Cavaliers Reacts Survey: Fans are totally split on Evan Mobley
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Cavaliers fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
The Cleveland Cavaliers have invested a lot of faith in Evan Mobley. They’ve tightly clung to him as their biggest trade asset, keeping him off the table despite some enticing options becoming available.
You’d only do something like this if you believe the 25-year-old star has more room to grow. Potential is the most valuable thing in sports. Mobley had that in spades during his first few seasons. But now? There are questions as to how much higher his ceiling can get.
That’s why earlier this week we asked you, Fear the Sword readers, to share your opinion on Mobley’s future development. Has he reached his ceiling, or is there potential left to uncover?
It was a perfect split. Exactly half of the voters said that Mobley has already reached his ceiling.
I’ll admit. I’m surprised.
It’s bold to say anyone has reached their potential at just 25 years old. Mobley has already been an All-Star, All-NBA player, a two-time All-Defensive member, and won Defensive Player of the Year. That’s a stronger start than I think some fans realize.
This poll isn’t just about Mobley himself. But it’s a show of faith in Cleveland’s developmental system. To assume that Mobley has peaked is to believe that the Cavs have already put him in the best possible position to succeed. Again… I’m surprised that half of the voters believe that.
Mobley’s development has not been Cleveland’s main priority. They’ve put almost all of their chips into building around Donovan Mitchell. Their moves in free agency and on the trading block have supported that. Mobley, on the other hand, is largely asked to fill the margins and support Mitchell more than anything. This isn’t a team that’s constructed around Mobley being the guy.
From that perspective, I can’t imagine that Mobley has reached his ceiling. There has to be more to uncover in the event Mobley is ever the focal point of a team. Even in his current role, the Cavs can do more to boost Mobley as an offensive creator.
The Cavs currently have the sixth-highest odds of winning the 2027 NBA championship. They probably won’t get any higher than that if Mobley really has peaked as a player.
Report: Dubs not at the top of LeBron’s short list; Cavs remain in race
Welcome to day three of the LeBron James sweepstakes. Today, we gained new insight into the short list of teams jockeying for the King. Once again, this news benefits the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Golden State Warriors reportedly do not feel they are at the top of LeBron’s short list, per ESPN’s Anthony Slater.
“I’m hearing a growing belief from them that they don’t believe that they’re necessarily at the top of that short list,” Slater said on ESPN.
Golden State emerged as a potential landing destination for James earlier this week. James has formed a close relationship with Draymond Green over recent years and has openly praised Stephen Curry numerous times.
The idea of rivals becoming teammates is a sour one for many fans. But ending his career with a grand finale next to Curry is something that James is apparently considering.
The Warriors took the first step towards acquiring James when Green opted out of his contract. This paved the way for Golden State to make additions to the roster and potentially offer LBJ more money. Thus far, this hasn’t proven to be enough.
This begs the question: if Golden State isn’t first, who is?
The Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers are the other two teams reported to be on James’ short list. Though teams like the Denver Nuggets, Philadelphia 76ers, and Minnesota Timberwolves have been mentioned in passing by various outlets.
Truth is, no one can predict what James will do. But using all of the information at our disposal, I can’t imagine Cleveland isn’t at the front of the race.
The Cavs offer more than any other team. Cleveland is the only city where James can compete for a title as a supporting player while still being the King. He’ll reign supreme in Cleveland even if James Harden, Evan Mobley and Donovan Mitchell play larger roles. That’s something James can’t get in Golden State or Miami.
All of the boxes are checked in this scenario. James would be in a city where he is beloved. He’d be joining a team that is missing his expertise more than anything else. There’s even a Swenson’s in Rocket Arena. I can’t imagine this doesn’t entice LBJ.
Sources: Celtics-Bucks trade talks did not falter due to Giannis contract extension negotiations
On Thursday morning, The Ringer’s Bill Simmons reported on his latest podcast that contract extension talks were a factor in why the Celtics were not able to land Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Antetokounmpo, Simmons reported, wanted a three-year extension while the Celtics wanted two (and the money was based more on percentage of the cap than raw totals). Simmons reported that Antetokounmpo wanted three years at 35%, the Celtics “were pretty entrenched” at two years at 30%.
“Giannis wanted the three [years] for 35% [of the cap], and they couldn’t agree on it,” Simmons said.
(Based on the current cap, that’s a difference of roughly $8.2 million per year).
However, a league source told CelticsBlog that Giannis Antetokounmpo’s looming extension was not a factor in why the Celtics didn’t land him, and that they were prepared to offer him the full 3-year, 35% contract extension.
Milwaukee ultimately accepted an offer from the Miami Heat that included Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, three first-round picks (including No. 13 in the 2026 NBA draft), one pick swap and one second-round pick. Antetokounmpo, in turn, lands in Miami after a season in which he averaged 27.6 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 5.4 assists, while shooting 62.4% from the field.
On Wednesday, the Celtics traded Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers for Paul George, two first-round picks, and two second-round picks. Brown is coming off a career-best season, averaging 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.1 assists, while finishing sixth in MVP voting.
This story will be updated if more information is available.
