The U.S. Independence Day has passed, regular 9-to-5, Monday-to-Friday schleps return to work, and the seven-day clock on the Flyers’ offer sheet to Leo Carlsson continues to count down.
(Also, in the World Cup, the U.S. Men’s National Team continues their run vs. Belgium after England devastated Mexico in Mexico City, then resumed their abuse of the rest of the world by singing Oasis songs.)
Nothing much new from the Isles…
Rehash: Isaiah George on eyeing an NHL role this year. [Newsday | Isles]
Around the NHL, 15 players filed for salary arbitration, the most notable being Jason Robertson, who has not been able to reach a massive extension with Dallas and refused a sign-and-trade to Seattle. At the other end of the Notability Scale, Alex Jefferies also filed for arbitration with the Isles, and I can’t imagine how that hearing would sound. [NHL]
Technically, Jefferies filing for arbitration qualifies the Islanders for a second 48-hour buyout window. [THN] (However, a second window only applies to players whose cap hit is $4 million or higher.)
Elsewhere
The Rangers sent their (top-10 protected) 2030 first-round pick to the Canucks for Pettersson…Marcus Pettersson. A move of mixed messages. [Athletic]
The Capitals announced Alex Ovechkin is returning for another season, no surprise but lots of bonus money easily achieved. [NHL]
Kypreos on who else could still be moved this summer. Like Dylan Larkin, of course. And Alexander Nikishin. And Matthew Knies? I’ve heard there was no interest in Jordan Binnington at the deadline, but maybe that’s changed. [Sportsnet]
Kirill Marchenko is supposedly not on that list, despite earlier reports he wants out of Columbus. [TSN]
Nashville signed their recently acquired Mavrik Bourque to a five-year extension. [TSN]
That hard bargainer Pat Verbeek signed RFA Pavel Mintyukov — reportedly a target of possible offer sheets from several teams — to a big extension at $7.2 million, but that may only increase the pressure in Anaheim. [Sportsnet]
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JULY 03: (L-R) Carlos Rodon #55, Max Fried #54, Austin Wells #28 and Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees look on from the dugout during the first inning against the Minnesota Twins at Yankee Stadium on July 03, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Yankees have their biggest series of the year lined up starting tonight, and they could not be in a worse state entering it. Losers of eight of their last nine, New York has surrendered the AL East to the Rays who went on a big winning streak of their own at the same time to carve out a four-game lead. Conveniently, they’re now set to open a four-game against Tampa that could bring them right back, but entering their house of horrors at the level of play they’ve shown over the past two weeks is a recipe for disaster. The worst-case scenario for this matchup feels like it could fare just like that fateful series against the Blue Jays last year to open up July that saw them fall out of first place for good, and though the Yankees built themselves a decent lead in the Wild Card race that gap isn’t looking too big anymore either.
Nick opens the day up for us with a look at the pitching matchups that we’ll see in this Rays series, and Kevin follows up with the Rivalry Roundup featuring the Astros besting those Rays to do the Yankees a small favor. Jonathan wishes Willie Randolph a happy birthday and relives his legacy of success as a player and coach with the Yankees. Josh looks over the Giants to see if there’s a reasonable trade the two teams could work towards, Michael examines the inability of the team to work walks of late, and finally I’ll be back later in the day to open up the mailbag for this week.
Today’s Matchup:
New York Yankees at Tampa Bay Rays
Time: 6:40 p.m. EST
TV: YES Network, Rays.TV
Venue: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, FL
Questions/Prompts:
1. Get your predictions in now: will the Yankees win zero, one, two, three, or all four of these games in Tampa?
2. Will the USA defeat Belgium tonight to advance to the quarterfinals? Will Folarin Balogun make an impact after getting his one-game suspension reversed?
The Toledo Mud Hens took Sunday’s game against Iowa, 6-2, to split the series against the Cubs.
Dylan File was outstanding in this one, giving the Mud Hens five innings of one-hit ball. He went 1-2-3 in every frame but the second and didn’t allow any free bases. File only threw 61 pitches, but he also started on Tuesday. Smart to not overdo it and take him out after he’s in line for the win.
File left with a four-run lead, thanks to a three-spot in the first. Max Clark led the inning off with a walk and stole second — his 18th of the year — and Max Anderson drove him in with a double (initially ruled an error) right after. Gage Workman kept things going with an RBI single up the middle, and Trei Cruz scored him on a sac fly.
Clark scored again in the third after leading off with a single. He stole second, again, and moved to up a bag on another Workman single. Brett Callahan drove Clark in with a base hit. 4-0, Toledo.
Brett Callahan drops a RBI single into right center to score Max Clark and put Toledo up 4-0. pic.twitter.com/vtUSdAHIhW
Iowa got a run back in the sixth after Yilber Diaz took over for File. Other than that two-out RBI double, Diaz was fine. Luke Taggart relieved him in the seventh and got five straight outs. Toledo turned to Ricky Vanasco for the four-out save.
Vanasco got the job done, but it wasn’t exactly efficient. He walked a batter in the eighth and gave up a pair of singles in the ninth. The Mud Hens traded a run for an out, and they could afford to because of a two-run eighth.
Workman was at the center of the scoring again, doubling in Anderson, stealing third and scoring on another sac fly from Cruz.
Trade: Woo-Suk Go was sent to Minnesota for cash considerations. He has an assignment clause in his contract and will join the Twins on Tuesday, according to Dan Hayes.
#MNTwins are acquiring RHP Woo-Suk Go from Detroit. He has an assignment clause in his contract and must be added to the Twins' MLB roster. Will join the team on Tuesday.
Erie finished off the sweep with its eighth straight on Sunday, but it took extra innings for the SeaWolves to take down the Akron RubberDucks, 4-3.
Hayden Minton went 3.1 innings to start. Besides a solo homer in the fourth, he was fine. Four hits, two walks and three strikeouts. Nothing special, but also not anything bad.
Just after Minton gave up the lead, Erie took it back on a Garrett Pennington double and Max Burt two-run homer.
Minton left the game after getting the first out of the fourth. Tyler Owens replaced him and got the next two outs. Carlos Pena was next, and he worked the same four innings he’s gone in each of his previous relief outings with Erie. A solo homer in the sixth was his only blemish. He had five strikeouts to one walk and allowed just two more hits in the outing. Unfortunately, that homer tied up the game and gave him a blown save.
Both offenses stalled until the ninth. Garrett Pennington finally broke the tie with a leadoff home run, but Wandisson Charles gave the run back in the bottom of the inning, sending the game to extras.
