Jun 17, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers center fielder Jackson Chourio (11) rounds the bases after hitting a home run during the fourth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images
The Milwaukee Brewers are looking for a sweep of the Cleveland Guardians on Thursday afternoon, as they’ll also look to lock up a 5-1 homestand against the Phillies and Guards.
Drohan, 27, is making his fifth start of the season and fourth consecutive appearance from the rotation. In those last three outings, he’s totaled 15 1/3 innings against the Giants, Rockies, and Phillies, allowing nine runs on 17 hits and three walks while striking out 16 in a pair of blowout victories and a high-scoring loss. For the season, he has a 3.59 ERA, 2.72 FIP, and 44 strikeouts over 42 2/3 innings.
Messick, 25, was a second-round pick in 2022 out of Florida State. He debuted last August but held rookie status through this season. His stats in 2025 and 2026 are nearly identical, so I’ll summarize them as a whole: over 21 career starts, he has a 2.69 ERA, 3.21 FIP, and 120 strikeouts across 120 1/3 innings, totaling 3.7 bWAR. He’s coming off a pair of losses, though, as he allowed eight runs (seven earned) on 10 hits and four walks over 11 1/3 innings in losses to the Rangers and Yankees. He struck out four batters in both of those outings.
Today’s lineup features Christian Yelich in the leadoff spot as the DH, followed by Jackson Chourio, Brice Turang, and Andrew Vaughn. Jake Bauers bats fifth and starts in right, with Gary Sánchez to follow. Blake Perkins, Cooper Pratt, and Joey Ortiz round out the order as lefties David Hamilton, Sal Frelick, and Garrett Mitchell start on the bench (alongside William Contreras).
In some negative injury news, we’ve learned that Quinn Priester, who has missed the entire season while dealing with thoracic outlet syndrome, has opted for “season-ending first rib removal surgery,” that will keep him out eight to 10 months until he’s fully healthy, meaning in a best-case scenario, he’ll be back in early 2027. Priester has had multiple rehab stints in the last two months, but he’s struggled with command, with a 15.75 ERA on 24 walks and 22 hits over just 16 innings over eight appearances. Here’s what he had to say about the injury:
Brewers starter Quinn Priester will have thoracic outlet decompression surgery on Monday and will miss the entirety of this season. Here’s a detailed explanation for why he has no regrets about waiting this long to get to this point. pic.twitter.com/QEyuwToxyW
On this day 123 years ago, the White Sox gave up on Cozy Dolan. | (Photo by Chicago Sun-Times/Chicago Daily News collection/Chicago History Museum/Getty Images).
1903 The White Sox badly lost their first trade ever with the Reds, sending Cozy Dolan and Tom Daly to Cincinnati for second baseman George Magoon.
Magoon was awful for the White Sox for the remainder of 1903, slashing .228/.303/.278 for 0.0 WAR; before the 1904 season, the team dumped Magoon on Indianapolis of the American Association for a player to be named later. He would never return to the majors.
Daly, though long in the tooth for the time (37 years old), finished what would be his final season in the majors well enough, logging 0.7 WAR and slashing a formidable .293/.332/.407 at second base. Right fielder Dolan was the lone player in the trade to play in the majors beyond 1903, lasting until 1906; while never a standout and playing poorly for Cincy to finish out 1903, Cozy would rebound in 1904 for a career-high 1.7 WAR and 115 OPS+.
1933 Right in the middle of a 24-game homestand (!), the White Sox drew the biggest crowd in Chicago history at the time, 53,398, to a doubleheader split against the Yankees.
The White Sox, surprisingly playing better than .500 during the dark ages of 1920-50, dropped the first contest vs. New York, 6-4, with Ted Lyons taking the loss. But in the nightcap, the South Siders rewarded their faithful with a 5-4, walk-off win to move to 30-27 and 5 1⁄2 back of first in the American League.
It was a furious finish for Chicago, who trailed all game but score one in the seventh and then a game-tying three in the bottom of the ninth. Evar Swanson knotted the game, 4-4, with a two-run single with one out in the ninth.
In the 10th, Whit Wyatt sat the Yankees down three straight, and the White Sox immediately set to rallying. Luke Appling led the inning off with a double, and after an intentional walk to Red Kress, Jimmy Dykes laid down a bunt to move the runners over that he beat out; on pitcher Wilcy Moore’s overthrow to first base, Appling came around to score.
The next season, Dykes would become player-manager of the White Sox, and would stay at the helm of the team until 1946.
The White Sox would surpass this attendance mark seven times at Comiskey Park after this, but this game remains the eighth-biggest crowd in White Sox (and Chicago baseball) history.
1961 Eddie Gaedel, who came to fame as a pinch-hitter for the St. Louis Browns in 1951 and a Martian leader who landed in Comiskey Park and kidnapped Luis Aparicio and Nellie Fox eight years later, was found dead at his apartment on the South Side of Chicago.
The centerpiece of Bill Veeck’s follies had endured a difficult life, unemployed and alcoholic at the time of his passing. The 3´7´´owner of a 1.000 career MLB OBP was followed home from a bowling alley and beaten and/or mugged, and it was his mother who discovered him dead, in his bed, bruised. A coroner found that Gaedel had suffered a heart attack during or after the assault.
Only one representative of Major League Baseball attended Gaedel’s funeral: Bob Cain, the Tigers pitcher who walked Gaedel in 1951. (Cain had been traded to Detroit from the White Sox three months before the infamous Gaedel game.)
2000 A 17-4 mauling of the Yankees at Yankee Stadium capped the first and only 7-0 road trip in White Sox history. The club jumped on future White Sox starter Orlando Hernández for nine runs in the first inning, knocking him out of the game with two outs in the first; the onslaught was capped by a José Valentín grand slam.
The win pushed the South Siders to a season-high 20 games better than .500 at 44-24, and 7 ½ up in the AL Central.
2006 Jon Garland became the first White Sox pitcher since 1971 to homer in a regular season game when he hit a two-run shot off of Esteban Yan in the eighth inning in Cincinnati. The Sox won easily, 8-1. Garlandscored two runs in the game, as well.
2019 It was a huge moment, and seemingly a big step forward for the rebuilding White Sox. In a 1-1 tie at Wrigley Field, former top Cubs prospect Eloy Jiménez blasted a two-run home run into the left-field bleachers, giving the Sox what turned out to be a 3-1 win. The shot came in the ninth inning, and he did it while breaking his bat! Jiménezwas acquired by the Sox along with top pitching prospect Dylan Cease for pitcher José Quintana on July 13, 2007.
2023 A brilliant individual performance by Sox starting pitcher Lance Lynn was all for naught.
Lynn, who had been badly struggling all season, found a comfort zone in Seattle and wound up striking out 16 Mariners — tying the franchise record — on a Father’s Day Sunday afternoon.
But the Sox offense was so embarrassingly bad it only managed one run, and Seattle wound up winning the game, 5-1, tacking on additional runs off of Reynaldo López when Lynnleft in the eighth inning. Lynn was charged with three runs in the game.
The 16 strikeouts tied Jack Harshman for the team record. Harshman, a converted position player, struck on 16 Red Sox on July 25, 1954 at Fenway Park in a game the White Sox won, 5-2.
That, of course, makes life a little different for the club’s amateur scouting staff leading up to the 2026 NHL draft. Barring a trade, the Flyers will pick at 21st overall. It’s their lowest first-round spot since 2020.
So the Flyers know the draft is still critical to what they want to do, even when they’re lower in the order.
“We’ve said it for a long time, we wanted to build a team that was going to be here for a long time; not just to go for it for a year or two,” general manager Danny Briere said last month. “That’s still the same approach on my end.”
After the recent trade with the Maple Leafs, the Flyers have only four picks in this draft, which will be held June 26-27. The first round is Friday at 7 p.m. ET, while Rounds 2-7 are Saturday starting at 11 a.m. ET.
“I’ll tell you how I feel about drafts and I’ll be totally blunt with you,” TSN director of scouting Craig Button said June 2 in a phone interview with NBC Sports Philadelphia. “I think it’s f—ing bulls–t when I hear about, ‘Oh, this draft isn’t as good.’ Here are the numbers. Approximately 45 players from any draft will play 350 games or more in the NHL. It might be 47 one year, 42 another year. That’s the number — you get 45 players that’ll play 350 games or more with varying degrees of success.
“And I know this about the draft. The teams that get good players from the draft say it was a good draft. The teams that don’t get good players from the draft say it wasn’t a good draft. So when people start telling me about a draft ahead of time, I call bulls–t.”
“What you’re trying to do is find a player that you feel has the potential to be an NHL player,” Button said. “That might be a third-line center, that might be a second-line scoring winger. Hey, listen, maybe you get David Pastrnak, who’s a superstar (drafted 25th overall in 2014).
“But the focus has to be on, ‘OK, what type of player do we like, what type of player do we think the guy can be?’ And then get after it and understand what the development path is, and then try to help that player be the best he can be. Put a stake in the ground and celebrate who you’re drafting.”
Before the draft arrives, we’re breaking down first-round targets for the Flyers.
Next up:
Nikita Klepov
Position: Winger Height: 6-foot Weight: 180 Shoots: Left Team: Saginaw
Scouting report
There’s a swagger to Klepov, who looks like he was born to score.
He won the OHL scoring crown this season as a 17-year-old rookie, amassing 97 points (37 goals, 60 assists) in 67 games for Saginaw. Klepov put up 38 power play points and three shorthanded goals.
The Michigan State commit had six games of multiple goals and five games of four or more points.
“There were a lot of plays where it’s like, ‘OK, that’s an interesting decision to get rid of the puck here, what are you doing?'” Ellis said. “And then he would skate around everybody, get into scoring position and score. He would do that a lot. This is a guy that thinks the game at a high level.”
Klepov is the 19th-ranked player on Ellis’ top-100 draft board. It’s uncertain if the right winger will play one more season at the junior level before going to college. The knocks on his game are that he’s not very big and the skating isn’t always there.
“His skating is something where it’s more about how he uses it,” Ellis said. “He has actually got some good speed and he does move a lot, but it’s not enough. It’s not every shift. I think that’s kind of the issue. There are a lot of times where he’s just kind of out there and not doing a whole lot and needs to be doing it.
“It’s just kind of that shift-to-shift consistency. There are some points in games he looks a little checked out; he can’t do that at the next level. But I do think that the offensive ability there is very exciting.”
The Flyers have liked players out of the OHL. Four of their last five first-round selections have been OHLers.
Klepov’s prowess on the power play should attract the Flyers. He sees the ice and can execute at a high level. With the NHL’s worst power play over the last five seasons combined (14.1 percent), the Flyers have needed more answers there.
The organization already has a lot of young wingers, but the Flyers will go with a best-player-available approach at No. 21. If they were to take Klepov, he’d add to a promising outlook on the wing. Just on the right side alone, the Flyers would have Martone, Klepov and Matvei Michkov.
Even when this team actually wins and wins a series, it ends up being vaguely disappointing. The Cubs won Wednesday night to salvage a split in the season series and a win in the Wrigley portion of the series. The Cubs outscored the Rockies in Denver 14-13, but only managed one win. The Rockies and Cubs tied 15-15 over the three games in Chicago. So in sum, the Cubs outscored the Rockies 29-28 while winning three of six. Not good enough. What a lost opportunity. The kind of thing you look back on after you just miss the playoffs.
On the one hand it was good to see the offense get in gear. But this game does nothing to assuage my concerns about them. They piled on, scoring seven runs in the second inning. I’ve made the statement that it feels like they pounce on a struggling pitcher when that happens and otherwise struggle to sustain any offense at all. In this one, they got seven runs in one inning and just one run in the other seven.
I suspect Pete Crow-Armstrong will hit hundreds of homers in his career, assuming relative health and longevity for a player of his skill level. To be fair, that may not be a fair assumption for a guy who plays the game as hard and fast as he does. But bear with the premise. If he goes on to hit hundreds of homers, he might never register a weirder one than the one he did in this game. Without digging, I’m pretty sure he’s already gotten a shorter one and probably will again (he has at least one inside-the-park homer). But the one he hit in this game, I saw a ton of replays of it and I’m still not sure it went out. It sure didn’t look like it at full speed. When slowed down, it kind of looked like maybe it did.
That was essentially the only offense after the first inning. Not good enough. That’s where I just keep coming back. Javier Assad pitched relatively well. But the Cub bullpen threw 3.1 innings, allowing four hits, two walks and four runs. Not good enough. It just keeps ending up there. But the bullpen was credited with a hold and a save. Those are pretty rare occurrences for this team. Somehow, so are series wins.
Generally not good enough. But on this night, it was enough. Just barely. But it beats the alternative.
Three Positives:
Matt Shaw had a two-run triple and added a single. Shaw’s injury hurt this team more than most people acknowledged.
Seiya Suzuki had a single, a double and drew a walk. He drove in a run and scored one.
Javier Assad allowed two runs over 5.2 innings. Some forget that he had 29 starts in 2024 with a 3.73 ERA (though 4.64 FIP). He’s a reasonable back half of the rotation guy.
Game 75, June 17: Cubs 8, Rockies 6 (39-36)
Reminder: Heroes and Goats are determined by WPA scores and are in no way subjective.
THREE HEROES:
Superhero: Matt Shaw (.168). 2-4, 3B, 2 RBI, R
Hero: Javier Assad (.115). 5.2 IP, 22 BF, 5 H, 0 BB, 2 ER, K (W 5-1)
Billy Goat: Ethan Roberts (-.037). 0.1 IP, 4 BF, 2 H, BB, 3 ER
Goat: Pete Crow-Armstrong (-.022). 1-5, HR, RBI, R
Kid: Nico Hoerner (-.020). 1-5, R
WPA Play of the Game: Matt Shaw’s two-run triple with no outs in the second drove in the first two runs of the game. (.175)
Rockies Play of the Game: Cole Carrigg drew a one out walk in the eighth inning with the Rockies down three. (.025) Hunter Goodman’s two-run homer with one out in the eighth to cut it to three had the same WPA.
Cubs Player of the Game:
Game 73 Winner: Miguel Amaya nudged Pete Crow-Armstrong 66-47 (132 votes total)
Rizzo Award Standings: (Top 5/Bottom 5)
The award is named for Anthony Rizzo, who finished first in this category three of the first four years it was in existence and four times overall. He also recorded the highest season total ever at +65.5. The point scale is three points for a Superhero down to negative three points for a Billy Goat.
Michael Busch +25
Pete Crow-Armstrong +13
Ben Brown +12.5
Michael Conforto +10
Trent Thornton +8.5
Edward Cabrera -9.5
Phil Maton -10
Caleb Thielbar/Dansby Swanson -11
Seiya Suzuki -21.5
Up Next: An off day Thursday, then the defending AL champion Blue Jays come to town. The Jays won Wednesday to get to 36-38 but have a game Thursday afternoon in Boston before coming to Chicago. Neither team had announced starters. Friday should be Ben Brown’s spot (3-2, 1.74, 62 IP). Ben is the anti-2026 Cub starter. He’s allowed just one homer and is the only thing keeping the Cub homer numbers from being truly grotesque.
Win a game behind Ben and keep the Blue Jays under .500. The Cubs are more or less tied for the last wild card spot and are very much alive. But they’ve got to start stacking series wins again, particularly at home.
Los Angeles, CA - May 30: Arizona St. pitcher Cole Carlon (14) cheers his team on at the NCAA baseball regional tournament game between Arizona State and UC Irvine at Jackie Robinson Stadium on Friday, May 30, 2025 in Los Angeles, CA. (Carlin Stiehl / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
After selecting Kade Anderson with the third overall pick in last year’s draft, the Mariners undoubtedly secured the best lefthander in all of college baseball and broke something of a trend with their heavy emphasis on right-handed pitchers. With an opportunity to yet again secure the best left hander amongst the college ranks this season, Arizona State’s Cole Carlon looks like a highly appealing option for the M’s with the 24th selection and potentially grants them yet another arm that could figure into their big league roster construction rather quickly.
Have a night, Cole.
Carlon strikes out his fellow All-Big 12 First Team selection Gavin Kelly for the second time tonight.
Carlon is one of the most physically developed pitchers in this entire class. With a strong 6’5 230lb frame, the southpaw possesses one of the the most electrifying one-two punches in the entire 2026 class. Launching the ball from a high slot, Carlon’s fastball sits in the mid-90’s and has touched as high as 101 this year, though the underlying shape underneath the premium velocity isn’t all that inspiring. More critically for Carlon, however, is his devastating slider. Given his incredibly high release point, the bullet spin on the ball causes immense problems for hitters and leads to a substantial amount of swing and miss. From a production standpoint, it was one of the best breaking balls in the country, and it could be argued it’s the primary pitch in his arsenal. He’s tossed in some changeups and curveballs as “show me” offerings, but his bread and butter is undoubtedly the fastball-slider tandem.
Despite being on the larger side, Carlon’s mechanics are incredibly fluid and repeatable. There isn’t an overwhelming amount of effort in his delivery and it’s all but assured he’ll be a starter as a professional given his track record to this point. It’s average strike throwing, above average stuff, and a premium frame from a 21 year old arm that’s produced for multiple years in the Big 12 conference; though the “projection” aspect of his profile isn’t overwhelming, it’s hard to argue what he currently possesses isn’t enough to succeed at the next level.
Cole Carlon.
That's it, that's the tweet.
Punches out one of the hottest hitters on the planet with his 115th pitch of the game. Time to get some runs.
Carlon is a candidate to ascend through the minors rapidly, with many evaluators thinking he could find his way into a big league bullpen as early as next year. Triple digit fuel from the left side is far from common, and finding a starter that’s able to hold velocity deep into starts is even more of a rarity. Even if his extension/movement profiles are more mundane than other first round candidates in this class, it’s tough to ignore everything Carlon can do with no development necessary. Should the esteemed pitching lab in the PNW see an angle to extract some additional talent out of Carlon, they could yet again land an uber-talented lefthander to add to their farm system and ultimately give them a trio of minor leaguers that could contribute to the Major League roster by 2027.
Jun 17, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies catcher Garrett Stubbs (21) throws a pitch against the Miami Marlins in the ninth inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
Ah, the 40-man roster. The place that players crave to be as it means making either a full year’s salary by remaining on that roster all season, or a significant prorated portion for each day that player is on the 40-man roster. There might be hesitance from minor leaguers in regards to that particular part of the organization depending on the time of year as it means more money during the season, but a chance to be drafted by another team in the Rule 5 draft in the offseason, therefore offering a clearer path to playing time in a different organization if they are not on that 40-man roster.
Yet at this time of year, the bottom of the 40-man roster sometimes gets thrust into the spotlight. Teams are starting to jockey for position for the playoffs and that means they can no longer wait for the weaker part of their rosters to start to produce. Injuries are taking their toll. Teams are in need of fresh arms, fresh legs, players that can help those margins get a little more positive to maybe scratch out an extra win or two. So, with the Phillies possibly in need of making a few changes to their roster construction, let’s look at the (theoretical) bottom of the 40-man roster to see how they are performing and whether or not they deserve to continue to hang on to that coveted spot.
Garrett Stubbs
Stubbs started a game on Wednesday for the first time since June 2. In his time with the team, he has hit to the tune of a .417 OPS. He has been paraded as someone that can handle positions other than catcher and has at least stood at first base, third base and left field (besides being the position player pitching), yet his continued presence on the roster is baffling.
What purpose does he actually serve?
Sure, now with Adolis Garcia missing the rest of the season, someone is going to have ensnare the role of locker room DJ, but as far as actual on-field production, Stubbs is rather useless. Rafael Marchan has done next to nothing at the plate or at behind it, so if Stubbs is that badly needed, keep him as the backup catcher and move on from Marchan. Put that 26th roster spot to some good use, like maybe a different outfielder into the mix. But continuing to use a roster spot on Stubbs just makes no sense any longer.
Steward Berroa
Berroa was swinging a decent bat in Lehigh Valley before being called up to the Phillies….and playing almost not at all.
The team in the last few years have had this annoying habit of carrying a position player in the 13th spot on the roster and barely playing him at all. Many other teams have been successful at using players up and down their own rosters to wade through the slog of the 162 game schedule, but the Phillies rarely use that final spot. Berroa was the latest one to do so, Stubbs previously mentioned possibly taking that mantle at this point. He’s useful depth for the team to store in Lehigh Valley to call upon in case of emergency, but when called upon, they ignored him.
If that is going to continue to be the case, then what purpose does he actually serve that the team couldn’t simply rotate different freely available players into that spot over the next few weeks? If Berroa or currently Derek Hill are going to occupy a spot, it’s for the best the team finds a role to use, or else find someone else that can fill that spot with better potential results. In the end, Berroa is a AAAA-type player at best, but what exactly have the Phillies to lose by seeing if someone can get hot a few games or weeks at a time?
Nolan Hoffman
These are the places where the Phillies can begin looking to play the game of player roulette. Hoffman has already been called up once to the majors to be an emergency fill in, then summarily sent back down within hours, yet his performance at the minor league level is worth discussing. He’s pitched good enough to the tune of striking 28.7% of batters he’s faced, not allowing a home run yet, walking a few too man batters and generally being an example of the term “fungible reliever”. Every bottom of a 40-man roster is populated with them and Hoffman is really no different. Were the team in need of making someone available to waivers in order to add to their major league team, Hoffman is as good a candidate as any.
Grant Holman
Which brings us to Grant Holman. So far, in the year of our Lord 2026, Holman has been a name that can be seen buried on transaction wires that only the sickos look at with any regularity. He has been:
designated for assignment by the Athletics
claimed off waivers by the Diamondbacks
designated for assignment by the Diamondbacks
claimed off waivers by the Dodgers
claimed off waivers by the Tigers
designated for assignment by the Tigers
claimed off waivers by the Phillies
Many have ridden this rollercoaster, few have succeeded at sticking with a team. He’s only appeared in a handful of games for the IronPigs, but also has an ERA that starts with a 7. Maybe there is something in underlying stuff that belies that resul— oh wait, his FIP starts with a 7 as well?
Yeah, this is probably the guy that gets moved off the 40-man when a spot is needed.
Jean Cabrera
Perhaps no minor leaguer in the Phillies’ minor league organization has been as disappointing this season than Cabrera. Ranked in the top ten of the team’s list by more than one online group of prospect writers, Cabrera has had a horrid year almost all the way around. Virtually everything has gone wrong for him this year – lowered velocity, striking out fewer hitters, allowing more balls in play. His performance at Lehigh Valley was so bad (9.32 ERA) that it necessitated his going even further down the minor league ladder to Reading, where he has somehow accumulated an even worse ERA.
If push came to shove, with almost no trade value left, does the team cut bait with Cabrera and move on to someone else?
Derek Curiel 6 homerun as the LSU Tigers take on the Southern Jaguars in Baton Rouge, LA. Tuesday, March 31, 2026. | SCOTT CLAUSE / USATODAY Network / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The 2026 is about a month away — the first round kicks off on July 11, 2026 — so its time to start offering capsule looks at players the Texas Rangers could select with their top picks. The Rangers’ first round pick is at #16, their second round pick is at #54, and their third round pick is at #89.
Leading up to draft day, we will be doing writeups of some of the players who could end up getting selected by the Rangers with one of their first three picks. Today we are looking at LSU outfielder Derek Curiel.
Derek Curiel is a 6’2”, 192 lb. lefthanded hitting outfielder for LSU. He was considered a potential first round pick in 2024 coming out of Orange Lutheran High School in Orange, California, but had a down senior year and ended up withdrawing from the draft. He is a draft-eligible sophomore who turned 21 last month.
Curiel’s carrying tool since his high school days has been his hit tool. He’s described as a “pure hitter” with excellent contact ability and the ability to make hard contact, with strong exit velocities. However, he has also never hit for much power, in part due to his swing, which doesn’t generate much loft — he’s more of a ground ball and line drive hitter with his swing. His build and exit velocities indicate that there may be more power that he can tap into, but as of now, there are questions about whether he will ever have even average power.
Curiel has played center field for LSU this year, after primarily playing left field in 2025. His speed appears to grade out at a little above average, though one would expect that to drop a little as he fills out. His arm would be a problem in right field, but is fine for center and left. He doesn’t project as a great defender in the outfield, and it remains to be seen whether he will be good enough defensively to play center regularly long-term.
Curiel has put up pretty similar numbers in both his freshman and sophomore seasons. As a freshman, he slashed .345/.470/.519, with 53 walks against 56 Ks in 323 plate appearances. This year, in 274 plate appearances, he slashed .353/.431/.526, with 34 walks and 43 Ks while going 13 for 15 on the bases. After winning the College World Series in 2025, LSU didn’t make the field of 64 this year, so Curiel wasn’t able to show his stuff in the postseason this year.
Curiel seems likely to go somewhere in the teens, and could be on the board when the Rangers pick at 16. He has the hit tool the Rangers prioritize in position players, and has had success in the best college baseball conference, which is also something the team puts emphasis on.
He’s a high-floor guy — I’ve seen him described as a “safe” pick — whose upside ultimately depends on how much his power improves as a professional and to what extent he can stick in center field. If he can’t get to at least average power, or play at least average defense in center field, its hard to see him as a starter, and so there’s real risk that he ends up a tweener fourth outfielder.
The person who came to mind when I was reading about Curiel is David Murphy. Murphy was drafted #17 overall by the Boston Red Sox in 2003 after a successful career at Baylor. Murphy had a solid hit tool but questions about his power, and he played center field in the minors but was stretched there defensively and primarily played left field in the majors, where he was mostly a platoon outfielder/fourth outfielder.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 22: Dillon Mitchell #1 of the St. John's Red Storm dribbles during the first half against the Kansas Jayhawks in the second round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Viejas Arena at San Diego State University on March 22, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Depending on how the board falls, St. John’s forward Dillon Mitchell could be available when New York is on the clock on draft night next week. Should the Knicks consider him with their 24th, 31st, or 55th selection?
The Basics
School: St. John’s (transferred from Texas, then Cincinnati)
Projected Draft Range: Mid-second round to undrafted
The Numbers
Mitchell’s production does not jump off the page like that of teammate Zuby Ejiofor’s did at St. John’s, but his profile is built more around his tools and energy than his raw scoring numbers and a plug-and-play profile transitioning from college to the NBA.
He averaged 8.3 points, seven rebounds and three assists per game for the Red Storm, giving Rick Pitino a high-motor forward who could defend, rebound, cut, run and finish without needing plays called for him. In St. John’s Sweet 16 loss to Duke, Mitchell scored 13 points on 86% shooting, showing the type of efficient, low-usage role that gives him an NBA pathway, although that will only happen after he spends some considerable developmental time in the chamber.
The passing is probably Mitchell’s calling card on offense, as he finished his senior campaign with 111 assists to only 37 turnovers, a great 3:1 ratio for an athletic forward whose offensive reputation has mostly centered on rim running, cutting and transition finishing.
SNY’s Ian Begley reported on Wednesday that the Knicks brought Mitchell in for a pre-draft workout, alongside UConn forward Alex Karaban. That matters because New York owns a second-round pick (No. 55), which fits the range Mitchell is expected to hear his name, unless he goes all the way and ends up signing a two-way, UDFA contract after the draft is over.
Skills That Pay the Bills
Elite Athleticism: Mitchell is a rare vertical athlete. He runs the floor hard, jumps quickly off the ground, and can finish above the rim in transition, off cuts and on putbacks.
Cutting and Play Finishing: His best offensive role is simple, as he’s adept at moving without the ball, finding dunker-spot openings, attacking backdoors and finishing plays created by guards. He does not need high usage to create value, as he’s a high-activity player.
Defensive Versatility: Mitchell has the feet, mobility and athletic profile to defend multiple spots. He can navigate screens, switch in certain matchups and use his quickness to stay involved away from the ball.
Rebounding Motor: He averaged seven rebounds per game and has posted more than two offensive rebounds per game in back-to-back seasons. His second jump and activity help him create extra possessions.
Passing Growth: Mitchell’s senior season showed legitimate progress as an offensive connector, removing any concerns about him turning into a pro offense-stopper. He can make quick passes from the interior, hit cutters and move the ball without forcing plays.
Concerns
No Reliable Jumper: This is the biggest issue, and not precisely a small one. Mitchell does not space the floor and his perimeter game remains underdeveloped, with the forward attempting 57 three-pointers in 144 college games across four seasons for an average of 0.4 3PA per game, hitting them at a horrid 19.3% clip. That limits lineup flexibility and makes his offensive role narrow in the current NBA economy.
Free-Throw Shooting: His career free-throw percentage sits below 50%, which raises real questions about his touch and late-game playability alongside his non-existent long-range shooting.
Limited Self-Creation: Mitchell is not a player who manufactures offense, mostly because of his shooting issues. He needs to play under a heavy structured offense, take advantage of spacing, and have elite playmakers around him to maximize his athletic tools and find him open.
Tweener Role: He is 6’6.75” without elite length for a forward and does not shoot well enough to play a clean wing role. His NBA value depends on defending, rebounding, cutting and finishing at a high level.
The Knicks Fit
I don’t need to tell you how Mitchell fits the Knicks if you just read where the kid is coming from. New York just won their first championship since 1973, and Mitchell spent his final college season at St. John’s, playing home games at Madison Square Garden, and making this the ultimate good-story draft pick if NYK uses the late second-round selection on him or simply adds him to one of their two-way slots if he’s still available after the second day is over.
There is also real St. John’s history with the Knicks. New York drafted Mark Jackson out of St. John’s in 1987, and Jackson became NBA Rookie of the Year with the franchise, although the comparisons here are virtually non-existent. The other famous connection, and one still due for fix, is that with former Red Storm forward and Queens-born-and-raised Ron Artest, whom the Knicks passed on in 1999 when they selected Dunk-of-Death casualty Frederic Weis one pick before Artest went to the Chicago Bulls.
Mitchell would not arrive with Jackson’s or Artest’s profile or expectations—and he should definitely not be treated like that kind of prospect—but the local connection is there.
From a basketball standpoint, Mitchell fits only if the Knicks are comfortable taking a developmental bet, even late in the draft. New York already has physical wings and forwards in OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart, while Karl-Anthony Towns gives the team offensive firepower up front. Mitchell would need to earn minutes through defense, rebounding, pace and energy, and he won’t do anything to improve the offense, not being even close to Hart’s already-subpar shooting.
NBA Comparison
Best-Case Comparison: Derrick Jones Jr. (Explosive cutter, finisher and defensive athlete without a lot to offer on offense)
Median Outcome: KJ Martin (Vertical athlete who runs, cuts and finishes near the rim but not far from it)
Low-End Outcome: Keita Bates-Diop without the jumper (Forward body, defensive chops, can’t hit a shot)
The Verdict
Pass at 24th and 31st. Consider him at 55th: Mitchell is not worth a first-round pick, whether that’s No. 24 or No. 31, unless the board completely collapses and the Knicks are convinced his jumper will develop, which is far from guaranteed. The athletic tools are obvious—Mitchell can run, jump, defend, cut and finish—but the shooting concerns are too big to ignore. A forward who does not space the floor and shoots below 50% from the free-throw line needs to be excellent in the margins to stay on the floor. Mitchell has some of those margins covered, especially with his cutting, rebounding and defensive versatility, but he still projects as a developmental player. Let him go past 55th, and with just five more picks remaining, there’s a good chance he goes undrafted, and the Knicks can ink him after he becomes a UDFA.
CHICAGO, IL - MAY 12: Caleb Wilson shoots the ball during the 2026 NBA Draft Combine on May 12, 2026 at Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois. 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 Melissa Tamez/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
We are less than a week away from the 2026 NBA Draft, which means things are more or less feeling finalized as far as predictions go. Granted, nobody’s predictions are going to be perfect — there will inevitably be some trades, some unexpected selections, and other fun surprises. That could turn out to be true for Caleb Wilson and Henri Veesaar as well, but there’s a lot more uncertainty around Veesaar that could make things interesting.
That said, let’s take a look at where both players are currently projected to get drafted. We will tap into HoopsHype.com, who did an aggregate mock draft based on the following sources: ESPN, NBADraft.net, CBS Sports, The Athletic, Bleacher Report, Babcock Hoops, SB Nation, USA Today Sports and No Ceilings.
Caleb Wilson: No. 4 overall to the Chicago Bulls
While there was a lot of talk that UNC star Caleb Wilson could get drafted higher than fourth, it seems like a lot of that talk has cooled down. The most likely scenario is that Wilson will hear his name called by the Chicago Bulls on draft night, a team that is going through both an organizational and roster rebuild.
Should there be no surprises and Wilson ends up in the Windy City, he will be one of very few players on the roaster that is guaranteed to be there within the next year or two. Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Bryson Graham seeks to do everything he can to return the Bulls to relevance in the NBA, but in order to do so he will have to completely overhaul the roster. Wilson will be one of two first-round picks for the Bulls assuming that they do not trade their No. 15 pick. He could end up becoming a star in Chicago, but that’s only if Michael and Jerry Reinsdorf are finally ready to start taking this franchise seriously again. Though, let’s be honest: Wilson may end up becoming a star anyway.
Henri Veesaar: 29th overall to the Cleveland Cavaliers
The situation with Henri Veesaar feels a lot more fluid than the situation with Wilson. Media outlets seem pretty convinced that Veesaar could end up being one of the final first-round picks, but deciding which team he could go to is tricky. Some outlets had him going to the Dallas Mavericks, but if we’re going off the aggregate that Hoops Hype created, the Cleveland Cavaliers would be the landing spot, which would guarantee that Veesaar plays a bench role at best.
The Cavaliers already have Evan Mobley on their roster, who is currently one a five-year max rookie contract that lasts until 2030. They also have Jarrett Allen at the center spot, whose contract goes until 2029. Things aren’t especially impressive being either guys, so there’s definitely a world where Veesaar sees a reasonable amount of playing time behind Allen at the very least. It’s hard to imagine that he’d spend time at the four, but who knows? Players are expected to be versatile in the NBA, but it’s hard to imagine Veesaar playing anything but the five.
Either way, should the Cavaliers draft Veesaar, he’d be a solid three-level scorer and solid passer for a playoff-contending team. Oh, and he’d face Caleb Wilson often in the Central Division. Who doesn’t want that?
The NBA Draft is June 23-24 in Brooklyn, NY. The event will be broadcasted on ESPN. What do you think of where the two Tar Heels are currently positioned in the mock drafts? Let us know in the comments below.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - MARCH 26: Chris Cenac Jr. #5 of the Houston Cougars shoots the ball against Tomislav Ivisic #13 of the Illinois Fighting Illini during the first half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Toyota Center on March 26, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images) | Getty Images
For the next month before the 2026 NBA Draft, we’ll take an in-depth look at different prospects here at Liberty Ballers and try to figure out which players would be the best fit for the Sixers at No. 22. Next up in this series is Houston’s Chris Cenac Jr.
By this point, we’ve all been frustrated with the rotating door of failed attempts at front court depth behind Joel Embiid from the Sixers. In recent years, it’s been a lot of players who are at best good on one end of the floor but a liability on the other end. With Embiid’s lack of availability only increasing, Philly could use a big that could not only solve its problems when he’s not on the floor, but also potentially play next to him. The good thing is, the answer to that problem might be staring them in the face next week.
Let’s start with the most obvious thing Cenac has going for him, which happens to be a great fit for Philadelphia. He’s a very good rebounder having averaged close to eight rebounds per game is just under 25 minutes per game. Per 40 minutes in college, he was averaging a robust 12.7 boards. Simply put, when Cenac is on the floor, offenses aren’t getting second chances off of missed field goals and free throws. His productive rebounding can be traced back to strong instincts, physicality and a relentless motor. That’s the kind of stuff that not only earns you more playing time, but endears you to a fanbase as a rookie. At 6’11” and 240 pounds, he’s certainly ready to come in and start grabbing rebounds off the bench for an NBA team at the very least.
Next is his athletic ability. Cenac isn’t just a halfcourt player who hauls in defensive rebounds. He can run the floor and finish as a lob threat while also finishing off the dribble in pick-and-rolls when he is in halfcourt sets. While a lot of his athletic ability did not necessarily translate to a lot of blocked shots in college, he certainly possesses the traits to be a good rim protector and he’s also athletic enough to guard on the perimeter when drawn out that way.
Speaking of things that you have to watch in Cenac’s game more than simply look at the stats for, he’s a willing jump shooter with enough fluidity in his mechanics to make you think those percentages above can improve. He took about 2.5 threes per game at Houston so it’s certainly not foreign to him to get shots up from deep and in some of his highlights, he looks pretty comfortable already as a face-up jump shooter in the midrange area. He’s not just one of those guys who gets drafted in the first round purely on athletic ability who has a broken jumper. It looks fixable but the encouraging thing here is that he seems cognizant of the importance to continue to develop his jump shot.
Weaknesses
Whether it was taking too many outside shots in certain games with an underdeveloped jumper or just making some bad decisions, at nearly seven feet tall, you’d like to see a better field goal percentage than 48.5%. While he’s ready right now to rebound in the NBA, he could probably afford to add about 20 pounds of muscle which would likely make him a more viable post scorer and make finishing in the paint in halfcourt sets a little easier.
Another problem that likely kept his minutes per game average around 25 is his tendency to pick up fouls. He averaged 2.3 fouls per game in the 25 minutes per game that he played last season at Houston. That’s about one foul in every 10 minutes of action. Do the math and while Cenac has the upside to become an NBA starter, if he’s fouling at the same rate that would have him averaging four fouls every 40 minutes which could mean some foul outs on certain nights.
He could also benefit from good coaching that boosts his basketball IQ. In watching a lot of his film, Cenac appears to drift into midrange areas too frequently offensively instead of cutting to the rim. That’s perhaps one factor that led to a lower field goal percentage than you’d like from a big man in college. Defensively, he would occasionally get mixed up with the other big man who he was playing with on who was guarding the stretch big and who was hanging around the rim.
Positional Fit
Cenac could come right into the NBA and play power forward today. He’s certainly comfortable enough guarding the perimeter and runs the floor better than a lot of NBA centers, which makes him more of an instant fit at the four. However, he’s certainly the kind of player that could grow into more of a center during his rookie contract. Perhaps by year two or year three in the NBA, Cenac is strong enough to score in the interior and defend just about any NBA center. He fits into an NBA frontcourt one way or another. Whether that’s as a power forward or a center likely depends on the team that drafts him.
Cenac lands at 20th overall in this mock draft, so he’s a very viable target for Philadelphia in the first round. Often times, teams in the late teens and early 20s are in that tier below the league’s true contenders drafting in the late 20s. Therefore, do certain teams prioritize their current rosters a bit more in hopes of landing more immediate help? As that school of thought pertains to Cenac, would a team that likes its power forwards opt not to take Cenac due to some concerns that he could come in and play center right away?
The fit with the Sixers is good enough to make me wonder if Mike Gansey and company would consider moving up for him to ensure he lands in Philadelphia. If Cenac had a strong rookie season, you could certainly argue starting him next to Embiid by the end of the regular season and in the playoffs would make a lot of sense. Embiid’s athleticism has dwindled and so having a big man on the court with Embiid who could defend the perimeter adequately and rebound well should raise the team’s floor defensively. Regardless of how quickly Cenac could become a starter for the Sixers, he could be someone that could play with Embiid in the short term and replace Embiid in the long term and that should have everyone in the organization interested.
Friday Junior has arrived, folks. The weekend is basically here, even if we still have to tiptoe through one more day.
I have a few MLB player props from today’s slate that should get things rolling early, and I am really liking spots for guys like Ben Rice and Bobby Witt Jr. this evening.
Best MLB player props today
Player
Pick
Odds
Kody Clemens
Over 1.5 total bases
+117
Ben Rice
Over 1.5 total bases
-112
Bobby Witt Jr.
Over 1.5 total bases
-149
Kody Clemens Over 1.5 total bases (+117)
Certain stats force me into making bets, and Texas Rangers starter Jack Leiter is serving up one of those spots. With Leiter allowing a 76% elevation rate to left-handed hitters over his last 30 batters faced, I have to find a lefty in a favorable matchup. That guy just so happens to be our good friend, Minnesota Twins outfielder Kody Clemens.
If you need a larger sample size, Leiter is still allowing more than a 70% elevation rate to lefties over his last 90 batters faced. During that stretch, he's also surrendered an 11.7% barrel rate, while left-handed hitters own a .300 xBA and .541 xSLG against him.
On the other side, Mr. Clemens has been an absolute rocket, get it? Over his last 30 plate appearances against right-handed pitching, he is batting .429 with a 1.107 SLG and 1.574 OPS, while producing 44% hard contact and a 20% barrel rate.
The Rocket's son also finds himself with an elite rating over at Batters-Box, where he owns the highest arsenal coverage among today's elite-rated hitters, matching up with 94.9% of Leiter's pitch mix.
If you want to lay roughly -105 on his hits + runs + RBI prop, I fully endorse it. Personally, the plus money is doing all the talking for me.
The right-hander has been getting dominated by left-handed hitters. Over the last 30 batters faced, they have produced a 68.8% elevation rate, along with 50% hard contact and a 12.5% barrel rate. Need a larger sample size? Over his last 60 batters faced, lefties are still elevating the baseball nearly 65% of the time while barreling it at a 9.7% clip.
Rice enters today's matchup with an elite rating and has cashed this prop in six of his last 10 elite-rated spots. He also owns a 72.9% arsenal coverage rating against Burke's entire pitch mix.
Not to mention, the young fella has been everything to this Yankees lineup lately, batting .292 with a .667 slugging percentage and a 1.100 OPS. During that stretch, he's generated 52.6% hard contact and a 10.5% barrel rate.
Do not be afraid to pay a little extra juice in this spot. I'd be comfortable taking it up to -120.
Time: 7:05 p.m. ET
Where to watch: YES, CHSN
Bobby Witt Jr. Over 1.5 total bases (-149)
It's always a blast backing one of the most consistent and exhilarating players in baseball, and today is a strong spot to ride Kansas City Royals superstar Bobby Witt Jr. Over his total bases prop this evening. The star shortstop carries a strong rating in Batters-Box default grades and an elite mark in the current season dataset.
When graded strongly at home, Witt clears this line 66.67% of the time, while also leaving the yard 20.37% of the time and doubling at a 42.59% clip. Yes, that is also a green light to sprinkle on the extra bases props.
Witt has also been scorching over his last 30 at-bats against left handed pitching, posting a .333 average, .844 OPS, and .375 wOBA, along with 52% hard contact and a 12% barrel rate.
He draws St. Louis Cardinals right-hander Matthew Liberatore, who carries a poorly rated matchup profile in both strikeout and ground ball rates this season. Away from home against right-handed hitters, Liberatore is allowing a 67.6% elevation rate, while opposing righties are hitting .287 with a .476 slugging percentage and a .358 wOBA.
Over his last 30 right-handed hitters faced, he has also allowed a .419 xBA, .660 xSLG, and .372 xwOBA. If you're not in the juice-paying business, the home run or double prop is the cleaner value angle.
Time: 7:40 p.m. ET
Where to watch: ROYL, CARD
Colby Marchio's 2026 Transparency Record
Prop picks: 228-394-35, +7.14 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.
Oklahoma City's Zach Ehrhard drives in a run during a minor league baseball game between the Oklahoma City Comets and the Albuquerque Isotopes at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark in Oklahoma City, Friday, March 27, 2026. | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Three separate starting pitchers struggled heavily in a disappointing day across the Dodgers’ minor league system, particularly in the higher levels.
Player of the day
While it wasn’t enough for the win, Zach Ehrhard did his part and then some, recording two home runs and four RBI in what has been an absurd month of June for the twenty-three-year-old.
Ehrhard is batting .345 with eight homers since the start of the month, securing nearly as many walks (12) as he has strikeouts (14), scoring 17 runs, and driving in 18.
Triple-A Oklahoma City
River Ryan dug too big a hole for the Comets to dig themselves out of as the right-hander allowed eight runs in 4.1 innings of work against the River Cats in a 9-6 loss. The deficit could’ve even been larger, but the River Cats left 13 on base against just five from the Comets, whose offense didn’t have a lot going on besides Zach Ehrhard.
The Comets’ leadoff hitter managed his third multi-homer game this month, going deep in both the third and seventh innings to reach 11 homers on the season. Unfortunately, the two hitters behind him, James Tibbs III and Jack Suwinski, didn’t reach base once, combining to strike out five times. The only other standout hitter for the Comets in the game was catcher Eliezer Alfonso, accumulating three hits, all of them doubles.
Double-A Tulsa
Ryan wasn’t the only Dodgers’ minor league starter who struggled on Wednesday, as Patrick Copen also didn’t give his team much of a fighting chance against the Naturals, letting in six of their seven runs in a 7-2 win against Tulsa.
With one of the Drillers’ runs coming on a wild pitch, allowing Mike Sirota to score, their only RBI came from the leadoff spot with Josue De Paula hitting a solo shot in the third. Speaking of Sirota, though, the offense’s issues didn’t go through him, who reached base four times.
High-A Great Lakes
Another game, another starter getting his doors blown off, as Zach Root allowed in 10 hits and seven runs, five of them earned, more than enough for the Captains to handsomely beat the Loons, whose 0 for 11 performance with runners in scoring position proved costly.
Take Charles Davalan, for example. The Loons’ number two hitter went three for four and yet didn’t score a run or drive in one, with the two hitters surrounding him going 0 for 8. All three of the Loons’ runs came from the bottom of the order in sacrifice flies or errors.
There was a second game scheduled between these two clubs, but the doubleheader was postponed for today, June 18th.
Single-A Ontario
At last, a win. Starter Cam Leiter tossed three scoreless innings, recording strikeouts in seven of his nine outs. Even with that, the bullpen didn’t make it easy in this eventual 8-5 affair with reliever Jholbran Herder coughing up a four-spot in the sixth.
Chase Harlan and Ching-Hsien Ko both homered in this one—Ko’s homer was of particular significance, breaking a long streak for a hitter whose last long ball had come nearly a month ago, on May 20th. First baseman Easton Shelton secured a couple of RBI behind those two, and in doing so, he reached 60 on the season.
Wednesday’s scores
Oklahoma City 6, Sacramento 9
NW Arkansas 7, Tulsa 2
Great Lakes 3, Lake County 7
Ontario 8, Rancho Cucamonga 5
Thursday’s schedule
10:05 a.m. PT: Oklahoma City (Christian Romero) vs. Sacramento (John Michael Bertrand)
2:35 p.m. PT: Great Lakes (Christian Zazueta) at Lake County (Braylon Doughty)
WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 16: CJ Abrams #5 of the Washington Nationals looks on during the game between the Kansas City Royals and the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on Tuesday, June 16, 2026 in Washington, District of Columbia. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Entering the season, I would guess that Paul Toboni fully anticipated being sellers at the trade deadline. However, year one under this new regime has exceeded all expectations. The Nats are currently 39-36 and tied for the third wild card spot. This could create a conundrum for the Nats new President of Baseball Operations at the August 3rd trade deadline.
Yesterday, Jeff Passan released an article ranking trade candidates and also listed some potential suitors. There were 100 names on the list, but he only gave a suitor list for the first 25. The Nats were listed as a potential fit for Joe Ryan, Reid Detmers, Jose Soriano, Luis Arraez and Matt Chapman. With that news out there, this could turn out to be a very entertaining deadline.
Free at ESPN: The top 100 trade candidates before the Aug. 3 deadline — with the likelihood they move and potential landing spots. @kileymcd and I will be updating this list periodically as the deadline approaches to reflect teams' evolving statuses. https://t.co/4DX6hlcWkx
The last time the Nats were buyers was all the way back in 2019, when Mike Rizzo patched up a leaky bullpen. Since then, the Nats have still been very active at trade deadlines, but they have been selling pieces off instead of buying.
We still have a long way to go before August 3rd, but the fact the Nats are listed as potential buyers is exciting. Unsurprisingly, almost all of the names listed as fits for the Nats have team control beyond 2026. The only rental listed is Luis Arraez, who seems like an unlikely target to me.
In my opinion, the cleanest fits for the Nats are either of the two Angels pitchers. Reid Detmers and Jose Soriano would both slide into the top of the Nats rotation alongside Cade Cavalli. Both have premium stuff and are under control for two years after this one. If the Nats want to maximize CJ Abrams, who is on the same timeline, these would be fun fits.
For most of the season, it seemed like Soriano would be the bigger fish. However, despite having a sub-3 ERA, he has really cooled off lately. Soriano has an ERA close to 5 since allowing only 1 run in his first 37.2 innings. Despite the hot and cold results, Soriano has nasty stuff and is going fairly deep into games. His fastball averages 97, and his splitter and curve are nasty. Soriano just needs to clean up his control.
A package with Ronny Cruz, Luke Dickerson, Alex Clemmey and maybe one more smaller piece may be enough. In my opinion, Detmers is likely to cost even more despite having a higher ERA and less velocity. The lefty has a 3.68 ERA, but that is dropping fast and his FIP is under 3. With Detmers, you don’t need to change much about his arsenal or control, you can just plug him in.
For a while, I was a Detmers guy because it seemed like you would be buying low. However, you are certainly not going to be buying low at this point. The Angels will and honestly should be asking for a similar value to what the Nats got back for MacKenzie Gore, maybe a little bit more.
I actually think Soriano is the smarter play of the two. He is likely to cost slightly less and needs to make a couple tweaks. However, his upside is even higher than Detmers, and he would be a fun project for Simon Mathews. Passan even noted that Soriano could be a fun target for teams with savvy development teams.
One final name that intrigues me is Matt Chapman. He is a different sort of target. Chapman is 33 years old and is under contract until 2030. However, acquiring the veteran could be a 3D chess move for Paul Toboni. As we all know, there is a looming CBA battle. There seems like a good chance that some sort of salary floor will be put into place.
Acquiring Chapman and the final 4.5 years of his 6-year $151 million deal would be a good way of getting ahead of that. Chapman still has gas in the tank, with 1.5 fWAR and 2.9 bWAR. Taking on a big chunk of that contract would be a good way to get closer to a potential floor and acquire a good player for not a lot of prospect capital. The Giants seem desperate to clear salary and build around Bryce Eldridge. Meanwhile, the Nats could get a veteran presence and an elite third baseman who still has a lot in the tank.
Another avenue the Nats could explore is to look for bullpen help. As we all know, this Nats bullpen is not very talented. Beyond Brad Lord and Orlando Ribalta, there are a bunch of question marks. One name I like that is actually 36th on Passan’s list is Daniel Lynch IV of the Royals.
While Lynch allowed a 3 run homer to Curtis Mead the other day, he is having a wonderful season. His ERA is 2.61, while his FIP and xERA are in the low 3’s. Lynch is a lefty with swing and miss stuff, which the Nats desperately need. He also has 2.5 years of control left. It would take a solid prospect haul, but the Nats would not have to send out any truly high end prospects either.
With the Nats playing the Royals and having a winning record, I thought about the idea of trading for Royals lefty reliever Daniel Lynch IV. Lynch has a 1.80 ERA in 30 games with impressive statcast metrics. The 29 year old has 2.5 years of control. What would you give up for him
However, it is far from a guarantee that the Nats buy. In fact, a soft sell, or some combination of buying and selling feels most likely at this point. Rentals like Foster Griffin, Miles Mikolas and Zack Littell could still be on the block, especially if the Nats fall back in the standings.
There is also the looming question of CJ Abrams, who is 5th on Passan’s big board. However, Passan only gives an Abrams trade a 15% chance of happening right now. Teams would love to have Abrams, but Toboni’s asking price was high in the offseason and is likely even higher with the start Abrams and the team are having.
On the selling side of things, CJ Abrams was 5th on the list but Passan only gave him a 15% chance of being moved. Griffin and Littell further down the list https://t.co/BTZhsOAkhU
Abrams also has some warts in his profile that may prevent teams from meeting the sky high asking price. Between his rough defense, his streaky hitting and Toboni’s monster ask, it feels like teams will be scared off. Honestly, they should be scared off because the Nats should hold on to Abrams unless a team gives them an offer they can’t turn down.
The 25 year old has been in the middle of the Nats league leading offense, and why should Toboni break up a good thing. With this team ahead of schedule, they should be looking to compete in 2027 and 2028, rather than keep rebuilding. Toboni may have had plans to trade Abrams at this deadline, but it feels like times have changed.
If the Nats go on some big losing streak in July, we can revisit this, but for now CJ Abrams is a National for the rest of the year. Foster Griffin is a more likely candidate to move, but his future also depends on how the Nats do in these next six weeks. If the Nats remain in a playoff spot, it would be tough to sell off pieces.
This is shaping up to be the most fun Nationals deadline in a long time. Instead of looking at the prospect rankings, I am looking at other teams rosters to find potential targets. Of course, the situation is fluid, but buckle up folks because the next six weeks should be a doozy.
In a bullpen game, the WooSox ended up fending off the IronPigs in extra innings. (Phillies AAA) Just as Nathan Hickey (who homered) and Vinny Capra (who drove in the game’s opening run) helped put some early runs on the board, they helped put plenty of padding on during a tenth inning offensive outburst with a knock apiece. It’s also notable that Kristian Campbell contributed in his own way by drawing three walks. This hefty lead allowed Kyle Keller to come in for a second inning and struck out two to slam the door and increase his total to four.
In a Patrick Sandoval rehab apperance in which a homer was his only hit allowed, the Sea Dogs were not as lucky, or rather, skillful at generating offense, in the tenth inning as Worcester was. The Patriots (Yankees AA) scored a run in the tenth off of Cooper Adams and the Sea Dogs couldn’t answer. In fact, the inning was a continuation of a pretty poor night where they struck out 14 times and had just 4 hits… even if one came from a budding Stanley Tucker. Romy Gonzalez would reach on an error and end up scoring. The Sea Dogs giving up walks, eight on the night, to be exact, was also a factor in the loss.
I’m going to be honest: I don’t have much hope for Patrick Sandoval. It was a bad contract with limited upside from the jump. Even if you’re among the last stragglers of belief in the 2026 Red Sox season (I’m not), this is not the place for Sandoval to make a resurgence. It’s great he’s pitching again and that he is about to come back from injury after such a long road. But he likely won’t make an impact on this ball club.
Greenville has now been outscored 24-6 in three games. Dylan Brown just allowed too many runs while striking out seven BlueClaws (Phillies High-A). The Blue Claws had 16 hits on the night and simply overpowered the Drive, and nothing of substance was happening with just five hits and stranding ten runners.
The RidgeYaks are now losers of ten straight with this shutout loss to the Nationals. Leighton Finley again pitched well in his five-inning start, not letting his four walks or one hit score and striking six out. Salem only struck out four on the night, but also had to fight for hits. And when it was time to score, the offense couldn’t be found; they put their best Red Sox costume on and went hitless in eight attempts with runners in scoring position.
CINCINNATI, OHIO - JUNE 07: Cincinnati Reds mascot Mr. Redlegs leans on the dugout wall prior to a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs at Great American Ball Park on June 07, 2024 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Jeff Dean/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cincinnati Reds are 73 games into their 162 game trek through the 2026 Major League Baseball season. They’re inching closer to being half-done with this latest experiment, and that’s a sample size large enough to begin to make some objective observations.
Some of them stick out like a sore thumb, particularly on the offensive side of things. Two areas in particular, two facets of the game wholly distinct, seem to be defining just who this team is – and, more importantly, why they find themselves sitting at just 35-38 and in last place in the National League Central division.
We’ll start with the positive.
The Reds have stepped to the plate 1540 times, respectively, with nary a runner on base so far this season. In that time, they’ve posted a collective wOBA ove .325, and only four clubs in the sport can boast a better mark. They’re on the heels of both the Chicago Cubs (.326) and the Las Sacoakvegas Athletics (.327), and when I checked this mark prior to yesterday’s series finale against the New York Mets they actually held the #3 mark on this particular leaderboard. In other words, in scenarios in which the bases are empty, only two teams (the Dodgers and Pirates) have been better offensively than the Cincinnati Reds.
The Cincinnati Reds!
Then, there are the scenarios in which the Cincinnati Reds step to the plate with runners on-base.
With runners on, there’s not a team in the sport who owns a lower wRC+ (82) than the Reds. Their .298 wOBA ranks 29th ahead of only the Kansas City Royals (.297), and again, when I checked this mark prior to yesterday’s loss to the Mets the Reds held sole possession of dead last outright. The basement here has been Cincinnati’s pretty much all season long, their .259 BABIP with runners on similarly last by a good margin (with Philadelphia’s .270 mark next-worst).
It isn’t as if the Reds become completely different hitters in these situations, either. With the bases empty, for instance, they own a 39.2% groundball rate, a 41.0% fly ball rate, and pull the ball 38.6% of the time. In these positions, they also own a reasonable .287 BABIP. With runners on, they own a 40.0% grounder rate, 41.1% fly ball rate, and pull the ball 38.1% of the time – again, this time with just a .259 BABIP.
Those are two profiles that sure seem similar enough to maybe, just maybe, suggest it’s merely some bad luck that’s in play for the Reds with runners on base. At least, that’s got to be the hope for them right now, seeing as their lack of timely hitting has cost them over and over again already during this season’s first half. And given how beat up and broken their bullpen is, it’s impossible to ignore that they’ll be tasked with playing in games with razor-thin margins for the rest of the 2026 season, scenarios that will inevitably beg them to get big hits with runners on if they’re going to win more games than they lose.
To date, though, they’ve been just about as opposite of one another as they can be in these very defined situations. Hopefully, the regression to the mean between the two is of the positive variety.
Kody Clemens
Ben Rice
Bobby Witt Jr. 
