PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 30: Jordan Walsh #27 of the Boston Celtics shoots a three point basket during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers during Round One Game Six of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 30, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 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 Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Walsh is coming off a career season in which he averaged 5.4 points and 4 rebounds per game, while shooting 50.9% from the field and 38.4% from three. He averaged 17.8 minutes per game and started 25 games, all career-highs. The Celtics went 15-5 in a 20-game stretch in which he started.
Most importantly, Walsh established himself as an elite defender capable of slowing down opposing teams’ top players, tasked with guarding Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey in the playoffs.
Walsh, who was selected 38th overall in 2023, was entering the last year of his contract and was due $2.4 million next season. While Walsh has played three years in the NBA, he’s just 22 years old and is still the third-youngest player on the roster.
Walsh will be making $2.4 million next season, $5 million in the 2027-2028 season, and $5.25 million in the 2028-2029 season. The Celtics have a $5.5 million team option for the 2029-20230 season.
The Celtics now have a litany of wings under contract for the next few years
Ron Harper Jr. (age 26) has four more years under contract, with team options in the final two years. Sam Hauser (age 29) and Hugo Gonzalez (age 20) both have three more years under contract (Hauser’s contract is fully guaranteed, while Gonzalez’s last two years are team options). And Baylor Scheierman (age 26) has two more seasons under contract, with the 2027-2028 season being a team option.
Whether or not Boston decides to keep all of these wings long-term remains to be seen; if nothing else, they’re valuable trade assets that could be used to bolster other parts of the roster.
In addition — and most importantly — Jayson Tatum (age 28) is under contract for the next four seasons.
Walsh’s extension comes on the heels of another big-time extension; the Celtics agreed to a 4-year, $56 million extension with Neemias Queta earlier this month.
And one more could be in the works: Payton Pritchard is eligible for an extension beginning October 1st.
Portrait of Ray Scarborough (1917 - 1982), Right handed Pitcher for the Washington Senators of the American League during Major League Baseball Spring Training circa March 1950 at Tinker Field in Orlando, Florida, United States. (Photo by Keystone View Company/Archive Photos/Getty Images) | Getty Images
On August 22, 1952, the Red Sox sold the contract of a 35-year-old swingman to their arch rivals. “He was no help to us,” said Lou Boudreau, Boston’s manager, bitterly. “I gave him plenty of chances to start and relieve and he didn’t come through.”
In the midst of a pennant race, the mighty Yankees were adding a past-his-prime hurler to help eat some innings. If Boudreau, a future Hall of Famer, was correct in his analysis, the Yankees were hoping to draw blood from a stone. They’d end up getting some of the best pitching of Ray Scarborough’s career.
Ray Wilson Scarborough Born: July 23, 1917 (Mount Gilead, NC) Died: July 1, 1982 (Mount Olive, NC) Yankees Tenure: 1952-53
Ray Scarborough grew up in North Carolina, the son of Oscar, a general store operator and cotton broker, and Bina. He graduated from Wake Forest University in 1942 and began work as a science teacher. But his right arm was promising enough that he also played for semipro teams in the area. Joe Engel, the legendary scout who also inked deals with Hall of Famers Joe Cronin and Goose Goslin, saw enough to sign Scarborough to play in the Senators’ system.
After winning 21 games and setting a league record with 220 strikeouts at Class-B Selma in 1941, he began the following season at Class-A Chattanooga before getting the call to the bigs on June 26, 1942. The 24-year-old made 12 relief appearances for Washington before drawing his first start in the second game of a doubleheader on September 3. Scarborough held the White Sox off the board and went the distance, earning a shutout victory and a spot in the rotation the rest of the way. Shirley Povich, the legendary sportswriter who spent 65 years at the Washington Post, reported that the rookie had “pitched a beaut.”
Scarborough pitched to a 2.83 ERA in 86 innings in 1943 before reporting for duty with the Navy. He spent all of 1944 and ‘45 in the service, returning for the 1946 season. Scarborough had a career year in 1948, winning 15 games for the 97-loss Senators while recording a 154 ERA+.
