Declan Meredith to start again at flyhalf against Italy in Perth
Fraser McReight dropped to the bench in favour of Carlo Tizzano
Outgoing Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt is rolling the dice at the exit door, sticking with Declan Meredith at flyhalf and dropping Fraser McReight to the bench in favour of hometown hero Carlo Tizzano.
The Wallabies will be aiming to snap a six-game losing streak when they face world No 10 Italy in Saturday night’s Nations Championship clash in Perth.
In this week's Closer Report, Mason Miller remains at the top of the closer rankings at the All-Star break. Bryan Baker, Louis Varland, and Jacob Latz highlight some of the first half's biggest closer breakouts. All that and more as we cover the saves landscape around baseball going into the second half.
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Mason Miller - San Diego Padres
Jhoan Duran - Philadelphia Phillies
Cade Smith - Cleveland Guardians
Louis Varland - Toronto Blue Jays
Josh Hader - Houston Astros
Bryan Baker - Tampa Bay Rays
Miller locked down back-to-back saves over the weekend heading into the break, tossing a pair of scoreless innings against the Blue Jays. The 27-year-old right-hander ends the first half with 25 saves while posting a 0.91 ERA, 0.78 WHIP, and 72 strikeouts over 39 2/3 innings. Padres general manager A.J. Preller iterated that the team has no intention of trading Miller at the deadline. Things can always change over the next two weeks, but the Padres would understandably need an incredible offer to move Miller, who has three years left of team control.
Duran also picked up two saves before the break, giving him 24 with a 1.38 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, and 50 strikeouts over 32 2/3 frames. He's been nothing short of outstanding for the Phillies in his first full year with the team.
Smith was busy before the break, making four appearances this week. He added two saves, giving him an MLB-leading 28. The 27-year-old right-hander is on pace for a near carbon copy of his 2025 season, proving himself as one of the league's top closers.
Varland has been one of this season's biggest breakouts at the closer position, taking over the ninth-inning role in Toronto. He added a save on Friday against the Padres, giving him 19 with a 1.10 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, and 67 strikeouts over 49 innings.
Hader took the loss against the Rangers on Sunday, giving up one run on three hits without recording an out. Still, it's been an exceptional start for the 32-year-old left-hander, posting a 1.17 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, and 25 strikeouts over 15 1/3 innings while converting 10 saves since his season debut on June 3.
No saves for Baker over the final weekend. He's been another gem through the first half, emerging as one of the top closers in baseball. The 31-year-old right-hander has converted 25 saves for the Rays with a 1.73 ERA over 36 1/3 innings.
▶ Tier 2
David Bednar - New York Yankees
Aroldis Chapman - Boston Red Sox
Raisel Iglesias- Atlanta Braves
Andrés Muñoz - Seattle Mariners
Jacob Latz - Texas Rangers
Trevor Megill - Milwaukee Brewers
Tanner Scott - Los Angeles Dodgers
Riley O'Brien - St. Louis Cardinals
Bednar has been on an incredible run over the last two months. He's gone 16 straight appearances without allowing an earned run, dating back to May 22. Before then, he had a 5.14 ERA over 21 innings. Now, he's worked that down to a 2.70 ERA and 1.10 WHIP over 40 frames while converting 18 saves on the year.
Chapman has had a strong first half. He picked up a win and a save, giving him 19 saves with a 2.20 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, and 36 strikeouts over 28 2/3 innings. The Red Sox completed a 9-0 road trip before the All-Star break and suddenly find themselves back in the playoff race, which could affect how they approach the trade deadline. Chapman and Garrett Whitlock were believed to be on the trade market, but a strong finish to the half could now make them buyers over the next couple of weeks.
Iglesias added his 19th save with a scoreless inning against the Cardinals on Sunday. The team is still waiting for the return of setup man Robert Suarez, but he has yet to be cleared to resume throwing as he remains on the injured list with right elbow inflammation. Dylan Lee has stepped up with 19 holds and a 1.47 ERA.
Muñoz made one more appearance before the break, striking out two in a scoreless inning against the Rays in a non-save situation on Sunday. He ends the first half on a strong note, going 10 straight outings without allowing a run. The Mariners are believed to be in the market for another high-leverage reliever at the deadline, with Matt Brash still on the 15-day injured list with a lat strain.
Fantasy managers who were early on Latz have been rewarded with 18 saves, a 1.61 ERA, 0.67 WHIP, and 46 strikeouts over 44 2/3 innings. He also picked up his second win with a scoreless inning against the Astros on Sunday.
Megill didn't make an appearance over the weekend. He ends his first half with a 3.00 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, and 46 strikeouts over 36 innings. Megill had taken a step back from the closer role for a while, but took back the lead with a strong May and June, taking 14 saves into the break.
Scott has been solid filling in for Edwin Díaz, converting 13 saves with a 2.56 ERA across 38 2/3 innings. But his time as the Dodgers' closer may be nearing an end. At least the primary share of closing duties. Díaz has tossed two scoreless innings so far in his minor league rehab assignment. He'll likely need at least a few more outings, but a return later this month seems imminent.
O'Brien made two appearances before the break, picking up a pair of saves against the Braves. He's up to 24 saves with a 3.43 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, and 39 strikeouts over 39 1/3 innings. The 31-year-old right-hander represented the Cardinals in his first All-Star game.
▶ Tier 3
Paul Sewald - Arizona Diamondbacks
Emilio Pagán - Cincinnati Reds
Kenley Jansen - Detroit Tigers
Grant Taylor - Chicago White Sox
Yoendrys Gómez - Minnesota Twins
Devin Williams - New York Mets
Sewald ended the first half with two clean outings against the Padres and Dodgers, adding two saves to give him 22. The 36-year-old right-hander has been prone to giving up home runs, but has been otherwise solid and dependable for the Diamondbacks.
Pagán has made three appearances, picking up one save, since his return from a two-month absence on the injured list with a hamstring strain. The 35-year-old right-hander has recorded seven saves with a 6.06 ERA over 16 1/3 innings.
Jansen added one more save on the week, giving him 11 with a 4.56 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, and 25 strikeouts over 23 2/3 innings. Meanwhile, Taylor picked up his fourth save for the White Sox, his second in July. If that trend continues following the All-Star break, Taylor will be quickly rising up the rankings.
It's not the best closer profile, as the underlying skills suggest Gómez has pitched above his head, but he continues to get the job done for the Twins. He added his 11th save with a 3.50 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, and 38 strikeouts over 43 2/3 innings.
In New York, there's some speculation heading into the second half that the Mets could give Williams a break from the closer role after he blew a save on Sunday against the Red Sox. He went into the break with a 4.83 ERA over 31 2/3 innings. Luke Weaver would make for a solid speculative pickup. He's been excellent, with a 1.85 ERA over 39 innings. Weaver recorded eight saves for the Yankees in 2025 and could fill the role for the Mets, especially if they'd like to showcase him before the trade deadline. Interim manager Andy Green stated that Williams will remain the closer as the second half starts, but it's certainly worth monitoring.
▶ Tier 4
Gregory Soto/Mason Montgomery - Pittsburgh Pirates
Kaleb Kilian - San Francisco Giants
Clayton Beeter - Washington Nationals
Tyler Wells/Andrew Kittredge - Baltimore Orioles
Pete Fairbanks - Miami Marlins
Jacob Webb/Trent Thornton - Chicago Cubs
There was some speculation that Soto could be losing hold of the closer role as he struggled through June. Both he and Montgomery picked up a save during Saturday's doubleheader against the Brewers.
It was not the best end to the half for Kilian, who surrendered three runs without recording an out to blow a save against the Rockies on Friday. JT Brubaker picked up a save the next day, and Erik Miller could be in the mix against left-handed hitters to close out games.
The Nationals have had one of the worst bullpens in baseball as late-inning struggles continue to hold the team back. Beeter contributed with a blown save on Saturday against the Yankees. Still, he's the favorite for saves, leading the team with seven, to go with a 3.62 ERA across 27 1/3 innings.
