SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 25: A general view of fireworks after the game between the San Francisco Giants and the Oakland Athletics at Oracle Park on June 25, 2021 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning, baseball fans!
The San Francisco Giants are heading to Coors Field today to take on the Colorado Rockies for this Fourth of July weekend.
So today I wanted to see what everyone’s favorite Giants (or general baseball) related Fourth of July memories are.
This is normally the part where I would weigh in with my own, however I tend to spend Fourth of July in hiding, due to getting blown up by a fireworks misfire when I was a teenager reasons. So I’m going to go ahead and let you guys do the heavy lifting on this one.
What are your favorite Fourth of July baseball memories?
What time do the Giants play today?
The Giants and Rockies play game one of this three-game series tonight at 5:10 p.m. PT.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 26: Ezequiel Tovar #14 of the Colorado Rockies strikes out during the third inning of game one of a doubleheader against the New York Mets at Citi Field on April 26, 2026 in the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Heather Khalifa/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Flashback to 2023.
The Rockies lost over 100 games for the first time in franchise history, and the future was bleak.
One of the lone bright spots was Ezequiel Tovar. The 21-year-old shortstop was fresh off a breakout rookie season. Hoping to capitalize on the promising prospect from Venezuela, the Rockies — a team in need of an anchor — locked Tovar in for the long term with a seven-year, $63.5 million deal in March of 2024.
The Rockies would have had team control of Tovar through 2028, but this seemed like a good way to show their appreciation for the young star and possibly avoid a splashy free agency departure down the line. It looked like a win-win and a boost to a team that needed it.
The Tovar investment paid off immediately as his sophomore campaign was even more impressive than his first. His power at the plate exploded. He won the National League Gold Glove and finished No. 19 in NL MVP voting.
Then came the injury-filled 2025 that included a left hip injury and a left oblique strain that only allowed Tovar to play 95 games compared to the 157 he played in 2024. His numbers weren’t bad, but it was mostly his absences that hurt.
Enter 2026 and the promise of a healthy, productive season for the 24-year-old, including his outstanding performance in the World Baseball Classic. In seven games, Tovar went 8-for-17 at the plate with three doubles and two stolen bases in helping Venezuela to an underdog championship.
Season
Age
bWAR
G
PA
AB
R
H
2B
3B
HR
RBI
SB
CS
BB
SO
BA
OBP
SLG
OPS
OPS+
2022
20
-0.3
9
35
33
2
7
1
0
1
2
0
0
2
9
.212
.257
.333
.590
58
2023
21
2.5
153
615
581
79
147
37
4
15
73
11
5
25
166
.253
.287
.408
.695
79
2024
22
3.6
157
695
655
83
176
45
4
26
78
6
5
23
200
.269
.295
.469
.763
100
2025
23
0.6
95
390
360
44
91
18
4
9
33
5
3
21
98
.253
.294
.400
.694
84
2026
24
-0.4
81
305
283
27
58
16
0
6
27
5
0
16
84
.205
.249
.325
.574
51
But when the regular season arrived, that 2024 Tovar or the WBC Tovar was nowhere to be found. He’s still a solid defender with range and a great arm, but he often looks lost at the plate. He’s always been a high-risk, high-reward batter who will strike out a lot and walk infrequently, but the power and clutch potential were worth it. Now, Tovar is barely hovering above a .200 batting average.
He’s maintained his aggressive approach at the plate, but it isn’t resulting in hits. Instead, he has posted a 27.5% strikeout rate, a 2.4% jump from last year. His slugging and OPS have dropped .075 and .120, respectively, since 2025. His batting average is a dismal .205 and his OBP is .249, the lowest by far for the Rockies starters. The OBP is second-worst among qualified players in MLB, while the .205 batting average is the sixth-worst.
Tovar has shown promise this season. His May was improved, but in June, he reverted back to his slumping April numbers.
Month
G
AB
R
H
2B
3B
HR
RBI
BB
SO
SB
CS
AVG
OBP
SLG
OPS
March
5
22
3
7
2
0
1
5
0
6
1
0
.318
.318
.545
.863
April
27
92
6
16
6
0
0
3
5
29
1
0
.174
.232
.239
.471
May
26
85
8
21
3
0
3
12
8
20
2
0
.247
.305
.388
.693
June
21
81
9
14
5
0
2
7
3
29
1
0
.173
.198
.309
.507
Outside of being heartbreaking, Tovar’s long-lasting slump is becoming a significant problem. Rockies fans know “The Climb” is going to take a while as Colorado dreams of avoiding 100 losses this season. With a .500 record and competing for the postseason still in the distant future, the Rockies can afford to be patient with Tovar.
But as he drops farther and farther down the lineup and feels more and more like a guaranteed out, how long can the Rockies wait for Tovar to be the star we all saw in 2024? His defense remains top-tier, but his offensive numbers don’t make Tovar a very valuable trade token.
In a darker query, what if the 2024 Tovar is the anomaly? With the evolution of the game, and especially with the pendulum swinging to favor pitchers right now, perhaps Tovar’s beginner’s luck has worn off. MLB is a tough league, and Tovar wouldn’t be the first or last bright star to quickly fade out.
I don’t want that to be true. The Rockies and their fans need Tovar to be the star we believe he is. I am hopeful that with his innate talent, a new coaching staff and more analytics, there is still time to turn it around.
The Rockies are better, but they aren’t vying for a Wild Card anytime soon. When they do, they will need Tovar to be a part of it.
If he’s not, the Rockies might not be able to keep him around.
