DETROIT, MI - JUNE 27: Christian Vazquez #2 of the Houston Astros and Jeremy Pena #3 score on a double by Isaac Paredes to take a 8-6 lead over the Detroit Tigers during the eighth inning at Comerica Park on June 27, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
There may have been a sense that with AL MVP frontrunner Yordan Alvarez getting just his second off day of the season, the Houston Astros (41-44) may have trouble scoring runs today. That would not be the case.
The Houston offense got untracked early and surged late to lead the Astros over the Detroit Tigers (35-48) 8-6 this afternoon at Comerica Park.
Facing former Astro Framber Valdez, Houston got on the board first in the top of the second on a 2-run homer by Cam Smith. It was Smith’s 9th HR of the season, matching his total from all of 2025.
They would tack on another in the top of the 3rd when Jeremy Pena (3×5, 2R, 2RBI) scored on a Jose Altuve double-play groundout. The Tigers conceded the run in exchange for the two outs. It was 3-0 Astros.
Things got ugly for Astros starter Kai-Wei Teng in the bottom of the 3rd. Teng, who was coming off a terrific 6 inning performance in his last outing allowing just one run, would load the bases on a walk, an error, and a hit-by-pitch. Kerry Carpenter then launched a poorly placed curveball 390 feet to right center for a grand slam, his 12th HR of the season. The bomb gave the Tigers a 4-3 lead.
The Astros would answer right back in the top of the 4th on an RBI single by Jeremy Pena to tie the game at 4.
In the bottom of the 4th, a two-out RBI double by Spencer Torkleson would give the Tigers back the lead at 5-4 and chase Teng from the game in favor of Steven Okert.
Okert has essentially become the Astros “stopper”, the reliever called on to slam the door in stressed situations to quell rallies. Okert came into the game with 2 outs and runners on 2nd and 3rd, but got Carpenter on a grounder to first to end the threat.
In the bottom of the 5th, the Tigers would add another run on a solo HR by Hao-Yu Lee. Lee’s 3rd HR of the season made it a 6-4 Tigers lead and ended Steven Okert’s scoreless streak at 17.2 IP, the longest of the season by an Astros pitcher and the longest of the season by a LHP in MLB this year.
The Astros would get one back in the top of the 7th. a 2-out walk by Isaac Paredes and a single by Jose Altuve gave Houston 1st & 2nd, and then Christian Walker would deliver an RBI single to score Paredes and cut the deficit to 6-5. Walker would finish with 4 hits on the day, this one accounting for his 53rd RBI of the season.
Houston would have more 2-out magic in the top of the 8th. After a leadoff single by Yainer Diaz, Jake Meyers and Taylor Trammell both struck out. Christian Vazquez then poked a single to right, advancing Diaz to 2nd. A single by Pena and an error by Tigers CF James Outman would allow Diaz to score, tying the game at 6.
Bryan King and Josh Hader (S, 7) would handle the 8th and 9th innings in order for the Astros, who improve to 41-44 with the win.
AJ Blubaugh (4-2) picked up the win in relief with 2 scoreless innings.
The Astros are currently 2GB in the AL West and 0.5GB in the AL Wild Card race, pending tonight’s action.
The Astros will look to win the 5th straight series tomorrow afternoon behind Hunter Brown. The Astros have not won 5 straight series since June 20- July 6 last season, a stretch in which they went 12-3.
NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 21: Chase Burns #26 of the Cincinnati Reds walks on the field prior to the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Sunday, June 21, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Chase Burns leads the Cincinnati Reds into Saturday’s contest against the Pittsburgh Pirates with the chance to lock up a much needed series victory. Jared Jones gets the start for the Bucs, with first pitch estimated to come at some point around 4:40 PM ET after a roughly half-hour rain delay.
When Buehler met with reporters after the game, he didn’t hesitate to state how good he felt after beating his former team for the first time as a member of the Padres.
“My last pitch there was the last out of the [2024] World Series. I don’t really know how else I would’ve rather gone out any better than that,” Buehler said Friday.
“I want to kick everyone’s ass. I want to beat everyone, especially in the division. And especially against a team that has been so successful against the organization that I am with now.”
