HOLLYWOOD, CA - APRIL 04: General view of the Hollywood Sign above Lake Hollywood on April 04, 2025 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by AaronP/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)
Today’s Lineups
DIAMONDBACKS
DODGERS
Ketel Marte – DH
Shohei Ohtani – DH
Geraldo Perdomo – SS
Andy Pages – CF
Corbin Carroll – RF
Freddie Freeman – 1B
Gabriel Moreno – C
Mookie Betts – SS
Lourdes Gurriel – LF
Tommy Edman – 3B
Ildemaro Vargas – 2B
Kyle Tucker – RF
Nolan Arenado – 3B
Teoscar Hernandez – LF
Ryan Waldschmidt – CF
Miguel Rojas – 2B
Tim Tawa – 1B
Dalton Rushing – C
E. Rodriguez – LHP
Kyle Hurt – RHP
Roster moves
The Arizona Diamondbacks made the following roster moves. The D-backs’ 40-man roster is at 39.
Recalled from Triple-A Reno: OF Ryan Waldschmidt
Designated for assignment: 1B Pavin Smith
And so, Smith’s nine-year tenure as part of the Diamondbacks organization apparently comes to an end, though it is possible he might get through waivers. We’ll see if the team opts to retain his services in that case. But for now, let’s take a look back at the Smith era. It ends with Pavin having appeared in 476 games for the D-backs since making his MLB debut as a September call-up at the end of the lame duck 2020 season. He was Mike Hazen’s very first draft pick, being selected with seventh overall pick in the 2017 draft. Smith could have been a Rockie, since they drafted him out of high school three years earlier. But it was way back in the 32nd round and he didn’t sign.
However, over the seven seasons which followed, Smith rarely cemented himself as an everyday part of the Arizona line-up. There was only one year where he appeared in as many as ninety games. That was in 2021, when he played 145 times. That was mostly as an outfielder, including 29 starts in center field, which seems hard to believe now (and might help explain why that team lost 110 games!). It made sense in that Christian Walker was largely blocking Smith at first-base. That and designated hitter are the only two positions at which Smith has appeared since the end of 2024.
However, the results have largely been underwhelming, outside of one white-hot streak as Jack recently noted. Smith’s OPS has been below .600 over the last 300+ plate-appearances, and if the team had possessed any credible alternative options at first-base, it’s likely the plug would have been pulled sooner. Instead, they’ll be going with some hybrid combo of Ildemaro Vargas and Tim Tawa at first, while Mike Hazen works the phones, looking for a replacement. Given the previously-noted fact that our 1B production is the worst in over a century, the bar for improvement won’t be high. But despite 476 games of basically replacement-level production, I wish Smith all the best.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 10: Tyler Nickel #55 of the New York Knicks shoots the ball during the game against the Brooklyn Nets during the 2026 NBA Las Vegas Summer League on July 10, 2026 at the Thomas & Mack Center 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 Candice Ward/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
NBA Summer League is a weird funhouse mirror. Excel there (like when Kevin Knox scored 29 points against the Lakers), and a player might be declared a franchise cornerstone. Drop a stinker (as Mohamed Diawara did yesterday, with seven points on 1-of-9 shooting), and some will call the player a bust. Both are overreactions—but it is fair to admit that Mo disappointed us after signing a new 4-year, $11.2M contract this summer.
Indeed, the Knicks opened Las Vegas Summer League with a 91-65 loss to the Nets on Friday night. New York actually competed well early, taking a slim lead after the first quarter. After halftime, the game unraveled. Brooklyn dominated the third period 30-9, turning a close contest into a runaway before cruising through the fourth to win 91-65.
Pacome Dadiet logged 20 points and seven assists for the Knicks, and rookie sharpshooter Tyler Nickel impressed, scoring 18 points on 6-of-10 shooting from deep. Brooklyn got 20 points apiece from M. Brown, Jr. and Egor Demin.
The Knicks’ summer coach, T.J. Saint, started Jaden Akins, Dillon Jones, Pacome Dadiet, Mohamed Diawara, and Liam Robbins. Dadiet has been a fixture of the Knicks G League team and the bench at MSG since being drafted in 2024. After scrimmaging in practice against the rotational Knicks for the past two years, we expected him to fare well against these junior Nets. As for Diawara and his -39 plus-minus rating, the less said, the better. Both he and Dadiet shot 1-of-7 from beyond the arc.
