CLEVELAND, OHIO - MAY 09: Jaylon Tyson #20 of the Cleveland Cavaliers runs down court during the third quarter in Game Three of the Second Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs against the Detroit Pistons at Rocket Arena on May 09, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. 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. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers are bumping into the harsh realities that come with recently being above the second apron. Their main goal this offseason was to add a 41-year-old LeBron James to a contract that is far below market value. With the opportunity of doing so out the window, they’re now left to pivot to imperfect options to fill out the rotation.
If the Cavs want to advance to the conference finals or further next season, they will need some of their young players on cost-controlled contracts to provide meaningful minutes. As of now, Jaylon Tyson is the most likely candidate to do so.
Tyson took a meaningful step forward last year in his second season. He showed that he could be a knock-down three-point shooter who provides great energy on both ends of the court. That was much needed for a team that was often stuck in neutral for the first half of the season due to their wide array of injuries.
The improvement he showed last season has Cavs fans optimistic he can take another step forward. Sixty-two percent of fans surveyed earlier this week believe that he has the brightest future among recent draft picks.
While Tyson was the guy fans think has the brightest future, there were plenty out there that believe in Meleek Thomas.
Thomas was impressive this past month in Las Vegas. He led Summer League in scoring, while earning himself a spot on the All Summer League First Team. Summer League success doesn’t always translate to the NBA, but there’s plenty of reasons to be excited about the incredible scoring display Thomas displayed in Vegas.
We’ll see what kind of impact both can make on the Cavs this upcoming season.
Donald Trump picked Michael Jordan over LeBron James in the NBA GOAT debate after James signed with the 76ers. REUTERS
Trump cited his relationship with Jordan and his contentious history with James while explaining his choice.
“Michael Jordan is a guy that’s a friend of mine. I play golf with him. He’s a really good guy,” Trump said. “I think LeBron is maybe he’s a racist, but maybe he doesn’t like Trump. I don’t know. I only like people that like me, so I would say Michael Jordan all the way.”
Suns guard Dan Majerle (left) defends Bulls guard Michael Jordan during Game 1 of the NBA Finals in 1993 USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Trump did not compare the players’ basketball accomplishments.
Jordan won six NBA championships and five Most Valuable Player awards during his career. James has won four championships and four MVP awards and is the league’s career scoring leader. His move to Philadelphia will extend his career to a record 24th season.
Trump and James have publicly criticized each other for nearly a decade.
James endorsed Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election and later criticized Trump’s handling of issues involving athletes and professional sports. In 2017, James again questioned Trump after the president withdrew a White House invitation to the champion Golden State Warriors amid Steph Curry’s reluctance to attend.
LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts during the second quarter of a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder Getty Images
Their dispute escalated in 2018 after James said during an interview with CNN’s Don Lemon that Trump was using sports to divide the country. Trump responded on social media by insulting James and Lemon before writing, “I like Mike.”
Jordan defended James afterward, saying he supported the NBA star’s work in his community.
Trump also chose Jordan when asked about the debate in 2020. At the time, he said Jordan’s limited public involvement in politics made him more popular.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 17: (NEW YORK DAILIES OUT) Yoshinobu Yamamoto #18 of the Los Angeles Dodgers in action against the New York Mets during Game Four of the National League Championship Series at Citi Field on October 17, 2024 in New York City. The Dodgers defeated the Mets 10-2. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dodgers were supposed to have two games on Fox during this road trip, but last Saturday in The Bronx rain got in the way and postponed the middle game against the Yankees. So we’ll have to settle on a single Fox game on the road trip, on Saturday against the Mets at Citi Field.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto starts for the Dodgers, coming off his first complete game of the season last Sunday against the Yankees. Mets rookie Nolan McLean has been excellent so far this season with a 3.34 ERA in 20 starts, including only two earned runs allowed over his last four starts combined.
CINCINNATI, OHIO - JUNE 24: Rhett Lowder #25 of the Cincinnati Reds pitches in the first inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Great American Ball Park on June 24, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) | Getty Images
All signs do not point to the Cincinnati Reds being huge sellers at the trade deadline in the next week and a half. Nick Krall confirmed as much to The Enquirer’s Gordon Wittenmyer this week, suggesting that in lieu of rebuilding they are going to ‘retool’ with an eye on still being competitive (for them) in the 2027 season.
Cincinnati Reds president Nick Krall talked with the Enquirer this week about his job security and the Reds' wide-open mind at the MLB trade deadline. https://t.co/FGSQ4VnnRK
What does seem increasingly clear, though, is that the Reds – barring a miracle win streak this week – will likely shed their veterans on the roster who are set to reach free agency at season’s end. Some of those will be easier to find takers than others what with salary obligations, performance, and positional demand, but one guy who seems almost certain to be dealt is righty Brady Singer.
Every team needs a workhorse starter with upside, and Singer has pitched well enough over the last two months that his durability and trend-line will have suitors galore. The Reds won’t land a superstar prospect for him, but there will be enough interest that not dealing him would be a complete non-starter, so it sure seems like one of the key cogs in the team’s rotation will be elsewhere down the stretch.
That brings us to Rhett Lowder, who’ll get the start on the road in St. Louis on Friday night as the Reds open their series against the Cardinals. He has pitched to just a 5.75 ERA and 1.64 WHIP for Cincinnati so far in 2026, sliding down to the bullpen when the rotation was fully stocked for a trio of appearances and fresh off being shelled for 8 ER in 2.1 IP in the hellscape that is Coors Field in the July heat his last time getting a start.
With just 72.0 IP with the Reds this season (and 5.0 IP with AAA Louisville), Lowder’s got plenty of innings he can log between now and the season’s end if he can manage to throw the ball over the plate and be more pitch efficient. And the obvious portion of the entire piece is that once Singer leaves, there are going to be a lot of innings down the stretch for pitchers specifically like him to begin to soak up.
Hunter Greene will be an every fifth day guy until season’s end, his March elbow surgery meaning he’s not going to slam into any innings limit this year. Andrew Abbott will presumably be tasked with going every fifth day for the rest of the season, too, his track record showing that’s not going to be much of a problem. Beyond those two, though, there is a whole lot up in the air for the Cincinnati rotation as ace Chase Burns will inevitably be throttled at some point after having already logged 107.2 IP this year. Nick Lodolo, you’ll recall, is on the IL for the second time with blister problems, and given that he’s reportedly working on a whole new grip for his breaking ball he’s a wild card in terms of how much – and how deep when he does – he’ll be able to work as a starter.
It all leaves a pretty open door for Lowder, Cincinnati’s 1st round pick from back in 2023. Not only will the Reds be giving him a pretty long leash due to the simple need for someone, anyone to pitch 6 innings every fifth day, but they’ll be eyeing just what Lowder can do as a big league starter as they retool their roster for 2027. Can he be a rotation cog? Just how much will they need to invest this winter to replace Singer, or will Lowder take the job and run with it?
In theory, Burns/Greene/Abbott/Lodolo/Lowder looks like a pretty stout rotation for next season. Lowder, though, is clearly the biggest question mark of the bunch, and how well he seizes the opportunity in a post-Singer world will dictate a ton of the direction the front office takes in addressing their roster on a shoestring budget this winter.
Lowder gets his first post-Coors chance to show he’s up for it tonight in Busch Stadium with the Reds season (and full deadline plans) in the balance.
Here’s how the Reds will line up to begin tonight’s game in St. Louis, with first pitch set for 8:15 PM ET:
Dec 7, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Lebron James (23) and Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey react with each other after the game at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
The long-awaited decision of LeBron James has now been made, and he is headed to the Philadelphia 76ers on a two-year deal with the franchise. With that move, he will now share the court with one of Big Blue Nation’s favorites, Tyrese Maxey.
Also with the organization is Justin Edwards, who is still trying to get his feet wet in the NBA heading into year three.
Maxey went to Instagram to share his reaction when the news broke Friday morning, and said he is “like Coach Cal” after landing his own prized recruit in LeBron James.
In all seriousness, what a shocking move! LeBron James will be joining a team that was already viewed as one of the favorites in the Eastern Conference, and now bumps those odds up even more. A team with Maxey and James on it, with Joel Embiid, Jaylen Brown, VJ Edgecombe and many other talented pieces, is crazy.
LeBron said in his statement today that he “still wants to compete, to win and to have a chance at the feeling of winning another championship.” Well, not many other teams he could’ve joined give him as good a chance as the 76ers do at this point in the offseason. James has decided not to end his career back in Northeast Ohio with the Cleveland Cavaliers, where it all started, but is headed to Philadelphia to end his Hall of Fame career.
This could mean that the streak of Kentucky players winning an NBA championship may continue with a new team and a new face winning it all. In three of the last four years, we have seen a former Kentucky Wildcat win the Larry O’Brien trophy.
The Knicks winning this last one gave Karl-Anthony Towns a ring; the year before, it gave Shai Gilgeous-Alexander a ring and his teammate Cason Wallace with the Oklahoma City Thunder; then, in 2023, Jamal Murray won one with the Denver Nuggets.
Will we be able to add Tyrese Maxey and Justin Edwards to that list soon?
CLEVELAND, OHIO - JULY 18: Jared Jones #17 of the Pittsburgh Pirates throws a pitch during the first inning in game one of a doubleheader against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on July 18, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Pittsburgh Pirates are back at home for a weekend series at PNC Park when they take on the NL Central rival Chicago Cubs.
Jared Jones is on the bump for the Bucks for the first time since July 18, when he pitched five innings in a 7-1 victory over the Cleveland Guardians on the road. He gave up three hits and one run in his first win since June 4, snapping a six-game drought where he didn’t pick up a victory.
The Cubs are countering with Matthew Boyd, who is making his 11th start of the season for Chicago. Boyd was injured for most of the day in June, but he returned to the lineup on June 25. He pitched 4.2 innings, giving up four hits against the New York Mets. Since then, he has made four starts and has picked up the victory in each of those contests, improving his record to 6-1. As a team, the Cubs are 8-2 when Boyd pitches, making this a difficult matchup for Pittsburgh.
The game plan for the Pirates tonight should be to attack Boyd early in the game, putting him on the ropes and forcing Chicago to get to their bullpen early in the first game of this series.
Location: PNC Park, Pittsburgh, PA
Broadcast: KDKA AM/FM, Sportsnet Pittsburgh
Pitching Matchup: Matthew Boyd (6-1, 4.15 ERA) vs. Jared Jones (2-1, 4.05 ERA)
BD community, chime off in the comments section below.
Edgecombe, who won the Rising Stars Challenge MVP award at this year's NBA All-Star festivities, posted the celebration to his Instagram stories shortly after the news broke. He shared a photo of himself holding his hand to his head looking up at the camera smiling in the same way as James' famous "Smiling through it all! Can't believe this my life" Instagram story.
