was went 1 for 3 with a walk, a hit by pitch and a stolen base. He scored three times.
The Birds scored three runs in the fifth inning on three bases-loaded walks. In fact, the Pelicans did not have a hit in the fifth.
Liam Hendricks made his Cubs and season debut in this game. He pitched the first inning and retired all three batters he faced, striking out two of them.
Jun 26, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Zach Thornton (49) follows through on a pitch against the Philadelphia Phillies during the third inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images
In a banner day in Metsland, our beloved Metropolitans lost yet another game, despite the managerial change that saw Carlos Mendoza fired and replaced with Andy Green.
The 2-1 loss was a genuine pitcher’s duel from a rather unsuspecting place — at least from the Mets side of things. Old Friend Zack Wheeler was his typically excellent self. The now-veteran righty has shown no signs of slowing down, despite the off season thoracic outlet syndrome surgery that delayed the beginning of his season, as he lowered his season ERA to 2.03 after his outing. He surrendered one run over seven innings, with the one run coming by way of a Jared Young single in the fourth, though he was lucky to not have surrendered two more. Derek Hill made an absolutely stunning catch in center field to rob Juan Soto of a two run home run, which would prove to be game winning, considering the final score of 2-1.
The Mets, to their credit, pitched well in the loss. Not that moral victories matter, really, but Zach Thornton deserves his flowers on the day. Thornton, who was called back up to the bigs after the Mets traded David Peterson away to the Cubs, matched Wheeler at every turn. He surrendered a first inning RBI single to Bryce Harper, but was nails after that, surrendering five hits, striking out seven, and walking one over six innings. With the season trending towards being lost, it is nice to see a young player put together a quality performance. Again, this is a strict no moral victory household, but facts are facts.
That 1-1 score was erased in the seventh, when Trea Turner singled a run home off of Huascar Brazoban. The Mets put runners on in the seventh and the ninth, but they simply could not scratch a run across to prevent the loss. It was a telling loss in regards to the story of the 2026 season, up until now: frustrating, and coming up short.
Big Mets winner: Zach Thornton, +22% WPA Big Mets loser: Juan Soto, -16% WPA (this is a Derek Hill stat) Mets pitchers: +15% WPA Mets hitters: -65% WPA Teh aw3s0mest play: Jared Young’s RBI single, +7.9% WPA Teh sux0rest play: Trea Turner’s RBI single in the seventh, -20.8% WPA
The Golden Knights did not, in fact, make a selection with the 2026 first-rounder they got from the Dorofeyev trade. Instead, they traded down twice.
First, the Golden Knights made a deal with the Montreal Canadiens, exchanging the 26th overall pick for the 28th overall pick, and received a 2027 third-round pick as a sweetener. The Golden Knights then traded down once again, sending the 28th overall pick to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for the 29th overall pick and the 117th overall pick.
Finally, when the Golden Knights were on the clock for the third time, they made a selection. They used the 29th overall pick to select Finnish defenseman Juho Piiparinen from Tappara, Liiga.
The Golden Knights like their big, physical defensemen, and Piiparinen certainly fits the bill. At just 17 years of age, he is already an imposing figure, standing 6’3” and weighing in at 203 lbs.
Piiparinen, who analysts ranked as high as 17th and as low as 42nd, is a mature, mobile, right-shot defenseman. He’s a defensive defenseman who uses his range to break up plays. He’s also a decent playmaker who can consistently create offense with his breakout passes. He’s a smooth skater who can be very dangerous in transition.
Because of his diverse tool kit, it’s hard to predict how far Piiparinen is from being NHL-ready. However, it also means that his development will be an intriguing one to follow.
5/11/25 – NBA Playoffs, Game 4, Boston Celtics vs. New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden – Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown #7 reacts during the first quarter. Photo by...
It might cost a fortune to trade for Jaylen Brown.
On ESPN’s “Get Up” Friday morning, NBA insider Shams Charania revealed the Celtics may be asking some teams for several first-round picks for the star who’s been constantly in trade rumors the last few weeks.
“My understanding is that in some cases the Celtics have asked for at least four first-round picks for Jaylen Brown,” Charania said. “Where does that put him as far as his value? This is a Boston team that’s been contending in the Eastern Conference and their potential ask for some teams is a package of picks and players.”
“How have they reimagined this roster moving forward? Their finances, their viability as a contender in the Eastern Conference. I do think as of right now, time will tell which side will bring the emergence to this matter this offseason,” he added.
Jaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics reacts after scoring in the second half at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York on November 18, 2025. JASON SZENES/ NY POST
While the Heat ultimately won the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes by acquiring him via trade, the Celtics went all-out in their pursuit of acquiring him, reportedly offering Brown and multiple first-round picks.
