The Buffalo Sabres have been proactive with a number of their own players in getting them signed to long-term extensions prior to them getting close to becoming eligible for an offer sheet or unrestricted free agency. The club did it with former team captain Jack Eichel and center Dylan Cozens before they were traded, and have also done so with current Sabres Tage Thompson, Zach Benson, Josh Doan, Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power, and Mattias Samuelsson.
On Thursday, the Pittsburgh Penguins locked up RFA forward Ville Koivunen to an eight-year, $32 million contract extension ($4 million AAV), being more proactive than Buffalo ever has, since the 23-year-old Finn has only 47 games of NHL experience and just 14 career points.
With the salary cap increasing exponentially, a $4 million cap hit is not an insignificant amount, but could be a homerun for GM Kyle Dubas if Koivunen becomes a consistent middle-six forward, but it also gives the Pens two years of evaluation time, as they can use a one-third buyout until he turns 26 years old.
The question for the 31 other clubs, including the Sabres, is whether they are willing to role the dice on any of their youngsters eligible for a new contract before the expiration of the eight-year max deal in the middle of next month. Even with eight years being the max, the only extensions that Buffalo has opted to go the full distance with is Eichel and Dahlin, and the only one coming out of their entry-level deal was Eichel.
Will the Sabres add scoring help before the start of training camp?
The youngsters eligible for an extension who have played similar NHL time coming off their ELC next summer are centers Noah Ostlund and Jiri Kulich. Winger Jack Quinn is entering the final year of a two-year bridge deal, and was connected in rumors to be part of the Connor Hellebuyck trade proposal with Winnipeg. Both Ostlund and Kulich are similar in age and lack of experience to Koivunen, which could give GM Jarmo Kekalainen the leverage to offer them a team-friendly deal.
This could be something that the Sabres are interested in doing, since both players are expected to be full-time NHLers this season with the departure of Alex Tuch. Their price tag could skyrocket with a solid regular season. If Buffalo chooses to be conservative, they can wait till next summer to get more proof of their worth, and each would be eligible to sign a seven-year deal, but they also would be eligible to sign an offer sheet with another NHL club as Leo Carlsson did with Philadelphia last month.
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Aug 4, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Detroit Tigers catcher Dillon Dingler (13) runs the bases after hitting a home run against the Seattle Mariners during the ninth inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Detroit Tigers (55-59) vs. Seattle Mariners (56-59)
Time/Place: 4:10 p.m., T-Mobile Park SB Nation Site:Lookout Landing Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network Pitching Matchup: LHP Framber Valdez (6-7, 4.41 ERA) vs. RHP Bryce Miller (4-5, 2.80 ERA
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - MARCH 21: Wilder Dalis #3 of the Colorado Rockies covers to tag out Druw Jones #2 of the Arizona Diamondbacks at second base during the first inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on March 21, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Bernacchi/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
On Wednesday, Minor League Baseball announced that Wilder Dalis (No. 24 PuRP) was named July’s Player of the Month for the California League.
In winning the award, the Fresno Grizzlies infielder and native of Maracay, Venezuela, received recognition for his performance over the course of the month.
Over 24 games in July, Dalis batted .374/.443/.727 with a combined 1.170 OPS, while collecting 37 hits, including nine doubles, a triple, and eight home runs, 24 runs scored and 35 RBI.
He led the California League in hits, RBI and total bases (72) for the month, and finished second in the league in runs, doubles, home runs, stolen bases (10), and slugging percentage. In addition, Dalis ranked third in the league in OPS and fourth in batting average. His 35 RBI led all of Minor League Baseball for July, and his 72 total bases ranked second.
After appearing in 18 games in April and then three in May, Dalis was placed on the Injured List until June 16, when he returned to the Grizzlies’ lineup. It did not take long for him to get back on track. Dalis hit .341 with six doubles over his final 13 games of June. He followed that up by putting together one of the most productive months by any hitter in the California League this season.
Consider the numbers.
Dalis reached base multiple times in 11 different games during July. He set a career high with four hits on July 8 against Stockton and equaled it on July 26 against Rancho Cucamonga, when he went 4-for-5 with a home run, three runs scored, and four RBI. He also went 3-for-4 with a home run and five RBI on July 10 against Stockton and delivered a 3-for-4 day with a double, a home run, and four RBI on July 23 against Rancho Cucamonga.
To end July, on the 30th, his 20th birthday, Dalis hit a three-run homer and drove in four to spark a blowout win for Fresno.
Also notable, Dalis produced the numbers while manning multiple spots on the infield.
Over the course of July, he started at third base, second base and shortstop, giving Fresno’s lineup flexibility.
Since returning to the lineup on June 16, Dalis has hit .370 with 11 home runs, 50 RBI, and 17 stolen bases over his last 37 games, posting a .466 on-base percentage, a .705 slugging percentage and a 1.171 OPS in that stretch.
For the season, Dalis is hitting .310 with 15 home runs, 64 RBI and 21 stolen bases across 61 games. Entering August, he ranked seventh in the California League in batting average, tied for fourth in home runs, eighth in RBI, fourth in on-base percentage, second in slugging percentage, and third in OPS.
In August, he picked up where he finished July, going 6-for-11 with two home runs and eight RBI over his first three games of the month.
“Obviously, I know I’m talented,” Dalis said earlier in the season, “but I’m not thinking about ‘Hey, I’m a prospect in the Top 100’ or whatever. I know what I have and my abilities, and that’s it. I don’t worry about the other stuff.
