MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Each of the three All-Star selections of Byron Buxton’s major league career has naturally brought him a deep sense of appreciation.
This one was undoubtedly the most satisfying.
Voted in as a starter by fan balloting for the first time, Buxton reveled in the fact that he landed on the American League squad with Minnesota Twins teammate Joe Ryan for the second straight summer.
Playing on market-value contracts for a team in transition with a bottom-third payroll that conducted a big selloff before the deadline last year, Buxton and Ryan have been prominently included on just about every baseball pundit’s list of trade candidates for months on end.
Yet they’re both still wearing Twins uniforms and going back to the All-Star Game this season while representing a plucky club that has shown plenty of competitiveness for all of its roster imperfections.
Buxton, a two-time Gold Glove award winner in center field, ranks fifth in the majors with 25 home runs with a robust .904 OPS mark that’s his best since 2021. Ryan, one of the pitchers elected by the players, leads baseball with 19 starts and is seventh in strikeout-to-walk ratio.
“It means a lot to be able to represent the Twins but also to be able to start out the season good,” Buxton said in New York on Saturday when MLB unveiled the All-Star teams. “To be able to run it back with Joe is a little bit more special to me.”
The second overall pick in the 2012 draft, Buxton has deftly persevered through his well-documented history of injuries to become not only the five-tool player the Twins long envisioned but a vital leader in a clubhouse of mostly younger players who revere him.
Despite a threadbare bullpen and a series of injuries that have diluted a strong group of starting pitchers, the Twins have so far hung around in both an AL Central division that’s there for the taking and a wide-open race for three wild-card spots. They won a road series against the Yankees over the weekend for the first time in 12 years.
“I truly think this is the most fun I’ve ever had playing baseball,” Buxton said. “With the support that we have in here, the resilience that the team has, everything that makes this group us. I know I wouldn’t be here without them.”
Buxton was removed from the game on Sunday as a precaution after feeling discomfort in the right hip that has given him problems from time to time this season, putting his All-Star Game appearance in question with the event approaching on July 14. The Twins were off on Monday, giving him a bonus day to rest before starting a three-game series against division rival Cleveland on Tuesday. But so far, Buxton has not had to go on the injured list at all this year, another point of pride for the 32-year-old.
“I don’t want to set myself back farther, just in case I was trying to push through it or whatever the situation was,” Buxton said after the game on Sunday. “I don’t want to put the team in a bad spot by me trying to go out there and be Superman by trying to play one game and I end up missing a month.”
During the team’s most recent homestand, general manager Jeremy Zoll began an interview session, unprompted, by declaring that Buxton has never been on the trade block and won’t be now. Buxton, for his part, has a no-trade clause that he has consistently and emphatically alluded to anytime his status comes up with reporters. Buxton’s contract, which pays him a little more than $15 million per year, expires after the 2028 season.
“We have no plans to trade Byron,” Zoll said. “It’s not something we’re exploring. It’s not something we plan to explore.”
LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 05: Sung-Mun Song #24 of the San Diego Padres safely slides into second base during an MLB game between the San Diego Padres and the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 5, 2026 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Greg Fiore/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
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SAN FRANCISCO, CA - JULY 5: Maliq Brown #15 of the San Antonio Spurs drives to the basket during the game against the Golden State Warriors during the California Classic Game on July 5, 2026 at Chase Center in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Every year, Summer League teaches us the same lessons. Without high-level NBA talent on the floor, defense typically has the advantage. The more physical and aggressive team can completely stifle an opposing offense that hasn’t played much together and doesn’t have the offensive weapons to counter the defensive force. The San Antonio Spurs Summer League squad learned that the hard way on Sunday in a 69-98 loss to the Golden State Warriors Gold squad.
From tip-off, it was clear that the summer Spurs were outmatched by Golden State. The Warriors were pressuring the ball on the perimeter, not allowing San Antonio to get into an easy offensive flow. When the Spurs did manage to get to the paint, the Warriors had the rim protectors to stop them from scoring. Overall, Golden State looked like the more physical and mature team. That played out on the stat sheet as well, as the Spurs had 19 turnovers, shot just 38% from the field, and were outrebounded 47-30.
Without Tarris Reed Jr. and Carter Bryant, the summer Spurs were missing two key contributors who could have brought some offensive firepower. Through two games, it’s clear that San Antonio’s summer team was designed for Bryant to be a key offensive force, as there aren’t many offensive creators on the roster. When he comes back in San Antonio’s first Las Vegas Summer League game, we should see more of what this team was designed to do.
Takeaways:
The standout performer on Sunday was Emmanuel Miller, who has one of the Spurs’ two-way roster spots. He had 12 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 steals, and knocked down two three-pointers. Miller is an awesome athlete who can get downhill quickly in transition. Defensively, he’s disruptive in the passing lanes and has enough size and strength on the wings to make things tough on his opponents. He can often get out of control in half-court settings, driving into a collapsing defense with nowhere to go. But his combination of size, athleticism, and shooting is intriguing. He’s a player to watch for the rest of the summer.
I’ve loved Maliq Brown’s defense. With Reed Jr. missing the game for a non-injury reason, Brown slotted in as the team’s starting center. He has shone as a help defender both on the wing and at center in his two Summer League games. He always seems to be in the right spot and has great hands, allowing him to disrupt passes or block shots at the rim. He needs to find an offensive niche if he wants to develop into an NBA rotation player, but his defense is already one of the top skills of any player on San Antonio’s summer roster.
Ja’Kobi Gillespie continued to miss shots in his second game, but he is doing a great job getting open. Gillespie had 9 points on 4-12 shooting from the field on Sunday. He’s running a lot of the offense and getting a whole lot of usage, but isn’t seeing the ball go through the hoop. He’s looked really good getting downhill on ball screens and getting into a mid-range pull-up, but the shots just aren’t falling right now. We’ll see if he can find his rhythm as the summer goes on.
Hyunjung Lee can shoot. He went 4-7 from the field on the way to 11 points off the bench, including a pair of impressive triples. His defense has not been great despite his size, and he isn’t really a threat to create his own shot. San Antonio’s Summer League coach, Corliss Williamson, has been encouraging Lee to shoot more. Expect to see Lee continue to let it fly as the Spurs head to Vegas.
DeMar DeRozan has been waived by the Sacramento Kings after spending two seasons with the franchise after joining in 2024.
DeRozan, a 17-year NBA veteran, was drafted in 2009 with the ninth overall pick by the Toronto Raptors. In his career, he's also played for the San Antonio Spurs and Chicago Bulls. The six-time All-Star was released from the Kings on Monday, July 6, the team announced.
Both, DeRozan and the Kings front office reportedly worked together, collaboratively to waive DeRozan after searching for possible trade destinations, according to ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania.
DeRozan was a consummate professional during his time with the Kings. During the 2025-26 season, he led the team in games started and played with 77. He led Sacramento in scoring among players on the team with at least 50 appearances, averaging 18.4 points per contest.
"My whole goal since I been in the league is to try and find ways to come back and be better," DeRozan told USA TODAY Sports during his end-of-season exit interview with the Kings in April.
DeRozan now becomes an unrestricted free agent and one of the remaining highly regarded players available throughout the free agency pool. There are plenty of teams, especially contenders, who can utilize his skillset, veteran leadership and professionalism inside their locker room.
Here are possible free agency landing spots for DeRozan after being waived by the Kings.
DeMar DeRozan landing spots
Here a few options that seem like potential sites on where DeRozan could land:
Miami Heat
The Miami Heat could be a team looking to get in line for DeRozan following his release from Sacramento. According to Miami Herald and Heat beat reporter Barry Jackson, Miami could look to add the All-Star guard to the team following its blocbuster deal for Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis on June 22.
Jackson reported that there has been no contact between the Heat and DeRozan's camp but said that Miami would be among teams of interest. Other players he mentions include Bradley Beal and Gary Trent, but it all depends on what LeBron James plans to do.
"The Heat simply could wait on LeBron decision before deciding what wing player to pursue," Jackson said in a X post. "I expect Heat to try to add another wing; tough call is whether to pounce on one of these players or wait to see if a surprise name shakes free."
Toronto Raptors
Toronto is a team that continues to come up in conversation about landing spots for DeRozan, and there are plenty of reasons to make the connection as well. DeRozan, with more NBA years behind him than in front, can play out the twilight of his career in the city where it all began.
To make things even better, maybe he gets to link up with his buddy Kyle Lowry. Lowry signed with Toronto on a one-day deal to officially retire as a Raptor.
If DeRozan were to sign with Toronto, it would mark the the second return this summer of a former star. Kawhi Leonard, who led the Raptors to the the 2019 NBA championship, is back in Toronto after a massive trade with the Los Angeles Clippers.
Golden State Warriors
ESPN's Anthony Slater has linked DeRozan to the Warriors saying the team would look into the six-time All-Star if they are not able to land LeBron James.
DeRozan would be a natural fit for Golden State, given their roster. DeRozan gives them a solid scoring presence and a veteran leader in the locker room, and Golden State wouldn't have to rush Jimmy Butler back to the court after dealing with a torn ACL.
Of course, questions of fit may loom, especially once team is fully healthy. But that could be a good problem to have. They would for sure be versatile with both.
Los Angeles Clippers
DeRozan is from southern California, so going back home could always be an intriguing option for the 17-year NBA veteran. Hoops Hype's Michael Scotto reported the Clippers would have interest in DeRozan. It would be the perfect homecoming. However, you'd have to imagine playing for a sure contender would be top of the priority list for DeRozan.
Teams unlikely to DeRozan
There are teams likely to go after DeRozan and then there are teams who won't be in the sweepstakes for the NBA vet.
Non-contending teams
It is expected that DeRozan will not play for a team that's not a contender. Any franchise not expected to contend for the postseason should not expect to be in the running for Deebo.
Los Angeles Lakers
If the Clippers are on the list for LA-native DeRozan, then surely the Lakers would be too. Except, that's not the case.
ESPN NBA reporter Dave McMenamin said the Lakers are not expected to a potential landing spot for DeRozan, despite having been connected to the guard-forward in 2021, in a post on social media.
If there were ever any questions about Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic and his loyalty to the team, he has answered them.
Time and time again, he's expressed his desire to remain with Denver for the remainder of his career. Jokic has two seasons remaining on his contract, which includes a player option to become an unrestricted free agent in 2028 when he will turn 33.
The three-time MVP made clear he will not wait until then to ease the minds of Nuggets fans.
"My idea is to sign next summer and stay with Denver for the rest of my career," Jokic told reporters in Serbian after a FIBA World Cup qualifying game Monday.
"My idea and desire is to stay in Denver. I'll probably sign next year ... My desire is to play the rest of my life in Denver."
Jokic entered the league in 2014. He was selected by the Nuggets with the 41st overall pick in the second round of the 2014 NBA Draft. He led Denver to a 2023 NBA title and was named Finals MVP.
He could sign the largest contract in NBA history in the summer of 2027. Jokic would be eligible for a five-year, $359.5 million contract as a free agent, according to ESPN.
Jokic averaged a triple-double during the 2025-26 season with 27.7 points, 12.9 rebounds and 10.7 assists per game in 65 appearances. In 11 NBA seasons, Jokic averages 22.2 points per game, 11.1 rebounds and 7.5 assists.
Evan Phillips was activated from the 60-day injured list on Monday, and if he can pitch the way he did before he underwent reconstructive elbow surgery last year, the Dodgers really might not have to do anything in the month leading up to the Aug. 3 trade deadline.
“More nervous than I expected,” Phillips said.
Dodgers have activated Evan Phillips from the 60-day IL after reconstructive elbow surgery last year. Getty Images
Phillips, 31, was the Dodgers’ saves leader in both 2023 and 2024. Claimed off waivers in the middle of the 2021 season, Phillips has posted a 2.22 earned-run average in 201 games for the Dodgers.
His return for the start of a three-game series against the Colorado Rockies marked the end of a 13-month journey that started when Dr. Neal ElAttrache repaired his ulnar collateral ligament.
“I’m excited to get back out there. I was here for a live BP a month and a half ago and took a moment then to appreciate being back at Dodger Stadium, but it’s gonna be different tonight, getting back out there in a competitive atmosphere,” Phillips said. “So really exited about that.
The final stage of Phillips’ recovery included a month-long rehabilitation in triple A. Phillips pitched 12 games for the Dodgers’ Oklahoma City-based affiliate, posting a 1.80 ERA in 10 innings.
Phillips pitched on consecutive days for Oklahoma City on June 24 and 25, the latter appearance marking the start of a four-game stretch in which he didn’t give up any runs or walks.
“Feel like probably the last past two weeks or so really took a good turn on my rehab,” he said. “Started bouncing back even better, pitching more like myself, feeling more like myself.”
Paul Gervase was optioned to clear a spot for Phillips on the active roster. Phillips’ place on the 40-man roster came at the expense of left-hander Jake Eder.
In a separate roster move, the Dodgers added right-hander Carlos Duran to the 40-man roster and designated catcher Chuckie Johnson for assignment. Johnson was optioned to triple A after he was 2 for 23 in eight major-league games with the Dodgers.
Since then, some people wanted to read into Jokic not signing an extension with the Nuggets this offseason, but Jokic — after playing for Serbia in a FIBA World Cup qualifying game yesterday — once again was unequivocal.
Nikola Jokic: "My idea is to sign next summer and stay with Denver for the rest of my career."
Jokic has two years and $121.9 million left on his current contract, with the final year of that deal being a player option.
Here's why he's going to wait: Right now, and through the end of next season, Jokic can sign a four-year, $278 million max extension; if he waits until next summer, he can sign a historic five-year, $359.5 million deal — the largest in NBA history. And he could get a no-trade clause.
Jokic is coming off a season in which he averaged 27.7 points, 12.9 rebounds and 10.7 assists per game — averaging a triple-double — and he finished second in MVP voting. While he struggled in the playoffs with his 3-pointer and defense, a big part of that is the roster around him needs to be improved. Bottom line, he is a top-three player in the world in his prime, and the Nuggets are going to pay up.
Phoenix, AZ - February 19, 2026: Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Evan Phillips (59) at Los Angeles Dodgers' media day during spring training in Camelback Ranch, Phoenix, AZ on February 19, 2026. (Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Thirteen months and two days after undergoing Tommy John surgery, Dodgers reliever Evan Phillips was activated off the 60-day injured list on Monday by the Dodgers ahead of their three-game series against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium.
Phillips had an extensive rehab assignment, appearing in 12 games over 30 days with Triple-A Oklahoma City. The right-hander had a 1.80 ERA with 13 strikeouts and five walks in 10 innings for the Comets, with his last game coming last Friday, a perfect frame with two strikeouts against Sugar Land. This was essentially spring training for Phillips, who pitched on back-to-back days on June 24-25, and appeared in parts of two innings on June 28, usual items on the checklist for relief pitchers building up for their season.
Jake Eder, who was on the minor league injured list in Oklahoma City, was released to make room on the 40-man roster for Phillips. Paul Gervase was optioned to Triple-A to open the active roster spot. Gervase pitched in two of the four games for which he was active on this stint in the majors. Eder, acquired from the Washington Nationals on April 1, piched in four games for the Dodgers and allowed a run on three hits in four innings, with one strikeout and one walk.
Also on Monday, the Dodgers added pitcher Carlos Durán to the 40-man roster and designated catcher Chuckie Robinson for assignment.
Durán was originally developed by the Dodgers but was traded to the A’s in April 2025 for outfielder Esteury Ruíz. Durán signed a minor league contract to return to the Dodgers in December, and was a non-roster invitee in spring training. In 30 games for Oklahoma City, Durán has a 3.86 ERA and two saves with 50 strikeouts and 25 walks in 35 innings. He’ll remain with the Comets, only now on the 40-man roster.
Robinson started six games behind the plate to backup Dalton Rushing before getting optioned over the weekend in favor of Eliezer Alfonzo. Robinson had two hits in 23 at-bats with the Dodgers, both hits coming on June 23 at the Minnesota Twins.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - DECEMBER 07: Lebron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the second half against the Philadelphia 76ers at Xfinity Mobile Arena on December 07, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers have home-court advantage in luring LeBron James to them in free agency. That leverage has reportedly left rival teams across the league feeling hopeless in their pursuit.
“Everybody I’ve talked to is like ‘we’re afraid it’s Cleveland,” said ESPN’s Brian Windhorst. “Nobody seems like they have optimism.“
Most of the league is going after the King. Even at 41 years old, James brings value that few others can replicate. He’s seen as the missing piece for numerous teams that are desperate to reach the next level. Only one of the greatest of all time can control the offseason like this.
Notable teams that are interested in James include the Miami Heat, Golden State Warriors, Minnesota Timberwolves and Philadelphia 76ers. Windhorst says the Sixers fear they’ve already lost the war.
“I’ve talked to people in Philly, and I’m like, what do you think? ‘We’re afraid it’s Cleveland,’” said Windhorst.
Cleveland seems to be gaining serious momentum. It makes all too much sense for James to return home for the grand finale of his career. This is a location that can offer him everything, from a chance to win one more title to a final standing ovation in front of the crowd that has loved him most. The appeal of ending it in Cleveland is strong enough narratively to put doubt in everyone else’s minds.
Why wouldn’t it?
James has been all over Akron this week, posting to social media as he parties with hometown friends and Cavs front office members alike. James has returned to Akron frequently over the years — something that should only add fuel to the fire for his return. Clearly, he loves being home.
Other teams can offer him competitive environments. The 76ers have re-upped with Jaylen Brown next to their core of Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. The Heat, similarly, made a splash by trading for Giannis Antetokounmpo. Golden State has some long-time rivals who James could unite with for one more shot at a title.
None of those places offer James the safety that Cleveland does.
Failure in Golden State or Philly would feel as anticlimactic as it gets. Can you imagine the halfhearted cheers that James would receive from Warriors fans who have spent the last decade hating him if the Dubs had an early exit next season? It would pale in comparison to even the worst-case scenario in Cleveland. Frankly, the Cavs could miss the postseason altogether, and James would still get an authentic, roaring ovation from the Cleveland crowd in his final game.
I’d imagine all of this is weighing into James’ decision. And as we await the final verdict, reports such as this suggest that Cleveland might be in the lead.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - JULY 06: Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens (left) and lead owner Bill Chisholm speak during a media availability at The Auerbach Center on July 06, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo By Jaiden Tripi/Getty Images) | Getty Images
BOSTON — Brad Stevens has taken countless press conferences, for many years on an almost-nightly basis as a head coach, and more recently, as the Celtics’ President of Basketball Operations.
Still, sitting at the Auerbach Center podium late Monday afternoon, he was faced with perhaps his most difficult press conference yet.
The stunning trade that made Jaylen Brown a Philadelphia 76er was not even official for three hours when Stevens took the podium alongside team owner Bill Chisholm, in order to answer 45 minutes of grueling questions from the local Boston press corps.
Was this a cost-cutting move? Did swapping in Paul George for Jaylen Brown actually make this team better? How do you explain this to the angry fans? What do you say to a disrespected Jaylen?
From the get-go, Stevens looked and sounded like a man who, understandably, was balancing several competing and sensitive objectives.
He had an obvious desire — perhaps even a mandate — to be complimentary to Brown, a franchise legend, an all-time great who helped deliver Banner 18 to the Celtics a mere two summers ago.
“When Jaylen came here as a 19-year-old, we knew that he had a lot of talent and a lot of ability to impact people in a lot of different ways,” Stevens said in his opening statement. “And he certainly did that by inspiring people with his play, but I think maybe more so — and the thing that certainly always impressed me even more — was taking on the responsibility of being a great Boston athlete in the community. He talked all the time about his admiration for Bill Russell, and all that he meant in the community, and Jaylen has done an amazing job.”
He had a responsibility to empathize with the outraged Celtics fans who have been trying to make sense of a shocking deal that sent a beloved, homegrown star to a division rival for a far less impressive return than most expected.
“I’ve lost sleep over the ‘fan’ part of this,” Stevens said. “I get it. Like, there’s a bunch of 7 jerseys around. I’m pretty sure I bought a couple, so I get it.”
And, he tried his very best to be truthful and shine light on just some of the factors that played into the wildly unpopular decision, be it Brown’s unfavorable advanced analytics, the challenges of balancing two supermax contracts, Brown’s high usage; the list goes on.
Stevens admitted that advanced analytics played a role in his decision-making, albeit a limited one: “I would say that was a small piece of information.”
And, he acknowledged that it’s just not viable to have two supermax players long-term: “We may not be sitting here if there was a rule in the CBA that said, ‘The guys that you drafted that you signed for 35% supermaxes count as 25% of the cap, because then that would allow you to build out towards the aprons with a lot less flexibility, or with a lot more flexibility.”
Stevens answered each and every question thoroughly, looking reporters in the eye, calling them by their first name, never getting even a tad bit defensive.
Chisholm, who is far less experienced, occasionally chimed in to fortify the message, nervously fidgeting at times, but nonetheless picking his words carefully.
The duo undoutebdly handled what could have been a disastrous presser well. How much that actually matters to Celtics fans remains to be seen.
In my view, there were four notable moments.
1. Bill Chisholm made clear that the idea to trade Jaylen Brown did not stem from him.
“Brad and his team came with a recommendation, this is the way we’re gonna win,” Chisholm said. “And I looked at it, and I had the same reaction, I was like, ‘Wow.‘ This is the fan in me — like, really tough.”
He also made clear this was not a cost-cutting move.
“I know there’s people who feel like, ‘Oh, there must be a smoking gun somewhere on the money,’ but that’s just not what this is about,” Chisholm said. “And I can say it, and I’ll keep saying it, but I’ll also prove it to you when the time comes. When we have the opportunity, we’re going to do that. And we’ve given ourselves the flexibility to do it now. So, it’s fine to keep asking the question, because I know we have to prove it, and we will.”
Though Chisholm came into his role at a difficult time, there’s no reason to think he’s been cheaping out — I genuinely believe all of this would have happened if the previous ownership group remained. But, as he acknowledged, only time will tell.
2. Brad Stevens shot down some of the off-court rumors that have surrounded Jaylen Brown’s trade
In the days since Jaylen Brown was traded, rumors have swirled that off-court issues may played a factor. But, Stevens vehemently shot down the notion that Brown was disgruntled with the team, or vice versa, prior to trade talks.
“We all appreciate Jaylen,” Stevens said. “We’ve all enjoyed having Jaylen as a teammate. I think he’s got great relationships from here.”
Did Jayson Tatum want Jaylen Brown gone?
That question has been posited in radio and TV stations across the country, and Stevens laid that one to rest, too.
He reiterated that Tatum, Brown’s teammate of 9 seasons, had no input in the decision to make the trade.
“I have a real hard-and-fast rule,” Stevens said. “I don’t ask other guys about other guys… I won’t put them in that position.”
3. The Celtics wanted to move away from being such a top-heavy team
As part of his opening statement, Brad Stevens shared (unprompted) that he felt like having Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown take up such a large percentage of the salary cap and usage wasn’t putting the Celtics on the best pathway forward.
“The path looked a little bit more challenging with 70% of our cap and such a high percent of our usage tied into two players,” Stevens said. “And the reality in this era and in this day and age at the NBA, you could see it obviously, with the last couple of champions and some of the teams that were at the very top of the league, when it was all said and done at the end of this year, is that you have to do a great job and you have to have the optionality to do a great job of building out depth that can hopefully replace the irreplaceable individual. And that’s not an easy thing to do, right? And we get that. And that’s absolutely nothing against Jaylen. If you have Jaylen Brown on your team, you should feature him. You should use all those possessions, and you should approach things that way. But I think the importance of depth, and then obviously we have to continue to work on ways to diversify our attack overall.”
My analysis: There was a time in which having two or three stars was all you needed to be a championship contender in the NBA. Recent history shows that that era has passed, and this trade is, in part, an acknowledgement of that.
4. The Celtics actually think Paul George will be a difference-maker
It’s hard to get fans excited about a soon-to-be 37-year-old player who on one of the NBA’s most unpopular contracts. But, though his availability remains a question mark, the team is excited about what Paul George could bring.
“We like Paul,” Stevens said. “Paul’s a really good player. We’re not very far removed from all sitting in our series against Philadelphia and watching Paul be a guy that could carry you for portions of a quarter or a half, but also play a complementary role on both ends of the floor at the highest of levels. He’s excited to come to Boston. He actually already came in this weekend. And we’re excited to get a chance to work with him.”
My analysis: The word ‘complementary’ here is key. The Celtics believe that Paul George could fit well next season, and fit in well to what the Celtics are doing. George was awesome in the postseason against Boston — he averaged 17.4 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 3.0 assists while shooting 48.9% from the field and 55% from three across seven games. He’s also historically been an elite defender. There’s a world where he really thrives in this role.
Still, the reality is that nothing Brad Stevens said will fully satisfy Celtics fans
Though Stevens handled the press conference as best as he could — perhaps as best as any NBA general manager in the aftermath of such an unpopular trade — no words could provide complete clarity on why this all played out, why it had to happen now, and why the Celtics wouldn’t want to keep Brown coming off of his best season yet.
Perhaps the truth is hurtful to Brown. It was clear from the jump that Stevens did not want to denigrate his character or on-court play, to the point where he even avoided saying he thinks next year’s team will be better than this year’s.
Or, maybe the logic behind the decision to trade Brown is faulty. And, maybe, the decision to trade Brown will age poorly.
Stevens acknowledged that reality, too.
“I might be wrong,” Stevens said. “I’m not going to stand up here and be defensive about that.”
Either way, though Stevens gets a 10 out of 10 on his transparency and willingness to field all the questions, and give fans the answers they deserved, even if it doesn’t actually move the needle on things.
Boston Red Sox's Roman Anthony, who has been sidelined with an injured right wrist
The Red Sox is headed to Fort Myers for injury rehabilitation — and nothing else.
Anthony, 22, suffered a partially torn ligament in his right ring finger in May. He is still experiencing difficulty swinging a bat due to the discomfort in his right hand and wrist.
“His focus, a singular focus now, is if you’re in Florida, it’s to get yourself healthy and not have to deal with all the other stuff that goes with it,” Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy said.
Boston Red Sox’s Roman Anthony, who has been sidelined with an injured right wrist AP Photo/Charles Krupa
“So it’s a singular focus, very focused on getting himself healthy and getting him back to us. We want him. We want him in the lineup. So I’m going to keep in touch with him frequently and see how he’s doing, with the hope that we get him back.”
Tracy went on to clarify what he meant by “other stuff.”
Roman Anthony #19 of the Boston Red Sox Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
“Just the day-to-day of being at Fenway. He’s going to get asked questions about it constantly. And for him being there, his focus is on one thing right now: That’s get yourself healthy.”
His next step is visiting Dr. Gary Lourie, a hand specialist, in Atlanta this week.
Tracy first mentioned Anthony’s shift down to Fenway South on Saturday and framed it as a move based on logistics.
Boston has become crowded with injured players, so Anthony was moved to create space, a similar move to one done with some pitchers in the past.
Anthony has not yet resumed a hitting program in the midst of his recovery.
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 27: Zac Veen #13 of the Colorado Rockies advances to second base on a wild pitch against the San Diego Padres during the fifth inning of a spring training game at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on February 27, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Minor League Baseball announced today that Albuquerque Isotopes outfielder Zac Veen (No. 9 PuRP) has been named Pacific Coast League Player of the Month for June.
The PCL Player of the Month award for June goes to Mr. Veen!
He slashed .366/.385/.782 with 13 doubles, four triples, seven homers and 19 RBI. Also led the PCL with 37 hits and all of MiLB with 79 total bases in June.
Over 24 games in June, Veen slashed .366/.385/.782. This includes 13 doubles, four triples, seven homers, and 19 RBI. He led the PCL in hits (37), doubles, total bases (79), and tied for first in triples during the month of June. In addition, Veen led minor league baseball in total bases.
His 24 extra-base hits in June were second-most for an Isotopes player in a month since at least 2005. Scott Seabol and Ryan Ritter each collected 25 extra-base knocks in May 2006 and May 2025, respectively.
Add to that, Veen hit safely in 23 of 24 games during the month and compiled a 25-game hit streak from May 27-June 25, the third-longest in Isotopes history. Additionally, he tied a franchise record with three doubles on June 23 when the Isotopes met the Salt Lake Bees before launching a pair of leadoff home runs later in that series.
This marks the ninth time in team history an Albuquerque player has won PCL Player of the Month: Scott Seabol (May 2006), Ryan McMahon (June 2017), Mike Tauchman (May 2018), Taylor Motter (July 2021), Wynton Bernard (August 2022), Elehuris Montero (May 2023 and July 2024) and Ryan Ritter (May 2025).
This is Veen’s first Player of the Month award of his career.
Jun 15, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Dustin May (3) reacts after an inning ending double play against the San Diego Padres during the seventh inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
The St. Louis Cardinals begin a brutal 5-game series over just 4 days against the Milwaukee Brewers Monday night at Busch Stadium. The Cardinals will give the ball to Dustin May while the Brewers will assign Shane Drohan the starting duties. First pitch is scheduled for 6:45pm central time and the game TV broadcast will be available on Cardinals.tv.
May 23, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; A view of the signage above the main scoreboard before the game between the San Francisco Giants and the Chicago White Sox at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
George Springer has joined the team in San Francisco, but there is no word that he’s been added to the roster and he isn’t in the lineup tonight, which is something that we could have an explanation about. Of course, as soon as I hit publish the team will make an announcement.
The lineup they have posted:
Today’s Lineups
BLUE JAYS
GIANTS
Ernie Clement – 2B
Heliot Ramos – RF
Nathan Lukes – RF
Luis Arraez – 2B
Vladimir Guerrero – 1B
Casey Schmitt – 3B
Kazuma Okamoto – 3B
Rafael Devers – DH
Sean Keys – DH
Jung Hoo Lee – CF
Alejandro Kirk – C
Willy Adames – SS
Daulton Varsho – CF
Bryce Eldridge – 1B
Myles Straw – LF
Victor Bericoto – LF
Andres Gimenez – SS
Eric Haase – C
Kevin Gausman – RHP
Landen Roupp – RHP
Shi Davidi tells us that Vladimir Guerrero’s back has been bothering him more than he’s admitted to us. Which make sense. Players don’t need to tell everyone if they are hurting.
It explains why he is skipping the All-Star game.
Back things are weird, one day it will feel good and the next you are back to hurting. Back issues happen when you are are in shape or out of shape or in shape. With the rather violent action of a swing, it would be pretty hard for you back to improve if you are taking several swings a day. I think a few days off might do him good. Or at least it can’t get all that worse.
It is Stampede, here in Calgary, and it is a busy time for me, so posting will be a little hit and miss this week. There are a lot of things going on.
AKRON, OHIO - MAY 26, 2026: Parks Harber #26 of the Richmond Flying Squirrels bats during the first inning against the Akron RubberDucks at 7 17 Credit Union Park on May 26, 2026 in Akron, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
A busy weekend for the San Francisco Giants Minor League Baseball affiliates! Let’s jump into all the action that happened on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
All listed positions in the roundup are the position played in that particular game.
News
Some shocking news came across the farm over the weekend: Low-A San Jose LHP Braydon Risley was released. Risley was a 19th-round pick in last year’s draft, and had been having a decent debut season, with a 4.80 ERA, a 4.70 FIP, and a Pitcher of the Month award in the Cal League in May. I don’t want to speculate as to the exact why for this release — hopefully we get details at some point — but, put simply, drafted players do not get released in their debut seasons because of their on-field performance (and even if they did, Risley has been too good to be a consideration for that reason). This is almost certainly an off the field matter, and likely a severe one, given that he was released rather than placed on any sort of leave.
In happier news, AA Richmond center fielder Bo Davidson (No. 4 CPL) was named Player of the Month in the Eastern League, while High-A Eugene center fielder Dakota Jordan (No. 5 CPL) was named Player of the Week in the Northwest League.
In injury news, Richmond catcher Adrián Sugastey was placed on the 7-Day IL, while AAA Sacramento LHP Matt Wilkinson was activated off the IL. Sacramento outfielder Grant McCray will begin a rehab assignment in the Arizona Complex League.
And finally, some shuffling of Quad-A relievers. The Giants designated RHP Gregory Santos for assignment, and outrighted him to Sacramento when he cleared waivers. They also claimed RHP Eric Cerantola off of waivers from the Royals, and assigned him to Sacramento. Cerantola is a 26-year old who was taken in the 5th round in 2021. He has a 2.67 ERA and a 4.31 FIP in AAA this year, with 43 strikeouts in 30.1 innings. He made his MLB debut earlier this year.
AAA Sacramento (45-39)
Friday: Sacramento River Cats lost to the El Paso Chihuahuas 4-2 [box score] Saturday: Sacramento River Cats lost to the El Paso Chihuahuas 8-6 [box score] Sunday: Sacramento River Cats lost to the El Paso Chihuahuas 11-2 [box score]
Well, not a good weekend for the River Cats, that’s for sure.
It was also an odd weekend. The biggest oddity appeared on Sunday, when LHP Joe Whitman (No. 26 CPL) made an appearance out of the bullpen. Whitman, the team’s compensation round pick in 2023, was arguably the best starting pitcher in the Eastern League while in AA this year, and received a well-earned promotion to AAA. He’s had a few bumps and bruises as one expects in AAA, but had been fairly solid through 5 starts. And then came this bizarre bullpen outing.
As Roger Munter notes in his must-read Minor Lines, Sunday was Whitman’s scheduled start, but the River Cats were also welcoming LHP Matt Wilkinson back into the fold after a rehab stint. Still and all, I would have assumed that would mean the team would piggyback them, but instead they used Whitman like a true reliever, bringing him into the game in the 4th inning, with 2 outs and a runner on base, and only keeping him out there through the 5th inning. He wasn’t sharp, unfortunately, giving up 2 hits, 1 walk, and 1 run in 1.1 innings, though he needed just 18 pitches to do so.
In all, it turned into a day of using starters in brief stints: Wilkinson lasted just 3.2 innings as he gave up 3 hits, 2 walks, and 3 runs, with 3 strikeouts, while RHP Carson Seymour came in later and tossed 2 rough innings, allowing 5 hits, 1 walk, and 2 runs, with 3 strikeouts. So not a great day for any of those starting pitchers, but they all did better than the rehabbing pitcher on Sunday, as RHP Jason Foley faced 4 batters and didn’t retire any of them, giving up a double, a single, and 2 walks, which ultimately resulted in 4 earned runs after Seymour’s struggles allowed all the inherited runners to score. A day to forget for the pitchers, and it’s really been a rough scene for Foley, who has a 7.80 ERA and a 5.26 FIP during his rehab assignment, with just 10 strikeouts in 15 innings. Not sure what the Giants will do about that situation.
Friday’s starter was the biggest pitching bright spot, as RHP Blade Tidwell (No. 9 CPL) was strong through 5 innings, giving up 5 hits, 2 walks, and 2 unearned runs, while striking out 6 batters. That said, the unearned runs thing feels a little cheap, since it involved an error by Tidwell himself, and then an ensuing home run … 2 things that feel a little antithetical to a run being “unearned.” Still, it was a solid showing, even if it took him 97 pitches to get through 5 innings. RHP Trent Harris (No. 29 CPL) pitched a perfect inning with 2 strikeouts later in the game, as he continues his glorious run … he’s now allowed runs in just 1 of his last 16 outings, which spans more than 2 months. That’s brought him down to a 3.96 ERA and a 4.73 FIP, despite an ugly start to the year.
Also nice relief outings for RHPs Braxton Roxby (2 no-hit innings with 1 walk and 2 strikeouts) and Wilkin Ramos (2 perfect innings with 1 strikeout), and LHP Nick Zwack (1 perfect frame with 2 strikeouts).
In the batter’s box, left fielder/right fielder Will Brennan continues to be the team’s best offensive player post-outrighting. The lefty had a lovely weekend, hitting 4-12 with a home run, a double, a hit by pitch, and no strikeouts.
The 28-year old veteran has a 7-game hitting streak, and has collected 10 hits through 5 games in July. And since getting designated for assignment and outrighted, he’s gone 21-57 with 1 home run, 6 doubles, 3 walks, and just 3 strikeouts. It’ll be an uphill battle to get back on the roster, but we’ll see if the Giants trade any of their outfielders in the next month.
Speaking of which, center fielder/left fielder Turner Hill just continues to look comfortable in AAA. He had another majestic weekend, hitting 4-10 with a double, a walk, a hit by pitch, and, like Brennan, no strikeouts. The 27-year old undrafted free agent has an .843 OPS and a 125 wRC+ since getting promoted, with strong outfield defense and 15 stolen bases in 61 games. He’s kind of a left-handed hitting Jonah Cox Lite!
Finally, the up-and-down play continued for catcher Jesús Rodríguez (No. 16 CPL). After not getting an at-bat on Friday, the contact savant went 2-5 with a home run and a stolen base on Saturday, though he also committed an error. But on Sunday, he went 0-5 with 2 strikeouts. He’s really been scuffling since getting optioned just over a month ago, and his season numbers in AAA are down to a .777 OPS and a 106 wRC+.
Friday: Richmond Flying Squirrels beat the Harrisburg Senators 7-0 [box score] Sunday: Richmond Flying Squirrels lost to the Harrisburg Senators 6-5 [box score]
No Saturday game for the Squirrels, as their holiday game was lost due to poor weather. Not very patriotic of the weather if you ask me!
But 2 games was all that was needed for third baseman Parks Harber (No. 17 CPL) to shine. Harber put on a superstar showing in both games: on Friday, he cemented the blowout win by smashing a 3-run home run in the 7th inning, as part of a 3-4 day that featured a sacrifice fly and his 1st stolen base of the season.
Yeah Taylor and Travis just got married but have you heard Parks Harber hit another bomb? 💥 pic.twitter.com/dEfIB0G5fT
— Richmond Flying Squirrels (@GoSquirrels) July 4, 2026
And on Sunday? Well, he one-upped himself, going 2-4 with a pair of big flies. What a weekend!
— Richmond Flying Squirrels (@GoSquirrels) July 5, 2026
Harber hit the ground running after missing the start of the season with an injury, but fell into a bit of a slump for a while. I think it’s safe to say that the slump is well behind him at this point! Over his last 8 games, the righty is hitting 13-32 with 3 homers, 3 doubles, 3 walks, and 6 strikeouts. It’s brought his OPS back to .897 and his wRC+ to 136, though he still has a 25.1% strikeout rate.
— Richmond Flying Squirrels (@GoSquirrels) July 5, 2026
Interestingly, after moving strictly to the outfield for a while, Harber is back to playing third base. Is it a coincidence that his time in the outfield coincided with the Giants having a hole in their outfield, and his move back to third coincides with Matt Chapman’s injury? I’d say yes, but given the trajectory they’ve put some of their prospects on this year, who knows!
Richmond’s other offensive star had a nice weekend as well, if a little quieter, as center fielder Bo Davidson (No. 4 CPL) hit 4-8 with a double, a walk, 2 stolen bases, and a strikeout. After a stunning June in which he posted a 1.072 OPS, the 24-year old lefty is off to a similarly hot start to July, with a .984 OPS through the 1st 4 games. He’s up to an .861 OPS and a 121 wRC+, with 13 stolen bases in 15 attempts.
Second baseman Diego Velasquez (No. 32 CPL) had a lovely time at the yard, hitting 2-6 with a home run and a walk. He’s up to a .779 OPS and a 112 wRC+ on the year, and the 22-year old switch-hitter has more than doubled his isolated slugging over his prior stops in Richmond.
— Richmond Flying Squirrels (@GoSquirrels) July 4, 2026
A great pitching performance on Friday, led by LHP Greg Farone, who had one of his best performances of the year. The 2024 7th-rounder threw 6 shutout innings, giving up just 5 hits, 0 walks, and 2 hit batters, while striking out 5. It’s been a struggle of a year for the 24-year old southpaw, who was given a rather aggressive assignment in his 2nd season, and has just a 6.17 ERA and a 6.18 FIP. His June was particularly bad — he allowed 15 walks and 17 earned runs in 21 innings — so it’s nice seeing him start July on the right foot.
He was followed up by another player who has been having a tough season but had a great game: RHP Shane Rademacher. The 25-year old UDFA, who is in his 3rd season, threw 3 no-hit innings to end the game, with 1 walk and 2 strikeouts. After a really rough start to the year, Rademacher — who is pitching strictly in relief this year — has started to find a rhythm. He’s allowed 4 runs in 14.2 innings over his last 6 games, after ceding 16 earned runs in 22 innings over his 1st 13 outings.
LHP Charlie McDaniel pitched 6.1 innings on Sunday, which was impressive, though he allowed 7 baserunners and 3 runs, with just 3 strikeouts. The undrafted free agent, who turned 25 on Saturday, has a 5.04 ERA and a 4.15 FIP in 6 starts since getting promoted.
High-A Eugene (49-32)
Friday Game 1: Eugene Emeralds lost to the Vancouver Canadians 5-3 (7 innings) [box score] Friday Game 2: Eugene Emeralds beat the Vancouver Canadians 9-0 (7 innings) [box score] Saturday: Eugene Emeralds beat the Vancouver Canadians 8-2 [box score] Sunday: Eugene Emeralds lost to the Vancouver Canadians 5-3 [box score]
It was a very nice weekend for the farm system’s power hitters … while Parks Harber (No. 17 CPL) was bashing homers in the Eastern League, center fielder/right fielder Dakota Jordan (No. 5 CPL) was doing the same in the Northwest League. Jordan has really been turning things on lately following a June swoon, and this weekend emphasized that. After going 0-4 with a strikeout in the 1st game of Friday’s doubleheader, Jordan turned on the burners: over the weekend’s final 3 games, the ultra athletic righty hit 8-13 with 2 home runs, 2 doubles, and 1 strikeout.
The 2024 4th-rounder, who recently turned 23, now has an .846 OPS and a 122 wRC+, and in his last 7 games has hit 13-29 with 8 extra-base knocks, which earned him Player of the Week honors. Perhaps most encouraging is that Jordan, who still has quite a big swing-and-miss issue, has only 3 strikeouts in his last 11 games.
And now, for the GRAND FINALE!
Dakota Jordan extends his team lead in HR, sending his 15th and 2nd of the game out of the ballpark. @Kota_1k is on an absolute TEAR leading up to the All-Star Future’s Game.#RootedHerepic.twitter.com/fnZZZRAOYO
Plenty of other nice offensive performances, including from left fielder Carlos Gutierrez (No. 18 CPL), who hit 5-14 with 2 doubles, 2 walks, a stolen base, and 3 strikeouts, bringing his OPS to .796 and his wRC+ to 115, with 19 stolen bases in 20 attempts. The middle infield duo of Jhonny Level (No. 3 CPL) and Gavin Kilen (No. 7 CPL) had up-and-down weekends, with Level going 4-17 with 2 doubles, 3 strikeouts, and a caught stealing, and Kilen hitting 3-17 with a home run, 2 doubles, and 3 strikeouts. Level now has a .756 OPS and a 102 wRC+ since a promotion, while Kilen has an .818 OPS and a 118 wRC+ in his 1st full season.
A nice weekend for corner outfielder Jakob Christian (No. 40 CPL), who hit 3-10 with a home run, a double, a walk, a hit by pitch, and 3 strikeouts, bringing his OPS to .828 and his wRC+ to 123. Christian is showing off a ton of power and getting on base at a fantastic clip, but still really struggling with strikeouts, with a 31.3% rate.
Also homering were catcher Onil Perez and first baseman Robert Hipwell, who each knocked their 3rd dinger of the year in otherwise rough offensive seasons. Catcher Jancel Villarroel (No. 42 CPL) only played twice, but hit 5-7 with a double and a walk, boosting his OPS to .857 and his wRC+ to 131. What a season for the 21-year old!
The pitching star was LHP Jacob Bresnahan (No. 11 CPL), who nearly pitched a complete game during the 7-inning 2nd game of Friday’s doubleheader. The just-turned 21-year old finished with 6.1 shutout innings in which he allowed just 2 hits, 2 walks, and a hit batter, though he only struck out 3. After an injury delayed his start, and then he pitched with a fair amount of rust, Bresnahan has started to really turn his season around … he’s all the way down to a 3.19 ERA, though his 4.50 FIP points to some of the issues he’s been having after back-to-back Pitcher of the Year campaigns to start his career.
While Bresnahan’s strikeout totals were low in this one, it was his 3rd straight excellent outing, as he’s now gone at least 6 innings in 3 straight games, giving up just 7 hits, 4 walks, and 1 run in 18.1 innings over that time. Quite impressive! The strikeouts are a touch concerning, as he’s gone from 12.0 per 9 last year to just 9.7 this season, but that’s still an OK number. And while his home runs have gone in the wrong directions — from 0.2 per 9 last year, to 1.0 this year — he’s also only allowed 35 hits in 53.2 innings, which is extremely impressive.
RHP Niko Mazza also had a great start, as he continues to sport a great ERA/bad FIP combo meal. Mazza pitched on the holiday and went 6 innings, while giving up 5 hits, 1 walk, 2 hit batters, and just 1 run. The 24-year old 8th-round pick in the 2024 MLB Draft threw 56 of 85 pitches for strikes but, like Bresnahan, only struck out 3 batters. That was out of character for the Southern Mississippi alum, who has boosted his strikeouts per 9 innings from 8.7 in his debut season (in Low-A) to 10.9 this year. And, just like last year, he has an ERA in the 2s (2.63) despite an FIP in the 4s (4.09).
Part of the reason for that high FIP is the walks (he’s issued 5.5 per 9 innings), so the singular walk in this game was a nice change of pace, despite the 2 hit batters.
RHP Gerelmi Maldonado (No. 21 CPL) pitched a no-hit inning with a walk and a strikeout, and it was his 4th straight game without allowing a hit (though he’s walked at least 1 batter in all 4 appearances). The 22-year old’s stuff remains absurd: in 19.2 innings this year, the triple-digit flamethrower has struck out 29, while giving up just 11 hits … but he’s walked 27.
Low-A San Jose (49-32)
Friday: San Jose Giants beat the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes 6-5 [box score] Saturday: San Jose Giants beat the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes 14-6 [box score] Sunday: San Jose Giants beat the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes 7-2 [box score]
The Baby Giants are officially rolling … they not only swept the weekend, but swept the series, and ride into Monday’s off-day on a 7-game winning streak.
They used the long ball for this weekend’s success, smacking 8 home runs over the 3 games, with at least 2 dingers in each contest.
A pair of those home runs came from someone who is quickly starting to look like one of the breakout players of 2026: right fielder Jose Astudillo. Power numbers in the Cal League shouldn’t be taken too seriously, especially for a 22-year old, but still: Astudillo has always been a sensational contact hitter and a strong defender, but now he’s added in power. Over the weekend he went 5-11 with 2 home runs, 2 doubles, 2 walks, 2 strikeouts, and an outfield assist, bringing his OPS up to .940 and his wRC+ to 132 (and running his hitting streak to 18 games). The .353 batting average and 5.9% strikeout rate, which rank 2nd and 1st, respectively, out of the 88 Cal League hitters with at least 150 plate appearances? We’ve come to expect that. But the .190 isolated slugging and the 6 home runs? That is a shock for someone who entered the year with just 1 career home run in 110 games. Hopefully it can continue!
Don't think it's possible to be hotter than Jose Astudillo right now. His second two-RBI hit of the night, this one an absolute no-doubter. pic.twitter.com/BOmOfvGPA5
He wasn’t the only San Jose hitter to go yard multiple times, though the other was less surprising: left fielder Lisbel Diaz (No. 31 CPL) went 3-5 with a pair of home runs and a walk on Saturday, though he went 0-9 with 3 strikeouts in the other 2 games. Not only have we grown accustomed to Diaz hitting homers (he’s 3rd in the system with 13 this year), but he’s playing down a level, as he couldn’t join High-A Eugene on their trip north of the border, so he bopped down to California.
A LISBEL LASER.
Lisbel Diaz hits his second home run of the game, and the Giants have reached double digits in the run column for the NINETEENTH TIME this season! pic.twitter.com/Ini2tsKYen
Third baseman Dario Reynoso continued to rebound from a little slump he had going, as he went 5-12 with a home run, 2 doubles, 2 walks, a stolen base, and 5 strikeouts. Reynoso, who has a .942 OPS and a 133 wRC+, continues to put on a show: his .295 batting average ranks 22nd out of those aforementioned 88 Cal League hitters, while his .241 isolated slugging mark is 10th, and his 14.5% walk rate is 19th. But the 31.1% strikeout rate and 14.8% swinging strike rates remain terrifying, though they are improvements over his 2025, so at least there’s that.
FIREWORKS IN THE FIRST AGAIN!
Dario Reynoso blasts his 11th homer of the year (109 EV) and for the second night in a row, Giants score first on the long ball. pic.twitter.com/TTcFaJ1k80
Shortstop Lorenzo Meola (No. 23 CPL) played quite well, hitting 4-11 with a home run, 2 walks, and 1 strikeout. Last year’s 4th-round pick has taken a while to get going, but has been much better lately, and now has a .729 OPS and an 82 wRC+, though the 27.2% strikeout rate is a touch concerning for the 22-year old. His July has been excellent following a tough June.
Lorenzo Meola with another mammoth home run, the Giants ELEVENTH home run this series. pic.twitter.com/boTQT2LDdq
First baseman Jeremiah Jenkins and left fielder Oliver Tejada both homered over the weekend as well. Jenkins, who hit 2-12 and added a double, 2 walks, and 4 strikeouts, now has an .866 OPS and a 115 wRC+; Tejada, who went 1-3 with a walk and a strikeout in his only game, is 2-14 through 4 games since getting promoted.
And another one!
Oliver Tejada with his first HR of the season, and the Giants take a 4-0 lead. pic.twitter.com/S11y94Ok6d
There were a pair of bits of big news on the pitching front. On the unhappy side was the aforementioned release of LHP Braydon Risley, who made his final appearance for the organization on Friday. It showed off his strengths and his weaknesses, as he allowed 7 baserunners and 3 runs in just 4.1 innings, but also struck out 7 batters. Hopefully we find out at some point why he was released less than a year after getting drafted.
The happier side of the news was that RHP Keaton Winn continued his rehab assignment on Sunday. He pitched for the 2nd time in his rehab, and for the 1st time in San Jose, and gave up a hit and a walk in a scoreless inning. Hopefully he’s back in the San Francisco bullpen soon.
Following Winn was RHP Sam Bower, who had a wonderful game, throwing 4 shutout innings and allowing just 2 singles and 0 walks, while striking out 6. Bower, the 2022 11th-round pick who, due to injuries, didn’t debut until this season, is starting to find his rhythm and kick his rust and dust off. He still has just a 4.62 ERA and a 4.80 FIP in his debut season, but in his last 2 starts has allowed just 5 hits, 0 walks, and 0 runs in 9 innings, with 12 strikeouts. Trending up!
LHP Ricardo Estrada started on Saturday and had a funny start. The 24-year old from Mexico gave up just 3 hits and 1 run in 5 innings, but walked 4 batters (he also struck out 6). He has just a 4.17 ERA and a 5.80 FIP on the year.
Perhaps the most exciting news in this game was that designated hitter Reggie Crawford returned following an injury. He played part of Friday’s game and hit 2-2 with 2 runs batted in, and in 5 games this year is 5-14 with a home run, 2 walks, and 4 strikeouts.
By now you’re likely all familiar with Crawford’s story and career path (and if you want more there, I recommend reading Justice delos Santos’ recent profile). After Crawford began hitting again following his countless pitching injuries, it felt extremely cruel that he quickly suffered an injury playing first base. But it’s great that the injury didn’t linger, and hopefully he can get back in a rhythm of playing regularly this summer.
Speaking of injured players returning, shortstop Josuar González (No. 2 CPL) is still healthy, though the Giants have slow-playing him a little bit following his second hamstring injury. He played in Friday’s game and went 0-2 and was caught stealing, but also drew 2 walks and stole a base. He’s still only played 20 games in the ACL, but the 18-year old superstar prospect is 23-61 with 7 extra-base hits, 15 walks, just 15 strikeouts, and 6 stolen bases in 7 attempts. I can’t wait to see him in San Jose later this year.
His counterpart, shortstop Luis Hernández (No. 6 CPL) also only played once, but went 1-4 with a triple, a hit by pitch, and a strikeout. He’s slowed down a little bit following his unreal start, but he still has a .939 OPS, a 119 wRC+, and just a 17.7% strikeout rate … stunning numbers for a 17-year old middle infielder in his debut season. The future is bright! Which is good, because the present is fairly ugly.
First baseman Evan Estevez had a nice weekend as well, going 3-8 with a 2-run home run, though he also struck out 4 times. The 18-year old has struggled in his stateside debut, with just a .723 OPS and a 76 wRC+. He’s shown some good power (he now has 5 home runs and 11 extra-base hits in 43 games), but his contact skills are really taking a hit, as he has just a .231 average and a 37.1% strikeout rate.
As was the case in San Jose, the big news on the Complex League pitching front was RHP Keaton Winn kicking off his rehab. Before he went up to the Cal League, Winn pitched a perfect inning on Friday at Papago, while striking out 2. He was replaced by AA RHP Logan Martin, who is also rehabbing. Martin tossed 2 perfect innings with 3 strikeouts. Martin has now made 3 rehab appearances and allowed just 1 baserunner (a walk) in 5 innings. Hopefully he’s back in Richmond very soon.
Otherwise, the pitching over the weekend was not very good. RHP Luke Mensik did strike out 6 batters in 4 innings on Friday, but also gave up 6 baserunners and 5 runs. The 18-year old, who was taken in the 17th round of last year’s draft (for a nearly $500K bonus), has just a 5.08 ERA and a 5.87 FIP in his debut season, though he has 9.6 strikeouts per 9 innings and a lovely 50.5% groundball rate.
Dominican Summer League Black (14-11)
Friday: DSL Giants Black beat the DSL Mets Orange 5-4 [box score] Saturday: DSL Giants Black lost to DSL Arizona Black 11-10 [box score]
Saturday was an extremely DSLy game. The DSL Giants Black drew 8 walks and were hit by 3 pitches … and issued 13 walks while hitting 3 batters. Gotta love it.
It was a good weekend for the Camacaro brothers. Third baseman/shortstop Keiberg, the older of the 2, went 3-8 with a solo home run, 2 walks, a stolen base, and 2 strikeouts. Second baseman Alexander hit 3-7 with a double, 2 walks, a stolen base, and a strikeout. Keiberg, a 19-year old in his 4th season, is putting up career numbers, with a .957 OPS, a 137 wRC+, a 12.7% strikeout rate, and 13 stolen bases in 24 games. That’s a dramatic improvement over last year, when he had a .620 OPS, an 89 wRC+, a 24.6% strikeout rate, and just 7 stolen bases in 33 games. Alexander, an 18-year old in his 2nd season, has a .736 OPS, a 91 wRC+, and 9 stolen bases in 24 games … those aren’t great numbers but, like his brother, they’re dramatic improvements over last year’s debut (.483 OPS, 56 wRC+, and 0 stolen bases in 17 games).
A few pitchers kept their low ERAs intact: 18-year old RHP Jeremiah Jones tossed 2 no-hit innings with a strikeout, though he walked 3, lowering the 2nd-year player’s ERA to 2.53 (albeit with a 4.97 FIP); 21-year old RHP Lender Bracho tossed 3 scoreless frames with 3 hits and 2 strikeouts, and now has a 1.72 ERA (but a 5.33 FIP) in his 3rd season; and 22-year old RHP Brayan Cabello retired all 4 batters he faced with a strikeout, lowering his blissful ERA to 0.49, though his FIP is 4.50 and this is his 5th season.
Dominican Summer League Orange (14-11)
Friday: DSL Giants Orange beat the DSL Blue Jays Blue 7-6 (7 innings) [box score] Saturday: DSL Giants Orange lost to the DSL White Sox 3-2 (7 innings) [box score]
First baseman Fernando Pena, who is normally a catcher, went 0-1 on Friday, but drew a walk and was hit twice. The 19-year old, who is in his 3rd season, has now been hit 9 times in just 24 games. There’s something about catchers that just leads to getting hit all the time! Combined with his 17.3% walk rate and his .319 average, all those plunkings have given Pena a .495 on-base percentage (and also a 1.017 OPS and a 153 wRC+).
The best players for the DSL Orange team were on the mound, though. RHP Omar Calcurian, a 21-year old in his 3rd season, pitched 2 shutout innings with 2 hits, 1 walk, and 3 strikeouts, lowering his ERA to 1.45 (like nearly all DSL pitchers with good ERAs, his FIP is way behind, at 5.25). After striking out just 17 batters in 33 innings last year, Calcurian already has 19 punchouts this season, in just 18.2 innings. 19-year old RHP Kendry Castro tossed 3 scoreless frames on Saturday with 2 hits, 0 walks, and 2 strikeouts, lowering his ERA to 1.64 (and again … 4.13 FIP). Castro has really done a great job improving command: after walking 29 batters in just 15.2 innings in his debut season in 2024, he issued 18 walks in 33.2 innings last year … and has given up just 2 walks in 11 innings so far this season.
Home run tracker
15 — Dakota Jordan x2 — [High-A] 13 — Lisbel Diaz x2 — [10 in High-A; 3 in Low-A] 11 — Parks Harber x3 — [AA] 11 — Dario Reynoso — [Low-A] 9 — Gavin Kilen — [High-A] 9 — Jeremiah Jenkins — [Low-A] 8 — Lorenzo Meola — [Low-A] 7 — Jesús Rodríguez — [2 in MLB; 5 in AAA] 6 — Jakob Christian — [High-A] 6 — Jose Astudillo x2 — [Low-A] 5 — Evan Estevez — [ACL] 4 — Diego Velasquez — [AA] 3 — Robert Hipwell — [High-A] 3 — Onil Perez — [High-A] 3 — Keiberg Camacaro — [DSL] 2 — Will Brennan — [AAA] 2 — Oliver Tejada — [1 in Low-A; 1 in ACL]
