The timeframe for when LeBron James will make his free agency decision does not appear to be imminent.
James’ longtime friend and agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, said Monday evening on the latest episode of his podcast “Game Over” with co-host Max Kellerman that they’re not going to be rushed in making a decision.
“He has a choice to make. He has a business choice to make,” Paul said. “We’re not going to sit here and decide or allow someone else to decide when he makes that decision, or choice. It’s a business choice he’s making.”
Rich Paul speaking with LeBron James during a Lakers game. Getty Images
It’s been three weeks since James informed the Los Angeles Lakers that they can move on without him next season, as he has become a free agent for the first time in eight years.
James has been under heavy scrutiny, as many believe he is taking too long to decide where he will play next.
“From a business perspective, if you are making a choice between jobs, high-level jobs, and you earned the right, you’re a big-time executive, with an unbelievable, arguably the best resume in the history of your job, who’s rushing you?”
After Silver made those comments, Paul said that he spoke with him, and reaffirmed that it’s still his choice and remained adamant about not rushing it.
Paul went on to say that James is not trying to make his decision a spectacle, like he notoriously did in 2010, when he went on live television to announce “The Decision” he was leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers and taking his talents to South Beach to join the Miami Heat.
Kellerman went on and told Paul that some people believe, “LeBron loves the attention,” to which Paul dismissed.
Since James became a free agent, rumors have circulated that the Cleveland Cavaliers, Golden State Warriors, Philadelphia 76ers and Miami Heat are considered the favorites to land the future Hall of Famer.
James added to the speculation over the weekend at Fanatics Fest by saying, “Trust the process,” leaving many wondering he might consider signing with the 76ers, to which he later rebuffed and said he’s been saying that phrase since 2003.
On Monday morning, James’ former teammate and longtime rival Patrick Beverley tweeted that “Rumor has it Bron makes his decision today!!!”
“These people don’t know anything,” Paul said. “I don’t know when his choice is going to be made, but it could be 48 seconds [from now]. It could be 48 minutes. I don’t know. Again, you can’t make somebody know something that they don’t know.”
In Golden State’s 94-90 win over the Memphis Grizzlies during the final, Lendeborg posted a double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds in 32 minutes on the court. With his stellar performance, the 23-year-old earned himself the summer league MVP award, which is voted on by all 30 NBA teams.
Yaxel Lendeborg of the @warriors has been named Most Valuable Player of the 2026 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.
Lendeborg averaged 14.8 points, 6.8 rebounds and 4.0 assists in six games as Golden State won the championship.
In addition to his summer league MVP honors, Lendeborg was also named to the 2026 NBA All-Summer League First Team alongside the Memphis Grizzlies’ Cameron Boozer, the Milwaukee Bucks’ Brayden Burries, the Cleveland Cavaliers’ Meleek Thomas and the Chicago Bulls’ Caleb Wilson.
In his six summer league appearances, Lendeborg averaged 14.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, four assists and 1.5 steals in 28.3 minutes per game, and shot 45.9 percent from the field and 35.7 percent from 3-point range.
The Warriors selected Lendeborg with the No. 11 overall pick in the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft. Golden State signed the rookie to a four-year, $28 million contract, with a team option after the first two seasons.
The 6-foot-9, 241-pound forward spent his first two NCAA seasons with the University of Alabama at Birmingham, averaging 17.7 points and 11.4 rebounds per game during the 2024-25 season. Lendeborg gained more exposure during his 2025-26 championship season with Michigan, averaging 15.1 points and 6.8 rebounds per game in 40 appearances.
Going from a championship team in college to winning a summer league title, Lendeborg keeps his hot streak alive as he continues his transition to the pros. However, it remains to be seen if another championship is on the horizon once he officially begins his NBA career playing alongside Warriors star Steph Curry and Co.
Twenty years ago this month, the Senators made three decisions that helped derail the greatest team in franchise history.
The 2005-06 Senators were loaded.
They won 52 games, finished with 113 points and scored 314 goals, all franchise highs. Daniel Alfredsson, Dany Heatley and Jason Spezza were probably the best line in hockey. Wade Redden and Zdeno Chara anchored the D, and Martin Havlat provided another dynamic offensive weapon up front.
Shane Pinto is asked about the exits of Brady Tkachuk and Daniel Alfredsson this summer (Senators YouTube).
And in goal, Ottawa had one of the greatest of all time in Dominik Hasek.
Unfortunately, Hasek suffered an adductor injury while playing at the 2006 Olympics and never played another game for Ottawa.
Without him, the Senators were upset by Buffalo in the second round.
Beyond that, anything can happen in a short series, and it certainly did in that one as the Sabres won all three of the games that went to overtime. Sens fans still curse Jason Pominville, who became the first player in NHL history to score a short-handed overtime goal to end a series.
That disappointment was followed by a nine-day stretch in July when Hasek, Chara, and Havlat all left town.
