INGLEWOOD, CA - APRIL 7: Marvin Bagley III #35 of the Dallas Mavericks shoots a free throw during the game against the LA Clippers on April 7, 2026 at Intuit Dome 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Dallas Mavericks added Morez Johnson, Jr., Sergio DeLarrea, Tobi Lawal and Vsevolod Ischenko to their roster via the 2026 NBA Draft. With that behind them, the Mavs now need to reshape their roster in other ways, including determining which of their own free agents they wish to retain, and how much they are willing to spend on them.
Dallas has a pair in Marvin Bagley and Brandon Williams that are unrestricted free agents this offseason. The former was considered a throw-in on the Anthony Davis trade by some; not much more than an expiring contract that would give Dallas flexibility. The latter has been with Dallas for the past three seasons and has contributed well off the bench, with plenty of starting gigs thrown in.
Preliminary reports are surfacing from Kevin Gray, Jr. that other teams have interest in both players. Candidly, the Bagley report is light on details, suggesting no specific teams, though indicating an expected salary range of the taxpayer mid-level exception (roughly $5.6M).
“[Marvin] Bagley, 27, is expected to draw interest from several teams and command an average annual salary in the taxpayer mid-level exception range or slightly higher.” #MFFLhttps://t.co/ah86Nx0SrU
Williams on the other hand, expects to have interest from the Phoenix Suns, Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors in addition to the Mavericks, with no real insight on a price tag.
“Several teams are expected to show interest in signing [Brandon] Williams as an unrestricted free agent, including the Phoenix Suns, Golden State Warriors, Boston Celtics, and the Mavericks, who want to retain him…” #MFFLhttps://t.co/ah86Nx0SrU
“Free agents drawing interest from teams” is hardly news. Neither of these players are about to wash out of the league, so it is hardly surprising that both will garner interest. The real question is what the Mavericks want to do here.
Picking up Johnson, Jr. in the draft may make it difficult to find a spot for Bagley, though some of the other front court veterans could be moved as the roster takes shape. In the case of Williams, does Dallas perhaps have an eye on retaining him to maintain their guard ranks? With Brayden Burries still on the board, Dallas opted instead for Johnson, Jr., so whereas Williams may not be the guard of the future, he is likely of relatively high interest to the Mavs as Kyrie Irving works his way back from injury.
Dallas would be wise to consider Bagley, especially if trade rumors surrounding Daniel Gafford are true. While not a true center, Bagley can certainly provide minutes at the position, and with Dereck Lively still an unknown quantity, another big body would be a boon to Dallas’ frontcourt. Bagley had himself a number of double-doubles on efficient shooting in his short time with the Mavs and showed he fit well alongside Cooper Flagg. His tenacity on the boards was something sorely lacking on the team prior to his arrival as well. Even with the potential redundancy caused by Johnson, Jr., Bagley could be a nice player to retain unless Dallas otherwise shores up their center rotation – especially at $5.6M; a relative steal.
Williams may be a player the Mavs are more willing to say goodbye to. Williams is not the guard solution for the future and they still have Ryan Nembhard under contract. For now, he will be behind Irving and splitting time with Nembhard, which may make him less of a factor overall, especially if Irving can spool up to meaningful minutes quickly. While Dallas does need to bolster its guard rotation, it seems more plausible they could do so with a replacement. It should be noted however, that Mavs’ GM Mike Schmitz was in Portland when Williams entered the league there, and that could impact the team’s motivation.
Free agency season is just days away, so it won’t be long until we see how things begin to shake out.
I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks.
MIAMI, FLORIDA - MARCH 28: TJ Rumfield #7 of the Colorado Rockies at bat against the Miami Marlins in the sixth inning of the game at loanDepot park on March 28, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images) | Getty Images
One of the things I’ve always appreciated about baseball is the lack of an exact mold that everything must fit into.
Players of all different body types can be stars (see: Jose Altuve, Jacob Misiorowski, Cal Raleigh, etc.). The playing field is not required to be uniform making every ballpark have little unique quirks. Almost every aspect of baseball allows for variety that enhances the viewing experience.
This brings me to one of my favorite little ways for a player to stand out: their batting stance.
After more than a hundred years, you would think that the optimal way to contort a human body in preparation to swing a baseball bat would have been found and widely adopted. While stances have gotten a bit more homogenous over time, practically every player still does something visually distinct from their peers.
So, which Rockie has/had your favorite batting stance to watch?
Is there a classic that you wish one of the new guys would adopt or is there someone currently on the roster that has become a fast favorite? Do you like the loose and tall vertical bat of someone like Tyler Freeman or is the coiled over-the-shoulder horizontal bat of a TJ Rumfield more your jam?
Whoever it is, let us know in the comments! Bonus points for visual evidence.
BOSTON — It seemed like Jazz Chisholm Jr. was determined to exit Sunday night’s 5-4, 10-inning loss to the Red Sox well before it was over.
The second baseman, hitting leadoff for the first time this season, was tossed after striking out to end the top of the sixth for arguing a checked-swing third strike.
Chisholm was upset with home plate umpire Adam Hamari, who made the call and didn’t check with third base ump Clint Vondrak.
Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr (13) argues with home plate umpire Adam Hamari (78) during the sixth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
As Chisholm turned to argue vehemently with Hamari at the plate, first base coach Dan Fiorito raced to home plate to try to calm Chisholm, with manager Aaron Boone soon following from the dugout.
None of it stopped Chisholm from continuing to argue. When he slammed his helmet as Boone talked with Hamari, Chisholm finally was tossed by first base umpire Todd Tichenor, the crew chief.
The replay of Jazz Chisholm getting ejected from the game following a strikeout. pic.twitter.com/bdGFRtSoxH
“We tried to keep him in the game in that situation [and] tried to distract a little bit,” Boone said of his attempt to prevent the ejection. “They gave him a little bit of rope to argue his case, and the helmet going in a certain direction probably cost him.”
Chisholm was replaced in the lineup by Anthony Volpe, while José Caballero moved from short to second base.
Jazz Chisholm throws his helmet during the game against the Red Sox. @JustBB_Media/XJazz Chisolm questions home plate umpire Adam Hamari’s strikeout call during Sunday night’s game against the Red Sox. @Fireside Yankees/X
“I never like when guys get tossed,’’ the manager said. “Everyone once in a while, a guy gets tossed. I don’t want him out of the game and tried to rein it in there.”
