Captain says promotion would bring ‘the most happiness’
He visited largest shareholder Daniel Křetínský in Prague
Jarrod Bowen has said he intends to remain with West Ham after the club’s relegation to the Championship. The forward has attracted interest from Premier League teams but has spelled out his desire to stay after a summer during which he travelled to Prague for talks with the largest shareholder, Daniel Křetínský.
“I feel like we’re moving in the right direction as a club,” Bowen told West Ham’s media channels. “There’s a lot of thinking time over the summer and a lot of things that go in your head. But I look in years and years to come of when I retire, what’s going to bring me the most happiness. For me now that’s getting this club back into the Premier League.”
India has reportedly decided to move on from Rohit Sharma as part of its preparations for the 2027 World Cup, with the BCCI informing the veteran opener he no longer features in the nation’s long-term plans.
The two teams locked in a battle for fourth place in the National League West will renew their rivalry early and late next season. That battle might come down to the bitter end as the San Francisco Giants close the 2027 season with a three-game series at Coors Field.
The 2027 schedule is out and the Giants will open at home against the Rockies on March 25*. They'll also finish their season against the Rockies, but at Coors Field.
The season will kick off early, on Thursday, March 25 in San Francisco, before the teams take a well-earned rest day on Friday before continuing the series. The Giants start the season with six games against NL West opponents, then don’t see a division rival for five more weeks, when they travel to UNIQLO Field to face a Los Angeles Dodgers team that will probably have added Robbie Ray, Tarik Skubal, Luis Arraez, and LeBron James in free agency.
They won’t play the San Diego Padres until May 24, to start one of their two 10-game homestands of the season. The second 10-game stretch at Oracle Park will follow the All-Star Break, starting with the A’s, ending with the Padres, and stuffed with a whopping four-game helping of Rockies in the middle. September has a nine-game homestand and jsut two six-game road trips,
Do you like June Swoons? The Giants are set up for one of those next season, with trips to San Diego, Arizona, Philadelphia, and Toronto, and visits from the Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, Tampa Bay Rays, and the New York Mets, who have to be better next season, right?
The reward for making it through the June gauntlet is a 10-game road trip leading into the break, including a stretch of 16 games in 16 days. It could be brutal for the pitching staff, with a four-game series in the launching pad of Arizona’s ballpark followed by three games at the moon base of Coors Field, which is an even better hitters’ park
But things ease up as the season progresses. August begins with the Dodgers, Cubs, Milwaukee Brewers, and Dodgers again, but then the Giants get six games with the Miami Marlins, three each with the Washington Nationals, Boston Red Sox, and the A’s. September has a nine-game homestand and just two six-game road trips, each featuring a strange geographic double: St. Louis-San Diego and Minneapolis-Denver.
After the All-Star Break, the Giants have 34 home games to 30 road games, with 67% of their matchups taking place in California. It’s hard to predict exactly which games will be tough one year out, but it feels safe to say that the Dodgers and Brewers will continue to be difficult opponents, and the Giants play both in separate six-game stretches in early May and early August.
What’s going to be the easiest ticket to buy? The Wednesday, September 1 home game against the Cleveland Guardians, likely to be an afternoon contest. If you really want to catch a foul ball, circle this game on your calendar.
Is it a tough schedule? At a glance, the Giants seem to have easier American League opponents at home and a tougher inter-league road schedule, while the season may vacillate wildly from brutal stretches to easier ones. Generally, this a tougher schedule in the hot parts of summer but starts and ends fairly gently. This team could rack up a lot of wins early, assuming they have a bullpen and not a bunch of weird zealots who don’t believe in evolution or throwing strikes to the leadoff man. And they’re generally less sucky.
But if they don’t get off to a good start, it might be a long, long summer. Specifically from June 14-July 11, hoo boy.
In his unrehearsed speech, he discussed the importance of sports and how they got him to where he is today. He also took a personal moment in which he spoke on his gratitude for the University of Southern California medical staff that saved his son.
James' eldest son, Bronny, attended USC during the 2023-24 season. James' son suffered a sudden cardiac arrest during a summer basketball workout at USC on July 24, 2023.
Bronny was diagnosed with a functionally significant congenital heart defect.