Arizona Diamondbacks: July confidence poll
Well, I’m back. No more balmy 70 degree days and pleasing trips to look for bison and gaze at geysers. Wyoming was very pleasant, and I thoroughly enjoyed the disconnect for a few days. Many thanks to James and Justin for keeping things ticking over in my absence! Normal service is now being resumed…
June results
When we checked in at the start of June, things were going pretty well in Diamondbacks land. They had posted a winning record for the month of May, and the +32 run differential was their best for a calendar month since July 2024. The battle for the wild-card was a tight one, with only 2.5 games covering fourth and eleventh in the National League standings. But Arizona were in a tie for the third spot, and it was the pitching staff who they had to thank for that, posting the third best ERA in the majors at 2.98. It was the first time since August of 2018 the D-backs had a collective ERA for the month below three – and that included Zac Gallen’s 7.04 figure.
Everything was looking good, and that definitely had an impact on fan confidence…
In particular, the bottom of the poll looks a lot better. At the beginning of May, almost half of the votes (47%) came in at four or below. This month, that has largely evaporated, with only fourteen percent now falling into those categories. Instead, both six and seven basically doubled, going from 19% to 37%, and 9% to 23% respectively. The overall result was a bounceback month, improving by almost a full point, the average rating going from 4.78 to 5.71. It was the highest figure at this point since 2023, reflecting an overall record for the D-backs four games better than last year, and 5.5 games above the end of May 2024.
Below, you can see the breakdown for the past 12 polls’ results, followed by the line graph showing the trends over this and previous seasons.
July poll
The month of June, however…? The exact opposite run differential for Arizona, at -32, as the team ERA plummeted to 25th in the majors, at 4.90. The only pitcher with an ERA below two? Ildemaro Vargas. It was confirmed that Corbin Burnes will not be back as soon as hoped, and the same goes for A.J. Puk. The team continues to do well against weak opponents, an MLB-best 30-13 record against sides below .500. But against those at or above .500, they are the exact opposite there too: 13-30 is ahead only of the Rockies. It feels like the 2026 D-backs are defined largely by who they play.
How do you feel? That’s what the poll below is for. And, of course, tell us in the comments why you feel that way, especially if your opinion has changed from last month.
Jim Jarvis in lineup as Braves face Cardinals
The Atlanta Braves had the worst offense in MLB in the month of June after having one of the best in the previous months. Some of that had to do with injuries, and regression to the mean of some players overperforming their underlying metrics, but a lot of it had to do with key players just not hitting.
The shortstop position has been bad for the Braves for years, but it looked like they would have a stop gap in place with Ha-Seong Kim, but that clearly has not worked out. Jorge Mateo has had his moments but he has also been struggling over the past month. On the other hand, Jim Jarvis is slashing .313/.406/.461 in AAA, and the call was finally made to bring him back up after his earlier season cup of coffee call up.
The Cardinals will have Dustin May on the mound tonight. May had an incredible start two starts ago where he had a one hit complete game shutout with no walks and nine strikeouts. However, he followed that up with his last start where he gave up two HRs and six earned runs in only 2.0 innings.
Mike Yastrzemski spent time on the Giants and May was on the Dodgers for years so it make sense that he would lead the team with fourteen at-bats against May. He has been successful with a .500 average and 1.206 OPS against May. Austin Riley only has five at-bats against May but has made the most of them with two HRs, and Dominic Smith has a HR in three at-bats against May. Outside of these mentioned players though the rest of the team has struggled. No other starter has an OPS better than .400. However, it should be noted that none of those players have more than eight at-bats against him either.
The Braves are bringing Hurston Waldrep to the mound and with his limited MLB experience it should come as no shock that none of the Cardinals players have faced him before. Waldrep was hitting ninety-nine MPH before his injury. If he shows a strong outing against this lineup it would go a long way in giving the Braves some hope of the future.
First pitch is at 7:15 EDT.
Been down, isn’t it a pity: Pirates 6, Phillies 1
The temperature was hot. The Phillies’ bats were not. Throw in some more shaky work by the Phillies’ bullpen and you have a 6-1 loss to the Pirates that most in attendance probably wish they had skipped.
A day after pummeling Pirates ace Paul Skenes, the Phillies were facing Jared Jones who entered the game with a 5.76 ERA. When he struck out the side in the first inning, that gave us a good indication as to how the day was going to go.
The Phillies broke through for a run in the third when they got a couple of runners on board thanks to walks and Bryce Harper doubled one of them home.
Alan Rangel got the start for the Phillies, and despite having plenty of baserunners aboard during his four innings, he somehow stranded them all. The Phillies’ bullpen couldn’t say the same. Tim Mayza took over in the fifth, and gave up three hits to allow the Pirates to tie it up.
After a scoreless frame by Jonathan Bowlan, Jose Alvarado pitched the seventh and immediately ran into trouble. A single by Brandon Lowe followed by a triple by Esmerlyn Valdez (Alvarado certainly wasn’t helped by Justin Crawford’s defense) put the Pirates up 2-1.
A single by Nick Gonzales then made it 3-1, and then the rest of the game consisted of the Pirates slowly extending their lead and the Phillies’ bats doing absolutely nothing to counter it. After Jones left the game, the Phillies managed just two hits in five innings against the Pittsburgh bullpen.
The Phillies gave an inning each to Lou Trivino and Kyle Backhus, and both men showed why they are limited to low leverage situations. After Trivino walked his second batter of the inning, I questioned why any fans not sitting in an air-conditioned suite would choose to remain in their seats.
The Phillies will have a full day to stew in the loss – and hopefully avoid the heat – before they travel to Kansas City for an ultra-rare Saturday through Monday series.
Cavs announce 2026 NBA Summer League roster
The Cleveland Cavaliersbegin Summer League on July 10 when they take on the Indiana Pacers at 4:30 PM on ESPN 2. Now, we know who will be a part of the team, as they announced the roster for this season.
