WWE star Sami Zayn is set to take on Cody Rhodes and Gunther in a triple threat match for the Undisputed WWE Championship at Night of Champions on Saturday.

Since the calendar flipped to 2026, Zayn has elicited a different reaction from the crowd. The smattering of boos toward him that started the year have grown louder. Zayn’s complaints about not being respected enough or not getting the opportunities he believes he deserves have also reached a fever pitch.

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Sami Zayn and Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes speak during SmackDown at Unipol Arena in Bologna, Italy, on June 5, 2026. (Andrew Timms/WWE)

There have been complaints about Zayn’s different character work over the last few months. But anyone who has been in a position where they are the veteran of an organization and have seen the rest of their colleagues gravitate to the new shiny object or the rockstar of the group, they might be able to feel for Zayn a bit more.

He told Fox News Digital in an interview that his character now is a “bit of a choose your own adventure.”

“Well, it’s kind of interesting because it might mean something different to different people. … There’s so much to say about this. I don’t even know where to start. It’s basically something where it’s up to you. It’s a bit of a choose your own adventure,” he said. “I think if you’re a fan of mine and have been for a long time and you kinda wanted to see me win the big one and this and that and you just stuck with me and you weren’t like as fickle or as fair-weather as some fans who tend to tire out a bit quicker. If there’s a bit more of an emotional connection there and you have not yet been alienated, then you still might very much be on my side – the ‘ride or die fans’ as I call them. But they might be totally with me and to them, not a whole lot has changed, and to these other fans, they might have gotten sick of it.

“And you know, when I was working with Trick Williams and wrestling Trick Williams, it became very evident that here’s this new thing that’s very exciting and it’s like, ‘We’ve seen this. We’ve seen you. And it’s like you’re this comfortable pair of jeans and we get it but we want this now.’ And so then to kind of take that and go, ‘Ah, noted,’ and play with that a little bit and turn it to your advantage, it’s going to mean something different to those fans. So, that’s kind of the goal with this character at the moment. You can have it one way or you can have it another way. It’s kind of up to you. And the behavior will mean something different to one group of fans versus another.”

Zayn suggested he took some inspiration from how fans reacted to John Cena and Roman Reigns over the years.

He said Cena and Reigns didn’t necessarily change who they were. They just leaned into where the fans were taking them.

Sami Zayn makes his entrance during SmackDown at Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence, R.I., on June 12, 2026. (Georgiana Dallas/WWE)

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“And the reason why I think this is a little different and I don’t want to get into the whole psychology of it all or get into big character breakdown but when I’m envisioning things about this, I look at guys who really split the crowd in the past like Cena for years, or Roman Reigns when he was like ‘The Big Dog’ and he was clearly the No. 1 good guy but a lot of fans were booing him and all this kind of stuff, those guys, the one thing I noticed about them is their behavior didn’t really change whether they liked them or they didn’t,” he said. “They were just themselves. And the idea of being like my behavior changes depending on whether you like me or you don’t like me, which I think could be really interesting. And part of what excites me about that is it really kinda goes from crowd to crowd.

“So, when I go to Saudi, I don’t know if I’m going to be treated the same way by Boston and I don’t know if it’s going to be same as when I go to New York. And I don’t know if it’s the same when I go to Montreal or Toronto or London or Paris. So, that, to me, is very exciting.”

Zayn had been one of the top babyfaces for a few years and his popularity sky-rocketed when he joined The Bloodline as the “Honorary Uce” and later turned on Roman Reigns and Jey and Jimmy Uso.

He still heard cheers in the years after the moment at Elimination Chamber 2023. Fox News Digital asked Zayn whether it was “refreshing” to feel some heat from the crowd.

“Yeah, it depends. I guess it depends on what your goals are,” he responded. “I don’t know maybe I’m old school in this way even though I’m playing with a new school idea here but I’m a little old school in that if I want to be cheered then I’m working toward getting cheered. If I want to be booed, then I’m working toward getting booed. But now I’m playing with this kind of avant garde sort of new thing where it’s a bit more like, let’s see what happens here. Let’s see what happens there and maybe I will take those cheers thank you very much and maybe I will nudge some boos if the situation calls for it.

Sami Zayn and Trick Williams react during the United States Championship match at WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev., on April 19, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

“So, it’s a bit different. To me, it really depends on what the goal is. If this was two or three years ago and I’m going and I’m trying my best to get people to get on board with me for the sake of the story, the character, whatever and they’re outright rejecting me, I don’t think that would feel great. It feels better when you’re the manipulator because that’s what we are in a way. If I take them where I want to be taking them, then it feels great.”