Happy opening day! Did you know several of baseball's best came from eastern NC? We have a great collection of baseball scrapbooks from Wayne County Public Library that include players such as Johnny Peacock, Ray Scarborough, and Bobby Wilson https://t.co/nE1lgyKhqYpic.twitter.com/gEimpKs19C
That breakout campaign made him a hot commodity around the league, as no less than five teams attempted to poach him via a trade with the lowly Senators. Among them was the Red Sox, who’d finished a game back of Cleveland for the pennant in 1948 following a one-game tiebreaker playoff. Scarborough had held Boston to two runs in a complete-game victory on September 28th, an outing widely blamed for their ouster.
Scarborough stayed in Washington for the ‘49 season and, while he had a bit of a down year, he once again played spoiler, pitching a one-run complete game to beat the Red Sox 2-1 a year to the day after he’d last doomed them. Boston finished one game shy of the pennant once again, this time behind the Yankees. “It wasn’t the Yanks, it was Ray Scarborough,” wrote Ted Williams years later. “Scarborough was just one of those pitchers that baffled us.”
In 1950, it looked like the Red Sox might finally get their white whale. “Both Red Sox, Yankees Vie for Washington’s Ray Scarborough: Veteran Probably Could Win Pennant for Either,” read one comically optimistic headline from a Boston sportswriter. Instead, he ended up flipped to the White Sox, where he struggled, posting a 5.30 ERA in 27 appearances. That December, the Red Sox finally swung a trade to acquire their longtime foe.
BASEBALL HISTORY, FEATURING 1952 (l to r:) Philadelphia Athletics pitcher Dick Fowler and Boston Red Sox pitcher Ray Scarborough at batting cage at Fenway Park. #baseball@MLB#history Copyright (c) Leslie Jones. All rights reserved. pic.twitter.com/tz0G2UkPmo
As Boudreau lamented, Scarborough’s time with Boston was not nearly as productive as his time pitching against them. After his ERA surpassed 5.00 in a year and a half there, the Red Sox cut bait, putting him on waivers and selling his contract to the Yankees. At 35, he pitched like a man reborn for Casey Stengel. Splitting time between the rotation and bullpen, he pitched to a 2.91 ERA in nine appearances down the stretch. He earned the victory in five of the Yankees’ final 28 games, playing a key role as they edged Cleveland for the pennant by two games.
When asked about this sudden turnaround, the veteran was magnanimous. “I never realized Yogi Berra was such a smart catcher,” he offered by way of explanation. The man who’d wallowed on bad Washington teams most of his career even got the chance to pitch in the World Series, allowing one run in an inning of work in the opener as the Yankees beat the Dodgers in a seven-game classic, securing their fourth consecutive title.
Scarborough stuck around in the Bronx for the 1953 campaign, pitching reasonably well (3.29 ERA in 54.2 innings) before getting released to make way for younger talent as the Yankees won yet another championship. His 3.15 ERA as a Yankee — albeit in a much smaller sample than his seven years in Washington — would be his best mark with any team. After a brief stint with the Tigers, he retired at the age of 36.
After his retirement, Scarborough returned home to Mount Olive, NC, running an oil and supply company while staying involved with the game of baseball. He had stints with multiple organizations over the years, serving as both a coach and a scout.
Ray Scarborough died of a heart attack on July 1, 1982, three weeks before his 65th birthday. His impact on the Yankees organization runs far deeper than his brief tenure with the team. Between his excellent run down the stretch in 1952 and his confounding of the Red Sox in 1949, he was a significant force in securing two Yankees pennants — something many far more decorated players cannot say.
See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - MAY 8: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks dribbles the ball during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers during Round Two Game Three of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 8, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 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 David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Though still early in his career, Quentin Grimes is not a player who has been known for his defense.
Quite the opposite, actually.
Grimes’ offense is predominantly what got him his big four-year contract this summer from the Lakers. At his best, he averaged 21.9 points per game after being traded to the Sixers last season and has proven to be a dynamic combo guard.
But his defense? That’s never been his calling card. But given the role he’s about to take with the Lakers, there’s an expectation of productivity on that end, both from the team and from Grimes himself.
In a recent interview on “Mason & Ireland” on ESPN LA, Grimes spoke about his role in LA and why he’s excited to show what he can do defensively.
“That was really one of the bigger selling points. Talking with JJ and then having them be able to pitch me what my role [will] look like, having a pretty a pretty big offensive role within the team. But also having a big leadership role on defense as well as taking on that challenge every night of guarding the best players and wanting that responsibility. I want to have that challenge every night. So, that was really the two main things when I was choosing [a team] in free agency.”
In essence, Grimes is being brought in to replace Marcus Smart. It’s certainly not a like-for-like replacement, but that’s the role he’ll take on the roster. There’s a strong possibility he steps into the starting lineup and, if that’s the case, he’ll have to be able to defend at a high level alongside Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves.
He’s still a young player and is athletic. There’s plenty of reason to believe he could become a solid defensive player. But it would be him showing a skill that he hasn’t demonstrated a ton of during his career.
The Lakers are betting he can shine in a bigger, different role. Grimes wants to step up in said role. Now it’ll be a matter of actions matching words when the games start.
The Phillies may have the best record in baseball since Don Mattingly took over as manager, but they haven’t looked particularly prepared to play the last two nights.
Philadelphia ran itself out of an inning again during this painful series against the Dodgers, with second baseman Bryson Stott running on contact with one out in the fifth inning of the 9-5 loss Wednesday.
Despite the ball being hit in front of him, Scott ran right into the waiting arms of third baseman Max Muncy for the second out in a 3-3 game.
The Dodgers broadcast seemingly can’t believe what they’re seeing from the Phillies in this series. pic.twitter.com/WbGIgWjUT9
“Down to third to [Max] Muncy and Stott runs into an out,” the Dodgers broadcaster Joe Davis said on the call. “What are these guys doing?”
“No clue,” color analyst Orel Hershiser responded.
Bryson Stott runs into Max Muncy for the third out during a Phillies-Dodgers game on Wednesday. X @JackFritzWIP
The Phillies own an impressive 47-28 record since Mattingly took over as the team’s manager after Rob Thomson was fired following a 9-19 start, but this baserunning over the last two nights has cost them.
Philadelphia lost two of three from the Dodgers, and the Phillies broadcast team wasn’t happy either when they lost Tuesday’s one-run game on a game-ending 5-2-6-4 double play.
Stott normally would not be be running on contact on this play, as he’s already in scoring position, so running into an out at third base is a terrible move considering he should be able to score on a hit.
Bryce Harper #3 of the Philadelphia Phillies reacts after a fly out in the eighth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers Getty Images
Players are also not supposed to run to third when the ball is hit in front of them.
Making it even worse for the Phillies, their best hitter, Kyle Schwarber, was on deck, although he ultimately popped out to end the threat.
Dodger play-by-play announcer, Joe Davis couldn’t believe what he was seeing with the Phillies. Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Mattingly was never viewed as a bad manager with the Dodgers and Marlins for struggles with his teams on the basepaths; rather, he was known for poor bullpen management and over-reliance on small ball.
ATLANTA, GA - JULY 21: Jackson Merrill #3 of the San Diego Padres rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run to tie the game in the fourth inning during the game between the San Diego Padres and the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on Tuesday, July 21, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Cole Carter/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
San Diego Padres (50-52) at Atlanta Braves (59-42), July 23, 2026, 9:15 a.m. PST
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SAINT PAUL, MN - JULY 22: Angel Genao #10 of the Columbus Clippers looks on during the game between the Columbus Clippers and the St. Paul Saints at CHS Field on Wednesday, July 22, 2026 in Saint Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by Michael Turner/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
The Cleveland Guardians have a good problem in a star shortstop prospect who is knocking on the door of the big leagues.
In case you’ve missed it, Angel Genao is a 22 year-old switch-hitting shortstop prospect currently in Columbus for the Guardians’ Triple-A team. In 61 games, Genao has a 130 wRC+, 14.1/12.5 K/BB%, with a .303/.391/.469 slashline and 6 stolen bases. His splits are roughly even over the past two years, with his right-handed hitting his slightly stronger side. He is also an excellent defender and at Triple-A has played 44 games at shortstop, 10 games at third base, and 6 games at second base. Also, his name is not Genoa so please update your autocorrects, accordingly.
