Haeran Ryu set the scoring record for LPGA majors on Saturday with an 11-under 60, giving the South Korean player a three-shot lead in the Evian Championship as she goes for a second straight major.
Two weeks after winning her first major at the Women’s PGA Championship, Ryu birdied four of her last five holes at Evian Golf Resort. She had a chance at tying the LPGA scoring record of 59 but settled for a lengthy two-putt birdie putt on the closing hole.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 10: Meleek Thomas #15 of the Cleveland Cavaliers high fives teammate during the game against the Indiana Pacers on July 10, 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 David Becker/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers weren’t able to pull out a win in their first Summer League game against the Indiana Pacers on Friday, but there were plenty of good things to take away from the loss. Mainly, the strong play of Meleek Thomas and Nae’Qwan Tomlin.
Thomas, the 34th overall pick in this most recent draft, scored 20 points on 7-14 shooting. This included Thomas going 2-5 from deep. The scoring touch that the Cavs were talking about after the draft showed through in his first game.
Tomlin looked like an NBA player in Friday’s loss. That’s mostly all that you want to see from a player of his caliber in this environment.
Malaki Branham also performed well, putting up 15 points on 4-8 shooting in the loss. He’s a player to keep your eye on throughout Summer League and possibly the training camp process.
One player you would like to see a nice bounce back from is Tristan Enaruna. Enaruna is on a two-way contract with the Cavs and showed great strides as a shooter throughout the previous G League season with the Charge. That didn’t show through on Friday as he went 1-7 from the field and was limited to just six minutes of play. We’ll see if he can turn it around on Sunday.
2 mins. A single carry before Van Poortvliet sets up the caterpillar ruck to box-kick to touch for a zero nonsense start from England. This is not the case from Fiji from the lineout as Tagitagivalu spills a simple tap off the top; presenting England a scrum that promptly results in penalty against Mawi.
Caleb Muntz chips through the shimmering summer air deep into England territory.
On the telly, they’re discussing the dynamics of the sprint finishes: we’ve had two bunch kicks and two different winners, Olaf Kooij and Tim Merlier. I fancy we’ll see a different winner today, and the pressure is on Philipsen to deliver, likewise Biniam Girmay.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 10: Hugo González #28 of the Boston Celtics drives to the basket during the game against the Toronto Raptors on July 10, 2026 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Stephen Greathouse/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
#1 Clank City
The opening five minutes of the Summer League Celtics’ game were a tough watch. We had five missed shots, seven turnovers and two foul calls, all before a bucket was scored in open play. Sure, there was a successful trip to the line, but overall, things got off to a shaky start.
That’s Summer League basketball, though. We’re not coming into these games expecting everyone to be perfect. We know things are going to be gritty and sometimes clumsy. As long as everyone is giving their full effort, you can overlook the mistakes, especially if you see players learning from them on the fly.
Unfortunately, the Celtics’ shooting woes didn’t get much better throughout the first half. They went into the locker room at halftime having shot 15.6% from the field (7-of-45) and 12.5% from deep (2-of-16). Those aren’t typos.
Whatever Amile Jefferson and his coaching staff said at halftime clearly had a positive impact. In the third quarter, Boston shot 47.4% from the field and 40% from deep. When looking at the second half as a whole, it’s clear the Celtics upped their game, 47.1% from the field, 41.2% from deep.
Much better.
The question now is whether the Summer League Celts can avoid another slow shooting start when they face the Hornets on Sunday.
#2 Pros and cons of the new free-throw rule
If you’ve been watching Summer League games outside the Celtics, you’ve already seen this rule in place. If not, then it probably came as a slight surprise. The NBA recently announced that it would be adopting the “one free-throw” rule for this year’s Summer League contests in Salt Lake City, Northern California and Las Vegas.
The rule changes mean that if a player is sent to the line, they will take one free throw for the full value of the points. i.e., if a player gets fouled while shooting a three, they will take one shot at the line worth three points.
The aim is to speed up the game. Fouls in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter and in overtime will result in the normal free-throw system.
I have mixed feelings about this rule. On the plus side, games move more quickly. We’re not being held up by lengthy shooting routines at the line (yes, I’m looking at you, Giannis), either. From a consumer standpoint, there’s a clear upside.
However, player evaluation, from a fan’s perspective, becomes a little more complicated. If you’re watching a rookie play in Summer League, and they’re struggling to get their shots to fall, you can always look at their free-throw success as a potential (small sample size) indicator of shooting skill. When you essentially half the number of free throws in a game, that data becomes significantly less reliable.
There’s also the fairness of it all. If you’re fouled when shooting a three-pointer, you have three chances to put points on the board. Even if you go 2-of-3 from the line, you’ve added to the score. Under this new rule, it’s sink or swim on the one attempt.
The G League has run with this rule for a couple of seasons now. I do wonder whether it eventually makes its way into the NBA.
#3 Chris Cenac Jr. had himself a night
Chris Cenac Jr. had a quietly impressive game. He let the action come to him, rarely forced anything and came up big when it mattered. He ended the night with 14 points, 10 rebounds and 5 stocks, going 2-of-4 from deep in the process.
