Brian McDermott may have ended as many England careers as he has launched. The new head coach has picked a pool of 38 players who will train together in the buildup to the World Cup in October. He may have inadvertently handed a few players membership to an exclusive club. The surprising omission of Hull KR captain Elliot Minchella, the continued absence of quadruple-winning winger Tom Davies, along with the injured Wigan winger Liam Marshall and Catalans hooker Kruise Leeming suggests they will be joining the England one-cap club.
McDermott has picked 10 uncapped players, five of whom are middle forwards: Dean Hadley (Hull KR), Sam Walters (Wigan), Caleb Hamlin-Uele (Wakefield), Ben Talty (Brisbane Broncos) and Max King (Canterbury Bulldogs). All were chosen instead of Minchella and Owen Trout.
Nathan Fitzgerald was named in the back pocket for the Epping reserves. A teacher, he was looking forward to the second week of school holidays. Early in the morning, he’d watched the Socceroos with his dad and younger brother. He planned to watch Richmond play Carlton on Saturday night. He’d recently proposed to his long-term girlfriend.
There has been big money and high-profile signings in the Northern Football Netball League over the years, but not in the third division and certainly not in the reserves. Almost all of Epping’s players live and work locally, and played their junior football at the club. Mernda Central College, where “Mr Fitz” taught maths and science, has nearly 1,800 students from prep to year 12. Some of those students were at Lalor Recreation Reserve watching their teacher play. They saw the umpires inspect the ground. They saw the away team establish a nine-goal lead. They saw the initial clash of heads. They saw Nathan’s head then hit another player’s leg, before smashing into the “multilayered synthetic surface” that covers a concrete cricket pitch.
For many Calgarians, the first sign that something had changed wasn’t a headline or a push notification. It was silence.
On Tuesday morning, listeners who tuned to Sportsnet 960 The Fan expecting the usual mix of Flames discussion, breaking news, and debate were met with static. The station that had served as Calgary’s sports soundtrack for decades had gone dark.
The closure came as part of a broader restructuring by Rogers Sports & Media, which announced it would shut down several radio stations and media outlets across the country, including Sportsnet 960 and 660 News in Calgary.
What happened?
Rogers is closing Sportsnet 960 The Fan and 660 News in Calgary as part of a national restructuring.
The shutdown was announced Tuesday and affects multiple radio stations in Calgary, Vancouver, Halifax, and Kitchener.
“After a thorough review of our radio stations across the country, we have made the difficult but necessary decision to close Sportsnet 960 and 660 News in Calgary. We are grateful to our listeners and to our team for their contributions to the local community.”
The cuts extend beyond Calgary. Six stations in four markets are being affected, including outlets in Vancouver, Halifax, and Kitchener.
Apparently, even the Flames were caught off guard.
According to CTV Calgary, the Calgary Flames were “blindsided” by the news. The team’s vice-president of communications Sean Kelso said the organization learned of the closure as the announcement became public.
That detail underscores how deeply The Fan 960 had become woven into the franchise’s day-to-day identity. The station carried Flames games, hosted postgame shows, and served as a regular platform for players, coaches, executives, and fans. For many listeners, it was less a media outlet than a community gathering place.
Sean Kelso, VP of Communications for the Flames said the team was "blindsided" by the Fan 960 news today.
It's wild that Rogers wouldn't let the Flames know that this was happening despite having the radio rights for the 2026-27 season.
That is what makes this story larger than a business decision. Sports radio has never simply been about scores. It is where fans process trades, argue about line combinations, celebrate playoff wins, and vent after losses. It is where generations learned the voices of Calgary hockey.
For many listeners, names such as Peter Maher, Mike Richards, Rob Kerr, Peter Loubardias, and Pat Steinberg became part of the rhythm of daily life over the years.
For some, those broadcasts even shaped careers. The Fan 960 was often a first classroom for aspiring journalists, broadcasters, and storytellers who learned the language of hockey through hours spent listening in cars, kitchens, and arenas.
Rogers’ decision reflects the economic pressures facing traditional radio across North America, where audiences and advertising dollars have increasingly shifted to podcasts, streaming, and digital platforms. The business logic may be clear. The emotional impact is harder to measure.
Calgary still has talented hockey voices, independent outlets, and a passionate fan base. The conversation around the Flames will continue online, on podcasts, and through new platforms. But something meaningful was lost when 960 went silent.
For decades, turning the dial to 960 was a habit that connected the city to its hockey team. On Tuesday, many listeners reached for that familiar signal and found only static.
Sometimes the end of an era is announced with a press release. Sometimes it arrives as a hiss through the speakers on the drive to work.
The Utah Jazz capped off a perfect 3-0 run through their home summer showcase with a dominant 103-69 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night at the Jon M. Huntsman Center. It may not have been pretty, but the Jazz got the job done.
Unlike the first two games, none of Utah’s draft picks played. Darryn Peterson, Ace Bailey, and Cody Williams were all sidelined as the Jazz’s Summer League roster took on the OKC Thunder, who were also missing their draft picks: Aday Mara and Bennett Stirtz.
Plan for the Jazz is to sit Darryn Peterson, Ace Bailey and Cody Williams tomorrow in SLC and have them all available for July 9 in Vegas
The only players who got some action tonight with regular season appearances for the Jazz were Blake Hinson, Bez Mbeng, and Hayden Gray. This gave an opportunity for the other Summer League players to show what they can do, and several took advantage.
From the start, the Jazz controlled the game. The Jazz went on a 42-25 run stretching from the 4:25 mark of the first quarter into halftime. This surge put the game out of the reach from the Thunder early on, and they kept their foot on the gas, winning the second half 50-32, with a lead that swelled as much as 37 points.
