KUNMING, CHINA - MAY 01: A baby capybara and its parents meet the public at Yunnan Zoo on the first day of the May Day holiday on May 1, 2025 in Kunming, Yunnan Province of China. (Photo by Liu Rangyang/China News Service/VCG via Getty Images)
The SummerKnicks beat the SummerPistons 86-75 on Monday, improving to 1-2 in Vegas and briefly resembling a functional basketball team after they didn’t look like one to start their Summer League run.
Jack Kayil looked good, Dillon Jones looked useful, Liam Robbins blocked rocks, and Tyler Nickel kept doing the one thing everyone already knew he could do. Here are some notes in the absence of a proper and needless recap, along with a good deal of links from around the League.
German rookie Kayil led the Knicks with 19 points, four assists, and three steals in the win over Detroit, shooting 6-of-13 from the field and 3-of-7 from deep. That follows a 12-point debut against San Antonio after missing the opener. Two games in and the 20-year-old already looks less like an automatic stash and more like somebody the Knicks may want around Westchester on a two-way deal.
Fellow true rookie Nickel made three more threes against Detroit and is now 13-of-29 from deep through three Summer League games, finishing Monday with a 9-6-2 stat line.
Back-to-back NBA champ Jones had plenty of praise for Kayil afterward, as well as finishing with 18 points, six rebounds, and four assists himself.
Big boy Robbins finally had himself a game, getting 15 points, five rebounds, three assists, two steals, and four blocks. No rookie, this Robbins, at age 27 and very much a backup plan to your favorite backup plan’s backup plan.
The Knicks were without Mohamed Diawara and Pacome Dadiet against Detroit, with Diawara sidelined by a ring-finger injury and Dadiet out because of foot soreness. In fairness, they probably just sat because of veteranship reasons.
Dadiet understands he is running out of time, and acknowledged that from Las Vegas. The New York Post got the quotes, and you can read them all in today’s Knicks Bulletin. Didn’t feature this one, but oh my. Per the Post, one NBA GM joked that he “wouldn’t trade a croissant” for Dadiet. Sheesh…
Patrick Ewing did an exclusive interview with Stefan Bondy and discussed his last days with the Knicks and what’s next for him after taking over the Washington Wizards’ assistant coach job. Tons of interesting stuff from Coach Pat.
“I take my hat off to the Knicks. Both Leon [Rose] and World Wide Wes and Mr. [James] Dolan have done a great job in terms of what they’ve done in making all of us feel like we’re all a part of everything that’s going on.
“But their [assistant] bench was already stacked. So I think they have some great guys there. I enjoyed being around them, learning from them, picking their brains. So there was not an opportunity there for me. And one was here.”
Brunson was photographed (h/t Stefan Bondy) for the first time since surgery with his left hand and wrist wrapped and resting in a sling. No panic.
NYP turned Page Six: Landry Shamet may have picked up a second ring.
The Knicks still need a third center. Jonas Valanciunas seems to be this close to packing his bags for Europe. The lone viable alternative still in the free-agent market is a former Chicagoan, Sports Illustrated’s Joseph Randazzo pointed out.
“[The Knicks] figured something out. We pushed them to the limit”
CJ McCollum reflects on the Hawks’ series loss to the Knicks in the first round of the playoffs with @termineradio, @jumpshot8, and Ryan McDonough.
Atlanta Hawks veteran and Knicks villain-for-a-day CJ McCollum said that he already told OG Anunoby during their first-round matchup that New York could win the championship.
Interesting read from Scoop B putting LBJ and HOV’s career side by side… and floating the upcoming Fanatics Fest (Thursday through Sunday) at the Javits Center in NYC as the perfect stage for the last (?) LeBron decision announcement. For what it’s worth, James is scheduled for a live recording of his “Mind the Game” podcast at 1:15 p.m. EST Thursday.
NBA Europe is getting more real but perhaps not any better, as the league hired former Bulls executive Arturas Karnisovas as a consultant to put the field of teams and rulebook together. The planned launch is set for October 2027, and bids are ranging from $500 million to $1 billion across cities including London, Paris, Madrid, Barcelona, Athens, Berlin, and Istanbul.
Two days after OAKAAK DaQuan Jeffries signed with Besiktas, Westchester Knicks and NBA Bubble legend T.J. Warren inked a deal with Paris Basketball.
Draymond Green and Udonis Haslem got into it nicely.
PJ Tucker doesn’t like Andy Vega’s Hoka shoes. I hope he likes mine.
Alex Rodriguez had a little slip-up Monday when complimenting Justin Verlander on his long, successful career in the wake of his retirement reveal.
Verlander opened up about his decision to call it quits after the 2026 season on Fox before the Home Run Derby at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. The former Yankee and three-time MVP then went on to ask the Tigers star a question, but either got his facts mixed up or made a bizarre joke.
“To the young ones that are out there watching, how do you explain being a late draft pick and being designated for assignment a couple of times with two different teams, right?” Rodriguez asked.
Verlander quickly cut him off, saying, “Me? You’ve got the wrong notes.”
Awkward moment for A-Rod, interviewing Justin Verlander saying we was designated for assignment by two different teams.
Alex Rodriguez slips up when talking to Justin Verlander about his career ahead of the Home Run Derby in Philadelphia on Monday night. X @SportsTalk790
The 43-year-old and 10-time All-Star has never been designated for assignment throughout his 22-year career.
He was also the second overall pick in the 2004 MLB Draft, selected by the Tigers.
“I’m kidding, I’m kidding,” Rodriguez said before going on to ask his question as David Ortiz laughed on the other side of Verlander on the Fox desk.
He eventually praised Verlander’s talent and longevity, asking, “How have you been able to be so good for so long and sometimes you even became a better pitcher later in your 30s?”
