CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - AUGUST 20: Didier Fuentes #72 of the Atlanta Braves celebrates ending the seventh inning against the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field on August 20, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Geoff Stellfox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
He has a point. I’ve been referring to him as Didi but I’m saying Dee Dee, the Spanish pronunciation. It used to be Bobby Cox’s deal to call the player’s name and tack on a -y. Maybe we can do better. His play deserves, nay demands a proper nickname. After all, watch this in case you were at work on Thursday.
Fuentes came into the game after Grant Holmes was allowed to start the seventh inning. He arrives with two on and no out. He steals the soul of Braden Montgomery, and then brushed off Colson Montgomery and Chase Meidroth. The bullpen was a monster Thursday, that’s for sure. Just look at this slider.
Very solid. Not earth-shattering, but very good. But pair it with this split fingered fastball.
My. Word. This is not even a strike. It is so good Braden didn’t bother with a challenge. But it looked so similar to the slider in the first pitch of the at-bat. He wasn’t going to be fooled again, only he was fooled in an entirely different way. Take these and add a four seam fastball that can touch 100, and the Braves have something very special.
So does Didier Fuentes need a nickname? Honestly, I don’t think we can legally allow a reliever like this to operate without one. What’s “Destroyer of Souls” in Spanish? Google says Fuentes translates to “sources” or “fountain”. Come thou Fount of Every Fastball? Help me out here.
SEATTLE — To begin this recap of Friday night’s 6-5 Cubs 10-inning loss to the Mariners, I thought it would be appropriate to give you this fact from BCB’s JohnW53, because this is the primary reason the Cubs lost this game:
The Cubs’ 1 for 16 with runners in scoring position was their worst with one hit this season. They were 1 for 15 in a 4-3 loss to the Pirates at home on April 11. They were 0 for 13 in a 6-0 loss at Texas on May 9.
One for sixteen. Eleven runners left on base. The Cubs had 12 hits and smacked four home runs. You’d think that would produce more than five runs.
It did not, and this game wound up in the “L” column.
As you can see, that ball just barely made it over the right-field wall, and on the ninth pitch of the at-bat. More from John:
Pete Crow-Armstrong’s homer was his second leading off a game on the road and the Cubs’ 117th since 1910, first year for which baseball-reference.com has searchable play-level data.
Alfonso Soriano did it 12 times as a Cub; Dexter Fowler, seven; Ian Happ, Brian McRae and Rick Monday, five. Soriano hit 20 as the first Cub to bat in a game (eight at home).
PCA now has done that five times, tying for sixth most with Michael Busch, Eddie Miksis, Karl “Tuffy” Rhodes, Kyle Schwarber and Eric Young Sr. McRae had seven; Happ, eight, Fowler, 11; and Monday, 12.
It was also PCA’s seventh leadoff home run of the season. The Cubs’ franchise record for such things is 12, set by Alfonso Soriano in 2007.
So the game is four batters old and the Cubs lead 3-0. This is good!
After the first four Mariners were retired by Matthew Boyd, things turned not good. Josh Naylor singled and Taylor Ward walked.
That brought up Cal Raleigh, who after hitting 60 home runs in 2025 is suffering through an injury-plagued, awful year in which he entered this game batting just .156 and over his last 14 games was 4-for-38 with 14 strikeouts.
No matter. Look where Boyd left his first pitch to Raleigh:
Well. That’s what you call a mistake pitch, all right, and even a MLB hitter in a horrid slump will hit that a long way, and Raleigh did, for a three-run homer tying the game.
The Mariners were not done in that inning, either. Cole Young singled and when Brock Rodden flied to left, moved up to second. That’s not something you see too often, that kind of tag-up, and it paid off for the Mariners when Brendan Donovan singled him in to give Seattle a 4-3 lead.
That’s where the game stayed until the bottom of the fifth, despite the Cubs having RISP in the third, fourth and fifth innings, and in each of those innings that situation happened with fewer than two out. They couldn’t score in any of them, and Seattle extended their lead when Nico Hoerner allowed Rodden to reach on a throwing error leading off the fifth. He was balked to second by Boyd, and that call got Craig Counsell tossed [VIDEO].
As you can see in the clip, Boyd asked plate umpire Brennan Miller for an explanation of the balk, which was not only his first of the year, but first in his two years as a Cub, and only the third called on a Cubs pitcher this year. And the expression on Boyd’s face after the balk call kind of sums up this game. Also — happy birthday, Craig Counsell, your birthday gift is being ejected! It was the fifth ejection for Counsell this year, tied for the most in a season in his 12-year managing career.
Anyway, that was important because it put Rodden in scoring position, where a single by Randy Arozarena scored him to make it 5-3. The Mariners were 4-for-7 with RISP in this game and… sigh.
Boyd’s outing wasn’t awful — six innings, five runs (four earned) — but it wasn’t really that good, either. Daniel Palencia, just returned from the injured list, threw a 1-2-3 seventh with a pair of strikeouts, so that’s good. Here’s his K of Arozarena [VIDEO].
Happ has started to hit recently, a bit. Over his last 12 games: .286/.348/.548 (12-for-42) with three home runs. One of Happ’s late-season hot streaks would be quite welcome right now.
After that homer, again the Cubs put runners in scoring position. Hoerner singled and Pedro Ramirez walked. Nobody out. Great scoring chance, right?
Not so much. Michael Conforto popped up. Carson Kelly grounded out, with the runners advancing. That prompted the Mariners to intentionally pass PCA and face Seiya Suzuki. Good opportunity, but… Suzuki struck out [VIDEO].
Colin Rea threw a scoreless eighth and so the Cubs had one last chance in the ninth.
But the Cubs could not score again in the ninth, and Jacob Webb entered to attempt to preserve the tie for extras, which he did. That was Webb’s 24th consecutive scoreless appearance dating to the second game of the doubleheader against the Mets June 24 — a stretch of 24.2 innings in which he’s posted a WHIP of 0.932 and has 25 strikeouts.
The Cubs could not score in the top of the 10th and so that left the bottom of the inning to Javier Assad — oh, wait, no, because Assad had been optioned to Triple-A Iowa earlier in the day to make room for the activation of Palencia. Instead, Ryan Zeferjahn was given the 10th.
Victor Robles sacrificed the placed runner, Arozarena, to third. Zeferjahn got Julio Rodriguez to hit a comebacker. Okay, two out, runner on third. The Cubs opted to intentionally pass Josh Naylor to pitch to Leo Rivas, a backup infielder who’d entered the game as a pinch runner and remained as the DH.
This was the right call. Rivas entered the game batting .130 and had been 3 for his last 40 with 14 strikeouts.
Sigh. Rivas lined a single to center, game over. The loss dropped the Cubs to 19-14 in one-run games and 11-7 in extra-inning games. The 18 games in extras are the most for any MLB team this year. Also (Bluesky link):
And not only the four home runs, but all those baserunners and 1-for-16 with RISP… this game should never have even gotten to the 10th inning, the Cubs should have scored far more than five runs in regulation and won easily.
But they did not. The loss dropped the Cubs six games behind the Brewers in the NL Central, and perhaps more importantly, the Cubs’ lead over the Phillies for the first wild card spot is now just three games, as the Phillies have won seven straight. So it would be pretty important, I’d think, to turn things around and win the next two games of this series.
Which will be particularly interesting to watch Saturday, as the Mariners are calling up their top prospect and MLB’s top pitching prospect (fifth overall per MLB Pipeline), left-hander Kade Anderson, to start Saturday’s game. The Cubs will counter with David Peterson. Game time Saturday is 6:15 p.m. CT and Fox-TV (regional — coverage map). A reminder that if you subscribe to MLB.TV or MLB Extra Innings, you can watch this game via those services even if it’s not on the Fox affiliate in your market. In the Chicago local market this game will be on WPWR-Ch. 50 because WFLD-Ch. 32, Fox-TV’s primary channel, is carrying the Bears preseason game.
