The PWHL’s Ottawa Charge will play their home games at the Canadian Tire Centre, home of the Ottawa Senators, starting with the 2026-27 season, the team announced at a news conference Thursday afternoon.
“Senators Sports & Entertainment is proud to officially welcome the Ottawa Charge to Canadian Tire Centre,” SS&E president and CEO Cyril Leeder said in a statement. “The Ottawa-Gatineau region is fortunate to have two professional hockey teams competing at the highest level. In a short period of time, the Charge have developed a substantial following and fan base, and they have become an important part of our local hockey ecosystem.”
The Charge spent their first three seasons at TD Place, located in the city’s Lansdowne Park area. But in November, the city of Ottawa approved a $419 million redevelopment plan for Lansdowne Park, which included a much smaller event centre that seats 5,850 and has a capacity of 6,600. The current TD Place has a capacity of 8,500.
“Honestly, in four decades of working in professional sports, this might be the most disappointing thing I have ever seen,” PWHL executive vice president of hockey operations Amy Scheer said in an op-ed to the Ottawa Citizen in November.
The Charge played Walter Cup playoff games at the Canadian Tire Centre this spring, en route to a championship final series appearance against the Montreal Victoire. Ottawa set attendance records at the Canadian Tire Centre. For Game 1 of its Walter Cup series against Montreal, the Canadian Tire Centre had 16,894 fans, a PWHL single-game playoff attendance record. The Charge lost the Walter Cup to the Victoire in four games.
In a regular-season game against the Victoire on April 3, the Canadian Tire Centre had 17,114 fans, the highest-attended women’s hockey game ever played in Ottawa.
“As the Charge community continues to grow, the move to the Canadian Tire Centre will position us to welcome more fans and continue building a memorable experience for our players and our supporters,” Charge GM Mike Hirshfeld said in a statement. “TD Place was the foundation of our early success, and we’re deeply grateful for the energy our fans brought to every game in that building. In the playoffs, we witnessed that they could recreate that magic at CTC, and we’re looking forward to continuing to build momentum in our new home.”
On the Sixers’ second possession, Philon assisted a Broome pick-and-pop jumper. Next time down, Philon grabbed a long offensive rebound and swished another three-ball to put the Sixers up 9-2.
Philon’s ball handling appeared to be at a different level to everyone else on the court. He displayed an advanced ability to string together moves and was ultra-confident using all sorts of crossovers, behind-the-backs and tricky changes in paces. Even when the end product wasn’t a highlight, Philon’s handling allowed him to consistently create space and be comfortable.
The 20-year-old’s passing was another plus. He regularly recognized when he’d drawn the defense’s attention and could feed an open teammate.
Philon cooled off as a shooter (6 for 19 from the floor, 4 for 10 from three-point range), but his offensive skills certainly popped and he helped the Sixers ice the win by canning a jumper in the final minute.
Maddox and Johnson show off shotmaking
Maddox split point guard duties with Philon and had a hot start as well, sinking two early three-pointers and scoring 10 first-quarter points.
Once the Sixers turned to their bench, Johnson was a standout. He racked up 14 points in the first five minutes of the second quarter and nailed three triples.
Johnson is clearly a skilled center. The 7-footer played his final college season at Hawaii last year and averaged 14.1 points and 5.8 rebounds. Strong first impression of the summer.
Broome does his thing to start Year 2 summer
Broome began the game at center and later shared a frontcourt with Johnson.
It remains obvious that Broome won’t win many battles with conventional athleticism, although he did throw a dunk between two defenders late in the second quarter off of a Philon dish.
Of course, the major question is whether Broome can become an NBA contributor. He’s surely below Joel Embiid, Adem Bona and Ariel Hukporti on the Sixers’ current center depth chart.
"The next chapter," Spears Jr., the son of former NFL defensive lineman Marcus Spears, wrote in an Instagram post that also had the Texas "HookEm" hashtag.
He chose Texas over the likes of Arizona, Arkansas, LSU and Alabama among other power conference programs.
"Texas basketball is becoming a big thing again, and I am excited to be part of it," Spears Jr. told ESPN. "The Texas fans can expect a worker with a lot of energy. I will be trying to bring Texas a national championship."
