It’s time for the Mets to move on from Mark Vientos

Mark Vientos is a bad player that the Mets should DFA at the earliest opportunity. End of article.

*taps earpiece* I’m being told I actually need to substantiate this opinion. I’m not quite sure why—it’s one of the more obvious things that can be stated about the current Mets’ roster—but alright, here it goes.

Mark Vientos is not a particularly good hitter and hasn’t been for some time. He’s currently batting .219/.254/.380 with a 78 wRC+. His .320 xwOBA might suggest he’s been a bit unlucky to date and he’s actually pulling more balls in the air than he ever has previously, but he’s also managing a paltry 15.8% line drive rate. There’s a lot of hard hit grounders and lazy fly balls that turn into outs here that xwOBA is likely not fully accounting for.

In terms of plate disciple, Vientos has a 6th percentile SEAGER, 14th percentile chase, and 25th percentile in-zone contact (numbers courtesy of Rob Orr’s app). All of these marks are going in the wrong direction relative to 2025, when Vientos was already a below average hitter. He’s had exactly one above average offensive month (August 2025) by wRC+ since the start of last season.

Then there’s the glove, which is somehow even worse than Vientos’s bat. Per OAA, only four first baseman have been worse at the position to this point in 2026: Rhys Hoskins (posting a 108 wRC+), Curtis Mead (135 wRC+), Jake Bauers (137 wRC+), and Bryce Harper (142 wRC+). To reiterate, that’s a probably-cooked 33-year-old and then three of the better hitters in baseball, all of whom do at least something positive to justify their place on the roster. Vientos’s complete inability to make even the most simpleofplays or to make routine plays look dramatic (*insert one of the many clips of Keith groaning about his footwork*) is glaringly obvious. He’s fallen all the way down the defensive spectrum and still isn’t a viable defender.

As if being a short-side platoon DH who can’t hit wasn’t enough, Vientos does a bunch of other things that make him even worse, both to watch and in terms of on field value. You can’t be one of the slowest players in the league, run through a stop sign, and get thrown out by 20 feet. You can’t go out there immediately after making a brutal error and going 0-for-4 and say you deserve a pat on the back for working hard (it’s the major leagues my man, everyone should be working hard). You can’t gripe about no one believing in you when, to be blunt, you’ve been bad for the majority of your major league career. This stuff paints the picture of a guy who could generously be described as extremely tone-deaf in ways that are directly detrimental to the team.

Now, to be fair, a lot of the blame for this situation rests on the Mets’ front office. Yes, Vientos’s role has become outsized due to Jorge Polanco’s injury, and yes, it’s probably unfair to criticize the team for not bringing in another expensive player (e.g., Ryan O’Hearn, Wilson Contreras) to fill this role given their current payroll (though they probably should’ve allocated Bo Bichette’s money towards one of those players instead). At the same time, their insistence on hanging on to a player of Vientos’s quality is frankly baffling.

For reference, here are a couple other first basemen that could’ve been had in the last calendar year:

  • Ty France: signed a 1-year, $1.35M contract with the Padres; currently has a 137 wRC+ and elite 1B defense (5 OAA) in 39 games / 112 PA
  • TJ Rumfield: acquired by the Rockies in exchange for Angel Chivilli; currently has a 117 wRC+ and 2 OAA at 1B over 59 games / 233 PA
  • Spencer Steer*: 124 wRC+, average defense at 1B, flexing across both corner OF spots and 2B as well
  • Curtis Mead: acquired for backup catching prospect Boston Smith in March; 135 wRC+

*Caveat here is that Steer hasn’t changed teams, but he appeared to be available this offseason

Hell, even a player like Eric Wagaman, who the Mets claimed after he was DFA’d by the Twins, might be better than Vientos at this point. Wagaman’s presence on the roster drives home the point; it’s generally very easy to acquire players of this quality or better for next to nothing. Yet the Mets have seemingly been unwilling to pass Vientos through waivers or trade him somewhere else for a marginal return.

The 2026 season has been a disaster. By and large, I would still defend most of the Mets’ offseason—they did reasonably well considering the options available to them—but failing to critique the decision to hang on to Vientos more harshly is a clear miss. Nothing about his poor performance to date in 2026 is particularly surprising, and rolling into the year with an out-of-options, most likely bad player who is something of a malcontent that you are unwilling to cut was a horrible decision.

That’s a mistake the Mets should rectify at the next available opportunity, hopefully at the latest when Jorge Polanco returns in a week or two. To summarize in meme format:

Breaking down George Lombard Jr.’s first month in Triple-A

George Lombard Jr. of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders reacts during a Minor League Baseball game at Coca-Cola Park in Allentown, United States, on May 22, 2026. (Photo by Dan Squicciarini/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images

A large part of the Yankees’ success through the first two months of the 2026 season has been based on their homegrown talent. The way that Ben Rice and Cam Schlittler have taken the next step from good supporting cast players to bona fide stars at their respective positions has greatly improved the team’s future outlook, and when you add in the supporting value they’ve gotten from players like Will Warren, Austin Wells (defensively anyway), and even the brief cameos of Anthony Volpe and Jasson Domínguez, it’s a pretty promising young crop.

But as you look towards who could join this group, many fans’ eyes gravitate towards George Lombard Jr., the organization’s top prospect and one of the best in all of baseball. The newly minted 21-year-old got off to a blistering start in Double-A Somerset, prompting an aggressive move from the organization to promote him to Triple-A on April 29th, just as they did in 2025 when he got off to a hot start in High-A.

