MEXICO CITY, MX - NOVEMBER 2: Kyshawn George #18 and Assistant Coach T.J. Sorrentine of the Washington Wizards look on before the game against the Miami Heat as part of 2024 NBA Mexico Games on November 2, 2024 in Mexico City, Mexico at Arena Ciudad de Mexico. 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 2024 NBAE (Photo by Stephen Gosling/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Good morning Washington Wizards fans.
In this week’s survey, we asked you to grade the Wizards’ coaching staff changes for the 2026-27 season. They dealt with shuffling of assistant positions, NOT Brian Keefe. Anyway, about half of our respondents gave a B grade, which is solid. The As and Cs were nearly identical.
The promotion of Adam Caporn was not unexpected given that David Vanterpool has moved into the front office. The surprise for the Wizards is the return of Patrick Ewing, who coached for Washington in 2002-03 where he developed a reputation of being one of the top post development coaches in the NBA.
Does coaching news potentially change the perception of a sports team’s future? Not really. According to FanDuel Sportsbook, as of July 10, 2026, the Wizards have +25000 odds of winning the 2026-27 NBA championship. That’s better than eight teams. What does this roughly imply? It’s that Washington is no longer expected to be a doormat in the NBA. But they’re still not expected to make the playoffs either. Even with AJ Dybantsa making a great first impression last night in his Summer League Debut. Even with Ewing possibly developing Alex Sarr into a beast in the post.
Hopefully, the odds will change once Dybantsa is playing actual regular season games. Let us know your rationale for the grades in the comments below.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - APRIL 22: Khaman Maluach #10 of the Phoenix Suns celebrates during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder during Round One Game Two of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 22, 2026 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. 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 Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Summer League basketball begins tonight for the Phoenix Suns, and with it comes the annual exercise of managing expectations. We want answers, we want progress, and we want to believe that the young players the Phoenix Suns are sending to Las Vegas will return looking a little more comfortable, a little more confident, and a little closer to becoming the players this organization needs them to be.
Personally, I’m most interested in Rasheer Fleming. He will almost certainly see an increase in minutes this upcoming season, which makes his progression important to the overall health of this roster. I want to see him look more comfortable on the floor, be more decisive, and more aware of where he needs to be and what he needs to do when he gets there.
I’m tempering expectations because, ultimately, these games don’t count. That doesn’t mean they don’t matter. Development is a pillar of this organization, and progression is paramount. When you’re trying to build something sustainable, the growth of your young players becomes one of the most important variables in the equation. And the cheapest. You must have quality youth to be competitive in the Apron Era of the NBA.
I’m not surprised that the majority of the community believes Khaman Maluach is the player who needs to showcase the most improvement. 64% of the Bright Side community believes this is true. After all, he’s a lottery pick. Quite possibly the last lottery pick the Suns will make for nearly half a decade. With that comes the weight of expectations, whether people are comfortable admitting it or not.
That became a topic of conversation on the infamous Suns Twitter this week. Dave Burns of Arizona Sports 98.7 said that by this time next year, we need to know that Khaman Maluach can provide quality NBA minutes, or it might be time to panic.
“I need Khaman Maluach to play more than he did,” Burns said of Maluach. “I think it’s imperative that Khaman Maluach, by the end of the season, you can see it. You can start to see it happening with him. And if it hasn’t happened by the end of the season, brother, it is panic time.”
"If you're not seeing NBA-quality minutes out of Khaman Maluach, something went horribly wrong and a mistake was made," says @Burnsy987.
What do you need to see out of the young Sun this year?
Of course, the comment section is ridiculous. I’ll get to that shortly.
Panic? I’m not sure I’d go that far. Concerned? Absolutely. If we’re sitting here one year from now and Maluach hasn’t progressed, hasn’t demonstrated that he can contribute, and hasn’t begun turning his physical tools into productive NBA basketball, there should be concern. And again, for those who wonder how a path to opportunity exists to provide a platform for development, I’ve covered that.
As I see the responses and reactions to someone simply stating that plateauing in year two is not a good thing, I feel it. I feel a rant coming on. And you know what? I haven’t had a good rant in a while, so why not? Let’s stand on the podium for a few paragraphs and let off some steam that is surely fueled by the festing rage only the Arizona heat can bring out of someone in July.
Apparently, saying out loud that a year in which Khaman Maluach does not show improvement is a cause for concern is controversial. Sections of Suns’ Twitter immediately went on the defensive. The local media was “being negative”. The expectations were “unfair”. “Why are we attacking a young player?”
I find the reaction strange. Maybe it’s a product of a broader cultural shift in which criticism is interpreted as cruelty and expectations are seen as unfair pressure. Everything is expected to be positive, comfortable, and affirming. Disagreement is mistaken for hostility. Accountability is viewed as negativity. Maybe it’s the product of gentle parenting. Everyone gets a sticker, nobody keeps score, and pointing out deficiencies makes you the bad guy.
I’m not interested in gatekeeping how anyone chooses to be a fan. Root however you want. But I reserve the right to find some of these reactions bizarre.
Maluach turns 20 in September. He hasn’t played basketball for very long and his development will require patience. All of that is true. And that is precisely why progression is so important. If he’s plateauing after two years inside an NBA development system, that’s a red flag. It doesn’t mean the Suns should abandon him. It doesn’t mean he’s a bust. It means you should be concerned about the trajectory. Apparently, even acknowledging that possibility is too aggressive for some people.
We’ve lived this before in Phoenix, haven’t we? Marquese Chriss. Dragan Bender. Josh Jackson. After two seasons, the warning signs were there. Development had stalled. Progression wasn’t occurring at the rate the organization needed. Concern crept in because that’s what happens when expectations collide with reality.
Yet somewhere along the way, it became taboo to say these things out loud. To admit that you’re worried about a player. To establish expectations and acknowledge that failing to meet them would be disappointing. Maybe I’m the old guy yelling from the lawn now, wondering how we reached the point where the media is considered harsh for observing that professional athletes have expectations attached to their performance.
Criticism isn’t inherently negative. It’s part of analysis, part of accountability, part of sports. And if you think Phoenix media is brutal, spend a week following a team back east. We’re playing with Nerf guns out here.
Social media has complicated the relationship between fans, media, and players. It provides direct access, or at least the illusion of it. Too many people crave that interaction. They want the follow. The reply. The acknowledgment. They want to be liked. They need to be liked. And criticism threatens that possibility.
If you say something negative about a player’s performance, perhaps he won’t interact with you. Maybe he won’t repost your work or acknowledge your existence. So criticism becomes something to avoid. Every performance needs an excuse and every concern needs a qualifier. Every uncomfortable observation is dismissed as negativity because telling the truth might jeopardize the possibility of that idyllic affection.
I have news for you. Being critical allows you to see the entire picture. It forces you to examine strengths and weaknesses, successes and failures, progress and regression. That’s what analysis is supposed to be. Being balanced doesn’t make you a hater. It makes your praise carry more weight because people know you’re willing to acknowledge the flaws as readily as you celebrate the accomplishments. And in the long run, balance is what earns respect.
Summer League begins tomorrow, and hopefully we begin finding answers to some of these questions. Development isn’t linear and Maluach doesn’t need to score 20 points and grab 20 rebounds to prove he’s progressing. He doesn’t need to be the guy who moves the FanDuel win total up three wins next season. Fleming doesn’t need to dominate every possession. Koby Brea doesn’t need to look like a finished NBA product.
What do I define as progression? I want to see confidence, court awareness, basketball IQ, and execution. I want to see young players process the game faster than they did a year ago, making quicker decisions, understanding where to be defensively, and recognizing opportunities offensively. The goal should be to turn mistakes from last season into lessons they no longer need to learn twice.
Whether those improvements translate into counting statistics is secondary. Progress isn’t always found in the box score. Sometimes you have to watch closely enough to see it. And that is what I’ll be watching for when the Phoenix Suns take the floor at NBA Summer League 2026.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - MAY 08: A general view of Oracle Park during a fireworks show after the game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the San Francisco Giants on Friday, May 8, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Good morning, baseball fans!
San Francisco Giants baseball is back at Oracle Park this weekend, so let’s see what’s on deck for fans planning to attend.
Friday is Black Heritage Night at Oracle Park. This is a special event, so fans interested in receiving the Black Heritage Night three-quarter sleeve baseball tee will have to purchase special event tickets. There will be events throughout the ballpark celebrating the Black community and honoring their history and impact on the game. After the game, there will be a fireworks show as well. You know, just in case you haven’t had enough from your neighbors all week.
