ST. PETERSBURG, FL – Ben Rice and his father have dreamed and talked about it since he was a little kid. On Monday night, it happens for real, on a big league field with his dad on the mound.
The Yankees’ young slugger is in the Home Run Derby and Dan Rice, his father, is coming to throw to him. The elder Rice pitched at Brown in the 1980s and has never really stopped tossing to his son since he was able to hold a bat. On Monday, July 13, it'll just be at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia in front of the whole country instead of in their backyard.
“That was always a lifelong dream of both of ours,” Rice said Tuesday, June 7 before New York took on the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. “So I am really looking forward to it.”
Rice, 27, is a first-time All-Star and a first-time entrant in the derby. He has the credentials, as he has grown into the bat that has kept the Yankees' lineup afloat while Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton are hurt.
That he is the one everyone expected to step up and fill in for Judge and Stanton is an almost dream in and of itself.
The Yankees took him in the 12th round of the 2021 draft, the 363rd pick overall out of Dartmouth. He didn't care about pedigree and crashed the big leagues as a rookie in July 2024 with a three-homer game against the Red Sox, the first Yankees rookie to ever do that. A breakout 2025 followed, and this season, the left-handed hitting first baseman and designated hitter has become one of the most productive bats in the American League.
Going into Tuesday night's game, Rice was hitting .267 with 25 homers, tied for the fifth-most in the majors and third in the American League.
A Yankee has not won the Derby since Judge in 2017 in Miami. Before him, Tino Martinez, Jason Giambi and Robinson Cano took the title. Jazz Chisholm Jr. entered last year but went out in the first round with three home runs.
The blueprint Rice is following worked a year ago. Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh won the 2025 Derby in Atlanta with his father pitching to him and his younger brother behind the plate, becoming the first catcher to win it. The man Raleigh beat in the final, Rays slugger Junior Caminero, is the only other hitter so far committed to the field in Philadelphia next week.
MLB reworked the format for this year, moving away from the timed rounds players griped were too tiring. There are now 20 swings in round one, 15 in round two and 15 in the final.
Rice likes the change not only for his own sake, but for his dad's.
“It also takes some pressure off the BP thrower, because I have to swing at every pitch," he said. "Overall it’s a positive change.”
He has done a version of this before. In his summer college league in 2020, tie games were settled with a home run swing-off.
“I did that three times that year,” Rice said.
He won all three.
That’s about as much preparation Rice is taking into this.
“I haven’t really thought about strategy,” Rice said. “I just kind of want to enjoy it. Have fun taking BP with my dad at a big league field, in front of a bunch of people. It should be cool.”
That experience with his dad was why Rice said yes to this opportunity. It's a chance to share what has been a Cinderella-like big league career with the man that got him started.
His dad’s stuff, by the son’s scouting report, is not quite what it was. Dan Rice had a good curveball “back in the day,” his son said. The family is already reminding him not to throw any breaking balls in the derby and just groove them in for his son.
“He always throws to me in the offseason, still,” Rice said. “So his lifetime pitch count is through the roof at this point. We’ll keep adding to that total on Monday.”
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - JULY 4: Jacob Toppin #15 of the Atlanta Hawks handles the ball during the game against the Utah Jazz during a 2026 NBA Salt Lake City Summer League game on July 4, 2026 at Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Hawks will be a bit shorthanded to take on Cam Boozer and the Memphis Grizzlies.
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Location: Jon M. Huntsman Center, Salt Lake City, UT
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - JANUARY 07: Miles Bridges #0 of the Charlotte Hornets posts up against Grayson Allen #8 of the Phoenix Suns during the first half of game at Spectrum Center on January 07, 2025 in Charlotte, North Carolina. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s transaction day in the NBA, seeing as the new league year officially began yesterday. We’re seeing plenty of notifications and press releases about players re-signing with the Phoenix Suns, including Collin Gillespie, Jordan Goodwin, and Mark Williams. Things that were previously reported are now becoming official, which is all part of the process once the calendar turns.
But there is one thing we have not seen come through officially yet. The Miles Bridges trade. And per Espo of PHNX, we shouldn’t expect anything until at least July 9.
For those wondering why the Suns haven't announced the Miles Bridges trade, it's not official and is still waiting for league approval.
