LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 18: Javonte Cooke #46 of the Phoenix Suns shoots a free throw during the game against the San Antonio Spurs on July 18, 2026 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. 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 Tom O'Connor/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
And that’s a wrap from the 2026 Summer League in Vegas! Thanks for following along with us at Bright Side.
The Phoenix Suns finish Summer League with a 3-2 record and a +8 plus-minus as a team across the five games.
Khaman Maluach, Rasheer Fleming, and Koa Peat all sat the finale out, leading to more opportunity for Koby Brea, Javonte Cooke, and others. Koby Brea had another uninspiring game where he deferred and sort of faded in the background. Cooke and Askew were the two standouts.
Phoenix started the game ice cold from deep, going 2 for their first 14 from three-point range. The Spurs jumped out to an early 16-11 lead after a bucket from Miles Barnstable.
Jameer Nelson Jr. led the Suns’ attack with 7 points in the opening quarter on 3-4 shooting from the field.
The Spurs led 23-16 after one. It was about as sloppy as it looks, which was expected with the key trio sitting out.
Tramon Mark drilled two quick threes early in the second quarter to push Phoenix back into the mix, giving them a 29-28 lead, which led to a Spurs timeout.
Former Arizona Wildcat Andre Iguodala interviewed Koa Peat during the second quarter on the set, which was a cool full-circle moment for both Iggy and Koa, I’m sure.
Koa on learning from Book:
"Just learning from him, obviously he's one of the best players in the league. He's a legend so just learning from him I think is going to help my game for sure." pic.twitter.com/rxI2Escvda
A pair of sloppy turnovers got the Spurs kick-started, and they went on a 9-0 run to retake the lead, 36-28. Javonte Cooke quickly went on a personal 8-0 run to get the Suns back in it, going back and forth as you’d expect in this environment.
Phoenix ended on a positive note, retaking the lead, 43-39 at the half. Cooke had 10 points, and Nelson Jr. had 9 points to lead the Suns. Hyunjung Lee paced the Spurs with 9 points on 3-3 shooting from deep.
Second Half
The second half started with the teams continuing to trade shots. In the opening 5 minutes, the teams were deadlocked at 8 points each. Then, the Spurs took over on both ends as the Suns’ offense sputtered.
Jameer Nelson Jr. exited the game with an injury, which made matters worse.
Spurs led 61-53 after three quarters of action. They outscored Phoenix 22-10 in the third. It was ugly.
The rooks incoming sophomores had some fun on the mic as well!
After falling behind again, the Suns went on a run to make things interesting late, cutting the lead to two points with just a few seconds left, but then a foul before the inbounds led to a free-throw and a re-inbound and another foul, and the Spurs knocked all three FTs down to secure the five-point win.
San Antonio outscored the Suns by eight in the 2nd half after a promising second quarter. And that was all she wrote.
DALLAS, TEXAS - APRIL 12: Moussa Cisse #30 of the Dallas Mavericks walks backcourt during a game against the Chicago Bulls at American Airlines Center on April 12, 2026 in Dallas, 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 GettyImages License Agreement. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dallas Mavericks remain the home of Ghanian center Moussa Cisse, an undrafted free agent from the 2025 NBA draft. ESPN insider Shams Charania was the first to report the news.
“The Dallas Mavericks have matched the New York Knicks’ two-year, $4.7 million offer sheet on restricted free agent Moussa Cisse, Yann Balikouzou and Kevin Bradbury of LIFT Sports Management tell ESPN. The 6-foot-11 center signed the Knicks sheet earlier Saturday but Dallas matches well before 48-hour Monday deadline,“ Charania tweeted.
The news comes after the Knicks signed him to an offer sheet earlier on Saturday. The Mavericks had 48 hours to make a decision, but their swiftness with the decision shows how much the team values Cisse as a prospect. Cisse’s contract is partially guaranteed for the first season, but non-guaranteed in the second year.
Cisse, 23, played in 38 games with the Mavs during his rookie year, averaging 4.5 points and 5.7 rebounds per game for the team. At 6-11, Cisse provides a lot of size to the Mavs’ frontcourt, giving them another option at the center position.
Cisse will compete for playing time alongside Dereck Lively II, Daniel Gafford, and Santi Aldama, who was acquired earlier in the offseason from the Memphis Grizzlies in a trade. He
Mavs Moneyball community, how do you feel about Dallas’ decision to retain Cisse for the upcoming season? What do you think his role will be with the Mavericks moving forward? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 18: LJ Cryer #18 of the Golden State Warriors handles the ball during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers during the Semifinals on July 18, 2026 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. 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 Tom O'Connor/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Lakers lost just two times this summer. Unfortunately, the same team that handed them their first loss also gave them their final defeat.
In the semifinals of the Las Vegas Summer League on Saturday, the Lakers fell to the Warriors, 92-88. Golden State handed LA a far more unceremonious loss to open the summer at the California Classic.
It was an evenly matched contest throughout with 18 lead changes and neither side holding a double-digit lead the entire game. Each team led in the second half and fourth quarter, but Golden State grabbed the lead early in the frame and held it for the remainder of the game.
LA made a late run to close the deficit to one point, but a pair of turnovers in the final minute looked costly. A late foul on a Mañon 3-pointer gave the purple and gold a chance to tie the game, but the guard converted two of three to keep them down one. One last costly turnover with under 10 seconds remaining sealed the result.
Chris Mañon was once again the main man in getting the offense going early for LA, scoring the first four points for the Lakers. Will Richard knocked down a triple for Golden State. At the 5:44 mark, the Warriors were up by one.
It was a fast-paced, back-and-forth game with both teams playing hard and battling. Adou Thiero joined Mañon with four points, including a fastbreak dunk.
Jon Elmore provided a spark off the bench again with five points. At the end of the first, the purple and gold were down by two.
Cameron Carr knocked down a midrange jumper to start the second period. Arthur Kaluma put Los Angeles in the lead with a pull-up jumpshot.
LA had a very balanced offensive attack, with almost all players scoring. Kaluma drained his first 3-pointer of the half, giving him a team-leading seven points.
After an awkward fall led to Cameron Carr exiting the game with an apparent elbow injury, he returned shortly after looking no worse the wear.
At the 5:58 mark, the Lakers were up by two. LA had gone up by five until a 3-pointer from Chance McMillian made it a two-point Golden State deficit.
Malevy Leons began the scoring in the third period with a triple for the Warriors. Anton Watson scored on the other end for Los Angeles with a layup.
Thiero was having a strong quarter defensively before throwing down another monstrous dunk and converting on a three-point play.
At the 5:54 mark, it was once again a tied game. The Lakers were 3-8 from the field, while the Warriors were 2-8. It was a continued, evenly matched affair between the teams.
Carr and Thiero were the only Lakers in double figures with 12 and 11, respectively.
The Warriors went on a 7-0 run to take the lead, but Los Angeles responded with four in a row to go up by three at the end of the third.
Golden State started the final frame on an 8-0 scoring run to go up by five. Carr responded with a triple. Yaxel Lendeborg answered with a 3-pointer himself to extend the Warriors’ lead once more. AK Okereke then knocked down a 3-pointer for LA.
LJ Cryer responded with a triple to give Golden State a five-point lead with 6:36 left. Thiero started to come alive with five points, but the Warriors still had the momentum.
Kaluma converted on a layup to make it a four-point game. Los Angeles had 2:29 left to keep their Summer League championship hopes alive.
Leons scored on a layup, giving the Warriors a cushion on their lead. Kaluma was fouled and only converted on one free throw. With 1:31 left, Thiero made it a one-possession game.
Carr was fouled and knocked down both free throws to make it a one-point game with 1:12 left. A series of turnovers eventually led to the Lakers trailing by three in the final seconds.
Mañon was fouled while he attempted a 3-pointer and converted on two of three free throws. McMillian was fouled and converted on both free throws to put Golden State up by three with 8.3 seconds left.
The Warriors stole the ball on the ensuing inbound. Will Richard was fouled and drained one free throw to clinch the win for Golden State.
Key Player Stats
Thiero scored 18 points with 10 rebounds, three assists and three steals. Carr notched 17 points in 28 minutes of play. Elmore pitched in with 10 points off the bench.
Kaluma finished with 12 points and four rebounds. Mañon tallied with 10 points, seven rebounds, four assists and two steals. Zhaire Smith logged seven points in 14 minutes as a reserve. Okereke had eight points.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 12: Hyunjung Lee #26 of the San Antonio Spurs shoots a free throw during the game against the Milwaukee Bucks on July 12, 2026 at the Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas, Nevada. 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 Tom O'Connor/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Welcome to the Game Thread. Veterans of the Game Thread know how we do things around here, but for all you newbies we have a few rules. Our community guidelines apply and basically say be cool, no personal attacks, don’t troll and don’t swear too much. The rule against trolling also applies to members of this site that visit other fan sites.
You thought Summer League was over, didn’t you. Well, in Las Vegas, the teams that don’t make it to the championship tournament get an extra game to practice and evaluate players. The Spurs, who finished 6th in the Las Vegas Summer League standings are facing the Phoenix Suns who are the 7th place finishers. It’s a contest between two 3-1 teams, but both squads have basically shut down for their best players for the summer, and I don’t expect any of the draft picks for either team to play. It’s the late game on Saturday and it’s being played at the big arena, the Thomas and Mack Center. To the extent that there will be any fans there, they will probably be rooting for the Suns, who have shut down Koa Peat and Khaman Maulach for the game. Maybe Texas Ex Traymon Mark could have a good game tonight for the Suns? It could be Darius Brown time, who has been having a spectacular Summer League campaign for the Suns.
Game Prediction:
Hyunjung Lee sets a Las Vegas Summer League Record with 10 made three point shots in the game.
San Antonio Spurs vs Phoenix Suns(Las Vegas Summer League) July 18, 2026 | 9:30 PM CT Streaming: Prime TV: Prime Reminder: It is against site policy to post links to illegal streams in the comments.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JULY 15: Jameer Nelson Jr. #54 of the Phoenix Suns looks on in the first half of the 2026 NBA Summer League game against the Phoenix Suns at the Thomas & Mack Center on July 15, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. 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 Louis Grasse/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The finale is here. Game 5 of the Summer League for your Suns.