Genao is a hot streak away from really proving he needs a major league chance, but his numbers already stand out. Since 2017, these are the top five shortstop hitting performances at Triple-A for players 22 years and younger:
JJ Wetherholt, 22 years old, 164 wRC+
Elly De La Cruz, 21-22 years old, 151 wRC+
Wander Franco, 20-21 years old, 151 wRC+
Gunnar Henderson, 21-22 years old, 140 wRC+
Angel Genao, 22 years old, 131 wRC+
Genao does hit way too many groundballs at 55%, but his 90 mph average exit velocity and 45% hard-hit rate helps minimize the launch angle issues. If you see Genao left in Columbus or traded in a big deal, it will be because he pounds the ball into the ground. But, hitting the ball hard and pulling it as he does effectively (50%) should give him a chance to make a less than ideal launch angle work if he can even see a 5-10% reduction on groundballs moved to line drives and fly balls.
I think there is a chance that bringing Genao up to play second base and temporarily moving Travis Bazzana to DH, then playing Bazzana at second base and Genao at third when Jose DH’s may become the Guardians’ ideal lineup at some point, perhaps near to today. Bazzana’s future defensive home may be in left field or at second base, but his work at second is a negative right now.
It is possible that Genao may be a piece in a big trade for a right-handed slugger or for a starting pitcher. But, given his production and age, that could be a mistake for the Guardians. They may want to try Genao in centerfield if they think Bazzana can stick at second, but some plans should be forming to get another Guardian Angel on this team soon.
It's a small slate Thursday with fewer pitchers to fade and MLB player props to dig into, but there are certainly some dingers showing value on the board.
Shane Bieber is the best home run target today, and some left-handed bats have a big bump with no good left-handed arms in the Jays' bullpen. Bieber's reverse splits are also making Junior Caminero and that swing very appetizing at his current odds.
In the late game, there is another reverse-split matchup with Dillon Dingler that is showing legit value.
These are my favorite home run props for Thursday, July 23.
UPDATE: Added another HR pick + parlay.
Best MLB home run props today
Player to hit a HR
Odds
Victor Mesa Jr.
+563
Junior Caminero
+245
Dillon Dingler
+569
💲Today's HR parlay
+12839
Home run pick: Victor Mesa Jr. (+563)
Eight home runs in just 38 games and 120 plate appearances is pretty impressive for the rookie outfielder, and he's heating up in a hurry with three homers since Saturday, including two in this series against Toronto.
Victor Mesa Jr. is a left-handed bat, but the pinch-hit risk is minimal today with Toronto likely having just one lefty available in the bullpen — Brendon Little and his 17.61 ERA.
He'll open the game against Shane Bieber, who is coming off a strong outing against the White Sox, but the underlying numbers are still ugly. Bieber ranks in the Bottom 10 among starters in both HR/9 and HR/FB rate, and no starter owns a worse BlastContact% this season.
Seven of the 29 hits he's allowed have left the yard through just five starts. The walks are climbing, and the meatballs keep getting crushed.
One stat that really stands out is the swing speed against Bieber. No starter has a higher average swing speed against at 74.1 mph, and 48.6% of swings against him qualify as "fast swings" of at least 75 mph. Hitters are taking absolute hacks against him.
The Tampa bats project well today, and Mesa is a buy for me down to +500.
Time: 3:07 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Sportsnet, Rays.TV
Home run pick: Junior Caminero (+245)
Let's keep picking on Bieber, but this time I'm going to the right side because the reverse splits are very real.
Right-handed hitters are batting .396 against Bieber this season compared to just .208 for lefties. There are a few appealing Tampa Bay right-handed bats today, but I'm not getting cute.
Junior Caminero owns the fastest average swing speed in baseball at 79.8 mph, and 88% of his swings register at 75 mph or higher. You can't cheat that kind of bat speed, and it's a big reason why his underlying hitting metrics are among the league's best.
The matchup couldn't be much better. Bieber allows the fastest average swing speed against of any MLB starter, meaning hitters are loading up and taking full cuts against him. That's exactly the profile you want for a power hitter like Caminero.
Reverse splits aren't always fully priced into the market, so there's still value here. The break-even price should be around +225.
