WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 05: Luis García Jr. #2 of the Washington Nationals bats against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Nationals Park on July 05, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Astros may not be the conquering force they once were, but they remain a dangerous team. Yordan Alvarez is the biggest driver of that, and the Nats can’t let the Astros DH beat them on his own. The Nats will look to bounce back from a series loss against the Pirates as they continue this home stand.
Jacob Young is back in the lineup for the Nats. He will patrol center field while Daylen Lile is in left and Dylan Crews is in right. James Wood will take DH duties tonight. Nasim Nunez will be back at second base, while Drew Millas is behind the plate. Miles Mikolas will get the start this evening.
The focal point of this Astros lineup is the ferocious Yordan Alvarez who is hitting .320 with 29 homers. Jose Altuve, Christian Walker and Isaac Paredes are solid supporting pieces, but make no mistake, Yordan is the star of the show. The top of the Astros lineup has been elite, but they do not have the most depth. Mike Burrows has not had the season the Astros envisioned when they traded for him this offseason, but he will look to get going tonight.
The last two games against the Pirates were tough, but this team has been good at bouncing back this season. They will look to stay above .500 in this interleague clash. Follow along in the comments down below and let’s go Nats.
NEW YORK, NY - JULY 04: Cam Schlittler #31 of the New York Yankees looks on during the game against the Minnesota Twins at Yankee Stadium on July 4, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images
I hate playing the Rays at the best of times, and doubly so when we have to watch games at the Trop. That this series, a four-game set with Tampa enjoying a four-game lead in the AL East, is of outsized importance for the Yankees’ playoff trajectory and is also coming at a time the Yankees are playing so terribly, makes me pretty grumpy before a pitch has even been thrown. If nothing else, at least it’s Cam Bump Day.
Cam Schlittler is still the leading candidate for AL Cy Young, notwithstanding that bizarre start last week against the Tigers, where he gave up four home runs and six men crossed the plate against him overall. That outing raised his ERA half a run, but even in that game he still struck out five against a single walk. Cam hadn’t allowed an earned run in his previous two starts, a combined 22 strikeouts to two walks in those efforts. True to annoying form, the Rays experienced some degree of success in the one time they saw Schlittler this year. Back on April 12, Cam went “just” five innings allowing a trio of runs, but an 8:1 K:BB ratio was promising.
Griffin Jax goes for the Rays, a perfect example of the five-game fughazi franchise and why it drives me nuts. His 3.45 ERA is solid enough, with a FIP more than a run higher and an xERA, which takes into account contact quality allowed, is two runs higher! Griffin Jax should not be preventing runs as effectively as he has, and the Louisville Slugger of irony has clapped me over the head.
The lineup at least is starting to look a little more normal. The top four are all bona fide MLB hitters, even if I need both Ben Rice and Cody Bellinger to get out of their slumps immediately. José Caballero sets up at shortstop with Anthony Volpe on the bench, and Austin Wells bats ninth and is behind the dish.
Ahead of Monday's game against the Atlanta Braves, Mets interim manager Andy Green provided an update on the ongoing injury rehab of infielder/designated hitter Jorge Polanco.
With Polanco still recovering from the left Achilles bursitis, which forced him onto the IL on April 18, Green was asked about his switch-hitter's health, replying that "he's improving, moving around well from the reports I've got."
Polanco's bat certainly looks close to ready to return to the big leagues; clobbering his second homer in the last three games with the Triple-A Syracuse Mets on Sunday.
Jorge Polanco hit his second home run of his rehab assignment with Triple-A Syracuse pic.twitter.com/MBA1PvQSkc
Green told reporters that, as of now, the Mets "don't have a return date yet [for Polanco], but he's progressing."
Regardless, the stand-in skipper revealed that the team's plan is for Polanco to ramp up his workload, with the aim being to see him play back-to-back games.
"The back-to-backs will have to come at some point, whether up here [in MLB with the Mets] or down there [in the minor leagues]," Green said.
Polanco served as the team's DH in 12 of the 14 games he has played this season as a Met, meaning he probably won't be relied upon to play defense in a back-to-back situation.
Whatever the case, Green is clearly eager to have a power bat who can mash from both sides of the plate at his disposal.
"[Polanco] will always be available to pinch hit, which will be valuable," Green concluded.
During their chat, Gudas was asked about his decision to sign with the Panthers.
While speaking about the team Florida has built and his desire to win the Stanley Cup, Gudas let another interesting little piece of information slip out.
“Because of the lower income taxes, players are willing to play there even for a little less money,” he said.
Radko Gudas on taxes. In an interview with @DenikSport, he made an interesting point: “Because of the lower income taxes, players are willing to play there even for a little less money.“ He talked about Florida. He chose Florida because he wants to win the Stanley Cup.
I guess the rumors are true. The cat is out of the bag.
With the Panthers operating in the no-tax state of Florida, it gives them a clear and obvious edge over the majority of the teams in the NHL who are not located in a state that provides a similar advantage.
That doesn’t solve the problem of why players never seemed have the same kind of desire to play for the Panthers for the first 25 or so years of the team’s existence, but I digress..
All kidding aside, the tax situation is something that helps give places like Florida (and Texas and Nevada and Tennessee and Washington) a leg-up when players are weighing where to sign, there is no denying that.
But you better believe that if and when the day comes where the Panthers (or Stars or Golden Knights or Predators or Kraken) become less successful and as such, less desirable for free agents, those tax breaks won’t hold the same kind of wight as players decide where they want to spent the next several years of their respective careers.
For now, South Florida is the ultimate hockey haven for any pro looking to combine making money with winning titles while living in a tropical climate.
Photo caption: Jan 28, 2023; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov (16) and defenseman Radko Gudas (7) celebrate a victory over the Boston Bruins at FLA Live Arena. (Jason Mowry-Imagn Images)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 05: Cameron Carr #43 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts after making a three-point shot against the Miami Heat during the second half of their 2026 California Classic Summer League game at Chase Center on July 05, 2026 in San Francisco, California. 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 Thien-An Truong/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s only been two games since the Lakers began their summer campaign and suffice it to say that Cameron Carr has already won over the fanbase. After putting up 19 points in his debut on Friday, the 24th pick from Baylor University followed that up with 26 points and eight rebounds on 7-16 shooting on Sunday.
What stands out about Carr’s performance thus far isn’t just the impressive statistics but how he’s accumulating them. The 21-year-old forward has shown that he can shoot — he’s 9-20 so far from 3-point range this summer — get in the paint at will, utilize his size and athleticism to his advantage and move his feet very well on defense. He’s been carrying the team from start to finish just like what star players usually do.
It’s likely that Carr’s impressive run will continue for a while, or at least until the Lakers decide to shut him down for the summer. That’s because this team needs his firepower to win games, but in fairness to the squad, they had better contributions across the board in Sunday’s victory.
Adou Theiro played a more controlled and efficient game, Anton Watson scored the game-winner and Chris Mañon, Zhaire Smith and Peter Suder had their fair share of buckets. An all-around contribution from the team, along with defense and controlling the paint, should be their MO moving forward.
On Monday, it would be nice to see the Lakers defeat the Spurs, who also played on Sunday and were blown out by the Golden State Warriors. It will serve as a confidence booster for them before they head to Las Vegas, where they will face more competitive opponents. How this Lakers team performs in this one will tell a lot about their character, especially since they’re on the back end of a back-to-back and coming off a game where they played in two overtimes.
This Spurs team has yet to win in the California Classic tournament, so there’s a good chance that they’re going to go hard in this one. The purple and gold should be prepared and look to conclude the tournament on a positive note. Let’s see if Carr and co can do just that on Monday.
