Fort Myers, FL - February 17: Boston Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow (center) talks to pitcher Brayan Bellow (second from right) and shortstop Ceddanne Rafaela (far right) during spring training at JetBlue Park. (Photo by Danielle Parhizkaran/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
Ceddanne Rafaela didn’t have a particularly impactful All-Star Game performance. But he did get a chance to reconnect with one of his baseball heroes and mentors. Fellow Curacaoan/defensive genius Andruw Jones was also in Philadelphia, and the two met up and talked for well over an hour. “I like everything I see,” Jones said of Ceddanne. “It’s hard to compare people to other people. It’s hard to compare to Ken Griffey Jr. It’s hard to compare to Willie Mays. It’s hard to compare to any great center fielder out there. I like what I see. He’s gonna be a great one.” (Chris Cotillo, MassLive)
Ceddy wasn’t the only Red Sox player who had a chance to connect with his countrymen in Philadelphia. When Aroldis Chapman entered the game in the ninth inning, he represented the seventh Cuban to play in the game, which broke a record. 25% of all Cuban big leaguers made it to the All-Star Game, compared to just 5% of big leaguers overall. “Happy and proud to be part of this group,” Chapman said. “That means a lot for us, and also talks about the season the Cubans are having and we are having. Hopefully next year, we get to break the record and bring even more.” (Anthony DiComo, MLB.com)
A few weeks ago, it looked certain that Chapman’s time in Boston would soon be coming to an end. But after a 14-2 run to pull themselves back into the postseason picture, talk of the Red Sox selling at the trade deadline has all but ceased. Now the players are sending the front office a clear message: it’s time to buy. “I believe [Breslow] and everybody in the front office will go out there and get what they think we’re missing,” said Rafaela. “Personally, I believe in the whole group and I believe in what we have. Of course we want everybody to stay together at the trade deadline.” (Alex Speier, Boston Globe)
Chapman could have a new (old) bullpen mate soon. Tommy Kahnle, who elected free agency after being designated for assignment by the Sox just a few weeks ago, has re-signed with the team. He’ll head to AAA for now. (Chris Mason, MassLive)
So Kahnle may return to the Fenway, but what all about all the players recovering from injury? This notebook contains a rundown of injury news. Trevor Story is “progressing from sports hernia surgery more quickly than expected,” but none of Roman Anthony, Marcelo Mayer, or Isiah Kiner-Falefa are swinging bats yet. (Jen McCaffrey, The Athletic)
Even had the team still been on the path towards selling, they might not have been able to trade Willson Contreras, who has a no-trade clause and is prepared to use it. “The front office knows the answer,” Contreras said when asked if he’d refuse a trade. “I don’t think I’m interested in going anywhere.” (Peter Abraham and Alex Speier, Boston Globe)
McLaren’s fourth change of power unit exceeds regulations
Reigning champion eyes overtaking opportunities
Lando Norris believes he can still be competitive at this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix, despite a 10-place grid penalty. The defending world champion will nonetheless have his work cut out at Spa after his McLaren team took a new battery for his car, the fourth, one more than is allowed.
Norris is fifth in the world championship, 82 points behind the leader, Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli. He and McLaren have endured a series of failures from their Mercedes power unit this season, including “terminal” issues with the power electronics unit, a part of the battery. One failed in China, one was withdrawn in Japan, repaired but failed at Monaco.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - MAY 17: Ryan Jeffers #27 of the Minnesota Twins looks on against the Milwaukee Brewers on May 17, 2026 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Rarely at MLB’s trade deadline does a single, obvious player-team match take hold. Any player with substantial value who’s on the market tends to garner interest from across the league, making their landing place a mystery until the 11th hour. But when you cross-reference a thin market at catcher with a small number of teams feeling the need to substantially upgrade at the position mid-season, you can see why sportswriters around the league are shipping Ryan Jeffers to the Yankees.
The Yankees’ catchers have been a black hole at this plate this season. Austin Wells is hitting .155 and his backup coming into the year, J.C. Escarra, has been no better, playing his way back down to Triple-A. As a group, their 44 wRC+ is the worst among any team’s backstops and they’re on pace for an astonishingly low 41 RBI. Even if one of the pair of incumbents can show some signs of life, both are left-handed, making a right-handed platoon partner a clear area of need.
Enter Jeffers. At an offensively stunted position, the 29-year-old has quietly developed into one of the most consistent catchers in the game. He’s slashed .258/.346/.445 since 2023, averaging 22 homers and 78 RBI per 162 games. Among primary catchers over that span, his 122 wRC+ ranks behind only Willson Contreras, Iván Herrera, and Cal Raleigh.
He’s less of a difference-maker behind the plate. He was around the bottom of the league in blocking and throwing out runners last year and below average in framing, an area the Yankees and their catching coordinator, Tanner Swanson, have made a focal point in recent years. While he’s grading out a bit better this year, it’s unclear if that’s a small-sample blip or a product of sustainable improvement.
Jeffers was in the midst of a career year this season, posting a .949 OPS before landing on the IL with a fractured left hamate bone in mid-May. He returned to play in two games before the All-Star break and the early returns were encouraging.
The seven-year veteran is set to hit free agency after the season, making him a true rental. In a normal season, with the Twins hitting the break below .500, he would be a no-brainer to get moved.