Throughout the game, we saw Cenac flash different aspects of his game, be it his bounce, like when he missed the putback dunk after crashing into Dillon Mitchell, his perimeter scoring or even his ability to put the ball on the floor and finish off the bounce.
I was surprised that Cenac wasn’t part of the starting lineup, with Mitchell (Boston’s 2026 second-round draft pick) starting ahead of him. However, it clearly didn’t mean much, as he ended the night as one of the Celtics’ most impactful players.
Still, I’m not allowing myself to get too carried away by his performance on Friday; this is still Summer League after all. However, with his ability to play at both the four and five, guard multiple positions, provide switchability on defense, and knock down open treys, I wouldn’t be surprised if he worked his way into Joe Mazzulla’s rotation at some point this season.
Solid Summer League debut from the Houston product. I love that he played within the flow of the game, rather than trying to force things in hopes of impressing.
#4 Dillon Mitchell is full of energy
The box score won’t remember Mitchell fondly for this game, but when has that ever stopped us from falling in love with an energy guy?
Mitchell gave everything when on the floor. He was the first to leak out once his teammates secured rebounds, and if some of the pitch-ahead passes had been a little better timed, he could have ended the game with double-digit scoring numbers. Mitchell also had 4 stocks in the game, hustling on both sides of the floor.
Another thing I really liked about Mitchell was his explosiveness. He had a great putback dunk late in the second quarter after running the floor and sticking with the action.
Of course, it should come as no surprise that we didn’t see Mitchell attempt anything from deep. After all, he enters the NBA having shot just 19.3% from the perimeter in college. I’ll be interested to see whether he gets given a remit to start working on his outside game during the remaining Summer League games, or whether that’s something he’ll be developing with the Maine Celtics’ staff (if at all).
#5 Amari Williams, take a bow
I loved what Amari Williams brought to the table in this game. In regard to how Mazzulla likes to use non-shooting bigs, Williams perfectly fits the bill. He’s patient when in possession, is a capable and willing screener and can score in a couple of different ways. On defense, he’s got the size and frame to be a deterrent, while also having enough hip mobility to step outside of the paint and contain ball-handlers.
We saw a wide range of what Williams brings to the table against Toronto. However, it was his work in delay actions that really stood out.
Williams never rushes into an action. His poise allows things to unfold around him before he begins making his move.
Check out the above play.
Rather than trying to feed Hank Morgan on his cut, Williams keeps control of the rock, waits to see how the defense shakes out and then opts to initiate a dribble hand-off with Alondes Williams. The play doesn’t amount to anything, but for those of you who have been reading my work for a while, you’ll know i’m all about the process.
It would have been easy for Williams to fire off a pass to Morgan once he cut off his screen. Instead, Williams read the floor and got the ball to a curling forward who could pressure the defense while getting downhill. What did Williams do after the hand-off? He positioned himself in the dunker spot to either contend for an offensive board or offer an outlet if the defense locked in.
In fairness, Williams probably should have hit Mitchell on his cut, but that’s whatever at this point.
Some solid play from Williams, who faces an uphill battle to earn playing time next season.
#6 Where I go, Hugo
Whenever you tune into some Summer League hoops, it’s usually clear which players have enjoyed a year or two of professional hoops and the development that comes with it. On Friday, those players were Hugo Gonzalez and Williams for Boston.
Hugo is going to be Boston’s focal point throughout this Summer League run, or at least until the Celtics decide they’ve seen enough and shut him down. In an expanded role, the sophomore forward flirted with a triple-double, ending the night with 17 points, 10 rebounds and 8 assists.
However, the Celtics will want to see better shooting nights from Hugo in the coming days. He went 3-of-16 from the field and 1-of-9 from deep. Did that gnarly bruise on his arm play a part in such rough shooting splits? Maybe. Maybe not.
Still, despite his struggles from the field, Hugo showcased some playmaking ability, generating scoring opportunities for himself and others while running the PnR.
We already know what Hugo is capable of on the defensive end. However, seeing what he can do in an expanded offensive role is going to be incredibly fun over the next week. His timing will surely improve, as will the quality of his passing. Still, on first glance, there’s every reason to believe that over the next few years, Hugo will emerge as a solid, if not vital, member of Boston’s rotation.
#7 A 2-Man Game
Did anyone else peep the two-man game between Hugo and Williams? They had multiple possessions where they connected on some pretty good actions. It makes sense that Boston leans into plays with its two best Summer League players, especially when they’re finding so much success in those situations.
I especially liked seeing the duo connect on PnR actions, especially when it led to a scoring opportunity. It’s hard to get excited about two young guys on a roster we’re hoping will be ready to contend for a championship in 12 months’ time. Nevertheless, I couldn’t help but wonder whether we’ll see Hugo and Williams emerge as a fun-to-watch duo for years to come, either off the bench or as part of the Celtics’ starting unit down the line.
For now, though, I’ll be doing my best to keep track of how often the Celtics lean into the Hugo/Williams two-man game over the remainder of Summer League, while cheering for every possession where those plays work out well.
#8 Amile Jefferson had Tatum in support
Jayson Tatum made an appearance at Boston’s opening Summer League game, along with Derrick White. During the game, Tatum was mic’d up, as he spoke about Jefferson stepping into the head coaching gig for the Summer League C’s.
