The Yankees essentially asked for perfection from Gerrit Cole.
The former Cy Young winner made it seem like he might deliver it.
Making another start with dreadful run support from the Aaron Judge-less lineup, Cole retired the first 14 batters he faced, en route to throwing a season-high seven innings and 11 strikeouts, but the 35-year-old’s dominant showing couldn’t help the Yankees overcome a 5-3, 10-inning loss to the Pirates in The Bronx.
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The Yankees, who scored a total of one run in Cole’s previous two starts, are now 4-7 this season in games he started. Cole (3-5, 3.92 ERA), who has earned one win in his past six starts, took a no-decision Wednesday after allowing three runs, four hits (two home runs) and no walks before exiting with the Yankees still scoreless.
“I thought Gerrit was really good,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “He had everything kind of going. Both slider and curveball were a factor. Changeup was good. He was efficient … you’d like that to be the story of how good he was again, if we could’ve got it going a little more offensively.
“I think he’s in a really good place and getting back his competitive sea legs.”
Cole, now two months removed from his return from Tommy John surgery, looked like the ace who teased a no-hitter in the 2024 World Series, appearing untouchable as he struck out eight hitters and moved more than halfway to pitching a perfect game against the team that drafted him first overall in 2011.
Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole (45) throws a pitch during the second inning when the New York Yankees played the Pittsburgh Pirates in game one of a doubleheader Wednesday, July 22, 2026 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, NY. Robert Sabo for NY Post
But just like the infamous Game 5 against the Dodgers, Cole’s storybook start began crumbling in the fifth inning, as Nick Gonzales ripped a two-out single, followed by a two-run home run by Jacob Gonzalez.
Gonzales then put the Pirates up 3-0 after hitting a solo shot in the seventh inning. It was Cole’s 11th homer allowed in his past nine starts.
“I felt like I gave it a chance out of the hand, but it stayed too close to him,” Cole said of the first homer. “The second homer from the other Gonzalez was a challenge fastball in a 1-0 count and a beautiful swing. Look, you gotta be filling up the strike zone, you gotta be aggressive and sometimes you make the aggressive mistake. Both of those were aggressive mistakes.”
Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole (45) reacts after giving up a home run during the 7th inning. Robert Sabo for NY Post
Cole generated 21 swings and misses — his most in 24 starts — while recording his most strikeouts since Aug. 25, 2023. Cole also recorded his franchise-best 29th double-digit strikeout game, along with his 24th start recording at least 10 strikeouts and no walks, which ranks fifth in MLB history.
“It was a good step forward for sure,” Cole said. “All things considered, it’s been really good throughout the whole year. But we’re always trying to fine-tune and keep getting a little better.”
The retired athlete — who played eight seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers from 1996 to 2004 — addressed James’ decision to leave the California-based team ahead of his unprecedented 24th NBA season.
“Go where you can win, LeBron. When it’s over for us, it’s over,” O’Neal, 54, exclusively told the California Post in a new interview.
Shaquille O’Neal is weighing in on LeBron James’ NBA destiny. WireImage“Go where you can win, LeBron. When it’s over for us, it’s over,” O’Neal, 54, exclusively told the California Post in a new interview. Andrew Schwartz / SplashNews.com
“You never want to sit back and say, ‘I shoulda, I coulda, I woulda.’ I would say [go to] Cleveland, Golden State, Miami or even Philly.”
James, 41, shocked the sports world in June when he announced he was leaving the Lakers after eight seasons, having previously played with the Cleveland Cavaliers (2003 to 2010, 2014 to 2018) and Miami Heat (2010 to 2014). He averaged 25.9 points, 7.9 assists, 7.7 rebounds and 1.2 steals since joining the Lakers as a free agent in 2018.
“LeBron James is one of the greatest athletes in history. We will always be thankful for his eight years with the Lakers — including the title he led us to in 2020 under the toughest imaginable circumstances and the countless records he broke in purple and gold,” Lakers owner Jeanie Buss said in a statement at the time.
“We wish him all the best in the future, both on the court and off. He will always be a cherished part of the Lakers family.”
In response to the post, James wrote, “No, THANK U! Truly a honor to wear the [purple and gold] while trying to continuing the greatness & legacies that came before me! Hope I made a few proud during my stint.”
Since the surprising announcement, fans have patiently been waiting for any news regarding James’ next move. While many have speculated that the four-time NBA Champion will likely land with the Warriors, Heat or Cavaliers, no decisions have been made at this time.
“You never want to sit back and say, ‘I shoulda, I coulda, I woulda.’ I would say [go to] Cleveland, Golden State, Miami or even Philly.” BACKGRIDAs for O’Neal, he exclusively spoke with Page Six while promoting his new true crime series, “Game Day Murders,” which he executive produced for Today Investigation Discovery. Erik Pendzich/Shutterstock
The California Post reported Tuesday that the majority of the NBA’s free agency business remains on hold while James weighs his options on where to play next.
Insiders told us that multiple teams and players within the league are currently in “a holding pattern” until the athlete finalizes his decision on where he’ll finish out his NBA career.
