Pittsburgh Pirates reliever Dennis Santana has been issued a four-game suspension and an undisclosed fine by Major League Baseball for “aggressive conduct toward a fan” from the visitors’ bullpen at Comerica Park during Thursday’s game against the Detroit Tigers.
The incident in question occurred during the second game of a doubleheader. Santana was filmed by several onlookers in the left-field stands jumping up to slap at a fan above the visitors’ bullpen in the seventh inning. The fan was ejected from the ballpark after the altercation, The Athletic’s Cody Stavenhagen reported.
— Spencer Torkelson Believer (@TorkBeliever) June 20, 2025
Santana was not removed from the game and was the pitcher of record in the ninth inning when the game was delayed by rain for over an hour. He finished with one-third of an inning before being replaced by David Bednar after the delay with the score tied at 4-4. Pittsburgh went on to an 8-4 win, splitting the doubleheader with Detroit.
Following the game, Santana addressed the incident, saying that the fan “crossed the line a few times.”
“You guys know me — I’m a calm demeanor type of person,” Santana said through Pirates translator Stephen Morales, via the Associated Press. “I’ve never had any issues for any of the teams I’ve played for. This guy crossed the line a few times.”
Santana did not specify what the fan said to provoke him, but said that he told Pirates manager Don Kelly that he regretted what happened.
The suspension comes amid Santana having the best season of his eight-year career. He has a 1.72 ERA and five saves in 32 appearances, compiling 25 strikeouts and five walks in 31 1/3 innings. The veteran reliever is sure to be a popular target by playoff contenders at the MLB trade deadline.
MLB’s four-game penalty is in line with the suspension issued two seasons ago to Los Angeles Angels infielder Anthony Rendon. Rendon confronted a fan in the stands as he was leaving the field, eventually reaching to grab the spectator by the shirt. He was originally issued a five-game suspension, which was reduced to four games on appeal.
Two of the injured Mets showed some positive signs in Syracuse on Friday.
Sean Manaea took the next step in his rehab assignment — making the jump up to Triple-A after putting together three up-and-down outings with the High-A Brooklyn Cyclones.
The southpaw was very sharp this time out — allowing one run on two hits while issuing zero free passes and striking out seven over 5.1 innings in the first game of a double-dip with the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp.
The lone run came in on an RBI groundout in his first inning of work, but then he cruised from there — setting down the next 15 hitters he faced, including a stretch of four consecutive strikeouts.
Manaea finished his day with an efficient 62 pitches and 45 strikes to bring his ERA down to 1.69 in four outings.
He’ll likely have one or two more appearances before returning, as, according to Mike Puma of the NY Post, the tentative plan is for the lefty to slot back into the Mets’ rotation during the first week of July.
Sean Manaea was dominant in his rehab outing with Triple-A Syracuse today 🔥
His final line: 5.1 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 7 K (62 pitches/45 strikes)
Mark Vientos also enjoyed a nice day in what was his second appearance with Syracuse.
The young power hitter struck out and then flew out in each of his first two at-bats, but then stepped to the plate with the bases loaded in the bottom of the fourth and was finally able to do some damage.
Vientos worked the count to 2-2 before lining a low changeup into the right-center field gap to clear the bases and make it a tie ballgame — he ended up being stranded a batter later when Drew Gilbert lined out.
He flew out and then grounded out during his final two at-bats, but it was still very encouraging to see him battle and then deliver the big two-out, game-tying hit.
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said pregame Friday that the current plan is for Vientos to remain with Syracuse through this weekend, and if all goes well he could potentially be an option as soon as Monday.
– Prior to the game being suspended, top pitching prospect Brandon Sproat was on the hill for Syracuse and he allowed three runs to score on a long Matt Mervis homer during his lone inning of work.
– Power-hitting utility man Luke Ritter has been on fire thus far in June and he also continued that on Friday — picking up three hits, including a solo homer in the bottom of the second.
– Travis Jankowski has gotten off to a bit of a slow start since returning to the organization, but he had his hands all over this one — picking up three knocks of his own, including a grand slam in the seventh.
– Recently signed right-hander Julian Merryweather worked around a leadoff double and two-out walk in the ninth to put the finishing touches on the victory — he now has a pair of scoreless appearances thus far.
Ron Washington is stepping away from managing the Los Angeles Angels indefinitely because of an undisclosed health concern.
Angels bench coach Ray Montgomery will manage the team in the interim, including Friday night against the Houston Astros.
Washington, 73, will still be around the team, and he’ll watch games from general manager Perry Minasian’s suite, according to The Athletic.
Washington has posted a 99-137 record during his first two seasons as Angels manager. The Angels are currently 36-38 and in third place of the AL West standings.
“He hasn’t been himself these past couple days. We all saw that,” said Angels shortstop Zach Neto, via The Athletic.
“I’m glad he was able to figure something out and take these days to get himself back to normal.”
Minasian expects Washington to return to managing the Angels this season. A more specific timeline, however, is not yet known.
“We’re going to cross every T and dot every I, and make sure he’s 100% before he’s back in the dugout,” Minasian said, via The Athletic. “How long is it going to take? I don’t know. I don’t expect it to be too long.
