LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 12: Khaman Maluach #10 of the Phoenix Suns grabs a rebound during the game against the New Orleans Pelicans 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
Who: Summer Suns (2-1) vs. Summer Pistons (1-2)
When: 3:00 pm Arizona Time
Where: Thomas & Mack Center — Las Vegas, Nevada
Watch: Arizona Family Sports, ESPNU
Three games into Vegas and the Summer Suns are winning ugly, defending with malice, and crashing the glass. We’ve got some dogs.
Phoenix erased a 14-point halftime hole against Portland with a 31-18 third quarter in game one, then faceplanted against the Pelicans. However, they closed Monday’s Bucks game on an 11-1 run after trailing 87-84 with 2:30 left. The two wins were built on defense and rebounding, and riding the momentum from each.
At 2-1 with a winnable finale, a top-four record, and a July 18 semifinal spot are both live depending on how everything else shakes out.
In the Summer League, you never know what the lineups might be, so the best we can do is guess. Let’s hope all the key guys go again, because it’s been (mostly) fun to watch them progress.
Suns
Darius Brown II
Koby Brea
Rasheer Fleming
Koa Peat
Khaman Maluach
Pistons
Ebuka Okorie
Chaz Lanier
Brice Williams
Isaac Jones
Ugonna Onyenso
Injury Report
Suns
Nothing Reported as of now
Pistons
Nothing Reported as of now
What to Watch For
Maluach vs. Onyenso at the rim
Khaman Maluach’s Vegas log: 19 and 11 against Portland, a 15-point, 15-rebound double-double in the Pelicans loss, then 21 points, 10 rebounds, and four blocks on Milwaukee. He’s looked exactly how you’d hoped he would in this environment heading into year two.
Three straight double-doubles from a 7-foot-2 sophomore who might be too good for this event. Detroit counters with Ugonna Onyenso, a 7-footer who led the ACC with 105 blocks last season. Shot-blocker on shot-blocker is the most watchable thing on Wednesday’s card. Mark Williams and Oso Ighodaro are going to have some legitimate competition next season.
Peat dropped 19 and 6 on the Bucks and hasn’t looked sped up at all. He’s looked like everything we could’ve hoped for and more from a physical and “feel” standpoint. Wednesday’s potential problem for Peat is Ebuka Okorie, the No. 17 pick who averaged 23.2 points at Stanford and lives downhill.
Keep him off the rim without fouling, and this defense passes its last exam. One more scouting note: Chaz Lanier hit seven threes on Cleveland. Chase him off the line or eat a barrage.
Phoenix's first-round pick, Koa Peat, delivered in tonight's NBA Summer League action 👏
Koby Brea was ice cold in Vegas until Monday, when he put up 19 with six threes in a 44.1% team night from deep. Darius Brown added 14 and five assists as Phoenix out-assisted Milwaukee 22-15.
They’re going to need another strong showing from Brea to have more confidence in him if this ends up being their last SL game. His confidence could sure use another offensive outburst.
Many races throughout the league are wide open, particularly in the AL, where the playoffs feel unattainable for very few teams. Late pre-All-Star surges from the Detroit Tigers and the Boston Red Sox have taken two perceived sellers with coveted second half players and thrown their status into flux. And the Los Angeles Dodgers are still the team to beat, having gone into the break with the best record in baseball as the two-time defending champions.
There are plenty of major names on the market, to be sure. After last season saw two elite closers in Mason Miller and Jhoan Duran get moved, another big reliever name has been bandied about. Ten years after he was a major factor in the Cubs' World Series run after being acquired at the deadline, reliever strikeout leader Aroldis Chapman is again being mentioned as a big trade target.
This season is also a rarity in that multiple quality starting pitchers are seemingly available on the market. Tarik Skubal is, of course, the name flashing on the marquee. But other arms who would solid in the front-to-middle of the rotation depending on the landing spot like Joe Ryan, Reid Detmers, and Casey Mize are also on the block. Whether or not their teams will be willing to move them is in the air.
But there's a dearth of bats. Staying in Boston, Willson Contreras could be a contributor to the right situation. CJ Abrams seemed like a lock to get moved in December, but is now an All-Star starter on a team that has wild card aspirations. And catchers Hunter Goodman and Ryan Jeffers seem to have Rockies and Twins determined to hang onto them, respectively.
In short, things are a mess. Here's what to know to make sense of a deadline that has just as much potential to bring fireworks as it does to fizzle out like so many sparklers.
When is the the 2026 MLB trade deadline?
Date: Aug. 3, 2026
Time: 6 p.m. ET
The MLB trade deadline is at 6 p.m. ET, 5 p.m. CT, 4 p.m. MT, and 3 p.m. PT on Aug. 3. While some trades sometimes trickle in under the wire, that is when communications for teams to deal players must cease.
Key MLB trade deadline targets
This is by no means an exhaustive list, plenty of other names are on the block. But here are some of the top names being talked about heading into this year's deadline.
P Tarik Skubal, Detroit Tigers
Tarik Skubal might be the biggest starting pitcher trade deadline rental baseball has seen in almost 20 years. CC Sabathia being traded to the Brewers in 2008 before joining the Yankees is the last name that comes to mind. The Tigers' mega-ace and two-time defending Cy Young winner hasn't fully returned to form after getting a NanoScope procedure for loose bodies in May, but even so his ERA since his return is sitting at an outstanding 3.08 and he has 44 strikeouts to five walks in six starts. Skubal also has nine strikeouts in three of his last four starts, indicating his punchout stuff is still excellent while his control has not wavered since the surgery.
It was a bit shocking to see Griffin Jax and Jhoan Duran moved at last year's deadline while Joe Ryan stayed put. He arguably had the most value on the Twins roster at the time, and with plenty of control, he could have pulled in a decent haul. Now, the Twins are in a complicated situation. Ryan is a free agent after the 2027 season, and is having the best season of his career with a 2.85 ERA, 150 ERA+, and 2.77 FIP, all career-bests. Ryan is a frontline starter who could slot into any rotation, but the Twins, like the Tigers, play in a division that could be won by anyone who gets hot.
P Aroldis Chapman, Boston Red Sox
The 37-year-old Aroldis Chapman is, as it turns out, ageless. Even as his average velo dips (dips, not drops), he is still missing bats and his sinker is as devastating as ever. Though his walk rate is a bit up and his strikeout rate is a bit down from his outstanding 2025 (which would be inimitable for 99% of the league anyways), Chapman is one of the few high leverage relievers who might be available on the market. It carries echoes of 2016, when Chapman was traded to the Cubs and helped a World Series run. Ten years later, he has the potential to do the same thing.
P Sonny Gray, Boston Red Sox
Though Zack Wheeler made the headlines as an All-Star snub, Sonny Gray also has reason to gripe in what has been a return to form season for him. In the absence of Garrett Crochet, Gray has settled in as Boston's ace, pitching to 2.54 ERA to this point, a career best if it holds. He's a true five-pitch pitcher with three fastballs, whose cutter-sinker-four seam combo offsets his relatively low velo. Gray could be a boon to a team looking to shore up its rotation, should Boston move on from him.
This will be a stubbornness check for the Orioles, but Taylor Ward is the best rental bat on market. Even though Baltimore is just two games out of a wild card spot, and Ward is a right-handed bat who could make a difference to the right suitor. Will the Orioles clutch and hope to make a run, or will they move Ward, who is a premium player on this market?
C Ryan Jeffers, Minnesota Twins
Ryan Jeffers should be back from hamate surgery soon, so his value is TBD until teams actually see him play. But with a .292 batting average and an OPS of .942, Jeffers is the type of right-handed bat who could bolster a lineup. Though he doesn't bring elite power to the fold, he plays a position where offense like his can be hard to come by. Adding catchers is tricky, but Jeffers may be worth the flier.
MLB trade deadline burning questions
Will Tigers, Red Sox streaks change selling landscape?
Ask around in early June, and it was a forgone conclusion Tarik Skubal would be wearing a different jersey come August. But the Tigers are 21-12 in June and July and – by virtue of a brutally bad AL and an AL Central that continues to hover just below mediocre as a whole – are back in the playoff race. Similarly, the Red Sox entered the break scorching hot on a nine-game win streak, and could well be in the race as well. If Skubal, Casey Mize, Chapman, and Gray are off the table as trade options, the deadline is shaping up to be completely different.
Who will swing to catch the Dodgers?
As the AL continues to shuffle onward this season, one team in the NL lords over MLB: The dreaded Dodgers. While it would be folly to think the Dodgers will sit on their heels at the deadline, it's clear someone in the NL has to take a big swing to try to unseat the two-time defending MLB champs. The NL East has three teams mired in a hot race, while the Brewers may be best positioned to try to unseat L.A. Milwaukee added Lance McCullers Jr. to its pitching staff, but may need to go out and get a bat to try and compete with baseball's current Death Star.
How aggressive will the Yankees be?
In the AL East, it's reasonable to assume the Rays will continue to live on the margins and try to add role players who can contribute to their order, particularly after seemingly surviving an All-Star Game scare to star slugger Junior Caminero. As the Yankees chase them in the AL East, things seem to be slipping for the Bronx Bombers. They went 12-14 in June and are 6-5 in July. The good news? The Yankees aren't getting decimated by right or left-handed pitching, their splits are pretty even. They're reportedly chasing either Jeffers or Hunter Goodman, though the latter would be difficult to pry away from Colorado. Reliever help is also a question, with the Yankees reportedly inquiring on fireballer Mason Miller.
Will the Mets go into firesale mode?
In Queens, this season has been an unmitigated disaster. The Mets are 17 games below .500 and 16 games out of the NL East lead. The only untouchable player on that roster should, of course, be Juan Soto. The bullpen would likely garner the most interest, particularly Luke Weaver, but catcher Francisco Alvarez is also a question mark. Brooks Raley and AJ Minter likely already have their lockers packed as well.
Are the Angels serious about holding onto their players?
What the hell are the Angels going to do? GM Perry Minasian was fired after saying he was going to hold on to key Angels pieces, but with him out the door, it stands to reason Reid Detmers and Jo Adell are available. Mike Trout's no-trade clause waiver discourse is an annual tradition at this point, but until there's any indication of that happening, it's just noise.
The 7-foot Johnson has shown he’s comfortable with the ball in his hands. He’s been happy to take long-range jumpers and looked worthy of some respect beyond the arc. The Hawaii product has also had solid stretches serving as an offensive hub in the middle of the floor.
The main downsides for Johnson seem to be that he’s an unexceptional athlete and doesn’t have great rim protection or rebounding instincts for his size. He logged 11 minutes Wednesday and posted two points, one rebound and six fouls.
Cold first half for Philon
Second-year guard Jase Richardson starred for Orlando with 25 points on 10-for-15 shooting.
A Richardson driving layup capped a 15-0 Magic run in the first quarter. Former Sixers Lester Quinones, Colin Castleton and Phillip Wheeler also featured as Orlando’s lead ballooned as high as 29 points in the second period.
After his opening bucket, Philon missed the next nine field goals he tried. His shooting fortunes improved in the second half and he went 7 for 24 from the floor on the day (1 for 13 from three-point range). For the most part, the No. 22 overall pick attempted reasonable looks and simply had an off shooting performance.
Philon has been decent as a passer throughout summer league. Four games in, he’s averaged 5.8 assists and 2.5 turnovers. He’s rarely appeared to be rushed or seriously bothered by the defense.
Sixers make a game of it
Orlando’s advantage expanded over 30 points in the third quarter.
By early in the fourth, the Sixers’ deficit was down to 13 points. Three-pointers from Miles and Matt Rogers helped fuel the Sixers’ unlikely comeback surge. Lyles also played his part with a second straight double-figure scoring game.
Miles’ showing was by far his best of the summer. He’d gone just 3 for 14 from the field over the past three games but found a scoring groove Wednesday.
Incredibly, the Sixers continued eating into the Magic’s lead.
They played an energetic, effective, swarming full-court press in the final minutes. Following an Ayayi steal and dunk, Dante Maddox Jr. drilled a jumper to cut the deficit to 93-86. The Sixers then forced another turnover and Lyles canned a three.
Ultimately, Orlando held the Sixers off. The Sixers won’t hoist a summer league championship trophy, but they’ll aim to end on a good note and finish over .500.
The Astros have traded the veteran right-handed pitcher and left-hander Colton Gordon to the Brewers, The Post’s Jon Heyman confirmed.
Houston is receiving outfielder/DH Jayden Fielder, the 21-year-old son of Prince Fielder, per multiple reports.
McCullers, who won World Series titles in 2017 and 2022 with the Astros, has been on the IL since May 19 with right shoulder inflammation.
Lance McCullers Jr. #43 of the Houston Astros reacts on the mound after giving up a home run during the fifth inning. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
He has a 6.86 ERA in 39 ⅓ innings across eight starts with Houston this season and is in the final year of a five-year, $85 million contract.
The Astros have plenty of pitching depth. Hayden Wesneski and Ronel Blanco are expected to come off the IL later this month and they added Tatsuya Imai, Peter Lambert and Mike Burrows this offseason.
This trade was made by Houston to free up money for potential other moves ahead of the trade deadline. Houston has overcome a rough start and sits at 47-51, just 1 ½ games out of the final wild-card spot in the middling American League.
With the 32-year-old gone, Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa are the only two members of the 2017 World Series championship team left on the roster.
That season was McCullers only All-Star Game appearance, though his best season was in 2021 when he posted a 13-5 record with a 3.16 ERA in 28 starts, finishing seventh in AL Cy Young voting.
Since then, tough, McCullers has been unable to stay healthy.
McCullers Jr. had surgery on his pitching arm earlier this week and looks to return sometime in 2024. AP
The right hander dealt with a complex right flexor tendon repair surgery and bone spur removal following the 2022 World Series that kept him out for two-and-a-half years.
In his return to the mound last season, McCullers struggled with a 6.51 ERA in 55 ⅓ innings in 16 games, and found himself on the IL three times.
McCullers’ current injury has been going on for a little while, according to Astros manager Joe Espada, he’s just been pitching through it.
In late May, the Astros 2012 draft pick faced live batters during batting practice in late June, and has been on rehab assignment since then, posting a 2.45 ERA in three games.
McCullers also previously dealt with Tommy John surgery, missing the 2019 season with rehab.
Gordon, the other half of the deal, has an 11.57 ERA in 9 ⅓ innings for the Astros this season. He has made just four appearances and one start.
Major League Baseball has played a Futures Game featuring top prospects every year since 1999 as part of All-Star Game festivities.
It began as a seven-inning affair and was lengthened to nine innings from 2008-18, but since 2019 has reverted to the seven-inning format.
Many future stars have played in this game. Then-Cubs prospect Kyle Schwarber was the MVP of the 2015 game, played in Cincinnati. Schwarber, who had already played six MLB games in a brief call-up in June 2015, hit a two-run triple in front of about 100 friends and family — he grew up in Middletown, Ohio. (Future Cub Michael Conforto was 2-for-2 in that game.)
The Futures Game is a great showcase for up-and-coming talent. Unfortunately, Major League Baseball has pretty much buried it in terms of exposure. This year, the game was played at 12 noon Eastern time — up against a full slate of MLB games.
Why have an event if hardly anyone is going to watch it? MLB didn’t even report attendance for this game in the box score.
MLB has put together quite a lineup of events for what it now terms All-Star Week. The MLB Draft is now held in conjunction with All-Star festivities (and that’s a whole other issue I could devote an article to). The Home Run Derby and All-Star Game get prime time attention — why shouldn’t the Futures Game?
On the Sunday before the All-Star Game, MLB doesn’t have its usual Sunday Night Baseball nationally televised game. This is to give players who have to fly to the All-Star host city extra time to get there, as these players are expected to be available for practices and interviews on the Monday of All-Star week.
So why not move the Futures Game to that Sunday night slot? It would give the game a national showcase and would provide some MLB programming to a TV network that doesn’t otherwise have baseball on that evening.
NBC, who had the rights to this game this year, would likely not put it on its main broadcast channel. But there are cable (NBC Sports Network) and streaming (Peacock) options available. Yes, those cost extra. But at least the game would not have to compete with a 15-game full slate of MLB games.
For those who say, “Move it to Wednesday,” that wouldn’t work because MLB wants to leave that date open for potential ASG weather issues. The Sunday night slot is ideal.
While they’re at it, return this game to a nine-inning format. That would give all the players a bit more playing time and not have to squish some of the pitchers into a two-pitch or three-pitch appearance just so they get everyone in the game.
I assume this makes too much sense for MLB to ever do it, though. We can still hope — and they can start by doing this next year when All-Star Week is hosted at Wrigley Field.
Apr 22, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox first base Triston Casas (36) hits a three run home run against the Seattle Mariners in the seventh inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images | David Butler II-Imagn Images
With Willson Contreras having emerged to become the face of the franchise, it’s fun to look way back in the archives. Like, remember Triston Casas? Whatever happened to that guy? But seriously, when does Casas ever return to the Sox, even if he somehow miraculously stays healthy? Does he ever?
PHOENIX, AZ - JUNE 23: Taylor Rabe #68 poses for a photo during the 2026 Draft Combine at Arizona Grand Resort Phoenix on Tuesday, June 23, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Aryanna Frank/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Royals fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
The MLB draft occurred over the weekend. It was at the same time as the Royals were losing to the Orioles, and Blake Mitchell and Kendry Chourio were having uninteresting (though at least not poor) performances in the MLB Futures Game. Only the first 10 picks were aired on TV, and, apparently, even MLB itself couldn’t be bothered to rent their space long enough or pay their workers enough to allow for their sets to be left up during the entire draft. So you can be forgiven if you aren’t particularly clear on what happened. That said, our own Matthew LaMar broke down the draft across a series of posts over the weekend, all of which can be found under the Kansas City Royals MLB Draft tag on the site.
Keith Law had an exciting breakdown of the Royals first day (the day I would argue is the only one anyone can truly know anything about this early):
The Kansas City Royals played it a little differently this year, but I also loved their draft. They took Louisville outfielder Zion Rose at No. 6, and he will probably come in under slot. He’s one of the best pure hitters in this draft class and a sneaky-good athlete for a former catcher. Then they took right-hander Taylor Rabe, a late-rising starter from Mississippi who could move pretty quickly through the minors. Their third-round pick was left-hander Maxx Yehl, who came back from Tommy John surgery to become the West Virginia Mountaineers’ best starter this year. At worst, he projects as a good reliever.
The money they might save on Rose and Yehl (a redshirt junior) will go to second-round pick Jack Slightom, one of the hottest names in my conversations with scouts the last few weeks. He’s a high school righty with a very fast arm, a big frame and good characteristics on his pitches. High school outfielder Dominic Battista, their fourth-round pick, is a sleeper among scouts who have the Chicago area, as he’s a little undersized, but some folks love the swing and potential for power.
I mentioned on the Royals Rundown podcast that I think a team should be drafting for upside instead of floor in the early rounds and that I hate underslot strategies. That said, the scout consensus I’ve seen is that there is very little difference between players taken in the first round after the first four or five, and that was especially true of college outfielders. And when the reason Zion Rose is considered a safe pick is his hitting ability rather than his fielding acumen, I think the calculus changes. I also really liked the addition of a pitcher who throws strikes but also hits 100 MPH with the supplemental pick, and Jack Slightom was a guy that several outlets think was undervalued for how much he had progressed over the previous season.
But those are just some brief thoughts on a handful of picks the Royals made. None of that tells me what I want to know today, which is: How do you feel about the Royals’ draft?
Ryan Burrowes discovered another gear, crushing four home runs after hitting just seven total over the previous two seasons combined. | (Ryan Burrowes/Instagram)
Charlotte Knights Record 3-3 (last week), 7-11 (second half), 49-44 (overall)
Knights Players of the Week Nolan Jones .364/.375/.818, 22 at-bats
Jonathan Cannon 5 IP, 2 ER, 5 H, 2 BB, 4 K David Sandlin 5 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 4 BB, 3 K Mason Adams 4 1/3 IP, 3 ER, 6 H, 4 BB, 5 K Zach Franklin 4 IP, 3 ER, 3 H, 3 BB, 2 K Shane Smith 4 IP, 1 ER, 3 H, 1 BB, 5 K
After back-to-back 2-4 series, the Knights took a step in the right direction with a series split against the Sounds (53-40).
Outfielder Nolan Jones, 28, was seeing the ball very well all week. Jones went 8-for-22 with three homers, a double, a walk, and 12 RBIs. The White Sox acquired Jones from Cleveland in exchange for cash considerations on June 11, and so far, Jones is slashing .230/.311/.494 in 25 games with the Knights. Jones has played 349 MLB games, and at the top level, he has slashed .247/.336/.396 (95 wRC+) and has accumulated 2.7 fWAR. Jones played at the top level for the Guardians for most of the 2025 season, but he has not appeared in the majors in 2026. If Jones has more weeks like this, he will have a strong case for a promotion.
2026 Charlotte Knights Players of the Week Korey Lee (March 27-April 5) Oliver Dunn (April 6-12) Shane Smith (April 13-19) Jarred Kelenic (April 20-26) Oliver Dunn (April 27-May 3) LaMonte Wade Jr.(May 4-10) Jacob Gonzalez(May 11-17) LaMonte Wade Jr.(May 18-24) Jacob Gonzalez(May 25-31) Braden Montgomery(June 1-7) Ryan Galanie(June 8-14) Kyle Teel(June 15-21) Korey Lee(June 22-28) Caden Connor(June 29-July 5) Nolan Jones(July 6-12)
Barons Player of the Week Dylan Campbell .368/.400/.632, 3-for-3 stolen bases, 19 at-bats
Alec Briley .280/.333/.440, 0-for-1 stolen bases, 25 at-bats Anthony DePino .227/.320/.455, 22 at-bats Boston Smith .278/.381/.611, 1-for-1 stolen bases, 18 at-bats Caleb Bonemer .235/.316/.412, 17 at-bats T.J. McCants .333/.333/.417, 2-for-2 stolen bases, 12 at-bats Colby Shelton .150/.150/.350, 1-for-1 stolen bases, 20 at-bats Samuel Zavala .214/.353/.286, 0-for-1 stolen bases, 14 at-bats
Dylan Cumming 6 IP, 0 ER, 5 H, 1 BB, 6 K Gabe Davis 6 2/3 IP, 8 ER, 10 H, 4 BB, 7 K Lucas Gordon 5 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 3 BB, 5 K Jake Palisch 4 1/3 IP, 5 ER, 7 H, 0 BB, 4 K Jackson Kelley 3 2/3 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 2 BB, 7 K
The Barons failed to keep the good vibes rolling after their 4-2 week, going 1-5 against the Clingstones (40-42).
Outfielder Dylan Campbell, 24, was on fire, going 7-for-19 with a homer, two doubles, a walk, and three stolen bases without being caught. The White Sox acquired Campbell from the Phillies in the Derek Hill trade on June 11. Through 24 games in the organization, all with the Barons, Campbell is slashing .233/.347/.372. Campbell got off to a slow start to the season, but he has been gradually trending in the right direction lately, and he could not be stopped this week.
Cannon Ballers Player of the Week Jaden Fauske .286/.500/.429, 3-for-3 stolen bases, 14 at-bats
Stiven Flores .438/.471/.438, 16 at-bats Nick McLain .333/.364/.444, 18 at-bats Alexander Albertus .227/.292/.455, 0-for-1 stolen bases, 22 at-bats Efren Teran .250/.333/.250, 16 at-bats
Caedmon Parker 5 IP, 3 ER, 9 H, 2 BB, 4 K Gabe Tanner 5 IP, 0 ER, 3 H, 1 BB, 2 K Truman Pauley 7 1/3 IP, 6 R (1 ER), 6 H, 6 BB, 10 K Alexander Martinez 4 IP, 3 ER, 6 H, 1 BB, 5 K Gabriel Rodriguez 3 2/3 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 3 BB, 3 K Ryan Schiefer 3 2/3 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 2 BB, 5 K
The Cannon Ballers got off to a flaming hot start, winning their first four games of the week. They couldn’t keep it going over the weekend, but they still won the series by taking four of six against Delmarva (31-56).
Outfielder Jaden Fauske, 19, was an on-base machine against the Shorebirds, as he could hardly be retired. Fauske went 4-for-14 with two doubles, six walks, three RBIs, and three steals in as many attempts. So, Fauske reached base 10 times in 20 plate appearances, and after reaching base, he was dangerous. The South Siders drafted Fauske in the second round of the 2025 draft. Like Landon Thome, who the White Sox drafted 34th overall on Saturday, Fauske went to Nazareth Academy in La Grange Park.
2026 Kannapolis Cannon Ballers Players of the Week Stiven Flores (April 6-12) Abraham Núñez (April 13-19) Javier Mogollón(April 20-26) Arxy Hernández(April 27-May 3) Javier Mogollón(May 4-10) Max Banks(May 11-17) Riley Eikhoff(May 18-24) James Taussig(May 25-31) James Taussig(June 1-7) Derek Cerda(June 8-14) Matthew Boughton(June 15-21) Ryan Schiefer(June 22-28) Christian Gonzalez(June 29-July 5) Jaden Fauske (July 6-12)
ACL White Sox Record 1-4 (last week), 14-37 (overall)
Complex Sox Player of the Week Osniel Castillo .667/.667/1.111, 1-for-2 stolen bases, nine at-bats
Yordani Soto .278/.278/.556, 18 at-bats Landon Hodge .400/.538/.900, 10 at-bats José M. Mendoza .308/.357/.462, 13 at-bats Eduardo Herrera .500/.571/.500, six at-bats
Fidel Montero 5 IP, 0 ER, 5 H, 1 BB, 3 K Orlando Suarez 4 1/3 IP, 2 ER, 5 H, 2 BB, 4 K Justin Fuson 4 IP, 4 ER, 6 H, 4 BB, 4 K Fabian Ysalla 4 IP, 3 ER, 5 H, 2 BB, 5 K Jefrank Silva 3 IP, 5 R (3 ER), 5 H, 2 BB, 0 K Dylan Carmouche 2 2/3 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 0 BB, 5 K
I feel like a broken record with this sentence, but the Complex Sox only won one out of five games this week. At least their overall win percentage (.275) still exceeds that of the 2024 White Sox (.253), but it is getting close.
Outfielder Osniel Castillo, 20, was cold in June, but he was fantastic this week. Castillo went 6-for-9 with a homer and a double, as he gave the Complex Sox an enormous spark. Castillo’s season has been topsy-turvy, as he has slashed .300/.391/.400 in May and .121/.147/.121 in June. Let’s hope Castillo can build on his momentum and sustain impressive numbers in July.
2026 Complex Sox Players of the Week Alexander Albertus(May 4-10) Eduardo Herrera(May 11-17) Yordani Soto (May 18-24) José M. Mendoza(May 25-31) Yordani Soto(June 1-7) Landon Hodge(June 8-14) Tommy Vail(June 15-21) Yordani Soto(June 22-28) D’Angelo Tejada(June 29-July 5) Osniel Castillo (July 6-12)
DSL White Sox Record 2-3 (last week), 11-18 (overall)
DSL White Sox Player of the Week Ronald Cardozo .462/.500/1.154, 13 at-bats
Roderic Ramírez 4 IP, 3 ER, 4 H, 1 BB, 2 K Ronald Kelly 3 2/3 IP, 3 R (2 ER), 4 H, 1 BB, 2 K David Colmenares 3 IP, 1 ER, 5 H, 1 BB, 2 K Yordany Marte 3 IP, 2 R (0 ER), 3 H, 1 BB, 3 K
After the DSL White Sox’s improbable 4-1 week, they went 2-3, which is in the middle of the road for this squad.
Catcher and first baseman Ronald Cardozo, 17, was on a different level, going 6-for-13 with two homers, a triple, a double, two walks, and 12 RBIs. In Cardozo’s first 27 games of affiliated ball, he is slashing .329/.436/.598 (136 wRC+). The Dominican Summer League has an extremely high run-scoring environment, but even considering that, Cardozo has been terrific.
2026 DSL White Sox Players of the Week Carlos Vielma(June 1-7) Sebastian Romero(June 8-14) Sebastian Romero(June 15-21) Ronald Kelly(June 22-28) Orlando Patiño(June 29-July 5) Ronald Cardozo (July 6-12)
Unfortunately, our latest free poll embed software no longer functions. We will regather and decide what to use going forward, and we will likely still stick polls in this section in the near future.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JULY 14: Meleek Thomas #15 of the Cleveland Cavaliers poses for a portrait during the 2026 NBA Rookie Photo Shoot at UNLV on July 14, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Meleek Thomas has been one of the best stories of Summer League.
The Cleveland Cavaliers‘ recent second-round pick has been lighting up the scoreboard through three exhibition games. His 28.3 points per game lead all Summer League participants. The impressive part is how efficient it’s been. Thomas is doing this on .500/.458/1.000 shooting splits.
That scoring onslaught was seen on Monday when he dropped 35 points against the Miami Heat. Thomas was simply able to get wherever he wanted on the court, as he found ways to efficiently score at all three levels.
Meleek Thomas shooting chart vs. Heat | <a href="https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-cle-1522600036/game-charts?homePlayerShots=1643509">nba.com</a>
The excitement of Summer League can wear off after the first weekend and three games. The last two contests can be pretty lifeless. Thomas changes that. He’s been must-see TV through three games and should be for a fourth if the Cavs decide to let him play again.
According to Chris Fedor of cleveland.com, the Cavs may be without Thomas. It would make sense if he didn’t play. There’s nothing left for him to prove in Summer League. However, this game is a lot less fun if he doesn’t go.
#Cavs are leaning toward sitting Summer League standout Meleek Thomas for today’s penultimate game against the New Orleans Pelicans in Vegas, a source tells @clevelanddotcom. The official decision will come a little later.
While Thomas has been impressive, you’d like to see some of his teammates step up more. Two-way player Riley Minix has really struggled to make an impact. He registered no points on 0-5 shooting against Miami and is averaging just six points on .286/.000/.500 shooting splits through three games. We’ll see if he can bounce back tonight.
Wednesday’s outing will be Cleveland’s fourth of five games. The league announced that the Cavs will wrap up their trip to Vegas on Friday when they take on the Chicago Bulls at 7 PM.
LeBron James is leaving the Lakers, but the organization does not appear ready to send Bronny James out the door with him.
The team does not view the father and son as an inseparable package now that their historic run together is over in Los Angeles, according to The Athletic.
LeBron’s departure after eight years has not changed how the franchise evaluates Bronny or its investment in his development.
Bronny James is expected to remain with the Lakers after LeBron’s exit as he competes for a larger backcourt role. Getty Images
That distinction matters after two seasons in which nearly every conversation about the younger James was tied to his father. The Lakers selected Bronny with the No. 55 pick in 2024, allowing the pair to become the first father and son to appear together in an NBA game. Some speculated that the senior James was the driving force behind the draft decision.
LeBron James #23 and Bronny James #9 of the Los Angeles Lakers on the court for the first time during the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves Getty Images
The Athletic reported that the 21-year-old is well-liked inside the locker room, respected for his work habits and viewed as a player who has made meaningful progress. He attended the Lakers’ Summer League victory in Las Vegas and joined the veteran minicamp that began Monday, hardly signs of someone disconnected from the team’s plans.
Bronny James #9 of the South Bay Lakers drives to the basket during the game against the Sioux Falls Skyforce NBAE via Getty Images
Bronny’s production remains modest at the NBA level. He averaged 2.9 points and 1.2 assists across 42 games last season, but his development became more noticeable late in the year.
Injuries to Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves pushed him into the rotation, and he averaged 6.6 points over the final five regular-season games before receiving meaningful playoff minutes against Houston.
His G League numbers offered another encouraging sign. Bronny averaged 15.6 points in 14 games with South Bay while shooting 45.6% from 3-point range and cutting down his turnovers.
Lakers forward LeBron James, left, reacts to a play with his son and teammate Lakers guard Bronny James, during the second half against the Cavaliers Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
Teams pursuing LeBron have reportedly discussed the possibility of acquiring Bronny, but that does not mean the Lakers feel compelled to cooperate. Los Angeles has already invested two years in his development and controls his contract beyond next season.
Bronny will now face a more crowded backcourt featuring Doncic, Reaves, Quentin Grimes, Collin Sexton, Jaden Hardy and rookie Cameron Carr.
But the Lakers’ stance appears straightforward: LeBron’s next destination will not automatically determine Bronny’s.
For the first time in his professional career, the younger James has a chance to make the Lakers’ decision about him entirely about basketball.
The Buffalo Sabres have graduated a number of their young prospects to the NHL, which is one of the reasons that the club snapped the NHL-record 14 season playoff drought, winning the Atlantic Division, and advancing to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season.