The Jazz won both the 3-point shooting and paint points battles, outscoring the Thunder 46-28 in the paint. This dominant win was characterized by balanced scoring, with 7 Jazz players reaching double figures.
Max Abmas, a small crafty guard, started at point guard, dropping 15 points and 6 assists. He has a tight handle and solid passing. His size is limiting as he is listed at only 5-foot-11. However, he was a steady hand in Peterson’s absence with only two turnovers.
Jonas Aidoo also had a good game, starting at center and dropping 16 points and grabbing 14 rebounds. He is a decent rim protector and uses his size well.
This was Oklahoma City’s third straight loss in Salt Lake City, after an earlier blowout against Memphis and a 5-point loss to Atlanta. The OKC Thunder struggled to shoot from distance, only making 26.5% of their 3-point attempts.
Their rookie big man, Aday Mara (the No. 12 pick), and young guard Bennett Stirtz (the No. 16 pick), showed nice flashes but struggled to find consistency throughout summer play so far.
“If we guarded and played as a team, we knew we were going to win,” said Justin Harmon, who finished with 11 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks. “We love playing with each other, and when we play together, we can beat anybody.”
Hopefully Darryn Peterson, Ace Bailey, and Cody Williams got the rest needed to perform in their upcoming games.
Both teams will now head to the main NBA Summer League event at Las Vegas. The Jazz will take on the Washington Wizards on July 9th in the highly anticipated battle between the top two picks: AJ Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson.
The San Jose Sharks were one of the busiest teams to start out the month of July. While their moves have been met with a considerable amount of criticism from fans and experts alike, the message that Mike Grier was trying to send is clear. The Sharks are ready to move out of the rebuilding phase, and they want to win.
The first major move by the Sharks in free agency was the most unexpected one. Most expected the team's priority on July 1 to be solving their blue line, not adding more middle-six forwards to an already noticeable logjam. A half hour into free agency, though, insider Elliotte Friedman broke the news that the Sharks' first piece of business was signing 31-year-old winger Mason Marchment, the son of long-time Sharks scout Bryan Marchment.
Marchment does help address the Sharks' need for depth goal-scoring, as they only had three players on the roster surpass the 20-goal threshold last season, but it does put the team in a strange bind, which we'll discuss more in detail at a later date.
The more notable additions came later in the day, addressing the Sharks' defensive group. First, the Sharks signed former New York Rangers captain and Anaheim Ducks defenseman Jacob Trouba to a four-year deal worth $33 million with an average annual value of $8.25 million. While it is a steep price to pay for an aging defenseman, as we’ve seen in recent months, $8 million isn’t what it used to be around the NHL. Trouba’s deal is currently the 29th highest cap hit for a defenseman, but once a multitude of young, high-end defensemen start signing their second or third contracts, he’ll have a run-of-the-mill deal for a second-pairing defenseman by the time his new contract expires.
The Sharks were then done with big-name free agent signings, with no disrespect meant to Eric Comrie, who will likely compete for the Sharks’ backup goalie job when training camp comes around. As a result, Grier turned his attention to the trade market. After months of rumors and speculation linking the Sharks to either Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Reilly or Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse, Grier opted to pull the trigger and acquire the latter.
Nurse, despite public opinion, is a serviceable second-pairing defenseman who often is the brunt of considerable criticism due to his high cap hit. It is true that he carries the 11th highest average annual value amongst NHL defensemen, and it is certainly fair that he has not lived up to his $9.25 million cap hit since signing his current contract back in 2021. At that time, he seemed to be on the same trajectory as players like Cale Makar, Zach Werenski, and others, but of course, that never came to fruition. If Nurse had a $6 million, or even $7 million, cap hit, he likely wouldn’t be constantly scrutinized. With that being said, there’s a certain amount of expectations that come with a cap hit that nears eight figures.
The Sharks didn’t add superstars in free agency this summer, and they still drastically lack a true number one defenseman, or even a number two for that matter. Despite that, the Sharks now have a total of three, arguably four depending on your view of Michael Kesselring, legitimate top-four defensemen. Last season, it could’ve been argued they had just one, Dmitry Orlov. If you take salary out of the equation, it’s hard to back an argument that the Sharks’ current defensive corps of Nurse, Trouba, Orlov, and Kesselring isn’t a dramatic improvement over last year’s group that included John Klingberg, Nick Leddy, Shakir Mukhamadullin, and Mario Ferraro.
While many have their opinions, both positive and negative, regarding the Sharks’ moves this summer, it’s hard to dispute that Mike Grier’s message to the NHL has been received loud and clear.
NEW YORK, NY - MAY 6: Quentin Grimes #5 of the Philadelphia 76ers dribbles the ball during the game against the New York Knicks during Round Two Game Two on May 6, 2026 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
For those concerned about the Lakers running it back, fear not.
Last year, in the first three wins LA had over Houston in the opening round of the playoffs, they started LeBron James, Rui Hachimura, Deandre Ayton, Marcus Smart and Luke Kennard. If Rui Hachimura doesn’t return, that means the entire starting lineup is gone.
Everyone the Lakers have signed is under 30 years old and all are known more for their offense than their defense, except Walker Kessler. Grimes is no exception. At 26 years old, he qualifies as part of the youth movement and he can score with the best of them.
Last year, Grimes averaged 13.4 points per game and shot 33.4% from deep. That level of scoring would’ve made Grimes the fourth-highest scorer on the Lakers last year, and with James gone, a case can be made that he’s now the team’s third-best offensive player.