The headline of the group is recent second-round pick Meleek Thomas. The shooting guard will make his on-court debut for the wine and gold after signing a standard contract on Wednesday.
Nae’Qwan Tomlin will also see some action this go-around. Tomlin started last season on a two-way contract, but was pressed into duty more than anticipated due to injuries. He performed well and earned a standard deal as a result, but saw his minutes decrease toward the back end of the season. Tomlin is the only other player on a standard contract that will be a part of this group.
Tyrese Proctor is noticeably absent from the group due to spending the summer with the Australian national team.
This year’s squad will be rounded out by all three of the current two-way players: Riley Minix, Tristan, Enaruna, and newly signed undrafted free agent Ernest Udeh Jr.
The group will be led by Cavs assistant Andrew Olson, with Cleveland Charge head coach Eli Kell-Abrams taking on the associate head coach duties.
The entire group that the Cavs will be bringing to Las Vegas can be seen below.
- Rashaun Agee – 6’8” forward
- Malaki Branham – 6’4” guard
- Sean East II – 6’3” guard
- Tristan Enaruna – 6’8” forward
- Dane Goodwin – 6’6” guard
- Xavian Lee – 6’3” guard
- Ian Martinez – 6’3” guard
- Riley Minix – 6’7” forward
- Jaxson Robinson – 6’6” guard
- Tre’Von Spillers – 6’7” forward
- Meleek Thomas – 6’3” guard
- Nae’Qwan Tomlin – 6’8” forward
- Ernest Udeh Jr. – 6’11” center
SB Nation Reacts: Joe Ryan is the starter Cubs fans want
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Cubs fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
Earlier this week, I asked you: If the Cubs can’t trade for Tarik Skubal (for whatever reason), who would you want as your next choice for a starting pitcher trade?
Your answer was close, but Joe Ryan of the Twins is your guy:
The advantage to Ryan – beyond his obvious talent – is that he’s under team control for one more year after 2026. So this would be more than a rental, as Freddy Peralta would be. (BTW, I still like that pic of Ryan, so I decided to use it again.)
One other guy on that list who is intriguing is Reid Detmers, who’s having a solid year for a bad team and is three years younger than Ryan (Detmers turns 27 next week). He comes with two years of team control after 2026 and is making only $2.625 million this year. If Ryan can’t be acquired (for whatever reason) I think the Cubs should seriously look into Detmers.
Here are the responses to the national questions asked in the SB Nation Reacts survey this week.
Mets owner Steve Cohen has said he’s not firing David Stearns, which could be the dreaded “vote of confidence.” But I suspect Stearns finishes out this year, at least.
Both Buster Posey and Craig Breslow could be out of jobs after 2026, though the Red Sox have righted the ship, to some extent. The Giants are a hot mess and clearly, Posey, as great a player as he was, is way over his head in this job.
That’s about a 50/50 split, and the question didn’t go into exactly how the Draft should be revamped. What sorts of ideas would you have?
Yeah, that’s a definite “no one.” The Giants have been awful. The Red Sox got a really good starting pitcher in that deal, Kyle Harrison… oh, wait, he was traded to the Brewers for Caleb Durbin (and others). What a disastrously bad deal for Breslow, as Harrison has been one of the best pitchers in the league this year.
This edition of SB Nation Reacts is brought to you by FanDuel.
NBA free agency winners, losers after wild week of blockbuster trades
The start of NBA free agency has produced plenty of league-altering moves in 2026, just not in the form of many high-profile free agent signings. Instead, blockbuster trades have been the preferred method of transaction for teams this year and it's almost hard to keep up with how many star players switched uniforms since the NBA offseason began.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jaylen Brown, Kawhi Leonard, Ja Morant, LaMelo Ball, Julius Randle, Tyler Herro and Paul George were among the players with NBA All-Star credentials to land with new teams after the frenzy of moves that took place in recent days. LeBron James, meanwhile, began the NBA's free agency period as the top free agent on the market and it's still the case as of Thursday, July 2.
The Los Angeles Lakers will look completely different after James announced he plans to play elsewhere, while the Eastern Conference looks a lot stronger despite the Boston Celtics taking a perceived hit in the Brown trade. Keep in mind there are still some moves to be explored and executed, beyond James' future, that could change how this offseason is viewed over time.
Here's a complete breakdown of the early winners and losers after the first few days of the 2026 NBA free agency period
NBA free agency winners
Note: NBA teams can not officially sign free agents to contracts until July 6 at 12:01 p.m. ET
LeBron James
Whatever team the NBA's all-time leading scorer chooses, the fact he's so coveted as a 41-year-old is yet another accomplishment that's largely incomparable in league history. Though part of that is due to James' decision to not prioritize money during this free agent process, he will be a difference maker for whichever playoff contender he chooses. Depending on how much of a pay cut James is willing to take, there may not be a better bargain in the NBA than him next season.
Philadelphia 76ers
The Sixers seemingly came out of nowhere to snag Jaylen Brown from their division rival, exchanging what had been considered one of the worst contracts in the NBA (Paul George) for a second team all-NBA selection coming off the best season of his career (Jaylen Brown), two first-round draft picks and two second-round draft picks. The Sixers also swiped Anfernee Simons and Dean Wade over several others in bargain bench deals. Philadelphia suddenly looks like it could be the biggest threat to the Knicks in the East again.
