A dramatic day 15: Jonas Vingegaard’s Tour in ruins, Remco Evenepoel takes his first road win.
The peloton will pedal away from Champagnole in about five minutes, with kilometre zero at 12.20.
Doping control have been visiting in the night – Pogacar at 5am and Vingegaard at 2am – he isn’t impressed.
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Walk-up music is a phenomenon that has become more and more prevalent in recent years for baseball and softball players at all levels. It’s a trend that started at the major league level and has worked its way down to the kids. For some, it’s probably the highlight of their baseball experience, so why not let them have some fun? Plus, who hasn’t walked into a house at some point in their life and wished that they had their own entrance music to let everybody know that they’ve arrived?
I made this argument back in 2022 when a Koji Uehara entrance video from the 2013 playoffs resurfaced, running to the mound to Darude’s “Sandstorm” to uproarious, concert-level applause. The link is gone now, so let’s try again.
Remember, there was a time not too long ago that the only music that we had at Fenway was from the organist. Granted, it was a funeral in there most of the time up until 2004, but this was certainly a park that lagged behind most of the modern parks in terms of atmosphere.
I wasn’t sure how I felt about walk-up music at the high school level, mainly because of the people in charge of starting and stopping the music on time. When disco music is still playing in the pitcher’s wind-up, that’s a problem. However, after seeing a kid get into the box with Maxine Nightingale’s “Right Back Where We Started From” on the speakers, I decided I just couldn’t fight it anymore. When family members texted me from the World Baseball Classic in Puerto Rico that Abraham Toro had chosen French Montana’s “Pop That” as his walk-up song, complete with video footage of the historic event, I knew I need to write this article at some point.
A good walk-up song needs to be upbeat. It needs to be a groove. For a batter, it needs to work as a short snippet, maybe ten seconds long. You need fans to hear it in the stadium, stop in the middle of a sentence, and say “Oh!!” And, of course, it should never be country music. (I’m fully aware that I’ll lose at least a third of the readers with that last sentence. I’m not sorry that my selections below are devoid of country songs.)
Every Major League Baseball team has a page within their website that compiles the walk-up songs of most of the players. Inexplicably, there isn’t a landing page within mlb.com where you can toggle across the 30 teams. Lucky for you, I’ve put a link to every one of those teams’ pages below, so that you can bookmark this article for eternity for future updates. And all Spotify song links are “clean” versions, so that you won’t get fired if you read this at work.
Music is very subjective, so if you disagree with anything below, I encourage you to write your own piece on the matter. Here is my list of the best walk-up song choices across each of the 30 MLB teams, mostly in alphabetical order by team, with the exception of the Top-5 that are ranked at the end.
Arizona Diamondbacks Corbin Carroll: Miguel – Waves (Tame Impala Remix)
Atlanta Braves Dylan Lee: The Hollies – Long Cool Woman (In A Black Dress)
An oldie that aligns with a pitcher’s entrance. Tremendous guitar in the song opening, which works better for a long jog to the bump, rather than a short ten-second walk.
Baltimore Orioles Kyle Bradish: David Guetta – Memories (ft. Kid Cudi)/Adley Rutschman: Kid Cudi – Alive
Few albums in this century are more of a joy than Kid Cudi’s “Man On The Moon” (2009). Rutschman’s choice of “Alive” is a strong one from that album (also the walk-up of the Red Sox’ Caleb Durbin), although personally I would have gone with “Cudi Zone.” Either way, the Cudi vibes are high in the Orioles clubhouse, and I appreciate that.
Chicago White Sox Randal Grichuk: Good Neighbours – Home
A very short list on the White Sox website, for whatever reason.
Cincinnati Reds Hunter Greene: Jay-Z – Public Service Announcement
“Allow me to reintroduce myself: my name is HOV.” Dave Chappelle yelling that phrase at work executives during the “When Keeping It Real Goes Wrong” sketch was a personal favorite.
Cleveland Guardians Shawn Armstrong: Johnny Cash – God’s Gonna Cut You Down
Colorado Rockies Jake McCarthy: WWE (Jim Johnston) – Kurt Angle
As I mentioned in the Uehara piece, entrance music means the most to WWE fans, specifically during the Attitude Era of the 90s. Jim Johnston was a damn legend, writing and recording all of the WWE theme songs. Kurt Angle gets the easy nod from the Rockies, but I certainly would’ve gone with The Great Chris Jericho’s “Break The Walls Down” if it was me.
Detroit Tigers Tyler Holton: Tears for Fears – Everybody Wants To Rule The World
Tremendous choice. For my money, the single best song of the 80s. A hat tip to Gru as well, who flawlessly covered this song at a prison in Despicable Me 4.
Kansas City Royals Bobby Witt: Tame Impala – The Less I Know The Better
Can never go wrong with Tame Impala. The edibles are strong in Kansas City, I’m told.
Los Angeles Angels Zach Neto: The Notorious B.I.G. – Big Poppa
If I were Neto, I’d mix the Will Ferrell/Robert Goulet version in for one at-bat each game just to throw everyone off. “Poppaaaaaa…”
Miami Marlins Leo Jimenez: Dua Lipa – Levitating
WEEI has a shocking number of bangers that they use coming out of commercials on the Sox radio broadcast. Wu Tang Clan’s “Gravel Pit” … Sabrina Carpenter’s “Espresso” … A Flock of Seagulls’ “I Ran (So Far Away).” Whoever is tasked with the commercial outro music deserves a significant raise. I didn’t know I liked Levitating until I heard the version that features Joe Castiglione.
Milwaukee Brewers Jacob Misiorowski: WWE (Jim Johnston) – The Miz Theme
(See Colorado Rockies write-up). If this week’s #1 overall pick, Roch Cholowsky, does not come out to one of the numerous versions of The Rock’s entrance song, alongside a People’s Eyebrow, it will be a major whiff.
Minnesota Twins Ryan Jeffers: Playaz Circle – Duffle Bag Boy
That’s that salad dressin’, I’m on my Thousand Island.
New York Mets Bo Bichette: Kendrick Lamar – tv off
The most frequently played song on Alexa in our home. “Make sure it’s the edited version!!”
Not a single good option, so they’re getting skipped. Typical of a once-proud franchise that has won one title in this century.
Philadelphia Phillies Bryce Harper: Moby – Flower
The Phillies don’t post their walk-up songs, so I’m taking it upon myself to post this clip from 2022. Bryce Harper’s first at bat at home in the World Series, after hitting the game-winning home run in the NLCS. Incredible job from Fox letting the walk-up and crowd noise tell the story, followed by a first-pitch home run, which John Smoltz basically predicts will happen. Imagine not liking baseball? (Also, a reminder of how great the pitch clock is as we go more than a minute waiting for the first pitch of the at-bat).
Pittsburgh Pirates Mitch Keller – Wiz Khalifa, Empire Of The Sun – The Thrill
Empire of the Sun’s “Walking On A Dream” is an all-time favorite and was under consideration for the Top Five. This strong alternate version will have to do.
Sacramento Athletics Jeffrey Springs: Blackstreet – No Diggity
“Curve’s the word, spin’s the verb. Lovers it curves so freak what you heard” – Modern pitching analytics nerds
San Diego Padres Ron Marinaccio: Yolanda Be Cool – We No Speak Americano
“It sounds like the music they play at The Olive Garden. The Olive Garden kicks ass.” The immortal Beavis and Butthead broke this song down back in 2011.
