LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 11: Tarris Reed Jr. #10 of the San Antonio Spurs looks on during the game against the San Antonio Spurs during the 2026 NBA Summer League game on July 11, 2026 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. 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 Ryan Stetz/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
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The Spurs are no longer winless for the Summer, having blown out the Summer Knicks 70-49 yesterday afternoon. Not too many people watched that game, played at at the same time as one of the World Cup semifinals, but it was a nice defensive performance from the Summer Spurs, as Carter Bryant dominated the game on both ends and only Taylor Nickel did much for the Knicks, who only had one assist for the game, which means that I can’t call him Nickel and Dimes just yet.
Tonight, they face the Bucks, who could be seriously considering some of the Summer League players for roster spots after trading away their best player in the offseason. They’ve only played one game so far in Las Vegas, an 86-119 blowout loss to the Miami Heat. This looks like another winnable game for the struggling Summer Silver and Black, and they could gain some confidence with a win over Brayden Burries, Pete Nance and a bunch of guys you’ve never heard of. Hey, if you watch Summer League, you’re a hard core fan. As usual, the scores don’t mean much, but you’d like to see the Summer Spurs have some good performances, like they did against the Knicks. Hopefully, Carter Bryant will have another dominant performance before he gets sent home. The Spurs will play the Jazz on Wednesday night at 8:30 PM, and one more game this weekend. Let’s all watch some summer ball, and see what the young guys can do.
Game Prediction:
The game is interrupted at the first quarter break when Corliss Williamson runs into the stands and punches Jacob Tobey. For some reason, Bam Adebayo shows up and joins in unexpectedly.
San Antonio Spurs vs Milwaukee Bucks (Las Vegas Summer League) July 12, 2026 | 8:00 PM CT Streaming: ESPN TV: ESPN Reminder: It is against site policy to post links to illegal streams in the comments.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 25: Jonathan Kuminga #0 of the Atlanta Hawks reacts after being charged with a foul against the New York Knicks during the fourth quarter of game four of the Eastern Conference first round playoffs at State Farm Arena on April 25, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. 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 Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Here we thought that the departure of LeBron James meant the Lakers’ offseason wouldn’t be put on hold.
With the full-court press on for Jonathan Kuminga, LA is left waiting on his decision before making any final roster moves. The problem is that Kuminga, notably, is not someone who makes quick decisions in free agency.
Last season, Kuminga and the Warriors had a lengthy stand-off, though largely a result of restricted free agency, that eventually came to an unsatisfying conclusion. This summer, Kuminga and his agent are still searching for that money.
After having his option for $24 million turned down by the Hawks, Kuminga and his agent seem unsatisfied with the offers on the table. Clearly, the Lakers’ contract hasn’t moved him enough to sign and with multiple other teams waiting for LeBron James’ decision, it appears Kuminga’s own free agency will be put on hold.
“His dynamic is a bit on pause, on hold, while LeBron’s future is determined. But it’s also a thing where he probably could have signed with the Lakers if he was more amenable to what Los Angeles was envisioning. I think Kuminga and his representation are kind of navigating what their market looks like and what they want at this point in time.”
The Lakers aren’t really in a position where they need to move quickly anymore. At this point, the team will have to do a sign-and-trade for Kuminga or any other player they acquire, so there isn’t necessarily a rush.
The Cavs have been heavily linked to Kuminga throughout free agency as well, so there is some rationale as to why he would wait.
The question that could start arising is whether Kuminga is worth all this. There probably should be, but considering President of Basketball Operations Rob Pelinka once chased after Christian Wood into early September, there almost certainly won’t be.
Kuminga might be the most convenient option because he’s a free agent, but there are other players around the league the team could trade for. Perhaps the Lakers feel no one will be in a rush to acquire them and have some time. Whatever the decision from the Lakers or Kuminga may be, though, don’t expect it to happen in the near future.
June 6, 2026; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Alabama pitcher Tyler Fay (8) makes a pitch during the NCAA Tuscaloosa Super Regional game between Alabama and St. John’s at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. | Gary Cosby Jr. / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
After Alabama shortstop Justin Lebron was drafted #18 in the first round by the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday, three of his teammates joined him in pro ball on Sunday. Right handed pitcher Tyler Fay was picked by the Pittsburgh Pirates, left handed pitcher Zane Adams went to the Baltimore Orioles, and catcher/outfielder Brady Neal was nabbed by Cincinnati. Two pitchers that had committed to Alabama out of the transfer portal were also chosen, as well as two incoming freshman, and two former Tide pitchers also were taken. Dylan Marionneaux, a right handed pitcher out of NW State, and Garrett Lambert, a righty out of Mercer, were both drafted. Canadian high school pitcher, Cade Dorland will have a decision to come to school or sign after being picked, as will as pitcher Hudson DeVaughn out of Indiana. Former Alabama hurlers Beau Bryans and Ariston Veasey also heard their names called on Sunday.
The 6’6’ Fay was drafted in the 6th round, 169th overall, by the Pittsburgh Pirates. Fay had a special season in 2026 with an 11-5 record and 4.54 ERA, striking out 127 batters in 109 innings. The strikeout total was one short of tying former Tide left hander Wade Leblanc’s single season record of 128, set in 2006. The highlight of Fay’s year was the no-hitter he tossed against Florida, striking out 13 Gators along the way. The slot value of the 169th pick is $406,500.
Adams was picked two spots after Fay at 171 by the Baltimore Orioles. Adams was a three year starter for the Tide and has a career record of 19-14 with a 5.09 ERA. In 2026 Adams finished 8-5 with a 4.58 ERA, pitching 90 innings and striking out 100 batters. The slot value for Adams is $396,300.
The Cincinnati Reds took Neal in the 8th round at #242. Neal played catcher and outfield for the Tide. After two years at LSU, Neal transferred to Alabama in 2025. The Tallahassee, FL native had a career year in 2026, hitting .316 with 15 doubles, 10 home runs, with a .969 OPS. The slot value for pick 242 in $229,700.
