Mets Injury Notes: Francisco Lindor plays another simulated game, Ronny Mauricio nearing rehab assignment

On a busy day of roster moves, manager Carlos Mendoza, who announced Kodai Senga would come off the IL to start on Tuesday, provided injury updates on several Mets players ahead of Monday's series opener against the Cincinnati Reds...


Francisco Lindor plays another simulated game

Lindor, who has been out since April 22 with a calf strain, played in another simulated game on Monday, Mendoza said.

"I haven't had the latest report because it was this afternoon," the manager admitted, but added, "he was scheduled to go three innings."

"Pretty much getting at-bats, playing defense, running the bases," Mendoza said. "I think he'll get the whole week of doing that, and then we'll revisit after that."

As far as Lindor needing a rehab assignment, Mendoza said the Mets "haven't discussed that" as of right now.

The All-Star shortstop took at-bats against pitchers from High-A Brooklyn and played two innings in the field during a simulated game Friday.

In 24 games this year before the injury, Lindor got off to a slow start with 21 hits in 93 at-bats (.226) and posted a .669 OPS (88 OPS+, 93 wRC+).

Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said Friday that he expects Lindor to get back into big-league games this month.

Tyrone Taylor, Ronny Mauricio progressing

The centerfielder is currently doing "baseball activities," Menodza said.

"He's running, hitting – I think he got up to like 90 percent sprinting-wise," he continued. "He's progressing."

Taylor was placed on the injured list in late May with a right hip flexor strain. He posted a .186 average (18-for-97) with a .530 OPS (47 OPS+, 45 wRC+) across 43 games before the injury.

Much like Taylor, the infielder is "feeling a lot better" as he continues to progress.

"Doing a lot of baseball activity, hopefully he's playing – I want to say at [Port St. Luice] towards the end of this week if everything goes well, he's gonna start playing rehab games for us," Mendoza said. 

Mauricio, who landed on the IL with a right thumb fracture in early May and was expected to miss six to eight weeks, appeared in 10 games with the Mets and posted a .531 OPS in 32 at-bats. In 15 games at Triple-A, the 25-year-old posted a .293 average and a .987 OPS with six home runs and 13 RBI.

Jorge Polanco day-to-day, despite IL move

Polanco was transferred to the 60-day IL in a flurry of roster moves on Monday that saw right-handerChristian Scott land on the 10-day IL with right hip impingement, Tobias Myers and Jonathan Pintaro called up, righty reliever Daniel Duarte optioned to Triple-A Syracuse, and infielder Zack Short claimed off waivers.

However, Mendoza said there was "nothing new" to report about Polanco on the injury front.

"I heard he had a good day today, as far as like swinging the bat and all that," the manager said. "This is a day-to-day type deal."

The manager said it is "still on the table" that Polanco could return for a rehab assignment this week, but "we'll see."

The move for Polanco to the 60-day IL, as he hasn't played since April 14, makes this more of a paper move than anything else. 

Polanco made 14 appearances with the Mets this season, with 10 hits in 56 at-bats (.179) and a .532 OPS.

Chicago Cubs vs. Colorado Rockies preview, Monday 6/15, 7:05 CT

Today’s Cubs transaction: The team acquired right-handed reliever Yosver Zulueta from the Mariners for cash considerations and optioned him to Triple-A Iowa. Zulueta pitched in 19 games for the Reds in 2024 and 2025 but had been at Triple-A Tacoma this year. To make room for Zulueta on the 40-man roster, left-hander Doug Nikhazy was designated for assignment.

Monday notes…

  • TRY TO WIN THE FIRST ONE, PLEASE: The Cubs are 5-6 in first games of series at home. Last season, they finished 19-8. They are 9-14 in first games of all series and just 1-8 in first games after having lost last games of previous series. They are 1-3 at home following losses. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
  • AND BEAT THE GUYS WHO AREN’T WINNING: The Cubs’ last 12 games have been against teams that were below .500 going into each game. The Cubs won six and lost six. Their next 10 games will be against teams with losing records as of Sunday. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
  • RUNS SCORED AND ALLOWED: In their 37 wins, the Cubs have scored 242 runs and allowed 104, for an average score of 6.5 to 2.8. In their 35 losses, they have allowed 211 and scored 86, for an average score of to 6.0 to 2.5. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
  • TODAY IN CUBS HISTORY: Steve Lake’s RBI single in the 11th inning gave the Cubs a 4-3 walk-off win over the Cardinals. Leon Durham and Shawon Dunston had homered in the eighth to tie the game and both teams scored in the 10th before Lake’s hit. It happened 40 years ago today, Sunday, June 15, 1986.

Cubs lineup:

Rockies lineup:

Shōta Imanaga, LHP vs. Michael Lorenzen, RHP

This is a pitching rematch of the game last Wednesday at Coors Field. Shōta Imanaga threw well, allowing no runs in five innings, striking out seven. Michael Lorenzen, who came into that game with an 8.01 ERA, allowed only one Cubs run in five innings. The Cubs wound up losing in a walk-off.

Hopefully, this one will be better.

Here is the weather forecast for the area around Wrigley Field.

Today’s game is on Marquee Sports Network.

Here is the complete MLB.com live streaming page for today.

MLB.com Gameday

Baseball-reference.com game preview

Please visit our SB Nation Rockies site Purple Row. If you do go there to interact with Rockies fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.

The 2026 game discussion procedure has been changed, so please take note.

You’ll find the game preview, like this one, posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).

At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game.

The Live! (formerly “First Pitch”) thread will still post at five minutes to game time. It will also post to the front page. That will be the only live game discussion thread. After the game, the recap and Heroes and Goats will also live on the front page as separate posts.

You will also be able to find the preview, Live! thread, recap and Heroes and Goats in this section link. The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.

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Mets' Kodai Senga to start Tuesday's game against Reds

With Christian Scott heading to the 15-day injured list due to a right hip impingement, the Mets needed to figure out who would start Tuesday's game against the Reds in Cincinnati. 

Carlos Mendoza told reporters ahead of Monday's game that the club will turn to Kodai Senga, who has been out since the end of April with lumbar spine inflammation and, also, ulnar nerve irritation.

"Kodai Senga is going to start for us tomorrow, and is going to be followed by Nolan McLean on Wednesday," Mendoza said. 

Senga last pitched in the big leagues on April 26 against the Colorado Rockies, but struggled mightily while on the active roster, going 0-4 with a 9.00 ERA over five starts.

The 33-year-old has since made four rehab starts across all three levels of the minors, including six strong innings with five strikeouts on June 11 for Double-A Binghamton. 

"We've been saying that we wanted to see results, which we had with his last outing," Mendoza said. "But with him, not only the result, just how he feels after he pitches. While we were waiting for him to throw his bullpen yesterday, he was scheduled to throw his bullpen yesterday in Citi Field, which he ended up throwing it. Felt good today and then we decided to go with him. 

"He's ready to go. He's telling us that he feels 100 percent. He was on board with, 'Hey, if you guys want me to go in the minor leagues and pitch again, I'll do it, but I'm ready to compete at the big league level.' For him to be very vocal about it is a good sign."

Overall, during his rehab assignment, Senga went 0-1 with 17 strikeouts, a 4.00 ERA, and a 1.17 WHIP over 18.0 innings.

Senga returning and being a productive arm would be a huge boost for New York, as the starting rotation has been in flux over the last month. Clay Holmes went down with a fractured fibula on May 15, Sean Manaea and David Peterson have recently swapped bullpen and opener roles, and Tobias Myers is back up from a brief stint in the minors to start Monday night's game vs. the Reds.

NHL Insider Drops Major Dylan Larkin Update Involving Reported Trade Offer

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The 2025-26 NHL Season has officially concluded with the Carolina Hurricanes winning their first Stanley Cup since 2006. 

Now that the offseason has arrived, one of the main storylines in the coming days and weeks leading up to the 2026 Draft is the future of Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin. 

Larkin, who has played only five Stanley Cup Playoff games in his NHL career, which began in 2015, requested a trade from Detroit earlier this month after the club missed the postseason for the 10th year in a row, which is now the longest active drought. 

Is Detroit any closer to finding a taker for Larkin? According to top NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman, who initially reported Larkin's trade request, an offer may be on the table for GM STeve Yzerman. 

While speaking on Sportsnet 590 The Fan, Friedman indicated that he believes not only is there "groundwork" of a deal being built, but that the Red Wings may also have already received an offer from the Florida Panthers, who were one of three teams on Larkin's initial trade request list. 

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"I definitely think the action has started on Larkin," Friedman said. "I think that teams have contacted Yzerman, and I think - I believe Florida has made an offer. So, I mean, we'll see. I think there's action going on out there, there's no question. There's talk going on right now, and I don't know if anything gets done. Like, it's tough." 

"Vegas and Carolina, they're two teams who like to deal, but they're like, 'Yeah, we don't need any trade rumors about us right now.' But I definitely think there's groundwork and conversations being done out there." 

According to reports led by Detroit Free Press beat writer Helene St. James, the three teams on Larkin's trade list included the Panthers along with the Vegas Golden Knights and Minnesota Wild, all of whom feature one or more of his teammates from the 2026 Milan Winter Olympics. 

Would Dylan Larkin Accept A Trade To The West Coast? Would Dylan Larkin Accept A Trade To The West Coast? The Detroit Red Wings could very well be trading away captain Dylan Larkin before long - would a deal to the West Coast make sense?

The Panthers hold the No. 9 overall selection in the upcoming NHL Draft, which could be dangled as bait for Larkin. As of now, the Red Wings do not have a first-round selection after having traded it in March to the St. Louis Blues as part of the package to acquire Justin Faulk. 

Forward Anton Lundell, who has 89 combined points over the last two seasons, has also been suggested as a potential trade piece Florida could offer. 

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Kansas City Royals vs Washington Nationals Live Discussion

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 18: Mitch Spence #54 of the Kansas City Royals in action against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on April 18, 2026 in New York City. The Yankees defeated the Royals 13-4. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images

As Argentina and Algeria prepare to take over the sports complex on Tuesday, the 29-43 Royals find themselves on the road for a single series against the surprising 37-35 Washington Nationals, who are in third place in the NL East.

James Wood and CJ Abrams provide the thump in the lineup, and they both remain quite young. It feels like I’ve been hearing about those guys for a decade, but Abrams is 25 and Wood is 23. That Juan Soto trade returned Wood, Abrams, and MacKenzie Gore among others. The Nationals traded Gore prior to the 2026 season. Seems like that trade worked out pretty well for the Nationals I guess. Soto himself is still not yet 28. Having said all that, if you asked me to name anyone besides Wood or Abrams in their starting lineup, I would have struggled mightily.

The projected starter is Andrew Alvarez, who just turned 27 a couple days ago. He’s a ground-ball specialist not unlike Brady Singer. Alvarez gives up a few more walks but not as many homers as Singer. At least so far – he’s got only 47 and 2/3 MLB innings under his belt.

On the Royals side, Vinnie Pasquantino hit the IL. John Rave is up for him. Cole Ragans is still not rehabbing well. Kyle Isbel is out for a long time. Seth Lugo is on the concussion IL. The Royals are stashing outfielders on the bench like they’re going out of style. The Royals scheduled starter is Mitch Spence, who was last seen giving up six runs in four innings against the Yankees in April. In AAA on May 26, he gave up 13 runs in 3 innings on 4 homers. Bobby’s having an MVP season and Cags seems to be heating up, but the Royals don’t have much else to feel good about.

In other words, these teams are not going in the same direction. And that’s a shame. The Royals are basically out of time to right the ship. They are in last place in the AL Central. Eat Arby’s.

The game starts at 5:45pm US Central time. You can watch on Royals.tv or listen on 96.5 The Fan/The Royals Radio Network.

Lineups:

Blackhawks Predicted To Take Top Defender With 4th Overall Pick

The Chicago Blackhawks have a big decision to make with their fourth-overall pick. This year's draft class has many interesting options, and the Blackhawks will be looking to land a future star with their first-rounder.

The Athletic recently released their latest 2026 NHL Mock Draft, where multiple of their writers predicted the entire first round. When it came to the Blackhawks' fourth-overall pick, Scott Powers had Chicago select defenseman Chase Reid. 

Reid showed great promise this season in the OHL with the Soo Greyhounds, as he posted 18 goals, 30 assists, and 48 points in 45 games. This is after he had seven goals and 40 points in 39 games with the Greyhounds during the 2024-25 season. With numbers like these, it is clear that he has a lot of skill. 

The potential for Reid to emerge as a star defenseman in the NHL is there, so it would make sense if the Blackhawks went with him as their fourth-overall pick. This is especially so if players Ivar Stenberg, Caleb Malhorta, and projected first-overall pick Gavin McKenna get selected before the Blackhawks are on the clock.

However, the Blackhawks also have two exciting right-shot defensemen in Sam Rinzel and Artyom Levshunov, so it would also be understandable if Chicago pursued a left-shot defenseman with their first-round pick. If they do want a left-shot defenseman, Carson Carels and Alberts Smits are the top options available this year. 

Nevertheless, Reid would still be a great pickup for the Blackhawks' system is selected. He has the tools to become a high-impact two-way defenseman in the NHL, so let's see if he ends up being Chicago's selection.  

Brown, Diaz to be Activated by Astros Tomorrow

HOUSTON, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 19: Yainer Diaz #21 congratulates Hunter Brown #58 of the Houston Astros on striking out Dominic Canzone #8 of the Seattle Mariners in the sixth inning at Daikin Park on September 19, 2025 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Maria Lysaker/Getty Images) | Getty Images

While it has been known for some time that the Astros had planned to activate SP Hunter Brown for Tuesday’s game against the Detroit Tigers, it turns out that the Astros also intend to activate C Yainer Diaz as well according to MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart:

This would give the Astros back their Opening Day battery and 2 more key contributors to the team in their ace starter and number one catcher.

Astros would reduce the number of players on their IL list from 12 to 10.

Adrian Rodriguez hits for third cycle in CWS history in 14-2 Texas win over Alabama

The red-hot postseason for sophomore shortstop Adrian Rodriguez continued on Monday at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha as the No. 6 Texas Longhorns extended their stay in the College World Series with a convincing 14-2 win over the Alabama Crimson Tide.

In the seventh postseason game for Rodriguez, the Flower Mound product recorded his seventh straight multi-hit performance, going 5-for-5 with seven RBI in hitting for just the third cycle in CWS history after a scoring decision review turned a second-inning double into a triple.

Rodriguez combined with the two batters in front of him — freshman left fielder Anthony Pack Jr. and junior designated hitter Ethan Mendoza — to go 11-for-14 (.786) with six runs and 13 of the 14 RBI recorded by the Longhorns. In recording 13 hits overall, Texas went 8-for-17 (.471) with runners in scoring position and 9-for-21 (.429) with runners on base, evidence of the extent to which the Horns improved their mental process at the plate after getting sped up in Saturday’s loss to the Diamond Dogs.

Texas also got a quality start from senior right-hander Ruger Riojas, the third straight from the 6’0, 195-pounder after battling shoulder tendinitis last month. Riojas threw 105 pitches over six innings, allowing two runs on six walks with seven strikeouts and two walks, putting the Horns in a positive to win without extending the bullpen after the offense gifted him three runs in the first inning and four runs in the second inning.

To open the game, Riojas worked off his lively fastball at 95 to 96 miles per hour, mixing in two different breaking balls to keep Alabama hitters off balance. Shortstop Justin Lebron did record a one-out single up the middle and a two-out stolen base, but the depth on a 1-2 breaking ball from Riojas induced the third strikeout in the frame.

Texas quickly looked threatening in the first as junior right fielder Aiden Robbins bounced back from his 0-for-4 performance against Georgia by smashing a 1-0 breaking ball down the left-field line for a leadoff double. Junior catcher Carson Tinney worked a full-count walk and Pack got to 3-2, too, but flew out to left field. Battling through a right shoulder injury and elevated to the four spot in the lineup, Mendoza took advantage of an elevated breaking ball to shoot a double through the left side and drive in Robbins.

So with only one out in the first inning, the Horns had already scored more runs against Adams than they did in the Texas product’s scoreless, six-inning outing in Austin two months ago. Rodriguez quickly added another double, pulling a 1-0 pitch down the right-field line to drive in two runs.

Adams recovered to strand Rodriguez on third by retiring redshirt senior second baseman Temo Becerra on a groundout to third and striking out junior first baseman Ashton Larson.

Despite getting ahead 0-2 against designated hitter Josh Lemm, Riojas issued a leadoff walk in the 11-pitch at bat as the Texas starter lost some velocity on his fastball and started to get some arm-side run on it, losing the strike zone entirely on an ensuing four-pitch walk. Trying to bunt, diminutive second baseman Brennan Holt got down 0-2 and suffered some bad luck on a hard-hit liner to first base that turned into a double play.

Dropping down for an 0-1 breaking ball, Riojas gave up a bloop single to left field that got one run back for Bama and extended the inning, but only for one more batter as Riojas recovered his command enough to get ahead and force a groundout to shortstop.

Junior third baseman Casey Borba opened the second inning with a leadoff single into the left-center gap, setting up a bunt situation for redshirt senior center fielder Dariyan Pendergrass, who finally got it down with two strikes to advance Borba into scoring position and turn the lineup over for Robbins. A strikeout on three pitches brought Tinney to the plate. Borba advanced to third on a wild pitch as Tinney drew his second walk.

Down 1-2, Pack slapped his own bloop single to left to score Borba before Mendoza pushed the lead to four runs on an opposite-field single through the right side.

Rodriguez blew the game open, hitting a ball into the left-center gap that was misplayed by the Tide outfielders as the ball rolled to the warning track, allowing Rodriguez to advance to third on the two-run double eventually reclassified as a triple for a 7-1 lead as the Horns keyed in on Adams tipping his pitches, negating the effectiveness of his high-level changeup.

After walking Becerra on a full count, Adams departed with two outs in the second inning and runners on the corners, but Alabama escaped without further damage as left-hander Matt Heiberger recorded the final out to strand both runners.

Riojas appeared to settle in with a 1-2-3 third inning and a strikeout to start the fourth before spinning a breaking ball onto Lemm’s barrel for a solo home run and then giving up two straight singles. On a hard-hit ball into right-center, Pendergrass was able to track it down with a good jump for a big second out. Reaching 81 pitches, Riojas left two runners on base with a swinging strikeout to get out of the fourth.

As assistant coach Troy Tulowitzki implored his hitters to work deeper in counts in the wake of a 12-pitch, 1-2-3 third inning, Tinney drew his third straight walk, but Pack grounded into a double play on the second pitch he saw from Heiberger. Mendoza was able to work a longer at bat before his own groundout that ended with his favoring his injured shoulder on the way back to the dugout.

Longhorns head coach Jim Schlossnagle was able to get some length with Riojas out for the fifth and sixth innings, which went quickly as the Texas starter extended his streak of consecutive batters retired to eight to finish his outing.

In the bottom of the sixth, two home runs turned the game into a blowout as Pack sent a two-run shot into the bullpen in left field, his fifth postseason homer, but his first since the Austin Regional, and a two-run bomb by Rodriguez at 106 miles per hour off the bat that traveled 418 feet.

It was only the fifth home run of the season for Rodriguez, who hasn’t had his typical power since breaking his right hand almost 16 months ago.

On in relief for Riojas, freshman right-hander Brody Walls helped preserve the Texas bullpen, which only threw 31 pitches on Saturday, striking out two and allowing only a single base runner over two innings.

In a heartening development for Schlossnagle and Tulowitzki, the Horns kept the pressure on the Tide at the plate, taking advantage of a fielding error by Lebron in the eighth when Tinney drew his fourth walk and Pack recorded his third RBI with an opposite-field single. After redshirt sophomore pinch hitter Blake Peterson notched his first career RBI, Rodriguez added another run on his second double of the game.

Redshirt junior left-hander Ethan Walker came on to retire the first batter of the inning before giving way to redshirt senior right-hander Cody Howard, who only needed seven pitches to get the final two outs.

Texas advances to face another elimination game on Tuesday at 7 p.m. Central on ESPN against the loser of Georgia and Oklahoma, Monday’s late game at Charles Schwab Field.

Rep the OmaHorns.

Canadiens Land 97-Point OHL Star In New Mock Draft

The Athletic released its latest 2026 NHL Mock Draft. Several of their writers predicted the first round of the 2026 NHL Entry Draft.

When it came to the Montreal Canadiens' first-round pick, Arpon Basu predicted that the Habs would select forward Nikita Klepov this year. 

Klepov would be a very fascinating prospect for the Canadiens to add to their system. The 17-year-old winger just had a dominant season in the OHL with the Saginaw Spirit, posting 37 goals, 60 assists, and 97 points in 67 games. His 97 points were the most in the entire OHL this season, so it is clear that the young winger has a ton of offensive potential. 

Klepov would have the potential to be an outstanding fit on a Canadiens club that is full of skilled players. He has the potential to emerge as an impactful NHL forward later down the road, so he could be worth taking a gamble on if he is available when the Habs are on the clock.

However, given how strong of a season Klepov just had, it would also not be surprising in the slightest if he is already selected when it is time for the Canadiens to pick. It will be interesting to see what happens on that front, but if Klepov is available, the Canadiens should strongly consider picking him. 

What Carolina's Win Can Teach The Oilers

When the Carolina Hurricanes celebrated with the Stanley Cup, did you notice that somewhere between the hugs, the champagne and the endless shots of Rod Brind'Amour hoisting the most prized trophy in sports, Carolina had something Edmonton didn't?

Besides the cup, oobviously.

Carolina had just climbed to the top of the totem pole without possessing the kind of individual talent that usually dominates social media posts, magazine covers and debates over who the best player in the world happens to be.

They didn't have Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, or anyone as close to that level of talent.

And yet there they were, the last team standing.

That fact is both encouraging and instructive for the Edmonton Oilers.

Fans in Edmonton are fortunate enough to watch two generational talents every night, but here has always been something a little unfair about the expectations that accompany them, as though McDavid and Draisaitl are supposed to drag every weakness, bad line and defensive breakdown across the finish line by themselves.

Oilers Should Hope the Hellebuyck "Noise" Gets LouderOilers Should Hope the Hellebuyck "Noise" Gets LouderAs trade rumors swirl around Winnipeg’s elite netminder, Edmonton must aggressively pursue Connor Hellebuyck to solidify their crease and maximize the McDavid-Draisaitl championship window.

That's not how teams win the Stanley Cup.

And, frankly, it shouldn't be.

Carolina's stars are excellent players. Sebastian Aho is one of the league's most underrated centres. Seth Jarvis has blossomed into a terrific winger. Jaccob Slavin remains one of the finest defensive defencemen in hockey. Frederik Andersen gave them quality goaltending when it mattered most.

But let's be honest, nobody is confusing that group with the sheer star power Edmonton possesses.

The Hurricanes didn't win because one player put the franchise on his back.

Worth the Wait: Ex-Oilers Star Taylor Hall Wins a Stanley Cup With the HurricanesWorth the Wait: Ex-Oilers Star Taylor Hall Wins a Stanley Cup With the HurricanesSixteen seasons after his debut with the Oilers, the former top pick hoisted the Stanley Cup, netting the championship-winning goal to cap a dominant playoff run with Carolina.

They won because there were no passengers. Their stars had helped. Their third line mattered. Their defence contributed. Their penalty kill mattered. Their fourth line mattered.

Everybody pushed in the same direction.

Which is why some of the conversations that surface after every disappointing season in Edmonton have always felt a little strange.

Somewhere along the way, Oil Country began treating Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl less like stars and more like solutions.

Are The Oilers One Goalie Away? Or Is That Too Simple?Are The Oilers One Goalie Away? Or Is That Too Simple?Every summer in <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/edmonton-oilers#google_vignette">Edmonton</a> fans demand a goalie.

Power play struggling? They'll fix it.

Goaltending becoming shaky? They'll outscore the problem.

Third line disappearing? They'll play 25 minutes.

Defence making life difficult? They'll generate enough offence to overcome it.

Those are wonderful players.

They're not miracle workers.

The Goalie Edmonton Wanted Is Available… AgainThe Goalie Edmonton Wanted Is Available… AgainAs New Jersey gauges trade interest in Jacob Markstrom, the Oilers face a familiar crossroads with the elite netminder who once slipped through their fingers in free agency.

Wayne Gretzky had Mark Messier and Paul Coffey. Sidney Crosby had Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang. Nathan MacKinnon has Cale Makar.

Nobody wins alone. And that's the lesson Stan Bowman should take from what Carolina just accomplished.

Not that Edmonton needs fewer stars. Quite the opposite. The Oilers should wake up every morning thankful they employ McDavid and Draisaitl because players like that simply don't come around very often.

The challenge isn't finding another Connor McDavid.

Good luck with that.

Forget the Superstars, Edmonton's Next Star Might Come With Questions AttachedForget the Superstars, Edmonton's Next Star Might Come With Questions AttachedEvery summer, <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/edmonton-oilers#google_vignette">Oilers</a> fans dream big.

The challenge is finding Edmonton's version of Seth Jarvis. Or Jordan Martinook. Or Jaccob Slavin. Or the players who quietly turn good teams into great ones without attracting much attention along the way.

Carolina's Stanley Cup run wasn't powered by superstars overwhelming other teams every night.

It was powered by depth, and structure, and everyone understanding their role and doing it exceptionally well.

That should be the most comforting part for Edmonton fans.

The Oilers don't need Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl to become something more.

Insider Believes Babcock Likely To Be Cleared To Coach By NHLInsider Believes Babcock Likely To Be Cleared To Coach By NHLAs investigators look into Mike Babcock's past, one NHL insider suggests the veteran bench boss may soon return to the bench, potentially clearing a path to join the Edmonton Oilers.

How much better could they realistically be?

What they need is a roster that asks less of them. Less pressure with fewer minutes and more support. More nights where two points from McDavid and Draisaitl feel like a luxury instead of a necessity.

Because as Carolina proved last night, Stanley Cups aren't necessarily won by the team with the biggest names.

If Mike Babcock Falls Through, Where Do The Oilers Go From Here?If Mike Babcock Falls Through, Where Do The Oilers Go From Here?Should the latest investigation into Mike Babcock ultimately prevent him from becoming the next head coach of the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/edmonton-oilers">Edmonton Oilers</a>, the organization could find itself in a remarkably awkward position, one that would leave people searching for answers while trying to explain how a process that began with such urgency became so messy.

Sometimes they're won by the team that asks the least from them.

That's the lesson worth remembering in Edmonton.

Having superstars is a gift, but expecting them to be the team is asking far too much.

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Adrian Rodriguez hits third-ever cycle at the College World Series

Texas baseball's offense did not slow down in Monday's College World Series elimination game against No. 7 Alabama, and neither did Adrian Rodriguez.

Rodriguez, who has been on the Longhorns' hottest bats this postseason, went 5-for-5 at the plate in the Longhorns' 14-2 win over the Crimson Tide to extend their stay in Omaha by at least one additional game.

In the process of his multi-hit performance, the Longhorns' shortstop made history by becoming the third player to hit for the cycle on college baseball's grandest stage — and he got some help from the official scorer to reach that mark.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, ESPN announced that Rodriguez's hit in the second inning had been rescored to a triple by the official scorer after it was scored as a double with the ball falling between Alabama's Eric Hines and Bryce Fowler in left center field.

Rodriguez's third triple of the game brought in two of his seven runs driven in on the day — two more RBI than his former season-high of five RBIs against Oregon in Game 1 of the Austin Super Regional.

Rodriguez began the day with a two-RBI double down the right field line in a three-run bottom of the first inning for the Longhorns. He'd tack on two more RBIs in the sixth inning when he got hold of a 91 mph pitch from Haegan Banks that sneaked into the corner of the Longhorns' bullpen in left field. His single came in the fifth inning.

He capped off his day with a double down the right field line to push his RBI count up to seven, matching a College World Series record.

Here's what to know on Rodriguez's big day:

College World Series cycles

  • Adrian Rodriguez (Texas): Monday, June 15 vs.
  • Christian Moore (Tennessee): Friday, June 14, 2024 vs. Florida State
  • Jerry Kindall (Minnesota): Monday, June 11, 1956 vs. Ole Miss

Rodriguez joins the University of Minnesota's Jerry Kindall and Tennessee's Christian Moore as the three hitters to have hit for the cycle in the history of the College World Series. His cycle comes two years and a day from when Moore hit the cycle against Florida State in what was one of the craziest CWS games played in recent memory.

Kindall first reached the feat back in the 1956 CWS in a 13-5 victory against Ole Miss during the Golden Gophers run to their first College World Series title.

Why was error on Adrian Rodriguez triple rescored?

ESPN’s Mike Monaco noted on the broadcast that the scoring change came after the official scorer reviewed the footage of Rodriguez’s triple. According to the scorer’s explanation, Rodriguez briefly eased up after rounding first base before then accelerating again and maintaining that momentum all the way to third.

Here's a look at the now triple:

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: College World Series cycles: Texas' Adrian Rodriguez joins list with 7-RBI day

Cincinnati Reds vs. New York Mets – Chase Burns vs. Tobias Myers

The Cincinnati Reds are back in action on Monday night in Great American Ball Park after dropping Sunday’s series finale against the Arizona Diamondbacks. That loss canned the series for them, and they’ve now dropped five straight series overall as their precipitous fall down the NL Central standings continues.

They’ll look to get back on the winning side of things with Chase Burns on the mound, as he’ll fire the first pitch of tonight’s series opener against the New York Mets. Righty Tobias Myers – a reliever by trade – will be the nominal starter for the Mets this evening, though given he’s only topped 36 pitches once all season it will undoubtedly be an early bullpen game for New York.

The Mets come to town fresh off a series victory over the Atlanta Braves, so that’s fun.

First pitch is set for 7:10 PM ET this time around, and the game will be televised on Reds.TV and MLB.tv.

Lineups for both clubs are listed below. Go Reds!

Today’s Lineups

METSREDS
Carson Benge – RFBlake Dunn – CF
Bo Bichette – SSJJ Bleday – LF
Juan Soto – LFSal Stewart – DH
Jared Young – 1BSpencer Steer – 1B
A.J. Ewing – CFEugenio Suarez – 3B
Marcus Semien – 2BNoelvi Marte – RF
Brett Baty – 3BMatt McLain – SS
MJ Melendez – DHTyler Stephenson – C
Francisco Alvarez – CEdwin Arroyo – 2B
Tobias Myers – RHPChase Burns – RHP

Jose Alvarado’s high school coach lauds ‘loyal’ Knicks champion: ‘Proud is an understatement’

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Jose Alvarado of the New York Knicks holding the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy with a flag draped over his shoulder, Image 2 shows Basketball player in a white jersey with

The Knicks’ first NBA championship in 53 years had a local flavor.

Traded deadline acquisition Jose Alvarado, a Brooklyn native, offered his Christ the King in Middle Village, Queens coach a moment of reflection nearly a decade after the freshly minted champ played for him.

“I wasn’t thinking in this picture that Alvarado would one day win an NBA Championship. I was probably telling him to stop sneaking into the corner and get back on defense,” Joe Arbitello wrote on Instagram. “Proud is an understatement. This kid is a product of doing things the right way.”

Jose Alvarado holds the NBA Finals trophy draped in a Puerto Rican flag. Getty Images

Arbitello described some of the characteristics that make Alvarado such a successful player, noting his loyalty was notable, as he stayed at Christ the King and played for just one AAU team throughout his amateur career in what is a rarity, especially in this era.

The loyalty extended to his college decision, as he picked and stuck with Georgia Tech for his entire college career.

Another trait described by Arbitello was that whenever he was on the bench, Alvardo was always engaged in the game and never moped.

The coach recalled the young point guard telling him from the bench that he was “getting paid to have the best seat in the house.”

Jose Alvarado in Game 5 of the NBA Finals NBAE via Getty Images

That quote proved somewhat prophetic as Alvarado became one of the Knicks’ first bench options after coming over from the Pelicans on Feb. 5.

His addition proved critical to the team’s championship run as he drained critical three-pointers during comebacks in Games 4 and 5 and gave star Jalen Brunson crucial rest by playing quality minutes. 

Now, Christ the King, which boasts the likes of Lamar Odom, Jayson Williams, Speedy Claxton, Sue Bird, Chamique Holdsclaw and Tina Charles among its alumni, has another NBA champion among its graduates.

Flyers Predicted To Select 6-Foot-4 Center With First-Round Pick

The Athletic released their latest 2026 NHL Mock Draft, where several of their writers predicted the first round. When it came to the Philadelphia Flyers' first-round pick, Kevin Kurz predicted that the Flyers would select center Maddox Dagenais.

Dagenais would be a fascinating prospect for the Flyers to add to their system. The 6-foot-4 center has the potential to become an impactful player in the NHL and would give the Flyers another promising center prospect, which is a need. 

Dagenais just had a strong season in the QMJHL with the Quebec Remparts. In 62 games with the QMJHL club, the Montreal native posted 30 goals, 32 assists, and 62 points. This is after he had 12 goals and 26 points in 43 games with the Remparts during the 2024-25 season.

Overall, Dagenais has shown promise at the junior level and could be some consideration if he is available when the Flyers are on the clock. However, when noting that he is a big center with good upside, it is certainly possible that another club could take him before it is the Flyers' turn to select. 

Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see if the Flyers end up making Dagenais their first-round pick at the draft this year. The fit looks strong on paper.