Notes and Updates
As of now, there are no injuries to report on the purple and gold side.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - JUNE 26: Reynaldo López #40 of the Atlanta Braves pitches during the game between the Atlanta Braves and the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park on Friday, June 26, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Bryan Kennedy/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Braves have a chance for a 4-game series win behind Reynaldo Lopez against the Mets today. Join us and discuss tonight’s game in the comments below!
Los Angeles Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani can now be a decoration on your Christmas tree this year.
Hallmark is set to debut a new Keepsake Ornament of Ohtani, featuring the four-time MVP dressed in a Dodgers uniform in a swing stance.
This weekend, fans will be available to purchase the ornament at Hallmark Gold Crown stories nationwide as well as online as Hallmark.com.
Shohei Ohtani is set to be the National League’s designated hitter in the 2026 All-Star Game in Philadelphia. William Navarro-Imagn Images
The Ohtani ornament will be available for purchase from July 11-19 alongside over 250 ornaments for Hallmark’s Keepsake Ornament Premiere.
Ohtani, who just turned 32 over the weekend, was out of the lineup Saturday against the San Diego Padres because of a biceps injury. The Dodgers superstar was taken out of Friday’s series opener after hitting and pitching for LA after a right biceps tightened up.
The right-hander tossed six innings of three-run ball, but was replaced by Miguel Rojas in the lineup in the seventh inning. Ohtani went 0-for-3 at the plate Friday with a groundout and two fly outs.
While the Dodgers missed Ohtani Saturday, LA secured a second consecutive win over San Diego. The back-to-back World Series champions won the weekend series against the Padres, extending their lead in the NL West to a whopping 14 games.
Hallmark is releasing a new Shohei Ohtani holiday ornament this weekend. Hallmark
Ohtani is set to be the National League’s designated hitter in the 2026 All-Star Game in Philadelphia next Tuesday. A handful of other Dodgers will also feature in the starting lineup, including outfielder Andy Pages, third baseman Max Muncy and first baseman Freddie Freeman.
Ohtani won’t take the mound for the Midsummer Classic, but fans have the chance to watch Yoshinobu Yamamoto pitch for the NL team.
Apr 10, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) looks around following the game against the Brooklyn Nets at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images
With the NBA’s moratorium period officially over, the Milwaukee Bucks have finalized their trade to send franchise icon Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Miami Heat, along with fan favorite and former “Mayor of Milwaukee” Bobby Portis. Due to first-apron restrictions, with Miami hard-capped at the first apron after using more than 100% of the traded-player exception, this trade couldn’t be completed until today, per ESPN’s Bobby Marks.
All three Bucks owners, Wes Edens, Jimmy Haslam, and Jamie Dinan, issued a statement in the team’s official announcement of the trade, expressing how much Giannis meant to the team and the city at large. Bucks general manager Jon Horst, who has known Antetokounmpo since he was drafted back in 2013, also reflected on the move:
“This was an incredibly difficult decision, made for what is best for the future of the Bucks and for Giannis. On a personal level, Giannis and I have shared this entire journey together, and he has been an exceptional partner, friend and inspiration. All of us at the Bucks have been impacted by his presence and influence and are deeply grateful for everything he and his family have given. We wish them continued success and are excited to see them soon.”
Horst also mentioned Portis, the other Bucks staple included in this trade:
“From the moment Bobby arrived, he embraced what it means to be a Buck and quickly became a fan favorite through his passion, competitiveness and unwavering commitment to winning. Bobby played a vital role in helping our franchise capture the 2021 NBA Championship, and his performance throughout that historic playoff run will forever be part of Bucks history.”
Regarding the deal itself, somewhat surprisingly nothing has changed from what Shams Charania first reported. The Bucks are still receiving a package of Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, Nate Ament (courtesy of the 13th overall pick in this year’s draft), a 2030 first-round pick swap, two unprotected first-round picks (2031 and 2033), and a 2033 second-round pick. In his statement, Horst emphasized his enthusiasm for the four newest members of the Bucks:
“We’re excited to welcome Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez and Kasparas Jakucionis to Bucks basketball. Each brings talent, versatility, competitiveness and a team-first mentality that builds our culture and identity.
