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Here are the lineups. For the Phillies:
For the Royals.
Let’s talks about it.
The Colorado Rockies announced on Saturday afternoon a series of pitching-focused roster moves prior to their Independence Day fireworks game against the San Francisco Giants.
Right-handed pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano (菅野 智之) has been placed on the 15-day injured list with back spasms.
Sugano, 36, was scheduled to start on Saturday night. He has been one of the Rockies’ most reliable starting pitchers this season with a 4.80 ERA in 16 starts with 48 strikeouts over 84.1 innings. Although he has been prone to giving up home runs both during his career and with the Rockies, the damage has generally been limited to solo home runs. He has pounded the strike zone and given up very few walks.
Left-handed rookie pitcher Sean Sullivan (no. 8 PuRP) has been recalled from the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes to start in place of the injured Sugano.
Sullivan, 23, made his debut in June and made four starts for the Rockies before being optioned back to Triple-A Albuquerque. The deceptive lefty has an arsenal of breaking pitchers but a four-seam fastball that has averaged just 87.9 MPH against Major League hitters. He has struggled to find length in his big league outings—making it through five innings just once—and has given up a lot of contact with 16 earned runs over 16.2 innings. However, in his last start against the Miami Marlins he had appeared to have started finding his strikeout stuff. He struck out an early career-high five batters.
The Rockies have also selected the contract of right-handed reliever Jordan Romano from Triple-A Albuquerque, adding him to the 40-man roster.
Romano, 33, signed a minor league contract with the Rockies in May after he was designated for assignment by the Los Angeles Angels.
A former two-time All-Star with the Toronto Blue Jays, Romano has struggled to find his form after needing shoulder surgery in 2024. After signing with the Rockies, he spent roughly a month with the team’s pitching and performance lab at their Arizona Complex before being assigned to the Isotopes. In nine appearances and 8.2 innings with Albuquerque he has posted a 4.15 ERA with ten strikeouts and no walks.
In a corresponding roster move, right-handed reliever Seth Halvorsen has been placed on the 15-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation.
Halvorsen, 26, has spent time bouncing back and forth between the big league roster and Triple-A Albuquerque this year after recovering from an elbow injury he suffered last season. In 21 appearances with the Rockies he has posted a 4.74 ERA with 17 strikeouts. He has struggled to command his pitches, issuing 15 walks over 19 innings of work.
The Rockies’ 40-man roster is currently full. Both injured list moves are retroactive to July 1st.
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Good morning. In less than an hour, aircraft from here will join others from around the world, and you will be launching the largest aerial battle in the history of mankind. “Mankind” — that word should have new meaning for all of us today. We can’t be consumed by our petty differences anymore. We will be united in our common interests.
Perhaps it’s fate that today is the Fourth of July, and you will once again be fighting for our freedom. Not from tyranny, oppression, or persecution. But from annihilation. We are fighting for our right to live. To exist.
And should we win the day, the Fourth of July will no longer be known as an American holiday, but as the day the world declared, in one voice: “We will not go quietly into the night! We will not vanish without a fight!” We’re going to live on! We’re going to survive!
Today, we celebrate our Independence Day!
**
SS Gunnar Henderson
DH Adley Rutschman
LF Taylor Ward
1B Pete Alonso
C Samuel Basallo
CF Colton Cowser
RF Leody Taveras
2B Jackson Holliday
3B Blaze Alexander
RHP Brandon Young
SS Elly De La Cruz
1B Sal Stewart
LF JJ Bleday
3B Eugenio Suárez
DH Nathaniel Lowe
RF Spencer Steer
C Jose Trevino
CF TJ Friedl
2B Matt McLain
RHP Hunter Greene
Mariners 11, Blue Jays 0
Vinegary potato salad: Randy Arozarena, .29 WPA
Mayonnaisey potato salad: Josh Naylor, -.03 WPA
Game thread comment of the day:
Jack Flaherty tossed a good game, and got a little early run support in this one. The Tigers led 3-0 from the second inning on, largely courtesy of a Riley Greene two-run homer. Nascent relief ace Keider Montero put this game on his shoulders once Flaherty departed, collecting the final nine outs to earn his first regular season save.
