PITTSBURGH, PA - JULY 07: Matt Olson #28 of the Atlanta Braves scores on an RBI single in the first inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on July 7, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Atlanta Braves are on a three-game losing streak. There have been too many of those three game losing streaks lately. They’ll now be hoping to avoid tying their season-long losing streak of four games with another loss tonight. Hopefully Grant Holmes can deliver a solid start and the offense can keep on moving in the right direction so that we’ll have a win to talk about later tonight. Let’s get it.
BALTIMORE, MD - JULY 01: Dean Kremer #64 of the Baltimore Orioles pitches against the Chicago White Sox during the sixth inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on July 1, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Orioles will look to get back in the win column with Dean Kremer on the mound tonight against the Cubs. Baltimore will face right-handed starter Colin Rea after struggling last night against lefty Matthew Boyd.
Gunnar Henderson will be back in the leadoff spot tonight with Taylor Ward batting third. Adley Rutschman will bat second and catch Kremer, while Samuel Basallo takes the five-hole as the DH. Pete Alonso will bat clean up and play first base.
Dylan Beavers and Colton Cowser will bat sixth and seventh while rounding out the outfield. Blaze Alexander (third base) and Jackson Holliday (second base) will complete the lineup.
Kremer tossed six innings of one-run ball against the White Sox in his first start since April 18. He’ll look to continue his success against Windy City opponents tonight.
Every game is crucial as the Orioles rapidly approach the All Star break and trade deadline. The Birds must win tonight if they hope to take the three-game series at Camden Yards.
Jul 7, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper sits in the dugout before the game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images | Aaron Doster-Imagn Images
As of writing this, it’s T-minus 48 hours until the Anaheim Ducks need to decide on whether or not to match the offer sheet extended to, and signed by, Leo Carlsson from the Philadelphia Flyers to the tune of five years and $18 million.
As compensation, if the Ducks were not to match, they would receive the Flyers’ next four first-round picks. Like the Ducks, the Flyers took a sizable step in their build toward contention in 2025-26, making the playoffs and advancing to the second round. If the Flyers were to add Leo Carlsson (21) to their roster, it can be assumed that their next four first-round picks, though unprotected, will likely land in the 20th-32nd overall range.
It’s widely accepted that Carlsson is worth more than four late first-round picks. It’s also widely accepted that he isn’t worth an AAV of $18 million just yet, a price that will have unprecedented ramifications for the Ducks’ cap sheet moving forward (and every team’s cap sheet moving forward).
However, to the Ducks, at this point in their franchise history, Leo Carlsson’s value far exceeds four first-round picks and is much closer to the $18 million AAV number, potentially even exceeding it.
On the ice, Carlsson has blossomed into the straw that stirs the drink of what the Ducks accomplish offensively. He brings a rare combination of size, skill, and speed that most teams can only dream of acquiring.
In his 201 NHL games over the first three years of his career, he’s learned how best to build up speed in open ice and has become one of the top puck transporters in the NHL. He’s a menace when he can find open ice, which is quite often, and is deadly when attacking downhill. He’s one of the few players who can bring an entire building out of their seats.
In 2025-26, he added change-of-pace elements to his offensive repertoire, which, when compounded with additional confidence and understanding of what works at the NHL level, rendered him a true star player.
As far as he’s come and as impactful as he’s become on a game-to-game, shift-to-shift basis, he’s seemingly just scratching the surface of his ultimate potential.
His new contract will make him the highest-paid player in the NHL, which might come as a surprise given his relatively modest production in his breakout year with 67 points (29-38=67) in 70 games.
However, peeking under the hood, he was in the early Hart Trophy conversation through the first couple of months of the season, scoring 41 points (17-24=41) through his first 33 games, but his production fell off as he was attempting to play through a rare thigh injury (Morel-Lavalle’s lesion) until he ultimately required surgery.
As advertised, Carlsson was Anaheim’s best player during their run to the second round of the playoffs, where they lost to the eventual Western Conference champion Vegas Golden Knights in six games. He finished with 11 points ( 4-7=11) in 12 games during his first taste of playoff experience.
