WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 22: AJ Smith-Shawver #32 of the Atlanta Braves pitches during the game between the Atlanta Braves and the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on Thursday, May 22, 2025 in Washington, District of Columbia. (Photo by Alyssa Howell/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
While it may not have grabbed headlines, AJ Smith-Shawver’s outing for AAA warrants some attention. He looked good over 73 pitches, striking out 5 and walking 1 in 4.1 scoreless frames.
Given the state of the Braves’ rotation, grasping at a shortened AAA start of a former top prospect who didn’t have the time to fully establish himself at the major league level prior to injury seems warranted. That said, he was on his way to potentially establishing himself as a major league starter, despite rough mechanical consistency and command. Given that Atlanta essentially has one trustworthy starter, we could easily see Smith-Shawver in Atlanta sooner rather than later. It’s encouraging to see him pitching well on the farm as he works his way back from injury. I hope he has found some consistency in his recover, while maintaining the stuff (particularly that glorious turbocharged splitter that he was throwing potentially by accident before his injury).
The long- and much-anticipated return of Drew Thorpe has finally arrived, in the form of a short and successful start in the ACL. | (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images)
What a fun way to kick off tonight’s update! With 20 of 21 players from the draft now having signed, the White Sox released footage of the 2026 draft class working out during Draft Camp in Charlotte:
With the future looking solid, let’s take our usual biweekly look at how each affiliate has started out their second halves:
The Triple-A Charlotte Knights have started their second half slowly, at 8-12. Normally, that would be cause for rejoicing, but having just logged nearly the best first half of all the affiliates, it’s a disappointment. And through three weeks of play there is considerable parity in the International League, the Knights are stuck in the same division with current opponent the Durham Bulls, who are riding high at 14-4 and sit seven games up on Charlotte at the moment.
The bad news is that in Double-A, the Birmingham Barons are continuing to play poorly, again with the worst record of all the full-season affiliates, at 7-13. The good news is that Southern League parity puts the Barons just four games behind in the division race. Theoretically, there is still some hope in Alabama.
With the Winston-Salem Dash and the High-A South Atlantic League is where things get interesting. The Dash are out of the gate at 12-11, three games off of the pace. But the good news is as long as it’s the first-half champs the Bowling Green Hot Rods leading the Sally South, W-S merely needs to finish in second place to make the playoffs, and in that race it trails by just two games.
Circumstances are similar for the Low-A Kannapolis Cannon Ballers, but the possible outcome is not so generous. The CBs are out of the gate at 13-10, good for a second-place tie. However, Astros affiliate the Hickory Crawdads have gotten off to a 17-6 start, so it’s an uphill climb for Kanny, who already are four games out of first place.
Rookie leagues don’t play split seasons. The good news for the ACL White Sox is that they are no longer the worst of the 15-team Arizona Complex League (the A’s, 16-39); the bad news is they are just a half-game out of the basement, at 17-39.
Our DSL White Sox warriors are hardly doing better, at 11-22 and in last place in the seven-team DSL Southwest. They are, per tradition, the seventh-worst team in the 52-member Dominican Summer League.
Charlotte Knights 7, Durham Bulls 5 The Durham Bulls were uncharacteristically bad in the first half of the season, including possibly being swept by the Knights (sorry, not checking but it was at least eight straight Charlotte wins vs. Durham to start things in 2026). But at this point, Durham remembered it was a Tampa Rays affiliate and bucked up appropriately, leading the division three weeks in.
But tonight, a four-run second inning keyed by an RBI stand-up triple from Rikuu Nishida paced yet another win for Charlotte (50-45) over Durham. This deep fly and scampering hustle from the everywhere man held up as the game-winning RBI, giving the Knights a 3-2 lead they would not relinquish:
You might even say it was the Nishida show tonight, as he added a safety squeeze in the fourth inning and pocketed three total driven in:
Michael Turner is also smelling blood in the water on the South Side, making his case for call-up with a three-hit night and gunning down 1-of-2 base-stealers on the night. Turner’s victim? Former No. 4 overall White Sox pick Nick Madrigal.
A player even more on the radar for a call-up, Shane Smith, made his second start back from injury with Charlotte, and it was not a good one. Smith surrendered three earned in 3 1/3 innings, keyed by a lack of command that saw four walks, three wild pitches and two hit batsman among his 67 pitches.
