The King’s No. 23 jersey with the Sixers broke Fanatics’ record for most jerseys sold in the first 48 hours after a player joins a team in any sport, according to NBC10’s partner, the Philadelphia Business Journal.
The previous record was held by Shohei Ohtani after he joined the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2023, according to the Journal. However, the exact number of jersey sales was not released.
Fanatics has been the e-commerce partner of the NBA since 2015.
The King’s No. 23 jersey with the Sixers broke Fanatics’ record for most jerseys sold in the first 48 hours after a player joins a team in any sport, according to NBC10’s partner, the Philadelphia Business Journal.
The previous record was held by Shohei Ohtani after he joined the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2023, according to the Journal. However, the exact number of jersey sales was not released.
Fanatics has been the e-commerce partner of the NBA since 2015.
As we continue our exploration of the Atlantic, it's time to dissect the roster of the team responsible for the biggest change to the Senators' offseason.
After back-to-back Stanleys, the Florida Panthers finally hit a wall last season. Injuries not only knocked off their three-peat hopes but also ended their six-year run of making the playoffs.
It's not often the 25th-ranked NHL team has a chance to become the best team in the NHL, but here we are.
Steve Warne and Gregg Kennedy agree that Shane Pinto should move up to second line centre to help fill out the Sens top six.
Senators Offseason Summary
The Senators' summer changed dramatically when Brady Tkachuk requested a trade and was eventually sent to Florida for the ninth and 25th picks in the 2026 draft, a 2027 second-rounder and a 2029 first-round pick.
GM Steve Staios then flipped the ninth pick to San Jose for William Eklund and prospects Kasper Halttunen and Brandon Svoboda.
Ottawa also acquired Andre Burakovsky and goalie Samuel Ersson, while re-signing Claude Giroux, Nick Cousins, Jordan Spence and Leevi Merilainen.
The biggest question remains whether Eklund and Burakovsky can replace Tkachuk's offence.
Let's compare that with Florida's offseason.
Panthers Trades: Additions
Obviously, we start with Tkachuk, who arrived in Sunrise last month in the aforementioned trade.
The Panthers are at the cap and have almost all their top guys locked up for at least the next four years, so it will be interesting to see what happens when Brady becomes a UFA in 2028.
The Panthers also completely changed their goaltending.
Jacob Markstrom was added from New Jersey while Akira Schmid came over from Vegas for a 2028 third-round pick.
Florida also added more grit, acquiring Garnet Hathaway from Philadelphia and bringing back Radko Gudas from Anaheim. The Panthers also got former Sens buzzsaw Angus Crookshank in the Markstrom deal.
Panthers Trades: Subtractions
The Tkachuk trade cleaned out much of Florida's premium draft capital. They don't have a first-round pick for the next three years.
They gave up 23-year-old Mackie Samoskevich to Seattle to bring in a first-round pick they'd later have to send to Ottawa.
In a rugged UFA swap with Anaheim, they sent forward AJ Greer to the Ducks for Gudas. Both players re-signed with their new clubs.
The Markstrom deal with the Devils cost the Panthers Evan Rodrigues, Jesper Boqvist and minor league prospect Ben Steeves.
GM Bill Zito wasn't afraid to sacrifice depth and future assets to try and build a winner.
Panthers Free Agency
The Panthers' biggest losses came in free agency. Sergei Bobrovsky signed a three-year deal with Toronto after seven seasons and two Cups in Florida.
Backup Daniil Tarasov also left for Detroit, meaning the Panthers enter next season with an entirely new goalie tandem.
On the plus side, Florida signed Gudas to a six-year contract and added a familiar name for Senators fans in Lars Eller. Veteran defenseman Alexander Petrovic was also brought back on a two-year deal.
Who Had the Better Offseason?
The Panthers.
The Sens lost Brady Tkachuk, and their loss is Florida's gain. Tkachuk, Radko Gudas, and Garnet Hathaway ensure that the Panthers won't be much fun to play against.
If there's one reason for pause, it's in goal.
