Jul 1, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics catcher Jonah Heim (15) rounds the bases after hitting a one run home run during the second inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images | Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images
The Dodgers opted for a bullpen game on Wednesday, and the decision backfired as the A’s took the finale by a final score of 7-1, snapping the Dodgers’ four-game winning streak.
The Dodgers had no problem scoring early against the A’s over the first two games, and it appeared that way again as the Dodgers loaded the bases against J.T. Ginn in the top of the first inning. Tommy Edman, fresh off a four-hit, four RBI game, couldn’t come through as the Dodgers left them loaded.
While Ginn faced six hitters and tossed 29 pitches in the first inning, Jack Dreyer had a much easier time over his lone inning of work, striking out the side in a perfect bottom of the first.
Miguel Rojas tried to kickstart something in the top of the second with a single against Ginn. Chuckie Robinson popped up a bunt attempt for the second out, and Shohei Ohtani grounded out right to Nick Kurtz. The A’s needed one pitch from Charlie Barnes to take the lead, as Jonah Heim clobbered a 444 foot home run to make it a 1-0 lead.
Freddie Freeman ensured that the deficit was short-lived, as he socked a home run to right field to tie the game at 1. The Dodgers would put two more on base in the top of the third, but couldn’t add to the lead, giving the team six runners left on base over the first three innings.
The Athletics quickly rallied against Barnes to begin the bottom of the fourth inning, as Heim worked a leadoff walk before Joshua Kuroda-Grauer’s double put both men in scoring position. A groundout from Lawrence Butler gave the A’s the lead, and Henry Bolte brought the lead to two runs on a single up the middle.
The A’s continued to tee off on Barnes as Shea Langeliers led off the bottom of the fifth inning with his 20th home run of the season, becoming the first American League catcher to reach the 20 home run plateau this season. Nick Kurtz promptly followed with a base hit to right, and Colby Thomas continued his torrid stretch against the Dodgers with an RBI double. Heim tallied his second RBI of the game to give the A’s a three-run inning and a five-run lead.
All the Dodgers could muster against Ginn after the third inning was a walk to Kyle Tucker, giving him three on the game, as the right-hander faced the minimum over his final three innings of work. The Dodgers wouldn’t get another hit until a Max Muncy double against Luis Medina with two outs in the top of the eighth inning. Tucker would add another free pass following the Muncy double, marking the first time he walked four times in a single game.
The A’s tacked on another run against Barnes as Alika Williams drilled a home run in the bottom of the eighth inning to extend the lead to six.
Mookie Betts was a late scratch on Wednesday, and Miguel Rojas was given a second consecutive start. Rojas was the only hitter in the starting lineup with multiple hits.
Game particulars
Home runs— Jonah Heim (8), Shea Langeliers (20), Alika Williams (2); Freddie Freeman (14)
The Dodgers return back home as they begin a four-game series with the San Diego Padres beginning Thursday (7:10 p.m. PT, SportsNet LA). Roki Sasaki faces Randy Vásquez.
The newly promoted players are settling in for the San Diego Padres’ minor league affiliates. Lake Elsinore is adapting to the loss of multiple high-output offensive players and one of their two best pitchers. They still managed to win two games in their six-game series.
After electing free agency after being designated for assignment by the Friars, Nick Solak re-signed a minor league deal with the Padres, returning to El Paso on June 26.
The Fort Wayne TinCaps should benefit from an infusion of offensive talent; they split their series this past week after working the new players into the lineup. Newly promoted starter Winyer Chourio picked up where he left off with the Storm.
Catcher Ethan Salas, who has been on the injured list this past week with a minor oblique strain, was activated and should play soon.
Salas and Fort Wayne’s lefty starter, Kash Mayfield, were both named to the All-Star Futures Game on the Sunday of All-Star weekend (July 12).
El Paso Chihuahuas (36-45 record, 4th in PCL East)
Infielder Pablo Reyes, 32, took the lead offensively while Nick Solak was gone from the team. With Solak returning, he has the top qualifying batting average at .321 and a .493 slug. Reyes leads in OBP with .408. Centerfielder Carlos Rodriguez leads the team with 45 RBI.
Rehabbing pitcher Germán Márquez made four starts for El Paso, with the most recent on June 17. He went five innings and has only appeared twice since then, both in relief. In those 2.1 innings he has struggled. Overall, he has 17.2 innings pitched with a 3.57 ERA. He ends his rehab stint on Friday and must be activated back onto the Padres roster or designated for assignment.
Reliever Andrew Moore, who the Padres acquired at the last trade deadline for Connor Joe, has appeared in two games for El Paso since his promotion from San Antonio. He has 3.2 innings pitched without allowing a run.
