The Philadelphia Flyers have added to their forward depth by signing a former first-round pick.
According to PuckPedia, the Flyers have signed forward Nolan Foote to a one-year, two-way contract. At the NHL level, Foote will have an $850,000 cap hit.
Foote appeared in 12 games last season for the Florida Panthers, where he recorded one goal, six penalty minutes, and 27 hits. He spent the majority of the season in the AHL with the Charlotte Checkers, though, posting 14 goals, 18 assists, and 32 points in 54 games.
Foote was selected by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, 27th overall. In 42 career NHL games over six seasons split between the New Jersey Devils and Panthers, the 6-foot-3 forward has recorded seven goals, three assists, 10 points, and 59 hits.
Foote will now likely serve as a veteran forward for the Flyers' AHL affiliate, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. However, he also could be a call-up candidate for Philadelphia when injuries arise during the season.
Drummond’s played in 152 games over two stints with the Sixers and averaged 6.5 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.4 assists. He shared backup center minutes with Adem Bona the past two seasons and took pride in being an active mentor to the ultra-athletic 23-year-old.
Drummond enjoyed expanding his game to include regular three-pointers last season. He went 32 for 90 (35.6 percent) beyond the arc. Entering the year, Drummond had made just 18 threes in his NBA career. The transformation wasn’t as dramatic, but Drummond also set a new career high in free throw percentage, making 63.1 percent of his foul shots.
“There’s a lot of work that I’ve put into it, not only this year but throughout my entire career,” Drummond said on April 15 of his outside shooting. “I’ve worked countless hours … and the work is showing. Shoutout to (Sixers head coach) Nick Nurse for giving me the green light to shoot those shots.”
Success has a cost – but the Knicks’ extreme success is an expense on everyone else.
With the Knicks winning 13 straight playoff games, sweeping two consecutive opponents and making short work of the Spurs in a five-game series in the NBA Finals, the NBA’s salary cap will be much lower than previously expected, according to ESPN.
When the NBA negotiated a $77 billion media rights deal, tripling the previous deal in total value, it attempted to curb the drastic increase in the salary cap by elevating it by a maximum of 10 percent.
Jalen Brunson’s Knicks dominated the NBA enroute to the Finals. NBAE via Getty Images
After the Knicks’ run, though, the upcoming salary cap jump is reportedly just 6.7 percent in the first year of the new media-years deal, which lasts 11 years.
That the Knicks needed just nine games total across the conference finals and NBA Finals — four in the conference, five in the Finals — factored into the dip, per ESPN.
The salary cap is currently $165 million, so the projected increase of 6.7 percent would land it at $175.73 million.
If it had gone up the full 10 percent, the salary cap would sit at $181.5 million.
The NBA warned that the salary cap increase might not reach the 10 percent number, but the Knicks’ postseason dominance is having even further resounding impacts than had previously been anticipated.
The NBA’s salary cap was much lower thanks to the Knicks playoff run. NBAE via Getty Images
The Knicks played in just 19 postseason games on their dominant run to an NBA championship, where they outscored opponents by 14.9 points per game, the best differential in NBA playoff history.
The 19 playoff games played by a champion are tied for the second-fewest in the NBA since 2002 and are only beaten by the 2017 Warriors, who added Kevin Durant to a 72-9 team.
The 2001 Lakers went 15-1 and remain the gold standard for teams in terms of dominance.
News broke postgame that Vasquez had fainted while he was escorted to the X-ray room to get his right ankle checked.
San Diego Padres pitcher Randy Vasquez throws a ball during a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. William Navarro-Imagn Images
Vasquez started for San Diego Thursday, giving up four earned runs in three innings pitched after staying in the game despite Mookie Betts hitting him in the ankle with a comeback in the first inning.
He reportedly lost consciousness while walking to the X-ray room, and was thankfully caught by a team trainer before falling to the ground. He was then taken to a local hospital for precautionary testing.
The 27-year-old Vasquez was said to be in stable condition and responsive at the hospital. And Padres manager Craig Stammen provided a positive update regarding his status Friday morning.
Randy Vasquez gets his ankle checked during a start against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Wally Skalij for CA Post
“The only thing I got [on Vasquez] this morning was that he’s all clear, and that they were heading back to the hotel. So that’s great news in what could’ve been a really scary situation,” Stammen said, per a July 3 X post from MLB Network Radio.
