The Los Angeles Dodgers activated star closer Edwin Díaz from the 60-day injured list, the team announced in a press release on Wednesday afternoon. The 32-year-old flamethrower had been sidelined since April 20 with loose bodies in his right elbow.
Left-handed pitcher Charlie Barnes was designated for assignment in the corresponding move.
Díaz underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right elbow on April 22 to remove five loose bodies, or fragments of bone and cartilage that break off inside the joint. It's a condition that Díaz has said he's had to manage since 2012, but the discomfort reached a tipping point early this season when he struggled to a 10.50 ERA with seven earned runs allowed in six innings pitched; an abominable 2.33 WHIP indicated he was battling through some kind of issue with his mechanics or health.
His most recent appearance for the Dodgers came on April 19, where he gave up three runs on three hits to the Colorado Rockies and was promptly pulled by manager Dave Roberts.
"I was feeling good," Díaz told reporters after his successful surgery. "But on Sunday in Colorado, I didn’t feel comfortable throwing. So I told them, 'Hey, I feel weird. I can keep throwing, but my arm doesn’t feel good. I feel tired.' And they sent me to get some images. And the loose body was there. So the decision was, just take the loose body out and rehab and be ready for the second half."
Three months later, after seven rehab appearances across the Arizona Complex League, Low-A Ontario and Triple-A Oklahoma City, it looks like Díaz has found the kind of rhythm that earned the three-time All-Star a three-year, $69 million contract with the Dodgers last offseason. He's allowed just two runs in 5.2 innings pitched with 11 strikeouts, an encouraging sign that he can return and be the centerpiece in the bullpen that the Andrew Friedman and Co. envisioned last winter.
Heading into these Commonwealth Games, the Australian swim team had no Kaylee McKeown (absent through illness), no Ariarne Titmus (following her shock retirement last year) and Mollie O’Callaghan battered by injury (a spinal stress fracture and a shoulder complaint). The Dolphins would have been forgiven for nursing some concern. It turns out they needn’t have worried.
On Wednesday evening in Glasgow, Australia rounded out the swim program in historic style. Having levelled the record for most gold medals won at the competition on the penultimate night (28 – equal with the 2018 home Games on the Gold Coast), the Dolphins obliterated that mark with one final night of triumph at the Tollcross Swimming Centre. A run of individual wins and success in both medley relays saw the team end the six-day meet with 37 gold, 16 silver and 23 bronze medals across the able-bodied and para-swimming disciplines.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JULY 8: Roki Sasaki #11 of the Los Angeles Dodgers throws to first for an out after getting hit by a comebacker during the fifth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium on July 8, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ross Turteltaub/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dodgers conclude their series against the Seattle Mariners on Thursday night, and turn to Roki Sasaki coming off one of his best starts of the season.
Sasaki struck out nine in seven innings in a win over the Mets last Friday, and over his last three starts has a 1.93 ERA in 18 2/3 innings with 19 strikeouts against only four walks.
Bryce Miller starts on the mound Thursday for Seattle.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 29: Luis Arraez #1 of the San Francisco Giants slides after stealing third base against the Milwaukee Brewers in the fifth inning at Oracle Park on July 29, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Brandon Vallance/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Well, that game was one to forget.
The worst loss of the year also gives the Brewers their first series loss since before the All-Star Break as they are pummeled 16-3.
To begin, today was already one of those games you didn’t know what to expect as Thomas Pannone made his first start on a Major League mound since 2019. Frankly, it didn’t go quite the way manager Pat Murphy had envisioned as he was looking to give his pitching staff rest.
Pannone was pulled after three innings, during which he threw 56 pitches and allowed two earned runs on two walks and three hits. The bummer of the outing was allowing Daniel Susac to achieve his first career home run. Pannone’s issue throughout his three innings wasn’t necessarily the hits he allowed but rather the number of times he fell behind early in counts.
After Susac gave the Giants a 3-0 lead, the Brewers began their attempt at coming back as the game was officially turned over to the bullpen following the third inning. After David Hamilton and Cooper Pratt both reached base via the single, an RBI groundout occurred from the bat of Brice Turang to cut the deficit down to 3-1. Jackson Chourio quickly ended any other scoring chances as he grounded into an inning-ending double play.
An inning later, Jake Bauers proved that his broken toe was no issue as he led off with a triple into right field. After a Christian Yelich walk, Garrett Mitchell drove in another run on a groundout to bring the game within one at 3-2. That would be the closest the Brewers got the rest of the way, as the bullpen imploded.
Chad Patrick was the first out of the bullpen and threw two scoreless innings before things got away from him in the bottom of the sixth inning, as he proceeded to allow two runs. Aaron Ashby came into the game and only recorded one out before being pulled, as he went on to allow four runs himself on three hits and a walk.
Ashby’s outing was the worst of the bullpen pitching, but it still didn’t look great for the bullpen as we advanced. Bryse Wilson saw his worst outing since rejoining the Brewers as he allowed three runs himself on six hits. After seven innings, the Brewers were down 10, and there was no sense in burning another arm as they called upon Andrew Vaughn to finish out the game.
The Giants’ offense compiled 17 hits on the afternoon as they got four-hit games from Luis Arraez and Heliot Ramos. On top of that, Susac had a career day: not only did he hit his first career home run, but he also smashed two, driving in four runs.
