OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - MAY 30: De'aaron Fox #4 of the San Antonio Spurs during Game Seven of the NBA Western Conference Finals at Paycom Center on May 30, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
San Antonio Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox has a new shoe dropping on Thursday. The design was in partnership with Sharpie featuring hand-drawn, “Swipa”-inspired artwork.
De’Aaron Fox is dropping a new Sharpie x Under Armour Fox 2 collab on July 23 for $130 ✍️🔥 pic.twitter.com/YM9RzDVCru
“I love that this collection captures that feeling of being a kid, sketching in notebooks and letting your imagination lead the way,” Fox shared.
Under Armour launches the new kicks inspired by Fox’s journey celebrating the connection between basketball and sneaker culture.
“All of the Sharpie designs especially on the shoe hold a special meaning for me and represent different moments in my journey,” Fox continued. “Whether your passion is basketball, art or something completely different, I think the message with this sneaker and this collection is really don’t be afraid to express yourself and be bold in pursuing your passions.”
The limited-edition shoe sells for $130 and will be available exclusively at UnderArmour.com beginning July 23.
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Southampton’s manager, Tonda Eckert, is facing the possibility of a lengthy suspension from all football activity in England, and perhaps beyond, after being charged with three counts of misconduct by the Football Association.
All three relate to the ‘Spygate’ scandal and involve breaching FA rules during covert missions to illicitly observe Championship training sessions involving Middlesbrough, Ipswich and Oxford last season. The 33-year-old has until Tuesday to respond to the charges and may well fear the precedent set by Fifa when it banned Bev Priestman, the English-born former Canada women’s head coach and assistant England women coach, from football worldwide for 12 months. In 2024 Priestman, then in charge of Canada, was found to have authorised a spying mission involving the use of a drone to monitor New Zealand’s training during the Paris Olympics.
Three basketball stars are the newest NBA 2K cover athletes this year.
San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama, Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark and former NBA MVP Derrick Rose were revealed as the faces of NBA 2K27 on Wednesday ahead of the video game’s Sept. 4 release.
Take a look at the covers here:
2K
Victory Wembanyama, Caitlin Clark and Derrick Rose are the cover athletes for NBA 2K27.
Wembanyama is on the standard edition, Clark is on the deluxe edition and Rose is on the ultra edition.
Wembanyama is coming off a breakout season, leading the Spurs back to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2014 before losing to the New York Knicks. The 22-year-old Wembanyama won his first Defensive Player of the Year award, along with a First Team All-NBA selection and Western Conference Finals MVP.
Clark, 24, is in the midst of her third WNBA season and has been named an All-Star each year. After an injury-plagued 2025 season limited her to just 13 games, Clark is averaging a career-high 20.7 points per game this season.
Rose is now on a 2K cover for the second time in his career, serving as the legend representation in 2026. His first time on the cover was for NBA 2K13, when he was featured alongside Kevin Durant and Blake Griffin. This past season marked 15 years since Rose won his only MVP award in 2011.
Being on the cover of NBA 2K is an honor often given to either legends of the sport or rising stars. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Angel Reese (2K26), Jayson Tatum, A’ja Wilson, Vince Carter (2K25), Sabrina Ionescu and Kobe Bryant (2K24) have been on the covers in the last three editions.
NBA 2K27 will be available to play on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC via Steam and Nintendo Switch 2. Players can get early access on Aug. 28 by pre-ordering, or wait until Sept. 4 for the global release.
WENLING, CHINA - JULY 21: A Siberian tiger plays in a pool to cool down at the Wenling zoo on July 21, 2026 in Wenling, Zhejiang Province of China. The zoo activated cooling measures to help animals cope with high summer temperatures. (Photo by Zhou Xuejun/VCG via Getty Images) | VCG via Getty Images
The Heat might have screwed LeBron’s delusions of grandeur and I cannot be happier about it. Read on for more in today’s links and notes.
Jalen Brunson talked to Variety and said people are “making assumptions” and pushed back on the idea that the Knicks have already decided to visit the White House. YG.
Brunson also discussed his wrist injury and ongoing recovery. All good, fam.
“I was more in pain when I wasn’t in the game versus when we were actually playing. I feel like the adrenaline took over. But yeah, it was definitely an obstacle, but we found a way through, because it’s my tendon and my structure, my wrist is fine. There was soft tissue that was holding my tendon and it kept flipping and snapping over the bone every time I shot, every time I flicked my wrist, and so clearly it was causing pain, causing friction…
“I’ll be in this [cast] for about another six weeks, and then from that point on, it’s just my rehab after that. But I should be good.”
The Knicks are still looking for a third center after missing out on Jonas Valanciunas and Moussa Cisse, and SI’s Jovan Alford has come up with a very unfamiliar and fresh name.
That came before our own Michael Zeno chimed in on what’s next for the Knicks on the big-man front following the whiff on Cisse. Little tease, including an intriguing closing line:
“The Knicks should want to keep Jemison and McCullar around. It’s been total radio silence for both of them this offseason, but you can do a lot worse than having them on two-way deals. The Knicks are able to bring as many as 21 guys into training camp without damaging their second apron space, so it wouldn’t surprise me if we see Nickel, Jemison, McCullar, Jones, and another guy or two in camp to compete for those spots.
“Did Liam Robbins do enough in Summer League to get a tryout?”
Draymond Green agrees with me and thinks Adam Silver (and Pat Berverley by extension) may have made LeBron James, who is operating as a true contrarian these days, mad. Too bad for them, it seems a 41-year-old man still holds all of the power.
Like it or not, even if he’s a thousand years old, LeBron’s eventual destination carries consequences for the Knicks, and the New York Post’s Jared Schwartz ranked his potential destinations from biggest to smallest threat to the Knicks. Miami clocked in first. Bunch of teams in the middle. In last place, Golden State:
“Heat: This would be both the best supporting cast around James and the most familiarity with him.
[…]
“Warriors: Would a Warriors team with James make it out of the West over the Thunder, Spurs or others? Probably not, which would make them irrelevant to the Knicks.”
A funny kid gave us a sad Victor Wembanyama moment. “Sorry.” Victor, you gotta do better.
Back to Draymond, he argued that Kobe Bryant’s place in NBA history will always be affected by the era in which he played (MJ out, LBJ ascending), said Kobe was always “trying to find his way in the NBA,” and believes the lack of spotlight automatically rules him out of the GOAT debate as he never got to the heights of one or the other.
Jaylen Clark reveals every NBA player gets the SAME licensing check… and his was $385,000. 😳
Licensing check: money from NBA 2K, jersey sales, and trading cards.
"Instead of LeBron James making $30 million. All the players came together and said we're going to include… pic.twitter.com/p2sFR5KkTL
Dec 28, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; The Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign on the Las Vegas strip. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Mark Pope recently did an interview with UK Sports Network and was asked numerous questions about the team’s trip to Las Vegas earlier this month. Pope provided some clarity on why the team went, what they did, and what came from the trip.
When asked what went into the decision, Pope responded, “Well, during that week, Vegas is kind of the basketball capital of the world, and it’s a perfect fusion of Kentucky Basketball, and all the guys that we’re recruiting, and all the guys that have played here that are now playing in the NBA.
“So, you bring the high school and the college and the NBA ranks together, it was perfect for us.”
With the blend of that, Kentucky men’s basketball social media pages shared pictures showing the team with some Kentucky/NBA connections as well.
— Kentucky Men’s Basketball (@KentuckyMBB) July 11, 2026
Pope was asked, “What is it like for you as a coach to give the guys this opportunity?” He responded, “Well, it was awesome. The guys were so excited to take the Otega Oweh big heads, even though he couldn’t play, and go celebrate that, and it meant a lot to Otega. Malachi Moreno, before he went on the trip, he didn’t care about anything else. He just wanted to see Amari (Williams) play.
