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Sizing Up The Atlantic, Part 2: How Do The Senators Stack Up Against The Tampa Bay Lightning?

In Part One of our Atlantic Division offseason series, we compared the Senators to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Part Two featured the Montreal Canadiens.

Now it's time for another 106-point Atlantic Division heavyweight: the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Unlike Montreal, Tampa made some significant changes after a first-round playoff exit.

Drake Batherson was asked at the end of the season whether he'd like to sign an extension this summer.

Senators Offseason Summary

The Senators' summer to-do list changed dramatically when Brady Tkachuk requested a trade and was eventually sent to Florida for the ninth and 25th picks in the 2026 draft, a 2027 second-rounder and a 2029 first-round pick.

GM Steve Staios then flipped the ninth pick to San Jose for William Eklund and prospects Kasper Halttunen and Brandon Svoboda.

Ottawa also acquired Andre Burakovsky and goalie Samuel Ersson, while re-signing Claude Giroux, Nick Cousins, Jordan Spence and Leevi Merilainen.

The biggest question remains whether Eklund and Burakovsky can replace enough of Tkachuk's offence.

Let's compare that with Tampa Bay's offseason.

Lightning Trades: Subtractions

Tampa didn't do much trading, but they did move out two familiar faces.

Pending UFA defenseman Darren Raddysh was dealt to Toronto for a fifth-round pick after a 22-goal, 70-point season. Raddysh's 70-point season in a contract year was so wildly out of step with the rest of his career that the Lightning let him walk in a sign-and-trade with the Leafs.

The Lightning also traded former Senator Nick Paul to Toronto. Paul had become a useful middle-six forward in Tampa, putting up back-to-back 20+ goal seasons, but his production dipped hard last season to 15 points in 51 games. Over a full season, that's a 23-point pace. 

Lightning Trades: Additions

There isn't much to see here.

Tampa's only notable player addition by trade was goaltender Dennis Hildeby, acquired from Toronto in the Nick Paul deal. Hildeby posted a .914 save percentage last season and will back up Andrei Vasilevskiy.

Like Ottawa, Tampa wanted better support for its number-one goalie. The Senators brought in Ersson. The Lightning brought in Hildeby.

Lightning Free Agent Signings

The Lightning replaced Raddysh with longtime Washington Capitals veteran John Carlson, who finished last year with Anaheim. The 36-year-old got a two-year contract worth $8.5 million per season, exactly what Raddysh is getting in Toronto.

Like the Senators, who grabbed Burakovsky, Tampa also had some interest in one of Chicago's mid-tier forwards. The Lightning signed UFA Ilya Mikheyev for four years at $3.85 million per season

Tough guy Jeffrey Viel, who split his time between Boston and Anaheim, was signed to a surprising five-year deal worth $2.5 million annually, a move that certainly gives Tampa a little more muscle for the Battle of Florida.

Lightning Free Agent Losses

Oliver Bjorkstrand signed with the New York Rangers, while Corey Perry moved on to Los Angeles.

Verdict 1: Who Had The Better Offseason?

The Lightning lost Raddysh, but they gained Carlson. Carlson is one of the top-scoring D in the game, and he's been that for a lot more than one season. They also lost Paul, Perry and Bjorkstrand, but they gained Hildeby, Mikheyev, and Viel.

The Sens lost Tkachuk, but added Eklund, Burakovsky, and Ersson. They also added some much-needed prospects and draft capital.

Tampa gets the nod, but not by much.

Verdict 2: Who Will Be The Better Team This Season?

Tampa Bay again.

Ottawa finished only seven points behind the Lightning last season, and there's an argument that the Senators' younger core has more room to improve.

Tim Stutzle, Jake Sanderson, Shane Pinto, Dylan Cozens and Eklund should still have some of their best hockey ahead of them.

Tampa's core is considerably older, and eventually, that will matter. But people have been waiting for the Lightning to fall off for a while now, and we're not going to predict their decline until they actually show signs of it.

The Lightning still have Nikita Kucherov, who had 130 points and won the Hart Trophy last season. Jake Guentzel scored 38 goals, Brandon Hagel had 36, while Brayden Point and Anthony Cirelli remain excellent players. 

Victor Hedman anchors the defence, Carlson now joins him, and Vasilevskiy is coming off another Vezina Trophy season. Oh yeah, and Jon Cooper is finally the reigning Coach of the Year.

For now, the Senators are still chasing them.

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News

This article first appeared at The Hockey News Ottawa. For full Senators coverage, check out one of The Hockey News headlines below.

Senators Won't Be Replacing Daniel Alfredsson On Their Coaching Staff
A Member Of The Senators 'One-And-Done' Club Announces His Retirement
20 Years Later: Three Moves That May Have Cost The Senators A Stanley Cup
Rest Is A Weapon: New NHL Schedule Leaves Senators At A Big Disadvantage

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First big deal of MLB trade deadline capped wild year for Connelly Early

WASHINGTON – Connelly Early has been a major leaguer for just 10 months, but he’s packed a wild spectrum of emotions into that period.

It started with his big league debut in August 2025 in West Sacramento, his family trekking cross country from Virginia to Yolo County to take it in. Two months later, he started a do-or-die playoff game for the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium.

Come spring, he survived a monthlong battle and won the fifth starter job for the Red Sox, standing on the baseline for Opening Day in Cincinnati, the club he rooted for as a child. Three months later, he was in orthopedist Keith Meister’s Dallas exam room, wondering whether he’d blown out his prized left elbow.

Finally, Saturday, July 25, his phone rang shortly before 11 p.m., as he was getting ready for bed. Forget how high the Red Sox were on Early, and the years of club control they’d enjoy: Club president Craig Breslow informed Early he’d been traded to the Washington Nationals for slugger Curtis Mead in the first major transaction before the trade deadline.

Monday, he put on jersey No. 19, climbed a bullpen mound at Nationals Park and began a new journey, one that began with Meister confirming it was just inflammation, not ligament damage, around his elbow.

He hopes to commence a rehab assignment next week and, later in August, partake in what few imagined at the start of the season: Help the Nationals in their drive for a playoff spot.

In a trade deadline rarity, Early did not lose much in the standings: Boston’s 15-game winning streak pushed it into what’s now a 2½-game lead for the final wild card spot in the American League. The Nationals, toting the most potent offense in the majors, are tied with the Pittsburgh Pirates just one game out of the National League’s final wild card spot, currently held by Arizona.

So, not much harmed. Yet the gentle dip in the standings is quantifiable; the emotional heft of getting traded from a team that drafted him in the fifth round out of the University of Virginia in 2023 was more challenging to process.

“I feel like baseball brings so much more than the game,” Connelly said Monday. “It brings so many relationships, builds bonds that you can’t really get anywhere else.

“So obviously that’s tough, but I’m excited to be here and build that with these guys around me.”

Connelly Early posted a 3.44 ERA in 17 starts with the Red Sox before a trade to the Washington Nationals.

He leaves behind close ties with fellow lefty starter Payton Tolle, a relationship with pitching coach Andrew Bailey and interim manager Chad Tracy, who also managed him at Class AAA Worcester.

But there’s still a connection in D.C.: First-year Nationals baseball operations chief Paul Toboni came from Boston, where as vice president of amateur scouting he drafted Early. And even traveled to West Sacramento to witness his debut.

This time, Toboni was giving up a prized asset – Mead has 17 homers, an .852 OPS and is expected to destroy left-handed pitching at Fenway Park – to snag Early.

And so shortly after Breslow got off the phone, Toboni was blowing him up.

“Obviously a little bit emotional, coming up with (Boston),” Early said. “But I know T-Bone pretty well and he called me after that, and just super excited to get here and have a couple familiar faces.”

Indeed, Early grew up in the Richmond area, a little more than two hours from Nationals Park, and he has relatives in nearby Ashburn. He’d been to a handful of Nationals games as a kid, but, in one of those inexplicable-little-kid moments, took a shine to Joey Votto and Aroldis Chapman and thus rooted for the Reds growing up.

A decade later, Early was sharing the Red Sox clubhouse with Chapman, now the all-time leader in strikeouts for a reliever.

“You don’t get to see all the behind-the-scenes stuff,” Early said of Chapman. “You just see 100 mph on the board. You wonder how he gets to that point, and then you watch him go about his work and you know why.”

Early is just beginning his journey. He struck out 29 in 19⅓ innings of his debut year, then, with Boston’s rotation facing injury, drew a difficult assignment: Game 3, AL wild-card series against the Yankees and rookie Cam Schlittler.

Early did not survive that buzzsaw – he gave up three earned runs in 3⅔ innings while Schlittler famously struck out 12 over eight shutout innings. Yet he was road-tested by the time spring came around, and posted a 3.44 ERA and 93 strikeouts in 91⅔ innings of 17 starts this year before his elbow barked. Oddly enough, the injury came after he threw four innings of three-hit, shutout ball against Washington at Fenway Park.

Now, the Nationals hope he’s their rotation fixture. The trade nicely balanced both clubs’ needs, although a winner or loser may eventually emerge.

Early plans to remain unbothered. It is an ethos that’s already served him well over this wild year of a major league indoctrination.

“I just go out there and compete every single time. I love playing baseball,” Early said. “There’s a lot of people who think about results. I’m just out there enjoying it.

“In this job, everybody’s put under a microscope. So the more you can make it fun, the better it’s going to be.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: First big deal of MLB trade deadline capped wild year for Connelly Early

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Yankees’ Cody Bellinger set for significant spell on injured list

PHILADELPHIA, PA - JULY 25: New York Yankees left fielder Cody Bellinger #35 looks on during the game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the New York Yankees on July 25th, 2026 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, PA. (Photo by Terence Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Initially, when Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger got hurt on Saturday, it was believed that the injury was not overly serious. Dealing with a hamstring strain, the All-Star and former NL MVP was even seen doing some light jogging in left field on Sunday before the series finale in Philadelphia.

Well, perhaps he shouldn’t have done that, at least not yet. Results of tests performed on Bellinger’s left hamstring came on Monday, and it was revealed that he is dealing with a Grade 2 hamstring strain, per Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. As a result, he is expected to be sidelined for 4-to-6 weeks.

