According to NHL insider Elliotte Friedman, a potential reunion between Claude Giroux and the Philadelphia Flyers is officially dashed.
Friedman reported Monday night that Giroux, 38, "will return to Ottawa," ending any potential farewell tour fairytale ending to the legendary forward's career.
"Word tonight the Senators remain very much in the Claude Giroux mix. Nothing done yet, though," Friedman initially reported.
Then came the kicker.
"He will return to Ottawa, it is getting done," Friedman posted to his X account a few minutes later.
The Flyers had interest in their former captain until the end, but it was ultimately up to Giroux to decide to run it back in Ottawa with the Senators for his 20th NHL season.
Of course, a potential fit for Giroux became complicated when the Flyers went ahead and signed Leo Carlsson to a $90 million offer sheet that will cost them $18 million against the salary cap.
And in addition to that, the Flyers also signed a veteran right-shot center in free agency with journeyman Noel Acciari, adding even more depth to a suddenly crowded Flyers forward group, even without Giroux in the mix.
Assuming this is really it for Giroux, the veteran of 1,345 NHL regular season games and counting finished his Flyers career with 291 goals, 609 assists, and 900 points in 1,000 games donning the Orange and Black.
There's always next year, of course, if Giroux hits free agency again, but with the amount of deliberation and fanfare it took just to get to this point, that's far from a guarantee.
At least for now, Giroux returns to the Senators as an experienced, well-respected leader who the team will rely on to steady the ship after the rocky departure of former captain Brady Tkachuk.
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - JULY 4: Darryn Peterson #22 of the Utah Jazz drives to the basket against the Atlanta hawks during the first half of of their 2026 NBA Salt Lake City Summer League game at the Jon M Huntsman Center on July 4, 2026 in Salt Lake City, Utah. 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 Chris Gardner/ Getty Images) | Getty Images
Darryn Peterson is such an obvious superstar.
As the Utah Jazz lined up a Salt Lake City matchup with the Memphis Grizzlies, Utah’s number-two draft pick, Darryn Peterson, and the Grizzlies number-three selection, Cameron Boozer, squared off for the first time since draft night. Carlos Boozer, Cam’s father and a scout for the Utah Jazz, warned teams would regret passing on his son, and this matchup marks an opportunity to make an early statement.
The pair of class foes wasted no time making their presence known in this battle, with Peterson Christening the scoreboard with a feathery floater on one end, and Boozer draining a top-of-the-key deposit for three at the opposite end.
Then Peterson got that look in his eye as he knocked through two free throws, a drifting turnaround three-pointer, and a graceful finger-roll lay-in over Boozer in succession — taking a break only to dish out for back-to-back Blake Hinson three-pointers. Peterson was so dangerous that the Grizzlies matched him up against Cedric Coward. In response, he would instigate a switch onto Boozer, whose footspeed simply couldn’t match that of the number-two selection, and he’d be forced to foul.
Peterson comfortably navigated the Grizzlies hyper-aggressive full-court press and revealed remarkable playmaking feel considering the fact that a lack of assists as a freshman was one of the drawbacks on his draft profile.
Peterson’s style of play is so potent, yet gentle. Immense, yet effortless. Every motion, every action, every shot is so smooth, it’s as if the wind learned how to play basketball. DP is the intersection of basketball and art, and I question if I’ll ever become fully accustomed to how Utah’s budding star plays the game.
Like water, he flows Resistance is most futile A snap of nylon — “The Effortless Conqueror”, a haiku by Calvin Barrett, circa 2026
Needless to say, I feel rather satisfied about the Jazz’s first-round pick, and we’re just two games into Summer League. I’ll wrestle with myself to keep expectations low within the Summer League bubble. After all, we haven’t even seen what Peterson looks like against real NBA competition.
But I know I’m not alone in my elation. Peterson isn’t like the other prospects the Jazz have brought in over the years — his talent is so much more obvious than that of hidden gems Keyonte George, Brice Sensabaugh, Cody Williams, or Ace Bailey. I’m not accustomed to seeing players like him suiting up for the Jazz; Donovan Mitchell is the only name that compares in recent years, and he was the 13th overall pick.
Boozer’s impact was much more understated, as his court vision and rebounding were the highlights of his half. A different style of player than Peterson, Boozer’s first half won’t be posted on many highlight reels, but he’s helping his team win by doing his damage in the margins.
Boozer finished the half with 5 points, 3 assists, 3 rebounds, and 1 steal on 2-4 shooting splits.
Darryn posted a first-half stat line of 13 points, 7 assists (!!!), 1 board, and 2 steals on 3-of-6 shooting splits.
Peterson and Boozer continue their battle in the second half on ESPN and SEG+.
Calvin Barrett is the Associate Editor for SLC Dunk. Originally from Springville, Utah, he currently lives in Japan and has covered the NBA and college athletics since 2024.
These two NBA greats had a solid relationship with each other, and there’s no reason to believe there’s any beef between them, both before and after LeBron’s decision. However, an answer Luka made regarding LeBron during a recent interview is sure to turn heads.
LeBron James and Luka Doncic look on during a Los Angeles Lakers game. NBAE via Getty Images
Instagram user Klemen Kopina interviewed Doncic on July 6, asking him which of many NBA icons he would choose as his “ultimate” teammate for a hypothetical 2-on-2 game.
Initially, Luka was asked to choose between Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic. He selected Jokic, and continued choosing Jokic for several subsequent players, including former Lakers legends Shaquille O’Neal, Magic Johnson, and San Antonio Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama.
Soon enough, Luka had to choose between Jokic and LeBron. He chose Jokic with no hesitation.
Luka Doncic being asked about whether he’d have Nikola Jokic or LeBron James as his “ultimate” 2-on-2 teammate. Klemen Kopina/Instagram
Luka finally choose someone over Jokic when having to pick between him and Boston Celtics icon Larry Bird. Then, the interview ended with Doncic picked Michael Jordan over Bird.
For what it’s worth, asking who an ideal teammate would be isn’t the same as picking the better player, as Doncic has to consider whose skillset would best translate alongside his in a 2-on-2 setting, which is like a different game when compared to 5-on-5.
Still, the speed with which Luka dismissed LeBron is a big reason why this interview has already gone viral on social media.
Los Angeles, CA - June 15, 2026: Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Eric Lauer (33) delivers during the first inning of an MLB game against the Tampa Bay Rays at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium on Monday, June 15, 2026 in Los Angeles, CA. (Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Dodgers and Rockies meet in a battle of southpaws.
Adou Thiero, shown here last season, had to sit out Monday's summer league game for the Lakers. (Jeff Chiu / Associated Press)
Lakers second-year forward Adou Thiero missed the team’s California Classic summer league finale Monday with a right wrist injury.
The 22-year-old was listed in the starting lineup before the game against the San Antonio Spurs, but when the game tipped off in front of an empty arena, Thiero was still in the locker room. Guard Chris Mañon started in Thiero’s place and starred with 24 points and eight rebounds in the Lakers’ 88-84 win at Chase Center.
Thiero joined the Lakers’ bench about halfway through the first quarter, wearing a black hoodie and sweatpants. He kept a towel draped over his right hand for almost the entire game to cover the black brace covering his wrist.
Thiero, a second-round pick in 2025, scored 22 points in two summer league games, shooting 31.6% from the field. After saying he wanted to build up his confidence and consistency with his three-point shooting, Thiero missed all three of his three-point attempts and was just three for six from the free-throw line.
First-round pick Cameron Carr played only in the first half Monday, finishing with five points, one rebound, one assist, one steal, one block and three fouls in 12 minutes and 49 seconds.
The Lakers went 2-1 in the four-team California Classic tournament and will continue their offseason in the Las Vegas summer league beginning July 10.
Lakers add final two-way player
The Lakers signed former Vanderbilt forward AJ Okereke to a two-way contract on Sunday, filling their allotted three two-way deals. Okereke, a 6-foot-7, 245-pound forward, averaged 9.6 points, 3.6 rebounds and two assists as a graduate transfer with Vanderbilt after beginning his college career at Cornell. He shot 40 for 100 from three-point range. During the Lakers’ first three summer league games, Okereke had 20 points and nine rebounds.
The Lakers have also signed Mañon and guard Peter Suder to two-way deals. Mañon, a second-year guard, split time in the NBA and in the G League last season, finishing second in G League defensive player of the year voting. Suder won the MAC player of the year award last season, averaging 14.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, four assists and 1.3 steals while leading Miami (Ohio) to a 31-0 regular-season record.
SACRAMENTO, CA - JULY 6: Chris Manon #30 of the Los Angeles Lakers handles the ball during the game against the San Antonio Spurs during the California Classic Game on July 6, 2026 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Lakers closed the California Classic with a narrow victory over the Spurs, 88-84.
Adou Thiero was a late scratch while Cameron Carr only played in the first half. Chris Mañon stepped into the starting lineup in place of Thiero, who was out with a wrist injury.
The young Lakers had a rough start to the game, missing shots and turning the ball over. Cameron Carr was the first to score on a layup. A familiar face, R.J. Davis, had five points for the Spurs.
LA had six turnovers. With 4:11 left in the quarter, Los Angeles had only put up four points.
Arthur Kaluma had productive minutes off the bench for the Lakers with four points. Mañon drained a triple, which was only the third shot LA converted in 12 attempts. Los Angeles was down six after one.
The Lakers' No. 24 overall pick, Cameron Carr, gets on the board 🔥
The Lakers started the second period with a stronger defensive scheme. Luke Goode drained a 3-pointer for LA early. Los Angeles had gotten to within two until the Spurs scored five in a row. Scoring had been a struggle in the first quarter, but well into this period, every single Laker who played was on the board.
Mañon scored four in a row, giving himself seven points in the half. Kaluma was close behind with six and Carr had five. After just shooting 25% in the first quarter, the Lakers ended the half shooting 36%. They were down by eight at halftime.
Carr did not play in the second half, likely getting rest after playing the first two games.
Both teams started the third period exchanging 3-pointers. AK Okereke now had seven points after scoring five early in the quarter. It was a four-point deficit for LA at the 7:56 mark. Mañon continued his strong play, ending the quarter as one of only two Lakers in double figures with 13 points.
Goode nailed two more triples, making him a perfect 3-3 from behind the arc. At the end of the third, the purple and gold were now up by three. Los Angeles outscored the Spurs 27 to 16.
The Lakers went up by seven early in the final frame. They continued to get production from everyone they put on the floor. Mañon now had 16 points. Kaluma was the other Laker in double figures with 15. Los Angeles led the entire fourth quarter, despite San Antonio’s efforts to take over.
With 13 seconds left, LA called a timeout leading by three. Mañon put the team up by four with a freebie as he put the team on his back alongside Kaluma. The Spurs called a timeout with nine seconds left, hoping to pull off a miracle that did not come.
Key Player Stats:
Mañon finished with 24 points, eight rebounds, two assists, two steals and three blocks. Kaluma had 16 points in 27 minutes off the bench. Carr ended with five points, going 2-7 from the field. Okereke pitched in with seven points and four rebounds. LA’s bench had 45 points.
Las Vegas Summer League begins Friday, July 10th, against the Oklahoma City Thunder at 7:00 PM PT.
Caballero clobbered a pair of home runs, Rice added another and Schlittler delivered a masterful bounce-back pitching performance, the combination lifting the Yankees to a much-needed and clean 5-1 win over the Rays to open a critical four-game showdown at Tropicana Field.
On a night when he dazzled across eight dominant innings, Schlittler made the three home runs stand up to lift the Yankees (50-40) to just their second win in the last 11 games, this one pulling them within three games of the Rays (52-36) for the AL East lead.
Schlitter was nearly untouchable, scattering just four soft-hit singles — all off the bat at 73.6 mph or softer — and no walks while striking out eight.
The right-hander was coming off the worst start of his young career, when he gave up a career-high six runs and four home runs in four innings last week against the Tigers.
Yankees shortstop Jose Caballero (72) celebrates after hitting a three run home run in the fifth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images
“They want to say that there’s f–king regression because I had one bad outing, so again, it was personal to go out there and have a dominant start and put this team in the right position,” said Schlittler, who has become known for using any kind of perceived slight to his advantage.
That is not dissimilar to Caballero, who acknowledged having an extra chip on his shoulder while facing the team that traded him to the Yankees last summer.
“The environment, the people here, facing my old teammates, it’s just the little things that get me going,” said Caballero, who now has two multi-homer games in his career, both against the Rays.
Ben Rice celebrates as he rounds the bases after his home run during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays, Monday, July 6, 2026. AP Photo/Jason Behnken
The Yankees needed every bit of juice from Schlittler and Caballero to squeeze out the win and kick off in style about as big a series as July can offer.
They had led the Rays by as many as 3 ¹/₂ games on June 17. It was a three-game lead on June 24, after which the Yankees dropped nine of 10 — including four straight games in which they were three-hit — and the Rays won nine of 11, putting Tampa Bay four games up entering Monday’s series.
“I feel like we dug ourselves a hole a little bit, so it was good to go out there and get the first one,” Schlittler said. “We got a chance to shake things up.”
The night started like so many others have lately for the Yankees, as their first 13 hitters were retired in order against Rays righty Griffin Jax.
Cam Schlittler #31 of the New York Yankees delivers a pitch in the third inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on July 06, 2026. Getty Images
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But then Jasson Domínguez and Jazz Chisholm Jr. drew back-to-back walks with one out in the fifth inning to bring up Caballero, who drilled a three-run shot to left field — flush with an emphatic bat flip — for the 3-0 lead.
Caballero, starting at shortstop over Anthony Volpe in what Aaron Boone described as a “day-by-day” situation, then took Chris Roycroft deep in the eighth inning — again chucking his bat toward the Yankees dugout — to make it 4-1 on his career-high 10th home run of the season.
“I’m trying to spark the team somehow, some way,” Caballero said. “We’re struggling right now, going through a bad stretch. Something that can get the team going a little bit and get them excited is always good. That’s the reason why [for the bat flips].”
Rice later added his 25th homer of the year in the ninth inning for an insurance run, marking the first time in the modern era in which the Yankees won a game with all three of their hits being home runs. They also became the first team in the modern era to do it while striking out 17 times.
“Obviously a win we needed and felt good to play well,” Boone said. “It’s still a grind for us offensively, but obviously some long balls were huge.”
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 11: Rui Hachimura #28 of the Los Angeles Lakers dribbles the ball against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game Four of the Second Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena on May 11, 2026 in Los Angeles, 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 Luke Hales/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Right before NBA free agency ended on July 6, forward Rui Hachimura has signed a two-year, $28 million deal by way of the mid-level exception with a new NBA franchise. The contract has a team option in the second season.
The former Los Angeles Laker won’t have to move his whole life to a new city, as he will be joining the Los Angeles Clippers in Inglewood, California.
Just in: Free agent Rui Hachimura has agreed to a two-year, $28 million deal to sign with the Los Angeles Clippers, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/Cixx1ZGPV3
This is a value pickup for the Clippers and coach Tyronn Lue as Hachimira’s agent Darren Matsubara of THE•TEAM waited for the Lakers to complete their offseason business to pursue a sign-and-trade, but couldn’t come upon an agreement. Southern California was always the desired destination for the native of Toyama, Japan.
Hachimura’s historic three-point shooting performance throughout the 2026 NBA Playoffs helped prompt this deal. He now holds the all-time NBA record for the highest career three-point shooting percentage in playoff history at 51.6 percent.
In the 2025-26 season, Hachimura added 11.5 points, 3.3 rebounds in 68 games played for coach JJ Redick.
Arden Cravalho is a Gonzaga University graduate from the Bay Area… Follow him on X @a_cravalho
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - JULY 06: José Caballero #72 of the New York Yankees runs the bases after hitting a three-run home run off of Griffin Jax #22 of the Tampa Bay Rays in the fifth inning at Tropicana Field on July 06, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Caballero translates into “gentleman” in Spanish, but former Rays utility player Jose Caballero was anything but gentlemanly in his return to his former home park this evening with two no-doubt and well-celebrated trips around the bases supplying two of the three hits on the evening for the Yankees in their 5-1 victory.
Through the first four innings of this contest, this appeared to be the pitching duel we had thought we would see between Hunter Brown and Drew Rasmussen in that dreadful Saturday evening loss. Both pitchers had 9 swings and missed through the first four innings with the Rays possessing the only hit coming off a Jonny DeLuca flyball into no-man’s land down the right field line. Then , the fifth inning happened.
The frame began innocently enough with Griffin Jax striking out Cody Bellinger on four pitches, culminated by a swinging strike on a sweeper. That was followed up by a six-pitch walk to Jasson Dominquez with four pitches nowhere near the strike zone and a five-pitch walk to Jazz Chisholm Jr with another four pitches well out of the zone. The Yankees lead the American League in walks for a reason, and the back to back walks set things up for Caballero.
Jax got ahead with an ABS-assisted strike before Caballero spit on two sweepers away. A foul ball off a sinker down and in evened up the count and Caballero followed that up by spoiing a fastball on the edge of the zone. Then, Jax and Nick Fortes decided it was the opportune time for the first changeup of the sequence, and this happened:
It would be the only pitch of the 31 pitches Jax threw that inning to be put in play. leaving Jax to return to the dugout and get into a thousand-yard stare trance wondering how did the game get away so quickly:
Jax finished the evening with 10 strikeouts and 16 swings and missed on 81 pitches, but those three consecutive plate appearances evaporated the thin margin for error the Rays had tonight as Cam Schlittler simply overpowered the Rays lineup tonight. Schlitter struck out 8 batters, walked none, while scattering four singles on the evening. His night could be best summed up by how he deposed of Jonathan Aranda the three times he faced him in this contest:
Rays pitchers struck out 17 Yankees while walking two and not allowing any singles, doubles, or triples. The Yankees had three hits on the evening – the two homers by Caballero and a 9th inning solo shot by Ben Rice. The Rays, according to StatHead, are the first team to ever lose such a game as a search for a similar game yielded no results. They are the third team this season to lose a game while striking out 17 or more opposing batters joining the Mariners (5/2/26) and the Red Sox (4/23/26). The last time a team won a game without a single, double, or a triple came back on July 29th, 2023 when the Dodgers defeated the Reds 3-2 on the strength of two homers and three walks.
This was simply an annoying loss because the Rays pitching was great over 27 plate appearances, yet five moments defined this game offensively and the Rays offense could do absolutely nothing to counterpunch set aside a jab run in the 5th. The Rays are not going to win many games when the top four hitters go 0 for 16 with 7 strikeouts as the quartet did tonight. They’ll try again tomorrow against Will Warren and a well-rested bullpen.
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - JULY 4: Darryn Peterson #22 of the Utah Jazz dribbles the ball during the game against the Atlanta Hawks during a 2026 NBA Salt Lake City Summer League game on July 4, 2026 at Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. 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 2026 NBAE (Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
In a recent news break by Sarah Todd, the Utah Jazz plan to sit Darryn Peterson, Ace Bailey, and Cody Williams on Tuesday’s Salt Lake Summer League matchup against Aday Mara, Bennett Stirtz, and the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Bailey is day-to-day with back spasms but the goal is for him to play in Vegas https://t.co/xpkcdY6e2F
Ace Bailey has been sidelined with back spasms and is currently listed as day-to-day, though Todd insists the team plans to keep him active for the Las Vegas leg of the Summer League slate, beginning on July 9th. Cody Williams and Darryn Peterson will likewise participate in Vegas, as the team’s star trio hopes to build on an early foundation of on-court chemistry.
Peterson was absurd in his first appearance in SLC, notching a head-spinning 28 points in the Jazz’s first Summer League game. Matching up against one of the best-defending guards in the draft class of 2026, Kingston Flemings out of Kelvin Sampson’s Houston house of horrors (I mean that in the best possible way), the second-overall pick confirmed exactly why the Jazz believe he could be the star to lead their franchise to basketball’s pantheon.
Ace Bailey and Cody Williams are participating not out of necessity — their roster spots are secure — but in an effort to show their young teammate the ropes and help him establish a solid foundation for his impending rookie season. Bailey racked up 10 points in 20 minutes, and Williams gathered an efficient 17 points plus six rebounds in his starting role.
The Summer League serves as a launch pad for young stars like Darryn Peterson — a player who may someday contend for MVP votes — and a showcase for offseason growth that had gone unseen in the public eye.
The Jazz will take their foot off the gas in SLC on Tuesday, but they’ll be back in Las Vegas. Here’s to hoping they stick to this original plan and keep their finger away from the bright red “abort” switch in fear of injury.
Calvin Barrett is the Associate Editor for SLC Dunk. Originally from Springville, Utah, he currently lives in Japan and has covered the NBA and college athletics since 2024.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - JUNE 25: General sky view of Oracle Park before a MLB game between the Athletics and the San Francisco Giants on June 25, 2026 at Oracle Park in San Francisco, CA. (Photo by Trinity Machan/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The San Francisco Giants welcome the Toronto Blue Jays to Oracle Park tonight to begin a three-game series.
Taking the mound for the Blue Jays will be right-handed former-and-Forever-Giant Kevin Gausman, who enters tonight’s game with a 4.19 ERA, 3.80 FIP, with 100 strikeouts to 24 walks in 101 innings pitched. His last start was in the Blue Jays’ 3-0 loss to the New York Mets on Tuesday, in which he allowed one run on five hits with seven strikeouts and two walks in six innings.
Taking the mound for the Giants will be right-hander Landen Roupp (who I wish was already a former-Giant). He’s rocking a 4.55 ERA and 3.21 FIP, with 99 strikeouts to 40 walks in 89 innings pitched. His last start was in the Giants’ 8-2 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks last Tuesday, in which he allowed six runs on five hits with four strikeouts and six walks in two and two thirds innings.
The Yankees avoided a three-game skid Monday when they started their four-game series at the Tampa Bay Rays with a 5-1 win.
Takeaways
Cam Schlittler sure did rebound from last Tuesday's 9-3 loss to the Detroit Tigers. The Yankees' right-handed starting pitcher allowed one run on four hits in a season-high-tying eight innings, striking out eight and throwing 101 pitches with 72 strikes. Not only did Schlittler (9-5, 2.01 ERA) bounce back from surrendering a career-high six runs in his season-low four innings against the sub-.500 Tigers, but he delivered one of his best outings as a Yankee. Entering next Saturday's penultimate start of the first half as the projected starter for the 4:05 p.m. game at the Washington Nationals, Schlittler has returned to form.
What would the Yankees do without José Caballero? New York's seventh-batting shortstop homered twice to almost singlehandedly support Schlitter's gem, a 2-for-3 effort that drove home four runs with the fifth inning's three-run shot to end Griffin Jax's no-hit bid and give the Yankees a 3-1 lead. Caballero's eighth-inning-starting solo shot, his 10th homer of the season, gave New York a bit more cushion before Schlittler's scoreless bottom half. Caballero was the hero as he improved to slashing .249/.304/.407 with 16 RBI through 77 games this year.
For good measure, Ben Rice's ninth-inning-starting solo shot was the Yankees' third hit and added breathing room. While New York's only hits were home runs, will Rice following Caballero wake the bats up? New York struck out 17 times. Rice, who batted second and was the Yankees' designated hitter, is slashing .267/.360/.565 with 25 homers and 57 RBI through 85 games.
After losing nine of their past 10 games, the Yankees got a much-needed win that directly helps them in the American League East. They improve to 50-40 and three games behind the AL East-leading Rays (52-36) with three more chances. For New York to gain further ground, though, it will need better performances beyond its starting pitcher and one batter.
Who's the MVP?
Caballero. If it were not for him, the Yankees likely would have suffered a painful loss and completely changed the narrative of this one.
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - JULY 06: Cam Schlittler #31 of the New York Yankees delivers a pitch in the first inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on July 06, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Baseball is beautiful, but more importantly it is extremely weird. With how poorly the Yankees have played over the last fortnight, if I had told you they would only manage three hits in Monday’s series opener with the Rays, many of you would have skipped tomorrow’s game out of disgust. They did only get three hits, but that’s the thing about home runs. Four men crossed the plate on two José Caballero swings, and Cam Schlittler did the rest. Ben Rice added a final insurance run and New York takes the first round of this big series, 5-1 your final.
I was starting to get just a little worried the Yankees were going to be on the downside of a perfect game. Griffin Jax looked great and the Yankees looked terrible in their first 13 at-bats — I could be wrong but I believe Austin Wells was the only player to get the ball out of the infield. And then came the fifth inning, and a repudiation of Michael Zeno’s earlier proclamation: The Yankees have stopped walking.
Tell that to Jasson Domínguez and Jazz Chisholm Jr., who both worked their way aboard to ensure we wouldn’t see perfection tonight. Then, former Ray José Caballero stepped in to deliver what felt like the biggest hit the club’s had in a month:
I’ve never consciously felt a fever actually break — generally I fall asleep sick and wake up feeling a little better. This is what I imagine it must feel like though, the venting of an incredible amount of pressure, the knowledge that yes, actually, we can turn things around. This was the first time the Yankees had a three-run lead since June 19. It would remain the only hit Jax gave up, while striking out 10 in five innings, but boy was it a needed one.
Cam Schlittler nearly matched Jax, with his trio of fastballs able to get through four innings without the Rays posing much of a threat. He did surprisingly not manage a shutdown inning in the fifth after getting those three runs of support, where Chandler Simpson hit a worm killer that Ryan McMahon couldn’t barehand. Two batters later baseball’s fastest man came home to score on a single, but that would be the extent of the damage done against Cam.
It took the Yankee ace 76 pitches to get through 6.0 innings, setting him up for a seventh inning that felt significant given how little faith we all have in the bullpen these days. It took him 11 chucks to get through the seventh, and while the leadoff man did reach in the eighth, Taylor Walls’ inexplicable decision to bunt with two strikes led to a foul ball and a key out before the lineup turned over. Cam’s eight inning, one run, 8:0 K:BB performance wasn’t a perfect game but it was pretty perfectly what the club needed.
It felt like this one was personal for the young ace too, after getting his teeth kicked in against Detroit last week. Cam’s been in the majors one year less three days, what an anniversary present to himself.
Rice gets into slumps when he doesn’t elevate the ball. Getting it in the air is the key to getting him back into form. Let’s hope that swing brings something back, indeed, let’s hope this entire game brings something back to the whole team. We saw this on Friday, the Yankees won against the Twins, everyone felt ok, and then the rest of the series happened. There’s positive mojo around this team for the first time in a while after tonight, they can’t afford to waste it.
Will Warren is the man tapped to follow Schlittler’s performance with one of his own tomorrow, against an as-of-yet-unknown Rays starter (update: it’ll be lefty Ian Seymour). The next Biggest Game of the Year kicks off at 6:40 Tampa time on Tuesday.
“I hope bringing a trophy to this city meant something to them because it meant so much to me,” Antetokounmpo said in the video. “I want you to hear it from my mouth: The city of Milwaukee will always be in my heart. This is my home.”
“No matter where I am, Milwaukee will always be my city, my team, my family.”
Giannis Antetokounmpo, wearing a “Champions” hat, looks up as fans cheer in the background.
@giannis_an34 on IGGiannis Antetokounmpo interacting with children on a basketball court.
@giannis_an34 on IG
Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis were traded to the Heat June 22 in exchange for Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakučionis and the No. 13 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, which was Nate Ament.
Antetokounmpo accomplished everything to his NBA resume in the green and white.
Two MVPs. An NBA title and Finals MVP in 2021. Ten All-Star selections. Seven All-NBA First Team selections.
Despite missing the playoffs in his final season with the team, he cemented his legacy as one of greatest Bucks ever.
Mural of Giannis Antetokounmpo in a green jersey in Milwaukee.
@giannis_an34 on IG
“I believe the city of Milwaukee is blue collar,” Antetokounmpo said. “It’s people that work extremely hard every single day, and give all their hard-earned money to come watch the Milwaukee Bucks. To come and feel something, to come be a part of us.
“I hope that I was able to represent them the best that I could. And I was like them. I showed up to work. Did everything that I was willing to do, all the dirty work, just like them.”
With the trade, it’s clear the Bucks are ushering in a youth movement.
But at the same time, Bucks general manager Jon Horst remained eternally grateful for the stability Antetokounmpo brought the organization.
Giannis Antetokounmpo dribbling a basketball. AP Photo/Marta Lavandier
“Since we drafted him in 2013, Giannis had transformed the Milwaukee Bucks in every way – on the court, in our locker room and throughout the community,” Horst wrote in a statement to Bucks fans. “Over 13 seasons, he became an extraordinary leader, teammate and representative of this city, and one of the defining players of his generation.”
DENVER, CO - JULY 1: Starting pitcher Kyle Freeland #21 of the Colorado Rockies delivers a pitch in the first inning against the Miami Marlins at Coors Field on July 1, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The last time the Rockies were in Los Angeles to face the Dodgers, it didn’t go so well.
The Dodgers swept Colorado 3-0 and outscored the Rockies 24-10. It also capped off a 2-8 stretch during a challenging stretch in May.
Even though Monday night marks a matchup between the National League-leading Dodgers (59-32) and the last-place Rockies (37-54), Colorado enters the series having won four of its last five and is no longer the worst team in MLB.
They are still the Dodgers, though, and Monday’s matchup is a repeat of the May 26 showdown when Kyle Freeland and Eric Lauer when L.A. came out on top 15-6. Freeland (2-7, 7.25 ERA) has been performing better on the mound, helping the Rockies win his last three starts. In his last start, he held Miami to two runs on six hits with seven strikeouts in five innings in a 6-3 win on July 1.
Lauer (4-5, 4.84 ERA) has bounced back and forth between relief and starting roles for L.A. this year, but this will be his 11th start in 14 appearances this season. The 31-year-old lefty is 3-3 with a 4.77 ERA as a starter.
The Dodgers lead the 2026 season series with the Rockies 5-2.
First Pitch: 8:10 p.m. MDT
TV: Rockies.TV
Radio: 850 AM/94.1 FM KOA Rockies Radio Network; KNRV 1150 AM (Spanish)
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