February 28, 2011; Dunedin, FL, USA; Toronto Blue Jays catcher J.P. Arencibia (9) before the spring training game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Dunedin Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
On this day 16 years ago,
the Blue Jays defeated the Rays 17-7.
Toronto hit eight home runs: Aaron Hill hit two, while Adam Lind, Edwin Encarnacion, Jose Bautista, and Lyle Overbay each added one.
And, of course, J.P. Arencibia—playing in his first MLB game—hit two home runs and went 4-for-5 with a double.
At that moment, the future looked bright.
From the recap:
What a way to begin a major league career: he homered on the first pitch he saw, doubled in his second at-bat, singled in his third, and hit another home run in his fourth. He finished with 11 total bases, 3 runs, and 3 RBI. It seemed impossible not to pencil J.P. Arencibia into the lineup every day after such a debut, though I was sure Cito would find a way not to.
J.P. started just 9 of the remaining 52 games, hitting .143/.189/.343 in 37 plate appearances that season and going hitless in 15 September at-bats. I can’t help but wonder how different his career might have been if Cito had shown more faith and played him regularly from the start. When young players only get sporadic opportunities, they sometimes feel pressure to be great every time out—a tough way to begin a career.
Also, from the recap:
Arencibia became just the third Blue Jay to homer in his first career game, joining Alvis Woods and Junior Felix. During his postgame interview, he was covered in shaving cream, doused with two buckets of Gatorade, and then got another round of shaving cream. Please, Cito, play him tomorrow.
Cito didn’t play him the next day.
There are five Blue Jays who started their career with a home run:
Al Woods (1977)
Junior Félix (1989)
J.P. (2010)
Davis Schneider (August 4, 2023)
Charles McAdoo (June 1, 2026)
Jordan Bastian tweeted that, since 1900, no other player had 4 hits and 2 home runs in his MLB debut.
As we know, J.P.’s career didn’t unfold as hoped. He struggled with breaking balls and never mastered the strike zone, finishing with 85 walks and 484 strikeouts.
He spent four seasons with Toronto, hitting .212/.258/.408 with 64 home runs over 380 games.
After the Jays, he played 62 games for the Rangers in 2014 (primarily at first base) and 24 games for the Rays in 2015.
His defense was always a work in progress. He had a decent arm, throwing out 27% of base stealers, but also allowed his share of passed balls and wild pitches. If he had hit better, his defense would have been more forgivable. Off the field, he was great with fans—I once saw him in Calgary, playing with children and clearly enjoying himself.
Other performances of note:
Travis Snider led off and was 2 for 2 with 2 walks.
Yunel Escobar went 3 for 6.
Bautista hit his 34th home run, leading the A.L.
Edwin Encarnacion went 3 for 5 and made his 10th error of the season.
On the pitching side:
Brad Mills started and gave up 5 runs in 4 innings.
Brian Tallet pitched 3 innings of relief, got the win, and allowed 2 unearned runs.
Jason Frasor pitched a scoreless inning.
David Purcey started the 9th, giving up 2 hits and 2 walks, getting just 1 out.
Casey Janssen got the last 2 outs of the game, giving up a hit and a walk and allowing both of his inherited runs to score.
25 Years Ago
Chris Woodward belted three home runs against the Mariners. Amazingly, the Jays lost 5-4
Despite spending seven seasons and 362 games with the Jays—hitting just 26 home runs for Toronto—three of those came in this single game, which is remarkable.
In total, Woodward played 12 years in MLB and finished with 33 career home runs, so 9.1% of his career homers were hit in this one outing
The Mariners lineup at the time featured some greats:
Ichiro Suzuki led off and collected two hits.
John Olerud went 1-for-4.
Edgar Martinez hit cleanup and notched two hits, including a home run and two RBI.
The Jays carried a 3-2 lead into the eighth inning, but reliever Scott Cassidy allowed a run in the eighth and then the go-ahead run in the ninth. I have no memory of Cassidy, though he pitched in 58 games that year—his rookie season—with a 5.73 ERA. A wild stat: in seven save opportunities, he blew all seven (in fairness, he wasn’t a closer, but Buck Martinez and Carlos Tosca—managers that season—used him as a setup man, and the team lacked reliable relievers or starters. It was basically Roy Halladay and pray for rain.
Luke Prokopec surrendered a walk-off home run to catcher Dan Wilson in the 10th, taking the loss. Prokopec finished the year with a 6.78 ERA in 22 games (12 starts).
The Los Angeles Dodgers are in the midst of a six-game losing skid, but the visitors are still heavy -163 favorites tonight against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Arizona starter Merrill Kelly has been brutal this season, which is why I’m backing LA to get back in the win column in my Dodgers vs. Diamondbacks predictions and MLB picks.
Who will win Dodgers vs Diamondbacks today: Dodgers (-168)
The Los Angeles Dodgers will be happy to see Merrill Kelly on the mound tonight. Kelly’s pitching run value, xERA (7.17), and xBA (.305) all rank in the bottom percentile among MLB pitchers this year.
The Arizona Diamondbacks starter throws his four-seamer more than 26% of the time – a pitch that the Dodgers have feasted on vs. righties.
LA ranks fourth in MLB in average (.270), fifth in SLG (.465), and seventh in wRAA (30.2) against that pitch type.
We’re paying the Dodgers tax, but I’m still taking LA up to -170.
COVERS INTEL: Roki Sasaki relies heavily on his four-seamer as well, and the Diamondbacks are hitting just .173 vs. that pitch from righties over their last 13 games.
Dodgers vs Diamondbacks Over/Under pick: Under 9.5 (-126)
Dodgers starter Roki Sasaki hasn’t been great this season, but he’s turned it up over his last four outings with a stingy 2.25 ERA through that span.
And unlike the Dodgers, the Diamondbacks have struggled against the four-seamer from righties, which also happens to be Sasaki’s most common pitch (42.2%).
Arizona sits 27th in team average (.225) and SLG (.401) vs. that pitch type, suggesting their bats will be quiet tonight.
The Under has cashed in each of Sasaki’s last four starts, while the Under is 3-1-1 in Kelly’s last five outings.
I’d play the Under to -130 tonight.
Chris Faria's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 7-3, +3.21 units
Over/Under bets: 3-7, -4.01 units
Dodgers vs Diamondbacks weather
Tonight’s forecast calls for mostly clear skies with light winds blowing out to right field in a hitter-friendly ballpark.
Dodgers vs Diamondbacks odds
Moneyline: Dodgers -163 | Diamondbacks +156
Run line: Dodgers -1.5 (-104) | Diamondbacks +1.5 (-100)
Over/Under: Over 9.5 (+117) | Under 9.5 (-122)
Dodgers vs Diamondbacks trend
Under is 7-0 in Kelly's last 7 starts following a team loss. Find more MLB betting trends for Dodgers vs. Diamondbacks.
How to watch Dodgers vs Diamondbacks and game info
Location
Chase Field, Phoenix, AZ
Date
Friday, August 7, 2026
First pitch
9:40 p.m. ET
TV
SNLA, DBacks.TV
Dodgers starting pitcher
Roki Sasaki (5-5, 4.64 ERA)
Diamondbacks starting pitcher
Merrill Kelly (8-9, 5.04 ERA)
Dodgers vs Diamondbacks latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
ARLINGTON, TX - JULY 07: Jacob deGrom #48 of the Texas Rangers pitches during a game against the Los Angeles Angels at Globe Life Field on July 07, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Gunnar Word/Texas Rangers/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In the press conference immediately following the MLB Trade Deadline, Atlanta Braves President of Baseball Operations Alex Anthopoulos stated that outside of Tarik Skubal, there was only one other starting pitcher (who he refused to name at the time) who they viewed as an “impact starter” at this year’s trade deadline. There was a lot of speculation surrounding both the Braves and Texas Rangers starter Jacob deGrom and it appears that there may have been some legitimate activity going on there.
Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic is reporting that the Braves and Rangers apparently had an agreement in place for a trade that apparently hinged on whether deGrom wanted to stay in Texas or waive his no-trade clause in order to go to Cobb County. Rosenthal is using two anonymous baseball executives as his source in the reporting. Here’s the relevant quote from his Trade Deadline aftermath story:
For deGrom, [Anthopoulos] was willing to take on a sizable portion of the pitcher’s remaining salary — about $11 million this season and $37 million next season.…Two executives said a trade almost certainly was in place. The execs, granted anonymity for their candor, pointed out that teams do not approach players about waiving no-trade clauses so close to the deadline unless something is done.
The Braves also were involved in discussions for right-hander José Soriano and other starters, according to a person briefed on their talks. But other than Skubal and deGrom, they did not view those pitchers as difference-makers, or even better than what they had.
The news about José Soriano is interesting and considering what we know about the Blue Jays and their organization’s relationship with Anthopoulos, there was maybe a bit of extra satisfaction on Toronto’s part that they were able to beat AA to the punch when it came to pulling off a deal with the Angels. As far as deGrom goes, that’s a very significant commitment to make in terms of salary so that really tells you just how much Atlanta’s front office wanted to add deGrom into the fold.
I recommend that you read the article if you’re subscribed, as Rosenthal also discusses what the Braves were willing to give up for Tarik Skubal (reader, unsurprisingly it was a lot). There’s a lot in there to think about and it’s to the point where if you were disappointed with the deadline (I’m right there with you), you at least understand what the approach was for Atlanta heading into this year’s intense trade deadline.
With that being said, it does at least appear sincere that the Braves figured that it would be “deGrom (or Soriano) or bust” and they ended up getting the latter as a result. We’ll see how this all ends up going as time passes. For now, the Braves have to be feeling at least a little confident that things may end up working out after the performances that their starters had earlier this week (and also after Casey Mize got blown up for eight earned runs against the Diamondbacks in his Padres debut) but time will tell when it comes to figuring out if AA was right to pass up on all other deals going forward. We’ll see what happens!
CAMDEN, NJ - JUNE 8: Mike Gansey speaks as the Philadelphia 76ers introduce him as their new President of Basketball Operations on June 8, 2026 at The Penn Medicine Philadelphia 76ers Training Complex in Camden, New Jersey. 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 Mary Kate Ridgway/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
A new executive always generates buzz. During his tenure with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Mike Gansey was part of a front office that made notable additions like Dean Wade (now with the Sixers), Craig Porter and Jaylon Tyson. But you don’t truly know if an executive is the real deal until they’re in the driver’s seat.
Well, it turns out Gansey might be exactly that — the real deal. His first free agency oversaw one of the wildest offseasons in recent NBA memory: trading for Jaylen Brown and signing LeBron James to a minimum contract. And that’s just the headliners. Between the draft, trades and free agency, the Sixers brought in seven new faces.
Now that free agency has settled, how did Gansey perform in his debut? We’ll break down every new free agent addition, from the two-way contract players to LeBron himself, analyzing each one, and assigning proper grades based off of team and marketplace context.
Rayan Rupert (two-way)
Starting things off with the first two-way contract is Rupert. For those unfamiliar with him, he was the 43rd pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. Rupert spent his first three seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers where he saw very little use and playing time. He joined the Memphis Grizzlies via 10-day contract, eventually earning a two-way contract last season. There he saw an uptick in playing time. He averaged 12.2 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.6 steals on 42.2 percent shooting from the field and 33.8 percent shooting from three in 16 games (30.9 minutes per game). Solid production, albeit on a small sample size.
Rupert’s game, to this point, is mostly a hypothetical due to the low sample size and young age. But what can you actually expect when he does play? Rupert boasts a tremendous frame at 6-foot-7 with a 7-3 wingspan to pair with it. Not only does he have true wing size, but he also has a stellar motor and legitimate basketball IQ. He’s the type of player you can throw out in the regular season at the end of the quarter to get a stop. If you believe in his Memphis tape, you have the makings of a coveted two-way player if the offense can catch up.
Now, he’ll take his talents to Philly. He’ll look to join the pipeline of two-way players who get extended run and earn his way onto a fulltime contract. Despite being in the NBA for multiple seasons, Rupert is still quite young at 22 years old.
Grade: B-
You simply cannot have enough defense and length alongside Tyrese Maxey and friends, and that’s exactly what Rupert is now. Two-way contracts are as low risk as it can be. There’s evidence to suggest Rupert’s best days are ahead of him. Some of the stuff he brings now can help this team too, even for a fringe signing. We’ll wait and see if the offensive skills can develop, but this is a solid, low-risk bet.
Caleb Love (two-way)
Moving onto their next two-way is one of the bigger names currently on a two-way contract in Love. For those who don’t know Love, he was a a notable draft prospect not that long ago in the 2024 draft. He had an extensive NCAA career, playing three years at North Carolina, later transferring to Arizona. Despite one of the more decorated NCAA careers, Love went undrafted in 2024, later joining the Portland Trail Blazers via two-way contract.
Unlike most undrafted, two-way contract first year players, Love put together a stellar rookie campaign that saw some heavy usuage. The Blazers used up all of his two-way elibility, heavily featuring him in the rotation. In 49 games, including one start, he averaged 10.4 points, 2.3 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game on 38.8 percent shooting and 31.8 percent from three.
At 6-foot-3 (without shoes) with a near 6-foot-9 wingspan, Love has good size for a guard. He’s capable of pulling up from anywhere on the court and scoring in bunches. What’ll make or break his career (and tenure here) will primarily be tied to his efficiency. The base numbers leave a lot to be desired, but if he can pull those numbers up there will be no shortage of teams that could use his floor spacing and scoring ability. The Sixers included.
Grade: A
There’s a legitimate argument Love is now the best player on a two-way contract. And if he isn’t the best, he’s for sure in the conversation. He brings a lot of skills that rookie Labaron Philon and Anfernee Simons also provide, but having a reserve guard in your back, back pocket to space the floor and provide volume shooting is fantastic work on the margins.
Ariel Hukporti
Hukporti’s arguably the most controversial add of the offseason, which says a lot about the offseason Gansey had rather than Hukporti himself. The Sixers inked him to a one-year deal relatively early in the free agency period. The controversial part wasn’t necessarily Hukporti, but rather the way they signed him. After corresponding moves, the Sixers chose to dip into their bi-annual exception to ink him to a $3.4 million deal. This exception, as the name suggests, is granted every two years after it’s used, meaning the Sixers won’t have access to it next offseason. Albeit a small exception, the Sixers used most of it on Hukporti.
Hukporti, a late second-round draft pick, has had an extensive career overseas, eventually signing with the New York Knicks and filling their third-string center role behind Mitchell Robinson and Karl-Anthony Towns. Hukporti wasn’t utilized much — in fact he played less than 500 minutes total last regular season. As expected, there were mixed results. Hukporti was efficient, rebounded at a high rate (per-36 numbers show 11.5 rebounds per game) and played within his role. However, he racked up quite a few fouls despite playing in limited time. Some of that comes from the role (teams don’t care about backup backup bigs fouling when need be), but it is a legitimate area to watch as the Sixers, presumably, deploy him into a larger role here.
The risk side of this is relatively low, but factoring in the context of the BAE is important. If this signing doesn’t pan out, the Sixers will have burned one of their limited financial resources on a signing that didn’t help. However, you can make the argument that this is exactly the type of bet they should be taking: a low number, short-term deal with a player under the age of 25. We also have to factor in the Sixers’ scouting success of the past in identifying talent in other situations. Gansey has shown he has an eye for finding diamonds in the rough, and Hukporti might not be an exception.