“We all know how important this is for all of us, but obviously health is more important than anything. Me, personally, I’m not letting him back in the dugout until I know he’s 100%.”
The Angels hired Washington in November 2023. He previously served as the Texas Rangers’ manager from 2007-14, guiding the Rangers to a pair of American League pennants.
In between, he joined the coaching staffs of the Athletics (2015-16) and the Atlanta Braves (2017-23).
As for Montgomery, this isn’t his first time stepping into the manager role for the Angels. In addition to assuming duties in spring training while Washington worked through illness, Montgomery was in the spotlight in 2022 when he took the helm after then-manager Phil Nevin was suspended following a full-team brawl with the Seattle Mariners.
Ron Washington is stepping away from managing the Los Angeles Angels indefinitely because of an undisclosed health concern.
Angels bench coach Ray Montgomery will manage the team in the interim, including Friday night against the Houston Astros.
Washington, 73, will still be around the team, and he’ll watch games from general manager Perry Minasian’s suite, according to The Athletic.
Washington has posted a 99-137 record during his first two seasons as Angels manager. The Angels are currently 36-38 and in third place of the AL West standings.
“He hasn’t been himself these past couple days. We all saw that,” said Angels shortstop Zach Neto, via The Athletic.
“I’m glad he was able to figure something out and take these days to get himself back to normal.”
Minasian expects Washington to return to managing the Angels this season. A more specific timeline, however, is not yet known.
“We’re going to cross every T and dot every I, and make sure he’s 100% before he’s back in the dugout,” Minasian said, via The Athletic. “How long is it going to take? I don’t know. I don’t expect it to be too long.
“We all know how important this is for all of us, but obviously health is more important than anything. Me, personally, I’m not letting him back in the dugout until I know he’s 100%.”
The Angels hired Washington in November 2023. He previously served as the Texas Rangers’ manager from 2007-14, guiding the Rangers to a pair of American League pennants.
In between, he joined the coaching staffs of the Athletics (2015-16) and the Atlanta Braves (2017-23).
As for Montgomery, this isn’t his first time stepping into the manager role for the Angels. In addition to assuming duties in spring training while Washington worked through illness, Montgomery was in the spotlight in 2022 when he took the helm after then-manager Phil Nevin was suspended following a full-team brawl with the Seattle Mariners.
We got a glimpse at a lot of new features coming to Gemini at Google IO and one of the most interesting is rolling out right now. The new Scheduled Actions feature lets you tell Gemini to run prompts at certain times in the future, and even recur on a regular basis. It sounds small, but it opens quite a few new possibilities.
This scheduling feature is designed to work seamlessly with ordinary Gemini prompts. Ask the chatbot to perform or repeat a task in the future and it will automatically schedule the tasks. You can even convert an existing chat into a scheduled action. Here’s how it works, and a few ideas of what you can do with it.
How Scheduled Actions work in Gemini
While the scheduling feature should just work, in theory, there are a couple of nuances in practice. In my testing, Gemini occasionally got confused and told me that it couldn’t perform a task now based on information in the future. However, a clarifying follow up usually did the trick.
You can only have 10 scheduled actions at a time. Gemini only has 10 slots for scheduled actions, though these can be one-off or recurring ones.
You can use your location for an action, but you can’t change it. Gemini supports recurring scheduled actions that are based on location, like “Every morning, recommend a coffee shop near me.” The only hitch is, the location for that action will use the same location you used when you created the action. It won’t update based on wherever you are.
Once you have an action scheduled, you can see it and all your other saved actions by tapping your profile icon in the Gemini app or heading to Settings on the web and selecting “Scheduled actions.” You can’t do much here other than pause or delete the activity, but if you want to cancel the instructions, you have the option.
Get a summary of your email every day
I’ll admit, when I hear the stock AI use case example of “get a summary of your email!” I get skeptical. Is it really more efficient to ask a chatbot to summarize your emails than to just scan them yourself? Well, it is if you only have to ask once. Ask Gemini something like “Give me a summary of my new unread emails every morning” and you’ll get a notification each day.
You can further refine this approach by giving Gemini specific instructions for your needs. For example, you could instruct Gemini to highlight any emails from your boss, or filter out promotional emails, sales, or newsletters.
Keep in mind that this technique has the same error rate as anything else in Gemini (or any AI chatbot for that matter). It’s handy for getting a quick overview of the messages waiting for you, but it’s still probably a good idea to glance at your inbox before telling your boss you didn’t get that email.
Create weekly itineraries based on calendar events
Via the Workspace connection, you can ask Gemini to give you a rundown of all your events throughout the week that are in your calendar. Since Gemini can also query Google Maps, you can even ask complex questions like how far your doctor’s appointment is from your home.
Once again, the power in this technique comes in how you can ask Gemini for specific types of information or how to format the itinerary it presents. For example, on a day when I had two appointments in different parts of town, I asked Gemini how long I would spend driving. It was able to add the various estimated driving times and give me a grand total.
It can take a little finagling to get the wording right. It took a couple of tries before I settled on explicitly telling Gemini to “assume I’m starting and ending my day at home,” but once I found a prompt that worked, the scheduled action meant I only had to write it once.
Schedule queries for specific events
Sometimes you know some information you’re going to want to have, but it just doesn’t exist yet. For example, say you want to know who won the Oscars, but don’t plan to watch the show. You can schedule a query ahead of time and, once the big day arrives, Gemini will summarize the info for you.
Personally, I find it a bit more useful for things where the search is more complex than a simple “who won?” For example, Death Stranding 2 is coming out very soon. And while nothing could stop me from playing it myself, I would still like to read a selection of reviews.
So, I have a prompt scheduled next week to bring me a selection of reviews from some of my favorite sites. I don’t personally have a need for a generic summary (I read the humans’ writing for a reason), but you could ask Gemini for questions about a particular topic, like what reviewers think of the game mechanics, or how bafflingly convoluted they found the story.
In the future, do more with Agent Mode
For now, there are already a few cool uses for this feature, but it’s worth mentioning that Google demoed quite a lot more. As part of its demo of Agent Mode, the company showed an example of asking Gemini to find new apartments every week and send the user a summary.
That kind of task requires a lot more autonomy than the public version of Gemini is currently capable of, but it does highlight how handy scheduled actions can become in the future. We’d have to evaluate how well Agent Mode is at performing complex tasks, but for now Gemini is capable of simple internet queries, collating your emails and calendar, and performing some complex planning.
Today, Meta announced a collaboration with Oakley to release limited-edition Oakley HSTN smart glasses, along with AI integration in other Oakley models. The special edition Oakley HSTN (pronounced “HOW-stun”) glasses feature gold accents and Oakley gold-tinted PRIZM lenses and will retail for $499. They will be available for preorder on July 11. Other Oakley models with Meta’s AI tech will be available starting at $399 this summer as well.
Like the second-generation Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses originally released in 2023, Oakley spectacles will feature a front-facing camera, open-ear speakers, a microphone, and built-in Meta AI capability that allows for visual descriptions, general questions, and real-time translation when paired with your smartphone. But the battery on the Oakley Meta glasses will last twice as long as Ray-Bans’—eight hours of use and 19 hours of standby. The charging case will provide and additional 48 hours of charge compared to 32 from the Ray-Bans. Another improvement: the built-in camera will shoot 3K video, compared to 1080p on second generation Meta Ray-Bans.
I’ve been wearing Ray-Ban Meta glasses regularly for more than six months, and, tech wise, the Oakleys are definitely an improvement, but an incremental one instead of a game-changing one. Longer battery life is always welcome, as is a camera with three times the resolution, but it’s not enough for me to feel like I have to switch. If you’re looking for new glasses, though, the Ray-Ban Meta Wayfarers currently retail for $379 as opposed to $399 for the non-special edition Oakleys. Bottom line: purely in terms of tech, Oakleys are better smart glasses at a comparable price, but whether those difference are enough to make a switch is more of a personal choice.
Given the Oakley brand’s association with sports, it’s a little surprising that Oakley Meta glasses feature the same water resistance as the Ray-Ban Metas. Both pairs are rated IPX4, meaning your glasses will be OK if you’re caught in a light rain. It would be nice to have a fully waterproof, IPX7, jump-in-the-pool smart glasses, but I guess we’ll have to wait for that.
As far as looks go, I happen to like the classic Wayfarer style of my Ray-Bans, but the Oakley’s definitely look slick. I mean, gold-tinted frames? Come on. Speaking of the design, here are the five varieties of limited edition HSTN frames that will be available in July:
Oakley Meta HSTN Desert with PRIZM Ruby Lenses
Oakley Meta HSTN Black with PRIZM Polar Black Lenses
Oakley Meta HSTN Shiny Brown with PRIZM Polar Deep-Water Lenses
Oakley Meta HSTN Black with Transitions Amethyst Lenses
Oakley Meta HSTN Clear with Transitions Grey Lenses
The Men’s College World Series final, a scintillating, best-of-three showdown between Coastal Carolina and LSU, gets rolling on Saturday. I just got back from a four-day stretch in Omaha, where I saw seven games featuring seven different teams.
Here are my thoughts on some of the most impressive draft prospects I got eyes on.
1. Aiva Arquette, SS, Oregon State
When Cal Ripken is the physical comparison for a shortstop, you know you’re dealing with something unique. Arquette is long and lean, kind of like Alec Bohm or a shorter James Wood, except the Oregon State shortstop moves like a gazelle. It’s an even taller version of young Carlos Correa, but the defensive fluidity that Arquette showcases despite his 6-foot-5 string-bean-ness is remarkable. One evaluator compared it to how Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama had a late teen growth spurt, so he knows how to handle the basketball.
Arquette made one play in the CWS that was simply beautiful. Some people think he’ll have to move to third, but I’m bullish about him sticking at the game’s most important infield spot.
Top draft prospect Aiva Arquette showing off RANGE for Oregon State 😮💨
At the dish, Arquette turned in a magnificent junior season, hitting 19 long balls to go with a .354 average and a 1.115 OPS. There are legitimate concerns about his chase rate and how his long levers might make it harder for him to catch up with pro-level velocity, but the offensive ceiling here is impressive, as Arquette showcased with this absolute laser beam against Louisville on Tuesday.
Aiva Arquette CRUSHED
The No. 6 Draft prospect belts a clutch dinger in Men’s College World Series action.
