Yankees potential trade partner: New York Mets

ATLANTA, GA - JULY 04: Francisco Lindor #12 of the New York Mets looks on prior the game between the New York Mets and the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on Saturday, July 4, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Brett Davis/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

Following a second-half collapse for the ages, the New York Mets spent this past winter reinventing their team. They said let franchise legend Pete Alonso leave for Baltimore in free agency, dealt fellow longtime Met Brandon Nimmo to the Texas Rangers for Marcus Semien, saw their two-time NL Reliever of the Year Edwin Díaz leave for the Dodgers, signed former Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette to play third base, came to terms with former Mariners second baseman Jorge Polanco to play first base, traded for former Brewers starter Freddy Peralta to be their ace, and signed Luke Weaver and Devin Williams away from the Yankees to reinforce their bullpen.

The end result? A 38-53 record heading into last night’s chaotic 16-12 loss. Manager Carlos Mendoza was kicked to the curb late last month, putting them firmly in the seller’s camp as the Trade Deadline approaches.

For a team playing as badly as they are — the Mets’ Pythagorean record of 39-52 shows that their performance has been no fluke — the Mets actually have a sizeable group of players who could draw quite a bit of value on the market, a testament to the fact that their roster really has been worse than the sum of its parts. While I do think Anthony DiComo’s statement that “the Mets would do well to consider trades for anything not nailed to the floor” is a bit overstated — he names only Nolan McLean, A.J. Ewing and Carson Benge as safe, and places Juan Soto in the “too expensive to be easily dealt,” ignoring the fact that teams don’t generally trade players on 15-year deals — the reality is, there’s reasons to discuss, well, pretty much everybody.

Despite high-profile meltdowns from Williams, the Mets have quietly put together one of the game’s better bullpen units this year, as their 3.6 fWAR and 3.69 ERA rank sixth, and their 15.8 K-BB% third. After a rough start to the season, old friend Weaver has looked like the 2024 version of himself that helped the Yankees to the World Series, as he has not given up an earned run since April 30th; in that span he has racked up 34 strikeouts in 26 innings, allowing just 18 baserunners. Veteran Huascar Brazobán has been excellent at limiting soft contact this year, and can both provide length out of the ‘pen and pitch in high leverage situations. Furthermore, both players are under team control for next season. Southpaws A.J. Minter (0.56 ERA in 16 innings) and Brooks Raley (2.23 ERA in 32 innings) are both impending free agents, so they’d be pure rentals, but they’d also be cheaper because of that.

The Mets rotation has not been nearly as effective as the bullpen, but still may attract interest. Clay Holmes is currently on the 60-day injured list with a broken leg after being hit by a comebacker off the bat of Spencer Jones on May 15th, and looks to start a rehab assignment after the break. The former Yankees closer has taken to starting much better than anyone could have expected, and represents the closest thing to an ace that the Mets have to trade; his bullpen experience may even make him more valuable, as teams with rotation depth (e.g., the Yankees) could bring him in knowing that he would be comfortable coming on in relief during the postseason. Other than him, the Mets don’t really have any sure bets. Peralta, Kodai Senga, and Sean Manaea have all put together mixed performances, at best, and while a dearth of pitching may inspire a contending team to roll the dice that a change of scenery will help — they have pitched like aces in the not-too-distant past — question marks abound.

Given the team’s 89 OPS+, it should come as no surprise that the lineup isn’t exactly filled with players that most teams would be interested in. If it becomes clear that Bichette plans to opt out despite his lackluster performance (.260/.305/.385 slash line, good for a 92 wRC+), then expect to see him traded — though he does have a no-trade clause and a move would need approval.

Bichette’s relatively solid Statcast data might make him an interesting add for a team in need of infield help, and he did hit .311/.357/.483 just last year while playing in the same division. But said opt-out does complicate matters, as otherwise, Bichette will make $42 million next year and potentially another $42 million in 2028. Ownership would have to approve the expense risk, and it never really sounded like the Yankees were in play for Bo this past offseason.

Reports have suggested that the Soto/Lindor relationship has deteriorated significantly since becoming teammates, leading to vague rumors that the Mets may trade Lindor. Now, I don’t think that’ll happen this year: Lindor is under contract through 2031, and despite Steve Cohen’s attempts to place Soto at the front and center of the Mets’ marketing, the longtime shortstop remains the face of the franchise among many Mets fans. But if the relationship, which strikes me as somewhat akin to the Derek Jeter/Alex Rodriguez relationship of the mid-2000s, deteriorates any further … well, let’s just say, a future trade seems a very real possibility. If that happens, the Yankees should at least check in (even though it’s unlikely the Mets would send him across town), because Lindor was worth 6.3 fWAR last season, and players like that don’t grow on trees.

To my surprise, there has been reports that the Mets may dangle catcher/designated hitter Francisco Alvarez. About to hit arbitration this winter after his age-24 season, Alvarez has not quite lived up to his potential as the third overall prospect. He has struggled to put together a complete season, having been limited to 100 games or fewer in three of his four full seasons, and his pitch framing has rapidly gone in the wrong direction. But power-hitting catchers are hard to find, and he did have a .950 OPS against left-handed pitchers last season. While I expect the Yankees to be more interested in Minnesota’s Ryan Jeffers, if Alvarez is made available, he might be the Mets position player most of interest to the Yankees.

Had they not existed in the same city, the Yankees and Mets look like ideal trade partners, especially if the Mets opt to trade their young catcher. But trades between crosstown rivals aren’t exactly common, and while I do think the Cohen Mets are less likely than the Wilpon Mets to have serious trade discussions, the two teams have only made 16 deals in their history, of which five were simple player purchases. If the Yankees want to match up, they may have to pay an extra New York City tax.

Mets Morning News: Not-so-sweet 16

Jul 7, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets pitcher Matt Seelinger (73) reacts after allowing a home run during the seventh inning against the Kansas City Royals at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Meet the Mets


The Mets lost a long, painful slugfest to the Royals 16-12. Matt Seelinger had a rough major league debut, giving up seven runs and getting the loss. 

Choose your recap: Amazin’ Avenue, Faith and Fear in Flushing, MLB.com, New York Daily News, New York Post

While 2026 might be hard to stomach, there are indications this season is more of an outlier than the start of a downturn.

Mike Tauchman began a rehab assignment in the Florida Complex League yesterday, going 0-for-2 with a walk as the designated hitter.

Over the last month, Bo Bichette has looked more like himself—and he’s felt it, too. 

The Mets designated Guillo Zuñiga for assignment a day after his debut, making room for Matt Seelinger to make his major league debut.

Seelinger waited nearly a decade since being drafted for his moment in the major leagues. 

Jorge Polanco returned from the injured list, with Ronny Mauricio getting optioned and Alex Carillo getting designated for assignment. 

Starling Marte was given a tribute video last night in his return to Citi Field. 

Around the National League East

The Marlins, much to everyone’s surprise, are beginning to look like the real deal, being one of the best teams in baseball for over a month.

Jesús Luzardo was named as an All-Star for the first time, being chosen as a replacement after a few starting pitchers withdrew from participation.

The Braves were walloped by the Pirates, losing 12-4. Ryan O’Hearn became the first player in Pirates history in drive in ten runs in a game, clubbing three home runs during the game.

The Marlins squeaked out a 6-5 win against the Mariners in extra innings. Jakob Marsee hit an RBI single to drive in Xavier Edwards and end the game. 

The Washington Nationals were bested by the Astros 6-3. Andrew Alvarez gave up five runs in 5.2 innings, walking five batters as well.

The Phillies beat the Reds 4-1. Zack Wheeler, fresh off an All-Star snub, struck out 14 batters in seven innings while allowing just one run.

Around Major League Baseball

ESPN updated their list of the top 100 trade candidates, with a little less than a month before the deadline. 

ESPN also doled out midseason grades for each team. 

The Brewers called up their outfield prospect Luis Lara a month after signing a seven year contract extension.

Ben Rice announced he will be participating in the Home Run Derby, with his dad pitching to him. 

Chris Bassitt is eyeing a return in the second half after undergoing back surgery. 

Konnor Griffon tore a tendon in his left ring finger and could miss some serious time rehabbing it. 

