NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JULY 12: Brayan Bello #66 of the Boston Red Sox pitches during the fourth inning against the New York Mets at Citi Field on July 12, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After not exactly lighting the world on fire in AAA, Brayan Bello nonetheless returned to the big leagues yesterday. And he shoved: 4.1 IP, 5 K, 2 H, 1 ER, 0 BB.
So the obvious question is: what now? The Red Sox do have room in the rotation — at least for now — with Ranger Suárez and Connelly Early on the IL. Moreover, as we saw in yesterday’s stunted start, the team is going to attempt to limit the workload of Payton Tolle in his first full season. Yet it must be said that Bello once again came out of the bullpen yesterday, and has not yet proven that he can be as effective in a starting role this year.
So what comes next for Bello? Is he thrown back into the rotation? Does he go in on a piggybacking timeshare with Tolle for the time being?
Use this space to talk about whatever you want. Be good to each other and go Sox.
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - JULY 12: Brandon Nimmo #24 of the Texas Rangers celebrates with teammates after hitting a game-winning, walk-off single against the Houston Astros in the bottom of the ninth inning at Globe Life Field on July 12, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning.
Kennedi Landry writes that after MacKenzie Gore stepped up for a short notice start, Brandon Nimmo provided the walk-off to send the Texas Rangers to the All-Star break with a winning record.
Shawn McFarland writes that the comeback win over Houston after they had lost a late lead shows that Skip Schumaker’s bid for clubhouse culture is taking shape.
Landry writes about the incoming draft class after the Rangers added 16 prospects on the draft’s final day yesterday.
McFarland writes that the Rangers are likely to sign potential first-round talent Brody Bumila after he slipped to them in the third round.
Landry writes that the big left-hander Bumila could be a steal for Texas but he will have to recover from arm surgery before he can make his mark.
McFarland notes that the Rangers had to spend light on Day 2 of the draft after jumping on some guys who fell to them on Day 1.
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - APRIL 14: Tyler Herro #14 of the Miami Heat plays against the Charlotte Hornets during their game at Spectrum Center on April 14, 2026 in Charlotte, North Carolina. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Fittingly, Tyler Herro used the song ‘Coming Home’ in his farewell video to the Miami Heat. On the same day, he also posted a drenched Bucks workout singlet to his Instagram story, along with a Twitter post reading “414” when the trade was announced in principle a few weeks ago. Whether he gets traded to another location or not between now and the start of the season, this is a man who is genuinely excited about the prospect of playing in his home state, which, like it or not, is not something pro athletes often say about Wisconsin.
I’m starting to come around.
From obscurity to celebrity: The come-up
As most Wisconsinites are aware, Tyler Herro grew up in Greenfield, just a 20-minute drive from the heart of Milwaukee. He starred at Whitnall High School, committing early to attend the University of Wisconsin. Later, though, Herro decommitted from UW to accept an offer from the University of Kentucky, which, it must be said, upset a few folks back home. It’s worth mentioning that Herro was not some automatic one-and-done prospect coming into his freshman season at Lexington, like so many Wildcat recruits are. The risky decision to step away from the comfort of Wisconsin into the firestorm of Kentucky took, as Kobe would say, “cajones” and, looking back, was a microcosm of the fearless mindset that would set Herro apart in the coming years.
Before long, the (wild)cat was out of the bag. Coach Cal injected Herro into his starting lineup from the jump, and he did not disappoint. His slick scoring and feel led him to average 14.0 PPG, 4.50 RPG, and 2.50 APG, and he went on to be named the SEC’s Rookie of the Year. Herro later declared for the 2019 NBA Draft, where he was selected 13th by the Miami Heat.
Feet to the Heat
The kid known as “Boy Wonder” experienced a baptism-by-fire in his rookie season—on multiple levels. I mean, his rookie year was quite literally interrupted by a worldwide pandemic; yet and still, though, his numbers in the shortened regular season were phenomenal, averaging 13.5 PPG on nearly 40% shooting from deep while playing on a team that was trying to compete for the title (which they did, of course, downing our very own Milwaukee Bucks in the second round of the 2019-20 NBA Playoffs). Herro was one of the headline stories to come out of those playoffs, announcing himself, at that time, as a near-untouchable piece of the Heat’s future.
Durability issues aside, Herro has been among the NBA’s upper echelon of players since that point. From year two to year three, he dramatically upped his PPG average from 15.1 to 20.7—a mark he has spent the rest of his career around. Herro won Sixth Man of the Year for the 2021-22 season and was selected as an All-Star three years later. Frankly, for all the issues people might have with the 26-year-old—and I’ve been a skeptic, to be sure—you look at the stats and have to concede that, when healthy, this is a damn good player who can contribute to winning basketball in the right situation. Over the last five seasons, Herro has averaged 21.4 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 4.5 APG while shooting 38.4% from three on a whopping 7.7 attempts per contest. He’s good!
Herro’s offensive game is built on the back of his three-point shooting ability. I mentioned his raw shooting stats above, but looking at the advanced tracking, there is no drop-off even when you differentiate his catch-and-shoot threes (37.3%) from his pull-ups (38.7%)—both on high volume, mind you. For whatever he lacks in explosiveness, he makes up for with craft. The Bucks will have touches to soak up (to some extent), and Herro is comfortable operating with a high usage, as evidenced by his shooting 50.3% on all shots taken off 3-6 dribbles, which, aside from off 0 dribbles, easily accounts for his most frequent shot taken. Yes, Herro will need to be insulated on defence, but I also think he’ll be highly motivated to shed the “poor defender” tag that has dogged him for his entire career.