Garrett Pennington smashes a solo homer to right center to put Erie up 3-2 in the 9th. It’s his 2nd home run with the SeaWolves, and his 16th overall this year. pic.twitter.com/5EU2DvudkQ
Bennett Lee drove in Viandel Pena from second, but Erie couldn’t add an insurance run. Chris Meyers also got hurt while swinging. It looked like his back, and he was in obvious pain, running to first on a single. Peyton Graham replaced him in the outfield, which is nice because he was hit in the arm with a pitch yesterday and left the game.
Bennett Lee lines an RBI single to right to give Erie a 4-3 lead in the 10th. pic.twitter.com/zeAb6mN1SV
Charles closed things out with a 1-2-3 10th, including a pair of strikeouts. Bring out the brooms!
Wandisson Charles gets the K and Erie wins 4-3 in 10 innings to close a 6-game sweep of Akron. They’ve won 9 in a row, and they’re 11-1 in the 2nd half. This despite losing John Peck and Brett Callahan to Toledo, and Izaac Pacheco, Thayron Liranzo, and Peyton Graham to injury. pic.twitter.com/JaVztvqJn4
Coming Up Next:The SeaWolves are at home next week against the Harrisburg Senators, starting Tuesday at 6:05 p.m. ET.
Lake County Captains 6, West Michigan Whitecaps 4 (box)
West Michigan dropped the series against Lake County, 4-2, with a 6-4 loss on Sunday.
Rayner Castillo had another up-and-down start. He started out fine, going 1-2-3 in the first, but Castillo hit a batter and walked another in the second, which served as a bad omen.
Lake County got to him in the third. A pair of singles and a walk loaded the bases for Nolan Schubart, who cleared them with a double down the right-field line. Castillo worked around a pair of baserunners in the fourth, but that was it for him.
Carlos Lequerica took over on the mound in the fifth. He got into three straight three-ball counts, but only one of them resulted in a walk. The other two were punchouts, both coming on the changeup.
West Michigan threatened in the bottom of the fifth, with men on the corners and only one out, but nothing came of Andrew Sojka’s double.
Ethan Sloan got the sixth. He gave up three straight singles to open the frame. Samuel Gil made a nice diving stop on the third, but the throw was a tad late and forced the first baseman off the bag. A pair of sac flies made it 5-0.
Luke Stofel also had some trouble in the seventh, allowing back-to-back one-out singles, but he worked his way out of it. The Whitecaps finally got some runs on the board in the bottom half of the inning, scoring three on four singles and a walk. Woody Hadeen and Jackson Strong had RBI base knocks, and Clayton Campbell drove one in on a sac fly.
Woody Hadeen gets West Michigan on the board with an RBI single through the left side. pic.twitter.com/gwxrGAN1cS
Eliseo Mota gave a run back to the Captains in the eighth, allowing back-to-back hits with two outs. Ryan Harvey faced the minimum in the ninth despite walking the leadoff man, aided by a 4-6-3 double play.
Hadeen reached on an error that could have been ruled a base hit in the ninth. Rainer and Campbell walked to load the bases. Strong cut the deficit to two runs with a sac fly, but the next two batters went down to end the game.
Despite outhitting the Palm Beach Cardinals 11-5, the Lakeland Flying Tigers couldn’t claim a series win on Sunday, losing 5-3 to split the series.
Connor Fenlong had a nearly identical start to his first with Lakeland a week ago. He went 4.2 innings, struck out eight and walked one. The only differences for him were allowing a pair of runs (one earned) on three hits instead of five. The stuff is clearly good enough to think about High-A. He’s 26 years old, and a recent Indy league signing, so while the Tigers have him in Lakeland tuning some things up, he should be pushed as rapidly as he can handle.
Before those runs scored off Fenlong, Lakeland took a 3-0 lead. In the third, Jesus Pinto hit his third triple of the year to score Jack Goodman (walk), and Beau Ankeney drove in Pinto with a single up the middle.
Hunter Dobbins tripled and scored in the fourth for the other run. Goodman got the RBI this time.
Fenlong left the game with two on and two out in the fifth, giving way to Xiomer Guacache. A single and an error from Pinto in right field cleared the bases, hence the unearned runs. Guacahe gave up another run in the sixth. This one was earned after back-to-back walks to open the frame.
Lakeland kept getting on base, but the Flying Tigers went 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position, stranding eight batters. Clutch hits matter more in games like these.
Donye Evans got the seventh and worked around a one-out walk. Jan Carballo pitched the final two frames, dealing with multiple baserunners in each. Palm Beach scored its fifth run off him in the eighth, and that was the game.
Ankeney: 2-5, RBI
Dobbins: 2-4, 3B (2), R
MacDonald: 2-4
Fenlong: 4.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, ER, BB, 8 K
Coming Up Next: The Flying Tigers are on the road next week against the Dunedin Blue Jays, starting Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. ET.
During the 2026 NBA Draft, Sacramento selected Arkansas guard Darius Acuff Jr. and UConn forward Alex Karaban in the first round and Houston guard Emanuel Sharp in the second round to add much-needed depth to its roster.
NBC Sports California contributor Deuce Mason recently spoke with Karaban, who revealed the characteristic that he believes brings winning basketball to a team.
“I think it’s accountability,” Karaban said.
“Everyone wants to be buddy-buddy with their teammates and just try to be nice to everyone. But at the end of the day, if we’re hard on each other and we’re holding each other accountable, it’s going to make us closer when we have the good moments and realize that those real talks and the pain that we went through in practices were truly worth it.
“I think now people can be afraid to say what’s on their minds, and if someone is messing up, people just don’t want to critique people anymore. I think accountability is a huge thing. That’s something I learned how to be more comfortable with [UConn] coach [Dan] Hurley.”
Karaban was a key piece to UConn’s back-to-back NCAA championships during the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons. The 6-foot-8, 210-pound forward averaged 12.5 points, five rebounds, two assists and one block per game in 150 starts in five seasons with the Huskies, including a redshirt year during the 2021-22 season.
Near the end of the 2026 draft, the Kings acquired the No. 29 overall pick from the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for the No. 34 selection and a future second-round pick to select Karaban after already successfully drafting Acuff Jr. at No. 7 overall.
The Kings have had two consecutive losing seasons with a 40-42 record during the 2024-25 season and a 22-60 record last season, following two winning seasons with at least 46 victories.
Coming from a winning culture at UConn and having a mindset of keeping each other accountable, Karaban brings a certain trait the Kings need heading into the 2026-27 NBA season that potentially can deliver more victories for Sacramento.
WASHINGTON – They are the tacit representatives in Major League Baseball’s fight to install a salary cap during collective bargaining negotiations, the embodiment of “what fans want” when the league claims widespread socialism must exist among its billionaire owners for the game to survive.
Yet the Pittsburgh Pirates might be proving a different point as they head toward the All-Star break with a winning record: Spending just a little bit of money can make a big difference.
Two offseason moves – signing designated hitter Ryan O’Hearn to a two-year, $29 million contract and trading for second baseman Brandon Lowe – played significant parts in turning one of the game’s least productive lineups into one of its most potent. And as the 46-45 Pirates remain in the thicket of the National League wild card race, they’re proving one of baseball’s axiom’s to very much be true.
“You have to spend money to win. That’s really what it is,” veteran outfielder Bryan Reynolds tells USA TODAY Sports. “Spend smart money. It doesn’t have to be a ton.
“We spent some money. And it’s paying off.”
Let’s be clear: It wasn’t a lot. O’Hearn’s signing and the $11.5 million due Lowe after a three-way trade sent him from Tampa Bay to Pittsburgh helped nudge the payroll to $102 million, 22nd among 30 teams.
It’s the highest the Pirates’ payroll has ranked since 2016, when they had the 20th-highest the year after winning 98 games. Yet their payroll that season was $100 million. That means the Pirates payroll jumped 2% as industry revenues grew 31%, from an estimated $9.5 billion in 2016 to $12.8 billion in 2025.
Certainly, the Pirates’ piece of that pie didn’t grow in lockstep, but they benefited from greater revenue sharing as well as increases in national TV contracts, among other shared revenues.
And while they may be painted as the small market, underdog anti-Dodgers, it’s also clear early proposals shared by MLB run counter to some of their 2026 success.
Wake me up when December ends
O’Hearn knows his way around medium markets. A Kansas City Royals draftee, he broke out as an All-Star in his third season in Baltimore and now totes an .807 OPS with 13 homers for Pittsburgh.
He also knows what saber-rattling looks like when MLB and the MLB Players’ Association lock horns early in negotiations.
“I read the emails. I have an idea what’s going on,” says O’Hearn. “But this’ll be my third CBA. I would be shocked if anything came to a solution before crunch time. So I’m not going to get lost in the day-to-day of it, because I have seen this before.
“The league said they’re going to lock us out. So, OK. Things don’t really happen until crunch time, from my experience. I’ll stick with that.”
That Dec. 1 lockout date can wait just a minute, though.
The Pirates’ offensive turnaround has been startling. In 2025, their payroll was a mere $86 million and the lineup resembled such neglect as they ranked 30th in OPS (.655) and runs (583).
This year? They are second in OPS (.762), trailing only the Dodgers, third in runs (475) and lead the majors with 829 hits.
Many hands have had a part in the uprising, including rookies Konnor Griffin and Esmerlyn Valdez, along with big steps forward from players like infielder Nick Gonzales that manager Don Kelly says began last year under first-year hitting coach Matt Hague.
It’s foolhardy to downplay O’Hearn and Lowe’s impact, though. Lowe’s 42 extra-base hits rank fifth in the major leagues, and his 21 homers already surpass Oneil Cruz’s team high from 2025.
“It’s very helpful,” says Reynolds, in the fourth year of an eight-year, $106.75 million deal that averages $13 million a season. “We’ve got one of the best offenses in baseball now, in big part to those two guys, and some other guys too. It’s been great.”
Lowe leads all major league second basemen in homers, RBIs (63) and slugging, making his omission from the All-Star Game something of a surprise. He put the capper on the Pirates’ Sunday, July 5 conquest of the Nationals, ripping a three-run homer in the eighth inning of their 11-5 victory to cap a winning road trip.
“It’s a blast being a part of this lineup,” says Lowe. “One through nine, and even with guys not starting that day, there’s damage to be found and runs to be scored.
“It’s fun coming to the ballpark understanding that I hit behind (Griffin) or in front of (Reynolds), we got O’Hearn and Valdy behind me.”
Indeed, while Lowe and O’Hearn have had huge hands in the Pirates’ success, another newcomer is simply fortunate an MLB CBA proposal wasn’t already adopted.
The kid stays in the picture
On a single, steamy 94-degree afternoon, Griffin’s play constantly demands attention. One moment, he’s laying out headlong to reel in a fly ball to shallow left field; a couple innings later, he’s going horizontal to reel in another dying quail.
And then with the game on the line, he’s fighting off a pair of two-strike pitches to slash a go-ahead two-run single in the eighth inning Sunday, a knock that preceded Lowe’s game-breaking three-run homer.
Griffin is 20 years old. And if one of MLB’s proposals in early rounds of CBA negotiating was already gospel, he wouldn’t be here.
Griffin reclassified to the 2024 draft class – he was selected ninth overall by Pittsburgh – and was bought out of a commitment to LSU. But an early proposal from MLB to the union included a stipulation that high school players would no longer be draft-eligible, that they’d have to be two years removed from high school graduation and at least 20 years old to be drafted.
Griffin wouldn’t be a Bucco, then, instead serving time in Baton Rouge. The proposal seems all the more drastic when you see Griffin take over a major league game.
He certainly took notice when MLB and the union exchanged proposals June 19 and the high school draftee ban was floated.
“It makes me think, ‘Dang, what if I couldn’t have gotten drafted out of high school?’” Griffin tells USA TODAY Sports. “It’s definitely a different situation, but I’m just thankful I was able to be a part of that and glad it worked out for me.”
Some guys are just ready.
Griffin was still 19 when he made his debut April 3, and four days later agreed to a nine-year, $140 million contract extension – a term that would also be limited under MLB’s proposals.
Instead, he is a Bucco through most of his 20s, continuing a pattern of moving quickly: Griffin is already married, and already putting down roots in Pittsburgh.
“It’s just cool seeing a lot of my jerseys, my last name in the stands,” he says. “It’s pretty neat seeing all that. I wanted to be somewhere to try to help change a club where we become a winning baseball team.
“I want to do some special things in Pittsburgh, so it’s been really cool to see how the fans have shown me the love.”
He has rewarded them, too, becoming the fastest Pirate in club history to notch 20 steals, and accruing 1.7 WAR in just 59 games, despite missing nearly a month with a forearm strain.
“Being 20 years old and a rookie, he’s way mature beyond his years,” says Kelly, in his first full season as Pirates manager. “He’s going to have huge moments like that, yes, and also understanding that he’s 20 and learning.
“There’s not too many 20-year-olds in the big leagues. It’s the work ethic, the way he goes about it – he’s a mature kid to begin with and when you put the talent on top of that, it’s hard to beat.”
Says Griffin: “I’ve had to grow up pretty quick. Getting drafted out of high school, reclassed a year early, been living on my own a while now, got married, just adapting to what life is throwing at me.”