“I think this is where I’m supposed to say I’m very proud of Amile for being a head coach,” Tatum said. “But it’s his first time coaching. I had to come support my brother. Part of coaching, you’ve got to look the part. This is like the first step in becoming a head coach.”
Jefferson got his Summer League coaching career off to a great start. Not only did the Celtics win, but they turned things around after a brutal first half and stayed composed during overtime. He’s certainly got a platform to build on heading into Sunday’s matchup.
#9 Milos Uzan might have something
Uzan signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Celtics earlier this summer. Therefore, he’ll be with the team throughout Summer League and into training camp. I hadn’t seen Uzan play before yesterday, so I didn’t know what to expect coming in.
Like most of his teammates, Uzan struggled shooting the rock. However, his speed, changes of pace and ability to change direction on a dime were all impressive. He also found ways to get his teammates involved, ending the night with five dimes. Defensively, it felt like Uzan got lost a couple of times, but nothing that I would deem egregious.
It’s hard to judge a player based on one game. Especially when that game comes in the Summer League, which is often a false dawn. I came away looking forward to seeing more of Uzan over the next week, and wondering whether he could earn a two-way spot with the Celtics. Having another speedy guard who can score and create off the bounce wouldn’t be a bad thing for Boston’s depth throughout the regular season.
#10 Locking down the perimeter
We’ve got to credit the Celtics for the work they did in locking down the three-point line. The Raptors shot just 19.6% on non-corner threes in this game, going 7-of-36. Some of that will be the fact that guys were forcing their looks, but a lot more will be the way the Celtics locked down the perimeter and forced Toronto into difficult shots under legitimate resistance.
Outside of long middies, the Celtics held Toronto to below-average scoring from every major shot location. For a group that is looking to impress both the coaching staff and onlooking scouts, putting in the work on the defensive end is the perfect pathway to both team and individual success.
Boston’s identity continues to be as a gritty defensive unit. Ensuring that translates to Summer League is a testament to the coaching staff and the players on the floor.
Tougher tests will await them during their stay in Vegas, but starting off with this type of rearguard performance gives this young Celtics roster a solid platform to build on.
The 2026 MLB Draft begins in Philadelphia on July 11, with the Chicago White Sox picking first overall. A promising young franchise that needs an injection into its middling farm system, who will the Southsiders land on? Will it be UCLA's star shortstop and longtime consensus No. 1 pick Roch Cholowsky? Georgia Tech's breakout star catcher Vahn Lackey? Or will the White Sox follow in the footsteps of the Washington Nationals last year and pick Texas high schooler Grady Emerson?
All options are on the table for Chicago, which heads into the All-Star break battling for first in the AL Central with the Cleveland Guardians. From there, it's anyone's guess. The Tampa Bay Rays will be picking second, the Minnesota Twins third, the San Francisco Giants fourth, and the Pittsburgh Pirates round out the top five.
The White Sox now face an interesting decision. White Sox amateur scouting director Mike Shirley has indicated the team won't be rushing anyone to the Bigs, regardless of team success. “Our guys have done a tremendous job in letting the player mature," Shirley said to MLB.com earlier this season. "Even the 1-1 pick, he’ll tell us when he’s ready. In some ways the development of this, maybe the player doesn’t have to be rushed to support the organization."
That certainly doesn't signal a philosophy shift is imminent, though the franchise likely wouldn't want to tip its hand. The Rays and Twins won't be moved off their building strategies, and the Giants need to find a way to right the ship in San Francisco.
The slot value at No. 1 overall is $11,350,600, up 2.5% from last season.
USA TODAY Sports will keep you up to date with all the picks made in the 2026 MLB Draft:
Jul 10, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA;St. Louis Cardinals second baseman JJ Wetherholt (26) is congratulated by teammates after scoring against the Atlanta Braves during the sixth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
Helpfully, Major League Baseball has provided us with a distraction today in the form of the MLB Draft, which starts at 10am PST. It’s not too late to catch up on Max Ellingsen’s coverage so you can have a fully-formed opinion when the M’s are on the clock! Speaking of, is there a name you’ve circled for the Mariners this year?
In the latest episode of the Meet at the Mitt podcast, the crew broke down the top options for the M’s in this year’s draft and who they’re hoping the club will take with their first selection. (Apple link; Spotify link)
Cardinals catcher Iván Herrera, Rays right-hander Nick Martinez, Red Sox outfielder Ceddanne Rafaela, and White Sox first basemen Munetaka Murakami were all named as All-Star Game replacements.
In what was a significant back-and-forth game, Gwinnett walked things off against Memphis to move to just one game under .500 on the season.
Herick Hernandez got the start in what was his first triple-A appearance, and performed quite well in his first outing. Across 5.2 innings of work, Hernandez allowed four runs on four hits while walking three and striking out six in the process.
While he did give up a pair of homers on the day, it is a very promising start for Hernandez seeing as though he kept the walks in check and managed to limit the damage.
However, the Stripers would have to battle back from an early 3-0 deficit as the Redbirds took a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning.
That score would remain until the home half of the third. DaShawn Kiersey Jr. got the scoring started for Gwinnett by lacing a bases-loaded single into center field to cut the deficit to 3-2.