Verlander announced his decision to retire last week on social media, saying “I never wanted to retire because of a milestone, a number, or a date on the calendar. I wanted the game to tell me when it was time. Over the last several months, I’ve realized that time has come.”
Tigers Justin Verlander (35) before the home run derby at Citizens Bank Park. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The righty hurler has only made one start this season — a 9-6 loss to the Cardinals in which he conceded five earned runs and six hits. He was then placed on the IL with a hip injury, which sidelined him for three months.
Verlander went on to have another setback when he suffered a hamstring injury just before his scheduled return for Detroit. He went on to be scratched from his return start and is not currently near being ready to be activated.
The Tigers (44-52) are 6.5 games behind the AL Central-leading White Sox (50-45) and Guardians (51-46).
Verlander said he hopes to come back this season to help his team after a poor first half.
PHILADELPHIA — Paul Skenes, Juan Soto, and Bryce Harper are among baseball’s All-Stars who say players never will agree to a salary cap but maintain there’s plenty of time to avoid a conflict that could shorten the 2027 season.
“Both sides kind of have their line that they’re not going to cross,” Skenes, the Pittsburgh Pirates ace who also is a member of the union’s eight-man negotiating committee, said. “Whether that results in missing games or missing a season, we’ll see.”
Baseball’s five-year labor contract expires Dec. 1 and MLB is expected to immediately lock out players. The more consequential deadline is in late February or early March, when Major League Baseball would announce whether it was postponing opening day.
Owners proposed a salary cap for the first time since the union fought off MLB’s cap plan with a 7 1/2-month strike in 1994-95 that caused the first cancellation of the World Series since 1904. Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred says a cap is needed to lessen payroll disparity.
Soto, who signed a record 15-year, $765 million contract with the New York Mets as a free agent after the 2024 season, would be limited to a six-year, $265 million deal under MLB’s proposal.
“Yeah, that sucks,” Soto said. “It shouldn’t be there.”
MLB’s proposal would cap spending in 2027 at $245.3 million, using figures for luxury tax payrolls that include $20.1 million for benefits and the pre-arbitration bonus pool. It also would establish a payroll floor of $171.2 million, forcing some teams to spend more.
The Los Angeles Dodgers, baseball’s biggest spenders, had a $415.2 million payroll on opening day this year. MLB has not made a proposal on how to phase in a cap, a process that would be key for high-spending clubs such as the Dodgers.
Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout, at 34 in the eighth season of a 12-year, $426.5 million contract, said players are aware of the proposal’s intent.
“It’s trying to minimize the years and obviously the totals. For sure, we see that,” he said. “I think baseball’s in a good spot right now and we can’t mess this up.”
Harper, in the eighth season of a 13-year, $330 million contract with Philadelphia, said he couldn’t conceive of any scenario in which the players’ association would agree to a cap.
“The opportunity for players to get paid is what this is all about,” Harper said, citing the union’s legacy of fighting MLB since Curt Flood helped unite players in the 1970s. “We owe it to the guys that have come before us to do the same thing.”
Harper, who signed his first major league contract at age 17, also vowed to fight MLB’s proposal to ban a player from signing until he was at least 20 years old by the Sept. 1 of his signing year and two years removed from the graduating year of his high school class. MLB says college baseball provides a better development path.
“If you’re in the top three rounds as a high school kid, I think you should be able to do whatever you want,” Harper said. “It would really be tough for a guy like Jackson Holliday to not be the number one pick and not get the chance to go to the big leagues at 19 or 18 if he’s able to.”
Bargaining began in May and is expected to resume after the All-Star break. The union has asked for expanded free agency and salary arbitration rights along with almost doubling the major league minimum.
Pirates pitcher Braxton Ashcraft viewed the early negotiations as “back-and-forth proposals that may or may not be unrealistic.”
Skenes, a 24-year-old right-hander in his second full big league season, could see a sharp decrease in potential contract offers under MLB’s system. He currently is on track to become a free agent after the 2029 season and has a $1,085,000 salary in his last season before arbitration eligibility. He also has earned nearly $5.6 million from the pre-arbitration bonus pool that started in 2022.
“MLB is kind of presenting their perfect-world offers and we’re kind of presenting our perfect-world offers,” Skenes said. “So there’s a lot of time before there’s any real movement, I think.”
San Diego’s Mason Miller, baseball’s top closer, also could become a free agent following the 2029 season. A 27-year-old right-hander, he is earning $4 million this season.
“I still have some optimism,” he said. “The place that the game’s at right now, I think killing that momentum is kind of fruitless for everybody.”
For years, we've come to expect the MLB All-Star Game to feature players who have perennially been among the best in the sport. We become accustomed to seeing the same names fill out the rosters. Guys like Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, Jacob deGrom, Chris Sale, Jose Altuve, Mike Trout, and more. While some of those names are still here in Philadelphia, it feels like we're witnessing a little bit of a changing of the guard, particularly amongst the starting pitchers.
This year's All-Star rosters had 26 first-time players selected, and 14 of the starting pitchers will be making their first or second appearance in the Midsummer Classic. Six of those starting pitchers (plus Paul Skenes, who is making his third appearance) are 26 years old or younger, and all of them, apart from Skenes, have made fewer than 35 career MLB starts. For comparison's sake, Chris Sale, who is also participating in the All-Star Game, has made 329 career starts (even with his litany of injuries).
"I think the game's changing, the game's getting younger," acknowledged Reds' starting pitcher Chase Burns, who is making his first career All-Star appearance. "I know it probably sucks to say that for older guys, but, you know, it's because of them that the game's gotten better."
That deference to the veterans was common amongst the young hurlers who were present at the All-Star game: "It's a good mix of older, veteran guys that we can learn from, and then a lot of hungry guys that are trying to make it back here every year and stay healthy," said Yankees' starter Cam Schlittler, who is also making his first All-Star appearance.
