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James Harden opts out of contract, plans to re-sign with Cavs

LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 31: James Harden #1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers looks on during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers on March 31, 2026 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 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

James Harden declined his player option and plans to sign a new deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers, per ESPN’s Shams Charania. Harden’s player option was worth $42.3 million dollars next season.

Harden’s new deal could be in the $28-30 million a year range, according to The Athletic’s Joe Vardon.

“Harden’s yearly salary is expected to drop into the $28 million to $30 million range, but he can sign a contract that extends for up to three seasons.”

Editor’s note: The Athletic has since updated their story and changed Harden’s expected salary to $32-$38 million.

The Cavs understood this was part of the deal when they traded for Harden in February. This was never going to be a one-year rental. Cleveland is working to restructure a team-friendly contract that keeps both sides happy. Harden gets long-term insurance while the Cavs are able to cut costs.

Harden’s new deal could help them get under the second apron and put them in a position where ducking the first apron becomes possible. Though that would require additional moves. The Cavs have decisions to make regarding Keon Ellis and Dean Wade’s future.

Cleveland had the highest payroll in league history last season. This culminated in a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals, where they faced a swift exit at the hands of the New York Knicks.

Harden averaged 16 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 4.3 turnovers in the Conference Finals. He shot 38.9% from the field and 17.9% from the three-point line. No one on the roster can feel proud of the way that series went down. The eventual champs ran them out of the gym.

The Cavs are hoping to take another step next season. They’re betting on internal growth, generally indicating that the core of this team will be back for another run. Signing Harden to a new deal is another sign of this. Of course, things can change quickly, and actions speak louder than words.

Harden is likely entering the final chapter of his career. He turns 37 in August, and a three-season deal would take him to the edge of his 40s. This could be the last major deal that Harden gets to sign as an NBA player.

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Sabres Still Involved in Trade Talks With Jets For Connor Hellebuyck

The Connor Hellebuyck saga in Winnipeg is not over just yet as Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman revealed on Monday's edition of his 32 Thoughts podcast that trade discussions between the Jets and the Buffalo Sabres are still ongoing.

Friedman explained to listeners that he still thinks Winnipeg and Buffalo are talking and that he does not believe that chapter is closed.

The news comes days after reports surfaced that the Sabres had presented the Jets with a significant pre-draft offer for the superstar goaltender.

Buffalo's reported package included the fourth overall pick, starting goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, a player believed to be Jack Quinn and at least one additional asset. Hellebuyck himself had reportedly signed off on a move to Buffalo, yet Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff declined to pull the trigger.

With the draft now in the rearview mirror, the negotiating landscape has shifted considerably in Winnipeg's favor. The fourth overall pick was the centerpiece of Buffalo's original offer and that card has already been played when they drafted defenseman Daxon Rudolph. 

How the Sabres reconstruct a comparable package without that asset is one of the central questions hanging over any renewed discussions, and it is hard to imagine Cheveldayoff settling for something less appealing than what he already turned down.

The hesitation from the Jets side has always been rooted in the same concern. Hellebuyck is not simply a starting goaltender.

The 33-year-old Michigan native has been the backbone of everything Winnipeg has built in recent years, the kind of elite netminder capable of single-handedly keeping a team in games and one of the best in the world at his position for several seasons running. 

Replacing him with Luukkonen, a goaltender who showed volatility this past postseason and was not even receiving every start for Buffalo in the playoffs, represents a significant downgrade in net and a real gamble on the team's ability to remain competitive.

That competitive window matters enormously for a Jets organization that still has core pieces like Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor and Josh Morrissey who want to win and want to do it in Winnipeg. 

Any decision involving Hellebuyck cannot be made in isolation. It has to account for what the team looks like in net the day after a trade and whether the returning pieces genuinely move the needle for a team trying to remain a contender.

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San Diego can’t find footing against rivals, searches for bounceback in Chicago

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 28: Fernando Tatis Jr. #23 of the San Diego Padres holds his hand after being hit by a pitch in the fifth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Petco Park on June 28, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Meg McLaughlin/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The San Diego Padres continued their trend against the rival Los Angeles Dodgers, winning Game 1 before dropping the next two. It was an electric first game followed by two depressing contests against L.A. The club’s biggest struggle was its starters. Randy Vásquez and Michael King combined to surrender 11 runs between their two outings.

In hindsight, it’s easy to say that manager Craig Stammen could have pulled both earlier with plenty of the bullpen available. That said, in the moment, both starters have proven they deserve a longer leash, and the Friars should have been able to put together more run support for King in the series finale. The lineup went a measly 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position. They’ll need to do much more against the Chicago Cubs before facing the Dodgers again this weekend.

Taking the mound

Shota Imanaga (CHC) v. Griffin Canning (SD)

The left-hander returned to the Cubs despite a song-and-dance routine this offseason that saw him decline a $15 million player option before accepting a qualifying offer from Chicago. He’ll be a free agent at the end of this year but hasn’t done much to boost his stock.

Imanaga owns a 4.40 ERA on the season, continuing to shown signs of regression since his stellar rookie campaign in 2024 (2.91 ERA, 173.1 IP). He struggled in his last outing against the New York Mets, surrendering four runs in 5 1/3 innings, but has a good history against the Friars. The Padres will need to jump on his mistakes to end their current losing streak.

Canning, like most of the Padres’ rotation, has been woefully inconsistent this season. He just had his worst outing yet against the Atlanta Braves, going just 2/3 of an inning while giving up four runs. Hopefully, the right-hander can bounce back from the tough start and deliver San Diego a much-needed win.

It was rumored that Germán Márquez could be a part of the Friars’ pitching plans today, but the club announced he’ll be making another rehab start on Tuesday in El Paso. He’ll likely be activated later this week to replace either Canning or JP Sears.

Batter up!

It’s hard to pinpoint just where the Friars’ offensive switch-up came, but Samad Taylor was certainly a problem. After being a spark plug for the San Diego offense, Taylor would go a dismal 0-for-10 against L.A., with four strikeouts in the series finale alone. That being said, he took his walks (four BBs), but found himself in the first slump of an otherwise incredible start to his Padres tenure.

  1. Fernando Tatis Jr., 2B
  2. Samad Taylor, RF
  3. Jackson Merrill, CF
  4. Manny Machado, 3B
  5. Gavin Sheets, LF
  6. Xander Bogaerts, SS
  7. Miguel Andujar, DH
  8. Ty France, 1B
  9. Freddy Fermin, C

Andujar has the most success against Imanaga, albeit in a smaller sample size. In four at-bats against the lefty, he’s gotten two hits including a solo home run for a 2.000 OPS. The slugger has been mired in a slump since breaking out in early May and has struggled to get out of it. Perhaps tonight will be the night.