Time: 3:07 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Sportsnet, Rays.TV
Home run pick: Dillon Dingler (+569)
Dillon Dingler continues to offer value against right-handed pitching because he's a true reverse-splits hitter who crushes righties. He owns a .928 OPS against RHPs this season, and 18 of his 22 home runs have come against them.
He's also in the middle of a power binge after launching three homers in the Cubs series while going 7-for-12 with a ridiculous 2.032 OPS at Wrigley.
Detroit gets Triple-A arm Randy Dobnak, whose 1.93 ERA paints a much prettier picture than his underlying numbers. His 5.61 xERA and 5.68 FIP suggest regression is coming, and his LOB% and BABIP have been carrying him.
This is a great home run price for a reverse-splits hitter in excellent form against a pitcher who has been living on borrowed time.
Time: 6:40 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Royals.TV, DSN
Josh Inglis' 2026 Transparency Record
HR picks: 25-138, -17.23 units
Today’s HR parlay
Victor Mesa Jr.
Bet Now +12839
Junior Caminero
Dillon Dingler
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.
The deal for Garnacho’s season-long loan includes a conditional obligation to buy a player who joined Chelsea last August from Manchester United in a deal worth £40m. Villa will be expected to pay a similar fee for Garnacho, who struggled to impress at Stamford Bridge despite featuring in 43 games in all competitions and scoring eight goals.
The NBA free-agency window opened up on June 30 and, for a moment, deals were being struck left and right, but over the past couple of weeks, the basketball world seemingly has come to a halt as teams wait for LeBron James to make his decision on who to join.
While he reportedly shifted his focus to three teams, the Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers and Philadelphia 76ers, last week, there seemingly have been no new substantive updates in recent days.
For the Warriors, their initial plan, according to ESPN Senior NBA Insider Shams Charania, was to try and acquire James in free agency while also trading for 10-time All-Star Anthony Davis, but there doesn’t seem to be much traction there.
“Those conversations for AD have gone nowhere for the Warriors from my understanding,” Charania said Thursday on the “Pat McAfee Show.” I don’t sense any direction that they’re picking back up in. I don’t think that’s going to be a conversation.”
"We're just waiting on LeBron James to make his decision right now..
“If the Warriors were to get in that ballgame, they would have to give up multiple first-round picks, multiple draft picks, multiple swaps” Charania continued. “All this other stuff and then the question is just ‘Do you want to give that price up?’
“Now, when I talk to teams around the league it’s if you have the chance to get LeBron James and Anthony Davis, you probably give up that price but if you’re the Warriors, that’s the give and take that you have there.”
That decision is a tough one for the Warriors – who currently have Jimmy Butler, whose primary position – small forward — is the same as James’.
But, the rumors around a trade for Davis have almost always had Golden State sending Butler along with a package of draft capital — even though Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy still expects him to be on the team when he returns from injury.
While the talk of James and Davis has quieted as of late, it’s always calmest before the storm.
As we await another rendition of the “The Decision,” the Warriors roster, as we know it now, could all but become a thing of the past.
The former Carlton co-captain on the hardships that took him to ‘rock bottom’ and the ‘obsession’ that helped him carve out a 13-year AFL career
Sam Docherty always thought it would be his body that would tell him it was time to call it quits. He’d had two bouts of cancer, three knee reconstructions, more than a dozen epidurals and serious injuries to a toe, shoulder and even an eye. In his final AFL game, Hawthorn’s Calsher Dear accidentally kneed him in the nose. Docherty played the rest of the game with a tampon up one nostril to stop the bleeding.
But it was his mind that got him in the end. His final year with Carlton was exhausting. He was dropped twice. The team was hopeless. The coach Michael Voss was under siege. Docherty was told by senior people at the Blues that he needed to come into the club in a better mood. He felt disrespected, detached, angry and confused. Just before he announced his retirement, the club told him they wouldn’t be offering him a new contract anyway.