The "hungry" young guys that Schlittler talked about have been making their presence known this season. Among qualified starting pitchers, five of the top 10 starters in WAR are current All-Stars who are 26 years old or younger. Seven of the top 12 qualified starting pitchers in terms of strikeout rate are 26 years old or younger, including the Guardians' Gavin Williams and the Mets' Nolan McLean, who were not selected as All-Stars.
Some of the success of younger pitchers can be attributed to technological advances that have enabled them to throw harder. The top three fastball velocities in baseball are all from pitchers at the All-Star Game who are 25 years old or younger: Burns, Schlittler, and the Brewers' Jacob Misiorowski, who is making his second All-Star appearance. Four additional starters aged 26 or under round out the top 12, including Williams, Skenes, his Pirates' teammate Braxton Ashcraft, who is making his first All-Star appearance, and the Twins' Taj Bradley.
"Now, there's so much technology, and everybody's just growing so much more," admitted Burns. That velocity has certainly helped the younger pitchers, but it's not the only reason they are succeeding. Especially since Guardians' starting pitcher Parker Messick, a first-time American League All-Star, doesn't even average 94 mph on his fastball: "I think I just try and fill up the zone and whatever happens, happens," said the left-hander.
What's funny is...that's not really true.
Through his first 26 MLB starts, Messick has just a 44.4% zone rate. The MLB average for starting pitchers, according to Pitcher List data, is 44.9%, so Messick is decidedly average when it comes to "filling up the zone." However, what Messick and his young peers are good at is getting ahead in the count, which is most likely what he's referring to. For his career, Messick has a 62.5% first-pitch strike rate, which is above average. He also has an above-average "True First Pitch Strike Rate," which removes balls in play on 0-0 counts to look at how often a pitcher legitimately gets to an 0-1 count.
Additionally, Messick has an above-average early called strike rate and is behind in the count less often than league-average, so, anyway you slice it, he has made a point of getting ahead of hitters. He's not the only one.
"The biggest thing is strike one," said Ashcraft. "I think that mentality for me came from throwing out of the bullpen last year. Just coming in and there being a huge priority on not walking guys coming into the game, limiting baserunners, mitigating free passes, whatever that looked like. Whether it's a dumb pitch selection, poor execution, walks, hit by pitches, stolen bases, etc. Free passes are never going to bode well in the back end of games, and taking that mentality to the front end of games has helped me a lot this year."
Seven of the top 20 starting pitchers in baseball in walk rate (minimum 70 innings) are 26 years old or younger, including Ashcraft, Skenes, Schlittler, and Dodgers' first-time All-Star Justin Wrobleski. However, where most of these young pitchers shine isn't strictly in walk rate, but, as alluded to with Messick, in getting ahead of hitters.
In his 33 career MLB starts, Schlittler has been behind in the count 9.6% of the time, according to Pitcher List data. The MLB average is 12.1%. Skenes has been behind in the count 10.5% of the time, Wrobleski 9.8%, Ashcraft 11.1%, and Burns and Messick both at 11.8%. One of the biggest components in their collective ability to get ahead of hitters is an intense trust they have in their "stuff."
"I just trust that my stuff is going to be able to play," explained Messick. "That's just how I've always pitched. You go through the minor leagues, and you're always working on a new pitch or something different. Once you get up here, it's all about winning games, and I've just focused on trying to win... I do that by trusting my stuff."
"I think just being able to find my rhythm, find my identity a little bit," responded Schlittler when asked about why he's been able to have so much success. "It took me a little bit last year to figure out that I can just rely on my fastball. Now, being able to rely on three fastballs and a curveball. It takes time just to be able to make those adjustments."
Despite their confidence in their raw stuff, these young starters, who have grown up in an age of reflective thinking and with a wealth of information at their disposal, are also adept at making the adjustments that Schlittler alluded to. Part of that comes with being comfortable taking a hard look at yourself.
"Just being able to evaluate yourself on a daily basis," answered Ashcraft when asked about what enables a young pitcher to transition seamlessly to the big leagues. "Being able to look at yourself in the mirror and say today was not good enough in terms of the body of work you put in, or how you went about your attitude throughout your work."
It's also about simplifying your mindset.
"Let's keep it simple, stupid," added Ashcraft. "There are a lot of ways you can look at baseball as a whole. It can force you into getting really negative on yourself or getting really high on yourself, because, with success in the big leagues, there are a lot of rewards that come from it, right? And, with failure, there are some pretty swift and stark consequences for it. So, just trying to mitigate how high you get or how low you get when it comes to success and failure."
The younger crop of starting pitchers is prepped for that in a way that older players were not at the same age. Most organizations now employ mental skills coaches, whose primary focus ishelping younger players find their identity and become comfortable with the inevitability of failure. Additionally, while previous approaches to developing players at the minor leagues focused intensely on mechanics and skill fundamentals, organizations have begun to prioritize mindfulness or mental health approaches that focus on everything from reflective journaling, sleep habits, diet, and an understanding of the consequences this endeavor has on both your body and your mind.
"I think the biggest thing, honestly, comes down to the work you put into taking care of your body coming into spring training," reflected Schlittler. "You get to June and July, and your body's either going to wear down, or it's actually going to get stronger based on the work you put in the off-season... You take care of your body, and you'd be surprised how many players don't, and you work a little bit harder, and you can end up in the right place at the right time."
For Burns, that success and preparedness came from an intense focus on "sticking to the routine. Taking care of my arm. Just working hard every day, taking care of business."
Yet, for all of their early success, the young crop of starting pitchers isn't satisfied to rest on their early accomplishments. "They're all competitors," smiled Messick. "They're all great guys, and they just want to win." A large part of that desire to win also means acknowledging that you're never done evolving and growing.