Losing Bellinger represents yet another blow to an offense that is already missing Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton. The outfielder is hitting .259/.350/.420 with 11 home runs, 10 stolen bases, a 119 wRC+ and 3.0 fWAR in 2026, his second season in pinstripes.

With Bellinger out of action for the time being, Spencer Jones is expected to take on a significant role with the Yankees, with utility option Max Schuemann also seeing some time against southpaws. The team, however, needs to go to the trade market and bring in a relevant bat.

We are not talking about just a catcher to share time with Austin Wells, no. We are talking about how the Yankees need to go out and acquire a productive outfielder to avoid falling too far down in the race for the AL East. Judge and Stanton aren’t particularly close to making it back, and every single game counts.

Bellinger spent much of the summer struggling to put up good numbers, but was starting to heat up, and the injury interrupts a nice little stretch he enjoyed from July 9-25. Over that span, the sweet-swinging lefty slashed a cool .372/.438/.465 with four doubles, six runs, three RBI, and a 161 wRC+.

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Series preview: The Giants juuuuust Mis’d him

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - JULY 26: Jacob Misiorowski #32 of the Milwaukee Brewers before game against the Colorado Rockies at American Family Field on July 26, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Yesterday, 24-year old pitching wiz Jacob Misiorowski continued his dominate 2026 with a 12-strikeout, 1-hit performance across 5 innings against the lowly Colorado Rockies in Milwaukee. It was his ninth double digit strikeout performance of the season (in 20 starts), and it sparked another tranche of eye-popping posts from Sarah Langs about this velocity demon:

The Giants, the loser cousins of the Rockies, will not face Jacob Misiorowski in this series, thankfully. Indeed, they’ve managed to miss him these past two seasons. But, they’ll be facing a team that’s won 7 of 9 and is 50-25 since May 1st. Remarkably, the Giants split a 4-game series in Milwaukee at the beginning of June. Seems hard to remember 19 wins ago, but remarkably, the Giants are 19-23 since that series or 21-23 since the start of that split.

Hard to believe! Does that mean the Giants have Figured Things Out? No!

The Brewers are a great team that ought to clobber them. The only forseeable problem with that plan is the state of Milwaukee’s rotation after Misiorowski. Kyle Harrison is on the 15-day IL. Brandon Woodruff is on the 60-day IL. That leaves Mis, Brandon Sproat, Shane Drohan, Logan Henderson, and Robert Gasser as the rotation, a group that could clearly use an upgrade as the trade deadline approaches. Harrison (2.2 fWAR) is the second-most valuable pitcher after Misiorowski (4.8) and Woodruff was on his way to a good season before being lost for the season (1.2 fWAR in 45.1 IP). He and Harrison’s 3.4 fWAR is on par with the collective value of the current non-Mis group, just to put it in perspective.

Well, actually… despite those injuries, Milwaukee’s 17.1 fWAR makes them the most valuable pitching staff in the sport. 4.7 fWAR of that is coming just from the relief corps (3.47 ERA / 3.67 FIP in 410 IP, 9.2 K/9, 0.88 HR/9). The Giants’ bullpen, remarkably, is not the worst in the sport — yet. Their -0.1 fWAR is 25th, basically tied with the A’s, and both ahead of the Cubs, Reds, Nationals, and Royals.

Their top five hitters: Santa Rosa’s own Andrew Vaughn (141 wRC+), Jake Bauers (135), Gary Sanchez (128), Brice Turang (127) and Garrett Mitchell (124). Remarkably, the bigger names aren’t contributing at the same level, with Jackson Chourio a “mere” 120 wRC+. Cooper Pratt, who was recently signed to an historic extension, is at 114. William Contreras and Christian Yelich are right around 100 wRC+. They’re still a fine hitting group. Their team 105 wRC+ is 6th in MLB (they’re also 5th in runs scored). They also walk a lot (10.6 BB% — 2nd) and steal bases (104 — 5th).

What’s really funny about this comparison is that the Giants have had a great offense since June 1st (107 wRC+), but the Brewers have been even better (119) — and as good as the stats have been, the Giants have scrounged up just 204 runs (23rd), just barely ahead of the Angels.

So, just sit back, relax, and enjoy the baseball, I guess.

Series Overview

Who: San Francisco Giants (44-61) vs. Milwaukee Brewers (66-39)
Where: Oracle Park | San Francisco, California
When: Monday & Tuesday at 6:45pm PT, Wednesday at 12:45pm PT
National broadcasts: None

Projected starters
Monday: Tyler Mahle (RHP 2-9, 5.31 ERA) vs. Brandon Sproat (RHP 3-5, 5.09 ERA)
Tuesday: Landen Roupp (RHP 7-8, 3.93 ERA) vs. Logan Henderson (RHP 4-1, 3.05 ERA)
Wednesday: Logan Webb (RHP 5-7, 3.98 ERA) vs. Shane Drohan (LHP 5-4, 3.51 ERA)

Players to watch

Luis Rengifo: Since acquiring him from the Padres, he’s 13-for-30 with a pair of homers, a double, 7 RBI, and 3 walks against 6 strikeouts. Possible switch-hitting menace here.

Logan Webb: So, what’s going on here? Is he really cooked, washed, and/or chopped? My confidence in such declarations has increased as the season has gone along, but just looking at his Statcast data, the problems become a bit more clear:

  • Claim: He probably has a bad defense behind him. Evidence: Hard Hit rate, xwOBACON, exit velocity, Barrel rates all lower than career average.
  • Claim: ABS. Evidence: Strikeout rate (19.2%) below career average (22.5%), walk rate up (6.3% vs. career 5.8%).

He’s 5-0 (8 starts) with a 1.79 ERA in his career against the Brewers.

Prediction time

I like the Giants’ chances of winning a game and maybe even the series given the lack of Misiorowski in this series and I wonder what a single loss, let alone a series loss, might do to Milwaukee’s front office… become so embarrassed that they trade for Tarik Skubal or Hunter Greene (somehow)?

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Washington Nationals vs Toronto Blue Jays Game Thread

WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 26: Harry Ford #17 of the Washington Nationals takes a throw at home plate against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Nationals Park on July 26, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images) | Getty Images

After a massive series win this weekend, the Nats kick off another series against the Blue Jays. Last season’s AL pennant winners have not had a great season, and are likely to sell at the deadline. However, the Jays still have plenty of firepower. The Nats also welcome back the greatest pitcher in franchise history in Max Scherzer.

With a righty on the mound, the Nats lineup looks pretty different. Luis Garcia Jr. goes back to the 2 spot in the lineup. Jose Tena, Daylen Lile, Keibert Ruiz and Jorbit Vivas are also back in the fold. Dylan Crews is the only true right handed hitter in the lineup. Eddy Yean will open for Andrew Alvarez in this contest.

The Jays have a lot of big names in the lineup, but many of them are underperforming. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is the most notable example, with the slugger only having six homers this season. George Springer, Daulton Varsho and Alejandro Kirk are also struggling to replicate what they did last year. At least Kazuma Okamoto has provided some thump for them. Max Scherzer returns from the IL to make a start on his 42nd birthday in what could be his last start at Nationals Park.

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Game Info:

Stadium: Nationals Park

Time: 6:45 PM EST

TV: Nationals.TV

Radio: 106.7 The Fan

This could be the last time we see Mad Max in action at Nationals Park. Hopefully the future Hall of Famer gets a warm reception. However, this offense will not be going easy on the veteran. This is another huge series in a playoff push. Follow along in the comments down below and let’s go Nats!

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Cincinnati Reds vs. Cleveland Guardians – Chase Burns vs. Slade Cecconi

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JULY 13: Chase Burns #26 of the Cincinnati Reds looks on during the 2026 Home Run Derby at Citizens Bank Park on July 13, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Cincinnati Reds return to Great American Ball Park on Monday fresh off a sucucessful road trip, and now they’ll send ace Chase Burns to the mound for the series opener against the Cleveland Guardians.

They’re riding a pretty good high right now, something that the Baseball Gods saw fit to wreck with the news that Spencer Steer tore a sheath in his wrist and will be out indefinitely – including through the trade deadline. So, now they don’t even have their most coveted trade chip to cash-in on in the next week even if things go sideways enough to start ripping things completely apart, which complicates the job facing the front office as this club is still mired in last place in the Central.

The Reds are, though, just 5 games out of the final NL Wild Card spot, and they could climb higher in that list if Burns shows up tonight and dominates the way we know he can. They’re up against a Cleveland club that has fallen completely on its face to begin the second half, fresh off five consecutive losses and just 3-7 overall since the All Star break. Because the AL as a whole this year is about as garbage below the top as it has been in years, they still hold a 1 game lead over Minnesota for the final AL Wild Card spot, but this is a team fighting for its life just like the Reds are with just a week to go before the deadline.

Slade Cecconi will start for Cleveland, who welcomed back Jose Ramirez last week after a five-week absence just in time to revv up to face Cincinnati pitching.

First pitch is slated for 7:00 PM ET, with this one being broadcast directly by ESPN.

Here’s how both clubs will line up to start:

Today’s Lineups

GUARDIANSREDS
Steven Kwan – LFElly De La Cruz – SS
Jose Ramirez – DHSal Stewart – 1B
Chase DeLauter – RFJJ Bleday – RF
Travis Bazzana – 2BEugenio Suarez – 3B
Brayan Rocchio – SSNathaniel Lowe – DH
Kyle Manzardo – 1BTyler Stephenson – C
Gabriel Arias – 3BDane Myers – CF
Patrick Bailey – CEdwin Arroyo – 2B
Petey Halpin – CFTJ Friedl – LF
Slade Cecconi – RHPChase Burns – RHP

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Mets vs. Braves: Lineups, broadcast info, and open thread, 7/27/26

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - JULY 21: Zac Thornton #49 of the New York Mets throws a pitch against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on July 21, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Mets lineup

A.J. Ewing – RF
Francisco Lindor – SS
Bo Bichette – 3B
Luis Robert – CF
Francisco Alvarez – DH
Jared Young – 1B
Tyrone Taylor – LF
Marcus Semien – 2B
Luis Torrens – C

SP: Zac Thornton – LHP

Braves lineup

Ronald Acuna – RF
Drake Baldwin – DH
Matt Olson – 1B
Ozzie Albies – 2B
Michael Harris – CF
Mauricio Dubon – LF
Austin Riley – 3B
Joey Bart – C
Jim Jarvis – SS

SP: Martin Perez – LHP

Broadcast info

First pitch: 7:10 PM ET
TV: SNY
Radio: Audacy Mets Radio WHSQ 880AM, Audacy App, 92.3 HD2

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Monday night Orioles game thread: at Tigers, 6:40

Jul 7, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles infielder Jackson Holliday (7) tosses the ball to first base after fielding a ground ball in the second inning against the Chicago Cubs at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images | Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images

Jackson Holliday will bat sixth and play shortstop tonight as the Orioles look to get back in the win column against Detroit. Gunnar Henderson will bat third and serve as the designated hitter.

Coby Mayo will get the start at third base against right-handed pitcher Keider Montero, and Jeremiah Jackson will play second. Leadoff hitter Dylan Beavers, Leody Taveras and Taylor Ward will handle the outfield duties. Pete Alonso will bat second and play first base.

Chadwick Tromp will bat ninth and catch Kyle Bradish. The Orioles made a move to shake up their catching situation by recalling recent waiver claim Yohel Pozo and designating Sam Huff for assignment, but Tromp will still get the start tonight.

Bradish will look to play stopper after the Orioles dropped two winnable games over the weekend. Bradish recently received a five-year, $90 million extension, and Baltimore will look to the righty to help steady the ship this evening.

The Orioles will enter the series four games below .500 and 2.5 games back of the final wild card position. Baltimore (51-55) currently holds a one-game advantage over Detroit (50-56) in the race for the final spot.

Orioles lineup

  1. Dylan Beavers RF
  2. Pete Alonso 1B
  3. Gunnar Henderson DH
  4. Taylor Ward LF
  5. Leody Taveras CF
  6. Jackson Holliday SS
  7. Coby Mayo 3B
  8. Jeremiah Jackson 2B
  9. Chadwick Tromp C

Starter: RHP Kyle Bradish

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2025/26 Spurs Player Reviews: Jordan McLaughlin

OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - MAY 20: Jordan McLaughlin #0 of the San Antonio Spurs dribbles against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the third quarter in Game Two of the NBA Western Conference Finals at Paycom Center on May 20, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. 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 Alex Slitz/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Welcome to Pounding the Rock’s 2025-26 player reviews! The series will look at the players who finished the season with the San Antonio Spurs on guaranteed contracts and who played consequential minutes and/or a vital role (so no two-way players because we hardly saw them this year, no players who were traded away, and none of the deep bench centers, since they were both irrelevant and are now all gone).

Jordan McLaughlin

2025-26 stats: 44 games played, 6.4 MPG, 2 points, 0.7 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 42.5 3FG%

Contract Status: 1 year, minimum contract

Age: 30

There’s not much that can be asked about journeymen on minimum contracts. They are simply expected to suit up when needed, likely due to injury to a rotation player, and mostly blend in, helping when possible but mostly just not hurting the team too much.

The Silver and Black, who couldn’t find a veteran big who could live up to those modest expectations, mostly got that from their fourth-string point guard. Jordan McLaughlin only played a total of 282 minutes in the regular season, fewer than Jeremy Sochan, as a comparison point, spread over 44 games, so it’s hard to consider him an impact player. The good news is that he didn’t try to be one when his number was called, even in his handful of playoff minutes.

At this point, McLaughlin knows that the reason he’s still in the league is that he plays within himself. The veteran guard took decent care of the ball, played disruptive defense, and was happy to pass to a more talented creator while spotting up from beyond the arc. He brought the same level of professionalism in garbage time as he did in the Conference Finals, which is what you want from your 11th guy.

Delving into the numbers from someone who played so little and so often in low-leverage situations isn’t really helpful, so any judgement of McLaughlin has to rely on the eye test, which is kind to him. As a break-in-case-of-emergency ball handler and veteran stabilizer, he looked the part. He never impressed, but he rarely looked out of place or helpless when he was on the floor, as others in the deep bench did.

Looking ahead

While McLaughlin was fine in his role last season, he benefits from the comparison to the horrendous platoon of veteran centers and an underwhelming Lindy Waters III, who showed some intriguing flashes but couldn’t crack the rotation. The expectations from everyone on the periphery of the roster were low, so McLaughlin meeting them doesn’t feel like a significant achievement.

There was a case to be made for a change in the fourth guard spot heading into 2026/27. Knowing what you are going to get from someone can be comforting, and the still youngish and supremely talented Spurs need veterans who will be fine with little to no minutes, but taking the long view, finding someone with more oomph to their game than McLaughlin might have been a good idea. After all, at some point the logjam at point guard will eventually disappear as a result of the increasing cost of the roster, and San Antonio will need actual production from a backup.

For now, though, McLaughlin (and the two-way guards) will do. The vet won’t complain about the many, many games in which he won’t get to see the floor and hopefully will continue to hit open threes to complement his solid floor game and tenacious defense.

If this is, as it probably should be, J-Mack’s last season in San Antonio, he has the opportunity to leave a good impression just by being ordinary instead of a liability in the few minutes he gets, which seems like something he should be able to accomplish.

Top performance

6 points, 1 assist in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals against OKC. McLaughlin got few but important minutes in De’Aaron Fox’s absence and did well enough under the bright lights.

Final grade: C+

Next up: Carter Bryant

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Why LeBron James could be traded by the Philadelphia 76ers

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows LeBron James speaks into a microphone at the TIME100 Sports Gala, Image 2 shows Collage of LeBron James in a 76ers jersey next to the 76ers logo

LeBron James’ move to Philadelphia may have been billed as his “last decision,” but one small detail buried inside his new two-year, $8 million contract with the 76ers leaves the door open for an unexpected plot twist. 

Unlike his contracts with the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Los Angeles Lakers, James’ new deal with the Sixers does not include a no-trade clause because under NBA rules it legally couldn’t. 

LeBron James has his new team with the Philadelphia 76ers, but it doesn’t mean he’s there for the rest of his career. NY Post

James wasn’t eligible for a no-trade clause because players must have at least eight years of NBA service and four consecutive seasons with the team they are signing a contract with. James will embark upon a record-breaking 24th season this fall, making the former part of the rules not a problem, but because he has never played with the Sixers before, the latter was the issue. Had James re-signed with the Lakers he would have been eligible for a full no-trade clause. 

James was able to negotiate a player option for the second year of the contract, and added a 15% trade kicker, which guarantees James a 15% bonus on the remaining guaranteed salary should he be dealt during the first year of the contract. With the veteran minimum salary James is making, that should not deter any team from wanting to acquire him. 

LeBron James has decided to play for the 76ers, but if things go south, it’s likely Philadelphia could trade him. Getty Images for TIME

Without James’ power to veto a trade, Philadelphia retains the right to trade the four-time NBA Champion should their season go sideways. 

Realistically, the Sixers trading LeBron is a long shot. At just under $4 million dollars this season, James is the biggest bargain in professional sports. His value off the floor in ticket sales, television ratings, jersey sales, merchandise, and sponsorships will far exceed his salary. Even if his production on the court falls off a cliff, he’s still worth more to the Sixers than almost any other player in NBA history making the veteran minimum. 

Still, Philadelphia’s fan base has a history of turning on their stars quickly. If injuries or dysfunction derail the Sixers season, and they suddenly find themselves staring at the lottery instead of the playoffs come the All-Star break, then James’ contract gives them an escape hatch. 

There’s a precedent as well. Many teams have hit the eject button on their experiments with “untouchable” stars. The Golden State Warriors traded D’Angelo Russell just 33 games after signing him to a four-year contract. The Brooklyn Nets dismantled the Kevin Durant-James Harden-Kyrie Irving experiment faster than you’d remove a bandage. Even the Lakers moved on from their Russell Westbrook experiment after one year. 

LeBron says this is his final chapter and it most likely is, but without a no-trade clause, the ending isn’t entirely his to write.

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Astros Announce 2026 Draft Class Signings

HOUSTON, TEXAS - JULY 22: Houston Astros first-round draft picks Logan Hughes (L) and Jack Radel (R) pose for a portrait session after signing their contracts at Daikin Park on July 22, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Houston Astros/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Houston Astros have signed 20 members of their 2026 MLB Draft class, along with three non-drafted free agents. The highest pick to sign today was second-round pick LHP Wes Mendes from Florida State University. The announcement was made by Astros Director of Amateur Scouting Cam Pendino.

The Astros three non-drafted free agents are RHP John Carver from Adelphi University, RHP Carson Estridge from West Virginia University and IF Drew Wyers from Mississippi State University. Carver was the 2026 Northeast 10 Pitcher of the Year after he recorded a 2.67 ERA (17ER/57.1IP) with 92 strikeouts and a .186 opponent batting average in 10 starts. Estridge was a 2026 All-Big 12 Honorable Mention selection after finishing the season with a 3.09 ERA (12ER/35IP) and 34 strikeouts in 22 relief appearances. In 2026, Wyers batted .333 (20×60) with two doubles, four home runs, 16 RBI and a 1.020 OPS in 33 games.

Astros signings from their 2026 MLB Draft are listed below.

Rnd (#)               Player                              Pos.      B-T                      Ht./Wt.                            DOB                    Age       School              

1 (17)                  Logan Hughes                OF         L/L                       5-11/197                             4/27/05              21          Texas Tech

PPI (28)              Jack Radel                       RHP      R/R                      6-5/250                             09/14/04            21          Notre Dame

2 (57)                  Wes Mendes                   LHP      R/L                       6-1/198                             10/04/04            21          Florida State

3 (93)                  Keon Johnson                 SS          R/R                      6-2/203                             3/07/08              18          First Presbyterian HS (GA)

4 (121)                Kam Durnin                     SS          R/R                      6-1/200                             08/05/04            21          Missouri

4C (133)             Beau Peterson               IF           L/R                       6-3/195                             08/03/07            18          Mill Valley HS (KS)

5 (153)                Gavin Eddy                      RHP      R/R                      6-5/225                             09/22/04            21          California

6 (182)                Michael Addari               RHP      R/R                      6-6/225                             06/01/04            22          Illinois State

7 (211)                Bryan Carney                 RHP      R/R                      6-6/210                             01/12/04            22          University of Olivet (MI)

8 (241)                Aaron Piasecki               SS          L/R                       5-10/187                            11/03/03            22          Troy

9 (271)                Ryan Pruitt                       OF         L/L                       5-11/185                             10/19/03            22          South Florida

10 (301)              Tazwell Butler                 RHP      R/R                      5-11/210                             06/24/03            23          Kansas State

11 (331)              Peyton Fiene                   RHP      R/R                      6-2/190                             10/22/05            20          Odessa JC (TX)

12 (361)              Owen Nowak                 OF         L/L                       6-1/200                             06/13/05            21          Middle Tennessee State

14 (421)              Brady Thomas                RHP      R/R                      6-6/220                             12/27/03            22          Jacksonville State (AL)

16 (481)              Rashawn Galloway       C           R/R                      6-0/193                             09/04/03            22          Texas State

17 (511)              Ben Tryon                        IF           L/R                       6-1/210                             09/28/04            21          Dallas Baptist

18 (541)              Petey Soto Jr.                  SS          R/R                      5-10/175                             04/27/05            21          Utah Tech

19 (571)              Noah Miller                     C           R/R                      6-0/200                             09/11/04            21          Michigan

20 (601)              Mick Uebelhor               RHP      L/R                       6-3/210                             11/24/04            21          Western Kentucky

NDFA                 John Carver                    RHP      R/R                      6-3/210                             10/06/03            22          Adelphi University (NY)

NDFA                 Carson Estridge             RHP      L/R                       6-7/210                             11/17/03            22          West Virginia

NDFA                 Drew Wyers                    IF           R/R                      6-2/200                             06/15/03            23          Mississippi State          

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D-backs @ Pirates Discussion

Duquesne Incline in Pittsburgh. (Photo by: John Greim/Loop Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

Today’s Lineups

DIAMONDBACKSPIRATES
Corbin Carroll – RFJake Mangum – CF
Geraldo Perdomo – SSBrandon Lowe – 2B
Gabriel Moreno – CBryan Reynolds – LF
Ketel Marte – 2BEsmerlyn Valdez – RF
Max Kepler – LFRyan O’Hearn – DH
Tyler Locklear – 1BNick Gonzales – 3B
Adrian Del Castillo – DHJacob Gonzalez – SS
Ildemaro Vargas – 3BTyler Callihan – 1B
Ryan Waldschmidt – CFHenry Davis – C
Merrill Kelly – RHPMitch Keller – RHP

And so the Diamondbacks start their Most Crucial Season of the Series (TM, Clickbait Enterprises). Seem to have been hearing that phrase a lot lately. Certainly, for the first series after the All-Star break against the Cardinals, and then again, over the weekend in Washington. Arizona won one series and lost the other. And, guess what? Nothing much changed. Sure, we’d like to have beaten the Nationals. But considering Mitch Bratt and Kohl Drake had four (4) major-league starts between them going into Washington, and neither were expected to be part of our rotation this year, I can’t say I am exactly shocked by the outcome.

Consequently, the D-backs go into Pittsburgh with the front of their rotation ready to do battle. Or so you’d perhaps think. Though if you were looking only at the results since the break, the optics would be rather different from the first half. Each starter has appeared twice, and the worst ERA belongs to… first-half MVP, Eduardo Rodriguez, at 7.27. Small sample size applies, obviously: he has only thrown 8.2 innings, but that is also the fewest in the rotation, two turns through in the second half. While regression was expected, if E-Rod ends up pitching like the 2024-25 version in the second half of the year, it’s going to make things tough for Arizona.

Cross that when we come to it on Wednesday though. Today, it’s Merrill Kelly, who has had the best ERA post-break, at 2.70. However, his FIP is more than twice that figure at 5.41, in part because the strikeouts he got in his last couple of first-half outings have evaporated. His two starts since have been curiously similar. Each outing has been for five innings, seen Merrill throw exactly 87 pitches, allow six base-runners, one home-run (a solo shot), and get three strikeouts. Guess we know what to expect from him today. As long as the result is more like the A’s game (15-5 win) than the Cardinals (4-5 loss), I’ll be fine with that.

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Astros SS Jeremy Pena Named AL Player of the Week

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JULY 26: Jeremy Peña #3 of the Houston Astros hits a solo home run in the first inning of the game between the Houston Astros and the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field on July 26, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Griffin Quinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Major League Baseball announced today that Astros SS Jeremy Peña has been named the American League Player of the Week for the week of July 20-26. For the week, Peña hit .500 (13×26) in six games with five home runs and eight RBI while posting a 1.577 OPS.

Peña helped lead the Astros to a 5-1 record in the week by hitting a league-leading five home runs, including two leadoff homers and a grand slam, and recording a streak of three straight three-hit games. Overall during the week, he led all American League players in hits (13), home runs (5), runs (10) and SLG (1.077), ranked tied for first in batting average (.500) and OPS (1.577), and ranked second in RBI (8).

This marks the first career AL Player of the Week award for the highly-decorated Peña, who’s also earned an All-Star selection (2025), a Gold Glove award at shortstop (2022), and was named the ALCS and World Series MVPs in the Astros 2022 Championship season.

Peña is having a strong season, hitting .319 (72×226) with nine doubles, 11 homers, 30 RBI, eight stolen bases, a .373 OBP and an .877 OPS in 59 games, in which the Astros have gone 32-27. He’s had his season slowed due to a pair of IL stints, which sidelined him for a combined 48 games. Since his most-recent activation on July 10, Peña is hitting .419 (18×43) with a 1.214 OPS in 11 games.

This is the fourth AL Player of the Week award won by an Astro this season, with the previous three belonging to DH Yordan Alvarez (March 30-April 5, June 1-7, June 29-July 5). The Astros are the only AL team to win four Player of the Week awards this season.

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Jhoan Duran blows the save – and there's concern for Zack Wheeler

Jhoan Duran blows the save – and there's concern for Zack Wheeler originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

MIAMI – Back in the day, opposing hitters used to tell a pitcher how his stuff was on a given night.

Now, technology tells the story.

Both measurements offered a disconcerting view of Zack Wheeler on Monday night.

The Phillies’ ace lasted just three innings in an 8-7 loss to the Miami Marlins. He gave up five runs. Among the six hits he allowed were two home runs, a double and a triple.

Wheeler left trailing, 5-2. The Phillies rallied to take a 7-5 later in the game, but lost it when closer Jhoan Duran allowed three runs in the ninth.

The Marlins snapped a 12-game losing streak.

The blown save was just Duran’s second in 26 chances.

Wheeler’s three-inning start matched the shortest in his seven seasons with the Phils. He had starts of just three innings in June 2021 and April 2022.

Making his 300th career start, Wheeler was staked to an early lead when Bryce Harper smacked a two-run homer in the first inning. The Marlins tied it in the bottom of the first on a pair of Phillies errors and a solo homer. Wheeler then allowed three runs in the second inning on a homer, a walk, a double and a triple.

While the Marlins’ bats feasted on Wheeler’s pitches, the metrics offered the reason why. The velocity and spin rates on all his pitches were down from their season norms. His best fastball of the night was 95 mph, shy of its season average of 95.2 mph. For the game, his fastball averaged 93.5 mph, down 1.7 mph from its season average.

Despite the drop in velocity, Wheeler managed to strike out six Marlins. But manager Don Mattingly did not take any chances riding out Wheeler. After a dugout consultation with pitching coach Caleb Cotham and head athletic trainer Paul Bechheit, Mattingly pulled Wheeler after three innings and 68 pitches.

It was not immediately clear if Wheeler was injured or ill. The team offered no in-game medical report, an indication that he was not hurt. Further information was to come after the game. Losing Wheeler for any amount of time would hurt the pitching-thin Phillies. Losing him for an extended amount of time would be devastating. The team is already scouring the trade market for starting pitching help.

After the third inning, Wheeler approached Harper in the dugout and offered a fist bump. One could assume the pitcher was saluting Harper for providing the early 2-0 lead, which turned out to be short-lived.

Wheeler left trailing, 5-2, but the bullpen kept it right there and the bats came alive with four runs against reliever Cade Gibson in the sixth inning to take a 6-5 lead. Harper started it off with a walk and Alec Bohm (RBI single), Bryson Stott (single), J.T. Realmuto (RBI double) and Justin Crawford (two-RBI single) continued the rally.

The Phillies extended their lead in the eighth when Stott tripled and scored on a sacrifice fly by J.T. Realmuto.

After Wheeler’s departure, Kyle Backhus, Jose Alvarado, Jonathan Bowlan, and Orion Kerkering combined on five shutout innings before Duran let it get away in the ninth.

The Phillies are 3-7 since the All-Star break.

More coming…

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Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Pittsburgh Pirates: Merrill Kelly vs. Mitch Keller

PITTSBURGH, PA - JUNE 23: Mitch Keller #23 of the Pittsburgh Pirates pitches in the first inning against the Seattle Mariners at PNC Park on June 23, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Pittsburgh Pirates, July 27, 2026, 6:40 p.m. ET

The Pittsburgh Pirates are starting a three-game set as they welcome the Arizona Diamondbacks for their annual trip to PNC Park.

Getting the start for the Pirates is Mitch Keller, who boasts a 6-7 record with a 5.90 ERA. In Keller’s last start against the New York Yankees, he pitched five innings, giving up three hits and no runs in a 5-3 victory at Yankee Stadium. This is Keller’s second start against the Diamondbacks this season. He pitched six innings, giving up four hits and two earned runs, back on May 7 in a 4-2 victory against the Snakes at Chase Field.

Merrill Kelly is making the start for the D-Backs in the first game of the series. Kelly is coming off of a win in his last start against the Athletics. He pitched five innings, giving up five hits and two runs in a 15-5 route at home. Kelly is looking for his fourth victory in the month of July after picking up five losses in June.

Both teams are right in the thick of things in the NL Wild Card standings, making this a massive series for Arizona and Pittsburgh. With the trade deadline a week away, these games could have a lot of weight in determining what each team does ahead of Aug. 3.

Location: PNC Park, Pittsburgh, PA

Broadcast: KDKA AM/FM, Sportsnet Pittsburgh

Pitching Matchup: Merrill Kelly (8-8, 5.12 ERA) vs. Mitch Keller (6-7, 5.90 ERA)

BD community, chime off in the comments section below.