Butthead: “Remember when you asked that waitress at The Olive Garden to dance, and then she slapped you, and the manager threw you out?”
Beavis: “Oh yeah. That was cool.”
San Francisco Giants Adrian Houser: Creedance Clearwater Revival – Run Through The Jungle
Seattle Mariners J.P. Crawford: Dr. Dre – Xxplosive
A 12-second perfect instrumental to start the song, and then not a single lyric that could be played at a family-friendly event. Arguably the ideal choice!
Honorable Mention: Josh Naylor: Eminem – Stan
As if we shouldn’t be concerned enough about Naylor, after learning that he stabbed a teammate in the minor leagues, he walks up to “Stan”?? A “prank that went a little too far.” I’ll say!
St. Louis Cardinals Gordon Graceffo: Eminem – Square Dance
Speaking of Eminem, 2002’s “The Eminem Show” album was his peak, in my opinion. The only thing that I ever “re2pected” about Derek Jeter was that “Square Dance” was his walk-up song for one season.
Texas Rangers Cole Winn – Yeah Yeah Yeahs: Heads Will Roll (A-Trak Remix)
The Fenway Park P.A. will briefly drop this remix in between pitches a few times a game, and it’s always welcome.
Washington Nationals Zack Littell: Dire Straits – Money For Nothing
As mentioned earlier, the epic guitar solo in “Money For Nothing” could only work for a pitcher’s entrance to play throughout the lengthier first-inning warm-up pitches.
5. Chicago Cubs Pete Crow-Armstrong: Djo – End Of Beginning and MGMT – Time To Pretend
Two-for-two from PCA. He nails the local theme featuring the lyric, “When I’m back in Chicago,” from End Of Beginning. And then the iconic groove of Time To Pretend … more on that album later.
4. Tampa Bay Rays Bryan Baker: Avicii – Levels
We’ve all heard this one a thousand times. Perhaps on a dance floor, or perhaps to get through the final few minutes of your workout. It never gets old. I’ll run through a wall to this song, or just to the pitcher’s mound, either/or.
Honorable Mention: Taylor Walls: Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz “Get Low”
Yup. Taylor “to the window, to the” Walls. I see what you’re doing here, and I approve.
3a. Los Angeles Dodgers Landon Knack: Mark Morrison – Return of the Mack
3b. Toronto Blue Jays Adam Macko: Mark Morrison – Return of the Mack
If you have a name that includes “mack” or rhymes with “mack”, you don’t have much of a choice but to walk out to this song.
I don’t have such a name, but I’d still walk up to it since it just might be the greatest song of my lifetime.
Leaving Edwin Diaz’s “Narco” intro out of this list feels reckless. But Timmy Trumpets felt like more of a Mets connection than Dodgers. And for all we know, Diaz is probably only using Narco as his cockfighting intro music these days.
2. Boston Red Sox Roman Anthony: MGMT – Electric Feel
Cheating a little, as this was Anthony’s walk-up song last year, and he’s currently taking a tour of lovely Fort Myers in July, but maybe getting back to his rookie-season roots will turn his luck around in 2026. The “Oracular Spectacular” (2007) album is an absolute masterpiece, especially when you consider that many of the songs were meant to be ironic, making fun of modern pop music. In the behind-the-scenes making of “Electric Feel”, you hear the band asking if, by attempting to make the song better, “do you mean worse?” It was the soundtrack to his first career at-bat, and if the Sox are going to make any kind of postseason run, we need Roman and these vibes back in the lineup asap.
1. Houston Astros Joey Loperfido: M.I.A. – Paper Planes
Loperfido is curiously missing from the Astros website at the moment, but I heard it earlier this season, and immediately made sure I had a screenshot of the heroic player in question.
Paper Planes was played on alternative rock stations, it was played on hip-hop stations, and eventually pop stations. Hell, Jay-Z and T.I. made “Swagga Like Us”, which had an entire chorus out of one single lyric from the song. The intro is incredible, the chorus is unmatched, and if you don’t react with an “Oh!” when Joey Loperfido walks to the plate, then I’m not sure we can be friends.
Paper Planes would be my 2026 walk-up song (to the buffet).
With Hugo Gonzalez, Chris Cenac, and Dillon Mitchell on the bench for Game 5, we got a good look at Amari Williams, Milos Uzan, Tucker DeVries, and John Tonje in Boston’s finale against Orlando — all players either directly or tangentially related to the Celtics. Williams will again be on a two-way contract and split his time in Maine and Boston; he’ll be eligible to play 50 games with the big club. Uzan and DeVries have Exhibit 10 deals for training camp in October and will most likely join the G League affiliate in Maine. Tonje is effectively a free agent after he was traded to the Celtics last season in the Chris Boucher deal and his option was declined.
To make it to the bigs, role players have to have at least one portable NBA skill. Think Sam Hauser and his three-point shooting or Jordan Walsh’s lockdown defense. They can build out from there, but for anybody showcasing their talents at Summer League, unless you’re a lottery pick expected to be a face of the franchise, you’re working to be a complementary player.
With that in mind, in Boston’s 103-97 loss to the Magic in their Sin City finale, the Celtics got a good look at some of those players.
Williams is such an interesting prospect because of his unique ability to be an offensive hub in the high post. Unless you’re Nikola Jokic, it’s not a skill that most teams will try to develop with their bigs, particularly one so far down on the depth chart. With Williams, the Celtics seem dead set on trying to make that happen. He has definitely shown a willingness to work outside of the restricted area and use his 6’11 frame as a watch tower in the half court over the last week in Vegas. Here’s a nifty find on the back cut for the hockey assist.
There’s a long way between “Amari loves to pass” and “Mazzulla can rely on Williams to be a playmaker above the break,” but the team will have another year to see if this is a real development in his game.
With Uzan, there’s no question he can play. Even with the short turnaround of putting together a Summer League roster, getting a few practices in together, and developing chemistry with his teammates, it’s obvious that he’s got the skills to run point on a team. He averaged a tidy 9-4-4 through five games and finished with nine points in 17 minutes on Saturday.
Depending on whether Mitchell signs a standard deal or gets put on a two-way, Uzan’s future with the franchise is still up in the air, but at least expect him Maine green.
DeVries again showed that he’s capable of contributing from beyond the arc. He hit 3-of-6 against the Magic and finished his summer slate making 9-of-27. Of all the niche skills, shooting will always be a premium that teams will look for on the edges of their salary cap, especially with today’s collective bargaining agreement. DeVries was a 36% three-point shooter in five years at the college level, but if he can hit Hauser’s over-40% watershed mark, he’ll find a job somewhere in this league, if not in Boston.
The curious case is Tonje. The shooting is real. He averaged 14.2 points per game in Vegas at a high efficiency rate (51% from the field, 45% from 3) with 14 points in the finale on 6-of-9 shooting. Another year in the G League could lead to a promotion like Ron Harper Jr.
Here’s CelticsBlog’s Noa Dalzell on Tonje’s improved defense and John shouting out his development coach.
And as much of a revelation as some of the players were, this summer’s sensation was also the premiere of Amile Jefferson as a head coach. Here’s a snippet again from from Noa’s profile on the 33-year-old coach:
“On a regular day-to-day basis, you just see me walking around – I’m very calm, very smiley, just easy to be around,” Jefferson told CelticsBlog in an exclusive conversation. “But, as a player, or when I’m coaching, that side gets unlocked, and then I get super competitive, and I’m a totally different person.”
Near center-court, Jefferson emphatically clenches his fist when Hugo Gonzalez sinks a three-pointer.
“That’s a foul, ref!” he belts each time he believes the whistle should have been blown.
“I’m trying to let them know that I’m in the fight with them, that they’re not alone,” Jefferson said. “And making sure they can hear my voice, making sure they know that I can help them be organized, making sure that they know that I got their back. And whether it’s screaming out a call or coverage, or whether it’s just giving an encouraging word, when I’m out there, I’m locked in – and probably am a little bit of a different person.”
Make sure to check out that piece at CelticsBlog.
Much has been made about the Philadelphia Flyers ruining contract negotiations for themselves and the rest of the NHL by giving Leo Carlsson an $18 million cap hit on the offer sheet attempt, but a slew of recent signings prove this talking point just isn't true.
Carlsson, 21, is, at least for now, the highest-paid player in the NHL on a per-year basis, narrowly poking out ahead of Minnesota Wild superstar Kirill Kaprizov and his $17 million annual cap hit.
The difference between the two is that Kaprizov is 29, a winger, and in his prime, while Carlsson is a center whose best is yet to come. Any time an NHL team signs a player in Carlsson's age range, they're paying for potential rather than the here and now. It seems obvious, but that isn't always explicitly outlined.
On Saturday, 2023 No. 1 overall pick Connor Bedard signed a five-year, $75 million contract extension with the Chicago Blackhawks, giving him a $15 million AAV at the age of 21, similarly to Carlsson.
Yes, the Flyers gave Carlsson $3 million more than that, but we must also consider that the Flyers needed to jack up the price high enough to force the Anaheim Ducks to ponder letting their franchise player go.
Aside from that factor influencing that specific contract, nothing has really changed.
Flyers Have One Free Agent Option Left for Power Play HelpAfter several high-profile misses this offseason, the Philadelphia Flyers must turn to John Klingberg to help fix their power play woes.Plenty of other young, up-and-coming players signed contracts for perfectly reasonable cap hits: Pavel Mintyukov got $7.2 million, while Simon Nemec got $7.25 million, each for five years.
The Flyers managed to lock down Jamie Drysdale for a shorter term than those two at just four years, but a cheaper $6.5 million cap hit.
If you want to be the Blackhawks and shell out $12.5 million big ones to Bowen Byram, that's your choice.
Some other deals to consider: Connor McMichael got six years and $6.75 million per, while the Flyers got Zegras at $9.125 million for four.
Egor Chinakhov, fresh off his breakout season, re-upped with Pittsburgh at a $6.25 million cap hit for three years.
Mavrik Bourque, whom the Flyers reportedly attempted to trade for, signed for six years and $5.5 million annually.
Among those forwards, the Flyers probably got the worst deal, as they got shorter term and higher AAV in the negotiation. Had things gone better, the opposite would have been true.
Still, Zegras is getting what is, and soon won't be, top-flight center money.
Flyers Make Jamie Drysdale Their Highest-Paid DefensemanRight after the Philadelphia Flyers signed best buddy Trevor Zegras, Jamie Drysdale re-upped with the team, becoming the Flyers' most expensive defenseman.Zegras's agent, Pat Brisson, signed Jack Eichel to a $13.5 million cap hit extension in October. Jack Hughes, one of Brisson's other talented clients, is still getting just $8 million a year against the cap from a deal he signed in 2021.
Brisson got Elias Pettersson his eight-year, $92.8 million deal ($11.6 million AAV) when he was 25 back in 2024, which is the same age Zegras is now.
The difference is, in a more robust market, Zegras still cost $2 million less than Pettersson, and coming off a career-high 67 points, it's clear both Brisson and the Flyers believe the player has room to grow.
He didn't get that contract because the Flyers tried to gorge Carlsson on money to get him out of Anaheim.
Another way to look at it: one Carlsson is slightly cheaper than two of Zegras; that's a good deal.
So if the NHL and its fans want to blame the Flyers for breaking the league, they may want to take a look in the mirror first.
Some Atlanta Hawks fans may tell you that the team hasn’t made many moves this offseason, but if you check the transaction list, you’d see several things they did. No, it was Jaylen Brown, or trying for LeBron James, but they’ve made moves that will keep them financially flexible, while also competitive now and in the future.
One of the several moves they made that may have gone under the radar was acquiring Devin Carter and a second-round pick from the Sacramento Kings.
Carter is going into his third year in the league after being selected with the No. 13 pick by the Kings in the 2024 NBA Draft. At the time, the pick was seen as a good move for Sacramento, but through two seasons, it’s obvious things just didn’t work out. With the recent selection of Darius Acuff Jr., one of their several guards was going to be on the outside looking in, and it happened to be Carter.
He didn’t see many minutes until the final two months of this past season, and he showed that when given the opportunity, he can make an impact.
The first thing that stands out about Carter is his athleticism and his ability to get to the rim. His upper body is sturdy, and he uses that to his advantage when attacking the rim against smaller opponents, or even stronger defenders. Either way, he’s shown that he has a knack for being physical, and that’s special at the guard position.
The closest person that the Hawks have at guard who can get to the rim with his type of skill is Dyson Daniels, and Quin Snyder has always praised his ability to get two feet in the paint. If Carter can do that, he’ll be a good piece off the bench if they need him.
Before coming into the league, Carter’s 3-point shot was something that seemed promising for his career. Through two seasons, he’s shooting a combined 27.4% from the 3-point line, and he shot 26.3% this past season. Whether it’s a change of mechanics or simply needing to improve, Carter is going to have to get that part of his game fixed, especially on a Hawks team that loves to shoot 3s.
The good news is that he showed a little more consistency down the stretch of last season, and the hope is that he can carry that into the upcoming season. The best way to put him in the best situation to succeed is by surrounding him with shooters when he’s on the floor.
Just like Carter uses his athleticism and frame to make plays on offense, that’s what he uses on defense as well. For a guard, he also rebounds better than most, which shows he isn’t afraid of doing the dirty work when he’s on the floor. His energy on that side of the ball could be what the Hawks need off the bench.
Carter isn’t seen as a primary ball handler, so putting him on the floor alongside someone like CJ McCollum or Kington Flemings would be key. He may still have a long way to go as far as playing time, with several Hawks being interchangeable, but if Carter brings the energy that he showed at the end of last season, things could look good for him.
If things don’t work out, the Hawks can say that it was a low-risk, high-reward move, and it didn’t cost them much to see if he could pan out on the team
Earlier in the week, we ran a basic poll question, asking you all which player you most enjoyed watching in the NBA Summer League held out in Las Vegas. One guy cleared the question easily.
First round pick Sergio De Larrea ran away with the vote, getting 63% of the vote. And why was obvious if you were able to watch more than the opening game. In four contests, De Larrea averaged just under 30 minutes, while putting up 8 points, 8.8 assists, five rebounds, a steal, and a block. While those numbers may underwhelm some, it was clear watching him in the third and fourth games when he had 12 assists in a win over the Grizzlies and 14 assists in a win over the Thunder that this guy has something.
Now, don’t get me wrong, Morez Johnson Jr. had a great debut but he played just two games and the second one was against a Lakers team full of try-hards, and Dallas looked flat-out asleep. Vsevolod Ishchenko was a surprising delight, but his lows were a bit lower than De Larrea and he didn’t play as consistently. That said, he’s an obvious future hardcore fan favorite once he makes the transition to the NBA.
Sergio is the guy we’re going to talk about all summer. If the Mavericks get wild and play him at the starting point position immediately (unlikely, but let a man dream for now), we could be in for a fun ride. And look, if you want to get top-notch value for him, on our partner FanDuel, he’s a +25000 to win Rookie of the Year. How can you NOT take that bet?
He needs to continue to work on his shot, but the playmaking and vision were really something. If his outside shot can fall consistently, even from just a catch-and-shoot situation, then we the Mavs might have a stew going.
Good morning, Camden Chatters.
Is it just me, or is baseball suddenly kind of fun again?
The Orioles could end up disappointing us all again, and soon. But yesterday was a pretty great day for the organization. On the field, the O’s pulled off a stunning, extra-innings victory over the Astros to run their winning streak to six, getting key contributions from unheralded (and in some cases, maligned) players like Tyler O’Neill, Leody Taveras, and Cam Sanders. The Orioles are now within two games of a wild card spot, though they’re still having to play catch-up to the surging Red Sox, who won their 12th game in a row last night.
And the Birds made even bigger news off the field, signing Kyle Bradish to a five-year, $90 million extension. The deal buys out his remaining two years of arbitration and keeps him in an O’s uniform for an additional three. It’s great news not only for Bradish but also for the Orioles, who have locked up a quality arm through the 2031 season. With Shane Baz also signed long-term, the O’s have guaranteed some stability in their rotation for the next several years.
Bradish has been perhaps the best pitching success story under the Mike Elias administration. The O’s acquired him as a High-A minor leaguer in the Dylan Bundy trade with the Angels in 2019, and while he wasn’t a top prospect at the time of the deal, the Orioles have developed him into one of the game’s most dependable hurlers. Bradish has a career 3.50 ERA in 86 major league starts, including a dominant 2023 season that earned him fourth place in the AL Cy Young vote. After Tommy John surgery cut short his 2024 and 2025 campaigns, he has returned to form this season as an integral part of the Birds’ rotation. Now we’ll be seeing him for a long while.
Kudos to Elias and David Rubenstein for getting this deal done. There are a lot of problems with this Orioles team that won’t be easy to fix — and could ultimately cost Elias his job if the O’s tail off again — but ponying up the money to keep talented players in Baltimore is an excellent way to build the foundation of a winning team. In the past 12 months, the O’s have done it with Samuel Basallo, Baz, and now Bradish, not to mention the five-year commitment to add Pete Alonso in free agency. The Orioles have the core of a contending roster. Now let’s work on cleaning up the other stuff.
There was still more Orioles signing news yesterday. The O’s announced an agreement with their 2026 first-round draft pick, Eric Booth Jr. The deal is for $7,324,700, according to MLB.com’s Jim Callis, which is $2,500 less than the slot value of the #7 pick. There wasn’t much doubt that the Orioles were going to sign Booth, but it’s nice that they got this over with quickly so that the speedy outfielder from Oak Grove, Miss., can start his professional career.
There’s a lot going on with the O’s right now, most of it good. Let’s hope they can keep the positive vibes rolling as they go for a three-game sweep in Houston this afternoon.
Tyler O’Neill saves Orioles in 4-2 win over Astros in extras to extend streak – The Baltimore Sun
Not bad for a player who I wanted the Orioles to release in April.
Bradish inks 5-year contract extension, becomes highest-paid pitcher in O’s history – MLB.com
More on the Bradish extension, including complimentary quotes from Trevor Rogers. Could Rogers himself be next?
O’s announce: They have signed top draft pick Eric Booth Jr. – Steve Melewski
Melewski speculates that Booth could report to extended spring training at Sarasota for a while before he joins an affiliate. But I want to see him now! Don’t the Orioles care what I think?
Will a player ever hit The Warehouse at Oriole Park? | MAILBAG – BaltimoreBaseball.com
Think of all the terrible pitchers the Orioles have employed in the last 34 years, and yet none of them have ever given up a warehouse home run. I’m starting to think it’s never going to happen.
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! Former Orioles born on this day are first baseman David Segui (60), catcher Dan Graham (72), and the late infielder Billy Gardner (b. 1927, d. 2024).
On this date in 1991, Cal Ripken Jr. played his 1,500th consecutive game and also hit his 20th homer of the year, becoming only the eighth hitter in MLB history to begin his career with 10 consecutive 20-homer seasons. That streak was broken the following year, when he hit just 14 during the 1992 campaign.
And in 1994, the Orioles’ scheduled game at the Kingdome was postponed when four 15-pound tiles fell from the roof onto the seats. Fortunately it was two hours before gametime and no fans were sitting there, but yikes. An inspection revealed water damage in many of the roof’s tiles. The Mariners had to play their remaining 20 games on the road before the strike canceled the rest of the season.
On July 19, 1956, the Orioles lost to the White Sox, 3-2, to end a six-game winning streak. Birds starter Mike Fornieles lasted only three innings, giving up three runs and seven hits, and the O’s offense had no answer for White Sox lefty Billy Pierce, who tossed a complete game for the victory. Pierce was a pretty good pitcher but especially dominant against the Orioles in his career, posting a 2.22 ERA against them in 66 games (more than a run lower than his overall 3.27 mark). Left fielder Bob Nieman homered in the losing effort for the Orioles.
With the 2026 trade deadline looming in the coming weeks, contending teams are looking to do everything between making a big splash and tying up some loose ends. Among the more frequent moves at the deadline is movement among veteran relief pitchers. With the Orioles 10 games out of the American League East, and four games under .500, there’s a reasonable chance Yennier Cano could fit that bill.
The Yankees, just like almost any team with October aspirations, could always use some security in the bullpen. The righty broke out with an All-Star season in 2023, and is enjoying his best season in 2026 since then. Cano is a talented pitcher, and has two more years of team control, so he wouldn’t necessarily be the cheapest option out there, but he could certainly be of help to plenty of contending clubs.
2026 Statistics (Thus Far): 42 games, 31.0 IP, 1-2 W-L, 1 save, 2.32 ERA (183 ERA+), 2.58 FIP, 3.25 xFIP, 22.0% K%, 6.3% BB%, 1.06 WHIP, 0.6 fWAR, 0.6 rWAR
2026 ZiPS Rest-of-Season Statistics: 24 games, 24.0 IP, 2-1 W-L, 3.54 ERA, 3.55 FIP, 21.6% K%, 8.0% BB%, 0.2 fWAR
Cano, who made his major league debut at 28 years old back in 2022, has had an up-and-down career in the big leagues. The big right-hander made that debut with the Minnesota Twins, though he pitched only 10 games with the club before being traded to the Orioles. On the whole, none of his 13 games in his debut season were particularly impressive, but Cano did enough to stick around for the 2023 season, and the O’s were certainly glad that he did.
In that year, the righty pitched 72.2 innings, managing a sparkling 2.11 ERA and 2.84 FIP for Baltimore. For a team that won over 100 games, Cano was a vital part of the bullpen for the O’s that featured several premier arms. The performance warranted an All-Star selection for the then 29-year-old, and locked him in as a cog in the Baltimore ‘pen.
While it wasn’t quite on par with the year prior, Cano was still good in the 2024 season, where he worked 60 innings in relief with a still-respectable 3.15 ERA. In a similar workload in 2025, however, Cano struggled to make much of anything happen, as his ERA soared above five while his strikeout and walk rates each took hits. It was certainly a disappointing season for the righty, in his third full year with the O’s, but there was still time for a rebound for Cano.
To this point in the season, it’s fair to call Cano’s 2026 season exactly that. He’s pitched in 42 games this year (just 31 innings), but they have been high quality ones. His 2.32 ERA is the best since that All-Star campaign and his 2.58 FIP would be a career-best. While his strikeout rate is trending in the wrong direction, his control has been top-notch, as he’s limited walks at the best rate in his career. After a down year, a control-reliant bounce back was exactly what the righty needed.
As far as a fit with the Yankees, it would be hard to deny the need for quality bullpen arms for any squad. With one of their prior deadline acquisitions, Camilo Doval, managing an ERA north of five, the Yankees will take another impact right-hander by any means. Whether the Yankees will pay the price for a reliever with two-plus years of control remains to be seen, but Cano would easily slide into almost any bullpen with ease.
Yennier Cano’s track record in the big leagues is not exactly a consistent one, but his highs are impressive, and he’s seemingly in the midst of one of them here in the 2026 season. The Yankees wouldn’t shy away from bullpen help, but the question remains of whether they’d pay for Cano’s talents and team control.
Do you think this is the day where the team doesn’t move their start time up? Not that yesterday or Thursday’s games didn’t need to be moved; they had good reasons.
On to the links.
Phillies news:
MLB news:
Klay Thompson hints at potential Warriors reunion with three-word statement originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
A large portion of Dub Nation wishes Klay Thompson was still on the Warriors.
That includes one fan who met the legendary sharpshooter at Fanatics Fest this week, telling him, “We miss you on the Warriors, buddy.”
In turn, Thompson didn’t rule out a potential reunion in Golden State.
“Thank you. I know,” Thompson replied in a video posted to TikTok by user @la_tinapr. “Never say never.”
Those last three words could be interpreted as a hint around the 36-year-old’s NBA future. After departing the Warriors in 2024, Thompson now is entering the final season of a three-year, $50 million contract with the Dallas Mavericks.
But with the four-time NBA champion set to be a free agent next summer, perhaps Thompson will be interested in returning to the Bay, where he spent the first 13 years of his pro career.
And if that were to happen, Dub Nation — including the fan in that video — certainly won’t be disappointed.
I.
Ralph Sampson showed up in 1979, along with Isiah Thomas, Dominique Wilkins, and James Worthy, while Michael Jordan and Patrick Ewing came along in 1981.
Also arriving in 1981, but with far less fanfare, was Hakeem Olajuwon at Houston.
In that era, international players were just beginning to show up in the U.S. Part of this story we can verify, but not all:
One of the guys who first saw Olajuwon’s potential was named Chris Pond, a native of Raleigh. His brother, Nick, was a sports anchor for WRAL in North Carolina’s capital city.
Reportedly, Pond recommended Olajuwon to NC State coach Norm Sloan, who was not interested, and he ended up a Houston Cougar, after some ugly, cold weather when he arrived in New York persuaded him to pass on St. John’s and to look south.
Olajuwon was not an immediate star for Houston. As a freshman, he was somewhat uncertain, but his talent and footwork were clearly exceptional.
By 1984, Olajuwon had emerged as a huge star, and would meet Ewing in the NCAA championship.
Here are some highlights from that game. They would have many more battles in the NBA, and are now both Hall of Fame members. However, most people would say that Olajuwon had the better overall career.
Bit of trivia: According to Olajuwon, apparently there was a proposed trade before the 1984 draft that would have sent Sampson to Portland for Clyde Drexler and the #2 pick in the 1984 draft.
If it had happened, Houston would have had Olajuwon, Drexler, and probably Michael Jordan, all under the age of 23. It might have taken a few years to get that group up to NBA championship speed, but it would have been astonishing.
Now imagine if, in the 1986 draft, the Rockets had had the foresight to take Georgia Tech’s Mark Price with the #20 pick (Price ended up being the first pick of the second round).
It’s inconceivable to go undefeated in the NBA, but a team with Olajuwon, Drexler, Jordan and Price might have won 75 regular season games.
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CHICAGO — The Chicago Cubs had them singing from the rooftops, dancing in the aisles and crying at the memories.
This is the 10-year anniversary of the Cubs ending their 108-year World Series curse, and they returned over the weekend to Wrigley Field to celebrate the glorious season that North Siders will cherish forever.
The 2016 team partied on those rooftops and at Murphy Bleacher’s with Bill Murray and Eddie Vedder. They told stories and reminisced about ol’ times at the Chicago Theatre with David Ross and Anthony Rizzo hosting a two-hour podcast with their former teammates.
They gathered Saturday to unveil a 22-foot-high “Champions Gate" outside Wrigley Field, honoring their three World Series championships teams, with former Cubs manager Joe Maddon, Rizzo and Cubs owner Tom Ricketts speaking. Former pitcher Kyle Hendricks threw out the ceremonial first pitch.
And then they spent the game sitting in the right field bleachers with cold adult beverages, with Cubs first baseman Michael Busch even hitting a home run into the bleachers that landed at Rizzo’s feet while holding his infant son.
“These last few days, have been the best few days," said Rizzo, wearing his Game 7 jersey, “in the last 10 years of my life."
The good times rolled all weekend, leaving this year’s version of the Cubs feeling envious, knowing just how much they’d love to be included in that royalty some day.
“For the guys that are back in town, it makes you appreciate it even more," says Cubs manager Craig Counsell, “because it’s so difficult to do. It just makes you treasure it. It makes you work hard and understand that it takes your best every single day if you want to even have a chance at it."
The Champs cement their legacy 🏆 pic.twitter.com/5n7AchGODU
— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) July 18, 2026
These Cubs believe they could be that team playing deep into the cool October nights themselves, if they can ever figure out just who they are themselves.
They looked like a team mired in mediocrity the first two weeks of the season, looked like a juggernaut who could challenge the Dodgers when they won 20 of 23 games, looked like a mirage when they dropped 10 games in a row, and then looked like a serious threat to the Brewers by going 20-8 before the break.
They produced two 10-game winning streaks, lost 10 in a row, and finished the first half as MLB’s hottest team with a 54-42 record and the top spot in the NL Wild Card race.
Who are these guys? When you find out, please let them know, too.
“It’s been a really odd first half," said Jed Hoyer, Cubs president of baseball operations. “Our record seems solid, you know, but the way we got there was so strange. The winning streaks, the 35 games as the worst offense in baseball, struggles, the injures.
“We put ourselves in good position, but obviously I know we can we can play even better."
The ultimate mission, of course, is to make sure the Cubs don’t go another century without winning another championship and there are folks still alive to witness it.
The Cubs haven’t adopted any gimmicks or mantra like Maddon’s “Embrace the Target" or ‘Try Not To Suck,’’ but they believe that with their explosive – but inconsistent – offense (ranking fourth in OPS) and fabulous defense, they have the nucleus to play until the ivy turns brown.
But if they’re going to be a serious challenger to the big boys in the National League, they’re going to need some more pitching. To be specific, a big-time starter, with San Francisco Giants No. 2 starter Robbie Ray being a perfect fit. They are expected to have Jameson Taillon return this week, and Edward Cabrera in three weeks, but they can’t afford to wait. They could use bullpen help, too, with closer Daniel Palencia sidelined until at least mid-August.
“I think I’ve said it to you a million times," said Hoyer, “you can’t have enough pitching. You never have enough. This first half has kind of proven that. We thought we went in with real depth and we got to the end of our depth, and I had to trade for guys and pick up guys."
The Cubs believe that acquiring just that one starter, maybe a reliever, too, could be the difference between playing late in October or going home in the first round of the postseason, providing, of course, they get there.
The 2016 Cubs exemplified what an ace and a lights-out closer can mean for a playoff team. They had a star-studded rotation with Lester, John Lackey and Hendricks, but they also had one of the best pitchers on the planet in Jake Arrieta. Arrieta went 22-6 with a 1.77 ERA while winning the Cy Young award in 2015, and then came back to go 18-8 with a 3.10 ERA the year Chicago won the title.
“I would walk into the stadium every day knowing we were going to win the game," Arrieta said, “because of the pitching we had along with four to seven [position players] that were going to get off that night."
Still, if the Cubs were going to win the 2016 World Series, they knew a light-out closer was a necessity. The Yankees had one in Aroldis Chapman, but it was going to be a steep price. were asking for the Cubs’ top prospects. Epstein initially resisted, and as painful as it was, traded pitcher Adam Warren and three prospects, highlighted by their No. 1 prospect Gleyber Torres.
It led to Epstein’s famous quote: “If not now, when?"
“It’s one thing to assemble a bunch of talent," Epstein said Saturday, “it’s another thing to have that group turn into a championship team that stands up in the face of adversity at the most important times. That’s more than just numbers and more than talent, it’s how they came together as a group.’’
It was the second time Epstein, the former Cubs president of baseball operations, ended a curse, leading the Boston Red Sox to the 2004 World Series championship after last winning in 1918. Yet, even though Epstein is a native of Boston, this one resonated much more.
“The difference was that I was super young in Boston," Epstein said, “and we kind of did it with a bunch of young guys in the front office. The whole thing, I barely remember it. The whole thing seemed like one wild night out. We didn’t realize how hard it was. We were just kind of all along for the ride together.
“With the Cubs, I knew how hard it was. I didn’t take it for granted. So I appreciated that one more in the moment, how hard it is, how you can’t let those opportunities go by you.’’
This is why the Cubs need to strike and acquire pitching if they’re going to take advantage of this opportunity, themselves. They have a 4.33 ERA, which ranks just 21st in baseball.
“I try to not get overly emotional about it,” Hoyer says. “I try to stick to the numbers and make sure we’re doing things that make sense on paper. But I think our position-playing group is really, really good. … That’s a group that could win a lot of games in October.
“Obviously, the challenge for us has simply been pitching and pitching injuries.”
The way Hoyer views it, it’s not enough just to get into the playoffs. They did that last year when they were a wild-card team, played a best-of-three series against the San Diego Padres, and were bounced out of the NL Division Series by the Brewers after forced to start Matthew Boyd on short rest.
It’s a huge advantage in October, Hoyer insists, not only winning the NL Central, but having one of the league’s top two records to clinch a first-round bye.
“Getting a bye is effectively winning a series and weakening your opponent in the next series,’’ Hoyer says. “That’s a really big deal. If the odds say that you can do that, that’s a different equation than if not. You have to be aware of those things, and we certainly will be.”
Certainly, they can’t afford to have another lull in the second half if they’re going to catch the Brewers, who have a six-game lead. The more the Cubs can close the gap on the Brewers, the more aggressive the front office will be to pursue pitching. But if the Cubs drop further back by the trade deadline, that approach could become much more passive.
“There’s some sense of urgency of going out there and playing your best ball right off the bat," Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson says. “There’s no room to get things figured out. We’ve got to be ready now.
“We can sit here and go through all the scenarios in the world, but what matters is this group stepping up and playing ball that it’s capable of doing.”
And if they do, well, their lives could forever change, as Rizzo and former Cubs catcher and manager David Ross can tell you.
“I’d be a lot poorer, I know that,’’ Ross said. “This team let me manage. This team’s let me dance ("Dancing with the Stars"). It’s gotten me an ESPN gig. It’s gotten me a podcast. It’s gotten me a managerial job. It’s gotten me private jets.’’
Said Rizzo: “There’s a lot of great guys, players before us that didn’t win here that are cerebrated and loved dearly here. Obviously, no one’s won here in 108 years before us, so winning does change everything for you. Winning in Chicago, the magnitude of what we won, has elevated our careers and live and brotherhoold tremendously. It has changed our lives, big time.’’
If this Cubs team can grab that big-time starter and get into the dance, there’s no telling just what might happen.
“Whether it’s in Chicago, in Illinois, or nationwide or worldwide,’’ Arrieta said, “we get told stories on a daily or weekly basis of what this meant to families and generations of families, and that’s special. This is something we were able to do and cement ourselves in Cubs history forever.”
Now, with no player remaining in the organization from the 2016 team, and only four players still active in the game, this team is ready to carry the torch.
“I’m proud of how hard it was for us and how much adversity was thrown our way,” Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong said. “For how beat up we were, for how many guys have cycled through here … this was a friggin’ team effort, this first half.
“It definitely shows that this clubhouse, this team that we have right now is capable, super capable.
“We got a lot to look forward to.’’
– The New York Mets have yet to conduct a managerial search for the 2027 season, but their first choice appears to be Hall of Famer Carlos Beltran. They actually expressed interest having him take over after the firing of Carlos Mendoza. Yet, he passed with his Hall of Fame commitments this summer, and they instead turned to Andy Green.
Green will return to the front office after the season ends and Beltran’s schedule will be free.
The Mets are also retiring his No. 15 in September.
– Rival executives believe that the Mets will trade shortstop Francico Lindor this winter – not at the trade deadline. He’s owed $160 million over the next five years after this season, and has a full no-trade clause, complicating a deal by Aug. 3.
– The Chicago White Sox sent Nick Hostelter, their special assistant, to keep taps on Mets starter Clay Holmes, who has begun his rehab assignment after breaking his right fibula on May 15.
– Aaron Judge's fractured right rib is healing, but he is still unable to resume baseball activities. The Yankees remain hopeful and cautiously optimistic that Judge will return this season, but there are no guarantees.
– The Chicago Cubs have begun working on the 2027 All-Star Game, but are tentatively planning to cancel their traditional Cubs Convention in January because of the potential lockout. They can’t plan for a convention not knowing if players will be able to attend in the event of a lockout. The plan would change, of course, if there’s a labor agreement much earlier than anyone anticipates.
– While Shohei Ohtani is the most famous baseball player on the planet, apparently word hasn’t reached former boxing champion Mike Tyson.
When he announced that Ohtani was the winner of the ESPY’s best single-game performance for his three-homer, 10-strikeout Game 4 of the 2025 NLCS against the Milwaukee Brewers, a hot mic caught Tyson asking MMA fighter Jake Paul, “Shohei’s a guy?"
Paul: “Yeah, he’s a guy.’’
– So, what are the Houston Astros looking for at the trade deadline?
In the words of one high-ranking Astros’ executive: “Pitching, pitching and more pitching.’’
The Astros are about $12.5 million under the luxury tax threshold after saving $2.5 million in the Lance McCullers trade with the Brewers, which would certainly cover the salary of acquiring someone like Tarik Skubal or Robbie Ray.
Their rotation posted the third-highest ERA and averaged the eighth-fewest innings per start before the All-Star break.
– Scouts from the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays were at Wrigley Field over the weekend to closely watch Minnesota Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers, starter Joe Ryan and outfielder Trevor Larnach.
– The Phillies, who already were seeking a right-handed hitting outfielder, now are in desperate need of a setup man with veteran Brad Keller out for the year with a torn UCL in his right elbow. They would love to acquire Mets reliever Luke Weaver, but the price tag may be high.
– The Pirates, who entered the break having scored an MLB-leading 516 runs, plan to be aggressive at the deadline. Yet, only if they can acquire pieces without increasing payroll. Their biggest need is the bullpen after blowing 17 saves in 36 opportunities with a 4.49 ERA. It’s the worst save percentage in MLB.
The Pirates have the second-longest playoff drought in MLB at 10 years, ahead of only the Los Angeles Angels.
– The Padres are last in MLB in runs per game (3.95) and 27th in starting pitcher ERA (4.78).
That’s a tough combination to overcome.
They have just six quality starts in their past 34 games, all by Michael King.
Rival executives are convinced the Padres will be motivated to sell and buy at the same time, and will move All-Star closer Mason Miller.
– It was bizarre that MLB released their 2027 schedule just two hours after the NHL schedule came out, and 1 ½ months earlier than a year ago.
It could be to show the fans that they really plan to start the season on time next season, or allow the owners to bank the season-ticket money and collect interest while the lockout endures.
–Justin Verlander says he’s undecided what cap he would wear on his eventual Hall of Fame plaque between the Detroit Tigers and Houston Astros, where he won two World Series titles.
Prediction: He’ll either wear a Tigers cap or no logo.
– Verlander believes it’s ludicrous that anyone could actually believe that former San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey’s Hall of Fame credentials could be diminished because of his struggles as Giants president of baseball operations.
“That’s ridiculous,’’ Verlander said. “That’s a ridiculous question.’’
– It was quite the All-Star weekend for Hamilton High School in Chandler, Ariz.
Roch Cholowsky became the No. 1 pick by the Chicago White Sox in the amateur draft, and three days later fellow Hamilton High alumnus Cody Bellinger was MVP of the All-Star Game.
– Rob Manfred has spoken openly about the teams at the top of the list for an upcoming All-Star Game. Here's what the future years could look like, barring the 2027 game getting canceled due to a work stoppage:
2027: Wrigley Field, Chicago
2028: Oracle Park, San Francisco
2029: Rogers Centre, Toronto
2030: Camden Yards, Baltimore
2031: Las Vegas
2032: Fenway Park, Boston
2033: Rate Field, Chicago
– For those who question why the Detroit Tigers would keep ace Tarik Skubal, the Tigers finished the first half with the second-best ERA (3.50) in the American League with the lowest opponent’s batting average (.225), despite Skubal missing five weeks, Casey Mize spending two short stints on the IL, and Verlander making one start.
They also won 22 of their last 36 games entering the All-Star break.
“Adversity,’’ Skubal told reporters before the break, “isn’t foreign to us.’’
– Pete Crow-Armstrong on whether he thinks it’s possible for him or anyone else to ever unseat Shohei Ohtani for the MVP award providing Ohtani stays healthy and productive as a two-way player.
“I would love to de-throne him," Crow-Armstrong said, “but I don’t know how you do it unless I go to a pitching lab in the off-season. I’ll go be a closer or something and see how that helps my odds.
“But, nah, that guy’s a freak. So maybe once he stops being a little freaky ….’’
– San Diego Padres veteran starter Nick Pivetta, who has been out since the fourth start of the season, must return by Aug. 22 to avoid the Padres from having the option to trigger an opt-out clause in his contract. If he’s not back by that day, which is 130 days from going on the IL, the Padres can void the last two year and $32 million of his contract.
– Remember when the White Sox lost an MLB-record 121 games two years ago?
Remember when they were 32-65 at the All-Star break a year ago?
When they opened the season with a 6-13 record, outscored, 52-21, on their opening road trip?
Well, they since went 44-32, with the AL’s second-best record since April 17, and now find themselves in the playoffs if the season ended today.
“We just settled in,” White Sox manager Will Venable told reporters. “If you’re going to survive in this league, you have to deal with adversity. I thought we did a good job of really staying the course there in the early going. To find our way means a lot.”
– Veteran Milwaukee Brewers starter Brandon Woodruff, who needs shoulder surgery for the second time in three years, still hopes to return to baseball, perhaps in 2028.
– Atlanta officials are pessimistic that prized starter Spencer Strider will return this season. He hasn’t pitched since June 12 when he was placed on the IL with elbow inflammation, and is scheduled to visit Dr. Keith Meister again this week.
They badly need another veteran starter at the deadline.
– Who would have imagined that the Toronto Blue Jays would be two outs away from the World Series one year, and sitting in last place in the AL East the next? They have gone from potential buyers to likely sellers at the trade deadline.
– You wonder why the Phillies are searching for another starter? The Phillies’ ERA in games not started by Cristopher Sanchez, Zack Wheeler and Jesus Luzardo had a 5.14 ERA. They are 40-14 when that trio starts, and 14-30 in all other games.
– The Cleveland Guardians have got to love their chances of repeating in the AL Central when you consider that they rank 29th in MLB in runs scored, batting average and OPS, and still be tied for first place. They’ll take their chances that they’ll see drastic improvement from injured third baseman Jose Ramirez (.239 with a .757 OPS and Steven Kwan (.225 with a .614 OPS).
– THard to believe, but the Cincinnati Reds are a woeful 6-22 against their NL Central opponents this season, easily the worst in baseball.
– The most surprising turnaround has been the Boston Red Sox, who were left for dead, and suddenly reeled off 10 consecutive victories and now are as dangerous as anyone in the American League.
Maybe, Craig Breslow had an idea what he was doing, after all.
Follow Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Cubs' World Series anniversary is reminder to act at MLB trade deadline
Tyler Bell was absolutely fantastic while in Lexington. We knew when he committed that as soon as he became eligible, he was going pro.
And it didn’t take long for him to be selected, going 10th overall to the Colorado Rockies. But that leaves a huge hole in the middle of the infield for Kentucky.
That hole got a little smaller when infielder and Ohio State transfer Lee Ellis committed to the Cats.
First, nobody can fully replace Bell, but Ellis will certainly give it a go. He hit .314/.438/.556 with 54 walks, 95 strikeouts, and 9 errors across two years. Bell played shortstop, and Ellis was a second baseman last year after playing at short the year prior, and may slide over to short while in Lexington.
Ellis has hit .273/.396/.493 across 3 seasons in college while committing a lot more errors (24). So, he is not the same kind of raw talent that Bell was, but few players actually will be. Ellis however is still a player with good speed, a good bat, and if his fielding ticks up a player that can make a positive impact for Nick Mingione.
This brings Kentucky’s portal class to 10:
With Bell gone, there is a lot of playing time up for grabs, and Ellis will make his mark in Lexington after playing pretty good baseball with Ohio State. Nick Mingione found a solid role piece to help supplement the offense, but as usual with this Kentucky team, pitching is going to be the difference maker.
Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders: Postponed due to rain vs. Worcester Red Sox
Double-A Somerset Patriots:L, 0-11 at Portland Sea Dogs
LF Jackson Castillo 0-3, 1 BB, 2 K
CF Jace Avina 0-4, 2 K
3B Coby Morales 1-3, 1 BB, 1 K, fielding error
RF DJ Gladney 0-4, 3 K
2B Connor McGinnis 0-4, 2 K, fielding error
C Tomas Frick 1-3, 1 2B, 1 K
1B Josh Moylan 0-3, 1 K
DH Manuel Palencia 1-3, 2 K
SS Owen Cobb 0-3
Chase Hampton 3.2 IP, 3 R, 5 H, 3 BB, 7 K, 1 HR (loss) — still not a pretty result, but racked up a few K’s
Kelly Austin 1.1 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 1 BB, 1 K
Hayden Merda 1 IP, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 K
Luis Velasquez 0.2 IP, 3 R, 0 ER, 2 H, 1 K
Kevin Stevens 0.1 IP, 4 R, 3 H, 1 BB, 1 HR
Trent Sellers 1 IP, 0 R, 2 BB, 3 K
High-A Hudson Valley Renegades: Postponed due to rain at Brooklyn Cyclones, doubleheader scheduled for today
Low-A Tampa Tarpons:W, 6-1 vs. Bradenton Marauders
SS Jackson Lovich 0-4, 2 K
1B Hans Montero 0-3, 1 BB, 3 K
C Luis Puello 1-3, 2 R, 1 BB, 1 SB
DH David McCann 1-4, 1 3B, 1 RBI, 2 K
3B Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek 1-3, 2 R, 1 BB, 2 SB
RF Willy Montero 1-4, 1 R, 2 K, 1 SB
LF Brando Mayea 2-4, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 1 R
2B Luis Escudero 0-2, 1 K
2B Christofer Reyes 0-1, 1 BB, 1 K
CF Isael Arias 0-2, 1 BB
Wyatt Parliament 5 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 1 BB, 5 K, 1 HR (win)
Greysen Carter 2.2 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 BB, 3 K (hold)
Austin Breedlove 1.1 IP, 0 R, 1 K
Florida Complex League Yankees:W, 10-6 (7) and W, 6-2 (7) at FCL Tigers
Game 1:
3B Richard Matic 0-3, 1 R, 2 K
SS Dax Kilby 0-1, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K
2B Diego Flores 1-2, 1 2B, 1 R, throwing error
LF Wilberson De Pena 2-4, 1 2B, 3 RBI, 2 K, 1 SB — the lone base thief in Game 1
C Queni Pineda 2-4, 1 HR, 1 3B, 1 RBI, 2 R, 1 K
CF Jose Castro 1-3, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 R, 1 CS
DH Francisco Vilorio 2-2, 1 2B, 2 R, 1 BB
2B-SS Dexters Peralta 1-3, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 1 R, 1 K
RF Estivenzon Montero 2-3, 1 HR, 1 2B, 2 RBI, 1 R, 1 K
1B Justin Capellan 0-3, 1 K, fielding error
Chalneil Arias 0.2 IP, 3 R, 2 ER, 4 H, 1 K
Mack Estrada 1 IP, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 H, 1 BB, 1 K, pickoff error
Jorge Luna 0.1 IP, 0 R
Jerson Alejandro 2 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 3 K
Brian Hendry 2 IP, 0 R, 4 K (win)
Rafael Arias 1 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 2 K
Game 2:
3B Richard Matic 2-4, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 2 R, 1 K
RF Wilberson De Pena 2-3, 1 RBI, 1 R, 1 HBP, 2 SB, 1 CS
DH Queni Pineda 0-2, 1 BB, 2 K, 1 HBP, 3 SB
CF Jose Castro 1-4, 1 RBI, 1 R, 3 K, 2 SB
LF Francisco Vilorio 1-3, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K, 2 SB, 1 CS
SS Dexters Peralta 0-3, 1 R, 2 K
C Justin Capellan 2-3, 2 2B, 1 RBI, 1 K
2B Diego Flores 0-2, 1 R, 3 SB — the game plan completely switched in Game 2, with 12 steals from five players
1B Carlos Rondon 0-3, 2 K
Manuel Cruz 4 IP, 2 R, 4 H, 2 BB, 4 K, 1 HR
Hueston Morrill 1 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 2 K
Enixon Sanchez 2 IP, 0 R, 2 BB, 4 K (win)
Dominican Summer League Yankees: Off-day
Dominican Summer League Bombers: Off-day
Hugo González is picking up right where he left off after his rookie season with the Boston Celtics, and his progress isn’t going unnoticed this summer.
González logged his final Summer League appearance this past Wednesday against the Sacramento Kings and his finale ended up being his best performance in Las Vegas. González scored a game-high 24 points while tallying 10 rebounds and five assists in Boston’s 82-76 victory.
Those around the organization aren’t surprised by González’s offseason growth, which began well before the Celtics reconvened for their final games in Las Vegas.
“He’s a pro,” Celtics assistant Amile Jefferson told reporters Saturday, per CLNS Media, “and I think he’s actually just a bigger guy. You saw it last season, putting him on team’s five, play him one through five, just whoever the best player is, because he can not only be physical, but he’s very mobile.”
Last season, he quickly established himself as one of Boston’s most elite defensive threats. González tackled every assignment thrown at him — including 6-foot-11 Giannis Antetokounmpo in March — and didn’t disappoint. Mindful of his role approaching what’ll be a major opportunity for the second-year pro, González emphasized his strength.
Returning to the court for competition began early for González this summer. He joined the Spanish national team and suited up during the FIBA qualifying battles in July, scoring 16 points against Denmark. Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla even made the trip down to pay González a visit and catch a glimpse of the results of González’s offseason work in live action.
González finished 13th in All-Rookie voting for the league’s rookie class with five votes for the Second Team. And while his scoring wasn’t up to par with the likes of fellow newcomers Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel, and V. J. Edgecombe, González remained as impactful as any other rookie — and for a Celtics team that won 56 games and secured a No. 2 seed finish in the Eastern Conference.
Reports suggested González’s value within the organization became evident in Boston’s trade discussions with the Milwaukee Bucks centered around Giannis, as Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens refused to include González (and more) in the team’s offer for the Greek Freak.
So this upcoming season, the bar is raised for last summer’s first-round selection (28th overall).
“In the summer, I think he’s worked on all facets of his game,” Jefferson continued. “That’s on and off the court, and that has to do with his body. So I think everyone has seen his improvements.”
González averaged 3.9 points, 3.3 rebounds and 0.5 assists with 0.6 steals and 0.3 blocks in 14.6 minutes off the bench last season for Boston. Those figures did no justice to González’s impact as a sparkplug, always ready to uplift the team’s energy at any given moment.
Teammates and coaches quickly formed a positive impression of the youngster, and it only improved as the season progressed.
That began during training camp when Jordan Walsh and Baylor Scheierman spoke highly of González, highlighting his work ethic for a then-first-year pro.
For González, shot efficiency is the most notable need for improvement. He shot 36 percent from 3-point range last season and often struggled to create his own offense off the dribble. This upcoming season, with Jaylen Brown gone and a greater need for depth contribution all across the board from the roster, González will need to take a significant leap with 74 NBA appearances already under his belt.
He’s also gotten started on building the team’s morale amid its 3-2 Summer League run.
“He’s one of the loudest guys in the room, if not the loudest,” guard John Tonje added, per CLNS Media. “He brings a lot of energy. He’s fun, he’s fun to be around, especially during the World Cup. Spain has been doing well, so he’s talking a lot.”
Safe to say González will have his eyes glued on Sunday’s matchup with the team officially done with Las Vegas, rooting against Lionel Messi.
Just a guess.