Boone added he thought the checked swing was “at least borderline. My quick view from the first base dugout was that he didn’t [swing].”
The Yankees — and Chisholm — lost that argument but still came back to tie the game in the top of the ninth and take the lead in the 10th before blowing it in the bottom of the 10th for their fourth straight defeat.
Yankees Merch Shop
WinCraft insulated can coolers
Team Effort driver head cover
47 Brand adjustable cap
Customizable jersey
Logo fleece blanket
14-ounce sculpted relief coffee mug
New York Post receives revenue from affiliate and advertising partnerships for sharing this content and when you make a purchase.
When Chisholm was ejected, they still were being dominated by ex-Yankee Sonny Gray, as the right-hander didn’t allow a hit until the eighth.
For Chisholm, it was another low point in what’s been a rocky season. He got off to a rough start to the year with a .611 OPS through the end of April, but he was productive for most of May.
That was followed by a disappointing last three-plus weeks.
“I feel like he’s been solid now for a couple months, but I always feel like with Jazz, there’s so much more,” Boone said before the game. “[We’re] waiting for him to really catch fire. I feel like he hasn’t caught fire yet at all this year. I feel like after a really slow start the first few weeks, I feel like he’s been steady the last couple months. But you’re always waiting on that hot streak that you know he’s capable of.”
Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Brice Turang (2) turns a double play in the ninth inning between the Milwaukee Brewers and Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati on Wednesday, June 24, 2026. | Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The Milwaukee Brewers will face yet another NL Central rival this week, as they’re welcoming the Cincinnati Reds to town for four games. Given that Milwaukee played the Reds less than a week ago, I won’t do my full recap of both teams.
After the Brewers swept the Reds at Great American Ballpark, Milwaukee returned home to host the Cubs. They took the opening game of the series behind another strong showing from Jacob Misiorowski before dropping the final two of the series, though they still hold a 5.5-game lead on the division with July on tap.
On the other side, the Reds bounced back nicely in Pittsburgh this weekend, taking two of three from the Pirates as the offense finally showed up (19 runs over three games).
In injury news, the Brewers’ only real update is the return of Jared Koenig, who was activated from the injured list on Friday. His return is big for a Brewer bullpen that went from a surplus to a deficit of left-handers in rapid fashion — Milwaukee’s current IL consists of four bullpen lefties, which left Aaron Ashby as the lone healthy lefty before Koenig’s return.
The Reds didn’t get anyone back, but they did lose outfielder Blake Dunn and right-hander Tony Santillan. Santillan was put on the injured list with an oblique strain, meaning he’ll be out until at least after the All-Star break, while Dunn is currently listed with a TBD return after being shelved with a right elbow sprain.
As a reminder on these two teams’ offenses, the Brewers rank in the top 10 in most offensive categories despite ranking near the bottom in homers, with just 73 as a team (tied for 26th entering Sunday). The Reds, on the other hand, have 100 homers (ranks 12th), but they rank in the bottom-third of the league in OPS (.700) and runs scored (346).
Milwaukee’s pitching staff ranks near the top of the league in ERA (3.42 ERA ranks second) and strikeouts (first with 788 over 716 2/3 innings), while the Reds rank near the bottom in both (4.51 ERA and 652 strikeouts both rank 23rd).
Probable Pitchers
Monday, June 29 @ 6:40 p.m.: LHP Robert Gasser (1-3, 4.50 ERA, 5.14 FIP) vs. LHP Nick Lodolo (2-2, 5.59 ERA, 5.38 FIP)
Gasser, who hasn’t pitched since last Sunday in Atlanta, has made six starts this season, totaling 30 innings with a 4.50 ERA, 5.14 FIP, and 31 strikeouts. He’s looked solid in his last two outings against the Guardians and Braves, totaling 11 2/3 innings with two runs allowed on six hits and three walks, striking out 12. Gasser’s lone appearance against the Reds (last September) was a bit of a strange one on the stat line, as he went 2 2/3 innings, allowing four runs (none earned) on four hits and two walks, striking out three. He took the loss despite a 0.00 ERA.
Lodolo, 28, has had a bit of a disappointing season with a 5.59 ERA, 5.38 FIP, and 38 strikeouts over 46 2/3 innings, though he’s coming off a solid outing against these Brewers. He went four innings in that one, allowing no runs on two hits and a walk while striking out six on just 75 pitches before being removed after a comebacker off his left wrist. In seven career appearances (six starts) against Milwaukee, Lodolo is 1-1 with a 2.52 ERA and 35 strikeouts across 35 2/3 innings.
Sproat, who had a really rough first couple of months of the season, has looked a lot better in his last few outings. While he still has a 5.43 ERA and 5.07 FIP across 69 2/3 innings, his only real blemish in his last two outings is a pair of homers, one of which was, unfortunately, a grand slam. Against the A’s, Guardians, and these same Reds, he totaled 15 2/3 innings with five earned runs on seven hits and three walks, striking out 19. His last appearance was easily the best of those, as he went six scoreless against Cincinnati, allowing just one hit and a hit by pitch while striking out 10 on 80 pitches. Outside of that, Sproat’s only other appearance against Cincy came in his debut last season, when he went six innings and allowed three runs with seven strikeouts. Let’s hope this outing is more like last week’s.
Lowder, 24, is having a pretty “meh” season thus far, with a 4.81 ERA, 4.68 FIP, and 48 strikeouts across 58 innings through 12 starts. His last appearance came against Milwaukee last week, as he allowed three runs on eight hits and a walk, striking out six across 5 2/3 innings in a 6-5 loss. That was Lowder’s second career appearance against Milwaukee, as he’s now 0-2 with four runs allowed and 12 strikeouts over 9 2/3 innings.
Wednesday, July 1 @ 7:10 p.m.: LHP Shane Drohan (3-2, 3.12 ERA, 3.15 FIP) vs. LHP Andrew Abbott (5-4, 3.90 ERA, 5.05 FIP)
Drohan, who has become the sixth man of Milwaukee’s rotation, has been solid in this role his last few times out. He’s 3-2 with a 3.12 ERA, 3.15 FIP, and 52 strikeouts over 52 innings this season, and his last five appearances have come as a starter. He went 4 1/3 innings against these Reds in his last appearance, allowing no runs but giving up five hits and three walks while striking out five on 98 pitches. He’ll look to provide more length in this outing.
