Gymnast burst into tears after leading Australia to team gold
Five more gold in pool on as Sam Williamson beats British breaststroke great
The star gymnast Georgia Godwin has no more tears left to cry, having survived the “horrible, horrible” road back from injury to guide Australia to a team gold medal at the Commonwealth Games.
Meanwhile in the pool, Australia are turning the Tollcross Swimming Centre into a fortress after Sam Williamson, Sam Short and Mollie O’Callaghan led a parade of five gold medals on day two in Glasgow.
Briton on canvas inside 20 seconds and later in first
Joshua recovers to blast out Albanian in second round
Anthony Joshua cleared his final hurdle in the ring, before he fights Tyson Fury in November, but he was knocked down twice, shockingly, in the first round of his wild and chaotic bout with Kristian Prenga. In the early hours of Sunday morning in Jeddah, a devastating knockout in the second left Prenga crumpled in a heap on the canvas, wrapped up in the ropes, and rescued Joshua from humiliation.
After the opening three minutes his extravaganza with Fury looked as if it was about to end in abject ruins but Joshua pulled himself out of a dark pit streaked with defeat to salvage his career – and his much-hyped fight with his British compatriot. This was a crazy firefight of a tune-up for Joshua, who was boxing for the first time since being injured in the car accident that took the lives of two of his closest friends, Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele, last December.
The Senators and Leafs entered the offseason from very different places.
The Sens are coming off a 99-point season, ninth overall in the NHL, and a second straight playoff appearance. After it was over, they had an unexpected problem drop in their lap when captain Brady Tkachuk requested a trade.
Toronto, meanwhile, went from first to worst in the Atlantic with 78 points, won the draft lottery, replaced their head coach and GM, and went to work on a major roster overhaul.
Drake Batherson says it would be nice to get an extension done with the Sens this summer and hopes it happens.
The summer is far from over, but most of the heavy lifting has probably been done. So, which team had the better offseason, and more importantly, which one looks better heading into 2026-27?
Senators Trades
The Senators' offseason plans spun off the road in early May when Tkachuk officially decided he wanted to play with his brother, asked for a trade, and was eventually got one.
Ottawa received Florida's ninth and 25th picks in the 2026 draft, a 2027 second-round pick and a conditional 2029 first-rounder.
GM Steve Staios quickly flipped the ninth pick to San Jose for forwards William Eklund and prospects Kasper Halttunen and Brandon Svoboda.
Eklund is the key piece, the proven NHL commodity. He had 53 points last season and gives the Sens a young, established top-six winger who can help replace Tkachuk's offence. The additional hope is that the 23-year-old Eklund still hasn't hit his ceiling.
The Senators also acquired winger Andre Burakovsky from Chicago for a 2027 sixth-round pick and RFA goalie Samuel Ersson from Toronto for a 2027 fifth-rounder.
Senators Free Agent Signings
Ottawa's free-agent activity was much quieter as they basically took care of their own. Senators re-signed Ersson, veteran forwards Claude Giroux and Nick Cousins, defenseman Jordan Spence, and goalie Leevi Merilainen.
They also signed some depth free agents to two-way contracts: forwards Sammy Blais, Ryan Suzuki, Philip Tomasino, Philippe Daoust and defenseman Christian Kyrou.
Senators Free Agent Losses
The Sens turned the page on Lars Eller, Nick Jensen, Dennis Gilbert, Lassi Thomson, Arthur Kaliyev, Olle Lycksell, James Reimer, and Mads Sogaard, allowing all of them to walk into free agency.
The obvious question is whether Eklund and Burakovsky can make up enough of the offence lost with Tkachuk.
That said, when you factor in the intangibles like team chemistry, or how Tkachuk's vibe noticeably changed after last year's 4 Nations Face-off, it's more than fair to suggest his exit isn't all bad for the Sens.
Extreme Makeover: Toronto Edition
If the Sens' summer was about reacting to the Tkachuk Show leaving town, Toronto's offseason program might be labelled Extreme Makeover. The Leafs parted ways with head coach Craig Berube and GM Brad Treliving.
New general manager John Chayka, in the role of Ty Pennington, came in with major renovations after the Leafs' dismal 78-point season, starting with the hiring of Jim Hiller as his new head coach.
