Well, let’s see if the magic of the toy dragon will work two days in a row. Please Jays score some runs.
Feeling bad for Braydon Fisher and family losing his father. 65 is too young to die.
Go Jays Go
Blue Jays vs. Giants Game Thread
LeBron James is too smart not to choose Cleveland
LeBron James’ career has been the ultimate touchdown.
A teenage phenom who has remained relevant into his 40s. A transcendent superstar who outlasted everyone and won a title for each city he’s represented. He even managed to break a curse and fulfill his promise to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
James has done it all while actively crafting the narrative to his liking.
So why would he risk fumbling the ending to his story?
Let’s make one thing clear before we go further:
There’s nothing James can do now (on a basketball court) that would jeopardize anything he’s accomplished thus far. His resume is bulletproof. Any reasonable person would have James as the 1A or 1B in GOAT conversations — and his final season won’t negatively change that.
Instead, James has entered an almost unique situation.
He’s old enough that simply being on the court is an accomplishment. Anything positive that he does is seen as overachieving for a 41-year-old in professional sports. Any shortcomings can be justifiably excused by his age.
He can only benefit his career at this point. Nothing he does will hurt his legacy.
That is… for one exception.
James has always been conscious of his perception. It’s something he’s openly reflected on. His presence in the media, being one of the most accessible superstars of all time, is a testament to that. This is someone who understands the importance of narrative and has worked through the decades to control his own.
He left Cleveland in 2010 to erase the ‘loser’ label from his name. He returned in 2014 to vindicate himself from being remembered as a traitor. He departed once more in 2018, this time on good terms with his hometown, to play for a historic franchise and check one final box off his list. Winning for the Los Angeles Lakers is as bona fide as it gets.
But now James faces one final decision. One that will undoubtedly be influenced by narrative. He’s handcrafted his legacy for far too long to ignore it now.
The answer is obvious.
A return to Cleveland, with a genuine chance at one more championship, is the type of story that would feel too cheesy even for a Disney movie. It’s the highest of all highs, an accomplishment that ranks significantly above any other possible outcome for his grand finale.
The alternatives are just not as exciting. James would only be seen as a glorified sidekick with the Warriors, Heat, Timberwolves, Nuggets, or 76ers. He’ll never be seen as ‘the guy’ by those franchises. It wouldn’t be the same.
Cleveland is the only city where he can embrace a supporting role while still reigning as King. He’s the man here in a way that he can’t be anywhere else.
This isn’t to say that winning a title in a different city would be disappointing. Of course not. But the potential boost to his legacy by winning again in Cleveland is unprecedented. No one in league history has a story that would even come close.
Finally, there’s one more thing to take into account.
James is as universally loved as an athlete can be in Cleveland.
Most fans had already made peace with him potentially retiring in Los Angeles. I think fans could have even stomached James joining a different team if he had made his decision swiftly on July 1.
But this hasn’t been swift.
The prolonged decision has made fans invest again. Cleveland has their heart set on another return. There’s genuine hope for a homecoming.
Shattering those expectations and invoking the heartbreak of 2010 would be an incredibly unforced error by James. He’d be tainting a relationship that currently has no flaws.
Think back to January, when James and the Lakers were in town. Cleveland brought James to tears with a tribute video and a roaring standing ovation. The mutual love between James and the city was palpable.
This is a feeling that can’t be replicated anywhere else. It can’t be faked.
Playing one more season in Cleveland would guarantee that feeling on a nightly basis. Every game would be a heartfelt rally. A farewell tour for the ages.
That feeling would be blunted if James took his talents somewhere else this summer.
The legacy and foundation that he carefully built would have a different ending than what was expected.
His final ovation in Cleveland would be more bittersweet, with every fan in the arena knowing that he chose to deny them his finale.
Of course, fans are not owed anything. And there is no denying that James will be fondly remembered in Cleveland, no matter where he ends his career.
Still…
James is approaching the goal line of one of the most picture-perfect careers in sports history.
He can either punch it home one final time and finish with a bang. Or, it can end anticlimactically, running the clock out for a city that will always be remembered second, or even last, in his story.
In my opinion, he’s too smart to choose the latter.
Mets place Austin Warren on IL, recall Tobias Myers from Syracuse
The Mets are making a flurry of bullpen moves ahead of Wednesday night's game.
Austin Warren has officially been placed on the 15-day IL with a right forearm strain.
SNY MLB Insider Chelsea Janes confirmed reports earlier in the day that indicated this would be the case, as Warren underwent testing following back-to-back rough outings.
Warren allowed a combined nine runs on eight hits in his last 2.0 innings of work.
