SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 23: Joshua Kuroda-Grauer #44 of the Las Vegas Aviators bats during the third inning against the Sacramento River Cats at Sutter Health Park on June 23, 2026 in Sacramento, California (Photo by Scott Marshall/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Athletics have not played well over this past week or two, most recently dropping three-game series against the San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Angels. This extended downturn, which has led to them falling from first to fourth place in their division, could partially be attributed to the team playing shorthanded. Several A’s position players and pitchers are on the team’s injured list with various maladies.
Tonight, the A’s begin a three-game home series against the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers, who are full steam ahead in pursuit of the three-peat. The A’s would have liked to match up against the champs on full-strength. However, that will not happen, as the team announced several roster moves this afternoon.
The lone move involving the pitching staff concerns left-hander José Suarez, who was placed on the paternity list and will miss a few games as he welcomes a new addition to his family.
Right-hander Kade Morris, who made his first MLB start earlier this month before being optioned back to Triple-A soon after, takes Suarez’s place on the active roster. Morris will look to make a stronger impression and earn a longer stay during his second stint in the majors this season. Lastly, the A’s designated right-handed reliever Michael Kelly for assignment.
Hitters
Athletics shortstop Jacob Wilson had not played since re-aggravating his left shoulder injury last week. Wilson was rehabbing in hopes of avoiding another stint on the injured list, but he did not make enough progress. The A’s ultimately placed him on the injured list with right thumb inflammation, retroactive to June 26. Left fielder Tyler Soderstrom joins him out of commission with left hip impingement, an injury he suffered Saturday night against the Angels.
The team recalled infielders Joshua Kuroda-Grauer and Darell Hernaiz to fill the roster spots. While Hernaiz has appeared in 47 games with the A’s this season, Kuroda-Grauer will make his MLB debut this evening.
The A’s drafted Kuroda-Grauer in the third round of the 2024 MLB draft out of Rutgers University. The versatile infielder, who can play third base, shortstop and second base, added muscle during the offseason in hopes of improving his offensive production.
The changes appear to have paid off, as he is slashing .323/.367/.478 this season, earning his first big-league promotion. Kuroda-Grauer’s profile is similar to Wilson’s, as both infielders are strong defenders who bring a contact-heavy approach to the plate, making them difficult to strike out.
What do you make of these transactions A’s fans? Will JKG make an instant impact or will the A’s struggle to overcome the loss of Wilson and Soderstrom against the Dodgers?
Ahead of a big storm, there are signs. The temperature drops. Clouds gather. The air feels different.
When it comes to the NBA, something similar is brewing.
For the last few weeks, there has been an eerie silence around LeBron James, who has been the center of the NBA’s universe for two decades. Initial talks with the Lakers went nowhere. James has apparently gone radio silent.
Initial talks between LeBron James and the Lakers have gone nowhere. Corey Sipkin for NY Post
It’s the quiet before the storm.
On Monday, the warning alarms were blaring.
Draymond Green declined his $27.7 million player option with the Golden State Warriors to become a free agent. His motive is clear: If Green re-signs with the Warriors for less money, they’d have the financial flexibility to offer James the $15.1 million non-taxpayer midlevel exception.
To increase the atmospheric pressure, the Warriors are pursuing a deal to acquire Anthony Davis from the Wizards in exchange for Jimmy Butler, whose salaries ($58.5 million and $56.8 million, respectively) are nearly identical, though the latter’s agent rejects this narrative.
The Warriors also have four unprotected first-round picks they could use to sweeten the pot on a trade involving Butler, who’s recovering from a torn ACL, though it’s unclear how much of their future they’d be willing to leverage for this.
Having long wanted to play with one another, Stephen Curry (right) and James led Team USA to a gold medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics in one of the greatest basketball games of all time. AFP via Getty Images
James and Davis won a championship together in 2020. They’re good friends, having spent five-and-a-half seasons together.