As noted by ESPN, Spears Jr. was the only player to rank in the top 10 in both scoring and rebounding on the Nike EYBL circuit this spring, averaging 20.9 points and 8.7 rebounds. He additionally helped lead USA Basketball to a gold medal at the FIBA U16 Men's AmeriCup in 2025.
He becomes the second member of the Spears family to play at Texas as his older sister, Cari Spears, is a member of the Longhorns' volleyball team. Cari Spears started all 30 matches for the Longhorns this season and earned AVCA Third Team All-American honors.
Miller lands his second five-star recruit to the Longhorns' 2026 recruiting class, with the other being Spears Jr.'s fellow Dynamic Prep teammate, five-star strong forward Austin Goosby, the No. 18 best player in the class according to 247Sports' Composite Rankings.
Coming off an improbable Sweet 16 run, Texas is expected to have one of the top rosters in the country next season, as they landed Isaiah Johnson, Amari Evans and Elyjah Freeman in the transfer portal this past offseason.
Here's more on Spears Jr.:
Marcus Spears Jr. 247Sports
Stars: Five
National: No. 2
Positional: No. 2
State: No. 1
247Sports' Composite Rankings had Spears Jr. listed as a five-star recruit and the No. 2-ranked player in the 2027 recruiting class. He was additionally the second-ranked power forward and the top-ranked player in the state of Texas in the class.
The Mets beat the Royals, 7-3, on Thursday afternoon at Citi Field in the finale of a three-game series.
Here are the takeaways...
- With the Mets trailing, 2-1, in the bottom of the fifth inning, their offense erupted against Royals starter Michael Wacha.
After Tyrone Taylor led things off with a homer to left field, Brett Baty singled. Following a line out by Luis Torrens, A.J. Ewing singled to bring in Baty (who had stolen second base), Juan Soto walked after working the count full, Bo Bichette delivered a sacrifice fly, and Carson Benge lofted a single to center field to bring home a pair -- on the play, an error on Royals center fielder Lane Thomas allowed Soto to come all the way around from first base.
New York didn't stop there, with Francisco Alvarez ripping a single to left field to drive in another and Jared Young doubling as the Mets batted around.
All told, the Mets scored five runs on six hits in the frame to take a 6-2 lead.
After the Royals scratched out an unearned run in the top of the seventh, the Mets added on in the bottom half when Soto walloped a 435-foot homer to right center to increase New York's advantage to 7-3.
- On the first pitch of the game, Sean Manaea tried to sneak a 90.6 mph fastball past Thomas, but the pitch caught too much plate and Thomas blasted it over the left field fence for a leadoff homer and immediate Royals lead.
After retiring seven of the next eight batters (a Starling Marte infield single was the only blip during the stretch), Manaea was victimized again by the long ball to open the fourth inning, with Bobby Witt Jr. drilling a leadoff homer to left field to give Kansas City a 2-1 lead.
Manaea was economical, with his pitch count at 63 to start the sixth inning, and was able to make it through seven innings for the first time this season.
Overall, he allowed three runs (two earned) on six hits while walking one and striking out six.
- The Mets made Wacha work hard early, including a nine-pitch at-bat by Bichette that resulted in a groundout to end the first inning. In the second,Benge led off with a walk and stole second base, eventually coming around to score on a Jared Young double into the right field corner that tied things, 1-1.
After all the traffic on the bases in the second inning (on a double, walk, and hit by pitch), the Mets went down meekly for a while, with Wacha retiring eight straight batters.
- Devin Williams pitched a scoreless ninth inning to nail down the game, working around a two-out single.
- Mark Vientos exited the game ahead of the third inning after being hit by a pitch in the hand. With the Mets shuffling things around to deal with Vientos' absence at third base, A.J. Ewing slid from center field to second base -- getting his first taste at the position since making his big league debut in May. Ewing has plenty of minor league experience at second base, making 52 starts there over four seasons.
The Montreal Canadiens have announced that they have signed forward Brett Berard to a one-year, two-way contract for the 2026-27 season.
The Canadiens acquired Berard from the New York Rangers last month in exchange for defenseman William Trudeau.
Berard appeared in 13 games last season for the Rangers, where he recorded zero points and 17 hits. This is after he had six goals, 10 points, and 53 hits in his first 35 career NHL games during the 2024-25 campaign with the Rangers.
Berard spent the bulk of last season in the AHL with the Hartford Wolf Pack, however. In 41 games with the AHL club during the 2025-26 campaign, he recorded six goals, 16 assists, and 22 points.
In 145 career AHL games over four seasons, Berard has posted 40 goals, 53 assists, 93 points, and 158 penalty minutes.
Berard will now be looking to earn a spot on the Canadiens' roster by having a strong training camp.
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - JUNE 27: Foster Griffin #22 of the Washington Nationals pitches against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on June 27, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
When the Nationals signed Foster Griffin in December of 2025, he was labeled as a low-upside reclamation project. The southpaw hadn’t thrown an MLB pitch since September of 2022, a season in which he posted an 8.33 ERA across 6.1 innings with the Kansas City Royals and Toronto Blue Jays. His prestige as a 2014 1st-round MLB Draft selection had long worn off, and he was forced to play in Japan for 3 seasons before earning another chance at the big leagues.
In need of pitching, Washington’s front office gave him that chance, likely hoping that the lefty, who had thrown only 8.0 MLB innings in his career, would be an arm who could provide some innings at the back end of the rotation. 110.1 innings and 19 starts later, Griffin has become the most effective pitcher in the Nats’ rotation and has picked up 10 wins before the All-Star break.
Nats southpaw Foster Griffin should probably be an All-Star. Dude came over from Japan last winter and has been nails for a resurgent Nats team.
Doesn't walk guys, limits hard contact, fun eight-pitch mix. Has a 2.77 ERA right now in 110.1 innings. Carved up HOU last night. pic.twitter.com/KUMxzHzdR7
Looking even further ahead, the entire MLB media saw Washington as nothing more than a rebuilding team, with aspirations of a playoff berth multiple years away at best. 94 games into the 2026 season, the Nats remain above .500 as a team and are still very much in the mix for a Wild Card spot.
A high-end outcome for Griffin when he signed his 1-year, $5.5 million contract was seen as him becoming a decent trade candidate who could potentially net a prospect or two at the trade deadline. Now, the conversation surrounding the 30-year-old has grown increasingly complicated. There still isn’t a definitive answer as to how the Washington brass will approach the deadline, with the decision of whether to sell and stick to the rebuild or buy and believe in the youth movement far from a simple one.
If they were to go with the former, the reasons why he would be an attractive trade candidate are plentiful. His ERA ranks in the top 20 lowest marks in baseball, he continues to generate whiffs and work deeper into games, and his contract is incredibly cheap, especially compared to his production thus far. Griffin’s status as a 1-year rental and his lack of extended MLB success will give teams at least some level of pause, so moving him would bring back a good return but nothing overwhelmingly substantial.
Choosing to keep him and buy at the deadline in hopes of making a “Cinderella-esque” run in October is the aggressive, high-risk, high-reward move, and his pitching style has proven to be valuable in the postseason. The downside there, however, is obvious. Keeping your best trade piece could prove costly if the team fades in the second half, with deciding to pass on receiving possibly rebuild-accelerating prospects an occurrence that could hurt the club’s long-term outlook.
There are some saving graces in that scenario, though, with the main one being the option to begin extension talks with Griffin’s camp to lock him up for the foreseeable future. If nothing can get done on that front, extending the Qualifying Offer to him in free agency could give the Nats another draft pick if he signs elsewhere.
A final decision on Griffin’s future with Washington doesn’t have to come for a couple more weeks and will likely be heavily influenced by how the team performs after the All-Star break. Whichever way the front office goes, the Nats will have either a reliable starter for a playoff push or one of the most sought-after arms at the deadline.
Unfortunately for the Philadelphia Flyers, their bold play to sign Anaheim Ducks star Leo Carlsson to an offer sheet has been matched and foiled, leaving them with heaps of cap space over a week after the opening of NHL free agency. Now what?
The Carlsson offer sheet attempt proved to us that the Flyers are willing and able to take great risks to acquire a young, talented player that gives the team a major shot in the arm at the center position.
While not on the same level as Carlsson, the Flyers do have some alternatives available worth considering, and one certainly stands out amongst that group.
Also an offer-sheet eligible restricted free agent, 2023 No. 3 overall pick Adam Fantilli remains without a contract from the Columbus Blue Jackets, a team mired in its own roster controversy between the Zach Werenski situation, as well as talk of Kirill Marchenko being a trade chip, too.
At the end of the day, Fantilli, 21, has come close, but has yet to make, the Stanley Cup playoffs with the Blue Jackets, and it doesn't help that he's already played for three--yes, three--head coaches in his three seasons.
To that end, we can't be too surprised that the former University of Michigan star has yet to produce a 60-point campaign in the NHL, despite scoring 31 goals in 2024-25.
Because his breakout hasn't happened yet, Fantilli will undoubtedly cost less than the $18 million Carlsson received, though $15- or $16 million could certainly be in the cards. And if the Flyers make that decision, they will have done plenty of research to make themselves comfortable with pulling the trigger... again.
Notably, Chris Shero, the grandson of legendary Flyers head coach Fred Shero, works for Columbus as an amateur scout. Younger brother Kyle has been scouting for the Flyers since the 2022-23 season.
Additionally, Cameron Briere, the youngest of Flyers general manager Danny Briere's three sons, works for the Blue Jackets as an assistant video coach, a role he held with the ECHL Maine Mariners for four seasons.
If the Flyers needed a scouting report on Fantilli supplementary to their own research, they don't need to look very far to get it.
Briere and Co. have already shown that they are willing to spend the cash, part with the draft picks, and disregard the norm around the NHL in pursuit of a No. 1 center, and Fantilli's situation is no different from Carlsson's, at the end of the day.
Fantilli, even more so than Carlsson, is the kind of buccaneering power forward who would really benefit from having teammates like Porter Martone and Matvei Michkov, and the Flyers aren't having issues with players asking to leave or managing the salary cap.
If Fantilli is even remotely open to leaving, the Flyers shouldn't have a hard time selling the former No. 3 pick on Philadelphia with an offer sheet pitch.
The Flyers have a clear need for a puck transporter, finisher, and speedster down the middle, and the Canadian pivot checks every box.
Fantilli's playmaking will have to develop some, but at worst, the Flyers have the supporting cast capable of taking care of that for him.
If the Flyers are still open to utilizing the offer sheet, their next target is obvious.
Could Alberts Šmits make the New York Rangers’ opening-night roster?
When the Rangers selected Šmits with the fifth overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, it was under the impression that he was the most NHL-ready defenseman.
Šmits did not divulge whether he would attend training camp once September rolls around.
“We’ll see how it goes,” Šmits told the media about if he plans to participate in the Rangers’ training camp in the coming months.
Meanwhile, Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury left things open-ended regarding Šmits’ availability for training camp, emphasizing the importance of doing what’s best for the 18-year-old defenseman’s long-term development.
“We're gonna do right by him and the long-term health and well-being of him as a Ranger,” Drury said of Šmits. “This is not a sprint for him. We hope he's a rock-solid defenseman for the Rangers for the next 15 years. We're not going to put him in positions or situations that he can't handle. So excited to add him, but again, not going to do anything that's not in the best interest long term for him.”
Drury confirmed that Šmits will be returning to New York later in the summer to continue his offseason training upon his return from Latvia.
CHICAGO — Boston Red Sox pitcher Ranger Suarez will miss the All-Star Game after he was placed on the 15-day injured list with a left groin strain.
The IL stint for Suarez was made retroactive a day after he left with two outs in the third inning in Boston’s 7-5 victory at the Los Angeles Angels. The left-hander is 4-3 with a 3.15 ERA in 17 starts in his first season after signing a five-year, $130 million contract with the Red Sox in free agency.
The 30-year-old Suarez was scheduled to pitch again at the New York Mets.
“He is showing some improvement, but not enough to where, if there’s still some soreness and tightness in there, not enough to where we’re feeling comfortable he’s going to be able to go Saturday,” interim manager Chad Tracy said.
Tracy said the team is considering several options for the start at New York, including Brayan Bello, who was optioned to Triple-A Worcester in June. With the All-Star break coming up, the Red Sox also could go with a bullpen game.
Suarez also was an All-Star in 2024, but he missed the game because of back stiffness. This year’s Midsummer Classic is in Philadelphia, where Suarez spent his first eight big league seasons.
“Obviously sad. I wanted to be able to go there, represent my team and also enjoy the moment,” Suarez said through a translator. “But I think the best thing for me is to take care of my body and that’s what I’m going to do.”
Suarez could be replaced on the AL team by Red Sox right-hander Sonny Gray, who is 10-1 with a 2.61 ERA in 16 starts. Suarez said he is hopeful about coming off the IL as soon as he is eligible after the break.
“The four days that we have break, I’m going to do treatment and I hope I’m not going to lose any (starts), but we’ll see how it goes,” he said.
The Red Sox had won five in a row and 10 of 12 overall going into their series finale at the Chicago White Sox.
All-Star slugger Willson Contreras was out of the starting lineup after he fouled a ball off his left foot during a 5-0 victory. But second baseman Anthony Seigler was leading off a day after a collision with catcher Kyle Teel at the plate.
“Just sore,” Tracy said of Contreras. “So we’ll let him rest today, get a bunch of treatment, see where we’re at.”
Infielder Brett Harris was recalled from Worcester, and he started in Contreras’ place at first base. The 28-year-old Harris was acquired in a trade with the Athletics on July 1 after he was designated for assignment.
Harris hit a grand slam during a minor league doubleheader and then received word he was going up to the Red Sox.
“I just got to know most of the guys in Triple-A and now I got to restart the process here. But I’m excited,” Harris said.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - MAY 08: Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers looks on against the New York Knicks during the first quarter in Game Three of the Second Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena on May 08, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 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 Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Amidst the excitement of the last week or so in Sixers land was a small cloud hanging over things.
After president of basketball operations Mike Gansey pulled off a stunning blockbuster trade to acquire Jaylen Brown, it didn’t take long for many Sixers players to react. Even Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe joined Brown’s first live stream following the deal.
The one player we didn’t hear from was Joel Embiid. The former MVP didn’t have a social media post greeting Brown nor did we hear anything about the two stars interacting. Some folks ran with the idea of Embiid being upset or him not being long for Philadelphia.
“He’s excited. He’s in a really good space right now. First offseason where he is really healthy going into it… He’s fired up. I called him right after the trade, and he is excited. Surprised, but he was excited… It’s obviously going to be a big change, but I think they’re welcoming it and they’re kind of excited to get the group together.”
Mike Gansey shares a conversation he had with Joel Embiid after the Jaylen Brown trade 💪 pic.twitter.com/6JWXY3mStt
— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) July 9, 2026
There’s no doubt the addition of Brown complicates things a bit offensively. Brown was a Second Team All-NBA pick and had one of the highest usage rates in the NBA last season. With that said, we’ve seen what he can do in a more complementary offensive role when he helped the Celtics win a championship in 2024 and took home Eastern Conference Finals and NBA Finals MVP. Sacrifices will need to be made, but such is the case for every championship team.
What could make things even more interesting is if the Sixers are able to sign LeBron James. We’ve all seen the reports and it appears the Sixers are on The King’s shortlist. Gansey, a fellow Ohio native who crossed paths with James during their time with the Cavaliers, didn’t keep the team’s interest a secret.
Mike Gansey has a connection to LeBron James going back to them both playing high school basketball in Ohio. And he talked @975Unfiltered about the Sixers' interest in signing James.
"I have known LeBron for a long time. I have a ton of respect for him. Obviously, I think he… pic.twitter.com/7Yc5m14m2W
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Aaron Judge will have his injured rib tested during the All-Star break and the New York Yankees are hopeful the results show the three-time AL MVP is healing.
Judge has not played since May 31 and went on the injured list June 5 with a stress fracture of his right rib after a CT scan, an MRI and a meeting with a specialist.
“I don’t think we want to put him at risk of coming back while still injured,” Yankees general manager Brian Cashman told reporters. “He should be asymptomatic before we turn him loose. If he’s asymptomatic and not feeling anything and (medical images) are showing healing, then it’s probably appropriate to get him going again. But we don’t want to, because the schedule is what it is, put him in a position where we’re putting him in jeopardy where it somehow gets worse.”
The Yankees were 14-19 without Judge entering their series finale against the AL-East leading Tampa Bay Rays.
Cashman said the injury has restricted Judge’s ability to work out his upper body because he can’t put stress on his rib cage. The new images will give a better understanding of where he stands in his rehab process.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 28: Alex Call #12 of the Los Angeles Dodgers looks on in the dugout during the fifth inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on June 28, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Meg McLaughlin/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We have arrived at the final off day before the All-Star Break.
Just in the past week, the Dodgers have completed a four-game set with the San Diego Padres, whose season looks as cooked as a well-done steak made for a timid geriatric, and a sloppy three-game set against the Colorado Rockies.
It’s worth repeating after this recent holiday: if you want well-done steak, just have chicken. Or turkey, which is an apt description of the Dodgers’ play over the past week.
Speaking of which, the Dodgers will not see the Padres again until the final home series of the regular season in September. The Dodgers have one last trip to Colorado in mid-August, but otherwise are finished with the Rockies in 2026.
The Dodgers currently have a 14-game lead over the second-place Padres, which is a 105-win pace for the regular season. This essay was originally supposed to drop earlier this week, but the urge to play Paul Harvey was too irresistible…and now you know…the rest of the story.
Before getting to the kernel of the idea that originally prompted this essay, it is time to address something that been in my craw since Game 3 of the 2025 World Series.
“Steven Kwan was right there!”
As you may recall, the Dodgers famously did not trade for Cleveland Guardians outfield Steven Kwan last trade, even though the entire league expected the move.
Instead, the Dodgers got Alex Call from the Washington Nationals in a move that felt reminisicent of having “Steven Kwan at home.” For the rest of the year, I used a shorthand whenever Alex Call failed to deliver: “Steven Kwan was right there!”
I admit it’s unfair to Call, but sometimes the right response to annoyance is a well-timed barb. Jump forward from the trade deadline to Game 3 of the 2025 World Series. The consensus is that the game was an all-time classic. I politely and firmly disagree. The game was entertaining sure, but to me a classic game is one that is played well.
There were far too many boners and gaffes that night for me to call the game a classic. The vast majority of which are a subject for another day as the Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays careened from glory to disaster and back again, while I tried to keep the site from slowing to a crawl.
While things worked out how they did, including the legend of Will Klein, the game should have ended far sooner. In the bottom of the 13th inning, Alex Call is facing Eric Lauer with Tommy Edman on third with only one out.
All Call needs is a fly ball and the speedy Edman will propel the Dodgers to a 2-1 series lead. Call has a 2-0 count and gets a hittable pitch that catches plenty of the plate.
Alex Call is about to etch his name into Dodgers postseason history…never mind.
Five stressful innings later and the Dodgers had victory by the skin of their teeth. While Call’s pop up hurt my soul, it’s important to remember that Ernie Clement gifted the gift horse right back in the ninth inning of Game 6.
Yes, baseball is hard and yes, Kwan has been an offensive liability since the trade deadline, but Steven Kwan was right there!
If anyone wants to know the source of my general indifference, at best, towards Call, the above-play is my Exhibit A, which brings us to last night.
Alex “Blown” Call
Alex Call’s playing time has been scarce since the return of Teoscar Hernandez. Granted, Hernandez has not been tearing the cover off the ball, with one cinematic exception.
In the first inning of last night’s game, Alex Call somehow spectacularly burned through both of the team’s ABS challenges on successive pitches.
To add insult to injury, Call struck out while smiling during the entire ordeal.
The first challenge was defensible. The second challenge on the very next pitch was both somehow moronic and arrogant at the same time. Doubling down at the earliest opportunity at the blackjack table when you’re losing is a quick way to lose money even faster.
Or, if I am being too subtle:
Call’s behavior would have been unacceptable for just about anyone on the roster. For a role player with dwindling playing time with reinforcements on the way and promising prospects waiting in the wings to do so is borderline insane.
As much as some sectors of baseball media have been trying to get me to care about Dalton Rushing this year (I don’t), if there was a “hold my beer” moment that did not need to occur, it was last night.
Would Alek Thomas or Ryan Ward or any other promising outfielders currently toiling away in Oklahoma City be so glib and cavalier as Call? Probably not? We are afield of my expertise, lest my idea be blown.
Alex “Blown” Call, everybody.
What is even more striking is that Call is not the first person this week to unsuccessfully use their team’s ABS challenges as quickly as possible, which is not the goal.
Case in point, Randy Arozarena of the Mariners burned both of the Mariners’ challenges two batters into the game on July 4th with actual consequences to the Mariners in that game. One would think Call would think before depriving the rest of the offense and Roki Sasaki one of the tools of the arsenal.
Colorman Eric Karros called Call’s second challenge “a BS challenge” in one of the better puns one will hear during a broadcast this year.
If one held out hope that Manager Dave Roberts would have read Call the riot act after the game, or at least openly wondered why Call had failed to respond to the moment or why he had blown the challenges, that person would be out of luck.
"I know that this team is battle-tested… We still got to keep getting better."
That’s an outlier of a situation. [Call’s] been really dependable and trustworthy.
I wouldn’t call the situation an outlier, but we must move on. The entire episode does serve as the perfect segway to one of my bigger fears for the rest of the season.
The Summer Swoon arrives?
One might be tempted to think the division is all wrapped up. I am not one of those people.
Didn’t you predict the Dodgers would only win 92 games this year? Is this article your “I’m going to eat duck” mea culpa?
The meat of my position is the stretch of games happening right now. I can’t help but think back to last year, give or take a day or two.
One Piece Night came and went in 2025, as the Dodgers dispatched the Chicago White Sox. The team was 56-32 with a season-high nine-game lead over the Padres, which was just a 104-win regular-season pace.
Back then, people thought the division was all sewn up.
40 days later, on August 12, the lead was literally gone after a walk-off loss to the Anaheim Angels in Anaheim. The Dodgers did not permanently regain the division lead until August 25, when they kept a modest lead they would never relinquish.
Needless to say, the Dodgers didn’t win 104 games last season. Technically, they won 106 games (regular season and postseason combined). They only won 93 games during the last campaign.
Okay, 95%-team meeting, 5%-the joke and “trauma” was right there.
It helps that the Dodgers went 15-5 to close out the campaign, looking nothing like the dreary imposters that had appeared in July and August.
Different years, different teams
It is worth stating, in Eric Stephen-like terms, that each season is unique and that what happened before is not grounds for panic or even stress now. But as One Piece Night returned to somehow garner even more coverage than last year, the Dodgers have started looking a bit sloppy again. For those wondering if Dodger Stadium was indeed that busy that night, per Sam Blum and Brooks Peck of The Athletic:
The trading card, portraying the protagonist Monkey D. Luffy in a batting stance, was projected to carry significant financial value. The get-in price for the 56,000-seat stadium hovered around $300. A StubHub spokesperson said it was “the most in-demand Dodgers home game this year, after Opening Day.”
Yes, the Dodgers had a stinker in a sparsely attended game against a team most would rather be out of sight, out of mind to close out the Padres series. One would likely expect changes in the management of the Padres after the team sale, considering the dearth of lasting success in AJ Preller’s tenure.
Unless the Padres’ final goal was to beat the Dodgers that one time in 2022, with zero follow-up, in which case, mission accomplished. The Padres have a lot in common with the U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team: big talk, no results.
Yes, the Dodgers had some terrible at-bats and let a plucky Rockies team hang around a lot longer than it probably should have. Yes, the bullpen and defense creaked a bit more than we have come to expect over the past couple of days.
Should you panic? No, but unlike what Roberts thinks an outlier is a unique situation. When you see echoes of what came before at the same time of year, it’s fair to wonder aloud when the moment calls for it.
It is literally impossible to maintain Game 7 level focus for the entire season without a mental breakdown. And yes, things worked out last year. While these two teams are different, there is a lot of overlap in personnel.
Eric Karros mentioned that the Dodgers had a rough night a couple of nights ago. That’s how swoons start. A bad at-bat begets a bad inning, which begets a bad game, which begets a bad series, which begets a bad week, and so on and so on and before you know, you sleptwalked through a month or six weeks and what was a comfortable division lead is a but a memory.
It’s probably best to wait and see right now. If the Dodgers struggle against Arizona as mightily as they did with the Rockies, then it might be time for everyone to take a break.
Are the Dodgers ready for the All-Star Break? Probably. It doesn’t help the questions of shifting focus that the second half starts with an East Coast odyssey with two teams that serve as a nice barometer for how the season is going: the New York Yankees and the suddenly resurgent-Philadelphia Phillies.
Sometimes annoyance is like gas; it’s better to just let it out in a free moment than let it fester until it is too late to call anyone, much less get an unpleasant response.
Odds last updated on 7-9. Odds from Polymarket. Use our Polymarket promo code (COVERS) for a $50 trading bonus when you deposit at least $20 as a new user.
Favorites to be picked Top 10 in the MLB Draft
Grady Emerson is trading at an overwhelming 99.7 cents, or -32333 in American odds (feel free to use our handy odds converter tool) to be drafted in the Top 10 of the 2026 MLB Draft. The 18-year-old shortstop from Fort Worth Christian (TX) will be drafted No. 1 overall in all likelihood by the Chicago White Sox, as he's the top-ranked prospect at MLB.com.
The top pitcher in the market is Jackson Flora, a 21-year-old righty out of UC Santa Barbara, ranked No. 4 overall.
BROOKLYN, NY - JUNE 23: Nate Ament talks to the media during a press conference during the 2026 NBA Draft - Round One on June 23, 2026 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. 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 Melanie Fidler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Nate Ament is officially a pro, signing on Thursday with the Milwaukee Bucks. Ament, a former 5-star, top five overall player in the class of 2025, went to the Bucks with the 13th overall pick in the NBA Draft. He went one and done with Tennessee, continuing a recent string of NBA Draft success under Rick Barnes.
Ament signed a four-year contract with Milwaukee, where he will make $25.9 million. Annually, Ament will make $5.5 million as a rookie, with that money increasing up to $8.6 million in year No. 4 of the deal. He will become an unrestricted free agent following the 2030-2031 season.
At Tennessee, Ament signed as Rick Barnes’ highest ever rated player. To beat out Duke and several other top schools, the Volunteers paid Ament somewhere in the $4 million range. Following a slow start to his time in college, scouts and executives were split on his pro prospects. There was some chatter about a potential return to Tennessee, but ultimately Ament declared and felt comfortable enough about his draft slot.
His decision turned out to be the right one, and now he’s set to take on a massive opportunity — replacing Giannis Antetokounmpo. Tennessee did just fine too, likely ending up using that money to land Juke Harris to put the cherry on top of an outstanding transfer portal class.
Ament’s Summer League debut comes on Friday (July 10) at 4 p.m. ET on Prime. Ironically, he’ll take on the Miami Heat.
PITTSBURGH, PA - JULY 27: The tarp is seen on the infield during a rain delay in the Opening Day game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Milwaukee Brewers at PNC Park on July 27, 2020 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The 2020 season had been postponed since March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Dylan Dodd just got the Atlanta Braves out of the fifth inning with a 6-4 lead against the Pittsburgh Pirates. As it turns out, the Braves will have to wait to either hold on to or add to their two-run lead in the rubber match as the tarp has been put on the field at Pittsburgh.
According to local forecasts, this may not be a long one but we’re still in for a bit of a pause to see the conclusion to this game and series. Keep it right here for updates as we will provide them as they come.
We have entered a weather delay here in Pittsburgh. We'll keep you posted when we have a time for play to resume.
UPDATE [3:05 p.m. ET]: Both teams are now back in their dugouts and it appears that they figured to be better safe than sorry rather than playing through a drizzle. Play should resume shortly, so come join us in the chat and discussion thread!
Chicago White Sox 
Tampa Bay Rays 
Minnesota Twins
San Francisco Giants
Pittsburgh Pirates
Kansas City Royals
Baltimore Orioles
Athletics
Atlanta Braves
Colorado Rockies
Washington Nationals
Los Angeles Angels
St. Louis Cardinals
Miami Marlins
Arizona Diamondbacks
Texas Rangers
Houston Astros
Cincinnati Reds
Cleveland Guardians
Boston Red Sox
San Diego Padres
Detroit Tigers
Chicago Cubs
Seattle Mariners
Milwaukee Brewers
New York Yankees
New York Mets
Philadelphia Phillies
