NEW YORK, NY - MAY 17: Mr. Met and Mrs. Met celebrate after the New York Mets defeated the New York Yankees at Citi Field on Sunday, May 17, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by Michael Urakami/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Red Sox have won five in a row and ten of their last twelve games going back to the start of their series against the New York Yankees. Boston is now 33-31 under interim manager Chad Tracy and 43-48 overall. The Sox are just 2.5 games out of a Wild Card spot and as of Thursday evening have a 30.1% chance to make the playoffs per FanGraphs, above both the Toronto Blue Jays and Baltimore Orioles. Willson Contreras is serving his five-game suspension, Ranger Suarez hit the IL, and a Patrick Sandoval emerged from the abyss to provide needed innings against the Chicago White Sox.
Sonny Gray, who may yet be an All Star with the opening created by Ranger, kicks things off against the Mets Friday night on Apple TV. This game will not be on NESN. It is on Apple TV. As a heads up, they will have another Apple TV game on July 24. Gray is coming off 6.0 innings against the Angels and 7.1 against the Yankees. He allowed just 1 run across those two outings. Nolan McLean is a 24-year-old righthander in his sophomore season with the Mets. He’s struck out 28% of batters this season and walked just 8.8%. At over one-strikeout-per-inning he’s going to be a challenge, although he’s had trouble. He’s gone 6.0 innings in three straight outings but gave up 6 runs to the Cubs, 0nto the Blue Jays, and 3 (2 earned) to the Braves.
Saturday the Red Sox starter is still listed as TBD. Ranger Suarez would be in line to make this start but after leaving his last start early and hitting the IL the Sox must head in a different direction. In fact, the Sox are TBD for each of the final two games of the unofficial “first half.” Brayan Bello might be tapped for one of these games, probably Saturday. The Sox likely don’t want to bring Bello up only to option him back down, given the goal of fixing his first inning issues. Since his demotion he’s put up a 4.34 ERA in 18.2 innings across four starts. His last start was July 1 so he’s rested. No one is lined up for Sunday. Payton Tolle, having pitched the opener in Chicago, would be on four days rest. He’s already over half way to his innings high and benefits from extra rest already. Patrick Sandoval was already recalled. Ryan Watson can, potentially, cover some bulk. Though ideally the Sox are either well ahead or behind, not relying on him to hold a close game. At this point, Sonny Gray is untradable simply because teams need to field a full team every game.
Freddy Peralta is having a dreadful season with the Mets. Traded from the Brewers this winter, he’s putting up his highest ERA in a full season. Strikeouts are down, hits allowed are up…he’s not getting Cy Young votes this year. The Mets similarly are at a pitching crunch for Sunday. We might see dueling bullpen games.
Juan Soto is doing everything he can with 21 homers this season.
Bo Bichette started slow and even after a few good weeks is slashing just .258/.302/.380, which is not what the Mets expected after signing him to a rich three-year deal.
Francisco Lindor may not get along with Soto and is hitting .211/.296/.352, an age-32 crash in his numbers.
Probable Pitching Matchups
Friday, July 10: Sonny Gray (2.61 ERA / 3.61 FIP) vs. Nolan McLean (3.73 ERA /2.96 FIP)
Saturday, July 11: TBD (— ERA / — FIP) vs. Freddy Peralta (4.68 ERA / 4.30 FIP)
Sunday, July 12: TBD (— ERA / 2.72 FIP) vs. TBD (— ERA / — FIP)
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - JULY 09: Andrew Kittredge #39 of the Baltimore Orioles celebrates with Samuel Basallo #29 after a 3-2 victory against the Chicago Cubs at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on July 09, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Yesterday’s victory temporarily solves one unfortunate symbolic Orioles problem. They no longer have a worse record than last year’s Orioles team did. The 2026 Orioles are now sitting on the same 43-51 record as the 2025 team. Last year’s jokers lost their next three games as well, and six of their next seven, from this point forward, so there is an opportunity to regain some ground, so to speak.
Much better would be to see the Orioles rip off a hot streak to regain ground in the wild card race. They also did that yesterday! The Mariners lost a third straight game to fall to .500. The Orioles are four games back with six teams to pass. It’s the six teams to pass more than the four games that is their problem. Not only do the Orioles need to go 43-25 or better, they need the Mariners to do no better than 39-29, and the Twins to do no better than 40-28, and the Astros to do no better than 40-27, and so on.
This is a tall order. I am skeptical of the Orioles ability to do their part of it and not hopeful that every other team will do their part as well. Somebody is probably going to get hot and put the O’s really out of reach. You can still try to bargain your way into a hot streak for the O’s if you want. The Marlins were 26-34 at the end of May and, with their current six game winning streak in the bag, are now 52-42. That is a radical change of fortunes. A team can do it.
The question is whether the Orioles can do it. They can only control their own business. They could really use the lengthy winning streak that has proved elusive to them the entire season long. But before they can ever win four in a row, they need to win two and three in a row. They’ve got a struggling Royals team as their final opponent before the All-Star break here.
It doesn’t mean too much that the Royals are struggling since the Orioles are also struggling. The O’s are perfectly capable of playing poorly against any team. They show us in more than half of their games so far this season. Hopefully they won’t show us again starting at 7:05 tonight. Don’t make all the people there to get their reversible floppy hats sad.
What a World Cup bid tells us about Baltimore as a potential All-Star Game host (The Baltimore Banner) The Banner does good reporting, you guys. A public records request about the city’s ultimately unsuccessful bid to host one of this year’s World Cup games shed some light on a possible All-Star Game pitch, which apparently the state would like to make for 2029.
Birthdays and Orioles anniversaries
Today in 1968, the Orioles fired manager Hank Bauer, who helmed the 1966 World Series winning team, replacing him with Earl Weaver. This decision worked out okay.
In 2001, Cal Ripken Jr. was the MVP of the All-Star Game as the AL defeated the NL, 4-1. Ripken hit a home run in the game, his 19th consecutive (and final) All-Star appearance.
One current Oriole has a birthday today. Happy 25th to reliever Anthony Nunez. Former Orioles who were born today: 2018-19 pitcher Josh Rogers, 2018-20 pitcher David Hess, 2002-03 outfielder Marty Cordova, 2000-04 reliever Buddy Groom, and 1975-76 infielder Bob Bailor. Today is Bailor’s 75th birthday, so an extra happy birthday to him.
