Here are five things to watch and predictions as the Yankees hit the road to take on the Phillies in a three-game series starting Friday...
Jose Caballero chaos
Caballero's pitch-clock antics have finally drawn the ire of MLB. In Game 1 of Wednesday's doubleheader, Caballero was assessed a pitch-clock violation in what the umpiring crew revealed was a mandate from the league.
The league believes Caballero's gamesmanship is closer to being deceitful to the pitcher and will not be tolerated moving forward. Caballero was not in the starting lineup for Game 2, so we couldn't see how he and the Yankees will adjust to this new enforcement. We'll certainly see it this weekend, and you can expect more disagreements with the umpires.
Can the offense wake up?
While Caballero combats with the umpiring crew, it's sort of overshadowed the Yankees' continued offensive ineptitude.
After clawing their way back in Game 1 on Wednesday before falling in extra innings, the Yanks mustered just two runs in the nightcap. While it was enough to split the doubleheader, the offense will need to do more if they hope to keep pace with a formidable Phillies lineup, and the starters they are planning to utilize -- more on that later.
Since they've returned from the All-Star break, the Yankees have scored more than three runs just once (Monday) and have plated two runs or fewer in four of six games.
Going up against Philadelphia's stud southpaws
The Yankees will likely miss Zack Wheeler this weekend, but two of the three Phillies starters are nothing to scoff at.
Apr 13, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees pitcher Fernando Cruz (63) reacts during the fourth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Yankee Stadium. / John Jones-Imagn Images
Jesus Luzardo will take the mound in the series opener and has had a solid season, with a 3.43 ERA, and the southpaw has dominated of late.
Over his last seven starts, Luzardo has allowed just seven earned runs across 42.1 innings (1.49 ERA). He's also struck out 63 batters during that span, including 18 over his last two starts (12 IP).
And then we have the series finale on Sunday when the Yankees will go up against Cristopher Sanchez, the All-Star Game starter for the National League and one of the front-runners for the NL Cy Young Award. Sanchez has not fared well lately, allowing 24 earned runs across 39.1 innings (5.49 ERA) over his last seven starts.
However, Sanchez has allowed just five runs in his last two starts while striking out 14 batters.
The Yankees will have their hands full with these two.
Shuffling the pitching plan
Inserting Max Fried back into the rotation has shuffled the Yankees' pitching schedule a bit. It was changed even more when Aaron Boone used Will Warren in relief on Wednesday.
Warren was scheduled to start Friday's series opener, but the right-hander will now go Sunday. Cam Schlittler will start Friday, with Ryan Weathers taking the mound on Saturday. With so much shuffling, how will the pitchers react?
Bullpen warriors
The Yankees bullpen, with its flaws, has been generally effective as the lineup has struggled. With Paul Blackburn and Brent Headrick becoming key pieces, the bullpen has solidified a bit, but can they continue to roll? Fernando Cruz, who has been dominant for most of the season, has struggled of late and gave up the lead in extras in Game 1 of the doubleheader on Wednesday.
And when we see Camilo Doval, how will he perform? The Yanks don't know what they'll get out of Weathers or Warren, so the bullpen will need to be nails this weekend. Luckily, the off day Thursday should help.
Predictions
Who will the MVP of the series be?
Cody Bellinger
Bellinger has struggled, but his at-bats have looked much better lately.
Which Yankees pitcher will have the best start?
Cam Schlittler
Between Warren, Schlittler, and Weathers, it's hard to pick against the Cy Young front-runner.
Which Phillies player will be a thorn in the Yankees' side?
Trea Turner
The shortstop has had a down year, but his power numbers have been great of late, smashing four long balls in his last seven games.
The Cubs took an early lead, only to see it vanish when Colin Rea allowed a three-run homer. Then the offense basically vanished, and the game was put out of reach when the pen gave up an additional run in the late innings.
Oh, you think I’m talking about Wednesday’s 5-1 Cubs loss to the Tigers. That is, in fact, an accurate description of what happened Wednesday evening at Wrigley Field… but it is also an accurate description of last Friday’s 5-2 loss to the Twins — a three-run homer served up by Rea was the difference in that game, too.
This is what happens when the guy who’s your sixth or seventh starting option winds up in the rotation for an extended period due to injuries. Cubs President of Baseball Operations Jed Hoyer now has 11 days to address that issue before MLB’s Trade Deadline. Let’s hope he finds the right answer, or answers.
Then Detroit hit that aforementioned three-run shot in the fourth. Riley Greene led off with a double and Rea walked Torkelson. Rea did get the next two hitters to fly to left. Then came the three-run homer, by Hao-Yu Lee, giving the Tigers a 4-1 lead.
A three-run deficit in the fourth doesn’t sound insurmountable, but the Cubs offense was completely moribund the rest of the game. After Suzuki’s homer, the Cubs got just two runners past first base — a two-out double by Happ in the fourth, and then Happ taking second on defensive indifference after drawing a two-out walk in the ninth. They seemingly had a chance in the sixth when Pete Crow-Armstrong reached base when Tigers starter Keider Montero couldn’t handle his comebacker leading off the inning. One out later Montero was out of the game for reliever Drew Sommers, who got Michael Busch to hit into an inning-ending double play.
Credit to Ryan Rolison, Gavin Hollowell and Caleb Thielbar for keeping the Cubs in the game. Those three combined for three shutout innings, allowing one hit and striking out six. Tyler Ferguson, though, allowed a run in the ninth to make it 5-1, though it might as well have been 50-1 the way the Cubs offense was shut down by Tigers pitching.
Honestly, there isn’t much else to say about this game. Credit to Montero, who allowed just three other baserunners after Suzuki’s homer, and the Tigers pen. Here are Craig Counsell’s postgame remarks [VIDEO].
Final note on this game from BCB’s JohnW53:
This was the Cubs’ third game of the season in which their only run came on a homer. The first two were six days apart, May 25 and 31, when they lost at Pittsburgh, 2-1, and at St. Louis, 5-1.
