Last week, our Rangers Reacts survey asked folks what the Texas Rangers should prioritize, should they be buyers at the trade deadline.
It is still up in the air, of course, whether they will be in a position to buy — they are currently occupying Wild Card 3, but a couple of bad weeks could put the Rangers in a place where they’d be more likely to be sellers than buyers. We are going to be optimistic for now, though…
A majority of folks believe that the bullpen is the area that the Rangers should prioritize, and its hard to argue with that stance, given the overall state of the team. Outfield/DH was the next most popular option, followed distantly by the rotation, catcher, and the infield.
For the MLB-wide questions, when asked which MLB exec currently has the hottest seat, David Stearns of the Mets got by far the most votes, though Buster Posey of the Giants and Craig Breslow of the Red Sox each got some support.
In the wake of MLB’s proposal to change the MLB draft rules and length, almost half of folks think the draft should be revamped.
And taking a look back at the Rafael Devers trade from a little over a year ago, the consensus is that no one came out well in that deal.
Jul 5, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Trea Turner (7) breaks his bat while grounding out during the third inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
ATLANTA — Braves left-hander Martín Pérez likely is headed to the injured list after he was hit on his left forearm by Juan Soto’s line drive in a 10-9 loss to the New York Mets.
Atlanta manager Walt Weiss said X-rays on Pérez were negative but added the pitcher is expected to have more tests.
“It’s probably an IL,” Weiss said. “He’s not going to be able to make his next start.”
Pérez (6-6) allowed six hits and five runs, four earned, in 4 1/3 innings. He walked two batters and had one strikeout before being forced out of the game.
After being hit by the liner, Pérez recovered to throw out Soto at first base. Soto looked concerned about Pérez and then appeared to offer encouragement to the pitcher on his way back to the Mets’ dugout.
“I don’t think it’s anything broken, but it’s still an IL likely,” Weiss said. “He got hit hard and it’s his throwing arm.”
The NL East-leading Braves have been using a six-man rotation that only has left seven relievers in the bullpen. Weiss said if Pérez lands on the injured list, the team likely would fill his roster spot by adding a reliever.
“This probably allows us to get back to an eight-man bullpen,” Weiss said.
Bouncing back: Colby Shelton’s Birmingham tenure has started out slowly, but he was a mashing machine this past week. | (Colby Shelton/IG)
Charlotte Knights Record 2-4 (last week), 4-8 (second half), 46-41 (overall)
Knights Players of the Week Caden Connor .421/.500/.526, 19 at-bats
Ryan Galanie .296/.310/.370, 2-for-2 stolen bases, 27 at-bats Mario Camilletti .250/.280/.417, 24 at-bats Jason Matthews .278/.350/.333, 18 at-bats Dustin Harris .500/.667/1.167, 1-for-1 stolen bases, six at-bats Korey Lee .182/.400/.455, 11 at-bats Edgar Quero .133/.235/.333, 15 at-bats Rikuu Nishida .059/.333/.059, 17 at-bats
Jonathan Cannon 6 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 0 BB, 4 K Mason Adams 6 2/3 IP, 7 ER, 8 H, 2 BB, 4 K David Sandlin 6 IP, 3 ER, 6 H, 2 BB, 2 K Shane Murphy 5 2/3 IP, 4 ER, 6 H, 1 BB, 3 K Adisyn Coffey 4 IP, 2 ER, 2 H, 1 BB, 1 K
The Knights are off to a slow start in the second half, as they have dropped their first two series. This time, they lost four of six against the mighty Redbirds (52-35) in Memphis.
Outfielder Caden Connor, 25, was a tough customer at the plate all week against the Redbirds. Connor went 8-for-19 with two doubles and three walks to finish the week with a 1.026 OPS. That was easily enough to lead the team among players with more than six at-bats. This was a cold week for the Knights offense, which averaged 4.17 runs per game. That average is not particularly low, but considering that the Knights have averaged 6.18 runs per game this season, it was a bit disappointing. Regardless, Connor was extremely reliable, and with this excellent performance, he boosted his slash line in 63 games with the Knights to .266/.336/.388. Congratulations to Connor on his first weekly award of the season, as there has been a lot of competition all year for Knight of the Week.
2026 Charlotte Knights Players of the Week Korey Lee (March 27-April 5) Oliver Dunn (April 6-12) Shane Smith (April 13-19) Jarred Kelenic (April 20-26) Oliver Dunn (April 27-May 3) LaMonte Wade Jr.(May 4-10) Jacob Gonzalez(May 11-17) LaMonte Wade Jr.(May 18-24) Jacob Gonzalez(May 25-31) Braden Montgomery(June 1-7) Ryan Galanie(June 8-14) Kyle Teel(June 15-21) Korey Lee(June 22-28) Caden Connor(June 29-July 5)
Barons Player of the Week Colby Shelton .333/.455/.778, 18 at-bats
Alec Briley .360/.385/.440, 2-for-2 stolen bases, 25 at-bats Caleb Bonemer .250/.400/.550, 2-for-2 stolen bases, 20 at-bats Samuel Zavala .313/.353/.563, 16 at-bats Jacob Burke .182/.308/.364, 1-for-1 stolen bases, 22 at-bats Boston Smith .333/.467/.833, 12 at-bats Anthony DePino .150/.261/.450, 20 at-bats
Dylan Cumming 6 IP, 0 ER, 5 H, 1 BB, 6 K Gabe Davis 6 2/3 IP, 8 ER, 10 H, 4 BB, 7 K Lucas Gordon 5 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 3 BB, 5 K Jake Palisch 4 1/3 IP, 5 ER, 7 H, 0 BB, 4 K Jackson Kelley 3 2/3 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 2 BB, 7 K
The Barons had a solid week, winning four of six against Montgomery (39-42) in Birmingham.
Infielder Colby Shelton, 23, who has experience at second base, third base and shortstop, got off to a flaming start to the season with the Dash (.339/.464/.661 in 31 games). After earning the promotion to Double-A, things have not been nearly as easy for the talented infielder. Entering this week, Shelton had a .170/.240/.327 slash line in 41 games with the Barons. However, Shelton turned that trend around in a huge way against the Biscuits, finishing 6-for-18 with two homers, two doubles, and four walks. That was enough to lead the way for a team that went 4-2, and not even Caleb Bonemer (who also had a strong performance) kept pace with Shelton.
Dash Player of the Week Kaleb Freeman .500/.538/1.250, 12 at-bats
James Taussig .333/.385/.708, 24 at-bats George Wolkow .292/.357/.458, 24 at-bats Ely Brown .273/.448/.273, 1-for-1 stolen bases, 22 at-bats Arxy Hernández .208/.269/.250, 24 at-bats Ryan Burrowes .286/.464/.476, 21 at-bats Eddie Park .571/.667/.857, 1-for-1 stolen bases, seven at-bats
Max Banks 7 IP, 0 ER, 3 H, 1 BB, 1 K Riley Eikhoff 6 IP, 3 ER, 8 H, 1 BB, 6 K Justin Sinibaldi 5 IP, 4 ER, 6 H, 2 BB, 2 K Grant Umberger 4 2/3 IP, 6 ER, 5 H, 2 BB, 4 K Drew McDaniel 3 2/3 IP, 1 ER, 3 H, 0 BB, 7 K
After four consecutive .500 weeks, the Dash returned to their dominant ways with a 5-1 week against Greenville (30-43).
Kaleb Freeman, 23, only played in three of Winston-Salem’s six games, but he made his time on the field count. Freeman, who suits up at catcher, first base and left field, went 6-for-12 with three homers, seven RBIs, and a walk. The White Sox selected Freeman in the 16th round of last year’s draft, and he is exceeding expectations by a wide margin so far. In 43 games (40 with Winston-Salem, three with Kannapolis), Freeman is slashing .281/.463/.562, as he is seeing the ball quite well and punishing seemingly every mistake that comes his way.
2026 Winston-Salem Dash Players of the Week Caleb Bonemer (April 6-12) Colby Shelton (April 13-19) Colby Shelton (April 20-26) Caleb Bonemer(April 27-May 3) Colby Shelton(May 4-10) Boston Smith(May 11-17) George Wolkow (May 18-24) Morris Austin(May 25-31) Caleb Bonemer(June 1-7) James Taussig(June 8-14) Kyle Lodise(June 15-21) George Wolkow(June 22-28) Kaleb Freeman(June 29-July 5)
Cannon Ballers Player of the Week Christian Gonzalez .333/.522/.600, 1-for-1 stolen bases, 15 at-bats
Stiven Flores .296/.321/.407, 27 at-bats Matthew Boughton .304/.333/.348, 1-for-1 stolen bases, 23 at-bats Alexander Albertus .250/.348/.300, 1-for-1 stolen bases, 20 at-bats Nick McLain .313/.500/.500, 1-for-1 stolen bases, 16 at-bats Jurdrick Profar .313/.389/.688, 16 at-bats Steven Lancia .444/.444/.667, 1-for-1 stolen bases, nine at-bats
Alexander Martinez 8 IP, 1 ER, 2 H, 2 BB, 12 K Caedmon Parker 5 IP, 1 ER, 5 H, 2 BB, 5 K Truman Pauley 5 IP, 4 ER, 4 H, 3 BB, 5 K Jesús Méndez 4 1/3 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 0 BB, 5 K Gabriel Rodriguez 4 IP, 4 ER, 5 H, 1 BB, 2 K
The Cannon Ballers dropped their first two games against the Wilson Warbirds (43-38), but they rallied to even the series.
Outfielder Christian Gonzalez, 19, could hardly be kept off base in Wilson. Our preseason No. 33 White Sox prospect went 5-for-15 with a homer, a double, seven walks, and a stolen base in his only attempt. After starting out the season in the Complex League, Gonzalez made his debut with the Cannon Ballers on Wednesday, and he made a positive first impression. During his first game, Gonzalez went 1-for-1 with a double, two walks, and a sacrifice fly. Well done to Gonzalez, who is handling the new level nicely so far.
2026 Kannapolis Cannon Ballers Players of the Week Stiven Flores (April 6-12) Abraham Núñez (April 13-19) Javier Mogollón(April 20-26) Arxy Hernández(April 27-May 3) Javier Mogollón(May 4-10) Max Banks(May 11-17) Riley Eikhoff(May 18-24) James Taussig(May 25-31) James Taussig(June 1-7) Derek Cerda(June 8-14) Matthew Boughton(June 15-21) Ryan Schiefer(June 22-28) Christian Gonzalez(June 29-July 5)
ACL White Sox Record 1-4 (last week), 13-33 (overall)
Complex Sox Player of the Week D’Angelo Tejada .385/.429/.923, 13 at-bats
Alan Escobar .333/.333/.467, 15 at-bats Jordan Rich .333/.400/.333, nine at-bats Jefrank Silva .273/.385/.545, 11 at-bats Eduardo Herrera .250/.250/.625, 1-for-1 stolen bases, eight at-bats Steven Lancia .300/.417/.600, 10 at-bats
Fabian Ysalla 8 IP, 3 ER, 5 H, 1 BB, 6 K Justin Fuson 4 IP, 2 ER, 6 H, 1 BB, 5 K Dylan Carmouche 3 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 2 BB, 2 K Felix Doroteo 3 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 0 BB, 3 K Orlando Suarez 3 IP, 4 ER, 6 H, 2 BB, 2 K
Stop me if you have heard this before, but the Complex Sox only picked up one victory in five games this week. Incredibly, in a season that started in May and plays five games a week at most, the team is now 20 games worse than .500.
Despite another lackluster week for the team, infielder D’Angelo Tejada, 20, was on top of his game. Tejada, who primarily plays third base, went 5-for-13 with two homers, a double, and a walk while only striking out once. Tejada was born 17 days after Game 4 of the 2005 World Series, and in 24 games in the Complex League, he has slashed .313/.405/.507. Tejada struggled in Kannapolis, where he opened the season, but he is still very young, and this week was a big step in the right direction.
2026 Complex Sox Players of the Week Alexander Albertus(May 4-10) Eduardo Herrera(May 11-17) Yordani Soto (May 18-24) José M. Mendoza(May 25-31) Yordani Soto(June 1-7) Landon Hodge(June 8-14) Tommy Vail(June 15-21) Yordani Soto(June 22-28) D’Angelo Tejada(June 29-July 5)
DSL White Sox Record 4-1 (last week), 9-16 (overall)
DSL White Sox Player of the Week Orlando Patiño .400/.500/.600, 1-for-1 stolen bases, 15 at-bats
Ronald Cardozo .400/.526/.467, 15 at-bats Fernando Graterol .250/.350/.438, 3-for-3 stolen bases, 16 at-bats Sebastian Romero .235/.316/.471, 4-for-5 stolen bases, 17 at-bats Carlos Vielma .333/.438/.583, 1-for-1 stolen bases, 12 at-bats
Jhoriel De La Rosa 4 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 0 BB, 3 K Yordany Marte 4 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, 1 BB, 4 K Roderic Ramirez 4 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 3 BB, 2 K Franchel Crisostomo 3 IP, 1 ER, 2 H, 2 BB, 4 K Alexander De Los Santos 2 2/3 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 2 BB, 3 K
Whoa, hold on a moment. The DSL White Sox won four out of their five games this week. Yes, this really did happen, and they are out of the cellar of the Dominican Summer League. After dropping the first game of the week, the team ended the week on a four-game winning streak.
Outfielder Orlando Patiño, 18, was terrific, and his performance was strong enough for him to earn his first weekly award. Patiño went 6-for-15 with three doubles, three walks, and a stolen base in his only attempt. Well done to Patiño, whose performance spearheaded his team’s best week of the season.
2026 DSL White Sox Players of the Week Carlos Vielma(June 1-7) Sebastian Romero(June 8-14) Sebastian Romero(June 15-21) Ronald Kelly(June 22-28) Orlando Patiño(June 29-July 5)
Who gets YOUR vote for Minor League Player of the Week?
The Toronto Maple Leafs have been one of the busiest teams this off-season, and the organization could have seen even more activity with their team, with defenseman Morgan Rielly still potentially being a trade piece.
Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman provided an update on where the Maple Leafs stand with Rielly's situation and what the team is expecting in the process of potentially dealing the veteran to another team.
On the final edition of the 32 Thoughts podcast of the season, Friedman reported that the Maple Leafs aren't interested in giving up more assets than they feel they need to in a Rielly trade.
"I heard that Toronto told people they're not paying a big price to move him," Friedman said. "If it's something they consider too much of a sweetener, they won't do it."
Rielly carries a $7.5-million salary cap hit for the next four seasons, and attached to that agreement is a no-movement clause to see out the rest of his contract, according to puckpedia.com.
The 32-year-old has had a couple of cold campaigns the past two years under former head coach Craig Berube. With that, there's a sense that it could be time for a change of scenery for Rielly, as he hasn't played up to the standard of his contract.
Friedman noted that he has reported before that the Maple Leafs could keep Rielly, but he's also seen other reports indicating that the player wants to move on. But regardless of where the organization or Rielly stands in this situation, Toronto will not overpay for the defenseman's departure.
Typically, when a player is paid a salary that does not meet their performance on the ice, if that team wants to move on from that player, they add an additional asset of some sort to the receiving team for the trouble of taking on the contract of the underperforming player.
In return, the Oilers received D-men Shakir Mukhamadullin and Zachary Sharp. Mukhamadullin, 24, hasn't had much experience in the NHL, playing a total of 83 games on a mostly uncompetitive Sharks team. As for Sharp, he's a 21-year-old who is yet to step into professional hockey.
That's the kind of return a team trying to part ways with a bad contract would normally get. Sometimes, it's even less of a useful return.
However, in Rielly's circumstances, his salary cap hit isn't blown out of proportion considering his role on the Maple Leafs, as well as where the salary cap stands going into the 2026-27 campaign.
Therefore, Friedman also shared that Toronto is in a position to keep him in the lineup for next season if need be.
"If Rielly comes back, they'll try to make it work for him," the NHL insider said. "I think they feel that with a new approach and maybe a bit of a different role, that could help him."
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Apr 22, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; A general overall view of Honus Wagner statue at PNC Park. The stadium is the home of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
The 2026 MLB draft is just under a week away, and Pittsburgh has the fifth pick in the draft. The big question is what position should the Pirates address ?
The position I would love to see the Bucs address is catcher. Henry Davis just isn’t working anymore and he is starting to turn into a bust. Endy Rodriguez has been playing pretty well but there are some catchers that I think have a lot of potential.
Vahn Lackey from Georgia Tech isn’t just the top catching prospect he is also one of the top prospects in the entire draft. Lackey had a .397 batting average, 87 hits, 20 home runs and 78 RBIs. It has been a while since Pittsburgh has had a catcher who can hit for serious power and Lackey brings that to the table.
Another catcher to look at is Ryder Helfrick from Arkansas. Taking Helfrick with the fifth overall pick could be a stretch but he is an excellent defender with some power. Helfrick had a .283 batting average, 64 hits, 18 home runs and 53 RBIs.
Another position that the Pirates could look at is in the outfield. The Pirates do have some outfielders in their farm system now but Pittsburgh should build that depth and there are some good players with a lot of potential.
Eric Booth Jr from Oak groove high school in Hattiesburg Mississippi is a prospect I really like. Booth is incredibly athletic with a serious upside to him.
Pittsburgh could take pitcher Jackson Flora here who a lot of people like but I think the upside of Booth is really exciting. I also think there is more of a need for a bat than an arm at this point.
The Pirates can go in a bunch of different directions come July 11th. Catcher is the position that I think should be addressed the most, especially with the catching prospects that are available.
Comment below what position you think the pirates should address at the draft.
TAMPA, FLORIDA - MARCH 21, 2026: Owen Murphy #91 of the Atlanta Braves throws a pitch during the first inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the New York Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner Field on March 21, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
On Sunday night, we reported that Owen Murphy would be the next big prospect call-up for the Atlanta Braves. This was after the news came out that Martín Pérez would likely be heading to the IL due to the injury that he suffered after getting hit with a comebacker during Sunday’s loss to the Mets. We also speculated that Carlos Carrasco would be getting designated for assignment because, well, it’s 2026 Carlos Carrasco and it’s the 2026 Atlanta Braves.
Today, all of that news was confirmed as the Braves made their roster moves official. Owen Murphy is, in fact, being called up and Carlos Carrasco being DFA’d is the corresponding move. Martín Pérez is heading to the IL and JR Ritchie has been recalled to the major league roster as a result.
The #Braves today selected RHP Owen Murphy to the major league roster and designated RHP Carlos Carrasco for assignment. The club also recalled RHP JR Ritchie to Atlanta and placed LHP Martín Pérez on the 15-day injured list with a left forearm contusion.
I’d say that it’s pretty good news that Pérez got away from that incident with just a contusion. It’s still tough to lose him for at least 15 days but we’ll take that over a fracture or any other type of structural damage for Pérez. It makes sense that he’s going to be sitting out for a bit since you wouldn’t want a guy pitching with that ype of injury and hopefully he does heal pretty quickly from this.
With that being said, it’s pretty exciting to see Owen Murphy getting the call-up and hopefully we’ll see him make a successful debut once he’s called upon. There’s still some questions as to whether or not JR Ritchie is ready but it’s better for him to be getting major league reps so that he can continue to get used to this level of competition so that he can hopefully become a positive contributor to this pitching staff.
As far as Carlos Carrasco goes, I’m going to add my personal opinion here and say that this should be the last stop on the DFA cycle for Carrasco. I understand that they value his experience and that the team has a pretty decent relationship with him at the moment.
