FORT MYERS, FLORIDA - MARCH 7: Miguel Bleis #44 of the Boston Red Sox bats during a spring training game against the Tampa Bay Rays at JetBlue Park at Fenway South on March 7, 2026 in Fort Myers, Florida. (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
On Wednesday against the Mets, Brayan Bello had a start. It was… a start. It was fine. He allowed three runs, went five innings, throwing 50 strikes on 81 pitches, struck out six and didn’t walk anyone. The pitching staff as a whole hurled fourteen strikeouts and, aside from Noah Song, were all huge in high-leverage situations. Allan Castro again played hero, hitting what would become the game-winning RBI single last night. This is the second consecutive game that the outfielder was instrumental in a win.
I mean… at what point is it enough of a sample size to admit that Franklin Arias can hit this level of pitching and that it’s time to evaluate his bat at the next level? Yesterday against Altoona (Pirates AA) he hit a home run for the second consecutive game, the third such time he’s had a home run streak, as he’s now at 17 homers on the season. He’s slashing .329/.414/.606. I mean, come on now.
Brooks Brannon’s bat woke up with a bases-clearing double. The team surpassed a slumping Hayden Mullins getting hit to death and managed to win having had just five knocks on the night.
Luke Heyman led the charge with his seventh home run of the season, but there was simply too much Winston-Salem (White Sox High-A) offense to overcome. Jojo Ingrassia couldn’t go any longer in this game but pitched solidly enough overall for five innings. The bullpen, though, let a ton up, unable to hold the 4-2 lead they had after six innings, and this game just wasn’t winnable after an 8-run 8th inning for the Dash.
Feels like a Red Sox game, doesn’t it? The pitching staff allowing just two hits to the Green Jackets (Braves A). Avinson Pinto matched that total himself, but all four Salem hits were singles, and the RidgeYaks couldn’t advance any runners and also couldn’t draw any walks. Tough to win a baseball game in that capacity no matter how good the pitching is.
The Chicago White Sox have won six of the last nine and are priced at -110 to come out on top in tonight's series opener.
My White Sox vs. Guardians predictions and MLB picks suggest the road team should be favored against a Cleveland team missing its best player.
Who will win White Sox vs Guardians today: White Sox moneyline (-110)
Slade Cecconi has allowed six runs over his last five starts and managed a 1.88 ERA, despite a 3.97 xFIP and 4.02 FIP.
Opponents hit an unsustainably low .229 on balls put in play over the past month. Even more unsustainable is that he has stranded 93.3% of baserunners, which is miles above his 71% career average.
The Chicago White Sox rank ninth in ISO and 12th in wOBA vs. righties since June 1, making them a strong candidate to bring Cecconi back to earth.
White Sox vs Guardians Over/Under pick: Under 8.5 (-110)
This total is half a run too high. Cecconi has not pitched as well as his numbers suggest, but it’s not as if he should be getting shelled. He simply deserves middling results rather than high-end. In a pitcher’s park, I don’t think he’ll get blown up entirely.
The Cleveland Guardians are missing a couple of key bats, and it shows. They rank 24th in wOBA and 29th in ISO against righties at home since June 1.
Davis Martin has allowed only five runs through six starts against Bottom-10 teams in OPS vs. right-handed pitching. Bet the Under to -125.
Todd Cordell's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 46-37, -1.35 units
Over/Under bets: 45-34-4, +6.79 units
White Sox vs Guardians weather
White Sox vs Guardians odds
Moneyline: White Sox -110 | Guardians -110
Run line: White Sox -1.5 (+150) | Guardians +1.5 (-175)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-110) | Under 8.5 (-110)
White Sox vs Guardians trend
The White Sox have cashed the moneyline in 26 of their last 45 games (+9.4 units, 19% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for White Sox vs. Guardians.
How to watch White Sox vs Guardians and game info
Location
Progressive Field, Cleveland, OH
Date
Thursday, July 2, 2026
First pitch
6:40 p.m. ET
TV
CHSN, Guardians.TV
White Sox starting pitcher
Davis Martin (9-3, 3.00 ERA)
Guardians starting pitcher
Slade Cecconi (4-6, 4.19 ERA)
White Sox vs Guardians latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Up front, the club reunited with centre Ben Jones, who returns to the organization after spending the past two seasons in the Minnesota Wild system. Jones signed a one-year, two-way contract worth $850,000 at the NHL level.
The Flames also re-signed forward WilliamStromgren to a one-year, two-way contract. The Swedish winger made his NHL debut with Calgary last season, appearing in three games, while enjoying a productive year with the AHL’s Calgary Wranglers. Stromgren finished fourth on the team in scoring with 47 points (11 goals, 36 assists) in 66 games.
On the blue line, Calgary added three defencemen. Jake Livingstone agreed to a one-year, two-way deal after posting 17 points in 52 AHL games with the Charlotte Checkers last season.
Fellow right-shot defender Mike Benning also signed a one-year, two-way contract following a campaign that included his first 18 NHL games with the Florida Panthers, where he recorded six points.
The Flames also brought in veteran Andreas Englund on a one-year, two-way contract. The 30-year-old has appeared in 200 NHL games across five organizations and adds size, experience, and organizational depth to Calgary’s defensive group.
AJ Greer’s signing rights were acquired by the Anaheim Ducks from the Florida Panthers on June 29 in exchange for the signing rights to now-former captain Radko Gudas.
Both players have now been signed by the teams that acquired them. On Tuesday, reports surfaced of Greer’s contract signing, which has a four-year term and a $4.25 million AAV, along with a 10-team no-trade clause throughout the duration. On Wednesday, it was made official by the Ducks.
Greer (29) is coming off a career year with the Florida Panthers, where he reached a career high in goals (17), assists (15), and points (32) in 78 games, while playing the most consistent minutes in his career (12:26 TOI/G).
Prior to the 2025-26 season, Greer had mustered just 49 points (19-30=49) in 248 career games.
“I just really put my head down and gave it everything I had,” Greer said of the opportunity he earned and the production he displayed in 2025-26. “I know that I can do that again. I don’t think it’s a one-off. Personally, I know what’s in the tank, and I’m a competitor. I’m only going to get better, I believe. So, I’m really looking forward to this opportunity.”