"I've still got a lot to learn," admitted Schlittler. "I'm still out there making adjustments, especially over the last few starts, so I'm just trying to ride with it."
"It helps when you have guys that feel comfortable around," added Ashcraft, "that communicate on a very personal level to be able to hold each other accountable and say, 'Hey, man, you didn't get better today.'"
That intense focus on getting better every day is driving this young crop of starting pitchers. They're not doing it in a vacuum. They understand the value of the experience from the veterans who surround them. But they also know what they are capable of, and they're excited to show a national audience that their time isn't just in the future; it's right now.
"I feel like the future is really bright for this league," smiled Schlittler. "It's going to be really fun to watch it all unfold."
One of those includes a brief 17-game stint at Historic Grayson Stadium, with a team whose owner wears a yellow tuxedo and top hat and whose players dance and do TikToks in the middle of games: the Savannah Bananas, of course.
Sure, the Bananas when Peters played for them weren't the Bananas of today, having taken over the baseball sphere with their Banana Ball antics. Jesse Cole's team was still a summer college baseball team in the Coastal Plain League.
It doesn't matter to Peters, though, now an outfielder with the Chicago White Sox. He was still a Banana. And no, he isn't tired of answering questions about his time in Savannah in the summer of 2021.
"No, I look back very fondly," Peters said Monday, July 13, at Citizens Bank Park ahead of the Midsummer Classic. "I think it really put the fun back in baseball because sometimes, especially in college, just trying to perform, you get focused on that. You're not remembering that this is a game we're blessed to be able to play."
Were there viral TikTok dances when Peters was in Banana Country as the Coles were building the "Harlem Globetrotters of Baseball"? Yes, Peters said he occasionally busted a move. But it was a fraction of what Bananas players do today — and yes, his White Sox teammates have found the videos.
"They give me a hard time, but it's all fun," said Peters, who mentioned he played one game in the Banana Ball 's current format: a faster-paced format where entertainment is incorporated into the 11-rule, two-hour flat game.
Drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the seventh round out of Southern Illinois University Carbondale that same summer, Peters faced an uphill road to the majors. He was traded twice within a span of a few months in 2022, first from Milwaukee to the San Francisco Giants, then from the Giants to the Tampa Bay Rays, where he made his major league debut last season. His stint with the Rays was brief, however, as he appeared in just four games before being designated for assignment in December and subsequently traded to the White Sox.
Fast forward to 2026, and Peters has taken on a starting role with the White Sox. But to get to the South Side of Chicago, Peters, like many minor leaguers, had his share of moments where he questioned whether reaching the big leagues would ever happen.
"There's so many, honestly," Peters said. "I know when I got traded to the Giants, I had a really tough time adjusting to the AA level and the imposter syndrome too, being on a new team, not knowing anybody. And that still happens. I'm starting to know a lot more people, which helps, but when I first got to the big leagues with the Rays, I went 0-for-12. Obviously that was tough. I'm like, ‘Can I actually do this?' but I had to keep that belief in myself too."
There were also times he questioned whether he could keep putting his family through the grind of minor league baseball, but he credits his wife’s unwavering support for helping him persevere.
"She's really the root of all (this). She's the reason I'm here," Peters said.
Peters finished the first half of the season with a .301 batting average and an OPS of .832 to go along with 75 hits, 20 doubles and 36 RBIs, helping turn one of Chris Getz's under-the-radar acquisitions into an All-Star.
"He kind of came out of nowhere, right?" White Sox manager Will Venable told The Athletic last week. "We liked him, obviously, enough to acquire him. He’s exceeded expectations, and he’s done it in a way that it’s really neat for a guy who has worked so hard."
So was there a moment that Peters knew, once he made the big league club out of spring training, this type of season could happen back in April or May?
Not necessarily.
"Think just knowing my role as a player," Peters said. "... Then I slowly adjusted to big league pitching. And that's a constant adjustment to be made too because they are pitching to you differently every day."
He earned his first All-Star Game selection fewer than 24 hours after recording the third cycle this season in baseball, and the first by a White Sox hitter since Jose Abreu on Sept. 9, 2017, against the Giants. The Canadian native replaced Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz on the American League roster.
He was set to rent an Airbnb an hour away from Chicago with his wife and their baby, who was born during spring training, for a few days before he received that news.
"We were just going to chill at a lake house, let our dog run around and maybe rent a boat or something like that," Peters said. "Just chill."
But an unexpected trip to Philadelphia for the All-Star Game, where he'll come off the bench for the American League, is a pretty good reason to put that lake house on hold.
"This is awesome. It's really a highlight of my career already. To be a rookie here, I'm truly honored," Peters said.
The relentless champion strengthened his grip on the yellow jersey with another imperious mountain ride
Luke Rowe, a sports director at Decathlon CMA CGM, is asked about it being Bastille Day. Will it affect their approach for Seixas?
“Same as every other day … is there more pressure to go in the break? … Whatever day it is, it’s not going to impact the way we race … morale’s high. We have to respect that it is Bastille Day. But it makes no difference.”
In terms of adding new talent this off-season, the Montreal Canadiens have been quiet. While this is the case, they still have plenty of time to change that before the start of the season.
When looking at their current roster, one of their top needs is another defenseman for their right side. Due to this, one player who the Canadiens should consider targeting this summer is Calgary Flames defenseman Zach Whitecloud.
With the Flames being in a rebuild, questions about Whitecloud's future with the Flames have come up. If the Flames do make him available, he is a player who should be on the Canadiens' radar.
If the Canadiens acquired Whitecloud, he would provide them with another solid option for either their second or third pairing. Furthermore, because of his strong defensive play, he would be a clear choice for the Habs' penalty kill if brought in.