Dylan Marroineaux, a junior at Northwestern State in Louisiana, committed to the Tide out of the portal in June. The Chicago Cubs used the 126th pick in the 4th round on the right hander. Originally a walk-0n at NW State, Marroimeaux had a break out year in 2026 with a 4-2 record and 3.51 ERA in 84 innings with 81 strikeouts. The slot value is $609.200. However, Marroineaux was not listed as a top 500 prospect, and the thought is there may have been a deal cut at a lower bonus to secure the draft spot. Lambert, a redshirt freshman from Mercer, committed to transfer to Alabama out of the portal in June. The Colorado Rockies picked Lambert with the #165 pick-6th round- on Sunday. After two injury plagued years, Lambert broke out in 2026 with a 5-1 record, and a 4.31 ERA while pitching 71 innings, allowing 58 hits, and striking out 90 batters. The slot for the pick is $417,400.
Alabama had two 2026 high school signees drafted. Dorland was taken #382 in the 13th round by the Atlanta Braves and DeVaughn was picked with the 569th pick in the 19th round. The Tide will have a good chance of getting the two right handers to campus.
Former Tide players chosen were: left handed pitcher Beau Bryans out Jacksonville State in the 7th round with the 208th pick by the SF Giants and right handed pitcher Ariston Veasey out of Clemson with the 337th pick in the 11th round. Bryans pick carries a slot value of $292,300.
BROOKLYN, NY - MARCH 1: Keon Ellis #14 of the Cleveland Cavaliers plays defense during the game against the Brooklyn Nets on March 1, 2026 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. 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 David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Keon Ellis, the newest member in the Nets guard corps, is different the others. He’s not 20 or 21 years old, not here to run the offense so much as to run the defense. And he can shoot. At 26, he’s near the top of the list of 3-and-D operators. If you don’t know, take a look at what he did two years ago; he was the only player in the NBA to rank in the top 10 in both steals (1.5) and 3-point percentage (43.3%). If those two numbers are not what defines a 3-and-D, what does?
There were comments from some in the fan base about the two-year, $18 million contract. They argued that the Nets don’t need yet another guard, defensive qualifications or not and if Sean Marks & co. wanted to improve the team’s defense, why not find a replacement for or an enhancement of Nic Claxton, now of the Chicago Bulls.
But Ellis has that resume’ all head coaches want, consistent, reliable D. Brian Lewis listed them:
Per 100 possessions last season — split between the Kings and Cavaliers — Ellis ranked in the 93rd percentile in steals (2.7), in the 95th percentile in blocks (1.5) and the 96th percentile in both turnovers forced (1.6) and deflections (6.4). His stop percentile of 4.4 ranked in the 98th percentile.
And according to Ellis comments to the media Saturday, one head coach in particular liked his resume’.
“From what I heard, he was pulling for me really hard,” said Ellis of Jordi Fernandez. “And I know the way he coaches. He’s very passionate. He’s about the right things. He wants to win. So, the familiarity right there was definitely good.”
There is a connection. Ellis played two seasons in Sacramento when Fernández was associate head coach there and defensive guru. The native of Florida said the Nets head coach who’s about to enter his third year on the Brooklyn bench has a good reputation around the league.
”That familiarity was definitely good. Dennis [Schroder] was saying he loved Jordi as a coach, too,“ said Ellis of the Nets lead guard two years ago and was a teammate of Ellis last year for the Kings. ”So for other guys to be saying the same things, you just know he’s about the right things.”
He also hinted the Nets offer was the most generous. Ellis just finished a three-year, $5.1 million contract that he signed with the Kings. In essence, he’s quadrupling his previous annual paycheck.
“With how much they were offering, that just speaks to how much the team wants you as well. So, that. And then obviously, you’ve got some guys on the staff that you’ve been with before, so you know the ropes a little,” Ellis told reporters. “And then the opportunity here as well. When you combine all those things, they just lined up.”
It all suggests that even with so many guards, Ellis will get minutes. None of his backcourt colleagues is a point-of-attack defender. The young guys may ultimately become that (and maybe with mentoring from Ellis), but expect him to lead the Nets defense when he’s on the court.
He also explained that his slight dropoff in numbers last season, particularly after he was sent from Sacramento to Cleveland, should not be seen as who he is. He compared what he was looking forward to seeing to in Brooklyn with his tenure with the Cavaliers.
“Just the consistency and an established role,” said Ellis. He said that wasn’t necessarily case with the Cavs. “A lot of things were up and down and moving parts, and you just never really knew what was going on.”
Arkansas Razorbacks' Ethan McElvain (33) and Ryder Helfrick (27) celebrate victory as Auburn Tigers take on Arkansas Razorbacks during the SEC baseball tournament at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium in Hoover, Ala. on Saturday, May 23, 2026. Arkansas Razorbacks defeated Arkansas Razorbacks 2-1. | Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
While the big names in the MLB draft are all gone after the first day (or essentially committed to going to or back to college next year), there are future big leaguers every year in the second or third day of the draft. Recent Royals draft picks outside of the first 150 picks in the last decade to make it to the big leagues include David Sandlin, Noah Cameron, Anthony Veneziano, Noah Murdock, Vinnie Pasquantino, Tyler Tolbert, Austin Cox, Jonathan Heasley, Nate Eaton, Tyler Zuber, Brewer Hicklen, Nicky Lopez, and Richard Lovelady.
Can anyone from today join them? Only time will tell, but let’s not forget: being drafted at all is an incredible achievement. Only 5% of the roughly 10,000 draft-eligible NCAA baseball players every year are selected by an MLB team.
151st pick: Ethan McElvain, left-handed pitcher from the University of Arkansas
McElvain transferred from Vanderbilt and moved completely to the bullpen, where he threw 38.1 innings, struck out 34.4% of batters, and had a 1.88 ERA. He stands at a hefty 6’ 4”, 250 lbs. Rated by MLB as the 144th-best prospect in the draft.
180th pick: Justin LeGuernic, left-handed pitcher from Clemson University
Another bullpen arm, LeGuernic is young to be drafted as a junior—he doesn’t turn 21 until October—and had a 4.69 ERA in 19 games. Rated by MLB as the 220th-best player in the draft.
Pick 209: Dylan Vigue, right-handed pitcher from the University of Georgia
A starting pitcher, Vigue started 16 games for the Bulldogs with a 4.43 ERA against tough SEC competition. Rated by MLB as the 201st-best player in the draft.
Pick 239: Hunter Possehl, left-handed pitcher from Florida Gulf Coast University
Kansas City’s first position player selected on day two, Johnson transferred from Witchita State to Oklahoma this year and slashed .298/.403/.478 with 31 stolen bases. Rated by MLB as the 116th-best player in the draft.
Pick 299: Grant Fontenot, right-handed pitcher from Louisiana State University
Another reliever, Fontenot has battled with injuries and only has 48.1 total college innings over the last three years. When healthy, he’s been able to strike out 26.9% of batters.
Pick 329: Tanner Griffith, outfielder from St. Mary’s College
At 5’ 9”, the small Tanner Griffith nevertheless swung a big bat this year for St. Mary’s, hitting .342/.477/.545 with 22 doubles in 303 plate appearances.
Pick 359: Lance Hartley, right-handed pitcher from the College of Central Florida
Clement and his very nice mustache have pitched out of the bullpen as a starter. Clement is another guy coming back from injury, only tossing 3.1 innings last year.
Pick 479: Dylan Alonso, right-handed pitcher from Troy University
Rated by MLB as the 138th best player in the draft and by Baseball America at 111, DeVaughan is the type of guy who could get some signing bonus overage to try to lure him away from the University of Alabama.
Pick 599: Riley McDonald, two-way player from State College of Florida
With their final pick today, the Royals selected McDonald, interestingly calling him an infielder and right-handed pitcher out of a junior college in Florida.
Dave Roberts had only one real request for his team in their first-half finale on Sunday.
Play. Clean. Baseball.
Once again, it was too tall an ask.
In a 5-3 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks that sent the team into the All-Star break on an unsatisfying (and unsatisfactory) note, the Dodgers continued their puzzlingly poor run of play over the last week.
“Some mental lapses, some physical lapses,” manager Dave Roberts said. “This last week has just been below average for sure.”
Tommy Edman celebrates after hitting a two-run double. Getty Images
Indeed, there were once again errors on defense, with a dropped ball by Andy Pages in the fifth and a bad throw from Max Muncy in the sixth directly leading to unearned runs that helped Arizona erase an early 3-0 deficit.
Also, again, there was sloppy pitching and wasteful offense, with the Dodgers managing just three hits at the plate while watching their pitching staff succumb to walks, balks and poorly-timed mistakes.
As a result, the club lost its fourth game out of the last five, dropped three in a row for the first time in exactly two months and suffered its first series sweep of the year as it heads into the All-Star break.
Most of it, in hindsight, felt so self-inflicted.
All of it, undoubtedly, served as sources of frustration.
“It’s just one of those stretches for us right now,” Muncy said. “I think everyone’s ready for the break.”
Shohei Ohtani hits a ground ball during the fifth inning. AP Photo/Kyusung Gong
Sunday started well enough for the Dodgers. Shohei Ohtani hit the first pitch of the day out to center for a leadoff home run, then sparked another rally in the third with a leadoff double that eventually set Tommy Edman up for a two-run single.
After that, however, the Dodgers wouldn’t record another hit.
And on the other side of the ball, they opened one door after another to let the Dbacks back into the game.
Following back-to-back doubles off Emmet Sheehan in the fifth, Pages dropped a relatively routine fly ball that led to another score. In the sixth, a leadoff walk from Sheehan and a passed ball from backup catcher Eliezer Alfonzo created another Dbacks threat.
With runners on the corners later in the inning, Muncy got a ground ball at third but hit Geraldo Perdomo in the back while trying to throw home. That allowed Perdomo to score the tying run. Ildemaro Vargas then gave Arizona the lead with an RBI single in the following at-bat.
“The ball took me to my right, so instinctively I just went home,” said Muncy, explaining why he didn’t go to second for a potential double-play. “And the runner did his job by getting inside the line, and it just clipped his shoulder.” The throw was on line, but not on line because he was in the way.”
In the ninth, Arizona added insurance when Tim Tawa took Evan Phillips deep.
And in the end, the Dodgers put a disappointing bookend on their sloppiest week of the season.
Shohei Ohtani hit the first pitch of the day out to center for a leadoff home run. AP Photo/Kyusung Gong
What it means
Going back to Tuesday’s loss to the Colorado Rockies, when a couple late errors effectively gave the game away, the Dodgers have put up ugly marks in most facets of the game.
Most glaring is their defense, which committed just 24 errors in their first 92 games but has stunningly combined for nine in the five games since (leading to eight total unearned runs in that span).
However, the pitching has also been spotty, highlighted by 19 walks, two hit batters, three wild pitches and two balks during this five-game rut.
And the offense hasn’t been bailing anyone out, going just 6-for-35 with runners in scoring position over that same span.
It hasn’t cost the Dodgers (61-36) the best first-half record in the majors. It’s also put only the slightest of dents into what is now an 11 ½ game lead in the National League West.
Still, Roberts was clearly irked even before Sunday’s dud. The search for cleaner baseball goes on, but will now have to wait until the season resumes next Friday on the East Coast.
Who’s hot
The biggest part of Ohtani’s day was slated to happen after Sunday’s game, with the two-way star scheduled to have his ailing knee drained and receive a pain-relieving injection.
But first, the four-time MVP made his latest mark at the plate, finishing his first half as a hitter strong by collecting his 22nd home run, recording his 58th RBI and hitting the All-Star break with a .293 average and .952 OPS.
Now, he’ll take the next couple days to let his knee rest –– which the Dodgers hope will allow him to resume full-time two-way duties when the schedule starts back up.
Who’s not
Hard to pick just one Dodger right now, but Muncy stands out because of his recent struggles on both sides of the ball.
The All-Star third baseman endured a quiet homestand at the plate, batting just .207 with two doubles, no homers and three RBIs. The bigger problems, however, were with the glove, where Muncy’s once-standout defensive season took a quick and ugly turn.
Sunday marked the third-straight game Muncy committed an error (he only had five errors all season previously). In that stretch, he has also missed a couple hard ground balls that were ruled for hits.
On multiple occasions, his frustration was evident.
“Just going through slumps,” Muncy said. “You just try to weather it.”
Up next
With the exception of Ohtani, the Dodgers’ other five All-Stars (plus manager Dave Roberts and his coaching staff) will head to Philadelphia for this week’s All-Star festivities. The team will be back in action next Friday, when it begins a three-city road trip with a three-game set against the Yankees.
But on Saturday night, while the Lakers’ Summer League team was taking on the Dallas Mavericks at the Thomas & Mack Center, Mamukelashvili took other kinds of shots for his new team.
Sandro Mamukelashvili joined the Los Angeles Lakers in free agency on a 4-year, $52 million contract. NBAE via Getty Images
Mamukelashvili became the latest NBA player to trade in his jersey for a photographer’s camera, shooting the first half of Saturday’s game from the first row of the courtside media section inside of the arena.
“I love doing extra stuff,” Mamukelashvili told The California Post. “They call me Side Quest King. So I definitely love it. I’m enjoying it. I’m learning a lot.”
Harboring an interest in photography, Mamukelashvili (“Sometimes I try to take artsy pictures that don’t make [any] sense,” he said. “But I’ve got to explain to people why they’re good.”) quickly found out the challenges of the craft.
He exclaimed “Ahh, I missed it!” after Arthur Kaluma’s pump-and-drive layup four-and-a-half minutes into the game.
Mamukelashvili joined the Lakers at Summer League to serve as team photographer during a game. Khobi Price for the CA Post
He talked about how much he liked to zoom in, but realized he had to find the balance of how far to zoom in and how much space to give his subject.
By the second quarter, he started stretching out his wrists as the weight of the camera started to set in.
“Oh my god, it’s crazy how hard is it to hold the camera steady at the same time, make sure you zoom in correctly, zoom out,” Mamukelashvili told The Post. “Definitely need some strength on your wrist, it’s tough.”
During a Lakers fastbreak in the first quarter, he said out loud to himself: “Run run run … give me action.” Later, he added, “I’m ready … I’m ready.”
Eager to show off his work, Mamukelashvili sat in the press row to share it with reporters. Khobi Price for the CA Post
Mamukelashvili got so into the side quest that he found himself cheering for a Mavericks player to dunk. And when jokingly asked by The Post who he was cheering for, he quipped, “I need a statement!”
“The challenging part is, I would say, making sure you are catching the right moment,” Mamukelashvili said.
At one point in the first quarter, Mamukelashvili gave his photography skills a grade of B+.
“Still got a little bit of action to go,” he said. “So, let’s see what I can cook up here.”
And then, Mamukelashvili met the moment, capturing William Kyle III’s two-handed dunk late in the opening quarter, which bumped Mamukelashvili’s self-assessed grade up to an A-.
By the time the second quarter rolled around, Mamukelashvili found his flow.
“I’m creating art right now, man,” he said as a Laker social media employee gave him Meta Glasses to capture more content.
What was his best shot of the game?
“It’s too many of them,” he responded.
Arguably the best photo of Mamukelashvili’s day was this two-handed dunk by William Kyle III. Khobi Price for the CA Post
Soon, Mamukelashvili will find himself back in a familiar position on the other side of the camera.
But it’ll be in the Lakers’ Purple and Gold after playing for the Toronto Raptors (2025-26), San Antonio Spurs (2023-25) and Milwaukee Bucks (2021-23) since being the No. 54 pick in the 2021 draft.
“Just the name itself — all of the legends play for the Lakers,” Mamukelashvili told The Post of why he signed with the famed team. “The organization is a very high-level organization. They’re starting a new page, and it’s just unbelievable to be part of it.”
Mamukelashvili, who got a “Mamba Mentality” tattoo while he was in college at Seton Hall, grew up a fan of late Lakers icon Kobe Bryant.
“I could only imagine this really in 2K, that I would be playing for this team,” Mamukelashvili said. “I’m so excited, so happy. The coaching staff is amazing, and I can’t wait to just put the jersey on, go out there and just play my heart out every night. You gotta have a chip on your shoulder when you play for the Lakers.”
Mamukelashvili is expected to bring size, physicality and an ability to stretch the floor, which should pair well with Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves. Getty Images
Mamukelashvili (four years, $52 million), along with Reaves, Kessler and Grimes, were among the players who signed long-term deals with a player option for the 2029-30 season.
This deal signified the belief president of basketball operations/general manager Rob Pelinka and coach JJ Redick have in Mamukelashvili and in the team’s long-term vision.
The 6-foot-9, 240-pound Mamukelashvili is coming off of a career-year with the Raptors, receiving three third-place votes for Sixth Man of the Year. His scoring average (11.2 points), field goal percentage (52.3%), rebounds average (4.9), assists average (1.9), steals average (.8) and blocks average (.5) with Toronto in 2025-26 were all career-best marks.
“They just see me as a basketball player who can go out there, play multiple positions, bring the rhythm,” Mamukelashvili told The Post. “They know I’m gonna play hard; I won’t take possessions off and they understand that I really want to win. That’s where I fit.
“Having players like Luka, Austin Reaves — all those guys who are such amazing creators — that’s gonna help me so much offensively, just flow in it and hopefully get a lot of open corner 3s and then just knock them down.”
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CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JULY 12: J.T. Ginn #35 of the Athletics exits the game the fifth inning of the a game between the Athletics and the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field on July 12, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Griffin Quinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The A’s couldn’t manage to escape the South Side with a win, getting swept by the White Sox 9-1 to wrap up the first half.
Righty J.T. Ginn was off today. After the A’s gave him a quick lead in the first he coughed that right back, allowing six runs in the first inning to put the squad in an early hole they wouldn’t come out of.
The tough part about today was all of the offense came in the first inning off the bat of Shea Langeliers. Other than that, nothing. The offense continues to run silent during this critical stretch.
Now the team has a little less than a week off, Hopefully they can take the time off and figure things out.
Australian loses boys’ final to Jordan Lee of US 4-6, 6-4, 7-5
Two-hour match will likely be 17-year-old’s last as a junior
Cruz Hewitt has vowed to blossom again at Wimbledon as he brushed off the heartbreak of just failing to follow in the celebrated footsteps of his father, 24 years after Lleyton won the men’s title.
With his dad watching on and cajoling him from the players’ box on No 1 Court, the 17-year-old Sydney prospect Hewitt fell agonisingly short in the boys’ final on Sunday after he had led 4-2 in the final set against talented young American prospect Jordan Lee.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 12: Dillon Mitchell #20 of the Boston Celtics dunks the ball during the game against the Charlotte Hornets on July 12, 2026 at the Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas, Nevada. 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 Mike Kirschbaum/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Boston Celtics returned to the court in game 2 of Las Vegas summer league to take on the Charlotte Hornets. The Summer C’s played a great game with plenty of good performances spearheaded by 2nd round rookie Dillon Mitchell who led the team with 24 points, 6 steals and 8 rebounds. They now move to 2-0 in Las Vegas with a 87-75 victory.
Charlotte came into the game with a win and a loss and a stacked squad with 3 picks from last year’s draft: Liam McNeely, Ryan Kalkbrenner, and Sion James; their 2024 6th overall pick, Tidjane Salaun; and Christain Anderson. Boston started the same five as game one: Hugo Gonzalez, Amari Williams, Dillon Mitchell, John Tonje, and Curtis Jones. The Hornets came out of the gates strong with a quick 2-9 lead as they looked extremely poised early.
Chris Cenac Jr. and Milos Uzan were first off the bench for Boston, and Cenac Jr. jumped straight into the fray, matching Ryan Kalkbrenner at the summit and blocking his dunk attempt. Hugo Gonzalez made up for his poor shooting in game one and connected from the corner with a three-pointer off a neat Cenac Jr. skip pass. Milos Uzan nailed a triple on his first shot attempt of the game, putting Boston back in it with scores tied at eight.
Hugo Gonzalez drove and dished to Dillon Mitchell for the easy layup as Derrick White looked on from the coaching bench wearing the pink Boston Summer League polo shirt. Rookie Dillon Mitchell followed that up with a steal and uncontested fast break dunk that rattled the Vegas rim, scores tied at 12. Charlotte went on a 7-0 run at the end of the first quarter before Tucker DeVries’s first triple of the game broke the C’s scoring drought, Hornets up 17-21 after one.
Milos Uzan hit a step-back three-pointer to start the second quarter, the Las Vegas native and former Houston Cougar impressing in his first few Summer League games. John Tonje continued to fill up the summer scoreboards, hitting a quick catch-and-shoot triple and then converting a layup. Boston was down by 1 point, 25-26.
LAS VEGAS, NV – JULY 12: Milos Uzan #29 of the Boston Celtics dribbles the ball during the game against the Charlotte Hornets on July 12, 2026 at the Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas, Nevada. 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 Mike Kirschbaum/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Dillon Mitchell converted his second three-pointer attempt after airballing an earlier attempt. Amari Wilaims swished home a hook shot from the low block, the game remaining tight with the Hornets still up by one point, 30-31. Boston went scoreless for 3 minutes, missing 5 straight three-point attempts; Chris Cenac Jr. drove past Hannes Steinbach at the top of the key and threw down a one-handed jam for his first bucket to make it 32-38.
Milos Uzan drove and dished to John Tonje, who swished home his eighth point of the game. Tonje was feeling it hitting on another three-pointer with the shot clock expiring. Boston got back into the game behind the great play of Tonje, the 2025-26 second-round pick proving his worth with Brad Stevens in attendance. Boston is up by 2 points at the half in a far more polished team performance, 42-40.
Milos Uzan hit a layup to open the second half scoring for Boston. John Tonje stole the ball at mid court to take the ball to the rack with a dunk. It was all one way traffic for Boston as the Summer C’s went on a 14-2 run. Amari Williams was not having a great game for the Celtics, he had 4 turnovers in just 15 minute of action to start the game.
Dillon Mitchell was impressive on the defensive end for Boston, he was touted highly before the draft, but his long arms and positioning were a standout. Mitchell was doing it on both ends, as he was the team’s leading scorer through three quarters with 16 points as Boston opened up a ten point lead, 59-49.
Charlotte managed just nine points in 6 minutes of play in the third. They picked up their play late as Boston held on 63-56 after three quarters. Hugo Gonzalez laced home a rainbow triple to start the fourth quarter. Dillon Mitchell tried to dunk it over Kalkbrenner, but was fouled on the play. The broadcast crew noting Mitchell’s 38-inch vertical on the telecast.
Mitchell chased down a long rebound skipping it to DeVries in the corner who drained the triple, Boston up by 11 points, 71-59. Uzan hit his second three of the game with a crafty behind the back move and a step back jumper. The Summer Celtics in control, and on track to win a second straight game. Mitchell and Gonzalez made a ton of defensive plays on the night, the pair combining for 9 steals.
Boston hold on to win the game 87-75 and register two wins from 2 games. The Summer C’s back in action tomorrow against the Atlanta Hawks at 6pm.
Jul 12, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; Toronto Blue Jays center fielder Daulton Varsho (5) steals second base ahead of the tag of San Diego Padres shortstop Xander Bogaerts (2) during the fifth inning at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images
Blue Jays 4 Padres 3
A rough eight cost them.
Hoffman in. Xander Bogaerts, leading off, ground one softly (63.4 mph) up the middle, but between second and short. Ernie Clement got to it too deep to make a play. Bogaerts stole second. Manny Machado lined a single to center, scoring the run. Gavin Sheets ground one at Andrés Giménez, but Clements was slow getting to second so they couldn’t get the lead runner. The out at first wasn’t enough. I didn’t understand why Clements couldn’t get to the bag before the base runner. They had a shot at a double play. After that, a steal of third and a sac fly brought in the go ahead run. That was the game.
Barker talked about it after and watching it, again, I still don’t get what Ernie was doing.
And the bottom of the ninth went too quick. Ground out, pop out, strikeout.
Kevin Gausman had one bad inning. In the second he gave up a Machado single, Sheets walk, Ty France singled (scoring one). Jake Cronemworth singled to load the bases. A pop out got us one out. A walk scored run number two. Fernando Tatis struckout, but there was a rather weird balk in there. Gausman threw out of the stretch, instead of the windup with the bases loaded. Earlier he had told the plate umpire that’s what he was going to do, but not that time. I’m always unclear on balk rules, but I don’t think that I’ve seen that one before.
He got out of the inning after that, and went 6.0. Three hits and a walk that inning, one hit, two walks in the other five, with eight strikeouts total.
Tyler Rogers pitched a quick seventh.
Offensively:
One in the first: Nathan Lukes homered.
Two in the fourth: With two out, Andrés Giménez doubled and Ernie Clement homered.
One in the eighth: Kazuma Okamonto led off with a single. Two outs later, Alejandro Kirk (pinch hitting for Sean Keys) was intentionally walked. Jonatan Clase singled the run in.
We should have scored more. We had nine hits (two home runs) and three walks.
Clase and Okamoto had two hits each. Vladimir Guerrero (with a walk) and Sean Keys had 0 fors.
We had two on in the second, two on in the third, one on in the fifth. We were two for nine with RISP.
Jays of the Day: Clase (0.26 WPA), Okamoto (0.11
Other Award: Hoffman (-0.55, some of that belongs to Clement), Varsho (-0.11) and Valenzuela (-0.09) anad Keys (-0.09).
Tennessee's Tegan Kuhns (21) throws a pitch during a baseball game between Tennessee and Wright State in Lindsey Nelson Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, March 6, 2026. | Caitie McMekin/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The 2026 Major Legue Baseball Draft is now in our rearview mirror. While it wasn’t a 2024 or 2025-esque firestorm of Tennessee Volunteers flying off the board, Tennessee still had a solid six players selected over the two-day event.
Let’s take a closer look at who went where.
CB-A, No. 32: Tegan Kuhns, St. Louis Cardinals
The headliner was, of course, Tennessee ace Tegan Kuhns. He had been projected from anywhere as high as 24 to Seattle down to below where he was taken, which was at No. 32 overall by the St. Louis Cardinals.
Yes, the Cardinals. For the second straight year, St. Louis tabbed the top of Tennessee’s pitching rotation early in the draft. Last year, St. Louis took Liam Doyle with the No. 5 overall pick.
Kuhns was the second player taken by the Cardinals in the top 32 this year. With pick No. 13, St. Louis also tabbed Tennessee commit OF Trevor Condon out of Etowah High School in Woodstock Georgia.
So, Tennessee fans should have a keen eye on St. Louis to see where the progam’s ace pitchers from 2025-26 end up, as well as who could have been their freshman superstar in 2027.
Rd 6, No. 191: Henry Ford, Seattle Mariners
Tennessee’s biggest bat from 2026 finds his new home, and he’ll be joining a team that certainly has the pitching, but still needs to find some answers at the plate.
Ford slugged a team-high 20 home runs last year, which put his total at 48 for his three collegiate years. Without question, he showed he has high upside at the plate from a power perspective at the MLB level. But his batting average dropped off pretty heavily in 2026 from his previous two seasons at Virginia. He posted a .293 average after hitting .362 in 2024 for the Cavaliers.
Opportunity is there for Ford, and he’ll hit his fair share of long home runs with a path to move up — if he can continue to make contact.
Rd 7, No. 219: Bo Rhudy, Philadelphia Phillies
Not a bad franchise to land with as far as being a consistent winner. Rhudy ended up putting together a very nice stat line in his one year at Tennessee: 3.38 ERA, 41 Ks, six walks.
His unorthodox delivery and arm slot should help him out at the big-league level and continue to give him a slight edge by deceiving hitters.
Rd 8, No. 229: Garrett Wright, Los Angeles Angels
Another Vol is headed to Orange County, California. Wright joins Christian Moore and Ben Joyce in the Angels organization. He was a crucial part of Tennessee’s offense last year, hitting an impressive .348 with nine homers and 17 RBIs. A catcher and outfielder, he has some added benefit with positional flexibility.
Rd 12, No. 367: Brandon Arvidson, Chicago Cubs
Arvidson was certainly an important part of the Vols’ pen last year, appearing in 16 games with one start and logging 37.1 innings. He doesn’t have overwhelming stuff, but the 6-5, 210-pound lefty has the frame and delivery to be a problem for hitters with proper development.
Rd 13, No. 381: Evan Blanco, Athletics
Last but not least, one third of the Vols’ weekend rotation gets the nod in Round 13 by the (future Las Vegas) Athletics. He doesn’t have the Kuhns-type stuff, but he wasn’t all that far behind the Vols’ ace in strikeouts (101 in 89 IP vs. Kuhns’ 106 in 81). However, he gave up a team-high 17 home runs. He’ll have to learn how to avoid mistakes to get by with his arsenal at the next level.
Emmet Sheehan (80) battled through 5⅓ strong innings, and Shohei Ohtani belted his ninth leadoff homer, but the Dodgers were swept for the first time this season. (Ronaldo Bolaños / Los Angeles Times)
The Dodgers needed to turn things around Sunday to wrap up the first half on a high note. Manager Dave Roberts said as much the night before.
“When you give teams free bases, extra outs, it’s hard to win a game, regardless of the opponent,” he said. “Emmet [Sheehan] needs to go out there and throw the baseball well tomorrow. We’ve got to find a way to win a game tomorrow to feel somewhat better about going into the break.”
Instead, the Dodgers fell to the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-3, swept for the first time this season. It was Arizona’s first sweep at Dodger Stadium since September 2017.
“I guess,” Roberts said. “Gives guys a reset. ... We’ve got some good teams coming up and we’ve got to play good baseball.”
Sheehan at least did his job, holding the Diamondbacks to three runs in 5⅓ innings. It was clear from the first at-bat that his pitch count could limit how deep he pitched into the game. Sheehan won a 14-pitch battle to strike out Ketel Marte.
The right-hander then struck out the side and was efficient enough to pitch into the sixth. He exited after his pitch count reached 101.
Max Muncy swings at a pitch in the seventh inning. (Ronaldo Bolaños / Los Angeles Times)
Shohei Ohtani sparked the offense with his ninth leadoff home run of the season — and 22nd overall — on a two-hit day. But he’ll get treatment this week instead of playing in the All-Star Game.
It wasn’t a clean defensive game for the Dodgers. In the midst of the Diamondbacks’ two-run fifth, All-Star center fielder Andy Pages tracked a long fly back to the wall but missed the catch as the ball bounced off his glove for an error.
In the sixth, the tying run scored when All-Star third baseman Max Muncy’s throw to the plate hit Geraldo Perdomo in the back as he ran home for another error.
“Just a slump,” Muncy said. “You go through slumps both offensively and defensively, mentally. It’s just one of those stretches for us right now, and I think everyone’s ready for the break.”
Regardless of some sloppiness, the Dodgers have had a successful season going into the break.
“Just flush it,” Roberts said. “We’re still in a really good spot. Don’t let it carry over to the second half.”
They have the best record in the majors (61-36) and an 11½-game lead in the National League West. They also had six players selected as All-Stars.
So, as Major League Baseball pauses play and honors some of the best performers in each league, now’s a good time to hand out our first-half awards.
MVP: Shohei Ohtani
Shohei Ohtani follows through on a double in the third inning. (Ronaldo Bolaños / Los Angeles Times)
Who else? Ohtani’s the frontrunner for the NL most valuable player — not just these unofficial first-half awards — for his two-way performance.
He’s been a top performer both on the mound and in the batter’s box. He entered Sunday among the top three in the league in offensive fWAR (26.6) and on-base-plus-slugging percentage (.940). And his 1.79 earned-run average ranked second among NL pitchers who have thrown at least 50 innings. He remains in the Cy Young conversation, despite pitching only 85 ⅔ innings in the first half because of the Dodgers’ six-man rotation and a missed start stemming from an irritated left knee.
Honorable mention: Freddie Freeman, Max Muncy
Cy Young: Yoshinobu Yamamoto
Dodgers starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto delivers against the Diamondbacks on Saturday. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Yamamoto has carried this rotation through both performance (2.85 ERA) and workload, leading the team with 110⅔ innings.
Last month, he carried a perfect game into the eighth inning and no-hitter into the ninth against the Chicago White Sox. That was one of two starts of at least eight innings that he’s authored. He’s thrown six or more innings in all but two starts.
Pitcher Justin Wrobleski holds an All-Star jersey during a pregame ceremony honoring the Dodgers' All-Stars. (Ronaldo Bolaños / Los Angeles Times)
This time last year, Wrobleski was moving back and forth between triple A and the majors, providing length out of the bullpen after making changes to his delivery.
Coming into this season, a regular rotation spot was not guaranteed. Now, he’s an All-Star. And in a star-powered rotation, he has the second-best ERA (2.69) and has pitched the second-most innings (100⅓).
Honorable mention: Tanner Scott, Dalton Rushing, Andy Pages
Second-half breakout candidate: Kiké Hernández
Dodgers infielder Kiké Hernández high-fives his daughter, Penelope, after she threw out the ceremonial first pitch Sunday at Dodger Stadium. (Ronaldo Bolaños / Los Angeles Times)
Hernández has been on the field for only four plate appearances, exiting because of a strained left oblique in just his second game back from offseason surgery on his left elbow. But he recorded a hit in each of those plate appearances, including a pair of doubles.
Hernández, on the verge of a rehab assignment, is on a faster track to return than Roberts initially expected.
Others to watch: Edwin Díaz, Edgardo Henriquez, Alex Freeland, Kyle Tucker
Jul 12, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Colorado Rockies center fielder Cole Carrigg (16) loses his helmet on a swing during the ninth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
The Colorado Rockies fell to the San Francisco Giants in yet another close, low-scoring game in the Bay Area. This afternoon’s series finale was the last of 17 straight games the Rockies had to play before the All-Star Break. After a hard fought close series in Los Angeles, the Rockies lost four of their final five games of the half.
“It’s disappointing,” said manager Warren Schaeffer after the game. “We come expecting to win every night, but the season isn’t over yet.”
The season so far has been full of ups and downs, but has also been infinitely more watchable. The Rockies finish the first half with a 39-59 record, a full 17 games better than they were at the All-Star break in last year’s 119-loss campaign.
Now the Rockies will take a well deserved rest in preparation for the true dog days of summer: the second half of the MLB season.
“We’ll come back and get after it on Friday,” said Schaeffer.
Lorenzen gets the job done
Rockies starting pitcher Michael Lorenzen wasn’t necessarily sharp, but he gutted his way through five innings while only giving up one earned run to Giants hitters. Lorenzen entered today’s game having given up more than two earned runs in just one of his last six starts while going at least five innings in all but one outing during that same stretch.
Lorenzen struck out just one batter while giving up five hits and issuing three walks. That one strikeout came in the first inning against Rafael Devers, who came to the plate with runners on first and second with just one out. The Giants would fail to score that inning. Lorenzen worked just two 1-2-3 innings–the second and fifth–and dealt with frequent traffic, but really only had one truly bad inning where the Giants were able to capitalize. In the fourth inning, Lorenzen gave up a walk and back-to-back singles with two outs, allowing the Giants to score their first run of the game. He then issued a walk, but was able to navigate out of the inning with no further damage.
Jake McCarthy—who has been an electric acquisition for the Rockies this season—kicked off the game with a leadoff inside-the-park home run. It was his second such feat of the season and put the Rockies ahead early.
McCarthy becomes the just the third Rockies player in franchise history to hit two inside-the-park home runs in a single season–joining Brandon Barnes in 2014 and Charlie Blackmon in 2017–and is also the first player to hit two leadoff inside-the-park home runs since 1929.
“If anybody’s going to do it, it’s going to be Jake,” Schaeffer said of the accomplishment when informed after the game.
In addition, Hunter Goodman went 2-for-2 and the Rockies lineup as a whole struck out just six times.
That sadly does it for the positives, as the Rockies’ offense was whisper quiet for most of their final game of the first half. Outside of those two Goodman hits and the McCarthy home run, the Rockies had just one other hit. It came off the bat of Tyler Freeman in the fifth inning.
With the Rockies down to their final out in the ninth inning, rookie center fielder Cole Carrigg fought valiantly to keep the game alive. He worked an 11-pitch at-bat with a full count and fouled the ball off six times. Unfortunately, a sliding catch by Giants outfielder Jung Hoo Lee in shallow right field cemented the Rockies’ loss.
Relievers Brennan Bernardino and Jimmy Herget combined to give up just one hit and one walk over their two innings of relief for Lorenzen. Each pitcher recorded a strikeout.
Where things fell apart was when Antonio Senzatela entered the game in the eighth inning.
Senzatela issued a leadoff walk to Devers and a single to Bryce Eldridge to put a runner in scoring position. The pinch runner for Eldridge stole second base and an errant throw from Goodman ended up in the outfield allowing Devers to score the go-ahead run for San Francisco. A Willy Adames single plated another run to put the Rockies behind 3-1 in what would be the final score of the game.
After an incredibly strong start to the season, Senzatela has faltered as the months wear on. Since the start of June, he had a 6.60 ERA over his last 13 appearances, although his 3.17 FIP in that stretch indicates he’s also gotten unlucky.
Coming Up Next
The Rockies are off until Friday for the Midsummer Classic in Philadelphia, where Hunter Goodman will be their sole representative. After the break, they will start a three game series against the Cincinnati Reds at home.
The first game of that series will start at 6:40 PM MDT with right-handed pitcher Brady Singer on the bump for the Redlegs. The Rockies have yet to announce who will start for them.
The Mets closed out their disappointing first half on Sunday afternoon with a heartbreaking loss against the Boston Red Sox, wasting rookie Zach Thornton’s incredible performance in just his third major league start.
The left-hander pitched seven scoreless innings, giving up two hits and two walks while striking out five and throwing just 82 pitches (56 strikes). It was the best outing of Thornton’s young career which has seen him only make sporadic starts for New York – one in May, one in June and one in July.
But after his dominant outing, Thornton, at least for now, has earned a spot in the rotation and will make his next start for the Mets at some point after the All-Star break.
“We’ve been mostly floating with four starters for a while, so to have him step up and throw the baseball the way he did we’ll take a lot of encouragement from that because we’ve been needing that from someone and you can see he’s unafraid and you can see he’s on the attack,” interim manager Andy Green said. “So as painful as this moment is, those are good signs for our future to see a young guy step on the mound and pitch like that.”
Through three starts, Thornton owns a 2.60 ERA (0.92 WHIP) in 17.1 innings. His last start against the Philadelphia Phillies, which came on June 26, was also a good one. He pitched six innings while giving up one earned run on five hits and a walk. He also struck out seven and kept his pitch count to 78 pitches, 54 of them being strikes.
The back-to-back solid outings by the left-hander is a great sign, considering his struggles during his MLB debut against the Washington Nationals on May 20, in which he allowed four earned runs in 4.1 innings.
“[Thornton is] just a guy who can mix and attack with aggression and he just needs to continue to repeat that and step on the mound,” Green said. “Not every time is it gonna be seven scoreless… but for us that is what we want to see out of him. There’s days that he’ll pop it up to 95 [mph] and he can use that to punch guys late in counts. Didn’t see a lot of that today, didn’t need a lot of that today so just encouraged three starts in. We know he's unafraid.”
After the game Thornton was asked about his performance and what it is he needs to do to continue pitching like he did on Sunday.
“Just get back to what I do best and throwing strikes with all five pitches,” the rookie southpaw said. “I'm super excited to be here and just keep contributing to getting wins around here.”
The 24-year-old also mentioned that his teammates giving him words of encouragement has helped too.
“I think I belong anywhere,” Thornton said.
After all, Thornton earned his right for the call-up earlier this season after owning a 3.32 ERA in 48 games (39 starts) in his career in the minor leagues, making him the next highly touted Mets pitching prospect.
Thornton joins fellow rookie starters Nolan McLean and Christian Scott in the team's starting rotation, both of whom have shined as well. Meanwhile other pitching prospects are waiting in the wings for their opportunity to take the mound.
“Thornton was really good in his third major league start against a lineup that has hit left-handed pitching all season long, and Luis Torrens called a great game for him,” Green said. “They kept hitters off balance the entire game, he missed barrels the entire game, he got some punchouts, and it was fun to see. Encouraging for us as we look to round out the rotation.”
In a season where very little has gone right for New York, perhaps Thornton is a bright spot worth keeping an eye on as the Mets look to the future.