Greer had an up-and-down journey to get to this point in his career, where he was able to parlay a 32-point season into a multi-year, multi-million dollar contract.
He was drafted in the second round (39th overall in 2015) by the Colorado Avalanche out of Boston University of the NCAA. After a year and a half of subpar production, he left BU for the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies of the QMJHL, where he saw more offensive success.
From 2016 to 2022, Greer played mostly in the AHL, with occasional NHL stints with the Colorado Avalanche and New Jersey Devils franchises. Between 2022 and 2025, he played in an exclusive fourth-line role for the Boston Bruins, Calgary Flames, and Florida Panthers, winning a Stanley Cup with Florida in 2024-25.
The Panthers suffered several injuries to key players in 2025-26, following back-to-back Stanley Cup wins and three consecutive trips to the Stanley Cup Final. Those injuries paved the way to top-nine minutes for Greer, who saw a skyrocket in production and shooting percentage (16.4%), playing more reliable nightly minutes and with more talented linemates.
On the ice, Greer isn’t likely to dazzle with puck skills or impeccable vision. Instead, he’s more of a traditional grinder with remarkable skating, especially given his 6-foot-3, 225-pound frame.
His on-ice strengths include a relentless motor, plus defensive habits, and consistent forechecking tendencies. He singlehandedly forces turnovers from opposing retrieving defensemen and funnels those pucks to the high danger area of the ice.
In the offensive zone, he shields pucks well and keeps his feet moving in order to keep pucks moving. Off-puck, he is constantly fighting for positioning and battles his way to soft ice, rendering himself difficult to play against. His release isn’t lightning quick, but his heavy shot can beat NHL goaltenders from distance if he’s given enough ice.
In transition, he’s never going to be a puck transporter, but he makes smart, effective puck plays to advance through neutral ice and gain bluelines. Defensively, he backchecks through proper lanes, putting back pressure on opposing rush attacks. He gets to his spots for breakouts and is as disruptive as he can be against the cycle, eliminating lanes and options.
In theory, Greer will get a lot of puck touches with his new club, in his new system, with his new teammates, and under his new coach. He offers elements of in-zone offense, disruptive defense, and forechecking that the Ducks desperately needed in 2025-26 and their ensuing playoff run.
Though Greer hasn’t accumulated much time on the penalty kill in his NHL career, if he can add that element to his repertoire, his value will only increase for Anaheim and make them better on special teams, an area of weakness for the better part of a decade.
Greer’s off-ice mentality and determination bleed onto the ice, and his self-awareness and appreciation of the opportunity given to him will undoubtedly lead to him becoming an instant fan and locker room favorite in Anaheim.
Jonas Vingegaard is coming off a Giro d’Italia victory, but Tadej Pogacar remains favourite and can take his fifth title
Two strings to the Dutch team’s bow: Jasper Philipsen to add to his 10 stage wins and repeat his 2023 points jersey, Mathieu van der Poel to do VDP things: crazy breaks, forceful lead-outs, sniffing out openings. Philipsen has just won the Tour of Belgium; his co-leader hasn’t won since March but was a force in the spring Classics, then after time out from racing, ran Pogacar close in the Tour de Suisse time trial. He also copped a fine for going topless in the leader’s hot seat; not many make headlines merely for sitting down, but that’s charisma for you.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MAY 02: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics celebrates a basket against the Philadelphia 76ers during the third quarter in Game Seven of the First Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at TD Garden on May 02, 2026 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. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In order to understand the Jaylen Brown trade, its associated outrage, the mass confusion about how little Boston got back and the surrounding circus about how good Jaylen Brown may or may not be, we need to talk about another (in)famous trade.
On Wednesday, the Celtics sent Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers for Paul George and two future first-round picks. That is shockingly little for an All-NBA, Finals MVP and borderline face-of-the-franchise level player not even in his 30s. But before we talk about Brown, George, the Celtics, the 76ers, Brad Stevens, Bill Chisholm, any of them, we need to talk about, you guessed it, Luka Doncic.
After the Luka trade, there were a lot of takes. Most of them the same (“this is the worst trade in NBA history”), though some of them were stupid or just intentionally clickbaity (“the Mavericks won the trade”). But the best one, by far, was the nuanced counterpoint, made memorably (to me at least) by Chuck Klosterman. Loosely paraphrased: If you thought that that trade meant you could win the NBA Finals this year, then you can rationalize it. It’s not necessarily a correct diagnosis of your situation, but it would be a rational decision.
That is, to date, the only contrarian opinion on the Luka trade that I felt actually was fair to the parties involved. Every other formulation of “the Mavericks were going nowhere with Luka” or “defense wins championships” was either in bad faith or simply naive. But the view that treated Nico Harrison and the Mavericks as rational actors rather than visionaries or idiots was my favorite.
The same may, eventually, be true for the Jaylen Brown trade: the return did not line up with his reputation, no, but it is likely that the Celtics made a rational decision based on their evaluation of the player and the market. And while the return is disappointing, arguably shocking, for Celtics fans (myself included), the trade should not be treated as patently insane.
There are three possible explanations for why Boston pulled the trigger on such a flabbergasting lowball return: first, that Brown had demanded a trade and the two sides’ relationship had soured beyond the point of no return. This story has been repeatedly debunked by those with information from inside the Celtics organization. Second, that new owner Bill Chisholm is cost-cutting in order to make the team more profitable for his private equity partners. And while the influence of private equity in sports is a fascinating tale to tell, this version of events is an unnecessary and unlikely conspiracy theory; Boston offered Brown for Giannis Antetokounmpo, a player they would have immediately signed to an extension that would have exceeded the remaining value on Brown’s deal. Total team cost is not the reason.
That leaves reason number three, essentially the only one that makes any sense if we’re trying to be rational: the Celtics and Brad Stevens had decided, at some point in the past year, that it was impossible to win another championship paying Jaylen Brown a supermax contract.
As was a topic of serious discussion on social media this week, Brown’s advanced metrics suggest he is an inefficient player whose team actually performs better when he is off the court. And while this is an impossibly prickly debate to wade into, let’s just skip the wading, put on a hazmat suit and cannonball in.
Jaylen Brown has been a winning player in his career. The Celtics have won an absurd number of games this decade. He was instrumental to their run to win the 2024 NBA Championship, and will perhaps be the last man ever to wear number seven in Boston. He has also been a frustrating player to watch and to root for. His persistent issues with clumsy dribbling seemed to create problems for the Celtics out of thin air. His free throw shooting, which majorly improved the last two seasons, is still below 75 percent for his career. But he has declined as a three-point shooter and has never been especially efficient from the floor. None of that is contradictory; Brown is incredibly talented and has been very successful — he is also not Jayson Tatum, the Celtics’ utterly non-negotiable cornerstone, nor are the two on the same level.
Delusions that Tatum and Brown were somehow 1A and 1B (or even equals) rather than the clear number one and number two that they actually are, have pervaded Celtics circles since I was a small child. These delusions are what led to the most vitriolic outrage from Celtics Land on Wednesday, but there is no doubt that Brown is a better player than what he was traded for; George is an aging, injury-prone wing with a similarly expensive albeit shorter contract. Even if Boston had long decided to deal Brown, why the Celtics decided to make this move now rather than wait for something better is perplexing. But it is also possible nothing better would ever become available; without a full understanding of the market, we can’t be sure.
Tatum is a supermax player, and he will remain as such for the Celtics into the future. Most likely, the Celtics front office concluded that Brown’s supermax contract made it impossible for them to realistically compete in the next three years. Yes, they won a title with both Tatum and Brown, but that was before they were both on mega-deals and with a once-in-a-generation superteam Boston quickly became unable to pay. It is not feasible for the Celtics to put that kind of talent around Tatum and Brown ever again.
That meant trading Brown was rational, something I have repeatedly stated on various internet publishing platforms since what feels like the dawn of time but is actually just, like, last May. And even though Brown is an excellent basketball player, the contract appears to have prohibited any real market from emerging. Even I underestimated how little the Celtics and the rest of the NBA thought of Brown as an asset.
Boston did not wind up with Antetokounmpo because the Milwaukee Bucks did not see a team built around Jaylen Brown as a viable path to contention, now or in the future. Nor did the rest of the NBA, as Brown will now be second or third option on the 76ers behind Tyrese Maxey and maybe Joel Embiid. His reputation was, and should continue to be, far greater than what the Celtics got in return. But the simple reality that he makes too much money for what he actually contributes is probably the straw that broke the camel’s back.
There may be another straw. We will probably get some kind of now-they-tell-us feature story that describes how the front office slowly became disenchanted with Brown and how their relationship frayed. There may be some organizational policy that is not public information, but I will not speculate. And you can read all about why the George-plus-two-picks deal is so lopsided for Philadelphia here by the meritorious Ricky O’Donnell. I’m not here to tell you it’s a good deal.
I’m just here to say that it is, for the most part, a rational decision. We may be tempted to think that teams and players are two individuals, relating on an even playing field with emotions and attachment and associated respect. But teams are not individuals; they are groups, with complex interests and longer-term priorities. Whatever “responsibilities” they have to certain players, fans or to a city often break at the stone of cold logic. It’s not pretty, but trading Jaylen Brown for a pittance may still have been the best, or only, path forward. This is not the Luka trade, which had no bidding war. This trade was the result of the bidding war, and probably reflected his actual market value.
In the end, Brown’s contract may just be too expensive. Paying for past performance is the recipe for NBA disaster, especially in the most restrictive financial ecosystem the league has ever had. It is a bold statement, one I’m not necessarily sure I would make myself, but if Boston had truly decided that Brown was blocking their ability to build a winning team, trading him for the best offer they had, however insultingly low, makes rational sense.
Jul 4, 2021; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Signage depicting the 4th of July is displayed at Chase Field prior to the game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the San Francisco Giants. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images
Team News
D-backs’ undefeated run vs. Giants ends as Gallen searches for answers “Zac was really good for the early parts of this game,” manager Torey Lovullo said. “I thought he was driving his fastball into the right parts of the zone.”
Said Gallen, “I felt like we were pretty much in control.” ………………………………………………………. “I think I had said a while back, sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good in this game,” Gallen said. “Like, right now I’m on neither side of the coin, so it’s kind of frustrating. I felt like any time I made a mistake, the ball was [hit] for damage or leaving the ballpark.”
Diamondbacks’ win streak over Giants couldn’t last forever
“We’re not gonna quit on Zac,” manager Torey Lovullo said postgame. “No coach is gonna quit on him. I know he’s struggling and he’s gonna continue to fight because that’s his spirit … It’s not working the way we want it to for him, I’ll acknowledge that, but he can pay us unbelievable dividends if he gets on one of his runs.” https://arizonasports.com/mlb/arizona-diamondbacks/giants-win-streak-ends
The workers were called soda jerks because of the jerking motion used to pump soda water.
The holes in spaghetti spoons have a purpose.
The single, circular hole in the middle of pasta spoons isn’t just for draining. It is actually a measure for the serving size of spaghetti. The amount of dry spaghetti that fits snug in the hole counts as one serving.
A group of frogs is called an army.
They can also be called a chorus or colony. A group of toads, on the other hand, can be called a nest or a knot.
Since the 4th doesn’t fall on “my day,” have a fun and safe July 4th! Or Treason Day either, or. My mom graduated high school in the bicentennial year.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - JULY 01: Manager Skip Schumaker #55 removes relief pitcher Cole Winn #60 of the Texas Rangers from the game against the Cleveland Guardians during the seventh inning at Progressive Field on July 01, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Morning, all!
Corey Seager is back on the IL less than a week after returning from a concussion and less than a month after another back related injury.
This is the third trip to the IL for Seager this season and the ninth in the five years he’s been in Texas with five years and $155 million still left on his contract.
Wyatt Langford and Brandon Nimmo are also dealing with injuries right now.
Chris Martin made a rehab appearance with AA Frisco on Wednesday on his way back from a shoulder impingement.
Morale is high despite all the injuries, with the Rangers wrapping up a 7-3 road trip even with crucial missing pieces.
Cleveland beat the Rangers 9-4 yesterday, snapping the Rangers’ longest road win streak since 2017.
TAMPA, FL - MARCH 12: Declan Carlile #67 of the Tampa Bay Lightning celebrates a goal against the Detroit Red Wings at Benchmark International Arena on March 12, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mark LoMoglio/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
In a lot of ways the the start of the Pittsburgh Penguins offseason has gone about as most of us had expected.
No major long-term contracts.
Targeting players in their mid-20s for trades that might still have a chance to break out in a bigger role.
Cheap, short-term free agents that are either reclamation projects, or players whose value can be pumped up and flipped at the deadline for more future draft picks.
It’s pretty much what they have done in each of the past two summers under Kyle Dubas, and they have had some success with it.
Overall, the Penguins have added six players over the past week either through trade or free agency. We already talked about Kaedan Korczak on Wednesday, so let’s dig a little deeper into the other moves that have been made so far.
Nicholas Robertson
It would be low-key hilarious if somebody misunderstood the Penguins interest in “Robertson” as a desire for Jason when all along the Penguins were talking about Nick.
The Penguins PR staff leaned into it on Wednesday when their email announcing the trade was simply given the subject line of: “Penguins Acquire Robertson.”
Every other roster move was accompanied by an email that included the player’s full name, position and in the case of a trade, what team they were coming from.
But not this trade!
Maybe this is part of a plan to entice Jason to come here. I could see it. It would make sense and be logical. And I do believe they still have some degree of interest in Jason (as they should) and maybe even a chance of actually pulling it off.
Whether they do pull it off or not, I still like this trade in a vacuum and on its own merits.
Robertson fits the exact type of player the Penguins have been trying to acquire the past few years, and he is a pretty good version of it. A younger, mid-20s forward that has flashed NHL ability and production, has easily identifiable skill, has performed well in smaller roles, and might be in need of a bigger role to further test themselves and develop into something more.
He was one of Toronto’s most efficient goal-scorers on a per-minute basis the past three seasons, with his 1.07 goals per 60 minutes of 5-on-5 play trailing only Auston Matthew and William Nylander. That same level of production would compare favorably to the top players that have played for the Penguins. For the cost of a fourth-round pick, it is a worthy bet. If it helps convince one of the league’s top-15 players to want to come here, even better.
Declan Carlile
Instead of overpaying a 30-year-old Parker Wotherspoon in 2027 the Penguins would have been better off trying to find the next Parker Wotherspoon.
This seems like their attempt at it.
Nobody envisioned Wotherspoon, a little-used, organizational depth defenseman that signed a cheap, two-year contract in free agency in the summer of 2025, eventually becoming Erik Karlsson’s partner and an extremely effective player for a playoff team.
I’m not saying Carlile is going to repeat that success, nor am I saying he will be as good as Wotherspoon, but I am just saying to have an open mind on it, especially given the seasons they were coming off of when they joined the Penguins in free agency.
Just for comparison’s sake:
Player
Team
Age
Season
TOI
CF%
xGA/60
xGF%
GA/60
GF%
O-zone %
Parker Wotherspoon
Boston Bruins
27
2024-25
885
47.4
2.31
47.7
2.17
46.6
41.6
Declan Carlile
Tampa Bay Lightning
25
2025-26
561
49.3
2.33
48.6
2.14
48.6
56.8
In terms of shot attempt share, expected goals against, expected goal share, goals against and goal differential they were virtually identical.
The one thing working more in Wotherspoon’s favor is that he faced the tougher minutes from a zone-start perspective.
The counter to that is that he was two years older, had more NHL experience going into the season, and consistently played alongside established NHL players. His most common partners were Brandon Carlo, Andrew Peeke, and Mason Lohrei.
Carlile was 25, had just three games of NHL experience going into the season, and spent most of his time playing next to the likes of Max Crozier, Steve Santini and Charle-Edouard D’Astous. They were all in the same boat of being mid-20s defenders getting their first taste of NHL action. And they did well. Carlile did well no matter who he was playing against.
Wotherspoon signed a two-year, $2 million deal.
Carlile signed a two-year, $3 million deal.
I do not know if it will work out the same way. But the player profiles are nearly identical, and the Penguins were able to turn last year’s guy into a younger player for the next few years at what could be a market-to-below-market contract (Korczak).
It is not hard to see the vision here.
Trevor van Riemsdyk
Of all the moves made so far this is the one that kind of left me scratching my head a little.
van Riemsdyk is a good defensive player, and definitely comes at a cheap price. He also has some positional flexibility and can play on his off-side. But he’s another right-handed defenseman on a team that is very right-handed heavy on defense.
Does it set the stage for a potential Erik Karlsson or Kris Letang trade?
Would Harrison Brunicke be part of a hypothetical Jason Robertson trade package?
Are they going to play one (or both) of van Riemsdyk and Brunicke on their off-side?
This one creates a lot of questions, even if he is a useful player.
The Penguins wanted to improve their defensive zone play. This would definitely help do that even if it is a head-scratcher of a fit.
Andrei Kuzmenko
Well, it’s not hard to see the comparable here.
Say hello to your new Anthony Mantha.
If you just simply look at their 82-game averages they are nearly identical in their production.
Andrei Kuzmenko: 26 goals, 29 assists, 55 points
Anthony Mantha: 25 goals, 26 assists, 51 points
Kuzmenko is the smaller player, isn’t a particularly great skater and can be a total non-factor defensively. But other than the size, you’re again basically describing Anthony Mantha.
A lot of Kuzmenko’s 82-game averages are boosted up by that 39-goal debut season when he scored on more than 27 percent of his shots, and that’s just probably a performance he’s not going to duplicate. Especially now that he is into his 30s. But he has maintained a pretty high shooting percentage, and over the past three years has averaged 0.70 goals per 60 minutes of 5-on-5 play. That places him 212th out of 517 forwards that have logged at least 500 minutes of ice-time. So … about middle of the pack. He is tied with Sean Monahan and Casey Mittelstadt just to give some additional perspective on what that looks like.
I do not expect him to match the goal-scoring production that Mantha had, but the gamble is the same and I imagine so is the intent to potentially use him as a trade chip if needed.
It is also another situation that creates such a log-jam positionally that it makes you wonder what the next foot to drop will be. This gives the Penguins a LOT of NHL-level forwards, including prospects like Rutger McGroarty, Ville Koivunen and Avery Hayes.
Is this is a sign the Penguins are maybe not as high on some of those guys? Is it a sign that a trade of some sort (or multiple trades) are on the horizon?
We will see. The offseason is still very young and there is still a lot of time before the 2026-27 regular season begins.
On Wednesday, the Detroit Red Wings quietly added three players, rounding out the bottom of their organizational depth chart with a trio of signings that span the spectrum from legitimate NHL depth piece to AHL development project.
Defenceman Jacob Bryson, winger Cameron Butler and forward Wilmer Skoog all inked deals with Detroit, each arriving at a different stage of their professional careers and each likely serving a very different role within the organization.
Bryson, the 28-year-old London, Ontario native was originally selected by the Buffalo Sabres in the fourth round of the 2017 NHL Draft and has carved out a professional career through intelligence, skating ability and a puck-moving game that belies his draft positioning.
Bryson is not a player who will anchor a top pairing or quarterback a power play unit, but he is a reliable, quick-transitioning defenceman who fits cleanly at the bottom of an NHL lineup and has consistently posted respectable plus/minus numbers even while skating on some of the worst Sabres teams of the rebuild era.
He has shown he can log roughly ten points in a given season and keep the puck moving efficiently out of his own end, making him a credible option for Detroit as a seventh defenceman who can step in when injuries strike without the team missing a beat. His time with the Jets gave him a taste of a winning environment, and he brings that familiarity with a contending culture to a Red Wings team looking to climb back into the playoff picture.
Butler represents a longer-term developmental bet. The 24-year-old undrafted winger out of Ottawa has spent his entire professional career in the minor leagues, bouncing between the AHL and ECHL without yet finding a consistent foothold at the higher level.
His most productive stretch came this past season in the ECHL, where he posted 20 points in 30 games and showed flashes of the offensive game that could make him a factor higher up the organizational ladder. The AHL numbers told a more modest story, with Butler recording just one point in 16 games with the Iowa Wild, leaving plenty of questions about what kind of player he is when facing that level of competition on a nightly basis.
The move to Grand Rapids puts him in one of the premier development environments in the entire American Hockey League, and the Griffins' track record of player development gives Butler as good a chance as any depth signing of this kind to find his game and push for more opportunity.
Skoog is perhaps the most intriguing of the three as the 26-year-old Swedish forward spent the bulk of this past season in the AHL with the Charlotte Checkers, where he was one of the team's more consistent offensive contributors, finishing with 37 points in 61 games for a club that was among the better organizations at that level.
Wilmer Skoog kept his hot hand going in December - including this 🚀one-time rocket🚀 - and secured @SharpHomeUSA Sharpshooter of the Month honors! pic.twitter.com/Ulvi2dzcVL
What may have caught Detroit's attention, however, was the brief window Skoog got with the Florida Panthers, appearing in three NHL games and recording two assists, a modest sample but one that came on one of the league's elite franchises and suggests that Red Wings management may have identified him as a potential diamond in the rough.
A player who can put up 37 points in the AHL and chip in offensively when called upon at the NHL level is exactly the kind of depth forward capable of emerging as an organizational surprise, and Grand Rapids gives him a platform to do just that.
Taken together, the three signings reflect the quiet but important work of building out an organization from top to bottom. Bryson gives Detroit a credible NHL depth option on the back end. Butler gives the Griffins a hungry, motivated winger with something to prove. And Skoog gives the organization a legitimate AHL contributor with a real argument that he belongs at the next level.
None of the three will headline a roster move this summer, but the best organizations in hockey know that the margins at the bottom of the depth chart matter, and Detroit appears to be paying attention to those details heading into what could be a critical season for the franchise.
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DETROIT, MI - MAY 13: (EDITORS NOTE: A special camera filter fractal was used for this image) Tobias Harris #12 of the Detroit Pistons stands for the National Anthem before the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers during Round Two Game Five of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 13, 2026 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. 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 Sevald/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Goodbye, Tobias Harris. You will certainly be missed. While Jalen Duren’s restricted free agency has sucked up most of the oxygen this offseason, and the rumor mill was stuffed full of potential trades for star players that are unlikely to come to fruition, when I have talked to people who really know the team well, the biggest topic of conversation has been Tobias.
Harris is a former Piston for the second time after agreeing to a two-year deal with the San Antonio Spurs. The writing was already on the wall earlier Wednesday when it was reported that the Pistons signed Harris’ replacement after agreeing to terms with free agent John Collins.
If you want to understand how important Harris has been in his second tenure with the Detroit Pistons, just look at the comments about him from Pistons fans and compare that to the vitriol directed his way from the fans of his previous team, the Philadelphia 76ers.
Yeah thats funny. Tobias Harris had all the chances in the world and came up small every single time under 3 different coaches. Its totally the fans fault tho.
— BYU Philly Sports (@BYUPhillySports) July 9, 2024
Non-Sixers fans will never understand how bad Tobias was they think we “scapegoated” him when he’s legitimately one of the worst players i’ve ever seen. he was SO BAD in that Raptors series and yet again people think we lost because of Embiid. https://t.co/8mDhr8SLbb
That was just a quick search. I can tell you from personal experience, the vitriol of Sixers fans that sought me out just so they could vent their frustrations about Harris, even after he’d left the team, was intense.
Compare that to how Pistons fans are reacting to Harris’ departure — a mix of real sadness and immense respect. I know I feel it.
It’s not just that Harris played well for Detroit during the last two seasons here; it is because Pistons fans always knew what Harris was, and more importantly, what he wasn’t. So did Harris. There were no outsized expectations. The contract was still big — the ridicule of a bad team like Detroit giving Harris more than $25 million a season was everywhere. Critics saw a washed player getting a bag from a desperate team. But he wasn’t washed, and the money was right even if it was a sizeable payday.
But it wasn’t $180 million big. It wasn’t star player big. It was the contract given to an iron man, a working professional, and someone who can be counted on game-in and game-out to give what they can.
The Pistons’ offense catered to his preference for a mix of catch-and-shoot opportunities and workmanlike backdown isos in the post. He was never asked to breakdown his defender or score 25-plus a night. He was asked to steady a ship that was only used to rocky seas and to be available when called upon.
Detroit had the big men and wings that meant Harris didn’t need to grab 10 boards, and they had a balanced offensive system that meant his 13 points per game were just fine.
He wasn’t here to do more than that. He was here to be the professional in the locker room. To show a young team what preparation and keeping your body right looked like in practice. He was “Unc” not because he was in his mid-30s surrounded by a rotation was mostly a decade younger.
It was because he was wise.
That is what Detroit is going to miss most. (That and a player who could reliably get his own shot with the shot clock running down).
As sad as it is, the good news is that what Harris helped build in Detroit will outlast him. I know many smart Pistons fans who are worried. Worried about the locker room. Worried about the professionalism.
But that foundation he helped lay will outlive his time in Detroit. The talent infusion over the past two years was vital. The ability to put Cade Cunningham in a modern basketball system was critical. However, I think the most important ingredient to the huge turnaround has been the culture of this team. You don’t go from 14 wins to 44 to 60 just because you finally have three-point shooters on your roster. You get there because you’ve instilled an unshakeable belief and focus on what it means to win.
Someone needed to show the Pistons the way, and that is all Tobias. Now the Pistons know. And it is on them to take the next step. There job is to always remember the lessons “Unc” taught them and carry them forward as the talent gets deeper and the playoff runs get longer.
Thanks, Tobias. The Pistons wouldn’t be the Pistons without you.
After winning the Atlantic Division and advancing to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, not a great deal of changes were expected from the Buffalo Sabres on the opening day of free agency, and the club mostly took care of housekeeping items on July 1, trading goalie Devon Levi to Edmonton for a draft choice, locking up recently acquired blueliner Olen Zellweger, and bringing back a pair of former Sabres in free agency.
Levi, who spent nearly all of the last two seasons in AHL Rochester and would not have waiver exemption next season, was sent to the Oilers along with a 2028 seventh round pick for Edmonton’s 2028 third round pick. The 24-year-old was in the second year of a two-year, $1.625 million deal and his fate in the organization was sealed when Buffalo claimed Colton Ellis off of waivers from St. Louis last October and kept him on the NHL roster all season.
Zellweger, 22, who was acquired in a deal with Anaheim for a 2026 second-round pick and minor league forward Anton Wahlberg, signed a three-year, $9.3 million deal, giving the Sabres some cost certainty and stability on the blueline. The former Duck will likely slot in as a bottom-pairing defender to start next season, but has the ability to move up in the lineup.
There was some thought that GM Jarmo Kekalainen, would seek to make a big splash to make up for the departures of defenseman Bowen Byram and winger Alex Tuch, either in free agency or in a trade. Rumors connecting the Sabres to a deal for Winnipeg goalie Connor Hellebuyck have not come to fruition at this time, but the cost of players in a weak free agent class, and Buffalo’s lack of cap space contributed to the Sabres being quiet on Wednesday.
The Sabres brought back two former Sabres; defenseman Dennis Gilbert and forward Conor Sheary on one-year, $850,000 contracts. The 29-year-old Gilbert (a Buffalo native) played 25 games for the club in 2024-25 before being included in the Dylan Cozens - Josh Norris trade in March, 2025. Sheary played 133 games from 2018 to 2020 for the Sabres and has played for four other clubs over 11 NHL seasons. Last season, he played 62 games for the New York Rangers. Both players are expected to be veteran depth in AHL Rochester who could get called up instead of younger players still gaining experience with the Amerks.
The club also added AHLer Jason Polin on a one-year contract, and Buffalo native Trevor Kuntar to a two-year, $1.75 million two-way deal.
Jul 1, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; San Francisco Giants left fielder Heliot Ramos (17) reacts after hitting a solo home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the fifth inning at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images | Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images
They did it. They actually did it: The Giants finally beat the Diamondbacks.
The win feels a bit like finding a crumpled up dollar in your pocket after getting mugged for your wallet and phone. Less of a win, more of “not a total loss”, but the Giants will take it. These small victories are what they’re playing for as the calendar flips to July and speculation abounds before the trade deadline. Unabashed sellers, they enter the market with trench coat fully open, rattling their wares: “Franchise cornerstones, here. Get yur cornerstones here. 100% authentic, no-doubt, real-deal cornerstones here!”
In this weird purgatorial state, all the Giants have is the day. This is the team until it’s not the team anymore. As a member of the roster, you have to find other things to play for: individual achievement, camaraderie, development of skill, love of the game (hopefully), proof you belong, to avoid total embarrassment.
Saving face — that’s a big one. Dropping to 0-9 to the Diamondbacks, three consecutive series sweeps to a division rival that was formed in the90’s…that would’ve been too much to bear. Then there’s right-hander Trevor McDonald, who needed to kick dust at a June in which he went 0-4 with a 5.73 ERA. Or Heliot Ramos, who missed 37 games due to a hamstring injury, and returned a stranger, needing to reintroduce himself to the fanbase and reassert his claim to an outfield spot.
Both starter and outfielder did what they needed to do on Wednesday evening to help themselves and help the team. McDonald threw 6 shutout innings, allowing just one-hit and striking out 5, while Ramos powered the offense with a homer and RBI triple in the 6-4 win.
The only baserunner McDonald allowed was a lead-off single to Ketel Marte in the 4th. He leaned heavily on his sinker (56% usage) to set up his slider and change-up. The offspeed particularly shone — bagging three of his five K’s, generating 6 whiffs on 10 swings. But the major personal triumph of the night: zero free passes handed out. McDonald’s last walk-less outing was his first of the year on May 4th. He walked 13 batters over five starts in June with a 1.73 WHIP. Wild pitches and hit batters exacerbated issues and shortened his starts. Things were sloppy. At times, he looked in over his head, lacking the composure needed to stay afloat in the Majors.
McDonald had that composure on Wednesday when Arizona’s hitters forced him to work. Ketel Marte started the game with an 8-pitch at-bat. He fouled off three pitches, pushed the count to 3-2 before flailing over the top of a slider. Later in the 1st, McDonald put himself in a 3-0 hole to Corbin Carroll before pumping three sinkers into the zone — Carroll didn’t move his bat once. In the 4th with two-outs and Marte on third in a scoreless game, McDonald jumped out to an 0-2 advantage against Gabriel Moreno, who then didn’t bite at any three baited offerings off the plate. Count full, with the threat of Arizona’s pesky offense breaking through once again, McDonald kept challenging the zone, and he finally got Moreno swinging at a change-up after three fastballs.
The very next pitch thrown in the game Heliot Ramos rocketed over the wall in center field.
427 111 MPH off the bat, landing 427 feet from the plate — the shot was Ramos’s sixth of the year, his second since his return from the IL, and also broke-up an impressive scoreless outing by Zac Gallen.
The Giants offense had managed a single single off of Gallen over the first four innings. Ramos’s homer sparked a string of four hits, including a Victor Bericoto 2-run homer. In the 5th, after Gallen recorded the first two outs by way of the K, Rafael Devers worked a walk before Ramos nearly took Gallen deep again with a deep flyball that bounced off the top of the right-field wall and back into play. The RBI triple fueled another series of hits: Jung Hoo Lee pulled a single through the infield to plate Ramos, and two batters later, came around to score himself on Drew Cavanaugh’s single.
A pair of three-run rallies gave San Francisco a six run lead, which proved stable enough to survive a barrage of singles and some general defensive sloppiness at Ryan Walker’s expense in the 8th. Dylan Smith mopped up the mess and Caleb Kilian turned in a stress-free 1-2-3 9th.
The Giants have been done in by the desert, lost and lifeless as they’ve wandered in the unbroken heat. Nine games in, dehydrated and down-trodden, this team finally found a slice of shade.
A minor relief — but that’s what this team is playing for.
May 2, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; Oakland Athletics designated hitter Brent Rooker (25) reaches base on a fielding error by Miami Marlins shortstop Xavier Edwards (9) in the ninth inning at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images | Jim Rassol-Imagn Images
Welcome to Thursday A’s fans!
The squad managed to avoid a sweep yet again last night, winning the series finale in convincing fashion against the Los Angeles Dodgers. It brought the A’s record to 41-46 and with the weak AL West that’s good enough to be just three games out of first place.
The A’s now have a day off to rest and recuperate before welcoming the Miami Marlins to town. The Marlins came into this season with low expectations but they’ve surpassed them and then some. At 46-40 not only do they have a better record than every team in the AL West, but they’re also third in arguably the toughest division in baseball, the NL East. They also come to Sacramento riding a a hot streak, having won two in a row and taking 10 of their past 12 contests. Wrong time to be facing the Fish right now.
Miami has worked as a team to help them to their successful first half. While they’re second-to-last in the National League in home runs, they’re sixth in batting average, fifth in on-base percentage, and tied for 7th (with the Giants) in OPS. What they’ve lacked in power they’ve made up for with speed as their 94 steals are tops in the entire sport. They have four players already in double-digit swipes so A’s catchers will likely have their hands full with Marlins on the basepaths. Plus, they’ve been without their top power threat in Kyle Stowers for portions of this year but he’s back and hitting well since his return. Miami could be a buyer this deadline season.
The Miami starting rotation also has a couple bright spots. Max Meyer, a former 3rd overall pick in the draft, has broken out and is one of the best arms in the NL this year. Former Cy Young winner Sandy Alcantara hasn’t been quite found his old form but has generally given them a chance to win when he takes the mound. And Eury Perez has also been adequate, though not quite living up to the hype that surrounded him when he arrived to the big leagues. We’re likely to see Meyer this weekend but probably not Alcantara or Perez since they started the Marlins’ past two games.
Anyway, the A’s. Unfortunately the bad injury news keeps on coming for the squad. Two days ago we learned that Designated Hitter Brent Rooker isn’t making as much progress in his return from the knee injury that landed him on the injured list at the beginning of June…
Brent Rooker is away from the A’s today being reevaluated at Stanford for his knee injury. Kotsay: “I wouldn’t say that his progress has stopped. … it hasn’t progressed as efficient as we’d like. So he’s down there going through another exam.”
… but just last night just an hour or so before first pitch, the A’s announced the bad news: Rooker would be undergoing the knife, ending his season prematurely:
Brent Rooker is set to undergo surgery to address cartilage in his left knee. He will miss the remainder of the 2026 season.
Not great news. Though Rooker was suffering his worst season to date with the Athletics (.200/.281/.389, 10 home runs), the club would surely have prefered their expensive DH to be playing and trying to right himself. He’s hit at least 30 home runs the past three years and the A’s were counting on that production in the middle of the lineup this season. Instead he’s been on the shelf since the first week of June and that’s where he’ll remain the rest of 2026.
It’s a brutal blow for Rooker, who likely wanted to come back, turn his season around, and help drive the A’s to the playoffs. Now he’ll begin the process of rehabbing his knee and hopefully being 100% ready to go next year, when he’ll be 32-years-old. That’s no spring chicken but he’s still locked in with the A’s for another three years, and his salary is about to make a big jump this offseason from $8 million this year to $14 million next season. The club will certainly take things slow with Rook to make sure this surgery and rehab goes as perfectly as possible. The A’s can’t afford to have that big a salary be an anchor and still compete.
Originally placed on the IL with what the team called a “bone bruise”, it’s now officially to the point where the club needs to stop thinking of a stopgap for his roster spot, and start thinking about how they’re going to replace him for the final three months of the season. The most likely option is to just simply stick in-house and rotate guys like Carlos Cortes, Lawence Butler, Shea Langeliers and others in and out of that spot depending on who Kotsay wants to give a half-day off to. It wouldn’t cost the A’s anything as far as prospects or salary, and the team could get some answers regarding some of their young bats, but the floor is also much lower without a more proven hitter in that spot.
If the club has their sights set on the postseason and wants to bolster the DH spot, the front office had better at least be doing their due diligence on guys that could step into the roll for half a season. Would the A’s make a bold trade for someone like the Giants’ Luis Arraez? Or someone a bit less costly like the Rockies’ Mickey Moniak or Boston’s Willson Contreras? Who would you guys target now that Rooker is indeed done for the year?
No game today everyone, but we have a big Fourth of July weekend ahead of us! Have a great one guys.
Scary moment down in Double-A last night as outfield prospect Ryan Lasko suffered a collision with fellow outfield prospect Devin Taylor. Lasko was carted off while Taylor stayed in the game:
A's No. 18 prospect Ryan Lasko was carted off the field after this terrifying collision with his teammate in center field. No update yet on his condition. #Athleticspic.twitter.com/eZ4LH20JmM
But at least some good news. Keep Lasko in your thoughts, A’s fans. Get well soon Ryan!
A’s prospect Ryan Lasko is in stable condition. As of now, the swelling in his spine is to the extent where he doesn’t have feeling in his lower half. There is hope that the feeling will come back with time. Thoughts and prayers to him and his family.
Some “positive” injury news regarding a top prospect:
A's 20-year-old Taiwanese LHP Wei-En Lin underwent successful surgery on June 30 with Dr. Neil ElAttrache to reconstruct his left ulnar collateral ligament. He'll complete his rehabilitation in Arizona.
— Bill Moriarity – A's Farm (@AthleticsFarm) July 1, 2026
Leo De Vries and Jamie Arnold are heading to the Futures Game, where many of the game’s current stars made their national debuts:
The future is here!
Congratulations to Leo De Vries and Jamie Arnold on their selection for the Futures Game. pic.twitter.com/fabmSuGRco
The White Sox made meaningful strides in June, proving they can win through depth and resourcefulness even as key areas still require attention. | (Greg Fiume/Getty Images)
June was everything you expect from summer in Chicago. The White Sox feasted on the AL Central’s collapse and picked up a few unexpected wins during the East Coast road trip. While there are many strong takeaways from June, a gap still hasn’t been fully patched.
The Sox don’t need Munetaka Murakami, and they don’t need big contracts…but it sure would help
At first, losing Mune to a hamstring strain left me feeling defeated. Winning was fun while it lasted, right? Wrong. Without Murakami, the Sox lineup hit about the same as they did with him.
In June, Chicago slashed .255/.325/.443, scoring 138 runs and slamming 38 home runs. Compared to May, when Murakami had a monster slugging month, the Sox hit more consistently at the small cost of 12 fewer runs and four fewer dingers. Although they won fewer games, Chicago’s overall performance dip should be attributed to its shakier pitching, as evident by the +32 run differential in May versus +10 in June.
Losing Murakami likely through the All-Star break threw a wrench in the excitement, but this team didn’t collapse. Chicago’s front office has managed to assemble a winning team costing less than $115 million, and has found more success than five teams ranked in the top 10 in payroll. Money doesn’t always buy effectiveness.
In the same vein, their expensive closer Seranthony Domínguez, who’s rolling in his $10 million average annual value salary, isn’t coming close to earning his money. The 31-year-old reliever had a poor June, posting a 5.40 ERA with five walks while only converting one of three save opportunities. Sean Newcomb, Grant Taylor, Bryan Hudson, and Chris Murphy all pitched better than Domínguez, and their salaries combine to just over $6 million.
This team has never thrived more on its ability to maximize limited resources than now, but that doesn’t mean some expensive firepower won’t take it to new heights. If Chris Getz is smart, he’ll start cashing in his infield capital and abundance of Triple-A talent to acquire some high-end starters to keep the arms from getting too stale.
Chicago’s catching depth still hasn’t been resolved
Last year, the dynamic Kyle Teel–Edgar Quero catching duo seemed to be the solution to Chicago’s catching depth problems dating back to 2012, when A.J. Pierzynski and Tyler Flowers ranked sixth in the league in WAR among catchers (1.7). But that overflowing talent pool has quickly shriveled up.
Teel missed nearly half the season and is still finding his footing since suffering a hamstring strain during the World Baseball Classic. It’s too early to tell how he’ll fare over the rest of the season, but his early numbers at the plate and behind the dish say that he’ll either experience a backslide, or his IL recovery might take some time to iron itself out. Quero, on the other hand, has experienced one hell of a sophomore slump. He went from slashing .268/.333/.356 in 111 games in 2025 to hitting below the Mendoza line and recording a meager .233 slugging percentage. Quero is ranked 94th among big league catchers with -19 overturns versus expected by the average catcher and -3.6 runs, which includes challenges as a batter and fielder, amounting to a 47% challenge success rate.
Things look even worse considering Quero’s framing and block grades are -4 and -6, putting him in the bottom 10%. His performance was so lackluster that he got the boot back to Charlotte when Teel came off the IL.
Korey Lee and Drew Romo don’t deepen the depth chart dramatically. Lee seems to be in professional baseball purgatory, with never being able to outplay the Quad-A hitting and catching standard he’s sustained since 2024. And Romo, who is somehow still on the 26-man roster, is batting worse than all three ever have.
Perhaps that’s why Getz swapped Charlotte’s best relief arm for a catcher who hasn’t caught in Triple-A since 2024. The Sox aren’t in danger at catcher, but the expectedly long offseason should give enough time to address the situation fully.
Summary Metrics
Chris Getz Trade Confidence (How much better does a Chris Getz trade make this team?): 15%
Average Drinks Required (Average number of alcoholic drinks required to tolerate this team): 2.75 – a light buzz won’t kill anyone, but the starters sometimes prompt a heavier pour
Rebuild Index (1 is full rebuild, 5 is sustaining current pace, 10 is aggressively pursuing a World Series): 7
COVERS INTEL:
