BRONX, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 9: The Bronx Zoo transforms into a vibrant display of autumn colors as fall foliage surrounds its animal habitats in New York, United States on November 9, 2025. Visitors enjoy the mix of wildlife and seasonal scenery, with golden leaves creating picturesque views across one of New York City's most famous attractions. (Photo by Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu via Getty Images) | Anadolu via Getty Images
Winning the championship made everything so good that I have been reading old P&T posts from nearly 20 years ago and rewatching early-aughts Knicks games, feeling great about it. Just imagine.
This machine never stops, even on Father’s Day, so here’s the latest I’ve gathered from the interwebs.
The New York Post’s Jared Schwartz wrote a little piece for the early haters and the doubters who will inevitably, sooner or later, say the Knicks will have it impossible to become the next back-to-back champs. JS split the obstacles on the road into “Likely Threats,” “Variables,” and some internal business NYK needs to handle before next season. Anyway, never not enjoyable to read sentences like “Pistons exposed as frauds” and “Celtics overachieved.”
The masses read the comments section… or the comments section’s inhabitants represent the masses. That’s why Stephen A. Smith was rained with boos as he joined the latest Roomates Show live at Infosys Theater at Madison Square Garden on Friday night. Either that, or the folks love Deuce so much.
The Jalen Brunson statue talk is getting serious, with @newyorkers founder Benjamin Cohen going all-in for it. Cohen spoke to the NYP to discuss his ideas, and one can’t argue he’s got everything planned. “We’re at a stage where we have an artist and we have a private property in walking distance from Madison Square Garden,” he said, and hey, kudos to the artist, but I’m personally undecided about that mockup. “I hope that the city and Madison Square Garden will step up. If they don’t, we’re gonna make it happen.” That, I can agree with.
Our friends from SNY have put together a solid Mock Draft roundup covering pretty much every MD published by all major outlets heading into Tuesday’s NBA Draft. As a fellow Latin man, I found it rather charming and surprising to find Mexican forward Karim Lopez projected to land in New York at No. 24 in CBS’s mock. The other predictions are more in line with what we have in mind, and the names linked to the Knicks are those of the usual suspects. Too bad, nobody is projecting the Knicks to go for a St. John’s standout. Suckers! Get a better idea of a bunch of possibilities by checking our own Draft Guide!
OAKAAK Jeremy Lin has been in the spotlight more during the past month than he was for the last decade, and he keeps squeezing the beat. According to Lin, who experienced the Knicks’ life from inside and seemingly stayed in New York to know the organization and all its inner workings, albeit 14 years removed from it, New York won the title because of much more than what went down on the court.
“It’s team and its grit, right? The team starts with [Jalen] Brunson giving up 113 million. And the grit, every time someone needs to step up, somebody does. Whether it’s OG or Mikal or Josh Hart, even Alvarado. They always have somebody that steps up and makes a difference and so really just their ability to create winning plays that’s something it just feels like every time it’s close, the Knicks are going to find a way.
“The team starts, you know, in college, them learning how to win, them dealing with pressure, them being clear-minded and focused in the clutch in endgame situations, getting used to that.
“Also, a lot of credit to Mike Brown coming in, the atmosphere, the culture, the way they talk about each other – you can just feel it.” “You can feel they really love each other, they root for each other… They just don’t care about individual stats.”
Cute Country Boy Mitch Robinson had quite the gesture with his neighbors right before heading to Broadway. Shout-out Big Mitch!
Here’s another question for you to guess: which sport and dream pro team was Big Bogeda close to pursuing and aiming to join one day before locking into basketball? KAT spoke about his young life and early career decisions on Saturday.
Non-Knicks (or maybe it is?) list item. The Timberwolves want to move up (h/t HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto) in the draft board—they own the No. 28 selection—and they are exploring moves involving Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo to sweeten a deal that gets the franchise to the podium quicker on Tuesday. Thoughts on potential landing spots?
Per the same Scotto report, there’s a lot going on around the league. Quick summary here, but go read the full piece.
The Miami Heat seemingly have the best package—Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., and first-round draft compensation—to offer Milwaukee in exchange for Giannis Antetokounmpo, and are gaining traction again after the latest Celtics/Jaylen Brown rumors.
The Detroit Pistons have shown interest in Tyler Herro and could become the third team in a multi-team trade.
The Clippers are interested in Jaylen Brown if the Bucks don’t want to build around him following a three-team deal.
The Orlando Magic are deciding between building around one of Anthony Black and Jalen Suggs, but likely not both.
RJ Barrett—on an expiring $29.62 million contract—has drawn trade interest in multi-team conversations involving the Toronto Raptors.
Isaiah Hartenstein is expected to remain with the Oklahoma City Thunder, though the structure could involve either his team option or a new multi-year deal.
Lu Dort is likely gone from OKC, with reports linking him to the LA Lakers.
I just can’t keep saying it happens. It happens that a team that played in the World Series last year finds some pride and comes off the mat for an 8-6 win after a 5-0 deficit. All of these “it happens” moments just keep piling up. Just one more disappointment on the stack.
Over the course of a season, if you are a longtime baseball fan, you’ll get echoes of this season and that season and the other season. The weight of baseball memory fills in a lot of blanks. I am feeling some of the 2023 Cubs vibes lately. Not to bring back bad memories, but that was a team that let just so many games slip through their fingertips. And then when the dust settled, they finished one game behind the Arizona Diamondbacks. A team that swept them in September. A team that got hot and rolled all of the way to the World Series. An 84-win team.
That is the atmosphere that MLB is intentionally cultivating. It is very much a good thing for MLB for an occasional 84-win team to roll to the World Series. If the Series every year features teams that win 95 games, then there is still a reason to mail it in after the All-Star break. But MLB has allowed more and more teams into the postseason. They want teams staying in contention.
That’s the frustrating thing. We’ve seen that this team can get hot. We’ve seen the things this team is capable of when things land just right. You have to play it out. But this team doesn’t have enough of the right horses. They don’t have enough starting pitching. They don’t have enough relief pitching. They don’t have enough truly elite offensive players.
Not good enough. I’ve said that a few times lately too, right? This team has themes and rarely are they good ones. All too many times in Cubs history a special player having a special season goes to waste. This season increasingly feels like one long lost opportunity and adventure in disappointment.
Oh, and as I write, the team is in a virtual four-way tie for the last Wild Card spot. So for all of the ineptitude, they are right in the thick of things. Multiple teams are going to have crushing disappointment at the end of this season. There are 12 NL teams either holding playoff spots or within three games of one as we tip toe towards the midpoint of the season. How many of those 12 teams will stay in the fight deep into September.
This team is simultaneously not good enough and also likely to be one of those teams in the fight until the end. This will be one long ride. And at any point if this team actually got red hot, they could be in comfortably. But that isn’t how this script is going to play out. Buckle up.