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Night of Champions will take place at 1 p.m. ET and can be seen on ESPN.

Matt Fitzpatrick is one of the hottest players in the game right now.

The 31-year-old Englishman is the only PGA Tour player with three wins thus far this season, and is fresh off a 22nd-place finish at the U.S. Open at Shinnecock.

Fitzpatrick is a famously data-driven player in his approach to each golf course, and is known to take copious notes on every shot he hits. Those insights are aided by his official performance data partner Protiviti, which works closely with Fitzpatrick and his team to help turn his practice observations and tournament-round statistics into actionable insights for smarter preparation via a custom-built analytics platform, mobile app and AI powered tools.

On this week’s episode of Subpar, hosts Colt Knost and Drew Stoltz asked Fitzpatrick if he would be willing to share one of his written observations after something bad happened on the course.

“None of them were written down,” Fitzpatrick said with a laugh. “They were more said out loud.”

Fitzpatrick has played in 12 U.S. Opens since 2014 and won the 2022 edition of the championship at the Country Club in Brookline, Mass. Stoltz decided to put Fitzpatrick on the spot: Which U.S. Open venue is his favorite, excluding the course where he won?

Despite the recent sting of a difficult weekend in Long Island with rounds of 74-73 on Saturday and Sunday, Fitzpatrick acknowledged that Shinnecock would still be his pick.

“I really like Shinnecock, to be fair,” he said. “I’ve played two U.S. Opens there. I think that’s the place I’ve played the most. I really liked the setup in 2018. I thought it was really difficult, but it was really fair.

“I think people forget that the one thing that I feel that that place offers you, for the most part, apart from maybe a couple of greens, is that if you are out of position, you can get it into a position where you still have a chance of an up and down,” he continued. “And I think that is a big thing. Yeah, the up and down is tough, but you could still be fat side of the green and have a chip, and I felt, that year, it played well from that standpoint. I figured it was the same this year, obviously different conditions with how soft the greens were the first two days, but I would honestly say, Shinnecock is a great venue.”

For more from Fitzpatrick, including a course he’d like to see host a U.S. Open return, check out the full episode of Subpar below.

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Ben Stokes takes three early wickets before Ben Duckett hits 113 with the bat as England fight back on day two of the third Test against New Zealand, reaching the close on 223-2 – now 215 runs behind New Zealand’s first innings of 438.

READ MORE: Duckett & Stokes haul England back into third Test

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Ireland captain Lorcan Tucker celebrates the historic win with teammates. (Pic credit: Cricket Ireland)

NEW DELHI: Ireland captain Lorcan Tucker has set his sights on an even bigger prize after guiding his side to a historic first-ever victory over India in men’s international cricket, declaring that sealing a series win over the reigning T20 world champions would be “pretty special.“Fresh from Ireland’s stunning 34-run victory in the opening T20I in Belfast on Friday, Tucker was careful not to get carried away but admitted the opportunity to wrap up a famous series triumph at home had already ignited the dressing room.“Absolutely, yeah. A series win at home against India would be pretty special,” Tucker said after the match. “I think the lads are absolutely keen to get back here. The energy today was fabulous, the crowd were brilliant, so special.”

‘We scrapped through and stayed in the game’

Tucker described the victory as one of the finest moments in Irish cricket, especially considering it came against the two-time defending T20 World Cup champions.“It was pretty special. Credit to the lads,” he said. “We scrapped through that game. We had some tough periods in it, but we stayed in it. We were diligent, we worked hard, and we were lucky to get the reward in the end.”ALSO READ: World champions’ curse strikes again as India suffer historic Ireland shockIreland looked in trouble at 36 for 3 after India’s seamers made full use of the conditions, before Tucker steadied the innings with a composed 50 from 36 deliveries.Reflecting on his crucial partnership with Gareth Delany, who blasted 49, Tucker praised India’s disciplined bowling before explaining how Ireland rebuilt patiently.“India bowled really well at the start. They stuck to their lengths and didn’t really waver. It almost felt like a Test match at one stage. But we tried to stay in the game, build a partnership, and then take our opportunities when they came.”