The back-up big market was surprisingly competitive, with several players widely considered reserve bigs inking some massive deals. There’s plenty of fluctuation in length, non/partial guarantees, etc., so I’ll keep things simple here by comparing AAV (average annual value) with Hukporti and a few names to come below:
Jusuf Nurkic: 2 years, $22 million ($11M AAV)
Day’Ron Sharpe: 2 years, $20 million ($10M AAV)
Moe Wagner: 2 years, $19 million ($9.5M AAV, mutual option in year 2)
Al Horford: 2 years, $13.9 million (~$7M AAV)
Jaxson Hayes: 2 years, $12 million ($6M AAV)
In particular, I’m a fan of Sharpe’s deal the most out of this group. While all of these players are established NBA talent, if you told me Hukporti could have a better season than a lot of these names, I don’t think it would be crazy. Nurkic and Horford are aging, and Wagner is coming off a pretty serious knee injury. Hayes has been a nightmare off the court.
Grade: C+
For now, Hukporti remains unproven, and Gansey is banking on increased opportunity and development to justify this signing. It’s a fine marginal gamble. The addition of LeBron James should help neutralize most of Hukporti’s weaknesses, allowing him to settle into a defensive-first, low-usage lob threat role. This will be an interesting one to revisit mid-season.
Dean Wade
The first and largest signing of the Sixers’ free agency period was a familiar name for Gansey: Wade, one of the players he helped grow into a surefire NBA player. Wade inked a four-year deal worth $39 million — $30 million of that is guaranteed, with most of the final year in 2029-2030 not guaranteed ($1.6 million of it is guaranteed). The average salary for this deal is just a hair under $9.7 million.
Wade, for those who aren’t familiar with him, has made a career out of embracing the “dirty work” of basketball. He frequently took the hardest perimeter assignment on the Cleveland Cavaliers. Despite the base rebounding numbers looking low, I’d argue he’s an above average rebounder, and those numbers should trend up here in Philadelphia as he’ll play a lot more of the “power forward” position (unlike Cleveland, where he was used more as a “small forward”).
Defense is where Wade has made his calling card, but he’s also very capable offensively. He shoots well from the perimeter and makes smart reads. In particular, his assist-to-turnover ratio is stellar, albeit on small usage. The stats show Wade is a capable rotation player who should be able to hang on both ends of the floor.
Wade will bring defense, length, and good decision making behind the Sixers’ plethora of offensive options. In a vacuum, it’s a good signing from a fit perspective. But how does it stack up against some of the other bigger contracts handed out to forwards in this free agency class? There’s no shortage of names to compare:
John Collins: 3 years, $51M ($17M AAV — two of his three years have guarantee triggers)
Tobias Harris: 2 years, $31M ($15.5M AAV)
Rui Hachimura: 2 years, $28M ($14M AAV)
Sandro Mamukelashvili: 4 years, $52M ($13M AAV)
While all of those players differ from Wade in a variety of what they bring and offer to a team, it sure makes Wade’s contract look good in comparison. And you can make the argument that Wade is the best defender out of that group. Factoring in the top of the talent pool, the Sixers got the best fitting forward on the lowest number — which makes this signing look very strong on paper from a production standpoint.
Grade: A-
Wade might not be as talented as the players mentioned above, but the fit is undeniable. With an abundance of top-end talent, you need guys like him who embrace the dirty work, play defense, and fill the gaps. Evidence suggests Wade should scale up nicely, and he’ll get that opportunity in Philly. Four years is a long commitment for a player like Wade, but it effectively functions as a three-year deal. So even if it doesn’t work out, the Sixers converted a good chunk of their MLE into a legitimate need. The contract is also tradeable if necessary. That said, Wade could end up playing more rotation minutes than most expect. The Sixers will need his defense and corner-three shooting ability on a nightly basis.
Anfernee Simons
Wade was one of the easier signings to predict, so we’ll take things over to Simons who was one of the bigger surprises they’ve added this offseason. Using the rest of the mid-level exception, they inked Simons to a two-year, $12.2M deal. The second year is a player option that is worth $6M.
Simons had one of the more under-the-radar seasons last year. Some of that might’ve been because of how it actually went down. Simons started the season on the Boston Celtics and played well there, averaging 14.2 points while shooting 44% from the field and 39.5% from three on high volume in 49 games for the Celtics. He was a big reason behind their early season success playing in a supercharged sixth man role. So, what happened?
Simons, on an expiring deal, was shipped out at the trade deadline for two reasons. The first of which was to get under the luxury tax. The second of which was to bulk up their center position ahead of the postseason. So the Celtics sent Simons to the Chicago Bulls for Nikola Vucevic. Simons would play out the rest of the season on the rebuilding Bulls, who to that point had a true glut of guards post-deadline. He would play a handful of games before being shut down, after re-aggrativiating a wrist injury he suffered in training camp with the Celtics. In a way, his season was forgotten cause he didn’t finish the year with a Celtics team that exceeded expectations. Make no mistake though, he was a big part of their early season success.
Simons is an intriguing add, strictly for offensive needs. He’s a gifted scorer and shooter — in fact, he’s one of the better floor spacers and high volume shooters in the NBA. His gravity metrics test strongly, and for a team that was in the basement on three point makes he’ll fill a clear need.
Anfernee Simons' top 10 stats showcase his 1v1 play, 3-point shooting, and the attention he's drawing from defenses this season.
Ranks and percentiles are among 2025-26 rotation players.
Defensively, I wouldn’t expect much, if anything, from Simons. His defensive numbers are some of the worst in the league. That said, he shouldn’t be asked to do too much defending here. And during his time in Boston, he did try on that end, which does count for something. It wasn’t for a lack of effort.
Comparable reserve guards who received contracts this offseason include the following:
Gary Trent Jr.: 4 years, $64 million ($16M AAV) – nothing to see here, NBA!
Quentin Grimes: 4 years, $60 million ($15M AAV)
Collin Sexton: 2 years, $19 million ($9.5M AAV)
Marcus Smart: 2 years, $13 million ($6.5M AAV)
Jose Alvarado: 3 years, $14 million ($4.7M AAV)
Some of those sure stick out… but let’s not get off track.
For a hair over $6M per season, I think the Sixers did well here. The rest of the market backs that up. In particular, it matches well with what Smart got in Houston. He’s a different player, obviously. Smart is more of a defensive minded guard than anything, and Simons is the opposite of that. But both of these guys are skilled on one end of the floor, and ended up getting almost the same amount of money. There’s an argument to make that Simons is the best player on this list, yet he’s missing an extra zero.
Grade: A-
The only thing holding me back from giving this a straight up ‘A’ would be the questionable fit alongside rookie Philon. Both fill a similar need, and have similar strengths and weaknesses. That could make this addition redundant. However, for the price point, the Sixers locked up a proven high volume shooter. He should also ease any early growing pains with the Sixers’ rookie.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope has been a top theoretical Sixer for as long as I can remember, ranging from the days of balloon contract debates involving JJ Redick and himself, all the way through a few summers ago when the Sixers had an abundance of cap space. Now, KCP will actually join the Sixers, coming off a buyout with the Memphis Grizzlies. While Memphis might be paying him almost $20 million, the Sixers will only be paying him the minimum this season on a one-year deal.
So what can Sixer fans expect? KCP has built a long, successful career as a coveted 3-and-D player. The base numbers aren’t glamorous, but you’re getting a guy who knows exactly what his role is and plays within it.
After several productive years in Denver, recent memory hasn’t been kind to KCP. He signed a three-year deal with Orlando, which yielded mixed results. He underwhelmed and was shipped to Memphis the following summer in the deal that brought Desmond Bane to Orlando. With the rebuilding Grizzlies, his numbers have continued to decline. He went from 40.6 percent from three in Denver, to 34.2 percent in Orlando, to 31.6 percent in Memphis over the span of the last three seasons.