Three Positives:
Pete Crow-Armstrong had two hits, one a two-run homer and drew a walk.
Colin Rea: 5.1 innings, three hits, no walks, no runs.
Dansby Swanson had a single, a double and drew a walk. He scored once.
Game 77, June 20:
Reminder: Heroes and Goats are determined by WPA scores and are in no way subjective.
THREE HEROES:
Superhero: Pete Crow-Armstrong (.170). 2-4, HR, BB, 2 RBI, R
Hero: Colin Rea (.164). 5.1 IP, 19 BF, 3 H, 0 BB, 0 R, 3 K
Sidekick: Ryan Rolison (.113). 0.2 IP, 1 BF
THREE GOATS:
Billy Goat: Jacob Webb (-.576). 0.2 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 2K (L 1-2)
Goat: Caleb Thielbar (-.203). 0.1 IP, 3 BF, H, BB
Kid: Michael Busch (-.114). 1-4, BB, DP
Jacob Webb will end up as one of the bottom two WPA game scores of the season when this is finalized. He also owns the other one, back on April 5. With the changes to way WPA has become available, the easiest thing for me to do will be to write up a separate piece at the end of the month on really high or really low WPA scores.
WPA Play of the Game: Kazuma Okamoto’s three-run homer with one out in the eighth broke a 5-5 tie. (.357)
Cubs Play of the Game: Matt Shaw’s three-run homer with no outs in the second gave the Cubs an early three run lead. (.183)
Cubs Player of the Game:
Game 76 Winner: Carson Kelly, 99 votes (138 total)
Rizzo Award Standings: (Top 5/Bottom 5)
The award is named for Anthony Rizzo, who finished first in this category three of the first four years it was in existence and four times overall. He also recorded the highest season total ever at +65.5. The point scale is three points for a Superhero down to negative three points for a Billy Goat.
Michael Busch +22
Pete Crow-Armstrong +16
Ben Brown +13.5
Carson Kelly +10.5
Michael Conforto +9
Edward Cabrera -9.5
Phil Maton -10
Dansby Swanson -11
Caleb Thielbar -13
Seiya Suzuki -19.5
Up Next: The third and final game of the series between these two teams. Shōta Imanaga (4-6, 4.26) starts for the Cubs. In three June starts, he has no decisions but a 3.78 ERA over 16.2 innings. Ex-Cub prospect Dylan Cease (4-3, 2.71) gets the Jays start. In a disappointing Jays season, Cease has been a bright spot. This will be a tough one. In two June starts he has allowed one run over 11 innings. He missed time in late May and early June, but has bounced back very strongly. He’s 4-2 with a 2.47 in eight career starts against the Cubs (in the regular season).
TAMPA, FLORIDA - MARCH 21, 2026: Eric Hartman #64 of the Atlanta Braves hits a single during the second inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the New York Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner Field on March 21, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Saturday’s action in the Atlanta Braves system was headlined by Eric Hartman’s 18th homer of the season, but he wasn’t alone in hitting it out of the park. Luis Guanipa, Conor Essenburg, and Cody Miller all homered in a fun Augusta game, while Johan Rodriguez hit a pair down in the FCL. We also got to witness the rare strong pitching performance from the DSL club, while Columbus had a pair of games called off due to weather.
Louisville Bats 4, Gwinnett Stripers 2
Jim Jarvis, SS: 0-2, 2 BB, SB, .305/.399/.447
Aaron Schunk, 1B: 3-4, HR, R, RBI, .248/.311/.391
Austin Gomber, SP: 6 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, 5.52 ERA
Elieser Hernandez, RP: 2 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 6 K, 5.13 ERA
Austin Gomber turned in six strong innings on Saturday, allowing just one run on three hits and no walks with four strikeouts and 14 whiffs. Elieser Hernandez followed him and did allow three runs on five hits, but also struck out hitters for all six outs he recorded. Hayden Harris finished the game off with a scoreless ninth inning.
Aaron Schunk led the offense, going three for four with a homer, scoring and batting in one of the two runs. Cal Conley had a pair of singles and Jim Jarvis drew a pair of walks with both stealing a base, joining Schunk with multi-hit games. The rest of the offense managed just two hits, though there was a Brewer Hicklen double included in there.
Columbus Clingstones vs Biloxi Shuckers – PPD
Columbus Clingstones vs Biloxi Shuckers – Cancelled
The doubleheader for Columbus got rained out, which included the resumption of Friday night’s game and a new game for Saturday. The Friday game will be played as part of a doubleheader on Sunday, while the second game has been cancelled.
Hudson Valley Renegades 3, Rome Emperors 2
Tate Southisene, SS: 0-2, 2 BB, .220/.360/.341
Eric Hartman, LF: 1-4, HR, R, 2 RBI, .300/.362/.580
John Gil, 2B: 1-4, R, .277/.372/.434
Zach Royse, SP: 5 IP, 8 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 5.40 ERA
Zach Royse was mostly solid in this start, though did allow a pair of homers, leading to the three runs against him. Royse allowed the three runs on eight hits and two walks over five innings, striking out three and whiffing five. David Rodriguez followed with two scoreless innings that included three strikeouts and seven whiffs, before new Braves farm hand Jarret Whorff made his debut with a scoreless inning. Mathieu Curtis finished it off with a scoreless frame.
Eric Hartman continued his destruction of A-ball pitchers on Saturday, when he hit his 18th homer of the season. Unfortunately that homer accounted for all of the Emperors scoring in this one, as they managed just six hits. Mason Guerra came through with two of those, while John Gil and Owen Carey also added one. Tate Southisene was held out of the hit column, but did draw a pair of walks, while Isaiah Drake and Dixon Williams were each hitless in four plate appearances.
Augusta GreenJackets 11, Hill City Howlers 10
Luis Guanipa, CF: 3-6, HR, R, 3 RBI, .323/.373/.500
Jeremy Reyes got the start in what turned out to be a fun shootout of a game. Reyes allowed two runs on four hits and a walk over four and two thirds, striking out three and whiffing eight. It was actually better than the line suggests, as he allowed the runs in the first inning and didn’t allow anyone else to score the rest of the way. Lewis Sifontes went the next inning and a third scoreless, striking out hitters for three of the four outs he recorded. Jaylen Paden and Carter Lovasz each got tagged for a pair of runs as Hill City attempted to crawl out from an 8-2 deficit. Hill City was actually able to take the lead in the ninth, as they got four runs off Styven Paez, before Cristobal Abreu came on to get the final out of the ninth.
The bigger story of the game is the offense was very productive. Luis Guanipa, Conor Essenburg, and Cody Miller each homered, making it nine for Guanipa, six for Essenburg (in 29 games), and four for Miller (in just 13 games). Guanipa actually ended up with a three hit and three RBI day, while Essenburg and Miller each had two hits – and Essenburg also batted in three runs. Those weren’t the only stars here, as Juan Mateo singled, doubled, and walked plus stole a base, and Cooper McMurray singled twice, walked, and batted in three runs. Michael Martinez also walked and singled in four plate appearances. In all eight starters reached base safely, and seven of them did it multiple times. The lone Jacket not to reach was Alex Lodise, who was hitless in five at bats with a golden sombrero.
Danny Young made a rehab start that lasted the first inning and included five whiffs before giving way to team ace Gensi Angeles for the second inning. Angeles went three and a third out of the pen, allowing a run on three hits and four walks while striking out three and picking up 10 whiffs. Ryan Heppner followed and allowed a run over his inning and two thirds, and Luis Arestigueta finished the game off by going three scoreless innings and allowing just one base runner to pick up his first save here.
Johan Rodriguez smashed two home runs on a three-hit day, while Malvin Fernandez hit one himself during a two-hit afternoon. The homers were the first of the season for Fernandez, and the second and third of the year for Rodriguez. Those two provided the bulk of the offense, as the only other player to reach base more than once was catcher Yoelvis Betancourt, who singled twice. Shortstop Manuel Campos walked once in four plate appearances and also stole a base, while Diego Tornes had the day off.
DSL Braves 4, DSL Red Sox Blue 1
Starlyn De La Cruz, CF: 1-2, 3B, BB, R, .341/.491/.568
The DSL Braves came into today with a team 11.37 ERA in their first 14 games, but got an excellent pitching performance on Saturday. Starter Cesar Navarro, who has been one of the two bright spots on the pitching staff, went four and two thirds scoreless in this one. Navarro allowed just one hit and three walks while striking out three and dropped his ERA to 2.25. Moises Semerite followed and allowed the one Red Sox run in his inning of work, before a scoreless frame from Giovanni Medina followed by Geowin Gomez picking up the save by collecting the final out.
It was a relatively quiet day for the bats from the DSL. Starlyn De La Cruz and Yassel Pena led the way, with De La Cruz tripling, walking, and scoring a run in four plate appearances while Pena doubled and scored a run in three appearances. Luis Fortunato singled, walked, and stole a base while Elias Reyno had a pair of singles, two steals, and threw out a runner at the plate. Bigger names like Jose Manon and Edelson Cabral went hitless, while recent signee Elioberto Mondesir walked, stole his fourth base in four games, and scored two runs.
Felix Reyes of the Lehigh Valley IronPigs heads to the plate 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
Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there. Let’s look at the kids on the farm.
Lehigh Valley 4, Worcester 3
Two things to notice in this game. First, Felix Reyes continues to crush the pitching at this level something that we have seen him do all year long.
Pair of run-scoring, extra-base hits for Felix Reyes tonight. He goes opposite field for a first-inning solo homer, his 17th. Then he goes to the opposite gap to drive in another run pic.twitter.com/DtE8hcqo5s
At this point, it’s probable that the team goes outside of the organization to improve in the outfield and that Reyes won’t get a long term chance to see if he can do it against major league pitching consistently. He’s been great at Lehigh Valley, but that’s probably as far as he’ll get. The second thing to notice is Kyle Backhus had another scoreless inning here and will probably be back in the majors soon. The team needs left handed relief pitching badly, so hopefully Backhus can come back and be as good as he was earlier.
Reading 3, Hartford 1
Adam Seminaris was great for Reading, throwing seven innings of one run ball, only allowing three hits and striking out seven. He’s not a big time prospect or anything, but any time solid pitching is done in the minor leagues, it should be noted. The offense got another home run from Alex Binelas, his fifteenth on the year. He’s been a good minor league find for the team. Bryan Rincon had an RBI double as he continues his prospect resurgence.
Greenville 4, Jersey Shore 1
Carter Mathison was the story here, his home run accounting for the lone run in the game for the BlueClaws. It was a meager offensive night with only four hits on the night for them. Mathison had the only run, but Luis Caicuto had two hits for himself. On the mound, Tanner Gresham was solid in his five innings of work, only allowing three runs, two earned, but it wasn’t nearly enough with the offense doing little.
Bradenton 4, Clearwater 2
Sean Youngerman had a so-so night on the mound for the Threshers, giving up only two runs, but allowing four hits and four walks. He’s continuing to disappoint. Nathan Humphreys had a two-run home run for the Threshers in the first inning, but that was all they could muster the rest of the game as the Marauders pitching staff, including a rehabbing Mike Clevinger, shut down Clearwater the rest of the way. The game was tied going into the ninth inning, a close one, but was lost when Brent Iredale hit a walkoff home run for Bradenton off James Tallon.
ST. PETERSBURG, FL - JUNE 20: Clayton Beeter #39 of the Washington Nationals celebrates the final out of a save against the Tampa Bay Rays in a baseball game at Tropicana Field on June 20, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Not much went right for the Yankees during their 10-2 loss to the Reds yesterday. The defense was shoddy, Will Warren got rattled and gave up a game-breaking tank, and they made mistakes at both the plate and on the bases. In short, if you knew nothing about the game aside from the fact that they lost 10-2, you’d probably guesss that they played poorly.
The silver lining is that every team has awful days. That’s the sport! And the Yankees hadn’t lost a game by this margin in over a month. Just for a few points of comparison, the Dodgers lost by eight to the Angels on June 7th, the Braves got blanked by the Red Sox 8-0 on May 27th, and the Rays have actually suffered multiple 8-0 losses in June. The Yankees have mostly stayed competitive, even in losses. They’re 15-7 since Memorial Day. Sleep off the ugly loss and move on! Even with Aaron Judge out and Chase Burns going today for Cincy, this is still a very talented team to watch.
Here’s some of what else was going on around the Junior Circuit on Saturday.
Tampa Bay Rays (42-31) 3, Washington Nationals (40-37) 4
The Yankees’ three-game lead in the AL East remained intact despite the blowout because the resurgent Nationals capably turned away the Rays down in St. Petersburg. At the outset, it seemed like it could’ve gotten ugly in a hurry for the visitors, as Cade Cavalli allowed the first three batters to reach on singles, loading the bases with no one out and masher Junior Caminero due up. But Cavalli hung in there and limited Caminero to a sacrifice fly before getting a double-play ball from Richie Palacios.
Likely NL All-Star shortstop CJ Abrams then wasted no time in bringing the score back to even at 1-1, launching an Ian Seymour pitch for his 16th homer of 2026 to begin the second.
Nasim Nuñez soon cashed in the Nats’ second run of the inning, doubling in Dylan Crews after the latter followed Abrams’ homer with a single to center.
The Rays continued to grind against Cavalli, making it a 2-2 game when Chandler Simpson drove in Caminero on an RBI knock in the third. The crushing blow would not land for Tampa Bay however, and though Cavalli would exit having recorded just 8 eights on 68 pitches, Mitchell Parker held them down. He got the last out of the inning and then combined with Brad Lord to cover the next five scoreless. The bullpen also got a huge assist from center fielder Jacob Young, who made a phenomenal catch in center to rob Victor Mesa Jr. of a game-tying double in the eighth.
Young left the game with a side injury and the Nats had to lose the DH to cover themselves on defense, but it was worth it — especially when the ninth got dicey.
Washington had taken the lead in the fifth with the help of a leadoff hit by Keibert Ruiz and a James Wood double to move the catcher to third. A soft groundout by erstwhile Baby Bomber Andrés Chaparro made it 3-2, Nats. Thanks in part to Young, that’s where the score remained in the final frame. One-time top prospect Dylan Crews smashed a homer off Cam Booser to give the Nats insurance that they would need with 2025 Amed Rosario trade return Clayton Beeter in to close it out.
Two batters into the ninth Beeter had already allowed Tampa Bay to chip away one run. Taylor Walls walked, stole second and third, and dented home plate when Yandy Díaz singled him in. Jonny DeLuca pinch-ran for Yandy and swiped second himself, putting the tying run in scoring position with the winning run of course at bat in recent All-Star Jonathan Aranda. But Beeter got Aranda to fly out, fanned Cedric Mullins, and intentionally walked Caminero to set up a three-pitch strikeout of Ben Williamson. Thanks, old pal!
Toronto Blue Jays (38-39) 8, Chicago Cubs (40-37) 6: The Jays have had a weird enough American League pennant defense this year that we’ve probably said this about at least a few of their wins this year. Nonetheless: Boy, they needed this one. Fresh off sweeping the Red Sox at Fenway, the Cubbies had cut ’em down to size by blowing them out 16-2 at Wrigley on Friday and comfortably led 5-0 entering the seventh yesterday thanks to homers by Pete Crow-Armstrong and Matt Shaw. Colin Rea departed following 5.1 scoreless innings, but the Chicago bullpen absolutely beefed it. Trent Thornton allowed a three-run bomb to Daulton Varsho that allowed Toronto to get back into it, and in the eighth, Caleb Thielbar and Jacob Webb got smacked around on RBI knocks by Alejandro Kirk and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to tie the game at 5-5.
Then Kazuma Okamoto unloaded on Webb to put the Jays ahead:
The Cubs almost got back into it though. Mason Fluharty immediately loaded the bases on a walk and two hits, bringing the go-ahead run to the plate. Closer Louie Varland entered to put out the fire, getting the next three batters in order and only allowing one of the baserunners to score. An error by Varland in the ninth did grant Chicago two shots to tie it up on another dinger, but Shaw was caught looking and rookie Pedro Ramírez grounded out to end it.
Cleveland Guardians (41-36) 8, Houston Astros (36-42) 1: The top pick of the 2024 MLB Draft, Travis Bazzana, has only played 46 games, but I’m beginning to think that there’s probably no better pick to lead the AL All-Star contingent at second than him. He clobbered a pair of homers off Spencer Arrighetti (the first leading off the game) as part of a smooth Guardians win in Houston, and the 23-year-old rookie is now hitting .274/.369/.476 with a 136 wRC+. He finished the day 4-for-4 with five RBI. Ernie Clement will likely get voted in as the All-Star starter, but Bazzana would probably be my pick for the keystone reserve. Anyway, as far as standings are concerned, Cleveland’s win put them one up in the AL Central with the Pale Hose losing in Detroit earlier in the day.
Seattle Mariners (39-39) 1, Boston Red Sox (31-43) 5: The AL West is back to a merely .500 leader, as the M’s lost their second in a row to the Red Sox. They only hold first place alone because the A’s got blown out by the Angels in West Sacramento, which says more about the true quality of the A’s than anything else. Anyway, up in the Emerald City, Boston rookie Connelly Early outpitched Emerson Hancock, allowing just one run on two hits in six innings of work, fanning seven while Wilyer Abreu’s 414-foot blast put the Red Sox ahead in the fourth. The rest of their runs scored on only infield singles and a wild pitch, but they count all the same.
ST. PETERSBURG, FL - JUNE 20: Dylan Crews #3 of the Washington Nationals celebrates his home run against the Tampa Bay Rays during the ninth inning of a baseball game at Tropicana Field on June 20, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Yesterday, we saw the best of Dylan Crews. He was hitting rifles all over the yard, including a 442 foot nuke to give the Nats an insurance run they desperately needed. This was Dylan Crews at his best, something we unfortunately do not see often enough. Crews has these great games, they just do not happen often enough.
Even after yesterday’s great performance, Crews’ overall numbers are far from impressive. He is hitting .198 with a .602 OPS on the season. There have been times this year where Dylan Crews has looked really good, but it is usually followed by several games where he does nothing.
A perfect example of that just happened recently. Crews hit a massive 3-run homer against the Royals, and then followed it up by going 1 for 11. That just feels like the story of Crews’ season, and really his big league career. It is one step forward, two steps back.
Dylan Crews since his big 3-run HR vs the Royals earlier this week:
However, when you look at the underlying data, there is some reason for optimism, though I will show one area of weakness to explore. Crews’ xwOBA is .342, which is above average, and way better than his .264 wOBA. He is hitting the ball hard, swinging hard, and actually hitting way fewer ground balls.
Crews has had a major ground ball problem in the past, so many fans including myself assumed that was still the case this year. However, that is not his big issue right now. Crews’ 41.5% GB rate is actually lower than average and way down from his 50.2% rate from last year.
If ground balls are not the problem for Crews, then what is? In my opinion, he has two issues. The first one is pretty straightforward, he is chasing a ton and not walking at all. Crews’ chase rate this year is a career high 37.6%. In 2024 and 2025, Crews’ chase rate was under 30%. The lack of chase, as well as the lack of fear he brings pitchers is why he is not walking at all. Crews only has 2 walks all season, which is a 1.9% BB rate.
Crews’ second problem is actually a bit counterintuitive. He is hitting the ball to the middle of the field too often right now. Dylan Crews is hitting the ball straightaway 48.8% of the time, over 10% more often than the average hitter. As kids, we were all taught to use the middle of the field, but in 2026 major league baseball, that strategy has drawbacks.
Lance Brozdowski made a video about how balls hit to center field, even barrels to center are outs more than ever in the past few seasons. One of the big reasons for this is pretty simple, center fielders have gotten insanely good at defense. From Jacob Young to PCA to Ceddanne Rafaela and more, there are just so many good center fielders right now.
The average center fielder is also much better at defense. Even Dylan Crews himself is a good example of a good center field defender, at least when he is out there. With positioning being very good and all these hyper athletes in center, it is tough to live off the middle of the field.
You also have to really destroy a ball to hit a homer to center field. Dylan Crews can obviously do that, as we saw yesterday. However, it is a tough way to live, especially if you are not an 80 grade power guy like James Wood. Honestly, as we see from Wood, flyballs the other way are more productive than ones to center.
Crews’ heavy use of the middle of the field could explain why his xwOBA is so much higher than his raw numbers. Part of this is bad luck, but Crews also has a bad habit of hitting the ball to the other team’s best defenders. Even with that in mind, I do think Crews is getting unlucky.
However, until he starts pulling the ball more, or even just not hitting half his balls up the middle, he is going to underperform his expected stats. It is an interesting dilemma that would not have been as much of a problem even 10 years ago. However, the up the middle athletes these days are just insane.
For these reasons, Dylan Crews is still searching for that consistency. He is doing a lot of things well, like hitting the ball hard, whiffing less and elevating more. You would think his luck will turn around some, but there are some interesting factors at play with Crews.
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - JUNE 20: Jake Burger #21 of the Texas Rangers reacts after being hit by a pitch during the ninth inning against the San Diego Padres at Globe Life Field on June 20, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning, folks…
The Texas Rangers fell to the San Diego Padres yesterday by a score of 6-4.
Shawn McFarland’s game story talks about the problems the Rangers have in the bullpen when they get past Jakob Junis and Jacob Latz.
Nathan Eovaldi was scratched from his scheduled start on Saturday, but will be starting today.
The Atlanta Braves will look to complete a three-game sweep as they host the Milwaukee Brewers once more on Sunday afternoon.
Milwaukee’s Robert Gasser has let batters get the ball in the air, and that could mean bad news against Atlanta, which I’m taking to complete the sweep in my Brewers vs. Braves predictions.
Read on for full analysis of this afternoon matchup as I share my free MLB picks for Sunday, June 21.
Who will win Brewers vs Braves today: Braves moneyline (-131)
Atlanta Braves starter Bryce Elder hasn’t been missing as many bats as he’d like, but he has generated poor contact.
Brewers starter Robert Gasser has arguably underperformed his metrics, but his 24.6% ground-ball rate is among the lowest in MLB. That’s a bad sign against a Braves team that hits 59.8% of its balls in the air.
I like Atlanta to win at -140 or better.
COVERS INTEL: Gasser has struggled with his sinker this season, allowing a .398 wOBA on the pitch – one that the Braves pull in the air a solid 11.1% of the time.
Brewers vs Braves Over/Under pick: Under 8.5 (+101)
As I noted above, Gasser does have some promising advanced metrics that suggest we should expect more from him.
He has a sterling .186 xBA and holds the opposition to a 29.0% hard-hit rate. That’s a measure where Atlanta is pretty mediocre at 40.1%.
Combine that with Elder’s ability to avoid hard contact, and we could be in for a well-pitched game despite the quality of these offenses.
The first two games of this series ended with totals of seven runs or less, and I like the Under again in today’s game as long as the total stays at 8.5.
Ed Scimia's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 13-19, -6.84 units
Over/Under bets: 12-18, -6.74 units
Brewers vs Braves weather
No rain is expected on a sunny day in Cumberland, GA with calm winds blowing in from right-center.
Brewers vs Braves odds
Moneyline: Brewers +107 | Braves -127
Run line: Brewers +1.5 | Braves -1.5
Over/Under: Over 8.5 | Under 8.5
Brewers vs Braves trend
The Brewers are 1-4 straight up in Gasser’s last five starts. Find more MLB betting trends for Brewers vs. Braves.
How to watch Brewers vs Braves and game info
Location
Truist Park, Cumberland, GA
Date
Sunday, June 21, 2026
First pitch
1:35 p.m. ET
TV
Brewers.TV,BravesVision
Brewers starting pitcher
Robert Gasser (0-3, 4.88 ERA)
Braves starting pitcher
Bryce Elder (5-4, 3.15 ERA)
Brewers vs Braves latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - JUNE 20: Manny Machado #13 of the San Diego Padres watches his three-run home run during the tenth inning against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field on June 20, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images) | Getty Images
A day after the big four of Fernando Tatis Jr., Jackson Merrill, Manny Machado and Xander Bogaerts combined to go 0-for-17 at the plate in a 9-7 loss, the same group went 8-for-19 with a home run, three doubles, four runs scored, six RBI, a walk and three strikeouts en route to a 6-4 win in 10 innings over the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field in Arlington.
Machado finished with five RBI in the game and launched what proved to be the game-winning three-run home run in the top of the 10th inning that gave the Padres a 6-3 lead. Mason Miller came on for the bottom of the 10th inning and allowed the Manfred Man from second base to score on an infield hit by Wyatt Langford with two outs in the inning, but a earned his 20th save of the season when he struck out the next batter, Bandon Nimmo, to end the game.
San Diego was able to force the game to go to extra innings when Merrill hit a ground ball into right field with the Padres trailing 3-2 in the top of the eighth inning. The single allowed Samad Taylor to score from second base to tie the game. Adrian Morejon came on to replace Jason Adam for the bottom of the eighth inning after he allowed two runs on two hits in the bottom of the seventh. Morejon faced four batters and recorded three strikeouts in the eighth and returned to the mound for the bottom of the ninth. He faced four batters in the ninth as well and recorded two more strikeouts to give him five in just two innings of work. That set the stage for the Padres to score in the top of the 10th to get Miller to the mound for the save.
San Diego got the first run of the game in the top of the third inning when Machado lined a ball into right-center field, which was just beyond the reach of Langford and kicked off the tip of his glove and rolled to the wall. Tatis Jr., who was on second base after a one-out double, came around to score to give the Padres a 1-0 lead.
San Diego held the lead until the bottom of the sixth inning when starter Walker Buehler allowed back-to-back one-out doubles, which allowed Texas to tie the game at 1-1. Buehler came out after the run scored after completing 5.1 innings with one run allowed on five hits with one walk and seven strikeouts. It was another strong performance turned in by the right-hander who has allowed just three runs over his last three starts with three walks and 16 strikeouts. Buehler has quietly been the one of the best pitchers in the San Diego rotation.
The Padres will try to win the series against the Rangers with a win in Game 3 today at 11:35 a.m.
Padres News:
Catcher Blake Hunt has spent his entire career in the minor leagues with multiple organizations, but he finally got to make his MLB debut with the team that drafted him, San Diego. A day after making his debut, he got his first start in the majors.
San Diego’s top prospect Ethan Salas has cooled off at the plate recently, but now he will be unable to contribute at all thanks to an oblique injury.
Batting leadoff should give the Cleveland Guardians 2B Travis Bazzana four to five plate appearances against Houston Astros righty Kai-Wei Teng, boosting his chances of clearing 1.5 total bases.
Bazzana is red-hot, hitting .375 over his last seven games while carrying a strong .845 OPS on the season. He has also excelled against right-handed pitching, batting .327.
Teng is a favorable target, carrying a -6 Run Value on his fastball while allowing lefties to slug .592 against his changeup.
With a disciplined 22.2% chase rate, Bazzana should force Teng into the zone and get pitches he can drive for extra bases. Play this to +100.
Time: 2:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Guardians.TV, Space City Home Network
Brandon Lowe Over 0.5 home runs (+255)
Pittsburgh Pirates 2B Brandon Lowe is in an excellent spot to go deep against Colorado Rockies right-hander Michael Lorenzen.
Lowe has already launched 18 home runs while posting an .842 OPS this season, and his underlying metrics remain strong, ranking in the 79th percentile in Barrel Rate and the 83rd percentile in expected slugging percentage (xSLG).
Lorenzen has struggled badly in 2026, carrying a 7.13 ERA and 5.60 xERA while allowing opponents to post a .478 xSLG.
His four-seam fastball, changeup, and cutter all carry negative Run Values, giving a power hitter like Lowe multiple pitches he can punish.
Time: 3:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Rockies.TV
Freddie Freeman Over 1.5 total bases (+116)
Freddie Freeman is in an excellent position to clear 1.5 total bases against Baltimore Orioles right-hander Brandon Young.
The Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman owns an .834 OPS this season and continues to generate elite contact quality, ranking in the 91st percentile in xwOBA, 88th percentile in xSLG, 75th percentile in Barrel Rate, and 70th percentile in Hard-Hit Rate.
The matchup is favorable as well. Young carries a 4.32 xERA with a modest 16.6% strikeout rate, while opponents are batting .389 and slugging .528 against his sinker.
Freeman has crushed sinkers this season, boasting a .340 wOBA with a .404 slugging percentage and a +9 Run Value against four-seamers, making him a strong candidate to cash this total bases prop. Play to -110.
Time: 4:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: MASN, SportsNet LA
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
After taking two of the three from the Mets, the Cincinnati Reds look for consecutive series wins in New York as they play the rubber match of their three-game set with the Yankees today.
With the Reds trotting out budding ace Chase Burns, my Reds vs. Yankees predictions and free MLB picks have Cincy in prime position to take this series against the AL East leaders.
Who will win Reds vs Yankees today: Reds moneyline (+105)
Injuries have pushed 23-year-old Chase Burns into the ace role, and he's responded by allowing two or fewer runs in 13 of 14 starts.
The New York Yankees punish mistakes, leading the majors in home runs, but Burns avoids the big inning.
The Cincinnati Reds face highly-touted prospect Elmer Rodriguez, making just his second career start, against a Reds lineup whose best 2026 hitting split is on the road (.237 average).
Cincinnati has won six of its last eight meetings with New York, so I'd play the Reds up to -150.
COVERS INTEL: New York is well aware of what Burns is capable of. They were the team that he faced off against in his big league debut, nearly a year ago to the day, and his effort was described as electric.
Reds vs Yankees Over/Under pick: Under 8.5 (-116)
Burns’ ability to shut down a batting lineup has been remarkable, which lends itself more to the Under. The total has gone Under 9 in five of his last eight starts.
New York is in a mini power outage, losing two of three and scoring just three runs in those losses.
On the other side, even if the Reds can chase Rodriguez out after plating a few runs, they’ll have to deal with a Yankees’ bullpen that’s currently seventh in ERA.
The Under has cashed in five of the last seven matchups between these teams, and that trend should continue today.
Anything better than -125 is acceptable.
Eric Rosales' 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 10-11, -1.40 units
Over/Under bets: 14-6-0, +8.13 units
Reds vs Yankees weather
The bats will get a slight bump with 81F temperatures and sunny conditions, and an 8 mph wind blowing out to right-center.
Reds vs Yankees odds
Moneyline: Reds -106 | Yankees -110
Run line: Reds +1.5 | Yankees -1.5
Over/Under: Over 8.5 | Under 8.5
Reds vs Yankees trend
The Reds have covered the F5 Run Line in seven of their last nine games (+4.80 Units / 47% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Reds vs. Yankees.
How to watch Reds vs Yankees and game info
Location
Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY
Date
Sunday, June 21, 2026
First pitch
1:35 p.m. ET
TV
Reds.TV, YES
Reds starting pitcher
Chase Burns (8-1, 2.01 ERA)
Yankees starting pitcher
Elmer Rodriguez (0-1, 4.15 ERA)
Reds vs Yankees latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 29: Ozzie Albies #1 of the Atlanta Braves reacts after hitting a two-run homer in the first inning against the Detroit Tigers at Truist Park on April 29, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Ozzie Albies Game was definitely played yesterday. There was his home run to take the lead. Then his error in the top of the next inning, which aided Milwaukee into BABIPing themselves into the lead. Then there was this home run to win the game in the ninth.
Ozzie describes this game as “one of his top two games” of his career. Well, that means he has another favorite game that is equal or greater than yesterday’s game. What is it then? An easy answer is Game 6 of the 2021 World Series. That one has a star on it in my book. But how does that World Championship game compare to a regular season game, even one that he had a big part of winning? I’m not sure it does, and I believe he is considering his personal highlights. Yesterday’s game that reminded me of this one was on August 11, 2021.
This game was one that the Braves had easily in hand, but allowed the Reds to tie the game late and take the lead in the eleventh inning. I remember having this game in the background as I was working day job tasks. The stadium had the energy of resignation, and the home run seemed to come from nowhere.
There’s also this wild game from June 8, 2023 with some other Mets killers in the booth. So what is Ozzie’s “top game”?
One specific area that the Blue Jackets should look to improve this off-season is their defensive depth. When looking at this year's pending unrestricted free agents, Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Ryan Shea stands out as an interesting potential target for them to consider.
When Sergei Bobrovsky decided that he didn’t want to play for the Columbus Blue Jackets any longer, fans were gutted. How could the best goalie to ever wear the Union Blue want to leave? He owns just about every organizational record there is for goalies, including games played, wins, goals-against, saves, shutouts, minutes played, and points scored.
First up will be the 2026 NHL buyout window. The first buyout period this year starts 48 hours after the Stanley Cup playoffs end. So, with Carolina ending it last night, clubs will start the process of figuring out if they wish to buy a player out, and that process must conclude by June 30th at 5pm ET.
According to BetMGM's odds, the CBJ are listed at +5000 to win the 2027 Stanley Cup. That's the 16th-best odds in the league. Other teams at +5000 are the Washington Capitals and Philadelphia Flyers.
After being drafted 1st overall, Nash went on to sign his first NHL contract, a deal that was signed minutes before the deadline. That contract, at the time, was the most lucrative ever signed by an NHL rookie, valued at $1.2 million per season, with bonuses and incentives ranging from $8 million to $12 million.
When looking at this year's pending UFAs, one players who stands out as a potential option for the Blue Jackets to consider is Minnesota Wild forward Vladimir Tarasenko.
Adam Fantilli is the future of the Columbus Blue Jackets, and with him needing a new deal, many fans are worried that he won't get signed before July 1st, leading to an offer sheet that the CBJ won't be able to afford.
I'm here to tell you that there's nothing to worry about. At least, that's my humble opinion.
Former Columbus Blue Jackets forward and Cleveland Monsters Captain Ryan Craig has been promoted by the Vegas Golden Knights to be their next head coach. He replaces John Tortorella, who just took the VGK to the Stanley Cup Final. It was announced on June 16 that Tortorella would not be back to coach Vegas.
One way that the Blue Jackets could look to improve their group this summer is through free agency. There are some interesting pending unrestricted free agents (UFAs) who could hit the market on July 1, and one of them is Dallas Stars forward Michael Bunting.
"The league has completed its review of Mike Babcock's tenure in Columbus, and of certain alleged conduct associated therewith. Our investigation has concluded that, even in the light least favorable to Mr. Babcock, there is no current basis to restrict his employment in the league."
Everyone is the media expects and hopes GM Don Waddell does something to bolster the lineup. From trading up to trading down, to trading players, everything seems to be on the table.
When looking at this year's pending unrestricted free agents (UFAs), one player who could be an intriguing addition to the Blue Jackets' roster is Seattle Kraken forward Eeli Tolvanen.
The Blue Jackets have announced that they have signed defenseman Corson Ceulemans to a one-year, two-way contract extension. At the NHL level, the 6-foot-2 defenseman will have an $850,000 cap hit. He will have an AHL salary of $95,000.
Jake Christiansen has a lot to prove next season if he wants to remain a member of the CBJ. He'll be a UFA at the end of 26-27, and will be playing for his future.
Next Up For Columbus: The NHL Draft is on June 26 and 27 in Buffalo, where the CBJ will own pick #14.
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MINNEAPOLIS, MN - MAY 15: Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves looks on during the game against the San Antonio Spurs during Round Two Game Six of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 15, 2026 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Most of the time when we run these SB Nation Reacts polls at Canis Hoopus, I have a pretty good idea where the results are headed before the votes even start rolling in. It is a product of spending time in the comments section, and understanding the mood of Wolves Nation. There are certain questions where the answer feels almost preordained.
This week, though, I was caught a little off guard. Not necessarily by the winner, because the answer makes a painful amount of sense. What surprised me was the margin. We asked the Canis Hoopus faithful what the biggest thing standing between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the 2027 NBA title is, and the options were legitimate. We listed real, championship-level threats.
There was Oklahoma City, sitting there like the league’s fully weaponized basketball laboratory. The Thunder have the two-time league MVP in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, a championship already tucked into their belt, a roster that plays with relentless intensity, and more assets than just about anyone else in the league to keep tinkering, adjusting, and improving. They are young, loaded, battle-tested, and somehow still positioned to get better.
There was San Antonio, the team that ended Minnesota’s season in the second round and then kept right on moving. The Spurs are the reigning Western Conference champions, led by Victor Wembanyama. He headlines a young core that is still learning, still growing, and already ahead of schedule. That is the scary part. The Spurs were not supposed to be this far along this quickly, and yet there they were, sending the Wolves home and announcing that their timeline may not care about anyone else’s plans.
And then there were the newly crowned NBA champion New York Knicks, who now stand at the top of the league with Minnesota’s former franchise star Karl-Anthony Towns and the impossible-to-rattle Jalen Brunson leading the way. The Knicks did what the Timberwolves could not do. They took down San Antonio convincingly in the NBA Finals, winning the title and putting an end to one of the longest droughts in professional sports. That team is not going anywhere either. They have toughness, identity, star power, and the kind of championship validation that turns confidence into something more dangerous. If the Wolves can claw their way through the Western Conference gauntlet, there is every chance New York could be waiting on the other side.
Those are three extremely legitimate answers. Any one of them would have made sense. You could have voted Thunder, Spurs, or Knicks and defended the choice without breaking a sweat. But according to Wolves fans, none of those teams represented the biggest threat to Minnesota’s title hopes.
Neither did injuries, which is a little remarkable considering injuries absolutely helped cripple the Wolves this past postseason. Anthony Edwards was dealing with two bad knees. Naz Reid had the shoulder issue. Ayo Dosunmu was slowed by the calf. And most significantly for next season, Donte DiVincenzo will be recovering from a ruptured Achilles, leaving a major question mark hanging over Minnesota’s rotation before the 2026-27 season even begins. Ant, Naz, and Ayo’s issues should theoretically improve with an offseason of rest and recovery. DiVincenzo’s injury is different. Donte is not walking through that door in October ready to pick up where he left off. Whether Wolves fans see him at all next season remains very much up in the air, and even if he does return, it is fair to wonder when he will look anything like the version of himself this team expected to have.
For those who have watched DiVincenzo closely over the last two seasons, his absence cannot simply be waved away. It is easy to look at his role statistically and convince yourself that Minnesota can paper over the loss with Dosunmu, more minutes for others, or some clever reshuffling from Chris Finch. But Donte’s value was never just the box score. It was the toughness. It was the willingness to dive across the floor for a loose ball in January. It was the hustle plays, the defensive pressure, the edge, the three-point shooting, and the little bursts of energy that helped raise the team’s temperature when things started to drift. Anyone who thinks losing that will not matter does not fully understand what he brought to this roster. Going to war without the Big Ragu puts the Wolves behind the eight ball before the first game has even tipped.
And still, even with all of that, the injury bug was not the top answer.
No, Canis Hoopus voters overwhelmingly declared that the biggest thing standing between the Timberwolves and the 2027 NBA title is the Timberwolves themselves. When I put that option in the poll, I will admit, it was at least partially tongue-in-cheek. But the more you sit with it, the more obvious it becomes that the answer was not a joke at all. It was probably the most accurate option on the board.
If you understand this roster, if you have watched the Wolves at their best, you know there is enough talent here to compete with anyone. That is what makes the frustration so intense. This is not a team trying to convince itself it belongs in the conversation. This is not a scrappy overachiever hoping to steal a round. The Timberwolves have a top-tier superstar, elite defenders, versatile bigs, real depth, and enough shot-making to run with the best teams in the league when everything is connected. They have already proven they can beat Denver. They have shown they can hang with Oklahoma City. They took games from San Antonio despite being compromised. The ceiling is not imaginary. We have seen it. That is why the floor stings so much.
It starts, of course, with Anthony Edwards. He will be 25 when next season tips off, right on the doorstep of his prime, and at some point the conversation has to shift from what Ant might become to what Ant is willing to demand from himself and everyone around him. He has been through multiple NBA seasons now. He has played in multiple long postseason runs. He has seen what happens when a team tries to flip the switch too late. He has felt the physical toll of getting to the Conference Finals and the emotional toll of coming up short when the path is sitting right there in front of you.
A fully mature, fully locked-in Anthony Edwards may very well be the most dangerous weapon the NBA has to offer. That is not hyperbole. When he combines his athleticism, shot-making, defensive force, playmaking growth, and competitive fire, there are very few players in the league who can match the total package. The question is whether that version shows up consistently over 82 games and four playoff rounds. Is next season the year Ant stops saving his highest engagement level for the biggest opponents and starts setting the tone every night? Is this the year he stops drifting into hero-ball possessions when the offense bogs down and instead learns how to manipulate the entire floor like the best postseason performers do? Has the pain of the last few playoff exits burned into him what it actually takes to win a championship, not just in moments, but as a daily standard?
That is the next step. Not another highlight. Not another fourth-quarter explosion that makes everyone remember why he is special. The next step is leadership through consistency. It is setting the temperature in November so the team is not scrambling to rediscover its identity in April. It is understanding that the regular season is not a chore to endure, but the place where habits are built. It is realizing that the great ones do not simply rise to the moment; they prepare so relentlessly that the moment has no choice but to meet them.
Then there is Julius Randle, assuming he remains on the roster. There may not be a more fascinating, maddening, and important swing piece on this team. When Randle is right, he gives Minnesota something it desperately needs: a second offensive force who can create his own shot, bully smaller defenders, punish mismatches, and draw attention that opens the floor for everyone else. Peak Julius is not some theoretical concept. We have seen it. There are nights when he looks like exactly the kind of co-star Edwards needs, a bruising, playmaking, downhill force who makes the Wolves more physical and more difficult to guard.
But the issue has never been whether Randle can reach that level. The issue is whether he can live there often enough. Can he get out of his own way? Can he avoid the moodiness, the inconsistency, the possessions where the ball sticks and the offense turns into a wrestling match against five defenders? Can he be the reliable second option this team needs rather than a nightly mystery box? The Wolves do not need Randle to be perfect. They need him to be dependable. They need the version that wears opponents down, rebounds with force, defends with engagement, and understands that his greatest value comes when he is not trying to prove everything on one possession.
Jaden McDaniels faces a different kind of challenge. We saw against Denver what it looks like when Jaden turns defense into a personal vendetta. There were stretches where he looked like he was trying to remove Jamal Murray from the concept of basketball. That version of McDaniels is terrifying. The question is whether he can bring that edge night after night over the long grind of the regular season. Can he turn that playoff defensive intensity into an 82-game reign of terror on opposing offenses? Can he pair it with enough offensive aggression to punish teams that ignore him, get to his spots, and avoid becoming a corner statue waiting for the occasional kick-out three?
That matters because the Wolves are not at their best when Jaden is simply a defensive specialist. They are at their best when he is a two-way problem. When he is defending the other team’s best perimeter player on one end and then attacking with confidence on the other, Minnesota’s ceiling rises dramatically. He does not need to become a 22-point-per-game scorer. He needs to be assertive enough that opponents cannot treat him like a passenger.
The broader question is whether the entire team can finally get off the roller coaster. That was the theme of last season, and frankly, of too many stretches before it. The Wolves would look like a championship team one night and then spend the next game wandering around aimlessly. They would build a lead, then act personally offended by the idea of maintaining it. They would put an opponent on the ropes and then inexplicably step back, allowing the other team to breathe, regroup, and punch back.
That cannot be who this team is if it wants to win a championship. The small plays have to become non-negotiable. Rebounds. Rotations. Closeouts. Free throws. Taking care of the ball. Not letting a 14-point lead become a two-point game because everyone decided to chuck threes and stop defending. Not treating lower-tier opponents like optional homework. If the Wolves want a top seed, and they should, it cannot be because someone tells them home court is important. It has to come from pride, from competitiveness, from the desire to build habits that survive the playoffs.
Because yes, the Wolves have proven they do not need a top seed to win a series. They have won on the road, they have won as underdogs, and they have survived hostile environments. But that does not mean seeding does not matter. It does not mean habits do not matter. It does not mean you can sleepwalk through half the regular season and assume the best version of yourself will magically appear when the lights get brighter. The postseason exposes whatever you have been all year. If you have spent six months cutting corners, eventually the bill comes due.
That is why the poll result hit harder than expected. Wolves fans are not saying Oklahoma City is not dangerous or that San Antonio is not terrifying. They are saying that the Timberwolves already have enough to make the fight real. They are saying this team’s greatest obstacle is not talent. It is execution. It is maturity. It is consistency. It is whether the Wolves can finally stop being their own worst enemy long enough to become the team they have teased us with for the last three years.
Tim Connelly can and should make tweaks. The point guard situation still needs attention. DiVincenzo’s absence creates a real hole. The roster can be sharpened. There are moves that could matter enormously. But this is not a team that needs to be saved from itself by one massive transaction. The bones of a contender are already here. The superstar is here. The defensive infrastructure is here. The playoff experience is here. The question is whether the lessons have actually sunk in.
So when the summer ends, when the standings reset, when the new uniforms are hanging in the locker room and the Wolves get another crack at this thing, we will find out what kind of team they want to be. Are they going to sleepwalk through the regular season again, bide their time, flip the switch when they feel like it, and hope April adrenaline can cover up six months of bad habits? Or are they going to show up from the opening tip and announce that something has changed? That they have grown up. That they have had enough of almost.
In the end, that is what stands between the Timberwolves and true title contention. Not SGA. Not Wembanyama. Not Brunson. Not even the injury gods, cruel as they can be. The biggest obstacle is the man in the mirror, the nightly choice between discipline and drift, between maturity and excuses, between being a team that talks about championship standards and one that actually lives them.
The Wolves have the talent to win the title.
Now they have to decide if they are willing to become the team that does.
The NBA season may be over, but FanDuel Sportsbook has you covered for all of your betting needs, including the NBA draft and 2026-27 season futures. Wolves +3300 for the title, anyone?
Bryse Wilson of the Lehigh Valley IronPigs delivers a pitch 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
On Monday, the Phillies are going to try some things with their fifth starter’s spot.
Phillies, for now, are going with TBA as their Monday starter in Washington. That is when they'll unveil the plan for the No. 5 spot. Could be Alan Rangel. Could be Bryse Wilson. Could be you.
Outside of the possibility that a mere fan could walk onto the field and start hurling whatever assortment of junk he/she could think of at James Wood, the Phillies will be showing their hand as to their plans. Maybe they’ll give Bryse Wilson another crack at the job, maybe it’ll be Rangel.
Maybe it’ll be the vaunted “bullpen game”, with one of these two names acting as the bulk man for the game.
In your eyes, what’s the ideal thing for the Phillies to do? The purist in me wants a starter, whether that be Wilson or Rangel, to start the game and give them an actual start, but if they deem a bullpen game to be the option, who am I to judge?
COVERS INTEL: Gasser has struggled with his sinker this season, allowing a .398 wOBA on the pitch – one that the Braves pull in the air a solid 
Travis Bazzana 
Brandon Lowe
Freddie Freeman