As Brown’s name continues floating around in trade rumors, Celtics general manager Brad Stevens remained noncommittal on what’s to come for the star and said he “can’t predict the future”.
“As you know, we try to keep things as close to the vest and quiet as possible, and at the same time, knowing that the rumor mill is the rumor mill, and there’s going to be a lot of noise out there, that’s why you meet and be upfront as possible,” Stevens told reporters when asked about Brown.
Though Antetokounmpo was traded for a package that included Tyler Herro and three first-round picks Monday, there have still been trades involving four or more first-rounders recently — like the Knicks trading five for Mikal Bridges in 2024.
Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown reacts during the first quarter of a 2025 game. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Despite the Celtics blowing a 3-1 loss to the 76ers in the first round of the 2026 playoffs, Brown was pivotal to their regular season success, averaging a career-high 28.7 points per game.
Brown was the Celtics’ No. 1 option most of the season with Jayson Tatum injured, and he called the season his “favorite year of my basketball career”.
The 29-year-old has three years left on his five-year contract, and he has averaged over 20 points per game every season since 2019-20.
The San Jose Sharks will have a light day on Saturday, at least compared to Friday night.
After trading three picks to move up to 21st overall, the Sharks will only have three picks on Saturday, unless something changes. Currently, they'll next be on the clock in the fourth round. They hold the 127th overall pick, which they acquired from the Washington Capitals as a part of the Timothy Liljegren trade, but originally came from the Vegas Golden Knights.
Then, the Sharks will have a quick break, as they currently don't possess a fifth round pick. They'll be back at it with the 174th overall pick in the sixth round, before closing out their draft class with the 201st overall pick in the seventh round.
It was an eventful day for the team in teal on Friday, while there's still quite a bit of work to be done at the 2026 NHL Draft, they'll likely have a relatively calm day on Saturday by comparison
For better or worse, the inaugural edition of the inter-hemisphere tournament launches with even more long-haul flights in a drive to attract greater interest
Brave is one word for it. Let’s launch a must-see global rugby tournament in direct opposition to the football World Cup, Wimbledon, the Open and Formula One. Necessitating even more long-haul flights and an enlarged carbon footprint in an era of soaring jet-fuel prices and climate-change concerns. And with some of the world’s most box-office players unavailable. Right-ho.
Welcome, for better or worse, to the inaugural Nations Championship, which kicks off in Christchurch, Tokyo, Sydney, Cardiff, Johannesburg and Córdoba next weekend. Spot the odd ones out, by the way. Yes, contrary to the atlas, Cardiff and Tokyo are now southern hemisphere venues. For various reasons Fiji are “hosting” Wales beside the swaying palms of Tiger Bay while Japan, for the sake of numerical convenience, are in with the traditional southern powerhouses.
Miguel Vargas and the bats helped lead the White Sox to their second-largest win in franchise history.
It’s not every day you see your favorite team score 10 runs in a game. It’s even more rare to see them score 10 runs in a single inning, but that’s what the Chicago White Sox did Friday night. In a rare game that was over by the end of the third inning, the White Sox came roaring back to life after a tough stretch that saw them go just 3-6 over their last nine games, destroying Kansas City, 22-1.
The 22 runs tied for the second-most in White Sox history, joining the woebegone 1970 White Sox (22-13 win at Boston) but falling short of the all-time mark, coming in Kansas City (against the Athletics) in 1955, in 29-6 win. However, the 21-run margin of victory now ranks second all-time in club history, trailing just that 23-run win in K.C. in 1955.
Usually, when you score 10 runs in a game, everybody’s eating good like a college kid on Thanksgiving. For the White Sox, the entire lineup had scored at least one run by the end of the sixth inning. The party didn’t stop there, as the White Sox started tacking on runs so fast it’s a wonder the scoreboard was able to update in time. It was one heck of a jolt from an offense that has struggled to score runs consistently as of late.
It all started in the third inning, with the score knotted 0-0 and Chicago had seen seven of their first eight batters go down. A Jacob Gonzalez walk started a party that just wouldn’t stop, as 10 of the next 11 batters got on base for the White Sox and the game was over before the Royals could even cry “uncle.”
The Royals got a run back in the fourth, aided by three straight walks from starter David Sandlin, but a Benny Bomb to lead off the bottom of that same inning kept the party vibes flowing. That party continued in the fifth, sixth, and seventh as well before they showed some mercy to the Royals with a scoreless eighth. In truth, the Sox dented the scoreboard in every inning between the second and eighth. White Sox fans were treated to a fireworks display even more explosive than we’ll see at the lakefront next week.