We’re confident in the foundation we’re establishing under Coach Jenkins and excited about the opportunities ahead. Our team will compete, play together and get better.”
According to reports, the Bucks had been looking to trade Herro, with Marc Stein and Jake Fischer stating that they were already in talks with the Detroit Pistons in the immediate aftermath of the reported trade. They can still trade Herro; they couldn’t reroute him as part of this initial deal.
It’s hard to believe that the Giannis era in Milwaukee is now officially over. How fortunate we were to have 13 years of watching a skinny Greek kid turn into one of the greatest players the league has ever seen. Giannis finishes his Bucks tenure as the franchise’s all-time leader in points (21,531), rebounds (8,882), assists (4,484), blocks (1,088), and several other major statistical markers. His impact on the franchise is something we’ll likely never see again. And for this, we are forever grateful.
For more of our thoughts on the trade, check out Episode 247 of Deer Diaries, where Jack Trehearne, Finn Kuehl, and I look back on Giannis’ career in Milwaukee.
As things stand, the Bucks now oficially have 16 players on standard contracts after they waived Pete Nance on Friday and signed former second-round pick Bogoljub Markovic. They also filled out their final two-way slot after signing former Marquette Golden Eagle Kam Jones on Saturday. Milwaukee can carry up to 21 players through the offseason, and only needs to trim the roster to 15 standard contracts by opening night. The only player who still needs to be signed is the 13th overall pick, Nate Ament.
Now that this trade is official, what are your final thoughts? Let us know in the comments!
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 25: Luka Doncic #77 and Rui Hachimura #28 of the Los Angeles Lakers react during a 135-118 Lakers win over the LA Clippers at Crypto.com Arena on November 25, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) 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 Harry How/Getty Images) | Getty Images
While the Lakers have been certain to appease Luka Dončić this summer, it doesn’t appear they abided by his every wish.
Luka and the Lakers appeared to be in lockstep on a number of ideas heading into the offseason. Luka wanted to continue playing with Austin and the Lakers reached an agreement on a four-year contract with him.
Next, Luka wanted a top-tier center after a season-and-a-half of underwhelming options. The Lakers agreed and traded for Walker Kessler before signing him to a four-year deal.
However, while Luka apparently wanted a Rui Hachimura back, the Lakers balked. On Monday, Shams Charania of ESPN reported that Rui would be signing with the Clippers on a two-year deal. According to Law Murray of The Athletic, Rui was among the players Luka wanted the team to bring back.
I'm told that Rui Hachimura was on the Luka Doncic preferred return list
Lakers wanted more defenders. Clippers had the cap space Lakers didn't have Rui Hachimura wanted to stay in Ohtani's town
The Lakers very recently ran into issues with LeBron James having input on roster decisions, so you can understand why they might be hesitant to go all-in on the next superstar’s requests. Fulfilling two of Luka’s three wishes feels like enough.
There’s also a decent basketball argument for letting Rui walk. The Lakers do have a hole at the forward position, but his skillset isn’t a perfect fit, necessarily. Rui is a terrific 3-point shooter, but not a great rebounder, defender or passer. The Lakers need many of those things from that forward position, as well as some athleticism, another thing not associated with Rui’s game.
So, the Lakers are looking elsewhere for a wing option instead of bringing back Rui. The good news for Luka, and likely Austin, is that Rui, who they seem to have built a strong bond with off the court, will remain in Los Angeles.
Drew Commesso, one day after choosing not to file for arbitration, has signed a two-year extension with the Chicago Blackhawks. This is a contract that will carry a cap hit of $875 million.
Year one of the contract is a two-way deal that will pay him $800K in the NHL, $200K in the AHL, and has a $250K guarantee. In year two, it is a one-way deal worth $900K. Once it expires, Commesso will be a restricted free agent with arbitration rights once again. PuckPedia was the first with the details.