This game is why games like Monday hurt. Sometimes, it just isn’t your night. Tigers pitching stifled the Cubs Wednesday night. The result was a non-competitive 5-1 loss. The Cubs managed just four hits and one walk. Unless all of those hits are home runs, that just isn’t going to win many games. They did, in fact, get one homer and a double. With a homer and a double in there, you could maybe sequence it well and get two or three runs out of that output. But it’s extremely hard to win without offensive production. And so, it frustrates you that the Monday game was winnable and it slipped away.
The Tigers are trying to save their season in a year when the American League is particularly unimpressive. The Tigers sit with just the 11th best record. They are 6.5 games out of first in the AL Central. They are 4.5 games behind the Red Sox for the last Wild Card spot. You can understand some frustration and confusion for the Tigers in that just a few weeks ago the Red Sox were one of the teams they were ahead of. Surely, they are saying why not us and hoping they can get on a bit of a roll this week and not be sellers at the deadline. In reality, they are probably in the spot where you might do a “soft” sell. Possibly trade from the fringes of the roster, particularly where you might have a prospect that would come up and fill the spot.
Regardless, this is the time of year when you can catch a team playing a little desperate. That didn’t work out particularly well for the Cubs in this series. Fortunately, they had that inspired Tuesday night first inning and got out with the one win. It ends with a 3-3 homestand which feels like a little lost opportunity against two AL Central opponents struggling to stay competitive. Ahead of a daunting 17-game stretch, it’s disappointing to be sure.
This is as good a spot as any for a perspective check. Four teams have better records than the Cubs. One team has the same record as the Cubs. The Cubs have sole possession of the first Wild Card spot. The Cubs are on pace for 90.5 wins. The Cubs are 4th in MLB in runs per game. They are 18th in runs allowed per game. That is the story of the season. The Cub offense pretty much has to show up every night or the team doesn’t win.
This next stretch will take more than a quarter of the remaining games off of the schedule.17 games in 17 days. Tough road games, daunting opposition, the heat of the summer. It’s all there. This is it really. If they can hang in there through this stretch, they should be able to get this across the finish line. Hopefully, healthy bodies start showing up during this stretch. Hopefully the front office adds meaningful depth to the roster. The Dodgers are going to look like an unclimbable mountain probably for years to come. The Brewers run a really tight ship. There aren’t going to be a ton of seasons where you are positioned better than this. Even getting into the playoffs and winning a series or two has value to the organization. You want to be one of those teams that is there every year. When it starts getting down to the final four teams every year, you want to be one of those teams. Fight the fight.
Three Positives and Pete:
Ian Happ had two hits, one a double.
Seiya Suzuki had a solo homer.
Ryan Rolison threw a clean inning, striking out all three hitters.
Pete Crow-Armstrong was hit by a pitch in four plate appearances.
Game 102, July 22: Tigers 5, Cubs 1 (57-45)
Reminder: Heroes and Goats are determined by WPA scores and are in no way subjective.
Billy Goat: Colin Rea (-.212). 5 IP, 21 BF, 6 H, BB, 4 R, 5 K, HBP (L 7-7)
Goat: Nico Hoerner (-.095). 0-4
Kid: Michael Busch/Alex Bregman (-.074). Busch: 1-4, DP; Bregman: 1-4
WPA Play of the Game: Hao-Yu Lee’s three-run homer in the fourth basically put the game out of reach. (.307)
Cubs Play of the Game: Seiya Suzuki’s solo homer in the bottom of the first. (.104)
Cubs Player of the Game:
Game 101 Winner: David Peterson received 43 of 80 votes, nudging PCA (35 of 80).
Rizzo Award Standings: (Top 5/Bottom 5)
The award is named for Anthony Rizzo, who finished first in this category three of the first four years it was in existence and four times overall. He also recorded the highest season total ever at +65.5. The point scale is three points for a Superhero down to negative three points for a Billy Goat.
Pete Crow-Armstrong +21
Carson Kelly +17.5
Michael Busch +15.5
Ben Brown +13.5
Alex Bregman +13
Jameson Taillon/Phil Maton -10
Nico Hoerner -13
Caleb Thielbar -14
Dansby Swanson -16
Up Next: Game one of the 17-game gauntlet on Friday. They visit the Pirates (53-50). The Pirates swept the Brewers heading into the All-Star break and then took two of three from Cleveland coming out of it. So they’ve climbed back into the Wild Card race in the ultra-competitive NL. They sit with the eighth-best record in the NL, but that leaves them just one loss behind the Diamondbacks for the last wild card spot. So once again, the Cubs will be battling a team trying to jockey for position.
