Oct 28, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Addison Barger (47) warms up before the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers during game four of the 2025 MLB World Series at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
I remember, when I was young and playing sports, the parents, who we called coaches, said ‘give 110%’. Well, you can’t/shouldn’t do it all the time. You go all out, you are likely to injury something,
Addison Barger is going to have season ending elbow surgery. He’ll either have Tommy John or an internal brace surgery. Either way, he’s likely to be out until the start of the 2027 season. If it is Tommy John, he’ll likely miss the first part of the season.
Apparently, his elbow had been bothering him for a while, then he threw that 101.2 mph throw to get Jorge Soler at the plate on May 9th.
After making nearly $53 million with the Los Angeles Lakers last season, James accepted a two-year contract worth the veteran minimum. The decision allowed Philadelphia – which already has two of the NBA's eight highest-paid players for 2026-27 in Joel Embiid and Jaylen Brown – to be able to afford the 41-year-old superstar.
James' new deal with the 76ers will be worth just under $8 million over two years. He is set to make just under $3.9 million in the first year of his contract, which will mark the least he has earned during a single NBA season, coming in just short of the $4.02 million he made during his rookie season in 2003-04.
Just how cheap is James' deal for his first season in Philadelphia? A total of 292 NBA players will be making more than him during the upcoming 2026-27 NBA season, making James one of the best values league-wide.
Here's what to know about James' contract and where it ranks league-wide:
Full list of players making more than LeBron James for 2026-27 season
Below is a full look at the list of players who will make more than LeBron James during the 2026-27 NBA season, according to data from Basketball Reference.
Of course, one of the reasons James was able to take such a massive pay cut is because he has already made a boatload of money during his career.
Across his first 23 NBA seasons, James has made nearly $581.4 million in on-court earnings, per Spotrac.com. A majority of those earnings came across his eight years with the Lakers, during which he made $347.5 million.
James also has numerous lucrative endorsement deals off the court, including with Nike and AT&T, among others.
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - JUNE 27: President of Basketball Operations Austin Ainge, Darryn Peterson #22, and Governor Ryan Smith of the Utah Jazz smile while talking to the media during a press conference at Zions Bank Basketball Center on June 27, 2026 in Salt Lake City, Utah. 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 Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The offseason isn’t technically over – we’re all waiting on pins and needles for the Mario Hezonja decision – but the transactions have slowed substantially, and it looks like the Jazz have the majority of their roster set for the 2026-2027 season. We’ve consistently been told that this past season was the last in terms of tanking in Salt Lake, so high expectations were placed on the offseason – what would the Jazz do to finalize the roster destined to lead the organization back into relevancy?
For the most part, the national media has been favorable to the choices the Ainges and co. have made thus far. Here’s a quick round-up of the grades the Jazz have been assigned for their offseason moves;
ESPN: A
Bleacher Report: A
The Athletic: B+
CBS Sports: B+
NBC Sports: B
These publications tended to applaud Utah’s selection of Darryn Peterson and the return they received for Walker Kessler, but those who assigned a lower grade worried that losing Kessler will be an unfillable hole for a team trying to be formidable this coming season.
However, these huge websites that cover the league as a whole sometimes struggle to accurately understand the minutia of a teams offseason, which is understandable – it’s impossible to watch every game for every team, so a perfect comprehension of how important Jusuf Nurkic is in Will Hardy’s offense may be difficult to achieve.
Today, we’ll be setting aside the national consensus to grade every single Utah move (trades, signing, draft picks, everything) this offseason from a Jazz fan’s perspective, before assigning a cumulative grade for this pivotal offseason.
