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Carson Whisenhunt hopes to keep competing in MLB after return in Giants' win

Carson Whisenhunt hopes to keep competing in MLB after return in Giants' win originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO – With an opportunity to get his name into the conversation about who should be in the Giants’ starting rotation, Carson Whisenhunt admitted he tried to do too much and was rushing his delivery in his return to the majors.

The numbers showed he was correct in that assessment.

Called back up from the minors before Thursday’s game against the Colorado Rockies, Whisenhunt set a career-high with four walks while throwing 87 pitches in 5 2/3 innings, a respectable 65 percent success rate — but not exactly the type to secure a roster spot.

So now, Whisenhunt has to play the waiting game. Will he still be in the rotation when his next turn comes up, or will he head back down to the minors?

When that scenario played out in mid-June, the Giants sent Whisenhunt to Triple-A Sacramento. All sides agree that the brief trip back to the minors did Whisenhunt some good and got him going back in the right direction.

The Giants felt good enough about it to give Whisenhunt another shot in the pros, and he held up pretty well despite the command issues in San Francisco’s 8-2 win.

Whisenhunt set down the first eight batters he faced, pitched out of bases-loaded jam in the third then gave up a two-run home run to Willi Castro in the fourth, the only runs the Rockies got off the Giants starter.

“Whisenhunt was really good today,” Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer said. “He pounded his fastball. His changeup was good. I thought he attacked the strike zone well, just kept us off balance.”

That was quite a compliment when compared to Whisenhiunt’s postgame talk with reporters. The Giants pitcher said he was out of sync in the early part of the game.

“Felt comfortable, felt confident. But a little rushed, just trying to do a little too much I think,” Whisenhunt said. “The first two innings felt really good. Third inning’s when I felt it.

“Then going back out in the fourth I felt like I slowed it ack down and everything was fine after that. It’s just a little bit going on.”

Before the game, Giants manager Tony Vitello spoke about Whisenhunt’s opportunity to make a case for himself to be in the starting rotation.

Afterward, Vitello sounded very pleased with what the Giants got out of Whisenhunt.

“He was good,” Vitello said. “If you’re going to harshly critique, to me it looked like he was rushing a little bit off the stretch. You want to be quick to the plate but it’s a fine line. Aside from that it was outstanding.”

Now comes the waiting.

It could be hours or days. But soon and very soon, Whisenhunt will get a message from management letting him know he’s staying or to pack his bags for another trip back to Sacramento.

“Just trying to do whatever I can to stay but also give the team a chance to win, that’s the biggest thing,” Whisenhunt said,. “Obviously don’t know what’s going to come from tonight’s outing, if I’m going to stay or not, but hopefully I do. Just building off what I’ve done the past few times I’ve had a chance to come up here.”

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Timberwolves 105, Pelicans 92: Welcome to a Sloppy Summer

LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 9: Zyon Pullin #15 of the Minnesota Timberwolves drives to the basket during the game against the New Orleans Pelicans during the 2026 NBA Las Vegas Summer League on July 9, 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 David Becker/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

Welcome back to basketball, folks!

While Los Angeles Lakers and Sacramento Kings fans got the California Classic, and a bunch of different teams got the Salt Lake City Summer League, the Minnesota Timberwolves kicked off their season — Summer League or otherwise — with a game against the New Orleans Pelicans, who have not won a Summer League game since 2023.

That did not change today.

Before I drag on about the players that performed well, let’s immediately get to the things that most of you are likely here to read about. Of course, I’m talking about the pair of sophomore bigs, the international duo of Rocco Zikarsky and Joan Beringer.

Despite less than impressive finishing to start out the game (with the exception of a soaring lob finish off an inbound), during which he missed four hook shots, Joan Beringer was impressive as a rebounder and shot blocker. It makes a ton of sense that the Wolves have been so high on him internally.

Possibly most encouraging was the weight and muscle Joan has clearly put on, and the improvements to his handle that enabled him to attack and dominate Pelicans big Hunter Dickinson.

I’m sure people will be talking about this play for the next few days.

Much of the conversation surrounding the Frenchman will be about how soon he can be a contributing piece to a team that got decidedly younger this offseason while still aiming for title hopes (however unrealistic that is).

Still, his partnership with Rudy Gobert should certainly leave him with a guide that the mentorship system in 2K would drool over.