The Tigers were wearing their road grays in this one, but with white Fourth of July hats, USA 250 patches, and with the numbers and logos on the jersey styled the American flag. The Rangers were in all white, but with the same flag patterning in their numbers and logos on their jerseys and hats.
The good guys got right to work in this one. Cal Quantrill got Kevin McGonigle and Dillon Dinger to open the game, but Kerry Carpenter lined a single to center field. Riley Greene stepped into the box, got himself a 2-2 cutter up in the zone and hammered it to right field for a two-run shot and a 2-0 lead.
Greene’s 12th homer of the year came on the heels of a strong July with seven homers and a 133 wRC+ as he continues to heat up after a slow start in the power department this season.
Jack Flaherty gave up a leadoff single to Joc Pederson, but a rocket off the bat of Josh Smith was run down at the warning track by James Outman on a nice play. Pederson was already around second base and had to retreat in haste. Josh Jung took a called third strike, and Brandon Nimmo grounded out to Spencer Torkelson to end the inning.
Colt Keith opened the second inning, lining a single to center field. Zach McKinstry lifted a fly ball down the left field foul line and Alejandro Osuna over-ran it. The ball spun back into fair territory and got down for an error than got McKinstry to second and Keith to third. Ben Malgeri quickly grounded out to shortstop and that was enough to get the run home. 3-0 Tigers.
Outman grounded out to first base, and McKinstry had to hold at third with Kevin McGonigle up. Quantrill was struggling, and the Tigers’ rookie worked him into a walk, extending what already felt like a long inning. The right-hander was trying to pitch Dillon Dingler inside to avoid further damage, but instead he clipped him to load the bases.
So, that brought Carpenter up to bat with the bases juiced. Unfortunately, he flew out to center field to finally end the inning with just one run to the Tigers’ tally.
Osuna and Ezequiel Duran lined and grounded out, respectively, to start the bottom half. Flaherty got ahead of Evan Carter with a nasty changeup, but then clipped his back foot with a slider. That brought Rangers’ catcher Elias Diaz to the dish. He grounded one into the six hole, but McGonigle made a nice play and a strong throw to end the inning.
Quantrill got fly outs from Greene and Torkelson to open the third. Keith swung through a heater away in a full count to send us to the bottom half.
Flaherty continued to be aggressive with fastballs while the Rangers looked to be sitting soft as their lineup turned over for the first time. Nicky Lopez and Pederson grounded out to first in the bottom of the third. In a 2-2 count, Flaherty spotted a nice 95 mph fourseamer that froze Josh Smith for the third out of the frame.
Quantrill settled in with a quick inning in the top of the fourth. He got McKinstry, Malgeri, and Outman on routine contact to send it back to Flaherty in the bottom half.
Jung gave Flaherty an eight-pitch battle to start things off, but he flew out to Malgeri in front of the warning track. Nimmo tried to hold up on a high fourseamer, but he failed, striking out as Flaherty’s third victim of the outing. Osuna quickly popped out to Keith in foul territory, and that was seven straight set down by the Tigers’ right-hander.
Quantrill continued dealing as well. He got McGonigle to fly out the opposite way. Dingler and Carpenter grounded out, and we were on to the bottom of the fifth. Still 3-0 Tigers.
Flaherty got ahead of Duran with a knuckle curve down, and then a fourseamer above the zone. He missed with two pitches as Duran laid off, but a fastball away got him on a fly ball to Outman. Carter lined a single to left center where Outman hesitated after a long run, dove, and fortunately knocked the ball down to avoid giving up extra bases. Flaherty missed with two breaking balls to Diaz, but the catcher fouled off a couple of fastballs and then couldn’t quite hold up on a knuckle curve and struck out. Flaherty throughout kept a close eye on Carter at first. He got ahead of Nicky Lopez and eventually coaxed a ground out to Torkelson to end the inning. Love these walk-free Jack Flaherty starts.
Quantrill was done after five, and instead we saw our old friend, Todd the Painter, or Tyler Alexander as he’s more commonly known. The lefty looked pretty good too. He froze Riley Greene, and whiffed Torkelson. Colt Keith squared him up, but Carter ran it down in center field.
Pederson was up for the third time as the bottom of the sixth got underway. Flaherty was at 75 pitches, so right on pace for a strong six inning outing. He hadn’t had a baserunner past first base to this point, and he blew Pederson away with a high fourseamer for his fifth strikeout to start the inning. He fed Smith breaking stuff and changeups early, eventually getting him to fly out to Malgeri with a well located changeup down. The increased changeup use is an interesting development against lefties.
Josh Jung saw a mix of fastballs instead, and eventually he lined one just past Outman to the wall for a double. The Tigers had the pen warm, and that was it for Flaherty, but it was another strong effort. 5.2 IP, 0 R, 3 H, 0 BB, 5 K. That’s six quality outings in a row for the right-hander, who we all naturally wanted to punt into the sun back in late April and early May.
Tyler Holton, who replaced Alexander as the Tigers’ resident Tyler, and resident lefty all-purpose reliever, came on to get Nimmo. He did the job, inducing a grounder to McKinstry at second to turn the Rangers away in the sixth.
Right-hander Ben Peoples was up next for Skip Schumaker and the Rangers, making his major league debut. Peoples has a pretty good fastball-slider combo and he got a quick ground out from McKinstry. Ben Malgeri singled into the hole at shortstop to get the Tigers back into business with Outman up and McGonigle looming. Outman bit on a slider and punched out as Peoples first victim in the major leagues. McGonigle was swinging first pitch throughout this game, and he did again on a first-pitch fastball, grounding out to end the inning.
Keider Montero took over from Holton in the seventh, fresh off an outstanding relief appearance his last time out in which he stuffed the Yankees twice in extra innings to lead the Tigers to a sweep. The Tigers badly need him in high leverage right now, and Montero continues to deal in any role. Osuna flew out to right to start things off. The speedy Duran grounded out softly to McGonigle, who retired him with a slick transfer and a strong throw. Montero tried to start Carter off with soft stuff, but he missed twice and then missed with a pair of fastballs to walk the center fielder. It didn’t hurt him, as Diaz grounded out to McKinstry to end the inning.
The Tigers had Dingler, Carpenter, and Greene up in the top of the eighth, and some add on runs would help the cause with six outs left to collect for the bullpen. Dingler flew out in the right field corner to start things off. Carpenter climbed the ladder for a fastball, but he too flew out to Nimmo in right. Greene got jammed by Peoples really straight, almost cutting, fourseamer, but fought it off just over Nicky Lopez into right field for a single. Torkelson drove a heater hard to the warning track in center field, but Carter had it all the way and ended the inning.
Montero was at 12 pitches after the seventh, so he had plenty left for the eighth. Lopez started the bottom of the eighth, grounding one to Torkelson’s right. The Tigers first baseman made a nice diving stop and then led Montero perfectly with a firm throw for the first out of the inning. Pederson did just about the same thing for the second out, but Torkelson didn’t have to go to the ground for that one. A nasty changeup to Smith drew an even weaker ground ball to McKinstry, and Montero was through two innings with 21 pitches thrown. We hoped AJ Hinch was thinking the same thing we all were, just ride Keider to the finish line.
Veteran right-hander Chris Martin was up to handle the top of the ninth for the Rangers. He got ahead of Keith 0-2, but then missed with three straight to get the count full. Keith spoiled a couple of well located heaters, but then took another one for strike three. McKinstry got a first pitch sweeper and lined it to center for a single. Malgeri grounded to second as McKinstry took off on the pitch. That got McKinstry to second, while Lopez retired Malgeri at first. Outman flicked a soft liner to shortstop to send us to the bottom of the ninth.
It was indeed Montero hunting a nine-out save as he battled Jung, Nimmo, and Osuna. Jung gave him a real battle, and the ninth pitch of the at-bat was a hot one-hopper to third. Keith made a fine diving stop, hopped to his feet and fired a strike to Torkelson for the first out of the inning. Montero and Torkelson were fired up by that play. Nimmo got a 1-0 curveball and hit it a long way to center, but Outman was there to record the second out. Osuna padded a grounder up the middle, and McGonigle handled that for the final out.
Strong performance again from Keider Montero. Good to get right back on the horse with a Fourth of July victory after the loss on Thursday. The offense was pretty quiet, but it’s about time the Tigers win more low scoring games.
Bryse Wilson had one good outing for the Cubs and one bad one, and now he’s gone.
The Cubs signed right-hander Jake Woodford to a major league deal today and added him to the 40-man roster and 26-man active roster. Wilson was designated for assignment.
Woodford is 29 and began his MLB career with the Cardinals in 2020 and has also pitched for the White Sox, Pirates, Diamondbacks and Brewers. He was in the Cubs organization last year and threw 21.2 innings there with a 4.57 ERA before opting out.
This year he’s been in 16 games for the Brewers with a 6.94 ERA, as well as some time in Triple-A Nashville. He exercised a July 1 opt out and became a free agent. And now he’s a Cub.
When Woodford appears in his first game for the Cubs, he will become the 32nd pitcher for the team this year (not including the inning pitched by Carson Kelly June 5 in the 18-3 blowout loss to the Giants). Woodford last pitched June 27 for Nashville, so he should be available tonight.
As always, we await developments. Woodford will wear No. 40 for the Cubs.
The Texas Rangers didn’t score while the Detroit Tigers scored three runs.
The Rangers had their first day off in over two weeks yesterday and all it seemed to accomplish was cooling them off. To say they returned to the office a little flat would be a bit of an understatement.
Following a ten-run outburst in the series opener on Thursday, Texas collected all of three hits today without scoring for their first shutout loss since being blanked by Cleveland 6-0 back on June 6.
In some vintage 2026 Rangers action, the Tigers went up 2-0 in the top of the first after today’s starter Cal Quantrill allowed a two-out, two-run blast to Riley Greene. An inning later, the Tigers padded their lead when left fielder Alejandro Osuna straight up whiffed on catching a popup down the line to put two runners in scoring position.
After an RBI groundout, the scoring for the entire game concluded. The Rangers got a leadoff single from Joc Pederson but much like most games where they allow early runs, the bats were pretty much stun locked as they didn’t have their second hit of the afternoon until one out in the fifth and finished with three total.
I hear you pondering, “oh, were they up against Tarik Skubal or something?” And no, they were against Jack Flaherty, who has been among the worst starting pitchers in the AL this season and hadn’t won a game in over a month. Now he has two wins on the season.
Despite trailing 3-0 after two innings, the pitching staff did its job. Quantrill rebounded to go five innings and allowed only the two earned runs from one mistake pitch and then the bullpen tossed four scoreless frames (including one shaky one from a resurrected Chris Martin). This one was totally on the lineup in a fashion that was reminiscent of the worst days from this season.
The Detroit bullpen also hasn’t exactly been a bright spot for them this season, but they combined to toss 3.1 scoreless innings – the final three of which from Keider Montero – to help the Tigers even the series.
Player of the Game: Recently acquired reliever Ben Peoples made his MLB debut and contributed two scoreless innings.
Up Next: The Rangers and Tigers conclude this series with a Sunday showdown featuring RHP Kumar Rocker for Texas opposite RHP Casey Mize for Detroit.
The finale first pitch from The Shed is scheduled for 2:30 pm CDT and you can catch it on Peacock / NBCSN Extra.
TONIGHT’S GAME: The Houston Astros (43-47) will play host to the top team in the AL, the Tampa Bay Rays (52-33), for a July 4th matchup tonight at Daikin Park.
Astros ace RHP Hunter Brown (1-0, 1.78 ERA) will get the start for Houston as he looks to snap the Astros two-game losing streak and the Rays nine-game winning streak. The Rays will counter with RHP Drew Rasmussen (10-5, 2.76 ERA).
BROTHER BROWN: RHP Hunter Brown will make his sixth start of the season tonight and his fourth since returning from a lengthy stint on the IL with a right shoulder strain. Despite showing some rust, Brown has still been effective, posting a 2.45 ERA (4ER/14.2IP) in his three starts since his return.
Overall in 2026, Brown has a 1.78 ERA (5ER/25.1IP) while allowing just 17 hits in 25.1 IP (.187 opp. avg.) with 32 strikeouts. Brown has had huge success against the Rays in his career, going 3-1 with a 2.25 ERA (7ER/28IP) in six games (four starts).
FIREWORKS ON THE 4TH: The Astros have won on the Fourth of July for eight consecutive seasons (since 2016), which is the longest active streak in the Majors. Three of those wins have come at Daikin Park (last, a 4-1 win over COL in 2023).
In 2025, the Astros beat the Dodgers, 18-1, on the Fourth of July at Dodger Stadium. It marked the Dodgers’ largest-ever margin of defeat at Dodger Stadium. It also marked the 13th time in franchise history the Astros scored at least 18 runs in a game.
TODAY’S ROSTER MOVES: The Astros have reinstated OF LaMonte Wade Jr. (right hamstring strain) from the 10-day IL and recalled OF Zach Dezenzo from Triple A Sugar Land. In corresponding moves, OF Jake Meyers and OF Joey Loperfido have been optioned to Triple A Sugar Land.
YESTERDAY’S TRADE: Announced yesterday, the Astros traded minor leaguer LHP Tom Cosgrove to the Nationals in exchange for cash considerations. Cosgrove was pitching at the Triple A level.
ALL-STAR UPDATE: Full All-Star rosters (starters and reserves) will be announced tonight beginning at 6:30 p.m. CT on FOX. DH Yordan Alvarez was a finalists on the 2026 KONAMI eBaseball MLB All-Star Ballot and is a strong candidate to be the AL starter at the DH position. Alvarez has been an All-Star three times in his career.
MVP-CALIBER: DH Yordan Alvarez has had a torrid first half to his season, currently leading all of baseball in OPS (1.056), OBP (.431), SLG (.625) and total bases (198). Additionally, he ranks first in the AL in extra-base hits (43), first in homers (27), tied for first in hits (101), second in batting average (.319), second in RBI (61), second in runs (60) and fourth in walks (59).
WHAT A RELIEF: LHP Josh Hader is 2-0 with eight saves (in eight chances) and a 0.69 ERA (1ER/13IP) in 13 appearances this season. He has 21 strikeouts in his 13.0 innings with a .049 (2×41) opponent average and a 0.54 WHIP. Hader has not allowed a hit in six consecutive appearances (6IP since June 21).
YOR-GONE!: DH Yordan Alvarez delivered a game-tying solo homer in the 6th inning last night, giving him 27 home runs on the year. He reached 27 homers in the Astros 90th game of the season, marking the fifth instance in club history for a player to reach 27 homers in that span and the first to do so since OF George Springer in 2017.
MY BOY BLU: RHP AJ Blubaugh worked another 2.2 scoreless innings on Wednesday vs. MIN, giving him 56.1 innings pitched on the season, which leads all Major League relievers. Blubaugh has been on a strong run since April 11, going 3-0 with a 2.06 ERA (11ER/48IP) in his last 29 appearances.
OUT ON ASSIGNMENT: The Astros have several players on minor league rehab assignments:
• RHP Ronel Blanco (rt. elbow surgery) started on Wednesday for Double A Corpus Christi at NW Arkansas, tossing 4.1 innings, allowing three runs with four strikeouts. He tossed 60 pitches (45 strikes) in what was his third minor league rehab start. He is expected to make his next rehab start on Tuesday.
• RHP Lance McCullers Jr. (rt. shoulder inflammation) started on Wednesday for Triple A Sugar Land at OKC, tossing 4.0 innings of one-run ball on 60 pitches (41 strikes). He is also expected to make his next rehab start on Tuesday.
• RHP Hayden Wesneski (rt. elbow surgery) began a minor league rehab assignment on Tuesday for the FCL Astros, tossing 3.0 innings (0ER) on 25 pitches. He is expected to make his next start on Sunday.
• IF Braden Shewmake (rt. adductor strain) had his rehab assignment transferred to Triple A on Wednesday and has started two games for the Space Cowboys, one at shortstop and one at second base.
TODAY IN ASTROS HISTORY: 1995 – 2B Craig Biggio sets the franchise record by scoring five runs in the Astros 16-8 win over the Rockies at Coors Field. Biggio goes 3×4 with two walks, two HR and three RBI in the shootout. 1B Jeff Bagwell also homers for Houston and has five RBI.
Since that date, an Astro has scored five runs on six additional occasions, accomplished by Biggio twice more (1995, 1996), Chris Burke (2006), Cody Ransom (2007) and George Springer twice (2014, 2019).
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Saturday, July 4, 6:10 p.m. CT
Location: Daikin Park, Houston, TX
TV: SCHN
Radio: KTRH 740 AM; KBME 790 AM & 94.5 FM HD2; TUDN 102.9 FM HD2 (Spanish)
In one of four roster moves made before Saturday’s game against the Rays, the Astros optioned struggling outfielders Jake Meyers and Joey Loperfido to Triple-A Sugar Land.
Meyers, a Gold Glove finalist in 2024 and the Astros’ third longest tenured position player, went hitless in Friday’s 3-1 loss to the Rays, dropping his batting average to .206 for the season. He’s posted a .167/.231/.250 slash line since June 2, and he’s started just three of the Astros’ previous 10 games.
“He’s helped us to win a lot of games, helped us win a lot of postseason games,” Astros manager Joe Espada said. “He’s part of this organization’s success, but he understood it. We’re going to help him. We’ve pinpointed some things that he’s going to be working on in Triple-A.”
Loperfido, who was re-acquired in a trade from the Toronto Blue Jays at the start of spring training, is batting .136 since returning from the injured list June 4.
In search of offense for an outfield struggling to muster any, the Astros recalled Zach Dezenzo from Triple-A and reinstated LaMonte Wade Jr. from the injured list.
Wade was 4 for 12 with a home run in four games with the Astros after signing as a free agent on June 4. He landed on the IL with a right hamstring strain on June 9.
Dezenzo, 26, batted .191 in 21 games with the Astros earlier this season before being optioned to Triple-A on June 5.
“(We’re trying to see) if having Wade and Dezenzo can spark something up and see if we can get something going,” Espada said.
The Astros entered Saturday’s game with a 43-47 record, three games back of Texas for first place in the American League West.
Per Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, the Milwaukee Bucks have signed former Marquette star guard Kam Jones to a two-way contract. Shams Charania of ESPN later confirmed the report.
Jones, a former second-round pick, spent last season with the Indiana Pacers before being traded to the Chicago Bulls on draft night for the 38th pick, Braden Smith. Jones never put on a Bulls jersey, though, as he was cut five days later and cleared waivers yesterday. As for the Bucks roster, per Salary Swish, Jones is the team’s third and final two-way player. He joins undrafted free agent big man Rafael Castro and guard Cormac Ryan, who is in the second year of a two-year two-way deal.
Jones had a bit of a rocky rookie season in Indiana, as he didn’t suit up until December 2, dealing with a lower-back stress reaction before the season even started, and didn’t receive regular playing time until February, when the Pacers were in full-on tank mode. Then there was the arrest for reckless driving on I-65 in the offseason, as he was running late for Pacers practice. On the court, once Jones got that playing time, he made the most of it. Over the season’s final 24 games, he averaged 22 MPG, 5.9 PPG, 4.5 APG, and 2.1 RPG, shooting 41.1% from the field and 32.3% from three-point range.
Jones now returns to a place he called home for four years, spending his college days at Marquette University under head coach Shaka Smart. After being mostly used as a sixth man in his freshman season, Jones exploded in his sophomore season as a dynamic scorer next to New York Knicks point guard Tyler Kolek, jumping his scoring by nearly eight points (7.4 to 15.1). His production helped the Golden Eagles capture their first Big East tournament championship in program history. Jones finished his college career by earning several accolades, including being named a second-team All-American.
Brew Hoop community, how do you feel about Jones signing? Let us know in the comments section below.
Once again, storms could hit the Chicago area Saturday, so here’s the local radar to keep handy.
Saturday notes…
The Cubs lineup was not available at posting time. Please check BCB social media for the Cubs lineup.
Cardinals lineup:
After a rough patch in late May and early June, Shōta Imanaga has been better over his last four starts: 2.82 ERA, 1.075 WHIP, just three home runs in 22.1 innings.
One of those rough outings was May 29 in St. Louis, when Imanaga was tagged for five hits, three of them homers, in 5.1 innings. Overall, he has done pretty well vs Cardinals hitters: .228 (13-for-54), though with four home runs.
Kyle Leahy faced the Cubs May 30 in St. Louis and allowed one run on six hits in 4.1 innings.
Since then: five starts, 3.76 ERA, 1.291 WHIP, just one home run allowed in 26.1 innings in June.
Current Cubs are a small sample size 4-for-18 against Leahy.
Here is the weather forecast for the area around Wrigley Field.
Today’s game is on Fox-TV (regional — coverage map). A reminder that if you subscribe to MLB.TV or MLB Extra Innings, you can watch this game even if it’s not on the Fox affiliate in your market. Announcers: Joe Davis, John Smoltz and Ken Rosenthal.
Here is the complete MLB.com live streaming page for today.
Baseball-reference.com game preview
Please visit our SB Nation Cardinals site Viva el Birdos. If you do go there to interact with Cardinals fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.
The 2026 game discussion procedure has been changed, so please take note.
You’ll find the game preview, like this one, posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).
At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game.
The Live! (formerly “First Pitch”) thread will still post at five minutes to game time. It will also post to the front page. That will be the only live game discussion thread. After the game, the recap and Heroes and Goats will also live on the front page as separate posts.
You will also be able to find the preview, Live! thread, recap and Heroes and Goats in this section link. The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.
Discuss amongst yourselves.
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The “Jays” are no more.
After nearly a decade together leading the Celtics, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown parted ways this week when the latter was traded to the 76ers.
And days after the deal, Tatum took to his Instagram story Friday to pen a heartwarming message for Brown.
“9 years! Forever grateful for all that we accomplished together, for pushing me to be a better player,” Tatum began.
“From first-round exits to winning a chip together, I’m thankful for it all. Nothing but love and respect for you as a player and as a person.
“Looking forward to see how you attack this next chapter of your career and wish nothing but the best for you! Continue to be special!
The message was overlaid on a photo of Tatum and Brown early in their Celtics tenures, which marked an incredibly consistent era for the franchise.
The pair made five trips to the Conference Finals together, two trips to the NBA Finals and won one championship, when they beat the Mavericks in 2024.
However, things have taken a surprising turn since that series, in which Brown was named Finals MVP.
Tatum ruptured his Achilles last year in the postseason against the Knicks (as Boston lost in the second round) and missed most of this past season before returning in March.
However, the Celtics suffered a first-round exit to the Sixers, and the team’s relationship with Brown had seemingly deteriorated after a season in which Brown operated as the true primary option with Tatum out.
Ultimately, that relationship ended on Wednesday as they agreed to trade Brown to the 76ers for Paul George, two first-round picks and two second-round picks, ESPN reported.
The trade chatter surrounding Brown had been building of late as he was dangled in talks for Giannis Antetokounmpo, but the All-Star wing was somewhat displeased with how his trade out of Boston was handled.
Speaking on a live Twitch stream, he said he “wasn’t thrilled with the amount of respect that was showed during this process.”
“I think there was a bit of a lack of respect — I think it was fine at point — and then out of nowhere things kind of went left,” he added. “I think Brad [Stevens] is probably getting a lot of the criticism. I wasn’t thrilled the way he facilitated some of the conversations, but there’s definitely more to it.”
Now, Brown will team up with Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and V.J. Edgecombe as the Sixers look to regain control of the East.
The Colorado Avalanche don’t have many true “must-keep” players. Artturi Lehkonen is one of them.
The soft-spoken Finnish winger has become one of the most reliable clutch performers in the NHL, a player whose value rises the deeper the stakes get. Call him Mr. Clutch, call him Mr. Big Time — the label has followed him for years, and it’s not going away any time soon. He has one year remaining on a five-year, $22.5 million deal signed in July 2022.
One of the primary reasons Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic targeted Lehkonen was his ability to score meaningful goals in meaningful moments. That reputation was cemented in 2021, when he delivered arguably the biggest goal in nearly three decades of Montreal Canadiens hockey, scoring in overtime to send Montreal to the Stanley Cup Final, where it ultimately fell in six games to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Everything changed the following season when Sakic struck at the trade deadline, acquiring Lehkonen from Montreal in exchange for Justin Barron and a 2024 second-round pick, with the Canadiens retaining 50 percent of his salary.
From the moment he arrived in Colorado, the “clutch” reputation only grew. Lehkonen scored another overtime winner in the Western Conference Final to send the Avalanche to the Stanley Cup Final after a sweep of the Edmonton Oilers, then delivered the defining moment of the run — the Cup-clinching goal in Game 6 — securing the third Stanley Cup championship in franchise history.
His big-game résumé has even carried beyond the NHL. At the Milano Cortina Olympics, Lehkonen brought that same timing to the international stage, scoring the decisive goal in a 3–2 comeback win for Finland at Rho Arena to send his country into the semifinals in what marked its fifth appearance in six Olympic tournaments featuring NHL players.