Debutants earn captain’s praise

Tucker also reserved special praise for debutants Jai Moondra and Matt Hollard, whose combined five wickets dismantled India’s batting line-up.“I think we learned a lot from how India bowled. We told the lads to stick to those lengths as well, and they showed their skill, accuracy and ability to execute the plans. Absolute credit to them.”He added that the result reflected years of hard work behind the scenes.“To beat the world champions at home is pretty special. The two debutants were outstanding, but it’s also a credit to everyone behind the scenes at Cricket Ireland. Everyone works so hard, and results like this are why we do it.”India, led by new captain Shreyas Iyer, were bowled out for 148 after Ireland posted 182 for 9, leaving Tucker and his side just one win away from a landmark series triumph over one of world cricket’s biggest powers.

The 2026 MLB Draft is now only two weeks away. Five years ago, MLB pushed the draft back from the first week of June to the All-Star break to better market the event, and it will remain there moving forward, though many executives don’t like it. The two-day draft begins Saturday, July 11, this year.

At 60-102, the White Sox had baseball’s second-worst record last season, yet Chicago won the lottery and moved up to the No. 1 pick. This is the third time in franchise history that the White Sox have held the No. 1 selection. They selected Danny Goodwin with the No. 1 pick in 1971 (but did not sign him) and Hall of Famer Harold Baines with the No. 1 pick in 1977.

The Giants also won big in the lottery, moving up from the No. 15 pick to No. 4. It will be San Francisco’s highest selection since taking Joey Bart with the No. 2 pick in 2018. The 119-loss Rockies moved back to the No. 10 pick. They had the No. 3 pick in 2024 and the No. 4 pick in 2025, and teams cannot have lottery picks (Nos. 1-6) in three consecutive years.

2026 MLB Mock Draft: Pirates take power college arm at No. 5 to form formidable duo with Paul Skenes

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All first-round picks are protected from free-agent compensation. Teams forfeit later draft picks (and international bonus pool money) to sign qualified free agents. The Blue Jays, Dodgers, Mets, Phillies, and Yankees all exceeded the $281 million third competitive balance tax threshold in 2025, and the penalty moves their first 2026 pick back 10 spots. They’re now out of the first round.

Here are our first (May 29) and our second (June 12) mock drafts. Here now is our third, updated to reflect the latest chatter, speculation, and rumors. We’ll have one last mock draft in two weeks, the day before the draft begins.

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1. White Sox: SS Roch Cholowsky, UCLA

Still no change at the top, which isn’t to say Cholowsky to the White Sox is a lock. It just remains the most likely outcome with the draft two weeks away. Cholowsky is the best college shortstop in some time, probably since Dansby Swanson and Alex Bregman went off the board with the first two picks in 2015, and he should reach the big leagues relatively quickly. He’s a very talented player and his MLB arrival should align nicely with Chicago’s contention window opening very wide.

June 12 mock pick: Cholowsky

2. Rays: C Vahn Lackey, Georgia Tech

Cholowsky and Grady Emerson are the consensus top two prospects in the draft class, though Lackey is no slouch as a well-rounded catcher who projects to hit in the middle of the order and play strong defense. The Rays have seemingly been cursed behind the plate since passing on Buster Posey with the No. 1 pick in the 2008 Draft (they took Tim Beckham instead). Selecting whichever of Cholowsky or Emerson the White Sox don’t take is the easy move here, but there is more and more buzz that Tampa could opt for Lackey.

June 12 mock pick: SS Grady Emerson, Fort Worth Christian HS (TX)

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3. Twins: SS Grady Emerson, Fort Worth Christian HS (TX)

In a sense, the Twins have the easiest decision on draft day. Cholowsky, Emerson, and Lackey are the consensus three best prospects available this year, so Minnesota can simply take whichever one is still on the board here. Cholowsky is unlikely. He’s almost certain to go to the White Sox or the Rays. Picking between Emerson, who some believe has the highest ceiling in the draft, and Lackey is a great consolation prize.

June 12 mock pick: C Vahn Lackey, Georgia Tech

4. Giants: SS Jacob Lombard, Gulliver Prep (FL)

It is no secret the Giants covet Cholowsky. They added the No. 29 pick in the Patrick Bailey trade and have a very large bonus pool (over $17 million), so they could do something like float a record bonus offer for Cholowsky (the current record is $9.25 million) and hope that scares away the White Sox, Rays, and Twins. That doesn’t happen in this mock draft and is unlikely to work in real life (assuming the Giants try it), so San Francisco has to look elsewhere. They’ve been connected to Lombard consistently this spring. He is one of the draft’s most electric players and is the son of Tigers bench coach George Lombard Sr. and the younger brother of Yankees top prospect George Lombard Jr.  

