PHOENIX, AZ - JUNE 23: Andruw Giles #29 and Martin Shelar #25 look on during the 2026 Draft Combine at Chase Field on Tuesday, June 23, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Jill Weisleder/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Those hoping hoping to see the Sox splash the cash on some hard-to-sign candidates on day 2 of the MLB Draft were immediately disappointed, as the Red Sox spent their fifth round pick on Lucas Davenport, a pitcher out of Baylor University who was unranked by both Baseball America and MLB Pipeline heading into the draft.
Davenport is a beastly 6-6, 230 lbs. and his pick launched a mini-run on those big college pitchers Craig Breslow likes so much: sixth rounder Brett Lanman, a 6-5, 23o lbs. lefty out of Abilene Christian, eighth rounder Josh Volmerding, a 6-4, 210 lbs. lefty out of California Polytech, thirteenth rounder Mason Lei, a 6-4, 215 lbs. righty out of the University of Illinois-Chicago, and fifteenth rounder Chase Frey, a 6-6 225 lbs. lefty out of Grand Canyon University.
The highlights of Day 2 are the two higher-ranked high schoolers the Sox nabbed back-to-back in the ninth and tenth rounds. Ninth rounder Martin Shelar, an outfielder, comes out of the baseball powerhouse that is the Marist School in Georgia. He has massive power potential, is committed to Mississippi State, and was ranked as the 65th-best prospect overall by FanGraphs, 125th by Baseball America, and 175th by MLB Pipeline.
Tenth rounder Kaleb LaFavor out of Bishop Heelan Catholic High School in Sioux City, Iowa is a towering 6-7 righty with a ton of extension who can already hit 95 MPH on the gun. He was ranked the 171st-best prospect by ESPN evaluator Kiley McDaniel, 465th by Baseball America, and is committed to the University of Iowa. Craig Breslow’s got bonus pool money burning a hole in his pocket, and it’s going to go to these guys in hopes of enticing them away from college (speaking as someone who spent a fair bit of time partying in Iowa City as a 22-year-old, good luck in LeFavor’s case).
Here’s the full slate of day 2 picks:
Round 5:: Lucas Davenport, RHP, Baylor
Round 6: Brett Lanman, LHP, Abilene Christian
Round 7: Kide Adetuyi, LHP, Florida Atlantic
Round 8: Josh Volmerding, LHP, California Polytechnic
Round 9: Martin Shelar, OF, Marist School (GA)
Round 10: Kaleb LaFavor, RHP, Bishop Heelan High (IA)
Round 11: Wills Maginnis, SS, Georgia State
Round 12: Jacob Webster, SS, Oak Hills High (CA)
Round 13: Mason Lei, RHP, University of Illinois-Chicago
Round 14: Jase Evangelista, RHP, UNLV
Round 15: Chase Frey, LHP, Grand Canyon
Round 16: Colton Coates, SS, Louisiana Tech
Round 17: Alex Kranzler, RHP, Vanderbilt
Round18: Ethan Offing, OF Dutch Fork HS (SC)
Round19: Luis Calderon, RHP, El Shaddai Christian HS (PR)
The Arkansas right-hander underwent Tommy John surgery in May 2025, but pitched 14 innings in 14 games out of the Razorbacks' bullpen before going under the knife. In that span, he allowed five earned runs on seven hits and nine walks while striking out 20 batters.
Robbins, 21, had a very strong season with the Longhorns. He slashed .333/.426/.696 with an OPS of 1.122 to go along with his 24 home runs and 64 RBI across 60 games during his third collegiate year.
Sdao, 22, has played three seasons with Texas A&M, amassing a 13-6 record to go along with his 5.22 ERA across 59 games (20 starts). This past season, he has pitched to a 7.03 ERA, but that's after having Tommy John surgery that knocked him out for the 2025 season.
The season prior to surgery, Sdao pitched to a 2.96 ERA across 20 games (five starts) in 2024.
DAY 2
Fifth round, pick No. 152: RHP Luke McNeillie
Over the course of three seasons at the University of Florida, McNeillie has been used almost exclusively as a relief pitcher. He has registered a 5.24 ERA and 1.467 WHIP across 122.0 collegiate innings. With a fastball that can touch 99 mph and a heavy dose of sliders sporting significant movement, the 21-year-old could be converted into a starting pitcher in the long-term. Tallied 163 strikeouts to 62 walks during his time with the Gators.
Sixth round, pick No. 181: RHP Alex Petrovic
A big right-hander – 6-foot-5, 235 pounds – Petrovic made 31 appearances (22 starts) across three seasons with the Auburn Tigers. During that time, he pitched a 3.60 ERA and 1.054 WHIP over 122.1 innings, surrendering 43 runs (49 earned) on 98 hits and 31 walks to 134 strikeouts. The bulk of that came during the 22-year-old's final season (92.2 innings over 17 starts) as he posted a 3.21 ERA with 8.9 strikeouts per nine.
Seventh round, pick No. 210: RHP Aidan Keenan
Keenan is a 21-year-old reliever who stayed in-state to attend Stanford University in California, where he has appeared in 36 games (eight starts) and recorded six saves through three seasons with a 5.79 ERA and 1.592 WHIP. The right-hander has had some control issues, but he has flashed big strikeout stuff with 75 in 65.1 collegiate innings.
Eighth round, pick No. 240: RHP Landon Koenig
Koenig, 21, pitched last season with Ole Miss after transferring in from North Dakota State. During his lone season in the SEC, the 6-foot-6 righty had a 6.35 ERA and 1.853 WHIP in 22.2 innings over 17 games, but flashed with 33 strikeouts to seven walks. During his two seasons with the Bison, he struck out 87 in 106.1 innings of work.
Ninth round, pick No. 270: C Ryan Tayman
Tayman is a 20-year-old catcher who has clubbed 29 home runs in 123 games for two schools - California (Berkeley) in 2024 and 2025 and Cal Poly (San Luis Obispo) in 2026 - across three collegiate seasons. He boasts an NCAA career OPS of .995, and both bats and throws righty.
10th round, pick No 300: RHP Nate Isler
Isler, 21, is another big pitcher at 6-foot-6. In three seasons with Dartmouth, he pitched to a 6.89 ERA and 1.716 WHIP in 141 innings over 33 games (26 starts) with 140 strikeouts to 53 walks. He had his best collegiate season this past year, striking out 80 in 65 innings over 11 starts with a 4.98 ERA.
11th round, pick No 330: OF Kuhio Aloy
Born and raised in Hawaii, Aloy transferred from BYU to Arkansas after his freshman year. Both throwing and batting right-handed, Aloy has totaled 30 home runs across 162 NCAA games, recording an .859 OPS at that level in the process.
12th round, pick No 360: RHP AJ Krodel
Yet another Californian, Krodel is a right-handed reliever who stands 6'4". The 21-year-old has generated strikeouts at a good clip during his three seasons at UC Santa Barbara with a career 11.3 SO/9 in the NCAA.
13th round, pick No 390: C Jacob Madrid
New York went into the high school ranks to grab the 6-foot-5 backstop out of Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks, California. The 18-year-old had committed to play college ball at Oregon.
14th round, pick No 420: LHP Zach Crotchfelt
Crotchfelt, who turns 23 in October, pitched for three schools in college, starting his career with two years at Auburn before spending a year each with Texas Tech and Troy. The righty got it right last year, pitching to a 3.49 ERA and 1.328 WHIP in 67.0 innings over 29 games (one start) for the Trojans, striking out 81 with just 23 walks.
15th round, pick No 450: RHP Dustin Hagens Jr.
Hagens, 21, pitched three seasons with Missouri-St. Louis in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. After being a starter for most of his first two years (22 starts out of 29 games), he worked almost exclusively out of the bullpen in 2026 (19 of 20 games in relief) and pitched to a 3.89 ERA and 1.271 WHIP over 39.1 innings with 57 strikeouts to 18 walks.
16th round, pick No 480: RHP Gavin Guidry
In three years at LSU, Guidry has featured as a relief pitcher, starting pitcher, and middle infielder (albeit sparingly). As a 22-year-old in 2026, he has spent his time exclusively on the mound, and through 20 appearances (including three starts), he struck out 59 batters in 43.2 innings. He missed the entirety of his school's 2025 season after requiring surgery for a herniated disc in his back.
17th round, pick No 510: RHP Cooper Dossett
The 22-year-old righty reliever stayed in-state to attend the University of Arkansas. Through three seasons with the Razorbacks, he has recorded 41 strikeouts in 34.1 innings, and has notched one save as well.
18th round, pick No 540: OF Marcus Ward
Ward is an 18-year-old outfielder who both bats and throws left-handed. He is listed at 5'11" tall and is committed to Western Carolina University.
19th round, pick No 570: OF John Smith III
Outfielder John Smith III, drafted as a 22-year-old, recorded a .919 OPS across two seasons of college baseball, one at UCF and one at South Alabama. He both bats and throws right-handed.
20th round, pick No 600: SS Kooper Schulte
The 22-year-old shortstop has taken the road less traveled in becoming an MLB draft pick. He spent time at Central Arizona College and Southeastern Iowa Community College before moving to the University of Iowa in 2026, where he broke out with an .840 OPS and 11 stolen bases in 56 games.
Charlotte Hornets general manager Jeff Peterson said the franchise’s decision to trade LaMelo Ball was made with a long-term mentality.
The goal, short-sighted and shocking as it may appear to some in Charlotte, is to compete for titles, Peterson said.
“These decisions are challenging at times, but when you look at the totality of the season and everything of where we were, it’s important to take an honest look in the mirror of where you guys are as a team,” Peterson told reporters at the Las Vegas summer league on Saturday.
The comments come three months removed from a 44-38 season and a play-In appearance in the Hornets’ best season in a decade.
“And it just felt like the goal is never to compete for a play-in spot. The goal isn’t to get to the play-in or even the playoffs for one year,” Peterson said. “I’ve said it plenty of times since I’ve been here in Charlotte: The goal is to get to the playoffs and stay there for a long time. And eventually contend to compete for championships. Getting Naz Reid when you can get a player of his caliber. And of course, the draft capital and the flexibility just felt like it was something that was able to achieve multiple goals in one transaction.”
LaMelo Ball was stunningly traded after this year’s NBA Draft. Getty Images
Peterson was hired as president of basketball operations for the Hornets in March 2024 after a five-year stint as the assistant GM of the Nets, which followed a six-year front office run with the Hawks, where he held roles as assistant GM and director of scouting, among others.
Peterson executed two sizeable deals for Charlotte this season, which notably had the No. 1 net rating in the NBA for about the last four months of the regular season and ended their 2025-26 run with a 28-10 record.
The blockbuster deal sent Ball and Josh Green to the Timberwolves in exchange for Naz Reid, an unprotected 2033 first-round pick, three future first-round pick swaps and three second-round selections.
General Manager Jeff Peterson and 2026 first-round pick Hannes Steinbach talk to the media on June 25, 2026 at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. NBAE via Getty Images
It ended Ball’s six-year run in Charlotte after he was selected No. 3 overall in the 2020 NBA Draft and developed into the franchise’s centerpiece.
Peterson acknowledged the move was not easy.
“It’s my job to not just look at half of last season or two-thirds of last season,” Peterson said when asked what he saw in the second-half surge that led him to consider trading Ball. “I’ve been here for a little bit over two years now. So, looking at the totality of the picture and also looking at trends along the league. Just making an objective decision in terms of just the timing and being honest with myself of where we really are as it compares to the rest of the league.”
Ball, who turns 25 in August, has yet to play a playoff game in his career, but was acquired by the contending T-Wolves in an effort to shake up their roster around Anthony Edwards.
“I’ll say it every day: LaMelo was tremendous in our run last year,” Peterson acknowledged. “He was extremely impactful and I know he’s going to do great in Minnesota. But for the Charlotte Hornets, just felt like it was the right time to execute a trade of that magnitude. We’re in a great position because of the talent, the depth of our roster and our flexibility.”
The Hornets acquired Naz Reid in the LaMelo Ball trade. Getty Images
Even though Ball never made the postseason with Charlotte, and didn’t play well overall in their three play-In appearances during his six seasons, he rose to become one of the most popular stars in the NBA with younger fans, even despite a career marred by injuries.
Ball’s 72 games played last season — where he averaged 20.1 points, 7.1 assists and 4.8 rebounds per game, while earning some consideration for All-Star and All-NBA — were the second most in his career, and only his second time playing over 51 games.
Leading up to the 2025-26 campaign, Ball had played 105 out of a possible 246 games across three seasons.
“I do empathize with the fans and I understand just where they’re coming from,” Peterson said when asked for a message to Hornets fans. “If I’m honest, I love LaMelo. He’s a tremendous human being. Of course, he’s an enormous talent. He and I have a great relationship.
“But I would hope that they understand that I have the best interest of the Hornets organization. I truly do. And it’s not about one year or two years. It’s about sustained success and just being objective of where we truly are in our life cycle. I have no doubt that this team we roll out next year and the years to come is going to continue to compete and eventually we’ll get there.”
The Hornets have since doubled down on that direction by also trading Miles Bridges to Phoenix for Grayson Allen, Royce O’Neale and a future first, signaling the organization is officially moving on from the Ball-Bridges era that defined much of the past six seasons.
Charlotte now appears committed to building around Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel, while adding Naz Reid, re-signing Coby White for three years and $74 million, and adding a growing collection of future draft assets.
Charlotte has the second-most first-round picks in the NBA moving forward.
Baseball's biggest stars from the American and National Leagues are set to clash in the 2026 MLB All-Star Game, with the 96th edition of the Midsummer Classic taking place in Philadelphia on Tuesday, July 14.
Phillies fans have plenty to cheer for in this year's All-Star Game, as stars Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber and Cristopher Sánchez lead several home favorites selected to represent the host city alongside familiar foe and Mets superstar Juan Soto, Braves standout 2B Ozzie Albies and more. That's not to mention the likes of speedy outfielders Pete Crow-Armstrong and Corbin Carroll, who make their ways east to shine under the lights.
They'll be matched up against a loaded American League roster featuring the likes of veteran star Mike Trout, Royals face of the franchise Bobby Witt Jr. and the imposing Yordan Alvarez, with a pair of standout rookies (Tigers’ Kevin McGonigle, Guardians' Travis Bazzana) among 26 of this year's first-time All-Stars.
Below is everything you need to know about the 2026 MLB All-Star Game, including the schedule, how to watch information, and this year’s rosters.
How to watch 2026 MLB All Star Game
Fans can watch the 2026 MLB All-Star Game on Tuesday, July 14, on FOX at 8pm ET. Pregame coverage will start at 7pm ET.
When and where is the 2026 MLB All Star Game?
This year's MLB All-Star Game will be held at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on Tuesday, July 14.
What time is the 2026 MLB All Star Game?
First pitch is scheduled for 8pm ET.
2026 MLB All Star Game starters and full rosters
* = Replacement
American League
Starters:
C: Shea Langeliers (ATH)
1B: Nick Kurtz (ATH) — Out due to injury, with Tristan Peters (CWS) taking Kurtz's roster spot
2B: Ernie Clement (TOR)
3B: Junior Caminero (TB)
SS: Bobby Witt Jr. (KC)
OF: Mike Trout (LAA)
OF: Riley Greene (DET)
OF: Cody Bellinger (NYY)
DH: Yordan Alvarez (HOU)
Original starting players 1B Vladimir Guerrero, OF Aaron Judge,and OF Byron Buxtonwill miss the All-Star Game.
Starting pitchers:
RHP: Dylan Cease (TOR)
LHP: Parker Messick (CLE)
RHP: Nick Martinez (TB)*
RHP: Drew Rasmussen (TB)
RHP: Joe Ryan (MIN)
RHP: Cam Schlittler (NYY) - Announced Sunday he will not pitch in All-Star Game
LHP: Ranger Suarez (BOS)
RHP: Michael Wacha (KC)
Commissioner's Legend Pick, SP Justin Verlander, will not play in All-Star Game.
Relief pitchers:
RHP: Bryan Baker (TB)
LHP: Aroldis Chapman (BOS)
LHP: Jacob Latz (TEX)
RHP: Cade Smith (CLE)
RHP: Louis Varland (TOR)
National League
Starters
C: Drake Baldwin (ATL)
1B: Freddie Freeman (LAD)
2B: Ozzie Albies (ATL)
3B: Max Muncy (LAD)
SS: CJ Abrams (WSH)
OF: Brandon Marsh (PHI)
OF: Juan Soto (NYM)
OF: Andy Pages (LAD)
DH: Shohei Ohtani (LAD) — Will not play in game
Reserves
C: William Contreras (MIL)
C: Hunter Goodman (COL)
INF: Luis Arraez (SF)
INF: Bryce Harper (PHI)
INF: Otto Lopez (MIA)
INF: Matt Olson (ATL)
INF: Sal Stewart (CIN)
OF: Corbin Carroll (AZ)
OF: Pete Crow-Armstrong (CHC)
OF: Jordan Walker (STL)
OF: James Wood (WSH)
DH: Kyle Schwarber (PHI)
DH: Ivan Herrera (STL)*
Starting pitchers
RHP: Braxton Ashcraft (PIT)* - Justin Wrobleski (LAD) to take Ashcraft's spot
RHP: Chase Burns (CIN) - Out due to injury, with Foster Griffin (WSH) taking Burn's roster spot
LHP: Jesús Luzardo (PHI)*
RHP: Max Meyer (MIA)
RHP: Jacob Misiorowski (MIL)
LHP: Eduardo Rodriguez (AZ)
LHP: Chris Sale (ATL)
LHP: Cristopher Sánchez (PHI)
RHP: Paul Skenes (PIT)
RHP: Logan Webb (SF)
RHP: Yoshinobu Yamamoto (LAD)
LHP: Foster Griffin (WSH)*
Relief pitchers
RHP: Jhoan Duran (PHI)
RHP: Raisel Iglesias (ATL)
RHP: Mason Miller (SD)
RHP: Riley O'Brien (STL)*
Is Aaron Judge playing in the 2026 MLB All Star Game?
Despite being elected as an American League starter, the eight-time All-Star and Yankees captain will miss the game as he recovers from injury.
Is Shohei Ohtani playing in the 2026 MLB All Star Game?
Ohtani, a six-time All-Star, will not play in this year's Midsummer Classic after the Dodgers announced their two-way superstar would receive "medical interventions" regarding his left knee. Cardinals catcher Ivan Herrera was named as Ohtani's replacement.
Who won the 2025 MLB All Star Game?
The 2025 All-Star Game ended in historic fashion with the first-ever swing-off to break the 6-6 tie between the NL and AL teams. With three homers in the Derby-esque contest, Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber helped the NL take home the win, while securing Ted Williams All-Star Game MVP honors in the process.
MLB Sunday Leadoff is a weekly Major League Baseball showcase featuring live Sunday daytime games. It highlights marquee matchups throughout the regular season and streams primarily on Peacock, with some games also airing across NBC Sports and NBC.
MLB Sunday Night Baseball is a weekly primetime Major League Baseball showcase, featuring marquee matchups each Sunday night during the regular season. The games air on NBC and Peacock and anchor NBC Sports’ Sunday night programming lineup.
NBC Sports will also stream one out-of-market game each day of the 2026 MLB season nationally on Peacock. Telemundo Deportes will present all NBCUniversal-produced MLB games in Spanish, with Universo televising all games broadcast on NBC.
CINCINNATI, OHIO - JULY 12: Eugenio Suárez #28 of the Cincinnati Reds gestures as he rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs at Great American Ball Park on July 12, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Jeff Dean/Getty Images) | Getty Images
There was a poignant moment for the Cincinnati Reds during their 8-4 loss to the Chicago Cubs in Great American Ball Park on Sunday afternoon. The Reds, last place residents of the NL Central and now 9 games under .500, actually looked like they might have figured things out for once.
Andrew Abbott had labored through a 30 pitch Top of the 1st and the Reds had fallen behind immediately 2-0. However, they finally found a way to battle back against Cubs lefty Matthew Boyd, the culmination of which was a 433 foot blast into the upper deck in LF by Eugenio Suarez to give them a 4-2 lead.
They’d flipped the scoreboard. Geno’s homer was his 200th as a member of the Reds, which was awesome. VIbes heading into the All Star break suddenly felt like they were on the right track again.
Then came an otherwise routine grounder up the middle in the bottom half of the frame. The Cubs had loaded the bags against Abbott with 2-out, and Kevin Alcantara poked a comebacker right past the Cincinnati southpaw towards the bag at 2B, where Edwin Arroyo was perfectly positioned to field it, step on the bag, and end the threat. The ball, however, had other plans, and doinked off the bag and over into RF for a shit-luck single that scored a pair of runners to tie the game.
Just as soon as the vibes around the team felt good, for once, they immediately turned sour again.
By the time the Top of the 7th rolled around, things just felt inevitable. With Sam Moll on the mound, another slow grounder to almost the exact same spot went to Arroyo, who fielded it and momentarily hesitated between trying to tag the runner or throw to 1B – and by the time he threw, it was too late. That chased Moll, Pierce Johnson was summoned, and Pierce immediately served up the back-breaking 3-run bomb to Alex Bregman.
