The Mets took the first game of Wednesday's doubleheader against the Atlanta Braves by a score of 3-2.
Here are the takeaways...
-- It was another big day for the Mets' pair of young outfielders. With the game tied 2-2 in the bottom of the seventh, Carson Benge came through against left-hander Dylan Dodd, roping a double into the right-field corner to give the Mets the lead.
Benge had a pair of hits on the afternoon and now has a .718 OPS on the season.
-- A.J. Ewing had a more productive day at the plate than his line score might let on. The rookie reached base on an error his first time up, singled in his second at-bat, and had an RBI sac fly to center in the fifth. He then walked in the seventh, and came around to score the go-ahead run on Benge's RBI double.
Ewing was on base three times, stole a pair of bases, and scored a run.
--Sean Manaea pitched through traffic in the early going, but the lefty got a couple of double play balls and some timely strikeouts to pitch around trouble, working through his first three innings without allowing a run.
Again, in the fifth inning, Manaea had a couple of runners on base, but forced Ronald Acuña Jr. into an easy flyout to left to get out of the jam.
Manaea’s shutout ended in the sixth, as he allowed a Drake Baldwin double and then a Matt Olson two-run blast, tying the game in the blink of an eye.
Manaea, leaning heavily on his four-seam fastball, went 6.0 innings, allowing two earned runs on five hits, striking out four and walking two.
-- Francisco Alvarez continued his hot streak at the plate. With the game still scoreless and a pair of runners on in the bottom of the fifth, Alvarez drove an RBI double to the wall in left center, scoring the game’s first run.
Alvarez now has a .791 OPS on the season.
-- Huascar Brazoban, Luke Weaver,and Devin Williams all held the Braves at bay, combining to go three scoreless innings out of the bullpen.
-- AJ Smith-Shawver made his first start of the season. Coming off Tommy John surgery, the right-hander pitched well, allowing two earned runs in 4.1 innings on four hits. He struck out four and walked two.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 28: Luis Lara #18 of the Milwaukee Brewers hits a two-run RBI triple against the San Francisco Giants in the top of the seventh inning at Oracle Park on July 28, 2026 in San Francisco, California. The Brewers won the game 8-2. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
For the second straight series, the Milwaukee Brewers will look to win the last game of the series to win the series, as they go for their fourth straight series win since the All-Star break.
Rumors of trades were beginning to swirl around midday today as Shane Drohan was originally scheduled as the starting pitcher for this afternoon’s game before getting bumped back. Instead, the Brewers have recalled Thomas Pannone from Triple-A Nashville to start. With this move, Garrett Stallings was optioned back to Nashville.
This move comes as manager Pat Murphy is trying to get a number of the young arms a bit of a breather, and with the off day coming, this move only makes a number of sense as we enter the dog days of the season.
As for Pannone, today’s start will be his first as a Brewer and just his second appearance in the Major Leagues since 2023. Pannone has had quite the road in professional baseball since his last outing in June of 2023; after throwing 2.2 innings against the Pirates, he was designated for assignment before being released. He then bounced around in the Korean Baseball Association before spending time in the Minor League systems of the Detroit Tigers and Chicago Cubs.
This season with the Nashville Sounds, he has posted a 3.54 ERA through 16 appearances. He’s not a huge strikeout pitcher, as he only has 57 of them through 72.0 innings pitched, making him very much a Brewers-esque pitcher. Today isn’t the first time he will appear against the Giants either; back in April 2019, he threw 2.1 innings against them, allowing two runs on two home runs as a member of the Toronto Blue Jays.
Taking a look at the Brewers lineup today, Murphy will trot out a very similar lineup as he did in last night’s 8-2 victory, the only changes being Jake Bauers will get the start at first base, and Gary Sánchez will start behind the dish. Christian Yelich will spend the second straight day as the cleanup hitter while Brice Turang seeks to continue his hitting prowess at the plate.
The Crew will have their hands full today, offensively speaking, as they’ll have to stare down the right-hander Logan Webb, who makes his 18th start of the season. This season, he has held opponents to a .231 batting average while also limiting the walks to just 29 through 112 innings pitched. On the bright side for the Brewers’ bats, Webb has been struggling in July as he enters today with a 7.54 ERA, striking out just 13 batters over 22.2 innings.
The Giants will look to win back-to-back series for the first time since the beginning of June, when they did it against the Brewers and the Cubs.
First pitch is 2:45 p.m., and you can find it on Brewers.TV and WTMJ 620.
Stephen Fleming is expected to be named as England’s Test coach, after impressing the England and Wales Cricket Board in a series of interviews over the past two weeks. The 53-year-old would work alongside his predecessor, compatriot, former teammate and friend Brendon McCullum, who remains in charge of the white-ball teams.
Fleming stood down as head coach of the Indian Premier League franchise Chennai Super Kings – as well as their subsidiaries Joburg Super Kings in South Africa’s SA20 and Texas Super Kings in America’s Major League Cricket – this month. That announcement was made after CSK finished eighth out of 10 teams in this year’s IPL, following on from a last-place finish in 2025, but also less than 24 hours after McCullum was sacked by the ECB as Test coach.
To refresh your memory: Alcántara wasn’t traded by the Marlins a year ago at the deadline largely because they were asking for too much in return — which was the same for most starting pitchers a year ago. The Marlins also decided to hang on to Alcántara over the offseason.