This is a wise bridge deal for Commesso and the Blackhawks, as they now have two years for him to continue developing. The expectation, based on the structure of this deal, is that Commesso will be Spencer Knight’s full-time backup going into the 2027-28 season.
Arvid Soderblom still has one year left on his current deal, which might give him the edge for the job going into 2026-27. There is a chance that Commesso plays in the NHL, but another year of AHL seasoning may be in front of him as well.
In 3 NHL appearances last season, Commesso had a .918 save percentage, a 2.31 goals against average, and 1 shutout. It’s a small sample size, but he was great when called upon. With the way the NHL is trending these days, having 3 capable goalies will help the Blackhawks navigate an 84-game schedule.
Commesso has the talent to become a starter years down the line, but he has a lot to prove before he can be that for the Blackhawks or someone else. For now, he has a contract set up to give him the best chance at success.
Now, Connor Bedard, Kevin Korchinski, and Ethan Del Mastro are the only three remaining restricted free agents in the Chicago Blackhawks system.
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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JULY 05: JP Sears #38 of the San Diego Padres pitches during the second inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on July 05, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ryan Sirius Sun/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After a week straight of losing games, the San Diego Padres finally put one back in the win column. With their win on Sunday afternoon, the club staved off the sweep against the Los Angeles Dodgers. That, thankfully, put an end to the Friars’ eight-game losing streak. It has felt like much longer than that, but the club has started to look better. The last three games have felt especially healthy, despite San Diego being 1-2 in that span.
Starter JP Sears pitched four hitless innings against L.A. before giving up a single in the bottom of the fifth. Bench coach Randy Knorr, who replaced Craig Stammen after the latter was ejected in the first inning, decided to pull Sears for unknown reasons. San Diego’s starters have looked better lately. They’ll need to keep that up against the Arizona Diamondbacks heading into their final homestand before the All-Star break.
Taking the mound
Brandon Pfaadt (AZ) v. Walker Buehler (SD)
Pfaadt has been a solid back-end starter for Arizona, but he’s struggled lately. This season, the righty owns a 5.40 ERA through just 43 1/3 innings pitched. Pfaadt’s pitched better as of late, but he still owns a 4.50 ERA across his last 14 innings.
San Diego should have no problems tagging the righty for some runs. Jake Croneworth owns a lifetime .409 batting average against him (22 at-bats). Similarly, third baseman Manny Machado has a 1.061 OPS versus Pfaadt. Both will look to continue that success.
After completely turning his season around, Buehler had a setback in his last start. Buehler had given up just one run apiece in every start he made in June. Then came his last outing against the Chicago Cubs. Nine earned runs in just four innings of work. It was, by far, the righty’s roughest outing this season.
The Friars will have to hope that Buehler can rebound quickly and quiet Arizona’s bats. The Diamondbacks haven’t been able to put many runs on the board lately. San Diego will hope to keep that up in the four-game set against them.
Batter up!
The lineup looked healthy against Los Angeles against everyone but Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Aside from that Game 3 shutout, the club put up a combined 15 runs in the series. Sunday’s eventual win came thanks to a Machado three-run shot that proved to be the difference maker.
Fernando Tatis Jr., RF
Jake Cronenworth, 2B
Manny Machado, 3B
Gavin Sheets, 1B
Jackson Merrill, CF
Xander Bogaerts, DH
Sung-Mun Song, SS
Rodolfo Durán, C
Samad Taylor, LF
Tatis has also looked healthy, going 3-for-5 in the series finale. The only batter at the top of the lineup that has struggled is Cronenworth, after a hot start at the plate, he has struggled lately. He could be dropped in the order ahead of the series opener against Arizona. That would likely mean Taylor’s return to the number two spot.
Relief corps
The bullpen looked somewhat spotty in the finale but managed to lock things down. If not for Machado’s three-run homer in the seventh, the game would have been much closer thanks to the two runs L.A. got back. That said, Yuki Matsui and Bradgley Rodriguez pitched well through command issues. Adrian Morejon looked good, striking out three across 1 2/3 innings.
