CLEVELAND, OHIO - AUGUST 04: Allison Howard, President of Business Operations of the Cleveland Sirens, helps reveal the new WNBA team's name and logo at Rocket Arena on August 04, 2026, in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Lauren Leigh Bacho/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Cavaliers fans and fans across the country.
We’re still just under two years out from tip-off, but we do finally have a name for Cleveland’s WNBA expansion franchise. The Cleveland Sirens will be the newest professional sports team coming to Cleveland.
The new WNBA team decided to forge its own path with this branding. Instead of using the name of Cleveland’s previous teams, the Rockers, or tying their identity closely to the NBA team, as we’ve seen with the Minnesota Lynx, Washington Mystics, etc., the Sirens are going ahead with something completely new and original. Their all blue logo and word marks are distinct in a city with a storied professional sports history.
Designed to make waves.
Our logo suite is more than a collection of icons — it's a reflection of Cleveland, the power of Lake Erie, and the future of women's basketball in The Land. Explore every detail below. #HearTheCall📢 pic.twitter.com/AltMoBEopV
Distinct and unique doesn’t always mean great. While I personally like the direction that the team is heading, I would understand if you thought otherwise. Casting aside tradition — even one that wasn’t necessarily great — is always a risky move. It would’ve been easier to just resurrect the Rockers’ name and just update the logo and uniform.
It also would’ve been just as easy to tie the team to the Cavs — similar to what we saw with the G League team, the Cleveland Charge. There is some value in tying all these related professional basketball teams together. Especially one that will be playing in the same arena as the Cavs.
So, what do you think of the new name and branding? Is this an A+ success? Or, are you more lukewarm to the new team name?
Let us know what you think in the survey and comments below.
March 17, 2014: Two fans read the paper during an NBA game between the Boston Celtics and the Dallas Mavericks at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, TX Dallas defeated Boston 94-89 (Photo by Albert Pena/Icon SMI/Corbis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Believe it or not, but it has been over 3 months since the Celtics were eliminated from the playoffs. We’re still over 2 months away from training camp opening. So hopefully you have some additional hobbies and past times that keep you busy during these slow summer months.
Perhaps you watch other (inferior) sports. Maybe you are into movies or TV. You like to read blogs (apparently) so maybe you like to read books as well. Or maybe you like to travel or cook or jump out of airplanes.
We are all unique personalities that have our own separate lives and experiences. However, we all share a passion for the Boston Celtics (which of course unites us as superior intellects). Part of the fun is sharing those experiences with each other, so here’s your chance.
This is a mailbag, so I offer up my services to answer questions you might be interested in. However, I’m also giving you the chance to start topics and conversations by sharing your passions (no question necessary) with the rest of the group. [Disclaimer: Please keep everything PG13 at most. Thanks!]
So leave your questions and statements in the comments below and I will share my answers and thoughts in a separate post. Enjoy your summers!
OMAHA, NEBRASKA - JUNE 21: Cameron Flukey #2 of the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers pitches against the LSU Tigers in Game 1 of the NCAA College World Series baseball finals at Charles Schwab Field on June 21, 2025 in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Jay Biggerstaff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
A wave of additions to the Low-A Lakeland Flying Tigers roster have been announced as the 2026 Detroit Tigers draft class receives their first assignments in pro ball. 2026 first round selection RHP Cameron Flukey heads the list, as he is slated to debut in the organization with a start for the Flying Tigers on Wednesday night. The 21-year-old right-hander, selected 22nd overall back in July, missed the early part of his college season with Coastal Carolina due to a stress fracture in his ribs. The Tigers have decided to try to make up some of those innings lost in his final college season, and sources have reported that Flukey has looked very good in his bullpen sessions as he prepares to start his pro career. If things go well, there’s a good chance he could begin his first full season in 2027 at the High-A level, putting him on a relative fast track towards the upper levels of the minor leagues.
Joining Flukey in Lakeland will also be 2026 sixth rounder SS Maddux Molony, and seventh rounder 1B Brady Ballinger. The Tigers have already made some additions to the Flying Tigers roster in recent weeks as former top prep picks LHP Paul Wilson and RHP Owen Hall have each made a few appearances. An exciting young shortstop prospect in Angel De Los Santos has been making waves after a strong showing in the Complex League and some good work in his first seven games for the Flying Tigers with a pair of home runs already. Fellow 19-year-old infielder Ronald Ramirez is also off to a strong start.
Shortstop Tyson LeBlanc, the Tigers second round pick this year, is currently on the 7-day IL with an undisclosed injury, but seems likely to return in time to start his pro career in Lakeland before the season ends.
The Bridge League, which is essentially an unofficial continuation of the Complex League on the backfields, has also had some interesting news as both RHP Michael Massey and RHP Zach Swanson, two high bonus picks who have spent most of their time in pro ball on the injured list, have made appearances. Massey was the Tigers’ 4th rounder out of Wake Forest in 2024, while Swanson was a prep pick in the same draft. The duo were among our favorite arms selected over the past four drafts under the Scott Harris front office, so it’s good to finally see them healthy and getting some work in.
Finally, 3B Carson Rucker, along with RHP Luke Hoskins, and RHP Maddux Long, have been promoted from Lakeland to High-A West Michigan.
Shortstop prospect John Peck is due to begin a rehab assignment tonight in Lakeland. However, in less happy news, outfielder Wenceel Pérez is still dealing with vision issues and headaches after suffering an orbital fracture back in early June. His rehab assignment has been temporarily shut down while he is re-evaluated.
Big day of moves for Lakeland(1/3): RD1 pick Cameron Flukey will make his pro debut with Lakeland this week. After missing two months due to a stress fracture in his rib in Feb., he is being built back up to make up for the IP lost over that span. @tigersMLreport@bythewaybro
This rivalry always felt a little forced, but now that LeBron James is with the 76ers, the whole James-Stephen Curry draw is no longer there. Another element that may take the juice out of this matchup is that Warriors forward Jimmy Butler may not be back from his torn anterior cruciate ligament suffered in January.
This will be Philadelphia’s second game of the season, so fans will have already seen the new-look Sixers. And the Cavs are running it back, so we have a pretty good idea of what they’ll be. Still, this could be the eventual battle between teams vying for second place in the East (if not better), so it should be revelatory one way or another.
The problem here isn’t the matchup – it should be an intriguing game – it’s more about the time slot and the fact that this will be the first game to tip off the regular season. Typically, the defending champion is the team to get the first game of the year. Yet, the NBA is seemingly testing a late afternoon slot ahead of the primetime draw. Call me a traditionalist, but this feels like it steals some of the thunder from the Knicks raising a banner, and this very good matchup might get lost in the middle of the workday.
The Rockets underwhelmed last season, mostly because they could not find consistent play at point guard. Enter Fred Van Vleet, who is now healthy after the torn anterior cruciate ligament that robbed him of the entire season, and Houston could be significantly improved. As long as the Rockets have settled their internal tensions, they should compete. A test against the Spurs should be an excellent barometer.
Any time you get to see a matchup that features a pair of players – Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokić – who have combined to win five of the last six NBA Most Valuable Player awards, it’s appointment viewing. Adding that the Nuggets are looking to reset after a disappointing first-round exit and that the Thunder are looking to reclaim their status as a dominant force only makes it better.
While the Celtics-Pistons opener will be the first chance for fans to see the effects of the Jaylen Brown-Paul George trade, this matchup – the home opener in Boston – may reveal whether these Celtics can truly compete with Jayson Tatum taking on even more responsibility. Plus, these are two of the iconic franchises with an intense regional rivalry, so it’s always a fun watch.
This one is ranked this highly mostly because of the novelty and the intrigue. This will be the first chance we get to see Giannis Antetokounmpo under coach Erik Spoelstra and the Heat. It’s also the first time we get to see the LaMelo Ball experiment in Minnesota with Anthony Edwards. Both these squads may not initially be ranked in the top tier of their respective conferences, but they have the potential to climb up the ladder. That starts with this game.
2. Oklahoma City Thunder at San Antonio Spurs
■ Tuesday, Oct. 20 at 9:30 p.m. | NBC and Peacock
This is probably the best rivalry in the NBA, and it’s pretty clear the teams each dislike each other. Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs dominated this matchup last year, both in regular season and the playoffs. But the Thunder, even with a few losses, should be fully healthy. These are the two best teams in the West. Let’s see how the offseason impacted them.
1. Philadelphia 76ers at New York Knicks
■ Tuesday, Oct. 20 at 7 p.m. | NBC and Peacock
This is the crown jewel. You’ve got Jalen Brunson and the defending champion Knicks raising their first banner in Madison Square Garden in 53 years and receiving their rings, and you’ve got the new-look Sixers, who added LeBron James and Jaylen Brown. Philadelphia won the offseason; this will be the first glimpse to see how it stacks up against the best team in the NBA.
The Vancouver Canucks have signed one of their first-round picks in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft to an entry-level contract.
Adam Novotný, who was selected 24th-overall by Vancouver in the 2026 Draft, has signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Canucks. He is the first Canucks prospect selected in the 2026 NHL Draft to sign their ELC.
“Character, compete, and a winning mentality, those are three of the things we really appreciate about Adam’s DNA,” Canucks General Manager Ryan Johnson said in a press release. “It was a small sample size, but he showed us a lot at our development camp last month in Abbotsford. Besides his strong skating, puck control, and quick release, Adam was relentless in his pursuit of the puck and battled very hard in each drill. A coachable and honest player, his leadership qualities were also noticeable, and you could tell right away how committed he is to try to do things the right way. We are very excited to have Adam sign his ELC and we look forward to working with him in the years to come.”
The 18-year-old winger played in his first season of hockey in North America during 2025-26, having previously skated for Mountfield HK in Czechia. Skating with the Peterborough Petes of the OHL, Novotný scored 34 goals and 31 assists in 58 games, leading his team in both goals and points.