“But glad Randy is doing well, and X-rays were negative, and all tests came back pretty clean. So we’re in good shape,” Stammen added.
The #Padres catch a MASSIVE break as a hard-hit ball from Mookie Betts hits off Randy Vasquez right into Ty France at 1st pic.twitter.com/0NDue2Z8dk
— Padres Highlights (@FriarHighlights) July 3, 2026
It’s great to hear that Vasquez is doing well after having fainted. And while there’s no definitive update on his ankle, the fact that he remains in the game for several more innings after the comeback hit him and that the X-rays came back negative is a good sign.
Vasquez has a 6–6 record with a 4.71 ERA through 16 starts (of 17 appearances) this season. The Padres will hope he’s available and healthy to make his next start.
Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters
PHOENIX, AZ - MAY 23: Andre Drummond #2 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on during the game against the Phoenix Suns during Round 1, Game 1 of the 2021 NBA Playoffs on May 23, 2021 at Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. 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 2021 NBAE (Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
LA dealt Ayton to the Wizards for cap relief and draft picks, opening up the backup big spot. Immediately, the team was linked to multiple players, including Andre Drummond and Kevon Looney.
The Lakers will now focus on finding Walker Kessler's backup on the market — with centers such as Andre Drummond, Jonas Valanciunas and Kevon Looney among those being considered, sources said.
The Wizards took a patient approach to the start of free agency and now land a… https://t.co/3GEA9Wx7gY
A name that's come up when talking to rival teams about a player who would fit the Lakers' current roster has been Andre Drummond. Interesting to see how the Lakers navigate the back-up center spot.
Drummond is an elite rebounder who could come in and make the most of the opportunity. This would be Drummond’s return to LA as he was with the team during the 2020-21 season. Last year, as a backup with the Sixers, he averaged 6.4 points and 8.4 rebounds per game.
Kevon Looney or Jonas Valančiūnas are also viable bigs the Lakers could pursue.
Looney is an 11-year vet who spent his first decade with the Warriors. Last season, he joined the Pelicans but played limited minutes, averaging just 2.8 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game.
He played in 65 games for the Nuggets last season, averaging 8.7 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game. As a backup in LA, he would make a ton of sense, providing size and strength, along with rebounding and scoring ability.
Nick Richards is another name that’s being reported as a player that could end up with the Lakers.
Some other centers that are unsigned – Nick Richards and Kevon Looney https://t.co/bUj0GWF1MC
Richards has bounced around the NBA playing on three different teams in his six-year career. Last season, he averaged 5.8 points and 5.1 rebounds per game.
The reported trade involving Ayton is a surprise, but it all but guarantees that other moves are coming. The Lakers can’t enter the season with so few bigs, so whether it’s Drummond, Looney, Richards, or someone else, more frontcourt help will have to be arriving.
Stay tuned Lakers fans, the front office is cooking. Hopefully, it’s something everyone will want to eat.
The Yankees made a flurry of roster moves on Friday, most notably, placing star LHP Carlos Rodon on the 15-day injured list with left elbow inflammation.
The move is retroactive to June 30, two days after he last pitched against the Boston Red Sox on June 28. Rodon allowed just one hit in the outing, striking out six and walking four over 5.0 IP.
Over nine starts this season, Rodon has gone 4-2 with a 3.30 ERA and 52 strikeouts through 46.1 IP.
Prior to Friday's game, Rodon said that his UCL is intact and he's dealing with heavy inflammation in the elbow, according to The Athletic's Chris Kirschner.
Additionally, New York reinstated both Trent Grisham and Ryan McMahon from the 10-day injured list. Grisham has been out since June 12 with a right hamstring strain, while McMahon was out since June 21 due to a throat infection.
The team also optioned Oswaldo Cabrera to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre after bringing him up with McMahon sidelined. He went hitless with four strikeouts in nine at-bats over three games.
On what was supposed to be a day of injury relief around the Yankees, yet another concern emerged for a club struggling both with health and performance.
Access the Yankees beat like never before
Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Greg Joyce about the inside buzz on the Yankees.
The Yankees officially activated Trent Grisham and Ryan McMahon on Friday but placed Carlos Rodón on the 15-day injured list with what the lefty called “heavy inflammation” — but nothing worse — in his pitching elbow.