“Hopefully in the near future, I’ll be there (in the majors) and can help the team win and make an impact with the team in Denver.”
And as a reminder, our PuPRs voting closes tomorrow. Leave your rankings here.
May 11, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Rockies Colorado Rockies designated hitter Hunter Goodman (15) in the seventh inning against the San Diego Padres at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The St. Louis Cardinals return to Busch Stadium Friday night for the start of a 3-game series versus the NL West cellar-dwelling Colorado Rockies. It should (key word) be an opportunity for the Cardinals to relearn their winning ways while enjoying some home cooking, but we all know how best laid plans go this season.
The Colorado Rockies are a meager 45-70 this season trailing the billionaires Los Angeles Dodgers by 24 games so playoff talk is not a factor for them. They have lost 7 of their last 10 games so no worries about big momentum from the Coloradoans.
Here are the projected pitching matchups
Friday, August 7 – Kyle Leahy vs Ryan Feltner (RHP 4-5, 5.75 ERA, 57 SO)
Saturday, August 8 – Matthew Liberatore vs Kyle Freeland (LHP 3-10, 6.81 ERA, 93 SO)
Sunday, August 9 – Michael McGreevy vs Michael Lorenzon (RHP 3-10, 6.94 ERA, 80 SO)
Ryan Feltner won his last start for Colorado on August 1 as he tossed 6 innings allowing 8 hits and 4 earned runs vs the Royals, but he lost the previous 2 before that against the Brewers and Reds. Kyle Freeland also won his last start throwing a complete game gem vs the Royals on August 2 allowing just 5 hits and 1 earned run. Michael Lorenzon lost his last start vs Tampa Bay on August 3 lasting just 3 innings and getting thumped for 7 earned runs. He had 2 no decisions prior to that.
Here are the Colorado Rockies players to watch
Hunter Goodman (C): Leads the Rockies with 33 home runs and 66 RBIs.
TJ Rumfield (1B): Team’s highest batting average (.294) and on-base percentage (.374) with a team-leading 116 hits.
Mickey Moniak (LF): Extra-base power with 19 home runs and 52 RBIs.
Kyle Karros (3B): Decent contact bat hitting .268 with a .366 OBP.
What did the Colorado Rockies do at the trade deadline?
Brenton Doyle: Traded to the Chicago White Sox in exchange for a pair of minor league prospects.
Antonio Senzatela: Traded to the Milwaukee Brewers for pitching depth/prospect returns.
Victor Vodnik: Traded to the Miami Marlins
This is another series where on paper it looks like the St. Louis Cardinals should have an opportunity to win if not sweep the Colorado Rockies. However, St. Louis has a similar downward spiral since the All-Star break that Colorado has. The expectation is that Jordan Walker should be back in the starting lineup starting Friday after nursing knee soreness. Masyn Winn also expected to be back at short after a couple of days off including sitting out Wednesday night’s game in New York. I can tend to be unrealistically optimistic sometimes which is probably why I’m hopeful this young Cardinals team can rediscover their early season energy and make an unexpected run at the third wild card playoff spot. Is that delusional? Magic 8 Ball says “YES”.
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - AUGUST 06: Samy Natera Jr. #52 of the Los Angeles Angels tags out Gunnar Henderson #2 of the Baltimore Orioles on a Henderson out at home on runner's fielder's choice in the eight inning during a baseball game at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on August 6, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Orioles entered today’s game with a chance to pull into a tie for a Wild Card spot. And as it turns out, with the Guardians likely to lose today, the O’s would have done exactly that — if only they had actually, you know, remembered to win.
Instead, they put up one of their most pathetic, frustrating efforts of the season and dropped the finale to the worst in the majors, the Angels, by a 4-1 score. It was another stark reminder that O’s fans should never make the mistake of getting their hopes up. This team is simply too flawed to let you feel good about their chances.
It didn’t take long into the afternoon to realize that this was going to be one of those games. You know the ones I mean. The kind where the Orioles do lots and lots of dumb stuff to give away an easily winnable game. Like, say, losing a routine pop-up in the sun because your sunglasses are on your hat instead of your face, which is exactly what Jackson Holliday did in the second. And even though Brandon Young pitched out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam that inning, the miscue forced him to throw 29 pitches.
That was the unfortunate story of the game for Young, who lacked his usual crispness and command. The entire afternoon was a struggle for the normally reliable right-hander, no inning moreso than the third. An infield single (on which Young himself committed a throwing error) and a walk put two on for the struggling Zach Neto, who hadn’t homered in more than a month. I think you know where I’m going with this. One big fly into the bleachers later, the Angels had a 3-0 lead. Sigh.
Young trudged through a 25-pitch inning in the fourth, including 13 pitches to the #9 hitter, Oswald Peraza, though he escaped a two-on, no-out jam on a well-timed double play. But with his pitch count so elevated, Young couldn’t get deep into the game, exiting after 4.1 innings with 98 pitches. That’s a disappointingly short outing on a day when most of the Orioles’ high-leverage relievers were unavailable. Then again, you don’t need high-leverage relievers when your offense can’t even make it a competitive game.
Oh my, that Orioles offense. This is going to be a real problem for the rest of the season, isn’t it? With Samuel Basallo and Blaze Alexander on the shelf, and with Gunnar Henderson showing no signs of breaking out of his season-long slumber, and with Taylor Ward and his team-leading OBP gone, and with Adley Rutschman never to return, the O’s are trotting out a truly woeful offense most days. The Orioles fielded a lineup today in which six of the nine hitters have a sub-.700 OPS for the season. They’ve got nobody that any pitcher should be afraid of except maybe Pete Alonso. That’s not going to win you many games.
And indeed it didn’t. The Birds’ offensive flaws were on full display against a pitcher that by all accounts they should have clobbered, Angels right-hander Ryan Johnson and his 7.63 ERA. What if I told you that the Orioles put nine runners on base in 4.2 innings against him? That he walked five batters and plunked another? How many runs would you assume the O’s scored?
The answer is one, and it came on a solo homer by Yohel Pozo. All of those walks and free baserunners? They amounted to nothing, because if there’s one thing you can count on the Orioles to do, it’s to waste every opportunity that comes their way. They ended both the first and second innings by grounding into a double play.
Then came the torturous bottom of the third, which started off promisingly enough on Pozo’s unlikely dinger, the first of his Orioles career. Yet somehow, even though the next four batters all reached base, the Orioles didn’t score again. That’s because Dylan Beavers, who singled, got himself thrown out trying to steal. Johnson practically begged the Orioles to start another rally by walking the next two batters and plunking another to load the bases for Holliday.
Pop quiz time: if you’re up to bat and the clearly struggling pitcher has just walked and/or hit three consecutive batters, what do you do? Do you work the count and try to force him to throw strikes, or do you just hack away at the very first pitch, ground out weakly, and let him off the hook completely? I think you can guess which approach Holliday took, and it was painful. Holliday, who had been red hot to end July, is now 0-for-14 in August. And he also doesn’t know how to wear sunglasses, apparently.
Johnson didn’t end up getting the win because he was removed with two outs in the fifth, but he finished with 4.2 innings of one-run ball despite issuing five walks and throwing more balls (39) than strikes (37). Johnson, who threw six scoreless innings against the Orioles in June, now has a 0.84 ERA against the Orioles and 8.78 against all other teams this year. Sometimes all you can do is laugh.
The Angels added an insurance run in the seventh against Yaramil Hiraldo, and their 4-1 lead might as well have been 40-1. The Angels’ bullpen, even after all of their best relievers were traded a few days ago, dominated the Orioles’ listless lineup. Four guys I have never heard of — Mitch Farris, Luke Murphy, Taylor Saucedo, and Sammy Natera Jr. — combined to work 4.1 scoreless innings. The O’s only got one hit off these randos! Are we still laughing?
The Birds’ best chance to score came in the eighth when they brought Jeremiah Jackson to the plate as the possible tying run, but Gunnar Henderson tried to score from third on a wild pitch that unluckily bounced off the wall and back to the catcher, who fired to Natera covering the plate for the out. Replays showed that Henderson hesitated for a split-second coming down the line, which likely cost him the chance to score. It was that kind of day.
Natera finished things off with a perfect ninth, sealing one of the Orioles’ dumbest losses of the year. And there have been many.
CINCINNATI, OHIO - AUGUST 6: Brian Serven #10 of the Athletics rounds third base after hitting a two-run home run in the ninth inning of the game against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on August 6, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Cincinnati defeated the Athletics 6-5. (Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Athletics took on the Cincinnati Reds in the series finale, seeking to avoid a sweep and end a seven-game losing streak. The Reds secured the series sweep by defeating the A’s 6-5, dropping the Green and Gold to their eighth straight defeat in a game that played out all too similar to several of the team’s previous losses. For the third straight day, the bullpen faltered, and the offense was unable to do enough to overcome the pitching struggles.
Reds Strike First
A’s starter Mason Barnett got off to a rough start. The first batter he faced, Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz, hit his 19th home run of the season, putting the hosts up 1-0.
His counterpart, Reds starter Andrew Abbott, pitched three scoreless innings to begin the game, consistently getting A’s hitters to chase pitches outside the strike zone and inducing strikeouts and soft-contact groundouts.
A’s Take the Lead
Athletics center fielder Henry Bolte and first baseman Tommy White led off the fourth inning with back-to-back singles, setting up the visitors first scoring opportunity of the game. Jonah Heim drew a walk, bringing up Tyler Soderstrom with the bases loaded and no outs. The A’s left fielder delivered, grounding a two-run single to center field to give his team a 2-1 lead.
After Max Muncy singled to re-load the bases, Lawrence Butler grounded into the A’s second double play of the game, bringing home the third run of the inning, but preventing the rally from extending further. That replay-aided play swung the momentum in the Reds’ favor and they never looked back.
The Reds immediately responded. First baseman Sal Stewart led off the last of the fourth with his 25th home run of the season, a solo shot to center field that cut the A’s lead to 3-2. Later that inning, catcher Tyler Stephenson tied the game with his 10th home run of the season, another solo shot to center field.
The Reds had the chance to re-take the lead after drawing two walks, but Barnett recorded the final out of the frame to keep the game tied at three. Innings like these have been a major reason the A’s have struggled to win baseball games lately, as their pitching staff has repeatedly allowed opponents to score immediately after the offense provides a spark.
Same Story Every Game!
The Reds threatened to retake the lead in the bottom of the fifth inning, loading the bases with one out against Barnett. After he walked JJ Bleday to load the bases, A’s manager Mark Kotsay made a pitching change, bringing in hard-throwing but erratic reliever Elvis Alvarado, a move that quickly backfired.
After striking out the first hitter he faced, Alvarado lost his command and walked in two runs, giving the Reds a 5-3 lead through five innings. It seems like a bases-loaded situation may not be the ideal spot to use Alvarado, raising the question of which pitcher the A’s should have turned to instead.