And then, the return of the Reaper. Mason Miller locked down his first save since June 23. In doing so, he put his ERA back below 1.00 after raising it on Saturday night. He pitched a perfect inning against the Dodgers and may pitch again tonight, but will likely be on the bench to rest. Kyle Hart, Alek Jacob, Ron Marinaccio and Wandy Peralta will be available for tonight’s opener against the Dbacks.
The Winnipeg Jets are looking to make meaningful additions to their offense heading into next season as they push to get back into playoff contention, and it may come by way of another trade with the Buffalo Sabres, though not involving the player most people are thinking of.
It's well known by now that the Jets received a substantial trade offer for superstar goaltender Connor Hellebuyck that reportedly included the fourth overall pick, starting goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, a player believed to be Jack Quinn and at least one additional asset.
Now the trade talks between the two clubs appear to be shifting toward a much smaller piece of that same deal. The Fourth Period's Dave Pagnotta has once again linked the Jets to Quinn as Winnipeg continues searching for an impact forward to add to its top six.
Quinn, 24, is a young two-way winger with plenty of upside as a former eighth overall pick at the 2020 NHL Draft, and his game has continued to trend in the right direction. The Cobden, Ontario native is coming off a career-best 51-point season on 20 goals in all 82 games for Buffalo, along with seven points in the playoffs.
Buffalo may look to move the young talent as he enters the final year of his contract before becoming a restricted free agent next summer, and the Sabres have reportedly been shopping him since before the draft in search of a roster upgrade rather than more draft capital.
If the Jets can find a way to make it work, it could give them a meaningful addition to their top six, though the exact cost of acquiring Quinn on his own, separate from any larger Hellebuyck package, is not yet known.
It could take a notable return, especially with Buffalo looking to build off the momentum from this past season, when the Sabres beat the Boston Bruins in six games in the first round before falling to the Montreal Canadiens in a seven-game battle in the second.
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KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - JULY 06: Tyler Tolbert #2 of the Kansas City Royals hits his first home run of the season during the fifth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Kauffman Stadium on July 06, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Amy Kontras/Getty Images) | Getty Images
You dolt. You idiot. You rube. You fool. You know nothing. This guy said it looked bad for the Royals in today’s game thread. Who is that guy? He sucks. *Getting a message in my earpiece* Oh, well, uh. I’m being told that the Royals put together 22 hits in a 15-1 complete drubbing of the Phillies.
Tyler Tolbert went 5-for-5 (the first 5-hit game by a Royal since Hunter Dozier in May 2022). Every starter except Josh Rojas had at least 1 hit. Salvador Perez nearly hit for the cycle (he was a triple short before being removed after a HBP). Tolbert himself was only a triple short of the cycle. The Royals scored in every inning. Every one!
The game did not start all that well. Noah Cameron gave up two doubles (one off the center field fence to Alec Bohm) and a walk in the first inning before getting a second out. After a mound visit, he managed to get the last two outs sandwiched around another walk without giving up another run. Which was good – the bases were loaded. Always nice to see a guy get out of a jam without his best stuff. That was the theme of the day for Cameron; more on that later.
But then it turned heavily into the Royals favor in the bottom of the first. The Royals got that first run back through some small ball – a walk, a forceout that Bobby beat the double play on despite hitting it really hard because he’s a speed demon, and a single put runners on first and second with one out. Jac Caglianone hit another grounder that looked like an easy double play ball to end the inning, but Phillies shortstop Trea Turner made an errant throw to first that allowed a runner to score with only one out added to the tally.
The Royals followed with a singles parade to make a speed dater blush. Nick Loftin did not challenge a clear ball on 3-0, but he popped a single to right field anyway to score Cags on a *very* close play at home. Right fielder Brandon Marsh made a beautiful throw and it still wasn’t good enough. Starling Marte lined another Sánchez offering to left field, this time scoring Loftin on a play that was not close at the plate. Tyler Tolbert chopped a weak grounder to short, and this time Turner actually made the throw. But Tolbert’s fast and beat the throw. Poor Turner haha.
Luke Maile came to the plate with two outs, two runners on, and a 3-1 lead. He blew open the game with an opposite-field dinger that juuuuuuuust barely cleared the fence and the outstretched glove of center fielder Derek Hill. Statcast thinks that would be a homer in 21/30 parks anyway. No matter, the damage was done to make the score 6-1 before the Phillies came to bat again.
The Captain added another run with a homer in the bottom of the second (could have been more, but Lane Thomas had a TOOTBLAN on a Bobby Witt Jr fly ball that would have been a homer in 7/30 parks. Alas, it was a double play at Kauffman). That was homer #11 for Salvador Perez. The Royals kept going in the bottom of the third with a Loftin single and Tolbert double to push the lead to 8-1.
Finally, in the fourth inning, the Phillies gave up on Sánchez’s outing. Lane Thomas blasted a no-doubter homer to the left-center field gap and made it 9-1. Witt followed with a single and Perez a double, and thusly Sánchez was no more. Seth Johnson got the rest of the outs before it got worse that inning, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t get worse for the rest of the game for the Phillies. In the fifth, Tolbert got into even MORE of the action by hitting a home run of his own! His first of the season. He drove it into the left field visitor’s bullpen to make it 10-1.
They kept the singles parade going in the sixth inning with Witt, Loftin, and Marte hitting three singles to score one more, making it 11-1. In the seventh inning, the Royals used their *plate discipline* to take two walks before Perez got hit by a pitch and subbed out. With the bases loaded and one out, Cags plated another run by squeaking a ground ball in between the first and second basemen. Michael Massey scored on a subsequent groundout.
The Phillies called on Garrett Stubbs to throw absolute chimneys in the bottom of the eighth, and it went exactly as well as you would think. The Royals kept the singles parade going and added two more runs to finish off the scoring at 15 runs.
Cameron worked around a couple singles and a walk in the second inning to give up no runs (another bases loaded situation). Again, Cameron worked around two singles in the third but gave up no runs. He just kept working around baserunners and did not have his best stuff. He ended up making it only five innings with five walks. But he also got seven strikeouts and gave up only one run. It was good enough. He gutted out enough innings to give the bullpen a chance to hold a massive lead, which it did without giving up ANY runs! Steven Cruz, Beck Way, and Jose Cuas blanked the Phillies for four innings while the Royals piled on.
The Royals are now 37-54. The Phillies are 50-41. The Royals take this series against the Phillies and travel to New York and Baltimore for a road trip before the All-Star break.
Jun 14, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Cristopher Sanchez (61) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images
Due to the unusual Saturday-Monday scheduling, you might have forgotten that the Phillies would be wrapping up the series against the Kansas City Royals with an afternoon game today. If so, don’t feel bad. You didn’t miss anything worth seeing (if you’re a Phillies fan, that is. Royals fans probably greatly enjoyed the game). Heck, the Phillies themselves barely showed up as they suffered a 15-1 bludgeoning.
After a listless effort on Sunday, you figured that the Phillies were still in good position to win the series. After all, the Royals are having an awful season, and the Phillies had ace Cristopher Sanchez on the mound. What could possibly go wrong?
As it turns out, just about everything! Sanchez turned in the worst start of his career, there was a critical error in the field, and the offense left a ton of runners on base.
The game actually started off in promising fashion. Trea Turner led off the game with a double (don’t worry, he’d undo any good will shortly), Bryce Harper walked, and Alec Bohm made it 1-0 with a double to center field. But after Brandon Marsh struck out and Edmundo Sosa walked, Bryson Stott grounded out to leave the bases loaded.
Sanchez was clearly off from the start as he walked leadoff hitter Lane Thomas on four pitches. After getting an out and giving up another single, it looked like he would be able to escape the early jam when Caglianone hit a ball to second that looked like a tailor-made double play ball. But after securing the out at second, Turner’s throw went wide of first base. (Please see the below explanation as to why the runs in the inning were earned despite this error.)
I’ve had a ton of questions regarding today’s first inning in Kansas City regarding the @Phillies at @Royals, and why all six runs were earned despite an error.
The error by Turner is a throwing error, and while a good throw would have ended the inning, this is NOT an assumed… pic.twitter.com/0a6Z6vueYO
— MLB Scoring Changes (@ScoringChanges) July 6, 2026
Sanchez really could have used that out. Immediately afterwards, he fell behind three straight hitters and gave up singles to all of them. Facing backup catcher Luke Maile seemed like an opportunity to minimize the damage. Instead, Maile maximized the damage with a three-run home run.
The Phillies had a chance to pick up their ace and make it a slugfest in the second. They loaded the bases once again, bringing Bohm to the plate with two outs. This time, he was unable to get a run home. He grounded out to bring the Phillies’ left on base total to six. (They tied the record for most runners left on base through two innings!)
Sanchez did not settle in after that bad first inning. A second inning Salvador Perez home run made it 7-1, an RBI double by Tyler Tolbert made it 8-1 in the third, and a Thomas home run in the fourth made it 9-1.
Manager Don Mattingly tried to get some innings out of Sanchez, but when the next two batters had base hits, he had no choice but to pull the pitcher. Sanchez’s final line: 3.1 IP, 12 hits, 9 runs, 1 K, and three home runs allowed. Good thing the All-Star selections have been made already.
The rest of the game was soaked up by the lesser lights of the Phillies’ bullpen as well as an inning by Garrett Stubbs. That went about as well as you’d expect.
Offensively, the Phillies didn’t really give up. They kept getting runners on base, thanks to ten hits and seven walks. But they weren’t able to get any of those runners home after the first.
The Phillies will next travel to Cincinnati to take on the Reds. I’d say the Phillies have a good chance to end their two-game losing streak with Zack Wheeler scheduled to start on Tuesday, but after watching Cristopher Sanchez get demolished, I don’t think we can safely assume anything.
The forward sent a heartfelt message to Lakers fans following the news of the Los Angeles Clippers’ signing.
“Thank you Lakers Nation for the past three years. We had some great moments and I will always remember the memories we made together,” Hachimura said in a statement posted on Instagram.
Rui Hachimura signed a two-year deal with the Los Angeles Clippers. Getty Images
Rui Hachimura on Instagram: "Thank you Lakers Nation for the past three years. We had some great moments and I will always remember the memories we made together." pic.twitter.com/AfVLbIEAGs
Hachimura spent parts of four seasons donning the purple and gold. The forward was traded to the Lakers by the Washington Wizards in exchange for Kendrick Nunn and three second-round picks.
He is coming off a 2025-26 performance where he averaged 11.5 points per game, 3.3 rebounds and 0.8 assists while shooting 51.4% from the field and 44.3% from three. During his time with the Lakers, Hachimura emerged as a solid three-point shooter and displayed his dominance from beyond the arc in the playoffs.
The 28-year-old finished the postseason averaging 17.5 points and 4.0 rebounds while shooting over 50% from three.
The Lakers were reportedly interested in retaining Rui Hachimura this offseason. AP
Now, Hachimura joins a projected Clippers starting lineup featuring Darius Garland, Keaton Wagler, Brandon Ingram and Brook Lopez.
The Lakers have likely concluded a majority of their free agency moves this offseason, but fans are hoping general manager Rob Pelinka is still putting the finishing touches on the roster.
While there was speculation Hachimura would fill the role as versatile wing defender, it’s evident he won’t return for the upcoming season. The Lakers have also been linked to free agent forward Jonathan Kuminga, but the team will need to free up cap space in order to ink a deal.
Moreover, the Lakers need a backup center after trading Deandre Ayton to the Washington Wizards. Hachimura’s signing is only evidence of the Lakers’ remaining tasks before the season begins.
The Lakers lost Rui Hachimura and Luke Kennard in free agency this summer. NBAE via Getty Images
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