TORONTO, CANADA - JANUARY 12: Kyle Lowry #7 of the Philadelphia 76ers enters the game in the second half against the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena on January 12, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 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 Cole Burston/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Lowry was a real contributor when he first joined the Sixers after the 2024 trade deadline. In the final months of the regular season he played 28 minutes per game averaging 8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 4.6 assists before starting all six of the Sixers postseason games.
Not only did Lowry get to play for his hometown team, but he appeared to be one heck of a mentor for Tyrese Maxey, to hear Maxey tell of it. Now he’ll get one more send off for the team he accomplished so much for.
Playing big minutes with reasonable production would set AJ Dybantsa up for a long and productive career with the Washington Wizards. | NBAE via Getty Images
The Washington Wizards signed AJ Dybantsa to a rookie-scale contract on Thursday, the team announced.
It’s a four-year, $66.91 million deal that carries a team option for the final two seasons. Here’s a breakdown of Dybantsa’s cap hit each season, according to Spotrac.
Factoring in Dybantsa’s cap hit, the Wizards have roughly $13,556,249 in luxury tax space and the full $15 non-taxpayer mid-level exception to use in free agency.
Dybantsa will make his Wizards debut at 9 p.m. ET on July 9 when Washington opens Summer League on ESPN against the Utah Jazz.
CLEVELAND, OH - MARCH 8: The sneakers worn by Baylor Scheierman #55 of the Boston Celtics during the game against the New York Knicks on March 8, 2026 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Lauren Leigh Bacho/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Jul 2, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Jared Koenig (47) talks with Milwaukee Brewers pitching coach Chris Hook (84) in the seventh inning against the Cincinnati Reds at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images | Michael McLoone-Imagn Images
Jacob Misiorowski versus Chase Burns was rightfully billed as one of the season’s top pitching matchups. And we did get to see a bunch of really good pitching from both pitchers. But one ill-timed and uncharacteristic mistake from Misiorowski cost the Brewers, while the bottom of the Reds’ order did a whole bunch of damage today and gave Burns more than enough of an early cushion to lead Cincinnati to a comfortable win.
Surprisingly, it was the Reds who jumped out to an early advantage. After Misiorowski started the game with a three-pitch strikeout of Elly De La Cruz, Sal Stewart pounced on a 102-mph, 1-2 fastball that didn’t quite get high enough in the zone and hit it out to right-center. Credit to Stewart — players just haven’t been able to barrel up Misiorowski’s fastball this year, and Stewart caught one. Misiorowski proceeded to strike out both of the next two hitters to end the inning, but Cincinnati handed Burns an early lead.
Burns didn’t get off to an ideal start either, as his afternoon began with a four-pitch walk to the scuffling Christian Yelich. Burns recovered and got Jackson Chourio to pop out to first base, and Brice Turang struck out, though Yelich stole second base on the last pitch to Turang. William Contreras had a chance with a runner in scoring position and two outs, but he struck out on three pitches, and the inning ended.
Misiorowski started the second with his fourth strikeout, and then finally decided to mix it up by getting Noelvi Marte to ground out. A strikeout of Edwin Arroyo ended the inning and gave Misiorowski five Ks through two innings.
Jake Bauers crushed a line drive to start the bottom of the second, but he hit it right at the first baseman, Nathaniel Lowe, for a tough-luck out. Garrett Mitchell had a nice at-bat too, and drew a seven-pitch walk, but then had a brain fart; Sal Frelick hit a ball to fairly deep right-center, but it was pretty clearly catchable, and Mitchell forgot how many outs there were. Frelick’s fly ball was just the second, but Mitchell was at third base when the catch was made, and he was casually doubled off.
Jose Trevino started the Reds’ third with a single just past a diving David Hamilton at third. TJ Friedl followed with a bunt that might’ve gone for a hit, but Hamilton made a nice bare-handed play, and then Bauers made a great pick on the throw over to first to secure the first out. De La Cruz hit a fly ball to medium left that became the second out, and with Trevino still at second base, Stewart struck out on an unsuccessfully checked swing on a 3-2 curveball in the dirt.
Cooper Pratt started the bottom of the third with a solid drive to right field, but Marte was able to make the catch on the warning track. Hamilton was next and hit a ground ball up the middle that Burns knocked down with his glove, which gave Hamilton an infield single. Yelich, up next, jumped on the first pitch and hit a drive deep to left, but JJ Bleday made a jumping catch against the wall (and briefly got his foot stuck in the padding at the base of the wall). With Chourio batting, Hamilton stole second base, but Chourio struck out to end the inning.
Bleday started the fourth with a perfect bunt toward third. Hamilton very nearly made a great play to get him, but Bauers couldn’t hold onto the throw — it wasn’t a difficult play for Bauers, so it was a weird E3. Misiorowski’s tough luck continued when Euguenio Suárez hit a jam-shot pop-up single to shallow right that put runners on the corners with nobody out. Miz took a step toward getting out of it when Lowe, on the first pitch, hit a pop-up to Pratt, but Marte, also swinging at the first pitch, lined a single up the middle for an RBI single. Arroyo struck out, too, but Misiorowski left a 3-2 cutter over the plate, and Trevino hit it just over the wall in the left-field corner for his first home run of the season, a three-run shot that made it 5-0. Given Trevino’s marginal ability with the bat, it was fair — as Brian Anderson did on the broadcast — to question why Misiorowski didn’t just use his fastball on 3-2, but hindsight is 20/20, as they say.
Turang reached on an error by De La Cruz to start the bottom of the fourth, but Contreras flew out, Turang was caught stealing, and Bauers hit one to the warning track in the wrong part of the ballpark in deep center. Through four innings, the Brewers had three of the top five and eight of the top 12 hardest-hit balls in the game, but they had nothing to show for it — almost literally, as only Turang’s error and Hamilton’s infield single were the only of those eight batted balls in which any Brewer reached base.
Miz came back in the fifth with a quick three-up, three-down, two-strikeout inning, but the Brewers needed runs. Mitchell was happy to oblige. He jumped on Burns’ second pitch of the bottom of the fifth and sliced it out to nearly the same place that Trevino hit his, down the left-field line, for a solo home run; that made Mitchell 5-for-5 with four extra-base hits and a walk in his last six plate appearances.
Milwaukee unfortunately couldn’t build on the momentum of Mitchell’s homer. Frelick grounded out to second, Pratt flew out to right, and Hamilton struck out. The Brewers were on the board, but still had a long way to go.
Misiorowski was pulled after five innings, perhaps a strategic move to manage his long-term workload, given he had thrown only 82 pitches (there was no sign of any injury). Miz made a couple of mistakes, but his defense didn’t help him, and he still showcased what makes him so unhittable. In five innings, Misiorowski allowed five runs (though only one was earned), didn’t walk anyone, and struck out 10.
He was replaced by Grant Anderson, who did a nice job. He struck out Suárez and Lowe, then got Marte to ground out to second for a quick inning. Milwaukee’s offense then kept pecking away in the bottom of the inning. Yelich, after not challenging a 3-0 pitch that appeared to be ball four, flew out to left. But Chourio hit a one-out single on a ground ball up the middle, and Turang followed by slapping a ball down the left-field line for a double, which Bleday misplayed, allowing Chourio to score from first. Contreras was next, and he hit a ground ball back to Burns, who made a heads-up play and, instead of throwing to first, caught Turang too far off the bag at second. After the ensuing pickle, the Brewers had Contreras on first with two out instead of Turang at second, but it didn’t matter anyway as Bauers grounded out. The Reds led 5-2 after six.
Anderson was out for his second inning in the seventh. He got the first two quickly, but the Reds’ nine-hole hitter, TJ Friedl, got a 1-0 fastball right down the middle at 92.7 mph and managed to hit it out to right-center. It was a nice day for five batters for Anderson, but the sixth left a sour taste, and Anderson was pulled in favor of Jared Koenig. De La Cruz, Koenig’s first batter, lined a single into left, and his second batter, Stewart, walked. Koenig got ahead of Bleday 0-2, but followed with four straight balls to load the bases. It wasn’t easy, but Koenig managed to get Suárez to fly out to right to end the inning and strand the bases loaded.
Burns gave way to Sam Moll in the seventh. He finally retired Mitchell, but it took a nice play on a swinging bunt up the first-base line. Frelick was next, and he was hit by a pitch to give the Brewers a baserunner. Pratt, who needs a hit, made good contact, but his line drive was snagged by Stewart — brutal, as Pratt would’ve had extra bases. Instead, the Brewers had two outs and sent Joey Ortiz to the plate to pinch-hit for Hamilton, and he flew out to right.
The Reds added another in the eighth. Joel Kuhnel replaced Koenig and gave up a leadoff single to Lowe. After a couple of fielder’s choice groundouts (including an incredible play by Ortiz), Trevino and Friedl hit back-to-back two-out singles to score the Reds’ seventh run. It could’ve been worse, too, but Frelick made a fantastic diving catch to rob De La Cruz of another run-scoring hit.
Yelich appeared to draw a leadoff walk to start the bottom of the eighth, but an ABS challenge from Trevino reversed the 3-2 pitch by the slimmest of margins. Moll then gave way to Tejay Antone, who got Chourio to ground out and struck out Turang.
For a feel-good moment at the end of a lousy day of baseball, the Brewers handed the almost-29-year-old Garrett Stallings his major league debut in the top of the ninth. Stallings, who was drafted by the Angels way back in 2017 and has been pitching for Triple-A Nashville since midway through the 2024 season, needed just one pitch to get his first major league out when Stewart flew out to left. The next hitter, Bleday, picked up a cheap single off the end of the bat, and Suárez worked a walk. But Spencer Steer flew out to center, Marte struck out, and Stallings had a scoreless first outing.
Brock Burke was the Cincinnati pitcher in the ninth, and the game ended anticlimactically. Contreras grounded out on the first pitch, Bauers struck out looking, and Mitchell lined out to second base to end the game.
It was a dud of a game and a disappointing use of what could’ve been another good Misiorowski start — he really only made the one bad pitch, to Trevino — but it was still a good series for the Brewers, who took three of four and still hold a five-game lead in the NL Central despite the Cubs’ recent hot streak. The Brewers only managed four hits in this game, with the highlights being Mitchell’s home run and Turang’s double.
Flush it and move on to the next one! That next one comes tomorrow night in Arizona, with an 8:45 p.m. CT start.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – JANUARY 30: Anfernee Simons #4 of the Boston Celtics attempts a shot against the Sacramento Kings during the second half at the TD Garden on January 30,...
The 76ers have added another potent scorer who once played for the Celtics.
The Sixers have agreed to a deal with Anfernee Simons, who suited up for the Celtics last season. Getty Images
The deal is worth $12.3 million, with the second year containing a player option, per Charania.
Simons, 27, reportedly fielded interest from the Mavericks, Warriors and Heat before agreeing to terms with the Sixers, according to Marc Stein.
The 6-foot-3 guard boosts Philadelphia’s scoring, particularly off the bench, coming off a 2025-26 campaign in which he ranked sixth in the NBA with 130 triples as a reserve.
Simons began last season with the Celtics, averaging 14.2 points and shooting nearly 40 percent from beyond the arc before he was dealt to the Bulls at the trade deadline.
He immediately entered Chicago’s starting lineup, but he appeared in just six games before sustaining a season-ending left ulnar styloid fracture in his left wrist.
The eight-year NBA veteran finished last season averaging 14.3 points, and over the past five campaigns, he’s averaged 18.8 points between the Trail Blazers, Celtics and Bulls.
After being swept by the Knicks in the Eastern Conference semifinals, Philadelphia has been busy at the onset of free agency.
Simons split last season between the Celtics and Bulls. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
“I’m told the Sixers are also trying to make a pitch to LeBron James along with the Warriors, Cavaliers and the Heat,” Charania said on ESPN after breaking the Simons signing.
“Include the Sixers and maybe one or two other teams in due time in that mix. But the Sixers get Anfernee Simons and they’re obviously trying to continue to add to this team.”
Between the Sixers’ active offseason and Giannis Antetokounmpo joining the Heat and the Raptors reuniting with Kawhi Leonard, it’s been an active summer.
The flame was lit when the Lakers acquired Luka Doncic in February 2025, a generational player who could put the team atop the NBA again.
The Lakers’ Luka Doncic (right) is in his prime and has not said he wants to remain with his current franchise forever. AP
It was fanned when Mark Walter’s ownership group took over the franchise six months later, the brain trust that helped transform the Dodgers into three-time World Series champions over the last six years.
And gasoline was poured on it when LeBron James announced his eight-season tenure with the Lakers had come to an end.
All eyes were on Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka. What grand plan did he have up his sleeve as the chimes officially rang on “Summer of 2026,” the vaunted period when the Lakers were to be transformed into champions once again?
A flurry of moves happened.
The result?
Instead of gasps, there were groans.
Instead of building a team that could contend against the Spurs or Thunder, he assembled one that’s worse than last season’s squad.
Pelinka was clearly trying to build a team in the likeness of the 2023-2024 Mavericks, who reached the Finals with Doncic surrounded by ball handlers (Kyrie Irving), rim-running lob threats (Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford) and 3-and-D wings (P.J. Washington and Derrick Jones Jr.).
Center Walker Kessler is a solid player, but did the Lakers mortgage their future to get him? Getty Images
But this is the janky reboot.
It’s the sequel that never should’ve been made.
It’s the new season that lost its magic.
The Lakers overpaid for Walker Kessler, acquiring him on a four-year, $130 million contract with a player option in the fourth season. As part of the sign-and-trade with the Jazz, they gave up unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033, plus first-round pick swaps in 2028 and 2030.
Kessler is the defensive-minded, rim-protecting center they wanted. But was he worth mortgaging their future? The Lakers no longer have any tradable first-round picks over the next seven years.
But let’s take a moment to look at who they lost in free agency.
LeBron James, you know, arguably the greatest player of all time, who even at age 41 was good enough to single-handedly lead the Lakers past the Rockets in the first round of the 2026 playoffs.
The Lakers and Austin Reaves decided to stick together, but did the franchise tie up too much of its money on a few players? USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con
And Luke Kennard, the best 3-point shooter in the league.
The current Lakers roster lacks defense, aside from Kessler. It lacks a wing stopper. It lacks depth.
The Lakers entered free agency with the most cap space of any team at around $50 million. But they didn’t come close to building a contender. Their current squad wouldn’t even be able to get past last year’s team in a playoff series. And the Lakers squandered all of their draft capital.
Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters
Instead of having a splashy offseason, the Lakers are sinking.
Sure, they got younger. Austin Reaves is now the oldest player on their roster at age 28. But they also got less talented. They’ve committed $480 million among Doncic, Reaves and Kessler.
Free agency isn’t over. The Lakers reportedly have interest in Jonathan Kuminga, whose $24.3 million team option was recently declined by the Hawks. They better figure something out to shore up their holes.
Lakers GM Rob Pelinka was determined to assemble a splashy roster this summer, but the moves he made weren’t impressive. Getty Images
This much is for sure: The moves Pelinka made weren’t impressive.
The Lakers aren’t going to be able to compete in the very crowded Western Conference. They’ve hamstrung themselves with huge contracts. They have no draft assets. Their defense is porous.
He’s in his prime. He’s not going to allow the Lakers to squander it. His patience is going to quickly wear thin if Los Angeles isn’t able to compete.
While Doncic made it clear he wanted to spend his entire career with the Mavericks, he has given no such assurances to the Lakers.
This summer was supposed to be Pelinka’s celebration. His coming-out party. His chance to prove to Walter that he can expertly pilot a 17-time champion franchise that views anything short of titles as failures.
It was his time to show that his mistakes in the draft over the past few years were anomalies. That his greatest accomplishment wasn’t acquiring a gift-wrapped Doncic. That he’s the Lakers’ future.
Instead, this may be the beginning of his swan song.
The Lakers stormed into this offseason with a treasure trove of ways to climb atop the league. There was a palpable buzz around them. The whole basketball world was watching.
But instead of assembling a team that inspires fear, they’ve built one that inspires shrugs.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - APRIL 05: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks before the game against the Memphis Grizzlies at Fiserv Forum on April 05, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 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 John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
On Thursday morning, The Ringer’s Bill Simmons reported on his latest podcast that contract extension talks were a factor in why the Celtics were not able to land Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Antetokounmpo, Simmons reported, wanted a three-year extension while the Celtics wanted two (and the money was based more on percentage of the cap than raw totals). Simmons reported that Antetokounmpo wanted three years at 35%, the Celtics “were pretty entrenched” at two years at 30%.
“Giannis wanted the three [years] for 35% [of the cap], and they couldn’t agree on it,” Simmons said.
(Based on the current cap, that’s a difference of roughly $8.2 million per year).
However, a league source told CelticsBlog that Giannis Antetokounmpo’s looming extension was not a factor in why the Celtics didn’t land him, and that they were prepared to offer him the full 3-year, 35% contract extension.
Milwaukee ultimately accepted an offer from the Miami Heat that included Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, three first-round picks (including No. 13 in the 2026 NBA draft), one pick swap and one second-round pick. Antetokounmpo, in turn, lands in Miami after a season in which he averaged 27.6 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 5.4 assists, while shooting 62.4% from the field.
On Wednesday, the Celtics traded Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers for Paul George, two first-round picks, and two second-round picks. Brown is coming off a career-best season, averaging 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.1 assists, while finishing sixth in MVP voting.
This story will be updated if more information is available.
As Jaylen Brown put it in his farewell to Boston, “As one chapter closes, another begins.”
The Boston Celtics will move on to their next chapter without Brown, a franchise cornerstone for the last 10 years. On Wednesday, they traded the 2024 NBA Finals MVP to the Philadelphia 76ers for Paul George, two first-round draft picks, and two second-rounders.
The stunning move hasn’t sat well with C’s fans, who question the meager return and the willingness to send Brown to an Eastern Conference rival — especially one that ousted Boston in the first round of this year’s playoffs. Even Brian Scalabrine, a former Celtic and longtime play-by-play broadcaster for the team, had his gripes with the deal.
“It’s weird with Brad because he has used this line quite a bit, and it really brought comfort to me, which is, ‘We know what our North Star is in Boston. In Boston, it’s a championship.’ But this is not a North Star move, unless there’s something up their sleeve later on down the road,” Scalabrine said on Thursday’s Early Edition.
That take has been the consensus among Celtics fans. George is a significant downgrade, especially at 36 years old, and he’s set to make $57.7 million next season with a $56.6 million player option for 2027-28. In no way does this trade make Boston a better team on paper in the short term.
That said, Scal still believes the C’s will at least be as competitive as they were last season, when Brown propelled them to a 56-26 record and the second seed in the East despite Tatum missing most of the campaign with an Achilles injury.
“Paul George is on our team this year, and in a weird way, I actually think the team is gonna be just as good as they were last year,” he said. “You’re slipping in Tatum instead of Brown. All the young guys, it’s not like they’re gonna stay stagnant. In Boston, everybody gets better.
“You add Mitchell Robinson, Paul George is gonna float around and knock down 3s. But we all can come to the realization that we are not a championship-level team, so what is the next championship-level move?”
Even if the Celtics are among the best in the East next season, they’re still likely a piece or two away from contending with the NBA’s elite. Scalabrine wants the C’s to do right by Jayson Tatum and maximize the team’s potential to win another title under his leadership.
“I don’t know if you owe it to the fans, but you definitely owe it to Jayson Tatum, who’s now in the second part of his career after the Achilles injury,” Scal said. “So what are you gonna do for this guy so he could be a legendary Celtic?
“I know Paul George is not the overall answer, but what is the answer so we can get back on top? Because I look at Oklahoma City, I look at San Antonio, that looks 100 miles away. It doesn’t look like we’re just right there.”
Well, I’m back. No more balmy 70 degree days and pleasing trips to look for bison and gaze at geysers. Wyoming was very pleasant, and I thoroughly enjoyed the disconnect for a few days. Many thanks to James and Justin for keeping things ticking over in my absence! Normal service is now being resumed…
June results
When we checked in at the start of June, things were going pretty well in Diamondbacks land. They had posted a winning record for the month of May, and the +32 run differential was their best for a calendar month since July 2024. The battle for the wild-card was a tight one, with only 2.5 games covering fourth and eleventh in the National League standings. But Arizona were in a tie for the third spot, and it was the pitching staff who they had to thank for that, posting the third best ERA in the majors at 2.98. It was the first time since August of 2018 the D-backs had a collective ERA for the month below three – and that included Zac Gallen’s 7.04 figure.
Everything was looking good, and that definitely had an impact on fan confidence…
In particular, the bottom of the poll looks a lot better. At the beginning of May, almost half of the votes (47%) came in at four or below. This month, that has largely evaporated, with only fourteen percent now falling into those categories. Instead, both six and seven basically doubled, going from 19% to 37%, and 9% to 23% respectively. The overall result was a bounceback month, improving by almost a full point, the average rating going from 4.78 to 5.71. It was the highest figure at this point since 2023, reflecting an overall record for the D-backs four games better than last year, and 5.5 games above the end of May 2024.
Below, you can see the breakdown for the past 12 polls’ results, followed by the line graph showing the trends over this and previous seasons.
July poll
The month of June, however…? The exact opposite run differential for Arizona, at -32, as the team ERA plummeted to 25th in the majors, at 4.90. The only pitcher with an ERA below two? Ildemaro Vargas. It was confirmed that Corbin Burnes will not be back as soon as hoped, and the same goes for A.J. Puk. The team continues to do well against weak opponents, an MLB-best 30-13 record against sides below .500. But against those at or above .500, they are the exact opposite there too: 13-30 is ahead only of the Rockies. It feels like the 2026 D-backs are defined largely by who they play.
How do you feel? That’s what the poll below is for. And, of course, tell us in the comments why you feel that way, especially if your opinion has changed from last month.
LOS ANGELES, CA - May 08: Jim Jarvis #74 of the Atlanta Braves in action during the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on May 8, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Rob Leiter/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Atlanta Braves had the worst offense in MLB in the month of June after having one of the best in the previous months. Some of that had to do with injuries, and regression to the mean of some players overperforming their underlying metrics, but a lot of it had to do with key players just not hitting.
The shortstop position has been bad for the Braves for years, but it looked like they would have a stop gap in place with Ha-Seong Kim, but that clearly has not worked out. Jorge Mateo has had his moments but he has also been struggling over the past month. On the other hand, Jim Jarvis is slashing .313/.406/.461 in AAA, and the call was finally made to bring him back up after his earlier season cup of coffee call up.
The Cardinals will have Dustin May on the mound tonight. May had an incredible start two starts ago where he had a one hit complete game shutout with no walks and nine strikeouts. However, he followed that up with his last start where he gave up two HRs and six earned runs in only 2.0 innings.
Mike Yastrzemski spent time on the Giants and May was on the Dodgers for years so it make sense that he would lead the team with fourteen at-bats against May. He has been successful with a .500 average and 1.206 OPS against May. Austin Riley only has five at-bats against May but has made the most of them with two HRs, and Dominic Smith has a HR in three at-bats against May. Outside of these mentioned players though the rest of the team has struggled. No other starter has an OPS better than .400. However, it should be noted that none of those players have more than eight at-bats against him either.
The Braves are bringing Hurston Waldrep to the mound and with his limited MLB experience it should come as no shock that none of the Cardinals players have faced him before. Waldrep was hitting ninety-nine MPH before his injury. If he shows a strong outing against this lineup it would go a long way in giving the Braves some hope of the future.
Jul 2, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Sign displays the air temperature of 100 just before first pitch between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Pittsburgh Pirates at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
The temperature was hot. The Phillies’ bats were not. Throw in some more shaky work by the Phillies’ bullpen and you have a 6-1 loss to the Pirates that most in attendance probably wish they had skipped.
A day after pummeling Pirates ace Paul Skenes, the Phillies were facing Jared Jones who entered the game with a 5.76 ERA. When he struck out the side in the first inning, that gave us a good indication as to how the day was going to go.
The Phillies broke through for a run in the third when they got a couple of runners on board thanks to walks and Bryce Harper doubled one of them home.
Alan Rangel got the start for the Phillies, and despite having plenty of baserunners aboard during his four innings, he somehow stranded them all. The Phillies’ bullpen couldn’t say the same. Tim Mayza took over in the fifth, and gave up three hits to allow the Pirates to tie it up.
After a scoreless frame by Jonathan Bowlan, Jose Alvarado pitched the seventh and immediately ran into trouble. A single by Brandon Lowe followed by a triple by Esmerlyn Valdez (Alvarado certainly wasn’t helped by Justin Crawford’s defense) put the Pirates up 2-1.
A single by Nick Gonzales then made it 3-1, and then the rest of the game consisted of the Pirates slowly extending their lead and the Phillies’ bats doing absolutely nothing to counter it. After Jones left the game, the Phillies managed just two hits in five innings against the Pittsburgh bullpen.
The Phillies gave an inning each to Lou Trivino and Kyle Backhus, and both men showed why they are limited to low leverage situations. After Trivino walked his second batter of the inning, I questioned why any fans not sitting in an air-conditioned suite would choose to remain in their seats.
The Phillies will have a full day to stew in the loss – and hopefully avoid the heat – before they travel to Kansas City for an ultra-rare Saturday through Monday series.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 12: Nae'Qwan Tomlin #30 of the Cleveland Cavaliers looks on during the game against the Milwaukee Bucks during the 2025 NBA Summer League game on July 12, 2025 at the 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 2025 NBAE (Photo by Logan Riely/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliersbegin Summer League on July 10 when they take on the Indiana Pacers at 4:30 PM on ESPN 2. Now, we know who will be a part of the team, as they announced the roster for this season.
The headline of the group is recent second-round pick Meleek Thomas. The shooting guard will make his on-court debut for the wine and gold after signing a standard contract on Wednesday.
Nae’Qwan Tomlin will also see some action this go-around. Tomlin started last season on a two-way contract, but was pressed into duty more than anticipated due to injuries. He performed well and earned a standard deal as a result, but saw his minutes decrease toward the back end of the season. Tomlin is the only other player on a standard contract that will be a part of this group.
Tyrese Proctor is noticeably absent from the group due to spending the summer with the Australian national team.
This year’s squad will be rounded out by all three of the current two-way players: Riley Minix, Tristan, Enaruna, and newly signed undrafted free agent Ernest Udeh Jr.
The group will be led by Cavs assistant Andrew Olson, with Cleveland Charge head coach Eli Kell-Abrams taking on the associate head coach duties.
The entire group that the Cavs will be bringing to Las Vegas can be seen below.
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Cubs fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
Earlier this week, I asked you: If the Cubs can’t trade for Tarik Skubal (for whatever reason), who would you want as your next choice for a starting pitcher trade?
Your answer was close, but Joe Ryan of the Twins is your guy:
The advantage to Ryan – beyond his obvious talent – is that he’s under team control for one more year after 2026. So this would be more than a rental, as Freddy Peralta would be. (BTW, I still like that pic of Ryan, so I decided to use it again.)
One other guy on that list who is intriguing is Reid Detmers, who’s having a solid year for a bad team and is three years younger than Ryan (Detmers turns 27 next week). He comes with two years of team control after 2026 and is making only $2.625 million this year. If Ryan can’t be acquired (for whatever reason) I think the Cubs should seriously look into Detmers.
Here are the responses to the national questions asked in the SB Nation Reacts survey this week.
Mets owner Steve Cohen has said he’s not firing David Stearns, which could be the dreaded “vote of confidence.” But I suspect Stearns finishes out this year, at least.
Both Buster Posey and Craig Breslow could be out of jobs after 2026, though the Red Sox have righted the ship, to some extent. The Giants are a hot mess and clearly, Posey, as great a player as he was, is way over his head in this job.
That’s about a 50/50 split, and the question didn’t go into exactly how the Draft should be revamped. What sorts of ideas would you have?
Yeah, that’s a definite “no one.” The Giants have been awful. The Red Sox got a really good starting pitcher in that deal, Kyle Harrison… oh, wait, he was traded to the Brewers for Caleb Durbin (and others). What a disastrously bad deal for Breslow, as Harrison has been one of the best pitchers in the league this year.
The start of NBA free agency has produced plenty of league-altering moves in 2026, just not in the form of many high-profile free agent signings. Instead, blockbuster trades have been the preferred method of transaction for teams this year and it's almost hard to keep up with how many star players switched uniforms since the NBA offseason began.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jaylen Brown, Kawhi Leonard, Ja Morant, LaMelo Ball, Julius Randle, Tyler Herro and Paul George were among the players with NBA All-Star credentials to land with new teams after the frenzy of moves that took place in recent days. LeBron James, meanwhile, began the NBA's free agency period as the top free agent on the market and it's still the case as of Thursday, July 2.
Note: NBA teams can not officially sign free agents to contracts until July 6 at 12:01 p.m. ET
LeBron James
Whatever team the NBA's all-time leading scorer chooses, the fact he's so coveted as a 41-year-old is yet another accomplishment that's largely incomparable in league history. Though part of that is due to James' decision to not prioritize money during this free agent process, he will be a difference maker for whichever playoff contender he chooses. Depending on how much of a pay cut James is willing to take, there may not be a better bargain in the NBA than him next season.
Philadelphia 76ers
The Sixers seemingly came out of nowhere to snag Jaylen Brown from their division rival, exchanging what had been considered one of the worst contracts in the NBA (Paul George) for a second team all-NBA selection coming off the best season of his career (Jaylen Brown), two first-round draft picks and two second-round draft picks. The Sixers also swiped Anfernee Simons and Dean Wade over several others in bargain bench deals. Philadelphia suddenly looks like it could be the biggest threat to the Knicks in the East again.
Miami Heat
Pat Riley and the Heat are winners simply by landing the superstar they've coveted for years in Giannis Antetokounmpo. Miami did lose Norman Powell to free agency, but Bam Adebayo and Andrew Wiggins will return to form perhaps the Eastern Conference's top frontcourt with Antetokounmpo. How the rest of the roster is filled will determine just how big of a win this will appear to be during Antetokounmpo's first year with the Heat. Adding James along with Antetokounmpo would create flashbacks to when Riley formed the Big Three in Miami during James' initial free agency "decision."
Toronto Raptors
The version of Kawhi Leonard that played for the Clippers this past season, paired with Scottie Barnes, should make the Raptors a legitimate Eastern Conference Finals contender. Toronto gave up Brandon Ingram and draft picks to get Leonard via trade, but enough of last year's supporting cast remains and Leonard gives the franchise a veteran closer with multiple championship runs under his belt. The Raptors seemed hamstrung by several contract extensions in recent years that quickly became overpays, so pulling off this move is a worthy bet to take.
NBA free agency losers
Boston Celtics
Celtics lead basketball executive Brad Stevens is taking a beating from fans over how this offseason is going. Boston failed to land Antetokounmpo despite offering Brown and then elected to trade Brown for what's perceived to be the below-market return of George, two first-round draft picks and two second-round draft picks. The Celtics did address issues inside, signing Mitchell Robinson from the New York Knicks, and there could be another move still in the works. But the Boston roster seems worse today than it did after being eliminated from the 2026 NBA playoffs.
Los Angeles Lakers
Though the Lakers pivoted quickly from the LeBron James era, they had to pay a lot to do so and they might not be any closer to contending with the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder. The Lakers are betting big on the nucleus of Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and Walker Kessler because they committed most of their salary cap space and draft picks for the foreseeable future toward putting together a new-look roster this offseason.
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons let go well-regarded veterans in the locker room to upgrade their roster around Cade Cunningham this offseason, but the results have been lackluster thus far with only Isaiah Joe added to the fold. The franchise is also now embroiled in an increasingly uncomfortable contract negotiation with all-NBA center Jalen Duren, a restricted free agent who has taken meetings with several other teams.
New York Knicks
Knicks owner Jim Dolan's determination that the team should not go into the second apron of the NBA's salary cap this offseason to keep its NBA championship team together led to Robinson's departure to the Celtics. Though New York hasn't lost anyone else of significance, the rest of the Eastern Conference looks stronger via trades and the Knicks don't have many avenues to add more depth.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - NOVEMBER 01: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics reacts during warmups before a game against the Houston Rockets at the TD Garden on November 01, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. 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 Brian Fluharty/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Jaylen Brown is a Sixer. Those are not words I ever thought I’d write, let alone out of nowhere in 2026 free agency after he was dealt for the 36-year-old Paul George of all players.
But here we are. Mike Gansey has not been messing around after taking over as the Sixers’ president of basketball operations. The shocking blockbuster for Brown is really happening, and Philly’s new incoming star has now made his first statement since the trade.
Like all of us, Brown is probably still in a state of shock. After spending all 10 years of his NBA career so far in Boston, becoming a five-time All-Star and NBA champion and Finals MVP there, it’s an awful lot to leave behind both personally and professionally.
Of course, Brown shared just how grateful for is everything he had in Boston:
First and foremost, thank you to the Most High, even in the midst of adversity. I’m here with gratitude.
I’m still processing how this all went down. I’m excited and disappointed at the same time. I earned my respect from this city. I never asked for shortcuts or special treatment. I simply showed up every day, put my head down, and accepted every challenge.
The relationships I built here, the battles we fought together, the championship we brought to this city, and the connection I shared with the fans, I’ll carry on with me.
And when it came to talking about heading to Philly, as you’d expect Brown shared his excitement for the new opportunity. Plus, he put emphasis on how he’s looking forward to earning respect in his new city through hard work. The kind of hard work that’s allowed him to develop into such a high level player.
I’m excited for what’s ahead and grateful for the opportunity to join Philadelphia. Every city has its own identity, its own passion, and its own expectation. I respect that, and I’m looking forward to earning that respect the only way I know how.. through the work.
Philly – throw the ball up let’s get it!
Brown is fresh off a career year averaging 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game with a 57.3 true shooting percentage, showcasing such talent as a creator and making the All-NBA Second Team for the second time. It’s still just two years since he rose to Finals MVP level. Waiting to see what Brown does with the Sixers is exciting to say the least.
The good news just keep going, too! How about the Sixers adding even more offensive creation and much needed high-volume, highly accurate three-point shooting to their bench with the excellent value signing of Anfernee Simons.