Lowe says he likes to give Griffin a hard time when he sprawls out for catches as he did Sunday, when sweat mottled the lenses of his sunglasses, he went sans eyewear and then had to lay out for a fly in shallow left field.
At 6-3, 222 pounds, Griffin is an imposing physical figure, featured on ESPN’s “You Got Mossed” segment when he was a Mississippi high school freshman.
“That wide receiver’s coming out on those plays,” says Lowe. “It shows the athleticism and why he’s up here. Not just a hitter or glove. He’s got it all going on.”
Tempting to say the Pirates do, as well. While reigning Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes and veteran Mitch Keller have scuffled of late, the rotation remains stout. They’re just three games out of a wild card and more important, a biscuit above .500 as the trade deadline nears in less than a month.
At year’s end, they’ll be on the back nine of Skenes’ contractually obligated time with the team. A new CBA may frame just what he can pursue come free agency in 2029, and will certainly set a course of action for the Pirates to pursue.
In the current system, the Pirates – with a TV market size ranked No. 27 – should be more concerned with catching Milwaukee (38th-biggest Nielsen market) than the Dodgers.
But at least the Pirates are in the conversation, proof positive that spending a few bucks can provide an immediate dividend.
“I came into this and it was like, ‘Hey, this team has great pitching but was 30th in offense last year.’ A pretty big turnaround offensively,” says O’Hearn. “I’m proud of what we’ve done so far.
“We’ve got a long way to go, but we’ve got the players to score runs.”
Even when they dig themselves out from the lowest point of their season, the Boston Red Sox can't win.
After sinking to their lowest point of the season - 15 ½ games out of first, 14 games under .500 - the Red Sox proceeded to win eight of their next 10 games. They were still in last place - but you could almost see fourth place from there.
Yet throughout that period, second-year lefty Connelly Early was diagnosed with elbow inflammation, went for an MRI, received "some good news," according to manager Chad Tracy - yet now is headed for a second opinion with noted orthopedist Keith Meister. Those often don't end well - and the Red Sox's season doesn't figure to, either.
Oh, they've moved up three spots in USA TODAY Sports' power rankings. Yet Early's loss would put even more of an onus on a lineup that's surprisingly averaged five runs per game in this hot streak. They best keep it up to avoid a wholesale sell-off by the trade deadline.
The Yolo County loyalists booed the Marlins for punting a perfect game, but perhaps a rotation wtih a 5.23 ERA - 29th in the majors - should've been the target of their ire.
For maybe the first time in league history, the NBA’s annually awkward summer moratorium might have been a good thing. It gave everybody in Boston nearly a full week to process the Jaylen Brown trade.
Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens and lead owner Bill Chisholm will make their first official comments on the trade on Monday afternoon, finally spinning forward a trade that left everyone’s heads spinning. The league’s annual break, an awkward dead zone where trades and signings get negotiated but can’t be finalized over a six-day accounting stretch, gave Celtics fans the opportunity to navigate the entire five-stage grief spectrum.
From the denial that Paul George could truly be the headliner in a Brown package, to maybe the first bit of anger directed at Stevens in his 13 years in Boston, to bargaining whether George is really that much of a dropoff from Brown given his Round 1 performance last season, to the depression that the Jays era is truly over, it feels Boston fans have emerged from the July 4 holiday weekend having finally arrived at acceptance.
We’re guessing most don’t feel any better about the trade itself. But it’s time to move forward.
We’re not certain there’s much Stevens and Chisholm can say Monday about the Brown situation that will make anyone feel much better. They will smother Brown with praise for his decade-long contributions to the organization, including being a monster part of delivering Banner 18. They will likely tiptoe around the circumstances that forced the team to move as quickly as it did at the start of the offseason, especially given the seemingly lukewarm market for Brown’s services.
The best we might hope for is a clearer vision of what comes next.
You can twist yourself into a pretzel trying to determine how we ended up here. The three years, $185 million remaining on Brown’s max-money deal, coupled with the potential for a two-year, $142 million extension later this month, likely left Boston pondering harder if two supermax players commanding 35 percent of the cap was sustainable long-term.
Sprinkle in some analytical debate about Brown’s overall impact on winning, his arrival at his age-30 season, and the perpetual consternation about the 1A/1B stature of him and running mate Jayson Tatum, and it all might have all simmered together to force the Celtics to make a swallow-hard decision on his future.
We’d consider ourselves a numbers guy, leaning heavily into analytics during our time covering the Celtics. We’ve long shrugged our shoulders at Brown’s sometimes unexplainable on/off numbers.
The Celtics owned a +6.4 net rating during Brown’s 2,443 minutes on the court this past season. That’s a strong number and one that stat site Cleaning the Glass says puts the team on the same 56-win pace that Brown ultimately delivered the team. Boston was somehow 5.6 points per 100 possessions better without Brown, per Cleaning the Glass data. There’s some noise in there: lower-leverage minutes with an overachieving bench competing against some lesser competition. But it’s also Brown’s fourth straight season in the negative, including having a minus-8.9 on/off differential in the 2024 title season.
We struggle to reconcile with those numbers. You can’t watch what Brown did in the 2024 Finals, or nearly the entirety of last season, and suggest that he doesn’t impact winning. His greatest strength was his desire to take on challenges on the biggest stage, often producing his best moments when the stakes were the highest or the competition the toughest.
But now, coming off an MVP-caliber season and with Boston pondering the need to reel back in a sky-high usage rate with a healthier Tatum, we understand the consternation that has long existed about how exactly the Tatum/Brown combo might share duties moving forward. That Boston couldn’t immediately put the sort of surefire championship-ready supporting cast around them, this while navigating the new second-apron minefield the new collective bargaining agreement has delivered, added a layer of complication.
So the Celtics made a tough decision to pivot. Unfortunately for them, a very public pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo, which might have further forced Boston’s hand, created an expectation for the level of player that might have been obtained in return for Brown.
While there were all sorts of risks with Antetokounmpo, including health and the need to pay him a very hefty long-term contract at an even more advanced age, the idea of pairing two top-10 players was at least intriguing to the Boston fan base. Landing on a past-his-prime George earning his own super max money at age 36 was not the Plan B most expected.
Maybe the Celtics simply felt like it was time to rip the Band-Aid. There was a justifiable fear that, if things didn’t go well this season, Brown’s trade value could have diminished even lower than what Boston seemingly settled for. We refuse to believe that there wasn’t a higher probability that league volatility might have eventually pushed Brown’s value up again, but certainly that was another part of the risk that Stevens and Co. had to ponder.