Matthew Boyd (6-1, 4.15) gets the opener of the series. He’s won his last four starts, allowing eight runs in 23.1 innings. At this point, that’s pretty much the best the Cubs have. Jared Jones (2-1, 4.05) makes his 10th start of the year for the Pirates. He’s coming off a win against Cleveland. He only threw five innings, but he struck out nine and allowed one earned run on three hits and a walk. He started four games against the Cubs back in 2024 and the Cubs hung a couple of losses on him. They posted 20 runs against him in 22.1 innings. This is a guy with only 31 starts. So, while those starts were a while ago, he doesn’t have a lot of body of work at the MLB level.
ARLINGTON, TX - JULY 04: A general view of the Guinness World Records World's Largest Glass of Beer event prior to a Between the Texas Rangers and the Detroit Tigers and the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field on July 04, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Gunnar Word/Texas Rangers/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Congratulations to Yeison Morrobel, who has been named the #12 prospect in the 2026 LSB Midseason Community Prospect Rankings, receiving a little under a quarter of the vote.
Our list so far:
1 — Sebastian Walcott
2 — Caden Scarborough
3 — Malcolm Moore
4 — A.J. Russell
5 — Yolfran Castillo
6 — Rafe Perich
7 — Dylan Dreiling
8 — Josh Owens
9 — Jose Corniell
10 — Dalton Pence
11 — David Davalillo
12 — Yeison Morrobel
13 — Hector Osorio
Moving on…
Because there has been a history of vote-spamming shenanigans in the rankings, I used Google Forms for the last several of community rankings, and it worked out well, so we will use it again. You will need to include your LSB user name when you vote. If you don’t have an LSB user name, you need to use some sort of identifier. While this won’t eliminate the possibility of vote spamming, it will make it harder.
So who is the #14 prospect in the Rangers system right now?
Mar 28, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Red Wings right wing Patrick Kane (88) gets set during a face off in the second period against the Philadelphia Flyers at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
Rick Osentoski/Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
CHICAGO — Patrick Kane has rejoined the Chicago Blackhawks, agreeing to a two-year, $16 million contract with his first NHL team.
The deal, which includes a full no-movement clause, was announced by the Blackhawks.
Kane, 37, became one of the NHL’s most dynamic players while spending his first 15-plus seasons in Chicago, helping the Blackhawks win three Stanley Cup championships. He ranks among the franchise’s career leaders with 446 goals, 779 assists and 1,225 points.
“Day in and day out for 16 seasons, Patrick captivated the city of Chicago with his dazzling skill, creating some of the most memorable moments in Blackhawks history as he helped bring our storied franchise back to the pinnacle of our sport,” general manager Kyle Davidson said in a release. “He’s shown on countless occasions that he knows what it takes to win at the highest levels.”
The addition of Kane adds another offensive presence to a lineup that will begin the season without Connor Bedard, who had surgery on his left shoulder on July 8. Kane likely will play with Bedard when the 21-year-old center returns to the ice.
The rebuilding Blackhawks went 29-39-14 last season, an 11-point improvement on the previous season. The team has finished No. 31 in the NHL each of the past three years.
Chicago is looking for its first postseason appearance since the NHL used an expanded playoff format after the 2020 season was affected by the pandemic.
Kane isn’t same player he was during his first stint with the Blackhawks. But he had 16 goals and 41 assists in 67 games with the Detroit Red Wings last season. He has recorded at least 50 points in 18 of his 19 seasons.
The No. 1 overall pick in the 2007 draft passed Mike Modano in January for the most NHL points by a player born in the United States. He has 508 career goals — fourth on the U.S. list — and 1,400 points in 1,369 regular-season games.
Kane was one of Chicago’s biggest stars during the best stretch in franchise history, winning the Stanley Cup in 2010, 2013 and 2015. The Blackhawks also made it to the Western Conference Final in 2014, losing to the Los Angeles Kings in an epic seven-game series.
Kane, who won the 2016 Hart Trophy as NHL MVP, was traded to the New York Rangers in February 2023. The Blackhawks then won the draft lottery and took Bedard with the No. 1 overall pick that same year. As reports swirled about the possibility of Kane returning to Chicago, Bedard openly embraced the idea.
“I can’t imagine his first game back at the (United Center), the reaction he’d get and how much juice that would bring to not only our team but our fans, as well,” Bedard said. “That would be incredible to play with him and learn from him. Hopefully he decides to come back.”
ATLANTA, GA - JULY 05: Mike Yastrzemski #18 of the Atlanta Braves throws in the first inning against the New York Mets at Truist Park on July 5, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Jack Casey/Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Braves kick off a thin slate of games today at 12:15 pm ET. With a victory in the matinee to finish the homestand, they could:
Reach win number 60 on the season
Add another half game to their division lead (4 now after yesterday’s action concluded)
Finally win a series against the San Diego Padres
The decision to make or ruin the rest of our Thursday is in the hands of the following gentlemen:
No real surprises here, even though the Padres made a last-minute change to announce Kyle Hart as their starter. Another opener? You shouldn’t have. Previously announced SP Griffin Canning is likely to follow.
Drake Baldwin will catch for the third straight day and will keep the Ronald Acuña Jr. leadoff spot warm. Mike Yastrzemski, who served as the DH in his two games back from the IL, returns to right field and bat eighth as he seemingly does his rehab in the majors. Gwinnett’s too full of stars at the moment. Dominic Smith had a pinch-hit RBI last night and will start at DH today.
Baby Brave Jim Jarvis rounds out the bottom of the lineup as he continues his extended run at shortstop.
For the Padres, things look similar to last night other than Xander Bogaerts moving up a couple spots in the order to hit fifth given his history against Chris Sale. Freddy Fermin will catch, Gavin Sheets will DH, and Jake Cronenworth moves down to bat ninth, which again makes sense due to his 0-for-11 streak against Sale. Last night’s DH Luis Rengifo remains in the two-hole, but he’ll get the start in left field.
As the world continues to anticipate LeBron James’ decision on which team he will sign with during the 2026 NBA free agency period, the four-time NBA MVP reportedly is not waiting for any team to make a move that would sway his decision.
Previously, there was a report that James has been taking his time with his decision, seeing whether any of his suitors could find a way to acquire Washington Wizards forward Anthony Davis or Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving.
However, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that James will choose his next team on his own terms.
“Now that we’re 20 days in, there’s nothing left. The teams are the teams. The information is the information. LeBron has everything he needs to make a decision. The conversations have happened. From my understanding, my sources tell me, LeBron James, his agent Rich Paul and that inner circle, they’re not waiting for another domino right now,” Charania said on ESPN’s “The Pat McAfee Show” on Thursday.
“They’re not waiting for Anthony Davis to get traded anywhere. They’re not waiting for anyone else to move anywhere. The teams – Cleveland, Miami, Golden State, Philadelphia, Minnesota – they’re set. Those are the teams. Wherever he ends up, you’re looking at minimum deals, you’re looking at exceptions. The contracts are not going to be a grand part of this deal.
“LeBron James is very clear from the very beginning. This is going to be based on happiness in terms of a chance to contend for a championship, a chance to compete at a high level and join a [winning] culture. That doesn’t come from going to a team and then gutting that team from multiple different players.”
"My sources tell me that LeBron James isn't waiting for another domino right now..
The Warriors remain in the running as one of James’ top destinations, considering the 22-time NBA All-Star selection would get the opportunity to play alongside Golden State’s franchise star Steph Curry, and under coach Steve Kerr.
“If during the first week of July, LeBron James and Rich Paul told the Heat or the [Cavaliers] or the Warriors, ‘Hey, we need you to do this, and we’re coming,’ those teams might have done that. But that message was not delivered,” Charania added.
While there might be some pressure coming from commissioner Adam Silver and the NBA for a quicker process, James and his agent, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, are running on their own clock and have expressed that a decision will be made whenever it is ready.
In the meantime, the world shall continue to wait.
Victor Mesa Jr.
Dillon Dingler