SARASOTA, FL - MARCH 20: Kyson Witherspoon #50 of the Boston Red Sox pitches during the game between the Boston Red Sox and the Baltimore Orioles at Ed Smith Stadium on Friday, March 20, 2026 in Sarasota, Florida. (Photo by Scott Audette/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Triple-A: Norfolk Tides vs. Nashville Sounds (Brewers) — POSTPONED
This game was canceled due to wet grounds and will be made up as part of a Saturday doubleheader.
A 2-1 Baysox lead disappeared after a three-run top of the eighth for Richmond, with reliever Ryan Long coughing up an Earl Weaver special to Giants prospect Lisbel Diaz. Before that, starter Patrick Reilly had his most successful outing since returning from Tommy John surgery, holding the Flying Squirrels to one run in five solid innings. He walked three and struck out six.
The Chesapeake lineup managed only five hits in this game. Wehiwa Aloy was the only batter with multiple knocks, going 2-for-4 with a double. The red-hot Aron Estrada was held hitless but contributed a sac fly and a walk.
High-A: Wilmington Blue Rocks (Nationals) 1, Frederick Keys 0 — Game 1, F/7
The Keys and Blue Rocks played to a scoreless tie until Wilmington walked it off in the bottom of the seventh (remember, doubleheader games in the minors are only seven innings). But you certainly can’t pin the loss on starter Kyson Witherspoon, who was absolutely brilliant in his third start since joining the organization in the Adley Rutschman trade. The right-hander pitched five hitless, scoreless innings, racking up eight strikeouts and walking three. It was the first hitless outing of his career and the second scoreless.
Unfortunately, Witherspoon got no help from the Keys offense, which had only three hits, all singles. Fellow Rutschman trade acquisition Enddy Azocar had one of them. The Keys drew six walks but went 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position. Reliever Bradley Brehmer continued the Keys’ no-hit bid in the sixth inning, but in the seventh, he gave up a double and a Jacob Walsh walkoff single.
High-A: Wilmington Blue Rocks 2, Frederick Keys 1 — Game 2, F/7
In a makeup of Thursday’s rainout, Wilmington completed the doubleheader sweep with another low-offense, one-run victory. This time the Keys got only two hits, and all told, they went just 5-for-43 in the doubleheader. Not great! Again they had plenty of baserunners, thanks to seven walks, but they squandered nearly every scoring opportunity. They took another 0-fer with RISP and their only run scored on a double play.
Stephen Still (not the guy from Buffalo Springfield) struck out eight batters in four innings, but he gave up two runs, and on this night that was enough for him to be saddled with the loss. Once again it was Jacob Walsh who did all the damage with a two-run single. Walsh drove in all three of the Blue Rocks’ runs in the twin bill.
Offense continued to be nonexistent for Orioles affiliates on this night. The Shorebirds were blanked by Crawdads pitchers Moises Morales, who worked six innings for the win, and Jake “Shrimp on the” Barbee, who earned a three-inning save. The Shorebirds actually didn’t have a problem getting hits — collecting eight in all — but couldn’t push a single one of them home. It didn’t help that all eight hits were singles, giving them very few chances with runners in scoring position. They also didn’t have any walks.
But there’s good news: Esteban Mejia had another solid (abbreviated) outing. He delivered 3.1 scoreless innings, struck out five, and — most promisingly — walked only one. The Shorebirds seem to be limiting Mejia to 2-3 inning outings to help him work out his season-long control problems, and it’s worked out well three times in a row. Reliever Brandon Downer gave up three runs, but righty Andrew Herbert tossed three scoreless.
Minnesota Wild defenseman Brock Faber has landed among the best right-shot defensemen in NHL 27.
EA Sports gave Faber an 88 overall rating, placing him seventh on its list of the game's 10 highest-rated right defensemen.
Colorado Avalanche superstar Cale Makar leads the group with a 95 overall rating. Edmonton's Evan Bouchard follows at 91, while Adam Fox, Charlie McAvoy, Moritz Seider and Noah Dobson were each given an 89.
Faber comes in directly behind that group at 88 overall and is tied with Erik Karlsson and Ryan Pulock. New Jersey Devils defenseman Brett Pesce rounds out the top 10 at 87.
The rating continues Faber's rapid rise into the upper echelon of NHL defensemen.
Since entering the league with Minnesota, Faber has established himself as a major piece of the Wild's blue line and has been trusted with significant minutes and difficult matchups.
Now, Minnesota's defense features two players EA Sports considers among the best at their respective positions. Faber is seventh among right defensemen, while Quinn Hughes received a 95 overall rating and ranks second among left defensemen.
That gives the Wild one of the more impressive top-end defensive combinations in NHL 27.
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BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - AUGUST 21: Willson Contreras #40 of the Boston Red Sox celebrates after hitting a three-run home run against the San Francisco Giants during the third inning at Fenway Park on August 21, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Yankees had a tense affair to open their homestand against the Blue Jays, as Cam Schlittler wasn’t on his A-game and the offense got a couple across early before shutting down. Despite this, their Cy Young candidate managed to fight through and give them six innings of one-run ball and the crooked number they put up in the second would be enough to survive as they won their fifth straight game and continued to put pressure on their AL rivals to match them.
Tampa Bay Rays (76-52) 3, Baltimore Orioles (62-67) 5
After getting swept by the Yankees, the Orioles turned around and scrapped with the top team in the AL. Though the O’s were up 1-0 in the second inning, it looked like the Rays were going to keep them at bay with a three-run frame started by a Junior Caminero double and capped off by a Kenny piper two-run shot. However, that was all the offense the Rays would muster, and the Orioles were far from out of it.
Baltimore’s comeback started right away in the bottom of the second with a Dylan Beavers solo shot, but a couple of one-two-three innings afterwards kept the score in Tampa’s favor. Freddy Peralta started off the fifth by plunking Coby Mayo though, and from there the wheels fell off. Colton Cowser singled and a throwing error brought the runners both into scoring position. After a strikeout brought in the first out, Jackson Holliday lifted a sacrifice fly to tie the game at three. Now an out away from escaping, Peralta faced Pete Alonso and gave him a 2-2 fastball low but down the middle. The Polar Bear punished it, driving the ball 443 feet to left.
Trevor Rogers held things down once his team got him the lead back, lasting seven innings without any more incidents, and Andrew Kittredge and Rico Garcia pitched through the eighth and ninth without incident. Tampa’s loss coupled with the Yankees’ win cuts the deficit in the AL East to just three games after the little hot streak that New York has built, and getting help from the team you just beat has got to feel great.
Other Games
Boston Red Sox (69-59) 6, San Francisco Giants (52-76) 4: Rafael Devers was traded away in an early midseason move last year, and though he played against his former team quite quickly afterwards that was out in San Fran. This was his trip back to Fenway since the deal, and there was a decent mix of cheering and boos for the former star of the team. Unfortunately for him, the Giants lost his potential revenge homecoming as Logan Webb fell apart in the third inning. Willson Contreras launched a three-run homer with two outs to give Boston the lead, Webb gave up a couple of singles to continue the rally, and then he completely lost the zone sandwiching a walk to Andruw Monasterio around a pair of hit by pitches to push across two more runs. The five spot was enough to survive the Giants’ comeback attempt, though Devers managed to get something for himself as he ripped a solo homer in the fourth inning.
Chicago White Sox (67-61) 6, New York Mets (58-71) 4: The Mets were cruising in this game, up 4-0 after five thanks to a Brett Baty two-run shot and a Bo Bichette solo homer, but the White Sox woke up in the sixth facing Sean Manaea. A trio of homers from Miguel Vargas, Randal Grichuk, and Colson Montgomery tied the game up at four, and that score held until the ninth when Jefry Yan entered to try and bring it to extras. Yan walked Montgomery on six pitches, though he thought he’d gotten him to strikeout twice and did his signature hop off the mound each time. Montgomery got bunted over to second and advanced to third on a groundout bringing Jake Rogers up down to their last out. Rogers got a hold of an 0-1 fastball and drove it just over the reach of center fielder A.J. Ewing for the walk-off two-run blast.