Rodón had been bothered by the elbow “on and off” for “the last couple weeks,” he said, and was having issues with recovery that escalated this week.
He underwent an MRI exam on Thursday that found the inflammation and, most notably, found a UCL that was still intact.
“I think it’s a pretty big exhale,” Rodón said before the Yankees opened a series against the Twins in The Bronx.
Carlos Rodon during his latest start against the Red Sox. AP Photo/Steven Senne
Rodón will receive a platelet-rich plasma injection and be shut down for a time — “at least a few days, maybe a week,” manager Aaron Boone said — before building up again.
Neither team nor player offered a timetable, but it is possible he returns within the month if the inflammation clears and recovery goes as planned.
At least at the moment, there is no long-term concern regarding Rodón’s elbow, which underwent a procedure in the offseason to remove loose bodies and shave down a bone spur.
Still, the Yankees will be without another capable starting pitcher — the 2025 All-Star has pitched to a 3.30 ERA in nine starts this season — at a time when they lugged a season-high, seven-game losing streak into play.
Even with an elbow that became increasingly tricky to handle, Rodón allowed two unearned runs on one hit in five innings on Sunday in Boston.
“I really feel like Carlos was throwing the ball well and doing some really good things,” Boone said. “Hopefully this is something that gets cleaned up and gets him in a better place so that he can return for the stretch drive and be even more of a factor for us.”
Also available for the stretch drive, the Yankees hope, will be Max Fried, who has been building up from a bone bruise in his elbow and is now facing hitters again.
But as the Yankees stand today, the club’s rotation has hit its first adversity with Cam Schlittler coming off his worst major league start, Gerrit Cole proving human, Ryan Weathers’ ERA spiking from 3.14 to 4.08 in his past six starts and Will Warren letting up 13 runs in his past 16 ²/₃ innings.
They lack a true fifth starter and plan to summon Brendan Beck from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to either start or pitch several innings out of the bullpen on Saturday.
Yankees Merch Shop
WinCraft insulated can coolers
Team Effort driver head cover
47 Brand adjustable cap
Customizable jersey
Logo fleece blanket
14-ounce sculpted relief coffee mug
New York Post receives revenue from affiliate and advertising partnerships for sharing this content and when you make a purchase.
In his major league debut on May 7, the righty prospect allowed two runs in three innings during a win over the Rangers.
The higher-ranked Elmer Rodríguez was not an option after pitching Thursday, and Luis Gil (shoulder inflammation) has yet to begin a rehab assignment.
Hitting has loomed as the team’s biggest issue — the Yankees have badly missed Aaron Judge, who still does not know when he will receive further imaging much less when he can return, and the absence of Giancarlo Stanton has grown more significant.
The club hoped Grisham and even McMahon could provide a spark in the lineup and in the field.
But the rotation, which had been the Yankees’ greatest strength until just a couple weeks ago, added a bit more uncertainty Friday.
“I want to be back as soon as I can, whenever I’m ready,” Rodón said.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 20: José Caballero #72 of the New York Yankees runs off the field during the sixth inning at Yankee Stadium on June 20, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Adam Hunger/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The month of June did not wrap up the way the Yankees had envisioned, dropping nearly a game per day to wrap up the calendar page. Despite some adversity, no month goes by without a highlight with the bat or some leather. June was no different, as multiple Yankees did their part in preventing runs around the field. With plenty of disappointment abound, why not take a look at some high point with the glove over the past month.
Already trailing by a run, the Yankees were on the ropes in a June 10th game against Cleveland. With a couple of runners on base, Stuart Fairchild threatened to make it a lot worse when he lofted a ball deep into right-center field. But, Trent Grisham swooped in to save the day, not with a particularly challenging grab by his standards, but an impressive one, given the fact that he maintained the catch after some rather significant contact with right fielder Jose Caballero. Clearly shaken up by the collision, Grisham held onto the ball, and put an end to the inning, one that could have a lot worse had things fallen a bit different.
In a tied game this time, the Blue Jays were in prime position, with a pair of runners on second and third with just one out. Charles McAdoo seemingly did his job when he rifled a line drive up the middle, just right of the second base bag. Destined for a two-RBI knock, Jazz Chisholm stepped in and went horizontal to snare the line drive. With a the multi-run saving play, Chisholm helped to keep the threat subsided, and the Yankees went on to claim a tight victory north of the border.
June 17th: Caballero snares a liner just above the grass
With two outs in the seventh and a healthy lead in tow, Caballero did his part in moving the game into its late stages. Chicago’s Randal Grichuk hit a top-spinning line drive into left field. Moving in and to his right, the Yankees’ left fielder got a great jump and fully extended to make the grab. With Caballero low to the ground, his skillful grab put a close to the inning and helped the Yankees grab an easy win at home.
Back-to-back highlights from the Yankee utility man. This time trailing in the sixth inning, JJ Bleday’s fly ball into left-center threatened to make this game a blow out. But, running straight back to the track upon contact, Caballero made a full speed grab over the shoulder. With a full extended arm toward the wall, Cabby’s impressive catch ended the inning and thwarted the threat, while giving credence to his skill at multiple positions around the diamond.
In a tight game against the Tigers, Detroit’s Hao-Yu Lee tried to add to the damage with a push bunt against Ryan Yarbrough. The veteran lefty hopped off the mound to back-hand the ball, before jetting toward the first base bag. With no one over to cover the base, Yarbrough took matters into his own hands and ran to the base before laying out to place the tag on Lee and secure the much-needed out. He was initially called safe, but upon review, the lefty’s hard work paid off and the call was reversed to an out.
DENVER, CO - JUNE 24: Colorado Rockies mascot Dinger carries a laundry basket onto the field before a game between the Boston Red Sox and the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on June 24, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Rockies rolled into May with a surprising record of 14-18, but since then they’ve gone a much more familiar 21-35 to really dig into last place of the NL West. Of course, all season long, the Giants have been burrowing at the edges trying to breach their trench. The teams are separated by 2 games for last place in the division. So, this 3-game series could be pivotal from an embarrassment standpoint.
Sure, the Rockies are inured to win-loss embarrassment by now, but if the Giants came into town and delivered a whoopin’, they might smart a little bit because the Giants have already lost a series in Coors and have been the Diamondbacks’ doormats this season. Meanwhile, the Giants could fall to last place! The last time they were last place on July 5th was… okay, well, not that long ago. In 2019, they were 39-48 on July 5th. But still! Not where the team expected to be this season!
The Rockies might be right on schedule for a 2030 renaissance, though. Hunter Goodman has carried his All-Star 2025 into this season (27 HR, 1.7 fWAR in 340 PA), while prospect Kyle Karros has developed quite nicely in his first full season amassing 1.4 fWAR in 279 PA and a season wRC+ of 96. But in June (81 PA), he led the team with a line of .357/.444/.586 (167 wRC+). He’s performing well alongside trade pickups like T.J. Rumfield (125 wRC+) and Jake McCarthy (112 wRC+). They didn’t add a lot from the outside but have simply managed to improve some of the players on the roster.
Yes, for the Rockies it will always come down to the pitching. That’s still bad. But this Fourth of July weekend, they welcome a team that was as bad as they were in June. For the month, the Rockies had a team fWAR of 4.9 (23rd) while the Giants were 21st with 5.0 fWAR. Now, that team performance for the Giants is buoyed by Logan Webb & Robbie Ray’s dominance (1.4 fWAR & 0.7 fWAR, respectively). But here’s where the comparison gets wacky:
The Giants had a great starting pitching performance throughout the month while the Rockies were stellar in the bullpen. The Giants’ -0.4 fWAR (4.36 ERA in 295.1 IP) was the fifth-worst value in relief pitching for the month. Colorado’s +2.1 fWAR in 375.2 IP was squarely in the middle of the pack (15th). The teams had virtually identical bullpen FIPs (4.45 for SF, 4.46 for COL) but the key difference between the two was that the quality of contact against the Rockies relievers was slightly worse than what hitters could do against the Giants’ silly relief corps.
So, we have our eyes to tell us that the Giants’ bullpen has been bad, but just comparing to the Rockies’ ‘pen really adds an extra layer of despair. A lot of us will be seeing fireworks this weekend, but before the season began you might’ve expected that because of the Fourth of July holiday and not because of an explosively bad reliever group.
