Jun 23, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; Atlanta Braves pitcher Jr. Ritchie (60) delivers during the first inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images
The Atlanta Braves have had a difficult week out West and dropped the series to the San Diego Padres after Tuesday’s 7-6 loss. In walk-off fashion, the Braves fell to 48-30 and watched the division lead dwindle to 5.5 games.
JR Ritchie started last night’s game, and it was another underwhelming outing for the rookie. He allowed four runs in five innings, struck out seven, and issued four walks. Offensively, the Atlanta lineup tallied nine hits, but it wasn’t enough to keep up with the lackluster pitching.
The Braves try to avoid the sweep tonight at 8:40 ET.
More Braves News:
Reliever Robert Suarez is dealing with forearm soreness, according to MLB.com’s Mark Bowman.
Prior to the season, there were plenty of concerns about the starting rotation. As of mid-May, those concerns are emerging again.
Here is a scouting report on Gio Rojas, a pitcher out of Florida who has been linked to the Braves.
The 2026 draft class is loaded with talent. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images
Winners
The tanking teams
After a season that featured multiple teams participating in the most egregious display of tanking in NBA history, Adam Silver responded by implementing new rules that will supposedly stop the tactic. However, those rules will not go into effect until next season, which means the biggest losers were the biggest winners on draft night.
The Washington Wizards (AJ Dybantsa), Utah Jazz (Darryn Peterson), Memphis Grizzlies (Cameron Boozer), and Chicago Bulls (Caleb Wilson) picked up generational players in what is considered the deepest draft in years. Among the teams who won by tanking, the Wizards stand out – they are poised to improve significantly after drafting Dybantsa No 1 overall. Adding Dybantsa as the centerpiece on a team that features two former All-NBA picks, Trae Young and Anthony Davis, could lead to the Wizards making the playoffs for the first time since 2021.
The Jalen Brunson Effect
After leading the New York Knicks to their first NBA championship since 1973, Brunson proved that shifty guards with a knack for scoring can anchor title-contending teams. In an era where 3-and-D wings were previously considered the gold standard, Brunson’s feats may have reshaped the NBA: six guards were selected in the top 10 of this year’s draft.
Peterson, Keaton Wagler, Mikel Brown Jr, Darius Acuff Jr, Kingston Flemings, and Brayden Burries are all aggressive guards who, like Brunson, can take over in the fourth quarter and dictate the outcome of games in critical moments.
Peterson will battle Dybantsa for rookie of the year honors and garner more attention for the often-forgotten Jazz. Brown (Brooklyn Nets) and Acuff (Sacramento Kings) will have multiple explosive scoring nights. And Wagler (LA Clippers) and Flemings (Atlanta Hawks) will be essential lead guards as their teams fight for playoff positions.
The new big men of the Thunder and Spurs
Big men Aday Mara, Jayden Quaintance, and Tarris Reed Jr are set to play key roles as the Thunder and Spurs aim for a title run. Mara (7ft 3in) will attempt to solve the Thunder’s glaring inability to stop Victor Wembanyama.
On the Spurs’ end, Wembanyama appeared fatigued at times while battling the physicality of Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson in the NBA finals. The Spurs’ backup center, Luke Kornet, failed to stabilize the team during the non-Wemby minutes.
Quaintance (6ft 10in) and Reed (6ft 11in) will allow Wembanyama to play more minutes at power forward, freeing the Frenchman to utilize his overall skillset. And the Thunder will hope that Mara’s pairing with Chet Holmgren becomes Wembanyama’s kryptonite.
Losers
Labaron Philon Jr
In some cases, a player can lose by entering the draft a year too early or too late. If Philon had entered the 2025 draft, he probably would have been selected as a late lottery pick or mid-first rounder.
The highly-skilled guard from Alabama averaged 22 points a game and erupted for 35 points against Michigan in the NCAA Tournament. However, Philon fell to the Philadelphia 76ers at No 22 because an abundance of elite guards were present in this year’s draft.
Philon would be a starter on most NBA lottery teams. Instead, he will begin his career behind Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe for the Sixers.
Dusty May’s first draft
In 24 hours, Dusty May was announced as the new head coach of the Dallas Mavericks, and his former Michigan player Morez Johnson Jr was drafted by the Mavs. Johnson is an enforcer who will do the dirty work in the paint next to the versatile Cooper Flagg.
Although there’s a feelgood story here somewhere, drafting Johnson at No 9 appears to be an overreach.
Johnson was projected to be a mid-first round selection, with the ceiling of a high-value role player. With Kyrie Irving returning from injury, the Mavs should have drafted a high-scoring guard such as Burries or Dailyn Swain.
Blockbuster moments
One of the most intriguing aspects of past NBA drafts was the drama of the unexpected. At any moment, a shocking blockbuster trade could change the landscape of the league while becoming fodder for a desperate news cycle.
This year’s draft lacked the suspense and intensity of moments such as Kobe Bryant being traded from the Charlotte Hornets to the Los Angeles Lakers; the Philadelphia 76ers trading Jayson Tatum to the Boston Celtics for Markelle Fultz; and the Atlanta Hawks trading Luka Dončić to the Dallas Mavericks for Trae Young.
But while this year’s draft lacked intrigue and controversy, the overall talent will be analyzed for years to come.
Carson Benge has an .856 OPS with two homers, one triple, and seven runs scored over his last eight games. Dating back to April 23, Benge is hitting .295/.351/.467 (.818 OPS) with eight homers in 55 games
Luke Weaver hasn't allowed a run since April 30, a span of 18 appearances during which he has given up 10 hits in 20 innings while walking four and striking out 25
Nolan McLean has a 1.64 ERA in 22.0 innings over his last four starts
Today's Lineups
CUBS
METS
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Carson Benge, RF
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A.J. Ewing, CF
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Bo Bichette, SS
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Jared Young, 1B
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Francisco Alvarez, DH
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Brett Baty, 3B
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Marcus Semien, 2B
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MJ Melendez, LF
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Luis Torrens, C
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The Richard Jefferson Comedy Tour won’t be making its way across America anytime soon.
The ESPN analyst turned a discussion about broadcast teammate Jay Williams’ 2002 draft night experience and the motorcycle accident that changed his life into a cringe-fest segment with two jokes that absolutely bombed.
After Kevin Neghandi asked Williams about why he received such a loud ovation after being drafted in New York by the Bulls with the No. 2 pick, with Williams joking that most folks who attended Duke lived in New York and New Jersey, Jefferson made things uncomfortable.
“Well, they also didn’t see the future coming, so they were cheering kind of pre-empt — sorry, I apologize,” Jefferson said while indirectly referencing Williams’ career-altering motorcycle accident in 2003 .
“Wow,” Williams responded flatly.
Williams lasted just one season in the NBA due to the multiple injuries he suffered in a horrific motorcycle accident in 2003, with the Bulls cutting him due to the injuries and him violating his contract.
He referred to the accident as “the day I almost died” — per CBS — in his autobiography, “Life is not an Accident: A Memoir of Reinvention.”
Smith, a veteran from “Inside the NBA,” tried to steer the conversation back into normalcy.
Jefferson’s jokes about Williams’ career didn’t land. @awfulannouncing/X
He complimented how Williams had been an “unbelievable talent” whose career trajectory would have been different if he “didn’t like motorcycles,” a remark that landed well with Williams.
Williams said, “Yes, that’s on record. I wrote a book about it.”
And that’s when Jefferson got himself in trouble again.
Williams is one of the biggest “What ifs?” in Bulls history. NBAE via Getty Images
He first offered a Jim Halpert-esque moment by seemingly looking toward a side camera before attempting another joke.
“I guess everybody that goes to Duke isn’t that smart,” he said, which resulted in Smith putting his head down and going, “Ohh.”
Williams didn’t seem to like Jefferson’s remarks. @awfulannouncing/X
Jefferson, realizing his routine wasn’t hitting the right chords, tried to defend himself.
“What? He wrote a book about it, I’m agreeing with him,” Jefferson said.
Smith then referenced the book line before realizing they should move on, saying, “But, anyway” to mercifully move on from the Jefferson comedy hour.
It shows how segments such as those contrast to when Jefferson is behind the mic with Mike Breen and Tim Legler for NBA Finals games, where there is better chemistry and fewer spontaneous moments.
BROOKLYN, NY - MARCH 12: (NEW YORK DAILIES OUT) Former New York Knick Charles Oakley and rap artist Ice Cube attend a game between the Brooklyn Nets and the Knicks at Barclays Center on Sunday, Mar. 12, 2017 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. The Nets defeated the Knicks 120-112. 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 Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Day one of the NBA Draft is in the books…
…and oh, shocker, there was a trade down completed by the Knickerbockers!
Here’s the latest batch of quotes in what is likely going to become a dying Bulletin, at least throughout the dry summer.
On the meaning of New York to the NBA and the Knicks’ title:
“No one understands—besides y’all—the weight that that wearing that jersey has sometimes. And, you know, we kind of talk around it and dance around it, but New York is a special place, but there’s a lot of pressure when you put that jersey on. So we want to thank you and celebrate you (Carmelo Anthony) a little bit, man, for laying the foundation, but also, you know, talking to us during it.”
Jalen Brunson has published a children’s book called ‘Jalen Plays It All’ 🧡 💙 pic.twitter.com/OwUdM24C55
“I’m beyond happy to share that JALEN PLAYS IT ALL, written by me and illustrated by the incredible [Neely Daggett], will be released (next year) by Feiwel & Friends. This children’s book is a story about discovering that success doesn’t happen overnight. There are mistakes, setbacks, and moments when giving up may feel easier than pushing forward. And while basketball was always at the center of my journey, every sport I played helped build the habits, character, and work ethic that made me who I am.”
😳 EXCLUSIVE: Charles Oakley blasts "coward" Patrick Ewing, says relationship is beyond repair. pic.twitter.com/xErznILYZP
“Patrick (Ewing) always been like that. He never stood up for nobody. Even when they offered him the D-League job, I said something. And the coldest thing out of this all, I took a case for Patrick on an airplane. Put that out there. I took a case from him. Ask any teammate, Chris Childs, Charles, Allen, John, they might not say nothing, but I took a case to better his self. And this happened to me, he don’t say nothing.”
On Jalen Brunson vs. Patrick Ewing as the Knicks’ GOAT:
“Brunson is a better Knicks than Patrick.”
On Dolan supposedly blocking his appearances on the Roomates Show and elsewhere:
“I was supposed to be on the Roommate podcast. I get a call the day before. They said, ‘We have to cancel you.’ And then three weeks later, guess who was on there? Dolan. Dolan. I was shooting a commercial right across from the Garden and Cafe 31, and something else. We shot for one day, the next day, somebody said we had to shut it down. We had permission and everything. So he bullying me around the city, too.”
Guerschon Yabusele: «Cuando estuve en los Knicks, si hubiéramos movido el balón como hacía el Real Madrid, habríamos acabado primeros»https://t.co/i02rh8NOUi
“Well, actually, I will never say no. I will never say no. But where, uh, it has to be clarified is that for me today, it is the NBA first. Why? Very simple. Uh, if the NBA, I do not go back there this summer, let’s say, I think it is going to be finished. We all agree. I do not think I would have a second chance to be able to go back.”
On his frustration with his lack of playing time in New York:
“The games go on, the games go on, and well, I still do not play. I still do not play. And sometimes, zero minutes, sometimes… And me, there, actually, it hit me, where I say to myself, ‘Ah, but I feel like I am in Boston, actually.’ When I look at Boston, we are in 2026, and it was ten years ago. It hit me. I said to myself, ‘Damn, ten years. A ton of things have happened, you know, since then, and I am still getting zero minutes. It is not possible.’ The frustration was there. I would go home, I did not know what to do anymore. I said to myself, ‘But it is not possible. I am not going to go back into that for the whole season.’ And I signed there for two years. And I say to myself, ‘He signed for three years or four years, the coach. I am not going to not play for two years.’”
On publicly admitting being wrong about Jalen Brunson:
“I was wrong. I was wrong. My opinion was wrong.”
On Jalen Brunson proving history wrong:
“Jalen, all he did was prove history wrong. He proves he’s an outlier, so you can put his name next to Steph Curry and Isiah Thomas, and I thought he played brilliantly, especially down the stretch. I mean, he was that 1A dude.”
On initially refusing to apologize for her wrong opinion:
“But apologize… I’m never gonna apologize for having an opinion. That’s what ESPN pays me for.”
On Brunson’s place in Knicks history:
“Let me just piss off Knicks fans again and say, I think he’s the greatest Knick ever. Give them something else to talk about… I’ve always been a Jalen Brunson fan. I was a fan of his at Villanova, in Dallas and why this comment went off the rails, I have no idea, because it was clearly a historical and analytical take.”
"If we expand, at least, we're thinking 28/29 season. The only two cities, at the moment, we're looking at are Las Vegas and Seattle. We haven't had a vote on it, it's not a foregone conclusion, but we're in the process of talking…"
“We’ll never go back to where we were. We ended up in a situation where fans of teams were actually rooting for their teams to be bad. It was particularly bad this year, I think, because of the perceived depth of (the 2026 NBA) Draft.”
On why the league changed course:
“It just caught up with us over the years. It was a practice by a very few teams over time where they could genuinely say they were rebuilding. Every team in all sports is focused on analytics, and everyone — sort of the guardrails went off — and said there’s an advantage if you’re not really good, to be really bad, and it doesn’t work to be in the middle. So once roughly a third of our teams were acting under those incentives, everyone came together, and I would say it was agreement across the league from every constituent group, but most importantly, our fans.”
On evaluating the new system before making further changes:
“Part of the agreement with the teams was that this system would be in place for three years. In essence, it’s grandfathered in. We all agree that would give us an opportunity to assess how this is working, and also look at some other approaches, which we thought, in fairness, the teams needed to be built in over time. But most importantly, we will not be returning to a system where there is an incentive to be bad.”
On NBA expansion:
“If we were to expand, most likely in the 2028-29 season, I bet that’s when they would come into the league, but no decisions have been made yet. What we’ve made clear to our teams, we’ve at least specifically said it’s Las Vegas and Seattle. We’re looking at some other great cities that are interested in having franchises. We’re focused on those two right now. We could decide ultimately to go to new cities. One or two bids are being solicited at this time. The groups are coming together, talking to bankers, talking to the league office, and I think what we’ve said, in fairness to everyone, let’s make a decision by the end of this calendar year, at the latest.”
On the timeline for expansion:
“If we expand, at least, we’re thinking ’28-29 season. The only two cities, at the moment, we’re looking at are Las Vegas and Seattle. We haven’t had a vote on it, it’s not a foregone conclusion, but we’re in the process of talking to groups that are interested in getting an expansion team in those two cities.”
On the possibility of adding one, two, or no teams:
“We’re currently looking at two teams, but what we’ve said is it’s possible we won’t expand at all, and we could expand to just one market. But we’re officially looking at both those markets right now.”
On conference realignment after the expansion:
“We’ll want to likely even out the conferences, so there will be some movement then.”
It took me a while, but I finally found the video of the fat slob riding the train with the stolen Knicks garbage can.
“It feels like a homecoming. It’s a chance for us to appreciate people who have written the soundtrack to the city. I’m just so happy to see many of them getting their due; you cannot disentangle those songs from our own stories and memories as New Yorkers.”
Rick Brunson got some explaining to do because he did play in the Philippines in 1998 😂 pic.twitter.com/FK3bmFIxbh
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 19: Kyle Tucker #23 of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrates his run in the dugout from a Max Muncy #13 two run single during the first inning at Dodger Stadium on June 19, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dodgers snapped their two-game losing streak on Monday against the Minnesota Twins, but both Kyle Tucker and Dalton Rushing exited early and were out of the lineup on Tuesday.
After Tucker walked in his lone plate appearance on Monday, he was crouching in agony on the base paths, as Alex Call replaced him on second base in the top of the second inning. The Dodgers announced that Tucker left due to lower back spasms, but Dave Roberts expressed optimism about Tucker avoiding the injured list. If he’s not able to swing the bat by Friday then the Dodgers will make a decision regarding an IL stint, per Courtney Hollmon of MLB.com.
“I think that the four days, with the off-day, would be a middle [route],” Roberts said regarding a potential stint on the injured list. “And so hopefully he has taken advantage of this, obviously to get right, but also kind of a mental reset. Hopefully the four days will suffice… If he can swing the bat, ideally he would swing the bat tomorrow and do some type of activity to go into the off-day,” Roberts said. “But if he doesn’t, then we’ll probably have a tougher decision on Friday.”
Rushing took a foul ball from Trevor Larnach to the mask on the very first pitch from Will Klein on Monday, with Chuckie Robinson replacing him after two innings. Rushing was ruled out due to a potential concussion, but there is a more positive outlook regarding the team’s slugging catcher, per Hollmon.
“He said he’s good to go,” Roberts said. “So that doesn’t carry too much weight until I hear from the medical staff. But it is good to know that he said he’s good to go. My hope is that he’ll be available off the bench in some capacity [today].”
More history for Freddie Freeman
Freddie Freeman followed up his go-ahead home run on Monday with a three-hit game in the Dodgers’ 12-3 win over the Twins on Tuesday. Freeman collected a pair of doubles on Tuesday, and in doing so, he passed soon-to-be Hall of Fame outfielder Carlos Beltrán for sole possession of 28th place on the all-time doubles list.
It’s another accolade for what will go down as a Hall of Fame career for Freeman, as he registered career hit no. 2500 during the Dodgers’ three-game set in Pittsburgh. Freeman spoke about achieving another milestone to his career with Kirsten Watson of SportsNet LA following the win.
“You keep hearing these numbers you’re approaching, people you’re passing and doing certain things. It’s hard not to take a step back and appreciate.”
The hometown hero answers the Call
Out of all the Dodgers hitters that had played in at least 10 games this season entering Tuesday, Alex Call was the only hitter on the team without a home run. That all changed during Tuesday’s romp, as Call drilled his first home run of the year against Taylor Rogers to spark a five-run ninth inning.
Call, who was born 20 minutes south of Minneapolis in Burnsville, spoke with Watson about smacking a home run in front of his family and friends.
“I had some emotion on the home run. It’s really special to be able to do that here so close to home… Just really glad I could help out tonight.”
Teams may be satisfied with their first round selections, but they have to follow it up with additional pieces to compliment their team.
The Golden State Warriors made a splash selection grabbing Michigan's Yaxel Lendeborg, a wing player who is seemingly ready to step in and contribute in the Bay Area.
The Warriors were plagued by injury last year and it revealed some of the team's deficiencies. Golden State still requires more two-way wings, versatile small forwards and power forwards. They will also need to focus on adding more bigs. They lack size in the middle. And even if they bring back Kristaps Porzingis, they will need someone who can compliment his offensive game with tenacious hustle on defense.
They have Brandin Podziemski, but taking a peek at another ball handler, facilitator and shot creator could be the best bet for the Dubs.
Here's a look at the players in the second round the Warriors should consider taking with the No. 54 pick.
Who should the Golden State Warriors target on Day 2?
Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. and company will need to be decisive on Day 2. There are sleeper prospects they can bring in to contribute to their system. They can take their pick between wings, guards and bigs that are versatile in skill. Ideally, Golden State should identify talented glue guys who will come in and play a role, but also possess the talent to be a key contributor. Here are some of those guys the Warriors should keep an eye on:
Meleek Thomas (Arkansas, Guard): Thomas might not be available when the Warriors pick at No. 54. However, he is a talented shooting guard who can score with ease. He averaged 15.5 points for the Razorbacks. He's a confident, polished scorer who spaces the floor and attacks closeouts.
Darrion Williams (N.C. State, Wing): The Northern California native could be a good piece to add for the Warriors. He stands 6-foot-6, giving him size that Golden State is looking for. He's the prototypical Swiss army knife. He averaged 14 points a North Carolina State including 40.4% from three-point range as a senior and 38.8% over his four-year NCAA career.
Trevon Brazile (Arkansas, Forward): If Brazile is available, the Warriors need to act fast. Simply because the 6-foot-10 forward can make life simple for your defense. Check this, last season at Arkansas he became the first player to record at 40 three-pointers (45), blocks (58) and steals (53) in a season.
Izaiyah Nelson (South Florida, Big): Standing at 6-foot-9, Nelson gives up some size as a big man, but that doesn't take away from his productivity. He's a unit. And defense is where he can shine for the Warriors. He was the 2025-26 American Conference Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year in a season where he averaged 1.4 blocks and 1.6 steals per game.
Aaron Nkrumah (Tennessee State, Wing): Nkrumah could become the first HBCU player drafted since Kyle O'Quinn was selected by the Orlando Magic out of Norfolk State in 2012. Nkrumah is a 6-foot-6 standout who ranked second in total steals (98) and steals per game (2.8).
DENVER, CO - JUNE 22: Jake McCarthy #31 of the Colorado Rockies is mobbed by teammates after hitting a three-RBI walk-off triple in the ninth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Coors Field on June 22, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Today marks the official halfway point of the 2026 season for the Colorado Rockies. As they prepare to face off against the Boston Red Sox for the 81st game of the year, it seems appropriate to look back on some of the good, the bad, and the ugly qualities of this team at this point in the season.
The Good
New additions pulling weight
The Rockies’ new front office did as much as they could to reshape the roster this offseason, and some of those efforts have met with success.
Willi Castro, the lone major free agent signing among position players, has also been quietly consistent at the plate while utilizing his defensive versatility.
Meanwhile, Tomoyuki Sugano (菅野 智之) has held down the pitching front as the most consistent of the starting pitchers, leading the team in quality starts, and just generally giving the Rockies a chance to win ball games nearly every time he takes the mound.
Not just a fluke
One of the biggest questions heading into the 2026 season was whether Hunter Goodman and Mickey Moniak could replicate their success from 2025. Turns out the answer thus far is yes.
Moniak proved to be one of the best power hitters in MLB through his first 43 games of the season before dealing with an ankle injury. Prior to going on the IL, he put up 12 home runs and 28 RBI in 164 plate appearances.
Goodman, on the other hand, has once again positioned himself as one of the best power-hitting catchers in all of baseball with 21 home runs. He’s also been able to show off his skills with ABS challenges and is ripe to be an All-Star once again and perhaps even an intriguing trade chip.
Both of the 2025 breakout stars, managing to bring that consistency into 2026, hopefully break a trend of the last several years of the lackluster encore.
The Bad
Old habits die hard
The need for change has been a constant theme for the Rockies in 2026, and while there is plenty of evidence of progress, some old habits are hard to break.
The team has continued to struggle to sustain an offense driven by a sometimes overaggressive approach at the plate and a lack of power. Strikeout rates have been improving this season, but it will always be a thorn in the Rockies’ side if they don’t corral chase rates.
Meanwhile, the Rockies continue to struggle with walks for both the offense and the pitching. The Rockies are roughly middle of the road in both departments, which isn’t awful, but it’s not good. Considering everything that has happened with the team, things that are bad are still somehow much better than most things from 2025. A bad team with normal problems is a leg up over an ugly team with severe problems.
The 2026 Rockies have shown an ability to progress in these old habits; it’s just taking a little longer.