As for O’Neal, he exclusively spoke with Page Six while promoting his new true crime series, “Game Day Murders,” which he executive produced for Today Investigation Discovery.
“I’ve been a sports guy, I’ve been a true crime guy, and finally, we’re going to merge the two together,” he explained, when asked why he decided to take on the project.
Calling himself a “true crime junkie,” the Lakers legend noted that he likes it because “everybody has that detective in them.”
“Game Day Murders,” hosted by veteran sports broadcaster Lindsay Czarniak, premieres July 27 at 10 p.m. ET on ID.
The series is also available for streaming on HBO Max.
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The 23-year-old social media personality and former LSU gymnast wore custom Paul Skenes black boots paired with jean shorts and a black T-shirt to the eventful day in The Bronx.
The boots featured her boyfriend’s last name and No. 30.
Livvy Dunne shows off her game day outfit on Wednesday. Instagram @livvydunneLivvy Dunne shows off her custom boots after her boyfriend and star Pirates starter Paul Skenes. Instagram @livvydunne
Dunne showed off the boots while getting into a car to take her to the game. She also reposted a photo of the boots with Yankee Stadium in the background, featuring a can of Miller Lite.
“Game dayyyy!” the Instagram story read.
The Pirates ace was not slated to play since he pitched on Sunday against Cleveland in a 7-1 win.
Yet, Dunne did get to watch home runs from Nick Gonzales and Jacob Gonzalez that powered Pittsburgh to the win.
Dunne and Skenes have been together since 2023 after meeting while attending LSU.
Livvy Dunne shares a post on her custom Paul Skenes boots for Wednesday’s doubleheader at Yankee Stadium. Instagram @livvydunne
They were also featured in an interview with MLB Network while on the red carpet, where Dunne talked about her investment in the game that can often get sprinkled with some profanity.
It called back to a moment when Dunne was caught on the broadcast saying “f–k” twice before leaning back in her seat, frustrated, during a game between the Pirates and Blue Jays at Rogers Centre in Toronto in May.
Paul Skenes of the Pittsburgh Pirates and Livvy Dunne arrive on the red carpet at the 2026 MLB All-Star Red Carpet Show in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on Tuesday, July 14, 2026. Laurence Kesterson/UPI/Shutterstock
She also commented on what it was like standing in the batter’s box against her boyfriend in what was a “scary” experiment.
At the time of writing, the second game of the day was scoreless by the seventh inning.
Across 21 starts this season, Skenes has held a 3.43 ERA.
The LeBron James free agency saga has yet to reach its denouement, and the latest report reveals the reason for the delay.
James is reportedly “slow-playing” his decision to see if a suitor can trade for Anthony Davis or Kyrie Irving, according to Yahoo Sports writer Kevin O’Connor.
LeBron James and Anthony Davis won an NBA title together in 2020. Getty Images
Davis and Irving are both former teammates of the 41-year-old, who won two of his four NBA championships with said All-Stars.
Sources believe that LeBron James is slow-playing his decision to see if a suitor can trade for Anthony Davis or Kyrie Irving, per @KevinOConnor.
A reunion with either player would be magical, but the reality of a trade transpiring seems far-fetched. The Wizards appear content to keep Davis as their starting big man. Meanwhile, Irving is coming off an ACL injury with the Mavericks, so his performance for the upcoming season is questionable.
Kyrie Irving is often considered the best match for LeBron James because of their success on the court together. USA TODAY Sports
The final four suitors in the James sweepstakes are the Cavaliers, Heat, 76ers and Warriors. While there is constant speculation surrounding James, his camp has remained tight-lipped about the unique free agency process.
Despite being the oldest active player in the NBA, James remains effective. He is coming off a 2025-26 season in which he averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 7.2 assists for the Lakers.
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James shot 51.5% from the field and 31.7% from 3 last season.
The next move for James is especially important given it could be the final destination of his career. The NBA’s all-time leading scorer hasn’t confirmed whether the 2026-27 season is his final year, but basketball fans are eager to know where James will go after eight consecutive seasons with the Lakers.
LeBron James made his first public appearance at Fanatics Fest since informing the Lakers he would not return for the upcoming season. Getty Images for Fanatics
The Philadelphia Phillies continue to make questionable decisions while running the bases during this week's series against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.
Trea Turner reached first base on a fielder's choice out in the bottom of the fifth ... only because Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy tagged out Bryson Stott, who for some reason decided to run from second to third with one out.
The game had just been tied 3-3 during the inning on a Bryan De La Cruz home run. But Stott's blunder halted the momentum with Kyle Schwarber popping out to end the inning.
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - JULY 22: Tony Vitello #23 of the San Francisco Giants talks with umpire Alfonso Marquez #72 during the seventh inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium on July 22, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jay Biggerstaff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In the top of the 7th, Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino pulled a fastball from Landen Roupp into the right field corner. Jung Hoo Lee got to the baseball quickly and fired an accurate throw into Willy Adames at second base as a hard-charging Pasquantino slid into the bag, beating the throw by plenty. But the momentum generated hustling to second made for an uneasy stop. Pasquantino struggled to brake, his upper half kept moving forward as his limbs strained to remain safely in contact with the base. During the awkward stumble, Adames applied a tag at what looks like the brief moment when one could see daylight between Pasquantino’s finger and second base.
Umpire Mike Estabrook ruled Pasquantino safe on the field, and Adames adamantly gestured towards the bench to take a closer look and challenge it.
As players, coaches, and fans prepared for what looked to be an exhaustive, frame-by-frame review, the weight of the moment settled over the crowd. This was a pivotal play given the game’s context: an old-fashioned, back-and-forth, pitcher’s duel between Roupp and Kansas City starter Seth Lugo. The Giants offense had just extended their lead to three-runs by capitalizing on lead-off walk and a 2-out extra base knocks by Lee and Adames. Those knocks were just their second and third earned off Lugo in the start, and the first since Rafael Devers’s lead-off double in the 2nd. Kansas City’s veteran right-hander had faced the minimum through 5 complete innings, and as he walked off the mound after another soft groundout, Dave Flemming, in all seriousness, remarked that Lugo was “just mowing them down.” Ironic considering Lugo’s four-seam fastball averages less than 92 MPH, and his 9-pitch mix boasts a 76 MPH curveball, already 5 clicks slower than the league average, and an even slower “slow curveball” that moseys across the plate on its own time. But hitting is timing, and pitching is disrupting that timing — Lugo had effectively done this by throwing the kitchen sink, toaster, blender, microwave at San Francisco hitters.
The 3-0 lead, like most things this year, was hard-earned and impossibly delicate, and Pasquantino’s double had it on the brink of shattering. Roupp had similarly cruised along with Lugo through the prior six frames. That double was just the Royals’ third hit and their first for extra bases. Just as things were supposed to get comfortable, a threat emerged from nothing. The heat of recent failures caused them to sweat. Necks were still sore from the whiplash of Logan Webb’s blown-gem against Seattle on Saturday — a loss that launched San Francisco’s embarrassing road trip. Four consecutive games in which a lead was forfeited. Four games in which the offense stalled out at three runs. Four straight losses – this ignoble streak’s beginnings traced easily back to Saturday’s 7th inning.
Wednesday’s 7th had to be different. Roupp was the last Giant starter to earn a win, and he looked just as he good as he did last Friday against the Mariners. Surely he’d lead the team to a much-needed victory — and Pasquantino’s base running gaffe appeared to be proof that God’s light shines brightest on the right-hander…
But that perceived gift didn’t just get taken away from the Giants, it blew up in their faces when umpire Estabrook ruled that Adames had pushed Pasquantino off the base.
A bold claim, which, of course, was unreviewable.
The call’s initial ludicrousness — which was robust at the time — has grown with each passing hour. Considering that he had beat the throw by plenty, Pasquantino being off balance was exactly what prompted Adames to tag him in the first place. Therefore, the tag could not have pushed Pasquantino off the base. Also, Pasquantino is 6’3’’ and 245 pounds, tagging him would be like tagging a redwood if he had been legitimately rooted.
It’s not like Estabrook is out of position to make a reasonable call here. Unless he was in the middle of a prolonged blink or those sunglass lenses are actually painted black, he sees the play happen. So what gives???
The most damning element here is the fact that Estabrook makes no gesture to signify that Adames unfairly pushed the runner immediately after the play. He and Adames even exchange some pleasantries in the aftermath. The challenge is assumed, and it is not until the crew chief is already walking over to the middle of the field with his ear piece in his hand that Estabrook drops the bomb.
The tag-turned-shove is a fabrication, cooked up in the moments between the tag and when Tony Vitello gestures to challenge. It’s clear that the umpire himself isn’t quite sure what he was thinking. On the Royals broadcast — which has better coverage of the incident than NBC Bay Area — the umpire fidgets as Adames pleads his case. Estabrook can’t really look at him straight. He weirdly keeps touching his face, wiping his mouth with his shirt as if his lips suddenly started to sweat uncontrollably.
Whether Adames’s tag stayed on Pasquantino when he came off the base is besides the point. Nothing definitive could be reached due to their inability to have it be reviewed, and right when the team were at their most vulnerable, Estabrook’s phantom push call caught them in the gut and keeled them over.
The collapse — that was absolutely definitive. The second pitch thrown after the lengthy pause (in which Tony Vitello was ejected) was launched over the wall by Salvador Perez. Roupp, who likes to work fast, and established a breezy cadence with Lugo through the first six innings, had lost his rhythm. The delay, the obstructed justice had him steaming. He was hot and bothered and cursin’ like a sailor as acting manager Jayce Tingler pulled him from the game.
The 7th had become a delicate and fraught situation. Tensions were high, players felt picked on — but there was still a lead to protect and a ballgame to win. Tasked with safely navigating and preserving the slim one-run lead, San Francisco’s relief corps took the field like bulls in a china shop.