We also got some confirmation from head coach Chris Finch that the Wolves will use Beringer at the four beyond just this summer in defensively focused lineups. Finch highlighted Joan’s ability to switch onto guards as a swing factor in that regard.

Zikarsky was, unfortunately, not as exciting. While the towering Aussie was not awful, he also seems to lack the required movement abilities that an NBA player needs, but that will not be decided in Summer League. He got off to a very slow start, missing his first four shots, but bounced back to have moments as an under-the-rim finisher.

For those of us (myself included) who were excited to watch Rocco as a passer and shooter, he disappointed there with four turnovers, two assists, and 1/3 shooting from deep.

With those two big pillars covered, the rest of this recap falls at the feet of the guy who may have been the Wolves’ best player this afternoon: Zyon Pullin.

The starting point guard had a near triple-double with 24 points, 12 assists, and eight rebounds. The 6’4 product out of Florida did it with no threes, instead constantly slashing to the rim, and finishing with some impressive layups and floaters.

Pullin lit up the G-League last year and is a likely candidate for one of the Wolves’ two-way spots. While there may only be one left alongside Enrique Freeman and Zikarsky, I’d be shocked to see anyone but Pullin in that role.

There should be some credit given to Nate Santos and Donovan Williams as well, who both had the definition of “great in their role” performances, with Santos in particular flashing as a full-court player and finisher.

That leaves just the recent 2nd round pick, Trey Kaufman-Renn, who did little with sparing playing time, participating largely just as a rebounder.

For any fans excited to see the early of the two second-rounders the Wolves took during the draft, Duke wing Isaiah Evans, he is still in NBA purgatory while Minnesota waits on Charlotte and Brooklyn to finalize the details of the Lamelo Ball – Naz Reid – Julius Randle trade.

The Wolves will be back in action on Saturday against a Nuggets team that should be less strapped for cash than their NBA equivalent. Who knows? Maybe we’ll add another funny chapter to that rivalry in the halls of the Pavilion in Vegas.

Highlights

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Game 93 Game Day Thread – Anaheim Angels @ Texas Rangers

Jul 8, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; The Texas Rangers fans go Tarps Off during the eighth inning between the Rangers and the Los Angeles Angels at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Anaheim Angels @ Texas Rangers

Thursday, July 09, 2026, 7:05 PM CDT (105.3 The Fan / Rangers Sports Network)

The Shed

LHP Reid Detmers vs. RHP Nathan Eovaldi

Today’s Lineups

ANGELSRANGERS
Zach Neto – SSJustin Foscue – 2B
Mike Trout – CFWyatt Langford – DH
Nolan Schanuel – 1BBrandon Nimmo – RF
Jorge Soler – DHJosh Jung – 3B
Vaughn Grissom – 2BJake Burger – 1B
Josh Lowe – RFEzequiel Duran – SS
Denzer Guzman – 3BKyle Higashioka – C
Logan O’Hoppe – CCameron Cauley – CF
Wade Meckler – LFAlejandro Osuna – LF
Reid Detmers – LHPNathan Eovaldi – RHP

Go Rangers!

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Nets Reacts: Fans vote on who has the most to prove out of the ‘Flatbush Five’

BROOKLYN, NY - JULY 1: Drake Powell of the Brooklyn Nets talks to the media during the introductory press conference on July 1, 2025 at Brooklyn Nets HSS Training Center in Brooklyn, New York. 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 2025 NBAE(Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

Brooklyn made history in the 2025 NBA Draft by securing five first-round picks, the most ever selected by a single team in one round. After one full season and a look at the California Classic, we asked the simple question: Who out of the “Flatbush Five” has the most to prove?

The results are in, and the responses paint a clear picture of how fans view the current trajectories of these five prospects. While Egor Dëmin has solidified himself as the undisputed star and leader of the group, expectations vary wildly for the rest of the pack. The good news? The “top” pick from this survey is only 20. Patience…

Here is the full results:

When we first asked, roughly 18 Nets fans commented their thoughts. Here’s a quick look:

The Burden of the Lottery Pick: Egor Demin

  • Comment: “Egor clearly has the most to prove. He was a top 8 pick. The other four were just flyers… “
  • Comment: “Egor because he’s the lottery pick.”

