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Newsweek
28 minutes ago
- Sport
- Newsweek
MLB Power Rankings: Dodgers Rise, Yankees Plummet, More
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The past week of the 2025 Major League Baseball season could end up going down as the most exciting one when it's all said and done. Out of nowhere on Sunday, Boston Red Sox All-Star designated hitter Rafael Devers was traded to the San Francisco Giants in one of the most surprising trades in recent memory. Days later, Devers was at his introductory press conference in San Francisco saying he was open to playing wherever the Giants needed him — a complete 180 from his comments in Boston the last few months. Read more: Rafael Devers Makes Surprising Announcement Regarding Position With Giants Following Red Sox Trade That blockbuster deal officially kicked off trade season, which could feature plenty of surprises as a majority of teams still remain in the hunt with six weeks until the deadline. Elsewhere around the league, the Dodgers asserted their dominance over their National League West counterparts, while the New York Yankees endured a brutal slump that included a 30-inning scoreless streak. KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - JUNE 12: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees reacts during the eighth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium on June 12, 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri.... KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - JUNE 12: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees reacts during the eighth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium on June 12, 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri. MoreWith all that being said, here is the 12th edition of Newsweek Sports' MLB Power Rankings, with tons of movement among the top 10 teams — but no change at No. 1. More news: Red Sox Shockingly Demoting Top Prospect Amid Struggles 1. Detroit Tigers (48-28) 2. Chicago Cubs (45-29) 3. Los Angeles Dodgers (46-30) 4. New York Mets (45-30) 5. New York Yankees (43-31) 6. Philadelphia Phillies (45-30) 7. Houston Astros (43-32) 8. San Francisco Giants (42-33) 9. Tampa Bay Rays (41-34) 10. San Diego Padres (40-34) 11. Milwaukee Brewers (40-35) 12. Toronto Blue Jays (40-34) 13. St. Louis Cardinals (40-35) 14. Cincinnati Reds (39-36) 15. Boston Red Sox (39-37) 16. Minnesota Twins (37-37) 17. Cleveland Guardians (37-36) 18. Seattle Mariners (37-36) 19. Arizona Diamondbacks (37-37) 20. Kansas City Royals (37-38) 21. Texas Rangers (36-39) 22. Atlanta Braves (34-39) 23. Los Angeles Angels (36-38) 24. Baltimore Orioles (32-42) 25. Washington Nationals (31-44) 26. Pittsburgh Pirates (30-46) 27. Miami Marlins (29-44) 28. Athletics (31-46) 29. Chicago White Sox (23-52) 30. Colorado Rockies (17-58) Biggest Riser Boston Red Sox (+5) The Red Sox were coming off five straight wins and a series sweep of the Yankees when they shocked the league and moved off of Devers and the remainder of his 10-year contract. Since, they took a series against the Mariners in which they scored a total of five runs. For now, they move up the rankings from their dominant stretch of play. But the offense is a big concern at this point in the year without Devers. Biggest Faller Minnesota Twins (-4) The Twins lost six in a row before stopping the bleeding with a win over the Reds to avoid a sweep. In the tight AL Central — three teams are within one game of .500 — they can't afford many stretches like that as the year goes on.
CBS News
an hour ago
- Sport
- CBS News
Red Sox sending Kristian Campbell to Triple-A Worcester
The Boston Red Sox are sending struggling second baseman Kristian Campbell to Triple-A Worcester. ESPN's Jeff Passan was first to report Campbell's demotion on Thursday. The Red Sox are expected to announce the move Friday ahead of a three-game series against the Giants in San Francisco, with outfielder Wilyer Abreu set to be activated from the Injured List to take Campbell's spot on the roster. Campbell broke Spring Training as Boston's starting second baseman after an impressive camp, and the 22-year-old rookie got off to a hot start at the plate when he slashed .301/.407/.495 with four homers, eight doubles, 12 RBI, and 18 runs scored over his first 29 games. Campbell was the Rookie of the Month after his hot March and April, and was signed to an eight-year, $60 million contract less than a week after he began his Major League career. But he's gone ice cold since that scorching start, with Campbell hitting just .159 -- going 20-for-140 -- with a .243 on-base percentage since May 1. He's struck 40 strikeouts to just 10 walks over his last 38 games. The Red Sox have put a lot on the rookie's plate, with manager Alex Cora still batting him as high as fourth in the lineup despite Campbell's struggles. He had recently dropped to the bottom third of the lineup. And while Campbell started 54 games at second base, he was also moving around the field as he navigated his rookie season. He made seven starts in center field (including Wednesday's finale in Seattle) and two appearances in left. He also started doing some work at first base after the injury to Triston Casas, before the Red Sox pulled the plug on the experiment. In his 59 overall appearances at second, Campbell made seven errors to lead the team. The Red Sox are now hoping a little time in the minors will help Campbell regain his confidence at the plate and in the field. A fourth-round pick by Boston in 2023 out of Georgia Tech, Campbell played just 19 of his 138 minor league games at the Triple-A. Who will play second base for Red Sox? While Campbell tries to get right in the minors, the Red Sox will rely on David Hamilton and Romy Gonzalez to man second base. Hamilton is hitting just .172 in his 99 plate appearances, while Gonzalez is slashing .308/.473/.819 in his 28 games played. Gonzalez has seen action at first, second, and third base for Boston this season. Things could get interesting in the infield when Alex Bregman returns to third. When that happens, there's a good chance rookie Marcelo Mayer (.220/.277/.475 with four homers and six RBI) slides over to second, or he could potentially play shortstop with Trevor Story making the move to second.