The Senators reached the Stanley Cup Final the following spring anyway. But no one would ever compare the two rosters and suggest the Senators got better.
July 1: Ottawa Chooses Gerber Over Hasek
General manager John Muckler's first major decision came on the opening day of 2006 free agency.
Rather than take another chance on the 41-year-old Hasek, who wanted to re-sign with the club, Muckler signed Martin Gerber to a three-year, $11-million contract.
At the time, the decision was understandable.
Hasek's Olympic injury (and the way it lingered) frustrated the Senators, who wanted more certainty in goal, and Muckler felt like Gerber would provide that. He had just played 60 games for the eventual Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes.
As it turned out, despite being 10 years younger, Gerber was closer to the end than Hasek. There was a reason the 'Canes turned to rookie Cam Ward as their starter in that Cup run.
Hasek signed with Detroit and went 38-11-6 with a 2.05 goals-against average the following season, helping the Red Wings reach the Western Conference Final. One year later, he won another Stanley Cup.
Gerber, meanwhile, struggled early in Ottawa and almost immediately lost the starting job to Ray Emery.
Emery eventually helped the Sens reach the 2007 Stanley Cup Final, but it's difficult not to wonder what Hasek might have done for that team.
July 1: Chara Signs in Boston
The same day Ottawa officially turned the page on Hasek, Chara left to sign a five-year, $37.5-million contract with the Boston Bruins.
The Senators wanted to keep both Chara and Redden, another unrestricted free agent who had just produced a career-high 50 points in 65 games. But with owner Eugene Melnyk signing the cheques, it's not hard to imagine why making both players happy was always going to be a challenge.
Ottawa retained Redden on a two-year, $13-million deal. Chara says his phone stopped ringing.
"I wanted to stay here," Chara told the Ottawa Sun that summer. "I'm very disappointed. I thought Ottawa would be really aggressive and they would really show it. In the last nine days before July 1st, we never received a phone call. Myself and (agent) Matt (Keator) were just sitting there and making all the calls. We told them, 'Let's talk and let's negotiate.' They said: 'Six million. You sign it, or we're going to go the other way.' They did.
Redden played two more seasons in Ottawa. Chara became Boston's captain, won a Norris Trophy and eventually led the Bruins to the 2011 Stanley Cup.
Knowing that the Sens would face a big, ornery Anaheim team in the upcoming season's Stanley Cup Final, it's especially difficult not to imagine what the 6-foot-9 Chara might have meant in that series.
Eight days into free agency, the Sens traded Havlat and Bryan Smolinski to Chicago in a three-team deal involving San Jose.
The Senators wound up with Tom Preissing, Josh Hennessy, Michal Barinka and a 2008 second-round pick.
The speedy Havlat was a high-end offensive talent entering his prime. He immediately scored 25 goals and 57 points in just 56 games with Chicago.
While Smolinski was starting to fade, he had produced 48 points for Ottawa the previous season and provided valuable veteran depth. Both players would have bolstered the forward depth in that '07 Cup Final.
The Aftermath
The Sens didn't become a bad team after losing those players. They were still an excellent club that went further in the playoffs than any other Sens team. But the fact remains they were a lesser team. You could start to see it during the regular season when they dropped from 113 points to 105 and from 314 goals to 288.
Would Ottawa have beaten Anaheim if Hasek, Chara, and Havlat were still around? We'll never know for sure, but they would have, unquestionably, had a better chance.
20 years later, that's part of what makes July 2006 so fascinating... and maybe a bit haunting as well.
By Steve Warne The Hockey News
Article: Every Day The Senators Wait, Drake Batherson Gets More Expensive
ATLANTA, GA - APRIL 25: Philadelphia designated hitter Kyle Schwarber (12) hits the ball deep during the MLB game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Atlanta Braves on April 25th, 2026 at Truist Park in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Alex Anthopoulos has been very busy talking to the media ahead of the Trade Deadline on August 3. That makes a lot of sense considering it’s getting closer and closer with each passing day and the Braves have some pretty clear spots that need to be addressed ahead of the deadline.
We’ll talk more about it, ourselves, as we get closer to the deadline but I just had to discuss one of the weirdest things that I’ve heard AA talk about since becoming a general manager. DJourn posted it over on The Feed yesterday but I had to give my two cents on it because it was just absolutely wild to think about.
Back in 2021 when AA pulled off a series of under-the-radar moves that all ended up being crucial when it came to helping the Braves load up for what turned out to be an improbable and incredible run to a World Series title, apparently there was one big move that the Braves were close to pulling off but didn’t get over the finish line.
According to Alex Anthopoulos, current Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber nearly became a member of the Atlanta Braves. AA dropped the bomb on the Chuck and Chernoff Show over on 680 The Fan and Chernoff’s face matched mine when I heard him discuss it at around the 17:50 mark of the video.