If possible, what Carlsson represents to the Ducks organization exceeds his value on the ice or on the depth chart.
He has become the face of the franchise, the face of Swedish hockey, and for rebuilding teams like the Ducks were for so long, he represents the very reason for entering a rebuild in the first place.
True #1 centers in the NHL are rare and can typically be only acquired at the very top of the NHL draft, and only if teams are lucky enough to be drafting there in a year when one is available. If they’re acquired via trade, they’re typically extremely expensive, and if they’re acquired via unrestricted free agency, they’re likely past their true prime years (and also very expensive).
Many rebuilds come and go without acquiring a player of Carlsson’s caliber. The Detroit Red Wings were never able to draft one during their elongated rebuild, nor were the Carolina Hurricanes, Calgary Flames, Montreal Canadiens, and, of course, the Philadelphia Flyers.
Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images
At the mid-point of their painful seven-season playoff drought, the 2022-23 season, where they recorded a franchise-worst 58 points in the standings, the idea of the Ducks hitting rock bottom and earning the right to select either Connor Bedard, Adam Fantilli, or Leo Carlsson in June 2023 was the light at the end of a long, dark tunnel.
The Ducks lost the first lottery in 2023, but won the second, and that pick would become tied for the highest the franchise had ever selected (2005, Bobby Ryan).
The public consensus had Fantilli ranked above Carlsson, after Bedard, but in somewhat surprising fashion, the Ducks selected Carlsson. They identified him as the best available player at that spot in the draft and as the centerpiece of their entire rebuild.
He was their guy, and the Ducks would only go as far as Leo Carlsson could take them. He represented the reason for all of it: the selling of former core pieces, the bottom-of-the-standings seasons, and the growing pains of a new, young core. (To put it even more dramatically) He was tasked with bearing the torch and leading the Ducks out of the darkness.
The decision to postpone negotiations with a player as important to the Ducks as Carlsson has seemingly cost the team millions of dollars in cap space. If they were to lose the player, it could prove far costlier in the grand scheme of the organization.
The ICC has reportedly accused the ECB of breaching the anti-corruption code after sharing dressing room footage of Ben Stokes’ retirement speech before the conclusion of England’s third Test against New Zealand at Trent Bridge.
Jonathan Kuminga and the Lakers are working towards playing together this season, but still remain apart on the amount of money. Getty Images
But as of Wednesday afternoon, over a week into the start of free agency, the two sides remained far apart on what it would take to bring the 23-year-old forward to L.A. despite the mutual interest.
After the Hawks declined Kuminga’s $24.3 million team option on June 29, Lakers president of basketball operations/general manager Rob Pelinka and coach JJ Redick met with Kuminga the following day.
A part of the Lakers’ free-agency pitch to Kuminga, a source told the California Post, was the Lakers seeing Kuminga as a high-level, starting wing who would complete the vision of their roster reconstruction around superstar guard Luka Doncic.
Since then, they opened up more cap space (around $2.1 million) by trading Deandre Ayton to the Wizards for Jaden Hardy and a pair of Washington’s second-round picks (2031 and 2032) but that space essentially vanished when they agreed to terms on a one-year, $3.9 million contract with Kevon Looney that counts $2.49 million against the cap since it’s a veteran minimum’s deal.
That has left the Lakers with one open roster spot and little financial flexbilitity while still pursuing Kuminga.
Pelinka has stayed in touch with Kuminga’s agent, Verus Management Team president Aaron Turner, over the last week as the franchise has made their moves.
Where things stand now
The Lakers have improved their offers to Kuminga up to a deal that would include an average annual salary around $10 million – which is less than the salaries of Grimes ($13.9 million) and Mamukelashvili ($13 million).
And less than what was expected in light of how the Lakers expressed they saw Kuminga, who the Lakers pursued as a restricted free agent last summer, according to a source.
When factoring in the additions of Kessler, Sexton and Looney, plus Reaves’ $20.9 million cap hold, the Lakers would have to shed over $20 million in salary from their 2026-27 roster to create the requisite cap space to sign Kuminga at a salary that starts around $10 million.