Some of that decline can be attributed to age, but I also think both environments were just offensively limited. Orlando hasn’t ranked in the top 10 offensively in years, and Memphis rarely had a consistent star or offensive gravity during KCP’s time there. The Sixers have no shortage of talent, and that gravity should open up cleaner looks for him off the catch.
It’s hard to quantify defense with any advanced metrics, but I reviewed some of his defensive film in Memphis, and the eye test looks better than I expected. That team wasn’t playing for anything apart from draft positioning, but I think KCP can still hold his own defensively and won’t get completely embarrassed on the tougher assignments the Sixers will throw his way. I don’t think he’s completely washed in that regard.
Grade: B
KCP’s best days very well might be behind him, but this is a good bet for the Sixers to take at minimum salary. He has proven success with LeBron and has been a quality player alongside elite talent elsewhere. Similar to Wade, the Sixers need low-usage defensive guys, and if KCP can hit shots at the rate we’ve seen before, it’ll be hard to keep him off the court.
LeBron James
The Sixers signing King James has marked one of the worst days of my life…
…is what I’d say if I needed more clicks on this.
In all seriousness, the Sixers made what could be the biggest free agent signing in all of our lives, signing LeBron to a veteran’s minimum contract in a 1+1 structure, with a player option and 15% trade kicker.
Despite being 41 years old, LeBron is still a very good NBA player and should fit well with this group. In particular, he should help Maxey considerably by getting him off ball much more and into catch-and-shoot situations, which statistically should elevate his averages. LeBron also fits well with the starters: Maxey, Edgecombe and Brown, all of whom ranked towards the top in transition points. The Sixers should get plenty of run-out opportunities and have no shortage of options when running. He’ll also alleviate plenty of pressure off Embiid.
There will be an adjustment period for sure, but LeBron will come here to operate in a point guard role offensively. He will make life considerably easier for Maxey and Edgecombe. There are some fit and defensive concerns with this group as a whole, but betting on talent and the Sixers’ newfound depth to fill the gaps is a good bet.
Grade: A+
There’s a case that every single contract LeBron has taken has been an underpay in terms of production, name brand, and championship pedigree. So if that’s an underpay, what does it make LeBron on a minimum contract?
This signing took the Sixers from an already great team on paper and made them surefire contenders for the upcoming NBA season. This group has to put it together, and there will be growing pains from time to time. But if LeBron wants to sign with your NBA team, let alone for a minimum contract, you do it and don’t think twice. Anything less than an A+ for this would be frankly outrageous.
The final report card
For the most part, this is the type of report card you’d want to bring home to your parents. Gansey’s additions are mostly A’s and B’s, with Hukporti representing the lone C+ you can justify.
I didn’t have high expectations for Gansey in his first year as an executive. I wanted this team to get younger and look toward the future. In a way, they did that, adding Philon through the draft, along with Hukporti, Love and Rupert, all under 25. The Sixers worked with limited resources, primarily the mid-level exception, which they converted into two proven rotation plays in Wade and Simons. Then they added LeBron James, which speaks for itself.
This was one of the strongest debut seasons we’ve seen from an NBA executive. Most front offices evaluate whether their team got better, stayed the same, or got worse. For the Sixers, the answer is unquestionably yes. They got significantly better with Brown and LeBron, but Gansey did excellent work on the margins — an area I’ve been wanting to see addressed for a long time.
The team has to execute and things have to translate on the court, but it’s clear: Gansey’s first free agency was a massive success.
Welcome to the California Post’s weekly Dodgers recap, where we review the week that was, hand out very official awards and take stock of the state of the season.
PITCHER OF THE WEEK
Yoshinobu Yamamoto (8-inning, 3-run start this week; 11-7 record, 2.76 ERA on season)
There haven’t been many heroic performances during the Dodgers’ six-game losing streak. But Yamamoto’s outing against the Red Sox last Saturday was an exception.
It wasn’t that he halted the Dodgers’ skid, instead taking the loss after giving up the decisive run in the eighth inning. Or that he was particularly dominant, striking out only three batters in a performance that actually saw his ERA slightly rise from 2.72 to 2.76.
But that Yamamoto was pitching at all –– much less effectively enough to complete eight innings –– was nonetheless a feat.
In the days leading up to the start, the already diminutive right-hander lost roughly eight pounds after getting sick at the end of the team’s previous road trip in New York. He spent the week slowly recovering, and had his rotation turn pushed back a day (after a bullpen game on Friday) to regain some extra strength.
It didn’t stop him from making his fourth eight-plus-inning start this year, which is tied with Sandy Alcantara for most in the majors. He also remains in the thick of the Cy Young race, ranking sixth in the NL in ERA, fifth in innings pitched and second in WHIP.
This week, Yamamoto stayed back in Los Angeles during the Chicago portion of the team’s road trip to keep recuperating. He rejoined them in Arizona ahead of his next scheduled start on Saturday.
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto winds up to deliver in the fourth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday, August 1, 2026. (Copyright (c) 2026 Shutterstock Editorial. No use without permission.) Jim Ruymen/UPI/Shutterstock
DODGERS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Shohei Ohtani (10-for-24, 3 home runs, 5 RBIs this week; .297 average, .954 OPS, 26 home runs, 70 RBIs this season)
How much Ohtani’s day off from the Dodgers’ lineup last Thursday helped his knee still isn’t clear.
But it certainly didn’t seem to hamper his scorching hot swing.
Though the Dodgers’ two-way star has still not resumed a throwing program amid his ongoing knee injury, now more than a month removed from his last pitching start, Ohtani is in the midst of perhaps his most productive stretch at the plate all season.
Entering Friday, he had hits in nine straight games, five of which were multi-hit efforts. He had four home runs in his last eight, including his first multi-homer performance of the year on Wednesday. And, after the questions that were raised last week when lingering knee soreness forced him to miss a game, he offered a reminder that –– as a hitter, at least –– his injury still isn’t having a notable impact; ensuring his most valuable tool, his bat, isn’t being diminished.
Where things stand with Ohtani’s arm, of course, is less clear.
He did not resume catch play in Chicago this week, though manager Dave Roberts continues to insist that will happen “soon.”
The urgency to get him built all the way back up (at least, as fast as possible with two months still left before the playoffs) isn’t as pressing as it once was, either, thanks to the arrival of Tarik Skubal.
The Dodgers still expect to get something out of him on the mound again this year. But for now, while Ohtani’s two-way status grows more uncertain, there aren’t any worries about his hitting. That remains the most important thing.
Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani hits a home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs in Chicago, Wednesday, August 5, 2026. (Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved) AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh
QUESTION OF THE WEEK
How worried should Dodgers be about the standings?
So much for the two-time defending champions having no meaningful baseball left to play this season.
Their recent losing streak might not be jeopardizing their playoff chances (Fangraphs still gives them a, *checks notes*, 100% probability of reaching October) or endangering their division lead (they enter this weekend’s series in Arizona 8 ½ games clear of the second-place Diamondbacks), but it has created unexpected competition for a pivotal playoff seeding.
While the Dodgers have dropped six in a row, the Atlanta Braves have won eight-straight, helping them leapfrog the Dodgers for the No. 2 seed in the National League. The Dodgers are also now three games back of the Milwaukee Brewers for the NL’s best record and home-field advantage throughout the postseason.
Securing a first-round bye and home-field advantage will undoubtedly be goals for the Dodgers over the rest of the season.
But, even amid the more condensed standings now, there is still probably a limit to how urgently they will push for them.
Last year, after all, the Dodgers defended their title even as the NL’s No. 3 seed, which required them to play a best-of-three wild card round and open all three of their subsequent series on the road.