Series overview
Who: San Francisco Giants (36-50) at Colorado Rockies (35-53) Where: Coors Field | Denver, Colorado When: Friday & Saturday at 5:10pm PT, Sunday at 1pm PT National broadcasts: Peacock (Sunday)
Projected starters Friday: TBD vs. Ryan Feltner (RHP 2-2, 4.42 ERA) Saturday: TBD vs. Tomoyuki Sugano (RHP 8-4, 4.80 ERA) Sunday: TBD vs. Tanner Gordon (RHP 2-2, 6.69 ERA)
Giants to watch
Bryce Eldridge: His June overall looks really impressive (.295/.385/.474 — 4 HR), but the second half of the month paints a different picture. Since June 15 (55 PA), he’s hitting just .184/.273/.286 (61 wRC+). I’d really like to see him hit some home runs into Nate Schierholtz/Alex Dickerson territory. For reference:
Luis Arraez: He has just a career .274/.319/.323 line at Coors Field (69 PA) and that just seems a little odd for a player like him. Yes, the .274 average makes sense, but that’s a spacious outfield and it seems like he’s so predictable when he hits the ball in the air that the size of the outfield would hardly seem to matter. But Arraez has been on an absolute tear the past two weeks: .415/.457/.707 in his last 11 games (47 PA), so him coming to a cold stop in Coors Field would be a real surprise.
Logan Webb: It was a bit of a headscratcher when he made his return off the IL in Coors Field, but he acquitted himself nicely in just 4.1 innings and he went on to have an absolutely dominant June, so, I’m not nervous to see him pitch there again when last place is on the line.
Prediction time
The Giants salvaged a game in the last Coors series with a 19-6 win, which boosted them to a +6 run differential for the three games despite losing said series. They hit 3 homers in that finale to give them 4 in the series. My prediction: they will hit at least 4 home runs in this series, too.
After falling behind 6-0, the Los Angeles Dodgers (57-31) stormed back and beat the San Diego Padres (43-43), 12-7 on Thursday. Dalton Rushing tied a career-high with four hits and four RBI, while Kyle Tucker added four hits and reached base five times.
Los Angeles is 5-2 versus San Diego this season outscoring the Padres, 41-22 over those seven games. The Dodgers have won five of the last six games overall and 12-4 over the past 16 contests. Shohei Ohtani will start on the mound and the Dodgers have won two straight and six of the previous seven when he starts.
San Diego has lost six straight games, which ties a season-long. The Padres are hitting .284 (6th) with 10 home runs (T-5th), and 13 doubles (T-5th) over those six games. The problem has been the pitching staff. The Padres pitchers boast an MLB-worst 10.48 ERA over the last week to go along with an outrageous .351 OBA (last) and 2.19 WHIP (last).
Let’s dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.
Game details & how to watch Padres at Dodgers
Date: Friday, July 3, 2026
Time: 10:10 PM EST
Site: Dodger Stadium
City: Los Angeles, CA
Network/Streaming: MLB TV / ESPN
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Padres at the Dodgers
The latest odds as of Friday:
Moneyline: Los Angeles Dodgers (-251), San Diego Padres (+203)
Spread: Padres +1.5 (-103), Dodgers -1.5 (-117)
Total: 8.0
Probable starting pitchers for Padres at Dodgers
Friday's pitching matchup (July 3): Shohei Ohtani vs. Michael King
The Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani is hitting .291 with 89 hits, 18 home runs and 50 RBI over 306 at-bats
The Dodgers’ Kyle Tucker is hitting .249 with 74 hits and 72 strikeouts over 297 at-bats
The Padres’ Fernando Tatis Jr. is hitting .280 with 93 hits, 5 home runs, and 33 RBI over 332 at-bats
The Padres’ Jackson Merrill is hitting .212 with 68 hits and 88 strikeouts over 321 at-bats
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Padres at Dodgers
The Dodgers are 43-45 ATS
The Padres are 46-40 ATS, ranking seventh-best
The Dodgers are 46-42 to the Under
The Padres are 46-39-1 to the Under, ranking fifth-best
The Dodgers are 17-24 ATS at home, ranking sixth-worst
The Padres are 21-19 ATS on the road
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Dodgers and the Padres
Rotoworld Bet Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Friday's game between the Padres and the Dodgers:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Dodgers on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Dodgers at -1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Under on the Game Total of 8.0
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
DENVER — Logan Webb was hardly the worst pitcher in baseball to begin this season, but he had performed far from his own high standards when he hit the injured list in the first week of May.