Vimael Machín hit a two-run triple in the first inning, Adael Amador hit an RBI single and Sterlin Thompson and Zac Veen each recorded two hits as the Isotopes beat the Express on Thursday night. Thompson also scored a run, coming in on a throwing error on a pickoff attempt. Jake Brooks had a solid start, giving up three runs on six hits in five innings. Parker Muschinski threw two scoreless innings and Andrew Baker added two more to get his first win of the season.
The first clutch performance came from Aidan Longwell, who doubled in Braylen Wimmer to tie the game in the ninth and send it to extra innings. In the 10th, it was a team effort — with some luck — when Jose Torres started on second, Mike Antico singled to move Torres to third and both were then joined by Roc Riggio, who intentionally walked. Torres and Antico both came around to score when the Patriots threw a wild pitch. That was enough to win it. Zach Kokoska doubled and homered to drive in three runs. Fidel Ulloa earned the win by throwing 2.2 scoreless innings.
Trailing 4-3 heading to the ninth inning, Kelvin Hidalgo and Tommy Hopfe hit back-to-back solo homers to put Spokane on top and Justin Loer struck out two Hops in the scoreless bottom of the ninth for the save. The win was the sixth in a row for Spokane. The Indians rallied back from a 2-0 deficit to tie the game in the third when Tanner Thach hit an RBI double and Jacob Humphrey followed with a run-scoring single. Humphrey added another RBI with a sac fly in the fifth. Spokane outhit Hillsboro 12-8 and three of those belonged to Roynier Hernandez.
Aidan Redahan drove in five runs and scored three on a three-hit night, but the Grizzlies comeback bid came up short on Thursday night. Aidan Redahan and Carlos Renzullo each hit RBI singles and Wilder Dalis hit a sac fly to help the Grizzlies jump out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning, but Ontario bounced back with 10 unanswered runs to take a 10-3 lead by the sixth inning. But Fresno didn’t give up, getting one run back when Redahan hit a solo homer in the bottom of the sixth. In the seventh, Redahan struck again, this time with a three-run double and then he came around to score on a Dalis double to make it 10-8 Ontario. After the Tower Buzzers added a run in the eighth, so did the Grizzlies when Roldy Brito hit an RBI single. Fresno had the bases loaded in the eighth for a chance to add more, but came up empty. Kyle Fossum hit a sac fly in the bottom of the ninth, but the Grizzlies couldn’t manage anymore with the bases loaded.
While not related to the Rockies, Kyle Newman wrote a feature about Julian Garcia, the Fossil Ridge grad, who also played for Metro State, and recently made his debut for the Cincinnati Reds. Making history as the first MSU player to make it to MLB, he never gave up on his dream.
All MLB teams will be decked out in festive gear for Independence Day on Saturday. The Rockies, playing at home to host the San Francisco Giants, will have their traditional white pinstripes, but with players’ last names in red and the numbers in stars and stripes. The hats will be white with blue bills and the CR filled with stars and stripes and outlined in gold. A special patch noting the 250th anniversary of independence is on the side.
Drew Ceasman contrasts the 2026 Rockies with the 2025 squad, highlighting the improvement, noting the areas where the team still struggles and emphasizing the need for the next phase of getting back on track to begin: better pitching.
WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 25: Marvin Bagley III #35 of the Washington Wizards is helped up by Tyus Jones #5 during the game against the Utah Jazz on January 25, 2024 at Capital One Arena in Washington, DC. 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 2024 NBAE (Photo by Stephen Gosling/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Marvin Bagley’s NBA career probably hasn’t worked out quite like he and a lot of other people expected, but nonetheless after he left Duke, but he’s getting close to a decade in the NBA, and most players never get near that.
He spent last season with the Dallas Mavericks, but Denver has signed him to a one-year contract for next season. That should be interesting, because he’ll be playing with Nikola Jokic, who is a fascinating player and most likely a great teammate to have, and also fellow former Blue Devil Tyus Jones. The pair were also teammates with the Washington Wizards previously.
Denver has also opted to keep Jones on a one-year contract. He’s never had cutting-edge athleticism like a lot of NBA guards, but he remains one of the smartest players we’ve ever seen. Whenever his career ends, you’d think someone could find a use for that sort of intelligence, whether as a coach or in a front office.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 26: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics plays defense on Paul George #8 of the Philadelphia 76ers during the game during Round One Game Four of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 26, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The past 24 hours have been a whirlwind following the Boston Celtics decision to trade Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Paul George, two first round picks, and two second round picks.
If you know me, you know I love the Celtics, and I love Jaylen Brown. My world felt like it was turned upside down when I read the news. How could we send a homegrown franchise cornerstone to a rival?
It took a lot of time, a lot of angry messages, a lot of sad moments scrolling through tribute videos, and a lot of free-time with my thoughts to finally settle my mind. Here’s where I’ve landed:
Eye-test, JB is a really, really special player. He cares about hooping in its purest form, and plays hard on both ends of the court. He wants to see his team succeed, and he’s willing to do the work to make that happen. He can score with the best of them, is incredibly explosive and athletic, and he can really lock someone down on defense too.
I think when people say he wants to be the definitive #1, and that he won’t be happy otherwise, they are greatly discrediting him. I think he’s very competitive, and has worked very hard to get where he’s at, so just like any competitor, he wants to be the best version of himself. I think he’s more than willing to be the best version of himself within a specific role for the sake of the team, and that gets overlooked much too often.
