May 26, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox pitcher Ranger Suarez (55) throws a pitch against the Atlanta Braves in the first inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images | David Butler II-Imagn Images
Happy Sunday, folks. For the first time in quite some time, a Red Sox series comes down to the final game after they split the first two with the Toronto Blue Jays. Ranger Suarez returns from a brief stint on the injured list and will take on Kevin Gausman. Toronto ranks 29th in wRC+ against left-handed pitchers, giving Suarez a potentially soft landing spot in his first start since July 5th. The Red Sox are familiar with Gausman, though they missed him in the first two series against the Blue Jays.
Curtis Mead is not active for the game after being acquired last night in exchange for Connelly Early. The Nationals are at home this weekend, so he’ll likely join the team for the plane ride to Sacramento after the game. It’s a 1:35 pm start time on NESN and WEEI.
BALTIMORE, MD - JULY 24: A detail shot of the hat and glove of Matt Olson #28 of the Atlanta Braves during the game between the Atlanta Braves and the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on Friday, July 24, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Alyssa Piazza/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Alright, folks! We got a good ol’ fashioned Sunday afternoon rubber match on our hands, as our Atlanta Braves will try to snatch a series win on the road agianst the Baltimore Orioles. Will Reynaldo López bounce back after a couple of poor outings? Can the Braves make something happen against SHane Baz? It’s time to find out!
If James Malatesta can put it all together, he can be a force in the NHL.
Malatesta turned pro in 2023 after spending four outstanding years with the Quebec Remparts of the QMJHL. After amassing 187 points in junior and winning the QMJHL playoff MVP, he was off to the pros. He would total 56 goals if you take into account all the games he played in the Q, Q playoffs, and Memorial Cup.
James Malatesta played in 56 games for the Cleveland Monsters in his rookie season. He would score 12 goals and total 22 points. He has a motor that never quits and can skate really well, and it showed. Malatesta finished 11th on the team in scoring and 10th in games played. He did have a team-high 79 PIMs, though, which is how he plays his game.
Late in the season, in a surprising move, Malatesta was called up to play for the Columbus Blue Jackets. Due to the injury situation, Malatesta and several other Monsters got an opportunity to play some real NHL minutes.
He would make his NHL debut on March 26th against the Arizona Coyotes. He didn't get on the score sheet, but he did make his presence known. He would get 11:43 of ice time and get into a fight. Not a bad night.
Malatesta would get his first NHL point against the Philadelphia Flyers on April 6th, an assist. He played 10:58.
On April 13th in Smashville, after playing 9 games, he would have a career game. He played 12:55, had 3 shots, and scored his first goal. He also added an assist in the loss to the Predators. He was flying around the ice all night; he was fun to watch.
In the next game, the season finale at home against the Carolina Hurricanes, he would again have a good game. Malatesta scored his 2nd NHL goal while playing 13:01 on the ice. He is making himself highly visible.
He was returned to the Monsters after the CBJ season to help them win their division and the Calder Cup Playoffs.
Malatesta only played 9 games throughout the playoffs, scoring only a single goal and adding one assist.
The 2024-25 season saw Malatesta play a pair of games for Columbus in December. He averaged around 10:30 of ice time and was held off the score sheet. But he needed to play.
For Cleveland, he played in only 41 games and scored 14 points. Unfortunately for Malatesta and the Monsters, he suffered an upper-body injury that held him out of the lineup until March. In a combo of injuries and a sophomore slump, Malatesta did not have the year he wanted.
Last season, Malatesta set a career-high in games played at 57. He scored 10 goals and totaled 18 points, while setting a career-high with 87 PIMs. He was signed to a one-year extension by Columbus last month and will be an RFA once again at the end of 2027.
With the Jackets having Mathieu Olivier and Ryan Lomberg on the roster, I'm not sure Malatesta will get another shot in Columbus.
James Malatesta isn't expected to put in 25 goals or collect 50 points, but he is expected to contribute. He has a scoring touch and brings physicality to the ice.
James Malatesta Scouting Report
Strengths:
Skating: Malatesta's skating is an asset, with excellent acceleration, speed, and the ability to drive the puck through the neutral zone.
Energy and Intensity: He plays with a high motor, is not afraid to throw hits, and engages physically to win puck battles and create turnovers.
Shooting: He possesses a quick and accurate wrist shot, often firing on the fly, and is a threat on odd-man rushes.
Offensive Instincts: Malatesta is good at finding open ice, jumping on opportunities, and making quick plays to generate scoring chances.
Weaknesses:
Decision-Making: Needs to improve his passing and off-puck play, as he can sometimes prioritize intensity over making the best play. He takes bad penalties sometimes due to his physicality.
Offensive Creativity: While he can finish plays, he doesn't possess the vision or playmaking skills of a top-tier offensive player.
Consistency: His production can be inconsistent, and he needs to find a way to translate his energy and physical play into more consistent offensive contributions.
Overall:
Malatesta is a prospect with a high floor, likely to become a reliable bottom-six forward in the NHL. He brings a lot of energy, a strong work ethic, and the ability to contribute in various ways, making him a player who can impact the game even without elite offensive skills. If he can put it together, expect him to be pushing for a roster spot in Columbus soon. But first, he has to prove it in 26-27.
Does he have a chance to make the team? Many say no, but I wouldn't count him out if I were you.
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Jul 25, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers center fielder Garrett Mitchell (5) and Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Luis Lara (18) celebrate a win over the Colorado Rockies at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images | Michael McLoone-Imagn Images
The Milwaukee Brewers and Colorado Rockies will meet one more time for the rubber match of this weekend series and bring an end to the longest homestand of the season.
Prior to today’s game, the Brewers made a transaction, recalling reliever Garrett Stallings from Triple-A Nashville. To make room, Lance McCullers Jr was designated for assignment. McCullers struggled to put away the Rockies with a six a run lead in the 9th inning of last night’s game and his pitch metrics did not look strong. Barely more than a week after acquiring McCullers, his Brewers tenure is over after two outings.
Kyle Harrison is also continuing to progress in his recovery from forearm tightness. He’s slated to head out on a rehab assignment this next week and should be back shortly after that.
On the mound today, it is a matchup of polar opposites: Jacob Misiorowski and Kyle Freeland. Misiorowski is in his first full season in the majors, has a 1.57 ERA and a 10-4 record. Freeland is a veteran, who is struggling to a 7.28 ERA and a 2-9 record.
Freeland is also a left-hander, which means the Brewers are stacking their lineup with as many righties as possible. Christian Yelich and Garrett Mitchell have the day off. Brice Turang and Jake Bauers are the only left-handed hitting regulars in the lineup. Jackson Chourio, Turang, and Andrew Vaughn make up the top of the order. William Contreras, Bauers, and Gary Sanchez form the middle of the order with Bauers again out in right field. Contreras will be the DH today while Sanchez is behind the plate for Misiorowski. Luis Lara is in center, Cooper Pratt is at short, and Joey Ortiz is at third base to round out the bottom of the lineup.
The Rockies, meanwhile, are stacking as many lefties as they can against the flamethrowing Misiorowski. Jake McCarthy, Mickey Moniak, and Hunter Goodman form the top of the order for Colorado. TJ Rumfield, Kyle Karros, and Cole Carrigg make up the middle of the lineup. Then Willi Castro, Troy Johnston, and Edouard Julien round out the bottom of the order in support of Freeland.
It’s Jacob Misiorowski bump day in Milwaukee, and that has generally meant good things for the Brewers. They are 10-3 in Misiorowski’s last 13 starts. First pitch is at 1:10 p.m.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - JULY 20: Freddy Peralta #51 of the New York Mets throws a pitch in the first inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on July 20, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Mets lineup
A.J. Ewing – CF Francisco Lindor – SS Bo Bichette – 3B Carson Benge – RF Jorge Polanco – DH Jared Young – 1B Tyrone Taylor – LF Brett Baty – 2B Luis Torrens – C
SP: Freddy Peralta – RHP
Dodgers lineup
Shohei Ohtani – DH Andy Pages – CF Freddie Freeman – 1B Max Muncy – 3B Mookie Betts – SS Tommy Edman – 2B Kyle Tucker – RF Teoscar Hernandez – LF Eliezer Alfonzo – C
SP: Emmet Sheehan – RHP
Broadcast info
First pitch: 1:40 PM EDT TV: SNY Radio: Audacy Mets Radio WHSQ 880AM, Audacy App, 92.3 HD2
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 17: Pitcher Braxton Ashcraft #35 of the Pittsburgh Pirates fields the ball and throws to first base to get the out of Henry Bolte #33 of the Athletics in the bottom of the third inning at Sutter Health Park on June 17, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Pittsburgh Pirates are finishing off a three-game series against the NL Central rival Chicago Cubs at PNC Park.
The Pirates are tossing the ball to All-Star Braxton Ashcraft, who is making his second start of the second half of the season. Ashcraft struggled in his last start against the New York Yankees pitching. Only three innings, giving up nine hits and seven runs in an 8-5 loss at Yankee Stadium. Ashcraft hopes to bounce back now that he’s pitching at home, where he is better.
Ashcraft’s ERA is 3.68 at PNC Park and 4.21 away from home, so perhaps a chance to play in front of the home fans for the first time since July 11 will do him some good.
The Cubs are giving the start to former Pirates top prospect Jameson Taillon, who pitched in Pittsburgh from 2016-19. Taillon was injured for just over a month but returned after the All-Star Break for the Cubs. He pitched 4.1 innings giving up five hits and four runs in an 8-6 loss to the Detroit Tigers.
This is Tyone’s third start against the Pirates so far this season. He pitched six innings on April 12 at Wrigley Field and also pitched five innings at PNC Park against the Pirates on May 26.
NEW YORK, NY - MAY 19: Patrick Ewing and Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks during Game One of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals on May 19, 2026 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. 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
Last night was a typical Saturday night for me — playing Hades 2 for the 1300th time, catching up on X-Men ‘97, perusing basketball-reference.com — when I came across a couple of facts I feel compelled to share. Why? Because Vox pays based on a monthly quota and I woke up two articles short for July.
PATRICK EWING & THE 2026-27 KNICKS: BOTH UNDERRATED
In 1989 Patrick Ewing finished fourth in MVP voting, first among the six centers to receive votes (Hakeem Olajuwon, Brad Daugherty, Robert Parish, Mark Eaton and Moses Malone). A year later the Big Fella again led all pivots in MVP voting. Over a nine-year stretch (1989-1997) that included six different starting point guards, six different head coaches and a dizzying number of playing styles, Ewing received the most- or second-most MVP votes for a center six times. That’s not projection. That’s what happened.
There’s an awful lot of projection happening in this summer’s NBA talk. The national media and fans of loser teams, no doubt buttressed by Adam Silver’s specious praise of parity, seem oddly certain the New York Knicks will extend the pratfall of the prior seven champions by failing to repeat in 2027. Given that the Knicks just put forth the greatest display of ass-whupping the Association has ever seen and are returning 90-something percent of those responsible for said rump-reddening, I assume the cynics are indebted less to “what happened” than to precedent.
Balderdash.
Forgive my language, but I’m just that upset. The great sportswriter Law Murray may be the only person currently with a power rankings that lists New York at the top. Power rankings don’t matter, natch; they are at best one person’s opinion. But why are so many people’s opinions wrong? Look how all the recent failures to repeat failed and tell me where it sounds like the Knicks.
Jalen Brunson didn’t depart for the Clippers, desiring a max deal plus a do-nothing $28 million off-the-books cheat code. The Knicks didn’t win some asterisk-stained Bubble ‘chip. Josh Hart is their only starter over 30; after the Bucks’ title, their non-Greek starters turned 30, 31, 33 and 36. When the Warriors won their fourth, Steph Curry was 33, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green 31.
The Nuggets have spent literally zero dollars since winning it all three years ago (I can only hope the same happens with Arsenal, also owned by the Crankies). The Celtics have dropped consecutive series to their two most-hated Eastern rivals (losing five of seven home playoff games); seen one cornerstone tear his Achilles before racing back in record time the next year, only to finish it injured; then traded the other to one of those hated rivals for less than what Dallas got back for Luka. The Thunder, who succeeded Boston as the media’s “Not only did they win a title, they’re destined to for years” darling, got bit by the injury bug at the worst possible time last year, then traded three rotation players for second-round picks.
I’m a big fan of precedent myself. But I’m always learning that it’s not destiny, more just a useful guide for getting around. The fact that Daugherty, Parish, Malone and Eaton soon faded from MVP votes didn’t mean Ewing would. So long as the Mitchell Robinson cheap-out isn’t the first sign of James Dolan suffering a Nuggets/Celtics ownership mind-meld, the Knicks seem a pretty good bet to be the first repeat champs since 2018.
REGGIE MILLER SUCKS
He’s an insufferable broadcaster, not even the best baller in his family and a homewrecker. None of that is what’s worst about Reggie Miller, though.
Miller was never afraid to take the big shot. It’s why he has, at minimum, a half-dozen career highlights where any one would be most players’ best-remembered. I’ll spare you the two you’re likely aware of, but did you know both Chicago and New Jersey also served as the canvas to his artistry? If you’re troubled by me sharing these here at P&T, I understand. My only defense is these shots caused the MJ Bulls and Jason Kidd Nets to suffer, and in my teens and 20s I hated those teams as much as any.
Whatever truth is contained in those two videos, it is a vile truth, loud and clanging; the empty can rattles the most. Yes, Miller wasn’t afraid of the moment. But is it admirable for one to always be willing step up in the biggest of moments if one misses the vast, vast share of them? Imagine the ‘90s Knicks having every postseason come down to John Starks emptying the clip and letting the chips fall where they may. “John Starks?” you may say. “Are we really comparing John Starks to Reggie Miller?”
Reader, yes.
I want to show you Miller’s numbers in the biggest games he played in. For the purposes of fairness, I’m excluding earlier years in his career, when the Pacers were still a work-in-progress. Miller wasn’t the focal point of the Pacers’ offense in the early ‘90s against the Celtics — that’d be Chuck Person — so I didn’t include his 7-of-17 shooting in their 1991 series finale. Instead, let’s go right to the alleged heart of the matter. How did Miller shoot when he was supposedly making his bones in the six biggest games of his career: the 1994 ECF against New York, 1995 ECF against Orlando, 1998 ECF against Chicago, 1999 ECF vs. New York, 2000 Finals against Los Angeles and the 2004 ECF against Detroit?
7-of-17
5-of-13
7-of-13
3-of-18 (See? Starks-like!)
8-of-19
2-of-8
That’s 32-of-88 from the field (36%), which is . . . not good. And 14-of-43 from distance (33%). Greg Anthony shot 40% overall and 35% from deep for his career. So, in the moments Mr. Big Moment was supposedly his most Big Moment-able, Miller wasn’t even a valid role model for Cole growing up.
Last season, the Brooklyn Nets let 22 different people take the wheel of their lottery tank, several of whom probably weren’t actual professional basketball players (“Grant Nelson”? Please). Not a one of the 22 combined to shoot as badly from the field and from three as Miller did in his six biggest games.
The larger lesson here? I guess don’t be a dick who trades on a rep you know you don’t deserve. Being willing to take big shots is cool, especially if you make some. But being willing to try isn’t heroic when you so often fail. Miller will go down as history’s Antoine Walker, a shameless chucker who never saw reason to stop. Unlike ‘Toine, who faded from the spotlight, Miller insists upon himself, insists on foisting that self on us. Not much we can do about it, besides educate ourselves and stay ready. You never know when the day will come that you get the chance to speak truth to power.
Jul 20, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Athletics pitcher Jeffrey Springs (59) throws in the first inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images | Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images
The A’s may have dropped yesterday’s contest but thanks to their win on Friday night they have a chance to secure their first series win since almost two months. Will they be able to finish off the Twins and escape Minnesota with a pair of wins?
Before we get to the game, we got some bad news to deliver. It looks like the A’s may be without their All-Star catcher for the rest of the year as Shea Langeliers landed on the IL this morning with a torn meniscus in his right knee:
The A’s have placed C Shea Langeliers on the 10-day injured list with a torn meniscus in his right knee (retroactive to July 25) and recalled C Brian Serven from Triple-A Las Vegas.
It’s yet another blow in the health department for an A’s squad that has been ravaged by injuries the past couple of months. After being relatively healthy for the first couple weeks of the year the A’s have had to weather a massive storm of injuries that have helped sink their postseason chances this year, and now our best player is the latest to land on the shelf.
If Langeliers really is done for the year then that likely takes him off the trade market, with an offseason move more likely. For the A’s the rest of the year though they’ll have to try to stay respectable without their best player for the last two months of the year. It’s expected that Jonah Heim will take up regular catching duties the rest of the way, with the just-recalled veteran Brian Serven serving as his backup. A potential audition for a starting role next year, perhaps? Heim’s in there behind home plate today.
Anyway, we got a game this morning. The Athletics will send left-hander Jeffrey Springs to the bump looking to secure the series win. The 33-year-old has had a rough season to date but he managed to put up a solid performance in his first start after the All-Star Break. This could be one of his final starts for the Green & Gold before the trade deadline so a big outing today could boost the prospect cost to acquire his services the rest of the way.
As expected it’s Jonah Heim behind the plate catching Springs this morning. He’s hitting in the heart of the lineup, batting third behind Jacob Wilson (today’s DH) and first baseman Nick Kurtz, who is only in his second game since returning from the IL. Tyler Soderstrom is behind him in the batting order hitting cleanup.
And then it’s mostly rookies in the rest of the lineup outside veteran infielder Jeff McNeil, today’s second baseman. Now is the time of the year for these young guys to make a claim to a spot on next year’s roster. Will someone like Tommy White or Colby Thomas make an impression over the final couple months?
That lineup will be facing their own left-hander in Twins rookie lefty Connor Prielipp. The 25-year-old isn’t considered a big-time prospect for the Twins but he’s held his own in his first taste of the big leagues, outside of a few meltdown performances that has skewed his ERA, which stands at an even 5.00 through his first 13 starts. He was actually just activated off the injured list this morning from a blister on his pitching hand. Which version of Prielipp will show up against the A’s today?
The Buffalo Sabres delivered Stanley Cup playoff hockey to their long-suffering fans this year, ending a decade-and-a-half playoff drought. But while the Sabres didn’t make the Eastern Conference final – losing to the Montreal Canadiens in Round 2 – Buffalo beat the Boston Bruins in Round 1, gaining valuable experience in the process.
But in our annual grading of the Sabres, TheHockeyNews.com’s 2025-26 grades will mostly be positive, as there was plenty for Sabres fans to appreciate. Whether it was young players evolving into Grade-A talent, or veterans delivering big-time performances, Buffalo got important contributions from many, if not most players. And that’s reflected in their grades.
The Sabres have a ways to go before they’re a legitimate Cup front-runner like last year’s eventual-champion Carolina Hurricanes. However, for the first time in many years, everything meshed positively for Buffalo, and the Sabres elevated their playoff game to beat Boston.
And in this “Sabres Grades” file, we’re grading Buffalo’s best defenseman – superstar D-man and team captain Rasmus Dahlin:
Rasmus Dahlin
Position: Defenseman
Grade: A+
The Skinny: It’s hard to imagine how Dahlin could’ve been better for Buffalo last season. Dahlin posted 55 assists and a career-best 74 points in 77 games in 2025-26, and he averaged 24:10 of ice time. Those numbers are almost identical to Dahlin’s performance in 2024-25, when he generated 51 assists and 68 points in 73 games while averaging 24:14 of ice time. The consistency there is to marvel at.
However, Dahlin also set a career-high in shooting percentage this past season, averaging 9.8 percent to beat his previous career-high of 8.5 percent. At 26 years old, the Swedish blueliner is entering his prime, and he’s doing so while earning $11-million for the next six seasons.
A salary that high carries with it sky-high expectations, but nobody in Buffalo is begrudging Dahlin his money. In fact, as the salary cap goes up and we see defensemen earn into the $16-to-$18-million-per-year range, Dahlin’s contract is going to be seen as a massive bargain for the Sabres.
There are precious few legitimate No. 1 defensemen in the league, but Dahlin certainly is one of them. Dahlin got his first taste of playoff hockey last season, and with 10 assists and 14 points – including six power-play points – in 13 games, Dahlin was a point-per-game post-season player. That’s exactly the type of performance Buffalo needed to get from him.
As Dahlin's game continues maturing, his playoff experience last year is only going to help him and the Sabres. If Buffalo had’ve careened through the Atlantic Division rankings and missed the 2025-26 playoffs, we'd be having a very different conversation about Dahlin’s future in Western New York. But winning cures a lot of ailments, and it now looks like the best road ahead for Dahlin is remaining in Buffalo and serving as the Sabres’ bedrock for this generation of the team.
Dahlin’s poise and patience are two of the things that led him to earning a nomination this past year for the Norris Trophy as the NHL’s best defenseman. Columbus Blue Jackets superstar blueliner Zach Werenski wound up winning this year’s Norris, but Dahlin deserved his nomination for the honor. And it now feels like, sooner or later, Dahlin is going to be claiming his first of what could be multiple Norris Trophies.
Although there may be room for Dahlin to grow his game, we’re of the opinion he's already firing on all pistons. Dahlin’s vision, two-way game and overall impact on the Sabres is hard to measure strictly in data sets. When he’s on the ice, good things happen, and Dahlin’s challenge now is to raise his game when games matter most.
He can’t get a higher grade than the grade we’re giving him this year, but multiple A+ grades certainly aren’t out of the question for Dahlin. He’s a no-brainer foundational talent for Buffalo, and the Sabres are likely only going as far in the next decade as Dahlin and the rest of Buffalo’s core carries them.
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Veteran pitcher Lance McCullers has been designated for assignment by the Milwaukee Brewers less than two weeks after they acquired the right-hander from the Houston Astros.
The Brewers announced the move before their game Sunday against the Colorado Rockies. They recalled right-handed pitcher Garrett Stallings from Triple-A Nashville.
The moves come a day after McCullers walked four batters in 1 2/3 innings of relief in an 8-5 victory over the Rockies. McCullers entered with Milwaukee ahead 8-2 in the eighth inning and returned for the ninth, but he allowed a hit and two walks in that inning before Trevor Megill came in to get the final out.
McCullers went 0-0 with a 3.86 ERA in two relief appearances with Milwaukee. He struck out five, walked five and allowed five runs (three earned) over 4 2/3 innings.
The bullpen role was new for McCullers, who had started in 148 of his 154 career outings with Houston.
McCullers, 32, had spent his entire major league career with the Astros until they sent him and left-hander Colton Gordon to the Brewers for minor league outfielder Jadyn Fielder on July 15. Houston had agreed to pay Milwaukee $4,227,273 to offset most of McCullers’ remaining salary, leaving his cost to the Brewers at $2.5 million.
McCullers was on the injured list with shoulder inflammation at the time of the trade and last pitched for the Astros on May 13. He went 2-3 with a 6.86 ERA in eight starts for Houston this season.
He began his MLB career in 2015 and owns a 53-40 record with a 3.85 ERA. McCullers was part of Houston’s 2017 and 2022 World Series champions, but injuries kept him from pitching in 2019, 2023 and 2024.
Stallings pitched three scoreless innings in two appearances during an earlier stint with Milwaukee this season. He has gone 3-3 with a 4.11 ERA for Nashville in 18 appearances, including 13 starts.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JULY 20: Andrew Abbott #41 of the Cincinnati Reds throws to first base in the fifth inning against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on July 20, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Kevin Ng/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Hunter Greene couldn’t keep the St. Louis Cardinals offense in check on Saturday and the Cincinnati Reds offense was completely befuddled by righty Andre Pallante in the Reds 7-0 loss. That means the Sunday rubber match will determine who gets to claim victory in this particular NL Central series.
The Reds have won each of their series so far on this 9-game, 3-city road trip to begin their season’s second half, and a win today would send them back to Cincinnati with a 6-3 overall run on it. Where that leaves them in terms of positioning remains to be seen with the August 3rd trade deadline looming, but as of right now they sit just 48-55 and 6 full games out of the final NL Wild Card spot.
Andrew Abbott will toe the rubber for the Reds in the Sunday matinee opposite Cardinals starter Kyle Leahy, with first pitch slated for 2:15 PM ET.
Here’s how both clubs will line up to begin things:
Aziz Abdul faces England’s Damar Thomas in Glasgow
‘I will be the baddest man in the Commonwealth’
Damar Thomas, the English super-heavyweight, must overcome the grandson of Idi Amin, the former Ugandan dictator and self-proclaimed “King of Scotland”, if he is to progress into the medal rounds of Commonwealth Games boxing competition in Glasgow on Wednesday.
Aziz Abdul, known as “Ringo”, is not shy of his family connection to Amin, a brutal military dictator who seized power in 1971, killing up to 500,000 people and expelling Uganda’s entire Asian population before he was deposed and sent into exile eight years later.
A couple of days after LeBron James' blockbuster announcement that he is headed to Philadelphia for his 24th NBA season, the NBA world is still buzzing. Here is the latest fallout from LeBron's decision to head to the City of Brotherly Love.
Stephen Curry’s reaction
Stephen Curry found out about LeBron's decision from a fan while on a golf course, which somehow feels appropriate.
A fan broke the LeBron news to Steph Curry while he was golfing
But what did Curry really think? Curry was asked that Saturday while attending a youth basketball camp run by fellow Warrior Moses Moody, reports Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic.
"That's why you don't envision anything until it happens. There's a lot of moving parts."
Golden State was where a lot of people — including people inside the Lakers' locker room — expected LeBron to land. It would have been a nostalgic run with him, Curry, Draymond Green and Steve Kerr drinking good wine and having fun playing basketball, and eventually next season Jimmy Butler would join and this team could be pretty good. But not a contender — and the winning is what mattered most to LeBron.
The Warriors looked to make major offseason upgrades. They called about Jaylen Brown but didn't have the trade return the Celtics wanted (it likely would have been the injured Butler headed East). The Warriors also called Washington about Anthony Davis, but Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints called the Wizards' asking price "unreasonable." If LeBron's agent Rich Paul could have assured the Warriors that acquiring Davis meant LeBron was guaranteed to choose them, then maybe Golden State would have paid the price, but that kind of assurance was never on the table. LeBron really was thinking through what he prioritized, and that informed his decision.
Why the Warriors were hesitant to go all-in on Davis is also tied to a bigger picture, according to long-time Bay Area sports writer and podcaster Tim Kawakami on The TK Show (hat tip Real GM).
"What (team governor Joe) Lacob wants to do, and this might get Warriors fans mad. He wants to build the next team after Steph Curry. I don't know how possible that is, but Lacob has a very keen interest in... this organization's going to show what it can do with Steph Curry and then after Steph Curry."
After Curry comes an inevitable rebuild — something that is now harder to do, likely will drag out longer, and involves a lot more luck because of the NBA's new lottery system.
What drove LeBron’s decision?
In choosing Philadelphia, LeBron went against the narrative, the ones that would have been familiar and comfortable storylines for the documentary he is making about his last season (or seasons) in the league. Golden State with Curry is close to home and nostalgia. Cleveland was going home and he could compete at a high level. Miami would put the ball in his hands on the court, and he'd get to play with Giannis Antetokounmpo in a setting where he is comfortable.
Sources close to James told The Athletic on Friday, on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly, that the reason he picked Philadelphia wasn't a part of some complicated decision matrix. It was, simply, the place James thought he could go and have the best chance to win a championship. Looking back at James' time in Los Angeles, the winning always made things better.
"Ultimately, Philadelphia makes a move and then boom! Now you got Jaylen Brown. Now hold on, wait a minute now. This looks a lot different."
Paul also gets into why LeBron is a fit on the court in Philly.
"I think he helps everybody on that team. When you talk about a secondary playmaker, if he's your secondary playmaker, you have the best secondary playmaker in the league. He helps Tyrese [Maxey] in terms of pick-and-roll action...
"When you add a LeBron, everything changes. That is why it is not easy for someone who is to be a star player on a team, when he comes, he kind of shows you how big or little of a star you actually are. It takes a special kind of person to mentally embrace that. The familiarity with him and Tyrese, you don't have to worry about that with Tyrese. They know each other, they embrace each other, they have been working out together for the last five years. So you won't have any pushback."
How Brown and Embiid adjust is another question, but if the 76ers are winning, things will smooth over quickly. When the bumps in the road inevitably come, it's going to be interesting to see how Nick Nurse handles things.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 22: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on during the second half of their game against the Boston Celtics at Crypto.com Arena on February 22, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. 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 Luiza Moraes/Getty Images) | Getty Images
On Friday, the Sixers pulled off one of the biggest free-agent heists in NBA history when they landed LeBron James on a two-year, $7.9 million veteran-minimum contract. You’d never know it based on some of the reactions to that deal.
Jack Simone of the Boston Sports Journal declared that LeBron’s arrival in Philadelphia “will be a disaster” because they have too many alphas and not enough depth.
“The Sixers are banking on their current squad following the old-school Big 3 era, but with a Big 5 instead,” Simone wrote. “They added talent for the sake of adding talent, hoping the math will add up to a championship. But that would require playing basketball on paper instead of in person.”
Michael Pina of The Ringer acknowledged that the Sixers’ new starting five has “an egregious amount of skill, power and athleticism.” However, he added that James’ decision “doesn’t dramatically alter the NBA landscape, let alone guarantee a top-six seed for Philadelphia.”
“For the past month, I’ve been of the mind that James’s decision wouldn’t move the league’s needle in a meaningful way; he’s debatably a top-20 player in a highly competitive playoff picture,” Pina wrote. “While his decision is extremely surprising, undeniably a good thing for Philadelphia, and a bad thing for the Cavs, Heat, Warriors, and any other team that thought they were in the mix, I still feel that way.”
Oddsmakers don’t agree. The Sixers vaulted from +2200 to win the title prior to LeBron’s arrival to +1000 afterward. They’re now trailing only the San Antonio Spurs (+260), Oklahoma City Thunder (+260) and the defending-champion New York Knicks (+950) in championship odds.
Bostonians aren’t the only ones expressing doubt about LeBron and the Sixers, though.
“Good luck,” a rival executive told Howard Beck of The Ringer. “They do not have any role players on their team now. All those guys want and need the ball. I’m not sure any will want to sacrifice.”
“Somebody will have to check their ego at the door,” another team executive told Beck, “and I don’t see Joel or Bron being the ones to do it.”
So, let’s dive into the three chief concerns about the new-look Sixers and how much it’s fair to worry about each.
‘There’s only one ball’
Of the three, this is the one to be least concerned about.
In mid-July, ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reported that Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid and Jaylen Brown had “all been in communication with James” during his free agency, “with Maxey leading the charge.” Tony Jones of The Athletic added that Embiid was also “a heavy figure in LeBron’s recruitment, and that recruitment lasted throughout the process.” (We see what you did there, Tony.)
Given his age (32) and lengthy injury history, Embiid’s MVP days are all but assuredly over. He can no longer carry the Sixers like he did for most of his tenure. Maxey, Brown and VJ Edgecombe were already poised to help shoulder more of the load, but adding LeBron takes it to a whole new level.
Granted, LeBron is at a similar stage of his career. He proved in the Los Angeles Lakers’ first-round win over the Houston Rockets that he can still conjure one-of-a-kind magic occasionally, but he’s no longer the nightly 28-7-7 threat that he was in his prime. He needs help to have a real chance at winning his fifth title.
Maxey has a longstanding relationship with LeBron because they share the same agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports. Paul said on his Game Over podcast that Maxey’s familiarity with LeBron will help ease his transition to the Sixers and vice versa.
“… When you add a LeBron, everything changes,” Paul said. “That is why it is not easy for someone who is [deemed] to be a star player on a team, when he comes, he kind of shows you how big or little of a star you actually are. It takes a special kind of person to mentally embrace that.
“The familiarity with him and Tyrese, you don’t have to worry about that with Tyrese. They know each other, they embrace each other, they have been working out together for the last five years. So you won’t have any pushback. You can’t pay for that. You can’t put a value on that.”
Maxey’s role has changed on a year-to-year basis for most of his Sixers tenure. Edgecombe is just smiling through it all. And Brown presumably didn’t spend his recruitment of LeBron discussing how much he refuses to downshift as needed.
LeBron is hungry for a fifth title. Brown is hungry for his second—and to shove egg in the Celtics’ faces. Embiid, Maxey and Edgecombe all have yet to win even one. The Disease of Me should not be what undoes the Sixers in 2026-27.
Not enough shooting
It feels safe to assume that Maxey, Edgecombe, Brown, LeBron and Embiid will comprise the Sixers’ starting five. Among that group, Maxey shot the best from three-point range last season at only 36.7 percent. Edgecombe shot 35.4 percent, Brown shot 34.7 percent, Embiid shot 33.3 percent and LeBron shot 31.7 percent.
However, the two years prior, LeBron shot a combined 39.3 percent from deep. Maxey drilled a scorching 43.1 percent of his three-point attempts across his second and third seasons. And Edgecombe ended the season pledging that “coming into next year, a team won’t ever leave me open.”
Given the rest of the talent throughout the Sixers’ starting lineup, they might not have a choice.
Thankfully, Doc Rivers is not in charge of this roster. Nick Nurse isn’t likely to follow his lead with hockey-style full lineup changes. The starters will mix with the bench players for all but the beginning and end of each half.
Coming off the bench, the Sixers have Anfernee Simons, a career 38.1 percent long-range shooter on 6.6 attempts per game. He spent exactly none of those seasons alongside a playmaker of LeBron’s caliber, either.
They’re also going to get Kentavious Caldwell-Pope after he clears waivers. KCP was rough the past two seasons in Orlando and Memphis, but he was a dead-eye shooter over the half-decade preceding that. He spent all but one year of that span playing with either LeBron or Nikola Jokić.
If KCP has a bounce-back season from deep by feasting off wide-open shots, he and Simons alone might help mitigate concerns about the Sixers’ offensive spacing. Rookie Labaron Philon Jr., who shot 39.9 percent from distance at Alabama last year, could also chip in. But the impact of LeBron shouldn’t be understated here, either.
LeBron might not be the scorer or drive-and-kick threat that he was once, but he’s still a preternatural passer at the age of 41. He has the uncanny ability to deliver passes right into his teammates’ shooting pockets. Not only should each Sixers player get easier shots just by virtue of how much stress they’ll be putting on defenses, but they’ll be catching passes from one of the best playmakers of all time.
It’s also worth noting that the Sixers were 21st leaguewide in three-point attempts, 22nd in three-pointers made and 23rd in three-point percentage last season. How much further can they fall?
With a bounce-back season from Maxey and the new additions off the bench, the Sixers should be able to scrape by with enough shooting. They won’t be the Steph-and-Klay Golden State Warriors by any means, but they also won’t be the 2025-26 Brooklyn Nets.
Can they stay healthy?
This is the most legitimate concern. Between LeBron’s age—the man missed the beginning of last season with sciatica, which is the most DNP-Old ailment possible—and Embiid’s lengthy injury history, there’s no guarantee that the Sixers will make it to mid-April in one piece.
Backup center looms as a potential problem area with that in mind.
The Sixers chose not to re-sign Andre Drummond this offseason. Instead, they spent part of their bi-annual exception on Ariel Hukporti, who was the Knicks’ third-string center last year. He’ll battle with Adem Bona to be Embiid’s primary backup, but he’s more or less a total mystery box for now.
Bona is energetic and springy, but he’s also foul-prone and fumbles far too many passes. Getting him not to botch easy scoring opportunities will be LeBron’s final exam with the Sixers during the regular season.
In the games where Embiid plays, Bona and Hukporti should be able to hold down the fort for 15-20 minutes. But in the games that Embiid misses—especially if those come in the playoffs—the Bona-Hukporti duo would not strike much fear in the heart of opponents.
Embiid and LeBron both figure to miss at least 10-15 games during the regular season even if they otherwise stay healthy. The Sixers will likely look to limit their load throughout the 82-game meat-grinder with one eye on the playoffs. How the Sixers make do in their absences will be one of the biggest questions hanging over this team heading into the year.
Granted, the roster in mid-February almost certainly won’t be the same as the roster in late July. While the Sixers don’t have enough space under the first apron to fill their final roster spot right now, veteran-minimum contracts prorate once the regular season begin. They’ll be able to fill it at some point.
The opening months of the season will help the Sixers figure out where their biggest needs are. From there, it’ll be up to Magic Mike Gansey and Co. to once again turn lemons into lemonades, just as they did this offseason.
In the meantime… the Sixers just signed LeBron James on a veteran-minimum contract! Let’s not overthink this one, people.
UNITED STATES - JULY 02: Baseball: Aerial rear view of Atlanta Braves Andruw Jones (25) in action, at bat vs Philadelphia Phillies, Philadelphia, PA 7/2/2005 (Photo by Al Tielemans/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images) (SetNumber: X73831 TK2)
Today, Sunday, July 26, 2026, former Atlanta Braves center fielder Andruw Jones will officially be inducted into baseball’s Hall of Fame. Jones gained election on his ninth and penultimate year on the ballot by baseball’s writers and will be joined in the 2026 class by fellow center fielder Carlos Beltran and second baseman Jeff Kent.
Jones is arguably the greatest defensive center fielder in baseball history who is, at worse, in the discussion as the best with all-time great Willie Mays and a handful of others such as long-time big leaguer Jim Edmonds. Only Mays and Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente earned more Gold Gloves than Jones as outfielders.
Jones gained election with 78.4-percent of the vote and is the latest – and likely the last – player from the Braves’ legendary run of greatness from 1991 through 2005 to gain enshrinement in the Hall of Fame. That Braves dynasty included 14 division championships, five National League pennants and the 1995 World Series championship.
Jones, who was signed by the Braves as a teenager out of Curaçao, debuted with Atlanta in 1996 at age 19 and made history when be was the youngest player to homer in the World Series that same season. He spent 12 seasons in Atlanta winning ten consecutive Gold Gloves beginning in 1998 and ending in 2007, his final year with the Braves.
Jones was also a five-time All-Star, a Silver Slugger and the TSN Player of the Year in 2005 when he led the National League with a career-best 51 home runs and 128 RBI.
After leaving Atlanta, Jones’ career went into a tailspin, playing for four different organizations in five seasons – the Los Angeles Dodgers, Texas Rangers, Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees. Despite playing in no fewer than 153 games from 1997 through 2007 with the Braves, Jones only eclipsed 100 games played once in his final five campaigns. His MLB career would conclude in 2012, despite only being 35 years old. He played two more seasons in Japan before officially retiring in February 2016 after two unsuccessful attempts to make a MLB comeback.
Those final five season of his career is what likely prevented Jones from gaining election earlier in his eligibility cycle. Despite those struggles, ultimately, the Hall of Fame did call Jones for election.
In 17 big league seasons, Jones played in 2,196 and slugged 434 home runs. He also stole 152 bases, drove in 1,289 runs and scored 1,204 times while collecting 1,933 hits. Fangraphs credits him with 67.0 fWAR, including six seasons of 6.0 fWAR or higher and three seasons exceeding 7.0.
Defensively, Jones was in a class almost to himself. The video embedded above from MLB’s Vault showcases a number of his highlights – so if you weren’t able to watch Jones glide through the outfield, dive in every directions to make catches or climb on or crash into outfield walls, it is worth watching.
With incredible range and an innate ability to play shallow in center field and go back on the ball, rarely did it seem that a fly ball hit between the left fielder and right fielder was not within his catch radius. As a center fielder only, he had 4,457 putouts – with less than 200 of those coming with teams other than the Braves.
Although advanced defensive metric were not available for most of his career – especially during his peak – Baseball Reference does rank him as the 22nd best defensive player of all-time and the top-ranked center fielder.
Two decades after his peak, Jones was a player whose black-and-white stats don’t paint the full picture of who he was defensively. His instincts in the outfield were elite. Based on the pitcher throwing, the catcher set-up per pitch, etc., Jones was often in motion as a pitch was being thrown.
On the field, for more than a decade, Jones was the best in the game defensively with an above average offensive profile that concluded with a career .486 slugging percentage (and a .497 slugging percentage with the Braves). Only once between 1998 and 2006 did he post a wRC+ below 112.
Injuries and off-the-field issues contributed to a decline in performance after his age 29 season. He did rebound slightly as a platoon corner outfielder and designated hitter in the final seasons of his MLB career. He also had success in Japan, hitting 50 home runs across two seasons with Rakuten.
He is a member of the Braves Hall of Fame and his number 25 was retired in 2023.
Coverage the Hall of Fame induction ceremony can be seen on July 26, 2026 starting at 1:30PM Eastern on MLB Network.
