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Mets at Royals: 5 things to watch and series predictions | July 11-13

Here are five things to watch and predictions as the Mets and Royals play a three-game series in Kansas City starting on Friday at 8:10 p.m. on SNY.

5 things to watch

Kodai Senga's return

Senga will get the start on Friday night, meaning it took him just under a month to make it back from the hamstring injury he suffered on June 12 at Citi Field.

The right-hander needed only one rehab start before being ready, with him tossing 3.2 innings for Double-A Binghamton on July 5.

Before getting injured, Senga had the best ERA in baseball and was on track to perhaps start for the National League in the All-Star Game.

Overall, he had a 1.47 ERA and 1.11 WHIP with 70 strikeouts in 73.2 innings over 13 starts.

While Senga's season was temporarily derailed, the fact that his injury had nothing to do with his arm should bode well for him quickly regaining the form he was displaying before he was out.

Sean Manaea's return

In addition to Senga, the Mets will also get Manaea back this weekend, with him pitching on Sunday in what will be his first appearance of the regular season.

The Mets are planning to use both Manaea and Clay Holmes on Sunday in what is the final game before the All-Star break. That's because they don't want Holmes' layoff between appearances to be too long. It is not yet known which pitcher will start the game, and which one will piggyback.

With the returns of Manaea and Senga, New York's rotation is at full strength for the first time this year.

The injury that cost Manaea the first three months of the season was to his oblique, but his rehab was delayed a bit due to a loose body in his throwing elbow that required a cortisone shot.

Manaea is expected to be able to pitch through the issue for the remainder of the season, but it's something to monitor.

Ronny Mauricio has been impressive

Entering play on Thursday, Mauricio was starting to settle in very nicely as a regular presence in the lineup.

Jun 24, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets second baseman Ronny Mauricio (10) follows through on an RBI double against the Atlanta Braves during the ninth inning at Citi Field.
Jun 24, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets second baseman Ronny Mauricio (10) follows through on an RBI double against the Atlanta Braves during the ninth inning at Citi Field. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

In 10 games from June 24 to July 8, Mauricio slashed .344/.417/.594 with two home runs, two doubles, three RBI, seven runs scored, and four walks.

There has still been a bit too much chase in his game, but Mauricio is starting to control the strike zone a bit better.

He's also been really smooth defensively while getting the most time at third base.

Kansas City's offense has been among the worst in baseball...

The Royals' season has been a disappointing one. They enter this series with a record of 46-48, and are 3.0 games back of the final Wild Card spot in the American League.

The main reason for those struggles? The offense.

Kansas City entered play on Thursday having scored the second-fewest runs in the AL (321) and third-fewest in baseball -- ahead of only the White Sox (318) and Pirates (319).

Aside from Bobby Witt Jr., Vinnie Pasquantino, and Maikel Garcia, Kansas City hasn't gotten a lot from its regulars.

Slugging rookie Jac Caglianone could help, but he's struggled in his first taste of the bigs -- with a .490 OPS over his first 32 games.

... Kansas City's pitching has been among the best in baseball

While the Royals' offense has been a detriment, their pitching has been elite.

They have allowed only 343 runs this season, which was the second-lowest in baseball entering play on Thursday.

A lot of that is due to the starting rotation led by Kris Bubic (2.48 ERA), Seth Lugo (2.67 ERA), Noah Cameron (2.56 ERA) and Michael Wacha (3.83 ERA), though the loss of Cole Ragans due to a shoulder injury will hurt.

With Bubic having pitched on Wednesday, the Mets won't face him in this series. They're also not scheduled to face Lugo.

The Mets are set to go against Wacha on Friday, Michael Lorenzen on Saturday, and the rookie Cameron on Sunday.

Predictions

Who will the MVP of the series be?

Pete Alonso

The Polar Bear will end the first half with a bang.

Which Mets pitcher will have the best start?

Kodai Senga

The right-hander will pick up where he left off.

Which Royals player will be a thorn in the Mets' side?

Salvador Perez

Perez went 3-for-4 with two homers on Wednesday against the Pirates.

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3 observations after Sixers get blown out to start their Las Vegas summer league

3 observations after Sixers get blown out to start their Las Vegas summer league originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Sixers never flirted with a win Thursday night in their first game at the Las Vegas summer league.

The Spurs jumped out to a giant lead and never looked back in a 111-70 blowout victory.

San Antonio’s David Jones Garcia scored 24 points on 9-for-12 shooting in 18 minutes. 

VJ Edgecombe (left thumb sprain) was out and is set to be re-evaluated on Saturday. No. 2 pick Dylan Harper sat for the Spurs with a groin injury. 