Honestly, there aren’t many words that can be used to sum up the White Sox on Friday night, at least that are appropriate to use on this site, other than phenomenal. These games are incredibly rare, so it’s vital to enjoy them when they come around.
One part of the win that shouldn’t fly under the radar is the pitching. While it’s certainly easier to pitch when you have a huge cushion, it’s still not easy to give up just one run and three hits over six innings. Sandlin was outstanding tonight, and deserves a lot of credit for how he looked on the mound. His wildness beyond the three consecutive walks was corralled, as the Royals were held to just three free passes in the game, and four hits total.
A big reason the White Sox have enjoyed such a big resurgence this year is due to their pitching. Davis Martin, Anthony Kay, Bryan Hudson, Sean Newcomb and even Erick Fedde as of late have become incredibly reliable options. It would be foolish to believe this is the pitcher Sandlin will be for the rest of his career, but if he can give the South Siders even a sliver of what he was able to tonight, Chicago suddenly has a much-different looking rotation, and a solid option in the No. 5 slot.
With the win, the White Sox improved to 27-13 at home. Oddly enough, they sit at just 15-25 on the road. Usually that would be cause for concern, but with the way the White Sox have looked overall this season, it’s hard not to buy in to this team. The fans are buzzing, the arms and bats are back, and there is life among the fan base once again. The best part may actually be that Jerry Reinsdorf is probably livid with how much he’s having to spend on fireworks this season. With the All-Star break approaching, there’s only two things left to do: Take the division and win the whole dang thing.
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - APRIL 07: Kevon Looney #55 of the New Orleans Pelicans reacts during the second half of a game against the Utah Jazz at Smoothie King Center on April 07, 2026 in New Orleans, Louisiana. 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 Tyler Kaufman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Kevon Looney, a three-time NBA champion and forever Golden State Warrior, will have to find a new home next season.
Per NBA insider Chris Haynes, the New Orleans Pelicans have chosen to decline Looney’s $8 million team option, making him an unrestricted free agent.
New Orleans Pelicans are expected to decline the $8M team option on veteran center Kevon Looney, making the 3-time NBA champ an unrestricted free agent, league sources tell me. pic.twitter.com/U45QTgHWKy
Looney’s tenure with the Pelicans was highly limited, playing only 21 games due to injury. The veteran experience and poise that he was expected to provide was ultimately limited.
The Warriors chose to move on from Looney in order to prioritize size and shooting at the center position, a somewhat tough pill to swallow considering Looney’s stature within the organization. So far, that decision is proving to be correct.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - JUNE 26: Royce Lewis #23 of the Minnesota Twins (C) celebrates his walk-off RBI single against the Colorado Rockies with teammates Austin Martin #16 and Byron Buxton #25 in the tenth inning at Target Field on June 26, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Twins defeated the Rockies 9-8 in ten innings. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Colorado Rockies were buried early, somehow took the lead late, and still left Target Field with one of their tougher losses of the season.
Colorado fell to 32-50 with a 9-8 loss in 10 innings to the Minnesota Twins, who improved to 39-44 with their first walk-off win of the season. The Rockies trailed 7-0 after five innings, scored eight runs across the eighth and ninth, took an 8-7 lead, gave it back in the bottom of the ninth, and failed to score in extras before Minnesota ended it.
It was a comeback good enough to matter. It was not quite good enough to win.
Sugano’s mix does not hold up
Tomoyuki Sugano’s final line was ugly, but the start was not as simple as a pitcher showing up without anything working.
Sugano used seven different pitch types, and the movement profile was more functional than the final line suggests. His sinker had more arm-side run than usual, his four-seamer had extra ride, and his splitter created real separation underneath the fastballs. But Minnesota still saw him well enough to do damage.
The game tilted early. After Taj Bradley retired the Rockies in order on six pitches in the top of the first, Sugano got Trevor Larnach to fly out before Byron Buxton singled to left. Kody Clemens followed by driving an 86 mph splitter to right field for a two-run homer. The ball left the bat at 102.5 mph and traveled 380 feet, giving Minnesota a 2-0 lead.
Sugano recovered enough to get Josh Bell to pop out and Victor Caratini to strike out swinging, but Minnesota had the early lead.
The second inning pushed it further. Royce Lewis opened with a single, and Brooks Lee followed with another two-run homer, this time on an 85.9 mph slider after Sugano had worked the count to 2-2. It was not one of Minnesota’s loudest swings at 93.9 mph off the bat, but it carried 348 feet to right field and made it 4-0.
