The Philadelphia Flyers have undertaken a major youth movement on their NHL roster in recent seasons, and while another young prospect had a legitimate chance to continue that trend, it'll have to wait for at least one more year.
On Monday morning, the Flyers announced that 2024 second-round pick Jack Berglund, who played for the AHL Lehigh Valley Phantoms at the end of last season on a tryout basis, has been loaned back to his SHL club, Farjestad BK, for the 2026-27 season.
Berglund, 20, has impressed the Flyers with the strides he's made since being drafted 51st overall in 2024, establishing himself as an SHL regular and dominating on the international junior stage for Sweden.
Last season, the 6-foot-4 power forward appeared in 40 games for Farjestad, scoring seven goals, five assists, and 12 points before adding another three assists in seven postseason contests.
During the U20 World Junior Championship, Berglund dropped a monster three-goal, seven-assist, 10-point stat line in just seven games en route to a gold medal, and finished his season with nine goals, 13 assists, and 22 points in 17 total games for Sweden's U20s.
The 20-year-old prospect was in attendance for the Flyers' regular season game against the Carolina Hurricanes, when the Flyers clinched their playoff berth with a 3-2 shootout win.
During the second intermission, we had the chance to catch up briefly, and Berglund said that he, the Flyers, and his camp would discuss the plan for the season during the summer.
Four months later, and only one month before the start of training camp and the NHL preseason, that decision between the two sides has been made, with Berglund putting a potential NHL push aside for one more season while also getting the opportunity to play a premier role for one of the SHL's biggest clubs.
With his 12 points in 40 games for Farjestad last season, Berglund ranked fourth in the SHL in points from D+2 skaters, trailing only San Jose's Leo Sahlin Wallenius (13), the undrafted Valter Lindberg (17), and Anaheim's Lucas Pettersson (20).
Berglund's seven goals, however, slotted him behind only Pettersson (10).
The Flyers and Berglund each have certainty now heading into the new season, and a productive campaign on the player's part will position him nicely for an NHL roster spot in 2027.
Bronny James comes into Year 3 of his NBA career with the specter of LeBron James' shadow looming. He will now be the lone James on the Los Angeles Lakers roster and enters a pivotal season when development and usage will be lingering questions.
As LeBron heads east, joining the star-studded Philadelphia 76ers, Bronny will for the first time test the NBA landscape without his dad in the locker room. The decision to part ways with the Lakers ignited ongoing speculation that the father-son tandem might be a package deal. And, the possibility that L.A. might trade Bronny continued to be a talking point.
During a radio appearance on the Brock and Alex Show on 97.1 The Fan LA in July, California Post reporter Khobi Price, spoke about James' situation in the wake of LeBron going to the 76ers.
"Now, what I want to make clear is that the Lakers are more than happy to keep Bronny James," Price reported on the show.
"They've drafted him in the second round two years ago. They developed him. They're a fan of him. He has a lot of people who like him within the building," Price continued.
It's clear the Lakers are interested in keeping Bronny as a 3-and-D player on the roster. But how might he work his way into a crowded, new-look lineup?
The stats over his first two seasons certainly tell a tale of a player who has made slow but steady progress both in efficiency and usage. Here is how James has developed across the stat line two years in.
Bronny James Stats
Season
GP
Minutes/Game
FG%
3P%
PTS
2024-25
27
6.7
31.3
28.1
2.3
2025-26
42
8.9
40.9
38.6
2.9
James saw an increase in minutes and games played in his Year 2 campaign. But, he also spent time in the G-League, showing improvement in shooting efficiency there as well.
While his minutes played for the South Bay Lakers decreased from 34.2 to 26.7, he managed to show his growth offensively. Both his field goal and 3-point percentage went up from 44.3% to 56.4% and 38% to 45.6%, respectively. Though it should be noted that his volume decreased in that span, shooting roughly 10 times a game last season compared to the nearly 18 shots he was getting up in his rookie campaign.
James' development is certainly reason to be optimistic, but hardly assures minutes during the season. With the additions of Collin Sexton and Quentin Grimes and stars Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves in the backcourt, James will be hard-pressed to see action on the floor.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 20: the sneakers of D.J. Rodman #27 of the Charlotte Hornets against the Sacramento Kings during the 2025 NBA Summer League Championship game on July 20, 2025 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 2025 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
One of the first major moves that now-former Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman made shortly after his hiring in 2019 was to select defenseman Moritz Seider with the sixth overall pick in that summer's NHL Draft.
The move, which startled many in hockey circles, has turned out to be one of Yzerman's most meaningful decisions.
Not only has Seider blossomed into Detroit's top defenseman, but he also recently garnered consideration for both the Hart Trophy as the NHL's most valuable player during the regular season, along with the Norris Trophy, awarded annually to the League's top blue liner.
Not surprisingly, Seider was included in a recent ranking by NHL.com of the top 20 players at his position currently suiting up, coming in at No. 9 overall.
Mortiz Seider (@DetroitRedWings) is back on the Top 20 Defensemen Right Now list!
This past season, Seider set personal highs with 10 goals and 50 assists for 60 points while posting a plus-15 rating.
He also averaged a team-leading 25:39 of ice time per game while playing in all 82 contests; he's yet to miss a single game in his career, which began in the 2021-22 season.
Seider, who won the Calder Trophy as the NHL's best rookie that season, routinely garners high praise from head coach Todd McLellan for his durability and brute effectiveness on the ice.
“I really think he’s a diesel engine,” McLellan said of Seider in January. “He just never turns off, and he just keeps going. His stamina is remarkable.”
“His overall presence on the ice, both offensively and defensively, I think he’s taking strides,” McLellan said. “His … mistakes are being minimized.”
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On this day 49 years ago, Kevin Bell became the first White Sox No. 9 hitter to slam two homers in a game. | (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
1959 White Sox infielders Nellie Fox and Luis Aparicio appeared together on the cover of Sports Illustrated. The headline read, “Magic Up The Middle, Fox And Aparicio.”
1960 A 6-0 whitewash ended a three-game set with the Yankees at Comiskey Park on a sour note, losing two of three and falling to 61-47. That said, this three-game set, a Monday-Wednesday series no less, set the all-time Comiskey Park and Chicago attendance record for three games: 144,840. The Sox drew 48,323 to a 9-1 trouncing of New York on Monday night, lost 7-4 in front of 48,408 on Tuesday night, then wound things up with this day game, with 48,109 in the stands.
1978 Kevin Bell provided all the offense for the White Sox in a 7-3 loss at Toronto. Bell slammed home runs deep and out to left field at Exhibition Stadium, a solo blast in the fifth inning and a two-run shot in the seventh. It marked the first time that a White Sox player had ever homered twice from the No. 9 spot in the lineup.
It was also Wilbur Wood’s final start in the major leagues (he would relieve in one more game after this), and not one he was happy with: seven innings, seven hits, five earned runs, six walks, three Ks and a homer. Wood fell to 10-10 with the loss, and the White Sox a season-worst 20 games worse than .500, at 46-66.
1981 The White Sox brought the most significant work stoppage in MLB history at the time to an end with a 7-1 win at Boston. Harold Baines doubled in Ron LeFlore in the first inning and the White Sox never trailed. Future 1983 heroes Richard Dotson and LaMarr Hoyt started and ended the game, but it was middle innings-eater Dennis Lamp who earned the win.
In the bastardized, split-season format used only in 1981 due to the strike, the White Sox were tied for first, at 1-0 — in the “true standings,” at 32-22, they were just 1 1⁄2 games behind first-place Oakland.
1990 The odds had to be a million to one. For two of the smallest players in Major League Baseball, the impossible happened.
In the second inning of a doubleheader nightcap at Comiskey Park, Craig Grebeck and Ozzie Guillén hit back-to-back home runs off of hard-throwing Nolan Ryan. It was part of a four-run inning in a 5-1 win and a sweep of the two games.
Making matters even more incredible was that both Grebeck and Guillénpulled their shots. Craigreaching the left-field seats and Ozzie right field! It was Grebeck’s first career home run, and the only one he’d hit in 135 plate appearances in his rookie year.
1993 With his career fading, the White Sox dealt franchise all-time saves leader Bobby Thigpen to the Phillies for pitcher José DeLeón. Thigpen saved a then-major league record 57 games in 1990 but was never the same afterwards, posting lower and lower save numbers in the years after the mark was set.
2009 In an aggressive move that ultimately backfired, the White Sox claimed two-time All-Star Alex Ríos off of waivers from the Toronto Blue Jays. Rios was hitting .264 at the time, with 14 home runs, 62 RBIs and 1.5 WAR — but was also due $58.6 million through 2015.
Rios’ tenure with the White Sox was a mixed bag, playing poorly after being claimed in 2009, and in the ballyhooed 2011 “All-In” season (-2.5 WAR combined) but flashing the talent that got him claimed by GM Ken Williams in the first place in 2010 (3.3 WAR) and 2012 (4.8 WAR).
Rios was off to a so-so start in 2013 (1.4 WAR) before the White Sox dealt him to Texas for Leury García. The deal off-loaded more than $20 million the White Sox were on the hook for, but overall, doling Rios out $37.2 million to produce 7.0 WAR in his career on the South Side was a significant overpay.
García went on to play 10 seasons on the South Side, producing 4.4 WAR for the club.
2024 With another loss to the Cubs, this one 3-1 at Sox Park, the White Sox were now underwater as a franchise, at 9,581-9,582. It marked the first time since Aug. 14, 1956 that the White Sox carried a losing record as a franchise.
To add insult to injury, by falling to an unfathomable 28-91 on the year the White Sox now were in sole possession of the second-worst start to a season in AL-NL major league history, trailing only the woebegone 1915 Philadelphia A’s.
Tarik Skubal will take the mound at Dodger Stadium on Monday, Aug. 10, with a lot more at stake than anticipated.
It will be a chance for the dominant pitcher to win over fans during his first home start in a Los Angeles Dodgers uniform. But it’s more crucial than that.
Skubal, the two-time Cy Young Award winner acquired by the Dodgers this month, has a team to help rescue.
Since acquiring the lefthander, the Dodgers have lost so much that Skubal might have thought he had been traded back to the Detroit Tigers. Actually, while the Dodgers have lost eight of nine games, the Tigers have won six of eight games.
Yes, Dodgers world has spun off of his axis.
That is why Skubal needs to be more than a great pitcher. As the Dodgers begin a three-game homestand against the Kansas City Royals, he needs to function like a superhero, minus the cape perhaps.
In his first start for the Dodgers, Skubal gave up two runs in six innings against the Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles lost 5-1 at Wrigley Field. Skubal struck out six, walked two, gave up a home run and said he liked his stuff.
That stuff’s not good enough for now.
Over the past nine games, the Dodgers have failed to score three runs or more four times and are averaging 3.22 games per games. During that same stretch, the Dodgers opponents have scored 5.7 runs per games.
Skubal needs to handcuff the Royals and spark the Dodgers.
Now.
Tarik Skubal blunders during interview
On Aug. 7, Skubal appeared on Barstool Sports’ “Pardon My Take’’ and blundered. The host pointed out how difficult it must have been for Tigers fans to lose Skubal.
“And it sucks for me too,’’ Skubal said. “This wasn’t the way the season was supposed to go…
“I would love to play my whole career in Detroit. You know, I would love to. And hopefully those negotiations can pick back up in November once the playoffs are done.’’
Los Angeles doesn’t need its prized acquisition publicly entertaining the idea of returning to Detroit, much less before making his first start at Dodgers Stadium since the trade.
Over the past 24 games, Los Angeles is 9-15. And over the past 42, the Dodgers are 21-21, an extended stretch over which they have not played like favorites to win their third consecutive World Series title.
The Dodgers need a spark. It should come from the mound Monday from a pitcher who's focused on his new home.
When Tarik Skubal last took the mound at Dodger Stadium, he did so for the first time as a Cy Young winner for the Tigers in the Dodgers’ home opener back in 2025. That wasn’t one of Skubal’s finest moments, allowing four runs in just five innings in what turned out to be a one-run loss against the reigning champs, and here he is, now on the other side. When Skubal was traded to the Dodgers at the deadline, the term embarrassment of riches never felt so appropriate, yet his immediate role is one not many envisioned for the standout lefty.
As you might see being the case with other big-name acquisitions at the deadline, Skubal is now being asked to put an end to the Dodgers’ worst form in the 2026 campaign—having lost eight out of their last nine games—dropping series against the Red Sox, Cubs, and Diamondbacks. It’s relevant to point out those specific teams not only for their quality but also that each of them is in the middle of very productive stretches.
However difficult to come by, wins have been as of late; it wouldn’t be easy to handpick a more appealing outlook than to have your most talented starting pitcher at home against a team that finished the month of July getting swept by the Colorado Rockies—one of four in the big leagues with already 70 or more losses.
If there is something to be wary about in this Monday matchup, it is that while the Royals may not be in top form, their starter Noah Cameron is. The talented left-hander who finished last season in the top 5 for the AL Rookie of the Year voting has completed eight innings in back-to-back starts and has allowed just one run and five hits over his last 23 frames. Struggling against left-handers has been a common theme for the Dodgers as of late, hoping to change that at home.
TORONTO, ON - JUNE 30: Ace the mascot of the Toronto Blue Jays waves a Canadian flag the day before Canada Day during MLB game action against the Detroit Tigers at Rogers Centre on June 30, 2018 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Toronto Blue Jays probably win the 2025 World Series a good number of times if you keep replaying those last few innings of Game 7. But 2026 has, so far, not been the redemption tour anyone had in mind. Sure, you can have your team go on a historic run including a 15-game winning streak to get right back into the playoff mix, but that’s easier said than done. These 2026 Jays are 6-3 against the Boston Red Sox and this four-game series could still decide their season series. After the Jays swept Boston in June they probably figured the season series was safe. But the Sox still have a path to seven wins.
Sonny Gray shut down the Chicago White Sox last time out and is working on his lowest ERA since 2015. His FIP is higher, but then again his FIP in 2015 was 3.45. He’s pulled off the better ERA trick before. He’s faced Toronto twice this season: a 7.0 inning, 3 run outing in June and a 5.0, 5 run game in July. Jameson Taillon has made one start with the Jays since being acquired from the Chicago Cubs. His season in Chicago, where he’s been since 2023, was rough. He had a 5.92 ERA / 6.72 FIP in 76 innings while allowing career high homers-per-9 (25 total!). In 2025, Taillon allowed 24 home runs in 129.2 innings. His one start back in the American League (at Houston) was a 4.0 inning, 3 run performance with 4Ks and 2 BBs. He allowed a 26th home run. We’ve seen some high-ERA guys settle down against Boston before but Taillon has pretty much struggled regardless of the team. If Gray can keep the Sox in this they’ve got a chance to quickly forget about the A’s.
Patrick Sandoval turned in 5.0 solid innings against the White Sox during a rout. He held Toronto scoreless for 4.2 innings back on July 29th. He too will need to keep the Sox in the game because of his opposing pitcher, Dylan Cease. The potential American League Cy Young Award winner for 2026, Cease has been excellent. His last time facing Boston, Cease tossed a complete game shutout. With, uh, 12 Ks, his season high. This will be the fourth time Boston has had to face Cease this year (which is just not fair but is random) and the Jays have won two of his three starts coming into this one. On April 27th the Sox scored 4 runs in 5.2 innings off Cease. A big night for Sandoval and the bats would really take the wind out of Toronto’s sails as they enter the series 7-3 in their last 10 games.
Ranger Suarez labored through three innings against the Chicago White Sox in that thrilling 13-inning win last week. He hasn’t quite bounced back from his IL stint. He’s been limited to 4.0 innings (against the Jays), 4.2 innings, and that early exit against the White Sox. It’s hard not to think of his April 27th start in Toronto where he held them scoreless for 8.0 innings in dominant fashion. A highlight of the pre-streak Sox. He’ll face off against new acquisition José Soriano. The righty, recently acquired from the Los Angeles Angels who play in the city of Anaheim, had a 0.84 ERA headed into May. He then put up two months of 5.34 ERA ball until bouncing back with 5 solid starts in July and August, including his first with the Jays. He hasn’t allowed more than 3 runs since June 24th. Despite the really hot run to begin 2026, he’s right in line with previous seasons in terms of his hits, walks, and strikeouts for the season as a whole. He is leading the league in walks with 60 in 127.2 innings. Force him to make pitches might be the strategy here for some guys.
The finale is New Hotness vs Old and (somewhat) Busted. That’s right: Payton Tolle against Max Scherzer. Tolle is coming off a 14 strikeout performance against the A’s. The old man has accomplished this feat 5 times in his career. Plus 6 more starts with more than 14 Ks, including a 2016 performance with 20 strikeouts against the Detroit Tigers. Mad Max Scherzer has only made 9 starts this year and while several have been dreadful, he’s been solid as of late. His last two outings total 11.1 innings with just 3 runs allowed against the Phillies and Cardinals. Before that he allowed 1 run in 2.2 innings against the Nationals. He put together a bit of a run in the 2025 playoffs and fresh from the IL he might be doing the same over his recent starts. If this is the end it’s an impressive career. The Sox didn’t face him this year given his multiple IL stints. He’s only good for about 80-85 pitches this year. It could be a great one for the history books that the future Hall of Famer faced off with young Tolle and people will be amazed they played at the same time.
Adley Rutschman will travel to Toronto with the team but will not be activated on Monday.
Vlad still doesn’t have a home run at home. He’s also hit just 7 total. A far cry from 2021’s total of 48.
Probable Pitching Matchups
Monday, August 10: Sonny Gray (2.78 ERA /3.52 FIP) vs. Jameson Taillon (5.96 ERA / 6.67 FIP)
Tuesday, August 11: Patrick Sandoval (3.38 ERA / 4.00 FIP) vs. Dylan Cease (2.28 ERA / 2.20 FIP)
Wednesday, August 12: Ranger Suarez (3.32 ERA / 2.71 FIP) vs. José Soriano (3.24 ERA / 3.78 FIP)
Thursday, August 13: Payton Tolle (3.20 ERA / 3.25 FIP) vs. Max Scherzer (7.25 ERA / 6.89 FIP)
SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 06: The 2008 USA Basketball Men's National Team is honored during the 2025 Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony at Symphony Hall on September 06, 2025 in Springfield, 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 Adam Glanzman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
This weekend, Bright Side will be at Naismith, Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts, to cover Mike D’Antoni and Amar’e Stoudemire and the rest of the 2026 class as they get inducted into the Hall of Fame.
D’Antoni and Stoudemire, both leading members of the Phoenix Suns’ iconic “7 Seconds or Less” era back in the 2000s, where the Phoenix Suns made three Western Conference Finals and started the 2004-2005 season with the fifth-best record ever through 35 games. The “7 Seconds or Less” Suns were one of the first teams to play four players around the perimeter and one player inside, and they are considered a highly influential impact on how modern basketball is played.
Surrounded by two-time NBA MVP Steve Nash, Stoudemire made five All-Star appearances and was a four-time All-NBA selection as a member of the Suns, while D’Antoni led Phoenix to four-straight 50+ win seasons, the second-longest streak in Suns history.
Bright Side’s has a myriad of coverage planned for the event, spanning from exclusive content with D’Antoni and Stoudemire, columns with quotes about their careers and exclusive reports, but we want to know what else you want to hear about during the event as we prepare for coverage.
Certain stories about iconic Suns games? Who do the two think was the best Suns team of the era? It doesn’t even have to be about the Suns. Certain memorials that you want to learn more about at the Hall of Fame? Cool displays? The food? The layout? Nothing is off limits.
Before we head off to Springfield, we want to give YOU the opportunity to contribute to Bright Side articles and help create the content you most want to read and watch about, so let us know in the comments.
Los Angeles (70-48) will host Kansas City (49-70) for a three-game series. Both teams are struggling as of late and rank near the bottom of the league both offensively and defensively in August.
The Royals are 3-7 over the last 10 games and 1-3 in the last four outings. Kansas City tosses Noah Cameron on the mound, who is coming off his best start of the season. Cameron went 8.0 innings with three hits, one earned run, nine strikeouts, and one walk against Minnesota (2-1 win). That broke the Royals' four-game losing streak with Cameron on the mound.
Los Angeles is 1-8 in the last nine games and fresh off enduring a season-long seven-game losing streak. The Dodgers are hitting .244 (15th) in August with the sixth-fewest runs scored (25), while the pitching staff owns a 5.27 ERA (27th). However, they turn to Tarik Skubal, who makes his second start with the team. Skubal took a loss in his debut with Los Angeles over six innings against the Cubs with two earned runs and four hits allowed. Skubal went 7.1 innings with one earned run and 12 strikeouts to one walk in his only start versus Kansas City this season.
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Game details & how to watch Royals at Dodgers
Date: Monday, August 710 2026
Time: 10:10 PM EST
Site: Dodger Stadium
City: Los Angeles, CA
Network/Streaming: MLB TV
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Royals at the Dodgers
The latest odds as of Monday:
Moneyline: Los Angeles Dodgers (-266), Arizona Diamondbacks (+245)
Freddie Freeman has recorded a hit in 16 of his last 18 games
Shohei Ohtani is batting .300 to start August (9/30)
Mookie Betts is hitting .185 in August (5/27)
Isaac Collins is hitting .190 in August (4/21)
Jac Caglianone is hitting .406 in August (13/32) with three home runs
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Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Royals at Dodgers
Los Angeles is 49-66 ATS, ranking third-worst
Kansas City is 54-65 ATS, ranking fourth-worst
Los Angeles is 63-54-1 to the Under, ranking ninth-best
Kansas City is 62-54-3 to the Under
Los Angeles is 20-36 ATS qt home, ranking second-worst
Kansas City is 26-34 ATS on the road, ranking fourth-worst
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Dodgers and the Royals
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Monday's game between the Dodgers and the Royals:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Dodgers on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Dodgers at -1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Over on the Game Total of 7.5
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SPRINGFIELD, MA - September 7: Inductee Don Nelson speaks to the audience during the 2012 Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony on September 7, 2012 at Symphony Hall in Springfield, 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2012 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
When the New York Knicks needed a new head coach after the 2020 season, they didn’t merely replace David Fizdale — fired after a 4-18 start gave way to interim Mike Miller. They wanted to open up all the windows and doors and air out all the stink of the prior era. Thus, the hiring of Thomas Wayne Thibodeau (his real middle name is Joseph, but I prefer Wayne).
When the Knicks decided they needed a new coach after the 2025 season, they didn’t merely seek to replace Thibodeau — the only coach the franchise has ever fired after consecutive 50-win seasons. They wanted to change some of his cultural cornerstones, like playing the starters historic minutes while trying to win every single preseason, regular-season and postseason game with a seven-man rotation. Thus the hiring of Michael Burton Brown (that is his middle name, and it works).
When the Knicks were suddenly single after the 1995 season, they did what a lotta teams do when it’s time to replace a Type A personality: bring in someone different. Jim Fassel begat Tom Coughlin. The famously intense Pep Guardiola left Manchester City and begat Enzo Maresca, already enjoying the new coach headwind of being more relaxed than his predecessor. In 1995, Pat Riley left the Knicks via fax, the kind of divorce notice that doubles as a confession: your ex has already been stepping out on you.
But unlike Fizdale, and to a far lesser extent Thibs, Riley was already a success as the Knicks coach when he left. In the 18 seasons between the Knicks’ most recent second title and them hiring the Rat of Schenectady, they won 50-plus games twice and a single best-of-7 playoff series. In his four years at MSG, they won 51, 60, 57 and 55 games, along with three best-of-7 series, and made their first trip to the Finals since Watergate was just a salad.
A trim, fashionable figure in his dark Armani suits, Riley was cool and controlling, his ultra-marathon practices far longer and more grueling than the real games. He was a New Yorker come home to one of the world’s fashion capitals, where Nike was ripping kids off to infuse “cool” into their ads and many of the most controlling powers-that-be are based. Riley’s Knicks were tough, mean, and relentless.
They replaced him with the Big Lebowski.
Imagine replacing Thibodeau with Mike D’Antoni. Or hiring the famously defensive Jose Mourinho after his antithesis in Guardiola. The Knicks had just enjoyed a Silver Age renaissance under the quintessential head-to-toe icon of order. Hiring Don Nelson wasn’t going from Type A to Type B; it was going from Type A to an irregular fraction with stains on his tie.
I wish I remembered more of that time, young as I was and brief as it was. Nellie went 34-25 before being fired, after a win in Toronto led by 30 points from Hubert Davis. That was more than Patrick Ewing and John Starks combined. That was some of the reason why Nelson didn’t make it to game 60. He preferred to run his offense through a point forward, which elevated Anthony Mason’s role and his numbers. He preferred Davis to Starks. He thought Ewing was past his prime and wanted to make Orlando an offer for Shaquille O’Neal, with noises out of Orlando already implying Fu Schnickens was unhappy in central Florida.
But Nelson couldn’t win. Riley took his talents to South Beach, but the team he’d made in his image wasn’t going anywhere or changing any. That was both the glory and folly of the ‘90s Knicks: they insisted upon themselves as is, and it was very nearly enough, but also it very clearly wasn’t, and yet they seemed fated to stay fixed in place. The proud Ewing resented Mason’s larger influence. Mason went from 23 career starts before Nellie to starting all 82 games under him and leading the league in minutes, yet as Chris Herring wrote in Blood in the Garden even that wasn’t enough for Mase, who made a death threat to Nelson for not playing him more. Think Starks thought he should be backing up Hubert Davis?
For me, the firing of Nelson goes down as a sliding doors moment in Knicks history, similar to Davis being fouled by Scottie Pippen in the ‘94 playoffs and Allan Houston’s shot bouncing in against Miami in 1999. Nelson was always ahead of his time, not only about the Knicks but the game in general. His teams were funky and fun, playing smallball and dismissing positions decades before either was commonplace. Watch any of his sides: Milwaukee in the early 1980s, Golden State later that decade, Dallas in the 2000s. All a bridge too far for a team whose offensive identity for a decade was little more than “pass it to Ewing; if he’s doubled, get the ball out and get it back to him; hope he scores.”
What if Nelson had stayed? The summer after he was canned, the Knicks had oodles of cap space and not one, not two, but three first-round picks in one of the great draft rounds of all-time. How might his presence have impacted free agency? Maybe the Michael Jordan and Reggie Miller rumors were always that, just rumors — but would either of those two established stars and Knick rivals have left teams coached by Phil Jackson and Larry Bird for one led by an interim who went 13-10 in Jeff Van Gundy? Wouldn’t Nelson’s presence have made the team more appealing, especially to veterans? Would his keen eye for talent have yielded a better draft day than using picks 18, 19 and 21 all on power forwards: John Wallace, Dontae’ Jones and Walter McCarty?
My strongest memories of Nelson growing up were that he was the player my father hated the most (Nellie spent most of his playing days with Boston), and one incident from his time as Knick coach that forever endeared him to me. On January 12, 1996, the Knicks traveled to play the Celtics. These were the sad-sack Celtics of Dino Radja, Eric Montross and Pervis Ellison. Coming into the game, Celtic guard Dana Barros had either set the record for most consecutive games making a 3-pointer or he was closing in on it.
Late in the fourth it was clear the Knicks were going to win. But Boston coach M.L. Carr didn’t want Barros to lose his streak. In a game where the other Celtic starters combined for eight 3-point attempts — same as the entire Knick team — Carr brought Barros, who’d launch nine all by himself, back into the game just so Boston could try to get him another 3. You’ve probably seen nonsense like that before. What you don’t often see is a team down double-digits in the final seconds calling timeout to draw up a last-second shot for someone.
Some coaches wouldn’t care one way or the other. Some would wait until the press conference after the game to make their true feelings known. God bless Don Nelson for being one of the few with the chutzpah and sense of showmanship to respond to Carr’s shenanigans by bringing Mason (6-foot-7) in on the final possession specifically to lock up Barros (5-foot-11) and make sure he couldn’t even get a shot off. After the final horn Carr was so pissed he took the game ball and threw it at the back of Nellie’s head. Nellie laughed.
Don Nelson was ahead of his time. In many ways he tried to fix the ’90s Knicks at a time when no one else would admit the patient showed any signs of illness. And despite his number hanging in the Boston Garden rafters, he didn’t flinch when the people he made his bones with tried getting one over on him. He enjoyed good food, good weather and good weed, and that makes him my kinda people. For all those reasons, he may only hold a small place in Knicks history, but it’s a good one. Rest in peace, Nellie.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - AUGUST 05: Max Muncy #13 of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrates with Kyle Tucker #23 and Mookie Betts #50 after hitting a three-run home run against the Chicago Cubs during the eighth inning at Wrigley Field on August 05, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dodgers have combined a seemingly endless war chest with cutting edge analysis to identify a roster of talent that has helped them become a dynasty, including another title last year. But although they have the fourth-best record in baseball going into this series, they have gone into a slide, losing eight of their last nine games.
Kansas City Royals (49—70) vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (70-48) at Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, CA
Shohei Ohtani is hitting .301/.365/.602 with 8 HR in his last 26 games.
Jac Caglianone is hiting .378 with four home runs in his last 11 games.
Who’s not:
Tommy Edman is mired in a 4-for-38 (.105) slump over his last ten games.
Kyle Isbel is just 2-for-16 (.125) since coming off the Injured List.
Interesting matchups:
Teoscar Hernandez is 6-for-11 (.545) with two home runs against Michael Wacha.
Salvador Perez is 12-for-42 (.286) with four home runs and no walks against Tarik Skubal
Tarik Skubal makes his first start at Dodger Stadium since he was acquired from the Tigers. He is 5-9 with a 3.86 ERA in 19 games against the Royals in his career. Blake Snell returns to make his first start since mid-May when he had elbow surgery. The Dodgers have not yet announced a starter for Wednesday, but Lauer started last week against the Cubs, giving up six runs and 11 hits in four innings.
Edwin Diaz has blown the lead in each of his last two outings, and has given up five runs in four innings since coming off the Injured List. Only three teams in baseball have fewer blown saves than Dodgers relievers.
This is just the fourth time the Royals have visited Dodger Stadium, and they have only won two games there in nine tries. The Dodgers may be vulnerable right now, but seeing the Royals on the schedule may be just what they need to get back on track. The Royals will try to cobble together a pitching staff to face one of the top lineups in baseball, and pray they catch the Dodgers on an off-night.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 07: Jackson Merrill #3 of the San Diego Padres walks to the dugout before the game against the Houston Astros at Petco Park on August 07, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The two youngest players on the San Diego Padres roster are playing their best baseball when it means the most for the Friars.
Center fielder Jackson Merrill, 23, and right-handed reliever Bradgley Rodriguez, 22, are significantly younger than any other player, even rookie outfielder Jase Bowen, who is 25.
Merrill broke onto the roster in 2024 after impressing Padres coaches and players with his play during Spring Training. He was drafted in 2021 as the Padres’ first-round pick and spent three seasons working from the ACL Padres through the A and Double-A teams.
Invited to 2024 Spring Training camp as a shortstop, the toolsy then-19-year-old switched from the infield to the outfield at the start of camp without any previous pro experience playing in center.
Making it look easy, Merrill was the starting center fielder on the opening day of the season.
Rodriguez was signed out of Venezuela in 2021 as an 18-year-old. He injured his elbow in 2022 and did not play again until late in the 2023 season with the Venezuelan Winter League. He started 2024 in Single-A Lake Elsinore and finished the season with High-A Fort Wayne.
Rodriguez was invited to Spring Training in 2025 but started the regular season with Double-A San Antonio. He had two call-ups to San Diego during that season, making seven appearances for a 1.17 ERA.
Both Merrill and Rodriguez had short minor league careers. Merrill played in 202 games as a Padres prospect while Rodriguez appeared in 89 games and 123.3 innings over three seasons.
Jackson Merrill has early success
In his 2024 rookie season, Merrill played in 156 games with a .292 average and .826 OPS. He finished second in Rookie of the Year voting and was an All-Star in his first season. He was NL Rookie of the Month twice during the year.
In his sophomore season, Merrill started well but suffered a hamstring strain in early April and missed almost a month due to the injury. In his first game back, Merrill suffered a concussion sliding into second base and went back on the injured list under the concussion protocol.
After spending a month and a half on the IL, Merrill was activated on June 22.
The next two months allowed the center fielder to get back into the rhythm of the season, and then he suffered a sprained ankle and went back on the injured list on Aug. 23. Merrill returned on Sept. 1, finishing the season healthy.
For the year, Merrill played in 115 games around the three injuries. He didn’t have any sustained success; it wasn’t a quality test to determine if he would fall victim to a sophomore slump.
To begin the 2026 season, Merrill struggled through the first three-plus months, chasing pitches outside the zone, missing pitches in the zone, and exceeding his previous whiff and strikeout percentages. He looked the picture of a player experiencing said sophomore slump.
When the calendar changed to July, Merrill turned his season around.
Hitting .300/.330/.530, Merrill hit two doubles, seven homers and had 17 RBI. For the first eight games of August, Merrill is hitting .344/.382/.625 with a double, a triple, a home run and 10 RBI. He is chasing less often, striking out less and making hard contact.
Merrill also has 23 stolen bases in 25 attempts.
In the Aug. 8 Padres daily newsletter, Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune reported the 1.087 OPS accumulated by Merrill since July 19. During that time, he has 18 RBI and has scored 15 runs, the fifth-highest total in MLB.
Merrill is showing that his rookie season was not a fluke.
Bradgley Rodriguez is a budding star
During his 2025 season, Rodriguez also spent some time on the injured list. He made his debut in May with the Padres for one game then was sent back to the minors. From July to mid-September, Rodriguez had to be placed on the IL on July 9 and was activated on Aug. 22. After only three weeks back on the El Paso roster, Rodriguez was called up to the Padres for the second time. This time he pitched in six games, allowing one earned run over seven appearances in total.
Rodriguez had a 1.17 ERA for San Diego and a 3.19 ERA in 36.2 innings for El Paso and Double-A San Antonio. The most he has pitched as a pro is 61.1 innings in 2024. Between the minors and San Diego last year, he totaled 43.2 innings.
In 2026, Rodriguez has a 2.29 ERA in 51 innings pitched with 53 strikeouts to 16 walks. He began the season in lower-leverage spots and has been advanced to high-leverage situations, especially since the loss of both Jason Adam and Jeremiah Estrada to injury at times.
He has also pitched in multi-inning situations but it does appear that the Padres would prefer to protect him from the extended outings we have seen from both Adrion Morejón and Mason Miller.
In 2025, Rodriguez featured a fastball that averaged 98 mph, a sinker, a changeup and a cutter. He had an excellent 29% K rate but didn’t pitch enough with the Padres to qualify for league stats.
In 2026, Rodriguez features his changeup 43% of the time, contrasting with his fastball that tops out at almost 101 mph (25%). He throws his 98 mph sinker 24% of the time and has a slider instead of a cutter (8%). He misses bats, gets lots of ground balls, and is in the 74 and 77 percentile in whiff and K rates in MLB.
In July, FanGraphs picked Rodriguez as the reliever to watch in the Padres bullpen. With his age and repertoire, Michael Baumann of FanGraphs is excited for his future.
Of the pitchers in the Padres pen, Jason Adam and Adrián Morejón are slated to reach free agency after the season. Morejon would be a huge loss and all Padres fans should hope the organization can figure out a way to extend him.
Bradgley Rodriguez has already shown that he has what it takes to take his place as a valuable member of the bullpen.
ATLANTA, GA - AUGUST 05: Atlanta Braves pitcher Bryce Elder (55) delivers a pitch during the MLB game between the Miami Marlins and the Atlanta Braves on August 05, 2026 at TRUIST Park in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
What a quirk of the MLB schedule: the Braves wrap up a seven-game homestand, go to New York to face the Yankees, then immediately pop back to start a six-game homestand, which begins with the other New York team. Yeesh. To make it slightly sillier, the Braves just visited the Mets before that seven-game homestand began.
At 52-67 despite the season’s highest payroll, the Mets are… the Mets. That said, they’re not playing terribly right now: 5-3 in August, and 7-7 in the post-All Star Break portion of July, which included a series win over the Braves. For the season, the Mets have largely been marred by being the Mets, rather than anything else. They have the league’s third-biggest xwOBA underperformance and its fourth-biggest FIP underperformance. Put those together and it’s hard to avoid a miserable season, even if your team is in the top in, say, both xwOBA and xFIP-. What’s “changed” since the All-Star Break is a smaller-sample reversal of fortune — the Mets have a massive xwOBA overperformance and are outperforming both their FIP and xFIP. So, y’know, stuff to be aware of in the back of your noggin. The Braves are 4-6 against the Mets coming into this series, so they’ll need to sweep ‘em to avoid losing the season series to them for the first time since 2017.
On the hill to potentially aid in that endeavor will be Bryce Elder, who brings an 88 ERA-, 108 FIP-, and 99 xFIP- (1.3 fWAR in 126 2/3 innings) to the proverbial table. Elder is in the midst of a silly run over his last four starts, as he’s allowed four homers and has a 45/121/105 line in that span — the Braves have won three of those games. Overall, Elder’s season has been about inconsistent as his game-to-game slider command. He started out pitching well, but the summer saw a decrease in performance with an especially-large uptick in the rate of homers yielded. One of those clunkers came in his only start against the Mets this year, which was one of his worst: a 2/2 K/BB ratio and two homers allowed in four innings, with the Braves getting blown out.
A random fact: Elder hasn’t had a start with an ERA, FIP, and xFIP below 4.00 since May 16… though in terms of ERA, FIP, and xFIP each, he’s had six, three, and four starts below that mark, respectively, since that May 16 date.
Opposing Elder for the Mets will be Christian Scott, who is having a nice season at 71/81/89 (1.7 fWAR in just 74 1/3 innings). He’s been consistently strong all year aside from a disastrous season debut. The Braves did rough him up a bit in early July (two homers, a 7/4 K/BB ratio in four innings), but he dominated them a couple of weeks ago in New York (7/1 K/BB ratio in six innings), only for the Mets to lose that game as the Braves avoided a sweep behind Chris Sale. Scott has struck out five or more batters in eight straight starts, and hasn’t allowed a homer in his last five outings. In fact, of the seven homers hit off him all season, six came in a three-game stretch.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Monday, August 10, 7:15 p.m. EDT
Location: Truist Park, Atlanta, GA
TV/Streaming: BravesVision
Radio: 680 AM / 93.7 FM The Fan, La Mejor 1600/1460/1130 AM
The NBA launched an investigation into whether Los Angeles Clipper star guard Kawhi Leonard’s four-year, $28 million endorsement agreement with Aspiration (a now-bankrupt company connected financially to Clippers owner Steve Ballmer) may have been used to circumvent the NBA’s salary cap.
But according to a report from NBA insider Marc Stein, Leonard now believes the investigation will conclude before the start of training camp. Therefore, with clarity on the investigation’s outcome now expected to arrive sooner rather than later (NBA training camp begins in late September), it seems that Leonard’s Los Angeles exit might be happening soon.
And for Leonard, it isn’t just the investigation’s findings that will influence his future. The findings will also impact his career in a way Clippers fans won’t like.
Toronto would obviously be hesitant to close a deal if they are to pay for the ramifications of Leonard’s behavior in Los Angeles, though.
Kawhi Leonard attends a game between the Toronto Raptors and Indiana Pacers. NBAE via Getty Images
The transaction, which was agreed to on June 30, was placed on hold after the NBA informed Toronto that it would assume the risk of any punishment affecting Leonard once the trade became official.
This could either mean that the Raptors will pause the trade if Leonard faces punishment, or they might move forward with if he is found innocent.
LA Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard drives to the basket. USA TODAY Sports
There’s no indication of how a potential penalty would impact Leonard or the Raptors. Either way, the writing for his Clippers exit is on the wall, and could be arriving soon.
Flyers Running Out of Time to Sign Local ProspectThe Philadelphia Flyers will lose the signing rights to prospect Owen McLaughlin in less than a week.
