CLEVELAND, OHIO - JULY 18: Travis Bazzana #37 of the Cleveland Guardians hits an RBI triple during the third inning in game one of a doubleheader against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Progressive Field on July 18, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
This will be a short recap, since nothing really of note happened.
Gavin Williams was, well, weird. 11 Ks in 6 innings, but gave up 3 HRs and 5 earned runs.
The offense did practically nothing. After Gavin gave up a 2-run homer in the 2nd, Kwan singled with two outs in the bottom of the 2nd. Jared Jones missed on a 2-2 fastball, and Bazzana laced a triple down the right-field line, scoring Kwan. For what it’s worth, it probably wouldn’t have been a triple if not for Kwan’s spectacular baserunning, getting from first to home on what was, in most cases, a routine double.
That was all.
Pirates starter Jared Jones went 5 innings, striking out 9, and giving up only that one run. The pirates bullpen pitched 4 scoreless innings, striking out 4.
The Guardians bullpen pitched 3 innings and gave up 2 runs.
The Guardians mustered up 7 baserunners today, and collected only one extra-base hit.
SEATTLE — Landen Roupp didn’t want his night to end. But he didn’t put up a fight.
When just over two more innings represents a career high for a season, you learn to pick your battles over going back out for one more. Even in the case of Roupp, who shares the same bulldog mentality as Logan Webb and, on Friday, sure pitched like the Giants’ ace, too.
Giants pitcher Landen Roupp expects to play a big role during the second half of the season. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Roupp tossed seven shutout innings to help the Giants start the second half on the right note Friday in a 7-0 win over the Mariners. Still, he understood he had minimal leverage to persuade manager Tony Vitello to give him the chance of completing eight for a second straight start.
“He made a comment today about not fighting to go back out there in the eighth,” Vitello said.
Instead, he handed the game off to Jason Foley, who touched 97 mph while tossing a scoreless eighth in his first big-league appearance since 2024. Caleb Kilian took care of business in the ninth, and the Giants finished what they hope is a preview of what’s to come in their final stretch.
Roupp, 27, figures to be a big part of the Giants’ second-half plans, especially if Robbie Ray and/or Tyler Mahle are pitching for different teams after the Aug. 3 trade deadline.
The young right-hander has looked the part of a No. 2 his past two times out. Before allowing two hits over seven innings against the Mariners, Roupp limited the Blue Jays to one run on three hits.
In that outing, 11 days earlier, Roupp was allowed to complete eight innings, a career high. That also put him on the doorstep of another significant milepost: He was less than 10 innings from matching his largest workload in one season — the 106 ⅔ he threw last year.
When his night was over Friday, Roupp’s inning total stood at 104.
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By the sounds of it, the Giants have no plans of lightening his load.
Vitello was asked after the game about his plans for Roupp in the second half, given the career high he is almost certain to blow past the next time he takes the mound.
“Let him pitch,” he said. “Try not to get in a fistfight in the dugout any time he comes out of the game.”
That’s music to Roupp’s ears.
“I don’t really like to take breaks,” he said. “It kind of just messes with my momentum and rhythm. … I feel good to go. I don’t really see anything stopping this.”
Roupp has tossed 104 innings this season and likely will eclipse his career high during his next start. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Roupp had plenty of downtime between his two most recent starts and said he felt a “little sluggish” when he took the mound in Seattle, even if it didn’t show. After starting 11 losses in a row, tying a franchise record, Roupp has used pretty much the same formula to correct course his past two starts.
“Just trying to pound the zone,” Roupp said. “Not really going for strikeouts much.”
For the most part, he has done a good job of generating early contact. That has allowed him to pitch deeper into games while limiting runs despite striking out less than a batter every two innings his past two starts, which could also bode well for his ability to continue to take on a larger workload.
“I think if you look at his whole body of work, he’s been great for us all year long,” Vitello said. “It’s just been a couple outings where his pitch count gets high on him because he’s not in the zone.”
The Giants opted to skip his last turn in the rotation before the All-Star break, a decision Vitello chalked up more to finding an opportunity for Carson Whisenhunt than giving Roupp a breather.