Buster Olney spoke to a bunch of big leaguers about their memories of the day they were drafted. 

Joey Cora is out as the Tigers third base coach, with “philosophical differences” being cited. 

Shohei Ohtani celebrated a milestone 300th home run last night, but his eyes are focused on loftier ambitions.

Royals outfielder Tyler Tolbert tied a major league record against the Mets, getting a hit in twelve consecutive plate appearances.

Yesterday at Amazin’ Avenue

A Pod of Their Own returned with a new episode.

Steve Sypa gave an introduction to the upcoming amateur draft, and what exactly Mets fans need to know.

Steve Sypa also delivered the fifteenth group of Mets Minor League Players of the Week.

This Date in Mets History

John Stearns and Bobby Jones each made their All-Star debuts on this day, 17 years apart.

Mets vs. Royals: How to watch on SNY on July 8, 2026

The Mets continue a three-game series against the Royals on Wednesday night at 7:10 on SNY.


Mets Notes

  • Carson Benge has reached base safely in 18 of his last 19 games, and is hitting .296/.352/.506 (.858 OPS) with four homers during that span
  • A.J. Ewing is hitting .311/.400/.568 (.968 OPS) with five homers, four doubles, 12 runs scored, and 16 RBI in 85 plate appearances over his last 22 games
  • Juan Soto is leading the National League in OBP (.410), slugging percentage (.575), and OPS+ (173)
  • Luke Weaver hasn't allowed an earned run since April 30. In 26.0 innings over 24 appearances since then, he has given up just 11 hits while walking seven and striking out 3

Today's Lineups

ROYALS
METS
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Shohei Ohtani hits 300th career home run

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JULY 07: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts to a solo home run, his 300th for his career, to take a 1-0 lead over the Colorado Rockies, during the first inning at Dodger Stadium on July 07, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) | Getty Images

While Tuesday’s contest against the Colorado Rockies produced a more disappointing outcome compared to Monday’s walk-off, Shohei Ohtani started off the game with a historic blast.

Ohtani smacked a leadoff home run against Michael Lorenzen on Tuesday, which was not only his 25th leadoff home run as a Dodger, but the 300th home run of his big league career. Ohtani stands alone as the only Japanese-born player with at least 300 home runs in MLB history— let alone 200.

Ohtani is now 60 percent of the way to his ideal goal of 500 career home runs, as Sonja Chen of MLB.com notes that Dave Roberts and the coaching staff are looking forward to experience that special day.

“It was quite the homer,” manager Dave Roberts said. “It was squared up, got out in a hurry, and 300, he got there pretty quickly for us. I just marvel at him every day…” Even before Ohtani joined the 300 club, the Dodgers were already envisioning him reaching far loftier heights, with Roberts saying they’re “always talking about the 500 club.” ”I mean, he just had a birthday,” Roberts said. “Still young, still strong. So I definitely think 500 is in his future.”

With that 300th career home run, Ohtani now becomes the first Dodger this season to reach the 20-home run plateau, a feat he has achieved in six consecutive seasons. When taking a gander at the Home Run Derby, there have been just two participants announced; Junior Caminero and Ben Rice.

Ohtani is no stranger to competing in the derby, as he did so with the Angels during the 2021 festivities at Coors Field in Denver. As far as Ohtani doing the same again for the Dodgers this year, that dream was shot down by Dave Roberts, reports Jack Harris of the California Post.

“When you’re Shohei, he understands the responsibility he has,” Roberts said. “So I do think that there’s a middle for what’s best for him [during the All-Star Game], with what potentially could be downside, but also what’s best for the game. So don’t see him in the Home Run Derby. Don’t see him pitching. But I do see him taking an at-bat or two, yes.”

The Dodgers bullpen ultimately overshadowed another dominant start from Justin Wrobleski on Tuesday, as the left-hander carved up Colorado’s offense for nine strikeouts over seven innings and allowing just one run.

Wrobleski spoke with Kirsten Watson of SportsNet LA following Tuesday’s loss, getting his personal assessment on what has been a breakout first half.

“I think I’ve thrown the ball pretty well. I think there’s always stuff you can nitpick and try to improve on, but for the most part, in the categories that I try to be good at, I’ve done a pretty good job. It’s just a matter of continuing to hammer those and to do what I need to do to be myself and hammer my strengths.”

Steph Curry hoping LeBron James will sign with the Warriors in NBA offseason

Steph Curry hoping LeBron James will sign with the Warriors in NBA offseason originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Steph Curry broke his silence about LeBron James’ NBA free agency.

The Warriors superstar spoke to Keith Jouganatos on Wednesday at the American Century Championship golf tournament at Edgewood Tahoe and was asked about James potentially joining him on Golden State this offseason.

“I’d say more so I’m interested in just playing golf with LeBron,” Curry told Jouganatos. “We’ll handle the basketball stuff, but I want to see the golf LeBron free agent. He’s out here really grinding on the game. I’m sure — we’d obviously love to play together. Hopefully it happens. But he deserves the opportunity and the right to take his time with the decision.”

Curry also echoed a similar sentiment in a conversation with the San Francisco Chronicle’s Ron Kroichick at the American Century Championship.

“We’ve obviously talked,” Curry told Kroichick about his interactions with James. “He deserves all the patience and space to figure out what he wants to do as his career winds down. We all understand and appreciate that. I would love to play with him, and hopefully that will be a reality soon.”

The Warriors reportedly have been in heavy pursuit of James this offseason in an effort to pair him with Curry, his longtime rival and friend, who seemingly confirmed Golden State’s interest.

Golden State was viewed by many last week as the favorite to sign James, but the outside perception has changed in recent days as teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat and Philadelphia 76ers, among others, intensify their pursuits of the 22-time All-Star.

While the Warriors reportedly still remain in pursuit of James, ESPN’s Shams Charania stated Tuesday that he does not believe Golden State is among the top James suitors.

However, Curry appears to be holding out hope.

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Collin Gillespie is why I’m watching the Suns this season

I cut my teeth on this league watching Steve Nash. That’s not a comparison I make lightly, and I’ll say up front: this isn’t one. But every generation of watching basketball needs a guy who makes you lean forward for reasons that have nothing to do with size or draft slot or highlight-reel gravity. Nash was mine. This season, heading into the Suns’ 2026-27 campaign, Collin Gillespie is the one doing it again.

That’s the whole premise of this piece. Not a preview. Not a “here’s what to expect” breakdown. Just an honest accounting of why one player’s arc has hooked me more than anything else on this roster, and why I can’t wait to see what the next chapter looks like.


Los Angeles Lakers v Phoenix Suns

The Shape of the Thing

Gillespie’s resumé resists the usual breakout narrative, and that’s precisely the point. Undrafted out of Villanova in 2022 after five college seasons, he spent three straight years on two-way paper before the Suns finally handed him a standard contract. Even then, a leg injury swallowed most of his rookie year in the Valley, limiting him to bench minutes and modest numbers. Nobody hands you a franchise piece with that kind of runway. You have to be discovered in real time, which is exactly what makes the discovery worth something.

The turn, when it came, arrived fast. A 30-point night against Portland in February. A game-winning jumper over Minnesota with 6.4 seconds left. By year’s end, he’d broken Quentin Richardson’s two-decade-old franchise record for made threes. He made 232 of them, on 40% shooting, across 58 starts in 80 games, with career highs everywhere: 12.7 points, 4.6 assists, 4.1 rebounds. I don’t need those numbers to build a case for a “next great Sun.” I need them because they’re proof the league’s read on him in 2022 was simply wrong, and I like being reminded that scouting reports aren’t destiny.


Villain Jr., Explained

The nickname is the part that travels furthest outside Phoenix, and for good reason. It’s rare for a bit invented in a training-camp scrimmage to survive an entire season intact. Dillon Brooks, long ago anointed “Dillon the Villain” for his pest-level defense, spent last fall teasing that there was a “Villain Jr.” somewhere on the roster before revealing it was Gillespie, the product of offseason pickup runs physical enough that Brooks picked up two technical fouls in what was, notionally, a non-contact scrimmage.

LOS ANGELES, CA – DECEMBER 1: Dillon Brooks #3 and Collin Gillespie #12 of the Phoenix Suns talks to the media after the game against the Los Angeles Lakers on December 1, 2025 at Crypto.Com Arena 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

I love this not because it’s a good marketing beat, though it is, but because it’s an accurate scouting report wearing a joke’s clothing. Gillespie isn’t a shot-creator in the pick-and-roll sense. He’s closer to a connector and an elite catch-and-shoot threat, ranking sixth among high-volume three-point shooters in catch-and-shoot percentage last season.

But the edge Brooks recognized is real: a point-of-attack defender who competes above his measurables in a backcourt otherwise defined by Devin Booker’s shot-making and Jalen Green’s shot creation. Brooks brought the villain persona to Phoenix by way of the Kevin Durant trade. Gillespie made it a two-man bit, and in doing so became part of the team’s answer to a reputation for being soft that’s followed this roster for years.

The business side backs the story up cleanly, which is its own kind of satisfying. Gillespie re-signed this June on a four-year, $48 million deal, fully guaranteed, team-friendly enough to be viewed around the league as one of Phoenix’s best pieces of offseason business. At roughly $12 million annually, it runs concurrently with Booker’s extension rather than competing for cap space.

The Suns held his early Bird rights, meaning they could have gone as high as $66.6 million over the same four years. They didn’t need to. That’s the rare front office moment of getting exactly what you wanted without overpaying for it, and it means this isn’t a one-year infatuation. There’s a real runway here.


Where the Nash Line Actually Fits

It’s tempting — and I’ll admit, a little absurd — to draw a straight line from Gillespie to Nash. They aren’t the same category of player, and no serious read projects Gillespie toward an MVP trajectory. I want to be careful here, because the lazy version of this essay just says “small unheralded guard, must be the next Nash” and calls it a day. That’s not what I’m doing.

What actually happened is smaller and, I think, more honest: during a nationally televised game last season, an NBA on TNT broadcast caught Gillespie mid-heater and, half-joking, likened his handle and pull-up rhythm to Nash’s. It was a passing comment, not a scouting conclusion. But it’s the kind of moment that explains why a neutral viewer — someone who, like me, learned to love this league through a very specific undersized Canadian point guard — might find something familiar here. An overlooked guard whose value shows up in shot release and tempo rather than measurables. That’s the whole comparison. Not legacy. Not trajectory. Just a recognizable shape.

Gillespie is a five-year college player nobody drafted, who needed two extra seasons on minimum money just to get a real look — while dropping triple-doubles on the daily in the G-League, the kind of stat line that means nothing until someone finally watches — and turned that look into a franchise shooting record and a nickname built on competitive spirit.

NBA: Golden State Warriors at Phoenix Suns

Why I’m Actually Here

Phoenix’s season will hinge on what Booker, Green, and a retooled frontcourt become. That’s the analytical truth, and it has nothing to do with why I’m excited for October. In a league obsessed with created shots and star gravity, Gillespie’s game is a quiet rebuttal: near-elite shooting, real defensive competitiveness, and a refusal to back down still buys you a seat at the table, even when nobody sent you an invitation first.

I watched Nash rewrite what point guard play could look like and fell in love with the position because of it. I don’t expect Gillespie to rewrite anything. I just want to watch the next iteration of a player who had to earn every single minute of relevance he’s got, and see how much further that competitive streak takes him.

Collin Gillespie is why I’m watching the Suns this season.

Wednesday Rockpile: TJ Rumfield deserves more Rookie of the Year attention

DENVER, COLORADO - JULY 4: TJ Rumfield #7 of the Colorado Rockies celebrates his ninth inning pinch hit RBI single against the San Francisco Giants at Coors Field on July 4, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) | Getty Images

One of the most exciting aspects of every Major League Baseball season is the influx of rookies across the game. We see top prospects fast-tracked to the big leagues, journeymen who have waited ages for their moment, and players from other professional leagues making their mark.

As MLB’s first half comes to a close, the Rookie of the Year race continues to heat up, and the Colorado Rockies find themselves with a player right in the thick of it for the National League thanks to rookie first baseman TJ Rumfield. Since joining the Rockies via trade with the New York Yankees before the season, Rumfield has proven to be a steady contributor in the lineup and on the field, and one of the most productive rookies in the game.

But in a crowded field, does Rumfield have a legitimate chance at becoming just the second Rockie to win the award, joining Jason Jennings in 2002?

A matter of numbers

Let us first consider Rumfield’s statistics in relation to his ranking among qualified rookies in the NL.

Entering Tuesday, this is where Rumfield’s stats rank:

  • .297 AVG (1st)
  • .375 OBP (1st)
  • .486 SLG (1st)
  • .861 OPS (1st)
  • 94 hits (1st)
  • 20 doubles (2nd)
  • 2 triples (T-1st)
  • 12 home runs (3rd)
  • 47 RBI (3rd)
  • 34 walks (3rd)
  • 51 strikeouts (7th-fewest)
  • 2.1 bWAR (2nd)

The numbers speak for themselves. Rumfield is one of the most productive players among NL rookies across the board. His ability to consistently take good at-bats and make contact is one of the main reasons that he was named the Rookie of the Month in back-to-back months. His batting average is 20 points higher than the next qualified hitter, and his OPS is 30 points higher. He doesn’t rely on his power as much as some other players, but he has plenty of power he can tap into as needed.

What truly stands out is that Rumfield’s 14.2% strikeout rate is the lowest among NL rookies while he sports a very respectable 9.4% walk rate. He gets on base better than any rookie in the NL, and that should carry a lot of weight among voters at the end of the season because of the consistency of his performances. Rookies tend to ebb and flow through a season, but Rumfield has hardly had a rough patch this season. His longest streak of games without a hit is four, and he has only struck out more than once in just seven of his 89 games played.

And before the naysayers claim that it’s only because he plays at Coors Field, well, do I have some news for you. Yes, Rumfield plays well at home, where he is batting .299/.383/.494 with seven home runs, but he is also one of the best hitting rookies on the road. He is hitting .294/.366/.477 away from Coors Field, leading NL rookies in AVG while ranking in the top three in OBP and SLG, and has five home runs.

As for his defense, Rumfield leads all qualified first basemen in baseball with six defensive runs saved while being tied for second among first basemen in general. He has proven to be one of the steadiest gloves at the position despite a more limited range due to his speed.

He is offensively and defensively sound with very little to nothing to nitpick about his game. The most notable thing is that he isn’t very quick on the bases, but that’s just a drop in the bucket compared to all the good things he is doing, which are listed above.

Stiff competition

Despite all the incredible things Rumfield is doing, he is going to have a hard time winning the award over some of the other rookies in the NL. His main competition among position players at the moment appears to be JJ Wetherholt of the St. Louis Cardinals, Sal Stewart of the Cincinnati Reds, and Konnor Griffin of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Wetherholt has been fantastic for the Cardinals this season. The seventh-overall pick in 2024 is slashing .266/.360/.411 with 13 home runs for the Cardinals this season. He leads NL rookies in WAR thanks to his offensive production and ability to steal some bases, but he also has displayed Gold Glove-worthy defense at second base. Those factors are why he has 4.1 bWAR and has emerged as a leading candidate in the race.

As for Stewart, the 32nd overall pick in 2022, has burst onto the scene with the Reds with his 17 home runs. Slashing .254/.339/.466 with 61 RBI, Stewart is a run-producing machine for the Reds in the heart of their order. He has also proven quite capable of getting on base with his 44 walks, but can also swipe bags with 11 on the year. He, too, has proven reliable at both corner infield positions and was named an NL All-Star this season. He currently has 1.4 bWAR for the season.

Konnor Griffin has the hype of being the number one prospect entering the season and has shown off his spark in Pittsburgh. In 59 games, he is batting .276/.332/.404 with just five home runs but also 20 stolen bases. He has been susceptible to strikeouts, but he is adapting well to big league pitching. He also plays stellar defense at shortstop, which is partly why he has 1.6 bWAR on the season. However, injuries have hindered him this season, including the recent news that he has a torn tendon in his finger that could cause him to miss a month.

Of course, there are plenty of other names across the league that will garner votes, but it’s been apparent that Rumfield does not get as much attention from the media as these other players do. Part of it is that Rumfield plays in an ignored market for a team that has a reputation for not being very good. These other players are certainly deserving, but it’s difficult to trust that awards voters will do their due diligence in considering his case.