Their patience has paid off, at least in Alcántara’s individual performance. He leads MLB in games started and innings pitched — he’s thrown 150.2 innings, which is 12 more than anyone else. That includes seven shutout innings against the Phillies Tuesday night, with five strikeouts. That lowered his season ERA to 3.81, his best since he won the NL Cy Young Award in 2022.
It seems clear that Alcántara is all the way back from the Tommy John surgery that had him miss all of 2024, though his K rate is down somewhat. He still throws hard:
The Marlins were, for a time, in the wild card race. In fact, after defeating the Mariners July 9 they were 52-42 and tied with the Phillies for the second wild-card spot, just half a game behind the Cubs.
Then they lost 12 in a row. They’ve defeated the Phillies two days in a row (thanks, Marlins!) to get back to .500. They are still only two games out of the last wild-card spot — but there are four teams ahead of them (Diamondbacks, Pirates, Nationals, Padres).
I think there clearly is a pivot for the Marlins at this point. I don’t expect them to be flat-out sellers—that I do not expect. But I also don’t believe they will be buying any players for right now. Any trades that they potentially will make I believe will be for the future.
“If you’re asking if any players could be traded from this year’s team, I still think it’s to be determined. You have to look at players that are on expiring contracts at the end of this season. A lot of teams are gonna certainly call regardless of the outcome of this season on Pete Fairbanks. He has an expiring contract at the end of the season. Somebody could certainly take a shot on him at the end of the year. Whether or not he gets traded, I don’t know the answer.”
“But as far as players on this team, we have to stop talking about Sandy Alcantara being traded! He’s not going to be traded. And there are a lot of players on this team…Eury Pérez, Max Meyer, Joe Mack—these are cornerstone-type players. I believe they will be with this team through the deadline and through the future.”
Okay, Mish says flat-out that Alcántara isn’t going to be traded. But you know how that goes — sometimes teams do things when you least expect it.
It should be noted that Alcántara has been much better in Miami this year (11 starts, 2.95 ERA, 1.023 WHIP, 4 HR in 73.1 innings) than on the road (12 starts, 4.66 ERA, 1.384 WHIP, 13 HR in 77.1 innings), though the road numbers are skewed by two really bad starts early on, one in Detroit, the other in Toronto, since then his road numbers have been decent enough.
Alcántara has a team option for 2027 at $21 million, which doesn’t seem unreasonable, or a $2 million buyout. Honestly I don’t see the Marlins paying that. Alcántara is their highest-paid player at $17 million ($11.2 million luxury tax hit) and they have only one other player making more than $1.8 million (closer Pete Fairbanks at $13 million). Miami’s total payroll is 29th in cash ($100.9 million) and last in luxury tax ($82.6 million). Of course, we don’t know what sort of system will be in place for the 2027 season and beyond until there’s a labor agreement, but I’d think the Marlins would sell Alcántara for young, cost-controlled players. The Cubs could afford to pick up that team option. (Payroll and tax numbers here are from Spotrac.)
Last winter the Cubs sent Owen Caissie (and two minor leaguers) to the Marlins for Edward Cabrera.
So what if they sent Jaxon Wiggins and Kevin Alcántara to Miami for Sandy Alcántara? Would that be enough?
If this is it for Tarik Skubal in a Tigers uniform, he goes out with the admiration of the fan base.
In the first inning of Skubal’s start against the Orioles Wednesday — potentially his final start with the Tigers ahead of the Aug. 3 trade deadline — he struck out Taylor Ward swinging to record his 1,000th career whiff.
Immediately after the K, Skubal was given a standing ovation from a raucous Detroit crowd, with video cameras out and active.
Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) tips his hat to the crowd after he gets 1,000 strikeouts in the first inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Comerica Park. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Comerica Park jumbotron showed a picture of Skubal with his signature and “1,000 career strikeouts. Tarik Skubal” written alongside it.
Skubal, set to be a free agent after the 2026 season, has been involved in trade rumors all season after failing to sign an extension last offseason.
While the Tigers’ 22-40 start made it likely Skubal would be dealt, their recent hot stretch — going 29-17 in the last 46 games entering Wednesday’s finale against the Orioles — has delayed a decision, though he could still be on the move.
Tarik Skubal has reached 1,000 career strikeouts and receives a standing ovation from Comerica Park! pic.twitter.com/MU8Zdq4lWh
CLEVELAND, OHIO - OCTOBER 30: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers boxes out Dean Wade #32 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during the second quarter at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on October 30, 2024 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. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
LeBron James is a Sixer.
Some variation of that sentence might be the lede for all of our foreseeable articles.
With James in the fold, the Sixers will have one of the most immensely talented starting groups in NBA history. Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, Jaylen Brown, James and Joel Embiid are five incredibly gifted players. The four veterans have all been All-NBA picks and it’s not crazy to suggest Edgecombe could join them one day.
The issue with many “super teams” is depth. Hell, the top-heavy Sixers of 2025-26 had debilitating depth issues that were exposed in a big way by the eventual champion New York Knicks in the second round. You need guys to pitch in on load management nights or hit big shots while the stars get the attention.
But when you look at the Sixers’ roster for 2026-27, depth isn’t really an issue — despite what some national folks would have you believe.