Abbott, 27, was an All-Star last season in his third year with the Reds, but he hasn’t been quite as sharp in 2026. While he still has a 3.90 ERA, that outpaces his 5.05 FIP by more than a run, and he’s striking out batters at a much lower clip, with just 70 over 90 innings. He got hit for four runs (three earned) over 5 1/3 innings in his last appearance against the Pirates, striking out six in a no-decision. In eight career starts against the Brewers, he’s 3-4 with a 3.74 ERA and 44 strikeouts across 45 2/3 innings. That includes three starts last season, when he went 1-1 with eight runs allowed over 18 1/3 innings (3.93 ERA).
Thursday, July 2 @ 1:10 p.m.: RHP Jacob Misiorowski (9-3, 1.45 ERA, 1.84 FIP) vs. TBD
Misiorowski remains among league leaders in most major pitching stats, including sitting atop the leaderboard in ERA (1.45), FIP (1.84), strikeouts (146), and WHIP (0.768). He picked up another win his last time out against the Cubs, going six strong innings with eight strikeouts and one run allowed on two hits and four walks. While he didn’t face the Reds in the most recent series, he did make two appearances against them last season, though without much success. He went 3 2/3 total innings over a start and a relief appearance, allowing seven runs (six earned) on seven hits and six walks, striking out six, though if you’ll recall, that really rough start was the game in which Milwaukee trailed 8-1 only to ultimately win 10-8.
While the Reds haven’t yet announced a starter for Thursday’s series finale, this would be Chase Burns’ spot in the rotation, which would make this a true pitchers’ duel. Burns, 23, has looked fantastic in his second MLB season, as he has a 9-1 record with a 2.36 ERA, 3.17 FIP, and 112 strikeouts over 91 2/3 innings this season. The Brewers missed him in his last turn through the rotation, but he got roughed up by the Pirates over the weekend, allowing five runs on nine hits while striking out 10 over six-plus innings. His only appearance against Milwaukee came last September, when he pitched 1 2/3 innings in relief, allowing no runs on no hits and a pair of walks while striking out four.
How to Watch & Listen
Monday, June 29: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Tuesday, June 30: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Wednesday, July 1: Exclusively on ESPN/ESPN App; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Thursday, July 2: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Prediction
As I’ve mentioned before, this may be the most important stretch of the season for the Brewers, given how many games they’re playing against the NL Central. I don’t think that’s lost on Pat Murphy & Co. Give me Milwaukee to take two of three.
CHARLOTTE, NC - MARCH 26: Miles Bridges #0 of the Charlotte Hornets smiles during the game against the New York Knicks on March 26, 2026 at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. 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 Adam Hagy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Just three days after shipping LaMelo Ball to the Minnesota Timberwolves, Charlotte has reportedly traded Miles Bridges to the Phoenix Suns in another franchise-altering move. The reported deal sends Bridges, a 2029 first-round pick, and a 2027 second-round pick to Phoenix in exchange for Grayson Allen, Royce O’Neale, and an unprotected 2033 first-round pick.
BREAKING: The Charlotte Hornets are trading Miles Bridges, a 2029 first-round pick and a 2027 second-round pick to the Phoenix Suns for Grayson Allen, Royce O'Neale and a 2033 first-round pick, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/vjcR7AdwSD
Charlotte has now moved on from the two faces of its franchise in the span of a week. Instead of chasing the Play-In Tournament, the Hornets are stockpiling long-term assets around a younger core led by Brandon Miller, rookie Kon Knueppel, and recently acquired Naz Reid. Sure, Allen and O’Neale are capable veterans, but the real prize is future flexibility and another first-round pick.
The Hornets looked like a club trying to climb into the middle of the East after last season, posting a 33-16 record after January 1, 2026 and finishing the regular season at 44-38. They were competitive and could have tried to build around Ball/Bridges/Miller for a higher ceiling. Instead, Jeff Peterson has decided to clean house. Bridges is 28, coming off a solid season (around 17/6/3), and still on a relatively team-friendly contract. Phoenix has reportedly targeted him for years and was willing to give up a future first plus two rotation wings. That’s a nice return for a good-but-not-elite player on a non-contender.
The deal reportedly saves Phoenix luxury tax money. For Charlotte it also opens up minutes, cap space, and developmental reps. Allen and O’Neale are plug-and-play veterans who shoot well and know winning basketball. They help the young players learn without the pressure of carrying a playoff push that maybe wasn’t realistic.
It seems that several Eastern teams are choosing patience rather than trying to keep pace with New York, Detroit, Cleveland, and the upper crust of the conference. That’s cool with us. Every rival that decides the future matters more than the present makes the road back to the Finals a little cleaner.
SAN DIEGO — Emmet Sheehan was not pitching for his job Sunday.
That didn’t mean, however, it wasn’t a high-stakes outing.
Entering the day, the 2026 season had not gone anywhere near what the 26-year-old right-hander planned. He began the afternoon with an ERA over 5.00. He’d given up multiple runs in all but one of his first 14 starts. His fastball velocity and execution of secondary stuff had been inconsistent all year.
Dodgers starting pitcher Emmet Sheehan struggled last week against the Orioles but rebounded Sunday. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Things seemed to reach a tipping point last week when, after Sheehan gave up six runs in 3 ⅓ innings to the Orioles, manager Dave Roberts ominously said “he’ll get a start this next one, and we’ll see where it takes us.”
And while Roberts’ tone had softened by Sunday morning — the skipper clarified that Sheehan still “has plenty of leash” to figure things out, especially with the Dodgers lacking any viable rotation replacements in the wake of River Ryan reaggravating a hamstring injury in Triple-A last week — the pressure on the third-year big leaguer and former top-prospect talent was nonetheless mounting.
“It’s got to be better,” Roberts declared. “This is a good test.”
He held the Padres to one run over five innings. He struck out five batters and yielded only two hits. And for the first time in a while, he finally flashed some long-lost consistency with his stuff.
“He knows that there’s more in there,” Roberts said pregame. “Obviously, we think the world of Emmet. He’s got really good stuff. There’s been times where it’s good until it’s not. I think the main thing is, this is just a good opportunity for him to go out there and give us a chance to win a series.”
Sheehan did so by going on the attack early, leaning heavily on his mid-90s mph fastball to get ahead in counts before consistently snapping off curveballs, sliders and changeups to put hitters away.
His command wavered a bit as the day went on, leading to two walks and a hit batter. He also hung a fourth-inning slider to Manny Machado that was launched to left for a solo home run.
But at the most pivotal moment of his outing, Sheehan bore down.
With two aboard and two outs in the fifth, he buried a curveball — a pitch he had tweaked with assistant pitching coach Connor McGuiness during a pair of between-starts bullpen sessions this week — that Samad Taylor chased in the dirt.
Sheehan struck out five and allowed two hits in five innings Sunday against the host Padres. David Frerker-Imagn Images
The strikeout retired the side and sent Sheehan skipping off the mound for the final time at 84 pitches with an emphatic pound of his mitt.
“You got to try to separate the process from the results as much as possible,” Sheehan said. “Which is pretty hard to do when you’re not pitching well and losing games.”
At times, as his fastball velocity dipped earlier this year and his breaking stuff failed to induce its typical swing-and-miss, Sheehan found himself getting bogged down with thoughts about his flawed delivery. When pressure mounted and he faced jams that called for him to simply compete and make pitches, he instead only spiraled as ugly innings piled up.
“When you don’t feel great, it’s an easy default to focus on your mechanics and try to feel something,” Roberts said. “But in the heat of the moment of a game, you have to find a way to get past that and be external and get the hitter.”
That’s what Sheehan did Sunday, with the strikeout of Taylor — who Roberts said was going to be his last batter of the day — serving as an exclamation point on an outing the team is hoping can jump-start his season.
“Like I told him after the game, this is something for us to build on,” Roberts said. “Keep going to work this week and be ready for your next one.”
Frustration boiled over for Jazz Chisholm Jr. in the sixth inning on Sunday.
With Sonny Gray and the Red Sox no-hitting the Yankees for the third consecutive night, Chisholm got himself tossed from the ballgame arguing a check-swinging strike three.
Home plate ump Adam Hamari elected not to appeal to third, much to the infielder's dismay.
A heated Chisholm turned and argued with Hamari, before eventually spiking his helmet, which resulted in him being thrown out for the remainder of the night.
Steve Cohen will be “speaking soon,” the Mets owner told a fan on social media Sunday morning.
It was one of several posts on X that Cohen made Sunday to fans amid the disastrous season that led to the firing of manager Carlos Mendoza on Friday and a continued free fall for the Mets, who dropped two of three games to the Phillies over the weekend.
Access the Mets beat like never before
Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Mike Puma about the inside buzz on the Mets.
“Steve what’s the plan moving forward,” the fan asked the Mets owner. “Do you plan on speaking? I know many, many fans want to hear you speak. This season has been soul crushing.”
Cohen did not indicate when Mets fans would hear from him, and he did not further address his take on the team’s current standing.
The Mets owner did spend some time on the social media platform, pushing back on a narrative online that a fan had been kicked out of a game at Citi Field in a viral video on Friday night for holding up a “Fire Stearns” sign, referring to the Mets president of baseball operations, David Stearns.
Mets owner Steve Cohen speaks with New York Mets bench coach Kai Correa (50) before the game when the New York Mets played the Minnesota Twins Wednesday, April 22, 2026 at Citi Field in Queens, NY. Robert Sabo for NY Post
“I’m cool with fans expressing themselves and carrying signs,” Cohen claimed in his response to one fan about the alleged incident. “I’m not cool when fans around him are complaining that he was ruining their day at the ballpark. He was belligerent and was asked to be more considerate to paying customer around him. Unfortunately, he refused.”
When another fan questioned Cohen’s explanation, he responded to the post as well.
“Other than from my head of ballpark operations. Why let the facts get in the way of a narrative,” Cohen wrote in response to a user who said that “I haven’t seen anyone back up this claim” about his previous social media post.
The frustrations come with the Mets having lost their fourth straight series after a 5-4 loss to the rival Phillies on Saturday.
Mets owners Alex and Steve Cohen talk to manager Carlos Mendoza (right) during a Mets Hall of Fame induction ceremony before a game against the Miami Marlins at Citi Field in May. Brad Penner-Imagn Images
They’re 35-49, 15 games out of first place in the NL East and 9.5 games removed from the final National League wild-card spot despite one of MLB’s top payrolls.
Cohen has owned the Mets since 2020, and the club has seen more downs than ups under his stewardship, making the playoffs just twice.
MEts merch shop
47 Brand logo cap
1986 eco tote bag
Mets fiber beach towel
14-ounce sculpted relief mug
Customizable jersey
Color block logo backpack
New York Post receives revenue from affiliate and advertising partnerships for sharing this content and when you make a purchase.
The Mets made it the NLCS in 2024 before losing to the Dodgers in six games and lost to the Padres in the wild-card series in 2022.
They went through an amazing collapse last season after going 45-24 by June 12, but then went 38-55 and missed the playoffs on the final day of the 2025 season.
LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 12: Blake Hinson #2 of the Utah Jazz drives to the basket during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers on April 12, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Around and around and around it goes. Darryn Peterson’s prophesied selection with the second overall NBA Draft pick brought about a struggle that has spanned through generations — his preferred jersey number had already been claimed.
For NBA basketball players, a jersey number is much more than an arbitrary digit (unless you’re Dwight Howard, I suppose); it’s an identity synonymous with one’s own name. When you see the number 23, your mind likely flips to one of Michael Jordan, LeBron James, or Lauri Markkanen — three players of equal legacy and impact on the history of professional hoops. This is what stood at stake for Utah’s newest budding star: the difference between maintaining your identity and crafting one anew.
And that identity had already been claimed by one Kyle Filipowski.
“I’m going to have to see what he’s willing to do to give that up,” Peterson pondered in the wake of his draft results.
This could have been a threat to Filipowski’s manhood. A direct attempt to revoke a man’s pride while staring him directly in the eyes. It’s humiliating; it’s emasculating. One would leave this empasse as top dog, the other with his tail between his legs.
“…but if not, I might try to rock, 8,” conceded the newest member of the Utah Jazz, fully unaware of Isaiah Collier, who was already quite comfortable in that chair, having already changed his number once before from 13.
Ultimately, the rookie won out. Darryn Peterson maintains his brand and recaptures his pride at the expense of Filipowski. Apologies, owners of the now-outdated 22 uniforms — your asset’s value has depreciated faster than a timeshare on Alderaan.
So, what comes next for Filipowski? Well, the answer is simple, of course. Just peel the second digit from the uniform, and the former Blue Devil converts to the number 2.
Oh, but what about Blake Hinson? You remember. Blake Hinson, the late two-way addition the Jazz brought on last season. He was pretty good! …He also wore the number 2 and is still signed with Utah through the offseason. His number has been taken, so who’s up next?
INGLEWOOD, CA - APRIL 15: Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard, #2, walks off the court after their season-ending loss to the Golden State Warriors during an NBA play-in-tournament at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood Wednesday, April 15, 2026. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
With the 2026 NBA Draft in the rearview, the Dallas Mavericks are shifting focus to free agency and trades to refurbish their roster around Cooper Flagg. A number of sources are now reporting that Dallas has not only inquired about the availability of Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard, but that the two teams have had discussions about an actual framework for a trade.
The Mavericks have registered interest in Kawhi Leonard, league sources told The Athletic. Masai Ujiri famously traded for Leonard once before.
The rumored transaction would be Dallas sending out P.J. Washington, Klay Thompson and draft capital in exchange for Leonard. Despite Leonard’s age and injury history, and subject to the actual draft capital in question, this is arguably a no-brainer for the Mavericks.
Thompson is 36-years old and came to the team with a desire to play alongside Luka Doncic and to be the finishing piece on a championship contender. Then Nico Harrison happened. Thompson no longer fits the timeline of Flagg and newly drafted rookie Morez Johnson, Jr. as the Mavericks shift to a future-focused approach, as per President Masai Ujiri in his introductory press conference.
Washington is a 27-year old in his prime and is just about to kick off a team-friendly contract extension. He was an integral part of the Mavericks’ run to the NBA Finals in 2024, but was well-served playing alongside Doncic. With all due respect to Washington, he is not the caliber of player Leonard is, and if the team is going to remain wing-heavy, upgrading from Washington to Leonard is a clear benefit from the talent and production standpoints.
The knocks on Leonard are his age (35 years old on Monday) and injury history. While there is simply no sugar-coating the injuries and time missed, Leonard actually played nine more games last year than Washington did. With the exception of 2024-2025, Leonard has played no fewer than 52 games in the past five seasons, including outings of 65 games and 68 games. Leonard would also be a rental. He is an unrestricted free agent following this season, which may be a good thing depending on how you look at it – he could make the Mavs competitive next year, then clear a massive ($50M) contract off the books for next offseason.
There are two major points of curiosity here, however. Ujiri proclaimed the Mavs were thinking about the future and a move like this runs completely contrary to that notion. Leonard, Kyrie Irving and Flagg would be a formidable three-headed monster right now. Further, Dallas has very limited draft capital. They only have a first-round pick in 2027 if it falls into the top two slots (otherwise it goes to the Charlotte Hornets), a 2028 pick swap with the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Los Angeles Lakers 2029 pick. Unless the Clippers are desperate to move off Leonard’s sizable contract and are not demanding much in the way of first round picks, the draft capital part of the equation here is puzzling.
If Dallas and Los Angeles make this move, it adds a brand new and wholly unexpected wrinkle to the Mavericks’ plans. Everyone believed the team would be rebuilding over the next few years, but this move is for right now. It would leave Dallas as an “if” team – that is, if Irving returns to form and Leonard stays healthy, they could be legitimate contenders for the next couple of years.
Check back often as we continue to follow this story here at Mavs Moneyball.
I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks.
Leonard has just one year left on his current contract and would make $50.3 million next season. If he does not sign an extension, he will become a free agent in 2027. The 7-time All-Star played in 65 games last season, averaging 27.9 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists.
Toronto would serve as familiar territory for Leonard, as he helped lead the franchise to its NBA championship in 2019.
There’s another familiar face from Leonard’s time with the Raptors, who may also be interested in reuniting.
Mavericks president Masai Ujiri could be interested in trading for Leonard. Ujiri traded for Leonard once before, deciding to move on from longtime Raptor DeMar DeRozan in July 2018, when he was president of operations for Toronto.
According to The Athletic, Dallas and Los Angeles have discussed a potential deal that would send the former Finals MVP to the Mavericks in exchange for P.J. Washington, Klay Thompson and draft picks to the Clippers.
Leonard is no stranger to the state of Texas, having spent the first seven years of his professional career with San Antonio, helping the Spurs win the 2014 NBA championship.
If Leonard is traded in the coming days, it would happen while the star player remains under investigation along with Clippers owner Steve Ballmer and Leonard's uncle/advisor Dennis Robertson. All three men were allegedly involved in a “no-show” agreement with a company, Aspiration, to funnel extra compensation to the player as part of a salary cap circumvention.
Clippers' president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank was not willing to comment on any specifics regarding the investigation when speaking to the media on Tuesday, June 23. Frank did state that the investigation has not impacted how the Clippers have conducted business and will "continue to go about our business as normal."
NBA commissioner Adam Silver would be responsible for deciding on any potential discipline after the law firm conducting the investigation delivers its findings to him. Silver indicated in June that the investigation needs to conclude soon.
“The team has to understand what situation they are going to be operating under and so do the other 29 teams,” Silver said.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Nashville Predators signed forward Jack Drury to a five-year, $22.5 million contract on Sunday night, four days after he was acquired from the Colorado Avalanche.
The 26-year-old Drury had a career-high 10 goals last season and matched his personal best with 27 points while playing in all 82 regular-season games for the Avalanche.
He was acquired by the Predators on Wednesday along with forward Chase Bradley and a third-round pick in the 2029 NHL draft from the Avalanche for forwards Zachary L’Heureux and Fedor Svechkov.
“Jack Drury is a hard-working, reliable, full-sheet of the ice center who can handle the tough assignments while being elite in the faceoff circle,” Predators general manager and president of hockey operations Chris MacFarland said after the trade. “His addition to our forward group bolsters our depth in the middle of the ice, and we’re thrilled to have him.”
Drury established himself as one of the NHL's top faceoff players by winning 58.1% of his draws — the fifth-highest percentage among players who took at least 900 faceoffs last season. He also had three goals and two assists in 13 playoff games while helping the Avalanche reach the Western Conference Final.
Drury is the son of former NHL center Ted Drury and nephew of former NHL center and current New York Rangers general manager Chris Drury. He was a second-round draft pick of Carolina in 2018. When MacFarland was with Colorado as the Avalanche's GM, he acquired Drury from the Hurricanes in 2025.
In 268 career regular-season games, Drury has 30 goals and 52 assists and a 57.1 faceoff percentage.
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - JUNE 13: Timothée Chalamet celebrates with Mikal Bridges #25 of the New York Knicks after the victory against the San Antonio Spurs in Game Five of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center on June 13, 2026 in San Antonio, 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. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Everyone in life is under some sort of pressure.
Whether it’s a massive responsibility in your job, your family, or your education, there’s always something riding on your decisions. That’s a fact of life.
Pressure can be a good thing, it can get the most out of you. As the old saying goes, pressure creates diamond.
But it can also create rubble. Too much pressure and you and everything around you will crumble. It takes a certain type of person to overcome such pressure.
Now imagine the weight of tens of millions of people on your shoulders. A type of pressure only similarly faced by presidents of entire nations. There’s a reason those guys seem to age decades in four to eight years.
When Mikal Bridges was traded to the Knicks for one of the largest draft pick packages in the history of the sport, he became the most intensely-watched non-All-Star in the history of professional sports. For the rest of his career, he’d be tasked with making himself worth all those picks that were given to Brooklyn.
If the Knicks never accomplished their ultimate goals, their failure would forever be linked, fair or not, to giving a king’s ransom for a complimentary starter.
Would he be remembered in Knicks history the same way Eddy Curry, Jerome James, and Andrea Bargnani were if they never got over the hump? I guess we’ll never know.
SAN ANTONIO, TX – JUNE 13: Mikal Bridges #25 of the New York Knicks poses for a portrait after winning Game Five of the 2026 NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs on June 13, 2026 at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, 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 Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Bridges was born on August 30, 1996, in Philadelphia. He grew up in the city, but moved out to the suburbs in Chester County in middle school, eventually attending Great Valley High School in Malvern. A sophomore year growth spurt saw his basketball future come into clearer focus, eventually becoming one of the best players in Southeast Pennsylvania.
As a four-star recruit and a top-100 player in the nation, he chose Villanova over Penn State and Florida. There were three other players in Pennsylvania ranked over him in the Class of 2014; none of them reached the NBA.
At Nova, he did what many players did under Jay Wright; he paid his dues. He redshirted in 2014-15 and emerged as a key bench piece for the eventual national champions the following year, pouring in 11 points to their utter decimation of Oklahoma in the Final Four before logging 15 minutes in the thrilling final against UNC.
As a sophomore, he overhauled his jumpshot and raised his three-point percentage from 30% to 39.5%, joining the starting lineup for good by mid-November due to an injury to Phil Booth. It ultimately led to him winning Big East Defensive Player of the Year. Side-by-side with the likes of Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, Donte DiVincenzo, and more, the Wildcats were once again contenders to win the whole thing, but were shocked by Wisconsin in the Round of 32. Bridges failed to make a single shot in that game.
Entering his redshirt junior season, he made even more strides as a scorer, serving as a perfect Robin to Brunson’s Batman, averaging 17 points on 43% from behind the arc and being named a Consensus All-American. His best games would come in the biggest moments, dropping 28 on Gonzaga in a neutral-site tournament, 25 in the Big East Championship Game, and 19 in the national championship game, going out as a two-time national champion.
Declaring for the 2018 NBA Draft, Bridges was the top NBA prospect on the team. DiVincenzo snuck into the lottery, and Brunson was reduced to a second-round pick, but Bridges was picked No. 10 overall by his hometown Sixers. His mom still worked for the team. It was the dream of all dream scenarios.
And then he was traded.
After all the emotions poured out with the possibility of staying home, Brett Brown traded him 25 minutes later for Zhaire Smith and a first-round pick. The pick would go on to be part of the Tobias Harris package a year later.
Putting aside how cruel that is from a front office to pull on a city and family’s heartstrings like that after making the pick, it shows the hubris and self-inflicted nature of the Sixers’ failure to build a winner around Joel Embiid. They’ve had so many talented players in their organization and decided to punt all of them for pennies on the dollar.
Jared McCain for scraps because your owner is cheap. Julian Champagnie, so you could have Mac McClung wear a Sixers jersey at the dunk contest. Bridges for a dude who’d be out of the league in three years and an overpaid wing that the city would despise. Oh yeah, they also let Jimmy Butler walk to give that same guy $150 million.
This is a franchise that deserved what they got.
But that’s a story for later. Bridges was now in Phoenix, where he’d soon be groomed as a quality 3-and-D starter around a core of Devin Booker and, soon, Chris Paul. He started out pretty innocently as a low-usage starter/sixth-man who would be the team’s defensive backbone.
The Suns weren’t playing many meaningful games, but it was clear Mikal was a winning player. He was a deflection machine on defense, and his jumper translated in his second season. In the bubble, he was a big part of the Suns’ 8-0 run that put them on the cusp of the postseason.
Bridges took on more responsibility in 2020-21 as a valuable third option behind Paul and Booker, benefitting beautifully from the Point God’s playmaking while being one of the best shooters in basketball. As the Suns evolved into one of the best teams in basketball, he was their heart and soul on both ends.
The Suns ripped through the postseason, with Bridges being tasked with guarding the likes of LeBron James and Paul George on their road to the NBA Finals. With Giannis Antetokounmpo and a determined Bucks team on the other side, Phoenix built a 2-0 lead, with Bridges himself scoring 27 points in one of the best games of his entire career. They could taste it.
But their hubris got the best of them. They got too confident, and the Bucks won the next four games to snatch the championship away from them. Utter heartbreak, but you had confidence they’d be back.
They wouldn’t.
Bridges stagnated offensively in 2021-22, but got to another level defensively. After never making an All-Defensive Team in his career, he took advantage of a weak field to grab second in Defensive Player of the Year voting behind Marcus Smart, but come playoff time, the Suns fell well short of expectations as a 64-win team.
Pressure got to the Suns’ front office midway through the following season. Their core was good, but they felt the desperation. The pressure was on them to get over the hump, so they decided to swing a trade for Kevin Durant at the deadline, shipping Bridges out in a massive package to a suddenly rebuilding Brooklyn.
But instead of falling into a malaise like many who go to a bad situation, Bridges played the best basketball of his career there, averaging 21.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.4 assists in 109 games across 1.5 seasons for a miserable Nets team, playing every single game to continue his Ironman streak.
Rumors circulated his entire time there of him reuniting with his Nova Brothers in New York. Hart, Brunson, and DiVincenzo had formed a compelling trio on the other side of the city and Bridges separately played with Hart and Brunson separately at the 2023 FIBA World Cup, where he made a tremendous highlight play.
The long-anticipated trade talks soon commenced after the 2023-24 season and culminated while I was on vacation in Italy. I woke up to one of the most stunning trades of my life.
Leon Rose had gone all-in. Bridges was expected to be a supercharged version of what he was in Phoenix. His defense slipped in Brooklyn at the expense of high offensive usage, but the Knicks hoped to find a balance to make him a dangerous two-way option.
With Karl-Anthony Towns suddenly joining the equation in late September, his importance was even larger to cover up for multiple defensive liabilities.
The pressure on him to live up to everything was immediate, which might’ve been why he looked to rework his jumpshot to become the dead-eye shooter he was during the 2021 NBA Finals run. It didn’t work… at all.
He was miserable from three in the preseason and to start the 2024-25 season. Through 17 games, he was shooting a flat 30% on 6.5 attempts a game. You could already hear the whispers behind the scenes as the Knicks struggled with the Celtics and Cavaliers to open the season.
Bridges was able to silence the doubters in late December, with a multi-game stretch of sharp shooting that peaked with a 40-point masterpiece on Christmas against Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs.
But he had a slow January after that and never quite got into a groove offensively. Outside of some massive individual moments to steal two crucial wins late in the season, you never got the game-breaking ability he was once capable of.
His mid-range was as automatic as it gets, and he was one of the best finishers in basketball, but he was constantly underwhelming. Any time you looked around on social media or watched sports programming, it was:
“We traded five first-round picks for this?”
Through the first five games of the Detroit series, the murmurs grew louder. He missed a potential game-tying shot in Game 2, and his inconsistent offense wasn’t helping. But as he has consistently done, he responded with a massive Game 6 to help them move on.
Then, against the Celtics, he had two of the most legendary defensive plays in franchise history to stonewall the defending champions and grab control of the series by the neck. In the same arena, he had a tumultuous team debut, and he had a huge fourth quarter in Game 2 after a terrible start to the game.
It can be argued that Bridges was the MVP of that series, and it temporarily changed the narrative surrounding him. After all, we got him because he’s a 16-game player, not an 82-game player. He didn’t play badly against Indiana in the Eastern Conference Finals, but struggled to contain Tyrese Haliburton after putting Jaylen Brown in a box against Boston.
As the Knicks decided to run back the same core in 2025-26, sans Tom Thibodeau, the pressure only grew stronger. Add some Giannis rumors into the mix, the pressure on Bridges became unfathomable.
“We seriously traded those picks for him when we could’ve waited for Giannis?” “We’re going to waste the entire Brunson era because we traded all our assets for a role player.”
His play in the regular season was just as uneven as it was the previous year. This time, he came out with a rejuvenated jumpshot and was the league’s best corner 3 shooter for several months. He’d have flashes of brilliance, including a 35-point game in a six-point loss to Boston and a hyper-efficient 30-ball in Toronto in January.
But the lows were excruciating. After a strong start to March, he averaged just 10.6 points per game on mediocre shooting in the final 20 games of the regular season. The shouts got louder.
“How much of a sell low would it be if we traded him?” “Could we send him and KAT to Milwaukee for Giannis?”
It didn’t get any better to start the playoffs. Bridges scored 36 points total across the first five games. He once again missed a game-winner in Game 2. When the Knicks fell behind 1-2, the pressure reached an all-time high. He was reportedly in tears after Game 3. It reached a breaking point.
Pressure was creating rubble.
Until Game 6. A nifty 24 points on 12 shots contributed to the historic beatdown in Atlanta and springboarded his dominant run through the rest of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
From Game 6 against Atlanta to Game 3 against Cleveland, he averaged 19.1 points on 69.1/47.6/100 shooting. He was shooting an unfathomable 75% from inside the arc. No matter what, he made big play after big play on both ends of the floor.
In the NBA Finals, he was fairly quiet for much of the series, but showed up in a big way in Game 2 with an efficient 20-6-6 as Brunson struggled, similar to the 2018 NCAA Final.
As the series went on, his defense on Stephon Castle got better and better. In Game 5, he was quite literally the only person other than Brunson who could make a shot. When the captain sat, his longtime friend kept the game from getting out of hand.
By the time the buzzer sounded, all the emotions flooded out. You want to know what it looks like when a lifetime of pressure condensed into two years finally gets released from your shoulders? When the disappointment of the past culminates in the ultimate glory? It looks like this:
In the end, all that pressure created a diamond. It created an NBA champion, freed from the shackles of a trade that would’ve defined him and his career until the day he died if they didn’t ever get it done.
It’s no coincidence that, not long after the buzzer sounded, the usually reserved and PR-trained Bridges went absolutely wild on Instagram Live and at the parade. He reached basketball nirvana. Nothing could bother him now.
As he begins a four-year extension next year, he can do so knowing that his contributions to a champion has forever made that trade worth it and that it’ll no longer define him. Maybe it’ll make the modern-day Ironman play looser and we’ll see another level from him next season.
But that’s for October. Enjoy it, Mikal, you’re an NBA champion.
–
(P&T will be doing player-by-player article tributes over the next few weeks to commemorate the special team that ended our long, half-century nightmare)
Knoxville Smokies infielder Edgar Alvarez (25) celebrates with manager Lance Rymel after hitting a home run during a Minor League Baseball game against Rocket City on April 7, 2026, in Knoxville, Tennessee. | Saul Young/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Left-hander Drew Pomeranz joined Triple-A Iowa.
Right-hander Kenten Egbert moves from High-A South Bend to Iowa.
We’ve all heard of players on the Des Moines/Chicago Shuttle. Egbert may be the first player ever on the Des Moines/South Bend shuttle.
Kenten Egbert got the start today and it did not go well. Egbert got hammered for eight runs, five earned, on eight hits over 2.2 innings. Egbert walked five and struck out two.
Drew Pomeranz pitched the fourth inning in his Iowa debut. Pomeranz gave up a two-out walk, but nothing else. He struck out two.
Cobin Martin threw three scoreless innings of relief. The only baserunner he allowed was a leadoff walk in the seventh. Martin struck out one.
Catcher Christian Bethancourt pitched two scoreless innings to close out the game.
Scott Kingery hit a solo home run in the third inning, his second of the season. He also finished the top of the third inning for Egbert, getting a groundout on a 36 mile per hour curve ball. So technically, Kingery hit that home run as a pitcher. Kingery was 1 for 4 at the plate.
Left fielder Owen Miller was 2 for 5 with one run scored.
Third baseman James Triantos went 1 for 4 with a walk and two runs batted in.
Starter Koen Moreno went the first four innings and was touched for three runs on four hits. One of the three runs was unearned. Moreno walked two and struck out four.
Erian Rodriguez got the loss after he was banged up for five runs on three hits and three walks over 1.2 innings. Rodriguez also hit a batter. Rodriguez did not strike anyone out.
Third baseman Edgar Alvarez blasted his eighth home run on the year in the fifth inning with two men on. Alvarez went 2 for 5.
Catcher Owen Ayers was a perfect 4 for 4 with a double and a walk. He scored three times.
Center fielder Alex Ramírez went 2 for 5 with an RBI double in the first inning. He also stole a base.
Left fielder Andy Garriola was 2 for 4 with an RBI double and a walk. Garriola also scored a run.
South Bend got a great start from Alfredo Romero, who pitched five innings and allowed no runs on just one hit. Romero struck out five and walked no one.
South Bend were leading 2-0 going into the top of the ninth, but reliever Ethan Bell and Grayson Moore got rocked for a seven-run inning. Bell took the loss, giving up five runs on four walks and one hit over one-third of an inning. Bell had one strikeout.
Center fielder Kane Kepley cranked a solo home run in the sixth inning, his fourth on the campaign. Kepley was 1 for 3 with a walk.
Brody McCullough started this game on a rehab assignment. He went three innings and allowed one run on two hits. McCullough struck out four and walked one.
The Pelicans tied the game back up in the top of the ninth, but Aiden Moffat was summoned out of the bullpen to pitch the bottom of the ninth. Moffat faced three batters and walked all three of them. That meant that Edwardo Melendez came in with the bases loaded and no one out. Melendez gave up a walk-off single to the only batter he faced.
The game was tied in the ninth because third baseman Yahil Melendez hit a two-run home run in the top of the ninth. It was Melendez’s second of the year. He was 1 for 4 with a walk and two runs scored.
Left fielder Edward Vargas went 2 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.
SAN FRANCISCO — It takes a lot for Willy Adames, who played 160 games last year and 161 the year before, to come out of a baseball game.
So with that context, be the judge of just how much discomfort the Giants shortstop was in after going down swinging for the third time Sunday afternoon. He went back to the dugout and never emerged again, instead leaving the sick-as-a-dog Casey Schmitt to take over on defense.
Eli White of the Atlanta Braves steals second base sliding in ahead of the throw to Willy Adames of the San Francisco Giants in the top of the sixth inning at Oracle Park on June 28, 2026. Getty Images
A date with an MRI machine seems more likely for Adames than a return to the starting lineup when the Giants begin their series against the Diamondbacks on Monday.
Adames exited the game after the seventh with lower back spasms.
The issue has been bothering him for some time, dating back close to a week, he said. But after a few days of “grinding,” the ailment caught up to him late in Sunday’s win.
His back locked up on him in his first at-bat, “and it just stayed there,” Adames said.
“In that last at-bat, it just got worse.”
Schmitt, who was a late scratch from Sunday’s lineup with a severe case of the flu going around the Giants’ clubhouse, was forced to enter the game at shortstop.
With the Giants removing Buddy Kennedy from the roster to clear space for Heliot Ramos’ return, Schmitt was the only infielder left for manager Tony Vitello on the bench.
“Going into the cage and telling him he was at shortstop, it was like waking a drunk guy up for a job interview,” Vitello joked. “He didn’t look good.”
Before the game, Vitello acknowledged that the Giants were “a little short-handed probably relative to other teams” on the infield after the pregame roster moves.
That now comes to a head with their starting shortstop potentially down at least in the short term and his only capable backup more focused on pounding fluids than fielding ground balls.
A date with an MRI machine seems more likely for Adames than a return to the starting lineup when the Giants begin their series against the Diamondbacks on Monday. D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images
Christian Koss, who fractured his left wrist shortly after being demoted to Triple-A Sacramento, could be a “candidate” if the Giants need to add another infielder, Vitello said. It would be a short commute to Chase Field: He has played four rehab games in the Arizona Complex League.
“Probably offensively he’s not going to be in the position that he would want to be or that we would want him in,” Vitello said. “But defensively, he could wake up out of bed and be ready to rock and roll defensively at any of those three spots.
“The biggest thing is to work through what Willy’s got going on and see where he’s at.”
It has been a difficult season for Adames, 30, in more than just his production, which has been below the standards for someone in the second season of a seven-year, $182 million contract.
Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters
If Adames is forced to miss any time, he will already be on pace to play fewer games than either of the previous two seasons. He already missed a game with discomfort in his “knee to hip” area, as Vitello described it, as well as another standard rest day earlier in the year.
“I feel like this year, there’s always been something going on with my body,” Adames said. “It is what it is, there’s always something happening. You just grind it out. … [But] this year has been the worst, I would say, for my body.”
After hitting two home runs last week in the Giants’ doubleheader sweep of the Braves in Atlanta, Adames said he didn’t “feel the best right now.” Soon thereafter, the back issues began.
In 18 games since June 6, Adames has 11 hits and 23 strikeouts in 69 at-bats, a .159 batting average. For the season, his .275 on-base percentage would represent a career low, and his defense at shortstop has been the worst in the majors, according to Statcast’s metric Outs Above Average.
Adames’ struggles are a big reason the Giants’ season has been such a disappointment. Now, as they look to build on their first winning homestand since the end of April, Adames may be forced to watch from the dugout bench.
“It sucks,” Adames said of the unfortunate timing. “Obviously I want to be out there every day. It feels that we’re getting some momentum. That’s why I want to be out there.”