And while they’d like an easier playoff path this October, they’re also unlikely to start pushing their aging roster any extra, or riding their banged-up pitching staff any harder, for the sake of seeding alone.
Josue De Paula (9-for-22, 5 home runs this week; .314 average, .972 OPS, 21 home runs, 82 RBIs this year)
The Dodgers’ top-ranked prospect was never going anywhere in the Skubal sweepstakes. This week, the 21-year-old slugger offered a resounding reminder why.
As deadline rumors swirled, De Paula mashed four home runs and collected nine RBIs in a torrid four-game stretch, setting a new high point in a season that has seen him unlock much more of his tantalizing potential at the plate.
Now, the question is how soon he could be promoted to triple-A.
The Dodgers did clear a pathway in the outfield with their Oklahoma City affiliate, after trading Jack Suwinski to Tampa Bay at the deadline for Hunter Feduccia. The expectation has been that either De Paula or Mike Sirota (the team’s next-best outfield prospect, who has also been tearing it up with double-A Tulsa) will thus take another step up the minor-league ladder.
For now, neither have gotten the call. Still, many more weeks like this, and De Paula won’t be stuck in double-A for much longer.
FUTURE DODGER OF THE WEEK
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Tarik Skubal reacts after a play at home plate during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026, in Chicago. (Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.) AP Photo/Melissa Tamez
Usually, we dedicate this section to identifying a player the Dodgers could potentially acquire in the future (sometimes far-fetched, other times not).
But this week, we decided we’d review the past, and see how many of our predictions so far this season came true at the deadline.
Skubal, of course, has been a common name in this section. We picked him early in the season as an obvious deadline candidate, and again after his May elbow procedure as a potential offseason signing. We then went back to the well again in last week’s weekly recap, as it became clear the Dodgers would make a real effort to get him.
As for the dozen or so other players featured in this space this year (from Mason Miller to Jacob Misiorowski to Nolan McLean to Munetaka Murakami)? Well, we’re either wrong –– or perhaps simply early.
After all, as the Dodgers showed once again at this trade deadline, whenever there is a star player potentially available in some form or fashion, they’ll almost always be in the hunt for them; no matter how far-fetched it once might have seemed.
Kawhi Leonard attends a news conference July 7 when former teammate Kyle Lowry signed a one-day contract to retire as a Toronto Raptor. (Chris Young / The Canadian Press via AP)
Clippers star Kawhi Leonard had a second lucrative undisclosed sponsorship agreement with a company doing business with the team, Pablo Torre reported Thursday night on his podcast.
Scoreboard manufacturer Daktronics, which built the $100-million video board at the Clippers’ Intuit Dome, hired Leonard to a multi-million-dollar endorsement deal, according to Torre. The podcast host found no evidence that the All-NBA forward did any work for the company.
The details are similar to the $2- million endorsement deal Leonard had with Aspiration, a now-defunct environmental banking company that had a 23-year, $300-million sponsorship deal with the Clippers. Steve Ballmer, the team’s owner, invested $60 million into Aspiration, triggering allegations that the payment to Leonard circumvented the NBA salary cap.
That deal is at the center off an ongoing, almost year-long NBA investigation. Requests Friday for comment from Leonard’s agent and the Clippers were not immediately answered.
The salary cap limits what teams can spend on player payroll to ensure parity and prevent the wealthiest teams from outspending smaller-market teams to acquire the best players. NBA commissioner Adam Silver has called attempts to circumvent it a “cardinal sin.”
The topic was raised on Torre’s podcast by a person identified as an “anonymous high-level source under contract for Intuit Dome.” The person alleged in an interview that the sponsorship deal was “1,000% a way to circumvent the salary cap. It was funneling money from the Clippers through Daktronics back to Kawhi.”
The investigation into the Aspiration allegations has grown in scope, the Athletic reported three weeks ago. In addition to attempting to determine whether Aspiration’s payment to Leonard violated NBA salary-cap rules, the probe conducted by high-powered New York law firm Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz is examining Leonard’s deal with Daktronics.
If the NBA determines that a salary-cap violation occurred, the Clippers could be fined and stripped of first-round picks. Ballmer also could be penalized and Leonard’s contract could be voided. He has one year and $50.3 million left on a three-year, $149.5-million deal he signed before the 2024-25 season.
The endorsement deal with Daktronics raised suspicion because the company doesn’t do business with the general public and doesn’t need prominent athletes or celebrities to pitch its products.
“Daktronics was conservative to a fault for the 20-plus years I was there,” a former employee told Torre. “I remember asking early on why we didn’t do more traditional advertising and promotion to increase brand recognition. I was told that since it’s B2B and not a consumer product, it didn’t make sense to advertise that way.”
Asked whether Leonard had an endorsement deal, Daktronics pointed Torre to a crisis management firm whose spokesman told Hunterbrook Media, “My understanding is Daktronics doesn’t have a deal with Kawhi right now.” Asked for clarification, the spokesman said, “I don’t know what the company wants to say, or can say, given the Wachtell investigation and all that.”
Daktronics is a leader in designing, engineering and manufacturing digital LED display technology and audio systems. Nearly 600 clients are listed on the company website, including numerous NBA, MLB, NFL and NHL teams. Other clients include several airports, and Daktronics built the LAX Time Tower, a 72-foot, four-sided interactive digital media structure located in the Tom Bradley International Terminal.
The Clippers traded Leonard to the Toronto Raptors on June 30 for Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick and a slew of draft picks, but the teams put the deal on hold pending the outcome of the investigation.
Leonard would not talk about the allegations during the 2025-26 NBA season because the investigation was ongoing. He brushed it off during media day last September.
“None of us did … wrongdoing and, yeah, that’s it,” he said. “We invite the investigation.”
Almost a year later, the investigation continues. Silver has expressed a desire for a resolution, saying in June that it “needs to be wrapped up before next season.” The NBA regular season will begin in October.
Salary-cap circumvention first surfaced with Leonard during his free agency in 2019 after he led the Raptors to the NBA championship. Negotiations with the Lakers ceased when Leonard’s uncle, Dennis Robertson, requested a house, the use of private aircraft, guaranteed off-court earnings and an ownership stake in the team, according to Dan Woike of the Athletic. The Lakers informed Leonard’s representatives that those requests violated the NBA collective bargaining agreement and Leonard eventually signed with the Clippers, where he played the last seven seasons.
Sign up now using our exclusive Polymarket promo code 'COVERS' (on your mobile app only) and get a $50 trading bonus after you deposit $50 to trade on any other event contracts — including MLB expert picks!
Sign Up Now at img src="https://img.covers.com/editorial/2026/polymarketlogo.png" alt="Polymarket" width="100" height="28" style="vertical-align: middle;"
*Eligible locations only
Jon Metler's expert pick: Orioles moneyline
Price: 44¢ (+127) at Polymarket
The matchup for Shane Baz is the main reason I'm backing this bet, but the Texas Rangers also feel like a team in a strange spot after the trade deadline. Reports surfaced that Texas was shopping veterans Corey Seager, Jacob deGrom, and Nathan Eovaldi despite remaining in the American League playoff race, creating some uncertainty around the clubhouse.
On the field, Baz draws a favorable matchup. Three of the Rangers' top five left-handed hitters—Seager, Joc Pederson, and Evan Carter—do their best damage on pitches at the bottom of the zone. Baz attacks in the opposite manner, using a riding four-seam fastball at the top of the strike zone before tunneling his secondary pitches off it.
That pitch mix should help neutralize the Rangers' pull-side power.
The Baltimore Orioles are trading as a 44-cent underdog, but I make them closer to a 48-cent underdog, which is why I'm hitting the button.