Los Angeles, CA – February 22: Guard Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics talks with head coach Joe Mazzulla of the Boston Celtics in the second half of a NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Sunday, February 22, 2026. (Photo by Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images) | MediaNews Group via Getty Images
He does have his faults, though. He can get tunnel vision on offense, and can sometimes have poor shot selection because of his confidence in himself. He also gets lost off-ball on defense too often, even though he’s a great on-ball defender. Sometimes he feels like he needs to take over a game, whether that’s because the team is down and needs an energy shift, or if they’re blowing someone else out and he wants to cook. These can be very polarizing experiences. I’ve usually trusted him in these moments, but it wasn’t always the most popular sentiment amongst fans.
The analytics really don’t like him. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a bigger discrepancy between the eye-test and the analytics before. I tend to favor the eyes because of the success he’s had beyond the stats. I can’t lie and say how unfavorable the analytics were to him didn’t concern me, though. I also see why Boston was ready to try something new. The second apron sucks. Having two max contract players on your roster is really hard.
JB is genuinely a good dude, and I’ll die on that hill. He’s done more for Boston in 10 years than a lot of people could do in a lifetime, and that goes beyond the fact that he had the money and the means to do so. He cares. He wants to uplift his community. I’m sure he’ll still continue his philanthropic work in the city, but I would expect him to shift the majority of his focus to Philadelphia now, and they’re going to be incredibly lucky to have him.
Jaylen also cares about his individuality and his freedom. That doesn’t always jive in the sports world, especially when only one team gets to win every year, the contracts are that expensive, and every team becomes incredibly risk-averse when they see success. While he sees his streams and community outreach as authenticity, others often see it as a liability.
GUANGZHOU, CHINA – JUNE 05: NBA star Jaylen Brown interacts with students during a class at the Affiliated High School of South China Normal University on June 5, 2026 in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province of China. (Photo by Chen Jimin/China News Service/VCG via Getty Images)
At this point, I think I’m mostly upset that Jaylen is in Philly. I don’t like seeing my favorite players play for rivals. I really want to root for him, and as an individual, I certainly will, but I don’t want Philly to see a crumb of success as a team.
I don’t hate Paul George. I think he’ll get a lot of unnecessary and unwarranted criticism from fans just because he was the returning player in the deal. I’m honestly a little excited to see what he can do next to Derrick and JT. I am very concerned about his health, though, and obviously the contract is ugly. It would be a lot easier to be hopeful if he was on a friendlier deal, but we’ll have to see how the front office navigates from here.
The return is what it is. I wasn’t in the rooms, so I don’t know if this was truly the best offer. Brad Stevens has proven to be pretty good in all other accounts, so I’m willing to believe that this was the best offer. I don’t think it needed to be done this quickly, but subduing the frenzy of JB trade chatter is a silver lining. I can see the flexibility it provides the team going forward. I’m not crazy about this long-term approach, but again, we’ll have to see how it plays out.
It’s gonna be really, really tough to see Jaylen in a Sixers jersey. That being said, I think I’m still going to have a lot of fun watching the Celtics next year. The team is still pretty great, although the ceiling definitely feels lower. Hopefully this opens up more opportunity for the young guys to shine. I’m willing to go into it with an open mind since I don’t want to be sad or mad anymore.
I have the utmost respect for Jaylen Brown, and he’ll be a Celtic for life. Now it’s time to turn the page to a new era of Celtics basketball. Here’s to better days ahead.
Syracuse took a 5-3 lead into the top of the seventh, but their bullpen gave up four runs over the final three innings of the game without any response from their lineup. If you’re looking for a silver lining, Jorge Polanco hit a home run and drew a walk as the Mets’ designated hitter in this one. It’s worth pointing out that he’s had one or more days off between each of his rehab appearances since starting his second attempt at a rehab assignment on June 27.
Binghamton trailed 2-0 when the eighth inning got underway, but they put up a four spot to take a two-run lead in the bottom of that inning. Douglas Orellana proceeded to have about as bad a night as a reliever can have, though, as he didn’t record a single out while giving up five runs—all earned—on four hits and a walk. Bowie tacked on a sixth run that was charged to fellow reliever Saul Garcia in the top of the ninth, and that was that.
Lost amid all of that was a very good outing from Max Green, whose story about overcoming the yips to pursue his dream is a good one.
Cyclones pitchers gave up at least one run in seven of the eight innings they pitched in this one, and Brooklyn’s four-run innings in the top of the fifth accounted for all of their runs while merely pulling them within one run of Frederick at the time.
With a 5-4 lead heading into the top of the ninth, St. Lucie saw relief pitcher Zack Mack give up three runs to swing the game in Tampa’s favor. This was not the best night for the Mets’ non-rookie-ball minor league teams.
May 23, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Texas Rangers pinch hitter Andrew McCutchen (4) reacts after strike out during the seventh inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
The Atlanta Braves have reportedly agreed to a minor league deal with outfielder/designated hitter Andrew McCutchen. The 39-year-old has spent the 2026 season with the Texas Rangers, where he appeared in 37 games and averaged a subpar .192 at the plate. He was released at the end of May and according to the transaction log, was picked up by Atlanta on Thursday.
The move is a low-risk depth addition for an Atlanta club that has been searching for offensive consistency during a wave of injuries. While McCutchen is well past his prime, the former MVP brings plenty of veteran experience and could provide organizational depth as he aims for another opportunity in the majors.
More Braves News:
The Braves announced a roster move Thursday morning that recalled INF Jim Jarvis and designated INF Rowdy Tellez for assignment.
Atlanta suffered another series loss after dropping Thursday’s contest to the St. Louis Cardinals, 11-5.