Under former GM Kevyn Adams and current GM Jarmo Kekalainen, the club has continued to add promising young talent into the fold, and in his annual Top 100 Prospects, The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler had four Sabres youngsters on the list. Players eligible have to be 22 years old or younger and not fully established with their NHL club.
The top ranked Sabre is 2026 first rounder Daxon Rudolph, who was a bit of a surprise selection at fourth overall, and was listed 12th, behind blueliners Chase Reid, Albert Smits, and Carson Carels, who were selected after Rudolph in the Top 10 of the Draft in Buffalo last month.
Peyton Krebs signs a four-year extension with the Sabres
2024 top pick Konsta Helenius was ranked 42nd overall, after averaging nearly a point-per-game in the American Hockey League and impressing in a brief playoff appearance against Montreal, while 2025 first rounder Radim Mrtka was 54th, and 2022 first rounder Noah Ostlund was 55th.
2026 first rounder Ilia Morozov was listed as an honorable mention after being selected 20th overall, but a surprising omission was Sabres prospect Brodie Ziemer, who scored 23 goals for the University of Minnesota and captained Team USA at the World Junior Championships last December.
LeBron James has proven for decades that he elevates any team that he’s a part of.
Former Milwaukee Bucks coach Doc Rivers caught up with NBC Sports Bay Area’s Monte Poole at the American Century Championship golf tournament last week to discuss why James would fit perfectly with the Warriors.
“Their passing,” Rivers stated. “Obviously, you play through Steph [Curry] all the time. But Steph uses Draymond [Green] a ton.”
The two-man game between Curry and Green has been evident for several years. Since Klay Thompson’s departure and a weaker Warriors roster than in years past, Golden State’s offense has been stagnant when Curry and Green aren’t on the court together.
“When Draymond goes off the floor, you don’t have a passer,” Rivers explained. “Now you have LeBron, so you’re going to always have an elite passer on the floor for 48 minutes of a game. I think it really makes them good.”
It’s fun to imagine what the Warriors would look like with Curry and James as NBA teammates. We saw how successful the duo was together in the 2024 Summer Olympics. But until James makes a decision, all the speculation still is just a yearning desire to see the two superstars together again.
James and Green recently spent some time together and talked about what the former’s future could look like.
Draymond on hanging out with LeBron James
"I'd be remissed if I don't take the opportunity to throw my pitch in there, I'd be crazy if we're together for x amount of days and at no point am I like 'yo, we need to chop it up, what the hell going on? what we doing?' of course I… pic.twitter.com/C5GBVyw6Fy
— The Draymond Green Show (@DraymondShow) July 12, 2026
Rivers has seen and coached a lot of basketball, so his opinion on roster evaluation carries weight. He was blunt when asked about James fitting in well with Golden State.
“They’re a better basketball team,” Rivers proclaimed.
If James does end up choosing the Warriors, the team’s collective basketball IQ will be through the roof. James reportedly is in no rush to make his decision, so we all will continue to wait and see if Curry and Green are able to recruit the all-time scoring leader to the Bay.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JULY 14: Drew Rasmussen #57 of the Tampa Bay Rays, Jacob Latz #67 of the Texas Rangers, Louis Varland #77 of the Toronto Blue Jays and manager Derek Shelton #8 of the Minnesota Twins look on before the 2026 MLB All-Star Game at Citizens Bank Park on July 14, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The All-Star game, as these things generally are, was pretty much a bore.
The three Blue Jays each had their moments:
Dylan Cease pitched an excellent inning, three strikeouts with a walk. The strikeouts started a theme. AL pitchers stuck out 15.
Ernie Clement went 0 for 2, with ground outs on the first pitch of each of the at bats, but he made and amazing play on defense. Easily the defensive play of the game, getting the ball on the shortstop side of second, and made a perfect jump throw:
Louis Varland pitched a quick eight, getting a strikeout, getting out of the inning on 11 pitches.
I thought John did a good job of trying get everyone into the game. I think it would suck to be invited to the All-Star game and not play
We get two more days off before the start of the second half, which begins with the, very surprising, Chicago White Sox, visiting Toronto. My son sent me a meme, before the season started, saying the White Sox were already eliminated from making the playoffs. After that it is the Rays. A seven game home stand.
The Jays are 6 games below .500 so would need a sweep to get there, which is unlikely. I’d normally say a 4-3 stand would be good, but 5-2 would be a start in heading in the right direction.
Much short of that, I’d think they would have to start thinking of selling. Only 2.5 games back of a Wild Card spot, makes it hard to think about selling. But there are a lot of teams within reach of a playoff spot, so there will be a lot of teams looking to buy. There might be some good offers out there.
I would imagine that, if they are offered something really good for one of the veterans, they would have to consider it. I’m not sure that Springer has a lot of value, but someone might like some veteran presents (don’t email me, it’s a running joke, but every time I do someone emails me).
I got my England jersey on and I’m going to watch the game in a pub. It would be nice if they won, so I could say I saw them win once.
As always use the thread to discuss anything you would like.
LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 31: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers and James Harden #1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers talk before the game on March 31, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers are one of the handful of teams hoping that LeBron James chooses them in free agency. The appeal of Cleveland is understandable for James from an off-court perspective. There’s a certain level of poetry to potentially finishing his career where it started in 2003, for the closest team to his hometown of Akron.
The potential downside to playing in Cleveland could be the roster, at least according to the speculation of some pundits. Particularly, how LeBron would fit next to James Harden.
James’s agent, Rich Paul, stoked these flames during his infamous “whiteboard episode” of the Game Over podcast. In that episode, Paul said that trading Darius Garland for Harden was a minus. It’s worth noting that Paul is also Garland’s agent.
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According to Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson, some of the concerns about a personal clash between Harden and James are overblown. Robinson reported that Paul told him that he likes Harden. “He’s actually my friend.” And, that there’s no ill will between Klutch and the Cavs for the Garland trade.
Additionally, there is previous reporting that LeBron would be open to sharing the court with Harden. Back in 2024, Dave McMenimin reported that James would be willing to take a pay cut with the Los Angeles Lakers if it meant playing with a “playmaker such as James Harden.” Whether or not that is still true from LeBron’s perspective remains to be seen.
On the other hand, Harden appears willing to play alongside LeBron. It’s been reported that one of his motivations for opting out of his previous deal was to give the Cavs more flexibility to sign a player like James. Additionally, Robinson reported that a source close to Harden said that there’s “no animosity” between James and Harden and that the duo is “cool.”
Paul went on to tell Robinson he rocks with Dan Gilbert, Koby Altman, and Brandon Weems. And, that “LeBron will make his own decision” about where he wants to play next season.
We’ll see what this all means for the Cavs chances of landing LeBron. At this point, it’s anyone’s guess as to what James is planning on doing or when an announcement will be made.
The Yankees come out of the MLB All-Star break at 54-42 and 3.0 games behind the Tampa Bay Rays in the division, but with a 3.5-game lead for the top AL Wild Card spot. Let's open up the mailbag and answer some Yankees questions...
Have you heard anything about the Yankees being linked to any starting pitchers at the trade deadline? -- @newyork5ny
Simple answer: I have not heard specific names yet. Like everyone, I have read rumors that the Yankees would pursue Tarik Skubal, but I have not heard that firsthand, and he might not even be traded if the Tigers continue to hang in there. So I’m not sure what to make of those rumors, other than I think if he is available, it is safe to assume the Yankees will inquire about what it would take to get him.
I do think the Yankees’ starting pitching situation has changed dramatically over the last few weeks with Carlos Rodon’s elbow injury, Gerrit Cole’s relative ups and downs as he works back from surgery, and the absence of Max Fried. Whether he was nudged to do so or truly made the decision himself, that Cam Schlittlerrethought his decision to pitch in the All-Star Game indicates some level of organizational concern with their starting depth. And indeed, with Fried still working his way back from injury and no guarantees he will be at his best right away, Schlittler is suddenly one of the more important starting pitchers in baseball when it comes to determining postseason fates.
If they merely need depth, old friend Clay Holmes could be an easy and familiar fit should the Mets decide to trade him. And if the top of the rotation ends up at full strength by October, he is proven out of the bullpen.
But the simple answer here is that until recently, my understanding of the Yankees’ deadline vision – particularly after the injury to Carlos Lagrange – was more focused on catching and bullpen help.
As evidenced by the Brewers’ trade for Lance McCullers earlier Wednesday, I think we will probably start to see the starting pitching market solidify over the next week. And as it does, I bet we will get a better sense of where the Yankees are looking and whether they are worried enough about the arms they have to pursue top-end types – to the extent that those are available.
Reid Detmers seems likely to go under new Angels management. If the Twins decide to sell, Joe Ryan will be coveted. The Marlins are winning, but they seem willing to subtract as well as add, and have a veteran asset in Sandy Alcantara, though Bob Nightengale recently reported that owner Bruce Sherman does not want him traded. The Giants have a sellable veteran in Robbie Ray, though he might not necessarily represent an upgrade from what the Yankees have in the back end of their rotation right now.
All of which is to say, I have not heard specific names in regards to the rotation, but I expect clarity to be coming in that market over the next week, if not over the next few days.
May 26, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; New York Yankees left fielder Cody Bellinger (35) hits a solo home run in the first inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. / Peter Aiken-Imagn Images
Why isn’t Belli used more as a leadoff hitter? We think his ability to get on base + speed + power would be great as a leadoff. But also understand the need to have him protect Judge. So if the Yankees don’t use Belli in the leadoff spot, do you think they’ll try to get a true leadoff hitter at the trade deadline? -- @Twinstripe_reporters on Instagram
This question was submitted a few weeks ago, but we didn’t get to it. I think it’s an interesting one, particularly because the leadoff spot has been a bit of a revolving door with Trent Grisham's injury and Paul Goldschmidt's slump, etc.
I think you are right that Cody Bellinger could handle the leadoff spot, at least in terms of profile. He is faster than their usual choice, Grisham, and he has a higher career on-base percentage. But what’s fascinating is that in all his years with three competitive, big-market teams, he has started in the leadoff spot just three times – three starts at leadoff, 1,179 starts elsewhere. That lack of experience, in itself, might be reason enough not to test him there: Bellinger has proven himself as an RBI guy, and moving to the leadoff spot might inspire a change of approach that could disrupt that.
But what his lack of time there tells me is that managers of multiple strong lineups see him as too much of an asset in the middle of the order to use at the top. I think part of that is he is nearly as good against left-handed pitching (.801 OPS) as he is against righties (.819), which makes him an ideal lefty for matchup purposes in the middle of the order. He can protect the big hitter without needing to be protected. And without Aaron Judge in the lineup lately, the Yankees have needed him to help fill the run production void.
I don’t necessarily know who the Yankees would identify as a true leadoff hitter in this market. None of the hitters who have been raised in connection with them behind the plate or in the infield necessarily fit there. But I do wonder how the lineup changes if (when) they acquire a proven hitter or two. I still don’t think Bellinger jumps, particularly because Ben Rice has shown he can handle that job if Grisham isn’t the right matchup. Still, super interesting question, and one you’ve inspired me to ask around about more after the break.