VJ Edgecombe recreated LeBron’s “Can’t believe this my life” meme on his IG stories upon hearing the news that the King was going to be his 76ers teammate 😂🏆 pic.twitter.com/KFoLhNYUWK
The four-time NBA champion was reportedly deciding between Philadelphia or a return to the Miami Heat or his hometown team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, after leaving the Los Angeles Lakers this offseason.
The 2026-2027 NBA schedule has not been released yet, but the 76ers open preseason with a game against the Celtics on Saturday, October 10. This past season, Philadelphia made it to the conference semifinals where they were swept by the eventual champion New York Knicks.
After James announced he was ending his free agency saga by signing with the Sixers, Drummond — a former Sixer himself — reacted by writing “Oh” and a concerned/sad emoji on X.
Drummond spent the last two seasons in Philly before joining the now defending-champion Knicks in free agency this summer.
Some fans questioned his decision to leave the Sixers, while others appeared to reference his post as being concerned about James joining the Knicks’ division rivals.
Former Sixer Andre Drummond posted his reaction to the LeBron James news on X. NBAE via Getty Images
However, the veteran center soon cleared things up in another post.
“I’m good where I’m at,” he wrote along with a praying-hands emoji.
Drummond is still one of the better rebounders in the league and will provide the Knicks with some much-needed frontcourt depth after the departure of Mitchell Robinson.
In 19.5 minutes per game last year, Drummond scored 6.4 points and hauled in 8.4 rebounds per contest.
After leaving the Lakers, James has decided to join his fourth franchise and go to the Sixers. Corey Sipkin for NY Post
He’ll be part of a Knicks team with big expectations next season, though the Sixers will also be a hugely formidable division rival after the addition of James.
With Jaylen Brown, Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid and V.J. Edgecombe, Philly will be considered a major threat to make it out of the East and prevent the Knicks from defending their crown.
The rest of the East also figures to be loaded, with Giannis Antetokounmpo teaming up with Bam Adebayo on the Heat and Tyrese Haliburton expected to be back healthy for the Pacers.
Jayson Tatum will also be ready for the Celtics’ opening night after missing much of last year through injury.
With the Mets currently 17 games under .500 and 17.5 games back of first place in the NL East, there has been plenty of buzz around who the team will move by the 2026 MLB Trade Deadline.
New York has already informed teams they are open for business, SNY MLB Insider Chelsea Janes reported on July 16, and likely to deal players on expiring contracts. Janes noted everyone except Carson Benge, A.J. Ewing, Christian Scott, Nolan McLean and Juan Soto is said to be available, even including star shortstop Francisco Lindor as those potentially on the block.
While it does not mean that Lindor will be among those traded by Aug. 3 at 6:00 p.m., it does mean the Mets and president of baseball operations David Stearns are open to listening to offers. When asked about ruling out the possibility of trading the five-time All-Star and four-time Silver Slugger on Friday ahead of their series opener against the Dodgers, Stearns didn't give a straight answer.
"I'm not going to rule out or in any specific player on anything. I don't think that's wise for me to do," Stearns said. "What I will say is, we've got a group of young players and we've got some potential Hall-of-Famers, future Hall-of-Famers, that we view as our core. We expect them to be our core."
Stearns went on to say the team is being "open-minded" ahead of the trade deadline while expecting to "compete in 2027, adding they aren't "going to close any paths" at this time on who may or may not be dealt in next 10 days.
He was then asked if he considers Lindor part of the "core" he referred to going forward, and loosely included him, but did not make it clear if he's unavailable in trade talks.
"I think what I said was we have a group of young players who we are really excited about, we have some couple guys who are likely headed to Cooperstown one day, and we would consider that grouping of players our core," Stearns said. "I'm not going to get into specifics of who exactly is a name or who exactly we are or not going to trading right now."
After missing 57 games and returning from the injured list on June 26, Lindor owns an .808 OPS with four home runs and 11 RBI over 21 games. He's recently found some rhythm and is trending toward putting up his usual strong numbers by the end of the season (as noted in more depth here).
Meanwhile, Lindor also spoke with Janes on July 19 prior to the team's game against the Philadelphia Phillies and let it be known he is not bothered by the hypothetical trade buzz since it's all coming from outside of the clubhouse.
Since Stearns did not rule anything out Friday, fans can only wait and see what will happen over the next week-plus with Lindor and other Mets who could potentially be playing elsewhere for the remainder of the 2026 season.
"I'm not going to rule out or in any specific player on anything. I don't think that's wise for me to do. What I will say is, we've got a group of young players and we've got some potential Hall of Famers, future Hall of Famers, that we view as our core. We expect them to be our… pic.twitter.com/O6s4shL7ZB
Jul 18, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Jesus Luzardo (44) throws a pitch against the New York Mets in the first inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
The Yankees come to town for a three game series starting on Friday night. The Phillies will go with lefthander Jesus Luzardo for the opener.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Hockey Hall of Fame player Cammi Granato is changing roles within the Vancouver Canucks’ front office.
Granato will work as a senior amateur adviser after serving as assistant general manager for parts of five seasons, general manager Ryan Johnson said Friday.
“After taking some time to reflect on things, I feel this is the perfect time to transition into a new role with the Canucks,” Granato said in a statement released by the team. "Helping on the amateur side is something I am extremely passionate about, and I am thrilled to continue working with our hockey operations department on that front. I have great confidence in our front office leadership group and love their vision and the direction they are taking with the team.”
Former president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford, who stepped down from his role in May, hired Granato in February 2022 after the women’s hockey icon became the NHL’s first female scout with the Seattle Kraken. Granato, from suburban Chicago, was the captain of the U.S. women’s hockey team that beat Canada to win gold at the 1998 Nagano Olympics.