June 23 – Selected Darryn Peterson at #2: A+
LAS VEGAS, NV – JULY 14: Darryn Peterson #22 of the Utah Jazz poses for a portrait during the 2026 NBA Rookie Photo Shoot on July 14, 2026 at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas campus 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 Zach Barron/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
While selecting Darryn Peterson at #2 wasn’t some novel idea, the Jazz still deserve tons of credit for sealing the deal and choosing the best player on the board. It required a bit of luck and more than a bit of credit given to the late-season Sacramento Kings, but jumping up to #2 and having the opportunity to put a truly special prospect in Utah-Purple is the type of move that immediately changes the trajectory of a franchise. All of the team building moves from the course of the rebuild (selecting Keyonte George, trading for Jaren Jackson Jr., and all of the tanking) post hoc bumps to their letter grades, because, with Darryn, they were all justified – trust was given to a process that, in hindsight, looks to be genius.
June 29 – Signed Jusuf Nurkic to a 2 year, 22 million dollar contract: A
MIAMI, FL – FEBRUARY 9: Jusuf Nurkic #30 of the Utah Jazz smiles during the game against the Miami Heat on February 9, 2026 at Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida. 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 Eric Espada/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
This is, by my money, the most underrated and underdiscussed move of the offseason. There was about a week in June where I was sure that Jusuf would prove to be too expensive for Utah to retain – after rehabilitating his career, he would collect his payday and potentially finish his career on some bottom feeder with extra cash. However, Jusuf proved he was being honest in saying the Jazz have been the best organization he’s played for in his 12 year career by resigning on a rather team-friendly deal. The Jazz have a roster built on crisp off-ball movement – Peterson, Bailey, Markkanen, and Jackson are all best being set up by a creator – and Nurkic proved to be the perfect fit for this system, averaging a career high in assists per game with 4.8. Utah couldn’t afford to lose this level of passer, and ensured their offense will continue to run smoothly in 2027 by bringing back the Bosnian Beast. While there’s a chance that this past year was only a temporary blip from the downward trend that it appeared Nurkic was on, this deal was a huge win for a team in need of playmaking and (after the Kessler trade) big man depth.
July 1 – Signed Jaxson Hayes to a 2 year, 12 million dollar contract (2nd year team option): C
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MAY 11: Jaxson Hayes #11 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game Four of the Second Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena on May 11, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. 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 Luke Hales/Getty Images) | Getty Images
I understand both the upsides and downsides of the Jaxson Hayes signing. In theory, he fills an archetype that the Jazz need – he’s big and athletic and offers a much different look at center than the Jusuf Nurkic minutes. However, the jury is still out on if he is an actual positive of an NBA player, or if Luka Doncic, perhaps the best player in the league at making big men look better than they are, transformed Hayes into a legitimate center through sheer tyranny of will. Additionally, while I think it is near impossible to give a final verdict on a player’s character without knowing them personally, Hayes’ off-the-court actions are an undeniable aspect of the package a team gets when they bring him in, and it is a stain that I’d rather not have on the Jazz. I expect Hayes eats up regular season minutes without doing too much harm, which is valuable enough…and hopefully all we’re asking him to do; things could look ugly if Hayes is playing a real role in the playoffs.
July 3 – Signed Tamar Bates to a two-way contract: B+
LAS VEGAS, NV – JULY 15: Tamar Bates #0 of the Utah Jazz handles the ball during the game against the San Antonio Spurs on July 15, 2026 at the Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Mike Kirschbaum/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The marginal transactions, while important (champions are built off of strong moves at the margins), are often harder to grade. Just how positive can I be towards a signing of a player that will likely never play meaningful minutes for the franchise? Ultimately, I decided to grade transactions relative to their contract tier and corresponding talent pool – even though it’s a strong possibility that Bates never becomes a household name while playing in Utah, compared to the other players they could’ve signed for this two-way slot, it is still a relative win. I like Bates quite a bit – he’s long, he shoots, he moves with the fluidity of a pro – so even though his natural position (shooting guard) is probably the most stacked on the team, meaning that playing time is exceptionally unlikely, he’s still a net positive signing on a two-way contract.
July 3 – Signed Josh Okogie to a 2 year, 12 million dollar contract: A-
HOUSTON, TX – MAY 1: Josh Okogie #20 of the Houston Rockets looks to pass the ball during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers during Round One Game Six of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 1, 2026 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. 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 Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
I have my doubts about Josh Okogie – his shooting is volatile, he offers nothing on the ball, and he’s too short to reliably be our answer against bigger wings defensively. However, you can’t complain too much when you obtain a necessary archetype (non-stop hustler who defends tenaciously and has some nasty to his game) on a short term, low risk deal. Okogie isn’t a perfect player, but he still started nearly half the contests for a Rockets team that won 52 games. I lowered the grade a bit because the Jazz have such an overflow of players of his position (Svi, Konchar, and Brice all already had reasonable cases to be the backup shooting guard), but this deal is a big-time win for the Jazz either way.
July 7 – Signed Trey Alexander to a two-way contract: A-
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JULY 12: Trey Alexander #15 of the Utah Jazz reacts after play against the LA Clippers in the third quarter of a game at the Thomas & Mack Center on July 12, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ian Maule/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We weren’t able to see much of Alexander in Summer League before his unfortunate injury, which has tainted the deal a bit, but, nonetheless, the Jazz once again made a good choice in selecting a player for a two-way slot. Alexander isn’t the most explosive point guard, and he’s had a habit of over dribbling all the way back to his time at Creighton, but he’s been exceptionally productive in the G-League, fills a position of need, and is immediately one of the better passers on the roster. This is a low risk signing of a player who is likely one injury to either Keyonte or Collier away from getting real minutes (I hope you’re all knocking on wood).
July 8 – Traded Walker Kessler to the Lakers for 2 1st-round picks and 2 1st-round pick swaps: A
DALLAS, TX – JANUARY 17: Walker Kessler #24 of the Utah Jazz arrives to the arena before the game against the Dallas Mavericks on January 17, 2026 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. 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 Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The word surrounding Kessler and the Jazz before the trade was that the Jazz wanted him and needed him and were going to keep him no matter what. But, when the Lakers sent the Jazz brass their sign-and-trade offer, they proved once and for all that everyone has a price. Utah ultimately came away like bandits – they saved money for when the young core starts demanding their big contracts and got paid immense amounts of draft capital to do it. Don’t mistake me, the Jazz will be substantially worse for it this coming season – the Kessler and JJJ front court was poised to finally fix the team’s defensive woes, and it looked like Kessler was ready to make an offensive jump after his first 6 games of the 2025-2026 season. It hurts to lose him, no doubt about it; that’s what keeps this move from being an A+. However, with this trade, the Jazz are having their cake (being relevant this year) and eating it too (maintaining future flexibility). Kessler was good, but this was the right move.
July 10 – Signed Mo Bamba to a 2 year, 7.2 million, partially guaranteed contract: A-
PHILADELPHIA, PA – MARCH 4: Mo Bamba #11 of the Utah Jazz looks on during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers on March 4, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 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 Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Again, let me clarify – the A- grade I gave to this signing isn’t anywhere close to as impactful to the Kessler trade, which received an A. However, I’m grading this deals relative to what they are, and what this deal is is a a low risk, partially guaranteed bet on a toolsy center who has now spent his fair share of time practicing in Coach Hardy’s system. I’m not sold on Mo Bamba as a legitimate player quite yet, but the structure of the deal is so team-friendly that you can’t get very mad. Bamba has been coming in and out of the Jazz system for a while, and hopefully in that time he has gained a solid understanding of what Hardy asks for from his players. The best case scenario is Bamba finally makes it all click, and is a perfectly acceptable backup center on a steal of a contract. He has the tools to make it work… but that may be all he has. Still, the worst case scenario is the Jazz move on, being no worse for wear, and still have multiple options at the backup center spot. The move is low-stakes, and could be end up being a real win on the margins. The Jazz keep making bets on this player; let’s see if this one works out.
Final Grade: A
At the end of the day, it looks like the national media generally got it right. Each of the Jazz big-time moves (or moves involving players that will be or would’ve been playoff players) were big-time wins – Jusuf is back on a team-friendly contract, Kessler is gone but you couldn’t have asked for more in terms of the return, and obtaining Peterson is such a home-run than maybe nothing else this past month will end up mattering at all. On the margins, the Jazz continued their shrewd ways, crafting deals that, for the most part, filled holes and don’t hurt our long-term books. While I wish more emphasis was placed on obtaining a backup ball handler, the Jazz still built a roster that is worthy of their first season in years with genuine expectations placed upon it. Finally, finally, they have something to compete for, and this offseason shows that the front office understands the gravity of that situation.
What have been your favorite moves of the offseason? Least favorite? Sound off below!
DENVER, CO - JULY 22: Luis Garcia Jr. #2 of the Washington Nationals celebrates his two run home run with Nasim Nunez #26 in the seventh inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on July 22, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) | Getty Images
This is the biggest series the Nationals have had in many years. They square off with a direct Wild Card competitor in the Diamondbacks. This is going to be a major test for the Nats, but also a monster opportunity. These next 10 days will tell us so much about the direction of this team.
With a lefty on the mound for the Snakes, the Nats have a righty heavy lineup. However, Luis Garcia Jr. will remain at first base, but hit 8th. Daylen Lile gets the day off as James Wood, Jacob Young and Dylan Crews make up the outfield. Harry Ford will get the start behind the dish. Carson Palmquist will be the opener for Zack Littell tonight.
The D-Backs are red hot right now and riding high. Their top two of Ketel Marte and Corbin Carroll are very dangerous. Gabriel Moreno is also having a great year behind the plate. Nolan Arenado has had a late career resurgence as well. We will also see veteran Max Kepler for the first time. Eduardo Rodriguez is having a great season, and will be on the mound tonight.
Get ready for some massive games at Nationals Park! This is such a monster series for this group. They have not been good at home, but this would be a great time to change that. This series could springboard the Nats towards a big playoff push. Follow along in the comments down below and let’s go Nats.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - JUNE 16: Willson Contreras #40 of the Boston Red Sox and George Springer #4 of the Toronto Blue Jays stand on first in the first inning at Fenway Park on June 16, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jaiden Tripi/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The last time the Sox faced the Jays, the standings and this team looked WAY different. Can that help the Red Sox revive a win streak or will they start to regress at the hands of Toronto?
Jun 25, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; New York Yankees pitcher Cam Schlittler (31) throws a pitch against the Boston Red Sox in the first inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images | David Butler II-Imagn Images
It’s been a bit of a janky week for Yankee baseball, with a pair of rain-induced doubleheaders and a scheduled offday in the past six. We return to what is hopefully normal programming today, with the Bombers coming into Philadelphia for a three-game set against the second-place Phillies.
It’s Cam Bump Day, as the ace Cam Schlittler looks to pull himself over the 4.0 fWAR mark if he can really strut on the Phils tonight. I’ve remarked a number of times this year how Cam will variate between “real good” and “meh” starts this year, with a handful of dominant performances and only one real stinker in the mix. His last outing was certainly in the “meh” column, as the Dodgers were able to chase him before the end of the fifth last Sunday.
I need to do the math on this, but it feels like because Cam throws so many pitches in the zone, he’s most vulnerable against teams that make contact and offer at pitches in-zone. The Phillies boast the sixth-highest strikeout rate in baseball and the 10th-highest Z-Swing percentage, along with the 16th-best Z-Contact rate. To me that sounds like this should be a good matchup for Schlittler’s game plan, but Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper are still who they are.
Jesús Luzardo, who is still just 28 despite me feeling like I’ve heard his name for 15 years, goes for Philly. After a five-win season of his own last year, he’s returned that pace and then some in 2026, making the All-Star team with a 3.43 ERA and 2.90 FIP, led by a sparkling ability to keep the ball in the park. The Yankees have managed to induce some immediate regression in other homer-suppressing pitchers this year, if they can manage that tonight they’ll set themselves up well for a win.
Do note this game is on AppleTV+. I wish it were not.
ATLANTA, GA - JULY 23: Ty France #25 of the San Diego Padres hits a two-run home run in the eighth inning during the game between the San Diego Padres and the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on Thursday, July 23, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Cole Carter/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
San Diego Padres (50-53) at Miami Marlins (52-51), July 24, 2026, 4:10 p.m. PST
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Out of respect to broadcast partners who have paid to carry the game, no mentions of “alternative” (read: illegal) viewing methods are allowed in our thread
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JULY 14: Dave Roberts #30 of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Juan Soto #22 of the New York Mets before the 2026 MLB All-Star Game at Citizens Bank Park on July 14, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Mets lineup
A.J. Ewing – LF
Juan Soto – DH
Bo Bichette – 3B
Francisco Lindor – SS
Carson Benge – RF
Luis Robert – CF
Jared Young – 1B
Marcus Semien – 2B
Francisco Alvarez – C
Sean Manaea – LHP
Dodgers lineup
Shohei Ohtani – DH
Andy Pages – CF
Tommy Edman – 3B
Freddie Freeman – 1B
Mookie Betts – SS
Miguel Rojas – 2B
Kyle Tucker – RF
Teoscar Hernández – LF
Dalton Rushing – C
Roki Sasaki – RHP
Broadcast info
First pitch: 7:10pm EDT TV: WPIX Radio: Audacy Mets Radio WHSQ 880AM, Audacy App, 92.3 HD2
DETROIT, MI - JULY 23: Kansas City Royals Vinnie Pasquantino (9) at bat during game between Kansas City Royals and Detroit Tigers on July 23, 2026 at Comerica Park in Detroit, MI (Photo by Allan Dranberg/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Even after last night’s disappointing loss, the Royals have still won five of seven coming out of the All-Star Break. That’s not nearly enough to get them back into contention, but at least potential trade pieces like Seth Lugo, Michael Wacha, and Matt Strahm have performed well.
One player who sadly hasn’t rebounded is tonight’s bulk reliever, Noah Cameron. Beck Way will open the game for him as the Royals continue to push the righty into more important relief work while they scramble to see if they have anyone who can be counted on even half the time in their bullpen.
I tried looking into Noah’s body of work earlier this week to see if I could find a glaring flaw with him that led from his terrific May into the awful June and July, and I really didn’t see much of use. His sinker is awful, and I don’t understand why he throws it, but he’s not throwing it more than usual. His average arm angle has ticked back up after dropping nearly 10 degrees from last season at the start of this year. The curveball lost about 100 RPMs from the good stretch to this bad stretch, which is probably a big part of the problem. If it were up to me, I’d have him ditch his sinker and four-seam fastball, lead with the cutter, throw a lot of sliders and changeups, and try to figure out what happened to his curveball. But those are probably far too simple and far too significant changes to make, especially in the middle of the season. So we’re just going to have to hope Brian Sweeney has a better idea than me.
The Tigers are going to pitch Tarik Skubal instead, in what might be his final start in Detroit as a Tiger. Or it might not. The Tigers have been winning a lot lately and might decide to go ahead and see if they can finish off the miraculous comeback. Your guess is as good as mine. What is clear is that Skubal is still one of the best pitchers we’ve ever seen. So good luck to the offense.
Lineups
The offense, in need of luck in the best of times, will still be without starters Bobby Witt Jr. and Maikel Garcia. But Jac Caglianone will also miss a third straight game after injuring his shoulder in Tuesday’s contest. Salvador Perez, the third-worst qualified hitter in all of MLB, will bat third for the Royals today as he continues his hunt for career home run 318. I guess getting him some extra at-bats before his body completely falls apart to chase that record makes sense. Somewhere. Speaking of Salvy’s body falling apart, this will be his first start at catcher in almost a month. He’s been hurting but still played first or DH for almost that entire time. He did slash .250/.325/.485/.810 over that span.
John Tortorella hasn't closed the door on coaching at 68, some two months after his latest, brief stint ended two wins short of a Stanley Cup and not being rehired by the Vegas Golden Knights.