Next up for the Sixers is a Saturday night meeting with the Hornets. Here are observations on their Vegas opener: 

Former summer Sixer lights it up 

The Sixers started with Judah Mintz, Jalen Hood-Schifino, Justin Edwards, Dominick Barlow and Adem Bona.

Edwards hit an early catch-and-shoot three-pointer. Other than that, the Spurs had complete control in the first quarter.

Jones Garcia, who signed a two-way contract with the Sixers last July and played on their summer league team, poured in 11 quick points. The lefty wing’s third long-range jumper gave San Antonio an 18-4 lead. 

The Sixers’ guards struggled badly against the Spurs’ ball pressure and the team’s offense was disjointed. Meanwhile, Jones Garcia kept scoring and the Spurs kept dominating. At halftime, the Sixers’ deficit was 29 points. 

Any bright spots? 

As the final score indicates, there weren’t many truly positive takeaways for the Sixers.

Coming off of two straight 20-point performances in Salt Lake City, Mintz again had good moments as a crafty driver. His shooting was off, though — 2 for 7 from the field, 5 for 11 at the foul line. 

Mark Armstrong was aggressive off the bench and chipped in 10 points. Keve Aluma added 12 points, three rebounds and three steals. Johni Broome went 2 for 3 beyond the arc. 

Bona threw down a powerful, highlight-worthy dunk early in the fourth quarter. 

Waiting on Edgecombe’s return 

Edgecombe told Katie George on the ESPN broadcast that his thumb is “getting better” and he’ll “hopefully” be cleared to play in Vegas. 

While there’s obviously zero need to play through any physical issue in summer league, it would sure be nice for the Sixers to have Edgecombe back on the court. Summer league results are unpredictable — maybe the Sixers will blow out the Hornets on Saturday — but they’re clearly a much, much better team when the No. 3 pick is available. 

Beyond results, there’s also some value from a developmental standpoint in simply playing competitive games. The Sixers did not do that Thursday night. 

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Mets swept in doubleheader against Orioles after 7-3 loss in Game 2

The Mets lost Game 2 of Thursday's doubleheader against the Baltimore Orioles, 7-3, to get swept on the day and lose the series.

Here are the takeaways...

-Two batters into Game 2, the Mets started things off the same way they started Game 1 -- with runners on second and third and nobody out. Unlike in the first game, though, New York didn't waste this golden opportunity to score and pushed across two runs on two productive outs by Juan Soto (RBI groundout) and Pete Alonso (sacrifice fly) to make it 2-0 early.

-After a scoreless first inning that required 32 pitches and ended with a lineout with the bases loaded, spot starter Brandon Waddell went back out for the second and wasn't so lucky. Back-to-back doubles by Cedric Mullins and Alex Jackson gave the Orioles their first run of the game, cutting New York's lead in half. Then, with two outs, Jordan Westburg homered to put Baltimore on top, 3-2.

Waddell pitched a 1-2-3 third to end his outing. He allowed three runs on four hits and a walk while striking out two.

-Brett Baty tied the game with a two-out single after Soto began the inning with a walk and a stolen base. The Mets were dangerously close to wasting that opportunity against Orioles starter Tomoyuki Sugano after an Alonso lineout and Mark Vientos strikeout sandwiched a Jeff McNeil walk before Baty came through. Unfortunately, it was the only hit with runners in scoring position that New York would have all game.

-Like Waddell, Justin Hagenman had a scoreless frame in his first inning of action, but things took a turn in the following frame. With runners on first and second and two outs, Colton Cowser broke the tie with a single and Ramon Urias brought home another run on Baty's fielding error at third base to give the O's a 5-3 advantage.

-Hagenman went back out for the sixth but was pulled after a leadoff double. LHP Richard Lovelady entered from there and got the lefty Jackson Holliday to ground out before getting a similar result from the righty Westburg who hit it on the ground to shortstop on the drawn-in infield. Francisco Lindor snared it on the backhand and threw home to try and nab the runner, but it was a second late as Baltimore scored once again.

Lovelady allowed a single and a walk to load the bases, which forced manager Carlos Mendoza to use a third reliever of the inning in Rico Garcia. Garcia got the groundball he needed to escape the jam, but the Mets couldn't turn the double play and another run scored.

-After stalling out for a run on five hits in the first game and going 1-for-11 with RISP, New York's offense couldn't make it up in the second game of the twinbill. Despite back-to-back hits to start the game, the Mets finished with five total hits. They also went 1-for-8 with RISP to go a staggering 2-for-19 with RISP in the doubleheader sweep.

-Brandon Nimmo was the only bright spot in the lineup, going 2-for-4 with a run scored and a stolen base out of the leadoff spot.

Game MVP: Tomoyuki Sugano

Entering Thursday's game with a .276 batting average against, Sugano was able to keep the Mets' hitters at bay through six innings to earn his seventh win of the season.