“So, the guys got to see Amari, and got to see Drew, and Jaxson, and Koby. JQ came by. It was unbelievable. We practiced really hard in the mornings, and the gym was full of NBA personnel during our practice, so it was fun for our guys to get that exposure. Our guys took it on themselves to roll through all the AAU games and cheer on recruits. Got to do some stuff off the court. It was an unbelievable trip”.
Malachi Moreno and Braydon Hawthorne were captured on video holding the big head that Pope referred to for Oweh, and a big OO for Oweh as well.
— Kentucky Men’s Basketball (@KentuckyMBB) July 11, 2026
Pope was then asked about getting away from Lexington to break up some of the offseason monotony.
“Well, first, nobody ever wants to leave Lexington; it’s the greatest place in the world to be, but on occasion, where the job takes us away, it was good for our guys. It was midway through our summer session, so it gave them a quick break. They were able to bond in a different way, be stuck in hotel rooms together, did some fun events in Vegas, just to be together.
“We did a debrief. The guys loved summer league. They loved the workouts in front of NBA scouts. They loved the chance to see future Kentucky players, and every guy said they just loved the condensed time together in a different environment. It was a win all the way around.”
Pope shared later in the interview what the guys did outside of basketball on the trip. He said that he was essentially basketball the entire time, but the guys got to do a lot. Saying the guys “went to the Sphere, they did some Topgolf, I think some guys did some shopping on the strip. So, I think they had a bunch of fun together.”
— Kentucky Men’s Basketball (@KentuckyMBB) July 9, 2026
It was nice to see the guys get away and enjoy some time together before things start to get ramped up and get closer to the 2026-27 season. Team bonding is always super impactful. It’s nice to see the guys continue to grow closer off the court so they become even better teammates on the court.
From countless clutch moments to multiple NBA records and championships under his name, Curry has created a legacy that will be remembered for a very long time.
To honor the two-time NBA MVP’s contributions on and off the court, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced it will open an immersive, limited-time exhibit exploring Curry’s life as a player, an entrepreneur, a philanthropist and a family man.
He inspired a generation to dream bigger and shoot farther. Now, for the first time in its nearly 75-year history, the Hall of Fame will feature a dedicated experience honoring an active NBA player.
With this new exhibit titled “Stephen Curry: Beyond the Arc,” Curry will become the first active NBA player to be honored with a dedicated Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame experience. The exhibit is scheduled to open this Friday.
He changed the game for good. And now, he makes history yet again.
Beginning this Friday, Stephen Curry will become the first active player EVER to have an exhibit at the @Hoophall 👏 pic.twitter.com/pjKldCPc8J
Along with his NBA MVP awards, Curry has built a lengthy résumé as a four-time NBA champion, a 12-time NBA All-Star selection, a two-time scoring champion, an 11-time All-NBA selection, a two-time NBA All-Star MVP and an NBA Finals MVP.
The 37-year-old also has the NBA record for the most career 3-point field goals with 4,248 and counting.
In his 17-year NBA career so far, Curry is averaging 24.8 points, 4.7 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 1.5 steals per game, and is shooting 42.2 percent from 3-point range and an all-time career record 91.2 percent from the free-throw line.
While Curry makes history once again, becoming the first active NBA player with a Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame exhibit, there is no question Golden State’s franchise superstar will one day have his name inducted in Springfield, Massachusetts after he calls it a career.
BOSTON - 1975: Julius Erving #6 of the Philadelphia 76ers makes a move against John Havlicek #17 of the Boston Celtics during a game played in 1975 at the Boston Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1975 NBAE (Photo by Dick Raphael/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
John Havlicek had an extraordinary career with the Boston Celtics. Drafted in 1962 with the seventh overall pick, he could have skipped basketball and played football instead, and in fact, almost became a wide receiver for the Cleveland Browns before joining the Celtics.
In his first year or two, Havlicek was sort of the backup to Frank Ramsey, who, along with Red Auerbach, invented the sixth man concept. As a rookie, Havlicek was primarily a defensive player, but early in his career, he significantly improved his shot and his ball handling, and when Ramsey retired in 1964, Havlicek was ready to step up.
He ultimately won 8 championships, including in 1974 and 1976.
Havlicek was great for many reasons, but not least of all because he had tremendous endurance and could run non-stop. In fact, his former teammate and coach Tom Heinsohn said that Mass General Hospital once studied him to understand why he was so much stronger later in games than anyone else.
In his later years, he became a tremendous offensive player, yet he never let up as a defender, as Julius Erving learned in the 1977 Eastern Conference Finals. As you’ll see here, Erving really struggled with Havlicek’s stifling D.
Keep in mind that in 1977, Havlicek was 37, but Dr. J was just 27, and entering into his prime.
Havlicek retired after the 1978 season, but later said that if he had known Larry Bird was coming along, he would have waited.
We spent a whole bunch of time — maybe too much time — in the early 2020s pondering if the Boston Celtics might eventually make a run at acquiring Bradley Beal. And just when you thought that ship had long sailed, here we are again.
The Celtics and Heat are two potential landing spots for the now 33-year-old Beal, according to a report Tuesday from Bleacher Report. Beal is a three-time All-Star who hasn’t played more than 53 games in a season since his 2021 All-NBA nod with Washington.
At first blush, it’s easy to dismiss the possibility. While the Celtics do have an open roster spot, the team sits just below the luxury tax threshold and already added a veteran guard this offseason by signing 38-year-old Mike Conley. Beal appeared in just six games last season for the Clippers and hasn’t positively impacted a team’s on-court performance since departing Washington after the 2022-23 season.
The Celtics are well stocked on the perimeter. And, even if the team treads cautiously with minutes for veterans like Conley and Paul George, there is a stable of young wings headlined by Baylor Scheierman, Hugo Gonzalez, Jordan Walsh, and Ron Harper Jr. who need playing time to continue their own development.
Beal curiously declined a $5.6 million player option to hit the free-agent market. With nearly $343 million in career earnings, he can prioritize finding the best situation.
That’s probably in Miami, another team that was often linked to Beal pursuits through the years. The Heat, having churned much of their young talent to acquire Giannis Antetokounmpo, are better situated to roll the dice on an aging star than Boston is with its young depth.
Even at the veteran minimum, Beal’s presence would force the Celtics to make roster changes before the end of the season to ensure finishing below the luxury tax, something that would reset pesky repeater penalties and allow the team to spend more freely next summer.
The Celtics will invariably be linked to Beal because of his relationship with fellow St. Louis native Jayson Tatum. The pair grew up in the same neighborhood and Beal served as a veteran mentor to Tatum as he began his march to NBA stardom.
There is something to be said for teams prioritizing a superstar’s happiness. The Celtics made a bold decision to overhaul their core this season by trading away Jaylen Brown.
Ultimately, that alone might not be enough to warrant a pursuit. If injuries were to deplete Boston’s veteran depth and Beal was still available, maybe it becomes more of a conversation.
Beal once ranked among the league leaders in usage rate during his time in Washington, using as much as 35.2 percent of possessions during the 2019-20 season. He was still a fairly efficient scorer before injuries derailed his time in Phoenix. The healthy version of Beal who could still crack a defense off the dribble and create for teammates was undeniably intriguing.
Alas, the Suns were 7.1 points per 100 possessions worse with Beal on the court versus off during his last healthy season in 2024-25. Phoenix’s offensive efficiency dipped by 5.2 points per 100 possessions with Beal. His defensive intensity waned at times when he was a 30-point-per-game scorer, and his team’s defensive efficiency has dipped with him on the court in seven of his last eight seasons.
It was fun to daydream about Beal in Boston when the Celtics were hunting stars to aid their quest for Banner 18. The path to Banner 19 likely hinges on leaning into developing the younger players they’ve put around Tatum.
The Miami Heat posted — and later deleted — a YouTube link on Tuesday that triggered suspicions that LeBron James would be rejoining his old team.
The video in question was titled “LeBron James Introductory Press Conference | July 27, 2026,” which took fans to an offline live stream. The thumbnail image, though, was a graphic for Dwyane Wade’s statue unveiling ceremony.
So, did the Heat accidentally leak the news that fans have been waiting weeks for?
It doesn’t seem like it. The Miami Herald reported that there’s no validity to the video, citing a team spokesperson. ESPN’s Shams Charania added that the team’s social media department was “preparing for the possibility of James’ signing and mistakenly posted the link,” which was quickly deleted.
Since the Los Angeles Lakers were eliminated in the second round of the playoffs in May, James has been linked to several teams. He announced June 30 that he wouldn’t return to the Lakers, but it has now been nearly a month of indecision.
James started his career in Cleveland in 2003 and spent seven seasons with the Cavaliers before heading to Miami for four seasons — where he won his first two titles in 2012 and 2013. He then returned to Cleveland for four more seasons, winning another title in 2016, before leaving in 2018 for an eight-season run in Los Angeles.
Jul 5, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees pitcher Max Fried throws a live bullpen session before a game against the Minnesota Twins at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images | John Jones-Imagn Images
New York Daily News | Gary Phillips: The original lead for this link dump was previewing Max Fried’s last Triple-A rehab start, which was supposed to come today. Instead, you already know that the left-hander is rejoining the Yankee roster, and the long-awaited one-two punch of Gerrit Cole and Max Fried atop the Yankee rotation will be brought to bear against the Pirates in their doubleheader today. Fried was tabbed to throw about 60 pitches for the RailRiders, so I imagine he will be held to that number or close to it in his return. Still, he’s damn hard to beat and it’s good to have him back.
NJ.com | James Mertz: On Monday, communicator of legendary status Aaron Boone said there was no timeline for Giancarlo Stanton’s return from his annual leg injury, before Boone had to walk himself back yesterday. The Yankee manager told us Stanton was progressing “pretty well” and should be available “in a reasonable amount of time,” exactly the clear, direct messaging Boone’s become famous for.
New York Post | Mark W. Sanchez: It’s the time of year where we all argue just how valuable one prospect or another would be in hypothetical deals to transfer 2029 Yankee wins into 2026 Yankee wins. One common name tossed around in trade discussions past, Jasson Domínguez, sheds some light on what that feeling as a prospect is like, but to him it didn’t seem too big a deal. The Martian revealed he didn’t really know what the trade deadline was before 2025, as his entire focus was on improving his onfield play and making himself invaluable to the talent evaluators within the Yankee org. I’d like to see more interviews with young players and see if that approach is common or not.
MLB.com | Jason Foster: Nearly three dozen writers were polled on the Cy Young race for both leagues, and lo and behold Cam Schlittler is still in the pole position. The AL leader in ERA, FIP and fWAR received 23 of 33 first place votes, with Blue Jays hurler Dylan Cease the only other player to receive first-place nods. We’re a long way from the awards banquet, but Schlittler looks like the best case for end-of-year individual hardware from a Yankee in 2026.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - MAY 13: Mike Trout #27 of the Los Angeles Angels prepares to bat prior to a game against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on May 13, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Now that the Guardians have taken the first two games of their series vs the Twins, it’s time to get serious with our trade targets. Previously in “this series” some pretty good players have been mentioned, and more will continue to be. But take a look at this and tell me that there isn’t one obvious guy who needs to be freed and put onto a roster that desperately needs a handful of things that he is great at
That’s right. Go get Mike Trout, Cherfonetnofti.
I won’t go into any more detail since this isn’t an official installment in the Trade Target series because we need to talk about yesterday’s actual links instead:
• Oh, wait, that article is dated Jul 21. No no no, on we go.
• The Marlins performed a public service by tripling up Jose Altuve.
