WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Athletics designated hitter Brent Rooker will undergo surgery to repair a cartilage tear in his left knee and miss the remainder of the season.
“This is a big blow,” manager Mark Kotsay said before the A’s played the Los Angeles Dodgers. “It’s a middle-of-the-order bat. It’s a guy that produced for us offensively for the last three seasons with 30-plus homers. There’s not one guy that is going to come in here and step in with that type of production. We’ll do our best to fill that void and make the best of the situation.”
The tear was discovered during an examination at Stanford.
A two-time All-Star, Rooker hasn’t played since June 8.
Rooker played in all 162 games in 2025 but was in and out of the lineup this season due to his knee and a nagging oblique issue. The 31-year-old slugger was batting .200 with 10 home runs and 29 RBIs before he was placed on the injured list June 12, retroactive to June 9.
In addition to Rooker being sidelined, three other A’s starters landed on the IL in late June: infielders Zack Gelof (bruised right hand) and Jacob Wilson (right thumb inflammation), and left fielder Tyler Soderstrom (left hip impingement).
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 27: Alan Rangel #57 of the Philadelphia Phillies throws a pitch during the second inning against the New York Mets at Citi Field on June 27, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Caleb Bowlin/Getty Images) | Getty Images
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - OCTOBER 30: A guest walks by a cutout of former Major League Baseball player Jose Canseco at the newly opened Jose Canseco's Showtime Car Wash on October 30, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Gabe Ginsberg/Getty Images) | Getty Images
José Canseco is probably one of the most famous baseball players of recent times. While he had success in the major leagues, winning several awards and two championships, said fame is probably infamy more than anything else. He was always a bit of a character and his revelations about PED use, both by him and other players, only burnished his reputation as a wild card. His career with the Yankees wasn’t especially notable other than one moment or two, but he did end up winning a World Series ring.
As he celebrates his birthday today, let’s look back at the wild life and times of José Canseco.
José Canseco Capas Jr. Born: July 2, 1964 (Havana, Cuba) Yankees Tenure: 2000
Canseco was born in Cuba in 1964, along with a twin brother. Said twin — Osvaldo, more commonly known as “Ozzie” — would also make the major leagues, albeit with less success and fame. His family left Cuba shortly after Fidel Castro came to power, eventually settling in Miami, Florida.
In high school, Canseco was a bit of a slow developer, failing to make his school’s varsity team until he was a senior. However, he pretty quickly hit the ground running as a senior, catching the eye of former major league pitcher Camilo Pascual, who happened to be both the father of one of Canseco’s teammates and also a scout for the Oakland Athletics. He convinced his employers to draft Canseco, and the A’s picked him up in the 15th round of the 1982 Draft.
Upon getting drafted and working his way through the minors, Canseco’s talent started to draw rave reviews. His ability to hit monster home runs got him all kinds of lofty comparisons, with some even dubbing him “the next Mickey Mantle.” Oakland eventually called up Canseco to the big leagues in September 1985. He impressed in his short cameo, hitting five homers in that final month. The following year in his first full season, Canseco was good enough to be honored with the 1986 AL Rookie of the Year.
Two other important things for the A’s happened that season. One was that a midseason managerial changed led to them hiring Tony LaRussa. The other was that Oakland gave a MLB debut to another young slugger in Mark McGwire. The following year, McGwire won Rookie of the Year himself, as he and Canseco formed a powerful middle order combo that would be dubbed “The Bash Brothers.” (Later, wonderfully parodied by Andy Samberg and “The Lonely Island.”)
In 1988, Canseco broke out in a big way. Putting up the first-ever 40-40 season with 42 homers and 40 steals, he was named AL MVP, helping the A’s win the American League pennant. They would famously be upset by the Dodgers and Kirk Gibson’s heroics in the World Series, with Canseco going just 1-for-19 in the five games. Despite that, he had arrived into stardom.
Around that time, Canseco’s off the field antics also started to get him a name. Prior to the 1989 season, he was arrested for carrying a loaded handgun while on a college campus, claiming that he was carrying the gun for protection. Between that and injuries, he was limited to 65 games that season. However, he again helped Oakland win the AL, and this time around, he hit much better, as the A’s beat the Giants in the “Bay Bridge Series.”
Canseco and the A’s returned to the World Series in 1990, but fell to the Reds. Over the next couple years, Canseco generally continued putting up good numbers, but he continued to get unneeded attention off the field. Further legal issues and further tabloid fodder — such as a rumored affair with popstar Madonna — eventually became a bit too much for the A’s. Just ahead of the 1992 trade deadline, Oakland sent him to Texas.
With the Rangers, Canseco continued producing, but those teams generally went nowhere. Plus, the most famous moment of that stint was probably him failing to catch a ball on the warning track, allowing it to bounce off his head and over the fence for a home run.
Despite still mostly putting up decent numbers and still having his prodigious power, Canseco started to become a journeyman after that. Texas eventually traded him to the Red Sox, and after that he had stints back in Oakland, with the Blue Jays, and then with the early “Hit Show” Devil Rays. It was in Tampa Bay where in the midst of an injury-plagued 2000 season, Tampa Bay placed him on waivers. Somewhat shockingly, as they didn’t particularly need an outfielder/DH type, the Yankees claimed him and agreed to terms with the D-Rays on a trade on August 7th. Speculation was heavy that the Yankees only claimed him to keep him away from some of the other contending teams that might’ve had an interest in Canseco. By his own admission, Joe Torre didn’t really know what to do with him.
Canseco’s tenure with the Yankees wasn’t especially notable, except for a towering home run that he hit at Yankee Stadium.