Sam Hentges came off the mound to field a bunt and threw a pond-skipper past Devers into right field. He had tossed one-pitch, which was bunted, and somehow the tying run had found its way to scoring position. Hentges recorded just one out while giving up two singles compounded by his error before he was replaced by Keaton Winn, who served up this right-down-the-gosh-dang-middle-of-the-plate pitch
which knocked in the tying run; and this pitch
which subsequently scored Kansas City’s winning run.
By the time the 7th concluded, the Royals line-up had batted around, scoring five runs against three different Giants arms.
That did it. A 5-4 loss. Different day, different details — same ending.
Casey Schmitt’s solo homer with two outs in the 9th unclogged the offense, forever blocked at three runs, but his 20th shot of the year didn’t change much else. The Royals are last in the American League Central, and they left the Giants grasping at their coattails. The sweep, all one-run losses, was San Francisco’s sixth of the season. They are now 18 games below .500.
The phantom push in the 7th was the shove that sent this team over the edge and into an uncontrollable free fall — yet even that comparison is off considering we don’t get to experience the blissful sensation of weightlessness, that sense of pure “freedom” implied by the name. The failures on this display in this loss, and the recurring failures of this team, feel more like the “endless fall” sequence in the excellently stupid 2007 movie “Hot Rod,” in which Rod, in the process of angrily dancing away his suffocating feelings of inadequacy in the middle of a forest (to the song “Never” off the “Footloose” soundtrack), trips over a tree trunk and begins to tumble down a hill — a tumble that lasts longer than a full minute of runtime, with the idea that the longer Rod improbably rag-dolls down this frictionless slope, the more grunts and groans he makes as he roughly collides with more and more objects, the stupider, and “funnier,” the gag becomes.
This Giants season is already stupid — so when does it become funny?
PHILADELPHIA — The Dodgers narrowly avoided a disastrous moment Wednesday, when Mookie Betts took a glancing blow off his head from a foul ball in the on-deck circle.
As the second hitter due up in the top of the second inning during the Dodgers’ game against the Phillies, Betts had stepped out on-deck during an at-bat by Max Muncy.
The Dodgers’ Mookie Betts was OK after taking a glancing blow off his head from a foul ball while in the on-deck circle. Getty Images
Moments later, the star shortstop was sprawling to the ground.
With a check swing from the left-handed batter’s box, Muncy had deflected a foul ball straight back toward the Dodgers’ third base dugout. Standing in the line of fire was Betts, who had only a split-second to turn his head and avoid a potentially scary outcome.
Max Muncy's check swing foul ball lined directly at Mookie Betts' head, who luckily gets it glancing off his helmet. pic.twitter.com/ObXCb5ytLy
The Dodgers’ Max Muncy fouled off a ball that grazed teammate Mookie Betts on Wednesday. Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
The ball ricocheted off Betts’ helmet but did not hit him straight on.
As Betts dove to the dirt, the ball deflected up and over the Dodgers’ bench.
Manager Dave Roberts and a member of the team’s training staff immediately ran onto the field to check on Betts. But the former MVP quickly bounced back up and signaled he was OK.
He went on to take his at-bat, flying out to center.
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Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) dribbles the ball while New York Liberty guard Pauline Astier (18) defends in the first half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Fever star Caitlin Clark is going to be featured on the cover of NBA 2K27’s deluxe edition, but fans noticed a weird element to the otherwise cool and historic moment.
Clark’s appearance on the cover marks the first time a WNBA player has been featured on her own global cover of the NBA edition of the game. However, several fans thought the cover didn’t exactly resemble Clark, with many accusing the creators of the game of using artificial intelligence for the digital drawing.
Sports business journalist Darren Rovell commented, “Weird to put someone else’s face on her. They don’t do that for NBA cover athletes.”
“Idk who that is but it’s certainly not Caitlin Clark,” another user posted on X.
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) reacts after a foul is called Saturday, July 18, 2026, during the first half of a game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Weird to put someone else’s face on her. They don’t do that for NBA cover athletes. https://t.co/sab52TrykZ
Clark’s appearance is the next step for female athletes to be featured on the covers of the most popular basketball video game in the world.
Last year, Angel Reese was featured on the cover of the WNBA-specific 2K26 game, instead of a standard release cover. Several other star WNBA players, including Diana Taurasi, A’ja Wilson, and Sabrina Ionescu, have been on the WNBA cover.
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) dribbles the ball while New York Liberty guard Pauline Astier (18) defends in the first half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
2K has not addressed the rumblings online over Clark’s cover.
Clark joins Spurs star Victor Wembanyama and ex-Bulls star Derrick Rose as the featured cover athletes for the 2K27 edition. Wembanyama is on the standard edition, while the ultra version depicts Rose during his time with the Bulls.
2K did not announce a WNBA edition, leading fans to believe that the company is foregoing that edition in order to honor Clark with the more mainstream NBA deluxe edition.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - MARCH 5: Julian Champagnie #30 of the San Antonio Spurs plays defense during the game against Tobias Harris #12 of the Detroit Pistons on March 5, 2026 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. 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 (Photos by Michael Gonzales/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Spurs added Tobias Harris. How much better do you think he makes them, and what role do you see him filling?
Marilyn Dubinski: It’s hard to raise the ceiling that much on a Finals team that only lost due to their own mistakes, but that’s exactly what Harris can help do: bring a veteran presence with a solid game on both sides who won’t make many mistakes. At this point, it’s tough to say if he or Julian Champagnie will start, and it may come down to a training camp battle or if it’s something as simple as where Champagnie’s outside shooting is more needed: with the starters or second unit.
Mark Barrington: I think he makes the team better by adding more veteran leadership and another scorer and tenacious defender. He could end up starting over Julian Champagnie, but I still think the trio of him, Vassell, and Julian all get about the same amount of minutes. Even though he’s likely a starter, the biggest impact will be on the team’s depth where they don’t have a huge fall-off in talent when one of the starters has to sit.
Bill Huan: Harris gives the Spurs another starting-calibre player, which would be the team’s seventh, assuming Harper comes off the bench again. For a squad that ran out of bodies in the finals (especially at the forward position), this is a vital addition that also provides a reliable veteran presence to a very young team. I do worry about a potential dropoff given that he’s almost exactly the same age as Barnes, and we all saw what happened to HB last year. Still, Harris gives the Spurs another reliable body, and playing on a loaded team will hopefully keep him fresh for the postseason.
Devon Birdsong: Any time you can add an efficient shooter and scorer to a Finals team, it’s going to make them better. And Harris is far more efficient than some might have you believe. For instance, his Player Efficiency Rating was higher than Devin Vassell’s last season, and their True Shooting Percentages were identical. (In fact, some of his advanced defensive stats were also better) I see Harris as taking on Harrison Barnes’ role of the last two seasons, with Barnes now migrating to ‘break glass in case of emergency’ status, but I think there’s a real question of whether he or Champagnie will start. My guess is that Julian will, because the bench could use a little more scoring punch outside of Keldon Johnson and Dylan Harper, but considering how much San Antonio’s matchup weakness at power forward popped up in the postseason, I have a sneaking suspicion that we’ll see them both get time with the starting unit throughout the season. They’ll need Harris to have a certain degree of familiarity with the starters come playoff time, and Julian has been both seamless and selfless in moving back and forth between the two. I’ve been assured by Spurs Twitter experts that that’s not something that NBA teams do during the regular season, though, so I guess all those years of Popovich experimenting with lineups was just a hallucination on my part. Ça alors!
Jeje Gomez: I don’t think he raises their ceiling much, but he should help raise their floor. Harris has flaws, but he is a veteran who knows how to play, is durable, and can get a bucket when everything else fails. The Spurs needed guys that fit that mold last season, especially when Barnes started to struggle. As for his role, it would probably be best to bring him off the bench to prevent opponents from putting their center on Harris, like they used to do with Barnes. Harris is a decent shooter but not a knockdown guy, so that makes him an awkward fit for the starters. Still, there could be games where he’s the better option, and it wouldn’t be the worst idea to give him Julian Champagnie’s spot in those matchups.
The rookies that suited up had some good moments in Summer League. Do you expect any of them to contribute in 2026/27?
Dubinski: Tarris Reed stands the best chance, especially since Victor Wembanyama and Luke Kornet were two of their more injury-prone players last season. I don’t think the two-way players will play much, if any role (which has been the case the last couple of seasons now), and while Jayden Quiantance will hopefully be ready to start playing at some point this season, I wouldn’t expect him to truly have a role until next season.
Barrington: Tarris Reed will probably spend most of the first half of the season in Austin, but he could be a big part of the rotation after the All-Star break. Maliq Brown and Ja’Kobi Gillespie look more like projects to me, and we will have to see how well they do in Austin to see if they can contribute in San Antonio. If they do make it to the regular rotation, I don’t think it happens this season.
Huan: Like everyone else said, I expect Reed to get some developmental run but I’d be floored if he saw any meaningful minutes in the postseason (barring injuries). I’m not sure if he’ll be ready to be the team’s third big by then, but he’ll surely be better than Plumlee and Biyombo, right…??? I think we should keep our expectations relatively low, but Reed’s development this season should still be a major storyline given that Kornet’s on a short-term deal and the Spurs will want to get younger and cheaper at the backup centre spot soon.
Birdsong: Reed is definitely in line to find some minutes at some point, if for no other reason than a history of both Wemby and Luke Kornet missing time, but out of players who suited up for Summer League, Carter Bryant is the easy choice. The real question is what his minutes will end up looking like with Harris added to the forward rotation. Someone is going to have to take a step back, but the Spurs also have to figure out a way to continue to develop a player who contributed in the postseason. For me, this is the 2nd biggest roster question for the season after how the guard minutes will be allocated.
Gomez: The Spurs will have trouble giving everyone minutes and touches even without considering the rookies, so I doubt any will get a regular role. Reed is likely going to be the one that gets the most playing time of the four, because he has an NBA-ready body and knows his strengths and weaknesses. I expect him to at least get a shot at minutes when one of Wembanyama or Kornet misses games, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see Carter Bryant out there as a small-ball center while Reed sits. Regardless of their roles this year, the most important factor will be their development. San Antonio will need cheap role players when the roster gets more expensive, so if spending time in Austin is the best way to get the rookies ready for the future, that’s where they should be.
As the roster stands right now, who do you think will start and who do you think won’t be part of the rotation to start the season?
Dubinski: I think the rotation will be basically identical to last season, with Harris replacing Barnes in the top 10 rotation, and then it’s just a matter of whether he or Champagnie starts. There may also be more minutes for Carter Bryant, perhaps at Keldon Johnson’s expense, which absolutely pains me to say, but at some point they’re going to have to determine if he’s a keeper past this season or if Bryant can make him expendable. (Just typing that about KJ crushes my soul!)
Barrington: As I mentioned above, I think that Tobias Harris starts over Julian, but that Champagnie will end up playing about the same number of minutes as the starters. Dylan Harper is definitely a starter-level talent, but I think he plays the Manu role again this year, coming off the bench while also getting a spot in the finishing lineups in big games. De’Aaron Fox had a bad playoff series against the Knicks, but the team is betting on a resurgence this year as he begins the season fully healthy for the first time in a few years, and he’s going to start.
Carter Bryant will be a bigger part of the rotation as an undersized center when the Spurs are playing a smallball lineup. It will surprise no one that I think that Harrison Barnes will have a reduced role this season, and that Jordan McLaughlin will only play spot minutes when needed as an injury replacement or to finish out games where the score isn’t close. I think the acquisition of Tarris Reed allows the Spurs to experiment more with a French Vanilla lineup with both Kornet and Wemby out on the court at the same time, but that won’t happen until later in the season.
Huan: I agree with everything Marilyn said, although I’m not as big of a KJ stan as she is (please don’t come after me!!). The big question remaining is who starts between Champagnie and Harris, given that it sounds like Harper is “open” (or whatever the terminology was) to coming off the bench again. When the offseason first opened, I really thought that the end game would be starting all three guards, but if Harper is ok with being their 6th man for one more year, then the Spurs will need to take advantage.
Birdsong: Barnes is almost definitely going to be out of the rotation by default, but I’m also curious to see how the minutes for Luke Kornet end up playing out with the addition of Harris. The Spurs probably want to find time for Bryant, so I wonder if Kornet’s minutes end up resembling something more like his allocation in the postseason (13 mins) rather than last year’s regular season (21 minutes) if Harris or Bryant need those extra eight minutes. The one thing about a team being this deep is the complications it creates in terms of playing time. PTR staff writer (and former college coach) Lee Dresie once wrote a piece on minutes allocation that I think about at least a dozen times each season, and I think figuring that balance out will be no small challenge for Mitch and Co. (though injuries may help them make some choices easier)
Gomez: I think Champagnie will continue to start unless the lineup that destroyed opponents last season regresses. That leaves some awkward fits off the bench, as Harris, Keldon Johnson, Carter Bryant, and Harrison Barnes, who are all power forwards, would likely have to play in lineups together. I’m assuming Barnes doesn’t get minutes and Harper, Harris, Johnson, and Kornet are the top four bench guys in terms of playing time, with some Bryant sprinkled in. Now, if Bryant’s shot improves, I can easily see him leapfrogging Johnson in the depth chart, which would bring about some uncomfortable questions about KJ’s future. But we’ll worry about that when/if it happens.
Jul 22, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners right fielder Dominic Canzone (8)watches a home run go over the wall during the seventh inning against the Cincinnati Reds at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images | Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images
It wasn’t a start to the second half that the Mariners could afford to have.
After Eduard Bazardo allowed the bottom two hitters of the Reds order to reach in the top of the seventh Wednesday, Sal Stewart punished him with a two-out, three-run homer just over the wall in right field to give Cincinnati a 5-3 lead and deliver a back-breaking blow to a Mariners team that is, for a lack of a better way to say it, running out of time to figure things out.
The homer proved to be decisive. With the loss, the Mariners once again fall below .500 — this time over 100 games into a season where they were viewed by many to be a favorite in a weak American League. For months now, I’ve lived with a mindset that things will turn. However, as more days pass and the results fail to improve, I’m forced to confront the reality that maybe this is who the 2026 Mariners are. Underperformances from stars, terrible injury luck, and a failure to make the most of their opportunities — it could all be too much to overcome.
It’s not over, but the turning point is going to have to come soon.
All of the sudden, pressure mounts as the M’s head to Arlington for the biggest series of their year thus far. They’ll face the Texas Rangers in a four-game wrap-around series starting Friday that could swing the top of the AL West standings drastically. As it stands, the Mariners could fall behind 1.5 games if the Rangers win Wednesday evening.
“Every game down the stretch here is big, and there’s a lot of baseball in front of us yet and a chance to find that consistent stride…We just need to concentrate on that as we get onto the road trip,” Wilson said postgame. “I don’t think we need any more extra pressure. I think there’s plenty of that. We just need to find our way and get ourselves consistent, and play the brand of baseball we know we’re capable of.”
For some periods Wednesday, it seemed like the Mariners could eke out a victory to secure an acceptable 4-2 homestand against two opponents that were plenty beatable. Cal Raleigh got the Mariners off to solid start in the bottom of the second. He lined a RBI single into right to score Josh Naylor, who had just stolen second to move into scoring position after blooping a single to center off of Elly De La Cruz’s glove.
It turned out this was a start to a volatile couple of innings where the lead went back-and-forth between the two teams. To lead off the top of the fourth, JJ Bleday turned on a 86 mph cutter from Emerson Hancock for a towering solo shot into the seats in right field, tying the game at one.
Hancock spent some of the All-Star break resting the sore hand he got on a comebacker in the final game of the first half. He said it was a little difficult coming back from the break because it’s hard to simulate major league pitches. Hancock forced a couple of ugly swings and misses with his sweeper — when he was landing it.
“There’s certain cues and adjustments that I feel like I’ll make with that pitch throughout the game,” Hancock said. “I just keep throwing it, keep trusting it, and you’ll find a really good feel for it. We were able to execute a couple good ones today.”
That said, he lost the handle on a couple of them in the early going, including a wild pitch in the fourth that moved Tyler Stephenson to third after a two-out double. The mistake proved costly; even though Cole Young was able to make a diving stop on a subsequent grounder from Dane Myers, he couldn’t quite get the handle on the ball to make the throw to first, and the runner scored from third to give the Reds a 2-1 lead on a play that could’ve ended the inning.
The Mariners had a quick response in the bottom half of the fourth, with Luke Raley driving in a couple with a hard-hit liner into the gap in right-center on the first pitch he saw from Brady Singer. Both Naylor and Randy Arozarena came around, making the score 3-2 in favor of Seattle.
After running into trouble in the fourth, Hancock was able to settle down and retire the next six hitters to turn in a decent outing. He only struck out three hitters and forced nine whiffs, but outside of the homer by Bleday, he was able to limit the hard contact and keep the Reds offense in check. He notched a quality start, allowing only the two runs on five hits over six innings of work.
The opportunities for the Mariners offense were few and far between after Raley put them in front. The only baserunner to reach second after this point was Julio Rodríguez, who doubled to the wall in the left-center gap to bring the tying run to the plate in the eighth. In the end though, Arozarena and Dominic Canzone would both ground out to extinguish their last scoring threat of the day.
As it turns out, the Mariners dropped the series against the Reds and will have to settle for a 3-3 split of their six games to open the second half at T-Mobile Park. In and of itself, it could obviously be worse than 3-3 — but given the 1-5 stretch into the All-Star break and a tough schedule upcoming, this is certainly not what they had in mind.
In Seattle, we’ve become accustomed to the late-season surge. The Mariners are going to have to find one, yet again.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 18: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts after a play against Sandro Mamukelashvili #54 of the Toronto Raptors during the third quarter at Crypto.com Arena on January 18, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. 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 Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Considering that Luka Dončić is a ball-dominant player who attracts a ton of attention and is an elite passer, being his teammate is an alluring proposition.
Add in that the Lakers locked up Austin Reaves for the future, and suddenly plenty of wing players and bigs can envision how they can thrive with this backcourt pairing feeding them the ball.
With so many players from last year’s team gone, Dončić and Reaves’ dimes will have to go somewhere and LA’s latest addition, Sandro Mamukelashvili, could be the beneficiary. In fact, it’s one of the many reasons he is excited about playing alongside Dončić and Reaves.
“They just see me as a basketball player who can go out there, play multiple positions, bring the rhythm,” Mamukelashvili told the Post. “They know I’m gonna play hard, I won’t take possessions off and they understand that I really want to win. That’s where I fit.
“Having players like Luka, Austin Reaves, all those guys who are such amazing creators that’s gonna help me so much offensively, just flow in it and hopefully get a lot of open corner 3s and then just knock them down.”
As a five-year player, Sandro Mamukelashvili has proven that he can produce and has yet to reach his ceiling.
Last year with the Raptors, he scored 11.2 points per game and shot 52.3% from the field. Both are career-best marks for the big. He even earned some votes for Most Improved Player in the NBA.
As a Raptor, Mamu was great at capitalizing on open looks from beyond the arc. Of his 295 3-point attempts, 244 were wide open, with the closest defender being at least six feet away. In fact, Mamu took only two 3-pointers when a defender was within four feet of him.
Now, he’s a Laker and wants to get even better.
If Mamu can stay committed to such a healthy shot diet, he could excel in Lakers head coach JJ Redick’s system. And that’s one of the reasons he’s excited for this new opportunity.
With Mamu ready to embrace his inner shooter and a willingness to play multiple positions, the Lakers could maximize his potential.
He could be the ideal big for LA, able to knock down open threes, but also score inside as a four or a five. If he’s able to do that, his time as a Laker will be a positive one and he could be part of this exciting young core for years to come.
On July 22nd, 2021, five years ago today, the Seattle Kraken drafted their inaugural roster, selecting 30 players from every NHL club except the Vegas Golden Knights.
The Kraken ended up with the following 30 players:
Of those players, six remain on the roster in 2025-26.
The Kraken struggled in their first few seasons in the NHL.
In the 2021-22 season, the team went 27-49-6 and earned 60 points.
In 2022-23, they improved to 46-28-8 and tallied 100 points. In 2023-24, they went 34-35-13, and in 2024-25 they went 35-41-6.
Last season, the team went 34-37-11 and tallied 79 points.
The team made the playoffs once since the draft, in 2022-23. They went 7-7 in 14 playoff games.
As the Kraken continue to develop their team, it is a good time to reflect on the history that was made five years ago today.
Jul 21, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Detroit Tigers designated hitter Dillon Dingler (13) rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run against the Chicago Cubs during the ninth inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
Detroit Tigers (47-54) vs. Chicago Cubs (57-44)
Time/Place: 8:10 p.m., Wrigley Field SB Nation Site:Bleed Cubbie Blue Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network Pitching Matchup: RHP Keider Montero (6-5, 3.22 ERA) vs. RHP Colin Rea (7-6, 4.74 ERA)
There's a logical explanation to why it's taking so long for LeBron James to announce his free agency decision on where he will play in the 2026-27 season.
A Cleveland sports radio host believes that James has intentionally pushed back his announcement because he was "irritated" with comments made last week by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.
Cleveland sports radio personality Andy Baskin said Silver's comments "irritated" James and the former Los Angeles Lakers star decided to push back the announcement.
Baskin, who has a radio show called Baskin and Phelps on 92.3 The Fan, went as far as to say that James was ready to announce his decision last week.
"LeBron's crew was probably ready to make an announcement, especially because they were in New York," Baskin said. "The world had their eyes on New York because of the World Cup as well. Yeah, and so that they were probably comfortable making an announcement as early as last week that they were there, and then people were like telling them what to do."
"There's a little bit of irritation," he added. "Irritated was the word that I was told, irritated by the commissioner pushing them. ...It may not just be LeBron, but it it it's more about LeBron's group together, so that the irritation got to the point they were like, 'Well, you know what? We'll decide when LeBron is going to tell everyone where he's going.' So they decided to hold back on making their next decision, their next move on where they want to play or where LeBron wants to play."
"Here's what I was told yesterday by a reliable source. Last week, LeBron's crew was probably ready to make an announcement. 'Irritated' was the word I was told, by the commissioner pushing them...so they decided to hold back."
Last week, Silver said he wished James would come up with his decision to finalize the playing schedule. And he was serious.
Silver spoke at the CNBC Sport x Boardroom Game Plan Summit in New York City in an interview with CNBC’s Andrew Ross Sorkin. He answered a heap of questions about the NBA and its state, but not before James' free agency carousel came into question.
Silver discussed different scenarios he'd like to see James finish his career with, but his overall point was for James to hurry up and make the announcement.
"I would like him to make his announcement already, so we can finish the schedule, because, as you might imagine, the teams are calling us, the networks are calling us, and everybody wants to lock in the schedule," Silver said. "But it will influence how we set the schedule, how we set opening week, Christmas Day, etc. So I need him to make a decision."
Those comments, according to Baskin, didn't sit right with James and his camp. Seemingly in response to Silver's comments, James' agent Rich Paul said in the following days that his client's decision will not be rushed.
Contracts in the NHL are steadily growing larger, and will continue to do so - especially after the record-breaking offer sheet for Anaheim Ducks forward Leo Carlsson from the Philadelphia Flyers that was ultimately matched.
Carlsson will make $18 million per season over the next five seasons, the highest annual salary in NHL history.
Meanwhile, the Detroit Red Wings have several contracts on the books that are among the best in the NHL in sheer value.
In fact, the contract of defenseman and potential future captain Moritz Seider has been named one of the 10 best in the NHL by analytical Insider Dom Luszczyszyn of The Athletic.
There are some NHL stars locked up to absolute BARGAIN deals for years to come…
Of course, Seider's contract, along with teammate Lucas Raymond, were negotiated by now-former GM Steve Yzerman, who vacated his role earlier this month.
Additionally, as of now, captain Dylan Larkin's salary cap hit of $8.7 million is a tremendous bargain. Larkin has reached the 30-goal plateau in each of the last four seasons, but stunned the franchise by requesting a trade out of town following the 10th straight campaign without making the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
This past season, Seider established new personal bests with 10 goals, 50 assists, and a plus-15 rating. He also paced the Red Wings in average ice time at 25:39 per game, serving as Detroit's workhorse defenseman while routinely matching up against the opposing team's top offensive talent in every game situation.
He also garnered consideration for both the Norris and Hart Trophies.
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