Birmingham Barons 6, Rocket City Trash Pandas 4 The Barons (33-56) never trailed in this one, but toyed with the Pandas until a four-spot right after the seventh-inning stretch broke a 2-2 tie and put the game away. And if any White Sox affiliate this season would play a mundane game on offense (four hits) but manage six runs. Wins by any means necessary will need to be Bham’s motto until it packs up the locker room for good in September.
Wherefore came the six runs? One came on an early Jacob Burke solo shot, but the decider in the seventh came courtesy of two hit-by-pitches and a walk, followed by Samuel Zavala’s grand slam:
The other major highlight came in the form of Juan Carela’s start. His first effort for Bham (and seventh of the season, after TJS) was subpar, but the righty was electric in this one. At this point, he appears to have picked up right where he left off two years ago with the Barons, and still just 24, has a bright future in the Sox org ahead of him.
MVP Juan Carela (RHSP): 4 2/3 IP, 5 H, ER, BB, 4 K, 20.1% WPA, 51-of-74 strikes, E
Runners-Up Samuel Zavala (LF): 1-for-2, R, HR, 4 RBI, BB, 24.1% WPA Dylan Campbell (RF): 1-for-2, R, RBI, BB, HBP, 16.9% WPA Boston Smith (DH): 0-for-1, R, 3 BB Jarold Rosado (RHRP): 1 1/3 IP, 2 H, R, WIN (4-3), BLOWN SAVE (2), E
Cold Cat Jonathan Clark (RHRP): 2 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, BB, K, HR
Runners-Up Alec Briley (3B): 0-for-4, 2 K Caleb Bonemer (SS): 0-for-4, K Anthony DePino (1B): 1-for-4, R, 2 K Grant Magill (C): 0-for-3, 2 K Liam Paddack (LHRP): IP, 2 H, 3 BB, K
Bowling Green Hot Rods 11, Winston-Salem Dash 3 This was a blowout, and it was over early for the Dash (50-39), but as is the norm don’t you dare blame James Taussig. Somehow, Taussig boasted the biggest WPA in the game, with a 2-for-3 night including a home run.
On the flip side, time may be running short in the White Sox career of Tommy Vail. The SSS darling, at 27, has been getting annihilated over this past month in Winston-Salem. The southpaw’s 2024 was exquisite, his 2025 pretty OK, and this 2026 is for laying down and avoiding.
Runners-Up Ryan Burrowes (2B): 2-for-5, 2B, 3 K Arxy Hernández (1B): 1-for-3, 2B, BB, GIDP Madison Jeffrey (RHRP): 1 1/3 IP, H, K, 11-of-14 strikes
Cold Cat Tommy Vail (LHSP): 2 2/3 IP, 6 H, 6 R/5 ER, BB, 5 K, LOSS (0-1), WP, BALK
Runners-Up Kyle Lodise (SS): 1-for-5, 3 K Jeral Perez (3B): 1-for-5, 2B, 2 R, 3 K, E George Wolkow (RF): 1-for-4, 3 K Ely Brown (CF): 1-for-4, K Ben Hartl (C): 0-for-3, BB, 2 K, 0-for-2 CS Eddie Park (LF): 0-for-4 Drew Conover (RHRP): 2/3 IP, ER, BB, 3 K, HR, HB, 11-of-27 strikes Jake Peppers (RHRP): 1 1/3 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 2 K Jake Bockenstedt (RHRP): IP, 2 H, ER, K
Kannapolis Cannon Ballers 6, Myrtle Beach Pelicans 2 In a game that wasn’t even as close as the final score indicated (Myrtle Beach scored two garbage runs in the ninth, and Kanny led the entire way), the Cannon Ballers (46-43) struck early and pounded nails in the coffin with three runs in the bottom of the eighth.
Doing almost all of the pounding for Kannapolis was Derek Cerda, who was 3-for-3 with five RBIs; his teammates managed one hit and zero RBIs without him.
In a two-run effort, you’d imagine the pitching to be on point for the CBs, and on point it was. Alexander Martinez got the start and threw four scoreless, including five Ks.