Markstrom is 36 and posted an .883 save percentage last season, while Schmid was at .893 in Vegas.
Aleksander Barkov missed all of last season, while Matthew Tkachuk, Brad Marchand, Sam Reinhart and several other important Panthers missed a lot of time as well.
Florida is healthy again, and their talent level is not only outrageous, but it's locked up and not leaving anytime soon. The numbers listed beside their best players are how long they're locked up for.
Brady Tkachuk (2) – Aleksander Barkov (4) – Sam Reinhart (6)
Carter Verhaeghe (5) – Sam Bennett (7) – Matthew Tkachuk (4)
Eetu Luostarinen (9) – Anton Lundell (4) – Brad Marchand (5)
Jonah Gadjovich(2) – Lars Eller – Garnet Hathaway
Gustav Forsling (6) – Aaron Ekblad (7)
Niko Mikkola (8) – Seth Jones (4)
Dmitry Kulikov (2) – Radko Gudas (6)
Unreal.
Just like last year, the Panthers have a better roster than most teams. They just need to stay healthy.
If they do, they look a lot more like the club that won consecutive Stanley Cups than the one that finished 25th last season.
On paper, they might be even better.
By Steve Warne The Hockey News
This article first appeared at The Hockey News Ottawa. For full Senators coverage, check out one of The Hockey News headlines below:
While the Los Angeles Lakers had already taken steps to hand the proverbial torch to star guard Luka Dončić, LeBron James' departure for Philadelphia earlier this month made it clear who will be leading the way on the court. Player-organized offseason minicamps have long been a thing in the NBA, and Dončić will reportedly host one of his own for his Lakers teammates next month.
According to ESPN's Dave McMenamin, Dončić will host his teammates in his native Slovenia over four days in August. In addition to on-court work, they're expected to get in some golf, check out the sights and do some bonding ahead of training camp, which opens in late September.
Luka Doncic is hosting the entire Los Angeles Lakers roster in Slovenia for a four-day minicamp in August, a source close to the Lakers told ESPN. The itinerary will include workouts, golf and some Ljubljana tourism and bonding ahead of training camp.
Despite injuries to Dončić and fellow guard Austin Reaves, the Lakers managed to eliminate Houston in the first round of the playoffs before being swept by Oklahoma City. And the on-court time could prove beneficial to JJ Redick's team, which has undergone many changes this offseason.
In addition to James, Deandre Ayton, Rui Hachimura, Marcus Smart and Luke Kennard have moved on. Among the new arrivals are Walker Kessler, Quentin Grimes, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Collin Sexton and first-round pick Cameron Carr.
Kessler's addition via sign-and-trade with Utah was the most important for the Lakers, given Ayton's inconsistency last season. While he was limited to five games last season due to a torn labrum, Kessler can offer the lob threat and rim protection that the Lakers have been seeking at the center position since acquiring Dončić from the Mavericks.
Jefferies, who recorded 29 points (nine goals, 20 assists) in 60 games for the Bridgeport Islanders this past season, received his qualifying offer worth $850,000 on June 5.
The 24-year-old was selected by the Islanders in the fourth round (No. 121) of the 2020 NHL Draft.
On Wednesday, the San Jose Sharks announced their five-year, $18.8 million contract extension with superstar forward Macklin Celebrini. San Jose selected Celebrini with the first overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, and he's already one of the best players in the NHL.
This came just under two weeks after Connor Brdard, who went number one overall a year before Celebrini, signed his extension. Bedard's, like Celebrini's, is a five-year deal, but it's only carrying a cap hit of $15 million. Bedard was already a restricted free agent, so his deal kicks in right now, while Celebrini's won't go into effect until the 2027-28 season.
Celebrini has had a better start to his NHL career than Bedard. On top of already being a much better defensive forward, his points per game (70 goals and 108 assists for 178 points in 152 games) top Bedard's (75 goals and 128 assists for 203 points).
This past season, however, Bedard had a breakout season. It wasn't at the level he thought it would be because of an injury that sidelined him for a month in December and January. At the time of the bad break, Bedard was right there with Celebrini in the top five of league scoring. While Bedard was out, Celebrini pulled away.
It was still a 30-goal point-per-game season for Bedard, but it was not close to the masterclass year that Celebrini had for the Sharks.
With all of that in mind, is Celebrini worth $3.8 million more than Bedard in this market? Both of their deals made them top-five players in the NHL in terms of average annual value, but Bedard makes a lot less.
Celebrini's AAV will account for 16.5% of San Jose's salary cap. Meanwhile, Bedard's is 14.4% of the Hawks' cap. For a variety of reasons, this is great business for the Blackhawks.
Neither guy would be making this much if the Philadelphia Flyers never tendered an offer sheet to Anaheim Duck forward Leo Carlsson, who went 2nd in Bedard's draft, for $18 million, but it did and each franchise responded accordingly.
Having an extra $3.8 million to work with when roster building is big for Kyle Davidson and his staff. If Bedard continues to develop his game and reaches Celebrini's level permanently (staying healthy will play a big role in that), the Blackhawks will be very thankful he took this deal.
Within the next handful of years, as the salary cap grows, both guys will be "underpaid", but Bedard showed incredible commitment to the Chicago Blackhawks and made sure there is enough to build a winning roster by avoiding any offer sheets and getting this contract done promptly.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting on the article below on THN.com or by creating your own post in our community forum.
Los Angeles, CA - July 28, 2026: Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) runs to second base during the ninth inning of an MLB game against the Seattle Mariners at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday, July 28, 2026 in Los Angeles, CA. (Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
It’s been almost four weeks since Shohei Ohtani last pitched in a game, still managing the left knee inflammation that still isn’t 100 percent. But that’s not the only injury the Dodgers superstar is dealing with.
After Tuesday night’s game, Ohtani revealed that his right bicep has also been bothering him. That was part of the reason that his planned bullpen session over the weekend in New York was scrapped.
“It started with the knee, and the bicep thing started when he took a swing — I don’t know, three or four weeks ago. Then as we got to the break we wanted him to rest his knee, to rest his body and arm. Then as he started ramping back up, in the bullpen … it just wasn’t responding. Nor was his knee,” manager Dave Roberts told reporters Tuesday night, as shown on SportsNet LA. “There is an effect from the lower half to the compromising of the upper half. So trying to mitigate that, we stopped the throwing, stopped the bullpens, trying to take care of the knee and hopefully not try to create velocity with the arm that’s not 100 percent.”
Ohtani homered and doubled on Tuesday, part of a three-hit game against the Mariners. But he’s hitting .250/.307/.500 in July, decent numbers but well below his established norms. Since the All-Star break, Ohtani is hitting .238/.283/.405.
The Dodgers hold an 11 1/2-game lead in the National League West. They are making the postseason, and it would take a lot for them to not be one of the top two seeds, securing them a bye past the wild card round. They are a team managing with an eye toward October, a month they have already secured though not yet clinched.
If there was ever a time to be conservative, to take a step back, this is it.
TAMPA, FLORIDA - MARCH 21, 2026: Tate Southisene #19 of the Atlanta Braves covers as Coby Morales #38 of the New York Yankees steals second base during the first inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game at George M. Steinbrenner Field on March 21, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
The Atlanta Braves made the ultra-aggressive move to promote their star infield prospect Tate Southisene to Double-A at the age of 19 after just 104 professional games, but his run with the Clingstones is going to have an unfortunate interruption. In the second inning of his debut on Tuesday night Southisene was hit in the wrist by an errant sinker up-and-in, and while he initially remained in the game to run the bases he was pulled in between innings. The Columbus Clingstones announced that the Braves 2025 first round pick, who received a $2,622,500 signing bonus last summer, would be placed on the injured list, halting his meteoric rise through Atlanta’s ranks.