For the second time this series, the A’s bullpen gave the Reds free runs, with Alvarado’s walks fest coming two days after Hogan Harris’ wild pitch bonanza. No wonder this team has the worst bullpen ERA in the major leagues! Both of the runs scored were charged to Barnett, who allowed five runs on five hits over 4 1/3 innings. His seven strikeouts were encouraging, but allowing three home runs proved costly.
Reds Eying the Sweep
Unlike the A’s, the Reds can actually throw strikes and hold leads. Abbott completed his second straight scoreless inning, keeping the game’s momentum firmly on his team’s side. Cincinnati’s southpaw turned in a quality start, allowing three runs on seven hits over 6 2/3 innings.
New A’s reliever Seth Johnson made his first appearance in the eighth inning, and unfortunately, he fit right in with the rest of the A’s struggling bullpen. With one out, Bleday launched his 20th home run of the season and the Reds’ fourth of the game, turning the deficit into a three-run hole. Bleday, who struggled last season with the Athletics, has revitalized his career in Cincinnati, putting a spotlight on the A’s player development staff.
A’s Comeback Falls Short
Down by three, the A’s attempted to come back in the ninth. Facing Reds left-hander Brock Burke, Butler reached on an infield single and advanced to second on a throwing error by shortstop Elly De La Cruz. A’s catcher Brian Serven hit his second home run of the season, a two-run shot to left-center, field that cut the Reds’ lead to one.
That was as close as the visitors got. Burke retired the next two hitters to earn his second save of the season. The loss was the Athletics’ eighth straight, dropping them to 6-32 over their last 38 games as they were swept for the second consecutive series.
It could be more of the same this weekend as the A’s head to Boston to face a Red Sox team trending in the opposite direction. Right-hander Jack Perkins is scheduled to start for the Athletics on Friday evening, while the Red Sox have yet to announce their starter.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 05: The New Balance basketball shoes of Vladislav Goldin #50 of the Miami Heat during their 2026 California Classic Summer League game at Chase Center on July 05, 2026 in San Francisco, 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. (Photo by Thien-An Truong/Getty Images) | Getty Images
DALLAS, TEXAS - APRIL 12: Klay Thompson #31 of the Dallas Mavericks celebrates a three point shot against the Chicago Bulls during the first half at American Airlines Center on April 12, 2026 in Dallas, Texas. 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 GettyImages License Agreement. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Positioned directly in the dog days of summer, it’s prime time for teams to bluff like crazy, which appears to be what the Mavericks are doing.
One of the latest developments this offseason is a potential Klay Thompson-Lakers pairing. The veteran sharpshooter was once a free agent target in a different era for the purple and gold. After changes in both Dallas and Los Angeles, he could be back on the market late this summer with the Lakers interested.
Entering the final year of his contract, Thompson is a prime buyout candidate. Teams are aware of this and are lining up for him, with the Lakers included among them.
However, Dallas is also aware of that interest and is definitely not bluffing that they’ll keep Thompson and trade him. For now, that is their stance, as reported by Jake Fischer on a recent Bleacher Report video (emphasis added).
“To this point, Dallas has not been looking to find a buyout agreement with Klay Thompson. He’s got one year left on a three-year, $51 million deal that he signed two seasons ago when he left the Golden State Warriors, the franchise he won four championships with, of course…Klay Thompson very nearly chose the Los Angeles Lakers with then LeBron James over joining Dallas originally to pair with Luka Doncic and where’s Luka Doncic right now? Of course, with the Lakers. There’s plenty of connective tissue there that makes sense here. The only thing is, the Mavericks have been very resistant, to my understanding, of actually moving forward and agreeing to a buyout with Klay Thompson. They believe this market that’s shaping up for him, the fact that there is some LA interest, the fact that there is Miami interest. There’s probably other places that have interest in Klay Thompson as well.”
This is always the silly portion of this process. The team pretends they’re not going to buy out a player and trade him because of the interest in the player. But the interest in the player only exists if they’re bought out. So a team has to pretend they won’t buy him out while no one gives them a trade proposal.
As things stand, Thompson seems set for a buyout. Whether the Lakers have interest from that point does remain in the air. They already have too many players on the roster before signing him and likely wouldn’t guarantee him more like a spot off the bench.
Miami, meanwhile, seems like a place that could offer him a bigger role. It also becomes a question of how much he wants to play in Los Angeles.
Eventually, it seems like all that will be up for debate. But, for now, the Mavericks are going to continue bluffing.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 11: Jaylen Brown attends a game between the Indiana Pacers and Philadelphia 76ers on July 11, 2026 at the Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas, Nevada. 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 Mike Kirschbaum/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Just over a month after he was traded from the Celtics to Philadelphia, Jaylen Brown was officially introduced as a member of the 76ers on Thursday afternoon.
“I’m excited to just be myself,” Brown said, sitting at the podium of the Francis J. Myers Recreation Center. “I think that’s one thing that I can promise the city and the organization and coaching staff that I’m coming every single day to be myself with my best foot forward. Be with my integrity, my mentality, and be with my capacity and my ability to win. We’ll figure out the X’s and O’s.”
In his introductory press conference, Brown fielded more than 20 minutes of questions from a press corps that included dozens of Philadelphia reporters, as well as a slew of Boston media members who made the trip to Pennsylvania to watch the longtime Celtic and former Finals MVP turn the page in his illustrious career.