Canseco put up just above average numbers, but he ended up being somewhat useful, as the Yankees stumbled down the stretch and just barely hung on to the AL East title. However, they caught fire in October, eventually beating the Mets and winning Canseco his second ring. Personally though, he didn’t have fond memories of his Yankee tenure, calling it “the worst time of my life,” due to his curtailed playing time.
Canseco played for the White Sox in 2001. That would be his last major league season, although not for a lack of trying. After failing to make the Montreal Expos in 2002 spring training and spending much of it back at the White Sox Triple-A affiliate, he announced his “retirement,” but continued playing in various independent leagues for several years after that. As late as 2018, he still appeared in some games for various independent teams, often trying his hand as a pitcher as well.
Now, it’s time to talk about the thing I haven’t been mentioning throughout all this: Canseco’s steroid use. Rumors around his PED use dated back to during his active playing career, but Canseco admitted to using them in his infamous book “Juiced” released in 2005. The book gained notoriety as Canseco not only admitted his own use, but accused several other famous major leaguers as well, including his former Bash Brother McGwire. He ended up being proven correct on many of the names. He said his own use dated back to his early minor league years and continued throughout pretty much all of his MLB years.
BALTIMORE, MD - JUNE 26: Andrew Alvarez #54 of the Washington Nationals pitches during the game between the Washington Nationals and the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on Friday, June 26, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Alyssa Piazza/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
At the end of last season, Andrew Alvarez had five really nice starts for the Nats. He did not go that deep into games, but Alvarez proved to be effective with his breaking ball heavy attack. However, I was not fully convinced about the lefty. With a fastball that averaged 91, and middling results at AAA, I thought it was a flash in the pan.
This season Alvarez is proving me wrong one outing at a time. He is still not going deep into games, but he is just getting as many outs as the team needs. On the season, the 27 year old southpaw has a 3.05 ERA and 2.65 FIP in 41.1 innings across 11 appearances and 5 starts. The velocity is more in the 92-93 range and his breaking balls are as sharp as ever.
For a guy who does not throw hard, Alvarez gets a ton of strikeouts. This season, he has 48 K’s in 41.1 innings. He is striking out 27.6% of hitters, which has him tied with Braxton Ashcraft and Reid Detmers, two breakout arms who throw much harder than him. My favorite part of Alvarez’s game is his ability to finish guys off with two strikes. It is a skill that not many arms on this staff have, but he does it super well.
Andrew Alvarez is really good at putting hitters away with two strikes
His go-to two strike weapon and his best pitch is his curveball. It is a really sharp curve that he throws quite hard and commands well. His other pitches do not really pop on most stuff models, but stuff+ really likes his curve. Despite not throwing his fastball that hard, his 83 MPH curveball is significantly harder than the average 80 MPH lefty curve.
Most harder curveballs sacrifice some movement in exchange for the extra power. That is not the case for the Alvarez curve though. He actually gets more drop and break than the average curveball. It is truly a unique pitch and has been getting exceptional results. Batters are hitting .179 with a 35.1% whiff rate on his hook. Of his 48 strikeouts, 30 of them have come on the curveball. With that context, it is no surprise that the curveball is his most used pitch.
The curve is not Alvarez’s only swing and miss breaking ball though. He also has a slider which he throws 26.3% of the time, just 2% less than the curve. The slider comes in at about the same speed, so if you did not know any better, you would think it is a misread curve. However, if you look at the pitch plot, the two pitches have very distinct movement profiles.
Having two breaking balls at the same speed with different movement is also a unique piece of Alvarez’s arsenal. The slider actually has a higher whiff rate than the curve, but it gets hit harder and he only has 11 strikeouts on the pitch. Here is a neat video of Alvarez getting strikeouts on the slider and the curve though.
It is no secret that Alvarez is a breaking ball reliant pitcher. He throws either the curve or the slider 54.7% of the time. That is his bread and butter, and he knows it. The fact that Alvarez knows himself so well as a pitcher is another strength for him.
The fastball is not a strength of Alvarez’s game, but he mixes in his 4-seamer and sinker just enough. Batters are hitting over .300 on both, but the heaters keep them honest and get a good amount of ground balls. On the season, Alvarez has an elite 55% ground ball rate.
Despite not having a great fastball, Alvarez still has good stuff, just not in the traditional way. His breaking balls grade out well, and he uses that to get strikeouts. He is a good example of a pitcher not having to throw 100 to be a swing and miss guy.
Andrew Alvarez has basically scrapped his fastball for his sinker vs LHB (Good!), but still throws it too much to RHB (Bad!)
Only 34 thrown, but the sinker has worked vs righties, tho expected numbers say that may not last. Would rather see it more than the FF pic.twitter.com/rxgZewYpIP
While Alvarez will walk some hitters, his overall command is strong. He does a nice job placing his curveball at or below the bottom of the zone and locating his 4-seamer at the top of the zone. Alvarez also spots his sinker down and into lefties, which is a nice spot to put it. His overall location+ grade is 106, which is better than average.
Overall, I am very encouraged by Alvarez’s season. The fastball will limit him, and he is not necessarily a guy you want facing hitters 3 times. However, he is a really solid piece in this pitching staff. Moving forward, I think he could have a lot of success in a Brad Lord type role.
We saw Lord and Alvarez team up yesterday, and that is a cool concept. Those two could combine for 7 innings and create a very good starter in the aggregate. While Alvarez does not have the flashy velocity many teams are looking for, he is proving that his spin heavy attack is not a flash in the pan.
Some English soccer fans weren’t done getting their sports fix after their comeback win over DR Congo on Wednesday.