Luke Williams later came around to score on a single off the bat of Jair Camargo to tie things up at 3-3.
The first lead of the game for the Stripers came in the bottom of the fifth as Rowdy Tellez launched his ninth homer of the season over the right center field wall to make it a 4-3 game.
Memphis eventually took the lead by scoring one run each in the sixth and ninth innings.
However, the Stripers’ bats would come to life in their final at-bat.
Brett Wisely laced a one-out single before Brewer Hicklen took a 2-2 breaking ball and pulled it over the left field wall for a walk off, two-run homer to give the Stripers the win.
Simply put, there wasn’t much that went right for Columbus on Friday night.
Ian Mejia got the start and didn’t have his best stuff as he gave up five runs on six hits in 5.1 innings of work. It wasn’t his best outing of the season, but it should have been somewhat manageable.
However, his offens faltered tremendously, as the Clingstones tallied just one run on four hits across the entire nine inning affair.
The lone RBI for Columbus came in the bottom of the fifth as Keshawn Ogans — who went 2-3 on the night — drove home Kevin Kilpatrick Jr. with an RBI-single.
— Columbus Clingstones (@GoClingstones) July 11, 2026
Kilpatrick Jr. and Dalton McIntyre both tallied the only other two hits on the night — both singles — in what was a lackluster offensive performance all-around by Columbus.
(41-41) Rome Emperors 8, (40-43) Hudson Valley Renegades 3
Rome got back to .500 on the season with a win over Hudson Valley on Friday, riding a solid night at the plate from several Emperors en route to the victory.
Typically, games in which Eric Hartman homers, the Emperors are going to be just fine — as was the case on Friday.
Hartman took a hanging breaking ball to launch a two-run homer, his 21st long ball of the season, to give Rome the 2-1 lead in the third inning.
Dixon Williams and Dallas Macias also got in on the offensive fun, each homering in this one as well, while both also drove in a pair of runs.
Tate Southisene and John Gil also had solid days at the plate, both doubling on the night.
Cade Kuehler got the start on the mound and tossed five innings of four-run ball while striking out four. He also scattered four hits and walked three along the way as well.
All told it’s been a rough, rough season for Kuehler. However, he has put up back-to-back starts of at least five innings and three or less runs allowed. It’s a small sample size, sure, but hopefully it’s the beginning of a significant turnaround for Kuehler who showed a good amount of promise at one point early in his professional career.
(48-37) Augusta GreenJackets 7, (47-36) Hickory Crawdads 8
Cooper McMurray, 1B: 2-3, HR, 3B, 4 RBI, 3 R
Luis Guanipa, CF: 1-4, RBI
Alex Lodise, SS: 2-5, 2 RBI
Landon Beidelschies, SP: 2.2 IP, 3 H, 4 R, ER, 3 BB, 2 K
Augusta unfortunately came up short on Friday, losing by just one run to Hickory.
Landon Beidelschies made his 11th start of the season for Augusta on Friday and tossed 2.2 innings of four run (one earned) ball. The lefty managed to scatter three hits and walked a trio of batters while striking out a pair as well.
All-in-all, Beidelschies has had a rough start to his pro career. In 11 starts (13 appearances) the left has tossed an ERA of 7.66 while striking out 41 in 49.1 innings of work thus far.
Hopefully he can turn it around as a starter. Otherwise, it may be a quick trip to the bullpen for Beidelschies.
Cooper McMurray paced the offense with a homer and triple to his credit, driving in four of Augusta’s seven total runs on Friday, while Alex Lodise went 2-5 with a pair of RBI as well.
— Augusta GreenJackets (@GreenJackets) July 11, 2026
Trailing 8-5 in the home half of the ninth, the GreenJackets managed to plate two runs to make it a 8-7 game, but Augusta failed to tie things up as they would go on to lose this one by just one run.
Despite outhitting the FCL Rays and holding a lead headed into the ninth inning, the FCL Braves came up short, losing by a 10-7 final in extras.
While Luisberth Valdez technically got the start and only went one inning, Wuilinyer Tovar shouldered most of the pitching load in this one. In 4.1 innings of work, Tovar allowed two runs on five hits, but unfortunately also walked a gaudy six batters across those frames as well.
The Braves plated one run in the third, four in the seventh and two in the eighth to take a 7-6 lead. Manuel Dos Passos had a solid day at the plate to lead the offense, lacing a pair of doubles and scoring a run, while Elias Reyno went 3-3 with a pair of RBI and a walk to his credit as well.
However, the FCL Rays managed to score a run to tie things up in the top of the ninth before crossing the plate three times in the top of the 10th to carry the win as the Braves were held scoreless in the home half.
The DSL squad took an excellent start from Martires Polanco Friday afternoon and parlayed it into a victory — just the eighth of the year for the team.
Across just 4.1 innings of work, Polanco managed to strike out nine batters while holding the opposition to just one run on one hit on the day. He did also walk three batters, but all in all it was a good day for the 19-year-old.
Polanco has been overwhelmingly dominant this year for the DSL squad. Sure, he is older for the level, but across six starts, the righty carries an ERA of 1.54 with 39 strikeouts in just 23.1 innings.
He’s probably in line for a promotion to the FCL squad here soon, or even perhaps Augusta, depending on what happens with rosters after the draft signing deadline.
At the plate, Edelson Cabral launched his second homer of the season — a go-ahead, two-run shot in the bottom of the fifth — to pace the DSL Braves’ offense.
Both Jose Nelo and Yassel Pena also got in on the action with a double apiece, while Nelo also added an RBI to his credit in the win.
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - JULY 10: Luis Castillo #58 of the Seattle Mariners reacts after giving up a home run to Victor Mesa Jr. #25 of the Tampa Bay Rays in the fifth inning at Tropicana Field on July 10, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Offense was somewhat surprisingly at a premium last night in DC after the two-hour rain delay, as the Yankees couldn’t do more than hit register two solo shots against the Nationals’ Carson Palmquist/Zack Littell combo across the first seven innings. They weren’t dominating by any stretch; it just felt like the Yanks weren’t landing that key hit. So when Tim Hill coughed up back-to-back homers to Keibert Ruiz and James Wood to put the Nats ahead 3-2, there was a legitimate fear that Ryan Weathers’ work would go to waste.
Thankfully, the Nats’ weak relief pitching finally made a true appearance in the ninth. A few minutes later, the save was blown behind the bats of Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Austin Wells, two dudes who needed some big swings. Final score: 5-3, Yanks. Phew!
Here’s what else was going on in some of the notable American League action yesterday. Note that we’ve shaken up the teams covered again for this final series of the first half, focusing solely on those presently in playoff position. As always, these are subject to change! It’s just who’s getting the shine at the moment.*
*Although I will note that all of the Blue Jays, Red Sox, Tigers, and Orioles won, moving the middle tier of the Wild Card race all up a game. Minnesota is one back of Seattle for the last Wild Card; Houston, Toronto, and surging Boston are 1.5 behind; Detroit is within 2.5 and Baltimore is three back. Oh, and none of these teams are over .500. What a jumbled mess.
Tampa Bay Rays (55-37) 7, Seattle Mariners (47-48) 2
It was a great Friday for Rays starter Nick Martinez, who was chosen as a replacement for Boston’s Ranger Suárez on the All-Star roster and then went out and recorded a win over the Mariners. Named an All-Star for the first time at age-35, Martinez threw 5.1 innings, allowing two runs on four hits and a walk, giving up a homer to Cole Young and not much else. It wasn’t as shiny as some of his early regular-season starts, but the W’s all count the same.
Anyway, Martinez easily outpitched his opponent, fading veteran Luis Castillo. The former ace has been the clear weak link in the six-man(-ish) rotation, and it showed again on Friday night. He gave up homers to Richie Palacios, Cedric Mullins, and Victor Mesa Jr. between the fourth and the fifth, and while they were solo shots, they combined with an RBI knock in the third from Chandler Simpson to give Tampa Bay a 4-1 lead.
Following singles by J.P. Crawford and Randy Arozarena, Martinez departed with the tying run at the plate for Seattle with one out in the sixth. The M’s only got one run out of it though, with Cole Sulser inducing a fielder’s choice grounder from Dominic Canzone and fanning Cal Raleigh to keep it at 4-2. Garrett Cleavinger also did yeoman’s work to keep the M’s from tying it in the seventh, as Josh Naylor never got further from second after his leadoff single. Then in the home half, Junior Caminero dropped the hammer on José A. Ferrer with his 28th long ball of 2026:
It was smooth sailing from then on for the Rays, coasting to a 7-2 win. The only hitch was that it seemed like they would take a five-game AL East lead on the Yankees until New York’s ninth-inning rally off the Nats.
Other Games
Texas Rangers (48-46) 7, Houston Astros (46-50) 3: Yordan Alvarez’s 30th homer of the season and the 200th of his career brought some fireworks in this 2023 ALCS rematch of the two Texas teams, which are both battling with Seattle for the AL West lead. The next inning, Yainier Diaz hit a two-run shot off Chris Martin to tie the game at 3-3. That was unfortunate for Texas, which had built a 3-0 lead against Astros ace Hunter Brown, but they shook off losing that advantage in a hurry. The Rangers lit into Bryan King in the eighth, as Wyatt Langford belted a solo shot to give them a 4-3 lead and Jake Burger soon followed with a three-run smash. (Yes, we got a Burger/King matchup, and the former had it his way.) The Rangers lead the Mariners by 1.5 games in the AL West.
Cleveland Guardians (49-46) 3, Miami Marlins (52-43) 2: The surprising Marlins have MLB’s best record since the beginning of June, but Cleveland southpaw Parker Messick cooled down the Stinky Hot Fish™ by allowing just one hit and one run in six innings of work. The rookies got to Sandy Alcantara, with Chase DeLauter slugging a two-run homer to get the scoring going in the fourth and Travis Bazzana lifting a key sacrifice fly in the following frame. Leo Jiménez and Heriberto Hernández hit solo shots for Miami to cut the lead to one by the eighth, but Hunter Gaddis and Cade Smith turned the Marlins away to win it.