Former Australian coach Darren Lehmann laughed off suggestions that he would become England’s new Test coach as he shared his belief that the ECB have already lined up Brendon McCullum’s successor.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 18: Zeke Mayo #39 of the Atlanta Hawks drives to the basket during the game against the Washington Wizards on July 18, 2026 at the Cox Pavilion Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. 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 Stephen Greathouse/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
With both teams sitting their top prospects, the Wizards skeleton summer league squad beat the Hawks skeleton summer league squad, 91-83. Both teams had just eight players available. Both teams hope at least a few of those eight will help populate their G League teams this season. Both teams finish their Las Vegas adventure with identical 3-2 records.
There seems to be a scoring differential tie-breaker that determines who finishes 12th (apparently Atlanta) and who finishes 13th (apparently Washington). I don’t see how it matters, but it seems NBA.com has the official standings. Gotta be honest, I’d love to learn that Seth Trimble or Reece Beekman (or anyone really) negotiated a bonus based on the team finishing with a winning record or something.
Washington Wizards big man Felix Okpara attempting a three against the Atlanta Hawks in summer league. | NBAE via Getty Images
This game definitely involved the playing of basketball. The Hawks fired blanks (5-31 from three) while the Wizards connected from deep (10-26), and that was basically the difference. Washington ran out to a nine-point by the end of the first quarter and hung on to win by eight.
A few of the Wizards played pretty well. Reece Beekman had 14 assists to just four turnovers. Felix Okpara looks like maybe he’ll be a competent backup big man at some point in the future, though he did commit seven fouls and four turnovers.
Seth Trimble defended and rebounded well but did none of the guard stuff (shooting, playmaking) teams typically expect from their guards.
John Camden hit 4-8 from three-point range en route to tying Atlanta’s Devon Diggs for a game-high 22 points. Chris Livingston was decent — 20 points, 5 rebounds — and seems to have sufficient size and physical abilities to someday (maybe) win a spot in an NBA rotation.
I don’t think anyone did enough to make me think the roster and rotation calculus for the upcoming season changes, but there was some maybe someday work on display.
For the Wizards, summer league was successful. The youngsters they’re counting on for next season (AJ Dybantsa, Tre Johnson, and Will Riley) all played reasonably well and emerged healthy.
Next up for the Wizards: Offseason workouts, pickup games, maybe some vacations, and then training camp.
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 17: Harry Ford #17 of the Washington Nationals is congratulated by third base coach Victor Estevez #7 after Ford hit a two-run home run against the Athletics in the top of the fifth inning at Sutter Health Park on July 17, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Hopefully the Nats did not get all of the runs out of their system in one night. After last night’s 23 run explosion, the Nats will look for a series win against the A’s tonight. As we saw last night, this is a hitter friendly yard and the A’s bullpen is also very hitter friendly.
With a righty on the mound, Blake Butera will make some tweaks. Luis Garcia Jr. will get his first start after the break. Dylan Crews is the only pure right handed hitter in the lineup, hitting 9th. Jose Tena, Keibert Ruiz and Jorbit Vivas will be in the lineup. Zack Littell will make his first start of the second half.
The A’s are also making a couple tweaks. Long time Met Jeff McNeil will be in the lineup in the 9 spot. Another veteran in Jonah Heim will be in the lineup, and he will be the DH. Otherwise, it is a lot of the same faces as last night. J.T. Ginn has had a breakout year and he is on the mound tonight.
The late night Nats are back this evening, with a 10:05 start. If you stayed up last night, you got to see a show. Hopefully that will be the case again in this one. Follow along in the comments down below and let’s go Nats!
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 18: John Tonje #8 of the Boston Celtics looks to pass the ball during the game against the Orlando Magic during the 2026 NBA Summer League on July 18, 2026 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. 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 Mike Kirschbaum/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
LAS VEGAS — In postgame media scrums, head coaches get asked about players’ performances almost every night. Usually, while they compliment the player they are asked about, they also oftentimes make sure not to gas them up too much.
So, it was a noteworthy moment when Celtics Summer League head coach Amile Jefferson absolutely lit up when he was asked about the play of 25-year-old guard John Tonje.
“He’s one of the guys I’m most proud of because he wants to make it,” Jefferson said after the Celtics’ Wednesday night win over the Sacramento Kings. “And when a guy wants to make it, and when a guy wants to be in the NBA, that’s how you look. If somebody wants to know how hard it is to be in the NBA — you can all see how good he is. He’s given himself a really good chance. He is definitely an NBA player.”
Tonje did everything he could to show that through five Summer League contests, averaging 14.8 points per game and shooting 45.2% from beyond the arc.
But more important than his offensive contributions was his defensive impact, because few questions exist surrounding Tonje’s ability to score a bucket. (The Celtics guard averaged 18.1 points per game on the Maine Celtics last year, highlighted by a 42-point outing in March).
Tonje made impactful plays on the defensive end all Summer League long, whether that was a chasedown block or a pick-pocket. In the Celtics’ overtime win, he secured the game-winning steal and go-ahead layup to solidify the victory. Multiple times throughout the tournament, he showcased flashes of defensive excellence a step above his defensive reputation.
John Tonje just got the steal and layup and Neemias Queta and Derrick White jumped to their feet pic.twitter.com/Yqx4zE2aAv
On Saturday, after a 14-point outing against the Orlando Magic, he credited his player development coach, Nana Foulland, for putting him in positions to succeed.
“Defensively, I gotta give a special shoutout to a coach named Nana who’s actually standing right here in front of me,” Tonje said, as Foulland hovered behind the scrum. “All summer, we’ve been focused, trying to get better and working on weaknesses, and he hasn’t been afraid to tell me what I need to get better at. We just really got after it this summer, and I think it showed a little bit in summer league.”
John Tonje eyes another opportunity in the NBA
Tonje joined the Celtics on a two-way contract midseason last year. But while fellow two-way player Amari Williams signed a second two-way contract earlier this month, Tonje did not. As such, he arrived in Las Vegas a free agent in pursuit of another chance in the league.
Amile Jefferson believes Tonje did enough to show he belonged.
“Everyone wanted to see the defense from John, and I think he showed that at a super high level,” Jefferson said. “I’ve talked the entire week about how proud I am of the effort he’s given, and most of that has come defensively. Obviously, he is a high-level shot-maker at all three levels. He can get to the rim, he can shoot the mid-range, and he can catch and shoot the three and off the dribble. And so, you just want to see, for his position, can you guard the ball? Can you pressure the ball? Can you be in your shifts? Can you be where you need to be? And I think he showed that he can do that at a high level.”
Tonje may or may not end up in Boston next year. Williams is already on one of three two-way contracts, while Milos Uzan and Tucker DeVries will both get the chance to compete for one while on training camp deals. Dillon Mitchell, the Celtics’ standout 40th overall pick, is also a likely candidate for a two-way contract, assuming he doesn’t get signed to an actual roster spot.
Regardless of what happens next, Tonje’s own self-belief is undeniable.
“I’m pretty confident,” he said with a smile. “I’m pretty confident — maybe even delusional. I can’t lose that. I think I’m an NBA player, and that’s what I’m striving to get to, and be at. So I like where I’m at right now, and I’m just gonna keep working.”
Jul 7, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Athletics pitcher J.T. Ginn (35) pitches in the second inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
Last night, the Athletics kicked off the second half the same way they finished the first half, suffering an embarrassing 23-4 defeat to kick off this three-game series against the Washington Nationals.
The team’s change at pitching coach did not provide an immediate boost, as several A’s pitchers combined to allow 18 runs in another disastrous performance at Sutter Health Park.According to OptaSTATS, during this 10-game skid, the A’s have made unwanted history, becoming the first MLB team to post an OPS that low (.575) while allowing an opponent OPS that high (1.019).
Tonight, the A’s can even this series and collect just their second win of the month. Before the game, the team made several roster moves following its latest humiliating loss.
Right-handed reliever Justin Sterner, who was one of two pitchers that allowed six runs yesterday, lands on the injured list with right knee chondromalacia, otherwise known as runners knee. If that was the cause of his recent struggles, hopefully his performance will improve once he returns from the injury.
The A’s recalled right-hander Geoff Hartlieb to take his place in the bullpen. First baseman Joey Meneses was designated for assignment to open a 40-man roster spot. The 34-year-old went 3-for-20 in nine games with the Athletics over the past few weeks. Now the club has five days to find a trade partner or place Meneses on waivers.
Speaking of trades, the A’s sent Aaron Civale, who had been designated for assignment a few days earlier, to the Chicago Cubs. The veteran pitcher returns to the team he finished the 2025 season with. In return, the “Green and Gold’ received minor-league pitcher Aiden Moffett, an undrafted free agent out of West Virginia. Moffett has struck out more than a batter per inning this season, but he has also issued 42 walks in just 22⅓ innings between the Arizona Complex League and Single-A.
The #Athletics have acquired Aiden Moffett from the Cubs for fellow right-hander Aaron Civale.
Moving to tonight’s game, A’s right-hander J.T. Ginn will make his 19th start of the season. The 27-year-old enters his first outing of the second half with a 7-6 record, a 3.67 ERA, a 1.25 WHIP and 93 strikeouts over 103 innings.
Ginn ended his breakout first half on a sour note. He exited his start in Detroit after four innings because of an illness. A few days later, he imploded in the A’s final game before the All-Star break against the Chicago White Sox, allowing six runs in the bottom of the first inning and erasing his team’s early 1–0 lead.
This evening, the Athletics desperately need a quality start from Ginn. He must keep the ball down in the zone, trust his sinker to generate ground-ball outs and avoid mistake pitches. That will not be easy, as the Nationals have scored the most runs in the majors, but Ginn has proven to be the one starter the A’s can consistently count on when he takes the mound.
He will face off against Nationals’ right-hander Zack Littell, who is 7-6 with a 4.90 ERA through 19 appearances, including 12 starts, in his first season in the nation’s capital. Yesterday, the A’s offense struggled against Cade Cavalli’s overpowering arsenal. Littell presents a different challenge. With just 57 strikeouts in 90 innings, he relies on keeping hitters off balance and generating weak contact rather than overpowering them. That approach has paid off recently, as the 30-year-old has pitched well over his last three appearances, though he has earned just one win during that stretch.
While the team’s pitching has received most of the criticism, its offense has also failed to meet expectations.
Catcher Shea Langeliers needs to carryover his All-Star Game performance into games that actually matter. With Henry Bolte on the bench after a tough game in the series-opener,Lawrence Butler shifts to center field. Donovan Walton gets a second straight start at second base, while Jonah Heim and Jeff McNeil make their first starts of the series.
One of the club’s top prospects, Tommy White, is out of the starting lineup after making his MLB debut and collecting his first hit last night. Given the A’s record and the absence of Nick Kurtz, it is surprising to see Tommy Tanks not playing, but hopefully McNeil will prove the doubters wrong.
Ginn will go up against this lineup for Blake Butera’s Nationals:
Francisco Alvarez's throwing error in the bottom of the fifth inning on a pickoff attempt moved Kyle Schwarber from first to third base, putting him in position to score on a single later in the frame. Then, in the sixth inning with Philadelphia up 6-1, Francisco Lindor's relay throw to third base went wild, allowing Bryce Harper to advance to second base easily and giving him his third straight game with an error.
Luckily, Lindor's mistake didn't add to the Phillies' lead, but it did continue the trend of poor defensive mistakes for the 2026 Mets as the star shortstop is already up to six errors in only 42 games this season. After the loss, he was asked if what interim manager Andy Green described as "sloppy play" is creating a mental block for the team across the board and took blame for his mistakes, saying his level of play needs to improve.
"I can't really speak about everybody else. From my point of view, he's right, it was sloppy. It's not to the level that I expect myself and it's not the level that people expect us to play here," Lindor said. "For me, defense, it's the most important thing and it's been not good, not good at all. I'm letting down the pitchers that have worked extremely hard.
"Thankfully, tonight, my error didn't lead to a run. However, it lead to high-leverage situations. Where it was just we could have pitched with someone on first and third. Overall, just got to get better. When it comes to mental mistakes, yeah, that was a mental mistake today. I got a little fast and tried to make something happen and I wasn't fully aligned to go to third base."
Lindor, who owns a career .980 fielding percentage and had made just 55 errors in his first five seasons with the Mets, said the team needs to be better about "turning the page" after a mistake and continue to support each other when they happen.
"You got to focus on what you have in front of you," Lindor said. "And as soon as you make that error, try to focus on turning the page and then expect the ball to be hit back to you. It's one of those where per game, it's happened a little too much. But with that being said, everybody is working... you just got to rely on each other and have the mentality of picking each other up."
He added: "We know each other, we're here for each other and we know nobody's going to make the mistakes. At the end of the day, everybody cares for each other here. As a defensive player, I want to get it done for the pitcher. And in the same thing, the pitchers want to help us when we mess up. And when we're on offense, we want to score for everybody to have the lead and help the pitchers be a little more comfortable. Everybody trusts each other here and we're playing for each other.
After missing 57 games, it was expected that Lindor would take some time to reacclimate at the plate, but not on defense. When asked if there has been a bit of an adjustment period for him defensively since returning on June 24, Lindor said that either way, he needs to get back to his "standard."
"I've never really thought about it, but there have been some plays that have gone a little fast," Lindor said. "I don't know if it's missing time or if it's just, I got to just get better. The way I view it, bottom line, I just got to get better.
"I don't know if it's a time thing, to me, that's not an excuse. I'm back on a major league field, I got to play like a major league player. I got to play to the standard that the New York Mets want and I got to play up to my standard as well."
Green and the team believe that Lindor can get back to that level this season, especially when they get "on the attack defensively." The 32-year-old noted that returning to full form is a "high mountain" he plans on climbing the rest of the season.
"He's a guy that we believe in, we'll continue to believe in," Green said. "He's got a long track record of being one of the absolute best shortstops in baseball. Have confidence that he will be that before this season is out."
HOUSTON, TEXAS - JULY 18: Cam Sanders #73 and Samuel Basallo #29 of the Baltimore Orioles react after a win against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park on July 18, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Orioles may or may not be a good team. But right now, they’re pulling off a heck of a lot of improbable wins.
The O’s stunned the Astros in Houston for a second straight game, somehow emerging with a 4-2, 11-inning victory to extend their season-best winning streak to six. It was a game the Birds seemingly had no business winning. Their offense was a no-show throughout regulation, squandering nearly every scoring opportunity, as the top five hitters in the lineup were a combined 0-for-19. The Birds faced certain doom in the bottom of the 10th when the Astros put the winning run on third base with nobody out. But Tyler O’Neill made a game-saving defensive play and later drove in the Orioles’ go-ahead run, and new reliever Cam Sanders locked it down with a perfect 11th for the save.
Let’s jump right ahead to the most unbelievable part of this ridiculous game, the Orioles’ Houdini act in the bottom of the 10th. The clubs were locked in a 2-2 tie and the Astros loaded the bases with nobody out against Andrew Kittredge. The O’s, for all intents and purposes, were screwed. Doomed. Destined for defeat. There’s no escaping this. The Astros didn’t even need a hit to win. A well-placed grounder or a deep fly ball. Or a walk, or a wild pitch, or a hundred other possibilities. The O’s had only two outfielders, with center fielder Leody Taveras coming in to give the Birds a five-man infield. Only a miracle would keep this game alive for the Orioles.
Apparently, folks, miracles do occur. Jose Altuve lofted a fly to center. Right fielder Tyler O’Neill had to range over to make the catch, and Nick Allen, the runner from third, tagged up and busted toward the plate. O’Neill fired the ball toward home with such force that he knocked himself off his feet. His throw sailed a bit up the third-base line, but catcher Samuel Basallo snagged it and made a great tag of Allen as he slid past. OUT! DOUBLE PLAY! Wow! I didn’t think O’Neill had any chance of cutting down the runner, especially with a somewhat off-line throw, but incredibly, it worked out.
The O’s weren’t done flashing great defense. Now with runners at second and third, the next batter, LaMonte Wade Jr., tried to catch the Orioles off guard with a bunt, laying it down the third-base line. This time it was Kittredge himself who dazzled defensively, racing over to barehand the ball and whipping a strong, accurate throw to first to just nip the runner. One false move — a bobble by Kittredge or an off-line throw — would’ve resulted in a hit and scored the winning run. Kudos to the veteran Kittredge for keeping his cool and making the play. The Orioles, amazingly, had escaped the jam unscathed and lived to play another inning.
The momentum back on their side, the O’s took the lead for good in the top of the 11th. With Gunnar Henderson on second base as the free runner, Taylor Ward drew a leadoff walk. Astros righty Enyel De Los Santos very nearly got out of it, striking out Pete Alonso and Samuel Basallo, but once again it was O’Neill who played the hero. On his slow grounder to second, Altuve was late to get to the ball, and O’Neill — hustling down the line at an uncharacteristically speedy 29.3 feet per second — beat the throw to first. Henderson, who never stopped running, scored all the way from second base with the go-ahead run. Taveras followed with an RBI single to add some insurance, making it 4-2.
With the Orioles having already used all their high-leverage relievers, Craig Albernaz turned to newcomer Cam Sanders to secure the save in the bottom of the 11th. Sanders had made a fantastic first impression the previous night in his O’s debut, escaping a bases-loaded jam and notching the win, and he was no less impressive this time around. He coolly retired all three batters he faced, including a game-ending strikeout of Dezenzo that clinchde an outstanding O’s win. In his first two games as an Oriole, Sanders has earned both his first major league win and his first major league save. Can’t get much better than that.
What a victory. Before the extra-inning heroics, it seemed like this game was destined to be another of those frustrating Orioles defeats in which they only have themselves to blame. Their offense, specifically, was a source of constant frustration in the first nine innings. They failed to take advantage of Astros starter Spencer Arrighetti, who was a control-challenged mess, walking four batters and plunking another over the course of his five innings.
For example: in the third inning, Arrighetti issued back-to-back walks, bringing up Gunnar Henderson. You would think Henderson might take a pitch or two from a guy who couldn’t find the strike zone. You would think! Instead, Gunnar hacked at the first pitch and popped out to short. (He went 0-for-5 in this game and is hitless in the series. If you thought the All-Star break might cure what’s ailed Gunnar, sad to say he seems more lost at the plate than ever.) Taylor Ward then flied out on a 3-0 pitch, ending the inning.
The frustration only mounted in the fourth. Again, Arrighetti got himself into immediate trouble with an Alonso walk and Basallo HBP. Dylan Beavers followed with a produtive at-bat, lashing a double down the right-field line. Alonso scored, Basallo moved to third, and the O’s were up 1-0 with runners at second and third and nobody out, on the verge of a big inning.
But the next three Orioles put up some pathetic at-bats. Colton Cowser and Christian Encarnacion-Strand, making his Orioles debut, were each retired on the first pitch, failing to score the runner. And Jackson Holliday completed the trifecta of ineptitude by striking out. Ouch. Even after Arrighetti left the game, the O’s biffed another rally in the sixth when Cowser grounded into a double play with two runners on. Remember those two weeks or so when it seemed like Colton had finally figured things out? Those were nice. Now he’s 5-for-44 in his last 18 games, looking hopeless again.
Still, Trevor Rogers nearly made the slim one-run lead hold up. Rogers wasn’t perfect, but he was able to pitch himself out of nearly every threat the Astros tried to put together. One came right off the bat in the bottom of the first, when the Astros had three hits but didn’t score, thanks to a double play and a strikeout.
Rogers dodged a jam again in the fifth. A pair of singles put two aboard for the dangerous Yordan Alvarez, the American League’s best hitter in, oh, basically every category. Rogers made a big pitch when he needed to, retiring Alvarez on a grounder up the middle. The 1-0 Orioles lead was still intact.