Over at FanGraphs, they have a category of articles called “We Tried” where it’s simply a way to keep track of all the times when General Managers or other baseball personalities have revealed to the public that they nearly acquired some big name free agent or trade acquisition. I’m not going to say that this is the biggest “We Tried” in Braves history (Atlanta was linked to both Barry Bonds in the ‘90s and late-career Ken Griffey Jr.) but it’s still insane to think about a scenario where a guy who has a four-homer game to his name against the Braves potentially could’ve been swatting balls into the Chop House for fun as a member of the home team.
Of course, Schwarber could’ve ended up being a rental for the Braves just like he was a rental for the Red Sox and maybe his destination all along was going to be Philadelphia. Also, the Braves did end up winning the World Series in 2021 so this didn’t exactly turn out to be a situation where the Braves were lamenting Schwarber as potentially being “the missing piece” to the puzzle. It is just fun to think about it, though.
It’s also another sign that there’s a lot going on behind the scenes that we aren’t privy to — even a lot of the “insiders” are ultimately just chasing shadows at times. Anything can happen in the world of baseball trade rumors — even if it takes us five years to eventually learn the truth. We’ll see what happens at this year’s deadline.
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Sox fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
Every once in a while, we’ve got to get a little uncomfortable in our surveys. And in this week’s case, we are imagining a world where one of the current rookies on the roster needs to be included in a trade for (presumably) veteran help at the trade deadline.
It would be too long a list to extend this beyond rookies (including, say, Kyle Teel and Colson Montgomery), so your choices are restricted to 2026 rookies making enough of an impact to have trade value.
You can make a case for each player being expendable, if you contort yourselves enough. Sam Antonacci’s primary position is middle infield, where the White Sox system is stocked deep. Braden Montgomery could be an answer to our endless right-field woes, but in the case of both he and now-left fielder Antonacci, some of the middle infield bats (hello, Caleb Bonemer) may need to trade in their mitts for bigger outfielder gloves, sewing up any holes created by a trade. Munetaka Murakami is an older rookie, and one who is a free agent in 2028, ready to command a potential nine-figure deal. Tristan Peters is found money, and “blocking” Braden in CF. And Noah Schultz is a fast-rising power left, but who who has been nicked by control and injury issues.
You’ll notice that the Reacts polls are now being run over there on the right rail of the site, making real-time results more accessible to you.
It’s a challenging choice ahead of you, but which rising Sox star do you shed to take a step forward and strike for a division title this season?
The AL East-leading Tampa Bay Rays (57-42) continue their four-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays (46-54) tonight at Rogers Centre. Tampa Bay enters the game having won six of the seven games between the clubs this season. They lead the AL East by 1.5 games over the Yankees while Toronto is falling further and further behind in both the East (11.5 games behind Tampa) as well as the Wild Card (5.5 games back).
Tampa Bay snapped their five-game losing streak with a series-opening 7-1 victory last night. The Rays snapped a five-game losing streak Cedric Mullins, Victor Mesa Jr., and Nick Fortes each launched solo home runs, while Junior Caminero continued his breakout season by collecting three hits, including two doubles, and driving in a run. Yandy Díaz added two hits and scored twice, and Jonathan Aranda chipped in an RBI single. On the mound, veteran Nick Martinez delivered six innings of one-run baseball to improve to 9-2. He allowed just six singles and extended his unbeaten streak to seven starts. Tampa Bay's bullpen took care of the final three innings without allowing a run. Dylan Cease, coming off his All-Star appearance, surrendered five runs (three earned) across six innings and suffered his first loss since late June. The Blue Jays have now lost five of their last six games and have scored just two total runs over their last three games.
Drew Rasmussen takes the mound for the Rays tonight. He has been one of Tampa Bay's most reliable starters this season, posting a sparkling 0.95 WHIP while striking out 98 batters in 99.1 innings. However, he takes the ball tonight looking to rebound from a rough outing before the All-Star break. In his most recent start on July 9 against the Yankees, Rasmussen was tagged for six earned runs on seven hits over just 2.1 innings. Prior to that, he allowed five runs in five innings against Houston. The encouraging sign for Tampa Bay is that Rasmussen has enjoyed success against Toronto this season. He has already defeated the Blue Jays twice in 2026, allowing three earned runs in each outing while pitching six innings both times.
Kevin Gausman will start tonight for the Jays. The veteran continues to rack up strikeouts for Toronto, entering tonight with 116 punchouts in 112.1 innings, but his season has been uneven. He owns a 4.33 ERA and has struggled to consistently turn quality starts into wins. His most recent start came July 12 against San Diego. Gausman was just OK, allowing three runs on four hits over six innings while striking out eight. Unfortunately for Toronto, the Blue Jays lost 5-4. The veteran right-hander has already faced Tampa Bay twice this season. The Rays beat him in both starts, scoring six earned runs in 4.2 innings on May 11 and two earned runs in six innings on May 5.
The game likely comes down to whether Toronto can solve Rasmussen after struggling offensively for most of the past week.