Boy Wonder’s future in the Cream City
Look, is Herro a top option on a champion team? No way. But his reputation in the league simply doesn’t do justice to the player he has become. Behind the loud bravado and ostentatiousness lies an extremely talented hooper who is clearly motivated to prove the doubters wrong; trust me, this man is keenly aware that Pat Riley has attempted to trade him multiple times. And let me tell you something else: with nothing in the way of draft picks to play for this year, I am very down for a revenge-fuelled season powered by healthy levels of spite and pettiness, with none other than Herro leading that charge.
Now, would it be a smart choice for the Bucks to invest in Herro as a franchise pillar for the next 5-10 years? Probably not. Investing in him long-term may well be like choosing to satisfy your hunger with candy: it’ll have you feeling a buzz in the moment, but it’s not sustainable in the long run. At the same time, the Bucks don’t necessarily have to know what the “long run” looks like for a few years yet, and I’m not opposed to a sugar rush.
ATLANTA, GA - JULY 06: Walt Weiss #22 of the Atlanta Braves stands for the national anthem before the game against the New York Mets at Truist Park on July 6, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin D. Liles/Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
This is kind of a weird question, but hear me out.
As it stands right now, the Braves are on pace for a 94-win season. That’s pretty good! Of course, you all know about how June (especially June 9-30) was a nightmare, and the best the Braves have managed since is .500 ball. So, at the same time, the bar to clear is both reasonable (playing above a 94-win pace for 2.5 months) and perhaps very high up there (a team that is among the worst in MLB for the past six weeks playing above a 94-win pace for 2.5 months).
But, I want to flag something else, which is that despite their record, the Braves’ production has been mediocre. Part of this is a brief story about the edges of production: once your production is high enough, you win more than expected since both your run scoring and run prevention make it hard to lose; at the same time, when any of your production is low enough, it’s hard to win.
Through June 8, the Braves were fourth in position player fWAR and ninth in pitching fWAR. However, the way in which they layered those got them way more wins than you’d expect from a top-ten team in both. I don’t really mean this is sequencing or a benefit from BABIP or anything, it’s more just that if you’re good at both, you can squeak out wins when one doesn’t fire. Combine that with some aggressive pitching management to make sure that you deploy the pitching when the offense isn’t pulling its weight, and yeah, that team probably shouldn’t have been 45-21, but that’s what happened.
After June 8, the Braves are 29th in position player fWAR and 23rd in pitching fWAR. That’s really bad. They’re maybe a little lucky to have gone 10-19 (case in point, the game against the Cardinals on Sunday), but that’s also about what you’d expect a bottom ten team in both to do.
So, put that together, and the Braves are still riding a bit of a “our record is way better than our production” from earlier in the season.
Which brings me to my question: do you think that the Braves can get back to their 94-win pace over the 67 games that remain? I tend to think “no” unless they go back to the same type of management they were doing through the first two months… and even that’s a stretch, because the management has to result in the same rate of wins, which isn’t likely. But, that’s why I’m throwing it out there. What do you think?
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JULY 12: Manager Larry Bowa #10 of the Philadelphia Phillies on the American League Team looks on during the 2026 MLB Futures Game at Citizens Bank Park on July 12, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Futures Game is a big part of the All-Star weekend in which teams send representatives from their minor league system to participate in what amounts to a prospect list All-Star Game. The problem is that, while it should be something of a showcase event, MLB has decided in recent years to banish it when other MLB games are on and to shorten it to seven innings, both stupid ideas.
The question is: did you watch any of it? It really is a game that is for baseball sickos since there are probably a lot of names people that aren’t diehards do not know. We, of course, know Gage Wood, the pitcher that started the game for the National League side and most probably know Wei-Hui Pan, the right hander in the team’s organization. Other than that, you’d have to dig deep to know many of the names.
CINCINNATI, OHIO - JULY 05: Third baseman Blaze Alexander #23 of the Baltimore Orioles looks on during a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on July 05, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Jeff Dean/Getty Images) | Getty Images
When the Orioles traded for Blaze Alexander back in February, expectations were modest. The former 11th-round pick had been useful in his time with the Diamondbacks, showing positional versatility and some speed on the bases. But his outlook was still that of a bench player that could fill in here and there. And that’s similar to how the Orioles used him earlier this season until a combination of poor play around him and consistent performance from Alexander pushed him into a regular role. Now, with the 27-year-old on the IL with a broken hand for several weeks at least, the Orioles are left scrambling to replace him.
It won’t be easy. Alexander had become a force in the team’s lineup. He owns a .310/.368/.439 batting line on the season. That even includes some early-season struggles (.177/.250/.210 line in March/April) that bring his overall numbers down. Since May 25, Alexander is slashing .388/.442/.578 with four home runs, eight doubles, one triple, nine walks, and 21 strikeouts. You could make an argument that he has been one of the league’s absolute best hitters in that—rather lengthy—stretch.
Alexander’s breakthrough had seemingly solved one of the team’s biggest holes at third base. With Jordan Westburg on the shelf, the Orioles attempted to hand the job to Coby Mayo early in the year. But the young slugger hasn’t shown himself to be a viable everyday player. His .193/.264/.395 line this year is similar to what he produced in an underwhelming 2025 campaign.
However, Mayo has carved a fine niche for himself by crushing left-handed pitching to the tune of a 1.092 OPS this season. That’s an area where Alexander had struggled (.672 OPS this year), so little will change when the opposing team is starting a southpaw.
Against right-handed pitchers, however, this will present a problem for manager Craig Albernaz. And that’s a pretty massive issue, since three-quarters of major league pitchers throw with their right hand.
Mayo (.447 OPS against RHP this season) is virtually unplayable in those situations. Jeremiah Jackson runs hot and cold, and has a pedestrian .685 OPS against righties this season, but is the likely next man up in this situation. Jackson Holliday took some reps at third base during his rehab earlier this season, but someone needs to man second base, and it’s not as if Holliday has been a stud (.691 OPS) against right-handed pitching this season anyway.
