As one of three host nations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, El Tri will look to make this summer its year to finally go deeper than the Round of 16. 

Mexico opened its World Cup campaign with a dominant 2-0 win over South Africa at Mexico City Stadium on Thursday. 

Julián Quiñones quickly got things started with a goal in the ninth minute, which was followed by Raúl Jiménez’s first career World Cup goal in the 67th minute after a South Africa red card.

Because of their ideal first result, Mexico has jumped from +6500 to +5000 on the oddsboard to win the World Cup. They are now also -185 to win Group A, a major jump from the -140 number they were at before the tournament began.

Just how big was Mexico’s win over South Africa? El Tri now has a better chance of making the final than being eliminated in the group stage. 

Can they build off their opening match and make a deep run in this tournament? Let’s check out the updated odds for Mexico as of June 12.

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Team Mexico — Stage of Elimination

Last 32: +130 (bet $10 to win $23 total)
Last 16: +150 (bet $10 to win $25 total)
Quarterfinals: +400 (bet $10 to win $50 total)
Semifinals: +1200 (bet $10 to win $130 total)
Runner-up: +2800 (bet $10 to win $290 total)
Group stage: +4000 (bet $10 to win $410 total)
Outright winner: +5000 (bet $10 to win $510 total)

Mexico to Qualify from Group A: –10000 (bet $10 to win $10.10 total)

Mexico Group A Winner: -185 (bet $10 to win $14.76 total)

Mexico Top Goalscorer 

Raúl Jiménez: -115 (bet $10 to win $18.70 total)
Julián Quiñones: +150 (bet $10 to win $25 total)
Santiago Giménez: +1400 (bet $10 to win $150 total)
Armando González: +1400 (bet $10 to win $150 total)
Roberto Alvarado: +1800 (bet $10 to win $190 total)
Guillermo Martínez: +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total)
Alexis Vega: +3000 (bet $10 to win $310 total)

What to know: Mexico has made a habit of being in the running, but never really being in the running. Make sense? Consider this: El Tri made it out of the group stage in seven consecutive World Cups (1994-2018), but never made it past the Round of 16 in any of those years. In 2022, Mexico failed to make it out of the group stage, and it will look to get back to its winning ways in 2026, as it is heavily favored to win Group A after its opening win against South Africa. Mexico will face South Korea and the Czech Republic in its final two group games. 

Prior to the tournament, Jiménez was the clear favorite to lead Mexico in goals this summer at +220. Now, after his 67th minute header that found the back of the net vs. South Africa, he is -115. Quiñones, who many believe can be one of the breakout players of the tournament, has surged from +750 to 150 after his goal on Thursday.

On the 13th of July, Dave Roberts will reveal his selection for the National League‘s starting pitcher in the All-Star Game.

On the 13th of June, Yoshinobu Yamamoto reminded his manager that he is the Dodgers’ best pitcher.

Is that enough for Yamamoto to start the All-Star Game? Probably not.

Is that enough to force Roberts into the uncomfortable position of picking one of his aces over another, like a father picking one of his sons over another? Maybe.

On Saturday, Yamamoto took a no-hitter into the ninth inning. He did it last September too, and in between he painted an October — and a first day of November — for the ages.

We have heard so much about Shohei Ohtani, and why not? Ohtani decided he would win the Cy Young Award this season, and why not?

His earned-run average did not rise above 1.00 until June 10. He also leads the NL in on-base-plus-slugging percentage, well on his way to his annual most valuable player award.

The Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year Award sounds nice. Not just yet, but someday, how about the Shohei Ohtani Most Valuable Player Award?

But back to the issue at hand: Which NL pitcher should start the All-Star Game?

Ohtani could, of course. He has, in 2021. In a game that is all about the fans, he is the player fans most want to see.

And, if he does not start at pitcher, he could not start at designated hitter, come in later to pitch one inning and remain in the game at DH. (At least, not under the current rules, which major league officials could waive for the All-Star Game.)

For Roberts and the Dodgers, that would be the ideal: Let Ohtani pitch the first inning so he can follow his normal pregame routine, since he has a routine for both pitching and hitting. Or, since Ohtani is trying to complete his first full season as a pitcher since 2022 and win the Cy Young, he and the Dodgers could agree that he would skip pitching in the All-Star Game.

But Roberts figures to have two other very worthy options. In the category of “player everyone wants to see,” he could select Jacob Misiorowski of the Milwaukee Brewers, not so much for his league-leading 1.34 ERA — Ohtani, at 1.06, doesn’t have enough innings to qualify — but for the 104-mph fastballs he was throwing in the ninth inning of his one-hit, 15-strikeout shutout Friday.

Without worrying about pitching deep into the game, with the opportunity to throw one inning and rear back and fire, can you imagine how hard Misiorowski might throw in the All-Star Game?

Roberts also could select the ace of the home team, Cristopher Sanchez of the Philadelphia Phillies, who threw 50⅔ consecutive scoreless innings this season. No one had thrown 50 since 1988, when Dodgers legend Orel Hershiser set the record with 59.

Sanchez has a 1.54 ERA, and he and Misiorowski lead all pitchers in wins above replacement (WAR).

The hometown favorite would be the safe pick for Roberts, although Dodgers fans have long memories: They remember the New York Mets’ Matt Harvey starting over Clayton Kershaw at Citi Field in 2013, a decision that looked regrettable at the time and looks downright shameful in hindsight.

That brings us back to Yamamoto, whose combination of consistency and excellence makes him the natural choice to start a big game — opening day, for instance, or an elimination game in the World Series.

In his 13 starts this season, he has given up three or fewer earned runs all but once and pitched at least six innings all but twice.

In the regular season last year, he pitched as many as eight innings once. This season, he has pitched at least eight innings in his last two starts.

In his last five starts, he has a 1.01 ERA, with five walks and 32 strikeouts. Keep that up for another month, and good luck telling him someone else is starting the All-Star Game.

Look at it this way: Who would you want if you had to pick someone to win you Game 7? You can’t go wrong with the guy who already did.

Two weeks after being eliminated from the NBA playoffs, James Harden was reportedly arrested in Houston, where he used to play, early Saturday morning.

The California Post, citing court records, said the 11-time All-Star was placed in custody on a misdemeanor charge of unlawful carrying of weapons.

Harden allegedly “unlawfully, intentionally and knowingly” had a handgun in his vehicle, the records said, according to the outlet.

The firearm “was in plain view” and “not carried in a holster.”

The outlet reported that Harden was at a local hookah lounge with friends before his arrest.

Harden’s Cleveland Cavaliers were recently swept by the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Knicks are one win away from their first NBA title since 1973.

“The Cleveland Cavaliers are aware of the arrest of James Harden this morning and are in the process of gathering additional information,” the Cavs said in a statement. “We are in contact with James and his representation and will continue to monitor developments as they become available. At this time, we will have no further comment.”

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The Cavs acquired Harden in a trade with the Los Angeles Clippers to boost their playoff push, and they earned the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference.

Harden averaged 20.5 points per game after the trade, understandably taking a back seat to Donovan Mitchell. He averaged 25.4 points per game in L.A., but the Clippers failed to make the playoffs, as they scored the sixth-fewest points per game in the NBA.

The Post said Harden is due back in court on June 22 for arraignment.

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Harden played for the Houston Rockets from 2012 until 2021, when he was traded to the Brooklyn Nets. He was named the MVP of the 2017-18 season and led the NBA in scoring each season from that year through 2019-20. In that span, he averaged nearly 34 points per contest.

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