NBA Summer League isn’t just the event in Las Vegas. They keep hosting these miniature Summer Leagues in California and Salt Lake City the week before everyone goes to Nevada. I’ve never heard an explanation as to why they exist, but they keep on doing them.
In any case, with Vegas Summer League starting today, I wanted to check in with Chase Ross and Olivier-Maxence Prosper, the two former Marquette men’s basketball players who were on the rosters in California and Utah respectively. It could give us an idea of what to expect from both men as the Los Angeles Lakers and the Memphis Grizzlies move from one event to the other.
Chase Ross
Even though Ross was fresh off agreeing to an Exhibit 10 contract with Los Angeles, he didn’t see the court in either of the Lakers’ first two games in California. LA split the first two games, falling 104-72 to Golden State’s Gold team in the opener and then beating Miami 93-91 in the second contest. The second DNP for Ross wasn’t that surprising seeing as Golden State went up 20 before halftime and led by as many as 37 and he couldn’t get in the game.
Ross did get a chance to play in the third game of the event, which goes into the books as an 88-84 victory for the Lakers. He subbed in at the 5:44 mark of the first quarter with the Spurs up 11-4 at the time. He finished with 14:30 of playing time and recorded four points, six rebounds, two assists, and two steals. Ross went 1-for-5 from the field, missing both of his three-point attempts, but at least the social team highlighted his one bucket:
That pulled the Lakers within two, 53-51, in the middle of the third quarter, and it was the trigger on a 10-3 burst for Los Angeles.
It’s good that he got rotation minutes in a competitive game after going DNP for the first two games. I don’t think that quite tells us anything about what to expect in Las Vegas. Maybe cross our fingers that they let him go a little bit more?
Olivier-Maxence Prosper
Memphis went 1-2 in Utah, beating Oklahoma City 111-74 in their opener before taking a nine point loss to Utah and a 14 point loss to Atlanta to wrap things up. Prosper actually led Memphis in scoring in the OKC game, putting up 17 points on 5-for-8 shooting in 23 minutes of action. He went 2-for-3 from behind the arc and added five rebounds and three assists as well. It is deeply funny that he is listed as the Grizzlies starting center in the box score when Cameron Boozer, their 2026 lottery pick, is right there with him, just at forward.
Prosper started against Utah and had another solid game. He scored 16 points on 5-for-11 shooting, which means he was 2-for-3 inside the arc along with 3-for-8 outside of it. Three rebounds, two assists, and a steal in over 28 minutes of action is pretty good stuff as well, even if the Grizz came up short at the horn. He didn’t play at all in the third game, but neither did Boozer or Cedric Coward, who played in 62 games for Memphis as a rookie this past season.
I’d wager this all means we’ll see a healthy dose of Prosper in Vegas, at least as long as the Grizzlies are in contention for the semifinals. Memphis already exercised the option on his contract for 2026-27, which they did not need to do if they didn’t plan on keeping him around all year. I wouldn’t read too much into his playing time in Nevada, but it would be nice to see him continue to be a major contributor at this level.
In a deeply ironic twist, Cutter Gauthier could be the wildcard who makes or breaks the Philadelphia Flyers in their pursuit of a successful Leo Carlsson offer sheet.
Gauthier, 22, is a restricted free agent in need of a new contract, much like teammate Carlsson. And, like Carlsson, it is going to be an expensive one, beyond a shadow of a doubt.
The former top Flyers prospect scored 20 goals and 44 points last season, before exploding for 41 goals and 69 points in his sophomore NHL season this year. We can reasonably assume that the next big milestone for Gauthier is going to be 50 goals, and players who can score that many don't come around too often.
And while that undoubtedly stings for the Flyers and Flyers fans, it may work out to their benefit yet.
We already know that Carlsson and his $18 million cap hit, thanks to the Flyers' offer sheet, is going to put the Anaheim Ducks in a major salary cap bind, and the structure of the contract will require the Ducks and their ownership to pay over $38 million in signing bonuses in the first 12 months of the contract.
What happens, then, when the Ducks dole out another big-money contract from Gauthier--which should come in well over $10 million, and potentially in the $15 million range now--especially if that contract is also laden in signing bonuses?
That would mean Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek going to (a very wealthy) ownership and asking for their blessing to spend nearly $100 million in up-front cash in signing bonuses in a 12-month period, between the signing of the contract and this time next year.
Are the Ducks going to be allowed to do that, knowing that, by spending all that money, they won't have any left to allocate to actually build a good team that can win games, bring in revenue, and keep a fanbase engaged?
Rich people get rich for a reason, and they typically don't like to invest money into something that isn't going to make them more money, or at least take a very long time to do so.
And that's without even mentioning that the Ducks would have to gut their roster and somehow find suitors for some combination of Chris Kreider (Carlsson's left wing), Alex Killorn, and Frank Vatrano to make the hockey aspect work.
While he may not do so intentionally, Cutter Gauthier is very much in a position to land the team that drafted him into the NHL a No. 1 center of the future.
All he has to do is up the ask on his next contract a bit higher, and the Ducks will inevitably be forced to keep one or the other, but not both.
Charles Bassey‘s five-game audition with the Warriors paid off.
The veteran center and Golden State have agreed to a one-year contract for the 2026-27 NBA season, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Thursday, citing sources.
The Golden State Warriors and center Charles Bassey have agreed on a one-year deal, bringing the big man back to the Bay Area for his sixth NBA season, sources tell ESPN. Bassey returns to Golden State in wake of Quinten Post joining the Grizzlies on an offer sheet. pic.twitter.com/JtH32Cy21R
The 25-year-old Bassey now is in line to be the Warriors’ third center behind veterans Al Horford and Kristaps Porziņģis.