They had four such games last year, two of them at home. They also had four in 2024, after having had seven in 2023 and six in 2022. Back in 2018, they had a team-record 14.
The Cubs have played 516 one-run, one-homer games since 1901, an average of four. They won 56 of them, lost 456 and tied four.
Incidentally, the weather was great Wednesday in Chicago, maybe the nicest day of the summer so far… temps in the 70s, clear skies, light winds, no humidity. That brought out the second-largest Wrigley crowd of 2026 to date, 40,512. Too bad they all couldn’t see a win (though many in the Wrigley crowd were Tigers fans).
It’s not the end of the world, but the Cubs really have to do better than 3-3 on a homestand against two mediocre teams. And they would have, if Alex Bregman had just taken ball four from Kenley Jansen on Monday instead of swinging and missing. This homestand makes the Cubs’ record against AL teams this year 12-18, which is… not good. They lost a game to the Brewers in the NL Central after Milwaukee won on Wednesday, so the Cubs trail by seven games. The Phillies lost to the Dodgers, so the Cubs continue to lead them by 1.5 games for the first wild card spot.
The Cubs have Thursday off — and then they will play 17 days in a row, having lost their next scheduled off day Aug. 7 for a makeup game against the Blue Jays for the June 21 rainout. The first of those 17 straight games, 10 of which will be on the road, will be Friday against the Pirates at Pittsburgh. Matthew Boyd will start the series opener for the Cubs and his opponent will be Pirates right-hander Jared Jones. Game time Friday is 5:40 p.m. CT and TV coverage will be via Marquee Sports Network.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - MAY 30: Luguentz Dort #5 of the Oklahoma City Thunder celebrates during the game against the San Antonio Spurs during Game Seven of the NBA Western Conference Finals on May 30, 2026 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. 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 Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Atlanta Hawks have been the masters of the trade system this offseason, and with it, they’ve acquired players who have the chance of elevating the team this upcoming season. With the financial flexibility the Hawks have, they’ve been able to take on contracts while also not having to give up much in return.
In Onsi Saleh’s latest deal, he acquired Lu Dort from the Oklahoma City Thunder in a three-team trade with the Dallas Mavericks. The Hawks moved Zaccharie Risacher to the Mavericks, and Ryan Nembhard was sent to Atlanta. For the Hawks, the big acquistion was Dort, who’s played with the Thunder for the past seven seasons, and helped them win a championship just two seasons ago.
Dort is definitely the type of player you hate to play against, but love when they’re on your team. The Hawks can say they’re on the right side, and Dort will bring toughness and grit that had been missing from the team for some time.
Outside of those intangibles, the one thing that sticks out about Dort is his defensive prowess and ability to guard almost anybody on the floor. Dort is just 6’4, but you would think he was a few inches taller the way he can disrupt an offense with his physicality. The Thunder have several above average defenders, but Dort seemed to always be the one tasked with guarding the best player on the opposing team, whether it was Luka Doncic one night or Victor Wembanyama the next.
Yes, Dort has that kind of range.
It’s mostly because of his bulky figure, and that allows to keep his assignment in front of him. He has good hands to easily swipe the ball, and he’ll go for an occasional block here or there. Opposing players would probably say it’s hard to get past him, and he does it all without fouling as much, which is good attribute. There’s a reason he earned All-Defensive honors two seasons ago, and he could’ve been on the list several other years.
His versatility on defense alone will allow the Hawks to do a lot of different things on that side of the ball. Dyson Daniels and Dort on the court together could cause havoc for backcourts or even frontcourts, as they have the same kind of range to where they can defend almost anybody on the floor. Dort could also allow Daniels to save some of his energy on defense, which will only make him more efficient in other areas on the floor.
On offense, Dort is more of a spot-up shooter than anything else, and he thrived in that role with the Thunder. His 3-point percentage shows it over the past three years, and he’s hit some big shots at big moments for them. Dort found himself open in a lot of situations due to the gravity of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, but their style of offense feels similar to the Hawks, where they share the ball a lot and always find the open man.
Dort should be able to have the same kind of success on offense, especially since the Hawks pride themselves on getting up three-pointers. Outside of the 3-point shooting, Dort doesn’t have much offensive versatility, but his physicality gives him the ability to put pressure on the team.
It’s uncertain what lineups will look like right now, but Dort might be utilized best coming off the bench for the Hawks. He has been starting for most of his career, but with the Hawks’ starters returning this season, it wouldn’t be a surprise if he were sent to a reserve role.
In the end, the Hawks definitely got better with the Dort acquisition, and the next thing is seeing how he meshes with the team.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - JUNE 15: LeBron James #6 of the Miami Heat and Tim Duncan #21 of the San Antonio Spurs embrace after the San Antonio Spurs victory in Game Five and winning the 2014 NBA Finals between the Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs at AT&T Center on June 15, 2014 in San Antonio, Texas. 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 2014 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
As we count down the days until LeBron James finally makes his free agency decision, it seemed like a good time to count down the Spurs’ top five moments against the 23-year vet.
#5 – Ginobili gets gold; Pop makes an impact
Just a few months after LeBron split his first two games against San Antonio as a Cleveland rookie, he joined Tim Duncan on the USA roster in the 2004 Summer Olympics. The Spurs’ Manu Ginobili, of course, stole the show as Argentina downed the United States in the semifinals and Italy in the gold medal game. Despite the Americans’ third-place finish, that Olympic run forged LeBron’s longtime vocal respect for San Antonio legend Gregg Popovich, a U.S. assistant coach in 2004.
#4 – LeBron laments Kawhi sub
Late in the second quarter of Game 5 in the 2013 NBA Finals (which the Spurs won to go up 3-2 in the series), James famously grimaced at the free throw line when Kawhi Leonard checked back into the game. The clip became a popular GIF and spoke to Leonard’s burgeoning impact, which reached its apex a year later when the Spurs won their fifth championship with Kawhi as Finals MVP.