Maybe the bigger “What if?” is whether the Celtics should have moved off Brown last summer. If the team knew it was going to navigate the so-called gap year the team vehemently pushed back against, then could the Celtics have gotten a bigger haul for Brown (or even Derrick White) and chased a lottery pick while Tatum rehabbed?
The 2025-26 season was such a joy to watch that it feels weird to suggest the team should have embraced a far less enticing path. That said, that route might have expedited the return to true contender status. Hindsight is, of course, 20/20.
Little good can come from lingering on the past. What’s done is done. We’ve had an entire moratorium to process this trade. You don’t have to like it, but this is the path that Boston brass has chosen.
Stevens deserves some benefit of the doubt given his track record. He built a title team in 2023. The last two summers have been incredibly painful with the teardown in the aftermath, but there’s a pathway to a similar roster splurge in the summer of 2027.
The Celtics can reset pesky repeater penalties by staying under the luxury tax again this year. Next summer could provide an opportunity to chase a new star to pair alongside Tatum. There’s a very real pathway to combining the final year of George’s contract with Boston’s growing pile of picks and chasing one of the league’s biggest names.
Of course, we’re not patient around here.
The Celtics will still be competitive this season. George showed in the playoffs that he has something left in the tank, Boston will simply have to be diligent in how quickly they dispense it. There will be an opportunity for Payton Pritchard to step into a bigger spotlight yet again, and White will get every opportunity to show last year was simply an outlier shooting season. Newcomers Mitchell Robinson and Mike Conley can aid in winning.
But all eyes are on the summer of 2027. That’s when Stevens and Co. will have a real chance to show why they made the Jaylen Brown trade.
SAN FRANCISCO – Pat Spencer’s impending departure from the Warriors created, at least on paper, a vacancy on the roster for a combo guard who can come off the bench and invigorate an offense that sometimes stagnates when Stephen Curry is on the bench.
Chance McMillian is using the California Classic Summer League to submit his application for the opening.
After a solid season with the Santa Cruz Warriors, McMillian came into the weekend at Chase Center realizing Golden State is holding roster auditions; only first-round pick Yaxel Lendesborg is guaranteed to make the team. McMillian, a 6-foot-3 Bay Area native and childhood fan of the Warriors made a nice bid to get a deeper look.
Playing 17 minutes off the bench Sunday afternoon, McMillian produced 12 points and three assists in a 98-69 win over the San Antonio Spurs. His totals for the first two games – 24 points on 9-of-13 shooting from the field, including 4 of 6 from deep; six assists, six rebounds, three steals over 35 minutes – indicate that he knows his way around the court.
“He creates good situations for himself, good open looks,” Summer League coach Khalid Robinson said. “And then, when plays break down, he’s a very talented guy that can go create something for us. He gives us a little bit of everything.”
McMillian’s road to this opportunity has had more detours than Bay Area freeways at night. From two high schools in Vallejo to Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, where he spent three seasons. From GCU, he went to Texas Tech, where he played two seasons and as a senior was named to the All-Big 12 second team.
The Warriors brought McMillian into their circle last summer after he went undrafted, despite knowing surgery on his left ankle would render him unavailable. Once he recovered, he was assigned to Santa Cruz, he appeared in 30 games (24 starts), averaging 17 points, on 44.7-percent shooting from the field, including 35.7 from beyond the arc, with 5.0 assists and 4.3 rebounds.
“That whole Santa Cruz coaching staff just had unbelievable confidence in me,” McMillian said. “I felt that. I just put in the work, and each day it was just getting better for me. So, I credit the coaching staff.”
McMillian shot 40.8 percent from distance in college but was so unimpressed with his deep shot last season under coach Lainn Wilson with the Sea Dubs that he has spent countless hours in the gym at Chase Center since April.
“Lainn and his staff did a great job with him, just teaching him like how we want to play, our spacing, making good decisions,” Robinson said. “He had a full season of doing that. He’s worked throughout this summer, like the past two months on this, with the same teaching points. He’s done a very good job of carrying over the things from Santa Cruz and postseason into the Summer League.”
In his desire to improve, McMillian also is taking cues from Curry.
“My last year at Texas Tech, I played off ball, and I literally pulled up some of his film on how he gets open off the ball,” he said. “I remember getting face-guarded at the start of conference. And he was getting face-guarded, too, in big games. So, I was just picking and choosing on how he was moving off the ball, like little things on how to get open.”
McMillian, 25, would love a chance to be on the same roster as Curry. There is a path, probably with a two-way contract. But a lot can happen between early July and late September, when Golden State opens training camp.
Spencer, who last week reached agreement to join the Phoenix Suns, began last season on a two-way contract with the Warriors before being promoted at midseason to a standard NBA contract. He used grit, fearlessness and a few memorable scoring outbursts to elevate himself from intermittent appearances to being a staple in Golden State’s rotation.
When given an opportunity, Spencer exploited it.
McMillian is seeking an opportunity to fill a void on a roster still in progress. His best bet, as the California Classic ends Monday night and the team moves to the Las Vegas Summer League later this week is to maintain the early trajectory that began with the last two games.
NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 03: Max Fried #54 of the New York Yankees looks on during the game against the Cleveland Guardians at Yankee Stadium on June 3, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images
NY Post | Jake Nisse: Yankees’ left-hander Max Fried continues to trend towards a rehab assignment, as he completed another live batting practice session on Sunday. The $218-million man is recovering from an elbow issue that sidelined him in May. He threw 36 pitches and faced Ryan McMahon and Alí Sánchez.
“It’s been good, it’s been a good run-up for him, and obviously another step today,” manager Aaron Boone said. The 32-year-old star boasts a 3.21 ERA in 61.2 innings this season.
NY Post | Mark Sánchez: With their loss on Sunday, the Yankees have now dropped nine of their last 10 games and 13 of their last 17 games. On top of the horrible, sloppy play, second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. had to be removed from Sunday’s finale after the fifth inning with discomfort in his right toe. The team announced that X-rays were negative and said he’ll be reassessed Monday. “Kinda nags him from time to time,” Boone explained after the game.
NJ.com | Adam Zagoria: The Yankees are down right now, but they’ve got their biggest series of the year in front of them. They’re traveling down to Tampa for a massive four-game series against the Rays starting tonight, with a four-game deficit in the AL East that could either be closed entirely or grow to a massive gap. If anything’s going to get this team to wake up and get their season on a lifeboat, this challenge needs to be the one to do it.
SNY | Colin Martin: The Yankees recalled Ángel Chivilli on Sunday morning, and he made his first MLB appearance since April 19th. He pitched well, completing 1.1 scoreless innings in low-leverage duty, allowing one hit, and striking out one to lower his ERA to 2.45 in a tiny sample in the majors. He had posted a 1.08 ERA over 16.2 innings in Scranton, with 17 punchouts.