That poignant moment? Initially I thought it was Geno’s homer, a feel-good blast that, at 111.3 mph off the bat, was his hardest-hit ball of the year and gave him homers in back to back games. He’s getting hot, I said out loud. He’s going to help carry the Reds for a bit!
Of course, that was only to realize there’s no game tomorrow. There’s not a game for days. The Reds lost anyway despite Geno’s big swat, and the actual poignant moment was that we’re almost certainly heading into the final three weeks of his Cincinnati career.
The Reds have just 16 games between now and the August 3rd trade deadline, and Geno getting hot would be a blessing for Nick Krall, assuming he’s still in charge of the team by then. However, the first 9 games out of the break are all on the road (including out here in Colorado where I plan to go see them), and by the time the Reds return home on July 27th Geno could well already be in a different uniform. That’s just how all of this works when the losses stack up way faster than the wins.
So, the 200th dinger of his Reds career could very well be his final swat in GABP in a Reds uniform. Hell, today might well have been the last time we ever get to see him in GABP in a Reds uniform altogether.
Someone’s going to trade for him. The Reds might have to eat a little cash, but his ability to get fiery-hot in streaks and track record mean that the back of his baseball card this year – which was interrupted for the first time in his career by an oblique issue that he’s had to fight back from – aren’t going to simply make teams avoid him altogether. That swing today, that 111 mph missile, is exactly what the circling sharks want to see from him, and they’ll pay more attention to that one day after he went the other way for a different homer than they will to his overall struggles since Opening Day.
We got to see Geno hit a high note again on Sunday in an another otherwise lost season in Cincinnati, a throwback to when he used to do that in these kinds of seasons all the time when we were younger. At least we all managed to get that once more.
AUSTIN, TEXAS - JANUARY 7: Leffew Haiden #12 of the Texas Longhorns poses for a portrait on Texas baseball media day on January 7, 2026 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by The University of Texas Athletics/University Images via Getty Images)
With the MLB Draft wrapping up early Sunday evening, news broke that Texas Longhorns left-hander Haiden Leffew will return to the Forty Acres for the 2027 season after going unselected through the first 19 rounds, according to a report from Horns247.
Haiden Leffew, who went through the MLB Draft combine and has not yet been selected, will return to Texas for 2027, I'm told.
The 6’1, 235-pounder has exhausted three seasons of eligibility. Perfect Game ranked Leffew as the No. 367 prospect in this year’s draft.
As a high school recruit, Leffew was slotted just outside the top-150 prospects nationally by Perfect Game when he signed with Wake Forest out of Kannapolis, N.C. as a member of the 2023 recruiting class.
As a freshman, Leffew was difficult to hit, striking out 38 batters over 35.1 innings and limiting opponents to a .221 batting average, but he also had some command issues, ultimately posting a 6.11 ERA because he walked 27 batters, hit six batters, and threw eight wild pitches. Of the 20 appearances by Leffew in 2024, he started five games.
Working exclusively out of the bullpen in 2025, Leffew cut his hit by pitches and wild pitches in half, so although the batting average against him increased to .263, he was able to go 4-1 with a 4.46 ERA while increasing his strikeout rate with improved command, striking out 59 batters in 34.1 innings over 27 appearances, which led the team. Leffew also recorded four of the team’s 13 saves.
After entering the NCAA transfer portal, Leffew committed to Texas last June as the No. 14 overall player in the portal by 64Analytics thanks to a fastball that reached into the mid-90s and a plus-plus changeup that induced a 72.1-percent whiff rate.
For the Longhorns, Leffew served in a high-leverage role out of the bullpen, appearing in 17 games while notching a 4-1 record with a 4.05 ERA and 31 strikeouts in 20 innings. Opponents only hit .176 against Leffew, who also dealt with some command issues, walking 15 batters, throwing three wild pitches, and hitting two other batters.
Due to an undisclosed late-season injury, Leffew only made one appearance in the postseason, failing to record an out against UC Santa Barbara in the Austin Regional, ultimately giving up two runs, one earned, while walking two batters.
Leffew’s command issues remain concerning, but his combination of experience and pure stuff will ensure that he once again occupies a high-leverage role in Max Weiner’s bullpen in 2027 with remaining upside to unlock if he can work more consistently in the strike zone — when he was on, he was essentially unhittable this season.
San Francisco Giants’ Rafael Devers, center, reacts with teammate Willy Adames (2) after scoring during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, Sunday, July 12, 2026,...
SAN FRANCISCO — In a first half where just about everything has gone wrong, it’s worth pointing out when the Giants’ rookie manager does something right.
And Tony Vitello pushed all the right buttons Sunday afternoon to ensure his down-and-out squad entered the All-Star break on a winning streak, no matter how meager.
It raised eyebrows when Vitello took the ball out of Trevor McDonald’s hand after he cruised through seven innings, and the manager made another curious choice deciding against pinch-running for Rafael Devers, who represented the go-ahead run.
San Francisco Giants’ Rafael Devers, center, celebrates with teammate Willy Adames (2) after scoring a run. AP Photo/Thien-An Truong
Guess what: The Giants bullpen kept the Rockies at bay, the pudgy first baseman hustled first to third on a knock from Bryce Eldridge, and then he scored the decisive run in a 3-1 win.
“Kind of the theme of the day was: We might as well empty the clip,” Vitello said.
With wins in their final two games of the first half, the Giants managed to end an immensely disappointing first half on a positive note. They took three of four from the Rockies to only claim their 13th of 30 series, but still entered the break with the third-worst record in the National League, 14 games below .500 and 19 1/2 games back of the Dodgers.
“We kind of expected to take the world by storm to start the season, and it didn’t happen right away,” Vitello said. “There was early frustration right away and a multitude of other things. But those days are gone. All’s we got is the second half in front of us.”
Before Devers got things started in the eighth against Antonio Senzatela with a walk, the Giants had mustered so little against the worst pitching staff in the majors that it almost looked like they would allow arguably McDonald’s strongest, inarguably his most efficient effort of his career go to waste.
The only run yielded by any Giants pitcher came on McDonald’s second pitch of the game, which Jake McCarthy turned into an inside-the-park home run. He went on to complete seven innings, allowing only four other batters to reach base, on only 73 pitches.
“He seemed to gain strength as the game went on,” Vitello said.
San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Trevor McDonald delivers during the third inning. AP Photo/Thien-An Truong
That made it a surprise when Keaton Winn emerged from the bullpen to begin the eighth inning, and the plan almost faltered when he issued a two-out walk, but Vitello then called on Erik Miller to gain the platoon advantage against Mickey Moniak, who struck out to end the inning.
The lineup was about to flip over to McCarthy, which was the matchup Vitello was worried about.
“We didn’t want traffic for McCarthy, and Keaton’s been our best guy on righties,” Vitello said.
Still, McDonald tried to plead his case.
“I was trying to go back out there. The competitor in me argued a little bit,” he said. “But they played the matchups well and Keaton and Miller shut the door at the end, so it all worked out perfect.”
Vitello apparently didn’t want to risk repeating what happened the last time Devers was lifted for a pinch-runner, though the situation didn’t quite mirror the mishap in Miami. Then, Devers needed to score in order to tie the game. In this case, San Francisco was already at least in line for extra innings, meaning it probably wasn’t worth the risk of losing Devers’ bat.
It all worked out, as Devers easily went first-to-third on the single by Eldridge, who was lifted for pinch-runner Grant McCray — another move that couldn’t have worked out better.
The speedy outfielder took off on Senzatela’s first pitch to Willy Adames and, even with a runner on third, catcher Hunter Goodman attempted to throw him out at second. The ball sailed into center field, Devers scampered home and McCray made it to third.
Vitello credited McCray’s preparation for the pinch-running opportunity but also gave Adames a shoutout for distracting Goodman, calling that “one of the most underrated things he did” in addition to a couple slick plays at shortstop and three hits, including an RBI knock to give them some cushion in the eighth.
The insurance proved to be unnecessary as Miller had no problems finishing a four-out save.
JT Brubaker closed out their win the previous day by recording the final six outs. Despite waiting three months to name a closer, the Giants appear to be back to a by-committee approach just a month after Vitello inserted Caleb Kilian into the role. Kilian has blown three saves in 12 chances.
“We kept saying [we were] trying to play Tetris at the end of games and settle on guys,” Vitello said. “But at the end of the day, we’re scratching and clawing for every win we can get.”
San Francisco Giants shortshop Willy Adames and second baseman Luis Arraez reacting after a double play. AP Photo/Thien-An Truong
What it means
McDonald may have saved his spot in the starting rotation heading into the second half.
Although roles are expected to open up if and when Robbie Ray and/or Tyler Mahle are traded, McDonald was trending in the wrong direction and Carson Whisenhunt has made a case for a full-time job with his performances in two recent spot starts.
Who’s hot
McDonald allowed McCarthy to round the bases in one go on a drive into the alleyway in right center — a leadoff inside-the-park home run — and didn’t surrender another run.
The ball was initially ruled a triple and an error on Jung Hoo Lee, who misplayed the carrom of the wall, and with the way McDonald immediately beared down, you have to wonder if McCarthy even would have scored if he was forced to hold up at third.
From thereon, only four Rockies reached base against McDonald, who breezed through seven innings on only 73 pitches and faced the minimum over his final three frames.
“The main thing was just not to let it rattle me,” McDonald said. “Obviously the last outing spiraled a little bit.”
The 25-year-old right-hander was coming off the worst start of his career, getting tagged for eight runs and 11 hits in only 2 ⅓ innings, and responded with one of his best.
The circumstances made the bounce back effort “very” satisfying, McDonald said. “I’ll take that into the break, for sure, and come back with some confidence and momentum for the second half.”
Who’s not
Despite facing one of the handful of pitching staffs worse than their own, the Giants failed to score more than four runs in any of the final three games of the series.
In each game the Rockies rolled out a starting pitcher with an ERA that started with a six or worse, but Michael Lorenzen (3-9, 6.46) had just as few problems as the previous two.
Heliot Ramos continued a strong stretch of hitting since returning from a quad strain with a 2-for-4 showing, but when he came up with the bases loaded in the fourth trying to turn Drew Gilbert’s RBI single into a fully fledged rally, he flew out to end the inning.
It was the 61st time in 96 games that the Giants were held to four runs or fewer, more than any team besides the Guardians (64) or Mets (62), and improved to 12-49 in those contests.
Up next
The All-Star break, or another way to look at it after two wins over the Rockies: a guaranteed six days in a row that the Giants will go without losing a game — something that hasn’t happened all season.
Five days is the longest the Giants have gone without a loss, when a day off and a rainout interrupted one of their season-long three-game winning streaks. They’ll try to make it a full week since their last loss when they open the second half Friday against the Mariners at T-Mobile Park.
Landen Roupp will start the series opener, Vitello said.
Logan Webb, who said he’s unlikely to pitch in the All-Star Game after participating in the World Baseball Classic and dealing with injuries, is set to go in the second game Saturday.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 12: Khaman Maluach #10 of the Phoenix Suns goes up for the rebound during the game against the New Orleans Pelicans during the 2026 NBA Summer League on July 12, 2026 at the Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Mike Kirschbaum/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Phoenix Suns lost their second Summer League game to the New Orleans Pelicans 81-75 despite an impressive performance from their second-year big man Khaman Maluach.
Darius Brown II led Phoenix with 18 points while Malik Dia scored 18 points and Jaron Pierre Jr. scored 16 points to lead New Orleans to the win. But the story of this game was Khaman Maluach.
Maluach scored 15 points, grabbed 15 rebounds, blocked two shots, and recorded one steal on 5-for-9 shooting and 2-of-4 from the three-point line. Maluach was the most talented player on the floor from start to finish and did not get enough help from his running mates to pull out a win.
Khaman Maluach's second straight double-double in Vegas
After committing seven turnovers in his previous outing against Portland on Friday night, Maluach was much more poised with the ball and did not produce a single turnover. Through two Summer League games, Maluach has been dominant, showcasing a stronger body, better hands, and improved rebounding. What has been most surprising is that he has also been the Suns’ best three-point shooter on the Summer League roster through two games, shooting 5-for-11 from long distance.
The other young players from the Suns trio have not been nearly as impressive. Koa Peat and Rasheer Fleming only grabbed four rebounds each in the losing effort, while each showed flashes but were not consistently impacting the game like Maluach.
Peat’s performance on Sunday did not match his debut performance against the Blazers. He scored 12 points on 4-of-10 from the field and was 1-for-3 from the free throw line. He committed seven fouls and turned the ball over four times, but was one of the Suns’ main initiators on offense and continued to show an impressive fluidity as a ball handler for a young player his size. What was most disappointing about watching Peat against the Pelicans was that he did not play with the same motor as he did in his debut. There were many times he lacked urgency getting back on defense, leading to Pelicans mismatches and easy baskets.
As for Fleming, he was impactful defensively, recording two blocks and a steal and being a disruptive force creating deflections as usual. However, he continued to be a net negative on the offensive end outside of his offensive rebounding and has yet to provide much optimism about him becoming a good NBA three-point shooter.
To be fair to this Summer League roster, it does not have an efficient score-first player and offensive creator, which is why it has been difficult to watch this team on offense at times. And also why Peat and Fleming have looked underqualified for what this team needs from them. The lack of spacing from Peat and Fleming really bottles up the lane, and it makes it hard for the Suns’ guards driving to the basket when Peat and Fleming both crash in from the corners because they do not want to shoot an open corner three. But this may be the same story in January for the NBA squad, where not a single forward on the roster has proven to be a respectable three-point shooter.
Game Flow
First Half
The Pelicans started fast; Pierre Jr. hit his first two three-point hoists of the game to give the Pelicans an early 6-2 lead. The Suns struggled to find any sort of spacing or rhythm on offense for the second game in a row. Fleming tried to get going early, but after two missed pull-up jump shots in a row and a wide-open missed three from Fleming, he stopped being aggressive in the half-court offense for the rest of the game. The Suns did tie it up at 6-6 after Maluach grabbed the missed Fleming three and powered up for a two-handed slam.
The Pelicans closed the quarter strong after Maluach subbed out, and the Pelicans led 16-12 after the first quarter.
The beginning of the second quarter was a continuation of the first quarter in that both offenses did not perform well, but they did get going eventually. Maluach started the scoring with a two-hand dunk off of a pick-and-roll dime from Javonte Cook. Then Peat started driving downhill, hitting two difficult layups to tie the game up at 18-18. The Pelicans immediately hit back-to-back three-point jumpers, and two layups pushed New Orleans out to a 28-20 lead. The Suns countered with another Maluach dunk, a Fleming corner three, and a Brown corner three to get back within three, down 32-29.
The two biggest highlight-worthy plays from this game came on a back-to-back sequence of defensive plays where Maluach broke up an alley-oop dunk attempt, and Fleming deflected a pass on a lob pass the next play. It’s in these small moments of brilliance that show just how athletic and gifted the Suns starting front court could be one day if they continue to develop.
But that moment was brief, because the Pelicans went on a three-point shooting tear to finish out the quarter, knocking down three three-pointers to go up 41-31 at halftime. The Suns were 2-for-15 from three while the Pelicans finished the first half 9-of-20 to give them the lead.
Second Half
The start of the second half was the most impressive stretch from the Suns’ young core during the entire game. Maluach, Fleming, and Peat all found a synergy playing together as they turned up the defense pressure, opening the half on a 15-6 run.
The half started with multiple Maluach blocks and deflections to create transition opportunities for Peat in transition where he created contact and was fouled multiple times. Then Fleming took over; he grabbed an offensive rebound and finished, then on defense picked the pocket of Pierre and was fouled on a breakaway dunk on the other end, leading to a kerfuffle from Maluach and some Pelicans players that resulted in double technical fouls. Fleming knocked down the free throw, and then Brown hit back-to-back baskets, and then Peat finished off the run with a beautiful old-school-style midrange jumper to cut the deficit to one, down 47-46 halfway through the third quarter.
Unfortunately for the Suns, once Maluach checked out, neither Fleming nor Peat could stop the Pelicans, especially Malik Dia, who attacked the Suns in the paint and knocked down a flat-footed three to give the Pelicans a 62-50 lead. The Suns bench scored a quick four points to close the quarter down 62-54.
The beginning of the fourth quarter was back and forth, with the Pelicans holding onto a high single-digit lead for most of the quarter. The Suns guards Brown and Jameer Nelson Jr. both started to get downhill and attack the basket early in the quarter to keep Phoenix within shouting distance. Dia continued to carry the Pelicans in the second half and kept the Suns from taking the lead.
Down 75-67, with 2:06 seconds left, the Suns went on one final run to try and steal the game in the end. Peat hit another midrange jump shot, followed by a Maluach pick-and-pop three in transition to cut the deficit to three. The Suns got a stop on defense, and Koby Brea decided to pull up from the parking lot to tie the game and missed his sixth three of the day to finish 0-for-6 from three and score just 2 points. The Suns got the offensive rebound, and Maluach rushed another three that airballed out of bounds.
Kobe Bufkin sealed the game for the Pelicans with a driving layup to put the Pelicans up five points, 77-72, and they made enough free throws to seal the game and win 81-75.
Up Next
The Suns’ next Summer League matchup is Monday night, 7:00 pm Arizona time against the Milwaukee Bucks, where the two Arizona Wildcats’ freshman phenoms Koa Peat and Brayden Burries will match up against each other in the NBA.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JULY 11: Commissioner of Major League Baseball Robert D. Manfred announces Hunter Dietz as the 35th overall pick by the New York Yankees during the 2026 MLB Draft presented by Nippon Express at Pennsylvania Convention Center on Saturday, July 11, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
After a long couple of days, we’re nearing the end of the 2026 MLB Draft. The league’s 30 teams have combed through the amateur ranks and called out hundreds of names, with five rounds left of picks to make. The Yankees are hoping they’ve found themselves an exciting new generation of Baby Bombers with their selections; they started things off with a couple of young bats and college arms on Day 1, and have pulled from the ranks of prep bats, college hitters, and college arms so faron Day 2.
Stay with us as we come down the home stretch and the Yankees make their 16th- through 20th-round picks!
We’re back underway, and the Yankees have gone with pitcher Garrett Ahern out of Grand Canyon. A lean right-hander, Ahern has struggled to keep runs off the board in college but did record his fair of strikeouts. He has a rough-looking 6.02 ERA in 145 innings as a collegiate pitcher, striking 145 against 58 walks in that time. College baseball writer Daniel Allen posted on Twitter/X that Ahern sits 91-93 mph from a sidearm delivery that deceives opposing hitters. Ahern apparently has transferred to Arizona from Grand Canyon, but he could be an interesting project should the Yankees be able to convince him to sign.
Another round, another tall, right-handed college arm head to the Yankees. Krieger struggled in his first season with the University of Maine, running a 5.26 ERA in 65 innings in 2024 before missing the 2025 season with Tommy John surgery. He got off to a tough start to his 2026 campaign, posting a 7.24 ERA over his first 32 innings, but closed things out strong, including an eight-start stretch where he managed a 2.52 ERA. He’s followed that up with a great run in the Cape Cod League, allowing one earned run over four appearances and 15.1 innings.
You can read more on Krieger’s road to this point in a touching and sad story from the York Daily Record. Krieger lost his father to pancreatic cancer in 2018 and has stated that his goal is to make the big leagues for his dad.
The Yankees take their fourth outfielder of this draft, this time Blake Cyr out of Florida. Cyr played his high school ball at Windermere High School in Florida, started college at Miami, then transferred to Florida for his last two collegiate seasons. Cyr’s senior campaign was his best, hitting .316/.398/.591 with 14 dingers in 56 games. We don’t have much scouting info on Cyr, though you can see what looks like a somewhat long but powerful right swing here:
With their 19th pick, the Yankees make a rare foray into the lands of non-premium defensive positions, popping Texas kid Tyce Armstrong. The 23-year-old attended high school in Magnolia, TX, went to UT Arlington for his first three college seasons, then transferred to Baylor for 2026. Armstrong raked in the Big 12 this year, posting a .338/.453/.757 slash line with 24 homers in 56 games. He shares an NCAA record as one of just two players to ever hit three grand slams in one game:
After 20 rounds and over 600 picks, the 2026 MLB Draft is in the books! The Yankees closed out their draft with their fifth outfielder, Dean Toigo out of Arizona State. Toigo has followed a winding route in college, starting out with the Hope International Royals of the NAIA, transferring to UNLV for the 2025 season, before ending up with Arizona State in 2026. The 23-year-old has hit at every stop, posting a 1.032 OPS with Hope International, an 1.127 OPS with UNLV, and a 1.072 OPS with 20 homers in 60 games with ASU this year.
The New York Yankees select Dean Toigo of Arizona State University with their final pick of the 2026 MLB Draft!! (Rd 20, Pick 608)
Toigo posted a .321 average and a 1.072 OPS with 15 doubles and 20 homers across 60 games last year
Baseball America has praise for Toigo’s left-handed power:
The power is loud, especially to the pull side, where Toigo’s swing produced towering damage. His underlying metrics back it up… but there is chase in the approach. He expanded the zone more than 30% of the time, particularly against breaking stuff, and will need refinement to make the most of his offensive potential
With that, our live coverage of the 2026 MLB Draft comes to a close. Thanks for following along with us as we learned about the latest generation of Baby Bombers.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JULY 10: Caleb Wilson #8 of the Chicago Bulls is guarded by Cameron Boozer #27 of the Memphis Grizzlies in the second 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
They may have moved on to the next level, but they remain beloved Dukies. The latest edition of the DBR podcast takes a look at how Cam Boozer and others are faring in NBA Summer League action. There are plenty of interesting stories about Isaiah Evans, Maliq Brown, and guys still hoping for a big NBA shot like Trevor Keels and DJ Steward.
After the break, Jason and Donald dive into a new trend in recruiting, the kids showing up on campus a year earlier than expected. From Jojo Boumtje-Boumtje at Duke to new recruits at UCLa and Texas, this is becoming a trend. Are they making Two-and-done into a new thing?
Make sure you’re following us! Head to our Linktree to get all our available social media and links to follow and subscribe to the show. That includes our affiliate partnerships, from Homefield Apparel (use the code DBRPODCAST to save 15% off your first order) and Fanatics to the NBA Store, NFL Shop, and even Fubo TV. And…we have some more coming! Save some cash on the latest gear or follow the Blue Devils on the go by hitting those affiliate links and it helps support the show as well. We are now on YouTube! Subscribe there, rate, and review our episodes on there and everywhere you get your podcasts. Also, follow us on Bluesky @DukeRoundup!
Jul 12, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Seattle Mariners shortstop J.P. Crawford (3) hits a base hit against the Tampa Bay Rays in the fourth inning at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
The Mariners have had a tough run of games on this road trip. In particular, it seems the Florida heat may have gotten to the boys a bit, as the Mariners come into the final game of the first half of the season on a five-game losing streak.
Things got off to an inauspicious start when Hancock took a line drive from Jonathan Aranda on the first pitch of the game off his throwing hand. Hancock would go on to finish the inning, all smiles and thumbs up, but to say the training staff and Wilson felt confident in that would be a lie. In the bottom of the second, Hancock walked Victor Mesa Jr. with two outs, and was promptly pulled from the game for José Ferrer, who ended the inning.
Alright, so an unintentional bullpen day is incoming… when the Mariners have been struggling to score runs… and got blown out 6-1 the day before… no one would blame you if you started reaching for the remote. However, despite everything looking like the Mariners were cruising for a bruising, things didn’t shake out that way.
Top of the second, Josh Naylor got things started with a single. Garver followed with a walk, and Cole Young hit a single of his own, loading the bases for Victor Robles. Typically, when the Mariners get into this type of situation, many fans would get to witness a NOBLETIGER, a common phenomenon for the Mariners, but today things were different. Robles slapped a ball that sunk fast into the outfield, caught by a diving Mullins, allowing Naylor to score from third.
Ok, maybe the Mariners aren’t as dead in the water as we might have thought. I guess I’ll settle back into the couch for a couple more innings. I mean, they may blow it, but at least they scored with runners on.
Cole Young stole second as Weston Wilson struck out. Buddy Kennedy followed that up with a walk, bringing J.P. Crawford to the plate with two outs and the bases loaded again. J.P. proceeded to inside-out a pitch into left field for a double, scoring two more and putting the Mariners up 3-0 in the second.
But the Mariners were far from done; this team was determined to go into the All-Star break on a high note. Hearing all the slander we have been putting on his name, Weston Wilson hit his second home run of the season to left field, extending the Mariners’ lead to four.
Buddy Kennedy reached on an error and was advanced to second by a single from J.P. Crawford, putting two men on for Randy Arozarena. Of course, sensing the attention shifting off of him for a moment, Randy hit a three-run homer to right field.
The Mariners took a 7-0 lead, and didn’t relinquish it from there. Jonathan Aranda did get a good swing in the 8th against Bazardo, though, and ended the shutout with a home run of his own.
The double from Crawford was the final nail in the coffin for the Rays; if the Aranda home run had given them any momentum at all, it had quietly been snuffed out by the back-to-back doubles from Kennedy and Crawford in the bottom of the inning. Munoz entered in the bottom of the 9th to shut the door and end the Mariners chapter on the first half of the season.
The Mariners finish the first half in second place in the AL West with a record of 48-49. This team has struggled a lot on the road this year, and that has been compounded by a lot of guys missing time with injury and just some plain old slumps from some of the more important batters in the lineup. But the first half is over now, we can only hope that this game is a sign of more to come in the second half of the season.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 10: Meleek Thomas #15 of the Cleveland Cavaliers high fives teammate during the game against the Indiana Pacers on July 10, 2026 at the Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by David Becker/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers have dropped their first two games in Las Vegas. They fall to 0-2 in Summer League, this time suffering a 103-94 loss to the Detroit Pistons.
Cleveland trailed by double digits early. Detroit’s Chaz Lanier scored 17 points in the opening seven minutes to cause that. The Cavs would eventually get things under control and rally back in the second half. That comeback fell short, just like it did on Friday when the Cavs had a similar loss to the Milwaukee Bucks.
The loss wasn’t the only thing that carried forward, however. Meleek Thomas’s strong showing also translated to Sunday.
Thomas, the 34th pick in the most recent draft, looked impressive as the lead ball-handler today. Cleveland has put him in a position to orchestrate the offense in a way he never could with Arkansas. This increased opportunity is leading to instant results, with Thomas’s playmaking being the biggest takeaway from this game.
Thomas dished 7 assists in the first three quarters. He kept his head up, manipulating the floor and creating advantages at every turn. This one-handed skip pass to the opposite corner was straight up ridiculous. It takes serious creativity to think of this in real-time.
The Cavs are confident they found a first-round talent with the 34th pick. Thomas is proving them right by showing he can do more than catch-and-shoot away from the ball. His patience and composure at point guard were extremely encouraging.
Thomas finished with 30 points, 7 assists, 4 rebounds, 4 steals and only 2 turnovers. Impressive stuff from the rookie.
Nae’Qwan Tomlin was Cleveland’s second-leading scorer with 17 points. Tomlin shot 7-for-10 from the floor and had 4 blocks.
Tomlin and Thomas have been the two standouts for the Cavs. So far, they’re waiting for someone else to step up and provide support. It was a relatively lackluster game from everyone else, with Malakai Branham being the only other Cav to score in double figures.
Detroit was led by Lanier, who scored 25 points on 7-for-12 three-point shooting. Brice Williams joined in on the splash party by nailing 6-of-9 three-point attempts for 21 points. Those two finished with more three-pointers than the entire Cavalier roster.
MIAMI, FLORIDA - JULY 12: Brayan Rocchio #4 of the Cleveland Guardians celebrates with teammates after hitting a home run against the Miami Marlins in the fifth inning of the game at loanDepot park on July 12, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Guardians swept the Miami Marlins heading into the All-Star break. Joey Cantillo had a great start and improved to 8-4 on the season with today’s win. Cantillo threw 85 pitches in 5.0 innings of work. He allowed only one run on six hits and two walks. Joey struck out nine batters.
In the bottom of the second Cantillo pitched into a bases loaded, no outs situation. Back-to-back singles started off the inning and a walk loaded the bases. Cantillo locked in and got a pop out and two strikeouts to escape without allowing a run.
Franco Aleman came on in the sixth, Hunter Gaddis pitched the seventh, and Shawn Armstrong pitched the eighth. All three went scoreless, hitless outings. Cade closed the game in a non-save situation. He gave up two hits and a solo home run, but retired the side to “book it.”
