Pirates Should Trade Growing Prospect for Pitcher
Pirates Should Trade Growing Prospect for Pitcher
That package is a bit of an overpay for the Pittsburgh Pirates, but it is exactly the direction the team must go. Jacob Punturi|
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Pittsburgh PiratesPITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Pirates are proceeding slowly before the 2026 MLB Trade Deadline. Instead of pursuing the pieces that could upgrade this team immediately and help end their recent playoff drought, the general manager seems content to wait and consume the scraps.
Pirates GM Ben Cherington can change that narrative, however, with a simple move to upgrade the bullpen. The name popping up one month away from the deadline is a familiar face: Aroldis Chapman. The problem for the Pirates is whether or not they are willing to pay the price, both contractually and in trade assets, to acquire a big name like Chapman. Some, like MLB writer John Perrotto, believe a combination of prospects, including infielder Termarr Johnson and pitcher Antwone Kelly, would get the job done.
That package is a bit of an overpay for the Pirates, but Perrotto's suggestion is exactly the direction the team must go. The Pirates have to be willing to give up an important part of their farm system to improve their bullpen and push for the postseason.
Why This Specific Deal Works for the Pirates
Chapman is 38 years old, so it's fair if the Pirates don't want to part with a former fourth-overall pick in Johnson.
The problem is that Johnson hasn't quite lived up to the expectations of being such a high draft pick. This year has been especially disappointing, as the 22-year-old is struggling mightily with the organization's Triple-A affiliate. He's hitting .168 over 279 plate appearances with just four home runs and 21 runs batted in.
It's hard to give up hope on a talented young player, but the Pirates should make the tough call on Johnson. With other infielders in the system and a superstar 20-year-old on the MLB roster in Konnor Griffin, Johnson is expendable. At this point, he's worth more to the organization as a trade chip than as a prospect.
Antwone Kelly has some upside as well, but for one and a half seasons of Chapman, he's worth parting with.
Will Pirates Make This Deal?
If Cherington's recent quotes about Trade Deadline are any indication, the Pirates won't be making any huge splashes. The team might add another arm to the bullpen, but after the team swapped Joey Bart for Hunter Stratton, the Buccos don't seem set on adding another big name.
That's a poor decision on their part, however, as this potential trade of Termarr Johnson and Antwone Kelly for Aroldis Chapman should be a no-brainer for the Pirates.
Published 29 minutes ago
JACOB PUNTURIJacob is a featured writer covering the Pittsburgh Steelers for Steelers On SI and the NHL for Breakaway On SI. He also co-hosts the All Steelers Talk podcast. Previous work covering the NHL for Inside the Penguins and The Hockey News.
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Trading Giant Susquehanna Lost Over $70 Million To Mystery Insider Traders
Trading giant Susquehanna Investment Group said it was attempting to unmask the identities of individuals it claims made at least $100 million trading on inside information about a Chinese government crackdown on cross-border brokerages last month.
The Pennsylvania-based market-maker, which says it was the counterparty on most of the alleged insider trades, sued 100 John Doe defendants in Manhattan federal court on Monday. Susquehanna is seeking to recover more than $70 million it says it lost to what it believes is one of the largest insider-trading schemes in recent memory, Bloomberg reported.
While it’s unusual for a major Wall Street firm to sue as a victim of insider trading - which is normally policed by the Securities and Exchange Commission and federal prosecutors - in suing the dozens of unknown traders, aka "John Does", Susquehanna is using a tactic sometimes employed by the SEC to seek information it hopes will identify the alleged insider traders.
According to Susquehanna, many of the trades were made from accounts at Interactive Brokers Group Inc., as well as the platforms of two firms targeted in the Chinese crackdown, Futu Holdings and Up Fintech’s Tiger Brokers (we discussed this in May in "China Launches Crackdown On Cross-Border Stock Selling To Block Capital Outflows").
Susquehanna is seeking an order freezing certain accounts at those brokerages and authorizing subpoenas of them.
Susquehanna, which is one of the largest US market-makers and is active in options, stocks, energy, bonds and foreign exchange markets, said in an SEC filing that its equity positions in the first quarter totaled more than $893 billion. The closely held company based in the Philadelphia suburbs has made its co-founder Jeff Yass one of the richest people in the world with a fortune estimated at $92 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
Susquehanna’s allegations focus on 200,000 short-dated put option bets placed in the two weeks before the Chinese government’s May 22 announcement that it would punish firms helping mainland Chinese clients illegally invest overseas. The statement was released by eight regulators, including the China Securities Regulatory Commission, the central bank and the public security ministry.
Almost simultaneously, regulators released a statement singling out Futu, Tiger and the unlisted Long Bridge Securities for operating in China without onshore licenses. Futu and Up Fintech’s shares plummeted in response.
In its suit, Susquehanna alleges several accounts engaged in a pattern of “high risk, high reward trading” designed to take advantage of the projected drops. In one example, a trader purchased the option to sell Futu shares at $102.45 — down from $124.58 — up to a week after the Chinese government’s announcement.
There was “powerful evidence” the traders were using material non-public information to inform their well-timed bets, Susquehanna alleges. It said the tips could have come from Chinese securities regulators or personnel at Futu or Up Fintech.
The traders collectively purchased $12 million in options, yielding a profit of more than $100 million and a return of more than 900%.
“By way of comparison, Raj Rajaratnam’s infamous insider trading scheme at Galleon Management yielded only approximately $53 million in profits,” Susquehanna said in its complaint, referring to the hedge fund manager convicted in 2011.
According to Bloomberg, the alleged insider traders’ use of Interactive Brokers could prove awkward for that firm. The suit doesn’t accuse Interactive Brokers of wrongdoing, but founder Thomas Peterffy, also one of the world’s richest men with an estimated $104 billion fortune, is an outspoken supporter of legalizing insider trading.
“I’m in favor of not having any rules against insider trading. I would like all the information out there as soon as it’s available,” he said in an recent interview on Bloomberg. “Because look, as a society, we are better off knowing as soon as possible anything that is knowable.”
‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ Season 2 Debuts With 8.7 Million Views in Four Days, Down 59% From Season 1
Season 2 of Netflix‘s live-action adaptation of “Avatar: The Last Airbender” debuted with 8.7 million views in four days. That total took it to the No. 2 position on the streamer’s weekly English-language TV rankings, but represented a large drop from Season 1: In 2024, the series debuted with 21.2 million views, meaning the new installation fell by 59%.
Still, the release of the new season brought about renewed interest in Season 1, which returned to the chart in third place with 3 million views.
Both “Avatar” seasons came behind “I Will Find You,” which had its second week as the most-watched title on Netflix. After debuting with 24 million views in four days last week, the Harlan Coben series leapt to 34.1 million views in its first full week of availability.
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How to Watch France vs. Sweden on TV, Live Stream—World Cup
How to Watch France vs. Sweden on TV, Live Stream—World Cup
Two-time world champions France look good to go all the way at this summer’s tournament.James Cormack|
France has certainly laid a marker at the start of the World Cup, securing comfortable progression into the knockout stages by winning its three group games for the first time since 1998.
Its early success is ominous for the rest, especially when you consider the difficulty of Group I. France still has more gears to move through, yet its attacking might has already been flexed. If Kylian Mbappé or Michael Olise don’t get you, then Ousmane Dembélé or Désiré Doué will.
Strong contenders to add a third star to its iconic jersey France most certainly is, and few are backing them to succumb to a banana skin at MetLife Stadium on Tuesday.
Sweden is a baffling outfit. It’s been on both sides of harsh 5–1 drubbings, and played its part in a forgettable draw with Japan, albeit one that sent them through to the round of 32.
Here’s how you can watch this knockout tie unfold.
What Time Does France vs. Sweden Kick Off?
- Location: East Rutherford, N.J.
- Stadium: MetLife Stadium
- Date: Tuesday, June 29
- Kick-off Time: 5 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. PT / 10 p.m BST
- Referee: Danny Makkelie (NED)
How to Watch France vs. Sweden on TV, Live Stream
It’s Fox or fuboTV for those in the United States seeking an English-language broadcast. Those wanting to catch the action in Spanish can pivot to Telemundo.
In Canada, an array of TSN channels are showing the round of 32 clash, in addition to RDS. ViX is the only streaming avenue for audiences in Mexico.
ITV1 is broadcasting the knockout clash on free-to-air TV in the United Kingdom, with ITVX streaming the game for those tuning in on a device. Scots can access the fixture on STV.
Country | Broadcaster(s) |
|---|---|
United States | Fox Network, fuboTV, Telemundo, Telemundo Deportes En Vivo, Fox One |
Canada | TSN+, TSN1, TSN3, TSN4, TSN5, RDS, RDS App |
Mexico | ViX Mexico |
United Kingdom | ITV1, ITVX, STV, STV Player |
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What’s Next for France, Sweden?
The winners of Tuesday’s clash will move on to the round of 16, where Paraguay awaits in Philadelphia on July 4 after it stunned Germany in the first knockout round.
Co-hosts Canada is potential quarterfinal opponents, as are Morocco—this quarterfinal is scheduled for July 9 at Gillette Stadium. Spain, Portugal, USMNT and Belgium are also on France and Sweden’s side of the bracket.
READ THE LATEST WORLD CUP NEWS, ANALYSIS AND INSIGHT FROM SI FC
Published 37 seconds ago | Modified 37 seconds ago
JAMES CORMACKJames Cormack is a freelancer soccer writer for Sports Illustrated FC. An expert on Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal, he follows Italian and German soccer, taking particular interest in the work of Antonio Conte & Julian Nagelsmann.
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