Sources have indicated the earliest we'll hear anything official is likely July 9th based on process of getting deal completed. pic.twitter.com/NP9UmDSBiE
It has everything to do with how active the Charlotte Hornets have been during this offseason cycle. Not only did they deal Miles Bridges to the Phoenix Suns for Royce O’Neale, Grayson Allen, and a 2033 first-round pick, but they also traded LaMelo Ball to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Add in Minnesota trading Julius Randle to the Brooklyn Nets, and this could end up becoming a five- or six-team deal by the time everything is finalized. There are plenty of i’s and lowercase j’s to dot, and plenty of t’s to cross.
The biggest snag in this mega-trade from occurring is the contract of Mouhamadou Gueye, who is being traded from the Chicago Bulls to the Minnesota Timberwolves as part of a three-team Julius Randle-to-Brooklyn deal. Gueye is not eligible to be traded until July 9, seeing as he was signed on April 9.
A handful of people asked why the big Nets-Hornets-Bulls-Wolves trade hasn't gone official yet…
That deal will have to wait until July 9. Mouhamadou Gueye, who the Bulls are trading as part of the deal, isn't eligible to be traded until July 9 because he was signed on April 9.
So the reason we haven’t seen the Bridges trade officially go through yet is most likely because these transactions could be combined.
We could also see other things happen as a result. Grayson Allen or Royce O’Neale could potentially be rerouted to either Minnesota or Brooklyn, which means Phoenix’s final return might end up being more than Miles Bridges, a 2027 second-round pick, and a 2029 first-round pick. If either player is rerouted, there’s a chance another second-round pick could come Phoenix’s way as part of the larger transaction.
It remains to be seen what the final verbiage of this deal will be, but I will say this. For those who believe the trade not being official yet means the organization could still rescind it due to any pushback surrounding Miles Bridges, that probably isn’t happening. That’s not why this trade is being held up. It’s being held up because there are multiple moving parts, tax implications, apron implications, and legal details that need to be properly addressed to make sure the trade is valid and executable.
What looks like a delay is really the NBA’s version of back-office work. Fans understandably want closure, especially with a trade this polarizing, but the league office is more concerned with making every cap sheet, exception, and transaction line up than satisfying the news cycle. Until every piece of the larger puzzle fits, the Bridges deal will remain in limbo on paper, even if its outcome has almost certainly already been decided.
PHOENIX, AZ - OCTOBER 11: L-R) Merrill Kelly #29, Scott McGough #30 and Zac Gallen #23 of the Arizona Diamondbacks wait to be introduced prior to Game 3 of the Division Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on Wednesday, October 11, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
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We are now less than a month out from the trade deadline, and the D-backs still find themselves in an awkward position on the edge of the wild-card race. They are neither so far out of it that selling is the only sensible option, nor are they right in the heart of things, where adding pieces would clearly make sense. There are certainly no shortage of obvious ways in which the team could be improved, and that’s what this week’s survey is about. I’m highlighting five particular areas, though two of these are different sides of the same count. I still reckon they are each worth considering separately.
Zac Gallen’s rotation spot
It’s interesting to recall that the D-backs actually made Gallen a qualifying offer last winter. He rejected it, failed to find a buyer in free agency, then came back to Arizona for the same price, with a significant deferral. To be blunt, the D-backs shouldn’t have bothered. Zac’s -1.6 bWAR is the worst of any pitcher in baseball this year, a combination of his bloated ERA (6.36 going into tonight’s start against the Padres) and high usage. Starters with ERAs that high, typically don’t stick around in rotations. His strikeout rate has cratered to just five and a half per nine innings, leaving Zac currently dead-last among qualified starters. Is he fixable?
Merrill Kelly’s rotation spot
On the one hand, Kelly hasn’t been as bad. His ERA of 5.71 is two-thirds of a run below Gallen, and he has shown flashes of his old self. A complete game in Coors Field is no mean feat, certainly. On the other hand, Merrill’s peripherals are worse than Zac’s, with a similar K/9 (5.50), but higher walk and HR rates. Consequently, his FIP is two-thirds of a run higher and his xERA (based on contact quality) is a monstrous 7.80, almost a run and a half worse. Kelly is also under contract for 2027 as well (providing there is a season), and turns 38 in mid-October. If he has hit the aging well, next year could be even more disastrous than this one.
First base
It has been well-recorded that this position has reached historical levels of suck for the 2026 Diamondbacks. First base has posted this line for Arizona, across 359 plate appearances: .214/.256/.310 for an OPS of just .565. That’s sixty-seven points of OPS below any other team in the majors this year. Indeed, it’s the lowest OPS from the position in the last hundred years. The only sides below Arizona in the live-ball era both played in the 1920 season. Nobody has been able to produce there for the Diamondbacks. Ildemaro Vargas’s .633 OPS is the best of anyone with more than a handful of PA at 1B, and he stopped hitting after April.
Designated hitter
Some slack can perhaps be given to first base, since defense is a part of the equation there. The same cannot be said for the DH spot, which is literally all about the offense. It’s in the damn name, f’heavens sake. But Arizona’s DHs are hitting not much better than their 1Bs: .218/.294/.317 for a .611 OPS. Of the five players to have 25+ PA at the spot, everyone bar Ketel Marte has an OPS of .531 or lower. The entire position has hit just five home-runs for Arizona over 331 at-bats – no team in the majors has fewer homers by its designated hitters. Frankly, I’d almost rather see our pitchers try to hit, the results have been that feeble.
Center field
This one seems to have slid through the cracks a bit. But as at first-base, the D-backs rank dead last in the majors by OPS at the spot. Arizona’s CFs are batting below the Uecker Line at .198, the three (3) home-runs aren’t helping, and a K:BB ratio of 90:21 also factors into the .574 OPS. If not as “once in a century” historically bad as first – you only have to go back two years to find the Cardinals getting a .570 OPS from the center fielders – it’s an area where the team has clearly struggled. The youth movement Arizona has tried there, with almost every game this season started by someone no older then 25, is clearly not a success to the current point.
So, there’s your options. But if you had a One Wish Willow, and could address just a single of the above issues, which one would you consider the biggest? That’s what the poll below is for, and as ever, explain your choice in the comments for a shot at inclusion in the results post on Saturday!
Nov 25, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) drives to the basket against Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) during the first half at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers and the rest of the basketball world are waiting to see what LeBron James does in free agency. As has been the case throughout the better part of the last several weeks, there hasn’t been too much noise from James’s camp. At this point, it’s anyone’s guess as to what he’s thinking. There is, however, some reporting out there that could give a hint as to what James is planning on doing.
The big news of the day for the Cavs was signing Donovan Mitchell to a four-year contract extension. That deal is guaranteed to keep him through the end of the 2029-30 season, and includes a player option for the season after.
Despite the potentially $273 million extension the Cavs gave out on Tuesday, the 41-year-old James is still Cleveland’s top priority, and that is something Mitchell is fully on board with, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. Charania said that Mitchell has been an “active” and “significant part” of the Cavs conversations about improving the roster.
How much you want to read into this is up to you, but this is worth pointing out because of what James’s agent, Rich Paul, said earlier in the infamous whiteboard episode of the Game Over podcast. LeBron would need the blessing of the incumbent star before he signs somewhere. Presumably, he has that with Mitchell and with James Harden, considering he’s reportedly willing to make less money annually to open up room for James.
Remember what Rich Paul said about Jalen Brunson regarding LeBron?
Well, look at the reports coming out today about LeBron and the Cavs.
Harden: "He is embracing the concept" AND willing to make his contract work
Mitchell: "He has made it clear he would embrace LeBron"
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The Denver Nuggets seem to be the lone exception to this feeling. Sam Amick reported that the Nuggets haven’t heard much from James or his camp, but the team believes they are “still in it.” Maybe they are. We’ll see.
Brian Windhorst said on his weekly YouTube video with ESPN Cleveland that the “vibes are pointing towards Cleveland” based on those he’s been talking with. However, he added that even those around LeBron don’t know what he’s going to do.
The lack of actual, concrete noise has left a vacuum. Much of the noise online is speculation. Some of it is informed, most of it isn’t.
We’ll keep waiting and see how this plays out. We know that the Cavs are interested in LeBron and that there’s plenty of reason to believe a farewell tour is how this ends. However, when and if that happens remains to be seen.
Apr 7, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants left fielder Heliot Ramos (17) and left fielder Harrison Bader (9) and center fielder Jung Hoo Lee (51) celebrate after defeating the Philadelphia Phillies at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images | Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images
Around next Wednesday, after this weekend’s MLB Draft and next week’s All-Star Game, we’ll firmly be in trade rumors season with just 27 days left until the deadline. As one of the worst teams in professional sports this year, the Giants will be sellers this year, and while the team is so bad it’s reasonable to conclude that they have little to offer actually good teams, I noted the 10 most valuable Giants they could trade a month ago, and yesterday, ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel along with Jeff Passan noted 7 Giants in their top 100 trade value ranking. Could the Giants really remake themselves for 2027 at this year’s deadline?
Remarkably, Luis Arraez is not listed as the team’s most valuable trade chip, though he is also in the top 10 along with their top preference. The highest ranking Giant on the list is instead outfielder Jung Hoo Lee, whom they’ve tagged with a 50% chance of being traded, adding, “Lee is primed to get a big return if the Giants indeed move him.” Nine teams are listed as best fits, but in a sign that maybe this piece wasn’t as closely edited as we might want, the Padres are listed twice, meaning just 8 teams fit the bill, per their analysis.
Proof, btw:
If we assume that Buster Posey would not trade within the division, that really just means 6 (Arizona is also listed), according to the speculation of two industry insiders. The Padres should, in theory, be in on a lot of players, though, because their new ownership probably wouldn’t be looking for them to dump salary despite their recent struggles (15-28 since May 19th), but of the plausible teams, the Phillies, Atlanta, Guards, Rangers, Rays, and Marlins, I think only Atlanta would work? They’ve already got Ha-Seong Kim there. The Giants could get back Mike Yastrzemski, I guess?
Anyway, it was a surprise to see him as the first Giant. I’m not entirely sure that his profile is more valuable than Luis Arraez’s, because even their conclusion is that he’s “a solid everyday player but not a star.”
With Luis Arraez, you’ve got a borderline Gold Glove defender up the middle with contact skills that are unmatched. Some of their analysis feels tinged by the defensive reputation he’s had over the past few years, which has led them to be suspicious of his improvement this season. I just think that if there was a tangible reason for suspicion, it would’ve cropped up by now. So, even though they think he has a 90% chance of being traded and consider him a 3- or 4-win player, they still put him below Jung Hoo Lee in terms of value.
In the most recent SB Nation Reacts poll analysis, I suggested that Cleveland would be a great landing spot for Arraez. McDaniel and Passan list the Guards alongside six other teams. One of them is Los Angeles, though, and I don’t imagine that Buster Posey would trade with the Dodgers, so it’s odd that they would list that team as a best fit, because, presumably, “best fit” involves an evaluation of the facts. To ignore the rivalry as a fact is a terrible omission, even in the business of baseball. They don’t bother to list the Yankees as a “best fit” for any Red Sox valued on this list, for example.
And then two more Giants are listed in the top 25: Matt Chapman (#15) and Robbie Ray (#22). With the former, the analysis believes that Chapman’s excellent defense is enough to prevent his deal from being underwater already, a situation unlike Devers and Adames. They do a quick and dirty analysis of Chapman’s batted ball profile and come to the same conclusion I did at the end of May — that Chapman’s raw talent is still there and age hasn’t gotten to them yet — but didn’t update this blurb after news of Chapman’s season-long abdominal strain, which explains all the weird power numbers this season. Anyway, I think Chapman’s age, contract, and durability concerns going forward (he played in just 128 games last season, remember) are enough to disprove the notion that the contract isn’t underwater, and I can’t see the Giants paying down much of it. The “best fits” list is interesting, though:
Cardinals, A’s, Nationals, Brewers, Marlins, Phillies, Mets, Red Sox.
Matt Chapman makes every team he’s on better, so, adding him to any of these lineups would be great for them. It would be funny if he went back to the A’s, though, and I just think this is another bit of poor analysis that doesn’t account for the on-the-ground details like the Giants and A’s are not in the business of helping each other. Quite the opposite!
Now, the main reason why Chapman’s on this list is the same as why Robbie Ray is #22 and not lower — there really isn’t a lot of value in the top 100 because most of the potentially available players are coming from bad teams. This isn’t one of those pure “What’s the trade value of every player” article that ignores all context, it’s very much looking at the continuum of players likely to be available at this year’s deadline. So, Robbie Ray cracks the top 25.