Of course, in this year’s AL, things are not that simple. Minnesota is tied with Seattle for the third Wild Card spot and sits just three games behind the White Sox in the AL Central. They’ll be joining a cavalcade of teams faced with the same difficult decision: capitalize on a seller’s market to load up for the future or cash in some chips to fight for a playoff spot now.
There’s also the middle path. As Twins beat writer Matthew Leach suggests, GM Jeremy Zoll may opt to trade some players on expiring contracts while adding big-league talent to help them compete this year. Veteran backstop Victor Caratini filled in capably in Jeffers’ absence, slashing .282/.365/.496 since he went down. His presence on the roster would allow the Twins to move their starter without completely punting at catcher.
Should the Twins elect to move Jeffers, expect the Yankees to be at the front of the line. While his defensive profile does not line up with the team’s preferences at the position, beggars can’t be choosers. His bat from the right side paired with the left-handed Wells, who must be considered a glove-first (if not glove-only) catcher until he proves differently, would be a clear upgrade from Wells backed up by either Escarra or journeyman Ali Sánchez. If the Twins hold onto Jeffers, the pickings could get very slim among right-handed catchers very fast.
The NBA offseason is close to complete. Free agency, minus LeBron James’ next destination, is almost over. The draft has come and gone. A number of elite players, from Giannis Antetokounmpo to Jaylen Brown, have changed teams.
With that said, The Post’s Zach Braziller breaks down the league’s landscape, ranking the teams from 1-30.
True title contenders
1. Oklahoma City Thunder
If healthy, the Thunder are the best team. Remember, top guards Ajay Mitchell and Jalen Williams were either significantly limited or out during the Western Conference finals against the Spurs, and that series still went the distance.
A healthy Jalen Williams helps make the Thunder the best team in the NBA, heading into the 2026-27 season, The Post’s Zach Braziller writes. Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports
2. New York Knicks
The Knicks are basically running it back following their first title in 53 years — except for replacing Mitchell Robinson with Andre Drummond as Karl-Anthony Towns’ backup. They remain the best team in the Eastern Conference until further notice.
3. San Antonio Spurs
It’s a matter of when — not if — for the Spurs’ next title. The young big three of Victor Wembanyama, Dylan Harper and Stephon Castle have dynastic possibilities, and San Antonio made two intriguing first-round picks in Tarris Reed Jr. and Jayden Quaintance to improve its interior depth behind Wembanyama.
4. Indiana Pacers
Tyrese Haliburton is back, and so are the Pacers after a nightmarish 19-win campaign. The team that took the Thunder to seven games in the NBA Finals in 2025 will be mostly intact again, aside from Ivica Zubac replacing Myles Turner.
The Knicks, led by Jalen Brunson, are the No. 2-ranked team in the Post’s Zach Braziller’s 1-30 NBA rankings. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Can play deep into May
5. Toronto Raptors
As long as the Kawhi Leonard trade with the Clippers ultimately goes through, the Raptors have major contending potential. The 35-year-old Leonard is still a star — when healthy — and he joins a quality nucleus featuring Scottie Barnes, RJ Barrett, Jakob Poeltl and Immanuel Quickley.
6. Philadelphia 76ers
It’s easy to see the 76ers having a big year, led by the big four of Jaylen Brown, Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe. But there are depth and chemistry questions to be answered for this top-heavy roster.
7. Minnesota Timberwolves
Minnesota had a fascinating offseason headlined by the blockbuster four-team trade that landed the Timberwolves LaMelo Ball and sent Naz Reid to the Hornets. Ball and Anthony Edwards could be terrific together — or a disaster. This is a boom-or-bust roster that no longer includes Julius Randle and will likely feature Jaden McDaniels as a small-ball four.
8. Boston Celtics
The Celtics got better on the interior with the addition of Robinson, but worse on the perimeter after the Brown trade. Jayson Tatum should be able to recapture his superstar form after returning from his torn Achilles tendon last season, but does he have a suitable wingman now that Brown is in Philadelphia?
Jayson Tatum should regain his superstar form next season for the Celtics, The Post’s Zach Braziller writes. Getty Images
9. Atlanta Hawks
Nobody gave the Knicks more issues in the playoffs than the Hawks, who returned their entire young core and had a terrific draft, selecting hard-nosed prospects Kingston Flemings of Houston and Zuby Ejiofor of St. John’s.
10. Denver Nuggets
The Nuggets are basically the same team that couldn’t get out of the first round. After Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon, there isn’t much there.
11. Houston Rockets
There is enough talent here to finish in the top half of the West: An All-Star forward (Alperen Sengun), quality point guard (Fred VanVleet), still productive future Hall of Fame wing (Kevin Durant) and on-the-rise young two-way star guard (Amen Thompson).
Pretenders
12. Los Angeles Lakers
It is now Luka Doncic’s team, after LeBron James’ departure. The Lakers have spent a lot this offseason already in bringing back Austin Reaves ($180 million) and signing Walker Kessler ($130M), Quentin Grimes ($60M) and Sandro Mamukelashvili ($52M). But those moves aren’t going to scare the Thunder or the Spurs.
With the departure of LeBron James, the Lakers are Luka Doncic’s team now. Getty Images
13. Miami Heat
Giannis Antetokounmpo is now in South Beach, joining Bam Adebayo. That duo doesn’t have much help — Tim Hardaway Jr. and Andrew Wiggins aren’t difference makers — and it would be a stretch for the Heat to be considered a legitimate contender.