With that being said, Carrasco’s value as a baseball player comes from his ability to throw multiple innings and it has rarely gone well for him if he goes past an inning of work. Atlanta has plenty of internal options who can serve the same role that Carrasco does and do it better than he can at this point, so hopefully this JR Ritchie can stick around so that the temptation to bring Carrasco back doesn’t creep up.
That’s just speculation on my part and we very well could see Carrasco back in action in the near future. For now, the Braves are turning towards their farm system for help and hopefully both Murphy and Ritchie can find a way to stick around for the time being.
On this day 46 years ago, a late homer and bunt single by Todd Cruz keyed a doubleheader sweep of the A’s. | (Photo by B Bennett/Getty Images)
1933 The first-ever All-Star Game was played at Comiskey Park. The White Sox won a coin flip with the Cubs for the right to host the game that was the idea of Chicago Tribune sports editor Arch Ward, and was played in connection with the Chicago World’s Fair that started in May along the lakefront. The American League won the game, 4-2, thanks to a home run by Babe Ruth in the third inning off of Bill Hallahan.
The Sox representatives in that first game were Jimmy Dykes (3B) and Al Simmons (OF). Dykes scored the first-ever All-Star run.
1954 Virgil Trucks threw a one-hitter at Detroit, beating the Tigers, 4-0. It was the second one-hitter thrown by Trucks in little more than two months; on May 1, he had beaten Boston at Fenway Park, 3-0, with a one-hitter. In this game, the only hit Trucks allowed came in the third inning, when Harvey Kuenn singled to center. Trucks struck out eight in the game.
For the season, Trucks would go 19-12 with a 2.79 ERA, and he’d save the All-Star Game in Cleveland for the American League.
1980 For the first and only time in White Sox history, the club hit two pinch-hit home runs in the same game. And that feat, late in the nightcap of a doubleheader at Comiskey Park, keyed a sweep of the Oakland Athletics.
After a 2-0 squeaker (courtesy of first-inning RBI singles from Jim Morrison and Harold Baines, snapping a 21-inning scoreless drought) supported a complete-game five-hitter by Steve Trout in the opener, the White Sox brought out the heavy lumber late in the nightcap. The club snapped another scoreless streak, this one of 13 2/3 innings within this very twinbill with four homers.
Trailing 4-0 with just seven outs left, the first came courtesy of a Todd Cruz solo shot. The second homer came from Thad Bosley to lead off the eighth inning, followed by a pinch-hit homer from Lamar Johnson. Trailing 4-3 in the ninth, Oakland reliever got the first two outs of the inning before Cruz snuck on with a bunt single. Greg Pryor was sent up to pinch-hit and blasted a sayonara home run deep to left field to send fans home frenzied and happy.
Three of Oakland’s four runs came on solo homers, including an inside-the-park round-tripper from Rickey Henderson, making a total of seven homers in the nightcap.
1983 The golden anniversary All-Star Game was held at Comiskey Park, hosting the game for the third time. The American League mangled the National League, 13-3, stopping an 11-game losing streak. Chicago native Fred Lynn of the Angels hit the game’s first-ever grand slam, off of San Francisco’s Atlee Hammaker (who’d later go on to pitch for the Sox).
Ron Kittle, who’d go on to win the 1983 AL Rookie of the Year, got an infield single in the seventh inning. He was the South Siders’ lone representative.
1999 Chris Singleton became the first White Sox rookie to ever hit for the cycle, when he turned the trick against Kansas City. It was also the first cycle hit by a White Sox player in their eight-plus seasons at New Comiskey Park. The Sox would lose the game, however, 8-7, in 10 innings.
Singleton went 5-for-6 with three runs scored and four RBIs. He would later go on to be a Sox broadcaster for a short period of time.
2007 The Minnesota Twins scored 32 runs and hammered eight home runs in a day/night twin bill at U.S. Cellular Field, winning 20-14 and 12-0. It was a low point for a franchise that had won the World Series less than two years earlier. Jon Garland and Gavin Floyd took the losses.
2010 Facing Mike Napoli in the second inning of a start at Sox Park, Jake Peavy suffered an (officially) unprecedented injury: a complete tear of his lat (back) muscle. He would undergo experimental surgery on July 14 to heal.
At the time of injury, Peavy had made 17 starts, going 7-6 with a career-worst 4.63 ERA. The star righty did come through his possible career-ending injury and made his first start back on May 11, 2011, and would pitch in six more seasons after getting hurt.
2021 The unbelievable injury run continued to plague the White Sox. Catcher Yasmani Grandal became the 15th different player and fourth key starter to go on the injured list for the club, with only a little more than half the season played. He was diagnosed with a torn tendon in his left knee, suffered the night before in Minnesota on a checked swing. A few days earlier in Detroit, he took himself out of the game with a tight calf muscle in the same leg. At the time he was among the club leaders in home runs, on-base percentage and among the league leaders in walks.
After a stint on the IL Grandal came back to put up impressive numbers, finishing the season with 23 home runs and 62 RBIs. In a game against the Cubs on August 27 he’d tie the team record by driving in eight runs in a 17-13 win.
Later that same night, with the Sox needing something positive, pitcher Carlos Rodón gave it to them. The lefthander kept the Twins in check for six innings, allowing one run and striking out eight as the Sox got a badly-needed win, 4-1. With the eight strikeouts, Rodón tied a club record (first set by Juan Pizarro back in 1961) with eight or more strikeouts in nine straight starts.
The Chicago Blackhawks are going to play the Minnesota Wild and St. Louis Blues in the 2026 NHL Preseason. They will have a home-and-home with each of them for a total of four preseason games.
The NHL shaved the preseason down to four in favor of expanding the regular season to 84 games from 82. Instead of having multiple opponents, it will be two close geographical rivals in St. Louis and Minnesota.
• @ MIN 9/19
• vs MIN 9/21
• @ STL 9/24
• vs STL 9/26
The first game in Minnesota could be the first time that we see certain players in a Blackhawks uniform. Bowen Byram, Roman Kantserov, Ian Cole, and Cole Smith, amongst others, come to mind. Whoever doesn’t make their Chicago preseason debut on that day certainly will two nights later at the United Center.
The Blackhawks and the rest of the National Hockey League are expecting to release their schedule over the next couple of weeks, including the promotional slate.
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The Lakers' Rui Hachimura looks on during a game against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center on April 24. (Kenneth Richmond / Getty Images)
Rui Hachimura became the latest Lakers player to move on, agreeing to a two-year, $28-million deal with the Clippers on Monday, people familiar with the deal but not authorized to speak publicly on the matter confirmed to The Times.