New York Times
an hour ago
- Sport
- New York Times
One difference-making trade for each AL team in the wild-card race
The San Francisco Giants have already won the trade deadline, and they did it earlier this week when they acquired Rafael Devers from the Red Sox for two major-league pitchers and two prospects. What a way to truly kick off the trade season. With less than six weeks to go until the July 31 deadline, let's look at possible trades that could impact the wild-card races, which are again closely contested. Entering Friday, 10 American League teams are in a wild-card spot or within six games back of playoff position. In the National League, essentially eight teams can say the same. (The Mets and Phillies are tied atop the NL East and NL wild-card standings so count as one team in this tally.) Advertisement The only teams in the majors that are not really in the postseason race are the White Sox and Athletics in the AL and the Nationals, Marlins, Pirates and Rockies in the NL. Therefore, with not a lot of sellers, at least at this stage, we could see several trades made between contenders, along with the usual seller-to-buyer type deals. Here is one difference-making trade proposal for each of the 10 AL teams contending for a wild-card spot. Check back next week for a similar article on the NL wild-card contenders. The Rays have been looking for a long-term solution at catcher and a trade for the Rockies' backstop would nicely fill that need. Goodman is having an All-Star caliber first half of the season, hitting .285 with 14 homers, 46 RBIs and a 126 OPS+. He's a bat-first catcher who ranks in the 91st percentile in hard-hit rate and the 88th percentile in average exit velocity, but defensively, he's in the bottom-third of the league among catchers with minus-5 Defensive Runs Saved. Goodman, 25, won't be arbitration-eligible until 2027. In return, the Rockies would get Bradley, who could go right into their starting rotation. He has posted a 4.95 ERA with 73 strikeouts over 80 innings this season. In addition, the Rockies would also pick up Gillen, a first-round pick last year, whom The Athletic's Keith Law ranked as Tampa Bay's fourth-best prospect before this season. Gillen is a future impact leadoff hitter with strong on-base skills (.457 OBP) and speed (23 steals in 24 attempts) this season in Low A. This is an overpay for the Rays but would solve their biggest organizational need. The Blue Jays are focused on acquiring a starting pitcher before the trade deadline and the veteran righty would be a good fit for them. Kelly, 36, is 6-3 with a 3.41 ERA over 15 starts and will be eligible for free agency at season's end. He went to high school and college in Arizona and would like to finish his career as a Diamondback. However, if the D-Backs fall out of the National League wild-card race, perhaps they'd trade him as a rental for two solid prospects and then look to re-sign him in the offseason. Advertisement In this deal, Arizona would acquire Rojas, an intriguing 22-year-old lefty from Cuba. He has a plus fastball and slider but also comes with an injury history that includes shoulder issues, but there's enough upside there to take a gamble on him. Shaw, 20, is a versatile player who can play second base, center field and left field. He has a .420 on-base percentage this season in Low A. The Red Sox have a hole at first base and Lowe would be a good fit. Last year he slashed .265/.361/.401 with 16 homers and 69 RBIs while playing plus defense at first base. This year with the Nationals, he's hitting just .227 but has 12 doubles, 10 home runs and 45 RBIs in 75 games. He'd be an upgrade for the Sox, who would control him through 2026. Lowe would be a solid place holder until prospect James Tibbs III, acquired in the Devers trade, is ready for the majors. A second-round pick in 2024, Tolle has an eye-popping 70 strikeouts in 43 2/3 innings this season in High A. This is the type of deal the Nationals need to make at the trade deadline: adding more power arms to their stable. The Guardians have been searching for a veteran upgrade for their outfield and Robert would make a lot of sense for them. Robert, 27, is two years removed from a 38-homer season, and although he's having a down year (.190 average, six homers), he does have 22 steals in 27 attempts and has played above-average defense in center field. He badly needs a change of scenery, and it's expected he'll finally get dealt at this year's trade deadline. The Guardians would control Robert through 2027. He is making $15 million this season and his contract includes two team options, at $20 million per year. In return for Robert, the White Sox would get Chourio, a top outfield prospect who has a .383 on-base percentage this season across Rookie ball and High A. Chourio, 20, is the younger