Runners-Up Alexander Martinez (RHSP): 4 IP, 2 H, BB, 5 K, pickoff at 2B, 34-of-48 strikes, 16.3% WPA Billy Carlson (SS): 0-for-1, 2 R, 3 BB, 2 SB Choyce Diffey (RHRP): 2 IP, 2 K, WIN (2-1) Daniel Wright (RHRP): IP, K, HOLD (2), 8-of-10 strikes
Cold Cat Adrian Gil (1B): 0-for-3, 3 K
Runners-Up Jaden Fauske (LF): 0-for-3, R, K, HBP, SB Javier Mogollón (DH): 0-for-3, BB, 2 K, SB Alexander Albertus (3B): 0-for-4, K Steven Lancia (C): 0-for-4, 2 K, 1-for-1 CS Nathan Archer (LF): 0-for-3, K Jordan Morales (LHRP): 1 2/3, 3 H, 2 ER, 4 K, HOLD (5)
ACL White Sox 6, ACL Padres 3 (7 innings) Here’s something you don’t see every day: five errors in a game. OK, maybe five errors isn’t SUPER rare, but how about five errors in a game, and none of them leading to runs. It was just such an odd circumstance that helped the Complex Sox (17-39) to a decisive win over the 31-25 Padres. The White Sox conveyed nearly a run per inning via small-ball, as there was just one double sprinkled among eight hits and a whopping six stolen bases that included Osneil Castillo swiping home on a double steal. Drew Thorpe, of the TJS and emergency appendectomy Thorpes, pitched his first pro game in more than two seasons, acquitting himself nicely with two innings of one-hit, three-K ball. Welcome back, Drew!
With a return to the majors on the horizon, Luis Robert Jr. showed that he's ready to be back playing with the Mets.
The slugger blasted a two-run home run in the fourth inning of his rehab game with Triple-A Syracuse on Saturday night, launching a 1-1 pitch deep over the left field wall to go up 6-2.
Syracuse would go on to win the game over the Buffalo Bisons, 15-2, as MJ Melendez homered twice and Jonah Tong allowed two runs over 5.0 IP.
Robert played eight innings in center field, getting pinch-hit for in the bottom of the eighth inning, and finished 2-for-5 with two RBI, two runs scored, and two strikeouts. It was his first home run in Triple-A over five games, and the second HR overall since his rehab assignment (eight games) started back on June 30.
Mets interim manager Andy Greensaid earlier Saturday that Robert has been looking "better and better" and could return to the club when they travel to Milwaukee for a three-game series against the Brewers on Monday.
"Hope so, certainly hope he’s back in the mix by then," Green said.
Prior to going on the injured list on April 30, Robert was hitting just .224 with two home runs and eight RBI over 24 games.
The two-time Stanley Cup champions will try to win a third straight title next season, perhaps with their third coach in three years.
General manager Craig Patrick, who is already gearing up for “a long, hot summer of negotiating” with some of his free-agent players, must also decide who will coach hockey’s most powerful team in 1992-93. Will it be Scott Bowman, the living legend, the “interim” leader of this year’s champs? Or one of his assistants? Or maybe an outsider?
Patrick, as usual, isn’t saying.
“We haven’t discussed the coaching situation,” he said. “Scotty and I will sit down to talk about it. But there’s no timetable.”
Beyond the coaching situation, there will be many other obstacles to a “three-peat” in Pittsburgh, most notably the instability on the roster.
Because of free agency, possible retirements and the expansion draft, as many as six players who helped the Penguins capture the Cup may be gone by the start of training camp.
The free agents include Joe Mullen, Bryan Trottier, Phil Bourque, Paul Stanton and Gordie Roberts.
Jiri Hrdina is pondering retirement and two players will be plucked from the roster in the expansion draft with Tampa Bay and Ottawa.
But the consolation this year is it can’t be any worse than last year.
The Penguins lived through a trying summer after winning their first Cup last season.
Team favorite Randy Gilhen was taken in the expansion draft within a week of the championship. Kevin Stevens, Mark Recchi and Ron Francis, among others, became free agents in July. And popular coach Bob Johnson was stricken with brain cancer in August.
But much of the charm of Pittsburgh’s second Stanley Cup championship was the way the Penguins hurtled through the adversity, overcoming tragedy and turmoil.
They even reached a shaky peace with Bowman, who was often at odds with some players in the regular season. They may have established themselves as a team for the ages.
“I’ll be the first to say it…the dynasty is here in Pittsburgh,” Stevens said.
The Penguins’ nucleus is young enough and spectacular enough to make that kind of claim.
Mario Lemieux, the game’s greatest player, is just 26. Stevens, the NHLs second-leading scorer behind Lemieux, is 27. Tom Barrasso, the league’s top playoff goaltender, is 27. And blossoming superstar Jaromir Jagr is 20.
Their lineup also doesn’t include last year’s No. 1 draft pick, left winger Markus Naslund of Sweden-who may not play until 1993 because of military commitments.
Naslund is thought to be a terrific prospect.
Stevens, for his part, believes his teammates will respond to the dynasty talk.
“That’s why I’m making those statements,” he said. “I love that word: Dynasty. If you win two Cups in a row, you deserve to be put on a pedestal.”
Even with all the talent, the Penguins’ trump card may be Patrick, whose work as GM has been exceptional the past two seasons. Juggling egos and contacts, trading 100-point scorers for defensive stalwarts, adding character and toughness, he has thrived in the new-fangled NHL of the 1990s.
He now faces another demanding off-season but he responded to that last year brilliantly. Certainly no one is fretting at the Civic Arena.
“That’s a pretty strong word, dynasty but I like our chances the next few years,” Lemieux said, “I’d say the future is very bright.”
Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns were given a warm welcome at the Garden on Saturday — but this time was not for basketball.
The two Knicks stars made WWE appearances during WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event.
Brunson, sporting sunglasses and a brace on his left wrist, was met with a booming roar from the crowd as he emerged from the tunnel alongside Roman Reigns at about 10:00 p.m. for the final event of the night.
Brunson was met with a booming roar from the crowd as he emerged from the tunnel alongside Roman Reigns. WWE on X
Fireworks shot off in the arena as the two pointed up, a reference to the wrestler’s iconic “The One” gesture.
The three-time All-Star was then showered in “MVP” and “Jalen Brunson” chants once the intro concluded.
Brunson was then gifted a custom blue and orange WWE championship belt as the crowd chanted “you deserve it.”
Following the entrance, however, Brunson was greeted by Knicks villain Tyrese Haliburton as Seth Rollins hit Reigns with a sneak attack.
With help from Brunson, Reigns ultimately tossed Rollins out of the ring, and he and Haliburton left the stage.
The Knicks’ Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy was then brought into the ring, with Reigns holding it in the air as Brunson donned the wrestler’s WWE World Heavyweight Championship belt.
Brunson, who is still recovering from surgery on his left wrist, largely stayed to the side as the two wrestlers duked it out.
Towns, who took the stage earlier in the night, was a bit more physical. He helped Danhausen — known for “uncursing” the Knicks after going down 2-1 against the Hawks in the first round — defeat JD McDonagh after making a surprise entrance late in the match.
The Knicks’ center made his entrance in epic fashion, walking out of a smoke-filled container titled “cloning machine box.”
Then during the match he choke-slammed McDonagh before doing the same to Dominik Mysterio through a wooden table.
Danhausen then finished off McDonagh with a “Triple D” for the win.
Towns linked up with Danhausen before the event, with the two meeting before Fanatics Fest on Wednesday.
When Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin introduced the two to each other, Towns immediately payed his respects to the wrestler for good karma to the Knicks during their finals run.
Towns chokeslammed Dominik Mysterio through a wooden table. WWE on X
“Do you know who this is?” Rubin asked Towns.
“Of course, the man who got us the chip,” Towns responded.
After Danhausen’s remarks in during their first round series, the Knicks proceeded to win 15 of their next 16 games en route to their first NBA Finals championship in 53 years.
Despite the acknowledgement, Danhausen felt that he needed something in return from Towns.
“Give me your watch,” Danhausen jokingly told Towns. “Yeah, I need the watch. Shoes, too.”
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JULY 18: Cole Young #2 of the Seattle Mariners reacts as he runs the bases after hitting a three-run home run during the seventh inning against the San Francisco Giants at T-Mobile Park on July 18, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Jack Compton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Mariners 4, Giants 3
Jimmy Eat World attending tonight’s game: Cole Young, +0.38 WPA The fact that Cole Young was born two years after “The Middle” was released: Josh Naylor, -0.13 WPA
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers Eric Bitonti (24) is safe at second base against South Bend Cubs Christian Olivo (5) during their baseball game Wednesday, May 13, 2026, at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium in Grand Chute, Wisconsin. The Timber Rattlers won 11-6. | Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Iowa Cubs
The Iowa Cubs made the Memphis Redbirds (Cardinals) blue, 5-4 in ten innings.
Jordan Wicks turned in a very good start, allowing just one run on two hits over five innings. Wicks walked two and struck out six.
Paul Campbell bailed out the I-Cubs after Antoine Kelly loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the eighth. Campbell got the final out of that inning, pitched a scoreless ninth and then got the win after Iowa scored four runs in the top of the tenth and Campbell only allowed three in the bottom of the inning. The final line on Campbell was three runs, two earned, on three hits over 2.1 innings. He struck out four and walked no one.
First baseman Jonathan Long had an RBI single in the tenth. He was 3 for 5.
Long later scored in the tenth on a two-run double by DH Moisés Ballesteros. Ballesteros was 1 for 4.
Left fielder Chas McCormick went 1 for 3 with a walk and a stolen base. He also scored two runs.
A great catch by Brett Bateman in center. Bateman was 1 for 4 with a walk and an RBI.
Starter Brooks Caple gave the Smokies four scoreless innings, permitting just two hits. Caple struck out six and walked one.
Tyler Santana came on to pitch the bottom of the ninth with the score tied 1-1. He loaded the bases with two outs on two singles and an intentional walk. Santana then got a strikeout for the first out, but a sac fly to center field ended the game.
The Smokies managed just two hits. One of those hits was an RBI double by third baseman Jefferson Rojas in the fifth inning. Rojas had both Smokies hits, going 2 for 4.
The Smokies did draw six walks and were hit by a pitch once.
Starter Alfredo Romero gave South Bend four scoreless innings on just three hits. He walked one and struck out four.
Adam Stone then pitched the fifth inning and retired the side in order. But for some reason, the official scorer gave the win to Cole Reynolds, who surrendered four runs on five hits over 2.2 innings. All four of the runs scored in the eighth inning. Reynolds struck out two, walked one and hit one batter.
Ethan Bell stranded two runners in the eighth and then retired the side in order in the ninth. He retired all four batters he faced, striking out two of them, while picking up the save.
Second baseman Michael Hallquist hit a two-run home run in the fourth, his second on the season. Hallquist was 2 for 3 with a sac fly, giving him three total RBI. He scored twice.
Right fielder Christian Olivo went 2 for 5 with an RBI double in the sixth and a two-run triple in the ninth. He scored one run.
Third baseman Matt Halbach went 2 for 4 and scored once.
Catcher Logan Poteet was 2 for 4 with a double. He scored two runs.
Braylon Myers turned in a good start, but got the loss anyways. Myers gave up just one run on two hits over four innings. Myers struck out three, walked one and hit one batter.
DH Alexey Lumpuy went 1 for 3 with a double and he was hit by a pitch. He scored in the top of the ninth when the Pelicans plated both of their runs and three of their five hits.
Here’s shortstop Derniche Valdez singling home Lumpuy. Valdez went 1 for 4.
The pain hasn’t gone away. It may be somewhat dulled, but it remains.
The Dodgers returning to The Bronx this weekend — their first trip here since clinching the 2024 World Series at the Stadium — is a reminder of what could have been.
“The disappointment of getting to the end and playing for it all and coming up short, that’s one of those things that leaves a scar,” manager Aaron Boone said before the Yankees’ game against the Dodgers on Saturday was rained out and will be made up on Sunday as a split doubleheader. “You want to be in a position to be in a World Series and play for it all. We had that opportunity and came up short. So there’s pain and disappointment that comes with that, and it’s part of our baseball journey.”
Freddie Freeman and the Dodgers defeated the Yankees in the World Series in October 2024. Jason Szenes for New York Post
That World Series only went five games but was evenly played, with the Yankees blowing leads in Game 1 and Game 5.
The Yankees were up 5-0 in the clincher, but a series of errors and misplays enabled the Dodgers to rally for the crown in the Yankees’ first trip to the Fall Classic since winning it all in 2009.
The Dodgers entered this series as owners of the best record in baseball despite a number of major injuries to the likes of Edwin Díaz, Tyler Glasnow, Will Smith and Blake Snell.
They remain the heavy favorites to not only reach the World Series again but win it for the third consecutive year.
The Yankees have plenty of their own maladies, most notably Aaron Judge’s fractured right rib.
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Regardless, this could end up being a World Series preview.
“Any time we play the Dodgers, whether it’s here, whether it’s in [Los Angeles], it’s always big. It always feels big,” Boone said. “There are a lot of eyeballs on it, obviously. These are the kinds of series that I think are good for the 162-[game season]. You have the grind of the 162; you have those different series that feel a little bigger. This is one of those.”
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 18: LJ Cryer #18 of the Golden State Warriors handles the ball during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers during the Semifinals on July 18, 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 Tom O'Connor/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Lakers lost just two times this summer. Unfortunately, the same team that handed them their first loss also gave them their final defeat.
In the semifinals of the Las Vegas Summer League on Saturday, the Lakers fell to the Warriors, 92-88. Golden State handed LA a far more unceremonious loss to open the summer at the California Classic.
It was an evenly matched contest throughout with 18 lead changes and neither side holding a double-digit lead the entire game. Each team led in the second half and fourth quarter, but Golden State grabbed the lead early in the frame and held it for the remainder of the game.
LA made a late run to close the deficit to one point, but a pair of turnovers in the final minute looked costly. A late foul on a Mañon 3-pointer gave the purple and gold a chance to tie the game, but the guard converted two of three to keep them down one. One last costly turnover with under 10 seconds remaining sealed the result.
Chris Mañon was once again the main man in getting the offense going early for LA, scoring the first four points for the Lakers. Will Richard knocked down a triple for Golden State. At the 5:44 mark, the Warriors were up by one.
It was a fast-paced, back-and-forth game with both teams playing hard and battling. Adou Thiero joined Mañon with four points, including a fastbreak dunk.
Jon Elmore provided a spark off the bench again with five points. At the end of the first, the purple and gold were down by two.
Cameron Carr knocked down a midrange jumper to start the second period. Arthur Kaluma put Los Angeles in the lead with a pull-up jumpshot.
LA had a very balanced offensive attack, with almost all players scoring. Kaluma drained his first 3-pointer of the half, giving him a team-leading seven points.
After an awkward fall led to Cameron Carr exiting the game with an apparent elbow injury, he returned shortly after looking no worse the wear.
At the 5:58 mark, the Lakers were up by two. LA had gone up by five until a 3-pointer from Chance McMillian made it a two-point Golden State deficit.
Malevy Leons began the scoring in the third period with a triple for the Warriors. Anton Watson scored on the other end for Los Angeles with a layup.
Thiero was having a strong quarter defensively before throwing down another monstrous dunk and converting on a three-point play.
At the 5:54 mark, it was once again a tied game. The Lakers were 3-8 from the field, while the Warriors were 2-8. It was a continued, evenly matched affair between the teams.
Carr and Thiero were the only Lakers in double figures with 12 and 11, respectively.
The Warriors went on a 7-0 run to take the lead, but Los Angeles responded with four in a row to go up by three at the end of the third.
Golden State started the final frame on an 8-0 scoring run to go up by five. Carr responded with a triple. Yaxel Lendeborg answered with a 3-pointer himself to extend the Warriors’ lead once more. AK Okereke then knocked down a 3-pointer for LA.
LJ Cryer responded with a triple to give Golden State a five-point lead with 6:36 left. Thiero started to come alive with five points, but the Warriors still had the momentum.
Kaluma converted on a layup to make it a four-point game. Los Angeles had 2:29 left to keep their Summer League championship hopes alive.
Leons scored on a layup, giving the Warriors a cushion on their lead. Kaluma was fouled and only converted on one free throw. With 1:31 left, Thiero made it a one-possession game.
Carr was fouled and knocked down both free throws to make it a one-point game with 1:12 left. A series of turnovers eventually led to the Lakers trailing by three in the final seconds.
Mañon was fouled while he attempted a 3-pointer and converted on two of three free throws. McMillian was fouled and converted on both free throws to put Golden State up by three with 8.3 seconds left.
The Warriors stole the ball on the ensuing inbound. Will Richard was fouled and drained one free throw to clinch the win for Golden State.
Key Player Stats
Thiero scored 18 points with 10 rebounds, three assists and three steals. Carr notched 17 points in 28 minutes of play. Elmore pitched in with 10 points off the bench.
Kaluma finished with 12 points and four rebounds. Mañon tallied with 10 points, seven rebounds, four assists and two steals. Zhaire Smith logged seven points in 14 minutes as a reserve. Okereke had eight points.
Bichette is a long shot to be traded given he can opt out of his three-year, $126 million contract after the season.
The uncertainty of his status affects his trade value.
Bo Bichette reacts after striking out during the Mets’ win over the Phillies on June 27, 2026. Jason Szenes for the NY Post
His offensive surge over the past six weeks has increased the likelihood he will opt out.
But Bichette said he doesn’t anticipate a decision on that front until after the season.
“I signed here because I believed in the talent here and it’s exciting to play for an organization that was trying to win,” Bichette said. “The reason I signed the contract was to have freedom for my own career, so I guess it would be too early to tell.”
Bichette entered the day with an .844 OPS over his previous 36 games dating to June 3.
It’s the kind of right-handed production that would be hard to replace next season if Bichette departed.
The Mets have plenty of pitchers that figure to move before the trade deadline, but most of the position players they might look to deal have significant dollars remaining on their contracts.
Bo Bichette singles during the Mets’ loss to the Royals on July 7. Robert Sabo for the NY Post
Bichette was asked if the direction the organization appears headed will factor into whether he opts out of his contract.
“I think there’s a lot of positive things here, and also some things that haven’t gone right,” he said. “Obviously, that is something everybody can see, but everything will be taken into account.”
What are the positives?
“There’s a lot of young players they have brought up, a positive outlook for the future,” Bichette said. “And then on top, the organization is still trying to win. It’s not an organization that is OK being mediocre. It’s an organization that wants to win and wants to win the World Series and that is the goal. You couple that with a lot of good young players who have a really bright future. That’s a positive thing.”
The youth movement includes rookies Nolan McLean, A.J. Ewing and Carson Benge, in addition to Christian Scott.
No member of that group is expected to be available in trade talks.
Bichette began the day with a .253/.297/.372 slash line overall after sputtering into early June.
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Bichette said he hasn’t spent much time wondering why his success didn’t arrive earlier.
“I can’t do anything about those first two months,” Bichette said. “I wish I had gotten off to the better start and who knows if the season would have gone differently not just for me, but for the team as a whole. I can’t do anything about it.”
Bichette knows firsthand that a turnaround for the Mets next season isn’t a far-fetched notion.
He was part of a Blue Jays team that finished last in the AL East in 2024 before going to the World Series last year.
“We had a lot of injuries [in ’24] and I was one of them,” Bichette said. “I don’t know if I have ever been this far out of [the playoff race] before, but we were definitely not in a good place.”
TEMPE, AZ - FEBRUARY 24: A fan yawns while waiting for autographs during the Los Angeles Angels' first full-squad spring training baseball practice in Tempe, Ariz., Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2016. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan/Digital First Media/Orange County Register via Getty Images) | MediaNews Group via Getty Images
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The second half of the 2026 season is now under way, the D-backs having played their first two games after the break at Chase Field against the Cardinals. But if this week’s poll results are anything to go by, we should likely be hoping that the rest of the season is more successful than the first. It has certainly been a very mid team. While slightly surpassing preseason expectations from the sports books, the current projected tally of 83 wins is almost in line with the average prediction of 84 wins, from the SnakePit writers back in March. There have been ups and downs, certainly, and it’s fair to say that the wins haven’t all come from the expected places.
For example, who had Eduardo Rodriguez and Michael Soroka as the two best starting pitchers? Previous form would not exactly have suggested that. But here we are, with E-Rod coming off an All-Star appearance – and one where he pitched better than the NL starter. On the other hand, there are players who haven’t been as good as expected. Ketel Marte has underperformed his usual high standards, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. has been a disaster, and I’m sure we don’t need to rehash the first-half autopsy report in regard to first base, designated hitter and center field. But in the final analysis, what did we think of the first half? Well, the SnakePit has spoken with (almost) one voice…
Yeah, it’s kinda hard to argue with that conclusion. It hasn’t been a disaster, certainly. Second place in the NL West is nothing to be ashamed of, with the Diamondbacks ahead of both the Padres and Giants, despite both sides outspending Arizona by some margin. The team is still in the hunt for a wild-card spot, and it’s worth noting that theie remaining schedule is more favorable than the five teams currently ahead of them in that race. On the other hand, they’ve been outscored by the opposition, which suggests they are “lucky” to be above .500 at the break. If that’d change going forward, it would be helpful and much appreciated.
From the SnakePit point of view, “Meh” is very much the worst outcome, in terms of fan engagement. If this were the Mets, there would be an endless stream of articles to be written on how things can be fixed, who should be fired, etc. If this were the Dodgers, while the “race” for the division has all the dramatic tension of a state funeral procession, there would be a lot to celebrate, the bandwagon continuing to increase in size as we head towards the inevitable post-season. But this? There’s only so many times I can rehash the mediocrity of first-base, or remind people not to take statistics from Reno at face value.
Obviously, I’d prefer a 2023-style second half. Though that boat may already have sailed. I keep forgetting that D-backs team went into the break tied for the lead in the division, having been ahead by as many as four games in mid-June. Now, despite the very pleasant sweep of the Dodgers before the break, they still sit 11.5 games ahead of us – no other division leader is up by more than five games. It’s all going to be about the wild-card race for the next two and a half months, and hopefully the 2026 Arizona squad will be in that conversation until the final pitch of the regular season, on Sunday September 27th in San Diego.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 12: Hyunjung Lee #26 of the San Antonio Spurs shoots a free throw during the game against the Milwaukee Bucks on July 12, 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 Tom O'Connor/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Welcome to the Game Thread. Veterans of the Game Thread know how we do things around here, but for all you newbies we have a few rules. Our community guidelines apply and basically say be cool, no personal attacks, don’t troll and don’t swear too much. The rule against trolling also applies to members of this site that visit other fan sites.
You thought Summer League was over, didn’t you. Well, in Las Vegas, the teams that don’t make it to the championship tournament get an extra game to practice and evaluate players. The Spurs, who finished 6th in the Las Vegas Summer League standings are facing the Phoenix Suns who are the 7th place finishers. It’s a contest between two 3-1 teams, but both squads have basically shut down for their best players for the summer, and I don’t expect any of the draft picks for either team to play. It’s the late game on Saturday and it’s being played at the big arena, the Thomas and Mack Center. To the extent that there will be any fans there, they will probably be rooting for the Suns, who have shut down Koa Peat and Khaman Maulach for the game. Maybe Texas Ex Traymon Mark could have a good game tonight for the Suns? It could be Darius Brown time, who has been having a spectacular Summer League campaign for the Suns.
Game Prediction:
Hyunjung Lee sets a Las Vegas Summer League Record with 10 made three point shots in the game.
San Antonio Spurs vs Phoenix Suns(Las Vegas Summer League) July 18, 2026 | 9:30 PM CT Streaming: Prime TV: Prime Reminder: It is against site policy to post links to illegal streams in the comments.
Jul 17, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Detroit Tigers second baseman Hao-Yu Lee (50) hits an RBI double during the ninth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Liang-Imagn Images | William Liang-Imagn Images
Detroit Tigers (44-52) vs. Los Angeles Angels (38-60)
Time/Place: 10:07 p.m., Comerica Park SB Nation Site: N/A Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network Pitching Matchup: LHP Tarik Skubal (5-4, 3.06 ERA) vs. RHP Grayson Rodriguez (3-2, 7.55 ERA)
HOOVER, AL - MAY 23: Catcher Daniel Jackson #3 of the Georgia Bulldogs warms up before the SEC Baseball Tournament Semifinal game between Georgia Bulldogs and Florida Gators on May 23, 2026, at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium in Hoover, Alabama.(Photo by David Buono/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The All-Star Game and the MLB Draft are behind us. The Rockies drafted 21 total players over the course of two days, and have signed two undrafted free agents. You can keep track of all the action here.
Former Australian coach Darren Lehmann laughed off suggestions that he would become England’s new Test coach as he shared his belief that the ECB have already lined up Brendon McCullum’s successor.