Brown touched on his excitement about the prospect of bringing a title to Philadelphia, and spoke candidly about how crazy of a summer it had been, getting traded to a rival franchise that eliminated the Celtics just a few weeks ago.
He fielded questions about his eagerness to mentor rising sophomore VJ Edgecombe, who will be the youngest standout among a talented pool of stars. He spoke candidly about his excitement about the prospect of learning from LeBron James. And he shared how quickly franchise cornerstones Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid reached out to him after the trade.
But, though Brown’s press conference mostly centered around the 76ers — and the organization’s title aspirations — he also reflected a bit on his Boston tenure.
For one, he was asked which part of the trade process he felt was disrespectful, something he previously stated on the Twitch stream.
“The whole process,” he said.
“But to be honest, my mind is so focused on what’s in front of me. To be honest, I’m moving on. Maybe one day, I’ll share the details and how everything transpired and all the moving parts that took place in this. Obviously, it’s a lot of speculation. I feel no need to chime in on it because I’m focused on what’s important.”
Jaylen Brown on what bothered him about the trade from #Celtics:
"The whole process… To be honest, I'm moving on. Maybe one day we share the details of how everything transpired."
Throughout the press conference, though Brown never mentioned explicitly mentioned the Celtics, he frequently showed appreciation for the decade he spent in Boston.
“I look back at the city of Boston, and I’m grateful,” he said. “I’ve been able to develop as a man, as a human being here.”
“The relationships are still there, so are the connections. I’m very grateful for my ten years in Boston. I have nothing but respect for Boston, but it’s time to move forward.”
Notably, Brown was also asked about his relationship with Jayson Tatum, which has been hotly scrutinized for much of the past decade — and especially over the last weeks, in the aftermath of the trade.
“We won a championship together,” Brown said. “So anybody that you win a championship with, that’s what you know a brotherhood or a lifelong legacy would entail. Obviously, just ups and downs in any type of relationship for sure. But on my end, it’s nothing but respect. Besides for when he plays the Sixers, I hope he does well. But other than that, everything for me is just based on respect.”
Jaylen Brown, when asked if he has been able to talk to Jayson Tatum: "Not really"
"We won a championship together… Obviously there's ups and downs in any type of relationship. On my end, it's nothing but respect."
Brown was also asked if he and Tatum have been able to talk since the trade.
“Not really,” he said.
Jaylen Brown extensively spoke about his desire to win in Philly
Sitting in front of a Philadelphia 76ers backdrop for the first time, Brown has made one thing clear: his top priority is to win.
“My focus is winning,” he said. “Obviously, other people’s focus can be scoring. My focus going into every practice, every meeting, every shootaround, every film session is: how do we win night in and night out? So sometimes that may change, sometimes it may look different, but whatever it takes. At no point, at this point in my career, nothing else has really moved me.
“I don’t care about the outside success. I never did, you know what I mean? I don’t care about the MVP awards or finals MVP. None of that stuff really moves me. It’s nice. The only thing that’s gonna move me is doing something collectively — so a championship. So that’s what I’m looking forward to, trying to start that journey and building towards. But all the other stuff that comes along with it is just a distraction.
The new-look 76ers are loaded with talent. Their expected starting lineup includes a four-time Finals MVP in LeBron James, a Finals MVP in Jaylen Brown, a former MVP in Joel Embiid, a two-time All-Star in Tyrese Maxey, and one of last year’s top rookies in VJ Edgecombe.
Brown was asked about that loaded roster and how the leadership dynamics will be worked out.
“To be honest, it doesn’t have to be anybody’s team,” he said. “It just needs to be based in respect and work, and that’s kind of my approach. I want to earn everybody’s respect and trust, which takes time. Obviously, it’s a lot of guys with talent, egos — but to win, you’ve got to be able to sacrifice.”
Though Brown did admit he threw his phone across the room shortly after news of the trade broke, nearly five weeks later, he sounded at peace with how things played out.
“I’m very grateful for my experience, my team here in Boston; 10 years is a perfect cycle, perfect number for completion,” Brown said. “We won a championship, and I have nothing but respect for the city of Boston. But now it’s time to move forward a little bit.”
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - AUGUST 05: Gleyber Torres #25 of the Detroit Tigers gets in the face of Cal Raleigh #29 of the Seattle Mariners during the eighth inning at T-Mobile Park on August 05, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Jack Compton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Things turned awfully testy during the late innings of Wednesday night’s 4-2 Mariners victory over the Detroit Tigers, which evened the pivotal series for both teams in an American League playoff race that is heating up more and more with every passing day. A half-inning after Cal Raleigh was drilled in the ribs with 95 mph four-seam fastball by Enmanuel De Jesus — and no warnings were issued — Gabe Speier pegged Gleyber Torres with a 96 mph four-seamer of his own, leading to an exchanging of words and the benches clearing. Speier and Dan Wilson both ended up ejected. As Kate said in the recap, we’ll see if this has any ramifications Thursday.
Speaking of throwing at people, Framber Valdez gets the start for the Tigers on Thursday. His first season in Detroit hasn’t gone quite to plan, with many of his numbers across the board taking a step back. His FIP has ballooned to 4.13 in 2026, having not exceeded 3.50 over his previous four seasons in Houston.
The Mariners will look to Bryce Miller to try to secure an important series win before the American League-leading Tampa Bay Rays come to town for 50 Seasons weekend. Big Tex had a much shakier month of July (4.93 FIP) after beginning his 2026 campaign with solid performance in May (2.86) and June (3.22). For more on the pitching matchup, check out the series preview.