Miami Heat
Pat Riley and the Heat are winners simply by landing the superstar they've coveted for years in Giannis Antetokounmpo. Miami did lose Norman Powell to free agency, but Bam Adebayo and Andrew Wiggins will return to form perhaps the Eastern Conference's top frontcourt with Antetokounmpo. How the rest of the roster is filled will determine just how big of a win this will appear to be during Antetokounmpo's first year with the Heat. Adding James along with Antetokounmpo would create flashbacks to when Riley formed the Big Three in Miami during James' initial free agency "decision."
Toronto Raptors
The version of Kawhi Leonard that played for the Clippers this past season, paired with Scottie Barnes, should make the Raptors a legitimate Eastern Conference Finals contender. Toronto gave up Brandon Ingram and draft picks to get Leonard via trade, but enough of last year's supporting cast remains and Leonard gives the franchise a veteran closer with multiple championship runs under his belt. The Raptors seemed hamstrung by several contract extensions in recent years that quickly became overpays, so pulling off this move is a worthy bet to take.
NBA free agency losers
Boston Celtics
Celtics lead basketball executive Brad Stevens is taking a beating from fans over how this offseason is going. Boston failed to land Antetokounmpo despite offering Brown and then elected to trade Brown for what's perceived to be the below-market return of George, two first-round draft picks and two second-round draft picks. The Celtics did address issues inside, signing Mitchell Robinson from the New York Knicks, and there could be another move still in the works. But the Boston roster seems worse today than it did after being eliminated from the 2026 NBA playoffs.
Los Angeles Lakers
Though the Lakers pivoted quickly from the LeBron James era, they had to pay a lot to do so and they might not be any closer to contending with the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder. The Lakers are betting big on the nucleus of Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and Walker Kessler because they committed most of their salary cap space and draft picks for the foreseeable future toward putting together a new-look roster this offseason.
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons let go well-regarded veterans in the locker room to upgrade their roster around Cade Cunningham this offseason, but the results have been lackluster thus far with only Isaiah Joe added to the fold. The franchise is also now embroiled in an increasingly uncomfortable contract negotiation with all-NBA center Jalen Duren, a restricted free agent who has taken meetings with several other teams.
New York Knicks
Knicks owner Jim Dolan's determination that the team should not go into the second apron of the NBA's salary cap this offseason to keep its NBA championship team together led to Robinson's departure to the Celtics. Though New York hasn't lost anyone else of significance, the rest of the Eastern Conference looks stronger via trades and the Knicks don't have many avenues to add more depth.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NBA free agency winners, losers after wild week of blockbuster trades
Jaylen Brown’s first statement since being traded to Sixers
Jaylen Brown is a Sixer. Those are not words I ever thought I’d write, let alone out of nowhere in 2026 free agency after he was dealt for the 36-year-old Paul George of all players.
But here we are. Mike Gansey has not been messing around after taking over as the Sixers’ president of basketball operations. The shocking blockbuster for Brown is really happening, and Philly’s new incoming star has now made his first statement since the trade.
Brown shared his full comments:
Like all of us, Brown is probably still in a state of shock. After spending all 10 years of his NBA career so far in Boston, becoming a five-time All-Star and NBA champion and Finals MVP there, it’s an awful lot to leave behind both personally and professionally.
Of course, Brown shared just how grateful for is everything he had in Boston:
First and foremost, thank you to the Most High, even in the midst of adversity. I’m here with gratitude.
I’m still processing how this all went down. I’m excited and disappointed at the same time. I earned my respect from this city. I never asked for shortcuts or special treatment. I simply showed up every day, put my head down, and accepted every challenge.
The relationships I built here, the battles we fought together, the championship we brought to this city, and the connection I shared with the fans, I’ll carry on with me.
And when it came to talking about heading to Philly, as you’d expect Brown shared his excitement for the new opportunity. Plus, he put emphasis on how he’s looking forward to earning respect in his new city through hard work. The kind of hard work that’s allowed him to develop into such a high level player.
I’m excited for what’s ahead and grateful for the opportunity to join Philadelphia. Every city has its own identity, its own passion, and its own expectation. I respect that, and I’m looking forward to earning that respect the only way I know how.. through the work.
Philly – throw the ball up let’s get it!
Brown is fresh off a career year averaging 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game with a 57.3 true shooting percentage, showcasing such talent as a creator and making the All-NBA Second Team for the second time. It’s still just two years since he rose to Finals MVP level. Waiting to see what Brown does with the Sixers is exciting to say the least.
The good news just keep going, too! How about the Sixers adding even more offensive creation and much needed high-volume, highly accurate three-point shooting to their bench with the excellent value signing of Anfernee Simons.
I won’t dig into everything here, though. Instead, I’ll send you over to some of the great pieces we’ve already published here at LB. Erin Grugan has written all about why this trade was such a no-brainer. Or for a different perspective on why the trade makes sense but (for some) it can be harder to like, Josh Grieb has you covered.
Rays Outfield Defense: Run first, ask questions later
Following the hiring of Corey Dickerson this offseason — who has received significant buy-in from the Rays outfielders this season — and by having Kevin Kiermaier in camp during Spring Training, the Rays outfield has quietly become one of the better defensive groups in baseball. They have taken an unconventional approach to doing so as well, as they consistently post the fastest reactions off the bat, emphasizing initial speed rather than running perfect routes.
In other words, the Rays outfielders appear to prioritize getting to full speed immediately and trusting their athleticism to make up the difference. Here’s how Rays outfielders stack up in several key defensive metrics:
- 3rd best rate converting fly balls and line drives into outs
- 5th most outs above average
- 5th best fielding run value
- 9th most outfield assists
- 10th most defensive runs saved
The Rays were bottom 10 in the league in every one of these statistics last season.
Personnel changes have helped this to an extent (for example, swapping Christopher Morel for Ryan Vilade, Cedric Mullins instead of Kameron Misner, and returning Jonny DeLuca from injury), but one player remains the same. Instead, another big reason though is the defensive growth we’ve seen from Chandler Simpson. His jumps (how many feet an outfielder covers in the first three seconds in the correct direction towards a batted ball) have gone from roughly average to plus-plus territory. Statcast measures an outfielder’s jump using three components:
- Reaction: How many feet are covered in any direction from 0 to 1.5 seconds of a ball being put in play
- Burst: How many feet are covered in any direction from 1.6 to 3 seconds
- Route: Feet covered against direct route to the ball from 0 to 3 seconds
Here’s how the outfield defenses around the league have compared so far based on jump and its components:
You might notice that big blue label for the Rays outfielder’s routes. The Rays take the worst routes in baseball on average, yet still cover the third-most ground above average. This appears to be by design; take a look at their reactions and you’ll find they’re the best in the league by a large margin.
Intuitively this makes some sense, even if you weren’t raised on watching B.J. Upton lead the Rays outfield to the World Series with a similar approach.
Once an outfielder hesitates, that lost acceleration is almost impossible to recover. An imperfect route taken at full speed can often beat a perfect route taken after a delayed first step. The Rays appear to be optimizing for the one thing that can’t be made up later: immediate acceleration.
To be clear, Simpson’s new defensive strategy of “get to top speed first, figure out the route later” is actually something the entire Rays outfield group has bought into. All four of the Rays primary outfielders (Simpson, Mullins, Vilade, and DeLuca) included in the data rank in the top 20 in reactions in the league with Simpson ranking 2nd and Mullins ranking 4th. If fifth outfielder Victor Mesa Jr. had enough opportunities to be included, he would rank 3rd just behind Simpson. If the injured Jake Fraley had enough opportunities to qualify, he would be tied with Michael Harris II of the Braves at 14th — just behind Vilade at 13th and ahead of DeLuca at 17th.
The resurgence of Mullins as a quality defender really helps drive this home. Take a look at his reactions in each season as a professional:
Mullins is having his quickest reactions ever and his best jumps since 2021 despite being the slowest and oldest he has ever been (sorry Cedric, no offense). His sprint speed in 2021 was in the 86th percentile at 28.5 feet per second, clearly plus and one of the faster players in the game. In 2026, he’s still above average as he’s in the 63rd percentile with 27.8 feet per second, but it’s clear he has lost a step from elite.
While Mullins hasn’t fully regained his reputation as one of the best defenders in the league like he was during his prime, he has transformed from a roughly average defender across the last couple of seasons into a plus one once again, and the player credits Corey Dickerson for the improvement, as noted in Adam Berry’s article linked above:
Mullins told a similar story. He wasn’t happy with his defensive performance last season, but admitted he didn’t fully grasp what needed to change or how to go about doing it. After one conversation with Dickerson, he did. “I know that’s not me as a defensive player. I wanted to definitely improve upon that as quickly as I could,” Mullins said. “He came in with a true plan for us, and it’s been working really well.”
[How Dickerson and the Rays revamped their outfield defense this year — mlb.com]
It seems clear this is indeed an organizational emphasis rather than a coincidence, and that the Rays may once again be ahead of the curve. It wouldn’t be surprising if outfield defense is simply the next frontier in what is frequently written about as The Rays Way.
Overall, these improvements become both intuitive and intriguing when you consider who’s teaching it. Dickerson and Kiermaier posted below-average route efficiency during their playing careers while consistently excelling in jump metrics by getting to top speed immediately and trusting their athleticism. Now young coaches, Dickerson the team’s first base and outfield coach and Kiermaier an organizational consultant, it’s fascinating to see those same tendencies emerge throughout Tampa Bay’s current outfield.
Minor League roundup, July 1: Dakota Jordan keeps on blasting homers
Four games for the San Francisco Giants Minor League Baseball affiliates on Wednesday, as all the A-ball teams were in action, while the trio of rookie ball squads had the day off. Let’s dive in!
Link to the 2026 McCovey Chronicles Community Prospect List (CPL)
All listed positions in the roundup are the position played in that particular game.
News
Just a little news. AAA RHP Wilkin Ramos cleared waivers and was outrighted back to Sacramento. AA Richmond RHP Brad Deppermann was placed on the 7-Day IL.
AAA Sacramento (44-36)
Sacramento River Cats lost to the El Paso Chihuahuas (Padres) 6-3
Box score
It seems likely that the Giants will have some holes in their rotation to fill by the end of this month, as Robbie Ray and Tyler Mahle will presumably be traded. While Adrian Houser could slide back into the rotation, that’s not an exciting option, especially with Landen Roupp seemingly forgetting how to pitch. So they’ll almost surely dip into their reserve in AAA.
Unfortunately, Wednesday was not a good audition for Sacramento’s top pitcher, LHP Carson Whisenhunt (No. 8 CPL). Whisenhunt couldn’t miss bats against the Chihuahuas, as he gave up 7 hits in 5 innings (which included 2 home runs and 2 doubles), and only struck out 1 of the 24 batters he faced. The southpaw also walked 3, en route to allowing 6 earned runs and picking up the loss.
It was a continuation of a few concerning trends with Whisenhunt. Perhaps most notably given what the Giants desperately want and need out of starters, is that Whisenhunt has greatly struggled with efficiency this year. He needed 94 pitches (just 56 of which were strikes) to get through 5 innings, and has only recorded an out in the 6th inning in 4 of his 17 appearances this year. After a hot stretch a little while ago, Whisenhunt has also seen his strikeouts and walks get flipped on their heads: over his last 4 starts (3 with Sacramento, and 1 with San Francisco), Whisenhunt has more walks (13) than strikeouts (12) in 18.1 innings. That’s brought his ERA up to 4.42, and his FIP to 4.09.
His fellow Carson was quite a bit better, as RHP Carson Seymour came out of the pen to throw 2 no-hit innings with a walk and 3 strikeouts. It’s been an odd year for Seymour, who has a nice 3.63 ERA, but hasn’t been particularly impressive (4.46 FIP, and just 8.0 strikeouts per 9 innings). With LHP Matt Wilkinson set to rejoin Sacramento’s rotation, it seems that maybe Seymour is shifting full-time to relief for now. We’ll see.
Rounding out the pitching was RHP Trent Harris (No. 29 CPL), who gave up a walk with a strikeout in a no-hit inning. After a very rough start to the year, the 27-year old has had 14 scoreless outings in his last 15 appearances. If he keeps this up, you can expect him to make an MLB debut later in the year.
It was a boring but well-balanced game on offense for the River Cats, as all 9 of their position players picked up a hit … but only 1 of those 9 had multiple hits. That player was right fielder Will Brennan, who hit 3-5 with a double and a strikeout. Getting designated for assignment appears to have motivated Brennan, who has gone 14-41 with 4 doubles, 2 walks, and just 2 strikeouts since being outrighted.
AA Richmond (49-27)
Richmond Flying Squirrels lost to the Harrisburg Senators (Nationals) 7-2
Box score
Great news: it doesn’t appear that June was the secret to success for center fielder Bo Davidson (No. 4 CPL). It instead appears that he has just turned a corner. If you read this space with any regularity, you know that the lefty UDFA had a phenomenal June, in which he slashed .309/.391/.681 with 11 home runs.
And July? Off to the same start! Davidson was the star in this game, leading off and hitting 1-3 with a solo home run, a walk, a hit by pitch, a stolen base, and a strikeout. Hell of a game!
It was his organization-leading 18th home run of the season, and brought him up to an .868 OPS and a 122 wRC+ on the year, despite his slow start. And he has 12 home runs in his last 26 games! Fans will surely be clamoring for a AAA promotion for Davidson, though there’s still work to be done on contact and chase, but still. There’s so much talent for the soon-to-turn 24-year old, and it wouldn’t be shocking if he’s in Sacramento by the end of the month … and rostered as a Rule 5 protection come November.
Otherwise a quiet offensive day, as the rest of the team combined for just 5 hits (all singles) and 5 walks. Second baseman Diego Velasquez (No. 31 CPL) and catcher Adrián Sugastey continued to quietly hit decently, as both went 1-3 with a walk. Velasquez, a 22-year old switch-hitter in his 3rd AA season, has a .743 OPS and a 104 wRC+; Sugastey, a 23-year old righty, has a .721 OPS and a 92 wRC+. Both have very low strikeout rates.
RHP Yunior Marte (No. 25 CPL) made his 6th start since getting promoted. The electric 22-year old from the DR, who was the return in the Mike Yastrzemski trade last year, had a good if not overpowering start, allowing 5 hits (including a home run), 1 walk, and 2 runs in 5 innings of work, but only striking out 3 batters. Despite the low punchout total in this game, Marte has a blissful 11.1 per 9 innings in AA, with just 3.3 walks. Home runs have done him in, however, as he’s allowed 5 in just 27.2 innings (and 32 hits total), which has led to a 4.55 ERA and a 4.56 FIP.
A great relief appearance from another recently-promoted pitcher, RHP Ryan Vanderhei. The just-turned 25-year old, who was a 10th-round selection in 2023, tossed 2 no-hit innings with a walk and 3 strikeouts. Vanderhei has officially adjusted to life in AA: after giving up 7 hits, 9 runs, and 6 earned runs in his first 4 games at the level (spanning just 3.1 innings), Vanderhei has now gone 4 straight outings without allowing a hit or a run (and has 8 strikeouts against just 2 walks in those 5.2 innings).
Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for LHP Jack Choate (No. 37 CPL) who had a very difficult outing, giving up 3 hits, 2 hit batters, and 5 runs, while recording just 1 out. Choate has really been struggling with free passes and strikeouts lately: over his last 12 games, the 2022 9th-rounder has pitched 15.1 innings and issued 13 walks and 4 hit batsmen, while striking out just 15. He has a 3.34 ERA and a 4.16 FIP on the season.
High-A Eugene (47-30)
Eugene Emeralds beat the Vancouver Canadians (Blue Jays) 12-9
Box score
Richmond’s Bo Davidson (No. 4 CPL) may be the farm’s clear leader in the home run race, but Eugene center fielder Dakota Jordan (No. 5 CPL) is making himself the clear runner-up. The ultra-powerful Jordan, who I’d argue easily has the most raw power in the system, smashed yet another glorious home run in this game, as part of a 2-4 outing that also featured a walk and 4 runs batted in.
With that, Jordan is up to 13 home runs on the year, and has some separation between the trio of 3rd-place homer hitters. He’s also firmly put a slump behind him: over his last 6 games, he’s hit 9-22 with 4 home runs, 2 doubles, and, most excitedly, just 2 strikeouts. After dipping to near league-average, Jordan is back to an .814 OPS and a 114 wRC+, albeit there’s still a lot of work to do on the strikeouts.
One of those players who is tied for 3rd in the organization with 11 home runs is Jordan’s newish teammate, second baseman Jhonny Level (No. 3 CPL). And while Level only has 1 of those 11 home runs in High-A, he did put on a show on Wednesday, going 2-4 with 2 doubles and a walk, though he also committed 2 errors (admittedly he’s a shortstop by trade, just sharing the position with Gavin Kilen).
Level’s numbers have fallen off a little bit since moving up from Low-A a month ago, but that’s to be expected. And ultimately, the numbers are still quite good, as the switch-hitter has a .781 OPS and a 110 wRC+ … and a reminder that, at a young 19 years old, he’s still more than 3.5 years younger than his peers in the Northwest League. Perhaps most encouraging is that Level’s contact skills have remained strong while moving up a level: his strikeout rate his risen by less than a percentage point, to just 17.5%, while his batting average is at .299. The walks and power are lagging a little bit, but I’d say that’s better than the other way around.
Another painful day for catcher Jancel Villarroel (No. 42 CPL), who hit 2-4 with a hit by pitch and a strikeout. It was the 2nd straight game being plunked for Villarroel, who has been hit 11 times on the year. That’s tied for most in the system with Drew Cavanaugh (No. 19 CPL) … what is it about catchers that makes pitchers want to throw at them whether they’re catching or hitting?
Regardless, Villarroel has had a delightful season, as the 21-year old righty is sporting an .820 OPS and a 121 wRC+. That’s made it a little easier to overlook the fact that Kai-Wei Teng (whom the Giants traded for Villarroel) has had a decent year for the Astros (though he’s been struggling lately).
Not a very good pitching performance for Eugene. LHP Luis De La Torre (No. 14 CPL) had some struggles once again, allowing 6 hits, 3 walks, and 5 runs in 5 innings, while striking out 5. After his breakout 2025 campaign, De La Torre has continually flashed things things season, but just has not been able to put it all together. He’s been especially poor lately, as his last 3 starts have resulted in 13 walks and 15 earned runs in just 13.1 innings. While he remains a great strikeout artist, with 11.8 punchouts per 9 innings, his other stats have cratered compared to last year, which he split between the Complex League and Low-A. His walks per 9 have more than doubled (3.3 to 7.0), his home runs per 9 have more than tripled (0.24 to 0.75), and his groundball rate has dropped by more than 10 percentage points (48.4% to 37.9%). The result is a fairly ugly 5.22 ERA and 4.70 FIP for the 22-year old. Still too early to be worried, but a little concern is mounting.
RHP Ryan Slater continued his run of dominance, pitching 1.1 perfect innings with a strikeout. Since returning to Eugene following an injury and a rehab stint, Slater has made 6 appearances and thrown 6.2 scoreless innings, giving up just 1 hit and 2 walks, while striking out 11. He has a delightful 3.18 ERA and a 2.42 FIP.
Low-A San Jose (45-32)
San Jose Giants beat the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (Angels) 5-4
Box score
A nice day for the strikeouts. LHP Jordan Gottesman, last year’s 5th-round selection (and the 1st pitcher the Giants took in the draft), showed off the strikeout stuff, K’ing 8 batters in 5 innings while walking 0 (though he hit a batter). That’s elite stuff!
As you would expect from an 8-to-0 strikeout-to-walk ratio, Gottesman lived in the zone, throwing 63 of 83 pitches for strikes. That came with a severe tradeoff, unfortunately, as he did give up 8 hits, including a home run. And as a result, he got hit for 4 earned runs. That’s been the debut season for the 23-year old Northeastern product: he has 9.7 strikeouts to just 2.9 walks per 9 innings … but is giving up nearly a hit per inning, and has already ceded 9 dingers in just 62 innings, giving him a 4.35 ERA and a 5.44 FIP. There’s a solid foundation there, but a lot to work on.
RHP Ubert Mejias struck out 3 batters in 3 shutout innings, giving up just 2 hits and 0 walks. That was a much-needed nice showing for Mejias, as he allowed runs in all 5 of his June appearances (13 total runs, in just 11.1 innings). Through both the good and bad performances, Mejias has maintained an elite strikeout-to-walk ratio: he has 55 strikeouts against just 7 walks in 51.2 innings. Like Gottesman, however, Mejias is allowing too many hits and way too many dingers: in those 51.2 innings he’s allowed 58 hits and 10 home runs, giving him a 4.70 ERA and a 5.26 FIP across 2 levels (Low and High-A).
Really not much at all on offense. Just a solid, well-balanced day, with no standout performances. Left fielder Lisbel Diaz (No. 32 CPL) hit 2-3 with a walk, though he had a strikeout and an error. Diaz is staying sharp with San Jose while High-A Eugene is playing in Canada, where he can’t travel due to visa issues. Third baseman Dario Reynoso, who has cooled after a brilliant stretch, went 1-3 with a double and a walk, but struck out twice. The 21-year old has a .924 OPS and a 130 wRC+, but a 30.6% strikeout rate.