Leafs Trades: Additions
Praying to all the hockey gods that he's not a one-hit wonder, the Leafs acquired defenseman Darren Raddysh from Tampa Bay and signed him to an eight-year extension worth $8.5 million. In just his third full NHL season, the 30-year-old Raddysh erupted for 22 goals and 70 points last season. His previous best was 6 goals and 37 points.
Toronto then went back to Tampa for former Senator Nick Paul. They also acquired RFA defenseman Emil Andrae and RFA goalie Sam Ersson from Philadelphia. Ersson's rights were then flipped to Ottawa for almost nothing.
Leafs Trades: Substractions
The Leafs didn't make all those changes without saying goodbye to some talent in those deals: Along with Ersson, goalies Joseph Woll and Dennis Hildeby are also gone. So are defencemen Brandon Carlo and Simon Benoit, along with forward Nick Robertson.
First Overall Pick
Toronto's most intriguing addition didn't come through trade at all. After winning the draft lottery, the Leafs selected Gavin McKenna first overall. McKenna has the elite puck skills to be a superstar but it remains to be seen if he can reach that status right away.
Leafs Free Agent Signings
Toronto's biggest free-agent signing was goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, who signed a three-year contract after seven seasons with Florida. Bobrovsky has been an elite goalie for years, but posted an unimpressive .877 save percentage last year. Was that because the Panthers were a bad team, ravaged by injury, or because age is setting in? Bob will turn 38 in September.
Toronto also signed Jack Roslovic, Colton Sissons, Teddy Blueger, Brandon Duhaime, and Zack MacEwen.
Leafs Free Agent Losses
The Leafs turned the page on Matias Maccelli and Calle Jarnkrok.
That's a lot of turnover. Toronto is betting heavily that an aging Bobrovsky won't repeat last year's performance and that Raddysh will.
And Then There's Alfie
This Battle of Ontario comparison has another layer that has nothing to do with the rosters.
Daniel Alfredsson left the Sens' coaching staff after three seasons and joined Toronto as an associate coach. Seeing him join the Leafs is beyond strange.
Verdict 1: Who had the better offseason?
Toronto, in a landslide.
The Sens did their best to recover from a situation they didn't create. Turning part of the Tkachuk return into William Eklund was solid and helped shore up the Sens future with picks and prospects that everyone agreed they needed.
For the second straight year, the club is maybe being a little cavalier with their backup goaltender situation. Linus Ullmark obviously needs a platoon situation in the regular season and the Sens are betting big that the newcomer, Ersson, a $2.2 million goalie, can be that co-number one for them.
Toronto, meanwhile, aggressively addressed several areas of its roster. Bobrovsky, Raddysh, Paul and Roslovic are significant NHL additions, while McKenna will probably become the most important player acquired by either team this summer.
Verdict 2: Who will be the better team this season?
Ottawa.
The Leafs will surely narrow the gap, but the Senators finished 21 points ahead of them last season, and that's a lot of ground to make up in one year.
Ottawa still has a core built around Tim Stutzle, Jake Sanderson, Drake Batherson, Shane Pinto, Dylan Cozens, and Thomas Chabot, and has now added Eklund to that group. Unlike teams of the rebuild, the core is not only better, more experienced, and battled-tested, they're now well-insulated with higher-quality veterans.
The Leafs may have improved more this summer, but they still have to show that all those new pieces can completely transform the fifth-worst team in hockey. If they can't, the Buds may find themselves with a restless captain of their own next summer.
By Steve Warne The Hockey News
This article first appeared at The Hockey News Ottawa. For full Senators coverage, check out one of The Hockey News headlines below.
One of the biggest winners of this entire LeBron James saga was Rich Paul’s “Game Over” podcast with Max Kellerman. Paul became the best source of information on LeBron's decision process, and while that was certainly spin, it was about the only thing of real substance out there.
On the latest episode of the podcast, Paul said LeBron made his decision around 1 a.m. and announced it the next day (hat tip Philadelphia Inquirer). He added that Cleveland, Miami and Golden State also made very strong pitches, but LeBron decided to go to Philly.
What led to LeBron’s decision?
In his series of posts on X explaining his decision, LeBron said that he had to decide if he still truly loved the game enough to come back for one more season. Rich Paul echoed that on his podcast.
"Nobody at this level is this accomplished, this successful at life, still wanting to play the game. I don't know what else you can say about it besides someone being very obsessed with the game of basketball."
James did indeed contemplate retirement after the Lakers were swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second round. But he felt "incomplete," the source said, in assessing the season.