A recent Warriors NBA draft success story could be on his way out.
Third-year center and restricted free agent Quinten Post is signing a three-year, $30 million contract offer sheet with the Memphis Grizzlies, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Monday, citing sources.
Restricted free agent Quinten Post is signing a three-year, $30 million contract offer sheet with the Memphis Grizzlies, sources tell ESPN. The Golden State Warriors have until 11:59pm ET on Tuesday to match. pic.twitter.com/cLdHmUcEgo
Golden State selected Post with the No. 52 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, and the Dutch big man quickly established himself as an intriguing stretch big in coach Steve Kerr’s system.
In 109 career games (49 starts) across two seasons with the Warriors, Post averaged 7.8 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game on 44.3-percent shooting from the field and 36.4 percent from 3-point range in 16.9 minutes per game.
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - JULY 4: Cody Williams #5 of the Utah Jazz drives to the basket during the game against the Atlanta Hawks during a 2026 NBA Salt Lake City Summer League game on July 4, 2026 at Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. 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 Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
If you are anything like me, you have been watching highlights from the Utah Jazz summer league victory on Saturday afternoon incessantly with a massive cheesy grin every single time. Luckily for people like us, the Jazz take the floor once again, this time against a familiar face in Taylor Hendricks and the #3 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, Cameron Boozer.
SALT LAKE CITY, UT – JULY 4: Darryn Peterson #22 of the Utah Jazz drives to the basket against the Atlanta hawks during the first half of of their 2026 NBA Salt Lake City Summer League game at the Jon M Huntsman Center on July 4, 2026 in Salt Lake City, Utah. 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 Chris Gardner/ Getty Images) | Getty Images
How to Watch the Salt Lake City Summer League?
Who: Utah Jazz vs Memphis Grizzlies
When: Monday, July 6, 2026 | 7:00 MT
Where: Jon M. Huntsman Center, Salt Lake City, UT
How to watch: Prime Video, ESPN, League Pass, KJZZ, Jazz+
Players to Watch
Darryn Peterson
Coming as a surprise to absolutely no one, the main player to watch in this one is once again going to be Darryn Peterson. After an absolutely superb debut showing on Independence Day, where he tallied 28 points on 11/21 shooting to go along with 5 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals, all eyes will be on him to see how he will follow up those 4th of July fireworks. This time out, he will face off against the #3 overall pick, Cameron Boozer, who will surely look to make a statement against him. Darryn is the marquee player on the floor every time he plays in Summer League. As such, he has a target on his back. There are lots of guys on the opposing roster who will look to embarrass him to make a bigger name for themselves. One thing in particular to keep an eye on in this game is the turnovers. Darryn was responsible for 8 turnovers on Saturday night, and while not all of them were his fault, that is definitely a number that should be cleaned up as he gets more comfortable on the floor with his teammates.
Cody Williams
Cody Williams looked amazing in the Jazz Summer League Opener. The pessimistic side of things could look at his performance and say, “That is what 3rd-year players should do in Summer League. The optimistic side of that, however, is that there were legitimate stretches early in Cody’s NBA career when he genuinely didn’t look like he was going to make it through his rookie contract. It is really nice to see him getting stronger and more confident with the ball no matter the setting. If he can keep it up, he could be a really important player for this Jazz team with his length and defense as well.
SALT LAKE CITY, UT – JULY 4: Cody Williams #5 of the Utah Jazz drives to the basket during the game against the Atlanta Hawks during a 2026 NBA Salt Lake City Summer League game on July 4, 2026 at Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. 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 Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Cameron Boozer
Cameron Boozer will come out hungry and ready to prove a point to the Jazz. Last time out, he scored 15 points on 7/11 shooting in a dominant win over the Thunder. His dad, Carlos, we all know, works in the front office for Utah and during the predraft process, was quoted in an interview with Marc Spears as saying, “If they miss the boat, they will regret it,” when asked why NBA teams should take his son. You can bet your bottom dollar that Cameron feels the exact same way and wants to embarrass Darryn Peterson in front of his home fans. Although they won’t be matched up head-to-head very often, watch out for the two guys to try to really go at it.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Salvador Perez drove in two runs, Luinder Avile went five innings, and the Kansas City Royals snapped a four-game losing streak with a 5-2 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday.
Avila (4-3) held Philadelphia to one run in five innings. He had four strikeouts and one walk. Alex Lange pitched the ninth for this eighth save.
The Royals scored a pair of runs in the first inning when Lane Thomas knocked a two-out double to right-center field. Michael Massey followed with an RBI single.
Philadelphia’s Bryson Stott extended his on-base streak to 12 games with a triple in the fifth inning and scored on a sacrifice fly from Gabriel Rincones Jr.
Avila left after the next out.
Kansas City’s Isaac Collins led off the fifth with a double after successfully challenging a third-strike call for the second time in the game. He scored on a sacrifice fly to center from Jac Caglianone.
Stott struck again in the seventh with a leadoff single. He advanced on a fielder’s choice and throwing error, then scored on another force out.
Phillies starter Aaron Nola (3-6) struck out seven across seven innings, including the last three batters he faced.
Perez sealed the game for the Royals with a two-run double in the eighth inning that scored Bobby Witt Jr. and Thomas.
With a walk in the sixth, Kyle Schwarber has reached base in 11 consecutive games.
Before the game, the Royals inducted former player, coach and manager John Wathan into the organization’s Hall of Fame. He played 10 seasons in the majors and won the 1985 World Series with Kansas City.
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Jarren Duran and Willson Contreras homered, and five Boston pitchers combined to give up two runs over 6 1/3 innings in relief of injured starter Ranger Suarez to lead the Red Sox to a 7-5 win over the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday night.
Boston’s eighth victory in 10 games completed a three-game sweep of the Angels, who have lost six straight and 12 of 19 since June 14.
Suarez, named to the American League All-Star team Saturday, exited with two outs in the third because of left adductor tightness, an injury he sustained when he jumped for Jo Adell’s chopper over the mound.
The left-hander was followed by Greg Weissert (1-2), Tyron Guerrero and Garrett Whitlock, who combined for 4 1/3 hitless innings. Justin Slaten gave up a run in the eighth, and Aroldis Chapman allowed a solo homer to Zach Neto in the ninth before earning his 18th save.
The Angels scored twice in the first on Jorge Soler’s grounder and Adell’s RBI single. Boston tied it 2-all in the second on Duran’s 13th homer, a two-run shot to right-center off starter Ryan Johnson (1-4).
Neto’s RBI double gave the Angels a 3-2 lead in the bottom half, but the Red Sox took advantage of Neto’s major league-leading 14th error to score three unearned runs in the third.