Tovar’s struggles
A clear example of struggling to change has been Ezequiel Tovar.
Since his tremendous 2024 campaign, Tovar has been unable to replicate that success by any measure. 2025 saw him struggle with injuries and inconsistency, while 2026 has been marred by a lackluster plate approach so far. While his defense remains on point, Tovar continues to struggle with his chasing tendencies as his strikeout rate has risen back to career-highs, and his walk rate is at a career-low 1.8%. He had a solid 20-game stretch in May where he seemed to have conquered the demons and was on the up-and-up, but he has collapsed in June, when he has slashed .175/.200/.281 with two walks and 24 strikeouts.
Signed through 2030, it’s hard to gauge where the 24-year-old fits into this team going forward if he can’t find consistency.
The Ugly
Pitching meltdowns
The goal of 2026 was to take steps to solve pitching in Colorado, and the front office has learned that’s easier said than done.
There was hope things could turn around after the pitching staff put up a solid month of April, but things have deteriorated quite a bit since then. The Rockies have the highest team ERA in all of baseball, including the worst ERA among starting pitchers and the second-highest among relievers.
Michael Lorenzen discovered that Coors Field is tougher to tame than he may have initially thought, leading to a lot of soul-searching on the mound. The bullpen, perhaps overworked at times, has run into a wall of struggling in the late innings while issuing walks. Both groups have struggled in the run prevention category, as the Rockies have a run differential that is the worst in baseball.
There have been hints of what good pitching for the Rockies looks like, but the puzzle is still getting solved. Until all the pieces are placed where they need to be, there is still going to be some ugly pitching for the Rockies.
Injuries
Every team deals with injuries and has to adjust accordingly. However, it doesn’t help when injuries start to derail plans and cost an organization players for an extended periods. The Rockies have dealt with their fair share of injuries this season, and the struggles of the pitching staff can partly be traced to injuries.
Tommy John surgery has cost the Rockies at least three pitchers in 2026. Pierson Ohl, RJ Petit, and Welinton Herrera all suffered the dreaded injury for pitchers, knocking them out of the year. Chase Dollander, who appeared to finally form into the pitcher the team hoped he could be, has undergone surgery to put in an internal brace for his elbow injury. Veteran starter José Quintana was supposed to help anchor the rotation, but he is out of commission with an elbow injury with no timetable to return any time soon. There have been other scary arm injuries that are also cause for concern, even when those players have returned. The injuries have depleted an already shallow pool of big-league arms and will be a major concern to address throughout the rest of the season.
Moving forward
Over the next 81 games, the Rockies have plenty of things to do. The trade deadline looms at the start of August. Prospects continue to pound on the door, demanding a seat at the big league table. Competition will only get better as teams fight for the playoffs.
The Rockies are definitely in a better place at this point in the season than they were a year ago. Excitement and hope are bubbling for the team, which is more than you can say about the last few years. This is a team that is continuing the climb, and the good, the bad, and the ugly help illustrate how far they’ve come and how far they need to go.
Albuquerque scored 10 runs through the first four innings as they cruised to an 11-3 victory. The team had 16 hits, with each of the four through seven hitters collecting three hits. Zac Veen led the charge with three doubles, Charlie Condon and Chad Stevens were both a home run shy of the cycle, while Sterlin Thompson had three singles. All of them had two RBI alongside Adael Amador out of the eighth spot in the lineup. Jordan Beck and Brenton Doyle both kicked off a rehab assignment. Doyle went 1-for-4 with two strikeouts, while Beck went 0-for-4 with a strikeout. Ryan Miller served as an opener, throwing two scoreless innings. Valente Bellozo then followed with 3.2 innings, allowing two runs on three hits with four walks. Evan Shawver went 2.2 innings, giving up a run on four hits. Andrew Baker closed out the game, getting the final two outs of the ninth inning.
The Hartford Yard Goat utilized plenty of speed on the bases to set themselves up on offense and held on to a 7-5 win over Portland. Hartford stole nine bases as a team as they collected seven hits, but went just 3-for-12 with runners in scoring position. They added two runs apiece in the first and second innings, then took the lead with a three-run inning in the seventh. GJ Hill had himself a day with four stolen bases, including swiping home twice. Aidan Longwell had a two-run single in teh first inning. Dyan Jorge also drove in two runs during the game. Jack Mahoney started on the mound, going 4.1 innings, allowing four runs, two earned, on nine hits with two strikeouts and a walk. Eventually, Fidel Ulloa secured his fifth save of the year in the ninth inning.
Despite collecting 10 hits to Tri-City’s eight, Spokane fell 4-2 on the night to kick off the week. Tommy Hopfe led the way with three hits while Max Belyeu, Tevin Tucker, and Kelvin Hidalgo had two hits apiece. The only extra-base hit Spokane had was a Jack O’Dowd double. Spokane went 3-for-11 with runners in scoring position and had 11 strikeouts against just three walks. They managed to get the tying runs on second and third in the bottom of the ninth, but Tucker’s strikeout ended the game. Lebarron Johnson Jr. went six innings in his start, allowing four runs on six hits with three strikeouts. Tyler Hampu followed in relief with three scoreless innings.
Fresno scored all six of its runs in the top of the first inning, then managed to survive a late rally for the 6-4 win. Thanks to three hits, two walks, a hit by pitch, and an error, Fresno scored six in the first inning. They managed just two more hits the rest of the game as they struck out 10 times and drew six walks. Wilder Dalis had three walks and Jeremy Ciriaco had a two-run double. Brady Parker allowed just one run over six innings, striking out eight and allowing just four hits. Manuel Olivares gave up three runs in 0.2 innings, but Dylan Crooks and Grif Hughes managed to lock things down to secure the win.
In case you missed the news, Benny Montgomery retired from baseball this week. Selected eighth overall in 2021, Montgomery stalled out in Double-A as injuries took their toll and he continued to struggle at the plate.
Mark Knudson laments some of the bullpen usage of the Rockies lately. He feels that the team should have more defined roles in the bullpen to help players in their routines.
On this episode of the podcast, Evan Lang and I discuss the crowded outfield dilemma, the late-game woes of the bullpen, and check in on the CBA negotiations.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 11: A detailed view of the shoes and socks with Pride colors worn by San Francisco Giants players during the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Oracle Park on June 11, 2022 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning, baseball fans!
First, a note that this was written before yesterday’s “press conference,” so it will not include information about that or responses to that. Stay tuned until tomorrow on that front, because I have a lot to say, but not enough time at the moment.
Earlier this week, Missouri Senator Josh Hawley posted a response that he received from Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred. Hawley had initially reached out to MLB complaining that it was unfair to force the players to wear Pride hats in the first place, after their initial response to the San Francisco Giants pitchers who defaced theirs in the June 12th Pride Night game.
Manfred clearly didn’t want the full force of the United States Department of Justice to come down on MLB, so his response throws the Giants organization under the bus entirely, and probably unfairly. I’ll pull the most pertinent quote from Alex Simon’s reporting over at SFGate.
“Unfortunately, this year the Giants communication with players was inadequate and not clear. Some players apparently did not understand that they had the option to wear their normal uniform and elected to add messages to their hats bearing the pride logo as a result. The Giants players were allowed to wear the hats with the biblical references for the entire game. After the game had concluded, my office issued a routine oral warning about the uniform policy violation — unfortunately it was issued before we became aware of the Giants’ lapse in communication. The players were never fined or disciplined, nor will they ever be.
This reads as a load of blame-shifting garbage, in my opinion. It has been confirmed that members of the organization (such as manager Tony Vitello) were aware of the players’ plan to deface the hats well before the day of the game. So conversations were clearly had. Other players were well aware of their right to not wear the Pride uniforms at all if they didn’t want to. Because they chose not to.
While communication is clearly an issue within the organization, I don’t think the problem is with the team not letting the players know they weren’t required to wear the uniforms.
Also, and I cannot stress this enough, the players are grown adults with the ability to read their contracts and ask their teammates, coaches or organizational staff for clarification if they’re unsure about something. This reads as further infantilization of the players involved. See, they’re just wittle babies and no one told them they didn’t have to wear the uniforms!
If we decide to be generous and assume that any of this excuse is true, then that’s even more damning for the organization as a whole. Because what do you mean Vitello was aware of the protest and didn’t bother to inform the players involved that they didn’t have to wear them in the first place? Did he not know? And if so, why did he not bother to check?
This feels very much like an attempt by MLB to throw the Giants organization under the bus while also trying to state that the matter is now closed. It is absolutely not, but that is our update for today.
What time do the Giants play today?
The Giants continue this three-game series against the Athletics tonight at 6:45 p.m. PT.
The Giants beat the Athletics last night, but other than that, things have been a whole bunch of awful for the team by the Bay. Grant Brisbee writes that the Giants are somehow making losing baseball look even worse (Free The Athletic reg. req.), including the Rafael Devers incident where he refused to leave for a pinch runner.
However, Devers also blamed the media for making a big deal out of it all. (Free The Athletic reg. req.) Giants team president Buster Posey also defended Vitello, and said he still had the respect of the players. Ouch.
Twins general manager Jeremy Zoll said the team has “no plans” to trade center fielder Byron Buxton. Combined with Buxton saying he won’t waive his no-trade deal and it looks like he’s staying in the Twin Cities another year at least.
If you want to feel better about Cubs bullpen meltdowns, the Phillies were down two to the Nationals with two outs and no one on in the top of the ninth. The Phillies, who had been down to their final strike, then exploded for eight runs and won 14-9.
Slightly better pitching news for the Nats comes from Spencer Nusbaum, who takes us inside their brand-new pitch design team. (Free The Athletic reg. req.) The article in particular looks at their work with Cade Cavalli.
And finally, how do you get a loud, lively crown at a Marlins game? Just fill LoanDepot Park with Scotland’s “Tartan Army” fans. Since the Marlins were playing the Rangers, I’m almost surprised the Scotland fans didn’t come to blows with half of them cheering for the Rangers and the other half cheering for the Marlins, whom they insist on calling “Celtic” for some reason.
TORONTO, CANADA - APRIL 8: Matthew Knies #23 of the Toronto Maple Leafs looks on against the Washington Capitals during the third period at the Scotiabank Arena on April 8, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before.
Player X is a free agent. Player X can sign with any team. Player X ultimately decides to sign with Team Y because the GM or head coach of the team is a former teammate. Or they’re from the same hometown and came up through juniors together. Or, to quote a classic film in Spaceballs, he’s their father’s brother’s nephew’s cousin’s former roommate.
I wouldn’t go as far as to say that nepotism is running rampant across the NHL, even though this is a league where we see players drafted all the time in part because of their bloodlines. Heck, the NHL themselves are all too happy to put a PDF out there showing direct ties between players, as they did this as recently as last year’s draft. But I do think connections and networking matter to some extent.
It’s something we see in the real world all the time. People might leave one job for another because of a personal connection with someone who is at the new place. People who are looking for work may leverage their network and talk to people they know until they land somewhere new. Why would the NHL be any different?
Sheldon Keefe had nearly a decade of experience in the Toronto Maple Leafs organization, first with the Marlies and then the Maple Leafs, before coming to New Jersey. New general manager Sunny Mehta was in the Panthers organization from 2020-2026, with a brief consultation stop in Washington between his time in New Jersey and Florida.
Neither Keefe or Mehta are old, but they’ve been around long enough where they know people. They’ve built up those relationships over the years, whether its Keefe coaching someone or Mehta being a part of a front office that brought said player in.
This week, I thought it would be noteworthy to at least take a look at players who either will be or might be available this offseason with some previous connection to Keefe or Mehta. Some of these players will be under contract, but they may or may not be available for a trade. Some of these players might be free agents. But are any of them potential fits for a Devils team that will need to undergo some changes this summer as Mehta reshapes the roster?
I’m well aware there are a lot of players around the league who played for Keefe or Mehta, but for purposes of this article, I’ll try to avoid fourth line types. I already mentioned AJ Greer a few weeks ago and I’m not going to dive deeply into the Ryan Lombergs and Kevin Stenlunds of the world, with all due respect to those players.
Matthew Knies
Contract: 5 years, $7.75M AAV, 10-team no trade list starting in 2030-31
Matthew Knies has been on the trading block for what seems like several months now, and despite the Maple Leafs landing the #1 pick in the NHL Draft and their recent sign-and-trade acquisition of Darren Raddysh, it appears that Knies is very much still in play. In fact, Knies came dangerously close to being dealt to the Montreal Canadiens at the trade deadline for a package including a pair of first round picks and prospect Alexander Zharovsky.
Knies isn’t a perfect player as he doesn’t really drive play and his defensive metrics are so-so, but he does a lot of things well. He’s a big body winger who can get to the dirty areas in front of the net and make things happen with rebounds and redirections. He’s shown that he’s more than capable of playing with elite level players, and one would presume he’ll be tethered to Jack Hughes’s wing if the Devils were to land him. And in a rising cap environment, having a player like Knies locked in at under $8M AAV for the next half decade is a tremendous value. That should not be understated.
Keefe was in Toronto as Knies was breaking into the NHL, and while Knies didn’t have his breakout seasons until after Keefe left Toronto, we’re talking about a player who has yet to turn 24 years old and is still scratching the surface of what he’s going to be as a player.
Morgan Rielly
Contract: 4 years, $7.5M AAV, NMC, 10-team no trade list starting in 2028-29
Rielly, the current longest-tenured Maple Leaf, may or may not be on the trading block in Toronto.
Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos wrote a few weeks ago that the belief is that Toronto is open to moving on from Rielly and that his NMC “wouldn’t be a major hurdle to overcome”. And Rielly did enjoy some of his finest seasons as a Maple Leaf with Keefe as the head coach, posting 68 points in 2021-22 and 58 points in 23-24. Rielly did struggle the last two seasons under Craig Berube, but it would stand to reason he could be a bounceback candidate if he were to play in a system better suited to his strengths as a player. And if anyone would know what those strengthts are, it’s Sheldon Keefe.
Rielly is not the greatest defensive defenseman, but he is still a good skater and he can move the puck….two things the Devils need more of from the backend.
Rielly could make sense for the Devils if they wind up sending a defenseman back Toronto’s way to help offset some of the salary, and with Raddysh in the fold in Toronto, Rielly might now be expendable to some extent. But with his NMC, Rielly has final say on his destination, so he’d have to want to be reunited with Keefe.
Oliver Ekman-Larsson
Contract: 2 years, $3.5M AAV, 16-team no-trade list
Keeping our eyes on Toronto, let’s take a look at another veteran defenseman on Oliver Ekman-Larsson.
OEL didn’t play for Keefe in Toronto, but he did play for Sunny Mehta in Florida in the 2023-24 season, picking up a Stanley Cup ring as a depth defenseman for the Panthers. OEL parlayed his Florida run into a four-year deal with the Maple Leafs, and while he was nearly traded this past season at the deadline, he ultimately stuck around in Toronto through the end of the season.
Ekman-Larsson enjoyed some of his best seasons in Arizona when he was with now-Leafs GM John Chayka, so its certainly possible that Chayka decides to hold on to the veteran blueliner. Considering Toronto is a team that has already been active this summer, I don’t know if that future includes Ekman-Larsson. But he’d be, at least from a contractual perspective, a relatively inexpensive veteran option who should help provide a little more offense from the backend.
I don’t know what the trade market would even look like for Ekman-Larsson, but I don’t think he’d cost a first-round pick to acquire.