Following Harry Kane’s heroics that sent the Three Lions through to the World Cup Round of 16 in Atlanta in the afternoon, a group of supporters made their way to the Braves game against the Cardinals.
Standing in a section beyond left-center field, the fans threw their support behind Braves center fielder Michael Harris, singing songs like “Walking in a Harris wonderland” and “Baseball’s coming home again with Michael Harris.”
England fans have chosen a random baseball player, Michael Harris of the Atlanta Braves, to support more than anyone else at the baseball after beating DR Congo
England World Cup fans cheer at the Braves-Cardinals game in Atlanta on July 1, 2026. Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
An appreciative Harris threw a ball toward the fans before the start of an inning.
“So it’s my first experience of baseball and we didn’t know what to expect,” an English fan named Nige told Braves TV reporter Wiley Ballard. “And what we’re trying to do is just bring a little bit of English atmosphere to what is obviously a slightly different sport. But it’s amazing, it’s fantastic to see something different. I love the whole build, I love the atmosphere, I love the fact that you guys do something so big. Just to be part of it for one night is really special.”
Harris went 1-for-4 with an RBI in Atlanta’s 5-1 win as the Braves improved to 50-34.
The NL East leaders are 2 1/2 games up on the Phillies entering Thursday.
Every match of the FIFA World Cup will air on either FOX or FOX Sports 1. If you don’t have cable, you can take advantage of a DIRECTV free trial to stream it all.
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Harris, 25, was the NL Rookie of the Year in 2022, when he burst onto the scene by slashing .297/.339/.514 with 19 homers and 64 RBIs.
After a couple of down years offensively, Harris is hitting .293 with an .817 OPS, 14 homers and 44 RBIs in 78 games this season.
England now heads to Mexico City for a daunting match against Mexico at Estadio Azteca on Sunday.
CINCINNATI, OHIO - APRIL 09: Cincinnati Reds mascot Mr. Redlegs pumps up the crowd prior to a game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Milwaukee Brewers at Great American Ball Park on April 09, 2024 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Ben Jackson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cincinnati Reds have lost four straight games overall and all six of the games in which they have played the Milwaukee Brewers so far in 2026, and now they get to face the single most intimidating pitcher on the planet today. Great!
Following yet another late game collapse on Wednesday evening, the Reds are now seven games under .500 and should almost immediately begin going into hibernation mode, the 2027 season (ha) a much more realistic time to be ambitious than this disastrous 2026 one. And now, this Thursday afternoon, they get to face Jacob Misiorowki, who tops the FanGraphs fWAR leaderboard for pitchers so far this season while also topping the fastball velocity readings by nearly 2.5 mph.
Interestingly enough, it’s Cincinnati’s Chase Burns who sits second on that velocity list. Even though he’s 2.4 mph behind the Miz on average, he’s still one of the elite chuckers in the game, and that’s who Cincinnati will send to the bump in this series finale. There’s at least a bit of hope, if not much, that Burns can once again be the guy who stems the tide and gets this moribund franchise pointed back in the correct direction for at least one day.
It’s beyond bleak, folks. 85 games into the season, up against the most dominant arm in the sport, and knowing a loss would sink you a full eight games under the .500 mark? That’s a season-ending scenario just about any way you look at it, even though Nick Krall will point at the injured list and tell you it’ll be just like making a trade.
Cincinnati’s season isn’t just on the brink, it’s leaning over it.
First pitch on Thursday is a 2:10 PM ET matinee. Here’s how the Reds will line up to start:
PLANO, Texas — A's prospect Ryan Lasko was in stable condition after undergoing back surgery following a scary collision with minor league teammate Devin Taylor during a Double-A game in Frisco, Texas.
Dr. Jonathan Poggi performed the spinal decompression and stabilization operation at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Plano to address a fractured C6–C7 vertebra.
Lasko is an outfielder with Double-A Midland. He and Taylor dove into each other trying to catch a flyball, and Lasko remained motionless on the field after the play.
“I’ve been in touch with Ryan’s mom, Patti, to pass along the organization’s support and to let her know that all of us, throughout our system, have them in our thoughts and prayers,” A’s general manager David Forst said in a statement. “We are incredibly grateful to Noah Huff and Audy Merrick, our athletic trainers in Midland, for their on-field actions last night, as well as to the Frisco RoughRiders and the paramedics on the scene.
“We are encouraged by the reports and updates from Dr. Poggi, and we will continue to put all of the resources of our medical staff towards supporting Ryan and his recovery.”
Forst added that player development director Ed Sprague was traveling to Frisco and counseling will be available to players.
The 24-year-old Lasko was selected by the Athletics in the second round of the 2023 amateur draft from Rutgers. He was batting .209 with six homers, 34 RBIs and a .635 OPS for Midland this season.
Lasko appeared in 13 games at Triple-A Las Vegas last year. He also played 21 games in the Arizona Fall League for promising prospects, batting .357 with nine stolen bases.
Stanley Cup-winning goalies Frederik Andersen and Sergei Bobrovsky moved to the Edmonton Oilers and Toronto Maple Leafs, respectively, on the opening day.
The New York Rangers traded Vincent Trocheck to the Utah Mammoth, getting back defenseman Sean Durzi as part of the deal. They later traded for defenseman Marcus Pettersson to boost their blue line. The San Jose Sharks added Jacob Trouba and Darnell Nurse to their defense.
He gets three years. The Maple Leafs continue remaking their bottom six after adding Nick Paul, Jack Roslovic, Colton Sissons and Teddy Blueger Duhaime totaled 324 hits in his two seasons with the Capitals and has topped 200 twice.