“Oh, I want to coach,” Tortorella told The Athletic this week in a story posted on Friday. “I want to coach now. I’m not sure if that happens, and that’s where I am in my career. But I wanted to coach that Vegas team. I told (general manager Kelly McCrimmon) that.”
Tortorella’s tenure in Vegas began with him replacing the fired Bruce Cassidy with eight games left in the regular season. And it ended in mid-June with the Golden Knights losing the Stanley Cup Final in six games to the Carolina Hurricanes.
Though Tortorella pushed for his return, he said he respected McCrimmon's decision to promote minor-league coach Ryan Craig.
“They’ve been developing (Craig) for a number of years there,” he said. “He’s a good coach and a good man.”
Tortorella has 24 seasons of NHL head-coaching experience, with the Golden Knights representing his seventh stop — including two separate tenures with the New York Rangers. He enjoyed his longest stint with Tampa Bay, spanning 2000-01 to 2007-08, during which he won his only Stanley Cup in 2004. He also coached in Columbus, Philadelphia and Vancouver.
From Boston, Tortorella is sixth on the NHL list and first among U.S.-born coaches with 1,628 games coached. Tortorella’s 777 career wins rank second among U.S.-born coaches behind Peter Laviolette’s 846. With a 70-72 career playoff record, he’s 20th on the NHL list in wins.
Tortorella lamented coming up short on winning a second Cup.
“I guess the word I’d use is disappointed,” Tortorella said.
“We didn’t finish the job, and I wanted some more time with that club to try to finish the job. That’s not my call. That’s the general manager and president’s call,” he added. “You just get about your business after that.”
WASHINGTON D.C., UNITED STATES - AUGUST 14: A general view of the US Capitol as daily life continues in Washington D.C., United States on August 14, 2023. (Photo by Celal Günes/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images) | Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
Today’s Lineups
DIAMONDBACKS
NATIONALS
Ketel Marte – 2B
James Wood – LF
Corbin Carroll – RF
Curtis Mead – 3B
Geraldo Perdomo – SS
Andres Chaparro – DH
Gabriel Moreno – C
CJ Abrams – SS
Nolan Arenado – 3B
Dylan Crews – RF
Max Kepler – LF
Jacob Young – CF
Tyler Locklear – 1B
Harry Ford – C
Adrian Del Castillo – DH
Luis Garcia – 1B
Tim Tawa – CF
Nasim Nunez – 2B
E. Rodriguez – LHP
Zack Littell – RHP
After a successful layover in St. Louis, the D-backs head on for another series against a team who might kinda sorta have playoff aspirations. Though it depends who you ask. According to Jack’s chart, the Nationals either have a 6.1% chance of making the post-season… Or a 30.1% chance. Quite a radical difference in perception there. I suspect a difference in methodology, and perhaps also the degree to which past performance is weighted compared to future projections. As discussed in the preview thread, Fangraphs really does not like their chances going forward, projected the third-worst run differential and record in the majors for Washington the rest of the way.
Hopefully, the D-backs can deliver a couple more of the expected losses this weekend. Smallish sample, but they have been the best team in the National League since July 1st, with an 11-6 record over that time. The 99 runs scored over that time trails only the Braves in the majors, while the 72 runs allowed is also well above-average. Also of note: the Diamondbacks have just one loss by more than three runs over their last twenty games. This is in sharp contrast to earlier in the season, where it seemed they would get blown out almost every series. Even when they lose, the games are typically competitive. That’s a good sign, I feel.
Made it back from the Titanic exhibition. Certainly learned a lot, though disappointed there was no Nekkid Kate Winslet exhibit. 🙂 They did have a nice recreation of the staircase, and on entrance you were given a “boarding pass” representing one of the passengers, and their background. At the end, you learned whether or not they survived. Everyone in our group did not. The most impressive bit was a room where you sat in a lifeboat, and the LED walls around depicted the ship sinking, while the radio messages from the Titanic were played. Let’s just say, we won’t be going on a cruise in the near future. All told, recommended.