Before free agency began, the Sixers selected Alabama guard Labaron Philon with the 22nd overall pick. Philon could prove to be a capable lead ball-handler at the NBA level, which should take a serious burden off Maxey and even Edgecombe, who was basically the team’s de facto backup point guard last season. Philon’s impressive summer league only adds to the belief he can be an immediate contributor.
Mike Gansey and company didn’t have much time to relax as free agency began mere days later — and they were aggressive from the jump.
On the first night of free agency, it was reported that Cleveland Cavaliers forward Dean Wade would be signing a four-year deal. The next day, the team made a move that surprised some, giving New York Knicks big man Ariel Hukporti a deal above the minimum. As Gansey noted after the selection of Philon, this team needed a little bit of everything. Adding versatile forward depth in Wade and another option behind Embiid in Hukporti struck those notes.
Of course, nobody saw what was coming next as the team shipped Paul George and draft picks to the Boston Celtics for Jaylen Brown. Without sacrificing any rostered players, Brown’s acquisition also improved the team’s depth because of the 2025-26 All-NBA pick’s availability compared to George’s.
One of the most surprising and perhaps underrated moves by Gansey this offseason was acquiring guard Anfernee Simons. Simons is an elite offensive player, with the ability to score and make threes at a high level on high volume. How many times did the Sixers just need any type of scoring punch off the bench in the postseason? The only game they really got it was Game 5 in Boston when Quentin Grimes had by far his finest game in the playoffs. For context — Gansey signed Wade and Simons for the same amount of money Grimes got from the Los Angeles Lakers. That’s strong value.
The Brown trade set the stage for signing LeBron, which also led to the eventual signing of veteran wing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and trading of Johni Broome. With that, the Sixers should have 14 players signed to standard deals who can help them win games.
Wade and Simons will be the top options while Hukporti and the incumbent Adem Bona battle it out to back up Embiid. Caldwell-Pope and third-year player Justin Edwards will likely battle it out for minutes on the wing.
And don’t forget about Dominick Barlow and Jabari Walker. Both players started last season on two-way deals before being converted to standard contracts. Barlow gave the Sixers meaningful minutes, even starting 59 games. Walker isn’t a world-beater, but he’s an ideal 14th guy on your roster who will give you high effort and make open threes against the Brooklyn Nets on a Tuesday night in January.
All teams are going to have holes going into the regular season. Even the defending champion Knicks lost Mitchell Robinson and are attempting to replace him with old friend Andre Drummond. So, if you have concerns about the Hukporti-Bona duo being the primary plan behind Embiid, that’s fair, but there will be time to address the position ahead of the deadline.
Because they’re hard-capped at the first apron, their 15th roster spot will need to remain open for now. But by early January, they’ll be able to bring in players on 10-day contracts. Maybe one of those guys pops. Perhaps an interesting player will be available around the deadline. While first-rounders will be tricky to use because of the Stepien Rule, the Sixers will have plenty of second-rounders still at their disposal. They could also look into the buyout market once the deadline passes.
And don’t forget about the two-way spots. Rayan Rupert and Caleb Love are interesting lottery tickets. The third spot remains open. Maybe an intriguing big will take that final slot and force their way into minutes like Barlow and Walker a year ago.
The overall point is the Sixers have depth — plus avenues to add things they might need.
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - MARCH 19, 2026: Luis Hernández #8 of the San Francisco Giants bats during the fifth inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the Cincinnati Reds at Scottsdale Stadium on March 19, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Bernacchi/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Just five games for the San Francisco Giants Minor League Baseball affiliates on Tuesday, as AA Richmond had their game postponed (they’re playing a doubleheader today), while the Arizona Complex League season is over. Let’s dive into the action.
All listed positions in the roundup are the position played in that particular game.
News
Some unfortunate news, as AA Richmond outfielder Dakota Jordan (No. 5 CPL) was placed on the 7-Day IL. That’s not normally something that happens during off-days, so that’s a little strange. Hopefully he’s OK and this isn’t the end of his excellent season. High-A Eugene second baseman Isaiah Barkett, who was also just promoted, was also placed on the 7-Day IL.
In happier news, AAA Sacramento RHP Trent Harris (No. 29 CPL) was named Pitcher of the Week in the Pacific Coast League!
AAA Sacramento (56-44)
Sacramento River Cats lost to the Tacoma Rainiers (Mariners) 8-4 Box score
This game was all about the players at the back. The top (and heart) of the lineup was awful, while the back of it was excellent. The starting pitching was poor, while the bullpen was mostly strong.
That was especially stark on the lineup front, where the 1st 6 hitters recorded just 2 of the team’s 8 hits. The 1st 4 — a quartet of players who are all hoping to make MLB debuts by the end of this season or early next year — especially struggled. Second baseman Nate Furman (No. 39 CPL) hit 0-4 with a strikeout and a double play; center fielder Scott Bandura went 1-4 with a strikeout; third baseman Parks Harber (No. 17 CPL) hit 0-4 with 2 strikeouts (his 1st hitless game since getting promoted); and left fielder Bo Davidson went 0-3 with a walk and a strikeout.
But at the back of the lineup? Designated hitter Turner Hill, catcher Adrián Sugastey, and shortstop Aeverson Arteaga each hit 2-4. Hill in particular had an excellent game, smacking a 2-run home run and stealing a base, as his splendid 2026 continues.