Time: 8:05 p.m. ET
How to watch: Apple TV
Joe Osborne's expert pick: Guardians moneyline
Price: 58¢ (-136) at Polymarket
The Chicago White Sox are in a brutal spot tonight after being swept in Boston and losing a 13-inning game yesterday. Chicago used seven relievers in the loss and now turns to Noah Schultz, who owns a 5.82 ERA and rarely pitches deep into games.
The White Sox are also just 1-7 across his last eight appearances.
Meanwhile, Parker Messick has allowed only one earned run in each of his three starts since the All-Star break. He owns a 2.20 road ERA and has held Chicago hitters to a .174 batting average in two starts against them this season.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
There is very little news coming out of the NHL these days, but on Thursday, the Pittsburgh Penguins signed Ville Koivunen to an eight-year contract extension with a $4 million cap hit. What’s surprising about that deal is that the winger only has a total of 47 games of experience in the NHL, in which he has put up two goals and twelve assists for a total of just 14 points. However, in the AHL, he has 97 points in 97 games over the last two seasons.
While that’s a lot of money to give to an unproven player at the NHL level, the fact that the salary cap is growing exponentially in the league means it has very little chance of blowing up in Kyle Dubas’ face. Furthermore, if he really doesn’t perform, it also gives the Pens two years of evaluation time, as they can use a one-third buyout until he turns 26 years old.
Could Montreal Canadiens GM Kent Hughes be tempted to sign Zach Bolduc to that kind of contract? It appears highly unlikely right now. This is not the Habs’ GM modus operandi. While the former player agent does like very long-term deals when he’s dealing with a player who has a large enough body of work to be a proven asset, he doesn’t tend to go down that route with an unproven player.
With that contract, Dubas is betting on Koivunen’s potential and while one could argue that Hughes did just that when he signed Lane Hutson and Ivan Demidov to eight-year contract extensions after just one season, they both had played complete and convincing 82-game rookie seasons. With all due respect to Koivunen, they both had shown much more potential than the 23-year-old forward.
The Montreal Canadiens’ way, with a player that has yet to really prove what they can do, is to go for a bridge deal, as they have with Kirby Dach (four-year and $3,362,500 cap hit) and Alex Newhook (four-year and $2.9 million cap hit) in the past.
Koivunen’s deal is a lot like the Jesperi Kotkaniemi deal the Carolina Hurricanes signed the Finnish winger to after he hadn’t even played a full season in their organization. After poaching him out of Montreal with a one-year, $6.1 million offer sheet, the Canes signed him to an eight-year contract extension with a $4.82 million cap hit. Clearly, they did that because they knew he wasn’t worth what they had initially given him to get out of Montreal, and they didn’t want to have to go as high as his qualifying offer would be out of that contract.
They believed he would live up to that cap hit, but halfway through the deal, he clearly hasn’t, and even with the salary cap rising exponentially, they have been unable to move Kotkaniemi despite trying for a long time. He only played 42 games last season and clearly isn’t part of the organization’s plans in the future; he didn’t see a single game of action in the playoffs, but the length of his contract would make a buyout a long and painful process.
Hughes is not the kind of negotiator who likes to take that kind of risk. Before considering inking Bolduc to a long-term deal, he’ll have to see more of the player, and chances are, the Trois-Rivieres native is after a higher cap hit than the $4 million Koivunen got out of Dubas. The winger has 75 points in 175 games in the NHL, which works out to 0.43 points per game, while Koivunen’s PPG average stands at just 0.33.
OAKLAND, CA - SEPTEMBER 25: Oakland Athletics mascot Stomper greets fans during the game between the Texas Rangers and the Oakland Athletics at RingCentral Coliseum on Wednesday, September 25, 2024 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Nine straight series wins was just what the doctor ordered. And every Red Sox fan. They’re pitching, hitting homers, playing defense. They look like the best team in baseball. And for the last month or so, they’ve been the best. They won two of three against the Athletics in Sacramento, possibly hindered by the sun angles, and will get three games to test themselves against the team at Fenway Park. This weekend will help answer if it was the Athletics pitching – which hasn’t been great – or the batter’s eye that proved challenging for the Sox in that series.
Jack Perkins allowed just 2 runs in 5.2 innings to Boston as part of a three-game stretch where he allowed 8 runs over 13.2 innings. Which isn’t great but he gave up 7 to the Marlins before that stretch and 6 to the Tigers right after. Now the righty faces Boston again. Payton Tolle rolled out a 6.0 inning, 7K, 2 run outing against the Dodgers last time out. Almost the same as he put up against these Athletics. Let’s see the rematch!
Gage Jump provided the lone win for the A’s in Sacramento. He went 6.0 innings, struck out 7, didn’t allow a run. But surrounding that start: 4.2 innings and 6 runs against the Diamondbacks and 3.2 innings and 6 runs against the Tigers. Jake Bennett, like Tolle, just keeps rolling along. Around 6.0 innings per start, 3 runs or fewer. What a steal from the Nationals.
J.T. Ginn missed Boston when they were in Sacramento. A righty, he’s been all over the place in the last month. But an 8-run outing against the White Sox sticks out the most. The Red Sox will feature a bullpen start to close out the weekend. The exact makeup of this game isn’t known at the moment so it could be an opener and Bello or it could be a more traditional 1-2 inning per guy event.
Shea Langeliers, Nick Kurtz, and Zack Gelof are all on the IL now.
Since the win against Boston the A’s have lost 8 straight games. Boston has won 8 straight.
Probable Pitching Matchups
Friday, August 7: Jack Perkins (6.72 ERA / 4.61 FIP) vs. Payton Tolle (3.30 ERA / 3.41 FIP)
Saturday, August 8: Gage Jump (4.59 ERA / 3.80 FIP) vs. Jake Bennett (2.90 ERA / 3.23 FIP)
Sunday, August 9: J.T. Ginn (3.51 ERA / 4.22 FIP) vs. TBD Bullpen (— ERA / — FIP)
American baseball player Don Larsen poses in the uniform of the New York Yankees, mid 1950s. (Photo by Phil Burchman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The imperfect man pitched a perfect game yesterday.
So read Joe Trimble’s lead on October 9, 1956 in the New York Daily News. The day prior, a man who was an afterthought on a team in the midst of winning its seventh championship in 10 years, a man known more for his carousing off the field than his performance on it, had achieved the unthinkable. He’d held a Brooklyn Dodgers lineup stacked with five Hall of Famers to 27 plate appearances, permitting none to reach base safely in the first and last perfect game in World Series history.
Don James Larsen Born: August 7, 1929 (Michigan City, IN) Died: January 1, 2020 (Coeur d’Alene, ID) Yankees Tenure: 1955-59
Don Larsen grew up on the Indiana side of Lake Michigan. His father, James, played sandlot baseball and passed along the game to young Don, who began playing ball with his father at the age of four. While he was in high school, the family moved to San Diego, where Larsen made the All-Metro Conference basketball team at Point Loma High and garnered several college basketball scholarships. The fun-loving Larsen declined. “I was never much with studies, and I didn’t really have an interest in going to college and studying my life away,” he would later say of his decision.
Instead, Larsen signed a contract with the St. Louis Browns, spending four seasons in their minor-league system before he was drafted into the Army in 1951. He played baseball for an Army team at Fort Shafter on Oahu for two years, returning to the mainland in time for spring training in 1953. The 23-year-old pitched well enough to earn a spot out of camp, an achievement he likened to “Christmas in springtime.”
Larsen was a bright spot on the 100-loss Browns as a rookie, tossing a team-high 192.2 innings with a 4.16 ERA. His teammates gave him a delightfully ’50s nickname that would stick with him throughout his career: Gooney Bird. Depending who you ask, the origin of the moniker was either Larsen’s gangly appearance or his outside-the-lines antics.
The Browns moved to Baltimore for the ‘54 season. The newly christened Orioles once again lost 100 games, with Larsen taking the decision in an MLB-high 21 of them. He won only three games but two came against the mighty Yankees, drawing the attention of the team’s manager, Casey Stengel.