Saturday will be a Fiesta Gigantes celebration throughout the park, as all home Saturday games are this season. And the first 20,000 fans in attendance will receive a Gigantes Aloha Shirt, which is the perfect addition to any collection. Saturday will also be Dog Days 1, which requires a special event ticket. Special event ticket holders will get to participate in a pre-game field parade with their pups! If you can’t make this one, they will have another event in September.
Sunday is Nickelodeon Day at Oracle Park. The first 20,000 fans in attendance will receive a SpongeBob SquarePants hat giveaway, perfect for the millennial in your life.
What time do the Giants play today?
The Giants continue this four-game series against the Colorado Rockies tonight at 7:15 p.m. PT.
DENVER, COLORADO - JULY 05: Kyle Karros #12 of the Colorado Rockies celebrates with Braxton Fulford #37, TJ Rumfield #7, and Brett Sullivan #26 after his go-ahead three-run home run in the eighth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Coors Field on July 5, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) | Getty Images
When the calendar turned the page from May to June, something happened to the Colorado Rockies.
As the weather got hotter and summer really turned on, so did the Rockies offense.
In the 60 games from the season opener on March 27 to May 31, the Rockies production at the plate ranked No. 22 in MLB in OBP (.313) and home runs (54), No. 18 in runs scored (251) and SLG (.384) and tied for ninth with a .245 average. Colorado was tied for the third-highest strikeout rate at 24% with the Chicago White Sox and owned a 7.7% walk rate, which was second-worst in the league.
The team’s combined WAR was 0.0 — the worst in MLB, trailing the Dodgers 12.8. The result was a 22-38 record.
Since June 1, the Rockies have been drastically different.
Time Frame
G
PA
HR
R
RBI
SB
BB%
K%
BABIP
AVG
OBP
SLG
wOBA
xwOBA
wRC+
Off
WAR
March 27-May 31
60
2252
54
251
239
49
7.70%
24.0%
.307
.245
.313
.384
.308
.303
79
-56.5
0
June 1-July 8
34
1321
53
206
198
16
9.30%
21.0%
.319
.278
.354
.494
.365
.319
117
24.8
6.3
Total
94
3590
107
457
437
65
8.30%
22.9%
.311
.257
.328
.424
.329
.309
93
-32.4
6.3
The first big improvement is in their approach and eye at the plate. In the 34 games since June 1 through Wednesday’s 4-3 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Rockies have improved their strikeout rate to 21% (ranked No. 21), which is down 3%. In addition, the walk rate has increased 1.6% to 9.3%, which is No. 7.
Outside of increased walks and fewer strikeouts, the results are evident in the stats. The Rockies .278 batting average, .354 on-base percentage and .494 slugging percentage are all the best in baseball since June 1. Their 206 runs and 198 RBIs are also tops. It’s shifted Colorado’s runs per game from 5.57 before June to 6.06 since.
In their first 60 games, the Rockies hit 54 homers. In their last 34, they’ve hit 53. The total is nearly the same in half the games. In that time frame, the 53 homers are also tied for third-most in MLB with the Twins and trailing the Washington Nationals and Detroit Tigers.
The team’s combined WAR has bumped up to 6.3, which is tied for the ninth-best since June 1. The result is a 16-18 record, a .471 winning percentage compared to .367.
Along the way, the Rockies have played in more close games. They were 6-9 in one-run games before June and are 6-4 in them since. They have rallied back in the eighth and ninth innings more often to rediscover the “LoDo Magic.” Entering Thursday’s series against the Giants, the Rockies have scored more runs in the eighth inning or later — 129 — in the big leagues. The next-best is Atlanta’s 116.
One of the biggest reasons for this success is that it isn’t just because of one player. It’s been a true team effort.
Five Rockies have hit over .300 since June 1 with Kyle Karros at the top of the list. Karros has hit .343 with a .440 OBP and 24 runs scored. Jake McCarthy has driven in 27 runs while hitting .325. Cole Carrigg is hitting .307 with 23 runs scored and 21 RBI. All-Star Hunter Goodman has hit 14 homers, driven in 28 runs and scored 24. TJ Rumfield and Troy Johnston have hit .317 and .302, respectively. The surge hasn’t even included Mickey Moniak, who was sidelined with an ankle injury from May 22 to June 22.
So what’s the reason for the surge?
Talented young players like Carrigg, Rumfield and Karros help, continued production from back-to-back All-Star Goodman and the surprising addition of McCarthy adding a spark to the offense are all paying off. It’s a good sign for the new coaching staff and front office that the moves they are making are starting to pay off. Time will tell if it’s sustainable, especially with the Draft and tradeline coming up.
While Colorado’s record is still suffering from the slow start and sits at 38-56 (.404) after dropping the Dodgers series 2-1, the Rockies are projected by FanGraphs to finish 66-96. That would be a 23-win improvement from their 43-119 2025 season.
Sterlin Thompson hit an RBI single and Vimael Machín hit a sac fly to score Charlie Condon in the first inning to help the Isotopes jump out to an early 2-0 lead. Sugar Land rallied back to take a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the first, but Albuquerque reclaimed the lead in the second when Nic Kent hit a two-run homer, which was his 11th of the season. The Space Cowboys bounced back again, tying the game in the bottom of the second. That score stuck until the sixth inning when Adael Amador connected for a two-run double that ended up being the game-winner.
Keegan Thompson started the game and allowed four runs on two hits with four walks and three strikeouts in four innings. Evan Shawver earned the win by striking out six and giving up only two hits in four scoreless innings.
The Rumble Ponies and Yard Goats both recorded 10 hits, but it was Binghamton that pieced together a four-run rally in the sixth on its way to the win on Thursday night. Dyan Jorge went 3-for-3 with a double, two walks and two runs scored, Roc Riggio added three hits and an RBI, GJ Hill chipped in two hits and scored a run, Mike Antico posted an RBI double, and Jack O’Dowd recorded a sac fly. Stu Flesland III had a short, but solid start, giving up one hit and striking out six in four scoreless innings. Fisher Jameson took the loss after allowing seven runs on nine hits with one walk and five strikeouts in the final five innings.
Despite trailing 1-0 after five innings, the Indians pieced together an impressive comeback to win on Thursday night. It started in the sixth inning when Kelvin Hidalgo hit his ninth homer of the season to tie the game. Spokane then took the lead with a three-run eighth inning that started when Tevin Tucker singled. Two outs later, Tucker stole second and then stole third, only to come around to score on a throwing error. Spokane took advantage of the mistake as Roynier Hernandez walked, Ethan Hedges singled, Tanner Thach walked and Robert Calez hit a two-run single. The insurance runs proved to be more than enough with Hunter Mann throwing three scoreless innings with three strikeouts and three hits to close out the game and earn the win. Bryson Hammer put up a quality start for the Indians with six strikeouts and only one run on four hits and two walks.
The Grizzlies were out-hit 13-12 by the Ports, but since four of those 12 hits were homers, Fresno came out on top on Thursday. Cameron Nelson hit a two-run home run in the second to put the Grizzlies up 3-0 and Roldy Brito added a solo shot in the next inning to make it 4-0. Cruzmel Arias increased Fresno’s lead to 5-3 with a solo homer of his own in the sixth and Cam Hassert added another two-run bomb in the sixth to make it 7-3. Nelson also added an RBI single in the eighth and ended the game with four hits. Austin Newton earned the win for Fresno with five solid innings where he gave up three runs on eight hits with two walks and three strikeouts in five innings. Bryson Van Sickle earned a four-inning save after only surrendering one run on five hits with five strikeouts.
Parker Gabriel speculates on who the Rockies might select in the MLB Draft, which begins Saturday. The Rockies have the No. 10 pick and five picks in the first four rounds. He believes the Rockies will select hitters who have a good eye at the plate — those who chase less and walk more. Gabriel also recaps several mock drafts.
On Thursday, the fifth and sixth bats joined Monday’s Home Run Derby in Jordan Walker and Philly’s own Bryce Harper. That means there are two spots open and a few days left for MLB to extend an invite to Hunter Goodman. Goodman is tied for the fourth-most homers in MLB — that’s six more than Walker’s 21 and seven more than Harper’s 20 entering Thursday’s games.
Dave Nichols chronicles Gabriel Hughes’ rise to being called up to the Majors, culminating in his first start with the Rockies on Monday. The Rockies first-round draft pick from 2022 put up a quality start in his starting debut, against the Dodgers nonetheless.
The Mets defeated the hapless Royals in their series finale yesterday afternoon in Queens, taking the series and winning their fourth game in their last five. It’s too little, too late for these 2026 Mets, but it’s always preferable to see them win.