— Columbus Clingstones (@GoClingstones) July 29, 2026
Southisene has been nothing short of phenomenal in his first full season of professional baseball, with a 139 wRC+ split across Single-A Augusta and High-A Rome. He spent most of the season in Single-A, where he hit .297/.429/.500 with eight home runs and 36 stolen bases in 51 games, before what was seen as an aggressive call up to High-A in early June. Southisene took about a series to adjust to High-A pitching before going on a rampage and hitting .272/.393/.456 over his final 30 games in High-A. His power numbers did take a dip, but his ability to work deep counts and recognize the strike zone is years ahead of the typical 19-year-old and that approach is what gave the Braves confidence he could succeed in Double-A. Southisene is starting to get top 100 looks nationally, and though his ultimate defensive home is still up in the air he is seen as one of the best position player prospects in recent seasons for the Braves and a player who projects to being at least a solid major league regular.
Jul 4, 2026; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Chris Sale (51) throws a runner out at first against the New York Mets in the fifth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Colin Hubbard-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Rise and shine, Braves country! A Wednesday split doubleheader is at your service.
Chris Sale is on the mound for the Atlanta Braves to face the New York Mets in today’s second game of the doubleheader in this three-game series.
With a 2.19 ERA, Sale has been a dominant force on the mound that continues to produce, even when the offense hasn’t been. His last outings against the San Diego Padres and Texas Rangers in mid-July showed everything the Braves have been trying to execute. Coming off the All-Star break, that’s the spark they needed to show the work they’ve put in coming to fruition.
Monday night’s matchup, however, was the opposite of that.
Mets’ Christian Scott is boasting a 3.13 ERA across his 14 games this season, and is expected to provide a steady duel against the Braves’ ace.
The Mets have also been a team that’s been struggling with consistent offense, but Monday’s matchup showed they could get hot unexpectedly and run with it.
It’s disappointing to experience a loss, but even worse when it’s behind a Chris Sale start. Expect a pitcher’s face-off, but uncertainty when it comes to both teams’ offense. Will the Braves bounce back after Monday to finish off this doubleheader, or will they fold under the pressure?
Tune in at 7:10 p.m. to find out.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Wednesday, July 29, 7:10 p.m. EDT
Location: Citi Field, Flushing, NY
TV/Streaming: BravesVision
Radio: 680 AM / 93.7 FM The Fan, La Mejor 1600/1460/1130 AM
DENVER, CO - JULY 22: Starting pitcher Gabriel Hughes #43 of the Colorado Rockies delivers a pitch in the second inning against the Washington Nationals at Coors Field on July 22, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Sloppy defense and ineffective pitching led to a gut-punch loss for the Colorado Rockies Tuesday night. The Rockies had four errors and allowed six walks, making it hard to quell the continuous pressure from the San Diego Padres. Now, the Rockies look to snag a series split to close out the short stint against the Padres.
Gabriel Hughes (0-2, 2.79 ERA) looks to continue the strong start to his young career. Over his three starts, Hughes has proven to be unflappable and capable of handling any type of big league lineup. He has gone at least five innings and allowed three or fewer runs in each start while striking out at least five batters. In his last outing, Hughes battled the Washington Nationals, allowing just one run on five hits over five innings of work. Hughes’ cut fastball continues to baffle hitters and when his secondary pitches are working, he can almost look unhittable. The issue he ran into his last time out was that the Nationals ran his pitch count up with an excess of foul balls. That was also what got Michael Lorenzen in trouble yesterday. Either way, Hughes will have to find a way to get ahead of the Padres and work quickly and efficiently to save the bullpen.
The Padres announced that Kyle Hart (0-2, 5.21 ERA) will make the start today. A starter for most of his professional career, Hart has mostly been used as a reliever by the Padres at the big league level. In 27 appearances this season, including two starts as an opener, Hart has allowed 24 runs over 38 innings with 33 strikeouts and 12 walks. His last time out, Hart tossed two scoreless innings against the Miami Marlins and in the outing before that he started against Athletics and threw a scoreless inning. He has faced the Rockies three times this season, allowing three runs on four hits over 5.2 innings of work. In five total outings against the Rockies, he owns a 2.70 ERA in 13.1 innings.
