PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates acquired reliever Ron Marinaccio from San Diego in exchage for signing bonus pool considerations.
The club, which is part of a congested race for a National League wild card spot as the trade deadline nears, made the move in the hopes of bolstering a bullpen that has faltered in key moments this season.
The 31-year-old Marinaccio went 1-0 with a 4.79 ERA in 33 games this season for the Padres. Pittsburgh will be the right-hander’s third MLB stop. Marinaccio pitched for the New York Yankees from 2022-24.
To make room for Marinaccio on the roster, Pittsburgh designated reliever Dennis Santana for assignment. Santana appeared to be the Pirates’ closer of the future after finishing with a career-best 16 saves last year, but the 30-year-old has struggled this season. He is 2-5 with a 6.05 ERA and two saves in four opportunities.
Another classic in the summer months is for writers who specialize in prospects to do redraft exercises. This week, The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler did the exercise for the 2023 NHL draft. That year, the Montreal Canadiens had picked fifth overall and elected to select David Reinbacher, leaving talented Russian winger Matvei Michkov on the board.
The pick wasn’t well received by fans and sparked a social media storm, with an incredible number of disappointing comments from largely uninformed people. It certainly wasn’t the best way for Reinbacher to be introduced to the Canadiens’ intense fan base, but he was a victim of his position. Fans were foaming at the mouth at the thought of landing a Russian offensive dynamo and were upset at the acquisition of a blueliner that wasn’t exactly known for his offensive and electrifying style.
Three years on, Wheeler is off the view that the Habs should have used the fifth overall pick on Michkov, meaning he would have been selected two ranks before where he was actually picked up, seventh overall by the Philadelphia Flyers. Initially, before the draft, Wheeler had him going second overall, and he conceded that he was charmed by the mix of hockey IQ and skills. Michkov is already an established NHLer, but he hasn’t been a perfect acquisition for the Flyers either.
After finishing his rookie season with 63 points in 80 games and receiving the 4th-highest total of voting points in the Calder Trophy race, his sophomore season didn’t live up to the expectations. He showed up to camp in less-than-impressive form and ended his season with 51 points in 81 games. While some believed that not having to play under John Tortorella would serve him well, it turned out that playing under Rich Tocchet was no better for him.
While Michkov was indeed an impressive prospect at the draft, the Canadiens have very good ties in Russia and had perhaps an inside track to evaluate Michkov not only as a player, but as a person and a character, which is something the organization highly values, as they keep telling us, most recently, when Ivan Demidov signed a team-friendly contract.
As for Reinbacher, Wheeler believes he should have gone 16th overall to the Calgary Flames. Before the draft, he had him 12th overall on his list and adds that, in any case, the right-shot defender belongs in the teens, not in the top-10, let alone on a top-five list.
While it’s fair to say that Reinbacher hasn’t lived up to his draft rank so far, that has been influenced by the fact that he has had to deal with numerous injuries. So far, he’s only played 78 AHL games and 2 NHL games in the last three seasons. There’s plenty left to see and assess in Reinbacher, and this season will be incredibly important to him. It feels like the organization still believes that he could eventually blossom into Lane Hutson’s ideal top-four partner. At this stage, it’s much too early to say that the pick was a bad one, not only because of the injuries, but also because it can take longer for defensemen to come into their own in professional hockey.
Interestingly, Wheeler has the St. Louis Blues drafting Jacob Fowler 10th overall, a 59-spot bounce for the netminder whom the Habs actually drafted 69th overall in the third round. That year, the Canadiens didn’t have a second-round pick since they had traded it to the Colorado Avalanche to acquire Alex Newhook.
DENVER, CO - JULY 22: The Washington Nationals celebrate after their 8-0 win against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on July 22, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After back to back series wins on the road, the Nats set up one of their most important matchups in years. They come home to square off against a Diamondbacks team that currently holds the third Wild Card spot. The Snakes are two games ahead of the Nats, which makes this series a massive one.
For new President of Baseball Operations Paul Toboni, this series will probably be the one where he decides his direction for the trade deadline. If the Nats drop this series, selling the likes of Foster Griffin and Luis Garcia Jr. will become inevitable. It could even pave the way for a CJ Abrams trade if the right offer comes.
However, if the Nats win the series, it could be time to buy. Our guy Paul Cubbage put together a good list of candidates if the Nats were to buy. Controllable pitching will be what the Nats would likely go after. The likes of Jose Soriano, Reid Detmers and Joe Ryan could be on the table.
Nats Update: -Abrams listed at 25% probability of being traded, Foster listed but without odds of trade -Listed as fits for Joe Ryan, Luis Arraez, Reid Detmers, and Jose Soriano -Backlist RP I’d watch for the Nats: Chase Silseth (LAA), Ryan Zeherjahn (LAA), Elvis Alvarado (ATH) https://t.co/MYfMbndDdf
They still need to go out and perform in this series though. The pitching matchups this weekend point to some potentially high scoring games. Today, Carson Palmquist will open for Zack Littell. Foster Griffin pitches Saturday, which is good for the Nats. However, Miles Mikolas will get the ball on Sunday.
On the other side of things, the D-Backs are calling upon three lefties. The experienced Eduardo Rodriguez will take the ball tonight. He is having a great season with a 2.62 ERA, but is outperforming his underlying numbers by a lot. On Saturday and Sunday, the D-Backs have the rookie duo of Mitch Bratt and Kohl Drake on the mound.
Those guys have made a combined 4 MLB starts in their careers. On paper, this should be a good matchup for the Nats high powered offense. One player we will see a lot of this weekend is Andres Chaparro, who is flying high after a massive road trip. The burly first baseman hit three homers including a 467 foot blast in Sacramento.
Chaparro staying productive this weekend will be a major key in this series. Other lefty mashers like Curtis Mead and Dylan Crews will also be important players to watch. The Nats have a well rested bullpen that performed well on the road trip, but as we all know, they remain a massive question mark.
The clubhouse knows how important this series will be. Blake Butera talked about the importance of this stretch in a presser the other day. He knows that these players are aware of what the standings look like and that the trade deadline is looming. Now these guys have a chance to force the front office into buying.
Blake Butera said that it felt extremely important for the Nats to win today's game. Why? ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/WCCyhSEoU5
There have been a lot of times this season where the vibes are very high after a successful road trip. However, a lot of times the home stand that follows brings those vibes down. The Nats are going to need to perform at home this weekend, and reverse a season long trend.
They are 20-31 at Nationals Park this year. That is the worst home record in all of baseball. This team will have to change that if they want to go on a real playoff push, and it has to start right now. The Washington Nationals are starting their most important series of the 2020’s, and I am fired up!
Yankees' Joe Oliver tags Royal's Carlos Beltran out at home during a Spring Training game against the Kansas City Royals in Tampa, Florida Saturday March 3, 2001. | Tanya Breen/Asbury Park Press / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
As we continue through the summer months of our illuminating Yankees birthday series, we are taken to every corner of baseball history. In the case of a day like today, we may dive into a career that was solid in one way or another, but only features a brief chapter with the Yankees. Joe Oliver played in over 1,000 big league games over the course of a 13-year career, won a World Series, and of course, made a brief stop with the New York Yankees as it was winding down. Today, the former world champ turns 61.