Most evaluators have Arquette pegged as the top college bat on the board. He won’t get past the top 10 picks.
2. Gage Wood, SP, Arkansas
Wood’s final start as a college pitcher was potentially the single greatest outing in college baseball history: A 19-strikeout no-hitter in a College World Series elimination game. That performance captured headlines, but Wood, on the injured list from Feb. 23 until April 18, was already shooting up draft boards.
He’s undersized but incredibly physical, and his fastball has the potential to be downright special. During the no-hitter, Wood’s fastball sat between 95 and 97 mph with plus carry from a low release point. The best version of that type of heater is Spencer Strider.
Some evaluators think Wood, given his smaller stature and lack of a reliable third pitch, will eventually move to the bullpen. But if he can stick as a starter, there’s something Strider-y about his effective two-pitch mix. Wood, a country kid from the Arkansas backwoods, also proved himself to be a supreme competitor in Omaha. He’ll get taken in the first round.
Aiva Arquette, Gage Wood, Kade Anderson and Jacob Morrison left a lasting impression with their performances in Omaha. (Joseph Raines/Yahoo Sports)
Joseph Raines/Yahoo Sports
3. Caden Bodine, C, Coastal Carolina
Bodine has been the leader and best player on a Coastal Carolina team that has won 26 games in a row and is now just two wins away from a national championship. As a pitch-receiver, the New Jersey high school product is about as advanced as a college catcher can be. He has a sophisticated understanding of pitch framing and the physical ability to steal strikes in all parts of the zone. Bodine also gets plaudits for his laser arm and leadership qualities. Defensively, this is what a future Gold Glove catcher looks like.
Offensively, it’s a weirder assortment of tools. Bodine, a switch-hitter, launched only five home runs this season, despite playing in Coastal Carolina’s historically offense-friendly park. Yet the overall slash line of .326/.459/.473 was still awesome, particularly for a catcher. That’s because Bodine has plus, maybe even plus-plus, contact ability and feel to hit. One evaluator I spoke with had Bodine ranked as the No. 1 college position player in the class. Altogether, it’s a fascinating, unusual profile, but Bodine is a surefire first-round pick who shouldn’t get past the Phillies at No. 26.
4. Wehiwa Aloy, SS, Arkansas
Aloy was one of the season’s more remarkable stories. He, alongside his brother Kuhio, propelled the Razorbacks to Omaha while turning Fayetteville, Arkansas, into an unlikely outpost of Hawaiian culture. Along the way, Wehiwa cracked 21 homers and won SEC player of the year. And while he showed well offensively in Omaha — this backside blast was particularly sweet — I’m actually lower on Aloy now than before I saw him live.
The raw juice, particularly to the opposite field, is awesome, but there’s a lot of whiff and chase here for a player that I think is probably a third baseman instead of a shortstop. Aloy has a strong, only-gonna-get-stronger upper half. And while that enables his light-tower power, it also makes him a top-heavy defender at shortstop. That said, I think he has a chance to be pretty good at the hot corner, considering his rocket arm. If he stays at shortstop, the ceiling is Willy Adames with a worse glove: high power, low average, lots of strikeouts and elite makeup that helps everything play up.
5. Kade Anderson, SP, LSU
Unfortunately, Anderson had already thrown by the time I touched down in Nebraska, but the video of his 7-inning, 7-strikeout, 1-run performance against Arkansas tells the story: The southpaw is widely regarded as the top college arm in this class. He has four pitches — fastball, slider, curveball, changeup — that grade out at average or above. The standouts are the fastball, which is comfortably in the mid-90s, and the wipeout slider.
Absolutely WICKED curveball from LSU’s Kade Anderson 😳
Scouts also love Anderson’s fluidity and athleticism. The ceiling here is a touch lower than some of the other first-round arms in this class, such as high schooler Seth Hernandez or Tennessee lefty Liam Doyle, but Anderson looks like a guaranteed big-league starter. Another fantastic outing in the CWS finals — he’s set to start Game 1 on Saturday — could push him all the way up to the No. 1 pick.
6. Brendan Summerhill, OF, Arizona
Summerhill’s Wildcats were eliminated by the time I arrived in Omaha, so I didn’t get to see him play, but scouts like his combo of athleticism, hit tool and power projection. He didn’t hit for much juice this season, but evaluators generally think Summerhill’s 6-foot-3 frame will grow into more power. He’s another likely first-rounder.
7. Zack Root, SP, Arkansas
Root was up to 99 mph in the super regional against Tennessee, but the southpaw typically sits in the mid-90s. He’s got a long, loopy, high-70s breaker in the Kershaw style (not that good, of course), but his most important pitch is a rapidly improving changeup that allows him to get opposite-handed hitters out. Expect his name to be called anywhere between the comp rounds and the third round.
8. Charles Davalan, OF, Arkansas
Built kind of like Corbin Carroll, Davalan’s profile is somewhere on the scale between Sal Frelick and Jarren Duran. Unfortunately, you probably know his name because he dropped the line drive that allowed LSU to come back and reach the finals. But this guy is a grinder, an old-school scout favorite, with a fiery engine and impressive physicality for somebody his size (5-foot-9). His early pull-side blast in the super regional against Tennessee’s Liam Doyle was the type of in-box move that makes you believe in a player.
It’s also worth noting that Davalan, who transferred to Arkansas after a year at Florida Gulf Coast, is originally from the Montreal area and thus hasn’t been facing high-level arms for that long. I’m pretty in on this dude and think he’ll carve out a nice big-league career as an undersized corner outfielder with some punch.
9. Jacob Morrison, SP, Coastal Carolina
You might’ve missed Morrison’s dominant MCWS start, considering he took the mound mere minutes after the Rafael Devers trade rocked the baseball world. But the very large Coastal righty was brilliant against Oregon State, tossing 7 2/3 innings with no walks, seven strikeouts and just one earned run.
At a marionette-y, herky-jerky 6-foot-8, Morrison reminds me a bit, from a movement standpoint, of Baltimore’s Felix Bautista. The fastball isn’t nearly that special, but Morrison is a sensational competitor who should make the most of his stuff. He was one of college baseball’s best arms this year — 2.08 ERA in 104 innings — and he’s rising up draft boards based on his MCWS showing. He’ll start Game 2 of the championship series and should be drafted in the first three rounds.
10. Jared Jones, 1B, LSU
Since a horrible 0-for-5 with five strikeouts in Game 1 of the MCWS, Jones has been a force. He has clobbered two homers so far in the tournament, and he walked off Arkansas with an RBI laser in that dramatic semifinal game.
JARED JONES WALKS IT OFF AND LSU ADVANCE TO THE MEN’S COLLEGE WORLD SERIES FINALS pic.twitter.com/sIZW7kA4tv
— MLB Walk Offs & Game Winning Plays (@MLBWalk_Offs) June 19, 2025
But as a pro prospect, I’m out on Jones. Known lovingly as “Bear” because of his enormous, 6-foot-4, 245-pound frame, Jones has been able to physically overwhelm opposing pitchers during his college career. Unfortunately, pro ball is flush with these types of players, and I’m not exactly sure what Jones’ separator is. I don’t love his adaptability in the box, and I think he’s a butcher at first. Maybe he turns into Pete Alonso — another clunky, hulking SEC slugger — but I’d let another team take that risk.
A few quick thoughts on two future draftees
Roch Cholowsky, SS, UCLA
The current favorite to go first overall next year, Cholowsky turned down millions as a high schooler in the 2023 draft to attend UCLA. And he has been a superstar since the second he stepped foot on campus. The son of a pro scout, Cholowky is very mature for his age, as a player and as a leader. He’s a stupendous defender at short, with a glove that comfortably rates as plus. Keep an eye on this guy.
Dax Whitney, SP, Oregon State
Whitney also turned down a bunch of money (in the 2024 draft) to play college ball. The Idaho high school product has a very deceptive windup with a special, high-ride fastball and a big, overhand curve. He’s a potential 1-1 guy for the 2027 MLB Draft.
The Men’s College World Series final, a scintillating, best-of-three showdown between Coastal Carolina and LSU, gets rolling on Saturday. I just got back from a four-day stretch in Omaha, where I saw seven games featuring seven different teams.
Here are my thoughts on some of the most impressive draft prospects I got eyes on.
1. Aiva Arquette, SS, Oregon State
When Cal Ripken is the physical comparison for a shortstop, you know you’re dealing with something unique. Arquette is long and lean, kind of like Alec Bohm or a shorter James Wood, except the Oregon State shortstop moves like a gazelle. It’s an even taller version of young Carlos Correa, but the defensive fluidity that Arquette showcases despite his 6-foot-5 string-bean-ness is remarkable. One evaluator compared it to how Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama had a late teen growth spurt, so he knows how to handle the basketball.
Arquette made one play in the CWS that was simply beautiful. Some people think he’ll have to move to third, but I’m bullish about him sticking at the game’s most important infield spot.
Top draft prospect Aiva Arquette showing off RANGE for Oregon State 😮💨
At the dish, Arquette turned in a magnificent junior season, hitting 19 long balls to go with a .354 average and a 1.115 OPS. There are legitimate concerns about his chase rate and how his long levers might make it harder for him to catch up with pro-level velocity, but the offensive ceiling here is impressive, as Arquette showcased with this absolute laser beam against Louisville on Tuesday.
Aiva Arquette CRUSHED
The No. 6 Draft prospect belts a clutch dinger in Men’s College World Series action.
Most evaluators have Arquette pegged as the top college bat on the board. He won’t get past the top 10 picks.
2. Gage Wood, SP, Arkansas
Wood’s final start as a college pitcher was potentially the single greatest outing in college baseball history: A 19-strikeout no-hitter in a College World Series elimination game. That performance captured headlines, but Wood, on the injured list from Feb. 23 until April 18, was already shooting up draft boards.
He’s undersized but incredibly physical, and his fastball has the potential to be downright special. During the no-hitter, Wood’s fastball sat between 95 and 97 mph with plus carry from a low release point. The best version of that type of heater is Spencer Strider.
Some evaluators think Wood, given his smaller stature and lack of a reliable third pitch, will eventually move to the bullpen. But if he can stick as a starter, there’s something Strider-y about his effective two-pitch mix. Wood, a country kid from the Arkansas backwoods, also proved himself to be a supreme competitor in Omaha. He’ll get taken in the first round.
