Seattle Mariners @ Texas Rangers
Friday, July 24, 2026, 7:05 PM CDT (105.3 The Fan / CW33)
The Shed
RHP Bryce Miller vs. LHP MacKenzie Gore
Go Rangers!
Game 103 Game Day Thread – Seattle Mariners @ Texas Rangers
Mariners Game #104 Preview and Discussion: 7/24, SEA at TEX
Big Tex gets a chance to be bigger than Texas tonight. Bryce Miller, owner of the nickname, will face off against the Rangers in Arlington at 5:05 PT. Since coming back from an oblique strain that cost him the first quarter of the season, Miller has been having the best year of his career. He’s striking out 29.5% of batters while walking just 4.1%, a K-BB% that’s good for fourth-best in MLB (min. 60 IP), nestled right between the folks in the Cy Young conversation. The rest of the top eight is Miz, Skubal, Cease, Wheeler, Schittler, deGrom, and Skenes. Unfortunately, Miller’s fastball velocity, and his results, have been on a downward trajectory over the past month.
He’ll face off against MacKenzie Gore, jewel of the Rangers’ offseason. On one hand, he’s pitched much better than his 4.80 ERA suggests, with xERA, FIP, xFIP, and SIERRA about a full point lower. On the other hand, about 4.00 still isn’t what the Rangers were hoping for. And even worse, he’s historically been a much worse performer in the second half, sort of the anti-Julio.
Lineups
J.P. Crawford is still out of the lineup, so Weston Wilson gets another start at third base. But with Dominic Canzone having worked his way into starts against lefties, the only other change from the typical lineup is that Mitch Garver will DH. It’s masked in his overall stats from all the times he had to face righties while Cal Raleigh was on the IL, but Garver’s been actively good against left-handed pitching this year. He’s at a 107 wRC+ against southpaws, and even amid his decline over the past three years combined, he’s at 114. For context, across MLB, designated hitters have a 108 wRC+ against lefties over the past three seasons.
While this still seems like the same era of Rangers baseball as 2023, this is quite a different looking lineup than their World Series run, especially when Corey Seager’s out.
Game Info
First pitch: 5:05 PDT
TV: Mariners TV
Radio: Old Reliable
Good vibes only
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The Flames Have the NHL's Worst Contract, But Also One of Its Best
On July 23, The Athletic released its revised lists of the NHL's best and worst contracts, and as expected, the Calgary Flames found themselves on the worst list, but in an odd twist to the rankings, also found themselves on the best list.
As a rebuilding team with good NHL Draft Lottery odds, it is quite surprising to see them with such a bad contract that they'd be on the worst list, since the goal is to be younger and cheaper. Still, there's no denying that Jonathan Huberdeau's $10.5 million salary does complicate bookkeeping at the Saddledome.
With all this negative press about one player's mosterous contract, it kinda overshadows the excitement that the Flames have Dustin Wolf locked up until the next decade on a relatively inexpensive deal. If he happens to win the Vezina Trophy before his deal expires in 2033, there's no denying his $7.5 million could be considered the heist of the century.
Today, we discuss why these deals popped up on The Athletic's lists and what it means long term for the organization as they move into Scotia Place next season.
Huberdeau's contract continues to be the NHL's worst
For the third consecutive year, Huberdeau's $84 million contract, which pays him $10.5 million annually, ranks as the league's worst contract. After scoring 115 points in 2021-22, he came to Calgary via a trade and was immediately signed to a blockbuster deal.
In his first season, he scored 15 goals and 55 points, exactly 60 points fewer than the year before. He collected even fewer points in 2023-24, with just 12 goals and 52 points and a team-worst minus-29 rating. Despite bouncing back with 28 goals and 62 points in 2024-25, he only skated in 50 games last year, scoring 10 goals and 25 points.
In 2026-27, Huberdeau's contract will count 10.1% towards the Flames' cap, and at 33, many believe his best days are behind him. Hopefully, coming back from hip surgery will give him a chance to find chemistry with the team's young core, but for the past few seasons, Calgary has been one of the lowest teams in the NHL.
Considering his hefty salary, everyone expects more from Huberdeau, but with unappealing statistics, it makes it almost impossible to trade him and offer him a change of scenery and a fresh start.