Sugano settled briefly with clean innings in the third and fourth, but the fifth changed the line. After Tristan Gray lined out to open the inning, Jake McCarthy made a sliding catch in right field against Luke Keaschall for the second out.
Larnach then doubled to extend the inning, and Buxton followed with a 106.1 mph double down the third-base line to score Larnach and make it 5-0.
That was where the inning got away. Clemens walked, Sugano’s first free pass of the night, and Bell followed by driving a 93.5 mph sinker to center field for a two-run double. Buxton and Clemens both scored, stretching the lead to 7-0.
Sugano finished with five innings, eight hits, seven earned runs, one walk, two strikeouts, and two home runs allowed. He threw 85 pitches, generated only five whiffs on 33 swings, and allowed seven hard-hit balls on 20 balls in play. The pitch shapes were there. The swing-and-miss was not.
Bradley keeps Rockies quiet
Taj Bradley controlled the game for seven innings, even if the command was not perfect.
Bradley worked seven-plus innings, allowing three hits, two runs, three walks, and no home runs while striking out seven. He threw 92 pitches, generated 14 whiffs on 45 swings, and leaned heavily on a fastball that averaged 97.0 mph and reached 99.5 mph. His four-seamer made up 61% of his pitch mix, while the splitter and cutter came in at 18% and 16%, respectively.
Bradley threw 50 pitches out of the strike zone and walked three, but the Rockies did not turn those misses into enough pressure. When he came back into the zone, his fastball and splitter were good enough to keep Colorado from building an inning.
The first chance came in the second. TJ Rumfield walked to open the inning, and Troy Johnston followed with the Rockies’ first hit, a hard single to right field. But the inning ended with runners on the corners after Ezequiel Tovar struck out. Tovar had taken a 99 mph fastball for a ball earlier in the at-bat, but Bradley got him to chase well out of the zone to end the threat.
That became the pattern. Colorado had baserunners, but not enough of them in sequence.
Rumfield walked again in the fourth, but the Rockies could not turn it into anything. In the fifth, an ABS challenge turned a ball into strike three against Edouard Julien, giving Bradley another clean inning.
McCarthy had the loudest swing against Bradley in the sixth, jumping a first-pitch 94.5 mph four-seam fastball for a double to right field. The ball left the bat at 108.6 mph, but it was only Colorado’s second hit and came with the Rockies trailing 7-0. Bradley stranded him.
Bradley came back out for the eighth, but Tovar opened with a double and Julien followed with a walk after an ABS challenge confirmed the call. Minnesota went to Kody Funderburk with two aboard and nobody out. Both runners eventually scored, putting two earned runs on Bradley’s line, but the rally changed the box score more than the shape of his start.
Rockies storm back before falling in extras
The Rockies’ bullpen gave the offense a chance to make the game matter again.
Seth Halvorsen replaced Sugano in the sixth and worked a scoreless inning, striking out Lewis and pitching around his own missed-catch error. Juan Mejia followed in the seventh, allowed a leadoff single, then got out of the inning when Clemens grounded into a double play. John Brebbia handled the eighth, giving up a two-out double to Lewis but stranding him.
Together, Halvorsen, Mejia, and Brebbia combined for three scoreless innings, allowing two hits with one strikeout. It did not erase Sugano’s line, but it kept the score at 7-0 long enough for Colorado to make a real push.
The comeback started in the eighth. After Funderburk entered with two runners aboard and nobody out, McCarthy singled to load the bases. Mickey Moniak brought home Tovar with a groundout to make it 7-1. Hunter Goodman followed with a sacrifice fly to score Julien, and Rumfield lined a single to center to bring in McCarthy, cutting the deficit to 7-3.
Willi Castro added another single, but Tyler Freeman struck out as a pinch-hitter to end the inning with two runners on.
Then the ninth changed the game.
Cole Carrigg opened the inning with a walk against Eric Orze, and Julien doubled to center after a flyout, scoring Carrigg to make it 7-4. McCarthy followed with a two-run homer to right-center field, turning a four-run deficit into a one-run game.
Minnesota went to Anthony Banda, but Colorado kept going. Kyle Karros came off the bench and doubled to left, with Braxton Fulford entering as the pinch-runner. Goodman followed with the swing that completed the comeback, launching his 22nd home run of the season to left field. The ball left the bat at 116.2 mph and traveled 451 feet. Goodman knew it immediately, dropping his head and heading toward first as Fulford scored ahead of him.
Rumfield followed with a pop-up double into short center/right field that several Twins converged on and none of them caught. It was the visual summary of a Minnesota inning that had fully unraveled.
But Colorado could not close it.
Antonio Senzatela entered for the bottom of the ninth and struck out Gray for the first out, but Austin Martin and Ryan Kreidler followed with back-to-back singles. Buxton then chopped a 78.3 mph ground ball toward third. Castro waited on the hop, but the ball jumped over him and into left field. Martin scored, and the lead was gone.
Senzatela still got the game to extras. He got Clemens to fly out to left, then got Bell to lift a short flare to center at 72.7 mph. Carrigg raced in to make the catch, sending the game to the 10th tied 8-8.
Colorado had the first chance in extras and came up empty. With Freeman starting the inning at second, Carrigg grounded out and moved him to third. Tovar followed with a grounder to short against a drawn-in infield, and Freeman was cut down at the plate after breaking on contact. Julien grounded out to first to end the inning.
Minnesota did not miss its chance. Jimmy Herget came on for the bottom of the 10th with Bell starting at second before Kyler Fedko entered as a pinch-runner. Colorado intentionally walked Caratini to create force plays around the diamond, but Herget uncorked a wild pitch that moved Fedko to third. With the infield in, Lewis punched a single back through the middle, scoring Fedko and giving Minnesota a 9-8 walk-off win.
Final notes
McCarthy and Rumfield were at the center of Colorado’s comeback. McCarthy finished with three hits, including a double, a single, and the two-run homer that made it 7-6 in the ninth. Rumfield reached multiple times, drove in a run in the eighth, and added the strange pop-up double that captured the Twins’ ninth-inning collapse.
The Rockies went 4-for-10 with runners in scoring position, matching Minnesota’s 4-for-10 mark. Colorado finished with 11 hits, eight runs, and one error. Minnesota finished with 14 hits, nine runs, and no errors.
Colorado scored three runs in the eighth and five runs in the ninth after being shut out through the first seven innings. Minnesota had three two-out RBIs, including Bell’s two-run double and Buxton’s RBI double in the fifth.
Andrew Morris earned the win for Minnesota, improving to 3-2. Herget took the loss for Colorado, falling to 0-2.
Up next
The Rockies and Twins continue the series Saturday night at Target Field as Colorado looks to shake off one of its more painful losses of the season. Michael Lorenzen is scheduled to start for the Rockies, entering at 2-9 with a 7.11 ERA and 65 strikeouts. Minnesota will counter with Mike Paredes, who enters at 0-0 with a 4.05 ERA and 11 strikeouts.
Oklahoma City is not letting its big man get away.
Isaiah Hartenstein intends to sign a new three-year deal to stay with the Thunder through 2028-29, ESPN's Shams Charania reported Friday night. With what he has already made in Oklahoma City, the commitment reaches five years and $134 million guaranteed.
The Thunder had possessed a $28.5 million team option for Hartenstein next season, but he now takes a new multiyear deal at a lower yearly number. That matters in Oklahoma City right now. The Thunder are staring at a brutal tax bill once the max extensions for Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams land, and spreading Hartenstein's money over more years is how they keep the band together without paying a record-setting penalty.
The Thunder are still looking at one of the most expensive rosters in the league.
The Thunder signed Hartenstein in the summer of 2024 to a three-year, $87 million contract, and people thought it was an overpay. But he gave Oklahoma City a center who rebounds, protects the rim and can pass, and the Thunder won the franchise's first championship in Oklahoma City in 2025.
This spring, Hartenstein made San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama in the Western Conference finals work hard before the Thunder fell in Game 7. He averaged 9.2 points, 9.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists on the season.
The 28-year-old German was taken 43rd in the 2017 draft. Free agency begins June 30 at 6 p.m. ET.
You best make us proud, HV71 ginger! | Getty Images
The Islanders made their lone pick with little fanfare on what was a never-ending first day of the draft: Malte Gustafsson, a tall, swift-skating, left-side defenseman who’s already had pro-league experience at age 17 with HV71 in Sweden, was their pick at 13th overall.
The Isles went into the draft with four picks on the second day, one each in rounds 4, 5, 6 and 7.
As for Gustafsson, the Isles had Matthew Schaefer announce the pick — a helluva lot better than having that twert Bieber do it — and though both are lefties, you could see him fitting well next to Schaefer in select situations one day:
A one-man play killer, Gustafsson cemented his status as a high-end defensive prospect by becoming a regular on HV71’s SHL team, a rare feat for a draft-eligible defender. Against his peers, he played nearly half of every game for Sweden at the under-18 championships.
His defensive game is the most translatable part of his NHL game and will allow him to be a trusted defender early in his career. He’s the ideal partner for an elite offensive defenseman because of his ability to insulate and shut down offense, be it in transition or in the defensive zone.