• Wait, maybe we should provide more evidence that Mike needs a fresh new home
The outcome of this week’s hearings could determine the entire direction of the case – we explain the current state of play
It has been nearly six years since the Guardian first reported that a group of former rugby union players were bringing legal action against the game’s governing authorities because they were enduring brain injuries which they believe were caused by their playing careers. There are now two separate cases, one in rugby league and one in rugby union, involving hundreds of former amateur and professional players.
The two cases are being heard together because they have so many overlapping issues. They are both still in the pre-trial phase, as the legal teams try to agree on exactly what the size, shape and structure of the trials ought to be when they finally start.
Ken Hinkley was in his element. He was in the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens, flicking the journos to third man and fine leg. He already sounded like a local. He was already trafficking in the “we”, in the “us against the mainland”, in the “ich bin Tasmanian”. His handover at Port Adelaide had been so scripted, so corporate, so Koschy. He had impressed, and probably burnished his coaching credentials, during his brief stint in the media. But he always seemed raring to get back into the real stuff.
To understand why Hinkley was chosen as Tasmania’s first coach, it’s worth looking at the men who missed out. Nathan Buckley was the firm early favourite, but perhaps lacked the ability to be a salesman, to charm the birds from the trees, to “spruik the gospel” as Devils CEO Brendon Gale says. John Longmire has taken a team to five grand finals, but has a cushy role at the Sydney Swans, and seems more relaxed than he has in two decades. Both Buckley and Hinkley always seemed more prepared to upend their lives, to move to the island, and to start a team from scratch.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JULY 21: Elly de la Cruz #44 of the Cincinnati Reds stands on deck before the game against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on July 21, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images) | Getty Images
That was a relatively enjoyable loss.
The Mariners lost 4-2 to the Reds on Tuesday, snapping a three-game win streak. They got dominated by Chase Burns early but chased him quick, then nearly clawed back into the game against the bullpen. The go-ahead hit remained elusive, and that was the difference, but this was overall an enjoyable one to sit through.
To be fair, I love watching Elly De La Cruz play, and he made his presence known immediately. He led off the game working an eight-pitch at bat against Luis Castillo, then turned on a heater to hit a line drive homer out to right center.
I also love watching Eugenio Suárez play. He’s one of my all-time favorite Mariners, and I generally root for him to succeed elsewhere. He got a middle-middle fastball to lead off the fourth and launched it to center field.
And, hey, I love watching Castillo pitch, too. Other than the homers, he was pretty good on Tuesday. He picked up 11 whiffs, including seven on the four-seamer, which sat at a crispy 95 mph atop the zone all night. He gave up just two hard hit balls — the two homers — on 22 balls in play on the night. He threw tons of strike, went right after batters, and made it through seven innings giving up only three runs. It was pretty OK. He thought so, too.
“I think what helped me today is I didn’t go with the mentality of trying to strike out every batter, but the mentality of going in, attacking the zone, and if they make contact, hopefully it’s an out,” Castillo said postgame.
My enjoyment of this one was also partially due to low expectations. I wrote the other week that I don’t really like to be a doomer about the Mariners and assume they’re going to lose. But Burns is just so good, and the Mariners ran out a weird lineup without Julio Rodríguez or J.P. Crawford (each day to day with minor injuries). This didn’t seem like a winning combo.
It wasn’t. Burns was great. He got tons of chase and whiffs on his fastball-slider combo, picking up six strikeouts on the one-two punch. The Mariners couldn’t get much going against him, and it was clear why the Reds just gave him a big ol’ contract.
“He’s kind of got that over the top thing, and getting comfortable to that and used to that, it makes a difference,” Dan Wilson said after the game. “And he’s got the good velo that rides at the top, and you see that slider come out, and you’ve got to make a quick decision. I thought he threw some good ones down tonight, and got us to chase a few down there below the zone. He’s a tough at-bat when he’s throwing that fastball at the top and that slider down below. It’s a tough at-bat. You can’t cover both. And that’s what makes him so effective.”
The one thing the Mariners were able to do was make Burns work, drawing a pair of walks and working some deep counts. They got him out of the game after five, and started closing in on the Reds bullpen.
In the sixth, Dominic Canzone led off with walk. Josh Naylor followed with a single — one of three hits for him on the day — to bring Luke Raley to the plate. Wilson instead called on Julio, who’d started the game on the bench while nursing a minor injury. He battled and battled and worked a full count against seven straight sweepers from Tejay Antone. Then he got an eighth and hit a 110-mph one-hopper near short. Out of nowhere sprawled De La Cruz, who saved a run and potentially a big inning.
In the seventh, Weston Wilson hit a solo homer to get the Mariners on the board and cut the lead to 3-1. It looked like the Mariners might get some more after three straight two-out walks. But Naylor, in his only at bat that didn’t result in a hit, grounded out to strand the bases loaded.
Julio cut the lead to 3-2 in the bottom of the eighth with a solo homer himself. That’s another reason this game was great: Julio certainly does not seem significantly injured, and he had two great at bats.
But Michael Rucker gave up a solo homer himself in the top of the ninth to extend the lead back to two runs. And the Mariners couldn’t get anything going in their half of the inning and lost 4-2. It was nearly a very fun game, and so I’ll settle for a pretty good.
Jul 21, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks infielder Ildemaro Vargas scores in the seventh inning against the Athletics at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
The Arizona Diamondbacks were able to even the series with the Athletics Tuesday night thanks to a heroic walkoff from the veteran Ildemaro Vargas and a solid major league debut from Kohl Drake.
Kohl Drake gave the Dbacks 5 much needed solid innings tonight for his major league debut. Overall his stuff was just ok, he especially struggled to throw his curveball for strikes. The 3rd inning almost got away from him, however he was able to get a big double play ball and was able to hold the A’s to just the 1 run through 5 innings. This start today from Drake was a huge shot in the arm for a rotation that has sustained some injuries and had its depth tested the past couple of weeks.
Of the 5 runs tonight, 3 of them came in the bottom of the first inning when Max Kepler hit a 3 run home run giving the offense and the young Kohl Drake some much needed breathing room to begin this game. Kepler appears to really be turning a corner these past few games including the walk off the other day, the HR today, and he had some big at bats throughout this game including a clutch walk in the bottom of the 10th.
Unfortunately for the Dbacks, Paul Sewald blew just his second save tonight in the 101st game of the season giving up a 2 run game tying home run in the bottom of the 9th inning with 2 out. Sewald has been so good in these save situations, but unfortunately tonight he made a mistake in location to one of the best hitters on the team.
Fortunately for Sewald and the Dbacks, the offense was able to come through in the bottom of the 10th inning. The A’s were able to get a run across in the top of the inning and were leading the Dbacks 5-4 heading into the bottom of the 10th, but the Dbacks were able to clutch up and show some great discipline with a leadoff walk to Gabi Moreno, followed by the aforementioned great at bat by Max Kepler leading to another walk and loading the bases for Nolan Arenado with no outs. Arenado recorded his 2001st career hit a couple of pitches later scoring Corbin Carroll from 3rd base and tying the game. And after a Tim Tawa strikeout, it was none other than the seasoned veteran Ildemaro Vargas that would rise to the occasion tonight and play hero. After a couple of tough pitches to begin the at bat, Vargas did what he does so well and took a shoulder high fastball into left field to walk the game off and send the fans home happy! Such a deserving player who has meant so much to this team this season coming through when the team needed him the most so good to see!
That hit by Vargas is amplified even more considering the Marlins, Cardinals, and the Nationals all lost tonight moving the Dbacks into a tie for the 3rd wild card spot with the Pirates. Such a key win for the Dbacks at a key moment in the season. The Dbacks will look to win the series tomorrow afternoon as they send Merrill Kelly to the hill. Kelly will look to maintain his recent momentum and put his team in good position heading into the road trip of the season where they will face all of the other 3rd wild card contenders in the span of a week.
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