Overall on the season, the Brewers are now 2-4 against teams based in the state of California on the road. Despite the favorable schedule, the games on the road against Californian teams continue as the Brewers will enjoy an off day tomorrow before taking on the Los Angeles Angels. After their next homestand, they’ll be right back out west taking on the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres as well.
Taking a look at the series against the Angels, the Brewers will send Shane Drohan to the mound for game one, Robert Gasser in game two, and Jacob Misiorowski in game three. Until then, perhaps today’s game opens some eyes in terms of what the Brewers need to do come trade deadline.
INGLEWOOD, CA - APRIL 15: Jimmy Butler III #10 of the Golden State Warriors looks on during the game against the LA Clippers during the SoFi Play-In Tournament on April 15, 2026 at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Every kid I know from my generation has asked their mom for McDonald’s and gotten the same answer. Not “no” but something worse: “We got McDonald’s at home.” And you already know what’s in that deep freezer. A brick of hamburger meat, shoved behind the frozen peas since March, frosted over like Arnold Schwarzenegger in a Batman movie, absolutely daring you to be disappointed in it.
And the Warriors, depending on who you ask, are fitting the description of that perfectly unfazed mama.
The popular read on this Warriors offseason is that Draymond Green’s Warriors asked for a Happy Meal named LeBron James. But the King went to Philadelphia instead and the Dubs are standing in the kitchen with nothing but ice-crusted ground chuck and a bad excuse.
But here’s where the gamble of believing rookie Yaxel Lendeborg alone is enough gets real fascinating. Except what’s sitting in the freezer isn’t some forgotten pack of bargain-bin ground beef. It’s Jimmy Butler in cryostasis, and the Warriors have spent the last six months waiting for him to be healthy enough to actually cook with.
According to @ShamsCharania, trading for Anthony Davis would've given the Warriors their best chance to land LeBron James.
Golden State refused to trade Jimmy Butler for AD.
Golden State is, per the latest reporting, still the only team in the league that hasn’t added a new outside player this offseason. They re-signed Draymond Green on the exact contract he opted out of to chase James (or another splashy option) in the first place. So yeah, the easy piece to alliterate here is “Warriors weally whiffed.” Or perhaps even “I literally can’t believe Steph Curry doesn’t have Klay Thompson here alongside him at least for nolstalgic purposes”.
I’m not writing that piece folks, because I’ve got a hunch that whatever the Warriors see in the Curry-Butler pair has them curious (or brokenly resigned) to another go round with Dray, Brandin Podziemski, Gui Santos, a wounded Moses Moody, Will Richard and the fascinating super veteran big man tandem of Al Hoford and Kristaps Porzingis.
All these moves would make sense if Jimmy Butler was healthy. He is not. They will waste another year of Steph Curry. It's nothing new. Maybe people who are paid to cover the team will actually say they are idiots. But we will see. Everyone on this app knows what is going to…
Think about what Butler represents when healthy, not that limping 2025 injury-report Jimmy we saw enthusiastically rooting from the sidelines. I’m conjuring up an image of the version that has consistently ratcheted up his play in April/May and treated postseason ball like a personal hit list. The Warriors have the guy whose entire basketball identity is built around what happens after the setback. He competes hurt, plays through pain that would sideline most stars, and has spent his career turning perceived slights into motivation that somehow lasts another year and a half.
The injury against Miami didn’t erase that identity but it absolutely interrupted it. Everything about Butler’s career says his response to an interruption is consistently louder than the interruption itself. The bet is Butler is still furious, still capable, and still exactly the kind of dark-horse variable that turns GSW into a feisty seven-seed into a team nobody wants to see in May.
To be clear, I don’t see these dudes coming anywhere close to a top seed next year, what with the way Father Time and the insanely vicious Western Conference is set up to keep them from ever winning a title again with Curry. But if they creep into the playoffs with a smidgen of health and confidence? After watching the recent champion New York Knicks play, let’s just say we all saw what a well timed postseason hot streak can do with a hot crowd can do.
Maybe the meat in the freezer isn’t actually some sad substitute for McDonalds. Maybe it’s the expensive cut that fell on the Safeway floor and the assistant manager gave it to somebody’s mama half price; she froze it six months ago because you could tell she was waiting for the right occasion. I’d be lying if I said believing this doesn’t require faith and amazing skills in NBA 2K to play it out on the virtual court. Fortunately, I have both, and I can see the possibilities. Butler will be the 37 at season’s start, the same age Jersey Joe Walcott was when he knocked out Ezzard Charles to become heavyweight champion back in 1951. That’s extremely relevant because Butler’s health represents what constitutes as the Warriors’ punchers chance when Stephen Curry takes his band of merry man on the path towards the preposterous 5th title run of the Steve Kerr era.
Jimmy Butler says the Warriors organization is a great organization and he doesn’t want to be anywhere else:
“It’s not good, it’s great. It legitimately is the best. You don’t realize it until you’ve been in other places, and I’m not talking down on anybody that are quite lesser… pic.twitter.com/Jr3hs7ye1X
Now, if Butler’s knee says no in November the way it said no in January, this column potentially ages like the hamburger meat everyone’s already laughing about. But I’m pretty sure this team beats the Spurs in 5 games last year if fully healthy. Call me crazy.