Whitecloud would also be more than a one-year rental for the Canadiens if they acquired him this off-season. This is because he has a very affordable $2.75 million cap through the 2027-28 season. That is a bargain price for a solid right-shot defenseman like him.
In 78 games last season split between the Vegas Golden Knights and Flames, Whitecloud posted two goals, 15 assists, 17 points, 124 hits, and 140 blocks.
Three Pittsburgh Penguins prospects have made Scott Wheeler's new top 100 NHL drafted prospects rankings for The Athletic. This is because Harrison Brunicke, Rutger McGroarty, and Will Horcoff have made the cut.
Brunicke was given the No. 74 spot on Wheeler's list. It is understandable, as he has the potential to become a key part of the Penguins' blueline in the future. The 2024 second-round pick played in his first nine career NHL games last season for Pittsburgh, where he scored one goal. With the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins last season, he posted one goal and eight points in 11 regular-season games and two goals and seven points in 15 playoff games. He also had two goals and 24 points in 24 games in the WHL with the Kamloops Blazers in 2025-26.
McGroarty was given the No. 84 spot on Wheeler's rankings. This comes after the 6-foot-1 forward posted three goals and six points in 24 games with Pittsburgh last season. He took a notable step forward in the AHL with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton last season, posting 10 goals and 34 points in 30 games. With numbers like these, it is hard not to feel optimistic about his future in Pittsburgh.
As for Horcoff, he landed the No. 92 spot. The 2025 first-round pick had a strong year with the University of Michigan, recording 25 goals and 39 points in 40 games. The potential for the 6-foot-5 forward become an impactful player in the NHL is there.
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - JULY 10: Samuel Basallo #29 of the Baltimore Orioles celebrates a two run home run in the eight inning during a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on July 10, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The week before the All-Star break was almost like a 2026 season in miniature for the Orioles. They began the week with a losing streak that sent them to a new low point for the season, and broke out of that losing streak by setting a season-high winning streak. They finally won a fourth straight game in their eighth chance. Even that win came at a cost, with the news of Blaze Alexander’s hand fracture.
In this week’s podcast, I’m sad about Alexander, and in disbelief that things played out in such a way that anyone would be sad about Alexander. After getting past the sadness, I’m taking the opportunity of a few days break to look at the roster as a whole and think about each player: Is this guy meeting expectations, beating them, or falling below them?
This team has its share of problems, but going through the player performances, there’s a lot going right as well, and they probably only need a couple of the problems to play their way into solutions… plus maybe a trade or two, if the GM has the nerve to do it. Check out this week’s episode here:
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How are you feeling about the way things are going with the Orioles right now? Answers could make it into the mailbag section of a future episode of the podcast.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 12: Mason Miller #22 of the San Diego Padres pitches against the Toronto Blue Jays during the ninth inning at Petco Park on July 12, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The debate for most teams every year is whether or not they should buy, sell or stand pat at the trade deadline. Teams have to evaluate what their team has, what it needs and what any potential additions or subtractions could mean for that season and future seasons. In the most recent Padres Reacts Survey, fans were asked to decide what they think the San Diego Padres should do at the deadline this season.
The team fought hard in the last two games of the ceremonial first half to get back-to-back wins to limp into the break with a .500 record on the season at 48-48. The roster is loaded with players who are injured or under performing and that is not a combination that instills confidence in the fanbase.
The starting rotation has been decimated by injury with Yu Darvish, Joe Musgrove, Nick Pivetta, Randy Vasquez and Lucas Giolito all currently on the injured list and Darvish is out for the season. The bullpen had remained relatively healthy throughout the year, but is now without Jeremiah Estrada, Jason Adam and David Morgan. The lineup has also been beat up in the first half of the season with Ramon Laureano out for the year, Freddy Fermin and Samad Taylor currently on the IL and Luis Campusano recently returning from an IL stint.
The players that have been healthy in the rotation and lineup in the first half have underwhelmed. Most fans wonder how the Padres have even played well enough to reach .500 at the break considering all the above-mentioned factors, which is why they are prepared for San Diego to sell at the deadline. There is not much confidence in the way the Padres have played, and the number of needs is too great to think the 2026 team is worth investing in. San Diego general manager and president of baseball operations A.J. Preller may see it another way, but the Friar Faithful are looking toward future seasons rather than a postseason run this season.
Padres News:
Bradgley Rodriguez has been impressive throughout the 2026 season. At one point this season he was getting so much work that he was sent to the minors for some rest and time off. Thomas Conroy of Gaslamp Ball says the increased usage for Rodriguez is a result of the trust he has earned from manager Craig Stammen.
The Padres added to their minor league depth with several picks on Day 2 of the MLB Draft. Most of the selections were college players who were further along in their development, which Cheri Bell of Gaslamp Ball says is a change from the usual approach San Diego has in the draft.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - DECEMBER 28: Fabian Lysell #23 of the Boston Bruins warms up before the game against the Columbus Blue Jackets during his NHL debut at TD Garden on December 28, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by China Wong/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
It wasn’t by accident the Colorado Avalanche wrapped up all their existing Restricted Free Agent loose ends before the start of the 2026-27 league year. However, after trading for Fabian Lysell from the Boston Bruins in late June, one more contract to take care of was put back on their plate.
The 23-year-old right wing had concluded his four-year Entry Level Contract but didn’t hold any arbitration rights so it was really up to the Avalanche to negotiate with Lysell in good faith after extending him a qualifying offer and it didn’t take long to reach an agreement on a one-year two-way contract for the upcoming season.
As always, there’s a lot of clues on the outlook for Lysell in the details of the contract with a $850 NHL cap hit and $190k guaranteed minor league salary. The relatively low guaranteed money on this two-way deal puts the right winger at the bottom of the list as far as financial commitment from the Avalanche. Both Gavin Brindley and Taylor Makar were given identical two-year contracts which are two-way in the first year. Their NHL cap hit is $875K and minor league salaries are $200K with a $300K guarantee. Oddly enough the Lysell deal is nearly the same as the one-year contract Ivan Ivan received in Boston. One upside on the $850K cap hit is that makes Lysell is the cheapest call-up option to the Avalanche.
The #GoAvsGo signed 23 y/o F Fabian Lysell to a one year two-way contract
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JULY 13: Willson Contreras #40 of the Boston Red Sox poses for a photo during the 2026 All-Star player photoshoot at Citizens Bank Park on Monday, July 13, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Hello and happy All-Star Game day, folks. The 96th Midsummer Classic in Philadelphia begins at 8 p.m. EST tonight…or at least that’s what we’re being told. I’m sure it’ll be a much later start time, but I digress.
Before the game, we had the Home Run Derby last night! The Red Sox’s own Willson Contreras had a good run into the semifinal round, but he wasn’t able to take it home. Congrats to (INSERT WHO WON).
The big headline outside of the winner, though, was the change of the format. Gone is the swing clock, as we’ve now gone to limiting the amount of swings a guy can take.
So, the question of the day is simple: Did you like the rule change for the Home Run Derby? I thought it was pretty good; I didn’t mind the clock, but the new format added some drama towards the end of the night. That was especially the case when Contreras was trying to tie Philly’s hometown boy and old friend of the Sox Kyle Schwarber in the semis.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JULY 13: Jacob Latz #67 of the Texas Rangers poses for a photo during the 2026 All-Star player photoshoot at Citizens Bank Park on Monday, July 13, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Good morning.
Kennedi Landry writes about where things stand for the first-place Texas Rangers at the All-Star break and what awaits them in the second half.
Shawn McFarland writes about what we’ve learned about the Rangers and their harrowing path to first place in the AL West at the break.
Landry writes about Jacob Latz losing a battle in March only to become Texas’ lone All-Star by July as one of baseball’s best closers.
Evan Grant notes that Latz’s first appearance of the year was in Philadelphia, starting the second game of the season for a scratched Jacob deGrom and now he returns an All-Star reliever.
And, FanGraphs’ Brendan Gawlowski writes about the Futures Game prospects — including Texas farmhand Caden Scarborough — and MLB annually fumbling the event.
BALTIMORE, MD - JULY 11: Taylor Ward #3 of the Baltimore Orioles hits a solo home run in the sixth inning during the game between the Kansas City Royals and the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on Saturday, July 11, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Alyssa Piazza/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
As the Orioles head into the second half of the season and toward the August 3rd trade deadline, they have decisions to make on two prime trade candidates. Given the O’s perpetual need for starting pitching, LHP Trevor Rogers seems like an ideal extension candidate and should not be traded. Outfielder Taylor Ward represents a much tougher decision.
The Orioles shipped out always-injured starter Grayson Rodriguez for the 32-year-old Ward in the offseason, knowing that the longtime former Angel was heading into the last year of his contract. The move was the first of two moves the Orioles’ front office made to take a serious swing at upgrading Baltimore’s right-handed power. With Ward and 1B Pete Alonso, the O’s thought they were adding 60-70 HRs and 200+ RBIs to a talented (but often inconsistent) lineup.
And while Alonso has certainly lived up to his billing, Ward’s performance has been a bit more head-scratching. On one hand, he’s second on the team (behind Alonso) with a 2.0 bWAR, tied with the Polar Bear with 91 hits and is on pace to shatter the Orioles’ single-season walk record. Ward has certainly been a good player for the Orioles and well worth the price of a pitcher who may never make 25+ starts in a season.
And yet, Ward also hasn’t been as advertised in terms of power output and run production. Last year Ward’s .475 slugging percentage ranked 45th in all of baseball. Among outfielders with at least 400 PA, he was 16th in slugging, narrowly beating out All-Stars like Julio Rodriguez and James Wood. So far this year, he’s down to 163rd among all major leaguers. Among outfielders with at least 250 PAs, Ward’s .359 slugging percentage ranks 61st and is more in line with struggling stars like Jarren Duran and Jackson Merrill.
The 32-year-old’s massive dip in power not only represents a 100+-point drop from last year’s slugging output, but it also represents a 70-point drop from his career slugging percentage of .429. Ward only just hit his first home run at Camden Yards this past weekend against the Royals, and is on pace for 10 home runs after hitting 36 last season. And while moving from the three hole with the Angels to the leadoff spot for the O’s also hurts his RBI opportunities, the lack of power is also a cause for his current 42-RBI pace.
If the Orioles wanted to do an extension with Ward, it’d likely cost them around $15-20M—similar to what they’re currently paying Tyler O’Neill. Given that his current salary is just over $12M, the cost of an extension is likely negligible if you account for Ryan Mountcastle’s $6.8M salary coming off the books in 2027. However, Ward is also likely the second-best outfielder (behind Randy Arozarena) in the upcoming free agent class. That may mean his salary gets inflated if a bidding war breaks out.
Ward also could be very desirable to a number of sure-fire playoff teams this season. The Phillies are the most heavily linked team with Ward, as they’ve struggled to get production from their outfielders (27th in OF Wins Above Average) and to hit left-handed pitchers (26th in OPS vs. lefties). The Diamondbacks, Guardians and Rays could also use corner outfield help, with the latter two also needing help vs. lefties.
The O’s may be hesitant to deal Ward to a fellow AL team, especially if they can maintain their recent form. The four-game win streak before the All-Star break has the O’s only two games out of a Wild Card, and relative weakness of the American League means they should be in the mix into August or September.
However, there will clearly be a market for Ward if the O’s choose to deal their outfield rental instead of offering an extension. Similar deals last year for Harrison Bader, Jesus Sanchez and Cedric Mullins netted each selling team 2-3 prospects. Given Ward’s potential impact, the O’s should expect 2-3 prospects of decent quality.
The Orioles have the unenviable task of trying to balance the effects of a disappointing start to the season, the desire to push for a playoff berth and the long-term health of the franchise. The O’s were in a similar position two seasons ago with the pending free agency of Anthony Santander. At that time, Baltimore was practically a lock to make the playoffs, making the decision to keep the 29-year-old pending free agent defensible.
The Elias-led front office can’t repeat that same strategy with Ward. Despite recent positive momentum, it’s far from a guarantee that the O’s overcome the four teams in front of them vying for the final AL Wild Card spot. Baltimore has the hardest remaining strength of schedule in the American League and is dealing with the recent injury to Blaze Alexander. Trading Ward would be a gut punch in that it’d be admitting the Orioles don’t see themselves as true contenders.
However, keeping Ward on the roster only to let him walk at season’s end would be a mistake. The Orioles’ offseasons often feel reactionary in nature. The front office often seems like it is scrambling to replace a departing player after missing out on their ideal candidate. Too often, it seems that Baltimore is chasing the shadow cast by its past success instead of fortifying the foundation for a better chance at future prosperity.
If the front office lets Ward walk for nothing, the Orioles will enter the offseason with corner outfield as one of their biggest needs—and less prospect ammunition for a trade. And while Ward may not be the perfect fit for a long-term deal, the Santander for Tyler O’Neill swap shows that replacing good players on the free agent market is a potentially greater risk. What Elias & Co. decide to do with Ward should be the toughest decision the Orioles face in the next three weeks.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 09: Kevin Ginkel #37 of the Arizona Diamondbacks pitches against the San Diego Padres during the eighth inning at Petco Park on July 09, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Over the weekend, Major League Baseball held its annual draft during which two Arizona players were selected. Pitchers Owen Kramkowski and Collin McKinney hope to join the long list of former Wildcats to make the bigs, a number that reached 95 earlier this year.
Of that group, 10 have spent time in the majors during the 2026 season, which is currently on the All-Star break, but only four are active and healthy. Here’s a look at how each has fared, along with an update on some other ex-UA players who are in the minors or playing overseas:
Active Major Leaguers
RHP Kevin Ginkel, Arizona Diamondbacks
The 32-year-old Ginkel is having one of the best seasons of his 8-year run with the D’Backs, sporting a 2.84 ERA along with a 3-2 record in 41 appearances. In 38 innings he’s struck out 40 against just 11 walks, and opponents are hitting just .223 against him.
Ginkel, who was part of the 2016 UA team that lost in the College World Series championship series, is earning $2.75 million this season as he approaches free agency. He was a 22nd-round pick in 2016, before the draft was reduced to 20 rounds in 2021.
OF Robert Refsnyder, Seattle Mariners
At 35, Refsnyder is the elder statesmen of ex-Wildcats in the majors and the only active player left from the 2012 NCAA title team that produced seven big league players. Seattle is his ninth organization he’s been with, seven of which have had him in the bigs.
The Mariners signed Refsnyder to a 1-year, $6.25 million deal after seeing how well he hit lefties during the previous four seasons with the Boston Red Sox, but that proficiency hasn’t carried over from the East Coast. In 49 games and 105 at-bats Refsynder is hitting just .133 with three homers and nine RBI, and two weeks ago he was put on the 15-day IL with knee inflamation.
With 1,669 career plate appearances, Refsnyder is 15th among all ex-Wildcats and only 158 behind Terry Francona, who has become much more known for being one of the best managers in MLB history and who is in his 25th season overall and 2nd with the Cincinnati Reds.
RHP Chase Silseth, Los Angeles Angels
It took the 26-year-old Silseth less than a year of pro ball to make the majors, going from pitching with the UA in the 2021 CWS to being an 11th-round pick of the Angels a month later and then making his MLB debut in May 2022.
That was as a starter, which he did during most of his time in the bigs those first three seasons. He was converted to a full-time reliever in 2025 and this season has become one of the more effective bullpen arms in the American League.
Silseth, who is still four seasons away from free agency, is 3-1 with a 3.03 ERA in 42 games. He’s struck out 45 in 35.2 innings with an opposing BA of .227. He’s making $800,000 this season, a little better than the $485K he signed for out of the draft.
C Austin Wells, New York Yankees
The 27-year-old Wells is is the Yankees’ primary catcher, and has been since 2024, but he could be at risk of losing playing time if his team looks to upgrade at the position before the Aug. 3 trade deadline. It wouldn’t be a surprise if they did, seeing as Wells is hitting a miserable .155 in 66 games with six homers and 13 RBI.
Wells hit 21 homers last season in 126 games but is just a career .211 hitter, though his defense has kept him in the lineup. He’s eligible for arbitration this winter and would need a really good second half to land a nice raise from his current $866,200 salary.
Though best known for his time with the Yankees, Wells also played for the World Baseball Classic-winning Dominican Republic earlier this year thanks to his mother’s parents being from that country. He hit two homers in five games during the WBC and was a fan favorite.
The Dominican Republic squad is loving Austin Wells
A 16th-round pick of the Marlins in 2019, Nardi made his MLB debut in 2022 and a year later was one of the best left-handed relievers in the National League, going 8-1 with a 2.67 ERA in 63 games. His numbers dipped in 2024 when he also suffered an elbow injury that required surgery, robbing him of all of the 2025 campaign.
The 27-year-old Nardi returned to action this season and sported a 5.16 ERA in 25 appearances over 22.2 innings before going on the injured list again in late May. He was diagnosed with a stress reaction in his ribs, and with him on the 60-day IL he couldn’t return until the end of this month at the earliest.
Nardi, making $800 this season, enters his first year of arbitration in 2027.
RHP Jesse Scholtens, Tampa Bay Rays
While Arizona Baseball doesn’t list him in its media guide as a former Wildcat to make the majors, the 32-year-old Scholtens did play for the UA briefly in 2013. He appeared in two games as a freshman before transferring to a junior college and then Wright State, from where he was drafted by the San Diego Padres in the 9th round in 2016.
Scholtens never made it to the bigs with San Diego, which released him 2022. The Chicago White Sox signed him and got him into 26 games with 11 starts in 2023 before he missed the 2024 season due to injury, eventually ending up with the Rays in 2025 via waivers.
After two appearances that season, Scholtens has pitched in nine games this season with Tampa including a pair of starts. In 37.2 innings he’s gone 5-3 with a save and a 3.82 ERA but since late May has been on the IL with a wrist injury.
In the minors
IF Scott Kingery, Chicago Cubs
A 2nd-round pick of the Philadelphia Phillies in 2015, the 32-year-old Kingery is now with his third MLB organization after signing a 1-year, $1.25 million deal with the Cubs in November. He was on the Opening Day roster but appeared in only eight games with four at-bats, getting one single with a stolen base and two runs scored, before getting designated for assignment.
After clearing waivers, Kingery joined the Triple-A Iowa Cubs where he’s hitting .205 with three home runs and 12 RBI in 38 games.
Kingery spent parts of five seasons with the Phillies, who signed him to a 6-year, $24 million contract before he made his MLB debut, from 2018-22 and also played in 19 games with the Angels in 2025.
C Cesar Salazar, Houston Astros
Drafted by the Astros in the 7th round in 2018, Salazar continues to be valued by that organization but not enough to keep him with the big club full time. Since making his MLB debut in 2023 he’s appeared in only 35 games, nine this season, and after a month in Houston he was DFA’d in June before getting outrighted to Triple-A Sugar Land.
The 30-year-old Salazar, who has also twice been used as a pitcher in blowouts, has hit .189 with 10 RBI in the majors but in the minors has clubbed 49 homers including one this season. He’s also played more than 230 games in the Mexican Pacific League with Hermosillo, a team the UA has faced multiple times in fall exhibitions the last few years.
C Daniel Susac, San Francisco Giants
The newest member of the ex-Wildcat MLB Club, Susac has been on the Giants’ 40-man roster all season after being unable to crack that list with the Athletics, who drafted him in the 1st round in 2022. Because the Oakland/Sacramento/soon-to-be-Las Vegas A’s didn’t put him on the 40-man in the winter he was grabbed in the Rule 5 Draft by the Minnesota Twins, who then traded him to San Francisco.
Rule 5 picks have to stay on the MLB roster or the injured list all season that first year or be offered back to their original team. Susac is on the IL for the second time, dealing with a lower back strain, but is currently on a rehab assignment and could get back to the majors after the All-Star Break.
Susac debuted with a bang in April, going 3 for 3 and reaching base all four times in his first start, and was hitting .478 before his first IL stint. While he was gone the Giants traded away starting catcher Patrick Bailey but Susac wasn’t able to capitalize upon his return, hitting .200 in 26 games since coming back.
For the season, Susac is hitting .262 with 14 RBI and when he comes back he’ll likely take the place of fellow rookie Drew Cavanaugh, who can be sent to the minors.
Searching for a team
OF Jared Oliva
The 30-year-old Oliva made the Giants’ Opening Day roster alongside Susac, his first time in the majors since 2021 with the Pittsburgh Pirates, who drafted him in the 7th round in 2017. He appeared in seven games for San Francisco, going 1 for 7 with a stolen base before breaking the hamate bone in his left hand and ending up on the 60-day IL.
After sending him to Sacramento for a rehab assignment, where he hit .241 in 14 games, the Giants DFA’s Oliva on June 20. The New York Mets claimed him off waivers on June 23 and sent him to Triple-A Syracuse, but on Saturday he was let go by that organization as well.
Thriving overseas
1B Bobby Dalbec
The highest-drafted player from the 2016 UA contingent, going in the 4th round to the Red Sox, Dalbec played in more than 300 games with Boston from 2020-24 and had a cup of coffee with the Chicago White Sox in 2025 before spending time in the minors with two other clubs. Then, at the age of 30, he signed with the Yomiuri Giants of the Japanese Central League.
So far, the move is paying off. Dalbec is tied for 4th in the league with 13 homers and 5th in RBI with 51 for the Giants, who are a game out of first place.
Next ones up?
There are more than 60 former Wildcats active in professional baseball somewhere in the world, according to Baseball-Reference.com, and most of them are still seeking their first taste of the majors. Many were drafted or signed pro deals in the past five years.
Unfortunately, only one is at the Triple-A level: lefty Jackson Kent, who was a 4th-round pick of the Washington Nationals in 2024. He began this season at Double-A Harrisburg, going 1-1 with a 2.35 ERA in seven starts before getting promoted to Rochester in May, and since then has gone 5-3 with a 5.02 ERA in nine starts. If he sticks at that level the rest of the season the Nats might add him to the 40-man this winter.
Currently at the Double-A level are pitchers Clark Candiotti (Padres), TJ Nichols (Rays) and Tonko Susac (Texas Rangers), while outfielder Chase Davis was at Double-A in the Cardinals’ organization before getting injured and is currently rehabbing in Single-A.
Also recently getting promoted to Double-A is outfielder Aaron Walton, who was a 2nd round pick of the Cleveland Guardians last July. He hit 15 homers and drove in 55 in 79 games at High-A Lake County before getting elevated to the Akron Rubber Ducks on Monday.