"Haven't felt great the past couple," he said. "That's part of the game these days, I had outings earlier in the year that I hadn't felt great but went better, I just threw a pitch last night and it didn't feel great so I told them right away."
Warren and the Mets are still awaiting results from the MRI.
In a corresponding move, righty Tobias Myers has been recalled from Triple-A Syracuse.
Myers was an extremely valuable piece for New York's staff over the first few months of the season, but like Warren, he was roughed up over his last few big-league appearances.
He's put together just two clean outings since May 14th, racking up a 10.38 ERA over that span.
When at his best, though, the 27-year-old has proven to be a versatile weapon in long relief or the late innings.
Additionally, the Mets DFA'd Matt Seelinger after his rough debut and recalled Xzavion Curry from Triple-A.
Blues Hire Former NHL First Round Pick As Organizational Skills Coach
On Wednesday, GM Alexander Steen announced that the St. Louis Blues have hired Joey Hishon as an organizational skills coach.
The 34-year-old has been working with the OHL’s Owen Sound Attack since retiring from professional hockey in 2017-18. With the Attack, Hishon began as a scout and skills coach before being promoted to assistant GM and assistant coach midway through his first season with the club.
He held that role for the next three seasons. Hishon has not had a recorded role in hockey since 2022, but will be joining the Blues for the 2026-27 season. According to the Blues press release, Hishon most recently served as a private skills coach for NHL players, offering individualized development programs focused on all aspects of the game.
Before entering the coaching world, Hishon was a former 17th overall pick of the Colorado Avalanche in 2010. Things didn’t pan out too great for Hishon in the NHL, as he played just 13 career games, all of which came in the 2014-15 season. In those 13 games, Hishon scored just one goal and two points.
Most of his career was spent in the AHL, but the Stratford, Ont., native wasn’t potent offensively there either, mustering 41 goals and 109 points in 141 career games. Following his North American career, Hishon spent two seasons in Europe, one in Russia and the other in Sweden, but his production never improved.
Blues Promote Tkachuk, Thorburn; Hire Bortuzzo Among Front Office ChangesTkachuk, recently named to Hockey Hall of Fame, was previously director of recruitment; Thorburn was development coach; Bortuzzo hired to be pro scoutDespite struggling after being a highly touted prospect, Hishon has found his path in the coaching world and has moved up the ladder impressively.
As an organizational skills coach, Hishon will work with the Blues’ development staff and players throughout the organization, with a primary focus on the NHL roster.
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What it means to be 29th best
Much as been made by fans following popular baseball prospect site, baseballamerica.com, posting their organizational rankings among all MLB teams. The hometown Phillies ranked as the 29th worst farm system in the league based on prospect talent. This seems bad, huh? For a team with aging stars and up against the luxury tax threshold, an injection of young talent could be the only way to prolong this current run of regular seasons success for the Phillies. You are now thinking, how could they have fallen from 20th (in the preseason ranking) to near dead-last? What might have caused this? Well, two things. The graduation of prospects and the lack of development elsewhere. In regards to the former, it always seems to go over the casual fan’s head that could be a driving factor in these nonsensical rankings (nothing against rankings, I love them…but they are really arbitrary and objective). The Phillies graduated two Top100 MLB prospects in Andrew Painter and Justin Crawford. That is a legit major factor! This doesn’t even factor in struggles by Jean Cabrera, Aroon Escobar, Dante Nori, and Carson DeMartini. Not to mention their best prospect has yet to take the field (a consensus Top20 prospect in the game) in shortstop Aidan Miller.
I’m NOT saying this isn’t time to hit the panic button. Development has stagnated among prospects, especially on the hitting side. It feels any promising prospect hits that AA/AAA wall and nothing ever materializes. Its frustrating! The Phillies need to do a lot better in both drafting and international scouting. It is largely why the last few years the Phillies have needed to sign and trade for talent rather than find it within the organization. It isn’t a sustainable model if you aren’t blowing past the luxury tax.
You may ask, has it always been like this? Haven’t the Phillies had touted prospects and a system not that long ago? Lets look back at 2016, using a similar list from baseballamerica.com (its their preseason ranking, they didn’t do a full 30 for midseason). In 2016, the Phillies ranking 8th in the league. Led by promising names like JP Crawford, Nick Williams, Jake Thompson, and Jorge Alfaro.