In Game 1 of the 2014 NBA Finals, the Spurs began their romp through the series with some help from the broken air conditioning in the AT&T Center. With temps in the arena exceeding 90 degrees, James cramped up and missed the last 4:00 of the fourth quarter. Leading just 94-92 when James left the game, the Spurs turned up the heat and won going away, 110-95.
#2 – Timmy’s ‘trash talk’ caps Spurs’ sweep
The Spurs claimed their fourth championship by sweeping LeBron’s Cavaliers in the 2007 NBA Finals. After Game 4, Tim Duncan joked with LeBron, “This is gonna be your league in a little while … but, uh, I appreciate you giving us this year.” The future Hall of Famers shared laughs and backslaps as Duncan prophetically poured salt in the wound: James would later appear in eight straight NBA Finals (and nine of 10), winning four titles … one less than Timmy!
#1 – Sweet revenge!
LeBron’s missed three-pointer that would have tied Game 6 of the 2013 NBA Finals definitely would be in our top 5 had the Spurs grabbed that rebound. But alas … we know what happened after that. The “Beautiful Game” Spurs wouldn’t be denied the next year, however, dominating the Heat 4-1 in the 2014 Finals rematch. The Game 5 clincher saw Miami jump out to a 22-6 lead before the Spurs went on a 59-22 run. Ginobili’s poster dunk to cap a 14-0 second-quarter run was the biggest of many highlights as San Antonio won its fifth NBA title.
Overall, the Spurs are one of just two teams LeBron has a losing record against. He’s 30-33 vs. San Antonio (including playoffs) and 28-34 vs. Denver.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 15: Tobi Lawal, Morez Johnson Jr. and Sergio De Larrea of the Dallas Mavericks poses for a portrait during the 2026 NBA Rookie Photo Shoot on July 15, 2026 at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas campus in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Less than six months ago, The Mavericks fielded a team that included Anthony Davis (age 33), Dante Exum (age 31) and D’Angelo Russell (age 30). They shipped out those players (and Jaden Hardy; 24) for Khris Middleton (age 34) and Marvin Bagley (age 27) (and AJ Johnson; 21). This cleared up a major financial crunch and made the Mavs a touch younger. Since then, all three of Middleton, Bagley and AJ Johnson have also moved on, furthering the youth movement.
Following those moves, the Mavericks have spent the offseason loading their team with athletic, rangy players who are age 25 and under. Following is a list of the current roster.
Returning players age 25 and under
Max Christie – Age 23 – 6’5”
John Poulakidas – Age 23 – 6’6”
Dereck Lively – Age 22 – 7’1”
Moussa Cisse – Age 23 – 6’11”
Cooper Flagg – Age 19 – 6’9”
New players age 25 and under
Marcus Sasser – Age 25 – 6’1”
Zaccharie Risacher – Age 21 – 6’8”
Jett Howard – Age 22 – 6’8”
Morez Johnson – Age 20 – 6’9”
Tobi Lawal – Age 23 – 6’8”
Santi Aldama – Age 25 – 7’0”
Sergio De Larrea – Age 20 – 6’5”
Tarik Biberovic – Age 25 – 6’7”
Vsevolod Ishchenko – Age 21 – 6’3”
That is nine new players age 25 or younger joining a roster that retains five other players that are 25 or younger. Of those 14 total players, the shortest is Sasser at 6’1” but he has an insane 6’7” wingspan.
Will all of these players be rotation-ready to open the season? No. Is every one of these players going to be on the team in five years? Unlikely. Is this roster destined for greatness? Maybe. Lively may still be recovering from injury by the time the season starts, while Howard, Lawal, Ishchenko and others may be on two-way deals (or altogether waived). None of that is the point, however.
The point is that the newly built Mavericks’ front office, led by Masai Ujiri and Mike Schmitz, clearly have a vision for the type of team they want to build around Cooper Flagg. Moreover, they have constructed that team with a paucity of assets thanks to the last regime. Despite that, they have found ways to get clever by moving up in the Draft to get a player like De Larrea, trading virtually nothing to get a former #1 pick in Risacher, matching an incredibly favorable contract for Cisse, manufacturing a favorable trade to pick up Aldama, using second round draft assets for Lawal and Ishchenko, and snatching a proficient marksman from overseas in Biberovic.
Only time will tell what will work and what will not, but Mavericks fans can take a few things to heart. They have a young, long athletic team, many of whom are on favorable contracts. They have a front office that had a plan and creatively executed that plan. And gone are the days of sneaker connections and covert coffee house trades or an owner who overrules his defacto GM to leave a generational talent on the draft board.
This is what a rebuild from a barren wasteland looks like. Young guys, many of whom you’ve never heard of, hopefully providing some excitement and a growth trajectory to root for. Oh, and those players on the roster over age 26? All of them currently remain intact as either veteran leadership or trade pieces. For now, the Mavs have a team the likes of which they’ve rarely featured, with some remaining assets and most of the summer remaining to do more.
I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks.
Despite saying that there was interest in coming back for what would have been a third full year with the Detroit Red Wings, future Hall of Famer Patrick Kane is heading back to where it all began.
Kane has signed a two-year contract with the Chicago Blackhawks, returning to the club that he helped lead to the Stanley Cup three times in his career.
According to NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman, it's a two-year pact worth $8 million per season.
The circle is complete.
Patrick Kane is re-joining the Blackhawks on a two-year deal.
In mid-April, Kane expressed interest in running it back in Detroit.
“I think there is mutual interest for me to come back and continue my career here. It’s been a great spot for me, my family, and my son, and I’ve definitely enjoyed my time here," Kane said in April during Detroit's season-ending media availability. "But there’s no rush. I’ll talk things over with my agent and my family, and we’ll see how everything plays out.