Lets dive into tonight’s matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game Details and How to Watch: Rays vs. Blue Jays
Date: Tuesday, July 21, 2026
Time: 7:07PM EST
Site: Rogers Centre
City: Toronto, ON
Network/Streaming: MLB.TV, Rays.TV, Sportsnet
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
The Latest Odds: Rays vs. Blue Jays
The latest odds as of Tuesday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Tampa Bay Rays (-112), Toronto Blue Jays (-107)
Spread: Rays -1.5 (+149), Blue Jays +1.5 (-181)
Total: 7.5 runs
Probable Starting Pitchers and their Stats: Rays vs. Blue Jays for July 21
Blue Jays: Kevin Gausman Season Totals: 112.1 IP, 4-8, 4.33 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 116K, 32 BB
Who’s Hot? Who’s Not! Rays vs. Blue Jays
Victor Mesa Jr. is 9-for-32 (.281) over his last 10 games with 5 HRs
Junior Caminero has hit safely in 5 straight games (8-23)
Yandy Diaz is 3-21 since the All-Star Break
Cedric Mullins is 2-11since the Break
Kyle Okamoto is without a hit over his last 4 games (0-14)
Ernie Clement is 5-15 since the All-Star Break
Vlad Guerrero Jr. is 3-15 since the Break
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top Betting Trends & Insights: Rays vs. Blue Jays
The Rays are 58-41 on the Run Line this season
The Blue Jays are 45-55 on the Run Line this season
The OVER has cashed 45 times in Tampa’s 99 games this season (45-49-5)
The OVER has cashed 51 times in the Blue Jays’ 100 games this season (51-45-4)
Expert picks & predictions: Rays vs. Blue Jays
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for tonight’s game between the Rays and the Blue Jays:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is recommending a play on the Rays on the Moneyline.
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Rays on the Run Line.
Total: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Game Total OVER 7.5.
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Fried made a rehab start for the Yankees' Triple-A team on Friday, July 17, giving up two runs and five hits in three innings on 52 pitches. The left-hander is scheduled to throw about 60 pitches in his second rehab outing on Wednesday, July 22, Boone said.
The 32-year-old landed on the injured list on May 16 with a bone bruise in his pitching elbow.
Boone said Fried will make his big-league return during the team's series in Chicago, which begins on Monday, July 27.
Fried is in the second season of an eight-year, $218 million free agent contract he signed with the Yankees prior to the 2025 season after eight years with the Atlanta Braves. Fried went 19-5 with a 2.86 ERA in 32 starts in his first year with the Yankees, earning his third All-Star nod and finished fourth in AL Cy Young voting.
New York trails the Tampa Bay Rays by 1 ½ games in the AL East standings entering Tuesday and the Yankees remain without slugger Aaron Judge and starter Carlos Rodon due to injury.
Judge, the three-time MVP, has been out since early June and the team still doesn't have a recovery timeline.
The Colorado Avalanche have quietly made one of the more interesting bets of the offseason.
In the span of a few weeks, Colorado added Fabian Lysell and Georgii Merkulov—two forwards the Boston Bruins once viewed as important pieces of their future before ultimately deciding it was time to move in a different direction.
The Avalanche decided there was still something worth chasing. It's been a familiar approach for Colorado over the years: identify players who still have untapped potential, put them in a different environment and see if they can find another level.
Lysell and Merkulov now get that opportunity in Colorado.
Every organization has prospects who don't follow a straight path. Some players arrive immediately. Others need years before the game slows down enough for them to consistently impact at the NHL level.
The difficult part is knowing whether you made the right decision or not. The Avalanche are playing the long game and they believe Lysell and Merkulov have low risk, high reward potential.
Lysell carried much bigger expectations when Boston selected him 21st overall in the 2021 NHL Draft. The Swedish winger had many of the traits teams look for in a top offensive prospect: elite skating, creativity with the puck and the ability to create scoring chances in ways that can't always be taught.
He always had the talent. The problem was execution.
Lysell spent most of his professional career with Providence, where he became a productive AHL player but never fully established himself in Boston. He finished last season with 42 points in 57 games as Providence captured the league's best regular-season record, but it still wasn't the breakthrough the Bruins were waiting for.
When Boston traded him to Colorado in exchange for Ivan Ivan, general manager Don Sweeney offered an honest explanation of why the relationship had reached that point.
"He hasn't fully grasped at the NHL level what it probably requires to play each and every night," Sweeney said. "He took ownership of that today."
But the most telling part came next.
"We took ownership that, could we have done more and better in supporting him? Probably."
It was an important admission because development isn't solely on the player. Organizations have a responsibility to put young talent in positions where they can succeed, and Boston acknowledged it may not have done enough in Lysell's case.
Merkulov's journey was much different.
He was a player who needed time to adjust after coming over from Russia, working his way through the USHL and NCAA before eventually becoming one of Providence's most dangerous offensive players.
Once he arrived in the AHL, the production followed.
Merkulov scored 55 points in his first full season before breaking out for 65 the following year. Offense was clearly not the issue, but Boston demanded he become a complete player. That simply didn't happen in the timeline they made for him.
At 5-foot-11 and 175 pounds, Merkulov had to prove he could contribute when he wasn't scoring. He needed to become more responsible defensively, improve without the puck and show he could handle the physical side of professional hockey.
Providence head coach Ryan Mougenel pushed him through that process, and eventually the results showed. By the 2025-26 season, Merkulov had become one of Providence's most dependable all-around forwards while helping the Bruins finish with the best record in the AHL.
But by then, the circumstances had changed.
At 25 years old, Merkulov was no longer viewed as a prospect.. Boston had younger players coming through the pool and made the decision to move on.
Colorado was willing to take the chance on him.
And that's where Sakic's approach becomes interesting.
The Avalanche have never been afraid of players who need a reset.
Andre Burakovsky arrived from Washington after struggling to find consistency and became a key part of Colorado's Stanley Cup championship team. Valeri Nichushkin came to the Avalanche after his career in Dallas stalled, and Colorado helped him become one of the NHL's best two-way forwards.
Those moves worked because Colorado wasn't focused on what those players had already become.
The Avalanche were focused on what they could still become.
That's the same gamble they're making with Lysell and Merkulov.
Lysell represents the bigger upside play. If Colorado can help him find consistency, the skill that made him a first-round selection is still there. His skating and offensive instincts haven't disappeared; he simply needs to translate them into a reliable NHL role.
Merkulov is a different type of addition. He brings experience, production and versatility, whether that means earning NHL minutes or becoming one of the veteran leaders for the Colorado Eagles.
That Eagles component matters, too.
Colorado lost several experienced players from its AHL roster this offseason, and Merkulov gives the organization someone who can help carry the offensive load while also helping younger prospects learn what it takes to become professionals.
If Lysell and Merkulov end up together in the AHL, Colorado could have two players who already understand each other's games and can immediately give the Eagles a dangerous offensive combination.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 11: Jaylen Brown attends a game between the Indiana Pacers and Philadelphia 76ers on July 11, 2026 at the Cox Pavilion 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 Brian Choi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Eventually, LeBron James will pick a new team.
Or an old team.
Either way, we won’t know the full scope of the Sixers’ offseason until James makes his decision for the 2026-27 season. ESPN’s Shams Charania has consistently mentioned the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat and Sixers as the top-three destinations, with the Golden State Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves on the periphery. Anyone insisting they know where he’s going is … well … probably full of shit. Admittedly, my gut tells me he’s not coming here, but I also don’t feel comfortable ruling it out. I really, truly don’t know (see, you’re allowed to say that!).
If you want to talk LeBron, we can, but I’m not sure I have much to add to the conversation at this point. He’s either coming here or he’s not and we’ll act accordingly.
With that said, I’m curious to know what other Sixers things are on your mind right now. Hit me with your questions below and I’ll do my best to answer as many as I can!
Years ago, Celtics insider Chris Forsberg learned from Kyrie Irving (by way of the ever-so-wise Brad Stevens) a simple truth about life: Comparison is the thief of joy.
That may be true, but when it comes to projecting ceilings for young players, comparisons are often the clearest way to try to envision what the future may hold. And in the case of Hugo Gonzalez — Boston’s selection at No. 28 overall in the 2025 draft — the comparisons and projections are starting to fly.
On the latest edition of the Celtics Talk Podcast, Forsberg and SI’s John Karalis focused on the 20-year-old Gonzalez after his performances at Summer League and FIBA qualifying competition, with Karalis using Derrick White as a potential comparison.
“I think he could be one of your top-three guys, and I don’t think it’s the top two. I don’t think he’s going to be a multiple-time All-Star. That’s why I compare him to Derrick White,” Karlis said on He’s not the same player as Derrick White, but there are some things in there where it’s energy, it’s defense, and some of the instincts that Derrick had that made Gregg Popovich go, ‘Just be confident and the rest is gonna come.’ I think with Hugo, I don’t think the confidence is lacking at all. It’s just learning the game.”
Forsberg noted that Gonzalez’s passing this summer has been better than expected and used a former Celtics guard as a point of comparison.
“He’s got that sort of competitiveness of Marcus Smart where he just wants to go make the right play,” Forsberg said. “I don’t think scoring will ever be his thing. If he’s a little bit more disciplined than Marcus with the shot selection, which he does feel like he will be, then I love the profile of what he can be. And obviously he’s bigger than both those guys [Smart and White]. He’s stronger, which is weird to say, because Marcus was really strong. But Hugo is freakishly strong and he’s got the wingspan, he’s got the giant hands, he’s got the potential to be a legitimate force on the defensive end and we’ll see how that manifests itself.”
SI’s Chris Mannix also chimed in on Gonzalez, noting that the sky is seemingly the limit for his growth.
“I love Hugo, and I think he does have the highest ceiling of any of the young players on this roster,” Mannix told Forsberg. “I think Hugo has as much room to grow as anyone, because he is kind of a blank slate. Like, he doesn’t know anything about offense. He just doesn’t. … But the things that he does — cutting, rebounding, offensive rebounding, a nose for the ball — you can’t teach that stuff. So I hope the work with Hugo begins immediately.
“I hope we see him polishing around those edges, because I think this guy has all the tools that you want in a rotation player,” Mannix added. “I think this guy has the ability to be a 10-year role player in this league and do it at a pretty high level.”
Also in this episode:
Main takeaways from Summer League
Chris Cenac Jr.’s rebounding ability at the NBA level
Be careful with all the rain on the slate today, as most of the incoming rain is the PPD kind rather than the delay type that can sometimes help sharp MLB player prop bettors.
Despite the slimmer pickings, I'm backing a 6-foot-10 southpaw in Texas today, fading a poor-command rookie making his MLB debut in Arizona, and looking for an innings bounce-back from Walker Buehler on the road.
These are my favorite MLB picks for Tuesday, July 21.
Best MLB strikeout props and starting pitcher picks today
Player
Pick
Odds
Noah Schultz
Over 4.5 strikeouts
+114
Kohl Drake
Under 3.5 strikeouts
+112
Walker Buehler
Over 14.5 outs
-105
Strikeout prop: Noah Schultz Over 4.5 strikeouts (+114)
The Rangers swing and miss vs. southpaws at a high rate, posting the MLB's fourth-worst K-rate vs. left-handed pitching.
Noah Schultz rolls into today's start with extra rest and projects for 85 pitches, but has a ceiling in the 90s. THE BAT has this fair price at around -110, and the projections at Covers are forecasting 4.71 punchouts on the road.
Schultz is a 22-year-old giant as a 6-foot-10 left-hander who might see the leash grow in relation to the White Sox's division hopes. He can blow past his K total, with four of his 11 starts going for 6+ punchouts.
He missed all of June with a knee injury, so this extended rest should be very beneficial. Texas might have the No. 4 offense vs. LHP with a wRC+ of 109, but the 25% K rate is the same as the Rockies.
Time: 8:05 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Rangers Sports Network, Chicago Sports Network.
Strikeout prop: Kohl Drake Under 3.5 strikeouts (+112)
Let's crap on a rookie making his MLB debut tonight in Arizona. With the litany of injuries in the Diamondbacks' rotation, Triple-A call-up Kohl Drake gets the ball. He brings a 7.00 ERA and 1.66 WHIP across his last two seasons at Triple-A.
He hasn't been a strikeout-per-inning arm during that stretch, and command could be a real issue at the next level after issuing 45 walks over his last 100 innings. He also gives up plenty of contact, allowing 122 hits — including 16 home runs — over those same 100 frames.
His fastball sits in the low 90s, and he mixes in a curveball, slider, and changeup, none of which grades above 50 on Baseball Savant.
THE BAT projects him for 78 pitches and just 3.7 strikeouts, making this a play down to even money. There is nothing like fading a young prospect in his MLB debut against a very good Athletics lineup.
I'm hoping the adrenaline gets pumping early and the command issues drive up the pitch count in a hurry.
Time: 9:40 p.m. ET
Where to watch: DBACKS.TV, NBCSCA
Pitcher out prop: Walker Buehler Over 14.5 outs (-105)
Is Walker Buehler coming off his shortest start of the season before the break? Yes, he is. Has it been a great run over his last three starts for the San Diego right-hander? No, it hasn't.
But before this stretch of poor form, Buehler had gone five straight starts allowing just one run in each game and had cleared this number in nine of his previous 10 starts.
This isn't a big tax to pay for 15 outs with THE BAT projecting 86 pitches. He was even allowed to get to 15 outs two starts ago despite giving up seven runs and throwing 93 pitches, so the leash is there even when things aren't going well.
His spin rate and velocity haven't dropped during this rough stretch. The surface numbers are ugly, but his 4.71 xERA over his last four games compared to an 11.57 ERA shows there has been some bad luck involved.
Atlanta has also had stretches of stale offense over the last 30 days with a wRC+ below 100, and the winds are blowing in at Truist Park at 9 mph.
I would play this to -120.
Time: 7:15 p.m. ET
Where to watch: BravesVision, Padres.TV
Josh Inglis' 2026 Transparency Record
Prop picks: 1-2, -1.1 units
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - JULY 20: Alex Lange #56 of the Kansas City Royals reacts after giving up a game-tying home run to Willy Adames #2 of the San Francisco Giants (not pictured) during the ninth inning at Kauffman Stadium on July 20, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jay Biggerstaff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Monday evening, Royals fans rose to their feet in anticipation of Alex Lange recording the final out to seal a win over the Giants. Instead, Wily Adames deposited a sinker over the right field fence for a two-run home run to tie the game. The Royals rallied to win in the bottom of the inning, but it was the second time in a week Lange had been just one out away from victory only to cough up the lead (hey, he got the “win” Monday, reliever wins are awesome!)