"I want to kick everyone's ass, I want to beat everyone, especially in the division." Walker Buehler on Padres 7-1 win vs the Dodgers and facing his former team.https://t.co/lbyvm63gig
Friday night marked the second time Buehler has faced the team he helped close out Game 5 and win the 2024 World Series over the Yankees. The first time he faced the Dodgers was as a member of the Red Sox, when he pitched 4 ⅔ innings, giving up three runs, five walks and four hits.
On Friday night, Buehler looked like his old self, pitching five-plus innings and striking out five. He yielded one run on three hits and three walks.
Former Dodgers pitcher Walker Buehler defeated his old team Friday night, leading the host Padres to victory. AP Photo/Derrick Tuskan
“I think the first one in Boston was a lot bigger, emotional, load, for lack of a better word,” Buehler said Friday night. “It’s a team in our division; I’m gonna have to pitch against them. It’s good to get the first win in this uniform, at home, and we’ll see what kind of happens on the road. I haven’t thrown at Dodger Stadium yet, which will be a different thing.”
Buehler admitted during postgame that his philosophy on pitching has changed since he joined the Padres. Now he is not trying to throw over 100 pitches in a game but is more focused on delivering five to six clean innings for the bullpen to finish the game.
Walker Buehler has been strong during his last eight starts for the Padres. YouTube/@MartyCaswell
While the Padres and Dodgers are scheduled to play the second game of their three-game series Saturday night in San Diego, it appears Buehler’s next scheduled start will come against the Dodgers: July 2 at Dodger Stadium.
The Chicago Blackhawks went a long while without making a selection in the 2026 NHL Draft, but they came back on the clock twice during the seventh round.
With their first of two, they took Russian defenseman Alexander Ivanov with the 194th pick. Ivanov is more of a defensive defenseman with size, standing at 6'1" and 181 lbs.
There is not one part of Ivanov's game that sticks out as NHL caliber, which will have to change if he ever wants to make it, but he is a well-rounded player who knows how to play the position. He has pro experience under his belt already, so it's on him to work his way over to North America.
With the 200th overall pick, the Blackhawks selected William Sorbrand. This was a case of the Blackhawks adding a big forward with their last pick, as Sorbrand of Sweden comes in at 6'4" and 209 lbs.
During his draft year, he spent time with each level of the Swedish Elite League as a member of Timra IK.
That made it five total picks for the Blackhawks over the course of the entire draft, which is the least they've made in the Kyle Davidson era, including no first-round selections for the first time.
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Mets fans, you can expect to see a lot of Jared Young moving forward.
Interim manager Andy Green told reporters prior to Saturday afternoon's game against the Phillies that Young will handle the position “pretty consistently” over this next stretch.
“I’d be a fool to change that one,” he said. “There’s still opportunities for other players, especially against certain types of lefty pitching, to get over to first and play, but he’s locking down kind of the lion’s share of at-bats over there.”
First base, of course, has been a bit of a revolving door for the Mets this season as they’ve attempted to make up for the departure of Pete Alonso over the winter.
Jorge Polanco was brought in on a two-year pact to handle the bulk of the playing time, but injuries quickly limited him to DH duties and then forced him to the injured list since mid-April.
Mark Vientos and Brett Baty received opportunities over there as well, but Baty ended up being utilized elsewhere around the diamond and Vientos struggled mightily on both sides of the ball.
Thus far, Young has taken advantage of the opportunity since returning from an injury of his own.
The lefty slugger continues to serve as a catalyst for an offense that desperately needs it, and has provided an extremely steady glove at first base, both of which were on display Friday.
"I had the opportunity to coach him in Chicago," Green said. "I've always believed the bat is real, it's fun for the rest of the world to get the opportunity to see that -- he's a tremendous teammate, cares about winning, smiles through adversity -- just the kind of guy you love having on a baseball team.
"There's a lot to like and he's really defending the position well, it's been fun watching."
Mar 7, 2026; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks center Nate Bittle (32) looks to pass the ball around Washington Huskies guard Quimari Peterson (0) during the second half at Matthew Knight Arena. Mandatory Credit: Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images | Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images
What’s up y’all? The NBA draft has come and gone, and unfortunately (but not necessarily unsurprisingly) Nate Bittle was not drafted. He did, however, sign an Exhibit 10 contract with the Toronto Raptors, which is an invitation to Summer League and potentially to training camp in the fall. But it got me thinking, how do y’all think Bittle will fare in his career? Do you think he’ll stick in the NBA? Maybe as a G-League player? Or possibly play overseas? Let me know below!