A week after Wells stepped up with two saves for the Orioles, it was Kittredge who converted a pair of saves in Baltimore. The team will likely continue to use a committee approach, with six relievers on the roster having recorded a save.
Fairbanks surrendered a solo homer in a non-save situation on Sunday for his final outing of the first half. The 32-year-old right-hander has struggled with a 6.83 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, and 38 strikeouts over 29 innings. And it's a full committee in Chicago, where Webb and Thornton each recorded a save for the Cubs before the break.
▶ Tier 5
Alex Lange - Kansas City Royals
Jordan Romano - Colorado Rockies
Sam Bachman/Kirby Yates - Los Angeles Angels
Elvis Alvarado/Hogan Harris - Athletics
Lange has been hit with some serious regression over his last few outings, giving up ten runs over his last four appearances. Still, he remains the favorite for saves on the Royals.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JULY 15: OG Anunoby accepts the Best Play award onstage during the 2026 ESPY Awards at David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center on July 15, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for W+P) | Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for W+P
I’m not one to watch the ESPYs most years. The last thing I want to watch is a bunch of players I don’t like be honored, plays that involve my team losing being shown, and jokes being made at my team’s expense.
Last year’s edition alone featured both Tyrese Haliburton’s and Freddie Freeman’s career-defining plays, both of which happened at the expense of my Knicks and Yankees. Even slightly unrelated, Saquon Barkley and the Eagles were the talk of the show. Why would I ever want to relive that?
This year, despite things still not being so hot for anyone else I root for, it was a night of celebration for the talk of the town, the New York Knicks.
In a heavily favorable crowd in Manhattan, everyone knew the show would revolve around the NBA champions. The entire team was there and featured on the broadcast over and over again. I think I saw a Knick in every single shot of the crowd throughout the broadcast.
It felt like everyone still on the team was there (well, except Landry, who’s off getting engaged in Europe):
Among the Knicks at the ESPYs:
🏆 Jalen Brunson 🏆 Karl-Anthony Towns 🏆 OG Anunoby 🏆 Mikal Bridges 🏆 Jose Alvarado 🏆 Jordan Clarkson 🏆 Rick Brunson 🏆 Tyler Kolek 🏆 Trey Jemison pic.twitter.com/M8KUHEHY9Z
The first award presented to a Knick at the ESPYs was to the captain, Jalen Brunson, before the show even started. He was awarded “Best NBA Player” that afternoon on NBA Today, the first Knick to ever get that award since the show started in 1993.
Jalen Brunson wins the 2026 ESPY Award for Best NBA Player 🏀
But that wasn’t the only hardware he’d bring home. He picked up two awards before anyone else was able to get one on stage, as he beat out incredible performances by Team USA goaltenders Aerin Frankel and Connor Hellebuyck to win “Best Championship Performance” for his 45-point closeout in Game 5 of the NBA Finals:
The presenters for the ESPYs are always funny. Chinese Olympic gold medalist Eileen Gu and Team USA striker Flo Balogun presented an award to Jalen Brunson. Hard to picture until you see it. Screw it, watch the 45-point game again. You know you want to.
As said previously, the Knicks were everywhere during this broadcast. Jokes were made about the Brunsons, Karl-Anthony Towns was featured in an Oz the Mentalist skit, and a third award was presented for “Best Play”.
We all knew who was winning this one, which is probably a shame to everyone else considering how awesome some of the nominees were.
Jack Hughes’ golden goal. Megan Keller’s golden goal for the women’s hockey team. Braylon Mullins’ 35-footer. Caleb Williams’ impossible touchdown. Hell, even the Dodgers’ heroics in the World Series somehow didn’t make it. There are few things less improbable than Miguel Rojas hitting a home run in THAT situation.
One of those things, though, is OG Anunoby, who became the first New York athlete to win “Best Play” since Odell Beckham Jr. in 2015. Watch the play again, then watch his extremely awkward (but classic OG) speech:
Cody Rhodes is presenting the award. There just so happens to be a WWE event that Brunson is already advertised for on Saturday. Will OG be there too? Who knows. If any random role player is there, my money is on Tyler.
The last individual award of the night was “Best Male Athlete”, an award that has gone to:
Tiger Woods (five times)
LeBron James (three times)
Patrick Mahomes
Tom Brady
Michael Jordan
Michael Phelps
Stephen Curry
Shohei Ohtani
Steve Young
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Drew Brees
Ken Griffey Jr.
Alex Ovechkin
And on and on. No scrub wins this award. Brunson was a nominee alongside the greatest soccer player to ever play the game, the most dynamic baseball player of all time, and the NFL MVP, and it didn’t matter. The power of the Knicks’ first championship in 53 years was too damn much. The first New York athlete to ever win this award, Jalen Brunson.
Jalen Brunson wins the ESPY for best male athlete!!
Before the team awards were handed out, KAT appeared alongside Team USA rugby star Ilona Maher to present Aja Wilson with the “Best Female Athlete” award.
The main event was the award for Best Team.
In terms of dominance all season long, this probably shouldn’t have been the Knicks.
The Seahawks were ridiculously dominant in the NFL. Indiana tore through college football. Both gold medal hockey teams were awesome. One team that didn’t get nominated because of how niche a sport it is was Penn State wrestling, which has broken every record imaginable over the last three years, but at least their best player was nominated for Best College Athlete. Oh well.
Ultimately, we all knew who this was going to. If you have any doubts, just consider that they had the best point differential in NBA playoff history. The 1996 Bulls and 2017 Warriors couldn’t even do this. Speak to the ring.
NEW YORK KNICKS WIN BEST TEAM AT THE ESPYS!!!!
Jalen Brunson: "We want to say thank you to the ESPYs for pulling Josh Hart's invite" 🤣
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 15: Tamar Bates #0 of the Utah Jazz handles the ball during the game against the San Antonio Spurs on July 15, 2026 at the Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Mike Kirschbaum/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Another game, another piece of evidence for my theory that the Utah Jazz Summer League team was replaced with clones somewhere on their way from Salt Lake to Las Vegas. Every year, I forget just how sloppy Summer League basketball is played – perhaps my expectations shouldn’t be so high. Nevertheless, the players are out there playing, so I will still be sitting on my couch analyzing. The Jazz played 10 players in their loss versus the Spurs, with each demonstrating highs and lows. Who were the standouts? Who made this rough loss a bit more bearable to watch, and who contributed to the ugliness that is nearly synonymous with Summer League Basketball? Below, I will be assigning grades to each of the Jazz players who took the court against the Spurs. These grades will be more so based on process than results; some nights players make their shots, and some nights they miss, but shot selection is much more in their control and will therefore be judged with particular emphasis.
Player Grades
Jonas Aidoo: C-
The worst game I have seen Aidoo play during the Jazz 2026 Summer League campaign. Normally, you can trust him to act as a base rim-runner; grabs rebounds, block shots, finish near the rim, and set hard screens. Today, his offense simply did not cut it. 0-4 from the field, with most of his shots entirely makeable – his touch left a lot to be desired, which is often what separates a replacement level rim-runner from a key member of a rotation. His hands, which I’ve praised after previous games, were a bit clunky as well. Additionally, while his defense was much more passable and often positive, there were a few instances where I thought his drop defense (against Jakobie Gillespie, in particular) was underwhelming, biting for pump fakes or being a step late against drivers. The 9 rebounds were huge, and don’t allow me to give too low a grade, but this game dampened my Aidoo hype.
Tamar Bates: A-
Tamar was moving with a fluidity and cadence that said to me, “NBA Player”. He demonstrated a good form on his shot, combined with high elevation, and used the threat of the jumper to utilize his quick burst to attack the rim. Looking taller than his listed 6’4 and using his 6’10 wingspan, Tamar made his presence felt around the court with consistent activity that didn’t translate to the stat sheet. I wish he looked out for his teammates a bit more after he collapses the defense from his drives to the paint, but Bates was not the reason we lost tonight.