Eric Hartman joined the 20/30 club after Wednesday’s contest. More in the minor league recap.
Today’s article will do a bit of a deep dive on George Soriano. This guy has seemingly come from nowhere to become a stalwart in the Cardinal bullpen. Not dissimilar to Ryan Fernandez in 2024 or Matt Svanson in 2025, a guy who could reasonably be considered unheralded, but still becomes a key member of the cadre.
Authors Note: I’m travelling over the 4th, so I had to do this article a fair bit in advance. The stats I cite are going to be over a week old by the time you read this. I’m not sure if the VEB hex applies when I write the article or when I publish, but George could crater in between and foul up the data. Such is life.
How unheralded? He came into 2026 with a career fWAR of -1.0, backed by career ERA and FIP figures exceeding 5.00. Across 3 years with Miami, he progressed from bad to worse, ending last year with an 8.35 ERA. He found himself on the Nationals roster and ultimately dealt to St. Louis for Andre Granillo. What did the Cardinals see that prompted them to swap out a low-grade prospect for him?
Here in St. Louis, he has filled a variety of roles all the way from chase reliever to high leverage. It hasn’t been perfect, but he is outperforming his career norms by a fair bit. Interestingly, he is not far off his Zips projection, which projected a 4.19 FIP with a 21.3% K rate and a 9.5% BB rate. So, I’m curious. What gives?
We’ll start with back of the baseball card stuff. George is carrying a 3.16 ERA with a relatively pedestrian 20.8% K rate. His 8.5% walk rate is a marked improvement from his career 10% rate. He has accumulated .1 fWAR. Further down, he has qualified for 11 shutdown (SD) appearances, which is 70th percentile among relievers with 30 or more IP (George has 30.1 IP). He has 4 meltdown (MD) appearances which is tied with a bunch of guys right at average for the league. For comparison, Justin Bruihl and JoJo Romero pace the league with 10 and 9 MD appearances. Thus, why he is rising up the trust scale.
Sidebar: Riley O’Brien is second overall in baseball with 20 SD appearances, behind only Cade Smith of Cleveland.
What is underneath this improved performance?
If we wander on over to Statcast/Baseball Savant, some interesting details emerge. Morsels to chew on, as it were.
Pitch Mix
Note his pitch mix vs. left and right-handed batters. This will come up later. In general, he is more FF and CH heavy against LH hitters and more SL and SI heavy against RH hitters.
Since joining StL, they’ve had him de-emphasize his SI and ST (sweeper). He has cut the sweeper use from 16% to 10%, and sinker use from almost 20 to 12%. The SL usage has increase from 16% to nearly 25% and he has upped his four-seamer (FF) usage from 18% to more than 25%. Subtle changes, but they appear to have had some success. Pitch mix is one of the places the Cardinals tinkered, but not the only.
Pitch effectiveness
To the left you see the current run values for his entire pitch mix. Looking at the blue, you can see why the Cardinals wanted to de-emphasize the Sinker (SI) and Sweeper (ST).
Mechanics
One of the things I found striking was now much the Cardinals influenced his arm angle. That 34 degree angle is new this year, up from 29 degrees in 2025. That is pitching lab stuff. In ways, given how late in the off-season they acquired him, I am surprised they were able to implement what is a fairly radical change, and be successful doing it.
It’s not clear how the arm angle has affected his pitch metrics, which have not really changed a lot even though the arm angle did.
Pitch Movement
That mechanical changes have produced a pitch movement profile that leaves me scratching my head a bit.
His 4-Seam Fastball (FF) is pretty average in terms of movement, although it does have 87th percentile velo, averaging 96.7 mph. The four-seam grades at 87 Stuff+, but the Sinker grades out at a nice 108+.
That ChangeUp? It has somewhat below average arm-side run, but well above average drop. That pitch could almost be called devastating. That Whiff% has climbed for 19.6% in 2025 to 41.8% this season. That change is particularly effective against LH hitters, allowing him to navigate the left-right lanes. It grades out as a 116 on Stuff+. Impressive.
The Slider (SL) is an odd one. Used mostly against RH hitters, it produces a near 40% whiff rate, but that is in line with career norms. The arm angle change seems to have produced less arm-side run and a bit more drop. It grades out as a 96 by Stuff+.
I can’t figure his Sweeper. It doesn’t sweep, but still gets a 40%+ whiff rate. How? No Stuff+ grade. I think because the sample size is too small.
His very average Sinker (SI) gets clobbered at an xwOBA of .622. Seems contradictory to a Stuff+ of 108.
Spin
George seems to tunnel his pitches well, which can improve the effectiveness of the mix. The fastballs and the change come out of a pitcher’s hand looking the same from a spin standpoint but act quite a bit differently as they approach the hitter.
Oddly, his sinker comes out with all different spins, almost all around the watch face. I don’t know if he is still tinkering with it or what, but that is a lot of inconsistency and probably helps explain why it is a mostly straight pitch, yet oddly effective.
Overall
Putting it all together, we can look at his overall performance against the rest of the league.
His fastballs (4-seam, sinker) perform at an average rate in terms of run value. Neither good nor bad, as do the breaking pitches. The Offspeed pitches (Sweeper, Change) provide most of his positive value, ranking in the 85th percentile. I’d opine here is where pitch mix is key … an average fastball combined with near-elite offspeed can make an effective pitcher if deployed properly.
Note the 81st percentile FB velocity, but also note that much of his very poor 8th percentile exit velo comes … off his fastballs.
He gets excellent chase and whiff, as noted above. Oddly, for all the excellent whiff numbers his K% rate is pretty pedestrian a 20.8%, probably not enough for a leverage reliever.