Relief corps

Thankfully, King was able to make it through four solid innings of work before reaching trouble in the fifth. He tried to pitch through it but couldn’t, with the Padres calling on Yuki Matsui to get him out of the jam. He recorded two strikeouts and pitched the sixth inning as well. Jason Adam twirled a one-hit seventh before Wandy Peralta finished out the game with two perfect innings.

That saves the Friars’ ‘pen for tonight’s series opener. If the Padres can manage to put together some runs against Imanaga, the ‘pen will have no shortage of arms to turn to. Kyle Hart, Ron Marinaccio, Mason Miller, Adrian Morejon and David Morgan will each be available for San Diego.

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Report: Senators Cut Ties With Belleville Sniper Who Scored 40 Goals This Season

The Ottawa Senators have decided not to issue a qualifying offer to RFA winger Arthur Kaliyev, making him an unrestricted free agent.

The move was first reported by Postmedia's Bruce Garrioch, and Kaliyev no longer appears on the club's Puckpedia page.

Kaliyev arrived in Ottawa last summer hoping it would provide the fresh start he needed to revive his NHL career.

The former second-round pick had shown flashes of being a productive scorer with the Los Angeles Kings, recording 71 points in 202 NHL games over parts of four seasons. But a series of injuries derailed his progress.

During the 2023-24 season, Kaliyev suffered an upper-body injury in training camp that kept him sidelined until December. Once healthy, the Kings attempted to assign him to the American Hockey League, but he was claimed off waivers by the New York Rangers in January.

His stint in New York was brief. Kaliyev dressed for just 14 games before another upper-body injury ended his season.

The Rangers elected not to qualify him last summer, allowing the 24-year-old to hit the open market. Ottawa quickly signed him to a one-year, two-way contract, a move that seemed logical given his previous relationship with Senators owner Michael Andlauer and general manager Steve Staios.

Kaliyev played for the Hamilton Bulldogs when Andlauer owned the club and Staios served as general manager, helping the franchise capture the 2022 OHL championship.

Despite remaining healthy throughout the season, Kaliyev never earned an extended look with Ottawa, appearing in only two NHL games.

Instead, he spent the bulk of the year with the Belleville Senators, where he reminded everyone of his offensive ability. Kaliyev scored 40 goals in 70 AHL games and was named to the league's All-Star Team, finishing as the American Hockey League's top goal scorer.

Even with that production, it wasn't enough to convince Ottawa to keep him around.

Kaliyev's season also included an off-ice distraction after allegations involving money and gambling were made by a former girlfriend. The NHL investigated the matter and cleared him of any wrongdoing in February.

There's little question Kaliyev has excellent offensive instincts, particularly on the power play, where his heavy shot remains elite, even by NHL standards. The bigger concern continues to be his five-on-five game, including his skating and defensive play.

With the Senators choosing not to qualify him, Kaliyev now returns to the open market looking for another opportunity to turn his offensive talent into a permanent NHL role.

Garrioch also says that RFA Leevi Merliainen has been qualified, but Riley Kidney was not. Other restricted free agents in Belleville include Tyler Boucher and Xavier Bourgault.

**This story will be updated as additional qualifying-offer decisions become official ahead of and after Monday's 5:00 p.m. deadline.**

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News

This story was first published in The Hockey News Ottawa. Read more articles at the headlines below.

Dollars And Spence: Senators Re-Sign Defenseman Jordan Spence
Senators Select Jonas Lagerberg Hoen And Jaxon Cover In Round One Of NHL Draft
Senators Acquire Winger Andre Burakovsky From Blackhawks
Senators Acquire New Backup Goalie From The Leafs

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Ben Simmons plotting NBA comeback, eyes Miami Heat as landing spot

A former NBA All-Star and No. 1 overall pick has declared himself a pending free agent, and perhaps unexpectedly so.

Ben Simmons is planning to attempt an NBA comeback this offseason and he's already targeted the Miami Heat as a potential destination, he told Men's Health in an interview published on Monday, June 29, ahead of the start to the NBA's free agency period.

Simmons, who turns 30 years old next month, didn't play in the NBA this past season and instead pursued a career in professional fishing. He last played for the Los Angeles Clippers, appearing in 18 games after the Brooklyn Nets bought out his contract during the 2024-25 season. Simmons became a co-owner and angler for Sport Fishing Championship's South Florida Sails in December 2025.

NBA FREE AGENCY: Ranking 8 teams poised to make biggest moves

“I plan on getting as strong as I can physically, getting my (butt) on the court, and then the team realizing that my abilities will be needed,” Simmons said in regards to a potential return to the NBA. “I don’t have a plan on where.”

“Maybe I’ll go back to Philly,” he added. “Miami would be nice. And not because it’s Miami – I like Erik Spoelstra, I like the Heat, I like their organization, I like the culture.”

Simmons, the No. 1 pick by the Philadelphia 76ers in 2016, was once one of the top defensive players in the league, with point-forward capabilities that offset his inability to shoot from the outside on offense. Persistent injury problems eventually limited his long-term effectiveness.

The 6-foot-11 Australian appeared in more than 50 games just once over his five most recent NBA seasons, and missed the entire 2021-22 campaign due to an extended holdout and back injury with the 76ers.

Ben Simmons fishing career

Simmons began pursuing a professional fishing career while not playing in the NBA during the 2025-26 season, according to reports. He became a co-owner and angler for the South Florida Sails of the Sport Fishing Championship in December 2025.

The team won the Blue Marlin Open at Walker's Cay in the Bahamas in May with Simmons participating. PGA Tour golfer Scottie Scheffler also owns a team on the sportfishing circuit.

“Who would’ve thought we’d be on ESPN for some fishing?” Simmons told Men's Health.

Ben Simmons contract

Simmons noted in the interview that he's an unrestricted free agent and coaches have told him there's a spot in the NBA for him if he's healthy. The five-year maximum contract extension he signed with the 76ers was set to expire after the 2024-25 season, prior to Simmons agreeing to a buyout with the Brooklyn Nets.

Ben Simmons stats

Simmons has career averages of 13.1 points, 7.4 rebounds and 7.2 assists on 55.8% shooting. He averaged 5 points, 5.6 assists and 4.7 rebounds per game with the Nets and Clippers during the 2024-25 season.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ben Simmons plotting NBA comeback, eyes Miami Heat as landing spot

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Ask Pinstripe Alley: Yankees mailbag questions request

Ask Pinstripe Alley

If two weeks ago was a mixed bag for the Yankees, this past week was a outright tumble. They did manage to narrowly win a series against the Tigers to start off, but the offense’s lackluster performance outside of a couple key moments came home to roost in their trip up to Boston where they got swept in a four-game series against their archrivals. A humiliating result on several levels, New York got pummeled by the last-place team in their division giving the Rays the opening they needed to close the gap and retake first place while also looking lifeless for significant stretches offensively — they scored just seven runs outside of extra innings across those four games facing nothing but lefty starters and nearly got no-hit by the last of them in former Yankee Sonny Gray.