Matthew Cleveland: B-
Statistically, Cleveland probably deserves better than the grade I’m assigning him, but I found myself less-than-inspired for large portions of his playing time tonight. He was efficient as a scorer and aware while jumping passing lanes, but I found him often blending into the background on both ends of the court. Outside of the steals that led to end-to-end transition points, he was more of a reactive defender than a proactive one – he didn’t enforce his will (which should be possible given his physical tools), which led to him giving up open shots after step backs and off-ball movement, as well as missed box-outs because his man slipped behind him. This feels more able to be coached-out than some mistakes, and the positive shot-making flashes were encouraging, but I can’t fully believe in what Cleveland showed against the Spurs.
Andersson Garcia: C
While the stats weren’t impressive, I think Garcia strongly performed the connective actions necessary for an NBA team to function. His decision-making was quick and mostly well-conceived, and he seemed to have a good understanding of the offense that the coach wanted to run. Additionally, you can always count on Garcia to hustle on both ends of the court. However, hustle and smart passing and quick cuts are all well and good, but ultimately don’t mean very much when you are a complete nonfactor when it comes to putting the ball in the hoop yourself. The Spurs could completely help off of Garcia, without fear of retribution. I appreciate how Andersson can act as glue on the court, and I understand scoring isn’t the only way a player can positively impact winning, but he needs to show something more (or better maximize his current skills, a la Alex Caruso) if he wants a second chance on the Jazz regular season roster.
Hayden Gray: C+
A similar story to Garcia – I always find myself impressed by the little things that Hayden performs on the court, but at some point you also have to be able to do the big things as well. He kept his composure against pesky Spurs pressure, his passes were quick and decisive, and he took educated gambles on defense, but a lead guard needs to be able to provide some scoring pressure for all of his ancillary skills to be fully actualized into an impactful player. Gray keeps the offense flowing and can shift momentum defensively, but in order for his admittedly impressive passing and handling to help the team, he needs to show effectiveness as a scorer at any level of the court.
Blake Hinson: D
I’ve always been a big fan of Hinson, but he isn’t a pretty watch when the shot isn’t falling. He only played 7 minutes, which makes giving a consistent grade relative to his teammates a bit tricky, but those 7 minutes were ugly. Poor shot selection, horrendous tunnel vision, and a lackadaisical attitude on defense crafted one of the worst games I have yet seen Hinson play. I do appreciate his ability to relocate to open space around the perimter after he does pass the ball, which led to his one three point make.
Justin Harmon: D+
Harmon, for the first time during Summer League, was largely invisible against the Spurs. His shot wasn’t falling, and his defense was uneventful (though he did get lost off-ball a time or two). There were a couple pick-and-roll possessions with Orlando Robinson where he impressed me with his savvy, which will be necessary if this guard-sized battery wants to make it work in the league. However, this was not Harmon’s game – the flow was just never there.
Bez Mbeng: A-
Bez was one of the few Jazz players you could feel while they were out there – he never allowed himself to fade into the background. He was pulling up his shorts and clapping his hands on defense (even if he did get blown by a few times more than I would’ve liked), and constantly worked to get to the rim on offense. His movements felt economical; if he wanted to get to the rim, he didn’t pound the air out of the ball for 15 seconds first. Instead, he would move well off the ball and blitz to the basket after a successful pump fake. I still don’t quite buy him as a point guard, even after this 5 assist, 0 turnover outing – his passes, while caught, were sometimes out of his teammates ideal catch radius. However, he looked more experienced and comfortable than any other Jazzman out there against the Spurs, and impressed on both ends.
Darryn Peterson: C-
This was not an irredeemable game from Peterson. He made some fine passes, his defense was decent most of the night (outside of the first quarter, but I’ll get to that in a second), his combination of flexibility and change-of-pace still consistently led to free throws, and, like I said in my grading criteria from the opening paragraph, it’s a make-or-miss league; tonight, he missed some shots he very well could’ve made. However, I still found myself consistently disappointed in the Jazzman of the future. Floaters are one of the least efficient shots in basketball, and in Summer League, Peterson has relied on them far too often. With better spacing around him during the regular season, he’ll likely find it easier to make it all the way to the rim, but I won’t pretend that I’m not worried about his shot selection and the fact that he can’t make his way to the basket even now. Often, it feels like Peterson’s head is in “score mode” or “pass mode”, and can lead to him working his way into tricky situations without active awareness of where his teammates are around him. While his defense improved later on in the game, his first quarter was startlingly bad – he helped way too far off of good shooters in the strong-side corner, and he was caught upright while guarding the ball and got shook multiple times. Do not mistake me – I am not claiming that the sky is falling. Peterson is elite, and has proven so throughout his basketball career. However, I will not be blinded by my purple-tinted glasses; Peterson did not play a good basketball game today, even if that means next to nothing in his long term projection (I almost titled this article “Hyunjung Lee for Darryn Peterson – who says no?” but decided that I didn’t want a joke to make myself a marked man among SLC Dunk regulars).
Orlando Robinson: B
Basketball sometimes looks a bit too difficult for Orlando Robinson. It’s not easy for him to get to his shots, even if he makes some. It’s not easy for him to be in the right position defensively, even if he ends the game with 2 steals and a block. So, while I sometimes like the end result of Robinson’s playing time, it doesn’t seem that it will easily translate to the next level. Today, I appreciated the decisiveness on his drives (yes, the 7 footer drives from the perimeter – easily the most tantalizing part of his game) and passes. His field goal percentage ended up rather underwhelming – some late heaves had something to do with that – but I think he was, overall, a slightly positive offensive presence for the Jazz. Defensively, I thought he did a good job at high-pointing rebounds and using his strength against the imposing Tarris Reed, but his slow feet were obvious and detrimental when he had to guard the pick-and-roll against the slithery Gillespie. I think a better, more mobile interior defender prevents Gillespie from building up some of the momentum that he did, which could’ve dramatically shifted the tone and direction of the game. This has been the story of Robinson’s whole career – strong offensive player who’s too slow and too lumbering defensively to make an NBA translation work. This game, once again, painted that unfortunately familiar picture, even if he was a positive in this Summer League setting.
Who stood out to you tonight? Who was disappointing? Comment below!
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 15: Sean Pedulla #00 of the LA Clippers dribbles the ball during the game against the Washington Wizards on July 15, 2026 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Candice Ward/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Washington Wizards lost their second game in as many nights on Wednesday against a Los Angeles Clippers team that also sat their top-5 pick. The Keaton Wagler-less Clippers outlasted the AJ Dybantsa-less Wizards in a 108-94 affair at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.
The two teams played at a frenetic pace to open the game, with both sides looking to get on the break at every opportunity. Just as the Wizards and Clippers went back and forth in transition, so did the lead. The first quarter featured 8 lead changes with neither team getting ahead by more than 6 points. Seth Trimble and Kadary Richmond each had 5 to end the opening period deadlocked at 25.
The Wiz kids tried to pull away in the second quarter with an early 10-0 run to take a 35-27 lead. Trimble led the way with 11 points in the period. His three-pointer with 1.3 seconds left would have given Washington a 1-point lead at the break if not for a rough defensive lapse in the final seconds that pushed the Clippers ahead 52-51.
Seth Trimble & Kobe Sanders trade buckets 👏
Trimble sinks the 3. Sanders beats the Q2 buzzer in style.
The game began to unravel for Washington midway through the third quarter. After a Trimble triple knotted the game up at 56, LAC went on a 17-5 run to take the game’s first double-digit advantage.
Trimble and Chris Livingston tried to carry the Wizards’ comeback bid late, but never threatened as the Clippers cruised to a 108-94 victory.
Trimble posted a team-high 24 points on 8-for-12 shooting, while Livingston tallied 20 points and 9 rebounds. Richmond and starting center Norris Agbakoko threw a block party with 7 swats between them.
Unfortunately, the loss means that the Wizards won’t make the cut for the NBA Summer League playoffs. But the team will still have a consolation matchup to close out the Vegas slate.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JULY 14: Ozzie Albies #1 of the Atlanta Braves poses for a picture with his family during the 2026 All-Star Red Carpet Show presented by Mastercard at Independence Mall on Tuesday, July 14, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
It’s the “break” part of the All-Star break now, as the festivities are complete and the team doesn’t return to action until Friday. There are still select minor league games, transactions, and draft pick signings left to track, however.
The Knicks star became one of five Knicks-related ESPY Award wins on Wednesday night at Lincoln Center, as he took home Play of the Year honors for his game-winning tip-in during Game 4 of the NBA Finals.
The soft-spoken Anunoby went on stage to accept the award, but his speech quickly went from humble to hilarious.
OG Anunoby accepts the Best Play award onstage during the 2026 ESPY Awards at David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center. Getty Images
“Uh, it’s truly such an honor to win an ESPY to cap off an amazing year and special moment for our team,” Anunoby began, before taking a pause.
The camera shot zoomed out on Anunoby, who then awkwardly spread his legs, hunched over to level with the microphone and stood in silence for several long seconds.
Jalen Brunson (who won three individual ESPYs), Mikal Bridges and the rest of the crowd gathered at New York’s Lincoln Center erupted into laughter as a smiling Anunoby tried to continue his remarks.
“To the best fans in the world, we thank you for all your love and support,” Anunoby continued while holding back his own laughter. “Winning a championship for the city is truly so special, and I want to thank God, my teammates, the entire Knicks organization and all those who supported me along the way.
“Go Knicks!”
Since being acquired from the Raptors in December 2023, Anunoby has endeared himself to teammates and fans alike, both for his two-way on-court prowess and stoic demeanor.
He went viral for not being able to end an Instagram Live after the Knicks won the Finals in San Antonio, and once again drew attention for his stone-faced appearance on “Good Morning America” days later.
Of course, none of it happens without his iconic tip-in against the Spurs at Madison Square Garden, a shot that cemented his place in New York sports lore.
OG Anunoby’s speech led to laughter after a brief pause in which he spread his legs and tried to level with the microphone. Getty Images
The Knicks staged a dramatic comeback in Game 4, rallying from a playoff-record 29-point deficit to take the lead late in the fourth quarter — punctuated by Anunoby, who sprinted toward the basket and tipped a missed Brunson 3-pointer for the win with 1.2 seconds remaining.
In addition to Brunson and Anunoby’s wins, the Knicks came away with Best Team honors at the ESPYs, capping off an epic season and evening.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Philadelphia Flyers have reached a four-year contract agreement with forward Trevor Zegras with an average annual value of $9.125 million, the team announced on Wednesday night.
The 25-year-old Zegras had a career-high 26 goals and 67 points last season, the second-most on the team. He added two more goals and four assists in the playoffs.
“We’re thrilled to have Trevor committed to our organization for the next four years,” general manager Danny Briere said in a statement. “The growth he showed this past season, proving that he is the skilled player he entered the league as, reinforced our belief that he will be an impact player for the Flyers for the years to come."
Selected ninth overall by the Anaheim Ducks in the 2019 NHL draft, the 6-foot, 185-pound Boston University product has played in 349 career NHL games, and has 93 goals and 160 assists for 253 points. He has 60-plus point seasons in three of his six seasons in the league.
Zegras has also represented the United States on five occasions, most recently at the 2024 World Championships where he had a goal and an assist in eight games. He also played in back-to-back World Junior Championships in 2020 and 2021. In 2021, he helped the U.S. win gold and was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player with seven goals and 18 points in seven games.
Kevin Durant weighed in on the highly touted free-agent sweepstakes Wednesday.
“That’s the million-dollar question. I wish I knew. If I had to choose one, I would say Cleveland. But I think Philly got a good chance, too,” Durant said.
Kevin Durant weighed in on LeBron James’ free agency. NBAE via Getty Images
“I would say Cleveland,” – Kevin Durant shares where he thinks LeBron is going pic.twitter.com/QEt7NeVh3u
Now, nearly half of those teams are no longer considered finalists in the James sweepstakes. It’s fair to say all of the Western Conference teams are out of the running for the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.
Rich Paul, James’ agent, revealed the veteran is searching for complete basketball happiness at this stage of his career. But that statement directly contrasts James’ willingness to join a contender on a league-minimum contract.
Perhaps James is searching for both at 41 years old. A farewell title would be an appropriate ending for James’ storied career, but returning to the place where it all began would also be a worthy curtain call for the 23-year NBA veteran.
LeBron James is entering his 24th NBA season. Best Image / BACKGRID
Philadelphia believes it can give James the best opportunity of hanging up his jersey as an NBA champion. The Cavaliers present an interesting offer as a deal would be a welcome reunion.
There is increasing belief that James will make a decision soon, but it’s evident his unique free-agency process won’t be rushed for anyone. James’ decision will have league-altering implications, thus the entire basketball world is patiently waiting for an answer.
The decision to sell before the trade deadline (Aug. 3) has never been easier.
Outside of their biggest stars (Juan Soto, Francisco Lindor) and promising rookies (Carson Benge, A.J. Ewing, Nolan McLean), the Mets could make virtually anyone available to improve their standing in 2027 and beyond.
That includes Luke Weaver, Clay Holmes and Huascar Brazobán.
Pending free agents include Freddy Peralta, A.J. Minter, Brooks Raley and Tyrone Taylor.
Who’s next?
Amid one of the most disappointing seasons in franchise history, the Mets have found glimmers of hope in a crop of youngsters, including Benge, Ewing, McLean, Christian Scott and Zach Thornton.
Luke Weaver could be a trade piece for the Mets to deal to a contending team before the trade deadline. Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images
A series of trades could open additional roster spots, creating potential call-up opportunities for starters Jonah Tong and Jack Wenninger, power-hitting first baseman Ryan Clifford and outfielder Nick Morabito, among others.
Who believes?
You only have to go back to last season to be reminded that the second half of the season may not look anything like it did before the All-Star break. Soto could finish with MVP-like numbers.
Lindor could bust out after missing 57 games and hitting .216. Bo Bichette is hitting .315 since June 1. Marcus Semien and Devin Williams have made a combined five All-Star appearances this decade.
Francisco Alvarez, 24, could still get closer to his potential. This projected 2026 contender will be running many of the same faces back next season. A second-half surge could salvage some optimism from a lost season.
Second-half schedule
July 16, 18-19: at Phillies July 20-22: at Brewers July 24-26: vs. Dodgers July 27-29: vs. Braves July 30-Aug. 2: vs. Marlins Aug. 4-6: at Guardians Aug. 7-9: at Pirates Aug. 10-12: at Braves Aug. 14-16: vs. Nationals Aug. 17-19: vs. Padres Aug. 21-23: at White Sox Aug. 25-27: vs. Brewers Aug. 28-30: vs. Astros Aug. 31-Sept. 2: at Rays Sept. 4-6: vs. Giants Sept. 7-9: at Marlins Sept. 11-13: at Yankees Sept. 14-16: vs. Orioles Sept. 17-20: vs. Phillies Sept. 22-24: at Rangers Sept. 25-27: at Nationals
Boxing legend Mike Tyson, boxer/influencer Jake Paul and music producer DJ Khaled announced Ohtani as the winner during the show. Ohtani was not in attendance.
Ohtani has played a key role in leading the Dodgers to back-to-back World Series championships.
He was the league's leading vote-getter but withdrew from the MLB All-Star Game this week due to inflammation and irritation in his left knee. The discomfort in the knee impacted his pitching mechanics, and he was recently pulled from a scheduled start for the Dodgers.
This season, he has 98 hits, 65 runs, 22 home runs and 58 RBIs in 88 games played. On the mound, he's produced an 8-2 record in 14 starts, allowing 55 hits, 21 runs (17 earned runs) and four home runs. He has struck out 95 and walked 26.