14. Detroit Pistons
It wasn’t so long ago the Pistons were favored to reach the NBA Finals. Now, after a playoff flop and an underwhelming offseason so far, Detroit may not even be in the top four of the East.
15. Orlando Magic
The Magic seemed primed to upset the top seed in the first round before Franz Wagner suffered an ill-timed calf injury. Orlando didn’t let that deter them from making a change at coach, hiring highly regarded Spurs assistant Sean Sweeney to replace Jamahl Mosley. That was the big change for the Magic.
16. Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland’s offseason is all about bringing back LeBron James. They let valuable forward Dean Wade walk in free agency and haven’t done much to upgrade after they were swept out of the Eastern Conference finals by the Knicks.
Play-in potential
17. Phoenix Suns
The additions of Miles Bridges and Luke Kennard provide offensive oomph, and the Suns also retained center Mark Williams along with guards Jordan Goodwin and Collin Gillespie.
Former Hornet Miles Bridges will bring some more offensive punch to the Suns. AP
18. Portland Trail Blazers
Ja Morant and Damian Lillard are now part of the same backcourt mix that also includes Shaedon Sharpe. Deni Avdija is coming off a breakout season (24.2 points, 6.7 assists) and Donovan Clingan has shown potential as a rim-protecting court-spacer in the middle. Potentially fun team.
19. Utah Jazz
After four straight losing seasons, Utah may be ready to at least contend for a playoff berth. The second overall pick in the draft, Darryn Peterson, has superstar potential, and Jaren Jackson Jr. and Lauri Markkanen could be dynamite together in the frontcourt.
20. Charlotte Hornets
Charlotte improved its frontcourt with the addition of Naz Reid, but got worse at point guard in losing LaMelo Ball. The Hornets, coming off their first winning season in four years, are betting big on Coby White to fill that void.
21. Washington Wizards
Say this for the Wizards: They’ll at least be worth checking out. Experienced veterans Trae Young and Anthony Davis are joined by the No. 1 overall pick in AJ Dybantsa. Will this result in Washington’s first winning season since 2017-18? It can’t be discounted.
No. 1 pick AJ Dybantsa makes the Wizards a team to watch this season, writes the Post’s Zach Braziller. NBAE via Getty Images
22. Golden State Warriors
Like the Cavaliers, the Warriors’ offseason hinges on LeBron James. Steph Curry and Draymond Green aren’t getting any younger, and Golden State hasn’t done anything so far to add to a 37-win team.
23. Dallas Mavericks
The big moves in Dallas aren’t player-related. They included hiring Masai Ujiri as the new team president and bringing in Michigan’s Dusty May as new head coach.
Enjoy the lottery
24. New Orleans Pelicans
How long do Trey Murphy III and Zion Williamson remain in New Orleans? The Pelicans have two trade chips that could land them a ton of draft picks.
Zion Williamson’s long-term future with the Pelicans remains up in the air. Getty Images
25. Chicago Bulls
Top draft pick Caleb Wilson has been one of the stars of the NBA Summer League, an exciting young forward who the Bulls and new coach Tiago Splitter hope to build around.
26. Brooklyn Nets
A starting five of Michael Porter Jr., Julius Randle, Day’Ron Sharpe, Egor Dëmin and Mikel Brown Jr. is intriguing, and sure beats the tanking rosters general manager Sean Marks has given Nets fans the last two seasons.
27. Sacramento Kings
The Kings have reached the playoffs just once in the last 20 years, and have lost at least 50 games 10 times in that span. Expect the losing to continue next year.
28. Memphis Grizzlies
This is now Cameron Boozer’s team. The third overall draft pick is the face of the franchise after it sent Ja Morant to Portland. Patience will be required.
29. Los Angeles Clippers
After a decade and a half of contention, the Clippers are rebuilding. Hey, at least the Intuit Dome is cool.
30. Milwaukee Bucks
The Bucks are rebuilding after sending Antetokounmpo to Miami, ending what felt like an eternity of rumors involving the two-time MVP’s future. Get used to the lottery, Milwaukee.
That said, Stevens has to stay alert. The bigger judgment of the Brown trade won’t come until we see how Stevens maximizes the assets acquired. That is unlikely to be decided this summer.
But there are still a few other items to attend to, including …
The Payton Pritchard extension
Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
Payton Pritchard will be eligible for a three-year extension worth up to \$67 million starting in October.
Pritchard is eligible for a three-year extension at up to $67 million starting in October. Both sides should seemingly be motivated to get a deal done.
For the Celtics, Pritchard’s four-year, $30 million extension has made him maybe the best value contract in the NBA. From Sixth Man of the Year on championship-level teams to thriving in a starting role last year, Pritchard is performing well beyond the $7.8 million (4.7 percent of the cap) that he’ll earn this season (and the $8.3 million he’s scheduled to earn in 2027-28). The bump to an average annual value of $22.3 million rewards Pritchard for his current impact and banks on his continuing to be an impact player on title-hunting teams through Jayson Tatum’s prime.
For Pritchard, an extension would be a chance to finally cash in after earning just under $25 million over the first six years of his NBA career. His current deal will take him through his age-30 season. He could wait through the 2025-26 season with hopes of tacking on an extra year of guaranteed money — with the very real chance that he’ll put up some glitzy numbers this year after the Celtics moved on from Brown.
Alas, the history of small guards suggests that guaranteed money shouldn’t be messed with. Pritchard would still have a chance to earn another decent-money deal when this potential extension expired after the 2030-31 season.
The Jordan Walsh extension
David Butler II-Imagn Images
Jordan Walsh should be one of Boston’s most motivated players for the 2026-27 season.
Jordan Walsh, still only 22 years old, is entering the final year of a rookie contract that will pay him what’s currently a team-low $2.4 million this season. He becomes extension eligible on July 20. Walsh’s playing time was inconsistent last year, though he had stretches where rival players were gushing about his potential to be one of the most impactful wing defenders in the league.
Walsh could bet on himself knowing that increased opportunity without Brown around might drive his price tag up next summer. The Celtics are also overflowing with long, defensive-minded wings, and Walsh will have to decide if — like Ron Harper Jr. to start this summer — there’s a long-term number that Boston could entice him with now.
A Walsh who is playing for his next contract might produce the most motivated player for the 2026-27 season.
Filling out the roster
The Celtics currently stand at 14 roster players after waiving Dalano Banton before the start of Summer League. The team has often entered seasons with an open roster spot to maximize flexibility and can do the necessary money juggling before the finish line of the season.
The Celtics have obvious motivation to once again duck the luxury tax, which would reset current repeater penalties and allow the team to splurge more freely over the next two summers.
Second-round draft pick Dillon Mitchell has played well enough at Summer League to make it a conversation about whether the team should simply roster him now. Boston has typically started their second-round picks on two-way deals, though many have earned in-season promotions by the end of their rookie campaigns.
Boston has two two-way slots available, with only Amari Williams inked to one of three available deals. Mitchell and John Tonje would seemingly be favorites to earn those spots, at least based on Summer League returns.
Milos Uzan and Tucker DeVries have signed training camp deals with Boston, per Spotrac. The Celtics would likely prefer to funnel them to Maine as affiliated players if they don’t find roster opportunities with other teams out of camp.
Any other deals out there?
While August tends to be a dead period for NBA transactions, it’s also the time that teams start taking a harder look at where their rosters stand before players start rolling in for the ramp to training camp.
The Celtics should feel confident about where the roster stands at the moment. The addition of Mitchell Robinson shored up the team’s biggest area of need this offseason and delivered a key contributor from a rival (and title) team. The Celtics’ roster is well balanced with the additions of Mike Conley and Paul George. Boston’s current depth chart:
Ball-handlers: Payton Pritchard, Derrick White, Mike Conley
Wings & Swings: Jayson Tatum, Paul George, Sam Hauser, Hugo Gonzalez, Baylor Scheierman, Ron Harper Jr., Jordan Walsh
Bigs: Neemias Queta, Mitchell Robinson, Luka Garza, Chris Cenac Jr.
Two-way: Amari Williams, TBD x 2
John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
The Celtics’ signing of Mitchell Robinson addressed their glaring need for frontcourt depth.
The Celtics are well-stocked at wings and swings. We suspect Boston will tread cautiously with playing time for both Conley and George, allowing younger players to continue to get necessary reps.
We’d also suspect that the team would wait until the season to make decisions on any areas of need. Hauser’s name will perpetually dance in trade speculation because of Boston’s depth and his manageable cap number. But his 3-point output could continue to be vital for a team that might double down on attempts from deep, especially with Robinson now on board to help track the misfires.
The big question — whenever the next opportunity presents itself — is whether Boston can utilize available salaries and its beefed-up collection of future picks to get in whenever the next disgruntled player hits the market.
Every season, a superstar balks at their situation. Boston has the necessary pieces — and, ahem, optionality — to at least entertain any pursuit.
Club options by end of October
The Celtics have until the end of October (when the 2026-27 season will have already started) to trigger the club options on draftees Hugo Gonzalez and Baylor Scheierman. That’s just a formality for rookie deals. Scheierman is extension eligible next summer.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JULY 14: Bruce Thornton #2 of the Houston Rockets dribbles the ball during the first half of a 2026 NBA Summer League game against the Philadelphia 76ers at the Thomas & Mack Center on July 14, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images) | Getty Images
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Houston Rockets second round guard Bruce Thornton has played pretty well through three NBA Summer League Games in which the Rockets have gone 2-1. Thornton has averaged 20.7 points, 4.3 assists, 3.7 rebounds, and 3.3 steals per game, shooting 40.9 percent from the field and 42.8 percent from three-point range.
Game-by-Game Breakdown
Game 1 vs. Denver Nuggets: 27 points (7-18 FG, 3-8 3Pt, 7-7 FT), 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals.
Game 2 vs. Toronto Raptors: 17 points (6-17 FG, 3-6 3Pt, 1-2 FT), 6 rebounds, 6 assists, and 5 steals.
Game 3 vs. Philadelphia 76ers: 18 points (5-9 FG, 3-7 3Pt, 3-5 FT), 2 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals
So what we’re asking you to do is give Thornton a grade for the Summer League so far.
Cast your vote, tell us in the comments, and we’ll be back soon with results.
The NHL released its 2026-27 regular-season schedule Thursday as the league expands its campaign from 82 to 84 games.
San Jose will open the season at home against the Florida Panthers on Oct. 1 at SAP Center. The Sharks swept the Panthers 2-0 in their 2025-26 regular-season series.
The Sharks will stay at home to host the Los Angeles Kings on Oct. 3.
San Jose’s first road game is Oct. 5 against the Dallas Stars at American Airlines Center.
The Sharks have two six-game road trips — one within the first two weeks of the season — and two five-game road trips. Additionally, they’ll have a seven-game homestand in late January through mid-February.
San Jose will end its campaign with a three-game homestand: against the St Louis Blues, Minnesota Wild and the Anahaim Ducks for the regular-season finale.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 11: Morez Johnson #14 of the Dallas Mavericks shoots the ball during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers on July 11, 2026 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. 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 Candice Ward/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Dallas Mavericks, or at least the summer version of themselves, knocked off Cam Boozer and the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday night to win their first game of the Las Vegas Summer League. As the old adage goes, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, and that should be true of any grandiose Summer League takes from Dallas’ first three games.
Nonetheless, after attending the Mavericks’ first game in Vegas and loosely watching the last two, there are at least some big picture thoughts that I think could matter as we get closer to the NBA’s regular season.
The rooks have impressed far more than the sophomores
It’s not like Dallas was in a position where they needed a second-year guy to come to Vegas and show that they’re too good for Summer League. Cooper Flagg showed plenty enough last year in route to winning Rookie of the Year to avoid playing in Vegas again. The Mavericks did, however, bring each of their three two-way contract players to Vegas, and the results have been mixed at best.
Ryan Nembhard was legitimately terrible against the Lakers on Saturday night, with five turnovers complimenting his 3-for-11 night from the floor. John Poulakidas has been fine, albeit the shot has been a bit uninspiring after yet another 1-for-4 showing against Memphis on Monday. And then there’s Tyler Smith, who received a DNP – coaches decision on Monday against the Grizzlies after playing just 28 combined minutes in the first two contests.
Meanwhile, Morez Johnson Jr. had 27 points in game one, Sergio de Larrea just dropped 16 points and 12 assists in the win over Memphis, Tobi Lawal is doing some fun athletic stuff, and Seva Ishchenko has been better than I thought in his three games of action. That juxtaposition leaves Dallas in an interesting spot as they evaluate what the end of the roster will look like.
Morez Johnson Jr., Sergio de Larrea two-man actions should be a bench-group staple
One of the more intriguing things about the first two games was seeing the synergy of the Mavericks two first round selections. In game one against the Warriors, Morez Johnson Jr. and Sergio de Larrea hooked up for a couple of excellent possessions, with Johnson Jr. slipping a screen and de Larrea throwing an excellent pass, resulting in nice finishes at the rim.
Lo mejor de SERGIO DE LARREA en su estreno en la Summer League con los @dallasmavs 💫🇪🇸
🔹9 puntos 🔹6 rebotes 🔹5 asistencias 🔹1 robo 🔹1 tapón
As Sergio continued to get increasingly comfortable, you saw the best of him against Memphis. Twelve assists against that Memphis group is quite salty! De Larrea showed off his vision and passing creativity, throwing several pinpoint lobs for dunks. Of course, as the pair learns to scale this into the NBA there will be some challenges. But as an early return, I like the idea of this two-man tandem alongside Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving.
Seva Ishchenko isn’t ready for the NBA… yet
I’m actually more impressed with Ishchenko after the first week in Vegas than I thought! He’s been a pleasant surprise to watch, as he hasn’t been as overwhelmed athletically as many have feared. Granted, it’s been very hit or miss on that, but on the whole, he’s fit in quite nicely.
— FLOOR and CEILING (Wilko) (@wilkomcv) July 11, 2026
Another year or two of seasoning for The Big Lebowski would do him very well. The Mavericks should be angling for him to end up in a stronger European league than where he was last year, playing for Lokomotiv in Russia. Ishchenko needs to get stronger, which will help him overcome the issues he’s had finishing at the rim during the first week of Summer League. But there have been glimpses of what the vision there is. Here’s to hoping the Mavs can play the long game here.
When the Montreal Canadiens were manhandled by the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Final, it was obvious they could have used more grit and physicality and needed more balance on the blueline. To truly contend, Martin St-Louis needs a defense corps he can trust and to spread ice time across. Overplaying the likes of Lane Hutson and Mike Matheson can work in the regular season, but deep in the playoffs, when everyone is playing through bumps and bruises, there needs to be more players the bench boss can rely on.
Arber Xhekaj didn’t play a single game against the Hurricanes in the third round. St-Louis preferred to use Jayden Struble, which shouldn’t have surprised anyone since the coach gives him more ice time than Xhekaj. While he may trust Struble more, the fact is that the Canadiens really could have used Xhekaj’s physicality in that series.
St-Louis has often said that he doesn’t want his players to take themselves out of the play by chasing the big hit, and while that’s something number 72 was often guilty of in previous years, he tidied up that side of his game this past season. That wasn’t enough to really earn him the pilot’s trust on the back end, though, and with Josh Anderson out of the lineup with an illness and Alexandre Texier injured, the blueliner made it clear he’d be willing to play on the wing if the team needed him to.
On March 29, St-Louis took him up on the offer and played him on the fourth line against the Hurricanes. The Canadiens won that game 3-1 with Xhekaj skating on the fourth line with Joe Veleno and Brendan Gallagher. The winger for the day spent 5:11 on the ice across six shifts and didn’t look out of place, landing five hits and blocking one shot.
The Sainte-Flanelle have a congested blueline, and they need some sandpaper up front. If Xhekaj gets into a fight and must sit for five minutes, it’s easier to handle if he’s a fourth-line winger than if he is on the blueline, especially if there’s another defenseman in the box.