The straightforward solution would be to use Jackson at third base against righties and Mayo against lefties. The duo would then sub in for one another late in games as the matchup dictates. Maybe the Orioles will catch lightning in a bottle with at least one of them.
Jackson has a .737 OPS since the start of June. That’s not awful, though he hasn’t walked at all in that stretch, has been sent down to Triple-A in the middle of it, and is a player that can struggle when overexposed. Mayo has a 1.026 OPS in the month of July, but he is being protected by his manager, rarely facing right-handed pitching at all. It will be difficult to maintain that balance with Alexander on the IL.
Holliday will also be impacted. His bat has been heating up recently (.263/.500/.316 line in July), and he takes some of the best at-bats on the team. But Albernaz has been cycling him in and out of the lineup fairly regularly to keep him fresh and take advantage of matchups. That won’t be as easy to do with Alexander out.
There are no top infield prospects down in Norfolk waiting to come up either. Christian Encarnacion-Strand could get a promotion though. He is already on the 40-man roster and boasts some solid season totals (.273/.309/.555, 17 home runs, 48 RBI), but he strikes out a bunch (30.6% K-rate this season in Triple-A), and owns just a 91 wRC+ across parts of three MLB seasons with the Reds.
Other options currently with the Tides include spring stud Bryan Ramos, who has just a .630 OPS this year, José Barrero, who is OPS’ing .807 and has played in parts of four big league seasons, or the familiar and light-hitting Luis Vàzquez. Both Barrero and Vàzquez can play shortstop, which would be nice to have since Alexander did serve as Gunnar Henderson’s backup, a role that would probably fall to Holliday at the moment.
None of these solutions are particularly attractive, especially with the expectation that Alexander could miss most of what’s left in the regular season, or more. The Orioles could hobble through a brief IL stint with what they have, but if they truly have playoff ambitions then they need something more at third base.
Perhaps the one silver lining of the entire situation is the timing. The Orioles front office now has a few days without games that they can use to evaluate their position, the trade landscape, and the sorts of moves they are willing to make. If they are truly going to pursue a playoff spot, adding an infielder has to be on their shopping list. It can be a third baseman, or it can be a second baseman that would allow them to platoon some combination of Mayo, Holliday, and Jackson at the hot corner.
The trade deadline isn’t for another three weeks, so teams may be reticent to make a move now. Only a handful of clubs are truly “out” of the playoff race. The Royals, Angels, Athletics, Mets, Reds, Giants, and Rockies might be the only clubs ready to sell. And then from that group only a couple of them have players that would fit the Orioles needs and be available in a trade.
Luis Arraez is on an expiring deal and has been tremendous on an otherwise disastrous Giants squad. If the Tigers decide to sell, Gleyber Torres would be a useful hitter towards the bottom of the order. Brett Baty from the Mets would be a risky but intriguing addition that comes with years of team control.
These are all purely speculative, but represent the sort of “throw everything at the wall and see what sticks” ideas that the Orioles could be tossing around this week. But as always it comes down to cost of getting that deal done. Mike Elias has shown a willingness to be aggressive at previous trade deadlines, but he often avoids the absolute top of the market. Maybe that perspective shifts if he believes his job is on the line with another disappointing season.
Yaxel Lendeborg, Golden State’s first-round pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, joined Bleacher Report’s Marc Stein and Jake Fischer from NBA Summer League on Sunday in Las Vegas, where he was asked to offer a pitch to James.
“My pitch is, man, I know you don’t like rookies that much, man, but I’m not the average rookie, you know, and I would love to learn under you, man,” Lendeborg stated. “So I mean, if you’re looking to play with one of the greatest — the greatest shooter of all time and a close friend of yours, Draymond, it’ll be great to come to the Warriors, and we’ll be glad to have you.”
Yaxel Lendeborg recruitment pitch to LeBron James
“I know you don't like rookies that much, but I'm not the average rookie… if you're looking to play with the greatest shooter of all time and Draymond, we'll be glad to have you". pic.twitter.com/eGh0NW6XoR
While the 41-year-old James likely won’t want to join a team that relies too heavily on unproven rookies, Lendeborg, 23, should be able to contribute more immediately than most first-year players.
After all, if his play so far during summer league is any indication, Lendeborg could provide a needed all-around boost to an older Warriors squad.
Of course, as the rookie mentioned, the opportunity to play with the greatest shooter of all time doesn’t need much explanation, either.
The Warriors must remain in wait-and-see mode, though, as James’ eventual decision should be a major factor in determining how the rest of the NBA offseason plays out.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 12: Dillon Mitchell #20 of the Boston Celtics drives to the basket 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
#1 2-for-2
The Summer League Celtics are undefeated! It hasn’t been pretty; in fact, at times, it’s been downright gritty. Nevertheless, Amile Jefferson’s squad has found ways to win, and that’s a skill in itself.
Securing a dub against a Charlotte Hornets team that boasted Ryan Kalkbrenner, Liam McNeeley, Tidjane Salaun and Sion James — four players with a collective total of 279 NBA games worth of experience, all within the Hornets’ system, is no easy feat.
The most impressive thing to me about yesterday's win is that Charlotte had four players in its starting lineup who boasted a combined 279 NBA games.
In terms of experience and development time, they had a huge advantage.
The Celtics still found ways to take care of business
You’ve got to give credit to the Summer League C’s for rising to the level of their more experienced opposition.
#2 Dillon Mitchell is doing it all
Would it be Summer League if we didn’t have at least one player we collectively began to get behind in their battle for an NBA contract? Currently, Dillon Mitchell, Boston’s second-round draft pick, is without a contract. Based on his performances over the first two Summer League games, things won’t stay that way for too long. The question is, will he fill Boston’s 15th and final roster spot, or land on a two-way next to Amari Williams?
To Mitchell’s credit, he’s doing everything possible to show the range and versatility in his game. Against Charlotte, Mitchell ended the game as Boston’s top scorer with 24 points; he led the team in rebounds, was second in blocks and led the team in steals.
In an all-action performance, Mitchell showcased what he can do despite not being a featured part of the offense.
“He was so alive today. He played with such great energy,” Jefferson said of Mitchell after the game. “He crashed every time. He had like three different times where he almost had a tip dunk. When he’s playing with that kind of pop, he’s going to be really good. And then any time he gets an open three, he should shoot it.”
There’s an argument that Mitchell doesn’t bring anything new to Boston’s rotation. After all, Joe Mazzulla can already lean on Jordan Walsh and Hugo Gonzalez if he needs a defense-first wing to disrupt the flow of a game. Yet, Mitchell is a more explosive athlete than his more experienced teammates, and can provide a different level of downhill pressure with a sprinkling of vertical spacing.
When watching back through the game this morning, one play that didn’t end in a bucket or even a highlight stood out to me, because it was translatable to the Celtics brand of defense.
There’s nothing spectacular about this play. Yet, you don’t need spectacular moments from your second-round draft picks; you just need them to be a viable fit for your system with a legitimate level of upside. In the video above, you can see Mitchell reading the Hornet’s offense, remaining patient and then rotating over to provide help at the nail. His presence and timing allow him to get his hand on the rock and add a steal (maybe a forced turnover?) to his stat sheet.
Under Mazzulla, the Celtics are a heavy nail-help team. Having an explosive wing who can cover ground quickly and bail out of missed rotation in the rearview is a luxury. The fact that he’s already finding success as a high helper shows that some of his impact will be translatable to the next level.
#3 Hugo is doing just fine
6-of-26. That’s what Hugo Gonzalez is shooting in Summer League so far. Outside of some flashes when working in the pick-and-roll, Hugo’s offense has been patchy at best. I’m ok with that for three reasons.
First, this might be the first time in Hugo’s career that he’s been tasked with carrying this level of offensive usage, not just as a scorer but also in terms of touches and overall creation. As a teenager playing in Real Madrid’s pro system, Hugo likely had an ancillary role similar to the one he played for the Celtics this past season.
Therefore, Hugo is likely facing a new level of defensive attention. His shots are coming from new spots and in new ways. And, of course, the pressure to create for others could be adding a new level of weight to his shoulders, because, at times, he has looked to get off a pass when bullying his way to the rim may have been the better move.
Secondly, this is the Summer League. Thrive, struggle, it doesn’t matter; everything right now is about growth, getting live reps, and finding holes in your game that need to be plugged. Look back to last summer and think about the struggles Baylor Scheierman had in this exact same tournament. Then correlate those struggles to the success he had as the NBA season wore on.
Not only did Baylor find his rhythm from deep to the point where most Celtics fans have become comfortable with the notion of trading Sam Hauser, but he also emerged as a highly reliable defender, both within the system and in isolation.
Finally, Hugo’s only struggle right now is scoring the rock. In two games, he’s registered 14 rebounds, 12 assists and 4 steals. His defense has been solid, and he’s navigated screens well, closing out with purpose and providing reliable help all over the floor.
“His intensity, how hard he plays, how competitive he is — he embodies the name on the front of that jersey,” Dillon Mitchell said of Hugo after the game.
Summer League is about growth and development. Hugo is working through the hurdles that come with forcing that growth through discomfort.
He’s doing just fine.
#4 Active hands
If you want to play an up-tempo brand of basketball, then finding ways to get out in transition is the first step. The Celtics ended yesterday’s matchup with 11 steals, contributing to 17 fast break buckets. According to NBA Stats, those 17 points accounted for 19.5% of Boston’s overall scoring total.
Jefferson’s team was jumping passing lanes, picking pockets, and rotating on time in order to force some mistakes. Of course, getting the steal or forcing the turnover is only half the battle. The other side of that coin is finishing your food, regardless of how much is on the plate.
Credit to this team, they play hard, fast and with purpose, and that’s why they were such a threat to get out in the open floor and make the most of those opportunities.
#5 Maximizing possessions
I’ve got a feeling that I’m going to be harping on about maximizing possessions all season. From the outside looking in, it certainly seems that it’s going to be a focus for this team (in terms of offensive rebounding and making the most of those additional opportunities), especially with the bigs on the roster. So, it should come as no surprise that the Summer League Cs are dominating in the maximization of their offensive possessions, too.
The out-boarded Charlotte 14-7 on the offensive glass, resulting in an extra 14 points. Mitchell had 7 offensive boards, Amari Williams had 2, John Tonje had 2, and Curtis Jones, Chris Cenac Jr. and Milos Uzan all had one apiece.
Once you factor in those offensive boards, the steals and the forced turnovers, it quickly becomes clear why the Celtics managed to take 14 more shots than the Hornets. Not only are they maximizing the number of bites they’re getting of the apple, but they’re also finding new apples to eat along the way.
If we’re talking about translatable aspects regarding what we’re seeing, the onus on offensive rebounding and possession creation via defensive event making is something I’m expecting to be a feature of the team throughout this season and the years to come. That’s why it’s great to see that focus being placed on the Summer League roster — success starts when you’re building from the ground up.
#6 A battle is emerging
John Tonje and Milos Uzan are both without an NBA contract right now. Tonje has been Boston’s most reliable offensive threat over the first two games. Uzan, on the other hand, has shown flashes of self-creation, playmaking, downhill scoring and a perimeter shooting touch.
Boston currently has two two-way spots available. How Brad Stevens chooses to move forward with Mitchell could mean there’s only one spot left by the time training camp gets underway. There’s a chance that either Tonje or Uzan will take that slot.
Coming into Summer League, Tonje, 23, had a slight edge over Uzan due to his familiarity with the Celtics system. He played in 11 G League games for the Maine Celtics and 6 NBA games under Mazzulla. However, Uzan isn’t going to go away easily. His speed, directional changes and self-creation have all been impressive over the opening two games.
Milos Uzan shows his handles and hits the step back 3 to put the Celtics up 11 (with replays). 13 points for Uzan off the bench, so far. pic.twitter.com/9SXxt4TFS4
The fact that Uzan has earned slightly more playing time (60 minutes and 16 seconds over two games) than Tonje (54 minutes and 47 seconds) hasn’t evaded me. Perhaps Uzan being younger (23) than Tonje (25) will play a role in the Celtics ‘ decision-making when it comes to handing out contracts. Or perhaps they will prefer Tonje’s added experience.
Either way, it feels like a battle is starting to emerge for a potential spot, and when looking at Boston’s guard rotation, whoever wins that duel may find themselves earning some NBA minutes at points in the season. I’ve got this chalked up as a subplot, both now and heading into training camp.
#7 Cenac’s offense…
…Wasn’t great.
However, one thing that has impressed me over the first two games is how Cenac lets the action come to him. Make or miss, he didn’t force the issue. He didn’t hijack the offense. Instead, he stuck to his role, performed well on defense and provided some upside as a connecting force.
Of course, the one bucket he did score, a one-dribble drive starting at the nail, was impressive and shows the level of athleticism and potential that he possesses.
Still, the most impressive sequence of Cenac’s night came early in the first quarter, where he got a block on defense, ran the floor, worked in the PnR and found a shooter on the weakside with a kick-out pass for three.
Cenac is certainly going to be somewhat of a project. However, his ability to make an impact on defense, his mobility, athleticism and even how he attacks off the bounce are all solid foundations. If he can work on finding a level of consistency from the field, Brad Stevens may have unearthed another late first-round gem.
#8 Hello, Tucker DeVries
We didn’t see Ticker DeVries against Toronto, but he found some playing time against the Hornets, earning 18 minutes off the bench. DeVries was as advertised: a reliable shooter on the perimeter with upside on the glass and solid movement.
He ended the night with three treys, shooting 42.9% on 3-of-7 shooting, and he chipped in with 2 assists and a rebound. If DeVries can have another shooting night like that on Monday, I may begin to wonder whether Jefferson will call his number on some set plays if/when the Celtics need a bucket.
Not a bad Summer League debut, but nothing breathtaking, either.
#9 A piece of the playbook
I’ve spoken quite a bit today about things translating from Summer League to the NBA, so allow me one more.
Much like the Maine Celtics, the Summer League Celtics use Mazzulla’s playbook where possible, ensuring that the Xs and Os are worked on from the jump. So, I wasn’t surprised when I saw the Celtics flow into a chest action midway through the fourth quarter.
Chest actions have been a staple under Joe Mazzulla. Simply put, it’s a read-and-react play where a shooter sets a ghost screen for the ball-handler at the top of the perimeter before running off a flare screen to get open at either the wing or slot. The play works because it forces the cutter’s defender to navigate two screens, often causing them to get caught up on the flare, therefore opening an easy catch-and-shoot opportunity.
In this instance, the Celtics use the chest action as an entry into an angle PnR with Cenac. Credit to the Hornets, they switch the action and take away Cenac’s roll, forcing Uzan to feed the weakside elbow. The ball eventually finds Cenac on the block, but the play doesn’t come to anything.
Nevertheless, it’s fun seeing the Celtics working on actions that translate to their NBA playbook. They don’t need them to work out every time; they just need them to become second nature. That’s when the decisions and overall execution will become sharper.
#10 A back-to-back
Now, we turn our attention toward the Atlanta Hawks, who the Celtics will face on Monday, July 13, on the second night of a back-to-back. It will be interesting to see whether Jefferson’s minutes distribution changes, or at least his substitution patterns.
Still, this is a good opportunity for the younger guys on the roster to get a feel for playing two nights in a row and fighting through the inevitable fatigue that comes with it.
Can Boston make it 3-for-3 in Summer League? Maybe, but the Hawks, who are also 2-0, won’t be an easy out. I guess we’ll find out later today!
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JULY 11: MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred speaks during the 2026 MLB Draft at Pennsylvania Convention Center on July 11, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The draft is never the No. 1 tool in the Yankees’ toolbox when it comes to building a contending roster, but it’s not one they can ever truly ignore. They’ll always use their financial might to get some of the best talent money can buy in pinstripes, but in a league that’s quickly becoming one where they’re not the pre-eminent spending power and with the upcoming labor negotiations threatening to put everyone on a similar playing field, getting cheap talent is becoming more and more important.
However you feel about some of these guys, there’s no doubt the quality of the Yankees’ drafts has improved since the COVID-19 pandemic. The team finally found its first true franchise cornerstone bat since Aaron Judge in the 12th round in 2021 in Ben Rice, and concurrently seems to have unearthed their first homegrown ace since Andy Pettitte (did 2017-18 Sevy count?) in former seventh-rounder Cam Schlittler, while also producing a bunch of big leaguers that have filled up the margins of rosters around the league.
The 2026 draft has come and gone. As usual, the Yanks had one of the lowest draft slot values, made even lower when their first-round pick was dropped 10 spots due to exceeding the luxury tax. As such, they don’t have as much money to play with when it comes to over- and under-slot guys compared to revenue-sharing teams that get free top draft picks for existing.
As such, they have a playbook they like to stick by. Here’s a few rules of that playbook over the last few years:
College arms are the priority, especially tall, projectable righties.
Of the hitters the team selects, they’re usually college bats. Most of them have a serious power tool, but a few contact bats slip through. Of those college bats, don’t bother with catchers. We do good enough internationally with them.
Don’t play around with the high school circuit. You don’t have the money to sign a lot of them.
The exception to the rule above is the first round. With your first pick, feel free to draft a prep shortstop.
Those four rules can be found across the last five draft classes, but the Yankees didn’t seem to care all that much about their prior playbook this year. Pretty much every rule was violated to some extent. Is it an aberration, a new trend, or something that the team viewed as necessary given the current state of the farm?
I’ll start at the jump, where the Yankees selected left-handed pitcher Hunter Dietz out of Arkansas. It’s not too dissimilar to their picking Ben Hess out of Alabama two years ago, but he’s a better prospect with better results at the time of drafting. It’s the first time the Yankees have picked a southpaw pitcher with their first selection since Jacob Lindgren in 2014. Even odder? They doubled up with Sean Duncan in the second round, marking the first time they picked a pair of lefties to start a draft since Eric Milton and Jason Coble in 1996.
What’s also interesting about these two? They went a bit below where they were supposed to because of recent injuries. Dietz underwent surgery in the fall of 2023 before a setback took him out of baseball for pretty much two years. Before his stellar 2026 campaign, he had tossed 1.2 career D1 innings. Duncan recently underwent Tommy John surgery and likely won’t make his pro debut until 2028, but he is a high-school arm with plenty of time to rehab.
On that high school note, the Yankees aren’t big on prep arms early in the draft, either. They last picked one of those in the first five rounds in 2021 with Brock Selvidge. Duncan is the highest-drafted prep pitcher by the organization since picking Matt Sauer No. 54 in 2017.
What we certainly didn’t expect was that he’d be the first of several prep draftees for the Yankees. They picked four high schoolers for just the second time in the last nine drafts.
— Yankees Prospect Watch (@NYY_Prospects) July 12, 2026
That 2023 draft saw them go with George Lombard Jr. early and a trio of guys late in Josh Tiedemann, Danny Flatt, and Puerto Rico native Wilson Rodriguez. They signed all four of them, but that might be because only Lombard needed to be lured away from a major baseball school. While Tiedemann was a TCU commit, Flatt was signed to Lipscomb and Rodriguez didn’t have a college offer.
In this draft, they’re going to have to lure guys away from Vanderbilt, Ole Miss, James Madison, and Texas Tech. They took a swing on Andrew Gonzalez out of the El Paso area in the sixth round before throwing some late fliers at Lee Garris out of Virginia and William Cutshall out of South Carolina. Three prep bats are a real rarity for the organization to draft with their limited assets, so I’m interested to see if the men in charge have something up their sleeves to get all four prep guys to put pen to paper.
On the bats in general, the Yankees picked a lot more of them than I thought they would. Their organizational philosophy of late has been to put their eggs in the position player market internationally while going after the projectable college arms in the draft, but this year? They only picked eight pitchers out of 20, the fewest since 2007.
Additionally, the team also selected two catchers in the first 10 rounds. This usually isn’t something to bat an eye at, but for this organization? It’s something notable. The Yankees under Tanner Swanson have helped develop a lot of big league catchers, but almost all of them were either drafted elsewhere, undrafted, or international signings:
JC Escarra: minor league free agent
Rodolfo Duran: minor league free agent
Carlos Narvaez: international signing
Mickey Gasper: drafted pre-2020
Rafael Flores Jr.: undrafted free agent
Jesus Rodriguez: international signing
Agustin Ramirez: international signing
Omar Martinez: international signing
There are a bunch more who spent a very brief time in the organization, but you get the point. Since drafting Austin Wells in the first round in 2020 until this year, the Yankees have only drafted three catchers: Ben Rice (12th round, 2021), Dominic Keegan (19th round, 2021), and Tomas Frick (13th round, 2023). Rice, obviously, came up as a first baseman and might never catch again; Keegan didn’t sign, and Frick is currently in Double-A.
Entering this draft, though, it was pretty obvious they needed to refill the coffers. The team emptied its organizational catching depth at last year’s deadline, and they’ve spent all season giving minor league journeymen at-bats in the upper minors. While guys like Engelth Urena, Josue Gonzalez, and Luis Puello have been plying their trade in A-ball, they needed a talent infusion.
So, for the first time in six years, they spent a pick in the first 10 rounds on a catcher. They even doubled down by picking two different SEC backstops in the first half of the draft for the first time since picking Anthony Seigler and Josh Breaux at the top of the 2018 draft. While Brendan Brock, the Oklahoma product, could wind up in the outfield with his genuine plus speed, they both seem to have a real shot at sticking behind the plate.
Those last two trends speak to a shift in the team’s philosophy for this draft. They’ve spent the last five years building considerable pitching depth in the organization, which has gotten guys like Schlittler and Will Warren major league starting jobs, while minor league affiliates up and down the system were picked with pretty favorable selections.
The Yankees need position player prospects. They cleaned out a lot of the intriguing guys in the last year via trade. At this point, with Spencer Jones on the brink of graduating and Lombard not far behind, their only highly rated hitting prospect is 2025 first-rounder Dax Kilby, who’s played one game this year due to recurring hamstring issues. Who’s their second-best hitting prospect after him? It’s hard to tell.
The fruits of this draft class won’t be seen for quite some time, but the Yankees seem to be changing things up to increase the upside of this class. Instead of punting some of the late picks they won’t sign, they grabbed a few Power Four sluggers who they’re banking on continuing to slug up the minor league ladder.
The true upside of this class is going to rely on their ability to squeeze these guys into their rather diminutive bonus pool. Four prep guys, plus multiple small college transfers with offers from big-time schools that come with six-figure NIL salaries gives a wide range of outcomes for just how many actually join the organization.
Will going away from their fastball pay off in the end? We’ll know soon enough.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JULY 12: Pinch runner Tsung-Che Cheng #39 of the Boston Red Sox scores a game tying run during the ninth inning past Devin Williams #38 of the New York Mets at Citi Field on July 12, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Meet the Mets
The Mets were swept by the Red Sox 3-2 in the final game before the All-Star break. Zach Thornton had his best start yet, throwing seven scoreless innings and allowing just two hits while striking out five batters.
In order to make room for Thornton, the Mets optioned Tobias Myers back to Syracuse yesterday.
After yesterday’s gem of a start, Thornton will begin the second half of the season with a spot in the Mets’ rotation.
Despite his recent struggles, Andy Green says he isn’t currently considering replacing Devin Williams as the team’s closer with Luke Weaver.
A rom-com starring Chris Pine was shot yesterday at Citi Field during the game, with Pine taking the field to throw a first pitch.
Jon Heyman has six steps for David Stearns to begin cleaning up the mess that is the New York Mets.
For New York sports fans, who wasn’t at the Futures Game was just as notable as who was.
The 2026 amateur draft wrapped up yesterday, with the Mets’ slate fully selected.
Marcus Semien has begun a rehab assignment with Double-A Binghamton and went deep in his first game.
Around the National League East
The Nationals lost to the Yankees 5-3. Andrew Alvarez collected the loss, giving up three runs in two innings of relief behind Cade Cavalli.
The Phillies beat the Tigers in a 5-0 shutout. Zack Wheeler threw six scoreless innings, giving up just two hits and struck out ten batters in a performance very becoming of a non-All-Star.
The Marlins ended their great first half with a not-so-great 5-2 loss to the Guardians. Griffin Conine drove in one of the Marlins two runs with a solo home run off of All-Star reliever Cade Smith.
The Braves squeaked out a 4-3 win over the Cardinals in the ninth inning. The go-ahead run was scored by Ozzie Albies in the top of the ninth thanks to a Masyn Winn throwing error.
Phillies pitcher Cristopher Sánchez was announced as the starting pitcher for the All-Star Game on Tuesday at his home ballpark.
Around Major League Baseball
Yankees starter Cam Schlittler will not be pitching in the All-Star Game, instead using the time off to focus on preparation for the second half.
MLB broke down how every teams prospects performed at this year’s Futures Game.
While he won’t be completely unavailable, Logan Webb and the Giants have asked that Webb only be used in the All-Star Game if there’s no other options left.
The starting pitcher for the American League in the All-Star Game will be Blue Jays starter Dylan Cease.
Yesterday at Amazin’ Avenue
Brian Salvatore took a trip down memory lane with the past Mets representatives at the Futures Game.
Steve Sypa delivered two Mets draftee profiles, one being fifth round pick Luke McNeillie and the other being sixth rounder Alex Petrovic.
This Date in Mets History
On this day back in 1988, the Mets had four players representing them at the All-Star Game, including Doc Gooden, Daryl Strawberry, and Gary Carter.
After being ensconced at SW19 since the start of the tournament, our photographer Tom Jenkins has picked out some of his favourite images from the thousands he has taken during this year’s Wimbledon Championships
Novak Djokovic was back at SW19 on the trail of his 25th grand slam title, the racket’s shadow falls on the face of Felix Gill during his defeat to Rafael Jódar, ball kids scamper around as new balls are served on Centre Court.
ARLINGTON, TX - JULY 12: Texas Rangers right fielder Brandon Nimmo (24) celebrates his game-winning walk-off single in the game between the Texas Rangers and the Houston Astros on July 12, 2026 at Globe Life Field in Arlington, TX (Photo by John Bunch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Rangers 6, Asttos 5
So, basically, we have had a repeat of the Angels series immediately preceding.
I discussed in the previous two thoughts posts how each of those games mirrored the corresponding game in the Anaheim series.
Well, the same thing happened again. This game mirrored the final game of the Anaheim series.
The Rangers got out to a lead, the opposition had a big seventh inning, and then the Rangers walked it off in the ninth.
Big ups to MacKenzie Gore, the starter in the Wednesday blowout by Anaheim, who volunteered to make the start on short rest with Jacob deGrom unavailable.
Gore gave the Rangers 65 pitches over four innings, allowing just a Jose Altuve home run.
Of course, that left five innings to be covered by the bullpen, which is often problematic.
Such was the case here. Tyler Alexander and Cole Winn combined to give the Rangers a pair of scoreless innings. That was followed by Robby Ahlstrom and Peyton Gray combining to allow three runs in one inning, allowing the Astros to tie up the game.
Ben Peoples then gave up a homer in the eighth to Cam Smith to put the Astros ahead by one.
Ultimately, the fact that we are asking Robby Ahlstrom, Peyton Gray and Ben Peoples to pitch late in high leverage situations is the real problem, and one would expect to see Chris Young & Co. acquiring some relief arms later this month.
It all worked out, though. Kyle Higashioka homered in the 8th. Wyatt Langford, Josh Jung and Brandon Nimmo all singled in the ninth, off of Josh Hader, no less. The winning run scored, and we all could be happy.
Texas is up 1.5 games in the West on Seattle, and 3 on Houston. The Wild Card race has tightened up somewhat, with Seattle and Minnesota tied for WC3, and Boston just a half-game back of them. The White Sox and Guardians are tied in the A.L. Central and for WC2, and I keep waiting for the ChiSox to fall off, but they haven’t.
Last year, the Rangers went into the break 8.5 games back in the division, 3.5 games back of WC3.
The Rangers are in a better place this year.
MacKenzie Gore hit 96.9 mpg with his fastball, averaging 95.3 mph. Tyler Alexander hit 92.9 mph with his fastball. Cole Winn reached 91.5 mph with his cutter. Robby Ahlstrom’s fastball reached 96.5 mph. Peyton Gray’s fastball touched 94.6 mph. Ben Peoples maxed out at 98.2 mph with his fastball. Jacob Latz hit 95.1 mph with his fastball.
Elias Diaz had a 107.0 mph groundout. Kyle Higashioka had a 106.7 mph home run. Evan Carter had a 105.0 mph groundout and a 102.1 mph double. Josh Jung had a 102.5 mph triple. Brandon Nimmo had a 102.3 mph groundout. Wyatt Langford had a 102.0 mph fly out and a 100.3 mph groundout.
It’s the All Star Break. The Rangers are a game and a half up. Smoke ‘em if you’ve got ‘em.
TORONTO, ON - CIRCA 1989: Dave Stieb #37 of the Toronto Blue Jays pitches during an Major League Baseball game circa 1989 at Exhibition Stadium in Toronto, Ontario. Stieb played for the Blue Jays from 1979-92 and in 1998. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With All-Star week upon us, I wanted to share a few favorite All-Star memories, beginning with 1984.
In 1984, for the first time, more than one of our players was named to the All-Star team—we had three: Dave Stieb, Damaso Garcia, and Alfredo Griffin.
Stieb earned his fourth All-Star nod that year. He ultimately set the franchise record with seven All-Star selections (Roy Halladay was named six times as a Jay). In 1984, for the second consecutive year, Stieb was picked as the starting pitcher. He delivered another stellar season; at the break, he was 9-3 with a 2.42 ERA, and opponents were hitting just .210 against him. He finished 16-8 with a 2.83 ERA, as the team placed second in the AL East at 89-73—15 games behind the eventual World Series champion Detroit Tigers.
Stieb didn’t replicate his strong start from the 1983 game. Steve Garvey singled after ground outs by Tony Gwynn and Ryne Sandberg, then advanced to second on a Reggie Jackson error. Garvey scored on Dale Murphy’s single to left, colliding with catcher Lance Parrish at the plate—Parrish was charged with an error for dropping the ball, so Stieb wasn’t credited with an earned run. Stieb then struck out Mike Schmidt—always impressive to fan one of the best third basemen in baseball history.
In the second, Stieb struck out Darryl Strawberry before giving up a solo homer to Expos catcher Gary Carter, who would be named game MVP. He then retired Ozzie Smith on a grounder and Chili Davis on a lineout to end his two-inning outing. The NL went on to win 3-1, with Stieb taking the loss. He faced four future Hall of Famers.
Garcia made his first All-Star team in 1984 and repeated the honor the following year. He exemplified the kind of middle infielder popular at the time: decent batting average, little power, few walks, and just enough speed to steal bases at nearly a break-even rate. At the break, Damaso was hitting .303/.329/.394, with 27 steals and 48 runs scored—a strong first half. By today’s standards, you’d want him to draw more walks, get on base more often, and maybe provide some extra power. He finished the season with a .284/.310/.374 line, 46 steals, and 79 runs scored.
Damaso entered the game in the bottom of the sixth, replacing starter Lou Whitaker. He had an at-bat in the eighth, popping out foul, and made one play in the field.
But what makes this story a favorite of mine is Griffin’s role. Griffin is arguably one of the least deserving All-Star picks ever. He was a defense-first shortstop in the John McDonald mold, but in 1984, even his hitting lagged behind Johnny Mac’s standards. At the break, Alfredo was hitting .241/.250/.317. Playing nearly every day, he had only 3 walks, 10 extra-base hits, 6 steals (caught 3 times), and 31 runs scored. He didn’t improve after the break, finishing with a .241/.248/.298 line, 4 homers, and 30 RBI. Notably, he posted a walk rate of just 0.9%—less than 1%. So, sorry Clement, I shouldn’t be so hard on you for not taking walks.
So how did Alfredo end up on the team? Back then, MLB provided All-Star players with plane tickets and a hotel room for two. Usually, the player would bring his wife or girlfriend (just a joke!). Damaso invited his friend and teammate, Griffin, to join him in San Francisco. The day before the game, Alan Trammell injured his arm and couldn’t play. With a last-minute roster spot and no time to fly in another player, AL manager Joe Altobelli gave the spot to Griffin—“partly because he’s a fine player, but mostly because he was here.” He made the team simply for being in the right place at the right time.
Griffin entered the game in the bottom of the sixth, replacing Cal Ripken, but never got to bat—Don Mattingly pinch-hit for him in the ninth. He did record an assist on defense. That was his lone All-Star appearance.
I love this story. No matter how much voters or managers might mess up today, you’ll never see someone with a season like Griffin’s make an All-Star team again. He made it just by being there, fitting the uniform—and that’s the whole story.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JULY 12: Ralphy Velazquez #22 of the American League Futures team during the 2026 All-Star Futures Game Presented by Nike at Citizens Bank Park on Sunday, July 12, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Guardians swept the Marlins to end pre-break play and made their selections for rounds 5-20 yesterday.
Brian Hemminger has highlights of day two of the draft listed for you here and we will have a full draft class breakdown up soon.
Nicole recapped an encouraging win and series sweep here. Chase DeLauter and Steven Kwan enter the break on quite a heater and Travis Bazzana does not.
Ralphy Velazquez got an RBI hit in MLB’s Futures’ Game yesterday and made a nice play at first base:
I liked Antunez and Mace for a while, they just couldn’t get over the last few hurdles to become more than minor-leaguers.
MLB’s Home Run Derby is at 8PM tonight on Netflix. Here’s a preview of the field.
AROUND MLB:
The White Sox and Twins won and the Tigers and Royals lost. The Royals are 21 games under .500 so I am going to stop reporting what they did here unless they make a miraculous comeback. The shock of the pre-break portion of the season HAS to be the Mets being 17 games under .500.
ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - JULY 12: Ozzie Albies #1 of the Atlanta Braves is congratulated by teammates after scoring a run against the St. Louis Cardinals in the ninth inning at Busch Stadium on July 12, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With the All-Star Break now here, it was a busy weekend on and off the field for every MLB team. For the Braves, they were able to end the first half of the season on a positive note with a win over the Cardinals. Though they lost the series, the Braves now get a chance to really reset the roster to start the second half of the season strong.