He gets a three-year deal. After moving out some depth scoring in Ross Colton and Jack Drury, the Avalanche add back. Schwartz is a six-time 20-goal scorer and had 26 goals in 2024-25 with the Kraken.
But unlike most teams that end up selling this time of year, the Mets will not be doing so in the middle of a full-fledged rebuild. They could use prospects, yes, but they will also need pieces who can help them next year, when they intend to contend again.
Given those circumstances, this Mets deadline will be both complicated and pivotal. We reached out to some rival executives to get an idea of which players contending teams will see as assets and what they might give up for them.
Here is a very early take on who is most likely to go and what kind of talent the Mets might be able to get in return.
All of this is speculative and subject to change depending on when the Mets sell: If they start selling now, they will find a market low on supply and middling on demand. If they wait until other teams sort out their fates, their assets will be part of a bigger supply, but demand might also be more drastic, too. In other words, stay tuned.
Raley’s name comes up in almost every conversation about the Mets’ trade deadline. He is an experienced lefty who can handle righties and whose contract is expiring after this season. He is having one of the better seasons of his career, pitching to a 2.32 ERA with 34 strikeouts in 31 innings. The 38-year-old will probably be one of the better relievers available, and certainly one of the better non-closers on the market.
Given that, one could look to a few recent deals to inform a potential return: The optimistic extreme would be the Mets’ deal for Tyler Rogers last season, one in which they sent three prospects, two ranked in their system’s top 15, to the Giants in exchange for the veteran reliever. That might have been a slight overpay, and Rogers consistently ranks among baseball's best in terms of Stuff+ (His 133 is best among all relievers this year, while Raley is tied for 31st).
A more conservative comparison might be the deal the Mets made for Ryan Helsley last year, in which they sent three players to the Cardinals, also including two prospects ranked in their system’s top 15. Both of those deals came closer to the deadline.
Minter, like Raley, is an experienced lefty who can also handle righties. Minter, like Raley, will be a free agent after this season. He has not allowed a run in 13 appearances since returning from shoulder surgery this year, has a 3.12 career ERA, and pitched in a World Series-winning bullpen for the Braves in 2021. His 101 Stuff+ does not inspire as much confidence as Raley’s, but his track record and performance should make him appealing to a similar group of suitors. His return seems likely to be less than Raley’s, particularly if teams have concerns about the fact that he is still within a year of major shoulder surgery. But one could spin it this way, too: He has fewer innings on his arm over the last two seasons than just about any proven reliever who will be available, which could make him fresher for October.
Peralta struggled again against the Blue Jays on Wednesday, making it three bad starts in his last five. His 4.81 ERA is the worst of his career as a regular starter by nearly a full run, and he is battling his mechanics in ways that appear to be affecting his stuff and on-field morale.
Still, Peralta is a durable starter in a contract year, and because his issues appear to be the result of some inadvertent changes to his delivery early this season, pitching-savvy teams should have reason to believe they can fix him. He is also a good budget option in a starting pitching market that can often be rather costly: He is owed $8 million total this season, meaning any team trading for him would only inherit approximately $2.5 million prorated salary he is owed after the deadline. That would seemingly make him a good option for everyone from big-market teams looking for help to smaller-market teams hoping to bolster rotations without major investment.
Perhaps, obviously, the Mets will not get back what they gave up for Peralta. And his struggles will not help his value. Still, veteran Yusei Kikuchi was traded with a 4.75 ERA in his walk year two years ago, and that deal netted the Astros three prospects that ranked in the Blue Jays’ top 15 at the time, all of whom have since played in the majors. Track record counts for something.
Even in a worst-case scenario, consider the return the Orioles got last year for veteran Charlie Morton, who was more expensive, a decade older and pitching worse than Peralta when they traded him to the Tigers at last year’s deadline. He netted the Orioles a prospect named Micah Ashman, who struck out Cal Raleigh and Roman Anthony in the WBC this spring and has 50 strikeouts in 30 innings in Double-A this year. Proven starters can return value, even if it is not as much as the Mets gave up to get him.
New York Mets pitcher Freddy Peralta (51) throws a pitch against the Toronto Blue Jays during the second inning at Rogers Centre. / Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images
Given the state of the Mets' rotation heading into 2027, they should probably consider extending Holmes, who was a stalwart for them earlier this season before breaking his leg on a comebacker in May. But if they are not able to do that, they should trade him, and multiple executives pointed to the deal that the Blue Jays made to acquire Shane Bieber last year as a potential template.
Holmes is not currently healthy. He is throwing his first bullpen since his injury this week, and he will need time to build back up to a starter’s workload from there. As such, he might not be available to audition for teams in time for the Aug. 3 trade deadline. If he is, he might not be able to offer much of a sample.
Bieber was even less of a sure thing when the Jays traded for him last year. He had not pitched in a major league game in more than a year and was due back from Tommy John surgery in the last month of the year. Toronto, needing starting depth, traded a respected pitching prospect for him anyway, planning for his return.
Holmes has pitched well more recently than Bieber had. He is not coming back from an arm injury. He is on an expiring contract that will owe him a bit less than $5 million in prorated salary for August and September, which is affordable for a frontline starter, but could be prohibitive for small-market teams. Still, all of that suggests the Mets should be able to get more than the Guardians got for Bieber – and they got a former second-round pick and a top-five prospect from the Jays system in Kahl Stephen.
Stephen needs elbow surgery that has stalled his rise up prospect rankings, but he was pitching to a 3.44 ERA in 12 Double-A starts before the injury.