Now these are some great names. The Phillies most impactful player wound up being 23rd ranked 1B-only prospect Rhys Hoskins. Who if memory serves me correctly, wasn’t nearly as fawned over as the monstrous OF Dylan Cozens. A lot of the names on here were also acquired via trade including: Nick Williams, Jake Thompson, Jorge Alfaro, Zach Eflin, Nick Pivetta, Darnell Sweeney, Ben Lively, Jimmy Cordero, and Tom Windle. 10 years later, only Hoskins, Crawford, Eflin, and Nick Pivetta remain major leaguers or had significant impacts.
If you were to tell me that there will be less than four impactful players from this year’s midseason Top30 Phillies list, I wouldn’t argue with you. I’m not sure the same amount of pedigree is there as there was in 2016. However, there is still some optimism. Gage Wood looks at a MINIMUM a major league reliever, Aidan Miller will be a major league player once healthy, Francisco Renteria, Alirio Ferrebus and Ramon Marquez are three of the best international signings/prospects the Phillies have ever had in the system. The Phillies should get another good player at 36 in the draft this weekend.
I think its important to put into perspective that 29th in a vacuum doesn’t mean a whole lot and while you can be down on the system overall, to not put much stock in lists and rankings. Read up on these players, watch these players, or at the very least follow people that do and LISTEN.
The Short Porch is checking in on what remains of the Cubs starting rotation
2026 has been the Year of the Injured List for Cubs starting pitching. If you’ve spent any part of this season refreshing social media for injury updates more than checking the box score, you’re not alone. But somehow, the Cubs will enter tonight’s game against the Orioles with a 51-40 record. While that puts them seven games back of the Brewers in the division, it does give them a pretty good shot of making the playoffs through the Wild Card. You can see FanGraph’s odds of the Cubs making the playoffs below:
Trust me, you’d much rather look at that chart than their odds of winning the division.
There was a lot to be hopeful for in Matthew Boyd’s outing on Tuesday. Boyd threw six scoreless innings giving up three hits and walking two while striking out seven Orioles. If he can continue to throw like that and avoid the injured list, it could be huge for the Cubs as they try to make the Postseason for the second year in a row.
The problem is that it isn’t too hard to squint and see a scenario where it all falls apart a little. Below are all of the starting pitchers who have thrown at least 5innings for the Cubs this season, including pitchers currently on the injured list who may return this season:
| Name | W | L | GS | IP | K/9 | BB/9 | HR/9 | BABIP | LOB% | GB% | HR/FB | ERA | xERA | FIP | xFIP | WAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ben Brown | 3 | 1 | 8 | 42.1 | 8.72 | 2.34 | 0.213 | .239 | 82.90% | 40.74% | 2.50% | 1.70 | 3.40 | 2.41 | 3.54 | 1.4 |
| Matthew Boyd | 4 | 1 | 8 | 39.2 | 9.98 | 2.72 | 0.908 | .340 | 70.25% | 40.91% | 10.00% | 4.31 | 4.56 | 3.27 | 3.49 | 1.0 |
| Shota Imanaga | 5 | 7 | 18 | 103 | 8.74 | 2.27 | 1.835 | .249 | 76.21% | 37.81% | 16.54% | 4.28 | 3.67 | 4.67 | 3.90 | 1.0 |
| Colin Rea | 5 | 4 | 14 | 72.1 | 6.59 | 3.73 | 1.244 | .296 | 75.51% | 43.72% | 10.99% | 4.60 | 5.69 | 4.94 | 5.06 | 0.3 |
| Edward Cabrera | 5 | 4 | 14 | 72.1 | 8.09 | 3.61 | 1.742 | .290 | 67.96% | 42.86% | 19.18% | 5.10 | 4.84 | 5.08 | 4.10 | 0.2 |
| Javier Assad | 4 | 1 | 7 | 37 | 5.35 | 2.19 | 1.703 | .213 | 82.19% | 44.74% | 15.56% | 3.65 | 4.33 | 5.12 | 4.51 | 0.1 |
| Jordan Wicks | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6.1 | 8.53 | 1.42 | 1.421 | .480 | 29.41% | 46.15% | 12.50% | 15.63 | 4.73 | 4.22 | 4.09 | 0.1 |
| David Peterson | 1 | 1 | 2 | 9.1 | 4.82 | 2.89 | 1.929 | .364 | 35.21% | 25.71% | 13.33% | 11.57 | 7.12 | 5.80 | 5.45 | -0.1 |
| Jameson Taillon | 2 | 5 | 13 | 67.2 | 7.85 | 3.06 | 2.660 | .246 | 80.65% | 34.65% | 19.80% | 5.19 | 5.49 | 6.33 | 4.75 | -0.7 |
Edward Cabrera and Jameson Taillon are both on the injured list and throwing. They seem like they could return sometime after the All Star Break. Cabrera has been hit or miss for the Cubs this season. When he’s been on and good, he’s been excellent. When he’s been dealing with blisters, other injuries, or missing the plate he’s been pretty shaky. He’s pretty obviously a step up from Jordan Wicks and David Peterson, however.
Taillon’s return comes with a few more question marks. The 34-year-old has struggled a lot with the long ball so far this season. His HR/9 of 2.66 leads all of baseball among starters with at least 50 innings pitched. The next closest pitcher is Jeffrey Springs of the Athletics who has a 2.31 HR/9 and plays in one of the most hitter-friendly parks in baseball in Sacramento.
The problem for Taillon, and really all of the Cubs pitchers who are experiencing elevated home run rates, might be that home runs are really up across the board. Below are two graphics, the first showing the three-year park factors across the league and the second showing 2026 park factors:
To be clear, part of the reason we use multi-year park factors is to smooth out some of the noise from year to year. We also already know from reporting from The Athletic’s Eno Sarris that the ball is flying much more this season:
That could be a problem across the board for the Cubs pitchers who generally pitch more to contact due to the elite defense playing behind them. However, if the baseball is designed such that it flies further, home run balls aren’t exactly defensible. That would mean the elevated home run rates some Cubs pitchers are seeing could just get worse as the season gets hotter.
The bottom line is that the Cubs starters are walking a fine line between being a competitive playoff team and not. The pitchers who could return from the injured list are some of the pitchers who might be most impacted by the changing baseball and home run environment. With few in-house options for additional starters, here’s hoping Jed Hoyer and Carter Hawkins have more trades in mind than the small move they already made for David Peterson.
How to watch San Francisco Giants vs. Toronto Blue Jays
The San Francisco Giants wrap up this series against the Toronto Blue Jays this afternoon at Oracle Park.
Taking the mound for the Giants will be right-hander Logan Webb, who enters today’s game with a 3.66 ERA, 3.32 FIP, with 78 strikeouts to 24 walks in 93.1 innings pitched. His last start was in the Giants’ 15-3 loss to the Colorado Rockies on Friday, in which he allowed seven runs on 11 hits with two strikeouts and two walks in three innings.
He’ll be facing off against Blue Jays right-hander Dylan Cease, who enters today’s game with a 2.79 ERA, 2.27 FIP, with 137 strikeouts to 41 walks in 90.1 innings pitched. His last start was in the Blue Jays’ 2-0 win over the Seattle Mariners on Friday, in which he allowed just three hits and a walk with nine strikeouts in seven innings.
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Game #92
Who: San Francisco Giants (38-53) vs. Toronto Blue Jays (43-49)
Where: Oracle Park, San Francisco, California
When: 12:45 p.m. PT
Regional broadcast: NBC Sports Bay Area
National broadcast: n/a
Radio: KNBR 680 AM/104.5 FM, KSFN 1510 AM
Drake Baldwin goes to DH and Joey Bart plays catcher for Braves against Pirates
The lineups are out for tonight’s middle game between the Atlanta Braves and the Pittsburgh Pirates and there aren’t too many shocks or surprises going on as far as the Braves are concerned. Michael Harris II is still leading off, Austin Riley is near the bottom, the top of the order seems a bit imposing while you’re hoping for the best from the middle and the bottom portion of the lineup.
Here’s how things are looking for the Braves tonight:
The catcher decision is an interesting one since this’ll actually be the first time that Grant Holmes has formed a battery with Joey Bart, as his past three starts (since Bart joined the club) have all been with Drake Baldwin serving as the backstop. We’ll see how that goes in terms of a pitching combination and we’ll also see how it goes for Bart at the plate as he’s currently hitting .136/.269/.318 with a .273 wOBA and a 68 wRC+ since joining the Braves. That’s not great but to be completely honest, it’s better than the production they had been getting from previous catchers.
Drake Baldwin, on the other hand, has looked more like his usual self since the calendar went from “June” to “July” so hopefully he’ll continue to keep things going in the right direction. The same goes for the rest of the lineup as well, as they’re showing serious signs of getting things back rolling again at the plate after spending a month wandering in the wilderness as a unit.
We will update this post with the Pirates lineup once they release it. For now, make sure to join us late on as first pitch is set for 6:40 p.m. ET tonight at PNC Park.
Larry Nance Jr. leaves Cavs for division rival
It was reported on Wednesday, via Shams Charania, that forward Larry Nance has agreed to a one-year, $4 million contract with the Indiana Pacers. Nance is projected to be a reserve big who will make his mark as a veteran presence in spot minutes for a Pacers team looking to get back to competing in the Eastern Conference.
