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LeBron James landing spots: Rumors, updates and latest on free agency decision

On the 16th anniversary of The Decision, yet another one faces LeBron James.

The NBA's all-time leading scorer is looking for a new home after informing the Los Angeles Lakers he would be playing his 24th season elsewhere, and he has no shortage of options to choose from. Some of the more notable teams who have reported interest include the Philadelphia 76ers, Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves, though ESPN's Shams Charania reported on Tuesday that the top three teams in the running are Cleveland, Miami and Philadelphia.

But wherever he ends up, don't expect a decision to come any time soon.

"What we do know is that LeBron James wants to be in a competitive, competing environment," Charania said on NBA Today on Wednesday, July 8. "He wants to play meaningful basketball, I'm told. But as far as a timeline, there is no timetable. LeBron James does not appear to be in a rush."

It's a marked departure from James' previous stints as a free agent where he wrapped up his process relatively quickly, most notably signing with the Lakers less than 24 hours into the official start of free agency on July 1, 2018. This time, however, he's taken more time to spend with his family and close friends and play golf, with ESPN's Brian Windhorst reporting that teams have mostly had one-way communication with James and Rich Paul up to this point.

Here's the latest on LeBron's potential landing spots:

More: LeBron James did the NBA one last solid before retiring. He saved free agency.

Cleveland Cavaliers

James recently got together with Kevin Love, J.R. Smith, Richard Jefferson, Tristan Thompson and Channing Frye in the United Kingdom to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the 2016 Cavaliers championship team, lending a bit more weight to the possibility of returning to Cleveland for a third time to close out his storied career.

Windhorst pointed out that there's a "vibe pointing toward the Cavs" coming off their best non-LeBron season in over three decades and signing Donovan Mitchell to a four-year, $273 million max contract extension. They reached the Eastern Conference Finals last season for the first time since James' departure but just haven't quite been able to put it all together with this core of Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen for some years now, adding question marks about the team's plans this summer.

Bringing James into the fold to get Cleveland back over the hump could be a fitting final chapter for all parties involved.

Golden State Warriors

Stephen Curry was recently asked about the possibility of playing with James, once his biggest on-court rival, during a celebrity golf tournament at Edgewood Tahoe in Nevada.

ā€œIā€™m sure we would obviously love to play together,ā€ Curry said. ā€œHopefully it happens. But heā€™s deserved the opportunity and the right to take his time with the decision.ā€

After Draymond Green declined his $27.7 million player option to become a free agent himself, the plan for Golden State was set in motion. Though their attempts to trade for Anthony Davis have been denied, they are still all-in on their pursuit of James, his former running mate in Los Angeles.

The motive here for Golden State is clear: James represents their best shot at surrounding Curry with a co-star that can make one final push for a title in the twilight of both of their careers. And for James, he'd also get the bonus of playing alongside two players who have become his most respected peers over the years.

Philadelphia 76ers

This is the dark horse. Despite having no immediate connection to the Sixers, it might be too hard to turn down an opportunity to plug into a starting five of Joel Embiid, Jaylen Brown, Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe.

Bob Myers, longtime Warriors president of basketball operations and current president of Harris Blitzer Sports and Entertainment, said as much during a recent appearance on Rich Paul's "Game Over" podcast.

"If he was (on the podcast), Iā€™d say, ā€˜I honestly believe this is your best chance to win,'ā€ Myers said. ā€œYou have to decide all the other things that are equally important. ā€¦ What I would say is if itā€™s about winning, ā€˜Letā€™s talk about that team, because you can win in Philadelphia.ā€™ā€

In terms of purely chasing a ring, Myers might be right that LeBron's best chance lies in Philly. Whether he agrees with that or not remains to be seen, though.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: LeBron James landing spots: Rumors, updates and latest on free agency decision

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Celtics Reacts Survey: Payton Pritchard promotion? Paul George, 6th man? Mitchell Robinson a starting center?

Apr 9, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson (23) secures a rebound against Boston Celtics center Neemias Queta (88) during the first half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Boland-Imagn Images | Lucas Boland-Imagn Images

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Celtics fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

After weeks of drama, President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens seemed pretty satisfied with the makeup of the Celtics roster heading into this weekendā€™s Summer League and training camp in September.

ā€œI donā€™t anticipate anything in the very near term,ā€ Stevens said of the roster as it stands on July 6th. ā€œI think that we do like the team we have, we might be able to add to it, but at the end of the day, we like the group we have.ā€

The significant change is obviously Paul George replacing Jaylen Brown. The front office also added Mike Conley Jr. to shore up their ball handing in the second unit and Mitchell Robinson to add even more depth to their center room focused on offensive rebounding and rim protection.

Despite knee jerk reactions on social media and the talking heads, analytic prognosticators like Sporting Newsā€™ Steph Noh predict Boston to win 50-plus games and continue to compete at the top of the Eastern Conference.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK ā€“ MAY 16: Payton Pritchard #11 of the Boston Celtics drives to the basket against Mitchell Robinson #23 of the New York Knicks in the first quarter of Game Six of the Eastern Conference Second Round NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on May 16, 2025 in New York City. 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 Al Bello/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The ingredients have been bought. Now, itā€™s time for Joe Mazzulla to cook.

There are some givens. You can pretty much set in stone that Jayson Tatum and Derrick White will be starters. After that, things get interesting.

When Tatum returned last season, Mazzulla opted to move Payton Pritchard back to the bench to reprise his 6th Man of the Year role after starting 50 games in the regular season. The added minutes and responsibilities didnā€™t seem to affect his efficiency, so he could be permanently promoted for 2026-2027.

Conventional wisdom would suggest that George will slot in as a starter, but the 36-year-old could benefit from the Al Horford Plan. He played just 41 and 37 games in consecutive seasons in Philadelphia. On one hand, that could suggest that heā€™s ready for a heavier load in Year 17, not unlike the 28 games that Horford played in his sabbatical year with the Thunder. On the other hand, Boston could slow boat George just like they did with Big Al and play him in only 60ish games and hold him out in back-to-backs.

Finally, what happens at center? Despite a rocky performance against Joel Embiid in Bostonā€™s first round exit, Neemias Queta proved that heā€™s a quality starter in this league. The Celtics rewarded him with a four-year, $56 million contract. And they also signed Mitchell Robinson. Thereā€™s also Luka Garza who also had a revelatory year last season. Considering Robinsonā€™s ability to defend opposing starting centers and inability to shoot (free throws), it makes sense to make him a starter with Queta and Garza shifting the energy with the second unit.

What do you think happens to start next season?

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Mark Pope provides update on Jamal Crawford possibly joining the Kentucky coaching staff

Kentucky basketball coach Mark Pope yells on the sidelines during a NCAA basketball game between the Tennessee Volunteers and Kentucky Wildcats at Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center in Knoxville, Tenn., on Jan. 17, 2026. | Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Jamal Crawford has been a guy Kentucky Basketball fans have had their minds fixated on this summer. The possibility of the three-time NBAā€™s Sixth Man of the Year joining Mark Popeā€™s coaching staff in Kentucky has been enticing, and he would join former NBA All-Star Mo Williams to form an elite coaching staff consisting of former players.

Crawford, though, is currently under contract with NBC Sports as a game analyst, working with fellow analyst Reggie Miller and play-by-play announcer Mike Tirico on NBCā€™s lead NBA team. In their first season together, the networkā€™s return to broadcasting the NBA after 23 seasons, Crawford, Miller, and Tirico called a terrific Western Conference Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder, a series the Spurs won in seven games with a road win in OKC in the decisive Game 7.

Crawford is also an assistant coach at Rainer Beach High School in Seattle, where he coaches his son, J.J. Crawford, one of the top prospects in the class of 2029.

So, could Crawford still be a potential addition to Mark Popeā€™s coaching staff? During an appearance with KSRā€™s Matt Jones on KSRā€™s radio show Wednesday morning, Pope didnā€™t sound like heā€™s expected Crawford to leave his current gig.

ā€œJamalā€™s still got two years left on his NBC contract,ā€ Pope said. ā€œIā€™m good friends with Jamal. Weā€™ve been friends for a long time. There might be a time where itā€™s good for him to jump into coaching. Itā€™s something that he would like to do. Heā€™s one of those guys thatā€™s cut from a little bit of a similar cloth, like Mo Williams is. Itā€™s hard to run an AAU program. There are a lot of guys that fund an AAU program, but Mo was running an AAU program. Jamal is running and coaching an AAU program.

ā€œWe find guys like that with their background ā€” he could have a great future in college, he could go get a job, maybe in the exact right space, as a head coach in the NBA, maybe. I think thereā€™s a good chance coaching is in his future, but heā€™s got a sweet deal right now, and heā€™s got a couple of years left.ā€

This reminds me a lot of the Memphis Tigers when Penny Hardaway took over as their head coach in 2018. Hardaway had former NBA Rookie of the Year and Sixth Man of the Year, as well as a two-time NBA Champion, Mike Miller, on his coaching staff for two seasons. Talk about an experienced coaching staff.

With changes having already come to Kentuckyā€™s coaching staff, it remains to be seen if the Wildcats will add another member to it.

ā€œIā€™m engaged in conversations about staff every day, even when our staff is full,ā€ Pope said. ā€œIā€™m still talking to people, and kind of seeing where it goes. If we hire someone, itā€™s going to be the right person thatā€™s going to be exactly the right fit for what we do ā€” but weā€™re working at a really high level right now.ā€

It also remains to be seen who the Cats will fill their 15th roster spot with, but there is still time for that and a potential addition to the coaching staff.

The Cats will open the season on Tuesday, November 3rd, against Manhattan at Rupp Arena.

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Mariners Game #93 Preview and Discussion, 7/8/26: SEA vs MIA

MIAMI, FLORIDA - MAY 01: Julio Rodriguez #44 of the Seattle Mariners hits his first professional home run during the sixth inning against the Miami Marlins at loanDepot park on May 01, 2022 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Mariners are about to play baseball again.

Theyā€™ll be playing the Marlins tonight after losing to them last night in extras. Theyā€™ll face Tyler Phillips, who Jake Mailhot previewed for the site yesterday. George Kirby will pitch for the Mariners and looks to build off an eight-inning performance last time out. And yeah, thatā€™s all I got for the pregame, letā€™s watch some baseball.

Lineups:

Game Info:

First Pitch: 3:40 p.m.

TV: Mariners.TV

Radio: Olā€™ Reliable

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Dylan Cease no-hitter bid, chance to make Blue Jays history falls short

The Toronto Blue Jays' 36-year-old no-hitter jinx still hasn't met its match.

But Dylan Cease nearly finished the job.

Cease came three outs shy of pitching the second no-hitter of his career and just the second in Blue Jays history Wednesday, July 8, striking out 11 San Francisco Giants and throwing a career-high 118 pitches in a 10-0 conquest of the San Francisco Giants.

He took a no-hitter into the top of the ninth inning, but Heliot Ramos ended the suspense quickly with a solid single to center field. And so the Blue Jays no-hitter saga continued, despite manager John Schneider's best efforts.

Cease, 30, is in the first year of a seven-year, $210 million contract with the Blue Jays, and they certainly expected him to dominate. Yet pitch efficiency has been a bugaboo in his first season in Toronto, and it nearly derailed his no-hit hopes.

But Schneider just kept sending him out there, and Cease kept rewarding his faith.

He was aiming to throw the first no-hitter for Toronto since Dave Stieb tossed the first in Blue Jays history on Sept. 2, 1990 at Cleveland's Municipal Stadium. And that didn't come easy: Stieb had three no-hit bids broken up with two outs in the bottom of the ninth before making Toronto baseball history.

Cease tried taking the long way home: He walked three batters and had thrown 115 pitches through eight innings. Three days earlier, the Miami Marlins lifted Eury Perez after needing 92 pitches to complete seven perfect innings.

But Perez has been injury-prone; Cease threw a 114-pitch no-hitter as a member of the San Diego Padres against the Washington Nationals in 2024. That stood as his career high in pitches until Wednesday.

And so he jogged out to the ninth, buoyed by the one great play so many no-hitters seem to include: Center fielder Daulton Varsho chasing down Bryce Eldridge's fly ball to left center field, hauling it in and then crashing into the fence, some 399 feet from home plate.

Cease also shouted out Ernie Clement's across-the-body throw to get Willy Adames after the second baseman ranged across the bag to field the chopper in the seventh.

"Usually a couple of those happen every no-hitter" Cease said of Varsho's catch in an interview with Sportsnet. "Ern Dawg made a good play up the middle the inning before. When you start to see stuff like that, you start to think maybe itā€™s your day."

Nobody could stop Ramos' solid shot to center, though. Perhaps next time.

"I probably should've thrown a slider," Cease said after leaving a 96-mph sinker up in the zone for Ramos.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Dylan Cease no-hitter bid, chance to make Blue Jays history falls short

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GameThread: Detroit Tigers vs.Ā Athletics, 6:40 p.m.

Jun 27, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Tigers second baseman Hao-Yu Lee (50) receives congratulations from left fielder Riley Greene (31) after he hits a home run in the fifth inning against the Houston Astros at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Detroit Tigers (41-50) vs. Athletics (41-50)

Time/Place: 6:40 p.m., Comerica Park
SB Nation Site:Athletics Nation
Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network
Pitching Matchup: RHP Troy Melton (4-1, 2.05 ERA) vs. LHP Jeffrey Springs (3-8, 5.79 ERA)

PlayerGIPK%BB%GB%FIPfWAR
Melton744.019.26.042.34.540.4
Springs1893.119.78.133.85.86-0.3

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Cease Allows One Hit In 8 Innings, Jays Win

Jul 8, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Dylan Cease (84) delivers a pitch against the San Francisco Giants during the second inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images | D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

Blue Jays 10 Giants 0

What an amazing start by Dylan Cease. I wasnā€™t all for sending him back out for the eighth inning at 104 pitches. But Clease isnā€™t going to make a start in several days, with the All-Star break ahead (well, he might start the All-Star game). But in the eighth Daulton Varsho made an amazing catch running into the center field wall at close to full speed to make the catch, and then got two strikeouts. At 116 pitches, Clease was coming out for the ninth.

Unfortunately the first batter, Heliot Ramos, in the ninth lined a singled to center.

Cease walked three and struck out eleven. And the one hit. Just an amazing start.

Tyler Rogers finished off the one-hit shutout.

Everything that mattered, offensively, happened in the top of the first (well I shouldnā€™t say that, Vladā€™s homer in the ninth matters, I hope, as a step in the right direction).

Ernie Clement and Nathan Lukes singled to start the first inning off. Vladimir Guerrero tapped a ball that barely trickled in front of the plate, which worked like a bunt, moving runners up to second and third. George Springer walked. Daulton Varsho popped one in front of the right fielder, who came up just short of making the catch (the Giants defense was terrible today), getting us a run. Then Kazuma Okamoto hit a grand slam (barely, hit right at the edge of the right field wall). They did a replay review and called it a home run. It was very close. 5-0. Barely works, and it is a long say out to right field in SF.

The Jays had four hits that inning, Logan Webb would go seven innings and gave up just one more hit. He did have some bad luck that inning

We scored two more in the eighth. With one out, Varsho and Okamoto each singled. Alejandro Kirk walked (on eight pitches). Myles Straw hit into what looked to be a double play, but first baseman Rafael Devers missed the catch at first base, gifting us another run. AndrĆ©s GimĆ©nez followed that with an infield single. As talked about in the GameThread, Giants shortstop Willy Adames isnā€™t the defensive player he used to be (maybe that unnecessary ā€˜eā€™ in his last name stands for error?). Adames made an error in the fifth inning.

And then three more in the ninth. Lukes walked and Vlad hit the first pitch for a home run. 108.3 mph and 419 feet. Then George Springer, hitting cleanup and playing in his first game since coming back to the team from Paternity Leave, also homered. This one 104.3 mph and 415 feet. Almost to the same spot as Vladā€™s.

Vlad had hits of 108.3, 101.8 and 99.9 today. Springer 104.8 and 104.3. Lukes had one 106.1. Kirk 104.7. Okamoto 101.7. And Varsho 101.6ā€¦.so there was lots of hard contact. Well, not all hits, contact off the bat.

Jays of the Day: Cease (0.18 WPA), Okamoto (0.19), and Varsho (0.10, plus that catch in the eighth).

No one gets the ā€˜Other Awardā€™.

19 runs in the past two games is a nice sign.

Tomorrow is an off-day.

Then we have three in San Diego to lead us into the All-Star break.

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CC Sabathia's MLB All-Star Takeaways

In a matter of days, the MLB's most talented players will face off in Philadelphia during the 2026 MLB All-Star Game. From established names such as Mike Trout, Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, and Juan Soto, to the 26 first-time All-Stars, there will be plenty for baseball fans to enjoy.

In the latest episode of his podcast, MLB According to CC, CC Sabathia reacted to the starting position players and pitchers for both the American League and National League. A six-time All-Star himself, Sabathia knows a thing or two about the Midsummer Classic. Here are some of his takeaways:

2nd base is deep for National League

Every year, there are players who may have been "snubbed" from the All-Star Game. While Sabathia believes that Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies was the right pick to start, he acknowledged the depth at the position in the NL.

San Francisco Giants second baseman Luis Arraez was selected as a reserve. Arraez is hitting .327, second-best in the majors this season. Two of the NL second basemen who didn't make the cut for the All-Star Game are JJ Wetherholt of the St. Louis Cardinals and BriceTurang of the Milwaukee Brewers. Wetherholt has 13 home runs and 36 RBIs while playing elite defense, while Turang has 54 RBIs and a .815 OPS for a Brewers team that is one of the best in baseball.

It's a deep position that leaves some key contributors home during the break.

Junior Caminero will be a superstar

Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero was selected to the All-Star Game for the second time and will be starting at the hot corner. At just 23 years old, Caminero isn't just one of the best young players in the sport, but one of the best, period.

Caminero has been on fire as of late, with 11 home runs in his last 14 games. He'll take his power surge with him to compete in the Home Run Derby on Monday night. Sabathia said Caminero, who has 26 home runs and a .918 OPS, is the "catalyst" for a Rays team which leads the American League by four games.

RELATED: MLB All-Star Game: Rotoworld staff picks for 2026 midsummer classic

The All-Star break should be longer

Sabathia believes that the All-Star break should be longer. This year's break doesn't start until Sunday afternoon's games wind down, and action picks back up just a few days later on Thursday and Friday. If the break was a full week, Sabathia thinks MLB players who aren't in the All-Star Game would show up to watch, NBA-style.

The short break also means that star pitchers can't take the mound at the All-Star Game. Brewers' pitcher Jacob Misiorowski, who is having a "season for the ages," is facing off against Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes on Sunday. Both will only be in the dugout on Tuesday because of it.

New episodes with CC and Ahmed Fareed drop every Wednesday on NBC Sports NOW, NBCSN, YouTube, and wherever you get your podcasts.

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Astros at Nationals Game Discussion: 7/8/2026

HOUSTON, TEXAS - JULY 03: Spencer Arrighetti #41 of the Houston Astros pitches in the second inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Daikin Park on July 03, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) | Getty Images

TONIGHTā€™S GAME: The Houston Astros (46-48) and Washington Nationals (47-46), who share their Spring Training complex together in West Palm Beach, FL, will conclude their three-game series with a rubber game in the nationā€™s capital tonight.

RHP Spencer Arrighetti (7-4, 3.81 ERA), who owns a share for the club lead with seven wins, will make his final start of the first half tonight opposite LHP Foster Griffin (9-2, 2.87 ERA) and the Nationals.

SPENCERā€™S GIFTS: RHP Spencer Arrighetti has been tough to hit this season, entering tonightā€™s start ranking fourth in the AL in hits per 9.0 (6.69) and seventh in opponent average (.208, 58Ɨ279) (min. 75IP). Arrighetti, whoā€™s coming off a strong start his last time out vs. TB (1ER/6IP), is looking to regain his form from May, when he was the AL Pitcher of the Month after going 4-1 with a 0.93 ERA (3ER/29IP) in five starts.

SPINNING RECORDS: At 46-48, the Astros are two games below .500 for the fourth time in the last 10 days. A win tonight would move them to just a game below .500, a mark they have not been at since they were 6-7 on April 8.

THE SLOW TURNAROUND: After a slow start to the season, the Astros are 26-17 since May 21, which is the best record in the AL in that span. On that date, the Astros were 20-31, 11 games under, which is their low water mark for the season.

Winning Percentage since May 21, AL

1. Astros 26-17 (.605)

2. Mariners 23-18 (.561)

3. White Sox 22-19 (.537)

SERIES-LY SPEAKING: The Astros have six series victories in their last seven chances and can improve on that by winning tonightā€™s rubber game vs. the Nationals. The Astros have also won four of their last five road series.

ROAD WARRIORS: The Astros are 16-9 on their last four road trips combined and are 22-15 on the road since going 1-9 on their first road trip of the season. At 23-24 on the road this season, a win tonight would even the Astros road record at an even .500.

WINNING THE CLOSE CALLS: The Astros are 9-6 in one-run games and 21-11 in two-run games. Prior to last nightā€™s three-run victory, each of the Astros last nine wins and 14 of their last 15 victories had come by two-or-fewer runs.

GET ā€˜EM EARLY: The Astros and Nationals rank first and second in the Majors in first-inning runs, with the Astros leading the AL with 64, and the Nationals leading the NL with 70. Overall, the Astros rank third in the American League in runs scored (430), while the Nationals check in leading the Majors in runs scored with 500 on the season.

LAST NIGHTā€™S WIN: The Astros evened their series with the Nationals last night with a 6-3 win in Washington. The bottom of the Astros order picked up five RBI between SS Nick Allen (1Ɨ12, 3RBI) and C Christian VĆ”zquez (1Ɨ3, 2RBI), which proved to be enough in the win. The Astros bullpen was great, tossing 5.1 innings on one-run ball.

ALL-STAR ALVAREZ:DH Yordan Alvarez has been voted by the fans as the starting DH for the AL AllStar teamā€¦this marks the fourth All-Star selection for Alvarez (2022-24, 2026) and the second time that he has been voted as a starter (also in 2024).

MVP-CALIBER: DH Yordan Alvarez has had a torrid first half to his season, currently leading all of baseball in OPS (1.041), OBP (.420), SLG (.621), and total bases (208). Additionally, he ranks first in the AL in extra-base hits (45), first in HR (29), first in hits (105), first in runs (62), first in RBI (67), second in batting average (.313), and fourth in walks (59).

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Announced on Monday, DH Yordan Alvarez was named the American League Player of the Week for the week of June 29July 5. For the week, Alvarez hit .435 in six games with four home runs and 11 RBI while posting a 1.418 OPS. This marks the sixth career AL Player of the Week Award for Alvarez and his third this season.

GOING FOR 200: 1B Christian Walker hit his 199th career double on Monday and now needs just one double to reach 200 for his career. Walker is also in pursuit of his 200th career homer, as he checks in with 194 career long balls entering play tonight.

TAP FOR SUCCESS: Astros hitters have won an MLB-best 68 ABS challenges and lead the Majors in challenge success rate (62%). 3B Isaac Paredes (11-for-11) has the most successful challenges in the Majors without losing one. 2B Jose Altuve has been successful on 15-of-21 challenges (71%), ranking second in the Majors in challenges won.

WHAT A RELIEF: LHP Josh Hader is 3-0 with 10 saves (in 10 chances), has a 0.59 ERA (1ER/15.1IP), 25 strikeouts in 15.1 innings, a .061 (3Ɨ49) opponent average, and a 0.72 WHIP in 16 appearances. Prior to allowing an infield hit last night, Hader had not allowed a hit in eight straight appearances (8IP).

OUT ON ASSIGNMENT: The Astros have five players out on minor league rehab assignments:

ā€¢ RHP Ronel Blanco (rt. elbow surgery) pitched in relief at Triple A last night, tossing 2.0 hitless innings on 27 pitches before the game was called due to lightning.

ā€¢ RHP Lance McCullers Jr. (rt. shoulder inflammation) started at Triple A last night, tossing 4.0 innings, allowing two earned runs with four Kā€™s on 77 pitches.

ā€¢ LHP Bennett Sousa (lt. elbow inflammation) began a rehab assignment at Triple A on Sunday, tossing 1.0 scoreless inning on 10 pitches with one strikeout.

ā€¢ RHP Hayden Wesneski (rt. elbow surgery) made a rehab start at Double A on Sunday, tossing 4.0 innings, allowing one run on two hits with three strikeouts while tossing 46 pitches (29 strikes).

ā€¢ SS Jeremy Pena (lt. calf strain) began a rehab assignment at Triple A last night, going 1Ɨ4 with an RBI double in a start at shortstop.

TODAY IN ASTROS HISTORY: 1980 ā€“ RHP J.R. Richard becomes the first Astro to be the starting pitcher in an All-Star Game. He fans three in 2.0 scoreless innings of work in the NLā€™s 4-2 win at Dodger Stadium. Richard faces nine hitters, striking out three, including a 1st-inning strikeout of perennial Yankees All-Star RF Reggie Jackson.

Game Info

Game Date/Time: Wednesday, July 8, 5:45 p.m. CT

Location: Nationals Park, Washington, DC

TV: SCHN

Radio: KTRH 740 AM; KBME 790 AM & 94.5 FM HD2; TUDN 102.9 FM HD2 (Spanish)

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Game Thread: Red Sox (41-48) at White Sox (47-43)

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JUNE 27: Davis Martin #65 of the Chicago White Sox delivers a pitch against the Kansas City Royals during the first inning at Rate Field on June 27, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Hirschuber/Getty Images)
After a rough series opener, the White Sox turn to Davis Martin to stop the skid and keep their grip on first place in the AL Central. | (Michael Hirschuber/Getty Images)

After getting thumped, 8-1, in Tuesdayā€™s series opener, the White Sox will get a shot at redemption and even the series against the Red Sox. Fortunately for the South Siders, Cleveland also lost, allowing Chicago to maintain its one-game lead atop the American League Central despite the lopsided defeat. It was an ugly loss, but the standings did not budge.

The Good Guys will hand the ball to Davis Martin, rolling in at 9-3 with a 3.08 ERA and 1.26 WHIP. The book on Martin is simple ā€” stay away from the heart of the plate. Opposing hitters have feasted on pitches left in the middle third of the strike zone, batting .356 or better across all three middle-zone locations. By contrast, Martin has been far more effective working the edges, especially at the top corners, where hitters are batting just .188 and .111. Against a Boston lineup that has been swinging the bats well of late, the key will be living on the corners. If Martin can establish the fastball on the edges, keep his secondary pitches below the zone to generate chase, and avoid catching too much of the middle, heā€™ll give himself a strong chance to navigate the Red Sox lineup and give Chicago a fighting chance.

Boston counters with rookie lefthander Jake Bennett, who made his major league debut in May after arriving in a December 2025 trade with the Nationals. Bennett has been impressive through his first seven starts, going 3-3 with a 3.10 ERA and 0.98 WHIP across 40 2/3 innings. The book on Bennett is do not chase up. He is untouchable up in the zone, where hitters are batting a big fat zero. The damage comes when he misses down or grooves one over the plate. Opponents are hitting over .400 in the middle and .333-plus low. The Sox need to ignore anything up, work the count, and capitalize on mistakes that leak down or catch too much of the plate.

If the Sox want to salvage this series, the bats need to wake up. Over the past seven days, Chicago has managed just six home runs while batting .220, ranking 22nd in Major League Baseball with a paltry .660 OPS. Reinforcements are on the horizon, with Munetaka Murakami starting his rehab in Charlotte, but he will not be back before the weekend. Until then, the South Siders have to scrape together enough runs to give Martin a chance.

Hereā€™s how Will Venable sends them out to tackle Bennett.

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And for the Red Sox.

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First pitch will be at 6:40 p.m. CT. You can watch the game on CHSN or listen on ESPN Chicago 1000.

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Washington Nationals vs Houston Astros Game Thread

WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 07: CJ Abrams #5 of the Washington Nationals leads off first base in the fifth inning during the game between the Houston Astros and the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on Tuesday, July 7, 2026 in Washington, District of Columbia. (Photo by Alyssa McDaniel/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

After winning the first game and dropping the second, the Nats are looking to avoid a repeat of what happened against the Pirates. They will look to secure the series win and stay above .500. To do so, they will lean on their reliable ace Foster Griffin.

The Nats are only making a couple of changes to the lineup. Dylan Crews will be back in center field, taking Jacob Youngā€™s spot. Jose Tena will be the DH in this one. Keibert Ruiz is catching, but he is moving down in the lineup. With CJ Abrams back at short and Jorbit Vivas remaining at second, there will be no Nasim Nunez tonight. As mentioned, Foster Griffin will be on the mound.

The Astros arenā€™t changing a ton. Yainer Diaz will be catching again, but that is the only change in personnel. There are a few tweaks in terms of the order, but nothing major. Spencer Arrighetti got off to a red hot start to the season, but has not been as sharp lately. Hopefully that trend continues.

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Game Info:

Stadium: Nationals Park

Time: 6:45 PM EST

TV: Nationals.TV

Radio: 106.7 The Fan

This feels like an important rubber match for the Nats, who look to avoid another home series loss. With Foster Griffin on the mound, Blake Butera will like his chances. Follow along in the comments down below and letā€™s go Nats!

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San Diego starts to turn things around with stellar all-around win

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 07: Manny Machado #13 and Jake Cronenworth #9 of the San Diego Padres celebrate on the field after defeating the Arizona Diamondbacks at Petco Park on July 07, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images

After dropping their series opener against the Arizona Diamondbacks, the San Diego Padres put one back in the win column quickly. The club rode a resurgent start from GermƔn MƔrquez alongside a Jake Cronenworth three-run homer to a convincing victory over Arizona.

It felt like maybe the Padresā€™ recent tough streak would continue after MĆ”rquez loaded the bases with no outs in the first inning. That was due to Cronenworth making an error at first base, though MĆ”rquez would have been in trouble either way. With the bases loaded, he walked Max Kepler for the first run of the game before Sung-Mun Song made an unassisted double play to get out of it.

Cronenworth made it up immediately with a deep drive to right field off of starter Zac Gallen, putting the Padres ahead. The score wouldnā€™t change on either side for the remaining eight innings. It was a fantastic showing for the Friars after a tough shutout on Monday night. Theyā€™ll need to keep it up in the hopes of winning the series over the Dbacks.

Taking the mound

Jose Cabrera (AZ) v. Michael King (SD)

With the Dbacks dealing with injuries to their rotation, Cabrera was called up a few weeks ago to bolster the pitching staff. The righty has pitched just three games for Arizona and had looked decent. He debuted with five shutout innings against the Minnesota Twins but has since regressed, surrendering seven runs in his last 8 1/3 frames.

Cabrera is a pitcher the Padres should be all over tonight. His two primary pitches are a cutter and four-seamer, both of which feature below-average velocity (89.6 and 93.4 mph on average). Even though the Friars havenā€™t faced Cabrera before, he shouldnā€™t be difficult for them to solve.

Thereā€™s no other way to say it, King needs to rebound soon. Itā€™s the right-handerā€™s last start before the All-Star break. It would certainly be much better to head into the break with a good outing in the minds of the Friar Faithful.

That said, King has been better lately than itā€™s seemed. In his last three starts, the righty has given up six runs across 17 1/3 innings, good for a 3.12 ERA. Thatā€™s considerably better than the 4.69 mark across his last seven outings (and a slight improvement from the 3.52 ERA Kingā€™s posted this season). If he can keep that recent uptick going by quieting Arizonaā€™s bats, it could give San Diego some momentum.

Batter up!

After scoring four runs on three hits in the first inning, the Padresā€™ lineup went somewhat dormant. They scraped together three more hits but didnā€™t put any more runs on the board. They didnā€™t need it last night, but San Diego didnā€™t take advantage of as many mistakes from Arizonaā€™s pitching staff as they could have. Theyā€™ll be more margin for error tonight against the rookie Cabrera, but only if King can rebound from his recent difficulties.

  1. Fernando Tatis Jr., RF
  2. Jackson Merrill, CF
  3. Manny Machado, 3B
  4. Gavin Sheets, 1B
  5. Jake Cronenworth, 2B
  6. Xander Bogaerts, SS
  7. Miguel Andujar, DH
  8. Luis Campusano, C
  9. Samad Taylor, LF

The new-look lineup paid off immediately despite looking quite interesting. After Cronenworthā€™s move to second in the order, the keystone position player shifted to the cold corner for the day. That went just about as well as could be expected, with Cronenworth making an error on the first ball hit his way. He mellowed out after that, but Sheets or Ty France should be back at first base tonight.

Relief corps

After Yuki Matsui struggled to record a second out in the sixth inning, newcomer Jhony Brito came in with runners on first and second base and just one out. He immediately induced a double play to end the trouble before pitching a perfect seventh inning. Brito has long been viewed as a hopeful addition for San Diego who has been derailed by injuries. Hopefully, he can finally put it all together.

Behind Brito, Bradley Rodriguez and Mason Miller pitched a perfect eighth and ninth. Miller nailed down his 23rd save of the year, putting him atop the National League in the statistic (third overall). Britoā€™s outing allows the Padres options tonight, with Kyle Hart, Ron Marinaccio, Adrian Morejon and Wandy Peralta available. Miller could also pitch if the Friars enter the ninth in a save situation.

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Bucks News: Milwaukee poaches assistant coach from division rival

Sep 29, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana Pacers assistant coach Johnny Carpenter poses for a photo during media day. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Per Tony East of Circle City Spin and Dustin Dopirak of the Indy Star, the Milwaukee Bucks have hired Indiana Pacers assistant coach Johnny Carpenter as an assistant coach and head of player development, replacing Jack Herum, who had spent the last three seasons in that role for Milwaukee.

Carpenter was slated to be the Pacersā€™ head coach during Summer League, but that will no longer happen with following his move to the Bucks, where, at least according to Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle, he will take on greater responsibility:

ā€œThe Bucksā€™ offer to Johnny was a clear step up in responsibility and therefore received the organizationā€™s blessing. We thank Johnny and his family for a great year with the Pacers and wish them the very best.ā€

Prior to joining the Pacers, Carpenter worked with new Bucks head coach Taylor Jenkins in Memphis during the 2024-25 season, with roles in player development and scouting. During his lone season there, they had an exceptional draft class from top to bottom, selecting Zach Edey at no. 9, Jaylen Wells at no. 38, and Cam Spencer at no. 53. They were also able to add center Jay Huffā€”who Carpenter worked with at the University of Virginiaā€”in free agency. Huff had the best season of his career up to that point, averaging 6.9 PPG and 2.0 RPG, shooting 51.5% from the field and 40.5% from three (3.1 3PA). Then, reuniting with Carpenter last season in Indiana, Huff posted a career year replacing Myles Turner as the starting center, averaging 9.5 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 1.5 APG, and 1.9 BPG.

Before his stint in Memphis, Carpenter spent nine years at his alma mater, the University of Virginia, where he served in several different roles, including assistant coach, director of player personnel, and basketball technology assistant. During his time with the Virginia Cavaliers, he helped develop several NBA players, including a familiar name to Bucks fans: former Rookie of the Year Malcolm Brogdon. Heā€™s also worked with Trey Murphy III, Deā€™Andre Hunter, Ty Jerome, and Ryan Dunn.

In addition to his NBA roles with Indiana and Memphis, Carpenter also spent the 2014-15 season under Carlisle in Dallas, where he served as an assistant video coordinator.

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Yankeesā€™ Anthony Volpe pushes back on rumor he wonā€™t play 2B: 'It couldn't be further from the truth'

After a rumor came out that Anthony Volpe refused to learn second base when the club asked him, the YankeesĀ shortstop and the team defended the young infielder.

"It definitely caught me off guard. It's confusing because it's not true. It couldn't be further from the truth," Volpe told the media, including MLB.com's Bryan Hoch, on Wednesday. "From my end, from our perspective, that's been very clearly communicated to Boonie and the team, and I think it's just kind of B.S.ā€

The rumor began when Yankees play-by-play announcer Michael Kay said on his radio show on Tuesday that he had heard from people that Volpe refused to learn a new position while he was optioned to the minors. Kay has since retracted what he said.

Volpe was asked if he felt playing shortstop was a part of his identity and pushed back on that assertion.

"No. When I was getting optioned, I told Boonie I'd play catcher. I'd do literally whatever the team needed, and that's the truth behind the story," Volpe answered. "I still have no problem [playing second]. I want to be here, and I want to help the team win the World Series. That's literally all I want. So for anything opposite to be put out there, it's kind of just confusing."

"He handles things incredibly well, and I don't think he is affected by the different things that can be said on whatever, social or -- he's a gamer. He's a tough, tough kid that loves the game and plays his butt off every single day," manager Aaron Boone said prior to Wednesday's game with the Rays. "I wish that was celebrated a little bit more."

Volpe's fourth season in the bigs has been a tough one for the 25-year-old. In 41 games, Volpe is slashing .240/.338/.326 with an OPS of .664. He's also not playing shortstop regularly, as Jose Caballero has performed well enough to take playing time away from Volpe.

The Yankees are starting Volpe at shortstop in Wednesday's game against the Rays with Caballero playing second.Ā 

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Royals vs. Mets July 8 game discussion

WILLIAMSPORT , PA - AUGUST 17: Mr. Met entertains fans atop the dugout during the game between the Seattle Mariners and the New York Mets at Journey Bank Ballpark at Historic Bowman Field on Sunday, August 17, 2025 in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Aliza Chambers/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

The Royals are coming off of two wild games in a row. They have amassed 31 runs on 41 hits, and they are even on a winning streak of three games. We have to take small victories at this point. Tonightā€™s game is likely to have some scoring too, though baseball is weird, so you never know. The Royals will have Stephen Cruz as opener into Randy Dobnak the bulk man. That does not seem like the sort of thing that will keep run production down. Here are the lineups for the 6:10 central start in Queens.