His 3-point shooting took a dive last year, but he’s shown an ability to be a laser. In three of his five seasons, he’s shot above38% from beyond the arc.
With Luka and Austin now feeding him the ball, he should get great looks. Thanks to the gravity of Luka and Austin, there should also be room for him to operate, drive inside and put pressure on the rim.
Grimes enters this backcourt asalso their best dunker. Last year, he had 35 dunks, which was almost three times the amount LA’s best guard dunker, Dalton Knecht had. Fans should expect Grimes to have a few finishes that get the entire NBA buzzing.
Quentin Grimes soars for the absolutely nasty poster dunk over Jake LaRavia (with replays)
While dunks are fun and youth is ideal, all of this has to translate into elite production.
The Lakers lost two guards to free agency this summer in Marcus Smart and Luke Kennard, leaving big shoes to fill. Smart was arguably the best player for LA after the team’s big three and Kennard had the league’s best 3-point shooting percentage.
The Lakers are banking on Grimes stepping up in a bigger role to help replace what was lost. If not, then the Lakers’ ceiling for the 2026-27 season will dip considerably.
However, this is far from a gamble by the franchise. Grimes has a great rapport with Lakers head coach JJ Redick, working out with him way back before either was associated with the team.
Redick is aware of his game, and assuming he was part of the brain trust that made these decisions, if Redick feels adding Grimes will improve his roster, he’s earned the benefit of the doubt regarding his talent evaluation.
Still, Grimes is now in a position where he is needed to consistently produce offensively. This is a moment for him to step up in the bright LA spotlight and excel.
He has shown flashes of this. In 28 games with the Sixers during the 2024-25 season, he averaged 21.9 points per game and started in 25 of those contests.
If he can have performances like that in a Lakers uniform, then the front office can take a victory lap with this signing.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - MARCH 05: Quinten Post #21 of the Golden State Warriors shoots a free throw in the second half against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center on March 05, 2026 in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Quinten Post’s tenure as a member of the Golden State Warriors has officially come to an end. On Tuesday, a few minutes before the deadline for the team to make a decision, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Golden State had chosen not to match the offer sheet that the Memphis Grizzlies had extended to the 26-year old Dutch big man. And with that, Post departs the Bay Area and joins a Grizzlies squad that is rebuilding after trading away Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Desmond Bane.
The Warriors had extended the qualifying offer to Post this offseason, which made him a restricted free agent. As a result, other teams could only offer Post a multi-year deal, and the Warriors had the right to match any offer sheet he signed.
Memphis gave Post a three-year, $30-million, but they did so in a cheeky manner to discourage the Warriors from matching. Only the first of the three years is guaranteed (at just $9 million), and some of the $30 million is tied to highly unlikely incentives. However, incentives in contracts count towards the apron, making it more difficult for the Dubs to match. With the team nearing their spending limit, still waiting on LeBron James, and already reuniting with Al Horford and Kristaps Porziņģis, it seemed very unlikely that they would match Memphis’ offer. And indeed, they didn’t.
Post, who was taken with the No. 52 pick in the 2024 draft, departs after appearing in 109 games for the Warriors (with 49 starts), plus 12 playoff games. According to ESPN’s Bobby Marks, it’s the first time since 2020 that a restricted free agent received an offer sheet of at least $5 million and it wasn’t matched by his original team.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - DECEMBER 18: Sandro Mamukelashvili #54 of the Toronto Raptors reacts after a game against the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum on December 18, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images
More affectionately known as Mamu, the Georgian big man, who spent four seasons in Milwaukee and San Antonio to begin his career, had a breakout season with the Raptors where he received Sixth Man of the Year votes.
The Lakers, who officially announced Mamu’s signing on Tuesday night, are banking on this being the beginning of something bigger and not a flash in the pan.
While the Lakers sported a high-powered offense last season, one look they did not have was a two-big lineup. With LeBron James and Rui Hachimura often manning the forward position and with no viable stretch big men in the rotation, it wasn’t even an option for the team to go to.
With Mamu, that will change. The big man is a unique player, not the perimeter-based wing type like Rui or LeBron while also not being a traditional center. He’s a big who can step in at center to play a five-out style or alongside another big to give the Lakers a look and lineup they did not have.
The Raptors being an untraditional team meant that last season, he played a lion’s share of his minutes at the center position. Still, in 112 minutes alongside Jakob Poeltl last season, the Raptors had a +6.6 net rating.
Mamu’s skillset is one that also has a track record of succeeding alongside Luka Dončić, another key factor in any free agent signing. For years in Dallas, Luka and Maxi Kleber worked well off of one another and there’s plenty of reason to believe Mamu and Luka can have similar success.
Having a big man who can pick and pop will give the Lakers’ offense another dynamic it lacked last season. As a spot-up shooter, Mamu finished at 1.17 points per possession last season for the Raptors, according to the NBA’s tracking data. For reference, that falls right between Austin Reaves (1.24) and Luka (1.13). Similarly, on catch-and-shoot threes, Mamu shot 38.9% on 283 attempts last season, a mark that lands just above Luka’s 38.7%.
No big on the Lakers’ roster could even offer the possibility of being a reliable threat from range last season for the Lakers, which can open up things offensively. On top of bringing back Austin this summer to pair again with Luka, the Lakers added two more guards who can get to the rim in Collin Sexton and Quentin Grimes.
Having a big in Mamu who can space the floor and potentially pull centers away from the rim will have cascading positive effects on the team’s offense.
All of this relies on the Lakers being right in their hope that Mamu can build on what he did in Toronto last season. There are underlying numbers, though, that suggest it’s sustainable.
Mamu’s 3-point percentage of 38.9% was the second-best mark of his career, but only just ahead of his career percentage of 36.6%. Similarly, he also shot 37.3% in 2024-25.
The same can be said about his overall field goal percentage, too, where he’s a 49.4% shooter overall but saw his 2025-26 percentage (52.3%) increase from his 2024-25 percentage (50.2%) with both being above that average.
The Raptors were also just a better team with Mamu on the floor. Toronto had a +5.3 net rating with him on and a +0.8 net rating when he sat.
While Mamu had a career-best season in 2025-26, it did not come out of nowhere. Instead, it was a steady build over multiple seasons that saw him take advantage of the most minutes he’s played in his career.
The Lakers are hoping that a big contract and a big role mean even bigger production from him in Los Angeles.
Tuesday's game between the Mets and Royals will be one to forget if you're in New York's bullpen.
Before the Mets' rollercoaster 16-12 loss, they had never lost a home game when scoring 11 or more runs. Their 12 runs scored is also tied for the franchise record for the most runs scored in a loss, period.
And those marks fell on the Mets bullpen.
After two straight games in Atlanta that required a lot of pitchers, interim manager Andy Green was short on the pitching side Tuesday. It didn't help that he had to deploy a bullpen game in their series-opener with Kansas City. Despite that, the Mets pushed on.
Cionel Perez was the opener with Kodai Senga allowing four runs in his three innings of work. The Mets' offense blitzed the Royals' pitching staff and overcame Senga's performance, grabbing a 9-4 lead heading into the fifth inning. That's when Austin Warren took the mound and allowed five earned runs on four hits and one walk without recording an out.
"It was a tough day for us. No other way around it," Green said of the pitching staff after the loss. "Perez got us off to a good start. [AJ] Minter had a really good inning in there. [Huascar Brazoban] came in and did some decent stuff. Everything else just was a tough day. Austin Warren’s been somebody we’ve relied on all year long; he’s been very very good for us. It wasn’t his day today."
Green explained that they hoped Warren would pitch a few innings, but since he didn't they had to use recently-acquired RHP Matt Seelinger in the seventh with the score tied at 9-9. Seelinger, a 31-year career minor leaguer, was making his major league debut and allowed seven runs in the frame, essentially putting the game out of reach.
"As a group, have a ton of confidence in Austin Warren. He had a night that was really tough. We looked at it pretty confidently, he would give us a couple of innings tonight. It didn’t turn into that," Green said. "It was at that point we knew we had to put Seellinger in a tough debut spot you prefer not to. We believe in Austin, we’ll continue to believe in him. He’s been great for us all year. That’s where we tripped up a little bit. And that happens."
"We were light today, I knew I needed to cover some innings," Warren said of his performance. "Doesn’t change the way I go about my business. Just didn’t work out. Bad outing."
Warren has been great for the Mets this season, but his last two outings have been subpar. On July 4 against the Braves, he allowed four runs in two innings of work. And after giving up five on Tuesday, Warren has now allowed nine runs in the last two times on the mound (2.0+IP), which equals what he allowed the entire season leading up to that (33.0 IP). Warren chalks it up to missing his spots, but doesn't want to make excuses, just find a way to get the job done.
With the Mets playing five days in a row before the All-Star break, New York needs Warren and the rest of the pitching staff to pick up the slack or more games like Tuesday will happen.
The road back is underway. Munetaka Murakami made his return to the field Tuesday, starting a rehab assignment with the Charlotte Knights. | Charlotte Knights/ Instagram
Charlotte Knights 8, Nashville Sounds 2 Munetaka Murakami kicked off his Charlotte (47-41) rehab with a single in his first trip, putting two on with nobody out. That set up a first-inning run, courtesy of a Ryan Galanie fly out and a Caden Connor sac fly. Mune stuck around for five innings at first, finishing 1-for-3 with a pair of strikeouts. Galanie blew the game open in the second with a grand slam, Knights up 5-1. Nolan Jones chipped in with a two-run double in the sixth, and Andy Weber kept the line moving with an RBI knock in the seventh. The pitching held up, too. Tanner McDougal, fresh off the IL, tossed one inning with a walk and two punchouts.
Columbus Clingstones 4, Birmingham Barons 3 The Barons (31-51) looked ready to steal one late, but the Clingstones had the final word. Alec Briley launched a first-inning solo homer to put Birmingham ahead, but starter Lucas Gordon surrendered a game-tying blast on just his fourth pitch and another solo shot in the fifth that gave Columbus the lead. Dylan Campbell answered with a solo homer in the sixth to knot things up, and the Barons appeared to have the winning run when Samuel Zavala drew a leadoff walk in the ninth and raced home on T.J. McCants’ clutch RBI double. But the lead disappeared just as quickly, as Jonathan Clark allowed the tying run before the Clingstones walked it off with a game-winning single in the bottom of the frame.
Asheville Tourists 11, Winston-Salem Dash 3 The Dash (47-35) got on the board first thanks to George Wolkow’s two-out RBI double in the opening frame, plating Ryan Burrowes, who had singled. But then came rehabbing Shane Smith, who promptly served up three runs in the second. His line: 2 2/3 innings, three runs, three hits, two walks, but hey, six strikeouts, so not a total wash. The bats had a few more tallies in them, one on a Burrowes solo blast in the fifth and a Wolkow bomb in the eighth, but the bullpen? Woof. Seven earned over 5 1/3 innings. That’s a mess.
Kannapolis Cannon Ballers 6, Delmarva Shorebirds 2 Kannapolis (41-41) got things rolling in the second, slapping three runs on the board thanks to Jurdrick Profar and Efren Teran coming through with RBI singles. The Shorebirds made it interesting, tagging Ballers starter Truman Pauley for two tallies in the third, but the Ballers answered in the fifth with Stiven Flores plating Nick McLain, who had doubled. At 4-2, Kanny wasn’t done, squeezing two more in the eighth on a wild pitch and a McLain sac fly. The bullpen shut the door, holding the Birds scoreless for the last five-plus.
ACL White Sox 9, ACL Mariners 8 (7 innings) The ACL White Sox (14-34) jumped out early, thanks to Osniel Castillo launching a two-run bomb in the third. Then, Jose Mendoza and Landon Hodge smacked back-to-back doubles in the fourth for another run. In the fifth, the wheels fell off as Sox pitching surrendered five runs, handing the Mariners a 5-3 lead. Yordani Soto tried to spark a rally with a solo shot in the bottom half, but the Mariners punched right back with three more in the sixth. The Sox, undeterred, broke through with a five-run haymaker in their half of the sixth with doubles from D’Angelo Tejada and Hodge, and RBI knocks from Alejandro Cruz and Soto, the works. That 9-8 edge held, with Felix Doroteo sweating through a single and a walk in the seventh but getting it done for the win.
DSL Blue Jays 5, DSL White Sox 3 (7 innings) The DSL White Sox (10-17) had chances all afternoon but couldn’t deliver the clutch hit, stranding plenty of traffic and going just 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position. Felix Lebron did his part, driving in two runs with an RBI double in the second and an RBI single in the fourth after Orlando Patiño’s one-out triple. The Dodgers built a 5-2 cushion before the Sox pushed across an unearned run in the seventh, but the late rally fizzled, leaving too many missed opportunities.
ACL Dodgers 4, ACL White Sox 1 (July 6 — 7 innings) The ACL Sox mustered just two singles and five baserunners through the entire contest. The Dodgers practically begged for trouble with three errors, but the Sox bats couldn’t take advantage of a single one. Dodger arms mowed down the first 13 Sox hitters before D’Angelo Tejada finally reached on a throwing error in the fifth. Marcelo Ácala and Jefrank Silva managed the only hits. On the mound, Fidel Montero was nails, tossing five shutout innings, allowing five hits, a walk, and three strikeouts.
DSL White Sox 7, DSL Twins 3 (July 6 — 7 innings) The DSL White Sox got all their business done early, hanging a seven-spot by the end of the fourth. They got on the board in the first on a little chaos with a leadoff single, stolen base, wild pitch, and dropped third strike. The second inning was more of the same with two walks, a couple of singles, Sox up 3-0. The Twins tried to make it interesting with two unearned runs in the third, but the Sox just shrugged and piled on three more in the bottom half. Ronald Cordoza ripped a two-run triple, and Orlando Patiño lofted a sac fly. Hector Hernandez added the exclamation point with a solo shot in the fourth. Yordany Marte got the start, three innings, just the two unearned, with one walk and three punchouts. Job done.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JULY 7: Payton Tolle #70 of the Boston Red Sox pitches during the second inning against the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field on July 7, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Geoff Stellfox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Well, well, well, what do we have here? Is that a competent baseball team I see?
9-2 in their last eleven games. A young flamethrower bouncing back from a bad outing with six shut out innings. Solid defense, every single person in the lineup reaching base at least once, and a big win on the road against a White Sox team who entered the evening 24-6 in their last 30 home games. Who the hell is this team and where have they been all year?
In what very much felt like a make or break road trip regarding trade deadline decisions for the 2026 season, the Red So have started it 4-0 and continue to climb back into the Wild Card hunt. Not only that, but tonight they did it largely behind Payton Tolle shutting down a spunky White Sox lineup, which in the grand scheme of things is the gift that keeps on giving.
Retiring 15 of the last 16 hitters he faced, Tolle cruised once he was handed a 3-0 lead in the second inning. In doing so, he displayed a pair of characteristic you want to see if you’re looking for a future ace. One, he bounced back from a terrible outing against the Nationals (great pitchers rarely have two stinkers in a row), and two, he seemed to get stronger the deeper he worked within this game. The second item is something that’s not only encouraging to see in general, but especially awesome from Tolle who has shown signs of running out of gas in some of his outings this year. Tonight, the tank looked full even as he reached his finish line.
In a series opener that felt like it was just asking to be about a former Red Sox farmhand they traded away, it instead was about the dominant performance of a guy they kept.
Ceddanne Rafaela: Like Monasterio, Rafaela had a pair of hits, and also like Monasterio, he hit a home run in the second inning. This time, it was a two-run shot that gave Boston a 3-0 lead.
Danny Coulombe: There was one brief moment where it felt like the Red Sox might blow this game, and it came in the bottom of the seventh shortly after the bullpen door swung open for Coulombe. He walked the first batter he faced (always a good sign), and allowed the tying run to come to the plate with nobody out. While he did get Kyle Teel for the first out of the inning, Justin Slaten had to clean up his mess.
Failing to land a knockout punch earlier: If we’re going to nitpick, and we have to in the duds section on a night like this, the Red Sox had baserunners in every single one of the first six innings. They also left the bases loaded in the opening frame. If they were able to cash in just a couple more runs while Tolle was dealing, they would have been able to stay away from Slaten and Whitlock in what turned into an 8-1 blowout, leaving them in an even better position going into the final tow games of the series.
The umpiring crew: Home plate umpire Charlie Ramos lost his first five ABS challenges, many on strikes where the ball was almost completely in the zone, and he didn’t even have the most memorable performance from an umpire this evening. Instead, that award goes to:
Play of the game:
Third base umpire Nestor Ceja, who made this amusing pair of calls on Contreras’ ninth inning double down the left field line.
At least it was entertaining and fun, which certainly were the themes of the night for Red Sox fans. Jake Bennett goes tomorrow to try and keep the party bus rolling.
Jul 7, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays right fielder Victor Mesa Jr. (25) reacts after defeating the New York Yankees at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images | Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images
Coming off three consecutive losses, the Tampa Bay Rays were needing to bounce back against the Yankees on Tuesday night and they did just that behind a stellar performance by Ian Seymour and production from the bottom of the lineup.
Having dropped game one of the four game set on Monday night, the Rays sent southpaw Ian Seymour to the bump looking to even the series. He answered the bell and struck out a career-high 12 batters while allowing three runs over 5.1 innings of work. The three runs came on one swing of the bat. In total he faced 21 batters and struck out more than half. He scattered five hits and walked only one. He earned his 6th win of the season to move to 6-1.
The Rays staked Seymour to an early lead scoring two runs in the bottom of the second inning. He quickly surrendered that lead the following half inning when he allowed a two-out, three run homer to Ben Rice who went 3-4 on the day.
Before and after that one swing, he was solid. Five of the first six outs were via the strikeout. He then punched out a pair in the fourth and the side in the fifth. He was sharp and the Rays offense returned the favor and countered the Yankees three run third with a four run fourth.
With one out, Walls singled to right. Palacios followed with a RBI double to the gap in right-center to tie the game. Then, Feduccia got into one and sent his second homer of the year over the wall in right-center to give the Rays a 5-3 lead. Yandy followed with a homer of his own and with the back to back blasts, the Rays had opened a 6-3 lead.
The six runs were all the Rays would need. After Seymour departed, Kelly, Booser, Cleavinger, and Baker combined to record the final 11 outs. Kelly allowed the only other run of the game in the 6th inning to cut the lead to 6-4. The pen struck out five more Yankee batters and helped the Yankees make history in doing so. With 17 Ks on back-to back nights, they became the first team in history to accomplish such a feat.
While striking out 34 batters over the first 18 innings, the Rays staff has walked only 2.
On a night where the Aranda and Caminero were quiet, combining to go 0-7 with a walk, the bottom of the lineup did its job. Mesa Jr., Walls, Palacios, and Feduccia combined to go6-12 with four RBIs and a pair of homers (Feduccia and Mesa Jr.).
The Rays will look to guarantee a split with a win tomorrow and will send Shane McClanahan to the bump opposite Gerrit Cole. With the win, the Rays moved back to four games up in the standings with a five-game cushion in the loss column.
There's been much to speculate about the next destination for LeBron James.
James decided to not allow the Los Angeles Lakers a bidding chance for him and informed the team that he would be moving on to a new organization in free agency.
There have been a handful of teams that are considered in the running for James.
Many of which have their own storyline and reasoning for a potential James signing, but for a team like the Warriors, they could finally pair James with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green.
According to ESPN's Anthony Slater, the Warriors are keeping a roster spot open for James but they don't think he'd choose to play in the Bay Area.
"On the James front, Warriors sources continue to express a low level of optimism that James will ultimately pick them as his next team," Slater wrote. "They intend to keep roster space open for James until he ultimately declares his choice."
ESPN's Shams Charania said on "Straight Shooter" with Stephen A. Smith that he doesn't think the Warriors are at the top of James' list, rather "on the periphery," unless they were able to make a package deal for Anthony Davis. It should also be noted that Charania and Smith reported that both James and Green will "hang out this week" amid the 22-time All-Star's decision-making process.
So what about the other teams that could possibly lure James into a contract for a season or two? Charania said it's really boiled down to a top three hierarchy of: Heat, 76ers and Cavaliers.
Here's the latest on the "contenders only" free agency sweepstakes for James:
LeBron James potential landing spots
Here's the latest on the top-three contenders that James could sign with.
Miami Heat
A reunion in Miami would be one heck of a storyline. Once upon a time James promised Heat fans championship rings by famously uttering the words "not two, not three, not four, not five ... not six." He got them two with Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and company, now he could join a new 'big three' with Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bam Adebayo and himself.
"There’s a draw with Miami. Pat Riley is a draw, Spoelstra is a draw," Charania said. "I have gotten any feel that there’s still tension between LeBron and Pat Riley that would detour him from that. I think Bam and Giannis are big draws for him too. He played team USA for Bam and has a lot of respect for Bam. Giannis would want LeBron in Miami from my understanding as well. No state taxes…. In January, you think about Miami and, it’s Miami! If you have a team that is basically neck and neck but one of them is based in Miami, with no state taxes.”
Smith reported that "a lot of executives" believe Miami is the best destination for James.
Philadelphia 76ers
The Sixers have picked up steam in the running for James, Charania said.
"Philadelphia was not in the picture," he said. "When the Sixers got Jaylen Brown I did some research ... he (LeBron) is taking their pitch very seriously."
They would be able to create a lineup featuring Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, James and Brown.
Cleveland Cavaliers
What could be better than a Hollywood ending? A return home to where it all began. Many want it to be the perfect storybook ending to a legendary career. The Cavs do.
Charania said that the organization is making James their No.1-priority and their superstar Donovan Mitchell is on board with that.
Some are speculating that it could very well be. Signs are there. That's what ESPN's Brian Windhorst said.
"Yes, absolutely, he knows what he's going to do," Windhorst said. "If you ask me, 'Are the vibes pointing towards Cleveland?' Yeah, the vibes are pointing towards Cleveland, but it's just vibes."