June 12 mock pick: Lombard

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5. Pirates: SS Tyler Bell, Kentucky

There have been rumors that the pitching-rich Pirates would prefer to add a bat, and Bell could go in the top five picks despite a torn labrum in his non-throwing shoulder. The injury is likely to require surgery that will sideline him into 2027. Pittsburgh has a Competitive Balance draft pick (No. 34) and could sign Bell below slot here, then spend big on a top talent that falls to No. 34. They’ve used a similar strategy in the past. Bell would come out ahead financially by signing below slot at No. 5 rather than taking a slot bonus later in the first round. 

June 12 mock pick: RHP Jackson Flora, UC Santa Barbara

6. Royals: RHP Jackson Flora, UC Santa Barbara

Flora is the draft’s best pitcher thanks to an upper-90s fastball and two distinct sliders, both of which are putaway pitches. Kansas City has a Competitive Balance pick (No. 30) and thus plenty of bonus pool money to give Flora a signing bonus on par with a top-five pick. This would be a terrific outcome for the Royals on draft day.

June 12 mock pick: LHP Gio Rojas, Stoneman Douglas HS (FL)

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7. Orioles: OF Eric Booth Jr., Oak Grove HS (MS)

I can’t help but wonder if Flora slipping past the Royals would cause O’s president of baseball operations Mike Elias to select a pitcher in the first round for the first time since Baltimore hired him in 2018. We don’t get to find out in this mock draft. The O’s are, unsurprisingly, linked to hitters — both college and high school. Booth has 30-30 potential and the kind of skill set the Orioles have successfully developed.

June 12 mock pick: Booth

8. Athletics: OF Drew Burress, Georgia Tech

The A’s have been connected to hitters this spring despite an organizational need for pitching, which makes sense at No. 8. Unless Flora gets here, the best players on the board will be hitters. Burress can do everything well and there is some thought that he has a lot of power waiting to be unlocked with a few swing tweaks.

June 12 mock pick: Burress

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9. Braves: LHP Gio Rojas, Stoneman Douglas HS (FL)

The Braves have selected a high school player with three of their last four first-round picks (Owen Murphy in 2022, Cam Caminiti in 2024, Tate Southisene in 2025) and Rojas aligns with their draft preferences. He’s a great athlete (think Spencer Schwellenbach) who lights up pitch models (think Caminiti and Hurston Waldrep). Rojas could even sign below slot here, because if he doesn’t go to the Braves, there’s a chance he won’t hear his name called until the end of the first round. It’s better to take a below-slot bonus here than a slot bonus later.

June 12 mock pick: SS Tyler Bell, Kentucky

10. Rockies: C Ryder Helfrick, Arkansas

How the Rockies will use their first-round pick is anyone’s guess after new POBO Paul DePodesta spent the last decade in the NFL. They’re said to be targeting college hitters, who happen to be the best available players in our mock draft. If not Helfrick, who has big-time power and defensive chops, it could be Bell, Burress, Texas A&M second baseman Chris Hacopian or Virginia outfielder AJ Gracia.

June 12 mock pick: 2B Chris Hacopian, Texas A&M

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11. Nationals: OF/LHP Jared Grindlinger, Huntington Beach HS (CA)

This has been one of the most consistent connections this spring. Grindlinger is a fascinating prospect who is a first-round talent as a hitter and a second- or third-round talent as a pitcher. He also reclassified from the 2027 Draft and into 2026, so he’s one of the youngest players in the class. I assume that, if the Nationals do select Grindlinger with the No. 10 pick, they will let him continue to be a two-way player in pro ball. They can re-evaluate things in a year or two if it’s not working.

June 12 mock pick: Grindlinger

12. Angels: OF Derek Curiel, LSU

Whoever the Angels take with the No. 12 selection stands a good chance to be the first 2026 pick to reach MLB. An Angels player was the first player to reach the big leagues from the 2021 (Chase Silseth), 2022 (Zach Neto), 2023 (Nolan Schanuel), and 2024 (Ryan Johnson) classes, and Tyler Bremner (No. 2 pick last year) still has a chance to be the first 2025 draftee to reach the show. Curiel is a bat-to-ball specialist with good center field defense and perhaps some power potential waiting to be unlocked.

