Alvarado was traded from New Orleans to New York at the trade deadline, and in 28 games with the team, averaged 6.6 points, 3.8 assists, and a steal per game. Most famously during the Knicks Finals run, he went 3-of-3 from beyond the arc in the fourth quarter of Game 4 and was a spark for the Knicks 29-point comeback win that essentially ended the series.
Jose Alvarado full highlights vs. San Antonio Spurs last night (107-106 W) - Game 4 of the 2026 NBA Finals
8 Points on 3/4 FG (75.0%), 2/3 from 3 (66.7%), 2 Rebounds, 3 Assists (1 TOV), 5 PF, and a +/- of +11 in 15:38 minutes off the bench.
This signing leaves the Knicks still dancing with the second apron. This deal leaves the Knicks $14 million under the second luxury tax apron — a line owner James Dolan has said he does not want to cross — with five open roster spots, reports Keith Smith of Spotrac. Another estimate, via Yossi Gozlan, is that New York is an estimated $9.8 million below the second apron with three or four more spots to fill.
The expectation around the league is that they will re-sign Landry Shamet and a couple of minimum-salary players, but that would leave Mitchell Robinson as the odd man out (and he has multiple suitors willing to beat his $12.9 million salary from a season ago).
Jun 8, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Simeon Woods Richardson pitches to the Philadelphia Phillies during the fifth inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
We got a couple of Blue Jays roster moves this afternoon:
First, Simeon Woods Richardson was DFA’d to make room for Adam Macko. SWR made three appearances for the Jays after being reacquired from the Twins. He initially joined the Jays organization as part of the return from the Mets for Marcus Stroman, before being shipped out along with Austin Martin in the Jose Berrios trade. They brought him back from Minnesota in exchange for cash last month. He had a couple of decent seasons in Minnesota’s rotation in 2024 and 2025, but had lost the plot this season, posting a 7.74 ERA with just one more strikeout than walk. Since coming back to Toronto, he hasn’t allowed a run, but the underlying stats (7 walks against 5 strikeouts in 10.0 innings over three appearances) remain ugly. The Jays will no doubt hope he makes it through waivers so they can continue to try to help him rediscover his form in Buffalo.
Coming back up is Adam Macko. The Slovak-Canadian lefty has performed pretty well since converting full time to relief this season. In 12 appearances with the Blue Jays, he’s struck out 12 against 11 hits and two walks, allowing 2 runs over 12.0 innings pitched. He hasn’t been quite that strong in Buffalo, but his 25:10 K:BB ratio in 21 innings is still strong. He’ll inject a realtively fresh arm to a bullpen that’s been heavily taxed in the first half of this season.
The other move was also a surprise:
3B/1B Sean Keys is apparently with the Jays and is likely to be activated for tomorrow, presumably receiving SWR’s 40-man roster spot. Keys, 23, was a fourth round pick in 2024 out of Bucknell. He was our #17 prospect heading into the season, buoyed by strong underlying data that suggested his just OK results in A+ Vancouver last season were underselling his true offensive talent. Sure enough, he began 2026 at AA New Hampshire, forced his way up to AAA Buffalo, and has been one of the five or six best hitters in all of the upper minors. His combined .284/.409/.619 line is 64% above average. He brings easy plus power and a swing geared to lift and pull the ball to maximize his impact. He will swing and miss, but not excessively, and he has a strong approach. He’ll have to hit, as while he’s reportedly a hard worker he’s just not a great athlete and is a liability at third and not great at first either.
The corresponding move hasn’t been announced, but the speculation is that George Springer is likely to go on paternity leave, as his wife is expecting their third child any day now. If that’s the case, Keys’ cameo is likely to be brief for now. I suspect we’ll see him more of him at some point, though.
Jun 25, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; A Texas Rangers ball cap and glove lays in the dugout during a game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
SEATTLE, UNITED STATES: Cleveland Indians baserunner Kenny Lofton (L) scores around the tag of Seattle Mariners pitcher Randy Johnson to score on a passed ball in the three-run eighth inning of game six of the American League Championship Series at the Kingdome in Seattle, Washington 17 October. The Indians won 4-0 and will face the Atlanta Braves in the World Series beginning 21 October. AFP PHOTO (Photo credit should read JEFF HAYNES/AFP via Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images
The Mariners travel to the Mistake on the Lake to see if they can put some of their own recent follies behind them. They will have the luxury of playing a Guardians team that lacks its best player, as José Ramírez is still on the IL as a participant in the Year of the Hamate. And their second-best player, Steven Kwan, has been less than his usual self this season, as Davy Andrews recently broke down over at FanGraphs.
Luis Castillo will take the ball for the Mariners. Notwithstanding an unfortunate combination of batted-ball luck and sequencing luck in his last start, Castillo’s actually been a lot better recently. Since May 9, he’s posted a K%-BB% of 16.6% against a BAA of .210. Some of that is from limiting his exposure to a third time through the lineup, but the improvements have held in his non-piggyback starts.
Southpaw Joey Cantillo gets the start for Cleveland, so, you know, hold on to your butts.
Lineups
The Mariners have heard your clamoring, and Canzone not only gets a start against a lefty, but in the cleanup spot. Unfortunately, they have not heard your complaining, and Rob Refsnyder continues to see time.
I have no idea who’s in the Guardians lineup because all I can look at here is Joey Cantillo’s pitchface.
Game Info
First Pitch: 4:10 PDT TV: Mariners TV Radio: Old Reliable
It’s a franchise-defining opportunity. A player chosen in the top 10 is expected to become a foundational piece, and Calgary is hoping its first selection helps accelerate the organization’s ongoing development.
But inside the Flames’ draft room, the focus extends far beyond the opening round.
General manager Craig Conroy knows as well as anyone that every selection carries value, regardless of where it falls.
“You just never know,” said Conroy. “We got Johnny Gaudreau in the fourth round… Dustin Wolf in the seventh. Each pick is important.”
For Calgary’s scouting staff, those success stories serve as reminders that the draft isn’t won solely on Day 1. Countless hours are spent evaluating players, debating projections and searching for overlooked talent that could develop into NHL contributors years down the road.
Conroy emphasized that every prospect selected should represent more than simply adding another name to the system.
“You want to put that Flaming ‘C’ jersey on them and be proud of that,” he told FlamesTV.
Few examples illustrate that philosophy better than Johnny Gaudreau.
Selected 104th overall in the fourth round of the 2011 NHL Draft, Gaudreau was considered too small by many teams despite his elite offensive skill. The Flames looked beyond his size and bet on his talent, a decision that paid off in spectacular fashion.
More recently, Calgary struck gold again with Dustin Wolf.
Taken 214th overall in the seventh round of the 2019 draft, Wolf faced many of the same concerns that followed Gaudreau throughout his draft year. Questions about his size caused teams to pass, but his production and competitiveness told a different story.
Since then, Wolf has developed into one of the NHL’s top young goaltenders. After dominating at every level, he has emerged as both the Flames’ goaltender of the future and an integral part of the club’s present, validating Calgary’s willingness to trust its scouting staff over conventional wisdom.
Those two success stories are reminders that draft position doesn’t always determine NHL impact.
"We really feel this is going to be a draft that changes the trajectory of the team."#Flames GM Craig Conroy sounds off on the work put in and focus headed into the #NHLDraft! pic.twitter.com/wvvWqkGFR3
Every year, stars emerge from unexpected places. For organizations that scout well and remain committed to their evaluations, the later rounds can be just as important as the first.
That’s why Calgary’s draft table will remain just as engaged when the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh rounds begin.
Feel free to use this thread to chat about (almost) anything you want: video games, food, movies, non-football sports, you name it. As long as it’s allowed by the site’s ToS, it’s fair game here.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - FEBRUARY 22: James Harden #1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers warms up prior to the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Paycom Center on February 22, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by William Purnell/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers are set for a busy offseason. One of the goals will be ducking below the second apron, and preferably the first as well. Look no further than the Cavs trading out of the first round into the second this past week to save money as proof of that.
One of the ways they should be able to save money next season is by negotiating a new deal with James Harden. As it stands, Harden has a player option worth $43.3 million for next season with $13.3 million guaranteed. Reporting suggests that Harden is willing to negotiate a smaller annual value in a deal for next year, in exchange for a longer deal.
Harden is nearing the end of his career. Securing future paydays beyond this upcoming season is more beneficial for him in the long term. From the Cavs’ perspective, they could be saving up to $10 million on next season’s cap sheet, depending on how much Harden signs for. That would allow them to get under the second apron and remake the roster.
Harden had a strong season for the Cavs after being dealt to Cleveland in February. He averaged 20.5 points and 7.7 assists per game on .466/.435/.840 shooting splits in 26 regular-season games. In the playoffs, Harden averaged 19.2 points and 5.5 assists on .410/.299/.831 shooting splits in 18 games.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - JUNE 20: Spencer Arrighetti #41 of the Houston Astros pitches in the second inning during a game against the Cleveland Guardians at Daikin Park on June 20, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Houston Astros/Getty Images) | Getty Images
TONIGHT’S GAME: The Houston Astros (40-43) and Detroit Tigers (34-47) will play the 2nd game of their 4-game set tonight at Comerica Park.
RHP Spencer Arrighetti (7-3, 3.13 ERA) will start for the Astros vs. Tigers RHP Keider Montero (3-5, 3.68 ERA). Tonight will be Arrighetti’s 3rd career start/app. vs. DET and his 2nd at Comerica Park.
ROAD TRIPPIN: Tonight is the 5th game (3-1 thus far) of a 7-game road trip for the Astros. They were 2-1 at TOR on the 1st stop of the trip.
Road Recovery: The Astros are 13-7 in their last 3 road trips combined. They have have posted a 19-13 record on the road since going 1-9 on their 1st road trip of the 2026 season.
Road Bats: The Astros are 2nd in the AL in road OPS (.737), T-2nd in road HR (57) and 3rd in road SLG (.414).
ASTROS-TIGERS: The Astros are 3-1 vs. DET this season, having won 2 of 3 games from the Tigers last week at Daikin Park (June 15-17). The 2 clubs will play all 7 of their scheduled games between June 15-28.
In 2025, the Astros and Tigers finished with identical 87-75 records, with the Tigers earning the final AL Wild Card spot due to winning the season series vs. HOU.
Recent Success: Since 2022, the Astros are 19-10 vs. DET with an 8-4 record here at Comerica Park.
SPENCER’S GIFTS: RHP Spencer Arrighetti is 7-3 in his 12 starts with a 3.13 ERA, leading the club in both categories. He currently ranks T-6th in the AL in wins and 6th in ERA (min. 65.0 IP).
Additionally, he has allowed just 51 hits in his 69.0 innings of work and just 6 HR in his 12 starts on the season.
Pitcher of the Month: Arrighetti was named AL Pitcher of the Month for May, posting a 4-1 record with a 0.93 ERA.
WINNING THE CLOSE CALLS: The Astros are now 9-4 in 1-run games and 16-10 in 2-run games (4-4 in extra innings).
SERIES-LY SPEAKING: The Astros have won 4 consecutive series for the 1st time in 2026, posting an 8-4 record in that span. The last time that the Astros won that many series in a row was when they won 5 straight, from June 20-July 6 of last season (went 12-3 in that stretch).
RECENT STROS: The Astros have won 4 of 5, 7 of 9 and 9 of their last 13 games.
THE SLOW TURNAROUND: After a slow start to the season, over the last month or so (May 21-June 25), the Astros are 20-12 (.625), which is the best record in the AL in that span.
Top Records since May 21 (AL)
1. HOU: 20-12 (.625)
2. NYY: 18-12 (.600)
STANDINGS UPDATE: The Astros currently occupy the final Wild Card position in the AL. HOU is also T-2nd in the AL West, 1.5 games behind SEA for the top spot in the division.
MVP-CALIBER: Yordan Alvarez has had a torrid 1st half to his season, currently leading all of baseball with a 1.055 OPS. Additionally, he leads the AL in SLG (.625), OBP (.430), TB (185), is T-1st in HR (25), 2nd in batting avg. (.318) and T-3rd in RBI (56). Alvarez, who was the AL Player of the Month for May, is hitting .363 (29×80) in June with 5 HR and 17 RBI with a 1.069 OPS (.469 OBP/.600 SLG).
ALL-STAR UPDATE: Per MLB’s update yesterday, Yordan Alvarez’ 2,911,655 fan votes were tops among all DH’s and the 2nd-most overall in the AL. The second phase of fan voting begins Monday, June 29th and features the top two vote-getters at each position. Phase 2 voting concludes at 12:00 p.m. (ET) on Thursday, July 2nd.
Alvarez has been an All-Star 3 times thus far in his career. Since 2017, the Astros 37 All-Star selections are tops in the AL in that span.
PEN PALS: Since May 15, the Astros bullpen has been one of the best in the AL, posting a 2.76 clip (42ER/137P) in that span. The Astros are 23-15 since May 15.
OKERT’S 0’s:LHP Steven Okert has not allowed a run in his last 17.0 innings, which is the longest scoreless streak by an Astros hurler this season and the 3rd-longest by a reliever in the Majors this season. In his current streak, which spans 14 appearances, and began on May 23 at CHC, Okert has allowed just 8 hits in those 17.0 innings pitched.
Longest 2026 Scoreless Streaks – Relievers
1. Luke Weaver: 22.1 IP (active)
2. Chad Patrick: 18.1 IP
3. Steven Okert: 17.0 IP (active)*
*Okert’s streak is the longest by a LH reliever in ‘26
HADERADE: In his 10 appearances since coming of the IL on June 3, opponents are just 2×32 off LHP Josh Hader. Hader has posted a 0.90 ERA (1ER/10IP) and is 6-for-6 in save opportunities (.063 opp. avg., .040 WHIP).
ON THE DEFENSIVE: The Astros are T-1st in the AL in fielding pct. with a .989 clip. Their 31 errors are the 2nd-fewest in the AL.
TODAY IN ASTROS HISTORY: 1988 – Rookie catcher and future Hall of Famer Craig Biggio makes his Major League debut in a 6-0 win over the Giants. Biggio, batting 8th in the lineup, draws a walk and scores his 1st Major League run. He would go on to tally 3,060 hits in his career, en route to becoming the 1st player to go into the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown as an Astro in 2015.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Friday, June 25, 5:40 p.m. CT
Location: Comerica Park, Detroit, MI
TV: SCHN
Radio: KBME 790 AM & 94.5 FM HD2; TUDN 102.9 FM HD2 (Spanish)
WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 25: Bryce Harper #3 of the Philadelphia Phillies hits a two-run home run in the ninth inning against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on June 25, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Andy Green era as Mets manager begins Friday. And while it will only last until the end of the 2026 season, the former San Diego Padres skipper is ready for the challenge of taking over for Carlos Mendoza.
And while he won't try and replicate what Mendoza did in his two-plus seasons as Mets manager, Green believes this team is capable of more and that he will try to get the best out of them.
“We’re in a situation where we have an incredibly talented group of baseball players that haven’t come together to perform at a level we all expect and they expect," Green said in his introductory news conference before the team's series opener with the Phillies. "This isn’t a strategy problem; what it comes down to is the best thing we can do is recognize what keeps most people from performing is the burden they carry with them to work every day. And that burden is from caring too much."
Green said that his management style is rooted in authenticity, being collaborative and adaptable, and wants to cultivate an environment where the players can play freely and with joy. Green believes the players were pressing this season after a slow start to try and succeed for the sake of Mendoza, and that the managerial change can be beneficial.
"Often, what happens is you care too much," Green continued. "When you get to these types of moments where a manager change occurs, you eliminate a measure of the burden in a way that nobody wants to. Those guys are trying to come together for Mendy because they care about Mendy, and when you get to the finality of this moment, then it’s passed. And sometimes you see guys play with a greater measure of freedom and that’s the best thing I can do for this group."
Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns announced Green would return to his previous position in the front office after the 2026 season and a new managerial search will commence in the offseason.
Green was asked why he was stepping into the manager's role and the former player was candid. He said he liked his position as Mets VP for player development and the flexibility it gave him to spend time with his family. But when he was approached about taking over for Mendoza, Green accepted, knowing he could help the organization in the short-term.
"This felt like a responsibility, more than an opportunity," Green explained. "Once it was made known to me that nothing was going to change, once I learned that, I genuinely believe, given my life experience, I was in the best position to help over the next three months and see what we can get done as a group."
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 24: Ty France #25 of the San Diego Padres celebrates a solo home run against the Atlanta Braves at Petco Park on June 24, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Mike Nowak/Getty Images) | Getty Images
For the first time in 2026, the Atlanta Braves were swept. For most of the season, they’ve been the unquestioned best team in baseball. The Los Angeles Dodgers now hold sole possession of that title. But, of all teams, the San Diego Padres were the first (and only) to do it. They beat them handily, outdueling them at every turn and playing good baseball for the first time in what’s felt like a while.
Starter JP Sears did exactly what he needed to do: save the bullpen. The ‘pen had been taxed after Griffin Canning couldn’t finish a single inning in Tuesday night’s matchup. Thankfully, Sears was able to work into the sixth inning in his first start of the season against a Braves lineup that has not been kind to most.
The Friars need all the help they can get facing Los Angeles. Their momentum certainly helps as the two rivals clash for the second time this season on Friday night. Winning the series opener would be huge for San Diego. They’ll need to keep their foot on the gas in order to do so.
Taking the mound
Roki Sasaki (LAD) v. Walker Buehler (SD)
Sasaki has started to come into his own a bit this year. After struggling in 2025 as a starter, the righty was moved to the bullpen where he dominated in the postseason. Now, he’s back in the rotation and has worked through his struggles.
That said, despite flashing elite stuff, he still doesn’t look like the pitcher he was in Japan. Sasaki owns a 4.76 ERA and 1.29 WHIP through 68 innings pitched. His last few starts have been marginally better, but he just gave up seven runs to the Chicago White Sox. The Padres’ lineup has looked good lately. It will be interesting to see how much Sasaki can limit the damage.
Buehler will make his scheduled start, with Randy Vásquez moving to Lucas Giolito’s spot after the latter was moved to the 15-day IL. He’s surged as of late, pitching to a 2.72 ERA across his last seven starts. He’s given up just one run apiece in each of his last four starts.
The longtime Dodger will face his former team for the first time as a member of the rival Padres. Buehler has had success facing his former teammates before, but San Diego will need him to keep it going in order to make up ground in the divisional race.
Batter up!
Tonight’s game actually marks the first time that the Friars will face Sasaki. That tends to be an advantage for the pitcher, but that hasn’t been the case for the righty in the past. San Diego just scored 13 runs off of a very good Atlanta pitching staff, and they’ll need their lineup to keep it up.
Fernando Tatis Jr., 2B
Samad Taylor, RF
Manny Machado, 3B
Xander Bogaerts, SS
Jackson Merrill, CF
Gavin Sheets, LF
Ty France, 1B
Will Wagner, DH
Freddy Fermin, C
After his homer in Wednesday’s series finale, France figures to start at first base. That seems to suggest that Taylor shifts over to right field to make room for Sheets in the outfield. That said, Sheets could DH and Tatis could start in right field. He’s played a lot of second base this season, but the Padres have used him in the outfield more in the last few games.
Relief corps
Like I said, Sears did exactly what the Friars needed him to do. San Diego only needed three arms to finish out the game (though why they didn’t use Ron Marinaccio instead of David Morgan remains to be seen). The latter had pitched in the previous game where the former hasn’t thrown since Sunday. Either way, it was a successful first outing for Sears.
Morgan finished out the sixth and seventh innings before Wandy Peralta covered the eighth. He set up Jason Adam, who slammed the door shut on Atlanta to sweep the series. With the off day on Thursday, the bullpen will get some much-needed (and much-deserved) rest. Everyone will be available, but, barring any moves, Kyle Hart, Ron Marinaccio, Yuki Matsui, Mason Miller and Adrian Morejon will be options after not pitching in the series finale.
DENVER, COLORADO - JUNE 20: Paul Skenes #30 of the Pittsburgh Pirates pitches in the second inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on June 20, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Pittsburgh Pirates are hoping to keep their winning streak alive as they begin a series with the Cincinnati Reds. After winning two of three against the Mariners earlier in the week, the Pirates welcome the Reds to town for a divisional series that could dictate how the NL Central wraps up later in the year.
Paul Skenes is on the mound for the Pirates, but that hasn’t boded well for the Buccos over his last seven starts. The last time the Pirates won a game in which Skenes started came back on May 12 against the Colorado Rockies. Since then, the Pirates have not been able to win with Skenes on the mound. In five of those seven games, Skenes has picked up the loss, including in each of his last two appearances.
The Reds will counter with Andrew Abbott, who has pitched at least five innings in each of his last 10 starts. Abbott is coming off a win against the New York Yankees in his last start on June 20, when he gave up five hits and one earned run in a 10-2 victory at Yankee Stadium.
This is Abbott’s second start against the Pirates this season. In his last start against the Pirates on April 1, he pitched 5.2 innings, giving up five hits and four earned runs in an 8-3 victory for Pittsburgh.
Location: PNC Park, Pittsburgh, PA
Broadcast: KDKA AM/FM, Sportsnet Pittsburgh
Pitching Matchup: Andrew Abbott (5-4, 3.83 ERA) vs. Paul Skenes (6-7, 2.86 ERA)
BD community, chime off in the comments section below.
Nov 12, 2022; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Houston Rockets forward Tari Eason (17) and forward Jabari Smith Jr. (1) arrives at the arena before the game against the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
It hasn’t been a linear trend towards success for this Houston Rockets rebuild.
There have been peaks and valleys. At times, it has looked like the Rockets had one of the brightest futures in the NBA. There’s been plenty of gloom and doom as well. As is often the case, the truth is likely somewhere in the middle.
All of the Rockets’ young players have shown potential. The problem is that none have emerged as a true franchise player. That leaves us all waiting for one of these young Rockets to “step up”.
According to the latest polls, you think Jabari Smith Jr. is the man for the job.
Jabari Smith Jr. voted most likely to “take the next step”
I know…I know. The poll question was not “Is Jabari Smith Jr. a franchise-caliber player”? Maybe I’ve got writer’s block, maybe every NBA writer has writer’s block during the summer until their team makes a splashy acquisition.
What you actually voted for was Smith Jr. to step up ahead of Tari Eason next year. That makes sense. Eason is a couple of years older than Smith Jr., which gives Smith Jr. a longer runway for improvement. Eason has also been generally better than Smith Jr., so the latter’s bar for “stepping up” is lower.
The question is, what does stepping up look like for Smith Jr.?
Rockets’ Smith Jr. has room to grow
Resisting the urge to claim that you voted this way because I’d recently written a whole article about Smith Jr. stepping up.
Joking. I know I don’t have that influence. Again, writer’s block. Trying to be funny. Words.
To reiterate: There are two clear paths to improvement for Smith Jr. One is to simply improve his three-point shooting, and the other is to explore his midrange game more thoroughly.
As the roster is constructed, that midrange game might be difficult to probe. Between Kevin Durant and Alperen Sengun, that part of the floor is largely occupied. So, an increase in three-point efficiency (and, ideally, volume) seems like the more available path.
If Smith Jr. can take strides, the Rockets should win more games. If you happen to want to bet on how many games they might win (or anything else), head on over to FanDuel, who sponser our SB Nation Reacts polls. There are plenty of bets available that feature the Rockets.
Phoenix had already re-signed starting point guard Collin Gillespie and his backup Jordan Goodwin, now it has locked up all three of its own free agents it wanted to keep.
Williams came to Phoenix on a draft night trade a year ago and averaged 11.7 points and eight rebounds per game. He was a solid part of the rotation, and the Suns wanted to bring him back on a two-year deal, reports John Gambadoro, the well-connected long-time radio host in Phoenix.
The bet for Phoenix in this deal is that Williams stays healthy. Williams has an injury history, and while he played 60 games last season for the Suns, he never played more than 44 games in any season during his three years in Charlotte.
This gives the Suns 15 players on their roster, and they are above the first apron and about $4.7 below the second, there is little chance they are adding any salary. If a good deal came up, the Suns have non-guaranteed contracts they could waive to make a move, but this looks like the Suns' roster for next season.
ABOUT LAST NIGHT: With the Cubs’ win last night and the Cardinals’ rainout, the Cubs are in sole possession of second place in the division, at 44-37 to the Cards’ 42-36. The Cubs had not been second alone since May 30, following a 6-1 win at St. Louis that made them 32-27 to the Cards’ 30-26. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
PLAYING THE WINNING TEAMS: Tonight’s game will be the first the Cubs have played against the opponent that started the game with a winning record since May 31, when they lost at St. Louis, 5-1. They are 12-9 since then. The Cubs are 18-18 vs. teams with more wins than losses and 26-19 vs. those at .500 or below. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
SCORING LOTS OF RUNS: In their last seven games, the Cubs have outscored their opponents, 63-33. They batted .355 (33 for 93) with runners in scoring position, raising their average for the year by 17 points, from a season-low .217 to .234, its highest since it was .238 on May 17. They have played 33 games since then. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
TODAY IN CUBS HISTORY: Ron Santo’s three-run homer off Bob Gibson in the seventh helped lead the Cubs to a 5-1 win over the Cardinals at St. Louis. It happened 55 years ago today, Saturday, June 26, 1971.
He has not faced the Brewers this year. Current Brewers are batting .316 (18-for-57) against Rea with one home run (Andrew Vaughn).
Good luck, Colin.
You all know about Jacob Misiorowski’s amazing run over his last nine starts: 0.45 ERA, 0.564 WHIP. Over that span he’s struck out 87 of 216 batters faced and thrown a metric buttload of pitches over 100 miles per hour.
Please visit our SB Nation Brewers site Brew Crew Ball. If you do go there to interact with Brewers fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.
The 2026 game discussion procedure has been changed, so please take note.
You’ll find the game preview, like this one, posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).
At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game.
The Live! (formerly “First Pitch”) thread will still post at five minutes to game time. It will also post to the front page. That will be the only live game discussion thread. After the game, the recap and Heroes and Goats will also live on the front page as separate posts.
You will also be able to find the preview, Live! thread, recap and Heroes and Goats in this section link. The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.