"Shout out my oldest son Bronny. ... We just had the story obviously with Damar (Hamlin), you know, those guys come up here, talk about cardiac arrest and how important that is. Our son went through something like that a few years ago at USC," the 41-year-old James said. "And obviously, if it wasn't for the coaching staff and the medical team and everybody at USC being there in a timely fashion, we'd possibly be sitting here without our son, our oldest son. So thank you to everybody and all the efforts when it comes to cardiac arrest."
LeBron James closes out the Time 100 gala after being named the magazine’s athlete of the century with off-the-cuff remarks, including personal remarks about how the USC basketball staff’s instincts may have saved his son Bronny’s life pic.twitter.com/lRd3XVsRBi
Bronny made a full recovery and played his freshman year with the Trojans, albeit in limited minutes. He went on to become the 55th overall selection in the 2024 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Lakers, with Bronny and LeBron James then becoming the first father-son duo to share an NBA court.
"Guys, take that serious. If you got kids in elementary, you got kids in middle school, kids in high school, colleges. Make sure they have these devices available where you can get them, practice them. It's very important, super, super important. Obviously, we know how important it is to our family, so we're a big advocate of that," LeBron James said.
Although the elder James will no longer play for the Lakers, his firstborn will remain in LA after his contract with the Lakers became fully guaranteed for $2.3 million on June 30. The 21-year-old has a contract that will pay him this year, with a team option to keep him until his deal expires in 2028.
In the 2025-26 campaign, his second NBA season, Bronny James averaged 2.9 points, 1.2 assists, 0.5 steals in 8.9 minutes per game. He shot 40.9% from the field, 38.6% on 3-point field goals and 85.7% from the free throw line.
Former professional cyclist Rohan Dennis faces a jail sentence after admitting he drove while disqualified over the events leading up to the death of his Olympian wife, Melissa Hoskins.
A judge had previously warned the former Olympian he would be jailed if he drove while banned.
Apr 4, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Capitals left wing Connor McMichael (24) celebrates after scoring a goal against the Buffalo Sabres during the first period at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Connor McMichael has signed a six-year, $40.5 million contract with the St. Louis Blues.
General manager Alex Steen, who took over the job from Doug Armstrong on July 1, announced the deal Thursday. McMichael will count $6.75 million against the salary cap through the 2031-32 NHL season.
McMichael joined the team as part of the return from the Washington Capitals in the Jordan Kyrou trade last month. St. Louis also got a first-round pick and prospect Milton Gastrin.
This long-term contract more than triples McMichael’s salary after he made $2.1 million each of the past two seasons.
The 25-year-old forward is coming off setting a career high with 32 assists and also scoring 14 goals in 78 games with the Capitals. He has 162 points in 333 regular season and playoff games since making his debut in the league in 2021 after getting taken with the 25th pick in the 2019 draft.
Even if the news doesn't come as a surprise, the Pittsburgh Penguins officially terminated the longest-standing ECHL affiliation in the NHL.
On Thursday, the Penguins announced that they ended their 29-year affiliation with the Wheeling Nailers and subsequently named the Florida Everblades as their new ECHL squad. The news comes a few weeks after the Penguins sale to the Hoffmann Family of Companies became official, when they publicly shared their intention to switch the affiliation to their already-owned franchise in the Everblades.
The Nailers are now without an NHL parent club, while the Everblades were not affiliated with an NHL team at the time of the switch.
The Pittsburgh Penguins announce end to long and successful ECHL affiliation agreement with the Wheeling Nailers. pic.twitter.com/i4QigXbJWO
Wheeling first became the affiliate of the Penguins in 1996, and since then, it helped develop multiple NHL players as well as several top prospects, including goaltender Sergei Murashov, defenseman Finn Harding, and forwards Avery Hayes and Atley Calvert currently. Pittsburgh has long-considered its ECHL affiliate to be a developmental league, and that has only become more true under the current front office regime under president of hockey operations and general manager Kyle Dubas.
But, despite the developmental angle, Wheeling's proximity to Pittsburgh and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (the organization's AHL affiliate), and the relatively small but cult following Wheeling has, the Hoffmann family made it clear from the jump that Florida was always the endgame.
The Everblades have been a highly successful ECHL franchise in recent years, as they have won four of the past five Kelly Cup championships, including the 2026 title over the Kansas City Mavericks. They have won more Kelly Cup Championships than any team in ECHL history with five.