At 25, the 6-foot-4, 240-pound defenseman would no doubt like to establish himself as a regular NHLer rather than a fringe player who needs to sit every now and then, alternating with fellow blueliner Struble. This would also open the door for Adam Engstrom and David Reinbacher to enter the rotation.
So far this offseason, Kent Hughes has been unable to get some outside help to improve his roster, but if the Canadiens manage to reach a new deal with Xhekaj, moving him up front might address two of their big issues: getting tougher and having a more balanced blueline that the coach trusts and can spread the ice time more evenly. It worked for Dustin Byfuglien and the Chicago Blackhawks back in the day; why couldn’t it work for the Habs? Of course, Xhekaj won’t end up on the first line as Byfuglien did with Jonathan Toews and Patrik Kane, but a transition to the fourth line would still help the Canadiens.
It could also be interesting to see what a line featuring the Xhekaj brothers would look like in the NHL, but it would certainly bring a lot of physicality and grit. If training camp starts without the Canadiens getting any outside help, this is an idea worth exploring for the Habs.
Jun 23, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez (57) pitches against the St. Louis Cardinals during the sixth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
Harry S. Truman may have said that the “S” doesn’t mean anything, but it’s likely he was just trolling the media. In fact, the “S” stands for two names: his grandfathers Shipp Truman and Solomon Young.
Venus is the only planet that rotates clockwise.
Most planets rotate on their axis in an anti-clockwise motion. However, Venus rotates clockwise in retrograde once every 243 Earth days.
Sudan has the most pyramids out of any country.
One of the mind-boggling fun facts: The plentiest pyramids in the world is not in Egypt! Instead, the record belongs to Sudan with 255 pyramids – which is twice the amount of the pyramids in Egypt.
DETROIT, MI - JULY 08: Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Troy Melton (52) is congratulated by his teammates in the dugout after being releived during a regular season Major League Baseball game between the Athletics and the Detroit Tigers on July 8, 2026 at Comerica Park in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Scott W. Grau/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Following the developmental path of Detroit Tigers’ starting pitcher Troy Melton has been a pretty fascinating ride. Watching him improve in 2024, it was pretty clear that he would become a factor in 2025 if he could avoid the plague of pitcher injuries in the Tigers’ system, and so it went. However, during his mixed work as a starter and reliever down the stretch and in the postseason, his ability to handle left-handed hitters was the question determining his long-term future as a starting pitcher. This year, the 25-year-old Melton has found the answer, but it’s not the pitch we were expecting.
Last fall, I wrote about Melton’s splitter being the defining factor in locking down left-handed hitters, and argued that the cutter either had to get a lot better or be ditched entirely. Melton has chosen the first of those paths. He was good overall in his rookie season, and pitched pretty impressively in the postseason as well. Left-handers weren’t a huge problem for him, but they hit him quite a bit better than right-handers, and more specifically, Melton struggled to strike out left-handed hitters.
He managed a meager 14.2 percent K-rate against lefties in 2025. He struck out 26.2 percent of right-handed hitters. That was all fine in a relief role, but to really become a dominant starting pitcher, he was going to have to get a lot more whiffs against left-handed batters in particular. The .191 BABIP he ran against lefties just wasn’t going to hold up, especially as a full-time starter.
The answer, I assumed, lie in his split-finger fastball. Typically the development of a changeup or splitter is the key to limiting damage and getting whiffs against opposite handed hitters. Melton’s fourseam-slider combo wasn’t really going to get it done. Melton has gone another direction, turning his cutter into a monster weapon against hitters on either side of the plate.
In 2025, Melton threw the cutter just 10.8 percent of the time, regardless of which batter’s box the hitter was in. In 2026, that rate is up to 20.1 percent.
Against lefties, he uses the cutter 19.5 percent of the time. He’ll mix in the splitter (12.1%)and curveball (8.1%) sparingly against them, accounting for about 20 percent of his pitches to lefties combined. The slider is used 18.3 percent of the time against lefties, while the majority of the work is still handled by his fourseam fastball, which he throws 40.8 percent of the time.
So he’s still using a pretty deep mix against left-handed hitters, but the cutter is certainly playing a lot bigger role than it did in 2025. It’s also suddenly become a much better pitch in recent weeks. In 2025 he averaged 90.9 mph with it. He’s added a full tick of velo this season, but lately he’s really found the feel with it and is throwing it even harder, even topping 95 mph repeatedly in late June and July. Since June 15, the cutter is averaging 92.5 mph. There are only about 30 pitchers in the major leagues who average 92.5 mph with a cutter, and many of them are relievers.
Melton is getting a 23.9 percent whiff rate, which is nothing special, but hitters have posted a meager .158 wOBA against the pitch. The expected wOBA is just .196, so he isn’t just getting lucky here either.
The effect here is to give him a pitch between his relatively straight fourseamer that has average ride but a good angle to the top of the zone, and the slider he breaks off to back foot left-handers. Hitters have had a really hard time distinguishing between the slider and the cutter, and the result is that his slider went from a 23.1 percent whiff rate in 2025, with a big chunk of that coming as a reliever, to a 31.3 percent whiff rate in 2026.
I mean, deal with this thing after seeing the heater and knowing the wipeout slider is lurking.
Melton now has three pitches that he can work with to his gloveside, tying up left-handed hitters. They are doing nothing against him, hitting just .157. The one fly in the ointment is that when lefties do connect on his fourseam fastball, they’re crushing it, but the rise of the cutter-slider combo means they’re getting less fastballs, and a lot less obvious fastballs, no matter the count. Overall they’re striking out a lot more, and putting the ball in play weakly for the most part.
Right-handed hitters are doing even worse, and the cutter is a big part of that too as hitters have to look for two different hard breaking balls. The cutter looks like the fourseamer and breaks away late. Once they’ve seen that, there is less certainty for hitters when they see the slider come out of his hand. It could be the cutter, or it could be the slider, and they have to swing just as the latter disappears down and away for whiffs. The slider’s performance continues to improve as the cutter becomes more effective. Melton really has them on the horns of a dilemma trying to discern between the two breaking balls while knowing they could get 97-98 mph at the top of the zone with big-time extension helping it play up.
This is rapidly becoming a really deep mix of pitches for Troy Melton, and while his ERA looked unsustainable early on after his return to the rotation in late May, the stuff and underlying performance is rapidly catching up to the results, making the whole package look far more sustainable. We can still hope Melton gets more comfortable and consistent with the splitter, because it gives him another pitch beyond the fourseamer, curveball, and the occasional curveball that he can use armside, generating even more whiffs from lefties.
Overall, Melton still needed to punch out more hitters to turn himself into a top shelf, frontline starter that can lead a rotation. But with the amped up cutter, he’s now well on his way. He barely struck anyone out as he returned to the rotation in May, but he managed contact, didn’t walk hitters, and was somewhat fortunate. In June, his overall strikeout rate was just 22.1 percent but he was still limiting the traffic on the bases and occasionally giving up homers, but never a rally. In July, since he added more velo to the cutter? His strikeout rate through two starts in July in now 36.4 percent. You have to love the trendline there.
The Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani, walking off the mound during the fifth inning of his last start on July 3 against the Padres, has been navigating a lingering knee issue the last month. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Dodgers pitching coach Mark Prior was worried. But how worried? He couldn’t say at first.
The team had already taken major steps to address Shohei Ohtani’s lingering left knee issue, presenting him with a plan to skip his last start before the All-Star break and have his knee drained that Sunday. And he’d co-signed it.
The swelling in Ohtani’s knee, however, had already been more persistent than the team had first expected. And pitching seemed to irritate it.
“I would say, moderately concerned,” Prior eventually said in a conversation with The Times last weekend. “But no more concerned than I probably am with anybody else who’s had to deal with aches and pains. Hopefully, this break and this rest will get it to calm down a little bit, and then we’ll see where we’re at next weekend.”
Coming out of the All-Star break, the Dodgers face the most pressing question for their second half: Will they be able to manage Ohtani’s knee issue?
Of course, plenty of other questions loom: What approach will the Dodgers take at the trade deadline? Will the pitchers coming off the injured list in the second half provide enough pitching depth? Can they maintain the best record in the majors?
But naturally, Ohtani’s health is tangled up in all those answers.
The Dodgers have enough star power and enough of a lead in the division to still make the playoffs without Ohtani replicating his first half on the mound (8-2, 1.79 ERA). And they showed last year that they can win a World Series even if their postseason path begins with a wild-card series.
They’d prefer, however, to take a different route, with a strong second half that ensures home-field advantage all the way through the postseason.
“At the end of the day, it’s just trying to expect the best of your ball club,” manager Dave Roberts said before the break. “And with the talent that we have, we expect to have the best record in baseball, and so that’s our standard. And so, what falls out of it is x, y and z. So that’s what we’re playing for.”
That’s also what they need a healthy Ohtani for.
Workload is part of the equation, and an aspect that’s garnered plenty of attention in Ohtani’s first full season balancing two-way duties since 2023.
“I’ve been much more open and watching … his workload, and not just taking for granted that he can be a two-way player, take every at-bat, pitch like a normal pitcher,” Roberts said. “I think that would be unfair. So for me, if anything, it’s just, keep having those conversations with him, bringing them to him, and saying, ‘Hey, this is what we see. This might be a different option, a better option for your best interest and our best interest.’ And I think that with that, he’s responded really well.”
That approach will continue in the second half. But refining Ohtani’s mechanics will also be vital to keeping his knee from becoming an issue again.
Ohtani said it himself, through interpreter Will Ireton, last week: “I have to kind of find a way to adjust my mechanics so that my knee doesn’t get affected.”
He’s been trying to do so since the swelling in his knee first cropped up.
“I think we’ve identified the issue,” Prior said. “Sometimes the fix isn’t always the easiest, especially with a guy who doesn’t spend probably the same amount of time on the mechanics of it.”
As a two-way player, Ohtani doesn’t have the “physical bandwidth,” as Prior put it, for things like multiple bullpen sessions between starts, even if they are a week apart. He has to keep the long, grueling season in mind when he’s also in the lineup every day.
“He fixed it, and then I’m wondering if it got aggravated just in-game,” Prior said. “These guys are extreme compensators, and in the moment they don’t necessarily know what they’re doing, but they’re finding other ways to pitch, and then afterwards you find out that things are a little sore.”
Ohtani had a dominant first half, but, whether because of the knee issue, or mechanics, or some combination of the two, he wasn’t quite as sharp in his last four starts (4.38 ERA).
“If he can fix the delivery, then he can fix a little bit more of the execution,” Prior said.
But will the delivery adjustment, All-Star break intervention and attention to workload fix Ohtani’s knee at least through the postseason? The Dodgers’ second-half trajectory will be tied up in the answer.
Jun 29, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; New York Mets relief pitcher Dedniel Nunez (72) pitches against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the seventh inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Note: The All Star Break ends for the minor leaguers on the 17th, but the FCL Mets played!
BALTIMORE, MD - JUNE 24: Baltimore Orioles pitcher Keegan Akin (45) pitches during the Cleveland Guardians versus the Baltimore Orioles on June 24, 2024 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore, MD. (Photo by Mark Goldman/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Hello, friends.
The All-Star break continues. There’s still not going to be any more Orioles baseball until tomorrow when they start the non-mathematical second half of the season in Houston. We can hope the break is a good mental reset for those players who need one and a good physical reset for those who need one of those. It is a near-certainty that more than one player has been pushing through minor dings. Four days off might actually help with some of that.
Unfortunately, four days off isn’t going to do much to solve the challenge of Blaze Alexander’s broken hand bone. That’s not something that resolves in half of a week. Today is probably the day they’ll make their short-term decision about what to do to replace him on the roster for at least a few days, because they’ll want that player to be able to get to Houston to join the team coming out of the break.
We probably won’t find out until they announce the roster move tomorrow afternoon, or perhaps if the beat writers start putting “So-and-so has a locker here” posts on social media. Tomorrow’s roster move does not necessarily have to be the solution that the team will use from here until when Alexander is back. It also might be. Mike Elias generally does not act with the urgency that Orioles fans would like him to act with.
How much it’s worth paying the urgency premium for this 46-51 team is kind of an ongoing question. The odds for the Orioles are what they are, in the range of about one in eight to about one in five. You don’t want to bet a meaningful piece for the future on a one in eight chance. The odds could change if the Orioles keep playing well. The idea of a long winning streak has always been there for those who want to believe in it. “Well, if they could just win like seven in a row…”
The Orioles finally made it to four. If they were to sweep the Astros coming out of the break, the odds would be much better. They probably won’t sweep the Astros coming out of the break. The more they win over the rest of July, the more the math points more in their favor towards the value of seeking external improvements for this year’s team. Even if they stay on the fringes, finding someone who can help for the rest of this year and next year too might be worth getting. That’s something Elias will have to figure out between now and August 3.
There was some other injury news during yesterday’s off day. The team announced that lefty reliever Keegan Akin underwent Tommy John surgery on Wednesday. Things had been pointing in that direction for a while based on what was known of his elbow injury and they reached the inevitable conclusion yesterday. At this point, Akin may not throw another real MLB pitch until late next season, if not all the way into 2028. Best wishes to Akin as he begins on the long road to recovery here.
The cold reality is this isn’t much of a loss for the 2026 Orioles bullpen. Akin’s 5.68 ERA in 25.1 innings were part of this team’s problems, rather than part of their solutions. Akin being removed as an option is something the Orioles can now definitively plan around, as opposed to pretending Akin will be back in action soon and then pretending that he might pitch to the form he had in either of the past two seasons. He may have thrown his last pitch for the team that drafted him; Akin is a free agent at the end of the season.
Orioles stuff you might have missed
Key upcoming stretch could determine Orioles trade deadline strategy (Orioles.com) Jake Rill notes that these next two series are against teams – the Astros and Red Sox – who are currently between the Orioles and a wild card spot. Finding a way to win each series and gain a game on both would really improve their odds.
The replacement-level killers: First base, second base (FanGraphs) Ahead of each trade deadline, FanGraphs does a series showing which contending teams are weakest at each position. The Orioles, with a Jackson Holliday-heavy second base, show up here. Out of all of the infield positions, that’s the only one, though without Alexander, the third base picture looks tougher.
There are two former Orioles who were born on this day. They are: 2026 one-game outfielder Michael Siani, and 1966-67 pitcher Eddie Fisher. The 15-year MLB veteran Fisher passed away last year at age 88.
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday to you! Your birthday buddies for today include: civil rights activist Ida B. Wells (1862), Antarctic explorer Roald Amundsen (1872), popcorn man Orville Redenbacher (1907), football Hall of Famer Jimmy Johnson (1943), actor Will Ferrell (1967), and US women’s soccer legend Carli Lloyd (1982).
On this day in history…
In 622, Islam’s prophet Muhammad began the journey leading his followers from Mecca to Medina. This event, the Hijrah, marks the beginning of the Islamic calendar.
In 1790, the District of Columbia was officially established as the capital of the United States.
In 1941, Joe DiMaggio recorded a hit for the 56th consecutive game. This turned out to be the last game in his record hitting streak, a record that still holds today. There are four players tied for the currently active hitting streak lead with hits in eight straight games.
In 1951, The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger was first published. Did you ever read that one in school?
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And that’s the way it is in Birdland on July 16. Have a safe Thursday.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JULY 14: Brandon Marsh #16 of the Philadelphia Phillies signs a replica Declaration of Independence lineup card during player introductions prior to the 96th MLB All-Star Game presented by Mastercard at Citizens Bank Park on Tuesday, July 14, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The fun of All-Star week has concluded and it’s time for real business to start up again. The Phillies will open the unofficial second half of the season tonight when they take on the New York Mets. Aaron Nola will be on the mound against Christian Scott of the Mets for the primetime game on ESPN.
Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
David Butler II-Imagn Images
John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
