The Mets have fallen short of being able to compete with the Dodgers this season.
As if Mets fans needed another reminder of just how much of a train wreck this season has turned into, here comes the biggest one of all: The Dodgers will be at Citi Field when the Mets open their homestand Friday.
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It comes on the heels of another lost series, this one to the Brewers, where David Stearns’ old team is battling the Dodgers for the best record in the sport.
And now the same Dodgers the Mets were supposed to emulate when Stearns arrived in Queens and paired with Steve Cohen’s money are in town to show off just how big a gap there is between the two franchises.
Because instead of a battle of coastal powerhouses, the series that opens Friday is another example of just how far the Mets are from reaching their goal.
The Dodgers have the best record in the majors (65-38) and stand to get even better over the next two weeks.
Shohei Ohtani swings during the Dodgers’ July 22 game. Getty Images
Even before they figure to add improvements by the Aug. 3 trade deadline, they should get their closer, Edwin Díaz, back.
The ex-Met is expected to return to the bullpen within the next few days — although not likely by this weekend — after surgery to remove loose bodies in his elbow.
Kiké Hernández has been out with a strained oblique and could be back this month.
Meanwhile, the Dodgers have not just overcome the absence of those two key players, but catcher Will Smith is out indefinitely with a neck injury and Shohei Ohtani has been dealing with left knee inflammation that’s kept him off the mound.
Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow are expected back in the rotation next month.
The Dodgers recently shrugged off a sweep at the hands of the Diamondbacks in Los Angeles and won series against the Yankees and Phillies — both on the road.
As for the Mets, they haven’t won as many as three straight games since the end of May.
They are a season-high 17 games under .500, 17 games out of first place in the NL East and 10 ½ out of the final NL wild-card spot.
And now they’ve forced themselves into sitting one of their only bright spots — either Carson Benge or A.J. Ewing — on a regular basis to get Luis Robert Jr. in the lineup to potentially increase his trade value.
“I understand why they’re doing it,’’ one National League scout said of the decision to try to play Robert regularly now that he’s finally returned from a back issue, “as long as it’s just until the [trade] deadline. But it still doesn’t look great. Having those two rookies out there is about all that’s worth paying attention to, but their development isn’t gonna be impacted by a few days out of the lineup in July. It just can’t go on later [in the season].”
Luis Robert Jr. is pictured before the Mets’ July 20 game against the Brewers. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
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It’s still another example, though, of how this season has gone off the rails for the Mets, as the scout noted the number of questions they have up and down their roster, which will continue at least for the foreseeable future.
“Who’s their first baseman next season?” the scout said. “Second baseman in two or three years? Third? They’ve shown you can’t just trade or sign those guys that easily. The Dodgers have shown the ability to find the right guys to fill out their team. The Mets haven’t.”
And that will be on display in full effect for the next three days.
While Nolan McLean is starting Saturday, he’s sandwiched between Sean Manaea and Freddy Peralta.
By the end of the 10-game homestand that begins Friday, the Mets will look considerably different and certainly not any better.
It was refreshing that JFK High School star pitcher Derek Yormack was named Gatorade’s New York baseball player of the year.
“The past year has been amazing,” he told The Post.
The soon-to-be senior was an integral part of the Cougars’ run to claim the Long Island title in the spring.
He boasted an ERA of 0.42 and a .439 batting average — all while keeping straight A’s in school.
Derek Yormack throws a pitch for JFK High School. Courtesy of Hugh Miller Photography
“Some teammates come up and ask how to throw a certain pitch or what my approach is in the box,” Yormack said of the synergy he shares with the roster.
“It just drives me. It drives the team. It’s amazing.”
And the 17-year-old is thirsty for more his senior year.
“It’s not finished yet,” he said. “We were state semifinalists, so there’s still more to build on. Every day is just about getting better.”
Yormack plans on suiting up for the Vanderbilt Commodores after graduating — if the MLB draft doesn’t come calling first.
“It would be a dream come true,” the lifelong Mets fan added.
Duck dreams
Hempstead’s Julian Minaya is learning to fly with the Long Island Ducks.
The 24-year-old right-hander is pursuing a dream of landing in a Major League Baseball farm system and feels he’s in the perfect place to make that happen.
Julian Minaya throws a pitch for the Long Island Ducks. Long Island Ducks
“It’s a hitters league. There’s just a lot of great talent here,” Minaya told The Post.
“I’m really learning how to pitch better.”
The Dominican Republic-born ace raised in Nassau County added that former teammate Trevor Bauer, who played on Long Island from April until June, was integral in advising on how to have batters feel the breeze.
“We talked a lot about how to read the hitters and how to sequence … that’s helped me a lot,” Minaya, who is 4-2 with 58 strikeouts in 47 ²/₃ innings, said.
“Just learning how to pitch, learning how to use your strength to your advantage, and how to read the hitters better,” he added.
ATLANTA, GA - MARCH 12: Jonathan Kuminga #0 of the Atlanta Hawks drives to the basket during the game against the Brooklyn Nets on March 12, 2026 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. 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 Joe Boatman/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
From the moment the Hawks declined their team option for Jonathan Kuminga, he was linked to the Lakers.
LA lacks forwards with LeBron James and Rui Hachimura gone, making Kuminga a great option at the wing position.
Kuminga remains an unrestricted free agent, and the Lakers continue to search for their future wing. With reports that talks regarding Kuminga stalled, the Lakers added other players.
“I can tell you that they keep calling Jonathan Kuminga. And again, obviously they have not made a lucrative enough offer for Kuminga to jump. But part of their pitch has been, ‘Hey, you can come start here potentially.’
“And that says two things to me. Number one, it says the Lakers still don’t want to be done making moves. And they believe they’re a little weak on the wing position. Which, I think [Matisse] Thybulle will help. I think Ziaire Williams will help, but they could use some more juice on the wing, and maybe they get Kuminga done. Maybe they don’t. I think the LeBron domino affects Kuminga and what he may or may not be able to get. But, again, all I can tell you is Rob Pelinka keeps calling about Jonathan Kuminga”
This late into free agency, there is no reason for Kuminga to rush. A few teams are waiting for LeBron’s decision, and likely, once that is finalized, he can see how much money other teams have and sign where he thinks works best for him.
The Lakers’ offer of a potential starting spot and the attention LA always gets provide an alluring option for Kuminga. But clearly, that alone hasn’t been enough for him to sign.
Lakers President of Basketball Operations Rob Pelinka is doing the right thing here. Kuminga would be a great wing for the Lakers, and until he signs with a team, it doesn’t hurt to keep reaching out and trying to get a deal done.
If Kuminga signs elsewhere, the Lakers won’t be stuck with nothing.
They have wing options like Thybulle, Williams and even Adou Thiero they can rely on. And if he does join the purple and gold, this will be a notch on Pelinka’s belt. It’ll be an example of how a franchise can keep communication open with one of the best unrestricted free agents on the market and ultimately come to an agreement.
So, until Kuminga is officially off the table, the Lakers appear to remain interested and willing to keep hitting up his agent’s line.
CLEVELAND, OH - JULY 23: Taj Bradley #26 of the Minnesota Twins looks on during the game between the Minnesota Twins and the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on Thursday, July 23, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Sean Finucane/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Hopefully you all had a good day at your real jobs and didn’t watch this game because it was ROUGH. In the first 11 (THAT IS ELEVEN. TWO ONES NEXT TO EACH OTHER. IT’S TOO MANY FOR THE REST OF THIS UN-FUN FACT) innings of this game the Minnesota Twins went 1-14 with runners in scoring position. Luckily, Taj Bradley and the Twins’ apparently elite bullpen kept Cleveland to 0-17. The Twins were bad, but the Guardians were worse. So baseball goes.
Various Cleveland Guardians social media accounts and influencers refer to Cleveland’s brand of baseball as Guardsball. However, due to the Guardians ranking in the bottom five of nearly every offensive category of substance over the past five seasons, as far as I can tell Guardsball is about scoring as few runs as possible, hitting into weak outs, and pretending that a bloop single over the shortstop is a skill and not luck. Also Guardsball may be having your All-Star closer participate in the most nefarious gambling scheme in modern sports, but I’m still unclear on that part.
Anyway. Let’s do a Guardsball-inspired recap to try something different. Taj Bradley and Gavin Williams were the starting pitchers today, playing the role of “victim.”
BOTTOM 1: Twins 0, Guardians 0
Steven Kwan walked and stole second to start the game the Cleveland, giving the home squad a great chance to score early. Jose Ramirez had a typical AB, fouling off countless two-strike pitches but ended up with a soft liner to center. Chase DeLauter then ground out on a splitter that was, conservatively, a foot below the zone. And finally Brayan Rocchio struck out to leave Kwan stranded.
RISP: Twins 0-0, Guardians 0-3
LOBster count: Twins 1, Guardians 1
BOTTOM 4: Twins 0, Guardians 0
This inning started the same way as the first for Cleveland, with a walk and SB, this time by DeLauter. A wild pitch let DeLauter reach third, but Bradley struck out Rocchio and Rhys Hoskins with a pop-out from undeserved All-Star Travis Bazzana sandwiched in the middle. No dice.
RISP: Twins 0-0, Guardians 0-6
LOBster count: Twins 1, Guardians 3
TOP 5: Twins 0, Guardians 0
Finally, a threat for the good guys! Kody Clemens did his best Guardian impression and singled and stole second base to give the Twins a great scoring opportunity with no outs. Unfortunately this game is cursed with the two worst clutch hitting performances of all time (don’t fact check me) so no runs could be allowed. Royce Lewis popped out, Austin Martin struck out, and Luke Keaschall hit the ball hard but put it right on the ground to first base.
RISP: Twins 0-3, Guardians 0-6
LOBster count: Twins 2, Guardians 3
TOP 8: Twins 0, Guardians 1
Guardians catcher Patrick Bailey hit a homer at some point between these two innings, but there wasn’t even anyone stranded on base so who cares about that? That is NOT what’s Guardsball is about. I hope you learned your lesson, Patrick. Let’s get back to the good stuff: Guardsball.
Lewis walked, stole second, Trevor Larnach struck out, Keaschall walked, and pinch hitter Alan Roden came in to face All-Star closer Cade Smith. Unfortunately, Roden did not get the Guardsball memo since he wasn’t playing for most of today and delivered a clutch RBI single on the very first pitch he saw to tie the game at one apiece.
As far as I can tell, this All-Star closer did NOT participate in any nefarious gambling schemes. That’s probably why he gave up the RBI single. He wasn’t willing to make the Guardsball sacrifice in order for his team to win. Next time, place a three-way parlay on whether your first three pitches will be balls or strikes, then maybe you can come through when your team needs it most.
The Twins got back to Guardsball with a Lee groundout and Buxton strikeout to end the threat.
RISP: Twins 1-6, Guardians 0-6
LOBster count: Twins 4, Guardians 3
BOTTOM 8: Twins 1, Guardians 1
Andrew Morris quickly got the first two outs of this inning, but notorious Guardsballer Steven Kwan delivered his third hit of the game with a wild pitch allowing him to advance to second base with two outs. However, Jose Ramirez quickly popped out to fellow hamate veteran Ryan Jeffers to end the frame.
RISP: Twins 1-6, Guardians 0-7
LOBster count: Twins 4, Guardians 4
BOTTOM 9: Twins 1, Guardians 1
Yoendrys Gomez is not yet an All-Star, so no gambling required for this Guardsball move. He needed all of five pitches to retire the first two batters, but issued back-to-back walks to Bazzana and Hoskins two put two on for Kyle Manzardo, who quickly struck out to send it to extra innings.
RISP: Twins 1-6, Guardians 0-8
LOBster count: Twins 4, Guardians 6
TOP 10: Twins 1, Guardians 1
Now we have the fun scenario where Guardsball meets the Manfred Man. Every extra inning in the regular season now starts with the potential for Guardsball from the top. Remember: scoring is NOT Guardsball,
However, when Lewis, Larnach, and Keaschall hit into three quick outs to end the frame before it really began, that’s what we’re looking for here.
RISP: Twins 1-9, Guardians 0-8
LOBster count: Twins 5, Guardians 6
BOTTOM 10: Twins 1, Guardians 1
Bailey, Petey Halpin, and Kwan did their organizational duty. To the 11th.
RISP: Twins 1-9, Guardians 0-11
LOBster count: Twins 5, Guardians 7
TOP 11: Twins 1, Guardians 1
Where do we stand on intentional walks as part of Guardsball? It seems pretty anti-Guardsball to have someone in your lineup who is a good enough hitter to warrant an intentional walk, but the Guardians do employ Jose Ramirez so it’s hard to say. Regardless, the ineptitude warrants another paragraph. Eight pitches later and a Buxton walk later, Roden, Lee, and Jeffers hit into three soft outs to end their half and potentially my sanity.
I’m losing steam on this bit. Please someone help me. God. Let me outside. My family keeps pressuring me to get into cockfighting. Oh wait, that’s another completely separate Emmanuel Clase anecdote? Alright I’m back in.
RISP: Twins 1-12, Guardians 0-11
LOBster count: Twins 7, Guardians 7
BOTTOM 11: Twins 1, Guardians 1
To make sure everything was even and fair, Taylor Rogers intentionally walked Jose Ramirez. Now we don’t have to have the philosphical debate. Both walks cancel each other out and we move on. Rogers then got DeLauter, Rocchio, and Bazzana in order. To the 12th inning we go!
RISP: Twins 1-12, Guardians 0-14
LOBster count: Twins 7, Guardians 9
TOP 12: Twins 1, Guardians 1
Oh god. It’s done. I hate Guardsball. Please don’t make me do this again, baseball Zeus. How does the city of Cleveland live like this? Baseball is supposed to be FUN!! For the love of god please stop trying to make incompetence cool. We already have enough that in other facets of life. For the sake of baseball, I am begging the Guardians to get a second good hitter. They’ve needed one for a decade. Just do it for all that is good in the world.
Thank you Trevor Larnach. Thank you Luke Keaschall. Two two-out RBI singles later and the Twins lead 3-1 and I can finally put this bit to rest.
RISP: Twins 3-17, Guardians 0-17
LOBster count: Twins 9, Guardians 9
Alright back to normal. Thank god.
Jack Anderson made things interesting in the bottom of the 12th, with a two-out walk bringing the winning run to the plate. But Anderson retired pinch hitter Daniel Schneeman to end the game and secure the series split.
Anderson became the 12th Twin to record a save this season, further increasing the franchise record. That list includes such illustrious names as Luis Garcia and Justin Topa, both of whom are currently not in affiliated ball. If I were a betting man, I’d place the over/under on 17 different Twins recording a save before the year is up. There will be one from a trade deadline acquisition not currently on the team and another from Connor Prielipp after he moves to the bullpen to limit his workload. Tommy Nance is bound to get one at some point when Gomez and Morris are unavailable. One of Woo-Suk Go or Marco Raya probably gets an opportunity eventually just due to raw stuff. The final one will be the inevitable three inning Mike Paredes/Kendry Rojas bulk relief job after Joe Ryan goes six shutout. Stay tuned, I’ll have the lottery numbers for you next week.
Next up for the Twins is the reeling Las Oakramento Athletics, who are a robust 3-13 in July. They’ll round out their pre-trade deadline schedule with the bad Kansas City Royals, who just lost MVP candidate Bobby Witt Jr. to a back injury and the middling Seattle Mariners, who lost MVP candidate Cal Raleigh to a bizarre phenomenon known as “regression.” Even if it was ugly, salvaging a split was a huge boon to this team that hopes the front office will be buyers. They’ll have a great chance to emphasize their point with this soft portion of the schedule coming at a good time.
STUDS
Oh no
Wait
I thought I was done
PLEASE NO I’LL DO ANYTHING
GUARDSBALL
Also the Twins pitchers (Bradley, Morris, Gomez, Nance, Rogers, Anderson): combined 12 IP, 3 H, 1 solo HR allowed, NO OTHER RUNS
DUDS
Somehow this game only took 3:23 despite it being stuck in a fifth dimension outside of the very bounds of time and space. We are all but mites of dust compared to the power of Guardsball, may we all beg for forgiveness and pray to every baseball god that we are never in this position again. I need to call my mom.
Oh uh, no duds, Twins win… technically.
Help me.
Comment of the game goes to Danish philospher Soren Kierkegaard who once wrote, “With every increase in the degree of consciousness, and in proportion to that increase, the intensity of despair increases: the more consciousness the more intense the despair.”
May we never be conscious of Guardsball again. Amen.
During the outdoor ceremony in the Rose Garden, Dodgers owner Mark Walter presented President Donald Trump a jersey with the No. 47, the perfect number for the 47th President of the United States. Walter also gifted Trump a championship ring.
Dodgers owner Mark Walter presented President Donald Trump with a jersey and championship ring. AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson
The President heaped high praised about the franchise’s accomplishments in 2025 throughout a 20-minute monologue. Trump announced that the Dodgers’ triumph over the Toronto Blue Jays was “among the most thrilling championships in the history of the sport.”
Thursday’s visit marked the third trip for the Dodgers in the 2020s, after the team was welcomed by former President Joe Biden in 2021 following LA’s championship run in 2020.
Donald Trump praised the Dodgers for nearly 20 minutes during the ceremony in the Rose Garden. AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson
The Dodgers had been silent on whether the team would visit the White House to celebrate their most recent World Series title due to scheduling conflicts. Los Angeles’ opening road trip of the season was in Washington D.C., but all three games against the Nationals had an afternoon start time.
It took some time, and some scheduling snafoos to figure out, but a few months later, the Dodgers finally reached the nation’s capital on an off-day to celebrate their 2025 World Series title.
Shohei Ohtani was mentioned by President Donald Trump during his 20-minute speech about the team’s success. Samuel Corum/UPI/Shutterstock
White House visits from professional sports teams during the Trump administration have been controversial. However, most of the Dodgers elected to stick with tradition in spite of any controversy that may arise.
Mets starter Clay Holmes returned to the mound on Thursday night after making his first rehab appearance with Triple-A Syracuse.
With the plan for Holmes to go roughly three innings, per interim manager Andy Green earlier in the week, the right-hander lasted 2.1 innings after throwing 51 pitches (28 strikes) and allowed two earned runs on three hits and two walks while striking out two.
Holmes’ evening began with a 1-2-3 first inning, including back-to-back strikeouts that ended the frame. Things got hairy in the second after a leadoff double and a walk put runners at first and second with nobody out. Holmes didn’t allow a hit for the rest of the inning, but the RailRiders scored the game’s first run on a sacrifice fly.
In the third, Holmes allowed a walk and consecutive singles that brought home a run before getting a flyout to end his night. Tobias Myers came in for relief and struck out the next two batters to strand the inherited runners and close the book on Holmes.
The expectation is that the right-hander will likely need one more rehab start following Thursday’s performance before being activated. If Holmes is on a regular schedule, that final start could come on July 28, which is six days before the MLB trade deadline.
Jul 23, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Michael McGreevy (36) pitches against Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Tyler Locklear (31) during the fourth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
What was supposed to be an off-day for the St. Louis Cardinals became a rather important encounter with the Arizona Diamondbacks thanks to a game postponed by weather a few weeks ago. Michael McGreevy was in charge of the Cardinals fortunes, but the odd feeling matinee game didn’t go as expected. As a matter of fact, the wheels would come off the Cardinals bullpen by the time it was over and the end result could only be categorized as embarassing.
When I say expected, the anticipation for a Michael McGreevy start is a lot of ground balls and a relatively low score. As it turns out, the Diamondbacks were making hard contact and doing it often Thursday afternoon, but more on that later.
The St. Louis Cardinals jumped out to a quick lead in the top of the 1st inning as JJ Wetherholt reached on an infield single. He was followed by Jordan Walker who was batting second in the lineup Thursday. Jordan received a warm ovation from the Busch Stadium crowd in his first appearance since his historic Home Run Derby win a week and a half ago. Walker rewarded the applause with reason for more applause as he rocked a double to the wall scoring Wetherholt and giving St. Louis a 1-0 lead.
Alec Burleson followed Walker’s double with a infield single of his own which moved Jordan Walker to third. Lars Nootbaar then smacked a single which scored Jordan and doubled the Cardinals lead to 2-0. It felt like the Cardinals were going to explode for a really big inning. Unfortunately, it just felt that way as reality would prove that inaccurate. Masyn Winn flied out to center and then Jose Fermin walked to load the bases with just one out. The Cardinals could not do anything with those many runners in scoring position as Nathan Church struck out and Blaze Jordan popped out. The St. Louis 1st inning is one of those cases where scoring 2 runs felt like a defeat or at least a big missed opportunity.
The Cardinals 2-run lead would remain until the top of the 4th inning when the Arizona Diamondbacks jumped in front of St. Louis. It started with a McGreevy walk of Kepler who advanced to third on a double by Del Castillo. After Tawa hit a sacrifice fly scoring Kepler cutting the Cardinals lead to 2-1, Tyler Locklear turned on an 86 mph Michael McGreevy changeup and deposited it over the left field wall just inside the foul pole giving the Diamondbacks a 3-2 lead.
Arizona would get another run in the top of the 5th inning when Corbin Carroll led off with a triple. Two batters later, Moreno managed to lift a sacrifice fly to left scoring Carroll and increasing the Diamondbacks lead to 4-2. Michael McGreevy’s effort would end with one out in the top of the 7th inning. His stat line for the game was 6 1/3 innings allowing 7 hits while striking out 3 and walking 3. Manager Oli Marmol brought Justin Bruihl into the game to try and keep Arizona close. He was successful for the rest of the 7th inning, but allowed a loud double to Moreno who led off the Arizona top of the 8th inning. That would be costly two batters later when Del Castillo snuck a single through the left side of the infield giving the Diamondbacks a more significant 5-2 lead.
Matt Svanson was the Cardinals bullpen answer for the rest of the 8th inning, but the beneficiary was the Arizona Diamondbacks fantasy league stats. He immediately walked Tawa and then gave up a single to Vargas to load the bases. Tyler Locklear got in on the singles parade, too, which scored Del Castillo increasing the Diamondbacks lead to 6-2. That brought former Cardinal Nolan Arenado to the plate with the bases loaded and after he received a nice ovation, he (you guessed it) singled scoring yet another run giving Arizona a 7-2 lead. To add to the St. Louis misery, Corbin Carroll managed a sacrifice fly giving the Diamondbacks an even 8 runs which might as well have been 50 the way the Cardinals offense has struggled lately. To add to the degree of difficulty, Matt Svanson walked Perdomo to load the bases (again). That gave Moreno the chance to hit (wait for it) a single which upped the Arizona lead to 9-2. The Diamondbacks scored another run in the top of the 9th to make it 10-2, but does it really matter?
I would love for this to be the part where I document how the Cardinals offense exploded for a late inning rally, those of us who have been paying attention lately know that’s not realistic. St. Louis went down in order in the bottom of the 8th inning but the bottom of the 9th inning showed some positive energy. We did get a couple of runs on a Bryan Torres single with JJ Wetherholt and Nathan Church on base to make the score a slightly less disgusting at 10-4. Alec Burleson and Lars Nootbaar singles would add tallies making the game appear much more interesting than it actually was at 10-6. The truth is the 4 runs the Cardinals managed to score in the bottom of the 9th inning made the collapse of the bullpen even more aggravating. Imagine what Thursday’s game might have been if the relief arms could have kept Arizona from piling on? We’ll never know.
There’s no way to frame the Cardinals performance Thursday as anything other than disappointing. St. Louis could have leapfrogged Arizona in the Wild Card standings Thursday. Instead, they made many of us wonder if a winning record the remainder of this season is even possible. The upcoming series against the Reds and Cubs will likely decide the fate of this team as it approaches the trade deadline.
The St. Louis Cardinals begin a crucial 3-game series against their NL Central rivals Cincinnati Reds Friday night. Dustin May will take the mound for the Cardinals while the villains Reds will start RHP Rhett Lowder. First pitch is scheduled for 7:15pm central time and the TV broadcast will be handled by Cardinals.tv.
Swimmers to earn $30,000 per world record, $20,000 for a gold medal
Commonwealth Games Australia gives each team member $5,000
Freestyle king Kyle Chalmers has welcomed potential windfalls for Australia’s Commonwealth Games swimmers after Gina Rinehart offered up cash bonuses for medals and world records.
Amid a spate of high-profile athlete withdrawals from Glasgow 2026, Dolphins squad members have been given a significant incentive to take part. Billionaire Rinehart has confirmed she will deliver the same bonuses that were on offer in the pool at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
You can add Broadway star to the MLB player and singer-songwriter’s resume.
Iglesias is set to play the narrator in the Tony and Grammy Award-winning Buena Vista Social Club musical starting in August, adding to his already long list of accomplishments.
Jose Iglesias of the New York Mets celebrates on the field with the OMG sign made for his song. Carlos Toro/New York Post
The musical is about legendary Cuban singer Omara Portuondo coming back to the spotlight after years without music and confronting her past.
The Narrator plays a substantial role in the show and portrays the character of Juan De Marcos, a young music producer and bandleader from the late 1900s.
Iglesias will feature on stage during a six-week window, starting on Aug. 27 and ending Oct. 4.
The former Mets infielder has always been known as an entertainer on the diamond, but also earned a reputation for his electric singing performances off of it.
Under the pseudonym “Candelita,” Iglesias has released two songs “No voy a volver” and “OMG.”
“OMG” quickly became one of the most popular songs in the world and was the Mets’ rallying cry, debuting at No.1 on the Billboard Latin Digital Song Sales chart in 2024.
“It’s a dream come true,” Iglesias said after his on-field performance in Queens. “I’m very humbled about it. I’m very excited about the win today. I’m floating right now.”
Iglesias said his love for music came from his dad, and he grew up writing songs and singing them in the shower.
He wrote “OMG,” a song about being appreciative of what you have, during the offseason leading up to the 2024 season while on his ranch in Miami.
Iglesias said there’s not much difference between performing and playing sports, citing fans’ reactions as proof.
New York Mets second baseman Jose Iglesias singing his hit song, “OMG,” on the field surrounded by his teammates. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
“I think they’re both very similar,” he said in 2024. “Every time you make a great play, they’re on their feet and they’re having a great time. Sort of like when you sing ‘OMG,’ they get on their feet, and then they start throwing hands in the air
While he has not officially announced his retirement, Iglesias has not caught on with an MLB team this season.
Donald Trump holds up a World Series championship ring gifted to him by Dodgers owner Mark Walter.Photograph: Shawn Thew/EPA
Donald Trump hosted the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers at the White House on Thursday for the team’s second trip to the White House in two years.
The team gave the president a custom jersey and a World Series championship ring during a ceremony at the Rose Garden. Four-time MVP Shohei Ohtani, star first baseman Freddie Freeman, World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto and manager Dave Roberts were among those in attendance, while several players – most notably star shortstop Mookie Betts and utility man Kike Hernández – opted not to attend.
“Special winners, unbelievable,” Trump said. “I would not be surprised to see them back here again.”
In remarks that also included lengthy tangents on former Yankees owner George Steinbrenner and the renovation of the Rose Garden, Trump complimented several Dodgers players while also confusing the roles of some others. He made a lengthy comparison between Ohtani and legendary slugger Babe Ruth, and praised Clayton Kershaw, the Dodgers ace who pitched an inning of last year’s epic World Series Game 3 win over the Blue Jays in 18 innings.
“I watched him beat a lot of teams. They didn’t do too well against him. He is still pitching well, I bet,” Trump said of Kershaw, who retired after last year’s World Series.
Trump said he spoke with Roberts before the event and expressed surprise at the Dodgers’ status this season as the best team in baseball, but noted he’s “been a little busy with Iran and some other things”.
The team gave Trump what appeared to be a replica of their championship ring.
“Wow. Do I have to report this?” he said as he put the ring in his jacket. “I don’t want to report this.”
The Dodgers’ trip to the White House left many of their fans with conflicted feelings, given recent ICE raids and protest crackdowns in the city of Los Angeles as ordered by the Trump administration.
Betts, who did not participate in the Boston Red Sox’s trip during Trump’s first term but was there during the Dodgers’ visit last year, told reporters he preferred to spend the day with his family. Hernández, an outspoken critic of the ICE raids in Los Angeles, said he had a conflicting injury rehab assignment but wouldn’t have participated if he was available to join. Pitcher Edgardo Henriquez also reportedly did not attend.
“My personal line, my company line, is I hope we get this invitation every year because that’s the goal, to win a championship,” Roberts said earlier this year after the team accepted the invitation. “I’m not a politician, and I’m doing something that teams have done for decades. And so that’s where I stand, really. I’m a baseball coach. That’s what I do.”
Teams who have won a major championship have traditionally been invited to the White House to celebrate their victory with the president. During Trump’s first term, several teams were not invited or made clear they would not attend, including champions from the NBA and the WNBA.
This year, the White House has hosted the Olympic gold-winning US men’s hockey team and the NHL’s Florida Panthers to celebrate championships. The Oklahoma City Thunder, the 2025 NBA champions, opted not to visit; the owner of the 2026 champion New York Knicks has said Trump invited the team but there has been no decision made on whether they will attend.
For parts of three decades, the New Jersey Devils were set in goal with Martin Brodeur. He is the NHL's all-time leader in games, wins, and shutouts, and is considered to be one of the greatest who ever lived.
Following Brodeur was Cory Schneider, who was incredible for a couple of years, but the team around him was mostly lousy and didn't take advantage of his ability. Following the decline of Schneider, the Devils haven't been able to lock it down since.
Mackenzie Blackwood looked like he could have been that guy, but injuries forced him to bounce around before he finally got healthy with the Colorado Avalanche.
The Devils tried to bring in a veteran with Jacob Markstrom, but he didn't work out well either. Now, after trading him to the Florida Panthers, they are heading down a path of a goalie rotation in 2026-27.
It isn't likely what Sunny Mehta really wants to do in net, but Jake Allen, Nico Daws, and David Rittich are all under contract and expecting to play.
Mehta did make some moves this off-season that suggest he wants them to get back to their winning ways, which makes sense because they have multiple great young players in their prime.
If he wants to make the goaltending situation less of a gamble, there are two out there who have been difference makers in the past.
First, you have Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck, who has been on the trade block since the beginning of the off-season.
Hellebuyck, to put it truthfully, has been one of the best goalies in NHL history. Ahead of backstopping Team USA to its first Olympic Gold Medal in 46 years in February, he won the Vezina Trophy 3 times and even has a Hart Trophy as league MVP.
If you put Hellebuyck on this Devils team, their odds to win the division and make a deep run in the playoffs will skyrocket. It would take a lot to make a trade like this, but a goalie like him is worth it all.
It seems like the Jets are for sure going to deal him before training camp begins, but a lot of teams are interested in his talents.
There is also St. Louis Blues goalie Jordan Binnington. There is some risk in acquiring him, as he is older and definitely not as good as Hellebuyck, but he'd be an upgrade over what New Jersey currently has.
There is also the idea that playing on a winning team again revitalizes him. When he was playing for Team Canada at the Olympics as their main starter, he was as good as he needed to be. It took that brilliant Jack Hughes goal in overtime to beat him.
Binnington's performance at the Olympics also came one year after winning the 4-Nations Face-Off with Canada one year prior. His Stanley Cup-winning experience (2019 with the Blues) helped him in that tournament, and it would certainly help him if he were to be traded to the New Jersey Devils.
If the Devils let their current situation roll into the season and it doesn't work out, they may need to circle back and evaluate the position. If these two are off the board by then, they will need to pivot, so why not try now?
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GLENDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 23: Manager Dan Wilson #6 (L) and assistant hitting coach Bobby Magallanes #70 of the Seattle Mariners look on during a spring training game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Camelback Ranch on February 23, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Magallanes joined the staff prior to the 2025 season along with hitting coach Kevin Seitzer, both of whom had been unceremoniously fired by Atlanta after the 2024 season when the Braves finished the season 89-73. That mark was good for second place in the AL East, but broke the Braves’ streak of six consecutive division titles, even though Atlanta still qualified for the playoffs, where they were swept by the Padres in the Wild Card series. It was a surprising move at the time, and looked on with consternation by many Atlanta fans as Seitzer and Magallanes went on to help the 2025 Mariners get deeper into the playoffs than any other Mariners team in history, making it all the way to the ALCS.
But baseball is often a sport of what-have-you-done-for-me-lately, and the Mariners, floundering after a 3-3 homestand against two of the worst teams in the NL, opted to make a move to try to spark some offense. While bold staffing changes is a common mid-season move among teams that are dramatically failing to live up to expectations, it’s curious that Seitzer and Magallanes – long regarded as a package deal and sharing a similar hitting philosophy – weren’t both let go. The ineptitude of the Mariners offense, last or near the bottom of the list in most offensive categories, is obvious, but like the 2024 Braves, Seattle’s lineup has been wracked by injuries that have affected, at least temporarily, basically every member of the Opening Day roster except second baseman Cole Young [knocks on wood, pours salt circle, extends giant protective umbrella over Cole]. Furthermore, the bilingual Magallanes was a popular figure in the clubhouse, known for his “heck yeah, shoot yeah!” exclamation after wins or offensive outbursts; the deeply religious Magallanes was also a faith leader on the staff, something that resonated with hitters and pitchers alike.
While Seitzer preached an overall hitting mindset and approach, Magallanes’s role on staff was to be responsible for more of the nuts-and-bolts mechanical adjustments, something Director of Hitting Edgar Martinez (who remains on staff) also focuses on, so the team might be looking for a new voice to fill that particular role and hopefully create some better on-field results.
To do that, they’ve promoted Ed Paparella, the Mariners’ minor-league hitting coordinator, to a major-league role. The Mariners actually signed Paparella back in 2021 as a free agent out of South Alabama, and while he never played professionally, he quickly ascended the ranks of the minor leagues. At 31, Paparella is more than two decades younger than the 56-year-old Magallanes, and three decades younger than Martinez or Seitzer, perhaps providing more of a peer-adjacent perspective for the Mariners and creating some age diversity on the hitting staff. Paparella is young, but he’s also deeply rooted in the Mariners team culture and the mental skills side of hitting – on his Twitter account (paps_swings) he references The Mental Game of Tennis, a popular tome among Mariners mental skills coaches, and studies coaches from across the sports world to glean insights, similar to former Mariners farm director Andy McKay.
The firing of Magallanes recalls the firing of hitting coordinator Jarret DeHart in August of 2024, in the midst of another disappointing season for the Mariners; the 31-year-old DeHart, who was with the Mariners from 2021 to 2024, is now the hitting coordinator for the Yankees, who currently rank sixth in baseball (second in the AL) in team wRC+.
The team has not yet officially commented on Magallanes’s dismissal; this story will be updated with any and all relevant quotes.
The Calgary Flames are rebuilding, which means that over the past couple of seasons, they have drafted high and found some great prospects at the podium or through trades. Arguably one of the best prospects to come through the system recently is star goalie Dustin Wolf, who is one of the cornerstones of the franchise's future championship plans.
Recently, The Athletic's Scott Wheeler released his rankings of the NHL's Top 100 Drafted Prospects, and the Flames had seven skaters on the list, the second most of any club besides the Chicago Blackhawks, who had eight. Today, we take a look at those players and what they are up to for the 2026-27 season.
Flames Prospects All Over The Athletic's Top 100 Rankings
One of Calgary's brightest prospects is defenseman Zayne Parekh, who ranked 6th overall, behind Gavin McKenna (Toronto), Ivar Stenberg (San Jose), Peter Martone (Philadelphia), Michael Misa (San Jose), and Chase Reid (Seattle). Drafted with the 9th overall pick in 2024, Parekh tore up the OHL before making his NHL debut on April 17, 2025.
Last year, he played 37 NHL games, collecting nine points with five more in four AHL games. Heading into the new season, Parekh will be on the Flames' blueline and a key player in the team's push to avoid the NHL Draft Lottery.
The only other Calgary player to crack the Top 25 was defenseman Carson Carels, ranked 11th, who has yet to debut in the NHL but recently committed to the University of North Dakota for the 2026-27 season. Over the previous three years in the WHL with the Prince George Cougars, he tallied 111 points in 125 games.
Interestingly, the next two Flames prospects rank in the 30s, with Matvei Gridin at 31st and Cole Reschny at 38th. Last year, Gridin played almost a full year of professional hockey, skating 37 games with the Flames and scoring 20 points, while dressing for 37 games with the Calgary Wranglers and scoring 30 points. At this point, he's a lock to remain in Calgary and split time again between the Flames and Wranglers.
Meanwhile, Reschny is 19 and slated to play his second season with the University of North Dakota, teaming up with Carels, who just transferred. In 2025-26, Reschny scored six goals and 35 points in 36 games, collecting another five points at the recent U20 World Juniors.
Outside of the Top 75, three Flames prospects rounded out the list, including Cullen Potter, ranked 86th overall, Hunter Brzustewicz, ranked 90th overall, and the last prospect on the list, Ethan Wyttenbach, ranked 100th overall.
Of course, Calgary fans will always associate Potter with Jonathan Huberdeau and Matthew Tkachuk, as he was the first-round pick attached to their blockbuster deal in 2022. Also at 19, he's about to begin his third season in the NCAA, switching schools from Arizona State University to Michigan State University for the upcoming season.
Instead of taking a step forward after his first professional hockey season in 2024-25, Brzustewicz kinda stumbled through the previous campaign, scoring just seven points in 34 games with the Flames and 13 points in 34 games with the Wranglers. After outstanding campaigns in the OHL, he produced 32 points in 70 games as an AHL rookie two years ago.
Finally, 2025 fifth-round pick Wyttenbach found himself on the list after back-to-back 20-goal campaigns in the USHL and NCAA. He's currently committed to Quinnipiac University for the 2026-27 season, hoping to improve on a 59-point campaign as an 18-year-old.
As mentioned in the opening, the Flames are rebuilding, and The Athletic believes they are headed in the right direction based on how many of the club's prospects are in the rankings. Even though Calgary came close to a playoff spot two years ago, they spent most of 2025-26 near the bottom of the standings, a place they could be next season too. However, if the fanbase can remain patient, success is just around the corner.
Detroit Tigers left fielder Riley Greene (31) bats against Philadelphia Phillies during the second inning at Comerica Park in Detroit on Sunday, July 12, 2026. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Detroit Tigers (48-54) vs. Kansas City Royals (43-60)
Time/Place: 6:40 p.m., Comerica Park SB Nation Site:Royals Review Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network Pitching Matchup: RHP Troy Melton (5-1, 1.80 ERA) vs. RHP Randy Dobnak (0-0, 1.93 ERA)
Ewing enters Friday with 14 strikeouts in his last seven games — the most he’s had in a seven-game stretch all year.
Benge has whiffed 11 times in that same span, also his most strikeouts in a seven-game stretch as a rookie.
“I’m not surprised,’’ said one National League scout who has seen them after the All-Star break. “It’s the second half of the season and they’ve never had a year like this. Pitchers and teams are figuring them out, but I think it’s more the wear and tear of a long season.”
Ewing has the highest strikeout rate of any Met in the everyday lineup (27.1 percent).
Carson Benge reacts after striking out during the Mets’ July 12 game. Corey Sipkin for the NY Post
Ewing, who turns 22 next month, struck out over 100 times in each of his two full seasons in the minors before reaching Queens in May.
“No one expected him to get here this quickly,’’ the scout said. “I would expect those numbers to go down as he gets more comfortable at this level, so I’m not worried about it.”
A.J. Ewing reacts after striking out during the Mets’ July 12 game. Corey Sipkin for the NY Post
The concern the scout did mention isn’t so much about the pair of first-year outfielders, but just how ugly it will get at Citi Field around them down the stretch.
“That will be a tough environment for anyone, especially if things get worse,’’ the scout said regarding the Aug. 3 trade deadline. “They’ve passed the tests so far, though.”
Juan Soto is expected to be back in the lineup Friday after receiving a full day off Wednesday in Milwaukee to rest his calf, which initially caused him to leave the team’s first game after the All-Star break on July 16 in Philadelphia.
Since returning from that soreness — in his left calf, not the right one he strained in April — Soto is 2-for-16 with no extra-base hits, three walks and five strikeouts.
For most of the season, Soto has been the lone consistent threat in the Mets lineup and remains fourth in the majors with an OPS of .944.
The trade deadline countdown is set to go into full effect this week, with the Mets among the teams in sell mode.
Though the Mets were off Thursday, there was still important action, with Clay Holmes making his first rehab outing with Triple-A Syracuse.
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He pitched 2 ¹/₃ innings, giving up two earned runs on three hits while striking out two and walking two on 51 pitches.
The right-hander was off to an excellent start to the season, pitching to a 1.86 ERA in his first eight outings, before suffering a fractured right fibula that sidelined him for two months.
He threw 45 pitches in a simulated game Saturday, as Holmes was able to maintain some arm strength.
“If he looks anything like how he looked before he got hurt by the time the deadline comes, they’ll get a ton of interest,” an American League scout said of the Mets.