Wolf is the only reason the Flames haven't hit rock bottom
All-Rookie goalie Wolf is about to begin his new contract extension, which will pay him $7.5 million for the next seven seasons. As the undisputed number one goalie, the Flames will only go as far as Wolf can carry them. Last year, for the first time in his professional hockey career, he produced a losing season, posting a 23-29-3 record as Calgary secured the fourth-best draft lottery odds.
As the organization continues to rebuild, Wolf is the only reason one of the lowest-scoring teams isn't being run out of every building they play in. He had a spectacular 2024-25 campaign, going 29-16-8 and kept the Flames close to a wildcard spot, only losing out in the final weeks of the season.
Throughout their history, Calgary has had some great goalies, but there hasn't been a single youngster to come in and ignite the fanbase as Wolf has since Miikka Kiprusoff in the early 2000s.
Do you agree with The Athletic's assessments of the league's best and worst contracts? Are their opinions on Huberdeau and Wolf valid? Let us know what you think in the comments.
Astros at White Sox Game Discussion: 7/24/2026
TONIGHT’S GAME: The Houston Astros (50-54) begin a 3-game series tonight vs. the Chicago White Sox (54-47) at Rate Field.
RHP Spencer Arrighetti (7-5, 4.34 ERA) will start for the Astros as he takes on White Sox RHP Davis Martin (9-5, 3.31 ERA).
ROAD WARRIORS: Tonight is the 1st game of a 6-game road trip for the Astros, during which they are scheduled to play 3-game sets vs. the Chicago White Sox (Fri.-Sun.) and the Los Angeles Angels (Mon.-Wed.).
The Astros are 17-12 on their last four road trips combined and are 23-18 on the road since going 1-9 on their first road trip of the season.
ROAD SLUGGING: The Astros are T-1st in the AL in road HR while ranking 2nd in road OPS (.743) and road SLG (.420) and 4th in road runs scored (243).
VS. THE CHISOX: The Astros are facing the White Sox for the 1st time in 2026. They were 3-3 vs. CWS last season, going 2-1 at home and 1-2 here in Chicago. The Astros are 20-13 vs. CWS over the past 5 seasons (2021-25), posting winning records in each of those seasons. HOU is 53-46 all-time vs. CWS.
SPENCER’S GIFTS: RHP Spencer Arrighetti will make his 17th start of the season tonight and his 2nd since the All-Star Break. In his last start on July 18 vs. BAL, he was solid, allowing just 1 hit and 1 R in 5.0 IP, but ended up with ND in an eventual, 4-2 Astros loss in 11.0 innings.
Pitcher of the Month: Named AL Pitcher of the Month for May, after posting a 4-1 record in his 5 starts with an 0.93 ERA (3ER/29IP) and a .165 opponent batting average. Tonight will be Arrighetti’s 3rd career start/app. vs. CWS and his first since Aug. 16, 2024 at Daikin Park (11-5 loss, 5.2 IP, 4 ER). He has made 1 career start/app. at Rate Field, which was on June 20, 2024 (ND in 5-3 win, 4.1 IP, 3 ER).
MOVING UP THE LIST: Manager Joe Espada earned his 225th win as the Astros skipper on Wednesday night, moving him past Terry Collins and into 10th place all-time in club history. Hal Lanier (254 wins) is 9th on the list.
FIRST BLOOD: The Astros rank 1st in the AL and 2nd in the Majors in 1st-inning runs (68). Additionally, HOU is 35-15 when scoring 1st this season.
CLOSE CALLS: The Astros are 31-20 in games decided by 2 runs or less, 22-12 in 2-run games, 9-8 in 1-run games.
MVP-CALIBER: Yordan Alvarez is a strong AL MVP candidate as he enters tonight leading the league in all three Triple Crown categories, ranking 1st in batting average (.328), HR (34), and RBI (77). Additionally, he currently leads all of baseball in OPS (1.089), OBP (.433), SLG (.656) TB (244), and in the AL, he also ranks 1st in hits (122), 1st in XBH (54), tied 1st in runs (69), and 4th in walks (66).
HOT STREAK: Yordan Alvarez enters tonight with a 9-game hitting streak, during which he is hitting a sizzling .515 (17×33) with 4 2B, 5 HR and 10 RBI with a 1.691 OPS.
HISTORIC HOMERS: Yordan Alvarez has 34 HR through the Astros’ 1st 104 games, which are the 2nd-most in franchise history at this point in a season(per Elias):
Most HR thru 104 G: Jeff Bagwell-35 (‘94)
Most HR thru 105 G: Jeff Bagwell-36 (‘94), Jeff Bagwell-35 (‘99)
PEÑA POWER: Jeremy Peña has homered in 3 consecutive games, becoming the 5th different Astros SS to do so. The others are: Carlos Correa, Jed Lowrie, Andujar Cedeno, Craig Reynolds. In Peña’s last 3 games, he is 5×12 (.417) with 3 HR, 5 R and 6 RBI.
Last Time It Happened (Astros)
Last SS to Homer in 3 consecutive games: Correa (8/9-11, 2016)
Last SS to Homer in 4 consecutive games: Has never happened
Last Astro to Homer in 4 consecutive games: Alex Bregman (8/10-12, 2024)
HIT PAREDES: Isaac Paredes has hit safely in 8 straight games at .387 (12×31) with 2 HR and 7 RBI in that span. Since June 3, Paredes is batting .303 (46×152) with 21 runs scored, 6 2B, 1 3B, 7 HR, 30 RBI and 18 walks in 41 games.
ON THE DEFENSIVE: The Astros rank 2nd in the AL in fielding pct. (.988) and have the 2nd-fewest errors in the AL (43). 1B Christian Walker has led the way, as he has not committed an error in his 99 games played at 1B…dating back to last season, Walker has not made an error in his last 127 games at 1B (last error was Aug. 23, 2025 at BAL).
TAPPING FOR SUCCESS: Astros hitters have won an MLB-best 73 ABS challenges and lead the Majors in challenge success rate (60%). 2B Jose Altuve has been successful on 15-of-23 challenges (65%), ranking third in the Majors in challenges won. 3B Isaac Paredes (11-for-12) has been the most efficient challenger for the Astros.
BRYAN’S BACK: RHP Bryan Abreu has a 1.86 ERA (2ER/9.2IP) in his last 9 apps. with a .156 opp. avg. in that span. Additionally, since May 1, he has a 2.55 ERA (7ER/24.2IP) in 26 apps., and is 5-for-5 in save opportunities in that span. Prior to May 1, Abreu had a 12.54 ERA in his 1st 11 apps. of the season.
WHAT A RELIEF: LHP Josh Hader, who is 11-for-11 in save opp. with a 1.47 ERA, enters tonight with 238 career SV, needing 1 more to move past LHP Sparky Lyle for 5th place all-time among LH relievers.
TODAY IN ASTROS HISTORY: 2020 – After nearly four months of delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Astros host the Mariners for Opening Day 2020 at an empty Daikin Park. It marks the latest Opening Day in club history. The game ends in an 8-2 Astros win, giving the club their 8th straight Opening Day victory. RHP Justin Verlander makes his 12th career Opening Day start and earns the win after tossing 6.0 innings and allowing two runs on three hits.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Friday, July 24, 6:40 p.m. CT
Location: Rate Field, Chicago, IL
TV: SCHN
Radio: KTRH 740 AM; KBME 790 AM & 94.5 FM HD2; TUDN 102.9 FM HD2 (Spanish)
Dodgers vs. Mets game chat
The Dodgers (65-38) continue their long road trip with a three game series against the Mets (43-60) in New York.
Roki Sasaki (3-5, 4.98 ERA, 1.34 WHIP) hopes to build off his impressive start against the Yankees.
Left-hander Sean Manaea (2-5, 4.74 ERA, 1.36) takes the mound for the Mets.
Lineups
Friday game info
- Teams: Dodgers at Mets
- Ballpark: Citi Field, Queens
- Start time: 4:10 p.m. PT
- TV: SportsNet LA
- Radio: AM 570 (English), KTNQ 1020 AM (Spanish)
Micah Parsons erupts after LeBron James snubs Steph Curry, Warriors
Micah Parsons had one question after LeBron James chose Philadelphia over Golden State: Why does nobody seem to want to play with Stephen Curry?
“Nobody wants to play with my man Curry man I don’t get it!!” Parsons wrote on X. “All he do is win!! What is going on in the Bay!!???”
James became the latest major name to pass on Golden State, agreeing to a two-year, $8 million contract with the 76ers. The Warriors had spent weeks trying to sell LeBron on the notion of a final championship run alongside Curry and Draymond Green. But, James instead joined Tyrese Maxey, Jaylen Brown and Joel Embiid.
For Parsons, the frustration was personal.
The Packers pass rusher has spent years defending Curry against critics and campaigning for him in basketball debates. During the Warriors’ 2022 playoff run, Parsons regularly celebrated Curry’s performances, compared his impact to Michael Jordan and continued backing him even when Golden State was eliminating the Dallas Mavericks while Parsons was still playing for the Cowboys.
More recently, Parsons took issue with Emmanuel Acho, who ranked Curry fifth among active NBA players at their peaks.
“I’m sorry, not having Curry first is disrespectful!” Parsons wrote.
Acho argued that LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard and Giannis Antetokounmpo offered more two-way value. Parsons’ position was simpler: Curry’s four championships, two MVP awards and transformation of modern basketball should place him at the front of the conversation.
He has even turned Curry’s name into a universal compliment. When Travis Kelce began dating Taylor Swift, Parsons compared Kelce’s new relationship to reaching the god-like status of Curry.
That long-running admiration explains why James’ decision struck a nerve.
The Warriors have repeatedly explored adding another star as Curry’s championship window narrows, only to fall short with targets including James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Paul George and a possible Kevin Durant reunion.
Curry remains one of basketball’s most accomplished and unselfish stars. Yet Golden State keeps discovering that his résumé alone cannot erase concerns about age, injuries, roster depth and the Western Conference.
Parsons may not understand why stars keep passing.
Warriors fans would probably like an answer, too.
Blue Jays @ Red Sox Game Thread
An Apple TV game, because MLB will never turn down a dollar.
It would be nice to win a game or two this series.
Go Jays Go
Game Thread: How are the Guardians *not* in first place?
Go Rays!
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Game #103, Athletics at Twins Game Thread
The Athletics opened this weeklong road trip by losing two out of three to the Arizona Diamondbacks. Following an off day yesterday, the A’s are back in action today as they begin a three-game series against the Minnesota Twins, who at 51-53, are 4 1/2 games back of the American League Central lead and 2 1/2 games behind the third and final AL Wild Card spot.
Roster Move
Before the game. the team shook up its bullpen.
Right-handed reliever Yunior Tur’s MLB debut did not go well, as he allowed 14 runs in his first 2 2/3 innings. Hopefully Tur can work on what wrong at Triple-A, so he comes back to the majors more prepared to succeed.
The player replacing him, right-hander Luis Morales, has been one of the team’s biggest disappointments this season, struggling both in the big leagues and the minor leagues. With the A’s out of contention, getting Morales, a former top prospect, back on track would be a big boost for the pitching staff moving forward.
Game Preview
Left-hander Jacob Lopez will make the start for the A’s to kick off the series in the Twin Cities. The 28-year-old enters his 16th appearance and 13th start of the season with a 4-4 record, a 6.64 ERA, a 1.73 WHIP and 49 strikeouts over 59 2/3 innings.
Lopez made a successful return to the starting rotation in his most recent appearance, allowing just two runs on two hits and two walks in 4 1/3 innings. In that outing against the Washington Nationals, his pitch count was limited because it was his first true start since being recalled from Triple-A. Tonight, the A’s need Lopez to provide more length given the concerns surrounding their beleaguered bullpen. A quality start against a Twins lineup that has scored the seventh-most runs in the league would be a welcome sight for an A’s pitching staff that has endured significant struggles this season.
He’ll be opposed by Minnesota’s third-year right-hander Zebby Matthews, who enters his 13th start of the season with a 4-7 record, a 5.40 ERA, a 1.34 WHIP and 58 strikeouts over 70 innings. The 26-year-old is coming off a rough outing against the Chicago Cubs, allowing eight runs on nine hits in just three innings.
This will be Matthews’ second career start against the A’s. On June 4, 2025, he earned the win after holding the A’s to one run on four hits over five innings. However, he enters tonight’s game in poor form, so the Athletics’ injury-depleted offense must capitalize on any mistake pitches the young right-hander leaves over the plate.
The A’s will send out the following lineup against Matthews:
Nothing too surprising about this Athletics starting nine. Shortstop Jacob Wilson and third baseman Tommy White will look to continue their strong performances on this road trip. If the A’s want to win this Friday night contest, they will need production from the bottom of the order, where struggling right fielder Lawrence Butler and center fielder Henry Bolte will look to provide a spark.
Lopez will take on this Twins’ lineup:
Byron Buxton, one of the best center fielders in the sport, is the leader of the Twins offense. Lopez will also have to be careful when pitching to well-traveled designated hitter Josh Bell and catcher Ryan Jeffers, who could be a trade candidate at the upcoming deadline.
Time to get back on the winning side of things and generate some good vibes heading into the weekend. Let’s go A’s!
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Dodgers trade deadline: Pros and cons of acquiring a catcher
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Dodgers fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
Even great teams have room for improvement, and for the Dodgers in 2026, one of those paths is in the acquisition of a catcher. Will Smith has been out since early June with neck inflammation, and updates on his condition have put into question if and when the veteran might be back. We asked the fans if the Dodgers should proceed with the current depth chart believing in Smith’s return or plan for the worst while they still can.
All in all, with the resources that this team possesses and the lack of holes to fill, to look for a catching addition feels like a given. Perhaps more than what we may see with the bat, the Dodgers ought to look at adding a steady presence, a catcher who can be relied on to not only do his job but also excel behind the plate defensively.
What adds layers to this debate is that for a team on the market for a catcher, there are legit game-changing options to at least call about. Although none of them are explicitly on the block, controllable beyond just this current campaign, Hunter Goodman, Shea Langeliers, and Adley Rutschman each could be seen within reason as trade candidates. Acquiring any of them, though, would inevitably back the Dodgers into a corner down the line since Smith is going nowhere long-term.
Perhaps in Minnesota, the Dodgers might find targets that are more their speed in Ryan Jeffers or Victor Caratini. Quietly, one of the better-hitting catchers in the AL over the last four seasons, Jeffers has been phenomenal with a .933 OPS in a short sample (44 games) due to missed time this year. With Caratini, who is under contract through next season at a reasonable rate, the Dodgers would be getting stability above all else, adding a player perfectly willing to fade into a backup role down the line. Caratini might even provide Rushing insurance if the youngster hits his way into staying on as a starter in the playoffs.
Taking into account the experience, or lack thereof, of players such as Eliezer Alfonso and Chuckie Robinson, adding a backstopper who’s been there in a postseason environment for the off chance Smith doesn’t return is good business.
David Stearns discusses approach with Mets’ catchers ahead of trade deadline, long-term state of rotation
Mets president of baseball ops David Stearns met with the media prior to Friday’s series opener against the Dodgers to discuss a number of different topics…
When may we see some deals...
With Thursday's complete off day in the schedule, there had been some hope that we could potentially see some trade deadline moves start to take shape.
However, that ended up not being the case.
So, Stearns was asked when we could potentially see some reach the finish line.
"Every deadline moves a little at its own pace," he said. "A week and a half is an eternity at deadline season; we see it every year -- there are active discussions going on throughout the industry, that is certainly the case.
"When deals ultimately get across the finish line, it's tough to tell, but there's always the acceleration of deals at the deadline; we see that every year -- but when exactly we make our first deal would be tough for me to predict."
Will either of the catchers go?
With so many contenders looking to add catching ahead of the deadline, there has been some buzz that the Mets could look to move on from one of their backstops.
Francisco Alvarez is still just 24 years old and is under club control through the 2029 season.
Luis Torrens is one of baseball's more steady backups, and he just signed a two-year extension with the club.
While both would likely net a relatively decent return, Stearns doesn’t exactly sound too eager to move on from either with the team still looking to contend next year.
“Catching is really important,” he said. “We’re very fortunate to have two really good ones.”
State of the starting rotation
Stearns also broke down what he’s seen from the group from a long-term lens.
“We have some young starters who are performing really well that we are very excited about -- we have some pitching coming behind it, some of which has progressed nicely and some have hit some speed bumps,” he said.
“So from a young starting perspective, we still feel pretty good about where we are as an organization -- but it’s also an area that we’ll have to look to supplement as we head into 2027, but we’ll get to that as we get to planning for 2027.”
The performing youngsters, of course, are Nolan McLean, Christian Scott, and Zac Thornton, who have been putting their talents on full display in the majors of late.
That is a solid trio for the Mets to build around, but there's no denying they need more.
NHL arbitration cases all settled early: What each player received
The NHL's salary arbitration season is over without a single case being heard and only one player being close.
The final two players — Columbus Blue Jackets forward Cole Sillinger and Florida Panthers goalie Akira Schmid — settled on Friday, July 24. Their cases were scheduled for next week.
Settling early is typical, as filing for arbitration creates a deadline for both sides to get a deal done and avoid having an independent arbitrator set a salary.
Sillinger averages $4.625 million in his new three-year deal and Schmid will average $2 million in his two-year deal, according to Sportsnet's Ellliotte Friedman, after being acquired from the Vegas Golden Knights.
Blue Jackets goalie Jet Greaves was the only player who was close as his three-year, $15 million deal was reached right before his hearing on Thursday. He had requested $7.5 million and the team requested $2.8 million for the goalie who became a No. 1 netminder last season.
Dallas Stars forward Jason Robertson, who had 96 points last season, settled for one year at $12 million earlier this week.
Here are the 15 players who filed for arbitration, when they were supposed to have hearings and the deals that they reached by settling early (dates and salary figures from puckpedia.com):
Salary arbitration hearing dates, results
Monday, July 20
- Jamie Drysdale, Philadelphia (settled, four years, $6.5 million average)
- Cole Perfetti, Winnipeg (settled, five years, $6 million average)
Wednesday, July 22
- Trevor Zegras, Philadelphia (settled, four years, $9.125 million average)
Thursday, July 23
- Jet Greaves, Columbus (settled, three years, $5 million)
Saturday, July 25
- Xavier Bourgault, Ottawa (settled, one year, $850,000)
- Jason Robertson, Dallas (settled, one year, $12 million)
- Connor McMichael, St. Louis (settled, six years, $6.75 million average)
Monday, July 27
- Cole Sillinger, Columbus (settled, three years, $4.625 million average).
- Note: The Blue Jackets have about $14.5 million left to re-sign 2023 No. 3 overall pick Adam Fantilli, who has no arbitration rights.
Tuesday, July 28
- Nick Robertson, Pittsburgh (settled, two years $3.5 million average)
Wednesday, July 29
- Braden Schneider, N.Y. Rangers (settled, one year, $5.5 million)
- Ronan Seeley, Carolina (settled, one year, $850,000 in the NHL, $100,000 in the AHL and $160,000 guaranteed)
Thursday, July 30
- Alex Jefferies, N.Y. Islanders (settled, one year, $850,000 in NHL, $100,000 in AHL, $130,000 guaranteed)
- Kirby Dach, Montreal (settled, one year, $3.6 million)
Saturday, Aug. 1
- Akira Schmid, Florida (settled, two years, $2 million average)
- Peyton Krebs, Buffalo (settled, four years, $4.5 million average)
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NHL arbitration cases all settled early: What each player received
Tyrese Maxey not only 76ers ‘heavy figure’ who recruited LeBron James
The race for LeBron James is over.
James is signing a two-year, $8 million deal with the Philadelphia 76ers. The 41-year-old’s decision was shocking given James had already won NBA championships with two of the four finalists in the sweepstakes: the Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers.
There was already some familiarity with the 76ers as James spent the last five offseasons working out with Philadelphia star Tyrese Maxey, who helped convince the NBA’s all-time leading scorer to join the organization.
But according to The Athletic’s Tony Jones, Joel Embiid was also a “heavy figure” in recruiting James. The 76ers big man kept in contact with James throughout his unique free agency process and reportedly vowed to get his body in playing shape, per Jones.
Philadelphia was aggressive in its recruitment process for LeBron as he was essentially the missing piece for a title run.
The 76ers were never regarded as the favorite in the sweepstakes for James, but the veteran began to view the team in a different light once the team acquired Jaylen Brown from the Boston Celtics. It was the blockbuster trade that propelled Philadelphia to the forefront of James’ list.
As he shared on social media, James believes joining the 76ers would make the organization a championship team. On paper, the new look Philadelphia squad will certainly be a lethal powerhouse in the East.
Philadelphia now boasts a starting five including James, Embiid, Maxey, Brown and VJ Edgecombe.
The already illustrious legacy for James can reach new levels by bringing an NBA championship to Philadelphia. It has been 43 years since the city last won an NBA Championship, headlined by Dr. J and Moses Malone.
The superstar has brought a title to every franchise he’s played for — will he do it again?
Friday night game thread: vs Braves, 7:05
When you are trying to chase down several other teams in the playoff race, and games between now and the trade deadline are running short, every series feels big. This weekend’s clash with the Atlanta Braves is no different. Our very own John Beers provided a run down of the matchup earlier today.
The Orioles lineup lacks some bite without Adley Rutschman and Samuel Basallo, but they put up a fight against the Red Sox earlier in the week, which included snapping their rivals’ 15-game winning streak. A win for the Orioles tonight will make it two in a row for them, en route to another streak of their own.
They have the right pitcher on the mound to make it happen. The Orioles have won each of Trevor Rogers’ last five starts. The lefty has done a lot of the heavy lifting, allowing three total runs across 30.2 innings in that stretch. That translates to a 0.88 ERA. Pretty good!
Grant Holmes, the Braves starter, allowed three runs in his last start alone. So, the momentum is with Rogers. Holmes is a good pitcher, though. He just doesn’t tend to go very deep into a game. The last time he threw more than five innings in an appearance came seven starts ago on June 3rd.
It’s worth noting that Dylan Beavers will bat leadoff in this one. That’s the first time he has had that role this season and just the third time he has ever done it as a big leaguer. Tony Mansolino used him atop the order twice in late September last year. The outfielder is batting .462 over his last five games, including a 2-for-4 performance in the finale with Boston. Craig Albernaz has been more willing to change the lineup to find something that clicks. Beavers makes just as much sense as anyone else right now.
Orioles lineup
- Dylan Beavers, LF
- Pete Alonso, 1B
- Gunnar Henderson, SS
- Taylor Ward, DH
- Colton Cowser, CF
- Leody Taveras, RF
- Jackson Holliday, 2B
- Christian Encarnacion-Strand, 3B
- Chadwick Tromp, C
LHP Trevor Rogers (6-7, 4.28 ERA)
Braves lineup
- Drake Baldwin, DH
- Ozzie Albies, 2B
- Matt Olson, 1B
- Michael Harris II, CF
- Mauricio Dubón, LF
- Austin Riley, 3B
- Eli White, RF
- Joey Bart, C
- Jorge Mateo, SS
RHP Grant Holmes (6-4, 3.70 ERA)
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LeBron James’ family faced difficult decision over 76ers opportunity
LeBron James had heard the pitches, studied the rosters and decided the 76ers gave him the best chance to chase another championship.
Before he could say yes, however, he needed approval from the people whose lives would be affected most.
“The last step was getting the family all on board and talking to everyone, from Savannah, Zhuri, Bronny James, who’s playing for the Lakers, to Bryce James at Arizona,” ESPN’s Shams Charania said.
That family meeting was more than a courtesy.
James’ move to the 76ers ends an eight-year run in Los Angeles, where his family built a life that now extends well beyond his basketball career.
Bronny remains with the Lakers, Bryce is beginning his college career at Arizona and Savannah has established her own business and media projects.
Then there is Zhuri, the youngest member of the family and potentially the person facing the biggest adjustment.
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James previously revealed that he pulled his daughter aside before making his decision public. He told her he would not return to the Lakers and acknowledged that playing elsewhere would mean spending less time at home.
“I pulled her to the side and I was like, ‘Baby, I’m letting you know. I don’t want you to hear from nobody else, but I won’t be playing for the Lakers next year. I will be playing somewhere else,'” James recalled.
“‘I won’t be home all the time. And you may not have an answer right now. You can give me an answer now. We can wait; we can write it down. I just want to know how you felt about it because you mean a lot to me. Me being away from you means a lot.’ So, the family portion is a big thing, too.”
James has always made his family part of his basketball journey. He spent years talking about his dream of playing alongside Bronny before the two finally became teammates in LA. Savannah and their children have also been present for nearly every major career milestone, including his record-breaking night as the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.
Philadelphia will make that closeness harder to maintain.
James will now play across the country from Bronny, while Bryce remains in Tucson. Savannah and Zhuri have not publicly indicated whether they will relocate, creating the possibility the family keeps Los Angeles as its primary home while James lives in Philadelphia during the season.
James’ two-year, $8 million deal was ultimately about basketball happiness and one more championship opportunity.
Getting his family comfortable with the sacrifice appears to have been the final — and most important —part of the decision.