Jul 1, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics catcher Jonah Heim (15) rounds the bases after hitting a one run home run during the second inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images | Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images
The Dodgers opted for a bullpen game on Wednesday, and the decision backfired as the A’s took the finale by a final score of 7-1, snapping the Dodgers’ four-game winning streak.
The Dodgers had no problem scoring early against the A’s over the first two games, and it appeared that way again as the Dodgers loaded the bases against J.T. Ginn in the top of the first inning. Tommy Edman, fresh off a four-hit, four RBI game, couldn’t come through as the Dodgers left them loaded.
While Ginn faced six hitters and tossed 29 pitches in the first inning, Jack Dreyer had a much easier time over his lone inning of work, striking out the side in a perfect bottom of the first.
Miguel Rojas tried to kickstart something in the top of the second with a single against Ginn. Chuckie Robinson popped up a bunt attempt for the second out, and Shohei Ohtani grounded out right to Nick Kurtz. The A’s needed one pitch from Charlie Barnes to take the lead, as Jonah Heim clobbered a 444 foot home run to make it a 1-0 lead.
Freddie Freeman ensured that the deficit was short-lived, as he socked a home run to right field to tie the game at 1. The Dodgers would put two more on base in the top of the third, but couldn’t add to the lead, giving the team six runners left on base over the first three innings.
The Athletics quickly rallied against Barnes to begin the bottom of the fourth inning, as Heim worked a leadoff walk before Joshua Kuroda-Grauer’s double put both men in scoring position. A groundout from Lawrence Butler gave the A’s the lead, and Henry Bolte brought the lead to two runs on a single up the middle.
The A’s continued to tee off on Barnes as Shea Langeliers led off the bottom of the fifth inning with his 20th home run of the season, becoming the first American League catcher to reach the 20 home run plateau this season. Nick Kurtz promptly followed with a base hit to right, and Colby Thomas continued his torrid stretch against the Dodgers with an RBI double. Heim tallied his second RBI of the game to give the A’s a three-run inning and a five-run lead.
All the Dodgers could muster against Ginn after the third inning was a walk to Kyle Tucker, giving him three on the game, as the right-hander faced the minimum over his final three innings of work. The Dodgers wouldn’t get another hit until a Max Muncy double against Luis Medina with two outs in the top of the eighth inning. Tucker would add another free pass following the Muncy double, marking the first time he walked four times in a single game.
The A’s tacked on another run against Barnes as Alika Williams drilled a home run in the bottom of the eighth inning to extend the lead to six.
Mookie Betts was a late scratch on Wednesday, and Miguel Rojas was given a second consecutive start. Rojas was the only hitter in the starting lineup with multiple hits.
Game particulars
Home runs— Jonah Heim (8), Shea Langeliers (20), Alika Williams (2); Freddie Freeman (14)
The Dodgers return back home as they begin a four-game series with the San Diego Padres beginning Thursday (7:10 p.m. PT, SportsNet LA). Roki Sasaki faces Randy Vásquez.
The newly promoted players are settling in for the San Diego Padres’ minor league affiliates. Lake Elsinore is adapting to the loss of multiple high-output offensive players and one of their two best pitchers. They still managed to win two games in their six-game series.
After electing free agency after being designated for assignment by the Friars, Nick Solak re-signed a minor league deal with the Padres, returning to El Paso on June 26.
The Fort Wayne TinCaps should benefit from an infusion of offensive talent; they split their series this past week after working the new players into the lineup. Newly promoted starter Winyer Chourio picked up where he left off with the Storm.
Catcher Ethan Salas, who has been on the injured list this past week with a minor oblique strain, was activated and should play soon.
Salas and Fort Wayne’s lefty starter, Kash Mayfield, were both named to the All-Star Futures Game on the Sunday of All-Star weekend (July 12).
El Paso Chihuahuas (36-45 record, 4th in PCL East)
Infielder Pablo Reyes, 32, took the lead offensively while Nick Solak was gone from the team. With Solak returning, he has the top qualifying batting average at .321 and a .493 slug. Reyes leads in OBP with .408. Centerfielder Carlos Rodriguez leads the team with 45 RBI.
Rehabbing pitcher Germán Márquez made four starts for El Paso, with the most recent on June 17. He went five innings and has only appeared twice since then, both in relief. In those 2.1 innings he has struggled. Overall, he has 17.2 innings pitched with a 3.57 ERA. He ends his rehab stint on Friday and must be activated back onto the Padres roster or designated for assignment.
Reliever Andrew Moore, who the Padres acquired at the last trade deadline for Connor Joe, has appeared in two games for El Paso since his promotion from San Antonio. He has 3.2 innings pitched without allowing a run.
San Antonio Missions (33-42 record, 5th in Texas League South)
The Missions quickly had a new player lead them offensively with the promotion of outfielder Jake Cunningham. In his first six games, Cunningham is hitting .346/.370/.692 with a double, a triple, two homers, and five RBI. Undoubtedly, the league will adjust and these numbers will drop but it is highly encouraging that the former Baltimore Orioles prospect is getting off to a fast start.
