San Francisco Giants outfielder Heliot Ramos did something that hasn't been done in Giants history since 1920.
San Francisco defeated the Toronto Blue Jays by a final score, 10-1, on Monday, July 6. However, player of the game nods went straight to Ramos after putting together a performance in which he cracked three home runs – a "little league" homer and then two real ones smacked into the stands.
It was a career night for Ramos. He became the first Giants player since 1920 to record two home runs and a "little league" home run in the same game.
"Just working a lot on my path, on the way that I was swinging to day in the cage and BP (batting practice)," Ramos told NBC Sports Bay Area in a post game broadcast interview. "I just felt pretty good about it honestly."
Heliot Ramos is the first #SFGiants player since 1920 to have two home runs and a "little league" home run in the same game 🤯 pic.twitter.com/oSWTnJu2yU
Maybe it was the breakfast he had, which Ramos said he cooked himself: sausages, eggs, toast and hash browns. His go-to. For what it's worth, he walked to grab a coffee.
Maybe the extra caffeine from the morning kept him energized throughout the day leading up to the game. He finished the game going 3-for-5, which included 5 RBIs. He accounted for three runs, himself.
He opened the game with a triple in the bottom first inning, but a throwing error from Blue Jays shortstop Andrés Giménez allowed Ramos to score.
Ramos delivered a three-run homer in the bottom sixth inning, sending one 349 feet into right field, bringing in Willy Adames and Víctor Bericoto. But he wasn't done there.
It was his second homer that really sealed the deal as Ramos expected a fastball and took a swing that put the ball over the wall in left-center field. Bryce Eldridge scored as Ramos rounded the bases to put the final touches on the 10-1 win.
"We were in awe of the second home run, I should say," Giants skipper Tony Vitello told reporters. "It was almost like that one was separate than the first. You know what kind of power, especially in this stadium, he's got going the other way, but that was kind of one that everybody was thunderstruck on."
He added: "It's always good anytime he does something positive, you're excited and happy, because he's always happy. You guys are around him in the locker room, and all those things. ... So, a positive influence in a lot of different ways."
Dalton Rushing is doused in a ice water by teammate Alex Call after hitting a walk-off single in the 11th inning of an 8-7 win over the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium on Monday night. (Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)
Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing spun to face home plate umpire Dan Iassogna, holding up his mitt with the ball inside.
When that didn’t change the safe call, Dalton immediately pointed to the Dodgers dugout, mask in hand urging manager Dave Roberts to challenge.
Robert’s hands flew up to his ears, asking for a replay review.
The tension in Dodger Stadium broke with the announcement: “The catcher touched the runner’s hand before he reached the plate...”
The crowd’s applause drowned out the rest.
The go-ahead run had been on the line with that challenge in the Dodgers’ eventual 8-7 win over the Rockies in 11 innings. And it started a wild sequence to the Dodgers’ first extra-innings game of the season that ended with Rushing hitting a walk-off single to center field to score Teoscar Hernández.
That brawl with the Rockies — figuratively and almost literally — finished with the Dodgers becoming the first team to win 60 games this season.
“That’s a lot of wins,” Roberts said.
It looked as if the Dodgers would coast to the mark. Dodgers closer Tanner Scott took the mound in the ninth with a three-run lead. But after giving up an RBI double to Kyle Karros and a two-run double to Cole Carrigg the score was tied. Only a strong relay throw home by second baseman Miguel Rojas and a successful challenge prevented Hunter Goodman from scoring a go-ahead run.
In the bottom of the ninth, the Dodgers got runners on first and second with two outs. That brought up Andy Pages with two outs, but a successful Rockies ABS challenge confirmed a strikeout, sending the game into the 10th.
That ended the Dodgers’ streak of 91 games without extra innings, the second-longest a team has gone without playing an extra-inning game in the modern era, behind only the 2005 Red Sox (99).
The drama wasn’t over. Two batters into the 10th, the benches cleared.
With one out and Carrigg on third, Jake McCarthy hit a sharp ground ball to Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman, who stepped on the bag and fired home.
Rushing flung his body into the tag, but Carrigg was called safe.
Carrigg said something as began to walk away, and Rushing spun around.
As the two exchanged words, Dodgers reliever Edgardo Henriquez pulled his catcher away. But players from both dugouts and bullpens already began to spill onto the field.
Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy holds back Dalton Rushing after the Dodgers catcher got into a confrontation with Colorado's Cole Carrigg in the 10th inning Monday. (Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)
“I think that what happened is Carrigg said something aloud, not directed at Dalton,” Roberts said. “Dalton thought something was directed at him. We cleared the air. Basically a big misunderstanding.”
Said Rushing: “I didn’t mean any harm by the tag or the way I reacted to the ball. Made sure he knew that. Told him I was just reacting to the baseball. I don’t expect it to go any further.”
After a brief stoppage, Henriquez escaped without further damage. And the Dodgers got another shot, with Pages on second to start the inning.
Freeman’s groundout moved him to third. Then Mookie Betts drove him in with a comebacker over the mound and past flailing second baseman Edouard Julien.
Tucker then looped a single into no-man’s land. But the rally ended when Hernández’s liner up the middle landed in the glove of Rockies right-hander Jimmy Herget, who just entered the game, catching Kyle Tucker off first base for a double play.
In the 11th, Henriquez got out of the inning unscathed. He got Julien to pop out on a sacrifice bunt attempt and then started a double play himself. He punched the air as he walked off the mound.
“He’s calm in big spots, you’re starting to see it,” Roberts said. “He’s throwing strikes, throwing the breaking ball when he needs to and he’s now unfazed by certain moments and higher leverage. He’s a guy, certainly, we trust.”
In the end, Rushing — who already hit a pair of doubles and scored on Shohei Ohtani’s third-inning home run and fourth-inning two-run single — was the hero.
After Hernández made it to third on a sacrifice bunt by Tommy Edman, Dalton got the end of his bat on a changeup and sent it up the middle, just out of reach of a diving Julien.
“Infield’s in, they’re kind of doing you a favor,” Rushing said. “So move the ball forward, good things happen. And it wasn’t pretty, but it worked.”
Rushing’s helmet twirled in the dirt behind him as he jogged from first toward the center of the field, ready for the celebration that would meet him there.
“He plays with a lot of moxie,” said Dodgers starting pitcher Eric Lauer, who held the Rockies to three runs in six innings. “And he definitely doesn’t back down to anybody, and we love him for that. He’s a great guy that you want on your team.”
Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run in the third inning against the Rockies on Monday. (Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)
Roster moves
Dodgers right-hander Evan Phillips is in line to make his first major-league appearance since May 2025. Phillips only made seven appearances last season, starting on the injured list with a strained rotator cuff before undergoing Tommy John surgery in June.
“It’s going to be a lot different tonight getting back out there in a competitive game, the full atmosphere,” Phillips said. “Really excited about that. I feel like probably the past two weeks or so I really took a good turn in my rehab, started bouncing back even better, pitching more like myself, feeling more like myself. So really just happy to carry that over to these games and see how the second half treats us.”
In a pair of corresponding moves, the Dodgers optioned right-handed reliever Paul Gervase to triple-A Oklahoma City and released left-hander Jake Eder.
The Dodgers also designated catcher Chuckie Robinson for assignment and added right-hander Carlos Duran to the 40-man roster. Both players are set to stay in Oklahoma City, with Robinson accepting his outright assignment.
Jul 6, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) celebrates with catcher Dalton Rushing (68) after hitting a two run home run against the Colorado Rockies in the third inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
The streak of no extra-inning games is finally over, and we can say that the Dodgers are undefeated in extras this season, walking it off against the Rockies 8-7 in the 11th inning. The decisive hit in this thrilling game came from the bat of Dalton Rushing with an RBI single, completing a terrific three-hit performance for the Dodgers catcher.
Before they had to dig deep for this victory, the Dodgers got to experience the thin line in baseball between control of a game and the illusion of it. The home team saw a 6-3 lead collapse in the ninth as Tanner Scott had his first blowup outing in over a month, walking multiple hitters for the first time this season.
To acquire that 6-3 lead, Shohei Ohtani and Eric Lauer were the protagonists. As if facing Ohtani in and of itself wasn’t a daunting enough threat, Kyle Freeland did so for the second time in the third inning with a runner on base after allowing a leadoff double to Rushing. Whoever questioned the Ohtani-Rushing partnership in recent weeks needs to check their facts—it seemed to be working just fine when Ohtani gave the Dodgers their first lead of the game by driving in Rushing with a two-run homer, his 19th on the season and seventh against lefties—now just two short of 300 in his career.
This combination of Rushing and Ohtani would go on to lead the way for the Dodgers once again in the following inning. After Max Muncy and Miguel Rojas secured back-to-back RBI on a single and sac fly, respectively, Rushing once again set up Ohtani with a double, who then proceeded to drive in a pair, this time with just a two-run single.
Overall in this game, the four runs batted in by Ohtani represented a season-high mark at home and only the third time he’s achieved that number or higher this season. Ohtani’s three hits were also a season high for the reigning back-to-back NL MVP. All of that success that Ohtani and the rest of the Dodgers offense had against Freeland couldn’t be replicated facing Zach Agnos, who tossed three scoreless innings to keep Colorado with a puncher’s chance.
Still, the six runs scored by the offense between the third and fourth innings gave Lauer the comfort of pitching ahead. And before the bullpen surrendered that lead, Lauer delivered another productive outing, only running into a bit of trouble against the bottom of the order.
While the Rockies’ top four failed to record a hit versus the Dodgers starter, strictly reaching base on a couple of Kyle Karros walks, Ezequiel Tovar homered and was responsible for two of the Rockies’ three runs batted in across the first six innings. Once again, the strikeouts weren’t really there, with just a pair, but he didn’t need them. Lauer completed his quality start with a little support from the Rockies’ baserunning after Jake McCarthy failed to retouch second heading back to first on a casual one-out flyout.
What looked to be a smooth win after holds from Brock Stewart and Alex Vesia, despite the offense having stopped scoring in the fourth, all of a sudden turned worrisome in the blink of an eye—Scott provided a rollercoaster of emotions that culminated in the Rockies tying the game at six all. Colorado put two men on in scoring position with one out, and instead of pitching to Hunter Goodman, they intentionally walked him for the left-on-left matchup with T.J. Rumfield, a move that looked like it was going to work. Scott punched out Rumfield on three pitches, but there was still one out to go, and Cole Carrigg got a hold of a slider on the outside corner. Two runs came across to tie the game with a safe call overturned as the Pages-Rojas-Rushing combination gunned down Goodman at the plate, who displayed far too much athleticism on his slide for a major league catcher.
Perhaps more impressive than Scott’s blowup was the result of one specific at-bat against Tovar. Scott, who came into this matchup with just three walks in nearly 40 innings, managed to walk a hitter with a career 4.2% walk percentage.
Fitting to this team’s approach in many ways, but not to the context of the game, the Rockies played to hold serve in extra innings, prioritizing the one run in extras. With a bunt from Tyler Freeman and a groundball from McCarthy, the Rockies took the 7-6 lead but had no momentum to add to it against Edgardo Henríquez.
Considering the Dodgers had the heart of the order coming up in the bottom of the 10th, that felt like a questionable approach from Colorado, and sure enough, the Dodgers made them pay, even if once again defense played a key role in this one. Mookie Betts, who was 0 for 4 with all flyouts, had a man on third and one out; he hit a bullet at the second baseman, who had the chance to catch it, but only knocked it down, allowing the Dodgers to tie the game. Right-hander Jimmy Herget was brought on to face Teoscar Hernández with two on and two out after a Kyle Tucker single—Hernández did him a solid, swinging at a 3-0 pitch and hitting a soft liner that turned into an inning-ending double play.
Once again, the Rockies refused to do anything else other than play for the one run in the 11th, and this time it really came back to bite them. Edouard Julien was up with two on and no one out after a leadoff walk, and he bunted—a bunt that turned into a pop-up and didn’t even move the runners. Goodman hit into a double play, and just like that, the Dodgers just needed one to walk it off in the 11th. Protected by Ohtani on deck, following a Max Muncy walk and Tommy Edman bunt, Rushing sent everyone home.
Although it wasn’t necessarily the most impactful of hitting performances, Kyle Tucker quietly had another impressive individual night, securing a team-high three hits.
LP— Jimmy Herget (0-3): 1 IP, 1 hit, 1 unearned run, 1 walk
Up next
The team leader in wins, Justin Wrobleksi, looks for his 11th on the season as the Dodgers host the Rockies for the second-to-last time on the season. Colorado will deploy another one of their veteran starters in Michael Lorenzen. The first pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. (PT).
Another milestone is within Shohei Ohtani’s reach.
Ohtani’s next home run will be his 300th in the major leagues.
No. 299 came in a wild 11-inning, 8-7 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Monday night — the Dodgers’ first extra-inning game of the season.
The game had everything.
A middle-inning offensive outburst by the Dodgers.
A ninth-inning meltdown by Tanner Scott in which the substitute closer blew a three-run lead.
Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) runs after hitting a two run home run against the Colorado Rockies in the third inning at Dodger Stadium. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
A 10th-inning run for the Rockies on a close play at home that resulted in catcher Dalton Rushing jawing at Cole Carrigg and the benches of both sides clearing.
An 11th-inning walk-off single by Rushing.
Ohtani’s home run reversed an early deficit to Rockies, his opposite-field shot sending the Dodgers in front, 2-1.
Ohtani’s two-run single capped a four-run fourth inning in which the Dodgers opened up their advantage to 6-1. That inning started with a single by Kyle Tucker, who advanced to third base on a hit by Teoscar Hernández. A single by Max Muncy drove in Tucker, and Hernández scored on a sacrifice fly by Miguel Rojas.
A double by Rushing brought up Ohtani with runners on second and third base, and the $700-million man singled up the middle to drive both of them in.
Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) runs after hitting a two run home run against the Colorado Rockies in the third inning at Dodger Stadium. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
The performance extended Ohtani’s torture of Rockies starter Kyle Freeland, against whom Ohtani is now 9 for 16 with three home runs and nine runs batted in.
Ohtani didn’t homer in any of his five previous games but a meeting with Freeland broke him out of his mini-slump.
His home run on Monday night was his 19th of the season and the 128th in his three seasons with the Dodgers.
He is Japan’s major-league home run leader by a wide margin, as the next player on the list is Hideki Matsui, who hit 175 from 2003-2012.
What it means
The “Fre-ddie” chants at Dodger Stadium sounded a louder than usual, perhaps because bobbleheads made in Freddie Freeman’s image were distributed to fans. Freeman singled to right field in his first at-bat.
The Dodgers became the first team in baseball to reach the 60-win benchmark, and they maintained a 14-game lead in the National League West. Their division lead is the largest in the majors.
Who’s hot
Two months ago, when the Dodgers traded for Eric Lauer, they didn’t have to send the Toronto Blue Jays any players in return. Lauer was acquired for cash considerations.
The money was well-spent.
In eight games with the Dodgers, Lauer has a 3.12 earned-run average – solid numbers for a 31-year-old journeyman who was viewed as a placeholder until Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow returned from their respective injuries.
Lauer limited the Rockies to three runs and six hits over six innings.
Dodgers pitcher Eric Lauer (33) pitches against the Colorado Rockies in the first inning at Dodger Stadium. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Who’s not
Following a disastrous first season with the Dodgers, reliever Tanner Scott is in the middle of a solid year.
In 39 games this season, he’s posted a 2.70 ERA. He has also saved 12 games in the absence of closer Edwin Diaz, who is recovering from a procedure to remove bone chips from his arm.
Scott had a rare slip-up on Monday night, blowing a three-run lead he inherited in the ninth inning. With two outs, the bases loaded, and the lead down to two runs, Scott gave up a double to Carrigg that was initially ruled to have driven in three runs. The third run was nullified by a replay review, which showed that Hunter Goodman was thrown out at the plate by Miguel Rojas.
Up next
The Dodgers will continue their series against the Rockies on Tuesday, with Justin Wrobleski (10-2, 2.80 ERA) starting for the Dodgers and Michael Lorenzen (3-9, 6.91 ERA) for the Rockies.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - JULY 06: Heliot Ramos #17 of the San Francisco Giants get doused with Gatorade after the Giants defeated the Toronto Blue Jays at Oracle Park on Monday, July 6, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Kavin Mistry/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
May and June served as months to forget for Landen Roupp and Heliot Ramos. Roupp, following a brilliant March and April that generated All-Star buzz, struggled disastrously. After ending April with a 5-1 record and a 2.55 ERA, Roupp labored through 11 May and June starts, sporting a 5.87 ERA and walking 26 batters in 53.2 innings. Stunningly, the San Francisco Giants lost all 11 of his starts. Ramos suffered an injury in mid-May that landed him on the IL. It took him six weeks and nearly 40 games to return.
The struggles were not confined to the field. Roupp placed himself at the center of an ugly Pride Night controversy, looked foolish and bigoted in the process, and lost himself a significant number of fans. Ramos watched Casey Schmitt and Victor Bericoto fill his shoes admirably, while talks of a trade from a franchise he openly adores swirled.
Thankfully for both players, the calendar flipped to July. And if Monday’s 10-1 win over the Toronto Blue Jays was any indication, that’s marvelous news for both of them.
It was the Roupp and Ramos show from the start of the game until the final out. The game began when Blue Jays’ leadoff hitter Ernie Clement reached on an error by Schmitt. Given the way Roupp had been pitching lately, you’d be forgiven for thinking the inning would go in a sideways direction, but instead the right-hander needed just seven pitches to retire the next three batters. Easy as pie.
The bottom of the first began when Ramos, newly entrenched as the leadoff hitter, saw an 0-1 fastball from Kevin Gausman on the outer half of the plate and decided to follow it in that direction, driving it deep, deep, deep into the aptly-named triple’s alley, smashing it off the padding on the wall. As the ball ran misdirection on right fielder Nathan Lukes, Ramos beelined for third base.
And when he looked up from the dust cloud that formed around his body following a full-speed dive into the bag, he realized that the throw had gone into the dugout. And every baseball mathematician knows the this equation: Triple + Error = Little League Home Run.
There are myriad ways in which a hitter can be Oracle’d in San Francisco, and Ramos’ was one of the least aggravating ones. According to Statcast, his leadoff hit — 399 feet despite fighting the wind — would have been a home run in every ballpark but the one he plays in. Instead, three bags and a little extra cardio would have to suffice.
But Ramos would exact his revenge on the confines of the stadium. As the game wore on and the lead grew wider — the Giants would take a 3-0 lead before Roupp’s lone hiccup of the night, a solo home run allowed to Kazuma Okamoto — Ramos geared up his power bar, ready to strike again, but this time more equipped for the walls.
It came in the bottom of the sixth, so let’s set the stage. Rafael Devers led off the inning with a walk, and advanced to third when Jung Hoo Lee reached on an error. After Willy Adames drew a walk (yes, two in one inning is legal) to load the bases, Bryce Eldridge struck out for the third time.
The lead was 3-1 as Bericoto stepped to the plate, looking to pick up his teammate. He did exactly that, lining a get-it-in heater from Gausman the other way for a two-run single.
The lead had grown to 5-1, which is the sweet spot with the Giants these days. Just enough of a lead to excite you, and just small enough to make you fear the impending bullpen implosion that will throw it all away. It’ll keep you tuned in!
There are, it turns out, antidotes to a bullpen known to blow mid-sized leads. The most common prescription is spending money on a bullpen, but the pharmacy already closed for that option. The second most common is to simply expand the lead.
Enter Ramos. The wind was still howling in from right field and baseball players, unlike golfers, do not have the option to club up. Ramos, it seems, did not care. Facing Tommy Nance — Bericoto had knocked Gausman out of the game — Ramos turned on a 1-1 sinker, cockily and confidently taking on right field, and clearing the fence before you even realized what had happened.
As it turns out, the insurance runs weren’t needed, because Roupp remembered the third most common prescription for bad bullpens: not letting them pitch. Armed with a healthy lead, Roupp returned for the seventh inning and set down the side in order, on eight pitches. Back out for the eighth he came and, while he ceded a two-out single, he responded by immediately striking out Vladimir Guerrero Jr. for style points.
All that was left was the window dressing, and Ramos apparently felt he deserved some of that fun. Our hitting protagonist stepped up in the bottom half of the eighth with two outs and one on, facing Adam Macko. As if being rewarded for his strong earlier at-bats (which also featured a groundout that was the hardest-hit ball of the day), all of which against right-handers, Ramos now got to tee off against a lefty.
If his first hit had been an attempt to clear the right field fences, and his second hit had been to prove that he truly could, his third hit was getting back to basics. He’d proven what he came to prove. Now it was time to have some fun, sit on a hanging breaking ball, and see just how far into the night his muscle can carry.
Pretty freaking far, it turns out. Ramos smashed the first pitch from Macko so high up the bleachers that even the broadcast drew out the usually-hyperbolic Andrés Galarraga comp. You don’t see a lot of 434-foot home runs in at 9 p.m. in San Francisco. Enjoy.
With that, the stars had done their job. Roupp had cruised through eight nearly flawless innings, ceding just three hits, two walks, and one run, while striking out five. Ramos had hit two homers and 29/30ths of another, knocked in five runs, and score thrice. And the supporting cast had played their part, keeping the rallies going and playing strong defense. Bericoto, in particular, impressed during his 2-4 day: after a leadoff single in the fifth, the rookie found himself standing at third with two outs, and Luis Arráez at first. With Schmitt at the plate, Arráez broke for second, swiping his seventh bag of the season. Bericoto expanded his lead perfectly, and took off with the throw, making it to home before the ball boomeranged back. A savvy and cheeky bit of running, and now he’ll always get to say that he stole home for his first Major League stolen base.
But after the fun is had, the game must end, and the Giants made sure no drama occurred. Spencer Bivens, recently called up, made his season debut to spell Roupp for the ninth. He struck out the first batter he faced. He struck out the second batter he faced.
The third? Aware of the plot, Bivens let Alejandro Kirk put the ball in play.
A soft and lazy fly ball out to the grass. Right field, specifically. Right into Ramos’ glove for out number 27.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Two-plus months after the Yankees waited a few days to see if he could avoid an injured list stint altogether, Giancarlo Stanton remains without any real timeline to return to the active roster.
After suffering a setback with his right calf strain last month, when he appeared to be a few days away from being activated from the IL, Stanton is still not running again, according to manager Aaron Boone, as his rehab remains slow-moving.
Asked if he expects the veteran slugger to play again this season, Boone said he did.
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“Now, that being said, I’m surprised it’s been this long,” Boone said Monday at Tropicana Field before the Yankees beat the Rays 5-1. “But yes, I expect him back.”
Stanton missed his 64th straight game Monday and did not join the Yankees on this trip, despite injured players often doing so in order to rehab at the club’s player development complex in Tampa.
Boone did not have much in the way of specifics as to what Stanton is doing other than not yet running; he had advanced to running the bases before getting re-injured last month. The manager had said last Monday that Stanton was “moving again with more intensity and hitting against velo[city] again,” though as of this Monday, Boone only said the 36-year-old was “upping the treadmill stuff he’s doing.”
“I don’t know that it’s [a] slower [buildup after the setback], we’ve just been listening to the body and following when he has gotten the images and things like that,” Boone said. “What he’s been able to tolerate, we’ve been able to do.”
Giancarlo Stanton in dugout when the New York Yankees played the Detroit Tigers Wednesday, July 1, 2026. Robert Sabo for NY Post
Jasson Domínguez and Boone both got upset in the seventh inning after home plate umpire Emil Jimenez did not allow Domínguez to challenge a low called strike despite him tapping his helmet fairly quickly after the pitch — a repeat of what happened last month with the same hitter and umpire at Yankee Stadium.
Domínguez also tried to challenge a high strike called by Jimenez during a June 17 game, but the umpire did not grant either one.
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“The same thing happened and [Jimenez] pointed to the dugout like it was influenced by us,” Boone said. “The dugout’s always going to react. He did it instantaneously. It’s a bad call, it’s a bad look and I don’t get it. I know it’s this crew, they’re sticklers for being immediate and all that. It was pretty immediate. The challenge absolutely should’ve been allowed like it absolutely should’ve been allowed a couple weeks ago.”
Boone said he did not stick around for a full explanation “because I was going to lose my mind.”
After leaving Sunday’s game early with right big toe discomfort, Jazz Chisholm Jr. was back in the lineup Monday playing second base and going 0-for-2 with a walk. … The Yankees are waiting on naming a starter for Thursday’s series finale to see how their bullpen looks, though Elmer Rodríguez would be the obvious call-up candidate for a spot start.
BROOKLYN, NY - MAY 21: Noah Clowney #21, Day'Ron Sharpe #20 and Josh Minott #00 of the Brooklyn Nets attend the game between the Golden State Valkyries and New York Liberty on May 21, 2026 at Barclays Center Arena 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 2026 NBAE(Photo by Catalina Fragoso/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
At noon Monday, the NBA’s annual race for proven talent — free agency — began but for Brooklyn Nets fans, it was a bit of non-starter. The Nets made some moves, all of them already agreed to and not surprising. However, the big move so far this Summer did not materialize: the multi-team trade that will send Nic Claxton to Chicago and bring Julius Randle and an exchange of picks from Minnesota to Brooklyn. The reason why was for the most mundane of reasons, as Keith Smith pointed out late in the day…
A handful of people asked why the big Nets-Hornets-Bulls-Wolves trade hasn't gone official yet…
That deal will have to wait until July 9. Mouhamadou Gueye, who the Bulls are trading as part of the deal, isn't eligible to be traded until July 9 because he was signed on April 9.
Gueye, a 6’9” journeyman, had been added to the trade that already included the Nets, Bulls and Timberwolves. On arrival in Minnesota, Gueye is expected to be waived. Could the trade be expanded further? Sure, but at the moment, there’s nothing rumored. Rui Hachimura, the most recently rumored target of Sean Marks & co. signed with the Los Angeles Clippers.
Another apparently more serious target, Nuggets forward Peyton Watson, remains a restricted free agent. Watson could wind up as the subject of an offer sheet or moved in a sign-and-trade either with the Nets or another team. Again, though, there’s nothing but speculation on that front. Part of that speculation has been driven by PWat’s friendship with Michael Porter Jr. Indeed, Watson was hosted by MPJ on a yacht in the Mediterranean last week.
And while Brooklyn didn’t sign Moe Wagner, they did ink Cleveland 3-and-D guard. That signing like Wagner’;s had previously been reported, but the Nets made Ellis official but not Wagner’s. Marc Stein reported that that may be the result of nothing more than a logjam at league offices where each trade must meet CBA muster from the NBA league department before officially being blessed.
Back to basketball …
Several NBA signings and some agreed-to trades are still awaiting league processing … but the expectation at this point of the evening (ET) is that official announcements on completed deals with the moratorium now lifted are likely to resume Tuesday.
The Nets may also be considering alternative routes to sign the 6’11” 29-year-old. He could be signed for example out of cap space or the Room MLE which is valued at $9.4 million. That’s just about what he will make in the coming year as part of a two year, $18 million contract.
The Nets also signed both Day’Ron Sharpe and Josh Minott to extensions Monday, Sharpe at two years and $20 million and Minott at two years and $9 million. Sharpe has no option in his deal but Minott has a team option next summer.
Brooklyn also seems to have ended its relationship with both Ziaire Williams and Ochai Agbaji, renouncing their Bird Rights, a sure signal that a return is highly unlikely…
As part of the process to complete their offseason moves, the Brooklyn Nets have renounced the free agent rights for Ochai Agabji and Ziaire Williams.
Williams acquired in July 2024 in a trade that was a spin-off of the Mikal Bridges trade. In two seasons, the 24-year-old Stanford product played 119 games, averaging 10.1 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.2 steals, but was seen by many in the organization as inconssistent and sometimes lacking energy as Fernandez noted when he held Williams out of game in late November. In that same 2024 trade with Memphis Grizzlies, the Nets also acquired and retain the Mavs second round pick in 2030.
Agbaji came to the Nets at last season’s trade deadline in a three-team salary dump. Brooklyn acquired the 6’5” wing, $3.5 million in cash considerations and the Raptors second rounder in 2032 for the draft rights to a Serbian guard who had blown his achilles tendon 10 days before the trade. Agbaji played 20 games for the Nets averaging 6.2 points and 2.3 rebounds in 16 minutes per game.
The move will also clear up cap holds for the two players, a bit of a housekeeping move in free agency. Interestingly, the Nets did not denounce the rights to Jalen Wilson.
The Nets will have 15 guaranteed contracts once all the paperwork is concluded.
LOS ANGELES - JUNE 11: The movie "Ferris Bueller's Day Off", written and directed by John Hughes. Seen here from left, Alan Ruck as Cameron Frye, Mia Sara as Sloane Peterson and Matthew Broderick as Ferris Bueller in the Art Institute of Chicago. Initial theatrical release June 11, 1986. Screen capture. Paramount Pictures. (Photo by CBS via Getty Images) | CBS via Getty Images
Record: 45-45. Pace: 81-81. Change on 2025: +1.
The Diamondbacks jumped on Padres starter Walker Buehler early. They scored six runs in the first three innings, and despite this being a Brandon Pfaadt start, were just able to hold on for victory. The win put Arizona back in sole possession of second place in the NL West, and also brought them back to a .500 record for the fifteenth time this year. That stat is for ChefAZ.
The D-backs took the lead while, I suspect, a sizeable number of fans were watching Team USA’s exit from the World Cup at the hands feet of Belgium. Yes, them again. Ketel Marte wasted little time, tripling on a misplayed ball off the wall in center at Petco. Geraldo Perdomo them wore the next pitch to put runners on the corner, and an errant pick off throw by Buehler allowed the D-backs to bypass the whole, tricky “hitting with RISP” thing. Two outs later, Max Kepler did the whole, tricky “hitting with RISP” thing, scoring Perdomo for a 2-0 Diamondbacks edge. But that was just an amuse bouche for the main course, delivered by Buehler in the fourth.
It was the epitome of the “That escalated quickly” meme from every San Diegan’s favorite movie, Anchorman. With one out, Corbin Carroll squirted one down the left-field line for a double. Five pitches later, it was 6-0 to Arizona. In short order, Gabriel Moreno singled, Lourdes Gurriel had an RBI knock and Max Kepler cranked his first home-run as a Diamondback, a three-run shot. It was a no-doubter, a 417 foot blast to right. Wasn’t the end of the fireworks for Arizona, as Geraldo Perdomo went deep (home-run #6 for him) in the fourth, and Nolan Arenado reached double-digits with his tenth of the year. All three homers are above.
Arenado joins Marte and Carroll in that club. After a rough June (196/.255/.299 for a .554 OPS), it’d be nice to get Nolan back on track. Speaking on “back on track”, Brandon Pfaadt delivered his best outing of the season. Indeed, the Game Score of 65 was his second-highest since July 18 last year. The only better was, of course, his incomplete game shutout against the Giants in September. Tonight, he pitched five scoreless, with no walks and six strikeouts. He did allow four hits, and just had a single clean inning. But all of the knocks were singles, and he didn’t face a single batter with a runner in scoring position. He could have gone longer, but is still being stretched back out. He threw 66 in his first game back and reached 72 tonight.
Add to his previous outing, and Pfaadt has allowed one run over 10.1 innings since his return. Small sample size, to be sure, and tonight’s opposition aren’t exactly a challenge. Indeed, the Padres came in to this game, already with the lowest OPS+ in the National League, at just 87. But with the loss of Michael Soroka, and the continued absence of Corbin Burnes, the Arizona rotation needs all the help it can get. His next outing will be a bit tougher. That’ll be on Saturday against the Dodgers and their 117 OPS+, best in the majors by a full seven points. The results there should tell us whether this shiny new version of Brandon is genuine or an illusion.
Both starters tonight did the five and dive, though for Pfaadt it was understandable. The struggles of Buehler continue, his ERA now above five this year (5.07). I guess at least he’s cheap, a $1.5 million guaranteed contract from the Padres. He simply hasn’t been the same since he had Tommy John in August 2022, his ERA since then also above five (5.09), compared to just 3.02 before the procedure. It’s a bit of a sobering thought, and let’s hope our pitchers are able to come back strong. It must be said, it was Buehler’s second TJ. Then again, that’s also the case for Justin Martinez. We’ll see…
Anyway, the game pretty much was over with Kepler’s shot in the third inning. After Pfaadt, Ryan Thompson and Drew Jameson each tossed a pair of shutout frames, and Arizona completed the shutout with a K:BB ratio of 11:0. It’s the first time they’ve done that (or better) since September 21, 2024, when they beat the Brewers 5-0 with a K:BB of 13:0. It’s only the fourth time in franchise history they’ve done it, while also scoring 8+ runs. The last such game was also against San Diego, a 9-0 win on April 21, 2023, where Zac Gallen, Miguel Castro and Joe Mantiply combined on a two-hitter with a 13:0 K:BB. Yeah, can you tell I had lots of spare time for research in this one?
The Diamondbacks got eleven hits, with two apiece for Perdomo, Gabriel Moreno (who also drew the team’s only walk) and Kepler, the last-named also driving in four runs. Arizona were 4-for-9 with RISP, which is certainly better than they have been doing. The victory keeps them in touch for the wild-card, where they are 3.5 games back of the Marlins. Though of the six teams above them, only the Cardinals and Phillies lost.
Click here for details, at Fangraphs.com Maximus Decimus Meridius: Max Kepler, +22% Antonius Proximo: Pfaadt, +14%; Marte, +11%
Commodus: Nolan Arenado, -4%
A very enjoyable Gameday Thread, which was probably needed as a welcome palate cleanser after the football ended Belgium 4, Waffles 1. Conversation was wide-ranging, covering topics such as entertainment options in Ancient Rome, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and medieval German astronomers. Never say the SnakePit is not educational. Comment of the night to Dano, who has probably been awaiting a chance to make this comment, ever since the signing was announced…
A good start to this four game set, making at least a split very likely. Back at it from San Diego tomorrow night, with another 6:40 pm first pitch. Zac Gallen will be starting that one, so… Yeah. Not exactly getting my hopes up, but we’ll see!
In this week’s Injury Report, Byron Buxton aggravated a lingering hip injury, putting his status for the All-Star Game in jeopardy. Connelly Early’s breakout rookie campaign has hit a roadblock with an elbow injury. And Mike Trout is expected to return this week following a three-week absence with a hamstring strain. All that and more as we cover all of the most relevant injury news around baseball.
⚾️ Baseball is back! MLB returns to NBC and Peacock in 2026! In addition to becoming the exclusive home of Sunday Night Baseball, NBC Sports will broadcast MLB Sunday Leadoff, “Opening Day” and Labor Day primetime games, the first round of the MLB Draft, the entire Wild Card round of the postseason, and much more.
Byron Buxton (hip)
Buxton was held out of the lineup all last week with a right hip impingement and didn’t return until Saturday. He was then removed from Sunday’s contest against the Yankees after sliding into second on a steal attempt in the first inning. It seems he might’ve aggravated the hip injury on the play. Given that he missed a handful of games with the issue, he may not be able to avoid the injured list this time around, especially with the All-Star break coming up, which will allow him some extra rest. Though we should get some clarity on Tuesday before the team’s series opener against the Guardians in Minnesota. Buxton was elected to his first All-Star game, hitting .271/.328/.304 with 25 homers, 57 runs, 45 RBI, and seven steals across 335 plate appearances.
Junior Caminero’s power binge continues, the Cubs are in rollercoaster mode, and the Twins pull off a rare feat.
D.J. Short
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Connelly Early (elbow)
Early departed 61 pitches into last Tuesday’s start against the Nationals with left elbow discomfort and was placed on the 15-day injured list as he undergoes further evaluation. Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy told reporters that Early was dealing with posterior left elbow inflammation. He then mentioned on Friday that Early would be seeing a specialist for a second opinion. Tracy did downplay the second visit, but it’s still a worrisome development nonetheless. We should get an update on Early’s status and potential timeline in the coming days.
Ryan Helsley (elbow)
Helsley was supposed to make an appearance last Wednesday against the White Sox, but was held out after experiencing right elbow discomfort during his warmup. He had already missed six weeks due to right elbow inflammation and made five appearances over 10 days before the renewed discomfort. The Orioles placed Helsley back on the 15-day injured list without a clear timetable. Tyler Wells has converted the first two saves in his absence.
Mike Trout (hamstring)
Trout has been sidelined since June 18 with a right hamstring strain. He was reportedly able to run the bases with no issues prior to Sunday’s game against the Red Sox and hopes to be activated this week, likely Tuesday or Wednesday. The 34-year-old outfielder has been voted as a starter for the American League in this year’s All-Star Game in Philadelphia, and he’s trending towards participating in what would be his 11th Midsummer Classic.
Edwin Diaz (elbow)
Diaz reportedly came away feeling “way better than early in the season” following a live bullpen session before Sunday’s game against the Padres. He was particularly encouraged by the swing and miss he was able to generate on his fastball during the session. The 32-year-old right-hander seems to be on track to return shortly after the All-Star break and should step back into closing duties for the Dodgers.
Vinnie Pasquantino (hand)
Some encouraging news on Pasquantino. The 28-year-old first baseman will begin a minor league rehab assignment with Triple-A Omaha on Tuesday after rehabbing his broken hamate bone at the Royals’ spring training complex in Arizona. Pasquantino has been sidelined since mid-June with a hamate bone fracture in his right hand, but could make it back before next week’s All-Star break.
Brandon Woodruff (shoulder)
Woodruff was in the middle of his third start back from the injured list before departing Saturday’s game against the Diamondbacks in the fourth inning with an aggravation of his shoulder injury. His velocity was down to 87 mph as he left the contest. The Brewers placed the 33-year-old right-hander back on the 15-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation. Woodruff had missed nearly two months during his previous stint on the injured list. A similar timeline would put him back sometime in mid-to-late August.
Ranger Suarez (adductor)
Suarez was pulled from Sunday’s game against the Angels in the third inning with an injury after trying to field a grounder. The team stated he departed with left adductor tightness. If he’s placed on the injured list prior to Tuesday’s season opener against the White Sox, he may miss only one start in the rotation with next week’s All-Star break on the horizon.
Jeremy Pena (calf)
It looks like it may just be a minimum stint on the injured list for Pena. The 28-year-old shortstop is set to begin a minor league rehab assignment with Triple-A Sugar Land on Tuesday. He’s been on the injured list since June 30 with a left calf strain and will be eligible to return on Friday. As long as he can come out of a couple of rehab games with no setbacks, he should be ready to join Houston when first eligible.
Brendan Donovan (groin)
Donovan is another player starting a rehab assignment this week. The 29-year-old infielder has been cleared to begin his minor league assignment on Tuesday. He’s been out of action since mid-May with a groin strain. It’s unclear how many games Donovan will need before he’s ready to return to the Seattle lineup after missing nearly two months. His return will raise some lineup questions, with Colt Emerson now handling shortstop duties, Cole Young playing well at second, and J.P. Crawford at the hot corner. But Donovan could move all around the diamond, including some time in the outfield.
Max Fried (elbow)
Add Fried to the growing list of players on the mend. According to Yankees manager Aaron Boone, the 32-year-old left-hander is close to making a minor league rehab start after another bullpen session or two. Fried has been on the injured list since May 14 with a bone bruise in his left elbow. He’d likely need a couple of rehab outings before returning to the Yankees’ rotation, but it seems like fantasy managers can expect him back shortly following the All-Star break.
Jul 6, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (27) throws to starting pitcher Kevin Gausman (34) for an out at first base against the San Francisco Giants in the third inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Eakin Howard-Imagn Images | Eakin Howard-Imagn Images
Jays 1 Giants 10
I don’t know….
At least in the past we were able to make the easy defensive plays. But tonight, we couldn’t even do that.
Andrés Giménez made an error. Kazuma Okamoto made an official, had another that should have been an error and made a lousy play on a throw into third which was just a bad mistake, too bad to be called an error. Kirk made a poor throw to second, and Ernie Clement made a worse home back to home.
Kevin Gausman wasn’t great. He wasn’t as bad as the score made him look, but he wasn’t great. 5.1 innings, 5 hits, 7 runs, 4 earned, 5 walks and 8 strikeouts. Yeah the defense didn’t help him out and two of his earned runs came after he left the game.
Tommy Nance came in with two on and one out and gave up a home run. Two runs added to Kevin’s line and one to Nance.
And Adam Macko gave up a 2-run homer in the eighth.
We managed three hits. Clement, Nathan Lukes and Okamoto had one each, Okamoto’s a home run, giving us our first in 29 innings?
No Jays of the Day. Clement had the high mark at 0.05 WPA, but that didn’t count the wide throw home.
Other Award: Gausman (-0.21). And really the batters all deserve one. Lukes had the low mark (-0.08).
Tomorrow is game two with the Giants….Someone will be opener, and Spencer Miles will be the bulk guy. Lefty Noah Schultz (2-5, 5.86) starts for SF.
SACRAMENTO, CA - JULY 6: Darius Acuff Jr. #5 of the Sacramento Kings and Brayden Burries #0 of the Milwaukee Bucks look on during the game on July 6, 2026 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Bucks put up one hell of a fight in their final game in Sac, but couldn’t outlast the Kings in a tight one, losing 95-89. Brayden Burries debuted and was impressive in somewhat limited minutes, while Cormac Ryan and Pete Nance did not suit up. Zack Austin led the Bucks with 17 points, while Darius Acuff Jr. was the Kings’ best with 22 points and three assists.
The Bucks started out slow, with Brayden Burries looking to get his feet wet right away: Burries pulled a transition three on his first possession, then beat his man to the rim but failed to see the help defender come over, getting his shot blocked. At last, Milwaukee’s No. 10 pick drove off the side pick-and-roll to get himself to the free throw line. the Kings, on the other hand, were rolling, with their first-round pick Darius Acuff Jr. scoring in bunches to give his team a 15-4 edge halfway through the first. Other than Burries getting to the line, the Bucks simply couldn’t find a consistent source of offence, making just one of their first 13 shots to be down 25-9 late in the period. Thankfully, new Bucks two-way Kam Jones checked in late and powered the team to a 13-3 run to close the frame—featuring some nifty finishes in the lane—down just six, 28-22, after one.
Amid the Kings’ hot start to the second, Burries nailed a tough side-step three for his first field goal of the game, followed by a stampede to the rim in transition; he looked the goods on both ends of the floor. Still, Milwaukee couldn’t reduce the deficit past ~eight points in the opening six minutes of the frame, with missed boxouts doing them in time after time. As the period drew to a close, Milwaukee continued to struggle locking down Acuff, but crucial buckets from Jesse Edwards, Kam Jones, and BJ Boston kept the “visitors” within shouting distance, down 55-48 at the half.
After a quiet first half, 60th pick Malique Lewis was aggressive to open the third, knocking a kick-out three followed by a transition rack-attack to reduce the margin to just three. Unfortunately, the lead blew back out to the customary ~eight-points as Milwaukee missed some easy chances and got hurt the other way. King’s second-year man Dylan Cardwell was playing on another level than most of the guys out there, beasting in the paint on both ends. There weren’t too many highlights to end the frame for Milwaukee, but BJ Boston’s lob to Zack Austin was certainly one. Bucks down 74-66 after three.
Consecutive threes from Marquel Sutton and Isaiah Stevens to open the final frame immediately put the Bucks behind the eight-ball, but an 8-0 run shortly thereafter—headed primarily by Bogi Markovic—had the deficit right back down to six. Milwaukee, for the first time in the game, then knuckled down on defence and were finally able to get on level terms behind an extended 19-5 run in which Austin was key. Crucially, the unit that got the team back in the game stayed in the game, with Burries taking a seat on the pine to finish this one. Unfortunately, a few key misses from Markovic, paired with crucial makes from Cardwell and Acuff, meant the Kings took the W.
Stat That Stood Out
Milwaukee’s bench was huge, notching 50 of their 89 points. Sac’s bench scored just 24.
Interim manager Andy Green and the Mets (38-53) return to Citi Field for a six-game homestand before the All-Star break, beginning with Tuesday's 7:10 p.m. start on SNY against the Kansas City Royals, trending back in the right direction.
"It was gutsy tonight, for sure," Green said. "Some huge swings late. Love having Juan up in that situation. That's a fun swing for the whole team. Huge swing for us. And then what Torrens did there again is pretty special. A lot of pitchers coming in and doing a really good job tonight, too -- guys coming into some dicey situations. And so, I see it as a really gutsy win."
Soto's ninth-inning home run gave New York a 5-3 lead before the Braves (52-37) evened the score during the bottom half on Matt Olson's two-run shot against Devin Williams, but Torrens' two-run double in the 10th and Luke Weaver's one-run relief appearance was enough for the Mets to survive.
New York went from a three-game skid, including a 19-6 margin in the first two losses of the series with the Braves between Friday's 5-3 defeat and Saturday's 14-3 result, to consecutive wins for the first time since June 17 and 18.
"It's always great," Soto said. "Play against teams like that -- they're a pretty good team, pretty good players over there and we showed that we can beat them. And at least to split of the series, I think it's good to see -- positive stuff."
Soto turned on a 3-1 fastball at 95 mph against Raisel Iglesias over the plate's inner half for his 19th homer of the season to put the Mets in front. He brought home Tyrone Taylor -- pinch-running for Francisco Alvarez, who led off the ninth inning with a single -- and Ronny Mauricio.
"He's the best in the game," Green said of Soto. "It's just like he's in a tier of his own and, in that moment, that's who you want in the box. You've got to step back for a second and give credit to Alvy and Ronny Mauricio, who has not played much, facing ... probably one of the best closers -- if not the best closer -- in the game right now and Ronny gets a huge hit for us there, too. So, those were two enormous at-bats that set us up for getting Juan to the dish."
Torrens took Taylor's spot in the lineup after the inning, entering as the Mets' new catcher, and followed Soto's momentum. In the 10th, Torrens turned on an 0-2 breaking ball at 80 mph over the inner half of the plate and sent a two-out double down the left-field line, scoring Bo Bichette and Jared Young.
"It's very big," Torrens said. "All of us are trying to pull out wins. And to be able to go out here the last two days and to pull out two victories, it's really gratifying as a group."
The Mets get a three-game series with the Royals (37-54), who enter New York after consecutive wins over the Phillies to take the three-game set from Philadelphia (50-41). A three-game series with the Boston Red Sox follows Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
"Every day is a new day," Soto said. "We can't focus on what happened. It's been a tough series, season, definitely, but we've got to take the positive stuff. So, definitely, today, it was a really good, positive day. So, definitely, we take it and we learn from it, we keep moving forward."
LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 8: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers and Rich Paul talk after the game against the Milwaukee Bucks on March 8, 2024 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2024 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
LeBron James is still a free agent, and the Cleveland Cavaliers are still one of the teams trying to secure his services for next season. Whether or not they’re the front-runners to do so is anyone’s guess, even though other teams seem to think that they are.
LeBron has always handled free agency differently than most. He and his team have always played things pretty close to the vest. While there are signs that James could be leaning one way or another, the only people who really know what he’s thinking are he and his team.
Not directly meeting with prospective teams is a new wrinkle James is adding this go around. According to NBA insider Chris Haynes, James’s agent, Rich Paul, will be the one meeting with teams, and then will relay that information back to James for his decision.
Chris Haynes:
"As of right now there are no plans for LeBron to engage in any meetings to allow teams to pitch him on the idea of coming to their prospective teams…his agent Rich Paul is doing all the background work. He's talking with teams and then he in return he will relay… pic.twitter.com/bKXz8teNfT
Anything bought from the links helps support Fear the Sword. You can also shop all of Homage’s Cavs gear HERE. The link to the 2016 championship shirt HERE.
Figuring out what exactly this means for the Cavs or their chances is truly anyone’s guess.
On one hand, it’s easy to see this news and talk yourself into being a good thing for the Cavaliers. After all, why would James have to meet with Dan Gilbert and/or Koby Altman to discuss? LeBron has worked with both during his time in Cleveland. It’s not like they would need to get to know each other or anything like that. This could mean that he isn’t seriously considering a drastically different environment like the Minnesota Timberwolves or Golden State Warriors.
However, if you wanted to read this more pessimistically, you’re more than able to do that as well. Paul has been pretty complimentary of the other teams in the process, especially ones like the Philadelphia 76ers, on his podcast, Game Over, with Max Kellerman. Could any particular preference Paul has for a team possibly sway James’s opinions?
Maybe LeBron comes back to Cleveland. Maybe he doesn’t. How much of a factor James not meeting with individual teams, but letting Paul do so, is truly anyone’s guess. But that’s how much of the last few weeks have gone. We don’t know what LeBron is thinking, and we won’t until he officially tells us which city he’ll be playing for in his 24th season.
On Sunday, the Pittsburgh Penguins announced a slew of RFA signings, which included one-year deals to goaltender Arturs Silovs and forward Daniel Gustafsson, a two-year deal to netminder Joel Blomqvist, and a three-year contract for scoring forward Egor Chinakhov.
Chinakhov, 25, impressed the Penguins and fans last season with 18 goals and 36 points in 43 games after he was brought over from the Columbus Blue Jackets in a change-of-scenery trade in late December. It was finally the breakout that was expected of him since his debut during the 2021-22 season, as he finished the season with 21 goals and 42 points total - both career-highs.
In years past, a 2-3 year bridge deal worth around $3-4 million average annual value would have been appropriate for a player like Chinakhov. Yes, he flashed brilliance with the Penguins last season using his elite-level shot, his surprisingly keen playmaking skills, and his chemistry in the Penguins' top-six - with almost all of his production coming at even strength since he didn't see top power play minutes.
Despite that, it was still a flash-in-the-pan sample size in what has, largely, been an underwhelming and injury-riddled young career. So, once again, in years past, giving a player like Chinakhov $6.25 million for three years may have seemed a bit steep.
But gone are those days. The market is changing, and Chinakhov's contract is one of several that highlight the pretty seismic shift in the NHL salary cap landscape.
In the past several weeks, we have seen - in different ways - how the market is changing with relation to player value. Brady Tkachuk was dealt to the Florida Panthers for three first-round picks and a second-round pick, something that may have seemed excessive just a year or two ago. Defenseman Bowen Byram - hardly one of the NHL's elite defensemen - returned the 2026 fourth overall pick to the Buffalo Sabres and was extended by the Chicago Blackhawks for six years, $12.5 million average annual value, making him the highest-paid blueliner in hockey.
Then, there was the reported trade offer from the Seattle Kraken for Dallas Stars superstar Jason Robertson - who the Penguins have been interested in - that included three first-round picks and a rostered NHL player. Robertson ended up saying he wouldn't extend in Seattle, rendering the offer moot, but those three first-round picks are a pretty decent bet to be in the lottery zone.
And, most recently, Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson - who is 21 years old and has yet to hit the 30-goal or 70-point plateau - was offer-sheeted $18 million by the Philadelphia Flyers, which demands four first-round picks as compensation and which will make him the highest-paid player in hockey next season despite being nowhere close to hockey's best player.
Pavel Mintyukov isn't ~$7.4 million-caliber yet and doesn't project to be worth that over the next five years, either. The offer sheet effect is real and shaking up the Ducks' cap picture. pic.twitter.com/ubRQLfamqJ
All of a sudden, perceived overpays are quite literally happening everywhere in every facet, whether it be offer sheets, extensions, acquisition cost, or anything else. All of a sudden, acquiring elite talent requires paying a premium on premiums, putting teams attempting to get over the hump by leveraging assets for that talent at a major disadvantage. All of a sudden, "prove-it" deals or bridge deals hardly exist, as NHL general managers are paying forward for potential rather than what the most realistic outcomes are likely to be.
In a market that's so rapidly and drastically changing to favor players and their agency, there is a lot of guessing when it comes to player value. With the cap expected to rise substantially year-by-year, some of the league's best players are going to look vastly underpaid very quickly, and players like Robertson and Connor Bedard, both RFAs, are likely to demand even more money because their perceived worth will be ballooned when compared to a player like Carlsson.
So, it's a tricky game for GMs. That's why Penguins' POHO and GM Kyle Dubas giving Chinakhov $6.25 million for three years is a good bet, even if his salary pretty handily exceeds that of the Penguins' two best and most established wingers in Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell. If Chinakhov can build on what he did last season with the Penguins and reach the star-caliber ceiling that Pittsburgh believes he can, that $6.25 million is going to look like a bargain contract as early as sometime this season. If not, $6.25 million isn't going to affect them very much, anyway.
Assuming he does continue to blossom, however, it also means that Chinakhov would be due for a hefty raise on his next deal, which would take effect in his age 28 season.
There is a seismic shift happening in the NHL. Players have more say in where they go, and they'll have increased negotiating power when it comes to dollar figures in contract talks. The Penguins may have found a shining jewel in Chinakhov, and although they may be betting on potential here, it's certainly a bet worth taking in what looks to be a new era of the NHL.
Penguins general manager/president Kyle Dubas is a big fan of him and has tried to land him via trade this offseason, per multiple reports.
Heck, just look at the way Penguins assistant general manager Jason Spezza danced around a question regarding Robertson on July. 1.
"I won't speak directly on him, but I will tell you that we've done lots of work and inquired on lots of different players throughout our time here in the last few weeks, and we will continue to," Spezza said. "I think that's the job, and that's what we're trying to do, is to make sure we're always in on everything and understanding what's going on around the league, and where that fits into our puzzle. Jason's obviously a good player that lots of teams have interest in, and we're going to continue to investigate everything that's out there."
That's the closest you'll get an executive to say that a team has called on a certain player without fully admitting it.
Over the weekend, Robertson was one of 15 players to file for arbitration since he's still a restricted free agent. This means that teams cannot sign him to an offer sheet.
15 players have filed for arbitration:
Bourgault, Xavier (Ottawa Senators) Dach, Kirby (Montreal Canadiens) Drysdale, Jamie (Philadelphia Flyers) Greaves, Jet (Columbus Blue Jackets) Jefferies, Alex (New York Islanders) Krebs, Peyton (Buffalo Sabres) McMichael, Connor (St. Louis…
The Stars would like to avoid arbitration with Robertson because if he signs an arbitration deal, he would become an unrestricted free agent after next season.
They can still look for a trade partner for him or potentially offer more money on an extension. Going off that, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported on the Monday edition of 32 Thoughts that there's still a "gap" in the contract talks. The Stars are in at $12-12.5 million, while Robertson is asking for around $14 million.
This is definitely a situation that the Penguins will continue to monitor throughout the offseason, especially if the Stars can't get anything done.
D.J. Short