Build upon the case

There is no doubt that Rumfield will receive Rookie of the Year votes, but where he will place is up in the air. The Rockies have only had a couple of position players place second in voting, while the most recent finish was Nolan Jones in 2023, when he finished fourth.

An All-Star nod would have helped his case (I’ll hold out hope for a replacement opportunity), but Rumfield can take matters into his own hands with a replication of his first half. If he can get his home run swing a bit more consistently while doing everything else he already does, it can give the voters no choice but to pay attention to how much he has done to deserve it.


On the farm

Triple-A:Sugar Land Space Cowboys 6, Albuquerque Isotopes 5 (F/7)

The Albuquerque Isotopes took an early 4-0 lead, but ended up losing 6-5 after the game was called with two outs in the seventh inning due to rain and lightning. The Isotopes only had three hits, with Jordan Beck driving in a run with a sacrifice fly and both Zac Veen and Adael Amador both driving in a run. Mason Green made the start and allowed two runs on three hits over his three innings of work. Domingo Acevedo followed in relief with 2.2 innings of work, during which he allowed three runs on three hits. Andrew Baker took the loss after allowing the winning run in the bottom of the seventh.

Double-A:Binghamton Rumble Ponies 10, Hartford Yard Goats 4

Despite matching the Binghamton Rumble Ponies with nine hits, the Hartford Yard Goats suffered a disastrous eighth inning, resulting in the 10-4 loss. After starting, Griffin Herring allowed four runs in 1.2 innings in his start. Cade Denton held down the fort with 4.1 scoreless innings of relief. Austin Smith eventually entered in the eighth inning and was hit hard, recording just one out as he was responsible for six runs, four earned, to take his third loss. Trailing early, the Yard Goats tied the game up with two runs in the fifth and one in both the sixth and seventh innings. Andy Perez led the night with three hits, including two doubles, and three RBI. Meanwhile, Cole Messina and GJ Hill each had two hits.

High-A:Spokane Indians 12, Eugene Emeralds 4

The Spokane Indians threw out 12 hits as they took the victory against the Eugene Emeralds. Jacob Humphrey led the charge with four hits, including two home runs, and drove in five runs. Roynier Hernandez and Ethan Hedges each had two hits while Robert Calaz drove in a pair of runs. Jordy Vargas made the start and went six innings, allowing just three runs on six hits with six strikeouts. Francis Rivera followed with three innings of one-run ball to secure his fifth save of the season.

Low-A:Stockton Ports 11, Fresno Grizzlies 5

The Fresno Grizzlies kept pace early but couldn’t keep up as they fell to the Stockton Ports. Easton Marks made the start for Fresno and allowed six runs over four innings while walking six and striking out three. Jhon Medina was then roughed up out of the bullpen as he allowed five runs on three hits over 2.2 innings with four walks and five strikeouts. Fresno’s defense didn’t help much as two errors resulted in four unearned runs. Roldy Brito led the offense with two hits, including a solo home run, and two RBI, while Derek Bernard hit his seventh home run of the season. Carlos Renzullo and Ashlu Andujar each had two hits as well.


Rockies looking to find 1st-round success with No. 10 overall pick | MLB.com

Thomas Harding breaks down the Rockies’ approach to the draft this weekend with some insights from general manager Josh Byrnes.

Affected by Altitude Episode 217: The Big Pre-Break Roundup 2026 Edition | Rocky Mountain Rooftop

This week, Evan Lang and I chat about TJ Rumfield and Hunter Goodman’s recent accolades, preview the upcoming draft, and hand out our June Players of the Month.

Rockies learning one thing about energetic Carrigg: ‘He wants it’ | MLB.com

Since getting called up, Cole Carrigg has been electric for the Rockies. He has brought an edge that the team has sorely needed. After an incredible performance on Monday against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Carrigg is embracing every moment with the big league club.


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MLB News Outside The Confines: Amazing feats in MLB history

PITTSBURGH, PA - JULY 07: Ryan O'Hearn #29 of the Pittsburgh Pirates celebrates after hitting his third home run of the game and driving in his 10th RBI setting the Pirates team RBI record in the sixth inning against the Atlanta Braves at PNC Park on July 7, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Good morning.

Who do Giants fans think the team should not consider trading?

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - MAY 23: A general view of the Giants equipment rack before the start of the game between the Chicago White Sox and San Francisco Giants on May 23, 2026 at Oracle Park in San Francisco, CA. (Photo by Larry Placido/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Good morning, baseball fans!

The baseball world seems to believe that the San Francisco Giants will be sellers at the trade deadline, with everyone on the team receiving speculation in some form or another.

Personally, I don’t know if I think that they will actually do that, even if they probably should. This organization rarely tends to make what would be agreed upon as “smart” decisions these days. But maybe this year they will prove me wrong on that.

I’ve seen articles floating trade scenarios about everyone from Logan Webb down to the ball boys, and at this point I think the team should be willing to hear everyone out on everything. But there are always going to be guys that you just don’t want to see go.

I think for me, that would be Jung Hoo Lee. He’s been the most fun thing about watching Giants baseball for me since they traded my last favorite player, Mike Yastrzemski. Which means that it’s almost a lock that they will now trade him too. But I really hope they don’t.

Who is your “hands off!” player as we approach the deadline?

What time do the Giants play today?

The Giants wrap up this series against the Toronto Blue Jays this afternoon at 12:45 p.m. PT.

Kansas City Royals news: MLB draft still coming into focus

Dec 10, 2025; Orlando, FL, USA; A general view during the MLB Rule 5 Draft at the 2025 MLB Winter Meetings at Signia by Hilton Hotel. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images

MLB.com’s Anne Rogers provided some insight into the Kansas City Royals’ draft approach for later this week, including speaking with scouting director Brian Bridges.

The Royals have been linked to shortstop Jacob Lombard out of Gulliver Prep (Fla.) — if he makes it that far — left-hander Gio Rojas out of Stoneman Douglas (Fla.) HS, outfielder Eric Booth Jr. out of Oak Grove (Fla.) HS, UC Santa Barbara right-hander Jackson Flora and Georgia Tech outfielder Drew Burress, among others. Maybe they shake up the board and go with Huntington Beach (Calif.) HS left-hander/outfielder Jacob Grindlinger, who is just 17 years old after reclassifying for this year’s Draft and has legitimate upside as a two-way player. Grindlinger is No. 16 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 250 Draft prospects list and is rising on boards as Draft day nears.

Prep players usually mean a lot of upside but with more risk, while college players bring a higher floor and more experience — often with a chance to move quickly. Over the full Draft, the Royals are going to value both.

“There’s a good mix of high school and college,” Bridges said. “To tell you the truth, our range is pretty broad. There’s a clear-cut four players, five players in this Draft, and then believe it or not, where we’re picking, you can go a number of different directions. So we have a pretty good balance of what we’re looking at, both high school and college.”

Baseball America had a less-than-clear picture of Kansas City’s strategy for the upcoming draft, with a reported divide between ownership and the scouting department. Fast forward to the 44:00 mark.

Royals Keep’s Yirsandy Rodríguez concludes that Noah Cameron’s curveball “isn’t enough anymore”.

The pitch itself has barely changed. Its velocity, vertical movement, and spin profile have remained almost identical. What changed was the hitters’ response. They’re no longer chasing it at the same rate. One plausible explanation is that the rest of Cameron’s arsenal no longer poses enough of a threat to force hitters to protect the zone early in the count.

The rest of his arsenal supports that theory. None of his other pitches has complemented the curveball with any consistency. His four-seam fastball has allowed a 49.3% HardHit rate and a .280 batting average. The cutter hasn’t provided a reliable alternative either, surrendering a .338 average, while both the slider and sinker have been hit even harder. Combined, those four pitches account for 61.5% of Cameron’s repertoire, compared to just 16.8% for his curveball. The results suggest hitters can afford to wait for something more hittable instead of protecting against his best pitch.

The Royals fall to dead last in The Athletic’s latest power rankings, with Cole Ragans being the personification of the 2026 struggles.

Chad wasn’t wrong in the intro. Bobby Witt Jr. has been very good, which is not an accurate representation of the Royals as a whole. Instead, we’re going with Ragans.

Why? Because Ragans was an All-Star in 2024, and a huge reason Kansas City surprised the sport and made it to the playoffs. Since then, he has pitched in just 21 games — 13 last year and eight this year — as he battles one injury or another. Even when he was on the mound this year, he was just 1-4 with a 4.84 ERA.

At the end of 2024, the Royals seemed to be a team on the brink of a glow-up. But after a disappointing 2025, this season seems to be more of the same

Keith Law’s latest MLB mock draft sends USC left-handed pitcher Mason Edwards to Kansas City at sixth overall.

The Royals could very well go for Jacob Lombard or Eric Booth Jr., but there’s been a rumor for about two months now that they would love to get a college pitcher here, perhaps on a discount (Edwards would certainly come in well under slot), so they can grab several higher-upside high school picks later on, especially since scouting director Brian Bridges appears to have hit already on recent high school picks Josh Hammond and David Shields. If it’s not Edwards, it could be Logan Reddemann or Liam Peterson, and I believe this would be Jackson Flora’s absolute floor.

Kings of Kauffman’s Caleb Moody reacts to Eric Cerantola landing with the San Francisco Giants after the Royals DFA’d the righty.

The Royals may not have liked the results Cerantola was providing, but it seemed wiser to give him the same merciful treatment they did with Mitch Spence after his historically bad outing a few weeks ago and kept him an option. They should’ve been content with what they’d developed with him and allowed for some patience.

It’s not a move that shoots them in the foot per se, but it certainly puts them in a precarious spot should the injury bug look to the bullpen for it’s next victim.

ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel has a draft question and some Royals intel ahead of this weekend’s draft.

One big question: Do the Royals throw a curveball at pick six or play it straight?

Most teams agree on a group of six-plus players in the top tier (Roch Cholowsky, Vahn Lackey, Grady Emerson, Jackson Flora, Jacob Lombard, Eric Booth Jr.), so you’d think picking at No. 6 means the Royals just take the best player left on the board. They tend to have opinions about players who are more pointed than other teams, so the odds are a little higher that the one or two players in that group that Kansas City is less excited about will be the one who gets to their selection. Could this be another Frank Mozzicato moment where they go way down the consensus board to save money and spread it around high school players later? Those rumors are swirling around a few picks in this range, including the Royals’ pick.

Kings of Kauffman’s Matthew Swigonski grades the Royals’ last five first-round picks.

A company linked to the Royals bought the former headquarters of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City, near the proposed ballpark district.

England’s Declan Rice wore a Royals cap following his team’s 3-2 victory over Mexico in the World Cup this past weekend.

Pittsburgh Pirates rookie Konnor Griffin will miss 8-10 weeks “due to an issue with the knuckle on the ring finger on his left hand”.

Detroit Tigers third base coach Joey Cora leaves the club over “philosophical differences”.

The Houston Astros demoted offseason acquisition Mike Burrows to Triple-A after a horrendous outing.

The Milwaukee Brewers called up outfield prospect Luis Lara in a bevvy of roster moves.

Ben Rice will represent the New York Yankees in the 2026 Home Run Derby, joining divisional rival Junior Caminero.

FOX reports that 30 million people tuned in for The World Cup’s U.S. versus Belgium, the most-watched soccer telecast in U.S. history.

In Pittsburg, Kansas, Chicken Mary’s and Chicken Annie’s have similar stories and similarly high standards in an overhyped rivalry.

Could Kansas City’s vacant office buildings be turned into affordable housing?

Joe Posnanski announces final submission of new book, FIFTY SEASONS, set to release in February 2027.

Today’s song of the day is Walk a Straight Line by Mack Geiger.

Phillies’ Zack Wheeler sharply critical of MLB decision to exclude him from All-Star game

CINCINNATI — Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Zack Wheeler described his 14-strikeout outing in a victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday night a “reminder for whoever needs to be reminded” that Major League Baseball erred in leaving him off of National League roster for next week’s All-Star game.

“It pisses me off and it’s kind of BS,” Wheeler (9-1) said in postgame comments broadcast by NBC Sports Philadelphia.

The 36-year-old Wheeler’s career high-tying strikeout performance in a 4-1 victory came mere hours after Major League Baseball announced that three other National League pitchers — Riley O’Brien of St. Louis, Philadelphia’s Jesús Luzardo and Pittsburgh’s Braxton Ashcraft — had been tapped as All-Star replacements.

The three late additions to the July 14 All-Star game — being held this season in Philadelphia — replaced Pittsburgh’s Paul Skenes, Milwaukee’s Jacob Misiorowski and Miami’s Max Meyer, who are all scheduled to pitch for their teams this weekend.

Wheeler, too, is scheduled to pitch this weekend against Detroit, and was given the impression that is the reason he wasn’t selected as a replacement.
“Just because I pitch on a certain day, I get — you know — I don’t even know the right word,” Wheeler said. “Because I pitch on a certain day, I can’t pitch in the All-Star game or even be there or get the recognition.”

Wheeler said that if a deserving pitcher wants to participate in the All-Star game, they should at least have the opportunity to be named to the roster, regardless of when they’re scheduled to pitch for their own team.

“Maybe if I wasn’t necessarily right in there I wouldn’t be saying this, but I feel like I’ve earned it,” Wheeler said. “There’s certain ways to do it and you figure they would have a clue about it by now — how many All-Star games they’ve had.”

Wheeler said he even would have been willing to pitch an inning in the All-Star game on two days’ rest, when he’d normally be throwing anyway in a bullpen session.

“It’s kind of a BS rule that just because I pitch on a certain day I get punished,” Wheeler continued. ”I’ll be fine throwing an inning. But it’s not even an option, I guess.”

Kyle Schwarber, who helped power the Phillies’ offense with his major league-best 31st home run of the season, said he understood Wheeler’s frustration.

“When someone deserves it, you want them to get that acknowledgment,” said Schwarber, a four-time All-Star who was selected to this season’s National League roster as a designated hitter.

“We’re only in this game for so long,” Schwarber said. “You want to be able to look back and feel like you have some things that put some feathers in the cap.”

Shohei Ohtani hits his 300th career homer, becoming first Japanese-born MLB player to reach mark

LOS ANGELES — Shohei Ohtani hit his 300th career homer on Tuesday night, a leadoff shot against Colorado Rockies pitcher Michael Lorenzen that made him the first Japanese-born player in the majors to reach the milestone.

The Los Angeles Dodgers’ two-way superstar blasted a 409-foot line drive to center on a 2-0 pitch for his 20th homer of the season. Center fielder Cole Carrigg could only watch it fly out.

“It was quite the homer,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “It was 119 (mph exit velocity) off the bat, low-launching, it was squared up, got out in a hurry. I just marvel at him every day. Three hundred is a big number.”

Ohtani is the fifth-fastest in history to reach 300 and the 170th member of the club. It took him 1,102 games between playing for the Los Angeles Angels and Dodgers; New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge was the quickest at 955 games.

It was Ohtani’s 31st career leadoff homer and seventh this season. He also homered in the Dodgers’ 8-7 victory in 11 innings on Monday night to highlight a 3-for-4 performance.

Roberts believes there’s a lot more homers within reach for Ohtani, who turned 32 last Sunday.

“He just had a birthday, still young, still strong, so I definitely think 500 is in his future,” the manager said.

Teammate Freddie Freeman bowed as Ohtani made his way back to the dugout.

How much do good bullpens correlate with winning teams in 2026? St Louis Cardinal fans want to know…

ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - JULY 6: José Fermín #15 of the St. Louis Cardinals hits an RBI single against the Milwaukee Brewers in the third inning at Busch Stadium on July 6, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) | Getty Images

I was already leaning towards writing about this before the Brewers series, but after last night’s game, it really hammered the point home. So, through the lens of my own bullpen rankings, I will compare which teams are really thriving with a light’s out, effective bullpen, and which teams are bleeding wins because of theirs. In 2026, baseball continues to evolve, and I have a feeling that bullpens are more important than ever. It could end up that I reveal teams wasting resources on amazing bullpens, or maybe all the best teams will have the best bullpens; we shall see…

I’m going to do this in an odd sort of way, using something I am going to call Correlation Points. I am looking at team reliever stats on fangraphs, with a variety of different stats, including rate stats and fWAR.