Everyone keeps waiting for the Warriors to make their move, while the Warriors keep acting like they already made it. Maybe everyone’s just been staring at the wrong empty drive-thru window this whole time, like Dub Nation’s been s trying to get a Happy Meal. Mayhaps the only thing left to find out is whether what was already sitting in the freezer still tastes like a championship.
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) and head coach Steve Kerr in the fourth quarter during an NBA preseason game against the LA Clippers at Chase Center in San Francisco, Friday, Oct. 17, 2025. The Clippers won 106-103. (Photo by Santiago Mejia/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)
If you’re a Golden State Warriors fan who uses social media, then you’ve probably seen a fairly depressing graphic floating around the internet in one of its many iterations. The images and numbers vary from graphic to graphic, but the point remains the same: there have been countless moves made in the NBA this offseason. And the Warriors are the only team absent from that party.
Technically, the Dubs have made moves, but they’ve been to keep their own players. They re-signed Al Horford. They re-signed Kristaps Porziņģis. They’re planning to re-sign De’Anthony Melton. They re-signed Draymond Green after he opted out to afford them flexibility as they chased LeBron James.
But they haven’t added anyone new, save for in the draft. They put all their eggs in the James basket and came up short. They chose not to pursue costly, star-studded trades for players like Anthony Davis and Jaylen Brown. And while they’ll likely still add someone from outside the organization (though the options are dwindling), it appears they’re content to just run it back with the same squad.
That didn’t work out well last year. The Dubs went just 37-45 and were eliminated in the play-in tournament. Add in the fact that Jimmy Butler III and Moses Moody are likely to miss more time this year than last — and of course, the ever-increasing ages of Green, Horford, Porziņģis, and Steph Curry — and it’s reasonable to assume that Golden State will be even worse this year.
But there are always avenues for surprising success. Virtually no one pegged the Warriors to compete for a title in 2014-15 or 2021-22, and they won championships both years. That’s not me predicting that the Dubs will hoist a trophy next June — or even saying that’s a plausible outcome — but the Warriors can still take the world by surprise and have a shockingly good season. Or at least one that’s much better than last year.
How? Here are a few ways.
Yaxel Lendeborg shines
There’s always something fun about the mystery bag that is a draft pick; especially a lottery pick. You can make predictions and projections galore, but ultimately you have no clue what you’re going to get. The Warriors were excited when Curry fell to them with the seventh overall pick 17 years ago, but no one ever expected him to become the best player in franchise history, let alone a top-10 all-time talent. They thought they got Curry a running mate when they used the No. 11 pick on Klay Thompson, and instead got a Hall of Famer. They hoped to get a bench contributor when they took Green in the second round, and wound up with a one of the greatest defensive players in NBA history, who will likely spend the entirety of his Hall of Fame career in the Bay Area.
On the flip side, Golden State thought they had the second timeline locked up when they used back-to-back lottery picks on James Wiseman and Jonathan Kuminga … it’s only been a few years, but Wiseman is playing overseas and Kuminga remains a free agent with limited suitors.
All of that is to say that there’s a vast spectrum of potential outcomes for Yaxel Lendeborg, the No. 11 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. Lendeborg is, like all rookies, an unknown, but he’s also considered the most NBA-ready player in the rookie class, due to his age (he turns 24 before Opening Night) and experience (six total years of college ball). If he’s closer to great than to awful — and if he hits the ground running — the Warriors could have something special on their hands that will help them win games from Day 1.
A full season of KP is magical
Even though the Warriors haven’t added any free agents or players via trade, it’s still fair to think of Porziņģis as an acquisition. They only got him at the trade deadline last year, and he played just 15 games for the team. Plus, there’s only so much a midseason acquisition can help, as they’re learning the systems on the fly.
Even so, there was some magic in those moments, and the Warriors dramatically benefited from Porziņģis’ presence. Could that grow with a full training camp of learning Steve Kerr’s systems, and getting comfortable playing with Curry and Green on both ends of the court? It certainly can’t hurt. Porziņģis’ All-Star days are probably behind him, but there’s also a reason the Warriors handed him out a two-year, $40-million contract. They know that he can be a very, very good player, and they’re excited to get a full season of that.
They add another good player
Sounds simple enough, right? A lot harder in execution. That said, DeMar DeRozan remains unsigned, and while he’s a kind of funny fit in Golden State’s offensive system, they sure could use his doses of instant offense. The best way to get better is to add more talent. And whether it’s DDR, Bradley Beal, or anyone else, the Warriors at least have a chance to up their talent pool before the season begins. How much it will help remains to be seen. As we’ve all observed in recent years, some additions really hit with the Warriors, and some flop tremendously. But it’s hard to see how this team, which has struggled so much to score when Curry isn’t the player shooting the ball, wouldn’t benefit from the addition of a reliable 20-point scorer.
They upgrade their systems
Seeing what schemes the Warriors are running when the season begins is going to be fascinating. Apparently one of the mandates for Mike Dunleavy Jr. and Joe Lacob when bringing back Kerr was that he needed to find a way to adapt and evolve his systems a little bit more. They’ve made some personnel decisions as well, replacing Terry Stotts and Jerry Stackhouse with Frank Vogel.
Kerr remains one of the top coaches in the NBA, but he’s going to need to dig deep into his bag of tricks to turn the Warriors into a 50-win team. That’s going to include making some changes to how the offense and defense operate.