Last season, Kane finished fifth overall in Red Wings scoring, registering 16 goals and 41 assists for 57 points. While with Detroit, Kane scored his 500th career goal and also became the highest-scoring U.S.-born player in NHL history.
He originally joined the team as an unrestricted free agent in December 2023.
This is yet another considerable setback for Detroit, who is already considered a longshot to make the postseason next spring.
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ARLINGTON, TEXAS - JULY 22: Cam Cauley #27 of the Texas Rangers celebrates after hitting his first major league home run against the Chicago White Sox during the second inning at Globe Life Field on July 22, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
White Sox 4, Rangers 2
And back to .500 we go.
It could be worse. Being at .500 is better than being below .500. Given a choice between the two, I’ll take being at .500.
Also, the Rangers are still in first place, by virtue of Seattle losing. So that’s something.
The Rangers pitchers were fine, for the most part, I guess. Tyler Alexander gave up a run on a walk and a wild pitch that allowed that runner to go to third, putting him position to score on the subsequent single. Cal Qunatrill pitched three innings, two of which were good, one of which was very bad, and resulted in three runs scoring. Jakob Junis allowed the fourth run on three consecutive singles, though they weren’t exactly blistered.
The three pitchers after that — Robby Ahlstrom, Peyton Gray and Jacob Latz — did their jobs and kept the White Sox off the board so that the Rangers offense would be able to rally.
The Rangers offense, unfortunately, did not rally.
Latz was making only his second appearance since the All Star Break, due to the general dearth of close games where the Rangers had the lead. This was one of those “he needs some work and there’s an off day tomorrow” type appearances, rather than a “this is the ideal spot to utilize Jacob Latz” appearance.
The bats were largely silent. Cam Cauley had a home run, the first of his major league career. Off the bat it looked like an opposite field deep pop that would be caught on the warning track or something. It, instead, kept carrying and went several rows deep into the stands.
That was the second inning, and so one would be forgiven for thinking that that was the beginning of a respectable offensive output for the Rangers. Those thoughts would end up being banished.
The Rangers put runners on the corners with two outs in the third, but didn’t score. In the fourth, with Chicago having scored a pair of runs in the top of the inning off of Quantrill, the bases got loaded up on a Brandon Nimmo single, an Ezequiel Duran double, and a Cam Cauley 0-2 hit by pitch. Sadly, they only scored one run due to an Elias Diaz double play and an Alejandro Osuna strike out.
Texas didn’t get another hit the rest of the way after that Duran double.
They did manage some baserunners, yes yes. A couple of walks, a hit by pitch, an error. But no hits. And the final nine batters of the game resulted in seven Ks and a pair of weak groundouts.
This is how the game ends…not with a bang, but with a whimper.
Tyler Alexander’s fastball topped out at 93.1 mph. Cal Quantrill hit 94.5 mph with his sinker. Jakob Junis reached 93.6 mph with his fastball. Robbie Ahlstrom’s fastball maxed out at 94.9 mph. Peyton Gray touched 94.3 mph with his fastball. Jacob Latz’s fastball reached 96.2 mph.
Justin Foscue had a 104.1 mph ground out.
Now an off day to wallow in before a four game weekend wraparound series against Seattle.
The Atlanta Braves head into today’s series finale against the San Diego Padres as a heavy -223 moneyline favorite behind their ace, Chris Sale.
With the struggling Griffin Canning on the hill for the visitors, my Padres vs. Braves predictions are eyeing Atlanta to win the rubber match at home.
Find out more in my MLB picks for Thursday, July 23.
Who will win Padres vs Braves today: Braves -1.5 (-126)
The Atlanta Braves will be feeling confident with Chris Sale taking the ball. The left-hander owns a 2.77 FIP across his last four appearances, allowing just 0.86 HR/9 during that span.
Sale has also held opponents to a 31.8% hard-hit rate across his last two starts.
As for San Diego Padres righty Griffin Canning, he's improving, but there are still vulnerabilities. Canning has a 4.83 xERA in his last five outings, and he's allowed a 45.5% hard-hit rate.
That's a dangerous figure against a Braves offense with a 150 wRC+ across the last week.
Sale continues to deal, and Atlanta's hot bats add to Canning's struggles. I'll play this pick up to -140.
COVERS INTEL: Canning has been substantially worse on the road, posting a 5.96 FIP compared to a 3.78 mark at Petco Park.
Padres vs Braves Over/Under pick: Over 7.5 (-126)
We're looking at two of the top offenses in the big leagues at the moment, and with a modest total of 7.5, the Over screams value.
San Diego will likely have a difficult time against Sale, but they do carry a 159 wRC+ and .286 ISO over their previous six games. The Braves' bullpen hasn't thrived lately, collecting a 4.91 xERA while allowing 2.16 HR/9 over their last 25 frames.
As previously mentioned, the Braves are swinging it incredibly well, and they also have a .229 ISO in the last week. The Padres relief corps has held their own, but Atlanta could put up four or five before Canning even departs.
I'll play this pick up to -130.
Quinn Allen's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 36-41, -9.34 units
Over/Under bets: 43-32, +5.04 units
Padres vs Braves weather
Conditions look hot and somewhat unsettled in Atlanta this afternoon, with temperatures climbing from the mid-80s toward 90 degrees. Winds should sit around 8-9 mph, while rain chances rise into the upper 20% range later in the afternoon. Warm air could help carry, but possible showers are worth monitoring.
Padres vs Braves odds
Moneyline: Padres +213 | Braves -223
Run line: Padres +1.5 (+117) | Braves -1.5 (-122)
Over/Under: Over 7.5 (-117) | Under 7.5 (+113)
Padres vs Braves trend
The Braves have hit the team total Over in 30 of their last 45 games at home (+12.80 Units / 24% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Padres vs. Braves.
How to watch Padres vs Braves and game info
Location
Truist Park, Cumberland, GA
Date
Thursday, July 23, 2026
First pitch
12:15 p.m. ET
TV
Padres.TV, BravesVsn
Padres starting pitcher
Griffin Canning (1-8, 6.67 ERA)
Braves starting pitcher
Chris Sale (10-6, 2.06 ERA)
Padres vs Braves latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
MILWAUKEE, WI - JULY 22: Brice Turang (2) of the Milwaukee Brewers reacts after reaching second base safely during a MLB game against the New York Mets on July 22, 2026 at American Family Field in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Meet the Mets
Despite having plenty of outfielders on the roster, the Mets played Brett Baty in the outfield instead, a decision that directly lost them the game. Baty misplayed a ball that led to three runs and gave the Brewers the lead. The Mets couldn’t recover, losing both the game and the series against the Brewers.
Tarik Skubal has been in the spotlight ever since he burst onto the scene with the Tigers, and now all eyes are on him once again as the trade deadline approaches.
The Cleveland Guardians have come to life on offense, scoring 24 runs over the first three games of this series.
They are -140 favorites to take the finale. My Twins vs. Guardians predictions and MLB picks believe that line is a little short.
Who will win Twins vs Guardians today: Guardians moneyline (-140)
Gavin Williamsowns a 2.39 xFIP over the last 30 days, which does not align with his 4.70 ERA.
He has pitched well, and this is a great matchup for the numbers to finally reflect that.
The Minnesota Twins rank 27th with a .131 ISO against right-handed pitching over the last two weeks. They’re not hitting for power right now, and homers are the one thing that has made Williams vulnerable.
The Cleveland Guardiansare fourth in OPS vs. RHP the past 10 games, and star Jose Ramirez just returned. Williams should get the support he needs.
The forecast calls for weather in the mid-70s with slight winds blowing in. Small boost to the pitchers.
Twins vs Guardians odds
Moneyline: Twins +120 | Guardians -140
Run line: Twins +1.5 (-170) | Guardians -1.5 (+145)
Over/Under: Over 7.5 (-110) | Under 7.5 (-110)
Twins vs Guardians trend
Cleveland has hit the Over in 18 of their last 30 games at home (+4.85 units, 15% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Twins vs. Guardians.
How to watch Twins vs Guardians and game info
Location
Progressive Field, Cleveland, OH
Date
Thursday, July 23, 2026
First pitch
1:10 p.m. ET
TV
Twins.TV, Guardians.TV
Twins starting pitcher
Taj Bradley (9-4, 3.85 ERA)
Guardians starting pitcher
Gavin Williams (10-5, 4.00 ERA)
Twins vs Guardians latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens continues to lock up his team’s fleet of young wings.
The Celtics reportedly agreed to a three-year, $15 million extension with 22-year-old Jordan Walsh. Boston previously picked up Walsh’s $2.4 million option for the 2026-27 season, and now has Walsh on the books through the 2029-30 season. HoopsHype reported the deal includes a third-year team option.
Ron Harper Jr. inked a four-year, $13.7. million extension at the start of the summer. Baylor Scheierman is extension eligible next summer, while Hugo Gonzalez has three years remaining on his rookie deal. The Celtics will pay none of those players more than three percent of the salary cap in any of those seasons.
For Walsh, there’s a bit of security after riding a bit of a playing time roller coaster in his first three seasons in Boston. For the team, it’s a low-cost, high-reward opportunity given that Walsh is still young for his experience level and has had moments where he displayed All-Defense potential on the court.
Walsh appeared in 68 games for Boston last season, including 25 starts. The majority of those starts came in November and December when Walsh had rivals raving about his defensive potential. Lakers guard Austin Reaves went as far as to suggest that he could see Walsh “being one of the best defenders in the league,” after an early December tilt.
Walsh’s playing time ebbed and flowed during calendar year 2026, but he finished the 2025-26 campaign strong and carved out a playoff role. Walsh might have been the team’s best defender against Tyrese Maxey and logged 12.7 minutes per game in seven appearances against Philadelphia.
Walsh and the rest of Boston’s stable of young wings will get every opportunity to step into a larger role after the Celtics traded away All-NBA wing Jaylen Brown this summer.
Walsh was the 38th pick in the 2023 draft. He appeared in just nine games during his rookie season when Boston’s talent-filled roster won the 2024 title, then played 52 games in his sophomore campaign. Last season he averaged 5.6 points, 4 rebounds, 0.7 steals, and 0.5 blocks over 17.8 minutes per game.
Walsh ranked in the 84th percentile among wings, holding opponents to 2.3 percent below expected output during his floor time.
It's Day 24 and still no sign or peep from LeBron James about where his next NBA destination will be for his 24th season.
If it feels like this process has been drawn out, it's because it kind of has. And that could be intentional.
It's been thrown out into the realm of possibilities that James and company are purposefully stalling the decision to stick it to NBA commissioner Adam Silver after he pleaded for James to rush into his choice so the season schedule can be finalized and released.
"LeBron's crew was probably ready to make an announcement... they were probably comfortable making an announcement as early as last week that they were there (in New York) and then people were like telling them what to do," Baskin said. "There's a little bit of irritation. Irritated was the word that I was told, irritated by the commissioner pushing them."
James is no longer courting teams and has all the information he needs to make a decision, according to USA TODAY Sports' Lorenzo Reyes.
USA TODAY Sports is tracking the latest news, rumors and updates for all the things happening in real-time and behind-the-scenes for LeBron James' next major basketball decision. Here's everything you need to know on Thursday, July 23 about James and his impending decision:
Welcome to the 2025–26 installment of The Hockey News - Vancouver Canucks’ Player Report Card Series. Throughout the off-season, THN will conduct a deep dive into how each member of the Canucks performed throughout the 2025–26 season. Today’s article will focus on defenceman Victor Mancini.
Mancini's 2025–26 Season Review
Mancini spent the 2025-26 campaign split between the AHL and NHL. He played 33 games with the Abbotsford Canucks, producing four goals and 12 points. As for the NHL, Mancini recorded three assists in 24 games while averaging 13:44 of ice time.
Overall, it was clear that Adam Foote and his staff were unwilling to give Mancini opportunities at the NHL level. He played over 16 minutes on seven occasions and played under 12 minutes eight times. Mancini was also a healthy scratch throughout the season, which included the final three games of the campaign.
As for his other stats, Mancini blocked 26 shots and threw 28 hits. He also registered 14 shots on net and had 32 shot attempts. Finally, Mancini got into his first career NHL fight, which he arguably won against Brandon Duhaime.
Overall, Mancini looked more confident in the AHL than the NHL. It is clear that Manny Malhotra trusts the 24-year-old, as he was a significant part of Abbotsford's Calder Cup championship. With Malhotra now behind the bench in Vancouver, Mancini could see more opportunities than he did during the 2025-26 season.
Mancini's 2025–26 Letter Grade
The 2025-26 campaign was not kind to Mancini. He didn't develop as planned, partly because of how he was deployed game to game. That being said, it is clear that the organization still has faith in him, as Mancini signed a two-year extension at the end of March.
Ultimately, Mancini receives an C grade for the 2025-26 season.
Mar 17, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Victor Mancini (90) puts his helmet back on after a scrum against the Florida Panthers in the first period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
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OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - MAY 05: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on during the second quarter of a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game One of the Second Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Paycom Center on May 05, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Joshua Gateley/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The NBA world is waiting on LeBron James to announce his next move, but thus far he remains determined to take his sweet, sweet time. Adam Silver is reportedly growing frustrated with James for delaying his free agency decision, because the league literally can’t make the 2026-27 schedule without knowing where he’s playing. Meanwhile, his agent Rich Paul is resolute that James won’t be rushed. It’s possible this could drag into August at this point.
Everyone is trying to put their own spin on why James is waiting so long to sign, and the latest rumor actually makes quite a bit of sense. James might be hoping one of his suitors will trade for Kyrie Irving or Anthony Davis, according to a report by Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo! Sports. James won championships with Irving and Davis as his top sidekicks earlier in his career, and he already knows he’s a great fit alongside them. The same can’t be said for James Harden or Jaylen Brown or Giannis Antetokounmpo right now.
If LeBron isn’t in love with any of his current options, it stands to reason that he would keep applying pressure to his suitors to mold the roster to his whims. He has plenty of time on his side: training camps don’t open until late September, and the first preseason games aren’t until October. The longer James waits, the more leash he has to try to force teams to trade for Irving or Davis.
James is basically the patron saint of player empowerment. He’s always used every bit of leverage to get what he wants from his teams, and when he starts losing leverage, he usually dips to a new franchise. James always has a long-term plan in mind when he changes teams, whether it’s teaming with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, trading the rights to No. 1 pick Andrew Wiggins for Kevin Love, or laying the groundwork for Anthony Davis’ trade to LA. It certainly passes the sniff test that he could be trying to pull some strings behind the scenes before he decides where he’s playing next season.
O’Connor’s report is mostly based on conjecture from people who work in the league. This isn’t a definitive demand from his camp yet. After 23 seasons of LeBron and counting, it just feels wholly reasonable that LeBron knows he has all the leverage in this situation, and he’s ready to use it to try to chase his fifth ring.
Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball are calling LeBron to join the Wolves
Minnesota has a strong case as the best basketball fit for LeBron. They have an elite backcourt in place with Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball, they have a dominant defensive center in Rudy Gobert, and they have one of the league’s better defensive wings in Jaden McDaniels. The Wolves could use a playmaking power forward, and LeBron is still as good as it gets for that archetype.
Edwards and Ball are calling James to try to convince him to come to Minnesota, according to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic:
Unfortunately, the idea of LeBron in Minnesota just doesn’t feel realistic to me. Is he really going to move his family to Minnesota? Is he really going to stay in the West? I don’t see it. It’s fun to dream about LeBron to the Wolves, but I’d be absolutely shocked if it happens.
LeBron odds now favor the Miami Heat
My local sportsbook app has the Heat as a 2-1 favorite to sign LeBron. This is only interesting in the sense that most people have viewed Cleveland as the frontrunner since he entered free agency. If you think LeBron is going anywhere other than Miami, there’s some money to be made right now.
I don’t care about gambling odds. If LeBron had to choose right now, I would agree that the Heat feels like his best landing spot. But what if he drags this out another month? At that point, the Warriors could trade for Anthony Davis, the Cavs could figure out a Kyrie Irving for James Harden trade, or a new suitor could do something else to pique his interest.
Why Aug. 6 looms as an important date
Anthony Davis is extension eligible on August 6. At that point, he can ask the Washington Wizards for a four-year, $275 million deal. It would be kind of crazy for the Wizards to give him that deal considering he still has two years left on his current contract, and he’s literally never played a game for the franchise. A four-year extension would lock up Davis until he’s 39 years old. Given that he’s already one of the least durable stars in the league, handing him that type of money that late in his career just feels like bad business for any team.
Of course, the Wizards also gave Trae Young $212 million this summer without another serious suitor for his services, so who knows what that franchise is ever thinking.
Let’s say the Wizards tell Davis they won’t give him an extension. At that point, does Davis try to force his way out of town to somewhere he can get paid? Could that location be to the team that will eventually sign LeBron?
Davis is represented by Rich Paul and Klutch Sports, just like LeBron. If LeBron drags this out, it’s possible he can get Davis paid, which means another big commission check for Paul.
LeBron James free agency prediction
I’ll say LeBron is going to the Heat. It just feels like his best chance to get his fifth ring. Where do you think he’s going? Vote in our poll below:
It really feels like LeBron is putting a lot of pressure on the Cavs in particular right now. Cleveland is coming off a conference finals appearance, but it doesn’t feel like the best fit at the moment. Harden and LeBron both like the ball in their hands, and Harden is completely incapable of being a high-volume spot-up shooter.
Can the Cavs pull off a trade for Kyrie? Would they possible trade Evan Mobley for Anthony Davis? It sounds wild, but it could be the difference in LeBron ending his career in Cleveland versus anywhere else.
LeBron has his thumb on the scale right now. It’s not about money. He’s still good enough to be a major contributor to a championship team. It’s sure starting to feel like he needs to use his influence, because he doesn’t have an obvious option on the board.
MIAMI, FLORIDA - JULY 7: Cade Gibson #58 of the Miami Marlins, Xavier Edwards #9 of the Miami Marlins, Otto Lopez #6 of the Miami Marlins, Esteury Ruiz #3 of the Miami Marlins, Heriberto Hernandez #13 of the Miami Marlins and Brian Navarreto #64 of the Miami Marlins celebrate after defeating the Seattle Mariners at loanDepot park on July 7, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Jasen Vinlove/Miami Marlins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
This makes the Marlins another potentially useful model for the Rockies to consider at as they embark on their own rebuild.
Don’t be afraid to search the scrap heap
Many of the most productive pieces of this 2026 Marlins season joined the team in small unheralded moves after being cast off from other teams.
The most valuable player on the team this year has been shortstop Otto Lopez. His 4.3 fWAR leads the team and is top ten in the majors. Lopez was acquired off of waivers from the San Francisco Giants in 2024.
Their starting catcher, Liam Hicks, was a Rule 5 Draft selection from the Detroit Tigers last season. He currently has a 122 wRC+ in 90 games.
Their most valuable outfielder this season has been Esteury Ruiz who has only played 62 games for the team. Ruiz was acquired via a trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers after being optioned to the minors for his third organization.
The Marlins’ hottest hitter since the start of June has been Heriberto Hernández who signed a minor league contract with the organization before the 2025 season. Hernández had a 127 wRC+ in June and has followed it up with a 182 so far in July.
This is a team that opened up spots on the roster when it became clear that the previous group was not going to be successful and then scrounged around for diamonds in the rough from anywhere they could find them. The Marlins then gave runway to these players that had been abandoned by other organizations and have seen tangible on-field benefits from having done so.
These small moves on the margins are a good first step, and if the Marlins are any guide, the Rox should continue making more of them even as the overall quality of the roster improves.
Trade from positions of strength
The Marlins of 2024 were a decent mirror of the current Rockies. Whereas the Rockies have some decent hitting talent throughout the organization, they have very little pitching talent. The exact opposite of this was the case for the Marlins when their current front office took over before the 2024 season.
The previous Marlins administrations had established an ability to identify and develop pitching talent — that aspect of the team was not the problem. The primary driver of their 100-loss collapse in 2024 was a complete dearth of hitting talent in the organization from top to bottom.
Since then they have made a flurry of trades from their pitching depth to address their hitting concerns. They have moved all of Trevor Rogers, Jesus Luzardo, Ryan Weathers, and Edward Cabrera over the past two calendar years. That’s almost an entire starting rotation of quality pitching arms that the Marlins have shipped out since the 2024 deadline, and yet, because it was such an overwhelming strength before, they are still in the top half of essentially all pitching categories this season.
In exchange for those four arms, the Marlins were able to bring in 11 players headlined by two regulars in their big league outfield in the form of Owen Caissie and Kyle Stowers. Both Caissie (24) and Stowers (28) have been roughly league average hitters so far this season but have both shown promise for more. Caissie was a top 100 prospect before his debut last season, and Stowers was a National League All-Star a year ago.
“[Owen] Caissie reminds me so much of [Kyle] Tucker. The way that we are talking about Tucker… this guy is going to grow into that!”
Harold and Matt are big fans of Owen Caissie and the job @Marlins President of Baseball Ops. Peter Bendix has done constructing Miami’s roster. pic.twitter.com/oOzgBd1xTd
In addition to those two major league hitters, the Marlins string of starting pitcher trades have also infused their minor league system with a pile of interesting position player prospects. This group is headlined by defensive shortstop Starlyn Caba, slugging outfielder Dillon Lewis, and speedy middle infielder Cristian Hernández but includes many other names thought to have a chance to be useful big leaguers.
Looking through the Rockies organization, the closest analog to the Marlins recent organizational pitching strength is in the outfield. Between the major league team and Triple-A, the Rockies have a ton of names currently factoring into their outfield picture.
The strong seasons of youngsters Cole Carrigg (No. 4 PuRP), Charlie Condon (No. 1 PuRP), and Zac Veen (No. 9 PuRP) give the front office the freedom to consider following the Marlins example. They could look to move multiple talented, but older, outfield bats before the 2027 season to address their dearth of organizational pitching talent.
Hold on to your controllable stars
The Marlins 2022 NL Cy Young award winner Sandy Alcantara has been the subject of trade rumors for many years. Despite how many other pitchers the Marlins have shipped out of Miami in recent years, they have turned down all offers for their ace.
Before that Cy Young campaign in 2022, Alcantara signed a five-year deal (with a club option for a sixth) worth only a guaranteed $56 million. This contract was widely thought to be below market value at the time but looked incredibly team friendly after his award winning 2022 season. The overall shine on the total deal took a hit as Alcantara lost a season to UCL surgery in mid-2023, but that did not stop other teams from attempting to buy-low on the Marlins ace.
This combination of standout performance, years of below market team control, and reduced trade value due to injury has led the Marlins rebuff the myriad trade offers they received for Alcantara.
They are now reaping the rewards of having done so as Alcantara is once again leading the team in innings pitched, fWAR, and walk percentage. The Marlins rotation also features promising youngsters like Max Meyer and Eury Pérez but it’s depth has been significantly weakened by their many trades. Alcantara has been the reliable backbone that has allowed the Marlins to remain in the playoff picture so far this season.
Alcantara and the Marlins are a cautionary tale of how quickly competitive outlooks for once-hopeless clubs can turn around. If the Rockies do end up trading Hunter Goodman, it’s possible they will be looking around come 2028 and wondering whether a 30-homer bat behind the plate would have put them in the Wild Card race.
Conclusions
The Marlins problems that led to their most recent 100-loss season were very different from those facing the Rockies. For Miami the problem was an almost complete lack of premium young hitting talent (outside of Jazz Chisholm) whereas for the Rockies, the problem is on the mound.
Both clubs having their overall talent being lackluster and unbalanced, however, means that the methods employed should be applicable by just swapping out the particulars.
A plausible path the Rockies could take would be to keep taking shots at cast offs from other teams, trading aggressively for pitching talent from their outfield surplus, and holding onto their most accomplished player despite trade offers rolling in.
There’s no guarantees that this would result in the same sort of frisky contending team in two years that the Marlins have now, but there is precedent that it could.
The Isotopes pitching staff passed the baton effectively in this bullpen game. Five pitchers combined to fill the full nine innings and managed to strand eight runners en route to only two runs. The collective gave out six free passes and allowed eight hits but limited the damage with two doubles being the only extra base hits allowed.
The offense was led by Zac Veen (No. 9 PuRP) who collected three hits including his sixth triple of the season. The supporting cast around Veen of Nic Kent, Vimael Machín, and Charlie Condon (No. 1 PuRP) each reached base twice. In the end, this was enough to score five runs and earn the Isotopes their 49th win and bring them back up to a .500 record.
Connor Staine started the first game of the doubleheader and earned his sixth win of the year with five solid innings. Until the fifth inning Staine had only allowed one run, the result of a solo home run from Jean Carlos Sio. The wheels came off a bit in the bottom of the fifth and he allowed three more runs on four hits including a double but by that point Hartford had already scored six runs of their own.
Center Fielder Mike Antico drove in five of the Yard Goats six runs with his second inning double and fourth inning home run. Beyond Antico, both Braylen Wimmer (a double and a stolen base) and Aidan Longwell (two hits) were the primary contributors to Hartford’s offensive output.
Michael Prosecky (No. 25 PuRP) started his third game of the season after having worked primarily in relief. Prosecky got through two innings with 39 pitches and didn’t allow any runs before handing the ball to Griffin Herring who promptly allowed the Flying Squirrels first three runs of the game. Fisher Jameson finished the game out with three innings in which he allowed an additional two runs on three hits and four walks.
The Yard Goats were never able to catch up to the Flying Squirrels after that third inning outburst. What offense the did muster came from a combination of Roc Riggio (No. 14 PuRP), who reached base twice and stole a base, and Andy Perez who had two hits including a home run.
Spokane took the lead early with a four run third inning but it was not enough to hold off the Dust Devils. The Indians offense was speed oriented as they only had a one extra base hit, a double by Alan Espinal, but made up for it with six stolen bases. Leadoff hitter Tommy Hopfe stole one of those bases to go along with four hits as their offensive standout for Spokane.
Jordy Vargas (No. 21 PuRP) got the start for Spokane and struck out eight over five innings. Over the course of those five innings Vargas allowed three runs on ten hits and two walks which kept the Indians in the game. Poor bullpen performances from Austin Emener and Nathan Blasick allowed the final three runs that the Dust Devils needed to take the victory.
For the first seven innings of this game the Quakes looked like they were in line for a victory.
The Grizzlies pitching staff, too their credit, kept the game close through the early innings even when the lineup was struggling to score. Ethan Cole started the game for Fresno and went five innings while only allowing two runs. Grif Hughes followed Cole and allowed another run on a solo home run by Victor Rodriguez but otherwise was great in his three innings of work.
At the plate, the Grizzlies were largely stifled until the eighth inning in which they scored their first two runs thanks to a home run by Wilder Dalis (No. 24 PuRP). Then came the bottom of the ninth which Fresno entered trailing four to two. Landyn Vidourek, in his first game since being traded from the Dodgers, led the inning off with a walk before a pair of singles by Luis Mendez and Jeremy Ciriaco loaded the bases. Another pair of singles from Clayton Gray and Carlos Renzullo drove in the tying and winning runs.
The ACL Rockies dominated this one from the start. They divided the game amongst five pitchers, none of whom went longer than two innings. The only shaky performance for ACL Rockies pitchers was for the starter Kevin Concepcion who allowed three hits and two walks in only two innings.
At the plate the ACL Rockies combined for an incredible 17 hits, only three of which were for extra bases. This onslaught of pressure baserunners was headlined by center fielder Cristian Arguelles’s and third baseman Eriel Dihigo who had three hits apiece.
The bats were out for DSL Colorado in this seven inning match. A combination of plate discipline (they earned eight walks) and timely slugging led to runs in four separate innings. Centerfielder Larry Suero was the obvious standout in the lineup as he led off and collected four RBI’s by hitting both a double and a home run.
Yeremi Mendez and Eric Veras combined to hold the DSL Angels to four runs (three earned). They each only allowed a single walk, rare for this level of the minors, and the only extra base hit they allowed was a fourth inning double by David Manzueta.
Overshadowed by his slugging exploits has been Goodman’s ability to use the ABS challenge system to the Rockies advantage. Drew Creasman sits down with Goodman and how he’s gone about approaching the new system.
Speaking of Goodman, Sam Blum of the Athletic provides a primer for folks around the league as to why teams are interested in trading for him. This is aimed at folks outside the Rockies orbit that aren’t already familiar with Goodman’s game but it is just nice to see national media speaking so glowingly about a Rockie.
Another example of the national baseball media taking notice of Rockies performing well, Maddie Landis digs into TJ Rumfield’s rookie campaign. Landis lends credence to the idea that’s been floated on Purple Row that Rumfield has a legitimate case for National League Rookie of the Year.
COVERS INTEL: Canning has been substantially worse on the road, 