“Finding ways to get Wiz involved,” Vitello said, “is something we’re all thinking about in the back of our minds as we talk about the pitching staff.”
Soon enough, Roupp and Whisenhunt will likely be in the rotation. There should be no shortage of innings and starts to go around once the Giants’ sell-off commences.
In the meantime, Roupp found a creative setting to stay fresh during his extended layoff. While Webb was enjoying the All-Star festivities in Philadelphia and Vitello was relaxing on the beach in Cabo, Roupp stayed closer to home. He went to Santa Cruz with Casey Schmitt.
The teammates took in the boardwalk, mostly stayed away from the cold, seaweed-filled ocean water and played catch in the driveway of a friend’s house where they were staying.
“I guess it was good, in the long run, to take a break like that,” Roupp said, even though he added, “I would rather not” take another one.
ATLANTA, GA - JULY 02: Dustin May #3 of the St. Louis Cardinals pitches in the first inning during the game against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on July 2, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The St. Louis Cardinals will play game 2 in Arizona Saturday afternoon as Dustin May takes the mound for the Cardinals hoping to win the series versus the Diamondbacks. Arizona will try to foil that plan by giving the ball to RHP Brandon Pfaadt. First pitch is set for 3:10pm central time in the desert. The game TV broadcast will be available through Cardinals.tv.
Jul 8, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; Kansas City Royals relief pitcher Randy Dobnak (62) pitches in the third inning against the New York Mets at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
Here’s the good news: After winning a wild game last night, the Royals have a shot to take the series with a W this afternoon. The bad news: They’re going to have to do it with Randy Dobnak taking a turn in the rotation because Stephen Kolek needs a tune-up start for Omaha (also occurring today) before he’s ready to rejoin the Royals’ rotation following an extended stay on the Family Medical Emergency list to be with his prematurely-born baby daughter.
Dobnak has danced around trouble – allowing 9 hits and 4 walks while only striking out 4 in 9.2 innings – in 2 appearances for the Royals. If he earns at least one out today, it will be the most major league innings he has thrown in a season since 2021. He didn’t pitch in the bigs at all in ‘22 or ‘23, pitched 9.2 innings in ‘24, and only 5.1 innings last year. When the Twins called him up as a 24-year-old in 2019, it seemed like he could be a swingman in their rotation and bullpen for years to come but it just didn’t work out that way for him. The Royals, of course, acquired him for cash from the Mariners when he exercised an upward-mobility clause in his contract with them earlier this year. The Royals actually just sold Rudy Martin Jr.‘s rights to the Orioles for the same reason yesterday.
The Padres will send Griffin Canning to the mound. Canning is something the opposite of last night’s starter, Michael King. His K-BB% is better, but his LOB% is worse, so he carries an unwieldy 6.47 ERA despite a SIERA of 4.57. So, he’s the opposite of King in that he’s been unlucky, but the same as King in that his true performance has been closer to mediocre than the results would seem to indicate. Don’t ask me what the Royals might do about it.
Canning has seven pitches, though he only throws four of them more than 10% of the time, with three of those – his four-seamer, slider, and changeup – accounting for almost 3/4 of his pitches thrown. He doesn’t generally get anyone to chase his pitches. His slider and cutter can generate some whiffs. Batters don’t do well when they put the knuckle-curveball or sweeper into play. The changeup grades out the best of his pitches. It’s a mish-mash of stats that only tell you that he doesn’t seem to have a clear identity as a pitcher. That can be a problem for a good offense, but I could see how it would make it difficult for a bad offense to figure out a plan against him.
Lineups
Speaking of bad offenses, the Royals will send out the same nine they used last night. I wouldn’t hate it if they did better with runners in scoring position before the tenth inning. Only time will tell if they can manage it.
CINCINNATI, OHIO - JULY 03: Pitcher Trevor Rogers #28 of the Baltimore Orioles throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on July 03, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Jeff Dean/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Orioles are in unprecedented territory, carrying a season-best five-game winning streak into today’s game. What do you say we make it six?
The Birds’ second-half opener last night wasn’t the most crisply played affair, with nine walks by the O’s pitching staff and a nearly non-existent offensive showing, but Taylor Ward’s dramatic, eighth-inning home run turned a sure defeat into a dramatic victory. The win leapfrogged the Orioles a half game ahead of the Astros in the crowded wild card race.
If the O’s hope to stay ahead, they’ll need to win at least one of their next two games in Houston. Preferably both! Today Trevor Rogers will make his first start of the second half, hoping to continue the roll he was on before the All-Star break. Since the start of June, the lefty has a 1.73 ERA in seven outings, going 4-1 with four quality starts. He’s shaved his once sky-high 6.96 ERA to a reasonable 4.48. If Rogers can hold Yordan Alvarez in check, he’s got a good chance to lower that mark even further.
The Orioles, against Astros righty Spencer Arrighetti, have eight of the same nine guys in the lineup as last night. The one exception is at third base, where newly recalled Christian Encarnacion-Strand makes his Orioles debut in place of Coby Mayo. This will be Encarnacion-Strand’s first MLB appearance in more than a year, since July 8, 2025 with the Reds. He’s never had much success at the major league level, batting just .233/.275/.404 in parts of three seasons with Cincinnati, but he was tearing up Triple-A Norfolk with 17 homers and a .555 SLG in 61 games. If he can play a decent defensive third base and hit a few dingers for however long he’s with the Orioles, I’ll take that.
At 17 letters, Encarnacion-Strand has the longest last name in Orioles history. So he’s got that going for him.
Orioles lineup:
DH Adley Rutschman SS Gunnar Henderson LF Taylor Ward 1B Pete Alonso C Samuel Basallo RF Dylan Beavers CF Colton Cowser 3B Christian Encarnacion-Strand 2B Jackson Holliday
LHP Trevor Rogers
Astros lineup:
SS Jeremy Peña DH Yordan Alvarez 3B Isaac Paredes 2B Jose Altuve 1B Christian Walker C Yainer Diaz RF Cam Smith LF Zach Dezenzo CF Lucas Spence
LAKE HAVASU CITY, ARIZONA - OCTOBER 30: A general view of Tinnell Memorial Skate Plaza as competitors warm up prior to the Finals of the 2021 SLS Championship Tour: Lake Havasu at Rotary Park on October 30, 2021 in Lake Havasu City, Arizona. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Today’s Lineups
CARDINALS
DIAMONDBACKS
JJ Wetherholt – 2B
Ketel Marte – 2B
Ivan Herrera – DH
Geraldo Perdomo – SS
Alec Burleson – 1B
Corbin Carroll – RF
Jordan Walker – RF
Gabriel Moreno – DH
Lars Nootbaar – LF
Max Kepler – LF
Masyn Winn – SS
Nolan Arenado – 3B
Nathan Church – CF
Tim Tawa – 1B
Jose Fermin – 3B
James McCann – C
Pedro Pages – C
Ryan Waldschmidt – CF
Dustin May – RHP
Brandon Pfaadt – RHP
Roster moves (just before going to press!)
The Arizona Diamondbacks made the following roster moves. The D-backs’ 40-man roster is at 40.
Recalled from Triple-A Reno: C Adrian Del Castillo
Placed on the 10-day injured list: OF Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (strained right adductor)
Selected to the Major League roster and optioned to Triple-A Reno: RHP Gerardo Carrillo
It’s rare that a Diamondbacks’ loss so thoroughly annoyed me as the one last night. It was bad enough dipping into the Gameday Thread during last night’s concert. But after we came home and I was watching the condensed version of the game to unwind… Well, it succeeded only in winding me up more. It felt, after sweeping the enemy in Dodger Stadium, that the D-backs had the chance to get on a roll, and I wondered if perhaps the All-Star break was coming at just the wrong time. For certainly, based on the evidence last night, this looked like an Arizona team which had forgotten entirely how to play the game over the four days off.
There was hardly an aspect of the Diamondbacks game which was even adequate. Sloppy defense. Poor approaches at the plate (and never mind the 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position, they seemed especially poor with a runner on third and less than two outs). Issuing free passes in key situations. Even the ABS challenges were woeful, allowing home-plate umpire Bill Miller to get away with the single most skewed pitch-calling (click on “Favor (Home)” to sort by that) of the season so far. Indeed, there just only one worse game all of last year – when there were no ABS challenges available to mitigate this level of official incompetence.
Hopefully, things will go better today. Merrill Kelly’s start was actually one of the lesser problems. While he did the five and dive, two of the three runs he allowed came courtesy of Marte’s first-inning gaffe and were unearned. So his ERA dropped to 5.20, the lowest it has been since May. We’ll see if Brandon Pfaadt can join him on the recovery train. Since returning to the rotation, he’s 3-0 with a 1.72 ERA and a FIP under three. Especially with the news about Zac Gallen, it looks like Pfaadt will be a key component of the rotation for the rest of the season. If he can pitch like it again today, we will be all the better for it.
No nifty orange color like Wednesday’s expected in Toronto today, but the roof is expected to be closed anyway. | AFP via Getty Images
Given how much the White Sox have crushed right handed starters recently, Sox fans seeing another righty on the schedule may well go, “Oh, yesss!!” Then when they see who it is, they may well go, “Oh, noooo!!!” And then, when they look at recent stats, they’ll be back to, “Oh, yesss!!” again.
That’s because the Blue Jays are starting Shane Bieber, whom Sox fans are bound to remember from his Cy Young and multiple-All Star years in Cleveland. But lately, Bieber has been more Justin than Shane, thanks to injuries.
Bieber was outstanding for two starts in 2024 before departing for Tommy John surgery. Then he was just so-so after coming back late last season. And then he had another elbow injury this spring which kept him out until June 23, since which he has been absolutely horrible — 26 hits, seven of them homers, in just 17 2/3 innings, to go along with ten walks, adding up to a 7.64 ERA and 2.04 WHIP.
The Sox counter with the righty who had been their star earlier, but Davis Martin has himself struggled some lately, raising his ERA a point in the past month, His last time out, Martin gave up five runs in four innings against the Red Sox — but maybe all he needed was a nice relaxing time between starts, provided thanks to the All-Star break.
With right handers on the mound, both teams have gone to lefty-heavy lineups, though the Blue Jays are limited from that side.
First pitch is scheduled for 2:07 Central (:07 must be a Canadian thing), with the Rogers Centre roof expected to be closed because of wildfire pollution. Usual broadcast suspects instead of the greed fest last night that put the game on Apple TV.
The team wrapped up its Las Vegas summer league campaign Saturday with a 96-94 loss to the Bucks. Brayden Burries’ lefty layup with 1.5 seconds left won it for Milwaukee.
Both the Sixers and Bucks went 2-3 over their five games in Vegas.
Gerald Ayayi was the Sixers’ leading scorer with 22 points. Dante Maddox Jr. and Nick Townsend each had 15.
Here are observations on the Sixers’ summer finale:
Philon and Broome’s summers
Labaron Philon Jr. and Johni Broome watched the action from the sideline. The Sixers started Duke Miles, Maddox, Ayayi, Amani Lyles and Isaac Johnson.
He didn’t shoot nearly as well as at Alabama (38.2 percent from the floor, 25.8 percent from three-point range), but the No. 22 overall pick was awfully impressive as a ball handler and played confident, skillful basketball.
Broome recorded 14.7 points and 9.0 rebounds per contest. The lefty big man had a rough third game, scoring two points on 1-for-5 shooting in the Sixers’ blowout loss to the Rockets. He posted double-doubles in the team’s wins over the Pistonsand Pacers.
The bigs without Broome
While Johnson could never rekindle the sharpshooting magic from his 20-point performance in the Sixers’ summer opener, he had a solid finale.
Johnson tallied 10 points and six rebounds on Saturday in 12 minutes. He also had a few decent moments defending guards and wings on the perimeter. That presumably won’t ever be a strength for the 7-foot Johnson, but it would boost his chances of professional success if he could hold his own defensively outside of the paint on occasion.
Drew Cisse served as the Sixers’ backup center behind Johnson. He threw down a dunk in the first quarter a few seconds after stopping John Butler Jr.’s drive. Cisse put up six points and seven rebounds.
As Maddox showed throughout summer league, his game is centered around firing up threes. He went 2 for 6 from long range and ended the summer at 11 for 31 (35.4 percent). Maddox appeared in all five of the Sixers’ games and averaged 15.6 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.0 assists.
Ayayi wound up being the Sixers’ most productive guard and scored efficiently (7 for 13 from the floor). He missed some chances to finish inside during summer league but played with force and often seemed to find the ball around the rim.
Townsend also fared well as a driver. The Yale product was 6 for 9 from the field in his only extended playing time of the summer.
Though the Sixers faced a double-digit deficit in the second quarter, they pulled to within one point late in the period on a Maddox mid-range jumper. Mylik Wilson’s layup on the Sixers’ final possession of the first half gave the team a 51-50 edge.
The game stayed tight in the second half. The Bucks made a 10-0 run early in the fourth quarter and it seemed that they’d hold a slim lead until the final buzzer, but the Sixers kept competing and tied it up with 9.6 seconds left in the fourth on a pair of Ayayi free throws. Burries then delivered in the clutch for the Bucks.
ATLANTA, GA - JULY 17: Jim Jarvis #74 of the Atlanta Braves runs to second base in the fifth inning during the game against the Texas Rangers at Truist Park on July 17, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - JULY 17: Ty France of the San Diego Padres, left, is congratulated by Miguel Andujar #41 of the San Diego Padres after hitting a home run against the Kansas City Royals during the ninth inning at Kauffman Stadium on July 17, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Reed Hoffmann/Getty Images) | Getty Images
San Diego Padres (48-49) at Kansas City Royals (39-59), July 18, 2026, 1:10 p.m. PST
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Out of respect to broadcast partners who have paid to carry the game, no mentions of “alternative” (read: illegal) viewing methods are allowed in our thread
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - JULY 11: Braxton Ashcraft #35 of the Pittsburgh Pirates pitches in the first inning of game one of a doubleheader against the Milwaukee Brewers at PNC Park on July 11, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Pittsburgh Pirates are playing in a Saturday matinee matchup against the Cleveland Guardians in their first series back after the All-Star break.
Braxton Ashcraft is taking the mound in his first start in the second half. Ashcraft finished the first half of the season with a start on July 11 at home against the Milwaukee Brewers. He pitched five innings and gave up five hits and five earned runs, but the Pirates rallied late with four runs in the seventh inning to beat their NL Central rival 7-6.
Ashcraft has arguably been the best starter for the Pirates so far this season. He is 9-3 with a 3.49 ERA. Pittsburgh has won each of Ashcraft’s last five appearances, which sets him up well for today’s game against the Guardians.
Cleveland is handing the ball to a third-year pro, Joey Cantillo, who’s 8-4 with a 3.56 ERA. Cantillo won his last start back on Sunday against the Miami Marlins, pitching five innings, giving up six hits and one run, and earning a 5-2 victory on the road. The Guardians are keeping Cantillo on his normal rest for this start, opting to give other starters more time to recover from the first half of the season.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JULY 11: Commissioner of Major League Baseball Robert D. Manfred Jr. announces Taj Marchand as the 33rd overall pick by the Tampa Bay Rays during the 2026 MLB Draft presented by Nippon Express at Pennsylvania Convention Center on Saturday, July 11, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Following an objectively well ranked haul for the Rays — who had the no. 2 overall pick — we asked for your take on a Rays 2026 MLB Draft that was quite young and full of pitchers.
Did you like the haul? Did you agree with the Rays youth strategy?
I’m pleased to see there were no trolling responses of D or F…
The second half is here, and for many betting their way through the season is part of the fun. If that’s you, check out our friends at FanDuel who sponsored this post.
BOSTON, MA - APRIL 28: The sneakers worn by Neemias Queta #88 of the Boston Celtics during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers during Round One Game Five of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 28, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. 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
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JULY 17: Drake Baldwin #30 of the Atlanta Braves reacts with Brewer Hicklen #53 and Jim Jarvis #74 following his three-run home run during the fourth inning at Truist Park on July 17, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Join us and discuss tonight’s matchup of two intriguing pitchers in the comments below!
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JULY 15: Sam Hoiberg #48 of the Phoenix Suns drives against Brice Williams #46 of the Detroit Pistons in the first half of the 2026 NBA Summer League game at the Thomas & Mack Center on July 15, 2026 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. (Photo by Louis Grasse/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Who: Summer Suns (3-1) vs. Summer Spurs (3-1)
When: 7:30 pm Arizona Time
Where: Thomas & Mack Center — Las Vegas, Nevada
Watch: Arizona Family Sports, Prime Video
This will be the Summer League “consolation” finale for the Phoenix Suns after they missed out on the semifinals.
Phoenix saw what they wanted to see from their top prospects in Khaman Maluach, Rasheer Fleming, and Koa Peat, as they will be sidelined for this one.
Phoenix has gone 3-1 through four contests, with these three leading the way:
Khaman Maluach: 4 games, 19.5 PPG, 12.8 RPG (2.3 offensive), 1.0 APG, 2.0 BPG, 1.3 SPG on .532/.400/.684 shooting splits, 2.5 TOV in 27.4 minutes per game
Koa Peat: 4 games, 16.8 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 2.3 APG, 1.5 SPG, 0.5 BPG on .510/.000/.625 shooting splits, 3.0 TOV in 27.2 minutes per game
Rasheer Fleming: 4 games, 12.0 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 1.0 APG, 1.0 SPG, 1.0 BPG on .474/.421/.500 shooting splits, 1.8 TOV in 26.7 minutes per game
That opens up more opportunities for Koby Brea to showcase his offensive repertoire and allows some of the other young bucks to get more looks with three of their top scorers sidelined.
Probable Starters
In the Summer League, you never know what the lineups might be, so the best we can do is guess, especially with the news of no Man Man, Peat, and Sheer. They’ll likely go with four guards/small wings and a big. Lots of small ball without those three in the mix.
Carter Bryant did not play in the Spurs’ win over the Utah Jazz earlier this week, so we can rule him out for the Spurs.
Suns
Darius Brown II
Koby Brea
Devin Askew
Javonte Cooke
Reed Bailey
Spurs
RJ Davis
Ja’Kobi Gillespie
Miles Kelly
Maliq Brown
Tarris Reed Jr.
Injury Report
Suns
Nothing Reported as of now outside of the “key 3” sitting out
Spurs
Nothing Reported as of now. No Carter Bryant expected on the Spurs end.
What to Watch For
The Koby Brea show?
It’s his time to shine. He has led the Summer Suns in minutes per game thus far, and has had little to show for it outside of drilling 6 threes against the Bucks.
There is some reason for concern if he doesn’t separate himself in this one. I don’t put a ton of stock into Summer League action, but an extended stretch of bad play is certainly not ideal from someone who should look advanced entering year two as a 23-year-old prospect.
Here’s a look at the Summer Suns’ numbers through the opening four games, sorted by minutes per game:
Who steps up?
With the top three scorers all sitting this one out, expect to see Javonte Cooke and Darius Brown Jr. to take on a larger role, along with Brea. Jameer Nelson Jr. and Corey Camper Jr. should also see an uptick in minutes.
They only have two other “bigs” on their roster who have hardly played to this point, so there should be plenty of small ball. Reed Bailey and Jake Stephens… now is your time to shine.
The Spurs will get the bulk of their offense from their dynamic backcourt of RJ Davis and Ja’Kobi Gillespie. We’ll see if 2026 1st round pick Tarris Reed Jr. suits up for the Spurs, though it seems unlikely. They acquired the 26th overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft from Denver for three 2nd round picks.
Either way, it figures to be a relatively loose environment with nothing on the line and several key players out on each side. I’m here for a Koby Brea 30-piece.
Prediction
It’s like throwing darts blindfolded.
Let’s go with the Spurs by 10. The shorthanded Summer Suns go down.