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday to you! Your birthday buddies for today include: theologian John Calvin (1509), jurist William Blackstone (1723), Anheuser-Busch co-founder Adolphus Busch (1839), tennis legend Arthur Ashe (1943), baseball Hall of Famer Andre Dawson (1954), musician Béla Fleck (1958), singer-songwriter Jessica Simpson (1980), and pygmy hippopotamus Moo Deng (2024).
On this day in history…
In 988, Dublin was founded after a Norse-descended king, Glúniarin, agreed to recognize and pay tribute to the High King of Ireland, Máel Sechnaill mac Domnaill.
In 1778, French king Louis XVI declared war on Great Britain, officially entering the American Revolution on the side of the young United States.
In 1890, Wyoming was admitted to the Union, becoming the 44th state.
In 1925, Tennessee science teacher John Scopes was put on trial for teaching evolution in school, in violation of a state law that existed at that time. The so-called “Monkey trial” resulted in Scopes being found guilty and ordered to pay a fine of $100. However, after appeal, he was not required to pay the fine because a jury, not the judge, was supposed to set the fine.
**
And that’s the way it is in Birdland on July 10. Have a safe Friday. Go O’s!
Jun 2, 2026; San Antonio, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Carter Bryant (11) talks to the press during media day for the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images | Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images
This is the feel good story of the week.
Carter Bryant, who just finished his rookie season with the San Antonio Spurs, recently bought him mom a car.
His mom, Sabrina Torres, an American Sign Language interpreter, can often be seen at home games supporting her son. Bryant played in 71 regular season games and 22 postseason competitions as the Spurs fought their way into the NBA Finals.
The former Arizona Wildcat is currently in Las Vegas participating in Summer League as the team’s season vet.
Welcome to the Thread. Join in the conversation, start your own discussion, and share your thoughts. This is the Spurs community, your Spurs community. Thanks for being here.
Our community guidelines apply which should remind everyone to be cool, avoid personal attacks, not to troll and to watch the language.
The Detroit Tigers appear to be charging headfirst into the All-Star break after securing a 4-1 win over the Athletics on Thursday night to secure the sweep and make it six victories in seven tries so far in July. Jake Rogers hit another homer and Eduardo Valencia cranked one as well in his first MLB plate appearance, while Framber Valdez gave his team seven strong frames of one-run ball to lead the Olde English D in its triumph.
Opening up the final series before the Midsummer Classic against the Philadelphia Phillies is right-hander Jack Flaherty, who has turned a corner since the start of June and has become an asset for the Tigers’ rotation. The 30-year-old has posted a tidy 2.50 ERA and an impressive 1.73 FIP over his last five starts stretching across 18 frames; the only problem is that he still cannot seem to crack that six-inning barrier.
Opposite him will be fellow righty Aaron Nola, who is in the midst of his second-straight season of struggles — though he has seen some modest improvements over his 2025 campaign. The 33-year-old has posted a 6.11 ERA and 5.30 FIP over seven games stretching across 35 1/3 innings since the start of June.
However, Nola tossed a quality start last time out against the Kansas City Royals, surrendering three runs on seven hits on zero walks while striking out seven over seven frames but ultimately was saddled with the loss in a 5-2 final at Kaufman Stadium. It was the first time in five games that he did not give up the long ball, having served up a pair in each of the four games prior.
Here is a look at how Flaherty and Nola match up on paper heading into the weekend series.
Detroit Tigers (43-50) vs. Philadelphia Phillies (52-42)
Time (ET): 6:40 p.m. Place: Comerica Park, Detroit, Michigan SB Nation Site:The Good Phight Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network
Game 94: RHP Jack Flaherty (2-8, 4.60 ERA) vs. RHP Aaron Nola (3-6, 5.87 ERA)
Dodgers third base coach Dino Ebel’s philosophy when it came to his baseball-obsessed sons was straightforward: the major-league players they grew up around were their coaches.
One of now 17-year-old Trey’s first baseball memories took place at Tempe Diablo Stadium with Albert Pujols and Mike Trout, when Dino was on the Angels’ coaching staff.
Pointing to targets hung up in the batting cages, the pair of future Hall of Famers set up a competition between Trey and his older brother Brady: whoever hit the most bullseyes would get a signed bat.
“Me and Brady were going at it,” Trey said with a smile. “I don’t even know who won.”
The prize wasn’t the most important part. The love for the game, competitive drive, and even bat control stuck with him.
“He kind of took the ‘dad’ out of it and just watched us have fun,” Trey said. “I’m extremely grateful for that because a lot of dads are hard on their kids.
“As we got older, if me and Brady needed some help, or he saw something, he’s obviously going to chime in, given what he does. But for the most part, he’s always let the players coach us, and it’s been great. Paid off for sure.”
It paid off so well that Dino and his wife Shannon are hosting their second draft party in as many years Saturday.
They’re expecting about 100 friends and family members to descend on their Rancho Cucamonga home, just as they did last year to watch the Brewers select Brady with the No. 32 overall pick.
Now his younger brother’s up.
“It’s Trey’s day,” Dino said, reminiscing on his youngest son’s Little League days, his home run derby victory in Williamsport, Pa., his growth through travel ball and high school. “It’s not about anybody else.”
Said Trey: “I’m excited, and I’m ready, and I feel prepared.”
Trey, a Texas A&M commit, is expected to be selected in an early round. Some scouts have predicted he could go higher than his brother. But plenty of factors dictate draft order, with the bonus pool system also affecting team strategy.
It’s especially difficult to gauge where draft prospects coming out of high school may be picked. Teams have less information on them, and have to project further into the future on evaluations, compared to their college counterparts.
Dodgers third base coach/outfield coach Dino Ebel losses a ball in the dugout before a game against the San Diego Padres on July 3. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)
“I’ve been talking to so many people in baseball leading up to this draft,” said agent Joel Wolfe of THE TEAM, who is representing Trey. “And many front office people have mentioned to me the same phrase, which was, ‘Our guys were light on Brady last year,’ meaning they missed, he should have been drafted higher. And I think that could really help Trey this year.”
Brady’s draft process gave Trey and Dino a preview for this year, setting expectations for meetings, tryouts, and the day itself.
It was a new vantage point for Dino, who’s worn many hats in baseball. He played six seasons in the minors before launching a coaching career that’s taken him through the gamut of pro baseball levels, and even out of the country.
“It was very eye-opening,” Dino said. “I’ve always been in player development, coaching, on the field, and now I got a chance to see how the draft works.”