June 12 mock pick: RHP Cameron Flukey, Coastal Carolina

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13. Cardinals: 2B Chris Hacopian, Texas A&M

Hacopian is a divisive prospect. He’s one of the best and most decorated college players of the 2020s, but there is concern that his ground ball swing won’t play at the next level and that his defense will send him to first base or left field. The Cardinals have been linked to bats more than arms the last few weeks.

June 12 mock pick: C Ryder Helfrick, Arkansas

14. Marlins: OF AJ Gracia, Virginia

The Marlins have prioritized big exit velocity (Owen Caissie, Agustín Ramírez) and high-end bat-to-ball ability (Xavier Edwards, Otto Lopez), and Gracia falls into the latter category. Not that he’s a slap hitter; he has some pop. Defensively, he should stay in center field for at least another few years thanks more to his instincts than blazing speed.

June 12 mock pick: SS Justin Lebron, Alabama

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15. Diamondbacks: RHP Cameron Flukey, Coastal Carolina 

Flukey is the consensus No. 2 pitching prospect in the draft class behind Flora, and his fastball/curveball tandem might be able to get big leaguers out in a relief role right now (not that the D-backs would rush him up the ladder). Arizona tends to dip its toe in every pool: hitters, pitchers, college, high school, whatever.

June 12 mock pick: LHP Cole Carlon, Arizona State

16. Rangers: SS Justin Lebron, Alabama

The Rangers have a thing for “famous” prospects in the draft (think Jack Leiter and Kumar Rocker) and Lebron is one of the most famous prospects available this summer. He entered the 2025 season as the favorite to go No. 1 overall, then Cholowsky broke out while Lebron authored some uneven performances. The Alabama shortstop has extremely loud tools (power, speed, athleticism, etc.), but swing-and-miss concerns have scared teams over the last few weeks.

June 12 mock pick: OF Derek Curiel, LSU

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17. Astros: 3B Ace Reese, Mississippi State

The Astros received a Prospect Promotion Incentive pick (No. 28) because Hunter Brown finished in the top three in last year’s Cy Young voting, and the expectation is they will use their top two picks on college players who could reach Houston in short order. Reese has enormous power, perhaps the most in the draft class, though he’s likely to wind up at first base and rank among the league leaders in strikeouts. Few players in the draft class can hit the ball out of the park as frequently and effortlessly, though.

June 12 mock pick: OF AJ Gracia, Virginia

18. Reds: RHP Liam Peterson, Florida

Peterson is not the classic quick-moving college starter with polish. He has a very good mid-90s fastball and a promising array of secondary pitches, but he needs a pro team to help him level up. The Reds are quite good at coaching up college starters (Andrew Abbott, Chase Burns, etc.) and stand a good chance of helping Peterson take that next step.

June 12 mock pick: LHP Brody Bumila, Bishop Feehan HS (MA)

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19. Guardians: OF Trevor Condon, Etowah HS (GA)

Condon is a scout’s favorite and there’s a chance, albeit a small one, that he’ll hear his name called inside the top 10 on a below-slot deal. He’s a speedy and athletic bat-to-ball guy who is one of the top center-field defenders in the draft class. Condon projects more as an impact leadoff hitter than a middle-of-the-order threat, which is perfectly fine. Teams need leadoff guys, too.

June 12 mock pick: 3B Ace Reese, Mississippi State

20. Red Sox: LHP Brody Bumila, Bishop Feehan HS (MA)

The old saying is you don’t want to miss on the guy in your backyard, and it’s hard to miss Bumila. He’s a 6-foot-9 lefty who has touched 101 mph this spring. The Red Sox have been connected to high school infielder Bo Lowrance about as much as one team can be connected to a player this late in the first round, but Bumila might have the best chance to develop into a true No. 1 starter of any pitcher in this year’s draft.

June 12 mock pick: 3B Bo Lowrance, Christ Church Episcopal School (SC)

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21. 3B Bo Lowrance, Christ Church Episcopal School (SC)

The Padres have taken a high school player in the first round in each of the last nine drafts, and they often target upside over polish. I think Bumila is their dream choice here, but since he’s unavailable in our mock draft, we’ll give them Lowrance. The sweet-swinging lefty has climbed draft boards the last few weeks because so many second-tier college hitters limped to the finish this spring.

June 12 mock pick: LHP Hunter Dietz, Arkansas

22. Tigers: IF/C Cole Prosek, Magnolia Heights HS (MS)

Folks within baseball like Prosek more than the public draft prospect rankings may lead you to believe. He has contact skills, some power, and an advanced plan at the plate. Add in the ability to play an up-the-middle position (either catcher or shortstop), and Prosek is right up Detroit’s alley. They used their last three first-round picks on high school hitters (Max Clark in 2023, Bryce Rainer in 2024, Jordan Yost in 2025) with similar skill sets.

June 12 mock pick: OF Trevor Condon, Etowah HS (GA)

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23. Cubs: LHP Hunter Dietz, Arkansas

Despite throwing only 1 ⅔ innings from 2024-25 because of an elbow fracture and a setback, Dietz is very likely to be a first-round pick in two weeks. He’s reached the upper 90s with his buzzsaw cutter this year, plus his slider, curveball, and changeup all look like they have a chance to be above-average pitches. Dietz stayed healthy and threw 85 ⅔ innings this spring, and anyway, the Cubs are unafraid of injured draft prospects. Last year’s first-rounder, outfielder Ethan Conrad, had season-ending shoulder surgery not long before the draft.

June 12 mock pick: RHP Logan Reddemann, UCLA

24. Mariners: RHP Cade Townsend, Mississippi

The Mariners excel at developing college pitching. Why deviate from what you do best? Townsend’s fastball does not grade out well analytically (spin rate, etc.) despite mid-90s velocity, and that’s something the Mariners can help him improve. His slider, curveball, changeup, cutter, and competitiveness make it easy to dream on Townsend becoming a top-flight starter if he gets his fastball in order.

June 12 mock pick: RHP Liam Peterson, Florida

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25. Brewers: RHP Tegan Kuhns, Tennessee

Teams that lean on analytical models in the draft (like the Brewers) surely love Kuhns, who spins the ball like few others in the draft class. His mid-90s fastball and hammer curveball are wipeout pitches. Help him refine his changeup and mechanics, and the ingredients are there for a frontline starter. The Brewers are as good a bet to max out Kuhns as any team in the league.

June 12 mock pick: IF/C Cole Prosek, Magnolia Heights HS (MS)

The Blue Jays, Dodgers, Mets, Phillies, and Yankees each had their first-round pick moved back 10 spots through CBT penalties. The Mets hold the No. 27 pick, the Yankees the No. 35 pick, the Phillies the No. 36 pick, the Blue Jays the No. 39 pick, and the Dodgers the No. 40 pick. Those picks have all been pushed out of the first round proper.

“I love heights, man!” shouts the man next to me as we awkwardly stuff our limbs into fire-engine-red jumpsuits and tighten the straps. “I’ve wanted to do this for ages.”

This golden retriever enthusiasm should be infectious, but any chutzpah I once had has fluttered away like a maple leaf in Canada’s crisp autumnal breeze. I’m at “basecamp” for Edgewalk, a toe-curling 30-minute creep around the edge of Toronto’s CN Tower, attached only by a black harness. A short lift ride later, and our group of six is gingerly stepping out into the elements at 356 metres (1,168 feet) above ground.

Coal-black rainclouds swell ominously over Lake Ontario, and the tourists below look like shuffling grains of sand. My hands clam up, clutching the harness cord as we attempt our “leaning forward” exercise. Yet, suspended above it all, watching the city I once called home fan out below me is oddly comforting.

My first summer in Toronto was a balmy haze of riding carnation-red streetcars, sinking happy hour beers on downtown terraces, bouncing around busy hostels, learning the rules of ice hockey and savouring fleeting friendships with fellow travellers from around the globe. That was 2011. Now, 15 years later, Canada’s biggest city is hosting six matches at the 2026 Fifa World Cup.

I stayed for two years, and the place still feels like home. Toronto’s international character was intoxicating to me when I first arrived, with over half of its three million population born outside Canada and over 180 languages spoken. While I eventually got around to attractions like the Royal Ontario Museum and the Norman Foster-designed Art Gallery of Ontario, it was the city’s diverse neighbourhoods that captivated me most.

Read more: This friendly Canadian gem is the North American city I return to time and again

“There’s definitely a neighbourhood mentality here,” says Saro Yacoubian, one of the three brothers who run Taline, a Lebanese-influenced Armenian restaurant in Toronto’s leafy Summerhill neighbourhood. It’s the first time I’ve been to this corner of the city, a few blocks north of the bustling Yonge and Bloor intersection, and it’s the first time I’ve eaten Armenian food.

“In the 1960s, this space here was a tailor’s, and upstairs was where the tailor lived. Funnily enough, he was an Armenian too. Total coincidence!” laughs Yacoubian, before he explains what I’m going to be eating tonight. I’ve no idea where to find Armenian food back in Britain, but in a city like this, with its global bazaar of cultures and cuisine, it’s just another Wednesday night.

Taline is the name of the brothers’ late mother, and I tuck into refined versions of the hearty Armenian-Lebanese cuisine she once cooked for them, like unctuous boat-shaped meat dumplings called manti, or tender, well-seasoned vochkhar lamb chops.

The dishes are excellent, but Summerhill is far from the only neighbourhood for sublime food. There is Portuguese bacalhau on Dundas St West, Polish dumplings on Roncesvalles, Korean BBQ on Bloor St West or Peking duck in Spadina’s historic Chinatown. My salvation, though, was always Kensington Market.

Read more: The seven most LGBT+ friendly hotels in Toronto

Spending my first night back at the glittering Bisha Hotel, I feel like an interloper. This wasn’t my world 15 years ago; I could barely pay rent and became something of an authority on happy hour pints and cheap poutine. Toronto’s skyline may be taller and glassier, but Kensington Market’s edgy, multicultural spirit is as beguiling as ever.

“Kensington Market is a microcosm that represents everything Toronto is about,” says my guide CJ, as she leads a busy food tour from Chinatown into Kensington’s art-splashed streets. Incense hangs in the air, pro-Palestine flyers are handed out and Pride flags flutter above the houses. The vintage stores and shabby dive bars I used to frequent are still here, while the revolving cast of affordable bites brings new surprises, with fiery Jamaican beef patties, generously filled tacos and dense fried chicken providing an agonising array of choice.

“The diversity, the multiculturalism. That means everyone is welcomed, recognised, and respected,” CJ adds, before leading our group into a meandering mobile brunch.

Read more: Canada’s best city break for those wanting an alternative to the USA

If food and football are to go hand in hand, the World Cup is an opportunity to showcase Toronto’s other famous sports. A staunch football fan, I was initially dismissive of ice hockey, basketball and baseball when I arrived, but by the end of my first summer, I was a full-blown Toronto Blue Jays fan. They’re the local baseball team that came within a whisker of winning the World Series championship last October. Ticket prices for games at the hulking Rogers Centre stadium (conveniently located downtown next to the CN Tower) in summer are always affordable, and on a warm evening, with a beer in hand, the games are great fun, even if the rules seem as complicated as a Russian novel to the uninitiated.

The six World Cup games will be played at Toronto Stadium, near the waterfront. Usually home to Major League Soccer’s Toronto FC, its 28,000 capacity is being expanded to 45,000 for the tournament, with two new grandstands and a host of plush new suites. The Bentway, normally a concrete underpass, is being transformed into a vibrant arts, music and events space, and will host the official Fifa fan zone. I’d also recommend wandering into nearby Liberty Village for more drinks and fun. It was where I landed my first job in Toronto, though the less said about that, the better (I was never cut out for manual labour).

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One place I was cut out for was the Loose Moose, a cartoonishly named favourite from my time here – a downtown pub with almost as many screens as pints on tap. With the Blue Jays on TV and a cold Canadian pint in hand, my last night in the city is a good one.

“It always makes me happy, because it reminds me of being happy,” wrote the great food critic and raconteur AA Gill about his old home, New York. I feel the same way about Toronto. Though next time, I’ll probably just stick to the CN Tower’s indoor viewing deck.

How to get there

Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester and Edinburgh all offer direct flights to Toronto. The airlines that fly there include Air Transat, Air Canada, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic, with an average flight time of around seven hours.

Where to stay

Stay at The Drake Hotel on Queen St West. Prices from $370 CAD (£200) per night.

James March was a guest of Destination Toronto.

This article was originally published in April 2026 and has since been revised and updated.

The world has long waited for the face off between star strikers Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland in the France-Norway clash, but that may not happen, at least initially. As per L’Equipe and ESPN, Norway manager Stale Solbakken is set to rest up to 10 starters in today’s game, including Haaland, captain Martin Odegaard and forward Alexander Sorloth. This is because Norway have already qualified for the knockout stage, and this is the final chance to give the star players some rest. 

The decision by the Kano State Government to appoint a new management board for Kano Pillars, while moving Ahmed Musa to the role of Sports Ambassador, has raised many questions among football followers in Nigeria.

