CLEVELAND, OHIO - DECEMBER 05: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers drives to the basket around Peyton Watson #8 of the Denver Nuggets during the first quarter at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on December 05, 2024 in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The long summer of the Cleveland Cavaliers being interested in a free-agent small forward, just for nothing to actually happen, continues. First, it was the endless speculation about LeBron James returning. Then, there were rumors about a Jonathan Kuminga sign-and-trade. Now, we’ve moved on to speculating whether 23-year-old, 6’8” wing Peyton Watson could be coming to Cleveland.
The Cavs remain one of the handful of teams continually linked to restricted free agent Watson. Marc Stein’s latest report reaffirms this. Stein notes that the Cavs are a “team to watch” with Watson and that the Cavs have been looking to send out Dennis Schroder and Max Strus to make a sign-and-trade work.
Cleveland doesn’t have the cap space to make a meaningful offer to Watson in free agency. However, since they are currently below the first apron, they can execute a sign-and-trade.
A sign-and-trade essentially allows the Cavs to sign Watson to a deal, and then trade away players and their salary to the team Watson is a restricted free agent with (the Denver Nuggets) or to an additional team(s) to make the financials work. There’s a lot of cap minutia you can dive into if you want, but the basic thing to know is that the Cavs would have to trade other players away to make a deal for Watson or Kuminga work.
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Schroder and Strus are the two candidates to move in any sign-and-trade.
Strus has been an incredibly useful player for the Cavs over the last three seasons, but he and Sam Merrill essentially occupy the same on-court role and position. Considering Merrill is making $7.5 million less next season in a salary cap league, it makes sense to move Strus. This upcoming season is the last year Strus is under contract.
Schroder will earn $14.8 million this upcoming season and $15.5 million the following. However, his contract is only guaranteed for $4.35 million for the 2027-28 season, so he could easily be waived after this upcoming season without a large cap hit. That potentially makes him an attractive target for a team looking to clear space off their books.
The issue with the Watson situation is the fact that the Nuggets are the only team in the dreaded second apron. They presumably don’t want to clog their books with even the expiring contracts the Cavs have to offer, which is an issue. What incentive does Denver have to facilitate a deal for Watson? A third or maybe even a fourth team is needed to absorb those contracts, while the Cavs would still need to send some sort of compensation to the Nuggets.
Stein notes that this is where the holdup is. Finding a landing spot for either, or both, is “easier said than done” at this point in the summer. It’s also worth pointing out that this is something that they’ve been reportedly looking to do since the end of June. If there were a lot of interest around either Strus or Schroder, you’d believe a deal would’ve already happened.
Stein also points out that the Cavs could be looking to sign Watson to a four-year deal. The length and potential dollar amount associated with that deal could be a risk.
Watson is the archetype you want to take a risk on. There aren’t many young, athletic wings with high upside to gamble on — however, it’s worth pointing out that it would still be a gamble.
Watson has only had one season where he’s averaged double-digit points per game. The outside shot has been streaky, and he isn’t much of a facilitator offensively when he isn’t scoring the ball. An overwhelming majority of his makes throughout his career have been assisted, which points to him not being someone who can create his own shot. Watson has mostly been an offensive finisher. And if he came to Cleveland, he wouldn’t be playing with someone as skilled as Nikola Jokic at creating open looks for teammates.
Still, this is a risk worth pursuing.
The Cavs aren’t the only team vying for Watson’s services. Stein wrote that the Los Angeles Clippers and Milwaukee Bucks are also in the running. There’s also the possibility that Watson chooses to return to Denver on a qualifying offer of $6.5 million next season, which would allow him to be an unrestricted free agent next summer.
Cleveland has been looking for a permanent answer at small forward for the better part of the last eight seasons. Watson has the potential to be the solution, but getting a deal done could be both complicated and risky. We’ll see if the Cavs can find enough partners to make a deal for Watson work for all parties.
Last season, Watson averaged 14.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.1 assists on .491/.411/.730 shooting splits in 54 games with Denver.
Shortly before that, owner Steve Cohen had discussed the perceived Lindor-Soto feud that existed in 2025, saying that it was "last year's story" and that he didn't see either player "going anywhere."
But soon after the Mets made their deadline strategy known, David Stearns danced around a question about Lindor's future.
"I'm not going to rule out or in any specific player on anything," Stearns said on July 24. "I don't think that's wise for me to do. What I will say is, we've got a group of young players and we've got some potential Hall-of-Famers, future Hall-of-Famers, that we view as our core. We expect them to be our core."
With the deadline in the rearview and Lindor still a Met, the shortstop discussed his future on Tuesday.
Lindor, 32, is in the fifth year of a 10-year, $341 million extension he signed before the 2021 season. And as someone who has 10-and-5 rights, he has the power to refuse any potential trade.
Jul 7, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets left fielder Juan Soto (22) reacts with shortstop Francisco Lindor (12) after making a catch to end the top of the fourth inning at Citi Field. / Vincent Carchietta - Imagn Images
While speaking with The Post, Lindor also weighed in on his faith in Stearns and the overall direction of the franchise.
"We have the right guys," he said. "Stearns is the right guy. That is No. 1. We have one of the best owners in sports history, because [Cohen] is going to go always with the energy that needs to be put into the team. When you are in a big market there is not such a thing as rebuilding. There is a little bit of transition, that is it. You can’t afford to rebuild in big markets, so I think we are working toward the right place. We have not taken a step backwards."
As he talked about the Mets' future, Lindor name-dropped some of the prospects who were acquired at the deadline -- including infielder Jefferson Rojas, who was acquired from the Cubs in the deal that sent Clay Holmes and Tyrone Taylor to Chicago, and should make his debut at some point during the 2027 season.
Throughout the season, Stearns has been clear that the Mets intend to retool ahead of next season with an eye on an immediate return to contention.
That will almost certainly be easier to accomplish if Lindor remains in the fold.
Lindor missed about two months earlier this season due to a serious calf injury, but has been terrific since returning from the IL on June 24.
In 174 plate appearances over 40 games since being activated, Lindor is hitting .253/.339/.487 (.826 OPS) with nine homers, five doubles, two triples, 22 runs scored, and 25 RBI.
The Milwaukee Brewers visit the San Diego Padres this afternoon as a -113 moneyline favorite at Petco Park, with first pitch set for 4:10 p.m. ET.
San Diego is flourishing offensively, and my Brewers vs. Padres predictions are eyeing them to jump on Dustin May in just his second start with Milwaukee.
Who will win Brewers vs Padres today: Padres (+105)
The San Diego Padres send Robbie Ray to the mound for just his second outing since the trade. He struggled in his debut, allowing four earned runs, but the left-hander was sharp before that, posting a 2.08 FIP across his previous three starts.
The bigger focus is the Milwaukee Brewers' issues against southpaws. The Brewers own a 92 wRC+ versus lefties compared to a 108 mark against righties, and they also have a 92 wRC+ over the last week.
Dustin May allowed two earned runs in his Milwaukee debut, but he carried a 4.79 xERA over his previous three appearances. He now faces a Padres lineup with a 125 wRC+ over its last seven games.
I’ll back San Diego down to +100.
COVERS INTEL: The Padres have surged offensively over the last month, posting a 128 wRC+ compared to their 98 season mark. That 30-point jump makes San Diego a difficult lineup to fade right now.
Brewers vs Padres Over/Under pick: Under 8.5 (-121)
This total sits at 8.5, and I lean Under. San Diego is swinging it well with a .204 ISO over the last week, but Milwaukee has shown less power, posting just a .147 ISO during that span.
The bullpen profiles also point toward a lower-scoring finish. San Diego’s relief corps has been elite, owning a 2.26 FIP over its last 26.2 innings while allowing just 0.34 HR/9. Milwaukee’s bullpen has also been sharp with a 2.84 FIP over the last week and the same 0.34 HR/9 allowed.
The late-inning matchup is the separator here, and both relief corps are in strong enough form to keep this total contained.
I’ll play this pick up to -130.
Brewers vs Padres home run prediction: Fernando Tatis Jr (+474)
Fernando Tatis Jr.’s power is finally waking up. The Padres star has clubbed four home runs in his last seven games while posting a massive .500 ISO.
His barrel rate sits at 26.9% over the last week, and his launch angle is up to 22.8 degrees during that span. In fact, 53.8% of his contact lately has been in the air. While May and the Brewers’ bullpen are not especially prone to the long ball right now, Tatis’ red-hot batted-ball profile is impossible to ignore.
Plus, even though May hasn’t had many homer issues lately, he is allowing 1.31 HR/9 on the road this season.
Play this pick down to +400.
Quinn Allen's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 48-58, -17.92 units
Over/Under bets: 58-45, +6.31 units
Brewers vs Padres weather
Weather at Petco Park looks very stable today, with partly cloudy skies and temperatures sitting at 74 degrees throughout the afternoon. Winds are moderate around 9 mph, humidity is high, and rain chances are 0%. Overall, conditions look clean and mostly neutral, with no real delay risk.
Brewers vs Padres odds
Moneyline: Brewers -113 | Padres +108
Run line: Brewers -1.5 (+144) | Padres +1.5 (-156)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 (+113) | Under 8.5 (-117)
Brewers vs Padres trend
The San Diego Padres have hit the Moneyline in 18 of their last 25 games at home (+9.95 Units / 31% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Brewers vs. Padres.
How to watch Brewers vs Padres and game info
Location
Petco Park, San Diego, CA
Date
Wednesday, August 12, 2026
First pitch
4:10 p.m. ET
TV
Brewers.TV, Padres.TV
Brewers starting pitcher
Dustin May (6-7, 4.30 ERA)
Padres starting pitcher
Robbie Ray (10-7, 3.24 ERA)
Brewers vs Padres latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
An aerial view of Anglian Water's Rutland Water reservoir shows the remains of buildings in the former hamlet of Middle Hambleton, revealed in the bed of the reservoir by the receding water -- a reservoir created by the flooding of hamlets Lower and Middle Hambleton -- due to the persistent hot weather and drought, in Upper Hambleton, central England on August 12, 2026. England and Wales experienced their driest July on record this year, with high temperatures and low rainfall across swathes of the country having plunged almost three-quarters of England and all of Wales into drought. (Photo by HENRY NICHOLLS / AFP via Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images
For Hickory, Louis Marinaro struck out two and walked one in 1.2 scoreless innings. Aneudis Mejia struck out three in 1.1 scoreless innings. Michael Trausch struck out one and walked one in a shutout inning.
Marco Argudin homered. Noah Franklin had a hit and a walk.
Hub City’s game got suspended in the third inning with Hub City down 5-0.
Joey Danielson struck out the side in an inning for Frisco. Josh Trentadue allowed a run in an inning of work, walking one. Thomas Ireland struck out two and walked one in two shutout innings.
For Round Rock, Ryan Lobus struck out three in 1.1 scoreless innings. Gavin Collyer struck out two in an inning of work, allowing one run. Michel Otanez walked one in a scoreless inning. Wilian Bormie walked two and struck out one while allowing a run in an inning of work.
Rehabbing Danny Jansen was 1 for 2 and caught five innings. Cody Freeman doubled and walked. John Taylor was 2 for 5 with a stolen base. Logan O’Hoppe was 2 for 4 with a double and a homer. Aaron Zavala homered. Alejandro Osuna had a hit and a walk.
Trimble, a 6-3 guard, entered the transfer portal this spring, and later played five games for the Washington Wizards in the Las Vegas Summer League, where he averaged 10.8 points and four rebounds per contest. However, he didn't sign an NBA contract, making him eligible to return to college under the Colorado ruling.
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If he's declared eligible, Trimble will join an incoming group for Cardinals coach Pat Kelsey that already includes two of the top 15 players in USA TODAY Sports' college basketball transfer player rankings, center Flory Bidunga and guard Jackson Shelstad.