Those of you who have been around the site for a number of years may remember when our own Jake Devin coined the AL Central Rock Fight title for when we had to cover the division’s many inept but still contending teams. With the way that the third Wild Card has developed this year with multiple teams under .500 competing for it, perhaps its time for a reprisal. We’ll give each of these teams a short summary while they try to scramble out of the muck, and if anyone out West wants to pull away with their division a bit they would be welcomed out of the fracas as well.
Houston Astros (65-64) 4, Athletics (49-80) 0: Let’s start with the Astros, who have been flirting with .500 for a while but have pulled their head above water with this win. Hayden Wesneski gave the ‘Stros five one-hit innings and the bullpen carried his work over, four relievers combining to allow two base hits the rest of the way. A pair of RBI doubles from Yordan Alvarez as well as an Isaac Paredes RBI double and a Christian Walker sac fly were more than enough to give Houston the lead, handing the A’s their league-worst 80th loss.
Texas Rangers (64-65) 2, Los Angeles Angels (51-78) 1 (10 innings): A scoreless game through nine was finally broken up by the Manfred runner, Denzer Guzman leading off the top of the 10th with an RBI double (just the third hit all game for the Angels). The Rangers’ similarly inept offense responded in the bottom half with an RBI double from Wyatt Langford, and then after an intentional walk Ezequiel Duran singled through the left side to walk it off for Texas.
Minnesota Twins (63-66) 2, San Diego Padres (69-60) 6: The Padres jumped ahead 2-0 after a Ty France two-run blast in the first, but coughed that up in the fourth when Kody Clemens tripled in a pair. The home run was the last hit Minnesota would get all game, as Randy Vasquez buckled down for seven strong innings and the Padres rallied for four runs in the fifth on a procession of four singles, a walk, and a sacrifice fly.
Cleveland Guardians (63-66) 9, Colorado Rockies (50-78) 1: The Rockies briefly held a 1-0 lead after Willi Castro knocked a run across in the first, but it was all Cleveland from there. Petey Halpin tied it up with a solo shot in the third, Travis Bazzana gave them the lead with a two-run single in the fourth, and Patrick Bailey put it out of reach with his three-run homer in the seventh inning.
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - JULY 26: Reynaldo López #40 of the Atlanta Braves pitches against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on July 26, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Atlanta Braves right-hander Reynaldo López is ramping back up and is set to make a rehab start with Triple-A Gwinnett on Sunday. López landed on the injured list on July 30 with inflammation in his left knee; fortunately, his MRI did not reveal any structural damage.
The hurler has had a subpar year for Atlanta. Through 24 games, he’s recorded four wins and posted a 3.64 ERA. He’s fanned 66 through 71.2 innings.
If all goes well, López could soon rejoin Atlanta’s pitching staff and provide a boost down the stretch. Sunday’s outing should give the Braves a better idea of how close he is to returning.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JULY 12: Franklin Arias #19 of the Boston Red Sox bats during the 2026 All-Star Futures Game Presented by Nike at Citizens Bank Park on Sunday, July 12, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The WooSox didn’t get much offense in Syracuse (Mets AAA) and, as a result, got walked off with two outs. But it shouldn’t have even gotten to that point since they were getting outhit 11-3, so there’s some people on the squad we need to tip our caps to. Blake Wehunt didnt’ quite make it five innings but kept all but one run off the board despite allowing seven total baserunners. Allen Castro drove a late run in to make this a tie game in the 9th, and Franklin Arias and Romy Gonzalez hit doubles; Arias’ scored a pair of runs.
Don’t look now, but Arias already has 22 RBIs since his call up to Triple-A a month ago, and his total in 2026 sits at 74. That’s a good season by any account, but keep in mind that Arias batted first for a lot of his time in Double-A so that total might be even higher if he wasn’t hitting so many solo shots to start the game. That he’s consistently been the youngest at his level and hasn’t gone more than three days before finding a groove are very, very good signs going forward (as in, after the lockout, in this writer’s humble opinion.) Still, Arias is slashing .291/.357/.488(!) in a sample size that is growing bigger and bigger against guys who are getting better and better. And maybe, just maybe, it was all part of Breslow’s plan to waltz straight from the Trevor Story (0-4, 2 K’s on Friday) contract into Franklin Arias mowing down big league pitching. (And it was just how he drew it up, even down to Andruw Monasterio playing so well this year, right?)
Yes, it was Roman Anthony rehab night against the Fightin Phils (Phillies AA.) Yes, he drove in a run, his third in as many games. Devin Futrell also had a good night on the mound and shoved through six innings even after allowing a first-run home run, displaying a line that could have been plenty enough to take a decision win with a bit more pop at the plate: 6.0 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 4 K.
But the real story of the night – aside from Anthony getting closer to beign back with the big league club just in time to be one of the team’s “September call-ups” – has got to be how good Justin Gonzales has looked in general this year, but especially since his promotion to Double-A. He hit a triple and his OPS stands at over 1. These are numbers that folks made a big deal out of when Arias started the season hot this year, and there’s reason to believe that it’s time to pay attention to the outfielder, who won’t turn 20 until New Years Eve.
Greenville: PPD in 3rd, Make-Up Today
I will not jinx the Drive into saying they might be able to sleepwalk into a win Saturday following a rain delay in which they had a lead. The last time I did that, they sweated out a 7-run performance in the remaining innings and gutted a win out by the skin of their teeth. What I will say is that it’s looking good in the third against Winston-Salem (White Sox High-A.) “First” pitch of the double-header is today at 4:30.
I think it may be time to have a look at Franklin Primera at the High-A level until the season ends. The 19-year-old catcher is hitting .344/.484/.536 in 35 games, which is a decisively small sample size, but he’s got it at the plate. He added two more hits off the Warbirds (Brewers A) staff Friday in the DH slot as the other guy on the club catching, Adonys Guzman, also went 2-for-4 with a home run. The RidgeYaks were fighting an uphill battle all night, though, as they found themselves down 7-0 after two. They were able to make the deficit two, but that’s as close as it got.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JULY 22: (L-R) Kyle Tucker #23, Andy Pages #44, and Teoscar Hernandez #37 of the Los Angeles Dodgers stand in the outfield during a pitching change in the sixth inning during a game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on July 22, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Among the 122 major league outfielders with at least 200 plate appearances entering Friday, Teoscar Hernández (.250/.313/.401, 97 wRC+, 0.4 fWAR) and Kyle Tucker (.232/.327/.368, 95 wRC+, 0.3 fWAR) ranked 87thand 94th, respectively in FanGraphs WAR.
With the Dodgers getting such little production offensively and defensively from the corner outfield this season, calling up one of their many productive minor league outfielders seems more and more appealing by the day.
The fine folks at FanGraphs introduced a new feature this week: the count progression tool. “This tool isn’t meant to completely explain shifts in walk and strikeout rates,” wrote Ben Clemens, “but I think it’s a great way to help investigate the ways the game is changing.”
DALLAS, TEXAS - MARCH 21: Klay Thompson #31 of the Dallas Mavericks handles the ball against the Los Angeles Clippers during the game at American Airlines Center on March 21, 2026 in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After two seasons with the Dallas Mavericks, Klay Thompson was ultimately reduced to a status ill-fitting with his Hall of Fame career. At the end, Thompson became an asset that the Mavericks couldn’t get anything for.
But the primary reason the Mavericks found it so difficult to find a trade partner in a deal for Thompson, which would have reportedly been the team’s preference, is, you guessed it. The NBA salary cap. To those familiar with cap-related intricacies, that’s obvious, but let’s go over the confluence of salary cap factors that contributed to the Mavs finally throwing their hands in the air and letting Thompson get away and go to Miami in return for a big wad of nothing.
Why would the Mavericks buy Thompson out?
On an expiring deal and with still with at least a little something still in the tank, you’d think Thompson would still hold at least some minute shard of value on the trade market. But going into his 14th season, he was never going to be a piece of any team’s long-term build. He was only ever going to attract attention from teams who felt like they were one player away from contending or competing for something meaningful.