Gustafsson is an outstanding skater and another prospect from Sweden who played most of his season at the pro level. He’s competitive and smart. Gustafsson can be deployed in a variety of roles and trusted in all situations, but will likely only produce secondary offence at most.
A late riser with his play at the U18 worlds, Gustafsson has size, can skate, defend well and help move pucks quickly and efficiently.
Gustafsson was seen as just outside the top tier of five defensemen in this draft, though some entertained the possibility that he should be in there. The Athletic addressed that question before the draft:
There has been a lot of talk about Malte Gustafsson now entering that group of five and making it a group of six, so I thought it would be valuable to test that theory. It was split almost exactly down the middle, with seven scouts saying they don’t have a sixth D in that group and six saying that Gustafsson is now in that group for them. Among the six who had Gustafsson in that group, a majority said they’d rank him sixth, with only a couple saying they’d slot him ahead of any of the other five D. One other D got a vote for that group as well: Tommy Bleyl. A couple of scouts did wonder if their fifth-ranked D actually belonged in a tier with the other names instead of with the four in front of them as well.
To me, Gustafsson was clearly the best player available here. He’s a big, mobile defenseman who can make plays. He has really good defensive traits. He didn’t put up huge points at the J20 level or in the SHL, but I thought he was the best defenseman at the U18 World Championships. He’s a really impressive two-way player.
The other side of this is, the Islanders have quite the deep chart at left defense. So IF current prospects develop, it’s a strength to trade from as well.
Around the Draft
The 29th-overall pick the Islanders acquired from Colorado in the Brock Nelson trade continued to move around. Dealt to the Blues in the Brayden Schenn trade, the Blues packaged it with the 15th-overall pick to Anaheim for Mason McTavish. The Ducks then swapped it with Vegas in a bizarre move that allowed them to move up one spot. Anaheim selected Marcus Nordmark.
The Canucks went ahead and took Caleb Malhotra, the son of their new coach. No pressure there. [Sportsnet]
Not long for Utah: the Bruins grabbed ex-Sabre JJ Peterka from the Mammoth for two firsts. [NHL | Sportsnet]
The Rangers acquired RFA Pavel Dorofeyev from Vegas and are working on a seven-year extension. [Sportsnet]
The second day of the draft moves so fast, it’s hard to keep up. But man, it’s downright refreshing after the long, glacial slog of the first day. The Islanders, of course, don’t even pick until the fourth round, barring a trade. So stay tuned for how much they blew it/reached/stole it/found the hidden gem.
This guy wasn’t the problem on the mound! Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images | Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images
Derek Shelton’s Magical Arm Barn managed to quickly cough up a seven-run lead, but heads-up baserunning and a nice hit by Lewis sends the fans home happy. (Or starts off tonight’s postgame Ludacris concert with good vibes.) Inning-by-inning notes:
1: Do we get good Taj or bad Taj tonight? Well, six pitches and three outs. That’s certainly effective Taj.
Buxton has a one-out single. Radio guys Kris Atteberry and Dan “Answer Man” Gladden debate whether Buxton’s yellow shoes mean he’ll run or not. They come to the conclusion that green shoes would mean “go,” but yellow means “caution.” This is what happens when you’ve broadcast a few thousand baseball games.
At any rate, Buxton doesn’t steal, and it doesn’t matter because two pitches later, a good thing happens.
Klobberin’ Kody Klemens, folks. Good grief! Over the top of the sandstone overhang in right. In his first four seasons and 265 games, Clemens had an OPS of .666 (the number of the Least) and a 1.1 bWAR. In his age-30 season, he’s currently at .784 and 1.2. Tell me he doesn’t have his dad’s old “special pharmacy” phone number. Twins 2-0
2: Well… here we get Lucky Taj. He walks one and gives up a hit, but fortunately with two outs the batter is Ezeqiuel Tovar (no relation to César). Tovar is batting .208 on the season with 81 strikeouts; make it 82.
Royce (he’s all fixed now) Lewis has the leadoff single. Brooks Lee decides to bounce one off the top of the right-field wall.
Tristan Gray puts down a good bunt, and pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano makes a terrible throw to first. Gray assumes second will be his on the overthrow, but Edouard Julien (we remember him!) makes a solid grab-and-throw to nail Gray by ten feet at second. So, a heads-up play followed by a TOOTBLAN, or a HUTOOTBLAN. Still, ex-Senators 4-0
3: A pretty easy inning for both pitchers, but Rockies CF Cole Carrigg has an exciting moment when he falls on his buttbutt going for a fly ball. He’s young, though, and gets up in time to go catch it. I’d probably still be on my buttbutt.
4: Second walk of the game for Bradley; second strikeout of the game for old friend Willi Castro. Gladden says the Rockies have been around for “about 25 years” which is only off by 27%, so we’ll call it a dart that misses the board but at least doesn’t put anybody’s eye out.
5: Bottom of the lineup, and it takes Taj eight pitches to get right through ’em. We shouldn’t get TOO excited — the Rockies have the worst record in baseball. But they’re only tied for eighth-worst in MLB on offense (with a 94 OPS+, where 100 is league average, adjusted for ballpark). They’re second-worst in pitching.
To wit: back-to-back two-out doubles by Trevor Larnach and Buxton. Clemens takes a nine-pitch walk, and Josh Bell doubles both runners home. The 830-ft.-high City 7-0
6: The Rockies’ second hit! Jake McCarthy, starting Bradley’s third time through the lineup with a leadoff double. A flyout to left means McCarthy can’t tag up and advance, and the next dude strikes out. Then a long pop fly that new RF Luke Keaschall calls everybody off for. (Not BRAND new; Keaschall has played one inning in RF before.)
Seth Halvorsen replaces Sugano. I think I recognize Halvorsen’s name from somewhere. I look at his player page, and no, I don’t know him. Maybe my alternate-timeline self is Halvorsen’s best friend, or he beat me half to death with a flounder one time.
7: Bradley gets ’em 1-2-3 and sits at 91 pitches. He’s never recorded an out in the eighth inning, so we’ll see.
Larnach singles and Buxton ALMOST knocks one out, but doesn’t because Clemens stole all his ‘roids.
8: Bradley still hasn’t recorded an out in the eighth; a double and walk end his night. In comes LHP Kody Funderburk. Per the Twins’ wesbsite, Kody’s entrance song is AC/DC’s “Thunderstaruck,” sadly without new vocals singing “Funderstruck.” An infield hit, groundout and flyout score two runs. TJ Rumfield, who’s 26 and looks 17, singles home another. Still, it’s the Millers Saints 7-3
9: Eric “Small Pasta” Orze in for the Twins. Hey, how about some Drama! A walk, flyout, Julien double and Jake McCarthy homer. Oops.
Anthony Banda in. First-pitch double by Kyle Karros. The Rockies’ best hitter, Hunter Goodman, up.
No more damage afterwards, but this is pretty hilariously bad stuff.
Antonio Senzatela trying to save it for Colorado. A one-out Austin Martin hit, a Ryan Kreidler hit, and that brings Buxton up. He grounds it to third and…
10: RHP Andrew Morris pitching. A FC (to Morris) pushes the runner to third. Then a slow Tovar roller to short, and Kreidler throws it home. Yer out! No scoring occurs.
Kyler Fedko (who?) pinch-runs for Josh Bell at second. The Rockies intentionally walk not-great hitter Victor Caratini to (I guess) set up the double-play possibility. Royce now up. On reliever Jimmy Herget’s second pitch, the ball barely gets away, and Fedko scampers to third. Then…
Studs: Bradley (7.0 IP, 2 H, 3 BB, 7 SO.) Royce walkoff! The Bash Brothers in Clemens and Lee, doubles duo in Buston and Bell, Keaschall for not embarrassing himself in RF. Duds: no duds, Twins win!
(except the bullpen management was really dudley do-wrong)
COTG go to SooFoo for “Are we secretly playing at Coors?” (because nobody made much noise rooting for the Twins), Nagurski for a bullpen management criticism that turned out to be prophetic, Zach for some blockbuster trade ideas, falcontimmy for reviewing the new Shakopee ampitheater, Matt for immoral support, and JustAnotherMinnesotan for “This is Ludacris” (referring to the bullpen and the postgame concert performer).
Thanks for everyone who joined in, I know it’s more fun to be outdoors on a lovely summer evening. (For people who like the outdoors, which is Not Me.)
Tomorrow’s game is at 6:10, featuring Michael Lorenzen’s Oil pitching against our own Mike Paredes. Catch ya next time!
BUFFALO, NEW YORK - JUNE 26: (L-R) NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, Gavin McKenna and Justin Bieber pose onstage after McKenna was selected first overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs during Day One of the 2026 NHL Draft at KeyBank Center on June 26, 2026 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/NHLI via Getty Images)
NHLI via Getty Images
BUFFALO, N.Y. — Gavin McKenna’s nerves finally eased when lifetime Maple Leafs fan and international pop icon Justin Bieber took the NHL draft stage to announce who Toronto was selecting No. 1.
“He was looking at me and I kind of was thinking, maybe,” McKenna said with a laugh. “Crazy. Just crazy what’s going on right now.”
With most of Yukon watching and a loud presence of Maple Leafs fans in the stands, Toronto chose the Penn State left winger, validating longstanding projections of McKenna being his age group’s top prospect. The 18-year-old from Yukon’s capital of Whitehorse has been a prolific scorer on both sides of the U.S.-Canada border.
And if Bieber’s appearance and taking the stage to the artist’s song “Yukon” wasn’t enough, McKenna was welcomed to the Maple Leafs with a video message from Toronto captain Auston Matthews.
“Obviously he’s on the first line. I’m going to have to prove myself to be able to play with a player like that. But that’s my goal,” McKenna said of Matthews, who was chosen No. 1 by Toronto in the 2016 draft, which also happened to be held in Buffalo. “My game’s obviously a playmaker, he’s a shooter, so I think we could complement each other pretty well.”
McKenna represents a major plank in the Maple Leafs’ rebuilding process of a team suddenly in transition under new general manager John Chayka. Toronto finished last in the Atlantic Division last season and missed the playoffs for the first time since Matthews’ arrival.
Canucks select coach’s son, Caleb Malhotra
The draft featured dueling cheers — and boos — between large contingents of Maple Leafs and Sabres fans, several surprises, a few trades and a nice father-son moment when Vancouver selected center Caleb Malhotra with the No. 3 pick, joining a team coached by dad Manny Malhotra.
“I hugged him right after, and we were happy,” said Caleb, who is from British Columbia and finished second among OHL rookies with 84 points with Brantford last season. “It’s the best feeling in the world. I’ve never felt anything like this. And that embrace was so comforting, and I’m so glad he’s here with me as dad.”
Malhotra said his dad was not aware of the Canucks’ draft plans. And he now has bragging rights on his father in being selected four spots higher, after Manny went No. 7 to the New York Rangers in 1998.
Run on defensemen
After forwards went with the first three picks, including Sweden’s Ivar Stenberg second to San Jose, the expected run on defensemen began with five selected over the next six picks.
Buffalo selected Prince Albert blue-liner Daxon Rudolph at No. 4, followed Latvia’s Alberts Smits going fifth to the Rangers. Chase Reid, who is from Michigan, was part of that run, going seventh to Seattle as the first American-born player selected.
Smits split last season playing professionally in Finland and Germany, while also representing Latvia at the Milan Cortina Olympics. He became the highest drafted Latvian, ahead of Buffalo selecting Zemgus Girgensons 14th in 2012.
Trades and more trades
This was a much more active first round with picks traded for NHL players than the previous couple of years. The Rangers got Pavel Dorofeyev from Vegas for picks 26 and 92, and a 2028 first-rounder. Boston acquired JJ Peterka from Utah for a pair of first-rounders. And St. Louis traded two of its picks Friday night to Anaheim for Mason McTavish.
The draft opened with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman getting booed — a draft-day tradition — as he took the stage, and was joined by Sabres forward Josh Doan and NFL Bills tackle Dion Dawkins, who referred to Bettman as his “new dawg.”
Rudolph was wowed watching his good friend McKenna being welcomed to the stage.
“To see him be selected first and with Justin Bieber and everything, it was amazing,” Rudolph said. “I just remember talking to my mom and saying. ‘Wow, this is so cool,’ as I’m sitting there on the couch waiting to be picked.”
McKenna accustomed to the spotlight
McKenna is accustomed to the spotlight, splashing on the scene by combining for 79 goals and 244 points in 133 games with Medicine Hat in the WHL. He made the jump to the NCAA last summer in a bid to challenge himself against older and more physical competition. He finished with 51 points, tied for fourth in the nation.
He became just the fifth NCAA player to go first, and third in six years, since Michigan defenseman Owen Power went No. 1 to Buffalo in 2021.
McKenna also became the fifth Yukon-born player to be selected in the draft, and the highest pick after Ottawa’s Dylan Cozens went No. 7 to Buffalo in 2019. He now heads to a metropolis that is nearly 100 times larger than Whitehorse’s population of about 39,000.
This was the NHL’s second straight decentralized draft, with teams making selections from their respective headquarters.
Decentralized draft Part II
Lacking in the new format is each draft pick joining his new team’s front office on stage. Last year, the NHL attempted to rectify that by having teams welcome their prospects by video conference call on stage at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. The interviews were widely panned for being awkward and glitchy, and contributing to the draft lasting nearly 4 1/2 hours.
This year the NHL had the top prospects seated with their families in what resembled a lounge area, featuring plush couches, directly in front of the stage. After being selected, each player was interviewed on a couch on stage, with the backdrop representing the team.