Chicago White Sox (48-45) 14, The Athletics (41-53) 1: After getting swept at home by the Red Sox, the Pale Hose took out their frustration on the free-falling A’s, keeping pace with Cleveland. No. 9 hitter Tristan Peters was the story of this one, as he became the seventh player in White Sox history to hit for the cycle, the first since Jose Abreu on September 9, 2017. Remarkably, Peters finished his cycle by recording the two hardest parts—the triple and the homer—in the same inning. Andrew Benintendi also drove in four while notching a pair of doubles and All-Star Miguel Vargas hit his 21st homer of 2026. Sean Burke threw seven innings of four-hit, one-run ball.
But the move that may outshine them all in the short and long term was re-signing Mohamed Diawara to a four-year, $11.2 million deal. The 21-year-old forward averaged just 3.6 points in his rookie season, but his on-court flashes and physical gifts make him a nuclear lottery ticket for the Knicks.
As New York and many other contenders dealt with this offseason, the second apron restrictions are making it tougher to maintain cost-controlled but still competitive teams. The Thunder traded two of their key young guards ahead of their extensions, the Celtics downgraded from Jaylen Brown, and the Knicks couldn’t shell out to keep Robinson.
Diawara’s contract runs under $3 million a year, a rounding error to the salary cap. If he becomes a rotation player, or something more, the Knicks would get a near-term contributor to their championship core and foundational piece of the next one at a fraction of the cost.
Why the Knicks are betting on Diawara's upside
Diawara's build is outrageous: 6’9” with a 7’4” wingspan, 225 pounds, and the baseline skills to boot.
He’s got some handles and a knack for finding the open man, even getting some pick-and-roll reps in real minutes this season. That kind of self-advantage creation from a player his size is rare, and he’s used it to get two feet in the paint, finishing with his length or finding others.
Diawara showed some nifty moves in his limited minutes, spin dribbles and tough angles finishes. If there’s a high-scoring upside here, we’re seeing the beginnings of it already.
On @Honda SportsNite, @IanBegley discusses the Knicks finalizing a deal with restricted free agent Mo Diawara, who the Knicks have held pre-draft workouts with, and how the Knicks' pick at 24 in the NBA Draft impacts their approach to the offseason and the second apron pic.twitter.com/1qEv2PoSSx
The big surprise was how he shot the lights out in his rookie season. Through the month of February, he shot 41.4 percent from deep, going 10-18 in one six-game stretch.
He finished the season with a 36.9 percent clip on only 130 attempts, struggling with the higher volumes he was entrusted with in March and April, but the base is there. His jumper is fluid, tough to contest, and bagged 19 of 33 attempts from the corners.
Defensively, Diawara was ahead of schedule as a neophyte, picking up team concepts as the season evolved and even stepping up for big moments. He had standout, promising stretches, like when he shut down Jaylen Brown in one matchup.
While there was plenty of rawness, Diawara also carried a poise and audacious confidence despite making his debut on a championship team. When he got a chance to crack the rotation, he jumped on it.
He didn’t get consistent playing time, but for weeks at a time, especially later in the season, he was getting regular burn that served as real experience under his belt and a validation of his behind-the-scenes work. Diawara wasn’t entrusted with playoff minutes, but a bigger role this regular season could set him up for some.
The Knicks may need him, currently lacking traditional forwards beyond their starters. Until last year’s trade deadline, Guerschon Yabusele was taking those minutes and head coach Mike Brown also experimented with double-big lineups, plus super small ones with Mikal Bridges at the four.
With no Yabusele or Robinson, the Knicks could use an extra threat in the frontcourt and Diawara can start to make his claim at Summer League. With a good performance there and a strong training camp, he could earn a rotation spot out of the gates and flex his development on the big stage.
The Knicks won their championship by trusting promising, culture-fitting guys to raise their games. Locking up Diawara gives them the chance of finding another one without losing financial control.
ATLANTA, GA - JULY 13: New York Mets mascot Mr. Met jokes with fans during the 2025 MLB Draft presented by Nike at Coca-Cola Roxy on Sunday, July 13, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Major League Baseball has made some changes to the schedule and broadcast of its amateur draft, which begins today at 1:00 PM EDT. And the vast majority of the draft will air on NBC/Peacock, while MLB Network and MLB.com will provide coverage of the picks, as well.
Saturday, July 11: Rounds 1-3, 1 PM EDT, NBC/Peacock
Sunday, July 12: Rounds 4-20, 1 PM EDT, NBC/Peacock
We’ll have an open thread here on Amazin’ Avenue for those of you who are following the draft live and want to discuss it in real time, and as always, we’ll have thorough coverage of all of the Mets’ picks from this afternoon through Steve’s draft profile series that will cover each of the picks. And last but certainly not least, stay tuned for our draft pick signing tracker, which we’ll update as players sign—or decline to sign—with the organization following the draft.
Allen Graves and Izaiyah Nelson | Photos from Getty Images
Just two players were selected directly from mid-major programs in the 2026 NBA Draft. Santa Clara’s Allen Graves was the No. 19 pick to the Toronto Raptors, and the draft rights of South Florida’s Izaiyah Nelson, the No. 51 pick, were traded to Orlando.
However, according to the Mid-Major Reacts survey, despite Graves being a top-20 pick and Nelson being one of the final 10 selections, the two will be equally impactful in the ongoing NBA Summer League, as each player received 50% of the votes.
While Graves enters the NBA with higher expectations, there’s likely more at stake for Nelson in Las Vegas. Graves recently inked a four-year, $19.7 million contract with more than $8 million guaranteed. Nelson, too, earned a contract, but it was a two-way deal.
Graves burst onto the draft scene in just one season at Santa Clara. His redshirt freshman was headlined by WCC Sixth Man and Freshman of the Year honors, and the Broncos’ first trip to the Big Dance in 30 years. Despite coming off the bench in his lone season of collegiate action, Graves skyrocketed up draft boards thanks to his defensive versatility and offensive consistency, marking Herb Sendek’s third first rounder in the last five seasons.
He backed up the first-round label in his Summer League debut and scored 22 points, shooting 9-for-16 and 3-for-8 from deep. Arguably more impressively, he hauled in 13 rebounds, five of which were offensive, blocked two shots and had three steals. He showcased his upside as a do-it-all defender, and if he brings this sort of offense along with his defensive abilities, he’s in for a long NBA career.
Obviously, it’s way too early to formulate real conclusions about his NBA future, but his first showing was about as good as you could ask for.
On the contrary, Nelson doesn’t have as obvious of an NBA path, but he has the physical tools to be a rotational big if he finds the right situation. He doesn’t offer hardly anything offensively on the perimeter, but he got better each of his four college seasons and played himself into the draft after averaging 15.9 points, 9.6 rebounds, 1.6 steals and 1.4 blocks.
He made the move from Arkansas State to South Florida with Brian Hodgson, and it resulted in being drafted. Now, starting with the Summer League, he’ll need to prove he belongs at the next level. Without much of a perimeter game, he’ll need to play to his strengths, continuing to be an energetic, high-level rebounder and versatile defender, ideally finding his footing offensively through solid screens and athletic finishes around the rim.
There’s a path for Nelson to stick in the NBA, it’s not as clear as Graves’, but he’s got his foot in the door now. He got off to a rather uneventful start in his first Summer League game on Thursday but flashed what he’s capable of. He scored just two points, but grabbed six rebounds, two offensive, and added a steal and a block in 15 minutes off the bench. Ideally, as Summer League progresses, he’ll see more minutes to prove he can be a high-volume rebounder and stocks guy.
Nelson also picked up five fouls in the contest, so he’ll need to show he can be sound defensively and be impactful without fouling to earn a real NBA opportunity.
Summer League action runs through July 19, and both players will continue to get game reps and show why mid-major players belong on NBA courts, but through one game each, it’s been Graves with the strongest showing.
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Jul 10, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; The Texas Rangers bench celebrates with first baseman Jake Burger (21) after Burger hits a three run home run against the Houston Astros during the eighth inning at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - JUNE 22: Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Ryan Ward (67) makes contact during a MLB game between the Minnesota Twins and Los Angeles Dodgers on June 22, 2026, at Target Field in Minneapolis MN. (Photo by Nick Wosika/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
All four Dodgers affiliates are at home this week. The two in the state of Oklahoma picked up wins on Friday.
Player of the day
Ryan Ward homered in his first game back with Oklahoma City on June 30 after getting optioned, but had no extra-base hits in his first seven games of July. Ward made up for that on Friday with a home run and two doubles.
Ward also singled, tying his season best with four hits.
Triple-A Oklahoma City
The Comets had eight extra-base hits in a home romp over the El Paso Chihuahuas (Padres). Ward had three of the eight extra-base hits.
Alek Thomas also homered, his third in three games. Jack Suwinski doubled twice and drove in four runs Austin Gauthier and Ryan Fitzgerald also doubled.
Christian Romero struck out five while allowing a run in 5 1/3 innings, with the only run coming on a solo home run.
Ryder Ryan came within one out of a three-inning save, but was pulled with two outs after allowing three runs in the ninth inning. Jerming Rosario entered with a five-run lead but the bases loaded and the tying run on deck. He struck out Bryce Johnson to earn a save of the more standard variety.
Double-A Tulsa
Josue De Paula had three hits, including an RBI double in the Drillers’ four-run rally that gave them the lead for good in a victory over the Springfield Cardinals.
Zyhir Hope hit the game-tying two-run single in that seventh inning and also walked and stole a base.
Kendall George singled twice, walked, stole two bases, and scored a pair of runs. After missing a month with a knee injury and five tune-up games with Class-A Ontario, George in his first four games back with Tulsa has eight hits in 16 at-bats plus three walks and three stolen bases.
Evan Shaw pitched three scoreless, hitless innings in relief with four strikeouts to earn the win.
High-A Great Lakes
Two runs in the eighth inning doomed the Loons in a loss to the Dayton Dragons (Reds). Robby Porco pitched a scoreless seventh but walked a pair with one out in the eighth before getting pulled. Both walks scored on a single off Justin Chambers.
One day after his 20th birthday, Chase Harlan hit his third home run and sixth extra-base hit in 13 games since getting promoted to Great Lakes. Shortstop Emil Morales, who doesn’t turn 20 until September, doubled, singled, and drove in a pair. Morales in four games in this series has 10 hits, including five extra-base hits, and seven RBI.