Powell Panic Meter

  • Comment: “Powell showed difficulty in the Cali Summer league. Should have showed an improved play since he played last year with the regular team. He was committing TOs left and right. For me, he wasn’t ready for the summer league, not sure why? injury?”
  • Comment: “I guess I see a difference between ‘who has the most the prove’ and ‘who do I think unlikely to be able to prove’. Obviously Egor needs to take a major step forward to justify his draft status, but the guy who may be gone if he can’t get it together is Drake Powell. Unless he turns it around in Las Vegas, he may be playing most of the year in LI, or could be packaged in a trade.”

Still early… right?

  • Comment: “None of them. This is year 2 for a rebuilding team. The nets can and should just work slowly developing them. You nets fans acting like if they dont start producing they should be gotten rid of…. are seriously misguided on who the nets are. They can take there time and let jordi and his crew work there magic.”
    • Reply:” With the number of draft picks we have in coming years, they’ll soon be under pressure to perform or to be replaced. For me Demin, Traore and Wolf have shown the most. Saraf and Powell could be replaced in future drafts if they don’t improve quickly. It’s just business.”

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. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Must be 21+ and present in NY or other select states.

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Winners, losers as Ducks match historic offer sheet to Leo Carlsson

The Anaheim Ducks matched the Philadelphia Flyers' massive offer sheet to Leo Carlsson on Thursday, July 9.

The 21-year-old rising star is staying in Anaheim, and the Flyers hang onto the four first-round picks they would have had to give up if the Ducks hadn't matched.

Carlsson was hoping Anaheim would match, even though he had signed the five-year, $90 million offer sheet.

"It was kind of an offer that 99 percent of everyone would sign," Carlsson said. "It changed my family and all, too. ... I always wanted to be here, too. I really hoped they would match."

What is the fallout? Here are the winners and losers of the Ducks' decision to match the offer sheet:

WINNERS

Anaheim Ducks and Leo Carlsson

Ducks owners Henry and Susan Samueli immediately owe a signing bonus of nearly $20 million under the terms of the offer sheet. And the deal could hurt the team's salary cap situation heading forward.

But the team is building around Carlsson, the 2023 No. 2 overall pick. If they didn't match, it would take them time to find another player with similar promise. The first-round picks would likely be late-round ones, and the draft is uncertain because you're betting that 18-year-olds will progress as planned.

Carlsson, meanwhile, becomes the highest-paid player in the NHL with an $18 million average annual value. A nice bump from his $950,000-a-year entry-level deal. He'll be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the deal and general manager Pat Verbeek believes he will continue his path to becoming an elite player.

San Jose Sharks' Macklin Celebrini

Carlsson got the massive payout after a 67-point season in his third season. How much could Celebrini get after a team-record 115 points in his second season? An $18 million cap hit would seem to be the minimum. He has another year left on his contract, but Sharks general manager Mike Grier can sign him to an extension at any time.

Chicago Blackhawks star Connor Bedard, who's currently injured, needs a new contract before the 2026-27 season. The offer sheet has to help his cause.

Top-end stars

The salary cap is going up and salaries are now soaring. Defensemen Quinn Hughes and Cale Makar can sign extensions before they become unrestricted free agents next summer. Connor McDavid has two years left on his contract. A $20 million contract or a max contract (20% of the salary cap) seems possible soon.

Restricted free agents could argue for more money, too, though general managers will have to remind them that the offer sheet was an extraordinary circumstance. But teams will try to lock up their players early to prevent the possibility of an offer sheet.

LOSERS

Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek

He left the team vulnerable to an offer sheet by not getting Carlsson signed before July 1. If he had, it would have been for less than $18 million. But he said he thought Carlsson's representation was "slow-walking" negotiations toward July 1.

The Ducks have only $9 million to work with one player left to sign.

Ducks forward Cutter Gauthier

Gauthier, a 40-goal scorer, is the player left to sign. A $9 million deal isn't likely to cut it. Verbeek will have to move out a player or two to get Gauthier re-signed.

"Wherever Cutter comes in, I'm going to have some work to do to make sure that we can fit everyone in," Verbeek said. "I've got 2½ months to figure that out."

Philadelphia Flyers

First, kudos to general manager Daniel Briere for making a bold move to land a No. 1 center. But even though the team made the signing bonuses as large as possible, Anaheim matched. The Flyers end up in the same place as they were before the offer sheet. The team also missed out on former captain Claude Giroux when he decided to return to Ottawa.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Winners, losers as Ducks match historic offer sheet to Leo Carlsson

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A Look Back at Dana Brown’s First Draft as Astros GM

In the days leading up to his first draft as Astros general manager, Dana Brown was back in his element. 

“This is probably the fun part of the job because it’s something that I’m so used to,” Brown said at the time. “We’re going through all these names and we’re having conversations, and I’m bringing a lot of my philosophies and my thought processes to it, and so it’s actually exciting and it’s refreshing to be able to talk about some upcoming young players.”

The draft was a major reason Jim Crane hired Brown five months prior, and the first-year GM, who was and remains far more involved in the draft process than others in his position, set expectations a mile high.

Brown said he wanted to “nail” the 2023 draft, and to him, nailing the draft meant drafting four Major Leaguers.

“The average is usually two, I like to double that average, and we were able to do it in Atlanta, and I expect to do it here,” Brown said.

While three years is a bit early to fully judge an MLB draft class, Brown’s first with the Astros appears likely to fall short of his lofty goals.

First round pick Brice Matthews, the 28th overall pick of the draft, debuted last season, and has been on the Astros’ active roster the entirety of the 2026 season. Only 14 of the 27 players picked ahead of Matthews have appeared in a major league game, and his career 0.7 bWAR is higher than five of those picked ahead of him.

The Tigers selected Kevin McGonigle nine picks later, but he signed for almost $400k more than Matthews. The Astros had a limited draft pool meant they probably would not have been able to sign McGonigle if they drafted him.

The Astros third-round pick, Jake Bloss, made his Major League debut less than a year after he was drafted, second fastest in the class behind Paul Skenes. Hours before he was set to make his fourth start for the Astros, Brown traded him to the Blue Jays as the centerpiece of the Yusei Kikuchi deal.  

Matthews and Bloss are currently the only members of Brown’s first draft class as Astros GM to make the major leagues, though that could change soon.

Sixth round pick Ethan Pecko was just named Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Month, and Brown identified him as an option to start this weekend in Arlington. Before the season, FanGraphs rated the 23-year-old right-hander as the Astros’ fourth best prospect, who projects as a number 4 or 5 starter.

It’s only a matter of time before Pecko will be the class’s third big leaguer, but a fourth seems unlikely, at least out of the day one or day two picks.

Second round pick Alonzo Tredwell is Brown’s best hope of the early picks, but he hasn’t pitched this season due to a shoulder injury. Tredwell has only thrown 157 minor league innings since being drafted. A back injury limited him to nine games during his final season at UCLA, and he underwent Tommy John Surgery in high school.

Fourth round pick Cam Fisher was released last season, while fifth round pick Chase Jaworsky is batting .177 in High-A with the Marlins after being traded as part of the package to land Jesus Sanchez. 

Injuries have limited seventh round pick Joey Dixon to 7.1 innings in the Astros system, while eighth rounder Ryan Johnson and 10th rounder Austin Deming have been released.

11th round pick Nehomar Ochoa and 12th round pick Anthony Huezo, high school picks who signed for $300,000 and $397,000 respectively, are having good seasons in A-ball and have yet to celebrate their 21st birthday, while 14th rounder Jackson Nezuh has a 3.97 ERA in Double-A. 

Nezuh is rated as one of the Astros top 15 prospects by multiple outside publications, while Huezo is inside the top 25.

There’s still a chance Brown’s first draft class as Astros GM produces four major leaguers. That would qualify as a successful draft, especially given the limited draft capital he had to work with. The bigger question, though, is whether anyone from the class develops into an impact major leaguer. Three years in, that outcome appears far less likely.

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Warriors having ‘internal conversations’ about DeMar DeRozan while waiting on LeBron James

An image collage containing 3 images, Image 1 shows Steve Kerr, coach of the Golden State Warriors, instructing players during a game, Image 2 shows Steph Curry dribbling a basketball during a game, Image 3 shows LeBron James in a yellow Lakers jersey, shouting on the court

The Golden State Warriors’ Plan B may already have a name.

As the franchise waits to see whether LeBron James becomes a realistic option, DeMar DeRozan has emerged as a veteran fallback worth watching. According to ClutchPoints NBA insider Brett Siegel, Golden State is expected to have internal conversations about pursuing DeRozan after his release from the Sacramento Kings.

“DeRozan’s kind of a 1B plan right now for some of these teams that are looking at LeBron James,” Siegel said on “Clutch Scoops.” “The Golden State Warriors are a team that is going to have internal conversations about pursuing DeMar DeRozan.”