Hill’s numbers are really jumping off the page through 76 games with the River Cats: that’s a large enough sample that there’s nothing fluky about his average (.333), OPS (.899), wRC+ (137), strikeout rate (8.4%), or base-stealing (22 in 25 attempts). The only thing that probably isn’t sustainable is the power, which is largely a result of the Pacific Coast League … Hill has 7 homers in those 76 games, with just 5 home runs in 281 games at all other levels of the Minors, and his average exit velocity is 39th percentile in AAA.
With Jonah Cox and Victor Bericoto (No. 35 CPL) likely returning to health soon, and with the Giants motivated to get longer looks at Grant McCray and Drew Gilbert, it seems highly unlikely that Hill, who is 27, will make his MLB debut this year and clog the roster through the offseason. But, assuming he survives the Rule 5 Draft (which is no certainty, though there’s a good chance there isn’t a Rule 5 Draft this year), he’s a player who should show up to Spring Training in position to fight for a backup outfield spot.
Sugastey also went deep, smacking a solo home run in the 9th inning. He’s fit right in since getting promoted, hitting 6-16 with 2 home runs, 1 walk, and just 1 strikeout. Though, like Hill, Sugastey is not a player who has a lot of power, so the homers are a little PCL-influenced. Still, great to see him hitting the ground running at the highest level of the Minors.
On the mound, it was a very poor start for LHP Matt Wilkinson, who really struggled to fool batters with his pitches. He was simply far too hittable, giving up 8 hits in 3.1 innings, with 3 of those hits clearing the fence (and another 2 of them being doubles). Tugboat also walked 2 batters, en route to allowing 6 runs, though he did strike out 4 (though 4 strikeouts in 3.1 innings sounds a lot better than the equally factual 4 strikeouts out of 20 batters faced).
It’s a little hard to evaluate hittability in the PCL due to to all the aforementioned home runs. How much of it is because of the Coors Field-esque environments, and how much is the result of 90-mph fastballs and breaking balls set up by 90-mph fastballs being quite hittable? Wilkinson has a solid 10.2 strikeouts per 9 innings in AAA, with a not-too-bad 3.9 walks, but he’s also ceded 6 home runs in 25.2 innings, leading to a 5.61 ERA and a 6.28 FIP. I know fans are clamoring for a debut on that front but … maybe let’s give him some time to develop!
The bullpen was solid. RHP Braxton Roxby pitched 1.2 no-hit innings, though he walked 2 and didn’t strike anyone out. RHP Spencer Bivens gave up a home run to a rehabbing Brendan Donovan, but otherwise didn’t allow any baserunners in 2 innings, while recording 4 strikeouts.
A brilliant and well-rounded offensive display from the Emeralds, despite their best prospect, Jhonny Level (No. 3 CPL) getting a day off. Eugene hitters had 14 hits and 6 walks on the day, with 8 of the 9 players in their lineup recording a knock.
The best day belonged to third baseman Walker Martin, who hit 1-3 with a 2-run home run, a walk, a hit by pitch, and a strikeout.
Martin, the team’s 2nd-round pick in 2023, has really been able to tap into his power a bit this year, as he has 14 home runs (5th in the organization), and a career-best .184 isolated slugging percentage (26th out of 72 Northwest League hitters with at least 150 plate appearances).
Unfortunately, while the power is there, the contact simply isn’t, as Martin continues to struggle with just putting the ball in play. Among those 72 hitters, his .230 batting average is 54th, his 33.6% strikeout rate is 67th, and his 19.7% swinging strike rate is 71st (ahead of only his teammate Jakob Christian [No. 40 CPL]). So there’s certainly a lot for Martin to work on.
A pair of other players had extra-base hits: left fielder Carlos Gutierrez (No. 18 CPL), who went 1-4 with a triple, a walk, and a strikeout, and designated hitter Robert Hipwell, who hit 2-4 with a double, a hit by pitch, and 2 strikeouts. Gutierrez has now hit safely in 18 of the last 21 games, and during that time is 27-70 with 2 homers, 9 total extra-base hits, 18 walks, and just 13 strikeouts. That’s brought him up to an .840 OPS and a 126 wRC+ on the season, and I’m wondering if he might get a taste of AA ball before the year ends … which would be wildly impressive, considering as how the 21-year old lefty had played in just 85 games before this season began.
As for Hipwell, he’s been hitting well since returning from a brief demotion to Low-A, as he’s gone 7-13 with 3 extra-base hits and 3 walks in 4 games since getting back to Eugene … though he’s also struck out 8 times. Those strikeouts are the downfall for the 2024 6th-rounder currently, as he has a terrifying 41.6% K rate at the level, which has resulted in just a .183 batting average and a .687 OPS … though his wRC+ is still 94, thanks to a sky-high 18.1% walk rate.
A trio of other players reached base 3 times: center fielder Lisbel Diaz (No. 32 CPL) hit 3-5 with a strikeout, raising his OPS to .780 and his wRC+ to 98; catcher Daniel Rogers went 2-4 with a walk, boosting his OPS to .627 and his wRC+ to 71; and shortstop Zane Zielinski hit 2-4 with a walk, a strikeout, and a stolen base, giving him a .739 OPS and a 102 wRC+. Zielinski had been playing in AA Richmond for a while, but was struggling, and returned to Eugene when Gavin Kilen (No. 7 CPL) was promoted.