The Canucks have undergone wholesale changes in the front office, hiring Johnson as GM along with franchise icons Henrik and Daniel Sedin as co-presidents of hockey operations after finishing last in the overall NHL standings last season. They hired a new coach, Manny Malhotra, in June.
The 41-year-old spent the better part of a month deciding where he would spend the final years of his career.
The rest of the league watched and waited for James to make the highly-touted decision, which has surely shaken up the Eastern Conference.
Bronny James is expected to remain with the Lakers after LeBron’s exit as he competes for a larger backcourt role. Getty Images
Now, the next question to answer is this: Will Bronny James follow his father?
As things stand, there are currently no plans or request for Bronny James to follow the NBA’s all-time leading scorer. Rich Paul, the agent of both Jameses, told ESPN that “they are not a package deal.”
As for the impact of LeBron James’ decision on his son Bronny James, Rich Paul, the agent for both tells ESPN that "they are not a package deal" and there's no current plan or request for Bronny Janes to join his father in Philly.
LeBron James and Bronny James are not a package deal, according to their agent Rich Paul. Getty Images
The latest update falls in line with how the Los Angeles Lakers view Bronny James, as the team reportedly doesn’t view the father and son as an inseparable package.
James informed the Lakers he would not return for the upcoming season in late June. The day prior, Bronny James’ $2.3 million contract became fully guaranteed. It appeared to be a calculated move, but there was speculation the younger James’ future with the Lakers wasn’t set in stone.
Staying in LA would give Bronny James the opportunity to glean from superstar Luka Doncic and other experienced NBA players. The 21-year-old’s performance in the NBA thus far has been modest, but his father’s departure could be an opportunity for him to blossom as a Laker.
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MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - MAY 15: Julius Randle #30 of the Minnesota Timberwolves looks on against the San Antonio Spurs in the second quarter in Game Six of the Second Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Target Center on May 15, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 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. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Brooklyn Nets acquired three-time All-Star Julius Randle and the No. 28 overall pick (Joshua Jefferson) from the Minnesota Timberwolves in a multi-team deal for Nic Claxton and the No. 33 pick.
Nic Claxton is officially on his way out after holding the reins as the longest-tenured Brooklyn Net. The big man recently released a message thanking the fans and the organization for his seven seasons in New York. With his departure set, the focus shifts to the future — and what rookies Egor Dëmin and Mikel Brown Jr. will be working with on the floor.
Enter three-time All-Star and veteran leader Julius Randle. General Manager Sean Marks executed the deal to retool the frontcourt, bringing in Randle’s scoring and physical presence while converting the No. 28 pick into forward Joshua Jefferson, who the Nets are very high on.
How do Brooklyn Nets fans grade the trade for Julius Randle?
The grade ‘B’ takes a slight edge!
Fans Deadlocked Over Julius Randle-Nic Claxton Trade
The community sentiment ended in a near-exact 50/50 deadlock between ‘A’ and ‘B’ grades, reflecting a split between those eager for Randle’s veteran stardom and those weighing Claxton’s departure against missed draft opportunities.
Development or Stagnation?
Comment: “We liked Claxton but never Loved him. Let’s be honest. He never developed; he never matured. He may have some of the most unwarranted and bizarre Technicals I have ever seen. Julius Randle is a flat-out Star and someone that’s going to play hard on both ends. I grew tired of never seeing 20 and 10 games from him. Claxton seemed to check out and give up on us. It won’t be easier in Chicago. PEACE!!!”
Reply: “From year one I was saying, he’s going to be a beast when he adds 20lbs of muscle. Kept saying that every year. Never happened.”
Comment: “I give this trade an A for three reasons: 1. We got the best player in the deal 2. We give Sharpe a real shot at being the starter. 3. Randell is a better role model then Claxton. Claxton’s antics and quality of play last season were not a good showing for the team as young as the nets.”
Draft Assets and Trade Value
Comment: “More low ambition nibbling around the edges from the Marks-Tsai clown show.”
Reply: “What would you like to have done instead? Nets got an all star caliber player for a guy that’s probably not a starter on a good team and a better pick. I guess Minny could’ve thrown in Ant”
Comment“I woulda kept the 33rd pick, was still some good players on the board there like Meleek Thomas and Isiah Evans…”
Comment: “B+, would’ve been A++ for a move up to snag Cenac or take Peat.”
Thanks to everybody who voted and/or participated.
This is a sponsored post. Check out the latest lines, futures, and player props by visiting FanDuel.
Philadelphia was always on the list of teams LeBron James was seriously considering, but talking to executives and others at NBA Summer League and after, the 76ers were usually dismissed. They were fourth or fifth on people's lists. Great basketball fit, but was LeBron really going to end his career 2,700 miles away from his family, playing for a team he had never played for before?
Philadelphia was swept out of the playoffs last May by the Knicks, and it was hard to envision a path forward. Joel Embiid and his questionable knees, as well as Paul George, were on massive, seemingly untradable contracts. Everyone knew they needed to pivot and make Tyrese Maxey the future, but there seemed to be no path to turning this team into a title contender.
Then Philly traded George to Boston for MVP candidate Jaylen Brown, and things suddenly looked very different. The 76ers added depth, picking up Dean Wade and Anfernee Simons. LeBron doesn't seriously consider Philly if all those moves didn't shake out first.