Aiva Arquette, Gage Wood, Kade Anderson and Jacob Morrison left a lasting impression with their performances in Omaha. (Joseph Raines/Yahoo Sports)
Joseph Raines/Yahoo Sports
3. Caden Bodine, C, Coastal Carolina
Bodine has been the leader and best player on a Coastal Carolina team that has won 26 games in a row and is now just two wins away from a national championship. As a pitch-receiver, the New Jersey high school product is about as advanced as a college catcher can be. He has a sophisticated understanding of pitch framing and the physical ability to steal strikes in all parts of the zone. Bodine also gets plaudits for his laser arm and leadership qualities. Defensively, this is what a future Gold Glove catcher looks like.
Offensively, it’s a weirder assortment of tools. Bodine, a switch-hitter, launched only five home runs this season, despite playing in Coastal Carolina’s historically offense-friendly park. Yet the overall slash line of .326/.459/.473 was still awesome, particularly for a catcher. That’s because Bodine has plus, maybe even plus-plus, contact ability and feel to hit. One evaluator I spoke with had Bodine ranked as the No. 1 college position player in the class. Altogether, it’s a fascinating, unusual profile, but Bodine is a surefire first-round pick who shouldn’t get past the Phillies at No. 26.
4. Wehiwa Aloy, SS, Arkansas
Aloy was one of the season’s more remarkable stories. He, alongside his brother Kuhio, propelled the Razorbacks to Omaha while turning Fayetteville, Arkansas, into an unlikely outpost of Hawaiian culture. Along the way, Wehiwa cracked 21 homers and won SEC player of the year. And while he showed well offensively in Omaha — this backside blast was particularly sweet — I’m actually lower on Aloy now than before I saw him live.
The raw juice, particularly to the opposite field, is awesome, but there’s a lot of whiff and chase here for a player that I think is probably a third baseman instead of a shortstop. Aloy has a strong, only-gonna-get-stronger upper half. And while that enables his light-tower power, it also makes him a top-heavy defender at shortstop. That said, I think he has a chance to be pretty good at the hot corner, considering his rocket arm. If he stays at shortstop, the ceiling is Willy Adames with a worse glove: high power, low average, lots of strikeouts and elite makeup that helps everything play up.
5. Kade Anderson, SP, LSU
Unfortunately, Anderson had already thrown by the time I touched down in Nebraska, but the video of his 7-inning, 7-strikeout, 1-run performance against Arkansas tells the story: The southpaw is widely regarded as the top college arm in this class. He has four pitches — fastball, slider, curveball, changeup — that grade out at average or above. The standouts are the fastball, which is comfortably in the mid-90s, and the wipeout slider.
Absolutely WICKED curveball from LSU’s Kade Anderson 😳
Scouts also love Anderson’s fluidity and athleticism. The ceiling here is a touch lower than some of the other first-round arms in this class, such as high schooler Seth Hernandez or Tennessee lefty Liam Doyle, but Anderson looks like a guaranteed big-league starter. Another fantastic outing in the CWS finals — he’s set to start Game 1 on Saturday — could push him all the way up to the No. 1 pick.
6. Brendan Summerhill, OF, Arizona
Summerhill’s Wildcats were eliminated by the time I arrived in Omaha, so I didn’t get to see him play, but scouts like his combo of athleticism, hit tool and power projection. He didn’t hit for much juice this season, but evaluators generally think Summerhill’s 6-foot-3 frame will grow into more power. He’s another likely first-rounder.
7. Zack Root, SP, Arkansas
Root was up to 99 mph in the super regional against Tennessee, but the southpaw typically sits in the mid-90s. He’s got a long, loopy, high-70s breaker in the Kershaw style (not that good, of course), but his most important pitch is a rapidly improving changeup that allows him to get opposite-handed hitters out. Expect his name to be called anywhere between the comp rounds and the third round.
8. Charles Davalan, OF, Arkansas
Built kind of like Corbin Carroll, Davalan’s profile is somewhere on the scale between Sal Frelick and Jarren Duran. Unfortunately, you probably know his name because he dropped the line drive that allowed LSU to come back and reach the finals. But this guy is a grinder, an old-school scout favorite, with a fiery engine and impressive physicality for somebody his size (5-foot-9). His early pull-side blast in the super regional against Tennessee’s Liam Doyle was the type of in-box move that makes you believe in a player.
It’s also worth noting that Davalan, who transferred to Arkansas after a year at Florida Gulf Coast, is originally from the Montreal area and thus hasn’t been facing high-level arms for that long. I’m pretty in on this dude and think he’ll carve out a nice big-league career as an undersized corner outfielder with some punch.
9. Jacob Morrison, SP, Coastal Carolina
You might’ve missed Morrison’s dominant MCWS start, considering he took the mound mere minutes after the Rafael Devers trade rocked the baseball world. But the very large Coastal righty was brilliant against Oregon State, tossing 7 2/3 innings with no walks, seven strikeouts and just one earned run.
At a marionette-y, herky-jerky 6-foot-8, Morrison reminds me a bit, from a movement standpoint, of Baltimore’s Felix Bautista. The fastball isn’t nearly that special, but Morrison is a sensational competitor who should make the most of his stuff. He was one of college baseball’s best arms this year — 2.08 ERA in 104 innings — and he’s rising up draft boards based on his MCWS showing. He’ll start Game 2 of the championship series and should be drafted in the first three rounds.
10. Jared Jones, 1B, LSU
Since a horrible 0-for-5 with five strikeouts in Game 1 of the MCWS, Jones has been a force. He has clobbered two homers so far in the tournament, and he walked off Arkansas with an RBI laser in that dramatic semifinal game.
JARED JONES WALKS IT OFF AND LSU ADVANCE TO THE MEN’S COLLEGE WORLD SERIES FINALS pic.twitter.com/sIZW7kA4tv
— MLB Walk Offs & Game Winning Plays (@MLBWalk_Offs) June 19, 2025
But as a pro prospect, I’m out on Jones. Known lovingly as “Bear” because of his enormous, 6-foot-4, 245-pound frame, Jones has been able to physically overwhelm opposing pitchers during his college career. Unfortunately, pro ball is flush with these types of players, and I’m not exactly sure what Jones’ separator is. I don’t love his adaptability in the box, and I think he’s a butcher at first. Maybe he turns into Pete Alonso — another clunky, hulking SEC slugger — but I’d let another team take that risk.
A few quick thoughts on two future draftees
Roch Cholowsky, SS, UCLA
The current favorite to go first overall next year, Cholowsky turned down millions as a high schooler in the 2023 draft to attend UCLA. And he has been a superstar since the second he stepped foot on campus. The son of a pro scout, Cholowky is very mature for his age, as a player and as a leader. He’s a stupendous defender at short, with a glove that comfortably rates as plus. Keep an eye on this guy.
Dax Whitney, SP, Oregon State
Whitney also turned down a bunch of money (in the 2024 draft) to play college ball. The Idaho high school product has a very deceptive windup with a special, high-ride fastball and a big, overhand curve. He’s a potential 1-1 guy for the 2027 MLB Draft.
With the NBA Finals going seven games, don’t bet on a resolution to the Kevin Durant trade circus before Monday — the league does not want a trade upstaging Game 7. Not that a deal was imminent anyway, but with the NBA Draft on Wednesday, it’s becoming a small window.
Let’s get into the latest trade buzz, starting with the latest on Durant.
Kevin Durant trade latest
Let’s break down all the KD news via bullet points.
• “Game of Chicken” between Suns, Durant suitors. The Phoenix Suns are not going to trade Durant away for a lowball offer. They know they aren’t going to get back what they gave up to get him, but they still expect a quality return. The teams Durant wants to go to — the Rockets, Heat, and Spurs — have yet to meet that threshold. ESPN’s Shams Charania summed it up well as a “game of chicken.”
“I had one team tell me today it’s kinda a game of chicken at this point. From the Houston Rockets to the Miami Heat to the Minnesota Timberwolves, it’s literally one or two pieces away, either which way, that can get a deal done. … My understanding is they are in talks with those three teams specifically.”
Along the same lines, the Rockets are betting that the price the Suns are asking for Durant will drop, reports ESPN’s Brian Windhorst.
This is how negotiations work. The question is, who blinks? Or does something else change that breaks the deadlock?
• Does Durant want Timberwolves? Minnesota is one of those teams mentioned to be in talks with Phoenix, but it’s not one of the teams on Durant’s original list of preferred landing spots. Therein lies the conflict in getting a deal done, report Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line.
“[The Timberwolves] are said to be reluctant to go ahead with a trade unless they know Durant would embrace it.”
By all accounts, Durant has no interest in the Timberwolves. Would Minnesota follow the path Toronto did with Kawhi Leonard and roll the dice on trading for him and hope he stays (Leonard didn’t)? Minnesota seems unlikely to take that risk, considering their roster has made the Western Conference Finals consecutive years, but nothing is settled.
• Grizzlies not pursuing Durant. Memphis landed four first-round picks in the Desmond Bane trade, which led to some speculation that they might try to flip those and insert themselves into the Durant sweepstakes.
That’s not happening, reports Fischer and Stein, which seems somewhat obvious. I feel like the Grizzlies saying they are not in the running for Durant is a lot like me saying I am taking myself out of the running to date Sabrina Carpenter. Still, the rumor persisted. Along those same lines, forget the rumors that the Grizzlies are going to trade Ja Morant or Jaren Jackson Jr. and rebuild. As previously reported here, league sources shot that idea down to NBC Sports. Or, take Morant’s word for it.
talkin bout the grizz more than the finals wit these ahh sources
There will be losers in the Kevin Durant sweepstakes, and Stein and Fischer suggested that some of those teams could turn their attention to Sacramento’s DeMar DeRozan, who is considered available. DeRozan will be 36 next season, but is still a midrange assassin who averaged 22.2 points and 4.4 assists per game last season.
If the Kings trade DeRozan in the coming days, it will likely be for a draft pick (and matching salary). They do not currently have a first-round pick, but are reportedly seeking one.
The Lakers are reaching out to other teams about their centers: Opposite of a surprise.
The worst-kept secret in the league is the Lakers looking for a rim-running center, so it’s no surprise that Anthony Irwin of Clutch Points reports the Lakers have reached out to the Nets about Nic Claxton, the Jazz about Walker Kessler, and the Trail Blazers about Robert Williams III. All three of them have been linked to the Lakers in the past and are rumored to be available — as is another Lakers’ target (and the best fit of that group), Daniel Gafford of Dallas — but because everyone knows the Lakers need a five other GMs are going to ask for the moon.
Expect this to take some time to play out. The Lakers can keep the idea of signing Clint Capela or Brook Lopez to the taxpayer midlevel exception in their back pocket, but they should aim higher.
76ers want to move up from No. 3 pick in draft
A report came out this week that the 76ers plan to run it back next season with Joel Embiid, Paul George, and Tyrese Maxey, betting on better health. Of course they are, they don’t have another choice. They are not going to trade the young Maxey. George is close to untradeable, considering his contract and his play last season, and the market for Embiid would not be what they hope for, either.
Daryl Morey is also hoping he could move up one spot — from No. 3 to No. 2 in the draft, reports Marc Stein. That rumor has been circulating for a while, but it would take something very enticing to persuade the Spurs to part with the second pick and Dylan Harper, and the 76ers don’t have that on their roster.
Whatever happens with the No. 3 pick, don’t expect it to be Ace Bailey, who is falling down draft boards around the league and cancelled a workout with Philadelphia.
Bucks to be aggressive in upgrading roster
The Giannis Antetokounmpo trade talk has tied down, and what Antetokounmpo told Brazilian publication Coast to Coast only seems to confirm that (translation by Eurohoops).
“The Finals are different, I hope to be back soon with the Bucks.”
The Bucks were not close to making the Finals this season, and it’s hard to picture how that changes next season with Damian Lillard out for most of it due to a torn Achilles. Still, they’re going to try, reports Bobby Marks at ESPN.
“Sources confirmed to ESPN that Milwaukee will be aggressively exploring options in free agency and trades to complement Antetokounmpo.”
The Bucks have the money to use the full $14.1 million midlevel exception, but they don’t have much cap room if they plan to re-sign backup center Bobby Portis (and with Brook Lopez a free agent, they are expected to). Milwaukee can try to find a trade for Kyle Kuzma, but the return there would not be great.
That said, look for the Bucks to try and do something, they need to show Antetokounmpo they are trying.
The Indiana Pacers won their 10th game as an underdog this postseason on Thursday night, beating the Oklahoma City Thunder 108-91 in Game 6 of the 2025 NBA Finals and covering as 5.5-point underdogs. The game stayed under the total for the fourth time this series.
Indiana opened the series as a huge +550 underdog at BetMGM, while Oklahoma City was a massive -800 favorite. If the Pacers end up winning Game 7, it would be one of the biggest Finals upsets in NBA history.
The Thunder opened as 8.5-point home favorites in Game 7, but the line has drifted back to -7.5. The total is the lowest in the series at 215.5.
Yahoo Sports asked handicapper Jon Metler for his thoughts on Game 7 of the Finals and some best bets:
Game 7: Indiana Pacers at Oklahoma City Thunder (-7.5, 215.5)
Metler: “Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s assists prop opened at 5.5 with increased juice to the over. That’s a really low total for SGA in general, but when you consider the spot, it really jumps off the page. The Thunder will want the ball in SGA’s hands as much as possible in Game 7, and he’ll likely play 40-plus minutes.
“SGA’s assists prop has dropped throughout the series because he’s had a few rough games in that department, but the final box scores don’t fully reflect what’s happening. Game 4 is a perfect example: He recorded zero assists, but had eight potential assists — they just didn’t convert. In Game 6, he had only two assists, but again tallied eight potential assists. The low conversion rate, combined with reduced minutes due to a blowout, skewed the numbers.
“These games have tanked his assists line in the market, but that’s good for us — it’s opened up a chance to attack the lower total and even take a shot at the alternate over of 6.5 (+132), which I believe should be trading closer to -115. There’s solid value on this number, and the fact that his role players and shooters are back home should help, too. In the last home game (Game 5), they converted 10 assists for SGA.”
Best bet: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander over 6.5 assists (+132)
Metler: “Just pause and think about this for a second: You’re getting Tyrese Haliburton over 7.5 assists at +144. Imagine if I told you this price during the regular season. I know it’s the Thunder defense, but 7.5 at +144? Come on. You were typically seeing 9.5 or even 10.5 for Haliburton’s assists prop, with the over trading around -110 back then.
“Similar to the SGA prop, look at the spot — it’s Game 7 of the NBA Finals, where his usage and minutes should be as high as possible. Yes, Haliburton is nursing a calf injury, but I thought he looked completely fine in Game 6. If anything, the injury is what’s creating this value.
“His totals dropped heading into Game 6 due to uncertainty around his minutes and the injury, and they didn’t adjust much after Game 6 because he only played 23 minutes due to the blowout. If Haliburton plays 35 minutes in that game, he likely smashes all of his totals — and the numbers for Game 7 would look very different.
“I believe this prop should be trading closer to -120 for Haliburton in Game 7, which is why I’m hitting the button on +144.”