For Colorado, the conclusion is straightforward: this is not a player you gamble with. An extension feels inevitable. The only real question is structure — term and AAV — with injury history likely shaping how both sides approach the deal.
Lehkonen has dealt with a notable injury history throughout his career. Of his 12 documented absences, a significant portion stem from upper-body issues, particularly his shoulder — roughly three-quarters of his injury history. He underwent shoulder surgery in May 2024 to repair substantial damage and also endured a difficult 2023 season that included finger surgery and a neck injury requiring a brace, which ultimately led to a stint on long-term injured reserve.
Durability remains the primary concern. Lehkonen has only completed a full 82-game regular season once in his career — a number that will rise to 84 games in 2026–27.
That said, it’s a risk the Avalanche are well aware of and willing to manage given what he provides when healthy. Lehkonen is an elite two-way winger with high-end penalty-killing ability, driven by relentless pressure that disrupts opposing power plays and consistently creates shorthanded chances. Offensively, his game is built on timing and positioning — consistently finding soft ice in dangerous areas and finishing plays around the net.
He also plays a far heavier game than his frame suggests. Listed at 5-foot-11 and 179 pounds, Lehkonen routinely battles larger defensemen and pays the physical price for it. He absorbs contact, creates contact, and rarely avoids the dirty areas, even if it means ending up on the ice. That willingness is part of what makes him so valuable.
Lehkonen is coming off another strong season with 21 goals and 27 assists for 48 points in 70 games, just shy of his career-high 51 points set in 2022–23.
At 31 years old — a milestone he reached on the day of publication — he remains exactly the type of player contenders don’t replace, they retain, even if it costs more the second time around.
The NHL was thrown on its ear on Friday by the news that the Philadelphia Flyers had signed Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson to a five-year, $90 million offer sheet, making him the highest-paid player in the NHL. The 21-year-old was selected second overall in 2023 and scored a career-high 29 goals in his third NHL season. The Flyers, desperate to acquire a top-line center, are prepared to surrender four first-round picks as compensation if the Ducks do not match the offer sheet by July 10.
Anaheim did not dip into free agency on July 1 and cleared out restricted free agent defenseman Olen Zellweger in a trade with the Buffalo Sabres last week because they were holding back cap space to sign RFA’s Carlsson, winger Cutter Gauthier and defenseman Pavel Mintyukov, but are now in a vulnerable position if they match the offer sheet, since it will leave Anaheim only $17 million in cap space to re-sign Gauthier (who scored 41 goals last season), and add to a short-handed defensive corps.
Ducks GM Pat Verbeek had a chance to sign Carlsson to an extension throughout last season, but his modus operandi was on display last summer with forward Mason McTavish, who held out until training camp before signing a seven-year, $49 million extension (he was traded to St. Louis last weekend).
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Buffalo Sabres GM Jarmo Kekalainen wisely was proactive on the restricted free agent front with winger Zach Benson, signing the 21-year-old to a seven-year, $52.5 million extension before becoming eligible for an offer sheet. While it is always speculated that offer sheets will become the rule rather than the exception, the increasing salary cap and the gentleman’s agreement between rival GM’s may be going the way of the do-do bird, which will force teams like the Ducks and the Sabres to either match deals to young emerging players for more money than they would choose to, or prepare to accept draft pick compensation and become feeder systems for more financially powerful clubs.
The Sabres trade of goalie Devon Levi to Edmonton for a 2028 third round pick last week left the club with a pair of young and inexperienced goalies in 2022 secoond-rounder Topias Leinonen and 21-year-old Scott Ratzlaff. The pair split time between AHL Rochester and ECHL Jacksonville last season, but totalled only 21 games with the Amerks, leaving the Sabres affiliate without a full time starter. On Saturday, the club signed veteran minor-leaguer Matt Villalta to a one-year, two-way contract.
The 27-year-old spent last season with AHL Tucson (AHL affiliate of the Utah Mammoth) and had a 16-12-3 record, 3.10 GAA, and .895 save percentage in 33 games.
A third-round draft pick by Los Angeles in 2017, Villalta has seven years of AHL experience between the Ontario Reign and Roadrunners, and will likely split duties with one or both of the Sabres young goalies in Rochester, while the other will get playing time in Jacksonville.
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