Home run tracker
18 — Bo Davidson — [AA]
13 — Dakota Jordan — [High-A]
Thursday schedule
Sacramento: 5:35 p.m. PT at El Paso (SP: TBD)
Richmond: 3:30 p.m. PT at Harrisburg (SP: Cesar Perdomo)
Eugene: 7:05 p.m. PT at Vancouver (SP: Hunter Dryden)
San Jose: 6:30 p.m. PT vs. Rancho Cucamonga (SP: Ben Bybee)
Reminder that almost all MiLB games can be watched on MLB TV
Former Avalanche Fan Favorite Returns To Rival Stars After Injury-Plagued Season
Joel Kiviranta's time with the Colorado Avalanche has officially come to an end.
After three seasons in Denver, the versatile forward is heading back to familiar territory, as the Dallas Stars announced Wednesday that they have signed Kiviranta to a one-year contract worth $1 million. The move reunites the 30-year-old with the organization where he began his NHL career before joining Colorado in 2023.
For the Avalanche, Kiviranta's departure marks the loss of one of the club's most reliable depth forwards.
Fresh off a career-best 16-goal campaign in 2024-25, there was optimism that Kiviranta could build on his breakout season and provide another wave of secondary scoring. Instead, injuries never allowed him to establish any real momentum.
A lower-body injury early in the season sidelined him for several months, and he battled additional ailments after returning to the lineup. By year's end, Kiviranta had missed 31 of Colorado's 82 regular-season games, finishing with three goals and six assists for nine points in 51 appearances.
The offensive numbers represented a significant drop from the previous season, but they hardly told the full story.
Even while battling injuries, Kiviranta remained one of Colorado's most trusted defensive forwards. He continued to play an important role on the penalty kill while bringing the relentless forechecking, physicality, and dependable two-way game that earned the coaching staff's trust.
According to Natural Stat Trick, the Avalanche outscored opponents 20-12 during five-on-five play with Kiviranta on the ice while controlling 59.5 percent of the shots. He also averaged 1:03 of shorthanded ice time per game, marking the fourth consecutive season in which he averaged more than a minute per game on the penalty kill.
Kiviranta appeared in five Stanley Cup Playoff games for Colorado this past spring, bringing his career postseason total to 56 contests between the Avalanche and Stars.
Now, he'll return to the franchise where his NHL journey began.
Originally signing with Dallas as an undrafted free agent out of Finland, Kiviranta spent the first four seasons of his NHL career with the Stars before revitalizing his career in Colorado. Across 349 regular-season games, he has totaled 38 goals and 31 assists for 69 points, with his 16-goal breakout in 2024-25 remaining the best offensive season of his career.
"We are excited to welcome Joel back to the Stars organization," Stars General Manager Jim Nill said in a statement. "Our familiarity with Joel made signing him an easy choice, and his versatility as a player gives us some added flexibility to our lineup."
The move also reunites Kiviranta with a strong Finnish contingent in Dallas that includes Miro Heiskanen, Roope Hintz, Esa Lindell, Arttu Hyry, and former Avalanche star Mikko Rantanen.
The Lakers used their leverage to finally land Walker Kessler from Jazz
The pressure was on Lakers President of Basketball Operations Rob Pelinka to land an A-list center this offseason.
It was reported that Luka Dončić wanted one. The fans clearly desired it, and with the carousel of starting centers, it was clear the front office had been searching for years.
Pelinka got his guy, reportedly trading for Walker Kessler. It was expensive, but the Lakers think they got what they paid for: a starting center that fits perfectly with Luka and Austin Reaves.
This trade was far from a foregone conclusion. With Kessler as a restricted free agent, the Jazz could’ve matched any contract agreed upon between the Lakers and Kessler. Utah’s reported offer of a five-year, $140 million extension indicated they wanted to keep their big.
However, the Lakers prepared for this summer. They held onto assets at the February trade deadline, saying no to deals. This allowed them more draft picks and cap space in the offseason to permanently fill holes in their roster.
As Dave McMenamin of ESPN illustrated in his recent story, this set up an opportunity for the Lakers to finally acquire Kessler via a trade.
In the past when the Lakers reached out to the Jazz, Kessler was on a cost-controlled rookie contract, making under $3 million. This time around, Kessler was a restricted free agent — and seeking a massive raise.
The Jazz ultimately decided that building around this year’s No. 2 draft pick, Darryn Peterson, while armed with a bevy of draft assets from L.A. would be a better path than overpaying Kessler over the long term.
Utah offered Kessler a five-year, $140 million extension, sources told ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, or about $28 million per year. The Lakers offered a four-year deal worth $130 million, sources told Charania, or about $32.5 million per year, and they emptied their war chest to send their unprotected 2031 and 2033 first-round picks — plus pick swaps in 2028 and 2030 — to Utah in the deal.
In negotiations, whoever has leverage has the advantage.
With the Lakers holding onto their assets and setting up a situation where they’d have a ton of cap space this summer, they were able to make the Jazz an offer they couldn’t refuse. Add in that the Lakers reportedly had a contract richer than what Utah offered, and that’s how Kessler got to LA after so many rumors of the team’s interest in him.
Clearly, the Lakers feel that Kessler will lead to sustainable Lakers excellence. They gave up their 2031 and 2033 first round picks and pick swaps in 2028 and 2030 to acquire Kessler. That’s far more draft capital than they gave up for Luka.
The cost was high, but if it makes Dončić happy and, most importantly, works on the court, then that’s the price of doing business.
Fans have complained during other trade windows that the Lakers didn’t do enough, but this season that won’t be possible to say. Pelinka went all-in and landed his star big.
He used his assets to make a player a team didn’t necessarily want to part with into a Laker, and now the franchise is ready to fully enter the Luka Dončić era with the center they need for success.
You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.