The family even held an identical gathering for Brady’s draft day. After he got the call saying the Brewers were going to select him, with his brother and father standing by, the trio put on poker faces for Shannon and their guests to preserve the surprise.
“Both of those boys are unique to other players in the draft because they grew up around the game,” Wolfe said, drawing comparisons to the Holliday and Lombard brothers. “Having been in the bubble with the Dodgers during the World Series, and being around all of the players and all of the coaches, and being around that life ... there’s just something about them — their comfort level, and also all of the both tangible and intangible things that they learn, especially defensively.”
Many of the lessons Trey gleaned from the stars at dad’s work — first with the Angels and then, the last eight years, the Dodgers — came from observing. And he integrated those details into his infield mechanics, batting cage routine and appreciation for preparation.
When Dino did chime in with advice, it was often about controlling the strike zone, being a complete hitter rather than just a slugger, and valuing fundamentals.
“Their reputation, their character, who they are off the field, who they are on the field, that’s the part I really like the most,” Ebel said of his sons. “How they respect people in the game, on and off the field. They’re always about making somebody feel comfortable, make them feel like somebody important.”
Dino watched his son’s draft stock steadily rise, as Trey got a full season of shortstop under his belt at Corona High School, and added strength, with an emphasis on explosiveness, working out with MW Athletix’s Keith Coury (recommended to Dino by Brewers second baseman Brice Turang, a product of Santiago High School in Corona.)
“He went from a good player seven, eight, nine months ago, a year ago,” Dino said, “to really an exceptional, top prospect for me.”
Now, all the Ebel family can do is wait and answer the phone Saturday.
Graduating seniors are often asked to envision their futures. What’s next? Where do you see yourself in five years?
For Trey, the vision is clear.
“Playing in the big leagues,” Trey said. “No matter what team ... I see myself being a great teammate, being a great person, and the ultimate goal is to win a World Series.”
It would be even sweeter to play alongside his brother. But playing against him would be fun, too. And Trey pictures his dad still in the third base coach’s box for the Dodgers.
Dino chuckled at that.
“I’d like to watch them, but now they’re telling me that they would want me on the field, playing against me,” he said. “And I’m like, you know, anytime you’re with your dad, we’re out to beat you.”
Judging by Brady and Trey’s competitive streak from a young age the feeling would be mutual.
“We’ll see when that time comes where I’m at,” Dino said. “I would love to be at third base and see the Ebel brothers in the big leagues. That would be pretty cool.”
So far, his son’s baseball careers have played out as he envisioned nearly a decade ago, when they fell in love with the game.
“It’s really a dream,” he said.
Dino saved all the signed bats and batting gloves that Brady and Trey won off Pujols and Trout, storing them in a room full of baseball memorabilia. He’ll pass them on when his sons start collections in their own homes.
Watching his boys hit targets in the Tempe Diablo batting cages is one of Dino’s favorite baseball memories.
“I just sat back and enjoyed it as a dad,” Dino said.
Sep 10, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; General view of the helmet used by the Milwaukee Brewers before the start of the first inning against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-Imagn Images | Stan Szeto-Imagn Images
Greetings, Brew Crew Ball community. The Brewers have powered their way through the longest stretch of the season, as they’re just three games away from completing 18 games in 17 days. Not only that, but they’ve also played great baseball during the stretch, building their NL Central lead as we near the All-Star break. Speaking of the All-Star break, the Brewers have just one All-Star despite holding the second-best record in baseball — Jacob Misiorowski has been replaced on the roster as he’s slated to start on Sunday, so it’s just catcher William Contreras headed to Philadelphia as of now. The Home Run Derby is scheduled for Monday night, with the All-Star Game to follow on Tuesday.
Feel free to use this thread to chat about (almost) anything you want: video games, food, movies, non-baseball sports, the Brewers, you name it. As long as it’s appropriate and is allowed by our moderators, it’s fair game here.
1913 – Led by Ward Miller‘s two-run triple, the Cubs stop the Giants, 3-2. The victory ends the New Yorkers’ win streak at 14 games and stops Christy Mathewson‘s win streak at nine.
1932 – Indians flychaser Johnny Burnett collects a record nine hits in 11 at-bats in an 18-inning game in which the A’s outscore the Tribe, 18-17. Jimmie Foxx hits three home runs, and has 16 total bases and eight RBI for the A’s.
1948 – After yielding a two-run homer to the A’sHank Majeski to tie the score, reliever Satchel Paige gets his first major league win as Larry Doby hits a two-run homer and the Indians tack on another run in the 9th to beat Philadelphia, 8-5.
1969 – The Cubs score five runs in the fifth inning to beat the Mets, 6-2, behind Bill Hands. The win halts the Mets’ seven-game win streak and leaves the New Yorkers in second place by four games.
1919 – US President Woodrow Wilson personally delivers Treaty of Versailles to Senate.
1937 – Belgian-Romani-French jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt‘s “Quintette du Hot Club” debuts at La Grosse Pomme nightclub in Montmartre, Paris.
1938 – Howard Hughes flies around the world in 91 hours.
1943 – Singer Judy Garland headlines her first solo concert, with an orchestra led by conductor Andre Kostelanetz at the Robin Hood Dell in Philadelphia’s Fairmount Park; sell-out crowd of 15,000 augmented by additional 5,000 outside the open-air venue
1964 – The Beatles release “A Hard Day’s Night,” their third studio album.
1965 – Rolling Stones score their first US number 1 single “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction”.
1967 – Bobbie Gentry records “Ode to Billie Joe,” which goes on to win four Grammy awards.
1985 – Coca-Cola Co. announces it will resume selling old-formula Coke.
2023 – Fourteenth-century document by a civil servant asking for time off identified as only known handwriting by Geoffrey Chaucer, the “Father of English Literature”.
Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders: Postponed at Buffalo Bisons
Double-A Somerset Patriots:L, 11-5 vs. Reading Fightin Phils — fell behind 10-0, scored late to make it respectable
LF Jackson Castillo 1-3, 2 BB, K CF Jace Avina 1-5, HR, 3 RBI, 3 K — 17th of the season! RF DJ Gladney 1-5, 2 K, throwing error 3B Coby Morales 1-4, RBI, K, SF 2B Connor McGinnis 1-5, 2B, 3 K DH Miguel Palma 1-4, HR, RBI, K 1B Josh Moylan 1-3, BB, K C Manuel Palencia 2-4, 2 K SS Owen Cobb 2-4
Chase Hampton 1.2 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 4 BB, 1 K (loss) — the going is rough for the erstwhile top prospect Harrison Cohen 1 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 0 K Chase Chaney 1.2 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 0 K Hayden Merda 1.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 5 K, 1 HR Trent Sellers 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 2 K Luis Velasquez 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 K Kevin Verde 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 0 K
High-A Hudson Valley Renegades:W, 9-2 vs. Rome Emperors
3B Roderick Arias 2-5, 2 HR, 5 RBI, K — 21-year-old has been red hot the last month; could he finally be figuring it out? SS Core Jackson 2-3, 2B, 2 BB DH Eric Genther 1-4, 2 K 1B Kyle West 1-4, RBI, BB, 2 K CF Wilson Rodriguez 2-4, RBI, BB, K 2B Enmanuel Tejeda 1-5, 2B, RBI, 2 K, fielding error C Josue Gonzalez 1-3, 2 BB, K, SB RF Camden Troyer 2-5, 2B, 2 K LF Robbie Burnett 0-3, BB, 2 K
Allen Facundo 4.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 8 K Tanner Bauman 1.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K (win) Aaron Nixon 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K Brady Kirtner 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 K Jack Sokol 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
2ND HOMER OF THE NIGHT FOR ARIAS!! Roderick Arias sends this one out for a 3 run home run!🪄🪄🪄 pic.twitter.com/Aw8g1tHjdy
— Hudson Valley Renegades (@HVRenegades) July 10, 2026
Low-A Tampa Tarpons:L, 6-1 vs Clearwater Threshers
SS Jackson Lovich 1-4, 2B, 2 K 2B Hans Montero 0-4 DH Luis Puello 0-4, 2 K 3B Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek 0-3, BB, 2 K, SB CF Brando Mayea 1-3, RBI, K RF Willy Montero 0-3, K 1B David McCann 0-3, fielding error C Engelth Urena 0-3, 3 K LF Isael Arias 1-3, K, 2 SB
Wyatt Parliament 5 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 5 K (loss) Jose Martinez 2.1 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 1 K Jose M. Rodriguez 1.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 1 K Jordarlin Mendoza 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
Florida Complex League Yankees:L, 3-0 at FCL Tigers — dreadful offensive day, just one hit and 14 strikeouts
3B Richard Matic 0-4, 2 K CF Wilberson De Pena 0-4, 2 K DH Queni Pineda 0-4, 2 K 2B Leni Done 0-3, throwing error LF Jose Castro 0-2, 2 K, HBP throwing error RF Francisco Vilorio 1-3, 2 K — fifth-inning single kept the Yanks from getting no-hit SS Dexters Peralta 0-3, 2 K, throwing error C Justin Capellan 0-3, K 1B Diego Flores 0-2, BB, K
Jerson Alejandro 2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 4 K Manuel Cruz 4.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 3 K (loss) Stanly Alcantara 1.1 IP, 0 H, 1 R (0 ER), 2 BB, 1 K
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - JULY 09: Chase DeLauter #24 of the Cleveland Guardians celebrates his solo home run as he rounds the bases against the Minnesota Twins in the sixth inning at Target Field on July 09, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Guardians defeated the Twins 5-2. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Guardians have won one series since Jose Ramirez got hurt and they’ve split one. Otherwise, they’ve become adept at salvaging series and that’s what they did yesterday winning 5-2 against the resurgent Twins.
Getting a hit once every three at-bats – Great. Getting on base once every three plate appearances – Very good. Getting a win once every three games? Bad. Very bad.
I wrote a recap of the game here. Chase DeLauter has a wRC+ of around 175 since he returned from the IL. May that continue unabated.
I wrote up a “What You Need to Know for the MLB Draft” Here. MLB’s All-Star festivities begin tonight with the inaugural HBCU Swingman Classic, which you can read about more here.
Zack Meisel of the Athletic offered a Guardians’ mailbag which are always insightful.
Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Edmundo Sosa (33) fields a ground ball in the eighth inning between the Philadelphia Phillies and Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati on Wednesday, July 8, 2026. | Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
MC can stand for Midsummer Classic. It can also stand for Motor City, where the Phillies will wrap up the first half of their season.
The Pittsburgh Penguins have had a busy off-season. After getting back into the playoffs last season, they have added multiple players, like Andrei Kuzmenko, Hendrix Lapierre, Nick Robertson, Kaedan Korczak, Declan Carlile, and Trevor van Riemsdyk, to their roster.
Yet, when noting that the Penguins traded Parker Wotherspoon and lost Ryan Shea in free agency, it would not hurt for them to add another left-shot defenseman to their roster before the start of the 2026-27 season. When looking at the unrestricted free agents (UFAs) still available for the taking, former Penguins blueliner Matt Grzelcyk is an intriguing option for Pittsburgh to consider.
If the Penguins brought back Grzelcyk, he could compete for a spot on their bottom pairing. However, even if he ended up being an extra defenseman for the Penguins, he could be a good veteran player for them to have when injuries arise.
Grzelcyk also had the best season of his NHL career as a Penguin in 2024-25. In 82 games, he scored one goal and set new career highs with 39 assists and 40 points. With how well he performed during his stint with the Penguins, it would be understandable if Pittsburgh took another chance on him.
On a cheap one-year deal, there could be a good match between the Penguins and Grzelcyk.
May 20, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Konnor Griffin (6) hits a single against the St. Louis Cardinals during the sixth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
Major League Baseball is at the halfway point in its season, and the Pittsburgh Pirates offense has been one of the best in baseball in the first half of the year.
It’s nothing short of amazing how the Pirates were able to turn around their offensive woes from just a season ago. In 2025 Pittsburgh ranked last in runs scored, home runs, RBIs and OPS. They also ranked near the bottom in nearly every other statistical category.
2026 however has seen the script flip almost entirely for the revamped lineup. With new faces contributing like Ryan O’Hearn and Brandon Lowe this offense is sitting near the top in most statistical categories. The Pirates currently rank third in runs scored with 492 near the halfway point in the season. They also rank second in RBIs with 472, sitting just behind Los Angeles Dodgers. The team’s recent series victory against the Nats might be more impressive than many realize, considering that Washington is at the top of several offensive categories.
The bats of Pittsburgh have been much improved this season, with nearly everyone in the lineup being able to contribute on any given night. Nick Gonzales has elevated himself to a different level this season, and was receiving serious All-Star considerations. Bryan Reynolds has been another top performer for the Buccos, maintaining a consistent output all season long. With these players and several others on the team the Pirates have climbed to the top of the rankings in total hits with 857 on the year, 19 more than the second ranked Dodgers.
