Too valuable to drop, period
Sports
Knicks owner James Dolan’s second apron comments raise big questions on team’s future roster
Let me introduce you to a concept I like to call “the sportswriter’s lament.” After the New York Knicks won the NBA championship on Saturday, I wrote an extensive offseason preview that largely operated under the premise that they would be willing to go above the second apron ahead of next season.
Doing so would have made sense. They have a championship roster. They are a high-revenue franchise playing in the NBA’s biggest market. Their contract structure, dating back to the Karl-Anthony Towns trade, even hinted at a four-year plan in which the Knicks ducked the second apron for two years, went above it for two years, and then ducked back down below it before the worst penalties (a first-round pick moving to No. 30) kicked in. It all made sense on paper.
But as so often happens in sports, plans can change on the word of one powerful figure.
And so it might be for the Knicks as they consider how to defend their 2026 championship, because team owner James Dolan appeared on The Carton Show on WFAN in New York on Wednesday, and he seemed to indicate that the Knicks do not, in fact, plan to go into the second apron.
“If we could bring back the whole team, exactly as it is, why wouldn’t you? But I don’t know if we’re going to be able to,” Dolan said. “We’re willing to stretch, but there’s certain things in the NBA that you’d have to be suicidal to do. One of them is called the second apron. Cannot go into the second apron. But that’s up to Leon [Rose].”
When host Craig Carton joked that Rose, the team president, makes the decisions and Dolan just signs the checks, Dolan responded with a chuckle, “I’m just telling him how big of a check I can write. I’ll write as big of a check as possible, but I can’t write a check that goes into the second apron.”
Dolan’s comments suddenly make the notion of the Knicks running their entire roster from last season back far more complicated, though comments made by a team owner on a radio show are far from binding. It is entirely possible that Rose convinces Dolan that it does make sense to go above the second apron. Nonetheless, Dolan’s comments force us to prepare for a summer in which the Knicks duck the second apron.
So if the Knicks are indeed treating the second apron as a hard cap, and if we assume that none of their five expensive starters (Towns, Jalen Brunson, OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart) are going anywhere, what does that mean for New York’s ability to retain their key backups like Mitchell Robinson and Landry Shamet?
What is the second apron and what does it do?
The NBA’s salary structure includes four basic thresholds, and each mean different things. The lowest is the salary cap. If you’re below the cap, you can sign free agents or trade for players using the amount of space below the cap you have. The second is the luxury tax. It is much higher than the cap, and teams whose total salary exceeds it pay a tax that is partially distributed to non-taxpaying teams based on how far above that line they went and whether or not they are a repeat payer.
The next two, which get progressively higher, are the aprons. The first imposes minimal but notable team-building restrictions. The second imposes the following harsh restrictions:
- You cannot aggregate salary in trades, meaning, for example, you cannot trade two $5 million players for a $10 million player.
- You cannot use the taxpayer mid-level exception to sign a free agent.
- You cannot trade cash.
- You cannot acquire a player from another team by sign-and-trading them for your own player.
- You are also beholden to all of the restrictions that come with going above the first apron. Those include being unable to use the nontaxpayer mid-level exception, being unable to take in more money through a trade than you sent out, being unable to sign waived players if their previous salary was above that nontaxpayer mid-level exception, and being unable to use trade exceptions generated in the prior year.
These aprons are enormously restrictive and designed as a deterrent. Meaningfully altering your team from above those lines is difficult. Retaining your existing players is far easier, but there is another, harsher deterrent for doing so recklessly.
NBA offseason predictions: Experts pick landing spots for Giannis, LeBron, Kawhi and more
Sam Quinn
We still haven’t covered the second apron’s harshest restriction: If you finish a season above the second apron, your first-round pick seven years into the future gets “frozen.” This means it cannot be traded. If you stay below the second apron in three of the next four years, that pick is unfrozen and can be traded. If you remain above the second apron in two of the next four years, however, that pick automatically falls to No. 30.
Thus far, no team has been willing to stay above the second apron long enough to drop a pick to No. 30. Some teams have treated the second apron as an informal hard cap, effectively refusing to go above it for any reason. The Knicks may be one such team. Even after a championship, they may not be willing to make the necessary sacrifices in terms of flexibility to cross that line.
How close are the Knicks to the second apron?
The second apron for the 2026-27 season is currently projected at $221,737,000. The Knicks, as of this moment, have $208,776,828 in obligations to 10 players.
Eight of those players have guaranteed contracts: Towns, Anunoby, Brunson, Bridges, Hart, Miles McBride, Pacôme Dadiet and Tyler Kolek. Jose Alvarado has a $4.5 million player option, but he is extension eligible. If the Knicks want to keep his salary low for next season, they can still give him a long-term deal. And then there’s the No. 24 overall pick, which comes in at around $3.3 million.
Therefore, at least at the time of this writing, the Knicks have a bit less than $13 million in room beneath that second apron line. Teams need to have a minimum of 14 players on their roster, so this is not as simple as clearing out money to pay Robinson. The Knicks have to field an entire team. The rookie minimum is projected to be slightly below $1.4 million, while the veteran minimum is around $2.5 million. So if the Knicks want to keep Robinson or even Shamet, they have work to do.
Can the Knicks re-sign Robinson and stay below the second apron?
The immediate answer here would be that it is unlikely. The floor for Robinson would probably be the nontaxpayer mid-level exception, which is projected at around $15.1 million. Teams with cap space could offer him even more, but there will almost certainly be offers in that range. Say the Knicks want to fill out their roster with two veteran minimum contracts and one rookie minimum along with Robinson. They’d be looking at around $6.7 million in space for one last player, presumably Robinson. That’s not going to get it done.
Do they have ways of trimming more money? A few. Say they traded their No. 24 pick for future draft capital and replaced it on their balance sheet with another veteran minimum. That’s almost $900,000 in extra room created. Trading Dadiet into someone’s cap space or exception and replacing him with a minimum clears another $500,000 or so. Those savings get even bigger if you’re willing to sign rookie minimums instead of veterans, but this is a championship team that relied heavily on its depth. The Knicks are going to want real players, not just roster fillers.
There’s another trick the Knicks can potentially use to find savings later, but it’s a gamble. In theory, they could go above the second apron now and then find a way back below it later on. While you are subject to restrictions at any point while you are above the line, if the penalty the Knicks are most eager to duck is the frozen pick, that one only comes into effect once a team has finished a year above the second apron.
To that end, teams have developed a bit of a trick to avoid the luxury tax that might be applicable to the Knicks here. Take the Celtics. They were above the tax line last year, but at the trade deadline, they traded away several of their minimum-salary players: Xavier Tillman, Josh Minott and Chris Boucher. They did this because those players, signed before the season, counted on their cap sheets as full, minimum salaries. However, when you replace such players during the season with newly signed free agents, their salaries are prorated. Sign someone for half of the season, for instance, and only half of their minimum salary counts on your books.
The Celtics took this strategy to the extreme. Teams are technically allotted 28 days throughout the regular season in which they can have fewer than 14 players on their roster, and no more than 14 of those days can come consecutively. So the Celtics tap danced on the line: using those days in increments and separating them with 10-day contracts to sneak below the tax line.
This strategy is fraught, though. There is no guarantee that you’ll find teams willing to help you by taking on your contracts, though the Knicks keep a ready enough supply of second-round picks that they can incentivize teams. But there’s no guarantee that such suitors will even exist. Roster spots aren’t always easy to find during the season.
The Knicks have one of the NBA’s best cap strategists in Brock Aller. If any team could pull off starting the season above the line and getting below it in February, it’s probably them. But no version of this calculation guarantees Robinson’s return. At best, the Knicks could probably put forth a competitive (but not quite matching) offer for Robinson while retaining a path below the second apron. More likely, the gap is too big to bridge.
So if Robinson leaves, what does that mean for New York’s offseason?
If Robinson leaves, what does the Knicks’ offseason look like?
It should be noted that Robinson is not the only meaningful free agent here. Next on the docket is Shamet. All of those complicated paths to paying Robinson could theoretically apply to keeping him on his Early Bird Rights. However, if the Knicks do let Robinson go, I suspect Shamet would also get offered enough by another team that New York would let him walk. The Knicks have McBride and Alvarado in the building as backup guards. They found Shamet on the minimum. They likely feel confident in their ability to find the next Shamet on a similar bargain.
So let’s say that’s how this plays out. The Knicks lose two of their most important reserves, Robinson and Shamet, but remain around $13 million below the second apron. There is at least one notable silver lining: staying below the second apron makes it far, far easier to keep restricted free agent Mohamed Diawara. The No. 51 overall pick in last year’s draft may not have played much in the playoffs, but he is a big defensive wing who shot 37% on a small sample of 3s late in the season. He has a lot of upside, and the rest of the league knows it.
Diawara is headed for restricted free agency. The Knicks technically maintain the ability to match any offer sheet he gets, but they have to actually be able to pay whatever contract he signs. With only non-Bird Rights, they are extremely limited in what they can offer: $200,000 plus his minimum salary, for a total close to $2.4 million. If any team offered more than that, they’d be at risk of losing him. However, staying below the second apron would give them access to the $6 million taxpayer mid-level exception, a tool they could use to go higher if they wanted to. Losing Robinson and Shamet would hurt, but it would at least make it far likelier that the Knicks could retain one of their more promising younger players.
Still, they’d be shorter on guards than they were during their championship run and completely devoid of backup centers. The former is pretty solvable. Jordan Clarkson could come back at the minimum. There are always playable guards on the market. Ariel Hukporti could also come back at center, but the Knicks have only ever used him as a third-stringer. Maybe the Knicks could find their backup in the draft. They have the No. 24 and No. 31 picks, so maybe they could trade up for a specific target. Realistically, though, they’d probably want a veteran.
The good news for the Knicks? They’re a very desirable destination for backup centers. Towns is frequently in foul trouble, so minutes are available, and of course, they’re a big market coming off a championship. The bad news? It’s not a great year for backup centers in free agency. Most of the good ones are likely to re-sign with their existing teams. Their best bets would probably be younger players hoping to join a high-profile team to boost their value.
Moe Wagner probably returns to Orlando to stay with his brother, Franz, but he might be an option. Nick Richards has been linked to the Knicks at previous trade deadlines. Go a bit older and maybe Andre Drummond is available for the minimum if Philadelphia caps itself out by retaining Kelly Oubre and Quentin Grimes. The Knicks likely have minimum-level targets in mind for just this scenario. Maybe there’s a trade to be made on this front as well.
I’m going to throw out a pretty unlikely option, but the last few years of free agency have produced plenty of unexpected minimum contracts. What about Mark Williams? The Suns have to find minutes for No. 10 overall pick Khaman Maluach, and Oso Ighodaro passed him in the pecking order last season. The Suns have around $15 million in room below the luxury tax line, but also have to re-sign key guards Collin Gillespie and Jordan Goodwin.
In order to make Williams a restricted free agent, the Suns have to make him a one-year, $9.6 million qualifying offer. If they’re worried about him taking it and vaulting them into the tax, perhaps they cut him loose. He could get more money and minutes elsewhere, but a high-profile backup job on a big-market contender, even for an injury-prone center, can eventually lead to rich contract offers. We know that because it’s happening for Robinson now. So maybe Williams could bet on himself with a cheap, one-year Knicks contract.
Something to keep in mind, though, is that if the Knicks aren’t willing to go into the second apron now, after winning a championship, they may not be willing to do so under any circumstances. If that’s the case, it raises real questions about their ability to retain key depth pieces multiple years down the line. Are we sure they’d be willing to extend Alvarado at a fair number in that world? If the answer is no, he might use that player option to cash in elsewhere. Kolek is available to replace him in-house, but there are only so many losses any contender can sustain. McBride is a year away from free agency. Will the Knicks pay what it takes to keep him?
We don’t have good answers for these questions yet. The Knicks surely have a long-term vision for their balance sheet. If that vision involves ducking the second apron next season, well, there’s a good chance New York’s bench will look very different for its title defense.
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Jun 17, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani (17) throws during the first inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images Freddie Freeman hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the sixth inning and Shohei Ohtani pitched through a bloody blister to earn his seventh win as the Los Angeles Dodgers finished off a series sweep with a 5-4 victory over the visiting Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday.
Alex Call, Alex Freeland and Kyle Tucker drove in runs as the Dodgers improved to 12-2 at home since May 13.
Freeman’s home run in the sixth off Kevin Kelly (4-3) followed an Andy Pages double. The long ball was No. 12 of the season for Freeman. Ohtani (7-2) gave up four runs on seven hits over six innings with one walk and five strikeouts.
Yandy Diaz had two hits and an RBI for the Rays, who struggled to a 1-5 record in a six-game road trip to the Los Angeles area that included a three-game weekend series against the Angels.
Rays left-hander Shane McClanahan gave up two runs on three hits over 3 2/3 innings as he struggled with his command and walked five. He also fanned three.
The Dodgers took a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning on RBI singles from Call and Freeland. When Tommy Edman walked following Freeland’s single, McClanahan was replaced by Casey Legumina after throwing 83 pitches.
The Rays answered by sending nine batters to the plate in the fifth against Ohtani. Victor Mesa Jr. led off with a walk, Hunter Feduccia doubled and Taylor Walls followed with a sacrifice fly for a run.
Diaz added an RBI single that was followed by singles from Jonathan Aranda and Cedric Mullins, loading the bases. Junior Caminero’s ground ball drove in Diaz to give Tampa Bay a 3-2 lead. The Rays scored one more time in the inning on a single from Richie Palacios. The Dodgers got within 4-3 when Tucker walked with the bases loaded in the fifth, setting the stage for Freeman’s go-ahead homer an inning later.
Dodgers left-hander Alex Vesia pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the ninth inning for his third save.
Ohtani was not used as the designated hitter in the game but had an at-bat as a pinch hitter in the sixth inning and grounded out. Ohtani took his regular turn on the mound despite dealing with left knee inflammation following his most recent start last week at Pittsburgh.
–Field Level Media
Meanwhile, Spencer Strider and Cole Ragans were recently shifted to the 60-day IL
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7 min read
There can be no silver lining for those who lost Jose Ramirez to a fractured hamate bone over the weekend. Their first-round pick is now out for more than a month, and no matter how shallow the league, there’s no accounting for that loss.
Worse yet, the injury comes only two weeks after consensus best player in Fantasy Aaron Judge was lost to a stress fracture in his rib and a week after Ronald Acuna’s hamstring put him out of commission again. Between those three and Oneil Cruz (fractured hand), the IL is as abounding in star power as it’s been all year.
Those of us who’ve managed to dodge those bullets can indeed see a silver lining, though, and it’s that Hunter Brown at long last returned from a shoulder strain Tuesday. The undisputed Fantasy ace made only two starts before landing on the IL in early April.
Some others who have returned this week include Cal Raleigh (strained oblique), Yainer Diaz (strained oblique), J.P. Crawford (bruised hand), Kodai Senga (lumbar spine inflammation) and Casey Mize (strained adductor). The list is actually shrinking faster than it’s growing, but it doesn’t feel that way with so many high draft picks having succumbed to injury.
I’ll remind you once again that the order here is more about how impactful the player will be when healthy than how close he is to returning, though both factors carry some weight.
Also really difficult to drop
Still a priority on some level
Stashing is purely a luxury
The details surrounding Moses Itauma‘s highly-anticipated return to the ring have finally been revealed.
While Oleksandr Usyk may be the current king of the heavyweights, Itauma is viewed as the future of the division, having won all 14 of his professional fights to date, 12 of them coming by knockout.
After gaining prominence with stoppage wins over the likes of Dillian Whyte, Demsey McKean and Mariusz Wach, he picked up the biggest win of his career so far back in March when he knocked out Jermaine Franklin inside five rounds at the Co-Op Live in Manchester.
Following that victory, attention quickly then turned to who the 21-year-old would face next as he continues his journey towards a world title shot in the near future.
The long-rumoured opponent was Filip Hrgovic, and it has now been reported by Sky Sports that he will indeed take on the Croatian, with the fight understood to take place on August 29 at London’s O2 Arena.
Hrgovic has won 20 of his 21 professional fights, with his only blemish coming when he was beaten by Daniel Dubois back in June 2024.
He has defeated a trio of Brits since that loss, claiming points wins over both Joe Joyce and David Adeleye, before a third round stoppage victory over Dave Allen at the Eco-Power Stadium in Doncaster in May.
That has now led to the clash with Itauma, and Allen himself has revealed his prediction for the contest having felt what it was like to share the ring with ‘El Animal.’
SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. – The USGA expected heavy wind and possible storms Thursday at the 126th U.S. Open.
But it was something else that caused a stoppage of play early in the opening round: Fog.
Officials suspended play at 7:05 a.m. ET after fog blanked Shinnecock. When the horn sounded, only 12 players had completed a hole.
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Players were being held in place for 15 minutes in hopes of the visibility improving.
Even before the stoppage, it figured to be a long and chaotic day at the national championship, with officials bracing for possible storms and wind gusts approaching 40 mph.
The setup staff, concerned about the course becoming unplayable, had already slowed down the green speeds and modified hole locations.
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Spanish media reaction on Marcus Rashford speaks volumes for Man United after Barcelona decision
Marcus Rashford enjoyed a scoring cameo from the bench as England beat Croatia, and the future of the forward is under scrutiny following a year on loan at Barcelona
England’s World Cup win against Croatia gave the Spanish media plenty to chew on when it came to Marcus Rashford and Anthony Gordon. Barcelona had Rashford on loan from Manchester United last season but opted to let their option for a permanent move expire after spending big on his Three Lions team-mate Gordon.
The pair had a mixed start to their respective World Cup campaigns. Gordon started against Croatia but failed to fully leave his mark on the game, while Rashford impressed in a cameo from the bench and scored a late clincher in a 4-2 victory.
This didn’t escape the attention of newspapers across Spain. If there weren’t already questions about whether Barca signed the right Englishman, there are now.
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After the Catalan club’s decision, Manchester United could find themselves in line for more money or a chance to get the best out of their player this season. Here’s what the Spanish media said.
Sport
Sport pointed out that Rashford’s fine start was in contrast to most of the Barcelona players at this summer’s World Cup. “The Manchester United loanee was the only Barcelona player to make a difference, scoring a goal to seal a 4-2 victory for England against Croatia,” they wrote.
Elsewhere there were some positive signs from Frenkie de Jong for the Netherlands while Sport didn’t criticise Gordon for his part in England’s win but there was a sense of their being more to come from the Barca contingent. “Although none of them lost in their World Cup debut, the first day was not brilliant for Hansi Flick’s boys, who will be looking to increase their prominence in the second round,” they added.
MisterChip
Stats-led account MisterChip pointed out quite how momentous an occasion Wednesday night was. “He becomes the first FC Barcelona player to score in the 2026 World Cup. He is also the FIRST Barca player to score for England in the entire history of the World Cup,” they wrote of Rashford.
A number of comments questioned the post, suggesting Rashford was a Barcelona player in name only after the failure to exercise the clause. For those wondering, by the way, Gary Lineker joined Barcelona in the 1986 close-season but didn’t play for the club until after his World Cup goals for England, perhaps explaining the wording of the post.
AS
There was a closer comparison between Gordon and Rashford in AS’ write-up. “[The situation] allowed Tuchel to rotate: Gordon, who was ineffective, was out; Rashford came in,” the report said.
“The new Barcelona signing didn’t stand out, neither for better nor for worse. He still has time for that. In his debut, with so many eyes on him, he couldn’t show his full potential. Not so [Rashford]. From a Saka pass, and with two cuts in the box, he finished the game with the fourth and final goal.”
The same publication was particularly glowing in its assessment of another Spain-based star, Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham. “The heir becomes king” was their headline, pointing to the way Bellingham outshone former Madrid star Luka Modric on the night.
Get Man United’s new 2026/27 home kit
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Manchester United have launched their new home kit for the 2026/27 season, inspired by the club’s heritage and featuring a classic polo collar with iconic adidas details.
Major League Cricket (MLC) captains ahead of the fourth season. (Instagram)
New Delhi: Major League Cricket (MLC) returns for its fourth season on June 18 with Texas Super Kings taking on Seattle Orcas at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas, Texas. It will be the venue for the first seven games of the 34-match competition before it moves to the Oakland Coliseum in California and the Knight Riders Cricket Field in Pomona, California.The Knight Riders Cricket Field is one of the two biggest ‘what’s new’ elements to MLC 2026. It will act as the home base of the LA Knight Riders franchise, allocated seven matches in total. After its christening during the MLC, its capacity will be expanded for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. With LAKR taking on Washington Freedom on July 1, it will be a big moment for cricket in the USA. It will be the first time Los Angeles will host a top-level cricket match.“Bringing Major League Cricket to Los Angeles is a huge milestone for our league and for the growth of cricket across the United States,” said Johnny Grave, CEO of MLC about a week’s cricket festivities in southern California.“The Pomona Fairgrounds will be the future home of Olympic cricket in 2028, and we’re thrilled to give fans in Southern California their first taste of the sport at this well-known venue that is home to the LA County Fair.”
LA Knight Riders will play their home games at the newly established Knight Riders Cricket Ground at the Pomona Fairplex in Pomona, California. (File photo/AP)
The second ‘what’s new’ for MLC 2026 is R Ashwin who will play for the San Francisco Unicorns.The 39-year-old is poised to become the first ex-India international to play in the MLC. It will also be the spinner’s first appearance in a foreign league. He was signed up to play in the Big Bash League but an untimely injury took that opportunity away from him.Now, he is set to dazzle at the Oakland Coliseum, the home base of the Unicorns. It will be his first competitive fixture since playing in the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) in July 2025.“When I was interested in playing outside of India, when I retired, Anand (Rajaraman) and Venky (Harinarayan) [team co-owners] were the first people to reach out. They were very excited about me getting here,” said Ashwin in a video posted by the franchise. “I’m mostly excited because this is not one country where you play a lot of cricket. Even though I have played for a couple of decades, didn’t really get a chance to come around and experience America. I was here a couple of months ago. I played a bit of an exhibition game in the same venue. It’s very different, even for me. Even though I have played cricket for a long time, to get in, blend in with these people… Look forward to it,” he added.Elsewhere, the veterans and familiar faces return. Steve Smith, who led the Freedom to the title in 2024, is back and takes over the leadership duties from Glenn Maxwell. Jason Holder, Nicholas Pooran, Faf du Plessis and Matt Short have all been retained as captains by LA Knight Riders, defending champions MI New York, Texas Super Kings and Unicorns, respectively.Seattle Orcas, meanwhile, have decided to switch things around after missing the playoffs for two straight seasons, including just three wins in 10 matches last time around. Marcus Stoinis will lead the team in the upcoming season with Adam Voges coming in as the coach.
Steve Smith (Washington Freedom), Faf du Plessis (Texas Super Kings), Jason Holder (LA Knight Riders), Nicholas Pooran (MI New York), Matt Short (San Francisco Unicorns), Marcus Stoinis (Seattle Orcas) will lead their respective teams in MLC 2026. (Instagram)
Defending champions MI New York are once again top contenders if their squad is any indication. Besides skipper Pooran, who did have a horrid season with the Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL, the two-time champions have Kieron Pollard, Quinton de Kock, Ryan Rickelton, Trent Boult, Corbin Bosch, Romario Shepherd, Allah Ghazanfar and Corey Anderson in their midst.Pollard is on the cusp of glory and milestones in MLC 2026. The 39-year-old needs just 81 runs to eclipse Chris Gayle as the all-time highest scorer in T20s. Alex Hales, part of the LAKR, is 33 runs adrift of Pollard.As with most T20 leagues, there’s the question mark over player availability as competitions clash. But MLC finds itself in a largely favourable position with the Hundred not starting until later. The T20 Blast in England does overlap, as does Lanka Premier League at the fag end with EUT20 Belgium closing out just as the MLC begins.
MLC 2026 will begin with Texas Super Kings vs Seattle Orcas at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas, Texas. (Instagram)
These arrangements could change plans for AM Ghazanfar (MINY), Romario Shepherd (MINY), Mark Chapman (Freedom), Nikhil Chaudhary (Freedom), Rachin Ravindra (Freedom), Xavier Bartlett (Unicorns), Aaron Hardie (Unicorns), Peter Siddle (Unicorns) and Shimron Hetmyer (Orcas) among others.
Jun 17, 2026; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; San Francisco Giants designated hitter Bryce Eldridge (8) celebrates a home run against the Atlanta Braves during the second inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images Luis Arraez homered and drove in four runs and Carson Whisenhunt tossed five solid innings in his season debut on Wednesday to help the visiting San Francisco Giants post a 7-5 victory over the Atlanta Braves.
Whisenhunt (1-0) allowed two runs on six hits while striking out two and walking two after being called up from Triple-A Sacramento on Wednesday morning. Willy Adames and Bryce Eldridge hit solo home runs for the Giants, who won 7-2 in the completion of a suspended game earlier in the day and won their third straight overall.
J.R. Ritchie (1-2) threw five innings of five-hit, five-run ball, striking out four and walking three for the scuffling Braves, who dropped their sixth game in seven tries. Carlos Carrasco allowed two runs across four innings in relief.
After Arraez began the first inning with a walk, Rafael Devers drove in the Giants’ first run with a two-out double.
Atlanta threatened in the bottom of the first, as Mauricio Dubon began the frame with a walk and Ozzie Albies laced a two-out single. After Whisenhunt’s wild pitch advanced both runners, Austin Riley’s fly out to center ended the inning.
Adames began the second with his 13th homer of the season to double the Giants’ lead. Four batters later, Arraez connected on a two-run shot to give the visitors a 4-0 lead.
San Francisco continued the onslaught as Eldridge launched another homer to push the margin to five.
In the sixth, Matt Olson, Albies and Riley each singled to cut the Braves’ deficit to 5-1. JT Brubaker then relieved Whisenhunt. Two batters later, Dominic Smith’s sacrifice fly made it 5-2.
Olson singled off Sam Hentges to begin the eighth. Ryan Walker then entered in relief and struck out Albies. Riley singled to bring the tying run to the plate.
From there, Eli White flied out and Rowdy Tellez struck out to leave the margin at three.
Casey Schmitt singled and Drew Gilbert was hit by a pitch in the ninth. Two batters later, Arraez drove in both runners with a single to give the Giants a 7-2 lead. In the bottom of the ninth, Matt Gage allowed Jair Camargo’s one-out double and Dubon’s two-run homer, pulling the Braves within three. After Drake Baldwin and Olson both singled, Gage was replaced by Tristan Beck.
A wild pitch then cut the Giants lead to two, but Beck retired Albies and got Riley to strike out to end the game.
–Field Level Media
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Canada vs. Qatar: How to watch the Group B game in the 2026 World Cup: TV channel, start time, free streaming info, and more
Canada will face Qatar in their next 2026 World Cup match tonight. The World Cup co-hosts tied up their first match 1-1 against Bosnia and Herzegovina, Qatar did the same with Switzerland. Now, the two Group B teams will face off for their second game of the World Cup. The Canada vs. Qatar game will air at 6 p.m. ET on FS1. (and Telemundo).
Here’s everything you need to know about watching the Canada vs. Qatar match at the 2026 World Cup live from the U.S. (Plus, find out how you can catch every other game of the tournament).
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Where to watch the Canada vs. Qatar match:
Date: Thursday, June 18, 2026
Time: 6 p.m. ET
Location: BC Place, Vancouver
TV channels: FS1, Telemundo
Streaming: YouTube TV, DirecTV, Peacock, and more
Canada vs. Qatar game time:
Canada’s next 2026 World Cup game kicks off at 6 p.m. ET on Thursday, June 18, 2026.
Canada vs. Qatar channel:
FS1 will be broadcasting the Canada vs. Qatar World Cup game in English. A Spanish-language broadcast of the game will air on Telemundo.
Where to watch the 2026 World Cup without cable:
YouTube TV
YouTube TV gets you all the channels you need to watch the 2026 World Cup, including Fox, FS1, Universo, and Telemundo.
Right now, you can get a great deal on YouTube TV: $67.99/month for your first 5 months, then $82.99/month thereafter, and you can try it all for free for 10 days.
One thing to note: YouTube TV livestreams tend to run a slight delay, which isn’t ideal if you’re trying to keep up with the live game down to the exact second.
FOX
FOX One is a relatively new streaming service from FOX that launched last summer. With a subscription to FOX One, you can tune in to all your favorite FOX channels like FOX News, FOX Sports, FOX Weather, FS1, FS2, FOX Business, FOX Deportes, Big Ten Network (B1G), and local FOX stations all in one place.
FOX One offers live programming, as well as shows and movies on demand. At launch, the base price for FOX One will cost $19.99 a month, or you can save with an annual subscription for $199.99, but before you commit to a subscription, you can try it free for 7 days, which means you can catch at least a few World Cup games for nothing.
Peacock
For $11/month, an ad-supported Peacock subscription lets you stream live sports and events airing on NBC, including Spanish-language broadcasts of every 2026 World Cup game. Plus, you’ll get access to thousands of hours of shows and movies, including beloved sitcoms such as Parks and Recreation and The Office, every Bravo show, and much more.
For $17/month, you can upgrade to an ad-free subscription, which includes live access to your local NBC affiliate (not just during designated sports and events) and the ability to download select titles to watch offline.
2026 FIFA World Cup group stage schedule:
All times Eastern
Thursday, June 18
Czechia vs South Africa: 12 p.m. (FOX) — Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
Switzerland vs Bosnia and Herzegovina: 3 p.m. (FOX) — SoFi Stadium, Inglewood
Canada vs Qatar: 6 p.m. (FS1) — BC Place, Vancouver
Mexico vs South Korea: 9 p.m. (FOX) — Estadio Akron, Zapopan
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Friday, June 19
United States vs Australia: 3 p.m. (FOX) — Lumen Field, Seattle
Scotland vs Morocco: 6 p.m. (FOX) — Gillette Stadium, Foxborough
Brazil vs Haiti: 8:30 p.m. (FOX) — Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
Türkiye vs Paraguay: 11 p.m. (FS1) — Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara
Saturday, June 20
Netherlands vs Sweden: 1 p.m. (FOX) — NRG Stadium, Houston
Germany vs Ivory Coast: 4 p.m. (FOX) — BMO Field, Toronto
Ecuador vs Willemstad Curaçao: 8 p.m. (FS1) — Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City
Sunday, June 21
Tunisia vs Japan: 12 a.m. (FS1) — Estadio BBVA Bancomer, Guadalupe
Spain vs Saudi Arabia: 12 p.m. (FOX) — Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
Belgium vs Iran: 3 p.m. (FS1) — SoFi Stadium, Inglewood
Uruguay vs Cape Verde: 6 p.m. (FS1) — Hard Rock Stadium, Miami
New Zealand vs Egypt: 9 p.m. (FS1) — BC Place, Vancouver
Monday, June 22
Argentina vs Austria: 1 p.m. (FOX) — AT&T Stadium, Arlington
France vs Iraq: 5 p.m. (FOX) — Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
Norway vs Senegal: 8 p.m. (FOX) — MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford
Jordan vs Algeria: 11 p.m. (FS1) — Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara
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Tuesday, June 23
Portugal vs Uzbekistan: 1 p.m. (FOX) — NRG Stadium, Houston
England vs Ghana: 4 p.m. (FOX) — Gillette Stadium, Foxborough
Panama vs Croatia: 7 p.m. (FOX) — BMO Field, Toronto
Colombia vs DR Congo: 10 p.m. (FS1) — Estadio Akron, Zapopan
Wednesday, June 24
Switzerland vs Canada: 3 p.m. (FOX) — BC Place, Vancouver
Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Qatar: 3 p.m. (FS1) — Lumen Field, Seattle
Scotland vs Brazil: 6 p.m. (FOX) — Hard Rock Stadium, Miami
Morocco vs Haiti: 6 p.m. (FS1) — Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
Czechia vs Mexico: 9 p.m. (FOX) — Estadio Azteca, Mexico City
South Africa vs South Korea: 9 p.m. (FS1) — Estadio BBVA Bancomer, Guadalupe
Thursday, June 25
Ecuador vs Germany: 4 p.m. (FOX) — MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford
Willemstad Curaçao vs Ivory Coast: 4 p.m. (FS1) — Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia Tunisia vs Netherlands: 7 p.m. (FOX) — Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City
Japan vs Sweden: 7 p.m. (FS1) — AT&T Stadium, Arlington
Türkiye vs United States: 10 p.m. (FOX) — SoFi Stadium, Inglewood
Paraguay vs Australia: 10 p.m. (FS1) — Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara
Friday, June 26
Norway vs France: 3 p.m. (FOX) — Gillette Stadium, Foxborough
Senegal vs Iraq: 3 p.m. (FS1) — BMO Field, Toronto
Uruguay vs Spain: 8 p.m. (FOX) — Estadio Akron, Zapopan
Cape Verde vs Saudi Arabia: 8 p.m. (FS1) — NRG Stadium, Houston
New Zealand vs Belgium: 11 p.m. (FOX) — BC Place, Vancouver
Egypt vs Iran: 11 p.m. (FS1) — Lumen Field, Seattle
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Saturday, June 27
Panama vs England: 5 p.m. (FOX) — MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford
Croatia vs Ghana: 5 p.m. (FS1) — Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
Colombia vs Portugal: 7:30 p.m. (FOX) — Hard Rock Stadium, Miami
DR Congo vs Uzbekistan: 7:30 p.m. (FS1) — Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
Jordan vs Argentina: 10 p.m. (FOX) — AT&T Stadium, Arlington
Algeria vs Austria: 10 p.m. (FS1) — Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City
The Brendan Sorsby saga at Texas Tech ends with the Red Raiders eventually caving to public pressure from the Big 12 and the college football community.
What will the relationship be like going forward?
On today’s episode of Locked On College Football, I discuss the hiring of the new athletic director at Kentucky.
Does the move raise the pressure level on new HC Will Stein to win?
Tulane compiled the clearly #1 G6 resume last year en route to the Playoff.
Do they have the roster capable of actually pushing for that position again in 2026, or will they regress?
00:00 Federal and NCAA investigation details
05:08 Discussing Will Hammond’s injury
07:14 Discussion on McGuire and mental health
13:58 Coach and athletic director alignment
19:27 Will Stein’s coaching prospects
23:14 Skepticism about Tulane’s prospects
25:36 Coaching changes and key departures
28:26 Discussing first-year head coaches
A WWE star recently fell off the top rope in a scary bitch during a singles match. The incident raised a lot of concern at ringside regarding a potential injury to the star. The person in question is none other than EVOLVE’s Anya Rune who has gathered a lot of attention over the last few months due to her Anime-inspired gimmick.
The Stamford-based company has been trying to build their next generation of stars organically under their own developmental promotions. With the acquisition of EVOLVE, the company has been trying to create new stars by scouting young college talent and repackaging them with modern gimmicks. The Japanese anime culture has been on the rise globally over the last few years and WWE decided to capitalise on this.
Thanks for the submission!
Anya Rune made her EVOLVE debut as the Anime Girl back in March in a Fatal 4-Way Qualifying match for the EVOLVE Women’s Championship. While she failed to win the match, she continues to appear on the show spontaneously. She recently faced Zena Sterling in a singles match on the show where she tried to attempt a move from the top rope. However, she wasn’t able to hit the move as she slipped from the top rope.
The Anime Girl decided to give it another shot but failed again. Sterling hit her with a Sideslam to pick up the win in the match. People at ringside and commentary were concerned about Rune and were hoping she hadn’t injured herself. Before taking her first leap from the top rope, the Anime Girl said this:
“In the name of UWU, this anime girl is going to FLY.”
A lot of people criticised the gimmick when it debuted and are now even more concerned about Anya Rune’s in-ring performance. Fans are curious to see what is next for her in WWE.
A lot of WWE stars have been getting injured lately
While WWE has been getting a lot of momentum following WrestleMania, a lot of their stars are on the shelf due to injury. The list includes major names like Kevin Owens, Randy Orton, Bronson Reed and Logan Paul. Owens has been away from in-ring competition ever since he suffered a neck injury last year and had to miss WrestleMania.
Orton suffered a back injury during his match against Cody Rhodes in the main event of WrestleMania 42 Saturday. Bronson Reed got injured earlier in the year during a match on WWE RAW. Logan Paul tore his tricep a few weeks ago at Saturday Night’s Main Event during a tag team title defense against the Street Profits.
Fans across the world are hoping that all these WWE stars get healed and make their return to the squared circle soon.
Get all the hottest wrestling news FIRST by clicking here
Edited by Ishan Dubey
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