In other words, the Warriors are putting together a full-frontal blitz to lure James from Los Angeles, where he has spent the last eight years, his longest consecutive stretch in any city over his 23-season career.
This is the once-in-a-lifetime storm no one saw coming. It was talked about. It was imagined. But no one actually thought it could make landfall.
Not even James, who said on his 40th birthday that retiring with the Lakers “would be the plan.”
Not even Green, who told The California Post last season, “I’ve always wanted to [play with James],” but added, “I don’t see a path to it.”
The weather has shifted. The perfect conditions were created. And now it’s time to brace for impact.
For James, going to the Lakers makes the most sense for his brain, but going to the Warriors would make the most sense for his heart.
But if he chooses the Warriors, he’d finally be rid of the omnipresent awkwardness that hung over LA’s locker room like a dark cloud after they made Doncic their priority.
If he chooses the Warriors, it would wash away the resentment of having to nickel-and-dime with a Lakers franchise he led to its first championship in 10 years.
With Golden State, everything would be clean. There would be no pollution.
Golden State is where he’d have the most fun. James has said Steph Curry is the player he’d most like to play alongside. James and Green are so close that they call each other brothers, and James and Davis would be reunited after the latter was traded from the Lakers to the Dallas Mavericks.
After having won a title together in 2020 for the Lakers, LeBron James and Anthony Davis (left) could reunite in Golden State alongside Curry and Draymond Green. Getty Images
Sure, the Warriors would be fielding a geriatric starting lineup next season with James turning 42, Curry turning 39, Green turning 37 and Davis turning 34.
But they’re all winners. There’s enough institutional knowledge there to take over the league with their creaky bodies. No one would want to face them in the postseason.
They’d be a walking ad for muscle relaxants. They’d be the Old Men Versus The Sea, if you will. They’d be so much fun.
Ten years ago, NBA commissioner Adam Silver would’ve probably had to figure out a legal way to block James from teaming up with Curry. But now, that would be a fascinating experiment. Could the league’s biggest legends overtake the young bucks?
James has already started leaning into that narrative.
His obsession is golf. Since the season ended, he has allowed his beard to turn gray. He’s somehow both a 65-year-old retiree and an elite athlete with 2% body fat who can still single-handedly lead a Lakers team past the Houston Rockets in the playoffs.
In other words, he’s unpredictable. This could be the version of a midlife crisis for arguably the greatest player of all time.
Having never played together, Green and James would relish the opportunity to put on the same jersey. NBAE via Getty Images
Perhaps at this point in his career, chasing happiness is more important than chasing championships. Perhaps joining the enemy would be his path to the most joy.
James played the Warriors in four straight Finals from 2015 to 2018. He called himself the greatest player of all time after leading the Cleveland Cavaliers to overcome a stunning 3-1 series deficit against them en route to the franchise’s first championship. The Warriors have been his ultimate measuring stick.
Now they could become something else — his final act.
Everything we thought we knew could be in flux.
The water is receding. The tidal wave is building. The Western Conference could look very different next year.
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Jun 8, 2026; New York, New York, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Julian Champagnie (30) shoots against the New York Knicks in the third quarter during game three of the...
Spurs forward Julian Champagnie agreed to a three-year, $45 million contract to stay in San Antonio, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania on Monday.
In doing so, they locked down a critical piece of their young core through the 2028-29 season.
The Spurs declined Champagnie’s $3 million team option to construct a new deal.
Spurs forward Julian Champagnie (30) shoots against the New York Knicks in the third quarter during game three of the 2026 NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden. Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
Champagnie, who turned 25 Monday, gets a new contract with a unique structure that gets him paid early, with $42 million in new money, and gives his team flexibility as it look for a title.
Champagnie has come a long way since being waived by the 76ers in 2023. In the Spurs’ run to the NBA Finals, Champagnie averaged career highs in minutes (27.6), points (11.1), and rebounds (5.8). He played in all 82 games and set a franchise single-season record with 195 3-pointers.