Concerns
Beyond the hard hit data just above, a few other concerns pop out in his profile.
His 2026 BABIP is running an extremely low .241. Now, in 3 of his 4 seasons, he has run really low BABIPs, so that may be normal for him, but the number itself suggests some luck is smiling on him in 2026 and regression could bite him, particularly since he doesn’t strike a lot of guys out.
On that vein, his 21% strike out rate and 9% walk rate result in a ~12% K-BB%, which really isn’t good enough for a leverage reliever. 15% is the number I use as a floor for a pitcher expected to pitch well reliably.
Summary
We like to say relievers are volatile. Well, every player is volatile to an extent, relievers just seem to be moreso. George may be the archetype of one form of reliever volatility.
A pitcher equipped with largely average stuff, with some above average offerings and some below. Nets to a Stuff+ of 101. Some years, such a pitcher will have good luck in sequencing or random and others years it will horrid luck. 2025 appears to have been his horrid year and 2026 appears to be the year the GOB are smiling upon him.
The Chicago Blackhawks had one of the best penalty kill units in the NHL last season. At 83.6 percent, they finished in second place, only trailing the 84.6 percent put up by the Colorado Avalanche.
The Hawks led in this statistic for most of the year, but they tailed off just a little bit after the trade deadline saw Connor Murphy, Jason Dickinson, Nick Foligno, and Colton Dach all leave.
There are plenty of players on the team now, Frank Nazar, Oliver Moore, Ryan Greene, and Alex Vlasic, amongst others, who can help keep it up to standard, but losing Ilya Mikheyev certainly hurts.
Mikheyev, one of the best penalty kill forwards in the NHL, signed a four-year deal with the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday. There is no sugar coating it: this is a huge loss for the Blackhawks.
To try and make up for this, Kyle Davidson and his staff signed veteran forward Cole Smith and defenseman Ian Cole. Both of these free agents will get their ice time at even strength, but they are going to be relied upon heavily on the penalty kill.
During a media session during Development Camp, Davidson mentioned the PK as a reason for signing these two. They bring a sense of grit and physicality in all situations, but keeping the puck out of their net during opponent power plays will play a key role in winning.
There are going to be a lot of young players competing for these jobs as well, but having guys like Smith and Cole to lean on will take the pressure off them when it comes to these specialty roles.
Are the Blackhawks going to have a top-two unit again? Likely not. However, they may not fall as far back as people think, and these two new additions would play a big part in that.
If the young guys grow into their roles while Smith and Cole lead the way, and Spencer Knight stays locked in, it will remain difficult to score power-play goals against the Chicago Blackhawks.
If the power play then improves with the addition of Bowen Byram, they could be a team that wins a lot more games due to their special teams.
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Happy birthday to Codi Heuer, and a mighty host of others.
Today in baseball history, in 1966 – Pitcher Tony Cloninger hits two grand slams and drives in nine runs, as the Braves rout the Giants at Candlestick Park, 17-3. Cloninger is the first National League player to slam two in a game, and the first pitcher ever, and his nine RBIs are a major-league record for pitchers, breaking Vic Raschi‘s mark of seven, and other stories as well.
Today in baseball history:
1911 – At Philadelphia, the A’sFrank Baker hits for the cycle in a 5-1 win over the Yankees in the second game of a doubleheader.
1951 – Giants rookie Willie Mays blasts a 13th-inning solo homer off the Phillies’Jocko Thompson to give New York a win. It is Willie’s second extra-inning homer in two weeks.
1968 – Luis Tiant registers 19 K’s in ten innings, as Cleveland beats Minnesota, 1-0. Tiant sets two modern major league records – most strikeouts in a ten-inning game; and 32 strikeouts in consecutive games – and ties the modern major-league record of 41 strikeouts in three successive appearances.
2009 – Albert Pujols, the major league home run leader, hits his fourth grand slam of the year, a team record, as the Cardinals dispose of the Reds, 7-4. He now has 350 career dingers, becoming the third-youngest to reach the mark, after Alex Rodriguez and Ken Griffey Jr.
2021 – Harmon Killebrew falls off the top ten home run list as Jim Thome goes deep twice for the Twins to give Thome 574 dingers in the big leagues.
1960 – A day after his wedding in Chicago, Jim O’Toole pitches and loses, as the Cubs pound him for seven runs and nine hits in less than five innings. Chicago wins, 7-5. An unsympathetic manager Fred Hutchinson deadpans: “It was his turn to pitch. I didn’t tell him to get married.”
1970 – At Chicago’sWrigley Field, Gene Alley and Roberto Clemente each hit two homers to help the visiting Bucs outlast their hosts, 16-14. This slugfest also numbers a game-tying, 2nd-inning grand slam by Chicago’s Billy Williams among its eight homers and 70 total bases. Mother Nature, however, has to get a good deal of credit for the day’s offensive production; clearly, the “Windy City” has earned its sobriquet today. “It blew fourteen miles per hour toward center,” reports the Chicago Tribune, “prompting Clemente to all but apologize for his first homer.” “I just tapped the ball,” Clemente tells the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “There was no way that ball should have gone out of here. The wind was blowing to left, to center, to right. Everywhere it was blowing, it was for the hitter.”
1775 – George Washington takes command of Continental Army at Cambridge, Massachusetts.
1861 – Pony Express arrives in San Francisco with overland letters from NY.
1863 – Battle of Gettysburg, the largest battle ever fought on the American continent, ends in a major victory for the Union during the US Civil War.