brother of the Brewers' Jackson Chourio. Cleveland would also get Velazquez, 20, a first round pick in 2023. He's batting .202/.279/.418 with nine homers this season in High A. Both players are considered top-10 prospects (in the Guardians' system), which is what the White Sox are hoping to get in a Robert trade. Advertisement The Mariners need to upgrade at first base and landing Naylor could be a game-changer for the middle of their lineup. Last year, he hit 31 home runs with 108 RBIs and helped lead the Guardians to the ALCS. This year, he has slashed .304/.359/.471 with nine homers and 49 RBIs. The Diamondbacks insist they'll be buying at the trade deadline, but that could change in the coming weeks. Closer to July 31, they could decide to trade their impending free agents, including Naylor, to acquire more talent for the future while still being able to re-sign those veteran players in free agency this winter. In return for Naylor, the Diamondbacks would get Legumina, who could immediately help them in the bullpen, and Sloan, who would add important starting pitching depth to their farm system. Legumina, 28, has a 4.05 ERA over 27 appearances this season with the Mariners. Sloan, 19, is a top-10 prospect in Seattle's strong farm system; a second-round pick last year, he has a 4.54 ERA this season in Low A. The Twins have made it clear to opposing general managers that they are looking for a left-handed-hitting outfielder. Sánchez is one of their trade targets. He has slashed .251/.324/.412 with seven doubles, seven homers and seven steals in 53 games. Last year he hit .252 with 18 home runs and 64 RBIs. He ranks in the 92nd percentile in bat speed and the 76th percentile in average exit velocity. Sánchez, 27, is under team control through 2027. In return, the Marlins would get Hill, a 19-year-old righty whom the Twins selected in the second round of last year's draft. He's been dominant in the Low-A Florida State League this season, posting a 1.65 ERA with 43 strikeouts in 27 1/3 innings. This is the type of trade that Marlins president of baseball operations Peter Bendix has prioritized. The Royals are looking for power and acquiring Stowers from the Marlins would make a lot of sense. Stowers, 27, is slashing .272/.340/.460 (120 OPS+) with 10 homers and 34 RBIs. He would become the Royals' everyday left fielder. He is under team control through the 2029 season. In return, Miami would get Shields, who was a second-round pick last year. The 18-year-old lefty's career is off to a promising start, posting a 3.26 ERA over eight outings in Rookie ball and Low A. The Marlins would also acquire Ramirez, who could become available because the Royals have two better catching prospects in Blake Mitchell and Carter Jensen. Ramirez, 20, has an .838 OPS with nine homers and 39 RBIs in 44 games this season in Low A. He's currently on the injured list and hasn't played this month. The Angels (36-38) hope to stay in the race and want to buy at the trade deadline, so making a push for Cabrera makes some sense for them. Cabrera, 27, will be arbitration-eligible next offseason, which likely means Miami will test his trade market. He has a 3.81 ERA and 1.39 WHIP over 12 starts this season with 63 strikeouts in 59 innings. He ranks in the 85th percentile in fastball velocity and the 81st percentile in breaking run value. Cabrera, who has dealt with a variety of injuries in the past, is under team control through 2028. Advertisement The Marlins would get right-handers Klassen and Cortez in return. Klassen, 23, has a 5.65 ERA over 11 starts this season with 52 strikeouts in 43 innings. He was acquired by the Angels at last year's trade deadline in the Carlos Estévez trade with the Phillies. Cortez, 22, was a second-round pick in 2024, and the Angels have transitioned the former college reliever to a minor-league starter. He has a 3.39 ERA this season over 13 starts with 59 strikeouts and 43 walks in 63 2/3 innings. If his command and control improve, he profiles as either a back-of-the-rotation starter or possibly a high-leverage reliever. The Rangers' offense has been inconsistent this season, and it looks like they need an impact middle-of-the order bat. Ozuna would be a potential solution if the Braves decide to sell at the trade deadline. (They are 5 1/2 games out of the final NL wild-card spot but are still five games below .500.). Ozuna, 34, is slashing .253/.381/.418 with 11 home runs and 39 RBIs. He's ranked fourth in the majors in walks (52) and is on pace to set a career-high. Ozuana batted .302 with 39 homers and 104 RBIs last year and will be a free agent after this season. In return, the Braves would acquire Drake, an 11th-round pick in 2022, who has a 2.74 ERA over 11 starts with 68 strikeouts and 20 walks in 49 1/3 innings this season at Double A. Law ranked