Brooks Auger allowed a pair of home runs for a second straight start, after giving up no long balls in his first 10 starts, encompassing 37 innings and 153 batters faced. Though he gave up four runs on Friday, Auger also struck out eight, giving him 66 strikeouts and 20 walks in 46 1/3 innings this season, with a 34.2-percent strikeout rate.
Class-A Ontario
Tower Buzzers pitching allowed crooked numbers in four different innings in a blowout loss to the the Inland Empire (Mariners).
The bulk of the scoring came against Marco Estrada, who allowed five runs in his 3 2/3 innings of relief, including a pair of home runs. Drafted by the Dodgers in the seventh round out of MIT last July, Estrada struck out five and walked four on Friday. The right-hander has filled up the box score this season, with 50 walks and 66 strikeouts in his 57 2/3 innings, and a 7.96 ERA.
Marlon Nieves was activated off the injured list after missing two months and allowed one run in 2 1/3 innings in his abbreviated start.
Third baseman Easton Shelton hit a three-run home run in the eighth inning, his league-leading 24th home run, nine more than anybody else in the California League. Mairo Martinus also homered for Ontario.
WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 10: Matt Krook #58 of the Washington Nationals pitches against the New York Yankees during the ninth inning at Nationals Park on July 10, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Nationals addiction to platoon matchups has hurt them a few times this year, but there was no more obvious example than last night. In a 3-2 game in the top of the 9th, Blake Butera went to lefty Matt Krook over sticking with Clayton Beeter. Krook, who now has a career ERA of 16.62 gave up the lead by allowing a home run to the left handed Jazz Chisholm.
Going to a guy with an ERA of 14 over your best reliever just does not make sense. I do not care what hand Matt Krook throws with https://t.co/mbHa5dYitn
I am not really sure what book Blake Butera is going off of right now, but there needs to be some serious reflection after last night. Butera needs to start trusting his best relievers instead of turning to guys based on what hand they throw with. Moving forward, Butera cannot be pulling his best reliever for a guy with an ERA in the double digits in the 9th inning.
After the game, Butera explained his decision by saying he brought in Krook because of the three lefties/switch hitters that were up. He told me that he went with Krook over the more reliable PJ Poulin because he liked how Krook matched up with the switch hitting Jasson Dominguez. Krook ended up allowing a single to Dominguez and a homer to Jazz Chisholm who is worse against left-handed pitching.
I love so much of what Butera and the new regime have done, but they have not covered themselves in glory building or managing this bullpen. Jose A. Ferrer would be a decent lefty to throw out there in the 9th, but he was traded for Harry Ford, who is struggling in AAA. Butera himself has struggled to push the right buttons in an admittedly weak bullpen.
There have been plenty of times where you can’t really blame Butera for this bad bullpen melting down. However, last night was not one of those cases. It felt like we had the Yankees right where we wanted them after Clayton Beeter got a strikeout to end the 8th. Beeter, who has not allowed a run in his last 7 outings, would come out for the 9th, and the fans would be happy.
Butera had other plans though. He wanted to play the matchups instead of sticking with his best arm. It is not like Beeter has a problem against left handed hitters though. Lefties are hitting just .200 against Beeter this season and .198 in his career. Beeter’s downer slider is a platoon neutral weapon that works against lefties and righties.
For what it's worth, left-handed hitters are slashing .200/.373/.222 vs. Clayton Beeter this season and .198/.368/.341 for his career.
However, Butera thought Krook was the right move, and he got burned. Moving forward, I think the Nats need to play to their own strengths instead of fixating on other teams weaknesses. Sure, some of these Yankees hitters struggle against lefties, but with all due respect, most of the lefties they are facing are better than Matt Krook.
Right now, the Nats have 4 low slot, soft-tossing lefties in the bullpen. Three of them pitched yesterday, and while Palmquist and Cosgrove did their jobs, Krook did not. Moving forward, I really want Blake Butera to manage based on his own personnel instead of being such a reactive manager.
Final thought of the night: Your process is only as good as your personnel. And if you don't have the personnel to make your preferred process work, you have to be willing to alter it. I have a hunch the Nationals will.
One thing I thought was revealing was when Blake Butera said after the game that having Krook, or at least one of his lefties closing out the game was pre-planned. It is just another example of this regime’s extreme devotion to platoon matchups. Having 4 lefties in the bullpen was part of the plan for this weekend.
However, I think the Nats should pay more attention to quality over what hand a guy throws with. Honestly, after Brad Lord’s injury, Eddy Yean should have been given the call up to the big leagues. He has an upper 90’s heater and a real mound presence. The Nats went with Tom Cosgrove though. Cosgrove’s profile just feels redundant with Krook, Poulin and Carson Palmquist.
Part of what makes these low slot lefties effective is that they are a unique look. If hitters just keep seeing one low slot lefty after another, they are going to catch on at some point. It felt like that happened when the Yankees faced their third low slot lefty of the night.
This should be a major wake up call for Blake Butera and this front office. For most of these bullpen meltdowns, you can blame it on Butera not having the guys or his guys letting him down. However, last night, Butera had his guy on the mound, but pulled him after one batter for a pitcher with a career ERA over 16 because of what hand he throws the baseball with.