KANSAS CITY, MO - MAY 27: New York Yankees starting pitcher Gerritt Cole (45) as seen after b being relieved in the seventh inning during a MLB game between the New York Yankees and the Kansas City Royals on May 27, 2026, at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, MO. (Photo by Keith Gillett/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Everyone can beat the Red Sox at home, right? They can’t hit there. They make costly mental errors. They’ve won won just 15 games at their home ground in the Fens, the lowest number of any team in the league.
All of this makes it grandly hilarious that the one team they apparently can beat at home right now is the New York Yankees.
After beating the Yankees yet again, this time behind Jake Bennett’s clean 6.1 innings, the Red Sox are now on their longest win streak of the season. Yes, three wins is not a very impressive streak. But, again, that just makes it even funnier that those three wins have come at the expense of the Yankees. Let’s all laugh at their pain!
The Sox scored early and often off Gerritt Cole, with Masataka Yoshida and Anthony Seigler picking up the daddy-torch Rafal Devers left in his locker 12 months ago. (Wait, ew, what’s a daddy-torch? I don’t want to think about it. Let’s move on.) Yoshida’s homer came in the first plate appearance of the game for the Sox, setting the tone for a pretty nice day at the ballpark.
The two rivals will go at it again tomorrow as the Sox try to complete 2026’s funniest sweep.
Three Studs
Jake Bennett: The pitching depth, it is for realz. Bennett only struck out three batters, but found a way to keep the Yanks off the basepaths for most of the afternoon, taking his start all the way into the seventh.
Masataka Yoshida: Might this be the start of one of Masa’s patented hey! he’s a pretty good hitter! two-month stretches at the plate? TBD, but he notched two hits today and scored twice.
Anthony Seigler: Ceddanne Rafalea joined Masa in the two-hit club, as he continues to build his case as one of the low-key best outfielders in the game. But Seigler’s bomb was the first of his career, so let’s stud him for that.
One Dud
Jarren Duran: Another 0-4 day and another two strikeouts for a guy who has been an offensive blackhole for most of the season. Is there some kind of rule that says the 2026 Red Sox need to have someone who is hitting worse than everyone else in the league at all times?
Play of the Game
It’s one of the biggest days of Anthony Seigler’s life, folks.
Right-handed pitcher Bryse Wilson was claimed on waivers by the Cubs from the Phillies earlier this week.
And now, he’s on the active roster (Bluesky link):
Wilson had eight years in the major leagues before 2026, with the Braves, Pirates, Brewers and White Sox. He was pretty bad for the Sox last year (6.65 ERA in 20 appearances covering 47.1 innings) and threw in one game for the Phillies this year. That inning for the Phillies, June 18 vs. the Mets, was the last time he threw in a game.
He’s probably stretched out enough to go maybe four or so innings. Between Wilson and Vince Velasquez, I think that’s who we will see throw in tomorrow’s game, presuming, of course, that David Peterson can give the team some length tonight against the Brewers.
I mentioned Wilson had pitched in Milwaukee, and one of those years was 2023, so Craig Counsell has some familiarity with him — Wilson threw well in relief for the Brewers that year, with a 2.58 ERA and 1.070 WHIP in 53 relief appearances. Maybe Counsell can channel some of that. Wilson was once a Top 100 prospect, back in 2019, for whatever that’s worth.
As always, we await developments. Today’s game preview will post at 4 p.m. CT.
The Anaheim Ducks made nine selections in the 2026 NHL Draft over the two-day event in Buffalo, NY on June 26 and 27.
They made two significant trades on Day 1 of the draft, parting with young center Mason McTavish (3rd overall in 2021) and young, budding defenseman Olen Zellweger (33rd in ’21). On the eve of the draft night, the Ducks didn’t have any first-round picks for the first time since 2017, but by trading McTavish, they acquired two: the 15th and 29th overall picks.
Due to the uncertain nature of evaluating draft picks, as they’re incredibly young and likely will take several years to reach the NHL, if at all, it’s difficult to dislike any selection made by any team at any point in the draft. With that said, for this exercise, instead of typical letter grades, I have graded the Ducks' selections in terms of “Cold Stone Creamery” ice cream sizes, which reflect varying degrees of enjoyment: “Like It,” Love It,” and “Gotta Have It.”