Yahoo Sports' "Football 301" podcast hosts Nate Tice and Matt Harmon spent an episode going through their top 10 NFL offenses heading into the 2026 season. Their dueling lists consisted largely of the same teams and featured a fun debate on who should be No. 1. Here's how their rankings broke down:
Harmon's top 10
Tice's top 10
Jaguars
Packers
Patriots
49ers
49ers
Lions
Chargers
Bears
Bills
Bengals
Bengals
Bills
Cowboys
Patriots
Bears
Chargers
Lions
Rams
Rams
Cowboys
Why Dallas can outgun everyone — if the line holds
It's easy to fall in love with the Cowboys' firepower. CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens form a dazzling one-two punch that can win with finesse or rock fights, and newcomer Ryan Flournoy is no slouch as WR3.
"It's one of the only teams where their third receiver is actually dangerous," Harmon raved, pointing out Flournoy's ability to step up if injuries hit.
The tight end group might be the NFL's most versatile. Jake Ferguson pairs receiving chops with real Y-blocking; Brevyn Spann-Ford is an elite edge-sealer; even the fullback, Hunter Luepke, is a tactical weapon — a "rug that ties the room together," as Tice put it.
But the O-line, long Dallas' calling card, faces a new test. Tyler Guyton is a supreme athlete but, as Tice noted, "He was always hurt in college. Right now, same story … so, can he string together 15-16 games in the NFL?"
Thankfully, Dallas has rare depth. "Nate Thomas wasn't bad last year when he had to play," Tice said, suggesting continuity even if Guyton misses more time.
What sets Dallas apart isn't just stars. The Cowboys are already solving the problems modern defenses throw at them. When teams flood the line with five defenders ("clouds" and 5-man fronts), Dallas answers with pullers and fullbacks, creating mismatches and staying one move ahead.
"That's why I'm so optimistic. They already showed the signs of going supernova … they were good on offense last year. I'm just all systems go," Tice said.
Even weaknesses don't feel fatal. The running back room is solid, if unspectacular. But on this team? "If running back depth is your biggest worry, you're probably going to be alright," Tice said.
With an offense already carving up the trends of 2026 and enough O-line talent to (probably) patch over injuries, the Cowboys are as close as it gets to an offensive sure thing.
If Guyton can string together a healthy campaign — or if Thomas picks up where he left off — expect Dallas to be at the top of every power ranking come Thanksgiving.
The case for the Rams
At the core of Harmon's justification for putting the Rams No. 1 on his list is the "MVP at quarterback" in Matthew Stafford and the elite playmaker duo of Puka Nacua and Davante Adams, calling Nacua "a top receiver in the NFL, period, end of story" if healthy. The Rams' offense is built around stars at key positions, giving them the capacity to run their entire passing game through explosive weapons.
The tight end group is another area of strength unique to the Rams. With perhaps "the fastest tight end in the NFL in Terrance Ferguson, who can truly be a sacrificial player from 13 personnel" plus proven producers like Colby Parkinson, the Rams have the ability to seamlessly pivot from multi-tight end sets to 11 personnel when the situation demands.
"They're always ahead of it," Harmon says of Sean McVay-led units. The Rams stay atop modern trends, blending a multiple-tight end attack with tempo and versatility. McVay's willingness to adapt — such as increasing fourth-down aggressiveness from 10% to 29% over his Rams tenure — keeps defenses off-balance and maximizes the roster's strengths.
Despite naming them No. 1, Harmon admits there is a "little bit of a house of cards element" to the Rams' setup. He points out some serious risks: Nacua's offseason legal troubles, Adams' age (34, unprecedented for a WR1), depth concerns at receiver behind the top two, and the durability of key linemen like Alaric Jackson. There's also the wild card of Stafford's health and age; any significant time missed could derail L.A.'s ceiling.
When the Philadelphia Flyers signed Leo Carlsson to a five-year, $90 million offer sheet with an $18 million AAV, the contract was considered to be an outrageous one. Times, however, have simply changed, and a new big-money deal proves that.