IF THE PRICE IS RIGHT
RHP Huascar Brazobán
Multiple executives raised Brazobán’s name as one the Mets could consider moving at this deadline, even though he is not on an expiring contract. The formerly volatile righty is compiling the most consistent season of his career, pitching to a 1.94 ERA with a sub-1.00 WHIP in a variety of bullpen roles.
Unlike the other relievers mentioned here, Brazobán is entering his second year of arbitration and will not be a free agent until after the 2029 season. He is, therefore, a more affordable relief option than many available this time of year, which could appeal to contending teams trying to improve their bullpens on a budget. Because of his success this year and that extended team control, any deal for Brazobán should secure the Mets a legitimate prospect or two. If it doesn’t, they do not need to trade him: After all, the 2027 Mets will need cost-controlled relievers, too.
Multiple executives speculated about the potential availability of Weaver, who has not allowed a run since April 30. He has been one of the best relievers in baseball this season, walking just nine batters while striking out 39 in 36 innings and is maintaining a career-low 0.806 WHIP. He is also under contract through next season at a reasonable top reliever rate of $11 million for 2027 – a price any mid- or big-market team intending to contend next year would happily pay to lock down a bullpen stalwart before an unpredictable offseason.
But the Mets are a team that intends to contend next year, and keeping the pairing of Weaver and Devin Williams intact would mean not having to start from scratch in the bullpen, at least. Both Cohen and David Stearns have acknowledged the possibility that too much roster turnover, implemented too quickly, might have contributed to the 2026 team’s early struggles.
So Weaver’s status likely depends on more variables than, say, Raley's or Minter's. First, it depends on Cohen and Stearns’ goals for this deadline. If they decide they need to salvage as much as they possibly can from this season and strip the roster for every possible asset, Weaver certainly would bring significant value. But neither the owner nor his president of baseball operations has operated in extremes this year.
More likely, the plan for Weaver will depend on how many teams decide to sell and how many elite relievers are available. If supply is sparse, the potential return might help the Mets more in 2027 than Weaver would.
New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (12) reacts after hitting a two run triple against the Philadelphia Phillies during the sixth inning at Citi Field. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Cohen told the Post on Wednesday that he does not see the Mets moving either of their high-priced superstars, Lindor or Soto. That should end 95 percent of all speculation about whether Lindor will be traded. He is on this list for one reason: If the Mets decide they need to recalibrate the heart of the roster – whether due to clubhouse dynamics or multiple years of on-field malaise -- the last five-and-a-half years of Lindor’s $341 million contract are still easier to shop than the billions and eons remaining on Soto’s.
Could a team in need of a long-term middle infield solution and a middle-of-the-order bat decide Lindor is better than what will be available to them in the free-agent market? Or that cost certainty on a player of his caliber is an asset heading into the lockout? That does not seem impossible, particularly for a POBO with a history of trading big, veteran contracts for one another like Stearns did with Brandon Nimmo and Marcus Semien.
Still, Lindor is an extremely valuable hitter at his position who has committed himself to New York and proven himself capable of handling ups and downs here. It is not easy to envision the kind of deal that would inspire Cohen to part with him, let alone to shop him while planning to win again in 2027.
In keeping with the idea that all starting pitchers with any recent history of success qualify as treasured assets this time of year, Manaea is a starting pitcher with some recent history of success. Some team might be willing to bet his revived velocity, 3.53 ERA, and 3.16 Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP) marks since May 22 are representative of the pitcher he will be for the remaining year and a half of his three-year contract – or that they can make him even better.
But given how much he struggled early in the season, and the fact that he still has one-year remaining on a three-year, $75 million deal, he seems likely to appeal to a smaller group of high-payroll teams – unless the Mets want to pay down his contract. Then again, they will also need starters in 2027, not to mention down the stretch in 2026.
Right-handed hitting outfielders are notoriously hard to find, and Taylor is an excellent defender who provides credible at-bats as a fourth outfielder. He is making $3.8 million this year, so even at a prorated price, teams could likely find cheaper options. But the free-agent-to-be is known as a strong defender and could potentially fit a contender needing a veteran on the bench.
His strong run of form should continue against the Detroit Tigers, who rank 21st in both OPS and OBP vs. right-handed pitching.
The Texas Rangers have a better matchup against Framber Valdez. Although he has pitched better of late, this is a spot where we could see a hiccup.
The Rangers lead the majors in batting average and sit second in wOBA against lefties since June 1. They should provide Eovaldi with enough support to get a win.
Eovaldi has started six games over the last two months against teams striking out at a Top-10 clip. He's averaged well over six innings while posting a 2.56 ERA.
Playing in a pitcher’s park against a strikeout-heavy team missing one of its most productive bats against righties (Gleyber Torres), he should fare well.
Valdez owns a 3.23 ERA over the past month and has opponents hammering balls in the dirt, sporting a ridiculously high 63.5 GB% along the way.
Runs should be hard to come by, making the Under an appealing play up to -110.
Todd Cordell's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 46-37, -1.35 units
Over/Under bets: 45-34-4, +6.79 units
Tigers vs Rangers weather
Tigers vs Rangers odds
Moneyline: Tigers +100 | Rangers -120
Run line: Tigers +1.5 (-210) | Rangers -1.5 (+170)
Over/Under: Over 7 (-120) | Under 7 (+100)
Tigers vs Rangers trend
The Rangers have cashed the Under in 24 of the last 40 home games for +8.95 units and a 21% ROI. Find more MLB betting trends for Tigers vs. Rangers.
How to watch Tigers vs Rangers and game info
Location
Globe Life Field, Arlington, TX
Date
Thursday, July 2, 2026
First pitch
8:05 p.m. ET
TV
Detroit SportsNet, RSN
Tigers starting pitcher
Framber Valdez (4-5, 4.05 ERA)
Rangers starting pitcher
Nathan Eovaldi (8-7, 3.95 ERA)
Tigers vs Rangers latest injuries
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PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - MAY 08: Paul George #8 of the Philadelphia 76ers reacts during Game Three of the Second Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs against the New York Knicks at Xfinity Mobile Arena on May 08, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 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 Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The trade means that George will have suited up for five teams, with three massive trades centered around the three-level scorer. Now that the Celtics deal is in the rearview mirror, we can look back at these staggering deals to see everything that has been given up for PG-13 over the years.
George was traded from the Pacers to the Thunder in 2017 for Victor Oladipo, who seemed destined to become a star — and Domantas Sabonis, who Oklahoma City took with the No. 11 pick the year prior. This was the smallest haul for George, but represented two young talents that were supposed to be cornerstones of the Pacers for years to come.
Next up was the mammoth trade to the Los Angeles Clippers in 2019, when the Clips were trying to build a big-two contender with Kawhi Leonard and George as the centerpieces. The NBA-shaping deal sent Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari, FIVE first-round picks, and two pick swaps from L.A. to OKC.
George declined his player option with the Clippers in 2024, and signed a max-deal with the Sixers.
That brings us to Wednesday, when the 76ers traded George to the Celtics for Jaylen Brown, as well as a 2028 1st round pick/swap (whichever is more favorable), and two second-round picks. Brace yourselves for everything that Paul George has become over the years, because it’s WILD.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Jaylen Brown
Jalen Williams (2022 draft pick)
Cason Wallace (2021 draft pick)
Domantas Sabonis
Nikola Topić (2024 draft pick)
Tre Mann (2021 draft pick)
Thomas Sorber (2025 draft pick swap)
Aday Mara (2026 draft pick swap)
Victor Oladipo
Danilo Gallinari
Oh, and OKC still has one more 1st-rounder coming in 2027. So, you could either have Paul George, or literally everything needed to build an NBA franchise.
Apr 4, 2026; New York, New York, USA; Detroit Red Wings right wing Patrick Kane (88) skates against the New York Rangers during the first period at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-Imagn Images
Danny Wild-Imagn Images
NHL free agency spilled into Thursday with some high-profile players still on the open market, including a three-time Stanley Cup champion.
Patrick Kane is still available after spending the past three years with Detroit. Kane is 37 now and a decade from winning the Hart Trophy as MVP when he led the league in scoring but takes playoff MVP experience and three Cup rings wherever he goes. Also unsigned are wingers Vladimir Tarasenko, who has won twice, and Anthony Mantha, who is coming off a career year, and forward Claude Giroux, who is still chasing a championship at 38.
The first 11-plus hours of free agency featured more than 55 players changing places across the league with more than $360 million worth of contracts. And that’s not even counting Bowen Byram becoming the highest-paid defenseman at an average salary of $12.5 million beginning in 2027 under his new deal with Chicago after he was acquired in a trade with Buffalo.
Byram’s time with that distinction may be short if Colorado gets a new contract done with two-time Norris Trophy-winner Cale Makar, which also would into effect in 2027-28.
The salary cap getting another record increase to $104 million led to some big-money deals but also reduced the depth of available talent because teams had room to re-sign their top players. New Jersey extended captain Nico Hischier, Florida re-signed center Eetu Luostarinen and Philadelphia rewarded goaltender Dan Vladar with a long-term contract.
New York Islanders general manager Mathieu Darche was expecting a break after a busy stretch with the draft and free agency happening less than a week apart. And yet, he’s also keeping an eye out.
“We’ll have probably over $40 million of cap space next summer,” Darche said. “I’m still going to be working the rest of the summer, especially the next couple weeks. A lot of GMs, I won’t lie to you, they go on vacation and it goes pretty silent on the GM chat. But if I have opportunities to improve the team, I will. Every single day, it’s a relentless pursuit of trying to get better.”
Hischier’s Devils made a splash late Wednesday by tendering an offer sheet for Utah center Barrett Hayton for $4.775 million. The Mammoth, who acquired Vincent Trocheck in a trade with the Rangers, have a week to match or would receive a second-round pick as compensation.
The threat of an offer sheet remains for Dallas winger Jason Robertson, who turned down a trade to Seattle last week and needs a new contract. The Stars signed forward Joel Kiviranta to a one-year contract after he had nine points in 51 games for Colorado last season.
Reigning Norris winner Zach Werenski won’t be going to the Stars and reaffirmed with two years left on his deal that he’s happy to be in Columbus after trade rumors settled quickly.
On Thursday, one day after being traded to the Philadelphia 76ers, the former Boston Celtics superstar took to social media with an official goodbye to the city he has called home for the last 10 years.
Read the full statement below:
First and foremost, thank you to the most high, even in the midst of adversity. I’m here with gratitude
I”m still processing how this all went down. I’m excited and disappointed at the same time. I earned my respect from this city. I never asked for shortcuts or special treatment. I simply showed up every day, put my head down, and accepted every challenge.
The relationships I built here, the battles we fought together, the championship we brought to this city, and the connection I shared with the fans, I’ll carry on with me.
Saying goodbye isn’t easy when you’ve invested your heart into something.
I’m big on respect and actions speak louder than words. To the people of Boston, thank you. To the community I built here I love you, and to the shiftaz we are locked in for life.
As one chapter closes, another begins.
I’m excited for what’s ahead and grateful for the opportunity to join Philadelphia. Every city has its own identity, its own passion, and its own expectation. I respect that, and I’m looking forward to earning that respect the only way I know how – through the work.
The Celtics selected Brown with the third overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft. The 29-year-old developed into an All-NBA talent alongside co-star Jayson Tatum, leading Boston to six Eastern Conference Finals appearances, two NBA Finals berths, and one championship. He was named MVP of the 2024 East Finals vs. the Indiana Pacers and the NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks.
In this year’s playoffs, the Sixers erased a 3-1 series deficit to defeat Brown and the Celtics in the first round. Now, Philly will include Brown in a loaded projected starting lineup that also features Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, Dean Wade, and Joel Embiid.
Boston received Paul George, two first-round picks, and two second-rounders from Philly in exchange for Brown.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - OCTOBER 28: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks controls the ball against Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics during the second half at the TD Garden on October 28, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts. 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 Brian Fluharty/Getty Images) | Getty Images
I have this thing happening to me. Every day I go to bed, and without fail, I always find myself waking up at around 4:30 to 5 a.m. Funny thing is, the stuff tends to work in waves; sometimes it disappears and stays that way for a month and I sleep uninterrupted nightly, then it might come back for a week, or two, or eight, or whatever. Must be about aging. Whatever.
I woke up earlier today and checked the time exactly at 5:00 am. There was a notification on the phone; it was Russell Richardson in the P&T Slack letting us boys know about the infamous Jaylen Brown trade.
I checked it, was surprised, couldn’t really believe it, but that was it. Turned to the other side of the bed to try and catch some more sleep till the alarm sounded around an hour later, fully knowing my destiny was not to earn a single extra second of unconscious rest. It’s always the same.
With all of our crew sleeping overseas, I tasked myself with covering the trade in the early morning here in Spain after reading a bunch about it to get the full picture of it. You can read about in my earlier post linked above. And if you read that little story, you know I cut it short of where I wanted it to go because I have to admit I was going to go overboard. Hence, this new (Part II?) post.
With the near-factual feeling across the NBA world regarding how unexpected and ridiculous and hilarious and nonsensical (so much so Brad Stevens extinguished his Instagram account) Boston’s decision to flip Brown — coming off his best NBA season — for a 36-year-old human and four dubious draft picks, it just hit me that while this was ludicrous, the truth is that we’ve been watching similar stuff unfold in front of our eyes for a full week and change.
So consider this post your “how does Brown’s deal affect the Knicks?” silly breakdown, only expanded to the full Eastern Conference and linked to the beaten-to-death concept of parity.
There have been 8 different NBA Champions in the past 8 years 🏆
🔸2026- New York Knicks 🔸2025- Oklahoma City Thunder 🔸2024- Boston Celtics 🔸2023- Denver Nuggets 🔸2022- Golden State Warriors 🔸2021- Milwaukee Bucks 🔸2020- Los Angeles Lakers 🔸2019- Toronto Raptors pic.twitter.com/TSyAwuuo54
Too much has been written and said about the new NBA Parity Era. And hey, it might be true, because there have been eight different champions in eight consecutive years — including your reigning, defending, undisputed NBA Champions of the World, the New York Knicks. But also, hey, it might be just the damn whole lot of roster-building randomness the NBA is dealing with these days, isn’t it?
After nine days of offseason transactions, from the draft to the first two days of free agency, the Knicks are the only team that can claim to have something no other team in the Eastern Conference can confidently say: ridiculous continuity. Yes, New York has lost Mitchell Robinson (RIP) and has a bench featuring a whole lot of guards, one unproven forward, and… no centers at all. As I type this, pending further moves, it’s a reason for concern.
But the East, simply put, is utterly unrecognizable these days. You don’t need to come out of a ten-, five-, or two-year-long coma to spot the differences. Just a little week-long trip to a hospital without Wi-Fi could have your head spinning as you read this.
Miami landed Giannis Antetokounmpo but lost Norman Powell and a bunch of rotation players.
The Hornets followed by sending their two best players away in LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges to the Western Conference, taking a step back and looking forward to a brighter future.
Philadelphia answered the Heat’s blockbuster by acquiring Brown in the most shocking trade since Luka Doncic went to LA.
Toronto brought Kawhi Leonard back, but sent two starters in Brandon Ingram and Grady Dick the other way.
The Pistons have lost J Cole and could whiff on bringing Jalen Duren back, although even if they do, they are just going nowhere, so don’t worry.
Indiana flew under the radar and was awful last season, but they will have Tyrese Haliburton back and nearly all of the roster that graced the 2025 NBA Finals.
Cleveland is perhaps the closest to the Knicks in terms of staying the same, only they might have the biggest FA signing of the year coming their way in LeBron James.
Atlanta, Orlando, and Chicago mostly stood pat but they don’t scare anybody.
You already know Washington is my dark horse for ECF, but all they did was luck into the No. 1 pick.
Miami still needs to build half of its roster with pocket money. Philadelphia has one of the highest ceilings in the conference, but Joel Embiid’s health won’t hold, and we’ll see how the Maxey-Edgecome-Brown trifecta meshes. Toronto looks better defensively, but again, the chem might not be there for them to contend. Boston will be kinda good anyway, but they will lack the ultimate punch come killing time. The 2025 Pacers were a mirage. Cleveland is Cleveland. And the Pistons are the biggest lie in recent history.
The Knicks enter the season knowing exactly who they are. That doesn’t guarantee another trip to the Finals, but it’s a much better place to be than trying to build chemistry around another blockbuster trade coming off a championship.
But again, when it comes to parity, and while the reigning champs are the one team keeping the core together and running it back for the most part, it’s just impossible to bet on them against the field for the 2027 NBA title, given how much the league has changed in a matter of days. How can you expect any consistency when one whole damn conference has changed entirely, and the other one has done the same, as this business is a zero-sum game?
If you don’t recognize the LA Lakers roster above, you’re not alone. It’s the same story out West. Los Angeles parlayed LeBron’s departure into literally $450 million, all of them spent in a 15-minute flurry of moves.
The Timberwolves are putting all their money in a fun LaMelo-Ant backcourt that might equally win games or force Minny’s fans out of the arena out of frustration.
The Blazers don’t have money for their coach or their G League team, but they just traded for Ja Morant.
Shouts out to the Thunder and the Spurs — even though they’ve made a few moves — for nearly keeping their squads together, barring blatant dumpings and hiring a rapper.
So with all of the above written, how does the NBA or any fan out there expect anything else than “parity” or, better said, just plain dumb randomness? Who can really predict the outcome of a system whose variables change massively from one iteration to the next?
And again, even if the same suspects and longest-running teams will always at least be considered to be in the picture once again—your Knicks, Spurs, Thunder—there is nothing you can really do if you’re dealing with 15 different, new teams every year. As Knicks fans, we know it from the inside. New York slowly started to put together a team to beat the Celtics (which they did a year ago), but ultimately didn’t even meet Boston on their way to the title, and now the C’s look nothing like they did in 2024.
The Wolves appeared to be locked into building a tank to stop the Nikola Jokic Nuggets (which they achieved), only now they have flipped their roster entirely, while Denver remains nearly the same. Get back in time, and you’d find the Rockets attempting to build the anti-KD-GSW machine, only for Durant to bolt out after the 2019 title. The Big 3 Celtics (for the young lads, the ones featuring Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen) were built for countering LeBron James before he even moved out of Cleveland to form his own Voltron in Miami.
Who’s to say how the Eastern Conference picture will look come April? If you ask me this very minute (I have scheduled this story to publish five hours from now, who knows how the picture will look by that time…), this might be it compared to how things were by June 15 (not a per-se standings table, just a perception).
Jun. 15 EC Ranks
July 2 EC Ranks
1. Knicks
1. Knicks (-)
2. Celtics
2. Raptors (+4)
3. Cavaliers
3. Heat (+6)
4. Pistons
4. Celtics (-2)
5. Sixers
5. Sixers (-)
6. Raptors
6. Pacers (+5)
7. Hornets
7. Pistons (-3)
8. Hawks
8. Cavaliers (-5)
9. Magic
9. Wizards (+6)
10. Heat
10. Hawks (-2)
11. Pacers
11. Magic (-2)
Long story short, you can plan and make moves for the present, but as is the case with our brains and attention spans, rosters are so much in flux and long-term planning is shrinking into a yearly affair that it just doesn’t make any sense to think more than two springs ahead. You can keep your team together (good), but you can plan for chaos elsewhere. And even if you get better or worse, there are still a thousand pieces moving around and out of your control that can swing your position up or down in the table at a moment’s notice.
These days, the League looks like a snow globe in the hands of a wicked two-year-old with erratic hand-shaking tendencies.
Parity, randomness… who cares? It will all have changed again before you close this page.
PHOENIX, AZ - JUNE 23: Jack Natili #69 bats during the 2026 Draft Combine at Chase Field on Tuesday, June 23, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Jill Weisleder/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
2026 MLB Draft Preview: Jack Natili scouting report.
The 2026 is less than two weeks away — the first round kicks off on July 11, 2026 — so its time to start offering capsule looks at players the Texas Rangers could select with their top picks. The Rangers’ first round pick is at #16, their second round pick is at #54, and their third round pick is at #89.
Leading up to draft day, we will be doing writeups of some of the players who could end up getting selected by the Rangers with one of their first three picks. Today we are looking at University of Cincinnati catcher Jack Natili.
Jack Natili is a 6’3”, 198 lb. righthanded hitting catcher for the University of Cincinnati. Natili went undrafted int 2023 out of high school in Pennsylvania, and played for Rutgers as a freshman before transferring to Cincinnati, where he’s played the past two seasons. A junior, Natili turned 21 in March.
Offensively, Natili is a power-over-hit guy. He has a swing that is geared towards getting the ball in the air, helping him make the most of his plus power. However, his swing is described as getting long, and he can have problems catching up with fastballs. He is described as making good swing decisions, so his issues are less about chasing pitches out of the zone and more about making contact often enough with pitches in the zone.
Defensively, Natili has a plus arm which is perhaps his biggest asset behind the plate. He’s described as having made strides in his work behind the plate, though he’s not considered a particularly strong blocker or receiver of pitches. Nonetheless, he is expected to be able to stick behind the plate. As is the case with most catchers, he has below-average speed.
Natili hit .230/.386/.367 in 183 plate appearances for Rutgers as a freshman, striking out 32 times and walking 12 with 5 homers. As a sophomore for Cincinnati, Natili slashed .338/.451/.556 in 244 plate appearances, striking out 53 times and walking 30 times with 9 homers. He took a big step forward power-wise this year, hitting 19 homers in 276 plate appearances while slashing .339/.424/.674, with 29 walks against 56 Ks.
Catchers are always in demand. Power is always in demand. Thus, catchers with power are always going to be attractive to teams.
Natili is seen as someone who is always going to have a lot of swing and miss in his game, with the question offensively being if he can handle velocity well enough for him to utilize his power, rather than just being blown away by professional pitchers at the upper levels. The possibility is strong enough for him to likely go somewhere in the second through fourth rounds.
COVERS INTEL:
