The trade deadline is approaching, and the Kansas City Royals have decisions to make. Jacob Milham and Jeremy Greco use this episode of the Royals Rundown Podcast to work through every angle of what should be one of the most consequential stretches in the organization’s near-term future.
The episode opens with a look at the recent homestand struggles, including a matchup against the Philadelphia Phillies, defensive inconsistency, and a bullpen that has not been able to stabilize for any sustained period. The coaching staff’s decision-making and lineup management draw comparison to how the Phillies have navigated their own challenges.
The injury report continues to be long and consequential. Kyle Isbel has suffered a setback, Vinnie Pasquantino heads to Omaha, and Maikel Garcia’s status is cloudier than a Kansas spring sky. Cole Ragans’ injury gives him a trifecta of surgeries that no pitcher should look to achieve.
On a more celebratory note, Bobby Witt Jr. and Michael Wacha earned All-Star selections, recognition that the hosts acknowledge with appropriate pride before turning the conversation back to what the trade value could look like if the front office decides to be aggressive sellers. The Lugo and Wacha trade conversation from previous episodes gets expanded here, with Salvador Perez’s potential trade value, injury concerns, and legacy also entering the discussion.
The talent pipeline evaluation is thorough. Jacob and Jeremy work through prospect valuations, FanGraphs future value grades, and specific names the organization should be targeting in return if they move established pieces. The hosts also examine the Minnesota Twins’ recent fire sale as a case study for what a bold deadline approach could look like, and whether the Royals’ front office has the appetite to follow that model.
Mar 7, 2026; Houston, TX, United States; Italy left fielder Dante Nori (16) hits a home run during the seventh inning against Brazil at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
The trade deadline is a time of wonder and curiosity. Teams are on the lookout for ways to improve themselves when the options they have internally are no longer good enough. We have been blessed to have relative blockbusters go down in the past few trade deadlines, making the news exciting to cover. Talking about trades is always fun, which is why I included a post in The Feed.
You were kind enough to respond with a lot of great and thoughtful responses, so let’s talk about some of them.
It still is quite strange that Alex McFarlane remains in Reading. His season has been a successful transition from being a starter to a full-time reliever. The stuff he is showing is big league ready, followed up by results that match. And yet, at Double-A he remains. He has yet to throw the major league baseball that is used in Lehigh Valley, meaning there might have to be some kind of adjustment to the ball whenever he does get a promotion somewhere. Maybe he becomes the 2026 version of Orion Kerkering, maybe he just is getting ready for 2027.
Yet the idea of including him in the big league bullpen and expecting instant success might be a little far fetched. As mentioned, the actual baseball is going to be different in the two leagues, so adjustment must be accounted for. Then there is the natural adjustment pitchers go through in their jump to the majors. Put that all together with his being included in a pennant race and the ingredients are there for a less than successful move.
As far as the idea of trading Andrew Painter and Gage Wood for Aroldis Chapman and Sonny Gray, that’s something I just cannot get on board with. I’ve been pretty critical of Painter lately, not really impressed by his latest start in Lehigh Valley despite the on box score results he had. Chapman is a rental only and Painter does still possess tantalizing upside if he can figure out how to tap into it.
There is always a flaw in thinking that a team has an excess of anything – pitching, infield, whatever position it is on the field. We have seen in the past the Phillies believe they have a lot of something only to find themselves left empty handed when the time is near. Remember the Baby Aces?
However, yes, there are some infield prospects to move in potential deals. Escobar has been the biggest name the team has had based on past reputation, yet his season this year has been disappointing. Rincon has taken a leap a bit this year, but probably isn’t one that would lead any kind of trade, instead finding himself as more of a secondary piece than anything. In the outfield, Nori would probably have fetched something decent based somewhat on the improvement he showed in the WBC and at the beginning of the season, but a recent injury that the team has been quite mum about clouds any trade value he had.
Tomorrow will mark one month since Dante Nori was pulled from a game with a lower body injury. The report was he wouldn't need much more than the 7 days on the IL, but he hasn't been activated yet
Agreed that these are some of the names the Phillies could look to move in a deal, but a combination of injury and regression has hurt a few of them.
Alirio Ferrebus is a name that I would expect to come up quite a bit in trade talks. He has had an outstanding season, rocking a 132 wRC+ in Clearwater as a 20 year old catcher. There are some things to worry about in his profile (the whole “catcher” thing, swinging a lot), but he hits the ball hard and doesn’t strike out much at all. If he can improve as an actual catcher, that’s a valuable commodity to have so long as the bat continues to improve. Is that something that would lead a trade package? Obviously would depend on what it is the team is trading for. If we’re talking about an impact bat, then probably not. If a team is going to move that impact bat, they would probably want something more of a high upside arm (re: Gage Wood) or a similarly high upside bat that plays somewhere else on the diamond.
The issue that is continuing to become obvious is lack of those high upside players the team has that they would be willing to dangle in a trade. The injury to Aidan Miller, the slight regression of Andrew Painter and the big league promotion of Justin Crawford has left them with a system that has precious little other teams would covet in a deal. Maybe there is a pop-up prospect that teams would like to take (Juan Villavicencio, Ramon Marquez to name two), maybe there is someone other teams might feel they can do more with than what the Phillies have done.
They will get a deal done and when they do, we’ll probably sit back and say “That’s it?” when it happens. It’s usually the case. But, we can continue debating here in the comments until the deadline hits. Go Phillies.
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA - MAY 12, 2026: AJ Gracia #29 of the University of Virginia Cavaliers hits double during the fourth inning of a game against the University of Richmond Spiders at Davenport Field at Disharoon Park on May 12, 2026 in Charlottesville, Virginia. (Photo by Alyssa McDaniel/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
2026 MLB Draft Preview: AJ Gracia scouting report.
The 2026 is less than a week away — the first round kicks off on July 11, 2026 — so its time to start offering capsule looks at players the Texas Rangers could select with their top picks. The Rangers’ first round pick is at #16, their second round pick is at #54, and their third round pick is at #89.
Leading up to draft day, we will be doing writeups of some of the players who could end up getting selected by the Rangers with one of their first three picks. Today we are looking at University of Virginia outfielder AJ Gracia.
AJ Gracia is a 6’3”, 195 lb. lefthanded hitting outfielder at the University of Virginia. Coming out of high school in New Jersey in 2023, Gracia was in the back half of the BA top 500 draft list that year but went undrafted. He spent two years at Duke before transferring to Virginia when his coach at Duke took the Virginia job. Gracia turns 22 in October.
Gracia is a well-rounded hitter with quality pitch recognition and excellent contact rates. He rarely chases out of the strike zone — Baseball America calls him “hyper-selective” — and set a school record for walks at Duke in his sophomore season. He is strong and makes good contact with a swing that’s described as “uphill,” but his exit velocities aren’t as impressive as you’d like to see. He has above-average raw power that translate well into game power due to his contact ability. He’s also seen as being able to potentially add some power going forward.
Gracia played right field for Duke as a freshman, and has primarily been a center fielder the past two seasons. However, he’s not considered a particularly strong defender, and there’s a very good likelihood he ends up having to move to a corner outfield spot, though MLB Pipeline says his “excellent instincts and efficient routes” give him a chance to stick in center. His arm is underpowered for right field, so if he does have to move off out of center field, he will probably end up in left field. His speed and his arm both get 45 grades from BA and MLB Pipeline.
As a freshman, Gracia slashed .305/.440/.559 with 48 walks against 55 Ks in 278 plate appearances, with 14 homers. His sophomore season saw him slash .293/.449/.558 in 285 plate appearances, with 15 homers, 57 walks and 36 Ks. This year for Virginia — still in the ACC — he slashed .354/.489/.632 in 272 plate appearances, homering 14 times, drawing 47 walks and striking out 38 times.
In the June 8 Baseball America mock draft, Carlos Collazo has Condon going to the Astros at #17, though he’s mentioned as a possibility with a number of teams before then, beginning with the Orioles at #7. The BA staff draft on June 15 has Gracia going to the Marlins at #14. The BA mock draft 5.0 of June 29 has Gracia going to the Diamondbacks at #15, though he’s also mentioned with a half-dozen other teams ahead of them. The BA staff draft 4.0 on July 6 has Gracia going to the Cardinals at #13. Jonathan Mayo’s June 11 mock draft has Gracia going to the Astros at #17. Jim Callis’s June 18 mock draft has Gracia mocked to the Cardinals at #13. The June 25 Callis/Mayo mock has Gracia going to the D-Backs at #15. Jonathan Mayo’s July 2 mock draft has Gracia going to the Rockies at #10. Law’s June 10 mock draft Gracia going to the Cubs at #23. Law’s July 6 mock has Gracia going to the Mariners at #24. Kiley McDaniel’s June 18 mock draft does not have Gracia going in the first 40 picks.
Gracia seems likely to go somewhere in the teens, and could well be off the board when the Rangers pick. Texas would have to really like his contact ability and plate discipline, though the lack of upper end exit velocities doesn’t necessarily fit what they are looking for in a position player.
Gracia’s future likely hinges on his ability to generate more power going forward. If a team thinks that there’s more exit velocity they can tap into, or that will come as he fills out, he’s got value as a guy who would offer above-average OBPs and above-average power. If not, his defensive limitations and lack of speed make him limited as far as major league value is concerned.
The San Diego Padres were blown out by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the series opener of this NL West battle.
My Diamondbacks vs. Padres predictions and MLB picks see value in backing the home team to respond in Game 2.
Who will win Diamondbacks vs Padres today: Padres moneyline (-125)
Neither offense is potent against right-handed pitching, but the San Diego Padres are in better form. They are +1.6 weighted runs above average vs. righties over the last month, while the Arizona Diamondbacks come in at -12.4.
If German Marquez can pitch an inning or two, Johnny Brito and his extreme ground-ball profile in the minors should help him survive. Bet this to -135.
Diamondbacks vs Padres Over/Under pick: Over 9 (-105)
These offenses are nothing to write home about, and I’m not sure it matters. The pitching is that poor.
Gallen has posted a 7.24 ERA over his past 12 starts, conceding an average of 4.6 runs when he takes the bump. Only once during that stretch did he allow fewer than three runs.
The Padres are going with Marquez as an opener, a minor leaguer in bulk, then turning to a bullpen that ranks dead last in FIP over the past two weeks.
I like the Over and would play it to -115.
Todd Cordell's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 51-41, -0.15 units
Over/Under bets: 50-39-4, +6.39 units
Diamondbacks vs Padres weather
Temperatures are expected to be in the low 70s with winds blowing east. This weather shouldn't be impactful one way or the other.
Diamondbacks vs Padres odds
Moneyline: Diamondbacks +105 | Padres -125
Run line: Diamondbacks +1.5 (-180) | Padres -1.5 (+155)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-120) | Under 8.5 (+100)
Diamondbacks vs Padres trend
The Diamondbacks have only cashed the moneyline in 14 of their last 35 games for -8.45 units and a -21% ROI. Find more MLB betting trends for Diamondbacks vs. Padres.
How to watch Diamondbacks vs Padres and game info
Location
Petco Park, San Diego, CA
Date
Tuesday, July 7, 2026
First pitch
9:40 p.m. ET
TV
DBacks.TV, Padres.TV
Diamondbacks starting pitcher
Zac Gallen (3-8, 6.36 ERA)
Padres starting pitcher
German Marquez (3-2, 5.79 ERA)
Diamondbacks vs Padres latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 06: Mike Burrows #50 of the Houston Astros warms up before a game against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on July 06, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Houston Astros/Getty Images) | Getty Images
For a team in a position where every win matters, continuing to hand away games simply cannot continue.
At some point, every branch will break. The branch carrying Mike Burrows on the Astros broke yesterday.
Staked to a 6-1 lead, Burrows proceeded to hand it all back in the 3rd inning, giving up a 5 spot as fans (and likely teammates) watched in horror as Burrows continues to get banged around the yard. He wasn’t fooling anyone, his manager Joe Espada admitted in the post game, lamenting Burrows inability to get a swing and miss with either his fastball or his changeup.
Burrows fastball has been the stuff of legend this season, for all the wrong reasons. It has been among the worst pitches in baseball this season. The league is batting .309 with an incredible .721 SLG vs Burrows 4-seam. He did not get a single swing and miss on 18 4-seamers yesterday against the Nationals. That is astounding. Astoundingly awful.
After 94.2 IP this season, Burrows is now 4-9 with a 5.99 ERA. That is the highest ERA for any Astros pitcher after 50 innings in the Astros uniform ever. Worse than Colton Gordon (5.95). Worse that Frances Martes (5.80). Worse than the Traitorous Rat Fink who shall not be named (5.22).
This isn’t “early struggles” anymore. This is broken.
That doesn’t mean Burrows cannot be fixed. As Espada so often reminds us, he is a young pitcher, and his stuff is there. The Astros Lab, which has made countless pitchers far more effective in a short period of time, has thus far been unable to solve the riddle of Burrows.
This far into the season, those riddles need to be solved in the minors.
Houston cannot in good conscience continue to send Burrows out every 5th to 6th day, and look the rest of the team in the yes and say they are committed to winning. Burrows is now a reclamation project.
Perhaps if this were not the 3rd straight year in which the Astros pitching staff had been beset by a plethora of injuries, things would be a little different. Maybe he would feel less pressure. Alas, that isn’t the reality in Houston.
To have seen Burrows be so thoroughly dominant in Spring Training and so abjectly awful in the regular season is also a point of frustration.
Yes, there was a point in time where Burrows was grading as an “unlucky” pitcher. The issue with that is he would give up an unlucky hit or two, and then groove one that got blasted into the seats with alarming regularity.
Where is the bulldog? Where is the desire to battle back?
Too often it seems Burrows simply melts down when there are men on base. It happened again yesterday, in the 3rd inning when he surrendered 5 runs without recording an out. He then allowed a leadoff homer in the 5th, and loaded the bases with one out before being lifted.
He put 11 men on base in 4.1 innings, he also committed an error.
By the time the 5th inning was over, Burrows allowed 10 runs, 7 earned. The Astros 6-1 lead had become a 12-6 deficit, one they would not be able to overcome in a 12-11 loss.
6-1 leads should be automatic.
This was the 10th start in which Burrows allowed at least 4 earned runs. He’s made 17 total starts. That is nearly 60% of his starts, the Astros need at least 5 runs to win. Houston is 2-8 is those 10 starts.
The Astros have been patient enough. Espada continues to speak in a coddling manner of him, always mentioning he is a young pitcher, and they need to put him in good situations. Is a 6-1 lead not a good situation?
The time has come and the time is now.
Cristian Javier is on the active roster. Lance McCullers Jr. and Ronel Blanco are both making what could be their final rehab appearances tonight for Sugar Land, in which they could both be looking at 70-75 pitches (they each threw 60 pitches in their last rehab starts). Ethan Pecko was just named PCL pitcher of the month after posting a 2.48 ERA in 29 IP with a 20/6 K/BB ratio.
All of them are better options than Burrows. Considering the Astros have relied on pitchers coming back from injury in the second half each of the past two seasons with suboptimal results, it is likely important to assess what you can expect from McCullers and Blanco (and later Hayden Wesneski, who isn’t far behind either of them) so that they don’t potentially make that mistake again this season. Houston needs to assess it’s needs at starting pitcher over the next few weeks leading to the trade deadline, because it already knows it needs a lefthanded outfield bat.
Houston has shown there is a limit to it’s patience with players they have invested in (time or money) this season when they recently demoted CF Jake Meyers. Meyers has been on the team since 2021, and they have tolerated awful offense from him before. That patience finally wore out, and centerfield has been turned over to the platoon of Taylor Trammell and Brice Matthews.
They need to do the same now with Burrows. Cut your losses. Quarterize the wound. Get him right at Sugar Land.
Maybe he comes back later in the year. Maybe he comes back next year. Maybe the deal winds up being a bust.
Should Mike Burrows be optioned is no longer a maybe. It’s a necessity. Time is up.
LOS ANGELES — Reliever Evan Phillips was reinstated off the injured list, returning to the Los Angeles Dodgers 13 months after having Tommy John surgery.
The 31-year-old right-hander spent the last month at Triple-A Oklahoma City, where he had a 1.80 ERA with 13 strikeouts and five walks in 10 innings over 12 games for the Comets.
“My primary mix is very sharp and ready to roll,” he said before the Dodgers opened a three-game set with the Colorado Rockies.
Phillips had the surgery in May 2025, setting him on course for the first long-term rehab stint of his career.
“Credit to myself to stick with the process, leaning a lot on my family and my teammates here,” he said. “I was very appreciative to spend my rehab here last year after the injury. I think that helped my mindset stay focused as well. Just ready for this next step.”
Phillips won’t be needed again in the closer role. Tanner Scott has been ably filling in for the injured Edwin Díaz, who went on the IL in April for loose bodies in his elbow.
Scott figures to slot into a middle-relief position as he builds up to a potentially bigger role in October, when the NL West-leading Dodgers are expected to seek a third consecutive World Series championship.
During his month in the minors, Phillips spent his first several games focused on the physical side of pitching, including experimenting with grips, location, and working on a changeup. Then he flipped the switch.
“The second half of it I really tried to step up the execution and competition side of things,” he said. “That way, hopefully, it’s not the first time I’m doing it here.”
In a corresponding move, the Dodgers optioned right-hander Paul Gervase to Triple-A a day after he tossed two scoreless innings with two strikeouts against San Diego. Left-hander Jake Eder was released.
In other moves, the team added pitcher Carlos Duran to the 40-man roster and designated catcher Chuckie Robinson for assignment.
Duran, a 24-year-old right-hander, appeared in 30 games for Triple-A Oklahoma City, going 2-2 with a 3.86 ERA this season. He had 50 strikeouts in 35 innings while limiting hitters to a .203 average. He made his major league debut last season with the Athletics.
WASHINGTON — Washington Nationals pitcher Cade Cavalli’s suspension for his role in a brawl at Boston was reduced on appeal from seven games to five, Major League Baseball announced.
Cavalli struck out Boston’s Willson Contreras looking in the fourth inning of an 8-1 Nationals victory.
Cavalli shouted at Contreras, who threw his helmet and moved toward the mound. After they continued yelling at each other, both benches emptied.
The right-hander began serving the suspension as the Nationals opened a three-game series against the Houston Astros. Barring any postponements, Cavalli would be eligible to return against the New York Yankees in Washington’s final game before the All-Star break.
While Contreras was ejected, Cavalli remained in the game and struck out 13 in seven innings while allowing one run. Cavalli is 5-4 with a 3.88 ERA in 19 starts this season.
Contreras also was suspended seven games, while Washington pitcher Miles Mikolas (five games) and Boston outfielder Nate Eaton (three games) also were disciplined. All three are appealing their penalties.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 14: Harrison Bader #9 and Matt Chapman #26 of the San Francisco Giants prepare for the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on May 14, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Suzanna Mitchell/San Francisco Giants/Getty Images) | Getty Images
On Monday, ahead of their entertaining blowout victory over the Toronto Blue Jays, the San Francisco Giants released a bunch of medical updates for their injured players.
Perhaps most important is that third baseman Matt Chapman, who is dealing with an abdominal strain, was set to re-join the team on Monday, and will be re-evaluated. The Giants aren’t giving a timeline, but it seems likely that his return date will be the first game out of the All-Star break, which is on July 17.
Catcher Daniel Susac, who has a lower back strain, has started his swing progression, and is throwing up to 105 feet. He’ll start running later this week, so he’s still a little ways away, but not too far.
Center fielder Harrison Bader, who has left plantar fasciitis, took batting practice yesterday and will run today. The Giants will take it very carefully with him, but he’s at least trending in the right direction.
Lefty reliever Matt Gage, who left a game over the weekend with an elbow strain, had an MRI yesterday and was set to be re-evaluated. It unfortunately looks likely that Tommy John surgery is in his future.
Righty reliever Joel Peguero, who has been rehabbing his left hamstring strain in Arizona, is set to throw a live batting practice session today. Hopefully he can kick off a rehab assignment soon. Fellow righty reliever José Buttó is throwing four times a week, and up to 75 feet. It seems unlikely that he’ll pitch again this season, though.
The Athletics visit the Detroit Tigers tonight as they look to take advantage of Tarik Skubal's struggles.
My Athletics vs. Tigers predictions and MLB picks are expecting the A's to jump on Skubal as they continue to hit the ball hard.
Who will win A's vs Tigers today: A's moneyline (+158)
Tarik Skubal hasn’t looked like his dominant self lately. The Detroit Tigers lefty owns a 5.04 FIP over the last month while allowing 2.82 HR/9. Although opponents have only a 31.5% hard-hit rate during that span, his 13% barrel rate is concerning.
That could be problematic against an Athletics offense producing a 47.5% hard-hit rate over its last five games while averaging five runs per contest.
J.T. Ginn has been inconsistent, posting a 5.28 FIP over his last two starts, but opponents own just a 33.3% hard-hit rate against him. Ginn doesn’t need to dominate here, but he can keep Detroit within reach.
I'll play this pick down to +110.
COVERS INTEL: Tarik Skubal has been worse at home, posting a 3.89 FIP compared to a 2.65 mark on the road.
A's vs Tigers Over/Under pick: Over 8.5 (+109)
This certainly doesn't profile to be a pitcher's duel. We're looking at two offenses swinging it incredibly well, and both starters have also been vulnerable to the long ball lately.
Detroit's lineup has a .212 ISO over the last week while carrying a 41% hard-hit rate. The A's offense, as previously mentioned, is also in good form.
This Tigers bullpen is also a concern when Skubal does exit, posting a 5.99 FIP across their last 16.1 innings. As for the Athletics pen, they've been even worse, compiling a horrible 7.32 FIP over their last 22.1 frames.
We should see runs tonight, and I'd play this pick up to -110.
Quinn Allen's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 33-21, +0.97 units
Over/Under bets: 35-28, +1.41 units
A's vs Tigers weather
Conditions should be favorable at Comerica Park tonight, with clear skies and temperatures hovering in the upper 70s throughout the game. Humidity will sit around 68% to 73%, while winds remain light at roughly 6 to 8 mph. With virtually no chance of rain, delays aren't a concern, and the warm conditions could provide a slight boost to ball carry without creating a major weather edge.
A's vs Tigers odds
Moneyline: A's +163 | Tigers -170
Run line: A's +1.5 (-127) | Tigers -1.5 (+122)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 (+113) | Under 8.5 (-117)
A's vs Tigers trend
The Athletics have cashed the moneyline in 22 of their last 40 road games for +7.50 units and a 18% ROI. Find more MLB betting trends for A's vs. Tigers.
How to watch A's vs Tigers and game info
Location
Comerica Park, Detroit, MI
Date
Tuesday, July 7, 2026
First pitch
6:40 p.m. ET
TV
NBCS-California, DSN
A's starting pitcher
J.T. Ginn (7-4, 3.04 ERA)
Tigers starting pitcher
Tarik Skubal (4-4, 3.15 ERA)
A's vs Tigers latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Fans coming off the high of the championship won’t have to wait much longer for Knicks basketball.
The 2026 NBA Summer League begins in Las Vegas in a matter of days, and New York’s latest draft picks and best prospects will suit up to compete for training camp invites and rotation minutes.
Let’s break down their schedule and what to look for from key players as we head into this summer exhibition...
The Knicks face their crosstown rivals and their two interesting young guards, Egor Demin and Mikel Brown Jr., whom the Nets drafted with the sixth overall pick a couple weeks ago.
July 11 vs. San Antonio Spurs (6:00 PM ET)
In a rematch with their Finals foe, New York faces off with Carter Bryant and San Antonio’s 2026 draft picks, led by Kentucky product Jayden Quaintance.
July 13 vs. Detroit Pistons (4:00 PM ET)
The Pistons will try to impose their physicality in Vegas as they work through Jalen Duren’s pending free agency.
July 16 vs. Golden State Warriors (7:00 PM ET)
Yaxel Lendeborg looks like an early Rookie of the Year favorite that'll test the Summer Knicks’ defense.
Roster
Returning players
The 2024 first-round pick Pacome Dadiet returns to action after a quiet sophomore season. He only appeared in 29 games with the Knicks, most of which were in garbage time, despite averaging 23 points down with Westchester.
This is a make-or-break Vegas and training camp for Dadiet, who’s yet to consistently show his promise and may get squeezed due to the second apron and stiffer competition.
One direction that’s coming from is fellow French wing Mohamed Diawara.
The 55th pick in the 2025 draft, Diawara impressed in real minutes during the regular season, and will get a chance to flex his development this summer -- look for more advanced creation and improved polish defensively.
Also returning is Dillon Jones, who signed with the Knicks on a two-way contract last January. He didn’t play many minutes with New York, but was credited by Mike Brown for his other contributions to the championship run.
Jones is still only 24 years old and could show some upside on this stage. Although all three of these guys are returnees, the stakes are just as high for them as they are the newcomers.
There’s two other returnees from Westchester's squad in Toby Okani and Nick Jourdain.
Although the Knicks' 39th overall pick in the 2026 draft, Jack Kayil, isn’t on the official roster yet he should eventually join the club once a contract formality with his current team is complete, his agent told Basketball World.
Kayil has solid size at the guard spot and a high ceiling, so seeing him get some reps at this level would be insightful to the front office and fans.
Tyler Nickel, the 47th overall pick, brings elite sharpshooting out of the gates. The big question to watch with him is what more can he provide, especially defensively and off the bounce.
Others
The roster is rounded out by undrafted rookies and some veterans from overseas and the G-League.
One standout is Jaden Akins, coming off a G-League All-Star appearance last season for the Motor City Cruise.
New York will also field a number of undrafted rookies from the 2026 class, including West Virginia's Treysen Eaglestaff, Richmond's Will Johnston, Missouri St's Keith Palek III,and St. John's product Oziyah Sellers.
Palek III is a Jersey native and Sellers is no stranger to MSG after playing for the Red Storm.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Philadelphia Phillies ace Cristopher Sánchez summed up one of the worse outings of his career with one word: crap.
Sánchez could have used much stronger language after giving up a career-worst nine earned runs in just 3 1/3 innings in a 15-1 loss to the Kansas City Royals.
Asked after the game if he could pinpoint something that led to the bad outing, the 29-year-old left-hander was lost for a cause.
“Nothing really,” he said through an interpreter. “I mean, it’s just a game. As I learn from the good things that we have on the field, and the things when we perform well, the same thing when I don’t perform. I just try to learn from it.”
Sanchez, whose previous worst outing for earned runs allowed was seven against the Cubs in April, gave up three of the Royals’ four home runs — all on his changeup, one of his signature pitches. Again, he had no answer as to why.
“I don’t really know,” he said. “Maybe it wasn’t doing as it always does. You gotta get credit to them, because they got me today, They made me pay, and you just have to keep going.”
Sánchez was not helped by his defense. With the Phillies leading 1-0 in the bottom of the first, Sánchez faced runners on first and third with one out. Jac Caglianone hit a grounder to second for a force at the base, but shortstop Trea Turner’s relay throw to first was wild, allowing Bobby Witt Jr. to score the tying run. The Royals went on to score five more runs in the first, and the rout was on.
“You’ve got to make (that play),” Turner said. “Who knows how that game ends up. (If) he gets out of it clean, and then gets on a roll, who knows how it turns out. That was a game-changer.”
Phillies manager Don Mattingly agreed the first inning impacted the whole game. But, it wasn’t the only issue for the Phillies, who lost two of three to the AL Central’s last-place Royals.
“I know you can’t assume a double play, but with Trea, you would think it’s a double play,” the manager said. “You gotta make that throw.
“But after that, we didn’t really stop them either. And we had some chances. In the first couple innings, we get the bases loaded twice, (and) we don’t score. We end up leaving 15. (We had) 10 hits, seven walks and only get one run. We had chances to kind of creep back in it.”
Mattingly is not concerned about Sanchez in the long term, even though he allowed five and four earned runs in his previous two road starts.
“You’re always kind of looking at everything,” Mattingly said. “He doesn’t seem to be as sharp (on the road) as at home. I don’t know if that has necessarily anything to do with it. Obviously, you don’t have the same mound you’re used to, but everybody pitches on the road.”
Sanchez has one more scheduled start — likely at Detroit — prior to the All Star break. He’s going to try to figure it out by then.
“I know that it’s something that’s happened on the road,” he said. “I don’t really have an answer for that. Maybe not being so familiar with the stadiums, but it’s just something that we have to improve.”
The New York Islanders enter the quiet part of the 2026 summer with 13 clear NHL forwards, with multiple players pushing for roles elsewhere on the depth chart.
Many expect Victor Eklund to compete for and win a job in the opening-night lineup, but that's far from guaranteed.
The 2026-27 Islanders will not be significantly changed, but a tidal wave of change is bubbling beneath the surface.
Next summer, the Islanders have four pending unrestricted free agents at forward-Kyle Palmieri, Casey Cizikas, Ondrej Palat, and Kyle MacLean.
Matias Maccelli, signed to a one-year, $2.25 million deal, is an RFA, but if the year doesn't go well, he would almost certainly be headed to the UFA market once again.
Simon Holmstrom and Emil Heineman are restricted free agents.
So, as it stands, the Islanders have seven forwards under contract for the 2027-28 season, which becomes eight if you include Eklund.
That number also includes both Anthony Duclair and Pierre Engvall, who remain candidates for a trade as soon as this summer.
That's a wide-open forward group for a crop of young, skilled players to barge right into.
Conveniently, Hamilton's going to be chock-full of those youngsters learning the ropes.
Cole Eiserman, Daniil Prokhorov and Quinn Finley -- Danny Nelson after he finishes his senior season at Notre Dame -- are all very popular names to be the "next" forward to break through after Eklund, with Hamilton first.
One name consistently passed over is Daylan Kuefler, but Kuefler is the closest of them all.
The Islanders originally selected Kuefler, 24, in the sixth round of the 2022 NHL Draft, and he's gone on to become an extremely steady pro for Bridgeport despite multiple injuries.
His skill set translates perfectly to the bottom six, with the potential to become a strong third-line shutdown winger who plays with speed and an edge.
It would not be shocking at all to see Kuefler play NHL games this season, as he's already played 105 AHL games to date.
The Islanders and general manager Mathieu Darche intentionally left the door wide-open for these young forwards to grab hold of roster spots.
Defensively, the Islanders will be open for business soon, too.
After the 2026-27 season ends, the Islanders will be able to trade any of their five NHL defenseman not named Matthew Schaefer.
After seeing Darnell Nurse go for positive value, with Morgan Rielly likely to follow, the Islanders can absolutely bank on getting good returns for any of their defensemen, with each one signed to cheap deals under the rising cap.
On the left side, both Adam Pelech and Alexander Romanov could fetch massive hauls.
Teams called this summer on Romanov, likely hoping to get him for a discount after he did not play another game following a season-ending shoulder injury in November.
Romanov's full no-trade clause kicks in on July 1, 2027.
With Isaiah George ready to push for a roster spot now, Kashawn Aitcheson joining Hamilton, and Malte Gustafsson behind them, the importance of the Islanders having flexibility with their defenseman becomes heightened.
This summer of 2026 will be looked back upon as a prelude to the Islanders' future, one led by Schaefer and the young core behind him.
That core is going to have every opportunity to succeed and explode onto the scene.
The contract would kick in for the 2027-28 season, replacing Mitchell's player option that year and starting at $60.9 million (based on the most recent salary cap estimates). It would be worth $272.8 million over the course of the deal.
Mitchell signing to stay in Cleveland is not a surprise. He said after the Cavaliers were swept out of the playoffs by the Knicks that he loved playing in the city and believed this team could reach the NBA Finals. The only mild surprise is that the 29-year-old could have waited a year to sign the extension and gotten a fifth year added onto the deal at a higher price. Instead, he chose to lock things down now.
Mitchell averaged 27.9 points and 5.7 assists per game last season as the best player on a Cavaliers roster that saw dramatic changes around him. At the deadline, Cleveland sent Darius Garland to the LA Clippers for James Harden, who is expected to sign his own extension with the team this offseason.
For a team looking to take another step forward next season, the Cavaliers have been quiet this offseason. However, they are considered the current frontrunner to land LeBron James this offseason, league sources told NBC Sports, although LeBron has not had any direct, official contact with the team, according to reports.
Mitchell has been with the Cavaliers since being traded there from Utah in 2022, and he has now taken the team as far as it has gone since LeBron left again in 2018.
ATLANTA — The Atlanta Braves placed left-hander Martín Pérez on the 15-day injured list with a left forearm contusion.
Pérez was hit by Juan Soto’s line drive in a 10-9 loss to the New York Mets and left the game. Afterward, Atlanta manager Walt Weiss said X-rays were negative.
Pérez (6-6) allowed six hits and five runs, four earned, in 4 1/3 innings. He has a 3.54 ERA in 18 games, including 14 starts.
Right-hander Carlos Carrasco was designated for assignment after allowing five runs on five hits in two innings.
The Braves recalled right-hander JR Ritchie from Triple-A Gwinnett and called up right-hander Owen Murphy, who has pitched for Gwinnett and Double-A Columbus this season. Murphy would make his major league debut if used in a game.
Atlanta also recalled outfielder José Azócar from Triple-A Gwinnett. Outfielder Eli White was placed on paternity leave.
Ritchie is 1-2 with a 4.53 ERA in nine games, including seven starts, for Atlanta this season. He was optioned to Gwinnett after he threw three scoreless innings to earn his first save in a 14-3 win over New York.
The Mets also made a move before their game at the Braves, acquiring right-hander Matt Seelinger from the Detroit Tigers for cash. Seelinger, 31, was drafted by Pittsburgh in 2017. He had a 3.89 ERA and one save in 27 games with Triple-A Toledo this season and has never pitched in the majors.
Joe Espada was dealt a rough hand before Monday’s series opener against the Washington Nationals.
He was sending one of Major League Baseball’s worst starting pitchers, Mike Burrows, to the mound against one of the game’s best lineups with only a five-man bullpen at his disposal.
Josh Hader and Bryan King were unavailable after pitching on both Saturday and Sunday. Cristian Javier also wasn’t available after throwing two innings Saturday in his first relief appearance since Game 1 of the 2022 ALDS.
That left Espada with AJ Blubaugh; Steven Okert, whose 43 appearances rank fourth in the majors after pitching in two of three games against the Rays; Enyel De Los Santos, who had allowed runs in five of his previous six outings; the wildly inconsistent Nate Pearson; and someone claiming to be Bryan Abreu.
Espada needed a good outing from Burrows, or at the very least a long outing. He got neither. Burrows allowed five runs in the third inning after being handed a 6-1 lead. He got through the fourth without allowing a run. Desperate to avoid his depleted bullpen, Espada sent Burrows back to the mound in the fifth. He surrendered his 21st home run of the season on his third pitch, then retired just one of the next four hitters before Espada had seen enough.
Burrows owns a 5.99 ERA through his first 18 games (17 starts) as an Astro. Only Arizona’s Zac Gallen has been worse among qualified pitchers. Bad luck and poor defense were legitimate excuses for a rough start to the season, but he has a 6.98 ERA over his last nine starts with a 6.55 FIP, so yes, he’s been that bad.
The Astros hoped Burrows could occupy a top spot in their rotation for five years when they acquired him from the Pirates in December. While it seems unlikely right now, he could still reach that potential. But for the good of everyone involved, the Astros need to send Burrows to Sugar Land—or maybe even West Palm Beach.
It would give Burrows an opportunity to work on things in a low-pressure environment. It would also allow Javier, who looked good on Saturday, to move back to the rotation, which would give Espada a bullpen arm he can use on back-to-back days.
The Astros are just 1 ½ games back of Texas for the American League’s final wild card, and the AL West remains in reach. The team sent Burrows to the bullpen last month for what Espada called “a breather.” It lasted one turn through the rotation. He needs more than a breather right now, and with Javier back and Ronel Blanco and Lance McCullers Jr. on the way, the Astros can afford to do that now.
COVERS INTEL: Zac Gallen has been one of the league's worst pitchers, 