Lineups
Taylor Ward is in the leadoff spot for his first time as a Mariner. Brendan Donovan and Josh Naylor both get scheduled days off, and Raleigh gets a rest day (unrelated to the hit-by-pitch last night). Jhonny Pereda will be behind the plate for the first time since being recalled from Triple-A Tacoma on Tuesday, while Weston Wilson and Leo Rivas make starts at first and third base.
News
In the aftermath of Wednesday’s bench-clearing incident, both Speier and Dan Wilson have been suspended by Major League Baseball. Speier’s discipline amounts to three games, which he is appealing. Dan Wilson, on the other hand, will serve his one-game suspension on Thursday afternoon. Manny Acta will be the Mariners’ acting manager for this important rubber game.
NEW YORK, NY - JULY 25: Kyle Tucker #23 of the Los Angeles Dodgers rounds the bases during the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Mets at Citi Field on Saturday, July 25, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by Evan Yu/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
I have some firsthand experience on the subject. You know what’s worse than the Dodgers being walked off? Having the Dodgers be walked off on consecutive nights after they have just coughed up a no-hitter on the 26th out. I remember writing at one point that it should be a crime to be playing such bad baseball in such beautiful surroundings. C’est la vie – such is life.
Now, if you are unhappy right now, I get it. Even with the current skid, the Dodgers are still on a 97-win pace, which is still better than the 92-regular season wins I predicted at the start of the year. Arguably, the Dodgers are ruining baseball, not by all the emotional nonsense being spouted by those mad about the Tarik Skubal trade, mind you.
…The league has devalued winning the division, especially if you’re not a top-two seed. The Dodgers likely look at the benefits of being the third-seed division winner compared to the fourth-seed top Wild Card and…shrug. It’s home-field advantage in the Wild Card round either way, so why press things?
The difference between [now and previous seasons] is that the Dodgers had enough cushion within the division that whatever in-season experiments they wanted to run were basically irrelevant. That’s the kind of thing you can do without causing agita when you win 111 games and finish the season 22 up on your next closest competitor. …
But it’s the similarities that create the bigger problem. In both situations, Roberts and the Dodgers seem to just…not care all that much. Obviously, their preference is to win, you don’t spend what they’ve spent just to win in the playoffs, but to be good enough to sell lots of tickets and ads throughout the season, too. …
There’s nothing strictly wrong with prioritizing a World Series; it’s where the league and its culture have arrived, hand in hand. But the impact of taking the longest view available at every possible turn undeniably results in a diluted on-field product—again, much as we’ve seen with the league as a whole. …
The Dodgers sleepwalking through regular season series against potential playoff opponents, while looking comically inept? We have seen this figurative movie before. To the uninitiated, it is a crisis. To the experienced, it is a Thursday.
To summarize the sage analysis of Craig Minami, you might see a collapse in the making, but what you are likely seeing is some self-correction due to some probably entirely unsustainable portions of the roster, including, but not limited to:
Justin Wrobleski pitching like an All-Star;
Eric Lauer pitching like a mid-rotation arm;
The bullpen pitching like a lights-out unit without peripheral stats to back it up, and so on.
Last year, the Dodgers lost a nine-game lead in 40 days. This year, over almost the same stretch, the lead has gone from 14 games to eight as of the start of play on Friday, which is not great, but not terrible.
So you should probably bear down and enjoy the ride, because it was so much worse last year. While the last week was bad, it wasn’t “look inept in front of last place teams who have nothing to play for” bad. Granted, if the team keeps losing and has to play in the Wild Card round again, then they will only have themselves to blame.
Several players are having down years in 2026. Today, we take notice of Kyle Tucker, but before we start any analysis, I must ask an unexpected question.
Why would they come just to boo him?
Generally, I do not pay attention to players not on the Dodgers unless they play in Japan. Even then, one has to be special to grab and hold my notice. Generally, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Roki Sasaki, and Munetaka Murakami. I knew Yamamoto, Sasaki, and Murakami; Kyle Tucker is not Yamamoto, Sasaki, or Murakami.
Putting that theme aside for a moment, there was a tidbit from my visit to Houston that I originally omitted, mostly because I forgot. At the time, I was struck by how absolutely hostile the Houston faithful were towards Kyle Tucker.
It was so visceral and obnoxious, I had to check midgame in Game 1 how Tucker left Houston. Considering how hostile the ballpark’s conditions were (terrible view, blinding lights, overly tight chairs, insufferable fanbase, among other demerits), it was a novel distraction.
At this point, Tucker had only been in my orbit for about a month. So Houston’s petty rage felt like it was directed towards a boiled potato or a stalk of celery, which feels like an apt comparison for our right fielder’s temperament, and it was absolutely confusing to the uninitiated.
The observation is generally not meant as an insult; if you put Tucker in a nondescript suit, put him at a desk, and said he was a certified public accountant (CPA), you would accept the image. As opposed to putting Enrique Hernandez or Freddie Freeman in the same situation, despite his public declaration of wanting to be a CPA if this whole baseball thing didn’t work out. (Author’s Note: That’s your side hustle when you retire, Mr. Freeman; no one should putter about the house.)
“I appreciate everything that the Houston Astros team and the city itself has done for me and my family since I got drafted in ’15 until now,” Tucker said on a video conference call Tuesday. “And I don’t think I could have gone to a much better organization than the Cubs. So I’m excited to start playing in front of the fans and in the city and everything else…A lot of things in life and sports and everything kind of is what it is. Stuff happens and whatnot. Some stuff is out of your control, but you’ve just got to make the most with it.” …
Testing the open market after one season in Chicago would seem likely, though Tucker did not declare that his intention when asked multiple times Tuesday about the potential for extension talks with the Cubs.
“Kind of like I’ve always said, I’m always open to talks to see where that leads,” Tucker said. “You never know what the future’s going to hold. I’m still real close with everyone on the Astros. It’s not like we’re all enemies now or anything or I hate everyone over there — no, that’s not it. Obviously, whenever we play against them, I would prefer to win. But at the end of the day, I’m still close with a lot of those guys and some close friends of mine.”
[Emphasis added.]
If there was an opposite for bulletin board fodder, the above paragraphs would likely be it. I am not doubting the sincerity of the statements, but anodyne is the adjective that immediately comes to mind upon reading it. So, yes, the Houston faithful were largely being spectacularly unreasonable and petty. Shocking.
Kyle Tucker returned to the Northside of Chicago for the first time since leaving, which begged the question of how he’d be received. More of a question of “how would it be?” versus “how will they react?” The fans let Tucker have it all series long.
"Let's see what kind of hand Kyle Tucker gets here coming back to Wrigley Field"
Again, to put it kindly, it didn’t go well — again, either on or off the field, especially in Games 1 and 2, with blunders on the base paths and the outfield. Again, Tucker had nice things to say about his time in Chicago after Game 1.
“I tried my hardest last year. I mean, I tried playing through hand fracture and calf thing, just trying to get back to the playoffs for them, and trying to do what I could to help out the team last year with them. … Hit really well in 1st half, and 2nd half didn’t go as great, and kind of didn’t end up great at the end of the year. But had a good run. … They’re a good team, and it should be good for them for the rest of the year.”
Again, as bulletin board fodder, this interview fails miserably. Tucker in Chicago was not the same as Manny Machado in Los Angeles in 2018, who performed well enough on the field, but his style of play (dirty or otherwise) did not ingratiate himself with the fanbase.
In fact, local media was initially confused as to why Tucker was being treated so harshly by the crowd.
The accepted explanations were that Tucker did not act as if he wanted to be in Chicago and his signing in Los Angeles was emblematic of the perceived ills of the sport, which was a roundabout way to say sour grapes. Tucker played well on the whole and then signed elsewhere; the marriage was one of convenience, as clearly everyone was ready to move on, much like the Dodgers and Machado after 2018.
The latter point on Tucker is one for a later day, but the first point is idiotic and arguably applies to recent arrival Tarik Skubal. Tucker, like Skubal, was traded without a movement clause. It’s like flying a hot air balloon; one doesn’t steer it as one is at the mercy of the winds. Tucker played well in 2025, even while hurt, before the Cubs were unceremoniously bounced by the Milwaukee Brewers, which really was a historical footnote in the grand scheme of things.
For as much as everyone is glazing the Cubs now, the Brewers are still the defending NL Central Division champion until dethroned; never mind that they once again have the best record in baseball. Brewers/Cubs 2 Electric Boogaloo likely having a repeat result this October would be very funny.
Some guy on the Astros and Chicago Cubs generally does not pop up on my radar, even if he was averaging 5 fWAR/bWAR a year. While preparing this essay, I came across something that Jordan Bastian of MLB.com wrote last year, which just seems kind of mean now:
When Tucker is healthy and his swing is in rhythm, he is simply one of the best hitters on the planet.
“Look, it’s important,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “It’s part of why at times this has been a really, really good offense. He’s a big part of it.”
[Emphasis added.]
With respect to Mr. Bastian and Craig Counsell, I have no earthly idea who they are talking about, because the person they are speaking about is not the person I have seen in my travels or in my viewing of the 2026 campaign. I have yet to see the so-called King Tuck who merited this record contract and will be in Los Angeles for the next three years, at this rate.
I have recently taken to calling Tucker “Steamed Ham” because of the impromptu reaction I had to actual power being demonstrated by Tucker in Queens, NY.
Something occurred to me as the de facto Traveling Correspondent during my travels that I had to double-check once I got home from Philadelphia that I thought I might be imagining: Has Tucker been okay, if moderately underwhelming, on the road, but downright unwatchable when at Dodger Stadium?
I decided to put my observations to the test because I was genuinely curious whether I was falling victim to confirmation bias or recency bias. Tucker has played exactly 54 games at home and 54 games on the road in 2026, so any difference will likely show in the statistics by now.
On the road, Tucker compares to 2026-Max Muncy (.253/.347/.494, 131 OPS+). At Dodger Stadium, Tucker compares favorably to 2026-Nasim Nunez, currently ranked next to last in OPS+ for qualified players (.235/.318/.274, 68 OPS+).
Tucker was signed, in part, to shore up the Dodgers outfield, which was manned in part by now-Chicago Cub Michael Conforto. Last year, Conforto was generally bad in left field. It was generally painful to watch. However, I give Conforto credit in one regard: during his terrible 2025, he wasn’t publicly complaining about it.
Conforto did his best, but it just did not work out. Sometimes one’s reach exceeds one’s grasp. Moreover, the clubhouse rallied behind Conforto, and I can’t recall him making any public outbursts, even though he played poorly enough to show it.