Novotný has also represented Czechia at both the U-18 and U-20 World Junior Championships, most recently putting up three assists in seven games during his team's Silver-Medal campaign at the 2026 tournament. He was also named a Top-3 Player on Czechia at the U-18s in 2024-25 and won Bronze with Czechia's U-20 Team in 2024-25.
Photo Credit: Kaja Antic-THN
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Over the weekend, Boyd Petry, the son of former Montreal Canadiens defenseman Jeff Petry, celebrated his 11th birthday, and even though his dad has played for four teams since being traded by the Habs (twice), it was Canadiens colors he wore on his birthday.
Photo credit: Julie Petry Instagram account
Boyd, once a social media darling among Canadiens’ fans, was rocking a red, white, and blue shirt that matched his “Goal Caufield” T-shirt in the picture posted on Instagram by his mother, Julie Petry. Back when Petry was still patrolling the Canadiens’ blueline, the social media team mic’d up the youngster for a Habs game with hilarious results. The video was seen over 600,000 times on YouTube
Since GM Kent Hughes granted Petry’s trade request back in the 2022 offseason, the blueliner has played with the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Detroit Red Wings, the Florida Panthers and the Minnesota Wild. In the 2025 offseason, he signed a one-year deal with the Panthers, hoping to finally capture the Stanley Cup, but the plan backfired as Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk were both injured and the Florida outfit ended up missing the playoffs. On trade deadline day, he was sent to the Minnesota Wild, who had big aspirations but were eliminated in the second round in five games by the Colorado Avalanche.
The right-shot defenseman is now 38 years old and remains unsigned ahead of next season. He has not announced his retirement, but at his age, it would be surprising if a team decided to add him; the veteran played only 67 games last season and put up nine points, light-years away from his 46-point season in Montreal. If he does decide to hang them up, he won’t lack entertainment as the Petrys have four sons, who are sure to keep him busy.
Petry was a great asset for the Habs, playing parts of eight seasons in town. He skated in 508 games with Montreal and put up 248 points. Over the course of his career, he has featured in 1,048 games and gathered 394 points.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 24: Pitching coach Mike Maddux #88 of the Los Angeles Angels walks to the dugout after a mound visit against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park on July 24, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Anaheim Angels have fired pitching coach Mike Maddux, assistant pitching coach Darryl Scott, and bullpen coach Dom Chiti, per Jeff Passan, underscoring that the Anaheim Angels are an unserious organization that should continue to be relegated to clown car status in MLB.
The Angels came into the season with their general manager, Perry Minasian, entering the last year of his deal. Minasian hired first-time manager Kurt Suzuki on just a one year deal. Maddux, Scott and Chiti were all in their first season with the Angels in 2026, and it is believed that they were all working on one year deals, as well. Speculation was that owner Arte Moreno did not want to have folks under contract past 2026 that he would have to pay during a potential work stoppage.
Minasian was fired by the Angels six weeks ago, and was replaced by John Mozeliak, the former St. Louis Cardinals head guy who was eased out of St. Louis after almost two decades because of concerns that he was behind the times, particularly in the player development arena. Mozeliak actually traded away some players at the trade deadline, a departure from the past with Anaheim, leading some to wonder if maybe things were getting straightened out in Anaheim, especially given that Mozeliak previously publicly stated, right after he was hired:
“I met with Kurt and most of (the coaches) this morning, and I told them they’re all fine for this year,” Mozeliak, the former St. Louis Cardinals’ baseball operations head, said at a news conference before Saturday night’s game against the Athletics.
“There’s nothing they have to worry about. … They all have jobs moving forward. There’s no reason for massive change right away.”
Apparently not.
The Angels are 25th in the majors in runs allowed per game, at 4.87, just a hair behind the Pirates and Astros at 4.84. The Angels are tied for 24th in the majors in ERA+ with the Astros and the Giants. I’m pretty sure none of those teams have fired their pitching coaches this season, though all three of those teams were expected to have better pitching staffs this year than the Angels were.
What is kind of ironically amusing about this is that the Angels are firing their pitching coaches the day after they held the Rangers to just one run in nine innings. The Angels did give up three runs in the tenth inning, leading to a loss, though those runs were allowed by Luke Murphy, making his fourth major league appearance, and Blake Weiman, making his third, so I’m not sure what exactly they expected.
The Angels did allow a combined 19 runs in Miami on Saturday and Sunday, and I guess maybe that was the breaking point, but you’d think they’d have fired everyone after they returned home on Sunday, not after a game the first game of a homestand on Monday. Also, the Angels had allowed just 15 runs in their six games prior to that, so things were kinda looking up.
That said, the Angels came into the season with a couple of quality pitchers and a whole host of guys (and this describes both their newly acquired pitchers and position players) who were either once good, but aren’t anymore, or who were once supposed to be good but hadn’t panned out yet.
Among the success stories this year for the Angels pitching staff has been Jose Soriano, who rebounded from a down 2025 season and was traded to Toronto; 22 year old rookie Walbert Urena, who has put up a 2.83 ERA in 101 innings over 21 appearances; and Reid Detmers, who, after spending the 2025 season in the bullpen, returned to the rotation and has been a solid league average innings eater. Ryan Zeferjahn, Chase Silseth, Kirby Yates and Brent Suter all were varying degrees of decent in the bullpen, and were all traded at the deadline.
On the other hand, Alek Manoah was terrible and then released; Jordan Romano was terrible, was released in late April, signed with the Colorado Rockies, and currently leads both the Angels and Rockies in saves; Jack Kochanowicz was terrible (though marginally less terrible than last year) and is now on the injured list; Grayson Rodriguez, acquired from the pitching-starved Baltimore Orioles for a rental outfielder (which should be sending red flags up everywhere), has been terrible, although he’s at least healthy currently, for a change; Ryan Johnson, their 2024 2nd rounder out of Dallas Baptist (you can read our draft preview of him here), was rushed to the majors in a bullpen role last year, was terrible, was sent down to be a starter at high-A (!!!) to “work on his pitching skills,” according to 2025 manager Ron Washington, until missing six weeks with injury, has spent most of 2026 in the majors, and has been terrible; Yusei Kikuchi was bad and is now on the 60 day injured list; and Drew Pomeranz was bad and was released.
The 64 year old Maddux has a lengthy, and successful, resume as a pitching coach, including two stints with the Rangers, in 2009-15 and 2023-25. The 67 year old Chiti started his career as a coach in the Rangers’ minor league system all the way back in 1982, and has been a coach, a scout, or a front office guy in various capacities ever since, including four years in the Rangers’ front office under John Hart and three seasons as the team’s bullpen coach from 2006-08. The 58 year old Scott spent almost 20 years in the Rockies’ organization as a pitching coach, including being the bullpen coach from 2020-21 and the pitching coach from 2022-25.
I am, as y’all probably know, a skeptic when it comes to how much influence a pitching coach, or a hitting coach, has on a team, so maybe I’m not the best person to listen to in this regard. But if the Angels are blaming the fired pitching coaches for Alek Manoah’s continued failures, for Jack Kochanowicz continuing not to miss bats, for Grayson Rodriguez struggling and Jordan Romano continuing to flounder and Ryan Johnson being rushed, well, it just underscores the clown car nature of the franchise.
Maddux left for Anaheim after Bruce Bochy departed as the Rangers manager after 2025, with Skip Schumaker seemingly wanting his own person in the job. It seemed like, at best, a lateral move, especially on a one year deal. Whatever you think of Maddux, he deserves better than being shitcanned by a joke of a franchise that is currently sporting the worst record in the majors.
Maybe the Rangers fans who have been blaming the Rangers’ pitching problems this year on Maddux being gone will get their wish and see Maddux return in some capacity. After all, he wouldn’t even have to pack his bags to join the team right now. He could maybe have some sort of advisory role. Or maybe Maddux would prefer to take the rest of the year off, collect his Artebucks and listen to his brother Greg tell stories about throwing a changeup to a particular hitter when he had a big lead so that the hitter would be looking for that pitch in the future.
And if the Rangers score just two runs over the next three games in Anaheim, you all have permission to yell at me.
WASHINGTON, DC - AUGUST 07: Daylen Lile #4 of the Washington Nationals hits a three-run home run in the first inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Nationals Park on August 07, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
If there was ever a series to point to as the turning point for a playoff run for this Nationals team, it might just be their weekend sweep of the Cincinnati Reds. The Nats were scuffling through the start of August, but handled business against the Reds to put themselves close to striking distance of a playoff spot. The second test comes this week, as the scorching hot Chicago Cubs come to Washington, vying to tighten up their division race and bury the Nats in the standings.
If Washington wants to get closer than 5.0 games back of the last Wild Card spot, Chicago is certainly a team that would give them momentum if they can pull off a series win. The Cubbies are 7-3 in their last 10 games and sitting 19 games above .500, holding firm in the top Wild Card spot and sitting 5.0 games back of the NL Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers.
Game One – Tuesday 6:45 PM EST
CHC: LHP Shota Imanaga (8-9, 3.60 ERA)
WSH: RHP Jake Irvin (2-5, 5.37 ERA)
The crafty Imanaga has been nothing but consistent since entering the MLB in 2024, and this year has been no different. Washington is catching him at a rough time as well, with the Japanese southpaw having allowed just 2 or fewer runs in every start dating back to June 24th.
Irvin has thrown twice since returning from the injured list, with 2 very different results. The Nats will hope for a similar result as his last time out, where he went 5.1 innings against the Philadelphia Phillies, allowing just 3 hits and 2 earned runs.
Game Two – Wednesday 6:45 PM EST
CHC: LHP David Peterson (6-7, 5.35 ERA)
WSH: TBA
It’s been a rough ride for Peterson this year, but, like Imanaga, the Nats are seeing him when he seems to be at his best. His first 2 starts of August were among the most productive he’s had in 2026, looking much more like the 2024 version of himself that emerged as a valuable starter for the New York Mets.
The Nats have yet to announce a starter for the middle game of the series, with one possible candidate being newly-called-up lefty Jackson Kent. In any sense, the Washington bullpen depth and effectiveness will be tested.
Game Three – Thursday 4:05 PM EST
CHC: RHP Kevin Gausman (6-10, 4.29 ERA)
WSH: RHP Cade Cavalli (2-5, 5.56 ERA)
Gausman was acquired from the Toronto Blue Jays prior to the trade deadline as a proven veteran arm to fuel their playoff push, and he more than looked the part in his first start with Chicago. The 35-year-old is in the midst of his worst season since 2019 based on ERA, but he’s always a tough matchup for hitters.
Cavalli keeps on pushing through the dog days of summer, going another 6.0 strong innings against Cincinnati and finishing off his 6th quality start in a row. The Nats’ top arm is positioned to start in what could be a huge series finale to end the brief homestand.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 20: the sneakers of Nique Clifford #5 of the Sacramento Kings against the Charlotte Hornets during the 2025 NBA Summer League Championship game on July 20, 2025 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
CLEVELAND, OH - JULY 04: A detail shot of the USA 250 jersey worn by Cooper Ingle #30 of the Cleveland Guardians prior to the game between the Chicago White Sox and the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on Saturday, July 4, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Grace Hoppel/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
It’s been a while, but it’s time to check in on what current Guardians’ minor league prospects have been doing for the past two months.
When we last checked in, one month had elapsed in the Guardians’ system. So, a lot has happened since then, including the promotions of Travis Bazzana, Cooper Ingle (back down now), Angel Genao, and Franco Aleman… and the injury of basically every pitching prospect worthy of interest (Kahl Stephen, Franklin Gomez, Braylon Doughty and the list goes on and on). So, let’s see what’s been happening over the past 60 days or so:
Analysis: Back down in Columbus, Ingle deserves credit for responding to his demotion by continuing to post great numbers as a hitter while splitting time between left field/catcher/DH. He should get another chance to hit in Cleveland before long. Next, don’t completely ignore Tolentino; he’s great depth to have and if there is an injury or if Travis Bazzana or Angel Genao need to recalibrate in Columbus, I think Tolentino will get a look and has a chance to be a solid utility infielder in the Schneemann mold. Tolentino is still only 24 years old, as well. Meanwhile, Velazquez’s numbers have been carried by his recent performance, which could be a sign of his adjustment to Triple-A pitching. I think Ralphy will REALLY have to explode to force a call-up, because, as is, he can continue to play in 2027 if there is an extended lockout because he does not yet need to be on the 40-man. It’s exciting to see Velazquez begin to figure things out at the upper levels because he is still only 21 years old and has maintained mostly even splits against RHP/LHP.
Analysis: You will soon notice a theme here… Guardian’s minor league pitching prospects are STRUGGLING. Peterson still looks like a viable fifth starter. Hopefully, the Guardians will not need him and their top five starters will stay healthy, but Peterson and Logan Allen are definitely front of the line replacements now with Slade Cecconi on the IL with arm fatigue.
Analysis: Advincula is old for his level (25), but he might have got a shot in Columbus had he not just gone down with an elbow strain. Schubart is such an interesting player; you can’t help but doubt if his extreme whiff issues will doom him, but he is lowering his K-numbers to a point where he looks like he could potentially be a Joey Gallo-type major league hitter. Cesarini’s numbers are probably small sample size but could be an interesting platoon bat for someone. Walton is the most exciting of this bunch as he has managed to cut his whiff-rates and still display some excellent power while looking viable in centerfield. He’s definitely a bat to monitor closely as the season ends; perhaps others will join FanGraphs in putting him on an MLB Top 100 list if it goes well.
Analysis: Doughty is thankfully scheduled to make a return to the mound this week from the ambiguous arm-fatigue before the season is over. He looks like a front of the rotation prospect. Jahec is 25 years old but is looking like a potentially viable major league relief arm at some point, likely for the middle innings, and should get a look in Columbus soon. Jasiak is also 25 but just got the promotion to Columbus, so we’ll see if he can show himself to be a solid middle relief option there.
Analysis: Pay attention to Howard as a catching prospect who can really hit. Curley is busy trying to figure things out in Akron now, but he definitely showed some promising signs in Lake County while running an absolutely unsustainable walk-rate. Gonzalex is a little old for the level and only 5 foot 6 but dude can hit a little. Francisca seems to be putting things together after a lengthy struggle (perhaps injury-driven) and showing not to give up on him being another short, switch-hitting infield success story for Cleveland as a 20 year-old, and should be in Akron soon. Caceres beginning by holding his own as an 18 year-old in High-A is very good news and makes him definitely a top-3-type prospect for the Guardians’ system at the moment. Hopefully, he finishes the season strong and could be pushing for a debut as a 20 year-old in Cleveland (rivaling Jose Ramirez for earliest recent debut??).
High-A Lake County Pitchers:
Izaak Martinez, 1.32 ERA, 3.74 FIP, 12/4.6 K/BB/9
Analysis: He’s up in Akron and things aren’t going well, yet, but given the state of this system, we better hope this is a potential matchup lefty in the bullpen for us. He’s 24 years old, though, so it’s not very likely.
Low-A Hill City Hitters:
Luis De La Cruz, SH 157 wRC+, 11/14 K/BB/% Reiner Herrera, LHH 135 wRC+, 14/15 K/BB%
Analysis: De La Cruz is a corner infielder and I don’t know that he has enough power to really be something, but he’s only 19 and worth monitoring. Herrera is a catcher who makes great, quality contact. Worth watching to see what he does as the season ends.
Low-A Hill City Pitchers:
NONE
Analysis: The Guardians’ should probably be targeting minor league pitching if they trade a player like Steven Kwan, Kyle Manzardo or Gavin Williams in the offseason… just saying.
With all the promotions the Guardians have done this season, the minor league systems are looking a little bare. They should get a boost from their 2026 draft class and the Arizona Complex and Dominican Winter leagues soon, but there is some work to be done here. Still, having Ingle, Velazquez, Walton, Caceres and Francisca is good news for the Guardians’ continued miasma of offensive issues and there are some fun storylines to follow as the season ends.
And, here’s an update on some recent moves for the affiliates just as I hit publish:
The Cleveland Guardians Player Development System has announced the following moves for today:
Place Jonah Advincula on the 7-Day IL in HC (right elbow strain).
Transfer RHP Jack Jasiak from Akron to Columbus.
Transfer INF Jhorvic Abreus from Akron to Hill City.
As the National Hockey League enters the second month of free agency, a number of former Buffalo Sabres still remain unsigned. At this point of the offseason, players who have not latched on with an NHL club might consider playing in Europe, or taking a short-term deal or professional tryout to earn a one-year deal.
The decline and fall of Skinner over the last three years puts into focus how bad a decision it was for former Sabres GM Jason Botterill to sign the diminutive winger to an eight-year, $72 million contract in 2019 after scoring 40 goals. A coaching change to Ralph Krueger was not a good fit for the offensive winger, who was relegated to a bottom-six role and scored only 21 goals in 112 games the next two years, but his goal scoring returned under Don Granato, with 33 and 35-goal campaigns in 2022 and 2023.
After dropping to 24 goals in 2023-24, the Sabres bought out the final three years of his contract; something that has resulted in over $6 million in dead cap space this season. The 33-year-old hooked up with Edmonton in 2025, and played in his first postseason games during the Oilers run to a Cup Final loss.
Who had the best and worst offseason in the Atlantic Division?
Last season, he signed a one-year deal with San Jose, but after suffering a lower-body injury in mid-November and returning three weeks later, he was used sporadically and was healthy scratched and placed on waivers for the purpose of terminating his contract in mid-February. Surprisingly the veteran forward was not signed by a team before the trade deadline.
Outlook: The fact that there seemed to be no interest or even an inkling of interest after the contract termination is a sign that Skinner’s career is over. Skinner depended on superior edgework and skating ability to be a difference maker, but his effectiveness has declined dramatically as he has lost a step. A PTO is a possibility, but remote one.
John Mozeliak, who was hired six weeks ago as the Los Angeles Angels interim GM, made his most sweeping changes yet Tuesday by firing three veteran pitching coaches.
The Angels fired well-respected veteran pitching coach Mike Maddux, bullpen coach Dom Chiti and assistant pitching coach Darryl Scott. They were all on one-year contracts along with manager Kurt Suzuki.
The new pitching coach will be Tim Leveque, who was in the St. Louis Cardinals organization for 20 years with Mozeliak with Michael Wuertz as the interim bullpen coach.
“After spending time discussing with Kurt where we are as a coaching staff and where we want to go in the future, we felt it was best to make a change,” Mozeliak said in a release. “With seven weeks remaining, we plan to use this time to evaluate what additional steps are needed to elevate our entire pitching program and best position us for success moving forward.”
The Angels’ pitching staff was yielding a 4.53 ERA, but Maddux and his staff also oversaw the breakout seasons of Reid Detmers, Rafael Soriano, Walbert Urena, Ryan Zeferjahn and Chase Silseth.
“I had a great time in Anaheim," Maddux said in a text message with USA TODAY Sports. “Pitching was our strong suit. Glad to see some improvement… The coaches room is a solid cast of characters."
Leveque was in his first year as the Angels Class AA Rocket City’s pitching coach. He worked in the Cardinals’ scouting department in 2025 after being a minor-league pitching coach and pitching coordinator for the previous 19 years with the Cardinals.
Wuertz is in his 11th year with the Angels, and was the Angels minor league assistant pitching coordinator.
There was no winking, no flinching, no nodding and no detectable sarcasm Tuesday when the optimism of Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy blasted into overdrive.
Asked if Golden State’s current roster has the potential to win an NBA championship next season, Dunleavy floored it.
“I see a path because you have Steph Curry,” Dunleavy said. “Steve Kerr is a proven championship coach. We’ve got really good players. We need to get healthy. We need to stay healthy, and then we need to evaluate and see where we’re at. And if we need to get better, I know we can get better. So, there’s a path.”
“It may not be clear to a lot of people, but there’s a path.”
Please, no giggling. Just because you can’t visualize a parade in San Francisco next June doesn’t mean it’s impossible. Any clear-eyed glance would conclude that it’s highly, highly, highly improbable.
But it’s reasonable to wonder where on this earth Dunleavy found a pair of glasses that allows him, on Aug. 11, 2026, to see these Warriors looking down on the NBA next June.
The Warriors last season finished 10th in the Western Conference, with a 37-45 record that trailed 19 other teams. They were the best of the league’s 11 sub-.500 squads. They were slowed by age, derailed by injuries, limping over the second half of the season with roster whose quality depth turned out to be a mirage.
Dunleavy and his front-office crew, led by CEO Joe Lacob, saw enough last season to realize they needed to re-arm the roster. They peeped out Celtics star Jaylen Brown before he was traded to the 76ers, and purposely positioned themselves to receive consideration from LeBron James before he opted to sign with Philadelphia.
They knew in April that they lacked the goods to compete at the highest levels of the league.
And yet, four months later, without any appreciable roster upgrades – and knowing Golden State could be without Jimmy Butler III and Moses Moody for the first half of next season – Dunleavy can see “a path” to the top.
If the Warriors somehow win the 2027 NBA Finals, it would be a shocker for the ages. It would rank alongside The Miracle on Ice, Buster Douglas humiliating Mike Tyson and, yes, the underdog 1975 Warriors sweeping the Washington Bullets in The Finals.
Dunleavy’s words would hold their own against, say, Joe Namath’s prediction that his AFL champion New York Jets would take down the NFL champion Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III, who were 18-point favorites.
“That’s kind of what you’re aiming for,” Dunleavy said of a title. “You need some good luck. You need some good fortune. You need some things to bounce your way. But I think we’re in a position right now where there’s a path.
“We’re not going to be the No. 1 favorites in Vegas on the books right now, but that’s not what we’re trying to do. We’re not trying to win the championship in August. We’re trying to put ourselves in a position to compete the postseason, come April, May, and June.”
Dunleavy is right about Vegas. The Warriors are listed 15th on Vegas Insider’s 2027 championship odds, below the Houston Rockets and above the Atlanta Hawks. Kalshi is giving Golden State a two-percent chance to win it all, with 12 teams claiming better odds.
The “path” of which Dunleavy speaks looks a lot like the path through a shiver of sharks. The San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder sit not only atop the odds for the West but also the entire league. They are followed by the defending champion New York Knicks and absurdly reloaded 76ers.
Put simply, there are countless legitimate reasons why Golden State is projected to post another sub-.500 finish.
For the Warriors to finish among the top six in the West – which would be a rousing success – it will require almost everything going splendidly for them while identifiable contenders are coping with considerable ill fate.
The Warriors would need vastly improved availability from veterans often sidelined last season.
They’d need Curry to summon the best season ever submitted by a man who will be 39 years old. They’d need Butler, who will be 37 and coming off surgery to repair a torn ACL, to return by midseason and make a similar impact to that when he was acquired in February 2025. They’d need Al Horford and Kristaps Porziņģis to be healthy enough to combine for 125 games.
They’d need rookie Yaxel Lendeborg to deliver a season worthy of Rookie of the Year votes.
Yes, there is a path. Fantasy Lane. And it takes illusory vision to see the Warriors making it all the way to the end of the road.
The Phillies are both mediocre and the National League’s biggest threat to upset the Los Angeles Dodgers in this year’s playoffs.
How can both be true?
The 2026 Phillies enter Tuesday night’s game in St. Louis at 64-56, a .533 winning percentage, 7.5 games behind the Braves in the NL East and tied with the Arizona Diamondbacks for the 2nd wild card, both of whom are just one game up on the San Diego Padres for the NL’s final playoff spot.
Since the Phillies reached their high-water mark of 11 games over .500 on July 1 (49-38), they have gone 15-18 in their last 33 games. Over that stretch they are 15th in runs scored, 18th in OPS, 19th in batting average, and 22nd in home runs. Their 4.45 staff ERA is 22nd and their tied for 20th in walk rate, 22nd in home runs per nine innings, and 16th in batting average allowed. The rotation’s numbers are better than the bullpen’s, whose 5.46 ERA is 2nd-worst in baseball, and the defense’s -35 Defensive Runs Saved is also last.
That’s mediocre.
And yet, as The Athletic’s Jayson Stark wrote, there are those inside baseball who believe the Phillies remain the greatest threat to the Los Angeles Dodgers’ quest for a three-peat this October.
Should they get there.
So the team that got the most mentions as the Dodgers’ biggest threat was a surprise to me: the same Phillies team that just made a trade (for Arraez) that was so unorthodox they had to shake up half their defensive lineup just to fit him onto the field.
“I still think it comes back to the team, in the playoffs, with the best 1-2-3 starters,” said the former exec. “And that’s the Phillies.”
On the latest edition of WHYY’s Hittin’ Season, we discussed the seeming contradiction.
It is true the Phillies are both mediocre, and the National League team best positioned to knock the Dodgers off in a short postseason series.
You can listen to the FULL podcast below on Spotify, watch it on the WHYY YouTube channel, or subscribe on Apple Podcasts and anywhere else podcasts are free!
KLUGH: “Yes, having three awesome starting pitchers in playoff series is going to get you the advantage almost every time. But we’ve also seen how having three big horses like that in your rotation doesn’t get you all the way there all the time. I have my doubts that the Phillies are the best team to challenge the Dodgers when the Brewers have been playing so well and are cited for doing the things well the Phillies don’t do, which is the little things.”
Jesus Luzardo is in the midst of a hot streak reminiscent of what we saw earlier in the season from Cristopher Sanchez. And with Zack Wheeler continuing to roll right along, there is perhaps no team in baseball that can feature three pitchers this dominant in a playoff series.
Of course, there are teams who can counter with a pretty comparable 1-2 punch. The key is the Game 3 starter the Phillies can run out there in a playoff series. It’s a difference maker.
And while the Phils have a major issue with their bullpen right now, the Dodgers had a similarly leaky group of relievers heading into last year’s playoffs. They solved it by using their starters out of the ‘pen to secure key outs late in games. The Phillies won’t have quite that kind of ability, although Andrew Painter’s improvements over his last three starts makes him an intriguing bullpen add.
Still, unless some relief pitchers emerge over the final 40 games of the regular season, the Phils may not even make it to October, let along go on a run to the Fall Classic.
And in the postseason, the offense must come to play and perform under pressure in a way they haven’t since Game 2 of the 2023 NLCS.
There are other more well-rounded teams in the NL that could perhaps be a bigger threat. Milwaukee is once again playing at an elite level, with an ace pitcher that is just about as unbeatable as a person can be right now. The Chicago Cubs acquired pitching at the trade deadline that could make them very dangerous, and don’t count out the Atlanta Braves, who have been up-and-down.
Are the Phillies playing mediocre baseball right now? Yes. You know what other team played mediocre baseball late in the season?
The 2022 Phils, who went 11-14 in September and just barely squeaked into the postseason as the third wild card. Last year’s Phillies went 18-11 in August and 17-8 in September and went into the playoffs on an absolute roll.
So yes, it’s fair to say the Phillies are, right now, mediocre. And yes, it’s also fair to say they are the team with the biggest threat to the Dodgers in the playoffs.
Basketball: Phoenix Suns Tom Chambers (24) in action vs New York Knicks Mark Jackson (13) at Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum.Phoenix, AZ 1/27/1989CREDIT: John W. McDonough (Photo by John W. McDonough /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)(Set Number: X37759 )
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year, we ask questions of the most plugged-in Suns fans and fans across the country.
It’s Hall of Fame week here at Bright Side of the Sun as we prepare for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame to welcome a new class into its sacred halls. Among those being inducted, the Seven Seconds or Less era will be well represented, as Mike D’Antoni and Amar’e Stoudemire are set to be enshrined in Springfield, Massachusetts.
And we’ll do our celebrating. Make no mistake about that. But Hall of Fame week also creates another conversation, one centered around the players who still haven’t made it.
On the most recent episode of The Bill Simmons Podcast, Simmons went through a list of 7 players he believes should be in the Hall of Fame but currently aren’t. And well represented among that group were three former members of the Phoenix Suns.
The first was Paul Silas, the man who still sits atop the Suns’ single-season rebounding leaderboard after averaging 12.5 rebounds per game in 1971. He spent three seasons in Phoenix and was a pit bull in all the right ways, earning an All-Star nod and two All-Defensive Second team honors. Holistically, he played 16 years, won three championships, and was a five-time All-Defensive player in the era of Redwood trees roaming the paint. At 6’7”, Silas was pound-for-pound one of the best interior players of his generation.
Then there’s Kevin Johnson, my favorite player growing up, and someone who was an absolute force before his body began to fail him in the mid 90s. When you look at his 12-year career and see averages of 17.9 points and 9.1 assists per game, it’s hard to understand why he still isn’t in the Hall of Fame. Of course, there may be off-court factors that play into that discussion.
And then there’s Tom Chambers. Chambers spent five seasons with the Suns and averaged 20.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game during his time in Phoenix. He still holds the franchise record for points per game in a single season after averaging 27.2 in 1989–90. He’s also most notably remembered as the first unrestricted free agent in NBA history, something you would think deserves recognition in Springfield.
Chambers was a four-time All-Star, with three of those selections coming as a member of the Suns, and he also holds the unenviable distinction of being one of only four players in NBA history to score more than 20,000 career points and not be in the Hall of Fame.
Perhaps this is a biased question, but it also sets up a point I plan to make later this week. So for this week’s Suns Reacts survey, I’ll ask you this: Should Tom Chambers be in the Hall of Fame?
Cast your vote, then let me know why or why not in the comments below. And while you’re there, share your favorite Tom Chambers memory.