There are 12 teams with a bullpen ERA under 4, and those teams are actually 3.8 ERA or lower. The rest of MLB is over 4 ERA. There are 10 MLB bullpens with an ERA 4.0-4.5. Then, the worst, most neglected bullpens are over 4.50 ERA, with only a handful of MLB bullpens performing at 5.0 ERA or worse. I am using a three tier system, assigning 3 CP (correlation points, remember?) to tier 1 teams, 1.5 CP to the mid-tier teams, and .5 CP to the worst teams. But wait, what about the absolutely elite bullpens? Don’t they mean something? Only 4 MLB bullpens have an ERA under 3.5. I’ll go ahead and assign those teams 3.5 CP. It ended up convenient that by my ratings sytem, the 4 best bullpens weighed out the 4 worse bullpens as the outliers. Instead of half a CP, the 4 worst get absolutely no Correlation Points. And that’s how I’m doing ERA.

Including xERA is a way to include a balance to the flukiness of ERA. I’ll again be assigning 3 CP to teams with a rate under 4.0. No bonus points this time because the teams are more tightly packed. In this case, the middle teams with an xERA under 4.40 will get 2 CP, and the worst bullpens of MLB will get .5 CP.

And then of course, you should look at it from a Fielding Independent Pitching perspective, normalizing and leveling the playing field when it comes to fielding/defense masking the effectiveness of a bullpen. I’ll use the same system for xERA here. Under 4.0 FIP = 3 CP. Mid teams get 2 CP, and the worst bullpens only get .5 CP. I’m going to skip using xFIP because you don’t want your bullpen giving up a lot of home runs and then trying to normalize that.

And because it’s good if your bullpen can eat a bunch of innings while also performing well, I’ll simply be using fWAR totals as correlation points, so the most valuable bullpens by counting stat WAR will have quite an effect on my Correlation Points system. But not all winning bullpens are used frequently, so I want to level that playing field by not just using fWAR. I want to see what teams have good bullpens across the board.

After I totaled the Bullpen Correlation Points, I listed teams’ Winning Percentage and then assigned Record Correlation Points, mirroring the Bullpen CP totals but assigning according to record. I was then able to tell what percentage of teams records match up with the performance of their 2026 bullpen.

Tiering MLB Bullpens

Tiers by ERA

  • Elite Tier: Braves, Yankees, Red Sox, Brewers
  • Top Tier
    SEA
    NYM
    SDP
    MIA
    TEX
    CLE
    TOR
    LAD
  • Mid Tier
    CHC
    DET
    ARI
    CHW
    STL
    BAL
    PHI
    HOU
    TBR
    PIT
  • Bad Bullpens
    SFG
    LAA
    CIN
    COL
  • Dumpster Fire
    ATH
    WSN
    KCR
    MIN

Tiers by xERA

  • Top Tier
    NYY
    SDP
    PHI
    MIL
    ATL
    LAD
    NYM
    MIA
    TOR
    DET
    BAL
  • Mid Tier
    HOU
    BOS
    CLE
    ARI
    TEX
    SEA
    LAA
    CHW
    ATH
    PIT
    SFG
  • Bottom Tier
    TBR
    MIN
    COL
    CHC
    STL
    KCR
    WSN
    CIN

Tiering Bullpens by FIP

  • Top Tier
    SEA
    ATL
    PHI
    NYY
    LAD
    MIL
    MIA
    NYM
    BOS
    SDP
    CLE
    TOR
    BAL
  • Mid Tier
    ARI
    TEX
    DET
    STL
    CHW
    PIT
    COL
    SFG
  • Bottom Tier
    HOU
    ATH
    LAA
    TBR
    MIN
    CHC
    WSN
    CIN
    KCR

Just to give you an idea on how these rankings can fluctuate depending on what stat we are using. Notice how the Cardinals bullpen is either mid-tier, or bottom tier by xERA. Compare and contrast teams, if you’d like.

Now, for the Bullpen Correlation Points! The more CP, the better the bullpen across all categories, also including bullpen fWAR.

Tiering MLB Bullpens with Bullpen Correlation Points

  • Elite Tier: Atlanta, Milwaukee, San Diego! All are among the best across the board using all major stat categories. The cream of the bullpen crop.
  • Top Tier: only a small step down. If your favorite thing in baseball is a very effective bullpen to shut things down for the starting pitcher or just keep you in the game, you might want to be a fan of the Dodgers, Blue Jays, Yankees, Mets, Marlins, or Phillies, if that’s your thing (a second favorite team, of course!)
  • Mid Tier: The mid bullpens are ones like the Red Sox, Guardians, Mariners, Orioles, Rangers, White Sox, Diamondbacks, Tigers, Pirates, Rockies, or Astros. These ‘pens get the job done well enough. You might have noticed, none of these teams are among the very best in Winning %. The best you can hope for in this mid tier is a team like the Mariners, or Guardians, two teams who have the same record just above .500. Which is good enough in their divisions, strangely enough.
  • Bottom Tier: The Cardinals bullpen is the best of the bottom tier, but what has weighed them down a bit is their low fWAR total. They are probably a more mid tier team, hopefully, but for now I’ll just have to rank them as among the bottom of the bullpens. The Giants, Angels, first place Rays, Athletics, Cubs, Twins, and Reds join them. The Reds of course have a much worse bullpen than the Cardinals, but let this be a cautionary tale that the Cardinals deserve some bullpen help!
  • Dumpster Fires: The Nationals and Royals bullpens are just dumpsters filled with napalm on a hot summer day. Fans of these teams must turn off the TV once the starter is out, unless they are up by 7+ runs or something.

And now for the fun part! Do bullpens really matter a lot? How much do bullpens correlate with a team’s winning percentage? Bullpens after all are almost like bench players, in many ways. The pitchers don’t play as much overall, and are a bit of a hodge podge motley crew of journeymen and prospects. What I found may surprise!

  • I was surprised to find SEVEN teams had a DIRECT correlation between their record and bullpen. By that I mean their bullpen correlation points exactly matched their ranking according to their winning percentage.
  • 11 teams had either a direct or a very strong correlation between bullpen effectiveness and wins and losses.
  • Over half the teams had a close correlation between bullpen and winning. That’s sort of impressive, all things considered.
  • 21 teams had some correlation between their bullpen’s goodness and their record. I think that says a bullpen is pretty important.
  • Only three teams appeared to have really no correlation between their bullpen and their win/loss record. Can you guess who they are? The Mets really damn good bullpen cannot save them from whatever is happening in NY… while the Cubs and especially the Rays cannot be dragged down by a bad bullpen. I don’t want to see how good the Cubs would be with a bullpen.
  • The Cardinals are another team that is outplaying its bullpen, saved by defense and some hitting. There is only a weak correlation between the team’s bullpen and its record. The flip side of the coin is the Padres having an absolute top tier bullpen, while playing under .500 baseball. One of the best bullpens cannot save them. Same with over half of the AL East: Blue Jays, Red Sox, Orioles are floundering despite effective bullpens.
  • Teams with a direct correlation between bullpen effectiveness and record: Brewers elite ‘pen means a top tier team (while they do everything well), Marlins bullpen making them a contender, Rangers and Diamondbacks midrange bullpens making them around .500, and the Athletics bottom tier bullpen keeping them towards the lower reaches of MLB.
  • I don’t think the Braves would be as good as they are without a top tier bullpen. Playoff ready teams the Dodgers and Yankees have bullpens that are not preventing them from winning many games.
  • The Mets should probably trade away most of their bullpen to make their team better but I have no idea how they could do that.

Given how tough a bullpen can be to pin down, I think 21 teams having some kind of correlation between their record and their bullpen is interesting enough to draw a conclusion that maybe teams shouldn’t skimp on their reliever corps. A good to elite bullpen is very difficult to assemble, but there is some evidence that you shouldn’t blow off the assembly of it. Sure, you will have freak teams like the Rays that can win a lot despite an ineffective bullpen (and to a much lesser extent, the Cardinals), but overall bullpens might be a little underrated.

1992 Music Part 2

So last week I ran out of time and only got through 15 of the 30 (non heavy metal) albums I had selected for review. I am nearly out of time this week, but I will howl at the moon a bit tonight and reveal 15 more! Night owl here…

  • Medicine – ‘Shot Forth Self Living’ I would describe Medicine as USA’s answer to the UK’s My Bloody Valentine, even more distorted and over the top but different, in some ways also more mellow. A shoegaze genre classic from the band that would later appear on the Crow soundtrack and gain many more fans.
  • Boredoms – ‘Wow2’ the Boredoms (perhaps one of the most uniquely captivating bands of all time, or at least from Japan) also released the more well known ‘Pop Tatari’ in 1992, but I have enjoyed Wow2 even more! You cannot go wrong either way if you love avant garde rock, experimental music, and weirdo punk.
  • Lush – ‘Spooky’ another album of shoegazer goodness, but also a bit dreampop and even goth or punk at times, the UK’s Lush made a splash in 1992 with Spooky, a really fun but dark album. Top song picks: Tiny Smiles, Superblast!, Laura, and Starlust.
  • Gang Starr – ‘Daily Operation’ all time hiphop classic, file somewhere between conscientious rap and gangster rap, with strong hiphop production elements. Guru and Premier at their best!
  • Thinking Plague – ‘In This Life’ totally mental, super advanced prog rock of the highest order. Only a few preview tracks on their bandcamp, so you’re just going to have to buy this one. I did years ago, and trust me, it’s worth it!
  • Pete Rock & CL Smooth – ‘Mecca and the Soul Brother’ stumbled across this excellent early 90s hiphop album and I think you should listen to it. It’s certainly going into my hiphop collection!
  • Ruins – ‘Burning Stone’ another highly original band from Japan, the contrast between Ruins and the Boredoms being that Ruins was a duo on this album, and are much more tightly controlled and focused on the music genre known to humans as Zeuhl. A band like no other. I have had the fortune of seeing them multiple times in Chicago. Flat out astounding!
  • Stone Temple Pilots – ‘Core’ I had this tape before they blew up, and before anyone else I knew. They were being promoted at some mall record store, on an end cap. They were opening for Megadeth so I gave it a try, and loved it! And they were even better live. That didn’t matter to the Megadeth fans though, they booed at the end. I thought it was funny, and it was my first concert. STP’s debut album!
  • Meat Beat Manifesto – ‘Satyricon’ Jack Dangers and MBM began to move away from noisy industrial hiphop party music to something a bit more nuanced… However, this album still retains much of that early Meat Beat Manifesto energy and is perhaps their most signature release, bridging the band into new sonic territories.
  • Frontline Assembly – ‘Tactical Neural Implant’ similar to MBM, Frontline Assembly delivered an all time industrial dance classic in 1992, all the while being more futuristic sounding than just about anyone else at the time outside of NIN and Skinny Puppy.
  • Showbiz and A.G. – ‘Runaway Slave’ and another classic hiphop release from 1992! Definitely adding this one to my hiphop collection as well.
  • Thinking Fellers Union Local 282 – ‘Mother Of All Saints’ I may end up moving this up the list further some day *same goes for Showbiz and AG* but for now, let me just say I’m intrigued and I want to hear more! Bandcamp link, go buy a lesser known bands tunes! Good stuff.
  • High Rise – ‘Dispersion’ Japan really exploded onto the scene in 1992 at least in my mind, with releases by the Boredoms and Ruins, but High Rise may have been the most impressive in the intensity department, taking psyche rock to new levels and loudness, soloing all over the place with no fucks given. One of the louder live shows I have scene, incredible. The most in-your-face stoner rock possible. (bandcamp)
  • Naked City – ‘Grand Guignol’ and ‘Leng Tch’e’ bandcamp and youtube links, respectively. I couldn’t choose just one album from 1992 Naked City by John Zorn. Grand Guignol includes covers of 20th century avant classical composers while Leng Tch’e is a longform sludge metal/drone release. Neither sound alike or like the previous Naked City album. All three albums completely necessary.
  • Steven Jesse Bernstein – ‘Prison’ little known “rapper” Bernstein reminds us of one of the roots of hiphop here, spoken word and beat poetry to a sampler collage. A piece of art melding a uniquely crafted vision, and one of the hidden gems I’ve unearthed doing this project. You won’t even remotely understand what I’m talking about until you hear this masterpiece.
  • Ween – ‘Pure Guava’ part of Ween’s early evolution into what they would later become, I’d describe this as one of my favorite Ween albums but I pretty like all of them, so I’m not sure what to say other than that Ween occupy their own corner of the music world and this is them becoming who they are.
  • Screaming Trees – ‘Sweet Oblivion’ and to round out my 1992 picks for music listening, I don’t think any list about 1992 is complete without Sweet Oblivion. Stacked with classic songs that conjure up that time period rather effectively. Music as time machine, no need to invent one. I could listen to the song “Nearly Lost You There” every day of the week. “Dollar Bill” is another classic track. The whole album is stacked, really.

And last but not least I actually have the complete 1992 (non heavy metal) playlist ready! Link here

1992 Heavy Metal Playlist next week! At some point I’ll just list a bunch of years youtube playlists.

Thanks for reading all that, if you did! You rock. Special all star break edition next week… stay tuned.

A Celtics fan’s survival guide to optionality

Philadelphia, PA - April 30: A Boston Celtics fan sits in the stands by himself before the game. The Boston Celtics played the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round of the NBA Playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena on April 30, 2026. (Photo by Danielle Parhizkaran/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images

Celtics fans have been dropped into the wilderness.

One minute, Jaylen Brown was one of the defining Celtics of the last decade. The next, he was headed to Philadelphia, Paul George was coming back, two first-round picks were handed over like Advil, and everyone was being asked to find comfort in a word that sounds like it was created inside a front office think tank.

Optionality.

That is where the Celtics live now. Brad Stevens explained the logic Monday. The Celtics wanted more flexibility, more depth, and more ways to build the next version of the team. The new CBA made life harder. Two supermax players eating up that much cap space made the path narrower. Paul George’s contract is shorter. The picks could matter.

For now, Celtics fans are stuck in the fog between the trade and whatever comes next. In situations like these, experts recommend staying put, keeping warm, and resisting the urge to identify every snapping twig as the sound of another move coming.

So grab your emergency whistle, your emotional support No. 7 jersey and a printed copy of the second apron rules you definitely understand.

This is the Celtics fan’s survival guide to optionality.

Stay calm. Panic burns energy.

The first rule of surviving optionality is simple: do not burn all your energy before the team takes the court.

I know, easier said than done. The Celtics have dropped us into the middle of July with a backpack full of pick protections, Paul George fit questions, depth expectations, and one granola bar labeled “Trust me. Love, Brad.” Naturally, the first instinct is to start running in circles until you either find civilization or pass out next to a tree stump muttering, “70% of the cap.”

Resist that urge.

The Summer League Celtics have not even played yet, while the real Celtics are still months from taking the floor. Paul George has not missed a regular-season game in green. The 2028 pick has not revealed itself as treasure, kindling, or a weird rock Brad convinced everyone to carry because it might become useful later.

There will be time to panic. That is what October is for.

For now, conserve your energy. Sip water. Build a small fire. Do not start eating random berries from your backyard when you see the Sixers posting Jaylen Brown highlights on Twitter.

That way lies danger.

Every mention of “flexibility” may still make you want to hop on a moose’s back and whisper, “Take me away from all of this.” Fair. But when you’re lost in the woods, you don’t sprint into the fog because you saw what might be a road. You stop, breathe, and take inventory.

The Celtics chose uncertainty.

That means we must learn how to survive inside it.

Two is one, one is none.

In the wilderness, redundancy keeps you alive. One flashlight breaks, you better have another. One fire starter gets soaked, you better have matches. One person says Luke Kornet is irreplaceable, you better have a Neemias Queta ready to pull out of your backpack.

That appears to be the Celtics’ new operating theory.

For years, the survival plan was simple: when in doubt, trust the Jays. Tatum and Brown were the tent, compass, first-aid kit, bear spray, and the guy who insisted he knew how to hang food from a tree. Everything else was built around them.

That starter pack worked for a long time. After all, Banner 18 is not imaginary. It still hangs there, despite the last week making everyone feel like they dreamt it.

But Stevens looked at the new NBA landscape and decided the Celtics were carrying too much weight in one part of the pack. Too much salary. Too much usage. Too few ways to maneuver if the trail ahead got blocked.

So Boston traded one huge answer for a pile of smaller ones.

Paul George. Future firsts. Second-round sweeteners. Shorter money. More flexibility. More pressure on Pritchard, White, Hauser, Scheierman, Gonzalez, Walsh, Queta, Harper Jr., Robinson, and whoever else gets handed a flashlight and is told, “Get us the hell out of here.”

That is the bet.

Brad Stevens didn’t try to tell us that one player will replace what Jaylen gave them. He told us that with enough smaller pieces, used the right way, the Celtics can replace the version of the team that had started to feel stale and boxed in.

That might be smart, or it could be a front office TED Talk with sneakers on.

Either way, this is the shelter they built.

Everybody get inside before it rains.

Leaves of three, let the overreactions be.

Every survival guide comes with a warning about poisonous plants.

Here’s yours: some post-Jaylen thoughts may look edible. Do not be fooled.

The first is the Payton Pritchard-Jalen Brunson comparisons, which already feels like something Celtics fans are going to find growing behind a log and immediately put in their mouths.

Resist the temptation!

Pritchard can (and should) become more important without becoming Brunson. He can start, create more, bomb threes in transition, irritate opposing guards, talk like every defender in the league called him small at recess, and still not become the best player on a championship team.

Another poisonous plant to avoid: “Paul George had a bad game, so the trade failed.”

This one will be everywhere by late-October. George will miss one pull-up three in the second quarter against Orlando, and someone will be halfway through typing, “We traded Jaylen for this?” before the rebound gets secured.

Leave it alone.

George is being asked to make the toughest first impression of any new Celtic in years. Every missed jumper, quiet quarter, and maintenance day will get dragged back to the trade that brought him here. He is not arriving at a normal campsite. He is walking into camp while everyone is still staring at Jaylen’s empty sleeping bag.

One more poisonous plant to be wary of: “Actually, I never liked Jaylen anyway.”

Stop it.

Even if you’re not ready to admit it, Jaylen is one of the best players to ever put on a Celtics uniform. You watched him posterize people, win Finals MVP, and grow from a raw 19-year-old into one of the most important Celtics of his era.

All of that happened.

You can understand the logic of the trade without pretending the Jays were some failed experiment. For almost a decade, they shared the floor, absorbed every lazy wedge people tried to drive between them, and kept showing up for each other and for Boston.

Leaves of three, let it be.

Pritchard-Brunson comps, instant George referendums, fake Jaylen amnesia.

Let them be.

Go slow to go fast.

When you’re lost, speed feels productive. Most of the time, it just gets you more lost.

Moving too quick is how you twist an ankle, drop your flashlight, walk past the trail marker, and end up trying to sleep under a damp Celtics poncho while Sixers fans in a nearby tree debate Jaylen’s on/off numbers.

The Celtics have pointed to a trail that fans cannot see yet and asked everyone not to burn the map before anyone knows where it leads.

That is both annoying and the entire concept of optionality.

Optionality is not a player. You can’t throw a lob to optionality or blame it when the bench unit gives up a 14-2 run. It’s a door the Celtics believe they needed to open and step through.

Maybe the trail leads somewhere good. Perhaps there’s a clearing ahead where Brad Stevens is standing with three second-round picks and a handful of acorns, wearing a look that says, “It’s not tasty, but it’ll keep us alive.”

The trail has not revealed itself yet, so go slow.

You do not have to love the trade today. We won’t know for a long time if Brad is a genius, a fraud, a hostage of the CBA, or just a human who sometimes makes mistakes.

Let George play. Let Pritchard’s role breathe. Let Tatum get back to being Tatum. Let the young guys be lovable spark plugs instead of instant proof that the front office knows what it’s doing.

The Celtics made the bet. Fans shouldn’t judge the survival shelter before anyone has slept in it.

Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

Here is the part where everyone groans and throws their marshmallow fireballs in my direction.

Assets matter. I know. Horrible. Disgusting. Not why anyone fell in love with basketball.

Nobody grew up dreaming of the day their favorite team would have usable future assets. No kid in a No. 7 jersey has turned to their dad in the past week and said, “It’s okay, Papa. Paul George’s shorter contract creates cleaner optionality in a second-apron environment.”

If your kid has said that, congratulations. You are raising Mike Zarren Jr.

But tools do matter, not because they make anyone feel better right now, but because they give the Celtics things to use when the next problem arrives.

A future first-round pick is not a hug, nor does it stare into the Garden crowd after a clutch corner three. It certainly does not make Jaylen in a Sixers jersey any less nauseating.

But it is a flare gun.

A shorter contract? There’s your pocket knife.

A tradable salary? One of those little crank radios everyone buys before a storm without knowing how to use it.

You may not want to build your fandom around emergency supplies. Nobody does. But if the Celtics are stuck later, they will be glad they packed something besides vibes and a framed photo of the 2024 parade.

The Celtics may be right to value the tools. Fans may be right to hate the cost.

It’s snug, but both things can fit in the same backpack.

Do not mistake Summer League for rescue.

Normally, Summer League is for convincing yourself the 13th man has “real rotation equity,” and determining a second-round pick’s ceiling based on seven Vegas possessions.

This year, Summer League feels like someone spotted smoke in the distance. At last, help is within reach! Celtics fans need a distraction in a major way. They need new names, new box scores, new clips, new reasons to stop watching Jaylen Brown meet up with his new 6-year-old best friend.

Distractions can be healthy. But do not make the kids rescue you.

Hugo Gonzalez is not going to erase your grief. Chris Cenac Jr. is not a trained wilderness medic. Jordan Walsh should not have to check into a Vegas gym carrying the emotional weight of everyone who recently Googled “2028 pick protections explained in simplest terms.”

Let Summer League be what it is: a weird little basketball campsite in the desert where everyone talks themselves into at least one player they will later pretend they were always right about.

Enjoy it, but do not build a permanent shelter there.

Just keep walking.

Optionality is not closure. Brad Stevens gave us his best Doctor Strange impression, presenting 14,000,605 possible future outcomes, each one as uncertain and murky as the next.

That is the hardest part. Optionality could become a trade. It might become a better-fitting roster. It might become a cleaner cap sheet, a deeper team, or a path the Celtics could not have taken with Jaylen still on the books.

It might also morph into the word Celtics fans mutter years from now while staring into the abyss and remembering that Boston traded Jaylen Brown to Philadelphia for Paul George and picks.

ATLANTA, GA – APRIL 23: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics exits the court after winning Round One Game Four of the 2023 NBA Playoffs on April 23, 2023 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. 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 2023 NBAE (Photo by Adam Hagy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

Nobody knows yet.

For now, everyone is still in the woods. The map is illegible. The compass is spinning. The trail markers were removed by a wily bunch of raccoons.

So keep breathing. Watch your step. Do not eat that berry. Avoid trying to explain the 2028 pick to your family unless you packed enough water. And be mindful of the trail marker that now reads, “Under construction.”

A clear head will eventually find itself.

Sabres Should Sign The Best NHL Free Agent Left

The Buffalo Sabres have had an eventful off-season, but they should not be done making moves yet. After losing Alex Tuch this summer, they should be looking to add another impactful winger to their roster to replace him.

One way that the Sabres could look to address this need is through the free agent market. When looking at the remaining unrestricted free agents (UFAs), Anthony Mantha stands out as a prime potential option for the Sabres to consider. 

It is surprising that Mantha has still not been signed at this point in the off-season. The 31-year-old forward just had a strong 2025-26 season with the Pittsburgh Penguins, setting new career highs with 33 goals, 31 assists, and 64 points in 81 games. With numbers like these, he could be a strong pickup for Buffalo's forward group if signed.

If the Sabres signed Mantha, he would have the potential to slot nicely in their top nine. Furthermore, he would be an obvious option for the Sabres' power play because of his offensive ability. 

On a short-term deal, a player like Mantha could make a lot of sense for a Sabres club on the rise. It will be interesting to see if Buffalo makes a push for him this off-season because of it.