Someone takes a leap
The biggest way for a team to take a huge step forward is also the hardest thing to bank on: a player simply taking their game to the next level. With Moody injured and so many veterans around, that really means there are only three options: Brandin Podziemski, Gui Santos, and Will Richard. All three are quality role players, but all three have shown flashes of being so much more. Can one of them take the leap from 15-minute bench piece to borderline All-Star? Easier said than done … but then again, no one ever accused being a winning team of being easy!
Stay healthy
The Warriors have won four championships in recent memory, and they’ve fallen short even more times. And in victory and defeat, one lesson is always clear: it takes a lot of luck to win it all. That’s true even when your goals are less lofty than to win a title. Whatever the goal in the NBA, you need the cookie to crumble in your direction to meet it.
For the Warriors, that mostly means health. Porziņģis played just 32 games last year. Horford played 45. Curry played 43. Melton played 49. If the Warriors want to shock people this season, they need good health luck, particularly with Curry (and also with Butler when he returns from his torn ACL). You can’t bank on that … but you have to hope for it.
Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) tips his hat to the fans after delivering his 1,000 strikeout against the Baltimore Orioles during the first inning at Comerica Park in...
The Tigers may have just given the biggest clue into the Tarik Skubal trade deadline rumors.
On Wednesday, Skubal made his final start before Major League Baseball’s Monday trade deadline.
Tigers ace Tarik Skubal made his final start ahead of the Monday trade deadline. USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
The Tigers posted a picture of an emotional Skubal on X with only a goat emoji for the caption. As the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words.
Several teams have been linked to Skubal, including the Dodgers, Brewers and Braves. But it’s the back-to-back World Series champions who have the best trade capital to strike a deal with Detroit.
The Dodgers have everything the Tigers would want in a blockbuster deal for Skubal: controllable starting pitching and top prospects. No other team can match what the Dodgers can offer Detroit for Skubal, but it remains to be seen whether LA will go all in for the left-hander.
The Tigers haven’t confirmed that Tarik Skubal is on the trade block, but the general consensus is the ace will be dealt at the trade deadline. USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
The Dodgers don’t exactly need Skubal given their starting rotation features Cy Young winners and All-Stars. But the uncertainty surrounding Shohei Ohtani’s availability to pitch has given the team reason to at least explore a trade.
Ohtani is dealing with biceps and knee injuries, but he has remained in the Dodgers’ lineup. Ohtani threw a bullpen session while the Dodgers were in Philadelphia, but his body did not respond well.
Since then, the concern surrounding Ohtani has only grown. Ohtani hasn’t made a start for the Dodgers since July 3 but revealed his biceps issue Tuesday.
“There too, it’s a judgment of to what degree I can push it,” Ohtani said in Japanese. “It’s still July. What judgment will be made in August and September can be decided then.”
But waiting until August or September for an answer on Ohtani’s availability is quite the gamble, one the Dodgers may not be willing to take with a third consecutive World Series title on the line.
Thus, Ohtani’s availability to pitch (or lack thereof) may have just thrust the Dodgers into the market for Skubal.
After Tarik Skubal’s start, the Tigers’ bullpen imploded and ruined the left-hander’s performance on the mound. USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
There hasn’t been confirmation Skubal is on the trade block, but many have speculated that the ace’s tenure with the Tigers is over.
The team’s social media post all but confirmed the Tigers are indeed parting ways with Skubal this summer, especially after the Tigers lost Wednesday’s game 10-9 in extra innings and are now four games out of the AL wild-card race.
During the 2023 NHL Draft, the Chicago Blackhawks selected Roman Kantserov in the second round with the 44th overall pick. He has since become one of the top prospects in the entire organization.
Kantserov is developing into an incredible goal-scorer, as he led the KHL in goals during the 2025-26 season. He is now looking to translate that success to the NHL, where he will make his debut in 2026-27.
On Wednesday, Kantserov attended the NHLPA/Upper Deck Rookie Showcase as a member of their 2026 class. This took place at Blackhawks Ice Center in Chicago. Kantserov skated alongside some of the best prospects in the game right now, including fellow Blackhawks prospect Sacha Boisver and the number one overall pick made by the Toronto Maple Leafs, Gavin McKenna.
When asked about the Blackhawks during his media scrum, Kantserov had some interesting things to say. For one, he wants Connor Bedard to return from his injury as soon as possible, but he understands the magnitude of Patrick Kane coming back.
"It's [Bedard's injury] sad news," Kantserov said. "But Chicago signed Patrick Kane. The legend has come back. It's awesome.”
A lot of the young players on the team are going to be excited to play with Patrick Kane. Most of them grew up watching him.
“He's the greatest American player, all-time scorer, and this is a very good opportunity to play with him," Kantserov said of Kane. "Of course, if we play together with Bedard, maybe we can find the chemistry.”
Coming into the year, Kantserov is going to get some runway when it comes to ice time in the top six. If he has a good camp and preseason, playing with the team's top players is absolutely going to be in the cards for him.
Whether it is at even strength or on the power play, Kantserov is going to get looks with Patrick Kane early in the season. It will get even more lethal when Bedard returns. When it comes to his desire to build chemistry with them, it shouldn't be a problem, as they are all highly skilled players with experience playing with elite talent.
Chicago, whichever linemates they start Kantserov with, should see him score a fair number of goals. Whether it's the two stars in Bedard and Kane, or others like Frank Nazar or Anton Frondell, there is a lot of playmaking talent on the roster. Feeding it to a sniper like this could create a whole new dynamic to the overall offense.
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PITTSBURGH, PA - JULY 28: Tyler Locklear #31 of the Arizona Diamondbacks celebrates with teammates after scoring a run in the 10th inning during the game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on Tuesday, July 28, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rayni Shiring/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
[Ed. Note] These questions were written and answered last weekend, but… circumstances delayed their publishing until now. Anything that doesn’t quite add up more than likely relates to that.
As of writing, the Diamondbacks are six games over .500 and in a Wild Card spot. Have they convinced you to buy?
Makakilo: Yes for two reasons. First, being in a Wild Card spot. Second, they can increase the odds by winning the Pirates series (this week). In the Pirates Series Preview, I will include an updated table showing my view of the Wild Card race.
1AZFan1: Absolutely. There are 8 games until the deadline (at time of my response) and we are 2 clear of our closest competitor. I suppose if we go 0-8 and the Pirates go 8-0 that would put us outside of a comfortable buying position, but a slightly more realistic worst case of 2-6 for us and 6-2 for Pittsburgh would still only put us 2 games back of them in the Wild Card, or effectively 3 back assuming they had clinched the season series against us at that point. Diamondbacks are in a prime position and it would take a DRASTIC fall to knock them out of a buying position.
Spencer: Yes. Tepidly. There’s no reason to go out and waste future value on a Skubal (yikes for the team that does), but a backend innings eater and a bat make sense. As would a Hazen Special of swapping someone like Waldy for a controllable arm on no one’s radar.
I’m going to say something controversial for this fandom as one who projected the team for no more than 79 wins before the season: it’s a testament to the franchise health and savvy moves made by Mike Hazen over the last ten years that this team is currently holding a Wild Card spot with next-to-zero or negative contributions from the likes of Perdomo, Burnes, Gallen, Kelly, Martinez, Puk, and Gurriel. That’s the majority of this core. Despite putting out a lineup with names like Tawa, Pavin, ADC, etc., Torey’s Team has remained good. And they’ve been good for years now (no playoffs has sucked immensely…). Previous iterations of our boys in Sedona Red (or Arizona? Purple) could never have withstood this level of misfortune and won more than 50 games.
DBacksEurope: Beats me how they have been able to go that many games over .500, but here they are. I still think this team has too many flaws and they are nothing more than a wild card contender, but the Diamondbacks could make some acquisitions, eyeing the next season. If they were to focus on rentals, I’d call Hazen nuts but trying to pry away a guy like Detmers, like some FanPosts have suggested, make a lot of sense.
Justin27: Yes, I think so. I am writing this after Saturday’s loss to the Nationals, but I still think that. I will stand by my assertion 2 weeks ago that I do not want to see them do anything crazy.
Preston: Under normal circumstances, I’d say no. But with the number of players coming back, there’s a chance for a formidable pitching staff in October. It was the pitching that let them down in 2023. With Corbin Burnes due back, as well as Soroka and Ryne Nelson, AND a true top rental starter on the market, there’s no time like the present.
Tyler Locklear has made quite the impression in his return from the minors. What are the odds he is the solution at first base?
Makakilo: His odds are high. What Has Recently Changed at First Base will post on Tuesday. This will be the link: https://www.azsnakepit.com/e/95150
1AZFan1: I’m glad he’s finally getting his shot and he’s currently making the most of it, but I can’t say that he’s for sure our long term solution at first. We’ve been here before with hot starts from recent call-ups. I will say it’s very important for Tyler Locklear’s personal career that he makes it work at first base. He’s the only one of our potential first base solutions that has to make it work at first. Groover can play third. Tawa can play a competently anywhere but catcher. Vargas is a classic utility man. Even Pena is getting reps in left field in AAA. Locklear’s only chance is making it work at first.
Spencer: I’m not sold on him as the overall solution, but I’m ready willing and able to give him all the opportunities to prove he could be. If he isn’t? Oh well, let’s go back to the DFA heap and hope to find another Christian Walker….
DBacksEurope: There aren’t many alternatives there so why not, he was acquired as a possible player that could step in. I don’t believe he will be the first base Messias we need, but the bar is so low… Paul Goldschmidt obviously would have been the best solution, so if it is either bad blood created or lack of interest, your first base situation is presented by Mike Hazen.
Preston: He’s yet to reach 20 plate appearances and we’ve seen stretches like this before. (Seth Beer was slashing .438/.486/.625 through 35 plate appearances in 2022. He batted below .100 with no extra base hits in the remaining 91 plate appearances of his career.) Locklear has a higher floor than Beer, and his .417 BABIP isn’t as sky high as Beer’s was, but this looks more like a case where we need to ride the hot hand, but still be prepared to add (at least) the other half of a platoon.
The Owners have taken to airing commercials during Dbacks broadcasts promoting their CBA proposals. Is this as sleezy and icky as I feel like it is?
Makakilo: Politics can be sleezy & icky. Could be worse, such as personal attacks against MLBPA representatives, or …(Wisdom tells me to stop my answer).
1AZFan1: It was jarring the first time I saw it. I mean, I don’t know why I need to see an ad for how one side is right and the other is wrong in a labor battle that I have zero vote in, but I wouldn’t go so far as to say it’s sleazy. If anything, I’d say it’s smart by them to get some counter-programming out there because almost universally the MLB talking heads are pushing the Players’ narrative that having the Dodgers as currently run is better for baseball than a salary cap would be.