The Marlins remain scorching hot, as they defeated the Mariners to complete a sweep of Seattle. Miami is now even with the Phillies for second place in the division, and both teams are three games back of the first-place Braves.
The Nationals had the day off, but Federal Baseball looks at Foster Griffin’s intriguing situation with the trade deadline looming. Washington is 48-46 on the season and four games back of the third Wild Card spot at the moment.
Catch up on all of the scores from yesterday’s slate of MLB games here.
This Date in Mets History
July 10 has been a busy day in Mets history, as Matt Franco had a big hit against the Yankees on this date in 1999, the team sent David Wright, Jose Reyes, and Carlos Beltrán to the All-Star Game in 2007, and they traded for Jeff Francoeur in 2009.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - APRIL 15: Eduardo Nunez and Miguel Sano of the Minnesota Twins collide in right field going after a ball hit by Yunel Escobar of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim during the fourth inning of the game on April 15, 2016 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. All players are wearing number 42 in honor of Jackie Robinson Day. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After the Total System Failure (TM) of May 2016, the Minnesota Twins stabilized a bit in the W/L columns. From June through July, the team went 25-28. Disappointing for most squads–a miracle for this ’16 unit.
Alas, this did not stop further embarrassments from transpiring as the campaign slogged on.
Sano is Right–but also wrong
Desperate for any offense in ’16, the Twins wanted to keep the lumber of both Trevor Plouffe & Miguel Sano in the lineup at all times. The problem? Both were entrenched at 3B. Well, until the fateful (see header image) decision to play Sano in right field for 38 games.
I’ve always found this clip to be an accurate representation of the Miguel Sano RF Experience (TM)…
Byung-Ho goes bye bye
In 62 contests, the much-ballyhooed Korean Baseball Organization prospect put up this line: -0.2 WAR, 244 PA, 12 HR, .191 BA, .684 OPS. His last game occurred June 28, after which he was demoted due to a wrist injury (very possibly a “wrist injury”) and never heard from in Twins Territory–or anywhere else stateside–again.
After posting a .723 OPS in 111 AAA Rochester games in 2017, Park returned to the KBO in ’18–where he immediately punished 43 Park Bangs to the tune of a 1.174 OPS. Like Tsuyoshi Nishioka before him, Park just could not make the jump from Far East to Midwest.
Terry Ryan re-gone
From 1994-2007, Terry Ryan was the Twins’ General Manager before stepping away from the role. After 4 tumultuous years of Bill Smith’s GM reign, Ryan was re-hired in 2012. What looked–in 2015–to be a promising rebuild, however, came crashing down in 2016.
On July 18, Ryan was–perhaps mercifully–let go, with Rob Antony stepping in under an interim GM tag. Though a better “baseball person” than Ryan likely does not exist, it was clear by mid-’16 that he had “lost his fastball” in terms of adapting to the modern game of roster churn, analytics, and pitching usage.
Jonah Tong had another mediocre outing in Syracuse, as he continued to strike batters out an impressive rate while issuing too many walks and giving up too many runs. That outing turned an early two-run lead into a deficit, and the Syracuse lineup was able to get those runs back and get to extras but failed to score in the top of the tenth before Norfolk got the free runner run in the bottom of that inning.
A four-run sixth ining was the biggest one of the night for the Rumble Ponies, but things were looking pretty comfortable all along. R.J. Gordon, who had a solid 2025 season before struggling early this season, made a cromulent start.
Mitch Voit had one of his better nights at the plate since the Mets drafted him, and a four-run first inning by the Cyclones set the tone for the game. Their six-run eighth inning made it crystal clear that they were winning this game.
While the four-time NBA MVP has yet to decide where to end his Hall of Fame career, some people can’t help but play with the “what ifs” of James and Steph Curry joining forces in the NBA.
The answer could go two very different directions, depending if the team can stay healthy or not — perhaps the biggest if of them all.
Sports television host Max Kellerman presented the same question and concern to James’ agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, challenging the idea that age and availability could be an issue.
Paul played it straight.
“I don’t know about the speculation, but if we’re just talking strictly basketball, you don’t want to play them,” Paul said. “You definitely don’t want to play them in a playoff series healthy. You don’t want to get to a trade deadline and have little surface-level, around-the-edges type of moves made. You talk about just basketball brilliance of mind and experience and production — it’s pretty tough, Max.”
Rich Paul on LeBron to the Warriors:
“If we’re talking strictly basketball, you don’t want to play them. You definitely don’t want to play them in a playoff series. You don’t want to get to the trade deadline and have little surface edges type of moves made. You talk about just… https://t.co/86aDEMrJFcpic.twitter.com/LjCccdCv5l
Kellerman also used one of Golden State’s most recent transactions this offseason, the two-year contract extension to Kristaps Porziņģis, who played just 32 games last season, including 15 with the Warriors once he was traded to Golden State in February.
Add that with Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody‘s respective severe injury recoveries, which both players are not expected to return to at least midway through the 2026-27 season, and the aging core of Butler, 36, Draymond Green, 36, and Curry, 38 — Kellerman has his reservations about adding 41-year-old James to that squad.
Both Kellerman and Paul agreed that the league is a “young man’s game,” but Kellerman isn’t so convinced by the “ifs,” agreeing that yes, if they could somehow all stay healthy, the Warriors would be a competitive team in the Western Conference, but he believes the realistic chances of that happening are low.
“I don’t know the odds and I don’t know the answers,” Paul responded. “All I know is when you look at it from a basketball perspective, if you look at all these scenarios, plugging and playing someone of the talent level that he is, just get through the 82 [games] and start the first round of the playoffs healthy. If there’s a capability of identifying in November or December what’s needed and then having the capacity or the expertise to be able to execute and fill those voids, where to come April and you’re looking at it and you’ve got a strong nine, you’ve got to like your chances against everybody.”
Paul added that James is taking his time with his decision and enjoying his free time with his family and friends.
The Chicago Blackhawks have plenty of promising young players to keep an eye on next season. Oliver Moore is among them, as the 2023 first-round pick has the tools to blossom into a very good NHL player.
Moore showed promise as a rookie this past season for the Blackhawks. In 51 games, the 5-foot-11 forward posted five goals, 14 assists, and 19 points. While he did not necessarily have a big year offensively, he showed that he is already capable of being a solid forward at the NHL level.
Yet, with Moore now having a year of NHL experience on his resume, it would not be surprising if he takes his game to a new level next season.
When looking at the Blackhawks' current forward group, Moore should be put into a position to succeed. He will likely have a top-nine role, and this could help him take that next step offensively during the 2026-27 season.
If Moore can continue to play a strong all-around game but increase his offensive totals, he could emerge as a very important part of the Blackhawks' forward group next season. It will be interesting to see how the young forward performs in 2026-27, but it is clear that he has a lot of potential.
Tim Merlier won the seventh stage of the Tour in a sprint finish while race favourite Tadej Pogacar kept the yellow jersey
There are six stages categorised as “flat” on the official route guide. Stage 21 in Paris may not quite count for the pure sprinters because of the three ascents of the Côte de la Butte Montmartre towards the end … long story short, the sprinters’ teams cannot afford to mess this up today. If a breakaway was allowed to succeed, the atmosphere would be frosty at dinner tonight for those teams.
Here we go then. The riders are out on the road and have another 3.5km or so until the flag drops. We should see a very decent scrap to form the breakaway.
NEW YORK, NY - MAY 17: Mr. Met and Mrs. Met celebrate after the New York Mets defeated the New York Yankees at Citi Field on Sunday, May 17, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by Michael Urakami/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Red Sox have won five in a row and ten of their last twelve games going back to the start of their series against the New York Yankees. Boston is now 33-31 under interim manager Chad Tracy and 43-48 overall. The Sox are just 2.5 games out of a Wild Card spot and as of Thursday evening have a 30.1% chance to make the playoffs per FanGraphs, above both the Toronto Blue Jays and Baltimore Orioles. Willson Contreras is serving his five-game suspension, Ranger Suarez hit the IL, and a Patrick Sandoval emerged from the abyss to provide needed innings against the Chicago White Sox.
Sonny Gray, who may yet be an All Star with the opening created by Ranger, kicks things off against the Mets Friday night on Apple TV. This game will not be on NESN. It is on Apple TV. As a heads up, they will have another Apple TV game on July 24. Gray is coming off 6.0 innings against the Angels and 7.1 against the Yankees. He allowed just 1 run across those two outings. Nolan McLean is a 24-year-old righthander in his sophomore season with the Mets. He’s struck out 28% of batters this season and walked just 8.8%. At over one-strikeout-per-inning he’s going to be a challenge, although he’s had trouble. He’s gone 6.0 innings in three straight outings but gave up 6 runs to the Cubs, 0nto the Blue Jays, and 3 (2 earned) to the Braves.
Saturday the Red Sox starter is still listed as TBD. Ranger Suarez would be in line to make this start but after leaving his last start early and hitting the IL the Sox must head in a different direction. In fact, the Sox are TBD for each of the final two games of the unofficial “first half.” Brayan Bello might be tapped for one of these games, probably Saturday. The Sox likely don’t want to bring Bello up only to option him back down, given the goal of fixing his first inning issues. Since his demotion he’s put up a 4.34 ERA in 18.2 innings across four starts. His last start was July 1 so he’s rested. No one is lined up for Sunday. Payton Tolle, having pitched the opener in Chicago, would be on four days rest. He’s already over half way to his innings high and benefits from extra rest already. Patrick Sandoval was already recalled. Ryan Watson can, potentially, cover some bulk. Though ideally the Sox are either well ahead or behind, not relying on him to hold a close game. At this point, Sonny Gray is untradable simply because teams need to field a full team every game.
Freddy Peralta is having a dreadful season with the Mets. Traded from the Brewers this winter, he’s putting up his highest ERA in a full season. Strikeouts are down, hits allowed are up…he’s not getting Cy Young votes this year. The Mets similarly are at a pitching crunch for Sunday. We might see dueling bullpen games.
Juan Soto is doing everything he can with 21 homers this season.
Bo Bichette started slow and even after a few good weeks is slashing just .258/.302/.380, which is not what the Mets expected after signing him to a rich three-year deal.
Francisco Lindor may not get along with Soto and is hitting .211/.296/.352, an age-32 crash in his numbers.
Probable Pitching Matchups
Friday, July 10: Sonny Gray (2.61 ERA / 3.61 FIP) vs. Nolan McLean (3.73 ERA /2.96 FIP)
Saturday, July 11: TBD (— ERA / — FIP) vs. Freddy Peralta (4.68 ERA / 4.30 FIP)
Sunday, July 12: TBD (— ERA / 2.72 FIP) vs. TBD (— ERA / — FIP)
1913 – Led by Ward Miller‘s two-run triple, the Cubs stop the Giants, 3-2. The victory ends the New Yorkers’ win streak at 14 games and stops Christy Mathewson‘s win streak at nine.
1932 – Indians flychaser Johnny Burnett collects a record nine hits in 11 at-bats in an 18-inning game in which the A’s outscore the Tribe, 18-17. Jimmie Foxx hits three home runs, and has 16 total bases and eight RBI for the A’s.
1948 – After yielding a two-run homer to the A’sHank Majeski to tie the score, reliever Satchel Paige gets his first major league win as Larry Doby hits a two-run homer and the Indians tack on another run in the 9th to beat Philadelphia, 8-5.
1969 – The Cubs score five runs in the fifth inning to beat the Mets, 6-2, behind Bill Hands. The win halts the Mets’ seven-game win streak and leaves the New Yorkers in second place by four games.
1919 – US President Woodrow Wilson personally delivers Treaty of Versailles to Senate.
1937 – Belgian-Romani-French jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt‘s “Quintette du Hot Club” debuts at La Grosse Pomme nightclub in Montmartre, Paris.
1938 – Howard Hughes flies around the world in 91 hours.
1943 – Singer Judy Garland headlines her first solo concert, with an orchestra led by conductor Andre Kostelanetz at the Robin Hood Dell in Philadelphia’s Fairmount Park; sell-out crowd of 15,000 augmented by additional 5,000 outside the open-air venue
1964 – The Beatles release “A Hard Day’s Night,” their third studio album.
1965 – Rolling Stones score their first US number 1 single “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction”.
1967 – Bobbie Gentry records “Ode to Billie Joe,” which goes on to win four Grammy awards.
1985 – Coca-Cola Co. announces it will resume selling old-formula Coke.
2023 – Fourteenth-century document by a civil servant asking for time off identified as only known handwriting by Geoffrey Chaucer, the “Father of English Literature”.
Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders: Postponed at Buffalo Bisons
Double-A Somerset Patriots:L, 11-5 vs. Reading Fightin Phils — fell behind 10-0, scored late to make it respectable
LF Jackson Castillo 1-3, 2 BB, K CF Jace Avina 1-5, HR, 3 RBI, 3 K — 17th of the season! RF DJ Gladney 1-5, 2 K, throwing error 3B Coby Morales 1-4, RBI, K, SF 2B Connor McGinnis 1-5, 2B, 3 K DH Miguel Palma 1-4, HR, RBI, K 1B Josh Moylan 1-3, BB, K C Manuel Palencia 2-4, 2 K SS Owen Cobb 2-4
Chase Hampton 1.2 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 4 BB, 1 K (loss) — the going is rough for the erstwhile top prospect Harrison Cohen 1 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 0 K Chase Chaney 1.2 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 0 K Hayden Merda 1.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 5 K, 1 HR Trent Sellers 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 2 K Luis Velasquez 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 K Kevin Verde 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 0 K
High-A Hudson Valley Renegades:W, 9-2 vs. Rome Emperors
3B Roderick Arias 2-5, 2 HR, 5 RBI, K — 21-year-old has been red hot the last month; could he finally be figuring it out? SS Core Jackson 2-3, 2B, 2 BB DH Eric Genther 1-4, 2 K 1B Kyle West 1-4, RBI, BB, 2 K CF Wilson Rodriguez 2-4, RBI, BB, K 2B Enmanuel Tejeda 1-5, 2B, RBI, 2 K, fielding error C Josue Gonzalez 1-3, 2 BB, K, SB RF Camden Troyer 2-5, 2B, 2 K LF Robbie Burnett 0-3, BB, 2 K
Allen Facundo 4.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 8 K Tanner Bauman 1.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K (win) Aaron Nixon 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K Brady Kirtner 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 K Jack Sokol 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
2ND HOMER OF THE NIGHT FOR ARIAS!! Roderick Arias sends this one out for a 3 run home run!🪄🪄🪄 pic.twitter.com/Aw8g1tHjdy
— Hudson Valley Renegades (@HVRenegades) July 10, 2026
Low-A Tampa Tarpons:L, 6-1 vs Clearwater Threshers
SS Jackson Lovich 1-4, 2B, 2 K 2B Hans Montero 0-4 DH Luis Puello 0-4, 2 K 3B Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek 0-3, BB, 2 K, SB CF Brando Mayea 1-3, RBI, K RF Willy Montero 0-3, K 1B David McCann 0-3, fielding error C Engelth Urena 0-3, 3 K LF Isael Arias 1-3, K, 2 SB
Wyatt Parliament 5 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 5 K (loss) Jose Martinez 2.1 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 1 K Jose M. Rodriguez 1.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 1 K Jordarlin Mendoza 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
Florida Complex League Yankees:L, 3-0 at FCL Tigers — dreadful offensive day, just one hit and 14 strikeouts
3B Richard Matic 0-4, 2 K CF Wilberson De Pena 0-4, 2 K DH Queni Pineda 0-4, 2 K 2B Leni Done 0-3, throwing error LF Jose Castro 0-2, 2 K, HBP throwing error RF Francisco Vilorio 1-3, 2 K — fifth-inning single kept the Yanks from getting no-hit SS Dexters Peralta 0-3, 2 K, throwing error C Justin Capellan 0-3, K 1B Diego Flores 0-2, BB, K
Jerson Alejandro 2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 4 K Manuel Cruz 4.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 3 K (loss) Stanly Alcantara 1.1 IP, 0 H, 1 R (0 ER), 2 BB, 1 K
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - JULY 09: Chase DeLauter #24 of the Cleveland Guardians celebrates his solo home run as he rounds the bases against the Minnesota Twins in the sixth inning at Target Field on July 09, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Guardians defeated the Twins 5-2. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Guardians have won one series since Jose Ramirez got hurt and they’ve split one. Otherwise, they’ve become adept at salvaging series and that’s what they did yesterday winning 5-2 against the resurgent Twins.
Getting a hit once every three at-bats – Great. Getting on base once every three plate appearances – Very good. Getting a win once every three games? Bad. Very bad.
I wrote a recap of the game here. Chase DeLauter has a wRC+ of around 175 since he returned from the IL. May that continue unabated.
I wrote up a “What You Need to Know for the MLB Draft” Here. MLB’s All-Star festivities begin tonight with the inaugural HBCU Swingman Classic, which you can read about more here.
Zack Meisel of the Athletic offered a Guardians’ mailbag which are always insightful.