Now LeBron James puts them over the top — Philadelphia is a legitimate title contender. In my book, you're a contender if you have a very realistic chance to win your conference, and Philadelphia now joins New York at the top of that list in the East. This team also has the depth to make things easy on LeBron and Embiid for the first 82 games, saving them for a playoff push. On top of all that, don't forget they have a championship coach in Nick Nurse (he won with Toronto in 2019), and overseeing everything for ownership is Bob Myers, the architect of the Warriors' title teams.
All that said, winning a title means sacrifice on the part of great players to make it all fit — and there is going to need to be some sacrifice in Philly.
LeBron and Brown know all about those sacrifices. There is no way to frame this other than the 76ers as massive winners.
One final note: Do not expect the 76ers to trade for Bronny James, reuniting him with his father. Rich Paul has said as much. The 76ers don't want to use their 15th and final roster spot on Bronny, and the Lakers don't want to give him up — after two years of development (and hard work by Bronny), he started to look like a potential future rotation player at the end of last season. He works hard on defense and shot 38.6% from 3-point range last season. Bronny deserves the chance to be out of his father's enormous shadow (as much as he ever will be) and stand on his own game. He gets that chance with the Lakers.
Winner: LeBron James
LeBron is not a winner because he chose Philadelphia — that is TBD — but he is a winner because he and his agent Rich Paul became the biggest story in the NBA and held up business for a couple of weeks so a 41-year-old could decide where to play next season. His clout remains unmatched.
LeBron and his decision once again have been the biggest story in sports for a week. It's wild to think about the fact he still has that kind of influence — and he's still a good enough player that this changes the balance of power in the East.
Winner: Teams/players wanting to finish free agency
The NBA can now get down to business and finish up free agency.
That was one of the first reactions from other teams and agents around the league. A lot of things have been on hold waiting for LeBron. James Harden in Cleveland and Draymond Green in Golden State opted out of their deals to give their teams flexibility to chase LeBron and others, now both are cleared to re-sign with their teams. One of the teams that struck out with LeBron likely snags DeMar DeRozan to give them some scoring punch (Miami and Cleveland have been linked). Jonathan Kuminga is hopeful one of the teams that struck out will come calling with a contract and a role he likes (maybe a sign-and-trade, but that is a complex situation).
In the coming days, expect a mini-rush, a second free agency with a lot of deals finalized. The business of the NBA will resume.
Loser: Miami Heat
Miami is still a winner overall this offseason because they landed Giannis Antetokounmpo to play next to Bam Adebayo. However, with all due respect to Andrew Wiggins, Bobby Portis, Tim Hardaway Jr. and everyone else in Miami, the Heat lack the kind of depth they are going to need, both for the marathon of the regular season and the playoffs. LeBron helped solve at least some of those problems.
Miami has to round out its roster in the budget shopping aisle, and that's not good for a team that wants to contend.
Loser: Cleveland Cavaliers
A return to Cleveland was a narrative a lot of fans wanted to see (and seemed a natural fit with LeBron turning his last season, or seasons, into a documentary). Instead, LeBron chose to push the Cavaliers further down the East championship ladder.
After striking out in bringing LeBron home (again), the Cavaliers are essentially going to run it back with a good team — Donovan Mitchell, James Harden, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen — but a team that did nothing to address the flaws that saw them swept out of the playoffs by the Knicks last May. Running it back and hoping for a different result is a rough way to go.
Winner: Los Angeles Lakers
Sometimes, a divorce can be amicable and better for everyone involved. That's what happened with the Lakers and LeBron.
There is no bad blood, although another year in purple and gold likely would have led to some on both sides. The Lakers pivot to building out a roster that is a much better fit stylistically around Luka Doncic (although better is up for debate, a lot depends on Walker Kessler living up to what he's being paid to be). LeBron gets a fresh start with a team that could win the East, he gets to write a new story. It's win-win.
Loser: Stephen Curry and Warriors
Golden State suffered probably the most painful loss of any team in the LeBron chase. When LeBron first announced he was leaving the Lakers, the Warriors were the betting favorite: LeBron would get to team up again with Stephen Curry, he'd be closer to his Los Angeles home and family, and it's a great story for his documentary with him and Curry (then Jimmy Butler joining once he recovers from his torn ACL midseason).
Then came the rumors that the Warriors would trade for Anthony Davis and reunite him with LeBron, and that duo plus Curry, Draymond Green and Butler could have made noise in the West. If the Warriors had been given assurances that getting Davis out of Washington would have meant LeBron came to the Bay Area, they would have gone harder for it, but with everything up in the air (and the Wizards not looking to move AD), nothing happened.
Now the Warriors essentially run back a 37-win play-in team from a year ago, and that's not exciting anyone.
Loser: The idea of the East as the Leastern Conference
There has long been a sense that the Western Conference is the varsity, the East is the JV — there were good teams at the top, but the depth wasn't there.
The East is the least no longer. Granted, the two scariest teams in the NBA heading into the season are still in the West — San Antonio and Oklahoma City — but when it comes to depth of talent and potential, the East has them.
New York and Philadelphia will have the best odds to win the conference, but the Detroit Pistons will run it back with a 60-win team from a season ago; the Boston Celtics will have Jayson Tatum and a depth of talent that will make them a threat; Miami now has Antetokounmpo and is no easy out; Toronto was a 46-win team a year ago that will (eventually, most likely) add Kawhi Leonard to the mix; Cleveland still has Harden and Mitchell and plenty of talent; the Atlanta Hawks looked great after the break and upgraded this offseason drafting Kinston Flemmings and adding Lu Dort; Indiana gets Tyrese Haliburton back and people underestimate how good Ivica Zubac will look in their offense; the Washington Wizards now have Trae Young, AJ Dybantsa and Anthony Davis; and the Magic still have Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner but now under a new coach.