Joe Oliver Born: July 24, 1965 (Memphis, TN) Yankees Tenure: 2001
Born in Tennessee in July of 1965, Joseph Melton Oliver developed his game in Florida, attending Boone High School in Orlando as a standout behind home plate. His time there was convincing enough for the Cincinnati Reds to select him in the second round of the 1983 draft.
Although Oliver first became a professional when he was just 17, it was a longer road through the minors, but he would finally make his big league debut in the 1989 season. Oliver registered a hit in his very first MLB at-bat, and his career was off and running. He’d play in 49 mostly fine games during the ‘89 season, but would begin to make a much bigger mark in the following year.
Oliver played in 121 games in 1990 for the Reds, coming to the plate more than 400 times as their primary catcher during the regular season as Cincinnati went wire-to-wire under new manager Lou Piniella to claim the NL West division title, their first since 1979. Most notably, the young catcher helped propel his club to a World Series upset over a stacked Oakland club led by the likes of Rickey Henderson and the Bash Brothers. In the Fall Classic, Oliver went an impressive 6-for-18, with no hit bigger than his walk-off knock down the left-field line against Hall of Fame closer Dennis Eckersley, securing Game 2 for the Reds. They soon swept away the shocked A’s.
It was the last World Series game ever played at Riverfront Stadium, the home of the “Big Red Machine,” which closed in 2002. To date, the Red have never made it back to host another Fall Classic.
Oliver continued to play a significant role with the Reds through the strike-shortened 1994 season, with perhaps the finest year of his career coming in ‘92, when he posted a 92 OPS+ in 143 games, part of a three-year stretch with double-digit homers as well.
From that point on, the veteran catcher followed a journeyman’s path over the next seven seasons. He made a one-year stop with the Brewers in ‘95 before returning to a fairly prominent role role with the Reds in the next two seasons, playing at roughly the same level the club was likely accustomed to. Oliver then spent the 1998 season splitting time between Detroit and Seattle (reuniting with his old Reds skipper Piniella), before spending ‘99 with the Pirates. Each of those stops were mostly a disappointment relative to the rest of his career, as he had a cumulative 51 OPS+ during the final two seasons of the 20th century.
Piniella brought Oliver back to the Mariners for a second time for the 2000 campaign, and he actually put up solid numbers in 69 games, posting a career-best 105 OPS+ with 10 homers in his limited time — though Piniella gave him a little more down the stretch due to the offensive struggles of longtime starter (and future M’s manager) Dan Wilson. Seattle won a Wild Card spot, and Oliver was finally back in the postseason for the second time in his career. Appearing in his first playoff game in a decade, Oliver celebrated with a homer off Jim Parque in the ALDS opener against the White Sox, the beginning of a sweep over the team that finished 2000 with the American League’s best record.
Oliver and the Mariners fell to the Yankees in a six-game ALCS after the sweep, but that slight renaissance in his age-34 season likely helped to keep him around for a bit longer. In fact, in the early stages of that offseason, Oliver joined those same now-three-time defending champions who had just eliminated his team.
Signed as one of Jorge Posada’s many backups during the 2000s and donning his pal Piniella’s old No. 14, Oliver’s time in pinstripes ended up being largely unremarkable. Posada was in his prime and manager Joe Torre put him behind the plate as much as possible. Oliver mustered only a 62 OPS+ across 12 games and 40 plate appearances with the Yankees. One of those games led to a Yankees loss as well, as Oliver’s passed ball in extra innings on May 10th led to the Twins beating Mariano Rivera.
Posada suffered a minor thumb injury in early June that limited him to DH duty, and the Yankees had to call up another catcher to make sure they had a backup to Oliver in that time. That turned out to be Todd Greene, who was six years younger and hit the ground running with a 4-for-7 series in Baltimore. So when Posada returned to health and the Yankees made a trade to acquire infielder/future Pedro Martinez frenemy Enrique Wilson from Pittsburgh on June 13th, they had a decision to make on Posada’s backup. Although Oliver had hit his first Yankees homer on June 10th (a rare old Yankee Stadium “black seats” homer against Greg Maddux, no less), New York elected to keep Greene and designate Oliver for assignment.
As far as fill-in backup catchers go, teams could have gone far worse than with Oliver, even late in his career. And honestly, Greene didn’t really hit at all for the remainder of 2001. To put it lightly, Torre had good reason to lean on Posada.
Oliver got picked up by the Red Sox but only made it into five MLB games. That split-season would ultimately prove to be his final action on a big league field, but just as he started it, Oliver managed to tally a hit in his final career at-bat.
After a hiatus from the game, Oliver once again became involved in affiliated ball, this time as a manger in the Red Sox minor league system. He served as a manager at various levels in the system from 2014-19.
On his 61st, we wish the former, albeit brief, Yankees backstop a happy birthday.
See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.
ATLANTA — Braves right fielder Ronald Acuña Jr. could be activated from the injured list and return to the lineup for the team’s three-game series in Baltimore, Atlanta manager Walt Weiss said.
Acuña is scheduled to play Thursday night with Triple-A Gwinnett.
“We’re just trying to rack up some at-bats for him so that the timing is there when he shows up,” Weiss said following his team’s 6-5 win over the Padres. “There’s certainly a chance we can see him in Baltimore.”
Acuña was placed on the injured list with a left hamstring strain on June 9, the second time this season it prompted a trip to the IL. Acuña missed 15 games in May with the same injury.
“A lot of it depends on how he performs,” Weiss said. “He has to feel right about his timing and all that stuff. So I’m hoping he gets a couple of hits tonight and he feels good about it.”
The 2023 MVP has played seven minor league games during his rehab assignment, three with the Braves rookie league affiliate in Florida and four with Triple-A Gwinnett. He’s played the outfield twice and on Wednesday was a designated hitter — he was 2 for 5 with two runs scored and a stolen base, aggressively running the bases and appearing to be 100%.
“Physically, he’s good to go,” Weiss said. “This is all about him being ready to be impactful when he gets here.”
Acuña is hitting .251/.373/.793 with 15 stolen bases in 53 games. The Braves are 37-16 with Acuña in the lineup and 23-26 without him this season.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JULY 12: Franklin Arias #19 of the American League Futures team takes the field during the 2026 All-Star Futures Game Presented by Nike at Citizens Bank Park on Sunday, July 12, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Many will love the Franklin Arias move to Triple-A so he can showcase his power and contact tools at the next level, facing guys who have pitched in the Majors before. On Thursday, while their old manager (and current Major League manager) Chad Tracy was inducted into the WooSox Hall of Fame Class of 2026, the team didn’t even need the 20-year-old infielder to pop off against guys who have made their debut in the Show, such as Braxton Garrett and Amos Willingham. Behind Raymond Burgos’ best start of the year (in which he retired eleven batters in a row at one point), all they did was collect 18 hits, 9 with runners in scoring position, and six extra-base hits. Andrew Knizner got on base six times, Allan Castro hit a home run in the seventh that put an exclamation mark on the game, Braiden Ward had three hits at the bottom of the lineup, and simply put, the WooSox dominated the Jumbo Shrimp. (Marlins AAA)
John Holobetz had a fantastic performance along with the rest of the pitching staff; the staff as a whole held Binghamton (Mets AA) scoreless all the way until the ninth, but Holobetz was the clear standout, striking out ten and keeping the Sea Dogs in the contest. Which leads us to the biggest story of the minor league system right now: in Franklin Arias’ final game in Portland, all he did was hit his 19th home run of 2026, which, in a one-run game, made all the difference. The team announced on Thursday night that he’d be joining the Triple-A roster, as the promising prospect will be taking the trip down 95 south… or, since I guess they’re in Binghamton, he’ll be going 88 to the Thruway to the Pike. Anyway! This is big news. Many in the 2025 Mikey Romero camp have departed it for reasons not entirely his fault, so this gives them another infielder to watch until Jack Winnay inevitably tears the cover off the ball next year. I do not see Arias getting promoted again at his young age, and I also don’t see him being any part of a trade to bolster this year’s roster; he seems untouchable and really a piece the team wants to make sure develops correctly (however arbitrary “correctly” is)… but baseball is baseball and we’ll have to see.