They suspect he’ll become a reliever in the postseason but would be crucial for a contender in the regular season as a starter. And given that need for innings coverage which Ray generally provides, their list of Best fits is obvious enough: White Sox, Cubs, Diamondbacks, A’s, Blue Jays, Braves, Padres, Cardinals, Rays.
Would the Rays trade for Robbie Ray and Luis Arraez? That’d really help them out. It might not help the Giants out, but that’s their fault. They’ve made a string of decisions that has once again put them in a place where they have to be sellers at the trade deadline.
Also mentioned but left un-blurbed: Caleb Kilian (#50), Harrison Bader (#70), and JT Brubaker (#77). I’ll try to reverse-engineer these rankings. Hmmm… well, getting any team’s closer automatically improves a bullpen, theoretically; and, theoretically, because Harrison Bader wound up being an impact player at last year’s deadline, he could be that again this season despite the time missed with injury — again, theoretically; and, um, JT Brubaker could, theoretically, improve the last man in the bullpen situation for a lot of contenders or be effective enough (2.89 ERA — just ignore the 4.01 FIP) for teams on a tight budget looking for a slight upgrade.
There’s no speculation about returns and that’s fine because otherwise this list would become too cumbersome to compile, but just from a bird’s eye view, I’d say that given the money involved in some cases and the term length in others that the returns wouldn’t be all that heavy. The Giants would be making these trades mostly for salary relief.
One thing they don’t do is post a tally at the end. If the Giants were to trade all these players and, let’s just say for the sake of argument, not have to eat any of the money, then they would save roughly $209.75 million (assuming Jung Hoo Lee doesn’t opt out after next season) total. They would also need to account for roughly 10 WAR next season. That’d be on top of the projected deficit they’re likely to have just based on their atrocious season.
Anyway, unless a team becomes very desperate or Zack & Buster’s Memory Hut is able to play teams against each other to maximize the returns, it doesn’t seem like the trade market will be a great avenue for reinvention. A good time to build up depth maybe.
Yes, I used Heliot Ramos in the article image as a goof. He’s not listed in the ESPN article. I didn’t list him in my article. But recently, Bay Area media has suggested Ramos could be on the move, too. If the Giants were to start moving their low-cost good players, then we’d see them out to acquire value, and that’s where a team stuck in a perpetual rebuild might start to become a little more interesting.
Shake up baseball one more time by landing Tarik Skubal before the Aug. 3 trade deadline.
After struggling earlier in the season that eventually resulted in elbow surgery, Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal is back and could be the best player available on the trade market. Getty Images
A legitimate shot at winning a World Series shouldn’t be taken for granted. A legitimate shot at winning a third consecutive World Series really shouldn’t be taken for granted.
Any time a championship contender can acquire a pitcher of Skubal’s caliber, it should. It would be negligent not to.
Only in the case of these Dodgers, they’re not typical contenders.
They’re not typical two-time defending champions, if such a thing exists.
Which is why the team in a better position than any other in baseball to strike a deal for Skubal shouldn’t.
They can win without him.
By October, their rotation will consist of Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Shohei Ohtani, Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the reigning World Series MVP, is in the midst of an NL Cy Young caliber season. Getty Images
Without Skubal, they would still have the best starting rotation in baseball. Even if Skubal is traded to another contender, they would still have an edge in pitching over whichever team acquires the left-hander.
This isn’t a knock on Skubal, a two-time Cy Young Award winner with the Tigers.
Skubal will be paid hundreds of millions of dollars this winter – or whenever the sport’s anticipated lockout comes to an end – and rightfully so.
But his status as an impending free agent complicates matters.
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With Skubal months from potentially signing a record-breaking contract, what could the Dodgers reasonably ask of him if they find themselves in a pinch?
Could they move him into the bullpen for a game or two, as they did last October with Yamamoto, Snell and Glasnow? Could they send him to the mound on three-days rest, as they did with Ohtani in Game 7 of the World Series?
The situation wouldn’t be fair to Skubal, who has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to create generational wealth for his family.
The situation would be uncomfortable for the Dodgers, who have become a destination franchise not only because of how much they pay their players but also because of how they treat them.
Shohei Ohtani’s re-emergence as a starting pitcher arguably gives the Dodgers the most lethal 1-2 punch in baseball. MLB Photos via Getty Images
For argument’s sake, let’s say the Dodgers acquire Skubal and do so without giving up any of their projected October starters. There would be a logjam in their rotation.
There are worse problems to have, obviously, but is this one worth creating at the expense of a high-caliber prospect such as Josue De Paula?
Andrew Friedman, the team’s president of baseball operations, was unambiguous about what his preference would be.
“What we have said for years now is that our goal in July is to not be in a position where we feel forced to buy,” Friedman said. “Prices are 200% normal prices outside of the deadline.”
Whether the Dodgers will be forced into such a position depends on injured players they expect to return.
Reliever Evan Phillips returned Monday from an elbow reconstruction he underwent 13 months ago. Closer Edwin Diaz has started throwing to hitters and Snell is expected to join him relatively soon.
While Glasnow and catcher Will Smith remain in the early stages of the recoveries from back and neck injuries, respectively, Friedman said they both could be counted on to return later this season.
“So obviously we’ll know a lot more as we get deeper into July about our guys that are coming back,” Friedman said. “We’re able to approach this July with a very opportunistic mindset because at least the way it’s tracking, we don’t feel like we’ll have an acute need.”
Their offense leads the majors in OPS, and Mookie Betts has looked like an All-Star-caliber player over the last couple of weeks. Their bullpen has performed better than expected in Diaz’s absence. And if Snell and Glasnow return, their rotation will have the same pitchers it did last October.
If a bargain presents itself, great. If it doesn’t, no problem. The Dodgers won’t have any problems heading into the postseason with the players they already have.
Jul 6, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals right fielder Jac Caglianone (14) is congratulated by teammates after scoring a run during the first inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
For how bad the Kansas City Royals have been, for how disappointing they have been, they have nothing on the New York Mets. Not only have the Mets been equally as bad as the Royals, but the Mets have done so with a whopping $354 million Opening Day payroll—more than double the Royals’ payroll. Yikes!
Why? Well, a lot of that dead money is going towards Bo Bichette and future Hall of Famer Francisco Lindor, and both have hit below average this year. That’s not good. And the rest of their lineup has combined to put together the fourth-worst team wRC+. That is not good, either.
What is also not good is the Royals moving Jac Caglianone out of the top four and Salavador Perez back into the top four. But hey, Kansas City scored 15 runs with a weird, suboptimal lineup yesterday. Maybe they’ll do it again today.
Jul 1, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Minnesota Twins pitcher Taj Bradley (26) delivers a pitch against the Houston Astros during the first inning at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images | Erik Williams-Imagn Images
First Pitch: 6:40 PM CDT
TV: TIBN, FOX9 KMSP, Gray Media
Radio: TIBN, WCCO 830, The Wolf 102.9 FM, Audacy App
Some bad news before the game, as Byron Buxton will be headed to the IL with his hip injury he re-aggravated on Sunday. That means he will unfortunately miss the All Star game. Alan Roden will be called up as a replacement, and he’s been hitting very well in St. Paul with a .272/.397/.512 batting line.
Is it fair to say this is the most important series of the year so far? With the Twins 3 games behind the Guardians in the division/wild card race, a sweep would bring them back to .500 and could put the Twins in a wild card spot.
India captain Shreyas Iyer said his side had been “atrocious” after suffering their worst ever T20 defeat, in terms of runs, during a humiliating thrashing by England at Trent Bridge on Tuesday.
The biggest story in basketball this summer will be where LeBron James decides to end his NBA career after informing the Los Angeles Lakers that he wouldn’t be returning.
James is no stranger to scrutiny, as he has had pundits and fans criticize every move he has made throughout his iconic career. And this decision to leave the Lakers is no different.
LeBron James speaks to the media after a Los Angeles Lakers game. Getty Images
LeBron’s wife, Savannah James, has had to hear these critics throughout LeBron’s NBA tenure. And while she rarely speaks out about it, she felt compelled to say something during the July 7 episode of her “Everybody’s Crazy” podcast.
Savannah’s co-host, April McDaniel, was speaking about how positive their podcast’s community is before noting that this positivity isn’t the norm these days, especially on social media. She then said, “I think people build up things to crush them.”
Savannah James speaks about her husband during her “Everybody’s Crazy” podcast. Everybody's Crazy Podcast
“You think that? That is a fact,” Savannah responded.
“I feel like that’s the hard part with LeBron,” McDaniel added. “Being such an icon, how negative people can be. I’m like, ‘Can y’all get a life?'”
Savannah nodded in agreement before adding, “It’s crazy.”
Savannah then added, “People have definitely made careers out of talking about [LeBron]. Like… [critics having] a subjective opinion about what everybody thinks is the best thing. But to be on the other side of it, it’s like, ‘No, it’s not.’ They make careers out of that.”
While Savannah wasn’t speaking specifically about criticism about LeBron’s free agency decision, the timing of the episode suggests that this was the basis of her comments.
Ultimately, LeBron is among the world’s best when it comes to not worrying about any criticism he faces. But one can’t blame him or Savannah for getting frustrated about it from time to time.
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CLEVELAND, OHIO - MARCH 08: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers matches up with Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics during the fourth quarter at Rocket Arena on March 08, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Celtics defeated the Cavaliers 109-98. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Cavaliers fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
The Cleveland Cavaliers made it to the Eastern Conference Finals last season, but they may have a more difficult road to get there this upcoming season. Several teams in the East have improved, the Indiana Pacers should be back to being a contender with the assumed return of Tyrese Haliburton, and the New York Knicks are expected to have their entire starting lineup back next season.
To keep things simple, we’re going to focus on the teams that improved through outside moves. Let’s get into the four options for the survey.
The Miami Heat vaulted back into the periphery of the title conversation by trading for Giannis Antetokounmpo. There’s reasons to be skeptical about the type of team they can assemble around him during his first season, but there’s no denying that a front court of him and Bam Adebayo is a pretty good place to start building from.
The Philadelphia 76ers may be the biggest winners of the offseason so far. Swapping out Paul George for Jaylen Brown is an immediate win. That should put them in the running to be one of the favorites to come out of the conference.
The Toronto Raptors aren’t getting as much buzz as Philadelphia, but have a solid argument that they’re a better team. The group that the Cavs faced in the first round last season was formidable. Replacing Kawhi Leonard with Brandon Ingram is a massive upgrade on both sides of the floor. There are questions about Leonard’s health, but if he’s on the court, the fit should be phenomenal.
Lastly, it’s worth talking about the Boston Celtics here. Even though they’re rightly viewed as losers of the offseason with the Brown trade, the Celtics always seem to get much more out of the roster than many on the outside anticipate. Maybe Brad Stevens knows something that we don’t.
With that backdrop, which of the Cavs’ opponents improved most this offseason? Let us know in the survey and tell us why you voted how you did in the comments.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 11: Kevon Looney #5 of the Golden State Warriors is guarded by Domantas Sabonis #11 of the Sacramento Kings during the second half of their preseason game at Chase Center on October 11, 2024 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | Getty Images
If there’s one thing that Los Angeles Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka loves, it’s lying about Kobe Bryant. If there are two things he loves, it’s lying about Kobe and signing former Golden State Warriors centers.
Pelinka got to do the latter on Tuesday as the Lakers agreed to a one-year minimum deal with longtime Warrior and three-time champion Kevon Looney. After one season with the New Orleans Pelicans, the Ground-Bound Mound of Rebound is headed to the Crpyto.Com Arena, where he will back up $130-million-dollar man Walker Kessler and rack up a ton of rebounds.
He’ll join a group of big men that became irresistible to Pelinka and the Lakers after spending time in Warriors blue and gold. Since 2019, Pelinka has acquired the following Warriors big men:
JaVale McGee
DeMarcus Cousins
Jordan Bell
Alfonzo McKinnie
Damian Jones
Juan Toscano-Anderson
Looney joins a remade Lakers team, where they’ve committed over half a billion in contracts to their new Big Three of Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, Kessler, which doesn’t even account for the massive increase in the team’s Coppertone budget. Deandre Ayton and Jaxson Hayes are out, and two excellent defensive rebounders are in, which makes a lot of sense given the presence of high-volume shooters like Doncic, Reaves, and new backup guard Collin Sexton. Normally we’d suggest Looney could be an alley-oop threat for the lob-loving Doncic, but Big Loon has had to catch passes, land, and jump again since 2021. He’s a serious high-percentage layup threat, though!
The Warriors drafted Looney with the No. 30 pick in 2015 out of UCLA, following their own obsession with players from Milwaukee. Looney had multiple surgeries in his first two NBA seasons, which limited him to five games in 2015-16 and kept him out of the 2017 playoffs. Before the 2017-18 season, Looney dropped 30 pounds, stepped up his defense, and ended up playing 66 games and averaging 18.4 minutes during the team’s title run, stepping into the starting lineup for the last four games against the Houston Rockets in the Western Conference Finals.
He never quite had job security with the Warriors. The team declined their fourth-year option on Looney before is third season, but Looney came back on a $1.6M deal for 2018-19, a season where he averaged 6.3 points and 5.2 rebounds while starting 24 games ahead of injured centers Damian Jones and DeMarcus Cousins. In what would prove to be a habit in big games, Looney grabbed 14 rebounds and scored 12 points in the clinching Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals over the Portland Trail Blazers. In the NBA Finals, Looney played through a broken collarbone as the Warriors lost in six games.
Looney was considered a veteran leader despite being one of the younger players on the team. Rookie big man Jordan Bell was one asked if he benefited from the wisdom of veterans like Looney, and had to remind the reporter than Looney was a year younger than him. In later seasons, Looney was the bridge between the Warriors’ two timelines, as a guy who looked, played, and acted like a grizzled veteran yet didn’t turn 30 until last season, the 11th of his career.
In the 2022 playoffs, Looney became an absolute monster on the glass. He grabbed 22 boards in the closeout Game 6 against the Memphis Grizzlies. He had a 21-and-12 game against the Dallas Mavericks and an 18-rebound effort in the clinching game. In the finals, Looney slowed down Jayson Tatum and averaged 7.5 rebounds.
In 2023, Looney averaged 15 rebounds in the first-round win over the Sacramento Kings, and Domantas sabonis has never been the same after Looney crushed his with three 2-rebound efforts, followed by 23 board sin Game 1 against the Lakers. Perhaps that’s what Pelinka remembered.
Looney went through anxieties about his contract nearly every offseason, since he always had a tradeable contract and it was often non-guaranteed. Still, he was a consummate professional for the Dubs and should provide the same for the Lake Show. Plus, he made up for some discount seasons for the Warriors by grabbing $8M last season.
It’ll be weird, terrible, and disappointing to see Looney in a Lakers uniform. At the same time, it didn’t seem like the Warriors were particualrly pursuing him. The consolation for Warriors fans is that Looney will only truly make an impact if the Lakers are missing lots of shots, so rooting for the beloved Looney is also rooting for other Lakers to fail.
In an uncertain season to come, that may be one thing for Warriors fans to climb to. Godspeed, Loon. Please don’t go Hollywood.
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - JULY 04: Alec Bohm #28 of the Philadelphia Phillies celebrates a home run with Bryson Stott #5 of the Philadelphia Phillies against the Kansas City Royals in the sixth inning at Kauffman Stadium on July 04, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It may not be thrilling to Lakers fans, but it's a good bit of business — the Lakers just got the best backup center still available on the market.
Kevon Looney and the Lakers have agreed to a one-year contract at the veteran minimum of $3.9 million, Looney's agent Todd Ramasar tells Shams Charania of ESPN.
Looney, a three-time NBA Champion with the Warriors, was squeezed out of the rotation last season in New Orleans, where the focus shifted to playing the young bigs (Derik Queen, Yves Missi), and, unsurprisingly, the Pelicans chose not to pick up his $8 million team option for this season. Last season, Looney only played in 21 games and averaged 2.8 points and 5.6 rebounds per contest.
Looney will back up just-acquired Walker Kessler at the five. Plus, it's easy to imagine JJ Redick rolling out some smaller ball lineups with someone like Sandro Mamukelashvili as well.
Looney, 30, is a solid reserve big man. He sets a strong pick, is a good rebounder, and is well-liked in the locker room.
Lakers fans may have preferred Mitchell Robinson as a backup center but his price was much higher ($15 million a season, Boston was wiling to pay it). The Knicks looked at their options and chose to reach a deal with Andre Drummond to replace Mitchell. That left Looney as the Lakers' best option, and they took it.