Carlsson, 21, briefly became the highest-paid player in the entire NHL with that $18 million AAV, but that title, as of next year, is no longer one he holds.
Instead, the San Jose Sharks signed superstar forward Macklin Celebrini to a new five-year contract extension, which will make him the highest-paid player in the NHL when it kicks in on July 1, 2027.
Celebrini, 20, got the five-year, $94 million contract from the Sharks less than a month after Carlsson signed the Flyers' offer sheet, and his $18.8 million annual cap hit will account for 16.56% of the Sharks' salary cap, per PuckPedia.
Additionally, the structure of the deal is very similar to that of Carlsson's, as Celebrini will receive $19.85 million in signing bonuses in Years 1 and 2, and another $19.8 million in Year 3.
In each of the five years of the contract, Celebrini will make the majority of his cash in signing bonuses, and his actual base salary never exceeds $1 million.
The latter is also true of what the Flyers gave Carlsson.
The Swede will receive $19.95 million in signing bonuses this year, $18.1 million next year, and $17.05 million the year after.
That is all to say that the contracts signed here are almost identical, with the Flyers setting the baseline for the new generation of star players.
Of course, the Flyers are attempting to spend that kind of money because they do not have a player of their own from that pool, though the hope is that, with time and a bit of luck and investment, Matvei Michkov and Porter Martone can take that leap.
Fortunately for the Flyers, both of their young talents are wingers, so they'll end up being a bit cheaper than Carlsson and Celebrini once they hit their peaks.
And it goes without saying that the Flyers' search for a young, true No. 1 center still goes on, even after previously trading for and subsequently re-signing Trevor Zegras.
The price will be steep, but between Carlsson and Celebrini, they do know the price.
DAZN, the British streaming platform primarily focused on live sports, has entered into an agreement that will make it the exclusive digital home for the MSG Networks and YES Network during the 2026-27 NBA, NHL and MLB seasons.
"It is a defining moment for us and underscores our commitment to expanding our footprint in the United States," DAZN CEO Shay Segev said in a statement.
The deal with MSG Networks and YES Network comes as professional sports leagues confront the decline of regional sports networks and look for new distribution models and revenue streams. NBA commissioner Adam Silver said earlier this month in Las Vegas he expects to have a centralized solution for teams that are currently scrambling to find local carriers for their 2026-27 regular-season games.
DAZN, by virtue of Wednesday's announcement, is now positioned as a potential candidate to helpthe NBA with its local broadcasting issues moving forward.
“We’ll cobble together a series of solutions for this season, but I feel good that we’ll have something on a national basis for the following year,” Silver told reporters.
What is DAZN?
DAZN, pronounced 'da-zone,' was founded in 2016 and has previously carried combat sports events and international soccer programming in the U.S. It has also served as a streaming platform for audiences outside the U.S. to watch American sports, with international rights to NFL, NBA, NHL and college football and basketball games throughout the year.
DAZN will also have 24/7 feeds of MSG, MSG Sportsnet and YES Network, in addition to on-demand access to highlights and original programming. Those who currently watch MSG Networks and YES Network through The Gotham Sports App will eventually be migrated onto DAZN's platform, but the exact timing has been not disclosed yet.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - JULY 24: Tyler Soderstrom #21 of the Athletics high fives teammates after defeating the Minnesota Twins at Target Field on Friday, July 24, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Michael Turner/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
For the Guardians to remake their lineup with real intent, they will need to swing big at the fast-approaching MLB Trade Deadline, which is why they should try to land the Sacramento Athletics’ Tyler Soderstrom.
You can view our larger trade deadline piece here as we discuss a wider pool of options the Guardians may consider. To make my position clear, I expect the Guardians to make smaller moves, like trading Bo Naylor and getting a castoff/undervalued reliever. But, in the interest of exploring potential larger moves, we are doing a series looking at some of those bigger names. So far, we have discussed Spencer Steer, Luis Arraez, Shea Langeliers, Taylor Ward, Heliot Ramos, Jo Adell and Ty France. Although the Guardians’ greatest need is hitting, the market is aflush with starting pitching so it also may make sense for the Guardians to see if they can find a good value there, as we wrote here and looked at specifically with Jose Soriano.
Soderstrom is 24 years old and signed to a 7-year, $86 million extension with a team option for 2033 at $12.29 million. Over the past two years, he has a 125 wRC+, 21/10 K/BB/%, while managing a 102 wRC+ against LHP in that time period showing he is not a platoon player. He has a .475 slugging percentage and has been a good left fielder by Defensive Runs Saved at +14 and slightly below average there by Outs Above Average at -1.
Why would the Athletics trade Soderstrom? It should be clear to the Athletics that they need to leverage some of their major league talent into some prospect help for their upcoming move to Las Vegas. Soderstrom is a good piece but probably worth more to trade now then to hang on to in hopes he will be in his prime when the team reaches Vegas. It will not be cheap to acquire Soderstrom and will require two top 100 prospects given his years of cheap team control… likely will take something like Angel Genao and Braylon Doughty, and probably a lower level prospect thrown in. Expensive, but, in one fell swoop, the Guardians would provide themselves a middle of the order hitter making their lineup something like:
Kwan CF
Jose 3B
DeLauter DH
Soderstrom LF
Bazzana 2B
Angel Martinez RF
Manzardo 1B
Bailey C
Rocchio SS
Is that a lot of lefties? Yes. The majority of major league pitchers are right-handers and most of these lefties can handle southpaws with aplomb. It is worth noting that Soderstrom isn’t a pull-hitter as much, explaining why his 54 career homers look like they’d be 45 at Progressive Field, but getting a few more pulled-balls-in-the-air is something he could potentially work on doing to increase his offensive output in Cleveland.
What do you think about making a big swing for Tyler Soderstrom? Let me know in the comments below.
LeBron James stunned the NBA world last week, opting to sign with the 76ers in free agency. But before he did, James took the time to meet with the team that drafted him first overall in the 2003 NBA Draft before making his decision.
In early July, there was a meeting between James and the Cavaliers front office. NBA insider Shams Charania knew of the meeting, but chose not to report on the matter because it was off the record.
LeBron James met with the Cavaliers front office in early July before making a free agency decision. NBAE via Getty Images
On Wednesday, the secret meeting was discussed on the Game Over podcast. Charania surprised Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul when he informed him of the tidbit.
“Now, you tell me Rich if I’m right or wrong. Is it, the Cavs front office group, Koby Altman, Brandon Weems, the Gilbert family, Grant Gilbert, meeting with LeBron in early July in Akron?” Charania said.
“Wait a minute, how did you know about that?” Paul said.
“In real time, the integrity aspect matters more than anything because this was information I was told by multiple people on background, off the record. This was something that, ethically, I couldn’t report,” Charania said.
LeBron James reportedly met with the entire Cavaliers front office in Akron in early July, but Shams chose not to report it because the meeting was off the record
NBA insider Shams Charania knew about the secret meeting between LeBron James and the Cavaliers front office. NBAE via Getty Images
While many felt James snubbed his former teams — the Cavaliers and Miami Heat — by choosing to sign a two-year, $8 million deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, it appears the 41-year-old took the time to discuss a return to Cleveland earlier this summer.
Paul, James’ agent, has also previously discussed the 76ers were never seriously considered until the team traded for All-Star Jaylen Brown. James took notice of Philadelphia after the blockbuster deal.
James hasn’t publicly discussed why he opted not to return to a franchise he had already won an NBA title with, but Paul has alluded to the idea that a reunion left room for uncertainty.
LeBron James informed the Lakers he would not return for the upcoming season at the end of June. Getty Images
There were still massive question marks surrounding the Heat’s depth and scoring ability. They lost a ton of assets in the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade.
But the Cavs did not have that same issue.
Nevertheless, the 2026-27 season will mark an exciting final chapter for James as he attempts to bring a championship to a city that hasn’t seen a trophy in nearly half a century.
At 41 years old, James is perhaps entering the most interesting portion of his Hall of Fame career.