Consider this, he's celebrated the 10-year anniversary of the 2016 championship with Kevin Love, J.R. Smith, Iman Shumpert, Matthew Dellavedova, Tristan Thompson and Channing Frye.
He's spending some offseason time there, which has fans on social media putting it all together after reuniting with his high school teammates from St. Vincent-St. Mary's High School in Akron. He was also with Cavs general manager Brandon Weems, but it could all just be coincidence.
Noah Schultz gave up four in his second start back from the IL, with no run support to show for it either way. | (Getty Images)
The White Sox (47-43) took one on the chin to open the six-game homestand with the Red Sox (41-48), getting outhit, 11-4, and blown out, 8-1. Only two batters actually got a hit for the Good Guys, with Sam Antonacci snagging three hits, and Kyle Teel driving in the sole run for the South Siders. The Italians at least represented themselves all right on Italian Heritage Night at the park. The only real good news coming out of this game is that the Twins also beat the Guardians, so the one-game lead in the AL Central still holds up.
Noah Schultz got off to a rocky start, immediately getting into a bases-loaded jam in the first that set the tone for the ballgame. The lefty needed 33 pitches to get through it, but he was able to regain control and survive the bases-loaded jam, but that didn’t stave off the chaos for the remainder of his outing. The main problem for Schultz in this five-inning, 92-pitch outing, however, was that he continuously worked into deep counts that ran up his pitch count, on top of the two home runs and three walks. Noah allowed four runs on seven hits while striking out three, two of them by our old friend Romy Gonzalez.
Not only were the Red Sox jumping all over him, but Schultz wasn’t getting as many whiffs, averaging just a 20% called-strike-plus-whiff rate (CSW). His sinker was thrown 25% of the time tonight, and also drew the highest CSW (26%) of all his pitches. Schultz’s ERA has now increased slightly to 6.00, but he’s still extremely young and can continue to work on his command issues with more experience. In his defense, you can’t exactly win a game without the offense scoring any runs, so he wasn’t the only one at fault there.
The first frame for Schultz nearly spun out of control. Both Anthony Seigler and Ceddanne Rafaela reached on a pair of bloop hits to lead off the game: one that dropped in no man’s land, shallow center field, and the other was a strange swinging bunt situation that ended up in the Bermuda triangle between Schultz, Miguel Vargas at first, and Chase Meidroth at second. Willson Contreras walked to load the bases, adding a fresh layer of stress to the situation, but thankfully, Schultz buckled down and struck out Romy Gonzalez before inducing a line out to end the inning.
Schultz began the second frame on a high note after striking out Jarren Duran, but things quickly snowballed from there. On the very next batter, Andruw Monasterio took Schultz deep to left to give Boston their first run of the game. Connor Wong then caught Colson Montgomery playing back and decided to drop a bunt that ended up (generously) being ruled a base hit. Schultz forced a fly out, but then allowed his second homer of the inning to give the Red Sox another couple of runs, 3-0.
With the help of Teel, Schultz worked through the third without issue, cutting Contreras’ time on the basepaths short after his leadoff hit, getting thrown out at second to end the inning. That would be the first of two that Teel caught stealing on the night, as he made another great throw in the fifth to catch Wilyer Abreu. That momentum didn’t hold through the fourth, however, as chaos ensued to give another run to the Red Sox. A double, wild pitch, walk, and a squeeze bunt all happened in consecutive order, with Wong getting his second bunt down to tally an RBI, 4-0.
Truly a wild sequence of events:
On the other end of the ball, Payton Tolle was having a much easier time with the South Side offense than Schultz had with the Red Sox. Tolle worked through six shutout innings and gave up just two hits, one walk, and struck out six. He walked Miguel Vargas to lead off the game, and Antonacci was really the only player who showed up for the White Sox offense with two hits off Tolle and three on the day. The Good Guys were getting carved up by his fastball and cutter, averaging a 34% and a 31% CSW for his outing and racking up 15 swings and misses; for reference, Schultz had eight in comparison.
Until the seventh frame, the Good Guys only mustered two hits — both from Antonacci. The White Sox loaded the bases in the seventh to get a bit of a rally going, with Meidroth drawing a walk to lead off the inning, and Antonacci followed that up by snagging his third hit of the day. Finally, someone not named Sam got a hit, as Junior Perez singled to load the bases for Teel. In another timeline, Kyle blasts a game-tying grand slam against his former team, but instead we get an RBI ground out and back-to-back strikeouts to end the threat, 4-1.
The bullpen was solid through the eighth once they replaced Schultz, with three relievers combining for just one hit. That is, until the ninth, when the Red Sox ended up breaking the game open, but not without the help of the umpiring crew. Seranthony Domínguez took over in the sixth, and though it was a little dicey to start the inning, with a deep fly to left and two batters reaching base, he made it through unscathed by striking out both Anthony Seigler and Ceddanne Rafaela to end the scoring threat for Boston. In the seventh, Jordan Hicks looked as good as ever, striking out two of the three batters he faced for a clean frame, handing the final two over to Brandon Eisert in an attempt to maintain the three-run deficit so as not to make things worse.
In the ninth, Eisert walked two batters but needed just one more out. He had Contreras down to his final strike on a full count, until Contreras ripped a line drive down the left field line that the umpire originally called foul … before changing his mind mid-play to call it fair, which allowed two runs to score. Personally, I don’t understand how Will Venable didn’t make a way bigger deal out of this situation. Once a fielder sees the foul called, they ease up because they think the play is over. Apparently, the play was not reviewable for an unknown reason. This will likely make me lose sleep tonight, and it’s not like the bats did anything at all to help themselves, but that is just an unacceptable sequence of events that led to four Boston insurance runs.
To throw salt in the wound, Romy Gonzalez ripped almost an identical ball down the right-field line, also causing a slightly delayed fair call to drive in the seventh run for the Red Sox. Finally, Venable called it a day for Eisert, but Trevor Richards came in for the garbage time and walked Caleb Durbin before giving up a base hit to Duran for the eighth and final run.
It didn’t really matter up to that point, but the White Sox went down in order in the bottom of the ninth, finally putting us all out of our misery. You’re not going to win them all, of course, but the bats snoozed through this one after an off-day. The Good Guys will aim to bounce back tomorrow with Davis Martin on the mound, and hopefully the South Siders (and umps!) get a good night of rest and get ready for the next one.
MESA, AZ - MARCH 21: Josiah Hartshorn #22 of the Chicago Cubs bats during the game between the San Diego Padres and the Chicago Cubs at Sloan Park on Saturday, March 21, 2026 in Mesa, Arizona. (Photo by Aryanna Frank/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Two Smokies got honored today. Catcher Owen Ayers was named Southern League Player of the Month for June. Over the past month, Ayers hit .451/.554/.824 with 13 doubles and seven home runs. Ayers led the league in average, hits, doubles, home runs, walks, total bases, on-base percentage and slugging. He was second in runs scored with 23 and fourth in the Southern League for June with 21 RBI.
Smokies right-hander Jace Beck was similarly named Southern League Pitcher of the Month. Over five appearances and three starts, Beck went 2-0 with an 0.47 ERA. Over 19 innings, Beck struck out 36 and walked nine. He also allowed just nine hits and a .138 average.
Left-hander Pierce Coppola was promoted to High-A South Bend from Low-A Myrtle Beach.
Jordan Wicks started and took the loss after he got rocked for seven runs, six earned, on six hits over three innings. Wicks struggled with control as he walked four and hit one.
Paul Campbell and Jayden Murray both had three scoreless innings of relief.
Left fielder BJ Murray hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth, his 12th on the season. Murray was 1 for 5.
Right fielder Brett Bateman was a perfect 4 for 4 with a walk. He scored twice.
Catcher Moisés Ballesteros doubled twice in a 2 for 5 game. He scored one run.
Starter Connor Schultz gave up two solo home runs, but otherwise kept the Shuckers in check and got the win. Schultz’s final line was three runs on five hits over five innings. He struck out six and walked no one.
Tyler Ras pitched two innings, allowed no runs on one hit, and got the save. Ras walked one and struck out one.
Third baseman Jefferson Rojas hit a solo home run in the fifth inning, his 14th on the year. Rojas was 2 for 4 with the home run, a double and a walk. Rojas also stole a base and scored twice.
Right fielder Alex Ramírez connected for a three-run home run in the sixth inning. That was his tenth on the campaign. Ramírez was 2 for 5 with the home run. In the eighth inning, Ramírez singled, stole second, stole third and after Rojas walked, stole home as part of a double steal.
Second baseman Drew Bowser singled home a run in the sixth inning and then scored on Ramírez’s home run. Bowser went 2 for 4.
Left fielder Carter Trice went 2 for 5 with a double and a steal. He scored once.
Solid start for Mason McGwire, who allowed just one run on three hits over four innings. McGwire struck out three and walked one.
Adam Stone pitched the eighth and ninth innings, didn’t allow a run and got the win. Stone gave up two hits. He walked two and struck out two.
After South Bend scored twice in the top of the tenth, Grayson Moore retired the side in order in the bottom of the tenth for the save. He struck out one.
South Bend had already taken a one-run lead when automatic runner Justin Stransky scored on an error, but first baseman Josiah Hartshorn added an insurance run with a solo home run later in the tenth. It was Hartshorn’s 15th home run and tenth with South Bend. He was 2 for 5 with a walk. Hartshorn scored twice and drove in two.
Hartshorn had been in a mini-slump the past week after tearing up the minors to start his career. Today was a good night to get back on track.
Left fielder Jose Escobar stayed hot, going 2 for 6 with a double. He scored one run.
Third baseman Matt Halbach went 2 for 4 with a double and a walk. Halbach had one RBI and one run scored.
Right fielder Miguel Useche went 2 for 5 with an RBI.
Here’s the play that scored Stransky. Good job getting picked off!
David Bracho pitched the first 3.1 innings and surrendered five runs on three hits. Bracho walked three and struck out six.
Edwardo Melendez pitched the final three innings and got the win. He was in line for the loss after he allowed a two-run home run in the top of the tenth, but the Pelicans struck back with the grand slam. Melendez’s final line was two runs, one earned, on four hits over three innings. Melendez struck out three and walked on.
Shortstop Valdez sent the home fans home happy when he hit a grand slam in the bottom of the tenth. It was Valdez’s sixth home run this season. Valdez went 4 for 6 with five RBI. He also stole two bases and scored twice.
Earlier in the sixth inning, catcher Jose Silva hit a solo home run. It was Silva’s first home run with the Pelicans and third overall. Silva went 1 for 3 with two walks.
Second baseman Alexis Hernández was 3 for 6 with a double and a steal. He scored once.
Right fielder Eli Lovich went 1 for 3 with a triple, a walk, a hit by pitch and a sacrifice fly. He scored two runs and drove in three.
Ethan Conrad is in right field and is 2 for 3 so far.
Yesterday, Kohl Franklin pitched four scoreless innings for the ACL Cubs in his season debut. Franklin had Tommy John surgery early in 2024, right after making his Iowa debut. He missed the rest of 2024 and made one appearance in 2025 where he had a setback in his recovery. A recovery by Franklin would be a big boost to the Cubs farm system.