Following the season, he was traded to New York in a mammoth 17-player deal that also netted the Yankees future Cy Young Award winner Bob Turley. Larsen was injured to start the year but pitched well once recalled, going 9-2 in 19 games (13 starts) to help his new team to the pennant. He drew the start in Game 4 of the World Series against the Dodgers. With the Yankees up two games to one and the chance to stake them to a commanding series lead, Larsen faltered, allowing five runs — including two long balls — in four innings as the Dodgers coasted to victory. After the Yankees lost to their chief NL rivals in Game 7, Larsen remained positive about his experience. “I had stretched beyond my childhood dreams by playing for the Yankees in the World Series,” he would later recount. “Even though we lost the championship to the Dodgers, I was thankful to have been even been there in the first place.”
The next year shaped up similarly. An 11-5 record in the regular season as the Yankees repeated as AL champs, followed by an even more frustrating World Series outing against the Dodgers in which he walked four in 1.2 innings as the Yankees coughed up an early six-run lead.
This is where reality and myth start to become inextricable. There’s as much lore around Larsen’s perfect game as any event in Yankees history. New York Daily Mirror writer Arthur Richman later relayed that Larsen told him the night before on the way back from the bars that he would pitch a no-hitter. This was likely impossible given Stengel’s habit of informing pitchers whether they would start on game day, employing his coach, Frank Crosetti, to place a baseball in the starter’s shoe. Much like David Wells, the next Yankee to reach perfection, there’s been much written about the extent of Larsen’s hangover that game day as well.
Whatever the merit of these stories, Larsen took the mound at Yankee Stadium on October 8 prepared to face a lineup that had twice torn him to shreds. The outcome would be different that day, with the 27-year-old needing just 97 pitches to carve up one of the most potent lineups ever assembled. After throwing his improbable perfecto, Larsen jogged off the mound and was intercepted by a euphoric Yogi Berra, the catcher who he hadn’t shaken off a single time all day. Yogi jumped into Larsen’s arms, and a piece of Americana was born.
Larsen would pitch for 10 more seasons but, naturally, never match the majesty of his finest achievement. He embraced the narrow scope of his baseball legacy. “I have thought about that perfect game, more than once a day, every day of my life since the day I threw it,” he said in 2012.
Larsen spent three more years in New York, mostly serving as a mediocre swingman but making four more October outings. In the ‘58 Fall Classic, he held Milwaukee off the board for seven innings in an eventual 4-0 victory and pitched 2.1 more innings of one-run ball in the decisive Game 7 to earn his second ring. He’d pitch for six more teams after departing New York at the conclusion of the ‘59 season, including a return to the World Series as a member of the Giants in 1962, pitching back at Yankee Stadium in Games 3 and 4. Larsen made his last appearance with the Cubs in 1967, weeks before his 38th birthday.
After the conclusion of his playing career, Larsen moved to San Jose, where he worked for many years as a paper salesman. After retiring, he moved to Idaho, though he was always a safe bet to return to the site of his former glory each Old-Timers’ Day. Larsen also formed a kinship with the two other pitchers who spun perfect games for the Yankees in the 20th century: David Wells, who coincidentally also went to Point Loma High, and David Cone, whose gem Larsen actually attended since there were pregame festivities celebrating the return of Yogi Berra to Yankee Stadium. Larsen threw the ceremonial first pitch to Berra, and Cone threw the last to Joe Girardi.
Larsen died on the first day of 2020 at the age of 90. Please join us in remembering perhaps the most unlikely of Yankee legends, the everyman who for one day was perfect.
See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.
It's been an interesting off-season for the Chicago Blackhawks. They added Patrick Kane late in the free agent window, made some significant draft selections, and traded for Bowen Byram ahead of the draft.
Are these moves going to help them take a step in their development? Will it start to show in 2026-27, or will it take some time? It is going to be a young, exciting team to watch, but whether or not they take a jump in the standings remains to be seen.
The Hockey News is ranking each NHL team's off-season from 32nd to 1st, and the Chicago Blackhawks did not land in an ideal spot as the 30th-best.
The logic behind their landing in 30th place is that the additions they made, along with the subtraction of Louis Crevier and Ilya Mikheyev, won't help them take a step forward. They are relying on young players to carry the team, which makes it difficult to see the plan working right away.
Below them are the Anaheim Ducks at 31 and the Detroit Red Wings at 32. Neither of them had good off-seasons at all, especially Detroit, but they are both currently ahead of the Blackhawks in terms of their NHL roster.
The only way for the Blackhawks to prove any doubts wrong about thier off-season moves is for Bowen Byram to look like the number one defenseman they are going to pay him to be, and for Kane to be an incredible mentor for the young guys, both on and off the ice. Winning also solves everything when it comes to a team's perception.
It wasn't all negativity when it comes to lists involving the Chicago Blackhawks, however. The Hockey News ranked the top three centers in the Central Division earlier in the week and was very kind to Connor Bedard.
Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche is one of the three best centers in the world, which made him the clear-cut number-one guy within the division. It's also fair to see Wyatt Johnston of the Dallas Stars ranked second, as he's become one of the premier players in the sport as well.
Connor Bedard came in at third, which is a result of his first breakout season in 2025-26, where he was a 30 goal/point per game player for the first time in his NHL career.
By coming in third on this list, he beat out Mark Scheifele, Robert Thomas, and Ryan O'Reilly, amongst some other great centers in the Central Division.
The next step for Bedard is to reach the 40-goal plateau and then possibly the 50-goal plateau, while taking a step in his point-per-game journey. He also needs to work on getting his shoulder right, as he is expected to miss the first month of the season recovering from surgery. If there are no setbacks, he should be able to put that behind him for good.
There is a lot of organizational faith in Connor Bedard and his future, but they are going to need many other young players to reach their NHL potential if they are going to become a winning franchise again.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive, and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting on the article below on THN.com or by creating your own post in our community forum.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JULY 12: Theo Gillen #14 of the American League Futures team looks on during the 2026 All-Star Futures Game Presented by Nike at Citizens Bank Park on Sunday, July 12, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Baseball America updates their Top-100 MLB prospects list with some regularity throughout the year, but the most meaningful mid-season update follows the conclusion of both the MLB Draft and MLB Trade Deadline. Now that the dust has settled, the Rays have seven prospects ranked in the new Top-100, including two in the top twenty.
5. Theo Gillen, OF
The jump in Power has turned Gillen’s profile into one of the best in baseball. This morning in the Slack chat Cole Mitchem comped Gillen’s current profile to Brewers CF Garrett Mitchell or Phillies CF from 2023-2025 Brandon Marsh. Gillen is 8 years younger than both.
A prep short stop was a prototypical Rays selection at No. 2 overall, but the offensive profile at 17-years young made this the obvious choice as well.
The 30th overall selection of the 2025 draft, Bodine might be the star of the loaded Shane Baz trade return, having already rocketed up to Double-A after demolishing the A and A+ levels.
The team’s 2nd round pick from last season (53rd overall in 2025) boasts a 130 wRC+ in Low-A, outpacing fellow draftees SS Daniel Pierce (100 wRC+, 14th overall in 2025) and OF Brendan Summerhill (98 wRC+, 42nd overall), and in lock step with…
… last season’s third round selection, the switch hitting Gray (128 wRC+, 86th overall in 2025). He’s a bit positionless at the moment, and needed a minor elbow surgery to clean up loose bodies, but the bat is real at 18 years young.