Champagnie moved to the starting lineup in February and the Spurs went on a tear as the best team in the NBA in the second half of the season.
Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson has called Champagnie an “unsung hero” for the team this past season, where they made it all the way to the NBA Finals before falling to the Knicks in five games. In the Western Conference Finals against the Thunder, Champagnie averaged 17.3 points per game over Games 5-7.
San Antonio Spurs forward Julian Champagnie (30) shoots the ball over New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) during the third quarter during game five of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center. Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
Champagnie went undrafted out of St. John’s in 2022 before entering a two-way deal with Philadelphia, which waived him the following year to make room to sign Mac McClung.
The Spurs claimed Champagnie two days later, and he’s there to stay for the next three years.
Jun 27, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Texas Rangers Jake Burger (21) hits a single against the Toronto Blue Jays during the first inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images | Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JUNE 19: Ranger Suarez #55 of the Boston Red Sox reacts after being pulled from the game during the seventh inning against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on June 19, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Jack Compton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s been almost four full years that I’ve been an Over The Monster staff writer, and true story: I’ve never written a pre-game thread. That is, until Bryan Joiner called to the bullpen late, and I “accepted the trade for a player to be named later” or “cash considerations.” Two different metaphors, I know. But, starting one metaphor after another may be something of a symbolic gesture with these Red Sox. But, to quote some Bostonians, “I never had to knock on wood, but I know someone who has.” That’s to say, this team isn’t good. I don’t subscribe to the “we’re four and a half games out of the wild card spot” or the success of this weekend being any sort of start to a rally catapulting this team into contending conversations. But I wouldn’t blame anyone who gets a bit hopeful after watching the last four games. Unless this series goes well.
Fortunately, they’ll have a guy who’s found his stride on the mound. Ranger Suarez (3-3, 2.83) . He has not had a decision win at home yet this season. He took a no-hit bid into the seventh in Seattle, and had a little more turbulent outing in hitter-friendly Colorado but still emerged from six innings having given up just three runs, and only one of those earned (sadly, the Sox would implode that game). His ERA in 4 starts (24.0 IP) in June is 1.50.
As Mike Carlucci diplomatically put it in this series’ preview article, the Nationals also suck are having their own challenges keeping things balanced this year, having inverse problems that the Red Sox face. Their offense is awesome, the biggest of those worries being Luis Garcia, the reigning NL Player of the week who’s hit six home runs in as many games, including two just yesterday in Baltimore. They rank at the very top of the league in runs scored and are tied for fourth in home runs, which would usually find you at the top of many standings, unless your pitching is horrible having some trouble keeping runs off the board, to the tune of being the third-worst in baseball. Miles Nikolas (2-6, 5.24 ERA) is tonight’s starter for Washington. At one time he was a very serviceable pitcher. At 37, those days may be behind him, as he’s experienced some stark declines in the ability to strike guys out as well as to generate swings and misses in general, ranking in the lowest three percentile via Baseball Savant this season.
thinking about ben affleck and matt damon WHICH COULD MEAN NOTHING
The Islanders didn't extend qualifying offers to three NHL players ahead of Monday's deadline.
The Islanders didn’t extend qualifying offers to any of their three NHL-level restricted free agents by Monday’s deadline, indicating it’s unlikely that any of Marc Gatcomb, Max Shabanov or Adam Boqvist will be back in the fold.
While an industry source told The Post that the door isn’t closed on Gatcomb to be re-signed as an unrestricted free agent, the lack of qualifying offer does seem to imply he isn’t in the Islanders’ plans.
Marc Gatcomb skates with the puck during a November 2025 game for the Islanders against the Canucks. Heather Khalifa for the NY Post
General manager Mathieu Darche said over the weekend that the team wouldn’t qualify Boqvist, who struggled to crack the lineup last season.
Not bringing back Shabanov, who was signed last summer from Russia, isn’t much of a shock either given he was often healthy-scratched last season.
Gatcomb, though, was in the lineup for much of the season and contributed well on the fourth line.
The former undrafted free agent broke into the NHL with the Islanders two seasons ago and fought his way to a regular role with physical, straight-line play.
Marc Gatcomb looks to move the puck during an October 2025 game for the Islanders. Corey Sipkin for the NY Post
Alex Jefferies, Joey Larson and Henrik Tikkanen, all minor leaguers, were qualified and will become restricted free agents.
Also amongst the AHL contingent, Matthew Maggio, Eetu Liukas, Tristan Lennox and Ruslan Iskhakov were not extended qualifying offers.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 24: Sean Manaea #59 of the New York Mets in action against the Chicago Cubs at Citi Field on June 24, 2026 in New York City. The Cubs defeated the Mets 10-5. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Mets lineup
Carson Benge – RF Juan Soto – LF Bo Bichette – 3B Francisco Lindor – SS Jared Young – 1B A.J. Ewing – CF Mark Vientos – DH Brett Baty – 2B Francisco Alvarez – C
SP: Sean Manaea – LHP
Blue Jays lineup
George Springer – DH Nathan Lukes – RF Vladimir Guerrero – 1B Kazuma Okamoto – 3B Ernie Clement – SS Brandon Valenzuela – C Luis Urias – 2B Yohendrick Pinango – LF Myles Straw – CF
SP: Trey Yesavage – RHP
Broadcast info
First pitch: 7:07 PM ET TV: SNY Radio: Audacy Mets Radio WHSQ 880AM, Audacy App, 92.3 HD2
When the whole NHL world was finding out about the trade that sent Artemi Panarin to the Los Angeles Kings, Liam Greentree, who was dealt to the New York Rangers as part of the deal, was sitting in the back of a bus, playing video games.
“I was on my way to North Bay, midway through the season last year, and I was actually playing Chell (NHL video game) at the back of the bus, and couple of my buddies were just asking if I got traded,” Greentree said recounting when he found out he was traded from the Rangers to the Kings.
“My buddies were asking about me, and then I obviously called my agent. That's how it went.”
Greentree, who was the centerpiece of the return for Artemi Panarin, hit the ice in Rangers gear for the first time on Monday for the team’s development camp.
The 20-year-old forward spoke about his emotions since being traded in February and his excitement to join a franchise like the Rangers.
“It's been awesome. New York is such a historic franchise; it’s an original six franchise,” Greentree said about being traded to the Rangers. “It's just really cool to be a part of it. This is the first time I've worn the jersey, so it's a pretty cool experience.”
Selected by the Kings in the first round with the 26th overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, Greentree flashed off his potential during the 2024-25 season as the captain of the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League, as he recorded 49 goals, 70 assists, and 119 points in 64 games.
Despite his numbers decreasing during the 2025-26 campaign, Greentree still posted a more than respectable 38 goals, 36 assists, and 74 points in 52 games.
Some would say Greentree has big shoes to fill, given that he was essentially traded straight up for Panarin, a player many consider to be the Rangers' greatest free agent signing in NHL history.
However, Greetree does not view it that way.
“It’s the business of it,” Greentree said. “I’m going through the process of it, and trying to make my career a good one. I want to play my game, and I just want to be a Ranger one day.”
Greentree is expected to make the jump to the professional hockey level this upcoming season, whether that means playing in the American Hockey League or for the Rangers.
After spending four total seasons in the OHL, Greentree emphasised that he feels prepared to take the professional leap and begin a new chapter of his hockey career.
“I feel good, I feel ready, and I feel strong,” Greentree said. “I'm here to get better and to learn a lot, and try to see what it takes to actually make it to the next level.”
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 23: Shane Baz #34 of the Baltimore Orioles pitches during the first inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on June 23, 2026 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jessie Alcheh/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Once again the Orioles are at risk of spiraling completely out of contention. Next up on the schedule is a three-game set with a surprisingly solid White Sox squad. Fortunately for the Orioles, these games are at Camden Yards. The Orioles actually having a winning record (23-21) at home, while the White Sox have been quite poor on the road (15-25). Sooo maybe they actually have a chance?
Gunnar Henderson will bat lead off for the Orioles despite being in the midst of a 1-for-18 stretch that has included zero walks and three strikeouts. Why? Nothing more than Craig Albernaz’s intuition, it would seem. It’s not like the Orioles offense has been firing on all cylinders anyway, so whatever.
Perhaps more important is Shane Baz on the mound for the Birds. He’s coming off of a poor showing against the Angels, where he allowed five runs over five innings. The 27-year-old has shown flashes this season, but has looked more like an innings eater than the potential frontline starter we were promised. A start of six innings or more would push Baz over 100 innings on the season. That is valuable even if the ERA isn’t quite as low as the Orioles front office probably hoped it would be.
SERIES WINS AND LOSSES: The Cubs won eight of the first series they played this season. Then they lost five a row, split one and lost four most. Since then, they have won four and split one, making their record in series 12-13-2. They finished 31-19-3 last year. This year, the Cubs’ record is better the deep they go into each series: 12-15 in first games, 14-13 in second games, 16-10 in third games and 4-0 in fourth games. They lost the opener of the series at Milwaukee, but had won the previous four first games, after having dropped seven straight. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
MONDAY, MONDAY: The Cubs are 4-1 at home on Monday this year, their best record at Wrigley Field on any day of the week so far. They are 3-1 on Thursday and 4-2 on Wednesday. (COurtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
WIN/LOSS SPLITS: The Cubs are 20-19 against teams that had a winning record going into that day’s game, and 26-19 vs. teams at .500 or below. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
SEIYA SOON: Seiya Suzuki during the Brewers series: 4-for-12 with two home runs and six RBI.
Shōta Imanaga again got bit by the home run bug in his last start, serving up three to the Mets, though the Cubs won the game anyway.
He’s got a worse home run rate at home (12 in 53 innings) than on the road (eight in 39 innings), though neither of those is any good.
He did manage to allow just one to the Padres in Game 2 of last year’s Wild Card Series, and in the 2025 regular season he allowed just one earned run to the Padres in 12.1 innings. He has not faced them yet this year.
Do good, Shōta.
Griffin Canning had been in the Padres rotation starting in May after returning from an Achilles injury last year, but after he allowed seven runs to the Orioles June 12 (third time in eight starts he’d allowed six runs or more), he was moved to the bullpen. He hasn’t really been any better there. In his last relief appearance, vs. the Braves June 23, he allowed four runs in two-thirds of an inning.
His last start against the Cubs was May 11, 2025, while he was with the Mets. He allowed one run in six innings.
Alex Bregman is 8-for-17 vs. Canning with two home runs. Maybe this will get Bregman going.
Please visit our SB Nation Padres site Gaslamp Ball. If you do go there to interact with Padres fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.
The 2026 game discussion procedure has been changed, so please take note.
You’ll find the game preview, like this one, posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).
At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game.
The Live! (formerly “First Pitch”) thread will still post at five minutes to game time. It will also post to the front page. That will be the only live game discussion thread. After the game, the recap and Heroes and Goats will also live on the front page as separate posts.
You will also be able to find the preview, Live! thread, recap and Heroes and Goats in this section link. The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.
Officially, the Philadelphia Flyers have finalized their qualifying offers with Monday's 5 p.m. deadline come and gone, featuring one surprise.
The players who were tendered qualifying offers will come as no surprise.
Young stars Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale, as well as prospects Hunter McDonald and Nikita Grebenkin, had their signing rights retained by the Flyers on Monday.
The group of players who did not have their signing rights retained was much larger, though.
A cabal of trade acquisitions--Artem Guryev, Brett Harrison, Christian Kyrou, Tucker Robertson, and Phil Tomasino--as well as Karsen Dorwart, were not given qualifying offers and are free to sign with other NHL organizations, starting Wednesday, July 1.
Kyrou, a 2026 AHL All-Star, is the name many Flyers fans are stuck on, given how promising he looked during his short time with the Flyers organization.
After being traded for Samu Tuomaala early in the year, Kyrou ripped off 10 goals, 24 assists, and 34 points in just 55 games with the AHL Lehigh Valley Phantoms, though that surge of offense was, obviously, not enough to warrant keeping him around.
In the interest of fairness, the Flyers do have a considerable number of options at Kyrou's position.
Former second-round pick Spencer Gill will be turning pro this year, in addition to David Jiricek and Oliver Bonk pushing for NHL roster spots with the Flyers.
Plus, Carter Amico, Luke Vlooswyk, and Brek Liske are all one or two years away from turning pro themselves.
Basically, the Flyers decided that, if Kyrou wasn't going to make the NHL on their team now, he never will, and the Tuomaala trade already proved that the young defenseman's trade value around the league was nil.
From here, the Flyers' next steps will be to re-sign Zegras, Drysdale, Grebenkin, and McDonald to NHL contracts with greater term and/or salary.
The NBA off-season has officially started and we’ve already seen some pretty big moves just today: The Atlanta Hawks declined their option on Jonathan Kuminga’s contract making him a free agent, Andrew Wiggins signed a 3-year, $64 million deal to return to the Miami Heat, and the biggest of them all (so far) is that Ja Morant was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for Jerami Grant and Kris Murray.
BREAKING: The Memphis Grizzlies are trading two-time NBA All-Star Ja Morant to the Portland Trail Blazers for Jerami Grant and Kris Murray, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/FJOTzGe5Tr
While all of that is very exciting, and there will surely be more on the way (probably as I’m writing this article), we have to address our biggest elephant in the room: Walker Kessler. We’ve known for a while now that the Jazz front office and Kessler’s management team are not aligned in contract extension talks. Reportedly, Kessler and his camp want around $30 million a year and the Jazz are more comfortable offering around $22 million a year.
There is always the chance that Kessler signs the $7 million qualifying offer, which would allow us to have him on the roster next year but it would make him an unrestricted free agent after the 2026-2027 season. There’s a lot of salary cap science that goes into these kinds of decisions, but I think I can speak for most Jazz fans when I say that having Kessler on this team is better than not having him on this team.
It should be noted that, in theory, the Jazz could go over the $165 million salary cap and into the luxury tax/aprons by re-signing Kessler to the contract that he wants. When you have a player’s Bird rights you are 100% within your right to do that as an organization, the question then becomes “would the Jazz do it?”
I would love to live in a world where the answer is “yes” and we can see what a healthy squad can do now that we landed our big fish in Jaren Jackson Jr. and drafted Darryn Peterson with the #2 overall pick in this year’s NBA Draft, but someone has to keep their feet on the ground, and today that’s going to be me.
I want to brace for impact as much as possible, so if we can’t come to some sort of agreement with Kessler and his camp, I think we should be looking for some replacement options. Full disclosure – I don’t think that any of these would be able to be the same kind of player that Kessler is, but with the opportunity in front of us to win games and potentially make the playoffs, we have to do what we can to capitalize. Without further ado, here are some of the best (realistic) fits we could add to this team during the off-season, in my opinion.
Kevon Looney
It was recently announced that the Pelicans would not be bringing Looney back to New Orleans, so that means that his rebounding talents are up for grabs. He isn’t exactly a spring chicken, but he’s on the right side of 30 for now.
In very limited minutes last year (14 per game) he was able to pull down 5.6 rebounds a night, and considering that we now employ Jaren Jackson Jr., having someone who can do that specific thing is vital. If he’s given any sort of real minutes on this team he would be liable to grab 8+ rebounds a night. He would also bring a certain level of grit that this young team would benefit from.
Sandro Mamukelashvili
After declining his player option, Sandro is going to have plenty of suitors calling his line. He had a bit of a renaissance year averaging 11 points and 5 rebounds a night while shooting 38% from 3 in 80 games for the Raptors last year. He was also in contention for 6th Man of the Year for most of the season, and with an expanded role here I think that he could deliver even more.
With the league trending the way that it has for the past decade, providing elite spacing for your ultra gifted offensive players is paramount. If we could offer a lineup with spacing that includes Markkanen, JJJ, and Mamu, then guys like Ace Bailey, Keyonte George, and Darryn Peterson would have a field day. I’m not saying that I need it, but I kind of need it.
Jock Landale
Landale is in a very similar spot to Mamu; he had a great outing in Memphis and Atlanta last year, showed his scoring ability (10 PPG), his rebounding effort (5.7), and shot well from 3 (38% on 2.8 attempts a game). I think it would be a lot to ask Landale to be as good of a backup as Nurkic was last year, but he just might have to.
In an ideal world, Landale would be a compliment to our Center room including Kessler and Nurkic, but he may just have to step up if we call his name.
Neemias Queta
This one will need some outside interference to accomplish, but it isn’t outside the world of possibility. At the time of writing, the Boston Celtics just picked up the team option on his contract, but there has been a lot of smoke to the idea of Rudy Gobert making his way to Boston in exchange for Derrick White.
IF that were to happen, Queta becomes a bit redundant in their offense. I’ve written about Queta on my personal blog, and my feelings about him have only gotten stronger since publishing that piece. Queta became a full-time starter for the Celtics last year and averaged 10/8/1.3 blocks a night. He displayed much more rim presence than before, he’s an incredible lob threat, and he would be able to step into Kessler’s role effortlessly.
It would require trading someone like Brice Sensabaugh or Isaiah Collier to make the salaries match (not to mention the draft capital that Brad Stevens would extort), but again, desperate times.
Robert Williams III
For this last potential selection there are plenty of reasons to be worried, but if things worked out for us, we could be in a very good position.
In a bench role for the Trail Blazers last year (17 minutes per game), Time Lord averaged 6 points, 7 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per night. He also managed to add to his game this deep into his career by shooting 39% from 3 (don’t get your hopes up too much, it was about 0.5 attempts a game).
The biggest, and most glaring, issue here is that he hasn’t been able to stay healthy for his career. He did play 59 games last year for Portland, but he’s only managed to play 50+ games in a season 3 times in 8 years, and the last time he did that prior to this year was the 2021-2022 season. I’m sure that Boston Celtics fans could tell you what I’m going to tell you now: the juice is worth the squeeze. Adding Time Lord to this team would only add dimensions to our offense and give another weapon to Keyonte George. It also gives our Center depth different looks and allows us to play different schemes with him and Nurkic. Time Lord’s ability to still be this effective of a defender despite all of his injury history is remarkable and I think that we could be the ones to benefit from the rest of the league’s skepticism. I mean, you watch the tape and tell me that you wouldn’t want to see him in Utah.
The off-season is just as fun as the regular and post-season for me, but how are you feeling about it? What trades do you expect to happen? Do you think that the Jazz can get active in the trade market? Sound off in the comments!
SEATTLE, WA - JUNE 03: Joey Gerber #56 of the New York Mets pitches during the game between the New York Mets and the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on Wednesday, June 3, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Eric Hiller/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
With the Mets in need of some fresh arms in the bullpen, the club recalled right-hander Joey Gerber from Syracuse. To make room on the roster, the team options Tobias Myers to Triple-A.
This move was necessary because the club used Cionel Perez, Tobias Myers, and Kodai Senga yesterday, and it was unlikely that any of the three would be available for today’s game. With Senga not an option to be, well, optioned, Myers made sense to get a ticket back to Syracuse. The right-hander had gotten off to a strong start this season, posting a 2.33 ERA and a 3.25 FIP through 19 1/3 innings by the end of April.
However, May was far less kind to Myers, as he pitched to a 6.43 ERA and a 6.24 FIP in 13 innings in the month before he was eventually demoted the first time with the team in need fresh arms and the club hoping to stretch him out a bit. His return from the minors has been an unmitigated disaster, however. He’s appeared in four games, including one start, and has allowed multiple runs in each outing. He finished June with a 14.54 ERA and a 6.44 FIP in 8 2/3 innings across those four appearances. It remains to be seen what the club plans to do with Myers now that he’s returning to Syracuse.
Joey Gerber returns to the Mets to lend a helping hand to the bullpen. He’s made three relief outings so far across two stints. To date, he has allowed one earned run on five hits, with one walk and six strikeouts in five innings.
PITTSBURGH, PA - JUNE 24: Spencer Horwitz (2) of the Pittsburgh Pirates bats during a MLB game against the Seattle Mariners on June 24, 2026 at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Pirates are going to be without their first baseman for a while.
Spencer Horwitz tweaked his hamstring running out a ground ball in the Pirates’ 11-1 win against the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday.
Appearing on his weekly radio show on Sunday on flagship 93.7 The Fan, general manager Ben Cherington gave a bleak assessment of Horwitz’s injury.
Horwitz is expected to be out “weeks, not days” and will likely not be back until after the All-Star break.
The Pirates return from the All-Star break against the Cleveland Guardians on July 17, which would sideline Horwitz for nearly a month.
One of the most underrated players in baseball this season, Horwitz is fifth in the NL with a .386 on-base percentage. He is two spots below Bryan Reynolds (.402), who is third behind Shohei Ohtani (.412) and Juan Soto (.406). Ivan Herrera (.387) is in between the two teammates.
In 246 at-bats over 74 games, Horwitz is slashing .280/.386/.455 with an .841 OPS. His 10 home runs before July are the most in his career and are two away from tying his career high (12) in 2024.
An improving defender whom the Pirates relied on in the leadoff spot, Horwitz provided timely hits and drove in 33 runs through the first three months. He also owns an even strikeout-to-walk total (40).
The Pirates will play a gauntlet of NL contenders over the next two weeks, beginning with four against the cross-state Philadelphia Phillies.
In a cool scheduling move, the Pirates play in the nation’s capital against the Washington Nationals on Fourth of July weekend.
Pittsburgh will face the Phillies, Nationals, Braves, and Brewers before the All-Star Game, all of whom are either in a playoff spot or ahead of the Pirates in the race to the playoffs. This stretch could define the season.
Mets center fielder Luis Robert Jr. is set to begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Syracuse on Tuesday as he works his way back from a lumbar spine disc herniation, the team announced.
Robert has been sidelined for more than two months with the injury and last played on April 26.
New York acquired Robert in the offseason, trading Luisangel Acuña to the Chicago White Sox for the outfielder and took on the remaining $20 million in the final year of his contract to be the Mets' every day center fielder. However, Robert was not off to a great start for his new team, slashing .224/.327/.329 with two home runs, two steals and a .656 OPS in 24 games.
Throughout his career, Robert has been injury-prone and played just 210 games over the past two seasons with the White Sox with middling results. A year earlier, though, the 28-year-old slashed .264/.315/.562 with a career-high 38 home runs, 36 doubles and an .857 OPS in 145 games.
The Mets took a gamble and were hoping to get that version of Robert, suspecting a change of scenery could help the slugger. Even if he didn't hit to his full capability, New York believed his defense in center would be worth it.
Yet, a month into the season Robert went down with an injury which resulted in the Mets promoting top prospect A.J. Ewing. Since then, the rookie has been the every day center fielder and has been quite impressive in the field and in the batter's box, slashing .279/.359/.422 in 44 games.
Once Robert is ready to return to the team, New York will have an interesting decision to make in the outfield with Ewing as well as rookie Carson Benge playing well.