That's 10 legitimately good teams, all capable of finishing in the top six. Who are the ninth and 10th teams in the West? Some combination of Phoenix, Portland, Utah or the LA Clippers? The very top of the West may be scarier, but the East looks deeper now — and LeBron James is part of that.
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - MARCH 19, 2026: Luis Hernández #8 of the San Francisco Giants bats during the fifth inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the Cincinnati Reds at Scottsdale Stadium on March 19, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Bernacchi/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
On Thursday, for the last time in 2026, all seven of the San Francisco Giants Minor League Baseball affiliates were in action. Here’s everything that happened!
All listed positions in the roundup are the position played in that particular game.
News
There’s huge — albeit expected — news today. On Glen Kuiper’s podcast, farm director Kyle Haines revealed that teenage phenom shortstops Josuar González (No. 2 CPL) and Luis Hernández (No. 6 CPL) are headed to Low-A San Jose now that the ACL season is over. The moves aren’t official yet, so it’s not clear when those two will join the team, but very, very, very exciting.
AAA Sacramento (54-42)
Sacramento River Cats beat the Oklahoma City Comets (Dodgers) 4-2 [box score]
It’s not often that you see a team win in the Pacific Coast League without an extra-base hit. But that’s exactly what the River Cats did, which can only mean one thing: great pitching.
Despite the strong pitching performance, it was a so-so day for the starter, LHP Matt Wilkinson. Tugboat did a lot well … primarily the fact that he only gave up 3 baserunners all day, while pitching 4 innings. All 3 of those baserunners were hits (he had 0 walks against 4 strikeouts), and 1 of those hits cleared the yard, with Wilkinson giving up 2 runs on the day.
On paper, that seems like a decent enough day, despite what it does to an ERA. A strikeout per inning, no walks, and fewer hits than innings is all a good sign. Despite the few baserunners, though, Wilkinson did need 66 pitches to get through the 4 innings, an average of 16.5 per inning. Questions remain as to how Wilkinson’s stuff will translate to the Majors … his stuff is funky and has given him 10.1 strikeouts per 9 innings at the level, but it’s hard to project that to the Majors when his average fastball velocity is a tick under 90 mph. You just don’t see a lot of that operating at the highest level of baseball, unless you’re strictly watching Tyler Rogers.
We may get an answer soon enough. Tugboat’s overall numbers (4.03 ERA, 4.94 FIP) aren’t great, but the Giants rotation is about to have some holes that need filling. If they think he’s ready — or even if they anticipate protecting him from the Rule 5 Draft this offseason — his time could be coming.
A great relief showing from RHPs Braxton Roxby and Carson Seymour, with the former throwing 3 shutout innings with 3 hits, 0 walks, and 2 strikeouts (albeit with 2 errors), while the latter tossed 2 scoreless frames with a hit, no walks, and 3 strikeouts. Seymour’s been looking a little bit better lately, and the move to high-leverage relief seems to be suiting him. It’s still not an overwhelming approach (he has just 8.2 strikeouts per 9 innings), but a 3.79 ERA ought to get him some looks in the bullpen again this year, even if he has a 4.66 FIP.
The best offensive days belonged to a trio of hitters who have been performing well lately: designated hitter Scott Bandura, left fielder Turner Hill, and first baseman Dayson Croes, as all 3 reached base 3 times: Bandura hit 1-3 with 2 walks to bring his OPS to .810 and his wRC+ to 115; Hill went 1-2 with 2 walks and an outfield assist, pushing his OPS to .895 and his wRC+ to 137; and Croes hit 2-3 with a walk (though he was caught stealing), and now has a .718 OPS and a 90 wRC+.
A nice day for Bo Davidson (No. 4 CPL) who made his AAA center field debut, while hitting 1-3 with a walk, a stolen base, and a strikeout. Nice to see him in the center of the grass. As for the other AAA newcomers, third baseman Parks Harber (No. 17 CPL) hit 1-5 with a strikeout, and catcher Adrián Sugastey went 1-3 with a sacrifice bunt, a strikeout, and an error.
AA Richmond (55-36)
Richmond Flying Squirrels lost to the Hartford Yard Goats (Rockies) 3-1 Box score
Not a good overall game for the Squirrels, but it featured a superstar performance, as RHP Yunior Marte (No. 25 CPL) showed off just how much potential he has with an utterly sensational start. Marte went 7 innings deep in this game (you don’t see that often in the Minors … or heck, the Majors!), and didn’t give up a single run. He allowed just 4 hits in those 7 innings, walked 2, and struck out 6. It was far and away his best start since getting promoted to Richmond in early June.
The soon-to-turn 23-year old might be considered a tier below the bigger name pitchers in the system (Carson Whisenhunt, Blade Tidwell, Jackson Flora, Carson Bolemon, Kaden Waechter, Keyner Martinez, Jacob Bresnahan, Argenis Cayama, and Luis De La Torre), but he’s a damn good pitcher, and someone who clearly still has MLB starter potential. He’s done exactly what you want a player to do when they move up a level … he’s gotten better. The overall numbers (4.36 ERA, 4.05 FIP) aren’t necessarily an improvement (he had a 3.74 ERA and a 4.09 FIP in High-A), but that’s largely due to a flurry of home runs he’s allowed, which is both something that can be corrected, and something that’s subject to variance.