Each year since 1993, sports programming channel ESPN has hosted an annual event honoring the top athletes and sports performances of the year in an event called the Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly Awards, or ESPY Awards.
The ESPYs highlight and recognize the best male and female athletes, most influential athletes and those who have spent countless hours giving back to communities. As part of the ESPYs are the Sports Humanitarian Awards.
The Sports Humanitarian Awards recognize those who have shown an industry-wide commitment to philanthropy and public service across six major honors: Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award, Stuart Scott ENSPIRE Award, Sports Philanthropist of the Year Award, Corporate Community Impact Award, the Billie Jean King Youth Leadership Award and Sports Humanitarian Team of the Year.
The Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry was named a recipient of the Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award in recognition of his community impact through the Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation, a nonprofit organization founded by Curry and his wife, Ayesha, in 2019.
"When we launched Eat. Learn. Play. in 2019, we saw the tremendous need that existed in our adopted hometown of Oakland and set out to use our platform and resources to work to unlock the full potential of the kids in our community," Curry said in a statement on their website.
Curry accepted the Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award from the Muhammad Ali Center president and CEO, Lonnie Ali.
"Oakland gave us so much love, support and energy, and this is how we are able to continue to get back to the community that has wrapped its arms around us from the very beginning back in 2009," Curry said. "We’re just excited to meet kids where they already are every single day, because if you invest in a child, you’re investing in everything that’s possible for their future.”
Other award recipients include Philadelphia Eagles’ owner Jeffrey Lurie with the Stuart Scott ENSPIRE Award, co-owner of the New York Giants and Gotham FC Laurie Tisch received the Sports Philanthropist of the Year Award.
Additionally, there were three recipients of the Billie Jean King Youth Leadership Award — Julia Howe, Kelis Armstrong, and Sam Phillips. The Baltimore Ravens were recognized as the Sports Humanitarian Team of the Year, which was accepted by team president Sashi Brown.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 15: Hugo González #28 of the Boston Celtics drives to the basket during the game against the Sacramento Kings on July 15, 2026 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Candice Ward/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Celtics won their 2nd to last Summer League game 82-76 over the Sacramento Kings. It was Hugo Gonzalez leading the way with 24 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists while Chris Cenac Jr. had 10 points, 12 rebounds and 2 blocks.
The Celtics started Milos Uzan, John Tonje, Hugo Gonzalez, Tucker DeVries and Amari Williams. Dillon Mitchell did not play in this game for rest. Darius Acuff Jr., Nique Clifford and Maxime Raynaud did not play. Sacramento started Isaiah Stevens, Emanuel Sharpe, Alex Karaban, Jonathan Mogbo and Dylan Cardwell.
Boston signed both Uzan and DeVries earlier in the day to training camp contracts, or Exhibit 10 contracts per CelticsBlog alum Keith Smith.
The Boston Celtics have signed Tucker DeVries and Milos Uzan to Exhibit 10 contracts, a league source told @spotrac.
E10 deals are non-guaranteed training camp contracts. After camp the vast majority of E10 signings will end up joining the franchise’s G League affiliate.
It was a slow start to the game, but Celtics first round pick Chris Cenac Jr. came off of the bench and hit a three right away.
It was a slow start for the Kings, who started the game 1-17 as the Celtics took a 13-2 lead.
The Celtics lead the Kings 13-4 at the end of the 4th quarter. The Kings had the lowest scoring quarter in the history Summer League according to ESPN. Hugo Gonzales led the Celtics in scoring with 4 points.
The Kings matched their 1st quarter total in the first 2 minutes of the 2nd quarter.
Sacramento’s offense opened up after that, they cut the Celtics lead to 20-17 with 5:25 left in the 2nd quarter.
The Celtics ended the quarter hot. They scored 19 points in the last 5:45 of the quarter and led the Kings 39-28 at halftime. Gonzalez led the way with 12 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists while John Tonje had 10 points and Chris Cenac Jr. had 2 blocks.
We all like to talk about Cenac and Gonzalez who have both played very well, but I have also enjoyed the way John Tonje has played. He came over at the trade deadline for Chris Boucher and a 2nd round pick, but remains unsigned after the Celtics didn’t tender him a qualifying offer. He has played well in Summer League and had 18 points on 6/10 shooting and 3/7 from three in this game.
The Celtics led the Kings by 8 at the end of three quarters, 57-49. Gonzalez was still leading the team with 17 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists while Cenac had 8 points, 8 rebounds and 2 blocks off of the bench.
The Celtics defense was great in this game, especially at the rim with Cenac and Amari Williams protecting the backline. Williams’ didn’t have a great stat line, but I thought he really impacted the game on both ends.
The Celtics put together an 11-0 run to take a 74-58 lead with about 3 and a half minutes to go in the game. Gonzalez led the charge, with 7 of the 11 points but their defense also took over.
Then, the Kings scored 11 points in a row as the Celtics looked to put the game away while expanding their point differential.
Milos Uzan had a nice and-1 to put the Celtics up 8 but 2 Kings threes put the Kings back within 2. Uzan had a nice layup to put the Celtics back up 4.
The Celtics won the game 82-76 after John Tonje made a few free throws to seal it.
The Celtics shot 38% from the field and 29% from three while Sacramento shot 32% from the field and 31% from three. Boston’s next game will be Friday or Saturday with opponent and time TBD. It remains to be seen whether or not the Celtics will make the playoffs, but it seems unlikely.
Before the Yankees took the field again for the second half, YES broadcasters Michael Kay and Paul O’Neill fielded some questions about the Bombers from The Post’s Steve Serby.
Q: The state of the Yankees?
Kay: I think they’re grinding, they’re battling, going through a lot of injuries. … I truly believe if they’re 100 percent healthy, they’re by far the best team in the American League. I think the league is really weak this year. I think when the Yankees have [Max] Fried and [Carlos] Rodón to go along with [Cam] Schlittler and [Gerrit] Cole, that’s their best starting rotation. Obviously they need [Aaron] Judge back and if they get [Giancarlo] Stanton back, I think it lengthens the lineup. Now are they gonna get all of them back? That’s anybody’s guess. If they don’t, then it’s a different story.
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O’Neill: Well if you’d have asked me a week ago going into Tampa Bay and the way Tampa Bay was playing, and the way the Yankees were playing, they could have played themselves out of the American League East, but they didn’t. They had a nice little run going up to the All-Star break, and so I think that you’re back on solid ground as far as looking to try to win the American League East.
Q: What would be the Yankees’ biggest concern?
O’Neill: You can nitpick and break everything down, it’s basically consistency. They go through these unbelievable times where they look like a great baseball team, and then all of a sudden they fall off a cliff. It’s kinda baffling at times.
Kay: Not getting Judge back. That’s the key to everything. People go, “Why don’t you have reinforcements?” There’s nobody that can be Judge. Judge is a once-in-a-generation player, so when you take him out of the equation it changes everything and I think you’ve seen that … he’s the most important person on any team in the American League.
Q: What did you think when they decided to run it back this season?
O’Neill: I didn’t have a problem with that because you had Cole coming back, you had Rodón coming back … you had a healthy Aaron Judge and a healthy coming out of spring training (Giancarlo) Stanton, so I thought you had enough pieces. … [Cody] Bellinger’s a complete player, [Trent] Grisham is back in the lineup and really solidifies everything in the outfield. He’s just capable of doing a lot of things that aren’t really seen in the scorecard to help this team. And you had some question marks — is [Jasson] Domínguez gonna be a future player? But Aaron Judge was Aaron Judge, and it all changed obviously with his injury.
Kay: I thought that was somewhat blown up because if anything, they ran it back from Aug. 1 on, I think they made a lot of their changes at the trade deadline. They traded for [Ryan] Weathers, and I knew that they were gonna get back Gerrit Cole who they didn’t have last year. Yeah for the most part they ran it back, but even if they totally ran it back, they won 94 games last year, the same amount as the Blue Jays, so that was the most in the American League, and they just had to play better against the Blue Jays.
