This week’s Astros poll:
Which of the following starting pitchers will have the biggest positive impact on the Astros the rest of the season?
A) Cristian Javier
B) Ronel Blanco
C) Hayden Wesneski
D) Ethan Pecko
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Astros fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
Big man Jonas Valanciunas is now a free agent.
On Wednesday, the Nuggets waived Valanciunas despite his fully guaranteed $10 million salary for the 2026-27 season, according to multiple reports.
Denver still owes him $2 million following the move, but will save cap space after signing Marvin Bagley III to a veteran minimum, keeping them under the second luxury tax apron.
Valanciunas considered leaving for the EuroLeague last summer after being traded to the Nuggets, but ended up staying in the NBA and averaged 8.7 points with 5.1 rebounds in 65 games played.
The 34-year-old shot 58.2 percent from the field while filling in the Nuggets’ backup center role playing 13 minutes a night.
According to ESPN’s Shams Chariana, Valanciunas will garner interest from multiple clubs, including the Knicks.
Valanciunas is on the Knicks’ radar and they view him as a potential third option behind Karl-Anthony Towns and Andre Drummond, SNY’s Ian Begley reported.
He also has experience working with Leon Rose, as the Knicks president was his agent before taking the front-office job.
A move to Europe is possible once again this summer with Lithuanian club Zalgiris Kaunas interested, according to BasketNews.
Valanciunas would be brought in to help the Knicks replace Mitchell Robinson, who signed a three-year, $47.4 million contract with the Celtics after spending his entire career in the orange and blue.
The seven-footer averaged 4.8 points and 5.5 rebounds in 13.9 minutes per game during New York’s championship run this season.
The Knicks signed Drummond, another potential replacement for Robinson, to a one-year, $3.9 million deal on Saturday.
He appeared in 63 games with the 76ers last season, recording 6.4 points and 8.4 rebounds through 19.5 minutes.
Roster moves
The Arizona Diamondbacks made the following roster moves. The D-backs’ 40-man roster is at 40.
Nothing really to see here. Cabrera’s spot in the rotation won’t come up again before the All-Star break, so we might as well use his slot on the roster for an extra bullpen arm. The next time we need a fifth starter will be Tuesday July 21st. However, I believe a pitcher can’t be recalled for 15 days, so looks like we would need to call up someone else for that start on the 21st. Maybe Michael Soroka will be fit enough by that point? Haven’t heard very much about his rehab situation of late.
Anyway, with regard to tonight, the D-backs will attempt to split a series which began with so much promise in an easy 8-0 win on Monday night. However, since then, things have turned sour quickly. Amazing how fan sentiment can switch on a dime. But a loss tonight would give Arizona a three-game losing streak going into the fiery inferno of Dodger Stadium, for a three-game set against the team with the best record in the majors. The Dodgers are currently on pace for 105 wins, taking the division by 24 games. That would be the biggest margin since MLB expanded to 30 teams in 1998. The Indians won the AL Central by thirty in 1995, in a shortened, 144-game season. Which might or might not make it better or worse!
Let’s worry about that when we get to it. Or, not at all – which is likely going to be my approach, since I will largely be otherwise occupied this weekend. I suspect burying my head in non-baseball related activities might be for the best. But getting out of San Diego with a win, would give us a split of the four-game set. It’s hard to win any such series on the road, and I think I’d have taken that if you’d offered it on Monday afternoon. However, it is a Merrill Kelly start, though last time out he beat the Brewers, for his first win in five weeks. He even tied a season-high for strikeouts with… um, six. Maybe something to build on? We’ll see…
And Tim Tawa at 1B. Sure. Why not?
The Colorado Rockies had a surprisingly competitive series against the Los Angeles Dodgers despite losing two of the three games they played. The road offense continues to be impressive, but they will now have to face a difficult challenge in facing the San Francisco Giants on the road for a four-game series, in a ballpark they have historically struggled in.
Ryan Feltner (3-2, 4.27 ERA) will make his 13th start of the season for the Rockies. Feltner was excellent in his last start, which came against the Giants last week at Coors Field. Feltner recorded a quality start by allowing three runs, two earned, on six hits over six innings. He also set a season-high in strikeouts with nine and didn’t allow a walk in a fairly dominant performance. Making just his fourth career start at Oracle Park, Feltner has struggled pitching by the Bay. In three previous starts, the most recent in 2024, Feltner has allowed 11 runs on 17 hits, including three home runs, over 16 innings of work. Walks have hit him the most in the past, but that was the old Feltner, as the current version has done well pounding the zone and getting strikeouts. A struggling Giants offense opens the door for another strong outing for the Rockies starter.
Carson Whisenhunt (1-0, 3.60 ERA) gets the nod for San Francisco, having just been recalled from Triple-A today. Whisenhunt made a spot start on June 17, his only start with the big league club this season, allowing just two runs on six hits over five innings against the Atlanta Braves. In Triple-A Sacramento this season, he sports a 4.42 ERA over 16 outings with 82 strikeouts against 37 walks. He struggled in his handful of starts last season, recording a 5.01 ERA, with walks and home runs being the main culprits. He has three or four pitches at his disposal, with a changeup that is considered his best pitch, which has a 27% whiff rate.
First Pitch: 7:45 pm MT
TV: Rockies.TV
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Arizona Diamondbacks (45-47) at San Diego Padres (46-46), July 9, 2026, 6:40 p.m. PST
Watch: Padres.TV
Location: Petco Park – San Diego, Calif.
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The White Sox kick off the 2026 MLB draft by making the No. 1 overall selection at noon CT on Saturday, and will choose among three plum prospects: UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky, Georgia Tech catcher Vahn Lackey and shortstop Grady Emerson from Fort Worth Christian (Texas) H.S. We’re digging deeper into all three players in anticipation of the third No. 1 overall pick in White Sox history.
If the White Sox bet on the upside, they will select Fort Worth Christian (Texas) H.S. prep shortstop Grady Emerson with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 MLB draft.
Long viewed as the top high school player in the class, Emerson gives Chicago one of the highest ceilings in the draft. While UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky entered the spring as the consensus favorite to go first overall, Emerson steadily closed the gap throughout the season with his advanced left-handed bat, smooth actions at shortstop and the type of athletic projection scouts dream about.
Chicago is entering Saturday’s big day connected to several legitimate candidates for the top pick, but ultimately may double down on the player many evaluators believe will emerge as the best talent in the class. Emerson combines an advanced feel for hitting with the defensive ability to remain at shortstop, giving the White Sox another premium athlete to build around.
For an organization prioritizing athleticism, premium defensive positions and players capable of impacting the game on both sides of the ball, Emerson fits the mold. Unlike many prep hitters, he arrives with one of the longest and most impressive high school track records in the country, consistently producing against elite competition on the showcase circuit while continuing to develop under the tutelage of his high school coach, former major-leaguer Rusty Greer. The longtime Texas Ranger helped shape one of the nation’s most polished prep players, giving Emerson daily instruction from someone who had already succeeded at the highest level. Emerson transferred to Texas Christian specifically to work with Greer.
Over the past four years, Emerson also represented Team USA on the international stage, culminating in a selection to the 2025 All-World Team. Competing against many of the top amateur players in the world only strengthened Emerson’s reputation as one of the most polished prep prospects in the 2026 draft.
And as the draft approaches, momentum behind Emerson continues to build. The prep standout spent much of the year challenging Cholowsky for the distinction of the top prospect in the draft, with many clubs believing his youth and long-term projection gave him the highest ceiling available. MLB’s Jim Callis favors Emerson as the first pick, while draft guru Keith Law reports that the White Sox scouting group is pushing for Emerson as the pick.
The 6´2´´, 180-pound, left-handed hitter capped his senior season by slashing .532/.648/1.013 with seven home runs, 31 stolen bases and 50 RBIs, while leading Fort Worth Christian to a runner-up finish in the Texas state championship. He also earned Gatorade National Baseball Player of the Year honors, validating his place among the nation’s elite prep prospects.
What separates Emerson is the combination of present ability and future projection. His left-handed swing is among the cleanest in the draft, producing consistent hard contact to all fields while showing the strike-zone discipline and barrel control typically associated with much older hitters. Scouts believe additional strength could unlock even more power, giving him a chance to become a middle-of-the-order bat without sacrificing the hit tool that makes him so appealing.
Defensively, Emerson has all the tools to remain at shortstop. His smooth footwork, soft hands, strong arm and advanced instincts give scouts confidence that he can stay on the left side of the infield. While he isn’t expected to be a prolific base stealer as a professional, his athleticism and feel for the game allow him to play faster than his raw speed suggests.
Emerson would join an emerging young core that already includes Colson Montgomery, Kyle Teel, Braden Montgomery, Noah Schultz and Grant Taylor, giving Chicago another premium talent with the potential to anchor the organization for years to come. Colson has long been rumored to be taking his size over to third base at some point, so there’s no excessive duplication going on by picking Emerson.
Because he’s entering professional baseball straight out of high school, Emerson’s development timeline will likely be longer than that of an advanced college player. Still, his advanced approach at the plate and polished defensive game have some evaluators believing he could move more quickly than the typical prep prospect. He would likely still make his pro debut this summer in Kannapolis, but his stop there could be extremely brief.
Emerson may require more patience than some of the other candidates for the top pick, but few players in the 2026 draft offer the same combination of athleticism, polish, and long-term upside.
By all accounts, the Philadelphia Flyers exit the Leo Carlsson saga exactly where they began: back at Square 1. Drama aside, it has been a mediocre, humdrum offseason for a team that needed to make the big move.
Flyers general manager Danny Briere admitted himself that the team could "take a little bit of a step back", which would have been fine if they hadn't already committed to being more competitive.
The Flyers, when they were really bad, walked away from the NHL draft with Matvei Michkov, Cutter Gauthier, and Porter Martone. When they've been good or average, they got Jett Luchanko and Maksim Sokolovskii. Combining two first-round picks from teams that were good, they traded up for Jack Nesbitt.
There's a bit of a pattern there, where the higher the Flyers draft, the better players they get, and the lower they draft, the players they can get have obvious strengths, as well as obvious weaknesses. That's not a knock on those players, but it's just the reality of team building in sports.
Starting goalie Dan Vladar, as expected, signed a five-year contract extension. Two seasons ago, it was Nick Seeler who got the contract extension. Then Garnet Hathaway landed a two-year extension, made it through one, and got traded at retained salary before the start of the next.
A few weeks after that, Travis Konecny signed his eight-year, $70 million extension that expires in 2033, when he'll be 36.
Flyers Have Clear Leo Carlsson Offer Sheet AlternativeAfter their Leo Carlsson offer sheet bid came up short, the Philadelphia Flyers must pivot to Adam Fantilli next.Last summer, the Flyers signed Christian Dvorak to a one-year deal, essentially admitting to overpaying for the one-year term to avoid blocking developing prospects, like Luchanko and Nesbitt. By January, the now-30-year-old got a five-year extension.
After years and years of trade rumors, Rasmus Ristolainen remains on the roster, despite turning 32 this upcoming October and having one year remaining on his contract at a $5.1 million cap hit.
And then this year, the Flyers signed Noel Acciari to a two-year deal, with no trade protection in Year 1, but a 10-team no-trade list in Year 2.
They were, at one point, on the right track, when they flipped Sean Walker to Colorado for a first-round pick (and Ryan Johansen) in 2024 despite being in the playoff hunt, but have otherwise completely abandoned that logic. Why not do more of that?
The Flyers have done so well with flipping older veterans for picks and prospects that better fit their true competitive timeline, like when they traded Ryan Poehling, who was found money, and a second-round pick for Trevor Zegras.
Flyers Reveal Jett Luchanko Underwent Procedure Prior to Development CampTop Philadelphia Flyers prospect Jett Luchanko finally had an operation to correct a lingering injury lasting nearly two years.Walker was found money and became a first-round pick, which helped yield Nesbitt.
But then Seeler stayed despite trade interest, Dvorak inked a five-year pact in a career-year, and Konecny, an aging top-six winger, got eight years.
Vladar, in an anomalous career year, also got his five years.
So, that's the state of the Flyers.
They haven't committed to being bad enough long enough to get a center like Leo Carlsson in the draft, so they were prepared to spend $90 million over just five years, and four first-round picks, to get him as a restricted free agent... and still came up short.
That leaves them, on the heels of a second-round playoff appearance, with a mostly unchanged roster, highlighted only by the arrivals of Acciari, backup goalie Joseph Woll, and defenseman Simon Benoit.
Metropolitan Division teams that missed the playoffs last year, like Washington and New Jersey, made wholesale changes in an effort to get their ducks back in a row.
The Devils offloaded their biggest distraction in Simon Nemec, and dumped their worst contract in Jacob Markstrom, while getting back a competent bottom-six forward in Evan Rodrigues and two future first-round picks.
The Capitals beefed up heavily, bringing back future Hall of Famer Alex Ovechkin for another year, as well as adding Jordan Kyrou, Boone Jenner, and Alex Tuch via trade and free agency.
As for the Flyers, well, they at least got a backup goalie who is demonstrably better than Sam Ersson, Aleksei Kolosov, Ivan Fedotov, Cal Petersen, and Felix Sandstrom, but the buck really stops there.
Young Flyers Stars File for Arbitration; Potential Offer Sheet Threat AvertedStandout Philadelphia Flyers duo Jamie Drysdale and Trevor Zegras have filed for arbitration, and that may not be a bad thing for the Flyers.Now that they've reached the Stanley Cup playoffs and raised everyone's expectations, the big move didn't come, and the Flyers ultimately missed out on *clears throat* Mavrik Bourque, Leo Carlsson, Darnell Nurse, John Carlson, Claude Giroux, Bowen Byram, Mason McTavish, and Zach Werenski, and probably Dylan Larkin, this offseason.
Don't forget about Kirill Kaprizov, who never even hit the market.
And maybe the 2023-24 and 2025-26 seasons, that were okay or successful, would have been better served as dismal, uninspiring, but necessary development years to continue to acquire long-term assets while letting the young guns play big minutes.
Michkov had a great first year under John Tortorella two years ago, and Martone, Alex Bump, and Denver Barkey had phenomenal stretches to end the year, too. Even Oliver Bonk looked square to the task. Jack Berglund is looking like he'll develop into a real force, too.
But in a few years, the pressure will be all on them to take the Flyers to the promised land, with no No. 1 center or franchise defenseman coming to help them. Zegras and Jamie Drysdale can only do so much, and Konecny, Travis Sanheim, and Owen Tippett aren't getting any younger.
Things can always change, like if the Flyers pivoted to Adam Fantilli, but the element of surprise won't be on their side this time.
After missing out on Leo Carlsson and doing little else of substance this offseason, the one that was meant to be the proverbial game-changer, the Flyers' long-term plan may have to be altered.
Former Philadelphia Flyers forward Pierre-Edouard Bellemare recently announced his retirement from professional hockey. This was after he spent the last two seasons with HC Ajoie of Switzerland's National League.
Now, Bellemare has landed his first post-playing career gig.
The Tampa Bay Lightning have announced that they have hired Bellemare as their new player development specialist.
Bellemare is somebody who the Lightning organization already knows well. This is because the former Flyers forward spent the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons with the Lightning. Now, he is rejoining the Bolts organization in an off-ice role after landing this cool new gig.
Bellemare spent the first three seasons of his NHL career with the Flyers from 2014-15 to 2016-17. In 237 games over that span with the Flyers, he posted 17 goals, 17 assists, 34 points, and 259 hits. His time with the Flyers ended when he was claimed by the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft.
In 700 career NHL games over 10 seasons, Bellemare recorded 64 goals, 74 assists, 138 points, 615 hits, and a plus-22 rating.
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Lakers fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
Well, the Lakers certainly took advantage of the optionality that they had prepared for this summer.
None of the Lakers starters who helped LA jump out to a 3-0 lead against the Rockets in the playoffs are returning. In their place comes an infusion of new talent.
Los Angeles traded for Walker Kessler and signed Quentin Grimes, Sandro Mamukelashvili, and Collin Sexton.
With the entire rotation getting revamped, Lakers fans will have plenty of new players to get acquainted with.
For our SB Nation Reacts survey this week, we asked fans which new Laker they were most excited to see next season.
Kessler won in a landslide.
Kessler is the new max player in Los Angeles and the center the franchise has been looking for. Luka Dončić reportedly wanted him on the team, so expectations and pressure will be at an all-time high.
Naturally, that makes his play very compelling, crucial to LA’s success and an exciting player to watch.
The Lakers’ first game of the upcoming year will be highly anticipated, mainly because Kessler will be making his Lakers debut.
Mamu, Grimes and Sexton will all also be important to the Lakers, but none are considered franchise players or All-Stars, so the general hype is far lower.
Another player whose hype seems to be down is LeBron James.
He has left the Lakers and is looking for a new team.
As part of our national survey, we asked NBA fans if they wanted LeBron on their favorite team. The majority said thanks, but no thanks.
A ton comes with LeBron being on a team. Yes, he is a tremendous talent, and plenty of winning will occur.
However, both his stans and his haters can be exhausting to hear from every day. And his agent, Rich Paul, speaking to anyone who will listen on his podcast doesn’t exactly make things any better.
Also, at LeBron’s age, the end of his career is nearing.
While he still has plenty to give to the game, it’s not surprising that fans of other teams would rather not bet on him winning another title. Maybe it’s best just to let someone else deal with the LeBron media circus and all that comes with it.
That’s no longer the Lakers’ problem, but they are hoping Kessler is the solution and the missing piece the franchise needs to be champions again.
You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.
The Washington Wizards play the Utah Jazz in the 2026 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas at 9 p.m. ET tonight. Watch it on ESPN or Monumenal Sports Network. Kevin has the preview (yes, he previews games too!) here.
Go Wizards.
The Melbourne Renegades have ended their 15-year association with Marvel Stadium, relocating their marquee fixtures to the MCG for next summer’s Big Bash League.
The Sixers won their opening game of the 2026 Summer League campaign in Las Vegas by a score of 101-93 over the Detroit Pistons. More importantly, a few young players really shined for Philadelphia in the seasonal debut.
This was the first of four scheduled Summer League contests for the Sixers, with a fifth yet to be scheduled (determined by standings). It was our first glimpse at a post-college Labaron Philon, selected No. 22 overall in the recent NBA Draft. And the recent draftee got right to work, sinking the first bucket of the evening for the Sixers on a step-back triple. He showed off impressive handles and a silky smooth shot on more than one occasion in this one.
Some other names that you may not be familiar with (I wasn’t) but looked damn good in this one were Isaac Johnson with 20 points off the bench as well as Dante Maddox Jr., who led the Sixers with 21 points on 7-for-13 field goal and 4-for-6 three-point shooting.
Johni Broome filled the stat sheet with 19 points and 13 rebounds (eight offensive) as well as two assists, one steal and two blocks. Though, admittedly, I have some reservations about how many of those numbers would truly transfer to NBA-level play in his current form.
Labaron Philon: 18 PTS (6-for-19 FG, 4-for-10 3PT), 3 REB, 7 AST, 1 STL
Dante Maddox Jr.: 21 PTS (7-for-13 FG, 4-for-6 3PT), 3 REB, 1 STL
Isaac Johnson: 20 PTS (6-for-10 FG, 4-for-6 3PT), 2 REB, 1 AST, 1 BLK
Johni Broome: 19 PTS (9-for-18 FG, 1-for-5 3PT), 13 REB (8 OFF), 2 AST, 1 STL, 2 BLK
The Los Angeles Lakers have settled in for the upcoming NBA Summer League series in Las Vegas.
The Lakers have set up a new custom-designed practice court in a ballroom and were seen by reporters practicing on it Thursday, July 9.
The Lakers’ practice setup at a resort ballroom in Vegas. The team is testing out a new court design for the summer session. pic.twitter.com/DUcrjiYDZo
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) July 9, 2026
The Lakers had played on a custom court during the NBA Cup, but it was met with some negative feedback from players. Lakers star Luka Doncic in particular had an issue with the court, slipping on it during the team's 135-118 victory over the L.A. Clippers on Nov. 25, 2025.
"It's just slippery. It's dangerous," Doncic said. "I slipped. I slipped a lot, and you could see many players slip. And that's dangerous."
The NBA provided an alternate court for each team in the league as a promotional tool for this past season's tournament games.
The Lakers’ alternate court was not used in the 129-119 home victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Nov. 29. That court was returned to the creator for repairs.
It remains to be seen if the practice court is similar to, or an upgrade of, the one used during the NBA Cup.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Check out Lakers' awesome practice court setup in Las Vegas ballroom
Six hundred and thirty-nine days.
That’s how long it had been since Sean Manaea last stayed in a game for seven innings.
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Try it freeHe’s gone six innings once and five several times since then, but hadn’t reached the seventh-inning stretch since Oct. 8, 2024, in an NLDS win over the Phillies.
That changed Thursday.
Despite giving up a leadoff home run, Manaea went a season-high seven innings in the Mets’ 7-3 win over the Royals, allowing three runs (two earned), walking just one and striking out six.
“He just wanted to be a horse out there,” Mets manager Andy Green said. “Filled up the strike zone. Anybody that gives up a homer on the first pitch and just goes back in there all day, you love that.
“I thought he was fantastic. It was huge for us. We’ve run through a ton of bullpen pieces to get seven strong; couldn’t ask for anything more.”
Poor length out of starters has been an Achilles’ heel for the Mets all season, and that hasn’t changed recently.
Christian Scott went just four innings against the Braves on July 3. Freddy Peralta went just 4 ²/₃ three days later in Atlanta. Even in the Mets win over the Royals on Wednesday, Scott went just five.
Manaea didn’t just break that trend. He made life 10 times easier for the bullpen. Between Huascar Brazobán and Devin Williams, Mets relievers tossed two scoreless innings to seal the win.
“We need length out of the rotation,” Green said. “Outings like that set you up to win tomorrow’s baseball game, and that’s what we’ve been missing to some degree: having multiple outings like those in a week.
“That’s huge for us going into tomorrow, to be able to rest the vast majority of our pen arms.”
The 34-year-old allowed a homer to Lane Thomas on the game’s first pitch, but settled in immediately after. Manaea retired the side in the second and third innings while inducing a Tyler Tolbert groundout — a rarity after he tied the MLB record Tuesday with 12 consecutive hits.
Manaea gave up a solo shot to Bobby Witt Jr. in the fourth but bounced back again by retiring the next five batters.
The lefty then maneuvered his way out of trouble in the seventh — a single, error, double and walk yielding just a single Royals run to keep the Mets’ lead intact, 6-3.
“It’s the culmination of a lot of hard work and people believing in me, me believing in myself,” Manaea said. “The whole squad coming together; it feels really cool to do something like that again.”
The Pittsburgh Penguins have officially signed one of their 2026 draft picks.
Defenseman Tomas Galvas signed a three-year entry-level contract with the team on Thursday after he was selected in the second round of the 2026 NHL Draft last month.
The news was announced via the Penguins' official X account.
The Penguins have signed defenseman Tomas Galvas to a three-year, entry-level contract. pic.twitter.com/ZrweCzl9vO
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) July 9, 2026
Galvas played in Czechia for Bílí Tygři Liberec during the 2025-26 season, finishing with eight goals and 24 points in 32 games.
He also represented Czechia at the World Juniors and was fantastic, compiling three goals and nine points in seven games. He was everywhere on the ice, utilizing his strong skating skills to his advantage.
Galvas is expected to play another season in Czechia before coming over to North America. He could join the AHL's Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins if his 2026-27 season in Czechia ends early.
This is a player that the Penguins are pretty excited about, and rightfully so.
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