In fairness to Lange, he wasn’t supposed to be the closer this year. The Kansas City native is returning from injury and was signed on a cheap deal hoping he could recapture the stuff that allowed him to rack up 26 saves for the Tigers in 2023. The closer was supposed to be Carlos Estévez, but it was clear after one awful game his arm and velocity down. He gave up six runs in his season debut, and was shut down and hasn’t been seen in a Royals uniform since. Lucas Erceg was supposed to be a solid setup man and potential closer-in-waiting, but he has hit a wall. He has given up 31 hits and 20 runs in his last 22 innings, with the second-worst strikeout-to-walk ratio in baseball over that time. The acquisition of 2024 All-Star reliever Matt Strahm was viewed as a shrewd move, but he has been extremely home run-prone, and his 7.24 ERA is second-worst among qualified relievers.
The Royals have gotten some solid performances by Daniel Lynch IV and John Schreiber, and some glimpses of solid pitching from Steven Cruz and Beck Way, but otherwise the bullpen has been quite terrible overall. Their 5.43 bullpen ERA is behind only the Athletics for worst in baseball, with the worst FIP (5.33), second-lowest strikeout rate (19 percent) and third-highest walk rate (11.5 percent). Only three teams in baseball have more blown saves than the 18 the Royals have, with Erceg tied for the league lead with six, and they have the fourth-highest inherited runners scored rate (36 percent).
In fact, this may be the worst bullpen in Royals history. So far, Royals relievers have an ERA of 5.43, fourth-worst in club history behind only the bullpens of the late 90s and early 2000s when offense was sky-high. 5.17
You could argue that perhaps this year’s bullpen is inflated a bit by Tyler Tolbert, the position player who has made five pitching appearances this year and has given up 13 runs. But even if you take him out, Royals relievers have a 5.17 ERA, still among the worst of the worst.
The #Royals have a 7.33 ERA in the ninth inning this year. The worst in baseball, by a WIDE margin.
The problem isn’t that Picollo has ignored the bullpen. Quite the opposite. Few areas of the roster have received more attention. He has spent free-agent dollars, traded prospects, and repeatedly churned through veteran relievers in an effort to stabilize the back end of games. The issue is that, outside of a handful of successes, those investments have too often failed to produce lasting results.
In 2024 he spent $15 million to acquire Chris Stratton, Will Smith, and Nick Anderson, and they combined for a 5.45 ERA in 135.1 innings (he also acquired Schreiber, who had a solid 3.66 ERA that year). He pivoted mid-season to acquire Lucas Erceg – who as great! – and Hunter Harvey – who was injured! – to give the Royals a decent bullpen for the post-season.
Picollo invested in a two-year, $22 million deal for Estévez the next year, and he was an All-Star as the Royals finished with a 3.63 ERA from their relievers, seventh-best in baseball. Erceg was nails, Schreiber continued to be solid, and the Royals had promising performances from Lynch, Angel Zerpa, Steven Cruz, and Jonathan Bowlan.
But things fell apart this year. While injuries can hurt any club, the lack of organizational pitching depth has stuck out like a sore thumb. The Royals have cycled in 19 different relievers this year, and have been signing any veteran reliever that is available in an attempt to find a formula that works.
The repeated need to overhaul the bullpen raises a larger question. Why do organizations like Cleveland, Milwaukee, and Tampa Bay consistently build effective bullpens from inexpensive, internally developed arms, while the Royals keep returning to free agency and the trade market looking for answers? Bullpen performance is notoriously volatile from year to year, and even the best executives have free-agent signings or trade acquisitions that don’t pan out. But what separates the league’s best organizations is their ability to continually replenish their relief corps. When a reliever departs in free agency, gets hurt, or regresses, those clubs seem to have another hard-throwing right-hander or overlooked waiver claim ready to step into a high-leverage role.
The Royals have spent considerable resources to patch up the bullpen the last few years, with mixed results at best. Every dollar spent on veteran relievers is a dollar that can’t be spent addressing the lineup or rotation, and every prospect traded for bullpen help is one that can’t be used to acquire talent elsewhere. For a team operating with financial limitations, repeatedly investing significant resources into one of baseball’s most volatile assets is a risky strategy.
Whether that reflects shortcomings in scouting, player development, pitching infrastructure, or simple misfortune is open to debate. But after four years of cycling through free-agent signings, trade acquisitions, and bullpen overhauls, it is fair to ask whether bullpen construction has become J.J. Picollo’s biggest weakness as a general manager.
A former Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman just landed a big contract.
According to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, former Penguins defenseman John Marino is signing an eight-year, $6.75 million AAV contract extension with the Utah Mammoth.
Marino was entering the 2026-27 season as a pending unrestricted free agent (UFA). However, with the Mammoth signing him to this eight-year extension, he will be staying in Utah for a long time.
When noting that Marino is a very important part of the Mammoth's blueline, it is not too surprising to see that they have signed him to this contract extension. He will now continue to be a key part of their roster for the long-term.
Marino landing this big contract comes after he had an excellent season with the Mammoth in 2025-26. In 80 games with Utah this past campaign, he posted four goals and set new career highs with 32 assists, 36 points, and a plus-43 rating.
Marino started his NHL career as a member of the Penguins. In three seasons with Pittsburgh from 2019-20 to 2021-22, he posted 10 goals, 54 assists, 64 points, and a plus-23 rating. His time with the Penguins ended during the 2022 NHL off-season when he was traded to the New Jersey Devils in exchange for blueliner Ty Smith and a 2023 third-round pick.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 10: Tanner Gordon #29 of the Colorado Rockies pitches against the San Francisco Giants in the first inning at Oracle Park on July 10, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Tanner Gordon is settling into a new role in his third season with the Rockies.
A year ago, the right-hander was exclusively used as a starting pitcher getting the nod 15 times while finishing with a 6-8 record and a 6.33 ERA in 75.1 innings. His six victories were tops among all Colorado pitchers in 2025.
But the 2026 campaign has seen Gordon transition into being used more in long-relief situations out of the bullpen.
His most recent such outing came July 19 against the Cincinnati Reds when Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer called on Gordon to enter the game in the third inning after an ineffective start from Ryan Feltner left the Rockies trailing 8-1.
Gordon responded by hurling 5.2 innings of three-hit ball while allowing just one run as Colorado rallied in the late innings in the finale of a three-game series at Coors Field.
“It was good,” Gordon said in evaluating his performance against the Reds.
“I mean, obviously, the goal is to win the ballgame. So my job, at that time, was just to come in and kind of stop the bleeding, hold them where they were, and let our offense do some work.”
Despite a three-home run, five-RBI game from catcher Hunter Goodman and a solo round-tripper from Willi Castro, Colorado fell 9-6 while giving the Reds a scare before they left the Mile High City.
After the game, Schaeffer acknowledged the long-relief job done by Gordon, his third straight relief outing of four or more innings this season.
“I mean, TG’s great,” the manager said. “It’s great length out of the pen to take the ball in the middle of the third and go all the way through the eighth, especially with the huge layover after the All-Star break.
“He just pounds the zone. TG is fearless. He goes right after you….He was huge, huge today.”
Through the team’s first 101 games this season, Gordon has an 0-2 record and 5.75 ERA in 13 appearances, including eight relief appearances all of which have spanned at least three innings.
Whether he’s used in long relief or a spot start, Gordon said he just “kind of does what [he’s] told.” But he does have a role preference.
“Obviously, I like the routine as a starter,” he said. “Everyone would like their routine as a starter. But anything I can do to try to help our team win is what I’m going to do.”
Gordon, who was activated on June 30 after being on the 15-day injured list for right hip impingement, has had to alter his mindset as a long reliever as opposed to being in a starting role.
“Sometimes when I’m in the game, maybe the guy before me had a rough outing,” he said. “So sometimes the circumstances when I come into the game aren’t that great. But again, my job is to pick my guy (the starting pitcher) up, do my job and kind of stop the bleeding.”
After his solid season as a starter in 2025 when he was considered a rookie in terms of service time, Gordon has applied what he has learned to continue to grow as a Major Leaguer.
“Honestly, I think the mind is way more powerful than I thought it could be,” he said.
“I know it sounds pretty cliché but, obviously, everyone here is physically talented. But I think where you separate yourself is between the ears. I think I have grown a lot in that sense. I think going into a game with confidence, knowing that you belong here (is important). This is my third year here and thinking that ‘Oh, this is cool that I’m here. I’m having fun and I’m here.’
“But I have to know that I have a job to do,” Gordon continued. “So I think just having that confidence and knowing my ability and trusting my teammates. I think that’s been the biggest thing.”
With that confidence, whether he is called on in long relief or as a spot starter, Gordon will be ready to answer the call.
“I enjoy any role I’m in on the team,” he said. “Obviously, I prefer starting but, like I said, just any way I can help the team.
“It can be a little bit more nerve-wracking in the bullpen. The phone rings there, and I never know who’s going to go in. But, throughout the year, you kind of figure it out. You know the vibe of the game.”
The Rangers came back from the All-Star break and lost two games against the Atlanta Braves. So we’re going to talk about the lone win because it was a good one.
After two innings the Rangers were down 4-1 and after just losing 15-1 the night previous, it felt like this game could very well go the same way.
Going into their 6th inning, they were now down 5-3, slowly making up ground but shaky ground.
However, Ezequiel Duran hit a leadoff double to start the inning. Promising.
Next up? Evan Carter hits a two run homer to right field and the game is tied 5-5.
Texas goes on to score two more runs, with two outs.
Rangers lone All-Star, Jacob Latz closed out the game with a four out save.
Noah Schultz
Kohl Drake
Walker Buehler