Drake, 24, 11th in the Rangers' farm system entering this season. The Orioles desperately need an ace and Alcantara, if he continues to pitch well, could be a great fit — plus he's under team control through 2027. Alcantara has allowed two runs or fewer in each of his last three starts. There have also been positive signs with his stuff and command, despite his subpar overall numbers (6.88 ERA, 1.47 WHIP), as the former Cy Young Award winner gets more comfortable in his first season since undergoing Tommy John surgery. Obviously, the prospect price for Alcantara, if he's right, will be huge — which is reflected in this trade proposal. Basallo, 20, would be the headliner for the Marlins and would immediately become their top prospect, a player who should be able to hit in the middle of their lineup for years to come. He has a .974 OPS this season at Triple A. Povich, who is currently on the IL with left hip inflammation, would go into the Marlins' rotation when healthy. The 25-year-old lefty has a 5.15 ERA with 68 strikeouts in 64 2/3 innings this season. Kjerstad, 26, could take over a corner outfield position for Miami and finally get the runway as an everyday player to prove himself. He hit .192 before being optioned to Triple A earlier this month. (Top photo of Kyle Stowers: Carmen Mandato / Getty Images)
NBC Sports
2 hours ago
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Red Sox at Giants Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends and stats for June 20
It's Friday, June 20 and the Red Sox (39-37) are in San Francisco to take on the Giants (42-33). Hunter Dobbins is slated to take the mound for Boston against Hayden Birdsong for San Francisco. The Red Sox west coast road trip continues with a highly anticipated reunion between the Sox and Rafael Devers. Tonight's meeting is the first time the two will meet since the Red Sox traded him away over the weekend. Let's dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two. We've got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts. Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long. Game details & how to watch Red Sox at Giants Date: Friday, June 20, 2025 Time: 10:15PM EST Site: Oracle Park City: San Francisco, CA Network/Streaming: NBCS BA, KNTV, NESN Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out. Odds for the Red Sox at the Giants The latest odds as of Friday: Moneyline: Red Sox (+110), Giants (-131) Spread: Giants -1.5 Total: 7.0 runs Probable starting pitchers for Red Sox at Giants Pitching matchup for June 20, 2025: Hunter Dobbins vs. Hayden Birdsong Red Sox: Hunter Dobbins, (4-1, 3.74 ERA) Last outing (New York Yankees, 6/14): 6.0 Innings Pitched, 0 Earned Runs Allowed, 2 Hits Allowed, 1 Walks, and 5 StrikeoutsGiants: Hayden Birdsong, (3-1, 2.79 ERA) Last outing (Colorado Rockies, 6/12): 6.0 Innings Pitched, 3 Earned Runs Allowed, 6 Hits Allowed, 2 Walks, and 6 Strikeouts Red Sox: Hunter Dobbins, (4-1, 3.74 ERA) Last outing (New York Yankees, 6/14): 6.0 Innings Pitched, 0 Earned Runs Allowed, 2 Hits Allowed, 1 Walks, and 5 Strikeouts Giants: Hayden Birdsong, (3-1, 2.79 ERA) Last outing (Colorado Rockies, 6/12): 6.0 Innings Pitched, 3 Earned Runs Allowed, 6 Hits Allowed, 2 Walks, and 6 Strikeouts Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries, and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions, and news type! Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Red Sox at Giants The Giants are showing a 109% return on investment at home on the Money Line 8 of the Giants' last 10 home games stayed under the Total The Red Sox have covered in 4 of their last 5 on the road, profiting 2.62 units If you're looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline, and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports! Expert picks & predictions for tonight's game between the Red Sox and the Giants Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700. Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread, and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information, and weather forecasts. Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager. Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Friday's game between the Red Sox and the Giants: Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the San Francisco Giants on the Moneyline. Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Boston Red Sox at +1.5. Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 7.0. Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff: Jay Croucher (@croucherJD) Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper) Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)
Boston Globe
4 hours ago
- Sport
- Boston Globe
Red Sox are trying to sell that Devers trade was in ‘best interest' of team. Sorry, not buying, and other thoughts.
Devers had to go. That's what the Red Sox want you to believe. Advertisement So he's gone. To the Giants. For a bag of baseballs. And payroll flexibility (I'm eager to hear when fans are getting their dividend checks from Fenway Sports Group). According to Spotrac, the once, top-spending Boston Red Sox have dropped to 19th in active player payroll. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Sox ownership just pulled off an amazing magic trick. With a lot of help from Devers (in all seriousness, Devers behaved like a baby and was a lousy teammate at the end), folks who run the Red Sox managed to get out from under a contract they hated, move a top talent to the other league, got virtually zero help for 2025, yet generate applause from a lot of you who just wanted to get rid of Devers. Advertisement Maybe the Sox should have done this with Manny Ramirez when he was causing all those problems before the Sox won those World Series in 2004 and 2007. Here's a sample from my inbox after the deal went down Sunday night: My take is he was wholly unlikable as a whining $32 million player who refused to play the infield when needed. He's unlikable so nobody cares . . . A bad apple like him needs to go . . . This is addition by subtraction. Hear Devers created bad vibes in the dugout/clubhouse . . . All my sports fanatic friends and family are celebrating Devers's exit. We're so happy to see him go, along with the $250 million he's owed . . . Do you really want Anthony and Mayer to be in the locker room, listening to Devers sounding off? . . . Most of the times he hits when it doesn't count that much . . . The franchise established the principle that no one is above the team . . . The Sox have rid themselves of a daily toxic anchor . . . The team is better today . . . Devers is a fat, out-of-shape, cheeks-bulging-with-tobacco, lackadaisical, uncaring slob . . . I never liked this guy, constantly spitting . . . I'm glad he's gone. His manners were disgusting . . . The Sox unloaded a cancer on the team. There were dozens more just like these. At times, I felt like I was reading the comments under my own columns. John Henry (who also owns the Globe), Tom Werner, Sam Kennedy, Craig Breslow, and Co. have to be ecstatic with this fan reaction. They didn't get this kind of support when they wouldn't pay Jon Lester, Mookie Betts, or Xander Bogaerts. Advertisement Devers delivered for FSG. Bigly. After the deal went down, we heard from David Ortiz (listed as team 'special assistant' at the top of the Red Sox front office directory), who suddenly recalled that Devers never answers his calls and texts, adding, 'You employees, go against the check-signer. See if you are going to last two days. I did everything they told me to, and today I'm earning a lifetime salary from the Red Sox . . . ' Wow. Could these be the words of the same guy who asked to be traded by the Sox in 2003, who took his bat to a water cooler when Terry Francona pinch hit for him in Toronto in 2010, who disrupted a Francona press conference to complain about official scoring, who almost harmed his teammates destroying a dugout phone in Baltimore, who just about annually complained about his contract? The Sox also leaked 'new' information that Devers was in Campbell's ear, telling the kid not to take grounders at first — a report that Alex Cora snuffed out quickly Tuesday in Seattle. Unlike Papi, Pedro Martinez (also a special assistant on the Red Sox masthead), supported Devers, telling MLB Network, 'If you try to sell to me . . . that Raffy is a bad teammate or he is not a team player, you're lying. You're going to tell me he's a bad influence in the clubhouse? He's not . . . This should have been in the hands of baseball people, not front office people. Not leaking it to the media.' Advertisement The Papi and Pedro remarks came after Remembering that Henry and Werner Kennedy: 'It was a baseball trade because we did what we felt was in the best interest of the Red Sox, on and off the field to win championships and to continue to ferociously and relentlessly pursue a culture that we want everyone in that clubhouse to embody . . . so yeah, it was a baseball trade without question.' Breslow: 'I would echo that. With the quality of the return, we're going to see how that plays out over the next several years . . . I do think that at the end of the season we're looking back and we've won more games than we otherwise would have won.' I also asked if the Giants' willingness to assume the entire balance of Devers's contract was a condition of making the deal. 'No,' said Breslow. 'We were trying to improve the long- and short-term outlooks. We were trying to provide some additional roster flexibility. And we were trying to make the best baseball trade that we could.' Sorry, guys. Not buying. I'm not convinced that this was anything other than a salary dump made palatable to Red Sox Nation only because Devers turned the fan base against him. This was a bad baseball deal, and it may motivate Alex Bregman and Scott Boras to opt out. But it's great for FSG's bottom line. 'This in no way signifies a waving of the white flag in 2025,' said Breslow. Advertisement Swell. One night after those remarks, the Red Sox were shut out on two hits by the Mariners, while Devers went 2 for 5 with an RBI double Even though they're having trouble scoring runs, the Red Sox go into this weekend in San Francisco ('Hello, there, Raffy.') having won four consecutive series, two games over .500, and very much in the hunt for a phony wild-card spot. The illusion of contention is alive and well in Boston. But if Devers homers against the Sox, look for WBZ-TV to bring back Bob Lobel, then have him cut to the highlights and ask, 'Why can't we get players like that?' ⋅ Quiz: 1. Name one championship-round MVP (and his team) that came from the losing side in the NBA, the NFL, and MLB; 2. Name five NBA players to lead the postseason in total assists four or more times (answers below). ⋅ Memo to Joe Mazzulla: The Oklahoma City Thunder took only 16 3-pointers and made only three in their 111-104 Game 4 victory over the Indiana Pacers in the NBA Finals. ⋅ Maybe folks who run the WNBA think it's good for business to allow jealous Advertisement Fever star Caitlin Clark continues to absorb rough treatment in the WNBA. Michael Conroy/Associated Press ⋅ Poor Canada. Another year. Another no Stanley Cup. The last team from Trump's 51st state to win the Cup was the Canadiens in 1993. The Edmonton Oilers were unable to end the Stanley Cup drought of Canadian teams. Nathan Denette/Associated Press ⋅ It saddens me that we won't get to see Garrett Crochet pitch to Aaron Judge again until August. The duel reminded one of my readers of 21-year-old Dodgers righthander Bob Welch's dramatic, nine-pitch matchup vs. Reggie Jackson in the 1978 World Series. It was strength against strength, with Welch ultimately fanning Reggie, as Mr. October corkscrewed himself into the batter's box missing strike three. A few days later, Jackson hit a 900-foot home run off Welch when the Yankees won the Series in Game 6. ⋅ With Devers gone, Tanner Houck — who first pitched for Boston during the no-fans pandemic season of 2020 — becomes the longest-tenured member of the Red Sox. Devers was the last remaining member of the 2018 world champs. Pitcher Tanner Houck is now the longest-tenured member of the Red Sox. Jim Davis/Associated Press ⋅ This space has roughed up Kiké Hernández for his hot doggery through the years, but kudos to the Dodger utilityman for being one of the few professional athletes to publicly speak out against the present administration's immigration/deportation playbook.' . . . ALL people deserve to be treated with respect, dignity, and human rights,' Hernandez wrote last weekend on X. ⋅ Had a nice visit with Bob Cousy at his Worcester home earlier this month. The Cooz will be 97 in August, and like the rest of you was surprised that the Celtics bowed out early in the playoffs. Cousy is one of 14 living members of the Holy Cross Class of 1950. ⋅ Friends of ESPN legend Chris Berman celebrated his 70th birthday this past week at The Greatest Bar on Friend Street near the Garden. Those in attendance included Tedy Bruschi, Jim Kelly, Bob Lobel, Adam Schefter, Field Yates, Andrea Kremer, Kenny Mayne, Gary Miller, Max Lane, Alan Miller, and Butch Stearns. ⋅ RIP James Vinick, a Springfield native who died June 10. A passionate supporter of The Jimmy Fund, Vinick dedicated more than 60 years of service to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. He commissioned a statue of Dr. Sidney Farber and 'Jimmy' that stands outside the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. ⋅ Quiz answers: 1. NBA — Jerry West (1969 Lakers, Finals loss to Celtics), NFL — Chuck Howley (1971 Cowboys, Super Bowl loss to Colts), MLB — Bobby Richardson (1960 Yankees, World Series loss to Pirates); 2. Magic Johnson (9), Bob Cousy (7), LeBron James (6), John Stockton (5), Rajon Rondo (4). Dan Shaughnessy is a Globe columnist. He can be reached at