Catcher Ethan Salas has cooled somewhat over the past month and just returned from an injury but is hitting .277/.347/.427 with 17 extra-base hits (seven homers) and 33 RBI. Outfielder Tirso Ornelas leads the team with 11 home runs and 34 RBI.
Starter Jhony Brito has four starts for 18.1 innings pitched and a 1.96 ERA. The organization looks to be slow-playing his buildup back to the rotation. Lefty starter Jagger Haynes has had multiple effective starts in June and has improved his ERA to 4.24 after a shaky start to the season. He has 72 strikeouts to 34 walks in 80.2 innings pitched.
Newly arrived reliever Tucker Musgrove has 2.2 innings with no runs allowed. Reliever Josh Mallitz also struggled to begin the season but has become a higher-leverage arm for the Missions. He carries a 4.94 ERA.
Fort Wayne TinCaps (33-43 record, 4th in Midwest League East)
Outfielder Alex McCoy has had to make multiple adjustments over the first half of the season after the league has learned to exploit his offensive weaknesses. He has had some slumps that show the pitchers finding the holes in his swing. Each time, he has adjusted and started hitting again for the TinCaps. McCoy currently is second in batting average at .269 and leads in slug at .496. He has 12 homers and 41 RBI, both leading the team.
Outfielder Kasen Wells leads with a .419 OBP with 38 walks to 57 strikeouts. Wells does not feature power and is mostly a singles hitter with a .287 batting average.
Lefty starter Kash Mayfield, just named to the Futures Game with Ethan Salas, has a 3.22 ERA in 44.2 innings in his 12 starts. He will be limited in his innings pitched as he only threw 60.2 innings last season. Starter Abraham Parra has had some clunkers in his 54.2 innings pitched with a 5.93 ERA, but leads the team with 54 strikeouts. Mayfield has 53 strikeouts.
New arrival Ryan Och has eight appearances and 11.2 innings in relief with a 0.77 ERA.
Lake Elsinore Storm (41-34 record, 1st in California League South)
Catcher Alcides Hernandez, a Venezuelan signed out of the international class in 2023, is 21 years old and began the season in the ACL. He now leads with a .313 average in his seven games with the team.
Outfielder George Bilecki, drafted in the 12th round of the 2025 draft, has a .372 OBP despite only hitting .212. Newly promoted infielder Dawson Willis has played in 12 games for the Storm after his promotion from the ACL and is hitting .295/.347/.500 with three doubles, two homers, and 11 RBI.
Right-handed starter Jesus Castro, who just turned 19, has a 3.52 ERA in 13 games started and 53.2 innings pitched. He leads the team with 61 strikeouts to 20 walks. With the promotion of Winyer Chourio to Fort Wayne, Castro inherits the top spot in the rotation.
Reliever Javier Chacon was promoted to Fort Wayne, and the TinCaps will need to have their relief corps step up after losing two of their best pitchers.
ACL Padres (24-19 record, 3rd in West)
Outfielder Eddson Martinez, who came from the DSL Gold team a week ago, is hitting .333/.500/.500 in his six games. Infielder Luis De Leon leads the team with a .297 average. Catcher Jhohan Downer has a .430 OBP with 22 walks and 20 hits in 30 games.
The pitching for the ACL team has struggled to limit runs. Their offense has led to their victories. Righty Cameron Nohos has six starts in his 10 appearances and 29.2 innings pitched. He has a 7.28 ERA with 50 strikeouts to 18 walks. Command and consistency are routinely an issue with pitchers at this level and Nohos is no exception, but he shows potential.
DSL Padres Gold and Brown
The Gold team continues to dominate with a 17-4 record, easily topping the Northwest Division. The pitching features many arms with good stuff but high ERA’s. The offense has multiple hitters sitting over .300 with shortstop Joniel Hernandez having a .329/.433/.506 line with 24 RBI. Two players lead with 3 homers and the team features doubles as their dominant extra-base hits.
The Brown team has a 5-15 record, last in the West Division. Both offense and pitching have had issues overall, with minimal power in the lineup (two home runs for the team).
Infielder Endy Rios has a .333 average and 13 RBI, both tops on the team.
The pitchers, both starters and relievers, have limited innings and reliever Gensy Aquino has a 3.38 ERA in 5.1 innings. Starter Yojansky Perez has a 3.68 ERA in 14.2 innings to lead the team.
DENVER, CO - JULY 1: Mickey Moniak #22 of the Colorado Rockies hits a single in the third inning against the Miami Marlins at Coors Field on July 1, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Sometimes it takes persistence when fishing after a couple of days of disappointment. The Colorado Rockies found plenty to be happy about as they routed the Miami Marlins 6-3. The win snaps an eight-game losing streak for the Rockies and now puts them in position to aim for a series split on Thursday.
Freeland goes fishin’
For the first time since April 7, Kyle Freeland has earned a win.
Looking to be a stopper against the Marlins, Freeland came through on his end for another solid outing. Historically good against Miami in his career, Freeland was able to combat the contact-oriented offense of the Fish for five innings.