When Nance Jr was signed by the Cleveland Cavaliers last offseason, the expectation was that he would provide additional front-court depth with his ability to play the three through small-ball five. The positional versatility at a cheap price was a huge win for the second-apron Cavaliers. What was presented as an affordable, reliable contributor to the rotation was a dream that never really came to fruition.
Nance appeared in just 35 games; whether due to injuries or DNPs, he couldn’t consistently be on the court. Injuries have been a footnote for the past few seasons in Nance’s game logs. This wasn’t what the Cavaliers or Nance probably envisioned when he returned to Cleveland. The hypothetical version was supposed to be a real contributor in the regular season and, if everything went well, possibly the third big in the postseason.
While Nance didn’t make an impact on the floor, his presence within the team and the community always shines. That was probably integral to the team culture as they shuffled a lot of bodies on the roster around the trade deadline.
Nance will probably retire as a Cavalier one day. However, it is sad to think that his last real contract with the Cavaliers ended in such disappointment. Hopefully, with Indiana, Nance’s body can get right, and he can get back to being an impactful big off the bench.
Dodgers distancing themselves in the National League West
Even after Tuesday night’s loss to the Colorado Rockies, a game that rolled away on an errant throw to an empty base ended up in the dugout, the Dodgers still have performed quite well against National League West opponents this season.
The Dodgers have beaten the Rockies six out of nine games, they’ve beaten the San Diego Padres seven out of 10, and taken five of seven games against the Arizona Diamondbacks, who will be at Dodger Stadium this weekend. Even with the 3-4 record against the ho-hum San Francisco Giants, the Dodgers are still 21-12 (.636) against the NL West this season. That’s the fourth-best record by any MLB team against their own division in 2026:
- Milwaukee Brewers, 18-6 (.750) vs. NL Central
- Tampa Bay Rays, 18-7 (.720) vs. AL East
- Seattle Mariners, 17-9 (.654) vs. AL West
- Los Angeles Dodgers, 21-12 (.636) vs. NL West
Shohei Ohtani this season is hitting .318/.424/.706 within the division, and Dalton Rushing is hitting .320/.397/.700.
Roki Sasaki gets the ball on Wednesday for his final start before the All-Star break, coming off a grisly four-start stretch in which he allowed 19 runs in 17 innings. Sasaki on the season ranks 106th in ERA (5.40) and 88th in xERA (4.78) among the 116 pitchers with at least 70 innings this season.
Ryan Feltner goes for the Rockies on Wednesday, with a 4.27 ERA and 4.90 xERA on the season, and has lasted six innings in each of his last three starts. The right-hander allowed three runs (two earned) in 5 2/3 innings to the Dodgers at Coors Field on April 18.
The Dodgers, who are the only team in the NL West at .500 or better, are 12-4 against divisional opponents at home this season. Their final four games before the break — Wednesday night against Colorado, this weekend against the D-backs — are all against NL West foes.
Wednesday game info
- Teams: Dodgers vs. Rockies
- Ballpark: Dodger Stadium
- Start time: 7:10 p.m.
- TV: SportsNet LA
- Radio: AM 570 (English), KTNQ 1020 AM (Spanish)
The Suns have created a smart development path for Khaman Maluach
Yesterday was signing day for the Phoenix Suns as they officially welcomed back the key restricted and unrestricted free agents they retained this offseason. Ink was put to paper, and the organization completed an impressive offseason by bringing back Collin Gillespie, Jordan Goodwin, and Mark Williams for a combined $28.3 million in salary next season.
I tip my cap to the organization for executing its plan. The Suns retained players who fit what they are building, reinforced continuity within the locker room, and did so on responsible contracts.
One of the most important signings was Mark Williams, who officially inked a three-year, $38 million fully guaranteed deal to remain in Phoenix. It’s an astute move for a couple of reasons. In the short term, it gives the Suns a starting-caliber center. In the long term, it provides the runway to continue developing Khaman Maluach, the 10th overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, on the organization’s preferred timeline.
It’s an interesting season that Khaman Maluach is entering. He’s still only 19 years old (20 when the season begins) and remains a very raw prospect, but he also carries the designation of being a lottery pick. That means something in Phoenix because, with the Suns having traded away so much of their own draft capital, the odds of landing another lottery pick this decade are slim. Yes, the Suns still have first-round picks in future drafts. But those selections are heavily protected or tied up in swap scenarios, leaving Phoenix with little control over where they ultimately land. More than likely, they’ll fall outside the lottery.
Because of that, Maluach, fairly or unfairly, carries a unique set of expectations. He’s viewed as someone who can eventually become the Suns’ starting center. The good news is that, by signing Mark Williams to a three-year contract, the organization has removed any immediate pressure for Maluach to take over that role. There is no expectation that he grabs the reins at this point in his career.
The expectation entering his second season is progression. Raw prospects take time to develop. They need time to grow, time to learn, and time to make mistakes. Development isn’t linear, and that’s part of the equation. At the end of the day, the goal for the 2026-27 season is simple. Show progress.
And that raises a valuable question. How do you create a development pathway for a player who appears buried on the depth chart? After all, Maluach currently sits behind both Mark Williams and Oso Ighodaro. So how is he expected to grow if most of his development takes place in the practice facility? The answer is fairly simple.
The Suns just signed Mark Williams to a three-year contract, and history tells us his minutes should be managed to maximize his availability. Health has consistently been the biggest question surrounding the center entering his fifth NBA season.
At the end of the day, Mark Williams is a solid, mid-tier starting center. And that’s perfectly fine, because that’s what Phoenix is paying him to be. Thankfully, the Suns aren’t paying him like Jakob Poeltl. Toronto extended Poeltl on a three-year, $84.1 million deal. When you put those contracts side by side, it’s clear Phoenix is operating from a much more reasonable financial position.
Part of the beauty of acquiring Mark Williams is understanding that, unfortunately, he will likely spend portions of the season recovering. We saw it last year when he routinely sat out the second night of back-to-backs. We’ll probably see something similar this season, whether it’s planned rest from the coaching staff or time missed due to injury.
That naturally opens the developmental door for Khaman Maluach to receive meaningful NBA minutes. Those opportunities are where growth happens, and that’s where the three-year timeline with Williams becomes so valuable. It gives the organization flexibility.
If Maluach doesn’t show the level of progression the Suns are hoping for this season, they can continue adjusting his development the following year. That doesn’t mean giving up on the prospect. It means continuing to put him in the best position possible to succeed. Having Williams on the roster is the definition of that. He gives Maluach something every young big man needs. Time.
I’ve seen some people suggest that, if Maluach is the center of the future, the Suns should simply start him now. And therefore, question why the team brings back Mark Williams?
Young centers need time to grow, and organizations need to allow that growth to happen without forcing them into situations that could ultimately hurt their confidence. That’s why having Mark Williams as the developmental buffer for Maluach is such an astute move by the organization. He provides starting caliber center minutes when he’s on the floor. And because of his injury history and expected workload management, he’ll naturally create opportunities for Maluach to develop when he’s off it.
It’s a balancing act, and the Suns appear to have found the right one. They’ve built a roster that can compete today without sacrificing tomorrow, giving Maluach the chance to earn his role instead of forcing him into it. That’s a far healthier development model than asking a 20-year-old lottery pick to solve problems before he’s ready. Sometimes the smartest move isn’t accelerating the timeline. It’s giving it room to unfold.
Baseball is in the genes for RailRiders’ Cole Gabrielson
This wasn’t exactly how Cole Gabrielson expected his Triple-A debut to go.
In his first game with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders on June 19th, the outfielder was called to the mound with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning in the second game of a doubleheader at Columbus. The last time Gabrielson had pitched was before he’d even gone pro, five years prior with the Niagara Power, a college summer league team. Nonetheless, he got ahead 0-2 on the first batter he faced, Milan Tolentino, before throwing four consecutive balls to walk him. He again got ahead 0-2 on the next Clippers batter, Dom Nuñez. After throwing two balls, he got Nuñez to pop out to shortstop to end the game and earn the save in a RailRiders’ 8-6 victory.
“Right before the inning started, they were like, ‘Hey, he’s (Bradley Hanner) got 10 more pitches. If he burns ‘em, you’re in,’” Gabrielson said. “That was all the heads up I got. It all worked out perfect. I was able to get the save, which was pretty funny.
“I was just happy I was able to help the team get a win that day. Obviously, you never expect to come in and pitch, but I’m always ready if they need me to throw strikes. It was fun, I had a good time doing it and I’m glad we got the win.”
Gabrielson’s third game with the RailRiders on June 24th at Indianapolis also was an adventure. With Oswaldo Cabrera temporarily called up to the Yankees due to Ryan McMahon’s illness, the RailRiders were short infielders. So Gabrielson was forced to play second base and third base. He committed two errors in an 8-6 loss.
“It’s a different game in there. Not having any infield time, none in professional ball. We needed somebody to go in there and of course I’m ready to go wherever (manager) Shelley (Duncan) needs me. They tried to move me around where the ball wouldn’t get hit to me as much, but sure enough, it’s how baseball is, the ball will find you. I made one play up the middle and unfortunately had a couple get away from me there.
“I’m an athlete, I’m an outfielder. My first time playing the infield didn’t go how I wanted it to, but at the end of the day just to show they can throw me anywhere and I’ll do anything the help the team win any way I can.”
Gabrielson has appeared in five games with the RailRiders since being promoted from Double-A Somerset on June 17th. He is batting .250 (5-for-20) with one RBI.
Signed by the Yankees as a nondrafted free agent in 2023 out of the University of Southern California, Gabrielson spent all of last season at Double-A Somerset and batted .188 (43-for-229) in 77 games with nine doubles, one triple, six home runs, and 30 RBIs.
This season, he started at High-A Hudson Valley and batted .256 (20-for-78) in 33 games with one home run and five RBIs. He returned to Somerset on June 3rd and batted .289 (11-for-38) in 11 games with two home runs and three RBIs. Then he was promoted to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
“I’ve learned in my career to never expect or assume,” Gabrielson said. “I don’t really care where I’m at, I just want to play ball. I had a good little stint in Somerset, was just settling in there and they sent me up here. All is well. I’m happy to be here. No matter where I’m at, I’m excited to be playing baseball. I want to make it to the show, obviously that’s the ultimate goal. I’m one step closer here, I’m going to continue to be myself and anyway I can help the team win.”
Baseball is in Gabrielson’s blood. His father Randy played at USC from 1983-85 and was teammates with Randy Johnson and Mark McGwire. His grandfather Len also played at USC in 1959 and then went on to enjoy a nine-year career in the major leagues (1960, 1963-70) with five teams. In 708 games, he batted .253 (446 for 1764) with 37 home runs and 176 RBIs. His first major-league hit came with the Milwaukee Braves on April 13, 1963 — a three-run home run off Galen Cisco of the New York Mets at Milwaukee’s County Stadium to cap a four-run bottom of the first in a 5-2 win.
The list of teammates Len Gabrielson played with reads like a baseball who’s who: Hank Aaron, Joe Torre, Eddie Mathews, and Warren Spahn with the Milwaukee Braves. Ernie Banks, Billy Williams, and Ron Santo with the Chicago Cubs. Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, Juan Marichal, and Gaylord Perry with the San Francisco Giants. Maury Willis, Don Drysdale, and Don Sutton with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He also briefly played with the California Angels alongside six-time All-Star Jim Fregosi, key to the now-infamous Nolan Ryan trade.
“The era he played in was such an amazing time for the sport,” Gabrielson said. “It’s so cool I get to go home every offseason and see him and we just talk ball. He’s got a ton of stories. He came up with Joe Torre and they were roommates and buddies. That’s been cool to connect with Mr. Torre when I see him in spring training.”
Despite his family lineage, Gabrielson said he doesn’t feel any pressure.
“Growing up, people always asked me about it or it was always fun to tell my friends when I was young that my grandpa played in the MLB,” Gabrielson said. “As I’ve gone along in my professional career, it’s only guided me. He’s still alive and well and gives me advice every single day as does my father. I’m so blessed to have those guys in my life, teach me throughout this journey and be able to be there by my side every step of the way. It’s fun to go to some random parks and places I’ve never been and hear some random fan yell, ‘Hey Cole, I saw your grandpa play.’ That’s obviously special for me, to play in front of people that also saw my grandpa play. That’s super cool. But no pressure. I think my grandpa had an amazing experience with the game of baseball and he wants the same for me.”
The best piece of advice Gabrielson received from his grandfather was to have fun.
“He went through his career enjoying the game that he loved to play. That’s what allowed him to have success,” Gabrielson said. “He’s always told me that the day you’re not having fun, then call it quits. That day has not come for me and I don’t see it coming any time soon. He wants me to have fun and the success will follow if you have a love for the game.”
Being one step closer to following his grandfather and realizing his dream of reaching the major leagues, Gabrielson is working on his consistency.
“I’ve shown power, I’ve shown the ability to hit for average, I’ve also shown the ability to not hit for average,” Gabrielson said. “Just tap into the things I know I’m good at, dominate those things and understand the more volatile parts of the game need to be a little more consistent. If you can be a more polished and complete player, like I know I can be, I’ll get my shot. I just hope they know I can help them win. That’s the biggest thing. Just win games. I hate to lose. I want to win ball games no matter where I’m at. That’s what matters most.”
RailRiders right-hander Brendan Beck, the Yankees’ No. 21 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, was named International League Pitcher of the Month for June.