Per ESPN’s Anthony Slater, Bassey assumes the Warriors’ 11th roster spot.
Charles Bassey fills the 11th roster spot. Young backup energy big who can absorb regular season minutes.
It’s anticipated Draymond Green will eventually fill 12th spot. Warriors also plan to maintain roster room for LeBron James until his decision is made. https://t.co/cfYLOPCccB
Bassey spent time last season with the Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics before signing a 10-day contract with the Warriors on April 5.
In five games, Bassey averaged 10.6 points and 7.2 rebounds in 20.0 minutes off the bench.
Overall, in five seasons with the Warriors, Celtics, 76ers, Grizzlies and San Antonio Spurs, the 2021 second-round draft pick is averaging 4.5 points and 4.3 rebounds in 126 games.
While the Warriors wait for LeBron James to make his decision and Draymond Green to likely sign a new contract, they secured a valuable depth piece.
Spurs forward Carter Bryant makes his second-year Summer League debut Thursday at 3:30 pm CST against San Antonio native Kingston Flemings and the Atlanta Hawks.
The Summer Spurs will play at least four games in Las Vegas after going 0-3 in the California Classic.
Around the Horn
Vegas Prep: Yahoo’s Kevin O’Connor posted a list of the top 50 players to watch in Vegas. Not much love for the Spurs … Bryant is nowhere to be found (that’s a big oopsie) and Tarris Reed, Jr., is way down the list.
From Mark Zuckerberg to El Jefe? Jesse Eisenberg, an Oscar-nominated actor most known for the lead role of Mark Zuckerberg in The Social Network, recently said his dream role is playing Gregg Popovich. Eisenberg on Pop: “I just find him to be the most fascinating person on the planet. Here’s this tough coach who cries sometimes and talks about the plight of America, and yet he’s also this terrifying figure who can be so mean to journalists. People like that are fascinating because, on the one hand, they’re known to be very nasty, and on the other hand they’re these bleeding hearts.”
Top of the Heap: Speaking of Pop, he came to mind Wednesday night when Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve became the WNBA’s all-time regular season wins leader with 380. Like Popovich in the NBA, she now holds both the WNBA’s regular season record and overall mark (including playoff victories). Interestingly, Reeve’s career winning percentage ranks behind just one person: former Spurs assistant and Silver Stars guard Becky Hammon, the head coach for the Las Vegas Aces.
Highest Bidder:Darren Rovell reports that various items from the recent NBA Finals brought in big money through a Sotheby’s auction. Various New York Knicks’ game-used jerseys collectively approached $2 million while Finals-branded court panels from Madison Square Garden and a net from Game 5 combined to eclipse $500,000.
By George: Last week’s Philadelphia-Boston blockbuster trade has some calling Paul George “the most valuable player in NBA history.” Given that he’s been traded for All-Stars Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jaylen Brown plus other good players and a slew of valuable draft picks (we see you, OKC), it’s a compelling argument.
Word Play: On a recent NBA Radio show on Sirius XM, Zach Harper and Chris Haynes debated the words that need to disappear from the league’s vocabulary. Their picks were “optionality” and “curated.” What words do you think need to be banned from the NBA? Let us know in the comments below!
PITTSBURGH, PA - MARCH 31: Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) turns up ice during the second period in the NHL game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Detroit Red Wings on March 31, 2026, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Expectations for the 2026-27 Pittsburgh Penguins are not quite as low as they were going into the 2025-26 season, when it was generally expected that they would not only be one of the worst teams in the NHL, but that they were the only team in the NHL that was not actually trying to win.
The expectations, however, are also not particularly high, even coming off a 98-point season with strong underlying numbers and a playoff berth.
This was, by almost every objective measure that we have to evaluate hockey teams, a very good hockey team.
The belief in that happening again is not really carrying over. Especially with the odds makers.
BetMGM has their Stanley Cup odds right now at +10000, which is 22nd in the entire NHL.
Their odds to win the Eastern Conference are +4000, which is 13th in the conference and below the Columbus Blue Jackets, Ottawa Senators, Toronto Maple Leafs and New Jersey Devils … all teams that missed the playoffs entirely a year ago, and outside of Toronto, all teams that have done very little to their rosters this offseason.
They are +210 to make the playoffs, -275 to miss the playoffs.
Their point total is between 88.5 and 91.5 depending on the sportsbook you are looking at right now.
That is an expectation for a step back.
From a more subjective standpoint, the general feel around just seems to be that a step back is likely, and that not everything will go as well as it did a year ago. Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, Bryan Rust and Erik Karlsson are all a year older. Some of them showed some signs of slowing down and running out of steam in the playoffs. At some point the decline for some of these guys will get a little steeper than it has been. I would argue it has already started for Letang. Will this be the year for some more of them? It is certainly possible.
Going into the 2025-26 season I thought there was at least a chance the Penguins were going to be better than everybody expected, especially given the makeup of the forward unit. And that was before we knew that Ben Kindel was going to be an NHL player — and a very good one! — right away.
So let’s take that same mindset into this season and if there is a pathway for them to better than most people expect.
The first factor here is the reality the Penguins still have $16.9 million in salary cap space at their disposal and a couple of months to still add to the roster. I don’t know if that is Jason Robertson or somebody else, but there is definitely still the path for a big move of some kind should they find the right match. I feel like the Robertson hope is dwindling more and more each day, but there is a definite opportunity to do something.
But even if there isn’t another big move, the most obvious pathway for another “better than expected” season rests with the forwards. Again.
Even with Anthony Mantha and Noel Accairi leaving, this should still be a very deep group that will be capable of rolling four lines every night and scoring a lot of goals. Going down to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton I feel like there are legitimately 17 or 18 forwards that can play meaningful NHL minutes this season, and play them well enough to compete.
That includes, obviously, Sidney Crosby who is still a top-line player whose presence alone is going to give the Penguins a chance on most nights over an 82-game season.
But there are also the wild-card factors with the forwards and the potential improvement that could come from the younger-ish players in the lineup.
How much better is a 19-year-old Ben Kindel with a full year of NHL experience under his belt? Is there a potential for a big breakout here? That changes the math for a lot of things.
What does Egor Chinakhov look like in Pittsburgh in a full season? With a three-year, $18 million contract there is at least some belief from the front office. The talent is certainly there. That would also change the math.
Does somebody like a Nicholas Robertson or Elmer Soderblom breakout the way Chinakhov did? The underlying numbers suggest at least some chance for it.
I would even expand that a little to the defense and Kaedan Korczak, who spent the past few years excelling in a smaller role with the Vegas Golden Knights and could have a chance for a bigger role here.
There are some potentially high ceilings there.
As it relates to the latter point and Korczak, half of the defense has been turned over with Korczak, Declan Carlile and Trevor van Riemsdyk all joining the roster, along with a full season of Sam Girard. I am still a little bullish on Girard and want to see what a fresh start to the season does for him (especially if they can get him away from Letang), and I at least like the profile of the new additions. van Riemsdyk is rock solid defender, and has been for some time. The fact he was the first guy they signed in free agency, right after the signing period opened, is a good indication they had their eyes on him as a primary target.
The biggest weakness for the 2025-26 Penguins was their defensive play, and they did spend a lot of resources in overhauling that unit.
They finished the regular season 20th in expected goals per 60 minutes of 5-on-5 play, 23rd in scoring chances against and 22nd in high-danger scoring chances against.
There are a lot of new faces on that unit now, and it does not include the possibility of somebody like a Harrison Brunicke (who seemed to get better across the board as the season progressed) or Owen Pickering getting a chance.
The bigger X-factor, however, is going to be with the goalies, and there is arguably nothing that will impact the floor and ceiling of this team more than that. And it is something that was not particularly good over the full season a year ago.
They finished 24th in the league in all-situations save percentage, but were a little better in goals saved above expected (plus 10 saved above expected).
They seem fully on board with the Sergei Murashov and Arturs Silovs duo, and it is without question the biggest mystery and unknown on the roster. The upside is significant. The floor is low. You just never know how young goalies are going to play, and you just never know what that is going to look like over a full season and behind a questionable defense. I could see these guys being the reason they make the playoffs again and potentially go further. I could see them being the reason they unintentionally end up high on the lottery odds.
Jul 8, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks relief pitcher Ryan Thompson (81) throws a pitch during the eighth inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: David Frerker-Imagn Images | David Frerker-Imagn Images
Team News
Torey Lovullo ejected in Diamondbacks loss to Padres
The 3 small eyes on a bee’s head detect light and help them escape from predators approaching from above. The 2 visible front eyes help them with navigation and recognizing shapes.
The human tongue heals the fastest compared to all body parts.
This is due to the rich supply of blood that circulates the tongue. It may also be because the mouth is constantly replenishing your taste buds.
4 out of 5 children recognize the Mcdonald’s logo at 3 years old.
These kids can recognize the golden arches before they even know their own names.
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 06: Egor Demin #8 of the Brooklyn Nets looks on against the Golden State Warriors during the second half of the California Classic at Golden 1 Center on July 06, 2026 in Sacramento, California. 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 Scott Marshall/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The most startling statistic for Brooklyn Nets last week in Sacramento may also be the most important going forward … not just for the 2026-27 season.
On Thursday, Brian Lewis encapsulated what others have also noticed:
After being just 1-for-4 from 2-point range in three summer league tilts last year, Dëmin’s auspicious 11-for-12 bodes well moving forward.
Demin, still only 20, has already made fools of those who said he couldn’t shoot by setting one rookie shooting record — 34 consecutive games with a three — and hitting nearly 40% (38.5%) of his attempts and with volume. Eight times he hit five or more in a game with his top game seven vs. the Golden State Warriors back on December 29. Twenty times, he made three or more.
Now it looks like he may make fools of another set of critics from last season: those who said he would only be 3-point threat not a well-rounded offensive player.
“There was definitely one of the biggest points of emphasis,” Dëmin told The Post about his off-season. “The first time I met with the Nets last year in the predraft, I said I’m not going to sit here and tell you what I’m good at. I’m going to make sure you know that I’m aware of my weaknesses. So sometimes it’s a big advantage for the players to know what their weaknesses are over what is their strength.
“So, it’s been an advantage for me for the past summer and this summer as well, just knowing what to work on, what I really want to improve. … But obviously the goal is to get higher and higher on that, and master the game.”
It’s no surprise that the plantar fasciitis that caused him to miss a lot of development time last summer than 32 games in the season factored into what he could and couldn’t do, as did his physique. Now, he says he’s good having put on 13 to 15 pounds. It’s not just his fans who have noticed, even his rookie backcourt mate who watched from afar last season has seen the change.
“Yeah, absolutely,” Mikel Brown Jr. told The Post of Dëmin’s growth. “You see the growth from him being more aggressive, playing more physical. He got adapted to that style of the ball.
“The NBA is very physical; you’re playing against grown men. So you’ve got to be able to adapt. And you can see it. He’s way more physical. He’s more adamant about getting into his spots. No matter how tough and how physical the defender is, he’s going to get to his spots regardless. So you can see the growth from that.”
So, too, have his coaches.
“He’s done an outstanding job of putting weight on,” Nets summer league coach Dutch Gaitley told The Post. “But it’s easy to just show it off while you’re walking around the gym. The hard part is now can you have carryover?
“And Egor has been able to show his ability to get into the paint, hit midrange, get into the paint and make plays for other guys. That’s probably been his most [encouraging growth]. His comfort level with his strength is just going to open up so much of his game for himself or his teammates.”
Then there’s the shift in aura, crystalized by that windmill dunk vs. the Warriors at the close of the first half Monday. As C.J. Holmes of that Daily News writes, “The hair’s different. The fits are sharper. The frame looks stronger.”
Yes, as Lewis notes, it’s always somewhat of a fool’s errand to extrapolate Summer League performance into something sustainable. The annals of NBA Summer League is littered with MVPs who are no longer in the league or barely hanging on … and that includes Jalen Wilson and Cam Thomas.
But Demin is also someone with certain advantages. He was the tallest guard ever measured at the NBA Combine and has court vision as well as a shooting stroke and now has shown not just a skill but a willingness to drive the lane. The Nets took a lot of hits from pundits and draftniks after the Draft for taking him so high at No. 8 last uear. ESPN had him at No. 13 in their final mock, Bleacher Report at No. 19. Then again, there was griping about how he didn’t make either the first or second All-Rookie team which may or may not have been a function of him missing all those games.
But never mind all that. It’s a new season and Demin wants to re-invent his narrative once again. So far, so good.
The Red Sox (42-48) will look to complete a three-game sweep of the White Sox (47-44) this afternoon at Rate Field in Chicago. Boston has now won five in a row while the Sox have lost four of their last six.
Boston continued its recent surge last night with a convincing 5-0 victory. The Red Sox broke through against White Sox starter Davis Martin with three runs in the third inning and two more in the fourth, then let left-hander Jake Bennett do the rest. Bennett turned in seven scoreless innings, allowing just four hits while striking out four. Tsung-Che Cheng collected two hits and two RBIs, while Ceddanne Rafaela added an RBI double. The White Sox managed just four hits in the game and have scored but a single run in the first two games of the series.
Despite the loss, Chicago still leads the AL Central by one game over the Guardians. The Sox climb north in the Wild Card standings continued last night with the win. Boston now site but three games out of a playoff spot.
Patrick Sandoval takes the ball for the Red Sox today. It will be his debut with Boston and his first appearance in a game in any uniform following Tommy John surgery followed by a few setbacks. Sandoval has not appeared in a major league game since June 2024. His most recent outing came on a rehab assignment with Double-A Portland on July 4, when he fired five scoreless innings, allowed just one hit and one walk, struck out seven, and threw 68 pitches. Boston is expected to monitor his workload closely this afternoon.
The White Sox counter with veteran left-hander Anthony Kay (6-3, 4.29 ERA). Kay's most recent start came July 3 against Cleveland, where he was effective despite Chicago taking a tough-luck extra-inning loss. Kay allowed just one run on one hit across four innings, walking two and striking out two. Prior to that outing, he struggled against Kansas City on June 28, surrendering five runs (three earned) over 3.2 innings, though he had delivered six scoreless innings with eight strikeouts against Cleveland in the start before that.
Lets dive into tonight’s matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game Details and How to Watch: Red Sox vs. White Sox
Date: Thursday, July 9, 2026
Time: 2:10PM EST
Site: Rate Field
City: Chicago, IL
Network/Streaming: MLB.TV, NESN, CSN
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
The Latest Odds: Red Sox vs. White Sox
The latest odds as of Thursday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Boston Red Sox (+100), Chicago White Sox (-120)
Spread: Red Sox -1.5 (+163), White Sox +1.5 (-199)
Total: 9.0 runs
Probable Starting Pitchers and their Stats: Red Sox vs. White Sox for July 9
Red Sox: Patrick Sandoval Season Totals: This is Sandoval’s first start of the season
White Sox: Anthony Kay Season Totals: 84.0 IP, 6-3, 4.29 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, 67K, 33 BB
Who’s Hot? Who’s Not! Red Sox vs. White Sox
Wilyer Abreu is 1-8 in this series and 4-24 in July
Caleb Durbin went 2-3 last night to snap an 0-12 stretch over the previous 3 games
Sam Antonacci is 4-6 in this series
Ceddanne Rafaela has hit safely in 6 straight games (10-28)
Willson Contreras went 0-2 last night to snap his 5-game hitting streak
Colson Montgomery is 0-8 in this series and 5-26 this month
Chase Meidroth is 1-7 through the first 2 games of this series
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top Betting Trends & Insights: Red Sox vs. White Sox
The White Sox are 52-39 on the Run Line this season
The Red Sox are 41-49 on the Run Line this season
The OVER has cashed 52 times in Chicago’s 91 games this season (52-37-2)
The OVER has cashed 41 times in Boston’s 90 games this season (41-45-4)
Expert picks & predictions: Red Sox vs. White Sox
Rotoworld Bet Best Bet
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for today’s game between the Red Sox and the White Sox:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is recommending a play on the Red Sox on the Moneyline.
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Red Sox on the Run Line.
Total: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 9.0.
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Detroit Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander watches a play from the dugout during the second inning against the Athletics at Comerica Park in Detroit on Wednesday, July 8, 2026. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
A question for you to ponder on this fine morning in advance of the series finale: who is the most Mariner-like Marlin, and who is the most Marlin-like Mariner?
Emma Cortes Ellendt at Forbes went behind-the-scenes to learn more about the Mariners’ new influencer strategy.
Around the league…
Veteran right-hander Justin Verlander announced that he will retire at the end of the season. Verlander was also just selected to the All-Star team as a “legend pick.”
We have some new Home Run Derby participants, with the Royals’ Jac Caglianone and the Red Sox’s Willson Contreras each announcing they will compete.
Former Mariners righty Gregory Santos has elected free agency. Santos has had a rough season between the majors and Triple-A in the Giants organization.
The 2026 MLB Draft takes place this Saturday, July 11, and Sunday, July 12, at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia. For the first time ever, NBC Sports will provide live national coverage, starting at 1:00 PM ET on NBC and Peacock with the top 10 picks, and continues on Peacock at 2:30 PM. See below for everything you need to know about the 2026 MLB Draft, including additional information on how to live stream the event.
Here are the first 10 picks: 1. Chicago White Sox 2. Tampa Bay Rays 3. Minnesota Twins 4. San Francisco Giants 5. Pittsburgh Pirates 6. Kansas City Royals 7. Baltimore Orioles 8. Oakland Athletics 9. Atlanta Braves 10. Colorado Rockies
MLB Sunday Leadoff is a weekly Major League Baseball showcase featuring live Sunday daytime games. It highlights marquee matchups throughout the regular season and streams primarily on Peacock, with some games also airing across NBC Sports and NBC.
MLB Sunday Night Baseball is a weekly primetime Major League Baseball showcase, featuring marquee matchups each Sunday night during the regular season. The games air on NBC and Peacock and anchor NBC Sports’ Sunday night programming lineup.
NBC Sports will also stream one out-of-market game each day of the 2026 MLB season nationally on Peacock. Telemundo Deportes will present all NBCUniversal-produced MLB games in Spanish, with Universo televising all games broadcast on NBC.
How to sign up for Peacock:
Sign up here to watch all of our LIVE sports, sports shows, documentaries, classic matches, and more. You’ll also get tons of hit movies and TV shows, Originals, news, 24/7 channels, and current NBC and Bravo hits for whatever suits your mood.
Why are some MLB games unavailable to stream on Peacock?
Due to territorial blackout restrictions, select regular season, special event, and Postseason games may be unavailable on Peacock. Television territory blackout restrictions apply regardless of whether a Club is home or away and regardless of whether a game is televised in that Club's home television territory. For more information, visit Peacock’s Help Center.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - JULY 08: Dylan Cease #84 of the Toronto Blue Jays and Assistant Pitching Coach Sam Greene #88 look on prior to the game between the Toronto Blue Jays and the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park on Wednesday, July 8, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Bryan Kennedy/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
As has been the case more often than not of late, it was not the Yankees’ day on Wednesday. In an important divisional match with the first place Rays, the Bombers were shut out, and will be forced to try for a split in the series’ fourth game on Thursday. Now five games out of the top spot in the East, New York has plenty of work ahead them as we march closer to the All-Star break.
Regardless, there was plenty of other important baseball going on around the Junior Circuit on Wednesday. Amid some blowouts, gems on the mound, and the narrowing of standings, let’s take a look at what went down.
Boston Red Sox (42-48) 5, Chicago White Sox (47-44) 0
In a battle of the Sox, those of the Red variety had control over Wednesday’s game for much of its duration. After a pair of scoreless innings on both sides to begin the game, Boston jumped out to a five-run lead in a hurry. In the third, RBI knocks from Tsung-Che Cheng and Ceddanne Rafaela helped to plate three, while the same from Carlos Narváez and Cheng scored two more in the following inning.
The outburst in the middle innings was actually the extent of the scoring on either side, as the Red Sox cruised to victory in Chicago. The story of their day, however, was the pitching. Starter Jake Bennet had his best stuff working on Wednesday, as he tossed seven scoreless innings, while striking out four and walking just one. It was his fourth consecutive start of six or more innings, as the lefty continues to pitch well for the Sox.
Boston’s win gets them to within a few games of the final wild card spot, while Chicago’s loss only tightens the situation in a rather close American League Central. With three different teams within two games of first place, the division could once again remain close for much of the season.
Toronto Blue Jays (44-49) 10, San Francisco Giants (38-54) 0:
On the topic of top-notch pitching, Dylan Cease was about as good as it gets in San Francisco on Wednesday. The highly talented righty took a no-hitter into the ninth inning against the Giants, and although he lost the no-no to the first hitter of that frame, Cease finished with a pristine line of eight scoreless innings with eleven strikeouts racked up. All the while, the Toronto bats backed up their starter with double-digit runs, fueled by Kazuma Okamoto’s grand slam, and homers from Vlad Guerrero Jr. and George Springer. The Jays creep back to within 2.5 games of a wild card berth with their dominant win by the Bay.
Remaining on the theme of shutouts, the Mariners dropped a tough one on the road against the Marlins. Early runs for Miami, thanks to extra-base hits from Kyle Stowers and Xavier Edwards gave them the lead, while another excellent effort on the mound allowed them to keep it. Miami’s Tyler Phillips along with three relievers kept Seattle out of the run column wire-to-wire, as the Fish continue to impress, holding onto the last wild card spot in the NL. With the disappointing loss, the Mariners shrink their lead in the West to just a half-game, as their situation becomes a bit troubling as we head toward the second half.
In the closest game on our docket for the day, the Twins walked it off in the ninth to close the gap between them and the Guardians. It was a close battle throughout on Wednesday, as both clubs matched each other with three runs in the fourth inning, and two in the seventh to knot things up at five. The big hit came from Alan Roden in the bottom of the ninth, with his walk-off “single” that hit about half-way up the big wall in right-center sending the Twins and their fans home happy. The dramatic wins gets the surprising Twins a bit closer to the action in the Central, as they now sit just two games out of first place.
WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA - MAY 19, 2026: James Wood #29 of the Washington Nationals runs between third base and home plate on an inside-the-park grand slam during the second inning of a game against the New York Mets at Nationals Park on May 19, 2026 in Washington, District of Columbia. The Nationals beat the Mets, 9-6. (Photo by Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
As we all know by now, the Washington Nationals are scoring a lot of runs. They are the only team in baseball to cross the 500 run threshold, and also lead baseball in home runs and stolen bases. James Wood is a massive part of this run scoring machine, not just due to his 25 homers and .948 OPS, but also due to just how many runs he is scoring.
James Wood has scored 85 runs this season. I am going to try and contextualize just how crazy that is. He leads all of baseball in runs scored, and it is by an absolute landslide. The Nationals right fielder has scored 21 more runs than the player in second place, which is jarring if you ask me.
The gap between James Wood and second place Bryan Reynolds is the same as the gap between second place and 86th place. It goes to show how potent the Nats offense has been, and also how productive Wood is. You have to give a lot of credit to Blake Butera for sticking Wood in the leadoff spot.
At first it seemed like a bit of a wonky fit, but it has been a stroke of genius. Wood is constantly on base, with a .402 OBP. His intimidating presence also forces pitchers to show their whole arsenal right from the jump. If you make a mistake to Wood to start a ball game, he will make you pay, as shown by his 8 leadoff homers.
We have seen power hitters leadoff before, and it is becoming more common in the game. Davey Martinez famously moved Kyle Schwarber to the leadoff spot, and that propelled a massive home run binge for him. However, Wood is an even better fit for the leadoff spot because of his athleticism.
When Schwarber got on base, he would clog up the basepaths. Despite being a massive human, Wood is an above average runner, and a threat to steal bases. Wood has 15 stolen bases on the season, which is actually the same amount as CJ Abrams. Between the on base ability, and Wood’s athleticism, it is no shock that he scores a lot of runs.
Runs scored is obviously not a purely individual stat though. You need your teammates to drive you in. That is exactly what Nats hitters have been doing. Luis Garcia Jr. and CJ Abrams are second and third in RBI this season. James Wood is the runner they are driving in on many occasions.
A July 7th post said that Wood was on pace for 142 runs, a number that will be higher after he’s scored 4 runs in the last 2 games. If he breaks the 140 run barrier, he will join Ted Williams, Joe DiMaggio and Alex Rodriguez as the only players 23 or younger to score that many times.
James Wood has scored 81 runs in 92 games, on pace for 142.
Last three 23-or-younger players to score 140+ in a season:
— Paul Hembekides (Hembo) (@PaulHembo) July 7, 2026
As Dan Kolko said on the broadcast last night, Nats fans are almost used to seeing their young outfielders be in that kind of company. Between Bryce Harper, Juan Soto, and now James Wood, this franchise has had so many record setting superstars. Hopefully we will be able to keep this one around.
Another crazy stat was shown that had Wood in the same breath as Bonds. However, it might not be the Bonds you are thinking of. Wood joined Bobby Bonds as the only players to have 85 runs, 25 homers, 60 RBI and 15 steals before the All-Star Break. Talk about filling up the statsheet.
James Wood and Bobby Bonds are the only players with 85 runs, 25 home runs, 60 RBIs, and 15 steals prior to the All-Star Break
This James Wood runs scored stat might be my favorite statistic of the season. It not only tells you about Wood’s dominance, but it also shows how elite the offense has been as a whole. There are other players with high on base percentages, but none of them come close to Wood’s 85 runs because they don’t have the type of protection he does.
James Wood is the engine of the Nationals offense, but a car has many parts. You need an exterior, an interior, and a driver. The Nats have that as well with players like CJ Abrams, Luis Garcia Jr. and Curtis Mead. Watching this offense has been such a blast this year. Remember when we were worried about the offense coming out of Spring Training?
So much has changed since the beginning of the season, and most of it has been for the better. I am at the point where I really think the Nats should buy at the deadline to try and take advantage of this offense. The offense is likely to be good moving forward, but there is no guarantee it will be this dominant again. They should not sell off the farm or anything, but it would be a disservice to this group to not go after a controllable arm or two.
They do not need to make a Mason Miller type trade to make this bullpen better. All they need to do is bring in a couple solid arms. Even if they simultaneously sell off a piece or two, I still think the Nats need to be on the hunt for arms.
I got a little sidetracked there, but James Wood is having a truly historic season. Nats fans have seen a few generational talents roam their outfield, and James Wood is the next in line. In a perfect storm season, James Wood not only leads baseball in runs scored, but he is lapping the field when it comes to touching home plate.
Jul 14, 2024; Ft. Worth, TX, USA; The Oakland Athletics draft Nick Kurtz as the fourth pick during the first round of the MLB Draft at Cowtown Coliseum. | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
As the A’s June-Swoon evolves into a deeper July collapse (the Athletics won on July 1 and have not tasted victory since then) it would make sense to think about salvaging the season and looking forward to 2027. Three major MLB events will take place in the next thirty days, two of which will have a strong impact on the A’s future. Of course, next week is All-Star week. American League starters Shea Langeliers and Nick Kurtz will likely have the experience of a lifetime, rubbing elbows, taking swings with and against the best the league has to offer and spending times with those they admire in the game; past and present.
The two events with the most impact will, of course, be the MLB draft and the trade deadline. The draft begins this Saturday, July 11 and continues through Sunday, July 12. As always, teams will have the ability to build their minor league systems in hopes of honing talent to be major league ready. As we know, for every Mike Trout and Nick Kurtz there are equal numbers of players such as Mark Appel and Brien Taylor; can’t miss prospects that missed badly!
This year’s trade deadline in August 3. With a core of players that should not be touched, the A’s will likely try to clear out some veteran (read: expensive) contracts and open some roster spots for promising minor leaguers to get some MLB playing time.
This could be a fun time for those of us who are addicted to the sport… thinking about what’s next for our team. But this year it’s different. The specter of an ownership lockout remains too strong of a possibility to make the dream of a better season carry us through the tough times. In a recent poll of MLB players, 101 current major leaguers were asked the simple question, “Do you believe there will be a lockout at the end of the season?” Eighty respondents said “yes,” two respondents said “no,” and nineteen said they were “not sure” Many players elaborated to say the bigger question was not whether or not there would be a lockout, but more importantly will games be cancelled.
It’s hard to argue with the players inside knowledge and their understanding of ownership’s motivations, but the best way for me to get through the challenging times that lay ahead is to think about what next year may bring for A’s Nation.
Three-time Cy Young Award winner, two-time World Series Champion, 2011 American League MVP, and 2006 AL Rookie of the Year Justin Verlander has been named to the AL roster as a “Legend Pick” for the 2026 All-Star Game, Commissioner of Baseball Robert D. Manfred, Jr. announced… pic.twitter.com/WKqU9tCdV4
0:00 Intro 14:30 Most Disappointing Team 23:30 Most Predictable Team 38:00 Best Offseason Move 45:40 Comeback Player 52:15 MVP 57:50 Game Of The Year 1:08:25 Game On The Line Award pic.twitter.com/70HXl4wPMU
— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) July 8, 2026
MLB's max-contract proposal would affect Junior Caminero as much as any player. So I asked him about it, and we got into a discussion about labor, the place of Latin American players in it, what salary caps do to players like LeBron James and why at 23 he wants to be involved. pic.twitter.com/PrEr93WauK
MESA, ARIZONA - MARCH 8: Brett Harris #11 of the Athletics swings the bat during a Spring Training game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at HoHoKam Stadium on March 8, 2026 in Mesa, Arizona. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Hayden Mullins made his first start in Triple-A to start off the double-header, and he was fine, despite walking four in just three innings. He wasn’t able to keep the Red Wings (Nationals AAA) in the park, but neither were Devin Sweet or Noah Song out of the pen, and so Worcester had to rely on a four-run sixth to get them back into the game. Nine-hole hitter Tyler McDonough flipped this abbreviated game on his head with a grand slam. The homer had a staggering .705 WPA.
This game was quite a bit more decisive than Game 1, as the WooSox had four home runs in six innings, including one from Brett Harris, who introduced himself to the organization with a grand slam. Harris, for those unaware, was the return from the Athletics for minor league arm Ben Hansen, who’s had a rough 2026. Harris brings infield depth to Worcester with Major League experience and some versatility, as well. Worcester scored four runs in the first inning and didn’t look back, enjoying a bullpen game in which the four pitchers gave up just three baserunners, and none after the fourth. And Kristian Campbell got himself involved with a couple of knocks, even though his OPS still hovers around .650 on the year and he remains one of the only batters on the 40-man that hasn’t cracked the Major League roster yet in 2026.
Dalton Rogers carried the weight of most of Game 1 in New Hampshire (Blue Jays AA), as the two hits he allowed were both solo shots. Luckily, none of the five walks he also allowed came home, nor did any of the five Fisher Cats Patrick Halligan walked. The Sea Dogs had a much quieter afternoon on the basepaths, having just four hits, but those hits came in the clutch via a pair of homers from Johanfran Garcia and Miguel Bleis. Jack Winnay, sharing his versatility by playing both third and first in the first game of the double-header (he’s also an outfielder!) also got in the fun and seems to be adjusting to the new level extremely well.
Two games, two hits for Bleis, but the Sea Dogs had a quiet nightcap in the double header, scoring just two runs despite going 3-for-9 (.333) with runners in scoring position. Winnay added on a couple knocks of his own, but Max Carlson allowing four runs early ended up getting to Portland early.
On Tuesday, Greenville’s starter held Greensboro (Braves High-A) runnerless into the sixth, retiring his first 17 batters. That was not the case Wednesday, as Kyson Witherspoon had another middling start in which he failed to make it through five innings. The real melt down was off the arm of PJ Labriola, though, who allowed eight runs on seven hits (two home runs) to put this game out of reach for Greenville… as if it wasn’t already.
Skylar King followed up hitting for the cycle against the Fireflies on Tuseday by getting the only extra-base hit the RidgeYaks could claim on Wednesday. Salem, though, would get the Fireflies (Royals A) for 11 hits and score four runs in the first inning, after which this contest was in little doubt, especially with Cole Tolbert dealing, striking six of the eleven batters he faced out, despite the shorter start.
Perspective Check: Four teams with more wins than the Cubs, 91.6 win pace. The Cubs and Phillies had been matching each other, seemingly daily. But the Phillies finally lost on a day when the Cubs won and so the Cubs now lead them by 1.5 games for the top Wild Card spot (though they own the tiebreaker with the Phillies anyway). The Cubs are 3.5 games clear of the Cardinals who sit fourth in the WC race. The Cub run differential sits fifth, behind the three NL division leaders and the Yankees. The Yankees largely gave up on winning games a couple of weeks ago, so it’s hard to imagine they will stay up there. Of course, the Cubs have no pitching, so it’s hard to imagine them staying up there either.
This game was a familiar “shape.” The two most common types of wins for the Cubs this year are late team at-bat wins and games where they score nine or more. So this was another nine or more run outburst. The Cubs are now 15-0 when they score nine runs (and 21-1 when they score at least 8). The story isn’t how good the record is, even at seven runs, you should win the overwhelming majority of the time. The story is how often they’ve had these huge games. The Cubs are 29-3 when scoring seven or more runs. So 32 of 92 games, more than a third, have seen seven or more runs. They are 36-4 when scoring six or more. You get the picture. When the offense finds that higher gear, the team wins. But you can flip it, if the team doesn’t score six runs, they are just 16-36. You want that equilibrium point lower. But that’s a sign of how shaky the pitching staff is.
This game displayed so much of 2026 baseball. Colin Rea got knocked around a little bit, though he was only charged with three runs. He ends up coming away with a win because the offense was outstanding, riding a barrage of homers to a win. Pete Crow-Armstrong hit two of those homers, becoming the first 20/20 player in 2026 and looking like a near lock for 30/30 if he’s healthy. I saw someone describe PCA as the highest ceiling Cub player he’s ever seen. I find no faults in that argument. We have seen some amazing Cub seasons through the years. But we haven’t really seen an all-around gifted Cub player like PCA is, maybe ever. And I say that with someone who was whole heartedly on the Kris Bryant bandwagon a decade ago.
When asked, I’ve said this on social media. I do think at some point there is a path for PCA to be in the MVP conversation. It will always be Shohei Ohtani’s to lose. When you are a once in several generations player, you should probably win the MVP every year. I hated it when they used to pass around the MVP in the NBA when it was clear that Michael Jordan was the best player on the planet every year. At some point, being able to hit and field has to have some measurement against being able to hit and pitch. That said, Ohtani has been a very good pitcher and one of the best hitters on the planet for a while. I feel like the “at some point” involves Pete getting way beyond Ohtani’s hitting numbers. People generally don’t go beyond Ohtani’s hitting numbers, but if he could do that and play platinum glove defense, I would think it isn’t crazy to have the discussion.
At the end of the day I don’t care. I mean I’d love for Pete to grab some hardware along the way. But I want to see the Cubs win championships. An MVP trophy does nothing to make that happen. I do very much want to see Pete play the next two and a half months the way he’s played the last month and a half. What should be a 35/35/100/90 type of season helps buoy an entire offense. Besides, Platinum Gloves and Silver Sluggers are hardware too. Go get those awards.
Getting back to the game, Cub lefties had a rough night. Drew Pomeranz allowed two runs on three hits, one a homer. Caleb Thielbar allowed a pair of homers. I know they were both in strike throwing mode with a growing lead. But any way you slice it, not optimal. The two lefties combined to face 13 batters, allow six hits, four runs, three homers. Ouch. Most nights, that gets your brains beat in.
The Cubs only had eight hits, though they drew four walks. The offensive output was what it was because the team slugged five homers. Rough night for Alex Bregman after coming away with a couple of RBI in the series opener. But he did hit two very long, loud outs. You do ultimately need to see his power effect games, so I’ll take the loud outs.
Three Positives:
Obligatory Pete in the top spot. Two hits and a walk. Three runs scored. Oh yeah, both hits were homers.
Jacob Webb had a very mundane ninth inning, getting three ground outs for his third save to tie the team lead.
Carson Kelly had a homer and a walk, scored twice.
Game 92, July 8: Cubs 9, Orioles 7 (52-40)
Reminder: Heroes and Goats are determined by WPA scores and are in no way subjective.
THREE HEROES:
Superhero: Pete Crow-Armstrong (.296). 2-4, 2 HR, BB, 2 RBI, 3 R
Hero: Carson Kelly (.129). 1-3, HR, BB, RBI, 2 R
Sidekick: Jacob Webb (.091). IP, 3 BF (Sv 4)
THREE GOATS:
Billy Goat: Colin Rea (-.049). 5.1 IP, 22 BF, 7 H, 2 BB, 3 ER, 2 K (W 7-5)
WPA Notes: Thielbar’s inning is a reminder of how improbable large comebacks are. He allows two homers, cutting a four run lead to two. That feels like a massive swing, but in the eighth inning, that moved a 4 percent chance to win to 7.2 percent.
WPA Play of the Game: Pete Alonso’s two-run homer in the fourth inning gave the Orioles a brief two-run lead. (.190)
Cubs Play of the Game: A minor oddity in that this is the third straight game where the Cubs have won and not recorded the biggest WPA play. Pete Crow-Armstrong’s tie-breaking, fifth inning homer. (.150)
Cubs Player of the Game:
Game 91 Winner: Matthew Boyd received 97 percent of 73 votes.
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 +24
Carson Kelly +16.5
Michael Busch +14
Ben Brown +13.5
Trent Thornton +12.5
Dansby Swanson -9
Edward Cabrera -9.5
Phil Maton -10
Caleb Thielbar -15
Seiya Suzuki -16.5
This is what this list looks like when you have one dominant player and a wide supporting cast.
Up Next: The third and final game of the series was moved to this afternoon (12:35 p.m. CT) due to anticipated evening storms in the Baltimore area. The Cubs can pick up another sweep. A battle of lefties. Newcomer David Peterson (4-7, 6.75) tries to bounce back from getting rocked last time out (10 ER in 3.2 IP). Former 2017 first round pick of the Marlins (13th overall) Trevor Rogers (6-7, 4.70) goes for the Orioles. Trevor has really turned things around, he is 4-1 with a 2.38 over his last seven starts (41.2 IP). For the third straight game, I’ll note this is not am optimal matchup on paper.
D.J. Short