The most pleasant surprise of the evening was Nickel. Coming off a standout senior season at Vanderbilt, the 6’8” wing was drafted 47th by New York this summer. He was regarded as one of the best movement shooters of the draft crop. That skill was on display in Vegas, and we’re excited to see more of it when he gets reps with the Westchester Knicks.
Egor Dëmin had a strong outing for the Nets, shooting 7-of-15 from the field while adding seven rebounds. He was aggressive attacking the rim and showed solid playmaking and efficiency as one of Brooklyn’s standouts. Selected eighth overall by the Nets last year, Dëmin enjoyed a promising rookie season, averaging 10.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 3.3 assists in 52 games (45 starts) before plantar fasciitis sidelined him. He’s considered to be one of the key pieces in the Nets’ rebuild.
Up Next
The Knicks continue their Summer League schedule tomorrow against the San Antonio Spurs. Who’s betting that the Texans will want revenge for losing the Finals? Rest up, Knickerbockers.
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - JULY 10: Brandon Young #63 of the Baltimore Orioles pitches in the first inning during a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on July 10, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It is Friday night.
The Orioles have beaten the Royals, 5-3. Brandon Young turned in an excellent seven-plus inning start, and after he left with the game tied, Samuel Basallo delivered an absolutely joyous and righteous go-ahead home run to put the Orioles on top. Bring this energy into all of your most important tasks:
Jun 22, 2024; San Diego, California, USA; A general view of Petco Park during the sixth inning between the San Diego Padres and the Milwaukee Brewers. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-Imagn Images
The Jays traded away Tommy Nance (and $250,000 in international signing bonus money) to the Twins for Catcher/Infielder Ryan Sprock (he’s assigned to Vancouver). FanGraphs had him at #31 on their Top Prospect list.
They must see something in Sprock. He has a .297/.427/.428 in 67 games at A ball.
Also Braydon Fisher has activated from the Bereavement list and will be available tonight.
Today’s lineups:
Today’s Lineups
BLUE JAYS
PADRES
Ernie Clement – SS
Fernando Tatis – 2B
Vladimir Guerrero – 1B
Jackson Merrill – CF
Kazuma Okamoto – 3B
Xander Bogaerts – SS
George Springer – DH
Manny Machado – 3B
Alejandro Kirk – C
Gavin Sheets – LF
Daulton Varsho – CF
Ty France – 1B
Luis Urias – 2B
Miguel Andujar – DH
Myles Straw – RF
Jase Bowen – RF
Jonatan Clase – LF
Rodolfo Duran – C
Shane Bieber – RHP
JP Sears – LHP
Go Jays Go
And this is great news:
Making history! 📺
Madison Shipman makes her regular season debut as analyst tonight, becoming the first woman to work the booth for a @BlueJays game on @Sportsnet 👏
Watch the Blue Jays take on the Padres tonight at 9:40pm ET on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+! pic.twitter.com/A9h2AxQjrd
Jul 10, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Tigers left fielder Riley Greene (31) scores a run against the Philadelphia Phillies in the sixth inning at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images | Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images
Talk about opening a series in style as the Tigers beat the Phillies 10-2 to open the last weekend series of the first half.
For the last weekend series before the All-Star Break, the Tigers were squaring off against the club that would be hosting the All-Star Game in the Phillies. They were hoping to ride the high of their series sweep against the A’s and keep it up right into the break. To get there, they’d have Jack Flaherty on the mound up against Aaron Nola for the Phillies. Now to see if the Tigers’ luck versus .500+ teams would be tested as the Phillies have the second-best record in the NL East.
Kyle Schwarber got a one-out single in the top of the first, but Flaherty quickly brought things around to get the final two outs of the inning. In the home half, Riley Greene got a two-out walk, but the Tigers left him stranded.
In the second, the Phillies went 1-2-3, and the Tigers did the same in the home half. Early to tell, yet, but looks like it could be a set-up for a pitchers’ duel.
The Phillies drew first blood in the top of the third with a solo home run from Derek Hill. The next three batters went down in order. In the home half, Jake Rogers took a one-out walk. Then Kevin McGonigle homered, pushing the Tigers nicely into the lead.
With two outs, Riley Greene doubled, but once again the Tigers left him stranded.
Bryce Harper took a leadoff walk in the fourth, then with one out, Flaherty hit Alec Bohm with a pitch. I can safely say any concerns I had about a pitchers’ duel were not founded. Bryson Stott then walked to load the bases. Hill singled into right, driving in a run. Flaherty did manage to get the final out of the inning, avoiding the worst damage, but the game was still tied 2-2. The Tigers went three-up, three-down in the bottom of the inning.
Jack Flaherty needs to send a thank you fruit basket to Riley Greene for nabbing the first two outs of the inning.
It was also pouring buckets at this point. Flaherty got the final out of the inning, thankfully making it very speedy, but with the rain it was hard to say whether things would continue in the bottom half. The game did resume for the bottom half with a slight delay to help absorb some of the rainwater and reset the mound. Jake Rogers got a one-out single, but unfortunately the Tigers weren’t able to bring him home.
The Phillies went 1-2-3 in the sixth and the rain was certainly lighter now. Aaron Nola’s day was done after the fifth and he was replaced by Tim Mayza. Riley Greene worked a walk, despite the Phillies challenging the final pitch call, he made his way to first (and it was quite the epic at-bat). With one out, a pinch-hitting Matt Vierling drew a walk. Eduardo Valencia got to play the hero in back-to-back games as he hit a line drive to left to break up the tie and score Greene.
Zach McKinstry hit a sac bunt to score Vierling, but a throwing error from Mayza left McKinstry safe on first. James Outman then tripled to score two more runs. Then, because this inning is just that unhinged, Mayza got called for a balk, scoring Outman. The next two at-bats were outs, but it was safe to say the Tigers made the most of the inning.
With a nice buffer now on the scoreboard, Jack Flaherty’s day was done with a final line of 6.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 6 K, 1 HR, on 86 pitches. Not his best outing, a little uneven, but the results were pretty solid. Jacob Waguespack came out of the pen to replace him. Derek Hill continued to have himself a night with a one-out single. With two outs, Trea Turner was able to reach on a fielding error by McKinstry. The error gods giveth, and the error gods taketh away. Drew Sommers replaced Waguespack and got the final out of the inning, a big one against the Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber. Max Lazar was the new Phillies pitcher in the home half, and Colt Keith got in on the action with a leadoff home run.
With one out, Valencia singled, but two outs followed to end the inning, leaving him on base.
Beau Brieske came in for the top of the eighth. With one out, Brandon Marsh singled. But they got the final outs of the inning with no runs scored. Garrett Stubbs, a position player, came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and got the Tigers out in order. Love it when that happens.
The Tigers worked through the side in the top of the ninth and clinched their win. Great way to open a series.
Jul 5, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Tanner Gordon (29) pitches in the first inning against the San Francisco Giants at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
The Colorado Rockies (38-57) continue their series against the San Francisco Giants (39-54) tonight at Oracle Park, their final series before the All-Star break.
Last night was the kind of game worth forgetting. Colorado managed five hits and lost 8-2.
Bad game. Move on.
The larger stretch has still been encouraging. Colorado is 16-19 with a minus-three run differential since June 1. During that span, the offense has hit .278/.354/.494 with a 117 wRC+, while the bullpen has posted a 4.90 ERA — including a 1.64 mark since July 1.
The rotation has been the clear lag, carrying a 6.23 ERA over the same stretch.
Tanner Gordon gets an opportunity to try to turn that around tonight.
The right-hander enters at 0-2 with a 6.95 ERA, 1.59 WHIP and 46 strikeouts over 45.1 innings. Gordon works with a four-seamer around 93 mph, an upper-80s slider, a mid-80s changeup and a slower curveball.
He threw his four-seamer on half of his 94 pitches against San Francisco five days ago. It produced four strikeouts, but the Giants went 4-for-7 when putting it in play, with a 95.8 mph average exit velocity, and hit four home runs overall. His slider produced more manageable contact and a 32% called-strike-plus-whiff rate.
This will be Gordon’s fifth start on the season and his second road start. He has a 3.32 ERA in 19 total innings away from Coors Field.
Veteran left-hander Robbie Ray starts for San Francisco and enters at 8-6 with a 3.45 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and 86 strikeouts over 101.2 innings.
Ray has allowed just three earned runs over his last 28.1 innings. He has deemphasized his four-seam fastball, leaning more on his sinker, slider, changeup, and knuckle curve. Left-handed hitters tend to see more sliders, while right-handers get a broader mix.
Colorado has already seen Ray twice. The Rockies made him grind through 96 pitches over four innings of one-run ball on May 31, then struck early on July 4 when Cole Carrigg launched a first-inning three-run homer before Ray settled in and completed six innings.
Carrigg remains one of Colorado’s hottest hitters, with Jake McCarthy and Kyle Karros also helping carry the recent offensive surge.
The path is still straightforward: Gordon needs to keep the damage contained and hand a close game to an offense and bullpen that have given the Rockies a much better chance lately.
Jun 15, 2024; Omaha, NE, USA; NC State Wolfpack pitcher Jacob Dudan (41) throws against the Kentucky Wildcats during the eighth inning at Charles Schwab Filed Omaha. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images
The 2026 MLB Draft kicks off this weekend, with NBC/Peacock covering the first 10 picks on Saturday starting at 1:00pm, and then coverage switching over the wide assortment of MLB platforms for the remainder of Saturday (starting at 2:30pm) through Sunday (11:30am-7:30pm). NC State has had a player drafted – multiple actually – in each of the last 25 drafts, and that’s a streak that will continue this year with at least six members of this year’s Wolfpack baseball team expected to be drafted.
OF Andrew Wiggins (JR) – .290/.449/.580, 2 2B, 6 HR, 20.2 BB%, 27.0 K%, 8-8 SB
Of those listed above, Dudan, Head, Johnson, Marohn, McHugh, and Nixon are almost sure to be drafted. Those six recently took part in the MLB Draft Combine, a pretty clear indication that they will be selected. Among them, Head has seemed to fly up boards lately, checking in at #60 from MLB.com, #46 from ESPN, and a huge jump all the way up to #16 at FanGraphs. Kiley McDaniel at ESPN has him mock drafted at 44th to the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Dudan is the next highest regarded prospect for this year’s draft, although his stock took a major hit when he went down with an elbow injury midseason that resulted in Tommy John Surgery. While that injury knocked him out of the first round, he won’t drop past the third round this weekend. MLB has Dudan ranked #78, ESPN #89, and FanGraphs #73.
Marohn is the only other Wolfpack player to break the Top 250 prospect lists, checking in at #149 by MLB and #177 by ESPN.
Among college prospects, D1 Baseball has Dudan ranked 50th, Head 53rd, Marohn 107th, Johnson 138th, Nixon 185th, and McHugh 201st.
Aside from those six players, Consiglio has the best chance of being drafted.
It’s unlikely that any of the these three get drafted, although Lax has put together two great starts in the Cape Cod League, sporting a line of 1-0, 2.00 ERA, 9.0 IP, 0.0 BB%, 22.2 K%. That coupled with the luxury of being a lefty and he might entice a late selection from a team. Warren is currently hitting .348/.423/.391, 2 2B, 0 HR, 9.6 BB%, 23.1 K%, 0-2 SB in the Cape Cod League. The batting average and OBP are really nice, but the strikeout number is a bit concerning.
Incoming High School Commits
OF Gunnar Alm (Columbus, NC)
INF Landon Church (Clemmons, NC)
RHP Logan Clark (Virgilina, VA)
RHP Heath Craver (Kernersville, NC)
RHP Otto Knust (Overland Park, KS)
INF Cooper Gornet (Charlotte, NC)
RHP Maddox McRee (Hickory, NC)
INF Kellen Smith (Four Oaks, NC)
LHP Mylo White (Mint Hill, NC)
Among the committed freshman class for next season, Alm is the highest rated and the biggest threat to be drafted. Alm is a lefty swinging speedster with plenty of athleticism and a projectable 6’ frame. Alm doesn’t appear on any of the aforementioned prospect boards for this year’s draft, but his tools are apparent and he could easily be drafted in the top 5 rounds.
Once you get past Alm, it’s unclear if any of the remaining class will be drafted, but all it takes is one team to fall in love with a prospect and get drafted. There’s talent in the class, but the reduced 20 round nature of the current MLB Draft certainly takes away a lot of the risk of losing high school commits.
Apr 12, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Brooklyn Nets Malachi Smith (18) and Toronto Raptors Brandon Ingram (3) battle for a loose ball during the second half at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images | Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images
According to the New York Post’s Brian Lewis, the Brooklyn Nets have cut guard Malachi Smith from the team. The former Gonzaga Bulldog signed a two-year, non-guaranteed deal back in April after two 10-day contracts with the organization. Brooklyn exercised Smith’s minimum salary team option in June.
In 15 games (four starts) played with the Nets to close out this past season, Smith averaged 8.3 points on a shooting split of 48.5 percent from the field/43.5 percent on three-pointers/100.0 percent at the free throw line, 3.4 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game.
The 26-year-old will most likely have to return to the NBA G League with another franchise. He’s had stops with the Portland Trail Blazers’ Rip City Remix, Milwaukee Bucks’ Wisconsin Herd, Memphis Grizzlies’ Memphis Hustle, and the Brooklyn Nets’ Long Island Nets over the last three seasons.
Smith started his collegiate career with the Wright State Raiders from 2018-19, transferred to the Chattanooga Mocs from 2020-22, before making his way to Spokane, Washington. He was named the West Coast Conference Sixth Man of the Year in 2023 before entering his name into the 2023 NBA Draft, bypassing his final season of college eligibility. Smith would go undrafted.
Arden Cravalho is a Gonzaga University graduate from the Bay Area… Follow him on X @a_cravalho
ST. LOUIS — St. Louis Cardinals catcher Iván Herrera was named Friday to the National League All-Star team as an injury replacement for Los Angeles Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani.
Tampa Bay pitcher Nick Martinez, Boston outfielder Ceddanne Rafaela and Chicago White Sox rookie first baseman Munetaka Murakami were named injury replacements in the American League.
All four players are first-time selections. The All-Star Game is Tuesday night in at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.
“It’s a dream,” the 26-year-old Herrera said. “Everybody thinks about going to an All-Star Game. You just can’t describe the feelings. I’m just excited for it and trying to take it all in right now.”
The Panama native entered Friday batting .249 with 11 homers, 40 RBIs and a .780 OPS. He has been hit by pitches a league-leading 24 times this season.
St. Louis signed Herrera as a 16-year-old undrafted free agent in 2016, and he will be joined by two first-time All-Star teammates, Jordan Walker and Riley O’Brien.
Ohtani is having fluid drained from his left knee, forcing him to miss the All-Star Game.
Murakami also will compete in the Home Run Derby. He was a star in Japan before signing with the White Sox and returned to action Friday after missing more than a month with a strained right hamstring. He entered Friday hitting .240 with 20 home runs and 41 RBIs.
Murakami replaces Minnesota center fielder Byron Buxton, who has a right hip impingement.
Martinez replaces Boston pitcher Ranger Suarez, who spent his first nine seasons with Philadelphia before signing with the Red Sox during the offseason. Rafaela will fill in for eight-time All-Star and three-time American League MVP Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees.
Suarez went on the injured list with a strained left groin Thursday. Judge has not played since late Mary because of a stress fracture of a rib on his right side.
Rafaela is hitting a career-best .286 with eight homers, 39 RBIs and 12 stolen bases. He becomes the third All-Star from the Red Sox, joining closer Aroldis Chapman and first baseman Willson Contreras.
Martinez entered Friday’s start against Seattle with the league’s ninth-lowest ERA among qualified pitchers at 2.61, He’s allowed three or fewer runs in 16 of 17 starts this season.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JULY 6: Yoshinobu Yamamoto #18 of the Los Angeles Dodgers smiles in the dugout in the tenth inning during a game against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium on July 6, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Dodgers star right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto made his second straight All-Star team this year, and on Saturday he’ll make his final start before the break, on the mound in the middle game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium.
Yamamoto has allowed nine runs in his last eight starts, and on the season sports a 2.49 ERA and 3.35 xERA.
Right-hander Brandon Pfaadt starts for Arizona on Saturday.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JULY 10: Mikel Brown Jr. #0 of the Brooklyn Nets drives against Will Johnston #26 of the New York Knicks in the first half of a 2026 NBA Summer League game at the Thomas & Mack Center on July 10, 2026 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. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
If you’re the fan who refuses to get too high on Summer League, but also the kind who’s keen to see the crown knocked off the recently-anointed New York Knicks, Brooklyn’s fourth game this summer likely put your spirit in a pretzel.
The Nets met their cross-town rival a couple of thousands of miles away this afternoon to kick off their run in the Las Vegas Summer League. New York, the team without any game action yet this month, looked the part throughout the entire contest, needing every minute and more to find their groove. The Nets needed the first half and about three minutes of the third quarter, but no more.
And in the end, it was another eye-opening performance for Brooklyn’s Backcourt as Egor Demin and Mikel Brown Jr. scored 20 points each and dominated New York, 91-65.
While Brooklyn entered this one already with three games under their belt, this was our first look at sophomore Danny Wolf. The Yale x Michigan product did not play at all in Sacramento but started this afternoon alongside Mikel Brown Jr., Egor Dëmin, Drake Powell, and Chaney Johnson. However, Brown Jr., fresh off a fine first game himself on Monday night, got the mic with Chris Haynes pregame.
“I feel like I hold myself to an expectation that’s higher than what other people are saying,” he said when asked about the hype around him as a prospect. “Obviously, you know, I feel like if you have expectation on you, that means you’re expected to be a great player. So just, you know, embracing it.”
For a second straight game, Brooklyn’s first points came from Brown Jr. on a fadeaway jumper along the baseline, yet this time from within the three-point arc. Points of all kinds came at a premium to begin the game, however. Both teams began the contest shooting 3-of-18 from the field. And although it was a collective brick-building effort in the first, the Knicks did the heavier lifting, going without a made field goal until the 3:07 mark of the period. While the Nets weren’t much better, Wolf and Dëmin did connect during this slick ATO…
Nets continuing to experiment with Egor Dëmin as a screener this summer.
Shots momentarily started falling for the champs as the first crossed over into the second where the Knicks enjoyed a 12-0 run which gave them the lead. While Brooklyn caught no such breaks, they did snag a handful of offensive boards to stick around. Johnson and Dain Dainja tapped the team into way to a few extra possessions and points. Dainja, a force off the bench for a second straight game, finished with six points, six boards, and a rejection.
Meanwhile, Egor Dëmin continued to laugh in the face of discouragement. After missing his first three shots of the game, the sophomore guard just kept on pulling deep into the second. His darts started hitting the board down the stretch of the period as well. His two makes from beyond the arc in the final two minutes of the frame were enough to give Brooklyn a 38-33 lead at half.
Dëmin led the Nets there with 15 points on 6-13 shooting and 2-8 from deep. Johnson followed with a 9/6/2 line along with two steals. Brown Jr. (4), Wolf (0), and Powell (1) collectively had just five points on 1-8 shooting, but did their best to make up for it on the other side of the ball.
Drake Powell, Danny Wolf, and Mikel Brown Jr. collab on a strong defensive possession for Brooklyn pic.twitter.com/RPmAQBr9kz
In the third, Brooklyn continued to lean on their defense, forcing four turnovers in the subsequent period’s first five minutes. Johnson picked Dillon Jones’s pocket before going coast to coast for a jam roughly four minutes deep. Brown Jr. stole one before flying and flushing less than a minute later…
And while up there, the sixth overall pick ripped the saran off their rim. The Nets continued to push on the break after turnover and boards alike. After converting a number of transition points, they started to find their groove in the half court as well. In a flash, Brooklyn experienced a 15-0 jolt that gave them a 22-point lead. MBJ topped it off with one to help all the pre-draft Steph Curry comparison artists out…
While later in the game, that was only the start for Brown Jr. In the fourth, he turned a redemptive second half into a stellar outing and a comfortable win into a nasty blowout. Flashing his feel on the court and knack for finding space once again, he mixed in a flurry of threes put the game out of question. The rock fight we were watching an hour before suddenly felt like a foggy memory. MBJ had 16 points in just under 15 minutes of second half play before taking a seat with the Nets up 85-53 and a little under five minutes remaining. He finished with 20 points, three assists, and two steals while shooting 6-12 from the field and 3-6 from deep.
Mikel Brown Jr. is just putting on a show at this point.
The Nets emptied their bench soon after that shuffle and splash before easily trotting to their third straight summer league victory, and their first part of this official tournament.
“I was just trying to find a rhythm, you know,” Brown Jr. said post game. “Coach just told me to stay aggressive, keep going and keep making plays, so that’s what I did.”
Julius Randle Speaks with Chris Haynes
Hours after the trade finally processed, Julius Randle made his first public appearance at this one. He spoke with Haynes during the second quarter.
“I’m great, man. You know, I’m excited,” he said. “Great opportunity ahead. Great organization. Made me really comfortable to start. So, you know, got a lot of young talent. Got some good vets. Excited to see what we can put together.”
Haynes asked specifically about Randle’s experience as a team leader and veteran locker room presence. In case you live under a rock, he was widely praised for his efforts while doing that now two stints ago with the Knicks.
“I mean, just ability to adjust and adapt, to be honest, ” he said. “I had one of the best best mentors there was that brought me in from day one in Kobe when I was a young player. I understood and saw how important that was for me at the start of my career, just seeing him and seeing him as an example for me as a player. So, I just try to pay the game back.”
On his role now with the Nets specifically, he restrained himself from making any bold predictions in terms of team success, but also acknowledged the opportunity to succeed.
“I mean, we just got to lean into each other, take it day by day, step by step, and just keep building,” he said. “I’m not gonna say what we’re gonna do or we’re not gonna do, but I know we’re gonna come in every day with the right mindset, right professionalism, and just get better every single day. I believe in a lot of these young guys, the talent that we have, and then some of the older guys, — MPJ, Keon, Terrence, and you got Day’Day [Day’Ron Sharpe]. You got a lot of guys, a lot of talent, so it’s really up to us, to build the chemistry and put it all together, and I feel like we will.”
He also spoke briefly on his relationship with Brown Jr.
“Yeah, I talked to him. I try to talk to him a lot. I joked with him that I don’t really watch a lot of college basketball, but the one game of his that I did watch was versus my Kentucky Wildcats, and he did us dirty. So, I gave him a little hell about that. But you know, it seems like he’s got a great hand on his shoulders, very poised, calm, and confident. I like what I’m seeing out here, as far as his pace of play. He plays at his own pace and can see the floor really well, so it’s gonna be up to us vets to pick him up to speed and really get him going. But he’s gonna be great. He’s gonna have a great career.”
Brown Jr. also shared postgame that the Nets had a team dinner last night with Randle and Michael Porter Jr.
“Got to talk to them for a little bit,” he said. “You know, just to be able to pick their brains means a lot.”
Next Up
Brooklyn is back in action tomorrow vs the Atlanta Hawks. The game will be on ESPN and is scheduled for tipoff at 8:00 p.m. EST. It will be the first game from the 28th pick, Joshua Jefferson, who couldn’t even train with Brooklyn until the big trade involving Julius Randle and Nic Claxton was finalized earlier in the day.
Since it’s the back end of a back-to-back, don’t expect the Nets’ two backcourt mates to play.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 09: Yuki Matsui #1 of the San Diego Padres pitches against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the fifth inning at Petco Park on July 09, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Toronto Blue Jays (44-49) at San Diego Padres (46-47), July 10, 2026, 6:40 p.m. PST
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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JULY 7: (L-R) Shohei Ohtani #17, Roki Sasaki #11, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto #18 of the Los Angeles Dodgers sit in the dugout in the ninth inning during a game against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium on July 7, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/IOS/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dodgers scratched Shohei Ohtani from his scheduled start on Friday against the Arizona Diamondbacks due to irritation in his left knee, an ailment that has plagued him off and on for the last month. Ohtani will still be the designated hitter this weekend, but won’t travel to Philadelphia to take part in All-Star Game festivities.
Ohtani left a game in which he was the designated hitter on June 10 in Pittsburgh, but made his pitching start the next day on June 11. He has a 4.38 ERA in his four starts since, but has lasted at least six innings each time out with a 3.32 xERA, 26.2-percent strikeout rate, and 7.5-percent walk rate. That’s compared to a 0.74 ERA, 2.45 xERA, 28.8-percent strikeout rate and 7.7-percent walk rate in his first 10 starts.
At the plate Ohtani has homered twice this week but so far through seven July games has just six hits in 27 at-bats, hitting .222/.323/.444.
In a press release the Dodgers said Ohtani will undergo “interventions” in his left knee beginning after Sunday’s game. Manager Dave Roberts told reporters Friday at Dodger Stadium Ohtani would get fluid drained from his left knee. Ohtani will also receive a pain-killing injection in his knee, per Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register and others.
“He’s been managing this quite well, the knee,” Roberts told reporters Friday, as shown on SportsNet LA. “If there’s a chance that we could be proactive and get it drained, and do whatever we need to do to try to manage it, along with the rest for the All-Star break, we were gonna do that.”
Dave Roberts said the treatment Shohei Ohtani will receive won’t impact his pitching plan in the second half. He will get his knee drained on Sunday.
How the Dodgers manage Ohtani’s rest and playing time while he navigates being a full-time two-way player for the first time since 2023 is one of the keys to the season. He hasn’t been the designated hitter in four of his 10 pitching starts, and has also had full days off — no hitting or pitching — in five other games (May 14 vs. Giants, June 4 at Diamondbacks, June 12 at White Sox, June 19 vs. Orioles for the birth of his second child, and July 4 vs. Padres).
Even with the occasional built-in rest, Ohtani has batted 395 times this season and faced 340 batters as a pitcher. He’s been directly involved in 735 total plate appearances this season, 28.7 percent more than the next-most, Miami Marlins ace Sandy Alcantara. Through 94 Dodgers games this season, that’s roughly 7.82 plate appearances per game on average that Ohtani is a part of. For context, last season Ohtani was stretched out to four innings pitching by August 6. Beginning with that game, he faced 125 batters as a pitcher and batted 210 times over the Dodgers’ final 48 games, averaging 6.98 plate appearances per game.
Ohtani has started each of the last five All-Star Games, and was voted this year to start again at designated hitter after earning the most fan votes in the National League. Cardinals catcher and designated hitter Ivan Herrera was named on Friday to replace Ohtani on the NL All-Star roster. Roberts as manager of the National League gets to set the starting lineup, but it’s a no-brainer that Phillies DH Kyle Schwarber, who received the most All-Star votes at the position by players (554 votes for Schwarber, 536 for Ohtani), will likely start at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia on Tuesday.
The man behind one of the strangest LeBron James scoops is trying his hand at another one.
Jonathan Gotschall, the former Caroline’s Cupcakes owner whose bakery drew national attention in 2014 for calling James’ return to Cleveland, is now floating another wild rumor.
In a post from POKÉ Fresh Ohio, which he now owns, Gotschall claimed James is not only coming back to Cleveland but also bringing son Bronny James and Draymond Green with him.
“Hey guys. I’ve got it on good authority that not only is LeBron coming back to Cleveland, but he’s bringing Bronny and Draymond with him!” Gotschall wrote. “If you don’t believe me, you can Google ‘Caroline’s Cupcakes + LeBron’ to check my credentials. This ain’t my first rodeo. IYKYK.”
Jonathan Gotschall, the former Caroline’s Cupcakes owner whose bakery drew national attention in 2014 for calling James’ return to Cleveland, is now floating another wild LeBron rumor.
Gotschall told The Post that it’s “still a rumor,” but still posted the rumor publicly.
More than a decade ago, Gotschall scooped the entire NBA world days before James penned a letter announcing his return to Cleveland after four seasons with the Miami Heat.
“Just texting with a friend who is directly tied in with LeBron and his camp, and he swears on his life #TheReturn to Cleveland is a done deal,” Gotschall wrote on Facebook on July 5, 2014, five days before the official announcement. “Per his sources, calls have already been made to other current Cavaliers to spread the news. If this is true, and like anything on the internet, take that with a grain of salt … are you ready to get out your old jersey and welcome LeBron home?!?”
The Washington Post picked up on the rumor two days later, joking that while ice cream wasn’t on the menu at the sweet shop, “scoops are.”
Now, Gotschall is laying his reputation on the line once again, hoping lightning can strike twice.
LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts to a call during the second half against the Chicago Bulls on January 26, 2026 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
A return to Cleveland would mark James’ third stint with the Cavaliers, the team that drafted him No. 1 overall in 2003 and the franchise he led to its first NBA championship in 2016.
It would also place him on a far different Cleveland roster than the one he rejoined in 2014, with the Cavaliers now built around Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen and likely returnee James Harden.
The Bronny and Draymond elements would make the rumor even more complicated.
The St. Louis Blues announced on Friday night that they have signed Oskar Sundqvist to a one-year, two-way contract. The contract will pay $850,000 NHL and $300,000 AHL.
The 32-year-old was an unrestricted free agent who played in 52 games for the Blues last season and had 17 points (five goals, 12 assists).
Sundqvist has spent two separate stints with the Blues, appearing in 432 games with 141 points (52 goals, 89 assists) and 180 penalty minutes.
Sundqvist also played in 25 Stanley Cup playoff games with the Blues in 2019, helping the Blues win their first Cup.
He's made St. Louis his home and was not inclined once again to leave, but now will have to fight for his spot to make the NHL roster for the 2026-27 season.
Overall, the Boden, Sweden, native has played in 545 NHL regular-season games, including stints with the Detroit Red Wings, Minnesota Wild, Pittsburgh Penguins and Blues, posting 181 points (67 goals, 114 assists).
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