But it’s clear that a $10 million salary for Kuminga won’t get a deal done now.
Kuminga’s side feels there are better options for him if he joins the Lakers.
The main option that could help the Lakers acquire Kuminga: A sign and trade with the Hawks, which would allow Kuminga to receive a higher salary than the Lakers are able to offer Kuminga as an unrestricted free agent.
Kuminga has long considered himself a star and is looking for the right role that will allow him to showcase his talents. NBAE via Getty Images
A source told the Post the Hawks are willing to execute a sign-and-trade with the Lakers around the framework of Kuminga going to L.A. and the Hawks receiving Jarred Vanderbilt and the Lakers’ 2032 first-round pick swap – the lone option the Lakers have of trading a first-round pick this summer. Los Angeles also has three second-round picks (Wizards two picks and its own 2033 pick) available to trade.
Kuminga’s contract would have to be for at least three or four seasons (not including option seasons), and the first season must be fully guaranteed, if the Lakers acquired him in a sign and trade.
Vanderbilt has two years and $25.7 million left on his four-year, $48 million contract extension he signed with the Lakers in September 2023. He has a $12.4 million salary for 2026-27 and a $13.3 million player option for 2027-28.
The Lakers have been willing to trade Vanderbilt, according to multiple sources who spoke with the Post who were granted anonymity so they could speak freely, as well as other players on the roster in order to create more roster-building optionality.
The Cavaliers also have strong interest in Kuminga, a source said.
But the Cavaliers, whose head coach Kenny Atkinson coached Kuminga while Atkinson was an assistant coach with the Warriors from 2021-24, are also in the midst of the sweepstakes for LeBron James, who informed the Lakers last week he wouldn’t be returning to the franchise for his record-extending 24th NBA season.
Other options
As of Wednesday, it wasn’t clear what other options the Lakers would have if they didn’t acquire Kuminga – or at least ones that would fit into their vision similar to how they’ve expressed to Kuminga.
Or fufill their combination of needs for size, athleticism, defense and youth on the wings.
Ziaire Williams, who’s coming off a career-year with the Nets, is a player the Lakers eyed after the Nets declined Williams’ $6.3 million team option to make him an unrestricted free agent.
Bruce Brown, Matisse Thybulle and Ochai Agbaji are other unrestricted free agents still available.
The Lakers have long been tied to trade rumors with Mavericks forward PJ Washington, a former teammate of Doncic’s in Dallas, but the fully guaranteed $88.8 million Washigton’s owed over the next four years isn’t appealing to the Lakers.
Realistic Kuminga number?
The Lakers are projected to be $12.9 million below the $209 million first apron threshold that they’re hard-capped at once all of the moves they’ve agreed to so far are official.
This leaves them room to take back more money than they send out in a potential sign-and-trade for Kuminga, or a deal for any other player.
The salary range that Kuminga is seeking from the Lakers wasn’t clear as of Wednesday.
What is clear is that Kuminga wants to be a Laker. And the Lakers want Kuminga.
The vision and opportunities the Lakers have presented are appealing.
But there’s work to be done for alignment on the Lakers’ offer to Kuminga before a deal can be reached.
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DENVER, COLORADO - JUNE 21: Jared Jones #17 of the Pittsburgh Pirates pitches in the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on June 21, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Pittsburgh Pirates are back in action as they take on the Atlanta Braves in the second game of their annual series at PNC Park.
Grant Holmes is drawing the start for the Braves. He’s coming off a win in his last appearance against the New York Mets on July 3, pitching five innings and giving up five hits and one earned run in the 5-3 victory. The win snapped a four-game losing streak for Holmes and gave him his first victory in a month.
The Pirates are giving the ball to Jared Jones for the eighth time this season. It’s Jones’s first start since July 2, when he faced the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Jones pitched four innings, giving up just two hits and one earned run, but wasn’t in the game long enough to be part of the decision.
Jones has been slowly working back from Tommy John surgery, which held him out of the entire 2025 campaign. Therefore, he has only pitched five innings in one of his seven starts so far this season, which came on June 4 against the Houston Astros in a 5-1 victory. The Pirates are 5-2 in games where Jones starts, which is a good omen for tonight’s matchup against the Braves, who lead the NL East with a week to go before the All-Star break.
Location: PNC Park, Pittsburgh, PA
Broadcast: KDKA AM/FM, Sportsnet Pittsburgh
Pitching Matchup: Grant Holmes (5-4, 3.83 ERA) vs. Jared Jones (1-1, 5.28 ERA)
BD community, chime off in the comments section below.
Jun 30, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics pitcher Jeffrey Springs (59) throws to a Los Angeles Dodgers batter during the first inning at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Scott Marshall-Imagn Images | Scott Marshall-Imagn Images
Last night, the Athletics’ losing streak reached four games, as the team fell to the Detroit Tigers 6-2 in the opening contest of this three-game series. The A’s had a chance to win after knocking Tarik Skubal out following five innings while trailing by just one run. However, miscommunication between two A’s players on a pop fly to shallow right field sparked a two-out rally for the Tigers, who extended their lead from 2-1 to 6-1 and effectively sealed the victory.
Left-hander Jeffrey Springs will start today for the A’s, who will look to even the series and force tomorrow’s finale to become a series decider. The 33-year-old southpaw enters his 19th start of the season with a 3-8 record, a 5.79 ERA, a 1.38 WHIP and 80 strikeouts across 93 1/3 innings. Since opening the season strong, Springs has struggled significantly over the past few months. His ERA ranks as the fourth highest in the major leagues and he has surrendered more home runs than any other pitcher.
Much of these struggles can be attributed to pitching in the hitter-friendly confines of Sutter Health Park, a particularly difficult environment for a fly ball pitcher. The split is especially striking: Springs has allowed 16 home runs at home compared to just eight on the road. He gave up two more home runs in his last start, a loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in which he allowed six runs on eight hits and four walks over 5 1/3 innings.
Comerica Park generally plays as a pitcher-friendly ballpark, meaning fly balls that might clear the fence at the A’s home stadium often turn into long outs in Detroit. Given how well the park suits Springs’ fly ball tendencies, this is an excellent opportunity for Springs to deliver a much-needed quality start and earn his first win since April.
Tyler Soderstrom makes his return as the designated hitter, a move that should help avoid putting immediate strain on his injured hip while the left fielder works his way back into action. Zack Gelof, who started in left field the past two games, shifts to third base with Max Muncy no longer on the major-league roster.
Joshua Kuroda-Grauer looks to continue his hot start offensively, but more importantly, he and right fielder Lawrence Butler need to improve their defensive communication tonight. The A’s also need more from Kuroda-Grauer’s middle-infield partner, shortstop Jacob Wilson, who went hitless yesterday in his first game off the injured list.
The A’s offense will face Tigers’ right-hander Troy Melton, who has gotten off to an excellent start this season. The 25-year-old enters his eighth start with a 4-1 record, a 2.05 ERA, a 0.80 WHIP and 32 strikeouts over 44 innings. In his previous start, Melton received a no-decision after holding the New York Yankees scoreless through 6 1/3 innings, only giving up two hits while striking out seven.
This will be Melton’s second time facing the Athletics, but first as a starting pitcher. Last August, he threw three scoreless relief innings against the “Green and Gold”. The A’s will hope for more success against the talented young right-hander tonight. Their hitters must capitalize on any mistake pitches Melton leaves over the plate, while working deep counts, a strategy they used last night to force Skubal to hand the game over to Detroit’s bullpen in the sixth inning.
Springs will need to be careful when pitching to the Tigers’ trio of All-Stars: catcher Dillon Dingler, left fielder Riley Greene and American League Rookie of the Year candidate Kevin McGonigle. Outside of those three players, the Tigers’ lineup does not look quite as intimidating, although their other hitters can still make A’s pitchers pay if they make mistakes.
Time to bounce back, snap this skid and get back in the win column. Let’s go Athletics!
As James continues to weigh his options for his record 24th NBA season, Golden State remains connected to the biggest free-agent stories in the league. But according to ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel, the Warriors already have backup plans if the LeBron chase falls short.
Stephen Curry is expected to stay with the Warriors as Golden State weighs backup plans if its LeBron James pursuit falls short. NBAE via Getty Images
“If they miss out on LeBron James, they’re gonna try to have some other plans in place to get some other players,” Siegel said on “Clutch Scoops.”
That matters for a franchise trying to maximize the final stretch of Stephen Curry’s career. And they are not operating as if Curry is looking for a way out.
Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr, left, and Stephen Curry react to a technical foul called against Draymond Green AP
“Stephen Curry is not going anywhere,” Siegel said. “All those saying he needs to go somewhere to a team that wants to contend for a championship… [The Warriors] are a team that’s committed to winning with Steph.”
Curry backed up that idea during a recent golf event, where he spoke about his connection to the Bay Area and the Warriors fan base.
Curry remains committed to the Warriors, where he has spent the entirety of his career. Getty Images
“It’s just a matter of being grateful that I get to represent one fanbase for, hopefully, my entire career,” Curry said.
That should quiet speculation about Curry leaving to chase another ring elsewhere. The more realistic question is whether the Warriors can put enough around him to make one more run possible.
James would obviously be the splashiest answer.
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Curry has not hidden his interest in the idea of finally playing with the player he spent years battling in the NBA Finals. Asked about James during the same golf event, Curry joked that he may be just as interested in LeBron’s golf game. Then Curry got to the basketball part.
“I’m sure we obviously would love to play together,” Curry said. “Hopefully it happens. But he’s deserved the opportunity and the right to take his time with the decision.”
A Curry-James pairing would be one of the strangest late-career twists in NBA history. But the Warriors appear to understand the risk of waiting too long for a dream scenario.
Curry is 38. The West is not waiting for the Warriors to figure it out. Golden State needs help, whether that means LeBron James or the next-best thing.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - FEBRUARY 11: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers looks on during the first half against the Washington Wizards at Rocket Arena on February 11, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 Nick Cammett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The two most important things in NBA team building are stability and flexibility. The Cleveland Cavaliers strengthened their position in both when they agreed to a four-year extension with seven-time All-Star Donovan Mitchell on Tuesday morning — the first day Mitchell was eligible to sign it.
On first blush, the deal looks like an overpayment. The contract runs through 2029-30 and has a player option for a final season in ‘30-31. The total money on the deal could be up to $273 million.
At the start of this deal, Mitchell will be making 35% of the entire salary cap. By the end, that balloons to 37.5%. That is a large financial commitment for a then-34-year-old undersized guard to be making in a league where every dollar spent either takes you closer or further from contention.
It’s easy — and maybe even understandable — to look at this as an overpay. Team building is incredibly difficult when you have that high a percentage of the cap designated to one player, especially one who is closer to being the 15th-best player in the league than the fifth.
What that line of thinking overlooks is the importance of stability and flexibility. If you have both, there’s always a path to pivot out of something that isn’t working.
Depth is incredibly important in today’s league. That’s been the one commonality among recent champions. So is having a superstar getting paid max money.
Dedicating more than a third of the salary cap to one player isn’t a detriment to depth. Adding multiple players on max contracts can be an issue.
The Jaylen Brown situation with the Boston Celtics is an interesting case study in this.
From afar, my reading of the situation isn’t that Brown was moved because he made too high a percentage of the cap for the player that he is. Instead, it was the fit between him and Jayson Tatum that was the issue. Boston couldn’t justify spending 70% of the cap on two players who had overlapping skills on both ends and needed the ball in their hands to be productive.
Brad Stevens, Celtics president of basketball operations, more or less outlined this in his recent press conference discussing the trade. Stevens said:
“The path looked a little bit more challenging with 70% of our cap and such a high percent of our usage tied into two players. And the reality in this era and in this day and age at the NBA, you could see it obviously, with the last couple of champions…you have to do a great job and you have to have the optionality to do a great job of building out depth that can hopefully replace the irreplaceable individual. And that’s not an easy thing to do, right? And we get that. And that’s absolutely nothing against Jaylen. If you have Jaylen Brown on your team, you should feature him. You should use all those possessions, and you should approach things that way. But I think the importance of depth, and then obviously we have to continue to work on ways to diversify our attack overall.”
At that point, he and Evan Mobley will be making a combined $114.7 million. That alone accounts for two-thirds of the salary cap.
That high a percentage for two players is a red flag. If you don’t have a pool of contributing role players on team-friendly deals or homegrown talent stepping up, your team simply won’t have the depth needed to win at the highest level.
The solution to this issue isn’t to try to pinch every penny out of your star players who have earned those contracts. It’s to trade out these contracts and retool if the situation calls for it.
It’s easy to look at the Brown trade to the Philadelphia 76ers as a disaster. They didn’t get the splashy return that you’d hope to get for a player of that caliber.
But they did get pieces that help them retool while still being a contender this upcoming season, and have more flexibility to improve in the future with a more manageable cap sheet. That wouldn’t have been possible if Brown were entering the last year of his deal or on a contract that wasn’t market value.
A contract is only bad if you wouldn’t be able to trade it for positive value. Even though the current CBA has made the super team, three max-contract player model less viable, there are teams that would be willing to trade for either Mitchell or Mobley with their current contracts.
We’ll start with Mobley on this.
There were rumors in the past year that the Milwaukee Bucks, Oklahoma City Thunder, and the Celtics all had interest in Mobley. Two of those organizations are considered to be among the smartest in the league. If they’re willing to trade for Mobley, you can be assured that there’s a market for him and his current contract.
Trade rumors for Mitchell have died down in recent years because of his contract situation. Still, I’d have a hard time believing there wouldn’t be multiple teams that would part with valuable assets for Mitchell — especially with the amount of time remaining on his deal once he were to become trade-eligible.
A team with that much of the cap committed to Mitchell and Mobley may not be viable years down the road. At that point, Cleveland would need to move one of them for potentially more depth or a star pairing that works better together.
However, that wouldn’t be an option in the future if the Cavs hadn’t gotten this long-term commitment from Mitchell. The decision would have been made for them.
There’s an alternate reality where the Cavs decided to play hardball with Mitchell. They don’t give him the full extent of the max contract, and both sides don’t come to an agreement this summer. If that happened, they could choose to play out this season and hope to come to a better agreement next offseason. The lack of extension would likely loom over the season and influence any trade they could otherwise make because you wouldn’t have the certainty of Mitchell being on your team long-term.
That scenario would get worse if you were forced to trade Mitchell with just one guaranteed year left on his deal. Teams would know that he had to be moved, and the price for his services would be greatly diminished.
The Cavs avoided both of those options.
Instead, everything is on the table now. If they want to move off either Mitchell or Mobley in the future, they should be able to do so while getting fair market value back in return. They bought time and future opportunities they wouldn’t otherwise have without this extension.
Long-term success comes from having options and being able to pivot when needed. The Cavs can do so with their top-two players guaranteed under contract through the 2029-30 season. That alone makes the Mitchell contract a great deal.
Dedniel Núñez is one step closer to making his return to the Mets.
The right-handed reliever had his rehab transferred to Triple-A Syracuse on Wednesday.
This comes after Núñez logged back-to-back scoreless appearances with Double-A Binghamton.
He still likely has a couple more boxes to check off before making his way back to the big-league bullpen, as his velo has been down a few ticks in the early going.
Núñez, of course, hasn't pitched in the majors since July 2025.
The righty landed on the injured list at the beginning of the month with a right elbow sprain, and he ended up having to undergo the second Tommy John surgery of his career.
At the time, Núñez was in the midst of an up-and-down season on the mound.
The year before that, though, he had broken through as a weapon out of New York's bullpen.
Núñez was able to build off his strong start to the Triple-A season, pitching to a 2.31 ERA and 0.91 WHIP in 25 appearances after receiving a call up to the big-league level.
If the Mets could get that version of the 30-year-old back down the stretch it would be a nice boost, especially with them potentially moving some of their high-leverage relievers ahead of the deadline.
LeBron James won’t be speaking to teams directly in free agency as Rich Paul will handle all communications. 2026 Richard Rodriguez
James received mixed reviews by the public for his decision to leave the Los Angeles Lakers after eight seasons. He will likely continue receiving praise and backlash in this next stage of his career.
Being the top free agent of the summer means James makes headlines everyday as everyone is curious where the veteran will land. There seems to be a general consensus that the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat are favorites in the James sweepstakes, but what is James didn’t return to a former team and instead chose a new one?
NBA insider Brian Windhorst answered the question and explained why there may be added criticism for James if he joins a team he’s never played for throughout his storied career.
“It would be interesting, not surprising,” Windhorst said on the Yahoo Sports Daily podcast. “One of the things that I think LeBron is going to have to decide is how much he cares about what people will think if he goes to a team he’s never played for. Basically, if he chooses somebody besides Cleveland or Miami. Because Cleveland and Miami, it’s a very clean decision. It makes sense.
Brian Windhorst discussed LeBron James’ free agency decision in a recent podcast appearance. NBAE via Getty Images
“Does he want to deal with what the reaction would be if he went to Philadelphia or Minnesota or Denver or something like that where it would be a sort of new place and he would have to create new ties and learn new routines. And also deal with people calling him a ring chaser or what have you.
“I think that’s an extra layer that he’s had to grapple with. I think he absolutely could do it. I don’t think that’s a reason he’d say no.”
.@WindhorstESPN weighs the potential backlash surrounding LeBron's next move
As James mulls over options, he’s looking for the place where he’ll find complete happiness. According to his agent Rich Paul, the four-time NBA champion is prioritizing contentment over a championship.
Perhaps, he could find both somewhere this summer.
Joe DeMayo welcomes The Athletic's Will Sammon as guest co-host to deliver the latest episode of The Mets Pod, as the Mets stumble towards the All-Star break.
Joe and Will recap another frustrating week of games, plus have a discussion about the relationship between Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto. The guys then dive into a preview of a likely Mets trade deadline sale, including the value of potential returns for Freddy Peralta, Brooks Raley, A.J. Minter and other bullpen parts.
Later, MLB.com's Jim Callis joins the show to preview the 2026 MLB Draft and pick options for the Mets, then the show wraps with the Mailbag, which answers questions about possibly trading Lindor, evaluating Francisco Alvarez, if there's a market for Bo Bichette, and chasing Japanese star Teruaki Sato.
Be sure to subscribe to The Mets Pod at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe (11) in the field against the Minnesota Twins.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Mostly reserved and soft-spoken publicly in his three-plus seasons as a big leaguer, Anthony Volpe saved his most passionate defense for Wednesday, when he felt like his character had come under attack.
Following a report (since retracted) that the polarizing Yankees shortstop refused to play second base while he was at Triple-A earlier this season, Volpe called “BS” and insisted he has been willing to do whatever the team needed of him.
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“It couldn’t be further from the truth,” Volpe said in front of his locker at Tropicana Field. “From my end, from my perspective, that’s been very clearly communicated to [manager Aaron Boone] and the team. I think it’s just kind of BS, honestly, because I’d hope my teammates in here — I’ve played with them for three-plus years — I hope they know my character and that I’d literally do anything to help the team win. Literally anything. So I think just the narrative and what it tries to say about me, I feel like I’m defending myself over something that literally didn’t happen.”
The 25-year-old Volpe, who underwent offseason shoulder surgery to repair a torn labrum, said the organization did not broach the subject of playing different positions with him until José Caballero was coming back from the injured list in late May.
That came after Volpe had spent all of his rehab process working at shortstop, including on his rehab assignment, after which the club decided to option him to Triple-A on May 4 because Caballero had been playing shortstop at a high level.
Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe (11) in the field against the Minnesota Twins. Robert Sabo for NY Post
According to Volpe, he had checked in with the organization weekly during the offseason to ask what was expected of him at a time when all he could do was take ground balls, and the message was consistently to be ready to play shortstop. GM Brian Cashman had reiterated that at Tampa Bay on April 10 — at which point Caballero had gotten off to a slow start — when he said that Volpe returning as the starting shortstop had “always been the plan.” Of course, Caballero’s play eventually changed that plan.
For the week he spent at Triple-A after being optioned, Volpe only played shortstop. It is possible that the organization would have started to mix in second base if he had stayed there longer, but then Caballero got injured and Volpe got called up to play shortstop in the big leagues.
Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe (11) makes a fielding error against the Minnesota Twins. Robert Sabo for NY Post
“I mean, when I was getting optioned, I told Booney I’d play catcher, I’d do literally whatever the team needed,” he said. “And that’s the truth behind the story. That’s why the fact that what was said was said is catching me so off guard, because there was literally zero of that.
“Even after the new message [about introducing other positions] was received, I had no — I still have no problem. 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 is just confusing.”
Asked Wednesday if there was any resistance from Volpe about trying second base when he was at Triple-A, general manager Brian Cashman wrote in a text message, “No.” Boone also defended Volpe, saying they did not bring up playing other positions until “pretty late in the game.”
“I know he would do anything,” Boone said. “Volpe’s character and team-first [mindset] is beyond reproach. He’s as good as it gets. He’s been through a lot and he’s handled everything with toughness, with grace, with work ethic and with team first in mind. He’s always been that way.
“He’s a gamer, and he’s a tough, tough kid that loves the game and plays his butt off every single day. I wish that was celebrated a little bit more.”
After Caballero came back from the IL, Volpe began taking occasional ground balls at second base on days when he was not in the lineup, but that slowed down because the Yankees were then ravaged by injuries to Aaron Judge, Jasson Domínguez, Trent Grisham and Ryan McMahon, and leaned on Caballero’s defensive versatility to help them get through it.
They are now closer to whole, and Tuesday Volpe did not start against a lefty for only the second time this season, though he was back at shortstop Wednesday against another lefty, Shane McClanahan, with Caballero spelling Jazz Chisholm Jr. at second base.
Volpe, who won the Gold Glove at shortstop as a rookie in 2023 but went through a brutal defensive stretch last summer while playing through the shoulder injury, has been up and down there this season. He has made some terrific plays while botching some more routine ones, with his decreased arm strength a concern. Caballero has graded out better in Defensive Runs Saved (six to one), but has also had some bumps defensively at shortstop.
Offensively, Volpe has been getting on base at a higher clip (.338) than he has the rest of his career, but only had a .663 OPS in 41 games compared to Caballero’s .701 mark in 78 games.
“We really haven’t had, until Cabby walked in the door last year, a real competition-based thing here,” Boone said. “And by the way, [Volpe] has been a damn good shortstop. I hate to break it to everyone, that still is real. Has he had his struggles? Sure. But he’s also played really well out there in some long stretches defensively.”
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - JULY 02: Chase Burns #26 of the Cincinnati Reds throws a pitch against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on July 02, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
I do not know if the Cincinnati Reds have a season that is capable of salvage. What I do know, though, is that if it is to be salvaged, it will come on the backs of their select few superstars, of which Chase Burns leads the pack.
The electric 23 year old has already compiled 4.3 bWAR through the team’s first 90 games of the 2026 season, doing so with an absurd mix of 99 mph heat and a slider that bends minds more than Timothy Leary. The All Star has somehow managed to go 10 and 1, too, despite Cincinnati’s otherwise dismal 41-49 record, an indication that he’s been the stopper the team needs (even though nobody else has been able to pick up their slack).
Burns will start for the Reds on Wednesday night in Great American Ball Park in the second game of the series against the Philadelphia Phillies. The series has already seen an ace go to work as Zack Wheeler wiped the floor with Cincinnati hitters during Tuesday night’s 4-1 Phillies win, and the hope on Cincinnati’s side is that Burns can return the favor in his start.
First pitch is set for 7:00 PM ET on ESPN. It will be the final scheduled appearance for Burns before the All Star break.