Spencer: It is gross. And at the same time it’s smart. They are tying the cap/floor to the great changes they’ve made in recent years on game time and pace of play. They are pandering to the newest fans who likely follow another league more closely with that has a cap/floor already. And they’re also targeting 25 fanbases that give up on 1 April each year when the slow methodical and boring “race” to massive market payroll teams winning divisions/home field advantage begins. How can MLBPA compete with that? They have no direct avenue to reach those casual fans and their argument is far weaker: “let us millionaires have even more millions by watching your favorite player go don pinstripes or Jackie Robinson Blue because we can!” Woof.
DBacksEurope: Yes. MLB should not allow this or take sides, but it seems that conflict of interests is becoming a normality in the United States, so it does not surprise me at all.
Justin27: Yes. Right now I don’t have DbacksTV, so I haven’t actually seen the commercials, but it sounds like it. Related: June and July hours suck.
Preston: Absolutely. It’s not the most sleazy and icky thing I’ve seen recently (that would be the commercials disguised as news reports trying to get old people to sign up for scam life insurance) but it’s pretty bad.
Players have historically taken the blame for any work stoppage. It’s apparent the owners are concerned that they will be the ones blamed this time around, and they’re trying to get out ahead in the public opinion battle.
What is your favorite giveaway you’ve gotten at any ballpark?
Makakilo: A small red towel that I waved during the game.
1AZFan1: I haven’t gone to a ton of giveaway games. I don’t go to a ton of games in general, and the games I do go to are not usually planned around giveaways. When I do go to games, I actually plan them around fireworks. The last 3 games that I’ve been to in the past year (in AZ, San Diego, and LAA) were all intentionally chosen as fireworks nights. That may not be an answer to the question asked though haha.
Spencer: Man there are so many. I’m a sucker for a bobble head or a T-shirt. The 2023 replica ring is definitely high though. And I’m jealous of folks who got the OG Haboob Globe and/or will get the new one. My Crew is giving away a garden gnome this year. That’s going to be a quirky one
ISH95: The Diamondbacks did that once! It was a Wade Miley Garden Gnome! I wanted one but couldn’t make it to the game. And not to rub it in to Spencer, but my favorite has got to be the OG Haboob Globe. It was odd having to wait after the game to get our giveaway since it was made of glass.
DBacksEurope: I’ve never gotten one because I’ve never visited an American ball park. I’d love a themed bobble head, like Zack Godley’s Game of Thrones’ I wrote about some years ago.
Justin27: Probably the Justin Upton bobble head I got at a SnakepitFest 15 or 16 years ago. I would say the Serpientes hat I got with my best friend in 2023. It was against the Cubs in September of that year. I unfortunately lost that hat, otherwise that would be my favorite. I sent Blake the one that my best friend got because she didn’t want it.
Preston: I’m not a real giveaway person. I have some prized items that were giveaways, but I’ve acquired them after the fact. (My favorite would be a set of pins from the 1998 season.)
My favorite that I’ve gotten in person was probably the Serpientes jersey in 2023. I also lucked out to get that. I was part of a ballpark tour group and our guide made sure to get us the jerseys so we didn’t have to wait outside in the heat and then probably not get one because the line was already incredible long.
Los Angeles, CA - June 16, 2026: Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Edwin Diaz works out before an MLB game against the Tampa Bay Rays at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday, June 16, 2026 in Los Angeles, CA. (Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
The Dodgers activated Edwin Díaz from the 60-day injured list on Wednesday as expected, getting their closer back in a bullpen suddenly in need of stability from its right-handed relievers.
Though he missed the entire 2023 season with a knee injury suffered during the World Baseball Classic, Díaz’s five previous seasons were dominant, with a combined 2.36 ERA, 2.33 xERA, and 40.8-percent strikeout rate, tops in the majors from 2020-25 in xERA and strikeout rate among pitchers with at least 250 innings, and fourth in ERA.
The Dodgers designated Charlie Barnes for assignment, which created space on both the active and 40-man rosters for Díaz’s activation from the 60-day injured list.
Barnes, who was claimed off waivers from the Cubs on May 9, has pitched in four games for the Dodgers over his three stints in the majors, including pitching an inning on Sunday against the Mets in New York. The left-hander allowed seven runs in 10 innings with five strikeouts and four walks.
For Triple-A Oklahoma City, Barnes had a 5.65 ERA in seven starts with 28 strikeouts and 12 walks in 28 2/3 innings. This is the second time the Dodgers designated Barnes for assignment, along with July 11. That previous time, Barnes cleared waivers then elected free agency before re-signing with the Dodgers on a minor league deal. He was called back up to the majors on July 21, and pitched in one of the six games for which he was active.
Towards the end of last season, the Winnipeg Jets made some adjustments to their roster, bringing up young talent to see what they had at the NHL level. One of the names recalled from the minors was Brad Lambert.
The former 2022 first-round pick got the call for 25 games last season, his largest NHL stint yet after appearing in just five and one games at the NHL level over the two prior seasons, respectively. Lambert finished the season with three goals and three assists for six points, hardly the kind of impact that quiets questions, leaving Jets fans wondering what comes next for the 22-year-old.
Lambert is slated to make Winnipeg's opening night roster, according to Elite Prospects, where he'll look to secure his longest look yet at the NHL level and could slot in on the wing rather than at center, a shift that's been floated as a way to simplify his role and let his speed and skating ability play a bigger part in his offensive game.
Daily Faceoff projects Lambert to open the season on the third line alongside Isak Rosen on the opposite wing, with Vladislav Namestnikov centering the trio, an intriguing look for Winnipeg's bottom six.
Lambert will likely cycle through different line combinations before the Jets land on something that sticks, as has often been the case throughout his brief NHL career so far.
The best-case scenario is a middle-six role, one that could even see him get chances on the second line and further opportunities to adjust to the pace of the NHL. The worst-case outcome would be a fourth-line role, or another trip back down to the AHL if things don't click early.
It's difficult to project exactly what Winnipeg will get out of Lambert this season, but a full, uninterrupted look figures to provide the biggest sample size yet of his game.
With his entry-level contract set to expire after this season and restricted free agency looming in 2027, how Lambert performs will likely be one of the more closely watched storylines for the Jets heading into the year.
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ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - JULY 6: Dustin May #3 of the St. Louis Cardinals delivers a pitch against the Milwaukee Brewers in the first inning at Busch Stadium on July 6, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The St. Louis Cardinals and the Chicago Cubs will play again Wednesday night with hopefully better results (for the Cardinals) than the previous two nights. According to MLB.com, Dustin May will make the start for the Cardinals while LHP Matthew Boyd will take the mound for the Cubs. First pitch scheduled for 6:45pm central time at Busch Stadium. Game TV broadcast will be available through Cardinals.tv.
MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Twins placed center fielder Byron Buxton on the 10-day injured list on Wednesday with a right hip impingement.
Buxton, who has battled soreness in his right hip most of the season, left Tuesday’s 3-2 win over the Kansas City Royals in the fifth inning.
The 32-year-old Buxton spent 15 days on the IL earlier this month with a similar injury. He was unable to play in the All-Star Game after being voted as one of the American League’s starting outfielders.
In 82 games this season, Buxton is hitting .263 with 25 homers and 45 RBIs. However, he hasn’t homered since June 22, and hit .160 with no extra-base hits in seven games since returning from his first IL stint.
In a corresponding move, the Twins recalled infielder Tristan Gray from Triple-A St. Paul.
In an offseason in which its captain quit on his group to be a wingman in Florida and the franchise icon left the coaching staff to broaden his horizons in pursuit of an NHL head coaching gig, it certainly is not hard to become cynical about the Ottawa Senators’ chances in 2026-27.
The Athletic’s Dom Luszczyszyn rated the Senators as being the second-least improved team this summer and, on many levels, it is understandable. Outsiders will look at the Senators’ wild card placement last season and offseason to conclude that they could finish outside the playoff picture in 2027.
Replacing Brady Tkachuk’s blend of skill and physicality is an impossible task, but after general manager Steve Staios acknowledged in his end-of-the-year availability that the backup goaltending position was his biggest misstep last year, entrusting those responsibilities to one of the worst statistical goaltenders in the NHL these past three years is a massive roll of the dice.
Steve Warne and Gregg Kennedy discuss who might round out the top six in Ottawa.
Recency bias obviously adds weight and attention to what has been a relatively low-key series of additions for the Senators.
Re-signing Jordan Spence to a multi-year commitment at an affordable cost was a tidy piece of business. William Eklund won’t replace Tkachuk, but the organization is hoping he has a chance to pop for more offence and, at the very least, he should be a solid two-way addition to the team’s top six.
Staios has repeatedly referenced Justin Peters and Maciej Szwoch’s belief in Samuel Ersson’s tools over the past several weeks. There is so much volatility in NHL goaltending that Ersson could reward that confidence with significantly improved play. It also helps that he is Swedish, and that consideration could help favourably in building a relationship and battery with Linus Ullmark.
With so much emphasis on recent moves, it is easy to forget that Ottawa finished in the top-five in many important statistical categories.
According to Natural Stat Trick’s five-on-five data, the Senators finished in the top-five in the percentage of shots (52.85 CF%, 5th), shots on goal (54.08 SF%, 4th), expected goals (54.54 xGF%, 3rd), shots allowed per 60 (51.85 CA/60, 3rd), shots on goal allowed per 60 (23.37 SA/60) and expected goals allowed per 60 (2.32 xGA/60, 2nd).
On special teams, the Senators finished with the league’s eighth-ranked power play (24.0%), and after assistant coach Mike Yeo took over the penalty kill duties from Nolan Baumgartner on January 24th, the Senators had the second-best rate in the league (89.2%).
The Senators’ greatest strength lies in their structure and commitment to defence. They match one of the best and youngest bluelines in the NHL with incredible young centre depth. Provided the organization can maintain their strong five-on-five numbers, they should be in good shape.
It was widely documented last season that the Senators could not get saves. Had the team received league-average goaltending, they would have been one of the Atlantic Division's top three teams and sat comfortably in a playoff spot.
It is naive to believe that Ullmark can carry his exceptional playoff performance across a full slate of regular season games, but he can be significantly better than he was last season.
Perhaps most importantly, what is really exciting about this stage of the franchise’s development is how the team is well-positioned to make a splashy trade should the right player and fit become available.
Speaking to TSN 1200’s John Rodenburg last week, Staios expanded on this prospective development.
“The way we've positioned ourselves now, I always look back to where we're always trying to improve,” the general manager stated. “When I first came in the doors here in Ottawa and assessed where we were, and continue to build on our team and continue to improve our team. The position we're in now with not only the cap flexibility and the depth of our roster, but also draft assets and prospects that we didn't have when we got here (has changed).
“It’s not the exciting stuff that fans probably want to hear, but I think when you look at it on the work that we've done, sometimes it looks subtle, but there's there's ways that we've built up on this roster and the depth to continue to be a competitive team, but also give us the flexibility moving forward to be able to be in on things.
"And initially, when I got here, we were a little bit hamstrung, so there wasn't the optionality to look at these options. We certainly looked at them. We assessed them, but we just couldn't get in the game. We have put ourselves in a position now where we can get in the game.”
A recent report on RG.org by Daria Tuboltseva indicated that Columbus’ Kirill Marchenko may be close to being traded.
The 26-year-old right winger is in the final year of his contract that carries a $3.85 million cap hit per PuckPedia. His real salary for the 2026-27 season is $3.975 million. Marchenko has one more year of restricted free agency beyond this season before he can become an unrestricted free agent.
Listed at 6’3, 201 lbs, Marchenko tallied 27 goals and 67 points in 76 games last season while playing predominantly with Adam Fantilli and Mason Marchment. The winger has scored 20-plus goals in each of his four NHL seasons, with his best season occurring in 2024-25 when he recorded 31 goals and 74 points in 79 games.
Although they are different players, Marchenko’s impacts are not dissimilar from Senators winger Drake Batherson.
Marchenko’s age certainly aligns with the Senators’ core, but his goal-scoring ability would certainly fill a need. His five-on-five goals (0.91 G/60) and points (1.94 Pts/60) rates last season would have been the third-highest on the team behind Tim Stützle and Batherson.
The Alex DeBrincat deal illustrates why the lack of a controllable term leaves the Senators needing an extension in hand to justify incurring the significant opportunity cost to acquire good players. But, make no mistake, Marchenko represents the type of player the Senators should be targeting.
A shiny new toy may not arrive this summer, but with the Senators’ strengths, coupled with a reasonable expectation that the goaltending will be better, the organization should be poised to add at some point this season.
And assuming they do, they will put themselves in the conversation of being one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference.
By Graeme Nichols The Hockey News
This article first appeared at The Hockey News Ottawa. For full Senators coverage, check out one of The Hockey News headlines below:
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JULY 24: Cam Schlittler #31 of the New York Yankees pitches during the game against the Philadelphia Phillies on July 24, 2026 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
With the Trade Deadline fast approaching and a final sprint looming when it passes next Monday, the Yankees are back to playing winning baseball, coming out victorious in 11 of their last 15 games after a 4-14 death spiral shook them to their foundation. While most of the American League struggles to figure out what they want to be, the Bombers are persevering through injuries to stay afloat, taking the first two games against a first-place White Sox team with an opportunity to take the series tonight.
Cam Schlittler will get the start, looking to further bolster his Cy Young candidacy. The exhilarating 25-year-old leads the Junior Circuit with a 2.07 ERA (202 ERA+) and is third with a 2.59 FIP in 130.1 innings. His combination of volume and production has him ahead of Toronto’s Dylan Cease in the current AL Cy Young odds, and he’ll look to follow up his 7.1 brilliant innings against the Phillies last Friday. In his one prior career game against the White Sox in late August 2025, he allowed one run in six strong innings.
On the other side, Davis Martin is looking for redemption after getting absolutely pummeled by a weakened Yankees offense in the Bronx last month. The fourth-year righty is having a strong season, pitching to a 3.49 ERA (123 ERA+) and 3.07 FIP in 111 innings, but gave up a season-high nine runs in 3.1 innings to the Yanks on June 16th, allowing three of the six home runs he’s allowed all season through 20 starts.
Martin’s peripherals tell the story of a season that should be much worse, as he allows too much hard contact with middling whiff, strikeout, and ground ball rates. He’s great at getting batters to expand the zone and doesn’t walk a lot of batters. He’s overhauled his arsenal since last season, throwing less four-seamers and changeups at the expense of his sinker and cutter. His slider to righties and his curveball to lefties are his money pitches, where he gets a majority of his swings and misses.
The Yankees will be happy to finally see a righty in a six-week stretch where they’ve seen more LHP than anyone in the sport. Trent Grisham will lead off, followed by Ben Rice and Jasson Domínguez. Paul Goldschmidt, who homered off Martin in June, will clean up, followed by Spencer Jones and Jazz Chisholm Jr. Ryan McMahon draws his first start of the series, while José Caballero takes over at shortstop with Austin Wells batting ninth behind the plate.
Sam Antonacci leads off for the ChiSox, followed by a dangerous trio of Munetaka Murakami, Miguel Vargas, and Yankee killer Colson Montgomery. Andrew Benintendi and Braden Montgomery follow, with Tristan Peters, Chase Meidroth, and Drew Romo rounding out the lineup for the current AL Central leaders.
How to watch
Location: Rate Field — Chicago, IL
First pitch: 7:40 pm ET
TV broadcast: Chicago Sports Network, WCIU TV, MLB Network (out-of-market only)
Radio broadcast: WFAN 660/101.9 FM, WADO 1280 (NYY), ESPN Chicago WMVP 1000 AM, 107.9 La Ley (CHW)
Online stream: Amazon Prime Video, MLB.tv (out-of-market only)