So far, the results have been mixed. Through 28 games entering Tuesday night, he’s slashing just .196/.360/.299 with an 88 wRC+, but his numbers look much better under the hood, yet there are clear areas of improvement he still needs to make. He’s played multiple positions as well, increasing his defensive flexibility beyond the six.

The ultimate question that’s on everyone’s mind is how quickly Lombard can get himself in the big-league conversation. After all, the Yankees have viewed Triple-A as more of a stepping stone for top prospects in recent years, and there’s an obvious position for him to play right away with Ryan McMahon’s offensive struggles at third base. We don’t have a clear answer on that yet, but it’s safe to say there’s still some work to go, even if things look encouraging for a debut at some point this year.

Potentially his biggest calling card as a hitter right now is his plate discipline. Lombard has always had a good eye and has never posted a walk rate below 10 percent at any level, but the fact that he’s walking in a fifth of his plate appearances is eye-opening. The best part might be that his strikeout rate has been almost identical since being promoted at 21 percent, indicating that he’s not any more overmatched against more experienced pitching.

If there’s anything to nitpick here, it might be that Lombard has been too passive. He’s only swinging at 57.5 percent of pitches in the strike zone, nearly 10 whole percentage points below MLB average (67.1%). He’s swinging at under 40 percent of the total pitches he sees, also considerably below average. That, coupled with an 80th-percentile chase rate, likely contributes to his huge walk rate.

This seems to be more of a feature than a bug of Lombard’s game, however, and that might cap his ceiling as a hitter. While more complex pitch-level data is only available in Low-A and Triple-A, the overall percentage of pitches he’s swinging at has remained consistently low throughout his minor-league career. He’s managed to get good results for the most part in spite of it, but it’s something that’s worth monitoring.

Expanding to batted-ball outcomes, he’s consistently hitting the ball hard, ranking in the 80th percentile or better in average exit velocity and hard-hit rate, but most of that contact is on the ground, which is why he’s sitting below the Mendoza Line. Lombard’s ground-ball rate has spiked from 34 percent to 44 percent since being promoted, his highest rate since he was in A-ball in 2024.

That isn’t to say he hasn’t had his moments driving the ball in the air.

Lombard’s still pulling the ball at a high rate and has had some loud outs to the warning track in left field, which has caused him to slightly underperform his xwOBA (.333 vs. .315 wOBA). He’s starting to find his slug considerably more, hitting two home runs last week and smoking a single 111 mph last night, so this might just be a case of waiting and seeing.

If I had to pick one thing to watch going forward, though, it’s the platoon splits.

The right-swinging Lombard has had a big disparity there all season, hitting to a .969 OPS against left-handed pitching compared to a .726 mark against righties, but you also have to look under the hood to see if the swings and at-bats are as stark as the slashlines indicate. With him in Triple-A, we have that data.

The difference is stark. He’s able to drive the ball considerably better against lefties, particularly to the pull side, while swinging at significantly more strikes and chasing less. Against left-handed pitching, Lombard is analytically one of the best hitters in Triple-A, but against righties, he’s struggling. This is his biggest obstacle to making the jump to full-time major leaguer at this current point in time.

Defensively, Lombard is getting more reps at second and third base than he was getting before his promotion. He’s mostly shifted back to shortstop since Volpe was promoted a few weeks ago, but has played 13 total games at second or third base on the season.

With Volpe and José Caballero seemingly having shortstop accounted for and the uncertainty regarding McMahon’s struggles and Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s pending free agent status, the team seems to be preparing Lombard to assume one of their positions when he’s promoted, despite profiling as one of the best true defenders in the minor leagues. He’s looked quite comfortable at third, however.

So where do we stand after his first month in Triple-A? Lombard still has a ways to go before we see him in the Bronx, but I can’t imagine the Yankees could’ve expected much more from him entering June. He was only able to legally buy a beer yesterday and he’s on the doorstep of the major leagues, something he reached sooner than Volpe in a similar situation as a first-round shortstop drafted out of high school.

I do think they might leave him down longer than he truly needs to in order to make sure he’s truly ready after throwing Volpe into the fire in 2023 without much experience at the level. His glove is absolutely MLB-ready, but the team isn’t lacking defensively in the infield on most nights (Amed Rosario starts notwithstanding).

With Lombard, they need to make sure his bat is able to at least be playable by the time they promote him and give him everyday reps. He seems like he could come up and be a nice platoon bat soon enough with how he’s smashed lefties, but the Yankees have that base covered without even factoring in that it would be a poor way to break in a top prospect to the big leagues.

What Lombard does over the next two months will be crucial in how the Yankees conduct the trade deadline. If those platoon splits start to even out and he starts to perform better at-bats against same-handed pitching, the team might view third base as an area that doesn’t need external reinforcements. There’s a world that exists where he’s donning the pinstripes for this team in October, but it’ll require him to continue progressing on schedule as time goes on.

The Spurs built an NBA Finals roster that won’t happen again under new draft lottery rules

SAN ANTONIO, TX - MAY 28: Victor Wembanyama #1 and Stephon Castle #5 of the San Antonio Spurs on the court during game against the Oklahoma City Thunder during Game Six of the NBA Western Conference Finals on May 28, 2026 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photos by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

The San Antonio Spurs have once again emerged as a force to be reckoned with, reaching the 2026 NBA Finals after six years without a playoff berth and nine years without a series win. A storied franchise that had previously never missed the playoffs in back-to-back years has come out of their worst stretch in team history with one of the youngest rosters to ever reach the Finals.

While their Finals opposition, the New York Knicks, have successfully relied on major trades and the absolute bargain that was the free-agent signing of Jalen Brunson, the Spurs are nearly the polar opposite. Aside from last season’s De’Aaron Fox trade, their core pieces have come through the draft.

The NBA Draft lottery has repeatedly broken the Spurs’ way

It’s hard for the rest of the league not to be envious looking at San Antonio’s last three first-round picks:

  • 2023: Victor Wembanyama, No. 1 overall
  • 2024: Stephon Castle, No. 4 overall
  • 2025: Dylan Harper, No. 2 overall

Wemby by himself is franchise changing, and he’s on his way to being one of the greats. Castle and Harper already look like ideal guards to pair him with for years to come.

Famously (and, for conspiratorial-minded NBA fans, suspiciously), moving up in the lottery has been a rite of passage for the Spurs. Every time the Spurs have had top eight odds, they’ve moved up, including for Tim Duncan and David Robinson at No. 1 overall. The Spurs rose two spots to win the Wemby sweepstakes, improved their position by one for Castle, and vaulted six places to the No. 2 pick off a 34-48 season to get Harper. Not a bad consolation for narrowly losing out on Cooper Flagg.

File this stretch away in the history books, because this trio may be the last of its kind.

NBA Draft lottery reform makes it impossible to replicate the Spurs

In a supposed effort to curb tanking/reduce the number of G-League players getting significant minutes in March and April, the NBA sought major reform to its draft lottery. Last week, they approved something so convoluted that it makes the salary cap rules seem easy to comprehend.

Among the many changes set for the 2027 through 2029 drafts, no team is allowed to have the number one overall pick in back-to-back years, nor can it pick in the top five in three consecutive years. Had this been implemented sooner, Harper would’ve never been a Spur.

There’s another aspect to this rule that is already impacting a recent trade:

These restrictions will apply only to each team’s own pick without regard to whether that pick has been retained by the team or traded to (and thus held by) another team.

The Memphis Grizzlies, who themselves are picking third overall in this month’s draft, hold the most favorable of the 2027 first-round pick from the Utah Jazz, Minnesota Timberwolves, or Cleveland Cavaliers, as part of the Jaren Jackson Jr trade. Utah picks second this year and picked fifth last year, so if the Jazz end up in the lottery again next season, the pick is ineligible to be higher than sixth. Memphis, of course, was the lone team to vote against the reform.

In effect, the NBA could end up punishing teams, whether they’re “tanking” or not, who’ve acquired potentially high-value draft picks through trades.

It’s not just high lottery picks that have made the Spurs a powerhouse again

Sixth Man of the Year winner Keldon Johnson, rookie Carter Bryant, and starting forward Devin Vassell were also first-rounders, but those three were respectively picked 29th, 14th, and 11th overall. Johnson and Vassell endured the back-to-back 60-loss seasons, as did other starting forward Julian Champagnie, who was claimed off waivers when the Philadelphia 76ers desperately needed to open up a roster space so that Mac McClung could be in the dunk contest. Champagnie is one of their top three-point shooters and hasn’t missed a game in over two years.

Backup center Luke Kornet was San Antonio’s major free agent signing at just over $10 million/year, and while he may not be having a particularly strong postseason, his block on Isaiah Hartenstein in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals symbolically slammed Oklahoma City’s championship repeat shut. De’Aaron Fox has not been at his best in the playoffs and has otherwise been dealing with an ankle sprain, but the former Kings star has proven to be a stabilizing force at point guard. Stephon Castle’s early turnover issues against the Thunder as the primary ball-handler (20 TOs in Games 1-2) significantly subsided after Fox returned in Game 3, after which he had just 12 TOs combined.

The Spurs are well coached, seemingly unflappable, and the roster is poised to get better with more experience and veterans like Kelly Olynyk and Harrison Barnes eventually off the books. It also helps a hell of a lot when the ping pong balls bounce your way and you can land franchise cornerstones at three positions. Starting next year, the new rules will see to it that no team can even have a shot at the same good fortune as San Antonio.

Why Steph Curry's Li-Ning sneaker deal is ‘absolutely insane' to Draymond Green

Why Steph Curry's Li-Ning sneaker deal is ‘absolutely insane' to Draymond Green originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

After four NBA titles, two MVP awards, the all-time 3-pointers made record and 12 All-Star appearances, it might seem like Steph Curry doesn’t have many more accolades to attain.

However, with his new reported 10-year, $400 million partnership with Li-Ning, Curry is proving he isn’t ready to slow down a bit.

Draymond Green is plenty excited for his long-time Warriors teammate, and recently explained what went into Curry’s decision to sign with the shoe company.

“Well, number one, Li-Ning is one of the fastest growing shoe brands in the world,” Green said on “The Draymond Green Show”. “Number two, the opportunity for him to grow Curry brand globally, the market in China, life after basketball for him. This deal checks all of those boxes and I’m happy as hell for him. I think this is groundbreaking.”

In November 2025, Curry and Under Armour ended their partnership that had been ongoing since 2013 – before the future Hall of Fame shooter had achieved any of the honors listed above.

“To sign a $400 million plus sneaker deal, allegedly, at 38 years old is unheard of,” Green said. “Which just lets you know the weight that the name Steph Curry carries, which lets you know that the presence that Steph Curry has, who he is, what he is, what he stands for, that they’re willing to sign this a 10-year deal.”

Green also mentioned the fact that the 17-year veteran likely has “two or three more years” left in the NBA, something that stands out given the length of the contract.