Tsung-Che Cheng led off with a bunt single. Anthony Seigler and Ceddanne Rafaela flied out, and Wilyer Abreu hit a routine grounder to shortstop that should have ended the inning.
Neto bobbled the ball for an error, though, and Contreras crushed Johnson’s next pitch for his 20th homer, a 446-foot shot to left-center that left his bat at 112 mph and gave Boston a 5-3 lead.
The Red Sox tacked on two insurance runs in the seventh on Abreu’s sacrifice fly and Masataka Yoshida’s RBI single for a 7-3 advantage.
The Angels scored in the eighth on Donovan Walton’s double and Adell’s RBI single.
Up next
Red Sox: LHP Payton Tolle (4-6, 3.39 ERA) faces White Sox LHP Noah Schultz (2-5, 5.86) on Tuesday night in Chicago.
Angels: RHP Jose Soriano opposes Rangers RHP Jacob deGrom (7-5, 3.48 ERA) on Tuesday night in Texas.
Brazobán, who began the day with a 1.94 ERA, was working with a seven-run lead as he began the final frame. He departed after allowing five earned runs, including a Drake Baldwin grand slam.
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It’s possible that rust — Brazobán was working for the first time in eight days — played a factor.
“There’s waves of usage throughout the season, so guys get used a ton,” interim manager Andy Green said, referring to Brazobán’s 36 appearances.
“He has been used a ton, and then you have stretches where your situation doesn’t arise. He’s a guy that has been ridden all year. He had a gap in the number of times he’s been on the mound. He can handle all that. He’s that type of a pitcher.”
Brazobán allowed four hits and a walk in the ninth. He also committed a throwing error on a pickoff attempt that allowed Mauricio Dubón to score. Baldwin’s grand slam was the first homer allowed by Brazobán since June 2.
New York Mets pitcher Huascar Brazoban (43) pitches against the Atlanta Braves during the ninth inning at Truist Park. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
“He’s been unbelievable for us all year,” Green said. “His ERA is at [3.00] after what just happened; that just tells you how good he’s been for us all year, and it wasn’t his day out there.”
Williams entered with the Mets ahead 10-8 and struck out Ozzie Albies for the second out. But Matt Olson doubled and Michael Harris II followed with an RBI single. Dubón’s ensuing single — he took second on the throw — put the tying run at third and the winning run at second. Williams then struck out Dominic Smith to end it.
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The Mets received shutdown appearances earlier from Brooks Raley and Luke Weaver, each of whom pitched a scoreless frame. Weaver extended his scoreless streak to 25 innings since May 1.
“There’s a lot of good things to take out of this baseball game,” Green said. “We’re going to take the good out of it.”
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - JULY 5: Anthony Seigler #48 of the Boston Red Sox congratulates Jarren Duran #16 after hitting a two run home run against the Los Angeles Angels in the second inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on July 5, 2026 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s another West Coast late start, and I want to go to bed. Unfortunately, I’m bound to my duties as the Sunday recap guy, so we’re going to do another live blog so I can push publish as soon as this bad boy wraps up. Join me for the next three or so hours as I live-react to the Red Sox, the World Cup, and whatever else is going on in Jake-land on this Sunday evening.
8:53 PM: One of my roommates recently moved out, and his room was much bigger than mine, so I moved in today. The only problem is, my dog is terrified of the beeping noise an air conditioner makes, and every time my roommate would walk in here, he would turn on the AC or a space heater, and my dog would run. Now, she doesn’t want to come into this room even though there’s no AC unit set up. The point is, I’m doing this from my new room for the first time, which is exciting for me because I could pretty much touch all four walls at the same time in my old room.
8:56 PM: My neighbors gave me a Rice Krispie treat that may or may not be infused with other ingredients. I’m not normally one to eat special Rice Krispie treats, but tonight feels like it would make for a fun recap.
8:59 PM: My girlfriend said it was a bad idea.
9:04 PM: I shared this document with her, and she told me I should add that she’s always right. She’s not, but I’m telling her that I’m adding it.
9:15 PM: Just learned that Connelly Early is getting a second opinion. You only get a second opinion if you don’t like the first opinion. Gulp.
9:19 PM: It’s going to be very hard for me to flip over to the Red Sox from the World Cup game at 9:30. There’s nothing I’d like to watch more than Mexico get the boot at their home stadium where they never lose.
9:30 PM: Screw it, soccer is staying on the big screen.
9:32 PM: Is my Peacock playing tricks on me or is this game actually starting even later than advertised?
9:36 PM: What is Ryan Johnson doing? How is he throwing 92 mph like that? What a weirdo.
9:37 PM: GOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL. Dos a cero.
9:38 PM: Lots of sports going on, Wilyer Abreu spoils an immaculate inning with an 0-2 foul ball on the ninth pitch of the inning.
9:41 PM: Johnson strikes out the side in the top of the first after a 12-pitch battle with Abreu. Mexico has a free kick in a dangerous position and pulls one back to make it 2-1. Great finish.
9:45 PM: Back-to-back bloop singles give the Angels runners at first and third with nobody out.
9:48 PM: Ranger Suarez strikes out Vaughn Grissom with a curveball for the first out, but Caleb Durbin can’t get a handle on a ground ball to third, and the Angels get a run. 1-0, Angels as Mexico has opportunity after opportunity in front of the England net. What a game.
9:51 PM: Jo Adell singles to center and Ceddanne Rafaela bobbles it twice. Some rough fielding early from the Red Sox put them behind, 2-0.
10:02 PM: Jarren Duran CRUSHES a ball to center field to tie the game. 422 feet. 2-2.
10:03 PM: I really think lefties should be able to hit this guy. He can’t really come inside to lefties, so half the plate is basically eliminated. The second time through the order will be telling.
10:08 PM: The Red Sox thought they turned a 3-6-1 double play, but the Angels challenge, and the call is rightfully reversed. England has a hard time playing out from the back through Mexico’s press. If they can break through, Harry Kane will likely have a chance to make a line-breaking pass. That’s the kind of soccer analysis you don’t get on most baseball blogs.
10:11 PM: Suarez hangs a curveball, and Zack Neto doubles in a run. 3-2, Angels. England has a shot go off the post.
10:14 PM: It’s been 45 minutes, and we’re through two innings. Scorching pace here in Anaheim.
10:15 PM: The referee has been called to the monitor for a possible red card. I think it’s harsh, personally, but when they’re called to the monitor, the call is rarely ever upheld. It’s a red for Jarell Quansah — England will now play with 10 men for 40 minutes.
10:17 PM: Tsung-Che Cheng with a beautiful bunt for a single to begin the inning.