Highlights

What's next

The Mets play their final series before the All-Star break as they take on the Kansas City Royals for three games starting on Friday night. First pitch is scheduled for 8:10 p.m. on SNY.

RHP Kodai Senga (7-3, 1.47 ERA) makes his return to the mound after a hamstring strain cost him a month on the IL. He will be opposed by former Met RHP Michael Wacha (4-9, 3.83 ERA).

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Yankees' Jazz Chisholm Jr. confident 70 percent mentality will work in 2025 Home Run Derby

There's going to be some jazz at this year's Home Run Derby.

Yankees infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. declared for the 2025 Home Run Derby in Atlanta on Thursday and is looking to bring the same "70 percent" mentality that has served him well since he returned from the IL on June 3. Of course, Chisholm made headlines when he said that he's stopped going all out when he plays, and that 70 percent allows him to stay balanced.

Speaking with the media before Friday's series opener against the Cubs, Chisholm said he's not thinking too much about his preparation for the contest.

"I ain't trying to think that hard about it. I'm not even gonna really practice it for it, Chisholm said. "The only person that really needs to practice is my stepdad. But for me, I'm just gonna go out there, have fun.

"Seventy percent, don't do too much. Just hit a couple homers. Hopefully, I win it by doing that.  I'm just gonna enjoy the time out there."

Chisholm will have his stepfather, Geronsands, toss to him. He's already traveled to New York from the Bahamas to be with the Yankees infielder.

"He thows to me all the time. When I was a kid, he's been throwing to me," Chisholm said of his stepfather's credentials. "He throws to me all the time in the Bahamas Derby. So, ain't nothing new to us."

Chisholm is confident in his ability to do well in Atlanta, even at 70 percent, because he's done well in the aforementioned Bahamas Derby using a similar mentality. That derby is in the middle of the offseason when he's not swinging like he would in spring training, and he's going to tap into those memories next week, while also enjoying the festivities and hitting as many homers as he can.

"I don't really try to go out there and try and hurt myself. Just go out there having fun," Chisholm said of his confidence competing at 70 percent. "Hit a couple. Might catch a couple that will go further than the others, but just try to be accurate and consistent, more than trying to hit the ball further than [Pirates outfielder] Oneil Cruz."

When asked who he felt the biggest threats are in this year's Home Run Derby, Chisholm said it's Cruz and the Braves' Ronald Acuna Jr.

But he'll have to worry about more than those two. Chisholm will also be competing against the Athletics' Brent Rooker, the Mariners' Cal Raleigh, the Rays' Junior Caminero, the Nationals' James Wood, and the Twins' Byron Buxton.

Chisholm is the seventh different Yankee to participate in the Derby. He joins Tino Martinez (1997), Jason Giambi (2002-03), Nick Swisher (2010), Robinson Cano (2011-13), Aaron Judge (2017) and Gary Sanchez (2017).

We'll see next week if Chisholm's 70 percent is good enough to make him the fifth Yankee to win the Home Run Derby (Martinez, Giambi, Cano and Judge).

It's been an up-and-down season for the second-year Yankee. After a hot start to the year, Chisholm went through a cold spell before missing time with an oblique injury. But since he's been back, Chisholm has been one of the best home run hitters in the American League. His 10 long balls since his return from the IL on June 3 are only eclipsed by Judge and Raleigh, who both have 13.

Entering Friday's game, Chisholm has 17 home runs.

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Dodgers unveil Kobe Bryant bobblehead to be given away Aug. 8 at Chavez Ravine

Kobe Bryant was in a great mood as the Lakers assembled in El Segundo for their 2009 media day.

And for good reason. The Lakers had just won their 15th NBA title a few months earlier and were favored to win No. 16 at the conclusion of the upcoming season (spoiler alert: they did).

The Times' article covering that preseason kickoff event described Bryant as "beaming" as he posed for photos and filmed various promotional videos, including one intended for use at Dodger Stadium.

Read more:Dodgers used Kobe Bryant's 'Job's not finished' quote in World Series run. Vanessa says they got it done

At one point, Bryant stood with a baseball bat ready to take a swing. At another, he placed an oversized, blue foam finger over his hand. Throughout the process, the reigning Finals MVP wore his full Lakers uniform.

"Let's go Dodgers!" he said into the camera.

On Thursday, the Dodgers unveiled a Bryant bobblehead that seems to have been inspired by that day nearly 16 years ago. The late Lakers legend is wearing his basketball uniform, holding a bat and standing in a batter's stance.

And he is beaming.

The Dodgers will be giving away the bobblehead to the first 40,000 ticketed fans when they play the Toronto Blue Jays on Aug. 8 at Dodger Stadium.

Bryant and daughter Gianna were among the nine people who died in a Jan. 26, 2020, helicopter crash in Calabasas. During a pregame ceremony honoring Bryant on his birthday (Aug. 23) that year, every Dodgers player and coach took the foul line wearing a gold Lakers jersey featuring either No. 8 or No. 24, the two numbers he wore during his Hall of Fame career.

The team also honored Bryant by giving fans special Dodgers jerseys designed in his honor at one game each in 2023 and 2024.

Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Giannis Antetokounmpo on if he will stay with Bucks: 'Probably, I love Milwaukee'

While fans headed to the trade machine and teams lined up potential offers just in case, the most logical outcome of this summer's Giannis Antetokounmpo's flirtation with the trade market was always that he would remain with the Milwaukee Bucks.

Antetokounmpo essentially confirmed that during a live stream with iShowSpeed, when asked if he would remain with the Bucks next season:

"Probably. Probably, we'll see. Probably, I love Milwaukee."

We have seen this movie before. Antetokounmpo uses the hint he could ask out as leverage, pushing the Bucks to make big, bold offseason moves to keep the team in contention. A couple of years ago, that meant making a massive trade and sending out Jrue Holiday to help acquire Damian Lillard. This summer, it was waiving and stretching Lillard — at great cost to the future, $22 million of dead money on the books for each of the next five years — to sign Myles Turner. Rinse and repeat.

Except, these Bucks still feel like they are one player, one ball-handling guard or wing away from contending. Right now, Antetokounmpo is an MVP-level offensive creator and after him... the Bucks need some guys who can dribble. (Lillard, with his torn Achilles, was not going to be that guy this season.) The Bucks are going to be good, Turner is an upgrade over Brook Lopez at this point in their careers, but even with Antetokounmpo in a down East, does this team strike fear in anyone?

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Mavericks star Cooper Flagg shows flashes in NBA Summer League debut

Mavericks star Cooper Flagg shows flashes in NBA Summer League debut originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Cooper Flagg made his professional debut Thursday night in the NBA Summer League and celebrated an 87-85 win over Bronny James and the Los Angeles Lakers.

Flagg finished with 10 points on 5-for-21 shooting, including 0-for-5 from 3-point range. He also had six rebounds, four assists, three steals and one block. Though Flagg struggled at times to find his rhythm, there were flashes as to why he was chosen No. 1 overall last month, doing plenty of little things that helped the Mavericks seal the win, including a key block near the end of the game.

Flagg swatted DJ Steward’s attempt with 1:10 left in the game, and Ryan Nembhard made a 3-pointer at the other end to give Dallas the 87-85 lead.

Flagg strolled into UNLV’s Thomas and Mack Center at 4:17 p.m. on Thursday, wearing Dallas Mavericks gear, bright white New Balance shoes, and an emotionless look on his face as he passed through security.

Roughly 45 minutes later, he wore the same stone-cold face as he came out for warmups shortly after 5 p.m.

His fans more than made up for it with plenty of energy, electrifying the jam-packed arena that cheered loudest when he was announced as a starter in his first Summer League game.

Flagg missed his first two attempts of the game, picked up his first foul just 46 seconds into the game, and gave the crowd what they’d been anticipating, going one-on-one with fellow fan favorite James.

James buried his first attempt over Flagg, and then hit a 3-pointer after the 6-foot-8 Duke product missed his second attempt to give the Lakers a 5-0 lead.

Flagg excited the crowd at the 4:30 mark of the first quarter, jamming home his first points.

Early in the second quarter, Flagg nearly sent every fan in the building into a frenzy when he made a spin move into the paint and attempted a one-handed slam dunk over 7-foot Christian Koloko. The ball caromed off the back of the rim and still drew plenty of oohs and ahhs.

Generally filled with Lakers fans when the team plays in the summer, the arena was full of emotion with a fair share of Mavericks fans in attendance to see the 2025 National college player of the year.

Like 15-year-old Baer Epple, 15, who was seated with his father Chad in the third row from the court, donning Dirk Nowitzki’s Mavericks jersey.

Epple said he’s been following Flagg since before his Duke days, beginning with his junior year at Nokomis Regional High School in Newport, Maine.

The 15-year-old who is in Las Vegas from Seattle for an AAU tournament said he’s been a Mavericks fan for roughly four years.

“Even more of a fan now that they got Cooper Flagg,” Epple said. “Hopefully he does good, that’d be pretty cool to see. I don’t want him to be like a bust or anything.”

Mavericks coach Jason Kidd told The Associated Press before the game he’s looking for nothing more than effort and grit in his team’s opening game, as he wants them all playing hard.

“This summer league is a little different when you have this type of turnout,” Kidd said. “But the guys have had a couple practices. There’s going to be some turnovers. I just want to see how they respond to a couple of mistakes being made, no one’s gonna play a perfect game and be unselfish.”

As for his prize draft pick: “We’re all excited,” Kidd said of Flagg. “Seen enough of him on tape, so now it’s good to see him on the floor.”

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Mavericks star Cooper Flagg shows flashes in NBA Summer League debut

Mavericks star Cooper Flagg shows flashes in NBA Summer League debut originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Cooper Flagg made his professional debut Thursday night in the NBA Summer League and celebrated an 87-85 win over Bronny James and the Los Angeles Lakers.

Flagg finished with 10 points on 5-for-21 shooting, including 0-for-5 from 3-point range. He also had six rebounds, four assists, three steals and one block. Though Flagg struggled at times to find his rhythm, there were flashes as to why he was chosen No. 1 overall last month, doing plenty of little things that helped the Mavericks seal the win, including a key block near the end of the game.

Flagg swatted DJ Steward’s attempt with 1:10 left in the game, and Ryan Nembhard made a 3-pointer at the other end to give Dallas the 87-85 lead.

Flagg strolled into UNLV’s Thomas and Mack Center at 4:17 p.m. on Thursday, wearing Dallas Mavericks gear, bright white New Balance shoes, and an emotionless look on his face as he passed through security.

Roughly 45 minutes later, he wore the same stone-cold face as he came out for warmups shortly after 5 p.m.

His fans more than made up for it with plenty of energy, electrifying the jam-packed arena that cheered loudest when he was announced as a starter in his first Summer League game.

Flagg missed his first two attempts of the game, picked up his first foul just 46 seconds into the game, and gave the crowd what they’d been anticipating, going one-on-one with fellow fan favorite James.

James buried his first attempt over Flagg, and then hit a 3-pointer after the 6-foot-8 Duke product missed his second attempt to give the Lakers a 5-0 lead.

Flagg excited the crowd at the 4:30 mark of the first quarter, jamming home his first points.

Early in the second quarter, Flagg nearly sent every fan in the building into a frenzy when he made a spin move into the paint and attempted a one-handed slam dunk over 7-foot Christian Koloko. The ball caromed off the back of the rim and still drew plenty of oohs and ahhs.

Generally filled with Lakers fans when the team plays in the summer, the arena was full of emotion with a fair share of Mavericks fans in attendance to see the 2025 National college player of the year.

Like 15-year-old Baer Epple, 15, who was seated with his father Chad in the third row from the court, donning Dirk Nowitzki’s Mavericks jersey.

Epple said he’s been following Flagg since before his Duke days, beginning with his junior year at Nokomis Regional High School in Newport, Maine.

The 15-year-old who is in Las Vegas from Seattle for an AAU tournament said he’s been a Mavericks fan for roughly four years.

“Even more of a fan now that they got Cooper Flagg,” Epple said. “Hopefully he does good, that’d be pretty cool to see. I don’t want him to be like a bust or anything.”

Mavericks coach Jason Kidd told The Associated Press before the game he’s looking for nothing more than effort and grit in his team’s opening game, as he wants them all playing hard.

“This summer league is a little different when you have this type of turnout,” Kidd said. “But the guys have had a couple practices. There’s going to be some turnovers. I just want to see how they respond to a couple of mistakes being made, no one’s gonna play a perfect game and be unselfish.”

As for his prize draft pick: “We’re all excited,” Kidd said of Flagg. “Seen enough of him on tape, so now it’s good to see him on the floor.”

Posted on

Mavericks star Cooper Flagg shows flashes in NBA Summer League debut

Mavericks star Cooper Flagg shows flashes in NBA Summer League debut originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Cooper Flagg made his professional debut Thursday night in the NBA Summer League and celebrated an 87-85 win over Bronny James and the Los Angeles Lakers.

Flagg finished with 10 points on 5-for-21 shooting, including 0-for-5 from 3-point range. He also had six rebounds, four assists, three steals and one block. Though Flagg struggled at times to find his rhythm, there were flashes as to why he was chosen No. 1 overall last month, doing plenty of little things that helped the Mavericks seal the win, including a key block near the end of the game.

Flagg swatted DJ Steward’s attempt with 1:10 left in the game, and Ryan Nembhard made a 3-pointer at the other end to give Dallas the 87-85 lead.

Flagg strolled into UNLV’s Thomas and Mack Center at 4:17 p.m. on Thursday, wearing Dallas Mavericks gear, bright white New Balance shoes, and an emotionless look on his face as he passed through security.

Roughly 45 minutes later, he wore the same stone-cold face as he came out for warmups shortly after 5 p.m.

His fans more than made up for it with plenty of energy, electrifying the jam-packed arena that cheered loudest when he was announced as a starter in his first Summer League game.

Flagg missed his first two attempts of the game, picked up his first foul just 46 seconds into the game, and gave the crowd what they’d been anticipating, going one-on-one with fellow fan favorite James.

James buried his first attempt over Flagg, and then hit a 3-pointer after the 6-foot-8 Duke product missed his second attempt to give the Lakers a 5-0 lead.

Flagg excited the crowd at the 4:30 mark of the first quarter, jamming home his first points.

Early in the second quarter, Flagg nearly sent every fan in the building into a frenzy when he made a spin move into the paint and attempted a one-handed slam dunk over 7-foot Christian Koloko. The ball caromed off the back of the rim and still drew plenty of oohs and ahhs.

Generally filled with Lakers fans when the team plays in the summer, the arena was full of emotion with a fair share of Mavericks fans in attendance to see the 2025 National college player of the year.

Like 15-year-old Baer Epple, 15, who was seated with his father Chad in the third row from the court, donning Dirk Nowitzki’s Mavericks jersey.

Epple said he’s been following Flagg since before his Duke days, beginning with his junior year at Nokomis Regional High School in Newport, Maine.

The 15-year-old who is in Las Vegas from Seattle for an AAU tournament said he’s been a Mavericks fan for roughly four years.

“Even more of a fan now that they got Cooper Flagg,” Epple said. “Hopefully he does good, that’d be pretty cool to see. I don’t want him to be like a bust or anything.”

Mavericks coach Jason Kidd told The Associated Press before the game he’s looking for nothing more than effort and grit in his team’s opening game, as he wants them all playing hard.

“This summer league is a little different when you have this type of turnout,” Kidd said. “But the guys have had a couple practices. There’s going to be some turnovers. I just want to see how they respond to a couple of mistakes being made, no one’s gonna play a perfect game and be unselfish.”

As for his prize draft pick: “We’re all excited,” Kidd said of Flagg. “Seen enough of him on tape, so now it’s good to see him on the floor.”

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Tyler Soderstrom caps huge night with ‘special' walk-off hit in Athletics' win

Tyler Soderstrom caps huge night with ‘special' walk-off hit in Athletics' win originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

When the Atlanta Braves intentionally walked Miguel Andujar to get to Athletics left-hander Tyler Soderstrom in the 11th inning on Thursday night, they got the matchup they wanted with southpaw Aaron Bummer on the mound.

And Soderstrom made them pay.

The 23-year-old collected his fourth RBI of the night on a walk-off single, scoring Brent Rooker from second base and sending the crowd at Sutter Health Park home happy with a 5-4 win and series victory over Atlanta.

The walk-off hit was the first of Soderstrom’s young MLB career — a surreal moment for the former first baseman-turned-left fielder who has made major strides at the plate this season. His hero moment in extras came after he hit his 16th homer of the 2025 MLB season in the first inning with a three-run shot to right center field, and the 2020 first-round draft pick is now slashing .370/.414/.704 over his last seven games.

As part of the A’s young-and-upcoming homegrown core, Soderstrom reflected on playing and growing alongside teammates like Lawrence Butler, whom he rose through the team’s farm system with.

“It’s super fun,” Soderstrom told Chris Townsend and Steve Sax on “A’s Cast” after the win. “I’ve played with some of these guys like [Butler] since Low-A, so it’s cool to be up here in the big leagues, sharing these experiences with them. Getting my first walk-off hit tonight was super special. Something I always dreamed of, for sure.”

After A’s starting pitcher Mitch Spence surrendered five home runs to the Braves and was optioned to Triple-A Las Vegas following Wednesday night’s 9-2 loss, JP Sears took the mound for Thursday’s rubber match and allowed three earned runs across five innings while striking out six and walking none.

Another member of the A’s young core, first baseman Nick Kurtz, took the MLB rookie home run lead with his 15th blast of the season — a solo shot in the eighth that tied the game 4-4 and ultimately allowed the Green and Gold to go to extras with Atlanta.

It was just one of several clutch moments Kurtz has delivered for the A’s this season, and the team certainly hopes there’s more to come from the first baseman and the rest of the roster as the season’s halfway point nears.

“It’s a great feeling, especially with All-Star break coming up, to kind of grind through that one — come up early, then lose the lead and then be able to come back late was awesome,” Kurtz told Townsend and Sax. “Sodey had a great game, came up huge when we needed him. So it’s great team win. …

“[The front office] has done a great job drafting guys, and it’s kind of cool, because a lot of those guys who were drafted came up together, know each other really well and are best friends. Then me joining and coming into the fold made it really easy to just kind of go along with the group. And it’s been really fun.”

As the A’s approach their final series before the MLB All-Star break with the Toronto Blue Jays coming to town, the youthful group, now 39-56, will look to carry some momentum into the second half and continue building upon what they’ve accomplished so far together.

“We’re always trying to win these games, trying to stay hot and have some momentum going into the All-Star break and ready to roll for the second half,” Soderstrom told Townsend and Sax. “So just continue to learn and just get better. …

“We feel like one through nine, you see the lineup, all the young guys in there for the last couple of weeks. So we’re all really confident in each other. We’ve played together for a while now. So one through nine, we can get it done.”

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Tyler Soderstrom caps huge night with ‘special' walk-off hit in Athletics' win

Tyler Soderstrom caps huge night with ‘special' walk-off hit in Athletics' win originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

When the Atlanta Braves intentionally walked Miguel Andujar to get to Athletics left-hander Tyler Soderstrom in the 11th inning on Thursday night, they got the matchup they wanted with southpaw Aaron Bummer on the mound.

And Soderstrom made them pay.

The 23-year-old collected his fourth RBI of the night on a walk-off single, scoring Brent Rooker from second base and sending the crowd at Sutter Health Park home happy with a 5-4 win and series victory over Atlanta.

The walk-off hit was the first of Soderstrom’s young MLB career — a surreal moment for the former first baseman-turned-left fielder who has made major strides at the plate this season. His hero moment in extras came after he hit his 16th homer of the 2025 MLB season in the first inning with a three-run shot to right center field, and the 2020 first-round draft pick is now slashing .370/.414/.704 over his last seven games.

As part of the A’s young-and-upcoming homegrown core, Soderstrom reflected on playing and growing alongside teammates like Lawrence Butler, whom he rose through the team’s farm system with.

“It’s super fun,” Soderstrom told Chris Townsend and Steve Sax on “A’s Cast” after the win. “I’ve played with some of these guys like [Butler] since Low-A, so it’s cool to be up here in the big leagues, sharing these experiences with them. Getting my first walk-off hit tonight was super special. Something I always dreamed of, for sure.”

After A’s starting pitcher Mitch Spence surrendered five home runs to the Braves and was optioned to Triple-A Las Vegas following Wednesday night’s 9-2 loss, JP Sears took the mound for Thursday’s rubber match and allowed three earned runs across five innings while striking out six and walking none.

Another member of the A’s young core, first baseman Nick Kurtz, took the MLB rookie home run lead with his 15th blast of the season — a solo shot in the eighth that tied the game 4-4 and ultimately allowed the Green and Gold to go to extras with Atlanta.

It was just one of several clutch moments Kurtz has delivered for the A’s this season, and the team certainly hopes there’s more to come from the first baseman and the rest of the roster as the season’s halfway point nears.

“It’s a great feeling, especially with All-Star break coming up, to kind of grind through that one — come up early, then lose the lead and then be able to come back late was awesome,” Kurtz told Townsend and Sax. “Sodey had a great game, came up huge when we needed him. So it’s great team win. …

“[The front office] has done a great job drafting guys, and it’s kind of cool, because a lot of those guys who were drafted came up together, know each other really well and are best friends. Then me joining and coming into the fold made it really easy to just kind of go along with the group. And it’s been really fun.”

As the A’s approach their final series before the MLB All-Star break with the Toronto Blue Jays coming to town, the youthful group, now 39-56, will look to carry some momentum into the second half and continue building upon what they’ve accomplished so far together.

“We’re always trying to win these games, trying to stay hot and have some momentum going into the All-Star break and ready to roll for the second half,” Soderstrom told Townsend and Sax. “So just continue to learn and just get better. …

“We feel like one through nine, you see the lineup, all the young guys in there for the last couple of weeks. So we’re all really confident in each other. We’ve played together for a while now. So one through nine, we can get it done.”

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Vancouver Canucks Sign Aleksei Medvedev To A Three-Year, Entry Level Contract

The Vancouver Canucks have signed goaltender Aleksei Medvedev to a three-year, entry-level contract. Vancouver selected the 17-year-old with the 47th pick in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft. Medvedev was the fourth goaltender selected in this year's draft, and the highest goalie selected by the Canucks since Thatcher Demko in 2014. 

In a press release, GM Partik Allvin wrote, "Aleksei is an important addition to our organizational depth in goal and his signing is a great thing for our hockey club. He showed us a lot at development camp and has a bright future if he continues to build on his skill set and fundamentals. We look forward to monitoring his progress and helping him develop into a solid pro."

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Medvedev spent last season in the OHL with the London Knights. The Russian-born goaltender went 22-8-2, with a .912 save percentage. He also participated in the 2025 OHL Top Prospect Game and was part of London's Memorial Cup-winning team. 

Since Medvedev has now signed his ELC, he is unable to play in the NCAA. He is set to return to the Knights next season, where he will be the projected starter. Medvedev is now one of eight goaltenders who have been signed by Vancouver, joining Demko, Kevin Lankinen, Artūrs Šilovs, Nikita Tolopilo, Ty Young, Jiří Patera and Aku Koskenvuo. 

Alexei Medvedev at Vancouver Canucks Development Camp (Photo Credit: Kaja Antic/THN)

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Can the team that just exploited a Mets’ weakness help them fix it?

The Mets know that they need to upgrade the bridge to Edwin Diaz before the trade deadline, and that a returning Brooks Raleywon’t be able to do it alone.

In the first game of Thursday’s split doubleheader in Baltimore, the Orioles provided the latest reminder that Ryne Stanek is not the guy for the eighth inning during a pennant race or postseason game. Stanek allowed a two-run home run to Gunnar Henderson that undermined a David Peterson gem and decided the game.

But while the Orioles spoiled an afternoon for the Mets, they are positioned to help with that exact problem. According to league sources, Baltimore is close to being open for business with all available players.

The Orioles traded a reliever on Thursday, but that situation was unique -- righthander Bryan Baker went to Tampa Bay for a Competitive Balance round draft selection, the 37th overall pick. Baltimore, sources say, wanted that pick and was therefore motivated to make that particular deal before this weekend’s draft.

Having said that, the O’s are said to be ready or near ready to talk seriously about relievers like Andrew Kittredge -- he in particular could appeal to the Mets -- as well as righty Seranthony Dominguez and lefty Gregory Soto. Rivals do not believe that Baltimore will trade closer Felix Bautista.

All of these pitchers, along with starter Tomoyuki Sugano and the returning Zach Eflin, would help fill the Yankees' needs, too. But the Yanks have long been skeptical that Baltimore would ever give them a fair deal; it’s known around these parts as the “Yankee Tax.”

O’s center fielder Cedric Mullins is another rental player who fits the Mets. The team is looking to upgrade that position before the deadline.

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Newly signed Nashville Predators defenseman Nic Hague wants to add offensive depth to own game

Defenseman Nicolas Hauge, known for his size and physical play, aims to return to the more offensively minded side of the game he played in juniors. 

The Nashville Predators' newest addition, acquired in a trade with the Vegas Golden Knights on June 29 that sent defenseman Jeremy Lauzon and center Colton Sissons to Vegas, was introduced to local media at a press conference on Thursday. 

Hague signed a 4-year, $22 million contract, with an annual hit of $5.5 million. 

"I've always heard nothing but great things about here [Nashville]," Hague said. "Talking to the guys, too, it just seems like just a great place to live and a great place to play." 

In the press conference, Hague talked about how he came from an "active" defensive system in Vegas and how he'd like to be more offensively involved in Nashville. 

"I think there's more to give [in my game] offensively," Hague said. "In juniors, I was an offensive guy, and when I came into the NHL, there's a heavy focus on defending in this league. You're not going to make it anywhere if you do that." 

"Now, I want to round out my game a little bit more with those offensive instincts I had in juniors, but not lose that defensive part." 

During the 2017-18 season, Hague's final junior season with the Mississauga Steelheads, he scored 78 points, complemented by 105 penalty minutes. Since coming to the NHL, he has yet to surpass 17 points in a single season. 

Last year with the Golden Knights, Hague had 12 points in 68 games, but was part of an offensively active defensive corps. Vegas' defensemen had 173 points, led by Shea Theodore with 57 points. Nashville had 133 defensive points, led by Roman Josi with 38 points. 

"In Vegas, we talked about playing as five all over the ice," Hague said. "Our whole system is a unit. You're never man-on-man. If one guy got beat, you kind of had to beat us in layers...We always had a lot of success playing that way, and we always seemed to click." 

The defense was a significant focus for the Predators in the offseason, specifically addressing its issues, according to general manager Barry Trotz. Trotz said having a more offensively involved defense will help fix the gap at center.

Similar to what defensemen Nick Perbix said in his introductory press conference on Tuesday, Hague also believed last season was a "fluke" for the Predators.

"I think everybody had a lot higher expectations with the summer they had in free agency," Hague said. 

Hague did add that the attitude of having something to prove following a disappointing season has paid off for him in the past. The year before Vegas won the 2023 Stanley Cup, it had missed the playoffs by three points. 

It was the Predators that got the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference. 

"We were very hungry and felt like we had something to prove that next year," Hague said. "That's a powerful feeling in the locker room if everybody can buy in. Having something to prove can take a team a long way." 

Not everyone is a stranger to Hague in Nashville. He is reunited with former Golden Knight Jonathan Marchessault. The pair played together for five seasons and have become close friends off the ice as well. 

"Marshy [Marchessault] is a really good friend. He always makes me laugh," Hague said. "I can't wait to reconnect with them [Marchessault's family]. We got pretty close in Vegas over the years, and lived down the street from them. It'll be good to see him, Alex and the kids."