San Antonio Missions (33-42 record, 5th in Texas League South)
The Missions quickly had a new player lead them offensively with the promotion of outfielder Jake Cunningham. In his first six games, Cunningham is hitting .346/.370/.692 with a double, a triple, two homers, and five RBI. Undoubtedly, the league will adjust and these numbers will drop but it is highly encouraging that the former Baltimore Orioles prospect is getting off to a fast start.
Catcher Ethan Salas has cooled somewhat over the past month and just returned from an injury but is hitting .277/.347/.427 with 17 extra-base hits (seven homers) and 33 RBI. Outfielder Tirso Ornelas leads the team with 11 home runs and 34 RBI.
Starter Jhony Brito has four starts for 18.1 innings pitched and a 1.96 ERA. The organization looks to be slow-playing his buildup back to the rotation. Lefty starter Jagger Haynes has had multiple effective starts in June and has improved his ERA to 4.24 after a shaky start to the season. He has 72 strikeouts to 34 walks in 80.2 innings pitched.
Newly arrived reliever Tucker Musgrove has 2.2 innings with no runs allowed. Reliever Josh Mallitz also struggled to begin the season but has become a higher-leverage arm for the Missions. He carries a 4.94 ERA.
Fort Wayne TinCaps (33-43 record, 4th in Midwest League East)
Outfielder Alex McCoy has had to make multiple adjustments over the first half of the season after the league has learned to exploit his offensive weaknesses. He has had some slumps that show the pitchers finding the holes in his swing. Each time, he has adjusted and started hitting again for the TinCaps. McCoy currently is second in batting average at .269 and leads in slug at .496. He has 12 homers and 41 RBI, both leading the team.
Outfielder Kasen Wells leads with a .419 OBP with 38 walks to 57 strikeouts. Wells does not feature power and is mostly a singles hitter with a .287 batting average.
Lefty starter Kash Mayfield, just named to the Futures Game with Ethan Salas, has a 3.22 ERA in 44.2 innings in his 12 starts. He will be limited in his innings pitched as he only threw 60.2 innings last season. Starter Abraham Parra has had some clunkers in his 54.2 innings pitched with a 5.93 ERA, but leads the team with 54 strikeouts. Mayfield has 53 strikeouts.
New arrival Ryan Och has eight appearances and 11.2 innings in relief with a 0.77 ERA.
Lake Elsinore Storm (41-34 record, 1st in California League South)
Catcher Alcides Hernandez, a Venezuelan signed out of the international class in 2023, is 21 years old and began the season in the ACL. He now leads with a .313 average in his seven games with the team.
Outfielder George Bilecki, drafted in the 12th round of the 2025 draft, has a .372 OBP despite only hitting .212. Newly promoted infielder Dawson Willis has played in 12 games for the Storm after his promotion from the ACL and is hitting .295/.347/.500 with three doubles, two homers, and 11 RBI.
Right-handed starter Jesus Castro, who just turned 19, has a 3.52 ERA in 13 games started and 53.2 innings pitched. He leads the team with 61 strikeouts to 20 walks. With the promotion of Winyer Chourio to Fort Wayne, Castro inherits the top spot in the rotation.
Reliever Javier Chacon was promoted to Fort Wayne, and the TinCaps will need to have their relief corps step up after losing two of their best pitchers.
ACL Padres (24-19 record, 3rd in West)
Outfielder Eddson Martinez, who came from the DSL Gold team a week ago, is hitting .333/.500/.500 in his six games. Infielder Luis De Leon leads the team with a .297 average. Catcher Jhohan Downer has a .430 OBP with 22 walks and 20 hits in 30 games.
The pitching for the ACL team has struggled to limit runs. Their offense has led to their victories. Righty Cameron Nohos has six starts in his 10 appearances and 29.2 innings pitched. He has a 7.28 ERA with 50 strikeouts to 18 walks. Command and consistency are routinely an issue with pitchers at this level and Nohos is no exception, but he shows potential.
DSL Padres Gold and Brown
The Gold team continues to dominate with a 17-4 record, easily topping the Northwest Division. The pitching features many arms with good stuff but high ERA’s. The offense has multiple hitters sitting over .300 with shortstop Joniel Hernandez having a .329/.433/.506 line with 24 RBI. Two players lead with 3 homers and the team features doubles as their dominant extra-base hits.
The Brown team has a 5-15 record, last in the West Division. Both offense and pitching have had issues overall, with minimal power in the lineup (two home runs for the team).
Infielder Endy Rios has a .333 average and 13 RBI, both tops on the team.