Hachimura played at a high level for the Lakers in the playoffs, averaging 17.5 points per game in 10 postseason games, the third-highest average on the team.
He was a lights-out shooter, making 54.9 percent of his field goals and a sizzling 56.9 percent of his three-pointers, which ranked him fifth in three-point shooting during the NBA playoffs.
According to people familiar with the team but not authorized to speak publicly, some members of the Clippers coaching staff liked how Hachimura played and thought he would be a good pickup because of his shooting and athleticism.
The Lakers acquired Hachimura, 28, from the Washington Wizards in Jan. 2023. He spent three-plus seasons with the Lakers and was a favorite of his teammates.
His ability to knock down three-pointers from the corner opened up things for Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, both of whom could rely on Hachimura to be ready to catch and shot even when he didn’t get many touches.
Over 68 games last season with the Lakers, 41 as a starter, Hachimura averaged 11.5 points and shot 51.4 percent from the field and 44.3 percent from three-point range.
He started all 10 playoff games for the Lakers, scoring a playoff-high 25 points against the Thunder in 43 minutes, going nine-for-15 from the field, four-for-eight from three-point range.
Petey Halpin had a triple, a homer and four RBI, Ralphy Velazquez went 2 for 5 with a double and two strikeouts, Angel Genao had a double and a walk, while Logan Allen allowed 2 runs in 6 strong innings and Daniel Espino pitched a scoreless ninth. See you in Cleveland again soon, Daniel.
Bennett Thompson continued his strong start in Triple-A with another home run and a walk, and Alfonsin Rosario hit another homer, his 16th of the year. Rafe Schlesinger struckout six in six innings without walking anyone, and Matt Jahec struck out four in two innings and seems like he might need a promotion soon, with a 2.38 ERA.
Aaron Walton had his 20th steal and Nolan Schubart hit is 12th double while Jervis Alfaro threw five scoreless and Cam Schuelke had another scoreless outing. Jace Laviolette went 2 for 5 with two strikeouts. He is such an interesting player.
New Lakers center Walker Kessler, left, proposed to 2025 Miss America Abbie Stockard on July 4. (Getty Images)
Once again, Walker Kessler sat hunched forward, ears and eyes intently locked onto the person whose words would change his life.
This wasn’t his bewildering 2022 NBA draft day experience captured on video that began with him hearing commissioner Adam Silver announce he had been chosen by the Memphis Grizzlies only to learn moments later that he had been traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves, only to learn two weeks after that he’d been dealt to the Utah Jazz.
No, this time it was about the love of his life, Abbie Stockard. Glued to a screen, Kessler reacted to the words, “Your new Miss America is ... Alabama!” as if he’d been electrocuted. He jumped from his chair and put his hands over his mouth, speechless as Stockard was crowned.
Nineteen months later, Kessler — now the Lakers center — found his voice while on a Fourth of July outing at Lake Martin, Ala., and asked Stockard to marry him. She said yes.
The Lakers obtained the 7-foot-2 Kessler from the Jazz on July 1 in exchange for 2031 and 2033 first-round picks and 2028 and 2030 pick swaps, bringing to L.A. a strong defensive presence to accompany offensive-first star guards Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
Kessler, 24, agreed to a four-year, $130 million contract, not a bad nest egg for newlyweds. The Instagram story of the two sharing their engagement was captioned: “The future Kessler’s. Let’s get y’all married!!!”
Kessler’s mother, Andrea, played matchmaker two years ago, taking a photo of Stockard during an Auburn basketball game and sending it to her son. He messaged her on Instagram.
Stockard was on the dance team at Auburn, where she studied pediatric nursing. Now she is a former Miss America engaged to the Lakers’ newest star.
“I get to marry Walker Kessler — my best friend!,” she wrote on social media. “Our story is truly one that only the Lord could have written. So many things I once thought were coincidences were really His perfect plan unfolding, and our story is greater than anything I could have imagined.
“There’s no one else I’d rather spend the rest of my life with, doing life together and cheering each other on!”
In 201 games with the Jazz, Kessler averaged 9.5 points, 9.3 rebounds and 2.4 blocks across 25.3 minutes. He played only five games last season while recovering from a shoulder injury.
From the moment LeBron James confirmed he would not be returning to the Los Angeles Lakers, the entire NBA ecosystem lost its collective mind.
This is what happens when the league’s all-time leading scorer, even at this stage of his career, suddenly becomes available. It doesn’t matter that he is no longer 28-year-old LeBron. It doesn’t matter that he is not going to spend 82 games dragging a flawed roster uphill with one hand while solving everyone’s spacing problems with the other. It doesn’t even matter that the league has changed around him or that the next generation has already started taking over the room. LeBron is still LeBron, which means the second he hit the open market, every contender, near-contender, dreamer, faker, and front office with a pulse started asking the same question.
Could we talk ourselves into this?
LeBron leaving Los Angeles did not exactly come out of nowhere. The writing was on the wall the moment Rob Pelinka completed the Luka Doncic trade in 2025. That move effectively marked the beginning of the next Lakers era, and no matter how much everyone tried to dress it up with polite quotes and organizational fluff, the truth was obvious. Once Luka arrived, the Lakers stopped being LeBron’s team. Austin Reaves inking a massive $185 million deal only reinforced the point. The franchise had picked its future. LeBron was still great, still marketable, still one of the smartest basketball players who has ever lived, but he was no longer the center of gravity in Los Angeles.
For most of the season, the conventional wisdom was that if LeBron left the Lakers, two destinations made the most sense. Golden State had the bromance angle: LeBron and Steph Curry, the two defining players of the 2010s, finally joining forces for one last ride in California. It would have been shamelessly sentimental and probably irresistible from a ratings standpoint, the NBA equivalent of getting Pacino and De Niro back together. The other obvious option was Cleveland, the full-circle ending, the place where it began and the place where LeBron could close the book in front of the fans who have lived every chapter of his career more intensely than anyone else.
But the NBA moves fast, and this offseason turned into a blender. Giannis Antetokounmpo landing in Miami suddenly made South Beach more than just a nostalgia trip. Boston’s head-scratching decision to ship Jaylen Brown to Philadelphia transformed the Sixers into a fascinating, dangerous, high-volatility contender. The landscape shifted so dramatically that what once looked like a simple retirement-tour decision became a full-blown feeding frenzy. Suddenly this was no longer just about where LeBron wanted to say goodbye. This became about which team could convince him that he still had one more meaningful title chase left.
Then Rich Paul grabbed a whiteboard.
On his Game Over podcast with Max Kellerman, Paul sent the speculation machine into hyperdrive by openly breaking down potential LeBron destinations, and while there were plenty of names scattered across the board, five teams found themselves in the center of the conversation: Cleveland, Miami, Denver, Philadelphia… and Minnesota.
Yes, Minnesota.
Cleveland has to be treated seriously because it is Cleveland. We do not need to rehash the entire quarter-century relationship between LeBron and the Cavaliers. Everyone knows the story. The hometown kid. The impossible expectations. The departure. The return. The 2016 title. The block. The parade. If LeBron wants the cleanest storybook ending, Cleveland is sitting there with the lights already dimmed and the montage music cued up. But before anyone files the Cavaliers away as the inevitable choice, it is worth paying close attention to what Paul said about the Knicks. He suggested that if New York had not just won the NBA title, LeBron becoming a Knick would have been a lock.
That is revealing. If the emotional pull of Cleveland were truly the priority, the Knicks would not have been framed that way. If this were only about sentimentality, the Cavaliers would already have the contract inked. Instead, Paul’s comments make it clear that LeBron is still thinking about basketball stakes, competitive opportunity, and legacy architecture. Cleveland can offer a beautiful ending, but the roster fit is not nearly as clean. The Cavaliers are talented, but they needed seven games to survive Toronto, a team that has only become more dangerous after adding Kawhi Leonard. Then Cleveland got absolutely trounced by the Knicks. Adding LeBron would make them better, obviously, but would it really put them over New York, Philadelphia, Miami, Detroit, Boston, Toronto, and whoever comes out of the West? That is much less clear.
Miami has the glamour and the history, and the Giannis acquisition certainly changes the equation. LeBron returning to South Beach with Giannis already in place would be a headline factory. But the Heat gutted so much of the roster to land Antetokounmpo that the depth question becomes impossible to ignore. In today’s NBA, depth is not a luxury. It is oxygen. You cannot survive four rounds with two stars and a rotating cast of guys you hope can hit corner threes every other night. The Knicks are still the Knicks. Philadelphia is suddenly loaded. Detroit remains formidable. Toronto got better. Boston, even weakened, is not disappearing. Miami with Giannis and LeBron would be fascinating, but it is not hard to imagine that roster running out of bodies before it ever gets close to the finish line.
Denver is the basketball nerd answer if you want to create the highest-IQ frontcourt pairing in league history. LeBron next to Nikola Jokic would be absurd from a passing and processing standpoint. Every possession would feel like two grandmasters playing chess while everyone else is still trying to remember how the horsey moves. But the fit has one glaring problem: Denver’s biggest weakness is defense, and defense is no longer LeBron’s calling card at this stage of his career. The Nuggets would score, but could they stop anyone? This is still the same Denver team that was embarrassingly bounced in the first round by a battered Minnesota squad missing Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo. In a West that still includes San Antonio and Oklahoma City, it is hard to view Denver as the best path to another title, even with LeBron.
That leaves the two teams that make the most basketball sense if LeBron wants to compete without simply jumping onto the easiest possible bandwagon. The first is Philadelphia. The Sixers became instantly more dangerous by adding Jaylen Brown, and a lineup featuring Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, Brown, LeBron, and Joel Embiid looks terrifying on a graphic. The East is also the easier road, which matters when you are trying to reach the Finals for an 11th time and your odometer has more miles on it than any player in history. But every Philadelphia argument eventually reaches the same uncomfortable checkpoint: Joel Embiid’s health. Do you really want to pin the final chapter of LeBron’s career on Embiid being upright, mobile, and available for two straight months of playoff basketball? That is a massive gamble. Without Embiid anchoring the middle, that roster becomes much easier to question against New York, let alone against Wembanyama or an Oklahoma City front line featuring Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein. And Philadelphia fans, passionate as they are, can turn on a bad situation faster than almost any fan base in sports. We saw how quickly the mood shifted from the joy of beating Boston to the wreckage of getting demolished by New York. That is not exactly a soft landing for the grand finale.
Which brings us to the Timberwolves.
The basketball fit is almost too obvious, which is probably why people are having such a hard time taking it seriously. We are conditioned not to put LeBron James and Minnesota in the same sentence unless the sentence is, “LeBron James is not going to Minnesota.” The franchise does not have the cachet of the Lakers, Celtics, Knicks, Bulls, or Heat. It does not have the warm-weather advantage. It does not have the glamour. It does not have the institutional championship pedigree of San Antonio. The Wolves are an expansion franchise that spent most of its existence wandering through the NBA’s basement with a flashlight and a half-eaten granola bar.
But if you strip away the brand name and actually look at the basketball, the Wolves are tailor-made for LeBron.
They have Anthony Edwards, a top-five player with everything you could want from a modern superstar other than the fully hardened championship killer instinct that comes only from time, scars, and being around people who know exactly what that climb requires. LeBron could help teach him that. The two became fast friends during the 2024 Paris Olympics, and if LeBron wants a young running mate who can keep the basketball world engaged and give the documentary crew more material than they know what to do with, it does not get much better than Ant. Edwards is charismatic, fearless, hilarious, explosive, and still young enough to absorb lessons from someone who has lived every possible version of NBA pressure.
They have LaMelo Ball, newly acquired and wildly talented, a gifted passer who spent years in a losing environment in Charlotte and could benefit enormously from LeBron’s knowledge. LaMelo’s creativity is undeniable, but he has never been in a situation where winning was the daily expectation. LeBron could help shepherd him into that world. He could show him what matters, what does not, when to take risks, when to control the game, and how to translate flash into winning. That kind of mentorship is not some throwaway subplot. It could be franchise-altering.
They have Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert, which matters because LeBron’s defense has slipped with age and Minnesota is better equipped than almost anyone to cover that up. McDaniels can take the toughest perimeter assignment. Gobert can clean up the paint. The Wolves would not need LeBron to be 2013 LeBron defensively. They would need him to be smart, positioned correctly, engaged when it matters, and surrounded by elite defensive infrastructure. That is a much more realistic ask.
A starting five of LaMelo Ball, Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, LeBron James, and Rudy Gobert would be the best starting five in the league. It has creation, size, defense, playmaking, athleticism, experience, and multiple ways to win. LeBron would not be asked to carry the offense every night. He would not be asked to save the franchise by himself. Edwards would remain the alpha dog. Ball would handle a major share of the playmaking. McDaniels and Gobert would provide the defensive backbone. LeBron would be the championship brain, the stabilizer, the veteran leader, the guy who walks into the huddle during a 12-2 run and stops everyone from lighting themselves on fire.
That is exactly what Minnesota has been missing.
And the beauty of this scenario is that it would not be ring chasing in the cheap sense. Joining Oklahoma City, New York, or San Antonio would feel like attaching himself to a finished product. Joining Minnesota would be different. The Wolves are talented enough to win, but they have not won. They have come close, they have made deep runs, and they have repeatedly been just flawed enough to fall short. LeBron would not be coasting into a dynasty. He would be trying to finish the job for a franchise that has never finished it before.
The situation would be akin to Tom Brady going to Tampa Bay. At the time, it felt strange. The greatest quarterback ever leaving the most finely tuned NFL machine of the century to join the Buccaneers, a historically strange franchise wearing digital-clock-number uniforms, seemed off. But Brady looked at the football situation and saw what everyone else took too long to appreciate. Tampa Bay had the receivers, the defense, the coach, and the infrastructure. It simply needed the right quarterback to turn a talented roster into a champion. Brady took the risk, went to a franchise without the same pedigree, and immediately changed its history.
Minnesota’s situation is not identical, but the parallel is sitting right there. The Wolves have the talent. They have the superstar. They have the defense. They have the playmaker. They have the front office. They have an ownership group that includes Alex Rodriguez, a fellow athlete-turned-billionaire who gives LeBron at least one familiar type of power-broker in the room. They have a title-hungry market in the Twin Cities, a place carrying the longest championship drought in North American sports among cities with four major men’s teams. What they do not have is pedigree. What they do not have is the final piece of belief, poise, and championship authority.
LeBron could be that.
Would he actually choose Minnesota? Probably not. Even writing it still feels strange. There are decades of NBA logic telling us that players like LeBron do not pick franchises like the Timberwolves unless something has gone wrong in the simulation. But if LeBron truly means what he says, if the contract is secondary, if weather and market size are secondary, if this is really about basketball fit, meaningful competition, and one last chance to chase a championship the right way, then there is not a better option on the board.
Not Cleveland, if sentimentality is not the top priority.
Not Miami, if depth matters.
Not Denver, if defense matters.
Not Philadelphia, if Embiid’s health is the deciding variable.
Minnesota has the cleanest fit, the clearest role, the highest upside without pure coattail riding, and the most legacy-enhancing challenge available.
You can write on the whiteboard all day. You can circle teams, draw arrows, make columns, debate history, market size, weather, branding, and legacy. But if LeBron James is asking the right basketball questions, the math is pretty clear.
The answer is the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Now we wait to see whether common sense actually wins.
However, any teams involved in the highly-touted sweepstakes for James have reportedly been kept “in the dark” and haven’t heard from the superstar or his camp, according to ESPN insider Brian Windhorst.
James’ free agency has dominated the news of the offseason ever since he informed the Lakers he would be leaving the franchise after eight seasons, the longest consecutive tenure of his NBA career.
LeBron James is testing the free agent market this summer and his decision will have league-altering implications. Corey Sipkin for NY Post
Rich Paul, his agent, revealed James is open to joining a contender on the league minimum salary as he searches for happiness in the twilight of his career.
James’ next destination could be the place where he retires — making the free agency decision all the more crucial.
There are reportedly six teams around the league that believe they are in the running to land James, but based on the latest report, there hasn’t been any communication with any finalists.
As six teams are preparing to make final pitches to LeBron James, it appears James has gone silent on the matter. Getty Images
The Philadelphia Sixers, Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves appear to be the superstar’s suitors.
The free agency process for James has been a mysterious and thrilling one. Last week, Paul discussed the contenders in the James sweepstakes on his podcast “Game Over” with Max Kellerman, which included a total of 10 teams written on a whiteboard.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JULY 03: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. #27 of the Toronto Blue Jays hugs Kazuma Okamoto #7 of the Toronto Blue Jays after beating the Seattle Mariners 2-0 at T-Mobile Park on July 03, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Olivia Vanni/Getty Images) | Getty Images
I just can’t wait until the end of the season to do the final analysis of the San Francisco Giants/Farhan Zaidi opting not to sign Kevin Gausman to an extension after the 2021 season. With the trade deadline less than a month away now and Robbie Ray almost certainly on the move, it’s begging to be written right now.
The history of the Giants getting burned by long-term pitching contracts is pretty spectacular. I don’t know what moron opted to sign Barry Zito to that 7-year deal after the 2003 season, and if it was Larry Baer, it just goes to show what an untouchable and blessed man he is. But after that, extensions for Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain didn’t provide value in the actual extension years. The Jeff Samardzija and Johnny Cueto deals were similarly hailed as massive failures that doomed the franchise. So, that’s a pretty good sampling of failure, which ignores the context of all the success.
That’s pretty much what happened with Gausman. The Giants ignored the context of success or that the player wanted to remain in San Francisco or that he worked well with a burgeoning young pitcher already in the fold in Logan Webb. A couple of years later, Farhan Zaidi would be able to show his work and convince ownership that signing Webb to an extension in a similar AAV range as Gausman would be good for the team and they acquiesced… but they’ve still bothered to let their disgruntlement echo through the halls of Oracle Park and into the curious ears of beat writers and pundits. It is known that the Giants don’t favor, value, or want pitchers signed to big, long-term deals. It’s why they were willing to let Madison Bumgarner walk after his deal.
When you’re the sole team in a country as the Blue Jays are in Canada, it’s not a big deal.
This isn’t to say that the Giants totally have the wrong idea and high value, high payroll teams like the Blue Jays do, but before we look at Kevin Gausman and his Blue Jays teammates, let’s finish this analysis. Kevin Gausman left the Giants and signed a 5-year, $110 million deal with the Toronto Blue Jays that started in 2022. Rather than re-sign him, the Giants went with Carlos Rodón, Alex Cobb, and Robbie Ray. Here’s how the plan has worked out over the past almost-five seasons:
Now, the total amount for the Giants’ side of the equation is based on two assumptions: that the Giants, owing Alex Cobb $10 milion for 2024, saved about $3.333 million the rest of the season after trading him away to the Guardians before he’d finished his rehab; and, that in trading Robbie Ray with approximately two months to go in 2026, they will have paid Robbie Ray $16.7 million and gotten half a win above replacement out of him (yes, this is envisioning a trade before his next start).
So, if all this holds, the Giants’ missed it by… an awful lot. From a straight money perspective, they were off by just about $2 million, and for most wagon circling front office lovers out there that might be more than enough to still bother to affirm the previous regime’s “genius,” but the substantive part of the analysis — that wins above replacement total — is a big whiff. The Giants were so afraid of committing long-term to a pitcher out of fear of injuries or ineffectiveness that they wound up acquiring THREE pitchers with injury histories and 2/3 of them saw their production hampered by injuries. This was some penny wise, pound foolish nonsense and I’m glad we all got to experience it. Farhan Zaidi, encouraged by ownership, attempted to recreate Kevin Gausman in the aggregate so that the Giants could have a formidable 1-2 punch at the top of their rotation, and the team failed.
Anyway, this post’s headline is a reference to the penultimate episode of Star Trek: The Original Series, which was about Kirk, Spock, and McCoy beaming down to a planet that was about to be obliterated by its star going supernova after getting signs of life. Upon beaming down, they discover that the entire civilization has devised a time travel technology that will allow every single person to escape into their planet’s past to live out their lifespans and not have to be lost to the supernova.
It’s a good enough episode that if it had been the series finale it would’ve been a good one to go out on — certainly better than the actual finale, the genuinely awful and misogynistic “Turnabout Intruder” — but as a talking point for the 2026 San Francisco Giants it carries exactly this weight: as nice as it is to escape into the past to avoid a terrible future, the punishing nature of the major league schedule and the cruel passage of time prevents that from happening.
We’ll never know if re-signing Gausman would’ve worked out as well as it did for the Blue Jays and if that working out would’ve meant a couple more winning seasons interspersed in the last 5 seasons, and as nice as it would be to escape into that past or that reality, the supernova is here and the Giants must once again ask if the rules they’ve self-imposed that have brought them into its path were of any use. Hmm, why bother wondering. Powerful, successful people have made these rules. They can’t fail, they can only be failed.
But I can’t be totally critical. Since 2020, when the Blue Jays kicked off this latest competitive window, their pitching staff (with or without Gausman) hasn’t been as valuable as the Giants, trailing the orange and black 82.2 to 94.1 Sure, they have a better record over this same span (514-446 to 494-465) and four postseason appearances including a World Series loss, but the Giants have had the better pitching — or, at least, Logan Webb along with their aggregate approach has mostly worked.
Not this year, of course. This year has been an unmitigated disaster. Not much the Giants have done has worked.
That’s sort of what’s happened with the Blue Jays. They’ve done all the things a big market/high-spending team is supposed to do: build through the draft and international signings, developing talent through the farm system, retaining the most valuable farm players with long-term deals and supplementing the roster with free agents. They signed Vladimir Guerrero to a 14-year, $500 million deal last April. Gausman was brought in to be the #2 behind Alek Manoah, and when that didn’t work out, he’s managed to be the steadiest pitcher behind whoever was considered “the ace,” ascending to that role in the 2025 World Series year. This year, he’s part of a three-headed monster with Trey Yesavage (drafted) and Dylan Cease (free agent).
Still, with all that talent at the top of the rotation, Toronto’s pitching staff is a lot closer to middle of the pack (13th in fWAR). Compounding problems is that their lineup just hasn’t clicked. Their 92 wRC+ is just 23rd. They are second to last in runs scored (356), making them the lowest-scoring team in the American League. The cause? Well, they let Bo Bichette go and 36-year old George Springer won’t replicate 35-year old George Springer’s 32 home run season of 2025. The team’s power dropoff is precipitous and their team batting line compared to last year — keeping in mind that the 2025 squad is the type of lineup the Giants seem to want — is stark:
Walking less, striking out more, hitting for less power, making less contact — a bad recipe that makes a bad lineup, which is just what Toronto has had. Since getting back to 39-39 a few weeks ago, they’ve gone 3-9 thanks to averaging just 3 runs per game. They’ve been shutout in 3 of their last 5 games including 2 straight. They were 3-7 on their last homestand.
This team still has playoff aspirations. The Giants do not.
Series overview
Who: San Francisco Giants (37-52) vs Toronto Blue Jays (42-48) Where: Oracle Park | San Francisco, California When: Monday & Tuesday at 6:45pm PT, Wednesday at 12:45pm PT National broadcasts: Peacock (Sunday)
Projected starters Monday: Landen Roupp (RHP 5-8, 4.55 ERA) vs. Kevin Gausman (RHP 4-7, 4.19 ERA) Tuesday: TBD vs. Trevor McDonald (RHP 3-6, 4.42 ERA) Wednesday: Logan Webb (RHP 5-6, 3.66 ERA) vs. Dylan Cease (RHP 5-4, 2.79 ERA)
Blue Jays to watch
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.: Vlad Guerrero has yet to homer at home this season! That has no bearing on this series, necessarily, but it’s an interesting factoid. He has just 4 all season anyway and a very bad .698 OPS to boot. Baseball Savant took a look at Vladito’s power drought and found some reasons to think he’s due for a turnaround in-season. You’d like to think that the slump would linger a little longer, though. He’s played at Oracle Park just twice in his career (2019 & 2024) and the two homers he’s hit came in 2019. He was 1-for-13 in the 2024 series.
Tyler Rogers: Why didn’t I make the whole series preview about the Tyler Rogers’ return? Well, because he’s got two more years left on his deal. Instead, Buster Posey will get to watch the funky submariner attack Giants hitters and see if the organization’s familiarity with him gives any of the hitters an edge. Rogers has allowed 0 homers in 42 appearances (40.2 IP). Toronto’s closer, Louis Varland (18 saves, 2.2 fWAR) has allowed just 1 in 47 IP.
Ernie Clement: I am not the only one who remembers how he absolutely obliterated the Giants at Oracle Park back in that 2024 series. Total annihilation. He was 5-for-11 with 2 homers and 7 RBI. Both of his homers were 3-run homers, one off of Ryan Walker and another off of Logan Webb, both of whom he’ll face in this series. But! He’s just 13-for-55 in his last 16 games (.236/.276/.273) with only 2 extra base hits (doubles) and a single RBI.
Giants to watch
Logan Webb: Can the Giants’ ace get back on track after a disastrous start in Coors Field or have the wheels come off the season and now it’s all about turning to next season?
Rafael Devers: He has 24 career homers against Toronto across 108 games and 449 plate appearances. A career .927 OPS hitter in the matchup. His two homers yesterday gave him 18 on the season which ties him with Manny Machado, Shohei Ohtani, Juan Soto, and CJ Abrams — good company. Half of them have come since June 15th… the day I published a post assessing Devers’ present and projecting his future. I didn’t think he’d be much better than around the league average. Since that post went up, he’s hit .306/.386/.790 (70 PA), an 11.4 BB%, and 20 K% — far, far better than the league. Is he reading my posts???
Heliot Ramos: He’s got a couple of homers in 7 games off the IL with a 6.9 BB% and surprising 17.2 K%. Whether or not the Giants trade him is irrelevant. He’s an easy Giant to root for and if he’s back on track, really fun to watch.
Prediction time
Kevin Gausman will strike out some Giant at least twice. Tyler Rogers will get a pair of strikeouts in at least one appearance. Jung Hoo Lee will hit a home run.