“Amazing, absolutely insane,” Green added. “So, shout out to 30. Incredible. Another one. Incredible to see, man. Congratulations, brother. Job well done.”

The deal will also give Curry the freedom to sign male and female athletes, will feature a golf line and also will introduce “Curry Brand” retail stores in the United States and China.

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Reds recall Noelvi Marte, option TJ Friedl to AAA Louisville

CINCINNATI, OHIO - JULY 12: Noevli Marte #16 of the Cincinnati Reds is congratulated by TJ Friedl #29 after hitting a solo home run during the seventh inning of the game against the Colorado Rockies at Great American Ball Park on July 12, 2025 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Cincinnati defeated Colorado 4-3. (Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The seemingly neverending shuffle of the Cincinnati Reds outfield got another significant round on Wednesday afternoon. This time, it featured the demotion of a player nobody, if polled in the offseason, would have expected would be off the active roster just 60 games into the 2026 season.

The Reds made a straight swap, optioning former leadoff man and everyday CF TJ Friedl to AAA Louisville and recalling Opening Day RF Noelvi Marte in his stead.

This is the TJ Friedl who posted a robust .364 OBP in 685 PA atop the Reds lineup at the big league level just last year. This is the TJ Friedl who posted a nearly ~4 WAR season in 2023 when he hit .279/.352/.467 with 18 homers and 27 steals. This is the TJ Friedl who, aside from 7 games rehabbing, has been out of AAA and at the big league level full-time since the middle of the 2022 season.

Rather, this is merely some version of what’s left of that TJ Friedl.

So far in 2026, Friedl’s the owner of a meager 44 wRC+ in 178 PA. There have been 235 MLB players who have logged at least 140 PA so far this season, and only Lawrence Butler of the A’s (43) owns a lower mark than Friedl’s. It’s been a decline so rapid that the Reds seemingly struggled to truly grasp it, with TJ still regularly starting and playing entire games as recently as two weeks ago despite those struggles.

Ultimately, it became too much to continue to try to hide, especially with Marte knocking the cover off the ball again at AAA and getting regular run as the CF of the Bats in the process. That paired with the solid performances by Blake Dunn and the almost profile-perfect pinch hitting by Will Benson meant it was Friedl’s spot on the roster – not one of the other OFs who’ve been on the shuttle bus between Cincinnati and Louisville – that was on the line.

The only question now is just how much of a ‘regular’ the Reds choose to make Marte. The infield injuries and shuffling have rendered Spencer Steer more of a regular in a corner OF spot, while NL Player of the Month JJ Bleday has a stranglehold on the other corner. That means CF is the one spot where there’s more of a track to playing time, though each of Dunn, Dane Myers, and Benson have a claim to some time there, too. I don’t get the impression that the Reds would actively recall Marte just to have him sit bench more often than not, though, so it will be interesting to see if he’s given a shot to claim the regular CF spot with a consistent spate of playing time in the coming weeks.

Islanders to Host NHL All-Star international 3-on-3 tournament

Build it and they will come. | NHLI via Getty Images

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman used his traditional Stanley Cup final media availability to crow about growing revenues and TV ratings — fuel to increase the next rights fee contracts and boost revenues further — and brag that the game’s never been better.

And with the dramatic back-and-forth between the Hurricanes and Golden Knights in Game 1 of the final, it’s hard to claim he’s wrong.

It was also an occasion to unveil the format for next season’s All-Star weekend, which takes place on Long Island after this year’s was postponed due to Olympics participation.

With the conference-vs.-conference format a thing of the past, the league will lean into the international theme again by holding a five-team, 10-game mini tournament of round-robin, 3-on-3 games. That means teams representing the U.S., Canada, Sweden, Finland…and then “the World,” which would include any Putin apologists and targets who are otherwise currently banned from international competition due to their country of origin.

Islanders News

  • Isles business head Kelly Cheeseman calls the All-Star thing a “tentpole” event, notes that the building has now been open five(!) years. [NHL | Isles]
  • As the Leafs coaching search continues, reportedly they have interviewed ex-Isles coaches Patrick Roy and Peter Laviolette. [Dreger on Twitter]
  • Who could or should be moved to clear up Islanders cap space? [THN]

Elsewhere

  • After the Ehlers-fueled Canes burst out to a 2-0 lead in Game 1, Vegas came back and got the last goal in a back-and-forth classic. [NHL]
  • Brandon Bussi was a revelation this season at age 27, now he’s patiently playing the part of loyal backup for Carolina. [NHL]
  • Stan Fischler: It’s a “gentler” John Tortorella behind the Vegas bench. Sure. [NHL]
  • Yes, Russians but not “Russia” can participate in the All-Star thing. Interestingly, they had polled players about the matter. [Sportsnet]
  • Manny Malhotra has earned trust by coaching through highs and lows to win the Canucks job. [Sportsnet]
  • And the Avalanche have graciously allowed Chris MacFarland to leave to become GM of the Predators, and closer to his family. [NHL]
  • Brendan Gallagher knows his days in Montreal are done, and it hurts. [Sportsnet]

Mets option Jonah Tong to Triple-A, recall Joey Gerber

Jun 2, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; New York Mets relief pitcher Jonah Tong (21) pitches to the Seattle Mariners during the second inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

Ahead of their series finale against the Mariners, the Mets have optioned Jonah Tong to Triple-A. To take his place on the roster, the club has recalled right-hander Joey Gerber.