Since Don Kelly took over as manager for the Pirates, he’s made active base running a big part of the team’s identity. As a result Pittsburgh ranks fifth in baseball for total steals with 88. When your team has players as fast as Konnor Griffin and Oneil Cruz in the lineup you have to be willing to nab some extra bags. Luckily for the Pirates they don’t get caught stealing often either, as they’re in a four way tie for getting caught stealing, with it only happening 16 times so far this year.
As far as the averages are concerned Pittsburgh is also elite in that category. As a team the Pirates rank second in team batting average, on base percentage and OPS while also ranking fifth in slugging percentage. The team has also been more patient at the plate this season as they rank sixth in most bases on balls. Pittsburgh is also tied for seventh-most homers scored with 120. The lowest mark (or the highest) is the team’s amount of strikeouts, as they sit at the top with the most in baseball currently with 860. The high amount of strikeouts is about the only thing that has stayed consistent with last year’s squad.
This is by far the best looking lineup the Pirates have had in years, and the team has a 47-47 record and is within reach of a wild card berth. If the team’s offense can stay consistent through the second half of the season it’s very possible that we could be celebrating the first Bucctober in a decade.
FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS - MAY 31: Mason Molina #21 of the Arkansas Razorbacks throws a pitch during a game against the Southeast Missouri Redhawks at the NCAA Division 1 Baseball Regional on May 31, 2024 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The Razorbacks defeated the Redhawks 17-9. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Back in November of 2025, I broke down the Fangraphs (FG) current rankings of the Cardinals farm system. It has been almost 8 months since and we are about to enter a time when systems are re-shuffled a fair bit. The draft will occur in a couple of weeks, adding new players to the pipeline. Players continue to graduate to MLB, thinning the prospect list and the in-bound draftees will further thin out the bottom ends of the system to make room. All this will influence how each system looks. Each year it is almost like a makeover.
First off, I want to draw your attention to a recent article by VEB alum Ben Clemons that describes an update to prospect valuation. In the FG methodology, prospect valuations help drive their ranking of each system. The article describes the method in more detail. I haven’t had time to digest all the permutations, but my first blush is that the update moves FG further away from other publications preference to weight their system rankings based valuation of the few top-end prospects a system has. Not my favorite approach, but perhaps more predictive? Will have to study this more, to see if my first-blush assessment is even on target. If true, systems with greater quantities of lower-end prospects will see greater rise in evaluations this go around.
A walk down memory lane
Back in November, FG had the Cardinals system ranked#1 in all of baseball (other pubs were not quite that optimistic). FG saw fit to rank and evaluate 49 Cardinal prospects (they include anyone with a Future Value (FV) of 35+ or better in their evals. FG had the overall projected valuation of the 49 players at $283m, almost double their assessment from the year prior for the Cardinals.
Some things have changed since
First and foremost, a number of players will have graduated off the prospect list as they have accumulated MLB service time. This phenomenon affects all systems, but likely affects the Cardinals the most, with them being one of the youngest teams in baseball, they likely have more graduations than average.
In the interim eight months, injuries and performance, both positive and negative, will influence individual player evaluations, which is turn affects the overall system valuation. Without getting too deep into it, I’d hazard a guess that Tink Hence’s injury history and performance have tarnished his earlier premium prospect status and tanked his valuation. Will look more closely as we move along.
How does it look today?
The surface level look shows that the updated methodology has altered the dollar valuations enough that they aren’t readily comparable to prior rankings. For instance, the Cardinals system is now valued at $485m but has fallen to 10th overall in MLB. Interestingly, they now have 52 players in the valuation, an increase of 3 players since November. They got added between the November system ranking and the February player updates. I can’t figure out all 3, but I believe Carlos Carrion and Juan Rujano were two of them. The third? I dunno. It’s a moving target, so I’m not going to sweat it.
For comparison, Pittsburgh is now #1 ranked valuation at $671m. Wow! Before anyone runs screaming from the room, understanding that a valuation system that heavily weights the top end prospects introduces significant risk to the analysis. For example, $340m of the valuation is wrapped up in 3 players with FVs of 70 and 60 (Griffin, Chandler, Hernandez). Miss on any one (or more) of those players, and the overall system will appear to significantly under-perform.
I’m expecting mid-season updates from FG to start leaking out soon, likely before the amateur draft. When they do update, here is what we may see for our home team.
Who will come off the list?
When they update, we should see the following players off the list:
Wetherholt
Crooks
Church
Jordan
Prieto
Torres
So, there will be some significant deductions (value wise) but most of the attrition comes from the lower half of the 49 ranked players. Depending on when FG does their cut, some of these guys may still pass their test for prospects.
Who may get added to the list
So, six guys will come off the list of 49. Who will get added? Back in December, 2025, I formulated a list of existing system prospects who might rise and be added to the list of FG prospects with the next update. I had fourteen names of guys to watch for:
Won-Bin Cho
Zach Levenson
Deniel Ortiz
Michael Watson
Tyler Bradt
Jack Findlay
Andrew Dutkanych IV
Tyler Van Dyke
Nolan Sparks
Alan Reyes
Brian Holiday
Mason Burns
Ethan Young
Payton Graham
Cho, Findlay, Van Dyke seem near certainties to get added as they have advanced and had outstanding seasons. Ortiz may based on last year’s results, but being injured the first half of this year will limit his exposure to evaluators.
Dutkanych IV, Young, Graham and Holiday probably have too much lost time to injury for evaluators to get a feel, but a couple of these guys may end up on the list.
The rest are iffy based on performance or injury, or sometimes both.
There are at least two notable names from the DSL that should break into the updated list:
Sebastian Dos Santos
Cristofer Lebron
One name not on many lists likely to appear on the next prospect list: Jacob Odle.
Who might move up or down enough the alter their valuation significantly?
Tanner Franklin probably tops this list. He was ranked 24 in the prior FG update, with an FV of 40. Top 10 wouldn’t shock me with this update and an FV 50 probably isn’t out of the question. That is a lot of additional value.
Mason Molina probably isn’t far behind. He was ranked 42 with an FV of 35+. Expect him to break the top 20, perhaps? I have no clue what the new FV will be but strongly suspect it won’t be 35+.
Yhoiker Fajardo was ranked 34 with an FV of 40, primarily because of proximity and age-related risk. His continuing success at High-A at his young age should give evaluators more confidence.
Brandon Clarke might sink from that 6 rank a fair bit, due to lost time to injury. He was a 45+ FV primarily due to his injury history, so they may not discount FV much further, but move him down the ordinal ranking nonetheless. The Cardinals have enough depth that he could retain his 45+ FV and end up ranked 15th or so.
Tink Hence. What has happened?
Summary
In the end, it appears that Cardinals will still have a top 10 ranked system, even with all the graduations this year. I’m going to hazard an estimate that the update that comes out will have around 55 ranked prospects, so expect some minor growth in # of prospects and commensurate minor growth in valuation.
Additionally, top-100 draft picks tend to end up in the upper half of individual system rankings. They also tend to get rosy FV grades which will enhance their initial valuation. The Cardinals will have 6 of these picks in the 2026 draft, so expect the number of ranked prospects to rise above 60 by the end of the draft, and perhaps one or two more if the trade deadline works out as expected.
As valuations tend to more heavily weight the 50 FV and up players (especially those above 60 FV), we will have to wait and see how evaluators and scouts see the Cardinals higher end prospects before we know much about the new system valuation. The list of players that could fall in this elite group would seem to come from this pool:
Doyle
Baez (Joshua)
Cijntje
RainRod
Padilla
Peete
Franklin
Fajardo
Dos Santos
Not a bad group. Two years ago, this list would probably have been almost empty, so lots of improvement.
Some might ask about Jesus Baez. I suspect that evaluators won’t be heavily influenced by his recent surge, but are likely noticing it. He currently carries a 40+ FV and evaluators don’t come off those easily. I don’t see him breaking the 50 FV barrier at least this go around. With a strong second half, perhaps by the off-season update.
Summer League basketball might be for the sickos, but if you’re reading this and preparing to watch every Celtics game in Las Vegas, I happily welcome you to the club of unwell basketball enjoyers.
The Celtics project to have one two-way contract up for grabs after Amari Williams signed his deal and Dillion Mitchell got drafted 40th overall, but the possibility for guys to slide into the Maine Celtics system means some of these faces will remain familiar into the season.
For them, it’s a showcase to fight for NBA opportunities. For us, it’s a chance to get out of the offseason headspace for a little bit, and casually enjoy some basketball.
Let’s take a moment to get to know the faces of this year’s Summer League Celtics.
Mohammad Amini
An undrafted international prospect, the Iranian forward spent the last two seasons with SLUC Nancy in the LNB Elite. That’s the top level in France, and Amini carved out a modest role at Nancy, serving up efficient scoring inside the arc.
A 6’7” wing, Amini averaged 8 points on 50% efficiency in 27 games, though he struggled from three (26%) and from the free throw line (62.5%). He’s a composed slasher with the build to power through contact, and his touch around the short mid-range area is sound.
ESPN’s Jeremy Woo had the 21-year-old Amini ranked 97th on his draft big board.
Chris Cenac Jr.
We’ve talked at length about Cenac’s game and what brought him to Boston with the 27th pick, so we’ll focus on the things I’d like to see from the latest first round pick:
1) Glass dominance: Cenac’s greatest trait from what we saw in his lone season at Houston was his ability to win on the glass, particularly on the offensive end. He tracks the ball extremely well both because of his 7-foot-5 wingspan and legitimate instincts to get into the right spots. The Summer League Celtics have plenty of creators, I want to see Cenac be a play finisher.
2) Shooting confidence: Cenac was a willing outside shooter last season, shooting three attempts per game from beyond the arc, but was just 33% on those looks. Not an egregious number, but Cenac hasn’t proven to be a reliable threat from distance. This is a chance to see where his progress is at. Pick-and-pops at the top of the arc and spot-ups from the corner are the shots he’s looked most comfortable taking, and those are what I want to see in Vegas.
3) Rim Protection: Houston head coach Kelvin Sampson asked a lot out of Cenac at the 5. It wasn’t always smooth sailing, but Cenac was praised for his work ethic and commitment even if he wasn’t always comfortable away from the basket. It wasn’t the best shot-blocking season, but Cenac showed potential to be a fleet-footed 5 with ball-denying instincts. Cenac is the second-tallest player on the Summer League roster behind Amari Williams, so expect plenty of opportunities for Cenac to work as the center defending the rim.
Tucker DeVries
Signing an Exhibit 10 contract along with Milos Uzan, Tucker DeVries will have a shot at a two-way contract with opportunities both in Vegas and in training camp.
The 6-foot-7 DeVries was a two-time Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year at Drake before following his dad and head coach Darian DeVries to West Virginia and, most recently, Indiana.
At Indiana, he averaged 14 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists, though his efficiency dipped from his usual averages, finishing 40% from the field and 33% from three.
Despite a down-year shooting, DeVries has unwavering shooting confidence. He attempted 998 threes in his college career and connected on 36% of them. He’s an active off-ball mover and a strong floor-connecting presence with his ball movement. The potential to work off-ball and as a pick-and-roll threat are there for DeVries. Think Joe Ingles, and you’ll have a good idea of DeVries’ skillset and basketball IQ.
An older rookie, the 23-year-old DeVries is a possible standout among the non-guaranteed Summer League Celtics fighting for their NBA breakthrough.
Hugo Gonzalez
Chances are, it’ll be a brief appearance for Hugo in his second Summer League. He’s primed for a major minutes jump in Year 2 after the Jaylen Brown-Paul George blockbuster, and there really aren’t many question marks with where his game is heading.
Hugo was a jolt of energy every time he stepped on the floor, with the groundwork of his offense mostly coming off catch-and-shoot threes, transition attacks and the occasional drive into his patented euro-step.
Hugo’s Summer League should provide more chances to put the ball in his hands. Unlike last year’s Summer League team, there are more on-ball guards to run offense, but Hugo’s flashed even more on-ball potential this summer with the Spanish national team at the World Cup qualifiers.
This is just another chance to foster excitement for what should be a very strong sophomore season.
Caleb Grill
It’ll be a bit of a reunion trip for Caleb Grill when he plays at UNLV’s Thomas & Mack Center. Grill, 26 years old, played one year of college at UNLV, along with seasons at Iowa State and Missouri.
In his last season at Missouri, Grill was named SEC Sixth Man of the Year, averaging 14 points off the bench and shooting 40% from three.