1886 – In Germany, Karl Benz first drives the first automobile in Mannheim at a top speed of 16 km/h (10 mph).
1928 – John Logie Baird demonstrates the first color television transmission in London.
1931 – German boxer Max Schmeling beats American Young Stribling by TKO in 15 in Cleveland in his first heavyweight title defense; first major fight broadcast live on national radio.
2004 – Official opening of Bangkok’s subway system.
2025 – Archaeologists announce the discovery of a 3,500-year-old ancient city in Peru named Peñico.
Sep 10, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; General view of the helmet used by the Milwaukee Brewers before the start of the first inning against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-Imagn Images | Stan Szeto-Imagn Images
Greetings, Brew Crew Ball community. Happy Fourth of July weekend! We’re now beyond the midpoint of the season, and just over a week away from the MLB Draft & All-Star break. The Brewers have weathered the first half of their gauntlet, but they still have the D-backs, Cardinals, and Pirates on deck for 11 games in the next 10 days.
Feel free to use this thread to chat about (almost) anything you want: video games, food, movies, non-baseball sports, the Brewers, you name it. As long as it’s appropriate and is allowed by our moderators, it’s fair game here.
ATLANTA, GA - APRIL 15: Outfielder Drew Burress #8 of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets leads off first base during the Spring Classic college baseball game between the Georgia Bulldogs and the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on April 15, 2025 at Truist Park in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Good morning, Camden Chatters.
If you’re one of the many fans who have found the Orioles exhausting to watch for most of the season, at least we’re getting ample breaks from the team this month. The O’s weekend series with the Reds is bookended with off days yesterday and Monday — because traveling to Cincinnati is particularly arduous, apparently? — and after a six-game homestand, the Birds will take four days off for the All-Star break.
We’re just over a week until the unofficial end to the first half, and not a moment too soon. The Orioles, unless they go a perfect 9-0 in their next three series, are guaranteed to have a losing record entering the break. It’s not the kind of season that any of us hoped we’d be seeing, so close on the heels of an equally disappointing 2025 campaign. This year was supposed to be different. It hasn’t been, and that stinks. We’ve written plenty about that already and will have to do so for a while longer if the Orioles’ freefall continues.
But for now let’s focus on the future — specifically, the MLB Draft, which begins next Saturday, July 11. The Orioles hold the seventh pick, and MLB.com’s latest mock draft projects them to select outfielder Drew Burress from Georgia Tech. Wait, you’re telling me the Orioles might select a college outfielder? Imagine that! Other possible candidates for that spot, according to MLB’s Jonathan Mayo, are Justin Lebron, Tyler Bell, Ryder Helfrick, Chris Hacopian, and Derek Curiel. I’m not convinced that all of those are real names.
As for Burress, he’s a 5-foot-9 center fielder who’s ranked as the #6 draft prospect by The Athletic’s Keith Law. Burress “swings hard, with excellent bat speed,” according to Law, who notes that his average exit velocity was in the 90th percentile of college hitters. Burress has “easy plus power” that belies his small frame, and Law projects him as a 20+ homer a year player who could stick in center field but might have to move to a corner spot. Yep, sounds like the Orioles’ type.
Of course, it’s much too early to write down Burress in pen as the Orioles’ pick. There’s just over a week until the draft and six teams picking ahead of them, so there’s plenty of different directions the O’s could go with their selection. I just wish the draft weren’t the only thing that qualifies as excitement in Birdland these days.
History in the making. I, for one, will never forget what I was doing when the Kyle Nicolas-for-Randal Diaz went down. I don’t know which player was the one the O’s traded and which one they acquired, but still.
Shortstop Roch Cholowsky is so highly regarded that he won’t drop to the #7 pick, ruining the possibility of having two Rochs on the Orioles circuit. Alas.
Orioles birthdays and history
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! Three former Orioles were born on this day: right-hander Tommy Hunter (40), lefty Jeff Rineer (71), and the late outfielder Al Pilarcik (b. 1930, d. 2010).
July 3 used to be a pretty good day for the Orioles. At one point the O’s won 15 consecutive games on this date from 1961 to 1974, including three doubleheader sweeps. Through 1974, they had a 19-3 record all-time on July 3. But since then they’re 18-30 on this date, and have lost five of their last seven.
Random Orioles game of the day
On July 3, 1992, the Orioles beat the Twins, 6-1, at the Metrodome. Hall of Famer Mike Mussina, then in his second season, came within two outs of a complete game, somehow holding the Twins to just one run despite giving up 12 (!) hits. He made big pitches when he needed to, I suppose. The Orioles broke a scoreless tie in the fifth on back-to-back sacrifice flies, then removed all doubt with a four-run seventh inning that included RBI singles by Glenn Davis, Randy Milligan, and Joe Orsulak, and a run-scoring double from Mark McLemore.
After that game, the O’s and Twins had identical 46-32 records, with the Twins sitting in first place and the Orioles one game out, but neither would end up making the playoffs.
Jul 1, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Zack Wheeler (45) throws a pitch during the second inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
I don’t have a clever heat-related pun to use here. Did you know that the home run rate rises as the temperature does? You did? Well, that’s all I had. Onto the links.
Phillies news
Zack Wheeler was not happy that Don Mattingly pulled him in the fifth inning of his last start. The skipper lays out his case.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 26: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics plays defense on Paul George #8 of the Philadelphia 76ers during the game during Round One Game Four of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 26, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Earlier this week, it was announced that after days of trade talks, the Boston Celtics were finally able to unload 2024 Finals MVP and five-time All-Star Jaylen Brown. He is being sent to the Philadelphia 76ers for Paul George, a 2028 first-round pick (or more favorable pick swap), an unprotected 2031 first-round pick, and two second-round picks (2028 and 2030).