Greenville: PPD, Rain (Make-Up Today)
Rain, rain, go away. The Drive play two against Spartanburg (Astros High-A) today. (Rhyme intentional)
The pitching wasn’t exactly at the top of their game in hosting Greensboro (Braves A), but they didn’t have to be. They did strike fourteen out despite allowing seven runs on ten hits and walking nine, and those strikeouts played a part in the Green Jackets stranding a dozen, which Salem took full advantage of. Kleyvar Salazar had his second consecutive home run with a game (I’m still convinced he was about to hit one when Tuesday’s game was rained out) and due to three consecutive innings with runs, the RidgeYaks were able to hold off a ninth inning rally to narrowly escape with a W.
One of the biggest question marks of the offseason for the Detroit Red Wings was whether or not future Hall of Fame winger Patrick Kane would return to Hockeytown, and on Thursday, the answer finally arrived.
The 37-year-old Buffalo native is heading back to where his hockey journey began, agreeing to a two-year, $16 million contract with the Chicago Blackhawks, the franchise that made him the first overall pick in 2007 and turned him into a franchise icon over 16 seasons and three Stanley Cup championships.
It was a fun three seasons with Kane in the Motor City, and Chicago appears to be about the only other team Red Wings fans can't be upset to see him leave for. Kane produced 57 goals and 103 points in 189 games as a Red Wing, and along the way he authored some moments Detroit fans won't soon forget. With his return to Chicago official, here's a look back at his best moments in the Winged Wheel.
Still Elite After Major Injuries
Kane's first season in Detroit may have been his most improbable. After undergoing hip resurfacing surgery in June 2023, he didn't make his Red Wings debut until December, but he still finished the year with a near point-per-game average at 47 points in just 50 games, showing he could still perform at an elite level despite the layoff and recovery.
That stretch run helped keep Detroit in playoff contention into the final weeks of the season and set the stage for three more productive years in the Winged Wheel, ones that Red Wings fans will remember fondly even as Kane heads home to Chicago.
Showtime Returns
Kane's first game back at the United Center as a visiting player, on February 25th, 2024, turned into one of the most emotional nights of his career. A sellout crowd of gave him a lengthy standing ovation during a video tribute in the first period, and things only built from there.
With the Red Wings and Blackhawks tied 2-2, Kane found himself alone at center ice in overtime, skated in on a breakaway, and beat goaltender Petr Mrazek glove side to win it.
Kane called it a night full of emotions, saying he simply wanted to show Chicago fans he'd always have his heart there. It marked the first time in nearly two decades that Kane had faced the Blackhawks, and he became just the sixth player in NHL history to score an overtime winner in his first game against a former team he'd played at least 1,000 games for.
Two days after tying the mark with an assist against the Los Angeles Kings, Kane recorded another helper against the Washington Capitals on this past January, reaching 1,375 career points and officially becoming the highest-scoring American-born player in NHL history, passing Hall of Famer Mike Modano.
The moment came on a secondary assist on a Ben Chiarot goal, and it set off a celebration as Detroit's bench emptied to mob Kane at center ice. Modano, who had held the record since passing Phil Housley in 2007 and who finished his own career with the Red Wings in 2010-11, sent Kane a prerecorded video message of congratulations that played on the videoboard at Little Caesars Arena.
500th Career Goal
Three weeks earlier, Kane reached another milestone against the Vancouver Canucks, scoring twice in a 5-1 Red Wings win, including an empty-net goal that made him the 50th player in NHL history to score 500 career goals.
He became just the fifth American-born player to reach the mark, joining Modano, Keith Tkachuk, Jeremy Roenick and Joe Mullen. Kane said afterward he was relieved to get the milestone out of the way, and Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin gave a speech in the locker room honoring the achievement as teammates wore commemorative T-shirts.
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DENVER — If the trade rumors prove accurate, Hunter Goodman soon could be receiving a big promotion in the standings. Should that happen, though, it comes with a price — saying so long to teammates bonded through losses.
The name of the Colorado Rockies’ two-time All-Star catcher has been bandied about leading into the trade deadline on Aug. 3. He tries to keep his focus on launching fastballs out of the park, not conjecture away from the field.
“Looking at the stuff like that, it does more bad for you than good,” Goodman said before an 8-0 loss to the Washington Nationals. “So there’s no point, because it’s all out of your control anyway. So, yeah, just try not to look at (the rumors).”
This has become a tight-knight bunch linked through losing seasons. Since Goodman made his major league debut on Aug. 27, 2023, the team has gone 156-305 — a .338 winning percentage. This version of the Rockies, though, is trending in an upward direction behind a new front office led by Paul DePodesta and Josh Byrnes. This squad, at 41-63, is two wins away from matching the total of last season (43-119).
“I definitely want to be a part of this place turning around,” said Goodman, a fourth-round pick in 2021 out of the University of Memphis. “We’ve made strides this year already. If you look at where we were at this point last year, I mean, we’re a lot better baseball team.
“Even our losses are a lot better losses, for the most part. It’s one-run games, two-run games. We’re in it late in the game. It’s just better baseball overall, and it’s been a lot more fun this year.”
Any trade offer certainly would figure to be significant to get the Rockies to deal away a catcher who hits for power. Goodman’s not simply a Coors Field creation, either, with 18 of his 31 homers this season being hit away from the hitter friendly park.
His 31 homers already have matched his career high from a year ago when he made his first All-Star team and won the NL Silver Slugger award. He’s the fourth NL catcher to have 30-plus homers in consecutive seasons, joining Todd Hundley (1996-97) and Hall of Famers Mike Piazza (1995-2002) and Roy Campanella (1950-51).
Concerned that trade rumors could weigh on Goodman?
“I ain’t worried about Hunter Goodman,” said Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer, whose team opens a three-game series at Milwaukee. “He’s got his head on his shoulders. All these guys do. … All these guys that are in trade rumors — they’re bigger than that. They’re stronger than that.”
Rockies outfielder Mickey Moniak realizes this can be an anxious time for players. Moniak, the No. 1 overall pick by Philadelphia in 2016, has first-hand experience. He was dealt by the Phillies to the Los Angeles Angels for pitcher Noah Syndergaard as part of a deadline deal in 2022.