But the O’s couldn’t count on Rogers to be flawless forever, and in the bottom of the seventh, the branch snapped. After retiring the first batter, Rogers gave up back-to-back singles that put runners at the corners, ending his night at 99 pitches. For Rogers, it was his fifth straight start of one or fewer runs allowed, lowering his ERA to 4.28. He’s been fantastic since the start of June.
Sadly, he wasn’t rewarded with a win. The Astros’ Nick Allen laid down a perfect squeeze bunt against Rico Garcia that plated Zach Dezenzo from third, tying the score. The Orioles really should have scored a few more runs earlier, huh? Garcia at least got out of the inning without further damage, starting an impressive couple of innings by the bullpens. Yennier Cano and Tyler Wells each worked a perfect inning for the Orioles, while Bryan Abreu and Josh Hader did the same for the Astros, sending the 1-1 tie into extra innings.
Briefly, the O’s got the upper hand in the top of the 10th. An Encarnacion-Strand single moved the free runner, Taveras, to third base, and pinch-hitter Jeremiah Jackson laid down a squeeze bunt to bring him home. It was the Orioles’ first run since the fourth inning, giving them a 2-1 lead.
The lead slipped away in the bottom of the 10th against Kittredge, which began with an Allen bunt single and an Alvarez game-tying RBI double, followed by a Henderson error. That set up the aforementioned bases-loaded, no-out jam and the wondrous escape that followed. The Orioles were facing defeat right in the face. And they said, “Not today.”
Who is your Most Birdland Player, Camden Chatters? Is it Tyler O’Neill for his game-saving throw to the plate and his go-ahead single? Andrew Kittredge for escaping a jam (albeit one of his own making)? Trevor Rogers for another strong outing? Let us know in the comments.
HOUSTON (AP) — Right-hander Kyle Bradish and the Baltimore Orioles agreed Saturday to a $90 million, five-year contract for 2027-31.
Bradish has a $3.55 million salary this year after beating the team in arbitration. The new deal covers what would have been Bradish’s final two years of arbitration eligibility under the rules of the current labor contract.
The 29-year-old is 6-9 with a 3.61 ERA in 19 starts this year, his first full season back from Tommy John surgery in 2024. He finished fourth in American League Cy Young Award voting in 2023 after posting a 2.83 ERA over 30 starts. He has a 3.50 ERA in five major league seasons, all with the Orioles.
“Keeping players of Kyle’s caliber in an Orioles uniform is an important part of our long-term vision,” Orioles owner David Rubenstein said in a statement.
A fourth-round pick by the Los Angeles Angels in the 2018 amateur draft, Bradish was acquired with three other players in a trade on Dec. 4, 2019, that sent right-hander Dylan Bundy to the Angels.
Jul 18, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox right fielder Wilyer Abreu (52) reacts to his two run home run against the Tampa Bay Rays during the seventh inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images
I barely have the words to describe my excitement with this streak and my amazement with this team. I’m going to try.
Boy, these Red Sox are winning in every way possible. Yesterday with a starting gem and powerful offense in Game 1, then a bullpen game holding the line in Game 2. This afternoon’s bout did something different.
The beginning of this game was back-and-forth-two runs for the Rays, Sox snatch it right back; Sox grab one, Rays get one very soon thereafter. Jahmai Jones, welcome to Boston with a two-run shot in his first start as a member of the Sox! Wilyer Abreu torched one over the center field fence, 435 feet, and that was the last time the Sox would have the lead for a bit. Yeah, the top of the 4th is when starter Patrick Sandoval collased, just dishing meatballs and giving the Rays a two-run lead. In the top of the 7th, Jonny DeLuca’s solo shot snuck into the Monster seats and it felt like the air deflated out of the crowd; it looked like this was the end.
Not so fast.
Andruw Monasterio opened the bottom of the seventh with a double. Jarren Duran reached on a fielding error by Rays first baseman Ryan Vilade combined with Cole Sulser not actually touching first base—a gift, but this team knows what to do with gifts. Masataka Yoshida pinch hit and grounded into a fielder’s choice that scored Monasterio. That’s one. Anthony Seigler strikes out, now there are two outs. Then Ceddanne Rafaela, down to two strikes, lined a double to make it a one-run ballgame.
The Rays went to Garrett Cleavinger. Whether the thinking was to get a lefty on lefty look against Abreu is a question for their dugout, just my hypothesis. Either way, it didn’t work. Full count. Fenway on its feet. Abreu demolished a two-run shot to the bullpen and both the crowd—and Abreu himself—completely lost it. 7-6. This is the type of frame that has defined this win streak. Don’t go down quietly.
Whitlock threw a clean eighth. Chapman walked two in the ninth—and made everyone in the ballpark chew their fingernails—then slammed the door for save number 21.
49-48. Twelve in a row. And for the first time since March, the Boston Red Sox are above .500. This was the first time all season the Red Sox have won a game being down three runs or more at some point—they were 0 and 34 before this. At some point you stop calling it a hot streak and just BELIEVE.