Last year, Grill’s first season as a pro was spent between spots with the Greensboro Swarm and Windy City Bulls, and in 27 games, he averaged 10 points and 3.5 rebounds on 44/38/71 shooting splits.
Grill’s calling card is his off-ball shooting. A 6’3” guard, he’s a plus-athlete that can really burst into space and leave defenders in the dust. His production stayed consistent between college and the G League, and he’ll come into the Vegas showcase looking to fire away to show off his shooting marksmanship for another pro opportunity.
Curtis Jones
An undrafted rookie out of Iowa State last year, Curtis Jones was, essentially, a Summer League star last July. He averaged 26 points in 20 minutes for the Nuggets, shot 55% from the field and 47% from three, and grabbed 8 rebounds with 7 assists and 1.4 steals.
He was a beast, and it earned him a two-way contract in Denver, which offered him 10 appearances with the top squad and 41 with the Grand Rapids Gold. He was a 21-point scorer on 40/36/84 splits with the Gold, while also grabbing 5 rebounds and 6 assists. Rookie season highlights include a 40-point, 8-rebound game against the Capital City Go-Go, and a 13-point game on perfect 4-for-4 3-point shooting in Denver’s regular season finale against the Spurs.
A good shooter with a multi-faceted skillset and defensive upside, Jones is likely going to be a favorite for that third two-way spot, and another great Summer League will go a long way in keeping him around Boston.
Kyle Mangas
Like Curtis Jones, Kyle Mangas is also in search of his second two-way contract.
Mangas’ journey to pro basketball is truly interesting. He played NAIA Division II hoops at Indiana Wesleyan, earning player of the year honors twice, then made pro-league stops in Czech, Lithuanian and Canadian leagues before a two-way opportunity opened up with the Spurs. That opportunity lasted just nine days before he was waived.
He’s played 100 G League games dating back to 2023, and has proven to be a very solid scoring threat at that level. Last year with the Austin Spurs, he averaged 17 points on 45/40/76 splits along with 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal per game.
For a good time, watch his 45-point career high against the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. It’s an impressive shooting display, and for what it’s worth, he accounted for 42% of his team’s scoring total.
The 27-year-old, 6-foot-4 guard can light it up on the G League stage, so the opportunity to do the same in the Summer League isn’t far-fetched.
Dillon Mitchell
Mitchell is essentially a lock for a two-way spot after getting selected early in the second round and being showered in praise by Mike Zarren in his post-draft press conference.
This will be an exciting opportunity for unfamiliar fans to see just how dynamic Mitchell can be on defense. He is all over the court making plays, pairing a developed build with high-level athleticism to turn defense into offense.
His open-floor speed and intelligent glue-guy tendencies should also flash. Paired with Hugo Gonzalez, the perimeter defense will be in good hands.
Don’t expect huge numbers from Mitchell, but prepare to be wowed by his energy, his shot-blocking, his rebounding, all the little things that can turn a second round pick into a fan favorite.
Hank Morgan
I wrote a story on Hank Morgan’s journey to the Maine Celtics last season that you can find here, but to summarize, he was the G League’s only Division III player last season, joining with the Celtics not long after the trade deadline after spending a portion of the season with the Salt Lake City Stars along with John Tonje (who we’ll get to in a minute).
A 6-foot-5 forward with a sharpshooter’s touch from deep, Morgan was a 40% 3-point shooter and 47% shooter in 24 G League games. While not a high-volume player, Morgan took advantage of the looks that came his way, and it must’ve reflected well on the Celtics staff, as he’ll get an additional look from the organization this summer.
His claim to G League fame was against the Osceola Magic, when he hit 6-of-7 threes for a 22-point outing in March. It was that game where the Maine social media team affectionately began referring to him as “No Dip Hank.”
It’s pretty miraculous for any DIII athlete to earn a professional opportunity, but Morgan was a unique case last year, standing alone amongst college stars, first round picks, and career G Leaguers hoping to earn that NBA promotion.
Nick Pringle
A 6-foot-10 power forward that had five college stops, including a JUCO stint at Dodge City Community College, Nick Pringle finished with 33 starts at Arkansas alongside draftees Darius Acuff and Meleek Thomas in a season that ended in the Sweet Sixteen.
Though never a stat-stuffer in any of his college years, averaging 5 points and 4 rebounds this past season, Pringle flashes exciting athletic upside. He’s got strength, post-up finesse, and serious above-the-rim finishing. His face-up game is also respectable.
Above all though, Pringle is a tough rebounder that owns his space and really battles to come down with the ball. If there’s an area to watch out for in Vegas, it’s this one.
Day Day Thomas
After two years of JUCO hoops and three at Cincinnati, Day Day Thomas enters the pro game with a background as a reliable 3-point shooter and defensive ace.
His 61 steals in his first year with the Bearcats ranks fourth in a single season in program history, and he finished his college career averaging 1.5 steals per game. Despite being an undersized 6-foot-1 guard, he made up for this with constant on-ball pressure, quick hands, and the speed to recover on help and around screens.
As a shooter, he jumped up from 28% 3-point shooting to 40% on the same volume in his first two years before ending his college career converting at a 38% clip as a graduate student.
Cincinnati’s lead guard, Thomas was a pretty balanced showrunner. He flashed good passing vision (3.5 assists to 1.7 turnovers last year), rebounding effort (3 rebounds) and the ability to create his own shot, particularly from deep. He was a double-figure scorer in all three seasons with the Bearcats, averaging 10.7 points for his Division I career.
Feeding in passes to Clippers rookie Baba Miller, Cincinnati could really run the floor and push the pace. Perhaps we’ll see the same next to Cenac.
John Tonje
We weren’t quite sure if John Tonje would be back after the Celtics didn’t pick up his qualifying offer, but now that we know he’s Summer League-bound, it’s good to see him return.
Tonje split time as a two-way between the Celtics and the Jazz last season, moving over to Boston at the deadline through the Chris Boucher trade and impressing in Maine with averages of 18 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1 steal. He was a 44% shooter from the field and 35% from three, mostly getting his buckets by slashing inside.
The 53rd pick of the 2025 draft out of Wisconsin, Tonje’s slashing ability has been his trademark for some time, blending downhill physicality with an impressive first step. He always has an attacking mindset, and it transitioned smoothly in the G League.
He earned a standard contract late in the season with Boston, featuring in six games, including a 13-point effort in the season finale against Orlando where he hit three of his eight 3-pointers.
He’ll have to really impress to compete for that final two-way roster spot, but Tonje is a familiar face that’s already proven he can be a bucket at the G League level. At 25 years old, he’s less of a developmental pick for that final contract and more of a Ron Harper Jr. pick as someone you want to see dominate at the lower level while seamlessly sliding into a complimentary role if called upon in Boston.
Milos Uzan
The first undrafted signee for Boston from this year’s draft, Milos Uzan was one of the bigger names to not get called, and there’s certainly a reason to get excited about his opportunity on an Exhibit 10 contract.
A starter for 133 of his 141 games between Oklahoma and Houston, Uzan was a key contributor in Houston’s run to the NCAA Championship in 2025, averaging 11 points, 4 assists and a steal on efficient 45/43/78 splits. He showcases maturity running offense, great body control through contact, and a reliable float game, on top of his efficient outside shooting and playmaking vision.
The ball wasn’t in his hands quite as much this past year due to the arrival of Kingston Flemings, though Uzan still averaged 11 points and 4 assists, albeit on lower efficiency with slightly higher shooting volume (38/34/74 splits).
The 6’4” guard has NBA traits and a balanced skillset. The ability to run offense, operate in the pick-and-roll, and find his own shot is going to be on full display in the Summer League, and with a good enough showing and Boston likely riding into the season with a need for more backcourt depth, Uzan has a real chance to stick around and find his place on the roster.
Chauncey Wiggins
A 6’10” stretch big from Florida State and Clemson, Chauncey Wiggins’ primary skill is his ability to cash in from deep.
Wiggins has been an excellent outside shooter for all four of his college seasons, finishing his career as a 37.5% shooter, most recently connecting on 39% of his triples (5.8 attempts per game) in his lone season with the Seminoles. This past season was also his best on 2-point attempts, finishing 62% on 2s and 81% at the rim. As a pick-and-pop threat, Florida State wisely used that to their advantage, utilizing him as a roller more often to open things up. With a career-high 13 points per game, he was second on the team in scoring.
For his size, Wiggins never really proved to be much of a rebounding threat (2.5 rebounds over his career) or a shot-blocker (27 blocked shots in 129 games), making him a true shooting specialist.
Alondes Williams
Alondes Williams might be one of the more recognizable additions to the roster.
At 27 years old, he’s played 13 NBA games between stops with the Pistons, Wizards, Heat and Nets, he was the G League’s Most Improved Player in 2024, and at Wake Forest, he was the ACC Player of the Year in 2022.
He’s had three two-way contracts over his career and has mostly found himself in that zone of “too good for the G, but not quite there for the NBA,” but with the Wizards last year, he got three games of 27 or more minutes, highlighted by a 25-point outing against the Pacers where he shot 9-of-11 from the field with 10 boards, 4 assists and 2 blocks.
He does a little bit of everything. Defensively he shows really strong instincts and the ability to time his slap-downs as shooters get into their motion. On his drives he can really spring up and rock the rim. There’s playmaking chops, rebounding effort, consistent outside shooting. Alondes Williams can really hoop.
In 25 games with the Capital City Go-Go, he scored 23 points on 47/42/78 splits to go with 6 rebounds and 5 assists. At that level, he can simply take over games. It should be no different in the Summer League.
Amari Williams
Another young buck we know pretty well by this point, Williams wasn’t crushing it in his first Summer League, but I certainly expect it this time around.
His passing vision has been on display in every level of the game he’s played in, including spot opportunities with Boston. He recorded multiple triple-doubles in the G League last year, and was one of their biggest highlights on that roster.
He’s back on a two-way contract for a second season, and with the Celtics now locked into a three-big lineup of Mitchell Robinson, Neemias Queta, and Luka Garza, it seems like Williams will again spend the majority of his time in Maine, though it’s clear from what we’ve seen in his NBA minutes he is capable of holding his own against increased competition.
Mark Pope recently appeared on Kentucky Sports Radio and was interviewed by Matt Jones. We received tons of noteworthy insights from the interview, but he also highlighted a guy on this upcoming roster when asked how the team was looking in summer workouts.
“I like our gym. Our gym feels good. We set out with some very clear intentions as we worked through the portal trying to put this particular team together, and I think I like where we are,” said Pope. I think we have a ton of creator vibe, and we’re seeing that on the practice floor, we’ve got a ton of length, a ton of shooting, and some really fun, different levels.”
Overall, those are the things you want to hear about the team at this point, some cliché things, but some are necessary things that this fanbase was hoping to hear.
Big Blue Nation has some curiosity about the players, specifically, though, who is standing out?
Mason Williams
When asked about freshman point guard Mason Williams standing out in summer workouts, Pope had this to say:
“Mason has got to grow for sure, but he’s coming in with a college-ready body. And he is a voracious worker. He is just relentless in the gym. He’s shooting the ball at an elite level. He’s one of those guys right now that is a young player that I’m trying to get him to stop deferring, and actually go hunt possessions. He’s a great playmaker. He’s got to learn how to play us. He’s going to learn all the freshman stuff, but I’m telling you what, I have high hopes for him and his trajectory. I think he’s got a chance to be a very good player.”
One of the many talking points among the fanbase this offseason has been the backcourt of Zoom Diallo and Alex Wilkins, two elite creators on offense, but Williams has not been given the respect he seems to deserve. There is a clear role for him as a backup point guard on this team right away. Get in there, shoot when open, take care of the ball, and steady the ship while the starters are out.
Williams was a 4-star guard from Tennessee Collegiate Academy in Millington, Tennessee, and committed to Kentucky on March 27. His Father, Mo Williams, joined the staff three days after his son committed to Kentucky. Some fans speculated that Kentucky just picked up his son to get him on staff, but the incoming guard looks like he may very well crack the rotation this year.
Trent Noah
It’s no secret that junior forward Trent Noah shined bright in offseason workouts last year but failed to live up to that promise once the games got real.
When asked if Noah is finally taking the next step in his development, here is what Pope had to say:
“Trent Noah man, he’s been the best player on our roster in the first four weeks of camp. He tweaked a hamstring, which is nothing, but he’s actually leading in the defensive impact metric right now on this roster. And the thing is, we talk about growing players, Trent is in his third year here. He is completely devoted and dedicated to Kentucky Basketball, and getting better, and we’ll see the fruits of that growth.
“It’s players like Trent Noah, and you watch them rise up, that you build a relationship over the years, he’s going to be really special this year. I am super proud of him. So he is going to have an impact on this roster for sure.