Any player in the Penguins' organization signed to an NHL or an AHL contract can now be assigned to the ECHL affiliate in Florida, if eligible as far as contract terms. Any player signed to ECHL agreements will remain with their current club, meaning any ECHL-signed Penguins' prospect will remain in Wheeling.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 16: Allen Graves #22 of the Toronto Raptors handles the ball during the game against the Miami Heat on July 16, 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
While they were hoping for a playoff spot, the Summer League Toronto Raptors’ 99-90 victory over the Miami heat tonight won’t clinch them a top-four spot. Sharing a 3-1 record with a number of other teams, the final seeding came down to point differential, which doesn’t fall in the Raptors’ favour. The narrow margin of their previous wins and their victory tonight just won’t cut it.
While disappointing, Summer League isn’t over yet, and Toronto will play their final “consolation” game on Saturday, July 18 at a time that is to be determined.
Allen Graves continues to thrill as he led Toronto with 23-6-4. Seth Lundy also had a strong performance with 19-3-6 and is showing potential to find himself a contract somewhere. Bittle (13), Burnett (10), and Key (11) also scored in double figures. Everyone who checked in made a contribution to the stat sheet.
Toronto was the first on the board in the first quarter and both teams went blow for blow for the 10-minute frame. Nathan Bittle opened up the scoring in the game with a long range shot. He showed his ability to make decisions when being run off the line with an excellent start to the game. His rebounding and size continue to be his greatest assets and probably the things that will earn him a spot on the roster this year.
Without many stoppages, starters began to get winded with the pace of the game and timely substitutions brought back a little bit of the energy. Jamarion Sharp’s size helped create some highlight play as the frame expired:
In the second, Toronto was able to scratch back and build their own lead, with Seth Lundy making some more great shots we’ve become accustomed to. He stayed hot throughout the frame, knocking down shots with every opportunity he got.
Allen Graves also started connecting from long range after struggling in the first frame from that distance. His court vision is the greatest thing that doesn’t stand out on a stat sheet. Reading who’s open and delivering great passes continue to demonstrate how he will fit in Toronto’s system. This was on full display throughout the entire first half as well
Toronto built a significant cushion by the midway point of the second frame, finding the bottom of the basket on almost everything, spending much of the quarter perfect from the floor. Going to the locker room, they boasted a 10 point lead.
Miami made adjustments though, and started to fight back early on. Unlike the second, Toronto couldn’t convert anything in the first two minutes, giving up a 12-0 run for the Heat. Seth Lundy spearheading Toronto’s first points of the frame.
The Raptors were able to stop the bleeding due to his shooting and scoring. Miami continued to charge back led by the tandem of Young and Tre White. Toronto had most of their leading scorers pulled from the floor at this point, once again resorting to a back and forth scoring stalemate. Tyreke Key tried to contribute, but struggled more in this matchup than his last couple games. A couple of incomplete putbacks were the lowlight from this quarter, but in the final minutes Toronto was able to pull back ahead.
In the final frame, they were able to organize. The uncertainty and pressure to create as large a lead as possible seemed to set in. They finally built it to 10, but poor decision making and turning the ball over quickly made it disappear. This quarter was messy, with everyone making little plays that helped. The urgency wasn’t present for Toronto in the fading minutes of the match and some meandering play meant the game closed with only a nine point lead, a mere five points short of qualifying for the semifinal game.
Philadelphia Flyers center Trevor Zegras (46) and New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer (48) battle for the puck.
Trevor Zegras is getting rewarded for a career season.
Zegras inked a four-year deal to stay in Philadelphia, the team announced Wednesday.
The 25-year-old center, who spent the first five years of his career with the Ducks before getting traded to the Philadelphia last offseason, will earn $36.5 million ($9.125 million average annual value) to become the Flyers’ highest-paid player.
The center was a restricted free agent who had filed for arbitration, which can now be avoided.
Philadelphia Flyers center Trevor Zegras looks on. AP Photo/Chris Szagola
“We’re thrilled to have Trevor committed to our organization for the next four years,” Flyers 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. He’s the type of player who can help take our team to the next level, and we’re excited to continue building alongside him.”
Zegras, the ninth pick in the 2019 draft, scored 67 goals and tallied 119 assists in five years with the Ducks before joining the Flyers.
In his first season with Philly, he scored a career-high 26 goals while adding 41 assists, which was one shy of his career best set in 2022-23.
In eight playoff games, Zegras notched two goals with four assists.
In addition to locking up their core after an overachieving season, Briere has focused on retaining veterans, as he’s signed goalie Dan Vladar and right wing Tyson Foerster to extensions this offseason.
Philadelphia Flyers center Trevor Zegras (46) and New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer (48) battle for the puck. Noah K. Murray for NY Post
But Anaheim matched it and made him the league’s highest-paid center at $18 million AAV.
The Flyers are coming off a resurgent 2025-26 season in which they made the playoffs for the first time since 2020 and won a first-round series against the rival Penguins.
On Thursday, the Vegas Golden Knights released the schedule for the 2026-27 regular season, which will have 84 games after a shortened preseason. The regular season begins on September 29th at home against the Chicago Blackhawks and ends on April 10th at home against the Los Angeles Kings.
Every game is important in its own right, but certain ones certainly stand out for their narratives and entertainment value. So, without further ado, here are the five biggest matchups for the Golden Knights during the 2026-27 regular season.
December 21st @ Carolina Hurricanes
Every year, as soon as the NHL releases the regular season schedule, neutral fans scramble to circle the rematch of the most recent Stanley Cup Final. After a truly dominant run to the Stanley Cup Final, the Golden Knights exited the postseason with a whimper on the back of a 22-save shutout from Hurricanes goaltender Brandon Bussi. They’re desperate to get the taste of defeat out of their mouths, and this is the first chance to do so.
While winning the rematch won’t fully erase the sting of defeat, it might be critical to do so to set the tone for the new season. There’s no question that the Golden Knights will give this game everything they’ve got, and the Hurricanes will as well.
January 2nd vs Colorado Avalanche
While the Stanley Cup Final rematch promises emotional fireworks, it’s possible that the Western Conference Final rematch could threaten to steal the spotlight in terms of entertainment. And how could it not, after what the Golden Knights did to the Avalanche during those six days in late May? Make no mistake, the Golden Knights thoroughly embarrassed the Avalanche, and their opponent will likely be out for blood.
The Avalanche are a high-flying offensive team, and after getting shut down for four straight games, they’ll be chomping at the bit to prove it. And, hey, Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar are always worth the price of admission. This has the potential to be one of the best matchups of the season.
February 15th vs Detroit Red Wings
The Golden Knights will host several return games during the 2026-27 regular season, but two will stand out from the rest in terms of emotional impact. The first return game will be for Keegan Kolesar, a fan favorite known for his physicality, who was traded to the Red Wings at the start of the offseason.
Kolesar embraced the Las Vegas community, and they embraced him right back. He’s sure to get a warm welcome from the fans in T-Mobile Arena ahead of what will be an emotional game.
February 19th @ Dallas Stars
Few things are more compelling than an outdoor hockey game. The actual hockey itself is often quite sloppy because of the weather conditions, but we love these outdoor games anyway because of the spectacle they offer. The two teams walk out in themed outfits, there’s usually a musical entertainer, and nothing makes athletes happier than an opportunity to take the game back to the way they played it as kids.
On February 19th, the Golden Knights will play their second outdoor game— and first Stadium Series game— in franchise history against the Dallas Stars at AT&T Stadium. They already used the Elvis outfit back at the 2024 Winter Classic against the Seattle Kraken, so it’s anybody’s guess what they’ll walk out in this year.
March 13th vs New York Rangers
The second and final return game of the season features a rare home-grown talent: Pavel Dorofeyev. Vegas selected Dorofeyev in the third round of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, and he developed into a dangerous scoring winger. But all good things come to an end– because they couldn’t afford his looming payday, the Golden Knights traded the pending Restricted Free Agent to the New York Rangers during the 2026 NHL Entry Draft.
Because they prioritize staying in win-now mode, the Golden Knights haven’t made many draft picks and have hit on very few of them. Dorofeyev was perhaps their greatest success story, as he led the team in goals for the past two seasons. Hockey is a business, and there are no hard feelings between the two parties, but the two-time 35-goal scorer’s return game is sure to include some fireworks.
Last time on the mound, Mets starter Christian Scott threw five scoreless innings in a win over the Kansas City Royals, but interim manager Andy Green wanted to see more from the 27-year-old despite the results.
Scott said he didn't have his best stuff, and Green challenged him to "get better" and reach "another level" that he believes is there in the right-hander.
Thursday night in Philadelphia, Scott answered that challenge.
He threw 5.2 scoreless innings in a 4-1 win over the Phillies, allowing just three hits and striking out seven. After the win, Scott explained how Green's comments motivated him for this next start.
"Yeah, I love when he challenges me," Scott said. "I don't want to hear how good I did; I want to hear what I need to improve on. It's easy to come in here and say I did a great job when me and him both know I didn't really pitch up to my capabilities that day, even though the results showed that. Sometimes the results kind of lie.
"I thought it was a good kick in the ass, little bit. Being able to light that fire under me. I needed that for that day. You know, especially coming off his ear, I know I can pitch better; that was a good time for him to bring that up."
Green was proud of how Scott responded with "outstanding effort" on Thursday, and noted that he would've kept Scott in the game longer if this wasn't their first game back from the All-Star break.
"I thought his mix was really good. His fastball was alive early, he was beating really good hitters with it," Green said. "I think second time through he mixed really well, got to the cutter and the sweeper a little bit more. Outstanding effort from him.
"I think I challenged him last game to really end innings and not let them drag on, and he did a phenomenal job of that. Any other day, he's probably going to be asked to run through the middle of the order again, but with a day off tomorrow coming off the All-Star break, we're about as fresh in the bullpen as we could be. Having Brooks [Raley] available in there to get the couple of lefties was great."
Scott threw his fastball 27 times against the Phillies, topping out at 97.7 mph, and got four strikeouts with the pitch. Overall, he threw 79 pitches for a total of 56 strikes, and like Green noticed, said everything was working well on the mound.
"I thought I did a good job attacking the strike zone early," Scott said. "Just stayed on the attack pretty much the whole game, all my pitches were working in the strike zone today. Thought I did a good job getting ahead, just getting through at-bats pretty quickly today."
Looking ahead, Scott hopes to be able to pitch deeper into the sixth, seventh, and eighth innings, but acknowledges it's "part of the learning process." For now, he's happy with putting the Mets in a position to win the game.
"Just giving the team a chance to win, honestly, that was the biggest part of that I took from today," Scott said. "I thought the offense did a good job battling and then finally getting to the bullpen and putting some runs together. Yeah, I just keep my team in it for the most part, that's what my job is, so feel like I did a good job of that."
The Mets started their second half of the 2026 season Thursday against the Phillies in less-than-ideal conditions.
Baseball teams are used to rain, heat and even the occasional snow, but the wildfires in Canada have produced conditions in the northeast that are tough to play in. Large swaths of smoke have covered the New York City and Philadelphia areas, bringing with them poor air quality and increased heat. That's why MLB pushed up Thursday's series opener an hour to avoid the harsher conditions later in the evening.
And, as it turns out, it was the right move.
"I didn’t think it was bad until the last couple of innings. Eyes itching, burning a little bit," Brett Baty said of the conditions after the game. "[Carson] Benge said it felt like you were sitting at a campfire, just close to a campfire, which was pretty good. It's fun, but it didn't feel great playing ball with it, though."
"At the end of the game, it was a little bit more difficult, especially catching," Francisco Alvarez said through an interpreter. "It became more difficult to see at the end."
But issues seeing the ball could be seen throughout the game. Fielders had trouble picking up flyballs, and even Mets interim manager Andy Green couldn't see some of them from the dugout. But while Green didn't believe the conditions affected play, he could tell it was teetering a bit at the end.
"It felt like it could have [affected the game] at any moment, especially as visibility got tougher," Green said. "Guys managed to see baseballs that I couldn’t when they went up in the air as pop-ups. Good thing we have good athletes on the field that can see things. Don’t think it ultimately did, from my perspective."
What the smoke did affect was how long Mets starter Christian Scott felt on the mound.
The young right-hander was breezing through five innings when Kyle Schwarber hit a two-out double -- that nearly was a home run -- that chased Scott. Scott finished his night throwing just 79 pitches through 5.2 innings.
"Not gonna lie, towards the end of it, it was a little thick. I felt like I was breathing some metal in there," Scott said. "At the end of the day, a little spoonful of adversity never hurt anybody. Part of the game. It was fun playing out there, the stadium was packed, good atmosphere. Yea, it was fun."
The Mets have an off day Friday before they're back at it on Saturday afternoon. And while the smoke from the wildfires is hopefully out of the area by then, the weather forecast shows the Mets could be dealing with thunderstorms in the area.
Whatever the weather brings, the Mets will face it head-on.
"In the last week, we've had a game pushed back and a game pushed up, that's fairly unique," Green said. "You just have to roll with it."
Christian Scott was asked about his thoughts on the air quality in Philadelphia tonight
"Not gonna lie, towards the end of it, it was a little thick. I felt like I was breathing some metal in there. A little spoonful of adversity never hurt anybody" pic.twitter.com/PKhJEJwKQL
Juan Soto left the New York Mets' game against the Philadelphia Phillies in the eighth inning on Thursday, July 16 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.
Mets interim manager Andy Green spoke to the media after the game, which New York won 4-1, to explain what happened to the five-time All-Star. He said Soto "had a little bit of left calf soreness."
Green noted that Soto played in the All-Star Game earlier this week and "came through a lot of activity the last few days."
"It made sense just to get him off his feet," Green said, adding, "I think we're in a spot where he felt he could keep going, but it didn't make sense."
The Mets are off on Friday, July 17 and the interim manager expects Soto to finish the series against the Phillies this weekend.
Soto had one hit, a single, on the night, and was walked three times.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 16: Cameron Boozer #27 of the Memphis Grizzlies handles the ball during the game against the Atlanta Hawks during the 2026 NBA Summer League game on July 16, 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 2025 NBAE (Photo by David Becker/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Summer League Hawks had a matchup on Thursday evening against the Memphis Grizzlies that could have some huge implications. Coming into the game, the Hawks were undefeated at 3-0, while the Grizzlies were 2-1. If the Hawks won, they would automatically clinch a spot in the Summer League tournament, and even if they lost, they’d still have a chance, but it would have to be a point-differential situation.
The Hawks didn’t have Kingston Flemings, Zuby Ejiofor and Asa Newell, while Jacob Toppin (not with team), RayJ Dennis (Achilles) and Keshon Gilbert (adductor) were also out with injuries.
Starting 🖐️ for Game 4️⃣ in Vegas:
Isaiah Wong Isaac McKneely Kobe Johnson Devon Higgs Henri Veesaar
As for the Grizzlies, all of their players were active, which included No. 3 pick Cameron Boozer.
It’s obvious that the Hawks didn’t have their top players in this one because the first quarter was probably one of the worst ones in Summer League History. The Hawks started out the game shooting 0-6 from the field with eight turnovers, and the Grizzlies got out to an 18-0 run.
Grizzlies are playing like a team that is playing their good players, and the Hawks are playing like a team that rested their good players.
The Hawks didn’t score their first point until three minutes left in the first, and going into the second, they trailed the Grizzlies 32-2.
The good news for the Hawks is that things could only get better in the second quarter, and they did. The Grizzlies were still hot to start the quarter, but the Hawks settled in a little bit on both sides of the ball. It was the defense that stuck out the most, and Kobe Johnson had some good reps on Boozer to slow him down a little.
The Hawks went on a 9-0 run late in the quarter and cut their deficit down to as much as 23 points, but the Grizzlies got back into a groove to extend their lead again. Going into halftime, the Hawks trailed 51-22.
It was another rough start to a quarter for the Hawks, as the Grizzlies extended their lead in the third, getting whatever they wanted in the paint, while also knocking down shots from the perimeter. Throughout the game, the Hawks also lost one of their guards, as Isaac McKneely was ruled out with a right shoulder injury.
Going into the fourth, the Hawks trailed 76-42.
At this point, the Hawks were just trying to get their deficit down to less than 16 points so they could have a chance of making it to the playoffs. Unfortunately, the Grizzlies were able to maintain their large lead, and the Hawks couldn’t do much to cut into it.
Isaiah Wong finished the game with 20 points, and Zeke Mayo finished with 10 points.
The Hawks will be back in action on Saturday for their consolation game.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - MAY 13: Lance McCullers Jr. #43 of the Houston Astros walks to the dugout during the fifth inning against the Seattle Mariners at Daikin Park on May 13, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Milwaukee Brewers are, for better or worse, a hard team to predict when it comes to trades and the trade deadline. President of Baseball Operations Matt Arnold can get very creative at times with his deals and pull some names that almost no one was expecting.
Enter Lance McCullers Jr. and Colton Gordon.
McCullers is currently on the injured list. Gordon is a depth rotation arm still trying to find his footing in the major leagues.
Typically, buying teams — like the Brewers — target players who are established, playing well, and healthy at the deadline. Neither of these players checks all three of those boxes.
So why did the Brewers do this?
The Brewers boast the best farm system in all of baseball, so they have the prospects to go out and get any player they want. Why get someone who doesn’t check all the boxes, let alone two players who don’t?
Quite simply, the Brewers are prospect huggers. They didn’t get the best farm system in baseball by trading their prospects away; they prefer to keep them whenever possible. So if there’s a way to work a deal where they don’t have to give up a ton of prospect capital, they’ll explore that route.
As soon as I saw this trade being reported, it instantly reminded me of last year’s Shelby Miller/Jordan Montgomery trade. The Brewers wanted Miller to fortify the bullpen but didn’t want to give up any prospect capital. So they took on a salary dump in Montgomery, who was injured, to help Arizona clear some money and make them happy enough that they didn’t need a prospect in return.
In this deal, the real target for the Brewers seems to be the young left-hander Gordon. He has an option year remaining and five years of team control. That team control is of great value to the Brewers, even with their enviable pitching depth. But he’s also healthy, and he has an intriguing pitch mix and delivery that the Brewers have had success in developing before.
Gordon throws in the low-to-mid 90s with his fastball, but also possesses a high-spin slider and curveball. The Brewers and the pitching lab love high spin rates.
McCullers is the name that grabs the attention, though. McCullers, had he been acquired five years ago, would’ve been a massive get. But injuries have derailed his career, and he has not been the same since. The Brewers, in all likelihood, are hoping to get him to help eat up innings while Brandon Woodruff is on the shelf, and maybe they can make some tweaks to help him be effective enough while doing it.
The Brewers have seen their starting pitching depth take some recent hits. Woodruff recently went on the 60-day IL, Kyle Harrison was placed on the IL with forearm tightness last weekend, and Jacob Misiorowski, who has carried a heavy workload as the ace, got pushed from his last start due to fatigue and is getting extra rest coming out of the All-Star break. The team needs help to get this rotation through the final stretch. Keep in mind this is still Misiorowski’s first full season in the majors.
So the Brewers needed rotation depth and quickly. With this deal, they acquired two arms who have the ability to fill that depth and bridge the gap the rest of the way. And all it took to acquire them was taking on a little bit of cash and giving up Jadyn Fielder. Fielder holds sentimental value as the son of Brewers legend Prince Fielder. But as a prospect, he’s essentially been a DH-only in Low-A; he’s hitting .233 without a ton of pop, just three homers on the year. Fielder draws a lot of walks, yes, but it is Low-A; the pitchers will have better command as he moves up in the minors.
To get two pitchers who could potentially shore up your rotation depth in the near future, that’s a deal you make every time if you’re Matt Arnold. McCullers is on the verge of returning from a rehab assignment. That does give me pause and flashbacks to 2022 when the Brewers traded for an injured Trevor Rosenthal — who was allegedly close to returning from an injury and then got hurt and never pitched again — and gave up future All-Star Tristan Peters. But McCullers is at least already making rehab starts and could join the rotation as soon as the Mets series, potentially.
While some teams may trade away several of their top prospects to get starting pitching depth at the trade deadline, the Brewers were able to acquire two starters, with profiles they have a strong history of working well with, all for the price of a prospect that wasn’t even sniffing their top 50 list in the organization.
Is there extra risk with that? Absolutely. The likelihood that McCullers or Gordon will perform as well as someone like Tarik Skubal down the stretch is pretty slim. However, there’s also no guarantee someone like Skubal will get you to a World Series anyway.
The Brewers saw last year how quickly rotation depth can be depleted heading into the playoffs. They know how important it is to have it if they’re going to get past the Dodgers. Adding two more arms will help ensure as much as possible that they have enough depth for it. Now the question becomes, how much more will they acquire before the deadline is up?