From the get-go, it was clear Freeland had good command of his pitches and was spinning them well. His first time through the order, he collected four strikeouts while allowing just one hit and one walk. The knuckle-curve proved to be his best pitch once again, as it generated 55% of his 13 whiffs on the night.
The Marlins got on the board in the fourth inning after Liam Hicks singled and Heriberto Hernández doubled to put runners on second and third with one out. Javier Sanoja then connected on a sinker that was left over the plate for a two-run triple that put Miami up 2-1 at the time. Freeland bounced back quickly, stranding Sanoja on third by striking out Kyle Stowers and getting Leo Jiménez to line out.
Freeland then worked around a pair of one-out singles in the fifth inning thanks to another strikeout and groundout. His night was over after throwing 85 pitches, having allowed just two runs on six hits with seven strikeouts and just one walk.
Mickey, you blow my mind
The talk of the offense for the night was the performance of Mickey Moniak. Still shaking off some bad habits after returning from the injured list, Moniak had a home run on Tuesday night and got right back to work tonight. In his first at-bat of the game, Moniak blasted a 96 mph fastball over the plate to center field for his 14th home run of the season to give the Rockies a 1-0 lead.
In the third inning, Moniak then lined a ball into right field for a two-out double, but he got stranded at second base. His next at-bat came in the fifth inning, where he delivered a two-out two-run triple to give the Rockies a 3-2 lead.
Unfortunately, Moniak was unable to get the single he needed for the cycle when he stepped up to the plate in the seventh inning, as he ended up flying out to left field in foul territory. He ended the night 3-for-4 with three RBI.
Fifth inning rally
Facing the formidable Max Meyer for Miami, the Rockies ended up scoring six runs, tying a season-high for him. After Moniak’s home run in the first, the Rockies were silenced until the bottom of the fifth inning.
Troy Johnston led off the inning with a single, followed by a hard-hit ball from Kyle Karros that was deemed an error as it deflected off of Sanoja at second base. Ezequiel Tovar then dropped a bunt, which resulted in a throw to third base. Johnston was initially called safe, which would have loaded the bases, but a replay challenge by Miami overturned it for the first out. Jake McCarthy then grounded out to first base for the second out, putting runners on first and second, setting the stage for Moniak’s triple.
Hunter Goodman then joined in on the fun with a two-run home run to left field to put the Rockies up 5-2. It was his 27th of the year, tying Larry Walker for the most home runs before the All-Star break in franchise history. It also had a 45-degree launch angle, which is tied for the second-highest in franchise history during the Statcast era.
Meyer’s night ended after the sixth inning, having given up just one earned run, while allowing six hits and striking out five while walking none. He was efficient with eight groundouts and generated 13 whiffs, thanks largely in part to his sweeper. It was the first loss for Meyer as he was 9-0 entering the game.
Tacking on for Karros
The Rockies weren’t able to do much else against the Marlins’ bullpen, but Karros led off the seventh inning with a towering home run to center field to extend the Rockies’ lead 6-3.
Karros ended the night 1-for-3 with two runs scored and has continued the success he found in June. The Rockies as a whole had seven hits, including three home runs, while striking out just six times. They didn’t manage to draw a walk and went 2-for-6 with runners in scoring position.
The pen holds the line
After Freeland left the game, Juan Mejia fired two solid innings, Jimmy Herget a quick eighth, and Brennan Bernardino locked down the save in the ninth.
Mejia had the most eventful night as he worked two innings. He allowed the only hit of the night from the bullpen in the seventh inning. Pinch-hitter Joe Mack hit an inside-the-park home run on a ball that deflected off the center field wall for their third run of the game. Fortunately, Mejia bounced back nicely to keep things stable and move the line for the pen.
The pitching staff ended up allowing just two walks as a whole while striking out 11 Marlins hitters.
Up next
The Rockies and Marlins close out the four-game set at 1:10 pm MDT tomorrow. Michael Lorenzen (3-9, 6.83 ERA) will take the hill for the Rockies while the Marlins have yet to announce a starter.
Fullback has been in good form ahead of Nations Championship
James Slipper out of retirement as replacement loosehead prop
Jock Campbell will start at fullback in his first Test since late 2022 when Australia take on Ireland in their first Nations Championship Test on Saturday.
Campbell played the last of his four Tests in Australia’s first ever loss to Italy in Florence in 2022, but had an impressive season in Super Rugby.
CLEVELAND, OH - JULY 01: Winston Santos #47 of the Texas Rangers pitches during the game between the Texas Rangers and the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on Wednesday, July 1, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Sean Finucane/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Guardians 9, Rangers 4
All good things must come to an end.
The six game winning streak was a good thing, but it is no more.
It was fun while it lasted though, no?
A 7-3 road trip. No one can complain about that, right?
Well, actually, they probably can.
People will complain about anything.
Probably even this post-game thoughts post.
Ultimately teams have to lose, of course.
Teams don’t keep winning forever.
So you get a game like this, sometimes closer, sometimes more of a blowout.
MacKenzie Gore gave up five runs in the second inning. That’s a novel change from giving up runs in the first inning.
He didn’t give up any other runs in his five innings of work.
Maybe we could call a mulligan on that inning.
Winston Santos made his major league debut, finally. Hopefully he will have many more innings with the Rangers.
Corey Seager going on the injured list put a damper on things before the game started. That puts a monkey in the wrench, as John McClain said.
Everything seems just very slightly out of focus right now. Seager and Wyatt Langford on the injured list, Brandon Nimmo being out, guys like Ezequiel Duran getting three hits and Elias Diaz hitting home runs.
Like the fumbling about around .500 and still being a contender because of the motleyness of the American League and the injuries and the collection of not guys you’d expect to be playing or carrying heavy playing responsibilities and the like all combining to smudge the reality of the season.
Things slightly askew. A river that runs uphill. The dog that didn’t bark.
It is back to Arlington on Thursday. Back to life, back to reality…
MacKenzie Gore hit 97.1 mph with his fastball, averaging 95.5 mph. Cole Winn reached 96.4 mph with his fastball. Winston Santos’s fastball touched 98.6 mph.
Elias Diaz had a 105.8 mph home run. Ezequiel Duran had a 103.4 mph single.
Kessler is White, as are the Lakers' backcourt duo, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
The lineup triggered jokes of "Snowtime," a reference to "Showtime" when the fast-paced Lakers were led by Black stars such as Magic Johnson and Kareem Adbul-Jabbar.
But the Lakers' new projected starting lineup also fueled strong opinions, such as the one shared by ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, regarding the team's makeup in a league that is more than 70% Black.
"The Los Angeles Lakers think they going with a bunch of White dudes," he said on the Stephen A. Smith Show Wednesday, July 1. "Your three top players are White dudes? Really? This ain't golf. This ain't baseball. Hell, it ain't even soccer. What y'all think this is? Basketball. …
"You ain't going anywhere being led by three White dudes in today's generation of basketball."
3 WHITE DUDES?! The Lakers Really Think THIS Can Win a Championship?
Kenyon Martin, a former No. 1 NBA draft pick who played in the league from 2000 to 2015, also chimed in on how the Lakers will fare with three White players in the starting lineup.
"Y'all lose in the first round (of the playoffs) either way it goes," Martin said on the Gilbert Arenas sport talk show, Gil’s Arena. "You play four White boys, you ain't gonna beat nobody … I want to know what team has been successful with that many on one roster."
On July 1, the Lakers also signed power forward and center Sandro Mamukelashvili, according to ESPN. Depending on on what the Lakers do with Rui Hachimura and other free agents, Mamukelashvili could emerge as a potential fourth White player in the starting lineup.
Two White NBA Finals MVPs in past 40 years
Debate over the role of race in NBA success has often led to tensions in a league that is drastically different than the overall U.S. population, which identifies as 57% White, according to Census estimates.
Nikola Jokic, the Denver Nuggets' White, Serbian center, won back-to-back NBA MVPs in 2021 and 2022 and was named NBA Finals MVP in 2023, a year when he finished second to Philadelphia 76ers Center Joel Embiid in MVP voting.
Since the turn of the century, Jokic, Steve Nash (2005, 2006) and Dirk Nowitzki (2007) are White players to be named league MVP. Larry Bird (1984-86) was the last White NBA MVP prior to Nash.
Jokic and Nowitzki (2011) are the only White players to be named NBA Finals MVP since Bird won the award in 1984 and 1986.
For its part, the NBA has leaned into issues of social justice and cultural inclusion, a fact that Commissioner Adam Silver addressed in a 2016 interview. "I do feel a particular obligation to focus on the African-American community in that we have a league that is roughly 75 percent African-American," Silver told Andscape. "And I feel part of the obligation comes from the history of this league that I've inherited."
Talk of race, Lakers roster talk triggers backlash
On X, Smith came under attack for allegations of racism.
Wrote one commenter, "Now, if a white journalist said the EXACT same thing about BLACK players, Stephen A Smith would accuse the journalist of racial bias. When do we stop with the identity politics?"
Another commenter wrote, "Skin color don’t win championships, skill does. Stephen A. race-baiting again. Garbage take."
Wrote yet another, "Mr Smith, your race card is showing."
Martin’s comments led to some pushback from Rashad McCants, a former NBA player and co-host on Arenas' show who pointed to the Utah Jazz teams that in the 2000s had a starting lineup featuring two White players, Andrei Kirlenko and Mehmet Okur, with Matt Harping, another key contributor, coming off the bench. Those teams went to the Western Conference Finals once and a the Western Conference semifinals twice.
But more people cited the Boston Celtics, who won the 1986 NBA title. The team's starting lineup included three White players: Larry Bird, Danny Ainge and Kevin McHale.
Jun 25, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) watches the action from the dugout against the Houston Astros in the seventh inning at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images | Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images
I think it’s time to chat again about Eric Hartman. The Braves’ now top prospect completed a 20 HR, 30 SB season on July 1st, through 71 games of his season. He was also ranked the 25th prospect in all of baseball by Baseball America and it’s getting easier every day to see him in the top 10 by the offseason. This is simply a hugely valuable prospect coming from a 20th round pick just two years ago and the back end of the organizational top 30 as recently as March. While he’s only at high-A (probably not for long) and still has work to do on his game, he has rapidly become a potential superstar on the position-player side for an organization that desperately needed talent on that hitting side and has got it this year from not only Hartman.
ATLANTA, GA - JULY 01: Ozzie Albies #1 of the Atlanta Braves celebrates hitting a solo home run in the third inning during the game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Truist Park on July 1, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Jack Casey/Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Hello, July. Hello, elusive win No. 50. Hello and safe travels to Mexico, English World Cup fan contingent. Braves Country, there was a lot to like about tonight’s 5-1 victory against the St. Louis Cardinals.
But first, the wink heard ‘round the world.
The offense would eventually come alive late after being pretty dormant (again), but for seven whole innings, the Braves’ lead was courtesy of Ozzie Albies. Ozzie is more than worthy of being this year’s starting second baseman for the NL at the All-Star game. Our petit sparkplug deserves the world.
Ozzie was doing it all himself versus starter Michael McGreevy, starting with an RBI double in the first to drive in Drake Baldwin. We don’t talk about what else happened there because Ozzie then made up for it with a go-ahead solo homer in the third inning to make it 2-1 Braves.
And thus the score would stay for the majority of the game.
This was a sorely needed outing for Reynaldo López. He was fired up as he left the mound for the final time tonight, and rightfully so. Giving us a sense of deja vu, he had yet another shaky first inning. He gave up a ground rule double to Iván Herrera, who would come home to score on a Jordan Walker single. But he held the Cardinals to those two hits in his five innings of work. The only other baserunner allowed was JJ Wetherholt, who worked a walk in the top of the third. The velocity returned, the locations were better, and he ended the night with six strikeouts. It was a beautiful glimpse of the Reynaldo we’ve been missing.
And thankfully, we can appreciate the outing all the more since they didn’t succumb to the temptation of having him go back out for the sixth after throwing 69 pitches. The call to the bullpen was to bring in the D’s: Didier Fuentes was sandwiched between our two lefty Dylans, and all three threw perfect innings to preserve the slim one-run lead.
Michael McGreevy got Chris Sale’d by his offense: pitching a quality start, but being charged with the loss. He departed after six innings of two-run ball and was followed by Max Rajcic, who worked around two walks to keep the score 2-1. But reliever Justin Bruihl was not so lucky. Facing the top of the order, he walked Drake Baldwin and Ozzie reached on a fielding error by Blaze Jordan. Matt Olson’s flyout allowed Baldwin to advance to third. Michael Harris II then came through with an RBI single for a much-needed insurance run.
Gordon Graceffo came in to get the remaining two outs and immediately allowed an inherited run to score as Mauricio Dubón hit a sacrifice bunt sans the sacrifice. Cue the Ozzie wink.
Dominic Smith wanted in on the action and singled to right, but Jordan Walker made an unbelievable throw to cut down Harris II at the plate. This allowed Dubie to get to third.
Friends, rejoice. Your eyes do not deceive you – that’s is Austin Riley at the plate in the highlight below. And he does hit an RBI single to make it 5-1 Braves.
While it was no longer a save situation in the ninth, he was up, so Raisel Iglesias jogged out and promptly slammed the door. Braves, and I cannot emphasize this enough, win.
Maybe the problem really was June… only time will tell. In addition to a month-opening victory, López’s great start and the bullpen usage here means they were able to stay away from Hurston Waldrep, who could make the start in tomorrow’s rubber match / series finale. But that’s a tomorrow problem. For tonight, just enjoy this win. We really needed it.
Sometimes, we build something up in our mind for weeks or months or years, and then the moment comes, and it's over in a flash. The Lakers' summer of 2026 felt like that.
Before Luka Doncic fell into their laps and gave a direction to a roster retooling, the Lakers were pointing to the summer of 2026. That was when their books would be clean, they would have some draft picks to trade and they could take a big swing. The summer of 2026 was when the Lakers would reshape the roster for the future.
Then everything happened in a span of an hour on Wednesday — a blockbuster trade, a rapid succession of free agent signings — and with that, the Lakers have pushed all their chips into the middle of the table, going all-in on what happened in that hour. This is their core.
The foundation for that magical hour was laid in two steps. First, the Lakers re-signed secondary shot creator, fan favorite and Doncic's friend Austin Reaves to a four-year, $184.8 million extension. That was more than the Lakers had hoped to spend, but Detroit was lurking with a max offer, so to keep Reaves that was the price.
The second step was finalized Tuesday when LeBron James made official something that had felt like it was coming since before Christmas — he would not be returning to the Lakers. The exit of someone who brought the Lakers back to relevance and earned them banner No. 17is underappreciated by too many of the team's fans, but it also was time — and the Lakers needed the cap space his exit created.
Then, in the span of 45 minutes, the Lakers changed everything.
Walker Kessler
First, the Lakers traded for Walker Kessler, the 24-year-old, 7'2" center that everyone around the league expected the Jazz would hold on to long-term. However, the lure of essentially four first-round picks — two unprotected first-round picks (2031, 2033) and two first-round pick swaps (2028 and 2030) — was too much for Utah to pass up.
Kessler is exactly the kind of force at the rim that the Lakers need on both ends of the court. Most importantly, Kessler is a high-level shot blocker — and the Lakers are going to need that with Doncic and Reaves out on the perimeter. Kessler has averaged 2.4 blocked shots per game over his career, and he is one of the few centers who will block shots with either hand.
— Role Player Performances (@BenchHighlights) June 30, 2026
He is also a big body who sets a good pick, rolls hard to the rim, and knows how to finish. Consider how good Luka Doncic has made players like Daniel Gafford and Deandre Ayton look at points, and now imagine how that looks for a high-level finisher like Kessler.
Kessler is someone the Lakers fans can truly rally around after spending years trying to talk themselves into Deandre Ayton or Christian Wood or whoever the Lakers rolled out at the five.
Mamukelashvili, Grimes, Sexton
While the basketball world was still reeling from the Kessler trade, Lakers GM Rob Pelinka sprang into action and signed three free agents: Sandro Mamukelashvili, Quentin Grimes and Collin Sexton.
• Mamukelashvili is a 6'9" power forward who shot 38.9% from 3-point range last season. He spaces the floor and is coming off a quality season in Toronto, where he earned Sixth Man of the Year votes. (It wouldn't be surprising if he ends up a starter.)
• Quentin Grimes brings the kind of two-way, defense on the perimeter play — and grit — the Lakers need. And he is ready to come to Los Angeles.
• Collin Sexton is a bucket getter, and that matters. The Lakers were 29th in the NBA in bench scoring last season, 29.3 points per game, and Sexton will step that up.
Lakers all in
This is the Lakers' core.
The Lakers emptied the treasure chest to buy this team — they have nothing left. The only draft picks they can trade are a 2032 first-round swap and a 2033 second-rounder. That's it.
They are about to get expensive, too. There won't be a ton of flexibility.
Doncic has proven he can lead a team to the NBA Finals. Reaves and Kessler are now part of the core but have yet to truly be tested in the playoffs. This is a nice group of role players, but can JJ Redick bring them all together?
There are a lot of questions, but the Lakers have done what they promised in 2026 — they have taken a home run swing. Now we'll see if they connect.
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - JULY 01: Junior Caminero #13 of the Tampa Bay Rays celebrates his two-run home run against the Kansas City Royals in the first inning at Kauffman Stadium on July 01, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s the middle game of a three-game series in Kansas City, with the Rays looking to secure the series win after last night’s 10-4 win over the Royals. Shane McClanahan takes the mound tonight against Seth Lugo, who allowed seven runs to the Rays last week inside of Tropicana Field.
Jonathan Aranda singled with one out in the top of the first to put a runner on for the scorching hot Junior Caminero, who is on a five-game home run streak coming into tonight’s game. On the first pitch he saw, he extended that streak to six games, sending a ball 425 feet over the left field wall and giving the Rays an early 2-0 lead.
McClanahan took the mound in the bottom of the first and struck out leadoff hitter Lane Thomas to start the inning. He worked a scoreless first, and did so again in the second, allowing a leadoff single but striking out Carter Jensen and getting a double play to end the inning.
The game was fairly quiet through the middle frames, with McClanahan not allowing a run through five innings, and Lugo, despite allowing seven hits, recovering to keep the Rays off the board after the Caminero home run. In the top of the sixth however, Cedric Mullins got the eighth hit off Lugo, launching a solo home run over the right field wall to extend the lead to 3-0.
McClanahan worked a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the sixth, throwing only his 69th pitch of the game after six frames. Matt Strahm was brought in for the Royals to replace Lugo, who allowed three runs on nine hits over six innings of work.
Shane’s day was also done after six innings of work, with Cole Sulser being brought in to replace the lefty. McClanahan allowed only three hits and struck out four, bouncing back in a big way from a loss against the Royals last week. Sulser allowed a leadoff single, but kept the score at zero with a groundout and two strikeouts to end the seventh.
Garrett Cleavinger entered in the bottom of the eighth, and was a little shaky, allowing a walk and a single, so Kevin Kelly was brought in to get out of the inning and did just that.
In the bottom of the ninth, Kelly stayed in, and he allowed a leadoff single to Jac Caglianone, but worked a double play and flyout to end this one for the Rays.
Two home runs provided the four runs on the board, and the Rays take the series in Kansas City with a sweep opportunity tomorrow. Stephen Kolek will get the start for the Royals against a Rays pitcher to be determined, first pitch set for 7:40 pm.
What were you expecting? I was expecting a pitchers’ duel, and so were you, probably. Paul Skenes vs. Zack Wheeler, a heavyweight bout. I had a whole plan for this recap: take each inning like a round of a prize fight, load it up with boxing references. You can see the beginnings of that below. But I had to abandon the idea quickly because Skenes got TKO’d in the second. So it goes.
In round one, Wheeler and Skenes were evenly matched, each getting one strikeout, and each allowing one base runner via walk and no other damage. It almost wasn’t so: Brandon Marsh took a pitch deep to center, but Bucco centerfielder Jake Mangum, befitting his team’s nickname, robbed him.
Wheeler blinked first, with Nick Gonzalez sending a grounder through the right side of the infield for the game’s first hit. But he nimbly dealt with the rest of the Pittsburghs, and Gonzalez stayed where he was until it was time to trudge back to the dugout for his glove. Skenes plunked Alec Bohm, then allowed a single to Bryson Stott. Round two thus went to Wheeler, and before Skenes even recorded an out. Adding insult to injury, J.T. Realmuto proceeded to force Skenes to throw 10 pitches in his at bat before striking out on a low changeup. Skenes loaded the bases on a walk of Gabriel Rincones Jr. aided by a missed call in the upper outside corner that should’ve been strike three. Justin Crawford chopped one to third base, and Gonzalez tossed it home for what ought to have been an easy out. But his errant throw struck Bohm on the hand and scooted away, scoring two. Rattled, perhaps, Skenes tossed a sweeper that Trea Turner was able to get all of. It sailed into left field; fireworks before it even got dark. 5-0, a joy to Phillies fans, and a disappointment to anyone hoping for a proper pitchers’ duel .
Had that bottom of the second not happened, Wheeler’s surrendering of a solo shot to nine-hole hitter Henry Davis would’ve been a disappointment, and Turner’s bobbling of a grounder as he charged for it would’ve been heartburn-inducing, even more so after said bobbled grounder became Pittsburgh number two. But in light of that triumphant five-spot, they seemed less bothersome than usual.
And even less so after Brandon Marsh, on a heater that made the temperatures in Philadelphia look positively arctic, knocked a pitch into the right field seats in the bottom third. And it would get worse for young Skenes. In the fourth he allowed a pair of base hits to Rincones Jr. and Turner, and then with two outs induced an opposite-field line drive ball from Harper. A few inches more and it would’ve been the end of the inning. Instead, it slipped right under the glove of Tyler Callahan and scooted away as two more Phillies scooted home and scored.
The Pirates plated another with a a trio of consecutive two-out singles in the fifth; Wheeler’s night ended. It wasn’t his best night, but the fact that one can say that about a night where tossed 10 Ks says a great deal about him. Kyle Backhus came in to get the final out of the frame. Two consecutive HBP loaded the bases and scored one, respectively; the inning came to an end with a backwards K of the next batter.
Skenes’ day was over after the fifth, and thus both teams were into their bullpens. There was some traffic on the base paths for both clubs in the sixth, but no more runs.
The same was not true of the seventh. Seth Johnson walked two and allowed a double to Jared Triolo, bringing the Phillies’ once mighty lead down to two. Orion Kerkering was tasked with cleaning things up, and did. He was aided in that mission by Bohm, who got the final out of the inning on a beautiful diving catch.
But he was not content to merely assist in keeping the lead. Instead, he chose to expand it, sending a ball into the verdant batter’s eye in the eighth to give the Phillies their ninth and tenth runs. And it was thus that Jhoan Duran came in with a four-run lead to defend. He did. What were you expecting?
The Phillies are 49-38. They’ll conclude the series against the Pirates tomorrow at 12:35.
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - JULY 01: Junior Caminero #13 of the Tampa Bay Rays celebrates his two-run home run against the Kansas City Royals in the first inning at Kauffman Stadium on July 01, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Junior Caminero is really good at hitting home runs. At the moment he does it every night. Seth Lugo got a strikeout to start the game before Jonathan Aranda singled in front of Caminero. Junior then smashed the first pitch deep to left and gone to get Tampa Bay an immediate two run lead. That is his sixth game in a row with a home run and he is the youngest to reach such a streak passing another Jr. of the Griffey variety. Caminero turns 23 on Sunday and already has 76 career homers.
Lugo settled in after that tough first inning and looked pretty sharp. That 2-0 lead for the Rays stayed for much of the game as Shane McClanahan was also dealing. He also got out of a couple of innings where the Royals got something started and then hit into double plays. The Rays did nearly score a run in the 4th when Chandler Simpson led off the inning with a single. He then tried to swipe second base with Taylor Walls up and one out. Carter Jensen was having none of that and gunned him down for his second caught stealing of the night. He has now thrown out more than 40% of runners at 15 for 36 and is only one caught stealing behind the MLB leaders at 16 William Contreras and Shea Langeliers. Walls hit a double that would have scored him if Jensen had not thrown him out.
Seth did get the quality start for the Royals but also gave up one more run in the 6th before he exited. Cedric Mullins came up with two outs in the sixth and hit a flyball to right that seemed to have a balloon-like ability to float forever. He got enough backspin on it and then let the hot air do the rest. It was 98 mph off the bat. So, Lugo out with a line of 6IP, 9H, 0BB, 6K, and 3ER. He was going to need the offense to get going to avoid taking the loss. McClanahan also went six with 3 hits and no walks. The Royals bats hit a couple of loud flyouts to the track, but he was mostly in control the whole game. They are limiting his throwing lately and pulled him after just 69 pitches.
One nice thing from this game was another good outing for Matt Strahm. That’s five outings in a row without giving up a run and he has only had one hit and two walks in those five innings. Newly arrived Jose Cuas took the 8th and did not have as clean an inning. He did look okay but gave up an RBI single to Mullins to push the lead to 4-0. Cuas did come back out for ninth and that inning went smoothly.
Kansas City finally got a threat going in the 8th against Lawrence, Kansas native Garrett Cleavinger. Nick Loftin walked to start things off. Then Tyler Tolbert popped out on a bunt to first base. Why is he bunting when the team is down 4? Michael Massey got a bloop to drop and move Loftin into scoring position. Now with two on and one out, Lane Thomas got frustrated getting rung up on what he thought was a check swing ball four. Instead, it was a strikeout and the end of the day for Cleavinger as the Rays brought in Kevin Kelly to face Bobby Witt Jr. It looked like the bases might be loaded again when Bobby hit a weak grounder to the left side. With his speed that is often an infield single. Kelly got to it quickly and threw a strike to barely beat him and end the inning.
The Royals final chance started well with Jac Caglianone getting a lead-off single. Kameron Misner pinch hit for Starling Marte and hit what looked like a nice easy fielder’s choice, however, Richie Palacios at second base made an error to make it first and second with no one out. Salvador Perez promptly grounded into a double play, the third of those on the night, and Jensen lined out to center to end the game and his hitting streak.
Now with the worst record in the American League, the Royals are starting to make a run at Colorado for the worst in all of baseball. The dog days of summer indeed.
The Philadelphia 76ers just pulled off a massive trade, shipping Paul George and two first-round picks to the Celtics for Jaylen Brown. However, it appears they're not done trying to revamp their starting lineup. Tony Jones, who covers the 76ers for The Athletic, reported shortly after the Jaylen Brown trade that the 76ers were interested in signing free agent LeBron James.
SOURCES: The Philadelphia 76ers have reached out and are expressing interest in acquiring LeBron James. The story, is here. Please read - https://t.co/x3dKMkMj3l
After the trade for Jaylen Brown, the 76ers' starting lineup would be:
PG: Tyrese Maxey SG: VJ Edgecombe SF: Jaylen Brown PF: Dean Wade C: Joel Embiid
Dean Wade is a solid floor spacer who's shot 36.7% from beyond the arc during his seven-year NBA career, but he's not a strong rebounder and has averaged 5.3 points in 20 minutes per game in his career. He is a strong defender, which is an area of need for the 76ers, but he fits best as a rotation piece and not a starter on a potential title team. Of course, with Maxey and Edgecombe leading the way, the 76ers don't need another primary scorer in their starting lineup.
This presents an interesting question for LeBron James. At 41 years old, James will certainly welcome not having to shoulder a huge burden. He played in just 60 games this season, his fewest since 2022-23, and he attempted just 15.3 field goals per game, his lowest total ever. Obviously, playing next to Luka Doncic meant that James wasn't needed to initiate offense as much, but that would likely be the same situation while playing alongside Maxey, Brown, and Edgecombe. LeBron remains a strong facilitator, who had 7.2 assists per game last season while turning the ball over just 3.0 times per game, his fewest since 2012-2013. LeBron would have to be OK filling even more of a facilitator role among a group of younger scorers who are going to push the pace in a way that James may be unable to keep up.
Moving Wade to the bench would also deepen a bench unit that is a major weakness right now, with just Adem Bona, Ariel Hukporti, Dominick Barlow, and Labaron Philon as likely contributors.
What Other Teams are Interested in LeBron James?
The Warriors still remain at the forefront of the James sweepstakes, along with teams like the Heat, Cavaliers, and Nuggets. The Spurs seem to be out of the running after signing Tobias Harris, but all cards are on the table when it comes to LeBron James. We should have some resolution in the next few days.
It just keeps getting worse for Paul Skenes. Not only has he not won a game in nine starts, but on Wednesday, July 1, the Phillies made it sting. Philadelphia battered the Pirates' ace for a career-high seven earned runs, and eight total, in an outing that lasted just four innings.
Trea Turner put a three-run homer in the seats, Brandon Marsh tacked on a solo shot and the Phillies had an 8-4 lead before most fans had finished their first hot dog and beer.
Skenes hasn't picked up a win in a start since May 12 and Pittsburgh hasn't won a game he has started since then, either. That last win was against the Rockies and five days later, the Phillies started his spiral. They tagged him with five runs in five innings on May 17.
During this slide, Skenes has allowed 28 earned runs and seven homers in 47 innings, good for a 5.36 ERA. In his first two seasons, Skenes never finished with an ERA over 1.97.
It's a jarring stretch for a pitcher with Skenes' talent and resume.
He won the NL Rookie of the Year in 2024 and then followed that up with a Cy Young Award in 2025. Lately, however, his numbers just haven't looked as dominant.