On his podcast, Rich Paul added that the Lakers beating the Rockets in the first round in a series where LeBron was the best player on the court at age 41 also played a role in his return.
"That series, in my opinion, [convinced him to return]. I think if they somehow get swept or lose 4-1 in that series, it could be different. I think that gave us another ride."
What LeBron chose was a potential path back to the Finals in Philadelphia, but also a tough road — there are questions about fitting a group of ball-dominant players (Tyrese Maxey, Jaylen Brown, Joel Embiid and LeBron) together, questions about defense, and questions about how he feels playing for a passionate and demanding fan base in Philly. Except, he may not have to live in Philadelphia, reports Dave McMenamin of ESPN.
The fact that James could live in New York City and commute to Camden for practices and Philadelphia for games, as ESPN's Shams Charania reported is a possibility, only added to the appeal.
That's the kind of thing 76ers fans are going to bring up if — really, when — LeBron and this team struggle for a stretch of games.
What is LeBron doing now?
Working out to get ready for next season, of course. And it's not really an offseason workout unless there is evidence on social media.
NEW YORK — New York Mets slugger Juan Soto was placed on the 10-day injured list on Saturday because of a left calf strain.
Soto walked twice against Dodgers starter Roki Sasaki in Friday’s 4-2 loss before being replaced by Jorge Polanco in the sixth inning with the score tied at 1. He appeared to experience discomfort while running to second base on Bo Bichette’s double-play grounder in the second inning.
Soto is hitting .293 with 21 homers and 52 RBIs in 84 games this season. He missed 15 games from April 3-21 with a right calf strain, and the Mets went 3-12 without him.
Soto sat out Wednesday’s 4-3 loss at Milwaukee but was back in the lineup Friday after the Mets had a day off.
The lone All-Star for the Mets this year, Soto exited the team’s first game after the break in the eighth inning on July 16 at Philadelphia. New York was off the following day, and he returned to the lineup as the designated hitter on Saturday and Sunday against the Phillies. He played left field Monday in Milwaukee and was the DH on Tuesday.
To replace Soto, the Mets called up infielder/outfielder Eric Wagaman from Triple-A Syracuse. Wagaman is hitting .162 with two homers and four RBIs in 21 games this season.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - APRIL 12: Julian Phillips #4 of the Minnesota Timberwolves shoots a free throw during the game against the New Orleans Pelicans on April 12, 2026 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 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 David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Houston Rockets continue to fill out their roster in anticipation of training camp, as it was announced yesterday that they signed free agent forward Julian Phillips to a non-guranteed deal.
The 6’8” Phillips is still just 22 years old, and he was the 35th pick ouf of Tennessee in the 2023 NBA Draft by the Chicago Bulls. He played two and a half seasons for the Bulls before he was traded this past year to the Minnesota Timberwolves, who subsequently declined to pick up his option. That brings Phillips to Houston.
He carries career averages of just 3.6 points and 1.5 rebounds for his career, averaging about 11 minutes per night. He is considered an elite athlete, but raw from a skills standpoint. It’s possible a change of scenery and some time with the Rockets, who have a plethora of young talent hoping to keep developing, could change things a little bit for Phillips, who has been an underachiever to this point in his career.
The signing of Phillips brings the Rockets to 19 players on their training camp roster. An NBA team can have up to 21 players for its camp roster, which it must get down to 15 before the start of the season. Here’s how things look right now:
Guaranteed contracts (12)
Kevin Durant
Fred VanVleet
Alperen Şengün
Amen Thompson
Jabari Smith Jr.
Tari Eason
Reed Sheppard
Marcus Smart
Clint Capela
Steven Adams
Bogdan Bogdanović
Bruce Thornton
Non-guaranteed / Partially guaranteed standard contracts (4)
Jae’Sean Tate (partially guaranteed)
Isaiah Crawford (non-guaranteed)
JD Davison (non-guaranteed)
Julian Phillips (contract details indicate he’s competing for a roster spot rather than holding a fully guaranteed deal).
Two-way contracts (3)
Quadir Copeland
Tristen Newton
David Roddy
Exhibit 10 / Camp deals
Oscar Tshiebwe (contract designation has not yet been officially announced, but it’s widely expected to be an Exhibit 10).
A six-year contract extension worth $5.5M per year followed the initial trade for Pettersson, keeping the defenceman in Vancouver for what seemed like the foreseeable future. Pettersson had a full no-move clause for the first three years of the deal — one that he ultimately waived in order to go to New York.
The decision to waive, the defenceman explained to reporters in New York, was one that came about as a result of his familiarity with some of the team’s staff as well as the reputation of the franchise itself.
“Obviously, the Rangers being an Original Six, growing up idolizing that team and stuff like that,” he said. “It all happened very quickly, to be honest with you. But when I got the opportunity to come here, and with the history with some of the coaching staff that I have there, it was a great opportunity. I’m super excited.”
One specific member of the Rangers that Pettersson is familiar with is none-other than head coach Mike Sullivan, who he played under for seven seasons as a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins. The defenceman explained why he’s happy to be playing under the long-time NHL head coach, citing the way he approaches the game.
“First off, as a person, I feel like me and Sully had a great relationship. He’s a straightforward kind of guy. You’re never really wondering what you should do or where you’re at or stuff like that... I love that about him. And system-wise, I feel like it tends to play into my playing style. I want to play a fast-paced style, like he wants to play, and pressure on puck. I feel like his system is so good, where you don’t have to overthink things out there. You’re playing off your instincts, and your instincts are what brought you to where you are.”
Mar 26, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Marcus Pettersson (29) shoots against the Los Angeles Kings in the second period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
Another familiar name for Pettersson, though the two never played together, is Rangers captain J.T. Miller. Miller was traded back to New York on the same day that Pettersson was acquired by Vancouver — on January 31, 2025.
“Some of my teammates in Vancouver talked about J.T. and how great of a person is, and they reached out and said, ‘You’re gonna love him and his family and stuff like that, and the competitiveness that [he] brings’.”
Now a member of the Rangers, Pettersson will close the chapter of his career that took place in Vancouver. While he did acknowledge that there were a lot of things to be learned from his time with the Canucks, as a whole, the defenceman is “grateful” for the experience.
“I have nothing but great things to say about Vancouver. My time there, even though it was short, I feel like I learned a lot, and I do feel like I want to bounce back from kind of a negative feeling from that. I’m super excited to join the Rangers, but I’m grateful for the Canucks, as well.”
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JULY 16: William Hickey #66 of the Los Angeles Lakers wears Nike Kobe green grinch sneakers on the court in the first half of the 2026 NBA Summer League game between the Chicago Bulls and the Los Angeles Lakers at the Thomas & Mack Center on July 16, 2026 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. (Photo by Louis Grasse/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Green was asked about whether Luis Robert Jr. will receive the bulk of the DH at-bats in Soto's absence and the Mets skipper said it will likely go to Polanco, at least in the short term.
"We’re still trying to get him back on the field and into rhythm," Green said. "In the last week, Juan has taken quite a few of the DH at-bats and that’s stunted Polo’s ability to find some rhythm. We’re going to try to get him back into rhythm. He’s a guy we believe a lot in. Hopefully, as time goes on, we’ll get him to first base and then we’ll see where the DH at-bats get divvied up at that point."
Polanco is in Saturday's lineup as the Mets' DH, which will be his position moving forward until, as Green said, he can tolerate his Achilles pain and play first base.
In just 23 games, Polanco is batting .161 with an OPS of .456 to go with his one home run and four RBI. Polanco has only played first base twice this season after suffering chronic left Achilles bursitis and a right wrist contusion, the latter putting him on the IL for nearly three months.
Mets unlucky with injuries in 2026
Soto's latest IL stint is the third in which a Mets player had to miss time due to a calf injury.
Of course, Soto missed about three weeks with a Grade 1 right calf strain earlier in the year and Francisco Lindor missed nearly two months with a calf strain as well.
"It's a frustrating set of circumstances," Green said of the injuries that have plagued the team this year. "It feels unlucky, to a degree."
Green was asked a number of ways about the organization's medical and training staff and how they have handled these calf injuries this season. Green backed the staff and believes they have done their best.
"We look at every injury and my experience with the medical and training staff is that they are reflective," Green explained. "They look at ways to improve in every situation. Baseball has this tendency to have a rash of elbow injuries for one team in a given year, and then a rash of lower-extremity injuries in another year. Then another year you’re looking at shoulder injuries.
"None of these is to excuse our responsibility to limit those as much as humanly possible, but I think if you look across the game, those trends exist. They‘re troubling for those who give their lives to keep people in the field of play. I can promise you our group is incredibly introspective and they want to keep these guys on the field and they’ll look back, just like any year, to see if there’s any adjustments to be better in that space."
Apr 10, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets pitcher Clay Holmes (35) delivers a pitch against the Athletics during the first inning at Citi Field. / Gregory Fisher - Imagn Images
Latest on Clay Holmes
Fresh off his first rehab start, Holmes is set to throw a bullpen on Sunday and once he's done, they'll figure out the right-hander's next steps.
While Green didn't announce how many pitches he'll throw in the bullpen session, he did hint that he believes Holmes will need at least one more rehab start before rejoining the team.
Holmes tossed 2.1 innings for Triple-A Syracuse on Thursday, throwing 51 pitches in the process, but it seems the Mets will want to stretch Holmes out further this next time through. If Holmes does throw another rehab, he could potentially start for the Mets just before the trade deadline on Aug. 3, but with the trade rumors surrounding the veteran, he could be pitching for another team.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JULY 15: Emmet Sheehan #80 of the Los Angeles Dodgers looks on before a game against the New York Mets at Citi Field on July 15, 2023 in New York City. The Dodgers defeated the Mets 5-1. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dodgers conclude their nine-game road trip on Sunday, with Emmet Sheehan looking to rebound against the Mets at Citi Field.
Sheehan allowed six runs in a loss to the Phillies on Monday, one more run than he gave up in his previous three outings combined. Mets right-hander Freddy Peralta is coming off a bad start of his own, giving up seven runs in a loss to Milwaukee on Monday.
Among the 117 major league pitchers with at least 80 innings this season, Sheehan ranks 103rd in ERA (5.13) and 43rd in xERA (3.89), while Peralta is 99th in ERA (5.01) and 40th in xERA (3.86). Both have better peripheral numbers than their ERA shows, but it hasn’t yet translated to much success on the mound.
MILESTONE INCOMIMG: A win today will be the Cubs’ 600th at Pittsburgh since the rivalry with the Pirates began in 1887, when “Allegheny City” jumped to the National League after five seasons in the rival American Association. The Cubs have won more games at Pittsburgh than at any other city. Philadelphia is second, with 579. The Cubs have lost more games at Pittsburgh, 714, than anywhere else. St. Louis is second, with 677. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
DEFEATING THE WINNERS: Last night’s game was the Cubs’ first in 13 against an opponent that took a winning record into the game. They had gone 7-5 in the 12 vs. teams at .500 or below. Based on current records, the Cubs’ next 12 games all could be against clubs with more wins than losses. The Cubs are 25-21 against such teams and 33-24 vs. all others. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
DIVISION RIVALS: Last night’s win raised the Cubs’ record against their Central Division rivals above .500, at 14-13. The Pirates are 17-13 within the division; the Brewers, 19-10; and the Cardinals, 15-14. The Reds are 7-22. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
TODAY IN CUBS HISTORY: The Cubs pounded out 19 hits, including a home run and four RBI from Augie Galan, and crushed the Phillies 17-4 in Philadelphia. They led the NL by three games. It happened 90 years ago today, Saturday, July 25, 1936.
Neither team’s lineup was available at posting time. Please check BCB social media for the lineups.
Shōta Imanaga, LHP vs. Paul Skenes, RHP
Shōta Imanaga continued his good stretch of starts his last time out with seven shutout innings against the Twins last Sunday at Wrigley Field. Over his last seven: 2.31 ERA, 1.179 WHIP, only five home runs in 39 innings.
Imanaga threw six no-hit innings against the Pirates April 10 at Wrigley Field. In fact, the Pirates are the team against whom he’s had his most success: Five starts, 32 innings, 0.28 (!) ERA (one earned run), seven walks, 32 strikeouts. And he will need that because his opponent is…
Paul Skenes, who’s done very well against the Cubs in his career — 2.77 ERA, 53 strikeouts in 39 innings.
This year’s Skenes, though, is not like the last couple of years. After getting off to a great start, Skenes has a 4.55 ERA and 1.347 WHIP over his last 12 starts covering 65.1 innings. He’s still striking out guys — 82 in those 12 starts — but teams are finding ways to score.
One of those starts was May 28 at PNC Park. The Cubs scored three runs (one earned) off him in 5.1 innings, really running up his pitch count (103). That seems to be a way to beat him, so do it again.
Also, his four-seamer velocity is down a bit this year. As you see in the chart below, it’s at 96.9 this year — last year it was at 98.2. That might be enough to make the difference.
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The 2026 game discussion procedure has been changed, so please take note.
You’ll find the game preview, like this one, posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).
At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game.
The Live! (formerly “First Pitch”) thread will still post at five minutes to game time. It will also post to the front page. That will be the only live game discussion thread. After the game, the recap and Heroes and Goats will also live on the front page as separate posts.
You will also be able to find the preview, Live! thread, recap and Heroes and Goats in this section link. The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JULY 24: Ben Rice #22 of the New York Yankees at bat during a game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on July 24, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JULY 19: Josh Jung #6 of the Texas Rangers reacts during the third inning against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on July 19, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Colin Hubbard/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Texas Rangers third baseman Josh Jung has been placed on the 10 day injured list, the team announced today. To take his place on the active roster, the Rangers have recalled infielder Josh Smith from AAA Round Rock.
Jung left Tuesday’s win against the White Sox due to a calf issue which, after the game, he reported was minor. He missed Wednesday’s game, with the team saying a scan showed a strain, and the hope at the time was that he would be back in the lineup Friday, after Thursday’s off day. Jung did not play Friday, and will now miss at least the next week or so.
Jung has had a history of being dogged by injury issues, but has generally been healthy and productive this season, slashing .294/.361/441.
Smith started the season as the team’s regular second baseman, but got off to a bad start, then went on the injured list with a glute injury. While on the injured list, he was hospitalized with viral meningitis. Since being off the injured list he has bounced up and down between AAA and the majors. He’s slashing .230/.312/.295 in the big leagues on the season.
KANSAS CITY, MO - JULY 22: Salvador Perez #13 of the Kansas City Royals celebrates after the Royals defeated the San Francisco Giants at Kauffman Stadium on Wednesday, July 22, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Sydney Schneider/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
All season, Royals fans have been waiting for Salvador Perez to smash his 318th home run and take over the franchise record from team legend George Brett. On a warm summer day in late July, Salvy did it. There’s something poetic about this one, as there always was going to be with home number 318. But he hit it in the same place where he hit his first career home run, Comerica Park in Detroit. He also did the thing he had done 36 times before, coming up clutch with a game-tying smash. His big play also sparked something in a Royals team that has, for more than a decade, looked to the big Captain for their drive, and led the Royals to do something that seemed impossible. Once upon a time, it was winning a playoff game when he yanked a grounder down the third base line in extras; today it was beating the Tigers in Detroit.
Yeah, the Royals won this one 3-2.
After a game like this, we could reasonably talk about how Michael Wacha did some Matrix-style bullet dodging for seven innings. We could talk about how Daniel “Danny Drips” Lynch IV and Alex Lange-xiety combined for two shutout innings at the end of the game to finish things off. We could talk about Vinnie Pasquantino smoking three singles, or Michael Massey blasting a ball to right-center that would have been out of 28/30 big league parks in service this year but served only as a sacrifice fly to score the game’s first run. We could – and will – talk about Nick Loftin continuing to flex his clutch gene by hitting the game-winning home run in the ninth inning.
But the only thing anyone is going to remember from today is Salvador Perez identifying the hanging slider, putting a good swing on it, and smashing a no-doubter down the left field line to set a record that will stand for years and years, if not decades.
A rare highlight posted by the Royals’ media account that lasts for more than the bare minimum to convey the play. Drink it in. Savor it.
Did you savor it?
OK, good. Let’s talk about the rest of the game.
So as noted above, Michael Wacha wasn’t exactly dominant in this one. He only struck out 3 while walking 2 and allowing 6 hits, including four extra-base knocks, in seven innings. But he ultimately allowed only a pair of runs. He was giving up hard contact all day, but he managed to get the Tigers to hit the ball to centerfield quite a bit, and Lane Thomas kept running them down. It’s the kind of start that makes you glad to have Michael Wacha right now and nervous about having him next year.
Danny Drips picked things up in the eighth inning and got the Tigers 1-2-3. He was asked to get Riley Greene out in the ninth after Loftin had given the team the lead, but allowed a leadoff single instead. Lange-xiety came in and struck out Hao-Yu Lee with a high heater, allowed a single to Zack McKinstry that put the go-ahead run on base, but struck out Matt Vierling after a couple of awkward bunt attempts and then induced a pop-up from pinch-hitting Spencer Torkelson to lock down the win.