While every government has the right to make appointments it believes will improve sports administration, many will wonder whether this was the right time to remove Ahmed Musa from a leadership position at Kano Pillars.

From available information, Musa himself may not have expected the decision. Less than 24 hours before the announcement, the former Super Eagles captain was reportedly meeting with important stakeholders and taking decisions ahead of the new Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season. This suggests that he believed he was still very much involved in the club’s leadership and future plans.

It is true that Kano Pillars did not enjoy their best season under Musa’s leadership. The club struggled to compete consistently and fell short of the high expectations of their supporters. However, one difficult season does not necessarily mean that a project has failed.

In many ways, there were signs that Kano Pillars could have improved significantly in the coming season. Ahmed Musa’s involvement brought national attention to the club and the NPFL because of his status as one of Nigeria’s greatest footballers. His presence attracted media coverage, increased interest from supporters and sponsors, and helped promote the Nigerian league.

For the first time in years, many football fans outside Kano paid closer attention to Kano Pillars because of Musa’s role at the club. This was an important benefit that cannot easily be measured by league position alone.

At the time of writing, Ahmed Musa has not publicly reacted to the announcement. However, there are indications that he was surprised by the decision. There have also been rumours suggesting that political considerations may have played a role in the restructuring, although there has been no official confirmation of this.

The Kano State Government has expressed confidence that the new management board will restore the glory of Kano Pillars and improve sports administration in the state. The new board deserves the opportunity to prove itself.

However, many football followers will continue to ask whether removing Ahmed Musa from a direct leadership role was necessary at a time when preparations for the new season were already underway.

Perhaps only time will tell whether this decision was the right one. But one thing is certain: Ahmed Musa’s contribution to Kano Pillars and Nigerian football remains significant, and many supporters will feel that his leadership project deserved more time.

The FIFA World Cup is every footballer’s biggest dream. For Jose Mourinho, however, it has created a rather unusual dilemma. While millions of fans are hoping to see their favourite stars go all the way, the new Real Madrid manager is quietly rooting for the exact opposite. With pre-season around the corner and several of his biggest names still chasing World Cup glory, Mourinho admits he would rather see them return to Madrid than lift football’s most coveted trophy.

Mourinho’s brutally honest confession has quickly gone viral, offering a rare glimpse into the club-versus-country balancing act every elite manager faces.

Speaking on the Beast Mode On podcast with former England striker Adebayo Akinfenwa, Mourinho was asked what he was looking forward to most at the World Cup.

His response left Akinfenwa laughing.

“You want the truth? I want Real Madrid players to lose and go on holiday. Because I want the guys back in pre-season,” Mourinho said.

Behind the joke lies a genuine concern.

Real Madrid begin pre-season on July 13, six days before the World Cup final. Any player who reaches the latter stages of the tournament is expected to receive an extended break before reporting back, reducing their preparation time ahead of the new campaign.That scenario is becoming increasingly likely.

Arda Guler is currently the only Real Madrid player whose World Cup journey has ended after Turkiye’s group-stage exit. The club’s remaining internationals have either already booked their place in the Round of 32 or are strongly favoured to get there.

Real Madrid are one of the best-represented clubs at the World Cup, with Kylian Mbappe and Aurelien Tchouameni (France), Jude Bellingham (England), Vinicius Junior and Endrick (Brazil), Antonio Rudiger (Germany), Federico Valverde (Uruguay), Thibaut Courtois (Belgium), Brahim Diaz (Morocco) and David Alaba (Austria) all still in contention.

Mourinho also outlined the qualities he expects from his players ahead of the new season.

“A great player must be the complete package: technically gifted, physically and mentally strong, and capable of playing as part of a team. Sometimes you have many like that in your squad and it is paradise – other times you have fewer and the work becomes much harder”, The Portugese coach said.

Despite the excitement surrounding the tournament, Mourinho admitted he hasn’t been captivated by much of the football so far.

“Some of the matches, after 10 minutes, I switch off. I don’t like the feeling,” he said.

The Portuguese coach believes the expanded tournament has produced too many one-sided contests.

“For me, the World Cup is the top of the top. Scores like 7-1 and 5-1 should not be possible,” he said.

However, Mourinho expects the competition to truly come alive once the knockout rounds begin.

“I think I am going to start watching properly from the knockout stages. Brazil-Morocco was a great game. Other games, I had some nice dinners and some nice sleeps. I didn’t stay awake at 3 AM to watch the matches. No chance!” he joked.

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