10:20 PM: Great header by Harry Kane to play Anthony Gordon in, who draws the penalty. The Mexican players can’t believe the call, because they’ve never believed they’ve committed a foul in their lives. I hate the Mexican national team, if you can’t tell.
10:21 PM: Zack Neto boots a ground ball at shortstop to give the Red Sox two runners on with two outs.
10:22 PM: Willson Contreras makes them pay for that error by putting the first pitch he sees in the left field seats. 5-3, Red Sox. Harry Kane buries the penalty. 3-1, England.
10:29 PM: We’ve got another VAR check. This time, Mexico looks like they’re going to be awarded a penalty. Jarren Duran strikes out with two runners on, but the Red Sox get three runs in the inning to regain the lead.
10:31 PM: Raul Jimenez converts the penalty. 3-2, England.
10:35 PM: Jo Adell gets an infield single with two outs. That’s the issue with pitching to contact.
10:36 PM: Oh god, Suarez is talking to the trainer and exiting the game. There really is no such thing as too much pitching. We’re gonna be here all night.
10:39 PM: It’s Greg Weissert on in the bottom of the third in place of Suarez.
10:41 PM: He gets the first guy to pop out, and we’re through three innings with the Red Sox leading, 5-3.
10:51 PM: Ceddanne Rafaela is locked in a battle with Johnson and started walking to first base on the 10th pitch of the at-bat. Unfortunately, it was only ball three. He struck out on the next pitch, though he should have challenged the strike three call.
10:53 PM: 11 minutes of added time with England leading by a goal. That’s a lot of added time. England took Harry Kane off for some reason. I’m not sure they know there’s an additional 30 minutes should they concede.
10:59 PM: Greg Weissert retires the Angels in order in the fourth.
11:00 PM: England is defending for their lives, and Mexico is screaming at the referee any time something doesn’t go their way. Three minutes to go.
11:03 PM: I didn’t even notice Jose Fermin took over for Johnson, but he’s got two quick outs in the fifth.
11:05 PM: ENGLAND WINS. SEE YA MEXICO. What a game.
11:08 PM: Tyron Guerrero on in relief of Weissert here in the fifth.
11:10 PM: It was weed in the Rice Krispie treat. I didn’t eat it. I don’t think I would have been able to comprehend both a soccer and baseball game at once if I had, so I’m happy with that decision. Don’t tell my girlfriend that she was right.
11:11 PM: I made a wish, but I will not tell you guys what it was, so don’t even bother asking.
11:15 PM: Guerrero works a scoreless inning. 5-3, Red Sox after five.
11:17 PM: I went to get water, and my dog took the treat bribes I left while I was gone. Apparently she’s not scared of the room but doesn’t want me to know that.
11:19 PM: It’s left adductor tightness for Suarez. If he misses time, Sonny Gray will be the only starting pitcher from the opening day rotation on the active roster.
If Suarez is placed on the IL, that will make Sonny Gray the only starter from the opening day roster still on the active roster. https://t.co/FFSlV73I8O
11:22 PM: Weird play in the sixth. Denzer Guzman bobbled the ball at third, Zack Neto caught it and threw to first to get Carlos Narvaez. In the process, Jarren Duran tried to go first to third and appeared to be caught, but Jose Peraza was called for interference at second base. That all nets to a runner on third with two outs for Cheng.
11:25 PM: Cheng strikes out to end the inning.
11:29 PM: Guerrero quickly gets the Angels to go down, 1-2-3.
11:33 PM: Dave O’Brien is talking about soccer. What kind of lunatic would talk about soccer in baseball content?
11:37 PM: Anthony Seigler and Ceddanne Rafaela with a double steal of second and third. Wilyer Abreu does a good job recognizing the huge jumps and takes the pitch to allow them to advance. Good baseball there.
11:39 PM: Abreu can’t get all the way around the ball, but he muscles it out to center field, and Seigler is able to tag up from third and score. 6-3, Red Sox.
11:39 PM: Willson Contreras almost got hit by a pitch. He did not try to fight anyone. Chants of “sell the team” coming from the outfield.
11:43 PM: Yoshida goes the other way for his third hit of the night. 7-3, Red Sox.
11:46 PM: Durbin strikes out, and the Angels go to a lefty with two outs in the seventh.
11:50 PM: Jarren Duran beats out a broken-bat infield single swinging bunt thing. That was cool.
11:54 PM: Carlos Narvaez strikes out with the bases loaded to end the threat.
11:58 PM: It’s Garrett Whitlock for the bottom of the seventh. I am so tired.
12:01 AM: Happy Monday. Garrett Whitlock got three guys out very quickly. Thanks, Garrett.
12:02 AM: If you read this whole thing, you’re insane, and I appreciate you.
12:06 AM: The Red Sox go quickly in the top of the eighth. Eighth is a weird word to spell. That’s five consonants in a row. I can’t think of many words that have that. In fact, I can’t think of a single other word with five consonants in a row, but I’m far from operating at maximum brain capacity.
12:08 AM: Justin Slaten for the bottom half of the hard-to-spell inning.
12:09 AM: Willson Contreras chased a ball into foul territory and had a nice moment with a Red Sox fan sitting in the front row. Maybe he’s not so scary after all.
12:13 AM: Donovan Walton, whom I have never heard of before today, gets a pinch-hit double with two outs.
12:15 AM: Jo Adell hits a sweeper off the plate down the line; Walton scores. 7-4, Red Sox as Aroldis Chapman begins to stir in the bullpen.
12:16 AM: Wade Meckler, whom I have also not heard of, is now pitching hitting.
12:17 AM: Meckler strikes out to end the inning.
12:22 AM: Went to the bathroom to brush my teeth, et cetera, and came back to two outs in the top of the ninth.
12:24 AM: Here comes Chapman to try to shut the door on the series.
12:27 AM: Caleb Durbin makes a diving stop and throws to first for the out. Willson Contreras stretches and maybe comes off the base, though. I think he held it, but the Angels are challenging.
12:28 AM: Call stands. One down.
12:30 AM: Chapman strikes out Lowe. Two down.
12:31 AM: Zack Neto homers. 7-5, Red Sox.
12:33 AM: Red Sox win! For those of you counting at home, that’s 8 of the last 10. Day off tomorrow before moving on to Chicago to play the White Sox. We couldn’t possibly make a run, could we? I don’t know. But I do know that I’m going to bed. Once again, if you read this whole thing, I appreciate you. It’s 2,000 words of nonsense. Well, actually, it’s 1972 words of nonsense right now. But the official word count really isn’t important, especially because it counts all of my timestamps that aren’t original content. Now it’s 2,000. Goodnight to all.