Tucker’s facade was starting to crack in Los Angeles with public displays of frustration in the dugout after poor at-bats. This slow meltdown, compounded by his generally poor play in Chicago, led to mistakes on the basepaths and in the outfield throughout the series.
In Game 1, with the Dodgers down 3, Tucker was thrown out trying to extend a single, just before Teoscar Hernandez homered to cut the deficit to two.
“It’s just the scoreboard. [Cubs outfielder] Seiya [Suzuki] throws as well as anyone in baseball,” Roberts said. “It just doesn’t look good when you’re down three making the first out at second base.
“It just doesn’t.”
In Game 2, Tucker seemingly forgot how to play right field at Wrigley, which is a little bit awkward considering the year he played there, having a key miscue that both cut Skubal’s night short and triggered the events that tagged Skubal with the loss.
If Tucker is starting to press even further to try and overcompensate for his poor 2026, he needs to stop, because it clearly is not working. With the Summer Swoon now in full effect, if Tucker wants to change the narrative surrounding his inaugural campaign in Los Angeles, he has 48 regular-season games left to turn the tide.
As a result, Bader’s already disappointing 2026 season is now over. And the Giants are suspending Bader’s pay because of this incident’s non-baseball nature.
Harrison Bader of the San Francisco Giants is seen on deck during a game. Getty Images
Giants players have remained tight-lipped about the situation since it happened. But one player addressed Bader’s situation in a hilarious way during his team’s game on Wednesday.
Giants rookie catcher Daniel Susac hit a double during the second inning. Upon reaching second base, he turned to his team’s dugout and mimicked riding a scooter. He then shot a grin before removing his protective gear.
The camera than flashed to several Giants players in the dugout, including ace Logan Webb, who was laughing out loud at the celebration.
Looks like the Giants are having a little fun with their new scooter celebration pic.twitter.com/UdybmGESrg
There seem to be two options for why Susac and his Giants teammate embraced the celebration. Either they’re paying homage to their fallen comrade, or trolling a teammate who made a selfish mistake that cost both himself and his team.
The latter scenario seems much more likely. Regardless, Susac’s teammates got a kick out of what he did.
Daniel Susac celebrates during a San Francisco Giants game. Getty Images
It would be interesting to hear Susac speak on the celebration, or get a glimpse of how manager Tony Vitello responded to it. Whether this celebration picks up steam among Giants players and becomes their primary extra-base celebration will also speak volumes about the situation.
Don’t expect Bader to comment on the celebration either way.
News broke late Tuesday evening that former UConn star and Milwaukee Bucks wing Andre Jackson Jr. signed a deal with the Toronto Raptors ahead of training camp for the 2026-27 NBA season.
Jackson played three seasons in Storrs from 2020-23 and helped lead UConn to its fifth national championship in 2023, where he stuffed the stat sheet in 36 games with 6.7 PPG, 6.2 RPG & 4.7 APG. The Amsterdam, New York, native played 85 games in a Husky uniform before declaring for the draft after the title run.
Following UConn’s championship, Jackson was scooped up by the Milwaukee Bucks with the 36th pick in the second round in the 2023 NBA Draft. He spent the next three seasons in Milwaukee in all types of roles. His best season came his second year in 2024-25, when he played in 67 games with 43 starts and averaged 3.4 PPG and 2.7 RPG. Last season, he only played 8.5 MPG across 48 appearances, collecting many DNPs from head coach Doc Rivers.
Jackson is looking for a fresh start north of the border, but he is going to have to earn it. Toronto has all but one of its roster spots filled out heading into training camp, so he will be fighting for the final roster spot. The contract itself is an Exhibit 10 contract, meaning it’s a one-year, non-guaranteed contract that gives the Raptors his G-League rights should he not make the opening night roster.
UConn had nine players suit up in the NBA last season and is adding Tarris Reed Jr. and Alex Karaban to the list, but losing Tyrese Martin after he signed with FC Barcelona overseas. If Jackson plays any minutes in either Toronto or with another team in the NBA this year, UConn would more likely than not have 10 players record minutes in the association in a single season for the first time since the 2000’s.
Krukow has been battling a degenerative muscle disease called body myositis for the past two decades. It appears this battle is what ultimately forced Krukow to make his retirement decision.
“I don’t want to quit. Unfortunately the rules change, first from year to year, and then month to month and now it’s day to day. It’s becoming unsafe. My home in Reno is much safer, and it really is the determining factor in how I can’t do games anymore,” Krukow told NBC Sports Bay Area.
Mike Krukow will end his Giants broadcast career this season. Getty Images
Krukow released an official statement on Thursday that read, “[His wife] Jennifer and I have been so blessed to be able to stay in the game for as long as we have and it’s really made it impossible to feel sorry for myself that my career is coming to an end.”
It is good to hear that Krukow still feels grateful for his time in the Giants’ booth, even if he is not fully ready to call it a career quite yet.
Krukow also played in the majors with several teams, including the Cubs and Giants. Sports Illustrated via Getty Images
Krukow has become a legend in baseball largely because of his broadcasting partnership with Duane Kuiper. “Kruk and Kuip” are immortal among Giants fans, as their close-knit friendship has sparked countless hilarious moments and camaraderie that is usually found in MLB clubhouses, not broadcast booths.
In this segment, THN - Pittsburgh Penguins' editors Kelsey Surmacz and Hunter Hodies discuss the shifting landscape of roster-building in the NHL and whether or not it's a viable approach for Kyle Dubas and the Penguins to take.
Read about the Penguins' approach to roster-building and the state of their rebuild here:
