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NBA Draft Day At HoopsRumors.com

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It’s draft day in the NBA, and the Suns are expected to officially make Arizona center Deandre Ayton the first overall pick in a matter of hours. However, after the No. 1 selection, there’s uncertainty about which direction many lottery teams are leaning, with rumors circulating about the possibility of clubs trading up or down in the draft.

In addition to finding out tonight where top prospects like Marvin Bagley III, Luka Doncic, Mohamed Bamba, and Trae Young will land, we could also see veteran stars change teams. A year ago, the Bulls and Timberwolves completed a blockbuster draft-night trade involving Jimmy Butler — this year, another All-Star forward may be on the trade block, with Kawhi Leonard reportedly seeking a deal that sends him out of San Antonio.

You can follow all the latest draft- and trade-related news and rumors over at HoopsRumors.com, or on Twitter (@HoopsRumors). In addition to passing along all of tonight’s draft picks, rumors, and trade news, we’ll be hosting a live draft chat where you can weigh in with your thoughts on the action. Head over to Hoops Rumors and join the fun for one of the most eventful days on the NBA calendar!

Central Notes: Tigers, Castellanos, Fulmer, Cards, Kang

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While the Tigers’ 36-37 record looks underwhelming, they’ve no doubt exceeded expectations so far after finishing last in the majors in 2017. But even though the team sits just 2 1/2 games behind the first-place Indians in the AL Central, general manager Al Avila isn’t adjusting his immediate or long-term plans, he explained to Jason Beck of MLB.com and other reporters Sunday. Perhaps of greater intrigue, Avila’s not ready to say whether he aims to keep either right fielder Nicholas Castellanos or right-hander Michael Fulmer for the long haul. While Avila noted that “I don’t have a mandate to trade anyone,” he added that “our intent here is to be open-minded, and if somebody offers us something that quite frankly makes us better as we move forward, then we have to really seriously consider that.”

The Tigers failed in their attempts to extend Castellanos last winter, and the 26-year-old has since hit at a career-best pace with a .310/.353/.502 line in 306 plate appearances. He’s in his second-last year of arbitration control, while Fulmer is in his final pre-arb season and isn’t scheduled to become a free agent until after the 2022 campaign. The 25-year-old is now in the midst of his third straight effective season, although it hasn’t been impressive as the previous two, as he has recorded a 4.13 ERA/4.08 FIP through 80 2/3 innings.

Now the latest on a pair of NL Central teams:

  • The Cardinals plan to activate reliever Greg Holland from the disabled list during the upcoming week, Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com reports. Holland has been out since May 26 with a right hip impingement, and the results during his rehab assignment haven’t been “ideal,” manager Mike Matheny admitted. The $14MM free-agent signing has allowed four earned runs on five hits (two home runs) and posted more walks than strikeouts (five to four) in five minor league games. He has also logged horrid numbers in the majors this year, having recorded a 9.45 ERA with 10 strikeouts and 15 walks in 13 1/3 innings.
  • The Pirates reinstated infielder Jung Ho Kang from the restricted list and optioned him to Triple-A on Friday. General manager Neal Huntington spoke about Kang on Sunday (via Chris Adamski of the Pittsburgh-Tribune Review), saying “we need to see quality plate appearances” in the minors and “we need to see him doing the things he did before to show us he can be major league ready again.” If that happens, the Pirates will be happy to welcome Kang back, Huntington suggested. “We would love to have a healthy and productive Jung Ho Kang back on this major league team,” he said, “because if that player comes back, he’s going to help us win games.” Kang did indeed help Pittsburgh win games from 2015-16, but he then earned his third DUI in his native South Korea prior to the 2017 season and hasn’t played in the majors since.

Quick Hits: Expansion, Gambling, Team Chemistry

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With all the expansion talk floating around MLB these days, Jayson Stark of The Athletic explores what the league might look like with 32 teams instead of 30. Though his suggestion that the postseason has the potential to expand to 16 teams seems comical, Stark does provide some useful insight into which cities could get new teams. Additionally, his dive into how divisions could realign, how the playoff format could change, and why MLB might shorten the schedule to 154 games in the process all spark some opportunity for some interesting debate. Stark’s article ends with a bold assertion that all of this is a matter of when, not if.

A couple of other interesting items…

  • MLB owners have engaged in interesting discussions on gambling in the wake of the Supreme Court’s recent reversal of the federal ban on sports betting (as David Waldstein of the New York Times writes). Commissioner Rob Manfred has reportedly said that it’s vital steps be taken in order to ensure the integrity of the game, but also indicated that baseball would like a share of the profits from betting on the sport. With states now allowed to make their own decisions in regard to sports gambling, it’s interesting to note that the potential expansion for MLB could provide some incentive expansion-hopeful states to be loose with betting regulations.
  • One of baseball’s most intangible qualities may be a little more tangible than we think, according to Ben Rowen of The Atlantic. A number of research groups are embarking upon a mission to quantify team chemistry, once deemed the Holy Grail of performance analytics by Harvard Business Review. Some methods described involve collection of biometrics, advanced mathematics, and even “anthropological forrays into the clubhouse.” One particularly interesting strategy seems to be looking for places in which advanced performance metrics and player intangibles are “at odds”. The whole piece is well worth a read; it doesn’t provide much in the way of firm evidence but it certainly presents some interesting opportunities for research and offers some optimism that team chemistry could potentially be quantified and used to bring about a competitive advantage.

Pro Hockey Rumors: Your Source For NHL Draft Day & Free Agent Coverage

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There’s only one week remaining before the first round of the NHL Entry Draft on June 22nd, and our sister site Pro Hockey Rumors is all you need to stay up to date on the latest rumblings around the league. The draft floor is expected to be a trade frenzy, while free agency is right around the corner.

Would the Senators really consider giving up the fourth-overall pick in the midst of all the turmoil in Ottawa? Will the Montreal Canadiens find a way to trade back and still pick the center that they so desperately desire? How can the New York Rangers use their three first-round picks to their advantage?

The first buyout window is now open in the NHL and teams all around the league are considering a soft landing for some overpaid stars, while others are wondering just how to get a meeting with John Tavares and John Carlson. The negotiating window opens just a few days after the draft, making June one of the busiest times for NHL front offices. Make sure to check in regularly at Pro Hockey Rumors, follow @prohockeyrumors on Twitter and set your notifications accordingly in the Trade Rumors mobile app for iOS and Android!

Follow The NBA Draft, Offseason With Hoops Rumors

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Now that the 2018 NBA Finals are in the books, the offseason fun is set to begin. The draft is just one week away, with free agency to follow 10 days later, and it should be a wild summer for the NBA.

The Cavaliers, Lakers, Sixers, Rockets, and a handful of other teams remain viable destinations for LeBron James, while other top free agents like Paul George and DeMarcus Cousins may change teams, too. The trade market is also expected to be active, as it represents the best path for many cap-strapped teams to upgrade their rosters. The latest whispers suggest we could see plenty of movement on draft night next Thursday.

To keep tabs on all of the latest NBA offseason news and rumors, head over to Hoops Rumors, follow @HoopsRumors on Twitter and set up your notifications on the Trade Rumors app for iOS and Android. We’ll have you covered every step of the way as teams tweak — or, in some cases, overhaul — their rosters.

MLB Weekend Roster Roundup: Eaton, Hoskins, Rodon, Strasburg, Tanaka

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ROSTER MOVES BY TEAM
(June 9th-June 10th)

NATIONAL LEAGUE

  • PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES | Depth Chart
    • Activated from 10-Day DL: OF/1B Rhys Hoskins 
      • Hoskins played LF and batted 2nd on Saturday and Sunday.
    • Placed on 10-Day DL: OF Dylan Cozens (strained quad)

—

AMERICAN LEAGUE

  • BALTIMORE ORIOLES | Depth Chart
    • Activated from 10-Day DL: RP Darren O’Day
      • O’Day pitched a scoreless inning with his team trailing by 10 runs on Sunday. He was the team’s primary closer prior to the injury.
    • Optioned: RP Tanner Scott 

—

FUTURE EXPECTED MOVES

East Notes: Mets, Yanks, deGrom, Thor, Vlad Jr., D. Murphy, Franco

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With the Mets looking more like bottom feeders than contenders, there has been speculation that they could listen to proposals for two of their best players, co-aces Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard. The 29-year-old deGrom is under control through 2020, while Syndergaard, 25, is wrapped up through 2021, meaning each would bring back a significant haul in a trade. Of the teams that could go after either, the Yankees perhaps stand out as the most logical suitors, and Buster Olney of ESPN opines that the Mets would have to strongly consider offers from their crosstown rivals. While it would hurt the Mets and their fans in the near term to see one of those starters thriving with the Yankees, the return they’d get back would ease the pain, Olney contends. Ultimately, however, Olney doesn’t expect a deal between the teams to come to fruition, and he goes on to name several other starters the Yankees could pursue prior to the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline if they attempt to upgrade their rotation.

More from the East Coast:

  • Forget about seeing Blue Jays super prospect Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in the majors in the immediate future. The 19-year-old third baseman, who went on the Double-A disabled list this week, has a strained patellar tendon in his left knee, Gregor Chisholm of MLB.com tweets. The Jays will bring Guerrero along slowly in his recovery and re-evaluate him in four weeks, Chisholm adds. The injury has derailed an incredible year for Guerrero, who pushed for a major league promotion with a .407/.457/.667 line and 11 home runs in his first 235 Double-A plate appearances.
  • Nationals second baseman Daniel Murphy could come off the DL and make his 2018 debut Tuesday, Mark Zuckerman of MASNsports.com reports. Murphy has been working back from the right knee surgery he underwent last October, and while he hasn’t been at full speed during his Double-A rehab games, the assignment’s only allowed to continue through Thursday. Thus, with the Nats set to play in AL parks from Tuesday through Sunday, they could opt to bring Murphy back and use him as a designated hitter for the week.
  • Third baseman Maikel Franco has lost his grip on an everyday job, the latest sign that his days with the Phillies may be numbered, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com observes. Franco and fellow third base options J.P. Crawford and Scott Kingery have each offered poor production this year, so the Phillies may seek an outside solution at the hot corner by the deadline and/or in the offseason, posits Zolecki, who suggests that Franco could be dealt thereafter. For now, even though Franco’s not accustomed to a part-time role, the 25-year-old tells Zolecki that he’s trying to make the best of it. Regardless of whether Franco sticks with the Phillies, the career .247/.299/.425 hitter has two more arbitration-eligible seasons remaining after this one.

NL Injury Notes: Acuna, Cueto, Thames, Phils, Bucs, Rox

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Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna is progressing in his recovery from a sprained left ACL, Mark Bowman of MLB.com explains, and could return as early as next weekend. The 20-year-old phenom, who went down May 27, would only miss around three weeks in that scenario. Acuna’s injury looked like a potential season-ender when it occurred, making his quick recovery all the more welcome for Atlanta. “What he’s doing right now is amazing after looking at what happened,” manager Brian Snitker said. “What he’s doing now is really good.”

More injury notes from around the NL…

  • Giants right-hander Johnny Cueto is “cautiously optimistic” he’ll be able to come off the 60-day DL when he’s first eligible (June 30), Chris Haft of MLB.com writes. Cueto hasn’t pitched since suffering an elbow injury at the end of April, when he was among the majors’ best starters (0.84 ERA, 2.74 FIP in 32 innings). But even without Cueto and ace Madison Bumgarner, who just made his 2018 debut Tuesday after his own lengthy absence, the Giants have managed a 32-31 record to stay in the thick of what has been a mediocre NL West.
  • The Brewers expect first baseman Eric Thames back at the beginning of the upcoming week, Joe Bloss of MLB.com relays. Thames landed on the DL on April 27 with a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his left thumb, derailing a start in which he slashed .250/.351/.625 with seven home runs in 74 plate appearances. Fellow first baseman Jesus Aguilar has been outstanding in Thames’ absence, however, with a .296/.369/.556 line and 11 homers in 187 PAs this year.
  • Phillies pitching prospect Sixto Sanchez is headed to the DL with right elbow inflammation, Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadelphia reports. The club doesn’t believe it’s a serious issue, however. The 19-year-old right-hander, Baseball America’s 16th-ranked prospect (subscription required), has logged a 2.51 ERA with 8.68 K/9 and 2.12 BB/9 in 46 2/3 innings at the High-A level this season. He was closing in on a Double-A promotion prior to the DL placement, according to Salisbury, but that’s now on hold.
  • The Pirates have sent righty reliever Richard Rodriguez to the DL with shoulder inflammation, Elizabeth Bloom of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes. The club recalled righty Dovydas Neverauskas from Triple-A in a corresponding move. Pittsburgh doesn’t expect Rodriguez to miss a significant amount of time, but even a short-term absence could hurt. The 28-year-old rookie has burst on the scene with a 2.38 ERA and 13.1 K/9 against 1.19 BB/9 in 22 2/3 innings this season.
  • The Rockies placed lefty reliever Mike Dunn on the DL and recalled righty Jeff Hoffman from Triple-A on Friday, Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post tweets. Dunn’s dealing with an upper-body injury – a left rhomboid strain, to be exact. The DL placement continues what has been a trying second season in Colorado for Dunn, who inked a three-year, $19MM guarantee with the team entering 2017. So far in 2018, the 33-year-old has posted a 9.00 ERA with more walks than strikeouts (17 to 12) in 16 innings.

Pro Hockey Rumors: Your Source For NHL Draft Day Coverage

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Just two weeks remain until the June 22nd NHL Entry Draft, and our sister site Pro Hockey Rumors is all you need to stay up to date on the latest rumblings around the league. The draft floor is shaping up to be a busy one, with several teams looking to move key assets and change their fortunes for 2018-19.

Will Mike Hoffman and Erik Karlsson be sent packing by the Ottawa Senators? Is Ryan O’Reilly part of the long-term future in Buffalo? What will the Carolina Hurricanes do with Jeff Skinner? PHR has you covered by bringing you the most reliable sources and information.

Not only is the draft on the horizon, but the buyout window opens in just a week’s time and free agency is right around the corner. June is one of the busiest times for NHL front offices, so make sure to check in regularly at Pro Hockey Rumors, follow @prohockeyrumors on Twitter and set your notifications accordingly in the Trade Rumors mobile app for iOS and Android!

Follow The NBA Offseason With HoopsRumors.com

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The Warriors only need one more win to take home their second straight title, which means we may just be days away from the start of a very eventful 2018 NBA offseason.

Stars like LeBron James, Paul George, and DeMarcus Cousins are poised to hit free agency, while others – such as Kawhi Leonard and Kemba Walker – could become trade candidates. Meanwhile, standout Arizona center Deandre Ayton looks like the favorite to be picked first overall by the Suns on draft night two weeks from today, but the order behind him remains a mystery.

Be sure to head over to Hoops Rumors and follow @HoopsRumors on Twitter for all the latest news as the NBA’s summer rumor mill heats up!

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