15. Nikita Klepov, LW, Saginaw Spirit (OHL)
6-Foot | 187 Pounds
Grade: Gotta Have It
Heading into the draft, Klepov was ranked around this position, with a range of 15 to 25. He led the OHL in scoring with 97 points (37-60=97) in 67 regular season games, and dictates every aspect of play with the puck on his stick. He’s calculating, deceptive, tenacious, and has some of the top pure skill in this entire draft class.
The reason this pick receives such a high grade from me is, in large part, the cost it took to make this selection. The Ducks had Klepov targeted, and general manager Pat Verbeek stated that if he weren’t available at 15, the Ducks wouldn’t have made the deal. Klepov will forever be tied to Mason McTavish for the duration of their careers, and the Ducks put their neck out by trading a former third-overall pick in a trade where he’s the centerpiece coming back.
Other players that Verbeek and Martin Madden, as a duo, have staked their reputation on whether it’s selecting them higher than they were projected or have traded up for in the first round include Leo Carlsson (2nd in ’23), Beckett Sennecke (3rd in ’24), and Stian Solberg (23rd in ’24).
“I think our scouts were super excited, but I was (also) super excited to get to him just because I think he provides what I call a 50-50 player in a sense,” Verbeek told media after the first round. “He's equal part goalscorer, equal part playmaker. He does have creativity, has really good hockey sense, and with an 18-year-old, they need to get stronger.
“And I believe over the next year or so, if we get him stronger, he's going to be in a place that's going to be really good to play in the NHL. We just like his compete level. We like the drive that he has to score goals. And right now, it's just a matter of getting him stronger because there's a lot of really top-notch athletic ability with this player as well.”
Beyond the top ten, for the most part, the Ducks have been relatively safe with the type of player they select in the late-first round and into the second round. They’ve preferred more projectable, potentially lower-ceiling players. However, with this pick and their second first-round pick, they gambled big on upside.
28. Marcus Nordmark, W, Djurgardens IF (U20 Sweden)
6-foot-2 | 187 Pounds
Grade: Like It
This pick was a significant bet on talent for the Ducks, looking to add dynamism to their forward pipeline. Nordmark has every imaginable physical tool aside from skating. His processing speed with the puck on his stick is high-level, his release is quick and heavy, and he’s a plus facilitator.
The question marks surrounding Nordmark’s game appear to be mostly between the ears. He lacks consistency, and with that, his compete level can appear lacking. He has good defensive instincts, but could stand to improve his forechecking and stride-to-stride involvement.
The Ducks clearly believe in their development staff to get the most out of the mental aspects of Nordmark’s game. This is a bet on upside that most followers crave their teams make at this position in the draft.
In an unusual tactic, the Ducks traded up one single spot from 29 to 28 to take Nordmark.
“That's the deal. When you start looking at your board, and you start looking at your list, you don't want to take a chance,” Verbeek said when asked about trading up so minimally. “I didn't feel like we had the chance to do it (at 29th overall versus 28th overall), and I don't like taking chances to hope that that player is going to be there. We like the player a lot, and we want to be aggressive to make sure that we got that player.”
45. Jayden Kurtz, RHD, Rogers High School (USHS-MN)
6-foot-3 | 194 Pounds
Grade: Like It
As has become tradition to an extent, the Ducks went a bit off the board with an early Day 2 pick when they selected Jayden Kurtz from the Minnesota high school hockey circuit. Kurtz is a long, responsible defender who could be classified as a “long-term project” for Anaheim.
Kurtz scored 38 points (13-25=38) in 26 high school games in 2025-26 and added three points (1-2=3) in 16 USHL games in a stint with the Chicago Steel to end the campaign. This selection is reminiscent of when they selected Jackson LaCombe with the 39th overall pick in the 2019 draft.
Kurtz will play his 2026-27 season at the University of Wisconsin in the NCAA.
50. Mathis Preston, RW, Vancouver Giants (WHL)
5-foot-11 | 176 Pounds
Grade: Gotta Have It
This is yet another bet on upside, as Preston is one of the more electric players in the 2026 Draft. He’s the shiftiest, fastest skater in the class with lightning hands and a lightning release. He’s more of a transition expert than a cycle play driver, but his instant offense is a tool that any team could use.
His length is roughly NHL average, but he’ll need to add to his 176-pound frame in the next couple of seasons to round out his toolkit. Preston’s lack of a “B Game” is what likely caused his drop into the second round, but the Ducks can afford to take a gamble on tremendous offensive upside, which is why this is my favorite pick of the draft.
Mathis finished his WHL season with 44 points (18-26=44) in 46 games, split between the Spokane Chiefs and Vancouver Giants, and ended his season playing for Canada at the U18 World Championships, where he scored six points (2-4=6) in five games.
“I think I’m a dynamic skater. I love to attack off the rush, play in-zone,” Preston said after he was drafted. “I think I make my teammates around me better, and I learn people’s games so that I can help them. I know their strengths and where they’re comfortable. I think that helps the team, overall.”
82. Rian Chudzinski, RW, Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL)
6-foot-1 | 191 Pounds
Grade: Like It
After four high-upside potential projects, the Ducks went back to the well of selecting a translatable, responsible, north/south forward in the third round with their selection of Rian Chudzinski.
Chudzinski plays a pacey “meat and potatoes” game, where he makes an impact on the forecheck, provides a physical presence, and gets to the hard areas of the ice. The production will likely never come around, and he projects to top out with a fourth-line toolkit.
He scored 38 points (21-17=38) in 54 games and added 17 (6-11=17) in 21 playoff games during Moncton’s run to the QMJHL final. It’s unclear where he’ll play his hockey in 2026-27.
146. Eric Frossard, LHD, Guelph Storm (OHL)
6-foot-6 | 206 Pounds
Grade: Love It
Frossard’s size, defensive fundamentals, and projectability render it somewhat of a surprise that he was available this late into the draft for the Ducks. His skills aren’t dazzling, but are good enough to retrieve a puck, make a first pass, and feed shots through from the point.
His expertise is defense, specifically eliminating angles and protecting the net front. He likely has bottom pair upside, and it will take him several years of development before he may even sniff NHL action, but certainly a worthwhile gamble in the fifth round.
He scored 14 points (5-9=14) in 51 games for Guelph in 2025-26. He’ll look to round out and develop more of a robust offensive game in 2026-27, again playing for Guelph, but he’ll make the jump to the NCAA in 2027-28 to play for the University of Notre Dame.
“I’m a big defenseman who skates really well, plays a really strong defensive game, use my stick, closes fast, but also has some offensive ability and more of a two-way style,” Frossard said after his selection. “I use my skating to join the rush and try to help the team score as well.”
178. Gleb Peshkov, G, Taifun Primorsky Krai (MHL Russia)
6-foot-3 | 212 Pounds
Grade: Love It
The Ducks rarely exit a draft without selecting a goaltender. This year, it was Peshkov in the sixth round. The Ducks will add him to their goalie pipeline that includes Tomas Suchanek, Damian Clara, Vyacheslav Buteyets, and Elijah Neuenschwander.
Peshkov is reported to be an athletic, but very raw goaltender who managed a .930 SV% in 47 MHL games in 2025-26. Positioning and puck tracking seem to be areas in need of improvement for Peshkov before he potentially makes the transition to North America.
192. Noah Kosick, C, Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL)
6-foot | 160 Pounds
Grade: Like It
The Ducks acquired the 192nd pick in the 2026 NHL draft along with ECHL defenseman Kyle Masters (23) from the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for the signing rights for veteran defenseman John Carlson. With the pick, the Ducks selected Kosick, a playmaking center from the WHL who has good vision, hockey sense, and puck skills, but needs to round out every other aspect of his game.
He scored 54 points (16-38=54) in 69 games in 2025-26, split between the Swift Current Broncos and Seattle Thunderbirds. He is reportedly heading to the University of Michigan in the NCAA for the 2026-27 season.
210. James Rieber, RHD, Waterloo Blackhawks (USHL)
6-foot-2 | 176 Pounds
Grade: Like It
With their final selection in the draft, the Ducks took a swing on Rieber, who scored 11 points (2-9=11) in 60 regular season USHL games. He’s committed to Miami University (Ohio) in the NCAA for the 2027-28 season and will presumably play another year in the USHL next season.
Ducks defenseman John Carlson speaks to the media during his 2025-26 exit interview.
The writing appeared to be on the wall when it came to John Carlson leaving the Ducks via free agency, but it was confirmed on Saturday afternoon after they traded Carlson’s rights to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for defenseman Kyle Masters and the 192nd overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. The Ducks used that pick to select forward Noah Kostick from the Seattle Thunderbirds in the WHL.
Carlson was acquired this past March from the Washington Capitals and after a delayed debut due to a lingering lower-body injury that he suffered prior to the trade, he played in 16 regular season games for the Ducks. He scored his first professional hat trick on Apr. 9 against the San Jose Sharks and arguably helped the Ducks reach the playoffs for the first time since 2018.
He helped solidify the right side of the Ducks’ defense behind Jacob Trouba and contributed well during their Round 1 series against the Edmonton Oilers. However, he did not fare as well in Round 2 against the Vegas Golden Knights’ suffocating forecheck and stingy penalty kill.
Following the conclusion of the Ducks 2025-26 season after their Round 2 loss to the Golden Knights, reports began to surface that Carlson was seeking a return to the East Coast. Eventually, Carlson’s agent, Rick Curran, confirmed that Carlson would not be returning to the Ducks.
Saturday’s trade helps Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek recoup a small amount of value for Carlson after initially trading a first-round pick and a third-round pick for him.
Lendeborg hilariously found out where his locker is: next to future Hall of Famer Steph Curry.
Former Michigan star Yaxel Lendeborg found out his Warriors locker is next to Steph Curry’s. Anadolu via Getty Images
During Lendeborg’s introductory news conference with the Warriors this week, he joked about how he grew up hating Curry because the rookie was a big Kyrie Irving fan.
When Lendeborg was shown his locker, he immediately burst into laughter and said, “Did y’all do this on purpose right here?”
Immediately after he questioned his locker location, Lendeborg approached his locker filled with joy because he will be next to one of the greatest shooters in NBA history.
Filled with emotions, Lendeborg was told by someone in the group made up of Warriors officials and friends and family members of his and second-round pick Lajae Jones, “They say if you sit close to someone, their shooting skills will rub off on you.” To which Lendeborg jokingly replied and said, “I need that. I definitely need that.”
Lendeborg grew up cheering for Kyrie Irving and didn’t root for Warriors legend Steph Curry (above). FilmMagic
Regardless of how Lendeborg felt about Curry and the Warriors before, that all seems to be in the past. The young rookie was thrilled to see his locker, with his jersey hanging inside for the first time. He asked if he was allowed to hold it.
Standing in front of his locker with his jersey in his hands for the first time, Lendeborg was emotional and admitted he was about to cry again.
When Jones saw his locker for the first time, he was also in disbelief, as the two young stars realized their dreams were now reality.
NEW YORK – There were no late-inning heroics, no furious comebacks, no eye-popping defensive plays for the Phillies on Saturday.
Their four-game winning streak, built on much of the above, came to an end in a 6-2 loss to the New York Mets at Citi Field.
It all fell apart in the sixth inning when the Mets capitalized on some shaky Phillies’ defense, sent nine men to plate and scored four times to erase a 2-0 deficit.
Bryce Harper was in the middle of it all most of the day.
He clubbed a two-run homer in the top of the third inning to put the Phils ahead.
Alan Rangel, filling the fifth spot in the starting rotation as a bulk reliever, entered the game in the second inning and did a creditable job protecting the lead through five.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Rangel allowed two one-out singles – one was a soft liner to right that may have been catchable had Gabriel Rincones been more aggressive — before Francisco Lindor smashed a ball past Harper at first base. Harper dived for the 102.4 mph bullet, but it got by him and rolled all the way into the right-field corner for a two-run, game-tying triple.
Before the inning was over, Jonathan Bowlan replaced Rangel and gave up a two-run single up the middle through a drawn-in infield to make it 4-2.
The Mets padded their lead with two more runs against lefty reliever Kyle Backhus in the seventh.
The bottom of the sixth was the decisive frame and it spotlighted a Phillies weakness – defense. It’s not so much the errors with this team. It’s the plays that go unmade, plays that a sharp team makes. The Phils entered the day with a rating of minus-20 Outs Above Average, according to Statcast. That ranked 29th in the majors.
Had Rincones made a play on Juan Soto’s soft liner to right and Harper made a play on Lindor’s hard-hit ball – it went under his out-stretched glove – the Phillies could have gotten out of the inning unscathed.