With the Warriors still in pursuit of LeBron James, Steve Kerr and the front office is having discussions about DeMar DeRozan as a possible backup plan. Getty Images

That matters because the Warriors are still trying to maximize the final years of Stephen Curry’s career. LeBron remains the dream scenario, a late-career partnership between two players who defined an era from opposite sides of the NBA Finals.

But if that pursuit falls short, Golden State cannot afford to leave Curry waiting without reinforcements.

The Warriors first plan is to pair Steph Curry with LeBron James to make one of the more formidable duos in the NBA.
Getty Images
The Warriors first plan is to pair Steph Curry with LeBron James to make one of the more formidable duos in the NBA.
Getty Images

DeRozan would not bring the same kind of star power or playmaking as James. He is not a perfect modern spacing fit, either. But he would bring something the Warriors could use: reliable half-court scoring.

Even at 36, DeRozan remains a proven bucket-getter. He averaged 18.4 points per game last season in Sacramento and has long been one of the league’s most dependable mid-range scorers.

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For a Warriors team that has too often leaned on Curry to create offense from scratch, DeRozan could give Golden State another late-clock option and a veteran who can calm possessions when the system stalls.

His market could also make him attractive. DeRozan is not expected to command a massive deal, which means contenders may view him as a bargain veteran addition.

That could matter for the Warriors, especially if they preserve financial flexibility while waiting on James.

The Warriors reportedly discussing DeMar DeRozan as a fallback option as their pursuit of LeBron James seemingly falls short. Xinhua News Agency via Getty Images

Siegel also mentioned Miami and Cleveland as possible landing spots. The Heat have long been linked to DeRozan, while the Cavaliers could view him as a fallback if they miss on James.

Other reporting has similarly framed DeRozan’s decision as connected to LeBron’s timeline, with several teams potentially waiting to see where the league’s biggest free agent lands first.

For Golden State, the logic is simple.

LeBron would be the swing.

DeRozan could be the pivot.

And with Curry turning 38, the Warriors need something more than waiting.

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Yankees’ George Lombard Jr. nearing rehab games with Bronx chance looming

New York Yankees SS George Lombard Jr. warming up before entering the game.
George Lombard Jr. is the Yankees' top prospect.

Multiple sprained fingers have cost George Lombard Jr. time at Triple-A, but he is on the precipice of rehab games and may not be far off from The Bronx at some point after he proves he is healthy.

The club’s top prospect has resumed hitting, in addition to field work, putting him in position to go on a minor league rehab assignment “somewhere around this All-Star break,” Cashman said Thursday.

And once he returns to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, if he picks up where he left off before the injury, he has a chance to force his way to the Yankees.

Somerset Patriots shortstop George Lombard Jr. #3, gets high-fives in the dugout after he scored from 3rd base on a sac-fly in the 1st inning on April 17, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

That would depend on what their shortstop situation looks like with José Caballero and Anthony Volpe.

“Looking forward to getting him back and active and he might be a choice at some point,” Cashman said. “More importantly, we just got to get him playing again and turning him loose again in Triple-A. Really talented player that offensively was coming a long way of closing the gap despite his age. Defensively, he’s plug-and-play, ready to go.”

The 21-year-old Lombard, after an early-season promotion from Double-A, was hitting .231 with a .765 OPS and eight steals in 42 games at Triple-A before getting hurt June 16.

But he had been heating up prior to the injury — “thriving and conquering the final level,” as Cashman put it — hitting .306 with a .998 OPS in 14 June games.

“He’d been pushing himself before the injury,” Cashman said.

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San Diego finally backs Michael King’s gem, rides offense to convincing win

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 08: Michael King #34 of the San Diego Padres pitches against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning at Petco Park on July 08, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The San Diego Padres seemed to have turned a corner. The final four games before the All-Star break will tell a bit more, but the club has its first two-game win streak since June 26. The offense also tagged the Arizona Diamondbacks’ pitching staff for a season-high 10 runs last night. San Diego is, at the very least, heading in the right direction.

The lineup looked fantastic in Wednesday night’s win over the Dbacks. Luis Campusano hit his first home run since returning from the IL and Miguel Andujar had three (yes, you read that right) doubles. San Diego will need to keep its foot on the gas to achieve its first series win of July against Arizona tonight.

Taking the mound

Merrill Kelly (AZ) v. Griffin Canning (SD)

Similar to Zac Gallen, Kelly has been an ace in the past for Arizona and has looked nothing like it this year. The right-hander has been saddled with a 5.71 ERA this year. He’s been even worse lately, pitching to a 6.28 ERA in his last 38 2/3 innings.

Prediction of the day: Fernando Tatis Jr. is going to hit a home run. Across 31 at-bats against Kelly, Tatis has four home runs and a 1.186 career OPS. Unless Kelly has his stuff working tonight, it seems plenty possible that No. 6 comes tonight for Tatis.

Canning has actually pitched considerably better in his last two outings than he has this whole season. After turning in his worst start of the year (4 ER, 0.2 IP), Canning has since given up just three runs across 8 1/3 innings. It’s not miraculous, but it’s a start.

Hopefully, Canning can keep that up against the Dbacks tonight. Most of Arizona’s lineup has faced the righty sparingly and none have seem him this season. That should work in Canning’s favor. That said, if he stumbles, the bullpen is well-rested.

Batter up!

While Andujar and Campusano were the headliners on Wednesday evening, Tatis and Jackson Merrill went 4-for-9 from the top two spots in the order. In a night where Manny Machado was getting a rest day, it felt good to watch the lineup produce without the slugger.

  1. Fernando Tatis Jr., RF
  2. Jackson Merrill, CF
  3. Xander Bogaerts, SS
  4. Manny Machado, 3B
  5. Gavin Sheets, LF
  6. Ty France, 1B
  7. Luis Campusano, C
  8. Miguel Andujar, DH
  9. Jake Cronenworth, 2B

The Friars pounded out a convincing 10 runs against Arizona last night. It’s only the third time this season the club has scored runs in the double digits. If the lineup continues to produce consistently that way, the pitching staff would get some stress taken off of them.

Relief corps

With Michael King pitching six innings of one-run ball, and the offense giving the pitching staff a sizable lead to work with, the bullpen had plenty of room to work with. Ron Marinaccio and Kyle Hart covered the final three innings, giving up a combined three runs in those frames. Thankfully, it didn’t affect the outcome of the game.

Jhony Brito has been working out of the bullpen for San Diego since getting called up earlier this week. He’ll be available alongside Yuki Matsui, Mason Miller, Adrian Morejon, Wander Peralta and Bradgley Rodriguez. All figure to be high-leverage options for San Diego to turn to in a close game.

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Murakami set for White Sox return Friday after being sidelined by hamstring injury

CHICAGO — Munetaka Murakami is expected to return to the slumping Chicago White Sox on Friday night after being sidelined by a strained right hamstring.

Murakami made two rehab appearances with Triple-A Charlotte, going 2 for 7 with a double. Following Chicago’s 2-1 loss to Boston on Thursday, White Sox manager Will Venable said Murakami would be in the starting lineup for the opener of the team’s weekend series against the Athletics.

“He’s ready to go,” Venable said. “He was challenged running the bases, defensively, had a really long game yesterday. So feel good about the workload, recovered well today so he’s ready to go.”

Murakami got hurt during a 4-3 victory over the Detroit Tigers on May 29, grabbing his right hamstring after beating a throw to first on a fielder’s choice in the third inning. At the time of the injury, the Japanese rookie ranked among the major league leaders with 20 homers, 41 RBIs, 43 runs and a .947 OPS.

Chicago (47-45) is in a virtual tie with Cleveland (48-46) for the lead in the sluggish AL Central. But the White Sox have dropped three in a row and six of eight overall. They managed just two runs and 15 hits in the three-game set against the Red Sox.

White Sox outfielder Andrew Benintendi said getting Murakami back right now is huge.

“Obviously, he’s a presence in the lineup,” he said. “He’ll bring the energy, I think. It seems like the vibe in here is kind of down right now but I’m sure seeing him tomorrow will spark it back up.”

The 26-year-old Murakami signed a $34 million, two-year contract with Chicago in December. The White Sox went 17-18 while he was on the injured list.

“We understand the impact he makes on the field and in the clubhouse so to activate him is going to mean a lot for our group,” Venable said. “Really excited about him.”

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Mariners Game #94 Preview and Discussion: SEA at MIA, 7/9

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JULY 02: Bryce Miller #50 of the Seattle Mariners delivers a pitch during the first inning against the Los Angeles Angels at T-Mobile Park on July 02, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Jack Compton/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Mariners are on the brink of returning to .500 for the eleventh time this season as they aim to avoid a sweep by the Marlins in the second-to-last series before the All-Star break. They are coming off being shut out Wednesday in an uninspiring performance.

They’ll call upon perhaps their most reliable starter of the 2026 campaign so far, Bryce Miller, to attempt to limit a Miami offense that ranks sixth in baseball in on-base percentage (.331).

Miller will be countered by righty Janson Junk, a Federal Way native. Activated off the injured list Thursday (right shin bone inflammation), Junk is making his first start since May 25 and can likely be expected to work within a pitch count. We’ll see if the Mariners can get to the bullpen early.

Lineups

Look familiar? The Mariners will roll out the same batting order for the third consecutive day.

Game Information

First Pitch: 3:40 p.m. PDT

TV:Mariners.TV, with Aaron Goldsmith, Ryan Rowland-Smith and sideline reporter Brad Adam

Radio: 710 AM Seattle Sports, with Rick Rizzs and Angie Mentink

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GameThread: Detroit Tigers vs. Athletics, 6:40 p.m.

Detroit Tigers second baseman Hao-Yu Lee (50) bats against the Athletics during the first inning at Comerica Park in Detroit on Wednesday, July 8, 2026. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Detroit Tigers (42-50) vs. Athletics (41-51)

Time/Place: 6:40 p.m., Comerica Park
SB Nation Site:Athletics Nation
Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network
Pitching Matchup: LHP Framber Valdez (4-6, 4.29 ERA) vs. RHP Jack Perkins (2-4, 6.75 ERA)

PlayerGIPK%BB%GB%FIPfWAR
Valdez18100.217.68.151.64.291.0
Perkins2354.227.98.434.63.990.7

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Celtics waive Dalano Banton

BOSTON, MA - APRIL 12: Dalano Banton #45 of the Boston Celtics during the game against the Orlando Magic at TD Garden on April 12, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. 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 Winslow Townson/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Celtics have waived guard Dalano Banton, the team announced on Thursday evening.

Banton played in 6 games between the Celtics and Clippers last season, averaging 2.0 points and 1.8 assists per game. He played 36 minutes in the Celtics regular season finale and had 2 points, 7 assists, 6 turnovers while going 0/3 from the field.

Banton’s best stretch of his career came at the end of the 2023-24 season when he averaged 16.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game with the Portland Trail Blazers.

This move puts the Celtics under the luxury tax and puts the Celtics at 14 players. Boston is allowed to remain at 14 players until the start of the playoffs.

Boston signed Banton to a 10-day contract in February and signed him on the 2nd to last day of the regular season to fill the roster to 15 players.

The Celtics exercised Banton’s team option on June 29th.

Posted on

Steph Curry reveals his Warriors pitch to LeBron James

STATELINE, Nev. — Steph Curry is looking to lure LeBron James to the Warriors with both basketball and golf — saying the potential pairing would mark a one-of-a-kind moment in sports history.

The Golden State superstar shed light on his recruiting pitch to James while playing in the American Century Championship golf tournament in Lake Tahoe on Thursday, revealing that hoops and fairways have been a part of his conversations with the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.

Steph Curry spoke about LeBron James at the American Century Championship in Nevada on Thursday. Edward Lewis for CA Post

“The pitch is if you want to play good basketball, be around people that know how to play the game, hopefully raise our floor and our competitiveness this year,” Curry said, before adding, “there’s good golf in the Bay.”

“We’re an organization that’s been there. And he knows that,” Curry continued. “It’s self-explanatory. It’s just a matter of where he sees himself fitting. And at the end of the day, that’s up to him.”

Curry made it clear he’d love to play alongside the 22-time All-Star, saying it “would be such a unique story in NBA history — sports history.”

LeBron James has been linked to a number of teams after announcing his split from the Lakers Getty Images

After announcing his split from the Lakers on June 30, James has been linked to a number of teams, including the Warriors.

It’s unclear where exactly Golden State ranks on James’ short list of preferred destinations, and Curry acknowledged he’s been given no indication that the four-time NBA champ plans to play alongside him in 2026.

It’s “a little premature right now to talk about,” Curry said.

Another place Curry would love to see James is on the greens near Lake Tahoe this weekend, as he told The California Post he’d “absolutely” enjoy playing 18 with the former Laker at the tournament.

“If he can get a jet out here for tomorrow,” Curry said, “that’d be awesome.”

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