The pitchers, both starters and relievers, have limited innings and reliever Gensy Aquino has a 3.38 ERA in 5.1 innings. Starter Yojansky Perez has a 3.68 ERA in 14.2 innings to lead the team.
When the Vegas Golden Knights traded two-time leading goal scorer Pavel Dorofeyev to the New York Rangers, they knew they would have to replace his production. Because they aren’t exactly flush with cash— which is part of the reason they traded Dorofeyev in the first place— finding a flashy replacement just wasn’t in the cards.
Instead, the Golden Knights got the most bang for their buck and ended up opting for a cost-friendly reunion. On Wednesday, they signed old friend Victor Olofsson to a one-year contract worth $1,638,330.
Olofsson, a sniper who will be 31 by the time the season starts, played 56 games for the Golden Knights in 2024-25. He made the most of every opportunity, scoring 15 goals— six of which came on the power play— and added 14 assists. He also added two goals and two assists in nine postseason games.
As a left-shot with a lethal one-timer, Olofsson could slot into Dorofeyev’s old spot on the power play. He’s one of the only pure goal scorers on the team, and has certainly had success there in the past. He established chemistry with both William Karlsson and Tomáš Hertl during his first stint with the Golden Knights, but after this postseason, separating Karlsson from Brett Howden and Mitch Marner feels counterintuitive. So, at 5-on-5, Olofsson will likely reunite with Hertl on the third line.
“We wanted to add someone who has a history of being able to score goals, which Victor does,” said Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon when he met with the media on Wednesday. “We had him, so we know the player. We liked more about his game, then and now, than just the fact that he’s a shooter, but he does bring that skill set to our team. He was responsible, and he’s a smart player. So I think that he’ll find a good spot in our lineup.”
TORONTO — Carson Benge cleared the fence in the eighth inning Wednesday, ensuring the Mets wouldn’t conclude their trip to Canada by getting shut out.
It was an offensive highlight for the Mets, but more importantly, it showed continued progress for the rookie Benge, who reached double digits with his 10th homer.
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Interim manager Andy Green liked that Benge’s blast was against a left-hander, Patrick Corbin.
For Benge it was continuation into July of his performance last month, when he hit five of his homers.
“Anybody who starts the season the way he did in April, to rebound as a rookie usually has to go to the minor leagues to reset,” Green said following the 9-3 loss to the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre.
“It says a lot about how he’s wired and competes. I think we are pleased with the way he’s responded this year. I think there is more inside of him to keep getting better.”
Benge finished the day 2-for-5 and owns a .720 OPS. His OPS on May 2 was only .498.
Carson Benge belts a two-run homer in the eighth inning of the Mets’ loss to the Blue Jays on July 1, 2026 in Toronto. Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images
Jorge Polanco’s rehab assignment with Triple-A Syracuse won’t include much, if any, action at first base as the Mets look to keep his left ankle from regressing.
“We’re just getting him DH at-bats, and at some point in time we’ll find first base when it’s time for that,” Green said. “But he is a guy that can help us dramatically, even just in the DH spot, so right now it’s been DH priorities, and we’ll make a determination based on how he’s feeling and whether it’s the right thing to do to get him to first base or not.”
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The Mets, following Thursday’s day off, will keep their rotation in line for four games in Atlanta. Christian Scott, Sean Manaea, Nolan McLean and Freddy Peralta are scheduled to start in succession.
DENVER, CO - JULY 1: Mickey Moniak #22 of the Colorado Rockies hits a single in the third inning against the Miami Marlins at Coors Field on July 1, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Sometimes it takes persistence when fishing after a couple of days of disappointment. The Colorado Rockies found plenty to be happy about as they routed the Miami Marlins 6-3. The win snaps an eight-game losing streak for the Rockies and now puts them in position to aim for a series split on Thursday.
Freeland goes fishin’
For the first time since April 7, Kyle Freeland has earned a win.
Looking to be a stopper against the Marlins, Freeland came through on his end for another solid outing. Historically good against Miami in his career, Freeland was able to combat the contact-oriented offense of the Fish for five innings.
From the get-go, it was clear Freeland had good command of his pitches and was spinning them well. His first time through the order, he collected four strikeouts while allowing just one hit and one walk. The knuckle-curve proved to be his best pitch once again, as it generated 55% of his 13 whiffs on the night.
The Marlins got on the board in the fourth inning after Liam Hicks singled and Heriberto Hernández doubled to put runners on second and third with one out. Javier Sanoja then connected on a sinker that was left over the plate for a two-run triple that put Miami up 2-1 at the time. Freeland bounced back quickly, stranding Sanoja on third by striking out Kyle Stowers and getting Leo Jiménez to line out.
Freeland then worked around a pair of one-out singles in the fifth inning thanks to another strikeout and groundout. His night was over after throwing 85 pitches, having allowed just two runs on six hits with seven strikeouts and just one walk.
Mickey, you blow my mind
The talk of the offense for the night was the performance of Mickey Moniak. Still shaking off some bad habits after returning from the injured list, Moniak had a home run on Tuesday night and got right back to work tonight. In his first at-bat of the game, Moniak blasted a 96 mph fastball over the plate to center field for his 14th home run of the season to give the Rockies a 1-0 lead.
In the third inning, Moniak then lined a ball into right field for a two-out double, but he got stranded at second base. His next at-bat came in the fifth inning, where he delivered a two-out two-run triple to give the Rockies a 3-2 lead.
Unfortunately, Moniak was unable to get the single he needed for the cycle when he stepped up to the plate in the seventh inning, as he ended up flying out to left field in foul territory. He ended the night 3-for-4 with three RBI.
Fifth inning rally
Facing the formidable Max Meyer for Miami, the Rockies ended up scoring six runs, tying a season-high for him. After Moniak’s home run in the first, the Rockies were silenced until the bottom of the fifth inning.
Troy Johnston led off the inning with a single, followed by a hard-hit ball from Kyle Karros that was deemed an error as it deflected off of Sanoja at second base. Ezequiel Tovar then dropped a bunt, which resulted in a throw to third base. Johnston was initially called safe, which would have loaded the bases, but a replay challenge by Miami overturned it for the first out. Jake McCarthy then grounded out to first base for the second out, putting runners on first and second, setting the stage for Moniak’s triple.
Hunter Goodman then joined in on the fun with a two-run home run to left field to put the Rockies up 5-2. It was his 27th of the year, tying Larry Walker for the most home runs before the All-Star break in franchise history. It also had a 45-degree launch angle, which is tied for the second-highest in franchise history during the Statcast era.
Meyer’s night ended after the sixth inning, having given up just one earned run, while allowing six hits and striking out five while walking none. He was efficient with eight groundouts and generated 13 whiffs, thanks largely in part to his sweeper. It was the first loss for Meyer as he was 9-0 entering the game.
Tacking on for Karros
The Rockies weren’t able to do much else against the Marlins’ bullpen, but Karros led off the seventh inning with a towering home run to center field to extend the Rockies’ lead 6-3.
Karros ended the night 1-for-3 with two runs scored and has continued the success he found in June. The Rockies as a whole had seven hits, including three home runs, while striking out just six times. They didn’t manage to draw a walk and went 2-for-6 with runners in scoring position.
The pen holds the line
After Freeland left the game, Juan Mejia fired two solid innings, Jimmy Herget a quick eighth, and Brennan Bernardino locked down the save in the ninth.
Mejia had the most eventful night as he worked two innings. He allowed the only hit of the night from the bullpen in the seventh inning. Pinch-hitter Joe Mack hit an inside-the-park home run on a ball that deflected off the center field wall for their third run of the game. Fortunately, Mejia bounced back nicely to keep things stable and move the line for the pen.
The pitching staff ended up allowing just two walks as a whole while striking out 11 Marlins hitters.
Up next
The Rockies and Marlins close out the four-game set at 1:10 pm MDT tomorrow. Michael Lorenzen (3-9, 6.83 ERA) will take the hill for the Rockies while the Marlins have yet to announce a starter.
Fullback has been in good form ahead of Nations Championship
James Slipper out of retirement as replacement loosehead prop
Jock Campbell will start at fullback in his first Test since late 2022 when Australia take on Ireland in their first Nations Championship Test on Saturday.
Campbell played the last of his four Tests in Australia’s first ever loss to Italy in Florence in 2022, but had an impressive season in Super Rugby.
CLEVELAND, OH - JULY 01: Winston Santos #47 of the Texas Rangers pitches during the game between the Texas Rangers and the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on Wednesday, July 1, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Sean Finucane/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Guardians 9, Rangers 4
All good things must come to an end.
The six game winning streak was a good thing, but it is no more.
It was fun while it lasted though, no?
A 7-3 road trip. No one can complain about that, right?
Well, actually, they probably can.
People will complain about anything.
Probably even this post-game thoughts post.
Ultimately teams have to lose, of course.
Teams don’t keep winning forever.
So you get a game like this, sometimes closer, sometimes more of a blowout.
MacKenzie Gore gave up five runs in the second inning. That’s a novel change from giving up runs in the first inning.
He didn’t give up any other runs in his five innings of work.
Maybe we could call a mulligan on that inning.
Winston Santos made his major league debut, finally. Hopefully he will have many more innings with the Rangers.
Corey Seager going on the injured list put a damper on things before the game started. That puts a monkey in the wrench, as John McClain said.
Everything seems just very slightly out of focus right now. Seager and Wyatt Langford on the injured list, Brandon Nimmo being out, guys like Ezequiel Duran getting three hits and Elias Diaz hitting home runs.
Like the fumbling about around .500 and still being a contender because of the motleyness of the American League and the injuries and the collection of not guys you’d expect to be playing or carrying heavy playing responsibilities and the like all combining to smudge the reality of the season.
Things slightly askew. A river that runs uphill. The dog that didn’t bark.
It is back to Arlington on Thursday. Back to life, back to reality…
MacKenzie Gore hit 97.1 mph with his fastball, averaging 95.5 mph. Cole Winn reached 96.4 mph with his fastball. Winston Santos’s fastball touched 98.6 mph.
Elias Diaz had a 105.8 mph home run. Ezequiel Duran had a 103.4 mph single.
Kessler is White, as are the Lakers' backcourt duo, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
The lineup triggered jokes of "Snowtime," a reference to "Showtime" when the fast-paced Lakers were led by Black stars such as Magic Johnson and Kareem Adbul-Jabbar.
But the Lakers' new projected starting lineup also fueled strong opinions, such as the one shared by ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, regarding the team's makeup in a league that is more than 70% Black.
"The Los Angeles Lakers think they going with a bunch of White dudes," he said on the Stephen A. Smith Show Wednesday, July 1. "Your three top players are White dudes? Really? This ain't golf. This ain't baseball. Hell, it ain't even soccer. What y'all think this is? Basketball. …
"You ain't going anywhere being led by three White dudes in today's generation of basketball."
3 WHITE DUDES?! The Lakers Really Think THIS Can Win a Championship?
Kenyon Martin, a former No. 1 NBA draft pick who played in the league from 2000 to 2015, also chimed in on how the Lakers will fare with three White players in the starting lineup.
"Y'all lose in the first round (of the playoffs) either way it goes," Martin said on the Gilbert Arenas sport talk show, Gil’s Arena. "You play four White boys, you ain't gonna beat nobody … I want to know what team has been successful with that many on one roster."
On July 1, the Lakers also signed power forward and center Sandro Mamukelashvili, according to ESPN. Depending on on what the Lakers do with Rui Hachimura and other free agents, Mamukelashvili could emerge as a potential fourth White player in the starting lineup.
Two White NBA Finals MVPs in past 40 years
Debate over the role of race in NBA success has often led to tensions in a league that is drastically different than the overall U.S. population, which identifies as 57% White, according to Census estimates.
Nikola Jokic, the Denver Nuggets' White, Serbian center, won back-to-back NBA MVPs in 2021 and 2022 and was named NBA Finals MVP in 2023, a year when he finished second to Philadelphia 76ers Center Joel Embiid in MVP voting.
Since the turn of the century, Jokic, Steve Nash (2005, 2006) and Dirk Nowitzki (2007) are White players to be named league MVP. Larry Bird (1984-86) was the last White NBA MVP prior to Nash.
Jokic and Nowitzki (2011) are the only White players to be named NBA Finals MVP since Bird won the award in 1984 and 1986.
For its part, the NBA has leaned into issues of social justice and cultural inclusion, a fact that Commissioner Adam Silver addressed in a 2016 interview. "I do feel a particular obligation to focus on the African-American community in that we have a league that is roughly 75 percent African-American," Silver told Andscape. "And I feel part of the obligation comes from the history of this league that I've inherited."
Talk of race, Lakers roster talk triggers backlash
On X, Smith came under attack for allegations of racism.
Wrote one commenter, "Now, if a white journalist said the EXACT same thing about BLACK players, Stephen A Smith would accuse the journalist of racial bias. When do we stop with the identity politics?"
Another commenter wrote, "Skin color don’t win championships, skill does. Stephen A. race-baiting again. Garbage take."
Wrote yet another, "Mr Smith, your race card is showing."
Martin’s comments led to some pushback from Rashad McCants, a former NBA player and co-host on Arenas' show who pointed to the Utah Jazz teams that in the 2000s had a starting lineup featuring two White players, Andrei Kirlenko and Mehmet Okur, with Matt Harping, another key contributor, coming off the bench. Those teams went to the Western Conference Finals once and a the Western Conference semifinals twice.
But more people cited the Boston Celtics, who won the 1986 NBA title. The team's starting lineup included three White players: Larry Bird, Danny Ainge and Kevin McHale.
The Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani-fueled Japan craze has reached another level as fans are already trying to cash in on Thursday’s One Piece Night giveaway by selling cards they do not even have yet.
With the Dodgers set to host the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium on Thursday night at 6:40 p.m., eBay is already filled with listings for the exclusive “Monkey D. Luffy DON!!” promotional card that will be handed out at the game.
With the Dodgers set to host the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium on Thursday night at 6:40 p.m., eBay is already filled with listings for the exclusive “Monkey D. Luffy DON!!” promotional card that will be handed out at the game.
The card is already being listed for as much as nearly $900, while some sellers are advertising PSA 10 presale versions for more than $3,500 despite the giveaway not taking place until first pitch.
The card is already being listed for as much as nearly $900, while some sellers are advertising PSA 10 presale versions for more than $3,500 despite the giveaway not taking place until first pitch. Dodgers A wide angle elevated view of Dodger Stadium. Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Completed eBay sales show PSA 10 copies of the “2025 Dodgers x One Piece Night Monkey D. Luffy” promotional card selling for more than $4,000, with multiple cards changing hands between roughly $4,000 and $4,600.
The free stadium giveaway has quickly become one of the hottest modern collectibles on the secondary market. ebay.com
The free stadium giveaway has quickly become one of the hottest modern collectibles on the secondary market.
The booming resale market is the latest example of the “Shohei Ohtani Effect” transforming the Dodgers into Japan’s baseball team.
Shohei Ohtani reacts next to catcher Dalton Rushing and second baseman Miguel Rojas. Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images
The unprecedented wave of partnerships has helped push the club’s annual sponsorship revenue beyond $200 million, making Los Angeles the first Major League Baseball franchise to reach that milestone.
The collaboration also highlights the Dodgers’ growing ties to Japanese pop culture.
One Piece, created by Eiichiro Oda, debuted as a manga in July 1997 before its anime adaptation launched in 1999.
The franchise remains one of Japan’s biggest entertainment properties, while its live action adaptation debuted in 2023 and has released two seasons on Netflix.
The Dodgers first teamed up with One Piece for a promotional night in 2025.
The first 52,000 ticketed fans through the gates will receive an exclusive “Monkey D. Luffy DON!!” trading card along with a co-branded Straw Hat.
Fans attending the game can also visit Centerfield Plaza for One Piece themed festivities, including a life-sized trading card display, photo opportunities and a special drone show before the game.
BROOKLYN, NY - DECEMBER 21: James Wiseman #33 of the Golden State Warriors drives to the basket during the game against the Brooklyn Nets on December 21, 2022 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, 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 2022 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
James Wiseman didn’t have a lot of luck in the NBA. He got drafted in Dec. 2020 and missed most of his first preseason when he got COVID. He injured his wrist and missed a month, then tore his meniscus near the end of his rookie season, which led to his missing the entirety of his sophomore season. During his third season, the Warriors traded him to the Detroit Pistons, a team that had four other centers, three of them his age.
He looked like he’d get a fresh start with the Indiana Pacers, only to tear his Achilles five minutes into his first game of the season. Wiseman would watch his team go to the NBA Finals with him out injured for the second time in five NBA seasons. He came back and played four games for the Pacers last season, only to be waived in favor of Warriors Summer League sensation/three-time dunk champion Mac McClung.
Now, his agent Misko Raznatovic, has declared that Wiseman will be continuing his career in Europe.
The decision has been made! The No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, James Wiseman, will continue his career in Europe. We have begun exploring overseas opportunities and are working to identify the best situation for him!@excelbasketball#BeoBasket https://t.co/KgnovyYHoe
— Misko4Raznatovic (@MiskoRaznatovic) July 1, 2026
The move closes another chapter in the Warriors’ infamous “two timelines” approach to building their roster around unexpected lottery picks in 2020 and 2021. That in itself was justifiable, even if the team’s selections could have been better.
Wiseman was an intriguing raw talent who barely played college basketball, who ended up in a situation where injuries, safety protocols, and the competitiveness of his own team all conspired to stunt his development. Jonathan Kuminga was traded midway through his fifth season to the Atlanta Hawks, who passed on his option for 2026-27. Moses Moody was a solid selection for a No. 14 pick who suffered a horrific knee injury last season.
There were more issues with the Warriors doubling down and adding three more rookies to the 2022-23 team, but in short, not trading the No. 28 pick that became Patrick Baldwin, Jr. was indefensible at the time and even more ridiculous in hindsight.
Where does Wiseman go? There’s a lot of teams in Europe, though the pronouncement from Wiseman’s agent almost feels like he’s posting a want ad for his client, who is still only 25 years old. Another high-potential, low-results Warriors draft pick, Anthony Randolph, went on to win a championship with Real Madrid alongside Luka Doncic, and a EuroBasket title with Doncic on the Slovenian national team.
Wiseman deserves a fresh start, free from expectations and bad memories of the NBA. He’s still seven feet tall! And if he does find a home across the pond, he should see if his new team also has a place for Jonathan Kuminga in a few years.
Jun 25, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) watches the action from the dugout against the Houston Astros in the seventh inning at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images | Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images
I think it’s time to chat again about Eric Hartman. The Braves’ now top prospect completed a 20 HR, 30 SB season on July 1st, through 71 games of his season. He was also ranked the 25th prospect in all of baseball by Baseball America and it’s getting easier every day to see him in the top 10 by the offseason. This is simply a hugely valuable prospect coming from a 20th round pick just two years ago and the back end of the organizational top 30 as recently as March. While he’s only at high-A (probably not for long) and still has work to do on his game, he has rapidly become a potential superstar on the position-player side for an organization that desperately needed talent on that hitting side and has got it this year from not only Hartman.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - MAY 09: Tobias Harris #12 of the Detroit Pistons reacts after a basket against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the fourth quarter in Game Three of the Second Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Rocket Arena on May 09, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Spurs, which didn’t seem to be preparing to make any major moves in the offseason, made a solid if not necessarily exciting addition. San Antonio agreed to a two-year, $31 million deal with free agent forward Tobias Harris using their full non-taxpayer’s mid-level exception.
The signing raises some questions about the starting lineup and how the rotation will shake up, but it also brings something the 2025/26 Spurs lacked: a floor-raiser that should bring stability to some units without taking anything away from a team that already had a sky-high ceiling.
Harris, 33, is a known commodity. The veteran was never a star, even when he was compensated as one, but he has clear strengths and not many significant weaknesses. His career averages of 16 points and six rebounds on solid shooting splits paint an accurate picture of the type of production he offers. At this stage of his career, his scoring is not what it used to be in his prime, but he’s someone who can hit an open three, score against mismatches from midrange and at the bucket, and keep the ball moving. Defensively, he’s not a stopper but uses his size and remaining athleticism well against forwards and has enough mobility to not be a sieve in the perimeter. He’s also a good rebounder and a durable player, appearing in under 60 games just twice, in his first two seasons, while playing 70 or more in nine of his 15 years in the league. In other words, a solid all-around contributor.
If that doesn’t sound too exhilarating, it’s understandable. The offseason has featured big, shocking trades involving stars and, in general, offers the possibility to dream about underrated signings that change the fortune of teams lucky or smart enough to find hidden gems. In that context, adding a soon-to-be 34-year-old forward who disappointed when a franchise bet highly on him and can be accurately described as steady if you are a fan of his game and uninteresting if you aren’t, can be considered disappointing. The mystery box is always more alluraing that an adequate prize, and the offseason is a time of endless opportunities until a team actually makes its moves and reality sets in. It’s fine to look at Harris as the big addition the Spurs made and be simply content instead of thrilled. He’s just not that exciting.
The thing is, these Spurs didn’t really need more excitement. Victor Wembanyama and the guards provide plenty of that. What a team that, at its best, can beat anyone while being exhilarating to watch needed was to not go through so many surprisingly low moments in which they look too young, too nonchalant, too predictable, or too confused to stop opponent runs or avoid falling into holes. San Antonio had arguably the highest ceiling out of any group in the NBA last season, as their trip to the Finals and the sizable leads they held in each game proved. The star power was definitely there. The problem was their low floor; they lacked steadiness during stretches, and that often got them in trouble. And in that area, a player like Harris can absolutely help, as he has done for most of the teams he’s played for in his career.
One of San Antonio’s issues was defensive rebounding. Harris is well above average in that area, performing well individually both in the regular season and the playoffs. Untimely turnovers were also an issue at times for the Silver and Black, and Harris is not a mistake-prone player. Occasionally, the offense would stall out, with limited players ending up with the ball in their hands late in the clock. Harris is not by any measure an offensive engine, as evidenced by the Pistons’ struggles to create good looks when Cade Cunningham didn’t have the ball, but he can bail out the odd possession as a pick-and-roll ball handler or post scorer. He has the size and strength defensively to survive against most forwards, and he knows when to direct his man towards a help defender, both qualities that some of the Spurs’ power forwards lacked at times. He’s a more reliable version of what the Silver and Black had, essentially.
The only area in which his addition brings uncertainty is in the rotation. How big will his role be, and what will happen to the other players who share his position? There is a serious logjam now in the frontcourt that could prove challenging to solve. The 96 guard minutes should be split mostly between De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, and Dylan Harper, with Devin Vassell getting the remaining scraps. But what happens with the small forward and power forward minutes? Do Vassell and Julian Champagnie continue to start, or does one of them sit to make room for Harris, who has started for practically his entire career? And how does the playing time get split? There are 96 minutes to spread around between Vassell, Champagnie, Keldon Johnson, Carter Bryant, and Harris. Someone is going to have a smaller role than they are used to, and it will be up to Mitch Johnson to figure out how to keep everyone happy.
What a great problem to have. With a couple of roster spots left to fill, the Spurs appear to have too many viable regular-season rotation players already and have added a proven playoff performer who averaged 18 and 7 for a second-round team last postseason. Whether he starts, which seems likely, or comes off the bench, Harris will be there when Mitch Johnson needs someone who will, more often than not, provide the production expected of him.
Normally, additions are judged by how much better a team is at its peak with them on the court. With Harris, that framework doesn’t really work because the best version of the Spurs didn’t have much room to grow beyond the internal development of their young superstars. What San Antonio needed was someone who was steady enough to help them avoid their worst version, and Harris seems like the perfect man for the job.
The Vegas Golden Knights entered the offseason with a decision to make regarding their goaltending.
Akira Schmid, who led the team in starts, wins, save percentage, and shutouts, was a pending Restricted Free Agent. And to keep him, the Golden Knights wouldn’t just have to come to terms with him on a new contract— they’d also have to move out one of the other goaltenders on their roster. would have to move out one of the other goaltenders on their roster.
Because Schmid led the team in every statistic, questions arose about Adin Hill and his future in Las Vegas. Hill backstopped the Golden Knights to their first Stanley Cup just three years ago, but after a down year in which he posted a career-worst .871 save percentage, his value has never been lower.
Moving Hill would be complicated, as he has a 10-team no-trade list. But he’s set to make $6.25 million for the next five seasons, and the Golden Knights are always looking to shed salary.
It seemed like the Golden Knights answered all of the questions about the direction they’d take with their goaltending when they traded Schmid to the Florida Panthers on Monday. And if there were any remaining doubts, general manager Kelly McCrimmon left no room for interpretation when he spoke with the media following day one of Free Agency.
“My opinion is that you need two good goalies,” said McCrimmon on Wednesday. “You set out on September 1st, and if you’re hoping to play in the Stanley Cup Final, you’re going to play 104, 105 hockey games. You need two goaltenders to get through that.
“I think we have a great tandem,” McCrimmon continued. “I think Adin is gonna bounce back; I think he’s a good goalie who had a tough season. We need him to revert to form, and we expect that he will. Carter made a great impression, getting us straight to the Stanley Cup Final. So, I think we’re in good shape at that position.”
Jaylen Brown may have to say sorry to Joel Embiid for comments he made on a Twitch stream this offseason, now that the two will be teammates in Philadelphia.
Following the news that Brown was being traded to the 76ers as part of a blockbuster deal that sent Paul George to the Celtics, a clip from earlier this year of Brown calling Embiid a flopper resurfaced on social media.
The clip was from a livestream that took place just after the Sixers eliminated the Celtics from the playoffs in the first round.
Jaylen Brown called Joel Embiid a flopper in multiple live stream water Boston lost to Philadelphia…
“This is my personal opinion on basketball, some of ya’ll might disagree, but argue with your grandma,” he said in the clip. “Flopping has ruined our game. Joel Embiid is a great player. One of the best bigs in f–king basketball history. Flops. He know it. This ain’t breaking news. It is what it is. Ya’ll can clip it up. Like I said, ya’ll can post it on these paid accounts…whatever.”
People seemed to take his words at face value and clipped the comments, and now they’ve come back to haunt Brown a bit as he heads to a new team.
While the comments now look a bit foolhardy, it’s unlikely to create any real issues, and Embiid is sure to welcome the help as the 76ers try to bounce back after being knocked out of the postseason by the Knicks in a sweep that included Xfinity Mobile Arena being taken over by Knicks fans.
Brown is coming off a regular season in which he had a career-best 28.7 points per game, while adding 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists in 71 games for the Celtics.
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid attempts to back down Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown in the second quarter at TD Garden on October 22, 2025. Boston Globe via Getty Images
The trade came after Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens spoke highly of Brown in the face of rumors the team was interested in moving him.
“Jaylen Brown is a big part of us,” Stevens said in late June. “I’m never going to predict the future. Every indication, everything I think about, over the last few years, has been building around those guys.
“You never know. But at the same time, the one thing I want to make very clear is how valued he’s always been. He’s been amazing. He’s been an amazing teammate and a great person to be around.”