Manager Don Mattingly wasn’t immediately sure if Rincones could have caught Soto’s ball.
“I haven’t really looked at it yet,” he said. “They’ll have the report, it’ll come out tomorrow, probabilities and things like that.”
As for Lindor’s hot smash past Harper:
“You always have a chance (to make a play),” Mattingly said. “It was over 100 (mph), scorched pretty good and it had a little hook to it. It’s getting by you pretty quick.”
To his credit, Harper said he should have made the play.
“I felt like he top-spun it,” Harper said. “I thought it was going to bounce up and it just kind of got under my glove. Yeah, I was pretty upset about that play. Obviously, it’s a play I think I should have made, but it didn’t happen.”
Independent of the two plays in the sixth inning, Mattingly was asked what he thinks of the team’s defense in the two months he’s been on the job.
“There’s times I like it and times that I don’t feel as good about it,” he said. “That’s kind of day to day. In general, it’s been OK. I like to see us, obviously, always continue to tighten everything up and get better, where we get the outs that we’re supposed to get and not give those guys extra chances.”
Harper’s eventful sixth inning included his being caught trying to stretch a single into a double with no outs.
“I saw the center fielder fall down and thought I could make it,” he said. “It just didn’t happen.”
Despite losing the lead in the lead in the sixth, Rangel gave the Phils some good work in his second outing since being summoned from Triple A to fill the fifth rotation spot. He pitched five innings of one-run ball earlier in the week in Washington and was rolling along until the sixth inning Saturday. With a sharper defense, he might have gotten a win.
“I thought he was good,” Mattingly said. “He had them off balance. Up until the Lindor ball, nothing was scorched.”
Jesus Luzardo will get the ball as the Phillies look to bounce back and win the series on Sunday afternoon. The Mets will use an opener, lefty Cionel Perez.
Jun 27, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Houston Astros right fielder Cam Smith (11) receives congratulations from teammates after he hits a two-run home run in the second inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
After a nice, solid drubbing of the Houston Astros on Friday night which evened the four-game series at a game apiece, the Detroit Tigers looked to clinch at least a series tie on Saturday afternoon. Despite a lovely grand slam early in the game, the Tiger bullpen couldn’t hold onto this one as the Astros prevailed 8-6.
Framber Valdez’s seventeenth start for the Tigers aimed to build upon two solid, six-inning, one-run outings in a row. Regardless of the start, though, walks have been a problem for him: coming into today he’d walked at least two batters in every start since the middle of May. As the late Jim Price used to bemoan on the radio broadcasts, “Oh, those bases on balls!”
Facing the Tigers today was Kai-Wei Teng, making his tenth start of the season to go along with thirteen relief appearances. He’s found a home in Houston’s rotation after having limited success in San Francisco the past two years. That’s not to say it’s been all sunshine-and-roses lately; to wit, two starts ago he faced these very same Tigers in Houston and didn’t make it through the fourth inning, having given up five runs and a trio of taters. One of those was to Colt Keith, amongst the three he hit that lovely day.
The Astros struck first: in the bottom of the second Christian Walker led off with a double; Kerry Carpenter took a strange route to it and might’ve had a play on it in some parallel universe. That cost the Tigers a run as Cam Smith immediately followed with a sizzling line drive home run to left field.
Meanwhile, the Tigers were getting pretty good swings against Teng, but the line drives seemed to be finding gloves at an annoying rate.
Houston kept coming in the third, with some singles and a double resulting in another run; one of the singles should’ve been an error on Spencer Torkelson making the run unearned, but that’s baseball, I guess.
In the bottom of the inning a walk and a grounder off Jose Altuve’s glove put the first two runners on. After Isaac Paredes made a good play on a foul popup from Riley Greene, Teng hit Torkelson to load the bases and bring Kerry Carpenter to the plate. Teng hung a curveball, Carpenter swung, and the batter absolutely did not miss.
The Astros evened the score in the top of the fourth with a pair of singles, a productive groundout, and another single.
In the bottom of the inning Jake Rogers legged-out an infield single, and with two out Greene singled to right. Torkelson followed with a double that scored Rogers and pushed Greene up to third for a 5-4 lead. That was the end of Teng’s day, and lefty Steven Okert was summoned. Carpenter was due up next… and somehow he was not pulled for a pinch-hitter! Alas, he meekly hit a ground ball to first for the third out — as Jahmai Jones forlonly cried a single tear while sitting on the dugout bench.
With one out in the fifth, Hao-Yu Lee hit a fly ball just above the left fielder’s outstretched glove for his third home run on the year, making it a 6-4 game.
Valdez actually settled down quite nicely from the end of the fourth through the sixth, setting down seven in a row. He was done after six innings — his third straight start of that length — but his final line was lousy: 6 IP, 8 H, 4 ER, 0 BB, 2 K. Tellingly, his settling-down coincided with a whole bunch of Astros hitting ground balls; if he’d only been able to do that earlier in the game, well then, now you’ve got something.
Drew Anderson took over in the seventh, and with two out he walked Paredes and gave up a soft single to Altuve for a bit of a jam, bringing up Walker who hit a line drive single to left, scoring Paredes and narrowing the lead to 6-5. That’d be it for Anderson, and it was a Drew-for-Drew swap on the mound as Somers inherited a two-on, two-out pickle. The lefty faced fellow lefty, pinch hitter Joey Loperfido, and coaxed a soft fly ball from him for the third out.
Will Vest replaced Drew #2 in the eighth, and it didn’t go particularly well. Yainer Díaz led off with a single, and with two outs Christian Vásquez singled as well to put runners on first and second. Jeremy Peña singled weakly to centre, scoring Diaz to tíe the game; the ball was misplayed by James Outman in centrefield, letting the runners advance a base. Paredes followed with a big, two-run, opposite-field double to un-tie the game and put Houston ahead 8-6. With Vest struggling to locate anything it’s hard to tell how much was on Jake Rogers but the pitch selection didn’t make a lot of sense in that series of at-bats. Getting ahead of a light-hitting catcher 1-2 and giving him a pitch in the zone that he could just drop the bat on being the most annoying one. Maybe try expanding the zone or going up where Vasquez is likely to lift a weak fly ball? Still, with Vest’s command a complete mystery bag maybe there were no right answers.
After three quick outs, Jacob Waugespack replaced Vest for the ninth. A single and a sacrifice bunt put a runner on second with one out, and after a groundout a walk put two runners on. But a harmless groundout to shortstop ended the threat and sent the game into the bottom of the ninth.
Josh Hader, who’s back from the Injured List and in top form, got the Tigers 1-2-3 in the ninth, as he has done throughout his career against so many teams. The series finale is at 1:40 pm EDT on Sunday.
I don’t put a huge amount of stock in pitcher wins and losses anymore, but Jack Flaherty leads the American League in losses with eight.
Carpenter’s at-bat against a left-handed pitcher in the fourth inning was his sixteenth against a lefty all season. At that point he’d had 172 against right-handed pitchers.
On this day in 1895, an electric locomotive was used for a passenger train, the first such occurrence in the United States. (It was between Washington and New York on the B&O Railroad, which should sound familiar if you’ve played Monopoly.) Go to any European country and ride their trains, and then come back to North America and wonder why we can’t have nice things like that.
With their final pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, 201st overall, the San Jose Sharks selected 7-foot-1, 280-pound left-handed Moldovan defenseman Alexander Karmanov.
If Karmanov makes it to the NHL, which is seen as a long shot at this point, he'll surpass Zdeno Chara and Curtis Douglas as the tallest player in NHL history. On top of that, he is also the first Moldovan selected in the NHL Draft.
Last season, Karmanov split his time between the North Bay Battalion of the Ontario Hockey League and the Brantford Titans of the Greater Ontario Hockey League. In Brantford, Karmanov scored three goals and tallied a total of seven points in 15 games. Then, during his time with North Bay, he just two assists in 20 games, but was a +6 with 29 penalty minutes.
Karmanov is committed to Penn State University for the 2027-28 season, but he'll spend the 2026-27 season with North Bay once again.
Karmanov is seen as a massive project. His reach is certainly beneficial, but his size does have a number of disadvantages when it comes to skating. He often struggles to get back up to speed and as a result, forwards are able to blow past him.
MEMPHIS, TN - MARCH 20: The sneakers worn by Taylor Hendricks #22 of the Memphis Grizzlies during the game against the Boston Celtics on March 20, 2026 at FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee. 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 Grant Burke/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