The key return in the Randy Arozarena trade (now that OF Aidan Smith — who was not a Top-100 prospect — has been traded), Hopkins has seen his walk rate spike to 22% in 85 innings at Triple-A while the Rays try to simplify his delivery mid-season, but the quality of his stuff is still respected.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 10: The San Diego Padres mascot Swinging Friar and the mother version of swinging Friar pose on the field for Mother's Day before the game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Petco Park on May 10, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Matt Thomas/San Diego Padres/Getty Images) | Getty Images
They’ve played three series this season. And, after the Padres’ 5-1 victory Thursday night, they’ve split all three of them. It sure looks like this race might go down to the wire — a season-ending three-game series between the two NL West rivals at Petco Park.
“We’ve played these guys pretty even all year round,” Padres manager Craig Stammen said. “We’ll see them again later in the year in a three-game series. Could be the decider of it all.”
But then the magnitude also shrunk in the shadow of the 46 games that remain.
“Uh, yeah, probably,” Padres manager Craig Stammen said Thursday afternoon when asked if he viewed that night’s game as having added consequence. “I mean, right now, the space that we’re in, we’re two games behind these guys. So the best way to get closer is to beat them. So I think that’s the number one priority today.”
The Diamondbacks (61-55) and Padres (60-56) remain neck-and-neck in a race for the third NL Wild Card spot with 46 games left. Their final series will close the regular season at Petco Park to determine the head-to-head tiebreaker.
Over the past two seasons, the D-backs took on the Padres at the end of the campaign with their playoff fate in the air. The chance of that happening again is legitimate.
“It started with Bryce Harper,” Dombrowski said of the bold Arraez trade. Stark noted that, “But Harper opened the door to the Arraez trade by telling Dombrowski multiple times he’d make that move, from first base to right field, if they needed him to.”
Well, it wasn’t to acquire a first baseman, but rather a new second baseman. But the shift for Harper was all the same.
By adding Arraez, Harper would have to move from first base to the outfield, back where he played the majority of his MLB career.
In addition to the usual Stock Watch measurements, I’ve taken a stab at looking how complete each team’s roster is, expressing it as a percentage. The basic details are in the methodology box. The idea is that for contenders, it’s a look at how well-situated a team is for the playoff push and a potential October run. For the noncontenders, it’s a glimpse at just how much work they have to do so that their future Augusts and Septembers are a little more dramatic.
Spencer Arrighetti, who the Blue Jays acquired at the Trade Deadline for outfielder Daulton Varsho, made his first rehab appearance in Toronto’s system on Thursday, but he left early with an apparent injury.
The 26-year-old Arrighetti, who has been on the injured list since July 25 with right foot nerve irritation, was removed after 2 1/3 hitless innings with Triple-A Buffalo. He threw 39 pitches before he was lifted from the game.
“I didn’t know how it was going to go,” Gansey said Thursday after Brown’s introductory Sixers press conference. “(James) obviously had a lot of great options. I didn’t know what he was going to decide. But I thought maybe after Jaylen, we had a better chance. I guess that was all we needed.
“And our players were obviously the biggest recruiters. … Our ownership is obviously great with that as well. I think after the Jaylen (trade), I don’t want to say it got real, but at least we had a chance to be in the mix.”
Gansey was glad to pounce on his opportunities to assemble a star-filled lineup. He noted that the Sixers now have two former NBA Finals MVPs (Brown and James) and two former regular-season MVPs (Joel Embiid and James).
“It’s just crazy in this NBA,” he said. “You don’t know what’s going to happen. For me, it’s just, ‘Hey, I’m going to pick up the phone. I’m going to try to get involved in everything I possibly can.’ See what’s out there and be aggressive and be creative. Fortunately for us, this is where we landed.”
While Gansey is eager to watch the Sixers in action, he highlighted that the team is 0-0 and will require time to gel. Brown struck similar notes in his press conference.
“I’ve been around a long time,” Brown said, “long enough to know that what you have on paper doesn’t really mean (anything). It can if you put the work in, but if you allow distractions, if you allow the media to get into your locker room, if you allow certain things and the personalities don’t work, it could be a detriment.
“So I’m aware that it could go either way. It just takes an amount of work, and the transparency and leadership can really guide this thing or not.”
Gansey still clearly has valid reasons to believe that the 2026-27 Sixers have enormous potential.
“I think we have great (top-end) talent,” he said, “but also getting Anfernee Simons, Dean Wade, (Ariel) Hukporti, having Dominick Barlow, getting Labaron (Philon Jr.) in the draft. I’m just excited to see how it looks — the combinations, the lineups, the versatility we have. When you have the talent, it’s exciting, and then trying to figure it out is the hard part. But I’m excited to see what’s ahead.”
Gansey also views Embiid’s summer as a major source of optimism.
“He’s just been himself, man,” Gansey said of Embiid. “I remember when I got the job, I went over there and he was like, ‘I want to have a great year. I want to play a lot of games. I want to be All-NBA Joel.’ He’s talked the talk and now he’s walking the walk. He’s lost some weight; you saw the pictures. He’s been in the gym. He’s doing all the right things and he’s super motivated.”
Of course, Embiid is not the only Sixer itching for the start of the season.
“Talking to (head coach Nick Nurse), he’s excited,” Gansey said. “It’s just like a kid in a candy store. He’s like, ‘How are we going to put this thing together and see if works?’”
“I didn’t know how it was going to go,” Gansey said Thursday after Brown’s introductory Sixers press conference. “(James) obviously had a lot of great options. I didn’t know what he was going to decide. But I thought maybe after Jaylen, we had a better chance. I guess that was all we needed.
“And our players were obviously the biggest recruiters. … Our ownership is obviously great with that as well. I think after the Jaylen (trade), I don’t want to say it got real, but at least we had a chance to be in the mix.”
Gansey was glad to pounce on his opportunities to assemble a star-filled lineup. He noted that the Sixers now have two former NBA Finals MVPs (Brown and James) and two former regular-season MVPs (Joel Embiid and James).
“It’s just crazy in this NBA,” he said. “You don’t know what’s going to happen. For me, it’s just, ‘Hey, I’m going to pick up the phone. I’m going to try to get involved in everything I possibly can.’ See what’s out there and be aggressive and be creative. Fortunately for us, this is where we landed.”
While Gansey is eager to watch the Sixers in action, he highlighted that the team is 0-0 and will require time to gel. Brown struck similar notes in his press conference.
“I’ve been around a long time,” Brown said, “long enough to know that what you have on paper doesn’t really mean (anything). It can if you put the work in, but if you allow distractions, if you allow the media to get into your locker room, if you allow certain things and the personalities don’t work, it could be a detriment.
“So I’m aware that it could go either way. It just takes an amount of work, and the transparency and leadership can really guide this thing or not.”
Gansey still clearly has valid reasons to believe that the 2026-27 Sixers have enormous potential.
“I think we have great (top-end) talent,” he said, “but also getting Anfernee Simons, Dean Wade, (Ariel) Hukporti, having Dominick Barlow, getting Labaron (Philon Jr.) in the draft. I’m just excited to see how it looks — the combinations, the lineups, the versatility we have. When you have the talent, it’s exciting, and then trying to figure it out is the hard part. But I’m excited to see what’s ahead.”
Gansey also views Embiid’s summer as a major source of optimism.
“He’s just been himself, man,” Gansey said of Embiid. “I remember when I got the job, I went over there and he was like, ‘I want to have a great year. I want to play a lot of games. I want to be All-NBA Joel.’ He’s talked the talk and now he’s walking the walk. He’s lost some weight; you saw the pictures. He’s been in the gym. He’s doing all the right things and he’s super motivated.”
Of course, Embiid is not the only Sixer itching for the start of the season.
“Talking to (head coach Nick Nurse), he’s excited,” Gansey said. “It’s just like a kid in a candy store. He’s like, ‘How are we going to put this thing together and see if works?’”
COVERS INTEL: Roki Sasaki relies heavily on his four-seamer as well, and the Diamondbacks are 