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Both North Carolina and Louisville are set to face each other twice during the ACC regular season this year.
In a statement issued via his Instagram Story on Wednesday, Trimble noted he had been considering returning to college "the whole summer now" and the Tar Heels were "always in the running." But with North Carolina not having an open roster spot for him, a return to Chapel Hill was not possible.
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Here's his full statement:
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Former UNC guard Seth Trimble via Instagram after committing to use his fifth year of eligibility at Louisville pic.twitter.com/I0QVsz3ASo
In individual statements released by the university, both North Carolina first-year coach Michael Malone and athletic director Steve Newmark said Trimble represented North Carolina "the right way" and "will always be a Tar Heel."
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Here are the full statements from both Malone and Newmark:
ANAHEIM, CA - AUGUST 11: Texas Rangers second baseman Nicky Lopez (33) stretches to catch a throw to second base during an MLB baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels played on August 11, 2026 at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, CA. (Photo by John Cordes/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Angels 3, Rangers 2
I regret to inform you that there is no winning streak.
Kind of a weird game, really.
Cody Bradford made his second start of the year, and though he was on a pitch limit, he still went seven innings.
How, you may ask? Efficiency. Bradford needed just 75 pitches to get through those seven innings. He faced 26 batters in all, which meant he averaged fewer than three pitches per batter.
Not surprisingly, given that, he walked only one batter and struck out only one batter.
Bradford wasn’t missing bats in this outing — he got just four swings and misses. He also gave up a lot of loud contact, giving up 9 hard hit balls out of the 23 balls in play.
Yet he just gave up five hits, and you would think that five hits and a walk (and, yeah, a hit by pitch thrown in) would mean little in the way of scoring by Anaheim.
Its that whole sequencing thing, though. Three hits and the hit by pitch all came in the third inning, resulting in three runs.
One of the three hits was a double, and it came last, which was bad from a sequencing standpoint as well, at least if you were trying to keep runs off the board.
If there was a double first, then a couple of singles, then a hit by pitch, then you probably are ending the inning with just one run scoring.
Such is the game of baseball.
Joc Pederson homered to lead off the game and walked three times, but Wyatt Langford and Corey Seager, hitting in the 2 and 3 spots, were each 0 for 4, so the walks didn’t lead to anything.
Jarred Kelenic, back in the majors in place of Jonah Bride, who I hope enjoyed his two days in the majors, had a pinch hit RBI single. It was the one hit the Rangers had with runners in scoring position.
It was a winnable game that the Rangers didn’t win. The Astros lost, so you can either be relieved that the Rangers didn’t lose any ground, or mad that they didn’t move into first place.
That’s up to you, which way you go with that. I am not going to tell you how to live your life.
Cody Bradford topped out at 89.8 mph with his fastball, averaging 88.3 mph. Chase Silseth hit 96.5 mph with his fastball.
Ezequiel Duran had a 105.5 mph single. Brandon Nimmo had a 105.1 mph single and a 100.9 mph single. Joc Pederson had a 104.8 mph homer. Justin Foscue ended the game with a 103.0 mph fly out. Corey Seager had a 101.0 mph fly out.
Moving on. Another game ahead. Its a marathon, not a sprint.
Shōta Imanaga served up a two-run homer to CJ Abrams in the first inning. No shame in that, really; it was Abrams’ 29th homer of the year and while he’s not going to win the MVP award, he’ll get a lot of downballot votes.
The Cubs cut one run off that deficit in the top of the second. Alex Bregman led off with a walk and went to third on a single by Ian Happ.
So it’s 3-2 heading to the fourth, and that’s when the Cubs took the lead without the benefit of a long ball. Happ led off with a walk and Hoerner doubled, with Happ stopping at third.
Imanaga, though, could not make it through the bottom of the fifth. The Nats’ third homer of the night off Imanaga, by Dylan Crews, made it 6-4 and ended Shōta’s evening after 86 pitches. He hadn’t allowed more than two home runs in a game since June 24 against the Mets (and the Cubs won that game, too). Hopefully this was just a one-off rough outing for Imanaga.
Here’s more on Imanaga’s evening from BCB’s JohnW53:
This was the 11th of Imanaga’s 78 career start in which he has allowed at least three home runs: two in 204, four last year and five this year.
He gave up four once, on June 4, at home vs. the Athletics.
His 11 are tied with Ferguson Jenkins for the second most such games in a career by a Cub. Warren Hacker had 12 in 1950-56.
Two others reached double digits: Kyle Hendricks and Steve Trachsel, both with 10. Frank Castillo and Bill Hands are next, with 8 apiece.
Imanaga did not walk a batter. It was his fifth start with no walks, most among Cubs in starts of at least three innings. Javier Assad has three; Matthew Boyd, David Peterson and Colin Rea, two; and Ben Brown, Edward Cabrera and Jameson Taillon, one, for a total of 17 in 120 games — about one of every seven.
Suzuki’s defense has been vastly improved this year. It’s the first time in his five-year MLB career that he’s posted positive defensive bWAR. He’s probably not a Gold Glover, but could be one of the “finalists.”
That left it a two-run game, and Jacob Webb had to come on to get the last out of the eighth. He did so, and then retired the Nats without further incident in the ninth. Here’s the final out [VIDEO].
The win, combined with the Brewers’ second loss in a row in San Diego, moved the Cubs to within four games of first place in the NL Central. And by winning while the Phillies lost, the Padres moved into Wild Card position, tied with the Diamondbacks, 6.5 games behind the Cubs.
Wednesday evening, David Peterson gets the start for the Cubs. As for the Nats, you’ll note that Suzuki’s home run was hit off of Miles Mikolas, who originally was listed to start Wednesday’s game. Instead, the Nats will have left-hander Jackson Kent, their fourth-round pick in 2024, make his MLB debut. And Tuesday’s game might be it for Mikolas:
Jackson Kent will indeed make his MLB debut tomorrow night. The Nationals aren’t announcing any corresponding moves yet, but Miles Mikolas was saying goodbye to teammates and coaches in the clubhouse.