But, since getting promoted, he’s bumped his strikeouts from 8.5 per 9 innings to 10.0, while lowering his walks per 9 from 4.0 to 2.7. It’s not even a small sample size thing, either, as he’s pitched the exact same amount of innings (43.1) at both levels this year. He has to be thrilled, and the Giants have to be thrilled.
The next step for Marte, who came over in the Mike Yastrzemski trade, is to just be less hittable. He’s getting those strikeouts and limiting those walks in large part because he’s living in the zone more, and the result is that, despite the same amount of innings thrown, he’s allowed twice as many home runs in AA as in High-A, with 13 more hits total.
RHP Christian Alvarado again showed off the heat, striking out 4 batters in 1.2 innings, though he gave up a hit, a walk, and a run. Since the Giants signed the 31-year old, who hadn’t pitched in the Minors since 2019, he’s struck out a stunning 18 batters in 8.2 innings, against just 2 walks and 6 hits.
A bad day on offense, with just 5 total hits and 1 walk drawn. Still, a pair of players had nice games: center fielder Trevor Cohen (No. 15 CPL) and third baseman Diego Velasquez (No. 31 CPL). Cohen hit 2-4 with a double and a strikeout, raising his OPS to .681 and his wRC+ to 80 through his first 6 AA games. Velasquez hit 2-3, as he continues his tear: over the last 21 games, he’s now 29-64 with 1 home run, 6 doubles, 12 walks, and just 8 strikeouts, which has brought the 22-year old switch-hitter’s OPS up to .823, and his wRC+ to 126. With Harber, Croes, Nate Furman (No. 39 CPL), and Osleivis Basabe, it seems there’s not room for Velasquez in AAA … otherwise he would almost surely be there. He’s earned it.
— Richmond Flying Squirrels (@GoSquirrels) July 23, 2026
Tough days for the non-Cohen AA newcomers, as shortstop Gavin Kilen (No. 7 CPL) and designated hitter Dakota Jordan (No. 5 CPL) both went 0-4 (the latter with 2 strikeouts), while catcher Jancel Villarroel (No. 42 CPL) hit 0-3 with a strikeout.
And then this happened:
Fireworks show went haywire at the Richmond Flying Squirrels game, Double-A affiliate of the Giants pic.twitter.com/qRloUnFmDs
Eugene Emeralds lost to the Everett AquaSox (Mariners) 10-2 Box score
Well, this was a bad game for the Emeralds. No one had a worse day than the starter, as RHP Hunter Dryden had an absolute ERA-buster of a performance, giving up 10 hits (including 3 home runs) in just 3.1 innings, while also walking 2 and allowing 9 runs to score. Yikes. Shake it off, Hunter!
After a strong start to the year, Dryden, a 17th-round pick in 2024, has really hit a wall. In his first 7 games of the season, he gave up just 8 earned runs in 26.1 innings. But since then, in 11 outings, the 24-year old has ceded 36 earned runs in 44 innings, bringing him up to a 5.63 ERA and a 5.82 FIP. Hopefully he can right the ship and end the year on a strong note. He certainly needs to get the home runs in check … he’s allowed 13 in 70.1 innings this year.
RHP Brayan Palencia had a nice relief outing, though, giving up just 1 hit in 2.2 scoreless innings, though he didn’t have any strikeouts. Palencia has given up just 3 hits and 1 run in 7 innings this month, but on the year he’s really struggled with strikeouts, as the 23-year old has just 22 of them in 30.1 innings … with 18 walks. That’s led to a 5.93 ERA and a 6.90 FIP, and you have to think his spot on the domestic reserve is a little warm, as this is his 6th season of pro ball. He’s also given up 6 home runs in those 30.1 innings, which isn’t helping his case.
Not much at all on offense, though first baseman Zander Darby once again left the yard, hitting 1-4 with a solo blast, but also striking out twice. Darby, a 23-year old lefty taken in the 12th round in 2024, has shown off quite a bit of power this season. He’s got 10 home runs and a .173 isolated slugging, but he’s also striking out 33.2% of the time which is a fairly damning number … there’s a lot of juice in the bat, but Northwest League pitchers have really stymied him. He had just an 18.4% strikeout rate in Low-A San Jose last year, in a 244-plate appearance sample size … but after getting promoted to Eugene at the end of last season, he struck out 42.0% of the time … and now this. In all, it’s still a .775 OPS and a 106 wRC+, but a lot to work on.
Speaking of things to work on, designated hitter Jhonny Level is going through one of the only slumps of his young, exciting career, as he hit 0-4 with a strikeout. Level is 0-12 over his last 3 games, though this was his only strikeout in that time span. He’s 4-24 since his last extra-base hit, and if you’re at all worried, well … don’t be. The 19-year old switch-hitter is 3.5 years younger than his peers in the Northwest League, is holding his own (.740 OPS, 96 wRC+), and is striking out just 16.4% of the time. It’s all very exciting, with or without the slumps.
As for the newcomers, second baseman Isaiah Barkett hit 2-4 with a strikeout, and right fielder Jose Astudillo went 0-4.
Low-A San Jose (54-39)
San Jose Giants lost to the Ontario Tower Buzzers (Dodgers) 7-5 Box score
This was not a good or interesting game for the Baby Giants. Their offense had only 3 hits all day (though they drew 10 walks!) and their pitchers gave up 15 hits. There’s really no need to dwell on this one. Designated hitter Jeremiah Jenkins played well, hitting 1-3 with a double, 2 walks, and a strikeout, which brought him up to an .885 OPS and a 117 wRC+. The 23-year old, who was taken in the 14th round in 2014, has shown tremendous power this season (his .258 isolated slugging ranks 6th out of 90 Cal League hitters with at least 150 plate appearances this year), but the lefty is striking out 30.5% of the time, which is a fairly damning number at such a low level of the Minors.
Shortstop Lorenzo Meola (No. 23 CPL) only hit 1-5 with a strikeout, but did have a triple as his extra-base hit parade continues. Last year’s 4th-round pick now has an extra-base knock in 7 straight games, and 15 total in his last 13 games. It’s been an exceptional month for the righty, as he’s hit .386/.456/.786, which has erased his slow start and brought him up to a .814 OPS and a 100 wRC+ on the year. Still, it’s a touch damning that he missed the waves of promotions, but maybe that will change with fellow shortstops Josuar González and Luis Hernández coming to town.
Lorenzo Meola rips a 3B, the first hit of the night for the Giants, his SIXTEENTH extra base hit of the month! Coming into tonight's game, Meola was sporting a 1.278 OPS. pic.twitter.com/jpdTS8H26C
All of the pitchers got rocked, but RHP Alix Hernandez did strike out 6 batters in 2.2 innings, while RHP Evan Gray struck out 5 in 2.2 frames. Hernandez, who allowed 7 baserunners and 3 runs, is up to 11.9 strikeouts per 9 innings … but with a 4.21 ERA and a 5.41 FIP. Gray, who gave up 6 baserunners and 1 run, has 10.7 strikeouts per 9 … but a 5.34 ERA and a 5.25 FIP.
Arizona Complex League (34-26)
ACL Giants lost to the ACL D-backs 5-1 (7 innings) [box score]
And with that, the ACL season comes to an end. It’s a bummer for people who were enjoying watching/following rookie ball … but tremendously exciting for those who wanted it to end so the top names could get promoted.
There really wasn’t much of note at all in this game. The ACL Giants only had 3 hits on the day, but their departing stars each collected one, as second baseman Josuar González (No. 2 CPL) and shortstop Luis Hernández (No. 6 CPL) both went 1-3, the latter with the team’s lone RBI.
On the pitching front, Low-A RHP Argenis Cayama (No. 13 CPL) continued his rehab with 2 innings, though they didn’t go well, as he allowed 2 hits, 1 walk, 1 hit batter, and 2 runs, without any strikeouts. Cayama is still searching for his sharpness as he rehabs … hopefully he’ll be back in San Jose now that the ACL season is over.
RHP Melvin Pineda ended the Complex League season on a high note, striking out 1 batter in a perfect inning. The strikeout wasn’t surprising, as he ended the ACL season with a staggering 54 of them in 26.2 innings … the lack of a walk was, however, surprising, as he finished with 22 of them.
Now that the ACL season is over, we wait to see what prospects will be joining González and Hernández on the journey to A-ball. I’m particularly curious about outfielder Rayner Arias (No. 38 CPL) … he had another disappointing season, finishing below the Mendoza line and posting a .702 OPS and a 78 wRC+. But Arias, who had the other hit in this game, started to figure things out as the season went on: after posting a dismal .285 OPS in May, he had a .782 OPS in June, and a 1.178 OPS in July. In his final 7 games of the season, he hit 6-19 with 3 home runs, 3 walks, and 3 hit by pitches.
Dominican Summer League Black (22-14)
DSL Giants Black beat DSL Arizona Black 4-2 (7 innings) [box score]
A pair of players who had really nice hitting games, as designated hitter Dennys Riera went 1-3 with a go-ahead 2-run home run, while first baseman Alessandro Duran hit 2-2 with 2 doubles and a hit by pitch. Riera, a 21-year old who was a notable signing in 2022 but had never really been able to put things together, is having a career year, with a .903 OPS, a 123 wRC+, and just a 15.1% strikeout rate. Will that get him the call to the states after 5 years in the DSL? Duran, who was also signed in 2022, is hitting a touch below league average, and it wouldn’t be surprising if this is his final year in the system.
A nice start for 20-year old RHP Simon Colmenares, who gave up 3 hits, 2 walks, and 1 run in 4.1 innings, with 4 strikeouts. This is essentially his debut season (he pitched 3 innings last year), and it hasn’t gone too well, with a 6.17 ERA and a 5.60 FIP.
Dominican Summer League Orange (21-16)
DSL Giants Orange lost to the DSL Mets Orange 9-2 (7 innings) [box score]
Very bad pitching in this game, so we’ll just focus on 3 hitters: 19-year old right fielder Brandon Vasquez hit 2-3 with a triple and a walk, bringing him up to an .804 OPS and a 107 wRC+, far and away the best stats in his 3-year career; 18-year old third baseman Yeison Oviedo went 1-2 with a walk, a hit by pitch, and a stolen base, bringing him up to an .871 OPS and a 128 wRC+, with 7 stolen bases, dramatic improvements in his 2nd season; and 19-year old left fielder Ricardo Crespo hit 2-3 with a stolen base, boosting his OPS to .880 and his wRC+ to 151, the result of a laughable 32.5% walk rate in his 3rd season.
Sacramento: 6:45 p.m. PT vs. Oklahoma City (SP: Cesar Perdomo) Richmond: 4:05 p.m. PT vs. Hartford (SP: Charlie McDaniel) Eugene: 7:05 p.m. PT at Everett (SP: Jacob Bresnahan) San Jose: 7:00 p.m. PT vs. Ontario (SP: TBD)
Reminder that almost all MiLB games can be watched on MLB TV