A very odd start for LHP Luis De La Torre (No. 14 CPL). We’ve grown very accustomed to De La Torre limiting hits but giving up a ton of walks, but even so, this start was an extreme for him, as he allowed just 2 hits in 5 innings, while walking 6 batters. The good news is that resulted in just 1 run against him; the bad news is that his typical strikeout stuff was nowhere to be found, as he only K’d 2 batters on the day.
LDLT, who threw just 45 of 87 pitches for strikes, is now up to a terrifying 7.2 walks per 9 innings … a very bizarre number after he only walked 3.3 per 9 in his breakout campaign last year, including just 2.8 per 9 in his 35.2-inning stint in Low-A to end the year. Where did all these walks come from? His strikeout rate has also dropped a bit, though that’s not surprising when moving up a level, and it remains at a very nice 11.4 per 9.
But the walks and the home runs (he’s allowed 9 in 78.2 innings, despite just 54 total hits) have done him in, giving him a 5.15 ERA and a 5.21 FIP, despite some clearly electric stuff in his arsenal. Weird season.
A pair of other pitchers who struggle to avoid walks pitched, but, unlike De La Torre, they did a good job at suppressing free passes. That would be, of course, the 2 relievers with arguably the nastiest and hardest-throwing stuff in any Giants affiliated bullpen, RHPs Liam Simon and Gerelmi Maldonado (No. 21 CPL). Simon pitched 2 scoreless innings with 1 hit, 1 walk, and 1 strikeout, while Maldonado struck out the side in his scoreless frame, with 1 hit and 0 walks. Both players have comical strikeout and walk numbers: 49 strikeouts and 31 walks in 33 innings for Simon (who has a 5.45 ERA and a 5.46 FIP), and 37 strikeouts and 32 walks in 24.2 innings for Maldonado (who has a 3.65 ERA and a 6.27 FIP). Always good to see them pitch in control … Maldonado was especially impressive, throwing 12 of 16 pitches for strikes. More of that, please!
Low-A San Jose (56-41)
San Jose Giants beat the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (Angels) 12-4 Box score
The big news for San Jose is, of course, the arrival of a pair of shortstop phenoms, Josuar González (No. 2 CPL) and Luis Hernández (No. 6 CPL). And you know what? That’s going to be the news and the story for the rest of the year with the Baby Giants, and nothing will come close it it.
Tuesday was a good day on that front. It was good for González because he played, period. The 18-year old switch-hitter, who played shortstop in this game, left his Low-A debut on Saturday with what the team called a groin cramp. It was a scary scene at first … González has dealt with multiple hamstring injuries this year, and he left the game in the middle of an at-bat, so the assumption was that it was something fairly serious. Thankfully it was not, and he was back in the lineup and leading off on Tuesday, where he went 0-4 with 2 walks and 2 strikeouts.
He scored after one of those walks, thanks to Hernández. The 17-year old righty, who played third base in this game, only hit 1-5, but he sure made that “1” count, with an absolutely stunning 2-run home run in the 1st inning.
17-year-old Luis Hernández clubs his first Single-A homer in his 3rd game for the @SJGiants 💥
It’s hard to properly state how impressive Hernández’s combination of power and contact ability are, especially for a 17-year old infielder. So I won’t even try to state it. I’ll just say that the kid is very, very special.
A pair of players from the 2025 draft class also went deep, as catcher Junior Barajas and right fielder Cam Maldonado (No. 34 CPL) both hit 2-5 with a solo home run. For Barajas, it’s the continuation of a 3-act play where power is concerned. Just look at how the home runs have gone for the debut season of last year’s 11th-rounder:
First 8 games: 4 home runs Next 54 games: 2 home runs Last 3 games: 4 home runs
When it rains it pours, for better and for worse! Barajas has just a .763 OPS and an 89 wRC+ on the year, but the son of Rod Barajas is certainly showing flashes with the bat, and he’s a damn good defensive player.
Maldonado, last year’s 7th-round selection, has also been extremely streaky with the long ball. The 22-year old righty, who had a stretch in April where he homered 6 times in 4 games, hit his 1st big fly since June 12, ending a streak of 23 consecutive games (17 with San Jose, and 6 while rehabbing an injury in the ACL) without leaving the yard. July had been fairly dismal for Maldonado (who was 1-22 since returning to San Jose prior to this game), so hopefully this is the start of him ending his season on a high note. He has a .790 OPS and a 91 wRC+ on the year.
Another tough outing for RHP Trey Seeley, who came an out away from a very aesthetically pleasing line: last year’s 14th-round pick gave up 4 hits, 4 walks, and 4 runs, with 4 strikeouts, though he only made it through 3.2 innings. So close! Seeley, a 24-year old who signed for $25,000 out of Hope International, has a 9.00 ERA and a 9.90 FIP with San Jose, though he is striking out 12.2 batters per 9 innings. Wildly, nearly half of his allowed hits are home runs: in 20 innings he’s given up 22 hits, including 10 big flies.
RHP Evan Gray, a 15th-rounder in 2024, threw 2 no-hit innings with 1 hit batter and 1 strikeout. It was a much-needed nice outing, after giving up runs in 3 straight appearances. The 25-year old has a 5.01 ERA and a 5.20 FIP.
Dominican Summer League Black (26-15)
DSL Giants Black beat the DSL Tigers 1, 7-6 (8 innings) Box score
Nice games from a pair of DSL veterans who will likely make their way to Arizona come the spring. Left fielder Franco Willias, a 21-year old from the DR who is in his 3rd season, hit 2-4 with a triple, a walk, and a caught stealing. That pushed his hitting streak to 11 games, and he’s 20-43 with 8 extra-base hits and 5 walks during that time, pushing his OPS to 1.064 and his wRC+ to 159. He’s been one of the best players in all of the DSL this season.
Shortstop Keiberg Camacaro, a 19-year old from Venezuela who is in his 4th season, went 3-4 with a stolen base. After a strong June, Camacaro has been otherworldly in July, posting a 1.169 OPS in the month. On the year he has a 1.041 OPS, a 157 wRC+, and 23 stolen bases in 25 attempts. Just a spectacular year, following a very poor 2025.
The best pitching performance belonged to LHP Moises Soto, a 17-year old from Venezuela who was making just his 2nd career appearance. Soto struck out 2 batters in a no-hit relief inning, though he did issue 2 walks. LHP Santiago Guerrero, a 19-year old from Mexico who is also in his debut season, struck out 6 batters in 2.2 innings, though he allowed 2 hits, 4 walks, and 5 runs. Guerrero has 31 strikeouts in 27 innings this year, and has only allowed 13 hits … but he’s walked 28.
A few nice games in this one. Center fielder Jose Valdez, a 17-year old from Venezuela, had a perfect outing, going 3-3 with a walk, 4 runs batted in, and a stolen base. Valdez has had a really nice debut season, with an .854 OPS, a 110 wRC+, and 8 stolen bases. My guess is that he’ll be staying in the DSL for another year, though, so that he can work on his contact skills (he has a .263 average and a 23.9% strikeout rate).
A pair of other players in their debut seasons shined: shortstop Jonathan Valle, an 18-year old from Cuba, went 1-1 with a double and a walk, while left fielder Angelo Ugueto, a 17-year old from Venezuela, hit 2-3 with a triple, a walk, and a strikeout. Valle has really struggled (.475 OPS, 19 wRC+), while Ugueto (.666 OPS, 75 wRC+) has been a little better.
RHP Frainer Mejias, a 20-year old from Venezuela who is in his 4th season, threw 1.2 no-hit innings with 1 walk, 1 hit batter, and 2 strikeouts. It’s been a tough season for him, as he has a 5.71 ERA, a 7.85 FIP, and more walks than strikeouts.
Home run tracker
14 — Walker Martin — [High-A] 12 — Cam Maldonado — [Low-A] 10 — Junior Barajas — [Low-A] 7 — Turner Hill — [AAA] 7 — Luis Hernández — [1 in Low-A; 6 in ACL] 5 — Adrián Sugastey — [2 in AAA; 2 in AA; 1 in ACL]
Wednesday schedule
Sacramento: 7:05 p.m. PT at Tacoma (SP: TBD) Richmond: 9:05 a.m. PT doubleheader at Somerset (SPs: Trystan Vrieling & Greg Farone) Eugene: 6:35 p.m. PT vs. Tri-City (SP: Hunter Dryden) San Jose: 6:30 p.m. Pt at Rancho Cucamonga (SP: TBD)
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - JULY 24: Logan Webb #62 of the San Francisco Giants pitches during the game between the Los Angeles Angels and the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park on Friday, July 24, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Bryan Kennedy/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The San Francisco Giants conclude this three-game series against the Milwaukee Brewers this afternoon from Oracle Park.
Taking the mound for the Giants will be right-hander Logan Webb, who enters today’s game with a 3.98 ERA, 3.50 FIP, with 89 strikeouts to 29 walks in 113 innings pitched. His last start was in the Giants’ 7-6 win over the Los Angeles Angels on Friday, in which he allowed four runs on six hits with four strikeouts and two walks in six innings.
He’ll be facing off against Brewers right-handed rookie Shane Drohan, who enters today’s game with a 3.51 ERA, 3.02 FIP, with 82 strikeouts to 23 walks in 82 innings pitched. His last start was in the Brewers’ 5-2 loss to the Colorado Rockies on Friday, in which he allowed five runs on six hits with six strikeouts and two walks in six innings.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 28: Xander Bogaerts #2 of the San Diego Padres consoles Luis Campusano #12 of the San Diego Padres after he was thrown out at home plate during the second inning of a game against the Colorado Rockies at Petco Park on July 28, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Colorado Rockies (42-66) at San Diego Padres (54-53), July 29, 2026, 1:10 p.m. PST
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LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 10: The sneakers worn by Mohamed Diawara #51 of the New York Knicks during the game against the Brooklyn Nets during the 2026 NBA Summer League game on July 10, 2026 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 2026 NBAE (Photo by Ryan Stetz/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - MARCH 21: Head coach Jordan Ott of the Phoenix Suns looks on during the first half against the Milwaukee Bucks at Mortgage Matchup Center on March 21, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Bucks defeated the Suns 108-105. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
I’m sitting here looking at the Phoenix Suns’ depth chart, and I have to admit, my imagination is starting to run wild. Maybe that’s what all of us do during the offseason. We stare at a depth chart and begin imagining all of the possibilities for the upcoming season. This is the time of year built on hope and optimism because we haven’t seen anything play out on the court yet. We can spend all day hypothesizing about everything that could go right.
At the same time, realism has to live alongside those expectations. As I sit here in the same chair, staring at a different depth chart than I was a summer ago, I realize I didn’t have this same level of optimism. I didn’t feel the number of lineup combinations the Suns could deploy was nearly as expansive. I also didn’t know what kind of coach Jordan Ott would be or what kind of culture this team would ultimately establish.
A year later, we have those answers. And understanding what the Suns can be is part of why I’m so excited. From a roster construction standpoint, this team has optionality. Just look at it.
Where it really gets fun is when you start exploring the different lineup combinations the Suns can throw at opponents because they finally possess the roster versatility they haven’t had in years. You want a “tough son of a bitch” lineup? Give me Gillespie, Goodwin, Brooks, Bridges, and Maluach. You want size? Give me Booker, Brooks, Peat, Fleming, and Maluach. You want rebounding? Give me Goodwin, Green, Fleming, Bridges, and either Mark Williams or Maluach. You want experience? Give me Booker, Green, Brooks, Bridges, and Williams, which is probably the starting five when the season opens.
That’s what intrigues me most about this roster. There are answers for different situations. There are lineup combinations built to solve different problems. And that’s something the Suns simply haven’t had at their disposal in recent seasons.
My point? The Suns have options. Plenty of them. We’ll probably spend the rest of the summer talking about all of the lineup combinations available to Phoenix.
But there’s a downside to that optionality, one that will reveal itself every time the Suns lose. I’ve talked at length in the past about the disease of “what if.” When you have this many options at your disposal, it’s easy to focus on the lineup that wasn’t used rather than the one that was. Every loss will invite questions about what Jordan Ott should have done differently.
That’s human nature. We like to imagine what could have been more than accept what actually happened. On nights when the Suns end up on the wrong side of the scoreboard, this roster’s optionality could become more of a curse than a blessing. My hope is that simply acknowledging it now serves as a reminder not to fall prey to that inevitable conversation. At the same time, we have to remain objective. If the Suns are consistently losing and there’s a clear trend showing that certain lineups are underutilized, then the inexperience of the head coach has to be part of that discussion.
I know it probably sounds like I’m preparing everyone for disappointment before a game has even been played. I’m not. What I’m saying is this roster gives Jordan Ott more options than the Suns have had in years. That’s exciting. It’s also going to require a delicate balance between experimenting with different combinations and settling on the situational lineups that consistently produce results. That won’t be easy.
Think about all of the lineups I mentioned above. I didn’t even include Ryan Dunn, and he’s someone who absolutely needs meaningful minutes this season because the organization has an important decision to make on him next offseason. You can’t evaluate what you have if you don’t let him play.
That’s the blessing. That’s also the curse. The Suns have built quality depth, but quality depth becomes a challenge if it’s underutilized. Winning cures all. If Phoenix wins, these conversations largely disappear. But overanalyzing sports is part of being a fan, and if the Suns start losing, I’m telling you now that the conversation will inevitably begin with one question. “What if?”
The irony is that this is exactly the kind of problem good teams are supposed to have. A coach would rather sort through too many playable combinations than spend an entire season searching for five players who fit together. Jordan Ott’s biggest challenge won’t be finding options. It’ll be identifying the right ones, knowing when to adjust, and resisting the temptation to chase every possible answer. For the first time in a long time, the Suns’ biggest roster question isn’t whether they have enough pieces. It’s figuring out how to best use them.
The King’s No. 23 jersey with the Sixers broke Fanatics’ record for most jerseys sold in the first 48 hours after a player joins a team in any sport, according to NBC10’s partner, the Philadelphia Business Journal.
The previous record was held by Shohei Ohtani after he joined the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2023, according to the Journal. However, the exact number of jersey sales was not released.
Fanatics has been the e-commerce partner of the NBA since 2015.
The King’s No. 23 jersey with the Sixers broke Fanatics’ record for most jerseys sold in the first 48 hours after a player joins a team in any sport, according to NBC10’s partner, the Philadelphia Business Journal.
The previous record was held by Shohei Ohtani after he joined the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2023, according to the Journal. However, the exact number of jersey sales was not released.
Fanatics has been the e-commerce partner of the NBA since 2015.
As we continue our exploration of the Atlantic, it's time to dissect the roster of the team responsible for the biggest change to the Senators' offseason.
After back-to-back Stanleys, the Florida Panthers finally hit a wall last season. Injuries not only knocked off their three-peat hopes but also ended their six-year run of making the playoffs.
It's not often the 25th-ranked NHL team has a chance to become the best team in the NHL, but here we are.
Steve Warne and Gregg Kennedy agree that Shane Pinto should move up to second line centre to help fill out the Sens top six.
Senators Offseason Summary
The Senators' summer changed dramatically when Brady Tkachuk requested a trade and was eventually sent to Florida for the ninth and 25th picks in the 2026 draft, a 2027 second-rounder and a 2029 first-round pick.
GM Steve Staios then flipped the ninth pick to San Jose for William Eklund and prospects Kasper Halttunen and Brandon Svoboda.
Ottawa also acquired Andre Burakovsky and goalie Samuel Ersson, while re-signing Claude Giroux, Nick Cousins, Jordan Spence and Leevi Merilainen.
The biggest question remains whether Eklund and Burakovsky can replace Tkachuk's offence.
Let's compare that with Florida's offseason.
Panthers Trades: Additions
Obviously, we start with Tkachuk, who arrived in Sunrise last month in the aforementioned trade.
The Panthers are at the cap and have almost all their top guys locked up for at least the next four years, so it will be interesting to see what happens when Brady becomes a UFA in 2028.
The Panthers also completely changed their goaltending.
Jacob Markstrom was added from New Jersey while Akira Schmid came over from Vegas for a 2028 third-round pick.
Florida also added more grit, acquiring Garnet Hathaway from Philadelphia and bringing back Radko Gudas from Anaheim. The Panthers also got former Sens buzzsaw Angus Crookshank in the Markstrom deal.
Panthers Trades: Subtractions
The Tkachuk trade cleaned out much of Florida's premium draft capital. They don't have a first-round pick for the next three years.
They gave up 23-year-old Mackie Samoskevich to Seattle to bring in a first-round pick they'd later have to send to Ottawa.
In a rugged UFA swap with Anaheim, they sent forward AJ Greer to the Ducks for Gudas. Both players re-signed with their new clubs.
The Markstrom deal with the Devils cost the Panthers Evan Rodrigues, Jesper Boqvist and minor league prospect Ben Steeves.
GM Bill Zito wasn't afraid to sacrifice depth and future assets to try and build a winner.
Panthers Free Agency
The Panthers' biggest losses came in free agency. Sergei Bobrovsky signed a three-year deal with Toronto after seven seasons and two Cups in Florida.
Backup Daniil Tarasov also left for Detroit, meaning the Panthers enter next season with an entirely new goalie tandem.
On the plus side, Florida signed Gudas to a six-year contract and added a familiar name for Senators fans in Lars Eller. Veteran defenseman Alexander Petrovic was also brought back on a two-year deal.
Who Had the Better Offseason?
The Panthers.
The Sens lost Brady Tkachuk, and their loss is Florida's gain. Tkachuk, Radko Gudas, and Garnet Hathaway ensure that the Panthers won't be much fun to play against.
If there's one reason for pause, it's in goal.
Markstrom is 36 and posted an .883 save percentage last season, while Schmid was at .893 in Vegas.
Aleksander Barkov missed all of last season, while Matthew Tkachuk, Brad Marchand, Sam Reinhart and several other important Panthers missed a lot of time as well.
Florida is healthy again, and their talent level is not only outrageous, but it's locked up and not leaving anytime soon. The numbers listed beside their best players are how long they're locked up for.
Brady Tkachuk (2) – Aleksander Barkov (4) – Sam Reinhart (6)
Carter Verhaeghe (5) – Sam Bennett (7) – Matthew Tkachuk (4)
Eetu Luostarinen (9) – Anton Lundell (4) – Brad Marchand (5)
Jonah Gadjovich(2) – Lars Eller – Garnet Hathaway
Gustav Forsling (6) – Aaron Ekblad (7)
Niko Mikkola (8) – Seth Jones (4)
Dmitry Kulikov (2) – Radko Gudas (6)
Unreal.
Just like last year, the Panthers have a better roster than most teams. They just need to stay healthy.
If they do, they look a lot more like the club that won consecutive Stanley Cups than the one that finished 25th last season.
On paper, they might be even better.
By Steve Warne The Hockey News
This article first appeared at The Hockey News Ottawa. For full Senators coverage, check out one of The Hockey News headlines below:
While the Los Angeles Lakers had already taken steps to hand the proverbial torch to star guard Luka Dončić, LeBron James' departure for Philadelphia earlier this month made it clear who will be leading the way on the court. Player-organized offseason minicamps have long been a thing in the NBA, and Dončić will reportedly host one of his own for his Lakers teammates next month.
According to ESPN's Dave McMenamin, Dončić will host his teammates in his native Slovenia over four days in August. In addition to on-court work, they're expected to get in some golf, check out the sights and do some bonding ahead of training camp, which opens in late September.
Luka Doncic is hosting the entire Los Angeles Lakers roster in Slovenia for a four-day minicamp in August, a source close to the Lakers told ESPN. The itinerary will include workouts, golf and some Ljubljana tourism and bonding ahead of training camp.
Despite injuries to Dončić and fellow guard Austin Reaves, the Lakers managed to eliminate Houston in the first round of the playoffs before being swept by Oklahoma City. And the on-court time could prove beneficial to JJ Redick's team, which has undergone many changes this offseason.
In addition to James, Deandre Ayton, Rui Hachimura, Marcus Smart and Luke Kennard have moved on. Among the new arrivals are Walker Kessler, Quentin Grimes, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Collin Sexton and first-round pick Cameron Carr.
Kessler's addition via sign-and-trade with Utah was the most important for the Lakers, given Ayton's inconsistency last season. While he was limited to five games last season due to a torn labrum, Kessler can offer the lob threat and rim protection that the Lakers have been seeking at the center position since acquiring Dončić from the Mavericks.