Studs
Wilyer Abreu (2-for-3, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 2 R, 1 BB)
Four home runs in two games. The last Sox to have back-to-back multiple home run games was Mookie Betts in 2018. The solo shot in the third gave the Sox the lead. The two-run blast in the seventh won the game. Something has clicked for him over the last week that wasn’t completely there most of this season—harder contact, pulling the ball with authority, doing it against all types of pitching. The Sox need it to keep going. If you’re not watching Wilyer Abreu right now, you should be.
Jahmai Jones (1-for-1, HR, 2 RBI, 1 R)
Acquired this week for basically a bag of peanuts, pinch hit in Game 2 of yesterday’s doubleheader, and goes deep in his first start at Fenway Park. The two-run shot in the second off Seymour set the tone for the day, tying the game after going down 2-0 quickly. Walk into a clubhouse riding a 12-game win streak and maybe the nerves don’t hit the same way. Whatever the reason, Jones swung like he’d been there all summer. Well, for only one at-bat. T’is the life of a utility guy!
The line is quiet but the hit was enormous. Down two with two outs and two strikes in the seventh, Rafaela poked a double down the line to make it a one-run game and set up the Abreu moment. That’s not an easy spot. Cedd was not giving that at-bat away. Also he continues to define what it means to be a Gold Glove defending center fielder.
Duds
Patrick Sandoval (5.0 IP, 9 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 5 K)
Nine hits in five innings is a lot. He kept the Rays to five runs and struck out five, which is good enough to give his team a chance—and the offense did the rest—but that’s not the outing you draw up. Hopefully a one-off and not a sign that opposing lineups are starting to figure him out. The only good thing is he got long enough and the Sox pulled it back to where they didn’t need to use Brayan Bello!
Anthony Seigler (0-for-4, 3 K)
A golden sombrero on a day when the offense scraped together just six hits. Not the time. He did have an awesome reaction to Willy’s game-winning homer.
Play of the Game
Do I even have to explain it? Of course it’s Wilyer Abreu’s second homer.
The Rays continued their miserable play coming out of the break and extended their losing streak to four games with a 7-6 loss in Boston thanks to an all too familiar script of poor pitch execution and defensive miscues. The loss gave Boston its twelvth consecutive victory while reducing the division lead over the Yankees to two games.
There was hope early in this contest when the Rays scored two runs in the second thanks to a leadoff double by Ryan Vilade and a butcher boy single by Chandler Simpson that had the potential to knock out Willson Contreras who got this close to home plate before Simpson pulled back the bunt to swing away:
Nick Fortes would later drive in Simpson with a single of his own, but that lead would be short-lived as Rays pitching could not deliver a shut down inning. Every time the Rays have had a lead in this series until this moment, the Red Sox have come back to at least tie the game and the bottom of the second would be no different.
After a ten-pitch at bat to Andrew Monasterio which ended with an overturned strike three call, Jahmai Jones and his 23 OPS+ came in and deposited a hanging sweeper 407 feet to tie the game:
Seymour, coming into this game, had an OPS of .492 when ahead in the count, .644 when even in the count, and 1.156 when behind in the count. Those numbers got worse after this homer. Seymour would go on and retire Willson Contreras, who turns out, would be Seymour’s last batter of the game. Cash went to a quick hook with Seymour entrusting a well-rested A-pen to get 18 outs. The thought process could have been to go for the win here with the unfavorable matchup on Sunday. For three innings, the move looked like a stroke of genius as Kevin Kelly and Casey Legumina held the Red Sox to a single run over three innings. Fans were likely feeling pretty good with a 6-3 lead after a solo homer by Jonny DeLuca in the top of the 7th. Then, the bottom of the 7th inning happened.
The inning began with a legged out double by Andrew Monasterio, who took advantage of Simpson’s throwing arm and got into second because the throw was rushed, offline, and short of second base where an average throw nails him. Jarren Duran would then reach base because Ryan Vilade and Cole Sulser could not cleanly pull off a PFP play. Vilade’s lob was a little high, but Sulser still failed to touch the bag with either of his last two steps. Sulser nearly pitched his way out of it getting an RBI groundout from Masataka Yoshida and a fortunate strikeout of Anthony Siegler who swung through a misplace strike 3. Sulser’s night would be over after allowing a two-out double to Cedanne Rafaela, and Garret Cleavinger was brought into clean up the mess and face the red-hot Abreu.
Abreu has historically been terrible against lefties. Coming into 2026, he had hit .205 against them with a 62 wRC+ and two home runs in 145 plate appearances. Abreu has turned that around, and then some, in 2026 with a .345 average against lefties and a 162 wRC+ in 127 plate appearances and continued that success taking a full-count misplaced fastball into the bleachers for his second homer of the game and his second consecutive multi-homer game:
The Rays would mount a two-out rally in the 9th on back to back walks off Aroldis Chapman, but both runners would stay there and the club has now lost four consecutive contests while Boston simply cannot do anything wrong. Staff ace Sonny Gray takes the mound tomorrow as the Rays attempt to dig themselves out of a hole they’ve mostly constructed themselves with defensive and pitch execution issues.
This stretch of baseball coming out of the break has simply been about as unwatchable as this team has been in some time, and it could not come at the worst possible time.