Let’s look at Loftin’s smash, real quick.
I was amused in the moment by how much this looked like the dinger Salvy had hit two innings earlier. It’s a fastball instead of a slider, but it’s up and in, and you could tell he was just waiting for that location and ripped it to a very similar spot. I don’t think Loftin is ever going to challenge any of Salvy’s home run records, but it was nice to see him copy the Captain’s homework for a game.
The Royals will attempt to split the series tomorrow afternoon. The Royals currently list TBD as their starting pitcher, though it’s Luinder Avila’s turn. Perhaps they’re considering using an opener for him, as they did for Noah Cameron last night? I just hope it’s not another injury. We’ve had enough of those, thanks. The Tigers will use Framber Valdez (4.57 ERA, 4.35 SIERA). Don’t let the numbers fool you, though. He’s a lefty, so the Royals will have their work cut out for them. The game starts at 12:40 PM Central and will be on Royals.TV.
(Original Caption) Everett Scott New Captain of Yankees. Deacon Everett Scott, brilliant shortstop of the New York Yankees who has been appointed Capt. of the team, following the deposition of Babe Ruth. The bambino was fined $200, and was removed as Yankee Capt. following his altercation at the Polo Grounds with Umpire Hildebrand. Scott has been a tower of strength at the shortstop position since he joined the American League Champions.
They’ve certainly been a frustrating watch at several points this season, but by definition, the Yankees are currently a contender in 2026. They’re neck and neck with the Rays for the lead in both the AL East and the AL in total. Now, you may have your doubts about whether that record will then translate into playoff success, but the fact of the matter is, putting up one of the best records in the league will get you into the playoffs — then you just have to have a couple things break your way, and who knows what happens after that.
The Yankees have also managed to accomplish all that while getting basically no offensive production out of one position in particular: catcher. Austin Wells has had his ups and downs, but he’s completely fallen off a cliff in 2026. None of the backups they’ve tried had fared much better either. As we near the Trade Deadline, the Yankees will likely target catchers for a platoon at the very least, which they wouldn’t have expected going into the year.
That being said, it’s not unheard of for one particular spot on an otherwise good team to yield bad results. In fact, even Yankees World Series-winning teams have carried a black hole in the lineup. To find the worst regular (which I’m counting as someone who qualified for the batting title by today’s standards) hitter to ever play on a Yankees World Series championship team, you can go right back to the first ever one in 1923.
After an eight-year career and three World Series wins with the Red Sox, the Yankees acquired shortstop Everett Scott in December 1921, along with pitchers Sad Sam Jones and Bullet Joe Bush. Scott was primarily known for two things in his career: his glove and his consecutive games played. It was his record of 1307 consecutive games played that was broken by Lou Gehrig and then eventually Cal Ripken Jr. Scott today still holds the third longest streak ever.
While he was considered one of the best shortstops in the game during his career, Scott was never much of a hitter. If you use the OPS+, which gets adjusted for era, Scott’s best career hitting season was 1920. That year, he hit .269/.300/.369, which equated to a 79 OPS+. His defense still led to him grading out as being a perfectly fine player according to WAR.
Scott’s first year with the Yankees saw them come up just short, as they fell in the 1922 World Series to the Giants. The following year, he was again the starting shortstop and a team leader as they made another run at the franchise’s first championship. He just didn’t always lead the team with his bat.
In the 1923 season, Scott hit just .246/.266/.325, which equated to a 54 OPS+. That season has gone down as the worst ever by a regular for a Yankees World Series-winning team. He actually did hit a little better in that year’s World Series victory over the Giants, posting a .636 OPS. Even then though, it was just him going 7-for-22 with all singles.
Scott’s hitting was a bit worse in 1924, and he posted just a .459 OPS in his first 22 games of 1925 leading to the Yankees selling him to the Washington Senators. He played for a couple more teams before hanging it up after 1926. Despite his light bat, he still ended his career with four World Series championships, and was well regarded enough in Boston to be posthumously inducted into the Red Sox Hall of Fame.
If the Yankees do end up winning the World Series, it would be difficult for them to do that while Wells breaks this particular “record.” It’s hard to see them actually pulling it off unless Wells manages to turn it around or they trade for someone who can hit better. That being said, it’s apparently not impossible to win the World Series despite carrying one particular putrid hitter.