Feel free to use this thread to chat about (almost) anything you want: video games, food, movies, non-football sports, you name it. As long as it’s allowed by the site’s ToS, it’s fair game here.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - MAY 09: Jaylon Tyson #20 of the Cleveland Cavaliers runs down court during the third quarter in Game Three of the Second Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs against the Detroit Pistons at Rocket Arena on May 09, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers are bumping into the harsh realities that come with recently being above the second apron. Their main goal this offseason was to add a 41-year-old LeBron James to a contract that is far below market value. With the opportunity of doing so out the window, they’re now left to pivot to imperfect options to fill out the rotation.
If the Cavs want to advance to the conference finals or further next season, they will need some of their young players on cost-controlled contracts to provide meaningful minutes. As of now, Jaylon Tyson is the most likely candidate to do so.
Tyson took a meaningful step forward last year in his second season. He showed that he could be a knock-down three-point shooter who provides great energy on both ends of the court. That was much needed for a team that was often stuck in neutral for the first half of the season due to their wide array of injuries.
The improvement he showed last season has Cavs fans optimistic he can take another step forward. Sixty-two percent of fans surveyed earlier this week believe that he has the brightest future among recent draft picks.
While Tyson was the guy fans think has the brightest future, there were plenty out there that believe in Meleek Thomas.
Thomas was impressive this past month in Las Vegas. He led Summer League in scoring, while earning himself a spot on the All Summer League First Team. Summer League success doesn’t always translate to the NBA, but there’s plenty of reasons to be excited about the incredible scoring display Thomas displayed in Vegas.
We’ll see what kind of impact both can make on the Cavs this upcoming season.
Donald Trump picked Michael Jordan over LeBron James in the NBA GOAT debate after James signed with the 76ers. REUTERS
Trump cited his relationship with Jordan and his contentious history with James while explaining his choice.
“Michael Jordan is a guy that’s a friend of mine. I play golf with him. He’s a really good guy,” Trump said. “I think LeBron is maybe he’s a racist, but maybe he doesn’t like Trump. I don’t know. I only like people that like me, so I would say Michael Jordan all the way.”
Suns guard Dan Majerle (left) defends Bulls guard Michael Jordan during Game 1 of the NBA Finals in 1993 USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Trump did not compare the players’ basketball accomplishments.
Jordan won six NBA championships and five Most Valuable Player awards during his career. James has won four championships and four MVP awards and is the league’s career scoring leader. His move to Philadelphia will extend his career to a record 24th season.
Trump and James have publicly criticized each other for nearly a decade.
James endorsed Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election and later criticized Trump’s handling of issues involving athletes and professional sports. In 2017, James again questioned Trump after the president withdrew a White House invitation to the champion Golden State Warriors amid Steph Curry’s reluctance to attend.
LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts during the second quarter of a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder Getty Images
Their dispute escalated in 2018 after James said during an interview with CNN’s Don Lemon that Trump was using sports to divide the country. Trump responded on social media by insulting James and Lemon before writing, “I like Mike.”
Jordan defended James afterward, saying he supported the NBA star’s work in his community.
Trump also chose Jordan when asked about the debate in 2020. At the time, he said Jordan’s limited public involvement in politics made him more popular.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 17: (NEW YORK DAILIES OUT) Yoshinobu Yamamoto #18 of the Los Angeles Dodgers in action against the New York Mets during Game Four of the National League Championship Series at Citi Field on October 17, 2024 in New York City. The Dodgers defeated the Mets 10-2. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dodgers were supposed to have two games on Fox during this road trip, but last Saturday in The Bronx rain got in the way and postponed the middle game against the Yankees. So we’ll have to settle on a single Fox game on the road trip, on Saturday against the Mets at Citi Field.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto starts for the Dodgers, coming off his first complete game of the season last Sunday against the Yankees. Mets rookie Nolan McLean has been excellent so far this season with a 3.34 ERA in 20 starts, including only two earned runs allowed over his last four starts combined.