YES broadcasters Michael Kay and Paul O’Neill said the Yankees can get to the World Series if Aaron Judge can come back healthy. E.H. Wallop/YES Network
Q: Whenever Judge returns, what are expectations for him?
O’Neill: I don’t know what has happened this day and age, but guys come back off of the IL, it’s not like a two-week play-in. I mean, I’ve seen Stanton do it year after year, come back and be effective immediately. I don’t know if it’s ’cause of the equipment, the machines or whatever, but it seems to be like they get back in the groove much easier. But Aaron Judge is not allowed to do anything upper body-wise. He is so big and strong that it might not hurt him, I don’t know. I just hope that he has a month or so to really get ready before the October games.
Kay: It’s all according to when he comes back. So if he comes back third week in August, middle of August, I think he’s got plenty of time to get himself right and get his swing down and go into the postseason like Aaron Judge. I think every time he steps onto the field, he has the potential to change the game. … He’s won two MVPs in a row, and now, the fact that he’s missed all these games and you see how it’s affected the Yankees, he could be the MVP again this year, without even playing.
Q: What moves might Brian Cashman make at the trade deadline?
Kay: Everything changes if Judge is back or not. If they know he’s coming back, I think they need a right-handed catcher, and I think they need a swing-and-miss arm in the bullpen. I really don’t think they need anything else other than that.
Yankees general manager Brian Cashman likely will try to upgrade the bullpen before the trade deadline, according to Michael Kay and Paul O’Neill. Corey Sipkin for New York Post
O’Neill: I think you’re always looking to upgrade a bullpen. The pitching is gonna be much more leaned on this year with Aaron Judge and Stanton out of the lineup. [David] Bednar’s been great, Tim Hill has had some struggles but I always trusted him ’cause he throws strikes. [Fernando] Cruz is a strikeout pitcher, and when Fried comes back one of the starters will go to the bullpen. I think late innings getting to Bednar is gonna be the one thing if one of the starting pitchers doesn’t fill that role that you’ll probably see something happen.
Q: Thoughts on Ryan Jeffers and Luis Arraez as potential targets.
Kay: Jeffers would be a good fit because he’s also worked with Tanner Swanson, the Yankee catching guru, so it’s not like he’d be coming in cold into the Yankee system. I don’t think the Mets and the Yankees will make a trade, but a guy like Luis Torrens could be somebody that could fit in. People talk about Hunter Goodman, but why would the Rockies trade him? He’s their best player, he’s young, they have control of him for a long time. They’re gonna have to get creative. Tampa Bay needs catching too. Maybe this best hope is that Austin Wells suddenly gets hot.
Q: Arraez?
Kay: He doesn’t fit the perfect Yankee player profile, he’s certainly not a home run hitter, he’s improved defensively a lot. I still think that they believe in Jazz Chisholm. I think with the things that they have to get, Luis Arraez would be lower on the list.
Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers could be a good trade deadline for the Yankees, according to Michael Kay and Paul O’Neill. AP
O’Neill: Jeffers has always been rumored because it seemed like a perfect fit, because he’s a right-handed kid who can hit. [Austin] Wells, coming into the year, nobody expected him to be where he was offensively. Does he have a big second half ahead of him? Arraez has always been a guy … I like average hitters in the lineup, you’re taking strikeouts away where you have so many strikeouts in the game today, if you have a few guys in your lineup that are consistently getting on base, putting the ball in play, I think it breaks up the monotony of hit a home run or strikeout.
Q: The difference this season in Ben Rice.
O’Neill: He’s made some adjustments as far as his stance this year, he kind of opened up a little bit which you don’t have to worry as much getting to the inside pitch. He’s a smart hitter. You just hope that this is a year where you look back and say this guy really became a star.
Q: What is Rice’s ceiling?
Kay: I think he’s such a smart player, he goes up there with a plan, he’s gotten stronger every single year, you can just see by the exit velocity and the balls that come off his bat. If he can have the next five years of hitting in front or hitting behind Judge, I think the sky’s the limit. He could be a perennial All-Star, he could be an MVP, and if he does it for 10 years, you could look at him and say, “Well maybe Cooperstown will call one year.”
Ben Rice hits an RBI single in the first inning of the AL’s win over the NL in the All-Star Game. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Q: Thoughts on Cam Schlittler.
O’Neill: I’ve been kind of blown away with him ever since he got here. What he did in the minor leagues and what he’s become in the major leagues, I look forward to calling the game every time he pitches, his ability to throw hard, to control three different fastballs … he’s an ace. On any given night, you’re looking at double-figure strikeouts. He’s not afraid to throw strikes. That’s what I always appreciate, where guys are challenging hitters, and from Pitch 1, that’s what he does.
Kay: Without injury, I think he could be one of the best pitchers of his generation. He’s smart, he’s tough, he gets angry, he takes any perceived slight and turns it into an advantage for him. Nothing scares him — nothing. The only thing that stops him from being a generational type of ace is an injury.
Q: Come the playoffs, will Cole be stronger, fresher because of the time he missed?
Kay: I think that could be an advantage for him, for Fried and for Rodón. You worry about Schlittler’s innings, because he’s gonna pitch innings he’s never pitched before, but I think Gerrit Cole is still a work in progress. When you come back from that surgery, you don’t really get it right away, but he’s shown flashes of it where he throws 98, 99, so you know the elbow is fine. I think he can be a real factor in the playoffs, and Max Fried, maybe last year he got fatigued, he didn’t even miss a start, this year he’s gonna miss two months, so he’s gonna be really really fresh going into the playoffs, and the same thing with Rodón.
O’Neill: He could be. I think he’ll be sharper. I think that you’ve seen some games and some innings where he’s Gerrit Cole. And you’ve also seen some innings where he misses the location, it’s nothing to do with stuff and velocity. That’s all up since the injury. It’s just being sharp, and I think that every single time he takes the mound, he’s gonna get closer to where he was, and that’s a great thing for the Yankees. When he’s right, he’s as good as anybody in the game, and that’s the kind of pitcher you need in the playoffs.
Gerrit Cole will get stronger and better as the season goes on, according to Michael Kay and Paul O’Neill. Getty Images
Q: This Yankee team is built for the playoffs because of their starting pitching when healthy.
O’Neill: I agree. And especially when Max Fried gets back in there, you’re looking at guys that can be dominant. You’re not looking at guys that need to pitch perfect, low sinkerballers that have to throw complete perfect pitches to get outs. You’re looking at guys that have the type of stuff that can dominate certain lineups. And if you do that in the playoffs, it takes a lot of pressure off your offense because you’re gonna be in the game. But that being said, a pitch here or there, and next thing you know it’s 3-0 and you’re struggling. I think this is the best starting pitching on paper that the Yankees have had since the late ’90s.
Kay: I would say that every team in the American League wouldn’t want to mess with them … People talk about, “Well they should get Tarik Skubal,” or things like that. Obviously you never turn down Tarik Skubal. What a Tarik Skubal does is every single time he takes the mound in the playoffs, you got a legitimate chance to win. I think all four of those guys, the Yankees have a legitimate chance to shut down any lineup when they’re right. I don’t think anybody would want to face the Yankees ’cause there’s no break. They don’t ever have to do a bullpen game, they’ve got four legitimate starters and then if they even had to go five, you choose between [Will] Warren and Weathers.
And then Clarke Schmidt should be coming back maybe toward the end of August. This guy could be a weapon too, if not in the rotation, probably out of the bullpen. So if the Yankees can’t improve themselves at the trade deadline with relief pitchers, some of those starters are gonna go in the bullpen. Weathers has swing-and-miss stuff, Clarke Schmidt has swing-and-miss stuff as well.
Q: What’s happened to Anthony Volpe?
Kay: I really don’t know. He’s actually hitting better average-wise and on-base percentage-wise than he has any of his three years. The power’s not there, and I think one of the things that’s happened honestly, is he’s now in the crosshairs of Yankee fans. It’s strange — a local kid, comes up through the Yankee system, that’s usually the guy they want to see really do well. I think they’ve kind of turned on him. So every time he makes an error, anytime he makes an out, he hears it. I’ve seen them do that with Gary Sánchez as well.
Anthony Volpe’s future with the Yankees is an open question. Robert Sabo for New York Post
Maybe all of that put into the pot has contributed to him struggling a bit. The other thing that’s really happened is that when he was hurt and rehabbing, José Caballero established himself as a plus defender and a guy that can hit and steal bases.
Q: Do the Yankees believe he has a future with them?
Kay: I do. I don’t know if it’s at shortstop. … I don’t think they’ve given up on him by any stretch of the imagination. I hear the way [Aaron] Boone talks about him. Seems like he still has a lot of respect. I think everybody in the room likes him, he works really really hard. They think there’s something there.
O’Neill: I think that he’s kind of changing and evolving into the player that he should be, from where he was, and then he had the injuries. I’m sure he’s frustrated ’cause (José) Caballero looks very comfortable at shortstop and he adds a lot of enthusiasm to the lineup. That’s another thing that’s gonna be kind of played out here in the second half — is Anthony Volpe gonna be the future of the Yankees or is it gonna be another plan? That’s kind of a work in progress if you ask me.
Q: What’s happened with Wells?
O’Neill: I think it’s a confidence thing at this point. I think he’s been able to separate it offensively-defensively ’cause catching he’s been pretty solid. You just never expected to see the type of year he’s had offensively the first half. But it’s amazing how things could even out in a long season, so you’re looking at a guy that has the ability to have a big second half if his mind will allow him to, and that’s only gonna help this offense. You can kind of short-term-goal-it where you become successful again, he can really really help this lineup.
Austin Wells has struggled offensively for much of the Yankees’ season. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Kay: Wow, I don’t know. I don’t think they know. He is really so committed to being a great catcher that sometimes you don’t take the extra batting practice, sometimes your mind is on the game you’re calling, not so much on the four at-bats you’re gonna have. Maybe it’s that. The guy came up as a hitter catcher and then he was gonna struggle defensively. He’s a really good defensive catcher, he does everything well, the pitchers trust the heck out of him, he puts together a good game plan, frames well, does a good job throwing out baserunners. But the offense has kind of disappeared. I don’t know what happened.
Q: Paul Goldschmidt at age 38.
O’Neill: Unbelievably solid. I think that he’s had a lot of roles on this team as far as coming into the season with really just a backup job to becoming a huge part of the offense and shouldering a lot of it too because he’s swung the bat well. Veteran leadership — he fills a lot of holes on this team and it’s allowed Rice to DH a lot and that’ll help him in the long haul.
Kay: What he did early, he kept this team afloat. I know one thing — they love him in that room.
Q: George Lombard Jr.?
O’Neill: It’s always exciting to hear about big prospects. Do they take off from their first dip in the major leagues or is it a process of a year or two? Teams need energy from young players. I don’t think that you have a great team with all veterans. And you don’t have a great team with all young people ’cause you really need a mix. The youth has the energy, the veterans have the leadership and the knowledge, and if you mix that together, then I think you have a really really good team. So I always look forward to when a young guy’s called up if he can add some spark to a lineup.
George Lombard Jr. is widely considered the Yankees’ top prospect right now, but it’s unknown if he will join the big club this season. Arthur Mansavage for New York Post
Kay: I don’t know if they want to risk Lombard coming up, because I think he’s defensive ready right now, the question is offensive ready.
Q: Jazz Chisholm Jr.?
O’Neill: Truthfully in my opinion, Jazz can really really be the wild card for this team. He has so much talent for what he can do on the field. If you could just keep him directed to what you’re able to do, and that’s hit home runs, that’s steal bases, that’s play defense. But every once in a while you get caught up in these other things going on — whose pants you have on, what bats you’re swinging. He has a lot of talent if it’s directed in the right way. The Yankees’ challenge is to let him know how important his presence is in playing every single out of every single game, how important it is to this team.
Q: How critical is Caballero?
O’Neill: I just like his emotion, his intensity. He rubs people the wrong way from other sides and that’s usually a good thing because it means that you’re engaged and you’re in the game. He and [Amed] Rosario to me add some intensity to the game, and I like that. I don’t think that you have everybody on the team that are wired the same. Some guys are even keel, some guys are emotional, some guys just take it as it comes. He’s a daring runner, he looks solid at shortstop and he puts together good at-bats in big situations.
Paul O’Neill says he likes the energy and fire José Caballero brings to the Yankees. AP
Q: This team has more speed than previous Yankees teams.
Kay: Yeah, they lead the American League in stolen bases. They’re built to be a home run team, but they can steal bases, they can create runs, they can put pressure on the defense. I don’t think they’ve had that much going into the postseason in recent years. When their bench is their bench, it matches up with any bench in baseball. When Caballero’s on base, he disrupts everything! EVERYTHING. When Chisholm’s on base, he disrupts the pitcher, and if you can get the pitcher to take a little of the attention away from the batter, that could lead to the home run that you’re looking for.
Q: David Bednar?
Kay: He’s got the guts, he’s got the courage, he doesn’t scare easily, and most importantly, he has stuff.
Q: [Brent] Headrick in the bullpen?
O’Neill: There’s certain guys that are kinda surprises year after year, I would definitely say that he is. He’s been solid against righties and lefties.
Q: Max Schuemann?
O’Neill: You’re not scared when a ball’s hit to him no matter where he is. The way the game is now you’re always trying to find somebody to play a position they’re not comfortable playing and he does a good job of that.
Q: Who can be an X-factor?
Kay: I think it could be [Ryan] McMahon. He’s hitting a lot better. He can run into one and hit a home run in a big spot, and the fact that he’s so good defensively, he tightens things up. A Max Fried start, you need a great third baseman, and he is a great defensive third baseman. You don’t need McMahon to do anything more than he ever did in Colorado.
Q: Other than Judge, who would you nominate as The Warrior on this Yankee team?
O’Neil: This team in my mind is gonna win with pitching, so I would probably say Schlittler, Cole, Fried … any of these starting pitchers that can absolutely dominate throughout the playoffs.
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Kay: I would say the guy that would run through a wall to win a game would be Cody Bellinger. He’s as good a left fielder as there is in baseball. He’s a plus-plus defender. When he’s right offensively, he hits lefties, he gets big hits, he’s an All-Star, he’s a tough, gritty player. To me, he approximates O’Neill as much as anybody.
Q: Is there any psychological component for the Yankees against the Dodgers this weekend?
Kay: I think it’s something for the fans, you like to test yourself out against the best, although the Dodgers are kinda banged up right now and they just got swept over the weekend. The important series this weekend is Tampa Bay against Boston.
O’Neill: I don’t think a weekend series in July tells you how you’re gonna play a team in the World Series. Everybody looks at that World Series where the Dodgers on paper look like they beat up the Yankees but the Yankees had a couple of games that they could’ve coulda won and it could’ve been a seven-game series. I never feel that the Yankees are truly overmatched by anyone. I would assume that the media will turn it up to be a big, big series, but Aaron Judge is not a part of it, Stanton’s not a part of it. Ohtani, who knows? He might not even be a part of it, won’t be pitching probably. It’s gonna be a different scenario if you meet them again in October.
Q: The pressure on Aaron Boone to win a championship.
O’Neill: Well I think that he understands that that goes along with New York with the Yankee logo, with the big city and the number of championships that have come before him. I don’t think he shies away from that. He does an unbelievable job at trying to protect his players as far as what he says about ’em, what the organization portrays about ’em, what the media … I think that he has everybody on a same page as far as they respect him as a manager.
I just always remember Joe Torre saying “I’m loyal to my players” until it comes down to winning playoff games and winning World Series games, and I think that there is a point where you gotta make tough decisions and put yourself in a position to win a huge playoff game rather than try not to hurt somebody’s feelings.
Q: Does Boone need to win a World Series to keep his job?
Kay: I don’t think he has to win it. I just think that Boone does the job that the organization wants him to do. He’s a great front face for the organization, he explains the decisions well, I think he handles the media well, and the players love him, would run through a wall for him. I know that Judge is a huge fan of Boone. I think something catastrophic would have to happen for them to not bring him back. I know Cashman and Hal Steinbrenner really like the job he’s doing.
Q: What would you tell these Yankees about the Canyon of Heroes?
O’Neill: It’s really hard to explain unless you go through it. You can’t tell me that anybody that was on those teams, late ’90s into 2000, it didn’t change our lives. And still to this day, people are celebrating that time every 10-year, 20-year, 30-year reunion (laughs), it goes farther and farther away, but people have the memories of it. And believe me, I still remember almost every single play and every single pitch. It’s something that comes along with winning in New York.
Q: Are you expecting the Yankees to win the AL East or get to the World Series?
O’Neill: This last week has really put them back on even ground as far as winning the East. I think this team’s gonna get better. Aaron Judge is the gigantic question mark on when and where. Stanton … the injuries that you could fill in on this team IF healthy, if they are who they’re supposed to be on the back of their card, this team could go as far as it wants.
Q: Can this team win a World Series?
Kay: I think this team can win a World Series if they’re healthy. And the most important bit of health, is the health that belongs to Aaron Judge. If he can come back the last week of August and give you 15 home runs before the end of the season, that would be an unbelievable boost to this team. When you ask me, “Could they win a World Series?” If they get all their injured players back, they most certainly can, and if they don’t get Judge back, it would be very difficult.
The All-Star Game is over and the true second half of the MLB season begins Thursday night, when the Mets visit the Phillies in a stand-alone game on ESPN in a matchup that probably seemed bigger when it was scheduled. Here’s a look at some of the top storylines the rest of the way as teams battle to get to October:
Judge-ment Day in the Bronx
Perhaps no development will be bigger in the second half than the status of Aaron Judge.
Out since June with a fractured right rib, Judge was expected to get imaging of the injury during the All-Star break, with the Yankees hoping it showed enough healing in the area for him to start working out.
There’s still no timeline for Judge’s return, other than general manager Brian Cashman saying: “The time frame that it would take to heal should allow him to be back with us this season.”
Aaron Judge, center, celebrates a Ben Rice two-run homer. AP Photo/Jason Behnken
That uncertainty could doom the Yankees.
They entered the break atop the AL wild-card race, but they talked extensively this spring about the importance of not just making the postseason, but of winning the AL East.
They came up a game short last season and then lost to the Blue Jays in the ALDS.
Their best chance of getting past the first-place Rays, who have a three-game lead on the Yankees (four in the loss column), is to get Judge back in the lineup.
They’ve proven to be as good as any team in the American League with him and simply mediocre without their superstar.
Three years ago, the Yankees missed the playoffs when Judge was affected by the torn ligament in his toe, and their lineup has mostly gone in the tank without him this time around, although they did sweep Washington heading into the break.
Getting Judge back isn’t the only thing the Yankees are waiting on, as they will try to upgrade the catching position and bullpen before the Aug. 3 trade deadline.
Besides that, there’s the George Lombard Jr. watch, which figures to move into high gear in the coming weeks, as the team’s top prospect comes back from a hand injury. The Yankees clearly need help at shortstop, where José Caballero and Anthony Volpe have underwhelmed.
Trade deadline
The Aug. 3 trade deadline is the next major date on the schedule and Tarik Skubal will be at the center of it — unless the Tigers, who played better heading into the break, opt against moving him and instead make a run at the postseason.
Back and healthy following elbow surgery, Skubal would be far and away the top trade target if Detroit decides to trade him.
He’s a free agent at the end of the season. While the Yankees and Dodgers appear to be long shots to acquire the left-hander, they can’t be ruled out. The Cubs, Braves and Rays are among the teams that could make a play for the Cy Young Award winner.
Whoever lands him will change their potential postseason fortunes immediately.
Skubal won’t be the only big-name player to keep an eye on, as Sonny Gray could go if the resurgent Red Sox don’t decide to keep him.
There’s also closer Mason Miller with the inconsistent Padres, as well as the top contact hitter of his generation, Luis Arraez, excelling again on a bad team with the Giants.
And that success has come even with high-priced free agent signing Kyle Tucker having a subpar season, Tyler Glasnow (back) appearing in just seven games and Blake Snell (elbow) only one. Both pitchers are expected back at some point next month, making a fearsome rotation even tougher.
Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani (17) throws during the fourth inning against the San Diego Padres. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
And they’ve also been without Edwin Díaz (elbow), who is expected to return.
Then there’s the status of Shohei Ohtani, who has been dealing with left knee irritation and didn’t participate in the All-Star Game in Philadelphia.
He had fluid drained from the knee before the break and manager Dave Roberts said he is expected to be the DH when the Dodgers open a series against the Yankees in The Bronx on Friday.
Who are these guys?
While teams like the Dodgers and Rangers were expected to be near or at the top of their divisions, you could be forgiven if you had to look twice to make sense of the standings at the break.
The Twins and Guardians, both seemingly playing for the future, are right in the mix for the postseason.
The other question: Are any of these AL teams really that good?
The competition has been underwhelming, with the majority of the best teams residing in the National League.
Still, there are surprises there, as well, as the Marlins enter the second half in a wild-card spot, with the Cardinals and Pirates right on their heels.
Meanwhile, teams like the Giants, Diamondbacks and Padres — and especially the Mets — have been colossal disappointments.
Can the upstarts in both leagues continue their strong performances all the way to the playoffs?
Much will depend on how some of them handle the trade deadline.
As Minnesota’s Joe Ryan said, he wants to remain with the Twins and give the front office a reason to not sell at the deadline, as they did a year ago.
Twins pitcher Joe Ryan (41) pitches during the fourth inning for the All-Star Game. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Many of his contemporaries agree, and their play over the next two-plus weeks could determine how their organizations handle those decisions.
How bad will it get in Queens?
The Mets were the laughingstock of the sport in the first half, as even the most skeptical of observers couldn’t have predicted how badly their offseason makeover would go. It’s already cost Carlos Mendoza his job in the dugout, even though he was one of the least responsible for the disaster.
Despite Juan Soto saying this week he expects “a turnaround” this season at Citi Field, it’s just about inconceivable that will happen.
More likely is a sell-off of a few bullpen arms, like A.J. Minter and perhaps Luke Weaver. As things figure to get worse before they get better, all eyes will be on Stearns to see how he steers the team forward while key offseason acquisitions like Jorge Polanco, Luis Robert Jr. and Devin Williams continue to struggle with health, production — or both.
Mets right fielder Juan Soto (22) reacts as he takes his at bat in the first inning against the Washington Nationals. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
Manager carousel
Alex Cora and Rob Thomson had excellent résumés and plenty of respect around the league, but both were fired when the Red Sox and Phillies, respectively, got off to poor starts. The moves made waves in both cities, but unlike with the Mets — who were already too far gone when Andy Green replaced Mendoza in the dugout — Boston and Philadelphia have both responded well to the changes.
In Boston, first-year manager Chad Tracy has the Red Sox back in the hunt, as they took a nine-game winning streak into the break and Don Mattingly, in his third stop, has the Phillies firmly in the wild-card mix, thanks in no small part to the return of Zack Wheeler.
Award season
Milwaukee’s Jacob Misiorowski is having one of the best seasons on the mound in recent memory — not just with his results, but also his record-setting velocity. If that continues, the 24-year-old will run away with the NL Cy Young, but he didn’t pitch in the All-Star Game due to arm fatigue. If that remains an issue, it could open the door for someone like Philadelphia’s Cristopher Sánchez.
In the American League, Judge has been unstoppable unless injuries get in the way. Since that’s happened again, Houston’s Yordan Alvarez is currently the favorite, with Tampa Bay’s Junior Caminero trailing.
Eric Samulski
