CLEVELAND, OHIO - FEBRUARY 11: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers looks on during the first half against the Washington Wizards at Rocket Arena on February 11, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 Nick Cammett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The two most important things in NBA team building are stability and flexibility. The Cleveland Cavaliers strengthened their position in both when they agreed to a four-year extension with seven-time All-Star Donovan Mitchell on Tuesday morning — the first day Mitchell was eligible to sign it.
On first blush, the deal looks like an overpayment. The contract runs through 2029-30 and has a player option for a final season in ‘30-31. The total money on the deal could be up to $273 million.
At the start of this deal, Mitchell will be making 35% of the entire salary cap. By the end, that balloons to 37.5%. That is a large financial commitment for a then-34-year-old undersized guard to be making in a league where every dollar spent either takes you closer or further from contention.
It’s easy — and maybe even understandable — to look at this as an overpay. Team building is incredibly difficult when you have that high a percentage of the cap designated to one player, especially one who is closer to being the 15th-best player in the league than the fifth.
What that line of thinking overlooks is the importance of stability and flexibility. If you have both, there’s always a path to pivot out of something that isn’t working.
Depth is incredibly important in today’s league. That’s been the one commonality among recent champions. So is having a superstar getting paid max money.
Dedicating more than a third of the salary cap to one player isn’t a detriment to depth. Adding multiple players on max contracts can be an issue.
The Jaylen Brown situation with the Boston Celtics is an interesting case study in this.
From afar, my reading of the situation isn’t that Brown was moved because he made too high a percentage of the cap for the player that he is. Instead, it was the fit between him and Jayson Tatum that was the issue. Boston couldn’t justify spending 70% of the cap on two players who had overlapping skills on both ends and needed the ball in their hands to be productive.
Brad Stevens, Celtics president of basketball operations, more or less outlined this in his recent press conference discussing the trade. Stevens said:
“The path looked a little bit more challenging with 70% of our cap and such a high percent of our usage tied into two players. And the reality in this era and in this day and age at the NBA, you could see it obviously, with the last couple of champions…you have to do a great job and you have to have the optionality to do a great job of building out depth that can hopefully replace the irreplaceable individual. And that’s not an easy thing to do, right? And we get that. And that’s absolutely nothing against Jaylen. If you have Jaylen Brown on your team, you should feature him. You should use all those possessions, and you should approach things that way. But I think the importance of depth, and then obviously we have to continue to work on ways to diversify our attack overall.”
At that point, he and Evan Mobley will be making a combined $114.7 million. That alone accounts for two-thirds of the salary cap.
That high a percentage for two players is a red flag. If you don’t have a pool of contributing role players on team-friendly deals or homegrown talent stepping up, your team simply won’t have the depth needed to win at the highest level.
The solution to this issue isn’t to try to pinch every penny out of your star players who have earned those contracts. It’s to trade out these contracts and retool if the situation calls for it.
It’s easy to look at the Brown trade to the Philadelphia 76ers as a disaster. They didn’t get the splashy return that you’d hope to get for a player of that caliber.
But they did get pieces that help them retool while still being a contender this upcoming season, and have more flexibility to improve in the future with a more manageable cap sheet. That wouldn’t have been possible if Brown were entering the last year of his deal or on a contract that wasn’t market value.
A contract is only bad if you wouldn’t be able to trade it for positive value. Even though the current CBA has made the super team, three max-contract player model less viable, there are teams that would be willing to trade for either Mitchell or Mobley with their current contracts.
We’ll start with Mobley on this.
There were rumors in the past year that the Milwaukee Bucks, Oklahoma City Thunder, and the Celtics all had interest in Mobley. Two of those organizations are considered to be among the smartest in the league. If they’re willing to trade for Mobley, you can be assured that there’s a market for him and his current contract.
Trade rumors for Mitchell have died down in recent years because of his contract situation. Still, I’d have a hard time believing there wouldn’t be multiple teams that would part with valuable assets for Mitchell — especially with the amount of time remaining on his deal once he were to become trade-eligible.
A team with that much of the cap committed to Mitchell and Mobley may not be viable years down the road. At that point, Cleveland would need to move one of them for potentially more depth or a star pairing that works better together.
However, that wouldn’t be an option in the future if the Cavs hadn’t gotten this long-term commitment from Mitchell. The decision would have been made for them.
There’s an alternate reality where the Cavs decided to play hardball with Mitchell. They don’t give him the full extent of the max contract, and both sides don’t come to an agreement this summer. If that happened, they could choose to play out this season and hope to come to a better agreement next offseason. The lack of extension would likely loom over the season and influence any trade they could otherwise make because you wouldn’t have the certainty of Mitchell being on your team long-term.
That scenario would get worse if you were forced to trade Mitchell with just one guaranteed year left on his deal. Teams would know that he had to be moved, and the price for his services would be greatly diminished.
The Cavs avoided both of those options.
Instead, everything is on the table now. If they want to move off either Mitchell or Mobley in the future, they should be able to do so while getting fair market value back in return. They bought time and future opportunities they wouldn’t otherwise have without this extension.
Long-term success comes from having options and being able to pivot when needed. The Cavs can do so with their top-two players guaranteed under contract through the 2029-30 season. That alone makes the Mitchell contract a great deal.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 07: LeBron James speaks with Stephen Curry following a basketball game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Golden State Warriors at Crypto.com Arena on February 07, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. 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 Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors are among the handful of teams that are trying to convince LeBron James to join them in free agency. On Wednesday afternoon, Warriors guard Steph Curry was asked about the possibility of playing with James and decided to pivot the conversation elsewhere. “I’d say more, so I’m interested to just golf with LeBron.”
Steph Curry on the possibility of playing with LeBron James:
“I’d say more so I’m interested to just play golf with LeBron. We’ll handle the basketball stuff, but I want to see the golf LeBron free agent. He’s out here really grinding on the game. But I’m sure we obviously would… pic.twitter.com/aGcZhc5PYI
Curry went on to say that he would “love to play together,” but mostly seemed much less enthusiastic about what a team-up on the hardwood would look like.
Golf is certainly something James has been doing a lot of this summer back in Akron. He’s been posting videos of himself golfing seemingly whenever he can, including Wednesday afternoon.
LeBron James vibing on the golf course without a care in the world right now 😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/VqRweF13Y4
Anything bought from the links helps support Fear the Sword. You can also shop all of Homage’s Cavs gear HERE. The link to the 2016 championship shirt HERE.
LeBron would probably be open to playing golf with Curry, whether or not he’s interested in joining him in Golden State is another question entirely.
ESPN’s Shams Charania has narrowed the list of James’s potential suitors to three top teams: the Cavs, Miami Heat, and Philadelphia 76ers. The Warriors weren’t one of those teams listed, but Charania said that they could get back into that conversation if they were able to trade for Anthony Davis from the Washington Wizards.
It’s also been reported that James and Draymond Green — who is currently a free agent — are meeting up this weekend. What that could be about is anyone’s guess.
We don’t know what LeBron is going to do. There are signs that point to his return to Cleveland. And while that may be the most likely outcome, we can’t rule out other possibilities quite yet. That includes the Warriors, even though their best player may be more excited about playing golf with James than he is about playing basketball.
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - JULY 6: Zuby Ejiofor #20 of the Atlanta Hawks looks to pass the ball during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the 2026 NBA Salt Lake City Summer League on July 6, 2026 at Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. 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 Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
This year’s NBA Summer League may be its most anticipated iteration for St. John’s basketball fans. Eight former Red Storm players will descend on Las Vegas hoping to make a strong impression for their respective teams, perhaps the largest contingent of Johnnies since the tournament began.
The octet of Johnnies features a trio of 2026 NBA draft selections in Zuby Ejiofor (Atlanta Hawks), Dillon Mitchell (Boston Celtics), and Bryce Hopkins (Denver Nuggets), as well as undrafted alumni like Oziyah Sellers (New York Knicks), Kadary Richmond (Washington Wizards), Deivon Smith (Golden State Warriors), Aaron Scott (Brooklyn Nets), and Chris Ledlum (Houston Rockets) who are all seeking to take the next step toward an NBA roster spot.
Here is how to follow all these players throughout the Summer League, which runs from Thursday, July 9 to Sunday, July 19. All game times are Eastern, and any matchups in which St. John’s players are rostered on both teams will be listed with a hash sign (#).
Zuby Ejiofor, Atlanta Hawks
After snapping St. John’s’ 11-year draftless drought when he was selected in the first round with the 23rd overall pick by the Hawks, Zuby Ejiofor is already showing Atlanta that they made the right choice. The reigning Big East Player of the Year averaged 13.5 points and a tournament-best 13.0 rebounds during the Salt Lake City Summer League event, and outplayed first-round pick Aday Mara when he posted a 19-point, 15-rebound double-double in a win over the Oklahoma City Thunder. Block off your calendar for any plans on July 13 when Zuby Ejiofor takes on his former frontcourt mate Dillon Mitchell.
Thu, July 9: vs. San Antonio Spurs — 4:30 p.m. (ESPN2)
Sat, July 11: vs. Brooklyn Nets — 8 p.m. (ESPN) – #
Mon, July 13: vs. Boston Celtics — 6 p.m. (Prime) – #
Thu, July 16: vs. Memphis Grizzlies — 8 p.m. (Prime)
Dillon Mitchell, Boston Celtics
Mitchell was taken with the 40th overall selection in the 2026 NBA draft and should sign with the Celtics on a two-way deal as the team begins its post-Jaylen Brown era. He is expected to start alongside fellow 2026 selection Chris Cenac, Jr. and promising wing prospect Hugo Gonzalez. Also joining Mitchell is Day Day Thomas, who he was teammates with at Cincinnati during the 2024-25 season.
Fri, July 10: vs. Toronto Raptors — 9 p.m. (ESPN)
Sun, July 12: vs. Charlotte Hornets — 5 p.m. (ESPN2)
Mon, July 13: vs. Atlanta Hawks — 6 p.m. (Prime) – #
Wed, July 15: vs. Sacramento Kings — 8 p.m. (ESPN2)
Bryce Hopkins, Denver Nuggets
Hopkins rounded out the hat trick of St. John’s draft picks when he was picked with the 49th overall selection by the Denver Nuggets, and is also a two-way deal candidate. The two-time All-Big East selection caught attention at the Nuggets’ Summer League practice on Monday when he pulled off a posterizing dunk over the taller Osayi Osifo.
Fri, July 10: vs. Houston Rockets — 6:30 p.m. (ESPN2) – #
Sat, July 11: vs. Minnesota Timberwolves — 7:30 p.m. (Prime)
Tue, July 14: vs. Oklahoma City Thunder — 9 p.m. (ESPN)
Thu, July 16: vs. Portland Trail Blazers — 10 p.m. (Prime)
Oziyah Sellers, New York Knicks
Following his first and only season at St. John’s, Oziyah Sellers isn’t done representing the Big Apple. The sharpshooting guard inked a Summer League deal with the defending NBA champion New York Knicks, with the hopes he can put on a great performance in Las Vegas and parlay that into an Exhibit 10 or a two-way contract in the league.
Fri, July 10: vs. Brooklyn Nets — 6 p.m. (MSG/Prime Video) – #
Sat, July 11: vs. San Antonio Spurs — 6 p.m. (MSG/ESPN)
Mon, July 13: vs. Detroit Pistons — 4 p.m. (MSG/Prime)
Thu, July 16: vs. Golden State Warriors — 7 p.m. (MSG/ESPN2) – #
Kadary Richmond, Washington Wizards
Richmond is the only Red Storm alum competing in this year’s NBA Summer League who has already spent time in the league. After graduation last year, Richmond signed a G-League deal with the Washington Wizards’ affiliate Capital City Go-Go, and performed well enough to earn a 10-day contract with the Wizards in February. The Brooklyn native averaged 8.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.7 assists in only three appearances in the NBA before he returned to the G-League once his 10-day deal expired.
Thu, July 9: vs. Utah Jazz — 9 p.m. (ESPN)
Sun, July 12: vs. Sacramento Kings — 8 p.m. (Prime)
Tue, July 14: vs. Chicago Bulls — 8 p.m. (Prime)
Wed, July 15: vs. Los Angeles Clippers — 10:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Deivon Smith, Golden State Warriors
Smith is appearing in his second Summer League with as many teams. He only played in two games with his hometown Atlanta Hawks in last year’s tournament, but already received more playing time with the Golden State Warriors during the California Classic Summer League last week, recording 11.0 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 3.7 assists in three games and even showing his bounce in a game against the San Antonio Spurs.
Thu, July 9: vs. Dallas Mavericks — 7 p.m. (ESPN)
Sun, July 12: vs. Oklahoma City Thunder — 6 p.m. (Prime)
Tue, July 14: vs. Memphis Grizzlies — 7 p.m. (ESPN)
Thu, July 16: vs. New York Knicks — 7 p.m. (ESPN2) – #
Aaron Scott, Brooklyn Nets
Like Smith, Aaron Scott is also playing for his second team in the Summer League. The versatile defensive wing only had a cup of coffee with the Celtics in last year’s Summer League, but could be in line for a larger role with the Nets this year. He’s averaged 7.0 points and 5.5 rebounds coming off the bench in two games during the California Classic Summer League.
Fri, July 10: vs. New York Knicks — 6 p.m. (Prime) – #
Sat, July 11: vs. Atlanta Hawks — 8 p.m. (ESPN) – #
Tue, July 14: vs. Sacramento Kings — 6 p.m. (Prime)
Thu, July 16: vs. Houston Rockets — 4:30 p.m. (ESPNU) – #
Chris Ledlum, Houston Rockets
This will be Ledlum’s second consecutive year of playing with the Rockets in the Summer League. The Brooklyn native totaled 7.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks per game in five games in last year’s tournament, and is hoping a stronger performance can earn him a deal to remain stateside. Ledlum spent the first two seasons of his professional career playing overseas in France and Germany.
Fri, July 10: vs. Denver Nuggets — 6:30 p.m. (ESPN2) – #
Sat, July 11: vs. Toronto Raptors — 9:30 p.m. (Prime)
Tue, July 14: vs. Philadelphia 76ers — 4 p.m. (Prime)
Thu, July 16: vs. Brooklyn Nets — 4:30 p.m. (ESPNU) – #
Mar 22, 2025; Denver, CO, USA; Wisconsin Badgers forward Steven Crowl (22) reacts against the Brigham Young Cougars during the second half in the second round of the NCAA Tournament at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
Last offseason, after being an undrafted free agent, former Wisconsin Badgers center Steven Crowl found a home with the Utah Jazz on an Exhibit 10 contract, playing with them in the NBA Summer League and the G League.
Crowl played in 31 regular-season games for the Salt Lake City Stars, Utah’s G League affiliate, making 22 starts and averaging 24.5 minutes a contest. He dropped 6.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game, while shooting 69.3 percent from the field.
He was joined by fellow former Badgers Max Klesmit and John Tonje, who both also played in Salt Lake City. Tonje was traded midway through the season, though, while Klesmit saw 26 games of action with the Stars.
Well, Crowl has found a new home this summer, as 247Sports’s Dushawn London reported that he will be playing for the Detroit Pistons Summer League team, with games starting up this week.
Crowl, 25, averaged 9.7 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.0 assists, while shooting 52.5 percent from the field and 36.3 percent from three across 153 career games at Wisconsin.
Currently, on their summer league roster, the Pistons have Ugonna Onyenso, Basheer Jihad, and Isaac Jones as the primary forwards/centers available.
WEDNESDAY FACTS: The Cubs are 11-4 in all games on Wednesday this season and 6-2 on the road. They finished last year 13-12 overall and 7-6 on the road. They are 15-14 in the second games of series and 8-6 on the road. They finished last season 34-19 overall and 17-9 on the road. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
BACK TO BACK: In their 17-6 surge since June 11, the Cubs have lost back-to-back games only once, Friday and Saturday at home vs. the Cardinals. They had won three, two, four and five games in a row before their back-to-back wins Sunday and yesterday. Forty of the Cubs’ 51 wins have come in winning streaks and 29 of their 40 losses have come in losing streaks. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
HOME RUN FACTS: The Cubs’ eight home runs in their 23-3 pummeling of the Padres last Wednesday made it just the 37th game since 1901 in which a team homered at least eight times. The Cubs have not hit any homers in their four games since then. Twenty of the previous 36 teams with eight or more homers hit at least one in their next game. All of the 16 others homered again in their second game. Only two of the previous 10 teams with at least eight homers did not hit one in their next game: the Phillies, who had been the last team to hit eight before the Cubs, on Sept. 24, 2025, and the Blue Jays, who hit eight on June 13, 2021. After the Cubs broke their team record by slugging eight homers vs. the Cardinals on July 4, 2025, they hit two, one, one and no homers in their next four games. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
TODAY IN WRIGLEY FIELD HISTORY: The home of the Cubs hosts its first All-Star Game. The AL defeats the NL 2-1 in front of 41,123 at Wrigley Field. Cubs representatives are Phil Cavarretta and Andy Pafko. Pafko has one of the NL’s five hits. It happened 79 years ago today, Tuesday, July 8, 1947.
Over his last three starts, Colin Rea has a 1.76 ERA and 1.304 WHIP, a good turnaround from a rough patch he had in late May and early June.
Rea last faced the Orioles in 2024. Current O’s are a small sample size 9-for-35 (.257) against him with one home run (Tyler O’Neill), and 12 strikeouts.
Dean Kremer missed two months this year with a right quad strain and has made just one start since his return, July 1 vs. the White Sox, who he held to four hits and one run in six innings. He threw 79 pitches in that game so likely isn’t on any pitch limit in this one.
Kremer last pitched against the Cubs July 9, 2024 in Baltimore and they hit him hard, including home runs by Michael Busch and Ian Happ. Michael Conforto (3-for-4) has also homered off Kremer.
Please visit our SB Nation Orioles site Camden Chat. If you do go there to interact with Orioles fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.
The 2026 game discussion procedure has been changed, so please take note.
You’ll find the game preview, like this one, posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).
At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game.
The Live! (formerly “First Pitch”) thread will still post at five minutes to game time. It will also post to the front page. That will be the only live game discussion thread. After the game, the recap and Heroes and Goats will also live on the front page as separate posts.
You will also be able to find the preview, Live! thread, recap and Heroes and Goats in this section link. The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.
PHOENIX, AZ - MARCH 30: Kevin McGonigle #7 of the Detroit Tigers looks on during the singing of the national anthem prior to the game between the Detroit Tigers and the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on Monday, March 30, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
With the 2026 MLB amateur draft only days away, and Detroit Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris going into his fourth draft as head of the club, it’s a good time to look back at his first three efforts. The 2023 edition was, of course, quite a good one. Harris and amateur scouting director Mark Conner, along with assistant GM and VP of the scouting department, Rob Metzler, crushed this draft comfortably. That we can say that only three years later is entirely a credit to Mr. Kevin McGonigle, who is already paying huge dividends and could prove their best position player pick of all-time. Of course, the Tigers found quite a lot of other talented players in that draft, and even beyond McGonigle it may go down as one of the club’s best since the draft was initiated in 1965.
The Tigers selected 21 players in the 2023 draft, ultimately signing 19 of them total. This was the first we saw of the club’s draft strategy under the new leadership group. As we’ve come to expect, they favored left-handed hitting prep players who play up the middle, a strategy that has continued to SS Bryce Rainer in 2024, and SS Jordan Yost and catcher Michael Oliveto in 2025 with their first round picks. They allocated quite a bit of money to lure a couple of promising, well regarded arms away from their college commitments, and added a sprinkling of athletic, small school players with good contact ability, as well as a selection of overlooked college arms and a JUCO pick to round out their first draft.
1- CF Max Clark (Franklin Community HS) $7,700,000
The talented young center fielder signed as the third overall pick in the draft and took an underslot bonus $641,700 under the recommended amount. He’s moved as quickly as hoped, and at age 21 is having a solid season at the Triple-A level while polishing his game for the big jump. Clark can really hit, rarely strikes out, takes his walks, and is developing into a force defensively and on the basepaths. The big question is how much power he’ll grow into, but he’s comfortably among the top outfield prospects in the game and seems likely to make his major league debut sometime before the end of the season. Yes, Wyatt Langford was probably the better pick based on speed to the major leagues, but when all is said and done, Clark may yet prove the more valuable player.
CB-A- SS Kevin McGonigle (Monsignor Bonner HS) $2,847,500
The Tigers locked up their new star infielder with a bonus that was about $540,000 over slot, using the savings from Clark’s bonus to double up on an elite pair of high school talents. Little more needs be said as McGonigle rocketed through the minor leagues despite a few injuries and is well on his way to an AL Rookie of the Year title, and may make a push into MVP conversation if the power starts showing up a little more as he’s settled into the league. This may turn out to be the best pick in Detroit Tigers’ history. It feels great for Tigers’ fans knowing he’s already locked up on a long-term deal.
2- 2B Max Anderson (Nebraska) $1,429,650
Anderson also signed for about $750,000 under slot, helping the Tigers spread their bonus pool around. The stout infielder has power and good contact ability, and just hasn’t yet developed a selective enough eye to get to that power at the major league level consistently. A solid infielder who is a bit light in the range department, most of Anderson’s value is going to have to come from the bat, but he’s handling Triple-A much better in his second look and doing plenty of damage. He’ll have to be added to the 40-man roster this offseason, so at least a look at the show later this season is pretty likely for the 24-year-old infielder.
3- LHP Paul Wilson (Lakeridge High School) $1,697,500
Wilson signed for about $750,000 overslot, passing on his commitment to Oregon State. He is the son of a former major league pitcher in Trevor Wilson, and was regarded as a very polished lefty on draft day. Like most of the Tigers prep pitchers drafted under Harris, Wilson spent most of his time on the injured list in 2024-2025, and was pretty wild on the few occasions when he did pitch. However, in recent weeks he’s completed some rehab work at the Complex League level and returned to Single-A Lakeland to hopefully, finally embark on his pro career at age 21. So far, Wilson has shown mid-90’s velocity with quality breaking and offspeed stuff that still needs a lot of refinement. He’s finally on his way, so we’ll just cross our fingers and hope he’s finally put the injuries behind him and gotten himself physically built up to handle the pro workload. This could still turn out to be a great pick, but for now those grades are entirely incomplete.
4- 3B Carson Rucker (Goodpasture Christian School) $772.500
This prep third baseman received an extra $145,000 over slot to pass on a University of Tennessee commitment. He had a strong arm and good defensive chops for his age, with some quality power potential as well. However, Rucker dislocated his left shoulder and tore the labrum in 2024 as well just four games into his pro career. That cost him that whole season, and he dealt with some injuries in 2025 as well. Now 21 years old, Rucker has power and can play a pretty good third base, but while he’s walked a lot more and been a pretty productive hitter for Single-A Lakeland, his strikeout rate has been sky high. Rucker is really just healthy and getting steady reps for the first time this season, so I wouldn’t jump ship just yet, but things certainly aren’t going according to plan in his case.
Things started off smashingly for Hamm. His overhand delivery produced a pretty spectacular riding fastball that sat 94-95 mph and touched 97. The Tigers encouraged him to pitch up in the zone, and helped him refine the heater along with his wipeout curveball. He was also making progress on a slider by spring 2025. Hamm got some mention at the ends of various top 100 prospect lists heading into the 2025 season. Unfortunately, he struggled through a difficult campaign at the Double-A level that saw him deal with the dreaded dead arm syndrome.
His velocity started dipping down to 90-91 mph and sometimes worse, and while the Tigers shut him down eventually, he hasn’t pitched yet this season and there are no details about his status. All we can say is that he hasn’t had Tommy John surgery, and so shoulder trouble seems the likely culprit. He’ll be 24 in September, but he had looked good at Double-A before the troubles began, so there’s time for him to get back on track.
6- C Bennett Lee (Wake Forest) $297,500
Lee has developed into a decent catching prospect, with good defensive skills and plenty of leadership ability, but not a whole lot to write home about at the plate. The 24-year-old just isn’t going to hit at the major league level, although with a little improvement, it’s possible he could end up a Triple-A depth catcher who sees time in the major leagues as an injury replacement down the road.
7- SS John Peck (Pepperdine) $247,500
The 23-year-old John Peck was an early example of the Tigers hunting athletic, contact oriented up-the-middle defenders from smaller schools or with lesser college pedigrees, and getting them at bargain prices to help balance out the bigger bonuses given elsewhere to the prep picks. Peck has developed nicely, filling out his six-foot frame and developing above average raw power to go with pretty good skills on the infield. A right-handed hitter, Peck still needs to be more selective in his swing decisions, but he’s hit his way rapidly through the minor leagues considering his draft stock, and is tracking as a future utility infielder with some pop who can play just about anywhere on the diamond. Heck of a good value pick.
8- RHP Jatnk Diaz (Hazleton Area HS) $247,500
Diaz was a fun story on draft day, as the young right-hander’s senior season was washed out by ineligibility due to his travels to the Dominican during the COVID pandemic. He basically took it upon himself to coach himself up as a pitcher and was popping 95+ in short bursts after getting in outstanding shape on his own. Diaz got help from others in the local baseball community to get the word out and the Tigers caught wind of him and picked him up as another good value pick with the physical potential to develop into a pretty good pitcher. It’s been slow going, as Diaz has dealt with several injuries as well. He’s back in the Complex League after struggling at the Single-A level, and that mid-90’s velocity has been only occasionally in evidence. He’ll turn 22 in the next month, so next year may be his last chance to show he can stay on the mound and start making some real progress.
9- RHP Hayden Minton (Missouri State) $162,500
Minton recently got promoted to Double-A Erie. He’s a decent minor league starter with a pretty good breaking ball. Something else is going to have to pop in terms of stuff to make him a really viable prospect, as the hoped for 2026 breakout isn’t panning out for him. Now 25 years of age, he’s running out of time but should remain a quality org arm for a little while longer while he tries to take the next step.
10- LHP Andrew Sears (Connecticut) $167,800
Another excellent value pick on the path to making good is this intense left-hander, currently dealing for the Double-A SeaWolves after an injury to start the season. Sears profiles more like a swingman type than an obvious, future major league starting pitcher, but ongoing development of his changeup could change that assessment. He works quickly and aggressively, attacking hitters from a low three-quarters slot with a good fastball-slider combination. Sears should be up to Triple-A by year’s end, and will provide starting and middle relief depth to the Tigers in 2027 and beyond, and possibly more.
11- SS Jim Jarvis (Alabama) $175,000
Jarvis was yet another excellent value pick as a light-hitting, plus defensive shortstop with enough tools to make him a viable bench player. The Tigers flipped him from the Double-A level to the Atlanta Braves at last year’s deadline for reliever Rafael Montero. That’s probably not going to end up hurting them, but Jarvis was recently called up by the Braves to work off the bench, making him the second player from the Tigers 2023 class to reach the major leagues.
12- RHP Andrew Dunford (Houston County HS) $367,500
Dunford was another injury plagued prep pick from this class who was eventually released. The Astros picked up the 21-year-old and currently have him rehabbing with their Complex League club.
13- OF Brett Callahan (Saint Joseph’s) $197,500
Of all the high quality value selections the Tigers made with unheralded, small school players, Callahan is tracking to be the best of the bunch. The left-handed hitting outfielder is capable of playing all three positions and features a strong, accurate throwing arm that argues for a long-term corner outfield gig. He’s always pulled a lot of balls in the air and is now showing occasional bursts of plus raw power as well. Those batted ball tendencies got him on our radar from the start, and after battling injuries in 2024-2025, Callahan tore up the Double-A level this spring and is now working at the Triple-A level. His power and zone discipline gives him quite a lot of upside, but it’s his defense and base stealing ability that makes him a complete package and a viable major league platoon outfielder. The final step is to tone down his aggressive approach just enough to put more balls in play deep in counts. Those refinements will get him to the show, and there’s still a fair chance that Callahan breaks out into a well above average major league regular.
14- 2B David Smith (Connecticut) $150,000
Smith had himself a decent enough full season debut, but struggled in 2025 and was released. He’s currently a free agent.
15- C Brady Cerkownyk (Connors State) $397,500
Cerkownyk was an intriguing JUCO pick with a quality hit tool and the possibility of developing into a major league catcher with a lot of work. He got off to a decent start, but injuries and struggles at the plate led the Tigers to release him last year. Now 23, he’s in the Washington Nationals system and still trying to get established at the Single-A level.
16- RHP Donye Evans (UNC Charlotte) $150,000
Evans is still a reliever in the Tigers system but hasn’t really flashed enough stuff or command to get on the radar.
17- LHP Bradley Stewart (Cooper City HS) Unsigned
18- 3B Ethan Farris (Cypress Woods HS) Unsigned
Farris elected to go to school, as he wasn’t going to get a big bonus and was probably more of a backup plan in case one of the other prep picks declined to sign. He’s had a decent career at Texas State but is still just a mid to late round pick. He’s started to flash a little power and is still a strong-armed infielder, so it wouldn’t be too shocking to see the Tigers circle back on him after the first seven or eight rounds this time around.
19- RHP Blake Pivaroff (Arizona State) $150,000
Pivaroff pitched briefly in the Tigers’ system, but was released in 2025 and hasn’t caught on anywhere else.
20- RHP Johnathan Rogers (Tupelo High School) $150,000
Rogers showed some early promise, then dealt with injuries as well. He and the Tigers briefly parted ways, but Rogers got himself into better shape and found his velocity again. He re-signed with the Tigers and is currently just trying to build up some volume pitching in the Complex League. He still won’t turn 22 until September.
Overall one of the better drafts in Tigers’ history
It’s hard not to conclude already that 2023 was one of the best drafts in team history, and it may very well go down as the best ever. McGonigle is the cream of the crop, but between Clark looking like the center fielder of the future, and players like Callahan, Anderson, Peck, and Sears closing in on the major leagues, the first draft for Scott Harris went very well.
This draft did establish a template that the Tigers have largely continued to follow. Their success in adding athletes from smaller programs or without huge college pedigrees has proven very fruitful and a credit to the Tigers’ improvements in developing hitters overall. The base strategy of taking up the middle, left-handed hitting prep talents at the top of the draft is already proving a winner, and they’ve continued that tendency with picks of Bryce Rainer, Jordan Yost, and catcher Michael Oliveto in the 2024-2025 drafts.
The heavy bonus pool allotment toward prep pitchers, on the other hand, has been a minor disaster, leaving the Tigers with most of their top pitching talent still in A-ball, and with many bigger names still on the injury list. There is still plenty of time for Wilson to get it going, and possibly Jaden Hamm can get beyond his own injury woes and become a contributing factor again, but the system is currently heavily lop-sided toward position players, and that trend started with this draft.
The Harris struggles to acquire pitching at all levels remains the crucial organization weakness to worry about in the years ahead. However, the skill with which they’ve targeted a whole slew of talented, athletic young players at all points in the draft and developed them bodes very well for the system’s continued strength overall. They’ve just got to do a better job balancing things out, and figure out how to better to avoid the plague of injuries that have beset the pitching side of all three of Harris’ draft classes. Pivoting more to JUCO and undervalued Division I and II arms has been their approach the past two drafts, but those classes have still been riddled with injuries on the pitching side early on.
"I mean, it's definitely a 10. It's the elbow, that's my bread and butter," Mets relief pitcher Austin Warren said Wednesday about his level of concern regarding his most recent injury.
After struggling and not "feeling great" in his last two outings, Warren was placed on the 15-day injured list with right forearm tightness as he now waits for MRI results to come back.
He's allowed nine runs on eight hits across two-plus innings of work in those last two games, including letting up five runs without recording an out in Tuesday's wild loss to the Kansas City Royals. The right-hander said he began to feel the forearm tightness during and after the game.
"Forearm tightness, yes. Haven't felt great the past couple," Warren said. "Obviously, that's part of the game these days. I've had outings earlier in the year that I haven't felt great that went better than last night. But yeah, last night, I threw a pitch, I don't know what pitch number it was, but it just didn't feel great. I came right in and told them right away. Yeah, got some MRIs this morning and we're waiting to hear back."
The 30-year-old knows the implications at hand having already undergone Tommy John surgery back in 2023. He was asked how this injury feels to his previous, saying it's never an easy thing for a pitcher to deal with and is hoping it's just inflammation.
"It's hard to explain. The elbow is a crucial part to a pitcher's body. It's not fun, but hopefully it's not bad," Warren said.
He added: "It's hard to say. I've had Tommy John before, obviously I don't want to have it again. I hope it's not serious, hopefully it's just some inflammation from throwing a lot lately. We'll hopefully know in the next couple of hours or tomorrow."
Losing Warren for an extended amount of time would be yet another blow to the Mets bullpen. He's gone 1-3 with a 4.63 ERA over 26 games this season, but flashed his peak ability with a 1.15 ERA over 11 appearances in May.
The Mets have made another set of roster moves, as the team has called up right-handed pitchers Xzavion Curry and Tobias Myers, placed fellow right-handed pitcher Austin Warren on the 15-day injured list with a right forearm strain, and designated right-handed pitcher Matt Seelinger for assignment. And Dedniel Núñez, yet another right-handed pitcher, is having his rehab assignment transferred from Double-A Binghamton to Triple-A Syracuse.
Seelinger was the 61st pitcher the Mets have used since the beginning of the 2025 season, the highest total in all of baseball, and his addition to and removal from the active roster might’ve been the cruelest of the team’s never-ending churn. A 31-year-old journeyman, Seelinger was put into a 9-9 game and proceeded to give up seven earned runs in two innings of work in his major league debut.
Curry, who is 27 years old, signed a minor league deal with the Mets earlier this season, and he’s made ten appearances in Syracuse, where he’s thrown 49.1 innings with a 4.74 ERA and a 5.68 FIP working as a starting pitcher.
Myers was thought to be a great addition when he came to the team alongside Freddy Peralta in the trade that sent Jett Williams and Brandon Sproat to Milwaukee during the offseason. He’s been bouncing back and forth between Syracuse, though, since the Mets got him, and he has a 6.21 ERA and a 4.93 FIP in 42.0 innings at the major league level this year.
Warren had been looking very good this season, but a disastrous outing last night against the Royals left him with a 4.63 ERA and a 4.66 FIP in 35.0 innings. His second-to-last outing before hitting the IL went poorly, too, and before that, he had a 2.45 ERA and a 4.06 FIP.
Núñez is working his way back from Tommy John surgery, prior to which he had been one of the Mets’ best relief pitching breakouts of the past several years. He will presumably get a look at the major league level at some point this year, but he has an option remaining and could end up pitching in Syracuse beyond his rehab assignment, at least until the Mets start trading away other relievers from their active roster.
"This season has challenged me in ways I haven't experienced before, both physically and mentally," Verlander said in his social media post. "I've always believed that as long as I could compete at the level I expect of myself, I'd keep playing. I never wanted to retire because of a milestone, a number, or a date on the calendar. I wanted the game to tell me when it was time.
"Over the last several months, I've realized that time has come."
But before he puts on the uniform for the last time, he still plans to step on the mound again, no matter what it takes.
"I'm fully committed to giving my team everything I have," he said, "for the rest of this season."
I saw his first start of the season in Arizona in March, and like everyone else, was eagerly looking forward to him stepping back on the mound in Detroit, and hearing the thunderous ovation from Tigers’ fans witnessing his return home.
Now, four months later, we’re still waiting, hoping he can pitch again before the season ends.
If we dare dream, we’d love to see him pitching one more time in the World Series.
Verlander, 43, will be remembered as one the greatest pitchers of his generation. He will be a first-ballot Hall of Famer, and who knows, perhaps a unanimous Hall of Famer.
This is a man who won three Cy Young awards and an MVP award. He won 266 games, ranking 37th all-time. He has 3,554 strikeouts, ranking eighth in history. He joins Dodgers great Don Newcombe as the only players in MLB history to win the rookie of the year, Cy Young and MVP awards in his career. He’s also one of just six pitchers in history to throw three no-hitters.
What I’ll remember is that he was an ultimate gamer, a workhorse, who wasn’t worrying about pitch counts. He couldn’t care less about fatigue. He never wanted to come out of games. He pitched more than 200 innings 12 times in his 21-year career, including eight seasons in a row, leading the league in innings four times.
It’s a marvelous gesture by MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred to select Verlander as a "legend pick" to be at the 2026 All-Star Game. He’s on the 60-day IL with hip and hamstring injuries, but man, wouldn’t it be something for Verlander to get that thunderous ovation to throw out one of the ceremonial first pitches?
This will be Verlander’s 10th All-Star appearance, and his first with the Tigers since 2013, resurrecting memories when he was on that star-studded Tigers’ staff with Max Scherzer, Anibal Sanchez, Rick Porcello and Doug Fister. Verlander later won two World Series championships with the Houston Astros, but it still bothers him to this day that he and the Tigers didn’t win in 2013, knocked off by the Boston Red Sox.
Verlander loved showing young pitchers what it takes to be an ace of a staff, and as much as folks want to say that wins are an overrated stat for starting pitchers, it meant everything to Verlander.
Winning games means that you’re pitching deep into games.
Winning games means that you’re out-pitching the other pitcher.
Winning games means that you are doing absolutely everything in your power to win games.
That was Verlander, who badly wanted to be last 300-game winner, no matter how old he got, but damn it if Father Time didn’t get him too.
"It’s a different conversation now than it was last year when I seemed to be really healthy," Verlander told reporters two weeks ago, "a lot of thoughts that I’m going to have to take into consideration. My family is up here with me now. My son is turning 1, my daughter is 7. There’s a lot of things that are also going on in my life that are a draw away from the game.
"But I’ve always said I want to play until the wheels fall off. I don’t know, maybe they are falling off. I hope not."
Well, it looks like they have, but no matter how many starts Verlander has left in him, or if he can’t return, memories will never be forgotten.
He has been a living legend, wearing the Old English D with pride, and his jersey, No. 35, will one day be officially retired by the Tigers.
The man gave everything he had to the organization, and really, to all of baseball. He was an ultimate role model on and off the field.
When he leaves, and takes off his uniform for the final time, we may never see another one like him, and perhaps never another 250-game winner again.
"I hope it happens," Verlander told USA TODAY Sports, in March, "but the way the game is now, I kind of doubt it."
Agree.
Say farewell to the end of an era, and one of the greatest pitchers we’ll ever see.
Larry Nance Jr. is the kind of veteran that coaches and front offices like to have on playoff teams: He can give you some backup big minutes during the season, but also is great in the locker room and has seen a lot, he can be a calming influence when needed.
An 11-year veteran, Nance played in 35 games back home in Cleveland last season, missing time largely due to a calf strain. When he did play, he averaged 3.7 points and 2.7 rebounds a game in limited minutes. The concern is his health, he's played in 59 total games across the past two seasons.
The finances on this will likely mean another move. The Pacers are hard-capped at the first apron and are $1.9 million below that number, according to Spotrac. While a veteran minimum only counts as $2.4 million against the cap (Nance gets paid the full $3.9 million), Indiana needs to make another move to get under that hard cap number. The Pacers have a couple of young players on non- or partially guaranteed deals that could be let go (Micah Potter or Quenton Jackson). Or, Nance could sign an Exhibit 10 version of the contract, which is non-guaranteed and would not count against the cap (because it is generally given to players invited to training camp and headed to the G League, but that is not the case with Nance, the deal could be converted to a standard deal down the line).
The former drafted him and threw him into Major League Baseball’s deep end shortly thereafter, while the latter became his second home after a late-career trade that saw him refine his craft, ratchet up his dominance and become a World Series champion.
The 266 wins, 3,554 strikeouts and three Cy Young Awards are more than enough evidence his Cooperstown case is airtight. Yet Verlander, who announced Wednesday, July 8 that he will retire after this season, was so much more than just the numbers.
Sure, he had his share of big-game failings — 556 career starts and 10 trips to the postseason will bring its share of rainfall — but Verlander also stood tall when it mattered most countless times.
Here’s five moments that defined Verlander’s nearly peerless career:
Verlander made his major league debut July 4, 2005 and had just a two-start cameo before winning 17 games in claiming the 2006 Rookie of the Year award.
Yet before that plaque would be officially awarded, Verlander stood in old Yankee Stadium, Game 2 of the AL Division Series, with the Tigers — a curiosity that hadn’t reached the playoffs in 19 years — already trailing 1-0. A “New York Times live blog” of the event seemed to portend baseball’s future.
“Verlander,” it noted in the second inning, “is now hitting 100 mph with his fastball.”
The kid would strike out five in 5 1/3 innings as the Tigers gained a split at the Stadium and stunned the heavily favored Yankees in the ALDS.
And so began a couple patterns: The Tigers were legit. And Verlander was Kryptonite for the Yankees.
Five years later, he’d strike out 11 in eight innings of 2011 ALDS Game 3, and the Tigers would vanquish the Yankees in a decisive fifth game. In 2012, it was eight shutout innings, stretching his postseason scoreless streak to 23, before a ninth-inning homer in an ALCS Game 3 win as the Tigers eliminated the Yankees in five.
And then there was Houston.
Verlander’s 11th-hour approval of a deal from Detroit to the Astros on Aug. 31, 2017 had a massive impact on the sport. Verlander was the ace the budding dynasty Astros needed, and he proved it in that year’s ALCS against the Yankees: A five-hitter with 13 strikeouts in a 2-1 Game 2 win, and seven shutout innings in a Game 6 victory. Houston would clinch the pennant a night later.
The Yankees finally got him 2019, scratching out four runs in seven innings of ALCS Game 5. Three years later, though, a 39-year-old Verlander would strike out 11 in six shutout innings of ALCS Game 1. The Astros would sweep the Yankees and go on to win another World Series.
The Yankees can only wonder how many Fall Classics the kid from Old Dominion locked them out of.
Justin Verlander: MVP
There is a certain “know it when you see it” element to pitchers winning Most Valuable Player awards. After all, they’ve got their own little Cy Young Award, which is often more than sufficient to honor the most dominant arm in the game.
Yet in 2011, you knew it when you saw it with Verlander.
Nobody wins 20 games anymore, and hardly anyone pitches 200 innings. Well, in that blessed season, Verlander won 24 games, pitched 251 innings, struck out 250 batters, posted a 2.40 ERA and 0.92 WHIP and led either the majors or the AL in all those categories.
He completed seven innings in 26 of his 34 starts. In 11 of those, he pitched eight or nine innings and allowed two or fewer runs. He struck out 250 and walked 57.
Wanna know what a pitcher’s MVP season looks like? It's that.
Justin Verlander: No-hit knack
Verlander joined an exclusive club on Sept. 1, 2019, by tossing his third no-hitter: Only Nolan Ryan, Larry Corcoran, Cy Young, Bob Feller and Sandy Koufax have thrown that many.
Want a more exclusive club? Verlander went more than eight years between no-hitters, pulling the feat off against the Toronto Blue Jays both times. Only Randy Johnson — who went 11 years — had a longer time in between.
How long has this freaking guy been pitching? Well, his three no-hitters landed in the presidential terms of George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Donald Trump.
Justin Verlander: Winner-take-all hero
Only twice has Verlander started a winner-take-all game. They came in consecutive years, against the same opponent, in the same stadium. And both performances were equally dominant.
Verlander’s lone postseason shutout came Oct. 11, 2012, in ALDS Game 5 at the Oakland Coliseum. A spirited five-game set ended quietly, as Verlander punched out 11 A’s, walked one and gave up four hits.
Almost exactly a year later — Oct. 10, 2013 — it was as close to a carbon copy as you could get: Eight shutout innings, 10 strikeouts, one walk, two hits, and Joaquin Benoit on to save it in the ninth. A Miguel Cabrera fourth-inning moonshot off Sonny Gray quieted the 46,959 on hand at the Coliseum.
Yet it was Verlander who snuffed out the opponent’s hopes, as he so often did.
Justin Verlander: Finally, a World Series win
By 2022, the game had changed so much, and when the Astros reached the World Series, we saw that up close: They pitched a World Series no-hitter but needed four pitchers to do so.
A night later, the tension of the game’s past and present collided in the bottom of the fifth inning at Philadelphia’s Citizens Bank Park.
Verlander was nursing a 2-1 lead when he struck out Rhys Hoskins and J.T. Realmuto to begin the inning. But then Bryce Harper rocketed a double — 115.3 mph off the bat — to right field.
Verlander’s tank was nearly empty, a 39-year-old who’d struck out six and was sitting on 84 pitches. The dangerous Nick Castellanos was at the plate.
Dusty Baker, as old school a manager as you can find, wanted Verlander to notch his first World Series victory in nine tries. He needed just one more out.
Yet the Series was tied, 2-2. A base hit from Castellanos, and the game would be similarly knotted.
Baker let him face Castellanos. And a couple hours later, Baker was searching for Verlander in the visiting clubhouse, wanting to give him the lineup card from his first World Series win. It took him 10 pitches, including five foul balls, but Verlander got a harmless fly ball to left field from Castellanos. Another battle won. Another start, maximized.
There are a lot of fun opportunities to fade and back a handful of arms this evening. Here are my three favorite MLB player props and MLB picks from Wednesday’s slate.
Let’s dig in!
Best MLB strikeout props and starting pitcher picks today
Player
Pick
Odds
Slade Cecconi
Under 4.5 strikeouts
-170
MacKenzie Gore
Over 6.5 strikeouts
-133
Roki Sasaki
Over 2.5 earned runs
+114
Strikeout prop: Slade Cecconi Under 4.5 strikeouts (-170)
My grandparents would be furious that I am fading a fellow Italian, but it has to be done.
Cleveland Guardians starter Slade Cecconi owns the worst matchup strikeout rate on Batters-Box current season dataset this evening as he takes on a red hot Minnesota Twins offense. The Cleveland right-hander has faced a poorly-rated strikeout matchup 22 times over the last three seasons, and during that span, he has gone under this number 54.55% of the time.
Over Cecconi’s last five outings, his strikeout rate has stayed below 16%. Meanwhile, the Twins have been absolutely humming offensively, posting an 18% strikeout rate over their last 21 games. During that stretch, Minnesota owns a 137 wRC+, .366 wOBA, and .842 OPS.
Batters-Box also has the Twins without a single hitter above league average in strikeout rate against Cecconi this evening.
I would alt this down to Under 3.5 for plus money. Do not take this any higher than it is.
Time: 7:40 p.m. ET
Where to watch: MNNT, CLEG
Strikeout prop: MacKenzie Gore Over 6.5 strikeouts (-133)
A team that has been nothing short of puke-worthy over its last 12 games is the Los Angeles Angels. Sure, they are a team we all love to take a few punches at from time to time, but during that stretch, their offense is posting just a 69 wRC+, 26.4% strikeout rate, and a brutal 4.6% barrel rate.
I think Texas Rangers southpaw MacKenzie Gore is in an all-time shove spot against this struggling Angels lineup. Six Angels hitters in their last 30 plate appearances own a strikeout rate of at least 23%. Over their last 60 plate appearances against lefties, five hitters are above 25%, with four sitting above 28%.
Gore owns an elite strikeout rating on Batters-Box. In a small sample size of seven elite-rated matchups, he has surpassed this prop in six of them, including two games with 10+ strikeouts. Home is where Gore has really shined, posting a 29.2% strikeout rate while generating a 29.9% chase rate out of the zone.
Over their last 12 games against left-handed pitching, the Angels rank dead-last in chase rate out of the zone at 40.3%. They also own the third-worst strikeout rate and contact rate against lefties during that stretch.
I might have to dabble on Gore to hit 10+ strikeouts this evening. I would not pay much extra juice for this number, so if the price climbs, I would rather look at 8+ strikeouts at plus money.
Time: 8:05 p.m. ET
Where to watch: RSN, ABTV
Earned runs prop: Roki Sasaki Over 2.5 earned runs (+114)
I think the Rockies are in a boom spot against Dodgers struggling right hander, Roki Sasaki. According to Batters-Box’s current season dataset, the Rockies own the highest-rated offense on the slate, featuring five strongly rated bats and four with elite ratings. Yes, the entire lineup is in a great spot against the Dodgers right-hander.
On top of that, Colorado has been absolutely humming over the last week, posting a 155 wRC+ over its last six games.
Sakaki in his last three outings he has an 8.53 ERA, 5.61 xERA and 1.74 WHIP. He is allowing hitters to produce nearly 54% hard hit and over 20.5% barrel rate during that stretch as well.
Time: 10:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: SNLA, COLR
Colby Marchio's 2026 Transparency Record
Prop picks: 277-520, -16.4 units
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
DENVER, CO - MAY 31: Jesus Rodriguez #79 of the San Francisco Giants celebrates a two run home run during the 9th inning of a game between San Francisco Giants and Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on May 31, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by John McGloughlin/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The San Francisco Giants made a roster move on Wednesday, ahead of their series finale matinee against the Toronto Blue Jays. Shortly before first pitch, the team announced that center fielder Jonah Cox had been placed on the 10-Day Injured List, retroactive to July 6, with a left oblique strain. Taking his place on the roster is utility player Jesús Rodríguez.
It’s a tough break for Cox, who wasn’t on many people’s radar to be injured given that he’s hardly playing. The Giants made the shocking move to call him up straight from AA Richmond on May 31, but he’s received just 29 plate appearances in that time, though he’s gotten into 24 games to provide defensive value in center field (and even at second base a touch).
Given that the Giants called him up from AA, there’s a chance that Cox will make his AAA debut while on a rehab assignment, which is a little bit funny.
While Cox’s injury gives the Giants fewer star defensive options, it does improve versatility, as Rodríguez has spent ample time this year at catcher, second base, and left field, and was initially developed as a third baseman. He can play all over, though it’s clear the Giants are currently not high on his ability to catch, as evidenced by the recent promotion of Drew Cavanaugh.
Rodríguez made his MLB debut earlier this year and hit 9-39 with two home runs, three walks, and just five strikeouts, though he’s been scuffling quite a bit in AAA since getting optioned on June 1. There will likely be more moves incoming, as the beat reporters have reported that left-hander Carson Whisenhunt has a locker at Oracle Park, and is likely to start on Thursday.
May 24, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; A general view of Oracle Park on Star Wars Day before a game between the Chicago White Sox and the San Francisco Giants. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-Imagn Images | Robert Edwards-Imagn Images
Well, let’s see if the magic of the toy dragon will work two days in a row. Please Jays score some runs.
Feeling bad for Braydon Fisher and family losing his father. 65 is too young to die.
Braydon Fisher's father, Normand (corrected spelling), was the #BlueJays' biggest fan since his son debuted in the big leagues:
"I don’t think that for the last two years, you’d see him not wearing Blue Jays gear. Not ever. No matter the occasion.” https://t.co/sa4Z9CRYQc
CLEVELAND, OHIO - JANUARY 28: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts during the fourth quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Arena on January 28, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavaliers defeated the Lakers 129-99. 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 Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
LeBron James’ career has been the ultimate touchdown.
A teenage phenom who has remained relevant into his 40s. A transcendent superstar who outlasted everyone and won a title for each city he’s represented. He even managed to break a curse and fulfill his promise to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
James has done it all while actively crafting the narrative to his liking.
So why would he risk fumbling the ending to his story?
Let’s make one thing clear before we go further:
There’s nothing James can do now (on a basketball court) that would jeopardize anything he’s accomplished thus far. His resume is bulletproof. Any reasonable person would have James as the 1A or 1B in GOAT conversations — and his final season won’t negatively change that.
Instead, James has entered an almost unique situation.
He’s old enough that simply being on the court is an accomplishment. Anything positive that he does is seen as overachieving for a 41-year-old in professional sports. Any shortcomings can be justifiably excused by his age.
He can only benefit his career at this point. Nothing he does will hurt his legacy.
That is… for one exception.
James has always been conscious of his perception. It’s something he’s openly reflected on. His presence in the media, being one of the most accessible superstars of all time, is a testament to that. This is someone who understands the importance of narrative and has worked through the decades to control his own.
He left Cleveland in 2010 to erase the ‘loser’ label from his name. He returned in 2014 to vindicate himself from being remembered as a traitor. He departed once more in 2018, this time on good terms with his hometown, to play for a historic franchise and check one final box off his list. Winning for the Los Angeles Lakers is as bona fide as it gets.
But now James faces one final decision. One that will undoubtedly be influenced by narrative. He’s handcrafted his legacy for far too long to ignore it now.
The answer is obvious.
A return to Cleveland, with a genuine chance at one more championship, is the type of story that would feel too cheesy even for a Disney movie. It’s the highest of all highs, an accomplishment that ranks significantly above any other possible outcome for his grand finale.
The alternatives are just not as exciting. James would only be seen as a glorified sidekick with the Warriors, Heat, Timberwolves, Nuggets, or 76ers. He’ll never be seen as ‘the guy’ by those franchises. It wouldn’t be the same.
Cleveland is the only city where he can embrace a supporting role while still reigning as King. He’s the man here in a way that he can’t be anywhere else.
This isn’t to say that winning a title in a different city would be disappointing. Of course not. But the potential boost to his legacy by winning again in Cleveland is unprecedented. No one in league history has a story that would even come close.
Finally, there’s one more thing to take into account.
James is as universally loved as an athlete can be in Cleveland.
Most fans had already made peace with him potentially retiring in Los Angeles. I think fans could have even stomached James joining a different team if he had made his decision swiftly on July 1.
But this hasn’t been swift.
The prolonged decision has made fans invest again. Cleveland has their heart set on another return. There’s genuine hope for a homecoming.
Shattering those expectations and invoking the heartbreak of 2010 would be an incredibly unforced error by James. He’d be tainting a relationship that currently has no flaws.
This is a feeling that can’t be replicated anywhere else. It can’t be faked.
Playing one more season in Cleveland would guarantee that feeling on a nightly basis. Every game would be a heartfelt rally. A farewell tour for the ages.
That feeling would be blunted if James took his talents somewhere else this summer.
The legacy and foundation that he carefully built would have a different ending than what was expected.
His final ovation in Cleveland would be more bittersweet, with every fan in the arena knowing that he chose to deny them his finale.
Of course, fans are not owed anything. And there is no denying that James will be fondly remembered in Cleveland, no matter where he ends his career.
Still…
James is approaching the goal line of one of the most picture-perfect careers in sports history.
He can either punch it home one final time and finish with a bang. Or, it can end anticlimactically, running the clock out for a city that will always be remembered second, or even last, in his story.
In my opinion, he’s too smart to choose the latter.
Slade Cecconi
MacKenzie Gore 
Roki Sasaki