The final year of his deal with the Mavericks was worth $17.5 million. Just two months before the start of the season, the number of teams that fit that bill is relatively small. The number of teams that fit that bill and also have enough cap space to absorb $17.5 million in exchange for what they view as Thompson’s worth is even smaller. The kinds of teams that would have an interest in Thompson would also, by definition, already be approaching the cap or the first apron hard cap.
Enter the Miami Heat. Murmurs centered on the idea of forward Nikola Jovic being packaged in a creative way and coming back to Dallas were just that. Even though the youngster makes similar money to Thompson, the Heat would never have done a deal sending Jovic to Dallas, especially after emptying the cupboard of most of their young talent in trading for Giannis Antetokounmpo this offseason.
But wishcasting creative trade scenarios misses the most obvious point here. With Thompson on the roster, the Mavericks were at 16 players with guaranteed contracts. You can’t ride into the season with 16 on the roster. Sending Thompson out and getting one player back was never really an option for Dallas.
An NBA team usually only buys a player out if it’s the last available option. We had reached that point here.
You mean they couldn’t get anything for him?
Not in terms of players coming back, no. So, ok. What about the ever-popular four-team Stretch Armstrong trade machine idea you just cooked up in your NBA Galaxy Brain? That would require finding that many teams interested in participating, each with something to gain and each with the cap room to make the Galaxy Brain deal work.
We’ve already established that the number of teams with wiggle room in late August under the highly restrictive cap system the NBA employs is a very small one.
Not even like a second-round draft pick?
Count me among the many who would have taken even one solitary future second-round draft pick to get off of Thompson’s contract, but doing one player for one draft pick is just as impossible, as it would require the team taking Thompson to have $17.5 million to work with under whatever rung of salary cap hell it was willing to exist in.
Again, a team looking to contend in 2026-27 by definition probably does not have $17.5 million of loose change to spare in late August. They have spent it all to field a team that the front office thinks is a winner. And, again, bringing more teams into the equation makes it less possible, not more, at this point.
Mavericks’ salary cap implications for 2026-27
Before buying Thompson out of the last year of his deal, the Mavericks sat roughly $2.2 million under the luxury tax line, which is set at $200 million and change. If Thompson signs the two-year, $13-million deal reported by multiple outlets, Dallas’ salary on the books for the 2026-27 season would decrease further between $3.9 million and $6.5 million. Thompson cannot be officially signed until Sunday, 48 hours after the buyout is completed.
They would still be operating over the soft cap of $164.961 million, but under both aprons and under the luxury tax, just as they were before the buyout. It’s a convoluted way of saying that the move really doesn’t do a whole lot other than put at least $3.9 million back into the pockets of the Adelson-Dumont Regime. Which, when you think about it, isn’t that what basketball is all about? It couldn’t have happened to a better bunch of folks, am I right?
The Mavericks put themselves in this position by assembling all sorts of questionable assets during Nico Harrison’s tenure as general manager and by being unable to dump all of what needed to be dumped. Getting nothing of value and liking it in exchange for a player like Thompson is one of the remnants of that calculus.
Here are the four biggest questions for the Lakers moving forward:
1. What is Bob Iger’s and Josh Kushner’s plan?
The $12.5 billion sale of the Lakers from Mark Walter to former Disney CEO Iger and venture capitalist Kushner raises a lot of questions. Mainly, what’s the new owners’ plan? Under Walter, we knew the Lakers were going to be built in the likeness of the Dodgers, who have won three World Series championships since Walter bought the team in 2012. The Lakers had already begun bolstering their front office and building out their data and analytics departments.
Josh Kushner and Bob Iger still need final approval from the NBA Board of Governors to officially acquire the Lakers. JASON SZENES/ NY POST
While the Lakers may have gotten out of the Walter business at a great time considering the federal law enforcement probe into his financial affairs, we also know the team’s new owners don’t have the blueprint for how to win. It remains to be seen how Iger and Kushner will approach their new roles, assuming the NBA Board of Governors approves the sale.
2. Will Jeanie Buss remain governor?
Iger and Kushner are going to need trusted advisers, and Jeanie Buss seemed perfect for that role, considering the Lakers won 11 championships under the Buss family’s reign.
After the Buss family sold the Lakers to Walter in October 2025, there was an agreement that Jeanie would remain governor at least through 2030. Iger and Kushner intended to honor that arrangement. But things have since gotten complicated.
Jeanie Buss and her siblings might be headed for a lengthy court battle. NurPhoto via Getty Images
The Buss family voted Monday to sell its 17.8% share in the Lakers, but Jeanie is contesting the sale. If they don’t reach a settlement, they could be headed for a lengthy court battle.
That all makes things very tricky for the Lakers and their new owners, who will need guidance right away.
3. What moves are left for the Lakers to make to bolster their roster?
It’s no secret that the Lakers are interested in Jonathan Kuminga, a 23-year-old athletic wing. But momentum sputtered earlier this summer, with Kuminga’s camp rejecting the Lakers’ offer of an average of $10 million annually.
Jonathan Kuminga still needs a home for next season. Are the Lakers still interested? Getty Images
With the Cavaliers trading for Peyton Watson, perhaps the Lakers and Kuminga will be motivated to move forward. Right now, Kuminga is seemingly the biggest domino left on the market that could help the Lakers.
4. Will the Lakers be contenders next season?
As currently constructed, it’s hard to imagine the Lakers competing with the elite teams in the West, such as the Thunder and Spurs, who are both much deeper than the Purple-and-Gold.
If Luka Doncic plays MVP-caliber basketball, Austin Reaves lives up to his lofty four-year, $180 million contract extension and Walker Kessler blossoms into an All-Star, the Lakers could be very good.
But there are a lot of “ifs” in that sentence.
And still, the Lakers would need to shore up a lot of holes to become real contenders, such as adding perimeter shooting and bolstering their defense.
Right now there’s a lot of distance between the Lakers and the teams that are expected to compete in June.
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MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - JANUARY 24: General manager Jon Horst of the Milwaukee Bucks speaks to the media about the dismissal of head coach Adrian Griffin prior to a game between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Cleveland Cavaliers at Fiserv Forum on January 24, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Hello Brew Hoopers. Today we have a fan post from Rick Berry. Rick sent us this really interesting article, and we wanted to spotlight it on the site because he clearly put a lot of effort into it. Fan posts are somewhat a thing of the past on BH due to logistical issues—The Feed is really the only spot to present any takes you may have—but due to this article’s size and the fact that it includes tables, it could really only be published in an “official post” (along with the fact that, as I alluded to, it’s a great read). And again, not to be a negative Nancy, but we do need to reiterate that—purely for logistical reasons—this can’t become a trend.
Take it away, Rick!
In response to Jack Trehearne’s post in The Feed that MarJon Beauchamp would be playing overseas, R984 wrote “Horst must have a record for high picks to out-of-the-nba pipeline… it’s like every player is bad, but I would be shocked if many other long-tenured GMs have so many guys who are so bad they’re out of the league in 6 years as top-35 type picks.” To quote Bucks insider Eric Nehm, “I found this question fascinating”: who are the biggest losers when it comes to first-round drafting? So fascinating that I literally got out of bed and fired up my computer. Humans are weird.
Thankfully for us, Mitchell Maurer (who I thought was long retired) provided a comprehensive response detailing the Bucks’ recent first-round pick history, which I will rip off here.
2014 – Jabari Parker (8 NBA seasons)
2015 – Rashad Vaughn (3 NBA seasons before going overseas)
2016 – Thon Maker (5 NBA seasons before going overseas)
2017 – DJ Wilson (5 NBA seasons before going overseas, then he came back for two games so technically he’s got six logged)
2018 – Donte DiVincenzo (8 NBA seasons, obviously not a bust at all)
2019 – n/a (technically Kevin Porter Jr., but he was traded)
2020 – n/a (technically RJ Hampton, but he was traded)
2021 – n/a (no first round pick)
2022 – MarJon Beauchamp (4 NBA seasons, clearly an overseas guy now)
2023 – n/a (no first round pick)
2024 – AJ Johnson (obviously still young but he’s barely hanging on in the league… after getting drafted as an overseas player!)
2025 – n/a (no first round pick)
2026 – Brayden Burries is obviously a future All-Star so I think we’re good.
To assess which teams and GMs have been the worst first-round drafters, I created a population of players who have played ≤ 4 years in the league since their draft, spanning the draft years from 2014 to 2022. For lottery picks, I extended the years played to 6 years with the assumption that they may get a second deal based primarily on draft position (or perceived potential).
Team
Player
NBA years
Pick
Draft
Notes
ATL
Adreian Payne
4
15
2014
Murdered in 2022
BOS
James Young
4
17
2014
Herd alum, last played for the Ipswich Force of the NBL1 North
LAC
CJ Wilcox
3
28
2014
Retired in 2020, from what I can tell.
MEM
Jordan Adams
2
22
2014
Last played with Dewa United Banten of the Indonesian Basketball League (IBL)
CHA
PJ Hairston
2
26
2014
May have played in Spain
OKC
Mitch McGary
2
21
2014
Retired after two years to try being a pro bowler
OKC
Josh Huestis
3
29
2014
Retired?
PHO
Tyler Ennis
4
18
2014
Playing with Hapoel Tel Aviv of the Israeli Ligat HaAl and the EuroLeague
SAC
Nik Stauskas
5
8
2014
Came back for a year with MIA
BOS
RJ Hunter
4
28
2015
Coaching at Tulane, only 45 GP in NBA
BRK
Chris McCullough
3
29
2015
Playing with Vaqueros de Bayamón of the Baloncesto Superior Nacional (BSN)
DEN
Emmanuel Mudiay
6
7
2015
Playing with Piratas de Quebradillas of the Baloncesto Superior Nacional (BSN)
HOU
Sam Dekker
5
18
2015
Coaching at South Carolina
MEM
Jarell Martin
4
25
2015
Playing with Koshigaya Alphas of the Japanese B.League
MIL
Rashad Vaughn
3
17
2015
Playing with Kesatria Bengawan Solo of the Indonesian Basketball League (IBL)
ORL
Mario Hezonja
5
5
2015
Back with the Cavs
SAS
Nikola Milutinov
0
26
2015
Playing with Olympiacos of the Greek Basketball League (GBL)
NYK
Jerian Grant
5
19
2015
Playing with Panathinaikos of the Greek Basketball League (GBL)
BOS
Guerschon Yabusele
4
16
2016
Back with Panathinaikos
BOS
Ante Zizic
3
23
2016
Playing for Beşiktaş of the Basketbol Süper Ligi
CHA
Malachi Richardson
3
22
2016
Last played for the Astros de Jalisco of the Liga Nacional de Baloncesto Profesional (LNBP)
LAC
Brice Johnson
2
25
2016
Last played with the Nelson Giants of the New Zealand National Basketball League (NZNBL)
MEM
Wade Baldwin
3
17
2016
Playing with Fenerbahçe of the Turkish Basketbol Süper Ligi (BSL) and the EuroLeague
MIL
Thon Maker
5
10
2016
Playing with Al-Ula of the Saudi Basketball League
PHO
Dragan Bender
4
4
2016
Retired
SAC
Georgios Papagiannis
2
13
2016
Playing with Anadolu Efes of the Basketbol Süper Ligi (BSL)
PHO
Marquese Chriss
6
8
2016
Playing with Shandong Hi-Speed Kirin of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA)
MIN
Justin Patton
4
16
2017
Last played for the San Miguel Beermen of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA)
IND
TJ Leaf
4
18
2017
Playing with Maccabi Tel Aviv of the Israeli Basketball Premier League and the EuroLeague
OKC
Terrance Ferguson
4
21
2017
Last played for Bashkimi Prizren
PHI
Anzejs Pasecniks
2
25
2017
Playing with Hsinchu Toplus Lioneers of the Taiwan Professional Basketball League (TPBL)
PHO
Josh Jackson
5
4
2017
Retired?
SAC
Harry Giles
4
20
2017
Playing with Jiangsu Dragons of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA)
POR
Caleb Swanigan
3
26
2017
Editor’s note: Swanigan passed away in 2022.
DEN
Tyler Lyson
2
24
2017
Retired?
ATL
Omari Spellman
2
30
2018
Last played for Beijing Ducks
BRK
Dzanan Musa
2
29
2018
Playing with Dubai Basketball of the ABA League and the EuroLeague.
CHI
Chandler Hutchison
4
22
2018
Retired in ’22, then unretired to be in G League.
GSW
Jacob Evans
2
28
2018
Last played for Pardubice of the Slovak Basketball League
LAC
Jerome Robinson
4
13
2018
Playing with Galatasaray of the Basketbol Süper Ligi (BSL)
PHI
Zhaire Smith
2
16
2018
Allergic to sesame, in G League
BOS
Romeo Langford
4
14
2019
Last played for BCM Gravelines-Dunkerque of the French LNB Élite
LAC
Mfiondu Kabengele
3
27
2019
Playing with Dubai Basketball of the ABA League and EuroLeague
CLE
Dylan Windler
4
26
2019
Playing with Perth Wildcats of the National Basketball League (NBL)
DET
Sekou Doumbouya
3
15
2019
Playing with Koshigaya Alphas of the B.League
MIN
Jarrett Culver
4
6
2019
Last played with Sendai 89ers of the B.League
SAS
Luka Samanic
4
19
2019
Playing with UNICS Kazan of the VTB United League
GSW
James Wiseman
5
2
2020
Close enough
DEN
RJ Hampton
4
24
2020
Playing with Changsha Yongsheng of the National Basketball League in China
NOP
Kira Lewis Jr.
4
13
2020
With Herd (same thing)
MIN
Leandro Bolmaro
2
23
2020
Playing with Olimpia Milano of the Italian Lega Basket Serie A (LBA)
OKC
Aleksej Pokusevski
4
17
2020
Playing with Lokomotiv Kuban of the VTB United League
UTA
Udoka Azubuike
4
27
2020
Playing with Ironi Ness Ziona of the Israeli Ligat HaAl
CHA
James Bouknight
3
11
2021
Mexico City Capitanes of the NBA G League; day drinker
HOU
Usman Garuba
3
23
2021
Playing with Real Madrid of the Spanish Liga ACB and the EuroLeague
HOU
Josh Christopher
3
24
2021
Playing with Shenzhen Leopards of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA)
IND
Chris Duarte
4
13
2021
Playing with Saski Baskonia of the Liga ACB and the EuroLeague
CHA
Kai Jones
3
19
2021
Playing with Anadolu Efes of the Turkish Basketbol Süper Ligi (BSL)
LAC
Keon Johnson
4
21
2021
G Leaguer for life
PHI
Jaden Springer
4
28
2021
G Leaguer for life
SAS
Josh Primo
3
12
2021
Still trying to get more exposure
ATL
AJ Griffin
2
16
2022
Playing for Jesus now
GSW
Patrick Baldwin Jr.
4
28
2022
Playing with Crvena zvezda of the Basketball League of Serbia (KLS), the ABA League, and the EuroLeague
MEM
TyTy Washington
4
29
2022
G Leaguer for life, probably headed to France
MIL
MarJon Beauchamp
4
24
2022
Playing with Bayern Munich of the German Basketball Bundesliga (BBL)
WAS
Johnny Davis
3
10
2022
Playing with Körfez Basket of the Basketbol Süper Ligi (BSL)
There are 66 total players meeting this criteria. The teams that appear most on this list have five players (BOS, LAC). Unfortunately, with something like draft pick ‘bustiness’ it’s hard to assess something like “which pick is worse.” To aid in this analysis, I’ve developed what I call the D.O.P.E. (Doesn’t Offer Pick Excellence) Index.
The index is constructed of a mathematically balanced, statistically significant, calorie-neutral scoring system consisting of the following:
Years in NBA before leaving: 5 pts (≤ 1 yr), 3 pts (2-3 yrs), 2 pts (4 yrs), 1 pt (> 4yrs)
Narrative Adjustment: Zhaire Smith: -8 pts for sesame allergy, and James Wiseman: +3 for screwing up GSW’s “2 timelines”
After hours of computation, the DOPE Index shows that Jon Horst and the Bucks are at least 13th best at launching first-round picks into the sun. This is underestimating Horst since it doesn’t include AJ Johnson, who I consider his worst first-round pick, and projects to be a ~12 DOPE.
Rank
Team
DOPE
1
PHO
40
2
LAC
37
3
BOS
35
4
SAS
31
5
CHA
31
6
MEM
30
7
MIN
28
8
SAC
27
9
OKC
26
10
GSW
26
11
ATL
25
12
DEN
21
13
MIL
19
This result is a bit surprising. Phoenix’s draft record from 2014-2017 is powerfully bad, despite getting Devin Booker in 2015. Here’s a dog’s breakfast of early first-round misses:
Tyler Ennis (2014; 18th overall)
Dragan Bender (2016; 4th)
Marquese Chriss (2016; 8th)
Josh Jackson (2017; 4th)
But what about Devin Booker? The DOPE Index is more a measure of a GM’s lowlight reel and isn’t sufficient to gauge overall draft prowess. Acknowledging the hits is a necessary part of this exercise. Enter SPLORT (Superior Picking by Luck OR Talent). SPLORT is another point-based index with 15 pts for a future HoFer/franchise cornerstone, 8 pts for an All-Star/award winner, 4 pts for a starter, and 2 pts for a rotational guy.
I pulled the SPLORT for each of the 13 teams listed above.
Team
SPLORT
BOS
58
MIN
46
PHO
39
SAS
36
ATL
34
OKC
34
SAC
29
MEM
26
DEN
24
CHA
24
LAC
15
GSW
14
MIL
8
Unfortunately, this is where the Bucks distinguish themselves, getting SPLORT contributions from only Jabari and Donte in the Giannis era. Other notables from the SPLORT review include
Boston dominates with their picks of the Jays and Smart, but also gets a bunch of rotational pieces: Pritchard, Time Lord, Grant Williams, Nesmith, and Rozier.
The run of late first success that SAS is truly inspiring: Kyle Anderson (2014; 30th), Dejounte Murray (2016; 29th), Derrick White (2017; 29th), and Keldon Johnson (2019; 29th).
To get a more complete picture of draft performance, I combined the DOPE Index with SPLORT to create the Effective DOPE Index (eDOPE). This is where a more familiar narrative appears.
Team
eDOPE
LAC
22
GSW
12
MIL
11
CHA
7
MEM
4
PHO
1
SAC
-2
DEN
-3
SAS
-5
OKC
-8
ATL
-9
MIN
-18
BOS
-23
Personally, I expected MIL to rank higher, but some of that is due to the time range (2014-2022) and excluding AJ Johnson. Additionally, GSW may be unfairly punished by the Narrative Adjustment I made for their Wiseman pick. While Wiseman did fold the “two Timelines,” that draft was rough on top-end talent. In hindsight, the best non-Ant picks were at 12 (Haliburton) and 21 (Maxey), though just having LaMelo would’ve probably produced a far better outcome than Wiseman.
In conclusion, R984 is likely correct that Jon Horst is the longest-tenured first-round draft disaster, with hopes that Brayden Burries will drag his moribund track record out of the bottom five. Some teams have been comparable, but they’ve also either let their GM go or succeeded in other ways. Outside of Horst, nobody has been this bad in the first round and lived to tell the tale.
Welcome to Inside the Suns, your weekly deep-down analysis of the current Phoenix Suns team. Each week, the Fantable — a round table of Bright Siders — gives their takes on the Suns’ latest issues and news.
Fantable Questions of the Week
Q1: Dillon Brooks recently said that he’s working on his passing this summer (at the request of Brian Gregory). What are your thoughts on this?
zenzino: Hallelujah!
I’ve been pretty upfront about criticizing Brooks’ passing (or lack thereof) during game threads last season and other discussions. During the press conference, Brooks chuckled when he said that BG wanted him to work on his passing (as well as getting back to spot-up threes). He knows. That’s definitely a part of his game he needs to get better at.
On a side note (aka, ‘I told you!’), this came from Brian Gregory, not Jordan Ott (though I’m sure he agrees). During the playoffs, I maintained that JO’s decision not to play the rookies was not just a JO decision. If it was happening, that means BG and MI were on board with it, too. BG is super involved in all these aspects, and BG telling Brooks what he wants him to work on is proof of that, in my mind.
Ashton: I read this question and immediately reached for the rolling eye emoji. How was BG involved in this discussion outside of nice-to-have skills when discussing his contract extension? This is a coach’s strategy that usually involves free-flowing basketball movement. I am down with that! I like that offensive style.
But Brooks has never shown the propensity to pass the ball. His style is typically downhill, and I seriously doubt that he can improve in that area over the summer, when it was never his area to begin with. I doubt “Dillion the Villon” is going to become “Dillion the Saint” that passes the ball out to his open playmakers (Book and Green) at the expense of passing lip to the opposing defender. Nah, I will believe it when I see it, but for me, this is exactly that – lip service.
OldAz: There was a story a couple years ago about a player, let’s call him “Schmadley Schmeal”, that was approached by the coach and asked to take a more defensive minded approach to the game as it might benefit the team. Schmadley did not like this, and things spiraled downward from there. This story is the exact opposite of that.
I love that the player is not only acknowledging the constructive feedback they received from the general manager, but acknowledging they are working on that area of their game, presumably for the betterment of the team. That being said, working on being a better passer and being willing or actually doing it during game situations are entirely different things. Hopefully, we see growth from Brooks in this area as the Suns are always better when the team on the floor plays unselfishly and passes around for the best shot.
Rod: I’m all for Brooks improving in this area and, especially, admitting that he needs to improve there. His assist numbers last season ranked him at 8th on the team per game and 14th per 36 and per 100 possessions (behind Isaiah Livers!). There were times that he needed to concentrate on scoring first, but I think it’s best for the team if that’s not his mindset and he focuses more on moving the ball around this season. For the Suns’ offense to work at its best, ball movement is a necessity, and he must be a part of that.
Q: As Khaman Maluach has proven that he can hit three-point shots at a reasonable percentage in Summer League (40% on 5 3PAs per game), should Jordan Ott experiment with him playing at PF with Williams or Ighodaro at center this year?
zenzino: Hells yeah!
Why not? Try everything. Experiment like crazy. Be a mad scientist.
It’s a small sample size, but very encouraging. Unlike most of SL play, I don’t think 3-point shooting is as affected by the level of competition. Meaning, that’s one thing from SL that can more easily translate.
I also don’t think Man Man needs to be at the 4 to put them up. If the opposing team has a rim protector (Wemby, Holmgren) and our 7-footer starts raining 3s, he’ll have to come out and guard Man Man and open up the lane.
Even without the 3s, I’d love to see some lineups with Oso & MW and Oso & Man Man. I’m not sure MW & Man Man would be the right duo.
Ashton: I would never say no to anyone who can shoot 40 percent of their 3-point shots against inferior defenses. Heck, try KM at SF or SG off the bench to give him some minutes. It will have opposing defenses scratching their heads.
My only concern is that I see KM as a center, and I would rather not take him out of the flow of that role. Also, keep in mind that KM shoots 25% at Duke from downtown. Yes, players can improve year over year, but he was never recognized as a three-point shooter in his early career. If Coach Ott wants to employ a two-headed monster on offense specifically designed for rebounding and paint points, then no problem pairing him as a PF with Williams or Oso. On the defensive end, more rim protection is always good, but can he switch or defend the three?
His three-point shooting percentages or attempts are probably the last thing I am concerned with.
OldAz: I absolutely think this would be a great idea, especially when paired with Oso. KM’s shooting and developing rim protection make him a great candidate to play cross-positionally, allowing Oso to facilitate on offense from the center position while not having to guard the center on defense. Well, I don’t know if it would truly work. It is an intriguing combination to play with and see how it forces the other team to match up. KMs shooting from outside certainly seems to make his overall game very complementary to what Oso can bring. If this works, it also opens up minutes for Oso that would not otherwise be available given his limited shooting ability.
Rod: I’d love to see it tried, at least for small stretches. And Khaman’s ability to make threes isn’t really the reason why; that just gives him more credibility playing PF. The defensive end of the court is where I’d be most interested in seeing how it works. Mostly, it might just be an answer to improving the Suns’ defensive rebounding (which was a pitiful 29th last season).
As Khaman is still learning, I would be a little concerned that playing him at PF this early might be a little confusing for him at times, as he has to remember how to execute plays for two different positions rather than just one. Even a split second of indecision can make the difference between a great play and a blown possession.
Q3: The Suns’ preseason games begin on October 5, just a little over 6 weeks from now. Which players are you most interested in watching during those games?
zenzino: Six weeks?! How can the off-season seem so short and so long at the same time?
What I really want to see this preseason is the Suns playing the ‘regular’ lineups for most of the games. Even more than last season, every game counts, and I’d like to see them hit the ground running when the season starts.
Even though the team is mostly the same, Bridges in place of Royce and GA is a huge difference in the style of play. There are definitely things that will need to be worked out and adjustments made.
But alas, preseason is usually a step up from Summer League, with starters getting a few reps but mostly kept in reserve. However, full NBA at 50% is definitely a step up from SL, so getting the young guys out there to see what they can do against other veteran role players will be interesting.
We know what most of these guys can do. I guess I’m most interested in seeing how the starters can gel and whether Man Man, Sheer, and Koa can continue what they started in SL.
Ashton: Um…all of them? I am really more of a scheme guy and want to see what Ott cooks up. How do the starters mesh with Miles Bridges would be at the top of my list. Which players are first off the bench? Which players show the most understanding in a defensive line-up? And this whole line-up depth thing I keep reading about? Seems to me a lot of players will be getting some run. But Rod is usually oddly specific about these questions, and I will have to list some players. Let’s give it to the new guys, recent transactions, two-ways, and rookies.
Miles Bridges Luke Kennard Pat Spencer Koa Peat I guess Haywood Highsmith fits in this category
I think this question will receive many different answers, but I am always looking for the next diamond in the rough.
OldAz: I am still most interested in watching Fleming and KM. The second-year players appear ready to make a jump and contribute significantly, and bring the length and athleticism I have been looking for for many years as a Suns fan. Beyond that, it’s just preseason, so it will be good to see basketball again, but it will quickly fade into impatience, waiting for the real season to start.
Rod: The number one thing for me is seeing how well Miles Bridges fits into the starting lineup. Secondary to that is seeing how well Luke Kennard fits into things. I think he’s a great addition to the team, but I’m curious to see just how Ott will fit him into the Suns’ rotation. And Ott’s player rotation is what I’m actually more interested in seeing than individual players. This team is deep enough that a 12-man rotation wouldn’t be out of the question, although coaches generally stick to 9/10 man rotations while the game is still in question.
As always, many thanks to our Fantable members for all their extra effort this week!
Suns Trivia/History
On August 25, 1976, the Suns acquired Tom Van Arsdale, the twin brother of “The Original Sun” Dick Van Arsdale, from the Buffalo Braves for a 1977 second-round pick and cash. It was the first time an NBA team had a set of twins on the same roster.
On August 25, 2005, on the same day the Suns extended head coach Mike D’Antoni through 2009 following a trip to the Western Conference Finals, they acquired small forward (and future Suns GM) James Jones in a sign-and-trade with the Indiana Pacers. Jones signed a four-year, $11.1 million deal, with the fourth year a player option.
On August 26, 1976, after playing only 39 minutes in 1975-76, 31-year-old guard John Wetzel retired from the NBA and returned to school at Virginia Tech. He was the first player in franchise history to retire as a member of the Suns. Wetzel would eventually return to Phoenix as an assistant coach in 1979 and become the team’s 7th head coach in 1987. His time as HC with the Suns would be limited to just one season as the team went 28-54 under him and missed the playoffs for the 3rd consecutive year. At the time, the team’s 28-54 (.341) record was the second-worst in team history and would retain that dubious distinction until the 2012-13 season, when the Suns went 25-57 (.305).
On August 27, 1968, in the franchise’s first-ever trade, the Suns acquired a 1969 2nd-round draft pick from the Boston Celtics for expansion-draft pick Emmette Bryant. “Em” had previously been with the Knicks, desired to stay in the East and refused to play for the expansion Suns.
On August 28, 1984, the Suns played their first-ever overseas exhibition game (part of a tournament that included Maccabi Tel Aviv and the New Jersey Nets) and defeated Hapoel Tel Aviv 111-91 in game one at Yad Eliyahu Arena in Tel Aviv, Israel. The following day, they would lose to Macabi Tel Aviv 113-98. The Suns would also later play in a tournament in Italy (in early September) and wind up playing a total of 5 overseas exhibition games in 1984, going 4-1 overall.
Important Future Dates
Sept. 28 – Media Day Sept. 29 – Training Camp opens Oct. 5 – Suns @ Pistons (preseason) 4:00 PM Oct. 7 – Suns @ Bulls (preseason) 5:00 PM Oct. 10 – Suns vs. Spurs (preseason) 7:00 PM Oct. 14 – Suns @ Spurs (preseason) 5:00 PM Oct. 16 – Suns vs. Jazz (preseason) 7:00 PM Oct. 20 – 2026-27 NBA Season Begins Dec. 15 – Most players signed to new contracts can be traded Jan. 5 – 10-day contracts may now be signed Jan. 10 – All NBA contracts are guaranteed for the remainder of the season Jan. 15 – All players signed to new contracts can be traded Feb. 11 – Trade Deadline Feb. 19-21 – NBA All-Star 2027
BALTIMORE, MD - AUGUST 21: Pete Alonso #25 of the Baltimore Orioles celebrates with teammates after the game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on August 21, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning Birdland,
The Orioles four-game skid came to an end on Friday night as they beat the Rays 5-3. Pete Alonso stole the show with his 30th home run of the season and a snazzy diving put out to lead the O’s to the win. But Trevor Rogers also made a difference, delivering seven innings and allowing just three runs on six hits, one walk, and six strikeouts.
The losing streak did cost the Orioles in the standings. They are now two games back of the final AL wild card spot rather than controlling their own destiny like they were a few days ago. But I’m willing to go out on a limb and say that if they go undefeated from here on out they will make the playoffs anyway. So just do that? Seems simple!
More seriously, the win on Friday was a blueprint for how the Orioles have wanted to play all season. They got a good start from Rogers and limited exposure of the bullpen. They also hit two home runs. The 157 home runs that the Orioles have hit rank ninth in MLB this season, which is good, but they probably expected to be even higher.
Dylan Beavers launched a solo shot in the third inning, his third home run in as many days. He is one of several Orioles that the team has needed more out of. His recent hot streak has improved his overall numbers to the point that he now owns a league average 100 wRC+ on the year.
Coby Mayo (98 wRC+) and Jackson Holliday (96 wRC+) are two other names that have seen their numbers improve post-all star break. A continued upward trend from this young trio is needed in order for the Orioles to make an honest run at a playoff spot. And don’t forget Gunnar Henderson (99 wRC+), who may have to finally find his “MVP” form as September nears.
Another matchup with the Rays awaits tonight. That has been good news for the Orioles recently. First pitch is set for 7:05.
Links
Holliday’s Players’ Weekend bat features … his dog Coconut! | MLB.com Many of the players will be rocking custom bats, cleats, and other gear this weekend. Jackson Holliday is featuring his dog, Coconut. Samuel Basallo reps the Dominican Republic. Beavers has…well, a beaver. It’s good stuff!
O’s closer Bautista (shoulder surgery) to begin rehab assignment Sunday | MLB.com This is exciting! The version of Félix Bautista we saw in 2025 was not as dominant as the 2023 iteration. That was after elbow surgery. Could we see another dip in form following a shoulder procedure? Maybe. But even that feels like a vital upgrade to a bullpen that desperately needs a late-inning arm. Whatever he can provide in 2026 feels like a bonus to what he can do in 2027 and beyond.
Orioles Designate Albert Suárez For Assignment | MLB Trade Rumors Yet again, Suárez has drawn the short straw for the Orioles. This move was all about getting a fresh arm in the bullpen. The 36-year-old threw 36 pitches on Thursday, and the team needed reinforcements. This is the fourth time the Orioles have DFA’ed him this year alone. Odds are he ends up sticking with the Orioles, but he will need to go through waivers first. A team in need of some bullpen depth might snag him.
This, that and the other | Roch Kubatko The question of who gets promoted when the rosters expand on September 1 is bandied about here. Blaze Alexander feels like a no-brainer, and the timing could be just about right. Maybe he is up a couple of days sooner even. Bautista feels less likely, simply because I expect the Orioles to take things slow there. Luis De León is also mentioned. The Orioles didn’t move him to the bullpen so suddenly for no reason. They seem keen to give him a big league audition.
Orioles birthdays
Is it your birthday? Happy birthday!
Chayce McDermott turns 28 today. Acquired from the Astros as a prospect in the Trey Mancini trade, McDermott emerged in the big leagues with Baltimore in 2024. He would end up pitching in just five total games through 2025 before he was dealt to the Dodgers earlier this year.
Randy Wolf is 50 years old. The lefty came to Baltimore near the end of his 16-season MLB career. During the magical 2012 season in Baltimore, Wolf was signed at the end of August and appeared in five games for the squad.
Steve Kline turns 54. The southpaw spent the 2005 season working out of the Orioles bullpen, where he had a 4.28 ERA over 61 total innings. The O’s traded him to the Giants after the season in exchange for fellow reliever LaTroy Hawkins.
The late Angelo Dagres (b. 1934, d. 2017) was born on this day. He played in eight MLB games, all of which came with the 1955 Orioles.
1998 – Cal Ripken Jr. scores his 1,500th career run as part of Baltimore’s 6-3 win over Cleveland.
2007 – The Orioles are torched by the Rangers, 30-3. The game sets several records, all of them embarrassing for the Orioles. What’s worse, that was the first game of a double-header. The Orioles lose the nightcap too, though with a more respectable 9-7 scoreline.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - AUGUST 19: Matt Wilkinson #71 of the San Francisco Giants throws a pitch during the second inning of his Major League debut against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on August 19, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Good morning, baseball fans!
Another week of San Francisco Giants baseball comes to a close this weekend, so it’s time to make our picks for Player of the Week!
This week, I’m going with a player who made their MLB debut and did pretty well, all things considered. My pick this week is pitcher Matt Wilkinson, who made his debut in the Giants’ 1-0 win over the Cleveland Guardians on Wednesday. Wilkinson allowed just one hit in his two inning start. Is it a small sample size? Absolutely. But two innings of scoreless baseball in your debut is nothing to sneeze at.
Good job, rook!
Who is your pick for this week’s Player of the Week?
What time do the Giants play today?
The Giants continue this three-game series against the Boston Red Sox this afternoon at 4:15 p.m. PT.
Dodgers right fielder Kyle Tucker tosses his bat after popping out agains the Prates on Friday. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)
It’s as though Kyle Tucker accidentally became important at work and it ruined his life.
He just so happened to be the best available right fielder on the free agent market at the moment in time that the Dodgers were craving an uptick in right field and another functional bat to further fortify their lineup.
Basically, they wanted just another cog in the machine to help clear a path to a third consecutive World Series championship.
And because money is no object — to the objection of the rest of baseball — instead of offering Tucker a long-term deal with annual pay more in line with his talents, the Dodgers slapped a four-year, $240-million deal on the table.
Dodger Kyle Tucker talks with manager Dave Roberts in the dugout on Aug. 15. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)
Said, essentially: Hey, guy, how would you like a Major League Baseball record for average annual value — about $57.1 million per year — not to be the man, but to be a guy?
Not to outshine Shohei Ohtani and his starry pals, not to move merch off the field or do huge numbers on it. Just to quietly do what he did the previous season as a Chicago Cub, when he slashed .266/.377/.464 with 22 home runs, 73 RBIs and 25 stolen bases in 136 games.
It must have felt like winning the lottery. All the introverted Tucker had to do was be his normal self with the understanding that no one expected him to live up to that Ohtani-type contract, that Juan Soto-esque dough, that Aaron Judge-level cheddar.
It wasn’t that too much was expected of Tucker, it was that only so much was.
That was a weird place to start. And it obviously didn’t help him find his footing as a Dodger, because he still hasn’t gained traction.
“I mean, it’s been a struggle in the sense that I’d like to help our team win and perform better for the guys in the clubhouse and the fans that come to the games,” Tucker said Friday. “In that aspect, I wish I would’ve done better this year. But like I said, we’ve still got a month and a half left and the playoffs coming up, so it’s not over yet.”
We can’t, of course, say “poor Kyle Tucker” as he strains — less stoically now — to figure it out with the postseason closing in.
But we can wonder if it was a poor decision by the Dodgers, with all of their top-flight minor league outfield prospects, to splurge so steeply?
We can ask whether they should have taken into account the mental makeup of a man who they were asking to carry the weight of a contract so unwieldy he should be embarrassed by it — which is how Tucker looks when he does his inhibited version of the hip-lock, arm wiggle-and-wave dance moves all the Dodgers do when they reach base.
Tucker just hasn’t looked like a true blue Dodger yet; he hasn’t been able to cut loose — especially not here in L.A.
Brandon Gomes, Dodgers executive president and general manager, helps new signee Kyle Tucker put on a Dodgers jersey during a news conference at Dodger Stadium on Jan. 21. (Ronaldo Bolaños/Los Angeles Times)
After going 0-for-4 in Friday’s 5-4 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates, Tucker is hitting .186 with a .552 OPS at Dodger Stadium. He went 0-for-19 in the Dodgers’ last homestand, when even a game off did nothing to unscramble his mind.
Overall, he’s had it rough in the outfield too, where Statcast’s Fielding Run Value (FRV) measuring a player’s overall defensive value has him rated 96th of 97 right fielders this season.
At present, it doesn’t help that Tucker is one of two high-profile Dodger free-agent busts-so-far.
All-Star closer Edwin Díaz has blown four saves while saving just seven games this season in between stints on the injured list — Tucker and Díaz, insult to injury. For the high-high price of a combined $309 million.
Still, the Dodgers are 78-51. They have the second-best record in baseball, with two fewer wins than the Milwaukee Brewers.
And on the road, Tucker has given the Dodgers more of their money’s worth, hitting.272 with a .820 OPS.
So after Wednesday’s two-hit game to close out a sweep in Colorado on Wednesday, Tucker came home and tried the slump-busting tactic of taking batting practice outside on the field Friday for the first as a Dodger.
“Just trying to put up good swings tonight, good at-bats,” he said. “Just trying to move guys over, get guys in, do my part to try to win.”
The crowd participated too Friday, giving Tucker ovations more befitting a hitter on a heater than one on ice each time he stepped to the plate, where he put up a fight all night.
He saw 31 pitches, walked and hit into a 10th-inning fielder’s choice that moved Kiké Hernández to third base before he scored on Tommy Edman’s walk-off single.
Moral victories for $240 million, Alex? That’s not what the Dodgers bargained for.
But they’ll take it.
“I loved his at-bats,” said Roberts after Friday’s victory, picking up where the Dodgers’ crowd left off. “That’s one of the things I’m going to make sure I do, is encourage him.”
Because one magic moment in October will make it all worth it.