Feb 22, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) shoots against Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) during the second half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Fresh off a massive offseason, the Philadelphia 76ers have nearly rebuilt their roster with new additions including LeBron James and Jaylen Brown. The spotlight is now on this team as never before, with media scrutiny intensifying. The Liberty Ballers crew weighs in on key questions in this three-part series.
For Part 1, we’re focusing on LeBron. From the immediate excitement surrounding his arrival to potential concerns about meshing with the rest of the roster, here’s our crew’s take:
We’ll start off with a basic one: What are you most excited about regarding the LeBron experience?
Brian Toporek: Aside from having to listen to Rich Paul’s podcast every week, you mean?
All jokes aside, it’s LeBron’s passing. Tyrese Maxey deserves a ton of credit for the improvements that he’s made as a playmaker in recent years, but LeBron is on a different plane.
During his brief Sixers tenure, James Harden demonstrated how an elite passer can uplift an entire offense. LeBron is in that tier as well. He’s a savant at threading passes to teammates right in their shooting pocket, which should help everyone become more efficient this season.
Sean Kennedy: Philadelphia being at the center of the basketball universe for actual on-court reasons. It won’t be people arguing about the validity of tanking or diving into the burner accounts of a team executive, but rather just watching a really good basketball team with a bunch of super talented players who complement each other well.
Josh Grieb: I’m really excited to finally add a really smart passer to this team. Both Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey have made strides in that area over the past few seasons, but neither of their superstar abilities derive from their passing. As great as he is, it hasn’t been Jaylen Brown’s forte either.
The roster as a whole has been so starved of passing the fanbase still clings to the half season Nico Batum was here. To go from that to adding one of the best passers of all time, who will be reportedly running point guard, should be one of the freshest breaths of air.
Drew Peltzman: I am most excited about LeBron’s ability to make everyone better around him. In the short-term, finding a playmaking position between Jaylen Brown and Joel Embiid will be very beneficial to creating easier looks for the duo, as compared to focused defenses that Brown faced last season and Embiid has seen throughout his career. In the long-term, there is no predicting how LeBron’s impact on VJ Edgecombe and Tyrese Maxey will eventually present itself. I am optimistic and thrilled we will be seeing the impact on the two young guards for years after LeBron’s retirement or departure from the Sixers.
Harrison Grimm: My response will sound basic, but I’m simply looking forward to him being around this team. Off the court, it’s thrust the Sixers into the spotlight for better or worse — excitement surrounding this team is at an all-time high. On the court, his presence alone will demand the best from all of their players. While we can go back and forth about fit or production, LeBron being around is an immensely good thing for their young players like Edgecombe to see up close how one of the best to ever do it operates behind the scenes. I particularly think LeBron’s presence will be great for Embiid, whom he shared a winning experience with in the Olympics. It’s clear as day what the goal is, and it’s going to push the roster as a whole to be the best they can be.
The Sixers now have two major new additions in LeBron and Jaylen Brown. How do you see these two high-usage wings coexisting when they share the floor?
BT: Call me naïve, but I’m not anticipating major issues? The Sixers are telegraphing that they expect LeBron to be one of their primary playmakers, while Brown should be more of a play-finisher.
If one of the knocks on Brown is that he tends to over-dribble and develops tunnel vision whenever he has the ball in his hands, what better way to mitigate that than by not having him initiate the offense? Instead, he can focus on dominating in transition and attacking the basket.
It also doesn’t hurt that Brown is already buzzing about getting to play with LeBron. Considering that Brown was reportedly pivotal in recruiting LeBron as well, it’s hard to imagine that he’ll suddenly begin to grouse about not getting enough touches.
SK: I think the high-usage concern thing is entirely overblown. Both of these guys have played with other stars their entire career. Brown was with Tatum, plus a bunch of other great players, and LeBron has thrived alongside Luka, Kyrie, Wade, etc. One of LeBron’s best attributes is getting the ball to his teammates in a great position to score; Brown, like everyone else on the roster, will feed off that and be able to attack the seams of the defense as they’re rotating to deal with everything the Sixers are throwing at them.
JG: This could be one of the trickiest things to figure out. Maxey has shown a lot of off-ball prowess as a cutter and catch-and-shoot shooter, Embiid can be a hub at the nail as a pick-and-pop partner. Brown’s fit next to James isn’t quite as obvious. There could be a fair amount of standing around in the corner as a spacer.
At the same time, Brown has spent his entire career playing off a star in Jayson Tatum. Even if it’s a little clunky, players this great tend to figure out a way to make the fit work. If the Sixers acquiring Brown was as big a sway in LeBron choosing Philly as reports would suggest, the two will figure out a way to help each other get buckets.
DP: I think this combination may take some time to find their respective space to operate, both on the floor and in the gameplan. I would not be surprised if things look clunky to begin the season. I will not be alarmed, however, as I believe they will build a chemistry that can utilize both players strengths. I am thinking of LeBron setting simple off-ball screens, allowing Maxey or Embiid to make the pass to whoever the defense does not shade toward. Sharp and timely backdoor cuts with LeBron as the point man could lead to easy buckets and fouls drawn considering Brown’s athleticism and strength. The more they can lean in to timing and playing off-ball in the halfcourt, the better they will coexist in my opinion. I have absolutely no worries about them in transition.
HG: There will be growing pains with these two, and the Sixers as a whole will have to avoid falling into the “my turn, his turn” type of offense. But both of these players can be seriously great together or staggered seperately in different lineups. Both play fast and in transition. For Brown, he’ll really need to hone in on his defensive skills and his catch-and-shoot three-ball for this pairing to thrive. We’ve seen in the past that Brown can be a great on-ball defender, and with this team he’ll take on some of the tougher assignments. On the flip side, having to defend LeBron and Brown at the same time is going to be a nightmare for opposing defenses. Both are big, strong wings who can bully their way to the rim and can hunt mismatches.
It’ll take some time to figure out operating space and chemistry, but both of these guys have proven success alongside talent. Brown in particular played with Tatum, another high-usage wing, for the past nine years. While halfcourt sets and spacing will require refinement, these two are going to cause a lot of headaches for teams game planning against them.
What’s your biggest concern with LeBron’s arrival?
BT: The circus that comes along with any LeBron team. We’re already seeing an avalanche of hot takes about why this Sixers squad is doomed to fail. If the Sixers get off to a slow start this year, the naysayers will have a field day on the hollowed-out husk of Twitter.
The Sixers have been under plenty of scrutiny throughout the Process era, but any team with LeBron has even more of a microscope trained on it. Their ability to drown out the noise surrounding them will be imperative to making this season a success.
SK: It’s not a concern, per se, but something that I know will bother me to some extent will be that any Sixers’ success will invariably get filed under the “LeBron James legacy.” I think it’s part of the reason he chose Philadelphia, where he can be viewed as the missing piece to finally get them over the top, versus somewhere that’s already experienced success in the not-so-distant past.
JG: We will get into the defensive concerns, but for me it is the aforementioned fit with Brown. I think a lot of these question marks stem from the idea that Brown is ready to be the No. 1 guy on his own team. While he decidedly did not get that landing in Philadelphia, he probably didn’t expect LeBron James to be joining his team as well.
It is unique to get this many players on a team that classify as stars, especially under the current CBA. As tired as the cliche is, it will be interesting to see how this team distributes touches with just the one basketball to go around.
DP: Outside of health, honestly my biggest concern with LeBron’s arrival is that ticket prices (I’m presuming) will be astronomical. Perhaps I have PTSD from the Knicks series, but I would prefer that die-hard Sixers and Philadelphia fans will not be priced out. Then again, the price will naturally go up for the insanity of an offseason that the team had as a whole, and there is demand to go see The King, so it is a very first-world concern admittedly.
HG: Truthfully, I don’t have many on-court concerns with LeBron apart from age and career mileage catching up— but that’s the case with any aging player. He’s shown he can fit with pretty much any team, apart from the Russell Westbrook Lakers, which was a bad idea from the get-go. All of their key players seem to be on board with sacrifice and putting winning above all. The only aspect I’m dreading with this experience is people hopping on the Sixers bandwagon and spouting terrible takes because they don’t know who guys like VJ Edgecombe are. I’ve always appreciated that the Sixers fanbase is one of the more diehard fanbases in the league. Most fans can speak about the team in depth. This season will be a much different experience from that, for better or worse, as they’re thrusted into the spotlight.
Which player do you expect LeBron to have the biggest impact on in terms of on-court production?
BT: Maxey. Although Maxey won’t have the ball in his hands nearly as much with LeBron in the fold, the Sixers were already hinting at wanting to get him more off-ball touches prior to LeBron’s arrival. He might not average nearly 30 points per game this year, but there’s also zero excuse for him to play a league-high 38 minutes per night now, too. The Sixers have enough playmaking help to get him more of a breather.
While Maxey’s per-minute numbers figure to decrease, his shooting percentages should tick back up. Maxey shot above 43 percent from deep in his second and third seasons—most of which he played alongside Harden, not coincidentally—before his percentages fell as he took on more of an on-ball role. The Sixers’ new starting five should stretch defenses to their breaking point, resulting in more wide-open looks for Maxey.
SK: LeBron is going to work wonders for Tyrese Maxey. Remember some of the lineups Tyrese had to play with when the team was decimated by injuries and he was constantly getting double teams thrown at him? Now, he won’t even have to be the primary ball handler all the time and can excel getting out in transition and running around off ball seeking open looks. Good luck to opposing defenses having to chase after someone who was already one of the fastest guys in the league even when he had the ball in his hands.
JG: This is an odd way to answer because I’m choosing the team’s leading scorer from last season, knowing that his points per game may drop a little bit, but it’s Tyrese Maxey. Sixers fans have wisely reminded the rest of the league that Maxey is just as, if not more deadly as an off-ball scorer than on-ball. He was so dangerous playing next to James Harden and playing off of LeBron should be even better for him.
Especially now that he’s a few years further into his career and has taken multiple steps of improvement, I anticipate Maxey fitting in with LeBron seamlessly in a way that will be scary for opposing defenses.
DP: Jaylen Brown has to be my choice here. It is clear that they share mutual respect for one another ever since the Bronny fiasco. I would not be surprised if LeBron realizes that Brown may have the most similar body type and skillset to LeBron in his prime, and share with Brown everything he sees that he believes JB can exploit. I think this will help cut down on Brown’s tendency to force poor shots and resort to repeated moves on-ball. He may just need to know what to look for in those high-stakes moments as the top option, and we know how intelligent he is in regards to implementing mentorship.
HG: Maxey is the easy answer here, as LeBron is one of the best fitting players you can put beside him. I’ll deviate from my colleagues a bit though, and say it’s a combination of guys like Anfernee Simons, Adem Bona, and Ariel Hukporti. LeBron is well chronicled as a guy who can find and feed shooters; Ray Allen, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Kyle Korver, Mike Miller — the list goes on. Simons can shoot the ball at a high clip, and he’ll get plenty of looks from LeBron. Bona and Hukporti fill a much different role as big frames who play hard. The less they do on-ball, the better, as we specifically saw with Bona last season. LeBron has had success with lob threats in the past and should keep their roles simple heading into the season.
DYERSVILLE, IA - AUGUST 11: A general view of a Bryce Harper #3 of the Philadelphia Phillies cutout prior to the MiLB Field of Dreams game between the St. Paul Saints and the Iowa Cubs at MLB Field at Field of Dreams on Tuesday, August 11, 2026 in Dyersville, Iowa. (Photo by Geoff Stellfox/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Tomorrow, the Phillies take to the cornfield in Iowa for the Field of Dreams game. If you build it, they will come (and if you make it available via streaming, they will watch). But tonight, there’s no Phillies baseball to watch; their game is an afternoon affair. That gives you some free time. And what better way to use it than to watch a baseball movie? Perhaps you’ll choose Field of Dreams. Or perhaps another baseball flick is more to your tastes. If you need a reminder about the proper place for crying in baseball (hint: there isn’t one), A League of Their Own will do nicely. Perhaps the quotable patter of Moneyball? If you’d like to see Kevin Costner, but want something a little less sentimental, Bull Durham is never a bad idea.
Today’s question is: what’s your favorite baseball movie?
One of the more fascinating parts of statistics is that they give us the opportunity to prove or disprove the veracity of what we are seeing and experiencing. Games like last night come immediately to the forefront. The Astros load the bases twice in the first two innings with a combined one out and come up with only one run. It often feels like the Astros leave a small village on base. That speaks to offensive efficiency and we have covered that ground before.
It wouldn’t surprise anyone to see that the Astros efficiency rating has gone up this year as they have scored more runs and generally had more offensive success. Their success has also been impressive relative to the rest of the American League. Obviously, most of the function of run scoring is a representation of how many base runners you have. We have to track that to track offensive efficiency. However, over the course of a full season, offensive efficiency (or lack thereof) can account for up to five wins worth of runs.
What we do in this piece is break down one piece of efficiency as we try to determine which factors correlate with offensive efficiency most strongly. Since it has been awhile since we have seen these numbers a quick tutorial is in order. You simply add up hits, walks, and hit by pitches and divide total runs into that. That gives you a number that looks like an OBP. That is a team’s offensive efficiency.
Runs
Hits
Walks
HBP
Total
EFF
White Sox
561
936
401
71
1408
.398
Yankees
535
908
437
27
1372
.390
Twins
564
994
398
66
1458
.387
Astros
557
996
410
59
1465
.380
Tigers
545
978
426
45
1449
.376
Orioles
538
937
463
44
1444
.373
Red Sox
527
985
374
70
1429
.369
Rays
541
1034
390
45
1469
.368
Athletics
520
992
395
53
1440
.361
Royals
501
989
374
42
1405
.357
Angels
488
941
379
67
1387
.352
Rangers
495
972
387
55
1414
.350
Blue Jays
476
986
330
45
1361
.350
Guardians
477
926
440
41
1407
.339
Mariners
463
902
390
73
1365
.339
The other good thing about looking at numbers is that there is always more than one way to interpret them. The Astros are third in runs scored and fourth in offensive efficiency in the American League. That means they are doing well right? Well, there is always another way of looking at the numbers. The Astros are second in AL in total base runners, so in theory they should be second in runs scored.
They trail the White Sox by four total runs, so it isn’t like they are lagging by a ton. In the sabermetric world it might be equivalent to a win. Of course, we know how important one additional win and one fewer loss is at this point of the season. That was also true last season when the team’s offensive efficiency numbers were seriously lagging.
However, in this piece we are going to make one minor adjustment to the numbers above. We are simply going to remove home runs. In essence, that means we remove home runs from both the total base runners category and runs scored categories. This will give us a better feel of what the club does with runners on base and we should see an impact on efficiency. If it is a dramatic impact then we probably have a pretty strong correlation with offensive efficiency.
HR
Adj Runs
Adj BR
Adj Eff
White Sox
155
409
1253
.326
Yankees
167
368
1205
.305
Twins
143
421
1315
.320
Astros
162
395
1303
.303
Tigers
144
401
1305
.307
Orioles
141
397
1303
.305
Red Sox
120
407
1309
.311
Rays
127
414
1342
.308
Athletics
141
379
1299
.292
Royals
122
379
1283
.295
Angels
124
364
1263
.288
Rangers
135
360
1279
.281
Blue Jays
115
361
1246
.290
Guardians
116
361
1291
.280
Mariners
138
325
1227
.265
The first thing I should do is clean up a little in how we set up the table. I listed the teams in the same order on purpose. It highlights the dramatic impact that home runs can have on offensive efficiency. The Astros are second in the American League in home runs. Sure, that could mostly be Yordan, but it is still the single biggest difference between the offense this season and last season. We are currently on pace to fly by 200 home runs for the season.
Notice how dramatically these numbers fell across the board. The Astros go from fourth in offensive efficiency to eighth when we account for home runs. One of the first rules in social science is that we don’t ever attribute causation. Home runs don’t cause efficiency overall. However, it is the most efficient way to produce a run in baseball. So, it shouldn’t be a surprise that we see such dramatic results when accounting for home runs.
That leaves us with two immediate thoughts. First, we can look at the efficiency of this offense as compared to last season by removing home runs. Is this team really any better than they were a year at hitting in the clutch? Secondly, seeing these numbers out in the open can also impact how teams are built. If we know that home runs are a primary driver of efficiency we can prioritize getting home runs on offense and preventing home runs on defense.
HR
Adj Runs
Adj BR
Adj Eff
2025
182
504
1732
.291
2026
162
395
1303
.303
So, this team is legitimately more clutch than they were a season ago. We can give a hat tip to these hitting coaches in addition to Yordan Alvarez. It might not seem like much, but if the Astros had the same efficiency last season independent of home runs they would have scored an addition 21 runs. That is equivalent to two wins and that would have gotten them to October.
We should remember this the next time we complain about excessive base runners being left on base. This team is right around where it should be in terms of getting runs across the pay station. They could always be more efficient, but as we saw last season, they could easily be less efficient. In the meantime, if we ever wonder why power is so prioritized then this is one very significant reason why.
HOUSTON, TX - AUGUST 02: Brandon Nimmo #24 of the Texas Rangers bats during the game between the Texas Rangers and the Houston Astros at Daikin Park on Sunday, August 2, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Kairi Mano/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
“The 2026 AL is a mess” has basically been an evergreen statement from the time the season started. Looking at the standings right now, the Yankees and Red Sox have fine enough, playoff team-worthy records. And then, you have five teams separated by 2.5 games for the last AL playoff spot… with the 60-60 Rangers leading the pack. Woof.
Projections-wise, it might seem fairly close. The Rangers are projected to be the sixth-best team in the AL in terms of finishing record, with 82ish wins. But, even with about seven weeks of regular season play remaining, the actual playoff entrant isn’t going to be the team that rolls their expected value, but probably the team that hits a higher-percentile outcome. There’s gotta be at least one of those in this quintet, right? (Also, this quintet doesn’t involve the Mariners, who have the roster talent to make a charge, even if they’re further back than 2.5 games.)
On the flip side, you also have to consider that the Astros lead the AL West at just 61-60. So, if, say, the Rangers are the team that “roll high” for the rest of the year, it’s possible that they take not the last Wild Card spot, but the AL West — and if none of the other teams do, maybe that sixth spot really does go to an 81-win team.
It’s kind of sad that this is what it’s come down to, but welcome to the expanded playoff field and the roster malaise era. One hopes that it’s not here to stay, but…
HOUSTON, TEXAS - JULY 18: Cam Sanders #73 of the Baltimore Orioles reacts after a win against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park on July 18, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Plenty of fans have given up on the 2026 Orioles, but the other American League wild card contenders have done their best to keep hope alive. There are only a few good teams in the American League, and they all happen to play baseball in the AL East. The Orioles are not one of those teams.
The Orioles ended last night four games below .500 and no less than three games back from the third Wild Card. It’s difficult to believe that this team is even somewhat close to .500. It feels like they lose almost every night. The whiplash of giving up on the team, only to get sucked back in by the obtainable wild card spot, is enough to drive any fan crazy. Losing Adley Rutschman, watching Gunnar Henderson struggle, and getting dominated by Dean Kremer is enough to make any fan start focusing more on the NFL or college football.
I want to look on the bright side, but I can’t recycle the same narrative about this team’s postseason chances. We’ve officially reached the point of the season when I’m dreaming on the potential of fringe relievers. August of 2019 called, and they want their storylines back.
Enter Cam Sanders. Sanders is a 29-year-old with 12 major league games under his belt. The right-hander was drafted in the 12th round by the Chicago Cubs all the way back in 2018. He signed with Pittsburgh as a minor-league free agent before last season and worked his way up from Double-A Altoona to the majors. He made six MLB appearances and allowed six earned runs in 2025.
Sanders pitched to a 2.96 over 22 appearances at Triple-A Indianapolis this season, but he failed to break through with the Bucs. Sanders made nine appearances for the Pirates and allowed nine earned runs. He was designated for assignment in early July and traded to Baltimore for cash considerations a few days later.
Baltimore identified Sanders as a classic high strikeout/high walk reliever. His high 90s fastball and impressive slider led to plenty of whiffs, but Sanders struggled to locate pitches consistently. The Pirates bullpen woes have been a big story in Pittsburgh, but Sanders couldn’t hang with former Oriole Gregory Soto and Dennis Santana. Sanders still holds two minor-league options, but the Pirates declined to keep him on the 40-man roster.
The Orioles activated Sanders and immediately threw him to the fire. Sanders responded by picking up his first MLB win and first big league save in his first two appearances. Sanders recorded a pair of outs in Baltimore’s 3-2 win over Houston and closed out a wild 4-2 win in 11 innings the next day. His reward? The Orioles optioned Sanders and recalled third catcher Sam Huff.
Sanders had pitched on consecutive days, and the Orioles needed another catcher on the roster. The move said less about Sanders and more about the current state of the team. The Birds would summon Sanders back to Baltimore less than one month later.
The Birds recalled Sanders prior to the Minnesota series and used him right away. Trevor Rogers did not have his best stuff, and Craig Albernaz pulled the starter after only four innings. Sanders entered and kept the Orioles in the game with two scoreless innings. He allowed one hit, struck out one, and did not walk a batter. Sanders did not issue a walk in any of his three appearances for the Orioles.
Sanders averages just over 96 MPH with his four-seam fastball and sinker. His slider checks in just under 87 MPH. Opponents have hit just .143 off the fastball and .160 off his slider this season, but Sanders has yet to establish a third pitch. The sinker took the place of his sweeper from last year, and he’s mixed in a changeup against lefties, but neither pitch has yielded much success. There’s a place for relievers that only possess two legitimate pitches, but the Orioles would love to see Sanders develop a more reliable third option.
The Orioles kept Sanders around after he tossed two innings on Monday, and the team should give him an extended look down the stretch. Sanders joins a group of optionable relievers beyond this season that includes Anthony Nunez, Alex Hoppe, Yaramil Hiraldo, and Grant Wolfram. Yennier Cano will carry an option into 2027, but the team certainly hopes that the 32-year-old will remain with the big league club.
Cano’s age is a reminder that it can take relievers a few years to find their footing. Cano made it to the All-Star game during his rookie year at age 29. Sanders will turn 30 in December, but there’s little doubt that his best baseball is still ahead.
As Sam Antonacci well knows, there are a whole lot of batters being hit by pitches in White Sox games this year. | (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
Chances are, if you’re even a casual White Sox fan, you share the incredible surprise at the team’s record. If you’re somewhat algorithm inclined, you may be aware that both FanGraphs and PECOTA now predict they’ll end the season with an 82-80 record, barely better than .500. But, since we’re talking about the AL Central, that’s enough to squeak by and win the division.
If you like a little more in the way of numbers, thanks to the barrage of shilling for sports books on every trivial event in order to promote problem gambling that the announcing staff does, you’re probably aware that the White Sox are eighth in the majors in runs scored per game, 4.76, and a hair better than average in runs allowed at 4.44.
Sixth in homers? You knew that. Only 22nd in batting average, but dead in the middle in on-base percentage and a skosh better than average in OPS? You knew all that.
The pitching staff is 11th worst in walks while the batters are average? The pitchers are 18th in strikeouts while batters have K’ed the sixth-most? Of course, you knew all that.
But, if we may, let us venture into territory seldom reviewed by anyone but stats addicts and retirees or the idle rich, who have lots of time on their hands, enough time to scroll to the right or down to a special category at Baseball-Reference.
First, the pitchers
ERA 4.11, 14th. check. FIP 4.20, 18th. Check.
Now for the stuff you may not have noticed:
White Sox pitchers are second in MLB in hitting batters, with 72, just one behind the Astros. And that’s even though they don’t get to add to the bruises on Sam Antonacci’s body, which has been whacked 15 times to lead the AL (though far behind Cardinal All-Star catcher/DH Iván Herrera, who has been plunked 25 times).
The White Sox lead the majors in balks with eight, though the lead is only one, so any team could take the crown. No individual pitcher has been charged with more than two, so it has been a team effort.
They also lead the majors in wild pitches, with 51. That’s just one more than the Cardinals, though double the MLB average. Of course, you have to give Sox catchers credit for failing to block pitches in the dirt that never should have gotten by, but are still blamed on the pitcher.
As for batted balls, Sox pitchers allow a very slightly worse-than-average 88.3 mph exit velocity (average is 88.1), and a ninth-worst hard-hit rate of 39.8%. They’re fifth-worst at getting ground balls, at 39%, largely because they surrender a ton of line drives, 25%, second-worst in the big leagues.
Given that line-drive rate, the staff has done well to be middling in ERA, helped by allowing a better-than-average 127 homers (average is 137) despite The Rate as home park.
And now the hitters
Peripheral stuff has helped the White Sox offense almost as much as all those dingers.
They hit very few line drives, by far the lowest liner rate in the majors. That should be a big negative, especially because they’re average in ground ball rate. But somehow despite being average in grounders, the Sox are the very best at staying out of double plays, by far, with 52 — barely half the number the mighty Dodgers have swatted into.
That, of course, leaves the White Sox toward the top in fly ball rate — ninth — which helps with the dinger data. Still, even the fly balls that stay in the park have fared well, be it good fortune or good location, with an overall BABIP of .285 — just shy of the MLB average of .289 (of course, that’s way down from before the Three True Outcomes era).
Bloop hits can continue indefinitely, right? Or at least for the rest of the 2026 season?
As for sense of direction, Sox batters pull the ball 34% of the time, tops in baseball, leaving them 26th to the opposite field and 29th up the middle. So much for liners up the middle being the ideal goal, no doubt inhibited by shifts these days.
As for some other stuff:
The Sox are tied for third at being hit by pitches, led by Antonacci. Combine that with hitting the second-most opponents makes for a whole lot of plunking going on.
They’re fifth in sacrifices. The four teams ahead of them are all very good, so maybe the overwrought hatred of bunting is a part of Moneyball that needs review, at least when Pedro Grifol isn’t managing.
And here’s one that may go a long way to explaining the team’s success — they’re 27th in leaving runners on base. Long balls do help.
As for baserunning, the Sox are 18th in stolen bases, with 68, but abysmal at stolen base success: Their 69% success rate (77 is the norm) bests only the Tigers. Still, the White Sox are slightly better than average — 44% to 42% — at taking the extra base.
And so …
There you have it, all the stuff you meant to look up but never got around to. Feel free to amaze your friends with your newfound knowledge.
The Columbus Blue Jackets have 50 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Today, we look at the history of jersey #50.
Let's take a look.
Joakim Lindström - 2006 - Lindström was drafted by Columbus in the 2nd round of the 2002 NHL Entry Draft.
Lindström made his North American debut in the last game of the 04-05 season for the Syracuse Crunch, the CBJ's AHL team. In the 05-06 season, he would make his Blue Jackets debut and play in three games. In 2008, after playing just 37 games, Lindström was traded to the Anaheim Ducks.
He finished his CBJ career with 8 points, but it was his AHL career that paid his bills. In his four seasons with the Crunch, he played in 176 games and had a total of 159 points.
He returned to Europe in 2009 and bounced back and forth between the NHL and Europe until he retired in 2023.
Antoine Vermette - 2009-12 - Vermette was traded to Columbus by Ottawa for Pascal Leclaire and Columbus' 2nd round pick (Robin Lehner) in the 2009 NHL Draft, March 4, 2009.
He played 241 games in Columbus and totaled 152 points.
Vermette was traded to Phoenix by Columbus for Curtis McElhinney, Ottawa's 2nd round pick (previously acquired, later traded to Philadelphia -- Philadelphia selected Anthony Stolarz) in the 2012 NHL Draft and Phoenix's 4th round pick (later traded to Philadelphia, later traded to Los Angeles -- Los Angeles selected Justin Auger) in the 2013 NHL Draft, February 22, 2012.
Vermette retired on January 31, 2019, after 14 NHL seasons. Vermette retired with a 56.6 career faceoff win percentage, which was the ninth-best among all players since the NHL began tracking the stat in 1997.
Eric Robinson - 2018-24 - Robinson was undrafted out of Bellmawr, New Jersey, and signed with Columbus as a free agent on March 27, 2018.
Robinson, known for his blazing speed, played in 266 games for the Blue Jackets before being traded to Buffalo by Columbus for a conditional pick in the 2025 NHL Draft on December 6, 2023. He totaled 82 points for Columbus.
On July 1, 2024, Robinson signed with the Carolina Hurricanes to a 4-year, $6,800,000 contract. In his first season with the Hurricanes, he set career highs in goals, assists, and points with 14, 18, and 32.
In his second season in Carolina, he reached the top of the mountain. After scoring 12 goals and totaling 18 points, he and his Hurricanes won the Stanley Cup by defeating the Vegas Golden Knights. He has 8 points in 19 playoff games.
There are 50 days left until opening night.
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COVERS INTEL: The Padres have surged offensively over the last month, 