Now, in his first full month back, the San Francisco Giants ace earned the highest honor available to him.
Webb was named the National League pitcher of the month for June, beating out the Milwaukee Brewers’ electric ace Jacob Misiorowski for the first monthly honor of his career.
San Francisco Giants ace Logan Webb was named the National League pitcher of the month for June. Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images
In five starts, Webb allowed just three earned runs and walked only four batters while striking out 29. His 0.71 ERA was the sixth-lowest by any Giants starter in a month dating back to 1913, the most dominant month by any San Francisco starting pitcher since Noah Lowry (0.69) in August 2005.
Misiorowski turned in the most dominant start by anybody in the league this season with his 15-strikeout complete game shutout that required only 95 pitches. But Webb made one more start, threw 10 more innings in total and edged out the 24-year-old fireballer’s 0.96 ERA for the month.
Webb beat out the Brewers’ electric ace Jacob Misiorowski for the first monthly honor of his career. AP Photo/Justine Willard
Webb, of course, had a memorable outing of his own that set the tone for the rest of the month.
In his second start back from the IL, Webb took a perfect game against Misiorowski’s Brewers into the sixth inning and didn’t allow a hit until the seventh in what would be his first of three starts he didn’t allow an earned run. He followed those seven shutout inning with his first of three straight starts of eight innings — the first Giants starter to complete eight frames thrice in a row since Madison Bumgarner in 2015.
Clearly, Webb was impacted by the bursitis in his right knee that forced him to the IL for the first time since he established himself at the top of the Giants rotation in the second half of 2021.
Getting healthy isn’t the only thing that spurred arguably the best run of Webb’s career.
The Giants’ ace began calling his own pitches — most of them, anyway — in his second start back from the injured list, flirting with a perfect game in seven one-hit innings in Milwaukee.
“I didn’t throw the best until then. I just came back and [thought] I’ve done it before, I haven’t thrown to these guys a lot,” Webb said. “I mean I was with [Patrick Bailey] for a long period of time. There’s a trust factor in those sorts of things.”
It worked out so well that Webb has continued the practice, trusting himself over two new catchers to keep batters guessing.
He was 2-4 with a 5.06 ERA when he landed on the IL after his May 5 start against the San Diego Padres.
Just two months later, he is 5–5 with a 3.09 ERA and a candidate to make his third All-Star Game.
Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters
Center Deandre Ayton, attempting to score over Rockets guard Amen Thompson, has been traded to the Washington Wizards for guard Jaden Hardy and two second-round draft picks. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
The Lakers have traded center Deandre Ayton to the Washington Wizards for guard Jaden Hardy and two second-round draft picks, in 2031 and 2032, people not authorized to speak publicly on the matter confirmed to The Times on Friday.
Ayton picked up his player option for $8.1 million on Sunday.
But it became obvious that he was expendable as the starting center once the Lakers acquired 24-year-old center Walker Kessler from the Utah Jazz in a sign-and-trade deal worth four years and $130 million.
The Lakers now will be in the market for a backup center.
Centers such as Andre Drummond, Jonas Valanciunas and Kevon Looney are still available. Drummond played 21 games for the Lakers during the 2020-21 season, when he was picked up on the buyout market.
The Lakers acquired Ayton last season after the Portland Trail Blazers bought out his contract, and then signed him to a two-year, $16-million deal.
He averaged 12.5 points and 8.0 rebounds in 72 games last season with the Lakers while shooting 67.1% from the field.
The Wizards believe the 7-foot Ayton will be a good fit alongside centers Anthony Davis and Alex Sarr.
The 6-3 Hardy, who spent three-plus seasons with the Dallas Mavericks before being traded in February to Washington, averaged 9.2 points, 1.5 rebounds and 1.0 assists while shooting 42.4% from the field and 39.7% from three-point range last season.
LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 10: Walker Kessler #24 of the Utah Jazz drives to the basket during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers on February 10, 2025 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 2025 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
After a quiet opening night of free agency, the Lakers got to work. On July 1, they agreed to a sign-and-trade for Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler and agreed to sign Quentin Grimes, Sandro Mamukelashvili and Collin Sexton. A week later, they added Kevon Looney on a one-year, veteran-minimum contract.
In total, the Lakers have shelled out more than a quarter-billion dollars this summer. After entering free agency with the ability to create more than $50 million in salary-cap space, they’re now basically out of spending power.
There may be another shoe still to drop, though.
The Lakers traded Deandre Ayton to the Washington Wizards for Jaden Hardy and two second-round picks. Flipping Ayton’s $8.1 million salary for Hardy’s $6.0 million salary gives the Lakers a bit of remaining cap space, but not enough to do anything meaningful with… yet.
The Lakers renounced the rights to all of their remaining free agents—and the cap holds for Lakers legends such as Wayne Ellington and Dion Waiters—to give themselves enough cap room to make the Kessler, Grimes and Mamukelashvili deals official. They’re now free to sign Sexton with the room mid-level exception and can officially sign Austin Reaves to his new four-year, $184.8 million max contract… unless they have something else (Jonathan Kuminga?) up their sleeves.
The Lakers have no remaining salary-cap exceptions after spending the room MLE, so they can only offer minimum contracts to other free agents for now. They do have a pathway to create more cap space for Kuminga or another free agent, although it would likely involve either salary-dumping Jarred Vanderbilt or waiving him and stretching the remainder of his contract.
Since Looney is signing a one-year deal, his $3.9 million contract will count as only $2.45 million on the Lakers’ books, and they’ll add him via the minimum exception once they’re done spending cap space. They’re also now hard-capped at the first apron after acquiring Kessler via sign-and-trade.
Here’s a look at where the Lakers stand financially in the wake of their free-agent flurry and the Ayton trade.
Player
2026-27 (pre-Reaves/Sexton)
2026-27 (after Reaves/Sexton)
Luka Dončić
$49,488,300
$49,488,300
Austin Reaves
$20,906,361
$41,240,250
Walker Kessler
$30,232,558
$30,232,558
Quentin Grimes
$13,953,488
$13,953,488
Sandro Mamukelashvili
$13,000,000
$13,000,000
Jarred Vanderbilt
$12,428,571
$12,428,571
Collin Sexton
N/A (Room MLE)
$9,366,000
Jaden Hardy
$6,000,000
$6,000,000
Jake LaRavia
$6,000,000
$6,000,000
Dalton Knecht
$4,201,080
$4,201,080
Cameron Carr
$3,316,200
$3,316,200
Kevon Looney
(Minimum exception)
$2,449,421
Bronny James
$2,296,271
$2,296,271
Adou Thiero
$2,150,917
$2,150,917
TOTAL
$163,973,747
$196,123,057
SALARY CAP
$164,961,000
$164,961,000
CAP ROOM
$987,253
-$31,162,057
LUXURY TAX
$200,428,000
$200,428,000
TAX ROOM
$36,454,253
$4,304,943
1ST APRON
$209,015,000
$209,015,000
1ST APRON ROOM
$45,041,253
$12,891,943
2ND APRON
$221,686,000
$221,686,000
2ND APRON ROOM
$57,712,253
$25,562,943
Once the Lakers sign Reaves and Sexton to their new deals, they’re projected to be less than $5 million below the $200.4 million luxury-tax line and roughly $13 million below their first-apron hard cap.
Since the Lakers can’t cross the first apron this season, they will have considerable in-season trade flexibility. Teams above the first apron can’t take back more salary than they send out in trades, but teams below it can take back significantly more.
Kessler, Grimes, Mamukelashvili and Sexton won’t be trade-eligible until Dec. 15 at the earliest, but that’s something to file away for ahead of the trade deadline.
Can the Lakers create more cap space?
Between Reaves, Sexton, Grimes, Luka Dončić and rookie Cameron Carr, the Lakers now appear to be set in the backcourt. Their frontcourt is also in fairly good shape between Kessler, Mamukelashvili, Looney, Vanderbilt and Jake LaRavia.
However, their situation at the three leaves much to be desired, barring a massive leap from either Adou Thiero or an immediate impact from Carr.
Even if Reaves, Dončić and Grimes all start together in a three-guard lineup, the Lakers could use some additional wing help. They have a few pathways to continue adding to their roster this offseason despite being capped out.
The Lakers could always look to salary-dump Vanderbilt ($12.4 million), but they don’t have much left to sweeten any trade offers. They now have zero tradable first-round picks, only one remaining first-round swap (2032), but do have three second round picks now after the Ayton trade.
They could also pull a 2025 Milwaukee Bucks and waive-and-stretch Vanderbilt. Doing so would leave them with a $5.1 million dead cap hit in each of the next five seasons, but that would equip them with an additional $7.3 million of spending power this summer. They’d have to spend that newfound cap space before they officially signed Sexton, Reaves or Looney to their new contracts.
As the game of free-agency musical chairs runs out, the Lakers might be able to snag a wing for cheap — perhaps even on a minimum contract — since they can offer a legitimate role. Playing alongside an elite playmaker like Dončić could help players improve their market value moving forward, too. But if the Lakers hang on to Vanderbilt, they’re likely done with their big moves in free agency.
Do the additions of Kessler, Mamukelashvili, Grimes, Sexton and Looney outweigh the departures of LeBron James, Luke Kennard, Marcus Smart, Ayton and Hachimura? Do the Lakers have something else up their sleeves? We’ll find out soon enough.
Detroit Red Wings prospect goaltender Sebastian Cossa had reached a crossroads with the organization that selected him in the opening round (15th overall) of the 2021 NHL Draft.
He was no longer waivers-except, and was in need of a new contract with restricted free agency looming on July 1. Rather than extend him, the Red Wings traded him to the Utah Mammoth in return for the 23rd overall pick in the 2026 Draft.
Since then, Cossa has signed a two-year contract with a $2 million salary cap hit, while the Mammoth traded backup goaltender Vitek Vanecek to the New York Islanders. Right now, it appears as though the road is paved for Cossa to begin his NHL career.
He only has one game of NHL experience under his belt, having come in to relieve Ville Husso against the Buffalo Sabres in December 2024; he helped the Red Wings earn a 6-5 shootout victory.
While speaking on the final day of Development Camp, Red Wings Director of Player Development Dan Cleary attested to Cossa's character.
"Sebastian is a good man," Cleary said. "I really liked working with Sebastian. He's on the goalie side, and I like to tell him, 'I don't really know a lot about goalies, but I certainly know a lot about character and trying to help you and move along.'"
Cossa finished what would be his last season with the Griffins going 26-8-4, recording a 2.33 goals-against average along with a .915 save percentage.
Never miss a story by adding us to your Google News favorites!
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
Last season, Lakers Nation was the latest fan base to talk itself into the potential of Deandre Ayton before the season, only to watch reality unfold. He was inconsistent but generally fine, although clearly not the guy they needed as a two-way center next to Luka Doncic.
The Lakers are now trading Ayton to the Washington Wizards for guard Jaden Hardy and two Wizards second-round picks in 2031 and 2032, reports Shams Charania of ESPN.
This trade doesn't make immediate sense for Washington, where Ayton will come off the bench, backing up Alex Sarr and Anthony Davis as the starting bigs. With those two bigs on the books, did the Wizards need to put in two picks to take on more money for a backup center?
Last season, Ayton was up and down — as he has been throughout his career — and averaged 12.5 points and eight rebounds per game. Ayton, the 27-year-old former No. 1 pick, picked up his player option for $8.1 million for the coming season.
The Lakers traded for Walker Kessler and are paying him big money (four years, $130 million) to be the center of the future next to Doncic. With Jaxson Hayes now in Utah, the Lakers will look to the market for a backup for Kessler, with Charania mentioning Andre Drummond, Jonas Valanciunas and Kevon Looney. The Lakers need to get the backup big right, as Kessler played just five games last season due to shoulder surgery and 58 the season before that.
The Lakers also get Hardy, 24, who played a limited role in Dallas to start last season but was sent to Washington as part of the Anthony Davis trade. With the Wizards, he played about 20 minutes a night off the bench in 23 games and averaged 12.6 points a game, shooting 42% from 3-point range. He will get a chance for backcourt minutes off the bench for the Lakers.
He's also making just $6 million this season, saving the Lakers a little money. Hardy has a team option for $6 million for the 2027-28 season.
The Lakers, nearly devoid of draft picks after the Kessler trade, add a couple of second-rounders to help fill out their stockpile. They may need those picks if they want to trade someone like Dalton Knecht or Jarred Vanderbilt for a player they think helps more now.