Tong was brought up recently due to the mounting injuries to the club’s pitching staff and has experienced mixed results while primarily serving as a reliever and a bulk arm behind an opener. His first appearance was strong, as he shut out the Marlins through three innings to close out a 2-1 loss at loanDepot Park. What was especially encouraging is that he limited the traffic on the basepaths, walking one and not allowing a hit while needing just 28 pitches to complete his three innings of work.

Since then, he has struggled with his command. He earned a win in 3 2/3 innings against the Reds while serving as the bulk pitcher, though the underlying numbers weren’t encouraging. He walked four and allowed three hits in those 3 2/3 innings, though he was just charged with one unearned run. Yesterday’s outing was his worst, as he was tagged for five runs (four earned) on five hits, with two walks in 3 1/3 innings. Overall, he walked seven and struck out seven in ten innings. Tong was very much not ready when he was called up and will go down for some more work at Triple-A, where he posted a 5.68 ERA in 38 innings across his nine starts before coming up to the majors.

With Kodai Senga potentially on the way back as early as next week, sending Tong down makes sense in any event, since he’ll likely slot right into that role in the rotation. For now, the club is in need of some relief help, as they’ve used a lot of pitchers over the past two days given that both were, essentially, bullpen games. Gerber made one appearance for New York back on April 13, where he pitched the final two innings of the team’s loss to the Dodgers and struck out five while allowing two hits and walking one batter. In Triple-A, the righty has allowed 15 runs (14 earned) with ten strikeouts over 14 1/3 innings, which amounts to an 8.89 ERA on the year.

Giants vs Brewers Prediction: Odds, recent stats, trends, and best bets for June 3

Milwaukee (37-21) dominated game two of the series versus San Francisco (23-38), winning 8-3, after a 16-2 throbbing in the opener. This will be the third of a four game series, so a Milwaukee win would clinch a series victory for the Brewers.

The Giants' offense leads the MLB in batting average over the last five games (.326) and in the past 15 days (.286), yet that hasn't translated to wins. San Francisco is 1-7 over the last eight games and 3-11 in the previous 14. The Giants are in a slump and even with Logan Webb on the mound, they've lost four straight starts and six of the previous seven.

The Brewers have won seven out of the last eight games and are 21-7 since the start of May. Milwaukee is one of the hottest teams in the MLB and has scored 24 runs in the last two games and 46 in the previous eight. It's not all about the offense though, in the past 12 games, the Brewers pitching rotation has a 2.83 ERA (2nd) and the second-best OBA (.191).

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.

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

Game details & how to watch Giants at Brewers

  • Date: Wednesday, June 3, 2026
  • Time: 7:40 PM EST
  • Site: American Family Field 
  • City: Milwaukee, WI
  • Network/Streaming: MLB TV

Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.

Odds for the Giants at the Brewers

The latest odds as of Wednesday:

  • Moneyline: Milwaukee Brewers (-156), San Francisco Giants (+129)
  • Spread: Brewers -1.5 (+139), Giants +1.5 (-168)
  • Total: 8.0

Probable starting pitchers for Giants at Brewers

  • Wednesday's pitching matchup (June 3): Logan Webb vs. TBA
  • Giants: Logan Webb 

2026 stats: 52.1 IP, 2-4, 4.82 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, 47 Ks, 18 BB

  • Brewers: TBA

2026 Stats:

Who’s Hot? Who’s Not

  • The Giants’ Jung Ho Lee is hitting .307 with 61 hits and 86 total bases over 199 at-bats
  • The Giants’ Matt Chapman is hitting .231 with 52 hits and 56 strikeouts over 225 at-bats
  • The Brewers’ William Contreras is hitting .293 with 63 hits and 85 total bases over 215 at-bats
  • The Brewers’ Garrett Mitchell is hitting .238 with 36 hits and 66 strikeouts over 151 at-bats

Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Giants at Brewers

  • The Giants are 25-36 ATS, ranking fifth-worst
  • The Brewers are 35-23 ATS, ranking fourth-best
  • The Giants are 30-26-5 to the Over
  • The Brewers are 30-27-1 to the Under

Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Giants and the Brewers

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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

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 Brewers and the Giants:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Brewers on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Brewers at -1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Under on the Game Total of 8.0

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Knicks' Mitchell Robinson reportedly will be available to play in Game 1 of NBA Finals

SAN ANTONIO — When news broke that Knicks reserve center Mitchell Robinson fractured a finger — it turned out to be his hand — and had surgery to repair it, there were understandable doubts he would be able to get healthy enough for Game 1. This is the kind of injury that usually takes more than a month to heal.

Robinson is expected to be available to play in Game 1, reports Shams Charania of ESPN.

This is not a surprise. Robinson had been pushing to return to play but remains officially "questionable" for Game 1, a status unlikely to change until the hour before tip-off. However, he practiced with the team on Tuesday with just a wrap on his hand, and the expectation has been that if he could play, he would.

New York needs Robinson and his physicality to help defend Victor Wembanyama, an assignment he will draw for much of the series. In the Knicks' NBA Cup Finals victory over the Spurs back in December, Robinson had 10 offensive rebounds and was a force on both ends of the floor.

Robinson suffered the hand injury at home, not during Game 4 against the Cavaliers or at the Knicks' practice facility (it is still not clear exactly what caused it). Robinson fractured his fifth metacarpal, which is the bone that connects the little finger to the wrist.

Because it's a hand injury, it can be wrapped and padded to protect it on the court. How that impacts his ability to catch a pass or pull down a contested rebound remains to be seen.

It looks like we will find out in Game 1.

Which Dodgers position players will be All-Stars?

ATLANTA, GA - JULY 15: Dave Roberts #30 and Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers look on during introductions prior to the 95th MLB All-Star Game presented by Mastercard at Truist Park on Tuesday, July 15, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

Major League Baseball started the All-Star voting process on Wednesday, beginning the campaign for the 2026 All-Star Game at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.

The current ballot setup involves two phases, with fan voting for starting position players from June 3-25. From there, the top two players at each position, and the top six outfielders will move into the second phase, with voting totals reset and that vote open from June 29-July 2.

Here are the Dodgers on the ballot this year

  • DH — Shohei Ohtani
  • C — Will Smith
  • 1B — Freddie Freeman
  • 2B — Hyeseong Kim
  • 3B — Max Muncy
  • SS — Mookie Betts
  • OF — Andy Pages
  • OF — Kyle Tucker
  • OF — Teoscar Hernández

A reminder that pitchers are not voted on by fans. So let’s stick with position players today. In total, 20 position players will make the National League All-Star team — nine starters voted on by fans, then nine players voted on by the players, and two others chosen by the commissioner’s office. Often those last spots include a team’s only All-Star, to satisfy the requirement that all 30 MLB teams have at least one All-Star.

Today’s question is simple: Which Dodgers position players should be All-Stars in 2026?

Mitchell Robinson set to play in Game 1 of NBA Finals for Knicks after breaking hand

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson prepares to shoot during practice at media day during the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas, on Tuesday, June 2, 2026. , Image 2 shows New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson puts up a shot during practice at media day during the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas, on Tuesday, June 2, 2026.
Mitchell Robinson

Knicks center Mitchell Robinson is expected to be available for Wednesday’s Game 1 of the 2026 NBA Finals against the Spurs after having hand surgery for a broken right hand, according to ESPN.

The 7-foot Robinson — who sustained a fracture of the fifth metacarpal, as first reported by The Post’s Stefan Bondy — was a full participant in practice Tuesday.

New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson prepares to shoot during practice at media day during the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas, on Tuesday, June 2, 2026. JASON SZENES FOR THE NEW YORK POST

Robinson wore a sleeve on his right hand and appeared to be moving well while shooting.

Although it is unclear exactly how Mitchell was injured, ESPN reported that it occurred at his home during New York’s off week following a four-game sweep of the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference finals.

New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson puts up a shot during practice at media day during the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas, on Tuesday, June 2, 2026. JASON SZENES FOR THE NEW YORK POST

The Knicks had nine days off before Game 1 of the NBA Finals Wednesday night in San Antonio.

The 28-year-old big man has been a reliable backup for starter Karl-Anthony Towns.

Robinson shared that he was “fighting to get back on track” with his mental health and taking a break from social media amid the Knicks’ playoff run.

Fantasy Baseball Steals Report: Ronald Acuña Jr. takes off, Victor Caratini exposed in run game

Welcome to the steals report! I will be here every Wednesday to go over important stolen base trends so you can find more speed for your fantasy teams.

Stealing a base is as much about the opposing pitcher and catcher as it is the actual base runner themself. So, being able to spot which teams and pitchers specifically are being run on most frequently will help you to figure out who can swipe some bags over the next week.

Before we get to this week’s important trends, here is the stolen base leaderboard on the season so far.

nbc_roto_mead_260601.jpg
Eric Samulski details over 30 hitters you could look to get on your team based on their production in May

Full Season Stolen Base Leaders

Player
SB
CS
Nasim Nuñez
22
3
José Ramírez
20
2
Oneil Cruz
19
3
Bobby Witt Jr.
19
3
Randy Arozarena
17
2
José Caballero
15
6
Fernando Tatis Jr.
14
6
Jazz Chisholm Jr.
14
3
Jakob Marsee
14
8
Chandler Simpson
14
8
Konnor Griffin
14
1

Be mindful that Nasim Nuñez and his .503 OPS has sat in three of the Nationals’ last seven games after starting eight in a row before that. Being that poor of a hitter puts his playing time in jeopardy.

Konnor Griffin has been one of the most efficient base stealers in the league. Let’s hope his forearm strain doesn’t keep him out too long so he can get back to it.

Last Seven Days Stolen Base Leaders

Player
SB
CS
Ronald Acuña Jr.
5
1
Xavier Edwards
4
0
Jake Mangum
4
1
Randy Arozarena
3
0
Ceddanne Rafaela
3
0
Bobby Witt Jr.
3
0
Luisangel Acuña
3
0
David Hamilton
3
0
Anthony Volpe
3
0

Ronald Acuña Jr. has been on fire since coming off the injured list nearly two weeks ago with five home runs and a 1.004 OPS. These stolen bases are great too. He was one of the least efficient base stealers in the league before this hot week, so let’s hope he’s gotten over some type of hump physically and is back to running well.

Anthony Volpe has mostly maintained his spot in the Yankees’ lineup as Jose Caballero has returned from the IL. In nine games since, Volpe has started six at shortstop and has been playing well defensively again.

Now with Aaron Judge being banged up, Caballero drew a start in right field on Tuesday. That could only further open the door for Volpe to take his shortstop job back full-time.

Stolen Base Disappointments

Player
SB
CS
Chandler Simpson
14
8
Jakob Marsee
14
8
Zach Neto
8
6
Austin Martin
8
5
Victor Scott II
7
4
Garrett Mitchell
6
5
Ceddanne Rafaela
6
4
Juan Soto
5
2
Daylen Lile
4
3
AJ Ewing
4
3
Cole Young
2
3
Jose Altuve
1
2
Willy Adames
1
2
Ozzie Albies
0
3
Mookie Betts
0
2

Zach Neto is having one of the least efficient yet most aggressive base stealing seasons in the modern era so far. It’s a marvel the Angels haven’t turned his green light red or even yellow yet.

Jakob Marsee went 0-for-3 trying to steal over the past week. With just a .616 OPS, his tremendous defense in center field is the only thing saving him from a demotion to Triple-A at the moment.

Fantasy Baseball Stolen Base Targets

Somehow, 13 bases were stolen successfully against the Twins over the past week and they only caught one runner. That pushed them ahead of the Marlins for the most allowed this season. Let’s figure out why.

Of those 13 steals, 11 came with Victor Caratini behind the plate.

Since Ryan Jeffers was injured a few weeks ago, Caratini has started 10 of the Twins’ last 15 games at catcher. On the season in total, he’s only thrown out seven of 40 would-be base stealers. That comes out to a measly 18% caught stealing rate, ninth-lowest among all catchers with at least 200 innings played so far.

Caratini was even worse at throwing out runners last season. They went 57-for-64 against him, which comes out to a dreadful 11% caught stealing rate. That was third-worst in the league among catchers who played at least 400 innings only trailing the Marlins duo of Liam Hicks and Agustín Ramírez. Neither of those two are starting catchers in the major leagues right now.

With the slowest pop time in the league and multiple seasons as a terrible catcher in the run game, perhaps we and the Twins should have seen this coming.

Even worse for the Twins’, Caratini’s deficiencies practically cost them a game on Saturday.

In a high-scoring, back and forth affair, the Pirates successfully swiped five bags against relief pitchers between the sixth and eighth innings. Two of those stolen bases led to insurance runs before the Twins led a comeback effort that ultimately fell short as the Pirates eked out a one run win.

This is a weakness that will continue to be exploited. With games coming up this week against the Royals and Tigers, look for Kyle Isbel, Isaac Collins, Wenceel Pérez, and Colt Keith to provide cheap speed.

President Trump plans to attend Game 3 at MSG as Knicks host first NBA Finals in 27 years

An image collage containing 3 images, Image 1 shows Donald Trump speaking at a podium with three American flags behind him, Image 2 shows The New York Knicks basketball team celebrating with the Eastern Conference Championship trophy, Image 3 shows Donald Trump and Bill O'Reilly watch a New York Knicks vs Cleveland Cavaliers game
Trump MSG

The first NBA Finals game in New York in 27 years is set to have a presidential guest.

President Trump is planning to attend Game 3 of the Knicks-Spurs series on June 8 at Madison Square Garden, sources told The Post, although there’s always the chance plans change.

MSG performed security walkthroughs in preparation for his potential visit, according to the sources.

US President Donald Trump speaks during a “Rose Garden Club” dinner in honor of Police Week at the White House in Washington, DC, on May 11, 2026. AFP via Getty Images

New York City mayor and diehard Knicks fan Zohran Mamdani also plans to attend Game 3, although he is not expected to sit alongside the president, according to sources.

The White House did not immediately respond to comment.

Trump previously said he planned to attend one of the NBA Finals games in New York, with Game 3 set for June 8, Game 4 on June 10 and a potential Game 6 on June 16.

The New York native also planned to attend Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals, but the Knicks secured their first Finals berth since 1999 by sweeping the Cavaliers in four games.

The New York Knicks hold the Eastern Conference Championship trophy after Game 4 in the Eastern Conference finals NBA basketball playoffs series against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Cleveland, Monday, May 25, 2026. AP Photo/Tim Phillis

“I was invited to. I was going to go on Wednesday [Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals], but they closed it out very quickly. They’re great, and Jim Dolan’s a great guy — he’s, as you know, owns and in charge of Madison Square Garden. He’s having a good year,” Trump told The Post’s Emily Goodin on May 27.

“Boy, what a team! They win all their games. They really have some great players. I think I’ll be going to one of the games, yeah. I was invited by numerous people, and Jim, and I think it’s great. Great to see it. The Knicks have really, they’ve really suffered for years and they’re doing right now very well.”

Donald Trump at a Knicks game in 2014 alongside Bill O’Reilly. Anthony J. Causi for NY Post

President Trump has attended various high-profile sporting events throughout his two terms, including the Eagles’ 2025 Super Bowl win over the Chiefs in New Orleans and the 2025 men’s US Open finals in Queens.

Padres vs vs Phillies Prediction: Odds, recent stats, trends, and best bets for June 3

Philadelphia (31-29) won the series opener versus San Diego (32-27), 3-2, thanks to Alec Bohm's RBI through a double play in the sixth inning. Aaron Nola struck out eight and didn't walk a soul in the Phillies' win.

Cristopher Sanchez takes the mound for the Phillies for game two of the series and he's the hottest pitcher in all of baseball. Sanchez is the odds on favorite to win the NL Cy Young Award thanks to 44.2 innings of scoreless action. You have to go back six starts for Sanchez last earned run. Sanchez broke a 115-year record for scoreless innings streak in Phillies history. The all-time record is held by Orel Hershiser, who went 59 straight innings without allowing a run in 1988 with the Dodgers.

San Diego has lost three straight games and seven of the past eight. The Padres are struggling offensively with a .227 batting average over the last four games (23rd) and .202 (28th) in the past 11. San Diego has scored three or fewer runs in seven of the previous nine games. This will be a tough test versus Sanchez.

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.

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

Game details & how to watch Padres at Phillies

  • Date: Wednesday, June 3, 2026
  • Time: 6:40 PM EST
  • Site: Citizen Bank Park 
  • City: Philadelphia, PA
  • Network/Streaming: MLB TV

Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.

Odds for the Padres at the Phillies

The latest odds as of Wednesday:

  • Moneyline: San Diego Padres (+179), Philadelphia Phillies (-219)
  • Spread: Padres +1.5 (-122), Phillies -1.5 (+102)
  • Total: 7.5

Probable starting pitchers for Padres at Phillies

  • Wednesday's pitching matchup (June 3): Christopher Sanchez vs. Walker Buehler 
  • Padres: Walker Buehler

2026 stats: 51.2 IP, 3-3, 4.88 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 43 Ks, 18 BB

  • Phillies: Cristopher Sanchez 

2026 Stats: 79.1 IP, 6-2, 1.47 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 95 Ks, 16 BB

Who’s Hot? Who’s Not

  • The Padres’ Fernando Tatis Jr. is hitting .275 with 60 hits and 72 total bases over 218 at-bats
  • The Padres’ Manny Machado is hitting .171 with 35 hits and 54 strikeouts over 205 at-bats
  • The Phillies’ Brandon Marsh is hitting .332 with 64 hits and 93 total bases over 193 at-bats
  • The Phillies’ Alec Bohm is hitting .206 with 42 hits and 30 strikeouts over 204 at-bats

Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Padres at Phillies

  • The Padres are 33-26 ATS
  • The Phillies are an MLB-worst 19-41 ATS
  • The Padres are 34-24-1 to the Under, ranking first
  • The Phillies are 33-25-2 to the Under, ranking third-best
  • The Padres are 14-11 ATS on the road
  • The Phillies are an MLB-worst 8-23 ATS at home

Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Padres and the Phillies

Rotoworld Bet Best Bet

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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

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 Padres and the Phillies:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Phillies on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Phillies at +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Under on the Game Total of 7.5

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Knicks vs Spurs Computer Picks: Our Best Player Prop Projections for Game 1

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Don't lock in your Knicks vs. Spurs predictions until you've read our NBA player prop projections

Our computer's NBA picks for Game 1 on Wednesday, June 3 are calling for a trio of San Antonio players to top their point totals tonight, led by Julian Champagnie. 

Knicks vs Spurs computer picks for Game 1

Knicks KnicksSpurs Spurs
Hart u1.5 threes
+140
Champagnie o9.5 points
-125
Towns u4.5 assists
-155
Fox o15.5 points
+100
Anunoby u5.5 rebounds
+102
Castle o16.5 points
-102

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Knicks Game 1 computer picks

Josh Hart Under 1.5 threes (+140)

Projection: 1.33 threes

Our computer's lone five-star play of the night is Josh Hart to fall short of his 3-point line at plus-odds, with a +24.98% EV edge.

The New York Knicks SG has missed the Over in six of his last 10, and he plays in a system that's been the seventh-least aggressive when it comes to 3-point attempts across the last 25 games.

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Karl-Anthony Towns Under 4.5 assists (-155)

Projection: 3.75 assists

Karl-Anthony Towns' assists have risen steadily since the playoffs started, as he's hit the Over in eight of his last 10. But our computer believes now is the time to sell on the Knicks big man.

Towns has gone Under in two of his last three, and the Knicks have played at the slowest tempo in the NBA over the last 25 games.

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OG Anunoby Under 5.5 rebounds (+102)

Projection: 5.37 rebounds

OG Anunoby has gone below this line in four of his last six games, and there's an 8.37% EV edge associated with backing the Under again here.

The San Antonio Spurs have been a tough team to rebound against all year, ranking eighth in opponent boards per game.

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Spurs Game 1 computer picks

Julian Champagnie Over 9.5 points (-125)

Projection: 11.77 points

Julian Champagnie has beaten this line in six of his last eight overall, and our computer is calling for him to go Over again by more than a full basket.

Our system sees the 3-ball as the key to success for Champagnie.

"This year when they are on their home court, the opposing team's starting PFs have averaged 47.7% on threes (2nd-highest in the NBA) against the Knicks, labeling this as a positive matchup."

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De'Aaron Fox Over 15.5 points (+100)

Projection: 16.55 points

De'Aaron Fox was playing hurt and was most neutralized by the Oklahoma City Thunder, going below his points prop in all five games he played in the Western Conference Finals. But our system has identified multiple angles that suggest Fox can bounce back.

"Offensive rebounds preserve possession and spark further opportunities for scoring and assists, and the Spurs rank 4th-best in in the league with 13.1 offensive boards per game over the last 10 games.. This year, opposing starting PGs have attempted 4.3 free throws per game (6th-highest in the league) against the Knicks, making it fairly effortless to get to the free-throw line."

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Stephon Castle Over 16.5 points (-102)

Projection: 17.67 points

Another Spurs points prop, another four-star Over play for our computer. This one comes out to a 15.65% EV edge.

Stephon Castle should make it rain on the Knicks from downtown tonight.

"The matchup against the Knicks is a positive one for three-pointers; the opposing team's starting SGs have posted the highest 3-point rate in the NBA this year (44.7%)."

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How to watch Knicks vs Spurs Game 1

LocationFrost Bank Center, San Antonio, TX
DateWednesday, June 3, 2026
Tip-off8:30 p.m. ET
TVABC

Not intended for use in MA.
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