In the top of the first Travis Bazzana lead off the game with a four pitch walk and a stolen base. Brayan Rocchio drove Bazzana in on a single to right field.
Kyle Manzardo, with one out, singled on a liner to left, scoring Rocchio.
In the top of the fifth, Rocchio lead off the inning with a homer to right field.
In the top of the seventh, the Guards extended their lead. Travis Bazzana was hit by pitch to start the inning. With two outs, Kyle Manzardo reached on a fielding error and advanced Bazzana to third. Kahlil Watson hit a single to short that deflected off the pitcher, scoring Bazz.
After being the only player to get on base, in the top of the ninth, Chase DeLauter demolished a fast ball. DeLauter hit a 435 foot home run to the upper deck, putting the Guardians up 5-1.
This was a refreshing series to go into the All-Star Break with. A sweep, a four win streak, and multiple home runs. José and Angel are due back after the All-Star Break, just in time for a big push before the trade deadline on August 3rd.
The notable difference regarding this year’s pre-season is that each team will only participate in four games rather than the usual six due to the regular season now consisting of 84 games.
The talent of Vancouver’s youth will be on full-display during the pre-season, with many up-and-coming players expected to make their mark and potentially push for roster spots. Last year, 2025 first-round pick Braeden Cootes impressed to the point of remaining on Vancouver’s roster through the final camp cuts and making his NHL debut in the team’s season-opener against the Flames.
This year, players like OHL standout Riley Patterson, who made his AHL debut in 2025–26, will be ones to watch heading into the pre-season and training camp. Vancouver’s selections in the 2026 NHL Draft will also be intriguing to watch, though prospects such as Caleb Malhotra are expected to play out the 2026-27 season with their respective NCAA and CHL clubs.
2026–27 Pre-Season Schedule
Game 1: September 19, 7:00 pm PT @ Seattle Kraken
Game 2: September 22, 6:00 pm PT @ Calgary Flames
Game 3: September 24, 6:00 pm PT vs. Edmonton Oilers
Game 4: September 26, 4:00 pm PT vs. Seattle Kraken
Apr 14, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Zeev Buium (24) and forward Nils Hoglander (21) and forward Elias Pettersson (40) and defenseman Kirill Kudryavtsev (59) celebrate Buium’s goal against the Los Angeles Kings in the second period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
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Polls! America is obsessed with polls. Not Polish people, or metal or wooden tubes that sometimes people writhe upon, but surveys, votes, the heart of the Sports Blog Nation’s Electoral Process. If SBN had one. After a pretty boring, and chalk draft, where few indefensible decisions were made, thus generated little drama, NBA trades and to some extent, free agent signings have come through for us. The ongoing soap opera* that is the NBA has lots of emotive signings, and plots that would seem utterly contrived, if they didn’t, in fact, actually happen.
Let’s start with this one, that asks the SBN reader “Do You Want Your Team To Sign LeBron James”. As you know, LeBron is still the NBA’s leading soap opera* star. LeBron has created little scandal in his 24 year NBA career, and we all know he doesn’t want any drama. LeBron instead demands, requires and utterly insists upon drama. Usually about what he’ll do next. Even at 41 LeBron can keep the soapy audience of the NBA entertained. But what are the results?
Wow. So fans like the drama, but have a clear mandate for NOT signing LeBron James. Where will he go? Maybe Philadelphia? I have no idea, but rumors have been that the Rockets are not interested in bringing James to the Bayou City.
What’s next? How about “Which of the most prominent traded or signed players will have the biggest impact on their team?”. As far as contrived plots go, the Jaylen Brown trade is right up there. As far as something predictable happening goes, Bam Adebayo punching, slapping or “striking” Tyler Herro is the least surprising.
I personally disagree with the results here. I think Giannis will have a bigger impact in Miami. Even if he doesn’t play a lot. It’s difficult to overstate how much better Giannis is than the players in Miami he’s replacing.
I’m sure the 76ers will have far better forward play than they had from Paul George (minus the last few weeks of the season) but there’s a kind car wreck of usage coming for the 76ers. too. Brown, whether he’s a good or bad player analytically speaking, is a high usage player. So to a lesser extent, is Tyrese Maxey, so is Joel Embiid if he plays. The 76ers will also want to feature VJ Edgecombe more as well, I would think. It’s not that there’s “only one ball” so much as “there are only so many shot attempts”. So while I think the 76ers will improve, I’m just not sure how big the delta on offense between Paul George playing well and Brown will be, given likely lower usage. That said, Brown typically always plays, unlike PGOut13Weeks. That’s subject to the usual caveats, but 76 games of Brown WILL improve the 76ers, especially on defense. How much is the question.
Next up? Who wins the Finals? Can you guess what people said? Probably.
I’m not a New Yorker, or a Knicks fan, but that’s downright disrespectful. Seven percent picked the Knicks? Seven? The Knicks will return pretty much everyone except their one key player they actually drafted, Mitchell Robinson. Robinson played great minutes for them, but doesn’t strike me as someone who couldn’t be replaced. The Knicks came within a whisker of sweeping the last three rounds of the NBA playoffs, including the Finals against the favorite (by 4x over the Knicks) Spurs. That seems like it should garner more than 7% of votes.
I think The Great People Of Rocketsas are being too generous here. That’s us all over, though, generous.
Smart has never been a great player, questionable DPOY aside, but he IS an Ime guy, so hooray for that. If there’s one thing this team needs, it’s an avatar of Ime on the court.
Bogdan Son of Bogdan, or as I like to call him BogBog, looked, ah, washed, last season, and also didn’t shoot well. If a shooter who moves only slightly faster than continental drift can’t shoot, it’s hard to see what he’s good for, no matter how tall he is.
I’d give this signing a “Pandering To Ime For Inexplicable Reasons – C- ”. It’s not an “F”, but you just know that Smart is going to play over better players, often. He wasn’t good last year, a couple of playoff games notwithstanding. I don’t think he’s a misunderstood rebel like Dillon Brooks, I think he’s a 32 year old fake point guard who hasn’t been good in years, and was overrated when he was good, roughly four years ago. Silver lining? Smart spends a lot of time being hurt.
So that’s your check in with the 250 year old project that is SBN NBA internet democracy. Stay cool, Shakers.
*What IS a “soap opera” anyway? Settle down, you, younger readers may not know. How would they? Anyhow, back when people rode dinosaurs to work and women were all “trad” (they weren’t), and there were only three channels of television, there were daily dramas that aired every weekday afternoon. These usually involved the turgid, overblown, schemes, machinations and especially loves and passions of several families. People got married, had torrid affairs, got divorced, and remarried all the time. Since the shows aired in the afternoon, the primary audience at the time was “housewives” (plus the elderly, incarcerated, insane and children) they were sponsored, and often produced, by soap companies, for example Proctor and Gamble (the Cincinnati Soap Monster). These corporations wanted to sell things to women, in large part, soap. Soap was something pretty much everyone watching bought, to clean the dishes, themselves, their kitchen, etc. If the same sort of thing is shown at night, but features truly awful men, expensive settings, and few jokes, it’s not a soap opera, it’s “Prestige TV”.