ST. PETERSBURG, FL - JULY 29: MacKenzie Gore #1 of the Texas Rangers pitches in the first inning during the game between the Texas Rangers and the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on Wednesday, July 29, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Texas Rangers didn’t score but the Tampa Bay Rays scored three runs.
MacKenzie Gore allowed three hits to the first four batters he faced in tonight’s contest. Two of those hits were home runs including one on the first pitch from Gore and another, a two-run shot, that nearly tore the roof off the Trop.
We’re used to Gore having one of these disastrous innings in each of his appearances. It’s interesting to ponder how this start’s disaster impacted the entire course of the game. Down 3-0 immediately, the Rangers never really showed a spark for a comeback bid.
Maybe they thought the Rays were going to blow the game open on Gore eventually. Maybe it’s just difficult to beat the AL’s best club at their park when your starter gives up a crooked number no matter when it comes.
Who knows, maybe if the game had settled in, perhaps Texas could have struck first before the Gore Inning (TM). Or maybe not. Maybe they were just destined to never get on the board tonight against a thrifty Rays staff and it simply was always going to play out like this.
Here’s the punchline, though: After that two-run home run, Gore threw the next 6 2/3 innings without allowing another hit while retiring 20 of the last 21 he faced. Gore walked no one and struck out nine in a quality start, and one that saved the bullpen from a lot of extra work.
Maybe Gore should have done more to give the lineup something to believe in early, but ultimately the lineup failed to ever make this a game and the Rangers missed a shot at their best mark above .500 this season.
Player of the Game: Ironically, MacKenzie Gore.
Up Next: The Rangers and Rays close out this series in the ante meridiem with the Rangers not yet naming a starter but perhaps RHP Nathan Eovaldi while Tampa Bay will turn to LHP Shane McClanahan.
The Thursday finale first pitch from Tropicana Field is scheduled for 11:10 am CDT and will be aired on the Rangers Sports Network.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - MAY 06: Hayden Wesneski #39 of the Houston Astros throws a pitch against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on May 06, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
TONIGHT’S GAME: The Houston Astros (54-55) and Los Angeles Angels (42-66) play the finale of this 3-game series tonight at Angel Stadium.
RHP Hayden Wesneski (2026 Debut) will make his first start of the season as he takes on Angels RHP Grayson Rodriguez (3-3, 8.54 ERA).
SWEEPSTAKES: A win tonight would give the Astros their 4th series sweep of the season and their 2nd on the road. The other was a 3-game sweep vs. the Cubs at Wrigley Field, May 22-24. Their most recent sweep was a 3-gamer vs. MIA last week (July 20-22).
BIG WES: RHP Hayden Wesneski makes his return to the big league mound tonight after missing the last 14 months while recovering from Tommy John surgery. His last Major League appearance was a start on May 6, 2025 at MIL.
Rehab: Wesneski posted a 2.25 ERA (5 ER/20IP) combined ERA in 5 rehab starts at Triple A Sugar Land (3 GS), Double A Corpus Christi (1 GS) and the FCL Astros (1 GS). His last rehab start was for Sugar Land vs. Nashville on July 24 (4.1 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 7 SO, 80 pitches, 49 strikes).
Local Product: Wesneski is a Houston-area native and was a standout at Cy Fair High School. He went on to have a record-setting career at Sam Houston St. (25-9, 3.56 ERA), which is also where Steve Sparks pitched in college.
RECENT STROS: The Astros have won 7 of their last 8 games. Their recent 5-game win streak (7/20-25) matched their longest win streak of the season (other was 3/28-4/1).
ROAD WARRIORS: Tonight is the final game of a 6-game road trip for the Astros (4-1 thus far). HOU was 2-1 over the weekend at CWS on the first stop of the trip. The Astros are 21-13 (.618) on their last five road trips combined and are 27-19 (.587) on the road since going 1-9 on their first road trip of the season. HOU is now 28-28 overall on the road.
ROAD SLUGGING: On the road, Astros are 1st in the AL in runs scored (268) and road HR (79) while ranking 2nd in road OPS (.739) and road SLG (.416).
VS. THE HALOS: A win tonight would give the Astros their 1st sweep of the Angels since Sept. 13-15 of 2024 at LAA, which was also a 3-game series. The Astros are 5-4 vs. LAA thus far in 2026. Over the years, the Astros have had success vs. the Angels. They are 143-92 all-time against the Halos, including a 69-48 record at Angel Stadium.
Note: The Astros were 2-0 vs. LAA in a 2-game, regular season series in Mexico, May 4-5 of 2019.
MEASURING UP: The Astros are 32-23 vs. teams currently at .500 or better. Additionally, HOU is a combined 20-11 vs. the 6 AL clubs currently holding playoff spots, with a 10-6 record vs. the 3 AL division leaders (2-1 vs. TB, 6-4 vs. TEX, 2-1 vs. CWS) and a 10-5 record vs. the 3 current AL Wild Card teams (5-1 vs. BOS, 4-2 vs. CLE, 1-2 vs. NYY).
THE LAMMA: RHP Peter Lambert finished the month of July with a 2-0 record in 5 starts with a 1.88 ERA (6 ER/28.2IP) and 32 K’s, allowing just 1 HR in the month. Since May 24, Lambert is 6-1 in 12 starts with a 2.79 ERA, ranking 2nd in the AL in wins in that span.
SLOW BUT STEADY CLIMB: After a 20-31 start to the season, the Astros are 34-24 (.579) since May 22, which is the best record in the AL in that span.
PEÑA POWER: Jeremy Peña has hit safely in 10 straight games at .439 (18×41) clip with 5 HR, 8 RBI and 14 R. He has raised his avg. from .287 to .314. in those 9 games.
MVP-CALIBER: Yordan Alvarez is a strong AL MVP candidate as he enters tonight leading the league in all three Triple Crown categories, ranking 1st in batting average (.325), HR (35), and RBI (80). Additionally, he currently leads all of baseball in OPS (1.082), OBP (.435), SLG (.647) and TB (251), and in the AL, he also ranks 1st in hits (126) and runs (74) and 4th in walks (72).
HOT IN JULY: Yordan Alvarez has posted a 1.223 OPS in his 21 games in July. For the month, he is batting .367 (29×79) with 9 HR and 20 RBI (.463 OBP, .760 SLG).
BRYAN’S BACK: RHP Bryan Abreu has a 1.46 ERA (2ER/12.1IP) in his last 12 apps. with just 7 hits allowed and 14 K’s in that span. Additionally, since May 1, he has a 2.31 ERA (7ER/27.1IP) in 28 apps., and is 5-for-5 in save opp. in that span. Prior to May 1, Abreu had a 12.54 ERA in his 1st 11 apps. of the season.
ROSTER MOVE: Following last night’s game, the Astros optioned RHP Miguel Ullola to Triple A Sugar Land, to make room for RHP Hayden Wesneski, who was reinstated from the Injured List today.
HOW THE WEST WAS WON: Beginning Friday, the Astros will host the 1st place Texas Rangers in a 3-game, AL West showdown. The Astros enter tonight in 2nd place in the West, just 2.0 games behind the Rangers. The Astros are 6-4 vs. TEX thus far in 2026. This weekend’s series will be the final regular season matchup between the 2 clubs.
TODAY IN ASTROS HISTORY: 2024 – The Astros acquire LHP Yusei Kikuchi from the Blue Jays in exchange for RHP Jake Bloss, OF Joey Loperfido and minor leaguer IF Will Wagner. Kikuchi goes 5-1 with a 2.70 ERA (18ER/60IP) in 10 starts down the stretch. The Astros went 9-1 in his 10 starts in 2024 en route to winning the AL West Division title.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Wednesday, July 29, 8:38 p.m. CT
Location: Angel Stadium, Anaheim, CA
TV: SCHN
Radio: KTRH 740 AM; KBME 790 AM & 94.5 FM HD2; TUDN 102.9 FM HD2 (Spanish)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - JULY 24: Jacob Lopez #57 of the Athletics pitches during the game between the Athletics and the Minnesota Twins at Target Field on Friday, July 24, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Michael Turner/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Last night, the Athletics evened this series against the Boston Red Sox, winning the second game 4-3 in a contest that came down to the final out. The Red Sox came within a few feet of hitting a second consecutive home run with two outs in the ninth inning, but A’s center fielder Henry Bolte tracked down the fly ball, preserving the victory for pitcher Hogan Harris and the A’s.
Athletics left-hander Jacob Lopez will start the third game of this four-game series between the two American League clubs. The 28-year-old enters his 17th appearance and 14th start of the season with a 5-4 record, a 6.12 ERA, a 1.67 WHIP and 53 strikeouts over 64 2/3 innings.
Lopez earned the win in his last start after holding the Minnesota Twins scoreless over five innings while allowing just one hit. Control remains a concern, however, as he issued four walks to continue a season-long trend. Lopez, could benefit from tonight’s matchup against a Red Sox offense that has drawn the fourth-fewest walks in the major leagues. After Gage Jump recorded a quality start yesterday, the Athletics will look for Lopez to deliver another strong performance in his first career outing against Boston.
If the A’s want to score more runs, they will need leadoff hitter Jacob Wilson to work deeper counts and avoid chasing pitches outside the strike zone. Third baseman Tommy White moves up into the third slot in the lineup after recording the second four-hit game of his career yesterday. White earned the nickname “Tommy Tanks” for his home run ability in college, but he has primarily been a singles hitter through his first 39 major league at-bats. He will look to record his first major league home run this evening.
Further down the starting nine, Jonah Heim will catch, with backup catcher Brian Serven, who hit a two-run home run last night, on the bench. Colby Thomas will serve as the designated hitter, allowing Lawrence Butler to start in right field. Butler, who delivered a pinch-hit RBI double in the eighth inning of Tuesday’s game, enters today looking to raise his batting average above .200.
The A’s offense will face Red Sox left-hander Patrick Sandoval, who is seeking his first win in his fourth outing with the team. Sandoval returned to action with a new club after missing last season while recovering from Tommy John surgery. Through his first three starts back in the big leagues, he has posted a 3.21 ERA with 13 strikeouts over 14 innings. In his last start, Sandoval pitched 4 2/3 scoreless innings against the Toronto Blue Jays.
The “Green and Gold” are familiar with the 29-year-old, who pitched for the Los Angeles Angels from 2019 to 2024. During that span, he faced the A’s 11 times, going 4-4 with a 2.56 ERA and 47 strikeouts. The Athletics will aim to generate offense against Sandoval tonight and defeat him for the fifth time.
Over the past two nights, the A’s pitching staff has limited Boston’s offense, with all of the Red Sox’s runs coming against A’s relievers. Lopez will need to be careful against the middle of Boston’s lineup, especially Wilyer Abreu, who has hit left-handed pitching well.
Time to win a second straight and set up a chance to take the series tomorrow. Let’s go A’s!
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - JULY 24: Patrick Sandoval #43 of the Boston Red Sox pitches during the fourth inning of a game against the Toronto Blue Jays on July 24, 2026 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
TV: NESN
First Pitch: 9:40 p.m. ET
The Red Sox came all the way back in the ninth inning of Tuesday’s 4-3 loss to the Athletics, which evened the four-game set.
Patrick Sandoval takes the mound for his fourth start in a Red Sox uniform after 4 2/3 scoreless innings last time out against the Toronto Blue Jays. Nick Sogard also rejoins the team after Curtis Mead landed on the injured list after two at-bats with the team.
Here’s who the Red Sox will send to the plate behind him Wednesday night in Sacramento.
There are 23 teams either in a playoff spot or within 5 ¹/₂ games of one, which means there are 23 teams that would welcome Luke Weaver to their bullpen.
With trade rumors and reports swirling and plastered “on the front page of my Instagram or my newspaper that I don’t read,” Weaver said to laughs, a battle-tested pitcher continued to show that he can pitch through pressure.
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Weaver is enhancing his trade value — and his value to the Mets, who do not have to trade him — during a stretch in which the toss-up reality of his immediate future does not seem to matter to him on the mound.
“It [was] certainly a lot harder in the past,” Weaver said about dealing with the uncertainty after firing another scoreless inning in a 3-2, doubleheader-opening victory over the Braves at Citi Field on Wednesday. “But unfortunately and fortunately, I’ve had a lot of experience through different waves of these circumstances — experience to lean into, offseason, in season, for good, for bad. So I think that gives me peace.”
Weaver has pitched for seven teams in parts of nine major league seasons, been traded twice and designated for assignment twice. After his second DFA he was claimed by the Yankees, who converted him to a reliever, watched him soar and last offseason watched him sign a two-year, $22 million pact with the Mets.
So the 32-year-old has been here, which is apparent as he flourishes during a challenging moment. Since May, he has pitched in 29 games and allowed one earned run.
He also is happy with where he literally is, which matters because the Mets are not obligated to trade him like they are with walk-year bullpen arms in Brooks Raley and A.J. Minter (who himself threw a scoreless inning in the 1-0 nightcap loss). Weaver, due $11 million next season, could be a part of a 2027 Mets team that will want to compete.
Luke Weaver throws a scoreless inning in the Mets’ 3-2 win over the Braves in Game 1 of a split doubleheader on July 29, 2026 at Citi Field. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
He is “absolutely” enjoying life with the Mets, he said, pointing to the relationships he has formed and the clubhouse culture.
“It’s been a real joy to come in every day, even in an environment that isn’t winning like we had hoped,” Weaver said after lowering his ERA to 1.88 with a one-hit, one-strikeout eighth inning. “I think [losing clubhouses] can be a very dreaded environment from time to time in certain situations, but to me I’ve never had that. I think it’s disappointing after games when you’re not winning. The winning is great, but you also want the consistency of what you bring on a daily basis when you walk in through the door, and that has definitely matched that in such a positive way, and it’s a testament to the people they have here.”
Weaver said he and his wife are “mentally prepared to an extent” for a trade, “but we’re also not by any means one foot out the door.” He referenced the fact the Mets are not about to embark upon a rebuild and will want to win soon.
Which complicates the future of a pitcher who is showing he can help them win.
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“Luke’s really good [and] valuable to us not just this season, the remainder, but also the next season,” interim manager Andy Green said. “Nobody knows how the next few days are going to go.”
steph curry warriors split screen jaylen brown celtics
Frustration is brewing between Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors and a recent report has added more to the mix.
According to Logan Murdock of The Ringer, the Warriors had an opportunity to trade for Jaylen Brown before the NBA Trade Deadline this past February, but didn’t want to pull the trigger.
Murdock reported that the Warriors “Couldn’t build an organizational consensus that Brown would be the right player to carry the Warriors beyond the Curry era.”
11/18/25: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics reacts after scoring in the second half at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, November 18, 2025 JASON SZENES/ NY POST
As the lead man, Brown had a season he’d never forget. He finished in the top five of the NBA, averaging 28.7 points per game and was a driving force behind the the Celtics to finish in second place in the Eastern Conference with a 56-26 record.
Despite having a great year, Brown’s name was shopped across the NBA this summer as he headlined the trading block.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA – APRIL 17: Stephen Curry #30 (2nd from left) of the Golden State Warriors reacts on the bench during the second half of an NBA play-in tournament game against the Phoenix Suns at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 17, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona Getty Images
Curry has yet to publicly request a trade out of Golden State, but Thompson said that he believes the repeated cycle of anticipation and disappointment could be taking a toll on Curry, who is now 38 years old and only has so much time left in his championship window.
Curry will now have to be the leader of an aging Warriors team that has been riddled by injuries. Butler will be coming back from a torn ACL injury, and Kristaps Porzingis appeared in only 32 games last season, as he was dealing with an illness.
Curry is also dealing with a knee injury himself that forced him to miss 39 games last year.
Despite any potential uncertainty between Curry and the Warriors, Murdock reported that the greatest player in franchise history has remained adamant about retiring as a member of the Warriors.
The San Francisco Giants had a few things to cheer about in their 16-3 blowout win against the Milwaukee Brewers at Oracle Park in San Francisco, California on Wednesday, July 29.
First off, it was a milestone game for Giants catcher Daniel Susac, who hit his first pair of home runs in his young MLB career.
Susac got his first-career homer on a three-run blast in the second inning that flew 411 feet across center field and out of the park, bringing in Jung Hoo Lee and Willy Adames.
But he wasn't done. He added his second career homer in the eighth inning, going yard 379 feet to left center field to extend the San Francisco lead to 14-3. Susac ended the game going 2-for-4 accounting for two home runs, three scores and four RBIs.
The Giants went on tp win the game and the three-game series, as well as a season-series win over the NL Central-leading Brewers.
Susac, 25, made his MLB debut with the Giants on April 1.
He already looked to establish himself as a consistent base-hitter. In his first career start against the New York Mets, Susac recorded a hit in his first at-bat, going 3-for-3 in the game. He started out with two hits in his next start and became the first player in Giants' modern history to go 5-for-5 in his first five plate appearances. He finished that game against the Philadelphia Phillies 3-for-4 with a two-run RBI triple that sent the crowd into a frenzy.
It was one of the rare high moments for the Giants this season.
San Francisco routed Milwaukee by taking command in the sixth inning, ripping seven runs on four hits and two errors.
Heliot Ramos and Luis Arraez both ripped off four hits in the contest, going 4-for-5 on the day.
Arraez became the MLB batting average leader when he singled to center at the bottom of the seventh inning, which resulted in an RBI bringing home Drew Gilbert. His batting average improved to .331 in the Giants' 16-3 win.
Arraez is a three-time batting champion and could very well win his fourth this season with the Giants.
With four hits today, Luis Arraez is now the MLB leader in batting average. He's looking for his fourth batting title: pic.twitter.com/UwIJ2xLvnE
San Francisco won consecutive series for the first time since late June when they took 2-1 series wins against the A's and Atlanta Braves at Oracle Park from June 23-28.
The Giants improved to 46-62, but still have the second-worst record in the National League and the West division. Their next series is a divisional four-game bout against the San Diego Padres. Their series will be at Petco Park in San Diego, California. The first game begins Thursday, July 30 at 6:40 p.m. PT.
The Los Angeles Dodgers activated star closer Edwin Díaz from the 60-day injured list, the team announced in a press release on Wednesday afternoon. The 32-year-old flamethrower had been sidelined since April 20 with loose bodies in his right elbow.
Left-handed pitcher Charlie Barnes was designated for assignment in the corresponding move.
Díaz underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right elbow on April 22 to remove five loose bodies, or fragments of bone and cartilage that break off inside the joint. It's a condition that Díaz has said he's had to manage since 2012, but the discomfort reached a tipping point early this season when he struggled to a 10.50 ERA with seven earned runs allowed in six innings pitched; an abominable 2.33 WHIP indicated he was battling through some kind of issue with his mechanics or health.
His most recent appearance for the Dodgers came on April 19, where he gave up three runs on three hits to the Colorado Rockies and was promptly pulled by manager Dave Roberts.
"I was feeling good," Díaz told reporters after his successful surgery. "But on Sunday in Colorado, I didn’t feel comfortable throwing. So I told them, 'Hey, I feel weird. I can keep throwing, but my arm doesn’t feel good. I feel tired.' And they sent me to get some images. And the loose body was there. So the decision was, just take the loose body out and rehab and be ready for the second half."
Three months later, after seven rehab appearances across the Arizona Complex League, Low-A Ontario and Triple-A Oklahoma City, it looks like Díaz has found the kind of rhythm that earned the three-time All-Star a three-year, $69 million contract with the Dodgers last offseason. He's allowed just two runs in 5.2 innings pitched with 11 strikeouts, an encouraging sign that he can return and be the centerpiece in the bullpen that the Andrew Friedman and Co. envisioned last winter.
Heading into these Commonwealth Games, the Australian swim team had no Kaylee McKeown (absent through illness), no Ariarne Titmus (following her shock retirement last year) and Mollie O’Callaghan battered by injury (a spinal stress fracture and a shoulder complaint). The Dolphins would have been forgiven for nursing some concern. It turns out they needn’t have worried.
On Wednesday evening in Glasgow, Australia rounded out the swim program in historic style. Having levelled the record for most gold medals won at the competition on the penultimate night (28 – equal with the 2018 home Games on the Gold Coast), the Dolphins obliterated that mark with one final night of triumph at the Tollcross Swimming Centre. A run of individual wins and success in both medley relays saw the team end the six-day meet with 37 gold, 16 silver and 23 bronze medals across the able-bodied and para-swimming disciplines.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JULY 8: Roki Sasaki #11 of the Los Angeles Dodgers throws to first for an out after getting hit by a comebacker during the fifth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium on July 8, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ross Turteltaub/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dodgers conclude their series against the Seattle Mariners on Thursday night, and turn to Roki Sasaki coming off one of his best starts of the season.
Sasaki struck out nine in seven innings in a win over the Mets last Friday, and over his last three starts has a 1.93 ERA in 18 2/3 innings with 19 strikeouts against only four walks.
Bryce Miller starts on the mound Thursday for Seattle.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 29: Luis Arraez #1 of the San Francisco Giants slides after stealing third base against the Milwaukee Brewers in the fifth inning at Oracle Park on July 29, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Brandon Vallance/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Well, that game was one to forget.
The worst loss of the year also gives the Brewers their first series loss since before the All-Star Break as they are pummeled 16-3.
To begin, today was already one of those games you didn’t know what to expect as Thomas Pannone made his first start on a Major League mound since 2019. Frankly, it didn’t go quite the way manager Pat Murphy had envisioned as he was looking to give his pitching staff rest.
Pannone was pulled after three innings, during which he threw 56 pitches and allowed two earned runs on two walks and three hits. The bummer of the outing was allowing Daniel Susac to achieve his first career home run. Pannone’s issue throughout his three innings wasn’t necessarily the hits he allowed but rather the number of times he fell behind early in counts.
After Susac gave the Giants a 3-0 lead, the Brewers began their attempt at coming back as the game was officially turned over to the bullpen following the third inning. After David Hamilton and Cooper Pratt both reached base via the single, an RBI groundout occurred from the bat of Brice Turang to cut the deficit down to 3-1. Jackson Chourio quickly ended any other scoring chances as he grounded into an inning-ending double play.
An inning later, Jake Bauers proved that his broken toe was no issue as he led off with a triple into right field. After a Christian Yelich walk, Garrett Mitchell drove in another run on a groundout to bring the game within one at 3-2. That would be the closest the Brewers got the rest of the way, as the bullpen imploded.
Chad Patrick was the first out of the bullpen and threw two scoreless innings before things got away from him in the bottom of the sixth inning, as he proceeded to allow two runs. Aaron Ashby came into the game and only recorded one out before being pulled, as he went on to allow four runs himself on three hits and a walk.
Ashby’s outing was the worst of the bullpen pitching, but it still didn’t look great for the bullpen as we advanced. Bryse Wilson saw his worst outing since rejoining the Brewers as he allowed three runs himself on six hits. After seven innings, the Brewers were down 10, and there was no sense in burning another arm as they called upon Andrew Vaughn to finish out the game.
The Giants’ offense compiled 17 hits on the afternoon as they got four-hit games from Luis Arraez and Heliot Ramos. On top of that, Susac had a career day: not only did he hit his first career home run, but he also smashed two, driving in four runs.
Overall on the season, the Brewers are now 2-4 against teams based in the state of California on the road. Despite the favorable schedule, the games on the road against Californian teams continue as the Brewers will enjoy an off day tomorrow before taking on the Los Angeles Angels. After their next homestand, they’ll be right back out west taking on the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres as well.
Taking a look at the series against the Angels, the Brewers will send Shane Drohan to the mound for game one, Robert Gasser in game two, and Jacob Misiorowski in game three. Until then, perhaps today’s game opens some eyes in terms of what the Brewers need to do come trade deadline.
INGLEWOOD, CA - APRIL 15: Jimmy Butler III #10 of the Golden State Warriors looks on during the game against the LA Clippers during the SoFi Play-In Tournament on April 15, 2026 at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, California. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Every kid I know from my generation has asked their mom for McDonald’s and gotten the same answer. Not “no” but something worse: “We got McDonald’s at home.” And you already know what’s in that deep freezer. A brick of hamburger meat, shoved behind the frozen peas since March, frosted over like Arnold Schwarzenegger in a Batman movie, absolutely daring you to be disappointed in it.
And the Warriors, depending on who you ask, are fitting the description of that perfectly unfazed mama.
The popular read on this Warriors offseason is that Draymond Green’s Warriors asked for a Happy Meal named LeBron James. But the King went to Philadelphia instead and the Dubs are standing in the kitchen with nothing but ice-crusted ground chuck and a bad excuse.
But here’s where the gamble of believing rookie Yaxel Lendeborg alone is enough gets real fascinating. Except what’s sitting in the freezer isn’t some forgotten pack of bargain-bin ground beef. It’s Jimmy Butler in cryostasis, and the Warriors have spent the last six months waiting for him to be healthy enough to actually cook with.
According to @ShamsCharania, trading for Anthony Davis would've given the Warriors their best chance to land LeBron James.
Golden State refused to trade Jimmy Butler for AD.
Golden State is, per the latest reporting, still the only team in the league that hasn’t added a new outside player this offseason. They re-signed Draymond Green on the exact contract he opted out of to chase James (or another splashy option) in the first place. So yeah, the easy piece to alliterate here is “Warriors weally whiffed.” Or perhaps even “I literally can’t believe Steph Curry doesn’t have Klay Thompson here alongside him at least for nolstalgic purposes”.
I’m not writing that piece folks, because I’ve got a hunch that whatever the Warriors see in the Curry-Butler pair has them curious (or brokenly resigned) to another go round with Dray, Brandin Podziemski, Gui Santos, a wounded Moses Moody, Will Richard and the fascinating super veteran big man tandem of Al Hoford and Kristaps Porzingis.
All these moves would make sense if Jimmy Butler was healthy. He is not. They will waste another year of Steph Curry. It's nothing new. Maybe people who are paid to cover the team will actually say they are idiots. But we will see. Everyone on this app knows what is going to…
Think about what Butler represents when healthy, not that limping 2025 injury-report Jimmy we saw enthusiastically rooting from the sidelines. I’m conjuring up an image of the version that has consistently ratcheted up his play in April/May and treated postseason ball like a personal hit list. The Warriors have the guy whose entire basketball identity is built around what happens after the setback. He competes hurt, plays through pain that would sideline most stars, and has spent his career turning perceived slights into motivation that somehow lasts another year and a half.
The injury against Miami didn’t erase that identity but it absolutely interrupted it. Everything about Butler’s career says his response to an interruption is consistently louder than the interruption itself. The bet is Butler is still furious, still capable, and still exactly the kind of dark-horse variable that turns GSW into a feisty seven-seed into a team nobody wants to see in May.
To be clear, I don’t see these dudes coming anywhere close to a top seed next year, what with the way Father Time and the insanely vicious Western Conference is set up to keep them from ever winning a title again with Curry. But if they creep into the playoffs with a smidgen of health and confidence? After watching the recent champion New York Knicks play, let’s just say we all saw what a well timed postseason hot streak can do with a hot crowd can do.
Maybe the meat in the freezer isn’t actually some sad substitute for McDonalds. Maybe it’s the expensive cut that fell on the Safeway floor and the assistant manager gave it to somebody’s mama half price; she froze it six months ago because you could tell she was waiting for the right occasion. I’d be lying if I said believing this doesn’t require faith and amazing skills in NBA 2K to play it out on the virtual court. Fortunately, I have both, and I can see the possibilities. Butler will be the 37 at season’s start, the same age Jersey Joe Walcott was when he knocked out Ezzard Charles to become heavyweight champion back in 1951. That’s extremely relevant because Butler’s health represents what constitutes as the Warriors’ punchers chance when Stephen Curry takes his band of merry man on the path towards the preposterous 5th title run of the Steve Kerr era.
Jimmy Butler says the Warriors organization is a great organization and he doesn’t want to be anywhere else:
“It’s not good, it’s great. It legitimately is the best. You don’t realize it until you’ve been in other places, and I’m not talking down on anybody that are quite lesser… pic.twitter.com/Jr3hs7ye1X
Now, if Butler’s knee says no in November the way it said no in January, this column potentially ages like the hamburger meat everyone’s already laughing about. But I’m pretty sure this team beats the Spurs in 5 games last year if fully healthy. Call me crazy.
Everyone keeps waiting for the Warriors to make their move, while the Warriors keep acting like they already made it. Maybe everyone’s just been staring at the wrong empty drive-thru window this whole time, like Dub Nation’s been s trying to get a Happy Meal. Mayhaps the only thing left to find out is whether what was already sitting in the freezer still tastes like a championship.
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) and head coach Steve Kerr in the fourth quarter during an NBA preseason game against the LA Clippers at Chase Center in San Francisco, Friday, Oct. 17, 2025. The Clippers won 106-103. (Photo by Santiago Mejia/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)
If you’re a Golden State Warriors fan who uses social media, then you’ve probably seen a fairly depressing graphic floating around the internet in one of its many iterations. The images and numbers vary from graphic to graphic, but the point remains the same: there have been countless moves made in the NBA this offseason. And the Warriors are the only team absent from that party.
Technically, the Dubs have made moves, but they’ve been to keep their own players. They re-signed Al Horford. They re-signed Kristaps Porziņģis. They’re planning to re-sign De’Anthony Melton. They re-signed Draymond Green after he opted out to afford them flexibility as they chased LeBron James.
But they haven’t added anyone new, save for in the draft. They put all their eggs in the James basket and came up short. They chose not to pursue costly, star-studded trades for players like Anthony Davis and Jaylen Brown. And while they’ll likely still add someone from outside the organization (though the options are dwindling), it appears they’re content to just run it back with the same squad.
That didn’t work out well last year. The Dubs went just 37-45 and were eliminated in the play-in tournament. Add in the fact that Jimmy Butler III and Moses Moody are likely to miss more time this year than last — and of course, the ever-increasing ages of Green, Horford, Porziņģis, and Steph Curry — and it’s reasonable to assume that Golden State will be even worse this year.
But there are always avenues for surprising success. Virtually no one pegged the Warriors to compete for a title in 2014-15 or 2021-22, and they won championships both years. That’s not me predicting that the Dubs will hoist a trophy next June — or even saying that’s a plausible outcome — but the Warriors can still take the world by surprise and have a shockingly good season. Or at least one that’s much better than last year.
How? Here are a few ways.
Yaxel Lendeborg shines
There’s always something fun about the mystery bag that is a draft pick; especially a lottery pick. You can make predictions and projections galore, but ultimately you have no clue what you’re going to get. The Warriors were excited when Curry fell to them with the seventh overall pick 17 years ago, but no one ever expected him to become the best player in franchise history, let alone a top-10 all-time talent. They thought they got Curry a running mate when they used the No. 11 pick on Klay Thompson, and instead got a Hall of Famer. They hoped to get a bench contributor when they took Green in the second round, and wound up with a one of the greatest defensive players in NBA history, who will likely spend the entirety of his Hall of Fame career in the Bay Area.
On the flip side, Golden State thought they had the second timeline locked up when they used back-to-back lottery picks on James Wiseman and Jonathan Kuminga … it’s only been a few years, but Wiseman is playing overseas and Kuminga remains a free agent with limited suitors.
All of that is to say that there’s a vast spectrum of potential outcomes for Yaxel Lendeborg, the No. 11 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. Lendeborg is, like all rookies, an unknown, but he’s also considered the most NBA-ready player in the rookie class, due to his age (he turns 24 before Opening Night) and experience (six total years of college ball). If he’s closer to great than to awful — and if he hits the ground running — the Warriors could have something special on their hands that will help them win games from Day 1.
A full season of KP is magical
Even though the Warriors haven’t added any free agents or players via trade, it’s still fair to think of Porziņģis as an acquisition. They only got him at the trade deadline last year, and he played just 15 games for the team. Plus, there’s only so much a midseason acquisition can help, as they’re learning the systems on the fly.
Even so, there was some magic in those moments, and the Warriors dramatically benefited from Porziņģis’ presence. Could that grow with a full training camp of learning Steve Kerr’s systems, and getting comfortable playing with Curry and Green on both ends of the court? It certainly can’t hurt. Porziņģis’ All-Star days are probably behind him, but there’s also a reason the Warriors handed him out a two-year, $40-million contract. They know that he can be a very, very good player, and they’re excited to get a full season of that.
They add another good player
Sounds simple enough, right? A lot harder in execution. That said, DeMar DeRozan remains unsigned, and while he’s a kind of funny fit in Golden State’s offensive system, they sure could use his doses of instant offense. The best way to get better is to add more talent. And whether it’s DDR, Bradley Beal, or anyone else, the Warriors at least have a chance to up their talent pool before the season begins. How much it will help remains to be seen. As we’ve all observed in recent years, some additions really hit with the Warriors, and some flop tremendously. But it’s hard to see how this team, which has struggled so much to score when Curry isn’t the player shooting the ball, wouldn’t benefit from the addition of a reliable 20-point scorer.
They upgrade their systems
Seeing what schemes the Warriors are running when the season begins is going to be fascinating. Apparently one of the mandates for Mike Dunleavy Jr. and Joe Lacob when bringing back Kerr was that he needed to find a way to adapt and evolve his systems a little bit more. They’ve made some personnel decisions as well, replacing Terry Stotts and Jerry Stackhouse with Frank Vogel.
Kerr remains one of the top coaches in the NBA, but he’s going to need to dig deep into his bag of tricks to turn the Warriors into a 50-win team. That’s going to include making some changes to how the offense and defense operate.
Someone takes a leap
The biggest way for a team to take a huge step forward is also the hardest thing to bank on: a player simply taking their game to the next level. With Moody injured and so many veterans around, that really means there are only three options: Brandin Podziemski, Gui Santos, and Will Richard. All three are quality role players, but all three have shown flashes of being so much more. Can one of them take the leap from 15-minute bench piece to borderline All-Star? Easier said than done … but then again, no one ever accused being a winning team of being easy!
Stay healthy
The Warriors have won four championships in recent memory, and they’ve fallen short even more times. And in victory and defeat, one lesson is always clear: it takes a lot of luck to win it all. That’s true even when your goals are less lofty than to win a title. Whatever the goal in the NBA, you need the cookie to crumble in your direction to meet it.
For the Warriors, that mostly means health. Porziņģis played just 32 games last year. Horford played 45. Curry played 43. Melton played 49. If the Warriors want to shock people this season, they need good health luck, particularly with Curry (and also with Butler when he returns from his torn ACL). You can’t bank on that … but you have to hope for it.
Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) tips his hat to the fans after delivering his 1,000 strikeout against the Baltimore Orioles during the first inning at Comerica Park in...
The Tigers may have just given the biggest clue into the Tarik Skubal trade deadline rumors.
On Wednesday, Skubal made his final start before Major League Baseball’s Monday trade deadline.
Tigers ace Tarik Skubal made his final start ahead of the Monday trade deadline. USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
The Tigers posted a picture of an emotional Skubal on X with only a goat emoji for the caption. As the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words.
Several teams have been linked to Skubal, including the Dodgers, Brewers and Braves. But it’s the back-to-back World Series champions who have the best trade capital to strike a deal with Detroit.
The Dodgers have everything the Tigers would want in a blockbuster deal for Skubal: controllable starting pitching and top prospects. No other team can match what the Dodgers can offer Detroit for Skubal, but it remains to be seen whether LA will go all in for the left-hander.
The Tigers haven’t confirmed that Tarik Skubal is on the trade block, but the general consensus is the ace will be dealt at the trade deadline. USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
The Dodgers don’t exactly need Skubal given their starting rotation features Cy Young winners and All-Stars. But the uncertainty surrounding Shohei Ohtani’s availability to pitch has given the team reason to at least explore a trade.
Ohtani is dealing with biceps and knee injuries, but he has remained in the Dodgers’ lineup. Ohtani threw a bullpen session while the Dodgers were in Philadelphia, but his body did not respond well.
Since then, the concern surrounding Ohtani has only grown. Ohtani hasn’t made a start for the Dodgers since July 3 but revealed his biceps issue Tuesday.
“There too, it’s a judgment of to what degree I can push it,” Ohtani said in Japanese. “It’s still July. What judgment will be made in August and September can be decided then.”
But waiting until August or September for an answer on Ohtani’s availability is quite the gamble, one the Dodgers may not be willing to take with a third consecutive World Series title on the line.
Thus, Ohtani’s availability to pitch (or lack thereof) may have just thrust the Dodgers into the market for Skubal.
After Tarik Skubal’s start, the Tigers’ bullpen imploded and ruined the left-hander’s performance on the mound. USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
There hasn’t been confirmation Skubal is on the trade block, but many have speculated that the ace’s tenure with the Tigers is over.
The team’s social media post all but confirmed the Tigers are indeed parting ways with Skubal this summer, especially after the Tigers lost Wednesday’s game 10-9 in extra innings and are now four games out of the AL wild-card race.
During the 2023 NHL Draft, the Chicago Blackhawks selected Roman Kantserov in the second round with the 44th overall pick. He has since become one of the top prospects in the entire organization.
Kantserov is developing into an incredible goal-scorer, as he led the KHL in goals during the 2025-26 season. He is now looking to translate that success to the NHL, where he will make his debut in 2026-27.
On Wednesday, Kantserov attended the NHLPA/Upper Deck Rookie Showcase as a member of their 2026 class. This took place at Blackhawks Ice Center in Chicago. Kantserov skated alongside some of the best prospects in the game right now, including fellow Blackhawks prospect Sacha Boisver and the number one overall pick made by the Toronto Maple Leafs, Gavin McKenna.
When asked about the Blackhawks during his media scrum, Kantserov had some interesting things to say. For one, he wants Connor Bedard to return from his injury as soon as possible, but he understands the magnitude of Patrick Kane coming back.
"It's [Bedard's injury] sad news," Kantserov said. "But Chicago signed Patrick Kane. The legend has come back. It's awesome.”
A lot of the young players on the team are going to be excited to play with Patrick Kane. Most of them grew up watching him.
“He's the greatest American player, all-time scorer, and this is a very good opportunity to play with him," Kantserov said of Kane. "Of course, if we play together with Bedard, maybe we can find the chemistry.”
Coming into the year, Kantserov is going to get some runway when it comes to ice time in the top six. If he has a good camp and preseason, playing with the team's top players is absolutely going to be in the cards for him.
Whether it is at even strength or on the power play, Kantserov is going to get looks with Patrick Kane early in the season. It will get even more lethal when Bedard returns. When it comes to his desire to build chemistry with them, it shouldn't be a problem, as they are all highly skilled players with experience playing with elite talent.
Chicago, whichever linemates they start Kantserov with, should see him score a fair number of goals. Whether it's the two stars in Bedard and Kane, or others like Frank Nazar or Anton Frondell, there is a lot of playmaking talent on the roster. Feeding it to a sniper like this could create a whole new dynamic to the overall offense.
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