Radko Gudas
Contract: Unrestricted free agent
At 36 years old, I don’t know how much Gudas has left in the tank in terms of being an effective hockey player.
Gudas, who spent three seasons in Florida with Mehta, is what he is at this stage of his career. He’s a defensive defenseman who blocks shots, hits people, and provides veteran leadership. He will not help a team offensively, and it’s debatable whether or not he’s helping the team enough defensively anymore. He’ll also throw the occasional and unnecessary dirty hit that will draw faux outrage from the Department of Player Safety.
The Devils would need to completely overhaul their backend to create enough openings where then I could justify considering Gudas for a 1-year deal. They may trade some defensemen, but I doubt its to create a spot for this type of player.
Anthony Duclair
Contract: 2 years, $3.5M AAV, 16-team no-trade
Duclair is a speedy winger who has generally been a decent source of secondary offense, but fairly or unfairly, has always managed to wear our his welcome no matter where he’s been. For a player who turns 31 this summer, there’s a decent chance he’ll be on his TENTH NHL team next season, and he hasn’t managed to last with any one team more than three seasons. Duclair was also benched by now-former Islanders coach Patrick Roy this past season.
I don’t write all of that to pick on Duclair or make fun of him. He’s a guy who can skate well and he has a good shot. He also had some of his best seasons in Florida with Sunny Mehta. Add in that the Islanders likely need to clear some cap space if they want to make additions to a group that nearly made the playoffs this past season and Duclair could be an odd man out in Elmont.
I’m not really interested in Duclair unless the Islanders were retaining salary, but he could be a name to keep an eye on if they choose to buy him out. In that scenario, I would have some mild interest in Duclair as a depth forward if he’d take a 1-year prove-it deal.
Vladimir Tarasenko
Contract: Unrestricted Free Agent
Admittedly, I had this article done and ready to publish. Then I saw the news that Vladimir Tarasenko is switching agents for what seems like the hundredth time and remembered that it was just over two years ago that the Panthers acquired Tarasenko for what would be a Stanley Cup winning run.
Tarasenko has been a long-time goalscorer, topping the 30+ goal plateau six times in his career with the Blues before bouncing around the league for much of the last half-decade, with stops in Minnesota, Detroit, South Florida, Ottawa, and that team across the Hudson River. Injuries and aging have seen a bit of a dip in his production, but he is coming off of a season where he scored 23 goals in Minnesota. That would place him fourth on the 25-26 Devils behind Nico Hischier, Jack Hughes, and Timo Meier. Tarasenko wound up finishing third on the Wild in even-strength goals, showing he doesn’t need to be a power play specialist to be productive.
I don’t really know what to make of Tarasenko switching agents. Players don’t typically do that and then simultaneously sign team-friendly deals. AFP Analytics might be underselling Tarasenko with a one-year projection at roughly $3.4M AAV considering the rising cap and he’s coming off of a deal that paid him $4.75M AAV the last two years. Tarasenko might be a bit of a one-trick pony at this stage of his career, but it just so happens that that one trick is something the Devils could use more of in their lineup in goal scoring.
That said, Mehta was part of a Panthers front office that thought enough of him to bring him in as a depth piece and to provide secondary offense for a championship run. Tarasenko fit in well on that Panthers team before departing as a free agent. I could see Mehta being interested, and if Tarasenko is interested in another short-term deal, this is one that could make a lot of sense for the Devils.
Owen Tippett
Contract: 6 years, $6.2M AAV, 10-team no trade
I’ll preface this next part of the article saying this is from David Pagnotta, so take it with a grain of salt. But he did mention Owen Tippett’s name as a potential trade option recently, and it does seem like there’s a least a little smoke there, so let’s talk about it.
To be clear, the Flyers trading Tippett now makes little to no sense. They’re a team emerging from a multi-year rebuild, they made the playoffs this past season, and Tippett was arguably one of their best players during Philadelphia’s playoff run. Danny Briere signed Tippett to a contract extension not too long ago. They really shouldn’t be looking to move off of Tippett unless they’re convinced this is fool’s gold or someone makes them an offer they can’t refuse, and if I were the Devils, I’m not emptying the tank on an Owen Tippett trade as much as I respect the player.
That said, there’s a connection there as Mehta and Tippett overlapped in Florida. Florida did wind up moving Tippett, along with draft picks, in the Claude Giroux trade, and I can understand why Florida moved on when they did. To Tippett’s credit, he established himself as a regular with more consistent playing time in Philadelphia.
I don’t blame Mehta if he kicks the tires here. I just think its more likely he’ll have to try to find the next Owen Tippett rather than trading for the actual Owen Tippett. I think if the Devils and Flyers were to hook up on a trade, its unlikely to be involving a player of this magnitude.
Frank Vatrano
Contract: 2 years, $4.571M AAV, 7-team no trade
Vatrano overlapped with Mehta in Florida from 2020-2022 and was ok there as a secondary source of offense. But he took his game to another level when he initially landed in Anaheim.
Vatrano found a good landing spot on a team that had young players that had yet to establish themselves as NHL regulars. He saw the most ice time in his career, played in all situations, and posted career high marks in goals and points in 2023-24. He earned a nice three year contract extension with a modest pay raise as a result.
Unfortunately for Vatrano, he saw his role diminish this past season under the first one with new head coach Joel Quenneville in Anaheim. His ice time? One of the lowest of his career. His production? Career worst considering he appeared in 50 games. His playoff performance this season? Non-existent, as he was scratched for Anaheim’s run.
Vatrano needs a change of scenery, and to be clear, I have ZERO interest in Vatrano at his current number. But he might be worth keeping an eye on if Anaheim chooses to buy him out. And they might, as they’d save $4M against the cap the next two seasons by doing so and they have several key RFAs who need new contracts.
Michael Bunting
Contract: Unrestricted Free Agent
At this stage of his career, Bunting is a journeyman veteran winger who on his best day can chip in 15-20 goals over the course of a season.
That said, it wasn’t too long ago that under Sheldon Keefe, Bunting enjoyed some of the finest seasons of his career, with 112 points over 161 games with Toronto before departing in free agency.
With the benefit of time and hindsight, it’s clear that Bunting was more than adequate playing the Robin to the Batman of the Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner’s of the world. It’s also clear that he’s not quite the same player away from elite NHL talent. That’s not a knock, just an acknowledgement of the situation and an analysis of the player.
There are a lot of things about Bunting’s game that are easy to like though, such as his ability to get under the skin of the opposition, his compete level when it comes to winning puck battles, and a willingness to drive to the net.
Bunting is another guy where if his contract demands are anywhere near close to his AFP analytics projection of 4-years and $5.8M AAV, he’s probably a non-starter as far as the Devils are concerned given their cap situation. But he’s also coming off of a not-so great season between Nashville and Dallas, and I suppose an argument could be made that he’d be the goal-scoring, agitator compliment that Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt could use to round out that line. I don’t think he’d have to take a one-year, prove it type of deal, but maybe New Jersey is a situation given Keefe’s history with him makes sense.
Evan Rodrigues | Eetu Luostarinen
Rodrigues’ Contract: 1 year, $3.075M AAV
Luostarinen’s Contract: 1 year, $3M AAV
Florida is a team that probably doesn’t need to make cap casualty moves as they currently have roughly $15M in available cap space.
That said, Florida is a win-now team that will surely be looking to get back to the Stanley Cup playoffs next season. Florida will be a threat to win a championship next season if they get in. And perhaps most importantly, Florida is a destination NHL city. They literally just traded for Brady Tkachuk. Dylan Larkin wants to play in Florida. Connor Hellebuyck likely wants to as well. And why wouldn’t they? Florida provides warm weather, no taxes, and a legitimate chance to win.
If I’ve learned anything in recent years, its never say never when it comes to teams like Vegas and Florida when it comes to big game hunting. If they want whoever the next star player is that wants to go there, they’ll probably find a way to make it happen. And while it might be possible the players I just mentioned could go the other way in a potential deal to offset costs, it’s also possible they’re spun off in a different direction entirely if Florida needs to free up cap space in a hurry. Most of Florida’s big money players have some sort of no move clause or trade protection. Rodrigues and Luostarinen do not.
Rodrigues has been a perfectly fine role player for the Panthers for the last three seasons. He can play anywhere in the lineup and not look out of place. He can shift to center if needed, which may be ideal for a Devils team that could use a few more options in that respect. He’s a versatile Swiss army knife type of piece that fits on good hockey teams. As for Luostarinen, he’s another big, left-handed center slash winger option who plays a good two-way game, is physical, and provides secondary offense.
Sunny Mehta is obviously familiar with both players, and while I’m not saying they’re definitely going to be available this summer, I could see him being interested if either one was dangled out there on the open market, particularly Luostarinen.
Final Thoughts
All in all, I’d call this exercise…..mostly uninspiring.
The Devils aren’t really in a position to take on a big salary player unless they move more money out. They’re not in a position to pay top of the market prices in UFA, nor should they in a weak UFA class. And even if they were, history has shown time and again that’s not a winning formula in the long-term.
I do think a couple of the forward options could make sense if their respective teams ate salary and/or bought the players out entirely. I do think most of the defensemen could make sense if the Devils make drastic sweeping changes on their blueline. But we’re talking about some drastic changes moving on from several players with no-trade clauses of some sort and overhauling the operation at this point, which doesn’t seem likely given the contractual situations Sunny Mehta is inheriting.
Still, I think a few of these names are probably worth keeping in mind in the off-chance they do become available. In the former Panthers cases, Mehta was a key voice in a front office that ultimately signed off on bringing them in. There’s something there with these players that he likes. And in Keefe’s case with the former Leafs, we’re talking about players he has coached before and has that familiarity with, as opposed to exclusively bringing in external free agents with no previous ties.
These players probably won’t become Devils in the next month or so. But would it be all that surprising if a few of them passed through Newark in the next 12-24 months? Probably not.
Juan Soto left the Mets’ series opener against the Cubs early last night, and the team announced that he was experiencing tightness in his lower left back. After he was removed from the game, SNY showed replays of his at-bats earlier in the evening, during which he appeared to be in discomfort after swinging the bat.
With Francisco Lindor returning as soon as today, any time that Soto might miss with the back issue would be another cruel twist in the team’s already-embarrassing season. The team’s two best players, Lindor and Soto have appeared together in just nine of the team’s 78 games thus far this season. Soto suffered a calf injury that landed him on the injured list from April 4 through April 22, and in the very game that he returned to the field, Lindor suffered an even worse calf injury that’s kept him off the major league field for two months.
The Mets say that Soto is day-to-day with his back tightness. Here’s hoping that’s really the case and that he’s feeling better soon. At 34-44, it’s silly to talk about a potential comeback in the Wild Card race, but the Mets would simply be more enjoyable to watch if their two best players were on the field at the same time.
The Sacramento Kings were active on Day 1, taking an anticipated franchise cornerstone prospect in Darius Acuff Jr. at No. 7 and pairing another shooter and winning role player with him at No. 29 in Alex Karaban, following a trade with the Cleveland Cavaliers sending the No. 34 pick and a future second round pick.
Sacramento aims to follow up on its first round wins in the second round. The Kings have the No. 45 pick in the second round of the NBA Draft.
The second round has a wide variety pool of talent featuring some players that can help contribute to a NBA team in the immediate future and others might need a year or two.
The Kings need guys who are defensive-minded. They are stacked at the wings. It would be ideal for Sacramento to target a big or another guard to backup Acuff.
Here's a list of players that the Kings should look to select if they're available:
Who should the Sacramento Kings target in round 2?
There is a bevy of guys that can contribute to a team like the Kings. Guys can contribute to secondary roles where they find their niche within a team whether it's as a knockdown shooter, board man, hustle guy, playmaker or lockdown defender. The Kings focus lies within perimeter defenders, interior defenders and additional ball-handlers. These following players fit within that mold.
Henri Veesaar (North Carolina, Forward): Veesaar likely won't be available but the Tar Heels big man is an example of what the Kings should look for.
Braden Smith (Purdue, Guard): Smith is someone who can facilitate with the best of them. The proof? He finished his collegiate career as the NCAA Division I career assists leader with 1,103.
Emanuel Sharp (Houston, Guard): Sharp is sharp offensively. The two-guard is a true shooting guard. He can knock it down from deep, he can slash and get to the rim. He averaged 15.5 points for the Houston Cougars. However, an area that needs improvement is shooting percentage, averaging 41% from the field.
Felix Okpara (Tennessee, Big): Okpara played a huge role for Tennessee, as an anchor to their defense. If that translates to the NBA, the Kings could beef their frontline with aggressors who play physical, giving Sacramento an edge.
Ugonna Onyenso (Virginia, Big): Onyenso could be a project but with huge defensive upside. He led the ACC in blocks and ranked second nationally with 2.92 swats per game in 2025-26 in just 18.6 minutes.
ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - JUNE 22: Masyn Winn #0 and JJ Wetherholt #26 of the St. Louis Cardinals celebrate after beating the Arizona Diamondbacks at Busch Stadium on June 22, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Joe Puetz/Getty Images) | Getty Images
No one expected JJ Wetherholt and Jordan Walker to be two of the best players in MLB. I had a hunch Wetherholt would be good, but not THIS good. I don’t think anyone realized the level of defensive range he brought, or the poise at the plate. I sure didn’t, at least.
Jordan Walker is the albatross causing much discussion on the true plans of Chaim Bloom and the Cardinals. He wasn’t supposed to be this for real-good and has been providing a lot of run creation dynamics. I suppose plans might be different if he was a non-factor.
As it stands with the 2026 versions of JJ Wetherholt and Jordan Walker, the Cardinals position players are a top 5 MLB team, with only the Dodgers, Yankees, Cubs, and Nationals ahead of them. And all but the Nationals (maybe?) spent a ton more than the Cardinals did to reach that total fWAR. The Cardinals are one of 10 teams to have produced at least 10 fWAR on the position side.
Look out now! the Cardinals are in a home run race vs the Cubbies! We are only 3 HR behind and the Cubs have played less games. Fun!
Perhaps, surprisingly, the Cardinals are one of the only team defenses in MLB that show as a net positive on fangraphs. Just outside the top 5, the Cardinals are not a liability on defense. Mostly because the middle infielders and center fielders offset the rest of the team, but it’s a good run prevent defense overall.
Is this positional player advantage some sort of mirage? Perhaps the team’s xwOBA can give us a hint: the Cardinals are the third best team in MLB on baseball savant according to xwOBA! This offense is maybe just starting to click.
That said, this is an offense forward team with good enough defense to make the pitching a little better than it is. The real question is if the pitching can actually improve enough to carry this team forward. Just as the offense seems like it is just beginning to tap into its true potential, the pitching staff shows few signs of encouragement. It almost seems like a miracle that the team is doing this well, considering that the pitching feels like it has been neglected at least to some extent by the organization. And if they deal away Dustin May, it will lose one of the only focal points to the season when it comes to the pitching staff. After him flirting with no hitters this year, he has stolen the spotlight.
***
One thing I’ve noticed about St Louis after moving here is that it loves its heavy metal bands. Hopefully, the fight of the metal can be instilled into the winning ways of this tenacious team. As part of a weekly writing project, I present to you a whole truckload of heavy metal for hardball fans! This focuses on 1991. Enjoy some black coffee with this!
1991 Heavy Metal Edition
Sepultura – ‘Arise’ death thrash at its finest! This one put Brazil’s Sepultura on the world map, paving the way for the big success of ‘Chaos AD’ and ‘Roots’ as the decade progressed away from old school death metal sounds. On ‘Arise’, you will hear their early sound perfected into a masterpiece level recording. All killer, no filler, and Sepultura at their very best. One of my favorite heavy metal album covers as well…
Corrosion of Conformity – ‘Blind’ more Headbanger’s Ball action here. Blind was COC’s only album with Karl Agell on vocals (love it or hate it). They were at their heaviest on this album, with massively dark and chunky thrash riffs and a pessimistic view of the future with a political bent. If you want to hear one of the most overlooked and/or underrated thrash metal albums of all time, look no further.
Prong – ‘Prove You Wrong’ more MTV late night action! This is my favorite Prong album, mainly because that bass tone is absolutely insane. The last Prong album with Troy Gregory on bass, and the perfection of their early days sound out of NYC. Another forgotten classic metal album!
Morbid Angel – ‘Blessed Are The Sick’ Morbid Angel as their ferocious early selves, one of their best albums and maybe even better than fan favorite from a couple of years prior, ‘Altars of Madness’. Death Metal Hall of Fame type album. My favorite OG Tampa Bay death metal band, with honorable mention to Death.
Immolation – ‘Dawn of Possession’ NYC’s answer to Tampa Bay death metal, Immolation came storming onto the scene in 1991 with Dawn of Possession, a death metal sound like no other and as extreme as it gets. Another death metal classic! But a little more underground than the first four.
Melvins – ‘Bullhead’ the Melvins further hone their Gluey Porch Treatments/Ozma sound into fan favorite sludge metal masterpiece Bullhead. On this album you can hear the song “Boris” which ended up being a similar Japanese band that named themselves after a Melvins song! The song “Zodiac” might be my favorite on the album, though.
Death – ‘Human’ Chuck Schuldiner assembles a supergroup of studio musicians to learn his death metal creative vision and records this masterpiece! One of the first progressive technical death metal albums of all time, but possibly influenced by Atheist and Nocturnus releases a year prior.
Protector – ‘A Shedding of Skin’ an unexpected find, I don’t think I would ever listen to a band like Protector if I was not purposely trying to find hidden gems, but this is one of the best-produced and overlooked heavy metal albums off all time, a total classic even upon first listen. Finding stuff like this makes it all worth it.
Carcass – ‘Necroticism, Descanting the Insalubrious’ grindcore originators continue with the goregrind but make it a little more death grind. Lyrics featuring obscure medical terms and social commentary decorate so much fast shredding! Utter musical insanity.
Coroner – ‘Mental Vortex’ Swiss technical thrash metal, laid down with cold timekeeping precision.
Sadistik Exekution – ‘The Magus’ so fast as to be a blur, these Australian legends produced some of most rough, chaotic and raw extreme metal from anywhere in the world. One of a kind! An acquired taste.
Massacra – ‘Enjoy The Violence’ more wild heavy metal from 1991! What a find! A bad message/dumb album title, but a fun listen nonetheless. Another hidden gem.
Idolatry – ‘Devastation’ this is the kind of music I listen to when I do cardio at the gym. And yep, another hidden gem 1991 heavy metal find!
Convulse – ‘World Without God’ some of the darkest, most brutal underground death metal you’ll find. Crusty tomb sounds. Way ahead of their times, there would be more death metal bands that sound like this years later.
Bolt Thrower – ‘War Master’ the only heavy metal band to have a tie-in with a board game, Warhammer 40k! Literally the soundtrack to a fantasy miniature based war board game. And the music really does kick ass, this is no gimmick.
O.L.D. – ‘Low Flux Tube’ perhaps the band MOST ahead of their time! No pun intended. No one else sounded like this back then. The weirdest band on the list, except for perhaps the mighty Melvins. Alt metal weirdness with high-energy fun sounds. Hidden gem!
Jumpin Jesus – ‘The Art of Crucifying’ more weirdo metal you’ve never heard of, I find both the name of the band and the name of the album utterly ridiculous, but that was 1991 for ya! This is a real freakin’ good heavy metal album that all fans of the genre should hear.
Revenant – ‘Prophecies of a Dying World’ there were PLENTY of warnings about environmental collapse that were unheeded, and yet here we are. Still dying… top tier death metal here.
Gorefest – ‘Mindloss’ it’s like death metal hatched a giant egg of amazingly heavy bands in 1991! I can’t get enough of these heavy heavy old school death metal riffs…
Sarcofago – ‘The Laws of Scourge’ the lesser know South American death metal band on the list, but faster and deadlier… probably just as influential as Sepultura, or close.
Invocator – ‘Excursion Demise’ and the award for album cover that looks most like an old school Magic The Gathering card goes to: Invocator!
Anacrusis – ‘Manic Impressions’ Anacrusis (as relatively unknown as they were) were one of the biggest heavy metal bands from St Louis in the 90’s! Check ‘em out!
Skin Chamber – ‘Wound’ industrial metal at its finest! to round out 25 ultra heavy albums from 35 years ago
Tune in the same time tonight for more Cardinals hardball action at 6:45pm in St Louis vs the Diamondbacks! Cardinals stand 6.5 games behind the overachieving Brewers and a game and a half up on the cursed Cubbies, which is good for the first wild card. But, the Cubs are 7-3 over the last 10 games so they are on the upswing again. Watch out, Cardinals. There’s over half a season left to play. Do well.
The Chicago Cubs (41-37) and New York Mets (34-44) are set for an old school double header on Wednesday with games at 1:10 and 7:10 ET. In their meeting Tuesday, Chicago won 9-6 being an explosive five-run second inning.
Chicago was powered by Pete Crow-Armstrong and Dansby Swanson's home runs which resulted in five of the Cubs' nine runs scored. The Cubs have won three of the last four games and six of the previous nine. Chicago leads the MLB in batting average over the last week (.324) and are showing some insane plate discipline with the second-most walks (29) compared to the fewest strikeouts (26).
New York has lost three straight games and have been outscored 30-11 in that span. The Mets didn't record an extra base hit in yesterday's loss as they have the second-fewest over the last week. As the Mets' offensive struggles continue, so does the pitching rotations. New York has a 6.49 ERA (28th) over the last week and a 5.06 ERA (27th) in June.
Nolan McLean takes the mound for Game 1 and Sean Manaea for Game 2. The Mets have won three of the last four games that McLean has started and two of the past three for Manaea. Chicago has yet to name their starting pitchers for the doubleheader.
Let’s dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game details & how to watch Cubs at Mets
Date: Wednesday, June 24, 2026
Time: 1:10 PM EST
Site: Citi Field
City: Flushing, NY
Network/Streaming: MLB TV
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Odds for the Cubs at the Mets
The latest odds for Game 1 as of Wednesday:
Moneyline: TBA
Spread: TBA
Total: TBA
Probable starting pitchers for Game 1 of Cubs at Mets
Wednesday's pitching matchup (June 24) for Game 1: Nolan McLean vs. TBA
The Cubs’ Pete Crow-Armstrong is hitting .287 with 84 hits, 17 home runs and 43 RBI over 293 at-bats
The Cubs’ Dansby Swanson is hitting .189 with 46 hits and 66 strikeouts over 243 at-bats
The Mets’ Juan Soto is hitting .299 with 66 hits, 17 home runs, and 38 RBI over 221 at-bats
The Mets’ Marcus Semien is hitting .216 with 61 hits and 67 strikeouts over 282 at-bats
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Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Cubs at Mets
The Cubs are an 30-48 ATS, ranking second-worst
The Mets are 32-46 ATS, ranking fifth-worst
The Cubs are 41-36-1 to the Over, ranking ninth-best
The Mets are 35-35-8 on the total
The Cubs are 16-22 ATS on the road, ranking sixth-worst
The Mets are 15-22 ATS at home, ranking seventh-worst
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Cubs and the Mets
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Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Wednesday's game between the Cubs and the Mets:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Mets on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Mets at -1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a pass on the Game Total
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