Needless to say, the vibes aren’t great after that road trip. While June hasn’t been an outright bad month for them, they’ve played to an even .500 record and suffered from some streaky play within the rotation for the first time all year while the offense can’t find its groove. On top of that, the defensive alignments have regressed significantly with Aaron Judge, Trent Grisham, and Ryan McMahon all out: José Caballero hasn’t taken to time in the outfield well, Ben Rice has had a rough showing when he’s manning first base instead of slotting in as the DH, and Amed Rosario is still prone to some maddening errors. Combine all this, and it’s easy to see how frustrating the month has been despite the overall record not being too damning. And as our own Michael Zeno pointed out in his analysis of the so-called June Swoon, the real catalyst for an oncoming slide is a poor performance in Fenway during the month. Buckle up and get ready to see if that trend holds true.

With all of that in mind, there’s still plenty of season left to play and a trade deadline now on the horizon as we approach July. Much can change in a matter of weeks, and as we get into the new month even day-to-day rumors should start to bubble up as the trade market forms. Will an overhaul of the team be on the horizon to buff out the rough edges, or will the front office target a key player or two hoping that one big fix brings relief across the board? How aggressive do you think the Yankees will be in dealing from their prospect pool? Can they avoid considering getting back their injured players as a “deadline acquisition” this time around? If you have questions like these, or anything else on your mind, send ‘em in for a chance to be featured in our Yankees mailbag.

Answers will run on Friday afternoon. All questions received by the night of July 2nd will be considered. You can leave your submissions in the comment section below or by e-mail to pinstripealleyblog [at] gmail [dot] com.

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Mammoth Trade Maksymilian Szuber to Canadiens for Former Top Prospect Joshua Roy

Utah continues to reshape its organizational depth, and this time it has added a former high-end junior scorer with something left to prove.

The Mammoth announced Monday that they have acquired forward Joshua Roy from the Montréal Canadiens in exchange for defenseman Maksymilian Szuber, swapping one promising young prospect for another as both organizations look to address different needs.

At 22 years old, Roy arrives in Utah carrying the pedigree of one of the most productive players to come through the QMJHL in recent years. While he has yet to establish himself as a full-time NHL player, the skilled winger has consistently produced at the American Hockey League level and now gets a fresh opportunity in a new organization.

Roy spent the majority of the 2025-26 season with the Laval Rocket, where he finished fourth on the team in scoring after recording 23 goals and 22 assists for 45 points in 57 games. He also made three NHL appearances with the Canadiens during the season.

Across three NHL seasons, Roy appeared in 38 games for Montréal, totaling six goals and five assists for 11 points.

His body of work in the AHL has been equally impressive. In 145 career regular-season games, Roy has accumulated 56 goals and 56 assists for 112 points while adding another 12 points in 19 Calder Cup Playoff contests. His strong play also earned him a selection to the 2025 AHL All-Star Classic, where he represented the North Division.

Long before reaching the professional ranks, Roy built a reputation as one of junior hockey’s elite offensive talents. Between the Saint John Sea Dogs and Sherbrooke Phoenix, he piled up 297 points in just 216 QMJHL games while posting a remarkable plus-93 rating. He added another 51 points in 28 playoff games and was twice named to the league’s First All-Star Team.

Roy also earned consecutive QMJHL Personality of the Year honors in 2021-22 and 2022-23.

Internationally, Roy helped Team Canada capture back-to-back gold medals at the IIHF World Junior Championship in 2022 and 2023. During the 2023 tournament, he recorded 11 points in seven games, tying for second on the team in scoring. He also shared those championship teams with current Mammoth goaltender Sebastian Cossa and forward Dylan Guenther.

The Canadiens originally selected Roy in the fifth round, 150th overall, of the 2021 NHL Draft.

Heading to Montréal is 23-year-old defenseman Maksymilian Szuber, who spent last season with the Tucson Roadrunners. The right-shot blueliner recorded 11 goals and 16 assists for 27 points in 65 AHL games while adding 67 penalty minutes.

Szuber has appeared in 200 career AHL games, producing 25 goals and 62 assists for 87 points since being selected by the then-Arizona Coyotes in the sixth round of the 2022 NHL Draft. He also made his NHL debut during the 2023-24 season, appearing in one game with Arizona.

For Utah, the deal represents a calculated bet on a young forward whose offensive ceiling has been evident at every level outside the NHL. Now, Roy will get the chance to compete for a bigger role with a new organization looking to add another skilled piece to its long-term core.

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NYC honors Knicks with temporary street signs – but don’t expect them to last long: ‘Gone by 11:58 tonight’

How long before they get Knick’d?

The city is honoring the Knicks’ legendary championship clinch by installing temporary street signs feting them in Manhattan – but New Yorkers say it’s only a matter of time before the instant-classic markers are clinched by die-hard fans.

The 18 blue and orange signs, dispersed across Sixth and Seventh avenues Monday, will remain up for a month, with each honoring a member of the team.

The new sign for Jalen Brunson Boulveard at West 11th Street and 7th Avenue in Manhattan seen on June 29, 2026. New York City has honored the entire Knicks roster by temporarily naming streets after the players. Stephen Yang for NY Post
A NYC DOT employee putting up a sign at “Josh Hart Street” on Monday. NYC DOT

“I probably would have been up attempting to” snag Jalen Brunson’s sign if people weren’t around, quipped fan Caleb Vasquez to The Post.

“It’s amazing,” he said of the street-sign gesture. “It’s been 53 years, it’s the least we could do to celebrate the team.”

Syd Bland, 29, a project manager from Brooklyn, said of Brunson’s sign at Seventh Avenue South and West 11th Street, “Listen, it’s 3:02 right now on a Monday.

“It’s going to be gone by 11:58 tonight.”

A 41-year-old artist named Faust added, “To be honest, I was walking up Sixth Avenue, and I thought it already got taken.

Ayanna Reed-Steward, Mia Hernandez, Syd Bland, Taylor Ghosten-Jordan and Kendyll Smith (left to right) taking a selfie at the Jalen Brunson Boulevard sign. Stephen Yang for NY Post

“Funny enough, I think on Bowery there was a street sign named after the Ramones, and that was the most stolen street sign in New York history. So I wouldn’t be surprised if this one takes the new crown.”

City Hall and the Department of Transportation, which produces the signs, did not respond to a Post request for comment about what steps they might be taking to combat the potential thefts.

A female director at JPMorgan Chase was already infamously caught on video emptying a celebratory public Knicks trash can on the street — then stealing it during the team’s parade — a move that got her fired.

The sign for “Trey Jemison III Place” at West 50th Street and 7th Avenue. Stephen Yang for NY Post

Each new Knicks city street sign will feature a player’s name and will correspond to their jersey number – with the likes of Jalen Brunson taking Seventh Avenue South and West 11 Street and Karl-Anthony Towns repping Seventh Avenue and West 32 Street.

“This New York Knicks team brought so much life to our streets during their magical playoff run, so it’s only right we return the favor,” Department of Transportation Commissioner Mike Flynn said in a statement. 

“With each postseason win, more and more New Yorkers came together in the streets, on sidewalks and in plazas to watch the Knicks play and celebrate their improbable comebacks. New Yorkers will never forget this historic championship run or the players that brought them together for the most joyful 10 weeks we’ve ever experienced.”

Jay Jones, 42, posing with his son Roman, 9, in front of the new Brunson sign. Stephen Yang for NY Post

The DOT signs will be up for four weeks, a rep for the city said, adding to iconic 34th Street being painted in the team’s colors through the 2026-27 NBA season.

The champs’ respective street signs can be found as follows:

  • Sixth Avenue and West Houston Street – Jordan Clarkson #00  
  • Sixth Avenue and Bleecker Street – Dillon Jones #1  
  • Sixth Avenue and Minetta Lane – Miles “Deuce” McBride #2  
  • Sixth Avenue and West 3rd Street – Josh Hart #3  
  • Sixth Avenue and West 4th Street – Pacôme Dadiet #4  
  • Sixth Avenue and Washington Place – Jose Alvarado #5  
  • Sixth Avenue and West 8th Street – OG Anunoby #8  
  • Sixth Avenue and West 9th Street – Kevin McCullar Jr.# 9  
  • Seventh Avenue South and West 11th Street – Jalen Brunson #11  
  • Seventh Avenue and West 13th Street – Tyler Kolek #13  
  • Seventh Avenue and West 20th Street – Jeremy Sochan #20  
  • Seventh Avenue and West 23rd Street – Mitchell Robinson #23  
  • Seventh Avenue and West 25th Street – Mikal Bridges #25  
  • Seventh Avenue and West 32nd Street – Karl-Anthony Towns #32  
  • Sixth Avenue and West 44th Street – Landry Shamet #44  
  • Seventh Avenue and West 50th Street – Trey Jemison III #50  
  • Seventh Avenue and West 51st Street – Mohamed Diawara #51  
  • Seventh Avenue and West 55th Street – Ariel Hukporti #55  

Aaron Friedman, a 45-year-old software engineer, agreed with other locals that there is “a high likelihood” for theft.

“I think people are going to try,” added a 35-year-old fan named Ricky.

“I was thinking I might pop out … when they’re taking it down, but I doubt they’ll give it to me,” he said of city workers.

The Knicks celebrate their NBA championship win earlier this month. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Then team’s historic postseason win – the Knicks’ first in 53 years — lands the Knickerbockers a ticker-tape parade through the Canyon of Heroes. Stephen Yang for NY Post

Mayor Zohran Mamdani said in a statement, “This championship belongs to every fan who packed our parks and plazas and every neighbor who high-fived a stranger after another impossible comeback.”

“These street signs are a tribute to the players who delivered the championship generations of fans waited their whole lives to see and the city that stood behind them every step of the way,” he said.

“Long after the confetti is gone, New Yorkers will be able to walk these streets and remember the team that brought our city so much joy. Knicks in five.”   

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Warriors extend Qualifying Offer to Quinten Post, Taran Armstrong, and Nico Mannion

Quinten Post holding the ball while defended by a Nuggets player.
DENVER, CO - MARCH 29: Quinten Post #21 of the Golden State Warriors looks to pass during the first quarter against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena on March 29, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Golden State Warriors are looking to make some loud moves during this offseason period, but every team needs to make some quiet ones, as well. And the Dubs did just that on Monday, when, per a Keith Smith report, they extended the Qualifying Offer to a trio of young players: Quinten Post, Taran Armstrong, and Nico Mannion.

Post is the most notable name in that trio, as the seven-foot marksman started 35 games for Golden State a year ago. The 52nd overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, Post has played in 109 games for the Warriors, and has averaged 7.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 0.5 blocks per game, while shooting 36.4% on threes.

The Qualifying Offer, which is a one-year deal based on what a player was making the prior year, should be about $2.64 million for Post. Should he accept the deal, he’ll return to the Warriors on a one-year contract for that price, and enter unrestricted free agency next offseason. If he rejects the contract (which is more likely), then he becomes a restricted free agent, and the Warriors will have the opportunity to match any contract he is offered this summer.

As for Armstrong and Mannion, this is just about keeping their rights should they return to the NBA at some point down the road. Neither player was on Golden State’s roster last season, as Armstrong (who has yet to make his NBA debut) briefly signed a two-way contract, while Mannion (the team’s second-round pick in 2020) hasn’t been in the NBA since the 2020-21 season. Neither player figures into Golden State’s plans this year: Armstrong signed a two-year deal in Australia last month, while Mannion has been playing in Europe for five years.

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Bob Iger, Josh Kushner explore bid for Las Vegas NBA franchise: report

Bob Iger is said to be eyeing a new Magic Kingdom in Las Vegas — an NBA franchise.

The former Disney boss — and Thrive Capital founder Josh Kushner, brother of President Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner — have enlisted bankers as they weigh a push for a majority stake in a potential Las Vegas expansion team, Bloomberg reported Monday, citing people familiar with the private talks.

No bid price has been disclosed, and the NBA has not yet approved a Las Vegas franchise.

The possible play would run through Thrive Eternal, Kushner’s new long-term investment vehicle aimed at buying stakes in sports teams, cultural brands and other assets built to outlast the tech cycle, according to the report.

Former Disney CEO Bob Iger (second from left) and Thrive Capital founder Josh Kushner (far left) are reportedly exploring a bid for an NBA expansion franchise in Las Vegas. JASON SZENES/ NY POST

Iger rejoined Thrive as an adviser after stepping down as CEO of Disney in March.

The reported pursuit would mark another high-profile ownership bid in what has quickly become a crowded race for one of the most coveted prizes in professional sports ownership.

The NBA’s Board of Governors voted in March to formally study expansion in Las Vegas and Seattle, with Commissioner Adam Silver saying the league hopes to determine by the end of the year whether to add one franchise, two franchises or none at all.

After stepping down as Disney CEO, Bob Iger is reportedly eyeing an NBA franchise in Las Vegas. REUTERS

Las Vegas has long been viewed as the leading contender after evolving into one of the NBA’s showcase destinations.

The city hosts the league’s annual Summer League, staged the NBA Cup’s semifinal and championship games and already has an NBA-ready venue in T-Mobile Arena.

The Iger-Kushner team would face stiff competition.

Vegas Golden Knights owner Bill Foley unveiled his own expansion effort earlier this month, proposing to base a franchise at T-Mobile Arena.

Basketball Hall of Famer Magic Johnson has also been linked to a separate ownership group exploring a Las Vegas bid.

LeBron James, who for years publicly expressed interest in owning an NBA team in Las Vegas, poured cold water on speculation about his interest earlier this year, saying he was not pursuing an ownership bid.

Josh Kushner has a net worth exceeding $5 billion, according to Forbes. Getty Images

For Iger, the effort would represent his latest move into sports investing after ending his second stint atop Disney in March.

The longtime entertainment executive helped transform Disney into a media powerhouse through acquisitions including Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm and most of 21st Century Fox, while overseeing ESPN’s decades-long relationship with the NBA.

Away from Disney, Iger and his wife, Willow Bay, acquired a controlling stake in the National Women’s Soccer League’s Angel City FC.

His relationship with Kushner has also deepened in recent years.

Iger first joined Thrive Capital as a venture partner after retiring from Disney in 2022. He famously came back to Disney’s board when it recruited him to replace Bob Chapek later that year.

Although he returned to Disney, Iger remained an investor in Thrive after joining a syndicate that purchased a minority stake in the venture capital firm in 2023.

His return this spring coincided with the launch of a new arm called Thrive Eternal. Its first announced investment was a minority stake in Major League Baseball’s San Francisco Giants.

Last year, Thrive Capital quietly bought a small stake in the NBA’s Miami Heat.

Kushner has built Thrive into one of Silicon Valley’s most influential investment firms through early bets on companies including Instagram and OpenAI, while increasingly expanding beyond traditional venture investing into sports and entertainment.

Thrive declined to comment. The Post has sought comment from Iger and the NBA.

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Mets option RHP Tobias Myers to Triple-A, recall RHP Joey Gerber

Following Sunday's loss to the Philadelphia Phillies, the Mets optioned right-hander Tobias Myers to Triple-A Syracuse and recalled RHP Joey Gerber in a corresponding move.

The decision came after Myers pitched three innings in a bulk relief role in the series finale and allowed three earned runs on six hits which raised his ERA to a season-high 6.21. 

In fact, since Myers was recalled from Triple-A after getting optioned in late May, he has not pitched well at all. In four appearances this month, the right-hander has allowed 14 earned runs on 17 hits (two home runs) and five walks in 8.2 innings for an unsightly 14.54 ERA.

Myers was optioned to Triple-A the first time due to bullpen necessity and flexibility because the 27-year-old had options remaining. Still, it came on the heels of a few rough outings after he had been exceptional early on in many roles out of the bullpen for New York -- he had a 2.05 ERA through May 2.

However, lately Myers has been unable to recapture his early-season form or even pitch to his career numbers (3.71 ERA in 230.2 IP) and has been optioned once again to try and find his groove.

Meanwhile, Gerber is getting recalled by the Mets for the fourth time this season. In limited action this year, the right-hander has a 1.80 ERA in five innings and has a career 3.24 ERA in 25 IP between three clubs. He last pitched for New York on June 9 against the St. Louis Cardinals.

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Yankees recall Jake Bird, place David Bednar on paternity list

May 1, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees pitcher Jake Bird (59) delivers a pitch during the ninth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The Yankees will try to leave behind their ugly sweep at the hands of the Boston Red Sox starting on Monday, kicking off a three-game set at home against the Detroit Tigers. They will do so with a new face in the bullpen or, rather, an old friend getting another shot: Jake Bird.

The right-hander was sent to Triple-A on June 20th, when the Yankees needed a roster spot for an Elmer Rodríguez start. He was recalled from Scranton on Monday, as the Bombers placed closer David Bednar on the paternity list. The team announced the transaction via their social media channels.

It’s unclear who will act as the Yankees’ primary ninth-inning option while Bednar is gone, but right-hander Fernando Cruz and southpaw Brent Headrick figure to be part of the mix depending on matchups. If Cruz is called upon, he’ll need to quickly erase the memory of how the Yankees’ recent sweep at the hands of the Red Sox came to a close.

Bird last pitched in the majors on that June 20th game against the Cincinnati Reds, tossing a scoreless inning and allowing one hit in the process. He has thrown 24 frames for New York this year, with a 4.88 ERA, seven walks, and 27 strikeouts.

While he has been much better than in his short 2025 cameo in pinstripes, Bird remains susceptible to the long ball, surrendering 1.5 homers per nine innings. His swing-and-miss ability, however, is an asset, particularly against right-handed hitters. Bird pitched just one game in Scranton in his most recent stint there, on June 24th, completing 1.1 scoreless innings and striking out two.

On the other hand, the new father has left behind a somewhat rocky start to the season and currently owns a rock-solid 3.09 ERA as the Yankees’ closer, with a 2.67 FIP, 16 saves, and a 27-percent strikeout rate in 35 frames in 2026. Bednar will be missed for as long as he’s gone, but should be back in a few days. After throwing two innings last night, he probably would’ve sat today against Detroit regardless. We send our best to his family on a safe delivery.

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Washington Nationals playoff fight continues at Fenway Park against Red Sox

The Nationals and Red Sox have been connected in a big way this season, mostly due to the new Washington President of Baseball Operations, Paul Toboni, spending the majority of his front office career in Boston. While neither Jake Bennett nor Luis Perales will appear in this series, the two pieces in Toboni’s first trade with his former club, it’s likely to be a more personal series for the head of the Nats’ front office. Washington snapped a 4-game losing streak with 2 straight wins to close out a series win against an in-state opponent, the Baltimore Orioles, but their brief skid has them 4th in a loaded National League East and 2.0 games back of a playoff spot.

Sky-high expectations to begin the season for the Red Sox have quickly crashed and burned, with preseason predictions of them being a World Series contender followed up by a 36-46 record to this point in the season. They are, however, coming off their best series of the year, capping off a 4-game sweep of the New York Yankees with a come-from-behind walk-off victory in 10 innings on Sunday night.

Game 1 – Monday 7:10 PM EST

WSH: RHP Miles Mikolas (2-6, 5.24 ERA)

BOS: LHP Ranger Suarez (3-3, 2.83 ERA)

The best outing of Mikolas’ season was followed up with a rough go of it against Tampa Bay, but he settled in against the Phillies for a short but effective 3.1-inning appearance where he gave up 2 runs, both of which were unearned. Boston’s lineup is lefty-heavy, so he will have to get creative with his pitch mix to keep their hitters off-balance in the opener.

Former Phillie Ranger Suarez has been nothing short of a fantastic free agent signing for the Red Sox, and his 2.83 ERA ranks 6th in the American League among qualified starters, just .14 behind his teammate Sonny Gray for a spot in the Top 5. Most of the Nats’ hitters have seen the southpaw from his time in Philadelphia, and the lefty’s arsenal is deep and consistently difficult to crack.

Game 2 – Tuesday 7:10 PM EST

WSH: RHP Cade Cavalli (4-4, 4.00 ERA)

BOS: LHP Connelly Early (7-5, 3.59 ERA)

Cavalli will be looking for an improved start to finish off what has been a month to forget, posting a 4.94 ERA across just 23.2 innings. He put up a quality start his last time out with 6.0 innings of 2-run ball against the Phillies, his first since May 26th. That start also tied his season-high in pitches with 97, making his stamina as the game progresses a prime storyline to follow.

The first of Boston’s two young lefty sensations that the Nationals will face this series, Early is another finesse-over-power arm in their rotation. His handful of offspeed pitches have given opposing lineups more than they can deal with for much of the season, with a well-timed mid-90s fastball with excellent ride also at his disposal. The biggest weakness to point to is his tendency to allow home runs, making the long ball an important part of how the Nats’ offense needs to operate.

Game 3 – Wednesday 1:35 PM EST

WSH: LHP Andrew Alvarez (1-1, 3.44 ERA)

BOS: LHP Payton Tolle (4-5, 2.78 ERA)

Alvarez takes the ball on getaway day for Washington, and what a rotation stabilizer he’s been since the start of June. He’s given them nothing but solid starts, surrendering just 2 or fewer runs in each of the 5 starts he’s made this month, good for a 3.00 ERA. The Nats can only hope for more of the same from the 27-year-old, with the bullpen having to expect more heavy work after his presumed shortened outing.

While Early has found success by blending movement and sequencing, Tolle has been the bulldog in the Boston rotation in the wake of Garrett Crochet’s absence due to injury. His elite extension and high-90s power fastball make life incredibly difficult for anyone he goes up against, and he’s been one of the most dominant arms in the AL when he’s been on.

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Report: Penguins Had 'Some Momentum' In Robertson Talks

After Pittsburgh Penguins' president of hockey operations and general manager Kyle Dubas spoke with the media on Friday after round one of the 2026 NHL Entry Draft, it became apparent that he and his front office have been poking around at some bigger names in the trade market.

And it appears they have engaged with one of the market's biggest names. 

On his 32 Thoughts podcast Monday, NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman confirmed that he heard there were talks between Pittsburgh and the Dallas Stars regarding a potential trade to bring superstar winger Jason Robertson to Pittsburgh. Robertson, a pending-restricted free agent, is reportedly seeking a long-term deal with an average annual value of $14 million or higher, a price that Dallas can't pay without shedding some cap elsewhere.

32 Thoughts: The Podcast32 Thoughts: The PodcastHockey fans already know the name, but this is not the blog. From Sportsnet, 32 Thoughts: The Podcast with NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman & Kyle Bukauskas is a weekly deep dive into the biggest news and interviews from the hockey world.

"I heard that there were talks with Pittsburgh on Friday or Saturday," Friedman said on 32 Thoughts. "And there were a couple of teams who thought that there was some momentum there, but obviously, it didn't happen.

"Pittsburgh, by the way, is another team that people are saying is trying to do something with some heft to it. So, I wasn't so surprised to hear that. But, I think teams are trying to figure out, 'Ok what's he looking for, and would he be interested in coming to us?'."

Robertson, 26, is coming off a 45-goal, 96-point campaign, and he is one of the league's very best wingers. He already turned down an eight-year, $96 million deal from the Stars, and he reportedly rejected extension offers from the Seattle Kraken and St. Louis Blues.

Jason Robertson And The Pittsburgh Penguins Might Make More Sense Than You ThinkJason Robertson And The Pittsburgh Penguins Might Make More Sense Than You ThinkThe Dallas Stars and Jason Robertson appear to be on the verge of a potential breakup - and the Pittsburgh Penguins may actually make a great deal of sense as trade partners.

It has not been reported that Robertson or his camp would turn down an offer from the Penguins, should a deal be in the works or should an offer sheet happen.

On Friday, Dubas expressed that he'd still like to land a difference-maker in their 20s and that some of the players already traded have fit that mold. Robertson figures to fit that mold as well, but the asking prices prior to the draft were something that Dubas couldn't meet, which may be why the alleged talks between Pittsburgh and Dallas stalled during the draft.

"I think we continue to work away at it," Dubas said. "As it's happened, you go in, and what I wanted to have was - maybe not so much late-20s - but in the range of some of the guys that have been moved. And, in past years, they haven't gone for that level of asset. There was multiple top-10 picks moved, which isn't overly common."

But acquiring a bigger-name player - perhaps, such as Robertson - is still something Dubas and the Penguins will continue to work through. 

"I don't know that we'll pivot," Dubas said. "We'll continue to stay involved in all those discussions and see where it lands."

'We'll Continue To Stay Involved': Dubas Prepared To Adjust Accordingly To Changing Market'We'll Continue To Stay Involved': Dubas Prepared To Adjust Accordingly To Changing MarketPittsburgh Penguins' president of hockey operations and general manager Kyle Dubas is still trying to land a difference-maker in the trade market, but he may have to adjust to a changing landscape with the rising salary cap.

Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!   

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Fantasy baseball streaming starting pitchers: Aaron Nola's new slider, is Tatsuya Imai fixed?

Welcome to your fantasy baseball starting pitcher happy place. This is a new column for me this year that will combine a few things I've done in the past. In this article, every Monday, you'll not only get a list of my favorite streaming starting pitchers for the whole week, but underneath that, you'll get a breakdown of a few pitchers who are making interesting changes to their pitch mix. Today I covered Joey Cantillo, Sean Burke, Jose Cabrera, and Brandon Young.

It's a little bit of rankings and a little bit of analysis, and hopefully a lot of help for your teams.

As far as which pitchers on this list you'll want to stream, your decisions will change based on your league type and settings. Since I'm listing starters for the whole week, I won't be able to provide a detailed analysis for each one; I'll highlight the matchup and offer some quick thoughts. As is usual with my articles, a streaming starter pitcher is rostered in less than 40% of Yahoo formats, so just keep that in mind as we’re going through because I won't be mentioning pitchers who are rostered in more leagues than that. I also won't be mentioning pitchers that I would not start in any format.

Check out this week’s MLB Power Rankings!

Starting Pitcher Streamers of the Week

Monday

Strong Preference

PitcherRoster%OpponentLeague Type
Sean Burke43%at BAL12s and deeper

Fairly Confident

PitcherRoster%OpponentLeague Type
Peter Lambert39%vs MIN12s and deeper
Sean Manaea15%at TOR15s and deeper
Robert Gasser15%vs CIN15s and deeper

Some Hesitation

PitcherRoster%OpponentLeague Type
Zebby Matthews16%at HOU15s and deeper
Eric Lauer16%at ATH15s and deeper
Tyler Mahle4%at ARI15s and deeper

I wrote about Sean Burke in this article last week, and I'm in for his two-start week this week. I like Peter Lambert as a low-ceiling streamer, and Robert Gasser is going to get another start at home against a reeling Reds lineup. If Elly De La Cruz and Eugenio Suarez are both out of the lineup, then I might move Gasser into a more confident territory. I know Eric Lauer has been good for the Dodgers, and I understand using him in a two-start week, but I'd rather avoid this one start in Sacramento if I could.

Tuesday

Strong Preference

PitcherRoster%OpponentLeague Type
Griffin Jax41%at KC12s and deeper

Fairly Confident

PitcherRoster%OpponentLeague Type
Cade Cavalli22%at BOS12s and deeper
Martin Perez32%vs STL15s and deeper
Brandon Sproat10%vs CIN15s and deeper

Some Hesitation

PitcherRoster%OpponentLeague Type
Noah Cameron28%vs TB15s and deeper
Mike Burrows11%vs MIN15s and deeper
Brandon Pfaadt2%vs SFNL-Only
Matthew Liberatore6%at ATLNL-Only
JP Sears1%at CHCNL-Only

I think Griffin Jax needs to be rostered in more formats, so I'm going to keep listing him here. Cade Cavalli gets a recent matchup against the Red Sox, but Boston just swept the Yankees in a four-game series at home and are riding high, so that makes me a bit more concerned. Brandon Sproat has turned the corner lately, and I covered him below.

Wednesday

Strong Preference

PitcherRoster%OpponentLeague Type
Joey Cantillo40%vs TEX12s and deeper

Fairly Confident

PitcherRoster%OpponentLeague Type
Troy Melton40%at NYY12s and deeper
Colin Rea8%vs SD15s and deeper
Shane Drohan13%vs CIN15s and deeper

Some Hesitation

PitcherRoster%OpponentLeague Type
Patrick Corbin3%vs NYM15s and deeper
Noah Schultz9%at BAL15s and deeper
Seth Lugo27%vs TB15s and deeper
Reynaldo Lopez11%vs STL15s and deeper
Andrew Alvarez4%at BOS15s and deeper
Walker Buehler27%at CHC15s and deeper

Joey Cantillo was in this article last week and needs to be rostered in more formats. I trust him for this start. I don't trust Troy Melton has much in Yankee Stadium, but he has been pitching well lately, so I can see using him in 15-teamers. Colin Rea has also been solid lately when he's gotten the opportunity, so I think you can trust him in deeper formats.

Thursday

Strong Preference

PitcherRoster%OpponentLeague Type
Ian Seymour9%at KC12s and deeper

Fairly Confident

PitcherRoster%OpponentLeague Type
Keider Montero16at TEX15s and deeper
Dustin May40%at ATL15s and deeper

Some Hesitation

PitcherRoster%OpponentLeague Type
Slade Cecconi14%vs CWS15s and deeper
Stephen Kolek18%vs TB15s and deeper
Grant Holmes18%vs STL15s and deeper

I've been a big Ian Seymour believer in the past, so I'm not going to abandon that belief after his best appearance of the season. Now is the time to jump back in. Dustin May had his past start pushed because of a back injury, and that scares me a little bit going into this start against the Braves.

Friday

Strong Preference

PitcherRoster%OpponentLeague Type
Jake Bennett16%at LAA12s and deeper

Fairly Confident

PitcherRoster%OpponentLeague Type
Jack Perkins7%vs MIA12s and deeper
Anthony Kay26%at CLE15s and deeper

Some Hesitation

PitcherRoster%OpponentLeague Type
Christian Scott15%at ATL15s and deeper
Mitch Keller35%at WAS15s and deeper
Javier Assad15%vs STL15s and deeper
Andre Pallante40%at CHC15s and deeper
Jose Cabrera2%vs MIL15s and deeper

Jake Bennett has turned in a few really good starts as he leans into an approach with fastballs up and changeups down. I think this could work. I'm rolling with him against the Angels. I also think Jack Perkins could be turning into a decent starter for the A's. I just hate that this start is in Sacramento. I also like Christian Scott, but this is a bad matchup, and he hasn't consistently gone five innings, which makes him tougher to roster.

Saturday

Strong Preference

PitcherRoster%OpponentLeague Type
Sean Burke43%at CLE12s and deeper

Fairly Confident

PitcherRoster%OpponentLeague Type
Kumar Rocker11%vs DET15s and deeper
Merrill Kelly39%vs MIL15s and deeper

Some Hesitation

PitcherRoster%OpponentLeague Type
Brandon Young35%at CIN15s and deeper
Brady Singer26%vs BAL15s and deeper
Connor Prielipp8%at NYY15s and deeper
Aaron Civale7%vs MIA15s and deeper
David Peterson11%vs STL15s and deeper
Crisrian Javier2%vs TBAL-Only

Honestly, I'm not fairly confident in Kumar Rocker, but he just keeps delivering, so I think you can roll with him in deeper formats. I don't believe in Brandon Young, but if Elly De La Cruz and Eugenio Suarez land on the IL, then I'd probably use him here. I liked Connor Prielipp's last start, but I would prefer not to start him in Yankee Stadium.

Sunday

Strong Preference

PitcherRoster%OpponentLeague Type
Griffin Jax41%at HOU12s and deeper

Fairly Confident

PitcherRoster%OpponentLeague Type
Eric Lauer16%vs SD15s and deeper
Martin Perez32%vs NYM15s and deeper
Robert Gasser15%at ARI15s and deeper

Some Hesitation

PitcherRoster%OpponentLeague Type
Sean Manaea15%at ATL15s and deeper
Zebby Matthews16%at NYY15s and deeper
Erick Fedde2%at CLEAL-Only

Now we get Eric Lauer at home against a Padres team that is really bad against lefties, so I'm far more interested in this matchup. We get decent second starts for Martin Perez and Robert Gasser as well, assuming Gasser remains in the rotation.

Starting Pitcher Pitch Mix Changes

Tatsuya Imai - Astros (Splitter Usage, Fastball Command)

Over the last two starts, Tatsuya Imai has allowed three runs on eight hits in 12 innings while striking out 21 and walking one. Understandably, people are getting excited, but is anything different? To be honest, not much.

Yes, his splitter usage is up to 10.3% over his last two starts from 3.6% on the season. However, that's really the result of one game. In his start against Cleveland, he used the splitter 17% of the time, but it was down to 4% against the Tigers, so it's hard to really say he's using the splitter more often. On the year, the pitch is basically league average, with a league average zone rate and swinging strike rate. His changeup is seemingly better, but there's also an argument that they're the same pitch and sometimes get mislabeled, which connects to the larger issue of how hard Imai is to truly understand.

In his last two starts, his four-seam fastball has a 61% zone rate and 71% strike rate. Those are both significant improvements from his 48% zone rate and 60% strike rate on the season. His early called-strike rate on the four-seamer is actually the same, so he's not getting ahead in the count more often. What's happening is that hitters are putting his four-seamers in play more often in early-count situations. Imai is also using the fastball lower in the zone than he did before, perhaps to blend more with his slider.

Regardless, the fastball has still not been a great pitch for him. Even in these last two starts, he's allowed a .294 average, 91.5 mph average exit velocity, 7.7% barrel rate, and 54% Ideal Contact Rate on his four-seamer while posting just a 5.1% swinging strike rate (SwStr%). In fact, he has just four whiffs COMBINED on his four-seamer in the last two starts out of his 36 total whiffs.

So that means much of his success is on the back of his slider. It makes sense because it's a backward breaking slider that moved nearly five inches to his arm-side and barely drops. Hitters don't see anything like it. In these last two starts, he's gotten a 32.2% swinging strike rate on the pitch; however, that comes with just a 35% zone rate, so the success is predicated on hitters chasing out of the zone. In fact, his 8% middle-middle location on his slider over the last two starts is far above the 6.4% league average on sliders this season.

In short, Imai is not really throwing his splitter more. His fastball continues to get hit hard and not miss bats, and his slider is missing tons of bats, but it's not commanded particularly well. All of this leads me to believe that this is more of a flukey stretch for Imai than anything. In part because he has a 38.2% PutAway Rate over his last two starts (which measures how often a two-strike pitch turns into a strikeout), and his season average is 20.9% and the league average is 18.9%. A 38.2% mark is wholly unsustainable. If you want to add him because we were intrigued by him in pre-season and he's pitching well, go for it. But this doesn't feel like a brand new pitcher to me.

He held a 67% putaway rate here after topping that with 73% in his previous outing. He entered this start with a 40% mark, and he won't be so efficient in two-strike counts moving forward.

Aaron Nola - Phillies (New Slider, Four-Seam/Sinker Usage)

Aaron Nola is an interesting pitcher because we know how talented he has been, so his recent step back would lead us to believe he is "done" at just 33 years old. And while he's throwing harder than he did last year. I'm not sure I'm ready to say that. Yes, he has a 5.58 ERA and 1.45 WHIP this season, but he also has a 3.94 SIERA, so is there an argument for him being better in the coming months?

On June 13th, Aaron Nola started using a gyro slider. It's about 83 mph with one inch of vertical break and about four inches of horizontal movement, so nothing about it stands out, especially at that lower velocity. He’s using it almost exclusively to righties, where it's posted a 99th percentile strike rate and an 18.2% SwStr%. He's using it primarily when he's behind in the count, which tells me that he's trying to steal strikes with it, and the reason for that would be that he doesn't want to use his four-seamer in those counts.

That makes some sense since his four-seamer has allowed a 50% Ideal Contact Rate and 21.4% barrel rate to righties this season. Nola will try to use it sometimes in two-strike counts, and it does have a 28.1% PutAway rate to righties (17.1% is league average for a four-seamer), but the pitch gets rocked when it is hit. The new slider could be a way to mitigate that damage, but since he doesn't throw the slider to lefties, we still have a problem because his four-seamer also gets clobbered by lefties.

But, overall, we can see that Nola is trying to use his four-seamer less. Over his last six starts, he's using his four-seamer just 18.7% of the time, down from 27.5% in his first 10 starts. He's countered that by adding in the slider, using the sinker 5% more often and throwing to curveball 37% of the time, up from 32% in his first 10 starts.

He's throwing the sinker more often in early-count situations to lefties and has also bumped up the curveball usage to lefties early in the count. Similar to righties, he has not only dialed back the four-seam usage overall to lefties but also tried to stop throwing it as much when he's behind in the count. Over this stretch, he has a 4.80 ERA but a much better 1.27 WHIP and 23.8% strikeout rate, which pushed his K-BB% to 17% over his last six starts, compared to 14% in his first 10 starts. That's not a nothing jump.

We're not talking about Nola getting back to his peak, but I think continuing to hide his four-seamer and lean into his curveball makes sense for him. I'd like to see him do it even more, but that would put him back on the streaming radar in 12-team leagues and as a guy you can at least hold on your bench through tough starts in deeper formats. He's a smart pitcher, so I'd bet on him continuing to make changes.

Brandon Sproat - Brewers (Fastball Usage, Sweeper Command)

We have to talk about the six innings of shutout ball against the Reds last week, where Sproat struck out 10, didn’t walk a batter, allowed one hit, and had 18 whiffs. We should also note that Sproat has not issued more than two walks in his last four starts. On Tuesday against the Reds, Sproat’s command of his four-seamer was exceptional, and he did a great job of keeping it at the top of the zone. The sweeper stayed low and away from righties, and he had four whiffs and a 38.5% CSW on that pitch. The curveball was always low and under the zone (sometimes too low), but we’d rather that than leave it up. He also mixed in sinkers and cutters to allow the four-seamer to play up more as a whiff pitch, and you can see how this can all work. His start before that at Cleveland was really just one bad inning, and the previous start in Sacramento was good, so maybe this is Sproat coming into his own?

If we look at his last four starts combined, he has a 3.48 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, 27% strikeout rate, and 15% SwStr%. We love all of that. Some of that could be the result of reshaping his pitch mix.

In his first 11 starts, he threw his cutter 27% of the time and his four-seamer just 18%. Over his last four, he's 28% four-seamer and 19% cutter. Some of that could be that his cutter has been just an average pitch. On the year, it has an average strike rate, swinging strike rate, and Ideal Contact Rate allowed. It doesn't give up tons of barrels and is a pitch he often used early in the count, but it also had just an average early called strike rate, so everything has been pretty average.

Over these last four starts, he's turned to the four-seamer more and is trying to use it up in the zone more often. His high location rate on his four-seamer is 44.5% on the season, but it was 65.2% in this start against the Reds and 85.7% two starts ago against the Athletics, so it's clear he's trying to elevate it more often. He's also seen improved zone rates on the four-seamer during this stretch, and the pitch has been a good two-strike pitch for him all season, so it makes sense to try and lean into it a bit more often.

He's also doing a much better job of keeping his sweeper low in the zone. In his first 11 starts, he had a 73% low location on his sweeper, but that has jumped to 87.5% over his last four starts. He's also using it in two-strike counts 58.3% of the time (up from 49%) and has a far lower zone rate, down to 25% from 43%. While that may seem like an odd approach, he's basically realized that his sweeper is his best whiff pitch but also saw that it gave up a 12.5% barrel rate in his first 11 starts. His new approach to bury it low in the zone basically means that he's going to get a whiff or a take on it, but hitters aren't going to beat him on his sweeper.

He has the reverse issue with his curve, which he kept under the zone around 75% of the time in his first 11 starts but had just a 21% zone rate and 49% strike rate. He's still keeping it low 67% of the time, but is also throwing it in the zone 33.3% of the time and getting a strike 66.7% of the time. Those are big improvements. It's also led to him using the curve 59.3% of the time in two-strike counts, up from 48.5% earlier in the season.

All of which is to say that it seems like Brandon Sproat is starting to figure things out with his arsenal, optimizing his pitch mix for more whiffs and locating his secondary pitches more consistently. We may be seeing a breakout happen here.