“I’ve learned over the years that whatever’s going to happen is going to happen,” said Moniak, who’s hitting .279 with 16 homers and could be a target of teams in need of a left-handed bat. “Their job up there (in the front office) is to make the best decision for the club, what they see fit. Our job is to go out and play baseball.”
That’s been Goodman’s approach as he continues his power surge. Last Sunday, he had a three-homer game for the second time this season. He followed that up with a go-ahead solo home run in the eighth inning in a win over Washington.
“Just trusting in your routine,” said Goodman, who had 27 homers at the All-Star break, the most by an NL catcher since Hall of Famer Johnny Bench hit 28 in 1970. “Some days you’re seeing it well, and some days (pitchers) miss and give you good pitches to hit. You’re not going to get that every day in this league but on those days, if you can capitalize, it’s huge.”
The trade deadline is less than two weeks away, which will shake up lineup trends in a meaningful way. Now that we’re past the All-Star break, these next couple of weekly lineup reports are best treated as a pre-deadline benchmark. The changes will be more noticeable if we establish where things stand now. Let’s dive in.
Ryan Waldschmidt returned to the majors before the All-Star break, but he's hitting eighth or ninth without playing every day. Tim Tawa is splitting time between first base and center field. Gabriel Moreno has started and hit cleanup in every game since June 29.
Athletics
This lineup is hurting without Nick Kurtz, Brent Rooker, and Zack Gelof. Even Joshua Kuroda-Grauer and his .462 BABIP hit the IL this week. Jacob Wilson is leading off as a result, followed by Tyler Soderstrom and Shea Langeliers. Carlos Cortes,Donovan Walton, and Jeff McNeil are in strong-side platoons, and McNeil is mixing in starts at first base. Lawrence Butler has started against only one of three lefties since the All-Star break. Tommy White has started five of six since being called up, splitting time between both corner infield spots.
Atlanta Braves
All eyes are on Ronald Acuña Jr.'s return from a hamstring injury this weekend, and it could come as early as Friday. He's been the leadoff hitter when healthy, which bumps Drake Baldwin to the two-hole and Ozzie Albies into the middle of the order. Austin Riley has been better lately and hit as high as cleanup a couple of times this week. Jim Jarvis has been the primary shortstop in July with Ha-Seong Kim sidelined and Jorge Mateo phased out.
Baltimore Orioles
Taylor Ward and Gunnar Henderson enter Thursday inside the top three in PAs this year, with Pete Alonso also in the top 10. Colton Cowser is platooning with Leody Taveras in center field. Christian Encarnacion-Strand is getting some run at third base with Blaze Alexander on the IL, though Coby Mayo remains involved. Chadwick Tromp and Sam Huff figure to split time behind the plate after Adley Rutschman and Samuel Basallo both got hurt this week.
Boston Red Sox
Jarren Duran hasn't hit higher than seventh this month and sits against some lefties. Anthony Seigler has been the primary second baseman and leadoff option in July. Romy Gonzalez and Jahmai Jones are lefty-hitting specialists at the moment. Masataka Yoshida is the strong-side DH.
Chicago Cubs
Plenty of consistency here outside of a revolving door at DH. Alex Bregman and Michael Busch are both top five in PAs as of Thursday. Kevin Alcántara is on the big-league roster but hardly playing. James Triantos is reportedly being called up to make his major league debut this weekend.
Chicago White Sox
Munetaka Murakami went right back to the two-hole upon returning from the injured list. Tristan Peters has cemented the primary center field role lately. Braden Montgomery has sat just twice since being called up June 9. Kyle Teel (ankle) is unfortunately set to miss meaningful time for the second time this season.
Cincinnati Reds
Spencer Steer has at least ten starts at first base, second base, and each corner outfield spot this year. Ke'Bryan Hayes is back off the IL but starting only half the time. Edwin Arroyo had taken over second base even before Matt McLain hit the IL.
Cleveland Guardians
Steven Kwan has been on a tear and reclaimed the leadoff role Sunday. José Ramírez came off the IL this week. Brayan Rocchio opened the season hitting exclusively in the bottom third of the lineup, but he's been mostly in the top half since the middle of June. Chase DeLauter has hit second or third in every start since coming off the IL on June 28, and he's six-for-six in starts against southpaws.
Colorado Rockies
Jake McCarthy has hit leadoff in all but two games since June 29. Cole Carrigg has been sitting a bit more often lately but remains the primary center fielder. Kyle Karros has been the third baseman all year and recently moved up to the middle of the order. Neither Edouard Julien nor Tyler Freeman is playing consistently enough to be a fantasy factor. Ezequiel Tovar has a 37 wRC+ in over 350 PAs in 2026.
Detroit Tigers
Colt Keith is back to hitting third against RHP, swapping spots with Kerry Carpenter, who has fallen to the middle of the order. The Tigers continue to maximize Dillon Dingler's playing time. James Outman is still platooning with Matt Vierling in center field. Gleyber Torres returned from the IL again this week.
Houston Astros
Jeremy Peña regains the leadoff job every time he returns from injury. Jose Altuve is batting fourth or fifth but struggling. LaMonte Wade Jr. is platooning with Zach Dezenzo in left field. Cam Smith has had the entire week off so far after regressing a bit from his rookie campaign.
Kansas City Royals
Carter Jensen has hit leadoff against every RHP since May 30. Lane Thomas has hit in the top four in every game since late June. Andrew Velazquez has started both games at shortstop since Bobby Witt Jr. landed on the IL.
Los Angeles Angels
Vaughn Grissom is back to near everyday opportunities while bouncing around the infield, taking time away from Denzer Guzman at the hot corner. Wade Meckler's opportunities have evaporated with Mike Trout healthy again.
Los Angeles Dodgers
Andy Pages has hit second in every start since May 26. Kyle Tucker remains stuck in the bottom half of the order in a hugely disappointing campaign. Tommy Edman is playing all over but mostly seeing time at second base. Dalton Rushing is getting a chance to show he's a starter during Will Smith's lengthy absence. Teoscar Hernández has sat against three right-handers this month, which is worth monitoring.
Miami Marlins
Kyle Stowers is up to 28 starts at first base against 40 in the outfield this season. Heriberto Hernández has started 11 straight while mostly hitting second or third. Xavier Edwards is the primary cleanup hitter while Otto Lopez fills the table-setting role.
Milwaukee Brewers
Garrett Mitchell has started 20 of 21 in center field in the midst of a career year. Luis Lara has started only seven of 14 since being called up. Cooper Pratt is the shortstop and Joey Ortiz is the third baseman with David Hamilton sidelined.
Minnesota Twins
Luke Keaschall has started exclusively in the outfield since June 23. Royce Lewis is the primary first baseman and Kody Clemens is the primary second baseman, so this infield has really shifted around in 2026. Trevor Larnach leads off against RHP while Austin Martin does so vs. southpaws.
New York Mets
Very interesting deadline team. A.J. Ewing wrestled the leadoff spot away from Carson Benge, though Benge still hits fifth. Luis Robert Jr. and Marcus Semien each returned from the IL recently. Jared Young has been the primary first baseman against RHP.
New York Yankees
Jasson Domínguez has started all but one game since June 17. Paul Goldschmidt starts against every LHP but not all righties. Anthony Volpe's playing time has become sporadic again.
Philadelphia Phillies
Same story here. They need some outfield upgrades at the trade deadline. Justin Crawford and Gabriel Rincones Jr. have been platooning with Derek Hill and Edmundo Sosa, respectively.
Pittsburgh Pirates
Esmerlyn Valdez has hit cleanup in every game this month, providing thump with Oneil Cruz and Konnor Griffin sidelined. Jake Mangum is getting most of the leadoff opportunities lately. Nick Gonzales has held the third base job all season.
San Diego Padres
Fernando Tatis Jr. is heating up. He hasn't played much second base lately, but he'll still qualify at the position in 2027. Ty France is the everyday first baseman and has been red-hot of late.
San Francisco Giants
Bryce Eldridge has reclaimed the two-hole as the best hitter on this team. Matt Chapman could return from injury soon, which will again leave someone as the odd man out, though the trade deadline could help.
Seattle Mariners
Dominic Canzone has taken over the three-hole against RHP, dropping Josh Naylor to fifth. Cole Young has started every game this season. Colt Emerson remains the primary shortstop with J.P. Crawford shifting to third base. We'll see what happens once Brendan Donovan returns from the IL, though Crawford has battled a wrist issue this week too.
St. Louis Cardinals
Iván Herrera sat for the first time all year on Thursday. Lars Nootbaar is mainly hitting fifth against righties while starting only half the time against lefties. Blaze Jordan sat seven times in a 12-game stretch this month, but he's been in the lineup for five straight since. Interested to see how soon Joshua Baez gets a major league opportunity after the trade deadline.
Tampa Bay Rays
Chandler Simpson is beginning to run wild again but hasn't hit leadoff since the beginning of June. Victor Mesa Jr. has been hot to open the second half, though he isn't a true everyday option. Cedric Mullins is still the primary cleanup hitter vs. RHP.
Texas Rangers
Corey Seager (back) remains sidelined, but there's otherwise been some consistency to start the second half. Wyatt Langford is healthy and Brandon Nimmo survived a shoulder scare. They hit second and fourth, respectively, against righties, with Josh Jung and Jake Burger also in the middle of the order. Joc Pederson leads off versus righties while Justin Foscue gets a top-two lineup spot against southpaws.
Toronto Blue Jays
This lineup ranks last in the majors in runs scored and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. still hasn't homered at home this season. Ernie Clement is hitting in the top third of the order. Yohendrick Piñango is back up from Triple-A with Jonatan Clase injured.
Washington Nationals
Curtis Mead has sat against two of three righties since the All-Star break. He's better against lefties but has a 128 wRC+ versus righties. It's very odd. James Wood leads MLB in PAs. Dylan Crews has essentially been an everyday player since his call-up but hasn't shown the improvements so many other hitters in this organization have this year.
TAMPA, FLORIDA - MARCH 21, 2026: Diego Tornes #61 of the Atlanta Braves bats during the third inning of a Spring Breakout game against the New York Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner Field on March 21, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
The FCL Braves season has come to a close. On paper it wasn’t a great year at just 18-39, but we did get to see some players emerge with the Braves lowest level affiliate within the US this season. This article will highlight some of the successes and failures of the team’s season, as well as picking the team’s hitter and pitcher of the year.
FCL Hitter of the Year: Manuel Campos, SS
Manuel Campos pretty easily took this home this year. It looked like it would be Michael Martinez’s award, but considering he was promoted after just 11 games while Campos spent the entire year here, this was an easy choice. The 18-year-old switch hitter from Venezuela hit .310/.408/.429 with eight doubles, three triples, two homers, 30 steals in 35 attempts, 27 walks, and 37 strikeouts over 196 plate appearances.
FCL Pitcher of the Year: Gensi Angeles, RHP
This wasn’t quite as easy as the hitter, as Gensi Angeles had Briggs McKenzie to compete with, but once again the body of work heavily slanted things towards Angeles. Angeles was the ace of the team, pitching to a 2.26 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, and 45 strikeouts to 27 walks over 55.2 innings. The 18-year-old Dominican continued the success he had last year in the DSL – 3.57 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, and 24 strikeouts in 35.1 innings. He’s just 6’0” and 165 pounds and sits mostly in the upper 80’s while touching the low 90’s, but he has been quite efficient to start his career. It is worth noting that he saw his K/9 jump by 1.2, his H/9 only increase by 0.3, and his HR/9 drop from 1.0 to 0.3, though his walk rate nearly doubled in going from 2.5 to 4.4 BB/9. Despite his success in the lowest levels, Angeles won’t rank high on prospect lists because with the stuff he’s shown he is the kind of pitcher who will need to keep proving himself every time he moves up a level.
Hitting
Even if you exclude the slew of guys just here for rehab assignments (Ronald Acuna, Owen Carey, Conor Essenburg, Ha-Seong Kim, Andrew McCutchen, Carlos Santana, and Will Verdung), the FCL squad had more bright spots than you might expect from a team with this record. We already got into the season that Manuel Campos had, while Michael Martinez earned a fairly quick promotion to Augusta with his .375/.522/.781 line in 11 games. However other players also had solid showings here. As a team they hit .234/.354/.334 with 21 homers, though three of those homers came from the rehab group and another four came from Martinez’s short stint early in the season. The team average and OBP both ranked 13th out of 15 teams in the league, with the worst slugging percentage – 15 points below the team ahead of them.
Yamvier Carrero emerged a bit in his first season after signing as an undrafted free agent from high school last year, hitting .259/.407/.294 – though his season ended a bit early due to injury, and he cooled off a bit towards the end of his time after a solid start. Caden Merritt was another first year high school undrafted free agent, and he slashed .237/.384/.405 with five doubles, four triples, three homers, and 20 steals in his first full season as he split time between here and Augusta. Diego Tornes also had his season end early due to injury, and although his stat line wasn’t particularly impressive at .196/.274/.304 – the underlying metrics on him do paint a brighter picture than the stat line would indicate. Catcher Manuel Dos Passos (.693 OPS) and catcher/first baseman Johan Rodriguez (.747 OPS) also put up solid seasons. Among the guys who weren’t here long from the DSL team, Jorwin Pulido (1.098 OPS) and Elias Reyno (.763 OPS) each had shown some flashes – though neither played even 10 games. Pulido is especially noteworthy as he is a 17-year-old catcher who only signed at the beginning of 2026, and it’s become very rare for the Braves to promote a younger prospect in his first season beyond the DSL. Each of those players will be talked about more in the DSL recap once that season ends in roughly three more weeks.
Pitching
It was a rough year on the pitching side of things. The team ERA was 6.78 with a 1.81 WHIP, along with an 8.4 K/9 against a 7.8 BB/9. That last sentence tells a story of the reason this team lost so many games, though to be fair the young defense didn’t do the pitching staff many favors. It is also worth noting that the walks and defense aren’t Braves-specific issues as much as a common theme in the league, so this is to be expected.
Gensi Angeles was already talked about above, but Briggs McKenzie gave him a real run for the team’s top pitcher this year posting a 0.79 ERA and 0.71 WHIP with nine strikeouts to two walks over 11.1 innings in three outings. Ultimately he fell short as his body of work paled in comparison to what Angeles did here, due to his fairly quick promotion to Augusta and then Rome. Outside of Angeles and McKenzie the most successful pitchers here to pitch even 10 innings had to be Brody Fowler, Luis Arestigueta, and Daniel Brooks. Fowler pitched to a 4.91 ERA and 1.29 WHIP with 46 strikeouts to 13 walks in his 40.1 innings. Arestigueta was 4.63 ERA and 1.37 WHIP with nine strikeouts in 11.2 innings. Brooks had a 6.17 ERA and 1.46 WHIP, but 11 strikeouts in 11.2 innings. After that group of pitchers, most of the other pitching either really struggled or was not here very long.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - MAY 08: Hunter Goodman #15 of the Colorado Rockies hits a single in the tenth inning during the game between the Colorado Rockies and the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on Friday, May 8, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Derik Hamilton/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The trade deadline is near and the Phillies have work to do. There are multiple holes that can, and should, be filled by the time to clock ticks to 00:00 on August 3rd, which means there needs to be a scouring of rosters around the game. Several problems are present though, the most glaring is – who are the sellers?
The presence of the third wild card has made this question harder to define than at the deadlines we grew up with. Teams might feel like they’re still in it, thus requiring them to either hold serve or actually acquire pieces to go for a shot at getting into the playoffs and seeing what havoc they can cause. It leads to a shortfall of teams that have accepted their fate and put themselves on the market as sellers with players to move. However, there are some clear teams that have fallen out of contention and have the players that match up with what the Phillies are looking to do.
We can name the needs the Phillies have this trade deadline with relative ease:
a fifth starter to give them decent starts each time he toes the rubber
at least one (preferably two) reliever to add to the bullpen, that reliever being someone that can be trusted in the eighth inning
a bat, preferably right handed, that can help get on base at a reasonable rate that would help raise the team’s current .303 OBP as a team
The tricky part to all of this is payroll. The team, according to Roster Resource, currently sits at a smidge over $321 million in payroll counting towards the luxury tax penalties. Since they have cleared the third threshold of that tax, we can conservatively think that every dollar added to the payroll at this point would be double in terms of the luxury tax they would have to pay at the end of the season. While putting the best team on the field should be the goal of the team, we’d be delusional if if didn’t figure the money part into the trade deadline into the equation. So, if the team is going to be acquiring a player, they had better be getting some bang for their buck.
However, there are still some teams that they can dance with at the deadline that can help them. Here are three.
Colorado Rockies (Fangraphs playoff odds: 0.0%)
The Rockies stink, yet have a direction for the first time in seemingly years. They have accepted they are bad and will move players to finally try and be good in the future. Considering how their past few trade deadlines have gone, that is a radical change for them. Even with how bad they have been, there are several pieces that could fit what the team is looking for.
The most desirable piece the Rockies have is Hunter Goodman, their All-Star catcher who is currently third in the majors with 31 home runs. He would add the much needed power to the lineup that would come from the right side. He’s running a walk rate below 10%, not exactly the remedy to the problem the Phillies have, but that could be overlooked since he hits the ball really hard and really far. Then there is the fact that Goodman is a catcher, which might sound like an issue with a team that has J.T. Realmuto ensconced at the position, but Goodman has played in the outfield before. That move to the outfield full time might not be easy on the defensive eyes, but since when have the Phillies worried about team defense?
The cost of acquiring Goodman would be exorbitant, possibly too high for what the Phillies would be comfortable with doing. It would mean putting Gage Wood on the table at the bare minimum, plus several more names that occupy whatever top ten list you wish to adhere to. He might be exactly what the team needs, but it’s probably pie in the sky thinking.
After Goodman, the team could look at the starters they have. Since the spot in the rotation the Phillies are looking to fill is pretty specific, several players could fit the bill. Michael Lorenzen and Tomoyuki Sugano could at least act like adults in the fifth starter’s spot for the Phillies, not the sexiest names on the planet, but also at least capable of giving them decent outings each time they toe the rubber. Looking into the bullpen, Antonio Senzatela has been much better this season since moving there full time, seeing jumps in all of his peripherals in addition to his fastball velocity. Juan Mejia throws really, really hard, averaging 97 mph with his fastball, but with nary a semblance of where it is actually going (see: 11.2 BB%). Victor Vodnik has always had the velocity the team likes from their bullpen pieces, but if you thought Mejia didn’t know where the strikezone was, Vodnik might be worse. If they wanted to add someone to the outfield mix, someone like Brenton Doyle, though maybe a year or two too late, would fit the bill as a right handed option, but would he be better than what Derek Hill is currently providing? Old friend Mickey Moniak has 16 home runs, but his walk rate is under 6%. He’s also left handed.
There are some decent pieces that might give the Phillies some depth pieces that they could control beyond this season, but as far as needle moving trades, outside of Goodman and maybe Senzatela, there isn’t much that would be added to the team’s potential playoff roster. They match up decently and wouldn’t have to part with much in terms of high level prospects (again, outside of Goodman), so perhaps there is a match to be made.
Kansas City Royals (Fangraphs playoff odds: 0.3%)
Another team that has fallen into the doldrums this year is the Royals. When the season began, they were at least mildly interesting as a potential AL Central pick were they able to continue with their plan of solid rotation, Bobby Witt and lots of hope to win the division. Unfortunately for them, if something could go wrong for them, it has. Witt has been an MVP level player, but everyone else has fallen apart. They still have him to build around, as well as some offensive pieces like Jac Caglianone and Vinnie Pasquantino, but the rest of the roster has struggled or gotten hurt. They are another team that has a few things that could help the Phillies.
Naturally, the easiest player to think of is Lane Thomas. Signed to a one-year deal this offseason, Thomas has hit to a not spectacular, but not horrible .240/.337/.409 line for the season. He would be an option the team could look at to help in the outfield as part of a platoon with someone in right field, whether that someone is Gabriel Rincones, Jr. or if they simply say that he is the starter and move forward from there. Is that a needle mover for the team as far as boosting the outfield as is? Maybe not, but it would be more of a raising the floor than anything else.
On the pitching side, they might be a team that is able to act on Michael Wacha as a starting pitcher. It would fall into the “solid, but not spectacular” type of move that makes those fifth starter issues disappear. Get into a playoff series that require four starters and there is a real conversation that, were they able to acquire Wacha, he would be a better option to start that game over Aaron Nola. He’d also have team control through 2027 and 2028, the latter of which would come in the form of a team option, so this wouldn’t just be a move concerned about this season alone. It would also be setting up the rotation for the next season as well. Is that something the team would want to do, locking in another spot with little flexibility?
For relievers, there are a few that should draw interest. Daniel Lynch is a power left handed reliever having a solid season for the Royals. He handles left handed hitters with ease and has shown an effectiveness against right handers as well, even if they have hit him a bit better. One thing to note is that he keeps the ball on the ground to the tune of a groundball rate at nearly 51%. With the infield defense the way it is right now, would he still be as effective?
And before you ask, no. Matt Strahm is not an option, not with an ERA that begins with a 7 and a groundball rate under 30%.
Baltimore Orioles (Fangraphs playoff odds: 24.6%)
At first blush, there doesn’t seem to be a match between the two teams. Admittedly, there can be a bit of a stretch to see the link between the two.
Technically, with playoff odds around 25% and the American League being quite bad this season, Baltimore could talk itself into actually pushing forward with what they have. They have played better since the break and have some players that could continue to improve as the clock ticks toward the deadline. They only sit three games out of the last wild card spot and remain in striking distance.
Yet if they determine that they aren’t going to make it and indeed start to trade away a few pieces, there are some that could be attractive to the Phillies.
Namely, Taylor Ward.
Having been linked to the Phillies for at least two seasons now, the disappointing season the Orioles are having might finally be the time that a deal is actually consummated. Ward has played in each game on the season for Baltimore and has given them a 120 wRC+ for their troubles. He’s also an outfielder on an expiring contract and could bring them back something fetching in return. Outfielders are things that Baltimore has a few of in reserve, but moving Ward would be a signal that they didn’t think they could overcome the injuries they’re having to make those playoffs.
If Ward was someone they did not want to move, someone like Tyler O’Neill could possibly be pried loose. He’s in a platoon right now with Dylan Beavers and has generally disappointed in his tenure there, but isn’t far removed from a season (2024) in which he had 31 home runs. Were the Orioles willing to pay down some of his remaining deal (he is still under contract for 2027 at $16.5 million, a roll of the dice could be in play to see if he can regain some of his noted power from a few years ago.
For pitching, it’s unlikely any of the starters Baltimore has would be on the table, so focusing on what relievers they have could be in order. Andrew Kittredge is one that they could have interest in as a late inning option. He’s been solid for them this year, running an ERA around 3.5 for most of the season. He’s not going to blow hitters away, but he still induces quite a bit of chase with his stuff and keeps the ball on the ground.
These are but three teams that the Phillies might be able to make a deal with. There are a few others, some of which might be able to actually see a deal through. We’ll have to wait and see what that deadline finally brings.
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - JULY 22: Cam Cauley #27 of the Texas Rangers hits his first major league home run against the Chicago White Sox during the second inning at Globe Life Field on July 22, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Congratulations to Cam Cauley, who has been named the #15 prospect in the 2026 LSB Midseason Community Prospect Rankings, receiving almost one-third of the vote.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - JULY 20: Masataka Yoshida #7 of the Boston Red Sox sprints for first base after hitting a single in the second inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Fenway Park on July 20, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jaiden Tripi/Getty Images) | Getty Images
“And I love that dirty water … Boston you’re my ho—” oh, whoops, didn’t see you there. I was, uh, yeah I was celebrating the turnaround of the 2026 Boston Red Sox, I didn’t think I’d have to work today jeez. (takes off hat and Roman Anthony jersey) Oh, you want to know about the streak? Okay, let me get my glasses and then we can talk.
(ahem) The Boston Red Sox are on an absolute tear. They’ve gone 20-3 since June 25, won 15 straight games to tie their franchise record streak from the 1940s (!) and have turned around basically every aspect of their 2026 disasterclass to wrest control of the third American League Wild Card spot from the jaws of a confusing game of Musical Chairs/Duck Duck Goose. How on earth did we get here, and what does it all mean?
Since they began their fire-breathing rampage through everything in their path, the Red Sox have essentially doubled the offensive output of four players without seeing a major drop-off from anyone they were counting on for runs. Jay Jaffe at FanGraphs explains it all really well here, and has a nice table that shows how four guys — Willson Contreras, Andruw Monasterio, Masataka Yoshida and Caleb Durbin — have seen dramatic spikes in their wRC+ and associated power metrics since June 25.
That list doesn’t even really account for the impact of Wilyer Abreu and Ceddanne Rafaela, who have been less consistent but defensively elite with some huge hits in big spots for both. Probably the most dramatic moment of the streak (tied with Caleb Durbin’s home run) was Abreu’s impossible go-ahead two-run shot against the Tampa Bay Rays after Boston had fallen down three. Baseball is funny like that; consistency wins divisions, but at the end of the day, when you need a home run right now… someone needs to hit one right now.
In short, this team was “clutch,” a dark word in baseball given that clutch sorta doesn’t exist for teams. Well, it does, and we have clutch stats to back it up: in the last 30 days, the Boston Red Sox are by far the most clutch team (which just calculates how much win probability you add in high-leverage spots) with 4.27 Clutch (wow that sounds weird to say). That is an insane number, and more than doubles Detroit at number two.
But for the whole season, Boston has been the opposite of clutch; distinctively, un-clutch, one could say, at -1.31, which 24th in the Majors for the full season which includes this streak. And there’s no evidence that certain teams are “clutch” month over month, year over year or that clutch performances can be used as predictive for future clutch play. Jeff Sullivan wrote a great breakdown of this data in 2018, and I’ll quote from his piece here to illustrate the point:
“There’s no historical reason to believe [clutch is] a trait. It’s all just a collection of things that have happened. Things at important times that have wound up deciding ballgames.”
That is, in essence, what Boston’s 15-game win streak was about. “Things at important times” decided a number of close ballgames in a row for one team. And while it should not be used to say anything about the 2026 Boston Red Sox being a clutch team (they literally aren’t, see above), the fact that they were clutch for 30 days was the difference between the 2026 season sitting at the bottom of the Boston Harbor to rot for eternity with that tea from 1773 and becoming a buyer at the trade deadline. They brought a crane and fished the season out.
For the 2026 Red Sox, clutch does exist; maybe not as a trait, but as an event that happened and is perhaps still happening that had a seismic impact on their destiny, relationship with the city and with each other. “Things at important times” may not be something we can predict, but it still feels pretty darn awesome when they happen. Boston needed exactly that type of run (or at least something close to it) to save a season in which absolutely nothing has gone right. And they did it!
Could we have predicted it? Nope! At least not to that extent — I’ve written a lot about these Red Sox, and while they were basically always better than their putrid 32-46 record, the production they’re getting out of Durbin, Yoshida and Monasterio was not the recipe for success I had in the recipe book.
If we’re being cold and calculated, Boston will need more talent in this lineup if they’re going to oh I don’t know win the World Series or something ridiculous. Roman Anthony will need to return from the longest and most impossibly torturous Red Sox injury saga since peak Chris Sale, and Garrett Crochet will need to be back for the postseason.
Do the Red Sox believe that can happen? If they do, then buyers will be buying.
Los Angeles, CA - February 25: Kyrie Irving #11 of the Dallas Mavericks controls the ball against LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers in the first half of a NBA basketball game at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Tuesday, February 25, 2025. (Photo by Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images) | MediaNews Group via Getty Images
With the LeBron James summer saga rolling along and potentially into August, the Cleveland Cavaliers remain in the dark as to which way the Hall-of-Fame forward is leaning. But there is reportedly some angling being done by James to make his next destination feel like home — even if it isn’t technically.
According to ESPN’s Vincent Goodwill, James reportedly “had been angling” for Dallas Mavericks point guard Kyrie Irving to join him in Cleveland. However, as noted by ESPN, the Mavericks reportedly have no interest in trading Irving, and the point guard likewise is comfortable in Dallas. The 34-year-old Irving missed all of last season rehabbing a torn ACL, but figures to play an important role for the Mavericks next to budding star Cooper Flagg.
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The Cavs have had a quiet offseason so far, with the drafting of Maleek Thomas being the only notable acquisition. The team lost Dean Wade to the Philadelphia 76ers (and former General Manager Mike Gansey), Keon Ellis to the Brooklyn Nets, and Larry Nance Jr. to the Indiana Pacers. While they did give Donovan Mitchell a contract extension, the team has not signed point guard James Harden yet — though the two sides appeared ready to work toward an extension. The domino they are waiting to fall appears to be James.
Irving spent three seasons with James in the Wine and Gold, though the relationship ended on a sour note with the point guard’s trade to Boston. However, the Cavs have a fairly fluid roster that could be malleable to what James would want to play alongside. Compared to the Miami Heat and the 76ers, who mostly have their rosters set, the Cavs have players and contracts they could dangle in a trade to bring in someone James would want to play with. The team has reportedly been shopping Max Strus and his expiring contract in a trade, and Dennis Schroder is a candidate to be moved as well. Then there is the frontcourt that has teetered on the edge of separation for years.
If James is waiting on a move to be made before making his decision, the Cavs have some pathways to making it happen — depending on who it is.
LeBron stunned the NBA by choosing Philadelphia over Cleveland, Miami, and others, joining a roster that already includes Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Jaylen Brown.
I need a second to process this, because good news in this city usually comes with an asterisk.
I've spent the better part of the last three decades following the Sixers, and in that time I've all but convinced myself that heartbreak is the house style in Philadelphia. After all, this is the same franchise that has spent a decade bracing for the worst every time Joel Embiid so much as jogs up the court, because some version of a knee, a face, a thumb, or a suspension always seems to be lurking around the corner. The same one that traded away hometown kid Mikal Bridges -- whose own mother worked in the building -- only to watch him win a title somewhere else. And, oh yeah, the return on that trade? Zhaire Smith, who nearly died from an undiagnosed peanut allergy before he ever got a real chance on the floor.
If you wanted to design a cursed sports laboratory, you would build the Philadelphia 76ers.
So when word first started circulating weeks ago that LeBron James was actually entertaining Philadelphia as a free-agent destination, I laughed it off. Not because the roster wasn't good enough -- Mike Gansey had already seen to that with the Jaylen Brown heist this summer -- but because good things simply do not happen to this organization in a straight line. There's always a catch. There's always a Bryan Colangelo burner account, a Markelle Fultz yips saga, a Ben Simmons no-show waiting in the wings.
Then Friday morning happened, and the King himself blew the doors off every model, every insider projection, and every fan's expectations.
James informed the world on X that this was, in his words, his last decision, adding that he wasn't chasing money or family at this stage of his career and instead wanted to know what he was still playing for. He said he still wanted to sacrifice, still wanted to compete, and still wanted a real shot at winning it all one more time. He went on to say he believes he can help turn the 76ers into a championship team and that he's thrilled to energize a brand-new fan base for this final ride, while thanking the Lakers, expressing love for Miami, and reaffirming that Northeast Ohio will always be home.
another championship.
I believe I can help make the Philadelphia 76ers a championship team and I am so excited to energize a new fan base and start this incredible journey one last time.
Thank you LA. Miami I’ll forever love and Northeast Ohio will always home!
Read that again. LeBron James -- a four-time champion, four-time Finals MVP, four-time MVP, a 22-time All-Star, and arguably the greatest player to ever live -- chose Philadelphia over a return to Cleveland, over Miami, and reportedly over looks from the Warriors, Timberwolves, and Nuggets too. According to ESPN's Shams Charania, the deal is two years and $8 million with a player option, which tells you everything about James's motivation here. This isn't about the bag. This is about the opportunity in front of him, and evidently, he looked at Philadelphia's roster and decided it gave him the best shot at one more parade.
It's worth remembering just how unlikely this specific outcome was even a few weeks ago. Rich Paul had reportedly walked through James's options on his own podcast and pointed to Gansey's arrival as a real factor in Philly's favor, along with James's fondness for Tyrese Maxey, but the industry consensus had Cleveland as the sentimental frontrunner before Miami overtook them as the betting favorite. Philadelphia was the name mentioned almost as an afterthought. And yet here we are.
I keep circling back to the same thought: This is the same city where things always seem to go sideways. And I want to be clear that the ghosts haven't fully left the building. Embiid's health is still the variable that decides everything. The Sixers still have to figure out spacing and shot distribution with this many alpha scorers on one roster. Nick Nurse still has to build actual chemistry among personalities that have never shared a locker room. None of that goes away just because the greatest player of his generation signed his name on a two-year deal.
But look at what's actually been assembled here. This roster wasn't stockpiled through tanking and lottery balls this time; it was built through two decisive front-office swings in the span of a summer. Call it a new kind of process, but this city knows better than anyone that you have to trust it before it pays off.
LeBron says “Trust The Process” and the crowd went nuts 💀
Maxey was fifth in the league in scoring last season en route to All-NBA honors. Embiid, when healthy, is still capable of winning a scoring title outright. VJ Edgecombe looked like a walking playoff highlight reel as a rookie and is still climbing. Jaylen Brown arrived this summer as a Finals MVP with a chip on his shoulder the size of the Liberty Bell after Boston shipped him out unceremoniously. And now you're adding LeBron -- even a 41-year-old, mileage-managed version of him -- as another scoring threat who can guard multiple positions, run pick-and-roll reads in his sleep, and settle a huddle in the fourth quarter of a playoff game like almost nobody else in the sport's history.
That's not a hypothetical title contender anymore. That's arguably the most talented five-man group this franchise has had since Allen Iverson dragged a far less star-studded roster to the 2001 NBA Finals. Iverson did that essentially by himself, on will and crossovers and 48-minute nights, against a Lakers dynasty that steamrolled everyone else in its path. This version of the Sixers doesn't need one guy to be everything. It has four or five players who can be the best player on the floor on a given night, with one who has done it at the highest level more times than anyone else alive.
The money side of this deal matters just as much as the roster fit. Brown's salary climbs from $57 million this year to $61 million next, topping out at $64.9 million in 2028-29. Maxey's new extension is already baked in. Embiid's deal is settled. And Edgecombe is still working through his rookie scale for the time being, so his next contract isn't a conversation the front office has to have yet. That gives Philadelphia two seasons of relative cost certainty before the bigger questions arrive -- what Edgecombe's second contract costs, and what LeBron decides to do once his two-year deal plays out. For a franchise that's rarely had this much clarity on what it's actually paying for, that's a meaningful head start.
Which is why, as strange as it feels to type this sentence about a franchise built on managed expectations and cautious optimism, the Philadelphia 76ers should be among the betting favorites to win it all the moment training camp opens. The room for error is bigger than it's been in a generation, because the talent absorbs bad nights better than any Sixers roster has in 25 years.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro has already declared July 24 "LeBron James Day," and honestly, fair enough. This is the biggest thing to happen to this franchise since Iverson was crossing people up in the Finals, and it happened in a way that nobody, including this writer, thought was realistic.
Something will inevitably rear its head at some point; that's the nature of following this franchise, and history doesn't just erase itself because LeBron decided to show up. But for the first time in longer than I can remember, the story in Philadelphia isn't about what could've been. It's about what's actually standing in front of them. And what's standing in front of them might be the best chance this city has had to hang a banner in nearly a quarter-century.
Eric Samulski