In five starts during the month, Beck was 3-0 with a 1.24 earned-run average and 31 strikeouts in 29 innings. He walked only 10, allowed 14 hits and gave up four runs, all earned. The highlight came June 5th when he combined with Carson Coleman on a nine-inning no-hitter against the Syracuse Mets at NBT Bank Stadium in New York.
Twice this season, Beck was called up by the Yankees and made starts for them. He made his MLB debut on May 7th at Yankee Stadium against the Texas Rangers and also started on July 4th against the Minnesota Twins. Beck is the first RailRiders pitcher to receive the award since Will Warren in September 2023.
Overall, Beck is 7-2 with a 3.07 ERA in 16 starts. He has allowed 35 runs (30 earned) and 62 hits in 88 innings with 28 walks and 91 strikeouts, which leads the International League. He also is tops in the league in ERA, innings, WHIP (1.02), and is second in wins and opponent’s batting average (.197).
A’s roster moves: Soderstrom activated, Muncy optioned
The squad continues to get healthier. Just hours before their second game against the Detroit Tigers the Athletics announced the activation of left fielder Tyler Soderstrom from the 10-day IL, while optioning infielder Max Muncy to make room on the active roster:
It turns out to be a best-case scenario for Soderstrom and the club as hip issues can sometimes snowball into more serious problems. The lefty swinging Soderstrom will return to the club after missing just over a week with the left hip impingement and the 24-year-old will be a welcomed return to the lineup. Soderstrom has been one of the better hitters in the lineup this season, slashing .242/.343/.460 with 13 long balls along with his solid play in left field, and was having a quality June before heading to the shelf. The club could have been extra cautious with the All-Star break just days away so the activation could be a great sign that he’s completely recovered and ready to roll.
As for Muncy, the club’s Opening Day third baseman has just not found his stroke at the big league level quite yet. The former first round pick has hit just .227/.303/.369 with five home runs this season, which comes out to 11% worse than league average. He missed some time with a hand fracture but he’s been off the IL for exactly a month and continued to struggle both in the batter’s box and in the field. He’ll now head to Triple-A and work on his mechanics and hopefully straighten things out in a lower-pressure environment. In the meantime the hot corner will likely be occupied by some combination of Zack Gelof and Joshua Kuroda-Grauer. That duo should definitely provide more offense than Muncy.
Austin Reaves reveals what LeBron James ‘ruined’ after Los Angeles Lakers split
STATELINE, Nev. — Austin Reaves was somewhere near a fairway in the middle of a golf course when he learned he and LeBron James would no longer be Lakers teammates.
The news put a complete damper on his afternoon, he told The California Post on Wednesday.
“I texted him,” Reaves said of his initial reaction to James bolting from Los Angeles, “and told him I was having a great day on the golf course until he ruined it.”
James informed the masses on June 30 that he would don a new uniform in 2026, and Reaves told The Post while out at the American Century Championship in Nevada that the decision affected him.
Reaves, who signed a $185 million extension to remain with the Lakers just a week before James made his choice, has never played an NBA season without the 41-year-old on his team, and he explained it’s going to take some time to get used to.
“I don’t have enough time to explain how much he means to me and my career and what he’s done for me,” Reaves said.
The 28-year-old, though, made it clear he’s harboring no ill-will toward his longtime friend over the move.
“There’s nothing but love and respect,” Reaves said. “And when he comes to LA, I need to see him out on the golf course. Maybe play a couple holes or something.”
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Sharks Sign Former Rangers Defenseman to a One-Year Contract
On Wednesday morning, the San Jose Sharks announced that they had reached an agreement with former New York Rangers defenseman Libor Hajek on a one-year, two-way deal.
Hajek, who had spent the past three seasons back in his native Czechia, last played an NHL game for the Rangers during the 2022-23 season. The 28-year-old defenseman has had considerable success since returning to the Czech Extraliga as he led the league in game-winning goals by a defenseman during the 2023-24 season, led the league in postseason plus/minus during the 2024-25 campaign, and then won the Extraliga Championship with HC Dynamo Pardubice during the 2025-26 season.
Over the summer, Hajek also represented Czechia at the IIHF World Championship, failing to record a point in eight games, but finishing the tournament as a +3.
When Hajek signed with Dynamo Pardubice, the contract was reportedly set to run through 2028, but it appears he either had an NHL out-clause in his deal or the Sharks opted to buy him out of his contract.
During his NHL career with the Rangers, Hajek appeared in 110 games, scoring four goals and 12 points in the process. He also registered 40 penalties and was a -9.