George, originally drafted tenth overall in 2010 by the Indiana Pacers, has been now been traded three times.
In 2017, he was traded by the Pacers to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Domantas Sabonis and Victor Oladipo. In 2019, he was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari, five first-round draft picks, and the rights to swap two other first-round picks. This week, he was moved to Boston in the aforementioned trade.
BREAKING:
The NBA has now traded Paul George for:
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Jaylen Brown Domantas Sabonis Victor Oladipo Danilo Gallinari
And
7 1st round picks plus 4 pick swaps
Paul George is the Most Valuable Player in NBA history.
That’s quite a list of impressive players. NBA Champions, two Finals MVPs, four All-Stars, a Most Improved Player, steals leader, a two-time MVP, a scoring leader, a Clutch Player of the Year…and Danilo Gallinari.
Here’s how the 1st round picks conveyed:
2021- Tre Mann (18th pick) played three seasons was eventually packaged in a trade for Gordon Hayward.
2022- Jalen Williams (12th pick), the 2025 All-Star has been a major part of the team’s success.
2023- Picks did not convey.
2024- OKC traded this to Dallas for a 2028 first round pick swap.
2025- Thomas Sorber (15th pick) has yet to suit up as he tore his ACL before during an offseason workout and missed the entire season.
2026- Aday Mara (12th pick) was drafted as a direct response to facing Victor Wembanyama.
The dividends OKC received from the trade brought the franchise their first Oklahoma-based championship and continues to reflect well. Meanwhile, the Clippers never met their potential.
The 76ers signed PG13 after his stint with the Clippers. he played in only 78 games over two seasons. Riddled with injuries and a suspension for violating the league’s drug policies, George’s time in the City of Brotherly Love was mostly ineffective.
How will 36-year-old fare in Bean Town? Only time will tell.
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If Paul George is excited about going to Boston, then he’s keeping that emotion close to the vest at this point in time.
The 36-year-old nine-time All-Star posted his farewell to Philadelphia to his Instagram page on Thursday night, bidding adieu to his home for the past two seasons. The near-200-word message seemed genuine, as George clearly built a strong bond with the city of Philadelphia and its fans in a short time.
Noticeably absent from George’s message, though, was a single word about his new NBA home in Boston.
The closest George came to mentioning the Celtics came toward the end of his message, when he said, “:As I begin the next chapter of my career, I leave with nothing but gratitude, respect and memories that I’ll carry with me forever.”
Such a decision differed greatly from Jaylen Brown, who managed to work in some enthusiasm for joining the 76ers in the biggest trade of the NBA offseason.
“I’m excited for what’s ahead and grateful for the opportunity to join Philadelphia,” Brown wrote in his social media post. “Every city has its own identity, its own passion, and its own expectation. I respect that, and I’m looking forward to earning that respect the only way I know how — through the work.”
Brown closed his message — which was, largely, a farewell to Boston — by writing, “PHILLY #THROWTHEBALLUP LET’S GET IT!”
The reasons for George not mentioning Boston at all in his post could or could not be meaningful.
On the one hand, if George was excited to be joining a historic organization and teaming up with an All-NBA star in Jayson Tatum, one might reasonably assume he’d say as much in a post like that.
On the other hand, if George’s primary intention was to give a proper goodbye and message of thanks to the people of Philadelphia, then there would have been no need to send any message to Boston.
There’s also the reality that George, a veteran of 16 NBA seasons who’s played for four teams and has now been traded three times, understands how the NBA works. It’s possible — likely, even — that the Celtics intend to start George for every game he’s available in the 2026-27 season. It’s also possible that Brad Stevens spins another deal before training camp begins.
George has been through enough in his NBA career to know that it may be best to just let the dust settle and then have some conversations with his new bosses in Boston before getting too attached to the city and the franchise.
They’ve been scouted and scrutinized for months and years on end, and now you can add some pokes, prods and productive interviews to the list for the top prospects entering Major League Baseball’s draft.
The draft scouting combine was, for almost all draftees, the last major step leading up to the July 14 selection soiree in Philadelphia. While many prospects put on a measurables show – including an old friend of ours – the greater value from the days in Phoenix are the interviews and get-to-knows exchanged between front offices and draftees.
As clubs tweak their big boards and draft day arrives in less than two weeks, USA TODAY Sports takes a fourth crack at forecasting the first round:
All indications are the White Sox are still deliberating this pick, and due diligence and bonus pool gymnastics – they have the third-highest lump to distribute, $17.592 million - will always transpire up until go time. In the end, the virtually minimal risk drafting a shovel-ready college shortstop instead of a catcher or prep shortstop should prevail.
2. Tampa Bay Rays: SS Grady Emerson, Fort Worth Christian HS
The first real fork in the road. Yet the Rays may not draft this high for many years and the window to grab such a tooled-up, high-ceiling talent like Emerson will be too difficult to pass up.
Seemingly another coin flip, but we’re ready to move off college righty Jackson Flora, though it would be little surprise if the Twins stayed that course. The franchise knows about elite-hitting catchers as franchise cornerstones.
Flora would make sense here as well but Buster Posey opts for the other potential franchise prep shortstop at the top of the round. It’d seem the last thing the Giants need is more risk with the high-ceiling Lombard, but the Miami-bound shortstop also represents opportunity.
They love their high-ceiling prep arms, but in this scenario, it’s too hard to pass on Flora after he slips past the Twins and Giants. Flora’s profile suggests a quick-to-the-majors path, not the worst thing for a club with three years left of Paul Skenes and a future rotation that could be built around last year’s top pick, Seth Hernandez.
A snug fit for both, as Booth’s skill set translates nicely to Kauffman Stadium, and he figures to be the last of the big half-dozen on the board when the Royals are on the clock.
The college player from the Sun Belt type has defined Orioles first rounds and there are so many to choose from as they determine the direction the first-round river flows from here. Burress’ career 1.204 OPS with the Yellow Jackets – he tied Jason Varitek’s career home run mark with 57 – and ability to man any outfield position stand out.
8. Athletics: SS Justin Lebron, Alabama
Still a passel of college hitters to sift through and the A’s roll the dice on Lebron, weighing the fallen stock against the physical tools that may fully develop in Yolo County and then Las Vegas.
9. Atlanta Braves: LHP Gio Rojas, Marjory Stoneman Douglas (Florida) HS
There are scenarios where a team upsets the expected Big 6 and snags Rojas earlier, but he should slip through to become the next big young arm added to Atlanta’s stable of pitchers.
Pitching has been the focus of the Rockies’ bottom-up rebuild, but it will be too hard to bypass a thunderous bat like Helfrick, who finished up in Fayetteville with 18 homers and as many walks as strikeouts.
11. Washington Nationals: OF Derek Curiel, LSU
They’d prefer a higher-ceiling player here but go with an advanced pure hitter who raked (.349, .353 in two seasons in Baton Rouge) against SEC pitching.
Perry Minasian is gone, but does his ghost linger? Arte Moreno certainly does and the marching orders, surely, would be to assemble quick-to-the-majors talent since they’re just that close to contending.
13. St. Louis Cardinals: INF Chris Hacopian, Texas A&M
Already mature in his development and possesses enough versatility and an excellent hit tool to transition smoothly to St. Louis.
We’ve matched Reese and the Marlins before and we bring ‘em back together after the combine. The Marlins do like pitching but there’s not a consistent enough arm here to bypass a solid collegiate bat.
15. Arizona Diamondbacks: LHP/OF Jared Grindlinger, Huntington Beach (California) HS
Might as well take a big swing here. Grindlinger just turned 17 and while he figures to land on the hitting side of the equation, the youth and upside affords Arizona the time to find out.
16. Texas Rangers: OF AJ Gracia, Virginia
Mature college bat fits the Rangers snugly and Gracia, who could go much higher if a club wants to save a few bucks, could move quickly toward Arlington.
They love their big right-handers and the Reds could have their choice of Flukey or Peterson, whose platform season did not match his significant stuff.
Elite athleticism and a 6-9 frame with a 100-mph fastball? Kind of surprised Bumila would last this long, but the Guardians should do wonderful work with the erstwhile prep basketball star.
20. Boston Red Sox: C Daniel Jackson, Georgia
Jackson’s provided his own helium with a 32-homer, 26-steal season that ended in the men's College World Series finals and he simply looks better the longer you regard him.
They love their athletic high schoolers and in this simulation, Condon is available. Check back in a few years if he ends up more AJ Preller trade fodder.
22. Detroit Tigers: 3B Bo Lowrance, Christ Church Episcopal (South Carolina) HS
Plenty to dream on here: A 6-5 corner infielder with big power potential and a smooth lefty swing.
23. Chicago Cubs: LHP Mason Edwards, Southern Cal
No need to overthink grabbing a big lefty who strikes out 16 batters per nine innings with plenty of deception.
24. Seattle Mariners: RHP Cade Townsend, Ole Miss
A draft-eligible sophomore with a powerful repertoire, Townsend – or whomever the Mariners grab here – is in the right system to max out his skills.
25. Milwaukee Brewers: OF Aiden Robbins, Texas
He slashed .333/.426/.696 for the Longhorns, increasing his home runs from six to 24 in moving from Seton Hall to Austin.
26. Atlanta Braves: SS Tyler Spangler, De La Salle (California) HS
Armed with a nearly $16 million bonus pool and two picks in the top 26, the Braves can afford a bold venture. Spangler, who missed his senior year due to injury, certainly qualifies. A top 10 consensus pick preseason, he performed at the draft combine, though his numbers reflected the rust. How far above slot would it take to lure him from Stanford?
The 10-slot penalty for luxury tax indiscretions are seen in real time here, but a good player will still tumble to the Mets. In this case, it’s Kuhns, who rode a mid-90s fastball and sharp curve into the first round.
28. Houston Astros: OF Zion Rose, Louisville
We’ll stick with the Rose-to-Houston narrative and, in this scenario, the Astros walk away with a pair of advanced collegiate bats from the state of Kentucky.
29. San Francisco Giants: LHP Logan Schmidt, Ganesha (California) HS
No way the Giants don’t come away with pitching in either of their two picks. Having opted for Lombard over Flora earlier, they play the long game with Schmidt, who reclassified from 2027 and holds a commitment to LSU.
30. Kansas City Royals: RHP Jensen Hirschkorn, Kingsburg (California) HS
Like Schmidt, Hirschkorn is an LSU commit. Like Burmila, he’s also a standout hoops player with a 6-7 frame that already produces a mid-90s fastball.
![]Douglas Orellana #73 of the New York Mets throws a pitch during the fourth inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Clover Park on March 19, 2026 in Port St. Lucie, Florida.](https://media.zenfs.com/en/sb_nation_articles_115/2b33458ad3ecb808164b3b7ac75fc658)
